cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photon-Z mixing in the Weinberg-Salam model: Effective charges and the a = −3 gauge

Abstract We study some properties of the Weinberg-Salam model connected with the photon- Z mixing. We solve the linear Dyson-Schwinger equations between full and 1PI boson propagators. The task is made easier by the two-point function Ward identities that we derive to all orders and in any gauge. Some aspects of the renormalization of the model are also discussed. We display the exact mass-dependent one-loop two-point functions involving the photon and Z field in any linear ξ-gauge. The special gauge a = ξ −1 = −3 is shown to play a peculiar role. In this gauge, the Z field is multiplicatively renormalizable (at the one-loop level), and one can construct both electric and weak effective charges of the theory from the photon and Z propagators, with a very simple expression similar to that of the QED Petermann, Stueckelberg, Gell-Mann and Low charge.
Paragraph Production and the Given-New Contract

The Given-New Contract is a theory of information transfer that helps explain why unified and cohesive paragraphs are essential for effective written communications. The theory also suggests a practical methodology for the construction of unified and cohesive paragraphs. The first part of this paper explains the theory of the Given-New Contract, and the second part offers a strategy for teaching paragraph production that is based on the theory of the Given-New Contract.
Seeded optically driven avalanche ionization in molecular and noble gases

We report experimental and numerical results on the dual laser-pulse plasma excitation in molecular and noble gases at atmospheric pressure. Dilute plasma channels generated through filamentation of ultraintense femtosecond laser pulses in air, argon, and helium are densified through the application of multijoule nanosecond heater pulses. Plasma densification in molecular gases is always accompanied by the fragmentation of the plasma channels into discrete bubbles, while in atomic gases, under certain conditions, the densified channels remain smooth and continuous. The densification effect in atomic gases persists through considerably longer delays between the femtosecond and nanosecond pulses compared to that in molecular gases. Using rate equations we trace this difference in the temporal dynamics of densification to the different cooling mechanisms operative in atomic and molecular cases.
Au-Mg improved ohmic contacts to p-GaAs

A novel ohmic contact alloy to p-GaAs consisting of 96 weight % Au and 4 weight % Mg, a Mo barrier metal and Au overlay is described. Contact resistivities as low as 8 × 10?5 cm2 were achieved on heavily doped substrates. Auger sputter profiles have shown these contacts to be thermally stable up to 450°C.
Practical case studies for undergraduate process dynamics and control using process control modules

An effective environment for the incorporation of realistic case studies is introduced for a process dynamics and control course. Process Control Modules can be used in a computer laboratory under MATLAB 5.1 and Simulink 2.1 (Mathworks). Several industrial case studies are reviewed which exemplify the use of such a tool for control education. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 6: 181–191, 1998
Information processing related to stimulus novelty and complexity in a signal detection paradigm.

Three experiments are reported which investigated the informational properties of novel and complex stimuli. Irrelevant visual stimuli varying in novelty and complexity were employed as noise in an auditory signal detection task. Signal detection increased over the time of exposure of the visual stimuli, suggesting that the amount of information being processed from a stimulus is a function of its novelty. The judged complexity of the stimulus did not systematically influence signal detection. The investigations employed both within- and between-subjects experimental designs.
Anemia and macrocytosis in the prediction of serum folate and vitamin B12 status, and treatment outcome in major depression

Abstract Background : Folate and B12 deficiencies may result in macrocytic anemia, and are common in major depression; hypofolatemia may result in poorer antidepressant response. We wished to determine whether anemia or macrocytosis predict hypofolatemia, low B12, or refractoriness to antidepressants. Methods : After obtaining serum folate, B12, and hematological indices, 213 depressed adults were treated with fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Amelioration of depressive symptoms was measured. Results : Neither macrocytosis nor anemia predicted low serum folate/B12, or antidepressant refractoriness. Among 39 patients with hypofolatemia, none had macrocytosis; 28% had low HCT; 41% had low RBC. Among 25 patients with low B12, none had macrocytosis; 24% had low HCT; 28% had low RBC. Among non-responders, 3% had macrocytosis; 24% had low HCT; 25% had low RBC. Conclusion : Anemia and macrocytosis should not be used to predict folate or B12 deficiencies, or refractoriness to antidepressants. Measurement of folate and B12 should be considered when evaluating treatment refractoriness.
Collective excitations in narrow superconducting strips

Abstract Thin aluminum films scribed into strips several microns wide and a few mm long have been irradiated with microwaves of wavelength comparable to the length of the strips. The microwave source is an electron cyclotron maser, of the sort devised by Bott, tunable in wavelength from 12 to 2 mm, and with output power on the order of 100 mW. The aluminum strips constitute dipole antennas with a resonance corresponding to a highly relaxed plasmon excitation which can be made to lie within the superconducting energy gap. Effects of excitation of the plasmon mode upon the condensate will be described.
Problems Associated with Grid Convergence of Functionals

