cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Early Years in the Life Cycle of City Councils: a Downsian Analysis

Anthony Downs argues that most government bureaus follow an eight stage developmental life cycle including such steps as: (1) birth of the agency, (2) early dominance by 'advocates' or 'zealots', (3) a struggle for autonomy followed by (4) a struggle for support, (5) rapid growth, and (6) a 'decelerator effect' ending in (7) a 'crisis of continuity' and rarely — (8) death. The present article applies Downs' life cycle explanation of bureaucratic agency behaviour to an elected public body and argues that elected bodies exhibit characteristics similar to nonelected and long-term bureaucratic organisations.
Über einen Fall von 5 Monate bestehender Schwangerschaftschorea mit anatomischem Befunde

Bei einer 20 jahrigen Frau entwickelten sich zu Anfang des 2. Monats ihrer 1. Schwangerschaft leichte choreatische Bewegungen. Diese verschlimmerten sich allmahlich, so das die motorische Funktion sehr schwer betroffen war und Sprechen und Schlucken fast ganz unmoglich wurde. Im 6. Monat der Schwangerschaft wurde bei der Frau eine therapeutische Entbindung ausgefuhrt, und sie starb am nachsten Tage.
Synthesis and characterization of poly(3,4-benzo-1-phenyl-1-silapentene) and poly(3,4-benzo-1-silapentene)

Low molecular weight poly(3,4-benzo-1-phenyl-1-silapentene) (I) has been prepared by the anionic ring opening polymerization of 3,4-benzo-1-phenyl-1-silacyclopentene (II), co-catalyzed by methyllithium and HMPA in THF at low temperature. Poly(3,4-benzo-1-silapentene) (III) has been prepared similarly by polymerization of 3,4-benzo-1-silacyclopentene (IV) except that HMPA has NOT been utilized in this latter case. I and III have been characterized by1H,13C, and29Si NMR as well as by IR and UV spectroscopy. The low molecular weight of I and III permits end group analysis by29Si NMR. The molecular weight distributions of I and III have been determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and their thermal stability by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
Acadesine and lipopolysaccharide-evoked pulmonary dysfunction after resuscitation from traumatic shock

Background. We have reported that the purine precursor acadesine (AICAR) improved the microcirculation, repleted adenosine triphosphate, and attenuated local and lung neutrophil infiltration after intestinal reperfusion and that it quickly improved systemic hemodynamics after resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock. This study evaluated the therapeutic potential of AICAR after fluid resuscitated trauma. Methods. Anesthetized (fentanyl) mongrel pigs were subjected to tissue injury plus hemorrhage and randomized to receive resuscitation fluids comprised of shed blood plus either lactated Ringer's solution (LR) or AICAR (1 or 10 mg/kg bolus +0.5 mg/kg/min×30 min). Thereafter either LR or AICAR (1 or 10 mg/kg) was administered at 12-hour intervals for 72 hours. In a smaller series (n=7) a single bolus (0.5 mg/kg) of the adenosine deaminase inhibitor deoxycoformycin was administered at the time of resuscitation. After 72 hours, an endotoxin challenge (0.5 μg/kg, lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) was administered. Results. At 1 mg/kg (n=9), AICAR had no obvious effect versus LR (n=31). At 10 mg/kg AICAR (n=11), the fluid required to stabilize hemodynamics after trauma was higher (66±5 versus 52±3 ml/kg/hr, p=0.014), but there were fewer deaths 3 days after trauma versus LR (0 of 11 versus 4 of 31, p=0.210), fewer deaths within 5 hours after LPS administration (3 of 11 versus 16 of 27, p=0.074), and a longer survival time after LPS administration (4.5±0.3 versus 3.9±0.2 hr, p=0.054). Deoxycoformycin had similar salutary effects on survival after LPS administration. LPS increased protein permeability of pulmonary capillaries, increased peak inspiratory pressures on constant tidal volume, increased dead space ventilation, and caused progressive arterial desaturation on 0.65 Fi o 2 (all p Conclusions. 1. AICAR reduced the pulmonary dysfunction associated with posttrauma endotoxemia but had no effect on circulating leukocytes, so its mechanism could be related to an adenosine-mediated improvement in peripheral perfusion or O2 use. 2. AICAR is a generic compound that is safe and apparently efficacious in human beings, so AICAR prophylaxis could be cost-effectively administered to trauma patients.
An Arresting Experiment: Domestic Violence Victim Experiences and Perceptions

This study looks at the experiences and perceptions that domestic violence victims reported with Mills's power model. The victims' partners were the primary research participants in an arrest experiment. The following were empirically examined: the occurrence of violence following suspect arrest, victim perceptions of personal and legal power, victim satisfaction with the police, and victim perceptions of safety following legal intervention. Race and two victim resource measures (i.e., employment status and income advantage) explained variance in perceptions of independence. A police empowerment scale was used to measure legal power. It was found that arrest affected the probability of re-occurring domestic violence. Suspect arrest and the victim's perceptions of legal power were related to perceptions of safety following police intervention. The study concludes with some implications for domestic violence research, programs, and perspectives.
Single dose blood toxicokinetics of methacrylonitrile in the F344 rat.

