cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Application of Cryogenics to the Reversible Storage of Biomaterials

It is well known that the reaction rates associated with the biochemical reactions that are responsible for life and death in biomaterials can be retarded by reducing the temperature of the reactants. On the surface, it would appear possible to arrest the life and death processes of living materials by simply cooling the medium, possibly even to temperatures low enough to precipitate water out of solution in the form of ice. This prospect has intrigued man for centuries, and already in 1693 Boyle [1] published what is probably the first written account of low-temperature biological research. Boyle’s experiments with the effects of freezing and thawing on various biomaterials met with limited success, but his failure has not dampened the enthusiasm of the myriad of researchers who have followed in his footsteps in the ensuing 300 years. There are even accounts in New England folklore [2] of humans preserved in the frozen state. Unfortunately, there is little scientific evidence to indicate that the prospect of suspended animation of humans will be anything more than fantasy in the immediate future. However, there is every reason to believe that serious scientific inquiry into the potential application of cryogenic temperatures for the reversible preservation of biomaterials will lead to ultimate success.
Self-Assembling Topical Nanomicellar Formulation to Improve Curcumin Absorption Across Ocular Tissues

The pathophysiological mechanisms for dry and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) involve oxidative stress and increased VEGF release and expression. An ideal drug candidate for both types of AMD is the one which offers significant protection to the retinal cells from oxidative stress and inhibit VEGF release. Curcumin is one such natural product which provides numerous beneficial effects including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-VEGF activities and has the potential for the treatment of both types of AMD. The bioavailability of curcumin is negligible due to its poor aqueous solubility. The purpose of this work is to develop an aqueous nanomicellar drop formulation of curcumin (CUR-NMF) for back of the eye delivery utilizing hydrogenated castor oil (HCO-40) and octoxynol-40 (OC-40) to treat AMD. A full factorial design was performed with JMP software analysis to optimize the formulation size, polydispersity index (PDI), entrapment efficiency, loading, and precipitation. MTT and LDH assays on human retinal pigmented epithelial (D407) cells revealed that 5–10 μM CUR-NMF dose is safe for ophthalmic use. Furthermore, CUR-NMF exhibited significant protection of retinal (D407) cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. In vitro drug release kinetics suggested a sustained drug release profile indicating a long-term protection ability of CUR-NMF against oxidative stress to retinal cells. In addition, an ELISA suggested that CUR-NMF significantly reduces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release in D407 cell line, hence diminishes the risk of angiogenesis. Collectively, these results suggest that the proposed CUR-NMF can be tremendously effective in treating both types of AMD.
Pediatric Audiology Productivity: Results From a Multicenter Survey

Purpose This report focuses on audiology productivity measures and targets, impacting variables, and implementation of productivity in pediatric settings and “life span facilities” with a significa...
On-Field Assessment and Management of Spine Injuries

The incidence of spine injuries in athletics remains low, but when they occur, they are associated with significant morbidity and long-term disability. Prevention is key as sport-specific education, innovation in protective equipment, and rule modifications can protect athletes while preserving the integrity of the sport. Still, medical personnel should have an outlined plan well before the injury occurs to effectively make an appropriate response, including an emergency action plan that will accelerate care during this critical time. Communication is vital to the success of the plan, and a team approach will be needed. Team leaders should take charge and direct other medical personnel to ensure safety in delivery of care to the athlete. Prioritizing spinal stabilization during on-field assessment should be standard, and careful consideration must be given to maintaining spinal stability during maneuvers necessary for resuscitation. A rehearsed and regimented exam allows for an efficient and comprehensive on-field evaluation. If necessary, safe transfer of the athlete requires coordination of care and proper communication among all team members to make sure the athlete is properly boarded and secured prior to transport. While each injury is unique and circumstances surrounding the injury change, a well-organized systematic response will help ensure safe and efficient care for the athlete and will mitigate risk of further injury.
Quantitation of Inositol Phosphates by HPLC-ESI-MS.

The coupling of anion exchange high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) allows for the simultaneous detection of the six forms of inositol phosphate (InsP). Here we describe a rapid quantitative analysis of InsPs by HPLC-ESI-MS, which can be applied to a wide array of sample types. With this method, InsPs could be separated and detected within 20 min of sample injection. The detection limit was as low as 25 pmol (i.e., ca. 2 nmol/g sample) for each type of InsP, which is particularly important for analytes that are often present at low abundance in nature.
Instrumental Music in Late Eighteenth-Century Naples: Politics, Patronage and Artistic Culture

The music of early modern Naples and its renowned artistic traditions remain a fruitful area for scholars in eighteenth-century studies. Contemporary social, political, and artistic conditions had stimulated a significant growth of music, musicians and culture in the Kingdom of Naples from the beginning of the seventeenth century. Although eighteenth-century Neapolitan opera is well documented in scholarship, historians have paid much less attention to the simultaneous cultivation of instrumental genres. Yet the culture of instrumental music grew steadily and by its end became an exclusive area of focus for the royal court, a remarkable departure from past norms of patronage. By bridging this gap, Anthony R. DelDonna brings together diverse fields, including historical musicology, music theory, Neapolitan and European history. His book investigates the wide-ranging role of instrumental genres within late eighteenth-century Neapolitan culture and introduces readers to new material, including recently discovered instrumental works of Paisiello, Cimarosa and Pleyel.
Predictors and outcomes of hemorrhagic stroke in reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome.