The current use of functionals to evaluate order-of-convergence of a numerical scheme can lead to incorrect values. The problem comes about because of interplay between the errors from the evaluation of the functional, e.g., quadrature error, and from the numerical scheme discretization. Alternative procedures for deducing the order-property of a scheme are presented. The problem is studied within the context of the inviscid supersonic flow over a blunt body; however, the problem and solutions presented are not unique to this example.
A two-metric proposal to specify the color-rendering properties of light sources for retail lighting

Lighting plays an important role in supporting retail operations, from attracting customers, to enabling the evaluation of merchandise, to facilitating the completion of the sale. Lighting also contributes to the identity, comfort, and visual quality of a retail store. With the increasing availability and quality of white LEDs, retail lighting specifiers are now considering LED lighting in stores. The color rendering of light sources is a key factor in supporting retail lighting goals and thus influences a light source's acceptance by users and specifiers. However, there is limited information on what consumers' color preferences are, and metrics used to describe the color properties of light sources often are equivocal and fail to predict preference. The color rendering of light sources is described in the industry solely by the color rendering index (CRI), which is only indirectly related to human perception. CRI is intended to characterize the appearance of objects illuminated by the source and is increasingly being challenged because new sources are being developed with increasingly exotic spectral power distributions. This paper discusses how CRI might be augmented to better use it in support of the design objectives for retail merchandising. The proposed guidelines include the use of gamut area index as a complementary metric to CRI for assuring good color rendering.
Art therapy in a women's correctional facility

Abstract The following article describes an innovative art therapy program at Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women, a minimum and maximum security facility located in Pewee Valley, Kentucky. The program was designed to provide an alternative therapeutic resource for inmates previously untouched or unaffected by other modalities. The article, then, describes the evolution of a group comprised of aggressive, acting out and therapeutically unsophisticated women. By tracing specific sessions to analyze group process and dynamics, the article observes that previously untapped material may be made accessible by the use of non-verbal techniques. It is apparent, then, that a prison population may be reached and that change may, indeed, be effected.
Some Observations Regarding Photometric Reproducibility between Ultraviolet Spectrophotometers

Several cooperative studies of ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer photometric accuracy have been published, using different wavelength and absorbance ranges, samples, etc. By analyzing the results statistically, it is possible to estimate error contributed by the various sources, such as sample preparation, wavelength error, 100% line error, and linearity. Results are reported for a controlled experiment on Beckman DU spectrophotometers, in use under laboratory conditions with operator error controlled, and for a large sample of new DU spectrophotometers with all errors except instrument variations minimized.
A semester project for CS1

While much work has been done on the lab component of the CS1 course, programming assignments have not received as much attention. Many CS1 courses have a series of programming assignments that supplement the lab component. However, the assignments are often unrelated to each other. While the advantages of semester project for upper division courses are well known, little has been done on the use of a semester project in the first programming course. However, it is feasible for a first semester programmer to complete an entire semester project if it is designed properly. The development of a semester-long programming project done in phases has many benefits to offer a CS1 course.
Acute small bowel perforation after wireless capsule endoscopy in a patient with Crohn's disease: a case report.

Introduction Wireless capsule endoscopy is an important tool for minimally invasive evaluation of the small bowel, allowing improved diagnostic yield with low complication rates relative to traditional modalities. Recently however, reports on small bowel perforation after wireless capsule endoscopy have surfaced. Here we present the first case of acute small bowel perforation in a middle-aged male in the United States.
Stimulation of DNA synthesis with histones from tumor tissues.

SummaryThe histones isolated from different tumor tissues enhance the incorporation of H3 thymidine into DA of various organs of C3H mice, especially into spleen. When isolated from embryonic tissues, the histones promote such incorporation to a lesser extent. Additional purification of these histones leads to a decrease in this enhancement. The histones isolated from normal organs do not have any effect.The author wishes to thank Dr. K. B. DeOme, Cancer Research Laboratory, Univ. of California, for kindly supplying C3H mice, C3H/Sx mammary carcinoma and hcpaloma 134; Mr. S. Kass and Mr. R. H. Levenson, Virus Laboratory, Univ. of California, for kindly supplying Shope papillomatosis and Rous sarcoma; and Dr. L. Hnilica, Biochemistry Department, Baylor Univ., who made available the histone from Walker carcinoma. The author also wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. W. M. Stanley for helpful support throughout this work.
Leave No Trace Starts at Home: A Response to Critics and Vision for the Future

