cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Breast cancer survivorship: the role of perceived discrimination and sexual orientation

Breast cancer disproportionately affects sexual minority women (SMW) compared to heterosexual women and a small but growing literature indicates that SMW may have diminished survivorship outcomes; outcomes that are measurably and importantly different from heterosexual breast cancer survivors. However, it remains unknown how sexual orientation influences breast cancer survivorship outcomes such as quality of life. One possible route of influence is SMW’s perceived discrimination in the health care setting. This cross-sectional study examines SMW perceptions of discrimination as one of the multiple facets of the breast cancer survivorship process. This study assessed SMW breast cancer survivor’s perceptions of discrimination during their breast cancer treatment experience and secondarily, examined the role of this perceived discrimination on SMW’s quality of life. Sixty-eight purposefully sampled sexual minority breast cancer survivors completed assessments of quality of life, perceived discrimination, perceived social support and perceived stress via an online survey. Statistical analyses point to perceived discrimination and perceived social support as important indicators for predicting SMW’s quality of life. Future research on SMW’s breast cancer survivorship should include measures of perceived discrimination.
Stated intentions and purchase behavior: A unified model ☆

Abstract Intentions data often contain systematic biases; intentions change over time and may not accurately predict actual purchases. Ignoring the discrepancies between intentions and purchasing can produce biased estimates of variable coefficients and biased forecasts of future demand. This study proposes a unified model that takes into account various sources of discrepancies between intentions and purchasing and forecasts purchasing probability at the individual-level by linking explanatory variables (e.g., socio-demographics, product attributes, and promotion variables) and intentions to actual purchasing. The proposed model provides an empirically better explanation of the relationship between stated intentions and purchasing and offers more accurate individual-level purchase predictions than do other existing intention models.
Effects of 5-fluorouracil and Mitomycin C on Cultured Rabbit Subconjunctival Fibroblasts

The authors investigated effects of two antimetabolites, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin C (MMC), on proliferation and motility of cultured rabbit subconjunctival fibroblasts. Both drugs caused dose-dependent inhibition of fibroblast proliferation. These effects were reversible at lower doses (0.33 mg/l of 5-FU, 1.0 X 10(-3) mg/l of MMC) and at an early stage of treatment, but became irreversible at higher doses or after longer treatment times. The degree of growth inhibition reached a plateau after 7 days of treatment. Neither drug altered fibroblast migration in the agarose droplet motility assay or on the intra-cytoplasmic actin distribution by epifluorescent-light microscopy. These results indicate that 5-FU and MMC inhibit subconjunctival fibroblast function predominantly by their effect on cell proliferation rather than on cell motility. The clinical implications of these results may possibly support the use of a much lower total dose of subconjunctival antimetabolite than used in the 5-FU clinical trial.
The glassy behavior of relaxor ferroelectrics

Evidence has been found that the relaxor ferroelectric bears strong resemblance to spin and dipolar glasses. The dielectric dispersion will be shown to have a characteristic freezing temperature, near which the relaxation time distribution strongly broadens extending into the macroscopic time regime. Below this characteristic temperature, a remanent polarization can be sustained. It is proposed that the glassy behavior arises due to correlations between phase separated superparaelectric moments.
A collaborative and adaptive process for developing environmental flow recommendations

Many river restoration projects are focusing on restoring environmental flow regimes to improve ecosystem health in rivers that have been developed for water supply, hydropower generation, flood control, navigation, and other purposes. In efforts to prevent future ecological damage, water supply planners in some parts of the world are beginning to address the water needs of river ecosystems proactively by reserving some portion of river flows for ecosystem support. These restorative and protective actions require development of scientifically credible estimates of environmental flow needs. This paper describes an adaptive, inter-disciplinary, science-based process for developing environmental flow recommendations. It has been designed for use in a variety of water management activities, including flow restoration projects, and can be tailored according to available time and resources for determining environmental flow needs. The five-step process includes: (1) an orientation meeting; (2) a literature review and summary of existing knowledge about flow-dependent biota and ecological processes of concern; (3) a workshop to develop ecological objectives and initial flow recommendations, and identify key information gaps; (4) implementation of the flow recommendations on a trial basis to test hypotheses and reduce uncertainties; and (5) monitoring system response and conducting further research as warranted. A range of recommended flows are developed for the low flows in each month, high flow pulses throughout the year, and floods with targeted inter-annual frequencies. We describe an application of this process to the Savannah River, in which the resultant flow recommendations were incorporated into a comprehensive river basin planning process conducted by the Corps of Engineers, and used to initiate the adaptive management of Thurmond Dam. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The importance of cardiac arrest registries

