cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Salvaging the severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia patient: is a silo the solution?

Abstract Background Infants with severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) have a high morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that placement of an abdominal wall silo and staged abdominal wall closure may reduce problems associated with decreased abdominal domain in CDH. Methods We performed a retrospective review and identified 7 CDH patients requiring ECMO who had a silastic abdominal wall silo between 2003 and 2006. Variables analyzed included survival, ECMO duration, duration of silo, time to discharge, and long-term outcome. Results Predicted mean survival for the entire cohort using the published CDH Study Group equation was 47% (range, 9%-86%). All 7 patients (100%) survived. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation duration averaged 15 days (range, 5-19 days). Four of the patients (58%) were repaired with a silo on ECMO, and 3 (42%) had their repair after ECMO. The abdominal wall defect was closed at a mean of 21 days (range, 4-41 days). Hospital stay after silo placement averaged 54 days (range, 20-170 days) with no infections or wound complications. Conclusions Abdominal wall silo placement in infants with CDH requiring ECMO appears to be an effective strategy for decreased abdominal domain. Further studies are warranted to determine the efficacy of such a strategy for these high-risk CDH patients.
Improved Deuterium Bromide 1 -0 Band Molecular Constants from Heterodyne Frequency Measurements'

Abstract Heterodyne frequency measurements have been made on selected deuterium bromide 1-0 band transitions ranging from P (20) to R (17). Difference frequency beat notes between a tunablediode laser whose frequency was locked to the DBr absorption lines and a CO laser whose frequency was either locked or adjusted to a reference synthesized from CO 2 laser frequency standards were measured. The beat note frequency was then combined with the measured CO laser frequency to give the DBr frequency. For two of the measurements, frequency-doubled CO 2 laser radiation was substituted for the CO laser radiation. The measurements included electric quadrupole split triplets comprising the R (0) and P (1) transitions in the D 79 Br isotope. New DBr constants have been determined, and a table of frequencies is presented for the calibration of spectrometers and tunable lasers in the wavenumber range 1600 to 1990 cm −1 . A table of far-infrared frequencies is also given for DBr covering the range from 50 to 206 cm −1 .
Maturation of the Ground Tissue of the Root Is Regulated by Gibberellin and SCARECROW and Requires SHORT-ROOT

As the root of Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) ages, a third layer of ground tissue forms that we find rapidly takes on cortex character. We show that GA and SCARECROW ( SCR ) regulate the timing of this developmental transition and that SHORT-ROOT ( SHR ) is required for it. The Arabidopsis
Adolescents and Substance Abuse Testing: Consideration of treatment models

Substance abuse testing and treatment programs for adolescents using drugs are receiving increased attention on high school campuses. Many policymakers question drug testing and the treatment models for adolescent substance abusers. This paper explores the impact of drug testing. Treatment models and approaches for substance abuse are presented. It is recommended that treatment counselors explore drug testing in relationship to treatment models for substance use. We advise counselors to consider comprehensive programs for adolescents based on their belief systems and values assigned to moral, medical and social models of treatment.
The God-Fearers : Some Neglected Features

Les " phoboumenoi/sebomenoi ton Theon " du NT, essentiellement des Actes. Cette expression designe exactement les " proselytes " des LXX (pour les " gerim " hebreux) et de Philon : des etrangers qui vivent en etroite association avec les Juifs. A l'epoque de Luc, le mot " proselyte " commencait a prendre le sens technique rabbinique de " converti au judaisme ". C'est peut-etre pourquoi Luc a choisi " craignant Dieu ". Contre A. T. Kraabel
Effect of cutting balloon angioplasty on resistant pulmonary artery stenosis.

The effectiveness of cutting balloon (CB) therapy was evaluated in severe pulmonary artery (PA) stenosis resistant to high-pressure balloon angioplasty in children with tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary atresia. Thirty-eight pulmonary vessels (initial diameter 0.4 to 4.0 mm) resistant to high-pressure balloon angioplasty, as evidenced by a persistent waist, were treated with CB angioplasty in 12 patients. Thirty-two vessels underwent standard CB angioplasty and 6 vessels were treated with a CB catheter augmenting technique. Of the vessels treated with standard CB angioplasty, 17 vessels underwent subsequent high-pressure balloon angioplasty, 8 vessels had additional high-pressure balloon angioplasty and stent placement, and 7 vessels underwent CB dilation alone. The diameter of these vessels increased from 1.3 ± 0.7 to 2.8 ± 0.9 mm (p 50%, for a procedural success rate of 92%. Intimal damage was angiographically evident in 17 of 38 vessels (45%) after CB angioplasty; 1 procedure was complicated by an unconfined tear requiring coil occlusion of the distal vessel and another resulted in a confined tear, successfully managed with stent implantation. This study supports prior reports of successful angioplasty with CB therapy for resistant PA stenosis, identifies potential complications, and expands the experience to infants, larger vessels, and sublobar locations.
High speed UV laser induced fluorescence system for the detection of organic compounds using multi beam excitation

