cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computational modelling of category stability in segment pairs participating in perceptual asymmetry

Certain unidirectional sound changes show a similarity to the laboratory phenomenon of asymmetrical misperception. The unidirectionality of these processes mirror the dissimilar confusion rates of the two segments. Despite the similarity of these processes, it is not clear what role perceptual asymmetry plays in conditioning these changes. This study employs modeling to simulate change in the characteristics of consonant pairs whose confusion rates pattern with a unidirectional sound change: /k/-to-/t/ (before /i/) and /k/-to-/p/ (before /u/). Ten native AmEng speakers were recorded producing CVC words, where the initial consonant was /p/, /t/, or /k/ and the vowel varied in height and backness. Reduced and unreduced variants were elicited. Acoustically relevant features distinguishing /k/ from /t/ and /k/ from /p/ were identified using random forests. Reduced productions of /k/ and /p/ and /k/ and /t/, respectively, show higher acoustic similarity in vocalic contexts favoring increased confusability. This tendency toward acoustic similarity is predicted to condition category convergence. However, a language learner’s category may be better informed by tokens that show less acoustic similarity to tokens of another category, predicted to condition divergence. Modelled results suggest that the stability of phonetic categories is sensitive to the relative weighting of these two forces.Certain unidirectional sound changes show a similarity to the laboratory phenomenon of asymmetrical misperception. The unidirectionality of these processes mirror the dissimilar confusion rates of the two segments. Despite the similarity of these processes, it is not clear what role perceptual asymmetry plays in conditioning these changes. This study employs modeling to simulate change in the characteristics of consonant pairs whose confusion rates pattern with a unidirectional sound change: /k/-to-/t/ (before /i/) and /k/-to-/p/ (before /u/). Ten native AmEng speakers were recorded producing CVC words, where the initial consonant was /p/, /t/, or /k/ and the vowel varied in height and backness. Reduced and unreduced variants were elicited. Acoustically relevant features distinguishing /k/ from /t/ and /k/ from /p/ were identified using random forests. Reduced productions of /k/ and /p/ and /k/ and /t/, respectively, show higher acoustic similarity in vocalic contexts favoring increased confusability. Thi...
Design Factors for Two-Dimensional, External-Compression Supersonic Inlets

Geometric and aerodynamic design factors were studied for the design of two-dimensional, external-compression inlets operating at a freestream Mach number of Mach 1.7. Computational simulations of the inlet flows were performed to obtain the inlet performance metrics consisting of the inlet flow rates, total pressure recovery, and total pressure distortion at the engine face. The key design factors identified included the external diffuser Mach number, cowl lip interior angle, bleed slot length, throat section aft centerbody slope, and subsonic diffuser length. Using the results of the Mach 1.7 inlet study, inlets were designed for Mach 1.4 and 2.0. The results provide useful insight on the significance of the design factors for the design of such inlets for commercial supersonic aircraft.
Deep learning methods for segmentation of lines in pediatric chest radiographs

Surgical procedures often require the use of catheters, tubes, and lines, collectively called lines. Misplaced lines can cause serious complications, such as pneumothorax, cardiac perforation, or thrombosis. To prevent these problems, radiologists examine chest radiographs after insertion and throughout intensive care to evaluate their placement. This process is time consuming, and incorrect interpretations occur with notable frequency. Fast and reliable automatic interpretations could potentially reduce the cost of these surgical operations, decrease the workload of radiologists, and improve the quality of care for patients. We develop a segmentation model which can highlight the medically relevant lines in pediatric chest radiographs using deep learning. We propose a two-stage segmentation network which first classifies whether images have medically relevant lines and then segments images with lines. For the segmentation stage, we use the popular U-Net architecture substituting the encoder path with multiple state-of-the-art CNN encoders. Our study compares the performance of different permutations of model architectures for the task of highlighting lines in pediatric chest radiographs and demonstrates the effectiveness of the two-stage architecture.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prescribing patterns among gynecologic oncologists.

e20637 Background: Gynecologic cancer survivors have indicated inadequate treatment of their menopausal symptoms; and while HRT can significantly improve quality of life (QOL) its safety is still d...
Negation, Conjunction, and Events

I am now confronted with another problem. If it is granted that “there are events (whatever their ontological status)” is indubitable, I think it will also be conceded that we never find unrelated events. So although the ultimate metaphysical unit is symbolized by the expression ‘fx’, we never do find ‘fx’ alone and we should be tempted to conclude that we never accost a simple event. From the point of view of experience of whatever kind, we must, I believe, admit that we never experience a simple, isolated event but always interrelated or connected ones and hence any language should mirror (or symbolize) this. Something else is beginning to be evident. The metaphysical language seems to be an interpretation of logic; or conversely, logic, as a language, seems so far to be the symbolization of a non-symbolic informal metaphysical language. If what I am doing is correct so far, the discussion over the question “does logic involve ontology in any way?” would seem at long last to give promise of being terminated by demonstrating not only that it does but how it does it. But let us not involve ourselves here in this dispute.
Occupational Health Disparities among Racial and Ethnic Minorities: Lessons from Diverse Research Frameworks

