cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An exploratory study of sunitinib plus paclitaxel as first-line treatment for patients with advanced breast cancer

Background: Sunitinib has shown single-agent activity in patients with previously treated metastatic breast cancer (MBC). We investigated the safety of the combination of sunitinib and paclitaxel in an exploratory study of patients with locally advanced or MBC. Methods: Patients received oral sunitinib 25 mg/day (with escalation to 37.5 mg/day as tolerated) on a continuous daily dosing schedule and paclitaxel 90 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of each 28-day cycle. Study endpoints included safety (primary endpoint), pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity. Results: Twenty-two patients were enrolled. The most frequent adverse events (AEs) were fatigue/asthenia (77%), dysgeusia (68%), and diarrhea (64%). Grade 3 AEs included neutropenia (43%), fatigue/asthenia (27%), neuropathy (18%), and diarrhea (14%). No drug–drug interaction was observed on the basis of pharmacokinetic analysis. Of 18 patients with measurable disease at baseline, 7 (38.9%) achieved objective responses (including 2 complete and 5 partial responses). Clinical responses were observed in three of nine patients with triple-negative receptor status (estrogen receptor negative, progesterone receptor negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative). Conclusions: These data indicate that sunitinib and paclitaxel in combination are well tolerated in patients with locally advanced or MBC. No drug–drug interaction was detected and there was preliminary evidence of antitumor activity.
Residual cleaner after normal cleaning of laser in situ keratomileusis instruments.

Abstract Purpose To determine whether residual cleaner could be detected in the rinse solution of surgical instruments after a standard cleaning protocol. Setting Magill Research Center for Vision Correction, Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Methods The wavelength for maximum absorbance of 5 cleaners (Endozime® [The Ruhof Corp.], Enzol®/Cidezyme® [Advanced Sterilization Products], and Klenzyme® [Steris Co.] enzymatic detergents; Palmolive® Ultra dishwashing liquid [Colgate-Palmolive Co.]; and Universal concentrated surgical instrument cleaner and lubricant [B. Graczyk, Inc.]) was determined. Identically designed stainless-steel and titanium instruments were cleaned using a standardized protocol. Water temperatures of 25°C (room temperature) or 40°C (warm temperature) were used to rinse the instruments. The amount of residual cleaner in each rinse solution and remaining on each instrument at the completion of the cleaning procedure as a percentage of the total cleaner was determined. Results Residues of all cleaners were detected using a standard protocol involving rinse solutions at 25°C. Increasing the temperature of the rinse solutions significantly reduced the cleaner residues (P Conclusions Lower levels of cleaner residue were found on surgical instruments after a standard cleaning protocol using warm rinse water. Because cleaner residue has been reported to cause inflammation (eg, diffuse lamellar keratitis) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), it is advisable to use cleaners and cleaning protocols that result in acceptable cleaning without detectable levels of cleaner residue to avoid potentially harmful effects to the cornea after LASIK.
Advanced Contrast-Enhanced MRI for Looking Beyond the Lumen to Predict Stroke Building a Risk Profile for Carotid Plaque

Carotid plaque MRI can identify components indicative of stroke risk, including the thin/ruptured fibrous cap and lipid core. Gadolinium contrast, typically administered for routine MR angiography acquisitions, can be used to improve plaque characterization, extending risk assessment beyond the plaque’s hemodynamic impact on the lumen. Gadolinium preferentially enhances the cap, improves reliability of vessel wall measurements, and highlights neovessels, improving stroke risk stratification. Additionally, the precontrast series from the contrast-enhanced MR angiography can help identify intraplaque hemorrhage, another important risk marker. Prospective validation of these features is needed to develop a carotid plaque risk profile for clinical implementation.
Investigating structural alterations in pyrogallol[4]arene-pyrene nanotubular frameworks.

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and diffusion NMR studies are performed to investigate the stability and geometry of hydrogen-bonded pyrene-guest-containing C-hexylpyrogallol[4]arene (PgC(6) -pyrene) nanotubular frameworks in solution. In the solid state, hydrogen-bonded pyrogallol[4]arene tubes are formed; however, the scattering data for PgC(6) -pyrene assemblies in acetone are best modeled as dimeric spheres of PgC(6) with no pyrene guest. The result of diffusion NMR study also indicates the rearrangement of tubular entity into spherical framework in acetone. This is the first example of structural transformation of pyrogallol[4]arene nanotubes (guest-exo) in solution. Individual hydrogen-bonded spheres of PgC(6) exhibits a uniform radius of ca. 8.6 A and a diffusion coefficient of 9.12 × 10(-10) m(2) s(-1) in acetone. The diffusion NMR measurements further gave, for the first time, insights into how the type of solvent (acetone vs. methanol vs. acetontitrile/D(2) O) governs the structural differences in these nanoassemblies. Solution-phase structural alteration observed for PgC(6) -pyrene gives evidence of enhanced stability of pyrogallol[4]arene nanocapsules over nanotubes.
Psychological Outcomes of Medical Versus Surgical Elective First Trimester Abortion

