cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical Knowledge as a Social Product: Rights, Risks, and Responsibilities

Let me sketch the program of this paper at the outset. I will begin with some scene setting: a brief account of the crisis in medicine. Then I will pose a problem: the need for a theoretical model of medicine in terms of which to approach the crisis. I will go on to analyze the problem in terms of some of the fundamental concepts involved in the construction of the theoretical model — specifically, the nature of medical knowledge, and the rights, risks and responsibilities which are involved in its acquisition, possession, and use. Finally, I will suggest the direction of a resolution of the crisis, in terms of the theoretical model. In effect, I am offering a foray into some conceptual philosophical muddles which characterize the systematic thought concerning these questions.
Compositional Reasoning in Early Childhood

Compositional "language of thought" models have recently been proposed to account for a wide range of children's conceptual and linguistic learning. The present work aims to evaluate one of the most basic assumptions of these models: children should have an ability to represent and compose functions. We show that 3.5-4.5 year olds are able to predictively compose two novel functions at significantly above chance levels, even without any explicit training or feedback on the composition itself. We take this as evidence that children at this age possess some capacity for compositionality, consistent with models that make this ability explicit, and providing an empirical challenge to those that do not.
Chemical analysis of semiconductor devices using TEM energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS)

In this paper, we discussed the challenges of chemical analysis using TEM energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron-energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) for semiconductor devices. In the first case study, we showed that EDS peak overlapping and Bremsstrahlung background may cause false “signals” during defect element analysis. The problem can be solved using the EDS full quantification analysis instead of the conventional raw intensity integration method. In the second example, we described how to enhance the contrast of defect mapping using EELS spectrum imaging or jump ratio method. In the third example, EELS oxygen K-edge chemical shift and energy-loss near edge structure (ELNES) were used to characterize oxidized Ta thin film deposited on SiO 2 . In this case, EDS technique failed because of poor energy resolution and electron beam spreading effect. In the last case, plasmons in the EELS low-loss region were used to identify different nickel silicide phases in a thin film. Other techniques such as selected area diffraction (SAD) and nano-beam diffraction (NBD) are limited by the area-selection aperture size or specimen tilting. It is also shown that non-linear least square Gaussian fitting can be used to resolve the spectrum recorded at the interface.
FUNCTIONS OF BOUNDED VARIATION AND FREE DISCONTINUITY PROBLEMS (Oxford Mathematical Monographs)

By Luigi Ambrosio, Nicolo Fucso and Diego Pallara: 434 pp., £55.00, isbn 0-19-850254-1 (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 2000).
UPF1 helicase promotes TSN-mediated miRNA decay

While microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the vast majority of protein-encoding transcripts, little is known about how miRNAs themselves are degraded. We recently described Tudor-staphylococcal/micrococcal-like nuclease (TSN)-mediated miRNA decay (TumiD) as a cellular pathway in which the nuclease TSN promotes the decay of miRNAs that contain CA and/or UA dinucleotides. While TSN-mediated degradation of either protein-free or AGO2-loaded miRNAs does not require the ATP-dependent RNA helicase UPF1 in vitro, we report here that cellular TumiD requires UPF1. Results from experiments using AGO2-loaded miRNAs in duplex with target mRNAs indicate that UPF1 can dissociate miRNAs from their mRNA targets, making the miRNAs susceptible to TumiD. miR-seq (deep sequencing of miRNAs) data reveal that the degradation of ∼50% of candidate TumiD targets in T24 human urinary bladder cancer cells is augmented by UPF1. We illustrate the physiological relevance by demonstrating that UPF1-augmented TumiD promotes the invasion of T24 cells in part by degrading anti-invasive miRNAs so as to up-regulate the expression of proinvasive proteins.
Perceptions on residential environments for urban low-income elderly homeowners aging in place

ABSTRACTWith a qualitative phenomenological approach, residential environment (neighborhood and city) perceptions were explored for urban low-income elderly homeowners who were aging in place. In-depth interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with 30 urban low-income elderly homeowners, and content analysis was employed. Results showed that low-income aging homeowners were most likely to like their neighborhood because of neighbors’ helping each other, a friendly/nice neighbor (hood), quiet environment, or privacy. They were most likely to dislike their neighborhood if it was an unfriendly neighborhood, noisy, lacking safety or maintenance. Friendliness levels were responses for both the most and least favored attribute for the neighborhood. In terms of their city features, low-income aging homeowners liked conveniences within the city (i.e., easy access to retail or service facilities) and the feeling of a hometown, but also disliked city features such as crime, lack of safety, or no friendshi...
Microfluidics-Assisted Synthesis of Cross-Linked Colloidosomes with Multisensitive Behaviors: A Potential Platform for Photo Memory Device and Blue-Light-Triggered Release Vehicle

