cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardioprotective effects of early intervention with sacubitril/valsartan on pressure overloaded rat hearts.

Left ventricular remodeling due to pressure overload is associated with poor prognosis. Sacubitril/valsartan is the first-in-class Angiotensin Receptor Neprilysin Inhibitor and has been demonstrated to have superior beneficial effects in the settings of heart failure. The aim of this study was to determine whether sacubitril/valsartan has cardioprotective effect in the early intervention of pressure overloaded hearts and whether it is superior to valsartan alone. We induced persistent left ventricular pressure overload in rats by ascending aortic constriction surgery and orally administrated sacubitril/valsartan, valsartan, or vehicle one week post operation for 10 weeks. We also determined the effects of sacubitril/valsartan over valsartan on adult ventricular myocytes and fibroblasts that were isolated from healthy rats and treated in culture. We found that early intervention with sacubitril/valsartan is superior to valsartan in reducing pressure overload-induced ventricular fibrosis and in reducing angiotensin II-induced adult ventricular fibroblast activation. While neither sacubitril/valsartan nor valsartan changes cardiac hypertrophy development, early intervention with sacubitril/valsartan protects ventricular myocytes from mitochondrial dysfunction and is superior to valsartan in reducing mitochondrial oxidative stress in response to persistent left ventricular pressure overload. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that sacubitril/valsartan has a superior cardioprotective effect over valsartan in the early intervention of pressure overloaded hearts, which is independent of the reduction of left ventricular afterload. Our study provides evidence in support of potential benefits of the use of sacubitril/valsartan in patients with resistant hypertension or in patients with severe aortic stenosis.
Hypertensive Emergency in Heart Failure: Trends, Risk factors and Outcomes from a Nationwide Analysis 2005-2014.

INTRODUCTION Heart failure (HF) patients may be susceptible to complications of hypertensive emergency (HTNE). Large registries have found that these patients are not on optimal antihypertensive therapy. To date, little investigation has been done on HF patients with HTNE, and their clinical risk factors/outcomes have not been well defined. METHODS We reviewed the National Inpatient Sample database to collect data on HF patient hospitalizations from 2005 to 2014. HF patients with and without a primary diagnosis of HTNE were included in the analysis. Risk factors and outcomes of HF patients with a primary diagnosis of HTNE were compared to those without HTNE. HF patients with a primary diagnosis of shock of any etiology were excluded. RESULTS Of 8,265,792 patients hospitalized with HF, 39,170 (0.5%) had HTNE. There was a threefold increase in the incidence of HTNE in HF patients over a 10-year period. The increase was more evident in females, Blacks and those < 40 years of age. There was also an increasing trend in modifiable risk factors. HF patients with HTNE had significantly higher major in-hospital complications compared to those without HTNE. However, this association did not reflect an increase in short-term in-hospital mortality, irrespective of age. CONCLUSION HF patients with HTNE represent a unique population that requires a different approach to treatment. Further research is needed to identify barriers preventing adequate therapy of hypertension and other modifiable risk factors in HF patients and assess their effects on long-term outcomes.
The Social Unit Plan (1916-1920) : An experiment in democracy and human services fails

Participatory democracy and community development are explored by looking back to the bold experiment undertaken in Cincinnati, Ohio, from 1916 to 1920, called the Social Unit Plan. It is a glimpse into the economic, political, cultural and social consciousness of those who participated in the experiment during that period in American history. The paper suggests that by understanding the cultural and social lives of participants, our awareness of the range of options or possible efforts at addressing human social welfare needs in the past and the present are enhanced
PID stabilization of LTI plants with time-delay

A recent result has determined the set of PID controllers stabilizing a first-order plant with time-delay. In this paper we extend this result to the case of an arbitrary order plant with time-delay. The method used in this paper is more general and intuitive.
Recommendations and Conclusions

The analysis contained in the preceding two chapters concerning the performance of the marine sanctuaries program and the functions that could be served by a special area management program leads to a set of recommendations concerning future implementation of such a program. Measures could be taken, either administratively under the existing legislation or legislatively by amendment of the Marine Sanctuaries Act, to achieve the potential benefits of such a program while eliminating the political, institutional, and legal liabilities of the current program. Any recommendations for legislative action must be provisional, however, due to current uncertainty about federal marine affairs functions and the organization and authority of existing programs. It must also be borne in mind that any beneficial changes in implementation of the existing marine sanctuaries program may not have full effect due to the program’s legacy of institutional and political problems, but effective administration of this program in the coming years could go a long way toward eliminating these problems.
Yânomamö Interactive: The Ax Fight on CD-ROM

Yânomamo Interactive: The Ax Fight on CD-ROM. Peter Biella. Napoleon A. Chagnon. and Gary Seaman. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1997.
Dynamics of Random Neural Nets

The dynamics of random neural nets has been an open problem for many years. I discuss this problem and describe some linearizations which may lead to a solution. I show how the known results about completely connected nets can be obtained from the linearization.
An Empirical Assessment of the Double Exponential Jump-Diffusion Process

