cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Veblen and Higher Learning: The Trial Balance

Corporatism in the academy continues to invite controversy just as it did nearly a century ago. Thorstein Veblen articulated many of the early concerns in Higher Learning in America ([1918] 1965). Many current commentaries on the subject echo Veblen's sentiments but appear to be oblivious of his tremendous intellectual legacy. This sad state of affairs may be a product of the severe reaction of early critics to Higher Learning followed by years of scholarly indifference. Nevertheless, the modern critiques of corporatism in the academy attest to the remarkable prescience of Veblen and his unique evolutionary perspective. Furthermore, critical opinion to the contrary, Higher Learning lacks neither logical consistency nor methodological integrity. Instead, Veblen's thoughts on the limits of pragmatic utilitarianism offer valuable insight into the ongoing controversy surrounding corporatism and higher learning.
“I Always Viewed this as the Real Psychiatry”: Provider Perspectives on Community Psychiatry as a Career of First Choice

The US needs engaged and skilled psychiatrists to support the recovery of people with severe mental illnesses and we are currently facing a shortage. This paper examines what attracts providers to community psychiatry and what sustains them in their work. Focus groups and interviews were used to elicit the perspectives of prescribing clinicians in three community mental health clinics in the US. Community psychiatry has inherent challenges, including facing high-risk decisions, encountering intense affects, and occasionally witnessing bad outcomes. Psychiatrists are motivated and sustained in this work by (1) cultivating relationships with patients and colleagues, (2) focusing on the mission of promoting recovery, and (3) engaging with clinical practice as intellectually stimulating work. Administrators support the engagement and morale of psychiatrists by creating workflows that allow psychiatrists to meaningfully apply their expertise to support patients' recovery. These findings hold implications for recruiting and retaining a new generation of physicians.
Numerical Simulation of the Atmospheric Response to Equatorial Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies

There exists observational and modeling evidence to the effect that sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the equatorial Pacific have a significant effect upon wintertime climate in the Pacific/North American sector of the hemisphere. In connection with the emergence of a more definitive observational basis for designing general circulation model (GCM) experiments to investigate the atmospheric response to equatorial SST anomalies, it was recommended to conduct a series of GCM experiments. The present study involves a series of extended (1-2 month) integrations.Attention is given to a review of previous GCM experiments, the plan for the present study, the general circulation model and its simulation of the winter and summer circulation described by Shukla et al. (1981), tropical precipitation, upper level flow, low-level circulation and temperature, and the tropical tropospheric temperature.
Discriminating between reward-produced memories: Effects of differences in reward magnitude

The greater the dissimilarity between exteroceptive stimuli, the easier it is to discriminate between them. To determine whether a similar relationship holds for memories produced by reward events, rats in three runway investigations received trials in pairs, the number of food pellets (0.045 g) occurring on Trial 1 indicating whether reward or nonreward would occur on Trial 2. In each investigation, discriminative responding on Trial 2 was better the larger the difference in reward magnitude on Trial 1. This finding was obtained under a wide variety of conditions: for example, when the larger of two reward magnitudes on Trial 1 signaled nonreward on Trial 2 (Experiment 1, 10 vs. 2 pellets); when the smaller of two reward magnitudes on Trial 1 signaled nonreward on Trial 2 (Experiment 2, 10 vs. 2 pellets); and when the same magnitude of reward on Trial 1 signaled nonreward on Trial 2 (Experiment 3, either 5 pellets or 0 pellets). The findings obtained here indicate that the greater the dissimilarity between reward magnitudes, the greater the dissimilarity between the memories they produced and, thus, the easier it is to discriminate between them. It is suggested that the present results may provide a basis for understanding findings obtained in other instrumental learning investigations in which reward magnitude is varied.
Development of cyclin-dependent kinase modulators as novel therapeutic approaches for hematological malignancies

The majority of hematopoietic malignancies have aberrancies in the retinoblastoma (Rb) pathway. Loss in Rb function is, in most cases, a result of the phosphorylation and inactivation of Rb by the cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks), main regulators of cell cycle progression. Flavopiridol, the first cdk modulator tested in clinical trials, is a flavonoid that inhibits several cdks with evidence of cell cycle block. Other interesting preclinical features are the induction of apoptosis, promotion of differentiation, inhibition of angiogenic processes and modulation of transcriptional events. Initial clinical trials with infusional flavopiridol demonstrated activity in some patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, renal, prostate, colon and gastric carcinomas. Main side-effects were secretory diarrhea and a pro-inflammatory syndrome associated with hypotension. Phase 2 trials with infusional flavopiridol in CLL and mantle cell lymphoma, other schedules and combination with standard chemotherapies are ongoing. The second cdk modulator tested in clinical trials, UCN-01, is a potent protein kinase C inhibitor that inhibits cdk activity in vitro as well. UCN-01 blocks cell cycle progression and promotes apoptosis in hematopoietic models. Moreover, UCN-01 is able to abrogate checkpoints induced by genotoxic stress due to modulation in chk1 kinase. The first clinical trial of UCN-01 demonstrated very prolonged half-life (approximately 600 h), 100 times longer than the half-life observed in preclinical models. This effect is due to high binding affinity of UCN-01 to the human plasma protein alpha-1-acid glycoprotein. Main side-effects in this trial were headaches, nausea/vomiting, hypoxemia and hyperglycemia. Clinical activity was observed in patients with melanoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leiomyosarcoma. Of interest, a patient with anaplastic large cell lymphoma refractory to high-dose chemotherapy showed no evidence of disease after 3 years of UCN-01 therapy. Trials of infusional UCN-01 in combination with Ara-C or gemcitabine in patients with acute leukemia and CLL, respectively, have commenced. In conclusion, flavopiridol and UCN-01 are cdk modulators that reach biologically active concentrations effective in modulating CDK in vitro, and show encouraging results in early clinical trials in patients with refractory hematopoietic malignancies. Although important questions remain to be answered, these positive experiences will hopefully increase the therapeutic modalities in hematological malignancies.
Evidence for no sexual isolation between Drosophila albomicans and D. nasuta

