cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Etiology and Outcomes of Acquired Pediatric Sixth Nerve Palsies.

Background Acquired sixth nerve (CN6) palsies in children may be benign or associated with an underlying neurologic condition. In children who presented with isolated (no associated neurologic or ophthalmic symptoms or signs) CN6 palsies, the rate of newly diagnosed neurologic disorders (such as tumors) is unclear. Moreover, the factors associated with spontaneous resolution and amblyopia in children with acquired CN6 palsies are unknown. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all children younger than 18 years diagnosed with CN6 palsy at our institution from 2010 to 2020. We recorded ophthalmologic and neurologic history and examination findings, neuroimaging results, etiology of CN6 palsy, and outcomes including spontaneous resolution and amblyopia. We assessed etiologies of isolated and nonisolated CN6 palsies as well as frequency and factors associated with spontaneous resolution and amblyopia (in children ≤7 years). Results One hundred seventy-two children met inclusion criteria. Twenty CN6 palsies (12%) were isolated at presentation. Most isolated cases were presumed postviral or postvaccination (50%) or idiopathic (30%), but 2 cases (10%) were associated with newly diagnosed tumors. Spontaneous resolution occurred in 59% of CN6 palsies at a median of 12.3 weeks and was associated with older age (P = 0.03) and nontumor etiology (P = 0.006). Amblyopia developed in 18% of children at risk, exclusively in those with anisometropia, pre-existing strabismus, or younger than 12 months. Conclusions Our findings and chart reviews suggest that approximately 10% of isolated acquired pediatric CN6 palsies are associated with a newly diagnosed brain tumor. This risk must be discussed with parents when considering immediate vs delayed neuroimaging. In addition, infants and children ≤7 years with secondary amblyogenic risk factors (anisometropia or pre-existing strabismus) require close follow-up to monitor and treat amblyopia.
Community, Community Capacity Building and Decentralization in Indonesia

This article explains about the concept of community and the ideas of community capacity building and using the theoretical concepts to analyse the implementation of decentralization in Indonesia.
Surgical Fixation of Chondral-Only Fragments of the Knee: A Case Series With a Mean 4-Year Follow-up.

Background:Chondral-only fragments of the knee have traditionally been treated with excision, with or without cartilage restoration procedures. This is because of the historical assumption that car...
Enriching peer-to-peer file descriptors using association rules on query logs

We describe a P2P association rule mining descriptor enrichment approach that statistically significantly increases accuracy by greater than 15% over the non-enriched baseline. Unlike the state-of-the-art enrichment approach however, the proposed solution does not introduce additional network load.
Cloud Computing and Related Security Issues

Cloud computing as a technology is difficult to define because it is evolving without a clear start point and no clear prediction of its future course. Even though this is the case, one can say that it is a continuous evolution of a computer network technology going beyond the client–server technology. It is a technology extending the realms of a computer network, creating an environment that offers scalability, better utilization of hardware, on-demand applications and storage, and lower costs over the long run through the creation of virtual servers cloned from existing instances each offering near instantaneous increase in performance, allowing companies to react quickly and dynamically to emerging demands. The “cloud” or “cloud solution,” as the technology is commonly referred to, can either be hosted on-site by the company or off-site such as Microsoft’s SkyDrive and Samsung’s S-Cloud.
Medical-Malpractice Reform: Is Enterprise Liability or No-Fault a Better Reform?

This Note compares two medical-malpractice reforms: enterprise liability and no-fault. The Note compares the reforms for their relative ability to compensate injured patients and deter malpractice. The Note also examines the reforms' economic and sociopolitical feasibility. The Note concludes that a no-fault medical-malpractice system would better compensate patients and deter malpractice, but enterprise liability is a more feasible reform that policymakers should pursue more aggressively.
DNA damage and repair in human skin: pathways and questions.

Skin, the principal barrier between human internal organs and the external environment, is assaulted daily with physical and chemical carcinogens, promoters, and modifiers of biological responses to such agents. DNA is the principal target for most carcinogens, and DNA in skin is particularly at risk. It is subject to damage not only from ingested compounds and their metabolic products, but also from externally applied or encountered chemicals, as well as from physical carcinogens such as sunlight and cosmetic or medical sources of ultraviolet radiation. Three major factors determine the balance between damage to DNA of skin and the biological consequences of that damage: (1) the frequencies and types of lesions, (2) the ability of the individual to repair a lesion, and (3) the strategy that skin employs to deal with the different spectra of lesions inflicted under varying environmental conditions. Thus, cellular responses to DNA damage, including repair of DNA lesions, are critical factors in determining the final level of damage and its consequences.
Galaxy Formation: High Redshift or Low?

