cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dissection of a genetically complex cluster of growth and obesity QTLs on mouse chromosome 2 using subcongenic intercrosses

In a previous study we characterized the B6.CAST-(D2Mit329-D2Mit457)N(6) (B62D) congenic strain, which possesses CAST/EiJ (CAST) chromosome 2 donor alleles from 74 to 180 Mbp on a C57BL6/J (B6) background. This strain exhibited significant decreases in body weight and adiposity attributable to the weight gain 2 (Wg2) quantitative trait locus (QTL). To refine the location of Wg2, we used a two-stage genetic dissection strategy consisting of a B62D × B6 backcross, which mapped Wg2 to the proximal portion of the B62D donor region, followed by the development of seven overlapping subcongenic F2 intercrosses targeting the Wg2 genomic interval. Surprisingly, five of the seven intercrosses displayed significant differences, dependent on genotype, in body weight and/or fat pad mass. These effects were the result of at least four independent QTLs that were named Wg2a, b, c, and d. In contrast to the lean and low body weight phenotype of the B62D parental strain, mice homozygous for CAST congenic alleles (cast/cast) at Wg2a were significantly heavier at 6 and 9 weeks of age, while cast/cast mice at Wg2c had higher levels of total fat. Consistent with the prior observed effects of Wg2, cast/cast mice at Wg2b displayed significant decreases in 6- and 9-week body weight as well as a decrease in total fat pad mass. All of the QTLs had additive effects on body composition except Wg2d, which displayed underdominance for total fat mass. Significant differences in weight and adiposity were also observed in genetically identical b6/b6 homozygous mice across the panel of subcongenics, suggesting either maternal or paternal contributions to body composition. These data represent a significant advancement toward the identification of mouse chromosome 2 growth and obesity quantitative trait genes.
Evaluated Material Properties for a Sintered alpha-Alumina

Results of a data evaluation exercise are presented for a particular specification of sintered alpha-alumina (mass fraction of Al2O3, ≥0.995; relative density (rho/rhotheoretical), ≥0.98; and nominal grain size, 5 μm). A comprehensive set of material property data is established based on published physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of alumina specimens that conform to the constraints of the material specification. The criteria imposed on the properties are that the values should be derived from independent experimental studies, that the values for physically related properties should be mutually self-consistent, and that the sets of values should be compatible with established material property relations. The properties assessed in this manner include crystallography, thermal expansion, density, sound velocity, elastic modulus, shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, bulk modulus, compressive strength, flexural strength, Weibull characteristic strength, Weibull modulus, tensile strength, hardness, fracture toughness, creep rate, creep rate stress exponent, creep activation energy, friction coefficient, wear coefficient, melting point, specific heat, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity.
Distribution and near-bottom transport of larvae and other plankton at hydrothermal vents

Abstract Distributions of larvae of benthic invertebrates and other planktonic organisms (holoplankton) were determined near hydrothermal vents along the East Pacific Rise (9°50′N) and combined with current meter records to estimate the extent and direction of transport in near-bottom flows. Diurnal tidal currents were strong enough to transport larvae substantial distances (up to 2 km) across the ridge axis during a single 12-h excursion. Potential longerterm transport in mean flows, however, appeared to be relatively slow (typically less than 1 km d -1 ). The proportion of larvae dispersing in near-bottom flows, as opposed to becoming entrained into the buoyant plume (and transported up out of the near-bottom environment) was estimated for a range of vent community sizes and black-smoker buoyancy fluxes, using a buoyant-plume entrainment model. These estimates suggested that larvae were most often transported in near-bottom currents, but that plume-level dispersal dominated for short periods of the tidal cycle (0.5–3 h) when the currents were slower than 1–2 cm s -1 . The plume exit temperature also affects entrainment rate, so the proportion of larvae in each transport pathway (near-bottom flows and buoyant plumes) should vary substantially among vent habitats surrounding different temperature vents. The presence of certain holoplankton groups in diffuse vent flows, and their elevated abundances within the axial ridge valley, raises the possibility that these groups may be specifically associated with vent habitats.
Increasing turtle strandings in the southeast United States: A complicating factor

Abstract Increased strandings of dead loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta on southeast US shores may be the result of increased fishing efficiency and improved recruitment of young turtles to the population. Possibly, the practice of discarding overboard large amounts of unwanted fish and biological material may provide a major energy resource for loggerhead sea turtles and crabs, which are also loggerhead food items. Our observations show that many dead loggerheads stranded on Cumberland Island had eaten man-caught food in addition to the expected diet of crabs and other bottom-dwelling animals. Consideration of alternative methods of handling the incidental fish catch while trawling for shrimp may be useful in reducing the problem of killing of sea turtles in shrimp trawls.
Nanoshells with Targeted Simultaneous Enhancement of Magnetic and Optical Imaging and Photothermal Therapeutic Response

