cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lung cancer: a review

The frequency, risk factors, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of lung cancer are reviewed. An estimated 157,400 Americans died of lung cancer in 2001. Lung cancer is the second most frequent cancer in both men and women. The major risk factor for lung cancer is smoking, which accounts for 75-80% of lung cancer-related deaths. Lung cancers can be broadly classified into two forms, small-cell carcinomas and non-small-cell carcinomas. Non-small-cell lung cancer is more common, accounting for up to 75% of lung cancers. Lung cancer is diagnosed by chest radiography, sputum cytology, bronchoscopy, needle biopsy, and other techniques. Surgery plays a major role in managing stage I and stage II non-small-cell lung cancer and may be used for stage III disease. Patients with stage IIIa disease may be surgical candidates, but involvement of mediastinal lymph nodes reduces the probability of survival. Adjuvant irradiation may reduce the rate of local recurrence but does not increase survival time. Adjuvant chemotherapy may confer a small survival-time advantage if the regimen includes cisplatin. Chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy may produce a survival advantage over irradiation alone. Patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer should receive combination chemotherapy. Several regimens have shown a survival advantage over best supportive care. Paclitaxel, docetaxel, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, irinotecan, and topotecan have activity both as single agents and in combination. Surgery has only a limited role in the management of small-cell lung cancer. Patients with limited disease should receive a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen plus radiation therapy. Combination chemotherapy should be offered to patients with extensive disease. The most active regimens contain cisplatin or carboplatin. Paclitaxel, docetaxel, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, irinotecan, and topotecan combinations have shown some promise. Lung cancer, although highly preventable, is usually diagnosed at an incurable stage. Chemotherapy is playing an increasingly important role alongside surgery and radiation therapy in the management of this disease.
World Bank-NGO Project Cooperation: Less than Meets the Eye?

In an April 1988 speech, (then) World Bank Senior Vice President Moeen A. Qureshi spoke of the World Bank’s work with NGOs in these terms: In the last few years NGO influence on Bank policies has grown…. Where bureaucratic eyes are astigmatic, NGOs provide vivid images of what is really happening at the grassroots…. strong organizations of poor people often help public programs respond to the real needs of the poor…. I have asked our staff to look for more situations where NGOs could help us elicit the participation of poor people in planning public projects and policies. Qureshi’s speech is frequently quoted by NGO enthusiasts within the World Bank to show the range and depth of the organization’s official commitment to working with NGOs. Along with other publications and public statements since 1988, it suggests that the Bank is cooperating with increasing frequency with NGOs, turning especially to local and national organizations in borrowing countries, and opening itself to work in all stages of the project cycle.
The Escape Clause in Trade Agreements

Abstract We provide a synthesis of the theoretical models that study the use of escape clauses, also known as safeguards, in multilateral and preferential trade agreements. We consider models that explain this type of flexibility based on economic efficiency, political economy shocks, and self-enforcement concerns, with an emphasis on the recent literature that views trade agreements as incomplete contracts. We also review empirical evidence on the usage and effectiveness of safeguards and other temporary protection measures.
Ergodic Theory of Differentiable Dynamical Systems

These notes are about the dynamics of systems with hyperbolic properties. The setting for the first half consists of a pair (f, µ), where f is a diffeomorphism of a Riemannian manifold and µ is an f-invariant Borel probability measure. After a brief review of abstract ergodic theory, Lyapunov exponents are introduced, and families of stable and unstable manifolds are constructed. Some relations between metric entropy, Lyapunov exponents and Hausdorff dimension are discussed. In the second half we address the following question: given a differentiable mapping, what are its natural invariant measures? We examine the relationship between the expanding properties of a map and its invariant measures in the Lebesgue measure class. These ideas are then applied to the construction of Sinai-Ruelle-Bowen measures for Axiom A attractors. The nonuniform case is discussed briefly, but its details are beyond the scope of these notes.
Is Ataxia Telangiectasia a Result of Impaired Coordination between DNA Repair and Cell Cycle Checkpoint Regulators

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) is an autosomal recessive multisystem human disorder and patients are characterized by cerebellar ataxia, oculocutaneous telangiectasia, immunodeficiency, chromosomal instability and radio sensitivity with an increased predisposition to lymphoid cancer in childhood. The gene responsible for AT, ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), has been cloned and its protein product has been biochemically characterized as a serine/threonine kinase belonging to the family of phosphatidylinositol (PI-3) like kinases. Subsequent biochemical studies by several laboratories have identified a number of DNA repair and cell cycle proteins that are phosphorylated by ATM kinase in response to different DNA damaging agents. One intriguing question that comes to mind is whether the phenotypic features of AT stem from a DNA repair defect or a cell cycle defect or both. The scope of this review is focused on the potential functions of ATM in both DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint regulation and how deficiencies in these overlapping functions can lead to some of the phenotypic features of AT patients.
Microscale Symmetrical Electroporator Array as a Versatile Molecular Delivery System