A list of passages in the formation of a galaxy would include the epoch at which the bulk of the mass in the central parts had been put in place; the epoch at which the bulk of the mass in the disc was in place; and the epochs at which most of the seen stars and the heavy elements had formed. I review some lines of evidence by which we might hope to place useful constraints on these epochs.
Traction force and tension fluctuations in growing axons

Actively generated mechanical forces play a central role in axon growth and guidance, but the mechanisms that underly force generation and regulation in growing axons remain poorly understood. We report measurements of the dynamics of traction stresses from growth cones of actively advancing axons from postnatal rat DRG neurons. By tracking the movement of the growth cone and analyzing the traction stress field from a reference frame that moves with it, we are able to show that there is a clear and consistent average stress field that underlies the complex spatial stresses present at any one time. The average stress field has strong maxima on the sides of the growth cone, directed inward toward the growth cone neck. This pattern represents a contractile stress contained within the growth cone, and a net force that is balanced by the axon tension. Using high time-resolution measurements of the growth cone traction stresses, we show that the stress field is composed of fluctuating local stress peaks, with a large number peaks that live for a short time, a population of peaks whose lifetime distribution follows an exponential decay, and a small number of very long-lived peaks. We show that the high time-resolution data also reveal that the tension appears to vary randomly over short time scales, roughly consistent with the lifetime of the stress peaks, suggesting that the tension fluctuations originate from stochastic adhesion dynamics.
The Cytoproct of Paramecium Caudatum: Structure and Function, Microtubules, and Fate of Food Vacuole Membranes

The cytoproct or cell anus of Paramecium caudatum was studied, using light optics and electron microscopy, at known times before, during and following food vacuole egestion. This was accomplished by microscopically observing single cells, fixing these cells at specific times and finally serial sectioning these individually processed cells. The cytoproct, at rest, is a long narrow ridge along the posterior suture. It contains 2 uniquely positioned components which identify this structure as the cytoproct: piles of fibres along the inside surfaces of the ridge, and microtubules passing from the epiplasm at the summit of the ridge down into the cytoplasm. The plasma membrane is continuous over the top of the ridge. The cortical basal bodies adjacent to the ridge have bundles of microtubules passing into the cytoplasm from an opaque plaque at their proximal ends. These 2 sets of microtubules may function in guiding the food vacuoles to the cytoproct. A model is presented in which motive forces generated between the microtubules and the food vacuole membrane bring the food vacuole to the cytoproct and, in addition, pull the cytoproct lips apart so that the food vacuole membrane and plasma membrane come into contact and fuse together, thus opening the food vacuole to the outside. The plasma membrane increases in area between the parting lips, possibly, as the result of intercalation of membrane vesicles into the plasma membrane at the top of the ridge. Immediately after this opening is formed the food vacuole membrane changes from a smooth topography to a highly convoluted one. The membrane is engulfed through a process of endocytosis resulting in an accumulation of membranous fragments in the cytoplasm below the cytoproct. The endocytic forces probably bring about the restitution of the cytoproct ridge by pulling the lips back together as the membrane is engulfed. A filamentous meshwork underlying the food vacuole membrane may be active in this endocytic process.
Cross-Presentation of Tumor Antigens to Effector T Cells Is Sufficient to Mediate Effective Immunotherapy of Established Intracranial Tumors

The systemic adoptive transfer of tumor-sensitized T cells, activated ex vivo, can eliminate established intracranial tumors. Regression of MHC class II negative MCA 205 fibrosarcomas occurs optimally following adoptive transfer of both CD4 and CD8 tumor-sensitized T cells, indicating an important function for tumor-infiltrating APC. Here, we demonstrate that during an effector response, indirect presentation of tumor Ags to transferred T cells is sufficient to mediate intracranial tumor regression. BALB/c --> CB6F1 (H-2bxd) bone marrow chimeras were challenged with the MCA 205 fibrosarcoma (H-2b). The tumor grew progressively in the H-2b-tolerant chimeras and stimulated an immune response in tumor-draining lymph nodes. Tumor-sensitized lymph node T cells were activated ex vivo with anti-CD3 and IL-2, then adoptively transferred to sublethally irradiated BALB/c or C57BL/6 recipients bearing established intracranial MCA 205 tumors. The transferred T cells eradicated MCA 205 tumors in BALB/c recipients and demonstrated tumor specificity, but had no therapeutic efficacy in the C57BL/6 recipients. These data establish that tumor-associated host cell constituents provide sufficient Ag presentation to drive effector T cell function in the complete absence of direct tumor recognition. This effector mechanism has an evident capacity to remain operative in circumstances of immune escape, where the tumor does not express the relevant MHC molecules, and may have importance even at times when direct CTL recognition also remains operative.
Fetal-Maternal Adrenal Cortical Response to Stress in the Intact and Hypophysectomized Rat

The secretion of ACTH in response to stress was studied in both maternal and fetal rats. The stress response of the hypophysectomized pregnant rat was also investigated. In intact pregnant rats there was an adrenal ascorbic acid depletion (–27%) and corticosterone increase (+144%) which did not occur in the stressed hypophysectomized pregnant rats. Fetuses from intact and hypophysectomized pregnant rats showed no evidence of adrenal cortical stimulation in response to histamine injection, surgery, explantation in vitro for 40 min or ether anesthesia of the mother. It is concluded that 1) placental ACTH is not mobilized in response to stress, and 2) the fetal rat does not exhibit an adrenal cortical response to stress. (Endocrinology 74: 737, 1964)
Total Synthesis of (−)-Nakadomarin A