The double exponential jump-diffusion (DEJD) model, recently proposed by Kou (2002) and Ramezani & Zeng (1998), generates a highly skewed and leptokurtic distribution and is capable of matching key features of stock and index returns. Moreover, DEJD leads to tractable pricing formulas for exotic and path dependent options (Kou & Wang, 2004). Accordingly, the Double Exponential representation has gained wide acceptance. However, estimation and empirical assessment of this model has received little attention to date. The primary objective of this paper is to fill this gap. We use daily returns for NYSE and NASDAQ firms and daily and monthly returns for the S&P-500 and the NASDAQ indexes, in conjunction with maximum likelihood estimation to fit the DEJD model. We utilize the BIC criterion to assess the performance of DEJD relative to a number of alternatives. For individual stocks, based on data spanning the period 10/96-12/98, we find that relative to the Log-normal Jump-Diffusion (LJD), the DEJD provides a better fit for only 11% of the sampled firms. For these firms and the indexes, we compare DEJD to six popular versions of the ARCH specification using data for the period 1/1999 through 12/2003. The performance of DEJD for individual stocks is strong for this period: DEJD performs better than LJD and ARCH for majority of cases. For indexes the ARCH alternatives dominate, but the DEJD provides a better fit than LJD. Overall the empirical evidence in support of DEJD is mixed.
A 14 nm SoC platform technology featuring 2 nd generation Tri-Gate transistors, 70 nm gate pitch, 52 nm metal pitch, and 0.0499 um 2 SRAM cells, optimized for low power, high performance and high density SoC products

A leading edge 14 nm SoC platform technology based upon the 2nd generation Tri-Gate transistor technology [5] has been optimized for density, low power and wide dynamic range. 70 nm gate pitch, 52 nm metal pitch and 0.0499 um2 HDC SRAM cells are the most aggressive design rules reported for 14/16 nm node SoC process to achieve Moore's Law 2x density scaling over 22 nm node. High performance NMOS/PMOS drive currents of 1.3/1.2 mA/um, respectively, have been achieved at 0.7 V and 100 nA/um off-state leakage, 37%/50% improvement over 22 nm node. Ultra-low power NMOS/PMOS drives are 0.50/0.32 mA/um at 0.7 V and 15pA/um Ioff. This technology also deploys high voltage I/O transistors to support up to 3.3 V I/O. A full suite of analog, mixed-signal and RF features are also supported.
Federal Income Taxation of Patent and Know-How Transfers

An individual taxpayer’s maximum tax rate on ordinary income is fifty percent, while his maximum tax rate on long-term capital gains is only twenty percent as a result of the deduction from gross income allowed for a portion of such gains. Consequently, proper tax planning in the preparation of licensing agreements may result in the receipt of the proceeds of the license being taxed at favorable capital gains rates. Since the late 1970’s, the tax law governing licensing agreements for intellectual property has become settled. As most licensing agreements are prepared by intellectual property specialists rather than by tax practitioners, a safe channel through the “rocks and shoals” of the tax law must be carefully plotted. Through careful planning and draftsmanship it is possible to guarantee sale treatment and the resulting taxation at capital gains rates for virtually any transaction. Without planning, however, a neglected word or a seemingly innocuous provision may defeat efforts to achieve the desired tax result. In part, this trap for the unwary is due to overly technical requirements based on archaic case law, a failure to clearly identify the patent “property,” and poorly reasoned opinions that have ignored both precedent and basic concepts. Further complication arises from statutory overlap in this area. Capital gains treatment for patent transfers may be obtained under Internal Revenue Code sections 1221 and 1222, under section 1231, and under section 1235. This article will focus on the application of the regular capital gains provisions to transfers of intellectual property, and more specifically to patent rights and know-how.
Uniform Snow Loads on Structures

Data on ground and roof snow loads for 199 structures are analyzed. Relationships between ground-to-roof conversion factor for uniform roof loads and parameters such as roof slope, exposure and thermal characteristics are investigated. The conversion factor was found to be most strongly influenced by exposure. On the average, there was about a 35% difference in conversion factors for windswept and sheltered roofs. The conversion factor was influenced to a lesser degree by thermal characteristics. On the average, there was about a 20% difference in conversion factors for heated and unheated structures. Roof slopes between 0° and 35° did not have an observable effect upon the conversion factors. An expected value relationship for the conversion factor was established. The variation of observed values about the expected value was modeled by a log-normal error term with a standard deviation for ln(ϵ) = 0.42. Comparisons with existing codes and standards indicate that their recommended conversion factors are, on average, larger than measured values.
Differential gender responses to hypoglycemia are due to alterations in CNS drive and not glycemic thresholds.

The aims of this study were 1) to determine whether differential glycemic thresholds are the mechanism responsible for the sexual dimorphism present in neuroendocrine responses during hypoglycemia ...
Reduction in 2-deoxy-D-glucose analgesia following acute, but not chronic antidepressant treatment.

