cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of 5-ALA dose on resection of glioblastoma

Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) with the use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) leads to more extensive resection of high-grade glioma (HGG) and longer overall survival (OS) of patients compared to conventional resection. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of 5-ALA dosages on residual tumor volume (RTV) and OS in patients with glioblastoma. A retrospective cohort study for patients who participated in a phase I and II dose-escalation clinical trial on 5-ALA for resection of HGG. A total of 25 patients were found to have newly diagnosed glioblastoma on histology and enrolled in our study. Patients receiving low doses of 5-ALA (10–30 mg/kg) (n = 6) were compared to those receiving high doses (40–50 mg/kg) (n = 19). Pre- and post-operative contrast enhanced T1W MRI were evaluated with volumetric analysis. Median RTV was 0.69 cm3 and 0.00 cm3 in the low and high dose groups respectively (p = 0.975). A gross total resection (GTR) was more likely in the high dose group, though this was not statistically significant. No significant difference was found in median OS between the high and low dose groups (p = 0.6787). High doses of 5-ALA FGS are associated with less RTV and greater probability of GTR. 5-ALA dose was not associated with OS. Further studies with a larger patient cohort are warranted.
Platelet count abnormalities and peri-operative outcomes in adults undergoing elective, non-cardiac surgery.

Background Anemia and transfusion of blood in the peri-operative period have been shown to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality across a wide variety of non-cardiac surgeries. While tests of coagulation, including the platelet count, have frequently been used to identify patients with an increased risk of peri-operative bleeding, results have been equivocal. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of platelet level on outcomes in patients undergoing elective surgery. Materials and methods Retrospective cohort analysis of prospectively-collected clinical data from American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) between 2006-2016. Results We identified 3,884,400 adult patients who underwent elective, non-cardiac surgery from 2006-2016 at hospitals participating in NSQIP, a prospectively-collected, national clinical database with established reproducibility and validity. After controlling for all peri- and intraoperative factors by matching on propensity scores, patients with all levels of thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis had higher odds for perioperative transfusion. All levels of thrombocytopenia were associated with higher mortality, but there was no association with complications or other morbidity after matching. On the other hand, thrombocytosis was not associated with mortality; but odds for postoperative complications and 30-day return to the operating room remained slightly increased after matching. Conclusions These findings may guide surgeons in the appropriate use and appreciation of the utility of pre-operative screening of the platelet count prior to an elective, non-cardiac surgery.
Octreotide Added to a Proton Pump Inhibitor Versus a Proton Pump Inhibitor Alone in Nonvariceal Upper-Gastrointestinal Bleeds:

Background: Literature indicating clinically relevant benefits of an adjunctive somatostatin analog to standard therapies in nonvariceal upper-gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) is lacking. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to find the association between outcomes in patients with NVUGIB treated with octreotide and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI; combination group) compared with those treated with a PPI alone. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults admitted within a 5-hospital health care system with a NVUGIB treated with a PPI continuous infusion with or without an octreotide infusion. Notable exclusion criteria included varices, history of cirrhosis without endoscopy, or active gastrointestinal cancer. The primary outcome was association of combination treatment versus PPI alone with hospital length of stay (LOS). Results: A total of 180 patients were included (combination group: n = 90; PPI: n = 90). In univariate analyses, the median hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) LOS in the combination group versus PPI was 6.1 versus 4.9 days (P = 0.25) and 2.3 versus 1.9 days (P = 0.24), and rebleeding and mortality occurred in 9% versus 12% (P = 0.63) and 6.7% versus 5.6% (P = 1.00) of patients. Median units of packed red blood cells in the combination therapy versus PPI group was 3 vs 2 units (P = 0.43). After propensity score adjustment in multivariable analyses, hospital and ICU LOS, rebleeding, and mortality all remained nonsignificant. Conclusion and Relevance: Our study observed no difference in clinical end points. This suggests that octreotide provides no additional major clinical benefit in NVUGIB, and PPI therapy alone may be sufficient.
DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF MODELS TO PREDICT LONG-TERM OUTCOMES AND RESOURCE UTILIZATION AFTER PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION

Risk calculators for short-term outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) exist, but less is known about predictors of long-term outcomes and resource utilization. We retrospectively studied adults >20 yrs old receiving PCI from 2008-2012 in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, a
Entangled Photon Resonance Energy Transfer in Arbitrary Media

Inspired by the unique nonclassical character of two-photon interactions induced by entangled photons, we develop a new comprehensive Forster-type formulation for entangled-two-photon resonance energy transfer (E2P-RET) mediated by inhomogeneous, dispersive, and absorptive media with any space-dependent and frequency-dependent dielectric function and with any size of donor/acceptor. In our theoretical framework, two uncoupled particles are jointly excited by the temporally entangled field associated with two virtual photons that are produced by three-level radiative cascade decay in a donor particle. The temporal entanglement leads to frequency anticorrelation in the virtual photon's field, and vanishing of one of the time-ordered excitation pathways. The underlying mechanism leads to more than 3 orders of magnitude enhancement in the E2P-RET rate compared with the uncorrelated photon case. With the power of our new formulation, we propose a way to characterize E2P-RET through an effective rate coefficient KE2P, introduced here. This coefficient shows how energy transfer can be enhanced or suppressed depending on rate parameters in the radiative cascade, and by varying the donor-acceptor frequency differences.
Suppressing physiologic 18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in patients undergoing positron emission tomography for cardiac sarcoidosis: The effect of a structured patient preparation protocol

