cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autologous Non-Myeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Diffuse Scleroderma.

Background &Aims Scleroderma is an immune mediated vasculopathy of unknown etiology. There is no known therapy that could alter the natural course of the disease. Patients with diffuse cutaneous disease or visceral involvement has an overall 10-year survival of 35 to 68%. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with myeloablative regimen has been performed, but with substantial mortality and morbidity especially pulmonary and renal toxicity. We have performed autologous HSCT utilizing non-myeloablative, but lymphoablative conditioning. Methods We conducted a phase 1 HSCT study in 9 patients with diffuse scleroderma with poor clinical features. Candidates were less than 65 years old with Rodman score of more than 14 or diffusion capacity less than 80%, interstitial lung disease, elevated ESR, renal involvement, or abnormal electrocardiogram. Patients with pulmonary hypertension (systolic pressure > 45 mm Hg) were excluded. Peripheral blood stem cells were mobilized with cyclophosphamide and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. The graft was not manipulated. The conditioning regimen consisted of 200mg/kg cyclophosphamide (CY), and 7.5mg/kg rabbit antithymocyte globulin (ATG). Results The procedure was well tolerated with anticipated cytopenias, neutropenic fever, and fluid overload that were easy to manage and without mortality. The median days for neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 8 (range 7–9) and 8 (range 0–10), respectively. The median infused CD34+ and CD3+ cell counts were 8.31 x 106/kg (range 2.35–14.7) and 2.03 x 108/kg (range 0.41–6.83), respectively. There was a marked improvement of skin score in all subjects, whereas cardiac (ejection fraction, pulmonary arterial pressure), pulmonary function (DLCO) and renal function (creatinine) remained stable. One patient with advanced disease with poor performance status died 2 years after the transplant with progressive disease. After median follow-up of 20 months (range 5–32), the overall survival is 89% (eight out of nine) and progression-free survival with continuing improvement is 67% (six out of nine. 2 patients developed recurrence of skin tightness without compromising organ function. Both of them were placed on mycophenolate mofetil with gradual improvement of skin tightness. Conclusion Autologous HSCT with CY/ATG is safe and is effective. A randomized study (ASSIST: American Scleroderma Stem Cell vs. Immune Suppression Trial), comparing HSCT to intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide is now enrolling patients. ![Figure][1] Figure [1]: pending:yes
The Question of Whether to Remain on Therapy for Chronic Rheumatic Diseases in the Setting of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

We appreciate our Italian colleagues' interest in our editorial denoting the rheumatologist's role in helping to diagnose and treat cytokine storm syndrome (CSS) in the setting of the Covid-19 panemic (1). It is encouraging that none of the 123 pediatric rheumatology patients (primarily juvenile idiopathic arthritis) on background biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (bDMARD) therapies in Milan, Italy surveyed over a 7-week period from February 25 through April 14, 2020 (during which time Covid-19 was hyper-endemic there) had either confirmed or suspected Covid-19 (2).
Volunteer Use as a Service Delivery Alternative: The Case of Law Enforcement Agencies:

Few studies have explored the question of why public agencies use volunteers in service provision. Using data from a survey of law enforcement agencies in the United States, this study explores the...
Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic for Gender Equity Issues at Work

Abstract As we write this commentary in the summer of 2020 in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, we are observing a world of work (and of unemployment) vastly different than it was six short months ago In this commentary, we focus on the effects the coronavirus pandemic has had, and may continue to have, on gender equity issues in organizations and society
Liver trauma: hepatic vascular injury on computed tomography as a predictor of patient outcome.

To evaluate hepatic vascular injury (HVI) on CT in blunt and penetrating trauma and assess its relationship to patient management and outcome. This retrospective study was IRB approved and HIPAA compliant. Informed consent was waived. Included were patients ≥ 16 years old who sustained blunt or penetrating trauma with liver laceration seen on a CT performed at our institution within 24 h of presentation over the course of 10 years and 6 months (August 2007–February 2018). During this interval, 171 patients met inclusion criteria (123 males, 48 females; mean age 34; age range 17–80 years old). Presence of HVI was evaluated and liver injury was graded in a blinded fashion by two radiologists using the 1994 and 2018 American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) liver injury scales. Hospital length of stay and treatment (angioembolization or operative) were recorded from the electronic medical record. Multivariate linear regressions were used to determine our variables’ impact on the length of stay, and logistic regressions were used for categorical outcomes. Of the included liver trauma patients, 25% had HVI. Patients with HVI had a 3.2-day longer length of hospital stay on average and had a 40.3-fold greater odds of getting angioembolization compared to those without. Patients with high-grade liver injury (AAST grades IV–V, 2018 criteria) had a 3.2-fold greater odds of failing non-operative management and a 14.3-fold greater odds of angioembolization compared to those without. HVI in liver trauma is common and is predictive of patient outcome and management. • Hepatic vascular injury occurs commonly (25%) with liver trauma. • Hepatic vascular injury is associated with increased length of hospital stay and angioembolization. • High-grade liver injury is associated with failure of non-operative management and with angioembolization.
Clinical and experimental factors that affect the reported performance characteristics of rapid testing for SARS-CoV-2