The convergent synthesis of the polycyclic alkaloid (−)-nakadomarin A (1) is reported. The synthesis plan identified macrocyclic lactam 4 as one of the important synthons (eight steps). The other synthon (five steps) was bicyclo[6.3.0] lactam 5 containing a single stereocenter that controlled all of the subsequent stereochemistry during the assembly process. A silyl triflate-promoted cascade of 4 and 5 was used to assemble the bulk of the alkaloid skeleton with the exception of the C5–C6 bond. The nakadomarin synthesis was then completed in one additional step.
Development of empirical angular distribution models for smoke aerosols: Methods

[1] Using broadband shortwave radiance measurements from the Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System (CERES) sensors onboard the Terra and Aqua satellites, empirical angular distribution models (EADM) are constructed for smoke aerosols. These EADMs are constructed for smoke aerosols emitted during the biomass burning season (August-October), in South America. All available years (2000–2008) of both rotating azimuth plane and cross-track radiance data from CERES have been utilized. Aerosol scenes are identified using coincident aerosol optical thickness retrievals from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The new EADMs are used to estimate top-of-atmosphere (TOA) shortwave flux for cloud free scenes. The CERES clearly shows the angular dependence of shortwave radiance on smoke aerosol optical thickness. A comparison of TOA shortwave fluxes estimated from the new smoke EADM with the existing CERES TOA shortwave fluxes shows that the CERES fluxes are higher (lower) for aerosol optical thickness less (greater) than 0.3, largely due to the use of aerosol optical thickness in characterizing the new EADMs developed in this study. Empirical ADMs for smoke aerosols over land are developed for the first time in this study, and our results demonstrate that large amounts of aerosols emitted during biomass burning activities contribute to the anisotropy of the radiance distribution at the TOA. Therefore, it is imperative to include aerosol information in the angular distribution models, especially now that more than a 10 year record of Terra data is available.
The identification of an invertebrate acetylcholine receptor

Abstract The results of a series of experimental studies have culminated in the identification of an acetylcholine receptor from the invertebrate Limulus polyphemus . The binding ligand α-bungarotoxin was used to identify a specific protein in the central nervous system tissue of this organism. The specific interaction of α-bungarotoxin with an acetylcholine receptor has been confirmed by physiological, competitive binding, subcellular fractionation and autoradiographic techniques. The toxin binding protein was solubilized and exhibited properties consistent with the nature of a nicotinic cholinergic receptor. Therefore, the identified protein is proposed as an acetylcholine receptor protein from the central nervous system of this invertebrate species.
Options regarding alcohol use among the Chippewa

Chippewa people drink alochol in “white” or “Indian” fashion, or abstain from it. Their choices are related to individual factors (age, sex, family role, past experience) and to social contexts. Depending on such contexts, each category automatically evokes certain social consequences. Certain advantages and disadvantages thereby accrue to each option.
Intralesional Triamcinolone and Adrenal Suppression in ACNE Vulgaris

Adrenal suppression was investigated in nine patients with acne vulgaris whose inflammatory cysts were injected with triamcinolone acetonide. Using this steroid, total doses of 20 mg or more delivered into numerous sites at one time were required to produce suppression of plasma cortisol by fluorometric analysis. Clinical evidence of systemic absorption was suggested by overall improvement in the acne process including not only sites injected, but also those distant from injection. The apparent clinical improvement in uninjected sites together with laboratory evidence of plasma cortisol suppression persisted for at least five days when a total dose of 50 mg of triamcinolone acetonide was employed. Although only plasma cortisol levels were observed, a parallel suppressive effect on adrenal androgens such as dehydroepiandrosterone would contribute to any overall improvement in the acne process. The relative importance of adrenal androgen suppression compared to the direct effect of the systemically absorbed exogenous steroid remains unanswered.
Polymerized Collagen Inhibits Fibroblast Proliferation via a Mechanism Involving the Formation of a β1 Integrin-Protein Phosphatase 2A-Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Complex That Suppresses S6K1 Activity

Abstract Polymerized type I collagen suppresses fibroblast proliferation. Previous studies have implicated inhibition of fibroblast proliferation with polymerized collagen-mediated suppression of S6K1, but the molecular mechanism of the critical negative feedback loop has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that polymerized collagen suppresses G1/S phase transition and fibroblast proliferation by a novel mechanism involving the formation of a β1 integrin-protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)-tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) complex that represses S6K1 activity. In response to fibroblast interaction with polymerized collagen, β1 integrin forms a complex with PP2A that targets TSC2 as a substrate. PP2A represses the level of TSC2 phosphorylation and maintains TSC2 in an activated state. Activated TSC2 negatively regulates the downstream kinase S6K1 and inhibits G1/S transit. Knockdown of TSC2 enables fibroblasts to overcome the anti-proliferative properties of polymerized collagen. Furthermore, we show that this reduction in TSC2 and S6K1 phosphorylation occurs largely independent of Akt. Although S6K1 activity was markedly suppressed by polymerized collagen, we found that minimal changes in Akt activity occurred. We demonstrate that up-regulation of Akt by overexpression of constitutively active phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase p110 subunit had minor effects on TSC2 and S6K1 phosphorylation. These findings demonstrate that polymerized collagen represses fibroblast proliferation by a mechanism involving the formation of a β1 integrin-PP2A-TSC2 complex that negatively regulates S6K1 and inhibits G1/S phase transition.
Low-energy universality and the new charmonium resonance at 3870-MeV

