cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased Nanoparticle Delivery to Brain Tumors by Autocatalytic Priming for Improved Treatment and Imaging

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is partially disrupted in brain tumors. Despite the gaps in the BBB, there is an inadequate amount of pharmacological agents delivered into the brain. Thus, the low delivery efficiency renders many of these agents ineffective in treating brain cancer. In this report, we proposed an “autocatalytic” approach for increasing the transport of nanoparticles into the brain. In this strategy, a small number of nanoparticles enter into the brain via transcytosis or through the BBB gaps. After penetrating the BBB, the nanoparticles release BBB modulators, which enables more nanoparticles to be transported, creating a positive feedback loop for increased delivery. Specifically, we demonstrated that these autocatalytic brain tumor-targeting poly(amine-co-ester) terpolymer nanoparticles (ABTT NPs) can readily cross the BBB and preferentially accumulate in brain tumors at a concentration of 4.3- and 94.0-fold greater than that in the liver and in brain regions without tumors, respectively....
Retinyl esters in the vertebrate neuroretina

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to measure retinyl esters in the vertebrate retina. Both retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from frog, chicken, and bovine eyes were studied. In comparison to the RPE, the retina possessed a significant level of 11-cis and all trans retinyl palmitate. Using a sensitive radioassay, we also detected the presence of retinyl ester hydrolase (REH) activity in homogenates prepared from both retina and RPE. The rate of retinyl ester hydrolysis in these retinas was sufficiently high to supply retinal chromophores for the metabolic renewal and for the regeneration of visual pigments. In comparison to retinyl esters in the RPE, retinyl esters in the retina are located much closer to the sites of visual pigment synthesis and regeneration. Hence it is possible that these retinyl esters play a more important role in the visual cycle than those in the RPE.
Intranasal insulin neuroprotection in ischemic stroke

Acute ischemic stroke(AIS)is a leading cause of death and long-term disability in the USA and worldwide.Significant advances in the last two decades have resulted in the introduction of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and more recently catheter based endovascular interventions in selected patients(Berkhemer et al.,2015;Goyal et al.,2015).These interventions
UNCONVINCED BUT PERSUADED: HOW CONFIDENT ADVISORS INFLUENCE YOU

Is it possible to increase one's influence simply by pretending to be confident that one is correct? There are two competing hypotheses in the literature – the confidence heuristic hypothesis (more...
Comparison Analysis between Two-line and Three-line Indica Hybrid Rice Combinations in the Middle and Down Area of the Yangtse Valley of China

Based on the statistical data of national rice variety regional trials,registration and application in China from 2001 to 2008,the registration,yield,resistance,grain quality and extension between two-line and three-line indica hybrid rice in the middle and down area of the Yangtse Valley were compared.It was found that the yield of two-line hybrid rice was generally higher than that of three-line hybrid rice,the grain quality of two-line hybrid rice was a little bit superior to that of three-line hybrid rice,and the resistance of main diseases and pests of two-line hybrid rice was similar to that of three-line hybrid rice,but the performance varied with different types of rice to some extent.Most of registry combinations were three-line type and the planting area of three-line hybrid rice was much more than that of two-line hybid rice.However,the registry number,planting area of two-line hybrid rice and the rate of two-line hybrid rice gradually increased from 2001 to 2008.
Load Property Analysis Method for Demanders Participating Orderly Power Utilization

Our country has been long-term facing the regional, seasonal, periodical and structural shortage of power. Orderly power utilization is a tool to keep balance in supply and demand of power and so as to ensure the power supply to residential and important demanders. However, currently choosing demanders to participate into orderly power utilization program is mostly subjectively decided by the operator, which is lacking of scientific basis, unreasonable and injustice. This paper proposes a load characteristic analysis method for orderly power utilization demanders based on fine management object.Through clustering the historical load of the demanders, typical daily load curve of demanders are figured out. Then through combining the sampling points clusters of typical daily load curve, power utilization pattern and power utilization interval of demanders are obtained. The peak load shifting and holiday staggering plan value of the demanders are calculated. Rules and strategies for orderly power utilization demander selection are constituted based on the analysis of load property, which, is public to the community, makes the orderly power utilization work more scientifically and orderly.
High-Temperature Resins

The composites discussed in this chapter employ high-temperature resins as matrix materials. High-temperature resins are linear or crosslinked, aromatic/heterocyclic polymers that have a high glass transition temperature (T g) and can withstand continuous exposure in air at temperatures above 600° F (316°C) without exhibiting a significant loss of structural integrity. Although these polymers do undergo thermo-oxidative degradation during elevated-temperature exposure in air, they degrade at relatively slow rates. Furthermore, it is speculated that these polymers degrade into stable residues, thus increasing their service life at elevated temperatures.
WE-H-BRB-00: Big Data in Radiation Oncology

