cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) nomogram for risk stratification in intermediate risk group of men with prostate cancer: validation in the Duke Prostate Center database.

Study Type – Prognosis (cohort) Level of Evidence 2a OBJECTIVES To validate the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) nomogram to better risk stratify men with intermediate-risk pathology after prostatectomy (positive surgical margins, PSM, and/or extracapsular disease, ECE, without seminal vesicle or lymph node involvement) in a tertiary referral centre (the Duke Prostate Center, DPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively analysed 485 men in the DPC cohort with PSM and/or ECE but without seminal vesicle or lymph node involvement. The predicted risk of biochemical progression-free probability at 1, 3 and 5 years was estimated by the SEARCH and updated Kattan postoperative nomograms. Calibration plots were generated and accuracy assessed with the concordance index. RESULTS The SEARCH nomogram appeared to be well calibrated, with the highest-risk quartile having a predicted 80% for the lowest risk. In comparison, overall external calibration appeared to be similar for the updated Kattan nomogram, although there was less separation between the highest- and lowest-risk quartiles. The SEARCH model had an overall predictive accuracy of 0.65, which compared favourably with the updated Kattan nomogram (0.57). CONCLUSION In an external dataset, the SEARCH nomogram to predict progression-free probability for men at intermediate risk after prostatectomy was well calibrated and performed better than the updated postoperative Kattan nomogram.
Use of permanent hair dyes and bladder-cancer risk.

A population-based case-control study was conducted in Los Angeles, California, which involved 1,514 incident cases of bladder cancer and an equal number of age-, sex- and ethnicity-matched controls. Information on personal use of hair dyes was obtained from 897 cases and their matched controls. After adjustment for cigarette smoking, a major risk factor for bladder cancer, women who used permanent hair dyes at least once a month experienced a 2.1-fold risk of bladder cancer relative to non-users (p for trend = 0.04). Risk increased to 3.3 (95% CI = 1.3-8.4) among regular (at least monthly) users of 15 or more years. Occupational exposure to hair dyes was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer in this study. Subjects who worked for 10 or more years as hairdressers or barbers experienced a 5-fold (95% CI = 1.3-19.2) increase in risk compared to individuals not exposed.
DONOR CONSIDERATIONS IN LIVING-RELATED DONOR LUNG TRANSPLANTATION

Living donor lung transplantation has been performed in the United States since 1990. Based on the experience in living donor kidney transplantation which began in 1954, and living donor liver transplantation which began in 1989, considerable progress has occurred in surgical technique, selection of recipients and donors, and the indications for and timing of the procedure. The vast majority of living donor lung transplantations have been performed in patients with cystic fibrosis. Early results concerning graft function, donor recovery, and recipient outcome are encouraging.
Effects of caudate lesions on the acquisition and retention of Sidman avoidance in the rat

Rats with caudate lesions were compared with normals and controls on a nonsignaled Sidman avoidance schedule. Though acquisition rates were generally comparable, performance for caudates was permanently impaired during both acquisition and retention tests. Caudate Ss adopted an inefficient response pattern which was characterized by sustained postshock response bursts followed by long pauses and which resulted in substantially higher shock rates.
Glacial erosion and ice sheet divides, northeastern Laurentide Ice Sheet, on the basis of the distribution of limestone erratics

Paleozoic limestone erratics are common in tills and glaciomarine sediments along the outermost coast of eastern Baffin Island, Northwest Territories. They are rare immediately east of the Paleozoic limestone-Precambrian shield contact on western Baffin Island. Therefore, we conclude that (1) the presence of abundant limestone erratics in east coast tills suggests that limestone bed rock of Paleozoic age occurs at the mouths of and within many of the major sounds and fiords of eastern Baffin Island; thus, these large-scale topographic features are primarily tectonic in origin; and (2) the rarity of limestone erratics along probable flow lines from a hypothetical ice center over Hudson Bay refutes the concept of a single-domed Laurentide Ice Sheet; an appealing alternative is a more complex ice mass with an ice divide lying above the coast of western Baffin Island.
HIV disease progression: depression, stress, and possible mechanisms

There is much interest in whether depression and stress may explain the wide variability in the disease course of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This article summarizes the large body of evidence examining whether depression and stress may have an impact on immune- and disease-related parameters in HIV disease. Furthermore, we review what is known about the underlying biological mechanisms of HIV disease, such as alterations in glucocorticoids and catecholamines, which may help explain these psychoimmune relationships. Our review of the literature finds substantial evidence that chronic depression and stressful events may affect HIV disease progression. We know little, however, regarding the biological mechanisms that may account for these relationships. More research is warranted to investigate how depression and stress might impact HIV disease progression and what types of interventions might mitigate the negative impact of chronic depression and trauma.
Pattern of estetrol conjugation in the human.