In the March 2009 issue of this journal, we published an essay entitled ‘BeyondLeave No Trace’ (Simon & Alagona, 2009). Our paper investigated the developmentof Leave No Trace (LNT) in the United States, explored the historical andgeographical assumptions that underpin LNT as an environmental ethic, describedits strengths and accomplishments, explained its logical and normative weaknesses,and identified opportunities to expand this already successful approach beyond itsartificial and self-imposed limitations. We were not the first authors to explore thehistory of LNT (Turner, 2002), and we joined a growing chorus of researchers whohave called for a more effective integration of critical humanistic scholarship intoland management and environmental education (Cachelin, Rose, Dustin, & Shooter,2011; Havlick, 2006; Lockhart, 2006).Yet our essay touched a nerve. It became the subject of a vigorous debate amongthe staff and sponsors of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Education(LNTCOE), the leading non-governmental organization that promotes LNTprograms, practices, and principles. It generated a controversy at LNTCOE’sannual board meeting (Personal communication with LNT staff). And it elicited acritical response paper, entitled ‘Revisiting ‘‘Beyond Leave No Trace’’’ (Marion,Lawhon, Vagias, & Newman, 2011).Our objectives in the current essay are threefold. In the first section, we addresscritiques from the Marion et al. (2010) response paper. In the second section, werearticulate the argument from our original paper, including the major shortcomings
Anatomic location of significant colorectal neoplasia in male patients who smoke

Purpose: There is little data regarding anatomic distribution of significant adenomatous polyps (>1 cm) in smokers. Our aim was to determine if there is an association between smoking and the anatomic location of significant polyps.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and CD80 Modulate CD28 Expression through a Similar Mechanism of T-cell Receptor-independent Inhibition of Transcription

Replicative senescence of human T cells is characterized by the loss of CD28 expression, exemplified by the clonal expansion of CD28null T cells during repeated stimulation in vitro as well as in chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases and in the normal course of aging. Because CD28 is the major costimulatory receptor for the induction of T cell-mediated immunity, the mechanism(s) underlying CD28 loss is of paramount interest. Current models of replicative senescence involve protracted procedures to generate CD28null cells from CD28+ precursors; hence, a T-cell line model was used to examine the dynamics of CD28 expression. Here, we show the versatility of the JT and Jtag cell lines in tracking CD28null ↔ CD28hi phenotypic transitions. JT and Jtag cells were CD28null and CD28lo, respectively, but expressed high levels of CD28 when exposed to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. This was a result of the reconstitution of the CD28 gene transcriptional initiator (INR). Tumor necrosis factor-α reduced CD28 expression because of the inhibition of INR-driven transcription. Ligation of CD28 by an antibody or by CD80 also down-regulated CD28 transcription through the same mechanism, providing evidence that CD28 can generate a T cell receptor-independent signal with a unique biological outcome. Collectively, these data unequivocally demonstrate the critical role of the INR in the regulation of CD28 expression. T cell lines with transient expression of CD28 are invaluable in the dissection of the biochemical processes involved in the transactivation of the CD28 INR, the silencing of which is a key event in the ontogenesis of senescent T cells.
Monolithic Nanoporous Gold Disks as Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates

Monolithic nanoporous gold disks, 500 nm in diameter, 75 nm in thickness and 3.5 nm in pore radius, exhibit a surface-enhanced Raman scattering enhancement factor of at least 108 using benzenethiol with 785 nm excitation.
Iκβ-Related vankyrin Genes in the Campoletis sonorensis Ichnovirus: Temporal and Tissue-Specific Patterns of Expression in Parasitized Heliothis virescens Lepidopteran Hosts

Polydnaviruses (PDVs) are unusual insect viruses that occur in obligate symbiotic associations with parasitic ichneumonid (ichnoviruses, or IVs) and braconid (bracoviruses, or BVs) wasps. PDVs are injected with eggs, ovarian proteins, and venom during parasitization. Following infection of cells in host tissues, viral genes are expressed and their products function to alter lepidopteran host physiology, enabling endoparasitoid development. Here we describe the Campoletis sonorensis IV viral ankyrin (vankyrin) gene family and its transcription. The seven members of this gene family possess ankyrin repeat domains that resemble the inhibitory domains of the Drosophila melanogaster NF-κβ transcription factor inhibitor (Iκβ) cactus. vankyrin gene expression is detected within 2 to 4 h postparasitization (p.p.) in Heliothis virescens hosts and reaches peak levels by 3 days p.p. Our data indicate that vankyrin genes from the C. sonorensis IV genome are differentially expressed in the tissues of parasitized hosts and can be divided into two subclasses: those that target the host fat body and those that target host hemocytes. Polyclonal antibodies raised against a fat-body targeting vankyrin detected a 19-kDa protein in crude extracts prepared from the 3 days p.p. fat body. Vankyrin-specific Abs localized to 3-day p.p. fat-body and hemocyte nuclei, suggesting a role for vankyrin proteins in the nuclei of C. sonorensis IV-infected cells. These data are evidence for divergent tissue specificities and targeting of multigene families in IVs. We hypothesize that PDV vankyrin genes may suppress NF-κβ activity during immune responses and developmental cascades in parasitized lepidopteran hosts of C. sonorensis.
Two fallacious objections to Adams' soft/hard fact distinction

about the past such as (3) Hitler attacked Russia in 1941, 46 years before Casey's involvement in the Iranian affair. (4) Jack correctly believed in 1982 that Casey will be involved in a scandal in 1987, which, although being facts about the past, obtain in virtue of certain states of affairs or events occurring in the future. A philosopher who has made an attempt to give a precise account of this distinction is Marilyn Adams ([1] pp. 493--494). According to her: (AD)
Supramolecular star polymers. Increased molecular weight with decreased polydispersity through self-assembly.