This article reviews the most recent studies that compare psychological outcomes after either a medical or a surgical abortion to pre-procedure findings. Some studies demonstrated slightly higher levels of anxiety and depression following surgical versus medical methods. Studies that evaluated post-traumatic stress showed conflicting results. Overall, the majority of the studies demonstrated that psychological outcomes, specifically quality of life, anxiety and depression, are markedly improved following either method. Finally, the studies reviewed suggest that having a choice of method may improve women's psychological outcomes following abortion.
CD39 expression by hepatic myeloid dendritic cells attenuates inflammation in liver transplant ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.

Hepatic innate immune cells, in particular, interstitial dendritic cells (DCs), regulate inflammatory responses and may promote inherent liver tolerogenicity. After tissue injury, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is released and acts as a damage-associated molecular pattern that activates innate immune cells by pattern recognition receptors. CD39 (ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1) rapidly hydrolyzes extracellular ATP to maintain physiological levels. We hypothesized that CD39 expression on liver DCs might contribute to regulation of their innate immune functions. Mouse liver conventional myeloid DCs (mDCs) were hyporesponsive to ATP, compared with their splenic counterparts. This disparity was ascribed to more efficient hydrolysis of ATP by higher expression of CD39 on liver mDCs. Human liver mDCs expressed greater levels of CD39 than those from peripheral blood. The comparatively high expression of CD39 on liver mDCs correlated strongly with both ATP hydrolysis and adenosine production. Notably, CD39−/− mouse liver mDCs exhibited a more mature phenotype, greater responsiveness to Toll-like receptor 4 ligation, and stronger proinflammatory and immunostimulatory activity than wild-type (WT) liver mDCs. To investigate the role of CD39 on liver mDCs in vivo, we performed orthotopic liver transplantation with extended cold preservation using CD39−/− or WT donor mouse livers. Compared to WT liver grafts, CD39−/− grafts exhibited enhanced interstitial DC activation, elevated proinflammatory cytokine levels, and more-severe tissue injury. Moreover, portal venous delivery of WT, but not CD39−/− liver mDCs, to donor livers immediately post-transplant exerted a protective effect against graft injury in CD39−/− to CD39−/− liver transplantation. Conclusions: These data reveal that CD39 expression on conventional liver mDCs limits their proinflammatory activity and confers protective properties on these important innate immune cells against liver transplant ischemia/reperfusion injury. (Hepatology 2013; 58:2163–2175)
Target It All Right, But Do Not Forget the Torchbearer

Ischemia is frequent in clinical practice and extends beyond trauma to solid organ transplantation and vasculitis, to mention a few. Ischemia and a number of additional stressors condition cells and tissues to express new antigens. Previously, it was recognized that apoptosis enables the formation of blebs on the surface of the cells that may contain nuclear antigens and proteins that normally are retained within the plasma membrane.1 The consequences are manifold. These new antigens may stimulate the production of autoantibodies, which in the predisposed individual may lead to clinical autoimmunity. A majority of the produced antibodies are polyreactive and may recognize nuclear and phospholipid antigens.2 Should ischemia occur in sufficient magnitude, then naturally occurring cross-reactive antibodies, anti-DNA or antibodies against other nuclear or phospholipid antigens, will be engaged, activate complement, and facilitate damage to local organs and, as we will discuss below, remote organs.3 It should be noted that some of these autoantibodies, particularly those of the immunoglobulin M (IgM) class, may counteract the action of others that are pathogenic.4 Articles see p 1160 and p 1171 Certain neoantigens have been identified and exploited as potential therapeutic tools. One of them, nonmuscle myosin heavy chain type II A and C, is recognized by a natural monoclonal IgM antibody and is expressed by stressed cells. The IgM antimyosin antibody may enhance injury,5 and, conversely, a myosin-defined peptide may protect or mitigate ischemia injury in mice. Another is annexin IV, which was discovered to be recognized by an IgM monoclonal antibody. This IgM antiannexin IV antibody can alone restore ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) in the IRI-resistant Rag1 -deficient mouse, and infusion of recombinant annexin IV into normal animals effectively prevents IRI. Interestingly, healthy people and IRI-susceptible Cr2 -sufficient mice have high titers of antiannexin IV antibodies.6 The …
Radiation protection guidelines for the skin.

