cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GENETIC VARIATIONS IN PLASMA LIPID CONTENT IN MICE.

SUMMARY Large genetic variations in plasma concentrations of total lipids, cholesterol + cholesterol ester, and phospholipids were found in STR/lN, DBA/2JN, and A/LN mice and their crosses. The concentrations were constant from 2 to 16 months of age and were independent of sex. The levels of the three fractions varied in parallel fashion among the various mating groups studied. The data suggest that the genetic factors governing the plasma lipid concentrations were polygenic and had an over-all additive behavior. Inheritance of greater body weight was generally dominant or displayed heterosis. Hepatic total lipid concentrations did not correspond to plasma values in many mating groups. Reciprocal differences in hepatic lipid concentration were found in some of the crosses of STR/lN and A/LN, whereas these were not found for the plasma values.
Transglutaminase modification of rhodopsin in retinal rod outer segment disk membranes.

Abstract Rhodopsin in rod outer segment disk membranes was enzymatically modified by erythrocyte transglutaminase, which linked small primary amines to glutamine residues. In order to avoid formation of protein crosslinks, rhodopsin was first reductively methylated to modify its lysines. From 1.9 to 2.5 mol of putrescine, ethanolamine, or dinitrophenylcadaverine were incorporated into rhodopsin by transglutaminase during 16 h reaction time. A maximum of 3.5 mol of [ 14 C]putrescine was incorporated per mole of rhodopsin during 48 h. Essentially all of the rhodopsin sequence containing the putrescine could be removed by limited proteolysis of the membranes by thermolysin. Glutamine residues in positions 236, 237, 238, and 344 were modified to approximately equal extents, as determined by isolation of the cyanogen bromide peptides of modified rhodopsin followed by further subdigestion of the peptides. The modified glutamine residues are located in the helix V–VI (or F1–F2) connecting loop and in the carboxyl-terminal region of rhodopsin.
Crystal Structure Analysis

In crystallography, finding the spatial arrangement of the average unit cell contents requires solution of the phase problem. As described in Chapter 1, the Fourier transform relationship between an image and its diffraction pattern can be experimentally realized in one direction if only intensity data are recorded. Since the image intensity is linearly proportional to the crystal potential, when the weak phase object approximation is valid, the directly computed transform finds the crystallographic phases (the Fourier transform of relative mass shifts). Structure factor magnitudes are all that one can obtain from recorded diffraction intensities, on the other hand, and the phase interactions of the scattered beams are lost. (However, an intensity transform, assuming all-zero phases, can also be useful, as will be shown.) Using high-resolution electron micrographs as an independent source of crystallographic phase information, therefore, demonstrates a potential advantage of electron crystallography over x-ray crystallography. On the other hand, great care must be taken to ensure that all measured data are adequately near the single scattering approximation to guarantee the success of ab initio structure analyses (see Chapter 5).
Interviewing Therapists About Working With Sexual Assault Survivors Researcher and Therapist Perspectives

This article provides an account of the author's experience interviewing clinicians about their work with sexual assault survivors and clinicians' experiences working with this population. Twelve clinicians who worked with sexual assault survivors practicing in a range of professional settings completed semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Grounded theory and open-coding analyses were conducted on the researcher's log, case summaries, and verbatim-transcribed interview transcripts to uncover themes regarding (a) the researcher's experience of the interviewees and (b) the therapists' reports of their experiences working with survivors. Conclusions are drawn for researchers conducting interviews with therapists and clinicians working with sexual assault survivors.
Turgor and osmotic relations of the desert shrub Larrea tridentata

Abstract Leaf water relations characteristics of creosote bush, Larrea tridentata, were studied in view of previous reports that its leaves commonly experience zero or negative turgor under dry conditions. Leaf turgor loss point () was determined by a pressure-volume method for samples subjected to a hydration procedure and for untreated samples. Hydration caused to increase by as much as 3 M Pa. Hydration of samples also caused changes in other leaf water relations characteristics such as symplastic solute content, tissue elasticity and symplasmic water fraction, but total leaf solute content was unchanged. Comparison of our field plant water potential data with values of obtained by the two methods resulted in predictions of turgor loss during part or all of a diurnal cycle based on hydrated samples, and turgor maintenance (at least 0.3 MPa) based on untreated samples. Pooled data for obtained from both partially hydrated and untreated samples showed that L. tridentata maintains fairly constant levels of turgor over a wide range of leaf water potential. Dilution of cell contents by apoplastic water introduced significant errors in psychrometric determinations of osmotic potential in both frozen and thawed leaf tissue and expressed cell sap. Use of these values of osmotic potential resulted in predictions of zero turgor at all plant water potentials measured in the field.
Optimal initial conditions for coupling ice sheet models to Earth system models

