cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneity of anthracycline retention and response to efflux blockers in human tumors

Rapid cellular efflux of certain natural products used in cancer chemotherapy leads to reduced cytotoxicity and resistance. Multiple Drug Resistance (MDR) gene related glycoproteins are believed to act as the drug efflux pump. Several non-cancer therapy drugs (e.g., verapamil, phenothiazines) compete for the p-glycoprotein pump and thus can block efflux of a chemotherapeutic agent and overcome cellular resistance. Anthracyclines, such as adriamycin, are intrinsically fluorescent and thus their cellular retention can be determined by laser flow cytometry. This method has been used to study heterogeneity in cellular retention of anthracyclines and response to efflux blockers in human tumor cells. These studies have led to generation of clinical protocols where laser flow cytometry is used to monitor and overcome heterogeneity in drug retention of tumor cells from patients treated with a combination of adriamycin and efflux blockers. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Investigation of land ice‐ocean interaction with a fully coupled ice‐ocean model: 2. Sensitivity to external forcings

[1] A coupled ice stream-ice shelf-ocean cavity model is used to assess the sensitivity of the coupled system to far-field ocean temperatures, varying from 0.0 to 1.8°C, as well as sensitivity to the parameters controlling grounded ice flow. A response to warming is seen in grounding line retreat and grounded ice loss that cannot be inferred from the response of integrated melt rates alone. This is due to concentrated thinning at the ice shelf lateral margin, and to processes that contribute to this thinning. Parameters controlling the flow of grounded ice have a strong influence on the response to sub-ice shelf melting, but this influence is not seen until several years after an initial perturbation in temperatures. The simulated melt rates are on the order of that observed for Pine Island Glacier in the 1990s. However, retreat rates are much slower, possibly due to unrepresented bedrock features.
Mephenytoin hydroxylation deficiency in Caucasians: Frequency of a new oxidative drug metabolism polymorphism

The ability of normal subjects to hydroxylate mephenytoin (100 mg) or debrisoquine (10 mg) after oral dosing was investigated in 156 unrelated Caucasians living in middle Tennessee. Urinary recovery of 4-hydroxymephenytoin (4-OH-M) and the urinary S:R enantiomeric ratio of mephenytoin measured in an 8-hr urine sample were investigated as phenotypic traits for mephenytoin, and the urinary metabolic ratio of debrisoquine was used to determine the debrisoquine hydroxylase phenotype. Both urinary 4-OH-M and the S:R ratio of mephenytoin discriminated between extensive (EM) and poor (PM) metabolizers of mephenytoin. The frequencies of PMs for mephenytoin and debrisoquine hydroxylation activity were 2.6% and 7.0%. These two defects in oxidative metabolism were not observed in the same subjects, which suggests that 4-hydroxylation of mephenytoin is a new polymorphism independent of that for debrisoquine.
Molecular Basis For Dimer Formation of TRβ Variant D355R

Protein quality and stability are critical during protein purification for X-ray crystallography. A target protein that is easy to manipulate and crystallize becomes a valuable product useful for high-throughput crystallography for drug design and discovery. In this work, a single surface mutation, D355R, was shown to be crucial for converting the modestly stable monomeric ligand binding domain of the human thyroid hormone receptor (TR LBD) into a stable dimer. The structure of D335R TR LBD mutant was solved using X-ray crystallography and refined to 2.2 A resolution with Rfree/R values of 24.5/21.7. The crystal asymmetric unit reveals the TR dimer with two molecules of the hormone-bound LBD related by twofold symmetry. The ionic interface between the two LBDs comprises residues within loop H10-H11 and loop H6-H7 as well as the C-terminal halves of helices 8 of both protomers. Direct intermolecular contacts formed between the introduced residue Arg 355 of one TR molecule and Glu 324 of the second molecule become a part of the extended dimerization interface of 1330 A2 characteristic for a strong complex assembly that is additionally strengthened by buffer solutes. Proteins 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Rank-Sum-Type Test for Paired Data with Multiple Endpoints

Clinical trials and other types of studies often examine the effects of a particular treatment or experimental condition on a number of different response variables. Although the usual approach for analysing such data is to examine each variable separately, this can increase the chance of false positive findings. Bonferroni's inequality or Hotelling's T2 statistic can be employed to control the overall type I error rate, but these tests generally lack power for alternatives in which the treatment improves the outcome on most or all of the endpoints. For the comparison of independent groups, O'Brien (1984) developed a rank-sum type test that has greater power than the Bonferroni and T2 procedures when one treatment is uniformly better (i.e. for all endpoints) than the other treatment(s). In this paper we adapt the rank-sum test to studies involving paired data and demonstrate that it, too, has power advantages for such alternatives. Simulation results are described, and an example from a study measuring th...
Mechanisms Involved in the Coordinate Regulation of mTORC1 by Insulin and Amino Acids