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a global health concern. It is estimated that nearly half of all cardiovascular deaths worldwide are due to SCA resulting in an estimated 4 to 6 million cases each year [1,2]. Several countries have developed national out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) registries for surveillance and quality improvement purposes including: Japan, Denmark, Singapore, Korea, Sweden, Ireland and many others are beginning to collect data. There are also collective efforts in Asia (PAROS), Europe (EuReCa), and the United States (CARES) underway [3-5]. Collecting data is an essential first step in determining the subsequent steps needed to strengthen the chain-of-survival within a community. It follows the business mantra that “it is hard to manage something if you don’t measure it”. Communities that don’t measure their OHCA outcomes are not only unable to gauge their performance but also lack a reference point to determine the impact of any implemented quality improvement efforts. In 2010, the American Heart Association recognized the importance of data collection for OHCA and identified the essential elements of a high quality resuscitation system that includes: measurement, benchmarking and providing feedback to influence change [6].
NONLINEAR DYNAMICS OF DIGITAL PHASE-LOCKED LOOPS WITH DELAY

We investigate numerically and analytically the nonlinear dynamics of a system consisting of two self-synchronizing pulse-coupled nonlinear oscillators with delay. The particular system considered consists of connected digital phase-locked loops. We find mapping equations that govern the system and determine the synchronization properties. We study the bifurcation diagrams, which show regions of periodic, quasiperiodic and chaotic behavior, with unusual bifurcation diagrams, depending on the delay. We show that depending on the parameter that is varied, the delay will have a synchronizing or desynchronizing effect on the locked state. The stability of the system is studied by determining the Liapunov exponents, indicating marked differences compared to coupled systems without delay.
Peripheral arterial disease in the patient with diabetes mellitus. Can we make a difference

The results of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial demonstrated that intensive blood glucose regulation decreased the onset and progression of microvascular complications in persons with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [ 11. Diabetes is also a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [2,3] including peripheral arterial disease (PAD) [4,5]. In persons with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), the degree of glycemic control is not well correlated with the presence or severity of PAD [6]. In contrast, the associated risk factors of smoking and hyperlipidemia correlate strongly with atherosclerotic disease severity [6,7]. Therefore, it is not yet known if tight blood glucose control will prevent macrovascular complications in persons with diabetes. In fact, it has been suggested that intensive insulin treatment in patients with NIDDM may actually worsen the development of macrovascular disease [8]. Peripheral arterial disease is very common, with a cumulative incidence as high as 45% after 20 years duration of diabetes mellitus [9]. Most of these patients are asymptomatic for PAD, which may lead to a particularly pernicious sequence of events. Until the patient develops symptoms re-
Radiative transitions in atom-atom scattering in intense laser fields

The quantum nonperturbative analysis of Kroll and Watson for a two-level system of near-adiabatic atom-atom scattering in an intense laser-field mode is extended to treat a general multilevel system interacting with intense single- or many-field modes. A procedure for rigorously solving the adiabatic eigenvalue problem for the whole charge-field system is given. A new transition-probability formula is derived. Cross sections are calculated for the processes $\mathrm{Li}+\mathrm{H}(X^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}^{+})+\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Li}+\mathrm{H}(A^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}^{+} or B^{1}\ensuremath{\Pi})$ where $\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\ge}1$. Analysis of transition in an atom due to intensity variation of a laser pulse shows that desired transition probability per pulse (e.g., \textonehalf{}) may be achieved by varying the pulse parameters. For this, numerical results of $\mathrm{Na}(3s)+2\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}(5s)$ and of $\mathrm{Li}(2s)+8\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Li}(3s)$ are given.
Heider's Formulation of Social Perception and Attributional Processes Toward Further Clarification

It is argued that Heider's conception of the relationship between perceptual and attributional processes has not received sufficient attention. The distinction between the phenomenal description of perception and Heider's causal analysis of the perceptual process is presented. It is noted that Heider's attribution theory may best be viewed as a comprehensive formulation of the naive, implicit principles that underlie the perception of social objects and that his emphasis is on an underlying flow, a causal stream from the distal stimulus to the final percept, rather than only on subprocesses such as the phenomenology of the perceiver.
Response to Comment on Sarkar et al. Exenatide Treatment for 6 Months Improves Insulin Sensitivity in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes Care 2014;37:666–670

Chaudhuri et al. (1) raised the question of why exenatide increased insulin sensitivity in our patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes without simultaneously improving HbA1c (2). The authors expressed concern about the possibility that GLP-1 analogs might be dismissed as ineffective, which would counter their own positive experience with liraglutide in type 1 diabetes. They speculated that we had attempted to safely introduce exenatide without increasing the frequency of hypoglycemia and thus had cautiously decreased insulin doses. This is correct; we initially lowered prandial insulin doses by 50% and thereafter increased insulin doses as needed (3). Thus, we were not surprised to observe an unchanged HbA1c. In our trial, the …
Hamiltonian results in K1,3‐free graphs

There have been a number of results dealing with Hamiltonian properties in powers of graphs. In this paper we show that the square and the total graph of a K1,3-free graph are vertex pancyclic. We then discuss some of the relationships between connectivity and Hamiltonian properties in K1,3-free graphs.
Exact Path-Integral Solution of the Dirac-Coulomb Problem

