cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deep learning-based image analysis methods for brightfield-acquired multiplex immunohistochemistry images

Multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) permits the labeling of six or more distinct cell types within a single histologic tissue section. The classification of each cell type requires detection of uniquely colored chromogens localized to cells expressing biomarkers of interest. The most comprehensive and reproducible method to evaluate such slides is to employ digital pathology and image analysis pipelines to whole-slide images (WSIs). Our suite of deep learning tools quantitatively evaluates the expression of six biomarkers in mIHC WSIs. These methods address the current lack of readily available methods to evaluate more than four biomarkers and circumvent the need for specialized instrumentation to spectrally separate different colors. The use case application for our methods is a study that investigates tumor immune interactions in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with a customized mIHC panel. Six different colored chromogens were utilized to label T-cells (CD3, CD4, CD8), B-cells (CD20), macrophages (CD16), and tumor cells (K17) in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) PDAC tissue sections. We leveraged pathologist annotations to develop complementary deep learning-based methods: (1) ColorAE is a deep autoencoder which segments stained objects based on color; (2) U-Net is a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained to segment cells based on color, texture and shape; and (3) ensemble methods that employ both ColorAE and U-Net, collectively referred to as ColorAE:U-Net. We assessed the performance of our methods using: structural similarity and DICE score to evaluate segmentation results of ColorAE against traditional color deconvolution; F1 score, sensitivity, positive predictive value, and DICE score to evaluate the predictions from ColorAE, U-Net, and ColorAE:U-Net ensemble methods against pathologist-generated ground truth. We then used prediction results for spatial analysis (nearest neighbor). We observed that (1) the performance of ColorAE is comparable to traditional color deconvolution for single-stain IHC images (note: traditional color deconvolution cannot be used for mIHC); (2) ColorAE and U-Net are complementary methods that detect six different classes of cells with comparable performance; (3) combinations of ColorAE and U-Net in ensemble methods outperform ColorAE and U-Net alone; and (4) ColorAE:U-Net ensemble methods can be employed for detailed analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME). We developed a suite of scalable deep learning methods to analyze 6 distinctly labeled cell populations in mIHC WSIs. We evaluated our methods and found that they reliably detected and classified cells in the PDAC tumor microenvironment. We also utilized the ColorAE:U-Net ensemble method to analyze 3 mIHC WSIs with nearest neighbor spatial analysis. We demonstrate a proof of concept that these methods can be employed to quantitatively describe the spatial distribution of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. These complementary deep learning methods are readily deployable for use in clinical research studies.
Quantitative evaluation of FDG PET imaging on the woodchuck model of hepatocellular carcinoma with histological correlation

1604 Objectives: There are mixed feelings about the usefulness of FDG PET for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in humans. The woodchuck is a potentially interesting animal model for studying this malignancy since it can naturally develop HCC. To our knowledge, no work involving PET for studying primary liver cancer in this animal has been done. We examined the value of 2FDG PET imaging on this model by performing kinetic modeling, relating the estimated parameters to tumor uptake and correlating the results with histological observations. Methods: Woodchucks with and without HCC were obtained from a breeding colony. Two-hour PET scans were performed after injection of a 37 MBq 2FDG bolus. The liver was then excised and samples of tumors and normal tissue were harvested for immunohistochemical staining (H&E, PCNA and Glut2). A portion of a lobe from selected woodchucks was also taken to image with a micro-CT scanner. Arterial blood was continuously sampled throughout the acquisitions for determining the input function. Portal vein input function derived from the dynamic images was accounted for. A three-compartment, five-parameter model was used to estimate the rate constants and the hepatic blood volume. Results: On average, the tumor-to-normal ratio at the 18-seconds time point was 4.4244±2.59 and dropped to only 1.1082±0.1433 after one hour. The woodchucks could be separated in two groups: animals for which the k3 and k4 values were not significantly different in normal liver compared with tumors (P>0.05) and those for which both k3 and k4 values were significantly increased in tumors compared with normal tissue (P Conclusions: We demonstrated that well differentiated tumors do not show increased glycolysis due to high hexokinase activity. We only observed increased 2FDG uptake in moderately and poorly differentiated tumors in one animal. We have also shown that differences in blood perfusion in normal liver tissues and in tumors can be exploited to distinguish between normal and malignant hepatocytes by looking at early time frames. Research Support (if any): This work was supported in part by an NIH grant CA095307.
An empirical identification of temptation goods: Perceptions of Cambodian smallholder farmers

Spending money on goods that satisfy oneself at the moment but not necessarily in the future – temptation goods – is a bothersome habit that applies to most people. However, with very low income, s...
Why Pharmaceutical Firms Support Patent Trolls: The Disparate Impact of Ebay v. Mercexchange on Innovation