Integrating multiple functionalities into individual nanoscale complexes is of tremendous importance in biomedicine, expanding the capabilities of nanoscale structures to perform multiple parallel tasks. Here, the ability to enhance two different imaging technologies simultaneously—fluorescence optical imaging and magnetic resonance imaging—with antibody targeting and photothermal therapeutic actuation is combined all within the same nanoshell-based complex. The nanocomplexes are constructed by coating a gold nanoshell with a silica epilayer doped with Fe 3 O 4 and the fluorophore ICG, which results in a high T 2 relaxivity (390mm ―1 s ―1 ) and 45× fluorescence enhancement of ICG. Bioconjugate nanocomplexes target HER2+ cells and induce photothermal cell death upon near-IR illumination.
Simple transforms for instrumenting fortran decks

A recent revival of interest in measuring program execution behaviour has led to a number of distinct approaches. Arguments are given for a fairly simple method of modifying FORTRAN source code to collect frequency counts. No symbol table is necessary and only a single reserved name is introduced into the source.
Atomistic Studies of Interfacial Structure and Properties

The computer simulation of the structure and fracture of interfaces on an atomic scale requires a computationally efficient prescription for the total energy that is reliable both for small deviations from the bulk as well as for the free surfaces produced during fracture. The recently developed Embedded Atom Method is such a method. It will be briefly described and compared to traditional pair interaction approaches. In particular, it will be shown that the many-body effects inherent in the Embedded Atom Method are essential to correctly describe the experimentally observed surface reconstructions of Au surfaces. The necessary first step in simulating the fracture of an interface, such as a grain boundary, is the determination of the initial or equilibrium atomic configuration of the interface. Equilibrium Monte Carlo simulations using the Embedded Atom Method can determine this structure. This approach will be outlined and various results for grain boundary structure in fcc metals will be presented. The atomic structure of symmetric tilt boundaries is found to be significantly different from that deduced from energy minimization techniques. In addition, the Monte Carlo technique allows for the determination of thermal effects such as the vibrational amplitudes at the interface and the thermal expansion of the interface.
Nucleotide sequence of a type II DNA topoisomerase gene. Bacteriophage T4 gene 39

T4 DNA topoisomerase is a type II enzyme and is thought to be required for normal T4 DNA replication T4 gene 39 codes for the largest of the three subunits of T4 DNA topoisomerase. I have determined the nucleotide sequence of a region of 2568 nucleotides of T4 DNA which includes gene 39. The location of the gene was established by the identification of the first fifteen amino acids in the large open reading frame in the DNA sequence as those found at the amino-terminus of the purified 39-protein. The coding region of gene 39 has 1560 bases, and it is followed by two in-frame stop codons. The gene is preceded by a typical Shine-Dalgarno sequence as well as possible promoter sequences for E. coli RNA polymerase. T4 39-protein consists of 520 amino acids, and it has a calculated molecular weight of 58,478. By comparing the amino acid sequences, T4 39-protein is found to share homology with the gyrB subunit of DNA gyrase. This suggests that these topoisomerase subunits may be equivalent functionally. Some of the characteristics of the 39-protein and its structural features predicted from the DNA sequence data are discussed.
The relationship between rhythmic swallowing and breathing during suckle feeding in term neonates.

ABSTRACTS: Little is known of the development of efficient coordination between suckle feeding and breathing in human infants. To establish baseline data, we recorded breathing and swallowing activity during bottle feeds in 23 infants at 14–48 h postnatal age. Most swallows (overall mean 68%) were organized into runs, with intervals starting at 0.6–0.8 s and slowing to 1–1.3 s after 30–40 s. The proportion of run swallows to total swallows increased significantly with age. Swallow intervals were regular (coefficient of variation = 18–38%) compared with breathing (coefficient of variation = 50%). Both breathing rate and tidal volume were significantly reduced by the onset of suckle feeding, and the pattern of respiratory airflow became markedly irregular. Mild transient desaturation was common, but was not accompanied by changes in heart rate. Swallows could occur in all phases of breathing. Overall, equal numbers of swallows were preceded by expiration and inspiration, but twice as many were followed by expiration compared with inspiration. Swallows were classified by the respiratory phases both preceding and following the swallow. Swallows occurred in all possible classifications in each of the infants studied. The incidence of the most frequent classification (inspiration-swallow-expiration), was 24% overall (individual range 5–50%). The phase relation between swallows and breaths changed frequently but showed occasional short periods of stability during which the breathing became regular and tidal volume increased. We conclude that at <48 h the normal infants has little coordination between swallowing and breathing rhythms and maintains rhythmic swallowing at the expense of eupnea.
Economic potential and political considerations of regional water trade: The Western Middle East example

