cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review of I-131 induced sialoadenitis in patients with well differentiated thyroid cancer - Clinical presentation, frequency, prevention, management, and complications

1082 Learning Objectives 1. To review the literature regarding I-131 induced sialoadenitis in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. 2. To discuss the incidence and various approaches to decrease the incidence of sialoadenitis. 3. To discuss the clinical presentation, management and complications of I-131-induced sialoadenitis. Because radioiodine (I-131) accumulates in the salivary glands with significant radiation exposure, sialoadenitis is a frequently reported side effect after I -131 ablation and/or treatment in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. This exhibit will review over 15 articles regarding presentation of signs and symptoms, time of onset, duration, frequency of bilateral or unilateral involvement, and frequency in parotid, submandibular, vs. sublingual salivary gland groups. In regard to various approaches for decreasing or preventing I-131 induced sialoadenitis, controversies exist, and these will be discussed. The management of sialoadenitis with inflammatory drugs and steroids and the major complications of sialoadenitis (i.e. xerostomia and salivary gland duct obstruction) will be presented. However, the management of xerostomia and salivary gland duct obstruction are not part of this educational exhibit. With the information presented in this educational exhibit, residents, nuclear medicine physicians, and/or endocrinologists should not only be able to identify sialoadenitis and manage it but also be able to implement various approaches to minimize the incidence of sialoadenitis, thereby reducing or even preventing permanent damage to the salivary glands
Reporting guidelines: optimal use in preventive medicine and public health.

Abstract Numerous reporting guidelines are available to help authors write higher-quality papers more efficiently. Almost 200 are listed on the EQUATOR (Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research) Network's website and they vary in authority, usability, and breadth, making it difficult to decide which one(s) to use. This paper provides consistent information about guidelines for preventive medicine and public health and a framework and sequential approach for selecting them. The EQUATOR guidelines were reviewed for relevance to target audiences; selected guidelines were classified as “core” (frequently recommended) or specialized, and the latter were grouped by their focus. Core and specialized guidelines were coded for indicators of authority (simultaneous publication in multiple journals, rationale, scientific background supporting each element, expertise of designers, permanent website/named group), usability (presence of checklists and examples of good reporting), and breadth (article sections covered). Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Selected guidelines are presented in four tables arranged to facilitate selection: core guidelines, all of which pertain to major research designs; guidelines for additional study designs; topical guidelines; and guidelines for particular article sections. A flow diagram provides an overview. The framework and sequential approach will enable authors as well as editors, peer reviewers, researchers, and systematic reviewers to make optimal use of available guidelines to improve the transparency, clarity, and rigor of manuscripts and research protocols and the efficiency in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Stochastic Stability of Market Adjustment in Disequilibrium

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the stochastic stability of market adjustment in disequilibrium. In a system of markets in which prices, demands, and supplies are repeatedly subject to random disturbances, excess demands cannot be expected to be exactly zero at all times. Strictly speaking, such a system of markets might be said to be always in disequilibrium. On the other hand, one would want to distinguish situations in which prices and quantities fluctuated in some steady manner around long-run averages from situations in which prices or quantities, or both, fluctuated with greater and greater variance or increased without bound. To describe the first situation, it is natural to use the concept of a stationary stochastic process, which is the generalization to the case of uncertainty of the concept of a deterministic equilibrium. However, it is important to emphasize that the stationarity of a stochastic process does not rule out fluctuations of varying period and amplitude.
Proton Transfer Reactions

Proton (H+) transfers play a central role in many enzymatic reactions.1 A good illustration is provided by serine protease reactions.2–4 In a recent theoretical study4 of the serine protease tripsin-catalyzed hydrolysis of a specific tripeptide substrate, there are no less than four proton transfer steps, beginning with a serine to histidine H+ transfer in the Michaelis complex (Fig. 1) Another example is furnished in a study5, 6 of the reversible isomerization of dihydroxyacetone (DHAP) to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (GAP) by the enzyme triose phosphate isomerase (TIM). A key step in the DHAP ⇌ GAP reaction is the proton abstraction by a carboxylate group in Glu 165 of a CH proton in DHAP (Fig. 2).
Smoldering in the darkness: contextualizing learning, technology, and politics under the weight of ongoing fear and nationalism

When we first envisioned this issue’s theme, in the early months of 2017, we did so expecting this to be a collection of scholarship reflecting back on a moment of historical tension and pronounced...
Comparison of Outcomes in Oncoplastic Pelvic Reconstruction with VRAM versus Omental Flaps: A Large Cohort Analysis.