Sexual isolation, the reduced tendency to mate, is one of the reproductive barriers that prevent gene flow between different species. Various species-specific signals during courtship contribute to sexual isolation between species. Drosophila albomicans and D. nasuta are closely related species of the nasuta subgroup within the Drosophila immigrans group and are distributed in allopatry. We analyzed mating behavior and courtship as well as cuticular hydrocarbon profiles within and between species. Here, we report that these two species randomly mated with each other. We did not observe any sexual isolation between species or between strains within species by multiple-choice tests. Significant difference in the courtship index was detected between these two species, but males and females of both species showed no discrimination against heterospecific partners. Significant quantitative variations in cuticular hydrocarbons between these two species were also found, but the cuticular hydrocarbons appear to play a negligible role in both courtship and sexual isolation between these two species. In contrast to the evident postzygotic isolation, the lack of sexual isolation between these two species suggests that the evolution of premating isolation may lag behind that of the intergenomic incompatibility, which might be driven by intragenomic conflicts.
Effects of ApoE Genotype on ApoB-48 and ApoB-100 Kinetics With Stable Isotopes in Humans

Abstract —Subjects with the apolipoprotein (apo) E4 allele have been shown to have higher low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and apoB levels than do subjects with the other alleles. To elucidate the metabolic mechanisms responsible for this finding, we examined the kinetics of apoB-48 within triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) and of apoB-100 within very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL), and LDL by using a primed constant infusion of [5,5,5-2H3]leucine in the fed state (hourly feeding) during consumption of an average American diet in 18 normolipidemic subjects, 12 of whom had the apoE3/E3 genotype and 6, the apoE3/E4 genotype. Lipoproteins were isolated by ultracentrifugation and apolipoproteins, by sodium dodecyl sulfate gels; isotope enrichment was assessed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Kinetic parameters were calculated by multicompartmental modeling of the data with saam II software. Compared with the apoE3/E3 subjects, the apoE3/E4 subjects had significantly higher levels of total apoB, 100.1±17.8 versus 135.4±34.0 mg/dL ( P =0.009), and significantly higher levels of LDL apoB-100, 88.1±19.2 versus 127.5±32.7 mg/dL ( P =0.005), respectively. The pool size of TRL apoB-48 was 17.4% lower for apoE3/E4 subjects compared with apoE3/E3 subjects due to a 33.3% lower production rate ( P =0.28). There was no significant difference in the TRL apoB-48 fractional catabolic rate (5.1±2.2 versus 5.0±2.1 pools per day). The pool size for VLDL apoB-100 was 36% lower for apoE3/E4 subjects compared with apoE3/E3 subjects due entirely to a 30% lower production rate ( P =0.04). The LDL apoB-100 pool size was 57.8% higher ( P =0.003) for apoE3/E4 subjects compared with apoE3/E3 subjects due to a 35.5% lower fractional catabolic rate of LDL apoB-100 ( P =0.003), with no significant difference in production rate. In addition, 77% of VLDL apoB-100 was converted to LDL apoB-100 in apoE3/E4 subjects compared with 58% in apoE3/E3 subjects ( P =0.05). In conclusion, the presence of 1 E4 allele was associated with higher LDL apoB-100 levels owing to lower fractional catabolism of LDL apoB-100 and a 33% increase in the conversion of VLDL apoB-100 to LDL apoB-100.
Alexithymia in schizophrenia: Associations with neurocognition and emotional distress

