cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of metabotropic glutamate receptors in human prostate cancers and its potential signaling through prostate specific membrane antigen

5188 Introduction and Objectives: Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen, PSMA, is a protein that is expressed in the normal human prostate and is markedly increased in prostate cancer. Our laboratory identified that PSMA has enzymatic activity as a glutamate carboxypeptidase, releasing glutamate from polygammaglutamated folate and N-acetylaspartylglutamate. Because PSMA generates glutamate outside of the cell, we considered that glutamate might be involved further in cell signaling. In gene array analysis of the commonly used prostate cancer line, LNCaP, we observed expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor-2 (mGluR2). We therefore explored the presence of metabotropic glutamate receptors in prostate cancer cells and report here on our initial findings. Materials and Methods: RT-PCR analysis of mGluR was performed as described (J Neurochem 84:1288-1295, 2003). Western analysis of protein expression was performed using antibodies against mGluR2/3 from Calbiochem and Sigma. Measurements of cell growth were performed using a MTS colorimetric assay with LNCaP, C4-2, MDA PCA 2b, CWR22, PC-3 and Du-145 cells which were grown in a glutamate free medium and dialyzed fetal bovine serum with the addition of either glutamate, highly selective metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist or antagonists (TOCRIS). Results: LNCaP cells displayed mGluR2 receptors by gene array analysis. We used RT-PCR to further confirm the expression of mGluR2 receptors. To verify that the RNA message was resulting in the expression of mGluR2 protein, we used three different antibodies, which recognize mGluR2/3 metabotropic receptors by western analysis. All three antibodies recognized a protein of the size reported for mGluR2, 100-110kD. Most of the established prostate cell lines were found to express mGluR2 by western analysis. We observed that the selective mGluR2 agonist (2R, 4R)-APDC decreased cell growth relative to the non-treated control by over 50% in glutamate free media in LNCaP cells. Conclusions: PSMA is a glutamate carboxypeptidase that releases glutamate. The presence of a G protein coupled glutamate metabotropic receptor system suggests that PSMA generated glutamate signaling may provide a non-androgen target for regulating prostate growth. Supported in part from Grant DK/CA47650.
Medicaid Acceptance by Psychiatrists Before and After Medicaid Expansion

This study uses National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data to assess the percentage of psychiatrists who have accepted Medicaid-insured patients before and after Medicaid expansion.
Chemotherapy for Adult Tumors

Chemotherapeutic agents continue to play an important role in the treatment of orbital disease in adult patients. The last decade has seen significant changes in both agents used and methods of delivery, with new, effective therapies now available in clinical practice. Local therapy has changed the treatment paradigm for ocular surface squamous neoplasia and adjuvant intra-arterial chemotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma. Novel systemic therapies are available for basal cell nevus syndrome, malignant melanoma, and more, with numerous drugs undergoing phase III clinical trials, several with promising initial results. The breadth of pathology involving the orbit necessitates a broad range of chemotherapeutic agents and delivery methods. This chapter reviews historical chemotherapeutic treatments while focusing on newer therapies that are changing the treatment paradigm of adult orbital disease.
Mad Men, Women, and the Lure of Feminism

Mimi White analyses two tendencies in critical assessments of Mad Men, women and feminism. She argues that both are tied to the program’s narrative modes, and constrained by aesthetic convention. Retro-anachronistic post-feminism projects contemporary ideas onto the past, seeing feminism in characters who promote themselves in the program’s version of the 1960s. Second-wave feminist perspectives praise the program’s truth to history, as women suffer the strictures of patriarchy in a melodramatic mode. The women characters move between these positions and rarely occupy the same feminist position at one time; rather, they are placed at odds with one another—a familiar patriarchal narrative gambit. Prospects for feminist pleasure only hinted at in Mad Men are apparent in Pan Am, a program with far less cultural cachet.
Quantifying the Chaos Level of Infants' Environment via Unsupervised Learning.

Acoustic environments vary dramatically within the home setting. They can be a source of comfort and tranquility or chaos that can lead to less optimal cognitive development in children. Research to date has only subjectively measured household chaos. In this work, we use three unsupervised machine learning techniques to quantify household chaos in infants' homes. These unsupervised techniques include hierarchical clustering using K-Means, clustering using self-organizing map (SOM) and deep learning. We evaluated these techniques using data from 9 participants which is a total of 197 hours. Results show that these techniques are promising to quantify household chaos.
The cumulus cells and oocytes: A systematic review of extended culture for intracytoplasmic sperm injection

