cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE POTENTIAL CURABILITY OF EWING'S SARCOMA IN CHILDREN

Four drug adjuvant chemotherapy (dactinomycin, adriamycin, vincristine and cyclophosphamide) was added to local radiation therapy to treat patients with Ewing's sarcoma. The entire involved bone was treated with 6000-7000 rads (Co60). Cyclic chemotherapy was started concomitantly with radiation therapy, and was continued for 24 months. Of 14 patients, 10 had no evidence of metastatic disease, 2 had bone marrow invasion with extrinsic cells, and 2 others had pulmonary metastases at the time of diagnosis. The latter 2 received irradiation (2000 rads) to the lungs. 13/14 patients are free of disease for a median time of 24 months from the time of diagnosis. Seven of these patients having completed chemotherapy, remain free of disease for from 2-24 months after the cessation of chemotherapy. One patient developed metastatic disease at 32 months (6 months after stopping therapy). Meningeal disease has not been observed in any of the 14 patients. Major complications included reversible congestive heart failure in 2 patients (necessitating lowering the cumulative dose of adriamycin for subsequent patients) and the local effects of combined therapy on the primary tumor site attributable to the devitalizatlon of bone and soft tissue. These preliminary results indicate that Ewing's sarcoma may be a potentially curable disease with early referral to centers equipped to institute aggressive combined therapy.
Validation experiments to determine radiation partitioning of heat flux to an object in a fully turbulent fire.

Abstract An experimental study was performed to determine the fraction of the heat flux that is due to radiation (sometimes referred to as radiation partitioning of the total heat flux measurement) to a calorimeter engulfed in a large methanol pool fire to improve understanding and develop high-quality data for the validation of fire models. Diagnostics employed include Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy (CARS), Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), total and radiative thermometry, and thermocouples. Data are presented not only for the physics measurements but also for all initial and boundary conditions required as necessary inputs to computational models. The large physical scale, the experimental design (enhanced convection relative to radiation heat transfer), the use of independent measurement techniques, and the attention to data quality, provide a unique dataset that emphasizes the convective component to support numerical fire model validation for convective and radiative heat transfer in fires.
Nitrate Reductase and Glucose‐6‐phosphate Dehydrogenase Activities as Influenced by Leaf Age and Addition of Protein to Extraction Media

Lea fage influences the level of activity and the decay rate of the enzymes nitrate reductase (NR: E.C. 1.6.6.1) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD; E.C. 1.1.1.49) extracted with and without protein in the extraction media. Such influence was determined in three plant species: corn (Zea mays L.), oats (Arena sativa L.), and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). Leaves of different ages were obtained from plants of various ages, or by removal of leaf blades from different positions on a single shoot. NR activity (per g fresh weight) declined as leaves of these plant species became older, especially when extraction was effected with conventional media (i.e. without added protein). The instability of NR in these extracts increased as leaves became older. Decay of NR in vitro was exponential with time. Addition of protein [3 %(w/v) casein or bovine serum albumin] to extraction media markedly increased the level of NR activity and its stability, especially in older leaves of all three plant species. Addition of protein did not affect the level of G6PD extracted from corn leaf blades, but slightly enhanced its activity in extracts from the oldest leaf blade of oats. G6PD activity also declined as leaf blades of corn and oats became older.
Histopathologic effects of tamoxifen on the uterine epithelium of breast cancer patients: analysis by menopausal status

We evaluated the histopathologic changes of the uterine epithelium in 73 breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen stratified by menopausal status. Clinicopathologic data at the time of breast cancer diagnosis and endometrial sampling were analyzed and compared with 122 breast cancer patients not receiving the drug. The incidence of endocervical and/or endometrial polyps was increased in tamoxifen-treated postmenopausal patients compared with untreated patients, 43% (25 of 58) and 24% (16 of 68), respectively (odds ratio = 2.46, P = 0.02). In contrast, there was no increase in polyps in premenopausal tamoxifen-treated patients. This finding suggests that the effects of tamoxifen on the endometrium may vary with menopausal status.
Controls on algal abundance in a eutrophic river with varying degrees of impoundment (Kalamazoo River, Michigan, USA)

Abstract This study examined how nutrients and hydraulic flushing interact to regulate growth of phytoplankton in the Kalamazoo River (Michigan, USA), which has seven reservoirs with summer residence times ranging from <1 to 12 days. The largest reservoir, Lake Allegan, suffers from eutrophication and resultant impairments of beneficial uses, problems being addressed by a TMDL focused on control of phosphorus. Water residence time was the most important control on algal growth in the various impoundments, including Lake Allegan, where residence time remained <12 days through the summer. Based on longitudinal surveys, free-flowing river reaches appeared to remove phyto-plankton, whereas a series of old decommissioned dams above Lake Allegan evidently contributed to algal biomass accumulation in the river. Nutrient concentrations were generally high throughout the river system; thus, algal growth may not be nutrient-limited at present. Phytoplankton in the two largest reservoirs was dominated by diatoms and...
PODEM-X: An Automatic Test Generation System for VLSI Logic Structures

