cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glut1 Deficiency (G1D)

The majority of patients with glucose transporter type I deficiency (G1D) are haploinsufficient in SLC2A1, the gene that encodes the glucose transporter isoforms present both in the endothelial cells of the blood–brain barrier and in astrocytes. G1D is expected, on biochemical principles, to result in decreased blood to brain and intracerebral glucose flux, and, in mice, this is associated with diminished cerebral acetyl-coenzyme A contents. Thus, G1D probably stems from depletion (or perhaps from repletion) of energetic precursors centrally situated with respect to cerebral metabolism. Paradoxically, G1D is not associated with global neural hypoexcitability as a result of diminished glucose influx, but with focal hyperexcitability: Spike-wave epilepsy and paroxysmal dyskinesia constitute the best-defined G1D syndromes. Many patients also exhibit dystonia, ataxia, and dysarthria, either in isolation or in conjunction with other nonmotor manifestations such as intellectual disability and microcephaly. This argues against a single disease mechanism, as no developmental event or cerebral circuit is known to account, when abnormal, for these pleiotropic abnormalities, some of which have been successfully induced in mutant mice.
A prospective cohort study to analyze the interaction of tumor-to-breast volume in breast conservation therapy versus mastectomy with reconstruction

We explored the impact of the relative volume of a tumor versus the entire breast on outcomes in patients undergoing breast conservation therapy (BCT) versus mastectomy and reconstruction (M + R). We hypothesized that there would be a threshold tumor:breast ratio (TBR) below which patient-reported outcomes (PRO) would favor BCT and above which would favor M + R. We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or invasive breast cancers undergoing BCT or M + R. A prerequisite for inclusion, analysis of tumor and breast volumes was conducted from three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging reconstructions to calculate the TBR. Three-dimensional photography was utilized to calculate pre- and postoperative volumes and assess symmetry. Oncologic, surgical, and patient-reported outcome data were obtained from relevant BREAST-Q modules administered pre- and postoperatively. The BCT cohort had significantly smaller tumor volumes (p = 0.001) and lower TBRs (p = 0.001) than patients undergoing M + R overall. The M + R group, however, comprised a broader range of TBRs, characterized at lower values by patients opting for contralateral prophylactic mastectomy. Postoperative satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial, and sexual well-being scores were significantly higher in the BCT cohort, while physical well-being significantly favored the M + R cohort 480.2 ± 286.3 and 453.1 ± 392.7 days later, respectively. Relative to BCT, M + R was used to manage a broad range of TBRs. The relative importance of oncologic and surgical risk reduction, symmetry, and number of procedures can vary considerably and may limit the utility of TBR as a guide for deciding between BCT and M + R. Clinical Trial StatementThis study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov as “A Prospective Trial to Assess Tumor:Breast Ratio and Patient Satisfaction Following Lumpectomy Versus Mastectomy With Reconstruction”, Identifier: NCT02216136.
Investigation of the Clinical Utility of the BRIEF2 in Youth With and Without Intellectual Disability.

Objective: Executive function (EF) difficulties are commonly found in youth with intellectual disability (ID). Given mixed results from studies using performance-based EF measures, the EF profile has not been well characterized for this population. No published work has examined the clinical utility of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF2) in distinguishing EF in ID. We hypothesized that the BRIEF2 would show greater elevations in youth with ID compared to the Average IQ comparison group. Methods: Participants included a large sample of 504 youth (157 in ID group; aged 8–18 years) referred for (neuro)psychological evaluation (2015–2019) and identified as meeting criteria for either ID or Average IQ comparison group. Results: Significant elevations were found across BRIEF2 indices and scales. Only mild elevations were noted in selective cognitive regulation scales within the Average IQ group. Groups differed significantly across all EF dimensions, with greater differences observed in behavioral regulation (Self-Monitoring, Inhibition), Shift, and Working Memory. An elevated but less variable pattern of index scores was noted in ID, while the overall pattern of scaled scores appeared similar between groups. Conclusions: The less variable and consistently elevated profile may suggest fewer EF dimensions in individuals with ID than the model proposed in the test manual. Similar profiles between groups may reflect differences in severity, rather than differences in constructs measured by the EF factors, per se. Additional examination is needed to confirm potential structural differences in EF for youth with ID as measured by BRIEF2, with a clinical implication for greater efficiency of EF assessment in this population.
In Pursuit of Belonging: Forging an Ethical Life in European-Turkish Spaces, by Susan Beth Rottmann

This article reviews In Pursuit of Belonging: Forging an Ethical Life in European-Turkish Spaces $135.00/£99.00$29.95978-1-78920-269-4978-1-78920-270-0
Affective Practices of Diabetes Self-Management Among Older Adults: Cumulative Effects of Childhood Adversity.