A. Distinguishing Universities from Patent Trolls: Active Innovation Matters 333 B. The Pharmaceutical Firm as Patent Troll: SmithKline Beecham v. Apotex 338 C. The Pharmaceutical Firm as Innovator: eBay’s Disparate Impact 342 Conclusion 343
EAP, a highly conserved cellular protein associated with Epstein-Barr virus small RNAs (EBERs)

Human B lymphocytes latently infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) synthesize very large amounts (5 x 10(6)/cell) of two small nuclear RNAs called EBERs (Epstein-Barr encoded RNAs). These RNAs are of unknown function and, like many RNA polymerase III (Pol III) transcripts, bind the La autoantigen. We have discovered that the EBERs also associate with a second highly abundant host-encoded protein designated EAP (EBER associated protein). Human EAP is a small (14,777 dalton, 128 amino acid) polypeptide that binds both EBER 1 and EBER 2. EAP is also found in association with one or both of two analogous virally-encoded RNAs found in baboon cells infected with herpesvirus papio (HVP). We have devised a purification procedure for EAP and have cloned its cDNA from a human placental cDNA library using amino acid sequence data and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The predicted amino acid sequence of EAP shows a strong resemblance (77% identity) to an endodermal, developmentally regulated sea urchin protein called 217 (Dolecki et al., 1988). EAP contains a potential nuclear localization signal and a highly acidic carboxy terminus, but does not display marked similarity to any other RNA binding proteins.
Bed Topography Effect on Flow in a Meander

Stabilized bed topography in a meandering channel with fixed walls and movable bed was measured at various width-depth ratios and Froude numbers. Velocity and bed-shear distributions were measured in a fixed-bed model whose configuration conformed to the stabilized topography of the movable-bed model. An approximate theoretical analysis of the bed configuration under fully developed flow conditions shows that the transverse bed slope is directly proportional to a parameter characterizing the relative importance of fluid inertia compared with the gravity acting on a particle. Good agreement has been observed between the theoretical and experimental results in the downstream half of the model channel. The effects of formation of the bed topography on the flow characteristics are considered.
Growth of Nonfermentative Bacteria at 42° C

Growth at 42 degrees C is advocated to differentiate species of the fluorescent pseudomonas group as well as to differentiate other nonfermentative bacteria. Methodologies vary in the performance of the test, resulting in differing and often discrepant results between investigators. During this evaluation, the test was performed by inoculating 3 ml of Trypticase soy broth with a loopful of an overnight broth culture. Growth in the 42 degrees C tube was judged as heavy or slight after 24 and 48 h incubation at 41.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C. Pseudomonas aeruginosa grew abundantly after overnight incubation, whereas 16 of 74 isolates of P. putida (22%) showed slight turbidity in the broth after 24 or 48 h which could not be regarded as an inoculum effect. Trypticase soy agar was used in conjunction with Trypticase soy broth, with the growth again judged as heavy or slight. Growth of P. putida on slants was still seen in some cases (6%) although the number of strains showing growth had declined. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride was added to Trypticase soy broth (0.005%) as a color indicator of growth. Strains of P. putida, although showing visible evidence of growth, gave no color change when compared with the 35 degrees C control. The constancy in test results using nonfermentative bacteria is not only method dependent but also strain dependent. Although the test for growth at 42 degrees C is important as a taxonomic tool when used under controlled conditions, other tests such as acetamide are preferred as a substitute for use in the clinical laboratory.
Crosstalk Between Rac and Rho

Cell motility is the result of a delicate balance between the activities of Rac, Cdc42, and RhoA, members of the Rho family of guanine nucleotide triphosphatases that are important regulators of the cell cytoskeleton. In his Perspective, Burridge discusses the report by [ Sanders et al .][1] in this issue, which implicates p21-activated kinase (PAK) in a pathway that counteracts the contractility induced by RhoA. PAK (which is activated by Rac or Cdc42) blocks myosin light chain phosphorylation, resulting in a decrease in myosin activity, which in turn reduces cell contractility. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/283/5410/2083
Channel doping engineering of MOSFET with adaptable threshold voltage using body effect for low voltage and low power applications

With the scaling of the power supply voltage V/sub DD/ in low voltage and low power VLSI, the threshold voltage of the MOSFET device needs to be reduced to retain the device performance in terms of current driving capability and switching speed. Recently MOSFET devices whose threshold voltages can be adapted during the transistor operation using the body effect have been proposed for low voltage and low power VLSI applications. In these devices, the threshold voltages are reduced by forward-biasing the body-to-source junction. In this paper we study the effect of the channel doping engineering on this threshold voltage reduction scheme.
Competing spin exchange interactions in Zn1-xMnxSe/Zn1-yFeySe multiple-quantum-well structures.

