cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Imatinib mesylate therapy for relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia

Twenty-eight adults with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) that had relapsed after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) received imatinib mesylate (400-1000 mg/d). Disease was in chronic phase in 5 patients, accelerated in 15, and blastic in 8 (7 medullary, 1 extramedullary); median time from transplantation to relapse was 9 months (range, 1-137 months). Thirteen patients had undergone salvage donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) (median time from DLI to imatinib mesylate therapy, 4 months [range, 2-39 months]). The overall response rate was 79% (22 of 28 patients); the complete hematologic response (CHR) rate was 74% (17 of 23 patients), and the cytogenetic response rate was 58% (15 of 26 patients; complete response in 9 [35%] patients). CHR rates were 100% for chronic phase, 83% for accelerated phase, and 43% for blastic phase. The patient with extramedullary blastic disease achieved complete response. Cytogenetic response rates were 63% (12 of 19 patients) for chronic or accelerated phases (complete cytogenetic response in 8) and 43% for blastic phase (3 of 7 patients). At median follow-up of 15 months, 19 patients were alive, 9 with no evidence of disease. The 1-year estimated survival rate was 74%. Five patients had recurrence of grade 3 (3 patients) or grades 1 to 2 (2 patients) graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Severe granulocytopenia developed in 43% of patients and thrombocytopenia in 27%; both conditions reversed with dose adjustments of imatinib mesylate. We conclude that imatinib mesylate effectively controlled CML that recurred after allogeneic SCT, but it was associated with side effects including myelosuppression and recurrence of severe GVHD.
The Effectiveness of Writing Across the Curriculum in a Baccalaureate Social Work Program: Students’ Perceptions

Effective social work practice requires strong writing and communication skills; however, social work students often experience difficulties performing academically at expected levels. This article presents findings from a student survey that was collected for two years to assess perceptions of the effectiveness of Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) strategies on writing skills and social work knowledge acquisition in an introductory social work class that is taught every semester at a school of social work located in southeastern Florida. Students reported that WAC strategies substantially improved their abilities to write in the discipline and learn course content. Based on our findings, it is recommended that schools of social work infuse WAC throughout their curriculum, a process that requires cross curricular collaboration, intra-departmental support, and faculty commitment to course development and implementation.
Legal Concerns with Academic Engagement Programs in Developing Countries

Universities and other institutions of higher learning have seen an increase in the number of academic programs that involve engagement with external communities, especially in the developing world. These programs may include travel abroad, community service, or the design and commercialization of new products. Despite this growth, many faculty and program leaders remain unaware of the legal concerns and challenges that might arise on these types of activities. This article informs faculty on the legal nuances relevant to different types of academic engagement programs. Representative examples of each type of program are used to illustrate legal concerns that may arise, and compromise academic engagement programs.
Threats and Preemptive Practices

Sometimes it is morally permissible to prevent someone from performing a wrongful act by harming him before he has a chance to act. It is permissible, for example, to kill someone you reasonably fear is about to kill you. Under other circumstances, however, it may only be permissible to threaten to harm someone to discourage him from performing a wrongful act. It is not always permissible straightaway to harm him. A military commander, for example, may threaten an enemy with disproportionate retaliation, even though it would not ordinarily be permissible to carry it out.
Cellular Regulation of Collagen Biosynthesis

THE synthesis of collagen involves several enzymatic modifications of the polypeptide precursor of collagen, protocollagen1–4. First, certain proline and lysine residues in protocollagen are hydroxylated in similar enzymatic reactions involving molecular 02, Fe2+, α-ketoglutarate and ascorbic acid5–8. Much of the hydroxylation occurs after completed polypeptide chains have been released from the polyribosomal complexes9–11. Some hydroxylysine residues are then glycosylated by the stepwise addition of glucose and galactose, to form disaccharide appendages on the polypeptide chain12 and this glycosylation may be essential for the secretion of collagen into the extracellular matrix13,14. Although there are conflicting reports concerning the regulatory role of the hydroxylating enzymes15–20, no information is available on the genetic controls of collagen biosynthesis.
Antipsychotics Do Not Have To Be Used “Off Label” in Dementia

).A class of drugs that is underused for treatment of behavioralsymptoms of dementia is antidepressants. There are 2 reasons for thissituation: the ﬁrst is that antidepressants arenot consideredeffective,and the second is that depression is difﬁcult to diagnose in residentswith advanced dementia. I would like to propose that both of thesereasons are not valid and that antidepressants would be preferable toantipsychotics in residents without psychotic symptoms whosebehavioral symptoms cannot be controlled by nonpharmacologicalstrategies.There is an overwhelming amount of evidence indicating thatdepression is one of the most important factors related to behavioralsymptoms of dementia. Two depression scales were used in thesestudies: the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia
First-pass contrast-enhanced imaging versus equilibrium-phase T1 mapping for determining the distribution volume of gadolinium

Late gadolinium enhancement can identify focal fibrosis, but cannot evaluate diffuse myocardial fibrosis. Multiple methods have been used to determine the partition coefficient (λ) and volume of distribution (Vd) of gadolinium to quantify diffuse myocardial fibrosis, including first-pass and T1 mapping based techniques. These two techniques have not been directly compared in the same subjects.
Gender and androgen treatment influence the expression of proto-oncogenes and apoptotic factors in lacrimal and salivary tissues of MRL/lpr mice.