Summary from only given. A high PRF (8 KHz), 266 nm laser induced fluoresccnce (LIF) system has been modified using a multi-beam geometry to enhance its sensitivity. The system uses a gated PMT and 13 channel interference filter for the collection of the fluorescence emission. The system has been shown to have a sensitivity for the detection of quinine sulfate at a level of 1 ppt.
The Effect of Potassium and Tin on the Hydrogenation of Ethylene and Dehydrogenation of Cyclohexane over Pt(111)

Abstract Stable ordered structures of Sn on Pt(111) (maximum coverage of 0.33 monolayers) were used as model catalysts to test the effect of tin and potassium on the hydrogenation of ethylene at 300 K and dehydrogenation of cyclohexane at 573 K and at pressures of 15 Torr of hydrocarbon and 100 Torr of H2. Co-adsorption of tin and potassium on Pt(111) resulted in the direct interaction between potassium, tin, and platinum as verified by temperature-programmed desorption of CO. Tin deposition yielded a maximum in the turnover rate as a function of Sn coverage for ethylene hydrogenation and cyclohexane dehydrogenation with maxima at about 0.2 monolayers of tin and a turnover rate 75% higher than on clean Pt(111). This enhancement was explained by a lower rate of deactivation as tin was added. In contrast, the addition of potassium to Pt and Pt/Sn produced only a monotonic decrease in cyclohexane dehydrogenation. In an industrial system, where a higher tin coverage is used, interaction of tin with potassium may form an effective site blocker which could lower deactivation rates.
DNA adducts induced by in vitro activation of extracts of diesel and biodiesel exhaust particles.

AbstractContext: Biodiesel and biodiesel-blend fuels offer a renewable alternative to petroleum diesel, but few data are available concerning the carcinogenic potential of biodiesel exhausts.Objectives: We compared the formation of covalent DNA adducts by the in vitro metabolic activation of organic extracts of diesel-exhaust particles (DEP) from petroleum diesel and soy biodiesel and correlated DNA adduct levels and mutagenicity in Salmonella TA100.Methods: We examined two different DEP from petroleum diesel (C-DEP and B0), one from soy bean oil biodiesel (B100) and one from combustion of a blend of 20% B100 and 80% B0 (B20) for in vitro DNA adduct-forming potential under oxidative or nitroreductive conditions in the presence of calf thymus DNA as well as in vivo in Salmonella TA100. The modified DNA was hydrolyzed and analyzed by 32P-postlabeling using either butanol extraction or nuclease P1 pre-enrichment.Results: Multiple DNA adducts were produced with chromatographic mobilities consistent with PAH a...
Scaling Up: Replicating Promising Interventions with Fidelity

To retain the demonstrated effects of any tested program, interventions must maintain model fidelity at the individual and organizational levels and faithfully replicate the content and process of the intervention’s delivery system. While most agree on the importance of accurate and consistent replication, achieving a high level of fidelity and measuring the degree to which a replication meets model standards is a complex undertaking. Although many interventions share similar components, capturing the unique aspects of a model may require an individualized fidelity monitoring system. This chapter provides an overview of how program fidelity has been addressed in the child welfare system and assesses the current status of such efforts, details the development and monitoring of fidelity in two model interventions (Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up and SafeCare®), and discusses the major questions facing practitioners, administrators, policy makers, and researchers as promising interventions are scaled-up.
MapReduce Performance in Federated Cloud Computing Environments

Large scale scientific and engineering applications, and cloud auditing generate huge amounts of data. MapReduce framework coupled with cloud computing is emerging as the viable solution for distributed big data processing. Specifically, if data is generated from distributed sources and computation is also distributed then multiple clouds need to be set up to minimize data transfer, which introduces us to federated distributed or multi-domain clouds. In addition to security concerns of general clouds, distributed clouds expose new challenges to the performance of cloud based applications including cloud auditing and analysis. This book chapter focuses on a method to deploy distributed clouds and evaluates the performance of various cloud based applications over distributed clouds. It also proposes a method to optimize the performance of cloud based applications over high speed networks.
RECONSTRUCTING PALEOFLOOD HYDROLOGY WITH SLACKWATER DEPOSITS: VERDE RIVER, ARIZONA

Fine-grained slackwater flood deposits provide a key to the paleoflood history of the Verde River in central Arizona. During large flows, the slackwater deposits accumulate in areas of sharply reduced flow velocity at channel expansions and contractions or in back-flooded tributaries. The upper surfaces of the highest deposits approximate the peak stages of the associated floods. Stratigraphic analysis, radiocarbon and archaeological dating, and correlation between slack-water sites along the study reach revealed multiple floods, including two paleo-floods that pre-date the 80-year observational record of flows on the Verde River. Discharges calculated with the HEC-2 computer flow model extended the record of rare flood events by 1000 years. The largest flow in that time period measured only 5000-5400 cms, which supports the contention of an upper limit on the maximum flood that can be reasonably expected. Revised recurrence intervals based on the extended paleoflood record were used as a basis to compare...
TFH in HIV Latency and as Sources of Replication-Competent Virus

