cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Textural and Physical Properties of Biorenewable “Waxes” Containing Partial Acylglycerides

Vegetable oil-based “waxes” are a promising alternative to beeswax and paraffin wax, the usual raw materials for candles and encaustic painting, because they are environmentally friendly, less expensive than beeswax and more biodegradable than paraffin. In this study, wax mixtures of mono- (MAG) and diacylglycerides (DAG) of fully hydrogenated vegetable oil were prepared at various ratios and their textural properties were compared to beeswax. Waxes having 30–40% of DAG were softer and more cohesive than those having other proportions of DAG, and their values were the closest to those of beeswax. A wax mixture of 70% MAG and 30% DAG (MDWAX) was then treated with various additives, including free fatty acid, fatty alcohol, hydroxy triacylglycerides (OHWAX), dammar resin, and acetylated monoacylglycerides (AM). The 1:1 (wt.) mixture of MDWAX and AM (referred as 50% AM) had similar plasticity to that of beeswax, and a high textural stability during one-month storage. The melting and crystallization properties of the wax containing 10% OHWAX and 90% MDWAX had close similarity to those of beeswax. The crystal form in most formulated waxes was β′ as determined by X-ray diffraction. However, the 50% AM wax had α and β polymorphs in equal proportions and the MDWAX had only β form crystals. The crystallinity of all formulated waxes was lower than those of beeswax and paraffin. Polarized light microscopy images revealed that the microstructures of formulated waxes were different from that of beeswax. For sensory evaluation, the order of the surface buffability was determined as MDWAX+10% Dammar < MDWAX < MDWAX+50% AM < paraffin < beeswax.
Characterization of the Physiological Turnover of Native and Inactivated Cytochromes P450 3A in Cultured Rat Hepatocytes: A Role for the Cytosolic AAA ATPase p97?

Mammalian hepatic cytochromes P450 (P450s) are endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-anchored hemoproteins engaged in the metabolism of numerous xeno- and endobiotics. P450s exhibit widely ranging half-lives, utilizing both autophagic-lysosomal (ALD) and ubiquitin-dependent 26S proteasomal (UPD) degradation pathways. Although suicidally inactivated hepatic CYPs 3A and "native" CYP3A4 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are degraded via UPD, the turnover of native hepatic CYPs 3A in their physiological milieu has not been elucidated. Herein, we characterize the degradation of native, dexamethasone-inducible CYPs 3A in cultured primary rat hepatocytes, using proteasomal (MG-132 and MG-262) and ALD [NH4Cl and 3-methyladenine (3-MA)] inhibitors to examine their specific degradation route. Pulse-chase with immunoprecipitation analyses revealed a basal 52% 35S-CYP3A loss over 6 h, which was stabilized by both proteasomal inhibitors. By contrast, no corresponding CYP3A stabilization was detected with either ALD inhibitor NH4Cl or 3-MA. Furthermore, MG-262-induced CYP3A stabilization was associated with its polyubiquitylation, thereby verifying that native CYPs 3A were also degraded via UPD. To identify the specific participants in this process, cellular proteins were cross-linked in situ with paraformaldehyde (PFA) in cultured hepatocytes. Immunoblotting analyses of CYP3A immunoprecipitates after PFA-cross-linking revealed the presence of p97, a cytosolic AAA ATPase instrumental in the extraction and delivery of ubiquitylated ER proteins for proteasomal degradation. Such native CYP3A-p97 interactions were greatly magnified after CYP3A suicidal inactivation (which accelerates UPD), and/or proteasomal inhibition, and were confirmed by proteomic and confocal immunofluorescence microscopic analyses. These findings clearly reveal that native CYPs 3A undergo UPD and implicate a role for p97 in this process.
Glucagon physiology and pathophysiology in the light of new advances.

Recent advances in the understanding of glucagoninsulin relationships at the level of the islets of Langerhans and of hepatic fuel metabolism are reviewed and their impact on our understanding of glucagon physiology and pathophysiology is considered. It now appears that α cells can respond directly to hyperglycaemia in the absence of insulin and β cells, but that antecedent hyperglycaemia masks or attenuates this response. Insulin appears to exert ongoing release inhibition upon glucagon secretion, probably via the intra-islet microvascular system that connects β cells to α cells. Diabetic hyperglucagonemia in insulin deficient states appears to be secondary to lack of the restraining influence of insulin. The α cell response to glucopenia, by contrast, may be in large part mediated by release of noradrenaline from nerve endings in contact with α cells. Glucagon's action on glucose and ketone production by hepatocytes is mediated by increase in cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase. The opposing action of insulin upon glucagon-mediated events probably occurs largely at this level. Consequently, when glucagon secretion or action is blocked, cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase activity is low even in the absence of insulin, explaining why marked glucose and ketone production is absent in bihormonal deficiency states.
Infrared spectroscopy studies of the cyclic anhydride as the intermediate for the ester crosslinking of cotton cellulose by polycarboxylic acids. II. Comparison of different polycarboxylic acids

