cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extract of High-Whiteness Aluminum Hydroxide from Residues of Magnesium Production by Aluminothermic Reduction Szaibelyite

The vacuum aluminothermic reduction process can produce magnesium metal and the reducing residue contains rich 12CaO·7Al2O3. The reducing residue can be solved by a mixture solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate. The filter residue is rich boron stuff and the filtrate is a solution of sodium aluminate w hich can be decomposed by CO2to obtain aluminum hydroxide. In present w ork the effects of leaching temperature,time,NaOH concentration and Na2CO3concentration on the leaching rate of alumina w ere investigated systematically and the performances of aluminum hydroxide obtained w ere detected w ith the reduction residue as raw materials. The results show ed that the alumina leaching rate from the residue w as above 85. 21% at the conditions of NaOH concentration 12 g / L,Na2CO3concentration 210 g / L,leaching temperature 95 ℃,leaching time 120 min and liquid-solid ratio 6. The w hiteness of the aluminum hydroxide obtained w as over 98. The chemical formulation of the product is α-Al( OH)3. The SEM results show ed that the grain size w as less than 1 μm.
Effect of Selenium on Growth, S-adenosylmethionine and Polyamine Biosynthesis in Human Colon Cancer Cells

Selenium metabolism and polyamine biosynthesis are linked in their common requirement for S-adenosylmethionine. The effects of selenium supplementation (0.1 to 6.0 ppm) on growth, polyamine biosynthesis and S-adenosylmethionine were examined in two human colon cancer cell lines, WiDr and HT29. WiDr cells were very sensitive to selenium with a significant decrease in 3H-thymidine incorporation and cell number to doses above 0.25 ppm. HT29 cells were less sensitive. In HT29 cells, ornithine decarboxylase activity and its product putrescine decreased in parallel with the growth inhibitory effects of selenium. Similar changes were not noted in WiDr cells. Spermidine and spermine content were conserved in both cell lines exposed to cytotoxic doses of selenium. S-adenosylmethionine was increased in HT29 cells at cytotoxic doses of selenium (1.0 to 6.0 ppm).
Applications of Ultrafast Lasers

We discuss implementations of mode-locked ring lasers, their stabilization via passive optical cavities, and their applications to the development of ultrasensitive sensors.
Circulating Tumor DNA to Monitor Therapy for Aggressive B-Cell Lymphomas

The goal of therapy for aggressive B-cell lymphomas such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is to achieve cure. Combination chemotherapy with rituximab cures most patients, but those with recurrent disease have a poor prognosis. Medical imaging scans such as computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are the principal methods to assess response and monitor for disease relapse after therapy but are fundamentally limited by risks of radiation, cost, and a lack of tumor specificity. Novel sequencing-based DNA monitoring methods are capable of quantifying small amounts of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) before, during, and after therapy for mature B-cell lymphomas. Detection of ctDNA encoding clonal rearranged variable-diversity-joining (VDJ) receptor gene sequences has demonstrated improved analytical sensitivity and enhanced tumor specificity compared to imaging scans in DLBCL, offering broad clinical applicability across a range of aggressive B-cell lymphomas. Molecular monitoring of ctDNA has vaulted into the spotlight as a promising non-invasive tool with immediate clinical impact on monitoring for recurrence after therapy prior to clinical symptoms. As these clinical observations are validated, ctDNA monitoring needs to be investigated as a tool for response-adapted therapy and as a marker of minimal residual disease upon completion of therapy in aggressive B-cell lymphomas. Molecular monitoring of ctDNA holds tremendous promise that may ultimately transform our ability to monitor disease in aggressive B-cell lymphomas.
Abstract 277: Broad-spectrum anticancer activities of the biguanides metformin and buformin in combination with 2-deoxy-glucose or WZB-117 in human lung cancer cells