An exact path-integral solution of the Dirac equation with a Coulomb potential is found. The energy-dependent Green's function of the second-order Dirac-Coulomb equation, expressed as a polar-coordinate path integral, is reduced to the exactly solvable path integral for an isotropic harmonic oscillator by a coordinate transformation combined with a local time rescaling. The Green's function of the linear Dirac equation is evaluated with the help of the Biedenharn transformation. The energy spectrum for the bound states is also obtained.
Encainide-induced hyperglycemia

Twenty-three patients were treated for at least one month with encainide, a new antiarrhythmic drug. No patient was treated for hyperglycemia prior to encainide therapy. During encainide administration, five episodes of marked hyperglycemia (serum glucose level greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl) developed in four patients. (One patient received encainide twice.) The mean pretreatment glucose level was 190 +/- 69 mg/dl and rose to 397 +/- 163 mg/dl after one month of encainide therapy in patients in whom hyperglycemia developed (p less than 0.025). The glucose level was 111 +/- 27 mg/dl in nonhyperglycemic patients before encainide administration and 108 +/- 22 mg/dl after one month of encainide therapy (p = NS). There was no difference in age or encainide dosage between hyperglycemic and nonhyperglycemic patients. Treatment for hyperglycemia was given during four of the five encainide treatment periods in hyperglycemic patients. Encainide was discontinued in each of the five hyperglycemic episodes; therapeutic requirements for hyperglycemia markedly decreased. Hypoglycemic reactions to insulin occurred in two patients when encainide was stopped. Thus, encainide exacerbates hyperglycemia in some patients. These patients usually have mild hyperglycemia not requiring therapy before administration of encainide but may require insulin while receiving encainide. Treatment requirements for hyperglycemia decrease following withdrawal of encainide. The mechanism of this effect and the consequences of long-term encainide therapy on glucose metabolism are unknown.
Quantitation of human globin chain synthesis by cellulose acetate electrophoresis

Abstract We have developed a method for the separation and quantitation of human α-, β-, and γ-globins utilizing cellulose acetate electrophoresis. The relative rates of synthesis of globin chains in reticulocytes in peripheral blood is determined by: (i) incubating intact cells with [35S]methionine; (ii) preparing globin from the hemolysates; (iii) performing electrophoresis of the globin on cellulose acetate strips; and (iv) autoradiography or direct determination of the radioactivity incorporated into each globin chain. The method is simple and rapid, requires only small amounts of hemolysate (30 μg of globin), and provides excellent resolution and reproducible quantitation of α-, βA-, βS-, and γ-globin chains for up to 24 peripheral blood samples at one time. Measurements by this method in patients with thalassemia variants and sickle-cell disorders correlate well with analysis of the same samples by carboxymethyl cellulose chromatography. This methodology may permit more widespread analysis of globin synthesis in the thalassemia syndromes and may also be useful in the analysis of globins synthesized from human globin mRNA in cell-free systems.
Dissociative electron attachment to vibrationally and rotationally excited H 2 and HF molecules

The vibrational and rotational state dependence of dissociative attachment (DA) in low-energy $e\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ and e-HF collisions is studied within the framework of nonlocal resonance theory. The dynamics of nuclear motion in the nonlocal complex potential is treated by the quasiclassical approach. The resonance energy, width function, and level-shift function are taken from our previous calculations based on the projection operator formalism. Results for all vibrational states up to the dissociative attachment thresholds and selected rotational states are presented. Our cross sections for ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ exhibit a plateau structure in the energy range above the dissociation threshold, and this structure gets more pronounced with higher $v$ or J. The dissociative attachment cross section for vibrationally and rotationally hot HF $(T=1150$ K) agrees well with available experimental data. For ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ in thermal equilibrium at 1400 K, the agreement between experiment and theory is less satisfactory.
Nitric Oxide-Releasing Sol-Gel Particle! Polyurethane Glucose Biosensors

A hybrid sol−gel/polyurethane glucose biosensor that releases nitric oxide is developed and characterized. The biosensor consists of a platinum electrode coated with four polymeric membranes including the following: (1) sol−gel with immobilized glucose oxidase (GOx); (2) polyurethane to protect the enzyme; (3) NO donor-modified sol−gel particle-doped polyurethane; and (4) polyurethane. This configuration was developed due to the drastic reduction in sensitivity observed for NO donor-modified sol−gel film-based glucose sensors. For the hybrid sol−gel/polyurethane biosensor, sol−gel particles are first modified with the NO donor and then incorporated into a polyurethane layer that is coated onto the preimmobilized GOx electrode. In this manner, the GOx layer is not exposed to the harsh conditions necessary to impart NO release ability to the biosensor, and only a minimal decrease in sensitivity due to the NO release is observed. The glucose response of the NO-releasing glucose biosensor and its NO generati...
Mechanical Stability of Pure Silica Mesoporous MCM-41 by Nitrogen Adsorption and Small-Angle X-ray Diffraction Measurements

We report experimental data on the mechanical stability of the silica mesoporous material MCM-41. Using X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption we show that the ordered mesoporous structure of MCM-41 can be affected considerably by mechanical compression at pressures as low as 86 MPa and essentially destroyed at 224 MPa.
Effect of Crude Protein on Reproductive Efficiency, Serum Total Protein, and Albumin in the High-Producing Dairy Cow

