cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of plasma tonicity on the distribution of water and solutes in brain and muscle

Abstract The effects of hypertonic and hypotonic injections on the water content and the distribution of Na 24 and I 131 ions in brain, CSF and skeletal muscle have been studied. The distribution volumes of the two ions in muscle were almost identical (13%) at 30 min and also 24 hours after injection. In brain, however, there was a steady accumulation of Na 24 which reached 29% after 24 hours. In contrast, I 131 was restricted to 2.3% of whole brain at 30 min and 5.2% after 24 hours. Control CSF I 131 levels did not exceed 5% of plasma at any time, whereas Na 24 was 50% of plasma at 30 min and 113% after 24 hours. While there was a more than twofold increase in CSF I 131 after hypertonic injections, the CSF Na 24 remained remarkably unchanged over a wide range of plasma tonicities. Graded doses of anisotonic solutions resulted in significant hydration and de hydration of whole cerebrum and muscle which was accompanied by gradual volume changes in the solute spaces of both tissues. The results support the concept of a small, rapidly equilibrating cerebral extracellular space.
Abstract 1921: A novel FAK kinase inhibitor (PF-4554878) decreases growth and induces apoptosis in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor cells

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Introduction: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are poorly understood and there are few effective therapies. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is an important tyrosine kinase implicated in cell survival signaling and found to be overexpressed in many malignancies. Our hypotheses are that 1) FAK expression is upregulated, 2) that FAK plays an important role in PNET cell survival, and 3) that a novel ATP competitive kinase inhibitor of FAK demonstrates anti-neoplastic efficacy in PNET cells. Methods: By Western blot, the expression of FAK was determined in frozen human PNETs compared to normal human pancreas. The compound, PF-4554878 (Pfizer), has been shown to be an ATP competitive kinase inhibitor of FAK. The in-vitro effects of this compound on cell signaling, viability and apoptosis in human pancreatic neuroendocrine cells (BON-1 and QGP-1) were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed via t-test with significance defined as p<0.05. Results: FAK was found to be overexpressed in PNETs compared to normal pancreas. PF-4554878 not only caused a decrease in PNET cell viability with an IC50 of 5 µM in human pancreatic neuroendocrine cell lines, but also caused a statistically significant dose-dependent increase in apoptosis by TUNEL staining and/or PARP cleavage. These effects were associated with a decrease in Y397 phosphorylation of FAK. Conclusions: A novel compound that inhibits the kinase activity of FAK results in decreased PNET proliferation and induction of apoptosis. These effects appear to be mediated through downregulation of p-FAK (Y397). This compound deserves further study as a novel treatment strategy in human PNETs. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1921. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1921
The youth form of the Motivators of and Barriers to Health-Smart Behaviors Inventory.

Objective To develop a youth form of the Motivators of and Barriers to Health-Smart Behaviors Inventory (MB-HSBI-Youth) for use in identifying self-reported motivators of and barriers to the following health-promoting behaviors (called health-smart behaviors): eating a healthy breakfast, eating healthy foods and snacks, drinking healthy drinks, and engaging in physical activity. Design The MB-HSBI-Youth was developed through several research phases as part of a larger, multisite, and multicomponent study on modifying and preventing obesity in families. A critical aspect of the larger study was to identify the motivators of and barriers to the above-identified health-smart behaviors among African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino American, and non-Hispanic White American adults and youth. After preliminary research involving content validity, item analyses, and pilot testing, a pilot version of the MB-HSBI-Youth was administered to a national sample of 567 culturally diverse youth ranging from 9 to 17 years old. Results Factor analyses and internal consistency results revealed the existence of multiple subscales measuring motivators of and barriers to each of the above-specified health-smart behaviors. Scores on the MB-HSBI-Youth correlated in expected directions with health self-efficacy scores and with ratings of the importance of health-related behavioral goals. Conclusion The MB-HSBI-Youth may be a useful and novel tool for developing assessment-based, culturally sensitive health promotion programs customized to be responsive to the motivators of and barriers to health-smart behaviors identified in target communities, particularly those communities whose members are mostly racial/ethnic minorities.
Maximal groups in βS can be trivial

Abstract We show that it is consistent that if S is the free semigroup or free group on countably many generators, there exist idempotents in βS whose maximal group is a singleton. The same conclusion holds if S is the semigroup of finite subsets of ω under the operation of union.
A Double Resonance Atomic Prism

We demonstrate an atomic prism exhibiting high spectral resolution by discriminating frequency modes 50 MHz apart. We achieve high transmission by working between two rubidium resonances and spatially separate beams resulting from four-wave mixing.
Gazania spp.: A New Host of Lettuce Mosaic Potyvirus, and a Potential Inoculum Source for Recent Lettuce Mosaic Outbreaks in the Salinas Valley of California.

