cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preliminary Clinical and Molecular Analysis Results From a Single-Arm Phase 2 Trial of Brigatinib in Patients With Disease Progression After Next-Generation ALK Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Advanced ALK+ NSCLC

Abstract Introduction Brigatinib is a potent next-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with activity against ALK resistance mutations and central nervous system activity. We prospectively studied the activity and safety of brigatinib in patients with disease progression after other next-generation ALK TKIs. Methods Patients with stage IIIB or IV ALK+ NSCLC and progressive disease after next-generation ALK TKIs were eligible. Patients were required to undergo tumor biopsy less than or equal to 60 days before enrollment, and circulating tumor DNA was collected at baseline. Brigatinib treatment was 90 mg daily for 7 days and then escalated to 180 mg daily. Primary end point was objective response rate, and two-stage design was used. Results Between March 2017 and November 2018, a total of 20 patients were treated in stage 1; median age was 55 years (range: 32–71), median number of previous therapies was three (range: 1–6), median number of previous ALK TKIs was two (range: 1–4), and 11 had central nervous system disease at baseline. The objective response rate was 40% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 19%–62%), and the duration of response was 5.3 months (95% CI: 3.6–nonassessable). With follow-up of 22 months, the median progression-free survival was 7.0 months (95% CI: 4.6–10.1). Grade 3 or 4 adverse events were consistent with those of previous studies. Conclusions Brigatinib has activity in ALK+ NSCLC after previous next-generation ALK TKIs. Further study in patients with disease progression on next-generation ALK TKI is warranted. National Clinical Trials #: NCT02706626
The ionizing background at the end of overlap

One of the most sought-after signatures of reionization is a rapid increase in the ionizing background (usually measured through the Lyman-alpha optical depth toward distant quasars). Conventional wisdom associates this with the "overlap" phase when ionized bubbles merge, allowing each source to affect a much larger volume. We argue that this picture fails to describe the transition to the post-overlap Universe, where Lyman-limit systems absorb ionizing photons over moderate lengthscales (20-100 Mpc). Using an analytic model, we compute the probability distribution of the amplitude of the ionizing background throughout reionization, including both discrete ionized bubbles and Lyman-limit systems (parameterized by an attenuation length). We show that overlap does not by itself cause a rapid increase in the ionizing background or a rapid decrease in the mean Lyman-alpha transmission toward distant quasars. More detailed semi-numeric models support these conclusions. We argue that rapid changes should instead be interpreted as evolution in the attenuation length itself, which may or may not be directly related to overlap.
STREAM: Medium Access Control With Station Presence Awareness in Crowded Networks

In this article, we propose a medium access control (MAC) scheme, called STation pREsence-Aware MAC (STREAM), that offers equal contention opportunities to the stations in a network. STREAM is designed to preserve its performance in crowded and high-traffic networks. The scheme improves channel access, utilization, and service fairness of stations. STREAM detects collided transmissions or idle events in the network to estimate the number of active stations. STREAM sets the contention period as a function of the number of stations in the network. As a result, the number of contention opportunities is enlarged and the access to the transmission channel in the network is improved. In this way, STREAM overcomes the performance degradation of IEEE 802.11 under heavy traffic and crowded networks. We analyze the throughput of STREAM, fairness of service, and the probability that a station experiences collisions as a function of the number of stations in the network. We also present performance evaluations and comparisons with IEEE 802.11 and other high-performing schemes. We extend the application of STREAM on traffic with different priorities and quality of service. Our evaluations show that STREAM outperforms IEEE 802.11 and the compared schemes. We show that STREAM is an ideal candidate as a fallback mechanism for IEEE 802.11 under overwhelming conditions.
The Utility of a Novel Mapping Algorithm Utilizing Vectors and Global Pattern for Atrial Tachycardias

Background: Activation maps of scar-related atrial tachycardias (AT) can be challenging to interpret due to difficulty in inaccurate annotation of electrograms, and an arbitrarily predefined mapping window. A novel mapping software integrating vector data and applying an algorithmic solution taking into consideration global activation pattern has been recently described (CoherentTM, Biosense Webster "Investigational"). Objective: We aimed to assess the investigational algorithm to determine the mechanism of AT compared with the standard algorithm. Methods: This study included patients who underwent ablation of scar-related AT using the Carto 3 and the standard activation algorithm. The mapping data was analyzed retrospectively using the investigational algorithm, and the mechanisms were evaluated by two independent electrophysiologists. Results: A total of 77 scar-related AT activation maps were analyzed (89.6% left atrium, median tachycardia cycle length of 273 milliseconds). Of those, 67 cases with confirmed mechanism of the arrhythmia were used to compare the activation software. The actual mechanism of the arrhythmia was more likely to be identified with the investigational algorithm (67.2% vs 44.8%, P=0.009). In 5 patients with dual-loop circuits, 3/5 (60%) were correctly identified by the investigational algorithm compared to 0/5 (0%) with the standard software. The reduced atrial voltage was prone to lead to less capable identification of mechanism (P for trend: 0.05). The investigational algorithm showed higher inter-reviewer agreement (Cohen's kappa 0.62 vs 0.47). Conclusions: In patients with scar-related ATs, activation mapping algorithms integrating vector data and "best-fit" propagation solution may help in identifying the mechanism and the successful site of termination.
Fostering Relationships in Pediatric Oncology Research: A Relational Ethics Approach to Clinically Integrated Research.

