cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors regulate vestibular afferent gain and activation timing

Little is known about the function of the cholinergic efferents innervating peripheral vestibular hair cells. We measured vestibular sensory evoked potentials (VsEPs) in α9 knockout mice, α10 knockout mice, α7 knockout mice, α9/10 and α7/9 double knockouts, and wild type controls. We also studied the morphology and ultrastructure of efferent terminals on vestibular hair cells in α9, α10 and α9/10 knockouts. Both type I and type ll vestibular hair cells express the α9 and α10 subunits. The efferent boutons on vestibular cells in α9, α10 and α9/10 knockouts appeared normal, but a quantitative analysis was not performed. Mean VsEP thresholds were significantly elevated in α9 and α9/10 knockout animals. Some α9 and α9/10 knockout animals, however, had normal or near normal thresholds, while others were greatly affected. Despite individual variability in threshold responses, latencies were consistently shortened. The double α7/9 KO resulted in decreased variance by normalizing waveforms and latencies. The phenotypes of the α7 and α10 single KOs were identical. Both α7 and α10 knockout mice evidenced normal thresholds, decreased activation latencies and had larger amplitudes compared to WT mice. The data suggest a complex interaction of nAChR receptors in regulating vestibular afferent gain and activation timing. Although the α9/10 heteromeric nAChR is an important component of vestibular efferent activity, other peripheral or central nAChRs involving the α7 subunit or α10 subunit and α9 homomeric receptors are also important. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Xenophagy: A battlefield between host and microbe, and a possible avenue for cancer treatment

In eukaryotes, xenophagy is defined as a type of selective macroautophagy/autophagy that is used for eliminating invading pathogens. In contrast to other types of selective autophagy, such as mitophagy, pexophagy and ribophagy, xenophagy is used by eukaryotes for targeting microbes—hence the prefix “xeno” meaning “other” or “foreign”—that have infected a host cell, leading to their lysosomal degradation. This unique characteristic links xenophagy to antibacterial and antiviral defenses, as well as the immune response. Furthermore, recent studies suggest a complicated role of xenophagy in cancer, through either suppressing tumorigenesis or promoting survival of established tumors. In this issue, Sui et al. summarize previous and current studies of xenophagy and consider them in the context of anticancer treatment.
Silica nanostructured platform for affinity capture of tumor-derived exosomes

Early diagnosis of prostate cancer and evaluation of appropriate treatment options requires development of effective and high-throughput selective capture technology for exosomes that are positive for the expression of enzyme-biomarker, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). Exosomes are small secreted vesicles that play a key role in intercellular communication and cancer progression. PSMA is highly enriched in exosomes excreted by PSMA+ prostate cancer cells. Using PSMA+ cells from the well-established prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP), the secreted exosomes were collected and isolated from the culture medium. The tumor-derived exosomes were selectively captured using a novel silica nanostructure support that had been functionalized with the small-molecule ligand TG97, a known inhibitor of PSMA enzymatic activity that binds irreversibly in the active site of PSMA. The concept was demonstrated using a single cancer type (i.e., prostate cancer), but based on the data obtained the approach may be applicable to a broad panel of biomarker ligands for selective capture of biomarker-positive exosomes from an array of cell types. The approach demonstrated herein overcomes many of the limitations of alternative methods that are often ineffective in isolating tumor-derived exosomes from those derived from normal tissue because of the low yield recovery and the time required for the process. A further advantage is the ability to isolate a specific subpopulation of exosomes relying on the expression of a specific surface marker as well as improved exosome recovery rate.
Using integrated process data of longwall shearers in data warehouses for performance measurement

Coal, still considered as one of the primary energy resources worldwide, is mined by utilising large scale equipment both on surface operations and underground mines. Technology has become a fundamental piece of modern mining operations that have to track performance of mining equipment in detail for efficient production. Data generated by mining equipment reached a level where data warehousing could be used for collecting, integrating and analysing data for a data-driven management perspective. The potential of integrated process data of longwall shearers in data warehouses for performance measurement are investigated. Vast amount of data is generated by equipment operated in underground mines that should be used and handled more efficiently in modern mining operations. Data warehousing and business intelligence (BI) tools are introduced to support daily operation of a longwall shearer. It was concluded that data analysis can be improved by utilising integrated data that has more potential to define unit operations in detail. BI tools specifically developed to monitor cutting performance and cycle breakdown should become essential parts of production management and decision making at modern underground coal mines. [Received: May 12, 2016; Accepted: June 22, 2016]
Alphabetic print-based literacy, hermeneutic sociality, and philosophic culture

ABSTRACTThis essay offers a media ecological orientation to Western philosophy, showing the essential role that alphabetic writing and print play in making philosophy possible. It offers reviews of historical developments in alphabetic print-based literacy to show how modern literacy has congealed into a hermeneutic sociality undergirding philosophic culture.
Feasibility of coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention after transcatheter aortic valve replacement using a Medtronic™ self-expandable bioprosthetic valve.

