cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Fall Risk Evaluation and Feedback System for Older Adults: From a Technical to a Sociotechnical Need

Falls are widespread among older adults causing serious injuries and threatening their quality of life. An approach to estimate fall risk, and to prevent falls, is the Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) test. The TUG test has established validity and reliability. However, as a clinical test, it is not accessible for personal use. To enhance its reach, the authors developed a prototype called Fall Risk Evaluation and Feedback System (FREFS). The prototype is a Kinect-based depth sensor system with interfaces that support older adults in completing the TUG test and receiving personalized test results. The personalized feedback feature is novel that existing prototypes do not include. This study's goal was to gain knowledge of the user experience of FREFS. This research applied methods of observation, interviews, and collected responses on the System Usability Scale (SUS). Results show participants perceived the system as usable, with SUS score of 84.3, but also revealed issues. First, users were unsure how to deal with the TUG tests results when the results showed high fall risk. Second, clearer instructions and reduction of information overload specifically for these age groups were needed. Third, a communication approach embedded into the system would be required (i.e., a link to a chatbot feature or a button to connect to a real person). Overall, the study demonstrated that such a prototype cannot be fully automated; it needs a sociotechnical system solution that includes human communication.
Self-Controlled Vibration of Cylinder in Fluid Stream

A modification of the conventional (forced vibration) approach is suggested to predict the movement of an elastically supported cylinder as a consequence of the von Karman shedding. Fluidelastic interaction between flow-produced forces and structure deformation is considered; this interaction is essentially ascribed to the variation of the wade width, but, unlike the theory suggested by some authors, the wake is not always widened by an amount equal to the over-all displacement. A comparison with experimental results is provided. It has also been pointed out that, if the damping ratio is less than a critical value, oscillation amplitudes may arise which increase without bound as the velocity increases; in these conditions the vibrational frequency is always very close to the natural frequency of the elastic system.
Refurbishment and enhancement of the saturn accelerator

The Saturn accelerator was commissioned in 1987 as a 5.4 MJ, 2.7 MV flash x-ray machine that delivers 750 kJ at 2.1 MV to a three-ring diode with peak power of 25 TW and FWHM pulse width of 40 ns.1 The machine has also been extensively used for wire-array z-pinch experiments2 with currents up to 8 MA, primarily prior to the startup of the Z accelerator. In the last few years the machine has not been fully used, and has not been fully maintained. But recently there has been interest in using it more regularly for x-ray testing of components. Therefore, a project has been initiated to refurbish the machine with emphasis on achieving better repeatability. This effort has involved rebuilding each of the 36 pulsed power lines, including Marx banks, 3 MV gas switches and trigger system, and water switches. In addition, there was considerable wear and mechanical misalignment in high-current joints in the vacuum magnetically-insulated transmission lines that has been corrected. Furthermore, timing and calibration of diagnostic monitors has been improved. In doing initial testing of the refurbished modules we realized that it is possible to transmit much more energy to the load than has been done regularly in the past by adjusting gas switch timing. This modification can increase downstream voltage by more than 50%. In this paper, along with describing the status of the machine refurbishment, we will describe tests done with this modification, its implications for other components in the machine, and expected improvement of load performance.
Regular Use of a Home Blood Pressure Monitor by Hypertensive Adults—HealthStyles, 2005 and 2008

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012;14:172–177. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The authors analyzed HealthStyles surveys 2005 and 2008 combined to assess the prevalence of regular home blood pressure monitor (HBPM) use among hypertensive adults. All data were self-reported. The authors calculated odds ratios (ORs) of regular HBPM use and relative percent change (RPC) in the use of HBPM between the 2 survey years. There were 3739 (32.6%) hypertensives in the 2 survey years combined. Based on the self-reported data, the proportion of hypertensives who regularly used an HBPM was 43.2%. Male sex, age, race/ethnicity, household income, and education were all associated with differences in the prevalence of regular HBPM use. Patients 65 years and older (OR, 2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.49–3.81) were significantly more likely to be regular HBPM users than those 18 to 34 years. Non-Hispanic blacks were significantly less likely (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.55–0.86) to be regular HBPM users than non-Hispanic whites. From 2005 to 2008, the RPC in regular HBPM use was 14.2% (from 40.1% to 45.8%); the largest RPCs were for the 3 youngest age groups, men, non-Hispanic blacks, and those with a household income of $40,000 to 59,900. Because HBPM has been demonstrated to aid in hypertension control, health care professionals should promote its use especially among hypertensives who are younger, non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, or with a lower income.
“At That Time We Were Intimidated on All Sides”: Residues of the Malayan Emergency as a Conjunctural Episode of Dispossession