Successful developments of new therapeutic strategies often rely on the ability to deliver exogenous molecules into cytosol. We have developed a versatile on-chip vortex-assisted electroporation system, engineered to conduct sequential intracellular delivery of multiple molecules into various cell types at low voltage in a dosage-controlled manner. Micro-patterned planar electrodes permit substantial reduction in operational voltages and seamless integration with an existing microfluidic technology. Equipped with real-time process visualization functionality, the system enables on-chip optimization of electroporation parameters for cells with varying properties. Moreover, the system's dosage control and multi-molecular delivery capabilities facilitate intracellular delivery of various molecules as a single agent or in combination and its utility in biological research has been demonstrated by conducting RNA interference assays. We envision the system to be a powerful tool, aiding a wide range of applications, requiring single-cell level co-administrations of multiple molecules with controlled dosages.
Dynamic Measurement Modeling: Using Nonlinear Growth Models to Estimate Student Learning Capacity

Single-timepoint educational measurement practices are capable of assessing student ability at the time of testing but are not designed to be informative of student capacity for developing in any particular academic domain, despite commonly being used in such a manner. For this reason, such measurement practice systematically underestimates the potential of students from nondominant socioeconomic or ethnic groups, who may not have had adequate opportunity to develop various academic skills but can nonetheless do so in the future. One long-standing approach to the partial rectification of this issue is dynamic assessment (DA), a technique that features multiple testing occasions integrated with learning opportunities. However, DA is extremely resource intensive to incorporate into educational assessment practice and cannot be applied to extant large-scale data sets. In this article, the authors describe a recently developed statistical technique, dynamic measurement modeling (DMM), which is capable of esti...
A Powerline-Tuned Camera Trigger for AC Illumination Flickering Reduction

Camera triggering represents an essential step for synchronizing artificial vision systems (AVSs) and can affect the quality of acquired images. In fact, a proper trigger signal is mandatory to synchronize in time both stand alone or multiple cameras covering large environments. In addition, indoor environments with artificial light sources can induce flickering noise in captured frames, affecting the performance of the algorithms that are usually executed to interpret a scene or perform various tasks. In this letter, we describe the design of an embedded system for camera triggering that can be employed to deal with such issues and remove flickering noise while capturing an image with the highest possible dynamic range. Experiments on real data show how the proposed trigger can be effectively employed in AVSs.
Parafoveolar retinoblastoma regression with foveal preservation following intra-arterial chemotherapy documented on hand-held optical coherence tomography in a newborn

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has become an invaluable tool in retinoblastoma management, providing submillimeter visualization of tumor control following treatment. Herein, we document OCT-detection of a subtle tumor recurrence, allowing early intervention and achieving foveal microanatomy preservation. A 3-week-old girl was diagnosed with bilateral familial retinoblastoma, classified as group D in the right eye (OD) and group B in the left eye (OS), and treated with intravenous chemoreduction. At 6-months follow-up, the right eye was under control, but the left eye revealed a subtle juxtafoveal tumor recurrence, documented on handheld OCT (HH-OCT) and measuring 2750 µm in diameter and 792 µm in thickness. Treatment with intraarterial chemotherapy (IAC) using 1 cycle of melphalan 5 mg was performed and complete tumor control was achieved, leaving a flat, concave scar 663 µm from the intact foveola and measuring 2750 µm in diameter and 120 µm in thickness. Foveal microanatomy OS was preserved on HH-OCT. The findings remained stable at 2 years following IAC. HH-OCT is an important tool in retinoblastoma management. In this case, HH-OCT allowed for early detection of retinoblastoma recurrence, before foveal invasion. Following treatment with IAC, complete tumor regression was noted and foveal microanatomy remained intact.
Redirecting T cells to hematological malignancies with bispecific antibodies

There is a need to improve outcomes for patients with recurrent and/or refractory hematological malignancies. Immunotherapy holds the promise to meet this need, because it does not rely on the cytotoxic mechanism of conventional therapies. Among different forms of immunotherapy, redirecting T cells to hematological malignancies with bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) is an attractive strategy. BsAbs are an “off-the-shelf” product that is easily scalable in contrast to adoptive T-cell therapies. Among these, the bispecific T-cell engager blinatumomab has emerged as the most successful BsAb to date. It consists of 2 single-chain variable fragments specific for CD19 present on B-cell malignancies and CD3 expressed on almost all T cells. Blinatumomab has shown potent antitumor activity as a single agent, particularly for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, resulting in its US Food and Drug Administration approval. However, although successful in inducing remissions, these are normally short-lived, with median response durations of
Metal Single-Insulator and Multi-Insulator Diodes for Rectenna Solar Cells