Polycarboxylic acids have been used as crosslinking agents for cotton cellulose. In our previous research, we used Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to investigate the formation of five-membered cyclic anhydride intermediates on cotton fabric by different polycarboxylic acids. In this research, we found that those polycarboxylic acids capable of forming both five- and six-membered cyclic anhydrides form only five-membered cyclic anhydrides. We compared the effectiveness of the polycarboxylic acids with different molecular structures for esterifying cellulose. Those polycarboxylic acids, which have their carboxyl groups bonded to the adjacent carbons of their molecular backbones and are capable of forming five-membered cyclic anhydrides, are more effective for esterifying cellulose than those polycarboxylic acids having their carboxyl groups bonded to the alternative carbons. The only six-membered cyclic anhydride identified is the anhydride formed on the cotton fabric treated with poly(acrylic acid). © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An AutoCAD-based expert system for plant layout

Abstract This paper describes the development of a plant layout system implemented in AutoLISP on an IBM PS/2 computer. This system combines computational algorithms, human expertise, and computer graphics in one program for plant layout design and drafting. The objective is to develop a computer system for automation of the layout design and documentation process. This system emulates a plant layout expert in the last step of plant layout process. The input to the system includes department dimensions, between-department material flows, and aisle width. The system generates and evaluates layout alternatives according to given objectives. AutoCAD commands are called to plot the layout when an alternative layout is being created. This system ensures that each department has an access to the aisle and the travel distance between two departments are measured along the aisle. As both design expertise and computer graphics are programmed in the same environment, the interfacing problem between them is easily eliminated.
Synthesis and in vitro activity of some epimeric 20α-hydroxy, 20-oxime and aziridine pregnene derivatives as inhibitors of human 17α-hydroxylase/c 17,20 -lyase and 5α-reductase

Abstract Some epimeric 20-hydroxy, 20-oxime, 16α, 17α-, 17,20- and 20,21-aziridine derivatives of progesterone were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of human 17α-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase (P45017α) and 5α-reductase (5α-R). The reduction of 16-dehydropregenolone acetate (3a) was reinvestigated. NaBH4 in the presence of CeCl3 gave better stereoselectivity for 20β-ol [20α/20β-OH (4α/4β)=1/2.7] than LTBAH or the Meerwein–Pondroff method reported; reduction with Zn in HOAc formed exclusively 20α-ol (4αb). The 20α- and 20β-hydroxy-4,16-pregnadien-3-one (9α) and (9β) were synthesized from the alcohols 4αb and 4βb. Several 20-oxime pregnadienes and 16α,17α-, 17,20- and 20,21-aziridinyl-5-pregnene derivatives were also synthesized. LiAlH4 reduction of the 16-en-20-oxime (12b) yielded 20 (R)-(13a) and 20(S)-17α,20-aziridine (13b) and 20(R)-17β,20-aziridine (14a). Several compounds inhibited the human P45017α with greater potency than ketoconzole. The 5α-R enzyme assay showed that while (9α) did not have any activity, (9β) and (3b) were potent 5α-reductase (IC50=21 and 31 nM) inhibitors with activities similar to finasteride. The 20-oximes (17a) and (17b) were potent dual inhibitors for both 5α-R (IC50=63 and 115 nM, compared to 33 nM for finasteride) and P45017α (IC50=43 and 25 nM, compared to 78 nM for ketoconazole).
Gradient expansion correction to the Dirac exchange term in statistical models for the Na atom with shell structure

In the study of the ground-state binding energy of atoms, relatively more attention has been paid to the gradient expansion of the kinetic energy term of the Thomas–Fermi–Dirac model than to the gradient expansion of the exchange term of this model. Recently Shih and Shih, Murphy, and Wang have focused on this problem and calculated the first gradient expansion correction to the Dirac exchange term by making use of electron densities constructed from Hartree–Fock wave functions. In previous work, aimed to introduce the shell structure of atoms via a variational procedure using the energy density functional formalism, electron densities have been obtained for the Na atom within the Thomas–Fermi–Dirac model with and without the Weizsacker and Hodges gradient expansion corrections to the kinetic energy term. In this paper we make use of the respective electron densities and calculate the first gradient expansion corrections to the Dirac exchange term. The results show that, for the Na atom, the magnitude of this correction is about 1% of the magnitude of the total binding energy.
Evaluation of combined bevacizumab and intraperitoneal carboplatin or paclitaxel therapy in a mouse model of ovarian cancer