Abstract Following the intravenous injection of 3H-estetrol (E4) into an adult human subject the urinary excretion of tritium was virtually complete within 72 hours. The metabolites consisted almost exclusively of conjugates of estetrol. Each conjugate was purified by column chromatography, identified by the elution pattern and by enzyme hydrolysis and estimated on the basis of radioactivity recovered in the appropriate column fraction. The values are as follows: E4-ring-D-glucosiduronate, 89%; E4-3 glucosiduronate, 2.8%; E4-sulfoglucosiduronate, 0.4%; E4-N-acetylhexosaminide, 0.5%; E4-sulfo-N-acetylhexosaminide, 0.5%. Some conjugates (4.9%) were not identified. Unconjugated E4 was 2.1%. It appears that E4 combines the conjugating patterns of estriol and 15α-hydroxyestradiol.
Highly anisotropic but nodeless gap from a valence-fluctuation pairing mechanism

Abstract We have refined and quantitatively explored a valence-fluctuation pairing mechanism, the finite-U mechanism introduced by Newns. This can provide an s-like (nodeless) gap. We use an Andersonlattice Hamiltonian, with realistic parameter values derived from photoemission and BIS data. The Landau-Luttinger quasiparticle spectrum and the pairing interaction are obtained from a many-body variational formalism. Adequate pairing attraction is obtained, together with band narrowing (mass enhancement) and an extremely short coherence length, in reasonable agreement with experiment. These fully self-consistent results were obtained with an isotropic approximation to the band structure of a single CuO 2 plane. Now, using a simplified treatment for a more realistic band structure, we find that the gap has strong in-plane anisotropy, although it should probably still remain nodeless. This conclusion is consistent with a variety of data.
The effect of Shallow Trench Isolation improvement on program disturb response in 20 nm NAND flash technology

In this paper, the effect of Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) degradation on program disturb is studied. It is reported that trench isolation is compromised with non-uniformity in trench depth leading to increased boost loss through field isolation leakage. This degradation in boost loss further leads to elevated program disturb fails. Further investigation identified three factors namely-STI depth Imbalance, channel enhancement implant and STI etch process with improved cross wafer profile, which have been optimized to successfully alleviate Program Disturb fails.
1595 KINETICS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS OF IV GLYCEROL IN REYE'S SYNDROME

In severe cases of Reye's Syndrome, elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) is associated with poor prognosis. Little is known about the pharmacology of high dose IV glycerol as used in Reye's Syndrome. Glycerol pharmacokinetics and adverse effects were studied in nine patients (age 9-20 yrs.) with Reye's Syndrome. Glycerol was administered by continuous infusion over 2 hours with half the dose given over the first 0.5 hour and the remainder over the next 1.5 hour. The dose was adjusted to keep ICP ≤ 15 mm Hg. At steadystate, serial blood samples were collected during glycerol infusion and analyzed by an enzymatic assay specific for glycerol At 0.75-1.75 g/kg/2 hr glycerol doses, the serum levels ranged from 1.48-5.83 mg/ml. Total body clearance ranged from 1.99-5.1 ml/kg/min. Glycerol clearance was not related to SCOT, SGPT, and serum ammonia levels. Glycerol provided effective control of intracranial pressure in all patients. Temporary elevation of serum creatinine and BUN, and presence of hemolysis in two patients was thought to be related to glycerol. Our data demonstrate that a large intersubject variability in glycerol kinetics may account for varying glycerol dosage requirement to control ICP in patients with Reye's Syndrome.
MODELING ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES ACROSS SCALES

The issue of scaling impinges on every aspect of landscape ecology and much of ecology in general. Consequently, the topic has invited a vast commentary. One result of scaling research is so-called scaling laws that describe how observations scale (e.g., as power laws). Importantly, such scaling rules seldom derive from a process-based understanding of why they emerge. Alternatively, the task of scaling is often addressed via simulation models. This is a scaling operation about which we are somewhat less confident, although recent advances in computing power and computational statistics provide for some promising new solutions. Here, I focus on methods for scaling simulations developed at fine grain and small extent, to their implications over much larger extent. The intent in scaling is to simplify the model while retaining those details essential for larger-scale applications. This approach should lead to scaling rules that are well founded in fine-scale ecological process and yet useful for making predictions at the larger scales of management and environmental policy.
Intelligent networking architecture: AI in integrating the enterprise

Abstract Achieving manufacturing efficiency requires that many groups that comprise a manufacturing enterprise, such as design, planning, production, distribution, field service, accounting, sales and marketing, cooperate to achieve their common goal. The concept of intelligent networking (IN) is introduced as the element to facilitate the integration of distributed heterogeneous functions of a manufacturing enterprise. The integration is supported by having the network first play a more active role in accessing and communicating information, and then provide the appropriate protocols for distribution, coordination and negotiation of tasks and outcomes. The IN is divided into six layers: network; data; information; organization; coordination; and market. Each of these provides a portion of the elements, functions and protocols to allow the integration of a manufacturing enterprise. The first three layers of this architecture are presented. These layers mainly support the management of a distributed knowledge base.
Involvement of a cell wall receptor in the mode of action of an anti-Candida toxin of Pichia anomala.