ABSTRACT:This article proposes that the Emergency counterinsurgency campaign of the British colonial state should be viewed as a conjunctural episode of dispossession of Malayan laboring people. Conjunctural episodes of dispossession of working people through state violence and racialized rhetoric emerge as a response to crises in capitalist accumulation occurring at multiple and overlapping scales of capitalist systems – the imperial, the national/colonial, and the local/regional. During these episodes state and capitalist strategies destroy political organizations and solidarities among laboring people and demoralize them over long periods of time, through processes simultaneously material and semiotic. Employing new theorizations of the global anthropology of labor, this article first examines the postwar and Emergency years when the multiethnic and industry-wide bases of Malayan trade unions were destroyed while an estimated half a million working people were forcibly concentrated in so-called New Vil...
Mass spectrometry at and below 0.1 parts per billion

The single ion Penning trap mass spectrometer at M.I.T. can compare masses to within 0.1 parts per billion. We have created a short table of fundamental atomic masses and made measurements useful for calibrating the X-ray standard, and determining Avogadro's number, the molar Plank constant, and the fine structure constant. >
Saving Time Saves Lives

Consider the following 3 patient stories: Reluctantly, A.B. heaved his bulk out of the air-conditioned car and into the hot, bright afternoon sun. The walk across the steaming macadam parking lot left him breathless, and his hand shook as he buried the cigarette butt into the sand on top of the shining brass receptacle guarding the entrance to the casino. His head pounded with the exertion, and he realized he forgot to take his blood pressure pill. Once he adjusted to the dimly lit interior and breathed the cool air, he caught his breath and cashed in $500 worth of chips. He quickly gravitated to the blackjack table, but in 30 minutes was cleaned out. His chest now ached with a soreness that had been waking him up at night for the last 2 weeks. As A.B. massaged his left breast, he began to feel lightheaded, and then the room went black. When C.D. heard the overhead page announcing that his flight was finally ready for boarding, he gulped down his wine and hurried out of the VIP lounge, lugging the distended briefcase over his shoulder. After showing his passport for what seemed the tenth time, he boarded the DC 10 and headed for the business section. The plane was already 2 hours late, and he was angry that he would miss his connection at Heathrow. But that seemed unimportant now as the fluttering in his chest started again. The doctor had told him it was ventricular tachycardia because of his enlarged heart and suggested a new medication, but he didn’t want to take it. The fluttering increased as the plane took off and continued through dinner. As C.D. settled back with his cognac, he looked down on the Atlantic, making out a few diamonds of light sparkling on the …
Impact of Biodiesel Fuels on Air Quality and Human Health: Task 1 Report Incorporate Biodiesel Data into Vehicle Emissions Databases for Modeling

This document is the Task 1 report for the NREL "Impact of Biodiesel Fuels on Air Quality and Human Health" study. This report provides a discussion and analysis of the available biodiesel test data, and makes recommendations for how biodiesel effects on pollutant mass emissions as well as chemical composition should be incorporated into emission inventories for use in air quality modeling.
Metamaterials: Challenges and opportunities

The field of metamaterials is only a dozen years old, yet the discovery of new phenomena and applications within the field are burgeoning: lenses that focus subdiffractive images with infinite depth of focus, materials through which acoustic or electromagnetic waves travel “backward,” invisibility cloaks, materials through which electromagnetic waves “tunnel”, materials with macroscopic quantum effects, “perfect” absorbers, exquisitely sensitive detectors and sensors, plasmonic catalysts, materials with diamagnetic response at visible frequencies, chiral sensors, and acoustics devices are a few examples, with the promise of many more in the future. The field has impressive growth potential, but problems in fabricating the materials inhibit the development of both applications and the fundamental science. In this talk the state of the art of the Metamaterials field is discussed, highlighting the present nanoand microfabrication approaches and outlining both outstanding challenges and opportunities.
Mutation of the C/EBP binding sites in the Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat and gag enhancers.

Several C/EBP binding sites within the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) long terminal repeat (LTR) and gag enhancers were mutated, and the effect of these mutations on viral gene expression was assessed. Minimal site-specific mutations in each of three adjacent C/EBP binding sites in the LTR reduced steady-state viral RNA levels. Double mutation of the two 59 proximal LTR binding sites resulted in production of 30% of wild-type levels of virus. DNase I footprinting analysis of mutant DNAs indicated that the mutations blocked C/EBP binding at the affected sites. Additional C/EBP binding sites were identified upstream of the 39 LTR and within the 59 end of the LTRs. Point mutations in the RSV gag intragenic enhancer region, which blocked binding of C/EBP at two of three adjacent C/EBP sites, also reduced virus production significantly. Nuclear extracts prepared from both chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) and chicken muscle contained proteins binding to the same RSV DNA sites as did C/EBP, and mutations that prevented C/EBP binding also blocked binding of these chicken proteins. It appears that CEFs and chicken muscle contain distinct proteins binding to these RSV DNA sites; the CEF binding protein was heat stable, as is C/EBP, while the chicken muscle protein was heat sensitive. Images
Effects of exercise on iron status in mature female rats