Big Data in Radiation Oncology: (1) Overview of the NIH 2015 Big Data Workshop, (2) Where do we stand in the applications of big data in radiation oncology?, and (3) Learning Health Systems for Radiation Oncology: Needs and Challenges for Future Success The overriding goal of this trio panel of presentations is to improve awareness of the wide ranging opportunities for big data impact on patient quality care and enhancing potential for research and collaboration opportunities with NIH and a host of new big data initiatives. This presentation will also summarize the Big Data workshop that was held at the NIH Campus on August 13–14, 2015 and sponsored by AAPM, ASTRO, and NIH. The workshop included discussion of current Big Data cancer registry initiatives, safety and incident reporting systems, and other strategies that will have the greatest impact on radiation oncology research, quality assurance, safety, and outcomes analysis. Learning Objectives: 1.To discuss current and future sources of big data for use in radiation oncology research 2.To optimize our current data collection by adopting new strategies from outside radiation oncology 3.To determine what new knowledge big data can provide for clinical decision support for personalized medicine L. Xing, NIH/NCI Google Inc.
There and Back Again: The Middle Earth of DNA Repair

Future generations of cancer researchers will look upon this as a historic era, witness to an unprecedented set of discoveries that converted fundamental mechanistic observations into new therapeutic tests, clinical advances, and improved cancer care. Basic understanding of T-cell function and newly
Surgical resection of fourth ventricular ependymomas: case series and technical nuances

Ependymomas are rare neuroepithelial tumors which may arise anywhere along the ventricular system. Tumors arising in the fourth ventricle present unique challenges. Complete tumor resection favors prolonged survival, but may result in inadvertent injury of surrounding neural structures-such as cranial nerve (CN) nuclei. Here, our institutional experience with surgical resection of fourth ventricular ependymomas is described. A single institution, retrospective analysis of consecutive case series of adult surgically resected fourth ventricular ependymomas with the bilateral telovelar approach. Extent of resection, outcomes and postoperative complications are statistically analyzed. From January 2000 to April 2016, 22 fourth ventricular ependymomas underwent surgical resection. Gross total resection was achieved in 18 of 22 cases (82 %). There were six postoperative CN palsies-3 lower CN palsies (IX, X, or XI), 1 CN VII palsy, 1 CN IV palsy, and 1 CN VI palsy. No deaths or cerebellar mutism occurred. Two of 6 CN deficits resolved and the rate of permanent neurologic deficit was 18 %. A CN deficit was not statistically associated with prolonged hospital stay or functional outcome. With exception of one patient, all patients functionally improved or remained unchanged following surgery. Postoperative complications included one wound infection (4.5 %) and four pseudomeningoceles (18 %). The rate of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus was 18 %. Tumors adherence to the fourth ventricular floor is not an absolute contraindication for complete resection. Intraoperative neuro-monitoring is essential, and the development of sustained, but not transient CN activity, and/or hemodynamically significant bradycardia should limit the extent of resection.
An analysis of IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS)

This paper analyzes the complexity of IP multimedia subsystems (IMS) proposed by 3GPP/3GPP2. Using two different mobility models, the paper provides a methodology to determine the number of accesses to the IMS servers. The analysis considers mobility of users across registration areas, which generates IMS registration requests as well as signaling to IMS servers due to service requests initiated by users. This analysis is intended to guide network architects and designers in sizing IMS deployments and to help them improve the utilization of IMS systems.
Materialismo no limbo: Demócrito, Santayana e a ética da Metafísica

In this essay, I argue that the mark of a viable metaphysics is as much practical and ethical as it is logical and systematic. To do this, I analyze George Santayana’s Dialogues in Limbo, where he affirms his support of the atomistic materialism of Democritus on pragmatic grounds. A metaphysics, he suggests, is a worldview that accommodates a person—viewed as a particular kind of psychological organism—wisely to the forces of nature and best enables that person to lead a flourishing life. At the same time, Santayana puts his own stamp on materialism by challenging the possibility that Democritus’s geometric characterization of atoms can be a literal account of material substance. He reinterprets Democritean metaphysics as a poetic and mythological position that discounts subjective experience and instead turns our attention to the substrative origins of our being.
Deep modeling: Circuit characterization using theory based models in a data driven framework

Analog computational circuits have been demonstrated to provide substantial improvements in power and speed relative to digital circuits, especially for applications requiring extreme parallelism but only modest precision. Deep machine learning is one such area and stands to benefit greatly from analog and mixed-signal implementations. However, even at modest precisions, offsets and non-linearity can degrade system performance. Furthermore, in all but the simplest systems, it is impossible to directly measure the intermediate outputs of all sub-circuits. The result is that circuit designers are unable to accurately evaluate the non-idealities of computational circuits in-situ and are therefore unable to fully utilize measurement results to improve future designs. In this paper we present a technique to use deep learning frameworks to model physical systems. Recently developed libraries like TensorFlow make it possible to use back propagation to learn parameters in the context of modeling circuit behavior. Offsets and scaling errors can be discovered even for sub-circuits that are deeply embedded in a computational system and not directly observable. The learned parameters can be used to refine simulation methods or to identify appropriate compensation strategies. We demonstrate the framework using a mixed-signal convolution operator as an example circuit.
Urban development patterns and exposure to hazardous and protective traffic environments