Background and Objective With aging, the progression of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries is expected. The Medtronic™ self-expandable aortic bioprosthetic valve is deployed in the supra-annular position, and it has been challenging to selectively engage coronary arteries post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) even though there are diamond-shaped spaces in the mesh frame within the valve. Given the scarcity of data, we analyzed angiographic and clinical data from all patients requiring coronary angiography (CA) or intervention post-TAVR. Methods From January 2012 to December 2016, 403 patients were treated for severe aortic stenosis with TAVR at our center using the Medtronic™ self-expandable valve. This study included patients who underwent CA with or without percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after TAVR. Results Twenty-eight patients underwent 43 CAs after TAVR at our institution. Eleven patients (39%) were women. More than 90% of the procedures were performed for acute coronary syndrome. Thirty-six cases were performed using the transfemoral approach (83%). Forty-two of 43 (97%) left coronary arteries were selectively engaged, and 29 of 32 (90%) right coronary arteries were selectively engaged. We were able to engage 11 saphenous vein grafts and two left internal mammary artery grafts selectively (100%). The mean fluoroscopy time for diagnostic CA was 11.5 min, and for PCI, instantaneous wave-free ratio, or intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) interrogation, it was 19 minutes. The mean amount of contrast used for diagnostic CA was 102 cc per case, and for PCI, iFR, or IVUS, it was 146 cc per case. No periprocedural complication was noted. Conclusions CA with or without PCI after TAVR is feasible with supra-annular self-expandable valves. With the proper technique in experienced hands, it can be conducted safely.
Code Conversion Impact Factor and Cash Flow Impact of International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, on a Large Multihospital Radiology Practice

Abstract Purpose The 2015 conversion of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) system from the ninth revision (ICD-9) to the 10th revision (ICD-10) was widely projected to adversely impact physician practices. We aimed to assess code conversion impact factor (CCIF) projections and revenue delay impact to help radiology groups better prepare for eventual conversion to ICD, 11th revision (ICD-11). Methods Studying 673,600 claims for 179 radiologists for the first year after ICD-10's implementation, we identified primary ICD-10 codes for the top 90th percentile of all examinations for the entire enterprise and each subspecialty division. Using established methodology, we calculated CCIFs (actual ICD-10 codes ÷ prior ICD-9 codes). To assess ICD-10's impact on cash flow, average monthly days in accounts receivable status was compared for the 12 months before and after conversion. Results Of all 69,823 ICD-10 codes, only 7,075 were used to report primary diagnoses across the entire practice, and just 562 were used to report 90% of all claims, compared with 348 under ICD-9. This translates to an overall CCIF of 1.6 for the department (far less than the literature-predicted 6). By subspecialty division, CCIFs ranged from 0.7 (breast) to 3.5 (musculoskeletal). Monthly average days in accounts receivable for the 12 months before and after ICD-10 conversion did not increase. Conclusion The operational impact of the ICD-10 transition on radiology practices appears far less than anticipated with respect to both CCIF and delays in cash flow. Predictive models should be refined to help practices better prepare for ICD-11.
High Blood Pressure Guidelines: Welcomed Advice, But Let's Not Lose the Patient Amid the Numbers.

![Figure][1] Even though hypertension is a leading cause of death globally, the last document that officially addressed this patient population was the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7) recommendations, which were
American Association for Cancer Research Project Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange: From Inception to First Data Release and Beyond—Lessons Learned and Member Institutions’ Perspectives

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Project Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange (GENIE) is an international data-sharing consortium focused on enabling advances in precision oncology through the gathering and sharing of tumor genetic sequencing data linked with clinical data. The project’s history, operational structure, lessons learned, and institutional perspectives on participation in the data-sharing consortium are reviewed. Individuals involved with the inception and execution of AACR Project GENIE from each member institution described their experiences and lessons learned. The consortium was conceived in January 2014 and publicly released its first data set in January 2017, which consisted of 18,804 samples from 18,324 patients contributed by the eight founding institutions. Commitment and contributions from many individuals at AACR and the member institutions were crucial to the consortium’s success. These individuals filled leadership, project management, informatics,...
Current State of Empyema Management.

Background Empyema affects up to 65,000 patients annually in the United States. Recent consensus guidelines demonstrate ambiguity about optimal treatment. We examined current treatment practices and outcomes for inpatient treatment of empyema using a comprehensive, longitudinal data set that encompasses an entire state cohort of hospitalized patients. Methods We queried the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project New York State Inpatient Database (2009 to 2014) for patients with primary empyema and subsequent readmissions. Patients were categorized into three groups by definitive treatment during their initial hospitalization: chest tube drainage, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) decortication and drainage, or open decortication and drainage. Treatment outcomes, including success rates, readmission, reintervention, and mortality, were compared between groups. Results The cohort included 4,095 patients undergoing intervention for primary empyema discharged during this period with chest tube, VATS, or open drainage and decortication. Most patients received definitive operative management (chest tube: 38.2%, VATS: 32.1%, open: 29.8%; p Conclusions This study characterizes recent treatment practices of patients with empyema. Higher readmission and reintervention rates were observed in patients managed with chest tubes, suggesting some of these patients may benefit from earlier definitive surgical intervention.
Papillary Carcinoma of Stensen’s Duct with Intestinal Differentiation