Background The purpose of this study is to describe our experience and outcomes in oncoplastic pelvic reconstruction for patients who underwent either vertical rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (VRAM) or omental flap following abdominoperineal resection (APR) at a single tertiary care institution. Methods All patients who underwent pelvic reconstruction following APR with either VRAM or omental flaps from January 1992 to January 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics and relevant comorbidities including chemotherapy and radiation therapy data were collected and analyzed. In addition, margin status at the time of oncologic resection was analyzed. Flap-specific data were collected for each approach. Oncologic data collected included cancer type, stage at time of APR, and rate of tumor recurrence within the flap. Results A total of 562 patients were identified who underwent pelvic reconstruction with either VRAM or omental pedicle flaps. Of these, 274 (48.8%) underwent VRAM reconstruction and 288 (51.2%) underwent omental flap reconstruction. All margins were negative at time of cancer ablation surgery. Complications data included: seroma (VRAM = 2 [0.36%]; omentum = 32 [5.69%], p Conclusion The results of this study suggest a significantly higher tumor recurrence rate in omental flap pelvic reconstruction compared with VRAM flaps. This knowledge has the potential to influence surgical planning and flap selection in pelvic reconstruction.
Cohesive Difference: Germans and Italians in a Postwar Europe

This article makes a case for rupturing the national framework used in traditional narratives of the Federal Republic, and it does so by revisiting the Italo-German relationship in particular. The state of Europe—and of Germans’ place in it—are in flux in the wake of the recent Eurozone crisis and “Brexit.” A study of German-Italian entanglements cannot offer definite answers about whether Germans or Italians feel “European,” but it does demonstrate, on the one hand, that perceptions of national difference do not preclude collaboration and closer relations, and, on the other, that the construction and deployment of difference can actually help create and maintain bonds between populations. Making a case for the importance of a history of German-Italian entanglements, the article offers evidence for how perceived national differences have brought Germans and Italians together, from the beginning of the Federal Republic to roughly the present, with a focus on Germans’ (and Italians’) recent turn to an apolitical or even anti-political lifestyle politics, and on the uncertain consequences that this has for the European project as a whole.
Case Studies in Instructional Design Education: Students’ Communication Preferences During Online Discussions:

The analysis of case studies is an important constructivist instructional strategy that shows potential for engaging students in asynchronous online discussions. However, little is known about the ...
Regulation of intracellular calcium release during fertilization in sea urchin eggs

iv GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER I. THE CYCLIC GMP-MEDIATED CALCIUM RELEASE PATHWAY IN SEA URCHIN EGGS IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE RISE IN CALCIUM DURING FERTILIZATION 6 CHAPTER n. THE CALCIUM TRANSIENT IN SEA URCHIN EGGS DURING FERTILIZATION REQUIRES THE PRODUCTION OF INOSITOl 1,4,5-TRISPHOSPHATE 46 GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 93 GENERAL REFERENCES 98 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 105
Monocytes and Monocyte-derived Antigen-presenting Cells have Distinct Gene Signatures in Experimental Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease mediated by a complex interaction between the autoreactive lymphocytes and the effector myeloid cells within the central nervous system (CNS). In a murine model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), Ly6Chi monocytes migrate into the CNS and further differentiate into antigen-presenting cells (APCs) during disease progression. Currently, there is no information about gene signatures that can distinguish between monocytes and the monocyte-derived APCs. We developed a surface marker-based strategy to distinguish between these two cell types during the stage of EAE when the clinical symptoms were most severe, and performed transcriptome analysis to compare their gene expression. We report here that the inflammatory CNS environment substantially alters gene expression of monocytes, compared to the monocyte differentiation process within CNS. Monocytes in the CNS express genes that encode proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and their expression is mostly maintained when the cells differentiate. Moreover, monocyte-derived APCs express surface markers associated with both dendritic cells and macrophages, and have a significant up-regulation of genes that are critical for antigen presentation. Furthermore, we found that Ccl17, Ccl22, and Ccr7 are expressed in monocyte-derived APCs but not the Ly6Chi monocytes. These findings may shed light on identifying molecular signals that control monocyte differentiation and functions during EAE.
Prostaglandin driven pancreatitis and pancreatic tumorigenesis in the BK5.COX2 mouse