Acute, but not chronic, antidepressant treatment potentiates the analgesic responses following cold-water swims. The present study evaluated the effects of acute (10 mg/kg) and chronic (10 mg/kg, twice daily over 7 days) pretreatment with desipramine (DMI) upon the analgesic response following 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2dG) in rats as measured by the jump test. Acute, but not chronic, DMI pretreatment significantly reduced 2dG analgesia. These effects are discussed in terms of the heterogeneity of pain-inhibitory responses.
Life-threatening reaction to staphylococcal protein A immunomodulation.

We describe here a case of a severe, life-threatening, serum sickness-like reaction in a patient with refractory immune thrombocytopenia treated with protein A immunomodulation. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Marchi Method

An investigation has been made of the poor penetration obtained by the Marchi method. Use of surface tension depressants or perfusion technics showed no marked improvement. Optimum results cannot be achieved with slices of tissue above 3 mm. in thickness. Another cause of faulty staining is the failure to maintain an adequate strength of OsO4 in the Marchi mixture. The concentration of this chemical should never be allowed to drop below 0.25%. A chemical method for determining the amount of OsO4 present in the staining mixture and based upon the Alvarez test is described. This method can also be utilized to reclaim partially exhausted staining solutions. Remarks are included upon the KIO3 method of Busch.
Esophageal obstruction and intracardiac “mass” in association with omphalocele closure

Patients with large omphaloceles are subject to anatomical displacement and morphological distorsion after surgical repair. We report 2 such complications in an infant after repair of a giant omphalocele that contained both liver and bowel. Esophageal obstruction resulted from sharp, anterior angulation of the distal esophagus that hindered placement of a feeding tube in the neonatal period. At 1 year of age, routine cardiac evaluation led to the discovery of a "mass" within the heart caused by invagination of a tongue of liver tissue into the right atrium. Knowledge of these less well-recognized anatomical variations is important to avoid unnecessary interventions.
Evidence that dilation of isolated salivary ducts from the tick Dermacentor variabilis (Say) is mediated by nitric oxide.

Abstract We used pharmacological methods to test the hypothesis that female Dermacentor variabilis salivary ducts dilated when dopamine-stimulated and that dilation was nitric oxide-mediated. Stimulation with dopamine resulted in an increased diameter (19.7%) compared to unstimulated ducts ( P l -NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, or cytochalasin D abolished the dilation. Addition of l -arginine to l -NAME-treated ducts partially restored the ability to dilate. A cuticular coil composed of a series of concentric rings ran the length of the duct adjacent to the epithelial cell layer. In stimulated ducts, the center-to-center periodicity of these rings increased from 0.59 μm in unfed ducts to 1.0 μm from partially fed ducts ( P P
SU‐FF‐J‐01: Characterization of the Stability of Respiration for Patients Undergoing Motion‐Adaptive Lung Tumor Radiotherapy

Purpose:Lungtumor motion is due mainly to respiration.Tumor tracking during radiotherapy requires prediction of the tumor motion to compensate system lag time. Complexity and instability of a patient's breathing will influence its predictability. We have characterized the stability and predictability of the breathing patterns of lungradiotherapy patients by analyzing the time‐dependent behavior of the autocorrelation of the patient's breathing motion. Method and Materials: Breathing motion data were obtained from the CyberKnife Synchrony @ respiratory tracking system at Georgetown University Medical Center. Nine freely breathing lungcancer patients were arbitrarily selected for this study. The patients showed a wide range of breathing behavior. Respiratory motion of the chest surface was recorded for up to sixty minutes during treatment. For each breathing history the autocorrelation coefficient versus delay time was computed in a window of 55 seconds. The decay of the average autocorrelation coefficient over time was computed at various times in the breathing signal history by moving the window. This measured the instability of the breathing pattern over time. Results: The breathing patterns of all nine patients had average autocorrelation coefficients that decayed over time, indicating the breathing was non‐stationary. The rate of decay of the autocorrelation ranged widely for the patients. The predictability of each patient's breathing, as measured in a prior analysis using signal prediction algorithms, was highly correlated with the stability of the breathing pattern, as measured by its autocorrelation. Conclusion: The autocorrelation of a patient's breathing and its decay over time can characterize breathing instability. This makes it possible to compare the results of motion prediction, control and adaptation algorithms that have been tested on a variety of breathing data.
Forgotten battles of the German‐soviet war (1941–45), part 7: the summer campaign (12 May ‐ 18 November 1942): Voronezh, July 1942

(2001). Forgotten battles of the German‐soviet war (1941–45), part 7: the summer campaign (12 May ‐ 18 November 1942): Voronezh, July 1942. The Journal of Slavic Military Studies: Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 150-220.
The unusual symmetric reopening effect induced by pulmonary surfactant