Background and objectives A strong correlation exists between Type 2 diabetes mellitus and adverse childhood experiences. How adverse childhood experiences inform later life diabetes management is less understood. This article examines diabetes management from the perspective of affective practice to explore the lingering impact of trauma biographies in diabetes management. Research design and methods This secondary narrative analysis of 15 in-depth interviews with community-dwelling older adults with diabetes (subsample of The Subjective Experiences of Diabetes Study), focuses on the ways their reported childhood adversity impacts perceptions of and responses to diabetes self-management. Results The experiences of adversity in childhood accumulate, throughout the life course, in the affective practices informing diabetes self-management, from blood glucose testing, to food consumption, to the emotions invested in body size. We identify three thematic areas that emerged across participants: 1) Undermining self-worth; 2) (Over)eating and food as comfort; and 3) Weight and body size. Discussion and implications Our findings highlight affective practices as a mechanism through which adverse events accumulate and shape well-being over the life course. This analysis also suggests the potential for (de)accumulation of affective practices to improve diabetes management. The findings support recent calls for trauma-informed clinical care.
Continuous Hybrid Localization in Environments with Physical and Temporal Sensor Occlusions

The proliferation of more affordable sensors technologies has enabled the development of a variety of localization modalities and fusion techniques for pose estimation. Utilizing multiple localization techniques provides a more accurate pose estimate as well as a more robust solution reducing the risk associated with a lack of data for any given sensor due to occlusion(s) which here refers to the unavailability of a sensor's data due to signal loss from physical attenuation, distance, low bandwidth, sensor limitations, or sensor failure. In large complex environments the impact of occlusions cannot be known a priori - temporally or spatially. Here, we present a novel heuristic-based GNSS carrier noise re-initialization framework to manage transitions between localization modalities. Disturbance rejection is used to eliminate discrete filter jitter and manage the competing interests of competing state estimate data sources. The hybrid localization method is evaluated in a relevant environment and shown to be more effective than each individual localization modality.
Positron Emission Tomography Studies of Cognition

One of the most exciting applications of the new techniques in neuroimaging is the study of how cognitive processes are organized in the normal, functioning brain. Prior to the technological revolution in functional brain imaging, studies of human cognitive psychology on the one hand, and functional neuroanatomy on the other, were largely separate, both by the preferred methodologies used and by the professional backgrounds of scientists. On one side were the cognitive psychologists employing laboratory-based studies of normal volunteers, using paradigms such as reaction time measures in semantic priming, or dichotic and hemiretinal presentations. On the other side were neuropsychologists and neurologists who studied patients with cortical lesions, often in single case reports. The remarkable emergence of cognitive neuroscience, a de facto marriage of two disparate approaches to understanding human cognition, has resulted in an explosion of new scientific opportunities, reflected in a dramatic rise in training programs in cognitive neuroscience, new journals, and many publications. This merging of disciplines is particularly apparent in activation imaging studies using 15O positron emission tomography (PET) and more recently, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). By measuring the amount of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the brain during performance of a cognitive task in comparison to some control condition, activation PET attempts to isolate cortical regions which are essential to the performance of a cognitive skill. These 15O PET studies have already produced a multitude of experiments which attempt to describe, for the first time, the neuroanatomy underlying cognitive performance in the normal brain. Previously this knowledge was achieved only through studies of neurologically impaired patients.
Retinal Adaptation to the Spatiotemporal Statistical Structure of Visual Input

Under natural conditions, the statistical characteristics of sensory input vary considerably. For efficient representation, the sensory systems should adjust their coding rules. The best understood example is retinal adaptation to the mean light level. Recently it was also found that retina adapts to the contrast, the range of the light level variation. Visual input is not a single variable, but composed of many “pixels”, or multiple variables. Even when the mean and the contrast of these variables are constant, the statistical relationship among the variables can vary. Theory predicts that it is again advantageous to adjust coding rules. Since previous experiments suggested that the retinal behavior changes according to such statistical structures, we investigated the class of statistical structures that lead to response adjustments, and the profiles of those adjustments.
Offender assessment, case planning, and referral to community-based treatment: effects of a structured process improvement initiative

Background CJDATS-2 (Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Systems), a 5-year multisite national research collaborative funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), targeted implementation of evidence-based approaches for assessing and treating drug abuse within criminal justice settings. The Organizational Process Improvement Intervention, one of the major projects within the collaborative, was an intervention designed to improve the assessment of prisoners, the development of case plans for community services, the transfer of this information to community treatment agencies, and the use of the case plans by community treatment agencies that provide the recommended services. A local change team (LCT) consisting of criminal justice and community treatment staff and a facilitator conducted an organizational needs assessment and then identified and implemented targeted process improvement goals over an 18 to 24-month period.
A moldable online scheduling algorithm and its application to parallel short sequence mapping