1468 Prostaglandin (PG) signaling mediates a number of events associated with tumorigenesis driven by chronic inflammation, including increased proliferation, angiogenesis and invasiveness, decreased apoptosis, and altered immune function. In the BK5.COX2 mouse, chronic pancreatitis leads to pancreatic adenocarcinoma; subtle changes in pancreatic histology are seen as early as 6 weeks; in most mice, progression to carcinoma is seen by 4 to 6 months. Histological observations include loss of acinar cells, presence of highly proliferative ductal complexes (which can become cystic), intense desmoplasia, and influx of inflammatory cells. Inflammatory cells appearing early in the process include granulocytes and macrophages, which persist as lesions progress; infiltration of large numbers of B and T lymphocytes occur in more advanced lesions and tumors. All transgenics ultimately develop tumors. Levels of PGE2, a major pro-inflammatory metabolite of COX2, were measured by ELISA. In pre-tumor transgenic pancreata, levels were elevated ∼15 fold vs. normal wild-type FVB pancreata (means of 3623.25 and 229 pg/mg protein, for transgenic and wild-type, respectively); levels in transgenic tumors were elevated ∼120 fold compared to wild-type (mean of 27,466.2 pg/mg protein). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for COX2 in young transgenic mice (6-8 wks) shows intense staining in acinar cells adjacent to keratin 5 positive transgene-expressing islets. This suggests that neighboring acinar cells are sensitive to PG signaling, leading to expression of endogenous COX2. This sets up a persistent, proinflammatory microenvironment in the tissue, which ultimately leads to acinar to ductal transdifferentiation, deposition of stroma, and chemoattraction of inflammatory cells. This type of reactive upregulation of COX2 at least partly explains the large increases in PGE2 observed in the tumors. In addition to COX2 increases, we have observed higher amounts of COX1 in the tumors, which may also contribute to high PGE2 levels. In this model, elevated levels of PGE2 are associated with a number of other molecular changes: increased growth factor signaling (e.g., upregulation of VEGF, pAkt), increased expression of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs 7 & 9), high levels of Ki-67 staining, and low levels of TUNEL staining. In a preliminary chemoprevention study, mice fed a diet of 1250 ppm celecoxib for > 9 months showed none of the histopathological changes typically observed, demonstrating that the process of tumor development in this model is largely initiated and driven by COX2 overexpression and its sequelae. Supported by CA100140 and 5 T32 ES07247 from NIH
A randomized controlled trial of an online immunization curriculum.

Abstract Introduction Immunization education for physicians-in-training is crucial to address vaccine concerns in clinical practice. Vaccine education is not standardized across residency programs. The Collaboration for Vaccination Education and Research (CoVER) team developed an online curriculum for pediatric (Peds) and family medicine (FM) residents. Methods A cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) was performed during the 2017–2018 academic year to evaluate the CoVER curriculum. A convenience sample of residency institutions were randomly allocated to the intervention or control group, with stratification by residency type. The intervention, the CoVER curriculum, consisted of four online modules and an in-person training guide. Control sites continued with their standard vaccine education. Pre-intervention and post-intervention surveys were emailed to residents in both groups. The primary outcomes compared between groups were changes in “vaccine knowledge,” “vaccine attitudes/hesitancy,” and “self-confidence” in immunization communication. The team assessing outcomes was unblinded to assignments. Hierarchical general linear model was used to adjust for residency type and residency year; residency site was modeled as a random effect. Results Overall, 1444 residents from 31 residency programs were eligible to participate (734 intervention, 710 control). The pre-intervention response rate was 730 (51%) and post-intervention was 526 (36%). Average knowledge scores increased from pre-intervention (control 53%; CoVER 53%) to post-intervention (control 58%; CoVER 60%). Increases in vaccine knowledge among FM residents were greater for CoVER compared to controls (p = 0.041). Vaccine hesitancy was more common among FM (23%) than Peds (10%) residents. In all three residency years, residents in the CoVER group showed greater increases in self-confidence in ability to discuss vaccines with parents/patients (p Conclusion The CoVER curriculum is an effective model to standardize immunization education of physicians-in-training. This RCT demonstrated the effectiveness of the CoVER curriculum to improve resident confidence in their ability to discuss vaccines with parents and patients.
Combining random mutagenesis, structure-guided design and next-generation sequencing to mitigate polyreactivity of an anti-IL-21R antibody.

