cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the expression of P16INK4A by immunohistochemistry in post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy hormone receptor negative breast cancer specimens.

BACKGROUND Hormone-receptor-negative breast carcinoma (HRNBC), including triple-negative and HER-2 amplified tumors, can overexpress P16INK4a with substantial contribution to tumor progression. In nonneoplastic cells, P16INK4a mediates growth arrest and senescence secondary to cytotoxic compounds. OBJECTIVE We assessed the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on P16INK4a expression in breast specimens. METHODS P16INK4a and CD-44 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in biopsies and subsequent post-NAC excision in a cohort of 27 women with HRNBC. Positivity was estimated on hotspots of tissue available by calculating cellular densities in nonneoplastic tissues with a low proliferation rate (Ki-67 < 1%) and tumor percentage using ImageJ 1.51t (National Institutes of Health, USA). RESULTS Pre-NAC P16INK4a and CD-44 tumor expression were similar between the complete (n = 15) and incomplete (n = 12) response groups. Residual HRNBCs exhibited decreased immunoreactivity for P16INK4a, while the expression of CD-44 increased (n = 10, P < 0.05). The magnitude of change correlated with the baseline expression (r = 0.37, P16; r = -0.85, CD-44). Post-NAC nonneoplastic mammary duct and lobular epithelia, perilobular stroma, and adipose tissue, but not peritumoral stroma, accumulated P16INK4a(+) cells. The post-NAC cellular density change was more significant in epithelia of patients with high P16INK4a(+) baseline (r = 0.86, P < 0.0001) and those with a complete pathologic response (n = 14, P < 0.05). All tumors beds with complete treatment effect showed diffuse P16INK4a positivity. CONCLUSION NAC induced the accumulation of P16INK4a(+)cells in nonneoplastic breast tissues more pronounced in patients with a complete pathologic response. Therapy-induced senescence is a potential marker of bystander damage due to NAC. P16INK4a loss and CD-44 gain may represent a phenotype of chemoresistance in residual HRNBCs.
Using Simplify-Enable-Leverage-Resource (SELR) to Develop Solutions to Identified Opportunities

The SELR approach was developed by the U. S. Navy Reserve Force to make its associated operations more efficient and responsive to an ever-changing environment. SELR is similar to such programs as 6∑, Lean, Continuous Process Improvement, etc. The letters of SELR are defined as: Simplify by streamlining activities, programs, and policies to make them more efficient; Enable personnel to provide effective capabilities through innovative technology, supportive policies and solutions to identified opportunities; Leverage personnel skills, talents and relationships to further enhance their contributions to the organization; and Resource as the staffing, training, and equipment provision to deliver more responsive talent capabilities to the organization. These topics are discussed in depth and a case study is provided to illustrate the application of SELR.
Early comprehensive testing for COVID-19 is essential to protect trauma centers.

BACKGROUND: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic presents a threat to health care systems worldwide. Trauma centers may be uniquely impacted, given the need for rapid invasive interventions in severely injured and the growing incidence of community infection. We discuss the impact that SARS-CoV-2 has had in our trauma center and our steps to limit the potential exposures. METHODS: We performed a retrospective evaluation of the trauma service, from March 16 to 30, following the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 in our state. We recorded the daily number of trauma patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the presence of clinical symptoms or radiological signs of COVID-19, and the results of verbal symptom screen (for new admissions). The number of trauma activations, admissions, and census, as well as staff exposures and infections, was recorded daily. RESULTS: Over the 14-day evaluation period, we tested 85 trauma patients for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 21 (25%) were found to be positive. Sixty percent of the patients in the trauma/burn intensive care unit were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Positive verbal screen results, presence of ground glass opacities on admission chest CT, and presence of clinical symptoms were not significantly different in patients with or without SARS-CoV-2 infection (p > 0.05). Many infected patients were without clinical symptoms (9/21, 43%) or radiological signs on admission (18/21, 86%) of COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Forty-five percent of trauma patients are asymptomatic at the time of SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. Respiratory symptoms, as well as verbal screening (recent fevers, shortness of breath, cough, international travel, and close contact with known SARS-CoV-2 carriers), are inaccurate in the trauma population. These findings demonstrate the need for comprehensive rapid testing of all trauma patients upon presentation to the trauma bay. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic tests or criteria, level III, Therapeutic/care management, level IV.
Identification of unusual phospholipids from bovine heart mitochondria by HPLC-MS/MS

Phospholipids, including ether phospholipids, are composed of numerous isomeric and isobaric species that have the same backbone and acyl chains. This structural resemblance results in similar fragmentation patterns by collision-induced dissociation of phospholipids regardless of class, yielding complicated MS/MS spectra when isobaric species are analyzed together. Furthermore, the presence of isobaric species can lead to misassignment of species when made solely based on their molecular weights. In this study, we used normal-phase HPLC for ESI-MS/MS analysis of phospholipids from bovine heart mitochondria. Class separation by HPLC eliminates chances for misidentification of isobaric species from different classes of phospholipids. Chromatography yields simple MS/MS spectra without interference from isobaric species, allowing clear identification of peaks corresponding to fragmented ions containing monoacylglycerol backbone derived from losing one acyl chain. Using these fragmented ions, we characterized individual and isomeric species in each class of mitochondrial phospholipids, including unusual species, such as PS, containing an ether linkage and species containing odd-numbered acyl chains in cardiolipin, PS, PI, and PG. We also characterized monolysocardiolipin and dilysocardiolipin, the least abundant but nevertheless important mitochondrial phospholipids. The results clearly show the power of HPLC-MS/MS for identification and characterization of phospholipids, including minor species.
Tuberculosis sanatorium treatment at the advent of the chemotherapy era.