A crucial step in DNA sequence analysis is mapping short sequences generated by next-generation instruments to a reference genome. In this paper, we focus on efficient online scheduling of multi-user parallel short sequence mapping queries on a multiprocessor system. With the availability of parallel execution models, the problem at hand becomes a moldable task scheduling problem where the number of processors needed to execute a task is determined by the scheduler. We propose an online scheduling algorithm to minimize the stretch of the tasks in the system. This metric provides improved fairness to small tasks compared to flow time metric and suits well to the nature of the problem. Experimental evaluation on two workload scenarios indicate that the algorithm results in significantly smaller stretch compared to a recent algorithm and it is more fair to small sized tasks.
Identifying suicidal behavior among adolescents using administrative claims data.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety of psychotropic medication use in children and adolescents, it is critical to be able to identify suicidal behaviors from medical claims data and distinguish them from other injuries. The purpose of this study was to develop an algorithm using administrative claims data to identify medically treated suicidal behavior in a cohort of children and adolescents. METHODS: The cohort included 80 183 youth (6-18 years) enrolled in Tennessee's Medicaid program from 1995-2006 who were prescribed antidepressants. Potential episodes of suicidal behavior were identified using external cause-of-injury codes (E-codes) and ICD-9-CM codes corresponding to the potential mechanisms of or injuries resulting from suicidal behavior. For each identified episode, medical records were reviewed to determine if the injury was self-inflicted and if intent to die was explicitly stated or could be inferred. RESULTS: Medical records were reviewed for 2676 episodes of potential self-harm identified through claims data. Among 1162 episodes that were classified as suicidal behavior, 1117 (96%) had a claim for suicide and self-inflicted injury, poisoning by drugs, or both. The positive predictive value of code groups to predict suicidal behavior ranged from 0-88% and improved when there was a concomitant hospitalization but with the limitation of excluding some episodes of confirmed suicidal behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly all episodes of confirmed suicidal behavior in this cohort of youth included an ICD-9-CM code for suicide or poisoning by drugs. An algorithm combining these ICD-9-CM codes and hospital stay greatly improved the positive predictive value for identifying medically treated suicidal behavior. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
COHESION, INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AND READING PERFORMANCE AT MUGC SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

As schools attempt to improve the services to struggling readers, teachers are encouraged to work collaboratively to enhance instruction. Studies are needed to examine the effects of teaming on student performance. The purpose of this study was to determine if team cohesion or instructional time at the Marshall University Graduate College Summer Enrichment Program (MUGCSEP) would be correlated with measures of reading performance for students who attended the program. Statistical analyses yielded a statistically significant correlation between cohesion, instructional time and reading performance during the 2006 program. While in 2007, instructional time was not significantly correlated, cohesion results yielded a mildly inverse statistically significant correlation with reading performance. Due to differences in assessment procedures between the years, this finding supports the possibility that team cohesion may be an important factor in the assessment of children's reading performance.
Parabolic pulse generation directly from a Ti:sapphire oscillator

We present experimental and theoretical work on the production of parabolic pulses from a Kerr-lens mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser operated in the positive dispersion regime. We anticipate applications for high-energy oscillators and ultra-high-contrast amplifiers.
Doing the Public Good: Latina/o Scholars Engage Civic Participation, by K. Gonzalez and R. Padilla (Eds.)

As stated by the editors, this book “attempts to engage an intergenerational group of Latina/o scholars in personal and critical reflection about how their work as faculty members connects with the...
Long-Term Survival in Metastatic Transitional-Cell Carcinoma and Prognostic Factors Predicting Outcome of Therapy

PURPOSE: The variation in reported survival of patients with metastatic transitional-cell carcinoma (TCC) treated with systemic chemotherapy may be a consequence of pretreatment patient characteristics. We hypothesized that a prognostic factor–based model of survival among patients treated with methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin chemotherapy could account for such differences and help guide clinical trial design and interpretation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A database of 203 patients with unresectable or metastatic TCC was retrospectively subjected to a multivariate regression analysis to determine which patient characteristics had independent prognostic significance for survival. Patients were assigned to three risk categories depending on the number of unfavorable characteristics. Patient selection in phase II studies was addressed by developing a table of expected median survival for patient cohorts that had varying proportions of patients from the three risk categories. RESULTS: Two fac...
Sex difference trends in completed suicide

The recent suicide literature increasingly has contained statements suggesting that the differences in completed suicide between the sexes are lessening. A compilation of official suicide data for 1933-1980 verifies such a trend from the 1950s through 1971. However, increased differences (as measured by the ratio of male to female rates) were consistently observed from 1971 to 1980. These trends were found for data for the nation, for whites and nonwhites, for numbers of suicides, for crude rates, and for age-adjusted rates. Decreased sex differences were obtained for those 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, and for 65+ years of age, but increased sex differences were observed for those aged 15-24 and 25-34. Possible explanations for these findings are presented.
Evaluation of Lipid Oxidation in Plant Tissues

SUMMARY Essential to application of the TBA test to plant tissues as a measure of prior lipid oxidation is inactivation of lipoxidase in the blending procedure by a strong acid. The production of TBA-reactive material during blending without acid may give a useful measure of the “lipid oxidation potential” of vegetable materials, as affected by their content of lipoxidase, substrate and antioxidants. Comparative data are presented on fatty acids and lipoxidase in dried Blackeye and Green (Burpee's blue bantam) peas, and the data are related to the TBA values in blending of these peas. Wide distribution of lipoxidase in vegetables and fruits has been demonstrated. Among the materials analyzed, the extracts of roots, tubers, botanical fruits with edible seed portion, and seeds usually showed a high lipid-oxidizing activity. Comparing families, the extracts of many vegetables belonging to Leguminosae, Solanaceae, and Cruciferae had relatively higher activity.
The two histidine axial ligands of the primary electron donor chlorophylls (P700) in photosystem I are similarly perturbed upon P700+ formation.