Abstract Forty-five high-producing dairy cows were assigned randomly in equal numbers and fed one of three isocaloric rations of 12.7, 16.3, or 19.3% crude protein starting at 4 days postpartum and continuing for 91 days. The 19.3% group had fewer days to first observed estrus (27 days) than the 16.3 and 12.7% groups (41 days). The 12.7 and 16.3% groups had fewer services per conception (1.67) than the 19.3% group (2.47). The 12.7% group had fewer days open than the 16.3 and 19.3% groups (69, 96, and 106 days). The relationship between days open, dietary protein intake, and services per conception was linear in the three groups combined. In the 19.3% group, days to first ovulation were correlated positively with average fat corrected milk (.62) while days to first ovulation were not correlated significantly in the other groups. Total protein and albumin in serum did not differ between groups. Albumin in serum increased quadratically over the 14 wk trial while total protein in serum increased linearly the 1st 4 wk and then plateaued. Increased crude protein (12.7 to 19.3%) had a negative influence on reproductive parameters.
Macromolecular Crowding Effects on the Enzyme Kinetics of Alcohol Dehydrogenase

Cells are densely packed with proteins, DNA, RNA and other macromolecules that account for up to 40% (400 mg/mL) of the cellular space. However, most biophysical studies have been performed in dilute solution with macromolecule concentrations of 1-10 mg/mL. Both theoretical and experimental evidence suggests that proteins behave differently under crowded conditions resulting in changes to structure, stability and kinetics. In order to understand the role of macromolecular crowding on the kinetics of alcohol dehydrogenase, we have used absorbance to determine Michaelis-Menten parameters in the absence and presence of crowding agents. These crowding agents are inert polymers and globular proteins, such as Dextran and Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA). We have found that increasing concentrations of Dextran have resulted in a concentration-dependant decrease in binding affinity (increased Km) with no change to the maximum reaction rate. In contrast, crowding with BSA at comparable concentrations has less of an effect on binding affinity, but the concentration-dependent trends on the kinetic parameters are not as discernible. While the diverse effect of crowding agents requires further exploration the current study provides new insight regarding polymer and protein crowding agents as mimics for cellular conditions.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
A POSTOPERATIVE PROGNOSTIC NOMOGRAM FOR RENAL CELL CARCINOMA

Purpose: Few published studies have combined prognostic factors to predict the likelihood of recurrence after surgery for renal cell carcinoma. We developed a nomogram for this purpose.Materials and Methods: With Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, we modeled pathological data and disease followup for 601 patients with renal cell carcinoma who were treated with nephrectomy. Predictor variables were patient symptoms, including incidental, local or systemic, histology, including chromophobe, papillary or conventional, tumor size, and pathological stage. Treatment failure was recorded when there was either clinical evidence of disease recurrence or death from disease. Validation was performed with a statistical (bootstrapping) technique.Results: Disease recurrence was noted in 66 of the 601 patients, and those in whom treatment was successful had a median and maximum followup of 40 and 123 months, respectively. The 5-year probability of freedom from failure for the patient cohort was 86% (95% confi...
Effects of catechin polyphenols and preparations from the plant-parasitic nematode Heterodera glycines on protease activity and behaviour in three nematode species.

Protease activities in preparations from the plant-parasitic nematodes Heterodera glycines and Meloidogyne incognita and the free-living nematode Panagrellus redivivus were inhibited by exposure to a series of eight catechin polyphenol analogues, (+)-catechin, ( − )-epicatechin (EC), ( − )-gallocatechin (GC), ( − )-epigallocatechin (EGC), ( − )-catechin gallate (CG), ( − )-gallocatechin gallate (GCG), ( − )-epicatechin gallate (ECG) and ( − )-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (1 mm each), and by a preparation from H. glycines cysts. General protease activity detected with the FRET-peptide substrate QXL520-KSAYMRF-K(5-FAM)a and proteasome chymotrypsin-like (CTL) activity detected with succinyl-LLVY-AMC were each inhibited significantly more (P< 0.05) by the gallated form of the polyphenol than by the corresponding non-gallated form. Species differences in response to inhibition across all analogues were revealed with the CTL substrate, but CG was a consistently potent inhibitor across all three species and with each substrate. A heat-stable component (CE) from H. glycines cysts inhibited M. incognita CTL activity by 92.07 ± 0.68%, significantly less (P< 0.05) in H. glycines (52.86 ± 2.77%), and by only 17.24 ± 0.55% (P< 0.05) in P. redivivus preparations. CTL activity was, however, inhibited more than 60% in all preparations by the proteasome-specific inhibitor MG-132. Hatching of M. incognita infective juveniles exposed to 1 mm CG, ECG, GCG or EGCG was reduced by 83.88 ± 4.26%, 69.98 ± 9.14%, 94.93 ± 1.71% and 87.93 ± 2.89%, respectively, while hatching of H. glycines was reduced less than 25% by each analogue. CE had no effect on nematode hatch, but did cause a 60% reduction in mobility of H. glycines infective juveniles exposed overnight to CE in vitro, which was more (P< 0.05) than the reduction of M. incognita infective juvenile mobility (20%).
The potential of histone deacetylase inhibitors in breast cancer therapy