The discovery of antibiotics in the mid-twentieth century marked a major transition in tuberculosis (TB) treatment and control. There are few studies describing the duration of TB disease and its treatment from the pre-chemotherapy era and little data on how these treatments changed in response to the development of effective antibiotics. The goal of this research is to understand how inpatient treatment for high incidence populations, the First Nations peoples of Saskatchewan, Canada, changed in response to increasing availability of antibiotics effective against TB. We expected that as treatment regimens transitioned from convalescence-only to triple antibiotic therapy, the length of inpatient treatment would shorten. Analyses were performed on records of sanatoria admissions and discharges occurring between 1933 and 1959 in Saskatchewan, Canada. Year of antibiotic discovery was taken as a proxy for treatment regimen: no chemotherapy (pre-1944), mono-therapy (Streptomycin, 1944–1946), dual-therapy (Streptomycin and PAS, 1946–1952), and triple-therapy (Streptomycin, PAS, and INH 1952-). A pooled linear regression of log-transformed length of first admission as predicted by year of admission was modeled to assess the relationship between admission length and year of admission, corrected for clinical and demographic variables. First admission length increased 19% in the triple-therapy era as compared to the pre-chemotherapy era, from 316 days (10.4 months) to 377 days (12.4 months). After the discovery of INH (1952), we find statistically significant increases in the proportion of successfully completed therapies (0.55 versus 0.60, p = 0.035), but also in patients who left hospital against medical advice (0.19 versus 0.29, p < 0.0001), indicating that as hospitalizations lengthened, more patients chose to discharge without the sanction of their physician. The readmission rate increased from 10 to 50% of all admissions while the province-level TB-specific death rate fell from 63.1 per 10,000 in 1933 to 4.7 per 10,000 in 1958. Counterintuitively, we find that the length of first admissions increased with the discovery of TB-treating antibiotics. Increasing admission volume and readmission rate indicate an intensification of inpatient TB treatment during this era. These analyses provide a novel estimate of the effect of changing treatment policy on sanatorium admissions in this population.
Contraceptive Preference, Continuation Rates, and Unintended Pregnancies in Patients with Comorbidities: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Patients with comorbidities are more susceptible to adverse pregnancy outcomes, morbidity, and mortality than healthy patients. The goal of this study was to evaluate how comorbidities ...
The Detectability of Nightside City Lights on Exoplanets.

I estimate the detectability of nightside city lights on habitable, Earth-like, exoplanets around nearby stars using direct-imaging observations from the proposed LUVOIR and HabEx observatory architectures. I used data from the Soumi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite to determine the broadband surface flux from city lights at the top of Earth's atmosphere, and the spectra of commercially available high-power lamps to model the spectral energy distribution of the emitted flux from city lights. I also consider how the detectability scales with urbanization fraction: from Earth's value of $0.05\%$, up to the limiting case of an ecumenopolis -- or planet-wide city. I then calculate the minimum detectable urbanization fraction using 100 hours of observing time for generic Earth-analogs around stars with 10 pc of the Sun and for nearby known potentially habitable planets. Though Earth itself would not be detectable by LUVOIR or HabEx, planets around M-dwarfs close to the Sun would show detectable signals from city lights for urbanization levels of $0.4\%$ to $3\%$, while the city lights on planets around nearby Sun-like stars would be detectable at urbanization levels of $\gtrsim10\%$. The known planet Proxima b is a particularly compelling target for LUVOIR A observations, which would be able to detect city lights at an urbanization level ten times that of Earth in 100 hours, a level of urbanization that is expected to occur on Earth around the mid-22nd-century. An ecumenopolis, or planet-wide city, would be detectable around roughly 80 nearby stars by both LUVOIR and HabEx, and a survey of all these systems would be able to place a $1\sigma$ upper limit of $\lesssim1.4\%$ on the frequency of ecumenopolis planets in the Solar neighborhood assuming no detections.
Review article: drug-induced small bowel injury.

