cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Edison's electric light : biography of an invention

Traces the development of the electric light bulb, identifies technological problems, and describes Edison's working methods.
A survey on cache tuning from a power/energy perspective

Low power and/or energy consumption is a requirement not only in embedded systems that run on batteries or have limited cooling capabilities, but also in desktop and mainframes where chips require costly cooling techniques. Since the cache subsystem is typically the most power/energy-consuming subsystem, caches are good candidates for power/energy optimizations, and therefore, cache tuning techniques are widely researched. This survey focuses on state-of-the-art offline static and online dynamic cache tuning techniques and summarizes the techniques' attributes, major challenges, and potential research trends to inspire novel ideas and future research avenues.
English Language Learners in a Comprehensive High School

Abstract The comprehensive high school has changed little over the past few decades, in spite of the rising numbers of immigrant children populating U.S. public schools. Critics claim that high school traditions and structures consign English language learners to marginal positions and inferior academic opportunities. In our intensive analysis of 8 English language learners in a comprehensive high school, we found the criticisms to hold true and came to an understanding of the mechanisms by which these consequences came about.
Limitations of exercise reconditioning in COLD.

T his comment by Alvan Barach in 1951 emphasizes the -relative ignorance that existed only three decades ago concerning the “reconditioning” of patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD). Dr. Barach’s proposal to exercise patients with disorders of oxygen transport met with appropriate skepticism in the clinical community. Until well into the 1960s, the standard therapy for patients with COLD was rest and avoidance of stress. The first study to question this dogma directly was published in 1962, when Pierce et al2 demonstrated what has since become dogma in 1982; reconditioning patients with COLD permits them to perform the same exercise with lower heart rate, respiratory rate, minute ventilation, and CO2 production. These benefits were obtained without change in pulmonary function and the authors wondered whether they were due to increased efficiency of motion, or to enhanced oxygen utilization within exercising muscles. Two years later, Paez et al concluded that efficiency and oxygen utilization were both improved. Christie4 then demonstrated that these changes could be achieved on an out-patient basis with relatively little supervision. The past 15 years have witnessed a virtual explosion in the investigation and popularity of exercise therapy. Many patients with COLD are now automatically placed in a pulmonary rehabilitation program, or encouraged to recondition themselves with judicious activity. A number of recent reviews have addressed the specific goals and techniques of exercise reconditioning and its proposed benefits. 9 This review will concentrate on the limitations and uncertainties of this mode of therapy. PROPOSED BENEFITS
A new family of high regularity elements

In this article, we propose a new family of high regularity finite element spaces. The global approximation spaces are obtained in two steps. We first build an open cover of the computational domain and local approximation spaces on each patch of the cover. Then we construct partition of unity functions subordinate to the open cover depending on the regularity requirement. The basis functions of the global space is given by the products of the local basis functions and the corresponding partition of unity functions. The method can be used to construct finite element spaces of any desired regularity. Approximation properties and implementation details are discussed. Numerical examples for the biharmonic equation are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 28: 1–16, 2012
The influence of group decision support systems on contribution and commitment levels in multicultural and culturally homogeneous decision-making groups

Research concerning cultural diversity reports that the cultural composition of a group differentially affects group member contribution and commitment levels. In multicultural groups, the majority culture may dominate the decision-making process and ethnic minorities can be perceived to have a lower status due to their position within the social hierarchy. However, research also suggests that group decision making may be structured to promote a more equitable group process. Studies on group decision support systems (GDSS) cite improvements in group processing via the structure and anonymity that can be offered by the technology. This paper presents the results of a pilot study which compared the effects of group decision making, both with and without GDSS technology, on multicultural and homogeneous groups. Findings revealed that both multicultural and homogeneous groups had significantly higher levels of perceived contribution in the GDSS environment. However, there were no significant differences in terms of perceived contribution, commitment, or personal influence between groups in either environment. None the less, all groups achieved a higher number of brainstormed ideas in the GDSS environment. In addition, multicultural groups achieved a statistically higher number of ideas in the GDSS environment in comparison with homogenous groups in the GDSS environment.
BCR-ABL inhibitors: updates in the management of patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia.