Uniformly sized and cross-linked colloidosomes were prepared via microfluidic emulsification combined with a post-cross-linking reaction between NH2/ruthenium dual-functionalized microgels and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-r-(N-acryloxysuccinimide)-based polymers. When mixed with catalyst-free Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction substrates, the colloidosomes first experienced decrease in size and then exhibited mechanical oscillations. In addition, the colloidosome behavior can be regulated using different types of light, which then displayed reversible deswelling/swelling cycles under alternating white light on/off stimuli, but only expanded and even ruptured under the stimulus of continuous blue light illumination. These multisensitive colloidosomes could be potentially applied in the fields of photo memory devices and blue light-triggered release vehicles.
Chapter 23 The Madison Headwaters Elk Herd: Transitioning from Bottom–Up Regulation to Top–Down Limitation

Theme Predator–prey dynamics encompass an intriguing body of ecological processes that is embedded in all biological communities because virtually every organism is predator, prey, or both. The influence of predators on their prey populations is an active area of research, with the “bottom–up” perspective suggesting predators are controlled by ecological processes flowing from the bottom of the food web up the trophic chain. The “top–down” perspective suggests that predators structure communities by controlling the abundance and distribution of their prey populations with consequences cascading down the trophic chain. Understanding the concurrent, relative influences of bottom–up and top–down processes in wolf–ungulate systems is important for effective management and conservation of these large mammal communities in the diversity of landscapes where they exist or are being restored. However, insights into the dynamics underlying most wolf–ungulate systems have typically been confounded by human harvests of ungulates, wolves, or both. The historic debate concerning ungulate overabundance in Yellowstone National Park and the recent reintroduction of wolves into the system ∼70 years after their extirpation provided an opportunity to evaluate the potential of large predators to structure ecological communities. The Madison headwaters elk herd remains within the park and is not subjected to human harvest. Demographic studies prior to wolf restoration clearly indicated that this population was food limited and strongly regulated by bottom–up processes ( Chapter 11 by Garrott et al. , this volume). In this chapter, we describe the changes in vital rates and population dynamics of the elk population as wolves recolonized and eventually completely reoccupied the study system.
Young's modulus and thermal expansion of tensioned graphene membranes

Tensioned graphene membranes are of interest both for fundamental physics and for applications ranging from water filtration to nanomechanical resonators. It is generally assumed that these membranes have a stretching modulus of about 340 N/m and a negative, temperature-independent thermal expansion coefficient due to transverse phonon modes. In this paper, we study the two-dimensional Young's modulus and thermal expansion of graphene as functions of temperature by using laser interferometry to detect the static displacement of the membrane in a cryostat. Surprisingly, we find that the modulus decreases strongly with increasing temperature, which leads to a positive temperature-dependent thermal expansion coefficient. We show that the thermally rippled membrane theory is not consistent with our data, while the effects of surface contaminants typically present on these membranes may explain the observed behavior. Our experiments undermine long-standing assumptions about tensioned two-dimensional membranes, but are consistent with puzzling behavior observed in previous experiments on graphene resonators.
Analysis of 1.2 kV 4H-SiC Trench-Gate MOSFETs with Thick Trench Bottom Oxide

The 1.2 kV-rated trench-gate SiC power MOSFET with thick trench bottom oxide is analyzed and compared with previous trench-gate SiC power MOSFET structures. Specific on-resistance (R on, sp ), breakdown voltage (BV), threshold voltage (V TH ), gate-drain capacitance (C gd, sp ) and gate charge (Q gd ) were extracted using numerical simulations for trench bottom oxide thickness between 500 A and 8000 A. It was found that the electric field in the trench bottom oxide was below 4 MV/cm for oxide thickness beyond 4000 A. An analytical model is proposed to allow estimation of the electric field in the trench bottom oxide. The R on, sp for the thick bottom oxide structure was 1.9 m Ω - cm2(at Vgs of 20 V), Cgd, sp (at Vds= 1000 V) was 417 pF/cm2 and Qgd, sp (at Vgs =20 V, R g =10 Ω, Vds=800V) was 671 nC / cm 2, which is significantly better than most planar-gate devices. This structure has superior specific on-resistance compared with previous trench-gate and planar-gate structures.
GEOCHEMICAL MAPPING AND ENVIRONMENTAL INDEXING OF AN URBAN AREA (RIO GRANDE, RS)