The current paper aims to advance research on occupational health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities. We review the historical context and development of the field of occupational health disparities, and review a diverse set of national research frameworks. Our work is based on the Diversified Portfolio Model (DPM) of adaptability (Chandra and Leong 2016) which maintains that diversification promotes greater adaptability. Since diversification bestows adaptive advantages in multiple arenas of human endeavor, we proposed that an analysis of diverse theoretical models for studying occupational health disparities would also benefit the field of Occupational Health Science. The theoretical frameworks reviewed include: (a) The National Institute of Aging’s (NIA) health disparities framework, (b) An Epidemiological Framework, (c) The Transformation for Health Framework, and (d) The Cultural Adaptations Framework. We summarize lessons and highlight the need for incorporating change perspectives, prevention-oriented approaches, and mixed-methods approaches to address occupational health disparities.
Initial experience with transanal proctectomy in children

Abstract Background The use of transanal proctectomy may have particular advantages for pediatric patients with small pelvic working space. We report short-term outcomes of transanal completion proctectomy (taCP) during surgery for inflammatory bowel disease. Methods All patients (age≤19) underwent taCP from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. Prior total abdominal colectomy (TAC) was performed using a single-incision technique. At operation, patients underwent single-incision laparoscopy with taCP. Patient demographics, pre and perioperative details, and postoperative complications were abstracted. Results Seven patients (n = 6) with a median age of 18 years [Range: 13–19] were included in this initial series. All patients had a prior TAC with end-ileostomy with taCP occurring a median of 6 [Range: 3–89] months after TAC. Six of 7 had a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) while 1 patient had Crohn's colitis. For patients with UC, taCP was part of an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis with the majority (n = 4) proceeding as a modified-two stage and the remaining (n = 2) a three-stage approach. Single-incision laparoscopy through the prior ileostomy site was used in all IPAA patients. Median operative time was 226 [Range: 150–264] minutes with no conversions to more invasive technique. Median hospital length of stay (LOS) was 5 [Range: 2–8] days. In-hospital complications occurred in two patients who had watery diarrhea that prolonged LOS but resolved postdischarge. One patient was readmitted for bowel obstruction that resolved with placement of red rubber catheter at the ileostomy site. Of the 4 patients with a functioning ileal pouch, 1 patient reported 6–10 bowel movements per day, while 3 others reported ≤5 bowel movements per day. Half (n = 2) reported 1–2 nocturnal bowel movements at their first postoperative visit. No patients reported soiling or leakage, though one patient had a single episode of incontinence. Conclusion In this pilot series, transanal proctectomy was effective and safe. Future work should compare traditional MIS completion proctectomy to taCP for applications in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Type of study : Case series. Level of Evidence : IV.
Closing the Mentorship Gap: Implementation of Speed Mentoring Events for Women Faculty and Trainees in Anesthesiology

Introduction: Mentorship is a key component to success in academic medicine. Women are under-represented in leadership positions within medicine. Women are less likely to identify mentors than men....
Thermal Energy Produced by Medium Velocity Pistol Projectiles and the Effects on Peripheral Nerve Tissue

# CONTEXT Sidearm pistols are more frequently involved in violent crimes due to their relatively small size and ability to be concealed. The extent to which the thermal energy released from such medium velocity pistol projectiles contributes to peripheral nerve injury requires further testing. The purpose of this paper is to describe a method to quantify how much thermal energy is released during impact of medium velocity pistol projectiles and report how thermal energy contributes to peripheral nerve injury. # METHODS Eleven seven-centimeter segments of radial, median, and ulnar nerves were dissected from a thawed fresh frozen cadaver. The nerve segments were placed in a 10% ballistics gel block, one centimeter from the end of the block nearest the shooter. A series of 115-grain 9 mm. NATO-classified ammunitions were fired through the nerve and ballistics gel construct with a pistol. The impacts were recorded with a high-speed infrared camera and nerve samples were sent for histologic analysis by two board-certified pathologists. # RESULTS The average velocity of the projectiles were 391m/s, 95% CI [387-395 m/s], with an average kinetic energy of 572.0 J, 95% CI [560.0-583.0J]. The average observable temperature of the ballistics gel/nerve prior to impact was 28.8°C±0.6oC, 95% CI [26.4-30.3°C]. Average observable temperature of the surrounding ballistics gel/nerve during projectile impact was 55.1°C±2.4oC, 95% CI [51.3- 62.1°C], yielding an average observable increase of 26.4°C±3.2oC, 95% CI [20.2- 35.4°C]. An adjusted temperature increase was also surprisingly high 63.4°C ± 3.2, 95% CI [57.2 – 72.4oC]. Histology reports of the impacted nerve tissue failed to show any sign of thermal or even crush injury. # CONCLUSIONS Medium velocity handgun projectiles release a significant amount of heat energy when impacting a substance similar to human tissue. The authors’ temperature data points were greater than those previously reported to cause thermal injury to peripheral nerves. The authors’ findings suggest that nerve injury after collision with pistol projectiles may be secondary to thermal injury in addition to the classic model of concussion and penetration given our documented levels of heat generated during impact.
Optimal antenatal corticosteroid exposure in women with history of preterm birth and asymptomatic short cervical length.

