cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of donor characteristics and platelet in vitro time and temperature on platelet aggregometry

Abstract Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine whether platelet donor characteristics and the duration and temperature of platelet storage affect platelet aggregation. Methods: Half of each platelet-rich plasma sample, obtained from 42 healthy volunteers, was maintained at 37° C and the other half at 25° C. Aggregation was stimulated with adenosine diphosphate (ADP), epinephrine, or collagen 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours after platelet donation. The lag time, slope of the aggregation curve, and percent peak aggregation were determined for each aggregation test. Results: Age, sex, time of donation, smoking status, estrogen replacement, and menstruation did not significantly influence platelet aggregation. Storage time and temperature had a major influence on platelet reactivity, with the reactivity decreasing with prolonged storage and higher storage temperatures. Peak ADP-induced aggregation for platelets stored at 37° C was significantly less ( p Conclusions: It is recommended that platelet-rich plasma for platelet aggregation testing be maintained at room temperature and be used between 2 and 4 hours after platelet donation. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:726-33.)
Integrating operating systems for management control

TODAY, management is being “dazzled by the science” of information systems, computers and operations research techniques. Frequently, glib incompetents intimidate management into using these tools, while, in the other extreme, it rejects them because competent practitioners frighten management.
Molecular weight forms of immunoreactive calcitonin in a patient with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid: dynamic studies with calcium, pentagastrin and somatostatin.

SUMMARY We have examined the characteristics of circulating immunoreactive human calcitonin (IR-hCT) by studying its different molecular weight (MW) forms under various secretory conditions in a patient with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. Plasma IR-hCT (318 mg/l basal) increased 9 and 12 times, respectively, after calcium (0·3 mg/kg/min over 10 min i.v.) and pentagastrin (3·2 μg i.v.) administration. Somatostatin infusion (500 μg/h) caused a 41% decrease in plasma IR-hCT and markedly diminished the responses to both pentagastrin and calcium. Sephadex G50 chromatography separated different IR-hCT forms: hCT itself predominated after stimulation with either calcium or pentagastrin (52% and 62%, respectively), while it was reduced in the basal state (33%) and following somatostatin (11%); reciprocal changes were observed for the higher MW forms. Under denaturing conditions, with or without reducing agent, total plasma IR-hCT was resolved into one major peak co-eluting with 125I-hCT. Thus, the hCT monomer appears to be the major secretory product of the medullary carcinoma of the thyroid studied here. The predominance of higher MW forms in the basal state reflects their slower plasma disappearance rate. These high MW forms are mainly the result of aggregation or non-covalent protein binding of the hCT monomer.
Flow Modulation Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth Of Gallium Nitride On Masked 6H-Silicon Carbide And Sapphire Surfaces

Selective Area Flow Modulation Epitaxial growth of GaN is carried out in a low pressure Organometallic Vapor Phase Epitaxy reactor. This process is known to enhance reactant surface migration lengths on patterned group III-arsenide and phosphide growth surfaces. With this process, high quality laterally overgrown GaN epitaxial materials result. Under the ammonia rich growth conditions used, enhanced migration (by flux modulation) across masked regions of the substrate has not been observed. The mask materials were silicon dioxide and silicon nitride, both deposited on GaN/AlGaN buffer structures on sapphire and SiC substrates. Window stripes were patterned parallel and perpendicular to the (1100) crystal directions to observe the orientation dependence of the lateral growth rate. Structures exhibited heights above the mask surface as large as 30 microns and atomically smooth surfaces. With a periodic array of stripe window openings in the mask, planarized laterally overgrown surfaces are achieved after roughly 4 microns of overgrowth. Chemical assisted ion beam etching with chlorine gas was used to delineate defects in the selectively grown layers. Additional evidence on the defect reduction is given by Atomic Force and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopies.
The effectiveness of message framing and temporal context on college student alcohol use and problems: a selective e-mail intervention

AIMS: Only one study has examined message framing on college drinking, but did so in a laboratory setting among a general sample of college students. The current study was designed to: (a) compare the efficacy of emailed interventions differing by message framing and temporal context on alcohol involvement among heavy drinking college students and (b) examine need for cognition (NFC), consideration of future consequences (CFC) and self-efficacy as putative moderators. METHODS: Hazardous drinking college students (N = 220) were randomly assigned to conditions in a 2 (Frame: gain vs. loss) × 2 (Temporal Context: long-term vs. short-term consequences) factorial design. Participants received four emails on heavy drinking consequences phrased in a manner consistent with their condition. After each message, participants were given a manipulation check. Participants were sent a 1-month follow-up assessment. Primary outcome measures were heavy episodic drinking (HED) and alcohol-related problems. We hypothesized two main effects (less alcohol consumption in the gain-frame and short-term condition), qualified by a Frame × Temporal Context interaction with substantially less alcohol involvement in the gain-frame/short-term condition. RESULTS: There was very little study attrition (96.4% completed follow-up survey, 93.2-99.5% completed manipulation checks), and strong effects were observed for the manipulations. A 2 × 2 ANCOVA, controlling for baseline alcohol involvement, revealed no consistent main effects or interactions on either outcome. No moderation was observed for any putative moderator. CONCLUSIONS: These results do not replicate prior laboratory-based research. The null findings may be attributed to the heavy drinking sample or electronic means of message delivery. Language: en
Engineering hepatocyte growth factor fragments with high stability and activity as Met receptor agonists and antagonists