During untreated disease, HIV replication is concentrated within T follicular helper cells (TFH). Heightened permissiveness, the presence of highly infectious virions on follicular dendritic cells (FDCs), low frequencies of virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in B cell follicles, expansions in TFH, and TFH dysfunction, all likely promote replication in TFH. Limited data suggest that memory TFH play a role in the latent or subclinical reservoir of HIV during antiretroviral therapy (ART), potentially for many of the same reasons. A better understanding of the role of memory TFH and FDC-bound virions in promoting recrudescent viremia in the setting of ART cessation is essential. Studies that target follicular virus reservoirs are needed to determine their role in HIV latency and to suggest successful cure strategies.
Some geologic factors determining land subsidence

Exogenic subsidence caused by overdraft of ground water is a rapidly spreading, worldwide geologic hazard. It is a surficial expression of the reduction of porosity at depth, due to an increase of actual (unconfined aquifers), or effective (confined aquifers) loading of overburden. Some geologic parameters controlling such subsidence are discussed below. Theoretically, at a certain load the original porosity of sediments will be reduced to its minimum and no further compaction will take place under “non-metamorphic” conditions. The depth at which the weight of overburden creates such a loading is designated here as the “stable depth.” Compaction should be expected only in the “unstable field” above this depth and potential amounts of compaction should decrease toward the stable depth. Hence, subsidence is more probable in depositional areas in topographic basins, than in uplifts where erosion removes the uppermost, most compressible portions of the “unstable field.” In confined aquifer systems the position of the stable point may not correspond to the loading of overburden if the piezometric pressure were increased by downfolding occurring contemporaneously with deposition. In such a case, the newly developed piezometric pressure partially compensates for the loading of new overburden. For example, on the western side of the structure trough of the San Joaquin Valley, California, U.S.A., the main confining aquifer, Corcoran Clay, was secondarily folded during deposition of the overburden valley fill. Along the present San Luis Canal, a more or less uniform historic piezometric decline of 167 m has resulted in 0.75 to over 7 m of subsidence. Maximum subsidence has occurred in areas underlain by small, buried synclines in the Corcoran Clay, and minimum subsidence has occurred over anticlines. For project planning and design purposes, the concept indicates that subsidence could be anticipated in basins showing evidence of late Cenozoic folding.
A Comparison Of Cruzan And Schiavo : The Burden of Proof, Due Process, and Autonomy in the Persistently Vegetative Patient

The Belmont Report established beneficence, justice, and autonomy as the basic principles of informed consent. 1 These ideals of principlism have been applied to varied scenarios within medicine. O...
Determination of Lactate Kinetics in the Human Analysis of Data From Single Injection vs. Continuous Infusion Methods

SummaryComparison has been made between single injection and primed infusion methodology as a means of estimating turnover, oxidation, and reduction of lactate in the human. It is concluded that all these indices of lactate metabolism can be measured equally well with either the single injection or the primed infusion technique. The magnitude and fate of the lactate flux as determined in these studies suggest to us that lactate kinetics as measured with 14C–lactate reflect the entire body flux of carbon through pyruvic acid.This work has been supported in part by a grant from the U.S.V. Pharmaceutical Company, New York.
The nuclear import of p53 is determined by the presence of a basic domain and its relative position to the nuclear localization signal.

The nuclear import of p53 is determined by the presence of a basic domain and its relative position to the nuclear localization signal
Outperforming a buy-and-hold model in an efficient market by maximising the probability of achieving the greatest return

In this paper, we consider the problem of an investor who holds a binomial security and needs to sell it by a specific date. We formulate an optimal selling model that can be used to maximise the probability of achieving the greatest return from holding such a security. We test the model with a robust set of randomly-generated binomial distributions. Testing suggests that our model produces statistically significant improvements in mean-variance efficiency and accompanying improvements in the probability of achieving the greatest return, compared with a buy-and-hold model, when the model and test returns are produced by the same process. These results can be generalised to any stationary stochastic process.
Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells in Breast Cancer

Over the past few decades, substantial progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Early identification of relapsed and metastatic disease has been a primary focus of ongoing research. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are implicated as harbingers of metastases. With advances in detection technologies, CTCs offer the option for real-time liquid biopsies. Methods to identify CTCs in the bloodstream by physical or biochemical properties, although feasible, still require improvements to promote widespread, reproducible use. Sufficient data support enumeration and assessment of changes in the number of CTCs as prognostic indicators, but controversy around their predictive utility for selecting treatments remains. As the technology to detect CTCs and characterize their heterogeneous molecular profile evolves, additional information will likely be obtained to guide targeted and individualized therapies.
A Preliminary Study on the Influence of Liver Cirrhosis on the Liver with Feridex-enchanced MRI

Objective To investigate the influence of liver cirrhosis on liver with Feridex-enchanced MRI.Methods Conventional plain and Feridex-enchanced MRI scanning were performed in 45cases with suspected hepatic neoplasm (surgery and biopsy confirmed normal nontumorous liver parenchy in 16 of the patients,the presence of grade A cirrhosis in 11,grade B or C cirrhosis in 18).The signal intensity changed of nontumorous liver parenchy before and after Feridex-enchanced ,bone marrow and relation between laboratory data and signal changes were observed.Results After the injection of Feridex,the reduction in signal intensity of liver ,bone marrow of normal liver group were similar to those of liver function grade A group but greater than those in grade B,C group .The correlection coefficient between the decrease in intensity of liver and labarary data( total bilirubin,albumin,GOT)respectively were 0.31,-0.26,0.15.Conclusion There is no influence of mild liver function changes on liver with Feridex-enchanced MRI,but in servere reduction there is slight influence.
INSPECTION AND EVALUATION ON PROTECTION PROPERTIES OF A CLASS II BIOSAFETY CABINET