Abstract Estimates of the proportion of the U.S. population living close to high-traffic roads range from four to 19%. These proportions are higher for minority and low-income populations. Although the relationships among traffic exposure, race, and socioeconomic status have been consistent and reproducible, they are spatially heterogeneous and there has been limited investigation into the patterns heterogeneity. Using a spatially-explicit global regression and an exploratory geographically weighted regression (GWR), we examined variation in residential exposure to traffic at regional and neighborhood scales. Race/ethnicity, income, and college attainment are our variables of interest. Consistent with prior studies, we found that minority and lower socioeconomic status are systematically linked to higher exposure to traffic. Furthermore, the GWR approach has the potential to uncover patterns of disparities at a more localized level. However, a richer set of land use variables needs to be evaluated within this framework.
4D flow MRI, cardiac function, and T1‐mapping: Association of valve‐mediated changes in aortic hemodynamics with left ventricular remodeling

BACKGROUND: Patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) show altered hemodynamics in the ascending aorta that can be assessed by 4D flow MRI. PURPOSE: Comprehensive cardiac MRI was applied to test the hypothesis that BAV-mediated changes in aortic hemodynamics (wall shear stress [WSS] and velocity) are associated with parameters of left ventricular (LV) remodeling. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective data analysis. POPULATION: Forty-nine BAV patients (mean age = 50.2 ± 13.5, 62% male). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP)-CINE, pre- and postcontrast T1 mapping with modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI), time-resolved 3D phase-contrast (PC) MRI with three-directional velocity encoding (4D flow MRI) at 1.5 and 3T. ASSESSMENT: Quantification of LV volumetric data and myocardial mass, extracellular volume fraction (ECV), aortic valve stenosis (AS), and regurgitation (AR). 3D aortic segmentation, quantification of peak systolic velocities, and 3D WSS in the ascending aorta (AAo), arch, and descending aorta (DAo). STATISTICAL TESTS: Two-sided nonpaired t-test to compare subgroups. Pearson correlation coefficient for correlations between aortic hemodynamics and LV parameters. RESULTS: Of the 49 BAV patients, 35 had aortic valve dysfunction (AS [n = 7], AR [n = 16], both AS and AR [n = 12]). Mean systolic WSS in the AAo, peak systolic velocities in the AAo and arch, and LV mass were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the AS/AR group compared to the patients without AS/AR. In the complete group, we observed significant relationships between increased LV mass and elevated peak systolic velocity (r = 0.57, r = 0.58; P < 0.001) and WSS in the AAo and arch, respectively (r = 0.54, r = 0.46; P < 0.001). We detected an association between ECV and WSS in the AAo (r = 0.38, P = 0.02). These relations did not hold true for patients without AV dysfunction. DATA CONCLUSION: AS and AR in BAV patients have a major impact on elevated aortic peak velocities and WSS that were associated with parameters of LV remodeling. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017.
Entitled to Benevolence? South Korea’s Government-Sponsored Volunteers as Public Diplomacy and Development Actors

As a donor, South Korea presents itself as a former recipient of aid that has successfully transitioned to a donor country, emphasizing international development volunteering as an act of “giving back what we have received” based on shared understanding and respect toward the host. This chapter critically engages with first-hand accounts of former volunteers of South Korea’s government-run international volunteer program. Taking a critical approach to development communication, the chapter demonstrates how a volunteer relationship with the host is inextricably tied to the broader dominant imaginaries of development where development actors are legitimized and delegitimized along lines of nation, race, and gender. The author demonstrates how Korea’s narrative of development as linear growth and the assumptions of a hierarchical world order further contributes to self-consciousness of the volunteers’ inferior positionality. Positioned within such established imaginaries of development, their performative assertions of cultural identity only subjects the volunteers as spectacle. This, in turn, challenges positive and meaningful volunteer–host relationship-building.
Stem Cells for Neurovascular Repair in CNS Trauma

Stem cells exert therapeutic effects for central nervous system (CNS) trauma. Accumulating evidence reveals that stem cell-based therapies for CNS trauma can be achieved via transplantation of exogenous stem cells or stimulation of endogenous stem cells from the neurogenic niches of subventricular zone and subgranular zone, or recruited from the bone marrow through peripheral circulation. In this chapter, we review the different sources of stem cells that have been tested in animal models of CNS trauma, highlighting the research progress on stem cell-based therapeutics in stroke and their extension to traumatic brain injury (TBI). In addition, we discuss specific mechanisms of action, in particular neurovascular repair by endothelial progenitor cells, as key translational research for advancing the clinical applications of stem cells for CNS trauma.
Aging Microglia: Relevance to Cognition and Neural Plasticity