Abstract Background Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is the most common neurologic complication of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS). In this study, we compared hemorrhagic and non-hemorrhagic RCVS with an aim to evaluate the risk factors and short-term clinical outcomes of hemorrhagic lesions. Methods We used the Nationwide Readmissions Database 2016–2017 to identify all hospitalizations due to RCVS. Predictors and clinical outcomes of ICH were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Results Among the total 1834 hospitalizations for RCVS during the study period (mean ± SD age:48.4 ± 15.6 years, female:75.8%), 768 (41.9%) had occurrence of ICH. Patients with ICH were more likely to be female (OR:2.72, 95% CI:1.86–3.97), have a history of hypertension (OR:1.63, 95% CI:1.20–2.22) and cocaine use (OR:3.11, 95% CI:1.49–6.51), and were less likely to have a history of diabetes (OR:0.52, 95% CI:0.32–0.84) and heart failure (OR:0.34, 95% CI:0.14–0.84). Hemorrhagic RCVS was associated with higher odds of cerebral edema (OR:10.71, 95% CI:5.75–19.97), new onset seizure (OR:2.24, 95% CI:1.08–4.61), respiratory failure (OR:2.40, 95% CI:1.37–4.22) and gastrostomy tube placement (OR:3.20, 95% CI:1.07–9.58). Patients with hemorrhagic lesions also had longer length of hospital stay (mean difference 5.5 days), higher hospital charges (mean difference $105,547), and a lower likelihood of discharge to home (OR:0.61, 95% CI:0.43–0.86). There was, however, no significant difference in the in-hospital mortality. Conclusions ICH affects nearly 42% of patients with RCVS and is associated with increased rate of other neurologic complications and adverse discharge disposition, thus putting into question the prevailing conception that RCVS is generally a benign disorder with a self-limiting clinical course.
NIH DR2: Facilitating Harmonization of COVID-19 Epidemiologic Research Through the Availability of Research Tools and Common Measures

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Public Health Emergency and Disaster Research Response (DR2) Program leads the nation in building the research infrastructure for execut...
Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer Detection After A Negative Prebiopsy MRI Examination: Comparison of Biparametric Versus Multiparametric MRI

Background: The frequency of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) following negative biparametric MRI (bpMRI) and multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) has not been well investigated in direct comparative studies. Objective: To compare the frequency of csPCa after negative prebiopsy bpMRI and mpMRI, and to evaluate factors that predict csPca in the two cohorts. Methods: This retrospective study included 232 men (mean age, 64.5 years) with negative bpMRI from August 2017 to March 2020 and193 men (mean age, 69.0 years) with negative mpMRI from January 2018 to December 2018, defining PI-RADS category of 1 or 2 as negative. Our institution offers bpMRI as a low-cost self-pay option for patients without insurer coverage of prebiospy mpMRI. Patient characteristics and subsequent biopsy results were recorded. csPCa was defined as Gleason score ≥3+4. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of csPCa. AUC of prostate specific antigen density (PSAD) for csPCA was computed, and diagnostic performance of PSAD was assessed at a clinically established threshold of 0.15 ng/mL2. Results: Systematic biopsy was performed after negative bpMRI in 41.4% (96/232), versus after negative mpMRI in 30.5% (59/193) (p=.02). Among those undergoing biopsy, csPCa was present in 15.6% (15/96) in the mpMRI cohort versus 13.6% (8/59) in the bpMRI cohort (p=.69). NPV for csPCa was 84% (81/96) for bpMRI and 86% (51/59) for mpMRI. In multivariable analyses, independent predictors of csPCa included smaller prostate volume (OR=0.27, p .05). PSAD had AUC for csPCa of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.89) in the bpMRI cohort versus 0.68 (95% CI: 0.42, 0.93) in the mpMRI cohort. For detecting csPCa, PSAD threshold of 0.15 ng/mL2 had NPV of 90% and PPV of 28%, in the bpMRI cohort, versus NPV of 92% and PPV of 44%in the mpMRI cohort. Conclusion: The frequency of csPCa was not significantly different on systematic biopsy performed after negative bpMRI and mpMRI examinations. PSAD had similar diagnostic utility for csPca in both cohorts. Clinical Impact: Either bpMRI or mpMRI, in combination with PSAD, can help avoid negative prostate biopsies.
Reasonable efforts, unreasonable effects : A retrospective analysis of the 'reasonable efforts' clause in the adoption assistance and child welfare act of 1980