Tests that detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen in clinical specimens from the upper respiratory tract can provide a rapid means of COVID-19 disease diagnosis and help identify individuals that may be infectious and should isolate to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission. This systematic review assesses the diagnostic accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection in COVID-19 symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals compared to RT-qPCR, and summarizes antigen test sensitivity using meta-regression. In total, 83 studies were included that compared SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen lateral flow testing (RALFT) to RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2. Generally, the quality of the evaluated studies was inconsistent, nevertheless, the overall sensitivity for RALFT was determined to be 75.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 71.0-78.0). Additionally, RALFT sensitivity was found to be higher for symptomatic versus asymptomatic individuals and was higher for a symptomatic population within 7 days from symptom onset (DSO) compared to a population with extended days of symptoms. Viral load was found to be the most important factor for determining SARS-CoV-2 antigen test sensitivity. Other design factors, such as specimen storage and anatomical collection type, also affect the performance of RAFLT. RALFT and RT-qPCR testing both achieve high sensitivity when compared to SARS-CoV-2 viral culture.
This may help us and the whole cause of due process: Father Joseph Byron, the Washington Nineteen, and American Catholic priests as Sixties rebels

This article recovers an important episode of Sixties spiritual politics. It tracks the efforts of the Washington Nineteen, a group of Roman Catholic parish priests suspended by their superior for ...
Testing for dummy-variable effects in semi-logarithmic regressions

Applied economists often use a non-linear function to estimate percentage-change effects of dummy variables in semi-logarithmic models. Delta-method-based inference on these marginal effects is que...
A spatiotemporal analysis of e-scooters’ relationships with transit and station-based bikeshare

To address the policy question of how e-scooters interact with existing public mobility options, we conduct a spatiotemporal analysis of e-scooters’ relationships with public transit and station-based bikeshare in Washington DC. Results suggest that e-scooters have both competing and complementary effects on transit and bikeshare. The service areas of the three modes largely overlap, and most e-scooter trips could have been made by transit or bikeshare. A travel-time-based analysis further reveals that when choosing e-scooters over transit, travelers pay a price premium but save some travel time. The price premium was greater during COVID-19 but the associated travel-time savings were smaller. This implies that public health considerations rather than time-cost tradeoffs were the main determinant of travel behavior during COVID-19. In addition, we find that e-scooters enhance mobility services for some underserved neighborhoods. Before COVID-19, about 10% of all e-scooter trips were taken to connect with the Metrorail system. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
A new R2-based metric to shed greater insight on variable importance in artificial neural networks

Abstract Artificial neural networks (ANNs) represent a powerful analytical tool designed for predictive modeling. However the shortage of straightforward and reliable approaches for calculating variable importance and characterizing predictor–response relationships has likely hindered the broader use of ANNs in ecology. Two such metrics – product-of-connection-weights (PCW) and product-of-standardized-weights (PSW) have received much attention in the published literature. A recent paper ( Fischer, in press , Ecological Modelling) found that PSW was comparable to PCW for retrieving variable importance values in linear models – seemingly overturning the conclusions of Olden et al. (2004, Ecological Modelling) – and that PSW was superior to PCW in nonlinear models. In this paper we call into question the findings of Fischer (in press) and more importantly we explain why neither PCW nor PSW are universally good measures of variable. Next, we advance the field by proposing a new permutational R2-based variable importance metric and show that it accurately estimates the proportion of the total variance in the response variable that is uniquely associated with each predictor variable in both linear and non-linear data contexts. By enabling ecologists to measure relative strengths of predictor variables in a transparent and straightforward way, this metric has the potential to help widen the use of ANNs in ecology.
Increased Quantum Dot Loading by pH Control Reduces Interfacial Recombination in Quantum-Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

The power conversion efficiency of quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) hinges on interfacial charge transfer. Increasing quantum dot (QD) loading on the TiO2 anode has been proposed as a means to block recombination of electrons in the TiO2 to the hole transport material; however, it is not known whether a corresponding increase in QD-mediated recombination processes might lead to an overall higher rate of recombination. In this work, a 3-fold increase in PbS QD loading was achieved by the addition of an aqueous base to negatively charge the TiO2 surface during Pb cation deposition. Increased QD loading improved QDSSC device efficiencies through both increased light absorption and an overall reduction in recombination. Unexpectedly, we also found increased QD size had the detrimental effect of increasing recombination. Kinetic modeling of the effect of QD size on interfacial charge transfer processes provided qualitative agreement with the observed variation in recombination lifetimes. These resul...
A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model for Congenital Obstructive Nephropathy

Congenital obstructive nephropathy (CON) is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease among infants and children. The most common cause of CON is obstruction of th...
Immunohistochemical Localization of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Astrocytomas

