cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Involvement of the ERK signaling cascade in protein kinase C-mediated cell cycle arrest in intestinal epithelial cells.

We have reported previously that protein kinase C (PKC) signaling can mediate a program of cell cycle withdrawal in IEC-18 nontransformed intestinal crypt cells, involving rapid disappearance of cyclin D1, increased expression of Cip/Kip cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, and activation of the growth suppressor function of pocket proteins (Frey, M. R., Clark, J. A., Leontieva, O., Uronis, J. M., Black, A. R., and Black, J. D. (2000) J. Cell Biol. 151, 763–777). In the current study, we present evidence to support a requisite role for PKC α in mediating these effects. Furthermore, analysis of the signaling events linking PKC/PKC α activation to changes in the cell cycle regulatory machinery implicate the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK cascade. PKC/PKC α activity promoted GTP loading of Ras, activation of Raf-1, and phosphorylation/activation of ERK. ERK activation was found to be required for critical downstream effects of PKC/PKC α activation, including cyclin D1 down-regulation, p21Waf1/Cip1 induction, and cell cycle arrest. PKC-induced ERK activation was strong and sustained relative to that produced by proliferative signals, and the growth inhibitory effects of PKC agonists were dominant over proliferative events when these opposing stimuli were administered simultaneously. PKC signaling promoted cytoplasmic and nuclear accumulation of ERK activity, whereas growth factor-induced phospho-ERK was localized only in the cytoplasm. Comparison of the effects of PKC agonists that differ in their ability to sustain PKC α activation and growth arrest in IEC-18 cells, together with the use of selective kinase inhibitors, indicated that the length of PKC-mediated cell cycle exit is dictated by the magnitude/duration of input signal (i.e. PKC α activity) and of activation of the ERK cascade. The extent/duration of phospho-ERK nuclear localization may also be important determinants of the duration of PKC agonist-induced growth arrest in this system. Taken together, the data point to PKC α and the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK cascade as key regulators of cell cycle withdrawal in intestinal epithelial cells.
Adjuvant radiation for early stage endometrial cancer with lymphovascular invasion.

Abstract Objective To determine the impact of the decrease in use of postoperative pelvic external beam radiation (EBRT) in favor of intravaginal RT (IVRT) alone in patients with early stage endometrial cancer who had lymphovascular invasion (LVI). Methods Between 11/1988 and 5/2005, 126 patients treated with simple hysterectomy and postoperative RT had a final pathologic diagnosis of stage IB–IIB adenocarcinoma of endometrioid histology with documented LVI. The patients were divided into two groups based on the era of treatment, (early era: 1988–1996, vs. late era: 1997–2005), in order to best capture the shift away from the routine use of EBRT in favor of surgical staging and IVRT. Results Of the 126 patients, 35% ( n =44) were treated in the early era and 65% ( n =82) in the late era. The two groups were balanced in regards to age, race, depth of myometrial invasion, histologic grade, and cervical involvement. Significantly more patients had surgical staging and received IVRT alone in the late than early era ( p =0.0001, 0.004, respectively). The rate of pelvic control was 93% for the early era compared to 97% for latter era ( p =0.3). There was no significant impact of the treatment era on vaginal control, disease-free survival, or overall survival. Conclusions These data suggest that the mere presence of LVI need not trigger the use of pelvic EBRT. Instead, the decision on whether to omit EBRT in patients with LVI should be made in the context of a patient's competing risk factors and comorbid conditions.
A model-based approach to the diagnosis of the cardiac arrhythmias

The cardiac arrhythmias are abnormalities of the heart beat as observed on the electrocardiogram. They are interesting to workers in medical knowledge-based systems because their full interpretation requires anatomical and temporal reasoning using causal models. This paper presents an architecture for a knowledge-based cardiac arrhythmia monitor in which model-based hypotheses are built dynamically to explain the current portion of a continuous electrocardiographic signal. Based on the hypothesize-and-test paradigm, the control algorithm selects members of a hierarchy of electrophysiologic models and adapts them to the current rhythm to form the current hypotheses. Expectations are generated for each of the current hypotheses and compared with the incoming signal. Mismatched hypotheses are discarded except in special cases relating to artifact or changes in underlying rhythm type. A prototype has been implemented to test the basic concepts of this architecture.
Spectral quality during pod development affects omega‐6 desaturase activity in soybean seed endoplasmic reticulum

