cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Olfactory Responses of Diabrotica spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to Cut Fruits of Bitter and Nonbitter Cucurbita spp.

Laboratory tests indicated that adult diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte had the same olfactory response to the cut fruits of four Cucurbita species: the bitter C texana Gray; and C. andreana Naud. and their respective nonbitter relatives C pepo L. and C. maxima Ouch. Field tests indicated that there were no significant differences in the numbers of adult Diabrotica spp. captured on sticky traps baited with the cut fruits of C. texana or C. pepo, or on an unbaited control. We concluded that the cut fruits of C. texana and C. andreana were not more attractive to adult diabrotica spp. than were the cut fruits of C. pepo and C. maxima. Since C. texana and C. andreana contain large quantities of cucurbitacins and C. pepo and C. maxima do not, we must also conclude that cucurbitacins in these bitter fruits did not act as Diabrotica attractants. The preference of diabrotica spp. to choose bitter over non bitter Cucurbita spp. as aggregation sites is not due to a differential olfactory response to the cut fruits, per se.
The Role of Rationality in Transformative Education

As scholars, we are responsible for examining the academic and pedagogical traditions from which our current approaches have developed. This includes the historical establishment of and reliance up...
Competition and Collaboration in Aid-for-Policy Deals

Despite the extensive empirical and theoretical research into foreign aid, there remains little or no formal analysis of aid giving in a competitive donor environment. We endeavor to fill this lacuna with both a model and empirical analysis of aid-for-policy deals with rival aid donors. The model indicates that a dominant donor captures all the surplus from any deal. We test several hypotheses that follow from the model. We demonstrate that the United States paid less (in constant dollars) and gained more in policy terms through aid before the Soviet Union became a significant aid player. Once the Soviet Union became a player in the international aid arena, the United States paid more for aid and got less by way of security concessions from recipients.
Quick Determination of Iodine in Urine by ICP-MS Method

Under the condition of the optimization of the instrument,the content of iodine in urine was established by ICP-MS method, using In as the internal standard. The sample was determined directly after diluted and centrifLge.The recovery is between 95.3% and 98.1%.And the relative standard deviations are from 1.15% to 2.08%.Its linear correlation coefficient is 0.99997.The content of iodine in 25 samples was determined simultaneously with ICP-MS method and national standard method.All data were analyzed by paired-sampleTtest.T=0.158 less than 2.021,P0.05.The results had no significant difference.The ICP-MS method is simple,quick,widen Linear range,highly sensitive and less disturbance.It is suitable to determine a large scale of the content of iodine in urine.
Treadmill exercise does not affect image quality on subsequent whole body FDG PET scan

2020 Objectives Dynamic changes in tracer uptake in the whole heart may be useful as early predictors of cardiovascular disease or heart failure. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of measuring changes in volumes-of-interest (VOI) activity using a DDGC. Previously we have developed the QPlanar method for estimating the activity organs or other VOI from planar projections. The method uses maximum-likelihood estimation techniques, and accurate models of the image formation to estimate the total activity in a set of 3D VOIs. In this study we adapted this methodology to extract dynamic information, in the form of the time activity curve for the myocardium and blood pool, from a conventional SPECT acquisition. In this study we used simulations to investigate the feasibility of estimating the time-activity curve (TAC) for the myocardium and blood pool. Methods In this study we modeled uptake in the heart based on literature[1] TAC of Tc-99m teboroxime. We modeled patient anatomy using the 3D XCAT phantom. Simulated data were generated using an analytic simulator that models attenuation, scatter and the collimator-detector response. We modeled acquisition using a two-camera system in a right angle configuration. We modeled a 12 minute acquisition with data acquired at 120 views over 360° using continuous rotation. We studied the effects of noise by estimating TACs for 30 noise realizations. To study the effects of nonuniform myocardial uptake, we modeled a 100% severity perfusion defect in 38% of the myocardium. Results TACs obtained of the heart and blood pool had an average (avg.) bias of 21% and 18% and avg. standard deviation of 26% and 25%, respectively. With the defect present the method underestimated the cardiac TAC by an avg. of 45.13%. We expect bias to be less severe with defect present in less than 25% of myocardium along with less than 100% severity. Conclusions The proposed method allows relatively simply extraction of dynamic information about the myocardium and blood pool with a conventional slow acquisition protocol
Growth of One-Dimensional Nanomaterials in the ETEM

One-dimensional nanomaterials (nanowires and nanotubes) have a number of unique and interesting properties that have made them the subject of significant research for a wide range of applications. Electron microscopy is generally necessary for their morphological, structural, and chemical characterization due to their small dimensions. For applications such as nanomanufacturing, the synthesis process must be scalable. In the case of nanoelectronics, the tolerances are demanding, necessitating stringent control of process parameters. Catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is currently the most suitable route that allows both scalable production and selective, aligned growth directly on a substrate. Characterization of growth parameters and atomistic growth mechanisms is necessary if such nanomaterials are to be engineered for specific applications. Environmental transmission or scanning transmission electron microscopy (ETEM or ESTEM) provides the needed platform for in situ monitoring of the influence of processing parameters on nanomaterial structure and morphology. In this chapter, we present the practical aspects of experiment design, data analysis, successful examples, and the limitations of the ETEM platform for following one-dimensional nanomaterial growth processes.
Sex ratios of calves from inseminations after electrophoresis of sperm.