In this study, we explored the coordinate regulation of mTORC1 by insulin and amino acids. Rat livers were perfused with medium containing various concentrations of insulin and/or amino acids. At fasting (1×) or 2× (2×AA) concentrations of amino acids, insulin maximally stimulated Akt phosphorylation but had no effect on global rates of protein synthesis. In the absence of insulin, 4×AA produced a moderate stimulation of protein synthesis and activation of mTORC1. The combination of 4×AA and insulin produced a maximal stimulation of protein synthesis and activation of mTORC1. These effects were accompanied by decreases in raptor and PRAS40 and an increase in RagC associated with mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). The studies were extended to a cell culture model in which mTORC1 activity was repressed by deprivation of leucine and serum, and resupplementation with the amino acid and insulin acted in an additive manner to restore mTORC1 activation. In deprived cells, mTORC1 was activated by expressing either constitutively active (ca) Rheb or a caRagB·caRagC complex, and coexpression of the constructs had an additive effect. Notably, resupplementation with leucine in cells expressing caRheb or with insulin in cells expressing the caRagB·caRagC complex was as effective as resupplementation with both leucine and insulin in non-transfected cells. Moreover, changes in mTORC1 activity correlated directly with altered association of mTOR with RagB/RagC, Rheb, raptor, and PRAS40. Overall, the results suggest that amino acids signal through the Rag complex and insulin through Rheb to achieve coordinate activation of mTORC1.
Parent and Teacher Report of Social Skills in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the agreement between parent and teacher perceptions of specific social behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Method Informant...
Structural anomalies in hcp metals under pressure: Zn and Cd

First-principles total-energy calculations with WIEN2k using a procedure that finds the equilibrium states of hcp structures under pressure from minima of the Gibbs free energy have found a structural anomaly in hcp Zn and in hcp Cd under pressure. The calculated small but definite anomaly in the pressure dependences of the structural parameters of hcp Zn allows a reinterpretation of the data to show the anomaly. We find a similar but stronger anomaly in Cd than in Zn. The calculated anomaly in Zn contradicts a recent theoretical conclusion that found that the anomaly disappears at a large number of k-points in the Brillouin zone. The calculation also shows that the uncertainty in locating equilibrium found in another recent paper is absent here. Reasons are given for computational differences from previous work. Evaluation of the pressure dependence of various elastic quantities which are much more sensitive to the anomaly shows the anomalies in hcp Zn and hcp Cd exist over a considerable range of pressure; several abrupt changes in the electron distribution are thereby indicated in that pressure range.
RS 1.009 ( CTA 36, KTU 1.46): reconstructing a Ugaritic ritual

In an article published in UF, 16, 1984, entitled ‘The ritual KTU 1.46 (= RS 1.9) and its duplicates’, M. Dijkstra proposed that to the large fragment of the ritual tablet RS 1.009 should be joined four fragments. None of these is supposed to be a physical join, neither with RS 1.009 nor with any other of the smaller fragments, but all five fragments are said to have originally been part of the same tablet. To Dijkstra's transliteration (pp. 71–2) is added a sixth fragment, RS 1.009A, about the ascription of which to RS 1.009 Dijkstra is not sure (see p. 70). The reconstruction, with assumed proper placement of each of the five primary fragments was illustrated in a collage made up of Dijkstra's own copies of the small fragments and Virolleaud's copy of the primary fragment (p. 76). My intention here is to discuss the validity of the hypothetical reconstruction. The texts given below, based on new collations, are presented here for the first time. Philological aspects of the interpretation of the texts will not be dealt with here; for such matters see my forthcoming edition of the Ugaritic ritual texts.
Simulation and optimization of the power distribution network in VLSI circuits

In this paper, we present simulation techniques to estimate the worst-case voltage variation using an RC model for the power distribution network. Pattern independent maximum envelope currents are used as a periodic input for performing the frequency-domain steady-state simulation of the linear RC circuit to evaluate the worst-case instantaneous voltage drop for the RC power distribution networks. The proposed technique unlike existing techniques, is guaranteed to give the maximum voltage drop at nodes in the RC power distribution network. We present experimental results to compare the frequency-domain and time-domain simulation techniques for estimating the maximum instantaneous voltage drop. We also present frequency domain sensitivity analysis based decoupling capacitance placement for reducing the voltage variation in the power distribution network. Experimental results on circuits extracted from layout are presented to validate the simulation and optimization techniques.
Reduced-parts-count multilevel rectifiers