Myocardial positron emission tomography (PET) to detect cardiac sarcoidosis requires adequate patient preparation; however, in many cases physiologic myocardial 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake may not be adequately suppressed. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of a structured patient preparation protocol as recommended by the joint SNMMI/ASNC expert consensus document on the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in cardiac sarcoid detection and therapy monitoring. The SNMMI/ASNC preparation protocol recommends at least two high-fat (> 35 g), low-carbohydrate (< 3 g) (HFLC) meals the day before testing followed by fasting for at least 4-12 hours. All unique PET scans performed for cardiac sarcoidosis before (group 1) and after (group 2) application of the new preparation protocol were included in the study. In group 1, patients were given a preparation protocol of HFLC meals with suggested meals examples, while patients in group 2 received detailed diet instructions, together with accepted and non-accepted meal examples along. In group 2, reinforcement of instructions by nursing staff and review of dietary log were performed prior to testing. All PET images were evaluated for suppression of physiologic myocardial 18F-FDG uptake. Group 1 included 124 unique patients, and group 2 included 232 unique patients. There were no significant differences in baseline patient characteristics between the two groups. Suppression of physiologic myocardial 18F-FDG uptake was achieved in 91% of patients in group 2, compared to 78% of patients in group 1 (P < .001). A “diffuse” myocardial uptake pattern, indicating inadequate 18F-FDG suppression, was seen in 2% of studies in group 2 vs 12% in group 1 (P < .001). In this single-center study, application of a structured preparation protocol was highly successful in achieving suppression of physiologic myocardial 18F-FDG uptake in patients undergoing myocardial PET for cardiac sarcoidosis.
Characterization of Viral Infections after Antithymocyte Globulin-Based Conditioning in Adults Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Abstract Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) has been shown to reduce the incidence of graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) after matched related donor (MRD) and matched unrelated donor (MUD) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT); however, because of increased risks of infection and relapse, this use has not translated into a significant improvement in post-transplant survival. The goal of this single-center, retrospective cohort analysis was to quantify the incidence of viral reactivation and viral end-organ disease (EOD) within the first 100 days after MUD HCT with ATG-based conditioning compared with MRD HCT without ATG. Fifty-nine adult patients underwent ATG-based MUD HCT compared with 64 patients receiving MRD HCT without ATG. Cytomegalovirus reactivation was the most frequent event in both groups (65% MUD versus 61% MRD), followed by BK virus reactivation (26% versus 24%) and Epstein-Barr virus reactivation (20% versus 9%). A higher percentage of MUD patients experienced viral EOD by day +100 when compared with MRD patients (34% versus 16%, P = .022). This was most notable for EOD involving BK virus (15% versus 6%, P = .14) and Epstein-Barr virus (7% versus 0%, P = .050). Correspondingly, more patients in the MUD group experienced virus-related complications, including hospitalization (24% versus 3%, P
A Deep Neural Network-Based Permanent Magnet Localization for Tongue Tracking

Permanent magnet localization (PML) is a nascent method of wireless motion tracking that can estimate the 5D state (3D position and 2D orientation) of a cylindrical magnet from its magnetic field. PML is well suited for applications where a wireless tracking is crucial, and in particular for tongue motion which opens up many new interesting applications. To allow its usage outside of a research lab, our tongue tracking system relies on the PML to avoid impeding tongue’s natural motion due to its wireless tracking method and ensure safe use inside the mouth. Our tracking module is embedded in a headset to be portable and simple to use while being affordable by relying on the mass-produced components. The classical implementation of PML has many shortcomings that limit its practicality for real-world applications because it is computationally intensive due to its iterative algorithm, subject to local minimum convergence issues, and sensitive to its initial state and calibration parameters. Additionally, its physical model is an approximation that is only valid in limited tracking conditions. In this paper, we investigated the potential of deep learning to create a PML model for tongue tracking by training a feedforward neural network (3 layers, 100 neurons per layer) on a dataset composed of ∼1.7 million states spanning a volume of $10\times 10\times 10$ cm3. Our PML was validated on 337 000 states in a $4\times 6\times 7$ cm3 volume and tested on 100 000 samples emulating a more natural tongue motion with curves and twists. A fully automated 5D positional stage was engineered by our team to collect these large datasets of the 5D magnet states. Our PML prediction, limited to the magnet’s 3D positions in this paper, reaches positional errors of 1.4 mm (median) and 1.8 mm (Q3).
Impacts of the Regeneration Pathways of the Oxoammonium Cation on Electrochemical Nitroxyl Radical-Mediated Alcohol Oxidation