The objectives of this study were to (1) determine whether Fas antigen, Fas ligand, p53, and proto-oncogene mRNAs may be detected in lacrimal and submandibular glands of the MRL/lpr mouse model of Sjogren's syndrome, and (2) examine whether gender and androgen or cyclophosphamide therapy influence the mRNA expression of these apoptotic factors. Tissues were obtained from treated or untreated MRL/lpr mice after the onset of disease and processed for the analysis of mRNAs by RT-PCR and Southern blot hybridization. Our results demonstrated that (1) Fas antigen (exons 1-->2 or 3-->7+), Fas ligand, c-myb, c-myc, bcl-2, Bax, p53, and androgen receptor (AR) mRNAs are present in exocrine tissues of MRL/lpr mice; (2) the amounts of c-myb, c-myc, bcl-2, p53, and AR mRNA are higher (P 2) mRNA is lower (P < 0.05) in lacrimal glands of female compared to male mice. In contrast, the content of c-myb and p53 mRNA is greater (P < 0.05) in submandibular tissues of female relative to those of male mice; and (3) testosterone or cyclophosphamide treatment led to a significant (P < 0.05) decline in the mRNA levels of c-myb, bcl-2, and/or AR, but an increase (P < 0.05) in the mRNA amount of Bax, in lacrimal, but not in salivary, glands of female mice. These findings demonstrate that gender-associated differences exist in the expression of apoptotic factor mRNAs in exocrine tissues of autoimmune mice and that some of these differences appear to be due to the influence of androgens.
High-Tc squids

Abstract Magnetometers based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs), fabricated from thin films of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x and operated in liquid nitrogen at 77K, have achieved a magnetic field noise below 10 fT Hz -1/2 . These devices are now sufficiently sensitive for use in an intriguing variety of applications, including geophysics, magnetocardiology, nondestructive evaluation of metal structures, and scanning SQUID microscopes.
Changing the Face of Reference: Adapting Biomedical and Health Information Services for the Classroom, Clinic, and Beyond

This article describes how the reference department at a large academic health sciences library evolved to address the clinical and research information needs of the parent organization without losing its close connections to the classroom and curriculum. Closing the reference desk, moving to on-call and house call models, designing positions such as clinical research librarian and basic biomedical sciences librarian, finding alternative funding to grow the department, providing technology and training to facilitate librarians' work, and developing programming for and taking advice from library clients facilitated efforts to create a relevant presence and solidify the library's place in the university community.
The effect of dietary N-3 fatty acids on in vivo platelet aggregation in the cerebral microcirculation

Abstract Diets enriched in n-3 fish oil have been suggested to decrease coronary artery disease in part through their ability to decrease cyclooxygenase-dependent platelet aggregation. However little is known concerning the effect of n-3 fatty acids on in vivo platelet aggregation. The purpose of these experiments was to determine whether dietary n-3 fatty acids affect the rate at which platelet aggregation occurs in cerebral arterioles. Fish oil (200 mg eicosapentaenoic acid + 143 mg docosahexaenoic acid/kg), corn oil or water was given daily by gavage to mice (n=30) for six weeks and then in vivo platelet aggregation was induced by the light plus dye method, which injures the endothelium. Two additional groups of mice were acutely treated with saline or indomethacin (0.5 mg/kg, ip), with the latter serving as a positive control for therapeutic inhibition of platelet aggregation. Serum thromboxane B2 was analyzed by RIA. All fed groups gained weight equally. Serum thromboxane B2 was decreased by 40% in the fish oil group (p = 0.05 vs. corn oil, p = 0.07 vs. water). The mean (± SE) time to first aggregate in pial arterioles was 101 ± 6, 91 ± 6 and 101 ± 9 seconds in the fish oil, corn oil and water groups, respectively. Indomethacin significantly increased the time to first arteriolar aggregate by 35% (p
Improved Biocontrol Efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum 1295-22 for Foliar Phases of Turf Diseases by Use of Spray Applications

Trichoderma harzianum strain 1295-22 is an effective biocontrol agent for several fungal diseases. The efficacy of granule and spray applications of strain 1295-22 for control of Pythium root rot, brown patch, and dollar spot of creeping bentgrass was investigated. Spray applications of conidial suspensions (SA) of strain 1295-22 significantly reduced all three diseases of creeping bentgrass turf in both greenhouse and field experiments. Control was greatest when Triton X-100 at 0.1% was added to aqueous spray suspensions. When SA were applied weekly, the biocontrol treatments were equivalent to standard fungicides. Broadcast granule applications (GA) also significantly reduced foliar symptoms of Pythium root rot, dollar spot, and brown patch; turf quality also was enhanced. The populations of Trichoderma spp. in the root zone of a bentgrass putting green treated with SA or GA of strain 1295-22 increased 10- to 100-fold after treatment compared with untreated plots. However, strain 1295-22 was present at high levels on bentgrass leaves only following SA. Collectively, the results suggest that strain 1295-22 possesses both rhizosphere and phylloplane competence. The combination of broadcast applications of granules followed by spray applications of conidia reduced damage from both root and foliar diseases.
Kinetics of the pyrolysis of 1,2-diiodoethylene†