Abstract Forty-eight female rats, age 6–8 months, were utilized in a six-week experiment to investigate the effect of exercise to exhaustion and iron intakes on several parameters of iron status. Animals were placed on diets of either 9 ppm or 40 ppm dietary iron and either subjected to exercise or remained sedentary to form the following experimental groups: 9-E, 9-S, 40-E, 40-S. Body weights and food intakes were not affected by iron intake or exercise. Animals that were exercised by swimming exhibited a training effect as measured by muscle citrate synthase activity. Weights of heart, liver, spleen and gastrocnemius muscle were not uniformly affected by exercise. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly higher in the 40 ppm diet, but exercise did not affect either parameter. However, serum Fe and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) were significantly lowered (p
Recurrent ANCA-associated small vessel vasculitis after transplantation: A pooled analysis.

Recurrent ANCA-associated small vessel vasculitis after transplantation: A pooled analysis. Background Recurrent antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated small vessel vasculitis (ANCA-SVV) after renal transplantation has been described in case series. However, general information regarding the frequency, character, and predictors of recurrent disease after transplantation is currently lacking. We considered the rate of relapse, whether a positive ANCA at the time of transplantation predicted relapse, and whether cyclosporine A prevented recurrent disease. Methods We performed a pooled analysis of published data, added to the experience at the Universities of North Carolina (14 patients) and Lund, Sweden (11 patients). To avoid reporting bias, only case series were included for analysis. Subgroup analysis was performed by disease category (Wegener's granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, or necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis) and ANCA staining pattern. Results ANCA-SVV recurred in 17.3% of all patients ( N = 127), in 20% of cyclosporine A-treated patients ( N = 85), and in 25.6% of patients with circulating ANCA at the time of transplantation ( N = 39). There was no statistically significant difference in the relapse rate between patients treated and those not treated with cyclosporine A ( P = 0.45), between those with and without circulating ANCA at the time of transplant ( P = 0.75), or between patients with Wegener's granulomatosis and those with microscopic polyangiitis or necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis alone ( P = 0.62). Conclusion There is a substantial relapse rate in the ANCA-SVV population. Therapy with cyclosporine A does not protect against recurrent ANCA-SVV, and the presence of a positive ANCA at the time of transplantation does not preclude transplantation. These conclusions must be substantiated with a prospective study of renal transplantation in patients with ANCA-SVV so as to optimize their management.
Correction of motion artifacts and scanning beam distortions in 3D ophthalmic optical coherence tomography imaging

ABSTRACT The ability to obtain true three-dimensional (3D) morphology of the retinal structures is essential for future clinical and experimental studies. It becomes especially critical if the measurements acquired with different instruments need to be compared, or precise volumetric data are needed for monitoring and treatment of retinal disease. On the other hand, it is well understood that optical coherence tomography (OCT) images are distorted by several factors. Only limited work has been performed to eliminate these problem s in ophthalmic retinal imaging, perhaps because they are less evident in the more common 2D representation mode of time-domain OCT. With recent progress in imaging speed of Fourier domain - OCT (Fd-OCT) techniques, however, 3D OCT imaging is more frequently being used, thereby exposing problems that have been ignored previously. In this paper we propose possible solutions to minimize and compensate for artifacts caused by subject eye and head motion, and distortions caused by the geometry of the scanning optics. The first is corrected by cross-correlation based B-scan registration techniques; the second is corrected by incorporating the geometry of the scanning beam into custom volume rendering software. Retinal volumes of optical nerve head (ONH) and foveal regions of healthy volunteer, with and without corrections, are presented. Finally, some common factors that may lead to increased distortions of the ophthalmic OCT imag e such as refractive error or position of the subjects head are discussed. Keywords:
The specifics of small interfering RNA specificity

The discovery of transgene silencing in plants and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) interference in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans has led to the latest revolution in molecular biology, RNA interference (RNAi). Over 10 years ago it was noted that several transgenic plant lines each containing the same ectopic transgene not only failed to be expressed but also inhibited the expression of the endogenous gene (1). Similarly, a determined Craig Mello and Andy Fire (2), attempting to reduce gene function using antisense RNA in the worm, discovered a minor contaminant in their antisense RNA preparations effectively and repeatedly reduced expression of the endogenous gene. In both cases, dsRNA homologous to the gene of interest was responsible for these observations. In the last 4 years, these discoveries have been extended to include protozoa, fungi, and mammals. What is RNAi? RNAi is a highly conserved mechanism found in almost all eukaryotes and believed to serve as an antiviral defense mechanism. The molecular details are becoming clear from combined genetic and biochemical approaches (reviewed in refs. 3 and 4). On entry into the cell, the dsRNA is cleaved by an RNase III like enzyme, Dicer, into small interfering (21- to 23-nt) RNAs (siRNAs) (5–8) (Fig. 1). Biochemical evidence indicates the siRNAs are incorporated into a multisubunit protein complex, the RNAi-induced silencing complex (RISC), which directs the siRNA to the appropriate mRNA. New data suggest that the RISC complex may unwind the siRNA to help interactions with the target mRNA (9). Mismatches >1–2 bp within the 21- to 23-nt siRNA effectively disrupt proper degradation of the target mRNA (10, 11). Fig. 1. Overview of dsRNA-mediated mRNA degradation. On entry into cells, dsRNA is cleaved by Dicer into 21- to 23-nt siRNAs. siRNAs are complexed with a large multiprotein complex, the RISC. RISC is thought to …
Single Particle Characterization of Albuterol Metered Dose Inhaler Aerosol in Near Real-Time

