cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Facial and Eyelid Changes in Thyroid Eye Disease Are Reversed by Teprotumumab.

Thyroid eye disease (TED) causes orbital soft-tissue expansion. Recent studies have suggested that brow and temple changes may also occur. Teprotumumab, a monoclonal antibody to the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor reduces soft-tissue swelling in TED. In this study, we quantified the changes to pan facial soft-tissue volumes and eyelid position, following treatment with teprotumumab. Methods In this prospective study, consecutive patients who were treated with teprotumumab were appraised for study eligibility. All patients had 3D facial imaging using the Vectra H2. Soft-tissue volume changes in the upper face, periorbita, temples, midface, and lower face were quantified before and after teprotumumab therapy. Furthermore, the marginal reflex distance (MRD)1, MRD2, and intercanthal distance were also measured pretreatment and posttreatment. Results Twenty-three patients were included in the study. The mean duration of TED was 29 months (38). Following teprotumumab therapy, the mean (SD) decrease in volume for each region was 0.75 mL (0.84) in the upper face, 1.8 mL (1.3) in the periorbital region, 0.17 mL (0.5) in the temples, 1.62 mL (3.16) in the midface, and 2.67 mL (4.6) in the lower face. The mean (SD) decrease in the volume of the full face was 8.9 mL (8.7). There was also a significant reduction in MRD1, MRD2, and the intercanthal space following treatment. There was no relationship between previous steroid use and total body weight reduction and changes in facial volume. Conclusion TED may cause significant tissue expansion across the entire face and this may be reduced following teprotumumab therapy.
Treatment of Symmetry-Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Symmetry and ordering obsessions and compulsions are among the most prevalent obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom subtypes, often emerging in early childhood or adolescence. This chapter first discusses the phenomenology of this particular subtype, including distinct cognitive and emotional features that underlie symmetry-based concerns. Following is a case study describing Natalie X, a 27-year-old female patient with chronic symmetry-type OCD, the severity of which had fluctuated throughout her lifetime. She presented with persistent worries and rituals revolving around dividing objects and thoughts into gender categories of boy or girl, and she experienced considerable distress if items were not balanced across these boy/girl classes. Exposure response prevention (ERP) and cognitive therapy techniques were implemented in order to break the reinforcing cycle of Natalie’s compulsions and restructure her maladaptive automatic thoughts. Therapy occurred over 23 sessions and included psychoeducation about OCD and corresponding treatment tactics, a functional analysis of her specific triggers and behaviors, and exposures along a fear hierarchy. Motivational interviewing (MI) tactics were incorporated to enhance motivation and adherence to exposure exercises, while cognitive restructuring helped address her dysfunctional beliefs, such as overestimation of danger associated with asymmetry. Continual monitoring of symptoms and a collaborative working approach helped the therapist best tailor the cognitive and behavioral techniques towards Natalie’s needs throughout the treatment. Natalie’s symmetry symptoms and the level of impairment met criteria for remission at termination, illustrating the efficacy of ERP and cognitive therapy in treating this common subtype of OCD.
Mortality in fibromyalgia: a study of 8,186 patients over thirty-five years.

PURPOSE.: To determine if mortality is increased among patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. METHODS.: We studied 8,186 fibromyalgia patients seen between 1974 and 2009 in 3 settings: all fibromyalgia patients in a clinical practice, patients participating in the US National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases (NDB), and patients invited to participate in the NBD who refused participation. Internal controls included 12, 329 patients with osteoarthritis. Deaths were determined by multiple source communication, and all patients were also screened in the US National Death Index (NDI). We calculated standardized mortality ratios (SMR) based on age and sex stratified US population data, after adjustment for NDI non-response. RESULTS.: There were 539 deaths, and the overall SMR was 0.90 (95% CI 0.61, 1.26). Among 1,665 clinic patients the SMR was 0.92 (95% CI 0.81, 1.05). Sensitivity analyses varying the rate of NDI non-identification did not alter the non-association. Adjusted for age and sex, the hazard ratio for fibromyalgia compared with osteoarthritis was 1.05 (95% CI 0.94, 1.17). The standardized mortality odds ratio compared with the US general population was increased for suicide, OR 3.31 (2.15, 5.11), and for accidental deaths, 1.45 (1.02, 2.06), but not for malignancy. CONCLUSIONS.: Mortality does not appear to be increased in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but the risk of death from suicide and accidents was increased. Language: en
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome with risperidone

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is thought to be a result of dopamine D2 receptor blockade in the striatum of the basal ganglia. Risperidone, a benzisoxazole derivative antipsychotic, has high serotonin 5-HT2 receptor blockade and dose-related D2 receptor blockade. The high ratio is believed to impart the low frequency of extrapyramidal symptoms with risperidone at low dosages. With this low frequency of extrapyramidal symptoms, it was thought the frequency of neuroleptic malignant syndrome might also be lowered. A 73-year-old woman developed neuroleptic malignant syndrome after monotherapy with risperidone. The syndrome reversed after discontinuing risperidone and starting treatment with dantrolene and bromocriptine. It appears that the protection from extrapyramidal side effects observed with risperidone does not ensure protection from neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
La democracia como rehén: la autonomía de la banca central en la transición del autoritarismo a la democracia