SUMMARY Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women. Despite improvements in prevention, detection and treatment, breast cancer will be responsible for nearly 40,000 deaths in 2014. The function of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and their potential as therapeutic targets has become an area of intense investigation and small molecule inhibitors of HDACs (HDACi) are now being investigated as potential chemotherapeutics for breast cancer. In addition to altering chromatin structure through stabilization of histone acetylation, HDACi treatment induces the accumulation of acetylated isoforms of many nonhistone proteins, altering their structure and function. These structural changes influence protein–protein interactions and cellular processes including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, autophagy, induction of reactive oxygen species and mitotic catastrophe. While the usefulness of these compounds as single agents for treatment of breast cancer is still under investigation, cotrea...
A review of shaped hole turbine film-cooling technology

Film cooling represents one of the few game-changing technologies that has allowed the achievement of today's high firing temperature, high-efficiency gas turbine engines. Over the last 30 years, only one major advancement has been realized in this technology, that being the incorporation of exit shaping to the film holes to result in lower momentum coolant injection jets with greater surface coverage. This review examines the origins of shaped film cooling and summarizes the extant literature knowledge concerning the performance of such film holes. A catalog of the current literature data is presented, showing the basic shaping geometries, parameter ranges, and types of data obtained. Specific discussions are provided for the flow field and aerodynamic losses of shaped film hole coolant injection. The major fundamental effects due to coolant-to-gas blowing ratio, compound angle injection, cooling hole entry flow character, and mainstream turbulence intensity are each reviewed with respect to the resulting adiabatic film effectiveness and heat transfer coefficients for shaped holes. A specific example of shaped film effectiveness is provided for a production turbine inlet vane with comparison to other data. Several recent unconventional forms of film hole shaping are also presented as a look to future potential improvements
Transabdominal chorionic villus sampling for first-trimester prenatal diagnosis.

We report here our technique and initial experience with transabdominal chorionic villus sampling for first-trimester prenatal diagnosis at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. Eighty-seven patients underwent transabdominal chorionic villus sampling between 9 and 12 menstrual weeks of pregnancy. Sufficient chorionic villi (≥5 mg) were obtained from 83 of the 87 patients (95.4%); in 73 (88%) of the 83 successful samplings only a single needle passage was required. In one case a 47,XX,+21 complement was diagnosed; the patient elected to terminate the pregnancy and the diagnosis was confirmed in the abortus. In a second case a 46,XX,rcp(15;21)(p11;g21) woman had a fetus who also had the same balanced translocation. In a third case nonmosaic 47,XX,+16 was detected in both direct preparations of cytotrophoblast cells and cultured mesenchymal core cells. Amniocentesis performed at 15 weeks showed a normal 46,XX complement. The pregnancy continued, and the patient was delivered at term of a healthy female infant. Two spontaneous fetal losses occurred in this series, and one woman underwent an elective abortion after receiving the results of a 46,XX complement. To date, 39 of the women have been delivered and all infants are doing well; the remaining 44 pregnancies are continuing uneventfully. We conclude that transabdominal chorionic villus sampling can be a useful alternative to transcervical chorionic villus sampling, particularly when transcervical sampling is contraindicated (e.g., active genital herpes) or where the transcervical approach would be technically difficult.
Finding Well-Conditioned Similarities to Block-Diagonalize Nonsymmetric Matrices Is NP-Hard

Given an upper triangular matrix A ? Rn×n and a tolerance ?, we show that the problem of finding a similarity transformation G such that G?1AG is block diagonal with the condition number of G being at most ? is NP-hard. Let ?(n) be a polynomial in n. We also show that the problem of finding a similarity transformation G such that G?1AG is block-diagonal with the condition number of G being at most ?(n) times larger than the smallest possible is NP-hard.
The Pathophysiology of the Chronic Pain Cycle

The diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain is an area in which the field of medicine is failing to offer the best possible care to patients. This article presents a clinically driven view of the condition with an emphasis on active recognition and intervention. Defining aspects of chronic pain, including the emotional and psychologic components, are introduced with regard to recognition and diagnosis. The pathophysiologic mechanisms that underlie the transition from acute pain to chronic pain are reviewed from the standpoint of treatment intervention. Finally, specific chronic pain states that affect the lower extremities are considered.
Growth hormone treatment of idiopathic short stature: analysis of the database from KIGS, the Kabi Pharmacia International Growth Study