Purpose: The biguanides Metformin (MET) and to a lesser extent Buformin (BUF) have recently been shown to exert anticancer effects. In particular MET targets cancer stem cells (CSCs) in a variety of cancer types. These compounds have not been extensively tested for combination therapy. Objectives: In this study we investigated in vitro the anticancer activity of MET and BUF alone or in combination with 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), or WZB-117 (WZB), which are a glycolysis and a GLUT-1 inhibitor, respectively, in H460 human lung cancer cells growing under three different culture conditions with varying degrees of stemness: 1) Routine Culture Conditions (RCCs), 2) Floating Lung Tumorspheres (LTSs) that are enriched for stem-like cancer cells and 3) Adherent cells under prolonged periods (8-12 days) of serum starvation (PPSS): These cells are highly resistant to conventional anticancer drugs such as Paclitaxel, Hydroxyurea and Colchicine and display increased level of stemnes markers. Experimental setup: For cells growing under RCCs and under PPSS, cell viability was measured by the MTT assay. Viability of LTS was evaluated by the CCK assay. Clonogenicity was evaluated by the colony formation assays. Results: As single agents MET, BUF, 2-DG and WZB-117 potently inhibited the viability of cells growing under RCCs. These results were confirmed by the colony forming assay. Both MET and BUF showed a strong synergistic effect when used in combination with 2-DG. A weak potentiation was observed when used with WZB-117. Under RCCs H460 cells were more sensitive to MET and BUF and WZB-117 compared to non-tumorigenic Beas-2B cells. While LTSs were less sensitive to each single drug, both MET or BUF in combination with 2-DG showed a strong synergistic effect and reduced cell viability to similar levels compared to the parental H460 cells. Adherent cells growing under PPSS were also less sensitive to each single drug and MET and BUF showed a strong synergistic effect on cell viability in combination with 2-DG. We are currently evaluating the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the signaling pathways involved in the antiproliferative effects of these agents as single drugs as well as in combination. Conclusions: Overall our data demonstrates that combination of BGs with either 2-DG or WZB-117 have a “Broad - spectrum” anticancer activities targeting cells growing under a variety of cell culture conditions with varying degrees of stemness. These properties may be useful to overcome the chemoresistance due to intratumoral heterogeneity found in lung cancer. Citation Format: Juan Sebastian Yakisich, Neelam Azad, Anand V. Iyer. Broad-spectrum anticancer activities of the biguanides metformin and buformin in combination with 2-deoxy-glucose or WZB-117 in human lung cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 277.
Integrated Imaging Informatics

ABSTRACT Organisms express their genomes in a cell-specific manner, resulting in a variety of cellular phenotypes or phenomes. Mapping cell phenomes under various experimental factors is necessary in order to understand the responses of organisms to stimuli or environmental conditions. Biological heterogeneity requires collection of large sets of data. These data sets require an integrated view of experimental and computational components, which is facilitated through the BioSig Imaging Bioinformatics framework. BioSig enables cataloging of protein localization and subcellular responses as a function of experimental factors (e.g., antigen, molecular inhibitor) for cell culture assays as well as for fixed tissue samples. The underlying data model leverages emerging new standards in microscopy, assay development, and experimental design process. The presentation layer is web-based and utilizes a graphical interface to navigate through the annotation, data, and quantitative representation of data. Quantitative representations are derived through novel computational components that enable multiscale representation of images in terms of average behavior (per image) and subcellular responses (for each object in the image). These computational components are model based, leveraging geometric properties of the objects of interest as a means of delineating them from the background.
Anthrax Toxin Protective Antigen Variants That Selectively Utilize either the CMG2 or TEM8 Receptors for Cellular Uptake and Tumor Targeting

The protective antigen (PA) moiety of anthrax toxin binds to cellular receptors and mediates the translocation of the two enzymatic moieties of the toxin to the cytosol. Two PA receptors are known, with capillary morphogenesis protein 2 (CMG2) being the more important for pathogenesis and tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8) playing a minor role. The C-terminal PA domain 4 (PAD4) has extensive interactions with the receptors and is required for binding. Our previous study identified PAD4 variants having enhanced TEM8 binding specificity. To obtain PA variants that selectively bind to CMG2, here we performed phage display selections using magnetic beads having bound CMG2. We found that PA residue isoleucine 656 plays a critical role in PA binding to TEM8 but has a much lesser effect on PA binding to CMG2. We further characterized the role of residue 656 in distinguishing PA binding to CMG2 versus TEM8 by substituting it with the other 19 amino acids. Of the resulting variants, PA I656Q and PA I656V had significantly reduced activity on TEM8-expressing CHO cells but maintained their activity on CMG2-expressing CHO cells. The preference of these PA mutants for CMG2 over TEM8 was further demonstrated using mouse embryonic fibroblast cells and mice deficient in the CMG2 and/or the TEM8 receptors. The structural basis of the alterations in the receptor binding activities of these mutants is also discussed.
Electrochemical, Mass Spectroscopic, Immunochemical, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Techniques

Due to the limitations of conventional spectrophotometric and fluorometric techniques, other modes of reactive species (RS) detection have become increasingly necessary. This chapter describes the techniques that have been developed to improve the sensitivity to detect, identify, or quantify RS from cells up to whole animals, such as immunochemical techniques, mass spectroscopy, electrochemical techniques, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging. This chapter will describe the advantages and limitations that each of these techniques offers over conventional spectroscopic techniques with regards to the detection, identification, and measurement of RS in biological systems, as well as the ability to measure RS generation in real time, and will show how these complementary techniques can elucidate and help us understand the mechanism of oxidative stress at the molecular level.
Fiber Type-Specific Satellite Cell Content in Cyclists Following Heavy Training with Carbohydrate and Carbohydrate-Protein Supplementation.