While alexithymia, or difficulties identifying and describing affect, has been commonly observed in schizophrenia, little is known about its causes and correlates. To test the hypothesis that deficits in emotion identification and expression result from, or are at least related to, deficits in neurocognition and affective symptoms, we assessed alexithymia using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), symptoms using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and neurocognition using the MATRICS battery among 65 adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in a non-acute phase of illness. Partial correlations controlling for the effects of social desirability revealed that difficulty identifying feelings and externally oriented thinking were linked with greater levels of neurocognitive deficits, while difficulty describing feelings was related to heightened levels of emotional distress. To explore whether neurocognition and affective symptoms were uniquely related to alexithymia, a multiple regression was conducted in which neurocognitive scores and affective symptoms were allowed to enter to predict overall levels of alexithymia after controlling for social desirability. Results revealed both processing speed and anxiety uniquely contributed to the prediction of the total score on the TAS-20. Results suggest that dysfunctions in both cognitive and affective processes may be related to alexithymia in schizophrenia independently of one another.
Evaluation of Highway Design Parameters on Influencing Operator Speeds Through Casewise Visual Evaluation

Designing highways to influence driver operating speed effectively through environmental feedback is a key research field requiring special attention. Virtual reality video simulations were used to record the influence of environmental elements on driver judgments about the appropriate driving speed. This study evaluated the use of various means that could affect operating speeds and affect driver behavior without compromising safety. Data were analyzed through the fuzzy set nonlinear modeling system of Casewise Visual Evaluation methodology to identify design factors that most strongly influenced perceived operator discomfort. The findings indicated that vegetation type and density and barrier type have a significant effect on driver discomfort and thus have the potential to influence operating speeds. Roadway width has a similar effect where narrower roadways increase driver discomfort. The results indicate that roadside features and certain road design elements can be used to affect driver operating sp...
GLUEBALLS - A STATUS REPORT*

The current experimental status of glueballs is reviewed. The possibility that the ≀(1440) and θ(1640) are glueballs is examined.
Exploratory analysis of exercise adherence patterns with sedentary pregnant women.

Background: It is not well understood how sedentary women who wish to engage in regular exercise adhere to interventions during pregnancy and what factors may influence adherence over time. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine longitudinal patterns of pregnant women's adherence to exercise. Methods: Exploratory secondary data analyses were carried out with 124 previously sedentary pregnant women (ages 31 ± 5 years; 85% non-Hispanic White) from a randomized controlled trial. Daily exercise logs (n = 92) from 18 through 35 weeks of gestation were explored using linear regression, functional data, and principal component analyses. Results: Adherence decreased as gestation week increased (p < .001). The top adherers maintained levels of adherence, and the bottom adherers decreased levels of adherence. And adherence pattern was influenced by types of exercise throughout the study period. Discussion: Exercise behavior patterns were explored in a randomized controlled trial study, using chronometric data on exercise attendance. A new analytic approach revealed that sedentary pregnant women may adopt exercise habits differently from other populations.
High knee abduction moments are common risk factors for patellofemoral pain (PFP) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in girls: Is PFP itself a predictor for subsequent ACL injury?

Background Identifying risk factors for knee pain and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury can be an important step in the injury prevention cycle. Objective We evaluated two unique prospective cohorts with similar populations and methodologies to compare the incidence rates and risk factors associated with patellofemoral pain (PFP) and ACL injury. Methods The ‘PFP cohort’ consisted of 240 middle and high school female athletes. They were evaluated by a physician and underwent anthropometric assessment, strength testing and three-dimensional landing biomechanical analyses prior to their basketball season. 145 of these athletes met inclusion for surveillance of incident (new) PFP by certified athletic trainers during their competitive season. The ‘ACL cohort’ included 205 high school female volleyball, soccer and basketball athletes who underwent the same anthropometric, strength and biomechanical assessment prior to their competitive season and were subsequently followed up for incidence of ACL injury. A one-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate potential group (incident PFP vs ACL injured) differences in anthropometrics, strength and landing biomechanics. Knee abduction moment (KAM) cut-scores that provided the maximal sensitivity and specificity for prediction of PFP or ACL injury risk were also compared between the cohorts. Results KAM during landing above 15.4 Nm was associated with a 6.8% risk to develop PFP compared to a 2.9% risk if below the PFP risk threshold in our sample. Likewise, a KAM above 25.3 Nm was associated with a 6.8% risk for subsequent ACL injury compared to a 0.4% risk if below the established ACL risk threshold. The ACL-injured athletes initiated landing with a greater knee abduction angle and a reduced hamstrings-to-quadriceps strength ratio relative to the incident PFP group. Also, when comparing across cohorts, the athletes who suffered ACL injury also had lower hamstring/quadriceps ratio than the players in the PFP sample (p Conclusions In adolescent girls aged 13.3 years, >15 Nm of knee abduction load during landing is associated with greater likelihood of developing PFP. Also, in girls aged 16.1 years who land with >25 Nm of knee abduction load during landing are at increased risk for both PFP and ACL injury.
Genetic disruption of cortical interneuron development causes region- and GABA cell type-specific deficits, epilepsy, and behavioral dysfunction.