Objective To know the protection properties,standard use and maintenance methods of biosafety cabinet in laboatory.Method Instrument sampling and detect methods were used to detect and evaluate a Class Ⅱ B1 type biosafety cabinet in the laboratory of our unit according to the required standards of YY0569-2005 Biological Safety Cabinets by Chinese Biomedical Industries.Result The biological properties including personnel protection,product protection,cross-contamination protection and physical properties including air flow path,down flow velocity,inflow velocity,noise,and luminance,are up to the standard.The result conform to the inspection results based on the standards when the cabinet was shipped from the manufacturer.Conclusion After three years usage of this biosafety cabinet,the protection properties of the cabinet are excellent,and the protection indicators accord with the requirements of relevant standards.
Effects of AVP and deoxycorticosterone on Na+ and water transport in the Dahl salt-sensitive rat CCD.

Cortical collecting ducts (CCD) from inbred Dahl salt-sensitive rats were perfused in vitro to study effects of arginine vasopressin (AVP, present in the bath) and deoxycorticosterone pivalate (DOC) pretreatment on lumen-to-bath and bath-to-lumen fluxes of 22Na+ (J1----b and Jb----1 in pmol.min-1.mm-1, respectively), hydraulic conductivity (Pf, microns/s), and transepithelial voltage (VT, mV). J1----b was 37.1 +/- 5.3 (mean +/- SE) in untreated rats and increased to 83.2 +/- 15.9 with AVP. VT increased from -0.3 +/- 0.6 to -7.0 +/- 2.0. In DOC-pretreated rat CCDs, baseline J1----b was higher (85.1 +/- 7.6) as was VT (-11.3 +/- 1.7); J1b----b and VT were doubled with AVP addition (185.6 +/- 18.6 and -21.7 +/- 2.3, respectively). Thus J1----b in AVP-stimulated CCDs from untreated rats was not significantly different from control (no AVP) J1----b from DOC-pretreated rats; however, AVP produced a greater J1----b increase in the latter CCDs. Neither AVP nor DOC had an effect on Jb----1, which ranged from 25 to 50. Benzamil reduced J1----b to values not significantly different from Jb----1, and VT became zero in CCDs treated with both AVP and DOC, indicating Na+ transport stimulated by both hormones occurs through apical membrane Na+ channels. Pf increased from 59 +/- 80 to 1,072 +/- 176 with AVP addition to untreated rat CCDs and was unaltered by DOC or benzamil. Thus the Dahl rat CCD exhibits a transport response to AVP and DOC that is indistinguishable from that observed in Sprague-Dawley rats, as previously reported by this laboratory.
Theoretical Investigation of Charge Transfer in Metal Organic Frameworks for Electrochemical Device Applications

For electrochemical device applications metal organic frameworks (MOFs) must exhibit suitable conduction properties. To this end, we have performed computational studies of intermolecular charge transfer in MOFs consisting of hexa-ZrIV nodes and tetratopic carboxylate linkers. This includes an examination of the electronic structure of linkers that are derived from tetraphenyl benzene 1, tetraphenyl pyrene 2, and tetraphenyl porphyrin 3 molecules. These results are used to determine charge transfer propensities in MOFs, within the framework of Marcus theory, including an analysis of the key parameters (charge transfer integral t, reorganization energy λ, and free energy change ΔG0) and evaluation of figures of merit for charge transfer based on the chemical structures of the linkers. This qualitative analysis indicates that delocalization of the HOMO/LUMO on terminal substituents increases t and decreases λ, while weaker binding to counterions decreases ΔG0, leading to better charge transfer propensity. S...
Abstract 1759: Preclinical activity of selinexor, an inhibitor of XPO1/CRM1, in sarcoma