This article explores the conditions under which exiting authoritarian elites use institutions strategically to fend off the threat of democracy. One way that authoritarian elites can execute this "institucional insulation" is by making the central bank autonomus from the influence of elected officials befores they leave power. Central bank autonomy not only removes a key aspect of economic decisionmaking from democratic control, but also constrains governments to persue a set of neoliberal policy outcomes. I argue that ehere authoritaian fear a populist future and know that regime change is inminent they can be expected to create an autonomous central bank in order to tie hands of successor governments.
Interaction of the UvrABC endonuclease with DNA containing a psoralen monoadduct or cross-link. Differential effects of superhelical density and comparison of preincision complexes.

Abstract The effect of negative supercoiling on UvrABC incision of covalently closed duplex DNA circles containing either a furan-side monoadduct or a cross-link of 4'-hydroxymethyl-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen at a unique site was examined. The rate of UvrABC incision of these DNA substrates was measured as a function of superhelical density, sigma, for values of sigma between 0 and -0.050. The monoadducted DNA substrate was incised at close to the maximum rate at all superhelical densities, with only a slight stimulation of activity between sigma = 0 and -0.035. In contrast, efficient UvrABC incision of the cross-linked DNA substrate required the DNA to be underwound, and activity showed a linear dependence on superhelical density up to sigma = -0.035. DNase I protection studies show that in the presence of both UvrA and UvrB a protein complex binds to the site of a psoralen monoadduct or cross-link in linear DNA. This UvrA-UvrB-dependent complex binds with similar affinity to both the monoadducted and the cross-linked DNA helices. However, differences in the DNase I footprint on these two DNA substrates indicate that the interaction of this protein complex is different at these two lesions. The addition of UvrC to linear DNA molecules that are saturated at the site of the lesion with the UvrA-UvrB-dependent complex resulted in efficient nicking of the monoadducted DNA, but not the cross-linked DNA. Thus, the properties of a DNA lesion site that lead to UvrAB recognition and binding are not necessarily sufficient to allow incision when all three Uvr subunits are present. We propose that after recognition and binding of a lesion site by the UvrAB complex and prior to incision, the damaged DNA helix undergoes a conformational change such as unwinding or melting that is induced by the lesion-bound Uvr complex.
Underhill's Practical Mysticism: One Hundred Years Later.

This essay explores the practical mysticism of Evelyn Underhill and its potential for orienting lived faith today. One hundred years following the publication of Underhill’s Practical Mysticism, her insights and promptings assume more meaning than ever, particularly in the aftermath of many late twentieth and twenty-first century tragedies and in a milieu so influenced by technocentrism, consumerism, and disregard for the environment. The notion of a practical mysticism takes fresh shape today when the need for contemplatively edged action is great.
Metal-Semiconductor and Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Devices

This short chapter discusses the basic ideas of some of the applications of metal-semiconductor and metal-insulator-semiconductor structures. These include the Schottky metal-semiconductor diode, various insulated-gate field-effect transistors, and charge-coupled devices. The myriad applications of these devices, especially the field-effect transistor, are left to the literature for lack of space, time, and knowledge on the author’s part. However, the basic ideas are discussed, some applications are mentioned, and a number of references to this important and changing field are given.
New technology for geothermal drilling

The geothermal drilling and completion process is described in order to identify the technology development needs of the geothermal drilling industry. These needs are grouped by function, and relevant research and development projects at Sandia National Laboratories are described. Sponsored by the US Department of Energy, these projects are developing new tools and techniques that should reduce geothermal drilling costs by 25%.
Chapter 16 Credit markets and interlinked transactions

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a discussion on credit markets and interlinked transactions. The chapter discusses a general specification of a credit contract, which is then specialized to yield the three main models to have appeared in the literature. In so doing, most of the important themes and ideas are introduced. The chapter discusses some of the relevant evidence that establishes the empirical importance of interlinking. Following a discussion of the reasons for interlinking, the principal-agent and bargaining theoretic approaches are compared and contrasted in the context of resource allocation, innovation, and welfare. The exposition refers to rural life and its principal actors: farmers, laborers, landlords, tenants, moneylenders, and traders. Much of the analysis, however, can be applied readily to urban life, though the balance of emphasis between the problems of “hidden information” and “hidden actions” must then be shifted in favor of the former. Two themes identified above recur throughout this chapter and exert considerable influence over its analytical approach and emphasis. First, where information is concerned, there is the distinction between not knowing what sort of person one is dealing with, which may result in adverse selection, and not knowing what actions that person will take if a contract is sealed, which may result in moral hazard. Second, the problems of contractual enforcement and willful, or strategic, default by borrowers are given a prominent place in the analysis. A third theme stems from these departures from the framework of complete and competitive markets—namely, how the scope for strategic behavior is resolved in equilibrium. The principal-agent formulation appears in a number of guises throughout the chapter. Strategic default has had a prominent place in the analysis of this chapter.
LEAN VEHICLES : STRATEGIES FOR INTRODUCTION EMPHASIZING ADJUSTMENTS TO PARKING AND ROAD FACILITIES