Currently-placed protocols for extended culture for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are not uniformly standardized in determining the optimal stage of oocyte maturation for maximizing clinical outcomes. The objective of this systematic review is to elucidate the relationship between extended cumulus-oocyte culture and its effect on the clinical outcomes of IVF/ICSI. We included an electronic search on PubMed Central as well as the Journal of Fertility and Sterility to yield seven studies on extended oocyte culture for IVF/ICSI. Four of the seven investigations illustrate the promising beneficial relationship of extended culture with conditioned or supplemented media to mimic physiological uterine conditions. Three studies did not capture beneficial relationships between extended oocyte culture and clinical outcomes with unconditioned, unsupplemented maturation medium. Improvement in fertilization rates, oocyte development, and live birth rates may be achieved by extended culture with the addition of supplemental biochemicals. The usage of follicular fluid, cumulus cells, and meiotic inhibitors imitates the physiological in vivo conditions, whereas extended oocyte culture imitates in vivo temporal conditions. The conjunction of extended oocyte culture with supplemented metabolites, either added in maturation media manually or secreted by cumulus-oocyte complexes, mimics natural uterine physiological conditions to improve clinical outcomes for patients seeking IVF/ICSI. Key words: Cumulus Cells; Extended Culture; In vitro Fertilization; Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection; Oocyte
Approximation Schemes for a Unit-Demand Buyer with Independent Items via Symmetries

We consider a revenue-maximizing seller with n items facing a single buyer. We introduce the notion of symmetric menu complexity of a mechanism, which counts the number of distinct options the buyer may purchase, up to permutations of the items. Our main result is that a mechanism of quasi-polynomial symmetric menu complexity suffices to guarantee a (1 - epsilon )-approximation when the buyer is unit-demand over independent items, even when the value distribution is unbounded, and that this mechanism can be found in quasi-polynomial time. Our key technical result is a polynomial-time, (symmetric) menu-complexity-preserving black-box reduction from achieving a (1 - epsilon )-approximation for unbounded valuations that are subadditive over independent items to achieving a (1 - O(epsilon ))-approximation when the values are bounded (and still subadditive over independent items). We further apply this reduction to deduce approximation schemes for a suite of valuation classes beyond our main result. Finally, we show that selling separately (which has exponential menu complexity) can be approximated up to a (1 - epsilon ) factor with a menu of efficient-linear (f (epsilon) · n) symmetric menu complexity.
Salvage Focal Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Radiation therapy (RT) is one of the treatment options for prostate cancer and around a third of patients opt to have RT; of these, approximately 30–40 % patients develop biochemical failure (BF). Patients who have BF often have a more aggressive form of prostate cancer. Organ confined BF is potentially curable using focal salvage therapy. Focal salvage therapy, however, has a higher complication rate and therefore suitable candidates should be carefully selected. A prostate biopsy should include sampling of the seminal vesicles. Appropriate evaluation for distant metastases should be done in select cases, depending on the PSA values, PSA doubling times and Gleason score. Recurrence of disease after salvage focal therapy is difficult to assess and further studies are needed to standardize criteria for biochemical failure after Focal salvage therapy.
Axial Ratio of Edge-On Spiral Galaxies as a Test for Bright Radio Halos

We use surface brightness contour maps of nearby edge-on spiral galaxies to determine whether extended bright radio halos are common. In particular, we test a recent model of the spatial structure of the diffuse radio continuum by Subrahmanyan & Cowsik which posits that a substantial fraction of the observed high-latitude surface brightness originates from an extended Galactic halo of uniform emissivity. Measurements of the axial ratio of emission contours within a sample of normal spiral galaxies at 1500 MHz and below show no evidence for such a bright, extended radio halo. Either the Galaxy is atypical compared to nearby quiescent spirals or the bulk of the observed high-latitude emission does not originate from this type of extended halo.
The Deliberative Process Privilege and the Freedom of Information Act: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service v. Sierra Club (2021)

The dispute in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service v. Sierra Club, [592 U. S. ____ (2021)] centers on the release of government records related to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule governing...
Mapping the Unconscious Brain: Insights From Advanced Neuroimaging.

SUMMARY Recent advances in neuroimaging have been a preeminent factor in the scientific effort to unravel mechanisms of conscious awareness and the pathophysiology of disorders of consciousness. In the first part of this review, we selectively discuss operational models of consciousness, the biophysical signal that is measured using different imaging modalities, and knowledge on disorders of consciousness that has been gleaned with each neuroimaging modality. Techniques considered include diffusion-weighted imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, different types of nuclear medicine imaging, functional MRI, magnetoencephalography, and the combined transcranial magnetic stimulation-electroencephalography approach. In the second part of this article, we provide an overview of how advanced neuroimaging can be leveraged to support neurological prognostication, the use of machine learning to process high-dimensional imaging data, potential applications in clinical practice, and future directions.
Memory Reactivation during Sleep Improves Execution of a Challenging Motor Skill.