The sex ratios of calves from inseminations after electrophoresis of bull sperm were studied. Once weekly for 4 weeks semen from each of 4 bulls was electrophoresed at 8 and 21 V/cm in 10% yolk-.1 M phosphate (pH 7.1) for 1 minute at 35 degrees. Semen from the anode and from the cathode was glycerolated frozen and used for inseminations. The percent sperm in anode and cathode compartments was not influenced by field strength. After electrophoresis unelectrophorested sperm averaged 64% motility which was less (p < .05) than that of electrophorested sperm (69%). Those inseminated with electrophoresed semen had 10% higher (p < .05) fertility than those inseminated with control semen. Of 121 calves resulting from inseminations with anode sperm 55% were males of 137 calves resulting from cathode sperm inseminations 44% were male; and of 50 calves from control sperm 44% were male. It is concluded that this study revealed no evidence that electrophoresis separated X- and Y-chromosoem-bearing bull sperm.
Domesticating online games for preteens – discursive fields, everyday gaming, and family life

This article examines families’ everyday practices connected with online games played by children ages seven to eleven in the USA. Based on interviews in homes with children and parents, the article employs domestication theory to account for social experiences and symbolic meanings of games and game devices within private and public contexts of children’s game play. The analysis focuses on the social process through which online games are brought into home environments and incorporated into families’ daily routines. Games are analyzed as both impacting on everyday practices of the family and being shaped by the histories, values, and relationships within the households. The article contributes to an understanding of preteens’ online gaming and highlights the strength of using domestication theory to investigate children’s media practices.
Effective lattice model for the collective modes in a Fermi liquid with spin-orbit coupling

Recently, there has been a surge of interest in effects arising from the interplay between the electron-electron interaction and spin-orbit coupling (SOC). One such effect is a novel type of collective spin excitations (chiral spin waves), which are oscillations of the magnetization that exist even without an external magnetic field. However, a typical experimental setup in a semiconductor heterostructure includes a magnetic field as well as both Rashba and Dresselhaus types of SOC. In this case, the spectrum of chiral spin waves becomes fairly complicated, with some branches running into or splitting off the continuum of spin-flip excitations. The authors show that this complicated physics can be understood by exact mapping of the quantum kinetic equation for a two-dimensional Fermi liquid onto an effective one-dimensional tight-binding model. This mapping is a useful tool that helps us to understand the nature of the collective modes in a Fermi liquid of arbitrary type.
Code Lavender: Cultivating Intentional Acts of Kindness in Response to Stressful Work Situations.

Context Providing healthcare can be stressful. Gone unchecked, clinicians may experience decreased compassion, and increased burnout or secondary traumatic stress. Code Lavender is designed to increase acts of kindness after stressful workplace events occur. Objective/Intervention To test the feasibility of providing Code Lavender. Hypotheses After stressful events in the workplace, staff will provide, receive, and recommend Code Lavender to others. The provision of Code Lavender will improve Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQoL) scores, general job satisfaction, and feeling cared for in the workplace. Method/Sample Pilot program testing and evaluation. Staff and physicians on four hospital units were informed of the Code Lavender kit availability, which includes words of comfort, chocolate, lavender essential oil, and employee health referral information. Feasibility data and ProQoL scores were collected at baseline and three months. Results At baseline, 48% ( n = 164) reported a stressful event at work in the last three months. Post-intervention, 51% reported experiencing a stressful workplace event, with 32% receiving a Code Lavender kit from their co-workers as a result ( n = 83). Of those who received the Code Lavender intervention; 100% found it helpful, and 84% would recommend it to others. No significant changes were demonstrated before and after the intervention in ProQoL scores or job satisfaction, however the emotion of feeling cared-for improved. Conclusions Results warrant continuation and further dissemination of Code Lavender. Investigators have received requests to expand the program implying positive reception of the intervention. Additional interventions are needed to overcome workplace stressors. A more intense peer support program is being tested.
Comparison of Dose Distributions with 10Boron Augmented Sources of 252Cf Obtained by Monte Carlo Simulation and by Experimental Measurement