BACKGROUND A proposed benefit of cervical length assessment after 24 weeks’ gestation in women with a history of preterm birth is to aid in the timing of antenatal corticosteroids in otherwise asymptomatic women. OBJECTIVE We sought to investigate whether the use of an ultrasonographic short cervical length as an indication for antenatal corticosteroids in asymptomatic women results in optimal exposure compared with women receiving antenatal corticosteroids for preterm labor symptoms. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study of all women with a previous spontaneous preterm birth and a singleton gestation who underwent serial cervical length assessment at a large academic tertiary medical center from 2011 to 2016. Patients were included in the analysis if they received antenatal corticosteroids for either an asymptomatic short cervical length or symptoms of preterm labor. The primary outcome was optimal antenatal corticosteroids exposure (latency to delivery of ≤7 days). Proposed change in results Poisson regression with robust error variance was used to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRR) and confidence intervals (CI) for primary and secondary outcomes adjusting for primary and secondary outcomes adjusting for race, earliest previous preterm birth, and current cerclage. RESULTS There were 287 women meeting inclusion criteria, among whom 166 (57.8%) received antenatal corticosteroids for a short cervical length and 121 (42.2%) for preterm labor symptoms. Women who received antenatal corticosteroids for a short cervical length were less likely to have optimal exposure (1.2% vs 19.0%; incidence rate ratios, 0.06; confidence interval, 0.02–0.27) compared with women with preterm labor symptoms. They were also more likely to have exposure with eventual term delivery (43.2% vs 33.4%; incidence rate ratios, 1.6; confidence interval, 1.2–2.0). Importantly, women who received antenatal corticosteroids for a short cervical length were significantly less likely to receive either an initial or rescue antenatal corticosteroids course within 7 days of a preterm delivery of less than 34 weeks’ gestation (42.9% vs 76.9%; incidence rate ratios, 0.52; confidence interval, 0.35–0.75). CONCLUSION Women with a previous preterm birth who receive antenatal corticosteroids for an asymptomatic short cervical length are less likely to have optimal exposure than women with symptoms of preterm labor. These data challenge the practice of cervical length surveillance for the sole indication of timing antenatal corticosteroids administration.
Blockchain-Enabled Spectrum Management for the Internet of Things

Increasing pressure on spectrum resources has prompted new approaches to spectrum sharing and coexistence, and will require new technology and policy tools. The Internet of Things is expected to scale to billions of devices, most of which will be connected wirelessly. A blockchain-based distributed application is one approach to managing IoT devices. In this paper I demonstrate how distribution of spectrum policies, along with other services, could be done for reconfigurable IoT devices via the blockchain. The blockchain is decentralized, consensus-based, and could manage policies that are machine readable. This enables spectrum policies to move beyond static documents to become autonomous, dynamic, self-enforcing, secure, transparent, and auditable code that runs on the blockchain. The blockchain enables a new approach to managing the policies, parameters, and transactions required for spectrum coexistence for IoT devices. Submission endorsed by Professor Timothy X Brown.
A Literature Content Analysis of Performance Incentives and Organizational Development Practices Focused on Nursing Job Satisfaction in Complex Health

In 2016, millennials surpassed Baby Boomers as the largest living generation in the United States. As more millennials have entered the nursing workforce, healthcare leaders have confronted a growing challenge of nursing shortages and high turnover rates for young nurses. Although nurses of all ages were pleased with their career choices, differences exist in how nurses in various age groups view job satisfaction, ideal workplace cultures, and workplace rewards. Generational differences among the nursing workforce have resulted in an increase in turnover, decreased retention, motivation, and job loyalty that have comprised the work environment of healthcare facilities. This inquiry uses an exploratory content analysis of the literature to understand the complex health administration challenges of creating managing, motivating, and retaining nurses.
Infrared Cyclotron Resonance and Magneto-optical Band Gap Effects in InSb

In the presence of a magnetic field, H z , the energy levels of a simple energy band are coalesced into “one-dimensional” magnetic sub-bands of the form [1] (1) where k z is the propagation vector in the z-direction, m*, is the effective mass of the carriers, is the energy separation between the minima of m*c the magnetic sub-bands, l is a positive integer or zero, and the condition for obtaining well defined sub-bands is that ω c , be larger than the reciprocal of the collision relaxation time, τ, of the carriers. Cyclotron resonance absorption involves vertical optical transitions between adjacent magnetic sub-bands.
Are Asthma and COPD a Continuum of the Same Disease