Despite substantial technological advances in antibody library and display platform development, the number of approved biotherapeutics from displayed libraries remains limited. In vivo, 20–50% of ...
A Model of Product Line Marketing

Firms offer a variety of products to meet different customer needs. In many horizontally differentiated markets, prices are stable and firms make infrequent adjustments to their product lines. While prior research focuses on product line design, we investigate how firms should allocate their marketing effort when their product lines are fixed. We propose a simple model to analyze product line marketing. Our model exhibits a flagship-product effect in which the firm's optimal marketing effort is concentrated, provided that the ratio between consumer tastes dispersion and the convexity of the cost of marketing effort is below a threshold. The flagship product is selected according to a marketing effort allocation index that measures the trade-off between a product's markup and its potential market share. This result is robust with or without competition, and whether prices are exogenous or endogenous. Firms often experience shocks to their marketing cost due to technological improvement or externalities. If a monopolist's cost of marketing effort declines, she should place more emphasis on a low-utility-high-markup product. Conversely, if the cost increases, the monopolist may find it beneficial to focus her marketing effort on a high-utility-low-markup product. When multi-product firms compete against each other, we show that if the opponent's cost of marketing effort decreases, there can be a spillover effect, in which the firm benefits from the opponent's cost reduction, thereby leading to a win-win situation.
Differential expression of glycosyltransferases identified through comprehensive pan-cancer analysis

Despite accumulating evidence supporting a role for glycosylation in cancer progression and prognosis, the complexity of the human glycome and glycoproteome poses many challenges to understanding glycosylation-related events in cancer. In this study, a multifaceted genomics approach was applied to analyze the impact of differential expression of glycosyltransferases (GTs) in 16 cancers. An enzyme list was compiled and curated from numerous resources to create a consensus set of GTs. Resulting enzymes were analyzed for differential expression in cancer, and findings were integrated with experimental evidence from other analyses, including: similarity of healthy expression patterns across orthologous genes, miRNA expression, automatically-mined literature, curation of known cancer biomarkers, N-glycosylation impact, and survival analysis. The resulting list of GTs comprises 222 human enzymes based on annotations from five databases, 84 of which were differentially expressed in more than five cancers, and 14 of which were observed with the same direction of expression change across all implicated cancers. 25 high-value GT candidates were identified by cross-referencing multimodal analysis results, including PYGM, FUT6 and additional fucosyltransferases, several UDP-glucuronosyltransferases, and others, and are suggested for prioritization in future cancer biomarker studies. Relevant findings are available through OncoMX at https://data.oncomx.org, and the overarching pipeline can be used as a framework for similarly analysis across diverse evidence types in cancer. This work is expected to improve the understanding of glycosylation in cancer by transparently defining the space of glycosyltransferase enzymes and harmonizing variable experimental data to enable improved generation of data-driven cancer biomarker hypotheses.
NeckFace: Continuously Tracking Full Facial Expressions on Neck-mounted Wearables

Facial expressions are highly informative for computers to understand and interpret a person's mental and physical activities. However, continuously tracking facial expressions, especially when the user is in motion, is challenging. This paper presents NeckFace, a wearable sensing technology that can continuously track the full facial expressions using a neck-piece embedded with infrared (IR) cameras. A customized deep learning pipeline called NeckNet based on Resnet34 is developed to learn the captured infrared (IR) images of the chin and face and output 52 parameters representing the facial expressions. We demonstrated NeckFace on two common neck-mounted form factors: a necklace and a neckband (e.g., neck-mounted headphones), which was evaluated in a user study with 13 participants. The study results showed that NeckFace worked well when the participants were sitting, walking, or after remounting the device. We discuss the challenges and opportunities of using NeckFace in real-world applications.
Little’s Formula and Extensions