BACKGROUND Drug-induced gastrointestinal injury has been increasingly reported, but its exact incidence is not known. The small and large intestines represent the most affected sites of injury, accounting for 20%-40% of all gastrointestinal side effects. AIM To provide an updated literature review detailing medications linked to the development of small bowel injury. METHODS We conducted a literature search on PubMed from its inception to May 1, 2021. We included English-language original studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, review articles and case reports. RESULTS Drug-induced enteropathy can range from asymptomatic histological changes resulting in a subtle, self-limited disease to a chronic inflammatory condition mimicking inflammatory bowel disease, or bowel perforation. Endoscopy can demonstrate erythema, mucosal friability, oedema, erosions, ulcers or strictures in severe cases. Histology may include mucosal erosions and ulcerations, focal active enteritis, villous atrophy, epithelial apoptosis or necrotising enteritis. A well-established association has been found with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressants, chemotherapeutic agents, antibiotics, immunotherapies, etanercept and olmesartan. Possible associations have been reported with other biologic agents, medications used for glycemic control, antihypertensives, cholinesterase inhibitors, potassium and iron supplements, with conflicting data regarding contraceptives/hormonal therapy and isotretinoin. CONCLUSION Physicians should be aware of the manifestations of drug-induced enteropathy as early recognition can lead to prompt discontinuation of the offending therapy and, therefore, a reduced risk of future complications.
Early warning systems and indicators of dropping out of upper secondary school: the emerging role of digital technologies

This chapter discusses the literature and practice on emerging technologies to predict and prevent dropping out of upper secondary school. First, it presents the current research on early warning systems and early warning indicators and discusses the accuracy of predictors of dropout. It shows the value of such research, including a typology of dropout profiles. Second, it provides an overview of current emerging digital methodologies from pattern analytics, data science, big data analytics, learning analytics, and machine learning as applied to identifying accurate predictors of dropping out. The conclusion looks to the future of early warning systems and indicators, both from a research and policy perspective, calling for the need for open access algorithms and code for early warning systems and indicators research and practice, and for the inclusion of the community in their design and application, proposing a framework of “Four A’s of Early Warning Indicators” so that they are Accurate, Accessible, Actionable and Accountable.
Enforcing Privacy on the Semantic Web

Over the past few years there has been a huge influx of web accessible information. Information access and storage methods have grown considerably. Previously unknown or hard-to-get information is now readily available to us. The World Wide Web has played an important role in this information revolution. Often, sensitive information is exchanged among users, Web services, and software agents. This exchange of information has highlighted the problem of privacy. A large number of strategies employed to preserve people's privacy require users to define their respective privacy requirements and make decisions about the disclosure of their information. Personal judgments are usually made based on the sensitivity of the information and the reputation of the party to which the information is to be disclosed. In the absence of a comprehensive privacy preserving mechanism, no guarantees about information disclosure can be made. The emerging Semantic Web is expected to make the challenge more acute in the sense that it would provide a whole infrastructure for the automation of information processing on the Web. On the privacy front, this means that privacy invasion would net more quality and sensitive personal information. In this chapter, we describe a reputation-based approach to automate privacy enforcement in a Semantic Web environment. We propose a reputation management system that monitors Web services and collects, evaluates, updates, and disseminates information related to their reputation for the purpose of privacy protection.
Electrical Stimulation and Ultrasound in Wound Healing

In addition to traditionally accepted methods of wound management, there are a number of experimental modalities on the horizon. These include the use of electrical stimulation and ultrasonic irradiation for healing enhancement. Both are discussed and reviewed in this article.
Enzymatic modification of proteins. VI. Site of acylation of bovine serum albumin in the leucine, phenylalanine-transfer reaction.

Abstract Bovine serum albumin has been shown to act as an acceptor for leucine and phenylalanine in the reaction catalyzed by leucyl, phenylalanyl-tRNA-protein transferase. The acceptor activity was greatly enhanced if the albumin was first modified by the enzymatic addition of arginine at its NH2-terminal position. [3H]arginylalbumin was used as the protein acceptor for either [14C]leucine or [14C]phenylalanine. After tryptic digestion of the products, a doubly labeled peptide containing most of the incorporated [14C]amino acid was isolated. This peptide was identified by Edman degradation as [14C]leucyl- or [14C]phenylalanyl[3H]arginine. When untreated albumin was employed as acceptor, a much smaller fraction of the molecules was acylated; however, tryptic digestion yielded the same dipeptides. The radioactive proteins formed by acylation of arginylated albumin with either [14C]leucine or [14C]phenylalanine migrated during electrophoresis on cellulose acetate identically with those obtained when unmodified albumin was used as acceptor. Furthermore, digestion of these products with pepsin or Nagarse produced radioactive peptides which were indistinguishable by paper chromatography or electrophoresis. These data indicate that leucyl, phenylalanyl-tRNA-protein transferase catalyzes the transfer of these amino acids specifically into peptide linkage with the NH2-terminal residue of the protein acceptor. They further suggest that acceptor activity in commercial preparations of bovine serum albumin is due to a fraction of the albumin molecules which contains arginine in the NH2-terminal position.
A Simple Model of the Private Gold Market, 1968-74: An Exploratory Econometric Exercise

In this paper, we present a simple model of the private gold market and estimate it using quarterly data for the period 1968-74 using two-stage least-squares methods.
Animal Physiology: Adaptation and Environment