The extent of delocalization of the positive charge in the oxidized dimer of chlorophyll (Chl) constituting P700, the primary electron donor of photosystem I (PSI), has been investigated by analyzing the perturbation uponP700 + formation of infrared (IR) vibrational modes of the two His axial ligands of the two P700 Chl molecules. Fourier transform IR (FTIR) difference spectra of the photooxidation of P700 in PSI core complexes isolated from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 isotopically labeled either globally with 1 5 N or more specifically with 1 3 C on all the His residues reveal isotopic shifts of a differential signal at 1102/1108 cm - 1 . This signal is assigned to a downshift upon P700 + formation of the predominantly C 5 -Nτ imidazole stretching mode of His residue(s). The amplitude of this signal is reduced by approximately half in FTIR spectra of Synechocystis mutants in which His PsaB 651, the axial ligand to one of the two Chl molecules in P700, is replaced by Cys, Gln, or Leu. These observations provide further evidence that the positive charge in P700 + is essentially delocalized over the two Chl molecules, in agreement with a previous FTIR study in which the frequency of the vibrational modes of the 9-keto and 10a-ester C=O groups of the two Chl's in P700, P700 + , and 3 P700 were firmly established for the first time [Breton, J., et al. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 11585-11592]. Only limited perturbations of the amplitude and frequency of the 9-keto and 10a-ester C=O bands of the P700 Chl are elicited by the mutations. On the basis of comparable mutational studies of the primary electron donor in purple bacteria, these perturbations are attributed to small molecular rearrangements of the Chl rnacrocycle and substituents caused by the repositioning of the P700 dimer in the new protein cavity generated by the mutations. It is proposed that the perturbation of the FTIR spectra upon mutation of a His axial ligand of the P700 Chl recently reported in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii [Hastings, G., et al. (2001) Biochemistry 40, 12943-12949] can be explained by the same effect without the need for a new assignment of the C=O bands of P700. The distribution of charge/spin in P700 + and 3 P700 determined by FTIR spectroscopy is discussed in relation with the contrasting interpretations derived from recent magnetic resonance experiments.
Effect of methylendioxyphenyl synergists on metabolism of carbaryl by Aspergillus terreus.

Die Methylendioxyphenyl-Synergisten Sesamex und Sesamol hemmen die Umwandlung des Insektizids Carbaryl (1-Naphthyl-N-Methylcarbamat) zu N-Hydroxymethylcarbamat und 1-Naphthylcarbamat beiAspergillus terreus. Die Wirkung der beiden Synergisten ist jedoch von begrenzter Dauer, da sie durch den Pilz metabolisiert werden.
Model‐size reduction for the non‐linear dynamic analysis of quasi‐symmetric structures

A computational procedure is presented for the efficient non‐linear dynamic analysis of quasi‐symmetric structures. The procedure is based on approximating the unsymmetric response vectors, at each time step, by a linear combination of symmetric and antisymmetric vectors, each obtained using approximately half the degrees of freedom of the original model. A mixed formulation is used with the fundamental unknowns consisting of the internal forces (stress resultants), generalized displacements and velocity components. The spatial discretization is done by using the finite element method, and the governing semi‐discrete finite element equations are cast in the form of first‐order non‐linear ordinary differential equations. The temporal integration is performed by using implicit multistep integration operators. The resulting non‐linear algebraic equations, at each time step, are solved by using iterative techniques. The three key elements of the proposed procedure are: (a) use of mixed finite element models with independent shape functions for the stress resultants, generalized displacements, and velocity components and with the stress resultants allowed to be discontinuous at interelement boundaries; (b) operator splitting, or restructuring of the governing discrete equations of the structure to delineate the contributions to the symmetric and antisymmetric vectors constituting the response; and (c) use of a two‐level iterative process (with nested iteration loops) to generate the symmetric and antisymmetric components of the response vectors at each time step. The top‐ and bottom‐level iterations (outer and inner iterative loops) are performed by using the Newton—Raphson and the preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) techniques, respectively. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is demonstrated by means of a numerical example and the potential of the strategy for solving more complex non‐linear problems is discussed.
Oral smoothened inhibitor for advanced basal cell carcinoma of the hand: a case report