A ditopic structure containing two heterocyclic DeAP units and programmed to self-assemble is used as an initiation unit for the synthesis of polylactide and polystyrene. The resultant polymers self-assemble into higher molecular weight structures with a lower molecular weight distribution. The largest discrete nanoscale polymeric assembly is proposed to be a hexameric star with a molecular weight of ca. 92.7 kDa. All polymeric assemblies generally exhibit PDI values of 1.3 to 1.5, which are lower than the PDI value of the corresponding polymeric arms. A hexameric assembly is stabilized by 30 hydrogen bonds, including six AADD·DDAA contacts. The hexameric star is formed under conditions that are at least partially controlled by kinetics.
Using motivational interviewing techniques to talk with clients about their alcohol use.

Dramatic changes over the past 3 decades have significantly affected the way clinical services for alcohol problems are conceptualized and provided. An important trend is toward delivering services outside of specialized alcohol programs. Expansion of services to primary health care and mental health settings is likely to reach greater numbers of individuals than can be reached in specialized alcohol treatment programs. An important aspect of the change has been the introduction of motivational interviewing (MI) techniques. Although motivation was once viewed as a trait to explain both poor outcomes as well as why people drop out of treatment, today motivation is conceptualized as a state that can be influenced by therapists. MI is a nonconfrontational way of talking and interacting with clients that involves delivering messages in a manner that avoids eliciting resistance (e.g., not using labels such as “alcoholic”). MI has been shown to increase compliance, reduce resistance, decrease dropouts, and result in better treatment outcomes with all types of alcohol abusers, from those who are mildly dependent to those who are severely dependent on alcohol. This article also provides a table of major MI do's and don'ts and examples of what to say and what not to say to clients.
Spacecraft on-board SAR image generation for Eos-type missions

An assessment of feasibility is provided for onboard SAR (synthetic-aperture radar) image generation for Eos (Earth Observing System)-type missions. Specifically, a processor architecture is proposed using a frequency-domain processor for range correlation and a modular fault-tolerant time-domain processor for azimuth correlation. It is shown that using available space qualifiable technology to implement the proposed architecture, an onboard SAR processor having acceptable power, mass, and fault-tolerant characteristics should be feasible for Eos-type applications. >
THE CONTAMINATION OF LAKE SUPERIOR WITH AMPHIBOLE GANGUE MINERALS

Iron ore called taconite is mined in the Biwabik Iron Formation in the Eastern Mesabi region of the Mesabi Range, in eastern Minnesota. After mining, ore is shipped to Silver Bay, Minnnesota for processing and wet magnetic extraction. Tailings from the process are dumped, as a slurry, into a man-made containment delta constructed in Lake Superior. Submicroscopic amphibole fibers and/or cleavage fragments, a component of the gangue, apparently escape from the delta at Silver Bay, and enter Lake Superior. These particles contaiminate the potable water supplies of municipalities drawing directly from the lake. One of the gangue minerals is the amphibole grunerite, whose asbestiform variety is called amosite. Major emphasis of this study was directed at identification of submicroscopic particle pollutants, based on morphology, structure and chemical composition. Quantitative determination of fibrous amphibole phases, present in a range of water samples, was undertaken. Transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and an electron microprobe technique was used for identification and enumeration and this information was compared with data sets determined from standards. Grunerite fiber and/or acicular cleavage fragments, in some instances indistinguishable from asbestiform grunerite, are present in the tailings, lake water and drinking water of a number of municipalities, a result of contamination of the lake at the Silver Bay milling operation. This amphibole is found in drinking water in concentrations which range from 0.6 to 2.8 X 10(6) fiber/liter. The risk to health, associated with direct ingestion of grunerite fiber is unknown and is extrapolated from the asbestiform grunerite (amosite) data base. The biological activity of other fibrous amphiboles observed, unrelated to any asbestiform silicate variety, is presently unknown and warrants investigation.
Total phenolic content, consumer acceptance, and instrumental analysis of bread made with grape seed flour.