The central purpose of this study was to evaluate the fiber type-specific satellite cell and myonuclear responses of endurance-trained cyclists to a block of intensified training, when supplementing with carbohydrate (CHO) vs. carbohydrate-protein (PRO). In a crossover design, endurance-trained cyclists (n=8) performed two consecutive training periods, once supplementing with CHO (de facto ‘control’ condition) and the other with PRO. Each training period consisted of 10 days of intensified cycle training (ICT – 120% increase in average training duration) followed by 10 days of recovery (RVT – reduced volume training; 33% volume reduction vs. normal training). Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis before and after ICT and again following RVT. Immunofluorescent microscopy was used to quantify SCs (Pax7+), myonuclei (DAPI+), and myosin heavy chain I (MyHC I). Data are expressed as percent change ± 90% confidence limits. The 10-day block of ICTCHO increased MyHC I SC content (35 ± 28%) and myonuclear density (16 ± 6%), which remained elevated following RVTCHO (SC = 69 ± 50% vs. PRE; Nuclei = 17 ± 15% vs. PRE). MyHC II SC and myonuclei were not different following ICTCHO, but were higher following RVTCHO (SC = +33 ± 31% vs. PRE; Nuclei = 15 ± 14% vs. PRE), indicating a delayed response compared to MyHC I fibers. The MyHC I SC pool increased following ICTPRO (37 ± 37%), but without a concomitant increase in myonuclei. There were no changes in MyHC II SC or myonuclei following ICTPRO. Collectively, these trained endurance cyclists possessed a relatively large pool of SCs that facilitated rapid (MyHC I) and delayed (MyHC II) satellite cell proliferation and myonuclear accretion with CHO. The current findings strengthen the growing body of evidence demonstrating alterations in SC number without hypertrophy. SC pool expansion is typically viewed as an advantageous response to exercise. However, when coupled with our previous report that PRO possibly enhanced whole muscle recovery and increased MyHC I and II fiber size, the limited satellite cell/myonuclear response observed with carbohydrate-protein seem to indicate that protein supplementation was beneficial and may have minimized the necessity for satellite cell involvement.
The Effect of Relationship Banking on Firm Efficiency

Do monitoring relationship banks produce private information about firms exceeding the minimum returns intended to forestall insolvency? I analyze the effect of relationship banking on firms’ technical efficiency, measured by both Data Envelopment Analysis and Stochastic Frontier Analysis. I find evidence that the existence of a banking relationship improves the efficiency of firms that have high default probabilities, whereas the efficiency of more creditworthy firms remains unaffected. Furthermore, in the years following the initiation of a relationship bank loan, only firms close to the default threshold demonstrate reductions in the probability of default. In contrast, in the wake of public debt issuance, firms of all levels of creditworthiness experience increases in default risk.
Pharmacodynamic Differences in the Two Generic Brands of Enoxaparin

Abstract 1251 Several generic versions of enoxaparin have recently become available. While these generic versions of enoxaparin exhibit similar molecular profiles and comparable anti-Xa activities; product specific differences in global anticoagulant (APTT, Heptest and thrombin generation inhibition) have been reported. The purpose of this study was to compare a generic version of enoxaparin Sandoz from Argentina (Fibrinox lot 002) and from the US (enoxaparin lot 914786) in various in vitro whole blood and plasma based clotting tests. Despite comparable molecular profile and anti-Xa potency, product specific differences were noted between the products and the US generic enoxaparin showed a cumulatively stronger activity in most of the assays. To further test the pharmacodynamic profile of these products, individual groups of monkeys (n=4–8) were administered with each product at a 1 mg/kg SC and blood samples were collected for up to 28 hours. Clot based assays such as the APTT, Heptest, thrombin time, amidolytic anti-Xa and anti-IIa activities were carried out. In addition, tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) antigen, thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) activity and thrombin generation assays were also performed. Variable differences were noted in the clot based and amidolytic assays. Interestingly, the US generic product exhibited a lower release in the TFPI antigen whereas in the thrombin generation assays it produced a stronger inhibition of thrombin in terms of the AUC. TAFI activity profile also showed wide variations. These differences were more prevalent during the 1–4 hour time period. No differences were noted at >6 hours. The hysterisis PK/PD plots revealed marked differences between the two products. These results indicate that the products for the same generic suppliers may exhibit variations according to market places. Moreover, these observations underscore the need for a more stringent pharmacodynamic profile to demonstrate product equivalence. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Goodbye to Fixed Bandwidth Reservation: Job Scheduling with Elastic Bandwidth Reservation in Clouds

The shared nature of cloud network infrastructures causes unpredictable network performance, which may degrade the performance of these applications. Recently, several works propose to explicitly reserve the network bandwidth in the cloud with virtual network abstraction models, which pre-specify the network bandwidth between virtual machines (VMs) for a tenant job. However, the pre-specification fails to exploit the elastic feature of the bandwidth resource (i.e., more reserved bandwidth within no-elongation threshold bandwidth leads to shorter job execution time and vice versa) in job scheduling. It is difficult for ordinary tenants (without specialized network knowledge) to estimate the exact needed bandwidth. In this paper, we propose a new cloud job scheduler, in which each tenant only needs to specify job deadline and each job's reserved bandwidth is elastically determined by leveraging the elastic feature to maximize the total job rewards, which represent the worth of successful completion by deadlines. Finally, the scheduler tries to reduce the execution time of each job. It also jointly considers the computational capacity of VMs and reserved VM bandwidth in job scheduling. Using trace-driven and real cluster experiments, we show the efficiency and effectiveness of our job scheduler in comparison with other scheduling strategies.
A novel integrative risk index of papillary thyroid cancer progression combining genomic alterations and clinical factors.

