cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding elections through statistics by Ole J. Forsberg, CRC press, Taylor & Francis group, boca Raton, FL, 2020, 225 pp., $69.95, ISBN 978-0367895372

This book offers a good introduction to some statistical methods used in elections. It has two parts. The first part contains four chapters that cover estimation methods for polls. The main technic...
Abstract 17937: Higher Parity is Associated with Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction: Echo Study of Latinos (Echo SOL)

Introduction: Previous literature indicates that having six or more pregnancies is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and that diastolic dysfunction (DD) may persist post-delivery. However, this relationship has not been studied in a Hispanic/Latina population despite higher parity (i.e., number of prior live births) observed amongst them. Our objective was to examine the relationship between parity and diastolic function in a population-based cohort. We hypothesized that higher parity would be associated with DD. Methods: Participants included 855 Hispanic/Latina women, aged 45 and older, who were enrolled in the population-based Echocardiographic Study of Latinos (Echo-SOL) from four communities across the U.S. (Bronx, Miami, San Diego, and Chicago) and representative of several Hispanic backgrounds. Wake Forest School of Medicine served as the centralized reading center. Reproductive history was obtained by questionaire and DD was graded following an algorithm that combined ASE and Redfield criteria. Using sampling weights and survey statistics, multivariable logistic regression models assessed the relationship between parity and the presence of DD (grades I-III). Results: In the target population, 4.7% were nulliparous (no live births) and 12.2% were grand multiparous (≥5 live births); 25% had diabetes, 42% had pre-diabetes and 27% were on anti-hypertensive medications. Among the nulliparous women, 51% had DD as compared to 61-63% of women with 2-4 live births and 85% of women with ≥5 live births (p = 0.03). In a multivariable model adjusted for age, body mass index, diabetes, systolic blood pressure and use of anti-hypertensive medications, the odds ratio for any grade of DD in grand-multiparous women compared to nulliparous women was 3.15 (95% CI 1.20-8.24, p Conclusions: Increasing number of live births is associated with the presence of DD among Hispanic/Latina women. Further studies are needed to determine the pathophysiology for the apparent deleterious consequences on diastolic function and whether these changes translate into heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Fluoride Varnish Use Among Dentists in Virginia

FLUORIDE VARNISH USE AMONG DENTISTS IN VIRGINIA By Amanda Bowen Kuhn, B.S., D.M.D. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008 Major Director: Tegwyn H. Brickhouse, D.D.S., Ph.D Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry Purpose: The purpose of this study was to asses fluoride varnish use by dental practitioners in Virginia. Methods: Using a cross sectional survey design, all dentists in Virginia who are members of the Virginia Dental Association (VDA) were sent an online survey about usage and knowledge of fluoride varnish. Results: The majority of the respondents were general dentists (79%) followed by pediatric dentists (12%). Fluoride varnish use increased with year of graduation from dental school. Dentists who thought fluoride varnish was more effective and less time
HYDRODYNAMICS OF ICEBERGS IN TRANSIT

The physical phenomena responsible for the different forces acting on an iceberg in transit are reviewed. A rationalization on the most convenient frames of reference to evaluate hydrodynamic and Coriolis forces is established and two geostrophic invariants are identified. The near flowfield that characterizes iceberg drag and lift is discussed, and the concept of geostrophic lift is introduced. Throughout the discussion, special emphasis is given to the mathematical methods of attack on the topics enumerated above.
The Influence of Social Media on Organizational Socialization

The purpose of this study is to investigate how an internal social media tool impacts new hire socialization. Using an interpretive case study of a financial services company, this study finds that social media use helped the new hires experience social acceptance, role clarity, self-efficacy, and knowledge of organizational culture. The social media system provided both socialization affordances and constraints. Both social bonding and social struggle were observed to result from the social media use.
As‐Cast Mechanical Properties of High Strength Aluminum Alloy

In order to improve the casting of high strength aluminum ingots, better understanding of mechanical properties of as-cast materials is important. Due to uneven cooling during the casting, the as-cast alloy shows inhomogeneous characteristics of microstructure which results in the variation of mechanical properties at different locations of an ingot. The mechanical properties of as-cast aluminum alloy 7050 were studied through the on-cooling tensile test, the fracture toughness test, and the quench cracking test. The results were correlated with the in-situ measured cooling history of a casting ingot and the microstructural parameters of as-cast Al 7050. They can be used to make the connection between the thermal field calculation and the stress field calculation in the casting simulation.
Electronic Activity Recording in Cardiovascular Disease