The generation of properly functioning circuits during brain development requires precise timing of cell migration and differentiation. Disruptions in the developmental plan may lead to neurological and psychiatric disorders. Neocortical circuits rely on inhibitory GABAergic interneurons, the majority of which migrate from subcortical sources. We have shown that the pleiotropic molecule hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) mediates interneuron migration. Mice with a targeted mutation of the gene encoding urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), a key component in HGF/SF activation and function, have decreased levels of HGF/SF and a 50% reduction in neocortical GABAergic interneurons at embryonic and perinatal ages. Disruption of interneuron development leads to early lethality in most models. Thus, the long-term consequences of such perturbations are unknown. Mice of the uPAR −/− strain survive until adulthood, and behavior testing demonstrates that they have an increased anxiety state. The uPAR −/− strain also exhibits spontaneous seizure activity and higher susceptibility to pharmacologically induced convulsions. The neocortex of the adult uPAR −/− mouse exhibits a dramatic region- and subtype-specific decrease in GABA-immunoreactive interneurons. Anterior cingulate and parietal cortical areas contain 50% fewer GABAergic interneurons compared with wild-type littermates. However, interneuron numbers in piriform and visual cortical areas do not differ from those of normal mice. Characterization of interneuron subpopulations reveals a near complete loss of the parvalbumin subtype, with other subclasses remaining intact. These data demonstrate that a single gene mutation can selectively alter the development of cortical interneurons in a region- and cell subtype-specific manner, with deficits leading to long-lasting changes in circuit organization and behavior.
Personal communications access networks using subcarrier multiplexed optical links

One of the major challenges for future personal communication systems (PCS) and personal communication networks (PCN) is the capacity needed to meet the growing demand. In this paper, fiber optics and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology is proposed, and shown to be a cost-effective solution to this problem. In particular, it is shown that the mature fiber-optics and WDM technology could be used in conjunction with subcarrier multiplexing in microcells in order to transmit messages from subscribers to central base station (uplink) and in the opposite direction too. The access backbone network architecture of such a PCN is also investigated and key problems associated with it are highlighted.
Fouling of Quartz Surfaces in a Low-Pressure High-Output (LPHO) Ultraviolet Disinfection Reactor Treating a Groundwater Source: Foulant Characterization, Distribution, and Phosphate Effects

The application of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation as an effective method of drinking water disinfection continues to grow, stimulated by regulations mandating reductions in disinfection by-products and improved inactivation of Cryptosporidium. Fouling of the quartz lamp sleeves used in UV reactors is a process that can limit the efficacy of UV disinfection systems. Sleeve fouling, including suspended particle impaction, precipitation of dissolved minerals, and off-gassing caused by lamp material volatilization and breakdown, interferes with the disinfection process by absorbing radiation that would otherwise pass through the quartz lamp sleeve and into the water being treated. A commercially produced, enclosed, low-pressure high-output (LPHO) reactor was used in a once-through (non-recirculating) configuration with a groundwater high in dissolved mineral concentrations, including calcium and iron. Metals present in the foulant were identified and quantified by acid digestion of accumulated materials. Spatial distribution of foulant was characterized using acid digestion and scans of lamp UV transmittance at multiple points. UV lamp-containing sleeves were compared to control sleeves to identify the contribution of thermal effects on the fouling process. Phosphate addition – a treatment step used to inhibit corrosion and sequester iron and manganese – was investigated by conducting experiments where phosphate was added. Decreases in radiation intensity were observed for both the phosphate treated and untreated case, and decreases were more significant for the treated case. Lamp sleeve UV transmittance (UVT) illustrated the potential effect of sleeve fouling on reactor performance, and also highlighted the difference between a heated sleeve and unheated control. Results highlight the importance of calcium, iron, and manganese to sleeve fouling, and illustrate the changes in fouling that can be induced by common treatment steps.
On the Impact of Atmospheric Correction on Lossy Compression of Multispectral and Hyperspectral Imagery

Reflectance data are often preferred to radiance data in applications of multispectral and hyperspectral imagery in which subtle spectral features are analyzed. In such applications, atmospheric correction, the process which provides radiance-to-reflectance conversion, plays a prominent role in the data-distribution and archiving pipeline. Lossy compression, often in the form of the JPEG2000 standard, will also likely factor into the distribution and archiving data flow. The relative position of data compression with respect to atmospheric correction is considered and evaluated with experimental results on both multispectral and hyperspectral imagery, and recommendations on an appropriate order for compression in the data-flow chain are made.
Acoustic wave scattering from a circular crack: Comparison of different computational methods

This work was motivated by a disagreement between the results obtained from two computations of scattering of an axially incident elastic p-wave on a circular crack. One calculation, using the method of Mai [1], involving the direct solution of the Helmholtz integral equation for this case, shows the total cross-section oscillating with a considerable amplitude about σtot = 27πa2 as a function of kRa with period π, where kR = 2π/λR 2 is the Rayleigh surface wavenumber.
Antioxidants in Restructured Beef/Pork Steaks