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common heterogeneous diseases with significant impact on morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. In most of the cases, the main features and pathophysiology differ substantially between both asthma and COPD, which allows differentiating both entities and providing appropriate treatment. The recognition of a subgroup of patients who present clinically with features of both conditions, asthma chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome, has reignited the question of whether asthma and COPD are different manifestations of the same disease or unique processes, the so-called Dutch hypothesis versus British hypothesis controversy. There is enough heterogeneity in the clinical and mechanistic profiles of these 3 diseases, and subsets of these 3 diseases, to suggest that a new approach relying on the concept of endotypes of obstructive airways disease may be more useful. This characterization has provided the basis for opening new areas of research that may eventually lead to the development of new targeted drugs. This review focuses on the current knowledge of asthma, COPD, and asthma chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome phenotypes with emphasis on mechanisms of disease and how these may define endotypes, providing a more rational approach to research and clinical care.
The Modern Scramble for Africa: China - Africa Relations

Akin to the Western world, China has been intrigued by Africas rich mosaic of diversity dating as far back as the 6th century. As a permanent member of the UNSC and the worlds second largest economy, China has made Africa a front line in its pursuits of more global influence (Foster, 7). From Lagos to Nairobi, the Chinese have transformed the strategic context which includes obtaining control of natural resource assets, to outbidding Western contractors to offering soft loans and other enticements to bolster its competitive advantage (Foster, 7). Africa is no longer the United States and Western Europes only chasse garde (hunting ground). China and other emerging economies are the leading contenders in the modern day Scramble for Africa (Jopson 1). In this paper, I will investigate how the African continent continues to be the epicenter of the world for the scramble of her natural resources which exemplify the wealthiest region of minerals on the planet. First, I will succinctly examine the emergence of China as an economic competitor to the West and her interests for Africa. Second, I will briefly examine Chinas relationship with the Republic of Sudan. Next, I will define and investigate neo-colonialism in contemporary Africa, and examine whether China is currently engaged in this practice, and compare and contrast the West versus Chinas role as global powers. Finally, I will examine Africas future.
Asynchronous Online Discussions: Perceptions on Second Language Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking

This study was implemented in a foundation program at a U.S. university located in the State of Qatar. Participants were Arab students enrolled in an integrated advanced writing and reading course according to their results on the IELTS test. Their placement in the foundation program also required students to take courses in physics, chemistry, calculus, and biology, in addition to the English for Academic Purposes course. The instructor identified a need to enhance writing fluency and focused discussions through the use of an online tool available in the course’s learning management system (LMS) called Canvas. This study concentrated on Arab second language learners’ perceptions of learning with technology in general and face to face versus online discussions in particular. It also explored students’ attitudes towards the role of asynchronous online discussions tool in reading comprehension and reflection, its efficacy in promoting an online writing community, and the learning challenges perceived by study participants.
Transfer of Sugars from Nucleoside Diphosphosugar Compounds to Endogenous and Synthetic Dolichyl Phosphate in Human Lymphocytes

Abstract Whole cell homogenate or membranes from human lymphocytes catalyzed the transfer of sugars from nucleoside diphosphosugar compounds to lipid and complex glycan. Transfer from GDP-mannose, UDP-glucose, or UDP-acetylglucosamine to lipid was stimulated by synthetic dolichyl phosphate (a new synthesis of which is described). No lipid was produced from GDP-fucose, UDP-galactose, or CMP-sialic acid, but complex glycan was labeled in all cases. The lipid formed from GDP-mannose and either endogenous acceptor or synthetic dolichyl phosphate chromatographed in the same position as synthetic dolichyl phosphomannose in three solvent systems, and was further characterized as dolichyl phosphomannose. Products formed by stimulation with C55-ficaprenyl phosphate, C45-solanesyl phosphate, or C15-farnesyl phosphate could be distinguished chromatographically from dolichyl phosphomannose. Three lipid products were formed from UDP-glucose. The formation of one of these which chromatographed near dolichyl phosphomannose was stimulated by dolichyl phosphate. Three lipid products were formed in small amounts from UDP-acetylglucosamine. Formation of all three was stimulated by dolichyl phosphate.
Concordant molecular and phenotypic data delineate new taxonomy and conservation priorities for the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog

The mountain yellow-legged frog Rana muscosa sensu lato, once abundant in the Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada, and the disjunct Transverse Ranges of southern California, has declined precipitously throughout its range, even though most of its habitat is protected. The species is now extinct in Nevada and reduced to tiny remnants in southern California, where as a distinct population segment, it is classified as Endangered. Introduced predators (trout), air pollution and an infectious disease (chytridiomycosis) threaten remaining populations. A Bayesian analysis of 1901 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA confirms the presence of two deeply divergent clades that come into near contact in the Sierra Nevada. Morphological studies of museum specimens and analysis of acoustic data show that the two major mtDNA clades are readily differentiated phenotypically. Accordingly, we recognize two species, Rana sierrae, in the northern and central Sierra Nevada, and R. muscosa, in the southern Sierra Nevada and southern California. Existing data indicate no range overlap. These results have important implications for the conservation of these two species as they illuminate a profound mismatch between the current delineation of the distinct population segments (southern California vs. Sierra Nevada) and actual species boundaries. For example, our study finds that remnant populations of R. muscosa exist in both the southern Sierra Nevada and the mountains of southern California, which may broaden options for management. In addition, despite the fact that only the southern California populations are listed as Endangered, surveys conducted since 1995 at 225 historic (1899-1994) localities from museum collections show that 93.3% (n=146) of R. sierrae populations and 95.2% (n=79) of R. muscosa populations are extinct. Evidence presented here underscores the need for revision of protected population status to include both species throughout their ranges.
Rebuild options in RAID5 disk arrays