Abstract Methacrylonitrile (MAN) is a widely used industrial chemical. Minimal information is available on its effects or toxicokinetics; therefore, current investigations were undertaken as part of an overall effort to characterize MAN toxicity in laboratory animals. Groups of male F344 rats were administered MAN intravenously (29, 58, or 116 mg/kg) or perorally (58 mg/kg). Blood samples were collected at various time points after dosing and serum MAN concentrations were measured. Concentration versus time profiles were characterized by two phases and a two-compartment model was selected to fit the data. Toxicokinetic parameters were determined using Simusolv. The 39-min terminal half-life shows that 99% of an iv dose is eliminated in less than 5 hr, suggesting that the potential for MAN bioaccumulation is minimal. The volume of distribution at steady-state (747 ml/kg) indicates little distribution of MAN into tissues. Clearance is higher at 29 mg/kg than at the two other doses, suggesting that MAN elimination is saturable at doses above 29 mg/kg. MAN disposition is route-dependent. Approximately 36% of the iv dose was exhaled as unchanged MAN, while only 18% was eliminated via this route following po administration. MAN disposition data also suggest that a significant first-pass metabolism may occur because a higher percentage of metabolites was produced following oral vs iv administration. Perorally, 39% of the dose was exhaled as CO 2 and 22% was excreted into the urine as metabolites over the 24-hr dosing interval. In comparison, following iv delivery, 26% of the dose was exhaled as CO 2 and 16% was excreted into the urine as metabolites. About equal amounts of acetone were excreted following administration by either route. This information may prove useful in designing long-term toxicity studies for MAN by the National Toxicology Program and in interpreting the results of such studies.
Determination of the anisotropy of yielding and flow in Zircaloy-2 from a single test

Abstract The anisotropy of plastic properties of Zircaloy-2 is an important consideration in its use. A rapid and simple method of evaluating and characterizing these properties would be a valuable aid to the designer. Experimental yield and strain data on lots of Zircaloy-2 with varied crystallographic texture were used to develop empirical correlations that relate yield strength and strain behavior parameters. These correlations allow the calculation of tension and compression yield strengths and strain anisotropy constants for the principal fabrication directions from the data obtained in a single test. The correlations are also felt to be valuable for material specification, quality control, and internal consistency checks on experimental data.
Dynamic polarization of carbon-13 nuclei in free radical solutions

Abstract In contrast to previously studied nuclei, solvent carbon-13 NMR enhancements at 74 G for a series of free radicals show increased contribution of scalar coupling for well shielded, saturated carbons. Enriched 13 CCl 4 with BDPA gives an ultimate enhancement of +850.
Rhythmic Activity in a Forebrain Vocal Control Nucleus In Vitro

The learned vocalizations of songbirds constitute a rhythmic behavior that is thought to be governed by a central pattern generator and that is accompanied by highly patterned neural activity. Phasic premotor activity is observed during singing in HVC [used as a proper name following the nomenclature of Reiner et al. (2004)], a telencephalic song system nucleus that is essential for song production. Moreover, HVC neurons display phasic patterns of auditory activity in response to song stimulation. To address the cellular basis of pattern generation in HVC, we investigated its rhythm-generating abilities. We report here the induction of sustained, rhythmic activity patterns in HVC when isolated in vitro. Brief, high-frequency stimulation evoked repetitive postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) and local field potentials (LFPs) from HVC neurons recorded in a brain slice preparation made from adult male zebra finches. These rhythmic events were sustained for seconds in the absence of ongoing, phasic stimulation, and they had temporal properties similar to those of syllable occurrence within zebra finch song. Paired recordings revealed synchrony between repetitive PSP and LFP occurrence, indicating that a population of cells participates in this patterned activity. The PSPs resulted from multiple, coordinated, fast-glutamatergic, synaptic inputs. Moreover, their occurrence and timing relied on inhibitory synaptic transmission. Thus, HVC itself has rhythmic abilities that could influence the timing of neural activity over relatively long time windows. These rhythmic properties may contribute to song production or perception in vivo.
Biochemical studies on Western ring spot virus

Abstract Western ring spot virus from infected bean plants was purified by precipitation with ethanol, fractionation with ammonium sulfate and differential centrifugation. A 50- to 400-fold purification was usually obtained. Various chemical and biological properties of the purified virus was investigated.
Technology and second language learning: expanding methods and agendas

Abstract This paper makes connections between the research reported in this issue the broader area of second language studies focusing on learner language, interaction, individual differences, linguistic analysis, and language learning and teaching. Theoretical, empirical and ethical challenges posed by technology-based second language studies are illustrated.
Sliding-window based soft decision equalization for frequency selective MIMO channels