We have carried out a geochemical mapping of soil cover of industrial and residential sectors of the city of Rio Grande (RS). Various anomalous zones of mercury, copper, zinc, lead, nickel, chromium and iron have been identified, which corresponded to the historic-spatial allocation of different industries in the city. The mapping of the city's territory using the complex eco-geochemical index Zc demonstrated that most of the urban area is contaminated with metals up to the level requiring mandatory mitigation measures. The application of the method of sequential subtraction from the complex index of elements by the degree of their participation in the contamination of the territory made it possible to establish a paragenetic association of metals Cu, Pb, Zn, which forms the centers of metal contamination in the city. Based on the data received, an assessment of the pollution of the urban area was carried out in accordance with Brazilian legislation . This evaluation testified that studied soil belongs to Class 4 according to legislative norms, which means that the city needs immediate environmental management in terms of eliminating risks to human health and the environmental planning of future land use.
Evaluating the population viability of green ash trees (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) before and after the emerald ash borer beetle (Agrilus planipennis) invasion

Abstract The invasive emerald ash borer beetle (Agrilus planipennis, EAB) has caused significant ash tree (Fraxinus spp.) mortality and cascading forest changes in the United States. We quantitatively estimated the viability of a local green ash tree (F. pennsylvanica) population to evaluate the magnitude of change caused by EAB. We developed historic and worst case stochastic stage based population scenarios to model changes in viability for a natural stand of green ash trees. Historic parameters were based on the literature, and worst case parameters were based on field data and the literature during dates that reflect time periods before and after EAB impacted the focal population in Northwest Ohio. The worst case scenario assumed that parameters remained the same as the initial EAB attack, when many of the adult trees died after a few years. The ash annual population growth rates were estimated as 0.99 and0.76, respectively, in historic versus worst case scenarios. The historic scenario had a population trajectory that dipped slightly at first and then reduced slowly over time. This was not unexpected since we included stochasticity in plant survival and reproduction, but it showed that the model may not account for ecological variation that stabilizes ash tree populations in forests under favorable conditions. In the worst case scenario ash populations became locally extinct within 34 years, and changes in the population growth rate were more sensitive to changes in the survival of the
Motion Perception: Slow Development of Center-Surround Suppression.

New evidence on the development of center-surround suppression in human infants shows that this key feature of visual motion perception does not emerge until seven months of age. This raises questions about the development of basic visual functions thought to derive from surround suppression.
Unravelling travellers' route choice behaviour at full-scale urban network by focusing on representative OD pairs in computer experiments

In a city-scale network, trips are made in thousands of origin-destination (OD) pairs connected by multiple routes, resulting in a large number of alternatives with diverse characteristics that influence the route choice behaviour of the travellers. As a consequence, to accurately predict user choices at full network scale, a route choice model should be scalable to suit all possible configurations that may be encountered. In this article, a new methodology to obtain such a model is proposed. The main idea is to use clustering analysis to obtain a small set of representative OD pairs and routes that can be investigated in detail through computer route choice experiments to collect observations on travellers behaviour. The results are then scaled-up to all other OD pairs in the network. It was found that 9 OD pair configurations are sufficient to represent the network of Lyon, France, composed of 96,096 OD pairs and 559,423 routes. The observations, collected over these nine representative OD pair configurations, were used to estimate three mixed logit models. The predictive accuracy of the three models was tested against the predictive accuracy of the same models (with the same specification), but estimated over randomly selected OD pair configurations. The obtained results show that the models estimated with the representative OD pairs are superior in predictive accuracy, thus suggesting the scaling-up to the entire network of the choices of the participants over the representative OD pair configurations, and validating the methodology in this study.
Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate Is Safe and Feasible as a Same Day Surgery

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess the safety, feasibility and treatment outcomes of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) as a same day surgery (SDS). METHODS HoLEPs performed from November 2013 to December 2018 at our institution were reviewed retrospectively. Inclusion criteria for same day surgery (SDS) included living in the local metropolitan area with access to local hospital and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2, regardless of prostate size and anticoagulation status. Those patients who were discharged directly from the postoperative care unit were identified as SDS cases. Patients admitted overnight after HoLEP during the same period were used as a matched cohort. Patient demographics, disease characteristics and treatment outcomes were compared. RESULTS A total of 377 patients were identified, including 199 SDS and 178 non-SDS patients. No statistical difference was present between the 2 groups regarding the post-op complication and readmission rates. The non-SDS group had a significantly higher percentage of patients with history of urinary retention, lower pre-op Qmax, and larger prostate volume. The SDS group had shorter operative time, length of stay (LOS), and catherization time (all P CONCLUSION Same day outpatient surgery for HoLEP is safe in patients who live in close proximity and have ECOG status 0-2. Our readmission rate and complication rate are comparable to those reported in the literature with markedly decreased LOS. Long-term functional outcome is not compromised by SDS.
We Sing Here Like Birds in the Wilderness: Education and Alienation in Muslim Mindanao

Drawing upon interviews with Muslim educators, administrators, and parents in Muslim Mindanao, this chapter explores the sense of alienation many Muslim Filipinos feel toward their government and the mainstream of Philippine society. It attempts to give voice to Muslim Filipinos sense of dissatisfaction with key aspects of the public system of education available to them as well as their aspirations for the kind of education they would like to offer to their children.
Increased risk of severe maternal morbidity among infertile women: analysis of US claims data.