We report the study of a mixed-spin multiple-quantum-well system consisting of alternating Zn 1-x Mn x Se and Zn 1-y Fe y Se layers, grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. The two spin components of the heavy-hole exciton are each dominated by different exchange interactions as revealed by their temperature and magnetic-field dependence. We find that the energy of the spin-down σ + component (3/2, -1/2) is well described by exchange interactions of the electrons and holes with Mn 2+ +ions (Brillouin paramagnet), while the energy of the spin-up σ - component (+3/2, +1/2) is determined by the interactions of carriers with Fe 2+ ions (Van Vleck paramagnet)
Iterative embedding with robust correction using feedback of error observed

Nonlinear dimensionality reduction techniques of today are highly sensitive to outliers. Almost all of them are spectral methods and differ from each other over their treatment of the notion of neighborhood similarities computed amongst the high-dimensional input data points. These techniques aim to preserve the notion of this similarity structure in the low-dimensional output. The presence of unwanted outliers in the data directly influences the preservation of these neighborhood similarities amongst the majority of the non-outlier data, as these points ocuring in majority need to simultaneously satisfy their neighborhood similarities they form with the outliers while also satisfying the similarity structure they form with the non-outlier data. This issue disrupts the intrinsic structure of the manifold on which the majority of the non-outlier data lies when preserved via a homeomorphism on a low-dimensional manifold. In this paper we come up with an iterative algorithm that analytically solves for a non-linear embedding with monotonic improvements after each iteration. As an application of this iterative manifold learning algorithm, we come up with a framework that decomposes the pair-wise error observed between all pairs of points and update the neighborhood similarity matrix dynamically to downplay the effect of the outliers, over the majority of the non-outlier data being embedded into a lower dimension.
Correction of Pectus Excavatum Without Prostheses or Splints: Objective Measurement of Severity and Management of Asymmetrical Deformities

From 1949 to 1977, 254 children underwent surgical reconstruction of pectus excavatum by means of a variety of operations at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. From 1970 to 1977, 68 children had a modified Ravitch repair, with the addition of a tripod internal fixation technique for support of the sternum. These children obtained excellent cosmetic reconstruction without prosthetic support or splints. During an 18-month period we used a new system of caliper measurement of the spatial anatomy of the thoracic cage in more than 50 children. During the same period, we originated an operative step to correct the not uncommon asymmetrical excavatum that is usually deeper on the right and associated with a troublesome rotation of the sternum, found in 9 of the last 27 children seen. Correction was accomplished with an oblique anterior sternal osteotomy. The groups were analyzed and compared with respect to age, postoperative complications, and end results in order to identify trends in the management of children with this condition. On the basis of this experience, we feel confident in recommending a standardized operation for all forms of pectus excavatum at an elective age between 4 and 6 years and without prosthetic splints.
Abstract 2926: The synthetic triterpenoid CDDO-methyl ester and the rexinoid LG100268 extend survival in the KPC transgenic mouse model of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and is almost always fatal. While prevention offers the most promising approach for reducing the mortality of this disease, there is still a need to develop effective drugs for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer. We have previously reported that the triterpenoid CDDO-methyl ester (CDDO-Me) and the rexinoid LG100268 (268) can prevent and treat experimental lung and breast cancer in rodents. These drugs also inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells but have not been tested in vivo against pancreatic cancer. Hingorani et al have developed the autochthonous LSL-Kras G12D/+ ;LSL-Trp53 R127H/+ ;Pdx-1-Cre (KPC) mouse model of pancreatic cancer. These KPC transgenic mice closely replicate the genetic mutations, clinical symptoms, and histopathology found in human pancreatic cancer. We have generated pancreatic cancer cell lines from a solid pancreatic tumor and from ascites of KPC mice. The triterpenoid CDDO-Me directly interacts with both STAT3 and IKK in these cells. As a result, CDDO-Me (0.3-1 μM) decreases constitutive IL-6 secretion, inhibits constitutive and IL-6 inducible STAT3 phosphorylation, and blocks the degradation of IKBα in cells challenged with TNFα. CDDO-Me also inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of these pancreatic cancer cell lines. Although the rexinoid 268 has little effect on epithelial cells in vitro, it regulates macrophages and other immune cells that drive tumorigenesis in the KPC mice. In order to test these drugs in vivo, KPC mice were fed powdered control diet or diet containing CDDO-Me (50 mg/kg diet), 268 (30 mg/kg diet) or the combination, beginning at 4 weeks of age until the mice displayed overt symptoms (cachexia, abdmonial distension) of pancreatic cancer. CDDO-Me, 268, and the combination (n = 25 per group) all significantly (P Supported by the Sidney Kimmel Foundation for Cancer Research, NIH grant RO1 CA101207 and Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2926.
Latent tuberculosis infections in hard-to-reach drug using population – detection, prevention and control