In this paper, we develop a novel sliding windowing soft-decision equalization (SW-SDE) technique for frequency selective MIMO channels in the quest for low-complexity equalizers with BER performance competitive to that of ML sequence detection. The proposed SW-SDE algorithm takes advantage of the Toeplitz channel matrix structure embodied in an equalization problem. It processes the data samples through a series of overlapping sliding windows to reduce complexity, and at the same time performs implicit noise tracking to maintain near-optimum performance. With its low complexity, simple implementation and near-optimum performance offered by iterative soft-decision processing, the proposed SW-SDE method is an attractive candidate to deliver efficient reception solution to practical high-capacity MIMO systems. Simulation comparisons of SW-SDE with MMSE-based MIMO DFE and sphere decoded quasi-ML detection are presented.
Viscoelastic and morphological behavior of hybrid styryl-based polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) copolymers

We report on the viscoelastic behavior of linear thermoplastic nonpolar hybrid inorganic-organic polymers. These materials have been synthesized through copolymerization of an oligomeric inorganic macromer with 4-methylstyrene where the inorganic portion of the material is a well-defined polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (POSS), R7(Si8O12)(CH2CH2C6H4CH|CH2), with R A c-C6H11 or c-C5H9. A series of 4-methyl styrene copolymers with approximately 4, 8, and 16 mol % POSS macromer incorporation were investigated. Rheological measurements show that the polymer dynamics are profoundly affected as the percent of POSS increases. In particular, a high-temperature rubbery plateau develops (where a terminal zone is not observed), despite the fact that the parent poly 4-methylstyrene is unentangled. It is also observed that the thermal properties are influenced as the percent of POSS incorporation in- creases, with increases in the glass and decomposition temperatures. The results sug- gest that interchain interactions between the massive inorganic groups are responsible for the retardation of polymer chain motion, a mechanism similar to the ''sticky repta- tion'' model conceived for hydrogen-bonded elastomers and developed by Leibler et al. (Macromolecules, 24, 4701 (1991)).Control over the interchain interactions would also give rise to the observed increases in glass transition and the establishment of a rubbery plateau. q 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 1857-1872, 1998
Injury profiles in pedestrian motor vehicle trauma

One hundred fifteen consecutive pedestrians who were struck by motor vehicles were studied to determine the magnitude and patterns of the injuries sustained. The mortality rate was 22%, and 17 of 25 patients who died did so during the initial resuscitative efforts, primarily due to head, chest, and or abdominal injury. The average Injury Severity Score (ISS) among all patients was 20; however, it was significantly higher (46) in nonsurvivors. The majority of the victims were men (72%), and the average age of all patients was 35 years. As the patient's age increased, so did the likelihood of mortality, fractures, and prolonged hospital stay. Blood alcohol levels were measured in 85 patients, 65% of whom had detectable levels (mean, 0.25 mg/dL). There was no correlation between the presence of alcohol and mortality, ISS, head injury, or number of fractures. The most frequently injured organ system was musculoskeletal (77%), followed by head (34%), abdomen (21%), and chest (15%). The most common fractures seen were tibia-fibular (39), pelvis (35), and femur (31). Hospital stay averaged 11 days, and patients charges averaged $16,900.
Inertial Navigation System Simulator Program: Top-Level Design

Abstract : Hard real-time systems have consistently proven to be some of the most difficult for successful software implementation. Attributes often associated with the intractable nature of real-time are concurrency, severe timing constraints, the complexity of real-world devices, and limited resources. In this experiment, an actual embedded hard real-time application (Inertial Navigation Set, AN/WSN-5) is simulated and ported to a variety of target processors. The effort is specifically directed at investigating the capability of Ada for providing program development solutions in the hard real-time regime. Special emphasis is focused on applying the built-in concurrency capabilities of Ada. The effort contends with typical cross-targeting issues such as board-level execution and memory configuration, device communications, and runtime debugging of the application. This report presents the top-level design of the application and addresses the solution in terms of a concurrency abstraction. Beginning with a classical data flow analysis of the requirements, Ada tasks are derived from analyzable categories, specifically periodics, aperiodics, and servers. This classification scheme is predicted on work actively being conducted on a scheduling technique that quantifies the effect of task preemption and blocking, behavior fundamental to the concept of parallelism in Ada. In a corollary report (Borger 89), a schedulability analysis of the INS is described within the framework of the task set developed in this top-level design.
Simulation and training of procedural sedation