Lettuce mosaic potyvirus (LMV) outbreaks in the Salinas Valley of California have increased in recent years despite a comprehensive lettuce mosaic management program. In a previous study, it was established that new serologically and/or genetically distinct LMV strains were not responsible for these outbreaks. Therefore, the role of alternate hosts was investigated. Here we provide evidence that the ornamental plant, Gazania spp., is an alternate host of LMV. A number of lines of evidence were used to establish that gazanias were infected by LMV, including indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, dot blot hybridization with an LMV coat protein (CP) probe, and sap- and aphid-transmission of LMV from gazania to lettuce and Nicotiana benthamiana. Additionally, an LMV CP fragment was amplified from an infected gazania plant by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and the nucleotide sequence of this fragment was 99% identical to the CP sequence of an LMV isolate from the Salinas Valley. We further show that LMV-infected gazanias are widely distributed in the Salinas Valley, and are present near areas where LMV outbreaks have occurred. Field experiments demonstrated that LMV could be transmitted from infected gazania to lettuce. LMV-infected gazanias also were found in local nurseries, suggesting that infection of gazania with LMV had occurred prior to planting in the Salinas Valley (i.e., lettuce was not serving as the source of inoculum for infection of gazania in the Salinas Valley). These results establish that gazania is an alternate host of LMV, and suggest that gazanias may be a primary inoculum source for recent lettuce mosaic outbreaks in the Salinas Valley.
RESULTS OF OPEN-HEART SURGERY IN PATIENTS WITH PULMONIC STENOSIS AND INTACT VENTRICULAR SEPTUM. A REPORT OF 108 CASES.

A group of 108 consecutive patients with moderate-to-severe pulmonic stenosis and intact ventricular septum, operated upon by means of a pump oxygenator between the years of 1957 and 1961, has been presented. The total mortality of the series was 2.77 per cent, and an additional 1.8 per cent were left with residual neurologic complications. Fifty per cent of the patients showed an excellent result as indicated by normal electrocardiograms or right ventricular pressure below 65 mm. Hg by cardiac catheterization. An additional 26 per cent had good results as indicated by the absence of symptoms, normal x-rays, mild electrocardiographic changes, and in three instances, slight right ventricular hypertension. Ten per cent had unsatisfactory results based on significant residual abnormalities in the electrocardiograms, x-rays, or postoperative catheterization data.
Intermediate-energy-proton scattering, the Dirac equation, and nuclear structure

The Dirac equation employing an impulse approximation optical potential based on $\mathrm{NN}$ phase shifts has been shown to provide a description of the intermediate energy proton-nucleus spin-dependent elastic scattering data not yet found in the context of a Schr\"odinger approach. Using analytic methods generalized to the Dirac equation, we trace this success to the nonlinear density contributions which arise as a natural consequence of the Dirac approach. This new understanding resurrects the hope of using intermediate energy protons as a probe of nuclear structure details.NUCLEAR REACTIONS Intermediate energy. Dirac impulse approximation, Dirac-eikonal amplitude, analytic methods, the Dirac approach and nuclear structure.
Tightening the bounds on feasible preemptions

Data caches are an increasingly important architectural feature in most modern computer systems. They help bridge the gap between processor speeds and memory access times. One inherent difficulty of using data caches in a real-time system is the unpredictability of memory accesses, which makes it difficult to calculate worst-case execution times (WCETs) of real-time tasks.While cache analysis for single real-time tasks has been the focus of much research in the past, bounding the preemption delay in a multitask preemptive environment is a challenging problem, particularly for data caches.This article makes multiple contributions in the context of independent, periodic tasks with deadlines less than or equal to their periods executing on a single processor.1) For every task, we derive data cache reference patterns for all scalar and nonscalar references. These patterns are used to derive an upper bound on the WCET of real-time tasks.2) We show that, when considering cache preemption effects, the critical instant does not occur upon simultaneous release of all tasks. We provide results for task sets with phase differences to prove our claim.3) We develop a method to calculate tight upper bounds on the maximum number of possible preemptions for each job of a task and, considering the worst-case placement of these preemption points, derive a much tighter bound on its WCET. We provide results using both static-and dynamic-priority schemes.Our results show significant improvements in the bounds derived. We achieve up to an order of magnitude improvement over two prior methods and up to half an order of magnitude over a third prior method for the number of preemptions, the WCET and the response time of a task. Consideration of the best-case and worst-case execution times of higher-priority jobs enables these improvements.
SENSITIVITY OF MONONUCLEAR CELLS TO UV RADIATION: EFFECT ON SUBSEQUENT STIMULATION WITH PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ

— The ability of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to incorporate 3[H] thymidine into nuclear DNA following stimulation by phytohemagglutinin is reduced by prior exposure to UV radiation in vitro: the reduction is dose and wavelength dependent. The doses required to affect this function of mononuclear cells are higher than the doses required to reduce trypan blue dye exclusion, so that following exposure to radiation populations of cells that are unable to exclude trypan blue dye are still capable of responding to phytohemagglutinin. This finding indicates that trypan blue dye exclusion may not accurately reflect the viability of cells after exposure to UV radiation.
A more general mechanism of cytoplasmic male fertility

