cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vincristine, dactinomycin, and cyclophosphamide (VAC) chemotherapy for recurrent metastatic Wilms tumor in previously treated children.

WILMS TUMOR CONSTITUTES the second most common solid tumor in the pediatric age group; about 450 cases of this malignancy are diagnosed annually in the United States. 1 The use of multimodal therapy in the management of Wilms tumor has become increasingly successful. Although survival for Wilms tumor is estimated to be in excess of 70%, ~ a the prognosis remains poor for patients who develop bilateral pulmonary or liver metastasis after initial therapy2- Most newly diagnosed children with Wilms tumor are presently treated according to the National Wilms Tumor Study. However, subsequent treatment of patients who fail on the national study protocol has not been uniform, and little information is available on the therapeutic response of patients with Wilms tumor who develop metastases. We are reporting the results obtained using vincristine, dactinomycin, and cyclophosphamide (VAC chemotherapy) in a group of previously treated patients with recurrent metastatic Wilms tumor at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. MATERIAL AND METHODS The characteristics of the ten patients treated with VAC chemotherapy are given in the Table. The median age at the time of diagnosis for this group of patients was 4 years, with seven patients older than 2 years. Histopathology of the tumor was reported as favorable in nine patients; one patient had the sarcomatous variant by the criteria of Beckwith and Palmer? Further classification of the favorable histology group demonstrated the tumor to be well differentiated in three patients, with tubular and/or glomeruloid structures easily recognized; three were clas
Integrated centralized electric current monitoring system using wirelessly enabled non-intrusive AC current sensors

We describe an electric current monitoring system that can be used to non-intrusively measure individual loads on a circuit breaker panel in residential and commercial settings. The proximity-based piezoelectromagnetic (PEM) sensor uses permanent magnets to couple to the electric current in the circuit to be measured, and hence requires no galvanic connection to the circuits. This paper describes the theory for sensing current in a circuit breaker panel using PEM sensors, as well as the implementation of an integrated sensing system that stores the measured results in an on-line repository, which can be queried remotely using the world-wide web. We show the experimental results from implementing our sensors to measure loads on a circuit breaker panel in a campus building at UC Berkeley.
Specific heats of lunar surface materials from 90 to 350 degrees Kelvin.

The specific heats of lunar samples 10057 and 10084 returned by the Apollo 11 mission have been measured between 90 and 350 degrees Kelvin by use of an adiabatic calorimeter. The samples are representative of type A vesicular basalt-like rocks and of finely divided lunar soil. The specific heat of these materials changes smoothly from about 0.06 calorie per gram per degree at 90 degrees Kelvin to about 0.2 calorie per gram per degree at 350 degrees Kelvin. The thermal parameter γ=(kpC-½ for the lunar surface will accordingly vary by a factor of about 2 between lunar noon and midnight.
Performance modeling of RF power MOSFETs

This paper presents an analytical study of the RF performance of Si power MOSFET's. Si MOSFET's are rapidly becoming popular in RF applications. Although circuit simulation models have been presented explaining the static performance of these devices, the correlation of device physical parameters with RF performance has not been studied extensively. In this paper, based on the equivalent circuit representation of a power MOSFET, static and large-signal analysis have been carried out to study the RF performance for VDMOSFET and LDMOSFET devices. It has been shown that transconductance compression due to the JFET region leads to degradation of high-power RF performance. It is also shown that LDMOSFET has higher power gain than VDMOS, but steeper degradation with input power. Velocity saturation in the MOS channel and presence of the JFET region are shown to strongly influence the RF performance of the two devices.
Parametric wave amplification and mixing in the ionosphere

Ionospheric parametric amplification and frequency mixing due to polarized TEM waves nonlinear interaction with longitudinal electrostatic waves
Minimal Clinically Important Difference, Clinical Perspective: An Opinion

The Minimal Clinically Important Difference has become a key feature for both the validation of clinical tools and for the assessment of clinical studies. Several methods have been developed to establish what a Minimal Clinically Important Difference is. The primary purpose of the Minimal Clinically Important Difference, however, is to provide a measure of relevance for a statistically applied measure. It does not, despite its name, necessarily relate to the "Clinical" condition. In this context, human beings are capable of extremely fine grades of discrimination of very subtle differences, when they care about the measures. When they do not care about the measure, large differences may be irrelevant. The flavors of wines or the tone qualities of musical instruments are readily recognizable examples. The importance of an outcome, for a clinician caring for an individual patient, therefore, will be highly patient specific. The Minimal Clinically Important Difference has great utility in assessing tools for clinical investigation. It has limitations in assisting the clinician. The subtleties that may be meaningful to individuals are often lost in discrimination tests in large populations where not all have the same interests. In addition, readily applicable tests, for example, discriminating degrees of salty water, for which Minimal Clinically Important Difference can be readily defined, are often tests that have no interest for the majority of the population tested. This leads to several paradoxes. Readily defined Minimal Clinically Important Differences are likely to be defined for parameters that are of little interest to a large number of persons. Conversely, parameters that are of great interest to selected individuals, that could be discerned by them with great subtly are likely to be poorly generalizable. Without doubt, defining a Minimal Clinically Important Difference will remain a key goal in the validation and application of tools for clinical investigations. The limits of the concept, particularly as it relates to issues of importance to patients, however, needs to be recognized.
An algorithm for calculation of the discrete cosine transform by paired transform