Objective Exportin 1/Chromosomal Region Maintenance Protein 1 (XPO1/CRM1) transports proteins bearing nuclear export signals from the cell nucleus to the cytoplasm. SINE are a family of small-molecules that selectively inhibit nuclear export through covalent binding to Cysteine 528 (Cys528) in the cargo binding pocket of XPO1. This leads to forced nuclear retention of cargo proteins that include major tumor suppressor proteins such as p53, FOXO, pRB and IkB. Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated selinexor activity in hematologic malignancies as well as in certain solid tumors, and it is currently in Phase I and II clinical trials for advanced cancers. In this study, we evaluated the effects of selinexor in several preclinical models of various sarcoma subtypes. Materials and Methods The efficacy of selinexor was tested in vitro and in vivo using 17 cell lines and 10 sarcoma xenograft models including gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), liposarcoma (LPS), leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, undifferentiated sarcomas, and alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS). Following exposure of cell lines to selinexor, effects on cell viability, cell cycle, and RNA and protein expression were determined. In sarcoma xenograft studies, selinexor was administered twice a week by oral gavage and changes in tumor size were recorded. Results Most sarcoma cell lines were sensitive to selinexor with IC50s ranging from 28.8 nM to 218.2 nM (median: 66.1 nM). The ASPS cell lines were exceptionally resistant to selinexor with IC50 greater than 2 μM. Selinexor suppressed sarcoma tumor xenograft growth, including models of ASPS that were resistant in vitro. Cell lines from several sarcoma subtypes with defined molecular backgrounds, such as GIST with KIT mutations and dedifferentiated LPS with MDM2 and CDK4 amplification, were treated with selinexor to investigate its mechanism of action. Selinexor induced G1 arrest in GIST cells without attenuation of phosphorylation of KIT, AKT, or MAPK, in contrast to imatinib. In LPS cell lines selinexor induced G1-arrest and apoptosis irrespective of p53 expression or mutation status and induced G1-arrest irrespective of RB expression. Selinexor increased p53 and p21 expression at the protein but not RNA levels, indicating a post-transcriptional effect. Conclusions Selinexor has potent in vitro and in vivo activity against a wide variety of sarcoma models. Selinexor induced G1-arrest independent of known molecular mechanisms in GIST and LPS. These studies further justify the exploration of selinexor in clinical trials targeting various sarcoma subtypes. Citation Format: Robert Nakayama, Yi-Xiang Zhang, Alex Anatone, Ewa Sicinska, George Demetri, Andrew Wagner. Preclinical activity of selinexor, an inhibitor of XPO1/CRM1, in sarcoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1759. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1759
A Educação à Distância como Estratégia Pedagógica

O desenvolvimento das chamadas tecnologias colocou o ser humano no topo da cadeia alimentar no planeta Terra, mas ha de se refletir que sem os estudos basicos nenhuma destas chamadas ciencias tecnologicas existiriam. A humanidade passou por uma evolucao em suas descobertas e geracoes passaram sem experimentar aquilo que elas mesmas comecaram a descobrir, o seu legado suscitou curiosidades nas geracoes futuras que aprimoraram e desenvolveram estudos anteriores, mas para poderem assim fazerem, foram beneficiadas por mecanismos de transmissao desenvolvidos por este mesmo homem descobridor. Dentro destas ferramentas de transmissao apresentaram-se as artes como desenvolvimento de signos, desenhos que mais tarde traduzidos revelaram suas mensagens, formas de arquivar estes conhecimentos e transmiti-los tambem se aperfeicoaram e hoje o homem faz uso mas uma vez de sua capacidade inventiva e transforma as chamadas tecnologias da informacao e comunicacao em sua aliada na perpetuacao e transmissao dos saberes. A educacao a distância apresenta-se mais presente do que nunca nesse contexto e se valida como potencia educacional, encurtando distâncias e aproximando os personagens do universo do conhecimento, a presente pesquisa, que esta embasada em estudos bibliograficos, tentara mostrar como essa ferramenta tem contribuido para a nossa atual geracao no tocante a democratizacao da educacao.
Y90 Plus High Dose BEAM with Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Chemorefractory Non Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Abstract Abstract 3423 Poster Board III-311 Long term survival for patients with chemo-refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is poor even with high dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Strategies such as novel transplant conditioning regimens and post transplant maintenance therapy are being evaluated to improve outcomes. Herein we report on the results of a phase II study designed to assess the impact of a novel radioimmunotherapy (RIT) based conditioning regimen of Y90 ibritumomab tiuxetan in conjunction with high dose BEAM (BCNU, Etoposide, Ara–C, Melphalan) in patients with poor risk NHL. Between May 2002 and Jan 2009, 31 patients who were either primary induction failure (n=18) or in partial remission (n=13) underwent HDC with Y90 plus BEAM. Patients received an imaging dose of Indium 111 on day -21 followed by a treatment dose of Y90 (0.4mCi/kg) on day-14. HDC with BEAM was started on day -7. The median age at ASCT was 57 (range: 19–70). The majority of patients were male (n=23, 74%) and had advanced stage disease (III or IV) at the time of diagnosis, (n=23, 74%). The histologies included Follicular n=6, Diffuse Large B-cell n=13, Mantle cell n=8, and Transformed n=4. The median number of prior regimens was 2 (range: 1-5). All patients engrafted at a median of 11 days. At the time of analysis, 23 (74%) patients were alive, and eight had expired (seven due to relapse/progressive disease, one due to COPD). The non-relapse mortality was 3.2%. The median length of follow-up for surviving patients is 46.9 months (range: 3.3-75.0). The two-year overall survival and disease-free survival was 77.9% (95%CI: 62.7-87.6%) and 50.9% (95%CI: 40.5-60.3%) respectively for the entire cohort. However, the relapse rate in the subset of MCL pts was strikingly high and approached 80% at 4 yrs. The other subgroups had a stable DFS (figure 1). In conclusion in this poor risk group of patients Y90 plus high dose BEAM can induce responses and long term remissions, however, for patients with chemorefractory MCL other treatment approaches may be warranted. Download : Download high-res image (60KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Off Label Use: yttrium 90 in combination with high dose BEAM chemotherapy.
Chronic Mercury Intoxication Masquerading as Systemic Disease: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background: Mercury is a highly toxic environmental metal that exists in three different forms: elemental, inorganic and organic. Intoxication occurs in either occupational or non-occupational settings, mainly after the inhalation of vapour and fumes in work places, laboratories or homes. Chronic mercury toxicity ranges from mild and insignificant to severe and life-threatening. We describe the case of a young male patient who presented with multiple organ dysfunction after chronic mercury exposure. Case presentation: We report the case of 28-year-old male artisanal gold miner who was admitted to hospital for severe neurological impairment associated with inflammatory bowel disease-like symptoms and a skin rash after mercury exposure. Symptomatic treatment and corticosteroid administration assured rapid clinical improvement. Chronic mercury poisoning can masquerade as an autoimmune or systemic inflammatory disease. Conclusion: Physicians should be aware that low exposure to mercury, even from artisanal gold mining, may be harmful to health. Management can be simple without the need for aggressive or invasive therapeutic measures. Larger case series are required in order to establish a clear management plan.
Earnings Guidance and Corporate Diversification