Recent studies investigating the electrocatalytic properties of nitroxyl radicals (e.g. 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)) for electrochemical alcohol oxidation have demonstrated that th...
Assessing the Threat of Antisemitic Harassment and Attack in France—Paris in Focus

Reports of antisemitic harassment and attacks against Jews in France have become frequent in the French and international media. However, such reports are mostly anecdotal and provide only limited information on how widespread these attacks are or if they are increasing over time. Has antisemitism become a frequent experience for French Jews? Are certain community members especially targeted? How likely is it that a Jewish visitor to France is attacked? How threatened do Jews feel and what is the impact of the perceived threat? This paper reviews official statistics on antisemitic incidents (1), attitude surveys of the general population in France (2), and surveys among Jews (3). All three indicators have their weaknesses but taken together they can help to assess the threat that Jews in France face today of becoming victim of antisemitic harassment or attacks. Keywords: France, antisemitism, physical attacks, Orthodox Jews, Paris
Implied Cost of Capital in the Cross-Section of Stocks

Recent research shows that the implied cost of capital (ICC), measured from analyst forecasts and current stock prices, predicts market returns. This paper studies the cross-section of stocks and finds that ICC negatively predicts returns. An investment strategy that goes long low-ICC stocks and short high-ICC stocks provides an alpha of 6% per year. Evidence suggests that the negative relation is due to the fact that stocks with a high level of ICC are systematically related with overly optimistic earnings forecasts. High-ICC stocks are also associated with a low probability of survival. Investors fail to incorporate this bias, leading to more negative earnings surprises. The findings highlight the need to exercise caution when using ICC as a measure of cost of capital for individual firms.
Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms through Credit Card Fraud Detection

With the increase of e-commerce and online transactions throughout the twenty-first century, credit card fraud is a serious and growing problem. Such malicious practices can affect millions of people across the world through identity theft and loss of money. Data science has emerged as a means of identifying fraudulent behavior. Contemporary methods rely on applying data mining techniques to skewed datasets with confidential attributes. This paper examines numerous classification models trained on a public dataset to analyze correlation of certain attributes with fraudulence. This paper also proposes better metrics for determining false negatives and measures the effectiveness of random sampling to diminish the imbalance of the dataset. Finally, this paper explains the best algorithms to utilize in datasets with high class imbalances. It was determined that the Support Vector Machine algorithm had the highest performance rate for detecting credit card fraud under realistic conditions.
Ultrasound localized microscopy-based spatial prior for photoacoustic reconstruction with a linear transducer array

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) reconstruction with linear transducer arrays suffers from limited view artifacts, which impairs the reconstruction accuracy. Here, we introduce a modified Tikhonov regularization method to include vascular map obtained by Ultrasound localized microscopy (ULM) as a spatial prior in PAT reconstruction. We suggest an approach based on L-curve and Pearson correlation map to guide the selection of optimal regularization parameters. Simulation results suggest that spatial prior-based Tikhonov regularization can effectively address the limited view artifacts of PAT reconstruction with linear transducer arrays, paving the way of integrating PAT with ULM to enhance reconstruction accuracy in limited-view PAT.
Toward a Better Defined SYCL Memory Consistency Model

A memory consistency model is a key component of a parallel programming model that describes guaranteed behavior for applications and valid optimizations for implementers. The SYCL 2020 specification took a step forward by adopting the atomic_ref syntax from the C++20 specification and concepts similar to memory scopes from the OpenCL 2.0 specification, though further efforts to formalize the SYCL memory model are ongoing and will be progressed in future specifications. This technical presentation will summarize the guarantees and several unexpected non-guarantees that are provided by the memory model in the SYCL 2020 specification, using accessible language and examples. The talk will describe memory models from other parallel programming models that could inform and influence the SYCL memory model, including the C++, OpenCL 2.0, and Vulkan memory models. The talk will also describe features unique to the SYCL specification that will need to be included in the SYCL memory model, such as unified shared memory, which introduce challenges that have not been solved in existing memory models.
Forum: Border Rhetorics

In this introduction to our Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies forum titled “Border Rhetorics,” we first and foremost pay tribute to the life and work of the late Dr. D. Robert DeChaine. H...
Proxy “Actualism” *

Bernard Linsky and Edward Zalta have recently proposed a new form of actualism. I characterize the general form of their view and the motivations behind it. I argue that it is not quite new – it bears interesting similarities to Alvin Plantinga’s view – and that it definitely isn’t actualist.
Nontraumatic Spontaneous Pneumocephalus in Clostridium Septicum Central Nervous System Infection – A Case Report (P5.9-003)