Metal/insulator/metal (MIM) diodes work on the inherently fast mechanism of tunneling and have been used in a number of high-frequency applications. This makes them a promising candidate as the rectifying element in rectenna solar cells. In this chapter we describe the operating mechanism of these diodes and review the work done on using them in rectennas. We also provide a simulation methodology to accurately model low-barrier MIM diodes that are used in rectennas. Analytical models based on the WKB method for probability of tunneling are not well suited for analyzing such diodes. We simulate single-insulator (MIM) diodes with varying asymmetry to point out their limited nonlinearity. We also simulate double-insulator (MIIM) diodes that have improved nonlinearity as compared to MIM diodes providing a path for designing more efficient multi-insulator diodes.
Case 69: More Haste Less Speed

It is a Saturday morning. An “urgent” case for a biopsy of a lymph node (Virchow) situated in the left supraclavicular fossa is booked under monitored anesthesia care (MAC). The patient is an 86-year-old female (120 lbs and 5′2″) who is described as frail. Her past history consists of CAD and hypertension. Recently she has lost weight and developed a chronic cough. A CT scan of the chest reveals a mass in the upper left lung. You explain to the patient that you will look after her and that the procedure will be done under local anesthesia. You have decided that you are not giving her any sedation.
Look-alike, sound-alike drugs review: include look-alike packaging as an additional safety check.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Confusion resulting from look-alike and sound-alike drug names and look-alike product packaging can result in potentially harmful medication errors. Case Study A 69-year-old woman admitted to the oncology unit at a 670-bed teaching facility for correction of electrolyte imbalances was mistakenly administered Primacor® instead of potassium chloride, reflecting a look-alike packaging medication error. Actions Taken The medical center developed and implemented process changes, including moving and reorganizing shelf storage bins, enhancing labeling for intravenous medications with similar packaging, tracking and responding to automated dispensing cabinet-filling errors, and revising processes for selecting and maintaining the list of look-alike, sound-alike medications to include the "real time" review of new medications added to the formulary and changes in packaging resulting from contract changes or drug shortages. Discussion The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals for 2005 require organizations to identify and, at a minimum, annually review a list of look-alike, sound-alike drugs and to proactively implement safety strategies to help prevent medication errors involving these drug combinations. Proactive assessment of potential for medication errors should include evaluation of potential look-alike packaging problems in addition to the drug names.
Review of Research and Recent Case Law on Understanding and Appreciation of Miranda Warnings

The Supreme Court’s decision in Miranda v. Arizona (1966) recognized that the inherently coercive atmosphere of police interrogations had to be curtailed. The Court elected to describe a safeguard that would sufficiently dispel this coercion: a set of advisements of suspects’ rights, since coined “the Miranda warnings.” This decision also articulated the legal standard for waivers of Miranda rights: knowing, intelligent, and voluntary. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the legal and psychological landscape of the Miranda warnings. It first discusses the Miranda decision and subsequent case law that shaped the evolution of police interrogation. It then describes how the field of psychology came to intersect with Miranda warnings and waivers through the work of translating the “knowing and intelligent” components of the waiver standard into constructs suitable for psychological testing and evaluation. This work is placed in the context of courts’ failure to provide a consistent operational legal definition of “knowing and intelligent.” The chapter next reviews the state of the science, that is, the factors empirically related to individuals’ abilities to offer a valid waiver of Miranda rights. Thereafter, the chapter covers developments in case law, specifically the ways in which Miranda has been contracted by several Supreme Court opinions and lower courts’ decisions. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future research and policy work given courts’ recent treatment of Miranda and gaps in the existing body of research on Miranda rights and waivers.
Spatial hotspot detection using polygon propagation

Spatial scan statistics is one of the most important models in order to detect high activity or hotspots in real world applications such as epidemiology, public health, astronomy and criminology ap...
Abstract TMP1: Time From Image Acquisition to Interventional Team Notification: A New Target for Enhancing Acute Stroke Workflow

Background: Reducing time to reperfusion for emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) has consistently shown to correlate with favorable outcome after ischemic stroke. However, there are many barrier...
On the applicability of solventless and solid-state reactions to the meteoritic chemistry

Most chemical reactions on asteroids, from which meteors and meteorites originate, are hypothesized to occur primarily in the solid mixtures. Some secondary chemical reactions may have occurred during the periods of the aqueous alteration of the asteroids. A myriad of organic compounds have been isolated from the meteorites, but the chemical conditions during which they were formed are only partially elucidated. In this paper, we propose that numerous meteoritic organic compounds were formed by the solventless and solid-state reactions that were only recently explored in conjunction with the green chemistry. A typical solventless approach exploits the phenomenon of the mixed melting points. As the solid materials are mixed together, the melting point of the mixture becomes lower than the melting points of its individual components. In some cases, the entire mixture may melt upon mixing. These reactions could then occur in a melted state. In the traditional solid-state reactions, the solids are mixed together, which allows for the intimate contact of the reactants, but the reaction occurs without melting. We have shown various examples of the known solventless and solid-state reactions that are particularly relevant to the meteoritic chemistry. We have also placed them in a prebiotic context and evaluated them for their astrobiological significance.
Surveyed dermatologists are less likely to curette invasive squamous cell carcinoma in solid organ transplant recipients.