Memory reactivation during sleep reinforces various types of learning. Basic motor skills likely benefit from sleep. There is insufficient evidence, however, on whether memory reactivation during sleep contributes to learning how to execute a novel action. Here, we investigated motor learning in a myoelectric feedback task. Human male and female participants learned to control myoelectric activity in specific arm muscles to move a computer cursor to each of 16 locations. Each location was associated with a unique sound. Half of the sounds were played during slow-wave sleep to reactivate corresponding memories of muscle control. After sleep, movements cued during sleep were performed more quickly and efficiently than uncued movements. These results demonstrated that memory reactivation during sleep contributes to learning of action execution. We conclude that sleep supports learning novel actions, which also maps onto the learning required in certain neurorehabilitation procedures. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Prior literature on motor learning has produced much evidence supporting a role for sleep but scant evidence on the execution component. This aspect of learning is critical for many complex skills that people value in their lives. Our results not only implicate sleep in skill learning but also pinpoint a benefit for motor execution using a method for modifying memory storage during sleep. We used targeted memory reactivation (TMR), whereby a stimulus that has been associated with learning is presented again during sleep to bring on a recapitulation of waking brain activity. Our demonstration that memory reactivation contributed to skilled performance may be relevant for neurorehabilitation as well as fields concerned with motor learning, such as kinesiology and physiology.
No Direction Home: The American Family and the Fear of National Decline, 1968-1980

Between 1968 and 1980, fears about family deterioration and national decline were ubiquitous in American political culture. In "No Direction Home", Natasha Zaretsky shows that these perceptions of decline profoundly shaped one another. Throughout the 1970s, anxieties about diminishing paternal authority and the future of the nuclear family collided with anxieties about the direction of the United States in the wake of military defeat in Vietnam and in the midst of economic recession, Zaretsky explains. By exploring such themes as the controversy surrounding prisoners of war in Southeast Asia, the OPEC oil embargo of 1973-74, and debates about cultural narcissism, Zaretsky reveals that the 1970s marked a significant turning point in the history of American nationalism. After Vietnam, a wounded national identity - rooted in a collective sense of injury and fueled by images of family peril - exploded to the surface and helped set the stage for the Reagan Revolution. With an innovative analysis that integrates cultural, intellectual, and political history, "No Direction Home" explores the fears that not only shaped an earlier era but also have reverberated into our own time.
Lean Combustion of Methanol-Gasoline Blends in a Single Cylinder SI Engine

Blends of up to 40% by volume methanol in a methanol-gasoline fuel blend were supplied to a single cylinder engine operating under controlled conditions. The following effects are reported as the methanol concentration increases. The lean misfire limit is extended 0.04 equivalence ratio, phi, by using a blend containing 40% methanol compared to the base fuel. It is also noted that the lean misfire limit does not vary until a blend containing greater than 20% methanol was used. Torque and thermal efficiency increase significantly. Percent by volume concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen do not change, although oxides of nitrogen reported as mass per power output per hour decrease.
Extrapancreatic necrotizing pancreatitis with viable pancreas: a previously under-appreciated entity.

Abstract Background: Necrotizing pancreatitis is generally considered to involve the pancreatic parenchyma in all patients, and, as an extension of the necrotic process, the peripancreatic tissues as well. We identified a subgroup of patients in whom the necrotic process involves apparently extrapancreatic tissues alone (EXPN), as opposed to the usual combined parenchymal and peripancreatic necrosis (PN). Study Design: The objective of this study was to compare clinical courses of EXPN and PN. Data were reviewed on 82 consecutive patients with necrotizing pancreatitis treated operatively between 1983 and 1997. The extent of pancreatic parenchymal necrosis (expressed as percent of pancreas based on contrast-enhanced CT and operative findings) was estimated in 62 patients. Diagnosis of EXPN required normal enhancement of entire pancreas on dynamic CT and operative documentation of viability of the gland. Results: Twelve patients (19%) had EXPN and 50 (81%) had PN. Gender, age, body mass index, etiology of pancreatitis, prevalence, and type of infection were similar between groups, but APACHE-II scores on admission were less in EXPN (6 ± 2 versus 10 ± 1, p = 0.02). Patients with EXPN required fewer reoperative necrosectomies (0.7 versus 3.2, p = 0.009) and did not develop pancreatic or gastrointestinal fistulas (0 versus 19 patients) or hemorrhage (0 versus 8 patients). ICU stays were similar, but hospital stays in EXPN were shorter (29 ± 6 versus 54 ± 5 days, p = 0.01) and mortality was less (8% and 20%, p Conclusions: Necrotizing pancreatitis manifesting as EXPN is not rare. EXPN is a less aggressive form of necrotizing pancreatitis, locally and systemically, and signifies a better prognosis.
Bonding development for non-conductive paste (NCP)

Non-conductive paste (NCP) bonding offers fine pitch, simplified process, low packaging cost, and a lead-free interconnect system for flip-chip packaging. However, NCP bonding faces challenges in bonding yield rates. This paper studies bonding optimization through a closed-loop feedback system in order to understand the interaction of NCP materials with the bonding process for gold stud bumps on a rigid substrate. The bonding process is also correlated to conventional bonding study through differential [jgb1] scanning calorimetry (DSC) and macroscopic analysis of the interconnection structure. The study reveals that a significant temperature gradient exists across NCP materials between the die and the substrate, suggesting the existence of an optimal bonding temperature to activate the cross linking of the polymer. A certain threshold force is necessary to provide good physical contact between the gold studs and the bonding pads due to the co-planarity of the bumps. Sufficient dwell time is also necessary to ensure the joints remain in contact while the NCP material is cross linked. This approach simplifies the bonding process for flip-chip assembly
Compressed donut-shaped tablets with zero-order release kinetics.