// Qing Cheng 1, 4 , Xuechan Li 4 , Chaitanya R. Acharya 1 , Terry Hyslop 2, 4 , Julie Ann Sosa 1, 3, 4 1 Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710 USA 2 Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710 USA 3 Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710 USA 4 Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710 USA Correspondence to: Julie Ann Sosa, email: julie.sosa@dm.duke.edu Qing Cheng, email: q.cheng@dm.duke.edu Keywords: papillary thyroid cancer, disease progression, genomic alterations, clinical and pathologic factors, risk index model Received: September 02, 2016 Accepted: January 24, 2017 Published: February 06, 2017 ABSTRACT Although the majority of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is indolent, a subset of PTC behaves aggressively despite the best available treatment. A major clinical challenge is to reliably distinguish early on between those patients who need aggressive treatment from those who do not. Using a large cohort of PTC samples obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we analyzed the association between disease progression and multiple forms of genomic data, such as transcriptome, somatic mutations, and somatic copy number alterations, and found that genes related to FOXM1 signaling pathway were significantly associated with PTC progression. Integrative genomic modeling was performed, controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics, which included patient age, gender, TNM stages, histological subtypes, and history of other malignancy, using a leave-one-out elastic net model and 10-fold cross validation. For each subject, the model from the remaining subjects was used to determine the risk index, defined as a linear combination of the clinical and genomic variables from the elastic net model, and the stability of the risk index distribution was assessed through 2,000 bootstrap resampling. We developed a novel approach to combine genomic alterations and patient-related clinical factors that delineates the subset of patients who have more aggressive disease from those whose tumors are indolent and likely will require less aggressive treatment and surveillance ( p = 4.62 × 10 –10 , log-rank test). Our results suggest that risk index modeling that combines genomic alterations with current staging systems provides an opportunity for more effective anticipation of disease prognosis and therefore enhanced precision management of PTC.
The Parasitophorous Vacuole Membrane Surrounding T. Gondii: A Specialized Interface Between Parasite and Cell

Cell invasion by apicomplexan parasites is a rapid yet highly ordered process dependent upon oriented attachment of the parasite to the target cell, parasite motility, and secretion of anterior organelles (rhoptries) during the invasion event (reviewed in Werk 1985). Subsequent to invasion of the host cell, the apicomplexan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, resides within a specialized parasitophorous vacuole (PV). Unlike phagolysosomes, the parasitophorous vacuole neither fuses with lysosomes nor acidifies [Joiner et al. 1990; Jones and Hirsch 1972; Sibley et al. 1985].
History, scale and the political ecology of ethical diamonds in Kugluktuk, Nunavut

Canadian diamonds are marketed as ethical alternatives to so-called 'conflict diamonds.' This research analyzes a series of focus groups conducted in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, an Inuit town impacted by diamond mining. The article sheds some light on the risks and benefits of mining, but it also examines the broader historical and geographic context of commodity networks for diamonds as an entry point into a critique of the possibility of consumption as ethical praxis. What the analysis shows is that the risks and benefits assessed by focus group participants manifest themselves in a context of colonial dispossession of sovereignty over resources. This dispossession is part of the very process of market regulation that is necessary for capital accumulation. Accumulated capital professes to satisfy this created need ethically. In much of Arctic Canada, for example, this takes the form of a dependency on the market in order to secure the wages now necessary to engage in subsistence activities. The purpose of this article is not to unveil exploitive conditions of production or to claim that Canadian diamonds are in fact unethical, but rather to question what we mean by 'ethical' commodities by examining the claim within a broader historical political ecology. Keywords: Diamonds, political ecology, market regulation, Nunavut, ethical consumption.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Patient-Provider Interaction and Patient Education.

The Patient-Provider (P-P) relationship is the foundation of medical practice. The quality of this relationship is essential, particularly for the management of chronic illness such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), since it correlates with disease improvement. A significant aspect of fostering the P-P relationship is providing effective patient-centered education about IBS. An effective education empowers the patients to achieve the main therapeutic goals: to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Method: A literature search of PubMed was conducted using the terms “Irritable Bowel syndrome”, “Patient Physician Relationship”, “Patient Provider Relationship”, and “Patient Physician interaction”. Preference was given to articles with a clearly defined methodology and those with control groups if applicable/appropriate. This article provides a review of the literature on Patient-Provider interaction and patient education as it relates to IBS and provides practical recommendations on how to optimize this important relationship.
Radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling of one of Remote Oceania's oldest cemeteries at Chelechol ra Orrak, Palau