SummaryThe past recommendations of the ICRP about dose limits to the skin are reviewed. Recently, an ICRP Task Group has been revisiting the old arguments and setting them against new data. With the exception of the function of cells in the skin associated with immunocompetence, non-stochastic effects have been well characterized and threshold doses are known with a precision appropriate for setting radiation protection standards. The current dose limitations of 0·5 Sv per year and a working lifetime dose limit of 20 Sv should protect the worker population against deterministic effects. When the ICRP made its recommendations in 1977 for dose limits there was no appreciation of the importance of the interaction of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and X-rays. Both clinical and experimental data show that the risk of ionizing-radiation-induced cancer is significantly increased by subsequent exposures to UVR. Therefore, risks for sun-exposed areas of skin differ from those that are shielded. The risk estimate for ...
Pupil Race and Elementary School Ability Grouping: Are Teachers Biased Against Black Children?

This study investigates the claim that pupil race affects the reading grouping decisions of elementary school teachers, causing black children to be overrepresented in lower ability groups. Analyses were carried out of teachers’ remarks made while engaged in the process of grouping children, and of the racial composition of the groups they actually formed. Taken together, these analyses failed to uncover evidence of conscious or unconscious racial bias, though black pupils were much more likely to be placed in the lowest groups.
Health Care Expenditures of Immigrants in the United States: A Nationally Representative Analysis

Objectives. We compared the health care expenditures of immigrants residing in the United States with health care expenditures of US-born persons.Methods. We used the 1998 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey linked to the 1996–1997 National Health Interview Survey to analyze data on 18398 US-born persons and 2843 immigrants. Using a 2-part regression model, we estimated total health care expenditures, as well as expenditures for emergency department (ED) visits, office-based visits, hospital-based outpatient visits, inpatient visits, and prescription drugs.Results. Immigrants accounted for $39.5 billion (SE=$4 billion) in health care expenditures. After multivariate adjustment, per capita total health care expenditures of immigrants were 55% lower than those of US-born persons ($1139 vs $2546). Similarly, expenditures for uninsured and publicly insured immigrants were approximately half those of their US-born counterparts. Immigrant children had 74% lower per capita health care expenditures than US-born chil...
Scattering and depolarization by conducting cylinders with rough surfaces.

Like- and cross-polarized scattering cross sections are determined at optical frequencies for conducting cylinders with rough surfaces. Both normal and oblique incidence with respect to the cylinder axis are considered. The full wave approach is used to account for both the specular point scattering and the diffuse scattering. For the roughness scales considered, the scattering cross sections differ significantly from those derived for smooth or slightly rough conducting cylinders. Several illustrative examples are presented and the albedos for smooth and rough cylinders are compared.
An autoregulated pulsed-DC mode iontophoretic transdermal system

An autoregulated pulsed-DC iontophoretic device with slow turn-on current has been developed. A specialized high-frequency pulse with a duty cycle of 50% or less is used which will reduce skin irritation due to polarization effects. To avoid patient discomfort, current delivery is increased gradually over a two-minute period to allow the skin to adapt to the applied current level. The rate of drug delivery is regulated by controlling the energy of the delivered pulse. For antihypertensive-drug administration, the device measures the arterial pressure and continually readjusts delivery rates to keep it close to a desired target value. >
A Laramide-age push-up block: The structures and formation of the Terlingua-Solitario structural block, Big Bend region, Texas

The Terlingua-Solitario structural block represents a Laramide-age push-up block in the Big Bend region of Texas. Folding, thrust faults, monoclines, east-northeast-trending strike-slip faults and grabens, and tectonic stylolites are associated with push-up block development. Laramide-age east-northeast-directed compression caused sinistral movement on two east-trending, right-stepping, en echelon fault zones. This fault movement placed the area between fault overlap under transpression, which then responded by broad uplift on a northwest-trending fold axis. Local stratigraphic and structural controls suggest uplift initiation between 68-66 Ma with the completion of push-up block formation by about 50 Ma. This push-up block exists within a zone of transfer for Laramide sinistral faulting along the northern and southern boundary of the Texas Lineament zone. Laramide stress trajectories across the uplift as defined by tectonic stylolites indicate a single compressive event, but with stress, trajectory changes locally at developing structures. More recently, during Basin and Range age deformation (24 Ma), dextral movement along the two en echelon fault zones placed the structural block under transtension. Northwest-trending faults and grabens now cut through the eastern half of the push-up block and die out along the southern boundary of the uplift. Local dextral movement was also identified along some of these northwest-trending faults.
Disseminated hydatid disease in a child: albendazole treatment of orbital cyst.