Electronic activity recording is a noninvasive technique to monitor human movements without direct input from the subject or the need for an observer. One of its main advantages is the ability to monitor persons for long periods of time and in the free-living state. Actigraphy, the main form of activity monitoring, is in commercial use. Actigraphs are small technologically mature devices that perform well in everyday use. Actigraphy is extensively used in psychology and sleep research (1) and is increasingly used in cardiovascular disease research. Although there exist guidelines for its use in sleep research (2–4), there are no standards for its use in cardiovascular-related diseases. The main uses for actigraphy at this time are to estimate the duration and quality of sleep, to determine the extent of daytime activity, and to study circadian cycles of humans.
Carbonyl modified proteins in cellular regulation, aging, and disease,

The oxidative modification of proteins by reactive species is implicated in the etiology or progression of a panoply of disorders and diseases. The level of these modified molecules can be quantitated by measurement of the protein carbonyl content, which has been shown to increase in a variety of diseases and processes, notably during aging. For the most part, oxidatively modified proteins are not repaired and must be removed by proteolytic degradation, a process which normally proceeds very efficiently, from microorganisms to mammals. In eukaryotes, removal is usually carried out by the proteosome, which selectively degrades oxidatively modified proteins, whether they be damaged by reactive oxygen species or specifically oxidized by cellular regulatory processes. The molecular deficiencies that cause accumulation of oxidatively modified proteins are not identified, but regardless of cause, the accumulation is likely to disrupt normal cellular function.
An Optical, Far-Infrared and Co Survey of Interacting Galaxies

Galaxy-galaxy collisions are known to produce drastic changes in morphology and, in many cases, enhance the level of star formation activity in galaxies. In order to better quantify the effects that interactions have on the star formation characteristics of galaxies we have undertaken a multiwavelength survey of a large sample of interacting disk-type galaxies. The sample is optically-selected, the inclusion of systems having been based upon the presence of unusual morphological features—such as tidal tails, plumes, rings, warped disks—suggestive of tidal interaction. The sample is composed of about 115 systems, most of which are spiral-spiral pairs, with a few spiral-elliptical pairs and a few merging systems (see Bushouse 1986 for more details of the sample selection). This sample has now been studied in the optical, infrared, and radio regimes, including optical spectra and Hα images, near-infrared photometry and imaging, far-infrared photometry, H I 21cm emission-line measurements, VLA 20cm maps, and CO emission-line measurements. This paper presents an overview and comparison of the results of the optical, far-IR and CO surveys. With these data we can compare the far-IR and CO properties of the galaxies with the classic optical and radio indicators of star formation activity and thereby determine what, if any, relationships exist between star formation activity and the far-IR and CO properties of the galaxies.
Liver tumor promoting ability of corn oil gavage in B6C3F1 male mice.

In chronic carcinogenic bioassays, chemicals being tested with low water solubility have been administered via corn oil gavage. The present study examined the effect of chronic corn oil gavage on hepatic tumor formation in the B6C3F1 male mouse. Mice were initiated with diethylnitrosamine (DENA) either at 15 days of age with a single i.p. injection (5 micrograms/gbw) (protocol 1) or at 4 weeks of age via the drinking water (15 mg/l) for a duration of 3 weeks (protocol 2). At weaning (protocol 1) or 8 weeks of age (protocol 2) initiated and untreated mice were administered either corn oil at a dose of 0.15 ml via gavage (once a day, 5 days/wk) or saline (0.15 ml via gavage, once a day 5 days/wk). All mice were killed at 28 weeks of age and hepatic lesions were quantitated. Only mice exposed to DENA demonstrated hepatic tumors. Mice treated with DENA (at 15 days of age) and corn oil gavage exhibited a significant decrease in the number of hepatic adenomas compared with DENA (at 15 days of age) only treated mice. No difference was noted in the number of hepatic adenomas between mice treated with DENA (at 4 wks of age) and corn oil gavage and mice exposed to DENA (at 4 wks of age) only.
New observations on meniscal cysts