Over the years it has become evident that the immune system can affect the function of the central nervous system (CNS), including altering cognitive processes. The impact of immune activation on the CNS is particularly important for aged individuals, as the brain's resident immune cells, microglia, acquire a pro-inflammatory profile. The low-grade chronic neuroinflammation that develops with normal aging likely contributes to the susceptibility to cognitive deficits and a host of age-related pathologies. Understanding why microglia show increased inflammatory activity (i.e., neuroinflammation) and identifying effective treatments to reduce microglia activation is expected to have beneficial effects on cognitive performance and measures of neural plasticity. However, microglia also promote regeneration after injury. Therefore, effective treatments must dampen inflammatory activity while preserving microglia's neuroprotective function. Discovering factors that induce neuroinflammation and investigating potential preventative therapies is expected to uncover the ways of maintaining normal microglia activity in the aged brain.
Árboles nativos de montaña en paisajes cordilleranos : el caso de las Pulpicas de Tulahuencito

Se presenta un estudio de caso relacionado con los arboles nativos de montana, se trabaja con las pulpicas de Tulahuencito, estos arboles se encuentran en el sector montanoso cercano a la localidad de La Tranquita, comuna de Monte Patria, Region de Coquimbo. La metodologia a emplear es analisis bibliografico, elaboracion de cartografia, se establecieron mediciones utilizando cuadrante de 5 X 5 metros, para evaluar la cantidad de plantas que existe en la parcela, la edad del vegetal encontrado, la altura y el ancho de los individuos y la presencia de nuevas plantulas debajo de las pulpicas. Tambien se evaluo el suelo donde se encuentran estos arboles de montana y el estado fenologico de los vegetales. La idea es contar con un registro que permita la comunidad del sector cuidar y conservar estos arboles nativos. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar el espacio geografico y las caracteristicas naturales de las pulpicas, considerando sus potencialidades y amenazas. Los resultados seran un aporte a los pobladores del sector para conservar y promover el uso responsable de estos arboles de montana.
Effect of dual ultrashort laser pulses on metal ablation for efficient micromachining

The properties of laser ablation of metallic targets with ultrashort single and double pulses with a similar total energy were investigated for two target materials: silver and copper. The numerical analysis was performed using the developed femto-2d computer package developed by the authors based on the solution of a two-temperature model. The thermal dependence of the target optical and thermodynamic processes and their role in the overall target response to dual pulse laser irradiation were carefully considered. The ablation rate for a dual pulse laser machining at the optimal pulse separation time was found to be similar (for silver) or above (for copper) the ablation rate for a single pulse machining for the same total fluence. The advantages of using dual pulse laser micromachining are reduced maximum electron temperature and increased lattice temperature in the ablated region predicted by the model developed by the authors.
Macroeconomic Effects of Tax Changes: Evidence from a Sample of OECD Countries

This paper investigates the macroeconomic effects of tax changes. Using annual data from 1870 to 2013 for a panel of seventeen OECD economies, the empirical findings show that changes in the tax rate have temporary effects on the real growth rate but permanent effects on the level of output. The tax multiplier is estimated at –0.25 for the first year and around –0.60 in the long run. The evidence shows that tax changes have much stronger effects on investment than on consumption, and that they exert only short -term influence on the interest rate. An increase in the tax rate appears to raise the price level permanently and the inflation rate temporarily, implying stronger aggregate-supply than aggregate-demand effects. JEL classification: E32, E62, H20
Swing and a Miss: Reflections on the “Voluntariness” of Pleas in Juvenile Court

Abstract Plea bargaining is a common tool in the U.S. justice system. When used appropriately and with defendant protections ensured, it can help keep an overloaded system operating smoothly and improve timely administration of justice. Adolescent defendants, however, present a unique population who often face plea bargain decisions before they are considered an adult in most other relevant contexts (e.g., voting). Because of developmental and social dynamics, adolescents could be more susceptible to influence from others, thereby accepting a plea bargain they do not actually fully endorse. This susceptibility introduces interesting considerations about how adolescents participate in plea bargain decisions – particularly regarding the degree to which they make the decision voluntarily and independently. This article employs a social psychological perspective to review some of the primary dynamics that judges and other legal actors should be aware of in assessing plea bargains made by juveniles, with a particular focus on the issue of “voluntariness”. We conclude with nine recommendations for improving practice in adolescent plea bargain cases, as well as suggestions for future research on this relatively unexplored topic.
Conformity and State Income Taxes: Suggestions for the Crisis

To guarantee adequate revenue in the post-COVID-19 era, state governments should consider using all possible tools at their disposal. This article explains how and why state governments should evaluate their degree of conformity with federal tax changes in order to achieve this purpose. We recommend that state governments consider: Adopting either a static or selective conformity that enables the state to choose the federal tax changes it is adopting, rather than automatically adopting all changes. In most cases, in the current crisis conditions, this should primarily involve accepting revenue-enhancing provisions and rejecting those that reduce revenue. Rejecting or postponing conformity to several changes contained in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, including changes to the business interest deduction rules (section 163), net operating losses (section 172), charitable deductions (section 170), and several employer-related provisions, most of which are revenue losers. Adopting, if they have not done so already, the revenue-enhancing provisions of the global intangible low-taxed income rules, originally contained in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
An evaluation of telehealth expansion in U.S. nursing homes.