Research at the Chelechol ra Orrak rockshelter in Palau has revealed an extensive cemetery with at least 50 interred individuals, their graves overlain by later occupational deposits. Previous radiocarbon dating placed this sequence of burial and occupation at c. 3000 cal BP, making it one of the earliest Pacific Island cemetery sites. To provide a more robust chronological framework, Bayesian modelling was applied to construct probability ranges for the date and duration of activity at the site, assisted by a suite of new 14C determinations. The results provide more secure evidence for burial activity dating back to c. 3000 cal BP, thus confirming Chelechol ra Orrak as one of the only cemeteries in Remote Oceania that dates to the earliest, known stages of island colonisation.
Application of the CI-Singles Method in Predicting the Energy, Properties, and Reactivity of Molecules in Their Excited States

Configuration interaction with all single excited determinants, CIS, is an easy to use, cost effective method for surveying many excited states of chemical interest. Geometry optimization and vibrational frequency calculations can be carried out using analytical gradients, energy differences can be improved by second order perturbation theory, and large systems can be studied by direct methods. The capabilities and limitations of CIS are illustrated by calculations on the excitation energies of benzene, bicyclobutane and Li2Na2, optimized geometry and properties of n-π* excited state of formaldehyde, vibrational frequencies of n-π* excited acrolein, and excited state potential energy curves for breaking σ and π bonds. These examples are also used to discuss the practical aspects of CIS calculations.
Effects of somatostatin on acute canine experimental pancreatitits

Somatostatin is an inhibitory hormone that decreases the secretion and end organ response of cholecystokinin (CCK). Inhibition of hormonal stimulation of pancreatic exocrine secretion by somatostatin may improve the course of acute pancreatitis. Anesthetized dogs underwent cholecystectomy and cannulation of the pancreatic duct, thoracic, duct, and portal vein. Twenty experiments were performed in random order with 5 dogs in each group. Hourly measurements of lymph flow and portal and thoracic duct amylase were made. Portal blood insulin, glucagon, and CCK concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay on samples obtained at the beginning and end of the experiments. Pancreatitis was induced by injecting, under, constant pressure, 10 ml bile into the pancreatic duct during 1 min. Somatostatin was administered intravenously (20 μg/kg/hr). After 5 h, the dogs were killed, pancreas glands removed and weighted and tissue samples obtained for histologic evaluation. There was a significant-increase in lymph amylase output and portal venous amylase and CCK concentrations in the dogs with pancreatitis compared to the control dogs. In dogs with pancreatitis, lymphatic amylase secretion and portal CCK concentrations were significantly decreased by somatostatin. Somatostatin did not significantly alter portal amylase concentrations, pancreas gland weights or histologic inflammation when compared to values from dogs with pancreatitis not treated with somatostatin. In bile-induced acute experimental pancreatitis, somatostatin decreases thoracic duct amylase output and may have a protective influence on the course of pancreatitis.
Developing a Web-Based Tool Using Hospital-Specific Cumulative Antibiogram Data

Objective: To develop new methods of using hospital-specific antibiograms. Methods: An electronic database of the results of hospital-specific antibiograms from 1989 to 2001 was constructed. To aid clinicians in selectingempiric treatment for infection, a table of antibiotics of choice with assigned values to corresponding pathogens was derived from the database. A searchable version of the database was also created and installed on the hospital's Web site, as a resource for clinicians. Users may view the data online or download it in personal digital assistant (PDA) format Results: The table of antibiotics of choice and the searchable database became available on our hospital Web site, at http://www.sfmc.net/services/allServices/Pharmacy/inpatientPharmacy.html. Conclusion: This article describes a novel way of using hospital-specific antibiogram data. Beyond spot viewing of a year-long antibiogram, the long-term trends revealed by the database should provide a more in. depth resource for clinicians selecting empiric therapy for infectious diseases. It is hoped that placing this information on the Internet and making it accessible on a PDA will increase the utility of local microbiological data.
Economics of the Recombinant Human Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factors

The cost of cancer care in the United States continues to rise quickly, outpacing both inflation and the increases seen in other areas of medicine. As a result, oncology is receiving increasing scrutiny regarding the way in which resources are utilized. Statistics from the National Institute of Health (NIH) estimate that cancer accounted for >US$200 billion in direct costs in the United States during 2007 and studies estimated the impact of indirect costs such as lost productivity to be >US$900 billion as of 2000 [1–3]. During a period of health reform, increasing focus is being placed on controlling costs and supportive care in oncology is an important area of focus.
Clinical trials research in pediatrics: strategies for effective collaboration between investigator sites and the pharmaceutical industry.