Smoothened inhibitors have recently emerged as a nonsurgical, targeted therapy for treating advanced basal cell carcinomas (BCC) [8]. This novel small-molecule drug class suppresses Hedgehog pathway signaling by binding the membrane protein, Smoothened [7, 9]. Dysregulation of Hedgehog signaling is a hallmark of BCCs and is thought to play an integral role in maintaining cancer growth [1]. Treatment of locally advanced and metastatic basal cell carcinomas with the Smoothened inhibitor vismodegib demonstrated a 40–50 % response rate in Phase I and II trials, paving the way for FDA approval in early 2012 [10]. This therapy is most useful in patients for whom surgical resection is difficult or contraindicated due to tumor size, location, recurrence after surgery, or co-morbid medical conditions. Here, we report a case of a 43-year-old man with numerous and large BCCs of the hand that led to significant disability. The extent of disease suggested that surgical treatment might result in unacceptable functional results. There was involvement of a significant portion of the surface of the hand, and surgical excision would have created a large soft tissue defect requiring skin grafting, with the potential for scar formation, contractures with limitation of motion, and poor aesthetic outcome. Management with oral vismodegib resulted in dramatic tumor regression, with good functional and aesthetic results.
Prototype vein contrast enhancer

Two different prototype vein contrast enhancers (VCEs) have been designed and constructed. The VCE is an instrument that makes vein access easier by capturing an infrared image of peripheral veins, enhancing the vein contrast using software image processing, and projecting the enhanced vein image back onto the skin using a video projector. The prototypes use software alignment to achieve alignment accuracy between the captured infrared image and the projected visible image better than 0.06 mm.
The emission spectrum of Cl2

Abstract The emission spectrum from a high frequency discharge through chlorine vapor has been reinvestigated under high resolution. Natural chlorine and the isotope 35Cl2 were used. Rotational analyses of thirty-eight bands attributed to the 35Cl2+ molecule-ion and four of the isotopic molecule (35Cl37Cl)+ have been carried out. The assignment of the emitter as Cl2+ has been confirmed. The structure of all bands is consistent with 2 Π i → 2 Π i . All bands end on two electronic levels identified as 2 Π 3 2 (system I) and 2 Π 1 2 (system II) components of the 2Πg ground state of Cl2+ given by the electron configuration (zσg)2(yσu)2(xσg)2(wπu)4(vπg)3. The vibrational levels associated with the upper state present a chaotic distribution if an unperturbed electronic state is involved, and no vibrational quantum numbers are assigned. It is suggested that perhaps strong and systematic vibrational perturbations by some of the states derived from the electron configuration (zσu)2(yσu)2(xσg)2(wπu)4(vπg)2(uσu) on the expected excited 2Πu state given by (zσg)2(yσu)2(xσg)2(wπu)3(vπg)4 are responsible for the abnormal behavior of the initial state or states.
On Viscous Flow in Curved Pipes of Non-Uniform Cross-Section

This paper is concerned with steady, laminar flow of an incompressible Newtonian fluid in curved pipes of non-uniform cross-section. During the past decade a number of numerical solutions for flow in curved pipes have been obtained using progressively improved computational methods and technology; see e.g. Soh and Berger (Int. j. numer. methods fluids,7, 733–755 (1987)) and Green et al. (Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A,342, 543–572 (1993)) for relevant references. These results have been confined mainly to fully developed flow in pipes of constant cross-section. The present study deals with curved pipes of variable cross-section in which the velocity field is necessarily a function of the axial location along the pipe centreline in addition to the two cross-sectional co-ordinates. We use the finite difference method on a staggered grid with Newton's method to solve the Navier–Stokes equations. Results are calculated and presented for non-uniform pipe geometries with curvature ratios of 0ċ01 and 0ċ1. The velocity field for flow through curved pipes of non-uniform cross-section is compared with the corresponding results for flow through straight pipes of non-uniform radius and curved pipes of uniform radius, revealing important qualitative differences. The basic developments presented are applicable to a variety of flows in pipes, including those in arteries and piping systems.
Cytomorphological correlates of epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in lung carcinoma