PURPOSE. Orbital hydatid cyst is rare and represents a small percentage of all echinococcal systemic locations. It is usually a primary echinococcosis. A new case of orbital hydatid cyst with asymptomatic coexistent lung and liver cysts is described in a child. METHODS AND RESULTS. The patient underwent surgical excision of the lung and liver cysts and successful application of albendazole treatment for orbital echinococcal cyst without evidence of recurrence after a 4-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS. Hydatid cyst should be included in the differential diagnosis of unilateral exophthalmos in patients from countries where echinococcosis is endemic.
New soliton and periodic solutions for the fifth-order forms of the Lax and Sawada-Kotera equations

We use the modified sine-cosine method and the modified sinh-cosh method to solve the fifth-order nonlinear forms of the Lax equation and the Sawada-Kotera (SK) equation. New soliton and perio-dic solutions are formally derived. The change in the parameters which drastically alters the characteristics of the equation is examined. The generalized Lax and SK equations are investigated to formally derive general solutions that are applicable to all non-zero real parameters.
Body mass evolution and diversification within horses (family Equidae)

Horses (family Equidae) are a classic example of adaptive radiation, exhibiting a nearly 60-fold increase in maximum body mass and a peak taxonomic diversity of nearly 100 species across four continents. Such patterns are commonly attributed to niche competition, in which increased taxonomic diversity drives increased size disparity. However, neutral processes, such as macroevolutionary 'diffusion', can produce similar increases in disparity without increased diversity. Using a comprehensive database of Equidae species size estimates and a common mathematical framework, we measure the contributions of diversity-driven and diffusion-driven mechanisms for increased disparity during the Equidae radiation. We find that more than 90% of changes in size disparity are attributable to diffusion alone. These results clarify the role of species competition in body size evolution, indicate that morphological disparity and species diversity may be only weakly coupled in general, and demonstrate that large species may evolve from neutral macroevolutionary diffusion processes alone.
An Empirical Test Of The View Of Inventory As A Liability In Explaining Financial Distress: A Comment

In a recent article appearing in this journal, Foster, Sullivan, and Ward (FSW) examined the assertion of the theory of constraints (TOC) and just in time that holding inventory is harmful or a liability to a firms operations. In this comment we demonstrate that inventory is not inherently a liability but rather is a symptom of more fundamental problems within many firms operations. Therefore, addressing these problems rather than inventory per se is the primary means of relieving a firms financial distress. In this comment we also examine the FSW assertion that more detailed inventory information should be reported to enable financial statement users to construct the performance measures of the TOC. The performance metrics of the TOC are short-term measures of economic performance and represent a small subset of the information used to guide managerial decisions. Consequently, external financial statement users who have a longer decision horizon and who do not have access to the firm specific information with which the TOC is used would derive limited benefit from TOC performance measures.
Apie šiuolaikinę naratologiją

Gerald Prince has adopted the following definition of the narrative: an object is a narrative if it is taken to be the logically consistent representation of at least two asynchronous events that do not presuppose or imply each other. Addressing basic questions regarding the character, form, and functioning of narratives, Prince points to many other narratological questions worth exploring (on the nature, weight, and interaction of the factors affecting narrativity and etc.), as well as to the systematic study of what in an object and its setting encourages its identification as (a) narrative, triggers the calling up of certain grids for processing it as such, and affects the value of such an invocation can clarify the character and specificity of narrative semiosis, the meaning and meaningfulness of narratives and narrative moments. The future of narratology lies partly in its past and in the future too and in a number of endeavors that narratologists should continue to pursue or ought to undertake. Prince emphasizes three endeavors. The first task consists, with the help of new tools, expanded corpora, and fresh inflections, in identifying or examining various aspects of narrative and in (re)defining them, reconfiguring them, and eliminating possible incoherences among them. A second task consists in undertaking (experimental, cross cultural, or cross media) studies of the role and significance of narrative features or narratological claims and in grounding narratology empirically. Finally, according to Prince, the development of an explicit, complete, and realistic model of narrative competence (the ability to produce narrative texts and to process texts as narratives) ultimately constitutes the most important narratological task. Keywords : narratology, narrative, narrator, narrativehood, narrativeness, narrativity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15823/zz.2014.037
Individualized approach to the management of coronary heart disease: identifying the nonresponders before it is too late.

Several therapies have proven effective in the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD), primarily, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and antiplatelet agents (aspirin, clopidogrel). The 20% to 40% reduction in
The Origin of the Concept of Number

English translation of Moritz Pasch,“Der Ursprung des Zahlbegriffs,” Archiv der Mathematik und Physik 28 (1919), pp. 17–33 and Mathematische Zeitschrift 11 (1921), pp. 124–156. Pasch identifies axioms for number theory that, he says, “combine indispensability with the utmost simplicity.” He argues that we cannot seriously question any of these axioms without succumbing to a crippling skepticism about reason in general. He also explores “the connection between number theory and experience.”
Pressurized Transfer of Cryogenic Liquids

The term “gas-pressurized liquid transfer” applies to a process in which the force required to pump the liquid is obtained from a high pressure gas that acts as a piston on the free surface of an upstream liquid reservoir. Ordinarily, liquids are transferred by pumps. Gas pressurized transfer systems may, however, be preferred to pumping systems in some cases. Infrequent, intermittent pump operation may not provide economic justification for the installation of large pumps, large standby power facilities, and associated control gear. A practical example which may be cited is the transfer of liquid propellants to missiles. Here, the transfer operation is quite infrequent, and must be carried out rapidly at a time when there is a maximum drain in the base power supply and with the minimum of heat energy transfer into the fluid.
Bureau of Public Roads Experiences in Highway Surveys

New methods and practices in surveying are fulfilling present needs throughout all the states in the rapidly expanding highway-construction program. Ground-survey methods cannot be supplanted but c...
Functional heterogeneity of leucine pools in human skeletal muscle

Current models to measure muscle protein synthesis in humans assume a homogeneous intracellular amino acid pool. This assumption was tested by measuring the isotopic enrichment of leucine and its t...
Using a multiwavelength LiDAR for improved remote sensing of natural waters.