L'A. etudie les politiques sociale mises en place aux Etats-Unis pour venir en aide aux familles et aux enfants qui connaissent des difficultes sur le plan social. Il s'interesse plus particulierement a une loi cadre instituee sous l'administration Carter : «The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980». Il examine la clause dite des «efforts raisonnables» qui, dans ce cadre juridique, definit les modalites d'action des services sociaux en ce qui concerne les decisions de placement d'enfants dans des familles ou centres d'accueil. Il affirme que cette clause impose des objectifs contradictoires pour l'aide sociale, qu'elle contribue a transferer le controle des placements des services sociaux vers les institutions judiciaires et a complexifier les modalites d'intervention
Mycobacterium ulcerans Infection and Buruli Ulcer Disease: Emergence of a Public Health Dilemma

After tuberculosis and leprosy, Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) is the third most common mycobacterial disease among immunocompetent people in the tropical world. BUD caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is characterized by indolent, necrotizing ulcerations of the skin. M. ulcerans disrupts macrophages and adipose cell monolayers in vitro, in lieu of growing within these cells. One of the major goals of the WHO's Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative is to develop new diagnostic tests to identify patients infected with M. ulcerans prior to the development of advanced ulcerative disease. Because M. ulcerans is infrequently isolated, every well-characterized clinical isolate has the potential to add to the understanding of the molecular epidemiology of M. ulcerans. The main histopathologic feature during the nodule stage is the necrosis of the subcutaneous adipose tissues. Necrosis can be classified as coagulative since the tissue appears to maintain its architecture and shows intense eosinophilia due to loss of the normal basophilia imparted by cytoplasmic RNA. Surgery is the current recommended treatment for all stages of BUD. Ulcerative lesions require wide debridement followed by skin grafting, techniques requiring referral to specialized health care facilities. Currently, international efforts directed by the WHO Buruli Ulcer Initiative are targeted towards defining the worldwide burden of this disease, the source(s) and route(s) of transmission, improved diagnostic assays, the mechanisms of pathogenesis, less invasive treatment options, and improved public health control strategies.
Wiring Up the Island State

The island state of Singapore has established a nationwide broadband network in an effort to take advantage of the revolution in information technology to promote economic growth and revitalize telecommunications networks. This policy forum explores the technologies constituting the network, the lessons learned, the challenges ahead, and the implications for science and business.
Time-Dependent Finite-Difference Simulation of Unsteady Interactive Flows

During the past decade, advances to computer hardware and numerical methods have permitted the development of computer programs capable of simulating unsteady interactive flows. The physical realism of the simulated unsteady flows has been validated by comparison with experimental measurements. The promising results obtained so far, coupled with continued improvements in both computer performance and algorithm efficiency, encourage further development of these methods and their implementation to study unsteady, interactive aerodynamic flows.
Repeated exposure to morphine alters surface expression of AMPA receptors in the rat medial prefrontal cortex

Behavioral sensitization describes the intensification of motor activity that results from repeated exposure to drugs of misuse, and the underlying neuronal adaptations are hypothesized to model aspects of the brain changes that occur in humans misusing such drugs. The α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate (AMPA) receptor is an ionotropic glutamate receptor involved in the neuroplasticity that accompanies acute and repeated drug administration. Changing surface expression is one means to regulate AMPA receptor function, and the present study tested the hypothesis that behavioral sensitization to the μ-opioid receptor agonist morphine is accompanied by changes in the subcellular distribution of AMPA receptors in limbic brain regions. To test this hypothesis, we used a protein cross-linking assay to assess cell surface and intracellular levels of GluA1 and GluA2 subunits in the nucleus accumbens, medial prefrontal cortex and ventral pallidum. Repeated morphine treatment decreased surface expression of GluA1 in the medial prefrontal cortex without affecting levels of GluA2. In contrast, surface levels of GluA1 or GluA2 were unchanged in the nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum, demonstrating that although AMPA receptors in accumbal and pallidal regions are critical mediators of behaviors induced by repeated opiate exposure, these effects are not accompanied by changes in surface expression. The findings reveal that the involvement of AMPA receptor trafficking in opiate-induced behavioral sensitization is relegated to selective regions and that AMPA receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex may be particularly sensitive to these actions.
Liquid Crystals in Education

Abstract The advancement of liquid crystal science and technology has been a truly interdisciplinary effort which combines basic principles of physics, chemistry, and engineering. The success of liquid crystal materials in flat panel displays and electro-optic applications can be attributed to the collaborations of scientists in various fields and the unique interface between academia and industry. Many scientists and engineers engaged in liquid crystal research are also educators in their respective disciplines andlor area of expertise. Those in academia routinely teach undergraduate and graduate courses in physics, chemistry, and engineering, and those in industry often find themselves teaching technical short courses and seminars. Many of us have visited elementary and high schools in the USA to speak to students about careers in science and engineering, and to present some eye-catching demonstrations that excite students about science and technology.
The Craft of Bureaucratic Neutrality: Political Conflict and the Occupational Safety and Health Act