This study examines voluntary disclosure differences between single business segment "focused" firms and multiple business segment "diversified" firms. Using management earnings guidance data this paper provides evidence that focused firms are less likely to provide an earnings forecast after controlling for typical determinants of forecast issuance, including various controls for competitive pressures and firm complexity. These results are consistent with higher proprietary costs of disclosure for focused firms potentially stemming from their disclosures being at a finer level of detail. Tests showing that disclosure ranking is not related to excess value are inconsistent with the alternative explanation that diversified firms are more likely to disclose in an attempt to mitigate their intrinsic opacity and therefore reap greater benefits of disclosure.
Sensorimotor cortical-subthalamic network dynamics during force generation

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is proposed to participate in pausing, or alternately, in dynamic scaling of behavioral responses, roles that have conflicting implications for understanding STN function in the context of deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy. To examine the nature of event-related STN activity and subthalamic-cortical dynamics, we performed primary motor and somatosensory electrocorticography while subjects (n=10) performed a grip force task during DBS implantation surgery. The results provide the first evidence from humans that STN gamma activity can predict activity in the cortex both prior to and during movement, consistent with the idea that the STN participates in both motor planning and execution. We observed that STN activity appeared to facilitate movement: while both movement onset and termination both coincided with STN-cortical phase-locking, narrow-band gamma power was positively correlated with grip force, and event-related causality measures demonstrated that STN gamma activity predicted cortical gamma activity during movement. STN participation in somatosensory integration also was demonstrated by casual analysis. Information flow from the STN to somatosensory cortex was observed for both beta and gamma range frequencies, specific to particular movement periods and kinematics. Interactions in beta activity between the STN and somatosensory cortex, rather than motor cortex, predicted PD symptom severity. Thus, the STN contributes to multiple aspects of sensorimotor behavior dynamically across time.
Novel Sphingolipid-Based Cancer Therapeutics in the Personalized Medicine Era

Sphingolipids are bioactive lipids that participate in a wide variety of biological mechanisms, including cell death and proliferation. The myriad of pro-death and pro-survival cellular pathways involving sphingolipids provide a plethora of opportunities for dysregulation in cancers. In recent years, modulation of these sphingolipid metabolic pathways has been in the forefront of drug discovery for cancer therapeutics. About two decades ago, researchers first showed that standard of care treatments, e.g., chemotherapeutics and radiation, modulate sphingolipid metabolism to increase endogenous ceramides, which kill cancer cells. Strikingly, resistance to these treatments has also been linked to altered sphingolipid metabolism, favoring lipid species that ultimately lead to cell survival. To this end, many inhibitors of sphingolipid metabolism have been developed to further define not only our understanding of these pathways but also to potentially serve as therapeutic interventions. Therefore, understanding how to better use these new drugs that target sphingolipid metabolism, either alone or in combination with current cancer treatments, holds great potential for cancer control. While sphingolipids in cancer have been reviewed previously (Hannun & Obeid, 2018; Lee & Kolesnick, 2017; Morad & Cabot, 2013; Newton, Lima, Maceyka, & Spiegel, 2015; Ogretmen, 2018; Ryland, Fox, Liu, Loughran, & Kester, 2011) in this chapter, we present a comprehensive review on how standard of care therapeutics affects sphingolipid metabolism, the current landscape of sphingolipid inhibitors, and the clinical utility of sphingolipid-based cancer therapeutics.
RHEO-OPTICAL STUDIES OF THE THERMOTROPIC AROMATIC COPOLYESTERS OF POLY(ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) AND p-ACETOXYBENZOIC ACID

Many studies have been conducted for the development of polymers with ultra-high modulus and strength. Although most of the work has been on the preparation of highly oriented and extended morphologies using conventional polymers such as high density polyethylene, recently the work has been extended into the processing of rigid polymers—that is polymers with rigid backbone chains.1 – 4 Such polymers can be processed in solution, however, under conditions which are far from being attractive. In trying to make a more readily processable rigid polymer, that is, a polymer which will not decompose before melting or dissolve only in highly corrosive solvents, Economy and co-workers5,6 and Jackson and Kuhfuss7 synthesized a compositional series of aromatic copolyesters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and biphenyl terephthalate and p-acetoxybenzoic acid and poly(ethylene terephthalate).
Atomic Bells and Frequency Finders