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (i.e. linoleic acid [18:2], linolenic acid [18:3]) in triacylglycerols (TAG) of soybean seeds increase more during reproductive development under simulated shadelight: i.e., light with reduced blue and/or increased far-red (Britz and Cavins 1993). Elevation of 18:2 and 18:3 is matched by corresponding reduction of oleic acid (18:1), consistent with observations that total seed oil remains constant. We therefore tested the hypothesis that spectral quality affects the activity of the omega-6 and/or omega-3 desaturases involved in TAG biosynthesis. Membranes were isolated from developing soybean cotyledons 24–31 days after flowering. Separate fractions, enriched for chloroplasts and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) respectively, were obtained by sucrose gradient centrifugation and incubated in an in vitro desaturase assay system containing 14C-18:1–CoA at room temperature. Omega-6 and omega-3 desaturase activity was calculated from the rate of formation of 14C-18:2 and 14C-18:3. Radioactive 18:2 and 18:3 were recovered only from phosphatidylcholine (PC) in both ER and chloroplast membranes, consistent with membrane-bound desaturases with specificity towards PC. The specific activity of omega-6 desaturase was high in ER membranes from seeds matured under light sources that promote a canopy shade response, but was reduced in membranes from seeds matured under lamps (high blue and low far-red emission) previously shown to reduce the level of 18:2 in seed oil by 50%. Chloroplast membranes possessed both omega-6 and omega-3 desaturases. Light appeared to have little or no effect on the activity of chloroplast desaturases.
Development of an engineering approach to computations of turbulent flows in composite porous/fluid domains

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to develop an engineering approach to computations of turbulent flows in composite domains partly occupied by a clear fluid and partly by a fluid saturated porous medium. Previous research concerning turbulent flows in porous media indicates that the effect of porous media is to dampen turbulence. Therefore, in porous/fluid domains the penetration depth of turbulent eddies into the porous region is expected to be small. The authors suggest assuming that the flow over the whole porous region remains laminar and matching turbulent flow solution in the clear fluid region with the laminar flow solution in the turbulent flow region. Although the flow in the porous region is assumed to be laminar, linear Darcy or Brinkman–Darcy models cannot be utilized to describe momentum transport in the porous region because of large filtration velocity. The momentum transport model in the porous layer utilized in this research is based on the Brinkman–Forchheimer-extended Darcy equation, which allows the accounting for deviation from linearity and also allows a smooth matching of the filtration velocity at the porous/fluid interface. Because of the large filtration velocity in the porous region, the energy equation in the porous region also accounts for the thermal dispersion effects.
Using a local Web browser as a multimedia platform for lecture and presentation support

As an alternative to commercial multimedia systems, lecturers may wish to consider using a Web browser for multimedia classroom presentations. Many Web browsers, including Netscape and Mosaic, can be configured for use in a “local mode” (i.e., without an active connection to the Internet). In this local mode, files, graphics, audio, and video can be accessed directly from the hard disk of the instructor’s computer. By using a laptop computer, an LCD panel, and an overhead projector, an instructor can present a classroom multimedia presentation that can also be published on the Web.
Improvement of hemiplegic gait with single channel surface stimulation

A study was undertaken to explore the patterns of abnormal motor control in a sample of chronic hemiplegic subjects and to relate these to response to stimulation. Six of the 16 hemiplegic subjects studied had tibialis anterior activation modulation within the normal range, whereas none of the patients studied had normal calf activity. Patients who are unable to activate their calf during push-off may benefit from using calf stimulation in addition to, or instead of, stimulation of the common peroneal nerve during swing phase. If, as seems possible, stimulation causes inhibition of the antagonist muscles through the Ia interneurones then patients who experience premature calf activation may benefit from an extension of stimulation period into the early stance phase and patients who experience coactivation of the calf and anterior tibial muscles during swing phase should respond particularly well to common peroneal stimulation during this period. Timing of stimulation and selection of appropriate groups of muscles may improve the response to stimulation during walking. Until all subjects have completed the study, i.e. used the stimulator for three months, it will not be possible to know whether categories of abnormal muscle activation patterns can be used to predict response to stimulation. (3 pages)
Recent minimum wage increases and the minimum wage labor force

Recently Whaples (1996) reported that most labor economists believe that minimum wage laws decrease employment. Despite this, policy makers have continued to periodically raise the minimum, with the most recent increases occurring in October 1996 and September 1997. The various analyses done by Card, Katz, and Krueger, that showed little to no employment effect of past minimum wage increases, have provided additional ammunition for those who would seek further increases. However, using the estimates of Williams and Mills (1998), we demonstrate that the latest minimum wage increases substantially decreased employment for both sexes. We believe that future increases will do likewise.
Biodistribution of Quantum Dot Nanoparticles in Perfused Skin: Evidence of Coating Dependency and Periodicity in Arterial Extraction

Arterial extraction of quantum dots (QD) assayed by fluorescence or inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectrometry were studied after infusion into isolated perfused skin. Extraction was mathematically modeled using three linear differential equations. COOH-coated QD had greater tissue deposition, assessed both by model prediction and laser confocal scanning microscopy, than did QD-PEG. Both QD had a unique periodicity in arterial extraction never observed with drug infusions, suggesting a potentially important nanomaterial behavior that could affect systemic disposition.
V. Electronic energy and relativity