Because of the prominent neovascularization observed in the growth of brain tumors, we studied the occurrence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a potent angiogenic factor in astrocytomas, the most aggressive of which often have marked vascular hyperplasia. Using immunohistochemical methods, we examined 21 examples of such tumors, 7 glioblastomas multiforme, 7 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 7 low grade astrocytomas. Using polyclonal and affinity-purified rabbit antisera to human bFGF, we detected immunoreactive bFGF in all cases of glioblastoma multiforme. bFGF was present in both endothelial cells and neoplastic astrocytes. In 4 of 7 anaplastic astrocytomas, the tumor astrocytes had bFGF immunoreactivity and, in 5 of 7 cases, endothelial cells were also immunopositive. In glioblastomas multiforme and anaplastic astrocytomas, capillaries adjacent to tumor showed bFGF immunoreactivity, whereas capillaries distant from the tumors were not immunostained. In low grade astrocytomas, astrocytic cells were weakly immunoreactive in 2 of 7 cases, and in only 1 of the 7 cases capillaries were immunostained. In each grade, reactive astroglial cells showed variable bFGF immunoreactivity. The immunostaining was not seen with the flow-through fraction obtained after affinity purification of the bFGF antiserum with pure recombinant bFGF. These results suggest a possible role for bFGF in tumor growth and in angiogenesis in astrocytomas.
From The Bedside to the Bench and Back Again: Predicting and Improving the Outcomes of SLT Glaucoma Therapy

PURPOSE To determine whether selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) and prostaglandin analogues (PGAs) have a common mechanism of action that involves increasing conductivity across Schlemm's canal endothelial cells (SCEs) and inducing a similar decrease in intraocular pressure (IOP) in a given patient. METHODS The intercellular junctions in SCEs were made visible by transfection of a plasmid containing a GFP-tagged gene for ZO-1 protein. Transfected SCEs were treated with media conditioned by lasered trabecular meshwork endothelial cells (TMEs), or with latanoprost, bimatoprost, or travoprost. Non-transfected SCEs were exposed to brimonidine, timolol, or brinzolamide. Confocal microscopy and conductivity measurements documented the in vitro treatment effects. Clinically, the IOP in the first SLT-treated eye of 24 patients was measured (1) while on PGA therapy, (2) at "baseline" several weeks after discontinuing PGA therapy, and (3) approximately 90 days after SLT treatment. RESULTS Both the in vitro addition of any of the 3 PGAs and of media conditioned by lasered TMEs induced similar SCE effects involving junction disassembly, paracellular pathway widening, and increased conductivity. Clinically, PGAs decreased IOP by a mean of 5.58 mmHg and SLT decreased IOP by 6.60 mmHg from a baseline of 21.52 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to media conditioned by lasered TMEs, or the addition of PGAs, induces the disassembly of intercellular junctions opening up the SCE barrier. Clinically, a positive PGA response predicts both a successful SLT outcome and the magnitude of the decrease in IOP after SLT. We hypothesize that SLT and PGA therapies may share a common mechanism of action.
Identification of residues in the single-stranded DNA-binding site of the 8-kDa domain of rat DNA polymerase beta by UV cross-linking

Rat DNA polymerase beta (beta-pol) is a 39-kDa monomeric protein, organized in two structurally and functionally distinct domains. The 8-kDa NH2-terminal domain binds single-stranded (ss) DNA, whereas the 31-kDa COOH-terminal domain does not. To facilitate studies on ssDNA binding structure-function relationships of beta-pol, we overexpressed the 8-kDa domain in Escherichia coli, and purified the recombinant protein to homogeneity. Single-stranded nucleic acid binding of the recombinant 8-kDa domain was found to be similar to that previously reported for the 8-kDa fragment prepared by proteolysis of intact beta-pol (Kumar, A., Widen, S. G., Williams, K. R., Kedar, P. Karpel, R. L., and Wilson, S. H. (1990b) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 2124-2131; Casas-Finet, J. R., Kumar, A., Morris, G., Wilson, S. H., and Karpel, R. L. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 19618-19625). Residues in or near the DNA-binding pocket of the recombinant 8-kDa domain were examined by photochemical cross-linking to [32P] p(dT)16. Cross-linking was localized to a tryptic fragment spanning residues 28 through 35 and a V8 protease fragment spanning residues 27 through 58. Sequence analysis of the various [32P]p(dT)16-labeled proteins indicated that Ser30 and His34 were modified by cross-linking to p(dT)16. Therefore, these residues of the ssDNA-binding domain of beta-pol appear to be in close contact with this nucleic acid probe.
Does 8-Foot Walk Time Predict Cognitive Decline in Older Mexicans Americans?