Abstract Background The risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is increased in solid organ transplant recipients (OTRs), and preferential treatment modalities vary among clinicians. Objectives The purpose of this study was to survey dermatologists regarding practice patterns for electrodesiccation and curettage (EDC) of SCC in OTRs and nontransplant patients. Methods An 18-question survey was sent to dermatologist members of the International Transplant Skin Cancer Collaborative, Association of Professors of Dermatology, and American College of Mohs Surgery. Differences in EDC practice patterns for treatment of SCC in OTRs and nontransplant patients were evaluated. Results Dermatologists in this study (N = 227) were more likely to treat SCC with EDC in nontransplant patients (67.4%) than in OTRs (48.0%; P = .0003). Dermatologists who perform EDC in both groups (n = 108) were unlikely to use EDC on the H-zone of the face; they were more likely to EDC tumors on non-H-zone areas of the face and neck in nontransplant patients compared to OTRs (P = .0007). Dermatologists were more likely to use EDC over surgery in nontransplant patients compared to OTRs with the following demographics: dementia or psychiatric disease (P = .04), multiple medical comorbidities (P = .03), or anticoagulation medications (P = .02). Conclusions In OTRs with SCC, 48% of clinicians would consider EDC. The main factors that affect the decision to perform EDC include tumor location and patient comorbidities.
Crater morphology and evolution at the Phoenix landing site: Insights into timing of modern geological processes and subsurface ice

Abstract We report results of an in-depth study of the morphology of small (km-scale and smaller) craters over a 4000 km2 region on Mars that includes the Phoenix landing ellipse, focused on the nature and timing of geological processes that have been active in the region. The study seeks to constrain regolith depositional rates, thickness of ground ice layer, abundance of ice in the subsurface, and the rate of crater degradation. Measurements of the size of ejecta blocks around craters show that the region has not been a net-depositional site over the last billion years. Most craters smaller than 200–350 m lack ejecta blocks regardless of age, indicating that there is a layer approximately 20–35 m deep that either does not form or does not retain ejecta blocks. This layer is expressed both within and outside the extended ejecta blanket of Heimdal crater, implying that it is not associated with the ejecta blanket. We propose that this unconsolidated layer consists dominantly of ice-cemented soil, which raises questions about the emplacement of ice at depth. We also note clear progression in crater degradation morphology, which allows us to place constraints on the rate and style of crater degradation. Small craters (20 to 200 m in diameter) appear to lose their relief due to slow infilling of the bowl over time scales of 5–100 kyr. The infilling of small craters, perhaps by a combination of ice and dust, presents a mechanism by which ice is buried down to a few tens of meters. On the other hand, larger craters (~200 m to 1 km) do not exhibit evidence for infilling, but do exhibit concentric sets of fractures within and outside the rim. We propose that loss of relief of the larger craters is due to viscous creep over time scales of a few to tens of Myr. This latter interpretation would require the presence of water ice in abundances greater than pore-filling down to depths of at least tens of meters.
Evanescent Microbubbles After Cardiac Mechanical Support.

A 70-year-old man was successfully resuscitated, and an Impella CP was implanted. Transthoracic echocardiography showed acceptable Impella position with noticeable microbubbles in the left ventricle without device alarms. We highlight the appropriate approach in evaluating intracardiac microbubbles in critical care scenarios. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.).
Physiological, Psychological and Performance-Related Changes Following Physique Competition: A Case-Series

The purpose of this case-series was to evaluate the physiological, psychological and performance-related changes that occur during the postcompetition period. Participants included three male (34.3 ± 6.8 years, 181.6 ± 8.9 cm) and four female (29.3 ± 4.9 years, 161.4 ± 6.0 cm) natural physique athletes. Body composition (fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM); Skinfold), resting metabolic rate (RMR; indirect calorimetry), total body water (TBW; bioelectrical impedance analysis), sleep quality (PSQI; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), quality of life measures (RAND SF36), menstrual irregularities, and knee extension performance were assessed 1–2 weeks prior to competition, and 4 weeks and 8–10 weeks postcompetition. Blood hormones (free triiodothyronine; T3, free thyroxine; T4, and leptin) were assessed at 1–2 weeks prior to competition and 8–10 weeks postcompetition. Participants tracked daily macronutrient intake daily for the duration of the study. Group-level data were analyzed using exploratory, one-tailed, nonparametric statistical tests. Bodyweight, FM, bodyfat%, RMR, and blood hormones (T3, T4, and leptin) increased significantly (p < 0.05) at the group level. Relative (%Δ) increases in fat mass were associated with △RMR (τ = 0.90; p = 0.001) and △leptin (τ = 0.68; p = 0.02), and △leptin was associated with △RMR (τ = 0.59; p = 0.03). The time course for recovery appears to vary substantially between individuals potentially due to strategies implemented postcompetition.
A glycomics and proteomics study of aging and Parkinson’s disease in human brain

Previous studies on Parkinson's disease mechanisms have shown dysregulated extracellular transport of α-synuclein and growth factors in the extracellular space. In the human brain these consist of perineuronal nets, interstitial matrices, and basement membranes, each composed of a set of collagens, non-collagenous glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and hyaluronan. The manner by which amyloidogenic proteins spread extracellularly, become seeded, oligomerize, and are taken up by cells, depends on intricate interactions with extracellular matrix molecules. We sought to assess the alterations to structure of glycosaminoglycans and proteins that occur in PD brain relative to controls of similar age. We found that PD differs markedly from normal brain in upregulation of extracellular matrix structural components including collagens, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycan binding molecules. We also observed that levels of hemoglobin chains, possibly related to defects in iron metabolism, were enriched in PD brains. These findings shed important new light on disease processes that occur in association with PD.
Image-Enabling the Patient Portal of an Electronic Health Record.