The effects of added antioxidants on restructured combination (50:50) beef-pork steaks were studied. Steaks were formulated to contain 20% fat and 0.75% salt. Antioxidants used at a 0.02% level (based on fat content of meat) were butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), tertiary butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), and a combination of BHA and TBHQ. Cooked steaks were evaluated for sensory properties and overall acceptability, initially and after 4, 8, 12, 16, an 20 wk of freezer storage. Steaks were also evaluated after the various storage times for 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values, subjective color by panel evaluation, objective color with the Hunter color difference meter, tensile strength, shear value and cooking loss. Flavor and overall acceptability were significantly better in treated samples as compared to control samples. BHA was more effective in protecting color and TBHQ was more effective in protecting flavor (P<0.05). All treated samples showed lower TBA values than control samples (P<0.05).
Democratisation, War and State-Building: Constructing the Rule of Law in El Salvador

After long neglecting issues of citizen security and justice, democratisation theorists have recently begun to recognise the importance of the rule of law. Yet theorising the construction of state institutions of security and justice has tended to be piecemeal and divorced from broader theoretical debates. Using the case of post-war El Salvador, this article first argues that justice and security are tremendously important for the survivability and everyday relevance of democracy, given that crime is the chief threat to support for democracy.Second, the article explores competing views of institutional reform. It finds support for path-dependent ‘mode-of-transition’ approaches that postulate heightened agency to adopt new rules and reform institutions during uncertain transition periods. However, more sceptical cultural and institutional theorists are right insofar as the formal removal of authoritarian structures and personnel is easier than the informal transformation of state practices and of society's attitudes about state services. The article also finds that security (i.e., military, intelligence and police) reforms operate differently to judicial reforms, which were more difficult and were less tied to the country's peace process. The interaction of these reform processes with a post-war crime wave helps explain why international observers consider El Salvador's reforms a success story, but many Salvadoreans do not.
Evaluation of an accelerator architecture for speckle reducing anisotropic diffusion

Increasing chip power density has brought application specific accelerator architectures to the forefront as an energy and area efficient solution. While GPGPU systems take advantage of specialized hardware to perform computationally intensive tasks faster than chip multiprocessor (CMP) systems, accelerators are hardware units that are designed to execute a specific application efficiently. Real-time ultrasound imaging applications require the removal of multiplicative noise while maintaining a steady frame-rate, and are good candidates to explore accelerator-based systems. In this paper, we propose and evaluate the architecture of an accelerator designed to improve performance of SRAD image enhancing algorithm. We compare the projected performance of the SRAD accelerator to software implementations on a multi-core CPU and a CPU+GPU system. The proposed architecture achieves higher throughput by eliminating redundant fetches from memory and by storing intermediate data locally. The speedup of the GPU is found to be 3.2× over the CPU, while the accelerator achieved a speedup of 24×. The area efficiency of the GPU and accelerator is up to 1.6× and 370× better than the CPU, respectively. In comparison with the CPU, we find that the energy consumed for operation on a single frame is found to be 1.5× lesser on the GPU and up to 580× lesser on the accelerator.
STRUCTURE OF A-SI:H FROM HARRIS-FUNCTIONAL MOLECULAR DYNAMICS

Using Harris-functional molecular dynamics, we generate a 242-atom model of hydrogenated amorphous silicon. Our model has a hydrogen concentration of 11%, which is in the range of device-quality films. To produce our model, we first form a liquid at;1800 K and then quench to produce an amorphous structure at ;300 K. We find our model produces radial distribution functions, which compare favorably with previous experimental and theoretical results. We investigate the limitations of molecular-dynamics-based methods for producing amorphous structures. In addition, we examine the hydrogen structures present, which include isolated SiH bonds and clusters of 2‐7 Si-H bonds. The role of hydrogen and the relevance of these clusters is discussed. @S0163-1829~96!03924-0#
HEDONISM AND WELFARE ECONOMICS

This essay criticizes the proposal recently defended by a number of prominent economists that welfare economics be redirected away from the satisfaction of people's preferences and toward making people happy instead. Although information about happiness may sometimes be of use, the notion of happiness is sufficiently ambiguous and the objections to identifying welfare with happiness are sufficiently serious that welfare economists are better off using preference satisfaction as a measure of welfare. The essay also examines and criticizes the position associated with Daniel Kahneman and a number of co-authors that takes welfare to be ‘objective happiness’ – that is, the sum of momentary pleasures.
Operator trigonometry of preconditioning, domain decomposition, sparse approximate inverses, successive overrelaxation, minimum residual schemes

This paper extends the relationship between the author's operator trigonometry and convergence rates and other properties of important iterative methods. A new interesting trigonometric preconditioning lemma is given. The general relationship between domain decomposition methods and the operator trigonometry is established. A new basic conceptual link between sparse approximate inverse algorithms and the operator trigonometry is observed. A new underlying fundamental inherent trigonometry of the classical successive over-relaxation scheme is exposed. Some improved trigonometric interpretations of minimum residual schemes are mentioned. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New insights from breast pathology: should we consider low grade DCIS NOT a cancer?