This paper concentrates on the evolution of a pathway facilitating testing of the General Motors Lean Machine in markets. Results are presented from analyses of ways parking and road facilities might be adjusted to accommodate the vehicle; roles for IVHS technologies are noted.
Ribosomal DNA identification of Nosema / Vairimorpha in freshwater polychaete, Manayunkia speciosa , from Oregon/California and the Laurentian Great Lakes

We examined Manayunkia speciosa individuals from the Klamath River, Oregon/California and Lake Erie, Michigan, USA for the presence of Microsporidia. We identified microsporidian spores and sequenced their SSU, ITS, and part of the LSU rDNA. Phylogenetic analysis of SSU rDNA indicated spores from both populations belonged to the Nosema/Vairimorpha clade. PCR showed an infection prevalence in Lake Erie M. speciosa of 0.6% (95% CI=0.5%, 0.7%). This represents the first known example of molecularly characterized Nosema/Vairimorpha isolates infecting a non-arthropod host.
Enabling automated integration testing of cloud application services in virtualized environments

Software development under the cloud computing model brings the advantage that new applications can be rapidly constructed by tailoring existing services. However, the use of Internet-based services as software components, leads to the development of applications in which some building blocks are hosted remotely, rather than locally in a controlled environment. This aspect of cloud-based development, when coupled with factors such as service autonomy, complexity, and high dependability criteria, make software testing of the cloud especially challenging. In this paper we present a novel approach to support integration testing of applications that depend on remotely-hosted cloud services. Our approach seeks to reuse elements of the test automation, typically built to validate a cloud service prior to its deployment, for the realization of Test Support-as-a-Service (TSaaS). TSaaS provides developers with a set of functions that enable integration testing of cloud services using controlled virtual environments. To facilitate continued evaluation of our approach, we have implemented a prototype of TSaaS that is compatible with the Windows Azure platform.
Multiple Protein Kinases via Activation of Transcription Factors NF-κB, AP-1 and C/EBP-δ Regulate the IL-6/IL-8 Production by HIV-1 Vpr in Astrocytes

Neurocognitive impairments affect a substantial population of HIV-1 infected individuals despite the success of anti-retroviral therapy in controlling viral replication. Astrocytes are emerging as a crucial cell type that might be playing a very important role in the persistence of neuroinflammation seen in patients suffering from HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders. HIV-1 viral proteins including Vpr exert neurotoxicity through direct and indirect mechanisms. Induction of IL-8 in microglial cells has been shown as one of the indirect mechanism through which Vpr reduces neuronal survival. We show that HIV-1 Vpr induces IL-6 and IL-8 in astrocytes in a time-dependent manner. Additional experiments utilizing chemical inhibitors and siRNA revealed that HIV-1 Vpr activates transcription factors NF-κB, AP-1 and C/EBP-δ via upstream protein kinases PI3K/Akt, p38-MAPK and Jnk-MAPK leading to the induction of IL-6 and IL-8 in astrocytes. We demonstrate that one of the mechanism for neuroinflammation seen in HIV-1 infected individuals involves induction of IL-6 and IL-8 by Vpr in astrocytes. Understanding the molecular pathways involved in the HIV-1 neuroinflammation would be helpful in the design of adjunct therapy to ameliorate some of the symptoms associated with HIV-1 neuropathogenesis.
A hybrid seeking approach for robust learning in multi-agent systems

This work presents a hybrid seeking control designed to achieve flexible robust learning in distributed multi-agent systems. We consider a set of n agents, with individual unknown but well behaved dynamics, seeking for an optimal equilibrium by using a hybrid control that requires only measurements of their cost functions. This equilibrium may correspond to a classic maximizer of a global potential function or a Nash equilibrium in a Lyapunov game. Making use of recent results in singular perturbation and averaging theory for hybrid dynamical systems we show convergence of the algorithm to a neighborhood of the optimal equilibrium.
Immunoliposomes with different acid sensitivities as probes for the cellular endocytic pathway.

By combining dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) with oleic acid (OA), palmitoylhomocysteine (PHC) or dipalmitoylsuccinylglycerol (DPSG) we have prepared pH-sensitive liposomes with different acid sensitivities. DOPE/OA liposomes are the most acid sensitive, while DOPE/DPSG liposomes are the least acid sensitive. Incubation of DOPE/OA liposomes with mouse L929 cells reduces the pH-sensitivity of these liposomes by altering the lipid composition. Using diphtheria toxin fragment A as a marker for cytoplasmic delivery, we find that the delivery kinetics of pH-sensitive immunoliposomes closely correlates with the modified acid sensitivities of the liposomes. Immunoliposomes encounter pH 6–6.2 with a t1/2 of 5–15 min after internalization. By contrast, acidification of the endosomes to pH 5.0 takes longer (t1/2 ≈ 25 min). We also used a whole cell null point technique ( Yamishiro and Maxfield (1987) J. Cell Biol. 105, 2713–2721) to directly determine the average pH encountered by the endocytosed immunoliposomes. We find that acidification determined by the null point method proceeds less rapidly than that estimated from DTA delivery data. This is likely due to the fact that the measured DTA delivery is done by those liposomes which first arrive at the endosomes with sufficient acidity. Our data suggests that DOPE/PHC immunoliposomes deliver at the early endosome while DOPE/DPSG immunoliposomes deliver at the late endosomes. The DOPE/OA immunoliposomes, with the altered composition and acid sensitivity, deliver with a kinetics intermediate between the other two immunoliposomes. Thus, pH-sensitive liposomes represent useful probes for studying the kinetics of endosome acidification.
Neighborly combinatorial 3-manifolds with 9 vertices