Ethical issues in biomedical research are traditionally examined as distinct from those of clinical care. However, this traditional framing may obscure questions of equity and fairness in both rese...
Identifying Degree and Sources of Non-Determinism in MPI Applications Via Graph Kernels

As the scientific community prepares to deploy an increasingly complex and diverse set of applications on exascale platforms, the need to assess reproducibility of simulations and identify the root causes of reproducibility failures increases correspondingly. One of the greatest challenges facing reproducibility issues at exascale is the inherent non-determinism at the level of inter-process communication. The use of non-deterministic communication constructs is necessary to boost performance, but communication non-determinism can also hamper software correctness and result reproducibility. To address this challenge, we propose a software framework for identifying the percentage and sources of communication non-determinism. We model parallel executions as directed graphs and leverage graph kernels to characterize run-to-run variations in inter-process communication. We demonstrate the effectiveness of graph kernel similarity as a proxy for non-determinism, by showing that these kernels can quantify the type and degree of non-determinism present in communication patterns. To demonstrate our framework’s ability to link and quantify runtime non-determinism to root sources, demonstrate with present for an adaptive mesh refinement application, where our framework automatically quantifies the impact of function calls on non-determinism, and a Monte Carlo application, where our framework automatically quantifies the impact of parameter configurations on non-determinism.
Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Arterial Aneurysms in Patients with Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: 17-Year Retrospective Series of 418 Patients

Abstract Purpose To estimate the prevalence of and identify characteristics associated with the presence of aneurysms in a cohort of patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Materials and Methods In the study institution’s HHT database, 418 patients with a definite HHT diagnosis were identified based on the clinical Curacao criteria and/or an HHT-associated genetic mutation. Regression modeling was used to evaluate the association between arterial aneurysms and older age, male sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, genetic mutations, the presence of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) unrelated to the aneurysms, and HHT-related genetic mutations. Results Forty-three (10.3%) patients had at least 1 aneurysm. Sixteen (4.8%) patients had multiple aneurysms. Of the variables analyzed, older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0–1.1), the presence of anatomically and flow-unrelated AVMs (OR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.3–8.0), and the presence of activin A receptor type II-like 1 (ACVRL1) mutation (OR = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.5–10) were associated with the presence of at least 1 aneurysm. Conclusions In this cohort of patients with HHT, the prevalence of intracranial and visceral arterial aneurysms was estimated to be 10.3%. Older age, the presence of unrelated AVMs, and the presence of the ACVRL1 mutation were associated with the presence of arterial aneurysms. Further study is required to assess the clinical importance and risk of rupture of aneurysms in patients with HHT.
Dermatopathology effects of simulated solar particle event radiation exposure in the porcine model

The space environment exposes astronauts to risks of acute and chronic exposure to ionizing radiation. Of particular concern is possible exposure to ionizing radiation from a solar particle event (SPE). During an SPE, magnetic disturbances in specific regions of the Sun result in the release of intense bursts of ionizing radiation, primarily consisting of protons that have a highly variable energy spectrum. Thus, SPE events can lead to significant total body radiation exposures to astronauts in space vehicles and especially while performing extravehicular activities. Simulated energy profiles suggest that SPE radiation exposures are likely to be highest in the skin. In the current report, we have used our established miniature pig model system to evaluate the skin toxicity of simulated SPE radiation exposures that closely resemble the energy and fluence profile of the September, 1989 SPE using either conventional radiation (electrons) or proton simulated SPE radiation. Exposure of animals to electron or proton radiation led to dose-dependent increases in epidermal pigmentation, the presence of necrotic keratinocytes at the dermal-epidermal boundary and pigment incontinence, manifested by the presence of melanophages in the derm is upon histological examination. We also observed epidermal hyperplasia and a reduction in vascular density at 30 days following exposure to electron or proton simulated SPE radiation. These results suggest that the doses of electron or proton simulated SPE radiation results in significant skin toxicity that is quantitatively and qualitatively similar. Radiation-induced skin damage is often one of the first clinical signs of both acute and non-acute radiation injury where infection may occur, if not treated. In this report, histopathology analyses of acute radiation-induced skin injury are discussed.
Conceptual framework and quantification of population vulnerability for effective emergency response planning