A new algorithm for splitting the one-dimensional (1-D) 2/sup r/-point discrete cosine transform (DCT) into a set of short 2/sup k/-point type-IV DCTs [k=1:(r-1)] is introduced. The splitting is performed by means of paired transformation that is defined by the paired representation of signals with respect to the cosine transform. A proposed method of calculating the 2/sup r/-point cosine transform requires 2/sup r-1/r multiplications and 2/sup r-1/(3r-2)+1 additions when r/spl ges/2.
Ethics, Culture, and Taboos—Organized Psychoanalysis and the Cabernite Affair

In a previous lecture (Rubin, 2000) I ended my disquisition on the problem of ethics versus power within the framework of international psychoanalysis as it related to Brazil, as follows: “So here we are late in 2000 with Dr. Vianna accused by Dr. Wallerstein of ignorance of the International Psychoanalytic Association’s adherence to a collective professional ethic in the Cabernite affair” (p. 1031). I added, “For to protect an institution, any institution, for any reason, at the expense of human beings is to betray psychoanalysis. But more profoundly, it is also to betray the humanity which psychoanalysis understands itself to be born to serve.” The Cabernite Affair has still not been settled, at the time of this publication. There have been at least two other attempts at settlement, which if they were not sad could be considered ironically amusing. In 1999, the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA) Committee on Ethics responded to a request by the Pro-Etica Group of Brazil to generate an official report on “torture and violation of human rights within psychoanalytic associations and by their members (in Rio) . . . in order to protect the practice and transmission of psychoanalysis . . . against attitudes which oppose ethics and human rights” (The Pro-Etica Group, 1999a). The committee stated the following: “As important as your requests are, the Committee on Ethics felt it is clear that they lie outside of the mandate of the Committee on Ethics” (The Pro-Etica Group, 1999b). (It should be noted that the IPA produced its first ethics code in 1998.) This ethical solution is one of redefinition. In the summer of 1998, the Pro-Etica Group asked to meet
Preparing for the Pure Land

Buddhists see life and death as a whole with death as the beginning of another new life. Death is a fact of life for the Chinese, as it is for all people. When they think about death, many Chinese immediately call to mind the terms J ing Tu Zhong or, in recent times, Nian Fo. These Chinese terms are interchangeable and have been translated literally into English using the two words, "Pure Land". Because Jing Tu Zhong, "Pure Land" has been imbedded in the Chinese point of view for thousands of years, most Chinese only think of Jing Tu in terms of saving people after they have died, so that they will go to the Pure Land. Most people forget the other, more important religious aspect of this concept, which is to prepare the living to enter the Pure Land after death. In fact, Nian Fo is an extremely important and worthy school of philosophy, which not only guides the living to prepare for death but also to guide the dying as they face and pass through the fear of death. This paper discusses the Chinese peoples' conception and meaning of the Pure Land by following the original history of the concept of the "Pure Land" and the related sutras. Additionally, this paper addresses the contemporary chanting ceremony of Amitabha's name, how chanting practices in the Pure Land School deals with concerns about dying and the human spirit, and the Pure Land ceremonies used in conjunction with chant before and after death.
Emotional Distress, Alcohol Use, and Bidirectional Partner Violence Among Lesbian Women:

This study examined the relationship between emotional distress (defined as depression, brooding, and negative affect), alcohol outcomes, and bidirectional intimate partner violence among lesbian women. Results lend support to the self-medication hypothesis, which predicts that lesbian women who experience more emotional distress are more likely to drink to cope, and in turn report more alcohol use, problem drinking, and alcohol-related problems. These alcohol outcomes were, in turn, associated with bidirectional partner violence (BPV). These results offer preliminary evidence that, similar to findings for heterosexual women, emotional distress, alcohol use, and particularly, alcohol-related problems are risk factors for BPV among lesbian women.
Scalable, low-cost, hierarchical assembly of programmable DNA nanostructures