Abstract Development of many regions in the world is conditioned on out-of-region supply of water. Sometime out-of-region may mean another country. When the contributing country has riparian rights to these water, conditions for cooperation must exist in order to transfer the water. If the allocation is assumed among countries with some level of hostility, political considerations which are usually not incorporated in economic analysis can hinder or even block the most efficient arrangement. The problem has several physical, economic and political aspects. This paper draws on a water trade framework (including transfer of water and irrigation technology), to evaluate a regional trade in water. This framework quantifies both the economic payoffs using n-person game theory, and the political likelihood of any of the coalitions actually forming, using the PRINCE Political Accounting System. The economic-political approach is applied to a case of a potential Nile water trade in the western Middle East. The results demonstrate how incorporating political considerations in the analysis may provide a more acceptable regional solution compared to the economic-related allocations.
Synthesis and Single-Crystal X-ray Structure of a Highly Symmetrical C60 Derivative, C60Br24

C(60) and liquid bromine react to form C(60)Br(24), a crystalline compound isolated as a bromine solvate, C(60)Br(24)(Br(2))(x), The x-ray crystal structure defines a new pattern of addition to the carbon skeleton that imparts a rare high symmetry. The parent C(60) framework is recognizable in C(60)Br(24), but sp(3) carbons at sites of bromination distort the surface, affecting conformations of all of the hexagonal and pentagonal rings. Twenty-four bromine atoms envelop the carbon core, shielding the 18 remaining double bonds from addition. At 150 degrees to 200 degrees C there is effectively quantitative reversion of C(60)Br(24) to C(60) and Br(2).
Effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on insulin-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in cultured rat skeletal muscle cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a proposed mediator of insulin resistance in obese/diabetic animals through its effects on tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and its substrate, insulin receptor substrate-1. In this study, the acute effects of TNF-α on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling cascade were examined in cultured rat skeletal muscle cell line, L6. Insulin treatment of L6 cells resulted in a rapid increase in MAPK activity (> twofold in 5 min with 10 nM insulin). Prior treatment with TNF-α for 60 min blocked subsequent insulin-induced activation of MAPK in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Metabolic labelling studies with inorganic [32P]phosphate followed by immuno-precipitation of MAPK and its upstream activator, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, indicated decreased phosphorylation of MAPK and its kinase in response to insulin in cells exposed to TNF-α. This effect of TNF-α was not due to inhibition of insulin-stimulated p21ras5–GTP loading or Raf-1 phosphorylation. Low concentrations (2 nM) of okadaic acid, a serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor, prevented TNF-α-induced inhibition of MAPK and restored insulin' effect on MAPK activity, while ortho-vaNatlate (a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor), inhibitor 2 (phosphatase-1 inhibitor) and FK506 (phospha-tase-2B inhibitor) were ineffective. These results suggested an involvement of an okadaic-acid-sensitive serine/threonine phosphatase in TNF-α-induced blockade of insulin's effect on MAPK and/or its kinase. Therefore, we examined the effect of TNF-α on protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) and protein phosphatase-2A (PP-2A) activities. As reported by us earlier, insulin rapidly stimulated PP-1 and concomitantly inhibited PP-2A activities in control cells. TNF-α treatment blocked insulin-induced activation of PP-1. In contrast to PP-1, TNF-α caused a 60% increase in PP-2A activity and insulin failed to prevent this TNF-α effect. The time course of PP-2A activation by TNF-α preceded the kinetics of inhibition of MAPK. Cell-permeable ceramide analogs mimicked the TNF-α effect on MAPK inhibition and PP-2A activation. We conclude that TNF-α abrogates the insulin effect on MAPK activation by increasing dephosphorylation of MAPK kinase via an activated phosphatase.
Zermelo's Analysis of ‘General Proposition’

On Zermelo's view, any mathematical theory presupposes a non-empty domain, the elements of which enjoy equal status; furthermore, mathematical axioms must be chosen from among those propositions that reflect the equal status of domain elements. As for which propositions manage to do this, Zermelo's answer is, those that are ‘symmetric’, meaning ‘invariant under domain permutations’. We argue that symmetry constitutes Zermelo's conceptual analysis of ‘general proposition’. Further, although others are commonly associated with the extension of Klein's Erlanger Programme to logic, Zermelo's name has a place in that story.
Treating Foot Infections in Diabetic Patients: A Randomized, Multicenter, Open-Label Trial of Linezolid versus Ampicillin-Sulbactam/Amoxicillin-Clavulanate