AbstractObjectivesThis article reviews recent clinical experiences with first-line and second-line second-generation BCR-ABL inhibitors and discusses considerations for selection of therapy for patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia.MethodsWe reviewed recent publications on PubMed and abstracts from major congresses relevant to the topic.ResultsTherapeutic options for front-line treatment have increased with the approval of two second-generation BCR-ABL inhibitors, dasatinib and nilotinib. Both agents are also treatment options for patients with resistance or intolerance to front-line imatinib. More recently, bosutinib, ponatinib, and omacetaxine have also been approved for patients with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy.DiscussionExpanded treatment options coupled with rapidly changing treatment guidelines have led to numerous questions regarding the selection and monitoring of therapy. Common concerns include how to best select therapy based upon patient-specific comorbidities, mo...
A perspective of GaAs1-xNx and GaPxN1-x as heavily doped semiconductors

The behavior of GaAs 1-x N x and GaP x N 1-x is contrasted with that of Al x Ga 1-x As and In x Ga 1-x As with respect to irregular and regular alloy behavior. It is proposed that GaAs 1-x N x and GaP x N 1-x behave as heavily nitrogen doped semiconductors rather than dilute nitride alloys and that their abnormal or irregular alloy behavior is associated with impurity band formation that manifests itself in the giant bowing and poor transport properties characteristic of these materials.
Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-Iβ: A C-C Chemokine in Osteoarthritis

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine whether the cytokine macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP1β) is present and functionally active in the arthritic joint. We used immunoassays and bioassays to assess the presence and function of MIP-1β using samples obtained from 62 arthritic patients. MIP-1β levels were increased in synovial fluids (SFs) from patients with osteoarthritis (OA) (18.0 ± 8.9 ng/ml) (SD) compared to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (6.1 ± 2.9 ng/ml) or other forms of arthritis (10.4 ± 7.0 ng/ml) (P
Self-Assessments of Knowledge: Where Do We Go From Here?

Excerpt] In this paper, we argue that there remain several unanswered questions surrounding selfassessments of knowledge that must be addressed before we can reach a more definitive conclusion on the viability of these measures. The answers to these questions may provide further evidence that self-assessments should not be used as an indicator of learning or they may serve to qualify the conditions under which selfassessments can be used with reasonable confidence. In either case, addressing these issues is critical if work in this area is to influence how researchers and practitioners evaluate trainees’ learning.
Laser based on electrochemiluminescence

The specific points raised here augment the full paper on this same subject by Measures [ Appl. Opt.13, 1121 ( 1974)]. In support of the feasibility of such a laser, an electrochemiluminescent system with ϕecl ∼0.2 is cited from the literature (vs ϕecl ∼ 1.4 × 10−2); and in relation to the feasibility calculations, the incompleteness of the Feldberg model is noted. Various other topics are also discussed.
Territory tenure in song sparrows is related to song sharing with neighbours, but not to repertoire size

Song repertoires may be a product of sexual selection and several studies have reported correlations of repertoire size and reproductive success in male songbirds. This hypothesis and the reported correlations, however, are not sufficient to explain the observation that most species have small song repertoire sizes (usually fewer than 10, often fewer than five song types). We examined a second important aspect of a male's song repertoire, the extent to which he shares songs with his neighbours. Song sharing has not been measured in previous studies and it may be partially confounded with repertoire size. We hypothesized that in song sparrows, Melospiza melodia, song sharing rather than repertoire size per se is crucial for male territorial success. Our longitudinal study of 45 song sparrows followed from their first year on territory showed that the number of songs a bird shares with his neighbourhood group is a better predictor of lifetime territory tenure than is his repertoire size. We also found that song sharing increases with repertoire size up to but not beyond eight to nine song types, which are the most common repertoire sizes in the population (range in our sample 5-13). This partial confound of song sharing and repertoire size may account for some earlier findings of territory tenure-repertoire size correlations in this species and other species having small- or medium-sized repertoires. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Severe generalized dystonia due to primary putaminal degeneration: case report and review of the literature.

Putaminal lesions of a variety of etiologies may cause secondary dystonia. We report on a case of primary putaminal degeneration as a cause of severe childhood-onset generalized dystonia and review the literature of the pathology of dystonia. A 44-year-old patient with severe generalized childhood-onset dystonia and macrocephaly underwent neurological evaluation and neuropathological examination. Neurological examination was normal apart from dystonia and signs referable to prior cryothalamotomy. Workup for metabolic and genetic causes of dystonia was negative. Neuroimaging showed severe bilateral putaminal degeneration, which subsequently correlated with the neuropathological findings of gliosis, spongiform degeneration, and cavitation. The substantia nigra pars compacta contained a normal number of neurons but decreased tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity. There were no histopathological markers of other metabolic or degenerative diseases.
Hierarchical composition and aggregation of state-based availability and performability models