Background Severe maternal morbidity continues to be an issue of national and global concern and is increasing in incidence. The incidence of infertility is also on the rise, and infertile women experience a higher risk of incident chronic medical disease and cancer, suggesting that fertility may serve as a window to a woman’s overall health. Objective To investigate the risk of severe maternal morbidity by maternal fertility status. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective cohort analysis using Optum’s de-identifed Clinformatics Data Mart Database between 2003 and 2015. Infertile women stratified by infertility diagnosis, testing, or treatment were compared to fertile women seeking routine gynecologic care. In both groups, only women who underwent pregnancy and delivery of a singleton during the follow-up period were included. Main outcomes were severe maternal morbidity indicators, defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and identified by International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision and Common Procedural Technology codes within 6 weeks of each delivery. Results were adjusted for maternal age, race, education, nulliparity, smoking, obesity, delivery mode, preterm birth, number of prenatal visits, and year of delivery. Results A total of 19,658 women comprised the infertile group and 525,695 women comprised the fertile group. The overall incidence of any severe maternal morbidity indicator was 7.0% among women receiving fertility treatment, 6.4% among women receiving a fertility diagnosis, 5.5% among women receiving fertility testing, and 4.3% among fertile women. Overall, infertile women had a significantly higher risk of developing any severe maternal morbidity indicator (adjusted odds ratio, 1.22; confidence interval, 1.14−1.31, P Conclusion Using an insurance claims database, we report that women diagnosed with infertility and women receiving fertility treatment experience a significantly higher risk of multiple indicators of severe maternal morbidity compared to fertile women. The increased risk of severe maternal morbidity noted among fertile black women compared to fertile white women is attenuated among infertile black women, who face risks similar to those of infertile white women.
Regulatory Role of Immune Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Cancer: The Message Is in the Envelope

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogenous group of membrane-surrounded structures. Besides serving as a harbor for the unwanted material exocytosed by cells, EVs play a critical role in conveying intact protein, genetic, and lipid contents that are important for intercellular communication. EVs, broadly comprised of microvesicles and exosomes, are released to the extracellular environment from nearly all cells either via shedding from the plasma membrane or by originating from the endosomal system. Exosomes are 40-150 nm, endosome-derived small EVs (sEVs) that are released by cells into the extracellular environment. This review focuses on the biological properties of immune cell-derived sEVs, including composition and cellular targeting and mechanisms by which these immune cell-derived sEVs influence tumor immunity either by suppressing or promoting tumor growth, are discussed. The final section of this review discusses how the biological properties of immune cell-derived sEVs can be manipulated to improve their immunogenicity.
Cu(I/II) Metal-Organic Frameworks Incorporated Nanofiltration Membranes for Organic Solvent Separation.

Copper-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with different oxidation states and near-uniform particle sizes have been successfully synthesized. Mixed-matrix polyimide membranes incorporating 0.1–7 wt% of Cu(II) benzene-1,2,5-tricarboxylic acid (Cu(II)BTC), Cu(I/II)BTC and Cu(I) 1,2-ethanedisulfonic acid (EDS) (Cu(I)EDS) MOFs were fabricated via non-solvent-induced phase inversion process. These membranes are found to be solvent resistant and mechanically stable. Liquid phase nanofiltration experiments were performed to separate toluene from n-heptane at room temperature. These membranes demonstrate preferential adsorption and permeation of the aromatic toluene over aliphatic n-heptane. The amount of MOF particles incorporated, the oxidation state of the Cu ion and membrane, and barrier layer thickness have a significant impact on the separation factor. Toluene/heptane separation factor at 1.47, 1.67 and 1.79 can be obtained for membranes incorporating 7 wt% Cu(II)BTC, Cu(I/II)BTC and Cu(I)EDS respectively at room temperature.
New Year … New Beginnings

People pause at the end of each year and look back in contemplation. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit our lives in 2020 and made it a hard to forget year. Today, we are still in the midst of a storm that started over a year ago and may not see beyond its gloom and melancholy. More than 90 million cases and 2 million deaths have been reported worldwide. A second wave of infections and a couple of coronavirus variants are making the situation worse than anticipated. We now know more about the pandemic, however, and there is progress in treatment. Preventive measures are also becoming available. Everybody is looking forward to 2021 to turn our hopes for a better tomorrow into a reality.
Surveillance Cultures and Infection in 230 Pacemaker and Defibrillator Generator Changes in Pediatric and Adult Congenital Patients.