A complete classification is given for neighborly combinatorial 3-manifolds with 9 vertices. It is found that there are 51 types, only one of which is not a sphere.
Regulation of the betaine content of rat liver.

Abstract The dietary levels of both choline and protein are major determinants of the content of betaine in rat liver. Increased protein intake decreases hepatic betaine. Our studies indicate that an increase in the betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase reaction due to an increased availability of homocysteine is the basis for this effect of dietary protein.
Efficacy of cisplatin-based intraperitoneal chemotherapy as treatment of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.

In an effort to examine the potential clinical utility of intraperitoneal (i.p.) therapy in the management of patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, 19 individuals with this disease were treated with a cisplatin-based i.p. treatment regimen. All but 1 patient also received i.p. mitomycin. The treatment was generally well tolerated, although a maximum of only four or five courses of cisplatin (100 mg/m2 every 28 days) and mitomycin (5-10 mg/treatment given 7 days after each i.p. cisplatin administration) could be administered, the treatment principally being stopped because of disease progression or catheter failure. Of 15 patients with malignant ascites, 7 (47%) experienced control of fluid reaccumulation ranging from 2 months to 73+ months (median 8 months). While the median survival for the 19 patients was only 9 months, 4 (21%) patients survived for more than 3 years from the initiation of therapy, and 2 patients are currently alive and clinically disease-free more than 5 years from the start of the i.p. treatment program. We conclude that a subset of patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, principally those with small-volume residual disease following surgical tumor debulking, can benefit from a cisplatin-based i.p. treatment strategy with control of ascites and prolonged disease-free survival.
Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Network Control Performance

This paper discusses the performance of the network control function for the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) very small aperture terminal (VSAT) full mesh network. This includes control of all operational activities such as acquisition, synchronization, timing and rain fade compensation as well as control of all communications activities such as on-demand integrated services (voice, video, and date) connects and disconnects Operations control is provided by an in-band orderwire carried in the baseboard processor (BBP) control burst, the orderwire burst, the reference burst, and the uplink traffic burst. Communication services are provided by demand assigned multiple access (DAMA) protocols. The ACTS implementation of DAMA protocols ensures both on-demand and integrated voice, video and data services. Communications services control is also provided by the in-band orderwire but uses only the reference burst and the uplink traffic burst. The performance of the ACTS network control functions have been successfully tested during on-orbit checkout and in various VSAT networks in day to day operations. This paper discusses the network operations and services control performance.
Effects of ovariectomy and hypothalamic-pituitary disconnection on amounts of steroidogenic factor-1 mRNA in the ovine anterior pituitary gland

Steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) is a transcription factor involved in regulation of steroidogenic enzymes. Recent evidence indicates that SF-1 is also important in the anterior pituitary gland, where it may influence gene expression in gonadotropes. We isolated a cDNA encoding ovine SF-1 and demonstrated that the SF-1 gene is expressed in the anterior pituitary gland of sheep. SF-1 transcripts and luteinizing hormone (LH) were colocalized in gonadotropes byin situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively. To test the hypothesis that GnRH stimulates pituitary expression of ovine SF-1 mRNA, ewes were ovariectomized to increase endogenous secretion of GnRH. Compared to ovary-intact ewes, ovariectomy resulted in three-and fourfold increases in steady-state amounts of mRNA encoding SF-1 and LHβ subunit, respectively. In ovariectomized ewes in which delivery of GnRH to the anterior pituitary gland was prevented by hypothalamic-pituitary disconnection (HPD), steady-state amounts of mRNA encoding SF-1 and LHβ-subunit were decreased. These results provide evidence that pituitary SF-1 gene expression in sheep is regulated by GnRH. Coordinate regulation of mRNAs encoding SF-1 and LHβ-subunit raises the possibility that SF-1 may be an important transcriptional regulator of LHβ-subunit gene expression in ovine gonadotropes.
Energy transfer in reactions f electrogenerated aromatic anions and benzoyl peroxide. Chemiluminescence and its mechanism