: Grape seed flour (GSF) from grape pomace, a waste product generated during winemaking, was explored for use in bread production due to its potential health benefits. This study evaluated the consumer acceptance and physical properties of bread, including total phenolic content (TPC), made with varying levels of GSF. Dough and breads were prepared using different levels of replacement of hard red spring wheat flour (HRS) with GSF (0 to 10 g GSF/100 g HRS) and stored for 0, 2, or 6 wk at −20 °C. Replacement of 10 g GSF/100 g HRS increased the bread TPC from 0.064 mg tannic acid/g dry weight to 4.25 mg tannic acid/g dry weight. Consumer acceptance and instrumental analyses were used to investigate changes in sensory and texture properties due to GSF replacement. Replacement above 5 g GSF/100 g HRS decreased the loaf brightness and volume, with an increase in the bread hardness and porosity. Generally, breads containing ≥ 7.5 g GSF/100 g HRS were characterized by lower consumer acceptance. A reduction in overall and bitterness acceptance was observed in bread at 10 g GSF/100 g HRS, with decreased acceptance of astringency and sweetness at 7.5 and 10 g GSF/100 g HRS. Based on these results, the replacement of 5 g GSF/100 g HRS is recommended for the production of fortified breads with acceptable physical and sensory properties and high TPC activity compared to refined bread. Practical Applications: This study shows that grape seed flour (GSF) can be used to replace hard red spring wheat flour (HRS) in bread production, with moderate impact on the physical and sensory properties of the bread. Replacement of up to 10 g GSF/100 g HRS significantly decreased overall consumer acceptance of the bread, with lower consumer acceptance of sweetness and astringency at 7.5 and 10 g GSF/100 g HRS. Thus, a replacement value of 5 g GSF/100 g HRS is recommended for the production of fortified breads.
Submicron-scale surface roughening induced by ion bombardment.

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) was used to quantitatively investigate nonequilibrium surfaces of graphite roughened by sputter etching with 5-keV Ar ions. The resulting surface morphology depended strongly on the ion flux and fluence, as well as the sample temperature. The height-correlation functions of the roughened surfaces were calculated directly from the STM topographs and compared to linear-response theory and scaling analyses for the propagation of growing fronts. The surfaces developed correlated structures characterized by a length that diverged with increasing ion fluence.
Crosstalk Reduction in Square Cavities

Theoretically and experimentally, we demonstrate that low crosstalk between two crossed line-defect waveguides formed in a square lattice photonic crystal (PC) structure can be achieved using a resonant cavity at the intersection area. The PC resonator consists of cubic air-holes in silicon air-holes. The Q-factor of the cavity can be changed by increasing the number of holes that form the cavity. The theoretical and experimental crosstalk results are about -40 dB and -20 dB, respectively.
Pheidole bilimeki Reconsidered (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Pheidole bilimeki is a common ant species throughout northern South America, Central America, and southern Mexico. Character variation is reevaluated and Pheidole bilimeki is redefined. Pheidole anastasii rev. stat. and P. jamaicensis rev. stat., n. stat. are removed from synonymy and P. jamaicensis is elevated to species rank. Pheidole anastasii is a relatively uniform species that lives in plant cavities in the understory of closed canopy forest. Pheidole jamaicensis and P. bilimeki inhabit open areas and are often associated with human altered landscapes. Pheidole anastasii occurs in lowland Atlantic slope forests from Panama to Guatemala and southern Mexico (Chiapas); P. jamaicensis is restricted to the islands of Jamaica and Hispaniola; P. bilimeki occurs on Cuba, the Bahamas, and the American mainland. Differentiating characters are also provided for Pheidole punctatissima, a common species with habitus and habits similar to P. bilimeki.
Speech enhancement using the multistage Wiener filter

In this paper we develop a subspace speech enhancement approach for estimating a signal which has been degraded by additive uncorrelated noise. This problem has numerous applications such as in hearing aids and automatic speech recognition in noisy environments. The proposed approach utilizes the multistage Wiener filter (MWF). This filter is constructed from a Krylov subspace associated with the Wiener filter for this problem. The principles and performance of this approach are described. The approach provides signals with higher quality compared to the fullWiener filter and the signal subspace method as evident from informal subjective listening tests, the commonly used PESQ objective test and improved speech recognition performance. In informal listening tests the listeners preferred the MWF enhancement over the other enhancement methods.
Nematicidal Effects of Silver Nanoparticles on Root-knot Nematode in Bermudagrass.

Certain nematodes are common soilborne organisms found in turfgrass in the United States that cause significant economic damage to golf course turf. One of the most prevalent plant-parasitic nematodes infesting turfgrass are root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). Chemical treatment options for root-knot nematodes in turfgrass are limited, and there is a need for new nematicidal active ingredients to address this problem. In this study, we evaluated the use of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) as a potential nematicide in laboratory and field experiments. AgNP was synthesized by a redox reaction of silver nitrate with sodium borohydride using 0.2% starch as a stabilizer. When J2 of M. incognita were exposed to AgNP in water at 30 to 150 μg/ml, >99% nematodes became inactive in 6 hr. When turfgrass and soil composite samples infested with M. graminis were treated with 150 μg/ml AgNP, J2 were reduced in the soil samples by 92% and 82% after 4- and 2-d exposures, respectively, in the treated compared to the nontreated soil samples. Field trials evaluating AgNP were conducted on a bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis) putting green infested with M. graminis. Biweekly application of 90.4 mg/m2 of AgNP improved turfgrass quality in one year and reduced gall formation in the roots in two years without phytotoxicity. The AgNP application did not significantly reduce the number of M. graminis J2 in plots during the growing season. The laboratory assays attested to the nematicidal effect of AgNP, and the field evaluation demonstrated its benefits for mitigating damage caused by root-knot nematode in bermudagrass.
Randomized phase II trial of urethral sparing intensity modulated radiation therapy in low-risk prostate cancer: implications for focal therapy