summary Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) need be evaluated for effectiveness as screening tests for tuberculosis (TB) infection in drug users. These tests have demonstrated improved sensitivity and specificity, but have not been studied in drug users. These one step blood tests are intended to replace the tuberculin skin test (TST), which is difficult to use and requires 48 hour follow-up, so they are expected to be particularly suitable for risk groups, like drug users, in whom follow-up is problematic. Drug users have traditionally been identified as being at increased risk for acquiring TB disease. The results of our pilot study using the TST and simpler and more sensitive interferongamma release assays showed that about 45% of current drug users in Houston tested have at least one test positive for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). These preliminary data suggest that there is an important reservoir of LTBI in drug using populations, and the risk of progression to active TB disease with other infections is great. However, LTBI in drug using populations has not been studied in depth and deserves further investigation. We need to evaluate the validity of IGRAs for detection of latent TB infection, the factors associated with LTBI, the incidence and risk for developing active TB disease in drug users and the effectiveness of early treatment of LTBI. We believe that using better tuberculosis screening tools will allow us to more accurately measure the prevalence of latent TB infection and incidence of active TB disease in drug using populations and develop more effective TB prevention and treatment interventions in the community.
The Head and the Heart. National Identity and Urban Planning in a Devolved Scotland

Questions of identity and how it is changing under the influences of globalization and how in turn it is affecting government and policy processes have become increasingly to the fore in recent years. Despite shifts towards devolution in the UK and the anticipation of such processes heralding an opportunity for governance to better reflect national identity, little interest has been paid to the role of planning in such issues. An essential component of identity that has influenced attitudes towards planning is the role of myths. Two myths that have been significant for planning in Scotland are those of egalitarianism and radicalism, both of which have contributed towards the idea of Scottish planning being distinct from and superior to its English counterpart. These two myths form part of what Tom Nairn has termed the 'heart' of Scottish identity founded upon romantic, historic imagery of identity. The 'head' is formed by the realization of the need to compete economically in a globalized free-market. Thi...
DSR and TORA in fixed and mobile wireless networks

Mobile ad-hoc networks (MANET) are developed to provide protocol functionally suitable for wireless routing applications within both fixed and mobile network. Source-initiated on-demand driven routing protocols are one type of protocols used in MANET and they detect and respond to changes in the network topology by gathering information to use in route construction and mobility management. Fixed wireless networks are currently gaining popularity and in this paper DSR and TORA will be employed and tested in such networks. This paper will discuss the performance of DSR and TORA routing protocols using the OPNET simulator. The performance is analyzed with respect to throughput, end-to-end delay and overhead by varying network size in both fixed and mobile network settings.
Expression of Human RAD52 Confers Resistance to Ionizing Radiation in Mammalian Cells

Abstract Processing of mutagenic DNA damages by the double strand breaks (DSB) in eukaryotes is most likely achieved by multiple pathways, including homologous recombination. Although RAD52 has been shown to be important for DSB repair in yeasts, its role in DSB repair in mammalian cells has not been demonstrated. This study reports for the first time that the overexpression of human RAD52 confers enhanced resistance to -rays and induces homologous intrachromosomal recombination in cultured monkey cells. Recombination frequency synergistically increased by the combination of overexpression of RAD52 and ionizing radiation. These observations suggest that homologous recombination mediated by RAD52 is involved in double-stranded break repair in mammalian cells.
Reflexivity of inductive limits

An inductive locally convex limit of reflexive topological spaces is reflexive iff it is almost regular.
Psychometric Limitations of Guilford's Structure-of-Intellect Model for Identification and Programming of the Gifted.

The purpose of this presentation is (a) to analyze critically reseach and promotional literature on Guilford's Structure-of-Intellect (SOI) model as it relates to the cognitive functioning of gifte...
Drugs on the Internet, Part III: Tobacco and Smoking on the Web

This study examines the types of tobacco- and smoking-related websites that are available on the Internet. The search terms used were nicotine, tobacco, and cigarette. These terms were searched in the engines Google and Yahoo as well as video-sharing website YouTube and analyzed based on the search engine results pages (SERPs) that were produced. The results returned the following categories of websites: health information and news, smoking cessation, product ads/sales, history of tobacco and smoking, prosmoking/pleasure, smoking prevention/control, and miscellaneous. Results showed fluctuations in the number of search engine results by search term and date. There also was variable quality and availability of informative resources for Internet users due to lack of quality control criteria and regulation.
Disruption of the Cr2 Locus Results in a Reduction in B-1a Cells and in an Impaired B Cell Response to T-Dependent Antigen

Covalent attachment of activated products of the third component of complement to antigen enhances its immunogenicity, but the mechanism is not clear. This effect is mediated by specific receptors, mCR1 (CD35) and mCR2 (CD21), expressed primarily on B cells and follicular dendritic cells in mice. To dissect the role of mCR1 and mCR2 in the humoral response, we have disrupted the Cr2 locus to generate mice deficient in both receptors. The deficient mice (Cr2-/-) were found to have a reduction in the CD5+ population of peritoneal B-1 cells, although their serum IgM levels were within the range of normal mice. Moreover, Cr2-/- mice had a severe defect in their humoral response to T-dependent antigens that was characterized by a reduction in serum antibody titers and in the number and size of germinal centers within splenic follicles. Reconstitution of the deficient mice with bone marrow from MHC-matched Cr2+/+ donors corrected the defect, demonstrating that the defect was due to B cells themselves. These results indicate an obligatory role of B cell complement receptors in responses of the B cells to protein antigens.
Hydrate formation in i-butane-n-butane or a butene isomer water system at a given temperature