Abstract Experiments reported herein have shown that steady-state chemiluminescences occur with fluoranthene, anthracene, 9,10-DPA and rubrene solutions containing benzoyl perxide when the systems are potentiostated at a potential sufficiently negative t produce the aromatic radical anin. These emissions are identical to the fluorescence spectra of the hydrocarbons. Mixed systems of DPA-rubrene, fluoranthene-anthracene have shown fluorescence from the molecule with the lowest first excited singlet state. It is advanced that it is not necessary in electrochemical systems of homogeneous oxidant and electrogenerated aromatic hydrocarbon anions to postulate the direct formation of the singlet state from oxidation of the anion. A detailed discussion is given of mechanistic steps leading to the indirect formation of first excited singlet molecules.
Orientational epitaxy in adsorbed monolayers

The ground state for adsorbed monolayers on crystalline substrates is shown to involve a definite relative orientation of the substrate and adsorbate crystal axes, even when the relative lattice parameters are incommensurate. The rotation angle which defines the structure of the monolayer-substrate system is determined by the competition between adsorbate-substrate and adsorbate-adsorbate energy terms, and is generally not a symmetry angle. Numerical predictions are presented for the rare gas-graphite systems, whose interaction potentials are rather well known. Recent LEED data for some of these systems appear to corroborate these predictions.
THRUMIN1 is a light-regulated actin-bundling protein involved in chloroplast motility

Chloroplast movement in response to changing light conditions optimizes photosynthetic light absorption. This repositioning is stimulated by blue light perceived via the phototropin photoreceptors and is transduced to the actin cytoskeleton. Some actin-based motility systems use filament reorganizations rather than myosin-based translocations. Recent research favors the hypothesis that chloroplast movement is driven by actin reorganization at the plasma membrane, but no proteins affecting chloroplast movements have been shown to associate with both the plasma membrane and actin filaments in vivo. Here we identified THRUMIN1 as a critical link between phototropin photoreceptor activity at the plasma membrane and actin-dependent chloroplast movements. THRUMIN1 bundles filamentous actin in vitro, and it localizes to the plasma membrane and displays light- and phototropin-dependent localization to microfilaments in vivo. These results suggest that phototropin-induced actin bundling via THRUMIN1 is important for chloroplast movement. A mammalian homolog of THRUMIN1, GRXCR1, has been implicated in auditory responses and hair cell stereocilla development as a regulator of actin architecture. Studies of THRUMIN1 will help elucidate the function of this family of eukaryotic proteins.
The optics of secondary polarized-proton beams

Abstract Polarized protons can be produced by the parity-violating decay of either Lambda or Sigma hyperons. The preservation of the polarization as the protons are transmitted to the final focus dictates the optics of the beam line. The equations of motion are solved here, including higher-order terms which are represented as sets of commutators. A beam of polarized protons produced by Lambda hyperons has been built and operated at Fermilab. The design and performance are described. A polarized proton beam using Sigma particles has also been designed. Differences from and similarities to the Lambda-produced beam are also described.
A stability classification method and its application to pipelined solution of linear recurrences

Abstract A new method of classification for numerical stability of parallel algorithms is proposed based on the theoretical foundation of forward error analysis . It partitions the algorithms according to their asymptotic stability —a measure introduced to relate the limiting behavior of the stability to the size of the problem. Using this method, the stability aspect of the pipelined solution technique for first-order and second-order linear recurrences—the core of a tridiagonal linear equation solver—is studied. In particular, it shows that the pipelined solution method of the first-order linear recurrences has the same degree of stability as the commonly used sequential evaluation algorithms. The stability problems of sequential and pipelined solution methods of the second-order linear recurrences are also studied.
A simple time-accurate turbomachinery algorithm with numerical solutions of an uneven blade count configuration

The present computer algorithm for the time-accurate flow analysis of rotating turbomachines is based on the finite-volume method and employs a high-resolution approximate Riemann solver for interface flux definitions and an implicit numerical scheme that possesses apparent unconditional stability. Block-block interfaces, including dynamic ones, are treated in such a way as to mimic interior block communication. The turbomachine configurations treated by way of illustration are 8-8-bladed and 11-9-bladed versions of a contrarotating unducted fan engine.
Graves' ophthalmopathy following external neck irradiation for nonthyroidal neoplastic disease.

ABSTRACT Seven patients have been observed who developed Graves' ophthalmopathy 18 to 84 months following X-irradiation to the neck for nonthyroidal neoplastic disease. In none was there evidence of thyroid disease prior to neck irradiation. The primary neoplasms included Hodgkin's disease and carcinomas of the nasopharynx, breast and larynx. Most patients received unilateral or asymmetrical thyroid gland irradiation in doses under 5000 rads. Thyroid scanning or scintigraphy demonstrated residual functioning thyroid tissue in all the patients. The diagnosis of Graves' disease was established by clinical and laboratory parameters, including serum long-acting thyroid stimulator and serum antithyroid antibodies. Four patients developed hyperthyroidism and ophthalmopathy concurrently, while 3 developed ophthalmopathy alone. HL-A typing for histocompatibility antigens revealed that none of 5 Caucasian patients tested was type HL-A8, an antigen present in about 50% of Caucasian patients who apparently develop G...
Vertical distribution and migration of oceanic micronekton off Oregon

An Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl system that opens and closes codend nets and monitors depth and water velocity was used to collect micronekton from 12 contiguous depths in the upper 1000 m. Analysis of variance of the catches of common species indicated significant vertical migrations for five of seven fishes and two of seven shrimp and mysid species. Season bad little effect on the pattern of vertical migrations, average depth distributions, or overall variations in abundance. None of the common species was appreciably more numerous in night than in day catches; thus there was no evidence for day-night differences in avoidance of the trawl. Diel vertical migrations, as evidenced by distinct depth separation of day and night modes of abundance, were evident for only 32% of all the species of fishes, 13% of the shrimps and mysids, and 40% of the cephalopods. The range of diel migrations was generally 200 to 400 m. The four most common migrant fishes and the most abundant migrant shrimp numerically dominated upper mesopelagic waters by day and epipelagic waters by night. Lower mesopelagic waters were inhabited by a larger number of generally less abundant species which exhibited little, if any, diel vertical migration. The population of Stenobrachius leucopsarus, the most common fish, was composed of migratory and non-migratory individuals producing nocturnal peaks of abundance at both mid-depths and in near-surface waters. Both groups included a broad range of individual sizes. Individual fish probably do not migrate into surface waters on every night. The depth range of all species during either day or night was large, extending over several hundred meters and several decades of irradiance. As a result, vertical ranges often overlapped broadly. Common migratory species usually occupied depths of 0 to 50 m at night and 300 to 500 m during daytime. Size segregation by depth was not pronounced.
Fear of Intimacy Scale: Validation and Extension with Adolescents

This study was designed to validate the Fear-of-Intimacy Scale (FIS) (Descutner & Thelen, 1991) with an adolescent population, with reference to both the measure's original target, a dating partner (FIS-D) and a new target of the closest same-sex friend (FIS-F). High-school sophomores (158 males and 167 females) completed questionnaires pertaining to their relationships. Strong psychometric properties of both the FIS-D and FIS-F were evidenced in this study, and construct validity was supported by associations with related constructs (e.g. loneliness) and self-report items. Notable sex differences emerged, in that males reported higher fear of intimacy in their same-sex friendships, while females indicated higher fear of intimacy in their dating relationships.
Review of clinical dental research

Preventive dentistry is emerging as a major factor in shaping future dental practice, according to this review of recent clinical research. New findings in the various fields of dentistry are reported and dental practitioners are encouraged to participate in clinical research projects.
Generalized Linear Product Homotopy Algorithms and the Computation of Reachable Surfaces

In this paper, we apply a homotopy algorithm to the problem of finding points in a moving body that lie on specific algebraic surfaces for a given set of spatial configurations of the body. This problem is a generalization of Burmester's determination of points in a body that lie on a circle for five planar positions. We focus on seven surfaces that we term "reachable" because they correspond to serial chains with two degree-of-freedom positioning structures combined with a three degree-of-freedom spherical wrist. A homotopy algorithm based on generalized linear products is used to provide a convenient estimate of the number of solutions of these polynomial systems. A parallelized version of this algorithm was then used to numerically determine all of the solutions.
Abstract 1050: Mechanisms of action of Pim kinase inhibitor, AZD1208, in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Pim kinase proteins (Pim-1, -2 and -3) are a family of conserved proto-oncogenes that are upregulated in leukemias and lymphomas and are involved with leukemogenesis. Pim kinase substrates include transcription, translation, cell cycle, and survival proteins. Increased Pim expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), especially in FLT3-ITD activating mutation, provides a rationale to evaluate Pim kinase inhibitors in AML. AZD1208 is a small molecule pan-Pim kinase inhibitor [IC50: Pim-1 (0.4 nM), Pim-2 (5.0 nM) and Pim-3 (1.9 nM)]. AZD1208 treatment resulted in growth inhibition in AML cell lines including FLT3-WT (OCI-AML-3, KG-1a, MOLM-16) and FLT3-ITD mutated (MOLM-13, MV-4-11), with greater sensitivity measured in MOLM-16, followed by KG-1a and MV-4-11. The effects of AZD1208 on cell survival were investigated and there was limited apoptosis induction ( To elucidate the mechanism of AZD1208, Pim kinase target protein phosphorylation was evaluated. With 3 μM AZD1208 for 24 h, there was a decrease in Bad (Ser112) phosphorylation relative to total Bad only in KG-1a and MOLM-16 cells. Similarly, there was significant decline in histone H3 (Ser10) phosphorylation only in MOLM-16. However, several mTOR signaling pathway proteins were modulated by AZD1208. Pim-1 target PRAS40 (Thr246) phosphorylation decreased in KG-1a, MOLM-13, MV-4-11 and MOLM-16 within 6 h of exposure to 3 μM AZD1208. Similarly, Pim-2 target 4E-BP1 (Ser65) phosphorylation decreased in all five cell lines by 24 h. Phosphorylation of downstream S6 (Ser235/236) was dramatically reduced in KG-1a and MOLM-16, and also declined in MV-4-11. Growth inhibition mediated by AZD1208 is similar in FLT3-WT (KG-1a) and FLT3-ITD (MV-4-11), however there is a varied response in Bad and S6 phosphorylation. These results indicate that although growth inhibition induced by AZD1208 is similar in cells with disparate FLT3 mutation status, the molecular events are divergent and may uncover signaling differences between Pim and FLT3-WT and FLT3-ITD. Taken together, Pim kinase inhibition by AZD1208 may be a valuable strategy to inhibit AML cell proliferation even in hard-to-treat AML with FLT3 activating mutations, and these investigations will be used to identify biomarkers during clinical trial that may be predictive of response in patients. There is a multi-center Phase I clinical trial with AZD1208 in AML currently underway and investigations are ongoing. Citation Format: Lisa S. Chen, Jorge E. Cortes, Varsha Gandhi. Mechanisms of action of Pim kinase inhibitor, AZD1208, in acute myeloid leukemia cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1050. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1050
Spectroscopic Characterization of Stability and Interaction of Pd-Ag Complexes