Preface Part I. Oxygen: 1. Respiration 2. Blood 3. Circulation Part II. Food and Energy: 4. Food and fuel 5. Energy metabolism Part III. Temperature: 6. Temperature effects 7. Temperature regulation Part IV. Water: 8. Water and osmotic regulation 9. Excretion Part V. Movement, Information, Integration: 10. Movement, muscle, biomechanics 11. Control and integration 12. Hormonal control 13. Information and senses Appendices Index.
Protecting the Interests of the Indigent Tenant: Two Approaches

THE PERSON WITH INADEQUATE MEANS, seeking a suitable family dwelling in the city, is often a hapless figure. Space can be had only on a short-term basis, and most available housing is run-down, dirty, and without adequate services.' Furthermore, if the community is progressive and in the throes of redevelopment, one never knows when the neighborhood will be slated for wholesale destruction.2 Hence, many poor families are little better than transients within the metropolis, resettling periodically in one blighted area or another." For some, public housing fills the need for shelter. It is secure from condemnation by the local planning authority and adequate in the sense that it is warm and dry and provides more creature comforts than private fare.4 It is also scarce.5 A great need exists for additional units, and many of the yearly contracts must be placed in an eligible "pool" until units are vacated.6 But even though the demand is high; the poor do not like
A twist on the Monday effect in stock prices: Evidence from the U.S. and foreign stock markets

Abstract One of the most unusual empirical results in finance is the significantly negative average return on the stock market on Mondays. The present paper documents a twist on this effect. We find that abnormally low returns on Monday seem to follow stock market declines. In fact, the Monday effect virtually disappears when the market has previously risen. Cross, Keim-Stambaugh, and Jaffe-Westerfield point out that Monday's return is positively correlated with the previous Friday's return. Surprisingly our findings hold even after one accounts for this Friday–Monday correlation.
The USA-Advisor: A Case Study in Answer Set Programming

Answer set programming [8] is a new declarative programming paradigm suitable for solving a large range of problem related to knowledge representation and search. The paradigm is rooted in recent developments in several areas of artificial intelligence. Answer set programming starts by encoding relevant domain knowledge as a (possibly disjunctive) logic program, II. The connectives of this program are normally understood in accordance with answer set (stable model) semantics [4,5]. The language's ability to express defaults, i.e. statements of the form "normally, objects of the class C have property P", coupled with its natural treatment of recursion, and other useful features, often leads to a comparatively concise and clear representation of knowledge. Insights on the nature of causality and its relationship with the answer sets of logic programs [6,7,10] allows description of the effects of actions which solves the frame, ramification, and qualification problems, which for long time have caused difficulties in modeling knowledge about dynamic domains.
Statistical Forecasting of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall: An Enduring Challenge

Forecasting All India Summer Monsoon Rainfall (AISMR), one or more seasons in advance, has been an elusive goal for hydrologists, meteorologists, and astrologers alike. In spite of advances in data collection facilities, improvements in computational capabilities, and progress in our understanding of the physics of the monsoon system, our ability to forecast AISMR has remained more or less unchanged in past several decades. On one hand, physically based numerical prediction models that are considered a panacea for daily weather forecasting have not evolved to a stage where they can realistically predict or even simulate annual variations in Indian monsoon. On the other hand, statistical models that have traditionally been used for making operational forecasts have failed in forecasting extreme monsoon rainfall years. It has been suggested that, in future, physically based models may improve to an extent where they can produce useful forecasts. However, until then, it would be prudent to develop statistical forecast models using state-of-the-art soft-computing techniques.
Electromigration performance enhancement of Cu interconnects with PVD Ta cap

We demonstrate an electromigration (EM) performance enhancement of Cu interconnects with PVD Ta cap. The activation energy is higher than for more conventional caps such as silicon nitride, yet uses the same tools and materials as the conventional barrier/seed process, as opposed to electroless Pd or CoWP deposition.
Constant extension rate testing of IN625LCF in molten nitrate salt

Constant extension rate testing was used to examine the interaction between deformation and exposure of a nickel-based alloy to an oxidizing molten salt environment. Fracture strain, reduction in area and ultimate strength (UTS) were measured as parameters indicative of the susceptibility of the alloy to environmental degradation. INCONEL 625LCF specimens were tested at 600°C in the salt medium and at initial strain rates between 4×10−8 and 2×10−5 sec−1. The structure of the oxide film on specimens tested in the molten salt was affected by the imposed continuous deformation. Deformation resulted in an oxide film that was twice as thick as that formed on unstrained salt-exposed surfaces. Further, deformation resulted in significant cracking in the surface oxide. Metallographic observations suggested that some of this cracking initiated quite early in the mechanical tests. Specimens tested in the salt medium exhibited an increase in ductility, as measured by reduction in area and fracture strain, relative to control specimens tested in air, while strength was unaffected.
Distinctness and non-identity