Simulation offers a unique and possibly essential tool to train endoscopists in safe and successful gastrointestinal endoscopy using procedural sedation. In turn, it is becoming more common to integrate procedural trainers into full-scale environments to allow simulation of both technical and behavioral skills required to perform sedated procedures, as well as communication skills that are fundamental in effective and high-quality endoscopy teams. Generally speaking, simulation can be used to "animate the textbook" by creating simulated encounters around a myriad of sedation regimens to teach and reinforce safe practice through a deepened understanding of pharmacology and patient–drug interactions. In this chapter, we present our experience designing full-scale simulated endoscopy scenarios around actual patient events that are generally rare, but always clinically significant. We also explain our position that simulation-based team training should balance both clinical (drug administration, active airway management) and behavioral (communication and decision making) objectives. Finally, we discuss the likelihood that use of simulation to teach sedation for endoscopy will yield a positive impact on the practice of procedural gastroenterology and ultimately patient outcomes.
Expression of nitric oxide synthase isoforms is reduced in late-gestation ovine fetal brainstem

Fetal baroreflex responsiveness increases in late gestation. An important modulator of baroreflex activity is the generation of nitric oxide in the brainstem nuclei that integrate afferent and efferent reflex activity. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms are expressed in the fetal brainstem and that the expression of one or more of these enzymes is reduced in late gestation. Brainstem tissue was rapidly collected from fetal sheep of known gestational ages (80, 100, 120, 130, 145 days gestation and 1 day and 1 wk postnatal). Neuronal (nNOS), inducible (iNOS), and endothelial (eNOS) mRNA was measured using real-time PCR methodology specific for ovine NOS isoforms. The three enzymes were measured at the protein level using Western blot methodology. In tissue prepared for histology separately, the cellular pattern of immunostaining was identified in medullae from late-gestation fetal sheep. Fetal brainstem contained mRNA and protein of all three NOS isoforms, with nNOS the most abundant, followed by iNOS and eNOS, respectively. nNOS and iNOS mRNA abundances were highest at 80 days' gestation, with statistically significant decreases in abundance in more mature fetuses and postnatal animals. nNOS and eNOS protein abundance also decreased as a function of developmental age. nNOS and eNOS were expressed in neurons, iNOS was expressed in glia, and eNOS was expressed in vascular endothelial cells. We conclude that all three isoforms of NOS are constitutively expressed within the fetal brainstem, and the expression of all three forms is reduced with advancing gestation. We speculate that the reduced expression of NOS in this brain region plays a role in the increased fetal baroreflex activity in late gestation.
Spectrum estimation of HMM signal source in channel distortion and additive noise

Spectrum estimation of short-time stationary signals in the presence of channel distortion and additive noise is addressed. A maximum likelihood estimation algorithm is developed to jointly identify the degradation system and estimate short-time signal spectra. A source signal is assumed to be generated by a hidden Markov model (HMM) with state-dependent short-time spectral distributions of mixtures of Gaussian densities. The distortion channel is linear time-invariant and the noise is Gaussian. The unknown parameters of channel and noise are estimated iteratively using the EM algorithm, and the signal spectra are obtained from the posterior estimates of sufficient statistics of the source signal. Simulation results are provided at the signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) of 20 dB down to 0 dB and the proposed algorithm is shown to produce convergent estimation and significantly reduced spectral distortion.
Nonperturbative detection of microwave radiation using fiber attached electro-optic sensors

Tests are described using fiber-attached, all-dielectric EO field sensors for the noninvasive detection of microwave fields generated by horn antennas and GTEM cell.
Performance bounds for high-light-level amplitude and intensity interferometry

Amplitude interferometry and intensity interferometry are methods for processing the complex amplitude and the intensity, respectively, of an electromagnetic field to estimate the mutual intensity of the field at two spatial locations. Whereas complex amplitude measurements allow for the direct estimation of the mutual-intensity phase, intensity measurements do not. We consider applications for which the estimation of the magnitude or the squared magnitude of the mutual intensity is adequate, and we provide fundamental limits on the estimation accuracy of any unbiased estimator of the squared magnitude of the mutual intensity from coherent (complex amplitude) or incoherent (intensity) measurements. Our analysis is performed for the high-light-level (classical-noise-limit) case and quantifies the advantages of making the more difficult coherent measurements.
Isolation of Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae: effects of methods of blood collection and handling.

Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae causes cat-scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis, peliosis hepatis, and fever in humans. B. henselae can be difficult to culture axenically, and as many as 5 weeks may be required before colonies are visible. We compared how different methods of blood collection and handling affect isolation of this pathogen. Blood specimens from B. henselae-infected cats were collected in both EDTA and Isolator blood-lysis tubes and were subsequently plated onto rabbit blood-brain heart infusion agar by using three different schedules: plating immediately, plating after 24 h at 25 degrees C, and plating after 26 days at -65 degrees C. Colonies were counted 14 and 35 days after plating. Blood collected in tubes containing EDTA, frozen at -65 degrees C, and then plated on blood agar yielded a median of 60,000 CFU/ml, compared with 25,333 CFU/ml after collection in the Isolator tubes (P
The motion of a rigid body in viscous fluid bounded by a plane wall