The spectrophotometric determination of the rate of pyrolysis of 1,2-diiodoethylene from 305.8 to 435.0° (with additional data on the addition of iodine to acetylene from 198.1 to 331.6°) has resulted in the observation of both a (in part heterogeneous) unimolecular process (A), and an iodine atom catalyzed process (B). For the homogeneous unimolecular process, log (kA/sec−1) ≈ 12.5–46/θ would appear to be reasonable, while log (kB/M−1 sec−1) = 11.8–23.9/θ, where θ = 2.303RT in kcal/mole. It is suggested that a donor–acceptor complex intermediate may explain the observed rate constant of process B and analogous reactions in other systems.
Biostratigraphy of Glossopleura Zone of West-Central Utah: ABSTRACT

In 2 measured sections in the House Range and Drum Mountains, the Chisholm and Dome Formations have a combined thickness of approximately 600 ft. The Chisholm Formation consists of shale and thin-bedded limestone. In the House Range the Dome Limestone forms massive cliffs, but in the Drum Mountains it is thin-bedded and forms slopes. Trilobite faunas of the lower half of the Chisholm Formation in the House Range and the entire Chisholm of the Drum Mountains are typical of the Glossopleura assemblage zone. These include 12 genera and 19 species. Faunas from the Dome Limestone and the upper half of the Chisholm Formation in the House Range are not diagnostic of either the Glossopleura or Bathyuriscus-Elrathina Zones. In the Drum Mountains the Dome Limestone in unfossiliferous. Poliella is the only trilobite found in the upper half of the Chisholm Formation in the House Range. It has been reported previously below and, in one place, in association with Glossopleura. The reversed stratigraphic occurrence of Glossopleura and Poliella in the House Range indicates that the use of Poliella as an index to a lower Middle Cambrian zone should be evaluated. The Glossopleura fauna of western Utah shows strong affinities with faunas of the upper Arrojos Formation of Sonora, Mexico; upper Bright Angel Shale of the Grand Canyon, Arizona; lower Stephen Formation of British Columbia; upper Pioche Shale of the northern Egan Range, Nevada; and the Chisholm Shale of the Pioche District, Nevada, Trilobites of the Dome Limestone do not correlate well with any described faunas of similar facies or stratigraphic position. End_of_Article - Last_Page 960------------
Improved subspace estimation for low-rank model-based accelerated cardiac imaging.

Sparse sampling methods have emerged as effective tools to accelerate cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Low-rank model-based cardiac imaging uses a pre-determined temporal subspace for image reconstruction from highly under-sampled (k, t)-space data and has been demonstrated effective for high-speed cardiac MRI. The accuracy of the temporal subspace is a key factor in these methods, yet little work has been published on data acquisition strategies to improve subspace estimation. This paper investigates the use of non-Cartesian k-space trajectories to replace the Cartesian trajectories which are omnipresent but are highly sensitive to readout direction. We also propose “self-navigated” pulse sequences which collect both navigator data (for determining the temporal subspace) and imaging data after every RF pulse, allowing for even greater acceleration. We investigate subspace estimation strategies through analysis of phantom images and demonstrate in vivo cardiac imaging in rats and mice without the use of ECG or respiratory gating. The proposed methods achieved 3-D imaging of wall motion, first-pass myocardial perfusion, and late gadolinium enhancement in rats at 74 frames per second (fps), as well as 2-D imaging of wall motion in mice at 97 fps.
Stochastic algorithm corresponding to a general linear iterative process.

Let u'=Mu+Nf be a general linear iterative process for solving the system Lu=f, with L=${\mathrm{L}}^{\mathrm{T}}$ and with 1=M+NL. Provided that \ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{\equiv}1/2(${\mathit{L}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$-${\mathit{ML}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$${\mathit{M}}^{\mathrm{T}}$${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ is a positive-definite matrix, it is shown that one can explicitly construct a corresponding stochastic algorithm which satisfies the homogeneous-state condition with respect to the probability distribution exp(-\ensuremath{\beta}S), where S=(1/2${\mathrm{u}}^{\mathrm{T}\mathrm{Lu}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{f}}^{\mathrm{T}\mathrm{u}}}$. When ${\mathrm{M}}^{\mathrm{T}\mathrm{L}=\mathrm{LM}}$, the algorithm also satisfies the detailed-balance condition.
The Role of Land Reform in Economic Development: Policies and Politics