(1921). V. Electronic energy and relativity. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 41, No. 241, pp. 96-106.
A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the Technique of Laser-Intermodulated Fluorescence for Scattering Correction in Atomic Fluorescence Flame Spectrometry:

A theoretical derivation is presented of the signal obtained with the technique of intermodulated atomic fluorescence spectroscopy. One laser beam, tuned at a selected atomic transition, is divided into two beams which are then amplitude-modulated at different frequencies and recombined in a flame containing the vapor of the element investigated. The fluorescence signal at the sum or difference frequency is measured. The derivation is given for both square-wave and sinusoidal modulation. It is shown that the intermodulated fluorescence amplitude depends upon the square of the laser spectral irradiance at low powers and reaches a plateau at high irradiances, but only in the case of square-wave modulation. For sinusoidal modulation, a maximum is reached followed by a roll-off at high irradiances. The theoretical predictions are verified experimentally with a square-wave-modulated cw dye laser for the case of sodium resonance fluorescence in an oxygen-argon-hydrogen flame. The scatter signal has no intermodulation component. Finally, it is shown that when the modulation waveform is not square wave, scattering correction can also be achieved with a single-beam excitation scheme.
Elementary School Students' Perceptions of Overweight Peers

Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. Children who are overweight tend to participate in fewer activities, to withdraw from social situations, and to be less physically active than their normal-weight peers. Additionally, they have lower self-image and often suffer from depression. Research on children's perceptions of overweight peers has been sparse, with the few completed studies tending to focus on adolescents. In the current study, participants were asked to listen to four stories, two involving females and two involving males. Following each story, the children were presented with obese and nonobese target pictures and asked to match the two gender-specific pictures of children with the “nice” and “mean” characters from the story. Results show an overall main effect, indicating that the number of “nice” responses given to nonobese target figures was significantly greater than the number given to obese target figures. No gender effects were observed.
Cluster Computing for Determining Three-Dimensional Protein Structure

Determining the three-dimensional structure of proteins is crucial to efficient drug design and understanding biological processes. One successful method for computing the molecule's shape relies on inter-atomic distance bounds provided by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. The accuracy of computed structures as well as the time required to obtain them are greatly improved if the gaps between the upper and lower distance-bounds are reduced. These gaps are reduced most effectively by applying the tetrangle inequality, derived from the Cayley-Menger determinant, to all atom-quadruples. However, tetrangle-inequality bound-smoothing is an extremely computation intensive task, requiring O(n4) time for an n-atom molecule. To reduce computation time, we propose a novel coarse-grained parallel algorithm intended for a Beowulf-type cluster of PCs. The algorithm employs p ? n/6 processors and requires O(n4/p) time and O(p2) communications, where n is the number of atoms in a molecule. The number of communications is at least an order of magnitude lower than in the earlier parallelizations. Our implementation utilized processors with at least 59% efficiency (including the communication overhead)--an impressive figure for a non-embarrassingly parallel problem on a cluster of workstations.
Reversed-phase gradient high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for simultaneous analysis of very polar to nonpolar retinoids, carotenoids and tocopherols in animal and plant samples

A reversed-phase gradient high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure, which utilizes gradient elution and detection by a photodiode-array detector, has been developed to analyze simultaneously very polar retinoids, such as 4-oxo-retinoyl-beta-glucuronide, retinoyl beta-glucuronide and 4-oxo-retinoic acid; polar retinoids, such as retinoic acid and retinol; nonpolar retinoids, such as retinyl esters; along with xanthophylls, monohydroxy carotenoids, hydrocarbon carotenoids, and tocopherols. The procedure has been applied to the simultaneous analysis of retinoids, carotenoids, and tocopherols present in human serum and liver, rat serum and tissues, and for carotenoids in a number of fruits and vegetables. Bilirubin present in human serum can also be simultaneously analyzed. By this gradient HPLC procedure, 3.4-didehydroretinyl ester (vitamin A2 ester) has been identified as a minor constituent in a human liver sample. Lycopene was identified as a major carotenoid in one specimen of papaya fruit, and 5,6,5',6'-diepoxy-beta-carotene was characterized as a major carotenoid in one specimen of mango fruit.
The Clone Wars – Revenge of the Metastatic Rogue State: The Sarcoma Paradigm

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common bone tumor affecting primarily adolescents and young adults. Despite recent advances in biological understanding, intensification of chemotherapeutic treatments, and progress in local control with surgery and/or radiation therapy, patients with metastatic or recurrent ES continue to have a dismal prognosis with less than 20% overall survival. All ES likely is metastatic at diagnosis although our methods of detection and classification may not account for this. Progressive disease may arise via a combination of: 1) selection of chemotherapy-resistant clones, 2) signaling from bone or lung microenvironments that may attract tumor cells to distant locations, and/or 3) genetic changes within the ES cells themselves due to a combination of therapy-related selection and DNA-damaging chemotherapeutic agents. These possibilities and the evidence base to support them are explored.
Effects of the phytoestrogen genistein on the porcine anterior pituitary insulin-like growth factor system.