The Met receptor tyrosine kinase and its ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) play an important role in mediating both tumor progression and tissue regeneration. The N-terminal and first Kringle domains (NK1) of HGF comprise a naturally occurring splice variant that retains the ability to activate the Met receptor. However, NK1 is a weak agonist and is relatively unstable, limiting its therapeutic potential. Here, we engineered NK1 mutants with improved biochemical and biophysical properties that function as Met receptor agonists or antagonists. We first engineered NK1 for increased stability and recombinant expression yield using directed evolution. The NK1 variants isolated from our library screens acted as weak Met receptor antagonists due to a mutation at the NK1 homodimerization interface. We introduced point mutations that restored this NK1 homodimerization interface to create an agonistic ligand, or that further disrupted this interface to create more effective antagonists. The rationally engineered antagonists exhibited melting temperatures up to approximately 64 °C, a 15 °C improvement over antagonists derived from wild-type NK1, and approximately 40-fold improvement in expression yield. Next, we created disulfide-linked NK1 homodimers through introduction of an N-terminal cysteine residue. These covalent dimers exhibited nearly an order of magnitude improved agonistic activity compared to wild-type NK1, approaching the activity of full-length HGF. Moreover, covalent NK1 dimers formed from agonistic or antagonistic monomeric subunits elicited similar activity, further signifying that NK1 dimerization mediates agonistic activity. These engineered NK1 proteins are promising candidates for therapeutic development and will be useful tools for further exploring determinants of Met receptor activation.
Pharmacogenomics in the nursing literature: An integrative review

Abstract Background Pharmacogenomics is a rapidly growing component of personalized health care, and nurses must be competent to deliver genomic-focused nursing care. Methods We conducted an integrative review of pharmacogenomics in the nursing literature. A comprehensive search of the nursing literature was conducted using the key words pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics. A total of 47 unique articles were included. Results Articles represented mainly narrative reviews, with limited discussions of the implications for nursing practice, education, or research. As such, they provide limited direction for advancing either clinical practice or scientific inquiry. Conclusions This review serves as a call to action for more systematic and empirical publications addressing pharmacogenomics in nursing practice, education, and research. Nurses must be involved in and contribute to interdisciplinary conversations and burgeoning clinical practice initiatives related to pharmacogenomics.
SAFETY ASPECTS OF SOPHISTICATED IN-VEHICLE INFORMATION DISPLAYS AND CONTROLS

Two groups of six young and healthy subjects were used in this study to investigate the lateral path deviations when driving in a straight path with the eyes fixated on the road ahead, when driving...
Biosynthesis of the Cyanobacterial Light-Harvesting Polypeptide Phycoerythrocyanin Holo-α Subunit in a Heterologous Host

The entire pathway for the biosynthesis of the phycobiliviolin-bearing His-tagged holo-α subunit of the cyanobacterial photosynthetic accessory protein phycoerythrocyanin was reconstituted in Escherichia coli. Cyanobacterial genes encoding enzymes required for the conversion of heme to 3Z-phycocyanobilin, a precursor of phycobiliviolin (namely, heme oxygenase 1 and 3Z-phycocyanobilin:ferredoxin oxidoreductase), were expressed from a plasmid under the control of the hybrid trp-lac (trc) promoter. Genes for the apo-phycoerythrocyanin α subunit (pecA) and the heterodimeric lyase/isomerase (pecE and pecF), which catalyzes both the covalent attachment of phycocyanobilin and its concurrent isomerization to phycobiliviolin, were expressed from the trc promoter on a second plasmid. Upon induction, recombinant E. coli used endogenous heme to produce holo-PecA with absorbance and fluorescence properties similar to those of the same protein produced in cyanobacteria. About two-thirds of the apo-PecA was converted to holo-PecA. No significant bilin addition took place in a similarly engineered E. coli strain that lacks pecE and pecF. By using immobilized metal affinity chromatography, both apo-PecA and holo-PecA were isolated as ternary complexes with PecE and PecF. The identities of all three components in the ternary complexes were established unambiguously by protein and tryptic peptide analyses performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.
Hybrid analysis (MM-UTD) of EM scattering from finned convex objects