The boundary-integral method is used to calculate the hydrodynamic force and torque on an arbitrary body of revolution whose axis of symmetry is oriented at an arbitrary angle relative to a planar wall in the zero-Reynolds-number limit. The singular solution of the Stokes equations in the presence of a planar wall is used to formulate the integral equations, which are then reduced to a system of linear algebraic equations by satisfying the no-slip boundary conditions on the body surface using the boundary collocation method or weighted residual technique.Numerical tests for the special case of a sphere moving parallel or perpendicular to a planar wall show that the present theory is accurate to at least three significant figures when compared with the exact solutions for gap widths as small as only one-tenth of the particle radius. Higher accuracy can be achieved and solutions can be obtained for smaller gap widths at the expense of more computation time and larger storage requirements.The hydrodynamic force and torque on a spheroid with varying aspect ratio and orientation angle relative to the planar wall are obtained. The theory is also applied to study the motion of a toroidal particle or biconcave shaped disc adjacent to a planar wall. The coincidence of the drag and torque of a biconcave-shaped body and a torus having an aspect ratio b/a = 2 with the same surface area shows that in this case the hole of a torus has little influence on the flow field. On the other hand, for an aspect ratio b/a = 10, the effect of the hole is significant. It is also shown that when the body is not very close to the wall, an oblate spheroid can be used as a good approximation of a biconcave-shaped disc.
PCNA promotes processive DNA end resection by Exo1

Exo1-mediated resection of DNA double-strand break ends generates 3' single-stranded DNA overhangs required for homology-based DNA repair and activation of the ATR-dependent checkpoint. Despite its critical importance in inducing the overall DNA damage response, the mechanisms and regulation of the Exo1 resection pathway remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify the ring-shaped DNA clamp PCNA as a new factor in the Exo1 resection pathway. Using mammalian cells, Xenopus nuclear extracts and purified proteins, we show that after DNA damage, PCNA loads onto double-strand breaks and promotes Exo1 damage association through direct interaction with Exo1. By tethering Exo1 to the DNA substrate, PCNA confers processivity to Exo1 in resection. This role of PCNA in DNA resection is analogous to its function in DNA replication where PCNA serves as a processivity co-factor for DNA polymerases.
External variables, beliefs, attitudes and information technology usage behavior

The technology acceptance model (TAM) predicts the user acceptance of end-user applications by specifying causal relationships among belief and attitudinal constructs that subsequently influence usage behavior. Although the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use constructs have received a great deal of attention in the MIS literature, very few follow-up studies have used the original TAM constructs. Moreover, the various studies investigating TAM use different measurement items, or factors, to assess the belief constructs. In this TAM study, the impact of external variables affecting usage behavior is examined. The results suggest that the impact of the external variables on usage behavior is not fully mediated by the belief constructs.
A Case Against Incorporation of Bowel Segments into the Closed Urinary System

AbstractFive patients in whom isolated ileal or ileocecal segments had been incorporated into the urinary tract suffered complications that ended in excision of the bowel segment. A bowel segment functions if it does not meet resistance or increased intraluminal pressures. In a closed system these 2 evils are working constantly against the loop of bowel, subjecting it to growing distension, dilatation and redundancy and, inevitably, residual urine, urinary tract infection, stone formation, electrolyte imbalance and progressive deterioration of the upper urinary tract ensue. What was initially meant to save kidney function causes instead renal damage and eventually total loss of function.
Turbulence in the Cardiovascular System: Aortic Aneurysm as an Illustrative Example

Turbulence is a fluid regime characterized by chaotic and stochastic changes of flow. The onset of turbulence can occur under disease conditions and is known to have adverse effects on the function of the cardiovascular (CV) system. This chapter outlines the basic features of turbulence in the CV system. As a specific example, simulation of turbulent flow in an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is presented. The simulated results show that transition to turbulence occurs in large aneurysms with high Reynolds number. Onset of turbulence is seen to drastically change the distribution of wall shear stress and fluid pressure. The general implications are enumerated.
Custody Determinations at Divorce: The Limits of Social Science Research and the Fallacy of the Liberal Ideology of Equality

As the incidence of divorce has increased, the old ideal of maternal preference has been successfully challenged. This has left custody decision-making without grounding because policymakers have been unable to develop an equality based gender-neutral substitute for maternal preference which can be easily and cheaply applied to implement the best interests of the child test in a majority of cases.This article focuses on the process through which long-standing legal rules for making custody determinations have been challenged and partially restructured. Of particular concern are two related steps in the process: the manifestation of the liberal ideology of equality in the custody context and the use of social science data both to bolster the trend toward an equality model and to resolve individual cases in the new degendered arena.Custody questions are inherently moral, legal, and political questions. This article surveys some of the traditional concerns about proper social science methodology and the modern criticism of social science theories to conclude that value premises are inevitable incorporated into the research product. Because of assumptions about and idealization of the role of the nuclear family, much of the research fails to contribute anything to our understanding of parental roles at divorce.
Whatever Happened to Subpart F? U.S. CFC Legislation after the Check-the-Box Regulations