Today, radiology departments still rely on compact disks to share imaging studies with patients. This practice is outdated as the majority of modern computers do not possess optical drives. In effect, hospitals are providing disks to patients to enable a single use, physical transport between two locations. This practice contrasts with the original goals of providing patients with their images: to empower ownership and provide transparency about their healthcare. The purpose of this manuscript is to implement an online platform for patient image viewing through an electronic health record patient portal. The number of study viewers was recorded daily over the first 90 days on our platform. During this time, the patients viewed 12,257 imaging studies. This represents 22% of the 56,413 imaging studies performed in our department. On average, there were 136 imaging studies viewed/day (range 52–250). We determined that an online platform enabling patients to view their images is feasible. At our hospital, a large percentage of patients quickly identified this feature and began using it to view their imaging studies.
No State Effects of Brief Mindfulness Meditation on the Executive Functions of Inhibition, Shifting, and Updating

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve or protect the executive functions of inhibition, shifting, and updating. However, the unique effects of mindfulness meditation are unclear as many studies demonstrating benefit did not randomize participants to groups nor use active controls with equated expectations of cognitive improvement. Additionally, many studies did not observe executive function benefit following mindfulness meditation; it is possible that unmeasured variables (e.g., trait anxiety) moderated the efficacy of these mindfulness inductions. Finally, the state effects of brief mindfulness meditation (< 1 h) on executive functions are not well-understood. In a well-controlled experiment with three separate participant sets, the current study investigated the unique state effects of brief mindfulness meditation on the executive functions of inhibition, shifting, and updating. Trait anxiety was also examined as a potential moderator of these effects. Undergraduates (n = 391) were recruited from a psychological sciences subject pool to examine the effects of brief cognitive training; data from 384 participants were analyzed. Participants were randomly assigned to an inhibition, shifting, or updating task and either 15 min of focused-attention mindfulness meditation or an active control (i.e., drawing) task. Participants completed their executive function task before and after the mindfulness meditation or active control task. There were no unique state effects of brief mindfulness meditation on executive functions (Fs < 1), nor did trait anxiety moderate these effects (p < .42). Given the null results of the current research, novice practitioners should appropriately calibrate their expectations for brief mindfulness meditation impacting executive functions.
Rain Garden Performance as a Function of Native Soil Parameters

AbstractGreen infrastructure has been widely studied as a means of runoff reduction in urban areas, but the performance of such infrastructure installations is dependent on local environmental cond...
Decoding Vectorial Information from Firing Rates

A central problem in computational neuroscience is understanding how information is processed by neuronal circuits. Physical signals are typically detected and encoded in the activities of populations of neurons and relayed to other networks which may also receive inputs from other sources. If we were able to read out the original signals by measuring the spiking activities of groups of neurons, perhaps we could see how information is being stored, transformed, and eventually converted into some kind of behavioral output. This is precisely the decoding problem.
Oxygen Isotopes in the Solar System

The oxygen three-isotope system has major advantages over the two-isotope systems of hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen because different fractionation laws govern intraplanetary and interplanetary processes. This permits discriminating between solar nebular processes and parent-body processes. Oxygen isotopes also serve as a sensitive natural tracer for meteorite classification.
Tracer Tests Performed in the Field for WIPP in Southeastern New Mexico

A two-well recirculating tracer test began in October 1979 to define as accurately as possible the hydraulic character of a fractured carbonate aquifer, the Culebra dolomite member of the Rustler Formation at the WIPP site in Eddy and Lee Counties, New Mexico. The Culebra dolomite overlies a zone planned for isolation of transuranic contaminated waste generated by the United States defense programs. The storage zone of the proposed facility is in nearly pure halite and about 1400 feet (427 meters) below the Culebra dolomite, the most likely pathway for the migration of radionuclides to the biosphere in the event the repository is breached by groundwater.
A Use of Flashback and Foreshadowing for Surprise Arousal in Narrative Using a Plan-Based Approach

This paper describes work currently in progress to develop a computational method for generating flashback and foreshadowing, specifically targeted at the evocation of surprise in the reader's mind. Flashback provides a backstory to explain what caused the surprise outcome. Foreshadowing provides an implicit hint about the surprise. Our study focuses on surprise as a cognitive response rather than as an emotional response. The reader's story construction process is simulated by a plan-based reader model that checks unexpectedness and postdictability of the surprise.
Lipids of Bacteroides melaninogenicus