The primary empirical focus of this book is federal and state enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act). The OSH Act sets out as its purpose “[t]o assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women,” and to attain this goal it authorizes the promulgation and enforcement of rules for employers governing working conditions. The enforcement of these rules is the shared responsibility of a federal agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the states. After introducing this case, this chapter tests the claim that bureaucratic leaders can often respond to both external political pressure and the need to control their subordinates by adopting a “strategically neutral” enforcement posture. This examination therefore links this specific inquiry with my more general interest in assessing the theories of bureaucratic power and decision making introduced in the previous chapter. OSHA's embrace of strategic neutrality has allowed the agency's leaders to direct policy, to a substantial degree, toward their own ends despite opposition to aggressive government regulation of working conditions. By systemically discriminating among businesses based on their size, safety history, and industry of operation, OSHA has demobilized specific components of the business lobby, particularly small businesses in safe industries, that would otherwise incline politicians to act against the agency. At the same time, by persistently enforcing the law neutrally across geographic areas and individual firms, OSHA has assured supporters that it is necessary and effective.
Exact repair for distributed storage systems: Partial characterization via new bounds

The exact-repair problem for distributed storage systems is considered. Characterizing the optimal storage-vs-repair bandwidth tradeoff for such systems remains an open problem for more than four storage nodes. A new family of information theoretic lower bounds is provided for the storage-vs-repair bandwidth tradeoff. The bound recovers Tians bound for the (4, 3, 3) system, and hence suffices for exact characterization for this system. Moreover, the bound improves upon the existing lower bounds for the (5, 4, 4) system and also characterizes the partial boundary of optimal exact repair tradeoff.
Comparison of Parental Involvement in Regular and Special Education

The importance of parental participation in the educational process has been recognized in both regular and special education. However, most of what is known about parent involvement in special education has been garnered through studies at the elementary age level and with families of students with mild disabilities. In this study, mothers of students with severe disabilities were compared with mothers of nondisabled students and students with mild to moderate disabilities regarding their perceptions of school involvement. A total of 117 mothers were interviewed. The results indicated that in comparison to the parents of students in regular education, parents of students with disabilities were offered more opportunities to be involved, were more satisfied with their involvement, and felt more able to influence their children's education. This was true over the school age span. No significant differences were related to the severity of the children's disability. Types of activities in which the mothers we...
Accumulation, speciation and cellular localization of copper in Sesbania drummondii.

Growth, accumulation and intracellular speciation and distribution of copper (Cu) in Sesbania drummondii was studied using scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The growth of seedlings was assessed in terms of biomass accumulation. The growth of the seedling was enhanced by 73.5% at a low Cu concentration (50 mg l{sup -1}) compared to the control treatment. Additionally, seedling growth was inhibited by 18% at 300 mg l{sup -1} Cu with respect to the control. Copper concentration in roots and shoots was increased with increasing Cu concentration in the growth solution. The accumulation of Cu was found to be higher in roots than in the shoots. At a concentration of 300 mg l{sup -1} Cu, the roots accumulated 27,440 mg Cu kg{sup -1} dry weight (dw) while shoots accumulated 1282 mg Cu kg{sup -1} dw. Seedlings were assessed for photosynthetic activity by measuring chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters: Fv/Fm and Fv/F0 values. Photosynthetic integrity was not affected by any of the Cu treatments. The X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) studies showed that Cu was predominantly present as Cu(II) in Sesbania tissue. In addition, from the XAS studies it was shown that the Cumore » exists in a mixture of different coordination states consisting of Cu bound to sugars and small organic acids with some possible precipitated copper oxide. From the EXAFS studies, the coordination of Cu was determined to have four equatorial oxygen(nitrogen) ligands at 1.96 angstroms and two axial oxygen ligands at 2.31 angstroms. Scanning-electron microscopy studies revealed the distribution of Cu within the seedlings tissues, predominantly accumulated in the cortical and vascular (xylem) regions of root tissues. In the stem, most of the Cu was found within the xylem tissue. However, the deposition of Cu within the leaf tissues was in the parenchyma. The present study demonstrates the mechanisms employed by S. drummondii for Cu uptake and its biotransformation.« less
The stepwise activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes

The recognition of antigen is the first stage of T-lymphocyte maturation in vivo. Monoclonal antibodies directed against the T-cell receptor/CD3 complex and against other surface antigens can also provide this stimulus. Gianni Gromo and his colleagues are attempting to characterize the steps leading from this initial activation to full functional maturation. They suggest that while numerous pathways of activation exist, the particular pathway followed and to what extent activation occurs depend on both the stimulating ligand and its cell surface receptor.
Biotransformation of aromatic hydrocarbons in subsurface biofilms