The response time of disk accesses in RAID5 disk arrays degrades when one of the N+1 disks fails and there is a further degradation by the interference caused by rebuild processing. In addition to giving user accesses a higher non-preemptive priority over track reads for rebuild, we consider: (i) the read redirection option; (ii) split-seek option, i.e., allowing user requests to preempt track reads after a seek is completed; (iii) the split-latency/transfer option, i.e., allowing user requests to preempt track reads, Simulation results show that for lower disk utilizations the split-latency/transfer option is desirable in that it reduces response time, while not increasing rebuild time considerably. At higher disk utilizations the response time attained by the split-latency transfer option is comparable to that attained by less preemptive options with shorter rebuild times. A new metric, excess cumulative response time, is defined to compare the efficiency of rebuild options.
Nonlinear optical properties and applications of silicon and germanium quantum dot nanocamposites

We report on the characterization of the dispersion and temporal response of the complex third order nonlinear optical properties of silicon and germanium quantum dot nanocomposites and its dependence on the nature of the nanocomposite.
Vaccination schedules to raise antibody concentrations against epsilon-toxin of Clostridium perfringens in ewes and their triplet lambs.

The objective of this experiment was to compare vaccination schedules for ewes and their lambs to raise antibody concentrations to epsilon-toxin of Clostridium perfringens, the causative agent of enterotoxemia. Half of 200 Finnsheep x Dorset ewes were vaccinated with C. perfringens type D toxoid vaccine 3 wk before lambing. Serum samples were obtained from 20 ewes that were to be vaccinated and 20 ewes that would remain unvaccinated before treatment and at wk 2, 1, and 0 before the start of lambing. Antibody concentrations in sera of unvaccinated ewes remained at 2 IU/mL, but they peaked in vaccinated ewes at 15 IU/mL by wk 1 before lambing. Lambs from each of the first 13 and the first 14 sets of triplets from vaccinated and unvaccinated ewes, respectively, received one of three vaccination treatments: no vaccine (control), vaccination on d 1 and 21 of age, or vaccination on d 21 and 42 of age. Antibody concentrations declined in sera of vaccinated ewes from 8.5 IU/mL immediately after lambing to 3 IU/mL 12 wk later. Vaccination of lambs did not increase sera antibody concentration. However, prepartum vaccination of ewes significantly increased lamb antibody concentrations (19 IU/mL) compared with lambs reared by unvaccinated ewes (2 IU/mL). Vaccination of ewes resulted in lambs with higher antibody concentrations until wk 10 postpartum. Concentrations declined to .6 IU/mL in all lambs at 12 wk. Because concentrations of .2 IU/mL may be protective, these results indicate that vaccination of ewes before lambing imparts passive protection in lambs to 12 wk of age, whereas vaccination of young lambs provides no added protection.
Zwitterionic amphiphilic homopolymer assemblies

Zwitterionic amphiphilic homopolymers can be conveniently prepared in one-pot using activated ester-based polymer precursors. We show that these zwitterionic polymers can (i) spontaneously self-assemble to form micelle-like and inverse micelle-like assemblies depending on the solvent environment; (ii) act as hydrophilic and hydrophobic nanocontainers in apolar and polar solvents respectively; (iii) undergo pH-responsive surface charge and size variations; and (iv) exhibit the least cytotoxicity compared to the structurally analogous amphiphilic homopolymers.
Spontaneous Transformations in the Solid State: Towards Porous and Biphasic Materials

Epitaxial thin films of Mn 3 O 4 and ZnMn 2 O 4 have been grown hydrothermally on (100) and (111) MgAl 2 O 4 substrates. Film growth was characterized as a function of p H, concentration, and time and thin film X-ray diffraction revealed that the resulting films are an epitaxial continuation of the underlying spinel lattice. Reduction of these films to MnO occurred topotactically and in the case of ZnMn 2 O 4 , resulted in mesopores aligned along the directions. As the films maintain an epitaxial relationship with the substrate, the mesopores are aligned macroscopically within a single crystal lattice.
The Stars are Aligned: Nurses Must Exercise Their Voice

The author develops in this editorial a claiming discourse whose purpose is to draw attention to the nurses to make their voices heard at a particularly propitious time for it (the stars are aligned). Afaf Meleis describes the current situation as the ideal for the nursing profession, finally, exercise your voice and contribute to optimizer health care through greater presence of nursing in all areas related to health. Demographic, educational, social and health changes, increasingly require the presence of nurses to optimize the quality of care, especially self-care.
Troxacitabine, A Novel Dioxolane Nucleoside Analog, Has Activity in Patients With Advanced Leukemia