The lipids of Bacteroides melaninogenicus were readily extractable with chloroform-methanol. Three per cent of the fatty acids were not extractable. The neutral lipids contained 4% of the extractable fatty acids, the stench characteristic of these organisms, and 0.5 mumole of vitamin K(2) isoprenologues K(2)-35, K(2)-40, and K(2)-45 per g (dry weight). This is one-fifth to one-tenth of the vitamin K(2) level found in other bacteria. Ninety-six per cent of the extractable fatty acids were associated with the phospholipids (60 mumoles of lipid phosphate/g, dry weight), which consisted of the diacyl lipids phosphatidic acid, phosphatidyl serine, and phosphatidyl ethanolamine (with phosphatidyl glycerol and cardiolipin in one strain). The unusual phosphosphingolipids ceramide phosphorylethanolamine, ceramide phosphorylglycerol, and ceramide phosphorylglycerol phosphate accounted for 50 to 70% of the lipid phosphate. In protoheme-requiring strains, the protoheme concentration in the growth medium regulated the growth rate and the amount of enzymatically reducible cytochrome c. There were no gross changes in the lipid composition in cells containing different levels of enzymatically reducible cytochrome c.
Attentional blink impairment in social anxiety disorder: Depression comorbidity matters

Abstract Background and objectives Difficulties with attentional control have long been thought to play a key role in anxiety and depressive disorders. However, the nature and extent of attentional control difficulties in social anxiety disorder (SAD) are not yet well understood. The current study was designed to assess whether attentional control for non-emotional information is impaired in SAD when taking comorbid depression into account.. Methods Individuals with SAD and healthy controls (HCs) were administered an attentional blink (AB) task in which they identified number targets in a rapid serial visual presentation stream of letters. Results Individuals with SAD and current comorbid depression exhibited reduced accuracy to identify a target that fell within the AB window after the presentation of a first target compared to individuals with SAD without current comorbid depression, as well as to HCs. The latter two groups did not differ from each other, and the three groups did not differ in accuracy for the second target when it was presented after the AB window. Limitations Although we included two clinical groups and the sample size for the non-comorbid SAD group was large, the comorbid SAD group was relatively small. Conclusions These results suggest that impaired attentional control among individuals with SAD may be limited to those suffering from current comorbid depression..
Antiretroviral activity of aminothiols, WR2721 and WR1065

The aminothiol drug WR2721 (amifostine, Ethyol), and its free-thiol metabolite WR1065, are cytoprotective agents. Ethyol is licensed to attenuate toxicity in cancer patients receiving chemo- and radiation-therapy. We found that WR1065 mitigates Zidovudine (AZT)-induced mutagenesis, and designed studies to ascertain that AZT antiretroviral activity was not altered in the presence of this aminothiol. Fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with phytohemaglutinin (PHA) for 48 hr. The resulting PHA-stimulated blasts were infected for 2 hr with HIV-1BZ-167 before the addition of AZT, WR1065, or Ethyol dephosphorylated by preincubation with alkaline phosphatase. Cells were cultured for an additional 72 hr and assayed for cytotoxicity (trypan blue) and HIV-1 replication (p24 ELISA kit). AZT concentrations of 0.8, 3.0, and 5.0 μM inhibited virus replication by 85–96%, and the same AZT doses combined with 5–26 μM WR1065 inhibited virus replication by 91–97%. When tested alone, AZT at 7.75 μM inhibited virus replication by 96.7 ± 5.1% (mean ± SD, n = 4) with 54 ± 15% target cell survival. Ethyol at 50 μM inhibited virus replication by 75.4 ± 16.6% (mean ± SD, n = 4) and cell survival was 53 ± 19%. Similarly, WR1065 concentrations of 50 and 100 μM blocked virus replication by 83.2 ± 18.6% (n = 5) and 92.0 ± 11.0% (n = 5), respectively, with cell survival at 55 ± 22% and 42 ± 18%, respectively. The data show that Ethyol and WR1065 do not compromise the antiretroviral efficacy of AZT. Interestingly, when used alone, these aminothiols also substantially inhibit HIV-1 replication. (Supported in part by R01 CA95741 to VEW; patent pending).
Seduced by Images: Identity and Schooling in the Lives of Puerto Rican Girls

Based on a two-year ethnographic study at an urban middle school, this article describes the power that images created by and about Puerto Rican girls hold in shaping their schooling experiences. Using a black, critical, feminist framework, I show how dichotomizing the sexuality of Puerto Rican females against their intellectual development obscures the complex ways that identities are co-constructed and then affirmed, appropriated, or resisted within their school site. I conclude that to resist the reproduction of educational inequality in the lives of Puerto Rican females, we must explore and seek to transform the influential ways that identities are mediated and educational outcomes are produced within the school contexts where Puerto Rican females are educated. [Puerto Rican, urban, educational equity, ethnicity, gender]
Geometrical magnetic frustration in rare-earth chalcogenide spinels