It is a formidable task to analyze the electromagnetic (EM) scattering from complex structures containing both electrically large and small parts because, in general, neither low nor high frequency techniques alone can provide a tractable solution to this problem. The method of moments (MM) is a very accurate mathematical technique which is commonly used to solve the governing integral equation but usually involves the computation, storage, and inversion of an extremely large matrix when analyzing electrically large objects. The uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) is an asymptotic high frequency ray method which describes through closed-form, physically insightful expressions, the basic radiation mechanisms such as reflection from a surface or creeping waves, provided the pertinent UTD solutions are available. However, there are a limited number of ray mechanisms for which UTD field expressions currently exist. A systematic combination of these two techniques can be employed to analyze complex objects in a far more manageable and efficient manner than is possible by either method alone. A hybrid combination of the MM and the UTD has been developed for treating an electrically large, perfectly conducting (PEC) convex scatterer, containing appendages which can be modeled by a set of PEC plates. The development of such a hybrid technique is useful, for example, in the prediction of the radiation/scattering from complex aerospace vehicles.
The Theory of Law in the Ching-fa

The Ching-fa, one of the four “lost” books attached to the Ma-wang-tui Lao tzu, addresses issues of universal concern for legal theory. This paper examines how the Ching-fa's nine short theaties present fa linked with tao as a Law or model for guiding and judging the legitimacy of the ruler's use of coercion. I attempt to demonstrate that the conception of a universal and timeless Law offered a more universally applicable standard for governing than did the old laws based on the practices of the ancient sage kings. The text's notion of law linked with a timeless, natural principle, tao, is compared with early Western theories of universal law and its relation to justice. I conclude that the content and ultimate purposes of law are different in these early traditions but that in both cases the emerging imperial states were better served by theories of law based on abstract standards rather than on particular histories and customs.
Stirling number asymptotics from recursion equations using the ray method

A technique for computing asymptotic expansions of combinatorial quantities from their recursion relations is presented. It is applied to the Stirling numbers of the first and second kinds, s(n,k) and S(n,k), for n>1 and three ranges of k:(i) k=O(1), (ii) n−k=O(1), (iii) k>1, 0<k/n<1. The technique uses asymptotic methods such as the ray method and the method of matched asymptotic expansions
Antibodies against platelet glycosphingolipids: detection in serum by quantitative HPTLC-autoradiography and association with autoimmune and alloimmune processes.

In order to assess the importance of glycosphingolipids (GSL) in the immunology of the platelet, serum antibody binding to immobilized, purified platelet GSLs have been quantitatively measured via high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), 125I-radio-immunolabeling, autoradiography, and densitometry. Thirteen neutral GSL bands were detected at Rf.03 through .64 (CHCl3-CH3OH-H2O, 65:25:4) after extraction and chromatography (DEAE-Sephadex and Bio-sil A). Both IgM and IgG serum antibody binding was determined for 50 subjects from four groups: normal blood donors (NBD, n = 18); leukemia patients with nonimmune thrombocytopenia (NIT, n = 10); patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, n = 10); and patients with chronic autoimmune thrombocytopenia (CATP, n = 12). The ABO typing of these 50 subjects also allowed correlation of serum antibody binding with A blood group antigen expression. These studies reveal: (1) anti-GSL binding at band .06 is associated with blood group A alloantigen expression for both IgG and IgM (P less than .0001) antibodies; (2) binding at bands .17, .27, and/or .46 is associated with general autoimmunity (SLE and CATP) for IgM (P less than .0001); (3) binding at bands .35 and/or .38 is associated with platelet-specific autoimmunity (CATP) for IgG and/or IgM (P less than .005); and (4) binding at bands .03, .20, .23, and/or .43 is frequently observed for sera from all groups. The platelet specificity of bands .35 and .38 was confirmed by comparative studies with human intestinal smooth muscle GSLs. Quantitation of the intensity of CATP-associated anti-GSL binding (86 +/- 88 mm2) is comparable to anti-A alloantigen binding (57 +/- 52 mm2). Two of the GSL bands associated with SLE and CATP appear to be the long-chain fatty-acyl forms of globotriaosyl ceramide (.27) and globotetraosyl ceramide (.17), which are the Pk and P blood group antigens, respectively. These studies indicate that neutral GSLs may be important antigens in both autoimmune and alloimmune processes involving the blood platelet.
The use of positron emitters to evaluate linearity of radionuclide dose calibrators

Objective: Four positron emitters, 18F, 13N, 11C and 15O, were studied immediately after production for possible radionuclidic contaminants. Methods: A series of activity measurements was performed with a dose calibrator over decay periods of 20 half-lives for each radionuclide. Individual semilogarithmic time-activity curves were generated over a wide range of activities (from a few hundred MBq to the 370 kBq (10 μCi) level). The presence of radionuclidic contaminants in activity measurements over reasonably long periods will manifest as deviations from linearity in these plot presentations. Results: Nitrogen-13 samples showed significant deviation from linear response even at the MBq level due to the presence of a 18F contaminant. However, 18F, 11C and 18O samples showed a virtually linear response over the entire activity range. Conclusions: Although most of these positron emitters maintain the linear decay characteristics in the practical use range, investigators should be aware of the increasing contribution of long-lived contaminants in the low end of the activity range. Although the 2-min half-life of 15O might be sufficient to allow performance of linearity measurements within minutes, we feel that 11C might be an ideal positron emitter to accomplish this task due to its more practical half-life period.
Seismic Earth Pressures on Deep Stiff Walls