We demonstrate a method for the assembly of fully programmable, large molecular weight DNA complexes. The method leverages sticky-end re-use in a hierarchical fashion to reduce the cost of fabrication by building larger complexes from smaller precursors. We have explored the use of controlled non-specific and specific binding between sticky-ends and demonstrate their use in hierarchical assembly. We conclude that it is feasible to scale this method beyond our demonstration of a fully programmable 8960 kD molecular weight 8 × 8 DNA grid for potential application to complex nanoscale system fabrication.
Alteration of the fiber and lipid components of a defined-formula diet: effects on stool characteristics, nutrient digestibility, mineral balance, and energy metabolism in humans

Eighteen healthy males with a body weight of 70.0 +/- 3.1 kg consumed three defined-formula diets that varied only in their fiber and/or lipid components: 1) 6.4% fiber (100% soy polysaccharides) and 13.1% lipid [50% medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs), 40% corn oil, and 10% soy oil]; 2) 3.4% fiber (75% oat fiber, 17.5% gum arabic, and 7.5% carboxymethylcellulose) and 15.6% lipid (20% MCTs, 50% canola oil, and 30% high oleic acid safflower oil); and 3) 4.4% fiber (same as diet 2) and 14.5% lipid (same as diet 1). Consumption of diet 2 resulted in slightly firmer stools and provided the greatest amount of fecal output per unit fiber intake. Total dietary fiber (TDF) digestibility was lowest for men fed diets 2 and 3, but nitrogen and lipid digestibilities and energy metabolism criteria were not different among diets. Although mineral excretion patterns differed among treatments, fiber and lipid components of the diets appeared not to be responsible for these differences. Results indicate that fecal output can be maintained with a lower intake of a blend of oat fiber, gum arabic, and carboxymethylcellulose compared with soy polysaccharides. Except for TDF digestibility, alteration of amounts and/or sources of fiber and lipid components of defined-formula diets used in this experiment did not alter nutrient digestibility, energy metabolism, or mineral retention.
Quantitation of commercial equine tetanus antitoxin by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

In the USA, the potency of commercially prepared equine tetanus antitoxin is determined by the method outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 9, Part 113.451. In the current test, commercial equine tetanus antitoxin is tested by a toxin neutralization test in guinea pigs. The in vivo test measures antitoxin content through effectiveness of protection of guinea pigs injected with diluted mixtures of antitoxin and a standard toxin. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, designed as an in vitro alternative to the in vivo test, measures antitoxin content based on a competitive reaction between standard or unknown serum and murine monoclonal antibody specific for tetanus toxin. The monoclonal antibody used in the assay delayed death in mouse passive protection studies and reacted with the C fragment of tetanus toxin. No cross-reaction was observed when the antibody was tested with the toxins of Clostridium chauvoei, C. novyi, C. perfringens, or C. sordellii. The in vitro test will measure the antitoxin content of serum samples containing 100–1500 units of antitoxin. Tetanus antitoxin titers obtained by the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay compared favorably with the toxin neutralization test conducted in guinea pigs. The in vitro assay serves as a feasible alternative to the in vivo test because it can be completed in less time, is reproducible, and eliminates the use of test animals.
Effect of Host Diet and Insect Source on Synergy of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Mortality to Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki by Zwittermicin A

Zwittermicin A acts synergistically with the insecticidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki Berliner against gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar (L.)) larvae. The objective of this study was to assess the insuence of insect source and diet on this synergy. Zwittermicin A increased the mortality caused by B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki in gypsy moths collected from four population sources feeding on artiÞcial diet, and on larvae feeding on four tree species, in a dose-dependent manner. Zwittermicin A did not cause mortality of L. dispar when applied alone. The ability of zwittermicin A to act synergistically with B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki did not differ greatly among these four populations, although mortality was slightly lower in a Þeld-collected population from Michigan. Zwittermicin A increased the activity of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki on L. dispar feeding on white oak, aspen, larch, and willow. Larval mortality was directly proportional to the concentration of zwittermicin A applied to foliage, although the synergistic effect of zwittermicin A differed among host species. These results suggest strategies for employing synergists in the application and resistance management of microbial pesticides.
Multidisciplinary analysis of patients with extratemporal complex partial seizures. I. Intertest agreement.

Abstract In 15 patients we hypothesized the origin of epilepsies to be ‘extratemporal’ based on videotaped seizures and surface EEG. Neuropsychological tests and neuroimaging (CAT, MRI, and PET scans) were then compared to the hypothesized ictal sites. Neuropsychological tests were abnormal in 86.6% and FDG-PET scans were abnormal in 73%. The neuropsychological tests and PET localized or lateralized areas of dysfunction to the same sites as electroclinical characteristics did in 85% of patients ( P , Fisher exact test). No statistically significant correlation between lesion sites on CT and MRI and the ictal origin was observed due to the high proportion of normal or non-specific scans. These observations should be verified in a larger series of extratemporal seizures.
Topic-sensitive PageRank: a context-sensitive ranking algorithm for Web search