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of meniscal cysts, assess the frequency of various magnetic resonance (MR) imaging characteristics, and emphasize radiographic observations not commonly reported. A total of 2,095 consecutive knee MR imaging reports from a 22 month period were retrospectively reviewed for the presence of meniscal cysts. Two musculoskeletal radiologists reviewed the cases where cysts were reported. A meniscal cyst was considered present if abnormally increased signal was identified within an enlarged meniscus (i.e., intrameniscal cyst) or if a loculated fluid-intensity lesion with a clear connection to the adjacent meniscus was identified (i.e., parameniscal cyst). Presence or absence of a meniscal tear, intrameniscal and parameniscal signal intensity, patient age, sex, location of meniscal cyst, presence of discoid meniscus, and size of the parameniscal cyst component were recorded. All knee imaging examinations were performed on a 1.5T MR unit. Imaging findings were correlated with arthroscopic reports when available. A total of 167 cases (8.0%) of meniscal cysts were diagnosed in 161 patients. Of the 167 cysts, 69 (41.3%) were located in the lateral meniscus and 98 (58.7%) in the medial meniscus. In 6 patients (3.7%), meniscal cysts were present in both menisci of the same knee. Twelve (7.2%) meniscal cysts were associated with discoid menisci. Ninety-seven (57.8%) meniscal cysts were associated with meniscal tears. Of the total number of meniscal cysts, 104 (62.3%) had a parameniscal cyst. An isolated intrameniscal cyst was present in 63 (37.7%) cases. One hundred (96%) of the parameniscal cyst components were isointense to fluid on T2-weighted FSE images. All cysts exhibited abnormal intrameniscal signal. Only 14 (8.4%) of the intrameniscal components were isointense to fluid on T2-weighted FSE images. The arthroscopic reports of 88 of the 161 (54.7%) patients were available for review and correlation. A tear extending to the articular surface of the meniscus was reported to be present in 74 of the 88 (84%) arthroscopic examinations. Knowledge of the spectrum of findings and the relative frequency of various MR imaging characteristics as well as common potential pitfalls is important to the accurate diagnosis and management of mensical cysts. In particular, controversy exists as to the incidence of articular surface tears in association with meniscal cysts, with some authors reporting greater than 98% correlation with tears. Only 58% of cysts were associated with an articular surface tear. Ninety six percent of the parameniscal signal was isointense to fluid, only 8% of the intramensical signal was isointense to fluid.
Proxy contests and the governance of publicly held corporations

Abstract Analysis of 60 proxy contests for seats on the boards of exchange-listed firms during 1978–1985 shows that three years after the contest less than one-fifth of the sample firms remain independent, publicly held corporations run by the same management team. Proxy contests are typically followed by managerial resignations, even when dissidents fail to obtain a majority of board seats, and are often followed by sale or liquidation of the firm. The average stockholder wealth gains associated with proxy contests are largely attributable to gains by companies in which dissident activity leads to sale or liquidation.
Game theory, information, and deliberative democracy

We contend that, with a suitably broad notion of rationality and a diverse set of motivations, the game-theoretic tradition is particularly well suited for generating insights about effects of deliberative institutions and that progress in the development of deliberative democratic theory hinges on making proper sense of the relationship between game-theoretic and normative theoretic approaches to deliberation. To advance this view, we explore the central methodological issues at the core of that relationship and address the arguments raised against the relevance of game-theoretic work on deliberation. We develop a framework for thinking about the differences in how the normative and the game-theoretic approaches frame and answer questions about deliberation and articulate an approach to a deliberative democratic theory that builds on the strengths of both of these theoretic traditions, properly informed by empirical scholarship.
Reconsidering the novice/expert dichotomy in the K-12 mentor-mentee relationship

Abstract Traditionally, the mentor-mentee relationship has been defined in terms of the inexperienced mentee and the experienced mentor. This study explores mentee-mentor relationships, which illustrate the tensions and difficulties that arise when this simplistic dichotomy breaks down, a situation that is becoming more and more prevalent when teachers pursue secondary certifications, validations or endorsements. The context of the study is a practica, where experienced teachers were going through a mentoring experience, while pursuing their TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) endorsement in a mid-western university in the United States. The study finds that the mentoring relationship was mainly coloured by the discourse used by the mentors, the specific backgrounds and goals of the mentees, as well as the different understandings each mentor and mentee had of the TESL profession and their roles in the practica. Time and opportunities need to be allowed for these factors to be discussed and negot...
A three-step strategy of induction chemotherapy then chemoradiation followed by surgery in patients with potentially resectable carcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction.

BACKGROUND Patients with locoregional carcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction have a poor survival rate after surgery. Preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy has not improved the outcome for these patients. Our study was designed to assess the feasibility of preoperative induction combination chemotherapy in addition to chemoradiotherapy to improve the curative resection rate, local control, and survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients having histologic proof of localized carcinoma (either squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma) of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction underwent full classification including endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). Patients first received up to two courses of induction chemotherapy consisting of 5-fluorouracil at 750 mg/m2/day as continuous infusion on Days 1–5, cisplatin at 15 mg/m2/day as an intravenous bolus on Days 1–5, and paclitaxel at 200 mg/m2 as a 24-hour intravenous infusion on Day 1. The second course was repeated on Day 29. This was followed by radiotherapy (45 grays in 25 fractions) and concurrent admission of 5-fluorouracil (300 mg/m2/day as a continuous infusion 5 days/week) and cisplatin (20 mg/m2 on Days 1–5 of radiotherapy). After chemoradiotherapy, patients underwent surgery. The feasibility of this approach, curative resection rates, patient survival, and patterns of failure were assessed. RESULTS Thirty-seven of 38 patients enrolled were evaluable for toxicity and survival. Adenocarcinoma and distal esophageal location of carcinoma were observed frequently. Thirty-five (95%) of the 37 patients underwent surgery, all of whom had an R0 (curative) resection. A pathologic complete response was noted in 11 (30%) of the 37 total patients. In addition, 5 patients (14%) had only microscopic carcinoma. According to EUS classification, 31 (89%) of the 35 patients who underwent surgery had a T3 carcinoma whereas according to pathologic classification only 3 (9%) had a T3 carcinoma (P ≤ 0.01). Similarly, according to EUS classification, 23 patients (66%) had an N1 carcinoma, whereas according to pathologic classification only 7 patients (20%) had an N1 carcinoma (P ≤ 0.01). At a median follow-up of 20 months (minimum follow-up, 13+ months; maximum follow-up, 36+ months), the median survival duration for the 37 patients had not yet been reached. In addition, there were two deaths related to surgery. CONCLUSIONS These data show that the three-step strategy of preoperative paclitaxel-based induction chemotherapy then chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery is feasible and appears quite active in patients having locoregional carcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction. Future investigations should focus on substituting cisplatin with less toxic agents and including more systemic therapy with newer classes of agents. Cancer 2001;92:279–86. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
Exposure of Human Breast Cancer Cells to the Anti-inflammatory Agent Indomethacin Alters Choline Phospholipid Metabolites and Nm23 Expression