Colloidal metal nanoparticles are of great interest because of their use as catalysts, photocatalysts, adsorbents, and sensors as well as their application in optical, electronic, and magnetic devices. Supported bimetallic systems represent a large part of heterogeneous catalysts which have been used in various reactions important in the chemical, petrochemical, and oil industry. Pd-Ag bimetallic nanocatalysts have become vitally important in some of the petrochemical industry’s processes like hydrogenation of C2–C5 olefins. A heat-treatment method for the preparation of well-stable Pd-Ag complexes is demonstrated using water, concentrated HCl and concentrated nitric acid as media. The stability and interaction of Pd-Ag complexes were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. Pd-Ag bimetallic nanoparticles of spherical cubic and octahedral shape in the range of average particle size of 20–60 nm have been prepared and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Broadening of resonance lines by various perturbing gases under flame conditions

Abstract The broadening of the resonance lines of sodium (5890 A) and strontium (4607 A) emitted from an acetylene-oxygen flame with various diluents, N 2 , Ar, CO 2 , He, respectively, as the perturbing gases has been investigated, using the method of the intensity-density curve. Hyperfine structure of the sodium line is accounted for. The measured collision half-widths are compared with calculated values obtained on the basis of Lindholm's impact broadening theory, assuming a van der Waals potential for the interaction between emitter and perturber. The calculation includes the effect of the minor constituents of the flame gas and considers possible causes of collision broadening other than van der Waals interaction. For N 2 , Ar, and CO 2 as perturbers the deviation of experimental from theoretical values of the collision half-widths seems to exceed the error limit; with He as diluent, the deviation is found to be significant. Absolute total line intensities yield the degrees of dissociation of strontium oxide with the various gases as diluents. The heat of dissociation is evaluated.
Effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including COX-2 specific inhibitors, on the GI tract

Abstract Commentary Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may cause adverse GI effects, e.g., dyspepsia (persistent pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen), and serious complications, e.g., bleeding and perforation. Although the probability is low that any individual user will suffer a complication, the huge patient exposure translates into a major health care problem. Dr. Scheiman presents a thoughtful review on the GI effects of NSAIDs, low-dose aspirin, COX-2 inhibitors, and the combination of more than one of these therapies. The recent withdrawal of rofecoxib from the market because of an increased risk of thrombotic cardiovascular events should lead clinicians to carefully consider whether this class of agents designed to reduce GI adverse events is appropriate for their patients, especially those with underlying cardiovascular risk. Dr. Scheiman emphasizes that because aspirin use substantially reduces the GI benefit of COX-2 inhibitors, alternative strategies to reduce GI toxicity should be used. Grace Elta, MD Editor
Tracking Dynamic Microvascular Changes during Healing after Complete Biopsy Punch on the Mouse Pinna Using Optical Microangiography

Optical microangiography (OMAG) and Doppler optical microangiography (DOMAG) are two non-invasive techniques capable of determining the tissue microstructural content, microvasculature angiography, and blood flow velocity and direction. These techniques were used to visualize the acute and chronic microvascular and tissue responses upon an injury in vivo. A tissue wound was induced using a 0.5 mm biopsy punch on a mouse pinna. The changes in the microangiography, blood flow velocity and direction were quantified for the acute (<30 min) wound response and the changes in the tissue structure and microangiography were determined for the chronic wound response (30 min–60 days). The initial wound triggered recruitment of peripheral capillaries, as well as redirection of main arterial and venous blood flow within 3 min. The complex vascular networks and new vessel formation were quantified during the chronic response using fractal dimension. The highest rate of wound closure occurred between days 8 and 22. The vessel tortuosity increased during this time suggesting angiogenesis. Taken together, these data signify that OMAG has the capability to track acute and chronic changes in blood flow, microangiography and structure during wound healing. The use of OMAG has great potential to improve our understanding of vascular and tissue responses to injury in order to develop more effective therapeutics.
Emergency and disaster planning at Ohio animal shelters.