ABSTRACT Metered dose inhalers produce a fine spray of aerosol particles that are used as an inhalation drug delivery system for a variety of therapeutic purposes. Common analytical methods employed for characterizing the aerosol dosage are typically off-line analyses for both chemical information and particle size distributions, and focus on the bulk aerosol rather than on single particles. Aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry offers the capability to analyze the aerosol dose in near real-time, providing both size and chemical information for single particles. Though aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry has been used primarily to characterize environmental samples, this is the first demonstration of its bioanalytical capabilities. This paper discusses the characterization of an albuterol metered dose inhaler using both high and low laser power for the desorption/ionization process in order to control the amount of fragmentation observed in the mass spectral analysis. Using high laser power, signi...
An empirical examination of the work ideologies of juvenile and adult probation officers.

Although probation continues to serve as the foundation for our correctional system, few empirical studies have been undertaken to study probation workers. As a result, the picture is less than clear about what probation employees regard as their primary tasks, and the strategies they believe will enable them to accomplish these tasks. Analyzing data collected from 206 probation officers in a large southwestern state, this paper begins by examining the work ideologies of juvenile versus adult probation officers. The paper goes on to explore and identify determinants of probation officers' professional orientation. Findings from the study are discussed, along with implications for future research in this area.
A Comparison of the Frequency Estimation and Chained Equipercentile Methods under the Common-Item Nonequivalent Groups Design.

This article uses simulation to compare two test equating methods under the common-item nonequivalent groups design: the frequency estimation method and the chained equipercentile method. An item response theory model is used to define the true equating criterion, simulate group differences, and generate response data. Three linear equating methods are also included for reference. The results show that when there is substantial group difference, the frequency estimation method has larger bias than the chained equipercentile method. The frequency estimation method, however, almost always has a smaller standard error of equating than the chained equipercentile method.
Racial differences in the incidence of gout. The role of hypertension.

Objective. To estimate the incidence of and examine risk factors for the development of gout in black and white male physicians. Methods. Data from 2 cohorts of former medical students, 352 black men in the Meharry Cohort Study and 571 white men in the Johns Hopkins Precursors Study, were analyzed. Cases of gout were identified by self-report. Baseline variables and incident hypertension were examined as risk factors for the development of gout in both cohorts. Results. The incidence of gout was 3.11 and 1.82 per 1,000 person-years in the black men and the white men, respectively (P < 0.05); the cumulative incidence was 10.9% and 5.8%, respectively (P = 0.04). The relative risk (RR) for gout among the black men was 1.69 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.02–2.80). This excess risk persisted after adjustment for baseline systolic blood pressure (adjusted RR = 1.96 [95% CI 1.14–3.38]). Incident hypertension was independently associated with the development of gout in univariate analysis (RR = 3.78 [95% CI 2.18–6.58]); when this variable was included as a time-dependent covariate in a Cox model, the excess risk for gout in black men was reduced and no longer significant (adjusted RR = 1.30 [95% CI 0.77–2.19]). Conclusion. The approximately 2-fold excess risk for gout among black men is explained, in part, by a greater risk of incident hypertension.
Probability sum rules and consistent quantum histories

An example shows that weak decoherence is more restrictive than the minimal logical decoherence structure that allows probabilities to be used consistently for quantum histories. The probabilities in the sum rules that define minimal decoherence are all calculated by using a projection operator to describe each possibility for the state at each time. Weak decoherence requires more sum rules. They bring in additional variables, that require different measurements and a different way to calculate probabilities, and raise questions of operational meaning. The example shows that extending the linearly positive probability formula from weak to minimal decoherence gives probabilities that are different from those calculated in the usual way using the Born and von Neumann rules and a projection operator at each time.
The metabolism of 1,2-propanediol