We previously observed that changes in choline phospholipids of two malignant human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) following treatment with a high dose of the cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, indomethacin, mimicked changes following transfection with a metastasis suppressor gene, nm23. The similarity between response to indomethacin and nm23 transfection led us to 1) expand our (1)H NMR spectroscopy study of indomethacin treatment by determining the response at two doses for two nonmalignant and three malignant HMECs, 2) investigate COX-1 and COX-2 levels in HMECs and their relationship with choline phosholipid metabolites, and 3) determine changes in Nm23 expression following treatment with indomethacin. All HMECs exhibited a significant change in choline phospholipids following treatment with 300 microM indomethacin. At the lower dose of 50 microM, only nonmalignant HMECs and the estrogen-dependent malignant cell line, MCF-7, responded. COX-1 levels were significantly higher in malignant HMECs than in nonmalignant HMECs. A significant increase in Nm23 expression following 300 microM indomethacin was detected in MCF-12A and MCF-7 cells but not in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435 cells. These results suggest that COX-1 expression and its inhibition play a role in the choline phospholipid metabolism of HMECs, and the effect of indomethacin on HMECs may be mediated, in part, through upregulation of nm23.
Relating articulation and acoustics through a sinusoidal description of vocal tract shape

A description of vocal tract shape for vowels is given in terms of a weighted sum of two sinusoids, displaced from each other along the length of the tract. The impetus for the description comes from uncovering a particularly simple relationship between F2 and a function on the parameters of a model of articulatory data. When the statistically derived articulatory model is simplified as displaced sinusoids, the relationship can be easily understood in terms of the physics of acoustic tubes. Thus, while the description is based on articulatory data, it relates simply to acoustics. The function (the sum of the weights of the two sinusoids) creates sets of articulatory shapes that can be said to trade in the amount of tongue front raising and the amount of tongue back raising to produce a constant F2. Alternatively, these equivalence classes of shapes can be said to trade in place of articulation and amount of constriction: this is so despite the fact that neither of these two variables are explicit parameters in generating the shapes. In embodying this compensatory property, it is also a description that is consistent with theories of motor control based on specifying functional equivalence classes, which are controlled with few degrees of freedom and allow context-conditioned variability.
Structure-function studies of the SLC17 transporter sialin identify crucial residues and substrate-induced conformational changes.

Salla disease and infantile sialic acid storage disorder are human diseases caused by loss of function of sialin, a lysosomal transporter that mediates H+-coupled symport of acidic sugars N-acetylneuraminic acid and glucuronic acid out of lysosomes. Along with the closely related vesicular glutamate transporters, sialin belongs to the SLC17 transporter family. Despite their critical role in health and disease, these proteins remain poorly understood both structurally and mechanistically. Here, we use substituted cysteine accessibility screening and radiotracer flux assays to evaluate experimentally a computationally generated three-dimensional structure model of sialin. According to this model, sialin consists of 12 transmembrane helices (TMs) with an overall architecture similar to that of the distantly related glycerol 3-phosphate transporter GlpT. We show that TM4 in sialin lines a large aqueous cavity that forms a part of the substrate permeation pathway and demonstrate substrate-induced alterations in accessibility of substituted cysteine residues in TM4. In addition, we demonstrate that one mutant, F179C, has a dramatically different effect on the apparent affinity and transport rate for N-acetylneuraminic acid and glucuronic acid, suggesting that it may be directly involved in substrate recognition and/or translocation. These findings offer a basis for further defining the transport mechanism of sialin and other SLC17 family members.
Opticohydrodynamic properties of high‐molecular‐weight DNA. III. The effects of NaCl concentration