The recently discovered narrow charmonium resonance near 3870 MeV is interpreted as a hadronic molecule whose constituents are the charm mesons ${D}^{0}$ and ${D}^{*0}$ or ${D}^{0}$ and ${D}^{*0}.$ Because of an accidental fine-tuning of the molecule to very near the ${D}^{0}{D}^{*0}$ threshold, it has some universal properties that are completely determined by the unnaturally large ${D}^{0}{D}^{*0}$ scattering length a. Its narrow width can be explained by the suppression by a factor of $1/a$ of decay modes other than the decay of a constituent ${D}^{*0}$ or ${D}^{*0}.$ Its production rates are also suppressed by a factor of $1/a.$ A particularly predictive mechanism for generating the large scattering length is the accidental fine-tuning of a P-wave charmonium state to the ${D}^{0}{D}^{*0}$ threshold.
Correlation of 210 Pb removal with organic carbon fluxes in the Pacific Ocean

The flux of particulate organic carbon reaching the deep sea is fundamental to our understanding of the global carbon cycle. Measurements of carbon accumulation in sediments do not quantify this flux because carbon is rapidly oxidized during settling and prior to burial. Using data from material collected by particle traps, we report here a strong correlation between the fraction of 210Pb removed from the ocean by particle settling and the flux of particulate organic carbon. The fraction of 210Pb removed from the water column may be determined by measurements of the inventory of excess 210Pb in bottom sediments as well as by measurements in sediment traps. Thus, the excess 210Pb inventory in deep-sea sediments is a proxy for the amount of particulate organic carbon delivered to the sediments over the past 100 years.
Preparation And Properties Of High Optical Quality IR Transmitting Glasses And Fibers Based On Metal Fluorides

Recent advances in preform processing techniques and purification have resulted in fluoride glass fibers having a minimum loss of 0.9 dB/km at 2.55 microns. This value was confirmed by separate measurements of scattering and absorption loss.
Effect of the cold pressor test on regional myocardial blood flow in patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract The cold pressor test is a potent alpha-adrenergic vasoconstrictor stimulus, but its effect on regional myocardial blood flow in patients with coronary artery disease is unknown. In this study, 17 patients with chest pain syndromes who were receiving beta-adrenergic-blocking drugs underwent regional myocardial blood flow determination by the xenon-133 technique before and after the cold pressor test. Nineteen of 28 regions analyzed were distal to significant coronary artery lesions (>70% reduction of luminal diameter), while the remainder were in patients with normal coronary arteries. Patients with normal and stenotic coronary arteries had a similar increase in heart rate-pressure product, but in patients with normal coronary arteries, regional myocardial blood flow increased in nine of nine regions (average increase 11.6 ± 1.3%, p p p
Repurposing the Pap Smear: One Step Closer to Gynecologic Cancer Screening

Prevention and early detection remain essential to decreasing cancer mortality. Screening DNA in Pap smears has the potential to increase the rate of early detection of endometrial and ovarian cancers. In this issue of Science Translational Medicine, Kinde and colleagues use advanced sequencing technology to evaluate DNA to screen for gynecologic malignancies.
Targeting hypoxia–A2A adenosine receptor-mediated mechanisms of tissue protection

Abstract Despite inflammation having beneficial effects, the action of toxic proinflammatory molecules can result in excessive tissue damage that subsequently contributes to the pathogenesis of many major diseases. The development of novel drugs and therapeutic strategies for the treatment of inflammation requires an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms that terminate inflammation. The physiological hypothesis proposes that excessive levels of inflammatory tissue damage result in local hypoxia and accumulation of extracellular adenosine. The A 2A adenosine receptor and hypoxia-inducible factor play important roles in the attenuation of proinflammatory processes in a delayed, negative-feedback manner and thus protect organs from excessive damage. Targeting individual stages of the hypoxia–A 2A receptor signaling pathway represents an attractive strategy for the modulation of inflammation.
Integrin alphavbeta3 is a coreceptor for human cytomegalovirus.

HCMV is a widespread opportunistic pathogen that causes birth defects in newborns and severe disease in immunocompromised individuals. The broad tropism of HCMV infection suggests that it utilizes multiple receptors. We recently demonstrated that EGFR serves as a receptor for HCMV. Here we show that HCMV also uses integrin αvβ3 as a coreceptor. Upon infection, HCMV glycoproteins gB and gH independently bind to EGFR and αvβ3, respectively, to initiate viral entry and signaling. αvβ3 then translocates to lipid rafts where it interacts with EGFR to induce coordinated signaling. The coordination between EGFR and αvβ3 is essential for the early events of HCMV infection, including viral entry, RhoA downregulation, stress fiber disassembly, and viral nuclear trafficking. Our findings support a model where EGFR and αvβ3 work together as coreceptors for HCMV entry and signaling. This discovery is fundamental to understanding HCMV pathogenesis and developing treatment strategies targeted to viral receptors.
Lactate Transport and Metabolism in the Human Brain: Implications for the Astrocyte-Neuron Lactate Shuttle Hypothesis