This paper describes research to characterize the benefits of a multiwavelength oceanographic LiDAR for various water types. Field measurements were conducted to establish endmembers representative of both typical and extremely challenging natural conditions. Laboratory tests were performed using a prototype multiwavelength LiDAR in water tanks with optical conditions simulating both sediment-laden and biologically rich water types. LiDAR models were used to simulate the LiDAR signal from both field and laboratory experiments. Our measurements and models show that using a laser wavelength of 470–490 nm in the open ocean leads to an improvement factor of 1.50–1.75 compared to a 532 nm system. In more turbid areas using a laser wavelength of 560–580 nm leads to an improvement factor of 1.25. We conclude by demonstrating how using multiple LiDAR wavelengths can help detect and characterize constituents in the water column.
Acoustic Cues for the Perception of Initial /w, j, r, l/ in English

(1957). Acoustic Cues for the Perception of Initial /w, j, r, l/ in English. WORD: Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 24-43.
Genetical and molecular analyses of qa-2 transformants in Neurospora crassa.

ABSTRACT Neurospora crassa qa-2 + transformants from five different donor DNA clones were analyzed by genetical and molecular techniques. None of the 32 transformants have the qa-2 + DNA replacing the qa-2 - gene in linkage group VII. In one transformant, the qa-2 + DNA was inserted adjacent to the qa-2 - gene. Thirty-one transformants have the qa-2 + inserts at sites not linked, or not closely linked, to the qa-2 locus in LG VII. Plasmid sequences were integrated along with the qa-2 + gene in 28 transformants. In the unlinked duplication-type transformants, catabolic dehydroquinase (the qa-2 + gene product) was induced at 5—100% of the wild-type-induced enzyme activity, with 24 transformants in the 5—80% range. The reduced levels of enzyme activity may be due to "position effects" of sequences adjacent to the integration site either in the N. crassa genomic DNA or in the flanking plasmid (pBR322 or pBR325) sequences. Unexpected gene conversion-like events, in which a qa-2 + gene was changed to qa-2 - , were observed in tetrads from intercrosses between unlinked duplication-type transformants and in selfings of such transformants.
Delayed neurological deterioration after mild head injury: cause, temporal course, and outcomes.

Background Mild head injury (MHI) complicated by an intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a common cause of hospital admission after head trauma. Most patients are treated nonoperatively, remain neurologically stable, and are discharged uneventfully. However, a small percentage of patients suffer delayed neurological deterioration (DND). Little is known about the characteristics of DND after an MHI complicated by ICH. Objective To identify the cause, temporal course, and outcomes of patients who deteriorated neurologically after presenting with MHI and ICH. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all adult patients presenting over 54 consecutive months with MHI and ICH. Patients who were treated nonoperatively after initial head computed tomography and had a subsequent DND (Glasgow Coma Scale score decrease ≥2) were identified. Demographics, neurological status, clinical course, radiographic findings, and outcome data were collected. Results Over 54 months, 757 patients with MHI plus ICH were admitted for observation; of these, 31 (4.1%) experienced DND. Eighty-seven percent of patients deteriorated within 24 hours after admission. Twenty-one patients (68%) deteriorated as a result of progressive intracranial hemorrhage, and 10 patients (32%) deteriorated as a result of medical causes. Seven patients (23%) died. Variables significantly associated with mortality included age > 60 years, coagulopathy, and change in Marshall computed tomography classification. Conclusion The incidence of delayed neurological deterioration after MHI with ICH is low and usually occurs within 24 hours after admission. It results in significant morbidity and mortality if it is the result of progressive intracranial hemorrhage. Further research is needed to identify risk factors that can allow early detection and improve outcomes in these patients.
Effectiveness of Pharmacological Therapies for Intracranial Hypertension in Children With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury--Results From an Automated Data Collection System Time-Synched to Drug Administration.