Estrogens have profound effects on the serum and anterior pituitary (AP) insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system in pigs. In this study we determined whether administration of the phytoestrogen genistein increased serum and AP concentrations of IGF-I and relative amounts of serum and AP insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGFBP). Twenty barrows of similar age (190 d) and weight (110 kg) were stratified by litter into one of four treatments: controls (C), estradiol (E), 200 mg genistein (G200), and 400 mg genistein (G400). Estradiol-treated pigs were injected daily with 2 mg of estradiol-17β intramuscularly (i.m.), whereas the G200 and G400 groups were injected daily with either 200 or 400 mg of genistein i.m., respectively, beginning on d 0 and continuing through d 15. Blood was collected on d 0, 3, 6, 9, and 13. Blood and AP were collected at slaughter on d 16. Serum and AP concentrations of IGF-I and luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined by radioimmunoassay. Relative amounts of serum IGFBP were determined by Western ligand blot analysis. Relative expression of AP IGF-I, IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR), gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor, and LHβ subunit was determined by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Anterior pituitary concentrations of IGF-I were greater (P > 0.05) in E and G400 pigs compared with controls, whereas AP concentrations of LH were greater (P 0.05) in serum concentrations of IGF-I or relative amounts of serum and AP IGFBP among treatments. These data provide evidence that genistein is capable of modulating components of the AP IGF system that could affect the synthesis and release of LH.
The Iran-Iraq war: The political implications: Introduction

(1987). The Iran-Iraq war: The political implications: Introduction. The Adelphi Papers: Vol. 27, The Iran‐Iraq War: The Political Implications, pp. 3-4.
Organization capable intelligent sensors

Sensors are used to monitor and interpret many different environments and phenomena. The capability of a sensor array or network is constrained first by the sensors included and secondly by how the sensors are allowed to communicate and cooperatively work together. In this paper, we show how the combination of sensors, with embedded intelligent capability, and multiagent organization systems are integrated to create a highly adaptive, scalable and viable architecture to interpret task domains, typically monitored by a lower-functioning sensor network.
Deep levels in as‐grown and Si‐implanted In0.2Ga0.8As–GaAs strained‐layer superlattice optical guiding structures

Trap levels in about 2-micron In(0.2)Ga(0.8)As(94 A)/GaAs(25 A) strained-layer superlattices, suitable for optical waveguides, have been identified and characterized by deep-level transient spectroscopy and optical deep-level transient spectroscopy measurements. Several dominant electron and hole traps with concentrations of approximately 10 to the 14th/cu cm, and thermal ionization energies Delta-E(T) varying from 0.20 to 0.75 eV have been detected. Except for a 0.20-eV electron trap, which might be present in the In(0.2)Ga(0.8)As well regions, all the other traps have characteristics similar to those identified in molecular-beam epitaxial GaAs. Of these, a 0.42-eV hole trap is believed to originate from Cu impurities, and the others are probably related to native defects. Upon Si implantation and halogen lamp annealing, new deep centers are created. These are electron traps with Delta-E(T) = 0.81 eV and hole traps with Delta-E(T) = 0.46 eV. Traps occurring at room temperature may present limitations for optical devices.
Computer-based screening of compound databases for the identification of novel leads

In the increasingly competitive pharmaceutical industry, novel targets and mechanisms of action are being investigated in the search for the high-quality drugs required by patients and regulatory authorities. As a result of this move towards novel targets, the initial stage of drug discovery, finding a lead structure, becomes increasingly difficult. Computer-based screening is gaining recognition as a key tool for this part of the drug discovery process. A symbiosis of computational analysis and high-speed synthesis offers exciting potential for the future.
The Role of Workers in Management: The Case of Mondragón

Independent of whatever other advantages it might have for the workers, worker ownership has repeatedly demonstrated in the real world that it is no guarantee for worker participation in management...
Approximate pattern matching in a pattern database system