This study investigates the stability of a finger of air as it propagates into a liquid-filled model of a liquid-filled model of a pulmonary bifurcation. We seek to elucidate the stability characteristics of the reopening of daughter airways, an event that may be important to the treatment of acute lung disease. To do so, we investigated the symmetry of reopening under conditions of nearly constant surface tension with 1) purified H2O or 2) an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate). Dynamic surface tension was investigated using pulmonary surfactant (Infasurf) with and without the presence of albumin. Flow visualization was accomplished using a microparticle image velocimetry (μ-PIV)/shadowgraph system through which we measured 1) the propagation velocity of the finger of air that reopens each daughter branch, and 2) the instantaneous and averaged velocity field of liquid phase surrounding the tip of the propagating bubble. Only pulmonary surfactant demonstrated the ability of maintaining a nearly symmetric propagation in the daughter channels, which is likely to lead to homogeneous airway reopening. In contrast, when pulmonary surfactant was inactivated by albumin or when the system was held at a nearly constant surface tension, reopening occurred asymmetrically. Our analysis suggests that Infasurf's dynamic surface tension qualities are important to stabilize the removal of liquid obstructions. This demonstrates a new important function of pulmonary surfactant for airway reopening of a multibranched network.
Amino acid geochronology applied to the correlation and dating of central european loess deposits

Abstract Numerous localities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria have been sampled for fossil gastropod shells for the purpose of an aminostratigraphic evaluation of loess sequences. In all three regions alloisoleucine/isoleucine (aIle/Ile) ratios are observed to be significantly higher in shells from loess deposited during the penultimate glacial period (cycle C) relative to samples from loess of the last glaciation (cycle B). The difference in aIle/Ile ratio reflects both difference in age of the samples plus the impact on the older samples of the relatively high effective temperature of the last interglacial period. Amino acid data support the previous correlation suggested between PK II+III in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and the ‘Stillfried A’ in Austria. Samples have also been recovered from older loess units, and previously published correlations within the Czech and Slovak Republics are tested. AIIe/Ile ratios appear to distinguish between samples from loess of the last four glacial cycles. Beyond cycle E (18O Stages 10 and 11), the increase in alle/Ile ratio is relatively small from cycle to cycle. In addition, shells tend to be poorly preserved and are absent at many localities. Nevertheless, amino acid geochronology offers a means of resolving ages of loess units in the critical time period that is beyond the range of radiocarbon and thermoluminescence methods but post-dates the Brunhes-Matuyama paleomagnetic reversal.
Transforming growth factor β and platelet-derived growth factor modulation of myofibroblast development from corneal fibroblasts in vitro.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that development of mature vimentin+/α-smooth muscle actin+/desmin+ (V+A+D+) myofibroblasts from corneal fibroblasts is regulated by transforming growth factor (TGF) β and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF); and that myofibroblast development in vitro follows a similar developmental pathway as it does in vivo . Mouse corneal stromal fibroblasts (MSF) were isolated from the corneas of Swiss Webster mice and cultured in serum-free media augmented with DMEM/F12 and varying doses of TGFβ (0.1–2.0 ng/ml), with and without mouse PDGF-AA and/or PDGF-BB (2.0 ng/ml), to study the transition of the MSF to V+A+D+ myofibroblasts. The mean percentage of vimentin+, α-SMA+ and desmin+ cells was determined at each time point (2–15 days), with each growth factor concentration. MSF in vitro were noted to undergo the same developmental transition from V+A−D− to V+A+D− to V+A+D+ myofibroblasts as precursors undergo in vivo . TGFβ at a dose of 0.5 ng/ml and 1.0 ng/ml with 2.0 ng/ml PDGF-AA and 2.0 ng/ml PDGF-BB in DMEM/F12 serum-free media was optimal for the development of V+A+D+ myofibroblasts. This study defines optimal in vitro conditions to monitor the development of MSF into myofibroblasts. The combined effects of TGFβ and PDGF promote the full development of V+A+D+ myofibroblasts from MSF.
Environmental control of enzyme synthesis and degradation.

Glucocorticoid administration produces an increase in precursor incorporation into rat liver glutamic-alanine transaminase in the whole animal and in liver preparations incubated in vitro. The augmented incorporating ability was present in both the microsomal and cell sap fractions. The effect both in vivo and in vitro was specific, with little or no increase observed in the total soluble protein pool of the cell. From these results, together with information obtained from measurements of the biological half-life of the enzyme, it is concluded that the increase in tissue level of the enzyme consequent to glucocorticoid administration results from an increased rate of biosynthesis. The possible role of environmental control of enzyme levels in cells through effects on degradation rates is discussed. The increased rate of precursor incorporation into liver glutamic-alanine transaminase in vivo was aleady at a maximum value 12 hours after initiation of hormone administration, in contrast to the enzyme level which had not increased by 12 hours and reached a peak only after 5 days. These findings suggest the possibility that there is a simultaneous induction by glucocorticoids of all the liver enzymes responsive to the hormone.
AMEC—Asynchronous Microprogram Execution Controller