Sets A and B are identical: A includes B and B includes A. That is, every member of B is a member of A and every member of A is a member of B. Proper inclusion is inclusion of a more specific kind. Set A properly includes set B: every member of B is a member of A, but B does not include A (so some member of A is not a member of B). The relation of proper inclusion is asymmetric. If A properly includes B, then B does not properly include B. Sets A and B overlap: A and B have at least one member in common. Proper overlap is overlap of a more specific kind. Sets A and B properly overlap: A and B overlap, and neither includes the other.
Planning and Control of Swarm Motions as Deformable Bodies

In this paper a continuum approach for controlling the motion of a swarm of particles (“agents”) is presented. The control objective is to move the swarm from an initial reference configuration to a final configuration possibly of a different shape and size, avoid obstacles and inter-agent collisions while satisfying hard constraints on agent kinematics. The agents are considered to be inside a rectangle and it is assumed that the task is to move the swarm so that at the final time the agents are confined to a rectangle of possibly different size and orientation. It is shown that the agents can locally control their motions so that a collision free transfer respecting all agent constraints can be achieved with minimal inter-agent communication. At the nucleus of this approach is the “deformation of the group shape from a given reference configuration to a desired configuration”. The key idea is to find an appropriate homeomorphism between the initial and final configurations that respect all agent constraints. We show that a class of homogeneous transformations has very beneficial attributes. In particular, each particle or agent has a well-defined path that is based solely on its reference position. It necessarily means that an agent does not have to know the location of any other agent once the motion map is made available to an agent. We emphasize: (1) that minimum to no communication between agents is required for its implementation, and (2) it is independent of the number of agents, meaning that the approach is completely scalable. These two attributes are major advantages that are not present in most currently known path planners for swarms. Presented will be simulation results to illustrate the key ideas of the proposed approach.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Brief report: incidence, etiology, risk factors, and outcome of hospital-acquired fever: a systematic, evidence-based review.

OBJECTIVES: Temperature is universally measured in the hospitalized patient, but the literature on hospital-acquired fever has not been systematically reviewed. This systematic review is intended to provide clinicians with an overview of the incidence, etiology, and outcome of hospital-acquired fever.
Classification of brain compartments and head injury lesions by neural networks applied to MRI

An automatic, neural network-based approach was applied to segment normal brain compartments and lesions on MR images. Two supervised networks, backpropagation (BPN) and counterpropagation, and two unsupervised networks, Kohonen learning vector quantizer and analog adaptive resonance theory, were trained on registered T2-weighted and proton density images. The classes of interest were background, gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, macrocystic encephalomalacia, gliosis, and “unknown.” A comprehensive feature vector was chosen to discriminate these classes. The BPN combined with feature conditioning, multiple discriminant analysis followed by Hotelling transform, produced the most accurate and consistent classification results. Classifications of normal brain compartments were generally in agreement with expert interpretation of the images. Macrocystic encephalomalacia and gliosis were recognized and, except around the periphery, classified in agreement with the clinician's report used to train the neural network.
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle tissue acquisition from a subepithelial lesion in the distal ileum using the forward-viewing echoendoscope

In a context of rapidly expanding indications for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)guided procedures, a dedicated forwardviewing linear therapeutic echoendoscope (FV-EUS) has been developed and tested for different clinical indications [1–3]. The frontal endoscopic view combined with the exit of the working channel at the tip of the echoendoscope offers some unique advantages over the standard curvilinear echoendoscope. This has opened up new possibilities for EUS-guided fineneedle aspiration and tissue acquisition (EUS-FNTA) from difficult targets and combined endoscopic/EUS treatment [3, 4]. We have previously described the possibility of using FV-EUS to navigate easily through the colon to reach and sample extracolonic lesions located above the sigmoid tract [4]. We now report the first case of intubation of the ileocecal valve followed by sampling of a distal ileal lesion performed using the FV-EUS. A 68-year-old woman with a 13-year history of ulcerative colitis was found on routine surveillance colonoscopy to have a 1.5cm lesion in the terminal ileum that presented characteristics suggestive of a subepithelial lesion with a normal-appearing overlyingmucosal layer (●" Fig.1). To exclude extrinsic compression, computed tomography was carried out and confirmed the presence of a wall thickening or lesion at the level of the terminal ileum, close to the ileocecal valve. Colonoscopy using the FV-EUS was attempted and was completed up to the cecum. The terminal ileumwas then intubated and, under EUS guidance, a hypoechoic lesion measuring 14×10mm and confined to the thirdwall layer was detected. EUS-FNTAusinga 19-gaugeneedlewas performed (●" Fig.2, ●" Video1) and a tissue sample obtained (●" Fig.3), which revealed a serotonin-secreting neuroendocrine tumor with a Ki67 proliferation index of less than 1%, corresponding to a grade 1 tumor (NET G1). The patient underwent right hemicolectomy, and definitive assessment of the surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis of a grade 1 serotonin-secreting neuroendocrine tumorwith lymphnode involvement (pT3N1) [5].
The effects of cross-linked thermo-responsive PNIPAAm-based hydrogel injection on retinal function.