PURPOSE: To investigate the toxicity profile, activity, and pharmacokinetics of a novel l-nucleoside analog, troxacitabine (BCH-4556), in patients with advanced leukemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with refractory or relapsed acute myeloid (AML) or lymphocytic (ALL) leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), or chronic myelogenous leukemia in blastic phase (CML-BP). Troxacitabine was given as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes daily for 5 days. The starting dose was 0.72 mg/m2/d (3.6 mg/m2/course). Courses were given every 3 to 4 weeks according to toxicity and antileukemic efficacy. The dose was escalated by 50% until grade 2 toxicity was observed, and then by 30% to 35% until the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined. RESULTS: Forty-two patients (AML: 31 patients; MDS: six patients [five MDS + one CMML]; ALL: four patients; CML-BP: one patient) were treated. Median age was 61 years (range, 23 to 79 years), and 29 patients were males. Stomatitis and hand-foot syndrome were the DLTs. The MTD w...
Observations on the value of clinical electromyography.

The electromyogram is of use in the diagnosis of lesions in which the demonstration of minimal lower motor neuron disease is of importance. These lesions can often be found in no other way. It is also of value in certain neurosurgical problems not frequently encountered. Furthermore, while the electromyogram is in no sense a substitute for a complete history and a careful physical and neurological examination, it sometimes leads to an important finding previously overlooked, or indicates the need for further investigative measures, such as myelography2.
SU‐FF‐T‐380: The Application of MRI Pulse Sequences for In‐Vivo Verification of the Proton Beam Radiotherapy

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical feasibility and effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) for quality assurance and dosimetry in proton beam therapy. The hypothesis is that as MRI relies on the relaxation times of protons within chemical compounds present in the tumor that are affected by proton beam therapy. Therefore, the biochemical response of the tumor site to proton therapy should be visible on the MRI machine after 1 or more days post‐treatment. Materials & Methods: A 1.5 Tesla MRI machine was used in the present study. Several gel and animal tissue phantoms were made to assess the feasibility of the MRI to quantitatively and qualitatively capture the additional therapeutic protons. The protons have a finite range in the gel/tissue, where the majority of the protons accumulate at the end of the range. The gel phantoms were composed of either gelatin (high content of water) or mayonnaise (high content of fatty compounds). The tissue phantom was composed of bovine tissue with muscle and fat. The proton beams used had a range of 16cm in water (160 MeV kinetic energy) and modulation of 6cm. A total dose of 50 cGray was delivered, which took a total of 5 minutes. Each phantom was imaged with dedicated T1, T2 and T2* weighted MR sequences post‐proton irradiation. Results: A T1 (3D VIBE) image (TE=2.45ms, TR=5.27ms) of the gelatin and bovine tissue produced a bright oval region representing the end‐of‐range to within 3mm of the proton treatment. While a T2* image (TE=48ms and TR=2200ms) for the mayonnaise phantom indicated a large bright area in the phantom representing the broad proton beam irradiating the phantom. Conclusions: Preliminary results obtained with gelatin, mayonnaise and bovine tissue indicates that MRI is an excellent tool for quality assuranceproton range.
Crop-specific mortality of southern green stink bug eggs in Bt- and non-Bt cotton, soybean and peanut

Abstract Increasing insecticide use against stink bugs erodes benefits accrued to cotton production in the southeastern USA by eradication of the boll weevil and widespread use of Bt-transgenic cotton. Biological control programs designed to mitigate the impact of these pests would be beneficial; therefore, we sought to identify and assess naturally occurring biological control agents of stink bug eggs in cotton, peanut and soybeans, three important crops and stink bug hosts in the region. Two studies were conducted utilising digital imaging of sentinel egg masses to capture enemies present and sequential imaging over time to characterise the type and amount of damage inflicted on the egg masses. The first study utilised plots of soybean, Bt cotton, non-Bt cotton and peanut. The second study focused on ant predation in cotton by excluding fire ants from half of the plots. Sentinel egg masses of the southern green stink bug were placed in all plots at weekly intervals and were photographed at placement and...
Towards Uniformly Distributed Compliance in Compliant Mechanisms: A Multi-Objective Approach

Researchers in the field of optimal synthesis of compliant mechanisms have been working to develop tools that yield distributed compliant devices to perform specific tasks. However, it has been demonstrated in the literature that much of this work has resulted in mechanisms that localize compliance rather than distribute it as desired. In fact, Yin and Ananthasuresh (2003) [1] demonstrate that based on the current formulation of optimality criteria and analysis via the finite element (FE) technique, a lumped compliant device will always exist as the minimizing solution to the objective function. The addition of constraints on allowable strain simply moves the solution back from this objective. Therefore, modification to the standard optimality criteria needs to take place. Yin and Ananthasuresh [1] proposed and compared several approaches that include distributivity-based measures within the optimality criteria, and demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach. In this paper, the authors propose to build on this problem. In a similar manner, a general approach to the topology synthesis problem will be suggested to yield mechanisms in which the compliance is distributed throughout the device. This work will be based on the idea of including compliance distribution directly within the objective functions, while addressing some of the potential limiting factors in past approaches. The technique will be generalized to allow simple addition of criteria in the future, and to deliver optimal designs through to manufacture. This work will first revisit and propose several quantitative definitions for distributed compliant devices. Then, a multi-objective formulation based on a non-dominating sort and Pareto set method will be incorporated that will provide information on the nature of the problem and compatibility of employed objective functions.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Deformation and stability of drops and bubbles in an electric field