Abstract Hanes-Woolf, Dixon, and Hill plots of growth rates of Candida albicans RC1 grown in various concentrations of glucose and a Pichia anomala WC65 toxin suggested the presence of toxin-binding sites. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy with antitoxin antibodies demonstrated binding of the toxin to the cell wall. Resistance to the toxin of a mutant Saccharomyces cerevisiae deficient in cell wall beta-1-6-D-glucan suggests that the glucan either served as the receptor or influenced the number or composition of the receptor. Immunofluorescence that appeared to be associated with the cell membrane of toxin-treated spheroplasts of C. albicans was also observed. Spheroplasts of the resistant mutant of S. cerevisiae were sensitive to the toxin.
Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome After Renal Transplant: A Simple Solution for a Complicated Patient

Background: Posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is characterized by an acute neurologic dysfunction coupled with characteristic findings on brain imaging. PRES occurs in the setting of hypertensive emergencies, eclampsia and as a neurotoxic effect of immunosuppressive agents. While overwhelmingly reversible without residual deficits when promptly recognized, vague symptomatology may delay the diagnosis of PRES. Results/Summary: A 50-year-old man who had undergone a recent kidney transplant was admitted to our clinic due to multiple episodes of seizure. He had no prior history of seizures or alcoholism. His transplantation had been without complication; he was discharged and given prednisone, tacrolimus, mycophenolate, acyclovir, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, atenolol and enalapril. On the day of presentation, he experienced a severe headache, blurred vision and tonic-clonic seizure-like activity. His neurologic examination was limited by sedation, although no focal deficits were evident. Laboratory studies were unremarkable. A lumbar puncture revealed normal opening pressure, negative Gram stain, benign CSF analysis and India ink preparation. An MRI of the brain revealed bilateral enhancing parietal-occipital lesions, seen prominently on FLAIR sequence. Tacrolimus and all other medications were continued. The patient remained afebrile and normotensive and was extubated on the second hospital day. The patient reported no neurologic symptoms and was discharged on the third hospital day after a full recovery. Conclusions: While the outcome of PRES is typically benign, a delay in diagnosis may lead to permanent neurologic deficits, and misdiagnosis can be lethal. The cornerstone of treatment is removal of the offending agent or treatment of the underlying etiology. A clinical picture of headache, visual abnormalities, altered mentation and seizures is sufficient to prompt an empiric discontinuation of agents known to cause PRES. Calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus are known to cause PRES, and in our patient, discontinuation led to a complete clinical resolution.
Hypothyroidism presenting as a polymyositis-like syndrome. Report of two cases

Two patients with proximal muscle weakness and marked elevations of serum muscle enzymes were initially believed to have polymyositis; however electromyography and muscle biopsies were normal. Both patients were subsequently found to have hypothyroidism. Each regained her muscle strength, and serum enzymes normalized with thyroid hormone replacement. Because muscle weakness and an elevated creatine phosphokinase occur in most patients with hypothyroidism, thyroid dysfunction must be considered in the differential diagnosis of polymyositis.
Observations on microstructure and superconductivity in the Nb-H system

Abstract The microstructure and the magnetization at 4.2°K of hydrided niobium specimens in the two-phase and single-phase regions were investigated. The habit plane and crystallographic nature of the transformation for the hydrided phase were consistent with previous findings; the hydride phase was found to be non-superconducting at temperatures above 1.8°K. Evidence of coherency strains was present. Evidence for the connectivity and distribution of the two phases was found in the magnetization data. A high degree of irreversibility and trapped flux indicated continuity of the superconducting niobium-rich phase, which was checked by metallographic observation. Only the bulk properties of the phase were observed when the superconducting phase was not continuous. For very fine distributions of the hydride, extensive fluxoid pinning effects were noticed. These may be attributed to a decoration of the substructure of the starting material by the hydride.
Algorithm for optimal linear model-based control with application to pharmacokinetic model-driven drug delivery

Computerized pharmacokinetic-model-driven administration of intravenous anesthetic agents has been implemented using a variety of algorithms to control the drug infusion regimen. All such algorithms are similar to the extent that they use a linear pharmacokinetic model of the drug being administered to determine drug infusion rates that theoretically achieve and maintain plasma drug concentrations (setpoints) specified by the physician. Since the behavior of the pharmacokinetic model can be computed for any input, it should be possible to achieve regulation of the drug infusion rates that is flexible (i.e. the physician can interactively adjust the setpoint), practical, and analytically optimized; these objectives are realized by the algorithm described. >
Innocuous Intracellular Ice Formation in Adult Stem Cells in the Presence of Polyvinylpyrollidone