Objective: The study focused on the methodological advancement and analytical approach of using multilevel data to define population vulnerability and risk in bioemergency disaster planning. Methods: The authors considered two types of vulnerabilities, transportation vulnerability that stems from lack of access to transportation (public or private) and communication vulnerability that stems from unavailability of needed language-specific communication resources. The authors used Transit Authority general transit feed data and the American Community Survey 5-year estimate data (2006-2010 summary files) to quantify these vulnerabilities. These data were integrated with Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) data for spatial analysis. A response plan was generated for Tarrant County, TX, and deemed feasible before consideration of vulnerable populations. Results: The results point to the importance of integrating geographical and population demographic features that represent potential barriers to the optimum distribution and utilization of resources into the analysis of response plans. An examination of transportation vulnerabilities indicate that, of those vulnerable in Tarrant County, nearly 23,000 individuals will be at-risk of not being able to reach the Point Of Dispensing (POD) to obtain services as they are beyond walking distance to the POD and lack access to transportation resources. The analysis of language vulnerability depicts an uneven distribution resulting in nonuniform demand at PODs for translation resources. There are more than 11,000 at-risk households in the South East region of Tarrant County alone that are truly in need of translation services. Conclusions: The authors demonstrated that multiple vulnerabilities at each POD can be quantified by aggregating the vulnerability at the available granularity (ie, all blocks or block groups) in a given service area. The quantification of vulnerability at each service area facilitates a POD-based at-risk analysis for the response plan. Disparities stemming from social, behavioral, cultural, economic, and health characteristics of diverse subpopulations could induce the need for additional targeted resources to support emergency response efforts.
Gibbs Dividing Surface and Helium Adsorption

All adsorption data is based on the definition of Gibbs dividing surface, which is a purely mathematical transformation. Adsorption measurements in microporous solids necessitate experimental determination of the dividing surface. An international protocol does not exist on how to perform this important measurement. Commonly, helium is assumed not to adsorb and used as a probe molecule for this measurement. Each experimentalist chooses an arbitrary set of conditions, often without even disclosing them, which adds to the confusion in adsorption literature. Here, a self-consistent method for the analysis of helium data is proposed which does not assume non-adsorbing helium. The method is compared to others using the extensive set of helium/silicalite data. The Gibbs dividing surface and hence the helium isotherms at all temperatures are determined.
Experimental Evaluation of a New Gastrointestinal Antiseptic—Sodium Phthalylsulfacetimide

Summary 1.The toxicity of sodium phthalylsulfacetimide, as well as the absorption and excretion of this compound from various routes of administration, and its behavior in the gut was investigated. 2.The intraperitoneal toxicity in albino rats was found to be surprisingly low. The approximately LD 50 was estimated as 10 gram per kg. as compared to an LD 50 of 0.8 gram per kg. for sodium phthalylsulfathiazole reported in white mice. 3.Sodium phthalylsulfacetimide is highly soluble at the physiological pH range of the intestinal tract. After oral administration this drug is present as a highly concentrated solution in the contents of the small and large bowel. Although absorption into the blood stream from the lumen of the gut is minimal, considerable amounts diffuse into the deeper strata of the intestinal wall. 4.When injected parenterally the compound readily enters the blood and is rapidly eliminated by way of the kidneys. 5.The findings indicate that sodium phthalylsulf acetimide possesses many desirable properties of an intestinal antiseptic.
Aminosalicylic Acid Inhibits IκB Kinase α Phosphorylation of IκBα in Mouse Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-stimulated nuclear factor (NF) κB activation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Phosphorylation of NFκB inhibitory protein (IκB) leading to its degradation and NFκB activation, is regulated by the multimeric IκB kinase complex, including IKKα and IKKβ. We recently reported that 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) inhibits TNFα-regulated IκB degradation and NFκB activation. To determine the mechanism of 5-ASA inhibition of IκB degradation, we studied young adult mouse colon (YAMC) cells by immunodetection and in vitro kinase assays. We show 5-ASA inhibits TNFα-stimulated phosphorylation of IκBα in intact YAMC cells. Phosphorylation of a glutathioneS-transferase-IκBα fusion protein by cellular extracts or immunoprecipitated IKKα isolated from cells treated with TNFα is inhibited by 5-ASA. Recombinant IKKα and IKKβ autophosphorylation and their phosphorylation of glutathioneS-transferase-IκBα are inhibited by 5-ASA. However, IKKα serine phosphorylation by its upstream kinase in either intact cells or cellular extracts is not blocked by 5-ASA. Surprisingly, immunodepletion of cellular extracts suggests IKKα is predominantly responsible for IκBα phosphorylation in intestinal epithelial cells. In summary, 5-ASA inhibits TNFα-stimulated IKKα kinase activity toward IκBα in intestinal epithelial cells. These findings suggest a novel role for 5-ASA in the management of IBD by disrupting TNFα activation of NFκB.
Formation of Conducting Columns in Adhesive Epoxy

Summary form only given. Conducting columns of paramagnetic particles form in an adhesive epoxy in the presence of a magnetic field. This phenomenon is used to produce an anisotropic conducting adhesive that can replace solder in certain applications. We present experimental observations of the formation of these columns, their shape and their number density. In particular we will consider why the density of columns does not increase in step with the fill density of particles
Some Broadband Calculated RF Scatter from the Trihedral Corner Reflector