Stensen’s duct carcinoma (StDC) is an extremely rare neoplasm, with fewer than 40 cases reported in the literature. We report a unique case of primary StDC with papillary features and intestinal differentiation of a 74-year-old male. We discuss the radiologic and pathologic correlation along with the differential diagnosis of this rare entity.
Time-Invariant Linear Systems

Time-invariant systems have many important properties which are useful in applications that time-varying systems do not possess. This chapter will be devoted to the study of some of their structural properties. In particular, the relationship between their state-space descriptions and transfer functions obtained by using Laplace or z-transforms will be discussed.
Soil and Water Conservation

Soil is the most fundamental and basic resource. Although erroneously dubbed as “dirt” or perceived as something of insignificant value, humans can not survive without soil because it is the basis of all terrestrial life. Soil is a vital resource that provides food, feed, fuel, and fiber. It underpins food security and environmental quality, both essential to human existence. Essentiality of soil to human well-being is often not realized until the production of food drops or is jeopardized when the soil is severely eroded or degraded to the level that it loses its inherent resilience (Fig. 1.1).
Single-molecule labeling for studying trafficking of renal transporters.

The ability to detect and track single molecules presents the advantage of visualizing the complex behavior of transmembrane proteins with a time and space resolution that would otherwise be lost w...
Big Data and Deep Learning Platform for Terabyte-Scale Renewable Datasets

Many renewable resources cover diverse geographical areas and it is increasingly important to analyze large sets of data to understand their spatial and temporal behaviors. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a data platform to efficiently manipulate and visualize data on the scale of terabytes. As the application of interest, we focus on visualization and forecasting of wind power over large geographic areas at various different spatial and temporal resolutions. In particular, we show how to balance the amount of data used and the need for computational efficiency in real-time applications. The main data set we use is the recently released terabyte wind dataset by NREL.
Alternative Vine Management Programs for Fresh-Market Potatoes

Economically solvent fresh-market potato production is predominantly dependent on the ability to efficiently produce consistent tuber quality and high yield, and the ability to meet first-to-market demand with early-season potatoes. Unfortunately, these two qualifiers often work against each other in terms of production management. In response, we studied integrated potato vine management programs that support timely early-season potato harvest. Vine management with a flail chopper, roller, and flame burner used alone or followed by diquat was evaluated when initiated 21 or 14 d prior to harvest in 2015 and 2016. Potato varieties included ‘Yukon Gold' and ‘Dark Red Norland'. Potato leaf and stem management, as well as tuber skinning, stolon separation, grade, and yield were quantified. Among mechanical methods, potato leaf and stem management were poor when vines were rolled or mowed but better when flail chopped. In general, vine management and tuber skin set was better when treatments were initiated 21 d prior to harvest as opposed to 14 d. Vine management, tuber skin set, and yield were comparable when potato vines were flail chopped followed by flame burning and where diquat was applied twice, offering a viable program for smaller scale or organic production.Nomenclature: Diquat; potato, Solanum tuberosum L.
A wideband CPW-fed stepped monopole slot antenna for 5G communications

This paper presents a super wide-band planar monopole slot antenna for 5G mobile communication bands from 22.97-35.04 GHz. The proposed antenna has a planar slot with a stepped monopole structure at its center that is fed through a Coplanar waveguide. The antenna has a peak gain of 5.7 dBi and radiation efficiency greater than 98%. The proposed antenna has a size of 8×8 mm 2 . An 8-element array configuration of the antenna provides maximum absolute gain of 14.9 dBi. The antenna array has an overall size of 8×64 mm 2 . Radiation patterns of the array has 3dB beam-width of as narrow as 9.2 degrees with side lobe level of -13.1 dB. The large bandwidth, high gain and small size of this antenna makes it a potential candidate for future 5G mobile phones and millimeter-wave communications.
Chapter 8 - Anti-Inflammatory and Antipyretic Analgesics and Drugs Used in Gout

The Side Effects of Drug Annuals form a series of volumes in which the adverse effects of drugs and adverse reactions to them are surveyed. The series supplements the contents of Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs: The International Encyclopedia of Adverse Drug Reactions and Interactions. This review of the January 2015 to December 2015 publications on adverse reactions to anti-inflammatory, antipyretic analgesics, and drugs used in gout covers aniline derivatives, arylalkanoic acid derivatives, indoleacetic acids, oxicams, propionic acid derivatives, salicylates, and drugs used in the treatment of gout including allopurinol, colchicine, febuxostat, and leflunomide.
Multi-scale computational modeling of residual stress in selective laser melting with uncertainty quantification