Background:Postoperative infections can occur during surgical replacement of pulse generators for pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. The incidence of infection is poorly docume...
DOMESTIC RELATIONS Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act: Expand Definitions

The Act expands certain definitions found in the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act. The definition of custody-proceedings is expanded to include adoption proceedings and the definition of state is expanded to include foreign countries.
The effect of supplemental energy, nitrogen, and protein on feed intake, digestibility, and nitrogen flux across the gut and liver in sheep fed low-quality forage.

Our objective was to determine the impact of supplemental energy, N, and protein on feed intake and N metabolism in sheep fed low-quality forage. Six Texel x Dorset wethers (16 mo, 63+/-3.1 kg) fitted with mesenteric, portal, and hepatic venous catheters were used in a Latin square design with five sampling periods. Lambs were fed chopped bromegrass hay (4.3% CP) to appetite, and a mineral mixture was given. Treatments were 1) control (no supplement), 2) energy (cornstarch, molasses, and soybean oil), 3) energy plus urea, 4) energy plus soybean meal (SBM), and 5) energy plus ruminally undegraded protein (RUP; 50:50 mixture of blood and feather meals). Supplements were fed once daily (.3% BW). Forage DMI did not differ (P = .13), but intake of total DM, N, and energy differed (P .05) between control and energy treatments. Values for those treatments were about one-half of values for urea, SBM, and RUP treatments, which did not differ (P>.05). Hepatic net uptake (negative release) of alpha-amino N for control was 53% of values for the other treatments, which did not differ (P>.05). Net release of alpha-amino N from splanchnic tissues did not differ among treatments (P = .34) and did not differ from zero. The data indicate that arterial alpha-amino N concentration, hepatic alpha-amino N uptake, PDV release and hepatic uptake of ammonia N, and hepatic release of urea N were greater in energy than in control treatments. We also found that hepatic uptake of alpha-amino N was 187% of PDV release in energy-supplemented lambs. These results suggest that energy supplementation of a protein-limiting diet stimulated mobilization of body protein.
Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy of Synthetic and Industrial Samples

The sections in this article are Introduction Hydrocarbons Saturated Hydrocarbons Unsaturated Hydrocarbons Aromatic Hydrocarbons Hydrocarbon Polymers Sample State Effects – Hydrocarbons Ketones, Esters, Ethers, and Peroxides Polymers with Ketone, Ester, and Ether Groups Sample State Effects – Ketones, Esters, Ethers, and Peroxides Alcohols and Organic Acids Sample State Effects – Alcohols and Organic Acids OH-Containing Polymers Nitrogen-Containing Compounds Sample State Effects – Nitrogen-Containing Compounds Halogenated Compounds Aqueous Systems Inorganic Materials Gases Acknowledgments
Early-onset pneumococcal sepsis in newborn infants

Five infants with pneumococcal sepsis presented with respiratory distress and clinical signs of infection in the first day of life. Although there was no apparent epidemiological relationship among the patients, four of the five were seen within a 12-month period. Pneumonia, prolonged rupture of fetal membranes, and prematurity were features in these patients. Three infants died, two within 12 hours of diagnosis. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from the vagina of three of the mothers; in two, the serotype was identical to that recovered from their infants. Clinical features of neonatal pneumococcal sepsis are similar to those of early-onset group B streptococcal infection. Like the group B Streptococcus, S. pneumoniae acquired from the maternal vagina is a potential life-threatening pathogen in the newborn period.
Application of multiple-length-scale methods to the study of optical fiber transmission

It is natural to apply multiple-length-scale methods to the study of optical-fiber transmission because the key length scales span 13 orders of magnitude and cluster in three main groups. At the lowest scale, corresponding to micrometers, the full set of Maxwell's equations should be used. At the intermediate scale, corresponding to the range from one centimeter to tens of meters, the coupled nonlinear Schrodinger equation should be used. Finally, at the longest length scale, corresponding to the range from tens to thousands of kilometers, the Manakov-PMD equation should be used, and, when polarization mode dispersion can be neglected and the fiber gain and loss can be averaged out, one arrives at the scalar nonlinear Schrodinger equation. As an illustrative example of multiple-scale-length techniques, the nonlinear Schrodinger equation will be derived, carefully taking into account the actual length scales that are important in optical-fiber transmission.
Elimination of beam squint in serially fed arrays with negative group delay circuits incorporating antenna elements

A novel design technique for a serially fed antenna array employing a negative group delay (NGD) circuit is reported. The NGD is generated using an antenna and a T-junction power divider. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first demonstration of employing an antenna to generate NGD. The NGD circuit cancels out the positive group delay caused by the feed lines within the array. This results in beam squint elimination over the entire antenna operation bandwidth.
An Extended Joint Consistency Theorem for a Nonconstructive Logic of Partial Terms with Definite Descriptions