Multilevel power converters have gained much attention in recent years due to their high power quality, low switching losses, and high-voltage capability. These advantages make the multilevel converter a candidate topology for the next generation of naval ship prolusion systems. The primary disadvantage of these systems is the large number of semiconductors involved. This paper presents a reduced-parts-count rectifier which is well suited for naval rectifier applications where bidirectional power flow is not required. The proposed converter is analyzed and experimentally verified on an 18-kW four-level rectifier/inverter system.
Using Computer Vision to Control a Reactive Computer Graphics Character in a Theater Play

It/I is a two-character theater play where the human character I is taunted and played by a vision-based, autonomous computerized character -- called It -- which controls computer-graphics, sound, and stage lights. Unlike previous immersive interactive systems, the computer vision system recognizes the human character's actions by considering not only tracking and gestural information and the character's internal variables but also the context provided by the current situation in the story. This paper focuses on a methodology to represent and recognize the human and computer characters' actions that is based on interval scripts, a paradigm that uses Allen's temporal primitives to describe the relationships among the different actions and reactions. The system was tested in six public performances held at the MIT Media Laboratory in 1997, when the computer graphics character ran automatically during the 30-minute duration of the play.
Spectral-element simulations of global seismic wave propagation: II. Three-dimensional models, oceans, rotation and self-gravitation

SUMMARY We simulate global seismic wave propagation based upon a spectral-element method. We include the full complexity of 3-D Earth models, i.e. lateral variations in compressional-wave velocity, shear-wave velocity and density, a 3-D crustal model, ellipticity, as well as topography and bathymetry. We also include the effects of the oceans, rotation and self-gravitation in the context of the Cowling approximation. For the oceans we introduce a formulation based upon an equivalent load in which the oceans do not need to be meshed explicitly. Some of these effects, which are often considered negligible in global seismology, can in fact play a significant role for certain source‐receiver configurations. Anisotropy and attenuation, which were introduced and validated in a previous paper, are also incorporated in this study. The complex phenomena that are taken into account are introduced in such a way that we preserve the main advantages of the spectral-element method, which are an exactly diagonal mass matrix and very high computational efficiency on parallel computers. For self-gravitation and the oceans we benchmark spectral-element synthetic seismograms against normal-mode synthetics for the spherically symmetric reference model PREM. The two methods are in excellent agreement for all body- and surface-wave arrivals with periods greater than about 20 s in the case of self-gravitation and 25 s in the case of the oceans. At long periods the effect of gravity on multiorbit surface waves up to R4 is correctly reproduced. We subsequently present results of simulations for two real earthquakes in fully 3-D Earth models for which the fit to the data is significantly improved compared with classical normal-mode calculations based upon PREM. For example, we show that for trans-Pacific paths the Rayleigh wave can arrive more than a minute earlier than in PREM, and that the Love wave is much shorter in duration.
Attitudes Toward Divorce: Embeddedness and Outcomes in Personal Relationships

Divorce attitudes, attitude embeddedness, parental marital status and conflict, and personal relationship outcomes were examined in a sample of 289 undergraduate students. Results indicated that highly embedded divorce attitudes were more predictive of evaluations of divorce issues and relationship scenarios than were less embedded attitudes. Consistent with findings that divorce attitudes influence personal relationships (Amato & DeBoer, 2001), participants with embedded divorce attitudes reported greater conflict and influence of relationship partners. Recollections of high parental conflict were associated with greater relationship conflict; and individuals from high-conflict intact families reported greater relationship closeness, conflict, and embedded divorce attitudes. Consequences of parental divorce and conflict for offspring divorce attitudes are discussed, as well as future research on divorce attitudes and their strength.
An exact optimization of two-level acyclic sequential circuits

Several algorithms for gate-level sequential circuit optimization have been reported in the literature. They perform operations similar to those in the more mature multilevel combinational domain while taking relationships across several time periods into account. These techniques are heuristic and their application ad hoc: there is no guarantee of optimality. We present a technique for producing an optimum two-level acyclic sequential circuit. While the circuit restrictions and cost function are limiting, the guarantee of optimality is novel and illuminating. The technique presented herein is useful for optimizing sub-circuits of a multilevel sequential circuit just as two-level combinatorial techniques have been in the combinational domain. Furthermore, the algorithm can be used to detect precisely circuits in which logic sharing across latch boundaries is actually possible- a hitherto unsolved problem. >
Characterization of the Role of the Pathogenicity Island and vapG in the Virulence of the Intracellular Actinomycete Pathogen Rhodococcus equi