OBJECTIVES: To describe acute cerebral hemodynamic effects of medications commonly used to treat intracranial hypertension in children with traumatic brain injury. Currently, data supporting the efficacy of these medications are insufficient. DESIGN: In this prospective observational study, intracranial hypertension (intracranial pressure ≥ 20 mm Hg for > 5 min) was treated by clinical protocol. Administration times of medications for intracranial hypertension (fentanyl, 3% hypertonic saline, mannitol, and pentobarbital) were prospectively recorded and synchronized with an automated database that collected intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure every 5 seconds. Intracranial pressure crises confounded by external stimulation or mechanical ventilator adjustments were excluded. Mean intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure from epochs following drug administration were compared with baseline values using Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance and Dunn test. Frailty modeling was used to analyze the time to intracranial pressure crisis resolution. Mixed-effect models compared intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure 5 minutes after the medication versus baseline and rates of treatment failure. SETTING: A tertiary care children's hospital. PATIENTS: Children with severe traumatic brain injury (Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤ 8). INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We analyzed 196 doses of fentanyl, hypertonic saline, mannitol, and pentobarbital administered to 16 children (median: 12 doses per patient). Overall, intracranial pressure significantly decreased following the administration of fentanyl, hypertonic saline, and pentobarbital. After controlling for administration of multiple medications, intracranial pressure was decreased following hypertonic saline and pentobarbital administration; cerebral perfusion pressure was decreased following fentanyl and was increased following hypertonic saline administration. After adjusting for significant covariates (including age, Glasgow Coma Scale score, and intracranial pressure), hypertonic saline was associated with a two-fold faster resolution of intracranial hypertension than either fentanyl or pentobarbital. Fentanyl was significantly associated with the most frequent treatment failure. CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial pressure decreased after multiple drug administrations, but hypertonic saline may warrant consideration as the first-line drug for treating intracranial hypertension, as it was associated with the most favorable cerebral hemodynamics and fastest resolution of intracranial hypertension. Language: en
Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders

Schizophrenia and the affective disorders, which include bipolar disease and major depression, are significant causes of morbidity and mortality around the world. While our understanding of these disorders and their cause(s) remains unknown, high levels of heritability, particularly for schizophrenia, point toward a strong genetic component. The lack of ability to confirm specific genes conferring high risk for these disorders has led to the general working hypothesis that these are multifactorial disorders with many common genetic changes of small effect interacting with the environment to cause disease. In addition, it is also hypothesized that for a small proportion of individuals, a few rare genetic changes of more significant effect may be involved. While there is no confirmation, candidate genes of interest for these disorders have been identified. Some of these genes support the current biological pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of these disorders.
High-Temperature Magnetostriction of Fe-27%Co Alloy

Magnetostriction has been measured on commercial plycrystalline Fe+27%Co from room temperature to about 600°C using unbonded strain gages and a high- temperature mounting cement. The gage is excited at 1 kHz, and the sample driven around its hysteresis loop to a maximum field of about 200 Oe in a tune less than 15 seconds to minimize the strain due to temperature drift. Room temperature magnetostriction values agree reasonably well with those quoted by Bozorth (30 to 40 microstrain), and remain almost constant up to at least 350°C and sometimes higher, depending on the heat treatment of the sample. It therefore seems clear that stress-magnetostriction anisotropy will be significant in these alloys at high temperatures.
Does Adlerian Theory Stand the Test of Time: Examining Individual Psychology from a Neuroscience Perspective

The authors explored foundational principles of individual psychology through a neuroscience lens. In particular, the authors identified neuroscience support for the principles of social embeddedness, purposefulness of behavior, and holism. The authors also offered suggestions for expanding Adlerian theory through the integration of neuroscience-informed developmental theory, conceptualization of functionality, and interventions.
Product Line Price Optimization With Conjoint Analysis

This paper describes PRIDEL, a model for product line pricing that uses conjoint input data. The model entails three types of optimization: (a) optimal product line pricing, conditional on specified levels of non-price attributes; (b) non-price level optimization, conditional on specified price levels; and (c) overall optimization of product line prices and non-price attribute levels. The model is described and applied to an actual (disguised) case, involving product line pricing for home video games.
Perspective: The precision-oncology illusion.

Precision oncology has not been shown to work, and perhaps it never will, says Vinay Prasad.
Making the Invisible Visible: Personas and Mental Models of Distance Education Library Users

ABSTRACTGaps between users’ and designers’ mental models of digital libraries often result in adverse user experiences. This article details an exploratory user research study at a large, predominantly online university serving non-traditional distance education students with the goal of understanding these gaps. Using qualitative data, librarians created personas and mental models focused on users' perceptions and obstacles in using a digital library and conducting research. The findings provided insight into the research habits and challenges of library users, thus allowing the library to make evidence-based decisions about designing digital learning objects and the library website.
Physical evolution of metal surface layers exposed to pulsed megagauss magnetic fields