Lactate is the metabolic byproduct of glycolysis, a process that, despite being less efficient than the complete oxidation of glucose to carbon dioxide and water, occurs throughout the brain. Glycolytic metabolism increases dramatically in response to ischemic events, but even during periods of
Effects of the 1979 gasoline shortages on Philadelphia housing prices

Abstract Conventional theory predicts that transportation cost to a big-city central business district is an important determinant of housing prices. If this is true, the sudden rise in gasoline price following the Iranian revolution in 1979 could have caused a relative housing-price shift in central and peripheral neighborhoods. This paper looks for such an effect by fitting hedonic price functions in selected neighborhoods at varying distances from downtown Philadelphia, and testing for a relative shift at the time of the gasoline shortage. The results suggest that the energy shortage's effects may have been focused disproportionately on a few already revitalizing neighborhoods.
Intramolecular electron transfer in simple model systems: A propagator study

The probability of site‐to‐site intramolecular electron or hole transfer as a function of time in simple model systems is calculated. Systems studied are the hydrogen molecule, allyl cation, and cyclopropenium ion, in the Hubbard model. We employ the method of electron propagators, using both exact and approximate (molecular orbital and valence bond) ground state wavefunctions. We conclude that the molecular orbital wavefunction affords a good description of the transfer process for a wide variety of systems. The utility of our approach for the calculation of electron transfer rates in which purely electronic effects are dominant is stressed.
Active transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid in freshly prepared rat hepatocytes.

Abstract The transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid in freshly prepared rat liver cells was saturable and exhibited a K t of 13.9 × 10 −3 M and a max of 28.6 umoles/ml intracellular fluid/30 min. The system required the presence of sodium and was sensitive to ouabain. Anaerobiosis, 2,4-dinitrophenol and low temperature suppressed the uptake of the amino acid. Efflux studies also indicated that the majority of the intracellular amino acid was rapidly exchangeable and therefore probably present in the cell water in a free state. It is suggested that alpha-aminoisobutyric acid is transported into isolated rat hepatocytes by an active carrier system.
Lymphoma and other HIV-associated malignancies.

The immunodeficient state that evolves in persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) appears to increase their risk of certain types of cancer. Among these are primary lymphoma of the central nervous system, undifferentiated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma, anorectal carcinoma, and cutaneous malignancies. These malignancies are similar in incidence to those seen in other immunodeficient patients. Lymphoma, in particular, is associated with a more aggressive disease state. In HIV infected patients, the disease is usually diagnosed at a more advanced stage, frequently has extranodal involvement, and usually responds poorly to chemotherapy. Viruses, such as Epstein-Barr virus and papillomavirus, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of lymphoma and other malignancies in immunosuppressed patients, including those with HIV infection.
CEA, AFP and CA 19-9 analysis in peritoneal fluid to differentiate causes of ascites formation

Abstract Objectives Tumor marker analysis in ascites has been proposed as a measure to aid in the diagnosis of malignancy. The objectives of this study were to establish tumor marker cut-offs and determine the diagnostic performance of measuring CEA, CA 19-9 and AFP in ascites for differentiating between non-malignant and malignant etiologies. Design and methods Ascites from 137 patients (83 non-malignant, 54 malignant) was assayed for CEA, CA 19-9 and AFP concentrations by immunoassay. Diagnostic cut-offs were established via ROC curve analysis. Performance was compared to cytology findings and patient history following medical chart review. Analysis based on cytological findings in combination with tumor marker testing, as well as subset analysis by tumor marker secretion was also performed. Results Concentrations of CEA, CA 19-9 and AFP were significantly higher in patients with malignant ascites versus non-malignant etiologies. The diagnostic cut-off, sensitivity and specificity for CEA were 3.5 ng/mL, 31% and 95%, respectively; for CA 19-9 were 72 U/mL, 30% and 95%; and for AFP were 5 ng/mL, 17% and 95%. Using cytological findings in conjunction with tumor marker results improved the sensitivity of CEA, CA 19-9 and AFP to 57.4%, 64.8%, and 59.3%, respectively. Improvement in sensitivity was seen when subset analysis by causative malignancy was performed. Conclusions Tumor marker analysis in ascites, especially in subset analysis by type of malignancy, demonstrated utility for differentiating non-malignant from malignant etiologies. This analysis should not replace cytology, but offers potential for differentiation in situations where cytology is inconclusive, or in patients with suspected malignancies known to secrete these markers.
A TPD study of the partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde on CeO2-supported vanadium oxide

Abstract The partial oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde on ceria-supported monolayer vanadium oxide was studied using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), microcalorimetry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Methanol TPD demonstrated that the activation energy for the dehydrogenation of adsorbed methoxides to produce formaldehyde is a function of the oxidation state of the vanadium cations in the supported layer. During CH3OH TPD, CH2O was produced at 525, 550, and 610 K, on V5+, V4+, and V3+, respectively. The heat of reoxidation of supported vanadia/ceria samples that had been reduced by performing a CH3OH TPD experiment was measured using microcalorimetry and found to be 245 kJ/mol of O2. The heat of adsorption of CH3OH on the vanadia layer was also measured and found to be 80 kJ/mol on both oxidized and partially reduced VOx/CeO2 samples. The implications of these results for understanding the mechanism of methanol oxidation on supported vanadia are discussed.
Priority pollutants and associated constituents in untreated and treated discharges from coal mining or processing facilities in Pennsylvania, USA