To understand the target-like artifacts in radar returns called sea spikes 1 that are induced by ocean scatter,2 the WIPL-D3 and WIPL-DP4 electromagnetics codes are used to calculate monostatic and bistatic radar cross sections (RCSs) of a trihedral comer reflector at 1.5, 3.8, and 7 GHz for vertically and horizontally polarized fields. These computations are part of a larger effort to provide theoretical comparisons for recent scatter data from a 1-m trihedral reflector that was collected over 1.9 to 11.5 GHz in the open ocean with a short-pulse ultrawideband (UWB) system. Over the last eight years, this UWB experimental radar, called the microwave microscope (MWM), has been used in a series of measurements at the Atlantic Underwater Test and Experiment Center (AUTEC) in the Bahamas to investigate the low-elevation (grazing angles less than 4°)scatter of RF signals from the open ocean in an attempt to understand and mitigate the sea-spike phenomenon.
Research Note: Stopping the Enforcement “Tide”: Descriptive Representation, Latino Institutional Empowerment, and State‐Level Immigration Policy

Studies of descriptive representation have focused on the ability of minority and female legislators to push through legislation that is beneficial to these constituencies. However, little is known concerning the role of such legislators in preventing the enactment of bills noxious to their constituencies' interests. This research note investigates the role of Latino legislators in deterring the introduction and blocking the enactment of restrictive and punitive immigration legislation. Using state-level data from 2007, our results suggest that the relationship between the size of the Latino caucus in a state legislature and the introduction of restrictive bills is not statistically significant, but there is a strong negative statistical correlation between the size of the Latino caucus and the enactment of such laws. The data suggest that descriptive representation may play a role in blocking the passage of legislation harmful to disadvantaged groups.
Small-Angle Neutron Scattering with Contrast Variation Reveals Spatial Relationships between the Three Subunits in the Ternary Cardiac Troponin Complex and the Effects of Troponin I Phosphorylation†

Small-angle neutron scattering with contrast variation has been used to determine the shapes and dispositions of the three subunits of cardiac troponin and to study the influence of phosphorylation...
Meteoritic magnetite as a cosmothermometer

Latimer1 and Urey2 first investigated the oxidation states of iron in the dust phase of the solar nebula, demonstrating for the reaction that the equilibrium constant K = H2/H2O is determined by the relative abundance of hydrogen and oxygen in the solar nebula. The equilibrium constant is further related to the standard free energy change, ΔG°, by the well known thermodynamic relation Thus, with ΔG° obtained from thermodynamic data and K determined by the solar H2/H20 ratio, the equilibrium temperature of ∼400 K is calculated.
Oxygen isotope thermometry of basic lavas and mantle nodules

Measurements have been made of the oxygen isotope and chemical composition of glass and phenocrysts in lavas and coexisting minerals in mantle nodules. Temperatures of formation of these assemblages have been estimated from various chemical thermometers and range from 855° to 1,300° C. The permil fractionations between coexisting orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene in the lavas and nodules are all near zero. The fractionations between pyroxene and olivine vary from +1.2 to −1.4 and are a smooth function of temperature over the entire range. This function is given by T(° C)=1151-173Δ (px-d)-68Δ2(px-d) and has an uncertainty of ±60° (2σ). At temperatures above 1,150° C, olivine in the nodules becomes more18O-rich than coexisting clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and plagioclase. In combination with the experimental work of Muehlenbachs and Kushiro (1974), the olivine-pyroxene fractionations indicate that olivine also becomes substantially more18O-rich than basaltic liquids above 1,200° C. Geothermometers based on the oxygen isotope equilibration of basaltic liquid with olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase are presented.
Syndrome of precocious menstruation and galactorrhea in juvenile hypothyroidism: an example of hormonal overlap in pituitary feedback

Summary A syndrome associated with juvenile hypothyroidism is described, the cardinal feature of which is sexual development beyond that consistent with the bone age and other indices of maturity. The 3 girls described in this paper had precocious menstruation, galactorrhea, absence of public hair, and enlargement of the sella turcica. One patient was excessively pigmented. These abnormal signs disappeared promptly when the hypothyroid state was alleviated. Serial x-rays of the skull after treatment with thyroid was instituted revealed an initial period of further enlargement and demineralization of the pituitary fossa followed by a decrease in its size toward normal. A normal menarche later ensued in 2 of the girls when the level of maturity had progressed appropriately. The implications of the close similarity between the findings in this syndrome and in patients with pituitary tumors are discussed. A primary target gland deficiency is suggested as the etiologic factor in at least some patients with chromophobe adenomas. It is postulated that the mechanism for the development of menorrhagia, galactorrhea, and pigmentation in these patients was an overlapping secretion of gonadotropin, mammotropic hormone, and (in 1 case) melanocyte-stimulating hormone along with the presumed high level of thyroid-stimulating hormone. A similar overlap in pituitary hormones occurs in experimental pituitary tumors induced by single target gland deficiencies and in certain clinical endocrine disorders. This lack of specificity in the pituitary feedback mechanism, so strikingly demonstrated in the present syndrome, is suggested as the mechanism responsible for a number of phenomena commonly observed in clinical endocrine disorders.
Myasthenia gravis: a real emergency.