Abstract A fully Asynchronous Microprogram Execution Controller (AMEC) has been developed. Asynchronous design methodology based on the concept of handshaking has been formulated. The system is developed using asynchronous equivalents of processor-level building blocks and fully simulated. Techniques for handling hazards and races had been applied in the design. AMEC is a microcode sequencer designed for the general-purpose asynchronous microprogramming environemt. It contains a microinstruction pointer register and requires a two-bit micro-operation field and one-bit condition flag as input to select among three control-transfer primitives — hold, increment, and branch. With an additional data path unit and microcode memory, an asynchronous microprogrammable system can be developed around AMEC.
Divided differences, hyperbolic equations, and lifting distributions

We discuss the relationship between divided differences, fundamental functions of hyperbolic equations, multivariate interpolation, and polyhedral splines.
Apical localization of a functional TRPC3/TRPC6-Ca2+-signaling complex in polarized epithelial cells. Role in apical Ca2+ influx.

Receptor-coupled [Ca2+]i increase is initiated in the apical region of epithelial cells and has been associated with apically localized Ca2+-signaling proteins. However, localization of Ca2+ channels that are regulated by such Ca2+-signaling events has not yet been established. This study examines the localization of TRPC channels in polarized epithelial cells and demonstrates a role for TRPC3 in apical Ca2+ uptake. Endogenously and exogenously expressed TRPC3 was localized apically in polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK) and salivary gland epithelial cells. In contrast, TRPC1 was localized basolaterally, whereas TRPC6 was detected in both locations. Localization of Gαq/11, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-3, and phospholipase Cβ1 and -β2 was also predominantly apical. TRPC3 co-immunoprecipitated with endogenous TRPC6, phospholipase Cβs, Gαq/11, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-3, and syntaxin 3 but not with TRPC1. Furthermore, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG)-stimulated apical 45Ca2+ uptake was higher in TRPC3-MDCK cells compared with control (MDCK) cells. Bradykinin-stimulated apical 45Ca2+ uptake and transepithelial 45Ca2+ flux were also higher in TRPC3-expressing cells. Consistent with this, OAG induced [Ca2+]i increase in the apical, but not basal, region of TRPC3-MDCK cells that was blocked by EGTA addition to the apical medium. Most importantly, (i) TRPC3 was detected in the apical region of rat submandibular gland ducts, whereas TRPC6 was present in apical as well as basolateral regions of ducts and acini; and (ii) OAG stimulated Ca2+ influx into dispersed ductal cells. These data demonstrate functional localization of TRPC3/TRPC6 channels in the apical region of polarized epithelial cells. In salivary gland ducts this could contribute to the regulation of salivary [Ca2+] and secretion.
Voronoi cell finite element model based on micropolar theory of thermoelasticity for heterogeneous materials

In this paper, a new ‘Voronoi cell finite element model’ is developed for solving steady-state heat conduction and micropolar thermoelastic stress analysis problems in arbitrary heterogeneous materials. The method is based on the natural discretization of a multiple phase domain into basic structural elements by Dirichlet Tessellation. Tessellation process results in a network of polygons called Voronoi polygons. In this paper, formulations are developed for treating these polygons as elements in a finite element mesh. Furthermore, a composite Voronoi cell finite element model is developed to account for the presence of a second phase inclusion within a polygonal element. Various numerical examples are executed for validating the effectiveness of this model in the analysis of the temperature and stress fields for micropolar elastic materials. Effective material properties are derived for microstructures containing different distributions of second phase.
Locally focused contrast-enhanced carotid MRA.

With conventional Fourier transform (FT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it is difficult to perform contrast-enhanced three-dimensional (3D) MR angiography (MRA) with the temporal and spatial resolution necessary to depict the carotid arteries. However, locally focused (LF) MRI is a more efficient method that utilizes prior knowledge of the image content to reconstruct images from sparse k-space samples. In this paper, we show how LF MRI can be used to perform high-resolution gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced 3D carotid MRA in less than 10 seconds. First, the accuracy of the technique was demonstrated by comparing LF and conventional (FT) images of a vascular phantom. Then the method was used to perform Gd-enhanced 3D MRA of a patient's carotid arteries. Instead of using bolus timing, the arterial phase was retrospectively identified in a consecutive series of images, just as in X-ray angiography. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;9:663–669. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Construction of a restriction fragment length polymorphism map for barley (Hordeum vulgare)

A restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) map for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) has been developed on the basis of a population of anther culture derived, doubled haploids from the F1 of cult...
Understanding retail branding: conceptual insights and research priorities

Abstract With the growing realization that brands are one of a firm's most valuable intangible assets, branding has emerged as a top management priority in the last decade. Given its highly competitive nature, branding can be especially important in the retailing industry to influence customer perceptions and drive store choice and loyalty. We integrate lessons from branding and retail image research to provide a better understanding of how retailers create their brand images, paying special attention to the role of the manufacturer and private label brand assortment. We also highlight some important areas that deserve further research in the form of three sets of research priorities.
Diagnostic Approaches to the Pathology of Primary Breast Cancer Before and After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