The Treasury's adoption of the so-called check-the-box regulations, in 1996, proved to be a very troubling development for international tax policy. This paper explores how the regulations facilitated devices that many multinational U.S. companies have used to divert income into the shelter of tax havens, while steering clear of subpart F. As a result of these devices, subpart F has fallen increasingly short of the goal of curbing tax haven sheltering. The paper suggests that with relatively small changes in the regulations and the subpart F statutes, Congress and the Treasury could go far toward restoring subpart F to its intended scope.
Abstract P5-01-12: Specific Tumor Component Spectrum as a Predictor of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND: Monitoring individual tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy could provide surrogate markers for oncologists to adjust therapeutics in order to minimize collateral damage from ineffective therapies. Diffuse optical spectroscopy imaging (DOSI), by increasing the wavelength range and resolution, has been employed to characterize malignant tumor and its response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy since it measures the abundance in the four major chromophores (lipid, oxy-hemoglobin, deoxy-hemoglobin and water). Through the application of a spectral analysis method, Self-Referencing Differential Spectroscopy (SRDS) analysis, which accounts for only intersubject variability, a novel optical intrinsic biomarker which is unique to cancer was revealed. By fitting the difference spectrum between tumor and normal tissues to the four component basis spectra, the residuals disclose a spectral fingerprint called specific tumor component (STC) spectrum which contains specific absorption bands which separate normal from abnormal tissue and benign from malignant tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 14 patients were enrolled in this study and all the subjects provided informed written consent according to an institution-approved protocol. Measurements were taken pre-, post-neoajuvant chemotherapy and the midpoint in the treatment. The chemotherapy regimen is 2-4 cycles of doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide (A/C), followed by 2-4 cycles of carboplatin-taxol/abraxane-avastin (nabTC). Tumor classification was confirmed by pathology reports and 8 out of 14 patients were classified as complete responders (CR); the rest as noneresponders (NR). Pre and post-treatment STC spectra were compared in different pathological responding categories. Data were analyzed by using custom software designed for Matlab. The concentrations of NIR absorbers will be calculated from a spectral model of tissue absorption by using the basis spectra. For the SRDS method, the absorption spectra will be further analyzed by using custom software (Elantest; Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics, Irvine, Calif, www.lfd.edu). Details of SRDS method has been described previously. RESULTS: The shape of STC spectra for non-responders was well preserved since insusceptible tumor structure will remain basically unaffected during the chemotherapy. Whereas in the completed responders, the therapy-induced changes in tumor microvasculature, edema, and necrosis lead to a significant dissimilarity in STC spectra. CONCLUSION: STC spectrum, as an endogenous in vivo biomarker, can predict pathological response in breast tumors treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-01-12.
Transplant-associated coronary artery disease: From chronic disease to acute myocardial infarction

See related article, p 548. [Hauptman PJ, Ting HH, Stone PH: Transplant-associated coronary artery disease: From chronic disease to acute myocardial infarction. Ann Emerg Med 1995;25:545-547.]
The loss of expression of theH 1 gene inBt transgenic potatoes

During evaluation of potato clones and cultivars from the Cornell seed production program to confirm their resistance toGlobodera rostochiensis (Wollenweber) Behrens (golden nematode) pathotype Ro1, several cysts developed on the transgenic cultivar Atlantic NewLeaf. This transformed cultivar resulted from the insertion of aBt endotoxin gene into the golden-nematode-resistant cultivar Atlantic. In subsequent bioassay tests, golden nematode cysts developed freely on the transgenic cultivar that originated from Atlantic NewLeaf clone 6, but not on Atlantic NewLeaf clones 31 and 36. Clones 31 and 36 were from differentBt transformation events of the cultivar Atlantic that were never commercialized. RFLP analysis of Atlantic used in the transformations and the Atlantic NewLeaf clones 6, 31, and 36 showed that they possessed the marker for theH1 gene that confers resistance to golden nematode pathotype Rol. These data indicate that theBt transformation process adversely affected the expression of theH1 gene in the transgenic cultivar Atlantic NewLeaf. This finding highlights the importance of pre-release evaluation of transgenic plants for any previously known major traits such as pest and disease resistance before they are commercialized.
The Moral Problem of War

Anyone who has read anything about the ethics of war will have come across references to and discussion of just war theory.1 This is a long tradition of religious, philosophical, and legal thinking that began in the ancient Western world concerning the justification(s) for the use of force by a state or leader against another state or leader. It has become convenient for ethicists, jurists, and political leaders today to simply appeal to the tenets of the just war doctrine as the basis for either justifying or criticizing particular wars. The language of just war was evoked at the beginning of the twenty-first century in the debate about the doctrine of preventive war that was the basis for the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. It is fair to say that many of those who appeal to or reject the principles of just war do not fully appreciate the historical evolution of the just war doctrine and the many divergent viewpoints that have been included in the tradition. It is the purpose of this chapter to flesh out the important details of just war theory as succinctly as possible and to track the differences between the main versions of the theory, before I embark on a critique of the theory in the next chapter. For even someone who wants to bring a fresh approach to the ethics of war cannot ignore what has been written by just war theorists who have been so influential in the course of the last two millennia.
Medication Errors in Outpatient Pediatrics