To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of bevacizumab following IP and IV administration, and to investigate combined bevacizumab therapy (IP or IV) with IP paclitaxel or carboplatin in a mouse model of ovarian cancer. Bevacizumab pharmacokinetics were investigated following IV or IP dosing, and mice bearing peritoneal A2780 xenografts were treated with vehicle, IV or IP bevacizumab, IP paclitaxel, IP paclitaxel with co-administration of IV or IP bevacizumab, IP carboplatin, and IP carboplatin with co-administration of IV or IP bevacizumab. Survival time was defined as the time to death or the time to reach 120% of baseline body weight. Following IP administration, bevacizumab was rapidly absorbed and bioavailability was 92.8%. Median survival time, which was 33 days for control mice, was increased by 24% with IP paclitaxel. IP carboplatin failed to increase survival time when administered alone. IV and IP bevacizumab increased survival time by 42 and 33%. Combined bevacizumab and IP paclitaxel was superior to paclitaxel alone (P = 0.01 for IV and P = 0.04 for IP bevacizumab), and combined bevacizumab and IP carboplatin was superior to carboplatin alone (P = 0.002 for IV and P = 0.02 for IP bevacizumab). There were no significant differences in survival between groups receiving bevacizumab IV or IP, either alone (P = 0.586), in combination with paclitaxel (P = 0.467), or in combination with carboplatin (P = 0.149). Following IP administration to mice, bevacizumab demonstrates rapid and near complete absorption. Bevacizumab therapy, initiated prior to IP carboplatin or paclitaxel administration, increased survival time significantly in mice, and results were not dependent on the route of bevacizumab administration (IV vs. IP).
Refinement of Treatment Setup and Target Localization Accuracy Using Three-Dimensional Cone-Beam Computed Tomography for Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy

Purposes To quantitatively compare two-dimensional (2D) orthogonal kV with three-dimensional (3D) cone-beam CT (CBCT) for target localization; and to assess intrafraction motion with kV images in patients undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Methods and Materials A total of 50 patients with 58 lesions received 178 fractions of SBRT. After clinical setup using in-room lasers and skin/cradle marks placed at simulation, patients were imaged and repositioned according to orthogonal kV/MV registration of bony landmarks to digitally reconstructed radiographs from the planning CT. A subsequent CBCT was registered to the planning CT using soft tissue information, and the resultant “residual error” was measured and corrected before treatment. Posttreatment 2D kV and/or 3D CBCT images were compared with pretreatment images to determine any intrafractional position changes. Absolute averages, statistical means, standard deviations, and root mean square (RMS) values of observed setup error were calculated. Results After initial setup to external marks with laser guidance, 2D kV images revealed vector mean setup deviations of 0.67 cm (RMS). Cone-beam CT detected residual setup deviations of 0.41 cm (RMS). Posttreatment imaging demonstrated intrafractional variations of 0.15 cm (RMS). The individual shifts in three standard orthogonal planes showed no obvious directional biases. Conclusions After localization based on superficial markings in patients undergoing SBRT, orthogonal kV imaging detects setup variations of approximately 3 to 4 mm in each direction. Cone-beam CT detects residual setup variations of approximately 2 to 3 mm.
Minimum Void Size and 3-Parameter Lognormal Distribution for EM Failures in Cu Interconnects

Broad failure time distributions were observed for line depletion electromigration in Cu interconnects for various structures without sufficient liner contact and via redundancy. The root cause for this behavior was identified as the sensitivity of failure times to the void size, shape and location. Application of the traditional 2-parameter lognormal distribution model to corresponding stress data often results in very pessimistic EM lifetime projections. A 3-parameter lognormal distribution was found not only to fit the experimental data better, especially for the early portion of the failure time distributions, but also to generate more accurate lifetime projections for void-size-limited EM. Given the nature of EM wear-out, deeper consideration indicates that a 3-parameter lognormal distribution has a sounder physical basis than a 2-parameter lognormal distribution. The new parameter introduced in the model, the minimum failure time (X0 ), scales with via size over several technology generations, further validating the minimum void size explanation
Simulation based metrics prediction in software engineering

The software industry is increasingly working towards the goal of software reuse. The use of metrics to assess software modules has long been advocated by the US Army. A combination of these two trends should make it possible for a software developer to predict the metrics of the composite software system given the metrics of the component software modules. It should also enable the developer to make an appropriate choice among many possible modules available in the software repository. The paper presents an approach to solve the above two problems. The metrics suite used is an extension of the US Army STEP metrics, the approach is simulation based, and its theoretical validation is provided from approximation theory. >
Minimalist Inquiries into Child and Adult Language Acquisition edited by PIRES, ACRISIO, & JASON ROTHMAN

The article reviews the book "Minimalist Inquiries into Child and Adult Language Acquisition. Case Studies across Portuguese," an anthology of papers, edited by Acrisio Pires and Jason Rothman.
Educational Implications of Taking a Transactional Perspective of Occupation in Practice

In this chapter, we explore educational issues related to helping professional students apply a transactional perspective in the practice of occupational therapy with children. We address students’ and the literature’s persistent habit of locating development within the child. We offer a transactional description of a childhood occupation as a social process, then highlight how the essence of intervention lies in providing opportunities for children’s engagement with occupations in new ways, utilizing the relational and interdependent elements of occupational situations. We introduce an educational process that helps students see children and their occupational situations as a functioning whole system. We discuss how students are challenged to reflect critically on views of childhood, and we illustrate how through facilitated discussion students are led to adopt a highly contextualized perspective, particularly in terms of how children and their families experience their life situations. The use of storytelling, case-based groups and fieldwork assignments are shown as opportunities for applied learning, and we discuss the structure of assignments to guide thinking along transactional lines.
Determinants of alcohol cessation, reduction and no reduction during pregnancy

Purpose Despite public health initiatives targeting the harmful effects of alcohol exposure on fetal growth, 12 % of pregnant women report current alcohol use. For women who reported drinking alcohol prior to pregnancy, we examined several factors as predictors of three alcohol use patterns during the third trimester of pregnancy: cessation, reduction and no reduction.
Situating Reader Stance within and beyond the Efferent-Aesthetic Continuum.