Foot infections in diabetic patients are predominantly caused by gram-positive cocci, many of which are now antibiotic resistant. Because linezolid is active against these pathogens, we compared the efficacy and safety of intravenous and oral formulations with that of intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam and intravenous and oral amoxicillin-clavulanate given for 7-28 days in a randomized, open-label, multicenter study of all types of foot infection in diabetic patients (ratio of linezolid to comparator drug recipients, 2:1). Among 371 patients, the clinical cure rates associated with linezolid and the comparators were statistically equivalent overall (81% vs. 71%, respectively) but were significantly higher for linezolid-treated patients with infected foot ulcers (81% vs. 68%; P=.018) and for patients without osteomyelitis (87% vs. 72%; P=.003). Cure rates were comparable for inpatients and outpatients and for both oral and intravenous formulations. Drug-related adverse events were significantly more common in the linezolid group, but they were generally mild and reversible. Linezolid was at least as effective as aminopenicillin/beta-lactamase inhibitors for treating foot infections in diabetic patients.
A Buccal Mucosal Harvesting Technique for Urethral Reconstruction

ABSTRACTPurpose: A step-by-step harvesting technique for buccal mucosa is described that maximizes graft yield while minimizing potential donor site morbidity in urethral reconstruction.Materials and Methods: A specialized oral retractor was used to expose and retract the buccal mucosal lining of the oral cavity for graft harvesting in 12 patients.Results: Adequate buccal mucosal graft size was obtained for each reconstruction. There were no oral donor site or urethral recipient site complications.Conclusions: This harvesting technique offers a simple and effective method for optimizing buccal mucosal graft harvests.
The trilobite from Ohio with preserved legs: 1Mickelborough 1883 and Walcott 1884

ABSTRACT: Part and counterpart of a trilobite collected from Upper Ordovician strata near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, provided additional information on the legs of trilobites. These appendages had only been certainly known for less than a decade. The specimen was described by a local paleontologist in the local natural history journal, but part of the text was repeated in a leading American biological journal, and repeated in full in the Geological magazine. This trilobite was subsequently redescribed by C. D. Walcott in Science, following a speech in which he discussed it before the Biological Society of Washington. The specimen is now in the collection of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington.
Effects of transpiration and changing diameter on heat and mass transfer to spheres

Mass transfer to spheres suspended in an agitated liquid has been studied both experimentally and theoretically. Finite-difference solutions are obtained for mass transfer from a sphere to a fluid flowing past it in steady viscous flow. The effects of a transpiration velocity at the surface of the sphere and of a continuously changing sphere diameter are included. A normalized presentation of these effects is quite insensitive to the bulk flow Peclet number. When these theoretical corrections for transpiring and shrinking spheres are applied to the mass transfer data for ice spheres that are melting in an agitated brine bath, the corrected mass transfer coefficients are brought into agreement with a generalized correlation published elsewhere. This agreement suggests that the theoretical results apply, with reasonable accuracy, to a shrinking and transpiring sphere that is suspended in a turbulent liquid.
Decreased tear expression with an abnormal Schirmer's test following botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of lateral canthal rhytides.

background. Inactivation of muscles of facial expression by chemodenervation with botulinum toxin remains an off-label indication. Nevertheless, it continues to be a safe and effective technique to improve dynamic rhytides and is the treatment of choice for the hypertrophic lateral fibers of the orbicularis oculi muscle that can cause the superimposed crow's feet. objective. Although infrequent and self-limiting, the complication of unexpected muscle weakness from toxin diffusion or erroneous placement is documented. methods. However, injection into the pretarsal portion of the orbicularis oculi muscle resulting in unilateral ocular irritation and diminished tear expression as evidenced by a dry eye and an abnormal Schirmer's test has rarely been reported. Direct injection into the pretarsal fibers of the muscle as opposed to diffusion of the toxin into the muscle fibers or the lacrimal gland was consistent with the onset of action of the toxin and the prolonged duration of the ocular symptoms. results. Treatment consisted of ocular lubrication until the effects of the toxin dissipated and muscle tone returned. Subsequent treatment did not result in a result in a recurrence of adverse sequelae. conclusions. Facial muscles are small, not isolated, and often have fibers that interdigitate. An important factor in the administration of botulinum toxin is the identification of the muscles responsible for the corresponding rhytide. Precise knowledge of muscular anatomy and function will aid in minimizing this and other potential complications.
Modernization in Historical Perspective: The Case of Imperial Germany

In recent years historical research on Imperial Germany has called into question traditional interpretations of this case at the same time that political science research on the “third wave” has transformed the study of political development. This article argues that combining the insights of these two literatures offers benefits to both. For historians, the exercise provides a fresh perspective on the purported distinctiveness of Imperial Germany's political system and the relationship between its economic and political development. For political scientists, the German case has important lessons to teach about the role of structure versus agency in driving political liberalization, the time frame necessary for genuine political development to occur, and the role of war and the nature of the international system as wild cards in changing the outcome of the game. Most interestingly, perhaps, it also shows that a weak version of modernization theory holds true, namely, that it is not possible over the long term for a simple authoritarian regime to maintain control over an increasingly economically developed society.
Developmental and tissue-specific expression of rat T-Kininogen