Rhodococcus equi, a facultative intracellular pathogen of macrophages, causes severe, life-threatening pneumonia in young foals and in people with underlying immune deficiencies. R. equi virulence is dependent on the presence of a large virulence plasmid that houses a pathogenicity island (PAI) encoding a novel family of surface-localized and secreted proteins of largely unknown function termed the virulence-associated proteins (VapACDEFGHI). To date, vapA and its positive regulators virR and orf8 are the only experimentally established virulence genes residing on the virulence plasmid. In this study, a PAI deletion mutant was constructed and, as anticipated, was attenuated for growth both in macrophages and in mice due to the absence of vapA expression. Expression of vapA in the PAI mutant from a constitutive promoter, thereby eliminating the requirement for the PAI-encoded vapA regulators, resulted in delayed bacterial clearance in vivo, yet full virulence was not restored, indicating that additional virulence genes are indeed located within the deleted pathogenicity island region. Based on previous reports demonstrating that the PAI-carried gene vapG is highly upregulated in macrophages and in the lungs of R. equi-infected foals, we hypothesized that vapG could be an important virulence factor. However, analysis of a marked vapG deletion mutant determined the gene to be dispensable for growth in macrophages and in vivo in mice.
Preservation of vestibular nerves in surgery of the cerebellopontine angle: effect on hearing and balance function.

Introduction: Small tumors of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) can frequently be removed with preservation of the auditory and the vestibular portion of the eighth cranial nerve. This study was undertaken to estimate the effect of vestibular nerve preservation on both balance and hearing following surgery. Materlals and Methods: A retrospective study of all cases of CPA lesions between 1987 and 1991 was undertaken. This identified 11 patients in whom either the superior and/or inferior vestibular nerves were preserved. This included eight acoustic neuromas and three meningiomas. The retrosigmoid approach and total tumor extirpation was undertaken in all cases. Patients undertook a vestibular questionnaire, audiometric testing, and evaluation of vestibulo-ocular responses preoperatively and postoperatively. Additionally, static and dynamic platform posturography was performed postoperatively in 9 of 11 patients. Results: Follow-up ranged from 6 to 44 months. Of the eight patients with acoustic neuroma, four had a preoperative balance disorder that resolved postoperatively. One patient died of unrelated causes. Of the remaining seven patients with coloric testings, one maintained normal caloric responses. A persistent postoperative phase shift was noted in 4 of the 7 cases with rotatory testing. Three patients were treated for a meningioma. All had a preoperative balance disorder that resolved postoperatively. Two patients showed vestibular response indicative of residual but compromised function on the involved side. The third patient showed absent responses indicating an anatomically intact nerve that does not necessarily predict functional activity. Preservation of the vestibular nerve was associated with preservation of preoperative hearing in five of the patients. This included four of the eight acoustic patients and one of the three meningioma patients. Conclusions: Preservation of the vestibular nerve did not result in a chronic balance disorder in this patient population. This study does not allow the authors to conclude if vestibular nerve preservation improves overall hearing after CPA surgery; however, these data suggest that preservation of the inferior vestibular nerve may result in less damage to the cochlear nerve in some patients. Accordingly, preservation of the vestibular nerve in CPA meningioma surgery can be recommended.
A Primer on Left Legal Theory: Realism, Marxism, CLS & PoMo

Legal Realism, Critical Legal Studies (CLS), Postmodernism (PoMo), and Marxism are all intertwined, somehow. This article sees Marxist currents as the common thread throughout U.S. left legal theory. Marxism as an ideology never took off in the United States, outside of law schools. But there, Marxism seems to have overtly or covertly informed these three legal theories, resulting in what in Marxist terms are revisionist, deviationist, and sub-reformist lines. Whether one is in favour of or opposed to the extrapolations in the U.S. from some portions of Marxism into legal theory, it is worth examining Legal Realism, CLS and PoMo from the perspective of Marxism to see how these extrapolations in fact have played out, or how they may. This article concludes that Legal Realism did not “follow through” on its radical origins, that CLS stayed radical but never took state power, and that PoMo is too open textured to be at all useful as a tool to fight against oppression or exploitation.
Observations on Seasonality and Mortality from a Recent Catastrophic Death Assemblage

Abstract On 3 November 1991, a group of 150 pronghorn went over a cliff near Green River, Wyoming. This mortality site provides a unique opportunity to examine a number of characteristics of catastrophic death assemblages that may aid in the interpretation of archaeological bonebed sites. In 1993, the mandibles were collected for a study of seasonality and age estimation. Examination of seasonality revealed some variation in estimates by eruption/wear and cementum increments. Six percent of 86 fawn specimens exhibit eruption and wear more advanced than expected for a November third event, and 21% of 28 cementum increment estimates differ from the known November third mortality date by a month or more. These data suggest some degree of error is inherent in seasonality estimates that must be considered when interpreting seasonal distributions. Age estimates by eruption and wear reveal a distribution of pronghorn ages with many more juvenile animals than expected for a known “catastrophic” event. This may be explained by the pattern of seasonal hunting in a modern managed herd, which is likely to be very different than aboriginal hunting patterns. Age estimates by eruption/wear and cementum increment techniques failed to agree within six months in 48% of 29 test cases, with a tendency for cementum ages to be younger in 71% of specimens in which estimates of age differed. In general, the mandible assemblage exhibited more variability than one might expect for a single catastrophic kill event.
Family Presence During Resuscitation and Invasive Procedures: The Nurse Experience