Multiple test generation algorithms and techniques described in this paper have been integrated into a unified system which has successfully produced tests for unpartitioned LSSD logic structures of up to 50,000 logic gates. The design concepts behind the creation of a unified system are presented, as are actual results obtained on large logic structures. System usability was significantly enhanced by the same concepts that facilitated the integration of multiple algorithms and techniques.
Oxysterol binding to the extracellular domain of Smoothened in Hedgehog signaling

Oxysterols bind the seven-spanner transmembrane protein Smoothened and potently activate vertebrate Hedgehog signaling, a pathway essential in embryonic development, adult stem cell maintenance and cancer. It is unknown, however, if oxysterols are important for normal vertebrate Hedgehog signaling, and whether antagonizing oxysterols can inhibit the Hedgehog pathway. We developed azasterols that block Hedgehog signaling by binding the oxysterol-binding site of Smoothened. We show that the binding site for oxysterols and azasterols maps to the extracellular, cysteine-rich domain of Smoothened, and is completely separable from the site bound by other small molecule modulators, located within the heptahelical bundle of Smoothened. Smoothened mutants in which oxysterol binding is abolished no longer respond to oxysterols, and cannot be maximally activated by the Hedgehog ligand. Our results show that oxysterol binding to vertebrate Smoothened is required for normal Hedgehog signaling, and that targeting the oxysterol binding site is an effective strategy to inhibit Smoothened.
The coming opportunities in microsensor systems

Challenges and opportunities confronting the development of integrated sensing systems in the 1990s are discussed. Silicon microsensors can offer significant advantages over alternative technologies, employing features such as self-testing, autocalibration, digital compensation, and bus-compatibility to improve system reliability and performance while reducing cost. A system architecture which permits all of these features to be implemented is described. Each node in this distributed sensing system is composed of sensors, actuators, and a monolithic microprocessor-driven interface chip and is realized as a multichip module. A discrete prototype of this system achieves 12-b accuracy with the ability to read over 700 sensors per second. All data transfers include parity checking and polynomial-based sensor data compensation in the host computer. Over 300 Mbytes of data have been transferred error-free. Needs for further research in these areas are described, and the application of the prototype system to the measurement of pressure, flow, wafer temperature, and other variables in a reactive ion etching system is discussed. >
Afferent Influences on Brain Stem Auditory Nuclei of the Chicken: Neuron Number and Size Following Cochlea Removal

The consequences of cochlea removal on neuron number and soma crosssectional area were examined in the second order auditory nucleus (n. magnocellularis) of chickens. Both the age of the subjects at the time of cochlea (basilar papilla) removal (1-66 weeks) and the survival period (1-45 days) were varied. Neuron number and soma cross-sectional area were determined from Nissl stained sections. Additional material was processed to examine the relationship of ganglion cell loss to changes in n. magnocellularis. Neuron number decreased by 25-30% and soma cross-sectional area decreased by 10-20% ipsilateral to the cochlea removal in chickens operated on during the first 6 weeks after hatching. In contrast, in chickens operated on at 66 weeks posthatch neuron number decreased less than 10% and there was no change in soma area. The changes were rapid, being nearly complete 2 days after cochlea removal. An initial change (1 and 2 days after surgery) observed in animals operated on up to 6 weeks posthatch was the presence of a large number of neurons in which no Nissl substance could be detected. These results demonstrate an age-dependent change in the susceptibility of NM neurons to deafferentation. This change is not temporally related to other measures of functional maturation of the auditory system. The consequences of changes in presynaptic inputs on the normal development and maintenance of central nervous system neurons have been studied extensively (for reviews, see Cowan, '70; Guillery, '74; Globus, '75; Smith, '77). Although relatively little is known about the factors that control the extent and rate of transneuronal degeneration, more dramatic changes often are observed following afferent manipulation in young animals than in adults of the same species (Tsang, '37; Cook et al., '51; Trumpy, '71; Kelly and Cowan, '72; Guillery, '73; Heumann and Rabinowicz, '80; Kalil, '80; Trune, '82a,b; Nordeen et al., '83; Peduzzi and Crossland, '83). It is commonly concluded that this period of greatest susceptibility to manipulation of afferents corresponds to the time when most synaptic connections are being established, during the time of major functional and morphological change (Globus, '75; Heumann and Rabinowicz, '80; Trune, '82a, Peduzzi and Crossland, '83; Nordeen et al., '83).
Referenceless interleaved echo-planar imaging.