Author(s): Wagner, N; Sitar, N | Abstract: Experimental and numerical studies of the seismic response of a deep, stiff basement structure were motivated by the fact that the current seismic design methodologies based on previous works predict very large dynamic forces in areas of high seismicity. The experimental program consisted of a geotechnical centrifuge model with a basement structure embedded in cohesionless backfill. The numerical analyses sought to replicate the results of the centrifuge experiment and to validate the use of numerical analyses for the prediction of expected behavior. Overall, the results of this study show that the Mononobe-Okabe method of analysis provides a reasonable estimate of the expected response of stiff basement structures provided depth-Averaged design accelerations are considered.
Rethinking First-Line Immunosuppression for Idiopathic FSGS

FSGS represents a common histopathologic end point for a diverse group of underlying disease processes ([1][1]). These include adaptive and structural changes to the glomeruli, as seen in patients with reflux nephropathy, solitary kidney, low nephron mass, hypertension, and obesity ([2][2]), and
Neurologische aspekte der vibrationskrankheit

Gesundheitsschaden bei der Arbeit mit Presluftwerkzeugen werden zumeist als Vasoneurosen und Gelenkserkrankungen beschrieben. Bei eingehenderem Studium zeigte rich jedoch, das nicht nur periphere Paresen an den oberen Extremitaten vorkommen konnen, sondern auch bemerkenswerte Abweichungen des zentralen Nervensystems.
Improving Anti-interference Ability of Temperature Measurement Devices

According to the operation of temperature measurement devices,some measures to improve anti-interference ability are put forward,such as improving the signal processing circuit,increasing the partition of integration in software and using the A/D chip with the ability of filtering,and relevant field tests are carried out. The performances of these measures are compared. Practice shows that,the anti-interference ability of the devices is improved. The result is helpful to other similar analog measurement.
[Smoking and secondhand smoking in Zhejiang province, China].

Objective To describe the prevalence rates of smoking,quitting and passive smoking in different populations on their status of education,occupation and geographic distribution.Methods A total of 13 408 residents aged 15-69 from 45 counties through stratified multi-stage cluster sampling from Zhejiang province were selected and surveyed,using questionnaires.Data from 13 326 subjects were used for analysis.Indicators as smoking,current smoking,and secondhand smoke exposure,etc.,were calculated by weight on age proportions from the 2010 census.Results Among the adults aged 15 years and older,there were an estimated number of 12.90 million (29.59％) smokers,with 9.99 million (22.92％) current smokers,8.45 million (19.38％) daily current smokers.The prevalence rates of smoking were 41.18％ for men,3.69％ for women,with 45-54 year-old group the highest (51.66％) for men while the group of 65-69 year-olds was the highest (4.62％) in women.The overall rate of quitting was 22.56％.40.19％ of the smokers had thought about quitting,with the main means as self-restriction (87.59％) in conducting the behavior of smoking cessation.Among those non-smokers at age 15 or older,it was estimated that 67.90％ (22.77 million) of them had been exposed to secondhand smoke.SHS exposure was the highest in the indoor workplace (62.84％),among all the venues.Knowledge on tobacco among residents seemed to be relatively poor,with only 31.52％ of the population were aware that smoking could cause serious three diseases (stoke,heart disease,and lung cancer).34.04％ of the population were aware that secondhand smoking could cause all the three diseases (heart disease,lung disease,and lung cancer).Conclusion Current prevalence of smoking in males in Zhejiang province remained at a high level,indicating that the publicity programs on the knowledge of smoking tobacco was not strong enough and the task of control smoking should be taken more arduously. Key words: Smoking; Passive smoking; Tobacco use control; Quit
Identification of rabbit eosinophils and heterophils in cutaneous healing wounds

The study of wound healing has traditionally used the rabbit as an experimental model. We have recently localized the production of the multifunctional cytokine, TGF-α, to eosinophils in rabbit skin wounds. It was evident that during the process of TGF-α localization, the distinction between the two granulocytic cell types, eosinophils and heterophils, was impossible by conventional histochemical techniques. This paper describes a rapid method to distinguish these two granulocytes by virtue of their endogenous peroxidases and differential resistance to blockade by inhibitors. In sections that have been blocked by hydrogen peroxide, the peroxidase substrate 3,3′-diaminobenzidine, together with nickel chloride (DAB-Ni), preferentially stained the cytoplasm of rabbit eosinophils while sparing those of heterophils. This selective DAB staining of rabbit eosinophil peroxidase in H2O2-blocked rabbit wounds was verified at the ultrastructural level by electron microscopy. We applied this technique to quantify eosinophil and heterophil infiltration into the 21-day rabbit cutaneous healing wound model. Heterophils were found infiltrated into all three layers of the wound (clot > granulation > base), but eventually all disappeared by day 21. As with the heterophils, eosinophils which had infiltrated into the clot and base of the wound had disappeared by day 21. Unlike the heterophils, eosinophils in the granulation layer of the wound continued to increase up to day 21. The continually increased and sustained presence of the eosinophils together with their demonstrated production of TGF-α, in the granulation layer of the healing wound suggests that these cells play an important role in the organizational aspects of healing wounds.
Integration of Object-Oriented Databases with VRML in Virtual Environments

Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is widely used to represent, create, and display virtual reality objects and their environment. Some VRML applications require concurrent interaction by multiple users in a real-time distributed fashion. Such applications need a method for users to share and update the VRML objects in real-time. To allow concurrent shared real-time access, our approach is to store the VRML objects in an object-oriented database system (ObjectStore). In this paper, we present an architecture that allows multiple users to interact in a non-trivial way in such a shared VRML environment. We outline how the VRML world can be saved in ObjectStore.
TH-CD-206-02: BEST IN PHYSICS (IMAGING): 3D Prostate Segmentation in MR Images Using Patch-Based Anatomical Signature

Purpose: MRI has shown promise in identifying prostate tumors with high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of prostate cancer. Accurate segmentation of the prostate plays a key role various tasks: to accurately localize prostate boundaries for biopsy needle placement and radiotherapy, to initialize multi-modal registration algorithms or to obtain the region of interest for computer-aided detection of prostate cancer. However, manual segmentation during biopsy or radiation therapy can be time consuming and subject to inter- and intra-observer variation. This study's purpose it to develop an automated method to address this technical challenge. Methods: We present an automated multi-atlas segmentation for MR prostate segmentation using patch-based label fusion. After an initial preprocessing for all images, all the atlases are non-rigidly registered to a target image. And then, the resulting transformation is used to propagate the anatomical structure labels of the atlas into the space of the target image. The top L similar atlases are further chosen by measuring intensity and structure difference in the region of interest around prostate. Finally, using voxel weighting based on patch-based anatomical signature, the label that the majority of all warped labels predict for each voxel is used for the final segmentation of the target image. Results: This segmentation technique was validated with a clinical study of 13 patients. The accuracy of our approach was assessed using the manual segmentation (gold standard). The mean volume Dice Overlap Coefficient was 89.5±2.9% between our and manual segmentation, which indicate that the automatic segmentation method works well and could be used for 3D MRI-guided prostate intervention. Conclusion: We have developed a new prostate segmentation approach based on the optimal feature learning label fusion framework, demonstrated its clinical feasibility, and validated its accuracy. This segmentation technique could be a useful tool in image-guided interventions for prostate-cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Windows of Opportunity: Family Systems Theory and Developmental Considerations for Supporting Youth, Parents and Clinicians in the Digital Age

Digital technology use is an integral part of children’s and adolescent’s lives. With the rapid evolution of technology, adult caregivers can easily feel overwhelmed by the daunting task of setting boundaries on technology use. Family systems theory offers a unique perspective for understanding how external factors (i.e., technology) can impede or enhance the family system, particularly when integrated into a developmental framework. Five clinical concepts are presented that weave together developmental tasks and family systems theory. This paper offers recommendations for clinicians to help parents understand the potentially harmful consequences of technology use across the developmental spectrum. We also provide recommendations for how to support parents in discussing technology use with their children and adolescents. Lastly, we offer suggestions for how the impact of technology use on development can be integrated into human service courses at the university level.
Cytidine deaminase Apobec3a induction in fallopian epithelium after exposure to follicular fluid

Objective Ovarian carcinomas that originate from fallopian epithelial cells are suggested to arise due to repeated exposure to ovulatory follicular fluid (FF). Mechanistic explanation(s) for how this occurs are unknown. Here, we sought to understand if FF exposure to fallopian epithelial cells could induce DNA damage and expression of a known family of DNA mutators, apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide (APOBEC) cytidine deaminases.
Reinventing Pluralism: Consensus, Hegemony, and the Politics of Affirmation

AbstractAs inequalities in the United States have intensified in recent decades, Washington, DC’s advocacy system has thrived. Why has this proliferation of interest groups failed to deliver more substantive equality? The dominant response to this question typically cites the advocacy realm’s “upper-class accent,” portraying interest group representation as imbalanced and unresponsive to a broad range of voices. Yet this prevailing account—which I term “post- pluralist”—does not sufficiently explore the inegalitarian ways that neoliberalism shapes contemporary political advocacy. To this end, this article builds upon post-pluralist and post-Marxist insights to outline the advocacy system’s “politics of affirmation.” Using recent antigay legislation to explore this concept, I argue that today’s political advocacy circumscribes, rather than enlivens, prevailing standards of democratic participation by mobilizing hegemonic, neoliberal expressions of democratic citizenship. The article concludes by outlining ...
Reconstituting development of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia from primary human pancreas duct cells