The initial diagnosis of lung carcinoma is frequently made by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Novel therapeutic strategies of this disease include tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), such as gefitinib (Iressa) or erlotinib (Tarceva), which target the kinase domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Somatic mutations of this region have been shown to predict a therapeutic response of lung carcinomas to TKI. EGFR mutations have been described in adenocarcinomas of the lung, especially the bronchioloalveolar subtype, which has both cytopathologic and histopathologic definitions. This study investigates whether tumors with EGFR mutations display a characteristic phenotype on fine-needle aspiration biopsy. We identified 37 fine-needle aspiration biopsy of lung masses on which molecular analysis for EGFR mutations was available. Molecular analysis was performed on DNA isolated from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, or frozen tissue from the corresponding core biopsies/cell blocks or resection specimens followed by PCR with primers for the tyrosine kinase region exons 18-24 and nucleotide sequence analysis by gel electrophoresis. Two observers who were blinded to the mutational data assessed several cytomorphological parameters. A semiquantitative analysis included predominant tissue pattern (flat or overlapping), nuclear features (nucleoli, intranuclear inclusions, grooves), cytoplasmic qualities, and extracellular material. All cases were adenocarcinomas primary in the lung. Thirteen cases showed EGFR mutations in exons 18, 19, 20, or 21 of the tyrosine kinase domain. The 24 cases negative for the relevant mutation served as the control group. Tumors with EGFR mutations were statistically more likely to demonstrate a predominantly flat, monolayer architecture (P=0.04) with nuclear inclusions (P=0.014) and the absence of macronucleoli (P=0.001). The predominance of flat monolayers in conjunction with the absence of extracellular mucin and macronucleoli indicated the presence of EGFR mutations with a positive predictive value of 69% and a negative predictive value of 92%. All four cases with extracellular mucin were negative for the examined mutations. Some of the traditional cytomorphological features of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, i.e., flat monolayers, intranuclear inclusions, and the absence of macronucleoli, statistically correlated with the presence of mutations within the tyrosine kinase region of EGFR. Cytomorphological features could serve as an adjunctive predictive marker of response to TKIs and possibly to other new therapies in development.
Reactions of murine monoclonal antibodies to blood group MN antigens

BALB/c mice were immunized by intraperitoneal injections with human blood group substances; 4 mice with M and 4 with N. Immune spleen cells were fused with murine myeloma cells X63-Ag-8.653. Two clones secreting monoclonal anti-M and seven secreting monoclonal anti-N were identified. All antibodies were of IgG1 subclass and had kappa light chains. Three clones have been maintained that produced antibodies useful for typing purposes: anti-M, A09 originating from a mouse injected with M, anti-N, AH7 originating from a mouse injected with N, and anti-N BO10 originated from a mouse injected with M substance. In typing 370 erythrocyte samples, monoclonal reagents gave identical results with commercial anti-M or anti-N typing sera of rabbit origin. Significantly, anti-N reagent AH7 obtained by immunization with N substance showed serological differences from anti-N reagent BO10 obtained by immunization with M substance in that AH7 had apparently higher avidity to N specificity on glycophorin A of N erythrocytes than BO10, whereas BO10 showed higher avidity for 'N' specificity on glycophorin B of M and N erythrocytes than AH7. These two reagents showed also somewhat different patterns of reaction with enzymatically digested erythrocytes. This apparent serologic difference between N and 'N' specificities is at variance with current immunochemical data.
GABAB receptor activation inhibits Ca2+-activated86Rb-efflux in cultured spinal cord neurons via G-protein mechanism

86Rb-efflux assay in primary cultured spinal cord neurons was developed to study the effect of GABAB receptor activation on Ca2(+)-activated K(+)-channels. Depolarization of the cultured cells with 100 mM KCl increased the 86Rb-efflux significantly. This efflux was blocked partly by quinine sulfate, tetraethylammonium, and La3+, indicating the involvement of Ca2(+)-activated K(+)-channels. Both (-)-baclofen and GABA inhibited the Ca2(+)-activated 86Rb-efflux. This inhibition seems to be mediated through GABAB receptor activation as it was blocked by GABAB antagonist phaclofen, but not by bicuculline. Moreover, pertussis toxin blocked the ability of (-)-baclofen to inhibit the Ca2(+)-activated 86Rb-efflux, showing that GABAB receptor activation involves G-protein mechanism. Further, forskolin and phorbol ester also attenuated the action of (-)-baclofen. This suggests that the GABAB receptors are negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase. These results show that the action of GABAB receptors involved G-proteins and adenylate cyclase. This assay may provide an ideal model to study GABAB receptor pharmacology.
Synergism and context dependency of interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia with a prairie legume

Biotic interactions play primary roles in major theories of the distribution and abundance of species, yet the nature of these biotic interactions can depend upon the larger ecological community. Leguminous plants, for example, commonly associate with both arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and rhizobia bacteria, and the pairwise interactions may depend upon the presence or identity of the third partner. To determine if the dynamics of plant-AMF and plant-rhizobia interactions are affected by the alternate symbiont, we manipulated the presence and identity of each symbiont, as well as levels of the nutrients supplied by each symbiont (nitrogen and phosphorus), on the growth of prairie legume Amorpha canescens. We found strong synergistic effects of AMF and rhizobia inoculation on plant biomass production that were independent of nutrient levels. AMF and rhizobia responses were each influenced by the other, but not in the same direction. AMF infection increased root nodule number and mass, but rhizobia inoculation decreased AMF hyphal colonization of roots. The relative benefits of each combination of symbionts depended upon phosphorus level. The effect of nitrogen was also contingent on the biotic environment where nitrogen addition decreased nodulation, but this decrease was reduced with coinfection by AMF. Our results demonstrate a strong contingency on the co-occurrence of AMF and rhizobia for the long-term fitness of A. canescens, and suggest that the belowground community is critical for the success of this species in tallgrass prairies.
Nucleotide sequences of cDNAs encoding four complete nuclear-encoded plastid ribosomal proteins