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of nurses who participate with families during resuscitation and invasive procedures in the hospital. Seventeen nurses in a large metropolitan area in the northeastern United States were interviewed about their thoughts and feelings about participating with families during these procedures. Conversations were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim for analysis. Transcripts were analyzed using van Manen's technique of isolating thematic statements. Four main themes were identified from the data: forging a connection, engaging the family, transition to acceptance, and a cautious approach.The experience of participating in family presence during resuscitation or invasive procedures can be a positive experience for the nurse by forging a connection with family.The experience for the nurse might include a transition to acceptance and a committed change in practice.
Adult intussusception detected at CT or MR imaging: Clinical-imaging correlation

PURPOSE: To determine the clinical presentation in cases of adult intussusception demonstrated at computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and to correlate the imaging appearance with clinical diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of CT and MR images and clinical records of all patients with an intussusception demonstrated on CT or MR images from January 1, 1991, through April 30, 1998. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients had one or more intussusceptions demonstrated on CT (n = 30) or MR (n = 3) images. Twenty-nine patients had enteroenteric intussusceptions, and four had intussusceptions involving the colon. Ten patients (30%) had a neoplastic lead point, including all four of the intussusceptions involving the colon (benign mass, n = 3; malignant mass, n = 7). In 23 cases (70%), no neoplastic lead point was identified. A variety of causes were implicated in these cases, with 16 cases (48%) classified as idiopathic. Enteric intussusceptions in the nonneoplastic group were s...
Canonical geometrodynamics and general covariance

By extending geometrodynamical phase space by embeddings and their conjugate momenta, one can homomorphically map the Lie algebra of space-time diffeomorphisms into the Poisson algebra of dynamical variables on the extended phase space.
Converting enzyme inhibition with captopril in patients with primary hyperaldosteronism.

The humoral and hemodynamic effects of converting enzyme inhibition with captopril are presented in two patients with primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA). In all, 20 patients with resistant hypertension were treated with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril. In 18 patients with essential or renovascular hypertension mean (±SEM) plasma renin activity (PRA) rose from 5.0 ± 1.4 to 35.3 ± 5.3 ng/ml/hr (P < 0.001) and mean (±SEM) plasma aldosterone (PA) declined from 25.8 ± 2.9 to 15.1 ± 1.9 ng/ml (P < 0.01) after captopril. In two patients with PHA the PRA was not stimulated by converting enzyme inhibition, although there was modest decline in PA and a temporary reduction in blood pressure. After surgical removal of aldosterone-producing adenomas, PRA responsed appropriately to captopril. These cases illustrate that a disease process can modify the response to a drug and demonstrate that, in patients with PHA, captopril does not stimulate PRA, induces only minor decrements in PA, and is relatively ineffective as an antihypertensive. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1982) 31, 305–311; doi:10.1038/clpt.1982.38
Differentiation of renal masses using a-mode ultrasound

SummaryA unique property of ultrasound is its ability to differentiate between cystic and solid masses. Using nephrosonography, 150 renal masses were examined. In 144 of them (96 per cent), the physical state of the mass, that is fluid, solid or complex, was correctly predicted. Nephrosonography is uncomplicated, atraumatic and safe. It is used in conjunction with standard radiological methods of diagnosis such as IVP, nephrotomography and in selected cases with angiography, cyst aspiration and isotope scanning. Generally, when a solid ultrasonic pattern is obtained, arteriography is recommended. If a cystic pattern is obtained, nephrotomography followed by cyst puncture is usually all that is necessary. The treatment of masses producing complex ultrasonic patterns must be individualized. In this diagnostic setting, it should be possible to differentiate benign from malignant renal masses with an accuracy approaching 99 per cent.
Knotting of a Bypass Graft Catheter: Report of a Case

A case of knotting of a bypass graft catheter during coronary arteriography is presented. An arteriotomy had to be done to remove the catheter. A possible mechanism causing this complication and precautions to avoid it are described.
Shrinking the warehouse update Window

Warehouse views need to be updated when source data changes. Due to the constantly increasing size of warehouses and the rapid rates of change, there is increasing pressure to reduce the time taken for updating the warehouse views. In this paper we focus on reducing this “update window” by minimizing the work required to compute and install a batch of updates. Various strategies have been proposed in the literature for updating a single warehouse view. These algorithms typically cannot be extended to come up with good strategies for updating an entire set of views. We develop an efficient algorithm that selects an optimal update strategy for any single warehouse view. Based on this algorithm, we develop an algorithm for selecting strategies to update a set of views. The performance of these algorithms is studied with experiments involving warehouse views based on TPC-D queries.
Thyroid lymphoma arising from Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