Interleaved echo-planar imaging (EPI) is an ultrafast imaging technique important for applications that require high time resolution or short total acquisition times. Unfortunately, EPI is prone to significant ghosting artifacts, resulting primarily from system time delays that cause data matrix misregistration. In this work, it is shown mathematically and experimentally that system time delays are orientation dependent, resulting from anisotropic physical gradient delays. This analysis characterizes the behavior of time delays in oblique coordinates, and a new ghosting artifact caused by anisotropic delays is described. ‘‘Compensation blips’’ are proposed for time delay correction. These blips are shown to remove the effects of anisotropic gradient delays, eliminating the need for repeated reference scans and postprocessing corrections. Examples of phantom and in vivo images are shown. Magn Reson Med 41:87‐94, 1999. r 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
When Does the Market Matter? Stock Prices and the Investment of Equity-Dependent Firms

We use a simple model to outline the conditions under which corporate investment is sensitive to non-fundamental movements in stock prices. The key prediction is that stock prices have a stronger impact on the investment of "equity dependent" firms - firms that need external equity to finance marginal investments. Using an index of equity dependence based on the work of Kaplan and Zingales [1997], we find support for this hypothesis. In particular, firms that rank in the top quintile of the KZ index have investment that is almost three times as sensitive to stock prices as firms in the bottom quintile.
Interstitial pulmonary infiltrate following combined therapy for esophageal carcinoma.

Seven patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus received radiation therapy in twice weekly 400 rad fractions over five weeks followed by eosphagectomy. Four of these patients developed severe interstitial pulmonary infiltrates and died of pulmonary insufficiency 18–50 days after surgery. In three of these patients the infiltrates were detected within 24 hours of surgery while the infiltrate was not present until the eighth postoperative day in the fourth patient Postmortem examination revealed widespread dilatation of interstitial and subpleural lymphatics. It is postulated that the combination of large fraction radiation therapy followed by extensive surgery resulted in lymphatic obstruction.
Teaming assessment: is there a connection between process and product?

It is reasonable to suspect that team process influences the way students work, the quality of their learning and the excellence of their product. This study addresses the relations between team process variables on the one hand, and behaviors and outcomes, on the other. We measured teaming skill, project behavior and performance, and project product grades. We found that knowledge of team process predicts team behavior, but that knowledge alone does not predict performance on the project. Second, both effort and team skills, as assessed by peers, were related to performance. Third, team skills did not correlate with the students' effort. This pattern of results suggests that instructors should address issues of teaming and of effort separately. It also suggests that peer ratings of teammates tap aspects of team behavior relevant to project performance, whereas declarative knowledge of team process does not.
Belowground bud banks and meristem limitation in tallgrass prairieplant populations

Rhizome meristem populations were sampled in tallgrass prairie to quantify the size, grass : forb composition, and temporal and spatial variability of the soil bud bank and to compare fire effects on bud bank and seed bank composition. Soil cores (10.5 cm diameter, 15 cm deep) were collected from replicate annually and infrequently burned tallgrass prairie sites, and intact rhizomes and rhizome buds were censused. Bud bank densities ranged from approximately 600 to 1800 meristems/m 2 among sites and had high spatial and seasonal variability. In annually burned prairie, the total bud bank density was two-fold greater and the grass : forb meristem ratio was more than 30-fold greater than that of infrequently burned prairie. These patterns are opposite those observed in soil seed banks at this site. The rhizome population in annually burned prairie was 34% larger than the established aboveground tiller population. By contrast, the bud bank density in unburned prairie was significantly lower than aboveground stem densities, indicating possible belowground meristem limitation of stem density and net primary production on infrequently burned prairie. The patterns observed in this study suggest that the densities and dynamics of tallgrass prairie plant populations, as well as their response to disturbance (e.g., fire and grazing) and climatic variability, may be mediated principally through effects on the demography of belowground bud populations. Patterns of seed reproduction and seed bank populations have little influence on short-term aboveground population dynamics of tallgrass prairie perennials.
Rare-event simulations for exponential integrals of smooth Gaussian processes

In this paper, we consider the rare-event simulation of integrals of exponential functions of smooth Gaussian random processes. In particular, we design importance sampling estimators that are asymptotically efficient. The efficiency analysis consists of the bias control and the variance control relative to the interesting tail probabilities.
Quantitative intravital microscopy using a Generalized Polarity concept for kidney studies

In this article, we describe a ratiometric intravital two-photon microscopy technique for studying glomerular permeability and differences in proximal tubule cell reabsorption. This quantitative approach is based on the Generalized Polarity (GP) concept, in which the intensity difference between two fluorescent molecules is normalized to the total intensity produced by the two dyes. After an initial intravenous injection of a mixture of 3-, 40-, and 70-kDa fluorescently labeled dextrans into live Munich-Wistar-Fromter (MWF) rats, we were able to monitor changes in the GP values between any two dyes within local regions of the kidney, including the glomerulus, Bowman's capsule, proximal tubule lumens and proximal tubule cells, and individual capillary vessels. We were able to quantify accumulations of different dextrans in the Bowman's space and in tubular lumens as well as reabsorption by proximal tubular cells at different time points in the same rat. We found that for 6- to 8-wk-old MWF rats that developed spontaneous albuminuria, the 40- and 70-kDa dextrans, with hydrodynamic radii larger than albumin, were differentially filtered, but both were able to pass the glomerular filtration barrier and enter into the urinary space of the Bowman's capsule within a few seconds after intravenous infusion. Using GP image analysis, we found that negatively charged dextrans of both 40 and 70 kDa were better reabsorbed by the proximal tubule cells than the neutrally charged 40-kDa dextran. These results demonstrate the potential power of the GP imaging technique for quantitative studies of glomerular filtration and tubular reabsorption.
Spearmint (l-Carvone) Oil and Wintergreen (Methyl Salicylate) Oil Emulsion Is an Effective Immersion Anesthetic of Fishes