Intracavity and interstitial 252Cf implants have been used to treat a number of tumor types including gynecological tumors and glioblastoma1,2,3, the former with encouraging results. As a neutron source, 252Cf offers certain theoretical advantages over photon therapy (i.e., in treating tumors with significant hypoxic or necrotic components). With the recent availability of 10B-labelled tumor seeking compounds, the usefulness of 252Cf may be further improved by augmenting the 252Cf dose to tumor with an additional dose due to the fission (following thermal neutron capture) of 10B located in the tumor itself. While the high mean neutron energy permits 252Cf to deliver a high LET, low OER dose to tumor on a macroscopic scale, thermalization of neutrons followed by 10B capture may augment this dose at the cellular level if adequate loading of tumor cells with 10B is possible. This paper presents results of a Monte Carlo simulation study which investigates the dosimetric characteristics of linear 252Cf sources and the quantitative increase in tumor dose possible with the addition of 10B. Comparison of the presented Monte Carlo results with experimental and analytic dosimetry data presented in the literature will also be made.
Predicting Adverse Perioperative Events in Patients Undergoing Primary Cleft Palate Repair.

Objective:This study aimed to identify risk factors for adverse perioperative events (APEs) after cleft palatoplasty to develop an individualized risk assessment tool.Design:Retrospective cohort.Se...
Ethylene Copolymer Ionomers

A discussion of the discovery of ethylene copolymer ionomers is presented. The structural features of ionomers and how these features are responsible for the physical properties of ionomers is given. Importance of these properties in various end use applications is then demonstrated. Finally, recent developments in Surlyn® ionomer technology are discussed.
Sleep and Epilepsy

The differential diagnosis of “things that go bump in the night” includes parasomnias, sleep-related movement disorders, psychiatric conditions, and epilepsy. This article focuses on the interactions between sleep, epilepsy, and the effects of antiepileptic medication, with an emphasis on avoiding misinterpretation of primary sleep disorders and epilepsies presenting during sleep. There are important effects of sleep state on seizure activity, and there are equally important effects of epilepsy on sleep maintenance with implications on daytime alertness. Pointers to elicit appropriate history and examination are described; appropriate investigations including polysomnography and different electro-encephalographic techniques can clarify difficult clinical dilemmas.
Good Genes and Bad Genes

In popular biographies, Elvis Presley appears as a genetic construct, driven by his genes to his unlikely destiny. He has succeeded, the story goes, because of his genetic heritage — and failed because of his family’s history of inbreeding. Elaine Dundy, for example, attributes Presley’s success to the qualities of will, ambition, and fantasy passed down to him from his mother’s multi-ethnic family.1 Dundy traces Elvis’s musical talents to his father who “had a very good voice” and his mother who had “the instincts of a performer.” They did provide a musical environment, she notes, but “even without it, one wonders if Elvis, with his biological musical equipment would not still have become a virtuoso.”
Biomaterial scaffolds for localized IL-33 release to modulate the local immune environment and enhance extrahepatic allogeneic islet transplant

Allogeneic islet transplantation represents a promising therapeutic option to restore endogenous insulin production in Type-1 diabetes patients. Clinically, new methods of regulating the immune response against the islet allograft without using general immunosuppression are required. We have previously demonstrated the viability of transplanting syngeneic islets on porous poly-lactide-co-glycolide (PLG) scaffolds within the epididymal fat pad to restore long-term euglycemia. The use of a biomaterial scaffold also provides an opportunity to incorporate novel immunomodulatory factors that can modify the local immune response to transplanted cells. Due to the prevalence of ST2+ regulatory T cells and M2 macrophages linked to promotion of an anti-inflammatory phenotype within adipose tissue, we hypothesized scaffold-mediated IL-33 release could promote a tolerogenic environment to extend islet allograft survival. We found incubation of an IL-33 loaded scaffold in vitro with naive T cells undergoing anti-CD3 TCR stimulation stimulated release of IL-13, demonstrating maintenance of IL-33 bioactivity. We found that IL-33 loaded scaffolds implanted into the epididymal fat pad expanded the CD4+ Foxp3+ population within the graft site, most strikingly amongst CD4+ Foxp3+ ST2+ Tregs. Using an allogeneic murine islet transplant model, preliminary data showed diabetic C57BL/6 recipients receiving 250 Balb/c islets on IL-33 scaffolds had extended graft survival time compared to BSA-loaded control scaffolds. Collectively, these results indicate the potential for IL-33 to modulate the local immune response to support graft function, and support ongoing studies to investigate mechanisms to extend graft survival.
The Role of Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Development

Biomarkers have a key role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) drug development. Biomarkers can assist in diagnosis, demonstrate target engagement, support disease modification, and monitor for safety. The amyloid (A), tau (T), neurodegeneration (N) Research Framework emphasizes brain imaging and CSF measures relevant to disease diagnosis and staging and can be applied to drug development and clinical trials. Demonstration of target engagement in Phase 2 is critical before advancing a treatment candidate to Phase 3. Trials with biomarker outcomes are shorter and smaller than those required to show clinical benefit and are important to understanding the biological impact of an agent and inform go/no-go decisions. Companion diagnostics are required for safe and effective use of treatments and may emerge in AD drug development programs. Complementary biomarkers inform the use of therapies but are not mandatory for use. Biomarkers promise to de-risk AD drug development, attract sponsors to AD research, and accelerate getting new drugs to those with or at risk for AD.
Long-Term Evaluation of Plants and Animals Colonizing Contaminated Dredged Material Placed in Upland and Wetland Environments