There is significant interest in biomaterials that provide sustained release of therapeutic molecules to the retina. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-based materials have received significant attention as injectable drug delivery platforms due to PNIPAAm's thermo-responsive properties at approximately 32 °C. While the drug delivery properties of PNIPAAm materials have been studied extensively, there is a need to evaluate the safety effects of hydrogel injection on retinal function. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-DA) crosslinked PNIPAAm hydrogel injection on retinal function. Utilizing scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), optical coherent tomography (OCT), and electroretinography (ERG), retinal function was assessed following hydrogel injection. In region near the hydrogel, there was a significant decrease in arterial and venous diameters (∼4%) and an increase in venous blood velocity (∼8%) 1 week post-injection. Retinal thickness decreased (∼6%) at 1 week and the maximum a- and b-wave amplitudes of ERG decreased (∼15%). All data returned to baseline values after week 1. These data suggest that the injection of PEG-DA crosslinked PNIPAAm hydrogel results in a small transient effect on retinal function without any long-term effects. These results further support the potential of PNIPAAm-based materials as an ocular drug delivery platform.
Pinned and bound collective-mode state in charge-density-wave condensates.

We have studied the complete electrodynamical response of the model charge-density-wave compounds ${\mathrm{K}}_{0.3}$${\mathrm{Mo}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{W}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (x=0 and 0.015), (${\mathrm{TaSe}}_{4}$${)}_{2}$I and ${\mathrm{TaS}}_{3}$ by combining various optical experiments conducted in a broad spectral range. Our analysis leads to two distinct resonances in the dc to far-infrared (FIR) spectral range. We argue that the first resonance, at the so-called pinning frequency, is due to the oscillatory response of the collective mode and suggest that the FIR optical mode is due to a bound collective-mode resonance, analogous to bound phonon states in semiconductors. We discuss a simple phenomenological approach, based on a Clausius-Mossotti-type model, and evaluate the parameters that characterize the FIR mode.
Spatial Entanglement and Efficient Coupling to Single Spatial Modes

Single-mode coupling efficiency of photons produced via spontaneous parametric down-conversion is limited by entanglement in the photons' spatial degree of freedom. Results are presented illustrating the relationship between pump divergence and the photons' spatial entanlglement.
The effect of soft-tissue graft fixation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on graft-tunnel motion under anterior tibial loading.

Abstract Purpose: To compare the motion of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) replacement graft within the femoral bone tunnel (graft-tunnel motion) when a soft-tissue graft is secured either by a titanium button and polyester tape (EndoButton fixation; Acufex, Smith & Nephew, Mansfield, MA) or by a biodegradable interference screw (Biointerference fixation; Endo-fix; Acufex, Smith & Nephew) An additional purpose was to evaluate the effect of the graft-tunnel motion on the kinematics of ACL-reconstructed knees and in situ force of the ACL replacement graft. Type of Study: Biomechanical experiment using an in vitro animal model. Methods: ACL reconstruction with a flexor tendon autograft was performed in 8 cadaveric knees of skeletally mature goats. The knee kinematics and the in situ force in the ACL replacement graft in response to anterior tibial loads were evaluated using the robotic/universal force-moment sensor testing system. The longitudinal and transverse graft-tunnel motion during anterior tibial loading was determined based on radiographic measurements parallel and perpendicular to the femoral bone tunnel, respectively. Results: In response to an anterior tibial load of 100 N, the longitudinal graft-tunnel motion for EndoButton fixation and Biointerference fixation was 0.8 ± 0.4 mm and 0.2 ± 0.1 mm, respectively ( P P P Conclusions: EndoButton fixation of a soft-tissue graft via an elastic material resulted in significantly larger graft-tunnel motion, and consequently, greater anterior knee laxity compared with more rigid fixation using an interference screw closer to the intra-articular entrance of the bone tunnel. In terms of force distribution, the ACL replacement graft in both fixations still functioned as a primary restraint to an anterior tibial load close to the intact ACL. Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, Vol 18, No 9 (November- December), 2002: pp 960–967
The Moore-Sikora Buffer for Lime Requirement Determinations