Abstract The stability of spheroidal drops and bubbles with respect to deformation under an electric field is analysed by considering the free energy. Instability for drops occurs when the permittivity and aspect ratio exceed certain critical values. For bubbles, a minimum energy configuration is always possible.
Export fluxes of particulate organic carbon in the Chukchi Sea: A comparative study using 234Th/238U disequilibria and drifting sediment traps

Abstract Large-volume sampling of 234Th and drifting sediment trap deployments were conducted as part of the 2004 Western Arctic Shelf–Basin Interactions (SBI) spring (May 15–June 23) and summer (July 17–August 26) process cruises in the Chukchi Sea. Measurements of 234Th and particulate organic carbon (POC) export fluxes were obtained at five stations during the spring cruise and four stations during the summer cruise along Barrow Canyon (BC) and along a parallel shelf-to-basin transect from East Hanna Shoal (EHS) to the Canada Basin. 234Th and POC fluxes obtained with in situ pumps and drifting sediment traps agreed to within a factor of 2 for 70% of the measurements. POC export fluxes measured with in situ pumps at 50 m along BC were similar in spring and summer (average = 14.0 ± 8.0 mmol C m− 2 day− 1 and 16.5 ± 6.5 mmol C m− 2 day− 1, respectively), but increased from spring to summer at the EHS transect (average = 1.9 ± 1.1 mmol C m− 2 day− 1 and 19.5 ± 3.3 mmol C m− 2 day− 1, respectively). POC fluxes measured with sediment traps at 50 m along BC were also similar in both seasons (31.3 ± 9.3 mmol C m− 2 day− 1 and 29.1 ± 14.2 mmol C m− 2 day− 1, respectively), but were approximately twice as high as POC fluxes measured with in situ pumps. Sediment trap POC fluxes measured along the EHS transect also increased from spring to summer (3.0 ± 1.9 mmol C m− 2 day− 1 and 13.0 ± 6.4 mmol C m− 2 day− 1, respectively), and these fluxes were similar to the POC fluxes obtained with in situ pumps. Discrepancies in POC export fluxes measured using in situ pumps and sediment traps may be reasonably explained by differences in the estimated POC/234Th ratios that arise from differences between the techniques, such as time-scale of measurement and size and composition of the collected particles. Despite this variability, in situ pump and sediment trap-derived POC fluxes were only significantly different at a highly productive station in BC during the spring.
The adjustment of siblings of pediatric cancer patients—a sibling and parent perspective

A total of 73 siblings of pediatric cancer patients and their parents completed a questionnaire about the siblings' reactions to the illness of their brother or sister. Descriptive information was obtained about the reactions, stresses, relationships, communication and behavior of the healthy sibling. From this data and from case examples, specific impressions emerged with treatment and research implications. These included the importance of the involvement of the healthy sibling with the ill siblings' treatment and the importance of assessing family interaction style to facilitate effective clinical interventions. Suggestions about direction for future empirical studies were made.
Use of an N-terminal fragment from Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase to facilitate crystallization and analysis of a pseudo-­16-mer DNA molecule containing G–A mispairs

Complexation with the N-terminal fragment of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase offers a novel method of obtaining crystal structures of nucleic acid duplexes, which can be phased by molecular replacement. This method is somewhat similar to the method of using a monoclonal antibody Fab fragment complexed to the molecule of interest in order to obtain crystals suitable for X-ray crystallographic analysis. Here a novel DNA structure including two G–A mispairs in a pseudo-hexadecamer determined at 2.3 A resolution in a complex with the N-­terminal fragment is reported. This structure has an asymmetric unit consisting of the protein molecule bound to the blunt end of a DNA 6/10-mer, which is composed of a six-­base strand (5′-­CTCGTG-3′) and a ten-base strand ­(3′-­GAGCACGGCA-5′). The 6/10-mer is thus composed of a six-base-pair duplex with a four-base single-stranded overhang. In the crystal structure, the bases of the overhang are reciprocally paired (symmetry element −x − 1, −y, z), yielding a doubly nicked pseudo-hexadecamer primarily B-­form DNA molecule, which has some interesting A-like structural features. The pairing between the single strands results in two standard (G–C) Watson–Crick pairs and two G–­A mispairs. The structural DNA model can accommodate either a standard syn or a standard anti conformation for the 5′-terminal adenine of the ten-base strand of the DNA based on analysis of simulated-annealing omit maps. Although the DNA model here includes nicks in the phosphodiester backbone, modeling of an intact phosphodiester backbone results in a very similar DNA model and indicates that the structure is biologically relevant.
Prevalence of radiographic findings in individuals with chronic low back pain screened for a randomized controlled trial: secondary analysis and clinical implications