Objective: To describe a case of suspected meningoencephalitis/cerebritis caused by Clostridium septicum sepsis which manifested with nontraumatic spontaneous pneumocephalus. Background: Although Clostridium septicum is a very rare cause of meningoencephalitis/cerebritis, the mortality rate in patients with Clostridium septicum central nervous system infection is very high. Recent literature review demonstrated the association between Clostridium septicum and gastrointestinal disease or malignancy. According to its gas-forming ability, nontraumatic spontaneous pneumocephalus is rarely reported but should be recognized as a cue to identify this pathogen. Design/Methods: A case report Results: A case of 54 year-old male with a past medical history of metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma. He presented with progressively worsening left leg pain for several months. The initial investigations revealed signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (heart rate 113/min, leucocytes 34.19 × 103/ul) and elevated inflammatory parameter (procalcitonin 15.16 ng/ml). Even with the empirical piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin treatment, he rapidly progressed to severe sepsis. After 8 hours of admission, his mental status declined. Without a history of recent head trauma, cranial computed tomography showed minimal pneumocephalus in the lateral ventricles and cisterns. Because of hemodynamic instability, lumbar puncture and cranial magnetic resonance imaging could not be performed. Despite appropriate treatment for septic shock with fluid resuscitation, vasopressors and antibiotics, he developed cardiac arrest. Unfortunately, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was unsuccessful. He died 14 hours after admission. Two samples of blood culture confirmed Clostridium septicum septicemia which raised the diagnosis of meningoencephalitis and pneumocephalus caused by this organism. Conclusions: Nontraumatic spontaneous pneumocephalus could be the important cue to identify Clostridium septicum as a causative organism in patients with sepsis. An awareness and high index of suspicion in this finding can prompt to an early diagnosis, appropriate treatment and lower fatal outcome. Furthermore, the survivors of this infection should be evaluated for an occult gastrointestinal disease or malignancy as its route of entry. Disclosure: Dr. Karukote has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thakolwiboon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sohn has nothing to disclose.
Charging up Boosted Black Holes

Contrary to a prevailing assumption that black holes would swiftly discharge, we argue that black holes can charge preferentially when boosted through an ambient magnetic field. Though the details are very different, the preference for charge is related to the precipitation of the Wald charge on a spinning black hole in an ambient magnetic field. The gravito-electrodynamics upstage naive arguments about screening electric fields in determining the value of the charge accrued. Charged test particles, which build up the black hole charge, exhibit chaotic behavior as evidenced by fractal basin boundaries between dynamical regions. Charged, boosted black holes will generate their own electromagnetic fields and thereby their own luminous signatures, even if they are initially bare. We therefore add boosted black holes to the growing list of potentially observable black hole signatures, alongside black hole batteries and black hole pulsars. The implications should be relevant for supermassive black holes that are boosted relative to a galactic magnetic field as well as black holes merging with magnetized neutron stars.
Context Matters for Social-Emotional Learning: Examining Variation in Program Impact by Dimensions of School Climate.

This paper examines whether three dimensions of school climate—leadership, accountability, and safety/respect—moderated the impacts of the INSIGHTS program on students’ social-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes. Twenty-two urban schools and N = 435 low-income racial/ethnic minority students were enrolled in the study and received intervention services across the course of 2 years, in both kindergarten and first grade. Intervention effects on math and reading achievement were larger for students enrolled in schools with lower overall levels of leadership, accountability, and safety/respect at baseline. Program impacts on disruptive behaviors were greater in schools with lower levels of accountability at baseline; impacts on sustained attention were greater in schools with lower levels of safety/respect at baseline. Implications for Social-Emotional Learning program implementation, replication, and scale-up are discussed.
Food preference in colonies of the fire antSolenopsis invicta

When ten colonies of the fire ant,Solenopsis invicta Buren, were each offered three liquid food (sugar, rat serum, oil), their preference as measured by recruitment showed seven significantly different patterns. Similarly, 16 different food preference patterns emerged when 31 standardized laboratory colonies were tested with three foods. Serum caused almost as much recuritment as oil in field colonies, while sucrose was more frequently preferred in laboratory nests, indicating fire ants are more than simply “grease-loving” ants. For equal recruitment, oil is returne to the colony at a much lower rate than aqueous foods. Overnightad libidum oil feeding greatly modified colony preference the next day.
Adoptive T cell therapy of tumors: mechanisms operative in the recognition and elimination of tumor cells.