Abstract 1. 1. Lactaldehyde has been identified as the product of the oxidation of dl -1.2-propanediol by a rabbit-liver alcohol dehydrogenase preparation. 2. 2. The K s values for (a) oxidation of ethanol, l -1,2-propanediol, and d -1,2-propanediol are respectively 0.63, 3.6, and 33.3 μmoles/ml; and for (b) reduction of acetaldehyde, l -lactaldehyde, and d -lactaldehyde are respectively 3.6, 1.4, and 3.7 μmoles/ml. The enzyme was most active in the reduction of l -lactaldehyde. 3. 3. Studies with crystalline horse-liver alcohol dehydrogenase yielded results similar to those observed with the rabbit-liver enzyme preparation. The K s values for (a) oxidation of ethanol, l -1,2-propanediol, and d -1,2-propanediol are respectively 2.1, 12.8, and 56 μmoles/ml; and for (b) reduction of acetaldehyde, l -lactaldehyde, and d -lactaldehyde are respectively 0.12, 0.12, and 0.26 μmole/ml. 4. 4. It is pointed out that these results demonstrate a new stereospecificity of alcohol dehydrogenase involving the carbon adjacent to the one being oxidized. The importance of using a recently described technique of bisulfite ion exchange chromatography for the separation and identification of acetol and lactaldehyde is discussed.
STUDIES ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF FEVER TEMPERATURES : I. A DESCRIPTION OF A SERIES OF CONSTANT TEMPERATURE WATER BATHS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE THERMAL DEATH TIME OF BACTERIA.

A series of six water baths in one unit, set at 37 degrees , 39 degrees , 40 degrees , 41 degrees , 41.5 degrees , and 42 degrees C., for the purpose of studying the thermal death time of bacteria and of body tissues has been described.
Immigrant Entrepreneurship: The Role of Formal Corporate Governance Arrangement and Social Capital

We empirically test the relation between immigrant's venture creation decision and governance mechanism under a unified framework of governance in both sociology and finance. We find that corporate governance arrangements are more valued by entrepreneurs with better education attainment and higher household income, such as immigrant entrepreneurs. This type of entrepreneurs tends to be more reluctant to create a venture due to the high opportunity costs. In addition, social capital embedded in community significantly and positively affects the new venture creation decision. At the same time, an inverted U shape relationship is observed between social capital in family and new venture creation. This paper answers how relational governance and corporate governance are related to new venture creation in immigrant entrepreneurship, especially in emerging phase. The key argument is that the efficacy of corporate governance and relational governance mechanisms in immigrant entrepreneurship are contingent on dif...
Impact of a galanin antagonist on exogenous galanin and natural patterns of fat ingestion

The peptide galanin (GAL) has a potent stimulatory effect on fat ingestion after administration into the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). This study examined a newly synthesized GAL antagonist, M40, in two separate experiments involving: (1) PVN injections of M40 alone in freely feeding animals, to investigate the importance of endogenous GAL receptor activity in determining natural patterns of fat ingestion, and (2) PVN injections of M40 in combination with exogenous GAL, to determine whether endogenous GAL receptors mediate this peptide-induced response. The results demonstrate that PVN injection of M40 by itself dose-dependently (2-108 pmol) reduces spontaneous ingestion of the fat diet. This phenomenon is robust, behaviorally specific and opposite to that induced by GAL itself. Moreover, the stimulatory effect of PVN-injected GAL on fat ingestion can be blocked by prior PVN administration of M40 at relatively low doses (2-6 pmol), indicating that M40 is a potent antagonist of GAL receptors in the hypothalamus. Together, these results provide the first evidence for the existence of endogenous GAL receptors in mediating the action of exogenous GAL in the hypothalamus. They also constitute a crucial step in demonstrating a physiological function of these PVN GAL receptors in controlling natural patterns of fat ingestion.
Deformation Control Based on In-Situ Sensors for Mask Projection Based Stereolithography

Curl distortion is one of the main reasons for the part inaccuracy in the Mask Image Projection based Stereolithography (MIP-SL) process. During the building process, the photopolymerization of liquid resin leads to temperature increase. After cooling down, the cured layers will shrink while they are constrained by its supports or the previously built layers. Consequently, residue stresses exist in the built part and will lead to curl distortion after all the supports are removed. In this paper, we investigate the thermal effect in the building process by using an infrared (IR) camera as an in-situ temperature monitoring sensor. Test cases of cured layers with different shapes, sizes and layer thicknesses have been designed and tested. The experimental results show that the temperature increase of a cured layer is mainly related to its layer thickness, while its shapes and sizes have less effect. The temperature increase of a cured layer is also related to its building position in the Z axis. The calibrated temperature increases in the MIP-SL process can be incorporated in a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model in order to simulate the curl distortion of a given computer-aided design model. Physical experiments of a simple test case have been built, measured, and compared with the FEA simulation result. A discussion of the curl distortion in the MIP-SL process including its prediction and compensation is given.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Heat loss and moisture condensation for wall corners