Telecommunication systems are large and complex, consisting of multiple intelligent modules in shelves, multiple shelves in frames, and multiple frames to compose a single network element. In the availability and performability analysis of such a complex system, combinatorial models are computationally efficient but have limited expressive power. State-based models are expressive but computationally complex. Furthermore, this complexity grows exponentially with the size of the model. This state-space explosion problem must be solved in order to model complex-systems using state-based models. The solution, in this paper, is to partition complex models into a hierarchy of submodels, to transform lower-level n-state, m-transition Markov reward models and stochastic reward nets into equivalent (with respect to their steady-state behavior) 2-state, 2-transition models, and then to back-substitute the equivalent submodels into the higher-level models. This paper also proposes a canonical form for the equivalent submodels. This technique is defined for availability models, where the state of the system is either up of down, and for performability models, where the state of the system may be up, down, or partially-up/partially-down. This paper also shows how this technique can be used to obtain common availability measures for telecommunication systems, and when to apply it to availability models and when to use it in performability models. For future work, it would be interesting to more tightly integrate this technique with modeling tools, perhaps coupled with a graphic front-end to facilitate the navigation of the model hierarchy.
Risk Behaviors among Suburban Women Who Use Methamphetamine Social Harms and Social Solutions

We propose that female methamphetamine users who live in suburbia experience risks for disease transmission stemming from their social environment that remain under the radar of public health surveillance networks. The data analyzed in this paper were collected from 2007 to 2011 and were drawn from two sequential studies on methamphetamine use. The studies were conducted in the suburbs of a southeastern United States metropolis. We analyzed a total of 65 qualitative interviews with former and active methamphetamine-using women. Data from focus groups also were included in the analysis. The participants' ages ranged from 18 to 51 years. We identified three major themes with regards to risk behaviors and transmission of infectious diseases: (1) setting risk behaviors, such as sharing syringes and homelessness, lack of transportation and unemployment; (2) sexual risk behaviors such as condom use and having multiple partners; and (3) service- related risks, such as risk awareness and prevention behaviors as well as utilization of social services and healthcare. Our findings point to the pervasive nature of social influences on the risk for infectious disease transmission. We suggest that harm reduction programs be implemented in suburban communities to increase access to these services. Secondly, our data support the concept of social recovery for drug users to better their health and social lives holistically.
A phase I/II study piloting accelerated partial breast irradiation using CT-guided intensity modulated radiation therapy in the prone position.

Abstract Background and purpose External beam accelerated partial breast irradiation (EB-aPBI) is noninvasive with broader potential applicability than aPBI using brachytherapy. However, it has inherent challenges in daily reproducibility. Image-guide radiotherapy (IGRT) can improve daily reproducibility, allowing smaller treatment margins. Our institution proposed IG-IMRT in the prone position to evaluate dose homogeneity, conformality, normal tissue avoidance, and reliable targeting for EB-aPBI. We report preliminary results and toxicity from a phase I/II study evaluating the feasibility of EB-aPBI in the prone position using IG-IMRT. Materials and methods Twenty post-menopausal women with node-negative breast cancer, excised tumors 99% of the PTV. Dose constraints for the whole breast, lungs and heart were met. Results The median patient age was 61.5. Mean tumor size was 1.0 cm. 35% of patients had DCIS. Median PTV was 243 cc (108–530) and median breast reference volume was 1698 cc (647–3627). Average daily shifts for IGRT were (0.6, −4.6, 1.7 mm) with standard deviations of (6.3, 6.5, 6.4 mm). Acute toxicity was G1 erythema in 80%, and G2 erythema, G2 fatigue, and G2 breast pain each occurred in 1 patient. With a median follow-up of 18.9 months (12–35), 40% of patients have G1 fibrosis and 30% have G1 hyperpigmentation. 95% of patients have good to excellent cosmesis. There have been no recurrences. Conclusions These data demonstrate that EB-aPBI in the prone position using IG-IMRT is well tolerated, yields good dosimetric conformality, and results in promising early toxicity profiles.
Alteration of Hepatic but Not Renal Transporter Expression in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Drug pharmacokinetics can be altered in obese and diabetic subjects. In consideration of the prevalence of obesity and diabetes, characterization of transporter expression in mouse models of diabetes and obesity may be a useful tool to aid in prediction of altered drug pharmacokinetics or adverse drug reactions. It has been reported that ob/ob mice, which display a severe obesity and diabetes phenotype, exhibit multiple changes in drug transporter expression in liver and kidney. In the present study, the mRNA and protein expression of major drug transporters was determined in livers and kidneys of diet-induced obese (DIO) C57BL/6J male mice. The mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) (60% fat) from 6 weeks of age and display obesity, fatty liver, and mild hyperglycemia. The HFD diet increased expression of multidrug resistance-associated proteins Abcc3 and 4 mRNA and protein in liver by 3.4- and 1.4-fold, respectively, compared with that detected in control mice fed a low-fat diet (LFD). In contrast, Abcc1 mRNA and protein decreased by 50% in livers of DIO mice compared with those in livers to lean mice. The HFD did not alter transporter expression in kidney compared with the LFD. In summary, unlike ob/ob and db/db mice, DIO mice exhibited a selective induction of efflux transporter expression in liver (i.e., Abcc3 and 4). In addition, diet-induced obesity affects transporter expression in liver but not kidney in the C57BL/6J mouse model. These data indicate that hepatic transporter expression is only slightly altered in a model of mild diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and obesity.
Anabolic Steroids - a Review of the Clinical Toxicology and Diagnostic Screening