Have you ever heard a handbell choir? Often associated with Christmas, the resonating sound of a handbell choir evokes images of ancient cathedrals and snowy nights. But a handbell choir is just as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the ears.
Obesity and pulmonary hypertension

Abstract Pulmonary hypertension, defined as a mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) > 25 mmHg, is a serious condition that can lead to right heart failure and death. It can result from a wide variety of disease processes, many of which are highly prevalent in obese populations. The exact rates of pulmonary hypertension in patients with obesity remain unclear but appear high. Emerging data from animal models suggest some pathologic mechanisms by which obesity and the metabolic syndrome may contribute to the development of pulmonary vascular disease, but the roles of the majority of these mechanisms in the development of pulmonary hypertension in human subjects are yet to be elucidated.
The yeast NOP4 gene product is an essential nucleolar protein required for pre-rRNA processing and accumulation of 60S ribosomal subunits

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae NOP4 gene was isolated by screening a lambda gt11 yeast genomic DNA library with a monoclonal antibody against a yeast nucleolar protein. NOP4 encodes a 78 kDa protein that contains two prototypical RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) flanking an imperfect RRM lacking characteristic RNP1 and RNP2 motifs. In addition, there is a fourth incomplete RRM. NOP4 is a single copy essential gene present on chromosome XVI, between RAD1 and PEP4. To examine the function of Nop4p, we constructed a conditional null allele of NOP4 by placing this gene under the control of the glucose-repressible GAL1 promoter. When cells are shifted from galactose-containing medium to glucose-containing medium, NOP4 transcription is terminated, Nop4 protein is depleted and cell growth is impaired. Nop4 protein depletion results in diminished accumulation of 60S ribosomal subunits, assignable to a defect in ribosome biogenesis arising from a lack of production of mature 25S rRNA from 27S precursor rRNA.
Iron detection and remediation with a functionalized porous polymer applied to environmental water samples

Iron is one of the most abundant elements in the environment and in the human body. As an essential nutrient, iron homeostasis is tightly regulated, and iron dysregulation is implicated in numerous pathologies, including neuro-degenerative diseases, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. Endogenous iron pool concentrations are directly linked to iron ion uptake from environmental sources such as drinking water, providing motivation for developing new technologies for assessing iron(ii) and iron(iii) levels in water. However, conventional methods for measuring aqueous iron pools remain laborious and costly and often require sophisticated equipment and/or additional processing steps to remove the iron ions from the original environmental source. We now report a simplified and accurate chemical platform for capturing and quantifying the iron present in aqueous samples through use of a post-synthetically modified porous aromatic framework (PAF). The ether/thioether-functionalized network polymer, PAF-1-ET, exhibits high selectivity for the uptake of iron(ii) and iron(iii) over other physiologically and environmentally relevant metal ions. Mossbauer spectroscopy, XANES, and EXAFS measurements provide evidence to support iron(iii) coordination to oxygen-based ligands within the material. The polymer is further successfully employed to adsorb and remove iron ions from groundwater, including field sources in West Bengal, India. Combined with an 8-hydroxyquinoline colorimetric indicator, PAF-1-ET enables the simple and direct determination of the iron(ii) and iron(iii) ion concentrations in these samples, providing a starting point for the design and use of molecularly-functionalized porous materials for potential dual detection and remediation applications.
On the existence of a closed, embedded, rotational $$\lambda $$ λ -hypersurface

In this paper we show the existence of a closed, embedded $$\lambda $$ -hypersurfaces $$\Sigma \subset \mathbb {R}^{2n}$$ . The hypersurface $$\Sigma $$ is diffeomorphic to $$\mathbb {S}^{n-1} \times \mathbb {S}^{n-1} \times \mathbb {S}^1$$ and exhibits $$SO(n) \times SO(n)$$ symmetry. Our approach uses a “shooting method” similar to the approach used by McGrath in constructing a generalized self-shrinking “torus” solution to mean curvature flow. The result generalizes the $$\lambda $$ torus found by Cheng and Wei.
Plastidic ACCase Ile-1781-Leu is present in pinoxaden-resistant southern crabgrass (Digitaria ciliaris)