OBJECTIVE This research brief contains results from a national survey about telehealth use reported in a random sample of U.S. nursing homes. METHODS AND MATERIALS The sample includes nursing homes (N = 664) that completed surveys about information technology maturity, including telehealth use, beginning January 1, 2019, and ending August 4, 2020. A pre/post design was employed to examine differences in nursing home telehealth use for nursing homes completing surveys prior to and after telehealth expansion, on March 6, 2020. We calculated a cumulative telehealth score using survey data from 6 questions about extent of nursing home telehealth use (score range 0-42). We calculated proportions of nursing homes using telehealth and used logistic regression to look for differences in nursing homes based on organizational characteristics and odds ratios. RESULTS Significant relationships were found between nursing home characteristics and telehealth use, and specifically, larger metropolitan homes reported greater telehealth use. Ownership had little effect on telehealth use. Nursing homes postexpansion used telehealth applications for resident evaluation 11.24 times more (P < .01) than did nursing homes pre-expansion. DISCUSSION Administrators completing our survey reported a wide range of telehealth use, including approximately 16% having no telehealth use and 5% having the maximum amount of telehealth use. Mean telehealth use scores reported by the majority of these nursing homes is on the lower end of the range. CONCLUSIONS One solution for the current pandemic is to encourage the proliferation of telehealth with continued relaxed regulations, which can reduce isolation and preserve limited resources (eg, personal protective equipment) while maintaining proper distancing parameters.
Microclusters as T Cell Signaling Hubs: Structure, Kinetics, and Regulation

When T cell receptors (TCRs) engage with stimulatory ligands, one of the first microscopically visible events is the formation of microclusters at the site of T cell activation. Since the discovery of these structures almost 20 years ago, they have been studied extensively in live cells using confocal and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. However, due to limits in image resolution and acquisition speed, the spatial relationships of signaling components within microclusters, the kinetics of their assembly and disassembly, and the role of vesicular trafficking in microcluster formation and maintenance were not finely characterized. In this review, we will summarize how new microscopy techniques have revealed novel insights into the assembly of these structures. The sub-diffraction organization of microclusters as well as the finely dissected kinetics of recruitment and disassociation of molecules from microclusters will be discussed. The role of cell surface molecules in microcluster formation and the kinetics of molecular recruitment via intracellular vesicular trafficking to microclusters is described. Finally, the role of post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination in the downregulation of cell surface signaling molecules is also discussed. These results will be related to the role of these structures and processes in T cell activation.
Coal optimism: carbon ideologies and the good lives of extraction

This essay argues that a persistent structure of feeling in the literature and cultural politics of coal extraction in the United States can be described by Lauren Berlant’s concept of ‘cruel optim...
Critical Race Theory Meets Third World Approaches to International Law

By and large, Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) exist in separate epistemic universes. This Article argues that the borders between these two fields are unwarranted. Specifically, the Article articulates six parallel ways in which CRT and TWAIL have exposed and challenged the racial dimensions of United States law and international law, respectively. It explores the related ways in which both CRT scholars and TWAIL scholars have: contested the legalization of white supremacy; marked and problematized the degree to which regimes of inclusion can operate as technologies of exclusion; staged important if non-identical critiques of colorblindness; engaged and repudiated neoliberal claims about racialized social responsibility and agency; confronted perceptions that both literatures exist outside the boundaries of the presumptively neutral scholarly conventions of constitutional law and international law, engendering either criticism or willful dis-attention or non-engagement by mainstream scholars; and remained invested in reconstruction and transformation of and within law, seeking to maximize its emancipatory potential for racial justice and equality even while remaining clear-eyed about the limits and costs of such engagement and the need to effectuate change in other arenas, such as social movements.
Intra-articular Distal Humerus Fractures: Parallel Versus Orthogonal Plating:

Background: Dual-plating osteosynthesis is the standard treatment for Orthopedic Trauma Association (OTA)-type 13-C distal humerus fractures. However, optimal plate position is debated. Purpose: Th...
Sleep disordered breathing in infants with Prader-Willi syndrome during the first 6 weeks of growth hormone therapy: a pilot study.