Little’s formula, L = λW, is one of the most well-known and most useful conservation laws in queueing theory and stochastic systems. It states that the time average number of units in system equals the arrival rate of units × the average time-in-system per unit.
COMPUTER CRIME UPDATE: THE VIEW AS WE EXIT 1984

I. AN OVERVIEW . 628 A. Historical Background : . 629 B. PublicityProblems and Promises . . 632 1. When Should Counsel Open His or Her Mouth? . 632 2. When Should Counsel Shut His or Her Client's Mouth? . 634 3. Can Counsel "Network"? . 635 4. Should Counsel "Cash in" on Publicity? ....... . 635 C. Law Enforcement Reactions to the "Hacking EpI·demlc ." . 635 1. Computer System Seizures . 636 2. "Stinging" Bulletin Boards . 636 3. Informants . 637 D. Legal Approaches to Computer Crime . 637 1. Intent . 639 2. Juvenile Law . 640 E. Business Perspectives on Computer Crime . 640 F. "Hackers" as the Huckster's Dream . 642 G. Computer Crime in Court . . 645 1. Dismissals 645 2. Sentencing . 647 II. CHALLENGES IN THE LAW . 648 A. A New De Minimus . 648
Stability of the nonlinear motions of a satellite

The libration of an extensible dumbbell satellite in a circular Earth orbit is given by a pair of nonlinear second-order ordinary differential equations. Stability of the paths about the origin of the phase space is analyzed by Lyapunov's indirect method. It is also shown that ad hoc assumptions commonly used to transform the nonlinear equations into linear equations do not produce reliable stability criterion for libration.
Nutritional requirements with aging: Prevention of disease

Early recognition of and intervention for nutritional disorders may help prevent functional disability and mortality in elderly patients. Prevention of nutritional disorders in older adults is often multidimensional and may require multidisciplinary collaboration. Proactive education of the older adult, early recognition of nutritional deficiencies, and rectification of the nutritional disorders are the keys to achieving ideal nutritional status in elders and enabling them to achieve successful aging.
Leveraging public posts and comments as covert channels

Many Internet-facing websites allow for account creation and the subsequent posting of comments from that account. If comments are crafted according to a known encoding scheme, they can covertly indicate to an observer a piece of data present in the URL of the page where the comment resides. If these comments are similar enough to the typical comments being posted, they will give no indication that a transmission of data is occurring.
The NGOisation of Education: Case Studies from Benin by Sarah Fichtner, Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag, 2012

Anderson-Levitt, Kathryn M. 2015. "Review of The NGOisation of Education: Case Studies from Benin by Sarah Fichtner, Cologne: PB-Rudiger Koppe Verlag , 2012." Anthropology & Education Quarterly 46 (2):201-203. doi: 10.1111/aeq.12101.
Features of dynamically broken gauge theories

Abstract We discuss several features of dynamical symmetry breaking in gauge theories of strong, weak and electromagnetic interactions. We speculate that in some such theories the fine structure constant calculable. A possible solution of the strong P and T violation problem in QCD by dynamical symmetry breaking is indicated. Self-energy divergences are absent in such models and we compute the finite electromagnetic self-energy of a quark in QCD. The mass hierarchy problem is examined. We find models in which the fermion-gauge boson mass ratio is M F 2 M B 2 ∼ exp ( −1 g 2 ), where g is a gauge boson coupling, which could account for the origin of weak interactions.
Data reporting standards: making the things we use better

Genomic data often persist far beyond the initial study in which they were generated. But the true value of the data is tied to their being both used and useful, and the usefulness of the data relies intimately on how well annotated they are. While standards such as MIAME have been in existence for nearly a decade, we cannot think that the problem is solved or that we can ignore the need to develop better, more effective methods for capturing the essence of the meta-data that is ultimately required to guarantee utility of the data.
Population Proportion of Explained Variance in Principal Component Analysis: A Note on Its Evaluation Via a Large-Sample Approach