Publisher Summary This chapter attempts to identify the principles and issues elucidated in animal models that may provide insights for the development of effective approaches to modulate T cell functions to promote the eradication of human tumors. The importance of T cells in surveillance against the outgrowth of tumor cells is probably best demonstrated with virally transformed tumors, such as EBV-induced B cell lymphomas, which occur with markedly increased frequency in transplant patients specifically depleted of T cells, and with UV-induced squamous cell cancers that occur with high frequency in renal transplant patients. Second, the reasons for the growth of presumably immunogenic tumors in immunocompetent hosts have become more apparent with an improved understanding of the function of T cell subsets and the requirements for the induction and expression of T cell responses. The earlier perceptions that cytotoxic T cells recognize foreign proteins integrally inserted in the cell membrane had focused efforts for more than a decade on the use of the powerful new monoclonal antibody technology combined with biochemical purification techniques to isolate tumor antigens expressed on the cell membrane. However, analyses of the requirements for recognition of virally infected cells by CD8 + cytotoxic T cells demonstrated that Class I-restricted T c do not recognize integral membrane proteins but rather recognize intracellular proteins that are synthesized in the cytoplasm. Tumors containing unique or mutated and potentially immunogenic cellular proteins may selectively or predominantly elicit only CD4 + or CD8 + T cell responses because the antigen is adequately presented in the context of only one MHC molecule, and in this setting only T cells from the subset restricted to that MHC molecule appear effective in tumor therapy.
28.4: Invited Paper: Development of Tetradentate Pt Complexes for Efficient, Stable, and High Color Purity Blue OLEDs

In this report we discuss the development of blue OLEDs employing tetradentate platinum complexes. We will discuss the development of a wide range of efficient, blue-emitting Pt complexes enabling OLEDs with record purity blue emission of (0.15, 0.08), external quantum efficiencies exceeding 25%, or blue OLEDs with operational lifetimes of over 2000h.
Genetics and Development

Three principle areas concerning the topic of genetics and development are covered in this entry: (a) The differences between the concepts of reaction range and norm of reaction; (b) A description of what genes actually do in the course of development (make protein as a consequence of DNA→mRNA activity); (c) The dependence of appropriate gene activation on normally occurring internal and external signals, including behavior, as well as sensory and social stimulation from the environment. As is now becoming more widely understood, genes do not contain a self-actional, encapsulated program, or blueprint for development; genes themselves are a contingent part of the developmental system of influences that results in normal and abnormal brain and behavioral development.
Regulation of Kv4.3 voltage-dependent gating kinetics by KChIP2 isoforms.

We conducted a kinetic analysis of the voltage dependence of macroscopic inactivation (τfast, τslow), closed-state inactivation (τclosed,inact), recovery (τrec), activation (τact), and deactivation (τdeact) of Kv4.3 channels expressed alone in Xenopus oocytes and in the presence of the calcium-binding ancillary subunits KChIP2b and KChIP2d. We demonstrate that for all expression conditions, τrec, τclosed,inact and τfast are components of closed-state inactivation transitions. The values of τclosed,inact and τfast monotonically merge from −30 to −20 mV while the values of τclosed,inact and τrec approach each other from −60 to −50 mV. These data generate classic bell-shaped time-constant–potential curves. With the KChIPs, these curves are distinct from that of Kv4.3 expressed alone due to acceleration of τrec and slowing of τclosed,inact and τfast. Only at depolarized potentials where channels open is τslow detectable suggesting that it represents an open-state inactivation mechanism. With increasing depolarization, KChIPs favour this open-state inactivation mechanism, supported by the observation of larger transient reopening currents upon membrane hyperpolarization compared to Kv4.3 expressed alone. We propose a Kv4.3 gating model wherein KChIP2 isoforms accelerate recovery, slow closed-state inactivation, and promote open-state inactivation. This model supports the observations that with KChIPs, closed-state inactivation transitions are [Ca2+]i-independent, while open-state inactivation is [Ca2+]i-dependent. The selective KChIP- and Ca2+-dependent modulation of Kv4.3 inactivation mechanisms predicted by this model provides a basis for dynamic modulation of the native cardiac transient outward current by intracellular Ca2+ fluxes during the action potential.
Dielectric response of metal/SrTiO3/two-dimensional electron liquid heterostructures

Maximizing the effective dielectric constant of the gate dielectric stack is important for electrostatically controlling high carrier densities inherent to strongly correlated materials. SrTiO3 is uniquely suited for this purpose, given its extremely high dielectric constant, which can reach 104. Here, we present a systematic study of the thickness dependence of the dielectric response and leakage of SrTiO3 that is incorporated into a vertical structure on a high-carrier-density two-dimensional electron liquid (2DEL). A simple model can be used to interpret the data. The results show a need for improved interface control in the design of metal/SrTiO3/2DEL devices.
An interpolated volume data model

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the basic functionality of the volume data model. It considers examples from biology and volumes of measurement from quantum physics. The data model is similar in the two cases, but the operations that are commonly used are quite different. In the second case, for instance, one is often interested in conditions on the behavior of local differential operators, such as zero-flow surfaces, while in the biological case one has a mix of value conditions and geometric condition. With these two application fields, this chapter highlights the generality and flexibility of the model. The system is based on a commercial database, augmented with specialized functions to manipulate the volume data model. The chapter demonstrates various operations specifying queries both using a graphical user interface and entering them directly in structured query language (SQL) augmented with the volume algebra operations.
From Nanodots to Nanorods: Oriented aggregation and magnetic evolution of nanocrystalline goethite