Purpose. Simple uncoated compressed tablets with a central hole (donut-shape) are proposed to provide a constant drug release over a long period of time (>20 hrs). The effect of hole size and drug solubility on the release kinetics is investigated.
Community: The Thread that Holds Individuals Together

This article discusses the importance of community to both the Puritan and Enlightenment ideologies, which were otherwise opposites in many respects. This article is available in Constructing the Past: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/constructing/vol3/iss1/8
Adding Adequacy to Equity: The Evolving Legal Theory of School Finance Reform

The law of school finance reform is conventionally described as consisting of three waves, each associated with a distinctive legal theory - a first wave based on federal equal protection arguments, a second equity wave based on state equal protection clauses, and a third adequacy wave based on state constitutional education articles. The asserted shift from equity to adequacy has been credited with the increasing success of school finance reform plaintiffs. The wave metaphor and especially the differences between the second and third waves, however, have been sharply overstated - temporally, textually, in terms of litigation success, and as a matter of legal theory. State courts have repeatedly blurred adequacy and equity arguments and judicial analysis of adequacy often reflects equity concerns. Nor is there a clear or consistent judicial approach to the idea of adequacy. Rather, state courts have treated adequacy and the adequacy-equity relationship in three different ways. In one set of cases, courts have cited the adequacy of the educational system to mitigate or excuse a judicial finding that school financing does not violate equality. In a second set of equity minus cases, courts have used the concept of adequacy to require states to equalize the resources of the poorest districts to an adequate level without requiring that the poor be brought up to the level of the rich. Finally, some courts have held that adequacy actually requires more than simple interdistrict tax-base or per-pupil spending equalization. In these equity plus cases, that more can be more-than-equal resources for the poorest districts, or an across-the-board increase in state funding. The more can also mean greater state definition of the components and costs of an adequate education, and more state oversight of, and responsibility for improving, local performance. Some of these equity plus concepts have crossed over into equality litigation, further contributing to the blurring of adequacy and equity concerns. Although adequacy gives reformers another legal theory, it has not been a panacea. A number of state supreme courts have concluded that adequacy is nonjusticiable, and others have been locked in long-term conflicts with their legislatures, over remedies. Still, some state courts have been relatively successful in forcing the adoption of significant financial and administrative changes, and adequacy has contributed to a growing concern with education governance as part of the project of school finance reform.
Polyclonal MHC Ib-restricted CD8+ T cells undergo homeostatic expansion in the absence of conventional MHC-restricted T cells.

Naive T cells have the capacity to expand in a lymphopenic environment in a process called homeostatic expansion, where they gain a memory-like phenotype. Homeostatic expansion is dependent on competition for a number of factors, including growth factors and interactions with their selecting self-MHC molecules. In contrast to conventional T cells, it is unclear whether class Ib-restricted CD8+ T cells have a capacity to undergo homeostatic expansion. In this study, we demonstrate that polyclonal MHC Ib-restricted CD8+ T cells can undergo homeostatic expansion and that their peripheral expansion is suppressed by conventional MHC-restricted T cells. The acute depletion of CD4+ T cells in MHC class Ia-deficient Kb−/−Db−/− mice led to the substantial expansion of class Ib-restricted CD8+ T cells. Adoptive transfer of class Ib-restricted CD8+ T cells to congenic lymphopenic recipients revealed their ability to undergo homeostatic expansion in a MHC Ib-dependent manner. To further study the homeostatic expansion of MHC Ib-restricted T cells in the absence of all conventional MHC-restricted T cells, we generated mice that express only MHC Ib molecules by crossing H-2Kb−/−Db−/− with CIITA−/− mice. CD8+ T cells in these mice exhibit all of the hallmarks of naive T cells actively undergoing homeostatic expansion with constitutive memory-like surface and functional phenotype. These findings provide direct evidence that MHC Ib-restricted CD8+ T cells have the capacity to undergo homeostatic expansion. Their peripheral expansion is suppressed under normal conditions by a numerical excess of conventional MHC class Ia- and class II-restricted T cells.
A pore network model study of the fluid‐fluid interfacial areas measured by dynamic‐interface tracer depletion and miscible displacement water phase advective tracer methods