The purpose of this theoretical essay is to encourage critical reflection of the relationship of specific reading events to traditional conceptualizations of reader stance. While conventional models of reader stance are useful for considering many aspects of reading, there are reading events that engender stances that appear to lie outside of the parameters of these traditional conceptualizations. In this article, we identify one such reading event, termed reading-for-the-writer, and analyze the specific point it occupies on an efferent-aesthetic continuum, a continuum that we view as more three-dimensional than linear and that includes both reader stances and writer stances. Through such analyses of specific stances, we conclude with pedagogical implications and research directions that move toward continued discussion of the interconnectedness of reading and writing processes.
Voriconazole Exposure and Risk of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Aspergillus Colonization, Invasive Aspergillosis and Death in Lung Transplant Recipients.

Voriconazole is a triazole antifungal used to prevent and treat invasive fungal infections after lung transplantation, but it has been associated with an increased risk of developing cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Despite widespread use, there are no clear guidelines for optimal prophylactic regimens that balance the competing risks and benefits. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all lung transplant recipients at the University of California, San Francisco, who were transplanted between October 1991 and December 2012 (n = 455) to investigate whether voriconazole exposure affected development of SCC, Aspergillus colonization, invasive aspergillosis and all-cause mortality. Voriconazole exposure was associated with a 73% increased risk of developing SCC (hazard ratio [HR] 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-2.88; p = 0.03), with each additional 30-day exposure at the standard dose increasing the risk by 3.0% (HR 1.03; 95% CI: 1.02-1.04; p < 0.001). Voriconazole exposure reduced risk of Aspergillus colonization by 50% (HR 0.50; 95% CI: 0.34-0.72; p < 0.001), but we were underpowered to detect risk reduction for invasive aspergillosis. Voriconazole exposure significantly reduced all-cause mortality among subjects who developed Aspergillus colonization (HR 0.34; 95% CI: 0.13-0.91; p = 0.03) but had no significant impact on those without colonization. Physicians should consider patient-specific factors that modify the potential risks and benefits of voriconazole for the care of lung transplant recipients.
High-performance and high-yield Ka-band low-noise MMIC using 0.25- mu m ion-implanted MESFET's

The performance of LNA (low-noise amplifier) MMICs (monolithic microwave integrated circuits) in Ka-band using only ion-implantation technology is presented. Three-stage LNAs fabricated using a high-yield 0.25- mu m ion-implanted process showed a 4.2 dB average noise figure with a 15-dB gain in Ka-band. It is concluded that this relatively inexpensive technology, if maximized for the performance, shows good promise in applications where unit cost is critical and volume is high. >
Assessing the differenced normalized burn ratio’s ability to map burn severity in the boreal forest and tundra ecosystems of alaska’s national parks

Burn severity strongly influences post-fire vegetation succession, soil erosion, and wildlife populations in the fire-adapted boreal forest and tundra ecosystems of Alaska. Therefore, satellite-derived maps of burn severity in the remote Alaskan landscape are a useful tool in both fire and resource management practices. To assess satellite-derived measures of burn severity in Alaska we calculated the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) from pre- and post-fire Landsat TM/ETM+ data. We established 289 composite burn index (CBI) plots in or near four national park areas between 2001 and 2003 in order to compare ground-based measurements of burn severity with satellite-derived values of burn severity. Within the diverse vegetation types measured, a strong linear relationship between a differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) and CBI for eight out of the nine fire assessments was found; R2 values ranged from 0.45 to 0.88. The variations in severity among four pre-fire vegetation types were examined and a significant difference in the average dNBR and average CBI values among the vegetation types was found. Black spruce forests overall had the strongest relationship with dNBR, while the high severity white spruce forests had the poorest fit with dNBR. Deciduous forests and tall shrub plots had the lowest average remotely sensed burn severity (dNBR), but not the lowest ground severity among the vegetation types sampled. The tundra vegetation sampled had the lowest ground severity. Finally, a significant difference was detected between initial and extended assessments of dNBR in tundra vegetation types. The results indicated that the dNBR can be used as an effective means to map burn severity in boreal forest and tundra ecosystems for the climatic conditions and fire types that occurred in our study sites.
Copeland voting: ties matter