We address complications in the coupling of a dynamic ice sheet model (ISM) and forcing from an Earth system model (ESM), which arise because of the unknown ISM initial conditions. Unless explicitly accounted for during ISM initialization, the ice sheet is far from thermomechanical equilibrium with the surface mass balance forcing from the ESM. Upon coupling to ESM forcing, the result is a shock and unphysical and undesirable transients in ice geometry and other state variables. Under the assumption of thermomechanical equilibrium, we present an approach for finding ISM initial conditions—characterized by optimization of the basal sliding coefficient and basal topography fields—that balance a best fit to surface velocity and basal topography observations against the minimization of unphysical transients when coupling to surface mass balance forcing. A quasi-Newton method is used to solve the resulting large-scale, partial differential equation-constrained optimization problem, where the cost function gradients with respect to the parameter fields are computed using adjoints. After studying properties of our approach on a synthetic test problem, we apply the method toward obtaining optimal initial conditions for a model of the Greenland ice sheet. Our results show that, in the presence of uncertainties in the basal topography, ice thickness should also be treated as an optimization variable. While the focus here is on the coupling between an ISM and ESM-derived surface mass balance, the method is easily extended to include optimal coupling to forcing from an ocean model through submarine melt rates.
Optimal power allocation for MIMO radars with heterogeneous propagation losses

A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar can improve system performance with waveform and spatial diversities. Mathematically, the multiple independent waveforms increase the dimension of signal space, so optimal transmission power allocation deserves investigation. The majority of the literature prefers to omit the effect of propagation attenuation, and considers the receiving gain vectors to be independently and identically distributed (i.i.d.) in power allocation. In this paper, we integrate the propagation losses into MIMO radar signal model, and investigate the power allocation problems under three popular criteria: maximizing the mutual information, minimizing the minimum mean square errors, and maximizing the echo energy. As their objective functions are either convex or concave, the optimal strategies are theoretically guaranteed.
Case-controlled comparison of a percutaneous collagen arteriotomy closure device versus manual compression after liver chemoembolization.

PURPOSE To compare complications and outcomes between the use of the Duett collagen closure device after one or multiple deployments and manual compression in patients treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for primary or metastatic liver cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS A database of 214 patients who underwent a total of 426 TACE procedures between July 2001 and July 2003 was retrospectively analyzed with regard to the use of the Duett closure device to obtain hemostasis. The Duett device was used in 211 cases (121 patients), whereas manual compression was performed in 215 cases (93 patients). Primary endpoints included complications related to hemostasis, time to hemostasis (TTH), time to ambulation (TTA), and time to discharge (TTD). Risk factors were tested for correlation with complications ( P RESULTS Only minor complications were observed in both groups, without a statistically significant difference ( P = .16). The mean TTH and TTA were significantly shorter ( P P = .59). Reaccessing the same arterial site for separate procedures was not a significant risk factor for complications in the Duett group ( P CONCLUSION The Duett closure device achieves similar safety and efficacy as manual compression in this distinct group of patients. In addition, this device can be safely and repetitively deployed at the arteriotomy site after each TACE procedure.
Measurement of hippocampal subfields and age-related changes with high resolution MRI at 4T.

Histological studies suggest that hippocampal subfields are differently affected by aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The aims of this study were: (1) To test if hippocampal subfields can be identified and marked using anatomical landmarks on high resolution MR images obtained on a 4T magnet. (2) To test if age-specific volume changes of subfields can be detected. Forty-two healthy controls (21–85 years) and three AD subjects (76–86 years) were studied with a high resolution T2 weighted fast spin echo sequence. The entorhinal cortex (ERC), subiculum, CA1, CA2 and CA3/4 and dentate were marked. A significant correlation between age and CA1 (r = −0.51, p = 0.0002) which was most pronounced in the seventh decade of life was found in healthy controls. In AD subjects, CA1 and subiculum were smaller than in age-matched controls. These preliminary findings suggest that measurement of hippocampal subfields may be helpful to distinguish between normal aging and AD.
Numerical evaluation of pavement design parameters for the fatigue cracking and rutting performance of asphalt pavements

Over recent years, significant research has been conducted to investigate ways to predict fatigue cracking and permanent deformation (rutting), which are two common distresses found in asphalt pavements. These distresses are affected by material properties, environmental conditions, and the pavement’s structure. This paper investigates common pavement design parameters, including surface mixture type, base layer thickness, base layer type, sub-base layer thickness, and an anti-frost layer, with regard to the asphalt pavement performance of the Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) test road. Test roads are often regarded as the most realistic tools for evaluating the effects of various parameters because they are subjected to real traffic and environmental factors. The KEC test road is 7.7 km long and was constructed with the aim of developing a Korean mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide. According to the findings, the surface layer type, base layer thickness, and base layer material type were found to affect the fatigue cracking and rutting performance, whereas the sub-base thickness and anti-frost layer were found not to affect the amount of distress significantly. The newly developed ‘layered viscoelastic pavement analysis for critical distresses’ (LVECD) program was able to capture the effects of the changes in the aforementioned parameters on the amount of cracking and rut depths. Reasonable agreement was found between the LVECD predictions and the field distress measurements. However, it remains necessary to develop a laboratory-to-field transfer function in order to obtain more accurate field performance predictions.
Comparison of congenital pulmonary airway malformation volume ratios calculated by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: To compare congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) volume to head circumference ratios (CVRs) determined by different imaging modalities and calculation techniques.Methods: Fetal...
Pharmacometrics in Dermatology