Abstract Selective laser melting (SLM) is a powder-based additive manufacturing technique which creates parts by fusing together successive layers of powder with a laser. The quality of produced parts is highly dependent on the proper selection of processing parameters, requiring significant testing and experimentation to determine parameters for a given machine and material. Computational modeling could potentially be used to shorten this process by identifying parameters through simulation. However, simulating complete SLM builds is challenging due to the difference in scale between the size of the particles and laser used in the build and the size of the part produced. Often, continuum models are employed which approximate the powder as a continuous medium to avoid the need to model powder particles individually. While computationally expedient, continuum models require as inputs effective material properties for the powder which are often difficult to obtain experimentally. Building on previous works which have developed methods for estimating these effective properties along with their uncertainties through the use of detailed models, this work presents a part scale continuum model capable of predicting residual thermal stresses in an SLM build with uncertainty estimates. Model predictions are compared to experimental measurements from the literature.
Characterization of a recombinant fowlpox virus expressing the native hexon of hemorrhagic enteritis virus.

The structure of the icosahedral adenovirus capsid is highly conserved among Adenoviridae. In its native form, the hexon is the major capsid protein. The nascent hexon requires the 100 kDa folding protein to fold into its native, trimeric form. The hexon and 100 kDa folding protein were co-expressed in a fowlpox virus (FPV) vector and in the recombinant FPVs (rFPVs) in which the hexon and 100 kDa folding protein genes are cloned head to tail, the native hexon could be detected with indirect immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation using a native hexon monoclonal antibody. The FPV-@X100 construct, in which the 100 kDa folding protein gene follows the hexon gene in a head to tail fashion, elicited the best humoral response in chickens. An attenuated HEV commercial vaccine elicited higher and longer lasting anti-HEV titers than FPV-@X100. Humoral immunity was also compared in turkeys inoculated with rFPVs expressing the hexon alone, the 100 kDa folding protein alone, or expressing both genes in different configurations. No anti-HEV humoral immune response was detected in turkeys inoculated with the rFPVs expressing the hexon alone or the 100 kDa folding protein alone.
The resonance energy of amides and their radical cations

The resonance energy of an amide can be calculated through comparison with a model amine and a model ketone (or aldehyde) with subtraction of the “residual” fragments. This classical approach, employing gas-phase experimental enthalpies of formation, corresponds to ca. 70 kJ mol−1 (≈ 16 kcal mol−1) for N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), a value close to that of the C(O)-N rotational barrier. Using a similar approach to explore the resonance energy of the DMA radical cation leads to the question of whether the amine radical cation or the ketone/aldehyde radical cation is the most appropriate model. An additional complication is whether the amide radical cation loses a π electron or an nO electron. These issues are analyzed. For DMA radical cation, the π orbital loses the electron and spin is mostly localized at nitrogen. A negative resonance energy of ca. 22 kJ mol−1 (5 kcal mol−1) is obtained. This somewhat surprising result can be attributed to reduced stabilization due to delocalization of a single electron relative to an electron pair and its significant localization on nitrogen which is exceeded by coulombic destabilization of the carbonyl carbon by the adjacent nitrogen.
The Letter and the Spirit: Kant’s Metaphysics and Fichte’s Epistemology

In this chapter, I defend Fichte’s characterization of the Wissenschaftslehre as an extension of Kantian idealism. On Fichte’s view, Kant had not carried his own insights into the subjective conditions for the possibility of experience far enough. Kant showed that the extent of our knowledge is limited to the objects of consciousness and that we cannot make speculative claims beyond those epistemic limits. Fichte argues that Kant goes beyond these limits when he explains appearances by referring to the thing in itself as their cause. For Fichte, the reality of the world, apart from human perception, can, like the reality of God, freedom, and immortality, be established only on practical grounds, as a necessary condition of moral agency. Rather than deny the existence of a mind-independent world, Fichte justifies the belief in its reality in a way that, although it contradicts the letter of Kant’s philosophy, is more consistent with its spirit, specifically Kant’s critique of dogmatic metaphysics.
A Dialogue on Inverse Functions.

THE use of dialogue to present mathe matical ideas has been illustrated recently in a collection by Alfr?d R?nyi,1 and in several of the Mathematical Association of America's Calculus Film Series, such as The Theorem of the Mean (Policeman).2 This author has found such presentations to be appealing and to have a lasting effect. The following dialogue has been motivated by these presentations and by the desire to present plausible difficulties in the study of inverse functions. Certain aspects of the dialogue, however, are not con sidered very plausible.
Epidemiological and Clinical Evidence for the Role of Toxins in S. aureus Human Disease.