[1] Goethite is a common iron oxyhydroxide and an important mineral in the biogeochemical cycle of iron at the Earth's surface. However, environmental controls on its formation and alteration have been difficult to quantify. Perhaps this is because past studies have traditionally used needle-shaped goethite particles that are substantially larger than the goethite nanoparticles commonly observed in nature. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and low-temperature magnetometry of synthetic goethite nanocrystals show that when aqueous suspensions are aged at 90°C, the nanocrystals grow almost exclusively by oriented aggregation of 3–4 nm primary nanocrystals. These primary particles are superparamagnetic above about 35 K, as shown by variations of magnetic susceptibility with temperature. At low temperature (<300 K), both remanent and induced magnetizations of primary nanoparticles are about an order of magnitude larger than for micron-sized goethite and can act as magnetic signatures of nanophase in controlled environments.
Host produced rural tourism - Towa's Tokyo antenna shop.

Abstract Anthropological and sociological studies of tourism have often focused on its origins and impact on locals, but have rarely sought to understand why host communities engage in tourism from the viewpoint of inhabitants. Towa Furusato Mura (hometown village) is the only tourism promotion and agricultural products outlet-store in greater metropolitan Tokyo independently owned and operated by a regional municipality of fewer than 11,000 residents. By examining the tourism policies and practices of this small rural farming community through its “antenna shop” in the nation’s capital, this paper explores how and why local residents have mobilized their cultural heritage to contest anomie and fragmentation in this high-stakes era of social transformation.
133Xe blood flow monitoring during arteriovenous malformation resection: a case of intraoperative hyperperfusion with subsequent brain swelling.

Measurement of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using the i.v. 133Xe technique was carried out during resection of a right temporooccipital arteriovenous malformation (AVM) with ipsilateral middle and posterior cerebral arterial supply. Intraoperatively, a rCBF detector was in place over the right frontotemporal area, about 5 to 6 cm from the border of the AVM. Anesthesia was 0.75% isoflurane in oxygen and nitrous oxide. After dural exposure, the rCBF was 27 ml/100 g/min at a pCO2 of 29 mm Hg and a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 90 mm Hg. The pCO2 was then elevated to 40 mm Hg, and the rCBF was increased to 55 ml/100 g/min at a MAP of 83 mm Hg. After AVM removal, the rCBF rose to 50 ml/100 g/min at a pCO2 of 27 mm Hg and a MAP of 75 mm Hg. The pCO2 was elevated to 33 mm Hg and the rCBF increased to 86 ml/100 g/min at a MAP of 97 mm Hg. During skin closure, the rCBF was 94 ml/100 g/min at a pCO2 of 26 mm Hg and a MAP of 97 mm Hg. The patient was neurologically normal postoperatively except for a mild, new visual field defect. After 2 to 3 days, the patient gradually developed lethargy, confusion, and nausea with relatively normal blood pressure. An angiogram revealed residual enlargement of the posterior cerebral artery feeding vessel. Computed tomography showed edema extending from the area of AVM resection as far as the frontal region, producing a significant midline shift anteriorly. Intraoperative rCBF monitoring revealed significant hyperperfusion after AVM resection, which was associated with signs and symptoms of the normal perfusion pressure breakthrough syndrome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Intraoperative measurement of lumbar spine motion segment stiffness.

Study design Prospective trial. Objectives To test an intraoperative diagnostic tool to determine if it provided the surgeon with a safe, reproducible, accurate, quantitative measure of lumbar spine motion segment stability. Summary of background data Several devices have been developed to measure motion segment stiffness, however, few have been tested intraoperatively on humans, and none, to the best of the authors' knowledge have been tested as extensively as the device described in this study. Objective criteria, such as those provided by an intraoperative gauge, can be helpful in determining when and what type of fusion of a degenerated spinal motion segment unit should be performed following decompressive surgery. Methods The spinal stiffness gauge, placed between spinous processes of adjacent vertebrae, applies a controlled, constant loading rate along the spine's longitudinal axis, producing a load-displacement curve from which stiffness, range of motion, and hysteresis can be computed. Measurements from this tool were then used to investigate differences in stiffness of the motion segment before and after decompressive surgery, between spine levels, and between male and female subjects. Results The spinal stiffness gauge stiffness measurements correlated with the surgeon's subjective stiffness measurements on the same motion segments. The stiffness measurements had excellent repeatability. Stiffness was dependent on the spine level, gender, and degree of disc degeneration. Conclusions This study demonstrated the efficacy of the spinal stiffness gauge for providing an objective, quantitative, intraoperative stiffness (stability) measurement of the lumbar spine motion segment.
Thymic Hyperplasia Associated with Graves' Disease in a 10-year-old Boy.