We have characterized the magnetic and structural properties of the $\mathrm{Cd}{\mathit{Ln}}_{2}{\mathrm{Se}}_{4}$ $(\mathit{Ln}=\mathrm{Dy},\mathrm{Ho})$, and $\mathrm{Cd}{\mathit{Ln}}_{2}{\mathrm{S}}_{4}$ $(\mathit{Ln}=\mathrm{Ho},\mathrm{Er},\mathrm{Tm},\mathrm{Yb})$, spinels. We observe all compounds to be normal spinels, possessing a geometrically frustrated sublattice of lanthanide atoms with no observable structural disorder. Fits to the high-temperature magnetic susceptibilities indicate these materials to have effective antiferromagnetic interactions, with Curie-Weiss temperatures ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{\mathrm{W}}\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{-}10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$, except $\mathrm{Cd}{\mathrm{Yb}}_{2}{\mathrm{S}}_{4}$ for which ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{\mathrm{W}}\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{-}40\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. The absence of magnetic long-range order or glassiness above $T=1.8\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ strongly suggests that these materials are a different venue in which to study the effects of strong geometrical frustration, potentially as rich in interesting physical phenomena as that of the pyrochlore oxides.
The Bridge to Gretna: Three Faces of a Case

This paper explores diverse ways in which social scientists help to construct the meaning of particular events (or cases). It does so by focusing on an incident that occurred on the bridge to Gretna when a group of New Orleanians tried to escape their flooded city in August 2005. After scrutinizing three ways (the Scientist's, the Technician's, and the Phroneticist's) in which social scientists and others typically try to make sense out of particular cases, the paper suggests that the meaning of an event depends most crucially on how diverse stories and arguments about the event interact within place-based webs of relationships. Recognizing the crucial role that circulating stories play, social scientists could combine social scientific and humanities-based skills to generate “superior stories” that can transform understandings and facilitate better collective action. This would involve subjecting individual stories to a close reading, juxtaposing stories against one another, and linking the stories to ke...
Role of serum prolactin determination in evaluation of impotent patient.

Abstract Hyperprolactinemia is a recognized cause of impotence. The discovery of elevatedprolactin levels in impotent men is very important since pharmacotherapy in this instance is highly successful. We review our experience with prolactin determinations in impotent men, and a population is defined that may benefit from routine prolactin determination. In our experience, the predominant symptom associated with hyperprolactinemia in men is loss of libido.
Visual language and identity performance in Leonid Osyka's A Stone Cross: The roots and the uprooting

AbstractThis article focuses on A Stone Cross (Kaminnyi khrest), a 1968 film by the Ukrainian director Leonid Osyka based on the work of the Ukrainian modernist writer Vasyl' Stefanyk, including the eponymous short story. While this film is regarded in the countries of the former Soviet bloc as one of the highest accomplishments of the poetic cinema movement of the 1960s and early 1970s, it has so far received little attention in the West. The present article examines the film-maker's choices made in adapting the literary texts, and especially the film's visual language, including its choice of setting, camerawork, editorial style and use of professional and non-professional actors, and the way these choices contribute to the work's overall dramatic impact. A key theme in this film, which narrates a peasant family's decision to emigrate to Canada in the late 1890s and the severance of its symbolic ties with the traditional rural community, is the deep identity crisis precipitated by the social upheavals o...
Scattering Studies of the Isolated Red Blood Cell Skeleton, a Biological Two-Dimensional Polymer

We studied the conformation of the membrane skeleton of human red blood cells (RBC) after detergent extraction of RBC ghosts, using video microscopy, light scattering, and synchrotronbased small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). RBC membrane skeletons are two-dimensionally connected, triangulated networks of flexible, polyionic proteins. Immediately after extraction, the skeletons exhibited large-scale thermal undulations and deformed strongly in weak shear flow. Screening of electrostatic repulsion by immersion in high ionic strength buffer led to shrinkage, while the shell-like conformations and the flexibility of the skeletons were preserved. Under high ionic strength conditions (1 M monovalent salt), the static structure factor, S(q), showed two power law regimes S(q) ∝ q −α, with α <≈ 2.0 in the range of wave vectors 4×10−4 A−1 < g < 8×10−4 A−1, and α = 2.3 ± 0.1 in the range of wave vectors 8×10−4 A−1 < q < l×10−1 A−1. The same power law behavior was observed in low ionic strength buffer (25 mM salt) for q < 2×10−3 A−1. This result is not consistent with the occurence of a crumpling transition during skeleton shrinkage. The observed form of the static structure factor, with a transition between two regimes with different power law exponents, presents evidence for the theoretically predicted flat phase of 2D-polymers.
A novel osteotropic biomaterial OG-PLG: Synthesis and in vitro release