The original PageRank algorithm for improving the ranking of search-query results computes a single vector, using the link structure of the Web, to capture the relative "importance" of Web pages, independent of any particular search query. To yield more accurate search results, we propose computing a set of PageRank vectors, biased using a set of representative topics, to capture more accurately the notion of importance with respect to a particular topic. For ordinary keyword search queries, we compute the topic-sensitive PageRank scores for pages satisfying the query using the topic of the query keywords. For searches done in context (e.g., when the search query is performed by highlighting words in a Web page), we compute the topic-sensitive PageRank scores using the topic of the context in which the query appeared. By using linear combinations of these (precomputed) biased PageRank vectors to generate context-specific importance scores for pages at query time, we show that we can generate more accurate rankings than with a single, generic PageRank vector. We describe techniques for efficiently implementing a large-scale search system based on the topic-sensitive PageRank scheme.
A new realization scheme of periodically time-varying digital filters

In the paper a new method is introduced for the exact decomposition of a linear Mth-order periodically time-varying digital filter into a set of independent linear Mth-order time-invariant digital filters, each one of which is a single-input, multiple-output system. It is shown that the adopted decomposition approach yields to a general realization scheme that exhibits high parallelism as well as great modularity and regularity. Procedures for obtaining various optimal realizations are discussed and the application of the decomposition method to the realization of linear time-invariant digital filters is examined.
Soft switching active snubbers for dc/ac converters

A soft-switching active snubber is proposed to reduce the turn-off losses of the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) in a buck power converter. The soft-switching snubber provides zero-voltage switching for the IGBT, thereby reducing its high turn-off losses due to the current tailing. The proposed snubber uses an auxiliary switch to discharge the snubber capacitor. This auxiliary switch also operates at zero-voltage and zero-current switching. The size of the auxiliary switch compared to the main switch makes this snubber a good alternative to the conventional snubber or even to passive low-loss snubbers. The use of the soft-switching active snubber permits the IGBT to operate at high frequencies with an improved RBSOA. In the experimental results reported for a 1 kW, 40 kHz prototype, combined switching/snubbing losses are reduced by 36% through the use of the active snubber compared to a conventional RCD snubber. The use of an active snubber allows recovery of part of the energy stored in the snubber capacitor during turn-off. The generic snubber cell for the buck power converter is generalized to support the common nonisolated DC/DC power converters (buck, boost, buck-boost, Cuk, sepic, zeta) as well as isolated DC/DC power converters (forward, flyback, Cuk, and sepic).
Elimination of the interferences by keto-opiates in the GC-MS analysis of 6-monoacetylmorphine

A simple procedure to eliminate the interference from keto-opiates in the analysis of 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is described. The pretreatment of urine samples with sodium bisulfite followed by solid-phase extraction results in the elimination of the bisulfite addition products formed from the reaction of the bisulfite ions with the carbonyl carbon of the keto-opiates. This simple procedure results in the accurate quantitation of 6-MAM at a concentration of 4 ng/mL in the presence of keto-opiates up to 10,000 ng/mL.
Etiologic, Phenomenologic, and Endophenotypic Overlap of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

This review examines the history of psychiatric nosology, with particular reference to the nineteenth-century origins of the concepts of manic-depressive illness and schizophrenia as distinct clinical syndromes and their evolution and diagnostic refinement over time. I document how the terminology applied to these entities has generated controversy, and discuss the ways in which the resulting diagnostic entities as defined by pure phenomenological symptom descriptors fail to capture discrete diagnostic distinctions, leading some researchers to posit an illness continuum rather than separate disorders. Furthermore, the two syndromes overlap substantially on multiple biologic measures, and clarity is lacking as to the underlying etiology and pathology necessary to move from descriptions of clinical syndromes to diseases. I next examine how biologically based classifications agnostic to conventional diagnostic schemes may be useful and how these are being implemented in practice, and conclude by summarizing ...
Representation of Women in Randomized Clinical Trials of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Background— The 2007 American Heart Association guidelines for cardiovascular disease prevention in women drew heavily on results from randomized clinical trials; however, representation of women in trials of cardiovascular disease prevention has not been systematically assessed. Methods and Results— We abstracted 156 randomized clinical trials cited by the 2007 women’s prevention guidelines to determine female representation over time and by clinical indication, prevention type, location of trial conduct, and funding source. Both women and men were represented in 135 of 156 (86.5%) trials; 20 trials enrolled only men; 1 enrolled only women. Among all trials, the proportion of women increased significantly over time, from 9% in 1970 to 41% in 2006. Considering only trials that enrolled both women and men, female enrollment was 18% in 1970 and increased to 34% in 2006. Female representation was higher in international versus United States–only trials (32.7% versus 26.7%) and primary versus secondary preven...
An exact formulation for the vector potential of a cylindrical antenna with uniformly distributed current and arbitrary radius