Staphylococcus aureus asymptomatically colonizes approximately 30–50% of the population and is a leading cause of bacteremia, bone/joint infections, and skin infections in the US. S. aureus has become a major public health threat due to antibiotic resistance and an increasing number of failed vaccine attempts. To develop new anti-staphylococcal preventive therapies, it will take a more thorough understanding of the current role S. aureus virulence factors play in contributing to human disease. This review focuses on the clinical association of individual toxins with S. aureus infection as well as attempted treatment options. Further understanding of these associations will increase understanding of toxins and their importance to S. aureus pathogenesis.
Association of Minimum Age Laws for Handgun Purchase and Possession With Homicides Perpetrated by Young Adults Aged 18 to 20 Years

Importance Laws mandating a minimum age to purchase or possess firearms are viewed as a potentially effective policy tool to reduce homicide by decreasing young adults’ access to firearms. Objective To evaluate whether state laws that raised the minimum age to purchase and/or possess a handgun to 21 years were associated with lower rates of firearm homicide perpetrated by young adults aged 18 to 20 years. Design, Setting, and Participants In this difference-in-differences analysis of a national cohort, young adult–perpetrated homicide rates were compared between states that did and did not implement stricter minimum age laws than the 1994 federal statute, adjusting for state-level factors. Under 1994 US federal law, the minimum age to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer is 21 years; to purchase a handgun from an unlicensed dealer, 18 years; and to possess a handgun, 18 years. The 12 states that raised the minimum ages to purchase and/or possess a handgun beyond those set by federal law before 1994 were excluded from the stricter implementation group. Data were collected from January 1, 1995, to December 31, 2017, and analyzed from November 7, 2019, to June 23, 2020. Exposures Implementation of state law to raise the minimum age to purchase and/or possess a handgun beyond federal minimum age laws. During the study period, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Wyoming raised the minimum age from 18 to 21 years to purchase a handgun from all dealers. With the exception of Wyoming, these states also increased the minimum age from 18 to 21 years to possess a handgun. Main Outcomes and Measures Firearm homicides perpetrated by young adults aged 18 to 20 years. Homicide data were obtained from the Supplementary Homicide Reports. Results During the study period, 35 960 firearm homicides were perpetrated by young adults aged 18 to 20 years. There was no statistically significant change in the rates of homicide perpetrated by this age group in the 5 states that imposed stricter age limits compared with the 32 that did not (crude incidence rate ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.86-1.40). The adjusted incidence rate ratio was 1.14 (95% CI, 0.89-1.45) in states that implemented stricter minimum age laws compared with those that did not. Conclusions and Relevance This study found that stricter state minimum age laws were not associated with significantly lower rates of young adult–perpetrated homicide in states that adopted them compared with states that did not, and policy makers should reassess their use.
Nontranfusional Management of Severe Anemia in an Adolescent Jehovah's Witness Patient.

Abstract Severe anemia in Jehovah's Witness patients has long been a complex and sometimes divisive issue, especially in children and adolescents. In adolescent patients old enough to express their wishes, the decision to transfuse becomes more complicated. We present the case of a 12-year-old Jehovah's Witness female with severe anemia (hemoglobin of 2.6 g/dL) secondary to menorrhagia. She was successfully managed without transfusion, for which the patient and her family were deeply grateful. This case demonstrates that it is possible to manage severe iron deficiency anemia without transfusion.
Occult Hepatocellular Carcinoma Associated with Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunts in Liver Transplant Recipients

Transplant eligibility for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is determined by the imaging identification of tumor burden within the Milan criteria. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(s) (TIPS) reduce portal hypertension but may impact HCC visualization. It was hypothesized that the presence of pretransplant TIPS would correlate with occult HCC and reduced survival. A single-center, retrospective, case control study was performed among liver transplant recipients with HCC (2000-2017). The primary endpoint was occult disease on explant pathology. Backward stepwise logistic regression was performed. The secondary endpoints disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis. Of 640 patients, 40 had TIPS and more frequently exhibited occult disease (80.0% versus 43.1%; P < 0.001; odds ratio [OR], 4.16; P < 0.001). Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) similarly correlated with occult disease (OR, 1.97; P = 0.02). Explant tumor burden was equivalent between TIPS subgroups; accordingly, TIPS status was not independently associated with reduced DFS or OS. However, exceeding the Milan criteria was associated with reduced DFS (hazard ratio, 3.21; P = 0.001), and TIPS status in patients with a single suspected lesion (n = 316) independently correlated with explant tumor burdens beyond these criteria (OR, 13.47; P = 0.001). TIPS on pretransplant imaging are associated with occult HCC on explant pathology. Comparable occult disease findings in patients with PVT suggest that the mechanism may involve altered hepatic perfusion, obscuring imaging diagnosis. TIPS are not independently associated with reduced DFS or OS but are associated with exceeding the Milan criteria for patients with a single suspected lesion. The presence of TIPS may necessitate a higher index of suspicion for occult HCC.
Feasibility of Radio-Guided Surgery with ⁶⁸Gallium-DOTATATE in Patients with Gastro-Entero-Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Surgery is the only definitive therapy for gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEPNETs), and achieving complete tumor resection is an important prognostic factor. Radiopharmaceuticals such as 68Ga-DOTA peptides have been developed that offer superior accuracy for localization of GEPNETs. The study aim was to determine the feasibility of radio-guided surgery (RGS) using 68Ga-DOTATATE in patients with primary and recurrent GEPNETs. Fourteen patients with GEPNETs were enrolled onto a prospective study to determine the feasibility of RGS with 68Ga-DOTATATE. Findings from preoperative imaging, intraoperative exploration, RGS, and pathology were analyzed. The median decay corrected target count rate was 172.6 (range 28.15–2341) for tumors, with a tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) of 4.46 (range 1.6–43.56). The median lesion size was 1.55 (range 0.5–15) cm. There was no significant correlation between preoperative imaging maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the lesions and TBR (Spearman r = − 0.01, p = 0.9), TBR and tumor size (Spearman r = 0.29, p = 0.14), and SUVmax and tumor size (Spearman r = 0.22, p = 0.28). The probe showed correct identification for gastric and small intestine neuroendocrine tumor (NET), including lymph node metastasis in 17 (81.0 %) of 21 cases, with a median TBR of 3.5 (1.6–40.2). For pancreatic NETs and lymph node metastasis, 16 (66.7 %) of 24 were correctly identified by RGS. Our study shows that RGS with 68Ga-DOTATATE is feasible and correctly confirms bowel NETs and metastatic mesenteric lymph nodes. Further studies are needed to determine the benefit of RGS with 68Ga-DOTATATE.
Activity of Bovine Pancreatic Deoxyribonuclease A with Modified Amino Groups