Abstract In this study- it was first confirmed experimentally that of the four-carbon hydrocarbons, only i-butane seems to be able to form solid hydrate by itself in coexistence with an aqueous phase. Then similar experiments with i-butanef-based binary mixtures with each of these hydrocarbons were carried out at a fixed temperature of -0.7°C. The results show that the relationships between the composition of the mixture used and the equilibrium total pressure can be found approximately by a proposed theoretical consideration. Thus, the mixtures with less than 73.8% i-butane can not form a hydrate at -0.7°C with 1.6% NaCl aqueous solution, and this limiting ratio increases with increasing temperature. For example, the following values are obtained: 84.1%, at 0.0°C and 69.5%, at -1.0°C. The mixtures containing more than the above ratios could form a solid hydrate, whose quantity was proportional to the excess of the i-butane used. Although to justify the above theory, it will be necessary to conduct further studies with propane instead of i-butane at this and/or at other temperatures, it suggests a suitable composition for the secondary refrigerant applied in the direct contact freezing process for the desalination of sea water, from the point of view of the operating pressure and the prevention of hydrate formation.
Vanoxerine, a new drug for terminating atrial fibrillation and flutter.

Vanoxerine Terminates AF and AFL. Background: Vanoxerine produces potent block of cardiac hERG, sodium, and L-type calcium channels. Block is strongly frequency dependent, is unassociated with transmural dispersion of repolarization, and occurs at concentrations safe in humans. Therefore, we proposed that vanoxerine might be antiarrhythmic. In these studies, we tested the hypothesis that vanoxerine would terminate induced atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) in dogs with sterile pericarditis (SP). MethodsandResults:In9SPdogs,11episodeseachofsustained(>10minutes)AFandAFLwereinduced. Electrophysiological studies were performed before and after infusion of vanoxerine, which effectively terminated AFand AFL in19of 22 episodes. Simultaneous multisitemapping during 3AFand 3 AFLepisodes demonstrated that termination of each arrhythmia occurred with termination of the driver (a reentrant circuit) following an increase in tachycardia CL. Except for conduction in an area of slow conduction in the driver’s reentrant circuit, vanoxerine did not significantly affect intraatrial or atrioventricular conduction time, QRS duration, or QT/QTc intervals. Ventricular refractoriness prolonged minimally during ventricular pacing at 400 and 333 ms (176 ± 16 ms to 182 ± 16 ms; 173 ± 11 ms to 178 ± 18 ms, respectively). Vanoxerine minimally increased (mean 0.7 mA) atrial stimulus threshold for capture. Conclusions: Vanoxerine effectively terminated induced, sustained AF and AFL in the canine SP model, and produced insignificant or minimal changes in refractoriness, conduction time, or stimulus threshold, consistent with little proarrhythmic risk. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 311-319, March 2010) atrial flutter (AF), atrial fibrillation (AFL), vanoxerine, antiarrhythmic drug therapy, QT interval
Microfluidic fabrication of addressable tethered lipid bilayer arrays and optimization using SPR with silane-derivatized nanoglassy substrates

We report the microfluidic fabrication of robust and fluid tethered bilayer arrays within a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) chip, and demonstrate its addressability and biosensing by incorporating the GM1 receptor into the bilayer framework for detection of cholera toxin. Rapid optimization of the experimental conditions is achieved by using nanoglassified surfaces in combination with surface plasmon resonance. The ultrathin glassy film on gold mimics glass surfaces employed in microfluidics, allowing real-time monitoring of multiple assembly steps and therefore permitting rapid prototyping of microfluidic arrays. The tethered bilayer array utilizes a covalently immobilized biotinylated protein for generation of well-defined capture zones where a streptavidin link is employed for the immobilization of biotinylated vesicles. Fusion of captured vesicles is accomplished using a concentrated PEG solution, and the lateral diffusion of the tethered bilayer membrane is characterized by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching methods. The tethered membrane arrays demonstrate marked stability and high mobility, which provide an ideal host environment for membrane-associated proteins and open new avenues for high-throughput analysis of these proteins.
Morbidity and mortality conference, grand rounds, and the ACGME’s core competencies

Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) Conferences are an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandated educational series that occur regularly at all institutions that have residency training programs. The potential for learning from medical errors, complications, and unanticipated outcomes is immense—provided that the focus is on education, as opposed to culpability. The education innovation described in this manuscript is the manner in which we have used the ACGME Outcome Project's 6 core competencies as the structure upon which the cases discussed at our M&M conference are framed. When presented at grand rounds in a novel format, M&M conference has not only maintained support for the quality improvement efforts in the Department, but has served to improve the educational impact of the conference.
Modal analysis of SPRITE noise spectra