Background:Sleep-related breathing disorders are common in individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). The US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of growth hormone in PWS in 2000. Many ...
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN JOB SATISFACTION

This article analyzes gender differences in job satisfaction among full-time workers. Why do women report equal or greater job satisfaction than men in spite of objectively inferior jobs? Analysis ...
Highlights on Novel Imaging Methods of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths. Since the majority of patients present with incurable metastatic disease, novel imaging methods are needed to identify pancreatic cancer and assess response to therapy. Research presented at the 2013 American Society of Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting provided insight into potential imaging methods. We discuss Abstracts #4049, #TPS4144, #TPS4146, and #E15069 in this paper.Image: Contrast enhanced MRI of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
A rational analysis of categorization

Abstract A rational analysis tries to predict the behavior of a cognitive system from the assumption it is optimized to the environment. An iterative categorization algorithm has been developed which attempts to get optimal Bayesian estimates of the probabilities that objects will display various features. A prior probability is estimated that an object comes from a category and combined with conditional probabilities of displaying features if the object comes from the category. Separate Bayesian treatments are offered for the cases of discrete and continuous dimensions. The resulting algorithm is efficient, works well in the case of large data bases, and replicates the full range of empirical literature in human categorization.
Efficacy of vitrectomy and epiretinal membrane peeling in eyes with dry age-related macular degeneration.

OBJECTIVE To study the efficacy of epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling in eyes with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS We retrospectively analyzed patient charts on 17 eyes (16 patients) that underwent ERM peeling with a concurrent diagnosis of dry AMD. RESULTS Eyes with concurrent dry AMD and with a good preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (better than or equal to 20/50) had a statistically significant mean BCVA improvement at 6 months after ERM peeling. There was a statistical increase in mean BCVA from 20/95 to 20/56 in dry AMD eyes, and no eyes showed worsening in BCVA at 6 months or at most recent follow-up. Five/seventeen (29.4%) eyes had cataract formation or progression. There were no other complications, reoperations, or reoccurrences. CONCLUSION ERM peeling in eyes with dry AMD may show significant improvement, especially in eyes with good preoperative BCVA. The procedure is relatively safe with low complications and reoccurrences.
Effect of cyclical unipolar depression on upper gastrointestinal motility and sleep

Cyclic 48-h unipolar depression is a rare form of recurrent affective disorder. We studied a single patient to determine (a) if there is an association between psychiatric status and migrating motor complex activity; and (b) if phase III of the migrating motor complex is in phase with rapid eye movement sleep in depression. There was marked reduction in phase III of the migrating motor complex during the depressed (n = 7) compared with the euthymic phase (n = 13), and a lack of coherence between phase III migrating motor complex activity and sleep stages in both depressed and nondepressed phases. The depressed state may be associated with altered upper gastrointestinal motor function.
The Cerebellum and Verbal Working Memory

Cerebellar damage or dysfunction often results in working memory deficits. Current evidence suggests that the cerebellum may contribute to phonological storage and/or articulatory control (that refreshes the storage) during verbal working memory. Several proposals have been put forth to postulate the mechanism by which the cerebellum supports verbal working memory, including a forward model of error detection and correction of subvocal content. Verbal working memory and motor functions appear to draw upon overlapping resources, demonstrated by studies showing that cerebellar-related motor deficits are exacerbated by working memory demands. A deeper understanding and characterization of cerebellar contributions to verbal working memory may be particularly relevant for clinical populations so that compensatory strategies can be developed to improve quality of life.
Forehead flap in nasal reconstruction

Abstract We establish criteria for aesthetic forehead flap reconstructions and evaluate the effect of mathematical models and computer simulation of the operation in preoperative and perioperative planning. We study a case series of 13 patients in an academic tertiary referral medical center. Most patients had nasal defects after Mohs' surgery for tumor ablation. Patients were followed up for 2 years after reconstructive surgery. Three patients underwent midline forehead flap nasal reconstructions, and 10 patients underwent paramedian forehead flap nasal reconstructions. We used patient satisfaction and physician evaluation of aesthetic form and function restoration as the main outcome measures. There were no major complications. Minor complications included short-term pincushioning in all patients, scar contracture that resolved after 8 months in one patient, and forehead necrosis after primary closure of the upper forehead in one patient. Computer simulation correlated two-dimension flap design to the transposition process. We conclude that the forehead flap is the optimal reconstructive modality for resurfacing large nasal defects. The paramedian forehead flap is superior to the midline forehead flap for nasal reconstruction, especially for distal tip reconstructions. Mathematical models and computer simulation of the reconstructive procedure that relate the two-dimensional flap design to the transposition process reveal subtle geometric relationships of the flap transposition that facilitate the design of the optimal flap for reconstruction. (OTOLARYNGOL HEAD NECK SURG 1995;113:740-7.)
Heat transfer enhancement in suspensions of agitated solids. Part III: Thermophoretic transport of nanoparticles in the diffusion limit