As the extensive literature on the subject attests, the issue of land reform has been and remains heatedly debated.1 The latest massive demonstration of interest came with the 1979 World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, where representatives of no less than 145 nations and three liberation movements agreed that "equitable distribution and efficient use of land ... are indispensable for rural development, for the mobilization of human resources, and for increased production for the alleviation of poverty" (FAO). At one time or another, but especially since 1960, virtually every country in the world has passed land reform laws. Yet, the record is far more modest than the promise: (a) in spite of decades, if not centuries (Tuma), of land reform activities, landownership remains extremely skewed, concentration of landownership is almost universally increasing, the mass of landless is growing rapidly, and the extent of rural poverty and malnutrition has reached horrendous proportions; and (b) in spite of widespread agreement on the need for land reform, there are virtually no significant ongoing land reform programs except under extreme political pressures (revolutionary in El Salvador and postrevolutionary in Nicaragua, Mozambique, and Angola). In several countries, the progressive gains achieved by land reform programs are being either eroded by the forces of economic growth (Mexico, Venezuela, and South Korea) or purposefully canceled by public policies (Chile). The question I want to explore in this paper is: Why this blatant discrepancy between rhetoric and reality? Or, to put it another way, why is land reform no longer a significant policy issue even though it remains an important political issue in most countries of the world?2 To answer, we need first to explore, in a positive sense, what has been the nature of different land reforms that occurred in the past; what were their purposes, achievements, and limits. This will be done by developing a typology of land reforms in the third world, because it is essential to distinguish carefully among a wide variety of reforms. Following the approach of political economy, I will do this in the context of modes of production, social class structure, and types of land tenure.
“Separation/Abandonment/Isolation Trauma:” What We Can Learn From Our Nonhuman Primate Relatives

Building upon my prior work exploring the impact of childhood abandonment and isolation on chimpanzees and humans, this article discusses the relevance of nonhuman primate research to our understanding of this phenomenon in children. Both laboratory research and naturalistic studies have confirmed the strong commonalities in parenting between our 2 species and have reached similar conclusions regarding the long-term impact of maternal loss and subsequent isolation on nonhuman primates, conclusions that resonate fully with a self psychological understanding of how emotionally traumatized children are affected by such experiences. The article concludes with a discussion of what facilitates recovery and what we can learn from nonhuman primates about creating therapeutic environments for children who have been emotionally abused.
Survival and neonatal morbidity at the limits of viability in the mid 1990s: 22 to 25 weeks.

Abstract Objective: We determined neonatal survival and morbidity rates based on both fetal (stillborn) and neonatal deaths for infants delivered at 22 to 25 weeks' gestation. Study design: Two hundred seventy-eight deliveries at 22 to 25 weeks' completed gestation were analyzed by gestational age groups between January 1993 and December 1997. Logistic regression models were used to identify maternal and neonatal factors associated with survival. Results: The rate of fetal death was 24%; 76% of infants were born alive and 46% survived to discharge. Survival rates including fetal death at 22, 23, 24, and 25 weeks were 1.8%, 34%, 49%, and 76%; and survival rates excluding fetal death were 4.6%, 46%, 59%, and 82%, respectively. Logistic regression analyses showed that higher gestational age ( P P P P P Conclusion: Hospital neonatal survival rates of infants at the limits of viability are significantly lower with the inclusion of fetal deaths. This information should be considered when providing prognostic advice to families when mothers are in labor at 22 to 25 weeks' gestation. (J Pediatr 2000;137:616-22)
In vitro protein digestibility of developing and mature sorghum grain in relation to α-, β-, and γ-kafirin disulfide crosslinking

Abstract Sorghum (P721N, 1992) was harvested at selected days after half-bloom (DAHB) and at maturity, and analyzed for protein and moisture contents, protein digestibility, α-, β-, and γ-kafirin contents, and unextractable disulfide-bound complexes. α-Kafirin synthesis began before 10 DAHB, and β- and γ-kafirin at 20 DAHB. All the kafirins were as abundant at 40 DAHB as at maturity. Protein digestibilities of uncooked flour were about 90%, and dropped to 73% at maturity. Digestibilities of cooked flour dropped markedly at 35 DAHB, 40 DAHB and maturity. A comparison of 1992 and 1987 data indicates that digestibility decreases with moisture content, not days of development. The amount of disulfide “crosslinked” β- and γ-kafirins was insignificant at the earlier stages, though increased as the grain matured. Since kafirin synthesis is complete by 40 DAHB, we suggest that the decrease in digestibility in maturing grain is due to the drying effect and formation of disulfide-bound complexes involving β- and γ-kafirins. Cooking the flour may further promote protein interactions, particularly after kafirin synthesis has ceased.
Dengue: the continual re-emergence of a centuries-old disease.

In 1780, a novel epidemic disease struck Philadelphia, the United States capital at the time. The city’s leading physician, Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, marveled at the extreme prostration affecting his patients, who experienced high fevers, arthralgias, myalgias, and often an evanescent rash. Because of intense joint and muscle pains, the new disease came to be known as ‘‘breakbone fever.’’ Rush observed many patients with extreme post-illness lethargy and depression which he referred to as ‘‘dejection of the spirits’’. He wrote that the new disease might just as well be called ‘‘break-heart fever’’ (Rush 1789). Dengue, as it ultimately was named, has remained with us as a continually re-emerging epidemic disease ever since.
Impact of automation on digital computer design