This 75-yr-old female patient with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was noted 3 yr ago to have a small asymmetric goiter (left right). Rapid growth of the thyroid (right left) over 2–3 months caused dysphagia, shortness of breath, and paralysis of the right vocal fold. Thyroidectomy was attempted at an outside facility to relieve compressive symptoms, but endotracheal intubation was unsuccessful due to severe tracheal deviation and supraglottic narrowing. A computerized tomography (CT) scan of the neck (Fig. 1) was subsequently obtained. The patient was referred to our institution for further anesthetic and surgical management. Due to the history of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and a rapid increase in size of the thyroid gland, diagnoses of thyroid lymphoma and anaplastic thyroid cancer were considered. Fine-needle aspiration was insufficient for diagnosis, and an incisional biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Staging revealed no additional lymphadenopathy. Chemotherapy using Rituxan-CHOP (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, prednisone) led to a dramatic response of the tumor and a complete resolution of compressive symptoms (Fig. 2). Thyroid lymphoma is quite rare; however, the incidence is higher in patients with a history of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (1, 2). A relatively rapid growth in size of the thyroid gland should lead one to consider lymphoma of the thyroid or anaplastic thyroid cancer as a diagnosis. Diagnosis can be made with fine-needle aspiration or core needle biopsy; however, larger amounts of tissue (obtained by performing an incisional biopsy) may be required for flow cytometry and confirmation of diagnosis (3, 4). Chemotherapy and radiation are the mainstays of treatment. Palliative thyroidectomy is occasionally required (5).
A guide to truth predicates in the modern era

A reader coming anew to the recent work on languages which contain their own truth predicates may be perplexed by the simple question of where to begin. A first approach to the literature suggests a field which is alive and busy with investigations heading in many different directions, but there is much less indication of how various pieces fit together. There are at least two sources of this confusion. First, the literature is large and diffuse (as befits a subject which goes back over 2000 years); Visser's survey [33] aptly describes the literature as “vast but scattered, repetitive, and disconnected.” Moreover, recent interest in the field has led to a proliferation of research and publication; it seems that almost any issue of any philosophical logic journal from the mid-1980s contains some article on the topic. The second reason, in part a consequence of the first, is that while a typical article in print usually presents a good internal motivation, with clear reference to its immediate intellectual antecedents, its place in the broader picture may not be so easily discerned. The problem can be especially acute in presentations of axiomatic approaches, because decisions on certain basic questions can lie hidden in the formal and notational details which abound in any axiomatization.In fact, though, the recent research on methods for handling self-referential truth can be seen as a body of work which is very well structured, one in which a few fundamental decisions suffice to locate any particular approach in its appropriate place on the landscape. My goal is to describe this structure and in particular to stress a few critical forks in the road, which will be the recurring metaphor throughout this paper. I will also pay particular attention to pointing out where the interesting technical and mathematical questions lie.
The Accuracy of Methods for Coding and Sampling Higher-Level Taxa for Phylogenetic Analysis: A Simulation Study

Many phylogenetic analyses, particularly morphological studies, use higher taxa (e.g., genera, families) rather than species as terminal taxa. This general approach requires dealing with interspeci® c variation among the species that make up the higher taxon. In this paper, I review diA erent parsimony methods for coding and sampling higher taxa and compare their relative accuracies using computer simulations. Despite their widespread use, methods that involve coding higher taxa as terminals perform poorly in simulations, relative to splitting up the higher taxa and using species as terminals. Among the methods that use higher taxa as terminals, coding a taxon based on the most common condition among the included species (majority or modal coding) is generally more accurate than other coding methods, such as coding taxa as missing or polymorphic. The success of the majority method, and results of further simulations, suggest that in many cases ``common equals primitive'' within variable taxa, at least for low and intermediate rates of character change. The ® xed-only method (excluding variable characters) performs very poorly, a result that is indirectly supported by analyses of published data for squamate reptiles. Sampling only a single species per higher taxon also yields low accuracy under many conditions. Along with recent studies of intraspeci® c polymorphism, the results of this study show the general importance of (1) including characters despite variation within taxa and (2) using methods that incorporate detailed information on the distribution of states within variable taxa. (Accuracy; coding methods; parsimony; simulations; squamata; taxon sampling.)
Green Tea Catechin Normalizes the Enhanced Ca2+ Sensitivity of Myofilaments Regulated by a Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy–Associated Mutation in Human Cardiac Troponin I (K206I)