[1] Fluid-fluid interfacial areas in porous media are of considerable interest due to the impact they have on a wide range of practical applications involving mass transfer between phases, as well as for their importance in understanding unsaturated and multiphase flow behaviors in porous media. Tracer methods provide a low-cost experimental approach for determining interfacial areas in porous media. Although a number of different tracer methods have been developed, uncertainty remains as to exactly what areas they measure. The work presented here uses pore network model simulations to study the behavior of tracers during simulated tracer measurements for two different specific water-phase tracer methods: the dynamic-interface tracer depletion method and the miscible displacement tracer method. The hypothesis driving this work was that different tracer methods likely measure different areas as a result of the very different ways tracers are used. Experimental data sets for six different porous media were used to validate the model and provide comparison with model-simulated tracer-based area measurements. Results of the work suggest that areas measured using the dynamic-interface tracer depletion method closely match total fluid-fluid interfacial areas, as long as the extent of tracer depletion during the method is relatively small. However, areas measured with the miscible displacement method likely fall somewhere between capillary and total fluid-fluid areas. Calculations conducted with realistic diffusion coefficients and film thicknesses indicate that diffusion and head-driven flow in films are insufficient to allow significant tracer access to film area, suggesting the potential importance of other mechanisms. Calculations conducted as a part of the work suggest that Leverett estimates of maximum area formed during drainage may be closer to total areas than previously reported.
GAMMASPHERE. Overview of detector and signal processing system

Gammasphere consists of a close-packed spherical array of 110 coaxial germanium detectors about 65 mm in diameter and 80 mm long each of which is in the middle of a 7-element bismuth germanate scintillator acting as a Compton suppression shield to result in a very large peak to Compton ratio in gamma-ray spectra. The need to maintain excellent energy resolution in such a complex system and to cope with high counting rates (up to 20 kHz in each detector) imposes major challenges in system design and its implementation is the main theme here. A significant new departure in detector technology is the use of longitudinal segmentation (essentially splitting a coaxial detector into two D-shaped elements) to reduce the angle subtended by a detector element at the target. This reduces the signal spread produced by the Doppler effect in gamma rays emitted from nuclei which are generally recoiling at high velocity after the impact of a high-energy incident beam particle. This feature is also covered.
Improved growth of human urothelial carcinoma cell cultures.

Abstract From January, 1981 through June, 1982 specimens from 21 patients with bladder (urothelial) cancer were placed in tissue culture, and one long term cell line was established (5%). From July, 1982 through February, 1984, using an improved culture medium, seven long term cell cultures were established from 21 patients (33%). In addition, one long term culture from a patient with a bladder melanoma was established using the standard culture medium. The nine cell cultures were derived from the following types of tumors: transitional cell carcinoma (6), adenocarcinoma (1), squamous cell carcinoma (1) and melanoma (1). All of the cell lines have produced tumors in athymic nude mice except for one transitional cell carcinoma. All of the cultures demonstrate aneuploidy. Homogeneously staining regions have been seen in some cell cultures. A common marker chromosome has not been identified.
STUDIES IN IRON ABSORPTION. IV. ABSORPTION IN THE PROXIMAL SMALL INTESTINE IN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS.

Summary Mean absorption of iron measured by means of entraluminal infusion through a 4-lumen, 2-balloon tube in an isolated jejunal loop, washed free from bile and pancreatic juice, was higher in 11 patients with cirrhosis of the liver (0.83 ± 0.14 μg. per minute) than in 10 normal control subjects (0.33 ± 0.06 μg. per minute). Changing the pH of the inf usate from 3.0 to 7.0 did not affect the rate of iron absorption. However, mean absorption rate returned to normal upon addition of the patient's own duodenal juice to the infusate. In 2 patients, the absence of such an inhibiting factor was associated with higher-thannormal uptake of iron from the intestine after an oral test dose of Fe 59 as measured by the body counting technique. Thus, intraluminal as well as extraluminal factors are of importance in the regulation of iron absorption in patients with cirrhosis of the liver.
The 13C record for atmospheric CO2: What is it trying to tell us?

Abstract Records of the 13C to 12C ratio of atmospheric CO2 (δ13Catm) trapped in Antarctic ice may offer important insights into past changes in the carbon cycle and drivers of past fluctuations in atmospheric pCO2. A recently published record offers the highest resolution δ13Catm record to date covering the last deglaciation ( Schmitt et al., 2012 ). Two features are of particular interest. One is the small magnitude (0.15±0.05‰) of the δ13Catm difference between the last glacial maximum (LGM) and the Holocene. The other is the abrupt drop (0.30±0.05‰) in δ13Catm between 17.5 and 16.0 ka. This drop is coincident with that of dust deposition on the Antarctic ice cap and into the ocean off South Australia, consistent with the hypothesis that increased efficiency of Southern Ocean nutrient utilization during the last glacial period – and the consequent reduction in atmospheric pCO2 – was driven in part by dust-related iron fertilization. However, in order to further explore either the small LGM–Holocene difference or the rapid drop during the early deglaciation, δ13Catm changes related to the LGM cooling, the LGM upper ocean δ13C change, ocean circulation changes, and the LGM change in the photosynthetic fractionation factor must be known. As each is currently the subject of a sizable uncertainty, we present only a roadmap regarding what must be done in order to interpret the Schmitt et al. (2012) record.
Effects of curvature and stenosis-like narrowing on wall shear stress in a coronary artery model with phasic flow