Low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) patients have excellent outcomes, with treatment modality often selected by perceived effects on quality of life. Acute urinary symptoms are common during external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), while chronic symptoms have been linked to urethral dose. Since most low-risk PCa occurs in the peripheral zone (PZ), we hypothesized that EBRT using urethral sparing intensity modulated radiation therapy (US-IMRT) could improve urinary health-related quality of life (HRQOL) while maintaining high rates of PCa control. Patients with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) defined low-risk PCa with no visible lesion within 5 mm of the prostatic urethra on MRI were randomized to US-IMRT or standard (S-) IMRT. Prescription dose was 75.6 Gy in 41 fractions to the PZ + 3–5 mm for US-IMRT and to the prostate + 3 mm for S-IMRT. For US-IMRT, mean proximal and distal urethral doses were limited to 65 Gy and 74 Gy, respectively. HRQOL was assessed using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index (EPIC) Quality of Life questionnaire. The primary endpoint was change in urinary HRQOL at 3 months. From June 2004 to November 2006, 16 patients were randomized, after which a futility analysis concluded that continued accrual was unlikely to demonstrate a difference in the primary endpoint. Mean change in EPIC urinary HRQOL at 3 months was −0.5 ± 11.2 in the US-IMRT arm and +3.9 ± 15.3 in the S-IMRT arm (p = 0.52). Median PSA nadir was higher in the US-IMRT arm (1.46 vs. 0.78, p = 0.05). At 4.7 years median follow-up, three US-IMRT and no S-IMRT patients experienced PSA failure (p = 0.06; HR 8.8, 95% CI 0.9–86). Two out of 3 patients with PSA failure had biopsy-proven local failure, both located contralateral to the original site of disease. Compared with S-IMRT, US-IMRT failed to improve urinary HRQOL and resulted in higher PSA nadir and inferior biochemical control. The high rate of PSA failure and contralateral local failures in US-IMRT patients, despite careful selection of MRI-screened low-risk patients, serve as a cautionary tale for focal PCa treatments.
Three-dimensional model of electrostatically induced pattern formation in thin polymer films

Experiments have shown that a thin polymer film subjected to an electrostatic field may lose stability at the polymer-air interface, leading to uniform self-organized pillars emerging out of the film surface. This paper presents a three-dimensional model to account for this behavior. Attention is focused on a fully nonlinear evolution simulation to reveal the dynamic process from an early perturbation to late structure formation. Energetic components involving the interface energy and dielectric effect and the kinetics of coupled viscous flow and diffusion are incorporated into a phase field framework. The semi-implicit Fourier spectral method and preconditioned biconjugate-gradient method are applied for high efficiency and numerical stability. The simulations reveal rich dynamics of the pattern formation process, and show that the kinetic constraint of the substrate can essentially limit structure coarsening. The pillar size is insensitive to the film thickness while the distance between pillars and the growth rate are significantly affected. The study also suggests an approach to control structural formation in thin films with a designed electric field.
Diagnostic efficacy of computerized spectral versus visual EEG analysis in elderly normal, demented and depressed subjects

Computerized spectral and visual EEG analyses were performed in 35 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and compared to 23 patients with major depression and to 61 healthy elderly controls. In particular, we were interested in the diagnostic efficacy of these two techniques in the identification of cases of AD with only mild cognitive impairment (as measured by the Folstein Mini-Mental State score). For the computer analyzed data, in differentiating AD patients from controls, the spectral pooled parasagittal mean frequency was used. In comparing AD patients to depressed subjects, a combined parasagittal delta and theta spectral score was employed. Visual analysis criteria were based on the severity of generalized EEG abnormalities (with or without focal features). We found that spectral analysis afforded only modest advantages over visual EEG analysis in differentiating AD patients from elderly controls as well as from those with major depression. Since the degree of spectral and visual EEG abnormalities correlated with the severity of dementia, both tests more often correctly classified those AD patients with lower Folstein scores. Also, both tests identified primarily the same patients. We did not find the computer to be more sensitive than the eye in the identification of AD patients with mild impairment. However, computerized spectral data was derived from only 4 channels, while 16 channels and a longer recording time were used for visual analysis. In addition, some areas which have been reported to show EEG abnormalities in AD were not included in the computerized data.
A MEMS resonant strain sensor with 33 nano-strain resolution in a 10 kHz bandwidth