Abstract This study evaluates the effects of a spearmint (/-carvone) and wintergreen oil (methyl salicylate) emulsion (CMSE) on age 1 landlocked Atlantic salmon Salmo salar sebago (hereafter salmon). Salmon were immersed in either 257 µl/L CMSE or 75 mg/L tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) to induce anesthesia (stage 4), useful for emersion and noninvasive husbandry procedures, and then salmon were recovered in fresh water. Induction was quicker in the CMSE group; however, recovery was quicker in the MS-222 group. A second experiment was conducted in which salmon were immersed in 257 µl/L CMSE for 8.5 min, or 75 mg/L MS-222 for 8.5 min in order to compare electrocardiographs during deeper anesthesia (stage 5) between salmon continuously immersed in CMSE to those continuously immersed in MS-222. Because salmon remained sedated longer after CMSE exposure than after MS-222 exposure, a third group of salmon was immersed in 257 µl/L CMSE for just 2.5 min before undergoing the 6-min electrocardiograph procedure...
Efficacy and Toxicity of Chemoradiotherapy Using Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy for Unknown Primary of Head and Neck

Purpose No single standard treatment paradigm is available for head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma of an unknown primary (HNCUP). Bilateral neck radiotherapy with mucosal axis irradiation is widely used, with or without chemotherapy and/or surgical resection. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is a highly conformal method for delivering radiation that is becoming the standard of care and might reduce the long-term treatment-related sequelae. We report the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute experience with IMRT-based treatment for HNCUP. Patients and Materials A retrospective study of all patients treated at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for HNCUP with IMRT between August 2004 and January 2009. The primary endpoint was overall survival; the secondary endpoints were locoregional and distant control, and acute and chronic toxicity. Results A total of 24 patients with HNCUP were included. Of these patients, 22 had Stage N2 disease or greater. All patients underwent neck computed tomography, positron emission tomography-computed tomography, and examination under anesthesia with directed biopsies. Of the 24 patients, 22 received concurrent chemotherapy, and 7 (29%) also underwent induction chemotherapy. The median involved nodal dose was 70 Gy, and the median mucosal dose was 60 Gy. With a median follow-up of 2.1 years, the 2-year actuarial overall survival and locoregional control rate was 92% and 100%, respectively. Only 25% of the patients had Grade 2 xerostomia, although 11 patients (46%) required esophageal dilation for stricture. Conclusion In a single-institution series, IMRT-based chemoradiotherapy for HNCUP was associated with superb overall survival and locoregional control. The xerostomia rates were promising, but the aggressive therapy was associated with significant rates of esophageal stenosis.
Operative Hysteroscopy in an Office-Based Surgical Setting: Review of Patient Safety and Satisfaction in 414 Cases

Abstract Study Objective To determine the safety and satisfaction among patients undergoing operative hysteroscopy in an office-based setting. Design Retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Physician's private office. Patients Women undergoing operative hysteroscopy in an office setting. Interventions Three hundred eighty-seven women underwent a total of 414 operative hysteroscopic procedures, with use of parenterally administered moderate sedation, a 9-mm operative resectoscope, and sonographic guidance. All patients were American Society of Anesthesiologists class I–III. Measurements and Main Results A total of 305 primary operative hysteroscopic procedures were performed including endomyometrial resection, myomectomy, polypectomy, removal of a uterine septum, and adhesiolysis. One hundred nine (26.3%) repeat operative procedures were performed in women in whom previous endometrial ablation and resection had failed. The average procedure required a mean (SD) of 37.6 (13.5) minutes to complete, and produced 14.1 (10.2) g of tissue. Ninety-nine percent of all procedures were completed. Only 1 patient required a hospital transfer for evaluation of a uterine perforation necessitating diagnostic laparoscopy. There were 8 (1.9%) postoperative infections, and no complications attributable to use of conscious sedation. Two hundred fifty-five women (65.6%) responded to our telephone survey. Two hundred fifty-two (98.8%) respondents were either “very satisfied” or “satisfied.” Two hundred forty-nine women (97.6%) preferred the office to a hospital setting, whereas 6 (2.4%) would have preferred a hospital setting. All but 5 respondents would recommend this procedure to a friend. Conclusion Major operative hysteroscopic surgery can be performed in an office-based setting with a high degree of safety and patient satisfaction.
Combined Use of Repetitive Task Practice and an Assistive Robotic Device in a Patient With Subacute Stroke

Background and Purpose. This case report describes a training program comprising repetitive task practice (RTP) and robotic therapy for a patient with subacute stroke and resultant impaired upper-extremity function. Case Description. A 63-year-old man with right-sided hemiplegia resulting from a hemorrhagic stroke received a combined intervention of RTP and robotic therapy for 4 hours per day for 3 weeks. Clinical and kinetic evaluations were performed before and after intervention. Outcomes. Following the combined intervention, clinical improvements in hand function were observed, maximum grip force decreased slightly, and interlimb coupling decreased. Discussion. An intervention of RTP with robotic therapy may be an effective method to improve upper-extremity function following stroke. Furthermore, the case suggests that improvements in strength are not necessary for improved dexterous function, provided that a minimal level of strength is present.
"Enmeshment" and "fusion".