The detector noise is the key limit to any imaging system. The unique design of signal processing in the element (SPRITE) detectors provides measurable signal to noise improvement over ordinary detectors. The analysis and description of the noise in this type of detector is complicated by the fact that transport phenomena filter the noise spectra prior to readout. Previous analyses of the noise behavior used an approximate solution to the charge transport problem to produce expressions for the noise PSD, and yield predictions of a flat PSD at low frequencies. Measurements of real devices show a large 1/f behavior at low frequencies, but this has always been attributed to contact effects. In this paper, we use the results of the eigenmode solution to the transport problem to derive the PSD of the noise. We show that this analysis produces noise PSDs that have a 1/f dependence caused simply by the operation of the transport processes. The result is then coordinated with the similarly obtained signal response MTF to produce the frequency dependent signal to noise ratio. These are computed over several ranges of detector parameters with the intent of revealing their optimum values.
A kinetic study of erythrocyte-DNA/anti-DNA immune complex association and dissociation reactions in systemic lupus erythematosus

Decreased binding capacity of the erythrocyte complement receptor (RBC CR1)in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may contribute to abnormal handling of circulating immune complexes in these patients. Decreased numbers of RBC CR1 have been reported in SLE, but, since binding is a function of both receptor number and receptor binding kinetics, we measured kinetic parameters for the interaction of complement (C) containing [3H]DNA:anti-DNA immune complexes (IC) with normal control (NC) and SLE RBC. Experiments were performed at five temperatures ranging from 7–37°C. The parameters measured included: (1) the maximum quantity of DNA:anti-DNA:C which could bind per RBC, S; (2) the association rate constant,ka, for the binding of DNA:anti-DNA:C to RBC; (3) the dissociation rate constant,kd, for the dissociation of bound DNA:anti-DNA:C 1C from RBC; (4) the steady-state constant,K33 (ka/kd); and (5) the energies of activation for association,Ean, and dissociation,Ead. Although the relative amount of bound DNA:anti-DNA:C per RBC was significantly decreased in SLE patients compared to NC (P < 0.001), the mean values forKss, Ka, kdandEad did not differ significantly between the groups. These data suggest the following: (1) RBC CR1 binding and dissociation of DNA:anti-DNA:C are consecutive reactions resulting in steady-state concentrations of free and RBC-bound IC; (2) at steady-state times, the ratio of RBC bound to unbound DNA:anti-DNA:C are governed by kinetic factors; (3) since the binding kinetics of SLE and NC RBC are not significantly different, the decreased binding activity described by other investigators can only be due to a decreased number of CR1 per RBC; and (4) values forEaa andEad suggest that the rate-determining steps in IC association with the dissociation from RBC involves making and breaking of hydrogen bonds.
Arsenic in ground-water under oxidizing conditions, south-west United States.

Concentrations of dissolved arsenic in ground-water in alluvial basins of Arizona commonly exceed 50 μg L−1 and reach values as large as 1,300 μg L−1. Arsenic speciation analyses show that arsenic occurs in the fully oxidized state of plus 5 (As+5), most likely in the form of HAsO4∼2, under existing oxidizing and pH conditions. Arsenic in source areas presumably is oxidized to soluble As before transport into the basin or, if after transport, before burial. Probable sources of arsenic are the sulphide and arsenide deposits in the mineralized areas of the mountains surrounding the basins. Arsenic content of alluvial material ranged from 2 to 88 ppm. Occurrence and removal of arsenic in ground-water are related to the pH and the redox condition of the ground-water, the oxidation state of arsenic, and sorption or exchange. Within basins, dissolved arsenic correlates (P<0.01) with dissolved molybdenum, selenium, vanadium, and fluoride and with pH, suggesting sorption of negative ions. The sorption hypothesis is further supported by enrichment of teachable arsenic in the basin-fill sediments by about tenfold relative to the crustal abundance and by as much as a thousandfold relative to concentrations found in ground-water. Silicate hydrolysis reactions, as defined within the alluvial basins, under closed conditions cause increases in pH basinward and would promote desorption. Within the region, large concentrations of arsenic are commonly associated with the central parts of basins whose chemistries evolve under closed conditions. Arsenic does not correlate with dissolved iron (r = 0.09) but may be partly controlled by iron in the solid phase. High solid-phase arsenic contents were found in red clay beds. Large concentrations of arsenic also were found in water associated with red clay beds. Basins that contain the larger concentrations are bounded primarily by basalt and andesite, suggesting that the iron content as well as the arsenic content of the basin fill may play a role in the occurrence of arsenic in ground-water. Under oxidizing conditions in Arizona, arsenic in ground-water appears to be controlled in part by sorption or desorption of HAsO4∼2 on active ferric oxyhydroxide surfaces.
Optimal expectations and the extreme information assumptions of ‘rational expectations’ macromodels