Bioremediation is an emerging in situ treatment technology for soil and groundwater cleanup. Research in the past decade has made significant progress toward understanding how to stimulate microbial growth in the subsurface by optimizing the physical/chemical conditions. Recent laboratory observations and field demonstrations indicate that bioremediation can also be limited by mass transfer processes. In this paper, factors restricting microbial growth are reviewed, and the importance of bioavailability on the performance of in situ bioremediation is discussed by using aromatic hydrocarbons as model contaminants. Successful application of bioremediation relies upon an understanding of interactions among microorganisms, organic contaminants and soil/aquifer materials. Applications of biofilm kinetics toward this goal are addressed. Model simulations and laboratory studies suggest that both low temperature and slow desorption rate could greatly lengthen the time required for effective in situ bioremediation of aromatic hydrocarbons.
A method for prediction of volcanic eruptions

The relationship Ω·–α Ω¨ – A = 0 describes the behaviour of materials in terminal stages of failure, where Ω is an observable quantity such as strain, and A and α are empirical constants. Drawing on analogies between failure mechanics and eruption processes at volcanoes, Ω is interpreted in terms of conventional geodetic, seismic or geochemical observations. Manipulation of Ω provides a consistent analytical basis for eruption prediction.
Accommodation, Prediction, and Confirmation

In this paper I argue that belief in the greater confirmatory value of prediction over accommodation can best be understood as a function of the practice rather than the logic of science. Attempts to account for this asymmetry within the logic of science have revealed no non-arbitrary way to address the problem of underdetermination as it applies to prediction and thus have failed to account for the preference for prediction over accommodation on logical grounds. Instead, I propose a model that not only justifies and explains this preference, but allows for a richer taxonomy of the types of evidential confirmation that are employed in scientific reasoning.
Democracy Out of Anarchy: The Prospects for Post-Civil-War Democracy*

Objective. This study explores the effects of civil war outcome on post-civil-war democratization. We employ an expected utility model to argue that the attributes of the civil war that lead to balanced power relations between the warring parties lead to higher levels of postconflict democracy. Methods. We estimate a series of OLS regression models with change in the level of democracy (from the prewar level to five and ten years after the conflict ended) as the dependent variable. Results. Civil wars that end in negotiated settlements are more likely to experience higher levels of democratization than civil wars that end in military victory by either side. Identity-based conflicts lead to lower levels of democratization while previous democratic experience seems to decrease post-civil-war democratization. We find no support for the argument that high war costs and U.N. peace-keeping forces produce higher levels of democracy. Conclusions. Civil war may lead to more inclusive polities if it serves to even the balance of power between contending groups in the nation. Power balance is more likely to bring about more democratic polities, especially where power sharing is formalized in a negotiated settlement.
Analysis of Toxic Shock Syndrome Isolates Producing Staphylococcal Enterotoxins B and Cl with Use of Southern Hybridization and Immunologic Assays

A study was undertaken to evaluate the production of enterotoxin B (Ent B), EntC1, and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) by isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from patients with toxic shock syndrome (TSS) and from a variety of other sources. Levels of toxin in culture supernatants were measured by a quantitative immunodiffusion assay. Most vaginal TSS isolates produced TSST-1, either alone or with EntC1. However, strains that produced EntB or EntC1 but did not express TSST-1 were commonly isolated from patients with nonmenstrual TSS; EntB was usually produced alone or--rarely--with EntC1. These results were confirmed by probing DNA from representative isolates with an internal probe of the EntC1 gene (entC1). Extensive sequence homology between entC1 and entB enabled detection of both genes under conditions of high stringency. The genomic location of entC1 in strains producing both EntC1 and TSST-1 varied little but was dependent on the mammalian host. In contrast, the genomic location of entC1 or entB in strains producing EntC1 or EntB alone was variable. These results suggest that these genes are contained on mobile elements.
When Do You Want It? Time, Decisions, and Public Policy

Abstract Most consumer decisions involve trade-offs of costs and benefits over time. The research literature on “intertemporal choice” examines behavioral regularities in how people think about such decisions, drawing from marketing, psychology, and behavioral economics. This diverse literature is relevant to the analysis of public policy issues related to consumers' discounting of future outcomes “too much” compared with sooner outcomes. A stream of outcomes can be viewed as occurring in three temporal regions: the present, the near future, and the more distant future. Somewhat different research streams have developed around the topic of underweighting outcomes in the distant (compared with the near) future and of overweighting outcomes in the present compared with any point in the future. The authors review key concepts from the literature on underweighting the distant future versus the near-term future to analyze policy issues related to consumers' saving for retirement and their response to rebates. ...
Radiation Induced Malignancy in Retinoblastoma: New Pathology in a Case Report