The paper examines two related concepts utilized by two different schools of family therapy. Any family seen to be "enmeshed" is also seen as "fused," and vice versa. The difference in the level of focus, on the "system containing the individuals" (structural) or the "individual in the system" (fusion), determines the difference in therapeutic approach of these two schools.
The Price of Anarchy for a Network of Queues in Heavy Traffic

The price of anarchy (POA) in a congestion network refers to the ratio of the individually optimal total cost to the socially optimal total cost. An extensive literature on this subject has focussed mostly on deriving upper bounds on the POA that are independent of the topology of the network and (to a lesser extent) the form of the cost functions at the facilities of the network. This paper considers congestion networks in which the cost functions at the facilities display qualitative characteristics found in the waiting-time function for queue with an infinite waiting room. For a network of parallel M/M/1 queues an explicit expression exists for the POA, which, unlike the bounds in the literature, remains finite in heavy traffic. We show that a similar explicit expression holds in heavy traffic for parallel GI/GI/1 queues and, in some cases, in more general networks as well.
The relative importance of tailpipe and non-tailpipe emissions on the oxidative potential of ambient particles in Los Angeles, CA.

This study examines the associations between the oxidative potential of ambient PM2.5 and PM0.18, measured by means of the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay, and their chemical constituents and modeled sources. Particulate matter (PM) samples were collected from 2012–2013 in Central Los Angeles (LA) and 2013–2014 in Anaheim, California, USA. Detailed chemical analyses of the PM samples, including carbonaceous species, inorganic elements and water-soluble ions, were conducted. Univariate analysis indicated a high correlation (R > 0.60) between the DTT activity and the concentrations of carbonaceous species at both sites. The strongest correlations were observed between DTT and organic tracers of primary vehicle tailpipe emissions including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and hopanes as well as EC, with higher correlations for PM0.18versus PM2.5 components. Moreover, metals and trace elements (e.g., Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Sb) in both size ranges were also associated with DTT activity. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis was performed on DTT activity and PM sources identified by a Molecular Marker-Chemical Mass Balance (MM-CMB) model (i.e. major carbonaceous sources: vehicle tailpipe emissions, wood smoke, primary biogenic and secondary organic carbon) together with other typical sources of ambient PM (i.e. crustal material, vehicular abrasion, secondary ions and sea salt). Overall, our findings illustrate the relative importance of different traffic sources on the oxidative potential of ambient PM. Despite major reductions of tailpipe emissions, the lack of similar reductions (and possibly an increase) in non-tailpipe emissions makes them an important source of traffic-related PM in Los Angeles and their increasing role in the overall PM toxicity raises concerns for public health.
Image compression

Summary form only given. The author surveys the menagerie of quantization and compression algorithms in the specific context of image compression and provides some general comparisons based on performance, complexity, and side benefits of particular coding techniques. >
AGGREGATION PATHWAYS OF THE AMYLOID β(1–42) PEPTIDE DEPEND ON ITS COLLOIDAL STABILITY AND ORDERED β-SHEET STACKING

Amyloid β (Aβ) fibrils are present as a major component in senile plaques, the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Diffuse plaques (nonfibrous, loosely packed Aβ aggregates) containing amorphous Aβ aggregates are also formed in brain. This work examines the influence of Cu(2+) complexation by Aβ on the aggregation process in the context of charge and structural variations. Changes in the surface charges of Aβ molecules due to Cu(2+) binding, measured with a ζ-potential measurement device, were correlated with the aggregate morphologies examined by atomic force microscopy. As a result of the charge variation, the "colloid-like" stability of the aggregation intermediates, which is essential to the fibrillation process, is affected. Consequently, Cu(2+) enhances the amorphous aggregate formation. By monitoring variations in the secondary structures with circular dichroism spectroscopy, a direct transformation from the unstructured conformation to the β-sheet structure was observed for all types of aggregates observed (oligomers, fibrils, and/or amorphous aggregates). Compared to the Aβ aggregation pathway in the absence of Cu(2+) and taking other factors affecting Aβ aggregation (i.e., pH and temperature) into account, our investigation indicates that formations of amorphous and fibrous aggregates diverge from the same β-sheet-containing partially folded intermediate. This study suggests that the hydrophilic domain of Aβ also plays a role in the Aβ aggregation process. A kinetic model was proposed to account for the effects of the Cu(2+) binding on these two aggregation pathways in terms of charge and structural variations.
Merchant Adventurer: The Story of W. R. Grace