A large-sample procedure for examining explained population variance in principal component analysis is discussed. The method yields interval estimates for the proportions of variance accounted for by the considered for retention principal components. The obtained confidence intervals can be used to make decisions about the number of selected components, based on their performance in studied populations. The approach can also be employed for ascertaining group similarity or differences in percentage explained variance by the considered principal components. The procedure is illustrated with 2 examples.
A large-scale method to measure absolute protein phosphorylation stoichiometries

The functional role of protein phosphorylation is impacted by its fractional stoichiometry. Thus, a comprehensive strategy to study phosphorylation dynamics should include an assessment of site stoichiometry. Here we report an integrated method that relies on phosphatase treatment and stable-isotope labeling to determine absolute stoichiometries of protein phosphorylation on a large scale. This approach requires the measurement of only a single ratio relating phosphatase-treated and mock-treated samples. Using this strategy we determined stoichiometries for 5,033 phosphorylation sites in triplicate analyses from Saccharomyces cerevisiae growing through mid-log phase. We validated stoichiometries at ten sites that represented the full range of values obtained using synthetic phosphopeptides and found excellent agreement. Using bioinformatics, we characterized the biological properties associated with phosphorylation sites with vastly differing absolute stoichiometries.
Atmospheric dynamics on Venus and Mars

In this paper, recent information concerning the atmospheric dynamics of Venus and Mars is discussed. In the Venusian atmosphere, the Vega balloon results disclosed the presence of major vertical motions at the 53 km level and demonstrated the near zonality of the atmospheric circulation below the level of the clouds. Pioneer Orbiter observations indicated a continued vortex organization of the cloud level atmosphere in either hemisphere, centered over respective poles. In the case of the Martian atmospheric circulation, the observations are scant. Viking lander data and orbit images have been used to derive cloud motions and compare the measured winds with the predictions for surface conditions from general circulation models.
Update on the Performance and Application of Basophil Activation Tests

The basophil activation test (BAT) is a flow-cytometry-based functional assay that assesses the degree of cell activation after exposure to a stimuli. Though no standardized technique currently exists, recent advances have improved the performance of this assay, including identification of new basophil-specific markers and comparisons of the expression of CD63 to CD203c during activation. The basophil activation test has also been validated for many IgE-mediated disease conditions, which have been extensively reviewed elsewhere. This review focuses on the most recent applications of this test to the diagnosis of allergy to drugs, foods, venoms, and pollens, and the evolving role of the BAT in monitoring immunotherapy.
Improving older driver knowledge and self-awareness through self-assessment: the driving decisions workbook.

PURPOSE: This study aims to assess whether the Driving Decisions Workbook, a self-assessment instrument for older drivers, increased self-awareness and general knowledge. This study also assessed perceptions regarding its usefulness, particularly as a tool for facilitating discussions within families of older drivers. A secondary purpose of the study was to determine if problems identified by drivers in the workbook related to problems they had with actual driving. DESIGN AND METHODS: The Driving Decisions Workbook was administered along with a questionnaire and a road test. A convenience sample of 99 licensed drivers aged 65 and above was used. RESULTS: After completing the workbook, about three fourths of the participants reported being more aware of changes that could affect driving. Fourteen percent reported that they had discovered a change in themselves of which they had not been previously aware. All respondents found the workbook to be at least a little useful and thought the workbook could help facilitate family discussions. Workbook responses were positively correlated with overall road test scores. Significant correlations were also noted between the road test and a majority of workbook subsection responses. IMPLICATIONS: This study indicates that the workbook may be a useful first-tier assessment instrument and educational tool for the older driver. It may encourage an older driver to drive more safely and/or to seek clinical assessment, and help in facilitating discussions about driving within their families.
Development of a Carbon Dioxide-Based Microencapsulation Technique for Aqueous and Ethanol-Based Latexes

A new microencapsulation technique is presented in which carbon dioxide is used to facilitate the transport of additives into colloidal polymer particles. Aqueous latexes were impregnated with addi...
Hepatic dysfunction associated with renal carcinoma.