Response by Patrick SchnableIan Moller has outlined the hypothesis that the role of the rf2-encoded aldehyde dehydrogenase in fertility restoration, is the removal of the products of lipid peroxidation that would be expected to accumulate preferentially in T (Texas)-cytoplasm cells if these cells produce more reactive oxygen species than N-cytoplasm cells. We agree that this is an attractive hypothesis and one that might have general significance. Indeed, we alluded to this hypothesis briefly, although not in the detail provided by Moller, in the publication that Moller cites 1xMitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase activity is required for male fertility in maize. Liu, F. et al. Plant Cell. 2001; 13: 1063–1078PubMedSee all References1. We also mentioned this hypothesis in a grant proposal to the USDA-NRI program that was subsequently funded. Although not the focus of this project, one means by which we are beginning to test this hypothesis is to determine whether genes such as superoxide dismutase are up-regulated in anthers from T-cytoplasm plants compared with N-cytoplasm plants. We will also measure the levels of malonaldehyde in anthers from T-cytoplasm plants homozygous for Rf2 and rf2.
Modifying risk for extracorporeal circulation: trial of four antiinflammatory strategies.

Abstract Background. Despite recent rediscovery of beating heart cardiac surgical techniques, extracorporeal circulation remains appropriate for most heart operations. To minimize deleterious effects of cardiopulmonary bypass, antiinflammatory strategies have evolved. Methods. Four state-of-the-art strategies were studied in a prospective, randomized, preoperatively risk stratified, 400-patient study comprising primary (n = 358), reoperative (n = 42), coronary (n = 307), valve (n = 27), ascending aortic (n = 9), and combined operations (n = 23). Groups were as follows: standard, roller pump, membrane oxygenator, methylprednisolone (n = 112); aprotinin, standard plus aprotinin (n = 109); leukocyte depletion, standard plus a leukocyte filtration strategy (n = 112); and heparin-bonded circuitry, centrifugal pumping with surface modification (n = 67). Results. Analysis of variance, linear and logistic regression, and Pearson correlation were applied. Actual mortality (2.3%) was less than half the risk stratification predicted mortality (5.7%). The treatment strategies effectively attenuated markers of the inflammatory response to extracorporeal circulation. Compared with the other groups the heparin-bonded circuit had highly significantly decreased complement activation ( p = 0.00001), leukocyte filtration blunted postpump leukocytosis ( p = 0.043), and the aprotinin group had less fibrinolysis ( p = 0.011). Primary end points, length of stay, and hospital charges, were positively correlated with operation type, age, pump time, body surface area, stroke, pulmonary sequelae, predicted risk for stroke, predicted risk for mortality, and risk strata/treatment group interaction ( p = 0.0001). In low-risk patients, leukocyte filtration reduced length of stay by 1 day ( p = 0.02) and mean charges by $2,000 to $6,000 ( p = 0.05). For high-risk patients, aprotinin reduced mean length of stay up to 10 fewer days ( p = 0.02) and mean charges by $6,000 to $48,000 ( p = 0.0007). Conclusions. These pharmacologic and mechanical strategies significantly attenuated the inflammatory response to extracorporeal circulation. This translated variably into improved patient outcomes. The increased cost of treatment was offset for selected strategies through the added value of significantly reduced risk.
A Review of Image Matching Techniques

During the past decade, three major categories of image matching algorithms have emerged: Signal-processing-based, artificial-intelligence-based, and a combination of these methods called hybrid techniques. This paper summarizes some of these techniques and their potential in remote sensing applications.
T-Cell and Parathyroid Dysfunction in Conotruncal Cardiac Defects: Relationship to 22q11 deletion. • 121

Recent observations of deletion in chromosome 22q11 in patients with conotruncal heart defects (CHD) has led to suggestions that these patients belong to the CATCH 22 group of defects. Subtle abnormalities of T-cell numbers and low levels of parathormone (PTH) are frequently seen in patients with CHD. The details of the relationship of T-cell and parathyroid dysfunction, occurring in patients with CHD, to 22q11 deletion is not fully established. We studied 34 patients with CHD. The surface markers of peripheral lymphocytes were identified by flow cytometry and CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, and CD19 positive cells were counted. PTH was measured by radioimmunoassay. Fluorescent in situ hybridization using probe D22S75 was performed on the metaphase chromosome spreads. As this probe may not detect a smaller deletion in 22q11, genotyping of the patient and parents (where available) were done using 5 microsatellites to probe for smaller deletions involving these loci. Four microsatellites mapped to the DiGeorge critical region on 22q11 (D22S941, D22S944, D22S311, D22S264), and 1 mapped to the 10p region, deletion of which is also associated with DiGeorge syndrome (D10S585). Eight patients had deletions in 22q11 based on D22S75. One other patient had a deletion involving the locus D22S944, but not D22S311 or D22S264. No patient had a deletion in the 10p region. The number of patients in the categories of CD3 count 15% (CD3+ cells which are both CD4- and CD8-, normal <10%) and low PTH (<10pg/ml) are as follows:Table In conclusion, reduction in T-cell numbers and PTH levels occur frequently in patients with CHD, irrespective of a detectable deletion in 22q11, consistent with the notion of overlap between patients with CHD and CATCH 22. Some of these patients may have a smaller deletion in 22q11, as demonstrated in one of our patients, or even a point mutation in one of the critical genes. High numbers of double negative T-cells have not been described in CATCH 22 previously, and may further indicate disordered T-cell differentiation.
The early days of experimental quantum cryptography