Anabolic steroids have been used by athletes since the 1950s to increase size and strength in order to improve their performance. The abuse of these substances has since expanded to include junior high and high school male and female athletes and non-athletes. The anabolic and androgenic effects of these agents, when taken in the doses needed to produce increases in size and strength, result in significant serious adverse effects involving the skin, liver, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, endocrine and reproductive systems. Some of these effects are irreversible. It is essential that clinical toxicologists, emergency room physicians and psychiatrists are familiar with the physical and psychological effects, as well as the changes in laboratory parameters, that typically occur from chronic use of anabolic steroids. The toxicities and representative clinical profiles of steroid users are presented, and the methods available for diagnostic screening using psychological testing and urine analysis are also reviewed.
Solution to PDEs using radial basis function finite-differences (RBF-FD) on multiple GPUs

This paper presents parallelization strategies for the radial basis function-finite difference (RBF-FD) method. As a generalized finite differencing scheme, the RBF-FD method functions without the need for underlying meshes to structure nodes. It offers high-order accuracy approximation and scales as O ( N ) per time step, with N being with the total number of nodes. To our knowledge, this is the first implementation of the RBF-FD method to leverage GPU accelerators for the solution of PDEs. Additionally, this implementation is the first to span both multiple CPUs and multiple GPUs. OpenCL kernels target the GPUs and inter-processor communication and synchronization is managed by the Message Passing Interface (MPI). We verify our implementation of the RBF-FD method with two hyperbolic PDEs on the sphere, and demonstrate up to 9x speedup on a commodity GPU with unoptimized kernel implementations. On a high performance cluster, the method achieves up to 7x speedup for the maximum problem size of 27,556 nodes.
A soft-handoff transport protocol for media flows in heterogeneous mobile networks

In this paper we introduce a protocol for end-to-end handoff management in heterogeneous wireless IP-based networks. The protocol is based on the stream control transmission protocol (SCTP), and employs a soft-handoff mechanism that uses end-to-end semantics for signaling handoffs and for transmitting control messages. The objective of this protocol is first to reduce the home registration delay, and second, to eliminate the tunneling cost that exist in the current IP-based handoff management protocols. While the multihoming feature of SCTP has been suggested as way to realize soft-hand-offs, our study is the first one the presents the relative merits of this handoff approach through an analytical methodology. After our theoretical analysis, we evaluate the performance the soft-handoff mobile-SCTP protocol, when media flows with stringent QoS requirements are employed. Our objective is to evaluate whether the soft-handoff mechanism employed by the protocol, can efficiently support media flows in terms of jitter and throughput. We present simulation results that show performance improvements for several vertical handoff scenarios in current and emerging mobile networks.
Synthesis, Microstructure, Critical Current Density, Magnetization and Relaxation of Hot-Pressed YBa2Cu3O6+δ Through Partial Melting Post-Oxygenation

Hot-pressed YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6+{delta}} ({approximately}1000 C) followed by slow cooling in oxygen atmosphere has resulted in enhanced magnetization hystersis loops which show weak dependence on magnetic field. The X-ray diffraction pattern exhibits the significant features associated with the reflection (003) and (006), and a higher compaction density in hot-pressed samples compared with cold-pressed samples was observed from the SEM micrographs. Morphology study and microstructural analysis by SEM and TEM, respectively, indicate that grains were well aligned during hot-pressing mostly with their c-axes parallel to the pressing axis, and many intersecting twins were actually formed during post-oxygenation. Local oxygen-deficient regions likely existing in these hot-pressed and oxygenated samples are believed to act as effective flux pinning centers at high temperatures ({approximately} 50 K and above). The measurement of magnetic relaxation was employed to interpret the observed pinning behavior. The critical magnetization current density (J{sub c}) calculated using the Bean model and the average grain dimension is in the order of 10{sup 4} Amp/cm{sup 2} at 75 K up to 1 T. Because of a shorter period of oxygenation and a weak field dependence of (J{sub c}) values, the process of hot-pressing combined with partial melting post-oxygenation is technologically practical inmore » forming various shapes as desired from oxide superconductors.« less
The Effects of n-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation on Biomarkers of Kidney Injury in Adults With Diabetes: Results of the GO-FISH trial