In this paper the authors demonstrate a high performance strain measurement system that consists of a polysilicon double ended tuning fork (DETF) resonant sensor and surface mount electronics to measure its output. This system achieves a resolution of 33 nano-strain (nepsiv) in a bandwidth of 10 kHz, and has a noise floor of 60 pico-strain per root hertz (pepsiv/radicHz) up to 1kHz. The 60 pepsiv/radicHz noise floor is equivalent to a displacement resolution of 12 femto-meters per root hertz (fm/radicHz). To the best of the author's knowledge the smallest reported displacement resolution using surface micromachining is 16 fm/radicHz (Geen et al., 2002)
Replication of T4rII Bacteriophage in Escherichia coli K-12 (λ)

Abstract The defect of T4rII replication in Escherichia coli K-12 (λ) can be phenotypically reversed by various supplements to the growth medium. Arginine, lysine, spermidine, and a number of diamines allowed varying levels of rII replication. The best reversion was obtained with 0.4 m sucrose in 0.002 to 0.005 m Ca++. Monovalent cations severely inhibited reversion. A cell surface site of polyamine action is consistent with the fact that spermidine inhibits phage ghost-induced cell lysis and with the finding that sufficient polyamine is available within the cells to allow normal patterns of neutralization of phage deoxyribonucleic acid, as detected by the polyamine content of progeny phage. In the absence of effective supplements, rII-infected cells swelled and lost refractility. The data indicate that a leaky cell envelop is involved. No difference in mucopeptides of uninfected K-12 (λ) and K-12 was detected and, because the mucopeptide in r+ infected cells was found to be at least partially hydrolyzed midway through the lytic cycle, it did not appear that the rII defect concerned mucopeptide synthesis. The pattern of cell phospholipid synthesis changes after phage infection, but no difference was detected between r+ and rII with regard to biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol.
A combined methodology for SAR interferometric and stereometric error modeling

Both radar interferometry and radar stereo can be used to generate digital elevation maps. Usually, modeling of the achievable mapping accuracy of these techniques is done separately and the resulting sensitivity equations look quite different. Since both techniques solve for the location of a point through the intersection of various level surfaces associated to the sensor observing geometry it might be expected that some common methodology exists such that the common and unique features of each observation strategy would be more readily discernible. In this paper we present a methodology for the basic sensitivity equations for both radar interferometry and radar stereo that highlights the similarities and differences between these approaches.
Heart, lung, and endocrine complications of solid tumors

VEN AS advances in cancer prevention and early detection occur, the incidence of some cancers continues to increase in our population. Malignancies increasing with greatest frequency include cancers of the lung and breast. Greater numbers of patients are surviving initial diagnosis and treatment resulting in a high likelihood that patients will encounter life-threatening illness sometime in the continuum of their disease. Complications may be related directly to the tumor growth, metastasis from the primary site, secretion of horrnonelike substances from the cancer cells, or complications of therapy. When cancers arise or metastasize in the chest, cardiovascular and pulmonary complications are common and may require critical care interventions. Tumors in immediate proximity to the heart and lungs produce cardiopulmonary complications such as malignant pleural and pericardial effusions, superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS), and pneumonia. Tumor characteristics are also important variables in predicting complications. Receptors for antidiuretic hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and prostaglandin substances are present in the lungs. Tumors involving the lungs stimulate production of hormones, increasing the possibility of hormonal disruptions such as syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), Cushing's disease, and hypercalcemia. Other solid tumors predispose patients to hypercoagulability with thromboses, pulmonary embolism, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Cancer treatment regimens are often aggressive and multimodal. Systemic high-dose chemotherapy, brachytherapy, or bone marrow transplant are not uncommon. Any body system may be compromised by the toxicities of therapy, but the involvement of the heart or lungs in the disease process will exacerbate the effects on these two body systems. Cancer therapies toxic to the cardiac or respiratory systems lead to acute and chronic cardiomyopathies, pneumonitis, and pericardial or pulmonary fibrosis. Some complications are dose related, but many are idiosyncratic in nature. Comprehensive knowledge of past and present therapies is necessary to anticipate and monitor for these potentially life-threatening complications. This article focuses on complications that involve the cardiac system, pulmonary system, and endocrine system. Many disorders occur concomitantly or have overlapping signs and symptoms, which requires nurses to be able to compare and contrast complications that may occur in these patients.
Treatment of Cushing's disease: a mechanistic update

Cushing's disease (CD) is characterized by an ACTH-producing anterior corticotrope pituitary adenoma. If hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis physiology is disrupted, ACTH secretion increases, which in turn stimulates adrenocortical steroidogenesis and cortisol production. Medical treatment plays an important role for patients with persistent disease after surgery, for those in whom surgery is not feasible, or while awaiting effects of radiation. Multiple drugs, with different mechanisms of action and variable efficacy and tolerability for controlling the deleterious effects of chronic glucocorticoid excess, are available. The molecular basis and clinical data for centrally acting drugs, adrenal steroidogenesis inhibitors, and glucocorticoid receptor antagonists are reviewed, as are potential novel molecules and future possible targets for CD treatment. Although progress has been made in the understanding of specific corticotrope adenoma receptor physiology and recent clinical studies have detected improved effects with a combined medical therapy approach, there is a clear need for a more efficacious and better-tolerated medical therapy for patients with CD. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms in CD and of HPA axis physiology should advance the development of new drugs in the future.
Less Alienated Labor: A Source of Hope-Filled Mobility Socialization?