Southern crabgrass [Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koeler] is an annual grass weed that commonly infests turfgrass, roadsides, wastelands, and cropping systems throughout the southeastern United States. Two biotypes of D. ciliaris (R1 and R2) with known resistance to cyclohexanediones (DIMs) and aryloxyphenoxypropionates (FOPs) previously collected from sod production fields in Georgia were compared with a separate susceptible biotype (S) collected from Alabama for the responses to pinoxaden and to explore the possible mechanisms of resistance. Increasing rates of pinoxaden (0.1 to 23.5 kg ha−1) were evaluated for control of R1, R2, and S. The resistant biotypes, R1 and R2, were resistant to pinoxaden relative to S. The S biotype was completely controlled at rates of 11.8 and 23.5 kg ha−1, resulting in no aboveground biomass at 14 d after treatment. Pinoxaden rates at which tiller length and aboveground biomass would be reduced 50% (I50) and 90% (I90) for R1, R2, and S ranged from 7.2 to 13.2 kg ha−1, 6.9 to 8.6 kg ha−1, and 0.7 to 2.1 kg ha−1, respectively, for tiller length, and 7.7 to 10.2 kg ha−1, 7.2 to 7.9 kg ha−1, and 1.6 to 2.3 kg ha−1, respectively, for aboveground biomass. Prior selection pressure from DIM and FOP herbicides could result in the evolution of D. ciliaris cross-resistance to pinoxaden herbicides. Amplification of the carboxyl-transferase domain of the plastidic ACCase by standard PCR identified a point mutation resulting in an Ile-1781-Leu amino acid substitution only for the resistant biotype, R1. Further cloning of PCR product surrounding the 1781 region yielded two distinct ACCase gene sequences, Ile-1781 and Leu-1781. The amino acid substitution, Ile-1781-Leu in both resistant biotypes (R1 and R2), however, was revealed by next-generation sequencing of RNA using Illumina platform. A point mutation in the Ile-1781 codon leading to herbicide insensitivity in the ACCase enzyme has been previously reported in other grass species. Our research confirms that the Ile-1781-Leu substitution is present in pinoxaden-resistant D. ciliaris.
On the Critical Coupling of the Finite Kuramoto Model on Dense Networks

Kuramoto model is one of the most prominent models for the synchronization of coupled oscillators. It has long been a research hotspot to understand how natural frequencies, the interaction between oscillators, and network topology determine the onset of synchronization. In this paper, we investigate the critical coupling of Kuramoto oscillators on deterministic dense networks, viewed as a natural generalization from all-to-all networks of identical oscillators. We provide a sufficient condition under which the Kuramoto model with non-identical oscillators has one unique and stable equilibrium. Moreover, this equilibrium is phase cohesive and enjoys local exponential synchronization. We perform numerical simulations of the Kuramoto model on random networks and circulant networks to complement our theoretical analysis and provide insights for future research.
A Model for Assessing the Quality of Gene Ontology

With the proliferation of bio-ontologies in the molecular biological community, concern remains about their quality. There are a number of frameworks and models have been developed to assess the quality of Gene Ontology, which is one of the most influential and widely used bio-ontologies in the community. However, without any theoretical guide for quality assessment, most of these frameworks and models are incomplete and intuitive, and cannot assess the quality of Gene Ontology consistently, systematically, and completely. This study uses a theoretical information quality assessment framework to guide the development of a quality evaluation model for the Gene Ontology, using both the conceptual and empirical approaches.
Creating the “stuff of experience”: spontaneous thoughts, memory, and hypnosis in clinical and forensic contexts

Abstract In this chapter, we argue that we are constantly creating our experiences from the bedrock of spontaneous thoughts and mind wandering we engage in as much as half of our waking existence: We create and recreate ourselves and our realities in the moment, every moment. In many circumstances, including hypnosis, which is the focus of our discussion, we are active, goal-directed creative agents, even when we do not perceive ourselves as such or as the authors of our experiences. We argue that spontaneous thoughts provide a readiness potential to respond fluidly to the requirements of diverse situations and challenges in everyday life. We suggest that hypnotic suggestions can constrain spontaneous thoughts and channel them in adaptive directions with tremendous potential for enhancing personal growth and mitigating psychopathology in clinical and extra-therapeutic contexts. However, our innately suggestible minds, in ceaselessly developing models of our experiential worlds, are also prone to reality monitoring and prediction errors, and the hypnotic context can exacerbate these errors and produce false yet believed-in memories with potentially dire consequences in forensic situations.
Exploring empathy in genetic counseling students and new genetic counselors.

Although empathy is widely recognized as an important trait for healthcare professionals, little research has examined empathy attributes in genetic counselors. Decreases in empathy levels have been recognized in other healthcare professionals over the span of their professional education program. This research sought to characterize empathy levels in first- and second-year genetic counseling students and recent (2017) graduates, and to determine whether there are differences in empathy levels displayed by genetic counseling students at different points in their training. Additionally, this research examined whether experiences prior to graduate school, including specific aspects of advocacy experience, correlated with differences in self-reported empathy levels among genetic counseling students and new genetic counselors. An online survey was administered to first- and second-year genetic counseling students and practicing genetic counselors to determine whether there were differences in empathy levels between these groups, and to analyze for associations between pre-graduate school advocacy work and levels of empathy as measured by the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). We identified significant differences in self-reported empathy levels in several of the subscales of the IRI between first-year students and second-year students, and between first-year students and recent graduates. Furthermore, we identified significantly lower scores on the personal distress subscale of the IRI in participants who engaged in advocacy work for longer than 12 months when compared to participants who engaged in advocacy work for between 6 and 12 months. Other advocacy and educational characteristics were also examined for correlations with IRI scores, and no significant associations were identified between these additional factors and self-reported empathy scores. Practice implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.