Excluded volume and persistence length of high-molecular-weight DNA from T2 bacteriophage have been evaluated over a range of NaCl concentrations from 0.005 to 2.0M using low-shear flow-birefringence and intrinsic-viscosity data. Uncertainty in persistence length due to ambiguity in the assignment of intrinsic birefringence has been avoided by calibrating the data at 0.2M NaCl using a recently reported persistence-length value based upon photon correlation spectroscopy [Jolly, D. & Eisenberg, H. (1976) Biopolymers15, 61]. Results at high salt concertrations are in satisfactory agreement with other estimates of excluded volume and chain flexibility in the literature, but at very low salt concentrations they reflect greater chain expansion than has heretofore been reported. The extinction-angle data imply a transition from a nondraining chain with excluded volume at 0.1M NaCl to an almost freely draining chain at 0.005M NaCl. Over this same salt range, the experimental persistencelength data agree very well with Flory's thermodynamic chain-expansion theory [Flory, P. J. (1953) J. Chem. Phys. 21, 162], but are in generally poor agreement with other theoretical treatments. A detailed comparison of the results with other data in the literature suggests that the combined flow-birefringence-intrinsic-viscosity technique employed here may be more sensitive to the distribution of chain stiffness and excluded volume in polyelectroytechain expansion of DNA than are othe rhydrodynamic methods such as sedimentation or intrinsic viscosity alone.
The Role of Behavior Therapy in Teaching Medical Students.

Abstract The relationship between three behavior therapies and the experimental behavioral sciences is examined in order to define the role of this therapeutic development in teaching medical students. It is concluded that behavior therapy is one of the few media within which the relevance of the experimental behavioral sciences to clinical medicine can be demonstrated.
Calcitriol Treatment Increases Serum Levels of the Soluble Receptor of Advanced Glycation End Products in Hemodialysis Patients with Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

Cardiovascular disease is common in the patients with end-stage renal disease, who often suffer from secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHP). Vitamin D is considered for the first-line therapy managing SHP in hemodialysis (HD) patients and has a beneficial effect in the chronic inflammation and development of cardiovascular disease. The soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) may be protective by binding AGE in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic vascular complications, whereas extracellular RAGE-binding protein (EN-RAGE) represents pro-inflammatory ligands for RAGE. We have hypothesized that vitamin D treatment may alter the levels of sRAGE and EN-RAGE in HD patients. Therefore, this prospective observational study was performed in 51 HD patients with SHP who had low serum 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D) levels and elevated intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. We evaluated the changes in the values of sRAGE, EN-RAGE, and other inflammatory marker, interleukin-6 (IL-6), before and at the end of the 8-week calcitriol treatment. After calcitriol treatment, the serum levels of 1,25D were increased, whereas the serum intact PTH levels were decreased. In addition, the sRAGE levels were increased, whereas those of IL-6 were decreased after calcitriol treatment. A positive correlation between 1,25D and sRAGE levels (r = 0.609, P < 0.001) and a negative correlation between sRAGE and EN-RAGE levels (r = -0.368, P = 0.020) were detected after calcitriol treatment. This study suggests that calcitriol treatment could play an anti-inflammatory role through the increasing sRAGE in HD patients with SHP.
The Future of Transistors in Television Receivers

The semiconductor industry can look forward to an attractive market in the television field with a potential of 120 million devices per year, based on 1961 TV sales figures. Price and performance are the determining factors in the choice of the transistor over the vacuum tube. In many applications of present technology, transistors are superior in performance; however, costs must necessarily be reduced for the final conversion.
Ethics in field work research: A case study

Most field work studies report findings but fail to deal with ethical problems encountered during their execution. This paper concentrates on four ethical problems which arose during the conduct of a field work investigation of the life experiences of three student teachers. The four problems were: acquiring permission to begin the study; how far to dig into personal lives to extract necessary information; the pitfalls of doing collaborative research; “the more a participant tells, the worse he/she looks.” A major implication is that ethical problems given the current bureaucratic and interpersonal climate in urban institutions (universities and city school districts) may be unresolvable, rather than simply a minor hindrance to the researchers and participants.
Acculturation and Post-Migration Stress in Middle-Aged Chinese Immigrant Women in Philadelphia: Variation between the Fujianese and the non-Fujianese women

The experience of acculturation in Chinese immigrant women from the rural coastal province of Fujian has not been well studied despite of their growing numbers in American cities. This exploratory study is an attempt to examine the experience of acculturation and post-migration stress in Fujianese immigrant women as compared to those from other parts of China. The study is based on a convenience sample 240 Fujianese and 162 non-Fujianese Chinese immigrant women living in Philadelphia.Results from bivariate analyses showed that the variation in demographic characteristics between Fujianese and non-Fujianese women was marginal; that all Chinese women in this study reported experiencing a unidimensional process of acculturation and a domain-generic model of acculturation; and that the Fujianese women showed a higher level of post-migration stress than the non-Fujianese women. In multiple regression controlling for demographic characteristics and including all the women in our sample, more acculturated women reported a higher level of post-migration stress. However, separate multiple regression analyses for Fujianese and non-Fujianese women revealed a different pattern of post-migration stress models. The findings suggest the importance of further research to understand acculturation and post-migration stress among Fujianese immigrant women.
Nonspecific immunosuppression by cultured lymphocyte supernates of cancer patients