Publisher Summary This chapter emphasizes the contaminant mobility of heavy metals using data collected between 1983 and 1989. The placement of Black Rock Harbor sediment in an upland disposal environment resulted in pronounced changes in some attributes of the contaminated sediment. Following upland disposal, the dredged material dried and oxidized. The pH of the dredged material dropped from 7.6 in 1983 to 3.2 by the end of a joint Corps of Engineers (CE)/Environmental Protection Agency Field Verification Program (FVP) in 1986. This substantial decrease in dredged material pH was presumably a result of the decomposition of organic matter, the oxidation of sulfide, limited pH buffering capacity in Black Rock Harbor sediment, low percent CaCO 3 equivalent, and the acid rainfall of pH 4.0–4.5 at the field site location. The upland animal bioassay predicted that earthworms would not survive in the dredged material under oxidized conditions. Through 1986, earthworms could not survive on the dredged material. Currently, control plots devoid of vegetation contain few animals. In particular, no soft bodied animals were observed or collected from this environment.
A 12 Year Old Baseball Pitcher

Young baseball pitchers are particularly at risk for shoulder problems including little league shoulder or proximal humeral apophysitis. Young pitchers and parents should be counseled on injury prevention tactics that are specific to baseball. Pitch counts, limiting extra throwing both inside and outside of baseball, and shoulder and core exercises are all important injury prevention strategies for young throwers.
Digital disruption? Journalism startups in India:

India’s large and thriving news media is going digital. Spurred by an exponential increase in Internet use and digital advertising, a number of digital journalism startups have been established in ...
Running in place: The uncertain future of primary care internal medicine.

The future of primary care internal medicine physicians is uncertain. According to a 2018 survey of internal medicine residents conducted by the American College of Physicians, only 11% were considering primary care as a career path.[1][1] In 1998, that number was 54%.[2][2] “My dear, here we must
The viscosity of aqueous KCl solutions in the temperature range 25–200°C and the pressure range 0.1–30 MPa

In this paper, new precise viscosity data are presented for aqueous solutions of KCl; these data cover the temperature range 25–200°C, the pressure range 0.1–30 MPa, and the concentration range 0–4.6 mol KCl/kg H2O. An empirical correlation which reproduces the data within the experimental precision of ±0.5% is given. The accuracy of the data is estimated to range from ±0.5 to ±1.5%.
Illicit to legal: marijuana as a de-stigmatising product and the role of social acceptability in new product adoption

History has shown instances of products and services, which have, and in some cases still are, moving from illicit to legal by their associated regulatory systems. While not ‘new’ in the sense that...
MITRAL ANNULUS DISJUNCTION OR SARCOIDOSIS: A CLINICAL CONUNDRUM

Inflammatory Cardiomyopathies, with overlapping features on cardiac MRI, could be a fertile ground for diagnostic pit falls A 55 year old female with palpitations manifested inferolateral T wave inversions on EKG. Left ventricular function was normal on echocardiography. A 30 day monitor showed
Membrane Transport of Choline by the Human Erythrocyte: Relationship to Intracellular Choline Content, and Effect of Treatment with Lithium

Choline (Ch) is the metabolic precursor of acetylcholine, and therefore may have an important role in brain function. Because there are a number of similarities in Ch handling between brain synaptosomes and erythrocytes (RBCs) (23), some investigators have felt that the RBC might potentially serve as a model for neuronal Ch transport. Thus, the Ch content of RBCs has been studied in a variety of psychiatric and neurologic conditions, including major depression (10), acute mania (13, 16, 24), Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (3, 9), and dementia (2, 4).
NMDA receptors in the CeA and BNST differentially regulate fear conditioning to predictable and unpredictable threats.

Abstract Considerable work demonstrates that Pavlovian fear conditioning depends on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent plasticity within the amygdala. In addition, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) has also been implicated in fear conditioning, particularly in the expression of fear to poor predictors of threat. We recently found that the expression of backward (BW) fear conditioning, in which an auditory conditioned stimulus (CS) follows a footshock unconditioned stimulus (US), requires the BNST; the expression of forward (FW) fear conditioning was not disrupted by BNST inactivation. However, whether NMDA receptors within the BNST contribute to the acquisition of fear conditioning is unknown. Moreover, the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), which has extensive connections with the BNST, is critically involved in FW conditioning, however whether it participates in BW conditioning has not been explored. Here we test the specific hypothesis that the CeA and the BNST mediate the acquisition of FW and BW fear conditioning, respectively. Adult female and male rats were randomly assigned to receive bilateral infusions of the NMDA receptor antagonist, D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV), into the CeA or BNST prior to FW or BW fear conditioning. We found that intra-CeA APV impaired the acquisition of both FW and BW conditioning, whereas intra-BNST APV produced selective deficits in BW conditioning. Moreover, APV in the BNST significantly reduced contextual freezing, whereas CeA NMDA receptor antagonism impeded early but not long-lasting contextual fear. Collectively, these data reveal that CeA and BNST NMDA receptors have unique roles in fear conditioning.
Enabling Real-Time Compensation in Fast Photochemical Oxidations of Proteins for the Determination of Protein Topography Changes

Fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) is a mass spectrometry-based structural biology technique that probes the solvent-accessible surface area of proteins. This technique relies on the reaction of amino acid side chains with hydroxyl radicals freely diffusing in solution. FPOP generates these radicals in situ by laser photolysis of hydrogen peroxide, creating a burst of hydroxyl radicals that is depleted on the order of a microsecond. When these hydroxyl radicals react with a solvent-accessible amino acid side chain, the reaction products exhibit a mass shift that can be measured and quantified by mass spectrometry. Since the rate of reaction of an amino acid depends in part on the average solvent accessible surface of that amino acid, measured changes in the amount of oxidation of a given region of a protein can be directly correlated to changes in the solvent accessibility of that region between different conformations (e.g., ligand-bound versus ligand-free, monomer vs. aggregate, etc.) FPOP has been applied in a number of problems in biology, including protein-protein interactions, protein conformational changes, and protein-ligand binding. As the available concentration of hydroxyl radicals varies based on many experimental conditions in the FPOP experiment, it is important to monitor the effective radical dose to which the protein analyte is exposed. This monitoring is efficiently achieved by incorporating an inline dosimeter to measure the signal from the FPOP reaction, with laser fluence adjusted in real-time to achieve the desired amount of oxidation. With this compensation, changes in protein topography reflecting conformational changes, ligand-binding surfaces, and/or protein-protein interaction interfaces can be determined in heterogeneous samples using relatively low sample amounts.
Simulating the impact of different vaccination policies on the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City

PurposeTo analyze potential COVID-19 epidemic outcomes in New York City under different SARS-CoV-2 virus circulation scenarios and vaccine rollout policies from early Jan 2021 to end of June 2021. Key findingsIn anticipation of the potential arrival and dominance of the more infectious SARS-CoV-2 variant: O_LIMass-vaccination would be critical to mitigating epidemic severity (26-52% reduction in infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, compared to no vaccination, provided the new UK variant supplants currently circulating variants). C_LIO_LIPrioritizing key risk groups for earlier vaccination would lead to greater reductions in hospitalizations and deaths than infections. Thus, in general this would be a good strategy. C_LIO_LICurrent vaccination prioritization policy is suboptimal. To avert more hospitalizations and deaths, mass-vaccination of all individuals 65 years or older should be done as soon as possible. For groups listed in the same phase, 65+ year-olds should be given first priority ahead of others. C_LIO_LIAvailable vaccine doses should be given to the next priority groups as soon as possible without awaiting hesitant up-stream groups. C_LIO_LIWhile efficacy of vaccination off-protocol is unknown, provided immune response following a first vaccine dose persists, delaying the 2nd vaccine dose by [~]1 month (i.e. administer the two doses 8 weeks apart) can substantially reduce infections, hospitalizations, and deaths compared to the 3-week apart regimen. Across all scenarios tested here, delaying the 2nd vaccine dose leads to the largest reduction in severe epidemic outcomes (e.g. hospitalizations and deaths). Therefore, to protect as many people as possible, this strategy should be considered if rapid increases in infections, hospitalization or deaths and/or shortages in vaccines were to occur. C_LI
Virtual Visits for Outpatient Burn Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Burn-injured patients must frequently travel long distances to regional burn centers, creating a burden on families and impairing clinical outcomes. Recent federal policies in response to the coronavirus pandemic have relaxed major barriers to conducting synchronous videoconference visits in the home. However, the efficacy and benefits of virtual visits relative to in-person visits remained unclear for burn patients. Accordingly, a clinical quality assurance database maintained during the coronavirus pandemic (3/3/2020 to 9/8/2020) for virtual and/or in-person visits at a comprehensive adult and pediatric burn center was queried for demographics, burn severity, visit quality, and distance data. A total of 143 patients were included in this study with 317 total outpatient encounters (61 virtual and 256 in-person). The savings associated with the average virtual visit were 130 ± 125 miles (mean ± standard deviation), 164 ± 134 travel minutes, &104 ± 99 driving costs, and &81 ± 66 foregone wage earnings. Virtual visit technical issues were experienced by 23% of patients and were significantly lower in pediatric (5%) than in adult patients (44%; p=0.006). This study is the first to assess the efficacy of synchronous videoconference visits in the home setting for outpatient burn care. The findings demonstrate major financial and temporal benefits for burn patients and their families. Technical issues remain an important barrier, particularly for the adult population. A clear understanding of these and other barriers may inform future studies as healthcare systems and payors move toward improving access to burn care through remote healthcare delivery services.
Bayesian Design for Identifying Cohort-Specific Optimal Dose Combinations Based on Multiple Endpoints: Application to a Phase I Trial in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Immunotherapy and chemotherapy combinations have proven to be a safe and efficacious treatment approach in multiple settings. However, it is not clear whether approved doses of chemotherapy developed to achieve a maximum tolerated dose are the ideal dose when combining cytotoxic chemotherapy with immunotherapy to induce immune responses. This trial of a modulated dose chemotherapy and Pembrolizumab, with or without a second immunomodulatory agent, uses a Bayesian design to select the optimal treatment combination by balancing both safety and efficacy of the chemotherapy and immunotherapy agents within each of two cohorts. The simulation study provides evidence that the proposed Bayesian design successfully addresses the primary study aim to identify the optimal dose combination for each of the two independent patient cohorts. This conclusion is supported by the high percentage of simulated trials which select a treatment combination that is both safe and highly efficacious. The proposed trial was funded and was being finalized when the sponsoring company decided not to proceed due to negative findings in another patient population. The proposed trial design will continue to be relevant as multiple chemotherapy and immunotherapy combinations become the standard of care and future research will require evaluating the appropriate doses of various components of multiple drug regimens.
Restoring Responsibility: Ethics in Government, Business, and Healthcare