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between 8-foot time walk and change in cognitive function over time in older Mexican Americans. DESIGN: Data used are from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (1993–2001). SETTING: Five southwestern states: Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and California. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand seventy noninstitutionalized Mexican-American men and women aged 65 and older who had a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 21 or greater at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: Sociodemographic factors (age, sex, education, marital status), MMSE score, 8-foot walk time, body mass index, medical conditions (stroke, heart attack, diabetes mellitus, depression, and hypertension), and near and distant visual impairment. RESULTS: Using general linear mixed models, it was found that subjects with the slowest 8-foot walk time had a significantly greater rate of cognitive decline over 7 years than subjects with the fastest 8-foot walk time. There was a significant 8-foot walk time–by-time interaction with MMSE scores. Subjects in the lowest 8-foot walk time quartile had a greater cognitive decline over 7 years (estimate=−0.32, SE=0.08; P<.001) than those in the highest quartile. This association remained statistically significant after controlling for potential confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Slow 8-foot walk time in older Mexican-American adults without cognitive impairment at baseline was an independent predictor of MMSE score decline over a 7-year period. Slow 8-foot walk time may be an early marker for older adults in a predementia state who may benefit from early-intervention programs to prevent or slow cognitive decline.
On fixed-length channel coding with feedback in the moderate deviations regime

Block coding over memoryless channels with causal and noiseless feedback is investigated in the moderate deviations regime. By means of a converse, we show that feedback does not improve the sub-exponential decay rate of the optimal error probability for a certain class of discrete memoryless channels, which includes symmetric ones, as well as the additive white Gaussian noise channel subject to an almost-sure power constraint.
Holistic Competence and Its Assessment

The author examines holistic competence and its assessment as defined in the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE’s)-EPAS 2015. Draft 3 of CSWE’s EPAS 2015 requires the use of a holistic competency model by accredited BSW and MSW social work programs. The model is an efficient way to assess student competence and overall program outcomes. Yet, this model, based on human resource concepts, is largely unfamiliar in the United States and is discussed minimally in the U.S. social work literature. This article details the goals and purposes of the model with linkage to EPAS 2015 language. Examples of methods of holistic assessment are offered to begin further professional discussion in American social work education. The strengths and limitations of this model are also identified.
The Effect of Somatoform Disorder and Paranoid Psychotic Role-Related Dissimulations as a Response Set on the MMPI-2

Two hundred thirty-seven undergraduate students were assigned to three instructional groups: somatoform disorder, paranoid psychotic, and general "fake-bad," and a standard test-retest control group in order to investigate the impact of specifically defined, role-related dissimulations on responding to the MMPI-2. It was found that each instructional group differed from the control group on a majority of MMPI-2 clinical and validity scales. Although the group that simulated the somatoform disorder differed from the simulated paranoid psychotic and general fake-bad groups, the simulated paranoid psychotic and general fake-bad groups did not differ from each other. An examination of various cutting scores suggests that validity indices used with the MMPI (i.e., F, F-K,) are also useful with the MMPI-2. Overall, the F scale seems to be the most effective validity index. Implications for future MMPI-2 and malingering research are discussed.
Maximizing the Longitudinal Magneto-optical Transmission-scattering from Multilayer Magnetic and Dielectric Films

(1966). Maximizing the Longitudinal Magneto-optical Transmission-scattering from Multilayer Magnetic and Dielectric Films. Optica Acta: International Journal of Optics: Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 121-138.
Ultrastructure of spermatozoa from three genera of crayfish Orconectes, Procambarus and Astacus (Decapoda: Astacoidea): New findings and comparisons

Abstract Ultrastructure of spermatozoa of three crayfish genera including Orconectes limosus (Rafinesque, 1817), Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852), and Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823) was studied using transmission electron microscopy. The length of the acrosome was significantly greater in A . leptodactylus (4.5 ± 0.65 μm) than O . limosus (1.7 ± 0.2 μm) and in O . limosus compared to P . clarkii (1.46 ± 0.16 μm). The width of the acrosome was significantly narrower in P . clarkii (2.45 ± 0.2 μm) than O . limosus (4.77 ± 0.51 μm) and in O. limosus compared to A. leptodactylus (8.23 ± 0.9 μm). Also, the length:width ratio was significantly greater in P . clarkii (0.6 ± 0.07) than A . leptodactylus (0.55 ± 0.08) and in A . leptodactylus compared to O . limosus (0.36 ± 0.05). The acrosome complex and nucleus are located at the anterior and posterior of the spermatozoon, respectively. The acrosome complex organelle is divided into two main parts: the main body of the acrosome that is a dense inverted cup-shaped structure and organized into three layers of differing electron densities and extended parallel filaments, and the sub-acrosome zone occupying the central part of the acrosome complex, which is divided into two electron dense areas. The spermatozoon of Orconectes limosus is described for the first time. In addition, an acrosome spike in the spermatozoon of Procambarus clarkii is described. Morphological and biometrical traits of spermatozoa may be used as tools for systematic studies in crayfish, as already reported for many other crustacean taxa.
Pap testing: Opinion and practice among young obstetrician-gynecologists☆