In this paper, a detailed, analytical, two-dimensional steady-state thermal analysis of insulated square corners is presented. The Interzone Temperature Profile Estimation (or ITPE) technique is employed to obtain heat flow and temperature distributions for configurations of square structures with an insulation layer placed at the inside surface of the structure envelope. The problem of moisture condensation at the inner surface of the envelope is quantified by determining the extent of the envelope area that is susceptible to condensation. The results showed that, even though corner heat loss is reduced with increasing insulation thermal resistance, the risk of moisture damage increases.
Subacute ventricular free wall rupture complicating myocardial infarction

Myocardial free wall rupture accounts for between 8% and 17% of mortality after myocardial infarction. In up to 40% of cases death occurs subacutely over a matter of hours, not minutes. Illustrative clinical cases and data suggest that a high degree of clinical suspicion, along with the early use of echocardiography, could significantly reduce mortality resulting from myocardial free wall rupture complicating myocardial infarction. Myocardial free wall rupture should be suspected in patients with recent myocardial infarction who have recurrent or persistent chest pain, hemodynamic instability, syncope, pericardial tamponade, or transient electromechanical dissociation. In this clinical situation, emergent echocardiography showing a pericardial effusion or pericardial thrombus is highly suggestive of free wall rupture. Surgical exploration and rupture repair is the definitive diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.
Effect of increasing experience on dosimetric and clinical outcomes in the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma with intensity-modulated radiation therapy

Purpose To assess the impact of increasing experience with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) after extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Methods and Materials The records of all patients who received IMRT following EPP at Duke University Medical Center between 2005 and 2010 were reviewed. Target volumes included the preoperative extent of the pleural space, chest wall incisions, involved nodal stations, and a boost to close/positive surgical margins if applicable. Patients were typically treated with 9-11 beams with gantry angles, collimator rotations, and beam apertures manually fixed to avoid the contalateral lung and to optimize target coverage. Toxicity was graded retrospectively using National Cancer Institute common toxicity criteria version 4.0. Target coverage and contralateral lung irradiation were evaluated over time by using linear regression. Local control, disease-free survival, and overall survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Thirty patients received IMRT following EPP; 21 patients also received systemic chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 15 months. The median dose prescribed to the entire ipsilateral hemithorax was 45 Gy (range, 40-50.4 Gy) with a boost of 8-25 Gy in 9 patients. Median survival was 23.2 months. Two-year local control, disease-free survival, and overall survival rates were 47%, 34%, and 50%, respectively. Increasing experience planning MPM cases was associated with improved coverage of planning target volumes ( P =.04). Similarly, mean lung dose ( P P Conclusions With increasing experience, target volume coverage improved and dose to the contralateral lung decreased. Rates of pulmonary toxicity were relatively low. However, both local and distant control rates remained suboptimal.
Ultrastructural changes in the hypopharyngeal glands of worker honey bees infected by Nosema apis

Abstract All the organoids, directly or indirectly engaged in protein synthesis (or royal jelly secretion), are well developed in the hypopharyngeal glands of healthy bees at 5–10 days of age. These organoids in the hypopharyngeal glands of infected bees showed marked changes at the same age. The hypopharyngeal glands of infected worker bees included fewer ribosomes on the nuclear envelope, a short cisternal endoplasmic reticulum, small Golgi complex, myelinlike lysosome bodies, smaller mitochondria, fewer and smaller microvilli in the secretory mass of the limited outer layer of intracellular ductules, and the collapse of intracellular ductules. All these changes indicated that the hypopharyngeal glands of 5-day-old Nosema -infected bees were not in a functional state or only in a state of partial function. The hypopharyngeal glands of 10-day-old bees severely infected with Nosema showed the disappearance of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, mitochondria, and pronounced myelinlike whorls of lysosome bodies. This caused the cytoplasm of the glands to disintegrate and vacuolate and to become completely or partially unable to secrete royal jelly to feed larvae and/or queens. The intracellular tracheoles in the hypopharyngeal glands of 10-day-old Nosema -infected bees showed malformation of structure in both longitudinal and transverse section. The pathological changes in hypopharyngeal glands caused by Nosema apis inhibited royal jelly secretion. A lack of queen feeding activity by Nosema -infected bees due to the malfunction of the hypopharyngeal glands may help to explain why infected bees behave differently from healthy bees of the same age.
Abstract 2819: Identification and characterization of a novel smoothened antagonist for the treatment of cancer with deregulated hedgehog signaling