Introduction Part I. Demands of Institutional Politics: 1. The moral responsibility of public officials: the problem of many hands 2. Ascribing responsibility to advisers in government 3. Bureaucracy and democracy 4. Judicial responsibility: the problem of many minds 5. Representatives in the welfare state Part II. Varieties of Institutional Failure: 6. Democratic secrecy: the dilemma of accountability 7. Mediated corruption: the case of the Keating Five 8. Election time: normative implications of temporal properties of the electoral process in the US 9. Hypocrisy and democracy 10. Private life and public office Part III. Extensions of Institutional Responsibility: 11. Restoring distrust: the ethics of oversight 12. The institutional turn in professional ethics 13. Hospital ethics 14. Understanding financial conflicts of interest in medicine 15. The privatization of business ethics 16. Democratic theory and global society.
Who is Secure?: A Framework for Arizona v. Gant

In April 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court in Arizona v. Gant narrowed the scope of an automobile search incident to arrest. Prior to Gant, officers were permitted to search the entire automobile passenger compartment incident to the arrest of a vehicle occupant for any offense. The Gant Court rejected this broad interpretation and limited officers’ ability to search to two circumstances: (1) when an arrestee is unsecured and within reaching distance of the vehicle or (2) when it is reasonable for officers to believe the vehicle might contain evidence related to the crime of the arrest. The Gant decision raises several new issues including the circumstances required to consider an arrestee secure. Is an arrestee considered unsecure until officers place the arrestee in a police car? Can an arrestee be considered secure if officers do not handcuff the arrestee? How many officers are required to secure an arrestee? What are the relevant factors to consider? Since the Supreme Court decided Gant, numerous lower courts have cited Gant to determine whether officers secured an arrestee prior to an automobile search incident to arrest. This Note examines how lower courts have inconsistently applied the “secure” aspect of the holding. Additionally, this Note offers a test for determining whether officers have secured an arrestee under Gant in order to clarify the inconsistency among lower courts, to ensure that defendants receive equal treatment, and to prevent confusion among law enforcement officials.
A Novel Visualization Tool for Evaluating Medication Side-Effects in Multi-drug Regimens

The evaluation and management of medication side-effects is a common and complex task for physicians. Information visualization has the potential to increase the efficiency and reduce the cognitive load involved in this process. We describe the design and development of Rxplore, a novel tool for assessing medication side-effects. Rxplore supports simultaneous lookup of multiple medications and an intuitive visual representation of query results. In a pilot study of Rxplore's usability and utility, physicians rated the system highly for efficiency, intuitiveness, and clinical value.
The Shareholder Distributions Handbook

Who, When, What & How? . . . In the face of recent events, dividend and share repurchase policies are now being rewritten: Low interest rates and depressed equity returns put pressure on companies to increase shareholder distributions A dividend renaissance is partly due to low yields elsewhere, and the perception of dividends as a safe haven in turbulent markets Changes in accounting and public opinion have made conventional option-based repurchase programs much less attractive but new, accounting-friendly structures remain available Open-market repurchase programs remain the best alternative to dividends and are especially appropriate for uncertain cash flows Self tender offers (fixed price and Dutch Auction) remain the most effective mechanisms to create value through increased leverage or to signal an undervalued stock, or manage rapid change in ownership.
Decreased expression of p63, a regulator of epidermal stem cells, in the chronic laminitic equine hoof