OBJECTIVE Patients with a genetic history of retinoblastoma have an increased risk of developing a second neoplasm. When these secondary malignancies occur in the previously irradiated field of the primary tumor they are most commonly osteosarcomas, fibrosarcomas, and squamous cell carcinomas. We present the first case of a radiation induced adenocarcinoma in a patient after treatment for retinoblastoma. STUDY DESIGN A case report of one patient. METHODS This case study underwent a chart review, comprehensive history, physical exam, rigid nasal endoscopy, and radiographic imaging. A literature review of the MEDLINE database 1966-2009 using key words, retinoblastoma, radiation, and second malignancy was performed. RESULTS Our case is a 29 year old man with a past medical history significant for surgical resection followed by irradiation at age 1 for retinoblastoma who presented with right sided epistaxis and nasal obstruction. Endoscopy revealed a mass in the right nasal cavity. MRI and CT revealed a mass filling the right nasal cavity and ethmoids with erosion through the cribriform plate. The patient underwent surgical resection and pathology revealed an adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS Second malignancies in patients with retinoblastoma tend to occur in the previously irradiated field of the primary tumour and contribute significantly to long term morbidity and mortality rates. This is the first case of a sinonasal adenocarcinoma occurring in the previously irradiated field. The endoscopic skull base surgeon plays a vital role as patient survival depends on the diagnosis and surgical management.
Damage Control Hematology: The Impact of a Trauma Exsanguination Protocol on Survival and Blood Product Utilization

Background: The importance of early and aggressive management of trauma-related coagulopathy remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that a trauma exsanguination protocol (TEP) that systematically provides specified numbers and types of blood components immediately upon initiation of resuscitation would improve survival and reduce overall blood product consumption among the most severely injured patients. Methods: We recently implemented a TEP, which involves the immediate and continued release of blood products from the blood bank in a predefined ratio of 10 units of packed red blood cells (PRBC) to 4 units of fresh frozen plasma to 2 units of platelets. All TEP activations from February 1, 2006 to July 31, 2007 were retrospectively evaluated. A comparison cohort (pre-TEP) was selected from all trauma admissions between August 1, 2004 and January 31, 2006 that (1) underwent immediate surgery by the trauma team and (2) received greater than 10 units of PRBC in the first 24 hours. Multivariable analysis was performed to compare mortality and overall blood product consumption between the two groups. Results: Two hundred eleven patients met inclusion criteria (117 pre-TEP, 94 TEP). Age, sex, and Injury Severity Score were similar between the groups, whereas physiologic severity (by weighted Revised Trauma Score) and predicted survival (by trauma-related Injury Severity Score, TRISS) were worse in the TEP group (p values of 0.037 and 0.028, respectively). After controlling for age, sex, mechanism of injury, TRISS and 24-hour blood product usage, there was a 74% reduction in the odds of mortality among patients in the TEP group (p = 0.001). Overall blood product consumption adjusted for age, sex, mechanism of injury, and TRISS was also significantly reduced in the TEP group (p = 0.015). Conclusions: We have demonstrated that an exsanguination protocol, delivered in an aggressive and predefined manner, significantly reduces the odds of mortality as well as overall blood product consumption.
Cyclic AMP signaling inhibits megakaryocytic differentiation by targeting transcription factor 3 (E2A) cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A) transcriptional axis.

Signaling via the intracellular second messenger cyclic AMP (cAMP) has long been implicated in the repression of megakaryocytic differentiation. However, the mechanisms by which cAMP signaling impairs megakaryopoiesis have never been elucidated. In a human CD34+ cell culture model, we show that the adenylyl cyclase agonist forskolin inhibits megakaryocytic differentiation in a protein kinase A-dependent manner. Using this system to screen for downstream effectors, we identified the transcription factor E2A as a key target in a novel repressive signaling pathway. Specifically, forskolin acting through protein kinase A-induced E2A down-regulation and enforced expression of E2A overrode the inhibitory effects of forskolin on megakaryopoiesis. The dependence of megakaryopoiesis on critical thresholds of E2A expression was confirmed in vivo in haploinsufficient mice and ex vivo using shRNA knockdown in human progenitors. Using a variety of approaches, we further identified p21 (encoded by CDKN1A) as a functionally important megakaryopoietic regulator residing downstream of E2A. These results thus implicate the E2A-CDKN1A transcriptional axis in the control of megakaryopoiesis and reveal the lineage-selective inhibition of this axis as a likely mechanistic basis for the inhibitory effects of cAMP signaling.
Entering first-year medical students' attitudes toward managed care

PURPOSE To study the attitudes of entering first-year medical students toward reform of the U.S. health care system. METHOD All 631 first-year medical students at the five medical schools in the University of California System were asked during orientation (late summer of 1992) to complete a self-administered questionnaire regarding their attitudes toward and knowledge about health care reform. Statistical methods used were chi-square tests and factor analyses. RESULTS Of the 631 students, 594 (94%) responded. Of the respondents, 392 (66%) felt that there should be a national health insurance plan, and 428 (72%) felt that practicing physicians had a major responsibility to help reduce health care costs. When asked about specific changes intended to control health care costs, the students identified reform of the medical malpractice system (374, 63%) and increased spending on preventive health (356, 60%) as the most likely to be effective. The students generally held negative attitudes toward managed care organizations; only 59 (10%) indicated they would choose to receive care in health maintenance organizations. CONCLUSION The students held strong opinions about access to care, managed care organizations, and strategies intended to reduce health care spending. Medical educators not only need to find creative methods of introducing these content areas into medical school curricula but should also anticipate the need for strategies to deal with negative attitudes held by students.
Theory of electronic and ionic conductivity in particulate membrane ion selective electrode systems: All solid state silver sulfide electrode