An exact formulation is given for the vector potential and corresponding electric fields associated with a uniform current cylindrical dipole antenna of arbitrary radius. The exact expressions converge rapidly in the induction and near-field regions of the antenna. They are completely general and independent of the usual restrictions involving the wavelength, field point distance, dipole radius and length. The properties of these expressions allow them to be readily used for the efficient as well as accurate computational modeling of cylindrical wire antennas. An exact expression for the cylindrical wire kernel which is analytically as well as numerically convenient to work with is presented. It is demonstrated that the integral of the kernel can be expressed in terms of a series which involves a generalized exponential integral and higher-order associated integrals. Several methods for evaluating the generalized exponential integral are discussed, including some useful asymptotic expansions. A numerically stable forward recurrence relation for the higher-order associated integrals is also presented. >
Deposition and characterization of YBa2Cu3O7-δ /LaMnO3/MgO/tin heterostructures on Cu metal substrates for development of coated conductors

In this paper a novel buffer layer architecture consisting of LaMnO3/MgO/TiN is proposed as a suitable structural and chemical template for the epitaxial growth of high-transition temperature (Tc) superconductors on Cu metal surfaces. Using techniques such as high-energy electron diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy, we present in situ and ex situ analyses of the buffer-layer and superconductor growth with focus on structural properties of the interfaces formed. While MgO is a good barrier to oxygen diffusion, we find that MgO alone is not a suitable buffer layer due to rapid Cu diffusion. Further, growth of MgO with a single epitaxy can be hindered by the presence of impurities such as S, which form strongly bonded superstructures on the metal surface. With the addition of a TiN layer as a barrier to Cu diffusion, oxide formation is suppressed, interfaces are clean, and a single cube-on-cube epitaxy is observed. While the Cu/TiN and TiN/MgO interfaces are rough, the MgO and LaMnO3 layers planarize the material, leading to growth of smooth YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO). Residual strain in the YBCO film is 0.25% or less and does not lead to apparent cracking. The superconducting properties of the samples were investigated by electrical transport and magnetization measurements. For the first time, high critical current density (Jc) values are reported for YBCO films grown on (001) single-crystal and 100‹100›?textured Cu surfaces without intervening metal coatings. Jc on single crystal-like substrates is as high as 3.5 MA/cm2. Reduced Jc of approximately 1 MA/cm2 on rolled Cu tapes is limited by damage to the tape surface during the rolling process.
Timed artificial insemination with estradiol cypionate or insemination at estrus in high-producing dairy cows.

A total of 799 Holstein cows from 3 herds were randomly assigned at 37 +/- 3 d in milk (DIM) to timed artificial insemination (AI) or insemination at detected estrus. Cows were presynchronized with injections of PGF(2alpha) at 37 and 51 DIM. At 65 DIM, cows received an injection of GnRH, followed 7 d later by PGF(2alpha). Cows in the estrus-detected group were inseminated after being observed in estrus during the 7 d after the last PGF(2alpha). Cows in the timed AI group received an injection of 1 mg of estradiol cypionate (ECP) 24 h after the last PGF(2alpha). If detected in estrus or=1 ng/mL; L = <1 ng/mL), resulting in 8 combinations (LLL, LHL, LLH, LHH, HHH, HHL, HLH, and HLL). Conception rates and pregnancy rates were higher for cows in the timed AI group than in the estrus-detected group at 30, 44, and 58 d (e.g., at 58 d, pregnancy rates were 42.2% for multiparous cows or 34.4% for primiparous cows in the group receiving ECP and timed AI compared with only 20.8 or 18.8% for respective parity subgroups for the treatment group inseminated only at detected estrus). Pregnancy losses were 11.5% from 30 to 58 d and did not differ between treatments. Cyclic cows within both treatments had higher estrous responses, conception rates, and pregnancy rates. Cows that responded to presynchronization and to luteolysis (HHL) had the highest conception and pregnancy rates, followed by cows classified as LHL. Use of 1 mg of ECP to induce ovulation as part of a synchrony regimen improved reproduction at first postpartum insemination in dairy cows.
State-dependent weights for neural associative memories

In this article we study the effect of dynamically modifying the weight matrix on the performance of a neural associative memory. The dynamic modification is implemented by adding, at each step, the outer product of the current state, scaled by a suitable constant η, to the correlation weight matrix. For single-shot synchronous dynamics, we analytically obtain the optimal value of η. Although knowledge of the noise percentage is required for calculating the optimal value of η, a fairly good choice of η can be made even when the amount of noise is not known. Experimental results are provided in support of the analysis. The efficacy of the proposed modification is also experimentally verified for the case of asynchronous updating with transient length > 1.
Thermal Ablation of Lung Tumors