Abstract We illustrate the diffusion limit of wall heat transfer in fluid–solid suspensions by considering small colloidal particles dilute in a liquid at rest. Because such particles are agitated by Brownian motion, their self-diffusivity is modest, the fluid and solid phases share the same temperature, and mixture theory should predict the effective suspension conductivity. We show how thermophoresis creates suspension inhomogeneities, suggest ways to mitigate the latter with ultrasonic forcing, and examine consequences on heat transfer. To inform a debate on nanofluids heat transfer, we show that anomalous conductivity enhancements reported with hot-wire thermal conductimetry can be an experimental artifact of thermophoretic migration along the temperature gradient or timing in the observations.
Beams on a two-dimensional pasternak base subjected to loads that cause lift-off

Abstract First, two closely related problems, shown in Fig. 1, published by Chernigovskaya (1961. In Issledovaniya po Dinamike Sooruzhenii i Raschetu Konstruktsii na Uprugoni Osnovanii (Edited by B. G. Korenev. pp. 113–141. Gosstroiizdat, Moscow) and Ting (1973, J. Franklin Inst. 296 (2), 77–89) are discussed. It is shown that neither of their formulations is correct. The aim of this paper is to show how to correctly formulate and solve problems of this type. Utilizing the variational approach for variable matching points derived by Kerr (1976. Int. J. Solids Structures 12 , 1–11), a formulation lor the problem analyzed by Ting is presented, that is mechanically reasonable and mathematically well posed. The analytical solution obtained is evaluated numerically and then compared with related test results by Durelli et al . (1969. J. Struct. Div. ASCE 95 , 1713–1725). This paper concludes with a discussion of the results obtained.
Bridgman Crystal Growth of an Alloy with Thermosolutal Convection Under Microgravity Conditions

The solidification of a dilute alloy (bismuth-tin) under Bridgman crystal growth conditions is investigated. Computations are performed in two dimensions with a uniform grid. The simulation includes the species concentration, temperature and flow fields, as well as conduction in the ampoule. Fully transient simulations have been performed, with no simplifying steady state approximations. Results are obtained under microgravity conditions for pure bismuth, and for Bi-0.1 at.%Sn and Bi-1.0 at.%Sn alloys, and compared with experimental results obtained from crystals grown in the microgravity environment of space. For the Bi-1.0 at.%Sn case the results indicate that a secondary convective cell, driven by solutal gradients, forms near the interface. The magnitude of the velocities in this cell increases with time, causing increasing solute segregation at the solid/liquid interface. The concentration-dependence of the melting temperature is incorporated in the model for the Bi-1.0 at.%Sn alloy. Satisfactory correspondence is obtained between the predicted and experimental results in terms of solute concentrations in the solidified crystal.
Racial beachhead: diversity and democracy in a military town

Racial beachhead: diversity and democracy in a military town, by Carol Lynn McKibben, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 2012, 334 pp., US$24.95 (paperback). Racial Beachhead is a study of Seasid...
The effect of sequential use of vacuum and forceps for assisted vaginal delivery on neonatal and maternal outcomes

Objective To determine the risk of neonatal and maternal disease associated with the sequential use of vacuum and forceps compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery. Study design Using Washington state birth certificate data linked to hospital discharge records, we compared 3741 vaginal deliveries by both vacuum and forceps, 3741 vacuum deliveries, and 3741 forceps deliveries to 11,223 spontaneous vaginal deliveries. Results Compared with spontaneous vaginal deliveries, deliveries by sequential use of vacuum and forceps had significantly higher rates of intracranial hemorrhage (relative risk [RR], 3.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5 to 10.1), brachial plexus (RR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.6 to 6.4), facial nerve injury (RR, 13.3; 95% CI, 4.7 to 37.7), seizure (RR, 13.7; 95% CI, 2.1 to 88.0), depressed 5-minute Apgar score (RR, 3.0; 95% CI, 2.2 to 4.0), assisted ventilation (RR, 4.8; 95% CI, 2.1 to 11.0), fourth-degree (RR, 11.4; 95% CI, 6.4 to 20.1 among multiparous women) and other lacerations, hematoma (RR, 6.2; 95% CI, 2.1 to 18.1 among multiparous women), and postpartum hemorrhage (RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3 to 2.0). The relative risk of sequential vacuum and forceps use was greater than the sum of the individual relative risks of each instrument for intracranial hemorrhage, facial nerve injury, seizure, hematoma, and perineal and vaginal lacerations. Conclusion Sequential use of vacuum and forceps is associated with increased risk of both neonatal and maternal injury.
The use of prostate-specific antigen kinetics to stratify risk in prostate cancer

Risk assessment is critical to providing appropriate counseling and treatment for patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. The three classic clinical parameters to determine risk have been clinical stage, biopsy grade, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. More recently, the importance of PSA kinetics has been realized in the pretreatment and serologic relapse settings. This article reviews the use of PSA velocity and PSA doubling time in several clinical scenarios.
Memorable messages as guides to self-assessment of behavior: the role of instrumental values