One afternoon, a 31 year-old, obese, African–American female presents to the triage nurse of a moderately sized tertiary care facility, complaining of difficulty breathing and swollen eyes since earlier in the morning. The patient reports diarrhoea for one week and a feeling of general weakness. The patient appears anxious and her vital signs are; blood pressure 148/86 mmHg, heart rate of 110 beat/min, respiratory rate of 24 breaths/min, oxygen saturation of 100% on room air and temperature of 37.2 C (98.9 F). The patient is transported via wheelchair to a treatment room where care is handed off from the triage nurse and a complete history and physical exam was performed. On exam the patient’s eyes are noticeably swollen and tearing, the patient is able to speak in short sentences but is frequently clenching her chest, coughing, and stating ‘‘I feel my throat is closing’’. Her lung sounds are clear to auscultation bilaterally with good air movement despite her restlessness and anxious appearance. Her oral exam revealed no obvious airway obstruction or tongue oedema. The remain-
Screening Solutions to Classical Yang-Mills Theory

We present two new solutions to the classical Yang-Mills field equations in the presence of a localized external source. These solutions totally screen the charge of the source. They have lower energy than the corresponding Coulomb solution.
An ovarian independent population of uterine estrogen receptors.

Abstract Estrogen receptor levels in uteri from ovariectomized mice varied markedly with time after surgery; these changes were not due to nuclear translocation. Receptor cyclicity was abolished in ovariectomized-adrenalectomized mice, and receptor levels remained low. This indicates that the adrenals significantly influenced uterine estrogen receptor levels. However, these adrenal-mediated changes did not alter uterine responsiveness to estrogen stimulation.
The Negotiation of Authority at a Frontier Marian Apparition Site: Adele Brise and Our Lady of Good Help

In December 2010, Bishop David Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin, gave his official approval to a Marian apparition, which had occurred in rural Champion, Wisconsin, over 150 years before, making Our Lady of Good Help the first officially approved Marian apparition site in the United States. This article explores some of the ways in which the narratives surrounding this apparition and the biography of the seer, Adele Brise, have been simultaneously contested and controlled by the hierarchy, often through selective omission of details that would point away from the seer's identity as a docile and obedient daughter of the church. Adele Brise, like all visionary seers, was a potentially dangerous and destabilizing force who represented a challenge to hierarchical authority. Both her person and the story of her life and visions have therefore had to be either suppressed or tamed by the succession of bishops in whose diocese this powerful site continues to exist.
“We are Illegal, but not Illegitimate.” Modes of Policing in Medellin, Colombia

Over the years, paramilitary groups and the Colombian state have jointly policed marginal neighborhoods of the city of Medellin. Using evidence from events that have marked the history of this Colombian city, I argue that the murky pact between paramilitary and state forces reveal the nature of the state, as a force of capture, and of its sovereignty. Building on the analysis of the Italian word intreccio (intertwining) that Jane and Peter Schneider use to analyze the Sicilian Mafia and its link to the Italian state, and using Deleuze and Guattari's concept of the “war machine” acquired by the state for reterritorialization, I suggest that the intertwinement between the state and organized crime is a manifestation of the presence of the state, not of its absence at the margins. I conclude that this intertwinement is not a sign of the state's weakness but of its power; a proof of the state's effectiveness, not of its failure.
Localization of critical histidyl residues required for vinblastine-induced tubulin polymerization and for microtubule assembly.

Abstract Vinblastine-induced tubulin polymerization is electrostatically regulated and shows pH dependence with a pI ∼7.0 suggesting the involvement of histidyl residues. Modification of histidyl residues of tubulin with diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) at a mole ratio of 0.74 (DEPC/total His residues) for 3 min at 25 °C completely inhibited vinblastine-induced polymerization with little effect on microtubule assembly. Under these conditions DEPC reacts only with histidyl residues. For complete inhibition two histidyl residues have to be modified. Demodification of the carboxyethyl histidyl derivatives by hydroxylamine led to nearly complete recovery of polymerization competence. Labeling with [14C]DEPC localized both of these histidyl residues on β-tubulin at β227 and β264. Similarly, tubulin modification with DEPC for longer times (8 min) resulted in complete inhibition of microtubule assembly, at which time ∼4 histidyl residues had been modified. This inhibition by DEPC was also reversed by hydroxylamine. The third histidyl residue was found on α-tubulin at α88. Thus, two charged histidyl residues are obligatorily involved in vinblastine-induced polymerization, whereas a different histidyl residue on a different tubulin monomer is involved in microtubule assembly.
Membrane trafficking: Coat control by curvature

The main transport vehicles inside cells are spherical vesicles that form when patches of membrane curve into buds and then pinch off. 'Coat' proteins both control, and are controlled by, this membrane curvature.
Interactions between acquisitions system expenditure reports and university financial services payment systems: WLN ACQ to WSU’s PAPR