Statins (e.g., simvastatin) have shown to induce expression of the bone morphogenic protein-2 gene in bone cells, but they are not used clinically because of a lack of a suitable delivery device. The overall objective is to develop optimized statin delivery devices for bone regeneration. The specific objective was to determine the effect of grafting statins to biodegradable poly[lactide-co-glycolide] (PLG) on release kinetics. Simvastatin was grafted to PLG (OG-PLG) and characterized using contact-angle measurements, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy to determine success of the synthesis. An ultraviolet-visible assay for measuring release of statins and degraded OG-PLG in media was also developed. In vitro release studies using films and scaffolds made with PLG, PLG blended with simvastatin (PLG + Sim), and OG-PLG (simvastatin grafted to PLG) blended into PLG at different concentrations showed that release rate of OG-PLG from films was significantly greater than that of PLG + Sim. However, release rate from scaffolds showed PLG + Sim to be significantly higher than that of OG-PLG. The diffusion-controlled release kinetics of simvastatin from PLG + Sim seems to be more heavily affected by device morphology, whereas the degradation-controlled release kinetics seem to be less affected. In short, release kinetics can be modulated by grafting statins to PLG.
The investigation of 32P wire for catheter-based endovascular irradiation.

The dose distribution from a 32 P source has been measured and calculated in order to evaluate its application in endovascular irradiation. The source dimension was 27 mm in length and 0.3 mm in diameter and was embedded in the end of a Ni–Ti wire. Dose measurements were performed using radiochromic film in several specially designed tissue equivalent phantoms. Loevinger’s point dose kernel was used for the calculation. The approximate dose rate at a radial distance of 1.5 mm from the center of the source was found to be 6.75 cGy/s per GBq (0.25 cGy/s per mCi), which allows the delivery of a therapeutic dose in a short time interval with a satisfactory homogeneity without stepping the source. However, the dose rate falls off almost exponentially along the radial distance. Therefore it may not be suitable for treating large diameter vessel from a centrally located source. The effect of a curved 32 P wire source on the radial dose distribution was also investigated. The results showed that for a maximum bend of 180° the dose rate was increased by as much as 20% along the inner radial distance but decreased by as much as 20% along the outer radial distance compared to the dose along a straight wire. However, for curvatures normally encountered in a clinical situation, the dose rate was changed less than 5%.
α-Synuclein Alters Proteasome Function, Protein Synthesis, and Stationary Phase Viability

α-Synuclein appears to play a role in mediating neurotoxicity in a number of neurodegenerative disorders, collectively referred to as synucleinopathies. Most of these disorders are associated with aging and a probable impairment of the proteasome-proteolytic pathway, although the relationship between aging, proteasome inhibition, and α-synuclein toxicity has not been fully elucidated. Recent studies suggest that yeast may provide a useful system for studying the biology and toxicity of α-synuclein in mitotic cells, recapitulating many features observed in the various synucleinopathy disorders. Additional studies indicate that the stationary phase model of aging in yeast provides a useful system for understanding the biochemistry and regulation of aging in post-mitotic cells. In the present study we examined the effect of wild type and mutant α-synuclein (A30P) on multiple aspects of proteasome homeostasis, protein synthesis, as well as the ability of cells to survive stationary phase aging. These data demonstrate that α-synuclein alters proteasome composition, impairs proteasome-mediated protein degradation, impairs protein synthesis, and impairs the ability of cells to withstand stationary phase aging. Interestingly, α-synuclein had little effect on intracellular proteasome content or protein ubiquitination, and did not increase the vulnerability of cells to a variety of stressors. Together, these data suggest that yeast may be useful for understanding the ability of α-synuclein to impair proteasome-mediated protein degradation, as well as for understanding the basis for age-related α-synuclein cytotoxicity.
Venation skeleton-based modeling plant leaf wilting

A venation skeleton-driven method for modeling and animating plant leaf wilting is presented. The proposed method includes five principal processes. Firstly, a three-dimensional leaf skeleton is constructed from a leaf image, and the leaf skeleton is further used to generate a detailed mesh for the leaf surface. Then a venation skeleton is generated interactively from the leaf skeleton. Each vein in the venation skeleton consists of a segmented vertices string. Thirdly, each vertex in the leaf mesh is banded to the nearest vertex in the venation skeleton. We then deform the venation skeleton by controlling the movement of each vertex in the venation skeleton by rotating it around a fixed vector. Finally, the leaf mesh is mapped to the deformed venation skeleton, as such the deformation of the mesh follows the deformation of the venation skeleton. The proposed techniques have been applied to simulate plant leaf surface deformation resulted from biological responses of plant wilting.
Toward an environment theory of decision support

This paper introduces the idea of an environment theory to guide and stimulate research in the DSS field. The proposed line of work builds on and synthesizes findings from a fairly diverse body of related work. Here, we identify fundamental propositions that can serve as a guiding framework for further development of the environment theory.
Investigation of the Structure of Vocational Interests of Chinese College Students.

The study investigates 166 Chinese college students' occupational interests using the Strong Interest Inventory 1994 version in Chinese to accomplish two research goals: (a) to provide additional v...