Distinction between atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) and low grade DCIS remains a diagnostic challenge in the everyday practice of breast pathology [1]. Reported studies including a highly cited article by Dr. Rosai in 1991 continue to highlight the significant inter-observer variability even among experienced breast pathologists. This issue is compounded by the increasing number of tissue sampling by core needle biopsy as a consequence of screening mammography. The small sample size of core needle biopsies and tissue fragmentation contributes to the complexity of an accurate diagnosis of DCIS. It is important to recognize that assessment of core needle biopsy is different from circumstances under which the various diagnostic criteria were originally defined by reviewing multiple histologic sections obtained from surgical excisions [2,3]. The real challenge is how to minimize the occurrence of overdiagnosis of DCIS and how to balance the scope of therapy based on the biology and the extent of this disease. Ductal carcinoma in situ is a heterogenous disease characterized by neoplastic proliferation of epithelial cells within a breast duct with no ability to metastasize [4]. DCIS is considered a precursor lesion with a variable rate of progression into invasive breast cancer. Based on nuclear grade, presence or absence of necrosis and the pattern of morphologic features, DCIS is stratified into different grades and types. High nuclear grade lesions are associated with rapid growth and early progression to an invasive cancer and are easier to diagnose [5]. In contrast, low nuclear grade lesions remain indolent and even when they progress to invasive cancer the tumor is frequently low grade and well differentiated. Low grade DCIS and high grade DCIS represent two genetically distinct entities that lead to different forms of invasive cancer. Low grade DCIS share similar morphologic and biologic features with ADH, which raises the question of whether these two lesions represent different spectrums of the same entity [6,7]. Up to now, suggested terminologies of mammary intraepithelial neoplasia (MIN) by Dr. Rosai and ductal intraepithelial neoplasia (DIN) by Dr. Tavassoli have not been fully embraced by the pathology community. This is despite the fact that the unifying concept of mammary intraepithelial neoplasia may eliminate the use of the term “In Situ Carcinoma” and may reduce the chances of over treatment [1,8]. Interestingly, in 1978, Haagensen proposed the term of “lobular neoplasia” for the spectrum of lobular proliferations when he
Antithrombotic effect of a monoclonal antibody against tissue factor in a rabbit model of platelet-mediated arterial thrombosis

Activation of the coagulation system by contact of circulating blood with tissue factor, a component of the extrinsic blood coagulation pathway that is produced in the vessel wall, may represent a pathway for the initiation of thrombosis in atherosclerotic vessels. This hypothesis was tested in vivo in a rabbit femoral artery eversion (inside-out) graft model, in which the adventitia, with its tissue factor, was exposed to circulating blood. Intra-arterial infusion of a neutralizing monoclonal antibody against tissue factor (D3) at a rate of 12 mg/kg over 15 minutes prevented thrombosis of a 7-8-mm eversion graft within a 2-hour observation period in four of five rabbits, whereas with a control antibody infusion (MA-15C5), occlusion occurred within 2 hours in five of six rabbits. In vitro immersion before reinsertion of the arterial segment in a solution containing 2 mg/ml of the control antibody for 30 minutes was associated with occlusion in all six rabbits, whereas pretreatment with D3 was associated with persistent patency in three of nine rabbits. Stepwise logistic-regression analysis of the results with perfusion status as the dependent variable and type of antibody (D3 or MA-15C5), application method (infusion versus immersion), and graft segment length as independent variables yielded a significant difference in frequency of occlusion with the two antibodies (p = 0.016). It is concluded that exposure of tissue factor to flowing blood may constitute a trigger mechanism for platelet-mediated arterial thrombosis.
Detection of RXFP1 receptors in skin biopsies from children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: a preliminary report.

Abstract Objective Relaxin may potentiate the effect of topical estrogen treatment to eradicate post-incisional scarring in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients undergoing genitoplasty. The aim of this study was to determine whether CAH skin is capable of responding to relaxin. Patients and methods Skin biopsies were obtained from four female CAH patients (aged 2–9 years; Prader 4–5, salt-wasting, 21-hydroxylase deficiency, Caucasian) during routine genitoplasty surgery and screened for relaxin receptors. All received corticosteroid and mineralocorticoid replacement therapy. Specimens were sectioned, mounted and screened for the presence of the putative H2 relaxin receptor using conventional two-antibody immunohistochemistry. Tissue controls were processed concurrently. Results Tissue controls evidenced appropriate staining. Biopsies from CAH patients stained positively for RXFP1 expression while some variation between specimens was evident. Staining occurred adjacent to the basement membrane of the epithelium, localized to germinative basal keratinocytes. Conclusion Based on a limited patient sample, germinative keratinocytes in CAH patients appear competent to respond to relaxin perhaps topically applied. Given that relaxin downregulates collagen accretion and upregulates collagenases, its use may potentiate the effects of estradiol and abrogate post-incisional wound scarring. More research is needed to confirm or refute this thesis.
Contrast-Enhanced Multidetector Computed Tomography Viability Imaging After Myocardial Infarction: Characterization of Myocyte Death, Microvascular Obstruction, and Chronic Scar