OBJECTIVE Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplements may have renoprotective effects in patients with diabetes, but previous trials have been inconsistent. We performed a randomized controlled trial of n-3 PUFA supplementation on urine albumin excretion and markers of kidney injury in adults with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover trial to test the effects of 4 g/day of n-3 PUFA supplementation on markers of glomerular filtration and kidney injury in adults with adult-onset diabetes and greater than or equal to trace amounts of proteinuria. Each period lasted 6 weeks and was separated by a 2-week washout. The main outcome was urine albumin excretion and, secondarily, markers of kidney injury (kidney injury molecule-1, N-acetyl β-d-glucosaminidase [NAG], neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin [NGAL], and liver fatty acid-binding protein [LFABP]), serum markers of kidney function (cystatin C, β2-microglobulin, and creatinine), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). RESULTS Of the 31 participants, 29 finished both periods. A total of 55% were male, and 61% were African American; mean age was 67 years. At baseline, mean BMI was 31.6 kg/m(2), median eGFR was 76.9 mL/min/1.73 m(2), and median 24-h urine albumin excretion was 161 mg/day. Compared with placebo, n-3 PUFA had nonsignificant effects on urine albumin excretion (-7.2%; 95% CI -20.6 to 8.5; P = 0.35) and significant effects on urine NGAL excretion (-16% [-29.1 to -0.5%]; P = 0.04). There was no effect on serum markers of kidney function or eGFR. In subgroup analyses, there were significant decreases in 24-h urinary excretion of albumin, NGAL, LFABP, and NAG among participants taking medications that block the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a potential effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation on markers of kidney injury in patients with diabetes and early evidence of kidney disease. In the context of prior studies, these results provide a strong rationale for long-term trials of n-3 PUFA on chronic kidney disease progression.
Aircraft installation & operational aspects of the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS)

• The Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) is a new communications system intended for safety communications on the airport surface currently in the initial development phase — Targeting ground/aircraft applications requiring a high data throughput (> 3 Mbps) over short connection time (20 to 30 minutes) ♦ Not possible with current safety datalinks such as VHF data link (VDL) ♦ NextGenATM and System Wide Information Management (SWIM) services such as navigation database loads, weather data, air[port taxi guidance with moving map data are candidate applications
Double-Blind Active-Control Trials: Beware the Comparator You Keep

The indirect impact of the known comparator drug in double-blind comparative clinical trials of novel agents is underappreciated, despite its potentially pernicious effects. This hypothesis-generating analysis illustrates potential spillover effects of a comparator (amphotericin) in the evaluation of the first member (caspofungin) of a novel class (echinocandins) of antifungal drugs. Reported rates of drug-related fever in the first 3 studies of caspofungin for the treatment of mucosal candidiasis in patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection were retrospectively analyzed. We compared patients who received 50 mg of caspofungin per day in a double-blind trial that used fluconazole as the comparator with patients who received the corresponding dosage in 2 similar earlier studies that used amphotericin as the comparator. With respect to the incidence of drug-related fever, the difference between the concurrent caspofungin and fluconazole groups was less than the difference between caspofungin groups from studies that used different comparators. In phase II/III blinded, active-control trials, the reporting of adverse experiences attributed to a first-in-class drug might be confounded to a variable degree by expectations regarding a well-known comparator.
Hidden state and reinforcement learning with instance-based state identification

Real robots with real sensors are not omniscient. When a robot's next course of action depends on information that is hidden from the sensors because of problems such as occlusion, restricted range, bounded field of view and limited attention, we say the robot suffers from the hidden state problem. State identification techniques use history information to uncover hidden state. Some previous approaches to encoding history include: finite state machines, recurrent neural networks and genetic programming with indexed memory. A chief disadvantage of all these techniques is their long training time. This paper presents instance-based state identification, a new approach to reinforcement learning with state identification that learns with much fewer training steps. Noting that learning with history and learning in continuous spaces both share the property that they begin without knowing the granularity of the state space, the approach applies instance-based (or "memory-based") learning to history sequences-instead of recording instances in a continuous geometrical space, we record instances in action-percept-reward sequence space. The first implementation of this approach, called Nearest Sequence Memory, learns with an order of magnitude fewer steps than several previous approaches.
The Justification of Bicameralism

The main disadvantage of unicameral legislatures operating by simple majority rule is that, when politics is two-dimensional, they allow the adoption of out-of-equilibrium policies. Since in such cases a majority opposed to what a majority has adopted, the result is majority tyranny. To minimize such tyranny, it is necessary to delay action until a true majority in society is arrived at. Of the several methods of delay - supermajorityism, multipartyism, multicameralism - the best is multicameralism because it allows for simple majority rule when politics is one-dimensional (and hence when a median voter equilibrium is likely to exist) yet discourages decision when politics is two-dimensional (and hence when, almost certainly, no equilibrium exists).
Input Cubes with Lingering Synchronization Effects and their Use in Random Sequential Test Generation