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, accounting for an estimated 29% of cancer deaths in 2009.1 Pneumonectomy or lobectomy with hilar and mediastinal lymph node sampling is the gold standard treatment and offers the best option for cure of stage 1/2 nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).2 Unfortunately, only 15% of patients present with stage 1/2 disease, and many of these patients do not meet the pulmonary physiologic guidelines for lobar resection.3 In addition to lung cancer, pulmonary metastases are present in 25% to 30% of patients dying from all types of cancer.4 For some patients with oligometastatic pulmonary disease, metastectomy is associated with an improvement in survival.5 External beam radiation traditionally has been offered as the alternative to surgical resection for NSCLC or pulmonary metastatic disease. Unfortunately, the 5-year survival following radiation for stage 1 and 2 NSCLC remains low at 15% to 20%, with local recurrence being the most common mode of failure.6,7 Thermal ablation offers an intriguing therapeutic option to increase local tumor control and survival in patients with early stage NSCLC or with limited metastatic disease from nonlung primaries who are not surgical candidates because of poor cardiopulmonary reserve, anatomic constraints limiting resection, failure of traditional therapies, or refusal of operative approaches. Thermal ablation has been shown to be effective in treating tumors in bone, kidney, and liver.8–11 Most preclinical and clinical trials have focused on demonstrating the feasibility of three modalities for pulmonary thermal ablation, namely radiofrequency (RF) ablation, microwave (MW) ablation, and cryoablation. This article discusses the unique challenges of performing thermal ablation in lung tissue and reviews the current literature regarding RF, MW, and cryoablation in the lung.
DomainImpute: Inferring unseen components in the Internet

Despite many efforts over the past decade, the ability to generate topological maps of the Internet at the router-level accurately and in a timely fashion remains elusive. Mapping campaigns commonly involve traceroute-like probing that are usually non-adaptive and incomplete, thus revealing only a portion of the underlying topology. In this paper we demonstrate that standard probing methods yield datasets that implicitly contain information about much more than just the directly observed links and routers. Each probe, in addition to the underlying domain knowledge, returns information that places constraints on the underlying topology, and by integrating a large number of such constraints it is possible to accurately infer the existence of unseen components of the Internet. We describe DomainImpute, a novel data analysis methodology designed to accurately infer the unseen hop-count distances between observed routers. We use both synthetic and a large empirical dataset to validate the proposed methods. On our empirical real world dataset, we show that our methods can estimate over 55% of the unseen distances between observed routers to within a one-hop error.
Benefits of gain: speeded learning and minimal hidden layers in back-propagation networks

The gain of a mode in a connectionist network is a multiplicative constant that amplifies or attenuates the net input to the node. The benefits of adaptive gains in back-propagation networks are explored. It is shown that gradient descent with respect to gain greatly increases learning speed by amplifying those directions in weight space that are successfully chosen by gradient descent on weights. Adaptive gains also allow normalization of weight vectors without loss of computational capacity, and the authors suggest a simple modification of the learning rule that automatically achieves weight normalization. A method for creating small hidden layers by making hidden node gains compete according to similarities between nodes in an effect to improve generalization performance is described. Simulations show that this competition method is more effective than the special case of gain decay. >
A Longitudinal Study of Depressive Symptomology and Self-Concept in Adolescents

The purpose of the study was to investigate the trajectories of depressive symptomology and self-concept in adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 and to determine whether primary school teacher ratings of adaptive and maladaptive behavior predict self-reported depressive symptoms and self-concept in adolescence. This study is part of an ongoing longitudinal study of a school-based sample of students representing a continuum of risk for developing emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD; N = 212). Results indicated a strong relationship between depressive symptoms and self-concept for both initial status and growth over time (i.e., depressive symptoms decreased, whereas self-concept improved). No effect was found for gender on initial status or growth for either construct. However, for self-concept, the growth trajectory indicated a significant effect for risk classification (not at risk, at risk no special education placement, at risk special education placement). Compared with the other classificatio...
Policy ethics and reproductive choice: pregnancy and childbearing among HIV-infected women.

As the numbers of women infected with HIV continue to increase, there are more calls for women who are HIV-infected not to have children, or for policies to be created that limit or try to influence the reproductive choices of HIV-infected women. Although motivated by legitimate concerns, such potential policies may be problematic in terms of their threats to the autonomy of women and considerations of justice. An alternative counseling approach is proposed that advocates encouraging HIV-infected women to make reasoned and considered decisions concerning childbearing. Such an approach would require providers to discuss with women not only the medical facts relevant to vertical transmission, but also many of the psychosocial issues relevant to the woman's interest in bearing a child. Moreover, the encounter would be contextualized to include discussion of issues unique to the woman's situation and other family considerations.
The Information Content of Equity REIT Bank Credit Facility Announcements