This biography was written by two-time Pulitzer winner Marquis James in 1948, but was never published. W.R. Grace's son commissioned James to write it when the author was at the height of his career. However, as Viking Press was about to print the book, the Grace company decided not to release it. It then lay in the firm's archives until it was uncovered by Lawrence Clayton of the University of Alabama. "Merchant Adventurer" tells the story of one of America's most successful immigrants. First arriving in America in 1846, Irish-born William R. Grace worked his way up from ordinary seaman to become master of a vast commercial empire, reformer of the Democratic party and New York City's first Catholic mayor. Grace's fortune quickly rose once he began supplying ships in the Peruvian guano trade. By the late 1860s, Grace was a rich man; his firm, headquartered in New York, operated vessels all over the world, helped build railroads in Latin America, and ran guns to Peru for its disastrous war against Chile. Yet Grace's energies did not stop with his business dealings. In the 1880s he served twice as mayor of New York, successfully fighting the corruption of Tammany Hall. As the century waned, he battled to control the rubber market and nearly won a contract to build what is now the Panama Canal.
Research on quantitative assessment model on vulnerability risk for information system

A quantitative method of vulnerability assessment was put forward on the foundation of research on current assessment methods home and abroad in order to evaluate vulnerability risk objectively.Vulnerability connection network(VCN) was discussed firstly for the purpose of taking connection of vulnerability into account,which divides vulnerabil-ity risk into entity risk and path risk;Secondly,advanced methods of quantifying entity importance in entity risk and network node connection effects in path risk were proposed;Lastly,an evaluation example of vulnerability risk on dis-patching management information system in power system was given out.Corresponding results show that quantitative assessment model brings out scientific and credible evaluation on vulnerability risk.
Correlation of single photon emission CT with MR image data using fiduciary markers

PURPOSE To describe our approach to mapping the functional information provided by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) onto the anatomic template provided by MR, and to determine both the number of markers required to achieve accuracy and the impact of voxel shape on accuracy. METHODS Point-to-point iterative minimization using externally fixed fiducial markers was involved and computer simulations were performed. Two types of validation studies were performed using a phanton using a phantom of known dimensions. First, the spatial distortion that may be present in MR was investigated for spin-echo and gradient-recalled echo images. Next, the accuracy with which the SPECT image could be transformed to match the MR template was analyzed. The method is also demonstrated in four cases of patients with epilepsy. RESULTS Computer simulations indicated that for voxel dimensions we expected to use, eight fiduciary markers would consistently produce acceptable accuracy. Simulations also showed that more isotropic voxels would be more accurate if voxel volume is held constant. The spatial accuracy of both spin-echo and gradient-recalled echo images of a phantom was accurate to within 3 mm. When the SPECT image of the same phantom was correlated with the MR image using this technique, internal marker errors were never greater than 3 mm, and the mean error was 2.2 mm. CONCLUSIONS Images from different modalities can be accurately correlated using multiple fiduciary markers. SPECT and MR images of the given dimensions can be correlated to within 3 mm. The technique aids in clarification of the nature of SPECT perfusion abnormalities and in their anatomic localization.
Dietary calcium reduces blood pressure, parathyroid hormone, and platelet cytosolic calcium responses in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Dietary calcium effects on blood pressure, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and platelet cytosolic calcium concentrations were investigated. The dietary calcium (low, 0.2%; medium, 0.5%; and high, 2.0% wt/wt) was supplemented in spontaneously hypertensive rats from 6 through 22 weeks of age. Mean systolic blood pressure was decreased by age 12 weeks with calcium supplementation (low, 227 +/- 6 mm Hg; medium, 211 +/- 6 mm Hg; and high, 182 +/- 7 mm Hg; P < .001). By the 10th week of age, the low calcium group had significantly (P < .05) more elevated (44 +/- 2.3 pg/ml) plasma PTH compared with the high calcium-supplemented group (15 +/- 4.5 pg/mL). Regression analysis showed a significant (P < .001) positive correlation (r = 0.3) between systolic blood pressure and PTH. The platelet cytosolic calcium concentration was determined using the fura-2 method. The basal calcium was 134 +/- 5.5 nmol/L for the low calcium group and thrombin increased to 228 +/- 8 nmol/L (P < .0001; +70% change). The normal calcium group had 202 +/- 8 nmol/L; thrombin increased to 239 +/- 10 nmol/L (P < .0026; +19% change). The high calcium group had basal levels 145 +/- 7 nmol/L, with thrombin stimulating to 212 +/- 8 nmol/L (P < .0001; +46% change). Although thrombin increased platelet cytosolic calcium concentration in all groups, normal and high dietary calcium groups had smaller percentage increases (51% and 24% lesser, respectively) compared with the low dietary calcium group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
'Esau Hates Jacob' Conflict and Religious Elite Rhetoric in Israel