The objective of this work was to assess the effect of 10% (w/v) polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on the pattern of intracellular ice formation (IIF) in human adipose tissue derived adult stem cells (ASCs) in the absence of serum and other cryoprotective agents (CPAs).
Using remote sensing and geographic information systems for analysing landscape/drought interaction

Abstract The effects of the drought of 1988 in Kansas, U.S.A., have been evaluated by calculating the difference in Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values recorded in 1988 from values recorded in 1987, a year of normal precipitation. Landscape parameters including land cover, soil permeability, available water capacity, soil texture, depth to water table, and slope were examined to determine if certain landscape elements imperilled an area to potential drought damage. Land cover, slope and depth to water table were found to have an effect on an area's drought susceptibility.
Two-level additive Schwarz preconditioners for nonconforming finite element methods

Two-level additive Schwarz preconditioners are developed for the nonconforming P1 finite element approximation of scalar second-order symmetric positive definite elliptic boundary value problems, the Morley finite element approximation of the biharmonic equation, and the divergence-free nonconforming P1 finite element approximation of the stationary Stokes equations. The condition numbers of the preconditioned systems are shown to be bounded independent of mesh sizes and the number of subdomains in the case of generous overlap.
Quantification of Pediatric and Adult Cervical Vertebra—Anatomical Characteristics by Age and Gender for Automotive Application

Objective: The cervical anatomy has been shown to affect injury patterns in vehicle crashes. Characterizing the spine anatomy and changes associated with growth and gender is important when assessing occupant protection. In this study, selected cervical characteristics were quantified.Methods: Computed tomography (CT) scans of 750 patients were selected from the University of Michigan trauma database; 314 were children and 436 were adults. Four variables were obtained: the maximum spinal canal radius, vertebral body depth, facet angles, and retroversion angles.Results: The cervical spine measurements varied with age and gender. The body depth increased nonlinearly with age. The average vertebral body depth at C4 was 9.2 ± 0.38 mm in the 0–3 age group, 15.7 ± 0.29 mm in the 18–29 age group, and 17.2 ± 0.46 mm in the 60+ age group. Pediatric and adult males had larger vertebral body depth than females overall, irrespective of vertebral level (P <.001). Compared to females, the vertebral body depth was 8–9 p...
Trabecular bone deficits among Vietnamese immigrants

Summary Compared to white women, lower areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in middle-aged Vietnamese immigrants is due to reduced trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), which in turn is associated with greater trabecular separation along with lower estrogen levels.
Communicator style perceptions as a function of communication apprehension

As a trait‐like construct, communication apprehension purports to reflect a predisposition to behave in a predictable manner across a variety of communicative contexts. Central to all communicative contexts are the perceptions people generate about their fellow interactants. Such perceptual judgments are made if, in fact, communication has taken place. Among these are judgments about communicator style. Attributed communicator style should be related to communication apprehension levels. If not, then communication apprehension may be useful as an index of internal tension, but not as an index of how people respond to such self‐reported internal tension. This research sought to investigate whether others' perceptions of communicator style could be differentiated by levels of self‐reported communication apprehension.
Sensory and Chemical Characteristics of Pork Chops as Affected by Precooking, Curing and Frozen Storage

Four processing procedures were compared as methods of reducing warmed-over flavor (WOF) of pork chops during frozen storage for 84 days, These procedures were (1) oven-broiled chops, (2) chops from loins precooked with no additives, (3) chops from loins cured with 0.5% salt and 40 ppm NaNO2 and precooked, and (4) chops from loins cured with 2% salt and 120 ppm NaNO2 and precooked. Samples were evaluated by the TBA test, Warner-Bratzler shear, hydroxyproline assay and by sensory analysis after frozen storage at -18°C. Chops from the three precooked treatments were more tender than oven-broiled chops. Nitrite inhibited WOF development of precooked chops during frozen storage and 40 ppm nitrite was nearly as effective as 120 ppm.
Statistics for Medical Students: Personalizing the Keller Plan

Abstract A description is given of a course for medical students that emphasizes critical reading of medical literature. The main content of this course is presented through a self-study, mastery approach known as the Keller Plan. Experience in analyzing articles is gained through a series of small-group discussions. Students demonstrate mastery of the course content by passing a series of tests, and demonstrate skill in analyzing the literature by a written critique of an assigned article.
Time and emptiness in the Chao-Lun

Etude de la conception du temps developpee par le moine bouddho-taoiste Seng-chao dans le premier livre de son ouvrage intitule «Chao Lun» (V e siecle ap. JC). Examinant la nature du temps en rapport avec la conception bouddhiste du vide et l'idee du non-etre original (sunyata) dans le chapitre deux, l'A. etudie la logique du tetralemme ou langage des paradoxes utilise par Seng-chao pour definir sa pensee madhyamika de la Voie moyenne aux limites du langage et de l'existence
Rendezvous in chemical space? Comparing the small molecule compound libraries of Bayer and Schering

Here, we compare the entire compound collections of Bayer HealthCare and Schering AG with respect to structural identities, similarities and physico-chemical properties. We discuss possible consequences stemming from unexpected findings in light of new collaborative models in pharmaceutical research.
Definition of a bacterial virulence factor: sialylation of the group B streptococcal capsule.