Abstract The interaction of payment transactions between WLN Acquisitions and Washington State University's “PAPR” system is described and analyzed. The preparation of WLN Acquisitions Receiving Reports is considered from the standpoint of editing them so that they will pass over into the WSU PAPR Request Payment Report function as valid transactions. The Geac Acquisitions-to-Lehigh University FRS interaction is briefly discussed as well.
Evaluation of a primary care nurse case management intervention for chronically ill community dwelling older people

Aim. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a collaborative primary care nurse case management intervention emphasising collaboration between physicians, nurses and patients, risk identification, comprehensive assessment, collaborative planning, health monitoring, patient education and transitional care on healthcare utilisation and cost for community dwelling chronically ill older persons. Background. Primary care teams comprised of nurses and primary care physicians have been suggested as a model for providing quality care to the chronically ill, but this type of intervention has not been systematically evaluated. Design. A non-randomised, 36 month comparison of two geographically distinct primary care populations was conducted. Methods. Six hundred and seventy-seven persons aged 65 and older were determined to be at high-risk for mortality, functional decline, or increased health service use. The treatment group (n = 400) received the intervention and the comparison group (n = 277) received usual care. Health plan claims files provided data on number of hospitalisations and bed days, emergency department (ED) visits, physician visits and total cost of care. Results. After adjustment for baseline variables, there were no significant differences between the treatment and comparison group in the percentage of patients hospitalised or ED visits. However, among those hospitalised in the treatment group, the likelihood of being re-hospitalised was significantly reduced by 34% (p = 0·032). After adjusting for the cost of the intervention, although not statistically significant, the reduced hospital use resulted in cost savings of $106 per patient per month in the treatment group. Conclusions. The results indicate that a collaborative primary care nurse case management intervention has the potential to be an effective alternative to current primary care delivery system practice. Relevance to clinical practice. The study suggests that a chronic care intervention emphasising collaboration between physicians, nurses and patients, may be more effective when implemented in integrated provider networks.
Heat Transfer due to the Impingement of an Axisymmetric Synthetic Jet Emanating From a Circular Orifice: A Numerical Investigation of a Canonical Geometry

Synthetic jets are produced by periodically injecting and ejecting fluid from an orifice. The mass flow rate is conserved in such a jet but net momentum flux is created due to the difference in the fluid dynamics at the orifice between the ejection and suction parts of each cycle. When pointed towards a heated surface, the synthetic jet can be used for cooling using the well-known advantages of jet impingement. In the present work, we have created a “canonical” jet in order to investigate the flow and heat transfer of a purely periodic synthetic jet which is not influenced by the manner in which it is generated. As such the “canonical” jet and the resulting heat transfer, can be considered to be dependent solely on the driving suction/ejection mechanisms at the orifice and thus can be examined independently of the actuator. The unsteady Navier-Stokes equations and the convection-diffusion equation were solved using a fully unsteady, laminar, three-dimensional axisymmetric finite volume approach in order to capture the complex time-dependent flow field created by different frequencies. The influence of jet-to-surface distance, Reynolds number, and driving frequency on heat transfer were investigated. Both stagnation and averaged Nusselt numbers were observed to be less dependent on frequency. Heat transfer was found to be higher at high Re numbers and low jet-to-surface distance. Results were compared with the steady continuous jet, experimental data of previous studies and the canonical slot synthetic jet at the same Reynolds number. A circular jet was found to be less efficient in removing heat over the heated wall than a slot synthetic jet.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Isostatic compensation of equatorial highlands on Venus

Spherical harmonic models for Venus' global topography and gravity incorporating Magellan data are used to test isostatic compensation models in five 30 deg x 30 deg regions representative of the main classes of equatorial highlands. The power spectral density for the harmonic models obeys a power-law scaling with spectral slope Beta approximately 2 (Brown noise) for the topography and Beta approximately 3 (Kaula's law) for the geoid, similar to what is observed for Earth. The Venus topography spectrum has lower amplitudes than Earth's which reflects the dominant lowland topography on Venus. Observed degree geoid to topography ratios (GTRs) on Venus are significantly smaller than degree GTRs for uncompensated topography, indicative of substantial compensation. Assuming a global Airy compensation, most of the topography is compensated at depths greater than 100 km, suggesting a thick lithosphere on Venus. For each region considered we obtain a regional degree of compensation C from a linear regression of Bouguer anomaly versus Bouguer gravity data. Geoid anomaly (N) versus topography variation (h) data for each sample were compared, in the least-squares sense, to theoretical correlations for Pratt, Airy, and thermal thinning isostasy models yielding regional GTR, zero-elevation crustal thickness (H), and zero elevation thermal lithosphere thickness (y(sub L(sub 0)), respectively. We find the regional compensation to be substantial (C approximately 52-80%), and the h, N data correlations in the chosen areas can be explained by isostasy models applicable on the Earth and involving variations in crustal thickness (Airy) and/or lithospheric (thermal thinning) thickness. However, a thick crust and lithosphere (y(sub L(sub 0)) approximately 300 km) must be assumed for Venus.
Comparison of recovery patterns for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass in the early discharge period.