This paper describes the first quantum cryptography experiment, performed at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in the summer of 1989 by Charles H. Bennett and the author. The apparatus and some of the lesser-known details of the experiment are illustrated and discussed, and quantum cryptography is discussed in the light of some of the more recent research. Also included as an appendix is a short essay about Bennett written by Rolf Landauer.
Characterization of binding sites for [125I]R(+)trans-7-OH-PIPAT in rat brain

Binding characteristics of a novel radioiodinated ligand, [125I]R(+)trans-7-hydroxy-2-(N-n-propylN-3′-iodo-2′-propenyl) aminotetralin (125I]R(+)trans-7-OH-PIPAT), were evaluated using homogenate binding and autoradiographic techniques in rat brain. [125I]R(+)trans-7-OH-PIPAT bound to sites (dopamine receptors) in homogenates of rat basal forebrain (including caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle) with a high affinity (Kd = 0.42 nM). A majority (70%) of the sites labeled by [125I]R(+)trans-7-OH-PIPAT in basal forebrain were GTP-sensitive. In rat hippocampal homogenates, specific and saturable binding of [125I]R(+)trans-7-OH-PIPAT to 5-HT1A receptors, with a Kd value of 1.4 nM and a Bmax value of 210 fmol/mg protein, was observed. Binding of [125I]R(+)trans-7-OH-PIPAT to sigma sites was also demonstrated in rat cerebellar homogenates. In the presence of GTP (to inhibit binding to D 2 and 5-HT1A receptors) and DTG (to inhibit binding to sigma sites), dopamine D3 receptors could be selectively labeled with [125I]R(+)trans-7-OH-PIPAT. [125I]R(+)trans-7-OH-PIPAT offers several unique advantages, including high specific activity and high affinity binding, which make it an excellent probe for the investigation and characterization of the distribution of dopamine D 3 receptors.
Nuclear vibron model. I. The SU(3) limit

We present a new phenomenological approach to clustering in nuclei. This approach is based on an algebraic treatment of both deformation and clustering. We discuss a particular limit of this model, SU(3), and derive analytic formulas for energies, electromagnetic transition rates, and α-decay widths.
Using Video Modeling with Voiceover Instruction to Train Staff to Conduct Stimulus Preference Assessments

There is an ongoing need to identify stimuli that may function as reinforcers due to the reliance on reinforcement techniques during teaching. Three commonly used stimulus preference assessments (SPAs) are the single-stimulus (SS; Pace et al., Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 249–255, 1985), paired-stimulus (PS; Fisher et al., Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 491–498, 1992), and multiple-stimulus-without-replacement (MSWO; DeLeon and Iwata, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 519–533, 1996) preference assessments. The current study examined the effectiveness of video modeling with voiceover instruction to train staff to conduct these SPAs. The results demonstrated that video modeling was effective, and staff trainees demonstrated high levels of integrity during generalization and follow-up probes. These results support recent research that suggests video modeling is an effective approach to staff training.
Resonant interband tunneling via Landau levels in polytype heterostructures

The low-temperature (T=1.4 K) tunneling current of GaSb-AlSb-InAs-AlSb-GaSb heterostructures has shown sharp negative-differential-resistance features induced by a magnetic field parallel to the current. In addition, the zero-voltage tunneling conductance vanished at certain fields, in close analogy with the behavior of the in-plane conductance in the quantum-Hall-effect regime. These results, which strongly differ from similar experiments in GaAs-${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{x}}$As resonant-tunneling diodes, are explained in terms of resonant interband tunneling of GaSb holes through Landau levels in the conduction band of the InAs quantum well.
Energetic analysis of Missouri crop farms

Abstract Despite current claims of ‘energy gluts’, the long-term consequences of increasing energy resource scarcity on national economies remains an important area of investigation. In the agricultural sector, the energetic or energy analysis approach continues to be utilized as one means to understand the current and future effects of energy resource scarcity on agricultural production systems. This research examines the basic methodology of agricultural energetics and presents results from an energy analysis of Missouri crop farms for the period 1973–1982. Alternative objective measurements, the energy ratio (ER) and the energy productivity ratio (EPR), are discussed. The results of the energy analysis presented show an upward trend in the EPR over the period of review. Concluding remarks stress the need for integrating multiple objectives in a broader systems framework.
Circulating 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Frailty in Older Men: The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study