Abstract Sialylation of bacterial capsules has been proposed as an important virulence factor for several species of encapsulated pathogens, including group B Streptococcus. We have constructed a transposon mutant strain of type III group B Streptococcus that expresses a capsular polysaccharide differing from the wild type only in that the mutant strain's capsule lacks sialic acid. The mutant polysaccharide is antigenically identical to the capsular polysaccharide of type 14 Streptococcus pneumoniae, as predicted by the structures of the type III group B Streptococcus and S. pneumoniae polysaccharides. Loss of capsular sialic acid was associated with loss of virulence in the mutant strain in a neonatal rat model of lethal group B Streptococcus infection. These studies demonstrate directly that capsular sialic acid is a critical virulence determinant for type III group B Streptococcus and support the general hypothesis that surface sialylation aids pathogenic microorganisms in evading host defenses.
Anisotropic properties of rare earth silver dibismites

Abstract We report measurements of structural, magnetic, thermal and transport properties of the newly synthesized rare earth silver dibismite series RAgBi 2 (R=La–Nd, Sm, Gd), grown via self-flux method. All of the compounds are metals, and those with magnetic ions exhibit long-range magnetic order at low temperatures, with the exception of PrAgBi 2 . For the lightest rare earths the samples are of extremely high quality. For LaAgBi 2 de Haas van Alphen oscillations are found in remarkably small fields and high temperatures. The magnetic ground states for compounds that order magnetically appear to be antiferromagnetic, but with less local moment anisotropy than that seen in RBi 2 . Anisotropic metamagnetism is observed for CeAgBi 2 ; however, no large magnetoresistance was observed in any of RAgBi 2 , as opposed to either the RAgSb 2 or RSb 2 series. Magnetic ordering temperatures scale poorly with de Gennes scaling.
Structural comparison of human C4A3 and C4B1 after proteolytic activation by C1s

The fourth component of human complement is an essential part of the classical and lectin pathways performing multifunctional roles in both host defense and immune regulation. C4 is the most polymorphic member of the complement proteins, and complete deficiency is strongly associated with autoimmune disease, especially, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Of the two C4 genes C4A, but not C4B, null alleles have been implicated as important independent disease susceptibility genes occurring in more than half of SLE patients. Whether and how this deficiency contributes to the development or pathology remains unclear. We do know that activation of C4 by C1s cleaves the thioester bond, thus inducing a conformational change that exposes numerous ligand-binding sites involved in functional activity. Structural comparison, among many other tools, plays an important role in predicting function. In this report, the tertiary structures of C4A and C4B were compared using near and far-UV circular dichroism, ANS fluorescence, site-specific monoclonal antibodies and isoelectric focusing. Negligible differences in the native proteins were found. However, the activated proteins were dissimilar in secondary and tertiary structure that was accompanied by significant differences in charge distribution and surface hydrophobicity. These conformational differences, together with known acceptor preferences, have functional implications for the association between C4A null alleles and SLE.
Ethnicity, Identity, and Sport: The Persistence of Power

Indians of the Western Hemisphere have resisted assimilation, in spite of the Euro- American Anglos who invaded and acquisitioned their lands from the 1500s to today. To accomplish this Indian peoples stress differences through ascribed characteristics of race, language, territorial or political independence, education, and religion as well as aesthetic cultural patterns in clothing and decoration, art, food, and sporting activities. Indian groups communicate their power of persistence and their persistence of power in several ways: first by social negotiations with other groups, second by synergistic relationships with each other and nature, and third by continual revitalization, re-definition, and reconstruction of ethnicity. Sporting events provide excellent contexts through which these assumptions of power are played out.
David M. Rabban and the Libertarian Tradition That Time Forgot

"Rights consciousness" as a mode of American political discourse has endured some heavy weather recently. Critical theorists are at best ambivalent about a rights-based approach to questions of fundamental justice (Tushnet 1984, Williams 1991). Communitarians across the political spectrum deplore the conception of rights without duties that they believe impoverishes American political culture and its conception of citizenship (Sandel 1998, Etzioni 1996, Glendon 1991). Yet the inconvenient fact is that the Constitution was amended in 1791 to provide for a Bill of Rights. No Bill of Duties was submitted to the States for ratification.1 And if one were to ask what is the paradigmatic constitutional right, most Americans (limiting our canvass to those who are actually aware of what the Bill of Rights is) would probably reply that it is freedom of speech. The First Amendment is first, after all. This is not to say that we necessarily experience these First Amendment freedoms as important; most people have never
On high speed packet switches with windowed input buffers