Background— Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiovascular disease characterized by thickening of ventricular walls and decreased left ventricular chamber volume. The majority of HCM-associated mutations are found in genes encoding sarcomere proteins. Herein, we set out to functionally characterize a novel HCM-associated mutation (K206I-TNNI3) and elucidate the mechanism of dysfunction at the level of myofilament proteins. Methods and Results— The male index case was diagnosed with HCM after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which was followed by comprehensive clinical evaluation, transthoracic echocardiography, and clinical genetic testing. To determine molecular mechanism(s) of the mutant human cardiac troponin I (K206I), we tested the Ca2+ dependence of thin filament–activated myosin-S1–ATPase activity in a reconstituted, regulated, actomyosin system comparing wild-type human troponin complex, 50% mix of K206I/wildtype, or 100% K206I. We also exchanged native troponin detergent extracted fibers with reconstituted troponin containing either wildtype or a 65% mix of K206I/wildtype and measured force generation. The Ca2+ sensitivity of the myofilaments containing the K206I variant was significantly increased, and when treated with 20 µmol/L (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (green tea) was restored back to wild-type levels in ATPase and force measurements. The K206I mutation impairs the ability of the troponin I to inhibit ATPase activity in the absence of calcium-bound human cardiac troponin C. The ability of calcium-bound human cardiac troponin C to neutralize the inhibition of K206I was greater than with wild-type TnI. Conclusions— Compromised interactions of K206I with actin and hcTnC may lead to impaired relaxation and HCM.
Intra-abdominal Hypertension: An Important Consideration for Diuretic Resistance in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Fluid accumulation is the hallmark of heart failure decompensation. Fluid overload and congestion are associated with recurrent hospitalizations, poor quality of life, and increased mortality in heart failure. Despite the use of high-dose intravenous loop diuretic therapy, acutely decompensated heart failure patients may develop diuretic resistance. Diuretic refractoriness can be a result of elevated intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in acutely decompensated heart failure. Increased renal venous and interstitial pressures in patients with elevated IAP may lead to renal impairment and diuretic resistance. Routine approaches such as sequential nephron blockade with a combination of loop and thiazide or thiazide-like diuretics, continuous diuretic infusion, and ultrafiltration may not be sufficient. Presented here is a case illustrating the importance of recognizing intra-abdominal hypertension in patients with diuretic resistance. Lowering IAP improves renal perfusion, renal filtration, and diuresis. When elevated, IAP is an easily reversible cause of diuretic resistance. Additionally, abdominal perfusion pressure can be used to guide therapy to reverse end-organ damage and avoid permanent renal replacement therapy.
Integrating free-space optical communication links with existing WiFi (WiFO) network

Recently, free-space optical (FSO) systems have generated great interest due to their large bandwidth potential and a line-of-sight physical layer of protection. In this paper, we propose WiFO, a novel hybrid system, FSO downlink and WiFi uplink, which will integrate currently available WiFi infrastructure with inexpensive infrared light emitting diodes. This system takes full advantage of the mobility inherent in WiFi networks while increasing the downlink bandwidth available to each end user. We report the results of our preliminary investigation that show the capabilities of our prototype design in terms of bandwidth, bit error rates, delays and transmission distances.
Abstract 304: Proinflammatory secretory chemokine CXCL8 regulates intercellular cross-talk in the breast cancer tumor microenvironment

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL The cellular composition of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and soluble effector molecules mediating intercellular cross-talk are important therapeutic and preventive targets for breast cancer. Chemokines released within the TME work in a synergistic and reciprocal manner to induce malignant progression of tumor cells. CXCL8, a proinflammatory CXC chemokine shown to be released within the TME, can act as a chemoattractant, angiogenic factor, and inflammatory factor via cellular receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2. However, the specific role of CXCL8 in the signaling cascades within the tumor microenvironment has yet to be fully classified and warrants further investigation. Treatment of human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and T47D with 50nM exogenous CXCL8 enhanced the expression of CXCR2. The acquisition of chemokine receptors by tumor cells, in this case CXCR2, can mediate phenotypic changes that enhance migratory and invasive potential. Treatment of these human breast cancer cell lines with 50nM exogenous CXCL8 resulted in phenotypic morphology changes characteristic of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a phenomenon commonly exhibited by metastatic tumor cells. We validated this phenomenon with 50nM exogenous CXCL8 treatment, which led to enhanced expression of both Slug (Snail2) and Twist in all three human breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, we observed that treatment with 50nM exogenous CXCL8 promoted the migration and invasion of these breast cancer cell lines in an in vitro modified Boyden chamber assay. These results suggest that CXCL2 secreted from cells within the TME act to induce characteristic changes in human breast cancer cells, propagating the transition to more aggressive tumors. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are an important component of the heterogeneous population of cells that make up the TME. Breast cancer cells exposed to conditioned media from human monocytic cell lines THP-1 and U937, previously differentiated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), exhibited distinct morphology changes characteristic of EMT and enhanced migratory and invasive ability, similar to exogenous CXCL8 treatment. Together, our results suggest that CXCL8 can have profound implications in determining the fate of tumor cells by engaging in extensive cross-talk within the TME, thus providing a potential target for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer tumor progression and metastasis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 304. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-304
Magnetic and Morphological Properties of Nanophase Metallic Particles of Fe, Co, and Ni