Abstract Since 1976, contradictory recommendations by a number of groups (including the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, a National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference, the Canadian Task Force on Cervical Cancer Screening Programs, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) on the timing of Pap testing—including age to begin testing, appropriate frequency of testing, and age to discontinue testing—have been communicated to both physicians and consumers. The opinions and practices of a U.S. national sample of recently trained obstetrician-gynecologists, whose professional association continues to endorse annual Pap tests, were investigated and compared with key points from the various recommendations. The appropriateness of the recommendations themselves is not addressed. Findings show that respondents are aware of recommendations for less frequent Pap testing, but they believe that women should generally receive annual Pap tests and that regular Pap testing should not be discontinued among the elderly. While the intensity of Pap testing services varies by type of practice arrangement, such variation does not occur for opinions regarding Pap testing, with one exception: Those practicing in multispecialty groups (including health maintenance organizations) are more likely to endorse routine Pap testing for elderly women if they see elderly women in their practices. Thus, the physicians in this study are not adhering to recommendations for Pap testing on a less-than-annual basis or for discontinuance in the elderly.
Mastering the Game: Gender and the Entelechial Motivational System of Video Games

This analysis explores the logic of perfection in the vocabularies and discourses of video gaming. Drawing upon Kenneth Burke's conceptualization of perfection, this article argues that the discourses of heavy “gamers” produce an entelechial system of meaning based upon mathematical mastery. The entelechial system relies on the technical mastery of skills to aggressively defeat “others” and move up the game's hierarchy until ultimately “beating the game” or reaching the highest level/score.
Amino acid pattern in Reye syndrome: comparison with clinically similar entities.

REFERENCES 1. Lincoln EM, and Gilbert LA: Diseases in children due to mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Am Rev Respir Dis 105:683, 1972. 2. Jenkin DJM, and Dall G: Lesions of bone in disseminated infection due to Mycobacterium avium/intracellulare group, J Bone Joint Surg 57:373, 1975. 3. Engbaek HC: Three cases in the same family of fatal ini'ecti0n with M. avium, Acta Tuberc Scand 45:105, 1964. 4. Cashman TM; Navin JJ, and Chandor SB: Thymic alymphoplasia, previously reported as dysgammaglobulinemia type 1, J PEmAXR 76:722, 1970. 5. McCracken GH, and Reynolds RC: Primary lymphopenic immunologic deficiency: Disseminated Mycobacterium kansasii lnfection, Am J Dis Child 120:143, 1970. 6. DiGeorge AM: Congenital absence of the thymus and its immunologic consequences. Concurrence with congenital hypothyroidism, Birth Defects 4:116, 1968. 7. Johnston RB, and Newman SL. Chronic granulomatous disease. Pediatr Clin North Am 24:365, 1977. 8. Spofford BT, Doynes RA, and Granger GA. Cell mediaied immunity in vitro: a highly sensitive assay for human lymphotoxin, J Immunol 112:2111, 1974. 9. Lehrer RI: Metabolism and microbicidal function (pp 79-82), in Cline MJ (moderator): Monocytes and macrophages: function and disease, Ann Intern Med 88:78, 1978. 10. Mackaness GB: The immunology of antituberculous immunity, Am Rev Respir Dis 97:337, 1967. 11. Seth V, and Chandra RK: Opsonic activity, phagocytosis, and bactericidal capacity of polymorphs in undernutrition, Arch Dis Child 47:282, 1972.
The effects of continuous illumination (LL) and continuous darkness (DD) on the daily rhythms of membrane-bound and microsomal enzymes in the adrenal gland and kidney of the rat.

A daily rhythm was demonstrated in levels of specific activity for the Na, K-ATPase and glucose-6-phosphatase enzymes in adrenal and renal subcellular fractions in the rat. A bimodal daily rhythm was observed for 5′-nucleotidase in a renal subcellular fraction. The rats were maintained on a 12:12 light-dark (LD) regimen. Animals were killed at approximately 4-hour intervals. The daily rhythm in Na, K-ATPase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities persisted in animals maintained under continuous illumination (LL) and continuous darkness (DD). The 5′nucleotidase activity persisted under LL, and under DD. The data from the enzyme assays were analyzed by fitting to a cosinor regression model designed to assess the rhythmic nature of the findings. A linear transformation method was applied to assess the closeness of fit to the cosinor regression model. The Na, K-ATPase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities appeared to be endogenous circadian rhythms. Glucose-6-phosphatase activity in renal fractions appeared to be influenced by the feeding cycle. The 5′-nucleotidase enzyme appeared to have an ultradian rhythm. The ultimate derivation and significance of these observed rhythms remains to be determined; however, they appear to be independent of the light-dark cycle.
Side-attack mine detection via morphological image analysis

Mathematical morphology is a field of knowledge and techniques involving the application of nonlinear image processing operations to perform image enhancement, feature extraction, and segmentation as well as a variety of other tasks. Morphological operations have previously been combined with neural networks to produce detectors that learn features and classification rules simultaneously. The previous networks have been demonstrated to provide the capability for detecting occluded vehicles of specific types using LADAR, SAR, Infrared, and Visible imagery. In this paper, we describe the application of morphological shared weight neural networks to detecting off-route, or “side attack”, mines. A pair of image sequences, both of the same scene, with and without a mine are presented to the system. The network then performs detection and decision-making on a per sequence basis.
RDX loss in a surface soil under saturated and well drained conditions.