The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is a highly conserved signaling system that plays an important role in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis through regulation of cell differentiation and proliferation, and deregulated Hh signaling has been implicated in variety of cancers. Two distinct mechanisms are responsible for inappropriate and uncontrolled Hh pathway activation in human malignancies: ligand-dependent, due to over-expression of Hh ligand, and ligand-independent, resulting from genetic mutations in pathway components such as Patched (Ptch) and Smoothened (Smo). Smo, a member of the class F G-protein coupled receptor family, is a key regulator of Hh signaling pathway, and therefore is an attractive target for pathway modulation. We have identified a potent and selective small molecule antagonist of Smo. This novel molecule (LY2940680) binds to the Smo receptor and potently inhibits Hh signaling in Daoy, a human medulloblastoma tumor cell line, and C3H10T½, a mouse mesenchymal cell line. Importantly, LY2940680 binds to and inhibits the functional activity of resistant Smo mutant (D473H) produced by treatment with GDC-0449 (a Smo antagonist from Genentech). LY2940680 also has excellent pharmacokinetic properties in rodent and non-rodent species. Treatment of Ptch +/− p53 −/− transgenic mice, which spontaneously develop medulloblastoma, with oral administration of LY2940680 produced remarkable efficacy and significantly improved their survival. Magnetic resonance imaging of these mice revealed rapid kinetics of anti-tumor activity. Immunohistochemistry analysis of medulloblastoma tumors showed that LY2940680 treatment induced Caspase-3 activity and reduced proliferation. LY2940680 inhibited Hh regulated gene expression in the subcutaneous xenograft tumor stroma and produced significant anti-tumor activity. In summary, we have characterized an orally bio-available small molecule Smo antagonist that may provide therapeutic benefit to cancer patients with deregulated Hh signaling. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2819. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2819
Vibrational spectrum and force constants of the XeF5+ cation

Abstract The i.r. and Raman spectra of solid XeF5+BF4− and XeF5+AsF6− and their Raman and 19F NMR spectra in HF solution were recorded. The observed spectra are consistent with a square-pyramidal XeF5+ cation of symmetry C4v. All nine fundamentals were assigned for XeF5+ and force constants were computed for the isoelectronic series XeF5+, IF5, TeF5− and SbF52−.
Thermal fixation: a central outcome of hyperthermic therapies (Invited Paper)

Currently, several minimally invasive hyperthermic-based surgical technologies are available for the treatment of dysfunctional and neoplastic tissues in a variety of organ systems. These therapies involve a number of different modalities for delivering heat energy to the target tissue, including radiofrequency/microwave, conductive/convective, loop resection, and others. Despite differences in energy transfer and organ system treated, hyperthermic lesions often have a multiregional architecture with a central thermal fixation region, adjacent middle coagulative-type necrosis region, and outer transitional region of variable cell injury/death. The regional percentages of these components vary depending on the overall thermal history distribution across the lesion. The thermal-fixed region generally lacks a wound healing response, resists breakdown/tissue repair, and may elicit a localized foreign body-type reaction. The other two regions generally undergo wound healing/repair with scar formation. The features of thermal fixation are highlighted and explored through several histopathologic case vignettes.
Depletion-enhanced optical trapping in nanoparticle suspensions

With the right proportions, a binary suspension of different sized particles may be subject to entropic effects that can generate a depletion-induced attraction between large particles. A manifestation of the induced attraction is the enhanced osmotic compressibility of the larger species in the presence of the smaller species. We conducted an experimental study on how such an enhancement is affected for 190 nm polystyrene spheres in the presence of polyethelyne-oxide in aqueous solutions. Using the gradient force from a tightly focused laser, we can locally concentrate the polystyrene nanoparticles in suspension, and from the changes of local particle density under the known gradient force, we deduce a quantitative measure of the isothermal compressibility of the particles. We report the analysis of these compressibilities and their enhancement by the added polymers for a broad range of particle and polymer concentrations.
Determination of Volume of Aggregates: New Image-Analysis Approach

The importance of using quality aggregates with specific gradation and shape properties in asphalt concrete has been recognized by the Strategic Highway Research Program under a set of developed consensus aggregate properties. The flat and elongated ratio and angularity of the aggregate particles are those properties that directly influence the rutting potential of an asphalt pavement. Along with a need to develop rapid and automated methods for determining flat and elongated ratios of individual aggregate particles, there is also a need to develop an accurate and repeatable experimental technique. A new aggregate image analyzer has been recently developed at the University of Illinois that uses three video cameras for accurately determining the volume of each aggregate and for automating the determination of flat and elongated particles, angularity, and gradation. A new image-analysis approach determines the percentage by weight of the flat and elongated particles providing results comparable to the manu...
The Information literacy debate

The issues surrounding the term and the meaning of the phrase information literacy have propelled academic librarians into a debate over their role in meeting the educational mission of an institution of higher education and over what they should be calling what they are doing.
The IgG binding function of the normal red cell plasma membrane: identification of integral polypeptides that bind IgG.