Abstract This work is concerned with the organization of a large database of binary pictures (normalized for size, rotation and position) and with the efficient “inexact match” of an input pattern against the whole database. Current techniques in pattern analysis use matching algorithms without any regard to the global organization of the storage representations of the models they are to match. Consequently, the algorithms are only practical for small databases. This paper discusses the design of a pattern database system and the economy that it provides for the matching problem. The database organization is based on the quad-tree representation of binary patterns. Given an arbitrary decomposition D (or partition) of a pattern P and an arbitrary function f on the pattern, we repeatedly apply f on D(P), D(D(P))P, … to obtain higher and higher levels of abstraction f(D)(P)), f(D(D(P))), … of the pattern. The computed values obtained after the jth application of f are used to label the ith level of the pyramid. The specific representation used in this paper is called the sum-quad-tree, in which each level of the tree stores the sum of the labels of its sons. The lowest level of the sum-quad-tree corresponds to the individual pixels and is the nth level (i.e. node m at level n implies v(m) = 0 or v(m) = 1). Nodes at the jth level of the sum-quad-tree correspond to sums of 2n−j × 2n−j picture points, so that the 0th level contains the number of 1's in the pattern. The pyramid representation is used as a hierarchical (n-level) indexing scheme of the database. The advantage of this organization is that the matching algorithms presented reject most of the patterns in the database by utilizing the relatively small in size index tables and thus avoid the overhead of unnecessary CPU time and I O operation between main memory and secondary storage.
Statistical inference for multiple choice tests

Finite sample inference procedures are considered for analyzing the observed scores on a multiple choice test with several items, where, for example, the items are dissimilar, or the item responses are correlated. A discrete p-parameter exponential family model leads to a generalized linear model framework and, in a special case, a convenient regression of true score upon observed score. Techniques based upon the likelihood function, Akaike's information criteria (AIC), an approximate Bayesian marginalization procedure based on conditional maximization (BCM), and simulations for exact posterior densities (importance sampling) are used to facilitate finite sample investigations of the average true score, individual true scores, and various probabilities of interest. A simulation study suggests that, when the examinees come from two different populations, the exponential family can adequately generalize Duncan's beta-binomial model. Extensions to regression models, the classical test theory model, and empirical Bayes estimation problems are mentioned. The Duncan, Keats, and Matsumura data sets are used to illustrate potential advantages and flexibility of the exponential family model, and the BCM technique.
Structural characterization of plasma metabolites detected via LC-electrochemical coulometric array using LC-UV fractionation, MS, and NMR.

Liquid chromatography (LC) separation combined with electrochemical coulometric array detection (EC) is a sensitive, reproducible, and robust technique that can detect hundreds of redox-active metabolites down to the level of femtograms on column, making it ideal for metabolomics profiling. EC detection cannot, however, structurally characterize unknown metabolites that comprise these profiles. Several aspects of LC-EC methods prevent a direct transfer to other structurally informative analytical methods, such as LC-MS and NMR. These include system limits of detection, buffer requirements, and detection mechanisms. To address these limitations, we developed a workflow based on the concentration of plasma, metabolite extraction, and offline LC-UV fractionation. Pooled human plasma was used to provide sufficient material necessary for multiple sample concentrations and platform analyses. Offline parallel LC-EC and LC-MS methods were established that correlated standard metabolites between the LC-EC profilin...
FURTHER STUDY OF INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF AMPHETAMINE AND FOOD DEPRIVATION.

64 male Holtzman rats were randomly assigned to 16 independent amphetamine and food deprivation conditions to determine the interaction effects of the conditions on food consumption and contact time with the food dish. The results demonstrated a significant interaction effect of amphetamine and food deprivation on food consumption (p < .05) and on contact time (p < .01). The results were discussed in relation to previous findings of such an interaction effect, and it was concluded that the phenomenon demonstrates a considerable amount of generality.
Abstract B156: An epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) gene expression signature predicts resistance to PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Epithelial/mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with loss of cell adhesion molecules such as E-cadherin and increased invasion, migration, and proliferation in epithelial cancers. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), EMT is associated with greater resistance to EGFR inhibitors. However, its potential to predict response to other targeted drugs or chemotherapy has not been well characterized. Using a previously-derived EMT gene signature, we tested the association between EMT and drug response in a panel of >50 NSCLC cell lines. Materials/Methods: NSCLC cell lines were classified as epithelial or mesenchymal by a previously described 76-gene EMT gene expression signature. IC50s for more than 30 drugs or drug combinations were determined by MTS assay. Differences in IC50 between epithelial and mesenchymal lines were assessed by t-test (p-values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant). Results: As expected, EGFR mutated cell lines were classified by the EMT signature as epithelial and were highly sensitive to EGFR inhibition by erlotinib. Among wild-type EGFR cell lines, those that had undergone EMT were significantly more resistance to erlotinib (p=0.029). NSCLC cell lines with mesenchymal signatures were also more resistant to drugs targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway such as GDC0941 (p=0.037) and 8-amino-adenosine (p=0.009). A trend towards greater resistance was also seen in mesenchymal cells treated with the Akt inhibitor MK2206 (p=0.12). There was no association between EMT and response to cytotoxic chemotherapies, including cisplatin, carboplatin, gemcitabine, pemetrexed, docetaxel, paclitaxel, and platinum-doublets (p-values ≥0.2). Conclusion: EMT is associated with greater resistance to PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitors and may be a useful predictive marker for patients treated with these drugs. The EMT signature is being investigated prospectively in patients treated with an Akt inhibitor in an ongoing clinical trial. Supported in part by the NIH Lung Cancer SPORE grant P50 CA70907. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2011 Nov 12-16; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2011;10(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B156.
Ewing sarcoma‐family tumors that arise after treatment of primary childhood cancer