A nonspecific immunosuppressive factor, lymphocyte immunosuppressive substance (LIS), has been correlated with cancer patients. Significant suppression of IgM antibody production of sheep erythrocyte immune Swiss mice lymphocytes was found when the immune lymphocytes were treated with cultured peripheral blood lymphocyte supernates of tumor-bearing patients. A lesser amount of LIS activity was also demonstrated with patients who had cancer in the past, but were clinically free of disease at the time of testing. This suppressive activity has been demonstrated with several solid tumors including breast CA, colon CA, melanoma, uterine CA, and ovarian CA. A possible use of this suppression test for detecting recurrences is suggested from the data.
Engineering Polymersome Protocells.

The field of biomimicry is embracing the construction of complex assemblies that imitate both biological structure and function. Advancements in the design of these mimetics have generated a growing vision for creating an artificial cell or protocell. Polymersomes are vesicles that can be made from synthetic, biological, or hybrid polymers and can be used as a model template to build cell-like structures. In this perspective, we discuss various areas where polymersomes have been used to mimic cell functions as well as areas in which the synthetic flexibility of polymersomes would make them ideal candidates for a biomembrane mimetic. Designing a polymersome that comprehensively displays the behaviors discussed herein has the potential to lead to the development of an autonomous, responsive particle that resembles the intelligence of a biological cell.
Dependence of ring current asymmetry on storm phase

[1] The currents that cause magnetic storms are usually characterized by the hourly Dst and Asym indices. It is observed and expected physically that the ring current is asymmetric during the main phase of a magnetic storm and becomes symmetric in the recovery phase. We report work utilizing 1-min resolution Sym-H* and Asym-H to study the time development of these currents. As an index of the degree of ring current symmetry we use the ratio (-Sym-H/Asym-H). We show that this index does not behave as expected. Corrections for solar wind dynamic pressure do not change this behavior. We find that the ring current is always asymmetric. Using ∼160 magnetic storms, we have determined the median response of these indices as a function of time relative to the time of minimum Sym-H. We find that both indices appear to contain offsets. Sym-H* appears to be −19.7 nT too low, and Asym-H appears to be 18.8 nT too high. We also find that in the main phase both median curves can be represented by a single exponential with nearly identical growth times: ∼6 hours. In the recovery phase double exponentials are needed to obtain reasonable fits to the median curves. The time constants for Sym-H* (5.25 and 64.3 hours) are nearly twice as long as those for Asym-H (2.2 and 20.9 hours). If we subtract the calculated offsets from the measured indices, we obtain a corrected ratio that behaves as expected. In the main phase the ratio is close to 1.0, implying equal Sym-H* and Asym-H, i.e., that either the two currents grow together or that both ground disturbances are caused by the same current. In the recovery phase the ratio increases continuously until both corrected indices approach zero and the ratio becomes meaningless. This is the expected behavior with the main phase current system being converted to a symmetric ring as the ring current decays.
The effect of water on the tensile yield of polystyrene

Abstract When PS is tested in tension but immersed in water the yield stress is unchanged and the crazing stress is increased, as compared with tests conducted in air. The crazing pattern is otherwise unchanged. If the PS is first equilibrated with water and then tested under water, both crazing stress and yield stress are reduced. A very large number of small crazes are generated which result in a 23% increase in the fracture strain.
The derivative operator

This paper defines a single derivative operator which, together with certain related operators, provides a coherent treatment of many aspects of the derivative including the Jacobian, Laplacian, gradient, divergence, and curl. Working models of all operators are provided in a set of APL functions.
Relative susceptibility of microsomes from lung, heart, liver, kidney, brain and testes to lipid peroxidation: Correlation with vitamin E content

Rates of in vitro lipid peroxidation of microsomes and homogenates were found to vary widely among different tissues and species. In rats and rabbits, lung microsomes peroxidized at a 25- to 50-fold lower rate than liver, kidney, testes and brain microsomes. Heart microsomes peroxidized at a rate slightly greater than, but most similar to, lung microsomes. Comparison of tissue homogenates also revealed the unique resistance of lung and heart to lipid peroxidation. The ratio of vitamin E to peroxidizable polyunsaturated fatty acids in lung and heart microsomes was several-fold higher than in microsomes from the other tissues studied, which accounted for the relative resistance of lung and heart to lipid peroxidation. Liposomes of extracted rat lung microsomal lipid were also resistant to peroxidation and the amount of vitamin E contained in the lung lipid extract was sufficient to confer the same degree of resistance when incorported into an equivalent amount of rat liver lipid. Higher rates of peroxidation in mouse lung microsomes relative to rabbit, rat and human lung microsomes were similarly correlated with a lower ratio of vitamin E to peroxidizable fatty acids in mouse lung microsomes. These data provide strong support for the role of vitamin E as the major cellular antioxidant, especially in the highly oxygenated tissues of heart and lung, and demonstrate the utility of the microsomal system in characterizing tissue differences in susceptibility to peroxidative membrane decomposition.
Mergers & Acquisitions in the U.S. Property-Liability Insurance Industry: Productivity and Efficiency Effects