Summary Reasons for performing study: Abnormal epidermal stem cell regulation may contribute to the pathogenesis of equine chronic laminitis. Objective: To analyse the involvement of p63, a regulator of epidermal stem cell proliferative potential, in chronic laminitis. Methods: Epidermal tissues from skin, coronet and lamellae of the dorsal foot were harvested from 5 horses with chronic laminitis and 5 control horses. Tissues were analysed using histopathology, immunofluorescence microscopy and quantitative immunoblotting Results: Hoof lamellae of laminitic horses had a lower frequency of p63 positive cells than control lamellae, particularly in the distal region. Quantitative immunoblotting confirmed reduced p63 expression in the laminitic distal lamellar region. The decreased p63 expression in laminitic epidermal lamellae was most apparent in the abaxial region adjacent to the hoof wall and highly associated with the formation of terminally differentiated, dysplastic and hyperkeratotic epidermis in this region, whereas lamellae from control horses maintained high p63 expression throughout the axial-abaxial axis. Conclusions: Expression of p63 in equine skin resembles that reported in other species, including man and rodents, suggesting that p63 can serve as a marker for the proliferative potential of equine epidermal stem cells. p63 expression was significantly lower in the chronic laminitic hoof than in that of control horses, suggesting laminitic hoof epithelium has more limited proliferative potential with a shift towards differentiation. This may reflect reduced activity of epidermal stem cells in laminitic hoof. It is proposed that p63 contributes to the maintenance of hoof lamellae and that misregulation of p63 expression may lead to epidermal dysplasia during lamellar wedge formation. Potential relevance: This study suggests that loss of epidermal stem cells contributes to the pathogenesis of equine laminitis. Autologous transplantation of p63-positive epidermal stem cells from unaffected regions may have regenerative therapeutic potential for laminitic horses.
Targeting PSMA on tumor cells using novel aptamer-gelonin conjugates

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 6183 PSMA is a transmembrane receptor whose expression increases on prostatic tumor cells during disease progression. This protein is also expressed on the endotheluim of tumor vasculature but not normal vasculature. Aptamers are small nucleic acids selected to bind proteins such as cell-surface tumor antigens with high affinity and specificity. Aptamers have the potential to serve as replacements for cell-targeting antibodies or other cell-targeting ligands. We utilized a modified RNA aptamer (designated PSMAA) known to bind the external domain of PSMA with high affinity (previously reported Ki = 2 nM). The 22 kDa PSMAA molecule was conjugated to recombinant gelonin(rGel) toxin using the heterobifunctional cross-linking agent SPDP. The PSMAA/rGel conjugate was then purified by ion exchange and gel permeation chromatography. The final product was uncontaminated by free aptamer or free rGel and migrated as a single species (∼50 kDa) by SDS-PAGE. Analysis of the construct demonstrated that the rGel component was enzymatically active compared to free rGel. In addition, the conjugate was found to bind specifically to PSMA-expressing LNCAP cells. Cytotoxicity studies of the PSMAA/rGel conjugate demonstrated an I.C.50 of 32 nM on antigen-positive LNCAP cells compared to an I.C.50 of 350,000 nM on PC3 cells, which contain much less antigen; a targeting index of approximately 10,000 fold. Internalization studies should reveal the details of toxin conjugate entry, and animal model studies are ongoing. These data suggest that aptamers can be used to successfully deliver protein molecules such as toxins to tumor cells and may provide a novel approach to development of targeted therapeutic agents. The fact that aptamers can be chemically synthesized and thereby site-specifically conjugated makes them especially interesting as targeting ligands. The PSMAA-rGel construct may prove useful to target PSMA on prostate cells and on tumor vasculature. Research conducted, in part, by the Clayton Foundation for Research.
Ultrasonic diagnosis of embryonic malformations

Abstract Early in pregnancy, 140 gravidas with histories of previous obstetrical difficulties were examined sonographically. Six different types of embryonic malformations were discovered. The frequency of these malformations in this series and the outcomes of the pregnancies are described. Of the series, 114 patients aborted. The sonographic prediction of abortion has an over-all accuracy of 78 per cent.
Adherence inhibition of Streptococcus mutans: an assay reflecting a possible role of antibody in dental caries prophylaxis.

Adherence of cariogenic streptococci to the smooth surfaces of teeth has been shown to lead to plaque formation and ultimately to caries production. This adherence can be reproduced in vitro and requires sucrose in the growth media. The work reported here describes the development of an assay based on the ability of immune rabbit serum to inhibit adherence of Streptococcus mutans 6715 to glass surfaces. Rabbits were immunized with Formalin-killed whole bacteria. Sera were titered for adherence inhibition and bacterial agglutination. The former assay was found to be dependent upon immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody, whereas the latter detected either IgG or IgM antibodies. These two assays appeared to detect different antigens. It was hypothesized that the adherence inhibition assay detects antibody directed against an enzyme, perhaps dextransucrase, responsible for dextran synthesis, since immune serum was found to inhibit incorporation of radiolabel from 14C-sucrose into cell wall extract. The adherence inhibition assay has potential application for study of other cariogenic bacteria. Studies are being pursued in the hope that this assay may lead to a means of control of dental caries.
The Impact of Age on 5‐Year Outcomes After Atrial Fibrillation Catheter Ablation