Abstract In this paper, we have theoretically investigated the behavior of three figures of merit which might be used to characterize ion selective electrode membranes. This has been accomplished by extending the Smith-Anderson model for calculating the electronic conductivity of particulate membranes to the case of the all solid state silver sulfide electrode, one of the simplest such systems which can be treated. The transport number of Ag + is found to be extremely sensitive to membrane composition. This result points to transport number as potentially the most useful figure of merit for ion selective membrane electrodes of this type.
Inhibition of neural crest cell attachment by integrin antisense oligonucleotides

Neural crest cell interactions with extracellular matrix molecules were analyzed with the use of antisense oligonucleotides to block synthesis of integrin subunits. When added to the culture medium of quail neural crest cells, selected antisense phosphorothiol oligonucleotides reduced the amounts of cell surface alpha 1 or beta 1 integrin subunits by up to 95 percent and inhibited neural crest cell attachment to laminin or fibronectin substrata. Differential effects on specific alpha integrins were noted after treatment with alpha-specific oligonucleotides. Cells recovered the ability to bind to substrata 8 to 16 hours after treatment with inhibitory oligonucleotides. The operation of at least three distinct alpha integrin subunits is indicated by substratum-selective inhibition of cell attachment.
A Role for Zinc in the Structural Integrity of the Cytoplasmic Ribosomes of Euglena gacilis

Zinc deficiency in dark-grown Euglena gracilis Klebs, Z strain Pringsheim, results in the disappearance of cytoplasmic ribosomes. In contrast, ribosomes in zinc-sufficient Euglena are conserved, do not undergo turnover, and can be demonstrated at any stage of growth. The zinc content of ribosomes from zinc-deficient Euglena just prior to ribosomal disappearance is 300 to 380 micrograms of zinc per gram rRNA as compared to 650 to 1280 micrograms of zinc per gram rRNA in ribosomes from zinc-sufficient cells. Ribosomal disappearance is believed to involve a generalized disintegration process related to the lower content of zinc in the ribosomes. Reappearance of ribosomes requires the addition of zinc. It is proposed that adequate zinc may be essential for normal tertiary and quaternary structure of the cytoplasmic ribosomes of Euglena.
Coupled-layer analysis of the pair potential and the quasiparticle spectrum of superconducting cuprates

A model is proposed which adapts BCS theory to describe the nontrivial layering present in the high-temperature superconducting cuprates. Starting from a few basic hypotheses, including that of weakly coupled ${\mathrm{CuO}}_{2}$ and non-${\mathrm{CuO}}_{2}$ metallic layers, the ground-state wave function, Hamiltonian, pair potential, quasiparticle spectrum, and self-consistency condition are derived. A striking difference from the isotropic, homogeneous BCS case is the existence of at least two branches in the quasiparticle spectrum, one with a ``low gap'' and the other with a ``high gap.'' Unlike the temperature dependence of the pair potential, the temperature dependences of both spectral gaps are quite different from the homogeneous BCS result. Various implications of this model for measurements are described. Both low-energy features and features higher than the usual gap are related to the specific layered structures found in different cuprates.
Scaled quantum mechanical calculation of the vibrational structure of methylthiirane

Abstract The scaled quantum mechanical (SQM) force field method for calculating the vibrational structure of molecules is applied to methylthiirane. Because the vibrational assignment of the experimental spectra is extremely uncertain, the calculation was performed using scale factors transferred from the results of SQM calculations on thiirane and methyloxirane. The resulting SQM vibrational spectrum is obtained without using any experimental information about methylthiirane. The calculated frequencies are in excellent agreement with the experimental Raman and infrared vibrational spectra and allow an assignment of the spectra. Fitting the transferred scale factors to the experimental spectrum improves the agreement.
Alterations in cardiac β-adrenoceptor responsiveness and adenylate cyclase system by congestive heart failure in dogs

Abstract The effects of congestive heart failure on the physiological and biochemical functions of the cardiac β-adrenoceptor-coupled adenylate cyclase system were studied in dogs with right heart failure produced by progressive pulmonary artery constriction and tricuspid avulsion. The cardiac inotropic response to dobutamine was attenuated in congestive heart failure, as determined by the right and left ventricular dP/dt responses. Adrenergic β-receptor density, measured by [3H]dihydroalprenolol binding, was reduced in membrane fractions of the failing right ventricle, but not in the left ventricle. The functional activity of the adenylate cyclase system was studied in vitro by measuring the net cyclic AMP production following additions of isoproterenol, 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p), forskolin, or manganese chloride, which act either directly on the β-adrenergic receptors or on one of the post-receptor components of the adenylate cyclase system. Congestive heart failure reduced the net production of cyclic AMP by isoproterenol, Gpp(NH)p, and forskolin in both the right and left ventricles, but did not alter the effect of manganese chloride. Thus, β-receptor down-regulation is chamber-specific, occuring only in the hemodynamically stressed right ventricle. In contrast, the post-receptor defect of the adenylate cyclase system occured in both ventricles of the heart failure dogs. This decreased activation of adenylate cyclase by β-agonists may be responsible, at least in part, for the diminished cardiac inotropic response to catecholamines in congestive heart failure.
The question of orbital steering in the reaction, H2O+CH2O