Background— The ability to distinguish dysfunctional but viable myocardium from nonviable tissue has important prognostic implications after myocardial infarction. The purpose of this study was to validate the accuracy of contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) for quantifying myocardial necrosis, microvascular obstruction, and chronic scar after occlusion/reperfusion myocardial infarction. Methods and Results— Ten dogs and 7 pigs underwent balloon occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) followed by reperfusion. Contrast-enhanced (Visipaque, 150 mL, 325 mg/mL) MDCT (0.5 mm × 32 slice) was performed before occlusion and 90 minutes (canine) or 8 weeks (porcine) after reperfusion. MDCT images were analyzed to define infarct size/extent and microvascular obstruction and compared with postmortem myocardial staining (triphenyltetrazolium chloride) and microsphere blood flow measurements. Acute and chronic infarcts by MDCT were characterized by hyperenhancement, whereas...
Structure-function analysis of the BEACH protein LvsA.

Most eukaryotes have several members of the BEACH family of proteins but the molecular function of these large proteins remains unknown. The Dictyostelium BEACH protein LvsA is essential for cytokinesis and contractile vacuole activity. The functional contribution of different portions of LvsA was tested here by deletion analysis. The C-terminal WD domain was important for protein stability and C-terminal deletions resulted in loss of LvsA function. In contrast, N-terminal deletions yielded abundant protein expression that could be assayed for function. Despite very low sequence conservation of the N-terminal portion of LvsA, this region is important for its function in vivo. Deletion of 689N-terminal amino acids produced a protein that was functional in cytokinesis but partially functional in osmoregulation. Further deletions resulted in the complete loss of LvsA function. Using in vitro fractionation assays we found that LvsA sedimented with membranes but that this association does not require the N-terminal portion of LvsA. Interestingly, the association of LvsA with the contractile vacuole was perturbed by the loss of drainin, a protein important for vacuolefunction.Indrainin-nullcells,LvsAboundirreversibly to engorged contractile vacuoles that fail to expel water. These experiments help delineate the biochemical and physiological requirements for function of one important BEACH protein, LvsA.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I and II Receptor Expression in Rat Colon Mucosa Are Affected by Dietary Lipid Intake

Epidemiologic data and animal models have demonstrated a correlation between dietary fat composition and colon cancer risk. We have previously found that dietary fat alters cell proliferation in rat colon, which may influence the risk of colon cancer. Growth factors, including insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I and II, regulate the cell cycle in most mammalian tissues. Hence, we measured IGF-I and IGF-II receptor expression in colonocytes from Sprague-Dawley rats fed diets containing either beef tallow (BT) or corn oil (CO) at 12, 30 or 37% of energy for 4 wk. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using an internal standard was used to examine the relative expression of both IGF-I and II receptor mRNA in three sections of the colon. The IGF-I receptor protein was also measured by Western immunoblot. In the distal colon, IGF-I receptor gene expression and protein increased significantly as the percentage of CO increased. In both proximal and middle colon, an increased percentage of BT resulted in significantly increased IGF-II receptor expression. In the proximal colon, IGF-II receptor expression decreased with increasing CO concentration, whereas in the middle colon, rats fed 37% CO had significantly higher IGF-II receptor expression than rats fed 12 or 30% CO. IGF-II receptor gene expression in proximal colon decreased with increased fat quantity, independently of fat source, whereas in the middle colon, increased fat quantity resulted in increased IGF-II receptor expression. Thus IGF-I and IGF-II receptor mRNA and IGF-I receptor protein level in colon mucosa were significantly altered by dietary fat source and quantity, thereby suggesting a potential influence of dietary fat on the endocrine regulation of colon cell mitogenesis.
Cephalic Replacement: The Gunn-Zavanelli-O’Leary Maneuver

Cephalic Replacement is a reasonable alternative when standard maneuvers for shoulder dystocia are unsuccessful.
Misattributed tsunami 4: the 2014.04.01 Iquique (Chile) Mw 8.2 earthquake

The recurring mismatch between the magnitude of subduction earthquakes and related tsunamis hinders hazard assessment. A tsunami which accompanied the 2014.04.01 Mw 8.2 Iquique earthquake and attained ≤2.11 m on the north Chilean coast is generally attributed to slip at a depth of 23 km on the megathrust between the Nazca and South American plates but, as at some other such sites, elastic seafloor deformation resulting from interplate displacements may have been supplemented if not overshadowed as the primary tsunamigenic agent by upper plate faulting. The evidence for suitable structures includes foreshocks M ≤ 5.8 dating from the preceding month and, during the 24 h immediately after the main shock, aftershocks M ≤ 5.6.
Biodynamic profiling of three-dimensional tissue growth techniques