Executive Summary. This study examines the wealth effects surrounding announcement of flexible bank credit facilities arranged by Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (EREITs) during the modern REIT era, 1994-2004. The findings reveal significantly positive shareholder wealth effects in a sample of 83 announcements of new credit lines. Announcements of increases in existing credit lines have no shareholder wealth implications. Wealth creation is greater when the amount of the credit facility is larger than average, measured as a percentage of the firm’s total assets. Consistent with the relationship banking literature, this wealth creation is attributed here to a signal of positive asymmetric information regarding the firm’s investment opportunity set.
Clinical prevalence (diagnosed cases) of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance in the US: estimating the burden on health care

Clinical prevalence (diagnosed cases) of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance in the US: estimating the burden on health care
Morphological Effects in the Chemical and Photoluminescent Behavior of Aluminum Tris(8-Hydroxyquinoline) (Alq3)

Aluminum tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) (Alq3) is presently considered one of the most reliable electron transporting and emitting materials for molecular-based organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). This paper discusses the effects of sample morphology on the hydrolysis and photoluminescence response of Alq3. The evolution of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-Hq), a volatile byproduct of the hydrolysis of Alq3, was quantified using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis on samples of different morphology. Annealed (more crystalline) samples exhibited greater chemical stability than freshly sublimed films, at the expense of photoluminescence efficiency. These phenomena are discussed with respect to possible failure mechanisms that Alq3-based OLEDs might undergo during prolonged operation.
O4-S1.03 Defining the in vitro functions of monoclonal antibodies developed to the Haemophilus ducreyi trimeric autotransporter DsrA

Background The DsrA protein ofHaemophilus ducreyi, the etiological agent of the genital ulcer disease chancroid, is a multifunctional outer membrane trimeric autotransporter (TA) and a virulence factor. MostH ducreyi strains, which are grouped in two classes (I and II), express a DsrA protein. Although DsrA proteins from both classes ofH ducreyi strains share little identity in their N-terminal functional passenger domain, both are involved in serum resistance and function as adhesins to the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins fibronectin (Fn) and vitronectin (Vn), as well as to fibrinogen (Fbg) and HaCat keratinocytes. Methods Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to DsrA were developed by immunising mice with full-length recombinant DsrA from class I strain 35 000HP (DsrAI). Western blots were used to determine the specificity of the mAbs and their ability to recognise multimers of DsrA. Whole-cell binding ELISAs were used to examine the capacity of the mAbs to bind the surface ofH ducreyi. The domains and the shortest nominal peptides of DsrA recognised by those mAbs were identified using a library of truncated DsrA proteins expressed in a dsrA mutant, a peptide library representing full-length DsrAI, as well as Surface Plasmon Resonance and mutagenesis studies. mAbs were tested for bactericidal activity and their ability to block binding of Fn, Vn and Fbg byH ducreyi using bactericidal assays and whole cell blocking assays, respectively. Results Anti-DsrAI mAbs bound monomers and dimers of the DsrA protein from several class IH ducreyi strains but not the DsrAII protein. mAb 1.82 bound native DsrAI protein at the surface of a panel of class IH ducreyi isolates, but not the H .ducreyi strains that cause cutaneous chancroid. The DsrA protein from these strains was recognised by mAb 4.79, along with the DsrA protein from strain 35 000HP. Both 1.82 and 4.79 bound with high affinity to peptides in the N-terminal region of the DsrA translocator domain and the shortest nominal epitope for 1.82 is MEQNTHNINKLS. In whole cell blocking assays, mAb 1.82 partially blocked binding of Fn and Fbg by class IH ducreyi strain 35 000HP. Conclusions 1.82 and 4.79 are DsrAI-specific mAbs that recognise multimers of DsrA and bind the surface of intactH ducreyi. Both mAbs bind an epitope in the N-terminal region of the translocator domain of DsrAI with high affinity. mAb 1.82 has modest Fn and Fbg blocking activity.
Regulation of brush-border enzyme activities and enterocyte migration rates in mouse small intestine.

We adapted the Weiser method, previously used to fractionate enterocytes of rat and rabbit intestine, to the much smaller intestine of mice. By histological, morphometric, enzymatic, histochemical,...
Distributions of circular DNA according its topological states

A distinctive feature of closed circular DNA molecules is their particular topological state, which cannot be altered by any conformational rearrangement short of breaking at least one strand. This topological constraint opens unique possibilities for experimental studies of the distributions of topological states created in different ways. Primarily, the equilibrium distributions of topological properties are considered in the review. It is described how such distributions can be obtained and measured experimentally, and how they can be computed. Comparison of the calculated and measured equilibrium distributions over the linking number of complementary strands, equilibrium fractions of knots and links formed by circular molecules has provided much valuable information about the properties of the double helix. Study of the steady-state fraction of knots and links created by type II DNA topoisomerases has revealed a surprising property of the enzymes: their ability to reduce these fractions considerably below the equilibrium level.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Fulguration of a Large Volume Caliceal Diverticulum