Abstract ‘One might reply that the rationality of a person's choice does not depend upon how much he knows, but only upon how well he reasons from whatever information he has, however incomplete. Our decision is perfectly rational provided that we face up to our circumstances and do the best we can.’ (John Rawls, A Theory of Justice )
Types of Help‐seeking situations for novice users of digital libraries: A preliminary study

The Help-seeking situation is characterized by a person, who is engaged in the process of information seeking with an IR system in order to achieve his/her tasks/goals, and finds him/herself needing some sort of help in that process. To date, there has been little empirical research investigating the specific types of Help-seeking situations that lead users to look for help. This paper reports the results of a preliminary study, derived from an ongoing large scale research project focusing on the identification of different types of Help-seeking situations, along with types of help features used and their related problems. Seventeen subjects representing the general public in Milwaukee and New York City sites were selected for this study. Based on the analysis of pre and post questionnaires, think aloud data and transaction logs, the results present 9 types of Help-seeking situations related to problems in the area of: domain knowledge, system knowledge, information retrieval knowledge, evaluation of results, and collections of digital libraries. Implications for the design of more effective interactive Help mechanisms are also discussed.
Notes on the finite element analysis of the axisymmetric elastic solid

Abstract A simple transformation of displacements considerably eases the explicit derivation of the finite element stiffness matrix for the axisymmetric elastic solid without causing a decline in the rate of convergence. The worsening of the condition of the global stiffness matrix caused by this transformation can be cured by scaling. A balanced numerical integration scheme maintaining the full rate of convergence is the one that integrates each term of the work and energy expressions to the order 2 p − 2, p being the degree of the complete polynomial in the shape functions.
Two‐dimensional numerical simulation of the effects of air pollution upon the urban—rural complex

A two-dimensional radiative-dynamic interaction model is developed to study the impact of air pollution on urban areas and on the regions directly downwind of the city. By isolating component effects, such as variable soil parameters and roughness heights, it becomes possible to comprehend the behavior of the complete model. The model includes low and elevated pollution as well as artificial urban heat sources. Geostrophic winds of 2 and 5 m/s are used to model the wind field, vertical motion is included. Stability effects on vertical mixing are accounted for in terms of the similarity theory. The radiative treatment is based on the exact formulation of the radiative transfer equation which accounts for multiple scattering of aerosol particles in the solar spectrum as well as in the water vapor window. In addition to the radiative effects of water vapor and carbon dioxide, the presence of NO 2 is accounted for. It is found that an artificial heat source causes surface heating of 4 °C, while urban soils lead to lower surface temperatures up to 4 °C during the day and warmer temperatures up to 3 °C during the night. The effect of increased roughness is an increased temperature up to 4 °C at shelter height during the day and a decreased temperature of 2.5 °C during the night. Low-level pollution sources lead to 2 °C surface temperature decreases during the day, while upper level sources may lead to decreases of 7 °C under stagnant conditions in urban areas. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1978.tb00827.x
Typicality and fuzzy sets

Given an arbitrary fuzzy set, there are various linguistic expressions which represent different approaches to the concept of typicality and may often be transformed to suitable numerals -- typical values. These quantities can then be replaced (not uniquely) by integral forms. A more natural approach for obtaining typical values is to apply an inverse procedure: Based on the linguistic expression and the fuzzy set, a biased measure is designed such that associated integrals over the fuzzy set with respect to this measure, yields the typical value and the balance point of the set.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Scaling the ground water flow equation

Abstract Stochastic representation of aquifer parameters is adopted to incorporate their macroscopic variability (e.g. the horizontal variability at the scale of the order 1–10 m) into modeling the megascopic flow of ground water (i.e. the scale of the order of 1 km). The mathematical expression of the dynamics of megascopic ground water flow led to two deterministic coupled partial differential equations that must be solved simultaneously for the hydraulic head. The hydraulic head and the transmissivity are assumed to come from a joint Gaussian distribution, and the moment generating function is used to solve the closure problem. The assumption of a Gaussian distribution is more realistic for field applications than the commonly used perturbation techniques which neglect high-order moments of transmissivity and hydraulic head. The utility of the megascopic formulation of the ground water flow equation is demonstrated for the case of an aquifer in hydraulic connection with a stream. The small-scale macroscopic variability of aquifer transmissivity influences the megascopic behavior of the flow in the aquifer in both space and time. We propose to use the discrete kernels approach to reduce the amount of computations in stochastic ground water models.
Population recognition of infant isolation peeps in the squirrel monkey