To gain insight into the details of intracoronary flow we have used computational fluid dynamic techniques to determine the velocity and wall shear stress distributions in both steady- and phasic-flow models of a curved coronary artery with several degrees of stenosis. The steady-flow Reynolds number was 500 and the peak phasic flow Reynolds number was 700. Without stenosis and at 25% (area) stenosis wall shear stress and velocities are higher at the outer wall than the inner wall but retain the same direction as the superimposed flow. At higher stenoses laminar flow separation occurs and the inner wall is exposed to shear stresses that vary widely, both temporally and spatially.
Nonlinear PID Control with Partial State Knowledge: Damping without Derivatives:

Nonlinear PID (NPID) control is implemented by allowing the controller gains to vary as a function of system state. NPID control has been previously described and implemented, and recently a constructive Lyapunov stability proof has been given. The controllers arising with the constructive Lyapunov method will in general depend on knowledge of the full state vector. In the present work, NPID controllers that operate without knowledge of some state variables are demonstrated. A general but conservative design method is presented with an experimental demonstration. For a special case, complete necessary and sufficient conditions are established; for this case, simulation of a robotic force control application demonstrates well-damped control with no requirement for a force-rate signal. The extension to cases of partial state knowledge is important for NPID control, which is most practical when some state variables—particularly rate variables—are poorly known, confounding full-state feedback or other high-da...
Seasonal Affective Disorder and Light Therapy

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a multidimensional disorder, manifested in individual patterns. As applied to SAD, a proliferation of studies of this disorder, of its response to light, and of its psychological and psychophysiological correlates leads to a view of SAD as multidimensional, manifested in individual patterns that have both common elements and also highly divergent aspects. The importance of light as a corrective treatment with results superior to placebo has been established, and standards for the safe and effective practice of light therapy have been propounded. Meanwhile, research continues on strategies for optimizing the effectiveness of light timing, intensity, and spectrum for SAD and related circadian disorders.
Recent directions taken in water, energy, and biogeochemical budgets research

Understanding and predicting global change is a major scientific focus of the late 20th century. Although atmospheric scientists have made substantial progress in developing models that account for many components of the climate system, significant progress is needed in understanding processes associated with the exchange of water, energy, and carbon between terrestrial systems and the atmosphere. To strengthen terrestrial process research, especially research associated with the interactions of water, energy, gases, nutrients, and vegetation, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated an intensive study of Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB). WEBB is aimed at improving understanding of processes controlling terrestrial water, energy, and biogeochemical fluxes, their interactions, and their relations to climatic variables; and the ability to predict continental water, energy, and biogeochemical budgets over a range of spatial and temporal scales.
Intentional Non-Adherence to Medications among HIV Positive Alcohol Drinkers: Prospective Study of Interactive Toxicity Beliefs

BACKGROUND Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is key to successful treatment of HIV infection and alcohol is a known barrier to adherence. Beyond intoxication, ART adherence is impacted by beliefs that mixing alcohol and medications is toxic.
Long-term performance of the passive thermal control systems of the IRAS spacecraft

Degradation of passive thermal control systems in space is a matter of serious concern and has been observed in many missions. The performance of the passive thermal control systems of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) over a period of three years is reported here. An exterior temperature of 200 K and a sunshade temperature of approximately 100 K were maintained over this period without significant degradation. The temperature of the telescope contained in the IRAS cryostat was also observed for two years after expenditure of the helium cryogen. It remained at 100 K with no degradation.
U.S.Abstracts

Presents abstracts of selected IEEE published papers that focus on communications technologies and services.
No Evidence for Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation for Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background & Aims A radiofrequency ablation technique known as Stretta was recommended by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons as an alternative treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, randomized controlled trials of the efficacy of Stretta have produced conflicting findings, and those from previous systematic reviews were compromised as a result of deficiencies in study conduct and reporting of findings. We performed a systematic review to evaluate all evidence on the efficacy of Stretta for the management of GERD. Methods We searched MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library) from inception until February 28, 2014, along with other databases, for randomized controlled trials of Stretta in patients with GERD. Primary outcomes were physiologic parameters of GERD, including normalization of esophageal pH values and augmentation of lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP). Secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and ability to stop the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). For quality assurance purposes, 2 investigators were involved throughout the study. Data were pooled under a random-effects model. The systematic review was performed as per the standards of the Cochrane collaboration. Results We collected data from 4 trials and a total of 165 patients (153 patients were analyzed). Three trials compared Stretta vs sham, and 1 trial compared Stretta with PPI therapy. The overall quality of evidence was very low. The pooled results showed no difference between Stretta and sham or management with PPI in patients with GERD for the outcomes of mean (%) time the pH was less than 4 over a 24-hour time course, LESP, ability to stop PPIs, or HRQOL. Conclusions In a meta-analysis of trials, we found that Stretta for patients with GERD does not produce significant changes, compared with sham therapy, in physiologic parameters, including time spent at a pH less than 4, LESP, ability to stop PPIs, or HRQOL.
The state‐of‐the‐art of the Brazilian QFD applications at the top 500 companies