A digital computer logician's job may be defined as a two-fold task. First, he must generate abstract ideas on the organization of a proposed computer to handle a particular type of problem, and second he must convert these abstract ideas into data that a factory can use to construct and check out the computer.
Cryo-Electron Tomography of Mitochondria in Intact Cells Reveals Mitochondria Divide by Budding

Eukaryotes rely on mitochondrial division so that new generation of cells can acquire adequate number of mitochondria to maintain their physiological functions. Mitochondrial division has long been thought to occur by binary fission which has recently been considered to be mediated by Drp1 and ER. However, the ultimate verification of the process of mitochondrial division has previously depended heavily on the visualization by fluorescent microscopy and conventional two-dimensional (2D) electron microscopy (EM). The resolution limit of fluorescent microscopy essentially prevents observers from seeing sufficient details of mitochondrial division which involves distance between two separating mitochondrial bodies down to zero. In conventional EM, specimen usually goes through extensive chemical and mechanical treatments including fixation, dehydration, staining and sectioning which may readily disrupt critical structure features that define mitochondrial division. On the other hand, in conventional EM, fine structure features always tend to be buried in 2D images due to overlapping of three-dimensional information. Here, I utilized the Whole Cell Cryo-Electron Tomography to probe mitochondrial division in intact cells. Small mitochondria were clearly observed budding from large mitochondria. Snapshots of large number of intermediates of mitochondrial budding were captured showing relatively larger mitochondrial buds of various sizes connected to large mitochondria by weak tethers or stalk-like structures essentially forming mitochondrial networks. High contrast densities most likely corresponding to mitochondrial DNA could be seen inside each of the mitochondrial buds. Moreover, mitochondrial budding resembles the reproductive budding of alpha-proteobacteria from which mitochondria are believed to be evolved. Therefore, this study has revealed that mitochondria divide by budding.
THERAPEUTIC TOUCH WITH PRETERM INFANTS :COMPOSING A TREATMENT

Background Therapeutic touch (TT), a complementary therapy, has been shown to decrease stress, anxiety, and pain in adults and children, as well as improve mobility in patients with arthritis and fibromyalgia. However, less has been reported about the effectiveness of this therapy with infants, particularly preterm infants. Objectives The aims of this research study were to explore the nature of the use of TT with preterm infants and describe a TT treatment process for this vulnerable population. Design Narrative inquiry and qualitative descriptive methods were used to discover knowledge about how TT is used with preterm infants. Data Collection Telephone/in-person interviews and written narratives provided the data describing nurses' use of TT with preterm infants. Participants The participants were registered nurses who practiced TT with preterm infants for varying years of experience. Results The participants described the responses of infants, 25 to 37 weeks postgestational age, whom they treated with TT. The infants' responses to TT included reduced heart and respiratory rates, enhanced ability to rest, improved coordination in sucking, swallowing, and breathing, and a greater ability to engage with the environment. The practitioners described the phases and elements of TT for preterm infants, which revealed unique patterns, for example, the treatment phase included the elements of smoothing and containing. Conclusion The description that emerged from the practitioners' narratives of the TT treatment process for preterm infants provides preliminary data for the systematic use and evaluation of TT as an adjunct to facilitating preterm infants' physiological, behavioral, energy field development, and well-being.
Logical Constraints as Cardinality Rules: Tight Representation

We derive by means of disjunctive programming the convex hull representation of logical conditions called cardinality rules given by Hong and Hooker (1999), and specify an efficient separation algorithm for the family of inequalities defining the convex hull. We then extend both the convex hull characterization and the efficient separation procedure to more general logical conditions.
Effects of thyroxine, propylthiouracil, and diet on basomedial hypothalamically lesioned rats

Male albino rats (half with basomedial hypothalamic lesions) were maintained on liquid food. Subgroups were treated with control handling, 15 or 150 micrograms thyroxine, or 5 mg of propylthiouracil intraperitoneally, daily for 16 days. In intact animals, liquid food yielded small weight gains. Also, thyroxine treatment stimulated adrenal enlargement, increased food intake, but produced lower weight gain, while propylthiouracil had no significant effect on food intake or body weight. Lesioned animals showed severe inanition on liquid diets despite avid consumption, and this starvation was potentiated by thyroxine administration. Only propylthiouracil treatment allowed weight gain in lesioned animals. This suggests a metabolic dysfunction following hypothalamic lesions which participates in the development of obesity.
Cerebrospinal fluid pharmacokinetics and penetration of continuous infusion topotecan in children with central nervous system tumors.