Abstract Infants from three populations of squirel monkeys with different pelage, behaviour patterns and physiological patterns emitted two forms of isolation peeps. Offspring from Peruvian and Bolivian stock produced isolation peeps previously described as belonging to ‘Roman Arch’ monkeys, whereas the Guyanese population produced isolation peeps previously described as belonging to ‘Gothic Arch’ monkeys. Playbacks of isolation peeps from, infants of each population to groups of adult monkeys revealed a population specificity in the response to infant calls. Peruvian, and Bolivian adults responded with increased activity, decreased huddling and increased approach to the speaker only when isolation peeps of Peruvian and Bolivian infants were broadcast. Guyanese adult monkeys showed similar responses to the isolation peeps of Guyanese infants. These are the first reported data indicating that the long-recognized vocal differences in squirrel monkey populations are responded to differentially. The results also support a major taxonomic division between the Gothic Arch and Roman Arch populations with the other morphological and physiological differences within these populations reflecting secondary divisions.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: ASBMT/CIBMTR 2010 tandem meeting highlights and discussion

The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplantation Research (CIBMTR) held their 12th Annual Tandem Meeting this February in Orlando, Florida. This International Transplant Meeting brought together a record 2,570 attendees from 45 countries, and included the state of the art educational and plenary sessions and 478 oral and poster presentations. Recently, the American Journal of Hematology published a series of articles reviewing the "Top 10 clinically oriented abstracts" presented at the 2009 American Society of Hematology meeting [1]. Given how well this series was received, we believed it would be worthwhile providing a similar review of relevant abstracts from this year's BMT meetings. There has been dramatic progress in this field that we believe is of great interest and importance to the hematology/oncology community. There was an incredible body of work presented and it is misleading to suggest that there is a "top 10" list. Many more abstracts than can be presented here are worthy of discussion and recognition and any exclusion of important studies is solely a reflection of space limitation rather than quality of work. We tried to pick abstracts that were important, novel, biologically interesting, and that address either changing or controversial areas in the field. All 10 abstracts are published in full in the February 2010 issue of Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (volume 16, No. 2) and are identified here by their abstract number.
Evaluating sentiment in financial news articles

Can the choice of words and tone used by the authors of financial news articles correlate to measurable stock price movements? If so, can the magnitude of price movement be predicted using these same variables? We investigate these questions using the Arizona Financial Text (AZFinText) system, a financial news article prediction system, and pair it with a sentiment analysis tool. Through our analysis, we found that subjective news articles were easier to predict in price direction (59.0% versus 50.0% of chance alone) and using a simple trading engine, subjective articles garnered a 3.30% return. Looking further into the role of author tone in financial news articles, we found that articles with a negative sentiment were easiest to predict in price direction (50.9% versus 50.0% of chance alone) and a 3.04% trading return. Investigating negative sentiment further, we found that our system was able to predict price decreases in articles of a positive sentiment 53.5% of the time, and price increases in articles of a negative sentiment 52.4% of the time. We believe that perhaps this result can be attributable to market traders behaving in a contrarian manner, e.g., see good news, sell; see bad news, buy.
Laser-Induced Fluorescence of CF2 from a CH4 Flame and an H2 Flame with Addition of HCFC-22 and HFC-134a

Abstract Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of CF 2 radicals in atmospheric diffusion flames is reported for the first time. When a CH 4 flame is premixed with HCFC-22 (CCIF 2 H) or HFC-134a (CF 3 CFH 2 ), fluorescence spectra between 250 and 314 nm of the A 1 B 1 –X 1 A 1 transition from CF 2 are observed when the flame is probed by a KrF laser. When these two halocarbons are added to an atmospheric H 2 flame, similar LIF spectra of CF 2 are also observed. Two-dimensional LIF images from the flames show that the CF 2 radicals are localized between the flame center and the flame front.
Stereoscopic Ray-Tracing

In this paper, we describe a method to create an approximate ray-traced stereoscopic pair by transforming a fully raytraced left-eye view into an inferred right-eye view. Performance results from evaluating several random scenes, which indicate that the second view in a stereoscopic image can be computed with as little as 5% of the effort required to fully ray-trace the first view, are presented. We also discuss worst-case performance of our algorithm and demonstrate that our technique is always at least as efficient as two passes of a standard ray-tracer.
HCO concentration in flames via quantitative laser-induced fluorescence

Quantitative laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements of the concentration of HCO are made in three 25-torr methane-oxygen-nitrogen flames: fuel lean ( φ =0.81), near stoichiometric ( φ =1.07), and fuel rich ( φ =1.28). LIF is excited in the (000)-(000) band of the B-X system near 258 nm. The LIF signal from the flame is calibrated against nonflame measurements of a known HCO concentration produced by laser photolysis of acetaldehyde. The LIF signal is adjusted for the variation in the fraction of the population of the laser-excited level as the measured temperature changew with position in the flame and for the measured variation in quenching. The resulting concentration measurements agree well with model predictions for the fuel-lean and near-stoichiometric flame. The measurements in the fuel-rich flame are significantly larger than the model predictions: however, these measurements are subject to increased uncertainty due to the large, broadband background in the rich flame.
The pulsed tuneable dye laser as an aid in the management of postburn scarring

Permanent erythematous scarring following burns is a common problem which may be disfiguring and distressing for the patient. In this case the pulsed tuneable dye laser (585 nm) was used to treat the areas of scarring and also used prophylactically on an active scar.