Within the Kabi Pharmacia International Growth Study (KIGS) database, there is information on 1017 (700 male/317 female) patients with idiopathic short stature (ISS). These patients were started on recombinant human growth hormone (GH) at a median age of 10.8 years, a bone age of -1.8 SDS, a height of -2.6 SDS and a predicted adult height (PAH) (Bailey-Pinneau method) of -2.5 SDS. The median dose of GH was 0.6 IU/kg body weight/week and the frequency of injections was six/week. According to the relationship with target height the patients were classified into 'familial short stature (FSS)' (height SDS > target height SDS -1.28) and into 'non-FSS' (height SDS < target height SDS -1.28). During the first year of GH treatment there was an overall increment in the median height velocity from 4.4 to 7.4 cm/year. Over 3 years of GH treatment, cross-sectional analysis demonstrated an overall increment in median PAH of 1.2 SDS. There was a positive correlation between gain in PAH and the GH dose (n = 202, r = 0.18, p < 0.01) during the first year. Longitudinal analysis in 84 patients showed an overall increment of PAH of 0.7 SDS over 2 years of treatment. When applying the KIGS first-year prediction model for patients with idiopathic GH deficiency on cohorts of prepubertal children with FSS and non-FSS, a lower responsiveness to GH in the non-FSS group was observed. It is concluded that higher than substitutive doses of GH are required for the long-term improvement of growth in ISS.
Modulating blood-brain barrier interactions of amino acid-based anticancer agents.

The large neutral amino acid (LNAA) transporter at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) mediates brain uptake of amino acid-based anticancer agents (e.g., melphalan and acivicin). In this study, we blocked the amino acid terminus of the anticancer agents using a bioreductive drug delivery system (TDDS). This molecular modification of the anticancer agents is expected to prevent LNAA carrier-mediated transport across the BBB. In this study, we demonstrate that the parent amino acid containing anticancer agents are substrates for the LNAA transporter at the BBB, whereas the TDDS is not recognized by the LNAA transporter. An in situ rat brain perfusion technique was used to determine competition for LNAA carrier-mediated transport at the BBB using [14C]L-leucine. The BBB capillary permeability-surface area (PA) product for the radiotracer [14C]L-leucine (control) was determined to be 5.18 +/- 0.32 x 10-2 ml/s/g (100%). The control PA value for [14C]L-leucine was competitively inhibited (down to 7-18% of control) by...
The biomechanics of the medialization laryngoplasty (thyroplasty type 1) in an ex vivo canine model.

Summary The biomechanics of medialization laryngoplasty are not well understood. An excised canine larynx model was used to test the effects of various sized silicon implants. The vocal fold length, position, and tension were measured. Medialization laryngoplasty did not affect vocal fold length. At the mid-membranous vocal fold, larger shims resulted in greater medialization and tension. Medialization laryngoplasty neither medialized nor stiffened the vocal process to resist lateralizing forces. We conclude that medialization laryngoplasty provides bulk and support for defects of the membranous region of the vocal fold, but does not appear to close a posterior glottal gap. The selection of a surgical procedure to treat glottal incompetence should take into account the unique biomechanical properties of the anterior (membranous vocal folds) and posterior (cartilaginous portion) glottis.
Beyond PCBM: methoxylated 1,4-bisbenzyl[60]fullerene adducts for efficient organic solar cells

Organic solar cells have been based mostly on conjugated polymers and the classic fullerene derivative PCBM and are characterized by modest open circuit voltages (Voc). Increasing Voc requires fullerene acceptors with higher LUMOs than PCBM. To date, most fullerene derivatives synthesized for this purpose either do not achieve the high photocurrent afforded by PCBM or show relatively poor compatibility with the next-generation low bandgap conjugated polymers used in high-efficiency organic solar cells. Here, we report the facile synthesis of methoxylated 1,4-bisbenzyl fullerene adducts and their application as efficient electron acceptors in conjugated polymer-based solar cells. The methoxy groups are found to be essential to increasing the LUMO levels, and accordingly the Voc, of the devices compared to the parent 1,4-bisbenzyl fullerene, and more importantly, to PCBM. The best fullerene 1,4-bisadduct provides a ∼20% enhancement in power conversion efficiency over PCBM when used with the classic crystalline polymer P3HT. When used in combination with a higher-performance low bandgap polymer, PTB7, the bisadduct both increases the device open-circuit voltage and maintains the high photocurrent provided by the more traditional PCBM. We also examine 10 different 1,4-fullerene bisadducts and show that the photovoltaic device performance is strongly influenced by the number and relative position of the methoxy substituents on the benzyl addends: moving a single methoxy substituent by one position on the benzyl rings can change the device efficiency by over a factor of 2.
The Artist and the City in “Euro-Mediterranean” Marseille: Redefining State Cultural Policy in an Era of Transnational Governance

Focused on an arts center in Marseille, this article explores how globalization and Europeanization are affecting relations between local cultural producers, national culture, and the state. In France, the state's claims to reshape civil society through cultural policy have been challenged by critics who conclude that economic priorities have ended an era of civic-centered state arts policy. At the same time, local authorities in the Provence-Alpes-Cotes d'Azur region value “new territories of art” projects as initiatives consonant with Euro-Mediterranean commerce and exchange. Adapting to this context, these artists both challenge and rearticulate state cultural policy. They pursue the same universalist Republican ideals of earlier state policy but they re-define them for the distinctively Mediterranean setting of Marseille. Thus, in spite of anti-state discourse by artists, and fears that the public nature of their work has been compromised by economic liberalization, this case shows the ongoing power of the state to shape cultural policy discourse at the same time that it shows artists interpreting the terms of this discourse in ways that are dynamic, locally-distinctive, and transnational.
Intraocular involvement in multifocal fibrosclerosis.