We define the notion of a lingering synchronization effect. Such an effect occurs when a primary input cube (an incompletely-specified primary input vector) determines the state of a circuit for several time units after it is applied. Such a primary input cube may prevent certain faults from being detected when it appears in a test sequence. It should therefore be avoided when the goal is to achieve a high fault coverage. We demonstrate that benchmark circuits have primary input cubes with small numbers of specified values (typically one or two), which have lingering synchronization effects. In some cases, the synchronization effects linger for large numbers of time units. We also describe a random test generation process that avoids primary input cubes with lingering synchronization effects, and achieves high fault coverage for benchmark circuits.
Epistemic Trust, Epistemic Responsibility, and Medical Practice

Epistemic trust is an unacknowledged feature of medical knowledge. Claims of medical knowledge made by physicians, patients, and others require epistemic trust. And yet, it would be foolish to define all epistemic trust as epistemically responsible. Accordingly, I use a routine example in medical practice (a diagnostic test) to illustrate how epistemically responsible trust in medicine is trust in epistemically responsible individuals. I go on to illustrate how certain areas of current medical practice of medicine fall short of adequately distinguishing reliable and unreliable processes because of a failure to systematically evaluate health outcomes. I conclude by articulating the devastating obstacles to the consilience assumption, which takes intellectual character (rather than reliable belief-forming processes) as the standard for epistemic responsibility.
Acute Benign Mononuclear Meningitis1

Summary. Following a brief review of our present knowledge of acute benign mononuclear meningitis an account is given of 25 cases treated at the Gothenburg Children's Hospital since 1922 and a brief summary is appended of the case histories for the cases reported during the past 15 years. (For cases before 1929 reference may be made to Gunther's work.) The relations of the disease to especially poliomyelitis and encephalitis are discussed, it being claimed that no absolutely certain connexion between them has hitherto been demonstrated. The experiences gained from the present material likewise give no reliable support for such a connexion. The disease is not characterized by any specific sex- or age-distribution. Nor is the accumulation of cases in the autumn or spring cited by some authors confirmed by this material, which is distributed fairly uniformly over the whole year. As a rule, the course of the disease is very rapid and benign, both in respect of subjective and objective symptoms. There is no specific therapy, and nor is any necessary. Sulphathiazol and similar preparations can no doubt be avoided as a rule without being missed. The disease does not give rise to any future detriment in spite of the presence of minor symptoms of suppression in some cases.
Intravitreal administration of erythropoietin and preservation of retinal ganglion cells in an experimental rat model of glaucoma.

Purpose: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the potential neuroprotective effect of an intravitreal injection of erythropoietin (EPO) on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) preservation in an episcleral vessel cautery–induced rat model of glaucoma. Methods: The animals were randomly assigned into an unoperated control group (n = 11) and three experimental groups: episcleral vessel cautery only (EVC: n = 4), episcleral vessel cautery with intravitreal normal saline injection (EVC-NS; n = 5), and episcleral vessel cautery with intravitreal EPO treatment (EVC-EPO; n = 9). The intravitreal injections were limited to 5 μl containing either normal saline alone or 200 ng of EPO in normal saline administered immediately after the cautery procedure. RGCs were labeled retrogradely by FluoroGold neuron tracer 5 to 7 days prior to the collection of eyes at day 21 and counted in whole flat-mounted retinas with fluorescence microscopy. Results: Compared to the RGC counts in retinal specimens from unoperated control ra...
The Role of PET/CT in the Management of Cervical Cancer

OBJECTIVE. Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer mortality in the United States. The aim of this article is to describe cervical cancer and outline the value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the management of cervical malignancy. CONCLUSION. The value of PET/CT has been found in staging and treatment strategy for cervical cancer. FDG PET/CT facilitates decision-making and radiation treatment planning and provides important information about treatment response, disease recurrence, and long-term survival.
Metastatic triple-negative breast cancers at first relapse have fewer tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes than their matched primary breast tumors: a pilot study.