Impact of Age After Atrial Fibrillation Catheter AblationBackground Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is an established therapeutic rhythm approach in symptomatic patients. Many studies have shown that age has little to no impact on outcomes during the first year after ablation. However, AF is a disease of aging and age-based substrate for arrhythmia is likely to progress. To this regard, we examined patients with 5-year outcome data following an index AF ablation procedure to define the impact of age on long-term outcomes. Methods A total of 923 patients that underwent their index AF ablation and had 5 years of follow-up were studied. Patients were followed up for atrial flutter/AF recurrence, heart failure, stroke, death, and cardiac function. Patients were separated and compared in 5 age-based groups ( 80). Results The average age of the population was 66 ± 11 years and 59% were male. The AF was paroxysmal in 55%, persistent in 27%, and longstanding persistent in 18%. Older patients were more likely female and had higher rates of cardiovascular diseases. For every 10-year increase in age there was a higher multivariate-adjusted risk of atrial flutter/AF recurrence (HR: 1.13, P = 0.01), death (HR:1.91, P < 0.0001), and major adverse cardiac events (HR: 1.09, P = 0.07). Although atrial flutter/AF recurrence rates by age were similar at 1 year, at 5 years, younger patients had significantly lower rates of recurrences. Conclusion Age significantly impacts outcomes after AF ablation when analyzed with long-term follow-up. These data highlight the progressive nature of AF and the need to consider interventions early.
Nuclear Physics Research at the High Intensity Gamma-Ray Source (HIγS)

The High Intensity γ-Ray Source (HIγS), operated by the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory and located on the campus of Duke University, is presently able to provide nearly mono-energetic polarized gamma ray beams with energies ranging from 1 to 100 MeV. These beams are produced by Compton backscattering photons produced by a free-electron laser (FEL) from the same relativistic electron beam that powers the FEL inside of an electron storage ring. The maximum total intensity of these g-ray beams produced in the vicinity of 10 MeV is approximately 3 × 1010 γ/s, making HIγS the most intense Compton γ-ray source ever built and operated [1].
Modeling heap data growth using average liveness

Most of today's programs make use of a sizable heap to store dynamic data. To characterize the heap dynamics, this paper presents a set of metrics to measure the average amount of data live and dead in a period of execution. They are collectively called average liveness. The paper defines these metrics of average liveness, gives linear-time algorithms for measurement, and discusses their use in finding the best heap size. The algorithms are implemented in a Java tracing system called Elephant Tracks and evaluated using the Dacapo benchmarks running on the Oracle HotSpot and IBM J9 Java virtual machines.
Interactive Decomposition and Mapping of Saccular Cerebral Aneurysms Using Harmonic Functions: Its First Application With “Patient-Specific” Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulations

Recent developments in medical imaging and advanced computer modeling simulations now enable studies designed to correlate either simulated or measured “patient-specific” parameters with the natural history of intracranial aneurysm i.e., ruptured or unruptured. To achieve significance, however, these studies require rigorous comparison of large amounts of data from large numbers of aneurysms, many of which are quite dissimilar anatomically. In this study, we present a method that can likely facilitate such studies as its application could potentially simplify an objective comparison of surface-based parameters of interest such as wall shear stress and blood pressure using large multi-patient, multi-institutional data sets. Based on the concept of harmonic function/field, we present a unified and simple approach for mapping the surface of an aneurysm onto a unit disc. Requiring minimal human interactions the algorithm first decomposes the vessel geometry into 1) target aneurysm and 2) parent artery and any adjacent branches; it, then, maps the segmented aneurysm surface onto a unit disk. In particular, the decomposition of the vessel geometry quantitatively exploits the unique combination of three sets of information regarding the shape of the relevant vasculature: 1) a distance metric defining the spatially varying deviation from a tubular characteristic (i.e., cylindrical structure) of a normal parent artery, 2) local curvatures and 3) local concavities at the junction/interface between an aneurysm and its parent artery. These three sets of resultant shape/geometrical data are then combined to construct a linear system of the Laplacian equation with a novel shape-sensitive weighting scheme. The solution to such a linear system is a shape-sensitive harmonic function/field whose iso-lines will densely gather at the border between the normal parent artery and the aneurysm. Finally, a simple ranking system is utilized to select the best candidate among all possible iso-lines. Quantitative analysis using “patient-specific” aneurysm geometries taken from our internal database demonstrated that the technique is robust. Similar results were obtained from aneurysms having widely different geometries (bifurcation, terminal and lateral aneurysms). Application of our method should allow for meaningful, reliable and reproducible model-to-model comparisons of surface-based physiological and hemodynamic parameters.