OBJECTIVES: To determine the cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and frailty status in older men. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Six U.S. community‐based centers. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand six hundred six men aged 65 and older. MEASUREMENTS: 25(OH)D (liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy) and frailty status (criteria similar to those used in the Cardiovascular Health Study) measured at baseline; frailty status assessment repeated an average of 4.6 years later. Frailty status was classified as robust, intermediate, or frail at baseline and robust, intermediate, frail, or dead at follow‐up. RESULTS: After adjusting for multiple potential confounders, men with 25(OH)D levels less than 20.0 ng/mL had 1.5 times higher odds (multivariate odds ratio (MOR)=1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.07–2.02) of greater frailty status at baseline than men with 25(OH)D levels of 30.0 ng/mL or greater (referent group), whereas frailty status was similar in men with 25(OH)D levels from 20.0 to 29.9 ng/mL and those with levels of 30.0 ng/mL or greater (MOR=1.02, 95% CI=0.78–1.32). However, in 1,267 men not classified as frail at baseline, there was no association between lower baseline 25(OH)D level and odds of greater frailty status at the 4.6‐year follow‐up. Findings were the same when 25(OH)D was expressed in quartiles or as a continuous variable. CONCLUSION: Lower levels of 25(OH)D (
Excitation and ionization of atoms by interaction with electrons, positrons, protons and photons

Abstract A general density matrix theory is presented to describe elastic and inelastic electron and position scattering as well as photo- and particle impact ionization. While the initial density matrix characterizes the preparation of the colliding beams (for example, their spin polarization), reduced density matrices are defined to treat individual experiments where either the projectile or the target are observed alone or both are detected in coincidence. The results of numerical calculations, obtained with the DWBA and the R -matrix (close-coupling) methods, are compared with recent experimental data.
1285 PLACENTAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE TRISOMY 16 MOUSE

Survival and development in utero involve the intimate interaction of mother, placenta, and embryo or fetus. However, when chromosomal aneuploidy occurs in the placenta and/or embryo or fetus, intrauterine growth retardation and fetal death are frequent outcomes of the pregnancy. Placental insufficiency may play a role in these events. Specifically, insufficiency of the fetal circulation in a hypoplastic placenta may result in underperfusion of the fetus. To examine this, we have studied the development of the placenta in trisomy 16 (Ts16) mice. Ts16 mice were selected because homology has been demonstrated between portions of mouse chromosome 16 and human chromosome 21, specifically that portion of HSA 21 implicated to cause Down Syndrome (DS) when present in triplicate. We examined 5 micron plastic section serial reconstructions of the placentas of Ts16 fetuses and their normal littermates from days 10 through 18 gestation. Morphometrically, the surface area ratio of fetal vasculature to that of the maternal sinuses was much less in the Ts16 fetus than its normal littermate but the ultrastructural characteristics of the placental barrier in the Ts16 fetus and its normal littermate were indistinguishable. The hypoplastic fetal vascular in the placenta could well lead to the underperfusion of the fetus, thus contributing to the aneuploid syndrome.
Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation: Judging the Fairness of Amnesty in South Africa

This is a revised version of a paper delivered at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, April 19-21, 2001, Palmer House Hilton, Chicago, Illinois. The research is based on work supported by the Law and Social Sciences Program of the National Science Foundation under Grant No. SES 9906576. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. The project is a collaborative effort between Amanda Gouws, Department of Political Science, the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa), and me. I am indebted to Charles VillaVicencio, Helen Macdonald, Paul Haupt, Nyameka Goniwe, Fanie du Toit, Erik Doxtader, and the staff of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (South Africa), where I am a Distinguished Visiting Research Scholar, for the many helpful discussions that have informed my understanding of the truth and reconciliation process in South Africa. Eric Lomazoff provide valuable research assistance on this project. I am also thankful to James Alt, Ronald Slye, and John T. Scott for comments on an earlier version of this article. Finally, I very much appreciate the advice and assistance provided by Kathleen McGraw on many aspects of this article.
Dosimetric evaluation of simultaneous integrated boost during stereotactic body radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer

Abstract Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) provides a promising way to treat locally advanced pancreatic cancer and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. A simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) to the region of vessel abutment or encasement during SBRT has the potential to downstage otherwise likely positive surgical margins. Despite the potential benefit of using SIB-SBRT, the ability to boost is limited by the local geometry of the organs at risk (OARs), such as stomach, duodenum, and bowel (SDB), relative to tumor. In this study, we have retrospectively replanned 20 patients with 25 Gy prescribed to the planning target volume (PTV) and 33~80 Gy to the boost target volume (BTV) using an SIB technique for all patients. The number of plans and patients able to satisfy a set of clinically established constraints is analyzed. The ability to boost vessels (within the gross target volume [GTV]) is shown to correlate with the overlap volume (OLV), defined to be the overlap between the GTV + a 1(OLV1)- or 2(OLV2)-cm margin with the union of SDB. Integral dose, boost dose contrast (BDC), biologically effective BDC, tumor control probability for BTV, and normal tissue complication probabilities are used to analyze the dosimetric results. More than 65% of the cases can deliver a boost to 40 Gy while satisfying all OAR constraints. An OLV2 of 100 cm 3 is identified as the cutoff volume: for cases with OLV2 larger than 100 cm 3 , it is very unlikely the case could achieve 25 Gy to the PTV while successfully meeting all the OAR constraints.
Viscosity of strongly interacting quantum fluids: Spectral functions and sum rules