There is a paucity of clinical trials work in children, which leads to the frequent use of off-label and unlicensed medications in this very vulnerable group. Clinical trials work in children may be more difficult than in adults, and there are certainly ethical constraints. However, the differences between adults and children, and at different stages of childhood development, mandate strategies to improve this situation rather than continually relying on extrapolation from adult studies. Therefore, new strategies have to be established between the pharmaceutical industry and pediatric centers to facilitate effective trials work. These must be based on a clear and mutual understanding of the differences between working with children and adults. Disease phenotypes may be completely different in children; for example, wheeze in infants is not miniature adult asthma. Clinical trial design must be practical, and a trial is more likely to succeed if a simple design is utilized, with minimal interference with school work and the work of carers. The new UK initiative, ‘Medicines for Children’, should go a long way towards addressing the problem, and increase the evidence base for the utilization of medications in pediatric practice.
Just Being a Lawyer

This review describes how the dissembling strategies of the former President in the Jones case and impeachment proceeding, so widely reviled at the time, were in fact simply the advocacy techniques commonly employed by lawyers representing clients in our current (exaggerated) version of the adversary system. The comparison is pointedly not meant as a defense or apologia for Clinton, but as a criticism of lawyers and their "ethics." The core vice that Posner finds in Clinton's efforts to contain the truth of the Lewinsky affair is very similar to a fault the public perceives in the behavior of lawyers generally. Namely, lawyers often try to obscure or distract from factual truth order to prevent the law from applying as intended. Most of this avoidance behavior is technically lawful because, for pragmatic reasons, allowances for such avoidance have been deliberately built into the criminal laws against perjury, obstruction of justice and the like. These allowances are a compromise that the law makes with morals so its criminal prohibitions will not unduly chill the advocacy zeal on which the adversary system depends. Because of these allowances, however, it may be problematic to make a legal case against Clinton for his efforts to conceal the Lewinsky affair. Nonetheless, Clinton's manner of defense discloses unmistakably the serious discrepancy that exists between the standards of honesty that lawyers apply to themselves and those that the public expects of honest people in general and of a legitimate system of law in particular. In his report and analysis of the events, Judge Posner seems to recognize the problems, as did the public generally, but he does not take the opportunity to draw the consequent conclusions about certain widely accepted norms of adversarial practice today.
SEM and ESEM techniques used for analysis of asphalt binder and mixture: A state of the art review

Abstract This paper reviews techniques and analyses performed on microstructure of the asphalt binder and mixture using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM). An extensive insight on the SEM and ESEM principle and techniques, different sample preparation methods and instrument techniques for capturing the micromorphology of the binder and mixture have been presented. The difference between SEM and ESEM in terms of challenges and limitation regarding the analysis of bitumen has been explained. In depth discussions on the surface properties, fracture morphology, network structure, dispersion, phase morphology, structural and strength mechanism, adhesion, deform mechanism and the formation of fibril structures of asphalt binder and mixture have been provided. Recommendations and useful techniques are outlined for future research to obtain any correlation between the microstructure and physical/rheological properties of the asphalt binder/mixture.
Diels-Alder reactions of "in situ" generated perfluorinated thioketones.

A simple and general procedure for the preparation of Diels–Alder adducts of perfluorinated thioketones and various dienes is reported. The corresponding Diels–Alder adducts were prepared in 30–78% yield under mild conditions via a reaction of a mixture of fluoroolefins, sulfur, diene and CsF as a catalyst.
Endocannabinoid Metabolome Characterization of Transitional and Mature Human Milk

Recognized as the gold standard, human milk (HM) is an extremely complex yet fascinating biofluid tailored to meet an infant’s nutritional requirements throughout development. Endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-like compounds (endocannabinoid metabolome, ECM) are endogenous lipid mediators derived from long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that have been identified in HM. Previous research has shown that arachidonoylglycerol might play a role in establishing the infant’s suckling response during lactation by activating the type 1 cannabinoid receptor in the infant’s brain. The mechanisms of action and the role of the ECM in HM are not fully understood. Transitional and mature milk samples were collected from lactating women (n = 24) for ECM characterization, quantification, and to evaluate differences among the two stages. HM samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Identified members of the ECM were: arachidonoylethanolamine, palmitoylethanolamine, oleoylethanolamine, docosahexaenoylethanolamine, eicoapentaenoylethanolamine, eicosenoylethanolamine, arachidonoylglycerol, palmitoyglycerol, oleoylglycerol, docosahexaenoylglycerol, eicosapentaenoylglycerol, eiconenooylglycerol, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid. Only docosahexaenoylglycerol was different across transitional and mature milk (p ≤ 0.05). Data from this cohort suggest that bioactive constituents in HM may also play a role in infant health and development. Future studies can be developed based on this study’s data to help elucidate specific roles for each ECM member in addition to understanding how the ECM modulates infant health.
Halo: A Personal IoT Air Monitor