Hluchyj and Karol [1988] proposed a simple algorithm for input buffer queue service in packet switches. The present authors give an improvement to their windowed service discipline which offers i) improved throughput, ii) a certain degree of fairness in access and iii) relative ease of implementation using a single queue rather than multiple queues. Simulation results are presented to compare the two algorithms. >
The Evolution of Imaging in Cancer: Current State and Future Challenges

Molecular imaging allows for the remote, noninvasive sensing and measurement of cellular and molecular processes in living subjects. Drawing upon a variety of modalities, molecular imaging provides a window into the biology of cancer from the subcellular level to the patient undergoing a new, experimental therapy. As signal transduction cascades and protein interaction networks become clarified, an increasing number of relevant targets for cancer therapy—and imaging—become available. Although conventional imaging is already critical to the management of patients with cancer, molecular imaging will provide even more relevant information, such as early detection of changes with therapy, identification of patient-specific cellular and metabolic abnormalities, and the disposition of therapeutic, gene-tagged cells throughout the body—all of which will have a considerable impact on morbidity and mortality. This overview discusses molecular imaging in oncology, providing examples from a variety of modalities, with an emphasis on emerging techniques for translational imaging.
Collaborative Information Filtering: A Review and an Educational Application

This paper reviews the literature surrounding an information filtering technique, collaborative information filtering, which supports the discovery of resources in a way that is sensitive to the context of users. Moreover, via statistical clustering techniques, the system supports automated, personalized filtering and recommendation of relevant resources and like-minded users for particular user communities. The paper also describes an educational implementation of this approach, called Altered Vista, and presents results from a 3-month trial use of the system, aimed at evaluating the educational effectiveness and usefulness of the approach.
CHANGES OF POLYAMINE CONTENT IN CHINESE CABBAGE DURING STORAGE IN AIR OR LOW OXYGEN ATMOSPHERE

Endogenous levels of polyamines, including putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, were determined in the outer laminae, outer midribs, inner laminae, and inner midribs of Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. Pekinensis group) during storage at 0°C in air or in 1% O2 atmosphere. In the outer laminae where tissues were more mature, polyamines declined linearly with storage at 0°C. The content declined more slowly in low oxygen-stored samples than in air-stored samples. In the inner laminae where tissues were still meristematic, polyamines in both air- and low oxygen-stored samples showed a quadratic response and increased during the first 6 weeks of storage. Thereafter, the level of polyamines decreased under both treatments, but a higher level was maintained in the low oxygen-stored samples.
Regulation of inflammatory and lipid metabolism genes by eicosapentaenoic acid-rich oil

Omega-3-PUFAs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are associated with prevention of various aspects of metabolic syndrome. In the present studies, the effects of oil rich in EPA on gene expression and activation of nuclear receptors was examined and compared with other ω3-PUFAs. The EPA-rich oil (EO) altered the expression of FA metabolism genes in THP-1 cells, including stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD) and FA desaturase-1 and -2 (FASDS1 and -2). Other ω3-PUFAs resulted in a similar gene expression response for a subset of genes involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation. In reporter assays, EO activated human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and PPARβ/γ with minimal effects on PPARγ, liver X receptor, retinoid X receptor, farnesoid X receptor, and retinoid acid receptor γ (RARγ); these effects were similar to that observed for purified EPA. When serum from a 6 week clinical intervention with dietary supplements containing olive oil (control), DHA, or two levels of EPA were applied to THP-1 cells, the expression of SCD and FADS2 decreased in the cells treated with serum from the ω3-PUFA-supplemented individuals. Taken together, these studies indicate regulation of gene expression by EO that is consistent with treating aspects of dyslipidemia and inflammation.
Negative regulation of the major histocompatibility complex class I promoter in embryonal carcinoma cells.

Abstract Transcription of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes is negatively regulated in undifferentiated F9 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells via the conserved upstream regulatory region. This region contains constitutive enhancers and an inducible enhancer, the interferon consensus sequence (ICS), that is responsible for interferon-induced transcription. A series of mutations in the ICS, but not in the enhancer elements, resulted in an increase in expression of the MHC class I promoter in F9 cells. However, these ICS mutants did not increase promoter activity in F9 cells differentiated after retinoic acid treatment. Results of mobility-shift DNA-binding assays and methylation interference experiments showed that undifferentiated F9 cells contained a factor(s) that bound to a sequence within the 5' and central part of the ICS. This binding site, termed the MHC negative regulatory element (NRE), coincided with the site of mutations that increased promoter activity in F9 cells and was distinct from the element to which interferon-response factors bind. The factor(s) that binds to the MHC NRE was not detected in differentiated F9 cells treated with retinoic acid or in other cells expressing MHC class I genes. Finally, introduction of concatenated, double-stranded NRE oligomers, but not oligomers of unrelated sequences, into F9 cells abolished negative regulation of the MHC class I promoter activity, providing evidence that the NRE binding factor is responsible for repression of the MHC class I genes in F9 cells.
Two Constraints on Speech Act Ambiguity