The viscosity of strongly interacting systems is a topic of great interest in diverse fields. We focus here on the bulk and shear viscosities of nonrelativistic quantum fluids, with particular emphasis on strongly interacting ultracold Fermi gases. We use Kubo formulas for the bulk and shear viscosity spectral functions, $\ensuremath{\zeta}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ and $\ensuremath{\eta}(\ensuremath{\omega})$, respectively, to derive exact, nonperturbative results. Our results include a microscopic connection between the shear viscosity $\ensuremath{\eta}$ and the normal-fluid density ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{n}$; sum rules for $\ensuremath{\zeta}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ and $\ensuremath{\eta}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ and their evolution through the BCS-BEC crossover (where BEC denotes Bose-Einstein condensate); and universal high-frequency tails for $\ensuremath{\eta}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ and the dynamic structure factor $S(\mathbf{q},\ensuremath{\omega})$. We use our sum rules to show that, at unitarity, $\ensuremath{\zeta}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ is identically zero and thus relate $\ensuremath{\eta}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ to density-density correlations. We predict that frequency-dependent shear viscosity $\ensuremath{\eta}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ of the unitary Fermi gas can be experimentally measured using Bragg spectroscopy.
Is there a role for generic antiretroviral drugs in the United States

The high cost of antiretroviral drugs has limited access to treatment for some HIV-infected patients in the United States and strained public resources. With the introduction of much cheaper generic versions of some of these agents, and with more to come in the next few years, the need increases to define the role of generic antiretroviral drugs in patient management.
Stochastic characterization of space-time precipitation: Implications for remote sensing

Abstract In this paper the characterization of the space-time spectral characteristics of tropical rainfall fields are studied directly from measurements from ground sensors and by using three stochastic models. The characterization of the spatial-temporal spectra is important for the design of satellite missions and to determine the bias in ground truth experiments. To carry out the latter a scheme is used to compare contemporaneous measurements of rain rate from a single-field-of-view estimate, based on a satellite remote sensor such as a microwave radiometer, with those coming from a point raingauge. Using this scheme the errors are computed for several observed rainfall fields, either from the data estimated spectra or from analytically derived and characterized ground measurements. This quantification provides a lower bound to total errors, since perfect instruments are assumed in this work, and it helps in terms of isolating and evaluating typical biases that might be contaminating retrieval algorithms.
Implementation of a comprehensive pharmaceutical care program for an underserved population.

Purpose The implementation of a prescription benefit program for low-income patients emphasizing clinical pharmacist services and strict formulary control is described, with a review of program expenditures and cost avoidance. Summary In 2006, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) launched a program to provide a limited prescription benefit to indigent patients under the IowaCare Medicaid demonstration waiver. Sudden dramatic growth in IowaCare enrollment, combined with sharp budget cuts, forced UIHC pharmacy leaders to implement creative cost-control strategies: (1) the establishment of an ambulatory care clinic staffed by a clinical pharmacy specialist, (2) increased reliance on an almost exclusively generic formulary, (3) collaboration with social services staff to help secure medication assistance for patients requiring brand-name drugs, (4) optimized purchasing through the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program, and (5) the imposition of medication copayments and mailing fees for prescription refills. Now in its seventh year, the UIHC pharmacy program has expanded indigent patients’ access to pharmaceutical care services while reducing their use of hospital and emergency room services and lowering program medication costs by an estimated 50% (from $2.6 million in fiscal year 2009 to $1.3 million in fiscal year 2010). Conclusion The UIHC ambulatory care pharmacy implemented a prescription program in collaboration with social service workers to address the medication needs of the state’s low-income and uninsured patients in a fiscally responsible manner by managing purchasing contracts, revising a generic formulary, implementing copayments and mailing fees, and reviewing medication profiles.
Radical radiation therapy in the treatment of laparotomy staged Hodgkin's disease patients

In 1970, a policy for the treatment of Stage IIIA Hodgkin's disease patients at the University of Minnesota, which included complete staging procedures and extended field or total nodal irradiation (TNI), was introduced. Evaluation of the results 4 years later indicated that certain patients, especially those with large mediastinal masses and/or hilar disease, or who were spleen positive, were having higher recurrence rates than patients without these characteristics. In 1974, a new approach to treatment for patients with large mediastinal masses or spleen positive disease was instituted which involved treating the whole lung or hemi lung in patients with large mediastinal masses and/or hilar disease, and the liver in patients who had positive spleens. The results of this treatment modification are reported in this study. Long term follow-up reveals that this approach has led to a recurrence free survival and overall survival similar to that noted in patients treated with combined modality treatment without the obvious risk of subsequent leukemia related to combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In addition, the complications of the treatment are tolerable and do not demonstrate an increase over patients not treated in this manner. Radical radiation therapy is recommended as a treatment of choice for Stage IA, IIA, and IIIA patients with or without splenic involvement, and with or without hilar disease and/or large mediastinal masses with appropriate radiation field modification to adjust for disease extent.
CERTAIN EFFECTS OF SALTS ON THE PENETRATION OF BRILLIANT CRESYL BLUE INTO NITELLA