We study the complexity of manipulation for a family of election systems derived from Copeland voting via introducing a parameter α that describes how ties in head-to-head contests are valued. We show that the thus obtained problem of manipulation for unweighted Copelandα elections is NP-complete even if the size of the manipulating coalition is limited to two. Our result holds for all rational values of α such that 0
Communication protocols for wireless ad-hoc and sensor networks

Demand for decentralized wireless ad-hoc systems, where hosts are free to leave or join, to replace wired communication systems has seen a phenomenal growth. The protocols developed for wired systems cannot handle the new problems that come with wireless networks. This inability lays our entire communications capability open to disruption, and requires entirely new protocols. Traditional TCP (Transport Control Protocol), designed for wired networking, degrades significantly over wireless links and provides abysmal throughput. This performance degradation occurs because the TCP protocol is carefully tuned for wired networks, where most packet losses are primarily due to congestion loss. However, in wireless ad-hoc networks, packet loss could be because of several reasons such as link loss, node mobility and network misbehavior to name a few. Current techniques for improving TCP do not consider the malicious packet drop attack. Energy-efficient information dissemination is a critical operation in wireless sensor networks. Conventional protocols like flooding or gossiping have problems such as data implosion, overlap, and resource blindness. SPIN (Sensor Protocols for Information via Negotiation), proposed to handle these issues uses negotiation with meta-data descriptors and resource-adaptation. However energy-efficiency was not considered in this design. This dissertation addresses these challenges by providing two communication protocols, one that improves TCP performance over lossy links and another that provides energy-efficient data distribution. First, TCP-Manet, a reliable transport protocol over wireless ad-hoc networks is introduced. TCP-Manet determines the characteristics of the packet loss based on current connection status and reacts effectively to the packet loss. Theoretical and simulation results show that TCP-Manet provides better throughput performance than TCP-Reno. Next, SPIN-G, an energy-efficient data dissemination protocol is developed. SPIN-G adapts to the remaining battery power at any sensor node there by extending network lifetime. This protocol also uses the negotiation, meta-data description, and resource adaptation features of SPIN and improves on the negotiation by explicitly accounting for the battery capacity. Simulation experiments confirm that SPIN-G dissipates less energy compared to SPIN and converges (all nodes in the network get all the data) slightly slower than SPIN.
Facial expression analysis based on enhanced texture and topographical structure

The variation of facial texture and surface due to the change of expression is an important cue for analyzing and modeling facial expressions. In this paper, we propose a new approach to represent the facial expression by using a so-called topographic feature. In order to capture the variation of facial surface structure, facial textures are processed by increasing the resolution. The topographical structure of human face is analyzed based on the resolution-enhanced textures. We investigate the relationship between the facial expression and its topographic features, and propose to represent the facial expression by the topographic labels. The detected topographic facial surface and the expressive regions reject the status of facial skin movement. Based on the observation that the facial texture and its topographic features change along with facial expressions, we compare the disparity of these features between the neutral face and the expressive face to distinguish a number of universal expressions. The experiment demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed approach for facial expression representation and recognition
Simultanagnosia A defect of sustained attention yields insights on visual information processing

Simultanagnosia, in which subjects report a piecemeal visual experience, offers an important probe of human attention. We studied 2 subjects with simultanagnosia following bilateral superior occipital strokes. Compared with controls, they could orient attention to spatial targets in visual, auditory, and mixed-modal conditions. A different task required immediate response to the appearance or disappearance at unpredictable intervals of any element in a random-dot CRT display. The subject tested could detect less than 50% of 1,600 events, and had increased "mirages" and prolonged reaction times. Undetected events occurred anywhere and formed temporal clusters. Application of signal-detection theory confirmed abnormal sensitivity and response bias (d9 and beta). Yet performance improved when a valid cue introduced events in the random display. Our results suggest that simultanagnosia was related to an inability to sustain visuospatial attention across an array, corresponding to processing failure at a level of long-range (global) spatiotemporal interactions among converging inputs from early vision. The operations for orienting and sustaining attention may be dissociable at visual association cortex levels.
Lifetime Activism, Marginality, and Psychology: Narratives of Lifelong Feminist Activists Committed to Social Change

In the present study we seek to examine how and why some individuals commit their lives to creating social change in their communities. We specifically explore the lives and experiences of lifetime feminist activists by assessing the role of various social psychological mechanisms in growing and sustaining commitment to social change in diverse social contexts. We utilize 3 social-psychological concepts: positive marginality, conscientizacion, and social identity theory in order to focus on the inherent intersecting mechanisms and influences that contribute to a lifetime of social activism. Using idiographic narrative analysis we employ an interpretive methodology to analyze the oral histories of 3 women: Grace Lee Boggs of the United States, Matidle Lindo of Nicaragua, and D. Sharifa of India. Our findings suggest that although the women’s lives and experiences vary considerably, concepts from within social psychology can aid in our understanding of how and why individuals become increasingly committed to creating change. We discuss how these findings may contribute to theory development on understanding the experiences and efforts of individuals who contribute to social change.
Change in CA 19-9 levels after chemoradiotherapy predicts survival in patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer

Purpose: RTOG 9704 demonstrated a prognostic role for postoperative CA 19-9 in patients with resectable pancreatic carcinoma following surgery. Our study aimed to investigate whether CA 19-9 provided similar prognostic information in patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC) treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and to determine whether such endpoints should therefore be reported in future randomized trials. Methods and materials: Between December 1998 and October 2009, 253 patients with LAPC were treated with 5-fluourouracil-based concurrent CRT at our institution. Median radiation dose was 50.4 Gy. Only patients with a bilirubin of less than 2 mg/dL at the time the CA 19-9 was evaluated were included in the analysis to avoid the confounding effect of hyperbilirubinemia. Of the eligible patients, 54 had pre and post CRT CA 19-9 values available. The median age was 68 years and 52% were female. Categorized versions of the first post-CRT CA 19-9 were tested in 50 point increments beginning at 1,000 and percent change in pre to post-CRT CA 19-9 using cut points of 10% increments from 90%. Survival was measured from the date of first post CRT CA 19-9 level until death or last follow-up. Univariate and multivariate statistical methodologies were used to determine significant prognostic factors for overall survival. Results: Median CA 19-9 prior to CRT was 363 U/mL and post CRT median was 85.5 U/mL. Following CRT, patients with a decrease of >90% from their baseline CA 19-9 level had a significantly improved median survival than those that did not (16.2 vs. 7.5 months, P=0.01). The median survival of patients with a CA 19-9 level lower than the median post CRT value was 10.3 months, compared with 7.1 months for those with a CA 19-9 level greater than the median (P=0.03). Post CRT CA 19-9 less than 50 U/mL and histologic grade I-II also showed prognostic significance (both P=0.03). In multivariate analysis, post CRT CA 19-9 less than the median level of 85.5 U/mL was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (HR 0.34; 95% CI, 0.13-0.85, P=0.02). Conclusions: Our results indicate that post treatment CA 19-9 is predictive for overall survival in patient with LAPC following CRT. We recommend that pre and post treatment CA 19-9 levels be obtained in patients receiving CRT and that these values be considered for prognostic nomograms and future clinical trials.
Economics & Religious Implications On Adult Literacy In Sub-Saharan Africa

Although literacy rates have improved somehow in recent years, there are still large numbers of people that are illiterates in developing countries. This paper examines the impact of public education expenditures, the percentage of urban population and religious affiliation on adult literacy rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, a cross-sectional data of 34 Sub-Saharan African countries with adequate data information were analyzed. The results from the ANOVA and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression analysis are quite conclusive - that urban population, government expenditures on education and religious affiliations do have strong statistical impact on literacy.
Effects of hyperglycemia on the differential expression of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I receptors in human normal peritoneal and adhesion fibroblasts.

Objective To determine whether the insulin receptor (IR), insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR), and IGF-I are expressed differentially in fibroblasts isolated from normal peritoneal and adhesion tissue before and after 24-hour treatment with increasing glucose concentrations. Design Prospective experimental study. Setting University medical center. Patient(s) Primary cultures of fibroblasts established from peritoneal and adhesion tissues of the same patients. Intervention(s) Glucose treatment of the primary cultured fibroblasts for 24 hours with increasing concentrations of glucose (100–850 mg/dL). Main Outcome Measure(s) Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure messenger RNA (mRNA) levels for IR, IGF-IR, and IGF-I. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine protein levels. Result(s) At the normal glycemic level (100 mg/dL), adhesion fibroblasts have significantly higher mRNA levels of the IR (7.96 ± 0.15 vs. 6.97 ± 0.16; P P P Conclusion(s) The differential expression of the IR, IGF-IR, and IGF-I in adhesion fibroblasts may contribute to the pathogenesis of fibrosis observed in diabetic patients.
The All-volunteer Force and Crime: The Effects of Military Participation on Offending Behavior

Sampson and Laub's age-graded theory of informal social control posits that social bonds created through marriage, military, and employment lead to a decrease of criminal behavior or desistance. Most research has focused primarily on the roles of marriage and employment in this process, ignoring the impact of military service on future offending behavior. However, recent US military involvement in the Middle East suggests that the effects of military experience on individuals should be reevaluated. Using data collected from a more recent sample of military-involved individuals, all of whom served in the All-volunteer Force, this study examines how participation in the military impacts offending and potential desistance. The results demonstrate that, overall, modern-day military involvement does not have the same protective effect on future offending as observed in World War II samples. Racial subgroup analyses, however, suggest that military involvement leads to a greater likelihood of desistance for minority service members. Language: en
Acute hemodynamic effect of oral MDL 17,043 in severe congestive heart failure