Paranitrophenol in the Adams-Evans (AE) buffer used for determining lime requirement (LR) is considered a hazardous chemical due to its toxicity. The Moore-Sikora (MS) buffer, which mimics AE soil-buffer pH, was developed without hazardous chemicals and is currently used for routine soil testing at Clemson University. The MS buffer was designed by considering probable chemicals with pK a values in the desired pH range, potential reaction of the components with soil, and longevity of the buffer during storage. Boric acid, 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid (MOPS), and 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid hydrate (MES) were considered for the new buffer. Once chemicals were identified, a technique of finding appropriate concentrations was utilized by using an equation that could predict the acid titration of a buffer and refining PK a and concentration values until a match was found with measured pH titrations of the AE buffer. The MS buffer contains 212, 131, and 34.8 mmol L -1 of B(OH) 3 , MOPS, and MES, respectively. The buffer also contains 200 mmol L -1 KOH and 1 mol L -1 KCl. The MS buffer was compared with the AE buffer for determining soil-buffer pH values on 222 South Carolina soils and 41 North American Proficiency Testing Program soils. The MS soil-buffer pH was strongly related to AE soil-buffer pH (r 2 > 0.98). Soil-buffer pH was slightly less with MS buffer than AE buffer, with a mean difference of 0.03 pH units. The lower soil-buffer pH with MS buffer caused a slightly higher LR than the AE buffer, with a mean difference of 0.34 Mg ha -1 on South Carolina soils. Forty-four percent of the samples indicating a need for lime did not have a difference in LR between the two buffers. The slightly higher LR with the MS buffer on some of the samples is not expected to raise soil pH too high above target pH values.
A tracking system for conducting epidemiological case-control studies

The automated-respondent tracking system (ARTS) is an event-driven management system developed to monitor data collection during large epidemiological case-control studies. ARTS facilitates the conduct and management of these studies by eliminating the problems and limitations of manually monitoring subjects. This system, developed on an IBM 3032, consists of a series of programs linked by a general update program. Data captured on each subject for every study phase are used to generate lists of subjects requiring further action by the study staff. Additionally, ARTS produces reports reflecting a study's progress. Improved study management and reduced clerical load justify the system's costs. Concepts and programming principles applied to ARTS can be generalized to other epidemiological study designs.
546 PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS OF HYPOPHOSPHATASIA

Three approaches to the prenatal diagnosis of the severe, early onset form of hypophosphatasia, a rare inborn error of metabolism, were investigated in 2 pregnancies of a family with a previous history of the disease. Two of these approaches, ultrasonography and the determination of the bone and liver isozyme activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in cultured amniotic fluid cells have proven useful diagnostically. The third approach, assay of the bone and liver isozyme activity or total activity in supernatant amniotic fluid was not found to be informative. In 1 pregnancy, the failure of ultrasonography at 16, 18, and 19 weeks gestation to reveal a well defined fetal skull, when the level. of alpha-fetoprotein in the amniotic fluid was normal, suggested hypophosphatasia. This diagnosis was supported by the finding that cultured amniotic fluid cells from this fetus had an ALP specific activity which was 4% of the mean of 68 control cultures and much less than the lowest control value. A subsequent normal sibling who has heterozygous serum levels of ALP had normal ultrasound findings and normal cultured amniotic fluid cell enzyme activities. The study has emphasized the differences in tissue specific ALP isozyme composition of amnio-otic fluid supernatant and cultured cells. These differences are crucial in the diagnosis of this defect of bone and liver ALP.
NASA advanced cryocooler technology development program

Mechanical cryocoolers represent a significant enabling technology for NASA's Earth and Space Science Enterprises. Over the years, NASA has developed new cryocooler technologies for a wide variety of space missions. Recent achievements include the NCS, AIRS, TES and HIRDLS cryocoolers, and miniature pulse tube coolers at TRW and Lockheed Martin. The largest technology push within NASA right now is in the temperature range of 4 to 10 K. Missions such as the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) and Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) plan to use infrared detectors operating between 6-8 K, typically arsenic-doped silicon arrays, with IR telescopes from 3 to 6 meters in diameter. Similarly, Constellation-X plans to use X-ray microcalorimeters operating at 50 mK and will require ~6 K cooling to precool its multistage 50 mK magnetic refrigerator. To address cryocooler development for these next-generation missions, NASA has initiated a program referred to as the Advanced Cryocooler Technology Development Program (ACTDP). This paper presents an overview of the ACTDP program including programmatic objectives and timelines, and conceptual details of the cooler concepts under development.
Management of chronic aggressive hepatitis in children and adolescents

A ten-year prospective study of 26 children and adolescents (age range: 3.5 to 15.75 years; mean age 10.25 years) with symptomatic HBsAg-negative chronic aggressive hepatitis is presented. Daily high-dose prednisone therapy was initially prescribed to secure clinical and biochemical remission, and then an alternate-day steroid program was instituted to maintain the state of remission. Azathioprine was added to the regimen (in three children) if remission was not secured after three months of daily prednisone therapy or if frequent relapses precluded reduction of the predanisone dosage. The mean duration of treatment was 19 months. Clinical and biochemical remission was achieved in all children and histologic remission was demonstrated in 17 children. No steroid complications, treatment failures, morbidity, or mortality were noted during this study. Nineteen children have been off therapy for two to 122 months (mean=69 months) and continue to demonstrate clinical and biochemical remission. Therapy is being progressively decreased in the seven remaining patients. We conclude from our study that high-, single-dose prednisone therapy (daily initially, then on alternate days) will effectively suppress HBsAg-negative CAH in children and adolescents without the production of adverse effects of therapy.
Studies on the oxidation of ω-hydroxyprostaglandins by an NAD-dependent dehydrogenase from mammalian liver cytosol