Guanidination of the nine e-amino groups or picolinimidylation of the α- and e-amino groups yielded active derivatives of DNase. Since modification of the enzyme with these large substituents, which have delocalized positive charges, should have inactivated the protein if amino groups were involved in the catalytic reaction, none of the primary amino groups of DNase can be essential for catalysis. When positive charges on the enzyme were removed by carbamylation of the α-amino group and about seven e-amino groups, the protein had about half of its original activity. But the Ca++ complex of this derivative was almost fully active. Carbamylation of the remaining two amino groups inactivated DNase and Ca++ did not restore activity; therefore, the positive charges on these groups probably help to maintain the active structure of the enzyme. It is not likely that the two amino groups are involved in binding Mn++-DNA, since they do not seem to be freely available for reaction with cyanate. Trinitrophenylation gave results similar to those of carbamylation, but only one amino group of Ca++-free DNase or four to five groups of Ca++-DNase could be trinitrophenylated without inactivation. The neutral, hydrophobic trinitrophenyl groups probably distort the enzyme more than carbamyl groups do. Two to three amino groups resisted trinitrophenylation, which may also indicate that these groups have structural roles. Simplified procedures are described for the chromatographic determination of homocitrulline and for the spectrophotometric titration of free amino groups with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. The α-picolinimidyl, e-guanidino derivative of DNase A was active, and its metal-chelating picolinimidyl group could facilitate the preparation of isomorphous derivatives for x-ray studies.
MANUFACTURING COMMUNITY IN AN ONLINE ACTIVIST ORGANIZATION

Using the online activist organization MoveOn.org as a case study, I examine how an Internet-based organization constructs an image of community in the absence of traditional avenues for community development. Through the rhetoric in its e-mails, MoveOn constructs an image of ‘the MoveOn community’ and uses this image to mobilize members for political activism. To be successful, MoveOn must define community boundaries, empower members, and activate them. This top-down community construction does not allow members to negotiate the meaning or values of the community. I refer to this community form as a manufactured community because it is produced and marketed to activists much like a product. I also argue that the model of fast activism inherent to online activist organizations is adaptive to our current fast-paced society. Moreover, this model of activism allows new segments of the population to become ‘biographically available’ (McAdam 1986, 1999) for political participation.
The law of products liability

Professor Marshall Shapo has published the fourth edition of his two-volume treatise, The Law of Products Liability (CCH, available in looseleaf, Internet and CD-Rom). The 2,700-page work places analysis of thousands of cases in the context of Professor Shapo's more than 30 years of scholarship in the area, including several books, many articles and service as an adviser to the Restatement (Third) of Torts: Products Liability. An early linchpin of Professor Shapo's work in the area is his monograph, A Representational Theory of Consumer Protection: Doctrine, Function and Legal Liability for Products Disappointment, which occupied all of 60 Virginia Law Review No. 7 (Nov. 1974). The treatise incorporates the thinking in all these works in clear, readable prose. Coverage is comprehensive, including theories of liability, analyses of the impact of economic relationships on products jurisprudence, risk allocation through bargaining and the provision of information, and theories related to defenses based on consumer conduct. The treatise also has sections covering the law on proof and causation in products cases, problems of characterization, punitive damages, and statutes of limitations, and a chapter on duty and proximate cause. A concluding section compares the American law with the European Products Liability Directive.
Intensive treatment of obstetric sepsis

Abstract A prospective study was carried out from 1965 to 1968 in which 94 patients with sepsis were managed by a “septic protocol.” These patients were divided into three categories: severely septic (73 patients); impending septic shock (20 patients); and frank septic shock (one patient). All patients recovered. With early recognition and close monitoring, we have been able to detect and correct the first signs of shock.
Poverty, Work, and Freedom: Political Economy and the Moral Order