MDL 17,043, when administered intravenously in humans, produces a significant and salutary hemodynamic response. To determine its acute effect when administered rally (3 mg/kg), 10 patients with severe congestive heart failure were studied by right-sided cardiac catheterization for 8 hours. At 4 hours after drug ingestion, there was significant improvement in several hemodynamic measurements. Cardiac index increased 38% over baseline (from 1.9 ± 0.4 to 2.6 ± 0.4 liters/min/m2, p<0.01), arteriovenous oxygen difference decreased by 30% (from 8.0 ± 1.4 to 5.6 ± 1.2 vol%, p<0.01), heart rate increased by 8% (from 85 $16 to 92 ± 16 beats/min, p<0.05), stroke volume index increased by 22% (from 23 ± 5 to 28 ± 4 ml/beat/m2, p <0.05), left ventricular stroke work increased by 24% (from 18 ± 5 to 22 ± 5 g-m/m2, p<0.01), mean arterial pressure decreased by 10% (from 79 ± 6 to 71 ± 9 mmHg, p<0.01), mean right atrial pressure decreased by 40% (from 10 ± 5 to6 ± 4 mmHg, p<0.01), and mean pulmonary artery wedge pressure decreased by 36% (from 22 ± 5 to 14 ± 6 mmHg, p<0.01). Cardiac index, arteriovenous oxygen difference, mean arterial pressure, right atrial pressure, and pulmonary artery wedge pressure remained significantly improved at 8 hours. These findings indicate that MDL 17,043 is active when adminstered orally and produces beneficial hemodynamic effects for as long as 8 hours.
Immunomagnetic nanoscreening of circulating tumor cells with a motion controlled microfluidic system

Combining the power of immunomagnetic assay and microfluidic microchip operations, we successfully detected rare CTCs from clinical blood samples. The microfluidic system is operated in a flip-flop mode, where a computer-controlled rotational holder with an array of microfluidic chips inverts the microchannels. We have demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally that the direction of red blood cell (RBC) sedimentation with regards to the magnetic force required for cell separation is important for capture efficiency, throughput, and purity. The flip-flop operation reduces the stagnation of RBCs and non-specific binding on the capture surface by alternating the direction of the magnetic field with respect to gravity. The developed immunomagnetic microchip-based screening system exhibits high capture rates (more than 90%) for SkBr3, PC3, and Colo205 cell lines in spiked screening experiments and successfully isolates CTCs from patient blood samples. The proposed motion controlled microchip-based immunomagnetic system shows great promise as a clinical tool for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
THE FINE STRUCTURE OF THE GALL BLADDER EPITHELIUM OF THE MOUSE

Sections of mouse gall bladder epithelium fixed by perfusion with buffered osmium tetroxide have been studied in the electron microscope as an example of simple columnar epithelium. The free surface presents many microvilli, each presenting a dense tip, the capitulum, and displaying a radiating corona of delicate filaments, the antennulae microvillares. Very small pit-like depressions, representing caveolae intracellulares, are encountered along the cell membrane of the microvilli. The free cell surface between microvilli shows larger cave-like depressions, likewise representing caveolae intracellulares, containing a dense material. The lateral cell borders are extensively folded into pleats, which do not interdigitate extensively with corresponding folds of the adjacent cell membrane. The terminal bars are shown to consist of thickened densities of the cell membrane itself in the region of insertion of the lateral cell wall with the free cell surface. This thickening is associated with an accumulation of dense cytoplasmic material in the immediate vicinity. The terminal bar is thus largely a cytoplasmic and cell membrane structure, rather than being primarily intercellular in nature. The basal cell membrane is relatively straight except for a conical eminence near the center of the cell, projecting slightly into the underlying tunica propria. The basal cell membrane itself is overlain by a delicate limiting membrane, which does not follow the lateral contours of the cell. Unmyelinated intercellular nerve terminals with synaptic vesicles have been encountered between the lateral walls of epithelial cells. A division of the gall bladder epithelial cell into five zones according to Ferner has been found to be convenient for this study. The following cytoplasmic components have been noted, and their distribution and appearance described: dense absorption granules, mitochondria, Golgi or agranular membranes, endoplasmic reticulum or ergastoplasm, ring figures, and irregular dense bodies, perhaps lipoid in nature. The nucleus of these cells is also described.
WINTER FIRES PROMOTE GREATER VITAL RATES IN THE FLORIDA KEYS THAN SUMMER FIRES

Because fire season may influence how plant populations respond to fire, quantifying effects of different fire seasons may be essential for conservation of fire-dependent species. In this paper, we report results from a three-year study on the effects of replicated experimental burns in summer (wet) vs. winter (dry) seasons, on vital rates of Chamaecrista keyensis, a narrowly endemic understory perennial herb of pine rockland forests of the Lower Florida Keys. C. keyensis in the burned treatments had lower first-year survival than in unburned treatments, and plants in the summer-burn treatments had lower first-year postburn survival than those in the winter-burn treatments. These annual survival patterns, however, were reversed by the third year postfire, when plants in summer-burn plots had the highest survival. The number of plants lost due to winter, but not summer fires, was replenished to the control unburned population level by three years postburn. Fires, particularly summer fires, stimulated vegetative growth of C. keyensis. In addition, summer- and winter-burn treatments each stimulated C. keyensis fruit production when compared to unburned treatments. In general, plants that existed before the fires had greater annual survival and fruit production, but smaller vegetative growth, than plants that came into existence after the fires. These two cohorts of plants have nonetheless similar responses to the three fire treatments. The winter-burn treatments produced greater seedling recruitment than the summer-burn or control treatments over three years postburn. Slight differences in the timing of burns within the wet season caused large differences in the demographic responses of C. keyensis, suggesting that the definition of summer season vs. winter season might be too broad for management purposes. Overall, winter burns and early summer burns had advantages over late summer burns and no-burn treatments. This suggests that C. keyensis may have evolved under a fire regime that included lightning-caused early summer burns, as well as non-lightning winter burns.
Human and Murine Obliterative Bronchiolitis in Transplant