BACKGROUND Unlike osteosarcoma, the Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) has rarely been reported as secondary malignant neoplasms after treatment of childhood cancer. ESFT arising as a second cancer was reviewed and characterized at our childhood cancer center. METHODS A retrospective review was undertaken of 11,183 patients age <21 years who were treated for a primary cancer between March 1962 and December 2003 at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. All cases of ESFT were confirmed to have a rearranged EWS gene. RESULTS Six cases of ESFT (1.3% of 479 second cancers) were identified in patients previously treated for lymphoma (n = 3), leukemia (n = 1), retinoblastoma (n = 1), or Wilms tumor (n = 1). None of these patients had a family history suggestive of a familial cancer syndrome. The median time between diagnosis of primary cancer and diagnosis of ESFT was 5.9 years (range, 3.1-18.3 years). ESFT occurred in typical anatomic locations: rib (n = 2), chest wall soft tissues (n = 2), pelvis (n = 1), and extremity (n = 1). One tumor arose at the margin of a previous radiotherapy field and 1 arose distant from previous radiotherapy fields; all other patients had not received radiotherapy. Three patients are alive at the time of this report, including 2 whose ESFT was diagnosed more than 8 years ago. CONCLUSIONS ESFT occurs rarely after treatment of a primary cancer during childhood, and most cases do not appear to be related to radiation therapy. Long-term survival can be achieved in some patients, and therefore secondary ESFT should be treated with curative intent. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Item reliability based on a paucity of item failures

When item reliability is high, lot acceptance sampling is likely to uncover no defective units. Nevertheless, the reliability lower confidence limits are often disappointing. The use of a Bayesian procedure with certain beta priors produces tighter confidence limits. The case where one observed defective is permitted in accepting a lot is also examined. Numerical results for both cases are presented. In addition, the impact of item misclassification is addressed.
Mortality, morbidity, and cost associated with febrile neutropenia in adult cancer patients.

BACKGROUND Hospitalization for febrile neutropenia (FN) in cancer patients is associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and cost. The study was undertaken to better define mortality, length of stay (LOS), cost, and risk factors associated with mortality and prolonged hospitalization in cancer patients with FN. METHODS The longitudinal discharge database derived from 115 US medical centers was used to study all adult cancer patients hospitalized with FN between 1995 and 2000, comprising a total of 41,779 patients. Primary outcomes included mortality, LOS, and cost per episode. RESULTS Overall, in-hospital mortality was 9.5%. Patients without any major comorbidities had a 2.6% risk of mortality, whereas 1 major comorbidity was associated with a 10.3% and more than 1 major comorbidity with a ≥21.4% risk of mortality, respectively. Mean (median) length of stay was 11.5 (6) days, and the mean (median) cost was $19,110 ($8,376) per episode of FN. Patients hospitalized for ≥10 days (35% of all patients) accounted for 78% of overall cost. Independent major risk factors for inpatient mortality included invasive fungal infections, Gram-negative sepsis, pneumonia and other lung disease, cerebrovascular, renal, and liver disease. Main predictors for LOS ≥10 days included leukemia, invasive fungal infections, other types of infection, and several comorbid conditions. CONCLUSION Factors associated with increased mortality, LOS, and cost in hospitalized adult cancer patients with FN include patient characteristics, type of malignancy, comorbidities, and infectious complications. These factors may be useful in identifying patients at increased risk of serious medical complications and mortality for more aggressive supportive care measures. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Induced by Senescent Fibroblasts

Depending on the cell type and tissue environment, epithelial and mesenchymal cell phenotypes are not static and can be highly dynamic. Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) and reverse EMTs provide flexibility during embryogenesis. While EMTs are a critical normal process during development and wound healing, properties of the EMT have been implicated in human pathology, particularly cancer metastasis. A normal undamaged epithelium does not typically exhibit features of an EMT. However, particularly under the influence of the surrounding microenvironment, cancer cells may reactivate developmental phenotypes out of context in the adult. This reactivation, such as the EMT, can facilitate tumor cell invasion and metastasis, and therefore is a major mechanism of tumor progression. Conversely, cellular senescence, which is associated with aging, is a process by which cells enter a state of permanent cell cycle arrest, thereby constituting a potent tumor suppressive mechanism. However, accumulating evidence shows that senescent cells can have deleterious effects on the tissue microenvironment. The most significant of these effects is the acquisition of a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that turns senescent fibroblasts into pro-inflammatory cells having the ability to promote tumor progression, in part by inducing an EMT in nearby epithelial cells. Here, we summarize the potential impacts of SASP factors, particularly interleukins, on tissue microenvironments and their ability to stimulate tumor progression through induction of an EMT.
Phase-sensitive three-wave mixing for imaging resolution improvement