Urban air pollution leads to widespread respiratory illness and millions of deaths annually. PM2.5, which refers to particulate matter with a diameter less than $2.5\ \mu\mathbf{m}$ , is the product of many common combustion reactions and poses a particularly serious health risk. The small size of the particle allows it to penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Due to the highly localized nature of air pollution, and to enable individuals and institutions to monitor their real-time exposure to PM2.5 easily, we designed Halo, an air quality monitor costing less than $100. Halo, powered by solar energy, measures reflected IR light to determine the particulate concentration in the air, and it uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to communicate pollution levels to a users phone. From the phone, users can examine personal air quality levels or view aggregated data from multiple devices on a crowd-sourced pollution map. Field test results at Santa Clara University and in a Santa Clara County elementary school demonstrate that Halo can accurately track and measure personal air quality.
Design of an optofluidic sensor for rapid detection of hemolysis

Abstract Blood tests are a vital source of information for disease diagnosis and monitoring. Blood sample contamination due to hemolysis (the rupturing of red blood cells) is a significant problem that can result in incorrect diagnoses, delayed treatment, and inappropriate prescriptions. Therefore, a simple, rapid test is needed to detect the occurrence of hemolysis. Here we propose a new miniature spectroscopic device, integrated onto an optical fiber platform, which can quickly and reliably determine the amount of free hemoglobin in a small droplet of blood plasma. Optimal design parameters for the device were first calculated theoretically, and then the device was fabricated and tested. Experimental tests demonstrated that the device can quickly measure free plasma hemoglobin over a wide range of concentration (0–500 mg/dL) and with a low detection limit (
Ask Me Another

It took a Navy Admiral to remind me about something important concerning teaching and learning. I was at an information meeting for Navy reservists and their spouses on readiness preparation for possible deployment. I was completely out of my element; I was intimidated by the setting, by the speaker's rank, and certainly by the topic. Rear Admiral Martha Herb started her presentation by encouraging us (okay, maybe commanding us) to ask questions. She said, "You don't learn as much unless you ask questions."How right she is. This simple statement struck me as a basic truth about teaching and learning, of which I needed reminding. Questioning is the basis of all scientific inquiry. Just a glance at the articles in the Journal of Geoscience Education, or at the many professional development workshops for geoscience instructors offered in conjunction with past Geological Society of America and American Geophysical Union meetings, tells us that we have a large toolbox of instructional methods to encourage inquiry. But question asking can still be elusive, especially in a lecture. And even with the growing trend of flipped classrooms and blended learning, I believe that lectures will not, and should not, fully go away. Lectures can be powerful and inspiring (have you listened to a TED talk [http://www.ted.com/talks]?), but do not need to be isolating monologs. Interruptions by questions can help the instructor gauge the room ("Are they with me?"), help students clarify their learning and make connections between the lecture content and their prior knowledge and personal experience.So, sitting listening to Admiral Herb, I reflected with some dismay on a class I was teaching that term. With only nine students in it, one would think my monologs were few and the dialog rich. That was not the case. Although I taught it much the same way I did the prior year, with lots of active learning exercises and group work, the students that term just did not ask questions of me when I lectured. Maybe to them, I was as intimidating as a Navy admiral.That Saturday when I was listening to Admiral Herb, I also had a good taste of what it is like to be a student in a large class listening to a lecture. Did I ask a question? No. Did I have some? Yes. Telling students to ask questions will not ensure that they will.So when I returned to James Madison University the following Monday, I entered class with renewed motivation to get the questions flowing. …
Large pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung: A case report

Abstract Pleomorphic carcinoma (PC) of the lung is an aggressive carcinoma and an extremely rare entity. It is one of the subtypes of pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma. We are presenting a case of large PC with the relevant histological, immunohistochemical and molecular studies. A surgical specimen of a lung mass was obtained from a 74 year old female patient. The mass was 11 cm in its greatest dimension and was firmly attached to the pleura and diaphragm. Grossly the tumor was infiltrating to the surrounding structure. Microscopically the tumor was composed predominantly of spindle cells with small areas of epithelial nests, bizarre pleomorphic cells and tumor giant cells. The tumor was hypercellular and actively proliferating. The neoplastic spindle cells were strongly positive with vimentin and caldesmon, while the malignant epithelial cells showed positivity with AE1/AE3 and CK5/6. Tumor cells did not stain for TTF-1, napsin-A, synaptophysin, Cam5.2, CD34, SOX-10 and S-100. Based on the recent WHO classification of sarcomatoid neoplasm of the lung, our case was defined as a pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung. Molecular testing was negative for PD-L1, EGFR and Alk1. For this patient, a diagnosis of spindle cell neoplasm favoring sarcoma was rendered by prior needle biopsy at an outside hospital. Here we demonstrate that liberal sampling together with proper immunohistochemical staining is necessary for diagnosing pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung.
Functions of subventricular zone neural precursor cells in stroke recovery