Since Quality Function Deployment (QFD) has been applied all over the world, a number of surveys have been conducted in various nations in order to evaluate the extent to which the method is applied as well as its main difficulties and benefits. Reports on the design, development and findings of a survey carried out in Brazil, where QFD is completing ten years of application. The companies reported the QFD experienced difficulties, driven data sources, perceived benefits and other relevant aspects of its implementation. The principal difficulties are relative to the size of the matrices, commitment of group members and lack of experience. Companies are more likely to report qualitative benefits associated with improved cross‐functional communication and teamwork. The final picture shows that companies that applied QFD are restricted to a limited population. Reveals a considerable lack of knowledge about the method expressed by many survey respondents. However, identifies five companies with a high level of QFD application.
Nondestructive evaluation of progressive neuronal changes in organotypic rat hippocampal slice cultures using ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence microscopy.

Three-dimensional tissue cultures have been used as effective models for studying different diseases, including epilepsy. High-throughput, nondestructive techniques are essential for rapid assessment of disease-related processes, such as progressive cell death. An ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence microscopy (UHR-OCM) system with ∼1.5 μm axial resolution and ∼2.3 μm transverse resolution was developed to evaluate seizure-induced neuronal injury in organotypic rat hippocampal cultures. The capability of UHR-OCM to visualize cells in neural tissue was confirmed by comparison of UHR-OCM images with confocal immunostained images of the same cultures. In order to evaluate the progression of neuronal injury, UHR-OCM images were obtained from cultures on 7, 14, 21, and 28 days in vitro (DIVs). In comparison to DIV 7, statistically significant reductions in three-dimensional cell count and culture thickness from UHR-OCM images were observed on subsequent time points. In cultures treated with kynurenic acid, significantly less reduction in cell count and culture thickness was observed compared to the control specimens. These results demonstrate the capability of UHR-OCM to perform rapid, label-free, and nondestructive evaluation of neuronal death in organotypic hippocampal cultures. UHR-OCM, in combination with three-dimensional tissue cultures, can potentially prove to be a promising tool for high-throughput screening of drugs targeting various disorders.
Immune Dysfunction Prior to Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia Is a Determinant of Long-Term Mortality

Purpose The clinical implications for patients who survive serious infections are not well understood. It has been hypothesized that the excess mortality for survivors of sepsis observed in epidemiological studies is due to increased vulnerability to subsequent infections. We undertook this study to identify characteristics of patients who are at high risk for death after surviving a common type of blood-stream infection. Materials and Methods At a single academic medical center, 237 patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia admitted during a three-year period were retrospectively identified. The primary outcomes were 30-day and 31 to 90-day mortality after the first positive blood culture. The primary predictor variable of interest was clinical immune dysfunction prior to bacteremia. Results The 30-day mortality was not significantly different for patients with and without prior immune dysfunction. However, during days 31 to 90, 11 patients (20%) with prior immune dysfunction compared to 10 patients (8.6%) without prior immune dysfunction died (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.03–6.53, p = 0.04). In a Cox-proportional hazard model controlling for age, there was a significant association between prior immune dysfunction and greater 31 to 90 day mortality (HR 2.44, 95% CI 1.01–5.90, p = 0.05) and a non-significant trend towards occurrence of subsequent infections and greater 31 to 90 day mortality (HR 2.12, 95% CI 0.89–5.07, p = 0.09). Conclusions Patients with prior immune dysfunction are at high risk for death 31 to 90 days, but not <30 days, after S. aureus bacteremia. Further investigation is needed to determine if this finding is due to poor prognosis of chronic disease or increased vulnerability to subsequent infections.
A Multi-Accelerator System for Heavy Ions

The accelerators for the new National Heavy-Ion Laboratory (NHL) being planned at Oak Ridge will provide beams of all ions from helium to uranium with energies ranging from 100 MeV/u for light ions to 10 MeV/u for the heaviest ions accelerated. The heart of the proposed accelerator system is a large 4 sector isochronous cyclotron of the separated sector type with an energy rating of 440 q2/A MeV. Ions are to be injected into the large cyclotron from either a large tandem electrostatic acclerator or from the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron (ORIC). The ORIC will generally suffice as the injector up to the mass 160-180 range, beyond which use of the tandem is necessary. Beam intensities will range from 1013 ions/sec for 100 MeV/u oxygen to ~2 × 1012/sec for 10 MeV/u uranium ions. The beam emittance is expected to be less than 10 mm-mrad and the energy spread less than 0.1%. The large cyclotron uses auxiliary RF accelerating cavities operating at twice the main RF frequency to flattop the effective accelerating voltage waveform to thus increase the phase acceptance and reduce the energy spread of the beams.
Acute Superior Vena Cava Occlusion After Stenting of Tracheoesophageal Fistula