A vapor deposition technique has been used to prepare nano-size particles of Fe, Co and Ni using argon gas. The particles were passivated from further oxidation using a small volume of air. The range of particle size obtained in these systems was 47-200 A. The saturation magnetization of Fe particles varied between 25-200 emu/g with the higher values corresponding to larger particles and the highest coercivity achieved at room temperature was 1050 Oe. In the case of Co and Ni, the magnetization varied in the range 35-100 emu/g and 14-45 emu/g, respectively. The highest room temperature coercivity was 1200 and 41 Oe for Co and Ni, respectively. A shell-type structure consisting of a metallic core surrounded by an oxide shell has been proposed for the particles.
Determination of 33 Kinds of Pesticide Residues in Food by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

[Objective]To establish a method for determination of pesticide residues in foods by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS). [Methods]The pesticide residues were extracted with acetonitrile homogenate,purified by SPE cartridge,then eluted with acetonitrile and toluene(3+1).Afterwards,liquid chromatography mass spectrometry(LC-MS) was used to determine pesticide residues ingredients according to the different requirements. [Results]All the 33 kinds of pesticide residues were drained out within 40minutes;the standard linear range was between 0.01~1.0 μg/ml;correlation coefficient r was above 0.99;the labeled recovery rates of low and high concentration were both between 81%~95%;the relative standard deviations was below 10%;the limit of determination was 0.001~0.04 mg/kg(S/N=3). [Conclusion]This method is suitable for determining pesticide residues of organophosphate,organochlorine,pyrethroid,carbamate,herbicides in foods with satisfactory selectivity,accuracy and precision;it can rapidly detect 33 kinds of pesticide and the concentration level meets the requirement for detection.
Pulmonary coccidioidomycosis presenting by direct extension through the chest wall.

Five per cent of patients with primary coccidioidomycosis develop residual pulmonary disease: (1) hilar adenopathy, (2) coccidioma, (3) pleural effusion, (4) bronchiectasis, (5) fibrosis, (6) cavitation, (7) dissemination, (8) empyema, and (9) pneumothorax. The case history of a patient with the additional manifestation of direct extension into and through the chest wall, resulting in formation of a subcutaneous abscess, is presented. Pre- and postoperative amphotericin B therapy and excision of the sinus tract and chest wall abscess in continuity are recommended.
Fundamentals of Thermal Sensors

Thermal sensors are found in many items, from commonplace items inside any home to more sophisticated applications. You can find sensors in household electronics like thermostats or thermometers. You will also find sensors in things as sophisticated as your personal computer or in a microprocessor. It is vital for processors to stay within the temperature range specification to perform reliably and for the processor to run at its expected speed performance.
Abstract 2410: Cell-free DNA derived from ascites: Detection of copy number and somatic mutations using OncoScan FFPE® Assay

Background: There is increased interest in molecular analysis of cell-free DNA isolated from body fluids for the evaluation of tumor progression. These “liquid” biopsies are usually obtained from blood. Their advantages include the fact that they can be repeatedly accessed, are less invasive, and may be sensitive to changes in tumor profile from multiple metastatic sites. Materials and Methods: Eleven ascites samples from patients with metastatic epithelial neoplasms (gastric, N = 3; pancreas, N = 3; ovarian, N = 2; breast, N = 2; and lung cancer, N = 1) were investigated. Cell-free DNA was isolated from supernatant of ascites fluid (50 ml) after centrifugation using commercially available DNA purification kits (Norgen Bioteck Corp and Qiagen), and analyzed using the OncoScan FFPE Assay kit. Results: Cell-free DNA yields ranged from 1.7 ng to 230 ng per mL of ascites fluid, indicating wide variability in DNA content. Of the 11 patients, all had detectable aberrations, including copy number alterations affecting from Conclusions. Combined copy number and somatic analysis of ascites cell-free DNA revealed clinically relevant aberrations, including ones not found in primary tumor tissue. Comparison to circulating cells in ascites, cell-free DNA in blood, as well as tumor molecular profile is ongoing. Citation Format: Hatim Husain, Sumathi Venkatapathy, German Gomez, Brian Woodward, Suzanna Lee, Lubena Khambaty, Lily Chen, Radha Duttagupta, Eric T. Fung, Razelle Kurzrock. Cell-free DNA derived from ascites: Detection of copy number and somatic mutations using OncoScan FFPE® Assay. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2410. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2410