The ontogeny of T-Kininogen expression in the rat liver was examined. Levels approximately 6 fold higher than seen in the adult liver are present during the perinatal period. Elevated levels are also seen in the maternal liver, beginning 5 days prior to parturition. The timing of induction in the fetal and maternal liver is distinct, suggesting independent regulation. While T-Kininogen mRNA is mainly synthesized in the liver, low but significant expression is seen in other tissues, including lung and kidney.
Dental enamel development: proteinases and their enamel matrix substrates

This review focuses on recent discoveries and delves in detail about what is known about each of the proteins (amelogenin, ameloblastin, and enamelin) and proteinases (matrix metalloproteinase-20 and kallikrein-related peptidase-4) that are secreted into the enamel matrix. After an overview of enamel development, this review focuses on these enamel proteins by describing their nomenclature, tissue expression, functions, proteinase activation, and proteinase substrate specificity. These proteins and their respective null mice and human mutations are also evaluated to shed light on the mechanisms that cause nonsyndromic enamel malformations termed amelogenesis imperfecta. Pertinent controversies are addressed. For example, do any of these proteins have a critical function in addition to their role in enamel development? Does amelogenin initiate crystallite growth, does it inhibit crystallite growth in width and thickness, or does it do neither? Detailed examination of the null mouse literature provides unmistakable clues and/or answers to these questions, and this data is thoroughly analyzed. Striking conclusions from this analysis reveal that widely held paradigms of enamel formation are inadequate. The final section of this review weaves the recent data into a plausible new mechanism by which these enamel matrix proteins support and promote enamel development.
Engineering Impurity Distributions in Photoelectrodes for Solar Water Oxidation

The distinction between electricity and fuel use in analyses of global power consumption statistics highlights the critical importance of establishing efficient synthesis techniques for solar fuels—those chemicals whose bond energies are obtained through conversion processes driven by solar energy.[1] Photo­ electrochemical (PEC) processes show potential for the pro­ duction of solar fuels because of their demonstrated versatility in facilitating optoelectronic and chemical conversion proc­ esses.[2] Tandem PEC­photovoltaic modular configurations for the generation of hydrogen from water and sunlight (solar water splitting) provide an opportunity to develop a low­cost and efficient energy conversion scheme.[3,4] The critical compo­ nent in devices of this type is the PEC photoelectrode, which must be optically absorptive, chemically stable, and possess the required electronic band alignment with the electrochem­ ical scale for its charge carriers to have sufficient potential to drive the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. After many decades of investigation, the primary technological obstacle remains the development of photoelectrode structures capable of efficient conversion of light with visible frequencies, which is abundant in the solar spectrum.[5] Metal oxides represent one of the few material classes that can be made photoactive and remain stable to perform the required functions.[6,7] This report presents a strategy to decouple the crucial optical absorption and electronic transport processes required for operation of metal oxide photoelectrodes by spatially segregating the func­ tional impurity concentrations that facilitate their associated physical processes. One technique to sensitize metal oxides to visible light is to introduce dopants that are associated with visble­light­active
Oxyhemoglobin produces apoptosis and necrosis in cultured smooth muscle cells

Abstract Confluent rat aortic smooth muscle cells were treated with OxyHb in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. A high concentration of OxyHb (100 μM) within 24 h decreased cell density. DNA analysis showed a smear pattern characteristic of cell necrosis. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated disintegration of the cell membrane and destruction of cell organelles. Western blotting using PARP antibody revealed that 116 kDa PARP was not cleaved to 85 kDa, an apoptosis-related fragment. On the contrary, a low concentration of OxyHb (10 μM) produced apoptotic cell death at 72 h that was supported by DNA analysis and TUNEL staining. These results demonstrated that a high level of OxyHb induced necrosis within 24 h and a low concentration of OxyHb produced apoptosis after 72 h in cultured smooth muscle cells. Morphological alterations induced by OxyHb might contribute to the vascular wall changes in the cerebral arteries following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).
An all-silicon optical diode transmitting 10 Gbps data

An optical diode based on thermo-optic effect in silicon micro-resonators enables non-reciprocal transmission through direction dependent resonance shift. One-way 10Gbps data transmission is realized through the strong dispersion and attenuation associated with a resonant structure.
READING VOICES: PERSONIFICATION, DIALOGISM, AND THE READER OF LAMENTATIONS 1