There is increasing recognition of the impact of pharmacometrics in improving drug development and influencing regulatory decision making across different therapeutic areas. However, the field of dermatology remains largely underserved by pharmacometrics with limited number of examples illustrating the application of modeling and simulation methods in drug discovery and development. Nonetheless, there are a few notable cases where pharmacometric approaches have provided valuable insights into drug characteristics that mitigate the uncertainty with respect to its efficacy and safety attributes. These examples span the entire development continuum ranging from the early phase with typically rich pharmacokinetic and biomarker data, to late stage where the drug properties are investigated in patients. The totality of evidence generated through the different phases of development ultimately allows for the optimization of the benefit–risk profile of the drug and informs its usage in the target patient population.
High-Accuracy Conductivity Measurements in Nonferrous Metals

An eddy-current instrument has been built that measures electrical conductivity with a high degree of accuracy and precision. The instrument measures the electrical conductivity of nonferrous metals at a constant skin depth. By keeping the product ωσ constant in all measurements, a linear relationship between conductivity and frequency can be established. Due to this linear relationship, only one conductivity standard is necessary to calibrate the instrument over the full range of 1 to 100 percent international annealed copper standard (IACS).
MY APPROACH to evaluation of the ambulatory patient with suspected hypertension.

(1) Staging of BP. I routinely use ambulatory or home monitoring to stage BP, because the office BP often overor underestimates out-of-office BP. I generally initiate antihypertensive therapy if the average awake BP is Z135/ 85 mmHg or the average sleeping BP is Z125/75 mmHg. Most private insurance plans will reimburse ambulatory monitoring, but Medicare will not except for suspected white-coat hypertension, the criteria for which are so rigorous as to make this impractical for older Medicare beneficiaries who would benefit most. For home BP, the key is to calibrate the patient's monitor in the office against careful manual readings. Home BP monitors are graded by the British Hypertension Society on the dabl Education Trust website (http://www.dableducational.org/). I instruct patients to take a set of three readings every morning before taking their pills and again every evening for 4 days in a row, and then provide me with all of the readings. I discard the first day's readings and the first reading of each set as being artificially high and average the rest, if the mean is Z135/85 mmHg, I diagnose and treat hypertension. (2) Global CV risk. I use the new 2013 ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort calculator to estimate 10-year cardiovascular risk to decide about starting concomitant statin therapy, which is indicated in 475% of my hypertensive patients. I also
Sample preparation-free, real-time detection of microRNA in human serum using piezoelectric cantilever biosensors at attomole level

A sensitive, selective, sample preparation-free method for near real-time detection of microRNA in buffer and human serum is given using gold (Au)-coated dynamic piezoelectric cantilever sensors. Sensor response to thiolated DNA probe chemisorption, hsa-let-7a hybridization, labeled-DNA hybridization, and Au nanoparticle-functionalized DNA hybridization was monitored continuously in flowing liquid samples using custom flow-cells. The assay showed successful detection of target let-7a with a dynamic range spanning 6 orders of magnitude (10 fM–1 nM) with a limit of detection of less than 10 attomoles (∼4 fM). The serum background had negligible effect on sensitivity relative to the results obtained in the buffer due to reduction in nonspecific binding caused by continuous sensor vibration. Both hybridization and nonspecific binding reduction were confirmed using fluorescence-based assays to support sensor-based results. The sensor-based method demonstrated excellent selectivity for the microRNA target in co...
Tetrazolation of side chains and anhydrous conductivity in a hydrophobic polymer

1H-Tetrazoles possess the lowest pKa within the azole family of nitrogen-containing heterocycles, making them attractive amphoteric moieties for anhydrous proton conduction. The synthesis of a styrenic, random coil polymer with pendent C-substituted 1H-tetrazoles is described in detail. This facile route results in a polymer containing free proton-bearing tetrazoles, limits side reactions, and proceeds using low polarity, halogenated solvents (e.g., 1,2-dichlorobenzene or chlorobenzene), which improve solubility during tetrazole cyclization. The resulting polymer, when probed by NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, had no measurable salt content, ensuring accurate proton conductivity measurements. Utilizing interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) in conjunction with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), undoped anhydrous proton conductivities were measured to be as high as 10–5 S cm–1 at 120 °C. This weakly acidic, 1H-tetrazole-bearing polymer is thermally stable to 210 °C, possesses two distinct gla...
Reduced Graphene Oxide Paper Electrode: Opposing Effect of Thermal Annealing on Li and Na Cyclability