Medication errors may occur during parental administration of prescription and over-the-counter medications in the outpatient pediatric setting. Misinterpretation of medication labels and dosing errors are two types of errors in medication administration. Health literacy may play an important role in parents' ability to safely manage their child's medication regimen. There are several proposed strategies for decreasing these medication administration errors, including using standardized dosing instruments, using strictly metric units for medication dosing, and providing parents and caregivers with picture-based dosing instructions. Pediatric healthcare providers should be aware of these strategies and seek to implement many of them into their practices.
Categorical Iconicity in Peirce’s Existential Graphs

The notion of iconicity developed in the previous chapter might appear open to the objection that the use of any such conception of iconic “structure” to model abduction must err either on the side of being too formal and thus insensitive to the concrete, existential details of the situation at hand, or that of being too concretely figural or “intuitive” and thus inappropriate for the rigorous purposes of logical analysis. In fact, we aim to show that the particular power of iconic relations to support robust abductive modeling rests precisely in their capacity to reduce this Scylla-and-Charybdis problem of dry formalism versus muddy intuition to the status of a false dichotomy. Especially when modeled and analyzed via the categorical mathematics of presheaves and sheaves, iconicity as such provides a conceptual framework that is capable of varying smoothly and continuously (and tractably) from the most concrete, material domains to the most formal and abstract.
PMN-PT based smart sensing system for viscosity and density measurement

Abstract This paper presents a smart sensing system for viscosity and density measurement of viscous fluids. The proposed system is based on the vibrational properties of a cantilever probe bonded with newly developed piezoelectric materials–Lead Magnesium Niobate/Lead Titanate (PMN-PT) transducer, which has a piezoelectric charge constant (d33) more than 3 times larger than that of traditional piezoelectric material Lead zirconate titanate (PZT). The proposed system utilizes a PMN-PT single crystal for actuation and laser vibrometer for vibration detection. Using the PMN-PT transducer, the measured viscosity and density of fluids were extracted by analyzing the vibrational properties of the smart probe. Finite element analysis was conducted with COMSOL Multiphysics for theoretical calculation and lab tests were carried out to verify and evaluate the simulation results. This smart sensing system can be applied to in-field, in situ and real-time monitoring of viscous fluids, such as blood, engine oil and early-age concrete.
Adverse events following quadrivalent meningococcal CRM-conjugate vaccine (Menveo®) reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting system (VAERS), 2010–2015

Abstract Background Limited data are available describing the post-licensure safety of meningococcal vaccines, including Menveo®. We reviewed reports of adverse events (AEs) to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to assess safety in all age groups. Methods VAERS is a national spontaneous vaccine safety surveillance system co-administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration. We searched the VAERS database for US reports of adverse events in persons who received Menveo from 1 January 2010 through 31 December 2015. We clinically reviewed reports and available medical records for serious AEs, selected pre-specified outcomes, and vaccination during pregnancy. We used empirical Bayesian data mining to identify AEs that were disproportionately reported after receipt of Menveo. Results During the study period, VAERS received 2614 US reports after receipt of Menveo. Of these, 67 were classified as serious, including 1 report of death. Adolescents (aged 11–18 years) accounted for 74% of reports. Most of the reported AEs were non-serious and described AEs consistent with data from pre-licensure studies. Anaphylaxis and syncope were the two most common events in the serious reports. We did not identify any new safety concerns after review of AEs that exceeded the data mining threshold, although we did observe disproportionate reporting for terms that were not associated with an adverse event (e.g., “incorrect drug dosage form administered”, “wrong technique in drug usage process”). Although reports were limited, we did not find any evidence for concern regarding the use of Menveo during pregnancy. Conclusions In our review of VAERS reports, findings of AEs were consistent with the data from pre-licensure studies. Vaccine providers should continue to emphasize and adhere to proper administration of the vaccine.
Results of Fenestrated, Branched, and Parallel Stent Grafts for Pararenal and Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Techniques of fenestrated, branched and parallel grafts have been widely adopted as an alternative to open surgical repair in patients with complex aortic aneurysms involving the renal-mesenteric arteries. Similar to what has been shown in the infrarenal aorta, these repairs have the potential to decrease perioperative morbidity and mortality. For fenestrated grafts, several studies have shown late durability beyond 5 years of follow up. Parallel grafts have also been used widely either as a bail our or as primary treatment option. Most studies are retrospective and follow-up is more limited than fenestrated series. This chapter summarizes the current literature and results with these techniques.
Capacity benefits of antenna coupling