Abstract An extended Huckel calculation has been performed on the reaction, H2O+CH2(OH)2, to determine the change in the activation energy due to variation in orientation of reactants in the transition state. Using a criterion established for significant “orbital steering”, the relative rates calculated from the orientational variation of activation energy are shown to be an order of magnitude too small to be significantly “orbital steering”.
Poling and characterization studies in electro-optical polymers with DNA cladding layers

DNA, a biopolymer processed from purified marine-based waste products, has been explored in recent years for photonic applications. Among these, using a DNA-surfactant biopolymer as a conductive cladding layer in electro-optic polymer waveguide modulators has been proposed due to the biopolymer's low optical loss and relatively high electrical conductivity compared to current polymer materials. Electric-field contact poling measurements using a DNA-surfactant biopolymer as a cladding layer have been made. The DNA cladding layer yielded high poling efficiency and the results are reported here.
Final product testing of rotational moulded natural fibre-reinforced polyethylene

The process of rotational moulding of natural fibre-reinforced polymers (NFRPs) has been developed recently at POLYCOM. This process allows for the use of discrete natural fibres as an efficient reinforcing agent for thermoplastic matrices. In this way, hollow objects with acceptable properties can be produced. The results from different experimental tests carried out on samples taken from rotomoulded cylinders are presented in this paper. Mechanical tests, such as tensile, compression, impact, deep drawing and recovery were performed in order to characterise unreinforced and reinforced natural fibre samples. Other properties, such as environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR) and shrinkage were also assessed. The results obtained indicate that, in most cases, the properties of natural fibre-reinforced composites are superior to those of the unreinforced ones. In some cases, however, lower mechanical properties have been reported for the reinforced specimens. The testing methodology described here can be used to assess the properties of both reinforced and unreinforced rotomoulded products.
Regge Cuts from Off-Mass-Shell and On-Mass-Shell Nonplanar Feynman-Like Duality Diagrams

In a theory of Feynman-like diagrams compatible with duality, we compare the Regge cut given by the simplest nonplanar diagrams (the unrenormalized two-Reggeon cut) with the Regge cut obtained from the same diagrams in the double-scattering formalism in which the intermediate two-body state is put on one or several of its mass shells. The cut spectral functions are shown to be simply related at the branch point, but the different ways of incorporating the signature factors in the two methods give rise to zeros in the leading cut amplitudes at different places. The predictions of a double-scattering Regge cut are thus likely to be qualitatively similar but quantitatively different from those of the Feynman-like Regge cut.
The Phase-dependent Photochemical Reaction Dynamics of Halooxides and Nitrosyl Halides¶

Abstract Recent progress in understanding the phase-dependent reactivity of halooxides and nitrosyl halides is outlined. Halooxide reactivity is represented by the photochemistry of chlorine dioxide (OClO) and dichlorine monoxide (ClOCl). The gas phase photochemical dynamics of OClO are contrasted with the dynamics in condensed environments. The role of excited-state symmetry in defining the reaction dynamics and the observation of photoisomerization resulting in the production of ClOO are discussed. The current understanding of the excited-state reaction dynamics of ClOCl and evidence for photoisomerization of this species resulting in the production of ClClO are outlined. Finally, the photochemical reaction dynamics of the nitrosyl halide ClNO are presented. The main difference between the gas and condensed phase reaction dynamics of this species is that whereas photodissociation to form Cl and NO dominates the gas phase reaction dynamics, photoisomerization resulting in ClON production occurs to an app...
Conceptual Behavior in Young Children: Learning to Shift Dimensional Attention.

Abstract Four- and 5-year-old preschool children were trained ( a ) to identify the relevant unidimensional concept in a card sorting task and ( b ) to shift quickly from concept to concept when the relevant dimension changed. The stimuli varied on three dimensions (shape, color, and quantity). Experimental conditions included Initial Test-Training, Shift Testing, and Special Training to establish unidimensional control and/or quick shifts in unidimensional control. Special Training included verbal and nonverbal prompts. Trained children reached criterion significantly faster than did control children on Final Testing, regardless of which dimension was relevant. This and other results support the conclusion that the experimental conditions contained critical components of experience leading to a behavior which otherwise would not be observed in 4- and 5-year-old children. The critical components of experience appear to be ( a ) that the children learn to attend to one dimension at a time when the stimuli vary on several dimensions and ( b ) that they learn to shift quickly when required from dimension to dimension of a single set of multidimensional stimuli.