The purpose of this study was to describe the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) penetration of topotecan in humans, to generate a pharmacokinetic model to simultaneously describe topotecan lactone and total concentrations in the plasma and CSF, and to characterize the CSF and plasma pharmacokinetics of topotecan administered as a continuous infusion (CI). Plasma and CSF samples were collected from 17 patients receiving 5.5 or 7.5 mg/m2 per day as a 24-h CI (5 patients, 7 courses), or 0.5 to 1.25 mg/m2 per day as a 72-h CI (12 patients, 12 courses). CSF samples were obtained from either a ventricular reservoir (VR) or a lumbar puncture (LP). Topotecan lactone and total (lactone plus hydroxy acid) concentrations were determined by HPLC and fluorescence detection. Using MAP-Bayesian modelling, a three-compartment model was fitted simultaneously to topotecan lactone and total concentrations in the plasma and CSF. The penetration of topotecan into the CSF was determined from the ratio of the CSF to the plasma area under the concentration-time curve. The median CSF ventricular lactone concentrations, obtained prior to the end of infusion (EOI), were 0.86, 1.4, 0.73, 5.3 and 4.6 ng/ml for patients receiving 0.5, 1.0, 1.25, 5.5, and 7.5 mg/m2 per day, respectively. EOI CSF lumbar lactone concentrations measured in three patients were 0.44, 1.1, and 1.7 ng/ml for topotecan doses of 1.0, 5.5, and 7.5 mg/m2 per day, respectively. In two patients receiving 1.25 mg/m2 per day, EOI CSF concentrations were obtained simultaneously from a VR and LP; the lumbar lactone concentrations were 30% and 49% lower than the ventricular concentrations. During a 24-h and a 72-h CI, the median CSF penetration of topotecan lactone was 0.29 (range 0.10 to 0.59) and 0.42 (range 0.11 to 0.86), respectively. A three-compartment model adequately described topotecan lactone and total concentrations in the plasma and CSF. Topotecan was therefore found to significantly penetrate into the CSF in humans. The pharmacokinetic model presented may be useful in the design of clinical studies of topotecan to treat CNS tumors.
Time-Resolved Measurements of Vibrational Relaxation at Surfaces

Abstract Time-resolved measurements of optically induced transients on surfaces are reported. Room temperature vibrational energy relaxation rates for OH groups on the insulators SiO 2 and zeolite ZSM-5 are found to be comparable (≈10 10 s −1 ). The relaxation rate for optically induced transients on the semiconductor surface ZnO appears to reflect the influence of conduction bands in the 3 μm spectral region.
The immunology of proteoglycans.

This discussion will touch on some of the central features of proteoglycan (PG) immunology and suggest that despite the recent introduction of very sophisticated immunochemical techniques, this remains a problematic field. As I shall indicate, there are difficulties in understanding the immunological properties of PGs which are due to the nature of PG, to a basic uncertainty of the details of PG structure and organization and, finally, to our inability to isolate truly homogeneous PGs or PG fractions for use in immunological studies. The earliest work in PG immunology showed that although the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) portion of the PG comprises the bulk of its composition and determines its physicochemical properties, isolated chondroitin sulfate (CS) or keratan sulfate (KS) chains are immunologically silent. Immunization of experimental animals with the isolated GAGS does not lead to the production of antibodies detectable by immune precipitation, hemagglutination inhibition or cutaneous reactivity. Furthermore, GAG chains isolated by (3-elimination or papain digestion of PG do not influence the binding of multivalent anti-PG sera with PG radio-labeled either in the core protein or in the CS Thus, it appears that the immunogenicity of PG is due to its protein constituents. This has both good and bad consequences. The chemical and enzymatic methods for the analysis of the GAG chains are well established and our knowledge of their structure and synthesis is well developed, whereas our knowledge of the detailed structure of the PG core protein is limited. The specificity of anti-PG antibodies for PG protein offers a potentially valuable direct probe for the study of PG proteins in face of the relatively small amount present in PG. On the other hand, in trying to understand and interpret the immunological findings, we are sorely handicapped by our incomplete knowledge of what the PG proteins are and how they fit together. A second early discovery of PG immunology was that the PG molecule must be modified in order to allow it to be studied. Treatment of cartilage sections or of the extracted chondromucoprotein or proteinpolysaccharide, as PG was then known, with testicular hyaluronidase was found necessary in order to demonstrate full immunological reactivity, even though the antisera used were produced by immunization with PG fractions which had not been digested with hyal~ronidase.~* ~*~ The explanations offered for this were that PG molecules are just too big to diffuse through agarose, so they can’t be identified by Ouchterlony immunodiffusion, or that the CS chains are so big and bulky that the antibody molecules can not get near the antigen.3 I believe that the observation is correct, but I am not sure about the explanations. PG molecules are quite capable of diffusing through agarose and many of us make our livings by characterizing this process. In addition, if PG molecules are digested with trypsin, which does not affect the CS chains that are
Managing Nontraumatic Acute Back Pain

Editor’s Note: The Expert Clinical Management seriesconsists of shorter, practical review articles focused on theoptimal approach to a speciﬁc sign, symptom, disease,procedure, technology, or other emergency departmentchallenge. These articles—typically solicited fromrecognized experts in the subject area—will summarize thebest available evidence relating to the topic while includingpractical recommendations where the evidence isincomplete or conﬂicting.
Suicide and occupation: A review

Abstract This paper examines the available literature dealing with the relation of occupation to suicide for three occupational categories: health care providers, managerial and professional persons, and military and paramilitary personnel. Following a general introduction, evidence relating to group differences in suicidal behavior is presented and assessed. Sources of bias and inaccuracy in suicide statistics are identified and theories purporting to explain variations in the incidence of suicide are considered. Finally, implications are drawn from the analysis presented and possible directions for future research are identified.
Business ethics, Corporate Good Citizenship and the Corporate Social Policy Process: A view from the United States