Metal surfaces exposed to pulsed high magnetic fields in vacuum can experience phase transitions within the metal, vapor over the surface and the development of various dynamic and thermal phenomena that can adversely affect performance. The desired performance may include implosion of a liner without deleterious effects of perturbation growth on the outer surface, or liner compression of buffer magnetic flux surrounding plasma without penetration by high-Z metal vapor. The complexity of interactions and processes has made this a long-standing problem for both theoretical modeling and experimental diagnosis. As a guide for further work, the present paper steps through the physical evolution of the several portions of the surface layer from early heating by skin currents and vapor production, to the possible transition of this vapor into significant plasma. With additional heating, after the onset of nonlinear diffusion, the current density in the metal near the surface becomes roughly uniform and continued resistive heating allows transition from solid to liquid state. As a liquid subject to acceleration, perturbations can grow exponentially. Such growth, however, is restrained for perturbations with wavelengths not small compared to the thickness of the liquid layer. Similar restrained growth of perturbations can occur in the vapor/plasma layer, which may also be thinner than wavelengths of concern (e.g., thickness of region of buffer flux). Experimental attempts to understand the evolution described here suffer due to severe variations of material properties from the metal surface through vapor and plasma, with opportunities for inhomogeneities and nonequilibrium in many forms, and associated uncertainties in transport properties and observed radiation.
Macromolecules in Learning and Memory

The participation of macromolecular substrates in learning and memory processes has been based theoretically upon the view that frequency-modulated inputs to the central nervous system alter the ionic equilibrium of the cell cytoplasm and modify the stability of the nitrogenous bases of the RNA molecule (Hyden, 1959). Altered molecular structure through base modification leads to the synthesis of new RNA-dependent proteins capable of interacting with molecules of complementary structure. The release of transmitter molecules from their presynaptic vesicular storage could follow as a result of such an interaction. The theory does hold considerable promise, even currently, but fails to resolve a number of issues that appear critical to an understanding of how learning and memory are affected by specific drugs.
Measuring the Prevalence of Diagnosed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the United States Using Data From the 2012-2014 National Health Interview Survey.

Objectives:This study, measuring the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), examined (1) whether a single survey question asking explicitly about diagnosed COPD is sufficient t...
Olfactory Neuroblastoma with Divergent Differentiation: An Unusual Histologic Finding in a Rare Tumor

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare malignant neoplasm of the sinonasal tract that arises from olfactory epithelium. There have been reports, mainly in tumors treated with chemoradiation or with distant metastases, describing focal histologic changes of divergent cell populations within archetypal ONB. Only three cases have been reported of ONB coexisting with non-neuroendocrine tumors. We describe our experience with a 35-year-old male with a nasal cavity mass extending into the anterior cranial fossa. Pathology revealed this to be a high grade malignant neoplasm with features of olfactory neuroblastoma and a significant divergent population of pancytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen-reactive cells. The patient underwent combined endoscopic and open craniofacial resection followed by adjuvant chemoradiation. We describe the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome followed by a review of the literature. Surgical pathology clearly demonstrated two cell populations evenly distributed and displaying classic histologic and immunohistochemical markers of ONB, as well as poorly differentiated cells with an epithelial immunophenotype. The patient is now 16 months status post completion of treatment with no evidence of recurrence. Our patient's presentation is unique and unusual in that the tumor demonstrated a high grade olfactory neuroblastoma and a divergent, epithelial-marker reactive cell population in the same tumor. This combined appearance is unusual and may represent an "olfactory carcinoma". Only one previous case has reported carcinomatous involvement of an ONB. There is insufficient information in the literature to draw conclusions on the impact these divergent cell populations have on prognosis or treatment.
The link between knowledge sharing connections and employee time savings: A social network analysis

AbstractSocial network research has shown that knowledge sharing connections facilitate access to valuable resources. However, little is known about which knowledge sharing connections save knowledge seekers the most time on their daily tasks. To address this gap, this research analyses knowledge sharing connections that provide time savings, measured as the time individuals saved on daily tasks as a result of receiving knowledge from other employees. The research evaluates time savings based on the strength of connection, the network distance between the seeker and provider and the provider’s centrality in the network. To conduct this study, the research team analysed a data-set of 10,849 knowledge sharing dyads reported through a survey administered in one department in a large construction and engineering organization. Data were analysed using social network analysis and multiple regression quadratic assignment procedure. Results showed that stronger connections were assessed as more beneficial for tim...
Optimal Control of Seismic Structures

This paper presents the algorithm for optimal design of structural systems with active tendon controllers and/or active mass dampers. The structure is subjected to earthquake excitation modelled as a stationary random process. Using the approach one may economically resize structural members and effectively determine the optimal level of the control forces and control parameters.
Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory: Features and Challenges, with a Special View on Matter Under Extreme Conditions

Time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) is a universal quantum mechanical approach to the dynamical many-body problem which can be used to describe matter that is driven out of equilibrium by arbitrary time-dependent perturbations. TDDFT is often applied in the linear-response regime to obtain information about electronic excitations and spectral properties, but it also holds in the strongly nonlinear regime, where the perturbations compete with or even override the internal interactions that provide the structure and stability of matter. The purpose of this article is to give a brief overview of the basic formalism of TDDFT, and then to discuss the advantages, successes, and challenges of TDDFT for describing matter under extreme conditions of pressure and external fields. Two questions will be particularly emphasized: what are “easy” and what are “tough” problems for TDDFT (both from a fundamental and practical point of view), and how can TDDFT deal with dissipation? Some answers will be given, and needs and directions for future research will be pointed out.
Fluorescent peptide nanoparticles to monitor Aβ oligomers