The purpose of this pilot study was to compare the postoperative problems, evaluation and response of symptoms, and functional status (physiologic and psychosocial functioning) during the early recovery period (2, 4, and 6 weeks after surgery) in 35 individuals who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (n=24) or minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (n=11). The most frequent postoperative problem reported by the coronary artery bypass grafting group was an incisional infection (either sternal or leg); 26% reported infection at 2 and 4 weeks, and 21% at 6 weeks after surgery. Respiratory problems (pleural effusion, pneumonia) were the second most frequently reported problem, reported by 10% of the subjects at 2 and 4 weeks and by 16% at 6 weeks. Other, less frequent problems were severe nervousness, rhythm problems, and pericarditis. Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass patients reported fewer postoperative or cardiac-related problems, as only 5% indicated a problem with heart failure at both 2 and 4 weeks, and 36% reported being very nervous or having emotional problems at 4 weeks. Unlike postoperative problems, there were numerous similarities in postprocedural symptoms between these two groups. Fatigue, shortness of breath, and pain were the major symptoms reported postdischarge by both groups in this study. In addition, sleeping problems were also fairly prevalent in the coronary artery bypass grafting group, which is understandable, considering the fatigue ratings. Physiologic and psychosocial functioning varied minimally between the two procedures. While there were many similarities in the recovery patterns of both groups, the occurrence of postprocedural problems and symptoms of these two patient groups should be considered by clinicians to further tailor patient education.
Determinants of Constables’ Perceptions of Community Support in Three Developing Nations

This research seeks to explore the factors that affect community support of the police as perceived by constables in three developing Caribbean nations: Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago. ...
Attenuation of the amphetamine discriminative cue in rats with the atypical antipsychotic olanzapine

Abstract Sixteen male Sprague–Dawley rats were trained to discriminate between saline and amphetamine injections (1.0 mg/kg ip) using a standard two-lever (FR10) drug discrimination paradigm. A baseline dose–effect curve was generated for amphetamine administration alone, using doses both above and below the training dose (0.0–2.2 mg/kg ip). Once completed, a single dose of olanzapine (OLZ; 1.5 mg/kg sc) was tested for its ability to attenuate the amphetamine cue. OLZ pretreatment (60 min) successfully interfered with an animal's ability to discriminate amphetamine injections across various doses. The percentage of correct responding on the amphetamine lever and rate of responding were both significantly decreased across some but not all of the amphetamine doses. Therefore, we believe that this preliminary investigation has successfully shown that an OLZ dose of 1.5 mg/kg sc at 60 min can interfere with an animal's ability to detect some subjective cue(s) associated with amphetamine administration.
Dependence on angle and wavelength of light scattered by the ocular lens

Abstract Asymototic expansions of formal expressions for scattered light make explicit their dependence on scattering angle and wavelength. Such expansions are given for two cases of scatterer geometry. In one case the sources of scatter are assumed randomly positioned and randomly oriented. In the other case lens fibers, incorporated into a model of the crystalline lens fiber architecture, are the assumed sources of scatter. Calculated results based on scatter by lens fibers are in much better agreement with recent measurements on excised lenses (van den Berg, T. J. T. P. and IJspeert, J. K., Light scattering in donor lenses. Vision Res. 35 , 169–177, 1995) than those based on randomly positioned and randomly oriented scatterers.
Effects of oxygen concentration on the intermediary metabolism of Leishmania major promastigotes.

Leishmania major promastigotes grown in late log phase were incubated with glucose as sole exogenous carbon source in the presence of 5% CO2 and the amounts of glucose consumed and of the major products formed — succinate, pyruvate, alanine, acetate, glycerol, and d-lactate — were measured as a function of pO2. Glucose consumption increased as pO2 was lowered to 6% (a positive Pasteur effect) and then declined to the same level at 95% N2 as at 95% O2. The production of d-lactate and of glycerol increased as pO2 dropped from 95%, reaching a maximum at about 2% O2. Succinate production, however, increased dramatically when pO2 was reduced to 6% and remained at that level with further reduction of pO2. The amount of succinate produced relative to the amount of glucose carbon consumed suggests utilization of an endogenous carbon source. Acetate production did not change between 95% O2 and 6% O2 and then declined with decreasing pO2. These observations suggest the presence of two sensors, one with a high and one with a low affinity for oxygen. When glycerol or alanine were the only exogenous sources of carbon, the primary products released were acetate and succinate. Acetate production from alanine declined slightly as pO2 was reduced to 2%, and then dropped markedly when pO2 was reduced to 0%. Acetate production from glycerol increased over 4-fold when the pO2 was reduced from 95% to 4%, and then declined with further reduction in pO2. No succinate was formed from either substrate until complete anaerobiosis. This pattern of response, while differing from that when glucose was sole exogenous carbon source, is also consistent with the regulation of metabolism by a high and a low affinity O2 sensor. Cells from cultures in early stationary phase, before the appearance of metacyclic forms, consumed glucose at about the same rate as log phase promastigotes, but did not show a Pasteur effect. Stationary cells also consumed glycerol at the same rate as did log phase promastigotes, but consumed alanine at a much lower rate. Reduction of pO2 affected product formation from each of these substrates differently than for log phase promastigotes, demonstrating the sensitivity of several pathways of intermediary metabolism to regulation by pO2 during the transition from log to stationary phase.
Adipocytokine Changes Caused by Low-Carbohydrate Compared to Conventional Diets in Obesity