The nucleotide sequences of four pea nuclear-encoded plastid ribosomal protein cDNAs have been determined. These cDNAs were shown to encode the complete precursor proteins. The transit sequences of the encoded proteins are similar to the transit sequences of other imported proteins being rich in serine and/or threonine and lacking aspartic and glutamic acid. The transit sequences do not, however, have any apparent amino acid sequence similarity with one another or with the transit sequences of other imported proteins. The derived amino acid sequences of the plastid ribosomal proteins were compared to the amino acid sequences of other ribosomal proteins. Significant amino acid sequence similarity was found between Escherichia coli ribosomal proteins L9 and L24 and two of the nuclear-encoded pea plastid ribosomal proteins.
Synthesis of position generating crank-rocker or drag-link mechanisms

Abstract A method is presented to synthesize crack-rocker or drag-link mechanisms which exactly generate a given set of finitely separated positions of a moving plane with a complete solution to the problem of transmission angle control. This paper is an extension of the recent works [1–3] where partial solutions of input-link rotatability and transmission angle control were considered. It is shown how to eliminate the branch defect from the designed linkages.
Radionuclide imaging of myocardial metabolism.

Cardiac health is dependent on the heart’s ability to utilize different substrates to support overall oxidative metabolism to generate ATP. Indeed, a loss in plasticity in substrate preference is characteristic of a variety cardiac diseases such as diabetic heart disease, in which fatty acid metabolism predominates, and dilated cardiomyopathy, in which glucose metabolism predominates. Because of the pleiotropic actions of myocardial substrate metabolism, a loss in plasticity in substrate preference can have detrimental effects well beyond impairment of energy production, including perturbations in various cell signaling pathways, alterations in cell growth, and decreased cell survival. Despite the rapid growth in our understanding of the relationship between altered myocardial metabolism and cardiac disease, many important questions remain. For example, what are the key determinants of changes in myocardial substrate use? When these changes do occur, to what extent are they adaptive or have the propensity to become maladaptive? And are these metabolic patterns of prognostic significance? Although transgenic models targeting vital aspects of myocardial substrate use are providing mechanistic insights into myocardial metabolic-functional relationships in various cardiac diseases, the relevance of the observed phenotypes to the corresponding human condition is frequently unclear. Likewise, applied genomics have identified numerous gene variants intimately involved in the regulation of myocardial substrate use, yet identifying all clinically relevant genetic variants remains elusive. As a consequence, there is an ever-growing demand for accurate noninvasive imaging approaches of myocardial substrate metabolism that provide links between the bench and the bedside. In this regard, radionuclide approaches have led the way. The most notable example of clinical applicability is the detection of ischemic but viable myocardium with positron emission tomography (PET) and 18F-fluorodexoglucose (FDG) for the treatment of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. In the subsequent discussion, advances in metabolic imaging using radionuclide approaches and their potential future applications …
Predictors of Cerebrovascular Events and Death Among Patients With Valvular Heart Disease A Population-Based Study

Background and Purpose—There is little population-based information on cerebrovascular events and survival among valvular heart disease patients. We used the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method and the Cox proportional hazards model to determine rates and predictors of cerebrovascular events and death among valve disease patients. Methods—This population-based historical cohort study in Olmsted County, Minnesota, reviewed residents with a first echocardiographic diagnosis of mitral stenosis (n=19), mitral regurgitation (n=528), aortic stenosis (n=140), and aortic regurgitation (n=106) between 1985 and 1992. Results—During 2694 person-years of follow-up, 98 patients developed cerebrovascular events and 356 died. Compared with expected numbers, these observations are significantly elevated, with standardized morbidity ratio of 3.2 (95% CI, 2.6 to 3.8) and 2.5 (95% CI, 2.2 to 2.7), respectively. Independent predictors of cerebrovascular events were age, atrial fibrillation, and severe aortic stenosis. The risk...
Atomic M-Shell Coster-Kronig, Auger, and Radiative Rates and Fluorescence Yields for Ca-Th

Calculated Auger, Coster-Kronig, super Coster-Kronig, and radiative transition rates are used to compute atomic $M$-shell Auger, Coster-Kronig, and fluorescence yields. Comparison is made with five fluorescence-field measurements, with full width at half-maximum measurements of $L\ensuremath{-}M$ x rays, and with Bhalla's relativistic radiative-yield calculations.
Dipole moment characterization of phenol–, o-cresol–, and p-cresol–formaldehyde resins†

Dipole moments and their temperature dependence have been measured in p-dioxane for fractionated novolac phenol–, o-cresol–, and p-cresol–formaldehyde polymers. The phenol–formaldehyde fractions covered a molecular weight range of 200 to 6100, and the limiting dipole moment ratio 〈μ2〉/xm2 is 1.48. The p-cresol–formaldehyde dipole-moment ratio at a DP of 4 is 2.47, whereas the phenol–formaldehyde dipole-moment ratio is 1.40. That for o-cresol–formaldehyde is intermediate in value. The dipole-moment temperature coefficients are positive for p-cresol chains and negative for the phenol–formaldehyde chains. These results indicate that the hydroxyl groups along the p-cresol–formaldehyde polymer are highly ordered, with the aromatic rings closer to the sterically hindered planar position than in the phenol–formaldehyde polymers.
Regio- and Stereochemically Controlled Formation of Hydroxamic Acid Containing anti- or syn-1,4-Cycloalkenols from Acylnitroso-Derived Diels−Alder Adducts