On military training ranges, low-order, incomplete detonations deposit RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) into surface soils. In this study, we evaluated RDX biodegradation in surface soils obtained from a military training range in Alaska. Two factors were compared: (i) soil water potential during the incubations; and (ii) the use of acetonitrile (ACN) as an RDX carrier to spike samples. Organic solvents have been used in laboratory studies to dissolve slightly water-soluble contaminants before addition to soil. We added ACN to obtain final soil ACN concentrations of 0 mg kg -1 (0%), 1000 mg kg -1 (0.1%) and 10 000 mg kg -1 (1%). We then compared RDX attenuation in the soil under saturated and unsaturated conditions. RDX fell below the limit of detection within 3 wk of study initiation under the saturated condition. A maximum degradation rate of 0.15 mg RDX L -1 d -1 was measured. Under the unsaturated condition, 42% of the original RDX was still present at study termination (5 wk). The addition of acetonitrile at 0.1 or 1.0% had no affect on RDX loss in the saturated soil. In the unsaturated soil, however, ACN at 1.0% inhibited RDX loss by as much as 25%. These findings indicate that soil water potential and carrier solvent concentrations can impact the rate and extent to which RDX is attenuated in a surface soil.
Abstract 2518: Structure-activity relationships of folate-vinca alkaloid conjugates

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL EC145 is a potent folate-targeted vinca alkaloid conjugate that has been evaluated in 2 single agent phase 2 trials (ovarian and non small cell lung cancers) and 1 randomized open labeled phase 2 study in combination with DOXIL® in women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Results from all of these trials have looked promising, and they support the continued evaluation of EC145 in a planned phase 3 trial that's expected to begin in early 2011. Structurally, EC145 consists of 4 essential modules: 1) folic acid, 2) a hydrophilic peptide spacer, 3) a disulfide-containing, self-immolative linker, and 4) the microtubule destabilizer, desacetylvinblastine hydrazide (DAVLBH). Due to EC145's potential for success, recent effort was given to determine the impact of i) substituting the DAVLBH vinca alkaloid unit in EC145 with analogs of vincristine, vindesine or vinorelbine, ii) substituting the naturally (S)-configured Asp-Arg-Asp-Asp-Cys peptide spacer in EC145 with (R)-configured amino acids placed in selective locations, and iii) varying the composition of the linker module to evaluate the impact of having a readily releasable, self-immolative linker system (e.g. disulfide-based as found in EC145) versus a more stable linker system (e.g. a thioether). New conjugates were screened in vitro against folate receptor-positive cells, and their cytotoxic activities were directly compared to that produced by EC145. Our data show that only DAVLBH-containing folate conjugates were active; thus, conjugates built with vincristine, vindesine or vinorelbine failed to produce activity when cells were exposed to concentrations as high as 1 µM. Within the DAVLBH series, having a bio-releasable, self-immolative linker system was found to be critical for activity since multiple analogs constructed with thioether-based linkers failed to produce meaningful activity both in vitro and in vivo. Substitutions of some or all of the natural amino acids within EC145's hydrophilic spacer module was not found to significantly change the in vitro potency of the conjugate; however, some enhancement in anti-tumor activity was measurable when tested in vivo against well-established subcutaneous folate receptor-positive tumor xenografts. Despite these modest improvements, EC145 remains as one of the more potent folate-vinca alkaloid conjugates produced to date, and continued clinical development is therefore warranted. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2518. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2518
Carotid chemoafferent plasticity in adult rats following developmental hyperoxia.

Abstract Developmental hyperoxia impairs carotid chemoreceptor development and induces long-lasting reduction in carotid sinus nerve (CSN) responses to hypoxia in adult rats. Studies were carried out to determine if CSN responses to acute hypoxia would exhibit hypoxia-induced plasticity in adult 3–5-months-old rats previously treated with postnatal hyperoxia (60% O 2 , PNH) of 1, 2, or 4 weeks duration. CSN responses to acute hypoxia were assessed in adult rats exposed to 1 week of sustained hypoxia (12% O 2 , SH). In normal adult rats and adult rats treated with 1 week of PNH, CSN responses to acute hypoxia were significantly increased in urethane-anesthetized rats when studied 3–5 h after SH. Apparent increases in CSN responses to hypoxia were not significant in rats treated with 2 weeks of PNH and were clearly absent after 4 weeks of PNH, but exponential analysis suggests a PNH duration-dependent plasticity of the CSN response to acute hypoxia after SH. In a second study rats exposed to 2 weeks of PNH were treated with SH for 1 week as adults and acute hypoxic responses were tested 4–5 months later. CSN responses in these rats were unaffected by SH suggesting a lack of persistent SH-induced functional plasticity. We conclude that rats treated with 1 week of PNH retain the capacity for hypoxia-induced plasticity of carotid chemoafferent function and some potential for plasticity may be present after 2 weeks of PNH, whereas 4 weeks of PNH impairs the capability of rats to exhibit plasticity following 1 week of SH.
The Most Accurate Path from Point A to Point B is Not Necessarily a Straight Line