The effect of various substances on living cells may be advantageously studied by exposing them to such substances and observing their subsequent behavior in solutions of a basic dye, brilliant cresyl blue. The rate of penetration of the basic dye, brilliant cresyl blue, is decreased when cells are exposed to salts with monovalent cations before they are placed in the dye solution (made up with borate buffer mixture). This inhibiting effect is assumed to be due to the effect of the salts on the protoplasm. This effect is not readily reversible when cells are transferred to distilled water, but it is removed by salts with bivalent or trivalent cations. In some cases it disappears in dye made up with phosphate buffer mixture, or with borate buffer mixture at the pH value in which the borax predominates, and in the case of NaCl it disappears in dye containing NaCl. No inhibiting effect is seen when cells are exposed to NaCl solution containing MgCl2 before they are placed in the dye solution. The rate of penetration of dye is not decreased when cells are previously exposed to salts with bivalent and trivalent cations. The rate is slightly increased when cells are placed in the dye solution containing a salt with monovalent cation and probably with bivalent or trivalent cations. In the case of the bivalent and trivalent salts the increase is so slight that it may be negligible.
“Vetus Superstitio et Nova Religio” the Problem of Refrigerium in the Ancient Church of North Africa

to death by the proconsul Saturninus and beheaded. The official record of their trial has been preserved to us in Greek and Latin and constitutes the oldest document in Africa's Church History. The rapid development of the Christian Church in this country during the following decades is paralleled only in the history of its spread in Asia Minor. Many scholars have asked the reason for that extraordinary and constant progress. P. Monceaux 1 and H. Leclercq 2 thought of a monotheism hidden in the background of African polytheism which, as they supposed, gave a starting point for the Christian teaching. But similar conditions were often found elsewhere by the Christian missioners (Athens was not the only place in which the pagan was led to the "altar of the Unknown God"), and yet their success was not everywhere the same. Be that as it may, favorable conditions, perhaps cultural, must have smoothed the path of Christianity in Africa proconsularis. To appreciate the influence of such factors we need only observe that the expansion of Christianity followed directly the flourishing of culture in this country from the end of the second to the end of the third century. But the fact also remains that the increasing penetration of that region by Christian elements was purchased at the exorbitant price of numerous martyrdoms. It may not be accidental
Limitations of the fetal anatomic survey via ultrasound in the obese obstetrical population.

Objective: To evaluate limitations of the fetal anatomic survey in obese women. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of obese gravidas with singleton gestations who had at least one, sonographic fetal evaluation at ≥14 weeks between January 2009 and March 2011. The impact of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), placental location, prior cesarean scar and sonographer experience on ability to achieve an adequate ultrasound was evaluated using multilevel modeling. Ability to visualize specific fetal parts by BMI class and gestational age was also evaluated. Results: There were 245 obese women (42% with class III obesity). Senior faculty (>20 years experience) were more likely to achieve adequate visualization (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15–9.25) compared with junior faculty. Among women with BMI > 40.0, odds of inadequate views of the face and spine were 10.0 (95% CI 1.31–76.0) and 5.17 (95% CI 0.65–40.8), when compared with women with a BMI = 30–34.9. Odds for inadequate v...
Measuring the vertical distributional variability of pelagic fauna in Monterey Bay

Temporal variability is an important feature of aquatic ecosystems that can be difficult to measure. A stationary, upward-facing scientific echosounder was used to record the vertical distribution of pelagic fauna in Monterey Bay, CA, for 18 months. To characterize the distributions, a suite of metrics, including measures of density, abundance, location, dispersion, occupancy, evenness, and aggregation, was developed and tested. An algorithm to detect and count the number of acoustic backscatter layers was developed using image-analysis techniques. The metrics recorded a strong seasonal cycle, with total backscatter reaching a minimum during the spring upwelling season and peaking in autumn and winter. Variability in the vertical distribution of animals was greatest at long time-scales and decreased as a power (21.050 to 21.585) of signal frequency. There were significant peaks in the power spectrum at 12- and 24-h periods, corresponding to the semi-diurnal tide and diel vertical migration. The diel signal was strongest in late winter and weakest during the spring upwelling season. Active acoustics are a useful addition to ocean observatories, and the metrics presented provide a useful set of tools to quantify the distribution and temporal variability of pelagic fauna.
Educational Intervention for Children With Epilepsy: A Challenge for Collaborative Service Delivery

A new approach to educational intervention that establishes open communication and collaboration between medical and school personnel is required if the special needs of children with epilepsy are to be met. Seizures and anticonvulsant medications have an impact upon classroom performance, but the effect of learning and behavior problems associated with epilepsy is often more severe. Comprehensive managment of epilepsy demands treatment of both medical and educational problems. Lack of information regarding epilepsy, its management, and associated disorders, however, prevents teachers from providing appropriate educational interventions. An epilepsy training program for school personnel is proposed as necessary for a multidisciplinary approach to treatment of children with epilepsy.
The effect of rinsing with Listerine antiseptic on the properties of developing dental plaque