Antennas can couple if they are placed near each other, such as on portable wireless devices. Such coupling is often viewed as a nuisance that is a detriment to system performance. We show how coupling, if exploited properly, can lead to higher achievable data rates than an equivalent uncoupled system. Our conclusions build on some recent results on the bandwidth of coupled radiofrequency systems.
Maternal and paternal reactions to child sadness predict children's psychosocial outcomes: A family‐centered approach

Parents' reactions to children's emotions shape their psychosocial outcomes. Extant research on emotion socialization primarily uses variable-centered approaches. This study explores family patterns of maternal and paternal responses to children's sadness in relation to psychosocial outcomes in middle childhood. Fifty-one families with 8- to 12-year-old children participated. Mothers and fathers reported their reactions to children's sadness and children's social competence and psychological adjustment. Cluster analyses revealed three family patterns: Supportive (high supportive and low non-supportive reactions from both parents), Not Supportive (low supportive reactions from both parents), and Father Dominant (high paternal supportive and non-supportive reactions, low maternal supportive and non-supportive reactions). Supportive families had children with higher social competence and more internalizing symptoms whereas Father Dominant families had children with lower social competence and fewer internalizing symptoms. Not Supportive families had children with average social competence and fewer internalizing symptoms. Findings are discussed in relation to the “divergence model” which proposes that a diverse range of parental responses to children's sadness, rather than a uniformly supportive approach, may facilitate children's psychosocial adjustment.
Review of Lydia S. Dugdale, Dying in the 21st Century: Towards a New Ethical Framework for the Art of Dying Well

Dying in the 21st Century: Towards a New Ethical Framework for the Art of Dying Well, a collection of essays edited by Lydia S. Dugdale, works to reinvigorate the Ars moriendi for our contemporary ...
Effects of modifying diet and feed manufacture concern areas that are notorious for decreasing pellet quality

SUMMARY The production of high-quality pellets has often been described as more art than science due to the multitude of variables that affect pellet quality. The objectives of the current study were to examine the feed manufacture and pellet quality effects of 4 different feed milling concern areas. Each area of concern was evaluated using either a circumstance of low concern or a corresponding circumstance of high concern. Treatments included high or low mixer-added fat inclusion (MAF; 2.5 vs. 0.5%), high or low distillers dried grains with solubles inclusion (DDGS; 8 vs. 2%), high or low dicalcium phosphate inclusion (DCP; 1.63 vs. 0.31%), and high or low steam conditioning temperature (79 vs. 71°C). All diets were formulated to similar nutrient specifications based on commercial broiler starter recommendations. Treatments were replicated 3 times utilizing an experimental unit of 136 kg feed allotments organized as a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design. Contrasts were performed to better understand main effect interactions. High MAF and low DCP decreased pellet durability, percent pellets, and pellet particle size (P 0.05). Extraneous variables such as corn moisture content and ambient temperature during feed manufacture likely confounded some treatment effects. A greater appreciation of variable interactive effects may benefit pellet mill operators, nutritionists, and pelleting aid vendors to better circumvent hurdles encountered during the pelleting process.
A UHF RFID-Based System for Children Tracking

Given the fact that roughly 800 000 children are reported missing in the United States every year, how to assist parents to track their children becomes an important problem. Even though many children tracking systems have been proposed, the high cost and energy limitation of locators are the stumbling blocks which limit the application of those systems. To address this challenge, we design a children tracking system based on RFID technology, where children carry RFID tags and the system is responsible for locating the children by aggregating the readings from the deployed readers. Noting the importance of localized processing for efficient children tracking, we further study how the locally available computing resource, such as the mobile devices carried by the park employees and visitors, can be utilized for service provisioning. Since mobile devices have limited energy, we study an energy efficiency optimization problem by jointly considering the resource allocation and user association. The formulated problem is solved by a dynamic updating matching approach. Through extensive simulations, we have demonstrated the effectiveness of our proposed solution.
Electrical stimulation of nerve regeneration in the rat: functional evaluation by a twitch tension method.

The effect of D.C. electrical fields on in vivo nerve regeneration following rat sciatic nerve transection was assessed by a toe-twitch tension method for motor recovery. Two groups for baseline comparisons received either a nerve transection and a neutral battery implant or a nerve crush and no implant. Two treatment groups each received a nerve transection and an implant delivering either cathodal (-10 μA) or anodal (+10 μA) current via electrodes positioned on either side of the transection site. The contralateral nerve was exposed but not given a lesion. The functional recovery was assessed at weekly intervals by comparing the amplitude and area of the twitch tension curves on both sides, expressed as a ratio (index of motor recovery = IMR). By 28-35 days postoperative (dpo) the crushed/untreated group had mean IMR values not significantly different than the preoperative values. The transected/neutral group appeared to have the worst recovery throughout the study. Compared to these two groups, both the cathodal and anodal treatment groups with a transected nerve showed intermediate IMR values, but by 63 dpo the group differences were less. These results indicate that following a nerve transection lesion steady D.C. electrical fields may temporarily enhance the early functional recovery of motor nerve regeneration compared to conventional nerve repair alone.