Abstract Objective To report the clinical and histopathologic findings of intraocular involvement in a patient with multifocal fibrosclerosis and the response of the patient’s choroidal masses to external beam radiotherapy. Design Case report with clinicopathologic correlation of enucleated eyes. Methods The patient was studied by clinical observation, contact B- and A-scan ultrasonography, orbital magnetic resonance imaging, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, choroidal biopsy, and gross and histopathologic examination of the enucleated eyes. Tissue obtained at an earlier laparotomy was also reviewed. External beam radiotherapy was used when high-dose corticosteroid and low-dose methotrexate therapy failed to decrease the size of the choroidal masses or improve the patient’s vision. Main outcome measures Changes in the clinical and ultrasonographic size of the choroidal masses, the clinical appearance of these masses, and the patient’s visual acuity in response to external beam radiotherapy were monitored premortem. Histopathologic findings in the enucleated eyes were compared with the changes in previous abdominal and choroidal biopsy specimens and with tissue alterations reported in multifocal fibrosclerosis. Results Biopsy of the choroidal mass revealed a fibrosclerosing process similar to that found in the abdomen. The patient received external beam radiotherapy with disappearance of the masses. Fibrosclerosing changes similar to those seen in the abdomen were observed replacing the choroid in the enucleated eyes. Conclusions Multifocal fibrosclerosis may involve the choroid with histopathologic changes similar to those that have been described in other locations in the body. External beam radiotherapy may be an effective treatment for intraocular involvement by multifocal fibrosclerosis.
Perforin and IL-2 Upregulation Define Qualitative Differences among Highly Functional Virus-Specific Human CD8(+) T Cells

The prevailing paradigm of T lymphocyte control of viral replication is that the protective capacity of virus-specific CD8+ T cells is directly proportional to the number of functions they can perform, with IL-2 production capacity considered critical. Having recently defined rapid perforin upregulation as a novel effector function of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, here we sought to determine whether new perforin production is a component of polyfunctional CD8+ T cell responses that contributes to the control of several human viral infections: cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), influenza (flu), and adenovirus (Ad). We stimulated normal human donor PBMC with synthetic peptides whose amino acid sequences correspond to defined CTL epitopes in the aforementioned viruses, and then used polychromatic flow cytometry to measure the functional capacity and the phenotype of the responding CD8+ T cells. While EBV and flu-specific CD8+ T cells rarely upregulate perforin, CMV-specific cells often do and Ad stimulates an exceptionally strong perforin response. The differential propensity of CD8+ T cells to produce either IL-2 or perforin is in part related to levels of CD28 and the transcription factor T-bet, as CD8+ T cells that rapidly upregulate perforin harbor high levels of T-bet and those producing IL-2 express high amounts of CD28. Thus, “polyfunctional” profiling of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells must not be limited to simply the number of functions the cell can perform, or one particular memory phenotype, but should actually define which combinations of memory markers and functions are relevant in each pathogenic context.
The 2011 Great Flood in Thailand: Climate Diagnostics and Implications from Climate Change

AbstractSevere flooding occurred in Thailand during the 2011 summer season, which resulted in more than 800 deaths and affected 13.6 million people. The unprecedented nature of this flood in the Chao Phraya River basin (CPRB) was examined and compared with historical flood years. Climate diagnostics were conducted to understand the meteorological conditions and climate forcing that led to the magnitude and duration of this flood. Neither the monsoon rainfall nor the tropical cyclone frequency anomalies alone was sufficient to cause the 2011 flooding event. Instead, a series of abnormal conditions collectively contributed to the intensity of the 2011 flood: anomalously high rainfall in the premonsoon season, especially during March; record-high soil moisture content throughout the year; elevated sea level height in the Gulf of Thailand, which constrained drainage; and other water management factors. In the context of climate change, the substantially increased premonsoon rainfall in CPRB after 1980 and the...
Fabrication and structural characterization of self-supporting electrolyte membranes for a micro solid-oxide fuel cell

Micromachined fuel cells are among a class of microscale devices being explored for portable power generation. In this paper, we report processing and geometric design criteria for the fabrication of free-standing electrolyte membranes for microscale solid-oxide fuel cells. Submicron, dense, nanocrystalline yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) films were deposited onto silicon nitride membranes using electron-beam evaporation and sputter deposition. Selective silicon nitride removal leads to free-standing, square, electrolyte membranes with side dimensions as large as 1025 μm for YSZ and 525 μm for GDC, with high processing yields for YSZ. Residual stresses are tensile (+85 to +235 MPa) and compressive (–865 to -155 MPa) in as-deposited evaporated and sputtered films, respectively. Tensile evaporated films faul via brittle fracture during annealing at temperatures below 773 K; thermal limitations are dependent on the film thickness to membrane size aspect ratio. Sputtered films with compressive residual stresses show superior mechanical and thermal stability than evaporated films. Sputtered 1025-μm membranes survive annealing at 773 K, which leads to the generation of tensile stresses and brittle fracture at elevated temperatures (923 K).
Different Forms of Tinnitus