Development of systems that reconstitute hallmark features of human pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanINs), the precursor to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, could generate new strategies for early diagnosis and intervention. However, human cell-based PanIN models with defined mutations are unavailable. Here, we report that genetic modification of primary human pancreatic cells leads to development of lesions resembling native human PanINs. Primary human pancreas duct cells harbouring oncogenic KRAS and induced mutations in CDKN2A, SMAD4 and TP53 expand in vitro as epithelial spheres. After pancreatic transplantation, mutant clones form lesions histologically similar to native PanINs, including prominent stromal responses. Gene expression profiling reveals molecular similarities of mutant clones with native PanINs, and identifies potential PanIN biomarker candidates including Neuromedin U, a circulating peptide hormone. Prospective reconstitution of human PanIN development from primary cells provides experimental opportunities to investigate pancreas cancer development, progression and early-stage detection.
Cardio-oncology: the Nuclear Option

Purpose of Review Cardio-oncology focuses increased effort to decrease cancer treatment-related cardiotoxicity while continuing to improve outcomes. We sought to synthesize the latest in nuclear cardiology as it pertains to the assessment of left ventricular function in preventative guidelines and comparison to other modalities, novel molecular markers of pre-clinical cardiotoxicity, and its role in cardiac amyloid diagnosis.
Effect of surface functionalizations of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on neoplastic transformation potential in primary human lung epithelial cells

AbstractFunctionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (fMWCNT) development has been intensified to improve their surface activity for numerous applications, and potentially reduce toxic effects. Although MWCNT exposures are associated with lung tumorigenesis in vivo, adverse responses associated with exposure to different fMWCNTs in human lung epithelium are presently unknown. This study hypothesized that different plasma-coating functional groups determine MWCNT neoplastic transformation potential. Using our established model, human primary small airway epithelial cells (pSAECs) were continuously exposed for 8 and 12 weeks at 0.06 μg/cm2 to three-month aged as-prepared-(pMWCNT), carboxylated-(MW-COOH), and aminated-MWCNTs (MW-NHx). Ultrafine carbon black (UFCB) and crocidolite asbestos (ASB) served as particle controls. fMWCNTs were characterized during storage, and exposed cells were assessed for several established cancer cell hallmarks. Characterization analyses conducted at 0 and 2 months of aging dete...
No-brainer CPS conversion (functional pearl)

Algorithms that convert direct-style λ-calculus terms to their equivalent terms in continuation-passing style (CPS) typically introduce so-called “administrative redexes:” useless artifacts of the conversion that must be cleaned up by a subsequent pass over the result to reduce them away. We present a simple, linear-time algorithm for CPS conversion that introduces no administrative redexes. In fact, the output term is a normal form in a reduction system that generalizes the notion of “administrative redexes” to what we call “no-brainer redexes,” that is, redexes whose reduction shrinks the size of the term. We state the theorems which establish the algorithm's desireable properties, along with sketches of the full proofs.
Assessment of PSMA targeting ligands bearing novel chelates with application to theranostics: Stability and complexation kinetics of 68Ga3+, 111In3+, 177Lu3+ and 225Ac3.

Abstract Introduction Recent successes in the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPCa) by systemic endoradiotherapy has sparked renewed interest in developing small molecule ligands targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and chelators capable of stable complexation of metal radionuclides for imaging and therapy. As the size and coordination number of metals for imaging, such as 68 Ga 3+ , and for targeted therapy, such as 177 Lu 3+ and 225 Ac 3+ , are substantially different, they may show a preference for macrocycles of different denticity. We have prepared three simple conjugates that target PSMA and form radiometal complexes through coordination by either octa-, deca-, or dodecadentate tetraazacyclododecane chelators. The complex formation and metal ion selectivity of these constructs were determined at two relevant temperatures, complex stability was examined in vitro, and tumor targeting was demonstrated in preclinical PCa models with a view towards identifying a candidate with potential value as a theranostic agent for the imaging and therapy of mCRPCa. Methods Three bifunctional chelates with high denticity, including the octadentate chelate DOTA, the decadentate 3p- C -DEPA and a novel dodecadentate analogue of DEPA, were synthesized and conjugated to a glutamate-urea-lysine (EuK) pharmacophore (EuK-DOTA, EuK-107 and EuK-106, respectively) to enable targeting of PSMA. The metal ion selectivity for each construct was determined by incubation at 25 °C and 95 °C with the trivalent radiometals 68 Ga 3+ , 111 In 3+ , 177 Lu 3+ and 225 Ac 3+ . PSMA binding affinity was determined by competitive binding using LNCaP cells, while in vivo tumor targeting of the 68 Ga-labeled constructs was examined by positron emission tomography (PET) in LNCaP xenograft tumor-bearing mice. Results PMSA affinities (IC 50 values) were 13.3 ± 0.9 nM for EuK-DOTA, 18.0 ± 3.7 nM for EuK-107 and 42.6 ± 6.6 nM for EuK-106. EuK-107 and EuK-DOTA proved to rapidly and near quantitatively complex 68 Ga 3+ , 111 In 3+ , 177 Lu 3+ and 225 Ac 3+ at 95 °C, with EuK-107 also rapidly complexing 111 In 3+ and 177 Lu 3+ at 25 °C. The inability of EuK-106 to chelate 177 Lu 3+ and 225 Ac 3+ suggests that size of the cavity of the macrocylic ring may be more critical than the number of donor groups for the chelation of larger radiometals. In vivo, 68 Ga-EuK-107 proved to have similar uptake to 68 Ga-DKFZ-PSMA-617, a theranostic ligand currently in clinical evaluation, in a PSMA positive xenograft tumor model. Conclusions The broad metal ion selectivity, good in vitro affinity for PSMA and good in vivo tumor targeting suggest that EuK-107, with the 3p- C -DEPA chelator, merits further evaluation as a theranostics construct in prostate cancer.
Influence and the New American Revolution