Within the American context, the term Corporate Good Citizenship, a rather vague and somewhat dated notion, bears little relationship to the concept of Business Ethics. Whereas the latter refers to systematic reflection on the moral significance of the institutions, policies and behavior of business actors in the normal course of their business operations, the former is a subset of the broader notion of Corporate Social Responsibility and denotes, generally, discretionary, possibly altruistic, “non-business” relationships between business organizations and diverse community stakeholders. A newer concept, the Corporate Social Policy Process, which focuses on the institutionalization within business organizations of processes facilitating individual and organizational reflection and choice regarding the moral significance of personal and organizational action together with a consideration of the likely consequences of such action, provides analytical linkages between Business Ethics and Corporate Good Citizenship which can be useful to business scholars and operating managers alike. Specific aspects of Corporate Good Citizenship, including corporate community involvements, are examined and particular attention is paid to current trends in corporate donations, including an increasing emphasis on “strategic philanthropy” which explicitly mixes practical and benevolent motives in company giving policies and practices.
Myocardial infarcts in infants and children. I. A necropsy study in congenital heart disease.

Myocardial infarction is not rare in infants and children. It is common in congenitalheart disease even in the absence of gross coronary anomaly or pathology. Infarcts were found in 33 of 44 hearts in a series including cases of total anomalous venous return, aortic valvular stenosis, pulmonary valvular stenosis, and complete transposition of the great arteries. All hearts of patients older than 3 months showed infarcts, usually located in the subendocardial myocardium and in the papillary muscles of the hypertrophied ventricle. Decreased coronary perfusion and desaturation of systemic blood probably affect both ventricles. The relative coronary insufficiency associated with increased myocardial mass may be responsible for the preferential localization of infarcts in one ventricle: the left in aortic stenosis, the right in pulmonic stenosis and anomalous pulmonary venous return. Only minor coronary artery lesions were found in the series and these did not correlate with the side or severity of infarction. The papillary muscle infarcts may affect the normal function of both atrioventricular valves. A review of electrocardiographic data showed that about half of the infarcts might have been diagnosed clinically.
Optimized THz emission from intrinsic Josephson junctions

Nearly every wavelength from dc to x-rays significantly benefits today's society with a notable exception: the THz or sub-millimeter band. Applications in this range are widespread, penetrating fields ranging from national security to medicine, but remain largely under-utilized due to the difficulty of creating, manipulating, and detecting this type of radiation. Our research focus is THz source development using superconductive Josephson junctions to potentially address the lack of compact, efficient, and tunable source of continuous THz radiation. We review relevant applications for such a source and report an optimized design of a miniature THz emitter using single crystal intrinsic Josephson junctions.
The effects of dietary butylated hydroxytoluene on liver and colon tumor development in mice

Abstract Male and female C3H mice were fed a diet containing 0.5% or 0.05% of the antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). After 10 months, male but not female animals had a significantly increased incidence of liver tumors composed to animals kept on a BHT-free control diet. In a second experiment, male BALB/c mice were treated subcutaneously with the carcinogens dimethylhydrazine (DMH) or intrarectally with methylnitrosourea (MNU). A diet containing 0.5% BHT significantly increased the incidence of colon tumors in DMH treated animals but had no effect in mice given MNU. It is concluded that the effect of BHT on tumor development depends on strain and target organ examined and possibly also on the chemical carcinogen used.
Effect of Undernutrition on Thyroid Tissue Respiration of Guinea Pig.

ConclusionsThe oxygen consumption of the thyroid glands of undernourished female guinea pigs was significantly reduced.
Preliminary Results of a Data Assimilation System

A data assimilation system combines all available information on the atmospheric state in a given time-window to produce an estimate of atmospheric conditions valid at a prescribed analysis time. Nowadays, increased computing power coupled with greater access to real-time asynoptic data is paving the way toward a new generation of high-resolution (i.e. on the order of 10 km) operational mesoscale analyses and forecasting systems. Moreover, better initial conditions are increasingly considered of the utmost importance for Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) at the short range (0 - 12 h). This paper presents a general-purpose data assimilation system, which is coupled with the Regional Atmospheric Modelling System (RAMS) to give the analyses for: zonal and meridional wind components, temperature, relative humidity, and geopotential height. In order to show its potential, the data assimilation systems applied to produce analyses over Central Europe. For this application the background field is given by a short-range forecast (12 h) of the RAMS and analyses are produced by 2D-Var with 0.25? horizontal resolution. Results show the validity of the analyses because they are closer to the observations, consistently with the settings of the data assimilation system. To quantify the impact of improved initial conditions on the forecast, the analyses are then used as initial conditions of a short-range (6 h) forecast of the RAMS model. The results show that the RMSE is effectively reduced for the one- and two hours forecast, with some improvement for the three-hours forecast.
Bending of Superelastic Shape Memory Alloy Tubes