Summary Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) convey clinically relevant information for primary breast cancers (PBCs). However, limited data characterizing the immunobiology of metastatic breast cancers (MBCs) are available. Here, we examine TILs in surgically resected MBCs relative to their matched PBCs. Tissue microarrays of PBCs and MBCs were labeled for CD3 (total T cells), CD4 (helper T cells), CD8 (cytotoxic T cells), FoxP3 (regulatory T cells), and CD20 (B cells) to characterize TILs. Expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor-2 (HER-2) classified the tumors as luminal (ER + /PR + /HER-2 − ), triple negative (ER − /PR − /HER-2 − ), or HER-2 + (ER − /PR − /HER-2 + ). These analyses reveal 5 novel findings. First, MBCs overall contained fewer TILs (mean, 35.1 CD3 + TILs/high-power field [hpf]) than their matched PBCs (mean, 23.6 CD3 + TILS/hpf), with fewer CD20 + cells than CD3 + cells in PBC and MBC ( P = .0247). Second, the number of CD3 + , CD8 + , CD4 + , and FoxP3 TILs was decreased in triple-negative MBCs relative to matched PBCs, whereas only CD8 + TILs were decreased in luminal MBCs relative to matched PBCs. Third, triple-negative MBCs contain fewer TILS (mean, 16 CD3 + TILs/hpf) than luminal MBCs (mean, 21.7 CD3 + TILs/hpf). Fourth, brain metastases contained fewer TILs relative to MBC from other sites. Finally, in this series, a CD8 + /FoxP3 + T-cell ratio of 3 or greater in PBCs was associated with improved overall survival from diagnosis, whereas a CD8 + /FoxP3 + T-cell ratio less than 3 in MBCs at first relapse was associated with improved overall survival. These findings suggest that evaluating the immunologic microenvironment of both PBCs and MBCs may yield important clinical information to guide breast cancer prognosis and therapy.
Simplified Pupal Surveys of Aedes aegypti (L.) for Entomologic Surveillance and Dengue Control

Pupal surveys of Aedes aegypti (L.) are useful indicators of risk for dengue transmission, although sample sizes for reliable estimations can be large. This study explores two methods for making pupal surveys more practical yet reliable and used data from 10 pupal surveys conducted in Puerto Rico during 2004-2008. The number of pupae per person for each sampling followed a negative binomial distribution, thus showing aggregation. One method found a common aggregation parameter (k) for the negative binomial distribution, a finding that enabled the application of a sequential sampling method requiring few samples to determine whether the number of pupae/person was above a vector density threshold for dengue transmission. A second approach used the finding that the mean number of pupae/person is correlated with the proportion of pupa-infested households and calculated equivalent threshold proportions of pupa-positive households. A sequential sampling program was also developed for this method to determine whether observed proportions of infested households were above threshold levels. These methods can be used to validate entomological thresholds for dengue transmission.
Transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms regulate murine thymidine kinase gene expression in serum-stimulated cells.

Abstract We previously isolated and characterized the structure of murine thymidine kinase (tk) genomic and cDNA sequences to begin a study designed to identify regions of the tk gene important for regulated expression during the transition of cells from G0 to a proliferating state. In this report, we describe the stable transfection of the cloned gene into L-M(TK-) cells and show that both thymidine kinase (TK) enzyme activity and DNA synthesis increase in parallel when transfectants in G0 arrest are stimulated by serum. To define promoter and regulatory regions more precisely, we have constructed a series of tk minigenes and have examined their expression in stable transfectants after serum stimulation. We have identified a 291-base-pair DNA fragment at the 5' end of the tk gene that has promoter function, and we have determined its sequence. In addition, we have found that DNA sequences which mediate serum-induced expression of TK are transcribed, since expression of the murine tk cDNA, fused to a promoter from either the murine tk gene, the simian virus 40 early region, or the herpes simplex virus tk gene, is stimulated by serum. Our constructs also reveal that the murine tk polyadenylation signal is not required for regulation, nor is most of the 3' untranslated region. RNA dot blot analysis indicates that murine cytoplasmic tk mRNA levels always parallel TK enzyme activity. Nuclear runon transcription assays show less than a 2-fold increase in transcription from the cloned tk gene in serum-stimulated transfectants, but an 11-fold increase in mouse L929 cells, which are inherently TK+. These results taken together suggest that the murine tk gene is controlled in serum-stimulated cells by a transcriptional mechanism influenced by DNA sequences that flank tk and also by a posttranscriptional system linked to gene sequences that are transcribed.
Caustic surface analysis for a gradient-index lens

General formulas for the energy flux density and the caustic surfaces formed by light rays propagating in a gradient-index medium are derived. For the radial gradient index of refraction, n2(r)=N20−b2r2, where N0 and b are constants, analytical expressions are presented for the energy density along the ray path in a medium and for the caustic surfaces produced by the medium. As an application, the caustic surfaces formed by collimated light rays incident upon a converging Wood lens are analyzed.
The Role of p53 in Regulating Antiviral T Cell Responses

It is now well established that viral infections can induce large expansions of Ag-specific CD8+ T cells. These cells divide very rapidly with an estimated doubling time of ∼6 h. When virus is cleared, the vast majority of these effector CD8 T cells undergo apoptosis. The remaining memory cells persist at constant levels and provide the basis for the accelerated recall response upon rechallenge. The molecular mechanisms that control the rapid proliferation and death of Ag-specific T cells are poorly understood. Because of its important role in controlling cell proliferation and death, we examined antiviral immune responses in p53−/− mice using lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. We found that effector CD8 and CD4 responses were comparable but that memory levels were slightly higher in −/− mice compared with +/+ mice. The lack of a major difference in virus-specific T cell responses between +/+ and −/− mice suggests that p53 only plays a minor role in regulating the proliferation, apoptosis, and maintenance of Ag-specific T cells. Thus, it appears that the primary function of p53 is in controlling “illegitimate” proliferation and tumor development and not in regulating Ag-specific T cell responses.
Stability of treated angular and horizontal bony defects: a retrospective radiographic evaluation in a private periodontal practice.