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study is to measure the prevalence of graded disc degeneration, spondylolisthesis, transitional segmentation, and the distribution of sacral slope in patients 21 to 65 years of age with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods This retrospective study analyzed 247 digital lumbar radiographic series obtained during a randomized controlled trial of chiropractic patients with CLBP. Chronic low back pain was defined as pain in the low back lasting 12 weeks or longer. Radiographic findings of disc degeneration, spondylolisthesis, and lumbosacral transitional segmentation were graded by 2 authors using established classification criteria. Sacral slope was measured with a digital tool contained within imaging software. Results Lumbosacral transitional segments graded I to IV (Castellvi classification) were present in 14% of cases. Lumbar disc degeneration was most prevalent at L3-4 (49%), followed by L4-5 (42%), L2-3 (41%), L5-S1 (37%), and L1-2 (29%). Isthmic spondylolisthesis was present in 5% of cases, with L5 the most common location. Degenerative spondylolisthesis demonstrated a prevalence of 18%, most commonly occurring at L4. The prevalence of degenerative spondylolisthesis was 51% for women aged 50 to 59 years and 24% for men in the same age range. Conclusions Moderate-severe disc degeneration, multilevel disc narrowing, and degenerative spondylolisthesis were common in individuals with CLBP with age more than 40 years. Isthmic spondylolisthesis was not more prevalent than what has been reported in other populations. Transitional segmentation was identified in a minority of participants, with some of these exhibiting accessory joints or fusion. Mean sacral slope in individuals with CLBP was not substantially different from mean slopes reported in other populations.
Determining gold in water by anion-exchange batch extraction.

Abstract This paper describes a batch procedure for determining gold in natural waters. It is completely adaptable to field operations. The water samples are filtered and acidified before they are equilibrated with an anion-exchange resin by shaking. The gold is then eluted with acetone-nitric acid solution, and the eluate evaporated to dryness. The residue is taken up in hydrobromic acid-bromine solution and the gold is extracted with methyl isobutyl ketone. The extract is electrothermally atomized in an atomic-absorption spectrophotometer. The limit of determination is 1 ng 1 .
The Power of Combining Resonance with Heat

In this article, I present experimental evidence of the value of combining two strategies each of which has proved powerful in various contexts. The resonance strategy gives preference (for directing a program's reasoning) to equations or formulas that have the same shape (ignoring variables) as one of the patterns supplied by the researcher to be used as a resonator. The hot list strategy rearranges the order in which conclusions are drawn, the rearranging caused by immediately visiting and, depending on the value of the heat parameter, even immediately revisiting a set of input statements chosen by the researcher; the chosen statements are used to complete applications of inference rules rather than to initiate them. Combining these two strategies often enables an automated reasoning program to attack deep questions and hard problems with far more effectiveness than using either alone. The use of this combination in the context of cursory proof checking produced most unexpected and satisfying results, as I show here. I present the material (including commentary) in the spirit of excerpts from an experimenter's notebook, thus meeting the frequent request to illustrate how a researcher can make wise choices from among the numerous options offered by McCune's automated reasoning program OTTER. I include challenges and topics for research and, to aid the researcher, in the Appendix a sample input file and a number of intriguing proofs.
Mechanics and Sliding Friction in Belt Drives With Pulley Grooves

The steady mechanics of a two-pulley belt drive system are examined where the pulley grooves, belt extension and wedging in the grooves, and the associated friction are considered. The belt is modeled as an axially moving string with the tangential and normal accelerations incorporated. The pulley grooves generate two-dimensional radial and tangential friction forces whose undetermined direction depends on the relative speed between belt and pulley along the contact arc. Different from single-pulley analyses, the entry and exit points between the belt spans and pulleys must be determined in the analysis due to the belt radial penetration into the pulley grooves and the coupling of the driver and driven pulley solutions. A new computational technique is developed to find the steady mechanics of a V-belt drive. This allows system analysis, such as speed/ torque loss and maximum tension ratio. The governing boundary value problem (BVP) with undetermined boundaries is converted to a fixed boundary form solvable by a general-purpose BVP solver. Compared to flat belt drives or models that neglect radial friction, significant differences in the steady belt-pulley mechanics arise in terms of belt radial penetration, free span contact points, tension, friction, and speed variations.
Antiproliferative Triterpenes from Melaleuca ericifolia

Three new 28-norlupane triterpenes, 28-norlup-20(29)-en-3β-hydroxy-17β-hydroperoxide (1), 28-norlup-20(29)-en-3β-hydroxy-17α-hydroperoxide (2), and 20S-17β,29-epoxy-28-norlupan-3β-ol (3), were isolated from the leaves of Melaleuca ericifolia along with eight known pentacyclic triterpenes. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The isolated triterpenes were evaluated for antiproliferative activity against the malignant +SA mammary epithelial cell line.