Phase-sensitive three-wave mixing operated in the deamplification mode can produce angular phase amplification for multimode beams. A detailed analysis of this scheme indicates that super-Rayleigh imaging resolution is expected.
Peromyscus boylii (Bush mouse)

The X chromosome is slightly smaller than the large subtelocentric autosomal pair, but its short arm is slightly longer than that of the autosomes. The morphology of the Y chromosome is unique. Identification of both the X and the Y is unequivocal.
Where You Live Matters: Quality and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Schizophrenia Care in Four State Medicaid Programs.

Objective To determine whether (a) quality in schizophrenia care varies by race/ethnicity and over time and (b) these patterns differ across counties within states. Data Sources Medicaid claims data from California, Florida, New York, and North Carolina during 2002–2008. Study Design We studied black, Latino, and white Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia. Hierarchical regression models, by state, quantified person and county effects of race/ethnicity and year on a composite quality measure, adjusting for person-level characteristics. Principal Findings Overall, our cohort included 164,014 person-years (41–61 percent non-whites), corresponding to 98,400 beneficiaries. Relative to whites, quality was lower for blacks in every state and also lower for Latinos except in North Carolina. Temporal improvements were observed in California and North Carolina only. Within each state, counties differed in quality and disparities. Between-county variation in the black disparity was larger than between-county variation in the Latino disparity in California, and smaller in North Carolina; Latino disparities did not vary by county in Florida. In every state, counties differed in annual changes in quality; by 2008, no county had narrowed the initial disparities. Conclusions For Medicaid beneficiaries living in the same state, quality and disparities in schizophrenia care are influenced by county of residence for reasons beyond patients’ characteristics.
Universals, Necessities, and Social Contexts

Elbers does an excellent job of integrating, analyzing, and extending recent theoretical and empirical work concerning the relation of learning and development. The purpose of this commentary is to challenge Elbers to address the difficult question of universal sequences in human development. In order to focus the issue, a specific sequence in the development of logical reasoning is proposed.
An Activity to Teach Students About Schematic Processing

We designed a classroom activity to foster students' understanding of what schemas are and how they function. We used a video of the instructor as an infant to illustrate how schemas influence gender stereotyping. Before the video, we told students that the baby was either a boy or a girl. After the video, students rated whether the baby would grow up to possess stereotypically male or female traits. Students in the video condition displayed a greater increase in schema knowledge than a control group that did not watch the video. Students also evaluated the activity favorably. We suggest other possible variations of this activity.
Transistor level budgeting for power optimization

We present an optimal budget distribution method for low power circuit design using transistor sizing. The algorithm distributes the available budget inside the functional unit by efficient traversal of the Series Parallel Graph representation. The technique can be efficiently applied at different abstraction levels of the design as well as toward other optimization goals (such as area optimization). The complexity is O(n) in terms of the number of transistors in the circuit. Incorporating our method in the design flow yields significant improvements in power consumption. Experiments on circuits extracted from MCNC91 benchmark suite have revealed improvements up to 59% in average power and 65% in maximum power dissipation compared to an alternative budget distribution algorithm.
The time domain Green's function and propagator for Maxwell's equations

The free space time domain propagator and corresponding dyadic Green's function for Maxwell's differential equations are derived in one-, two-, and three-dimensions using the propagator method. The propagator method reveals terms that contribute in the source region, which to our knowledge have not been previously reported in the literature. It is shown that these terms are necessary to satisfy the initial condition, that the convolution of the Green's function with the field must identically approach the initial field as the time interval approaches zero. It is also shown that without these terms, Huygen's principle cannot be satisfied. To illustrate the value of this Green's function two analytical examples are presented, that of a propagating plane wave and of a radiating point source. An accurate propagator is the key element in the time domain path integral formulation for the electromagnetic field.
Effects of training on computer-mediated communication in single or mixed gender small task groups