Background: This retrospective radiographic evaluation provided a comparative assessment of long-term alterations of alveolar bone levels at sites with angular and horizontal bony defects that underwent open-flap debridement and did not undergo resective or regenerative periodontal therapy.Methods: The investigation included 50 patients (27 met inclusion criteria) who had periodontal surgery and periodontal maintenance every 3 to 6 months and who presented with sites demonstrating radiographic angular defects and sites on adjacent or contralateral teeth that demonstrated horizontal bone loss. Subsequent to surgical therapy, alterations in bone levels at the alveolar crest of horizontal defects and at the base of angular defects were evaluated by comparing radiographs from the initial examination to those obtained after a period of periodontal maintenance (6 to 16 years; mean: 8.83 years).Results: After periodontal therapy, sites with angular and horizontal alveolar bone loss had additional bone loss of 5....
HEREDITY, ENVIRONMENT, AND RACE DIFFERENCES IN IQ A Commentary on Rushton and Jensen (2005)

J. P. Rushton and A. R. Jensen (2005) ignore or misinterpret most of the evidence of greatest relevance to the question of heritability of the Black–White IQ gap. A dispassionate reading of the evidence on the association of IQ with degree of European ancestry for members of Black populations, convergence of Black and White IQ in recent years, alterability of Black IQ by intervention programs, and adoption studies lend no support to a hereditarian interpretation of the Black–White IQ gap. On the contrary, the evidence most relevant to the question indicates that the genetic contribution to the Black–White IQ gap is nil. Rushton and Jensen’s (2005) article is characterized by failure to cite, in any but the most cursory way, strong evidence against their position. Their lengthy presentation of indirectly relevant evidence which, in light of the direct evidence against the hereditarian view they prefer, has little probative value, and their “scorecard” tallies of evidence on various points cannot be sustained by the evidence.
Star formation in the NGC 2071 molecular cloud

The NGC 2071 molecular cloud has been studied with a broad array of techniques, including a large scale study of CS emission, high resolution scans in the far-infrared, N H 3 studies with the VLA, and near-infrarred imaging. The far-infrared emission constrains the density distribution to fall off approximately as r −1 . The NH 3 data strongly supports the presence of a disk oriented perpendicular to the molecular outflow, while the CS emission indicates the presence of dense gas in the region. The results will be combined into a coherent picture of this region of current star formation and molecular outflow.
Corrosion of Iron Under Alternating Wet and Dry Conditions

Abstract In-situ alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) electrochemical techniques were used to determine the corrosion rate and corrosion potential of high-purity iron under alternate wet and dry conditions. Comparisons between DC electrochemical measurements and weight loss were conducted to verify the validity of the corrosion rate measurements. Identification of the corrosion products was performed using Raman spectroscopy. Corrosion products contained layers of iron oxides and oxyhydroxides. At low Cl− concentrations, corrosion products consisted of lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) and magnetite (Fe3O4). At higher Cl− concentrations, the formation of akaganeite (β-FeOOH) was observed. Corrosion rates and corrosion potentials fluctuated throughout the wet cycles depending on electrolyte layer thickness, ionic strength, and wetting cycle. Accelerated corrosion rates of high-purity iron, up to three times those observed under continuously immersed conditions, were the result of Fe(III) reduction in the...
Vacuum-assisted closure of an exposed prosthetic femoral graft

The multiple comorbidities present in vascular surgery patients predispose them to surgical site infections, poor wound healing, and prosthetic graft exposure. We report our experience with a patient who underwent an emergent femoral-to-femoral bypass and developed an infection at bilateral groin incisions, resulting in wound separation and prosthetic vascular graft exposure. This was successfully treated with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) using the vacuum-assisted closure system (V.A.C., Kinetic Concepts Inc., San Antonio, Texas, USA). This is a case in which NPWT was used to treat a groin wound with an exposed vascular prosthetic graft, thereby eliminating the need for additional surgical flap coverage procedures and ultimately resulting in a completely healed wound. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Medical knowledge, Patient care, Practice based learning and improvement. Republished with permission from: Delaney KO, Smead W, Gordillo G. Vacuum assisted closure of an exposed prosthetic femoral graft. OPUS 12 Scientist 2008;2(4):1-3.