We study long-term electrochemical sodium and lithium cycling, and tensile testing behavior of thermally reduced graphene oxide (rGO) paper electrodes. We find strong dependence of annealing temperature and gas environment on the electrical conductivity, electrochemical capacity, and rate capability of the electrodes. The effect, however, was opposing for the two cell types. Lithium charge capacity increased with increasing annealing temperatures reaching a stable value of ∼325 mAh·ganode–1 (∼100 mAh·cm–3anode at ∼48 μA·cm–2 with respect to total volume of the electrode) for specimen annealed at 900 °C, while a sharp decline in Na charge capacity was noted for rGO annealed above 500 °C. Maximum sodium charge capacity of ∼140 mAh·g–1anode at 100 mA·g–1anode (∼98 mAh·cmanode–3 at ∼70 μA·cm–2) was realized for specimen reduced at 500 °C. These values are the highest reported for GO paper electrodes. More important, annealing of GO in NH3 environment resulted in a complete shutdown of its Na-ion cyclability s...
Opioids: nonmedical use and abuse in older children.

1. William A. Frese, MD* 2. Kimberly Eiden, APN† 1. *Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin and Children's Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI. Formerly Department of Pediatrics, Advocate Hope Children's Hospital, Oak Lawn, IL. 2. †Department of Pediatrics, Advocate Hope Children's Hospital, Oak Lawn, IL. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Characterize the prevalence of overall pediatric opioid use, both medical and nonmedical. 2. Identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with pediatric nonmedical opioid use. 3. Discuss abuse and dependence comorbidities associated with pediatric nonmedical use of opioids. 4. Describe the pediatrician's role in prevention and screening for pediatric nonmedical prescription opioid use. 5. Explain opioid overdose management. Alone or in combination with other pain management modalities, the use of opioids can be a mainstay of adequate analgesia. However, increased prescribing and availability of opioid medications correlate with overall medication abuse and misuse rates. Prescription drug nonmedical use is second only to marijuana as the most common form of newly initiated illicit drug use (Fig. 1). (1) Surveys among adolescent populations similarly support a high incidence of nonmedical opioid medication use. (1)(2) Nonmedical opioid use rates among 12- to 17-year-old children have stabilized (Fig. 2), (3) but the overall prevalence of such inappropriate use may prompt pediatricians to consider decreasing opioid prescribing and potentially undertreat pain in an attempt to reduce the abuse of these medications. Pediatricians must be knowledgeable about the prevalence of pediatric nonmedical opioid use, its pattern, and appropriate prevention strategies. This article reviews the nonmedical use of prescription opioids in the pediatric population. The characteristics of such usage are incorporated into prevention, screening, and management strategies. Figure 1. Specific drug employed when initiating illicit drug use among initiates of illicit drugs ages 12 years or older in the past year. Reproduced with permission from Results From the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings . (1) Figure 2. Nonmedical …
Surgery versus stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer: less is not more

High level evidence from randomized studies comparing surgery to stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is lacking and available retrospective cohort and case control studies are highly variable in how thoroughly they define and stage lung cancer, in how they determine operability, and in the offered surgical approaches to operable lung cancer (open vs. video-assisted). This makes it difficult to compare best radiotherapy and best surgery approaches to treatment and to be confident in conclusions of equipoise between the two modalities. What has become clear from the controversy surrounding surgery versus SABR for early stage lung cancer is the desire to optimize treatment efficacy while minimizing invasiveness and morbidity. This review highlights the ongoing debate in light of these goals.
Rolling Force Model Considering Phase Transformation for Hot Strips During Finishing Process

When phase transformation occurs during the finishing process for hot strips,the change regulations of the rolling temperature on the deformation resistance in the austenitic and ferrite are different,so the prediction error of traditional rolling force model is very significant,which impacts the control accuracy of rolling process parameters.To solve the problem,a rolling force model was developed considering phase transformation for finishing strips.First,a transformation volume fraction model in the form of cosine was established and the volume fractions of the ferrite and austenitic were calculated at the different rolling temperatures.Secondly,an effect formula of the rolling temperatures in weighting form on the deformation resistance was presented,which preferably simulated the deformation characteristics of the double-phase rolling.Finally,the proposed model was applied to the online calculation of Baosteel1880mm HSM,the actual production showed that the proposed model significantly improved the rolling force prediction accuracy and rolling stability of the phase transformation strips such as non-oriented electrical steels in the finishing process.
Risk factors for cardiorespiratory failure in infants with hand,foot and mouth disease and establishment of risk score model