Most interpretations of the first chapter of Lamentations recognize the existence of two different speakers who alternate speeches throughout the poem. The first speaker is characterized by third person discourse and often identified as a narrator. Critics unanimously equate the second speaker, who employs first person discourse, with the voice of the personified Jerusalem. One of the often overlooked elements in this standard reading of Lamentations 1, however, is the fact that, like the personified Jerusalem, the so-called narrator exists within the created world of the poem. In other words, both speakers are literary constructs (personifications) given their existence by the poet. This apparently mundane observation carries serious consequences for the reading of Lamentations 1, as it raises questions regarding the commonly held notion that the narrator stands outside of the poem and thereby offers the reader an "objective" perspective. In this essay I have chosen not to privilege the narrator's voice, but to read the poem as a polyphonic text composed of two "unmerged … consciousnesses." The poem is no longer read as a monological description of Jerusalem's many egregious sins and the justification of her cruel punishment, in which Jerusalem's voice ultimately retreats into insignificance. Lamentations 1 becomes, instead, the locus of conflict and struggle between two equally weighted voices, where one observes both speakers using "double-voiced" discourse to provoke an ongoing dialogue, not only between the two voices, but among the speakers within the poem and the reader who stand outside of it.
Erythema nodosum secondary to aromatase inhibitor use in breast cancer patients: case reports and review of the literature

Aromatase inhibitors (AI's) are increasingly being incorporated in the treatment strategy for hormone receptor positive breast cancer either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, biologics in both the adjuvant and metastatic setting [1]. They markedly suppress plasma estrogen levels by inhibiting or inactivating aromatase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of estrogens from androgenic substrates [1]. Currently, the three selective aromatase inhibitors that are available are anastrozole, letrozole and exemestane which reduce circulating estrogen to 1 to 10% of pretreatment levels [2]. For advanced breast cancer, aromatase inhibitors appear to be at a minimum, equivalent and perhaps even better than tamoxifen in the first line setting [3, 4]. In primary breast cancer, adjuvant therapy with anastrozole or letrozole appears to be superior to tamoxifen in reducing the risk of relapse [5, 6]. Common adverse effects associated with AI's include arthralgias (21%), myalgias (12%), other musculoskeletal disorders (28%) and an up to 60% increased risk of bone fracture [7, 8]. However, anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole are associated with significantly fewer endometrial cancers, as well as venous and arterial vascular events, when compared with tamoxifen [9, 10]. Very rarely letrozole and anastrozole can cause a skin rash; the frequency of its occurrence has not been quantified(. )However, exemestane has not been reported to cause a skin rash [11]. To date, erythema nodosum (EN) has not been reported as a dermatologic side effect of AI's. Here, we report three cases of EN which developed in postmenopausal breast cancer patients on AI's.
The international ocean regime at the new millennium: a survey of the contemporary legal order

This study surveys the international regime governing the use of ocean space by examining various agreements that have come to comprise it. While the regime for the oceans is commonly viewed within the context of a general, universal convention for the law of the sea, the contemporary scope of global oceans law extends far beyond that single instrument. Indeed, the law of the sea is broad, far-reaching and reflective of the increasingly complex, interdependent nature of contemporary international relations. In this regard, by end of the 20th century there has emerged a pronounced trend toward worldwide participation in and adherence to the multifaceted legal regime established to manage the oceans. This panorama of legal instruments focuses both on international instruments and regional accords. The study's premise is this: Since 1958 several multilateral agreements have been negotiated and implemented specifically to regulate various uses of ocean space. Viewed as an integrated whole, these agreements comprise at the beginning of the 21st century an intertwined, sophisticated international legal regime for managing ocean activities. The range of agreements discussed here, however, is neither exhaustive nor meant to suggest that sufficient law is available for regulating all activities affecting the oceans now or in the future. Rather, the survey furnishes a starting point for appreciating just how far the international community has come in establishing a legal regime for managing people and their technological activities that impact on ocean space.
How could we have better vaccines against tuberculosis

Background: Tuberculosis (TB), an infirmity that mainly affects the respiratory system, is the world's second deadliest infectious disease, with > 9 million new cases diagnosed in 2006. One-third of the world's population is now infected with the TB bacillus. According to the WHO, an estimated 1.7 million people died from TB in 2006. More precisely, every 15 seconds, one person dies due to TB worldwide. Objective: To review some of the key advances in the field of TB immunology and to discuss potential means for the development of new generation vaccines against TB disease. Methods: Systematic review of the published literature in various journals. Results/conclusion: The current TB vaccine Bacillus Calmette–Guerin, developed > 85 years ago, reduces the risk of severe forms of TB in early childhood but is not very effective in preventing pulmonary TB in adolescents and adults, the populations with the highest rates of TB disease. TB is changing and evolving, making the development of new vaccines more cru...
Policy Considerations from a Nationwide IT-in-Education Initiative: Macedonia Connects

Though information technology (IT) is increasingly touted as an effective tool through which governments may enhance their development efforts, to date, many IT-related deployments have remained in a pilot stage, which does little to aid governments in understanding macro-level IT policy approaches to confronting development challenges. To address this shortcoming, this article presents a unique nationwide initiative: Macedonia Connects, a multipartner, scaled IT-for-education project wherein every school in the country was equipped with both computers and wireless Internet connections and through which the Internet was made available to citizens across the entire country. A number of policy-related aspects of the project are identified and discussed, including the predeployment training of teachers in IT adoption, the equality of technology and training provision across the entire country, the long-term focus on the part of all stakeholders in terms of outcomes, and the business model employed in the pub...
A New Flux Splitting Scheme