Results of a cross-sectional study to determine the level of emergency and disaster response planning at Ohio nonhuman animal shelters and the role Ohio agencies have in emergency and disaster response planning in their communities indicated a lack of preparedness coupled with underutilization of the agencies as a resource. A total of 115 agencies (68%) responded to a standardized survey mailed to 170 Ohio agencies. Most (68%) agencies agreed that emergency and disaster response planning was important to their organization, although only 13% of agencies had completed a written emergency and disaster response plan. The majority (80%) of agencies indicated they would provide critical resources in an emergency or disaster in their community. Only 38 (33%) of the responding agencies were aware of the PETS Act of 2006. Although many agencies indicated the importance of an emergency and disaster plan, there may be insufficient resources, including time and proper training, available to ensure plans are develope...
The effect of drug eluting stents on cardiovascular events in patients with intermediate lesions and borderline fractional flow reserve

Objective: To assess the role of fractional flow reserve (FFR) in guiding therapy in the drug eluting stent (DES) era. Background: FFR is a useful index for evaluation of the physiological significance of angiographically indeterminate coronary artery lesions. However, its role in the DES era is unknown. Methods: Long term outcome of 281 patients with angiographically indeterminate coronary lesions and borderline FFR (0.75 ≤ FFR < 0.9) was obtained. The outcome of patients who had a DES placed (n = 58), was compared with that of consecutive patients with borderline FFR that were treated by PCI with bare metal stents (BMS, n = 58), or were deferred from revascularization (n = 165). Results: FFR was significantly higher in the deferred group (median and IQR); 0.85 (0.82 to 0.88) compared with the BMS (0.78; 0.76 to 0.82) and the DES (0.79; 0.77 to 0.82), P < 0.001. Pretreatment FFR was a significant determinant of long term event rates in the deferred patients (P = 0.002) but had no effect in patients treated by PCI. In the deferred group, there were fewer events (death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization) compared with the BMS group; but no significant difference was observed between the DES and the deferred groups. Conclusions: In borderline FFR, long term outcome after PCI with BMS is inferior to conservative therapy or PCI with DES. While conservative management is preferable in these patients, PCI with DES may be considered in specific circumstances. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
TOMCAT - A code for numerical generation of boundary-fitted curvilinear coordinate systems on fields containing any number of arbitrary two-dimensional bodies

A method for automatic generation of boundary-fitted curvilinear coordinate systems, where the transformed coordinates are solutions of an elliptic differential system in the physical plane, and where the coordinate lines are coincident with all boundaries of a general multiply-connected, two-dimensional region containing any number of arbitrarily shaped bodies, and is described along with a suitable computer code for implementing the method. Any partial differential system can be solved on the boundary-fitted coordinate system by appropriate transformations. The transformed equations are approximated by finite differences and solved numerically in the transformed plane. All computations, whether for generating coordinate system or then solving the transformed equations, can be done on a rectangular field with square mesh with no interpolation required on the boundaries. The physical boundaries may even be time-dependent.
An Energy Delivery Efficiency Index to Evaluate Simultaneous Heating and Cooling Effects in Large Commercial Buildings

HVAC systems of large commercial buildings consume energy in excess of the sum total of the building loads. This excess energy use is due to the fact that a single air-handler unit in a HVAC system, having to provide conditioned air at different supply temperatures to different zones in the building, can do so only by resorting to either (a) a certain amount of mixing of cold and hot air streams as in dual-duct systems or (b) to terminal reheating in single-duct systems. This mixing of cold and hot air streams or terminal reheating result in an energy penalty which can be minimized by say, converting a constant air volume (CAV) system to a variable air volume (VAV) system, but it cannot be entirely eliminated. This paper proposes an index, called the Energy Delivery Efficiency (EDE), which characterizes this penalty and rates the energy performance of HVAC systems on an absolute scale. The authors develop the mathematical basis of the EDE approach for both one-zone and two-zone buildings, that allows determining the variation of the ideal EDE with outdoor temperature for a specific building. Year-long measured whole-building cooling and heating energy use data from two retrofitted buildings are finally usedmore » to illustrate differences between actual EDE plots of CAV and VAV systems, how they compare with the ideal EDE of a two-zone building, and how the approach can provide diagnostic insights into HVAC system efficiency in specific buildings.« less
Infertility in the Turkey. III. Effects of Sera from Sterile and Fertile Females on the Fertilizing Ability of Spermatozoa

In an attempt to understand the cause for spontaneous infertility in female turkeys, sera were obtained from a flock suffering this condition. These sera, from hens of known fertility, were tested for anti-fertility actions by incubating semen in them. After incubation, semen was inseminated into unrelated recipient hens. In the first of two experiments, semen incubated in sera from high fertility hens (average 89%) produced a fertility level of 72.7% over an 8 week period while semen incubated in sera from sterile hens significantly reduced fertility to 52.3%. In a second experiment sera from sterile donors again caused a significant reduction in the fertilizing ability of sperm (56.3% for sera from sterile hens vs. 73.5% for sera from high fertility hens). These results indicate the presence of a factor(s) in the sera of sterile hens which may be causally related to their infertility.