Existing plan-based theories of speech act interpretation do not account for the conventional aspect of speech acts. We use patterns of linguistic features (e.g. mood, verb form, sentence adverbials, thematic roles) to suggest a range of speech act interpretations for the utterance. These are filtered using plan-based conversational implicatures to eliminate inappropriate ones. Extended plan reasoning is available but not necessary for familiar forms. Taking speech act ambiguity seriously, with these two constraints, explains how "Can you pass the salt?" is a typical indirect request while "Are you able to pass the salt?" is not.
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-independent activation of estrogen receptor-dependent transcription by 3-methycholanthrene

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that stimulates transcription directed by xenobiotic response elements upstream of target genes. Recently, AhR ligands were reported to induce formation of an AhR-estrogen receptor (ER) complex, which can bind to estrogen response elements (EREs) and stimulate transcription of ER target genes. Presently, we investigate the effect of the AhR ligands 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (BZ126) on ERE-regulated luciferase reporter activity and endogenous ER target gene expression. In MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, 3MC induced transcription of ER reporter genes containing native promoter sequences of the ER-responsive genes complement 3 and pS2 and heterologous promoters regulated by isolated EREs. Dose-response studies revealed that the concentration of 3MC required to half-maximally activate transcription (EC(50)) was >100-fold higher for an ER reporter (27-57 muM) than for an AhR reporter (86-250 nM) in both MCF-7 cells and in human endometrial cancer Ishikawa cells. 3MC also stimulated expression of the endogenous ER target genes amphiregulin, cathepsin D and progesterone receptor, albeit to a much lower extent than was achieved following stimulation with 17beta-estradiol. In Ishikawa cells, 3MC, but not BZ126 or TCDD, stimulated ERalpha-dependent reporter activity but did not induce expression of endogenous ER target genes. Finally, studies carried out in the AhR-positive rat hepatoma cell line 5L and the AhR-deficient variant BP8 demonstrated that ER reporter activity could be induced by 3MC in a manner that was independent of AhR and thus distinct from the AhR-ER 'hijacking' mechanism described recently. 3MC may thus elicit estrogenic activity by multiple mechanisms.
Handbook of Organization Studies

The article reviews the book “Handbook of Organization Studies,” edited by Stewart R. Clegg, Cynthia Hardy and Walter R. Nord.
On the optimality of the OFDMA network

This letter studies the optimality of the OFDMA network. It is proved that in the multiuser multicarrier downlink system with independent decoding, OFDMA is the optimal multiple access scheme. It is also shown that the optimality of OFDMA holds for any adaptive modulation scheme whose rate-SNR/SINR function can be approximated as a convex function.
Optimization of Samarium Oxide Deposition on Gallium Arsenide

Samarium oxide (Sm 2 O 3 ) and samarium gallium oxide (Sm x Ga 1-x ) 2 O 3 have been proposed as candidate dielectric materials for the development of gallium arsenide (GaAs) Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) technology. Growth of thin (20nm-50nm) Sm 2 O 3 and (Sm x Ga 1-x ) 2 O 3 layers on GaAs substrates via plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) has been performed using a range of growth temperatures and samarium cell temperatures. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the deposited films showed evidence of unbonded Sm metal in the films which decreased with decreasing Sm cell temperature, but was relatively independent of substrate temperature. Stoichiometry of the oxide was found to be independent of substrate temperature, but increased in oxygen to metal ratio as the Sm cell temperature was decreased. Decreasing the Sm cell temperature also suppressed the formation of the monoclinic phase and promoted the growth of the cubic phase. Films grown at higher (500sC) temperature showed the presence of a crystalline interface, but relatively high surface roughness and the presence of multiple crystalline phases. Current-voltage analysis of one hundred micron diameter MOS diodes showed breakdown fields at 1 mA/cm 2 of up to 4.35 MV/cm. Breakdown field was found to decrease with increasing Sm unbonded metal content in the films. The effect of stoichiometry and phase distribution on the interface state density (Dit) and capacitance-voltage behavior of MOS diodes was also investigated.
Characterization of glucocorticoid receptors bound with corticosterone.