A new flux splitting scheme is proposed. The scheme is remarkably simple and yet its accuracy rivals, and in some cases surpasses, that of Roe's solver in the Euler and Navier-Stokes solutions carried out in this study, The scheme is robust and converges as fast as the Roe splitting. We propose an appropriately defined cell-face advection Mach number using values from the two straddling cells via associated characteristic speeds. This interface Mach number is then used to determine the upwind extrapolation for the convective quantities. Accordingly, the name of the scheme is coined as the advection upstream splitting method (AUSM). We also introduce a new pressure splitting which is shown to behave successfully, yielding much smoother results than other existing pressure splittings. Of particular interest is the supersonic blunt body problem in which the Roe scheme gives anomalous solutions. The AUSM produces correct solutions without difficulty for a wide range of flow conditions as well as grids.
Effect of additional separation and grinding on the chemical and physical properties of selected corn dry-milled streams

ABSTRACT Three streams of corn dry-milled products (corn grits, corn cones, and corn flour) from three different commercial corn dry-millers were further separated by particle size according to the major portion of each stream. They were separated into corn grits (1.190 and 0.841 mm), corn cones (0.595, 0.420, and 0.297 mm), and corn flour (0.297 and 0.210 mm). Besides separation, corn grits were also ground and then separated into ground corn grits (0.297 and 0.210 mm). The original streams, streams with additional separation, and streams with additional grinding were analyzed for protein content, ash content, crude fat content, and color properties. Duncan's significant difference tests (P < 0.01) showed that additional separation and grinding of the commercial corn grits, corn cones, and corn flour affected protein, crude fat content, and color parameter (L, a, and b) distribution of the products. The tristimulus parameters (L, a, and b) were good indicators of the protein content of the corn dry-mille...
The Development Of Steady State Modal Conditions In Short Length Concatenated Systems

The development of steady state modal conditions in several short length concatenations was studied. The resultant steady state distribution was identified as approximately equivalent to a 70/100 beam optics launch into a short reference fiber. Mechanical methods of reproducing the distribution in a short length of fiber with an initial overfill condition were also studied.
Hypothermic machine perfusion of liver grafts for transplantation: technical development in human discard and miniature swine models.

Abstract Introduction Cold storage (CS) is the standard preservation technique for liver transplantation (LTx). Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) is an alternative preservation technique that provides a continuous supply of substrates and removes waste products. HMP improves early graft function in kidney transplantation, especially for marginal organs: To our knowledge there have been no reports HMP in human LTx. The aim of this study was to develop a reproducible technique for liver HMP prior to initiating a clinical trial. Methods For the discard protocol, between May 2001 and March 2002, 10 nontransplantable human livers were obtained. We designed a model of atraumatic, centrifugal HMP of the portal vein (PV) and hepatic artery (HA) via donor vascular conduit. Livers were perfused at 3°C to 5°C with Vasosol solution for 5 to 10 hours using a modified Medtronic Portable Bypass System. Perfusion variables (temp, flow, pressure) where recorded every 30 minutes. During the study, we also validated our techniques in an animal model. For the animal protocol; six swine were used as liver donors and randomized to 12 hours of CS in UW ( n = 3) or 12 hours of HMP using Vasosol solution ( n = 3). LTx was performed in six swine. Animals survived until postoperative day 5. Results For the discard protocol, mean HMP time was 6.7 ± 1.8 hours. Target flow was 0.7 mL/g liver/min. PV and HA pressure ranged from 3 to 5 and 12 to 18 mm Hg, respectively. All grafts were maintained at 3°C to 5°C during HMP. For the animal protocol, all recipients had good liver function and survived to postoperative day 5. AST and TBili were similar between CS and HMP. Conclusions Our method of liver HMP appears to be a safe and reliable method to preserve livers. A clinical trial is now underway to evaluate this technique in human LTx.
Imaging myocardial metabolism and ischemic memory

The advent of myocardial metabolic imaging more than 30 years ago ushered in a paradigm shift in the clinical management of patients with ischemic and nonischemic heart disease. A classic example is the so-called metabolic memory of altered glucose and fatty acid metabolism in regions of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. At the cellular level, metabolic memory is driven by changes in the activities and expression of a host of metabolic enzymes, including reactivation of the fetal gene program. The future of metabolic imaging will require a more-refined understanding of the pathways of metabolic adaptation and maladaptation of the heart. Recent evidence suggests that metabolic signals alter metabolic fluxes and give rise to specific metabolic patterns that, in turn, lead to changes in translational and/or transcriptional activities in the cardiac myocyte. In other words, metabolism provides a link between environmental stimuli and a host of intracellular signaling pathways. This concept has not yet been fully explored in vivo, although metabolic adaptation represents the earliest response to myocardial ischemia and left ventricular remodeling.
A Method for Periodical Phenomena Analysis