Abstract : This work studies the problem of guiding a vehicle from a known initial location to a known goal location as accurately as possible, without direct observation of the goal location (such as a bearing measurement, or line-of-sight to the goal), and without direct position measurements, such as those provided by GPS. The vehicle travels in a planar environment and has an onboard inertial measurement unit and an onboard visual system to measure bearing angles to features in the environment. Taking a zigzagging path toward the goal provides better position estimation than a straight path. For a given energy budget, there is a certain path width, or amplitude, that results in the best estimation performance, and this optimal path width depends on the sensor noise parameters. A batch estimator is derived to analyze the effect of the entire time history of the vehicle trajectory on final position estimation performance. The formulation results in a linear system of equations. The path width that minimizes the condition number of the system matrix also minimizes the final position estimation error when the feature bearing measurement noise is relatively large compared to the inertial measurement noise.
Life on the Margins: How Academically At-Risk Early Adolescents View Themselves and School

The purpose of the present study was to explore how academically at-risk seventh graders expressed views of themselves and of school. Previous investigations have provided a profile of marginal high school students as feeling disconnected from the academic world of school. This investigation compared journal entries and interview responses from ten students who had been retained in the seventh grade with ten students with similar academic histories who had been more successful in seventh grade. Results suggested that the two groups expressed similar views of peer and parental relationships. Students who were retained expressed much lower expectations for success than students in the -comparison group. Retained students' perceptions of their academic futures seemed disconnected from present performance and current assignments. These findings encourage middle grades educators to examine their perceptions of students, incorporate more peer interactions into academic activities, and extend efforts to help stu...
Surgeon influenced variables in resectional rectal cancer surgery.

PURPOSE: Surgeon influenced variables in rectal cancer surgery were assessed. METHODS: The literature was reviewed to discuss technical and educational issues that may affect the outcome of surgery for rectal cancer. Particular attention was paid to recently debated topics such as adjuvant therapy, colonic J-pouches, total mesorectal excision, and surgeons' training. RESULTS: In some selected cases, transanal techniques with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy have improved the success of local excision. The biology of rectal cancer has begun to be understood. However, until a more complete understanding with an appreciation of therapeutic implications has been arrived at, surgeon influenced variables will continue to be of paramount importance. Multiple studies have shown tremendous surgeon variability in the outcome after rectal cancer surgery. Some of the variables that have been shown to be important include tumor-free distal and lateral margins, a total mesorectal excision, and an appropriate anastomosis. It has been well demonstrated that proctectomy with straight coloanal anastomosis compromises function as compared with preoperative levels or healthy controls. These deficiencies are further exacerbated by adjuvant therapy. Significant functional improvements, particularly in the first 12 to 24 months after surgery, have been achieved with use of colonic J-pouch. CONCLUSION: There are many ways by which the surgeon can optimize curative resection for rectal cancer. Appropriate distal and tumor-free lateral margins with total mesorectal excision should be the goals for all tumors in the lower two-thirds of the rectum. Reconstruction should be performed, whenever technically possible, by a colonic J-pouch. Surgeons should be cognizant of their own practice patterns, volume, capabilities, and very importantly results. These results should be audited frequently and willingly shared with patients.
Dielectric function and phonon spectrum of grey tin

Abstract The dielectric function of α-Sn has been evaluated from a pseudopotential calculation of the valence electron wavefunctions and energy bands. The result is used, together with an approximate method of calculating the inverse of the dielectric function matrix, to calculate the phonon dispersion curves. Fairly good overall agreement with the experimental dispersion curves has been obtained.
Positive vasodilator stress ECG with normal myocardial perfusion imaging and its correlation with coronary angiographic findings in African Americans and Hispanics.

Background: Ischemic electrocardiographic (ECG) changes during vasodilator stress testing (VST) in the presence of abnormal myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) are uncommon and are associated with presence of multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). However, there is a paucity of data regarding the significance of ischemic ECG changes during VST with normal MPI in general, and especially among African Americans and Hispanics. Hypothesis: Ischemic changes during VST with normal MPI are associated with significant CAD. Methods: A retrospective review was done of 2945 patients undergoing VST. Results: Only 20 patients (0.7%) had positive ECG changes with normal MPI. Their demographics were: 60% Hispanic, 40% African American; 85% female; mean age 63 ± 11 years; history of hypertension 80%, diabetes 50%, and dyslipidemia 75%; smokers 30%; atypical chest pain 60%, and typical chest pain 40%. Of these 20 patients, 12 patients underwent coronary angiography. All 12 had significant CAD; nine (75%) had multivessel disease and 3 (25%) had single-vessel disease. Prevalence of clinical variables and risk factors for CAD were similar among both the groups who did and did not undergo coronary angiography. Conclusions: Among African Americans and Hispanics, ischemic ECG changes during VST with normal MPI are likely to be associated with significant CAD and may warrant coronary angiography to assess presence and extent of CAD. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Entropy in biological binding processes: estimation of translational entropy loss

The loss of translational degrees of freedom makes an important, unfavorable contribution to the free energy of binding. Examination of experimental values suggest that calculation of this entropy using the Sackur–Tetrode equation produces largely overestimated values. Better agreement is obtained using the cratic entropy. Theoretical considerations suggest that the volumes available for the movement of a ligand in solution and in a complex are rather similar, suggesting also that the cratic entropy provides the best estimate of the loss of translational entropy. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
High density dental materials and radiotherapy planning: comparison of the dose predictions using superposition algorithm and fluence map Monte Carlo method with radiochromic film measurements.