Treatment of acylnitroso hetero Diels−Alder cycloadducts 2 with iron(III) or copper(II) in an alcohol solvent induces ring opening to afford predominantly monocyclic anti-1,4-hydroxamic acids 3. However, treatment of cycloadducts 2 with copper(II) in toluene reverses the stereoselectivity of the ring opening to afford syn-1,4-hydroxamic acids 4. These regio- and stereoselective processes separately provide anti-1,4- and syn-1,4-disubstituted cyclopentenes while regenerating a hydroxamic acid moiety, thus enhancing the chemical versatility of the Diels−Alder cycloadducts.
Phacoemulsification with poorly dilated pupils

Tilting the viewing angle of the operating microscope during phacoemulsification provides the surgeon a better view of the cataractous lens. This technique, combined with continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis, divide and conquer nucleofractis, and lens rotation in the capsular bag, allows the surgeon to perform most of the phacoemulsification procedure near a well-visualized 6 o'clock meridian. This procedure can eliminate the need for iris surgery in cases with small pupils. Also discussed is the removal of the upper half of the cortical substance in patients with small pupils.
Mechanical behavior of δ-phase Pu–Ga alloys. Part II: Model verification and application

Abstract We validated the mechanical threshold strength (MTS) model, developed in Part I, with approximately 50 different experimental results from the literature for both yield strength and ultimate tensile strength on Pu–Ga alloys. One standard deviation of the differences between the model’s yield-strength predictions and the experiments was 7.5% of the measured yield strength. The model also worked well predicting the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the alloys with gallium concentrations of 1 wt% or greater, although the accuracy of the UTS predictions was not as good as for yield strength. After validating the model, we studied the effects of gallium concentration, grain size, iron and nickel content, and carbon concentration on the yield strength of Pu–Ga alloys. The gallium concentration affected the yield strength more than any other microstructural variable. The yield strength increased 50% between 1 at.% Ga and 5.4 at.% Ga alloying addition. The grain size also produced a measurable strengthening effect, typical of other face-centered cubic metals. The yield strength increased 15% with a reduction in grain size from 50 μm to 10 μm. Finally, we found that there were no observable yield-strength effects resulting from different amounts of iron, nickel, or carbon impurities.
The influence of labor market discrimination on locus of control

Abstract Prior research has established the existence of racial differences in locus of control as well as a relationship between labor market experience and locus of control. This study extends this line of inquiry by examining the relationship between labor market discrimination and subsequent change in locus of control. Drawing on a national probability sample ( N = 2857) of young men, multiple regression analysis was used to estimate the effect of labor market discrimination (over a 2-year period) on subsequent locus of control. The results indicate that perceptions of employment discrimination influence the level of externality among blacks, over and above racial identification. Blacks who view themselves as victims of employment discrimination experience twice the increase in externality as blacks reporting no awareness of discrimination.
Molecular Interactions and Hydrogen Bond Tunneling Dynamics: Some New Perspectives

The recent development of tunable far-infrared lasers and other high-resolution spectroscopic probes of weakly bound clusters is having a significant impact on our understanding of intermolecular forces and on the complex quantum tunneling dynamics that occur in hydrogen-bonded systems. Far-infrared studies of a variety of interactions are discussed, including several prototypical water-hydrophobe complexes, the water trimer, and the ammonia dimer. Particular attention is paid to the inversion of spectroscopic data to yield detailed intermolecular potential energy surfaces. Investigations of nonpairwise additivity are also described.
Toxicity and binding of copper, zinc, and cadmium by the blue-green alga, Chroococcus paris

The toxic effects and accumulation of the heavy metals, Cd, Cu, and Zn by the sheath forming blue-green alga Chroococcus paris were investigated. All three of the metals were bound rapidly. Approximately 90% of the total amount of the added metal was bound within 1 min. Further significant binding occurred at a slower rate. The maximum metal binding capacity, as determined by filtration studies, was determined to be 53, 120, and 65 mg g−1 dry algal weight for Cd, Cu, and Zn, respectively. Binding curves for the metals followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The amount of metal bound increased with increasing pH. Metal binding increased significantly when pH was increased from 4 to 7. Nearly all of the metal was found to be rapidly EDTA extractable. Metals were found to be increasingly toxic to growing cultures in the order, Zn, Cd, and Cu. All of the metals studied exhibited toxic effects at concentrations greater than 1.0 mg L−1. The lowest concentrations used which showed detectable toxicity were 0.1 mg L−1 for Cu and >0.4 mg L−1 for Cd and Zn.