Objective To investigate the risk factors for cardiorespiratory failure in infants with hand,foot and mouth disease,and to develop a reliable prediction system for the early diagnosis and management of the severe patients.Methods One hundred and ninety-nine hospitalized infants with hand,foot and mouth disease were enrolled.The patients were divided into two groups based on presence and absence of cardiorespiratory failure.Based on available documents,17 clinical measures were studied as the possible risk factors,including gender,age,the highest temperature,heart rate,respiratory rate,blood pressure,EV71 infection,rashes,drowsiness,vomiting,abnormal respiratory rhythm,limb asthenia,convulsion,the time from eruption of skin rash or oral ulcer to the appearance of central nervous system symptoms,peripheral blood leukocytes,percentage of lymphocyte,and random glucose level.Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between risk factors and cardiorespiratory failure.A risk score model was built according to the above factors.The predictive effect of the model was evaluated by sensitivity,specificity,consistency and area under receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results In the multivariable analysis,4 variables in the risk evaluation model(the highest temperature,vomiting,random glucose level and abnormal respiratory rhythm)remained independent predictors of the outcome.The risk score model highly predicted cardiorespiratory failure.The area under the ROC curve for the evaluation model was 0.994.when the prediction was performed based on the existing date using the presut model,the sensitivity,specificity and consistency of the model were 94.12%(64/68),97.71%(128/132)and 94.48%(192/199),respectively.Conclusions The risk score model was a quantitative and effective tool for predicting cardiorespiratory failure in infants with hand,foot and mouths disease.
Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Disease I

Depiction of the anatomy of simple and complex forms of congenital heart disease constitutes the most common clinical indication for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart at many centers in the United States. The most frequently applied noninvasive technique for the assessment for congenital heart disease is echocardiography. Consequently, MRI is used in situations in which the information provided by echocardiography is incomplete or cannot be obtained. MRI using the ECG-gated spin-echo technique has been shown to have high diagnostic accuracy for demonstrating the morphologic aspects of many forms of congenital heart disease, including both simple and complex lesions. Due to the ready availability of echocardiography and its greater familiarity, the major uses of MRI in the evaluation of congenital heart disease are aimed at specific indications in which the information is either unique or supplementary to that obtained with echocardiography.
Preventing HIV Transmission: Behavior and Attitudes of Medical House Staff in a High-Prevalence Area

Our objective was to evaluate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk-factor assessment and counseling behavior in 86 medical house staff and to ascertain the effect of question format (closed versus open) on reported physician behaviors. We designed a cross-sectional survey using a self-report questionnaire; we received 78 returns of 86 questionnaires (91% response) from one-year and three-year medical housestaff at two general medical clinics in a university-affiliated Bronx municipal hospital. House staff reported assessing sexual behavior (51%) and intravenous drug use (81%) in new patients significantly less often than they assessed smoking (95%) or alcohol use (94%). Counseling to reduce the risk of HIV transmission among all patients occurred even less frequently (41%, all P < .05). Question format (closed versus open) significantly affected response rate; respondents to closed-format questions reported far more behaviors performed. Intravenous drug users (IVDUs) received more frequent advice than general clinic patients about reducing HIV transmission (85% versus 41%), but house staff may ignore sexual risks in IVDUs. Resident confidence that IVDUs would change sexual or drug risk behavior was equally low, 1.5 on a 4-point scale. They reported greater discomfort discussing sexuality than drug use (2.4 versus 1.7; 4-point scale, P = .003). Discomfort discussing sexuality inversely associated with sexual history-taking in multi-variate analysis. Greater involvement with HIV positive patients and fewer perceived barriers to counseling were also associated with more assessment or counseling about risks for HIV transmission. These results suggest that enhancing house staff assessment and counseling efforts to reduce risks for HIV transmission requires interventions that foster involvement with HIV positive patients, emphasize the importance of sexual transmission in IVDUs, facilitate competence in discussing sexual behavior, and address provider belief that IVDUs will not change risk behaviors. Results also demonstrate a significant effect of question format on reported physician behavior.
7. Rhinitis and sinusitis.