Abstract Background and purpose During radiotherapy planning high density dental materials create a major challenge in determining correct dose distribution inside patients with head-and-neck tumors. Patients and methods In this work we investigated the absorbed dose distribution inside a solid water® slab phantom with embedded high density material irradiated by a 6 MV photon beam of field size 10 × 10 cm. We evaluated the absorbed dose distribution with three different techniques: superposition algorithm, radiochromic film, and the fluence map Monte Carlo (FMMC) method. Results The results obtained with radiochromic film and FMMC were in good agreement (within ±5% of the dose) with one another. The superposition algorithm, which is often considered superior to other commercially available dose calculation algorithms, produced appreciably less accurate results than FMMC. In particular, downstream from the high density cerrobend inhomogeneity the superposition algorithm predicts a higher dose than the measurement does by at least 10–16% depending upon the size of the inhomogeneity and the distance from it. Upstream of the high density inhomogeneities the superposition algorithm predicts a lower than measured dose due to its failure to predict the dose enhancement close to the inhomogeneity interface. Conclusions The delivered dose downstream from a high density inhomogeneity would be significantly less than the prescribed dose calculated by the superposition algorithm. The FMMC method which is based on a hybrid of the superposition algorithm input fluence data and Monte Carlo can be a useful tool in predicting dose in the presence of high density (e.g. dental) materials.
Fast fourier transform processors using Gaussian residue arithmetic

Residue arithmetic using moduli which are Gaussian primes is suggested as a method for computing the fast Fourier transform (FFT). For complex operations, a substantial savings in hardware and time over residue arithmetic using real moduli can be obtained using complex moduli. Gaussian residue arithmetic is discussed and methods for conversion into and out of the complex residue representation are developed. This representation lends itself to table-driven computation, allowing very low latency designs to be developed. A 64-point Cooley-Tukey style processor and a 60-point Rader-Winograd style processor using this technique are described and compared. Hardware savings are realized by approximating the rotations necessary to perform the FFT by small complex integers and by scaling the results of the computation at an intermediate point. It is shown that further hardware reductions can be made by developing custom integrated circuits at the expense of latency.
Detecting errors in part-of-speech annotation

We propose a new method for detecting errors in "gold-standard" part-of-speech annotation. The approach locates errors with high precision based on n-grams occurring in the corpus with multiple taggings. Two further techniques, closed-class analysis and finite-state tagging guide patterns, are discussed. The success of the three approaches is illustrated for the Wall Street Journal corpus as part of the Penn Tree-bank.
The acceptability of HIV immunization: examining vaccine characteristics as determining factors.

The acceptance of a future HIV vaccine may be influenced, in part, by the characteristics of the vaccine itself. This study evaluated the relationship of vaccine characteristics to acceptability of hypothetical HIV immunization. Subjects were 549 undergraduates (18-56 years of age); 70.3% were female, and 80.4% were non-Hispanic white. Subjects completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing a series of 12 hypothetical vaccines that varied along the dimensions of efficacy (80 or 50%), cost (free or $300) and social saturation or percentage of the population already vaccinated (10, 50 or 90%). The vaccines were each rated on an 11-point scale ranging from zero ('I will never get this vaccine') to 100 ('I will definitely get this vaccine'), in increments of ten. All three dimensions were significantly associated with probability of vaccine acceptance, particularly vaccine efficacy and cost. The highest rated vaccine (free, 80% efficacious, 90% saturation level) received a mean acceptability score of 8...
Uncoupling Modifier Genes from Uncoupling Protein 2 in Pancreatic β-Cells

Intracellular levels of oxygen and glucose are higher in pancreatic insulin-secreting -cells than any other mammalian cell. Indeed, among endocrine secretory cells, the pancreatic -cell is uniqueinusingglucosecatabolismtomeetitsenergyneedswhile relyingonglucosemetabolismtogenerateappropriatesignalsto maintain insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. The unabated and successful execution of these two independent functions over the lifetime of the -cell, requires fine coordination between several families of intracellular proteins. In addition to glucose, the -cell also responds to other nutrients (fatty acids and amino acids), hormones, and nerve signals. Given this barrage of stimuli, it is logical to imagine that the -cell would be armed with appropriate defense mechanisms to prevent excess stress that could lead to eventual cell dysfunction and/or death. On the contrary, the -cell is particularly weak against the toxicityoffreeradicalsincludingreactiveoxygenspecies(ROS)and
Liberalization of the Taiwan wheat milling industry

Abstract Taiwan, in just the past two years, lifted quoto restrictions on wheat imports and lowered tariff barriers. These changes along with the antitrust movement and severe overcapacity will be the catalysts for tremendous structural changes in the way wheat millers compete for domestic market share and contracts for flour. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of liberalization on the Taiwan milling industry.