Summary. Non-immune IgG binds to red cell integral membrane proteins obtained by mild alkaline extraction of ghosts. Detergent gel chromatography and electrophoretic analyses of IgG-membrane protein complexes obtained by nonionic detergent solubilization and affinity binding to protein A indicate that three polypeptides participate in the binding of IgG. These have apparent molecular weights of 90 000, 44 000 and 22 000 and are present in a 1:3:0.9 stoichiometry. Evidence obtained indicates that the major sialoglycoproteins are not involved in this type of binding.
The Ethics of Medical Tourism: From the United Kingdom to India Seeking Medical Care:

Is the practice of UK patients traveling to India as medical tourists morally justified? This article addresses that question by examining three ethically relevant issues. First, the key factor motivating citizens of the United Kingdom to seek medical treatment in India is identified and analyzed. Second, the life prospects of the majority of the citizens of the two nations are compared to determine whether the United Kingdom is morally warranted in relying on India to meet the medical needs of its citizens. Third, as neoliberal reforms are justified on the grounds that they will help the indigent populations affected by them, the impact of medical tourism--a neoliberal initiative--on India's socially and economically marginalized groups is scrutinized.
Conditioned place aversion is a highly sensitive index of acute opioid dependence and withdrawal.

Conditioned place aversion (CPA) is known to be a sensitive measure of the aversive motivational state produced by opioid withdrawal in rats made chronically dependent on opioids. The purpose of the present study was to examine the sensitivity of the CPA model in detecting a possible aversive state associated with naloxone-precipitated withdrawal from acute treatment with morphine. Doses of morphine and naloxone, as well as number of conditioning trials, were systematically varied to determine the minimum conditions that would result in a detectable CPA in male Wistar rats. Naloxone (0.003–16.7 mg/kg) was administered 4 h after an injection of vehicle or morphine (1.0, 3.3, or 5.6 mg/kg) and immediately prior to confinement to one compartment of the conditioning apparatus; rats received either one or two such naloxone-conditioning trials (separate by 48 h). Morphine (5.6 mg/kg) followed 4 h later by vehicle produced no significant preference or aversion. In morphine-naive rats, 10 mg/kg naloxone was required to produce a significant CPA with two cycles of conditioning. When increasing doses of morphine were administered (1.0, 3.3, 5.6 mg/kg), significant increases in naloxone potency to elicit a CPA were observed (16-, 211-, and 1018-fold potency shifts, respectively). Naloxone potency after two pretreatments with 5.6 mg/kg morphine was comparable to its potency to elicit a CPA after chronic exposure to morphine. Although naloxone was still effective in producing a CPA after a single conditioning cycle (and hence a single morphine exposure), its effects were dramatically reduced relative to those seen with two conditioning cycles. CPA is a reliable and sensitive index of the aversive motivational state accompanying withdrawal from acute opioid dependence.
Burning Characteristics and Gaseous/Solid Emissions of Blends of Pulverized Coal with WasteTire-Derived Fuel

Abstract This work examined the combustion behavior (flame characteristics and temperatures) and the emissions (SO2, NO, NO2, CO, CO2, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), soot and ash) from blends of a pulverized bituminous coal and ground waste automobile tires. The following fuel feed compositions were examined: 100% coal, 75–25% and 50–50% coal and tire blends, as well as 100% tire. Coal and tire particles were in the size ranges of 63–75 and 180–212 μm, respectively. Combustion of cylindrical streams of particles look place under steady flow conditions, in an electrically-heated drop-tube furnace in air, at a gas temperature of 1150°C and a particle heating rate of ≈105°C/s, The bulk equivalence ratio, φ, in the furnace was varied in the range of 0.5 to 2, by varying the particle mass loading. Combustion observations on burning clouds of particles were conducted with simultaneous pyrometry and cinematography. Interparticle flame interactions were visually observed mostly in the near-stoichiometri...
Inhibition of epithelial ovarian cancer by Minnelide, a water-soluble pro-drug.

Objective Minnelide is a water-soluble pro-drug of triptolide, a natural product. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Minnelide on ovarian cancer growth in vitro and in vivo.
Stratification Dynamics under State Socialism: The Case of Urban China, 1949–1993

Les AA. s'efforcent de montrer l'importance du role de l'Etat et des mecanismes politiques dans les pays socialistes en ce qui concerne les phenomenes de stratification. Ils estiment que les chances sociales des individus dans ce cadre sont tributaires des processus politiques et plus particulierement des changements qui surviennent dans les politiques d'Etat. Ceux-ci peuvent alterer tout au long de la vie des individus les possibilites qui leur sont offertes, les statuts sociaux ainsi que la nature et la valeur du capital humain et politique. Les AA. presentent un certain nombre de donnees concernant les adhesions au Parti Communiste entre 1949 et 1993 en Chine
Fear, Stress, and Second-Guessing in Leadership Decision Making: Using Interior Monologues, Reflective Nonfiction, and Spiritual Approaches

Personal fears surrounding leadership decision making can lead to dysfunctional stress within leaders. Psychological hardiness and coping strategies can be taught using interior monologues of fictional leaders like Hemingway's Robert Jordan, passages from autobiographies and memoirs, student "leadership logs," and spiritually oriented readings like Leading With Soul. Pedagogies are placed in the context of recent leadership theory.