Many shape memory alloy (SMA) applications exploit superelasticity in a bending mode, yet the large displacements and rotations associated with bending of slender structures make controlled experiments difficult. A custom pure bending fixture was built to perform experiments on superelastic NiTi tubes. To understand the bending results, the tubes were also characterized in uniaxial tension and compression, where a custom fixture was utilized to avoid buckling. In addition to measuring the global mechanical response, stereo digital image correlation (DIC) was used in all the experiments to capture the local surface displacement and strain fields. Consistent with the tension/compression data, our bending experiments showed a significant shift of the neutral axis towards the compression side. Also, the tube had strain localization on the tension side, but no such localization on the compression side. Detailed analysis of the strain distribution across the tube diameter revealed that the usual assumption of beam theory, that plane sections remain plane, did not hold along the tension side. Averaged over a few diameters of gage length, plane sections remain plane is a reasonable assumption and can be used to predict the global moment–curvature response. However, this assumption should be used with caution since it can under/over predict local strains by as much as 2× due to the localized deformation morphology.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Molecular basis of antigenic variation between the glycoproteins C of respiratory bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) and neurovirulent BHV-5.

Abstract Herpesvirus glycoprotein C (gC) functions as a major virus attachment protein. The gC sequence of the neurovirulent bovine herpesvirus type 5 (BHV-5) virus was determined and compared with the gC sequence of the nonneurovirulent BHV-1. Alignment of the predicted amino acid sequences of BHV-1 and BHV-5 gC ORFs showed that the amino-terminal third of the protein differed between the two viruses. Whole or subgenomic fragments of gC coding regions from both viruses were expressed as trpE—gC fusion proteins in Escherichia coli to map linear epitopes defined by type-specific murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Based on the reactivity of BHV-1-specific MAbs with the recombinant proteins, two epitopes were mapped between BHV-1 gC residues 22 and 172. Unidirectional deletion of these residues at the carboxy end mapped one within residues 22–69 and the other within residues 103–122. Two BHV-5-specific MAbs identified an epitope coding region within BHV-5 gC residues 31–78. Bovine antisera against BHV-1 and BHV-5 showed specificity to BHV-1 gC residues 22–69 and to BHV-5 gC residues 31–78, respectively, in a type-specific manner.
Mobile anonymity of dynamic groups in vehicular networks

Vehicular networks are an emerging network to improve safety, efficiency, and convenience of the existing transportation system. In order to preserve privacy in vehicular networks, it is desirable to keep users anonymous. In this paper, we argue that existing approaches, for example, ring singature and anonymous authentication, are susceptible to intersection attack in vehicular networks, resulting in reduced anonymity, even no anonymity. To quantify the achievable anonymity, we first define a graph-based model called mobile anonymity for a general dynamic environment. We show that under this model, anonymity can be achieved on the system level as long as the constructed anonymity graph is strongly connected. We then extend this model into vehicular networks by applying it to ring signature and anonymous authentication in vehicular networks. We propose two strategies, the random (RND) strategy and the latest-preferred (LPR) strategy, and evaluate them via simulation using the C3 simulator. The results show that it is promising to apply RND strategy in vehicular networks. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detection of bcr-abl fusion in chronic myelogeneous leukemia by in situ hybridization

Chronic myelogeneous leukemia (CML) is genetically characterized by fusion of the bcr and abl genes on chromosomes 22 and 9, respectively. In most cases, the fusion involves a reciprocal translocation t(9;22)(q34;q11), which produces the cytogenetically distinctive Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1). Fusion can be detected by Southern (DNA) analysis or by in vitro amplification of the messenger RNA from the fusion gene with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These techniques are sensitive but cannot be applied to single cells. Two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used with probes from portions of the bcr and abl genes to detect the bcr-abl fusion in individual blood and bone marrow cells from six patients. The fusion event was detected in all samples analyzed, of which three were cytogenetically Ph1-negative. One of the Ph1-negative samples was also PCR-negative. This approach is fast and sensitive, and provides potential for determining the frequency of the abnormality in different cell lineages.
Supramolecular bionanocomposites, part 2: Effects of carbon nanoparticle surface functionality on polylactide crystallization

Two types of supramolecular carbon nano- structures, carbon nanospheres (CNS) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes, (MWCNTs) are investigated for their potential as nanofillers in the bioplastic polylactide (PLA). Modification of the surfaces of both carbon nanostructures by covalent attachment of dodecylamine is accomplished and the effects of this compatibilizing functionality are explored. Crystallization kinetics, thermal properties, and mechanical properties are investigated. Addition of a small amount of carbon to the PLA increases the thermal stabil- ity by as much as 20-30 � C. Incorporation of the MWCNT and CNS increases the heat distortion temperature by up to 10 � C. Speed up in crystallization rate is observed for small to intermediate loading levels; however, at higher nanofiller loading, the rate decreases. Functionalized nano- structures are more effective at increasing crystallization rates than unfunctionalized nanostructures. It is concluded that the dodecylamine (DDA) grafted to the carbon surfa- ces aids in dispersing the materials and preventing aggre- gation, thereby providing higher surface area for heterogeneous nucleation of the biopolymer. The resulting materials are composed of the supramolecular carbon nanostructure embedded in a semicrystalline biopolymer matrix. V C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 121: 2029-2038, 2011