The development of new treatment protocols for the care of patients with breast cancer has added new dimensions to evaluating primary breast cancer, especially in patients being considered for preoperative chemotherapy. Treatment decisions for these patients are based on proof of tumor invasion from initial pretreatment biopsy and on the prognostic and predictive characteristics of the tumor. Because the diagnosis of invasive cancer must be established before chemotherapy, participants at the consensus conference on neoadjuvant chemotherapy considered core-needle biopsy to be the best method of diagnosing invasive cancer. Although fine-needle aspiration in experienced hands is reliable for differentiating benign from malignant tissues, it is not reliable for differentiating invasive from noninvasive breast cancer unless tumor cells are identified in a lymph node. Assessment of the postchemotherapy treatment surgical specimen for the extent of residual disease and margin status is critical to predicting the tumor’s response to therapy and eventually the patient’s outcome. In this article, we present the diagnostic approach to primary breast cancer for the initial biopsy specimen and the postchemotherapy surgical specimen, with emphasis on the pathologist’s role in evaluating such specimens.
Tensile failure load and fiber diameter as stochastic variables in the determination of fiber strength statistics

Abstract The combined effect of treating failure load and fiber diameter as stochastic variables, on reliability is examined. The approach assumes specific distributions for diameter and failure load to determine the reliability of the system, through a joint probability distribution function defined over a two-dimensional region of feasibility. It is shown that neglecting diameter variations results in a lower probability of failure making the prediction for the system potentially unsafe. This effect is significant for high Weibull modulus materials.
Making Critical Thinking a Classroom Reality

Critical thinking is core to my teaching. I encourage students to be independent thinkers, who examine assumptions and look at the implications of ideas, both their own and those of others (Brookfield 1987, 7-8). However, I see critical thinking as more than a series of thinking skills. As Richard Paul has pointed out, skills may be used for selfserving ends and in ways that may do ill to the public good (1987, 2). Instead, Paul advocates a strong sense critical thinking (1990, 369-78), which demands that one carefully think about the nature and biases of his or her own thinking and also cultivate certain essential character traits. "If we are interested in cultivating the kind of intellectual independence implied in the concept of strong sense critical thinking, we must recognize the need to foster the intellectual moral virtues essential to that mode of thinking and being. These are intellectual [epistemological] humility, courage, integrity, perseverance, empathy, and fairmindedness" (Paul 1987, 3). Thus, if we are interested in enhancing our students' critical thinking capabilities, while we must encourage logical analysis, more is required. We must also nurture students' examination of their own thinking as well as the development of the character traits that allow them to engage in such an enterprise. Part of the art, and the magic, of teaching is creating, choosing, and implementing strategies to move students forward as critical thinkers. While there are no quick fixes or simple formulas we can adopt as teachers, the opportunities to enhance critical thinking are numerous. Below I describe two parts of my American political system course which I consciously structured to develop students' ability and willingness to think critically about politics. The first section focuses on tolerance for expression, in particular the issue of flag burning. The second deals with the evaluation of American politics and public policy presented by third-party ideologies.
Eldercare volunteers and employees: predicting caregiver experiences from service motives and sense of community.

Volunteers (n = 52) and eldercare employees (n = 160) completed measures of personal motives, sense of community, and satisfaction and stress from assisting the elderly. Caregiver satisfaction was best predicted for volunteers by feelings of reciprocal responsibility to peers. For employees, satisfaction was predicted by strong motives reflecting one’s personal values, heightening self-esteem, gaining an understanding of the elderly, and a need to socialize with others. Caregiver stress for volunteers was predicted by motives of low self-esteem, high needs for protection from similar illness, and a desire toward enhancing one’s personal career goals. For employees, stress was predicted by low levels of reciprocal responsibility and a desire for protection. Results suggest that eldercare satisfaction and stress are predicted by different variables for volunteer and employees requiring different program development for recruitment and retention. Editors’ Strategic Implications: The findings have implications for the way elder care administrators prevent worker and volunteer turnover and thus promote client welfare. Measures of personal motivation and community connection may be relevant to other prevention settings as well.
Preleukaemia and Reticulocytosis: A Case Report with in Vitro Evidence for Abnormal Reticulocyte Maturation

A case of preleukaemia with marked reticulocytosis and a slightly reduced red cell 51Cr survival is presented. An in vitro 'reticulocyte survival' test suggested that the apparent reticulocytosis was due to delayed maturation of reticulocytes. The globin synthesis ratio suggested an abnormal ribonucleic acid. At autopsy, in addition to the findings of acute leukaemia, mesenteric lipodystrophy was discovered. This abnormality has been seen in patients with malignant diseases, especially lymphomas, but heretofore has not been reported in acute leukaemia.
Prehomogeneous spaces associated with complex nilpotent orbits