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a type of progressive neurodegenerative disorder disease, has affected more than 5 million Americans and has already become a primary cause of death for older people in the United States, which is just behind heart disease and cancer. The production and aggregation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide in plaques in extracellular spaces, as well as in the walls of blood vessels, have been widely believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Soluble Aβ oligomers, as the most toxic form, have great neurotoxicity, which inhibits several critical neuronal activities such as long-term potentiation and memory loss. Therefore, the real-time monitoring of Aβ oligomers has drawn broad research interest. In this study, we have developed three types of cyclic peptide nanoparticles (c-PNPs) for detecting As oligomers. The results indicate that the negative c-PNPs are the best candidate to monitor As oligomers in serum and cerebrospinal fluid for AD diagnose.
Robust Phase Velocity Dispersion Estimation of Viscoelastic Materials Used for Medical Applications Based on the Multiple Signal Classification Method

Ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) is emerging as a promising imaging modality for the noninvasive evaluation of tissue mechanical properties. One of the ways to explore the viscoelasticity is through analyzing the shear wave velocity dispersion curves. To explore the dispersion, it is necessary to estimate the shear wave velocity at each frequency. An increase of the available spectrum to be used for phase velocity estimation is significant for a tissue dispersion analysis in vivo . A number of available methods suffer because the available spectrum that one can work with is limited. We present an alternative method to the classical 2-D Fourier transform (2D-FT) that uses the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) technique to provide robust estimation of the $k$ -space and phase velocity dispersion curves. We compared results from the MUSIC method with the 2D-FT technique twofold: by searching for maximum peaks and gradient-based strategy. We tested this method on digital phantom data created using finite-element methods (FEMs) in viscoelastic media as well as on the experimental phantoms used in the Radiological Society of North America Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Alliance effort for the standardization of shear wave velocity in liver fibrosis applications. In addition, we evaluated the algorithm with different levels of added noise for FEMs. The MUSIC algorithm provided dispersion curves estimation with lower errors than the conventional 2D-FT method. The MUSIC method can be used for the robust evaluation of shear wave velocity dispersion curves in viscoelastic media.
Serious Adverse Drug Events Reported to the FDA: Analysis of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System 2006-2014 Database

Background Data on adverse drug events (ADEs) observed at the population level provide important evidence regarding the safety of a pharmaceutical product in real-world settings. Recent patterns in serious and fatal ADE reporting have not been documented. Objective To assess recent patterns in serious and fatal ADE reports in the United States. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of the publicly available 2006-2014 FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database. Non-U.S. reports, reports from clinical trials, and reports with missing outcome data were excluded. The annual numbers of ADEs with reported outcome of death, disability, and other serious outcomes were determined. Types (direct, manufacturer expedited, or manufacturer periodic) and sources (consumer, health professional, or other) of these serious ADE reports were also identified. The distribution of serious ADE reports by patient age groups ( Results From 2006 to 2014, the number of serious ADEs reported to the FDA increased 2-fold. A total of 902,323 serious outcomes were reported over the 9-year study period: 244,408 deaths, 72,141 disabilities, and 585,774 other serious outcomes. The relative percentage of reports of deaths was highest during 2012 (32.4%). The percentage of reports of disability was highest during 2006 (12.1%). Overall, the "other serious outcomes" category accounted for almost 65% of serious ADEs reports. Expedited reports from drug manufacturers were most common (about 72%) of the serious ADEs with available data on report type. Health professionals (47.3%) were the most common source of report followed by consumers (36.1%) and other sources (16.6%). A disproportionately high number of reported ADEs was among patients aged 45-64 years (40%) and ≥ 65 years (32.6%). Antineoplastic drugs were more frequently reported with deaths. Three antidepressant drugs were among the top 10 drugs reported with disability. During 2006-2014, there were 38 drugs with more than 1,000 reports of serious ADEs in a given year: 2 drugs currently withdrawn from the market (rofecoxib and parecoxib), 10 drugs with an FDA risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS) program, 13 biologic or specialty drugs, and 14 others. Conclusions An overall increase in the trend of the number of serious ADE reports was observed from 2006 to 2014. Drugs with a REMS program and biologic and specialty drugs were involved in a significant number of reported serious ADEs. Data on reporting patterns can guide surveillance and pharmacoepidemiological studies to understand the public health burden of serious ADEs. Disclosures No outside funding supported this study. Hansen has received consulting fees from and has provided expert testimony for Daichii Sankyo and Takeda. The other authors have nothing to disclose.