This paper analyzes the productivity and efficiency effects of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the U.S. property-liability insurance industry during the period 1994-2003 using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist productivity indices. We seek to determine whether M&As are value-enhancing, value-neutral, or value-reducing. The analysis examines efficiency and productivity change for acquirers, acquisition targets, and non-M&A firms. We also examine the firm characteristics associated with becoming an acquirer or target through probit analysis. The results provide evidence that M&As in property-liability insurance were value-enhancing. Acquiring firms achieved more revenue efficiency gains than non-acquiring firms, and target firms experienced greater cost and allocative efficiency growth than non-targets. Factors other than efficiency enhancement are important factors in property-liability insurer M&As. Financially vulnerable insurers are significantly more likely to become acquisition targets, consistent with corporate control theory, and we also find evidence that M&As are motivated to achieve diversification. However, there is no evidence that scale economies played an important role in the insurance M&A wave.
First Example of ZnO−TiO2 Nanocomposites by Chemical Vapor Deposition: Structure, Morphology, Composition, and Gas Sensing Performances

ZnO−TiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized by an innovative chemical vapor deposition (CVD) strategy, based on the initial growth of ZnO nanoplatelets (host) and the subsequent dispersion of TiO2 nan...
280 ONTOGENETIC CHANGES IN LEUCINE DISPOSAL RATE OXIDATION RATE AND PROTEIN SYNTHETIC RATE DURING FETAL LIFE

280 ONTOGENETIC CHANGES IN LEUCINE DISPOSAL RATE OXIDATION RATE AND PROTEIN SYNTHETIC RATE DURING FETAL LIFE
Temperature and Volume Effects on Local Segmental Relaxation in Poly(vinyl acetate)

Dielectric data on the local segmental relaxation of amorphous poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) are analyzed. At atmospheric pressure, the fragility (Tg-normalized temperature dependence) is invariant to molecular weight. Since the fragility is also independent of pressure, the combined temperature and pressure dependences of the relaxation times can be analyzed using the Avramov model of structural relaxation. This entropy model gives a satisfactory description of the data and yields an expression for the pressure dependence of the dynamic glass transition identical to the empirical Andersson equation. Although in principle the Avramov model parameters can be deduced from measurable thermodynamic properties of the glass-former, the results are at odds with the values obtained from fitting the relaxation times for PVAc. Using pressure-volume-temperature data, the respective contributions of thermal energy and volume to the local dynamics in PVAc were assessed. Specifically, we calculate the ratio of the isochoric to isobaric apparent activation energies. The obtained value, 0.6 at atmospheric pressure just above Tg, indicates that temperature and volume both govern to a significant degree the relaxation times. This result is supported by a comparison of the relative magnitude of the isobaric and isochronal thermal expansion coefficients. These properties of PVAc are similar to those of other nonassociated polymers and glass-forming liquids and can be shown to be weakly correlated with the degree of super-Arrhenius behavior.
Target migration path morphology of moving targets in spotlight SAR

This paper examines the signature characteristics of moving targets in spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image data. This analysis considers the special case in which the radar sensor is assumed to move with constant speed and heading on a level flight path with broadside imaging geometry. It is shown that the resulting defocused smear signature in the spotlight SAR image exhibits range migration effects, as has been shown previously for strip map SAR analysis. In particular, cases of uniform target motion exhibit simply curved range migration paths, whereas non-uniform target motion can cause complicated smear shapes.
Distribution of shielding currents in a cylindrical superconducting tube

Superconductive cylindrical tubes can be used to shield out magnetic flux for high energy physics use. The shielding currents in the tube are found based on a physical model. The model is based on the principle that the flux linked by a superconducting loop must be conserved. For a finite cylindrical superconducting tube, the axial distribution of shielding currents for a given shielded magnetic field is determined, which agrees with experiment. Some facts are found, that is, first, the external shielded magnetic field can partly penetrate into the bore at the two ends of a finite superconducting tube where I c is first reached; second, the shielding currents in the end region are about the same for different aspect ratio \beta = \ell/R tubes; third, if the radii of the tube are properly reduced from the middle to the ends then the shielding currents can become uniformly distributed. These analytic results agree generally with experiment.
Universal scaling behaviour for iterated maps in the complex plane