Contemporary political discourse in the United States is rife with ideas on how our society can change and reform — in particular, issues such as campaign finance reform, income inequality, and the use and control of firearms are in need of a comprehensive response that is attentive to the needs and will of the American people. Sadly, the relationship between the American people and our government is currently in a dismal state. This relationship between the people and the government has become unbalanced and unfair, reducing the likelihood of change and deterring individuals from believing in their ability to influence such reform. The need to understand our capacity to effect change, though, is absolutely necessary. The issues facing the American government at this time are as numerous as they are serious, but ideas and proposals are coming forward with the potential to rebalance this relationship. More importantly, they have the potential to usher in a new American Revolution that makes good on the democratic promise of a government for, of and by the people.
Idaho forest growth response to post‐thinning energy biomass removal and complementary soil amendments

Utilization of woody biomass for biofuel can help meet the need for renewable energy production. However, there is a concern biomass removal will deplete soil nutrients, having short- and long-term effects on tree growth. This study aimed to develop short-term indicators to assess the impacts of the first three years after small-diameter woody biomass removal on forest productivity to establish optimal biomass retention levels for mixed-conifer forests in the Inland Northwest region, and to evaluate the ability of soil amendments to compensate for potential adverse effects from biomass removal. We examined impacts of four biomass retention-level treatments at two study locations: full biomass removal (0x), full biomass retention (1x), double biomass retention (2x), and unthinned control. We combined biomass retention with four soil amendment treatments: biochar (B), fertilizer (F), fertilizer and biochar combined (FB), and an untreated control (C). We considered treatment effects on basal area and total stem volume growth for all trees per plot (plot trees) and for the six largest trees per plot (crop trees). Biomass removal had no effect on plot (P > 0.40) or crop tree growth (P > 0.65) compared to normal biomass retention. High biomass retention (2x) decreased plot tree growth as compared to normal biomass retention (1x) levels (P 0.47). Initial findings after three years suggest removing small-diameter biomass for biofuel feedstocks is feasible in the Inland Northwest without negative impacts on tree growth.
Points of Entanglement: The Overdetermination of German Space and Identity in Lola + Bilidikid and Walk on Water

Author(s): Baer, Nicholas | Abstract: In this essay, I consider how films have engaged with the politics of German space and identity in the context of the country’s National Socialist past – and, more specifically, in the context of relations between and among Germans, Jews, and Turks. I analyze scenes from two recent films, Turkish director Kutlug Ataman’s Lola + Bilidikid (1999) and Israeli director Eytan Fox’s Walk on Water (2004), that evoke Beruhrung between and among these groups through their use of spaces in Berlin that bear weighty historical and ideological connotations. Of key interest for me is the function of queerness and drag in these scenes, as well as the manner in which the scenes serve not only as contestations over space, but also as opportunities for the negotiation of the German body politic.
Partisan Dynamics in Presidential Primaries and Campaign Divisiveness

Observers have noted that the Republican and Democratic primaries differ substantially, with Republicans typically having an easier time selecting their nominee. Previous research has suggested tha...
The Durability of Colegrove v. Green