Respondents were asked to recall (a) their own behaviors that either exceeded or violated their personal expectations for themselves, and (b) memorable messages associated with the behaviors yielding a matrix of classes of behavior and types of memorable messages. Control theory predicts that self-assessment of prior behavior involves comparison with internal principles that come from memorable messages. Control theory also posits that internal principles should be subordinate to the highest level of reference values called the system concept that should reflect important instrumental values. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed on 18 3-item subscales measuring Rokeach's Instrumental Values. Four higher order factors were the result of another CFA on the set of 18 subscales. While none of the four higher order value factors predicted hypothesized relationships among values, messages, and behaviors, the value of Responsibility was found to be a significant predictor of patterns in the matrix of...
Social stress and corticosterone regionally upregulate limbic N-methyl-d-aspartatereceptor (NR) subunit type NR2A and NR2B in the lizard anolis carolinensis

Abstract Social aggression in the lizard Anolis carolinensis produces dominant and subordinate relationships while elevating corticosterone levels and monoaminergic transmitter activity in hippocampus (medial and mediodorsal cortex). Adaptive social behavior for dominant and subordinate male A. carolinensis is learned during aggressive interaction and therefore was hypothesized to involve hippocampus and regulation of N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors. To test the effects of social stress and corticosterone on NMDA receptor subunits (NR), male lizards were either paired or given two injections of corticosterone 1 day apart. Paired males were allowed to form dominant–subordinate relationships and were killed 1 day later. Groups included isolated controls, dominant males, subordinate males and males injected with corticosterone. Brains were processed for glutamate receptor subunit immunohistochemistry and fluorescence was analyzed by image analysis for NR 2A and NR 2B in the small and large cell divisions of the medial and mediodorsal cortex. In the small granule cell division there were no significant differences in NR 2A or NR 2B immunoreactivity among all groups. In contrast, there was a significant upregulation of NR 2A and NR 2B subunits in the large pyramidal cell division in all three experimental groups as compared with controls. The results revealed significantly increased NR 2A and NR 2B subunits in behaving animals, whereas animals simply injected with corticosterone showed less of an effect, although they were significantly increased over control. Upregulation of NR 2 subunits occurs during stressful social interactions and is likely to be regulated in part by glucocorticoids. The data also suggest that learning social roles during stressful aggressive interactions may involve NMDA receptor-mediated mechanisms.
Role of medical materials, both in implant and surface applications, in immune response and in resistance to infection.

Abstract The term biocompatibility encompasses many aspects of the behaviour of a material in the body including its effects on the host and the host's effects on it Two aspects of biocompatibility which are difficult to predict are sensitivity reactions and infections. These reactions are very dependent on the host and other factors beyond the control of the testing laboratory. Much of the information on the problems of sensitivity reactions and infection rates in the actual use of the biomaterials and devices comes from case reports in the literature. This article will focus on review papers and a synthesis of reports and does not contain a thorough citation of the literature.
CYCLOOXYGENASE-2-MEDIATED REGULATION OF KUPFFER CELL INTERLEUKIN-6 PRODUCTION FOLLOWING TRAUMA-HEMORRHAGE AND SUBSEQUENT SEPSIS

Studies indicate that trauma-hemorrhage results in activation of Kupffer cells to release inflammatory mediators and it leads to immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to subsequent sepsis. The cyclooxygenase (COX) product prostaglandin (PG) E2 appears to be central to this process, however, non-selective inhibition of COX activity with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents that block both the constitutive (COX-1) and inducible (COX-2) isoforms of cyclooxygenase has not yielded promising results in trauma patients. Nonetheless, it remains unknown whether selective inhibition of COX-2 activity has any salutary effect following trauma-hemorrhage and subsequent induction of sepsis. To study this, male C3H/HeN mice were subjected to laparotomy (i.e., soft-tissue trauma) and hemorrhagic shock (35 +/- 5 mmHg for 90 min, then resuscitated) or to sham operation. Twenty-four hours later, the mice were subjected to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or to sham CLP. The mice were treated with the COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 (10 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) or vehicle immediately after trauma-hemorrhage or sham operation, 12 h thereafter, and following CLP or sham CLP. At 5 h after CLP, plasma PGE2, Interleukin-(IL) 6, and TNF-alpha levels were determined along with Kupffer cell IL-6 and TNF-alpha production in vitro. NS-398 treatment markedly suppressed the elevation in plasma PGE2 levels following CLP. The increase in plasma IL-6 levels after CLP were also significantly attenuated by NS-398 treatment. In vitro Kupffer cell IL-6 production after CLP was significantly reduced by in vivo NS-398 treatment. However, NS-398 had no effect on TNF-alpha levels, in vivo and in vitro. These findings indicate that activation of COX-2 following trauma-hemorrhage and subsequent sepsis up-regulates Kupffer cell IL-6 production. Thus, selective inhibition of COX-2 activity may reduce the deleterious consequences of sepsis under such conditions.