Plaque was collected from a group of volunteers who used either Listerine antiseptic (LA), its vehicle control (V), or a water control (C) twice daily in addition to their normal toothbrushing in a double-blind controlled clinical experiment. Following the 9-month clinical study, plaque collected from the supragingival surfaces of 20 teeth from each of 78 subjects was weighed wet, freeze dried, reweighed, resuspended, sonicated and estimated for protein. In addition, endotoxin activity was evaluated by means of the limulus lysate assay. A 52.6% reduction in wet weight was found LA versus C (p = 0.04); LA versus V showed a 55.1% reduction (p = 0.03). A 59.0% reduction in dry weight was found LA versus C (p = 0.01); LA versus V showed a 59.6% reduction (p = 0.01). A 59.7% reduction in plaque protein was seen LA versus C (p = 0.01); LA versus V showed a 59.2% decrease (p = 0.02). A 75.8% reduction in limulus lysate activity was found LA versus C (p = 0.01); LA versus V showed a decrease of 77.9% (p = 0.01). Our results demonstrate that LA has a dramatic effect on plaque toxic activity, as measured by a decrease in limulus lysate assay, as well as on its biomass.
Single-Breath Diffusing Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide: A Predictor of Pao2, Maximum Work Rate, and Walking Distance in Patients With Emphysema

Objective: The National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT) is a randomized, multicenter, clinical trial comparing two different methods of lung volume reduction surgery plus medical therapy to medical treatment alone in patients with advanced emphysema. The purpose of this article was to use the data obtained from the NETT to assess the ability of the single-breath diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) to predict the need for supplemental oxygen during rest and exercise, as well as overall exercise capacity. Methods: One thousand seventy-one patients with a mean ( SD) FEV1 of 0.76 0.24 L were studied. Results: The mean DLCO was 8.0 3.1 mL/min/mm Hg (28 10% of predicted). The mean resting PaO2 was 64 10 mm Hg. There was a positive association between DLCO and both resting PaO2 and the requirement for oxygen during a walk at 1 mile per hour (mph). The odds of requiring supplemental oxygen while walking at 1 mph was nine times greater in patients with a DLCO of 35% of predicted, after adjusting for age and gender. Eighty four percent of individuals with a DLCO of 35%. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that patients with reduced DLCO, particularly when < 20% of predicted, are more likely to have reduced PaO2 at rest and are more likely to require supplemental oxygen with low levels of activity. Thus, DLCO is useful in evaluating whether supplemental oxygen is required for exercise. (CHEST 2003; 123:1394 –1400)
Ultra-submicrometer-gate AlGaAs/GaAs HEMTs

Ultra-submicrometer-gate AlGaAs/GaAs high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) that have gate lengths ranging from 25 to 85 nm and were fabricated using electron-beam lithographic techniques on epitaxial wafers grown by molecular beam epitaxy are discussed. These devices show that velocity overshoot and short-gate geometry effects play an important role for the gate lengths less than 100 nm. The maximum intrinsic transconductance is 215 mS/mm, and the effective saturated electron velocity reaches 3*10/sup 7/ cm/s for a 30-nm HEMT. >
Mechanisms of interference competition in the western tree-hole mosquito, Aedes sierrensis

. 1 Mechanisms of interference competition affecting Aedes sierrensis (Ludlow) were investigated in laboratory microcosms using reconstituted, natural tree-hole detritus as food and substrate. 2 Pupation success, larval development time, and pupal weight were all affected by larval density but not by surface area:volume ratio of the microcosm. 3 Mature fourth instars affected pupation success, pupal weight, and development time of developing cohorts separated from them by a 2 μm pore membrane impermeable to bacteria, indicating that chemical competition is proportional to density of at least older instars. 4 Cannibalism does not occur, regardless of the presence or absence of food or physical complexity. 5 Fourth instars inhibited each other's feeding at densities of 64 larvae/ml or greater. Feeding inhibition due to physical contact (encounter competition) was abated but not eliminated by increasing physical complexity of the microcosm by the addition of leaves. 6 Levels of detritus and larval density both affect weight of day-1 fourth instars. Resistance to encounter competition is proportional to fourth instar weight and weight-specific resistance is correlated with rank weight within a developing cohort. 7 At densities around the population equilibrium in nature, encounter competition should be taking place, especially in tree holes with few leaves or other large litter.
Hierarchical Planning for Probabilistic Distribution Systems in Euclidean Spaces

We develop an analytical model to assist the design and control of probabilistic distribution systems. These distribution systems are characterized by the explicit inclusion of probabilistic elements. The probabilistic aspect considered is that only a subset of all potential customers needs service on any given working day. This subset of customers and their demand are determined according to some probability distribution. The cost of operating such systems is significantly affected by decisions on the number and locations of the distribution centers, the allocation of customers to each center, and the routing strategy. We propose a three-stage hierarchical approach in which decisions about the number of centers and their locations first stage, customers allocations second stage and routing strategies third stage are combined to reduce total system cost.