A certain tendency to animism affects lawyers when they talk about cases, and they communicate it to interested laymen. Animated cases rise, struggle, and conquer, or are vanquished by, other cases. And so Baker v. Carr I is thought to have vanquished Colegrove v. Green.2 But caution is advisable. The millenium has not arrived for urban voters. A crack in the judicial gate that should not have been closed in Colegrove v. Green has now been pried open, but the gate has not swung on its hinges. Urban voters will be snatching defeat from the jaws of victory if they now concentrate all their energies on law suits and focus their hopes of ultimate success on the judiciary. Baker v. Carr has made clear what the decision in Colegrove v. Green was not, and should never have been thought to be. Colegrove did not hold that the Court may never interfere with the election process, or that there are no judicially enforceable constitutional principles that apply to elections. For the Court has interfered consistently for some fifty years to enforce the fifteenth amendment's guarantee that "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."8 Nor-though a passage in Mr. Justice Frankfurter's opinion does tend in this direction 4-can Colegrove rest on the proposition that the Constitution, properly interpreted, confides to Congress exclusive authority to regulate congressional elections. For plainly the fifteenth amendment cuts across any such exclusive authority, and as a matter of textual interpretation, there is no readily apparent reason why the fourteenth amendment's guarantee of the equal protection of the laws should not similarly cut across and similarly authorize judicial intervention. To be sure, the Constitution specifically empowers Congress to make or alter regulations about the times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, and it confers upon Congress the duty to apportion representatives among the States "according to their respective Numbers," and to "be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members." But there is no textual reason why these duties and functions of Congress
Workshop 3: Use of EM beams for the efficient simulation of antenna and scattering problems

It is well known from the independent works of Keller, Deschamps, and Felsen, respectively, that an electromagnetic (EM) point current source positioned in complex space produces a beam wave field which is highly localized about its forward propagation axis. It is noted that the EM field of a complex source beam (CSB) constitutes an exact solution of Maxwell's equations, and it is simply obtained by an analytic continuation of the exact closed form expression of the EM field for a point current in real space, where the real source coordinates are replaced by complex values. In its paraxial region, a CSB automatically reduces to a Gaussian Beam (GB). By controlling the values of the complex source coordinates, one can produce either a CSB with a very broad (not well focused) beam or a very narrow (highly focused) beam; consequently, such a CSB field can be made to pass smoothly from the field of a real point source to a plane wave field. It is clear that CSBs can serve as highly useful basis functions to represent EM fields, and indeed they have been used in this fashion by some researchers in this area. Here, additional useful methods for developing convergent CSB expansions to represent the fields of EM sources, via appropriate EM equivalence theorems, will be illustrated. Applications of such CSB expansions to analyze a class of electrically large practical antenna and scattering problems will be presented to demonstrate their utility.
Rapidly progressing lepidic pulmonary metastases from a treated poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma demonstrating new pathologic features of cholangiocarcinoma: A potential diagnostic pitfall that may mimic pneumonia

Although the lung is a common site for metastatic disease from extrathoracic malignancies, a pattern of lepidic growth of these metastases is considered rare. A 67-year-old man with a history of partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presented to our hospital with dyspnea and a nonproductive cough. Chest radiographs and computed tomography imaging demonstrated consolidation in the right upper lobe and an ipsilateral pleural effusion. Findings were initially suspected to be secondary to infection, given the radiographic appearance and the rapid development from a normal computed tomography 3 months previously. However, the patient did not have convincing clinical evidence of pneumonia, and after little change after antibiotic therapy, a thoracentesis and pleural biopsy were performed that were positive for malignancy. Although immunostaining and morphology closely resembled the patient's primary HCC, new pathologic features of cholangiocarcinoma were found. We herein report the first case of rapidly progressing lepidic pulmonary metastases from an HCC that dedifferentiated into a hepatocholangiocarcinoma.
Backlash against the ADA: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Implications for Social Justice Strategies

For civil rights lawyers who had toiled through the 1980s in the increasingly barren fields of race and sex discrimination law, the charmed passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act through the U.S. House and Senate and across a Republican President's desk must have seemed vaguely surreal. The strongly bipartisan House vote in the Summer of 1990 was a remarkable 377 to 28, the vote in the Senate an equally overwhelming 91 to 6.' Rising to speak in favor of the bill, Republican co-sponsor Orrin Hatch—not known for impassioned endorsements of new civil rights protections—cried on the Senate floor.2 Senator Tom Harkin, who had earlier delivered his floor remarks in American Sign Language, said of the bill following the Senate vote, "It will change the way we live forever."3 Signing the bill into law, President Bush was equally effusive. Describing the nation's historical treatment of the disabled as comprising a "shameful wall of exclusion," President Bush compared passage of the ADA to the destruction of the Berlin Wall:
Antimicrobial susceptibility tests: testing methods and interpretive problems.

Infectious diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. This fact places a tremendous burden on the clinical microbiology laboratory to diagnose rapidly the etiologic agent(s) responsible for a patient’s infection and provide therapeutic guidance for eradication of the organism(s). Laboratories are asked not only to perform these tasks with precision and rapidity, but also in a cost-effective manner in an era of increasing emphasis on reduction of laboratory expenses. Physicians will pose the question — How accurately can antimicrobial susceptibility tests predict clinical outcome? At the same time, the microbiologists ask — What method should we use for performing susceptibility tests? What is the most accurate method? What is the most cost — effective method? What are the limitations of the in vitro tests? I will try to address these questions in the following discussion.