Acute development of superior vena cava syndrome is unusual. This report describes a patient who suddenly presented with a superior vena cava obstruction after esophageal and tracheal stenting for a malignant tracheoesophageal fistula. Stenting of the superior vena cava rapidly alleviated the obstruction and resulted in resolution of symptoms.
Vysis® UroVysion for the detection of urothelial carcinoma

For decades, cystoscopy and urine cytology have been the mainstay for monitoring superficial urothelial carcinoma patients for tumor recurrence. However, urine cytology has poor sensitivity for urothelial carcinoma and, consequently, numerous investigators have been endeavoring to develop more sensitive assays for the detection of urothelial carcinoma. This article presents an overview of the types of new assays that have been developed for urothelial carcinoma detection but focuses primarily on the features and performance of a new fluorescence in situ hybridization assay for urothelial carcinoma detection known as Vysis UroVysion.
Clinical laboratory quality control: a costly process now out of control

We studied laboratory internal quality control (QC) processes using the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes program. Over 500 institutions participated, providing practices based on approximately 710,000 cholesterol, 880,000 calcium, 400,000 digoxin, and 1,180,000 hemoglobin QC results. The costs of QC included participant median control samples rates comprising 9.1, 9.4, 37.0, and 6.8% for the four analytes respectively, repeat patient test rates of 0.36% for hemoglobin to 0.65% for digoxin, and median delays in reporting results when QC exceptions occurred of 15.8 min for calcium to 24.7 min for hemoglobin. Quality control practices were complex and highly variable among participants and frequently differed from internal laboratory protocols and from long-established quality guidelines. We conclude that QC is costly, and laboratorians frequently do not follow established QC practices, in part because they are complex. To improve compliance, we believe QC practices must be simplified.
The Western Diet and Chronic Kidney Disease

Characteristics of the Western diet that fueled the obesity epidemic may also impact kidney disease incidence and progression. Enlarging portion sizes over the past half century has been accompanied by increased intake of protein, sodium, and processed foods while consumption of fruits and vegetables has declined. Overall dietary patterns play a strong role for chronic disease risk including chronic kidney disease. While dietary patterns high in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in red meats, such as the Mediterranean diet, decrease the risk of chronic diseases, the Western diet, characterized by high intake of red meat, animal fat, sweets, and desserts and low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products, increases risk of chronic diseases. In this article, we review the potential mechanisms whereby several key characteristics of the typical Western diet may impact kidney disease incidence and progression. We also discuss a public health policy initiative to improve dietary choices. Reducing protein intake to the recommended daily allowance of 0.8 g/kg/day and increasing intake of fruit and vegetables and fiber may mitigate kidney disease progression and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
“You Hafta Push”: Using Sapphire's Novel to Teach Introduction to American Government

Using fiction in the classroom can dramatize public policy issues and political science concepts, therefore, making them more real and relevant to students. Sapphire's 1996 novel Push puts a face on welfare, rape, incest, child abuse, educational inequalities, homophobia, and AIDS. I also use this novel to discuss the public policy process, federalism, diversity, and bureaucracy. Push's main character, Precious Jones is the original child left behind. Drawing on surveys and reaction papers from 176 of my students collected in 2002 and 2004, I conclude that introductory political science students learn more about American government from reading Push than from the traditional lecture format. Women particularly report that Push has helped them learn difficult concepts and that they “learned a lot from the book.” Students who read the book come to empathize with Precious even though they recognize she is very different than they are. Recognition and empathy for those different than us is a key element in cit...
Environmental health aspects of fungicides. I. Dithiocarbamtes.

A variety of dithiocarbamate fungicides, as well as their principal trace impurities, and metabolic or chemical degradation products are reviewed. Major focus is on their chemical and toxicological features (primarily carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic), use patterns, and residues. The compounds discussed include (1) ethylane bis(dithiocarbamates) (maneb, zineb, nabam), (2) dithiocarbamates (ferbam, ziram), and (3) thiuram disulfate (thiram) and ethylene thiourea.
Reflective facilities in Smalltalk-80

Computational reflection makes it easy to solve problems that are otherwise difficult to address in Smalltalk-80, such as the construction of monitors, distributed objects, and futures, and can allow experimentation with new inheritance, delegation, and protection schemes. Full reflection is expensive to implement. However, the ability to override method lookup can bring much of the power of reflection to languages like Smalltalk-80 at no cost in efficiency.