Thymic hyperplasia associated with Graves’ disease is rarely reported in children, although it is not uncommon in adults. Occasionally, an enlarged thymus presents as an anterior mediastinal mass on a radiographic examination. Such patients often undergo invasive procedures such as a thymus biopsy or thymectomy because of suspected malignancy. However, an enlarged thymus with Graves’ disease is known to shrink after treatment with antithyroid drugs. Therefore, recognition of this benign course would avoid unnecessary surgical resection. This report presents the case of a 10-yr-old boy with Graves’ disease complicated with an anterior mediastinal mass. Computed tomography showed a homogenous mass with no invasion into the surrounding tissue. A gallium-67 scintigraphy showed no abnormal uptake. Shrinkage of the mass after treatment with an antithyroid drug (methyl-mercaptoimidazole) supported the diagnosis of thymic hyperplasia with Graves’ disease. This case report illustrates two important points. First, pediatricians should be aware that thymic hyperplasia can coexist with Graves’ disease, even in children. Second, close radiographic assessment would support a diagnosis of thymic hyperplasia and eliminate invasive diagnostic procedures.
Generation of coherent tunable VUV radiation near the Ly-Beta transition of atomic hydrogen.

Third-harmonic conversion of light from a frequency-tuned XeCl laser is used to generate coherent vacuum-ultraviolet radiation that is tunable from 102.55 to 102.83 nm, a range that includes the Ly-β transition of atomic hydrogen at 102.57 nm. The use of this radiation for the detection of neutral hydrogen atoms by resonance fluorescence is discussed.
Tyrosinase activity in subcellular fractions of black and albino mice.

TYROSINASE (EC 1.10.3.1.), a key enzyme in melanogenesis, seems to occur in an inactivated form in various tissues1–3. I have examined the possibility that inhibition, rather than a lack of enzymatic activity, is involved in the absence of melanin synthesis in the albino mouse; the c (albino) locus has up to now been considered the structural locus for tyrosinase4,5. I report here the effects on albino and black murine pigment tissue of physical methods and chemical and enzymatic agents which affect tyrosinase activity6–8.
Exploring the links between political structure and metropolitan growth

Abstract Considerable scholarship documents a causal link between metropolitan growth and the resultant number and arrangement of local governments in metropolitan areas. Only scant research explores the reverse phenomena, that patterns of local government structure influence metropolitan population growth. Yet ample social science theory and case study evidence suggest support for such a causal link. This study examines empirically the influence of levels and changes in political structure on metropolitan population growth for 129 large US metropolitan areas between 1962 and 1982. The analysis extends previous research in two ways: first, by replacing aggregate measures of political fragmentation with a more sophisticated set of variables that capture different aspects of the multifaceted concept of political structure; and second, by examining the dynamic association between change in political structure and metropolitan growth. The results reveal mixed support for theories linking political structure to metropolitan growth. Of methodological importance is the finding that different dimensions of political structure interact differentially with metropolitan growth, suggesting that traditional aggregate measures of political structure obscure more than they reveal.
Winter Heat Budget and Frazil Ice Production in the Upper ST. Lawrence River

: Winter heat budget and frazil ice production in the St. Lawrence River between the Ogdensburg-Prescott Boom and the Moses-Saunders Power Dam are analyzed. Contributions of each heat exchange component, and spatial distributions of heat exchange rates are calculated for three typical winters. Based on the calculated heat budget, the amount and distribution of frazil ice generated in the study reach is analyzed. The result of this study indicates that the thermal energy contained in the river water flowing into the study reach is a dominate factor in the heat budget analysis. The heat flux from the channel bottom accounts for an important portion of the total heat budget during the ice covered period.
Causes and consequences of fire‐induced soil water repellency

A wettable surface layer overlying a water-repellent layer is commonly observed following a fire on a watershed. High surface temperatures burn' off organic materials and create vapours that move downward in response to a temperature gradient and then condense on soil particles causing them to become water repellent. Water-repellent soils have a positive water entry pressure hp that must be exceeded or all the water will runoff. Water ponding depths h o that exceeds hp will cause infiltration, but the profile is not completely wetted. Infiltration rate and soil wetting increase as the value of h o /h p increases. The consequence is very high runoff, which also contributes to high erosion on fire-induced water-repellent soils during rain storms. Grass establishment is impaired by seeds being eroded and lack of soil water for seeds that do remain and germinate. Extrapolation of these general findings to catchment or watershed scales is difficult because of the very high temporal and spatial variabilities that occur in the field.
Store-operated Ca2+ entry and coupling to Ca2+ pool depletion in thapsigargin-resistant cells.