The logic of partial terms (LPT) is a variety of negative free logic in which functions, as well as predicates, are strict. A companion paper focused on nonconstructive LPTwith definite descriptions, called LPD, and laid the foundation for tableaux systems by defining the concept of an LPDmodel system and establishing Hintikka's Lemma, from which the strong completeness of the corresponding tableaux system readily follows. The present paper utilizes the tableaux system in establishing an Extended Joint Consistency Theorem for LPDthat incorporates the Robinson Joint Consistency Theorem and the Craig-Lyndon Interpolation Lemma. The method of proof is similar to that originally used in establishing the Extended Joint Consistency Theorem for positive free logic. Proof of the Craig-Lyndon Interpolation Lemma for formulas possibly having free variables is readily had in LPTand its intuitionistic counterpart. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the theory of definitions in LPD.
Prophylactic recombinant erythropoietin therapy and thalidomide are predictors of venous thromboembolism in patients with multiple myeloma: limited effectiveness of thromboprophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant but poorly understood complication in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). As a result, most patients receive thromboprophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify risk factors for VTE in NDMM and evaluate the effectiveness of LMWH. METHODS: A total of 604 patients with newly diagnosed myeloma completed 3 induction cycles with multiagent chemotherapy with up-front randomization to thalidomide between 1998 and 2004. Prophylactic enoxaparin was given to thalidomide recipients beginning in June 2001, and 122 subjects received prophylactic epoetin alfa (EPO) as part of an exercise trial. The primary study endpoint was grades 3-4 VTE. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients (11.9%) developed VTE (mostly deep venous thrombosis), with a higher incidence among EPO recipients (P = .001), although only significant for upper extremity DVT (P = .0002). The EPO-treated patients had higher hemoglobin (Hb) levels throughout the study (P < .0005), although no relationship between higher Hb levels and increasing incidence of VTE could be shown. A history of VTE was a strong predictor of VTE on univariate analysis (P < .000005). Enoxaparin did not reduce the rate of VTE (P = .158). Logistic regression analysis identified thalidomide therapy (P = .001; odds ratio [OR], 2.428; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.418-4.159) and prophylactic EPO (P = .002; OR, 2.488; 95% CI, 1.432-4.324) as risk factors for VTE. Myeloma response and survival were not negatively affected by prophylactic EPO or VTE. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic EPO, thalidomide therapy, and VTE history, but not higher Hb levels, were found to increase the risk of VTE among NDMM patients receiving multiagent chemotherapy. This risk was not found to be reduced in this population by LMWH thromboprophylaxis. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Verifying compensating transactions

We study the safety verification problem for business-process orchestration languages with respect to regular properties. Business transactions involve long-running distributed interactions between multiple partners which must appear as a single atomic action. This illusion of atomicity is maintained through programmer-specified compensation actions that get run to undo previous actions when certain parts of the transaction fail to finish. Programming languages for business process orchestration provide constructs for declaring compensation actions, which are co-ordinated by the run time system to provide the desired transactional semantics. The safety verification problem for business processes asks, given a program with programmer specified compensation actions and a regular language specifying "good" behaviors of the system, whether all observable action sequences produced by the program are contained in the set of good behaviors. We show that the usual trace-based semantics for business process languages leads to an undecidable verification problem, but a tree-based semantics gives an algorithm that runs in time exponential in the size of the business process. Our constructions translate programs with compensations to tree automata with one memory.
Factorization of positive multilinear maps

For an excellent survey of these theorems and the many applications of them we refer to J. E. Gilbert’s paper [2]. In this same article Gilbert indicates that there are available versions of weak-type factorizations for maximal operators defined by multilinear operators, but it was also noticed that strong-type factorizations for multilinear operators had not yet been studied. In this paper we shall prove strong-type factorizations for positive multilinear operators. Our approach uses the positive projective tensor product of Banach lattices and we also use some of the linear operator results of Nikisin and Maurey. The results for bilinear operators are typical for the multilinear case, but we could not restrict ourselves to the bilinear case. To prove Theorem 3.2 and Theorem 3.5 for bilinear operators with values in Lr with r > 0, we need the result of the same theorems for trilinear operators. Therefore we consider the general multilinear case. For the same reason we shall consider tensor products of n Banach lattices. The organization of this paper is as follows. In Section 2 we develop the necessary machinery of the theory of tensor products of Banach lattices. In Section 3 we prove the factorization theorems for positive multilinear operators from Lpl x... x L,,---, Lq where q>_O.
Magnetic Alignment of Microelements Containing Cultured Neuronal Networks for High-Throughput Screening