AbstractThe physico-chemical properties of glucocorticoid receptors bound with tritiated corticosterone were compared to those of the triamcinolone acetonide glucocorticoid receptor complex. The goal was to determine whether the natural agonist forms complexes similar to those generated by the synthetic agonist. Structure was probed using three techniques; diethylaminoethyl-cellulose (DEAE) chromatography, vertical tube rotor sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation (SGU) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These techniques are all fast enough to allow analysis of the labile corticosterone receptor complexes. Results showed that complexes generated by both classes of ligands were similar. They eluted from DEAE cellulose and HPLC columns at similar positions and sedimented similarly in sucrose gradients. This was true for both the untransformed and transformed species. It is concluded that natural and synthetic glucocorticoid agonists interact with glucocorticoid receptors to form indistinguisha...
CYP2D6 Genotyping and the Use of Tamoxifen in Breast Cancer

Donald Berry in his recent editorial (1) regarding the role of CYP2D6 and tamoxifen highlights several controversies that exist in the clinical and biomarker field for women with breast cancer. The International Tamoxifen Pharmacogenomics Consortium (ITPC) was formed with the intent to aggregate, curate, and analyze the data available in published breast cancer studies with the hope of answering the question, “Should CYP2D6 genotyping guide the use of tamoxifen in breast cancer?” The ITPC analyzed nearly 5000 patients regarding the association between CYP2D6 and clinical outcomes (2). These data demonstrated that CYP2D6 genotype was associated with the risk of recurrence or death in those patients who received tamoxifen monotherapy for 5 years but not in patients who received different doses or duration of tamoxifen or those who received chemotherapy along with tamoxifen. We are in agreement with Berry that further research is required to understand these complex relationships, and our intent has always been that others will be able to use the ITPC dataset to understand the data as fully as possible in conjunction with their own research efforts. The complete dataset of genotypes and clinical variables, the analysis code, and the full analyses are transparently available at PharmGKB (http://www.pharmgkb. org). Although we disagree with Berry about his conclusion in answering the allimportant question of whether CYP2D6guided genotype therapy is appropriate, we invite other researchers and practitioners to examine the data from their own perspectives and engage in ongoing efforts to use these data to the benefit of patients with breast cancer.
Effectiveness of Rapid Prescreening and 10% Rescreening in Liquid-Based Papanicolaou Testing

Although rapid prescreening (RPS) has been shown to be an effective quality control procedure for detecting false-negative conventional Papanicolaou (Pap) tests, RPS has not been widely implemented in the United States. In our laboratory, cytotechnologists performed RPS in 3,567 liquid-based Pap tests: 1,911 SurePath (BD Diagnostics–TriPath, Burlington, NC) preparations that were manually screened and 1,656 ThinPrep Pap tests (Hologic, Bedford, MA) that were imaged using the ThinPrep Imaging System (Hologic). We compared the sensitivity of RPS, 10% rescreening (R-10%), and routine screening (RS). In contrast with previously published findings, we found that RS + RPS did not improve screening sensitivity compared with RS + R-10%. These results support the following hypotheses: (1) Higher baseline RS sensitivity as a result of Pap test diagnoses standardization implemented for quality improvement purposes decreases the performance impact of RPS. (2) R-10% and RPS quality assurance methods detect diagnostic failures caused by different types of cognitive errors.
A survey of preoperative blood tests in primary open-angle glaucoma patients versus cataract surgery patients.

Purpose—To investigate biomarker differences in routine preoperative blood tests performed on primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) case and control patients presenting for anterior segment eye surgery. Methods—POAG cases and age-related cataract surgery patients (controls) who underwent anterior segment surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear from January 2009 through March 2012 were identified by retrospective record review. Patients with diabetes mellitus, secondary glaucoma, and cataract due to trauma or steroid exposure were excluded. Data on demographic features, preoperative ophthalmological and medical diagnosis, blood pressure, anthropometric measures, basic metabolic panel, and complete blood count were extracted from the medical records. Univariate differences in lab values between POAG cases and controls were assessed using unpaired t tests. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was completed to determine the independent associations of biomarkers with POAG. Results—A total of 150 cases and 150 age-related controls were included. In multivariate analysis, higher AG was inversely associated with POAG (odds ratio [OR] = 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80– 1.00), and higher Cl− level was positively associated with POAG (OR = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.02–1.29). The lower AG in POAG patients could be explained by higher IgG levels as the available data in post hoc analysis showed a nonsignificant trend toward higher IgG in cases compared to controls (17 vs 23; 1142 ± 284 mg/dl vs 1028 ± 291 mg/dl; P = 0.22). Furthermore, in multivariable analysis, a higher red blood cell count was also associated with POAG (OR = 1.91; 95% CI, 1.11–3.28). Conclusions—Patients with POAG presenting for anterior segment surgery had a lower AG compared to age-related cataract surgery patients. The etiology of this reduced gap is unclear but the possible contribution of IgG warrants further exploration. The etiology of higher red blood cell counts in POAG cases is unknown and deserves further exploration. The development and discovery of clinically useful biomarkers is an important area of research for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). A biomarker for glaucoma could identify at-risk patients for early treatment and allow for treatment response monitoring. The discovery of biomarkers associated with POAG could also provide insights into disease pathophysiology. A variety of molecules and proteins have been identified in serum, aqueous humor, and tears that are associated with POAG and represent potential disease biomarkers. They include