Three generations of parents originating from a working-class community inspired their children for upward mobility. This study explores the influence of the labor process in this hope-filled inspiration. Early twentieth-century work for the first and second generations, while arduous and unprestigious, offered them a high degree of control relative to most proletarianized work of the time. Schwalbe’s construct, “natural labor,” derived from his Marx-Mead synthesis, is used to conceptualize enabling aspects of this type of work and to explore the role of lessalienated labor as an enduring source of hope-filled mobility socialization.
Nuclear Reactions of Tantalum with 5.7-Gev Protons

Radiochemically determined cross sections are reported for sixty-seven of the nuclides which appear as products of the nuclear reactions between 5.7-Gev protons and tantalum, and upper or lower limits are reported for thirty additional product nuclides. These data are distributed throughout the range of mass numbers $7lAl180$. The mass yield distribution obtained from the data is similar to the distribution reported by Wolfgang et al. for the interactions of 3-Gev protons with lead, and is consistent with their observations that (1) all mass numbers less than that of the target are represented with cross sections of at least a few millibarns; and (2) there is no obvious fission peak, even though a fission peak is clearly seen at lower bombarding energies (0.3 to 0.5 Gev). However, an objective criterion is devised which, when applied to the data, gives a result supporting the view that at least one reaction process other than spallation (presumably fission) is necessary to explain the observed shape of the mass yield distribution. Although for product mass numbers above $A\ensuremath{\approx}70$ most of the measured cross sections represent "chain yields" of neutron-deficient nuclides, it is possible to determine the approximate locus in the $N$, $Z$ plane of the line of isobaric independent yield maxima, up to $A\ensuremath{\approx}150$. This line is compared with various calculated lines, given in the high-energy nuclear evaporation paper by Dostrovsky, Rabinowitz, and Bivins, in an effort to extract new information on the average excitation energy and neutron deficiency (or excess) of the nuclear evaporation progenitors as functions of the mass number, and on the nuclear state density parameter $a$.
Studies on Papua New Guinea Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae) X. Two new species of Schoengastiini

Neoschoengastia gigantea is described from the Greater Melampitta, Melampitta gigantea (Aves: Timaliidae), and Ascoschoengastia tristernala from the Variable Spiny Rat, Rattus ruber (Rodentia: Muridae), both from West Sepik Prov, Papua New Guinea.
Origin of the ``Beef'' in the Lias Shales of the Dorset Coast.

It is believed that the “ beef ” in the shales-with-“ beef ” resulted from the leaching of the CaCO3 of a fine porous marl by a groundwater solution, and its subsequent redeposition. The initial redeposition was about the grains of calcite along bedding planes or similar divisional openings, and, as more material was added by the solutions moving to these planes, each original grain developed into a fibre in the layer of “ beef ”. Growth was from both sides, but took place faster on the upper side because the dominant movement of the water was downward. Growth stopped due to the exhaustion of the supply of CaCO3 in the marl or CO2 in the solution. The thin paper-shales between the layers of “ beef ” may represent the concentration of the original clay of the marl. This explanation of the origin of the “ beef ” would probably apply to other fibrous deposits of calcite, also.
Mo1324 ERCP in Patients With Prior Whipple's Resection: An Increasing Problem in Long-Term Follow-up

remained significant predictors of clinical response (OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.2-24 p 0.028; OR 7.7, 95% CI 1.8-31.3 p 0.005, respectively). Conclusions: The SOD scintigraphic score is not an adequate screening test for biliary SOD because of its poor sensitivity for abnormal biliary manometry. However, an abnormal SOD score 6 is a good predictor of clinical response to endoscopic therapy for patients with SOD type III. Predictors of response to therapy include elevated basal pressure and SOD type.
Incidence of histoplasmosis following allogeneic bone marrow transplant or solid organ transplant in a hyperendemic area

: Questions have arisen regarding the risk of developing symptomatic Histoplasma capsulatum infection among patients who undergo transplant-related immunosuppression in areas endemic for histoplasmosis. Our medical center is located in a hyperendemic area for histoplasmosis, where three large outbreaks occurred since 1978. We undertook a retrospective chart review of 137 patients who received allogeneic bone marrow transplant and of 449 patients who received solid organ transplant from January 1994 to December 1996 in order to assess the incidence of active histoplasmosis. Charts were reviewed before and after transplantation for clinical outcomes, H. capsulatum serologies and antigen results, and microbiological and radiological results. After a mean follow-up duration exceeding 16 months, no patient was diagnosed with histoplasmosis. In the absence of an outbreak, histoplasmosis is a rare infection following the immunosuppression of allogeneic bone marrow or solid organ transplantation even in a hyperendemic area. Pre-transplant serologies or chest radiographs consistent with prior infection were not associated with post-transplant histoplasmosis.