Preface Acknowledgements 1. Introduction Part I: 2. The classical period 3. Poverty policy 4. Income, basic needs and capabilities Part II: 5. Needs, work and identity 6. Creativity and freedom 7. Work and freedom 8. Work and satisfaction 9. Psychology of work Part III: 10. Beyond the moral order Conclusion References.
Expecting the unexpected: An N400 study of risky sentence processing in adolescents

Teens often engage in risk taking. Avoiding risk may be aided by rapid access to cognitive models for danger. This study investigated whether these schemata are immature in adolescence. An N400 sentential priming paradigm compared risky, predictable, and incongruent sentence processing in adolescents and adults. Adults and teens processed predictable sentences similarly, as evidenced by equivalent N400 priming. However, in adults, more activation was required to access final words in a risky sentence than when the situation was predictable and benign. Conversely, teens showed little difference in N400s generated by risky or expected sentences. This suggests that risky scenario final words were unexpected for adults but not for adolescents because of age-related differences in world knowledge and risk-related schemata. This study may help to explain why teenagers engage in risky activities when there is little time for deliberative thought.
Optimizing the acquisition time profile for a planar integral measurement system with a spinning slat collimator

This article considers a hypothetical imaging device with a spinning slat collimator that measures parallel-planar-integral data from an object. This device rotates around the object 180 deg. and stops at N positions uniformly distributed over this 180 deg. . At each stop, the device spins on its own axis 180 deg. and acquires measurements at M positions uniformly distributed over this 180 deg. . For a fixed total imaging time, an optimal distribution of the scanning time among the data measurement locations is searched by a nonlinear programming method: Nelder-Mead's simplex method. The optimal dwell time is approximately proportional to the weighting factor in the backprojector of the reconstruction algorithm. By using an optimal dwell-time profile, the reconstruction signal-to-noise ratio has a gain of 23%-24% for the filtered backprojection algorithm and a gain of 10%-18% for the iterative algorithms, compared with the situation when a constant dwell-time profile is used.
Applications of approximation theory to the initial value problem

In recent years, several papers have been devoted to best approximating in some sense the solutions to various types of nonlinear differential and integro-differential equations (see, for example, [I, 4, 7-91). These papers are generally concerned with proving that a best approximation exists and with showing that an appropriate sequence of best approximations converges to a solution of the differential or integro-differential equation. In the previously mentioned references, the best approximation problem is ordinarily nonlinear and consequently computational techniques are not readily available. In this paper we propose to reexamine the best approximation problem as posed in [I, 4, 7-91 and discuss alternatives that may result in computationally obtainable best approximations. Although our discussion is limited to the initial value problem IVP
Use of electrical coupling information in AF catheter ablation: every lesion counts.

In this issue of HeartRhythm, Gaspar et al describe their initial experience utilizing electrical coupling index (ECI) to facilitate pulmonary vein (PV) isolation. EnSite VeriSense ECI (St Jude Medical, Sylmar, CA) is a proprietary technology that measures the electrical contact between the ablation electrode and the ablation substrate. It gauges local tissue contact, which is an important determinant of lesion formation during catheter-based radiofrequency (RF) energy delivery. The ECI is determined by calculating complex impedance, a combination of resistance and reactance. Most ablationists are familiar with the resistant component of impedance. The resistance to current flow across tissue is the largest contributor to impedance. During ablation with good tissue contact, tissue heating decreases resistance and lowers impedance. The reactive component of impedance is less straightforward. It is a component of impedance that is inversely proportional to the capacitance of a cellular structure. Capacitance within a cell is created by the charge gradient across its semipermeable membrane. It varies with tissue type and will change when the cell’s membrane is damaged by thermal energy. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have assessed the usefulness of this technology in delivering effective lesions with an RF ablation catheter. It has been demonstrated that lesions delivered with a better calculated ECI were more likely to be deeper and/or transmural. Contact force between the catheter and the ablation substrate is also an important factor determining lesion depth. It is important to note that the ECI is not a measure of contact force and contact force does not significantly alter the measured ECI prior to lesion delivery. This can be both an advantage and a limitation of the technology. The coupling index can be good, implying that the catheter tip is well apposed to the ablation substrate, without the need for significant contact force. However, significant and unnecessary force can also be applied to the catheter and not be reflected in the measured ECI.
Expression Patterns of α2,3-Sialyltransferases and α1,3-Fucosyltransferases Determine the Mode of Sialyl Lewis X Inhibition by Disaccharide Decoys