High-throughput screening (HTS) on neurons presents unique difficulties because they are postmitotic, limited in supply, and challenging to harvest from animals or generate from stem cells. These limitations have hindered neurological drug discovery, leaving an unmet need to develop cost-effective technology for HTS using neurons. Traditional screening methods use up to 20,000 neurons per well in 384-well plates. To increase throughput, we use "microraft" arrays, consisting of 1600 square, releasable, paramagnetic, polystyrene microelements (microrafts), each providing a culture surface for 500-700 neurons. These microrafts can be detached from the array and transferred to 384-well plates for HTS; however, they must be centered within wells for automated imaging. Here, we developed a magnet array plate, compatible with HTS fluid-handling systems, to center microrafts within wells. We used finite element analysis to select an effective size of the magnets and confirmed that adjacent magnetic fields do not interfere. We then experimentally tested the plate's centering ability and found a centering efficiency of 100%, compared with 4.35% using a flat magnet. We concluded that microrafts could be centered after settling randomly within the well, overcoming friction, and confirmed these results by centering microrafts containing hippocampal neurons cultured for 8 days.
Performance analysis of a vector quantization algorithm of image data

Summary form only given. This paper describes VQ techniques that use simple and fixed codebooks. The computation of the codebook is based on the statistical distribution of the intensity mean and standard deviation of vectors in the image. A formula is given for the expected signal to noise ratio versus image compression ratio. Non-adaptive codebook vectors have uniform entries based on the average intensity of vector entries mu . It is obvious that in the 8-bit imaging system, the range of mu is (0, 255). The adaptive approach uses the classification of vectors into two classes; non-edge vectors and edge vectors. A threshold based on the standard deviation sigma is used to establish this classification. Graphs show the results for both approaches. >
Strict Identity, Coherence, and Parallelism in VP Ellipsis

The exact nature of the similarity that must obtain between antecedent and ellipsis site has been under debate. Intuitively, it is a condition associated with recoverability: when a VP-gap is encountered, a VP representation from the preceding context must be interpreted in the empty VP position1. Syntactic identity has been argued for based on sentences where syntactic non-identity results in illformedness (Sag 1976, Williams 1977). For example, in sentences like (2a) (Kehler 2000), the antecedent and elided VP differ in Voice, violating syntactic identity. On the assumption that syntactic identity requires identity of binding relations, the identity preserving interpretation of (2b) is the so-called sloppy reading, where John blamed John, and Bill blamed Bill. The indexation in (2b) (Kitagawa 1991), which reflects the strict reading (where both John and Bill blamed John), is ruled out, presumably by Condition A.
Bridging Borders with Mexico: Creative Strategies to Promote Engaged International Service Learning

This paper describes the pedagogical strategies employed during a course and international service learning trip bridging students in the United States with people in Mexico. These include using a video bridging project between Mexican immigrants in the U.S. and students, consciously creating a sense of community among participants, recognizing and using disorienting dilemmas as learning experiences, explicitly evaluating students on their flexibility and openness, and using mindfulness to help students stay alert and engaged.
Effect of age and thymectomy on urinary 17-ketosteroid-levels in male rats.

THE question whether or not there is an endocrine function of the thymus is one that has been much debated. Various investigators have claimed that thymectomy caused retardation of growth and gonadal development1 and that injections of thymic extracts induced precocious development2. Others3–5 have refuted these claims. Comsa6 reported that thymectomy of male guinea pigs caused transitory stimulation of the adrenal cortex as evidenced by significant decreases in the levels of adrenal cholesterol and ascorbic acid. The study, however, lacked comparable sham-operated controls. In view of the various claims, we tried in the present investigation to determine whether the acute and chronic effects of thymectomy on adrenal and gonadal androgenic output are reflected by alterations in urinary 17-keto-steroid-levels.
Transient and steady-state target-resonance excitation by sound scattering

Abstract We have observed that when long pulses are backscattered from any elastic target in water they become, like Gaul, divided into three parts. These are: (1) an initial transient region, (2) a steady-state or forced vibration region, and (3) a final transient regime, followed by the free exponential vibratory decay (i.e. the ‘ringing’) of the stored energy once the pulse excitation stops. If we consider sound scattering at normal incidence from an elastic cylinder excited by a long pulse having a frequency corresponding to any one of the resonances of the (fluid-loaded) body, then there is a marked difference between the differential scattering cross-section (DSCS) as it is extracted from the forced, steady-state regime, (2), and as it is obtained past the final transient, region (3), just as the free ringing begins. The first is a complicated angular pattern because of the forcing of many angular cylindrical harmonics by the incident wave. The second is a regular rosette pattern (viz. a rhodonea with an even number of petals), associated solely with the single preferred mode. This pattern permits the visual determination of the modal order n of the ringing resonance. The extraction of the sonar cross-section (SCS) from regions (2) and (3) of the returned pulse, also shows marked differences. In the first case one obtains the standard SCS, with the modal background of the resonance scattering theory (RST) included. In the free-ringing region, (3), one finds the ‘spectrogram’ of the target, with all its model backgrounds suppressed. Experimental verification of these effects are reported. Their theoretical foundations, based on various aspects of the RST, are explained and interpreted.
Assay Systems for the Study of Gene Function Two assay systems, the syntheses of RNA and of protein, are described; their virtues and drawbacks are discussed