Three-dimensional tissue culture presents a more biologically relevant environment in which to perform drug development than conventional two-dimensional cell culture. However, obtaining high-content information from inside three dimensional tissue has presented an obstacle to rapid adoption of 3D tissue culture for pharmaceutical applications. Biodynamic imaging is a high-content three-dimensional optical imaging technology based on low-coherence interferometry and digital holography that uses intracellular dynamics as high-content image contrast. In this paper, we use biodynamic imaging to compare pharmaceutical responses to Taxol of three-dimensional multicellular spheroids grown by three different growth techniques: rotating bioreactor, hanging-drop and plate-grown spheroids. The three growth techniques have systematic variations among tissue cohesiveness and intracellular activity and consequently display different pharmacodynamics under identical drug dose conditions. The in vitro tissue cultures are also compared to ex vivo living biopsies. These results demonstrate that three-dimensional tissue cultures are not equivalent, and that drug-response studies must take into account the growth method.
Holding specific views with humility: Conceptualization and measurement of specific intellectual humility

Abstract Although significant progress has been made in the conceptualization and measurement of intellectual humility, little is known about intellectual humility with respect to specific opinions, beliefs, and positions. We offer a conceptualization of specific intellectual humility and present three studies that examine its key tenets. Study 1 developed the Specific Intellectual Humility Scale and showed that its psychometric properties are excellent and invariant across a range of specific views. Study 2 considered additional specific views, further establishing measurement invariance and providing evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. Study 3 broadened the range of specific views and revealed that intellectual humility with respect to a specific view is a complex function of dispositional intellectual humility, the extremity of the view, and the basis for the view. These findings demonstrate the value of investigating intellectual humility with respect to specific views and the usefulness of the Specific Intellectual Humility Scale.
Ectopic Expression of Rhombotin-2 Causes Selective Expansion of CD4-CD8- Lymphocytes in the Thymus and T-Cell Tumors in Transgenic Mice

Although the proto-oncogene rhombotin-2 (RBTN-2) is widely expressed in most tissues, it is not expressed in T cells. We investigated the potential for overexpression of RBTN-2 to cause tumors in T cells and other tissues by constructing transgenic mice that expressed RBTN-2 under control of the metallothionein-1 promoter. Despite overexpression of RBTN-2 in all tissues, transgenic mice developed T-cell tumors only, thus indicating that tumorigenesis caused by RBTN-2 is T-cell-specific. Thymic tumors were found between 37 and 71 weeks and were invariably associated with metastasis to nonlymphoid organs. Thymuses from apparently healthy transgenic mice were also examined. In some mice there was an 10-fold increase in the CD4-CD8- thymocyte subset, yet the total number of thymocytes was the same as that in wild-type mice. Thymic homeostasis was maintained by a compensatory reduction in the CD4+CD8+ subset. The expansion of CD4-CD8- thymocytes was associated with increased expression of RBTN-2 and with increased cell proliferation. No differences were found in the proportion of thymocytes undergoing apoptosis in transgenic mice. Furthermore, RBTN-2-induced expansion of CD4-CD8- cells did not block differentiation of these cells. Thymuses with 30% CD4-CD8- cells were essentially monoclonal, indicating that all thymic immunophenotypes were derived from a single clone. Overall, our data are consistent with the following scenario: (1) RBTN-2 expression in T cells causes selective and polyclonal proliferation of CD4-CD8-thymocytes accompanied by a compensatory decrease in other thymocyte subsets; (2) a clone with growth advantage and differentiation potential is selected and populates the thymus; and (3) this clone eventually breaches homeostasis of the thymus, accompanied or followed by metastasis to other organs.
Process capability maturity model for communication technical design

Present situation of communication technical solution process ability is introduced.We have proposed communication technical solution process capability maturity model(CTD-CMM) concept around the CTD-CMM model,discussed the framework of CTD-CMM model,process areas,and curing and curing practice,and put forward CTD-CMM concrete construction.Practice has proved that:through the construction of capability maturity model approach,the design process can be transparent,so as to provide all kinds of design schemes with high quality and competitiveness.
Simulation of Hyperchaos System Synchronization Methods Based on Matlab

This article discussed the hyperchaos synchronization mechanism,researched its application in security communications.Aimed at hyperchaos system,the article proposed the simulation phases of Matlab.By means of copying,coupling, it realized the coupling synchronization simulation.Furthermore,by means of equally spaced impulse to control the receiving end system,the article realized the impulse synchronization simulation.The results show that in the hyperchaos coupling synchronization,the bigger the coupling coefficient is,the shorter the synchronization time is;in the impulse synchronization,the smaller the period of impulse is,the shorter the synchronization time is.
Improving Microbiology Research: the Problems Are Less Statistical and More Biological.

I read with great interest the recent article by Casadevall et al. (1). The authors report outcomes of an American Academy of Microbiology colloquium that concluded by recommending six pathways to improving microbiology research. The recommendations are significantly removed from my expectations. As an experienced veterinarian, bioscience researcher, author, reviewer, and journal associate editor, my inner population clinician (my primary area) first recoiled at the disparity of our points of view. I have Dr. Casadevall to thank for directing the discussion toward some deeper issues. In reality, many problems with bioscience research and publication are held more in common across disciplines than might be evident at first glance. For example, the most frequent research problems that I encounter are poor understanding …