Abstract Clean sampling and analysis procedures were used to quantify more than 70 inorganic constituents, including 35 potentially toxic or hazardous constituents, organic carbon, and other characteristics of untreated (influent) and treated (effluent) coal-mine discharges (CMD) at 38 permitted coal-mining or coal-processing facilities in the bituminous coalfield and 4 facilities in the anthracite coalfield of Pennsylvania. Of the 42 facilities sampled during 2011, 26 were surface mines, 11 were underground mines, and 5 were coal refuse disposal operations. Treatment of CMD with caustic soda (NaOH), lime (CaO or Ca(OH)2), flocculent, or limestone was ongoing at 21%, 40%, 6%, and 4% of the facilities, respectively; no chemicals were added at the remaining facilities. All facilities with CMD treatment incorporated structures for active or passive aeration and settling of metal-rich precipitate. The untreated influent samples had wide ranges of pH (2.8–7.6), hot acidity (−600 to 8000 mg/L as CaCO3), specific conductance (SC; 253–13,000 μS/cm), total dissolved solids (TDS; 168–18,100 mg/L), and associated dissolved ( The pH of the treated effluent samples ranged from 5.5 to 11.9 and was greater than or equal to the pH of the corresponding influent at all sites. All the effluent samples met CMC levels for dissolved concentrations of Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cl, Cr, Pb, Ni, Sb, Se, Tl, V, NH3, NO2, NO3, and CN; however, nine violated one or more of the PME limits for pH ( 0, n = 3), Fe (>7 mg/L, n = 1), or Mn (>5 mg/L, n = 8), plus one or more exceeded CMC levels for Al (>0.75 mg/L, n = 2), Co (>95 μg/L, n = 5), Zn (>307 μg/L, n = 1), Cu (>7.4 μg/L, n = 1), or Se (>12.8 μg/L, n = 3). Although CMC exceedances for Co and Zn were attributed to samples also violating the PME limit for pH or Mn, the samples that exceeded the CMC for Al, Cu, or Se met applicable PME limits for pH, Fe, and Mn. Furthermore, many of the pH-compliant effluents did not meet reference criteria for SO4 and related measures of ionic strength, including TDS, SC, and osmotic pressure. The Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-ranks statistic was used to test if the overall difference between the effluent and influent pairs was equal to zero. Constituents that statistically were the same for effluent and influent (p > 0.05) included flow rate, SC, osmotic pressure, hardness, alkalinity, total organic carbon (TOC), K, Cl, NO3, PO4, Sb, Sr, Br, Se, Mo, and V. Although temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, Ca, and Na were greater in the effluent than the influent, most constituents decreased as a result of treatment, including TDS, acidity, SO4, Al, Fe, Mn, Mg, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, F, Pb, Ni, NH3, Tl, Ti, U, Zn, Zr, total phenols, total inorganic carbon (TIC), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Nevertheless, some constituents that decreased, such as SO4, still did not meet reference criteria. Findings from this study suggest that typical chemical or aerobic treatment of CMD to pH > 6 with removal of Fe to
Economic Development and All That

Economic development, as contrasted from “growth” (in the sense of increase in GNP) has been a subject of interest for less than 50 years. Divergent, perhaps even conflicting views, are expressed on the question of what constitutes, or should constitute, the end‐product of economic development. The article discusses some of the issues relevant to this debate.
Violence and nationalist mobilization: the onset of the Kurdish insurgency in Turkey

According to theories of nonviolent resistance, violence is counterproductive and undermines the ability of a movement to achieve mass support. At the same time, studies of ethnic insurgencies suggest that violence is the only available method of mobilization in political systems characterized by entrenched ethnic hierarchies. Engaging with these arguments, this article addresses a historical puzzle: What factors explain the timing and ability of the PKK's (Partiye Karkeren Kurdistan) rise as the hegemonic Kurdish nationalist organization in Turkey between the late 1970s and 1990? The article argues that studies that identify Kurdish nationalism as a reaction to repressive policies of the Turkish state without paying attention to prevailing social conditions and oppositional strategies fail to provide a satisfactory response. It argues that the rise of the PKK was primarily a function of its ability to gain support among the peasantry in deeply unequal rural areas through its strategic employment of viole...
Catalytic activity of Co–Nx/C electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction: a density functional theory study

First-principles DFT computations are performed to explain the origin and the mechanism of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on Co–Nx (x = 2, 4) based self-assembled carbon supported electrocatalysts in alkaline and acidic media. The results show that the formation of graphitic Co–N4 defect is energetically more favorable than the formation of graphitic Co–N2 defect. Furthermore graphitic Co–N4 defects are predicted to be stable at all potentials (U = 0–1.23 V) in the present study while Co–N2 defects are predicted to be unstable at high potentials. Therefore the Co–N4 defect is predicted to be the dominant in-plane graphitic defect in Co–Nx/C electrocatalysts. O2 chemisorbs to Co–N4 and Co–N2 defects indicating that both defect motifs are active for the reduction of O2 to peroxide. However, the weak interaction between peroxide and Co–N4 defect shows that this defect does not promote complete ORR and a second site for the reduction of peroxide is required, supporting a 2 × 2e− dual site ORR mechanism independent of pH of the electrolyte. In contrast, the much stronger interaction between peroxide and Co–N2 defect supports a 2 × 2e− single site ORR mechanism in alkaline and acidic media.
Removal of Traces of Pentachlorophenol from Aqueous Acidic Solutions by Solvent Extraction and Solvent Sublation