Abstract We compute the irreducible components and relative invariants of certain prehomogeneous spaces arising in the theory of nilpotent orbits in complex reductive Lie algebras.
Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI Evaluation of Cerebral Cavernous Malformations

The aim of this study is to quantitatively evaluate the behavior of CNS cavernous malformations (CCMs) using a dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCEMRI) technique sensitive for slow transfer rates of gadolinium. The prospective study was approved by the institutional review board and was HIPPA compliant. Written informed consent was obtained from 14 subjects with familial CCMs (4 men and 10 women, ages 22-76 years, mean 48.1 years). Following routine anatomic MRI of the brain, DCEMRI was performed for six slices, using T1 mapping with partial inversion recovery (TAPIR) to calculate T1 values, following administration of 0.025 mmol/kg gadolinium DTPA. The transfer rate (Ki) was calculated using the Patlak model, and Ki within CCMs was compared to normal-appearing white matter as well as to 17 normal control subjects previously studied. All subjects had typical MRI appearance of CCMs. Thirty-nine CCMs were studied using DCEMRI. Ki was low or normal in 12 lesions and elevated from 1.4 to 12 times higher than background in the remaining 27 lesions. Ki ranged from 2.1E-6 to 9.63E-4 min(-1), mean 3.55E-4. Normal-appearing white matter in the CCM patients had a mean Ki of 1.57E-4, not statistically different from mean WM Ki of 1.47E-4 in controls. TAPIR-based DCEMRI technique permits quantifiable assessment of CCMs in vivo and reveals considerable differences not seen with conventional MRI. Potential applications include correlation with biologic behavior such as lesion growth or hemorrage, and measurement of drug effects.
Magnetic reversal of ion beam patterned Co/Pt multilayers

Abstract The characteristics of the reversal processes of magnetic arrays fabricated by ion-irradiation of Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy are reported. Magnetic patterns with periodicities from 1 μm to 100 nm were patterned. A correlation between the pattern size, magnetic reversal and grain size is presented.
3-D Fit Mapping

One of the biggest advantages of 3-D surface anthropometry is the ability to capture the 3-D interface between the person and the equipment they wear or use. When combined with fit performance information this permits measurement and visualization of the geometry of fit for individuals. It dramatically improves our understanding of fit, and our ability to create accurate fit maps in multi-dimensional anthropometric spaces. This paper will attempt to demonstrate with real examples, that capturing and mapping fit is essential to effective engineering, and that 3-D surface anthropometry dramatically improves our fit mapping capability.
Analysis of tert-butyl hydroperoxide induced constrictions of perfused vascular beds in vitro.

Abstract tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH), an inducer of oxidative stress in vitro, elicits constrictor responses of the isolated, rat kidney and mesenteric arteries perfused (5 ml/min) with physiological salt solutions (PSS) at 37°C gassed with carbogen. We hypothesized that generation of superoxide anions (O2−) accounts for these responses. We assessed responses to t-BOOH in preparations with/without endothelium, and in the absence/presence of antioxidant compounds, catalase and tempol, scavengers of hydroxyl (OH−) radical and O2−, respectively. t-BOOH (0.01–50 μmol) induced (expressed as % of 50 μmol KCl vasoconstriction) were abolished by endothelium denudation, perfusion with Ca2+-free PSS and by nifedipine, (1 nM). Infusion of t-BOOH (0.1 μM) did not significantly (P > 0.05) affect phenylepherine Emax in the mesenteric arteries, however it reduced phenylepherine Emax responses in the kidney from 94.9 ± 3.9 % to 64.7 ± 4.7 %. Nitroblue tetrazolium, as well as α-phenyl N-tert-butyl nitrone, at 100 μM, but not catalase (500 IU) significantly attenuated t-BOOH (10 μmol) vasoconstrictor responses. Tempol (100 μM), a membrane permeable antioxidant, also significantly reduced t-BOOH (10 μmol) responses from 17.0 ± 1.9 % (control) to 9.6 ± 0.5 % (+tempol) in the mesenteric arteries and from 40.4 ± 4.2 % (control) to 20.7 ± 1.5 % (+tempol) in the kidney. Our data suggest that t-BOOH elicits vasoconstriction via two distinct mechanisms: (i) increased influx of extracellular Ca2+, and (ii) generation of free radicals including O2− anions.
Shaman/Scientist: Jungian Insights for the Anthropological Study of Religion

Anthropology still regards the experience of religion the same way it did when its interpretive paradigm was based on "scientific objectivity." To understand this situation, the work of C. G. Jung is helpful in two ways. First, by exploring how anthropology has dismissed Jung as a cultural universalist and/or mystic, often without an actual consideration of his writings, we see how he signifies what the field defines itself against. Second, Jung's empirical forays into the religious worldview provide us with both methodological and descriptive insights about that realm in which many of our informants (and even some anthropologists) live.
Elicitor stimulation of the defense response in cultured plant cells monitored by fluorescent dyes