Modest weight loss causing a decrease in insulin resistance has been linked to favorable changes in the adipocyte cytokines leptin, adiponectin, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), three emerging risk factors of cardiovascular disease. We previously observed a significant reduction in insulin resistance with weight loss in obese subjects on a low-carbohydrate diet. Based on these previous findings, we hypothesize that a low-carbohydrate diet would be more beneficial in changing leptin, TNF-α, and adiponectin than a conventional diet. A total of 75 severely obese (body mass index ≥35 kg/m2) subjects were randomized to instruction of 6 months of a low-carbohydrate diet or a conventional calorie-restricted diet. Serum levels of leptin, TNF-α, TNF-α-soluble receptor 1 (TNF-α SR1), and adiponectin were measured at baseline and after 6 months of dietary intervention. Subjects on low-carbohydrate diets experienced a greater decrease in leptin when compared to conventional dieters (p < 0.001). TNF-α increased si...
Creep behavior of bisphenol E cyanate ester/alumina nanocomposites

Abstract The creep behavior of neat bisphenol E cyanate ester (BECy) and a BECy/alumina nanocomposite was studied through tensile creep testing by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The tensile creep compliance was measured at isothermal conditions between 190 and 320 °C at 10 °C intervals. The long-term creep behavior in a high-temperature environment was predicted by time–temperature superposition (TTS). In the same manner, the frequency dependent dynamic properties of neat BECy and the BECy/alumina nanocomposite were also evaluated.
Assembling polycyclic bisguanidine motifs resembling batzelladine alkaloids by double tethered Biginelli condensations.

Double tethered Biginelli condensations furnish linked polycyclic bisguanidines or bisureas. Alteration of the bis-β-ketoester component allows bispolycyclic guanidine motifs to be constructed that resemble natural batzelladine alkaloids or have novel linkages.
The radioactivity of bottom sediments in Chesapeake Bay

Very little is known of the natural radioactivity exhibited by continental-shell sediments off the eastern coast of the United States. A knowledge of the level of this activity is most important if future surveys are to utilize radiometric techniques for the solution of oceanographic problems. Activities were determined for a group of samples from selected locations in the Chesapeake Bay area. The apparatus for making these measurements is described. Results are used to show the distribution of natural radioactivity in this bay.
Diagnostic cytology in urinary tract malignancy.

Urinary cytology studies were performed on 306 patients from 1963 to 1969; 245 were suitable for critical review. Accurate diagnoses were made cytologically in 80% overall. Twenty-three per cent of all negative reports were false, and 4% of all positive reports were false. Maintenance of strict criteria of malignancy is emphasized as a means of achieving a low false-positive rate. Examination of multiple urine samples obtained by barbotage is suggested as a means for improving the false-negative rate. Selected patients with both false-positive and true-positive cytologic findings are presented in detail, including those in whom malignancy was first demonstrated by cytologic means.
Rhythmic oscillations in quantitative EEG measured during a continuous performance task

The objective of the present investigation was to determine if cyclic variations in human performance recorded during a 30 min continuous performance task would parallel cyclic variations in right-hemisphere beta-wave activity. A fast fourier transformation was performed on the quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) and the performance record of each participant (N = 62), producing an individual periodogram for each outcome measure. An average periodogram was then produced for both qEEG and performance by combining (averaging) the amplitudes associated with each periodicity in the 62 original periodograms. Periodicities ranging from 1.00 to 2.00 min and from 4.70 to 5.70 min with amplitudes greater than would be expected due to chance were retained (Smith et al. 2003). The results of the present investigation validate the existence of cyclic variations in human performance that have been identified previously (Smith et al. 2003) and extend those findings by implicating right-hemisphere mediated arousal in the process (Arruda et al. 1996, 1999, 2007). Significant cyclic variations in left-hemisphere beta-wave activity were not observed. Taken together, the findings of the present investigation support a model of sustained attention that predicts cyclic changes in human performance that are the result of cyclic changes in right-hemisphere arousal.
Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: Pseudo-Nutcracker Esophagus

Pseudoachalasia due to adenocarcinoma is well known. We report a case of nutcracker esophagus in the setting of outflow obstruction from esophageal adenocarcinoma. Endoscopy is warranted to exclude similar lesions in patients with “pseudo-nutcracker esophagus”.