Abstract The removal of pentachlorophenol (a hydrophobic compound of low vapor pressure) from aqueous acidic solutions was studied using solvent sublation (a surface chemical technique) and solvent extraction. Both methods gave appreciable removals in highly acidic solutions (pH = 2.5), but solvent sublation had the added advantage of minimal phase contact of the organic solvent with water and increased removals under certain circumstances. Solvent sublation was also found to be more effective than conventional fine bubble aeration. The removal of pentachlorophenol (PCP) was considerably smaller at pH's near the pKa of PCP. PCP removal by solvent sublation was enhanced by increasing ionic strength and also by the presence of small amounts of an ionic surfactant in the aqueous phase. The technique of solvent sublation was tried on an actual wastewater sample from a wood preserving industry. pH adjustment, removal of suspended solids, addition of sodium chloride, and subsequent solvent sublation into minera...
Imaging findings in megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome

Megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome (MMIHS) is a rare and frequently lethal form of severe functional intestinal obstruction more commonly found in girls. Imaging features characteristic of this disease include a large dilated bladder, microcolon and intestinal dysmotility. Additional imaging findings may include intestinal malrotation, hydronephrosis and vesicoureteral reflux. It is usually fatal in the first year of life. Because presenting clinical and imaging features can mimic other causes of neonatal bowel obstruction, we compiled examples of this disorder to help the pediatric radiologist recognize imaging findings associated with MMIHS and aid in the development of a long-term management plan and in counseling the family regarding implications of this disorder. We reviewed recent and historical literature relevant to MMIHS and present the imaging and clinical features of four patients with MMIHS treated at our institution as examples of this uncommon disorder.
Evidence of circadian rhythms in a cave crayfish

Evidence of a circadiam clock mechanism was found in the cave crayfish, Orconectes pellucidus, even though it is blind and has been isolated from daily cycles for at least 25,000 generations. Five of seven crayfish tested under cave conditions of continuous darkness and 13°C showed apparent rhythms of activity and/or oxygen consumption. These rhythms were statistically significant, as judged by autocorrelation, for three individuals with average periods of 26, 27, and 34 hours. All three crayfish exposed to light:dark cycles with a 24 hour period showed more regular rhythmicity than in continuous darkness but only one showed clear evidence of entrainment, i.e., synchrony of activity or oxygen consumption with the light: dark cycle. Another crayfish tested apparently conformed to Aschoff's circadian rule.
Relationship between Electronic Structure and Hydrogen-Uptake Kinetics

Striking changes have been observed in the photoemission energy-distribution curves from two phases of Pd overlayers on (110) Nb surfaces. In the commensurate (110) phase the Pd $4d$ band is found to have an edge about 1.5 eV below ${E}_{\mathrm{F}}$, similar to that of a noble metal. When the transition to the incommensurate Pd(111) phase occurs, the Pd $4d$ bands broaden and cross the Fermi level. As the density of Pd $4d$ states increases near ${E}_{\mathrm{F}}$, a dramatic increase in the hydrogen-uptake rate through the Pd is observed.
Massless scalar QED as a model of color confinement

Abstract Above a critical change ( αZ = 1 2 ), an external source with Z units of charge in massless scalar QED is unstable to charged particle condensation and its charge becomes totally shielded. This result is established to all orders in perturbation theory.
Diffusion-Segregation Equation for Simulation in Heterostructures

Diffusion of impurity atoms or point defect species occurs simultaneously with segregation in materials that are inhomogeneous or consisting of heterostructures. Based on thermodynamic principles, a general diffusion-segregation equation (DSE) simultaneously describing the species’ diffusion and segregation behavior has been derived. The DSE treats the diffusion-segregation problems on the same fundamental level as the diffusion problems are treated by Fick’s Laws. A critical comparison of modeling diffusion-segregation phenomena using the DSE vs. previous formulations is given. The wide range of applications of the DSE is demonstrated by several examples.
Degeneration of the eyes and central nervous system of chick embryos subjected to phenylalanine or tyrosine deficiency

Abstract The yolk sac perfusion technique whereby the yolk of embryos is replaced by defined media was used to study the effect of phenylalanine and tyrosine deficiency on 4- to 7-day-old chick embryos. The omission of either amino acid from the perfusion medium resulted in reduced growth and extensive degeneration of the eyes and central nervous system within 24 hours of perfusion. The histological effects were identical for both amino acids except for failure of eye pigmentation which was characteristic of tyrosine deficiency. Both deficiencies resulted in severe degeneration of the neural retina and brain, scattered pycnosis in the spinal cord and cranial and spinal ganglia, and vacuolization of the lens in the region of lens fiber development. With the exception of the lens the effects of phenylalanine and tyrosine deficiency appeared to be restricted to tissues of neural origin. In an experiment conducted to determine the ability of phenylalanine to substitute for tyrosine, the addition of phenylalanine to the perfusion medium not only failed to relieve the symptoms of tyrosine deficiency, but it caused a reduction of eye pigmentation when the concentration of tyrosine was marginally inadequate. The inability of 4- to 6-day-old chick embryos to convert phenylalanine to tyrosine was confirmed by radioactive tracer studies.
Hope and cardiovascular health-promoting behaviour: education alone is not enough.