1. Subjective tinnitus has many forms and may be regarded as a group of disorders rather than a single disorder. 2. There are a few objective ways to distinguish between the different forms of tinnitus. 3. Tinnitus has been classified subjectively accor­ding to: (a) Intensity: Often using a visual analog scale or loudness matching. (b) Character: High frequency (like crickets), low frequency (rumbling), tonal, pulsatile, constant, or intermittent. (c) Other features such as the ability to modulate the tinnitus by manipulating their jaw, moving their eyes, or applying pressure on neck regions. (d) Whether referred to one ear, both ears, or perceived as being inside the head. 4. Some diseases, such as Meniere’s disease, are accompanied with tinnitus; such tinnitus may be different from other forms of tinnitus. 5. Some forms of tinnitus are associated with affective disorders such as depression or phonophobia. 6. Subjective tinnitus is often accompanied by abnormal perception of sounds, known as hyperacusis (lowered tolerance for sounds) or hypersensitivity to sounds.
SEVERE BRAIN HYPOTHERMIA AS A FACTOR UNDERLYING BEHAVIORAL IMMOBILITY DURING COLD-WATER FORCED SWIM

Abstract Behavioral immobility during forced swim is usually considered a consequence of inescapable stress, and is used to screen antidepressant drugs. However, immobility in this test may also result from inhibition of neural functions because of brain hypothermia due to body cooling. To explore this possibility, we measured brain temperature dynamics during a 10-min forced swim in cold (25 °C) and warm (37 °C) water and correlated brain temperatures with behavioral changes. Cold water forced swim resulted in significant brain hypothermia (−6–7 °C) and immobility, while no immobility was observed during warm water forced swim, when brain temperature transiently increased (0.5 °C) then decreased below baseline in the post-swim period. These data suggest that immobility, which rapidly develops during forced swim in cold water, may result from dramatic inhibition of neural functions because of severe brain hypothermia.
The Coevolution of Multiplex Communication Networks in Organizational Communities

This research examines the evolutionary patterns and determinants of multiplex organizational communication networks. Based on the data between 1997 and 2005 collected from the records of development projects in the field of Information and Communication Technology for Development, the study demonstrates that dynamics in one network are significant drivers of tie formation in the other network at both dyadic and triadic levels. In particular, results show that the effects of common third-party ties and structural embeddedness exist across multiplex networks. Further, the study suggests that resource similarity of organizational dyads, resource width, and organizational centrality have positive effects on the propensity for multiplex ties. These results have implications for organizations’ communication networking strategies in a wide variety of organizational communities.
SYNERGISTIC AND INHIBITORY INTERACTIONS BETWEEN METHYL EUGENOL AND CUE LURE INFLUENCE TRAP CATCH OF MALE FRUIT FLIES, BACTROCERA DORSALIS (HENDEL) AND B. CUCURBITAE (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE)

Abstract Males of the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and the melon fly, B. cucurbitae (Coquillett), are attracted to methyl eugenol (ME) and cue lure (CL), respectively. These lures, when mixed with a toxicant, are widely used to detect and suppress populations of these agricultural pests. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of (1) traps baited with both ME and CL (mixed or presented separately on adjacent wicks), and (2) traps baited with a single lure but placed in the same tree as a trap containing the alternate lure (1 or 3 m apart). Jackson traps were placed in a mixed orchard on Oahu, Hawaii, and the numbers of released (marked) and wild males were recorded. Traps baited with ME and CL (mixed or separate) captured significantly fewer B. dorsalis males than traps baited with ME alone. CL placed 1 m from ME-baited traps in the same tree also reduced the number of B. dorsalis males captured. Conversely, ME appeared to increase capture of B. cucurbitae males, an...
Platinum and PARP Inhibitor Resistance Due to Overexpression of MicroRNA-622 in BRCA1-Mutant Ovarian Cancer

High-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOCs) with BRCA1/2 mutations exhibit improved outcome and sensitivity to double-strand DNA break (DSB)-inducing agents (i.e., platinum and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors [PARPis]) due to an underlying defect in homologous recombination (HR). However, resistance to platinum and PARPis represents a significant barrier to the long-term survival of these patients. Although BRCA1/2-reversion mutations are a clinically validated resistance mechanism, they account for less than half of platinum-resistant BRCA1/2-mutated HGSOCs. We uncover a resistance mechanism by which a microRNA, miR-622, induces resistance to PARPis and platinum in BRCA1 mutant HGSOCs by targeting the Ku complex and restoring HR-mediated DSB repair. Physiologically, miR-622 inversely correlates with Ku expression during the cell cycle, suppressing non-homologous end-joining and facilitating HR-mediated DSB repair in S phase. Importantly, high expression of miR-622 in BRCA1-deficient HGSOCs is associated with worse outcome after platinum chemotherapy, indicating microRNA-mediated resistance through HR rescue.