Addition of fungal elicitors to plant cells in suspension is known to stimulate biochemical changes in the plant cell leading to production of defense compounds. In this paper we demonstrate that introduction of elicitors from the pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae to cultured cotton, tobacco, or soybean cells leads to a rapid, dramatic change in the fluorescence of several membrane-associated potentiometric or pH-sensitive dyes. The fluorescence transitions occur abruptly following a brief (0 to 10 min) lag period in apparently most cells of the suspension simultaneously. Furthermore, both the length of the lag period and the rate of the subsequent fluorescence change were shown to be highly dependent on elicitor concentration. When the crude elicitor extract was separated by gel filtration chromatography into several active fractions, the ability of each fraction to stimulate phytoalexin production in the cotton cell suspension was found to correlate directly with the rate of the fluorescence decrease in the fluorescence assay. Because the assay is rapid, simple to perform, quantitative, and reproducible, it represents an attractive alternative to the more cumbersome and perhaps less quantitative elicitor assays currently in use. The fact that membrane-potential-sensitive dyes of different structure respond to elicitation of plant cells similarly further suggests, but does not prove, that asymmetric ion fluxes into or out of the plant cell are involved in the initial events of elicitor signal transduction.
Multi-tenant Cloud Computing: From Cruise Liners to Container Ships

As a multi-tenant service, cloud computing may be compared to container ships and cruise lines, which also provide services to large numbers of independent customers. To be cost-effective, cloud computing needs to be more like container shipping, with standardized containers, optimized costs, and automated assurances of non-interference from other cargo. Trusted infrastructures offer key technology elements that deliver these assurances.
Scanning tunnelling microscopy of charge density waves in 1T-TaS2

SUMMARY Using a variable temperature scanning tunnelling microscope we have observed both the lattice and the triple charge density wave (CDW) in 1T-TaS2. We obtained images of the nearly-commensurate (NC) phase between 350 and 200 K and the triclinic (T) phase between 220 and 280 K. We analysed the images to determine the local angle of rotation of the CDW relative to the lattice to determine if commensurate domains exist in this material. In the NC phase we do not see the hexagonal discommensurate domains proposed by Nakanishi el al. (1977), but observe a structure which is uniformly incommensurate. The orientation of the CDW relative to the lattice is observed to be locally incommensurate and to vary continuously with temperature as reported by Scruby et al. (1975). However, in the T phase we observe long narrow commensurate domains very similar to those described by Nakanishi and Shiba (1984) for this phase.
The Reaction of Hydrogen and Oxygen in the Presence of Concretes Incorporating Simulated Radioactive Waste

The radiolysis of contained water, with the potential of pressurization due to the accumulation of the radiolytically produced gases, has been identified as a major concern for radioactive wastes fixed in cementitious matrices (1). One estimate (1) of the pressure buildup is that about 100 atm could accumulate in a standard canister containing alpha waste after 100,000 years. However, even for this pressure, the rate of gas production would be sma~l. For example, a standard 200-liter canister containing 10 g of 23 Pu dispersed in concrete containing normal concentrations of unbound water would generate a maximum of about 1 ml of H2 per day. Since the radiolysis of concrete is dependent on the amount of unbound or free water present in the system, removal of all or most of this water would greatly reduce this rate (2). Regardless of the production rate, however, pressurization from the accumulation of hydrogen and oxygen would be avoided if there were sufficient recombination of these gases during or after their generation. These studies were undertaken to determine the recombination rates obtained with special cementitious matrices.
Spontaneous eosinophilic nasal inflammation in a genetically-mutant mouse: comparative study with an allergic inflammation model.

Background Eosinophilic inflammation is a hallmark of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. To model this disease process experimentally, nasal sensitization of mice with ovalbumin or aspergillus has been described. Here, we describe a genetically mutant mouse that develops robust spontaneous nasal eosinophilic inflammation. These mice lack the enzyme SHP-1 that down-regulates the IL-4Rα/stat6 signaling pathway. We compared nasal inflammation and inflammatory mediators in SHP-1 deficient mice (mev) and an ovalbumin-induced nasal allergy model.
Asymmetrically distributed PAR-3 protein contributes to cell polarity and spindle alignment in early C. elegans embryos

The par-3 gene is required for establishing polarity in early C. elegans embryos. Embryos from par-3 homozygous mothers show defects in segregation of cytoplasmic determinants and in positioning of the early cleavage spindles. We report here that the PAR-3 protein is asymmetrically distributed at the periphery of the zygote and asymmetrically dividing blastomeres of the germline lineage. The PAR-3 distribution is roughly the reciprocal of PAR-1, another protein required for establishing embryonic polarity in C. elegans. Analysis of the distribution of PAR-3 and PAR-1 in other par mutants reveals that par-2 activity is required for proper localization of PAR-3 and that PAR-3 is required for proper localization of PAR-1. In addition, the distribution of the PAR-3 protein correlates with differences in cleavage spindle orientation and suggests a mechanism by which PAR-3 contributes to control of cleavage pattern.