According to the theory of Schroder and Siegel, certain complex analytic maps possess a family of closed invariant curves in the complex plane. We have made a numerical study of these curves by iterating the map, and have found that the largest curve is a fractal. When the winding number of the map is the golden mean, the fractal curve has universal scaling properties, and the scaling parameter differs from those found for other types of maps. Also, for this winding number, there are universal scaling functions which describe the behaviour asn→∞ of theQ n th iterates of the map, whereQ n is thenth Fibonacci number.
A biological phantom for evaluation of CT image reconstruction algorithms

In recent years, iterative algorithms have become popular in diagnostic CT imaging to reduce noise or radiation dose to the patient. The non-linear nature of these algorithms leads to non-linearities in the imaging chain. However, the methods to assess the performance of CT imaging systems were developed assuming the linear process of filtered backprojection (FBP). Those methods may not be suitable any longer when applied to non-linear systems. In order to evaluate the imaging performance, a phantom is typically scanned and the image quality is measured using various indices. For reasons of practicality, cost, and durability, those phantoms often consist of simple water containers with uniform cylinder inserts. However, these phantoms do not represent the rich structure and patterns of real tissue accurately. As a result, the measured image quality or detectability performance for lesions may not reflect the performance on clinical images. The discrepancy between estimated and real performance may be even larger for iterative methods which sometimes produce “plastic-like”, patchy images with homogeneous patterns. Consequently, more realistic phantoms should be used to assess the performance of iterative algorithms. We designed and constructed a biological phantom consisting of porcine organs and tissue that models a human abdomen, including liver lesions. We scanned the phantom on a clinical CT scanner and compared basic image quality indices between filtered backprojection and an iterative reconstruction algorithm.
Differential effects of the optical isomers of amphetamine on neuronal activity in the reticular formation and caudate nucleus of the rat

Abstract The activity of neurons in the caudate nucleus and reticular formation was recorded following intraperitoneal injection of the optical isomers of amphetamine. In general, d -amphetamine sulfate (2.0 mg/kg) produced an initial increase in firing rate of neurons in the caudate nucleus approximately 8—10 min following intraperitoneal injection, and a subsequent depression of firing rate which lasted for a period of time of from 70 to 120 min. Similar injections of l -amphetamine sulfate produced only a depression of activity in the caudate nucleus which was less marked and of lesser duration. Mephentermine sulfate (6.0 mg/kg), a peripheral sympathomimetic, did not produce these effects. Both d -amphetamine and l -amphetamine sulfate at the same dose produced an increase in firing rate of neurons in the reticular formation, although that produced by the l -isomer was less marked and of lesser duration. Mephentermine sulfate also produced an increase in reticular formation neuronal activity comparable to that produced by l -amphetamine sulfate. In some cases, neuronal activity was held for prolonged periods of time following injection. In the caudate nucleus, a rebound increase in firing rate was observed following the marked depression produced by both isomers of amphetamine. A rebound depression of activity was observed in the reticular formation following the initial increase in neuronal activity produced by these drugs. The results are discussed in terms of the known biochemical and behavioral effects of the stereoisomers of amphetamine.
Visual field loss and accelerometer-measured physical activity in the United States.

Objective To determine whether visual field (VF) loss is associated with lower levels of accelerometer-defined walking or physical activity in a nationally representative sample of American adults. Design Cross-sectional study. Participants A total of 2934 adults aged 40 years or older who participated in the examination component of the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. Methods Frequency-doubling technology (FDT) testing was performed in both eyes and used to categorize subjects as having no VF loss, unilateral VF loss, or bilateral VF loss. Accelerometer data were collected over 7 days of normal activity. Main Outcome Measures Steps per day and daily minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Results A total of 1468 participants (50.0%) had complete FDT and accelerometer data. Individuals without VF loss averaged 9751 steps/day and 20.8 minutes/day of MVPA, compared with 8023 steps/day and 14.5 minutes/day for subjects with unilateral VF loss (age-adjusted P = 0.11 and P = 0.51) and 6840 steps/day and 10.1 minutes/day for subjects with bilateral VF loss (age-adjusted P = 0.02 and 0.09, respectively). In multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and several comorbid illnesses, individuals with bilateral VF loss took 17% fewer steps per day ( P P = 0.02) than individuals without VF loss. No significant difference in steps per day or MVPA was observed between individuals with unilateral VF loss and no VF loss ( P > 0.05). In addition to VF loss, older age, female sex, arthritis, diabetes, congestive heart failure (CHF), and stroke were significantly associated with fewer daily steps and minutes of MVPA ( P Conclusions Bilateral VF loss is associated with less walking and physical activity in American adults. Patients with bilateral VF loss should be encouraged to engage safely in more physical activity. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.