Rhinitis and sinusitis are prevalent medical conditions that are often associated with each other and may result in significant morbidity and medical costs. They can cause systemic symptoms, decrease quality of life, and result in reduced workplace productivity and missed school days. Appropriate management of rhinitis or sinusitis may be an important component in effective management of coexisting or complicating conditions, such as asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, or chronic otitis media. Rhinitis may be caused by allergic, non-allergic, infectious, hormonal, occupational, and other factors. Defining the basis for rhinitis in an individual is important in selection of therapeutic options. Rhinitis and sinusitis may be difficult to distinguish from each other on the basis of history alone. Although most acute upper respiratory infections are viral and do not require antibiotic treatment, persistence of symptoms for ≥7 days makes acute bacterial sinusitis more likely and antibiotics an appropriate consideration. Radiographic imaging is not required for diagnosis of acute, uncomplicated sinusitis, although CT scans are indicated in evaluation of suspected chronic sinusitis or treatment failures. Chronic sinusitis may have an infectious or non-infectious basis. Underlying disorders that predispose to chronic sinusitis should be identified and treated as part of the treatment of chronic sinusitis. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;111:S520-9.)
SU-D-207B-07: Development of a CT-Radiomics Based Early Response Prediction Model During Delivery of Chemoradiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer

Purpose: Pilot study developing a CT-texture based model for early assessment of treatment response during the delivery of chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for pancreatic cancer. Methods: Daily CT data acquired for 24 pancreatic head cancer patients using CT-on-rails, during the routine CT-guided CRT delivery with a radiation dose of 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions, were analyzed. The pancreas head was contoured on each daily CT. Texture analysis was performed within the pancreas head contour using a research tool (IBEX). Over 1300 texture metrics including: grey level co-occurrence, run-length, histogram, neighborhood intensity difference, and geometrical shape features were calculated for each daily CT. Metric-trend information was established by finding the best fit of either a linear, quadratic, or exponential function for each metric value verses accumulated dose. Thus all the daily CT texture information was consolidated into a best-fit trend type for a given patient and texture metric. Linear correlation was performed between the patient histological response vector (good, medium, poor) and all combinations of 23 patient subgroups (statistical jackknife) determining which metrics were most correlated to response and repeatedly reliable across most patients. Control correlations against CT scanner, reconstruction kernel, and gated/nongated CT images were also calculated. Euclidean distance measure was used to group/sort patient vectors based on the data of these trend-response metrics. Results: We found four specific trend-metrics (Gray Level Coocurence Matrix311-1InverseDiffMomentNorm, Gray Level Coocurence Matrix311-1InverseDiffNorm, Gray Level Coocurence Matrix311-1 Homogeneity2, and Intensity Direct Local StdMean) that were highly correlated with patient response and repeatedly reliable. Our four trend-metric model successfully ordered our pilot response dataset (p=0.00070). We found no significant correlation to our control parameters: gating (p=0.7717), scanner (p=0.9741), and kernel (p=0.8586). Conclusion: We have successfully created a CT-texture based early treatment response prediction model using the CTs acquired during the delivery of chemoradiation therapy for pancreatic cancer. Future testing is required to validate the model with more patient data.
Conditions of Authorship for Women, 1775–1817

Many biographers have written social lives of Jane Austen, and for good reason. Material for a biography of Austen’s life is scanty. Apart from her works themselves and the letters that were selected by her sister to be as unrevealing as possible, for information about her we have to rely on family records and traditions along with a few comments from other contemporaries. The family sources tend to stress Austen’s ordinariness, indeed to seem proud of it. They considered the decorous absence of ‘very important, very recordable events’ in her life as appropriate for an unmarried woman as it was for the ball at the Crown in Emma (326). In short, although Austen’s genius, her brilliant wit, and her consummate art confront us in all her writing, she herself must always elude us in what is written about her.
Next-Generation Reduction Sensitive Lipid Conjugates of Tenofovir: Antiviral Activity and Mechanism of Release

The pharmacokinetic properties of tenofovir (TFV) and other charged nucleoside analogues are dramatically improved upon conjugation to a lipid prodrug. We previously prepared reduction-sensitive lipid conjugates of TFV that demonstrate superior antiviral activity compared to other lipid conjugates including the clinically approved formulation, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). In continuation of that work, we have synthesized next-generation conjugates with reduced cytotoxicity that retain potent antiviral activity against HIV-1 and HBV with a therapeutic index >100000 for our most potent conjugate. We also show that disulfide reduction is not responsible for prodrug cleavage unless 3-exo-tet intramolecular cyclization can occur, suggesting that enzymatic hydrolysis is predominantly responsible for activity of our prodrugs in vitro.
Lipopolysaccharide inhibits colonic biotin uptake via interference with membrane expression of its transporter: a role for a casein kinase 2-mediated pathway

Biotin (vitamin B7), an essential micronutrient for normal cellular functions, is obtained from both dietary sources as well as gut microbiota. Absorption of biotin in both the small and large inte...
Gradual escalation of use-of-force reduces police officer injury