Abstract The release of Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ pumping pools and the entry of extracellular Ca2+ are tightly coupled events. The potent and specific intracellular Ca2+ pump inhibitor, thapsigargin, blocks Ca2+ accumulation and allows Ca2+ release from pools within mammalian cells, inducing major changes in endoplasmic reticulum function and cell growth. Recent studies characterized the pools of Ca2+ within permeabilized DC-3F/TG2 cells (a thapsigargin-resistant variant form of the DC-3F Chinese hamster lung fibroblast line, able to grow in 2 μM thapsigargin), revealing highly thapsigargin-resistant intracellular Ca2+ pumping activity capable of accumulating Ca2+ within an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-releasable Ca2+ pool (Waldron, R. T., Short, A. D., and Gill, D. L. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 11955-11961). Using intact fura-2-loaded thapsigargin-resistant DC-3F/TG2 cells, the present study investigated the role of this unusual Ca2+ pumping activity in maintaining cytosolic Ca2+, generating Ca2+ signals, and mediating Ca2+ entry. The thapsigargin-resistant Ca2+ pumping pool was capable of generating rapid cytosolic Ca2+ signals in response to the phospholipase C-coupled agonist, oleoyl lysophosphatidic acid. The resting level of cytosolic Ca2+ in DC-3F/TG2 cells was 2-fold elevated compared with control cells (the parent DC-3F line), and transient extracellular Ca2+ removal induced a large “overshoot” in cytosolic Ca2+. The overshoot response was blocked by the Ca2+ influx inhibitor, SKF96365, and was kinetically identical to that induced in parent DC-3F cells after thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ pool emptying, indicating that the thapsigargin-resistant DC-3F/TG2 cells had “constitutively” opened Ca2+ entry channels coupled to an emptied or partially emptied thapsigargin-sensitive Ca2+ pumping pool. Even though oleoyl lysophosphatidic acid-mediated Ca2+ release induced little Ca2+ entry, complete ionomycin-activated emptying of the thapsigargin-resistant Ca2+ pool in DC-3F/TG2 cells induced a large, sustained entry of Ca2+ that was also completely blocked by SKF96365. The results revealed that the thapsigargin-resistant Ca2+ pump does maintain physiological Ca2+ levels, is able to fill an agonist-responsive Ca2+ pool in DC-3F/TG2 cells, and is likely responsible for the ability of these cells to function and grow in the presence of thapsigargin. In addition, Ca2+ influx in the resistant DC-3F/TG2 cells reflects emptying of pools that accumulate Ca2+ by both thapsigargin-sensitive and -resistant Ca2+ pumps; since these pumps accumulate Ca2+ in distinct pools in parent DC-3F cells, it is possible that more than one pool is coupled to Ca2+ influx in the resistant DC-3F/TG2 cells.
The efficacy of chemoradiation therapy in HIV seropositive patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anus.

OBJECTIVE The aim was to assess the efficacy of chemoradiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal in HIV seropositive patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective review of all patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anus treated primarily with combined chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil and mitomycin) and radiotherapy or local excision was undertaken comparing HIV seropositive to HIV seronegative patients. RESULTS Thirteen HIV seronegative patients were compared with 6 HIV seropositive patients. The HIV positive group included a higher proportion of males and a significantly greater history of prior treatment for condyloma. There was no difference in the median radiation dose (5020 cGy vs 4500 cGy, P=0.10). There was a trend towards higher local tumour recurrence in the HIV seropositive patients although this was not statistically significant (30% vs 66%). The CD4 count of HIV positive patients did not correlate either with their ability to complete the prescribed treatment regimen or with subsequent recurrence. CONCLUSION Combined chemoradiation is feasible in HIV positive patients, however, local recurrence rates in HIV positive patients may be higher. Tolerance of this therapy in HIV seropositive patients or recurrence after therapy are not related to the patient's CD4 cell count.
Comparisons of regular splittings of matrices

In this article, new comparison theorems for regular splittings of matrices are derived. In so doing, the initial results of Varga in 1960 on regular splittings of matrices, and the subsequent unpublished results of Wo?nicki in 1973 on regular splittings of matrices, will be seen to be special cases of these new comparison theorems.
Dielectronic recombination rate of Mo XXXIII

The total rate of dielectronic recombination of Mo XXXIII to form Mo XXXII is computed by means of the fundamental atomic physics of the process and atomic data calculated for this problem. Agreement with a simple analytic expression suggested by Burgess for the total rate is good in the temperature range 1.0--6.0 keV, but poor below 1.0 keV. Considerable disagreement exists with the analytic expression when the details of the process are examined.
Collagenolytic activity of cathepsin K is specifically modulated by cartilage-resident chondroitin sulfates.

Cathepsin K is the predominant cysteine protease in osteoclast-mediated bone remodeling, and the protease is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of diseases with excessive bone and cartilage resorption. Osteoclastic matrix degradation occurs in the extracellular resorption lacuna and upon phagocytosis within the cell's lysosomal-endosomal compartment. Since glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are abundant in extracellular matrixes of cartilage and growing bone, we have analyzed the effect of GAGs on the activity of bone and cartilage-resident cathepsins K and L and MMP-1. GAGs, in particular chondroitin sulfates, specifically and selectively increased the stability of cathepsin K but had no effect on cathepsin L and MMP-1. GAGs strongly enhanced the stability and, to a lesser extent, the catalytic activity of cathepsin K. To combine the activity and stability parameters, we defined a novel kinetic term, named cumulative activity (CA), which reflects the total substrate turnover during the life span of the en...