Obliterative bronchiolitis is a devastating illness that limits the long-term success of lung transplantation. Its high prevalence and overall poor response to current therapeutic measures demands further research to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms. Toward this goal, there is a role for animal models to study the mechanisms of obliterative bronchiolitis, such as the murine heterotopic tracheal allograft model. This review compares the tracheal allograft model to human obliterative bronchiolitis pathology and highlights the important mechanisms of airway rejection described using this model. Although certain limitations exist, the pursuit of proof-of-concept studies in this model, as well as other animal models, can provide the basis for genetic and cellular translational human studies directed toward post-transplant obliterative bronchiolitis pathogenesis. To meet these challenges, we call for the establishment of a National Institutes of Health-supported Lung Transplant Network to better orchestrate translational research efforts in obliterative bronchiolitis pathogenesis and treatment, and to advance the field of lung transplantation.
Dancing wheelchairs: an innovative way to teach medical students about disability.

t The Surgeon General, the Institute of Medicine, and the ssociation of American Medical Colleges have called for etter education of physicians in terms of caring for patients ith disabilities. While such an effort should necessarily be omprehensive and pervasive throughout the curriculum, all medical educators should consider how disability issues can be addressed in their existing coursework. One way that is surprisingly rich and provocative is a single 2-hour session I developed for preclinical students organized around a remarkable DVD: “Outside-In.” “Outside-In” presents a performance by Axis, a mixed disabled/nondisabled dance troupe. Victoria Marks, a professor of dance, is the choreographer. The dance, set to an insistently sensual beat, touches on issues of connection, contamination, sexuality, and identity for individuals with and without disabilities. It challenges assumptions often made about individuals with disabilities, such as the inherent difficulty of their lives, their lack of sexuality, even their mobility restriction. The DVD highlights aspects of the social construction of disability while not wholly rejecting the medical model. The structure of the teaching session is either small (10) or large (50-70) groups of first-year medical students. After an introduction, I show a segment from the DVD, and then facilitate a brief discussion. This process occurs 5-6 times throughout the allotted period, and concludes with a wrap-up summary. Whenever possible, a disabilities-rights advocate from the community or a physician with experience working with patients with disabilities also participates.
Vibrational analysis of peptides, polypeptides, and proteins. XVII. Normal modes of crystalline Pro‐Leu‐Gly‐NH2, a type II β‐turn

Normal mode calculations have been carried out on three low-energy structures of gramicidin S obtained from conformational energy calculations. When the results on the amide modes are compared with observed bands in the infrared and Raman spectra of crystalline gramicidin S and its N-deuterated derivative, one of the structures is clearly disfavored. Of the other two, one is slightly favored, and it corresponds to the lowest-energy structure obtained from the energy calculations. Spectra from solutions in DMSO and CH3 OH suggest that the molecular conformation is essentially retained in these solvents.
Comparisons of analog and digital impulse radio for wireless multiple-access communications

Attractive features of time-hopping spread-spectrum multiple access systems employing impulse signal technology are outlined and emerging design issues are described. Performance of such communications systems in terms of multiple-access capability is estimated for both analog and digital data modulation formats under ideal multiple access channel conditions.
Focus on . . . Governmental Plans

The distinction between governmental and nongovernmental plans under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code has long been a troublesome one, and recent changes from the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 have made the question more pressing. This article examines the statutory definitions and rules concerning both types of plans.
Access Denied; Invalid Password

Progress addressing access to oral health is difficult to evaluate because it is unclear what access means. Ozar’s proposal that access should be defined by dentists as true dental need is criticized. It is proposed that four different types of treatment are currently identifiable in dentistry: 1) traditional oral health care, 2) oral care that has minimal or no health component, 3) episodic care, and 4) oral health outcomes not resulting from dentist interventions such as fluoridation. Each of these models has a different definition of care and of access. The profession is becoming segmented—including growing disparities among dentists in earning potential—to the point where a single model may no longer be able to cover all needs for oral health.
Interrogating Gendered Mexican Cultural Icons in a “Border” Classroom

Not long ago, while shopping at a big-box store, I overheard a father lovingly playing and chatting with his young daughter in Spanish. This was nothing out of the ordinary, as I live near the Mexico-US border.