This paper is proposing a statistical method, useful for analyzing periodical phenomena whose equations are impossible to be solved analytically. The input data consist in a collection of tabled functions, (numerically determined), named further database. Least square method based algorithms, presented in the first part of the paper, are applied to this database. First, a trigonometric regression algorithm will find the approximating Fourier coefficients. Finally a multiple regression algorithm to fit a polynomial type function is introduced. Its input data are the Fourier coefficients, the Fourier analysis results, or whatever collection of experimental data corresponding to a set of variables. The final part of the paper is dedicated to an example, illustrative for these.
Culture Clash or Democratic Peace?: Results of a Survey Experiment on the Effect of Religious Culture and Regime Type on Foreign Policy Opinion Formation

We extend the logic of the democratic peace to query whether information about a foreign country's regime type affects US citizens' opinions of that country. We contrast this with the suggestion in other areas of international relations theorizing, such as the “clash of civilizations” thesis and constructivist frameworks, that a country's culture, especially its dominant religious tradition, may be more salient in citizen attitudes toward foreign countries. We designed a survey experiment to test the effects of randomly assigned cues regarding the regime type (democracy/nondemocracy) and religious culture (Islam/Christianity) of a foreign country on respondents' attitudes. Religious cultural cues outperformed regime type cues in determining respondents' perceptions of threat or expressions of trust, but respondents' views did not conform to maximalist claims of either the democratic peace or the clash of civilizations frameworks. These findings suggest that the need for a more synergetic approach to understanding the microfoundations of public foreign policy opinion formation.
Moisture transfer through the membrane of a cross-flow energy recovery ventilator: Measurement and simple data-driven modeling

The moisture transfer effectiveness (or latent effectiveness) of a cross-flow, membrane-based energy recovery ventilator is measured and modeled. Analysis of in situ measurements for a full year sh...
The effect of irradiation on the fatigue and flow behavior of TZM alloy

Abstract The pre- and postirradiation fatigue and flow properties of the molybdenum-base alloy TZM have been determined at 427°C. Neutron irradiation to a fluence of 1 × 10 22 n/cm 2 > 0.1 MeV increased the fatigue life of the stress relieved alloy in vacuum by approximately a factor of two in the strain range of 0.11 to 0.18%. The environmental effect of gaseous impurities on the rate of fatigue crack growth in unirradiated TZM was investigated for air pressures from approximately 10−4 to 100 Pa. Compressive now properties were determined at 427°C at a strain rate of 1 × 10−3 sec−1 and at 500°C for a range of strain rates. Irradiation to a fluence of 1.2 × 1022 n/cm2 increased the yield strength of stress relieved TZM by about 50 percent. The ductile to brittle transition temperature appeared to be between 427 and 500°C at a compressive strain rate of 1 × 10−3 sec−1. Irradiation induced changes in microhardness and yield strength were correlated with TEM results using general hardening models.
Discordance in TKA Expectations Between Patients and Surgeons

Background Aligning patient and surgeon expectations preoperatively may lead to better postoperative medical and rehabilitation compliance and therefore improve outcomes and increase satisfaction.
Wellness engineering for better quality of life of aging baby boomer

Current health care system serving 78M aging baby-boomers is no longer sustainable, as the cost about 1/5 GDP will reach 1/4 GDT when all is retired in decades, unless the system is changed. We design a high-tech safe net to enhance the timeliness of early correct treatment execution (otherwise, causing 1/4 mortality associated with an escalating legal fee waste). We follow the common sense that "a stitch in time saves nine," and adopt the military surveillance know-how in designing early warning health management system, comprising of smart sensor pairs for point-care surveillance. However, the grand plan of affordable smart sensors hardware for households requires an ODM & OEM teaming to conduct parallel designing and sequential marketing strategy. The military software strategy combating a treacherous adversary enemy match well with point cares surveillance overcoming real world microorganism variability. Moreover, such smart military software provides self-reference change detection, not by traditional cohort ensemble average, but by individual own higher order statistics (HOS) independent component analysis (ICA), which take the advantage of known initial condition for each individual and desirable over-sampling daily dynamics. The triggering of warning follows the military algorithms comprising of Receiver Operation Characteristics (ROC) and Automatic Target Recognition (ATR). To further reduce the unwanted false negative rate, a benchmarked is made against the traditional cohort-ensemble baseline average & the upper & lower bounds of variance as adopted by the gatekeepers - Medical Doctors (MD) and Nurses.
Could cardiosphere-derived cells from patients with heart failure exhibit improved functional repair potential?

Identifying the best stem cells for cardiac repair has been an on-going quest. To date, clinical trials for patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) or heart failure (HF) have tested bone marrow–derived cells, mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells, adipose-derived stem cells,