How do religious elites respond to conflict? While scholars have shown that elite rhetoric influences civil and interstate war, work on how conflict affects elite rhetoric remains limited. In this paper, I examine to what extent Israeli religious elite rhetoric becomes more hawkish during periods of military conflict with the Palestinians. I exploit the variation of conflict intensity over time, in order to compare religious elite discourse before and after different periods of conflict. I use unsupervised and supervised learning methods to classify weekly Sabbath leaflets, which serve as an important media platform for Israel's religious elites. My results suggest that there is a significant increase in nationalist rhetoric during times of military conflict. Additionally, during conflict nationalist rhetoric shifts from an emphasis on connection to the land to nationalist incitement towards the enemy. In contrast, my results suggest that religious elites experience no similar increase in anti-government rhetoric during times of domestic conflict. Overall, these results suggest that religious elites experience short-term radicalization in response to military conflict, but remain relatively unaffected by domestic conflict.
Fatal purpura fulminans and Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome from fulminant Streptococcus pneumoniae sepsis in an asplenic young adult.

Asplenic patients are at increased risk for sepsis and fulminant infection. Sepsis in these patients is typically secondary to encapsulated bacteria, with Streptococcus pneumoniae being the most frequent pathogen. Rare complications of severe sepsis include purpura fulminans and bilateral adrenal hemorrhage (Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome). We present the case of a 36-year-old woman, healthy except for splenectomy years prior for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura treatment, who presented with fever. Upon presentation to our hospital, three hours after symptoms onset, she had purpura fulminans and shock. Despite timely antimicrobials and maximal resuscitative efforts, her disease progressed and she expired 12 hours after symptoms onset. Autopsy revealed bilateral adrenal hemorrhage; acute adrenal crisis likely contributed to her refractory shock. Prior to her presentation, she had not received guideline-based post-splenectomy care. Sepsis in asplenic patients can be fulminant and rapidly fatal. Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most frequent cause, despite decreasing rates in recent years related to widespread pneumococcal vaccination. Guideline-based vaccinations and “pill-in-pocket” therapy can be life-saving for asplenic patients. Purpura fulminans represents an extreme manifestation of disseminated intravascular coagulation, is more common in asplenic patients, and portends a poor prognosis. Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome can be seen concurrently with purpura fulminans and further portends a poor prognosis; pre-mortem diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion.
Exploiting random matrix theory to improve noisy low-rank matrix approximation

We consider an estimation and denoising problem where the measurement matrix is modeled as a low-rank signal matrix corrupted by a Gaussian white noise matrix. We exploit recent results from random matrix theory to develop an algorithm for improving the quality of the estimated low-rank signal matrix that explicitly accounts for the noisiness of the estimated signal singular vectors. We explain why we are able to obtain this improvement relative to the Eckart-Young-Mirsky theorem motivated “optimal” approximation that employs the rank-k SVD of the measurement matrix and discuss extensions of the result to settings where the Gaussianity assumption can be dropped.
Emerging role of radiolabeled nanoparticles as effective diagnostic tools

1293 Learning Objectives 1. To review applications of radiolabeled nanoparticles in clinical settings. 2. To discuss characteristics of different nanoparticles, radiolabeling and their applications. Nanomedicine is emerging as a promising approach for diagnostic applications. Nanoparticles are structures in the nano meter size range, which can present different shapes, compositions, charges, surface modifications, in vitro and in vivo stabilities and in vivo performances. Radiolabeled nanoparticles represent a new class of agent with great potential for clinical applications. This is partly due to their long blood circulation time and plasma stability. In addition, because of the high sensitivity of imaging with radiolabeled compounds, their use has the promise of achieving accurate and early diagnosis. In this review we will discuss these topics: 1. Applications of radiolabeled nanoparticles i. Diagnosis, monitoring physical and pathological processes and therapy in: a. Cancer b. Cardiovascular diseases c. Infection ii. Formulation, stability and biological properties of nano particles i. Liposomes a. Conventional, stealth, targeted b. Therapeutic and/or diagnostic c. Infection and inflammation d. Atherosclerotic plaque e. Tumor diagnosis ii. Iron oxide nanoparticles a. Magnetic particle core, coated with polymer vs porous bio-compatible polymer with entrapped iron oxide b. PET/MR as a perfect modality c. Tumordetection iii. Gold nanoparticles iv. Micelles v. Carbon-based nanoparticles iii. Imaging techniques i. PET ii. SPECT
Life after breast, prostate, and colon cancer: Primary care’s role

When patients survive cancer, they eventually come back to their primary care physicians. This group has special needs, including surveillance for recurrent and new cancer, health promotion, and interventions to mitigate the lingering effects of the cancer and the adverse effects of its treatment.
Use of Multiple Techniques for Otoplasty (Stenstrom, Mustarde, Furnas)

The goal of an operation for prominent ears is to produce symmetrical, natural-looking ears, with no obvious signs of surgery having been performed. Therefore, a combination technique of the most beneficial features of three previously described techniques, without cartilage resection, is presented. This technique is easy to perform, has been tested over time, and provides excellent cosmetic results, a high level of patient satisfaction, and minimal complications. Given these considerations, it can be used as a standard technique, despite any differences in age and/or magnitude of defect of the patients.
Critique [of Racism and the Canadian State by Daiva K. Stasiulis]