The study of genetic regulatory mechanisms operating in plants and animals is of paramount importance in contemporary biology. A precise understanding of the mechanisms that underlie normal cellular differentiation is a prerequisite for understanding neoplastic transformation and genetic disease. At present, we are not aware of a single assay system that can give answers to all questions we are already able to pose. Studies of RNA synthesis are valuable because they provide a direct measurement of transcriptional activity. But these studies remain incomplete until we succeed in unraveling the metabolic roles of the molecules whose synthesis we study. In this respect, the study of enzyme synthesis represents a better defined assay system, although the interpretation of observed fluctuations in synthetic rates is made difficult by the many steps that intervene between the genes and their finished protein products. We propose that a combination of protein biosynthetic and cytogenetic analysis is a promising assay system for further investigation.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation in Candida albicans septicemia.

Summary A 5-year-old boy is described who, after a prolonged febrile illness unresponsive to antibiotic and corticosteroid therapy, developed bleeding associated with thrombocytopenia and deficiency of multiple coagulation factors. In spite of heparin therapy, he died shortly thereafter and was found to have systemic candidiasis. Many thrombi containing candida were found in the lungs and kidneys, confirming the clinical diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation. A—warences of this complication in patients with systemic candidiasis, and early institution of heparin and other therapeuctic measures, may help in reducing the otherwise high mortality rate from this disease.
Investigations on cubic polynomials

Several investigations on cubic polynomials are presented. The studies reported here deal with certain relationships which hold between the roots of the general cubic equation and other appropriate parameters derived from the same polynomial. Each section is organized in a monotonic sequence; that is, statement, demonstration and verification.
A multicenter phase 2 trial of stem cell transplantation for immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis (E4A97): an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study

A multicenter phase 2 trial of stem cell transplantation for immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis (E4A97): an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study
A cerebrovascular response model for functional neuroimaging including dynamic cerebral autoregulation

Functional neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can be used to isolate an evoked response to a stimulus from significant background physiological fluctuations. Data analysis approaches typically use averaging or linear regression to remove this physiological baseline with varying degrees of success. Biophysical model-based analysis of the functional hemodynamic response has also been advanced previously with the Balloon and Windkessel models. In the present work, a biophysical model of systemic and cerebral circulation and gas exchange is applied to resting state NIRS neuroimaging data from 10 human subjects. The model further includes dynamic cerebral autoregulation, which modulates the cerebral arteriole compliance to control cerebral blood flow. This biophysical model allows for prediction, from noninvasive blood pressure measurements, of the background hemodynamic fluctuations in the systemic and cerebral circulations. Significantly higher correlations with the NIRS data were found using the biophysical model predictions compared to blood pressure regression and compared to transfer function analysis (multifactor ANOVA, p < 0.0001). This finding supports the further development and use of biophysical models for removing baseline activity in functional neuroimaging analysis. Future extensions of this work could model changes in cerebrovascular physiology that occur during development, aging, and disease.
Improved bounds for rectangular and guillotine partitions

We study the problem of partitioning a rectangle S with a set of interior points Q intorectangles by introducing a set of line segments of least total length. The set of partitioning line segments must include every point in Q. Since this problem is computationally intractable (NP-hard), several approximation algorithms for its solution have been developed. In this paper we show that the legnth of an optimal guillotine partition is not greater than 1.75 times the length of an optimal rectangular partition. Since an optimal guillotine partition can be obtained on O(n^5) time, we have a polynomial time approximation algorithm for finding near-optimal rectangular partitions.
Alternative splicing of exons 29 and 30 in the neurofibromatosis type 1 gene

Alternative splicing of exons 29 and 30 of the human neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) gene was detected by reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Three different isoforms that omitted either one or both exons were identified (ex29-, ex30-, and ex29/30-). The alternatively spliced transcripts exhibited tissue-specific differences, with the ex30- variant apparent only in brain. All three isoforms altered the reading frame and introduced a stop codon in the adjacent downstream exon. Alternative splicing of this region of the NF1 gene also was detected in RNA from rats, although only the ex30- variant was observed. RNA from mice revealed only constitutive expression in this region of the NF1 gene. This study adds a new site of alternative processing to the complex expression of NF1.