A variety of human adenocarcinomas express sialylated, fucosylated Lewis blood group antigens on cell surface and secreted mucins. Binding of these antigens to P-selectin on platelets is thought to facilitate formation of platelet-tumor emboli in the circulation, which in turn allows sequestration of the tumor cells in the microvasculature. Here we report a pharmacologic approach for blocking these interactions through metabolic inhibition of sialylation. Peracetylated forms of Galbeta1,4GlcNAcbeta-O-naphthalenemethanol and GlcNAcbeta1,3Galbeta-O-naphthalenemethanol were taken up by LS180 human colon carcinoma cells, O-deacetylated, and utilized as biosynthetic intermediates, resulting in heterogeneous oligosaccharides. The primed oligosaccharides included sialylated, sulfated, and fucosylated products based on mass spectrometry. Assembly of free oligosaccharides on the glycosides decoyed glycosylation of cellular glycoproteins, as assessed by altered binding of lectins and carbohydrate-specific antibodies. Expression of alpha2,3-sialylated oligosaccharides on the cell surface was diminished specifically, whereas alpha2,6-sialylation and fucosylation were not. In U937 lymphoma cells, the glycosides decreased fucosylation without affecting sialylation. The differential inhibitory activities correlated inversely with fucosyltransferase and sialyltransferase activity based on enzyme assays and microarray analysis. Regardless of the mechanism, the disaccharides blocked the cells from forming selectin ligands and inhibited adhesion to immobilized selectins, suggesting that the glycosides might prove useful for interfering with tumor cell adhesion and metastasis.
A fluorescent ligand for binding studies with glycopeptide antibiotics of the vancomycin class

A fluorescent tripeptide, epsilon-N-acetyl-alpha-N-dansyl-L-lysyl-D-alanyl-D-alanine, has been prepared in order to study the thermodynamics and kinetics of the binding of peptides and peptide analogs to the glycopeptide antibiotics. On titration of the tripeptide with typical examples of these antibiotics (vancomycin, ristocetin, alpha- and beta-avoparcin, and teichoplanin), a substantial increase in dansyl fluorescence intensity is observed, allowing the ready determination of binding constants. The binding constants of nonfluorescent ligands can be determined by titration in competition with the fluorescent compound. This new general method for the determination of ligand-binding constants is superior to previous methods in ease of performance, in its sensitivity at low antibiotic concentrations, and in its applicability to ultraviolet-light-absorbing ligands. Biphenomycin gave no indication of binding to D-alanyl-D-alanine-terminating peptides.
Thermomechanical characterization of a shape memory polymer based self-repairing syntactic foam

Abstract While the current self-healing approaches such as micro-capsules, hollow fibers, thermally reversible covalent bonds, ionomers, incorporation of thermoplastic particles, etc., are very effective in self-healing micro-length scale damage, self-healing of structural scale or macro-length scale damage remains one of the grand challenges facing the self-healing community. We believe that self-healing of structural damage may need multiple steps, at least two steps: close then heal (CTH), similar to the biological healing of wounds in the skin. In a previous study [1] , it has been proven that the confined shape recovery functionality of a shape memory polymer (SMP) based syntactic foam can be utilized to repair structural damage such as impact damage repeatedly, efficiently, and almost autonomously. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of various design parameters on the closing efficiencies of both the pure SMP and the SMP based syntactic foam. A systematic test program is implemented, including glass transition temperature (Tg) determination by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), isothermal compressive constitutive behavior at various temperatures, and stress-controlled uniaxial compression programming and shape recovery. During thermomechanical cycle testing, two stress levels are utilized for programming and three confinement conditions (fully confined, partially confined, and free) are investigated for shape recovery. It is found that the programming stress is restored under confined recovery conditions, which helps in fully closing the crack; the foam shifts the Tg higher and increases the stiffness at temperatures above the Tg; higher programming stresses lead to slightly higher shape fixity but lower shape recovery in free recovery cases; a higher programming stress also results in a higher peak stress for confined recovery conditions; while the peak stress recovered is controlled by thermal stress, the final stress recovered is controlled by the programming stress, which is stored and recovered using an entropic mechanism. This study lays a solid foundation for using shape memory polymer based composites to self-repair macro-length scale damage.
OXIDATIVE AND FUNCTIONAL STABILITY DURING STORAGE OF BUTTER OIL ENCAPSULATED WITH SUCROSE OR FLOUR1

Oxidative and functional stability of sucrose encapsulated butter oil (SuBO) and flour encapsulated butter oil (FIBO) was determined during six months of storage at −20, 22, and 40C. Muffins also were prepared with SuBO and FIBO. Both encapsulations resulted in highly stable powders. Oxygen content of sealed vials containing butter powder showed that FIBO was slightly more stable than SuBO. Peroxide and 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content of butter powders and their muffins confirmed this result. Functional stability, as measured by texture and specific volume of muffins, also showed little change due to storage, but differences in hardness, springiness, and cohesiveness due to encapsulant were found.
Hydrogen Embrittlement of Solution Heat-Treated and Aged β-Titanium Alloys Ti-15% V-3% Cr-3% Al-3% Sn and Ti-15% Mo-3% Nb-3% Al

Abstract Effects of electrochemically introduced hydrogen (H) on the room-temperature mechanical properties of two β-titanium (Ti) alloys were compared. Solution heat-treated (SHT), single-step pea...