Objective To examine how escalation through the force continuum predicts officer injury in the presence of citizen aggression, while controlling for extraneous factors, like citizen and officer characteristics. Methods Cross-sectional data were extracted from 2244 use-of-force reports from the Dallas Police Department in 2015. Multilevel, mixed logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between use of force and officer injury. Multilevel path analysis tested indirect and direct relationships between citizen aggression and officer injury. Results Results suggest that gradual escalation through the force continuum significantly decreases officer injury when a citizen is actively aggressive (β=−1.06, p value Conclusions Escalation through the force continuum significantly reduces police officer injury. Future research should assess whether further environmental or situational factors contribute to the strong relationship between use of force and officer injury. Also, reliability and validity testing of use-of-force reports is an imperative direction for future research.
Scofflaw bicycling: Illegal but rational

Nearly everyone has jaywalked, rolled through a stop sign, or driven a few miles per hour over the speed limit, but most such offenses face no legal consequences. Society also tends to see these relatively minor infractions that almost all people make—though they are unmistakably illegal—as normal and even rational. Bicyclists who break the law, however, seem to attract a higher level of scorn and scrutiny. While the academic literature has exhaustively covered unlawful driving behaviors, there remains little research on bicyclists who break the rules of the road. This paper examines rule-breaking bicyclists and the factors associated with such behaviors. We also explore the question: are bicyclists making rational, albeit illegal, choices—similar to most drivers and pedestrians—or are bicyclists reckless and dangerous? Because it’s proven effective for reaching hard-to-reach populations, we employed a snowball-sampling framework and an online, scenario-based survey completed by nearly 18,000 respondents. Via multi-level statistical analyses, our results suggest that younger people and males tend to exhibit higher levels of illegal bicycling behavior, but even when combining high-risk factors, the overwhelming majority of bicyclists are not reckless. Controlling for the context and social norms of the city where one lives tends to outweigh individual bicyclist characteristics such as race/ethnicity and income. Unlawful drivers and pedestrians tend to rationalize their behaviors as time saving; bicyclists similarly rationalize their illegal behaviors but were more inclined to cite increasing their own personal safety and/or saving energy. Most bicyclists can generally be described as rational individuals trying to function safely and efficiently given the context and norms of where they live and the transportation system put in front of them.
How to prepare and present scientific manuscripts in English

oday’s research is tomorrow’s practice. Future medical research will conﬁrm new approaches to disease processesthat will be used to develop tomorrow’s clinical guidelines. In order for this to occur, researchers must be able toeffectively translate scientiﬁc data into publishable literature. Researchers must also know how to effectively presentthis information to an international audience. The English language is currently the predominant language used forthe publication of scientiﬁc investigation in international journals and at international conferences. It therefore behoovesresearchers to learn how to write and present scientiﬁc manuscripts in English. Furnished with solid English communicationskills, researchers will ﬁnd themselves armed and ready to rapidly disseminate knowledge worldwide.This article aims: (i) to discuss the basic tenets of preparing and editing a manuscript in English for submission to a scientiﬁcjournal; and (ii) to offer recommendations on how to prepare an effective English language visual and oral presentation. Thisarticle does not focus on developing the basic content of publications or presentations, but rather on the editing and reviewingprocess with the goal that information can be successfully and smoothly propagated.
TREATMENT OF COMPLICATED MOURNING. By Therese A. Rando. Research Press, 1993. 768 pages, $39.95.

(1996). TREATMENT OF COMPLICATED MOURNING. By Therese A. Rando. Research Press, 1993. 768 pages, $39.95.. The Hospice Journal: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 83-106.
Amyloid Plaques in Alzheimer’s Disease

Florbetapir is a radiotracer used to evaluate the amyloid plaque burden in patients with clinical suspicion for Alzheimer’s disease. When a patient undergoes amyloid plaque imaging using PET/MR scan for evaluation of suspected AD, the structural assessment provided by MR complements the PET interpretation.
Taxol Concentration In Taxus Cultivars

Abstract Taxol is a naturally occurring diterpene alkaloid which has significant anticancer activity. In order to assess the full chemotherapeutic potential of the drug, the National Cancer Institu...
A review of large low shear velocity provinces and ultra low velocity zones

Abstract Seismic tomography reveals 2 extensive regions in the lowermost mantle, beneath Africa and the Pacific, that exhibit lower-than-average seismic wave speeds. These regions have been named the Large Low Shear Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs), and they have spatial scales on the order of 1000s and 100s of kilometers in width and height, respectively. Discovering their cause remains an important challenge in the deep Earth community because recognizing what they are has important, first-order implications toward understanding the nature of global mantle convection and therefore, heat and chemical transport and evolution through time. At about an order-of-magnitude smaller scale are Ultra Low Velocity Zones (ULVZs) that reside on the core-mantle boundary. ULVZs are typically up to 100s of kilometers laterally and only 10s of kilometers vertically. We don't know what LLSVPs and ULVZs are, and the primary question is whether they are thermal or compositional features, and/or both. In any case, there is every reason to suppose that they are linked by a dynamical relationship, and by better understanding one, we can discover more about the other. Here, we review the observations associated with LLSVPs and the various conceptual mantle models that the community is debating regarding their cause. ULVZs, as they may relate to the larger LLSVPs, are also reviewed, and dynamical linkages between the two are discussed. Better understanding both LLSVPs and ULVZs promises to provide critical insight into global scale mantle convection and therefore provide a foundation for understanding numerous other processes in the Earth's interior.
Theory of Differential Scanning Calorimetry — Coupling of Electronic and Thermal Steps