We investigated hope’s ability to predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) knowledge and health-promoting behaviours. Snyder defined hope as the combination of goal-directed planning and motivation, and theorised that high-hope people seek knowledge relevant to goal pursuits. We surveyed 391 Latino and Asian participants undergoing CVD risk screening, nearly all immigrants to the USA. This was a particularly important sample because, in general, these populations are considered underserved and under-researched. Pre-screening hope levels were measured. After screening and education, participants rated perceived importance of behaviour change. Behaviour change (salt/fat intake, exercise, CVD information-seeking and visiting a physician) and CVD knowledge were assessed one month later by telephone. Unexpectedly, hope did not predict knowledge. However, hope predicted self-reported behaviour change, though results differed by ethnicity. Among Asian individuals, hope × knowledge predicted reduced salt/fat, CVD inf...
Glutamic acid decarboxylase immunoreactivity in some dorsal thalamic nuclei in Crocodilia

Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) immunocytochemical properties of thalamic nuclei known to project to the telencephalon were investigated in reptiles, Caiman crocodilus and Alligator mississippiensis, by monoclonal antibodies to GAD epitopes designated as GAD-1, GAD-2 and GAD-5. GAD-immunoreactive puncta were observed with all three monoclonal antibodies in the following dorsal thalamic nuclei by avidin-biotin complex methodology: dorsolateralis anterior, dorsomedialis anterior, diagonalis, rotundus, reuniens pars centralis and pars diffusa, and the medialis complex. In general, immunoreactivity to GAD was more robust in Alligator than in Caiman. GAD-2 immunoreactivity was more intense than immunoreactivity to GAD-1 or GAD-5 at similar antibody concentrations in both species. Thalamic nuclei varied in the pattern and intensity of GAD (+)puncta staining in Caiman and Alligator. No GAD-immunoreactive neurons were observed in any of these seven thalamic nuclei with any GAD antibody in either species.
The Motivational Orientation of Higher- and Lower-Achieving Puerto Rican Children

The primary purpose of this investigation was to examine differences in the motivational orientation of higher- and lower-achieving Puerto Rican children. The Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Orientation Scale (Harter, 1980) was administered to 28 higher-achieving and 29 lower-achieving fifth-grade and sixth-grade mainland Puerto Rican students in their homes. The higher-achieving and lower-achieving children were chosen by their most recent standardized test scores, The Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in motivational orientation between higher-achieving and lower-achieving students. Avenues for further research are explored, as are implications for classroom teachers and parents.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the gut: a primer for the luminal gastroenterologist.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well established for imaging the solid organs of the abdomen and pelvis. In recent years it has been having an increasingly important role in the evaluation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Fluoroscopy and abdominal computed tomography, the traditional mainstay
Potential model of meson masses

We use ideas about quantum chromodynamics at large and small momenta to find a plausible explicit form for a $Q\overline{Q}$ potential. We fit the observed $s$-wave meson masses and predict the masses of bound states of yet heavier quarks.
High-dose weekly oral calcitriol in patients with a rising PSA after prostatectomy or radiation for prostate carcinoma.

BACKGROUND In preclinical systems, calcitriol, the natural vitamin D receptor (VDR) ligand, has been found to demonstrate antiproliferative effects, although concentrations > 1 nM are required. Unlike daily dosing, weekly administration of oral calcitriol can safely achieve such blood calcitriol concentrations. This study sought to define the long-term toxicity of this regimen and measure its effect on serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels in patients with hormone-naive prostate carcinoma. METHODS Patients with a rising serum PSA after prostatectomy and/or radiation and no prior systemic therapy for prostate carcinoma recurrence maintained a reduced calcium diet and received calcitriol 0.5 μg/kg orally once each week until a maximum of a four-fold increase in the PSA. RESULTS Twenty-two patients received treatment for a median of 10 months (range, 2–25+ months). Treatment was well tolerated with no Grade ≥ 3 toxicity and no hypercalcemia or renal calculi. No patient had a PSA response (50% reduction confirmed 4 weeks later). Three patients (14%, 95% CI 0–28%) had confirmed reductions in the PSA ranging from 10% to 47%. Statistically significant increases in the PSA doubling time (PSADT) were seen in three additional patients and no patient had a shorter PSADT after starting treatment. For the entire study population, the median PSADT increased from 7.8 months to 10.3 months (P = 0.03 by Wilcoxon signed rank test). CONCLUSIONS Weekly high-dose calcitriol was found to be safe. The primary efficacy endpoint of 50% reduction in the serum PSA was not achieved with this therapy. Randomized studies are needed to further examine the impact of this therapy on prostate carcinoma progression. Cancer 2003;97:1217–24. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11179