Currently, the optimal approach to a caliceal diverticulum appears to be direct puncture into the diverticulum with subsequent dilation and stenting of the narrow ostium with a large nephrostomy tube. However, further maneuvers might be necessary in cases of large volume caliceal diverticula. We describe a patient with a large caliceal diverticulum (7.5 cm.) in whom percutaneous endoscopic fulguration was used successfully as an additional technique to assure obliteration of the diverticulum.
Fracture of the Sesamoid Bone of the Index Finger: A Case Report.

The average adult hand has five sesamoid bones: two at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint of the thumb, one at the interphalangeal joint of the thumb, one at the radial side of the MCP joint of the index finger, and one at the ulnar side of the MCP joint of the little finger. To the best of our knowledge, fracture of the sesamoid bone of the thumb was first reported by Skillern in 19151. In the ninety-six years that have followed, we believe only twenty-one published reports of an additional thirty-six cases of fracture of the thumb sesamoid bones have been reported in the English-language literature2–15. This rare fracture is typically the result of a hyperextension injury to the MCP joint of the thumb and is most often managed conservatively with a short period of immobilization. Full recovery without residual pain is expected2,13,14. Even less common are fractures of other sesamoid bones of the hand. Wood16 described two cases of fracture of the sesamoid bone of the little finger in the only report of which we are aware. To the best of our knowledge, fracture of the sesamoid bone of the index finger has been reported only once17. This injury occurred because of a fall onto an outstretched hand and a resultant hyperextension force to the MCP joint of the index finger. The fracture was treated with six weeks of immobilization, and there was full recovery17. We present a case of fracture of the sesamoid bone of the index finger that resulted from a direct blow to the palm and ultimately required …
Complete Bell state measurement realized utilizing time-polarization hyperentanglment

We report deterministic measurement of time-polarization hyperentangled two-photon Bell states with common single-photon detectors. Optical fiber distributed Bell states are detected with 84–93% success, demonstrating that our method may enable superdense coding over fiber channels.
Invited Editorial: Responding to Incivility in the Classroom: A Case Study

This paper briefly reviews the literature of incivility in the university. We then describe a case study of incivility in a university classroom. We analyze how incivility can be handled as a teaching moment that facilitates deeper learning. Rather than seeing incivility as the disruption of learning, we argue that it provides the possibilities for engagement in a form of pedagogy that stresses inclusiveness and democratic values.
Neural changes in extinction recall following prolonged exposure treatment for PTSD: A longitudinal fMRI study.

Background Neurobiological models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) implicate fear processing impairments in the maintenance of the disorder. Specific deficits in extinction recall, the retention of learned extinction, have been demonstrated. While deficient extinction recall, and the associated activation pattern of prefrontal and hippocampal regions, distinguishes individuals with PTSD from controls, research has not yet examined changes following treatment. We examined the behavioral and neural correlates of extinction recall before and after cognitive behavioral treatment of PTSD.
CD8αα+MHC Class II+ Cell with the Capacity To Terminate Autoimmune Inflammation Is a Novel Antigen-Presenting NK-like Cell in Rats

Discovery of immune tolerance mechanisms, which inhibit pre-existing autoimmune inflammation, may provide us with new strategies for treating autoimmune diseases. We have identified a CD8αα+MHC class II+ cell with professional APC capacity during our investigation on spontaneous recovery from autoimmune glomerulonephritis in a rat model. This cell actively invades inflamed target tissue and further terminates an ongoing autoimmune inflammation by selective killing of effector autoreactive T cells. In this study, we show that this cell used a cytotoxic machinery of Ly49s+ NK cells in killing of target T cells. Thus, this CD8αα+MHC class II+ cell was a dually functional Ag-presenting NK-like (AP-NK) cell. Following its coupling with target T cells through Ag presentation, killing stimulatory receptor Ly49s6 and coreceptor CD8αα on this cell used rat nonclassic MHC class I C/E16 on the target T cells as a ligand to initiate killing. Thus, activated effector T cells with elevated expression of rat nonclassic MHC class I C/E16 were highly susceptible to the killing by the CD8αα+ AP-NK cell. Granule cytolytic perforin/granzyme C from this cell subsequently mediated cytotoxicity. Thus, inhibition of granzyme C effectively attenuated the killing. As it can recognize and eliminate effector autoreactive T cells in the inflamed target tissue, the CD8αα+ AP-NK cell not only represents a new type of immune cell involved in immune tolerance, but it also is a potential candidate for developing a cell-based therapy for pre-existing autoimmune diseases.