The proliferation and ectopic migration of neural precursor cells (NPCs) in response to ischemic brain injury was first reported two decades ago. Since then, studies of brain injury-induced subventricular zone cytogenesis, primarily in rodent models, have provided insight into the cellular and molecular determinants of this phenomenon and its modulation by various factors. However, despite considerable correlational evidence-and some direct evidence-to support contributions of NPCs to behavioral recovery after stroke, the causal mechanisms have not been identified. Here we discuss the subventricular zone cytogenic response and its possible roles in brain injury and disease, focusing on rodent models of stroke. Emerging evidence suggests that NPCs can modulate harmful responses and enhance reparative responses to neurologic diseases. We speculatively identify four broad functions of NPCs in the context of stroke: cell replacement, cytoprotection, remodeling of residual tissue, and immunomodulation. Thus, NPCs may have pleiotropic functions in supporting behavioral recovery after stroke.
dGEMRIC and CECT Comparison of Cationic and Anionic Contrast Agents in Cadaveric Human Metacarpal Cartilage.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) are widely used to image cartilage and their diagnostic capability is enhanced in the presence of contrast agents. The aim of the study is to directly compare the performance between commercial anionic MRI (Gd(DTPA), Gd2-) and CT (Ioxaglate, Iox1-) contrast agents with novel cationic MRI (Gd(DTPA)Lys2 , Gd4+) and CT (CA4+) contrast agents for assessment of cartilage mechanical and biochemical properties using the ex vivo human osteoarthritis metacarpal cartilage model. First, indentation testing was conducted to obtain the compressive modulus of the human fifth metacarpals. The samples were then immersed in the anionic and cationic contrast agents prior to delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage and CT scanning, respectively. The cartilage glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content and distribution were determined using the 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue assay and Safranin-O histology. Cationic agents significantly accumulate in cartilage compared with anionic agents. Significant positive correlations (p 0.05) and indentation equilibrium modulus (Gd2-: R2 = 0.38, p 0.05). MRI or CT with cationic contrast agents provides greater sensitivity than their anionic analogs at assessing the biochemical and biomechanical properties of ex vivo human metacarpal cartilage. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 38:719-725, 2020.
Lymphaticovenous Bypass for Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction in Locoregional Advanced Melanoma Patients.

Background Extremity lymphedema is a dreaded complication of ilioinguinal or axillary lymphadenectomy. In conventional lymph node dissection, no effort is performed to maintain or reestablish extremity lymphatic circulation. We hypothesized that immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR) could be a reproducible procedure to maintain functional lymphatic flow after ilioinguinal and axillary lymphadenectomy in patients with malignant melanoma. This is the first report describing prophylactic ILR in patients with melanoma who underwent complete lymph node dissection for gross nodal disease. Patients and Methods We report a case series of 22 malignant melanoma patients who had axillary or ilioinguinal lymph node dissection for bulky locoregional invasion with immediate lymphatic reconstruction. A novel method to identify and select lymphatics with high flow using fluorescent lymphangiogram with indocyanine green dye gradient software is described. Surgical details, common difficulties, as well as indications are discussed. Instructional videos are also provided. Results Our technique is reproducible, since we have successfully completed immediate lymphatic reconstruction in 22 cases consecutively. Intradermal indocyanine green injections allowed for visualization of 1 to 3 transected lymphatics after lymphadenectomy. An average of 1.8 lymphaticovenous bypass (range 1–3) was performed per patient. Conclusion Reestablishment of lymphatic circulation after ilioinguinal or axillary lymphadenectomy in patients with melanoma characterizes a novel method that may reduce the problem of upper and lower extremity iatrogenic lymphedema. This is particularly important given the emergence of new adjuvant treatment modalities that considerably improve patients' survival after lymphadenectomy.
The in vivo biocompatibility of novel tannic acid-collagen type I injectable bead scaffold material for breast reconstruction post-lumpectomy:

Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in women worldwide. Surgical removal of the breast tumor and subsequent reconstructive surgery can result in complications such as infection or necr...
The Criminalization of Mexicans in Contemporary ‘American’ Politics: A Pastoral Theological Response

This article was presented as a plenary address at the June 2019 annual conference of the Society for Pastoral Theology in Denver, Colorado. Building on Ryan LaMothe's work, the author posits that ...
Clinical Reasoning: A 42-year-old woman with progressive cognitive difficulties and gait imbalance.

A 42-year-old woman presented with 6 months of generalized fatigue, disequilibrium, subjective leg weakness, and difficulty concentrating and completing complex tasks. She had a history of psoriatic arthritis, previously treated with the tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α) inhibitor etanercept, which was discontinued about 2 months prior to onset of neurologic symptoms. There was no family history of a similar clinical syndrome. Initial neurologic examination was normal, including normal attention with serial 7s, normal immediate and delayed recall of 3 words, normal muscle tone, full strength with no pronator drift, normal and symmetric reflexes with negative Hoffman signs and flexor plantar responses, intact coordination to finger and foot tapping, unremarkable gait with intact ability to tandem, and negative Romberg sign.
Surface Area Determination of Kevlar® Particles in Suspensions Containing Iron Impurities Using Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry

In the science and engineering of polymer matrix composites (PMC), the specific surface area of particle fillers is a key design consideration. In this study, the characterization of Kevlar pulp an...