Abstract The oxidation of 12-hydroxylauric acid methyl ester (12-OH-L-Me) and of ω-hydroxy-prostaglandins (ω-OH-PGs) such as 20-OH-PGB 1 and 20-OH-PGE 1 , was demonstrated with liver cytosol from rat, rabbit, and guinea pig in the presence of NAD; however, NADP did not support this oxidation. (ω-1)-Hydroxy-compounds (11-OH-laurate and 19-OH-PGB 1 ) and PGE 1 , PGF 1α , and PGB 1 , all lacking the terminal (ω)-hydroxyl, did not reduce NAD. However, at pH 10, PGE 1 slightly enhanced NAD reduction, suggesting that at this pH PGE 1 , could be a substrate for 15-hydroxy-PG dehydrogenase (PGDH). The oxidation products from incubations of 12-OH-L-Me, 20-OH-PGB 1 -Me, and 20-OH-PGE 1 with guinea pig liver cytosol were isolated and identified by gas chromatography/mass fragmentation spectrometry as being the corresponding dicarboxylic acids. In contrast to the liver cytosol, guinea pig kidney cytosol had only a minimal effect on NAD reduction by 12-OH-L-Me but nevertheless did support the stimulation of NAD reduction by PGE 1 , and PGF 1α , but not by PGB 1 , indicating the participation of kidney cytosolic PGDH in PGE 1 and PGF 1α oxidation and demonstrating that the oxidation of ω-OH to the carboxylic acid is not mediated by PGDH. Though the in vivo rate of oxidation of ω-OH-PGs has not been established, these results suggest that the urinary dicarboxylic-PG metabolites involve a multiple sequentialstep oxidation of PGs involving ω-hydroxylation by an NADPH-cytochrome P -450 system in the endoplasmic reticulum and the subsequent oxidation of the ω-OH by an NAD-dependent dehydrogenase in the cytosol.
Latinas, Heterotopia, and Home: Pedagogies of Gender and Sexuality in Quinceañera

In this article the author discusses Foucault's heterotopia analytic and applies it to a film analysis of Quinceanera. Engaging in feminist and critical media scholarship, the author outlines U.S. discourses on girlhood and their collusion with patriarchal and heteronormative discourses on Latino cultural nationalism in the regulation, control, and representation of Latina youth living in the United States. Heterotopia is used as a critical tool to explore two scenes in Quinceanera that push conceptual boundaries of gender and sexuality. The author suggests that heterotopia is a useful pedagogical tool and that Quinceanera is a useful pedagogical source in conceptualizing girls’ agency and resistance. Ultimately, this analysis traces some of the ways that the film's Latina youth protagonist regulates and transgresses gender and sexuality norms that are upheld by U.S. discourses on girlhood and patriarchal and heteronormative discourses on Latino cultural nationalism.
Sediment source strength, transport pathways and accumulation patterns on the Siberian–Arctic's Chukchi and Laptev shelves

Abstract In this study, we estimate sediment source strength and determine sediment transport/accumulation patterns on the Chukchi and Laptev shelves for lithogenic material from several key source regions. In the western Laptev Sea, sediments from the Siberian flood basalt province account for 40 m water depth). In contrast, at our Laptev Sea sites (typically >20 m water depth) sediments supplied by the Lena and Yana Rivers move primarily eastward/northeastward parallel to the coast, with relatively minimal transport to the west/northwest or north to the central shelf. Good correspondence between sediment accumulation patterns and currents on the Chukchi shelf indicates water circulation is an important sediment transport mechanism in this marginal sea. In the Laptev Sea, a combination of river outflow, cyclonic water circulation and the Siberian Coastal Current controls sediment distribution. We speculate that sediment ice rafting may also affect shelf sedimentation patterns through a combination of factors. Our findings have implications for the fate of particle reactive contaminants released to the Siberian continental margin.
Crop drying programme in Turkey

Abstract The present status of agricultural crop drying practices in Turkey is investigated in this study. The emphasis of drying on market value, annual production and export values of some commercially important crops is given in a broad perspective. In the recent years, developing international market conditions in Europe, Middle East, and Central Asia has been encouraging to Turkey's fresh and dry agricultural crop export due to the rapidly increasing internal and external market demands. Grapes, apricots, black tea, figs, red pepper, and l and aromatic plants are the major exported agricultural crops, contributing annually 35 to 40 l of USD$ to Turkey's economics. From the view point of dried crop quality, drying of special crops are still an important topic for the agricultural sector. Traditionally used drying methods have many drawbacks. High air temperatures and relative humidity during the drying season promote the insect and mold development in harvested crops. Furthermore, the intensive solar radiation causes several quality reductions like vitamin losses or color changes in dried crops. Thus, the conventional drying methods do not meet the particular requirements of the related standards. To overcome these problems, producers should be made aware of the fact that the high quality of dried products can be sold to three or four fold prices and directed to the dryer investments. Moreover, the introduction of low cost and locally manufactured dryer offers a promising alternative to reduce the excessive postharvest losses and also improve the economical situation of the farmers.