A model system for differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is developed in which the electronic response of the instrument is coupled with the heat flow across an interface. Equations are derived which relate the time constants for this two-step process with the thermal properties of the sample and the amplitudes, areas, slopes and dwell times of DSC traces. The cases discussed include first and second order transitions, partial and total “supercooling” and effects of a temperature dependence of the heat capacity and the rate of temperature change. The magnitude of the lag terms of these cases is determined from typical experimental data. The equations permit an independent determination of the interfacial time constant and an assessment of the limits for the validity of the theoretical model.
Interacton Between Catecholamines and Neuropeptides in the Carotid Body: Evidence for Dopamine Modulation of Neutral Endpepticdase Activity

Carotid body (CB) contains multiple neurochemicals that include catecholamines (CA) and neuropeptides. They are involved in the modulation of sensory response of the carotid body. Based on observations from the central nervous system, we hypothesized that CA modulates neuropeptide metabolism in CB. To test our hypothesis, fetal calf carotid body ued. Immunocytochemical analysis showed that fetal calf carotid body expresses both tyrosine hydroxylase, and neutral endopeptidase-like immunoreactivity. To assess the effect of CA, thin slices of fetal calf carotid body were incubated with 50−500 μM of dopamine (DA) at 37°C for 1 hour. As an index of neuropeptide metabolism, the activity of neutral endopeptidase (NEP), a major degrading enzyme of neuropeptides in CB was determined in the membrane-enriched and soluble fractions of the carotid body. CBs incubated with medium lacking DA served as control. On average, NEP activities of the membrane-enriched, and soluble fractions of the untreated CB were 4.8∓0.2 and 6.7– pmole per hour per mg of CB respectively. At concentrations less than μMx DA enhanced NEP activity of the membrane fraction (−60%) whereas inhibition of NEP was observed in the soluble fraction (−62%) At concentrations >200 μMx DA inhibited NEP activity of the two fractions. When CBs were incubated with DA in the presence of sodium dithionite, an oxygen scavenger, DA, even at higher concentrations, stimulated NEP activity of the membrane-enriched fraction. The above results demonstrate that DA modulates neuropeptide metabolism in CB via a non-receptor-mediated mechanism involving a direct interaction with NEP.
Creature Care: Irish Animals and the Ethic of Care

This chapter focusing on indigenous Irish animals attempts to balance the historic and symbolic understanding of Irish animals with their ecological significance, and also, to balance the literary celebrations of threatened as well as extinct species with the rhetoric that argues for the protection of threatened species. Both the rhetoric of Irish environmental campaigns as well as their literary expressions have inevitably tapped into an audience’s awareness of the historic and symbolic significance of Irish animals. Invasions of Ireland are now also biological; many animals native to Ireland will face extinction if foreign species invading the country are not controlled.
Integrated health system strengthening can generate rapid population impacts that can be replicated: lessons from Rwanda to Madagascar

At the turn of the century, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set targets to dramatically improve human welfare by 2015. These ambitious aims included reducing extreme poverty by 50%, under-5 mortality by 66% and maternal mortality by 75%, and were accompanied by international support. Now, most African countries have international funding and policy commitments to treat HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, provide contraceptives to women, vaccines for children, and implement WHO-recommended treatment guidelines for maternal and child health, supported by front-line community health workers (CHWs). Why then, if the treatments are known, affordable at scale and supported by standard policies, did only a few countries achieve their health-related MDGs and what does that mean for the prospects of the Sustainable Development Goals? One answer is that even simple technologies require complex delivery systems—a value chain of staff, stuff, systems and space—to align at the point of care and serve each individual patient. The recognition of this challenge has led to a growing movement towards health system strengthening (HSS) based on WHO’s six building blocks—personnel, supplies, finance, leadership, services and information systems. Those who see the global health challenge primarily through the lens of scale—including policymakers, international stakeholders and social ventures—point out that the HSS building blocks do not actually guide implementers, as they consist of many dimensions that are difficult to prescribe.1 The result is an enduring tendency for the international community to invest in uncoordinated vertical efforts, often undermined by challenges with integration into local health systems that are unable to adequately support them.2 3 Such vertical approaches can be easily measured through process indicators (such as quantity of services delivered), but rarely demonstrate population-level impacts such as on coverage or mortality rates.4 In contrast, an alternative paradigm is to integrate HSS initiatives with clinical programmes …