Stasiulis9s two-part essay offers a critique of the policies on immigration and racism pursued by the Canadian government during the past decade or so. While the government9s multicultural institutions seek to ameliorate racism, its immigration agencies get blamed for intensifying the problem. The latter agencies are better supported than the former which are on the “fringes of state power,” and, according to the author, have little chance of changing immigration policies.
The Effects of Choice in Systematic Desensitization

It was hypothesized that implicit choice in a traditional systematic desensitization procedure produces dissonance, the reduction of which is partially responsible for anxiety reduction. To test this, 24 female snake-phobic 5s were divided into 3 treatments, which varied in the degree of perceived choice in progressing through the hierarchy. Desensitization with Choice decreased fear as measured by self-report (n.s.) and a behavioral test more than Traditional Desensitization, which in turn decreased fear more than Forced Desensitization. The principle of reciprocal inhibition could not account for the results, while both dissonance theory and attribution theory could.
Mist Water Quality, Rooting Hormone, Collection Time, and Medium Effect on Propagation of Pittosporum Tobira (Thunb.) Ait.

Abstract Cuttings of Japanese pittosporum (Pittosporum Tobira (Thunb.) Ait.) were collected in February, April, June, October and December 1987 and rooted in a mist propagation bed with 0, 1250, 25...
PPLN-waveguide-based polarization entangled QKD simulator

We have developed a comprehensive simulator to study the polarization entangled quantum key distribution (QKD) system, which takes various imperfections into account. We assume that a type-II SPDC source using a PPLN-based nonlinear optical waveguide is used to generate entangled photon pairs and implements the BB84 protocol, using two mutually unbiased basis with two orthogonal polarizations in each basis. The entangled photon pairs are then simulated to be transmitted to both parties; Alice and Bob, through the optical channel, imperfect optical elements and onto the imperfect detector. It is assumed that Eve has no control over the detectors, and can only gain information from the public channel and the intercept resend attack. The secure key rate (SKR) is calculated using an upper bound and by using actual code rates of LDPC codes implementable in FPGA hardware. After the verification of the simulation results, such as the pair generation rate and the number of error due to multiple pairs, for the ideal scenario, available in the literature, we then introduce various imperfections. Then, the results are compared to previously reported experimental results where a BBO nonlinear crystal is used, and the improvements in SKRs are determined for when a PPLN-waveguide is used instead.
Metabolic engineering of Bacillus subtilis for production of D-lactic acid.

Poly lactic acid (PLA) based plastics is renewable, bio-based, and biodegradable. Although present day PLA is composed of mainly L-LA, an L- and D- LA copolymer is expected to improve the quality of PLA and expand its use. To increase the number of thermotolerant microbial biocatalysts that produce D-LA, a derivative of Bacillus subtilis strain 168 that grows at 50°C was metabolically engineered. Since B. subtilis lacks a gene encoding D-lactate dehydrogenase (ldhA), five heterologous ldhA genes (B. coagulans ldhA and gldA101, and ldhA from three Lactobacillus delbrueckii) were evaluated. Corresponding D-LDHs were purified and biochemically characterized. Among these, D-LDH from L. delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus supported the highest D-LA titer (about 1M) and productivity (2 g h-1 g cells-1 ) at 37°C (B. subtilis strain DA12). The D-LA titer at 48°C was about 0.6 M at a yield of 0.99 (g D-LA g-1 glucose consumed). Strain DA12 also fermented glucose at 48°C in mineral salts medium to lactate at a yield of 0.89 g g-1 glucose and the D-lactate titer was 180 ± 4.5 mM. These results demonstrate the potential of B. subtilis as a platform organism for metabolic engineering for production of chemicals at 48°C that could minimize process cost.
Chronic neutrophilic leukemia: new science and new diagnostic criteria

Chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL) is a distinct myeloproliferative neoplasm defined by persistent, predominantly mature neutrophil proliferation, marrow granulocyte hyperplasia, and frequent splenomegaly. The seminal discovery of oncogenic driver mutations in CSF3R in the majority of patients with CNL in 2013 generated a new scientific framework for this disease as it deepened our understanding of its molecular pathogenesis, provided a biomarker for diagnosis, and rationalized management using novel targeted therapies. Consequently, in 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) revised the diagnostic criteria for CNL to reflect such changes in its genomic landscape, now including the presence of disease-defining activating CSF3R mutations as a key diagnostic component of CNL. In this communication, we provide a background on the history of CNL, its clinical and hemopathologic features, and its molecular anatomy, including relevant additional genetic lesions and their significance. We also outline the recently updated WHO diagnostic criteria for CNL. Further, the natural history of the disease is reviewed as well as potential prognostic variables. Finally, we summarize and discuss current treatment options as well as prospective novel therapeutic targets in hopes that they will yield meaningful improvements in patient management and outcomes.