Abstract Previous studies by the current authors have indicated that group gender composition can be linked to particular communication styles in small task groups involved in computer-mediated communication. Female only groups were more likely to engage in a pattern that emphasized self-disclosure, statements of personal opinion, “I” statements and coalition language. This “High Communication Style”(HCS) was linked to high group satisfaction, and high group development. The present study attempts to train small task groups in the use of HCS. Experimental groups (Female Only, Male Only, and Mixed) were actively trained in computer-mediated communication and the use of the HCS style. The Control Groups of similar composition were actively trained in the use of e-mail etiquette guidelines that focused on using or avoiding specific formats in their messages. Results indicated that the Experimental Groups had significantly higher levels of self-disclosure and of opinion. Male Only groups showed significantly lower participation than did either Mixed or Female Only groups. Female Only groups scored higher in Group Development than either Mixed or Male Only groups. Contrary to previous studies, however, there were no significant relationships between group development or satisfaction and language content variables. The authors call for further research in the area of communication training for on-line task groups.
Hierarchical source routing using implied costs

Abstract Based on a loss network model, we present an adaptive source routing scheme for a large, hierarchically organized network. To represent the “available” capacity of a peer group (subnetwork), we compute the average implied cost to go through or into the peer group. Such implied costs reflect the congestion in the peer group as well as the interdependencies among traffic streams in the network. We prove that both a synchronous and asynchronous distributed computation of the implied costs will converge to a unique solution under a light load condition. Furthermore, we present a more aggressive averaging mechanism that, with sufficient damping, will converge to a unique solution under any traffic conditions. One of the key features of this paper is an attempt to quantify routing “errors” due to inaccuracies caused by aggregation. In fact, our experimental results show that these approximations are reasonably accurate and our scheme is able to appropriately route high level flows while significantly reducing complexity. In addition, we show how on-line measurements and multiservice extensions can be incorporated into the routing algorithm.
Capacity of Compound MIMO Gaussian Channels With Additive Uncertainty

This paper considers reliable communications over a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) Gaussian channel, where the channel matrix is within a bounded channel uncertainty region around a nominal channel matrix, i.e., an instance of the compound MIMO Gaussian channel. We study the optimal transmit covariance matrix design to achieve the capacity of compound MIMO Gaussian channels, where the channel uncertainty region is characterized by the spectral norm. This design problem is a challenging nonconvex optimization problem. However, in this paper, we reveal that this problem has a hidden convexity property, which can be exploited to map the problem into a convex optimization problem. We first prove that the optimal transmit design is to diagonalize the nominal channel, and then show that the duality gap between the capacity of the compound MIMO Gaussian channel and the min-max channel capacity is zero, which proves and generalizes a conjecture of Loyka and Charalambous. The key tools for showing these results are a new matrix determinant inequality and some unitarily invariant properties.
Penetration and Dispersion of Transient Gas Jets and Sprays

Abstract Results from numerical computations performed to represent the transient behavior of axisymmetric non-vaporizing and vaporizing sprays injected into a constant volume chamber are presented. These results are compared with those from vaporizing spray experiments where, for the same mass and momentum flow rates, the effect of chamber density on spray penetration and dispersion angle was studied. It is shown that with the practical numerical resolution employed here, which appears to be inadequate, the results do not agree. Higher resolution is impractical from a numerical point of view for sprays. Hence, the present work further explores whether gas jets, which may be computed with a high resolution, are comparable to the sprays in terms of penetration and dispersion angle. For each gas jet computation, the injected mass and momentum flow rates and the chamber density in the corresponding gas jet computations are maintained the same as those in the spray experiments. Comparisons show that the gas j...
Spectral Emittance of Ceramic‐Coated and Uncoated Specimens of Inconel and Stainless Steel

The normal spectral emittance of Inconel and type 321 stainless steel specimens with six different surface treatments, including application of National Bureau of Standards ceramic coatings A418 and N-143, was determined at 900°, 1200°, 1500°, and 1800°F. over the wave-length range 1.5 to 15 μ. The specimens with different surface treatments had markedly different spectral emittance curves. The bare polished specimens had the lowest spectral emittarce at all wave lengths, and the specimens coated with A–418 had the highest spectral emittarce over most of the range 5 to 15 μ. The spectral emittance of all specimens increased with temperature at all wave lengths.
Psychotria apdavisiana sp. nov. (Rubiaceae), a remarkable calciphile from the southern karst of Papua New Guinea

Psychotria apdavisiana is described from remote environments in Papua New Guinea's Southern Escarpment. The calciphilous species is the latest addition to an expanding conspectus of discoveries from the limestone biome.
Lipid Membranes in Poxvirus Replication

Poxviruses replicate in the cytoplasm, where they acquire multiple lipoprotein membranes. Although a proposal that the initial membrane arises de novo has not been substantiated, there is no accepted explanation for its formation from cellular membranes. A subsequent membrane-wrapping step involving modified trans-Golgi or endosomal cisternae results in a particle with three membranes. These wrapped virions traverse the cytoplasm on microtubules; the outermost membrane is lost during exocytosis, the middle one is lost just prior to cell entry, and the remaining membrane fuses with the cell to allow the virus core to enter the cytoplasm and initiate a new infection.