Although first described in 1961, the association of renal carcinoma with hepatosplenomegaly, hepatic dysfunction, and thrombocytosis remains unexplained and is still not widely recognized. Among the most recent 50 patients with renal carcinoma treated at the St. Louis University Hospitals, five had this constellation of findings. The median age, 59 years, was the same for patients with or without the syndrome; the lesions were histologically identical to renal carcinomas without hepatic dysfunction. None of the five patients had evidence of metastasis to the liver at the time of operation, and the liver was histologically normal in one patient from whom a biopsy was taken. The hepatic dysfunction, hepatomegaly, and thrombocytosis disappeared postoperatively in the four patients who underwent nephrectomy. It seems clear that a humoral mechanism is responsible for the hepatic and hematopoietic alterations, but the nature of the mechanism remains to be demonstrated.
The Text-mining based PubChem Bioassay neighboring analysis.

Background In recent years, the number of High Throughput Screening (HTS) assays deposited in PubChem has grown quickly. As a result, the volume of both the structured information (i.e. molecular structure, bioactivities) and the unstructured information (such as descriptions of bioassay experiments), has been increasing exponentially. As a result, it has become even more demanding and challenging to efficiently assemble the bioactivity data by mining the huge amount of information to identify and interpret the relationships among the diversified bioassay experiments. In this work, we propose a text-mining based approach for bioassay neighboring analysis from the unstructured text descriptions contained in the PubChem BioAssay database.
ALPHA-RADIOACTIVITY IN THE 82-NEUTRON REGION

In a survey for alpha-activity among cyclotron produced neutron deficient nuclides of the elements below lead, alpha-activity was detected in a number of rare earth nuclides with atomic number greater than 62, that of samarium, and in a gold and a mercury nuclide. A detailed study of the alpha-active nuclides of europium, gadolinium, terbium, and dysprosium was made.
A new approach to the nonlinear advection problem: an application of the decomposition method

Abstract In this paper, the nonlinear advection problem is solved easily and elegantly by using the Adomian's decomposition method. The exact solution is quickly obtained by observing the appearance of the self-canceling “noise” terms whose sum vanishes in the limit. Comparison with other existing techniques shows that the present approach is highly accurate.
Malignant neuroendocrine tumors: incidence and outcomes in pediatric patients.

INTRODUCTION Malignant neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare solid tumors infrequently seen in children. This study examines current incidence trends and outcomes for children with NETs. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results registry was examined for patients between birth and 19 years of age between 1973 and 2005 with NETs. RESULTS Overall, 481 patients were identified with malignant NETs. Tumors were classified as malignant carcinoid (n = 189, 39%), central nervous system tumors (n = 127, 26%), medullary thyroid carcinoma (n = 88, 18%), neuroendocrine carcinoma (n = 50, 10%), pheochromocytoma (n = 17, 3.5%), and paraganglioma (n = 7, 1.5%). Children less than 5 years of age had worse 5-year survival ( 76% if older, p = 0.009). Blacks had lower 5-year survival compared with whites (61 vs. 81%, p = 0.001). Tumor locations with favorable prognosis included the appendix, lung, and thyroid ( > 95% 5-year survival), whereas soft tissue and ovary location were associated with poor survival (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, distant disease at diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] 14.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.9 to 32.1) and black race (OR 3.3; 95% CI, 1.4 to 7.4) were independent predictors of death. CONCLUSION Whites have the highest incidence of pediatric NETs. Colon/rectum, appendix, or thyroid tumor location portends favorable prognosis. Black children and those less than 5 years of age had poorer prognosis.
Presynaptic excitability changes of primary afferent and corticofugal fibers projecting to trigeminal brain stem nuclei.

Antidromic stimulation techniques were used to identify single trigeminal primary afferent and sensorimotor cortical (CX) neurons projecting to trigeminal brain stem nuclei of cats. Most of the CX cells had a short-latency orofacial input and were primarily located deep in the lower lip of the coronal sulcus. These cells apparently participate in a rapidly conducting feedback loop between the trigeminal brain stem nuclei and CX. Presynaptic influences were measured indirectly as a change in the level of excitation of axonal endings antidromically activated from the brain stem. The most common presynaptic effect of facial and CX conditioning stimuli on both primary afferent and corticofugal endings was presynaptic depolarization (PD). The close correlation found between PD and inhibition in brain stem neurons supports the view that facial and CX inhibitory influences in the brain stem are mainly the result of presynaptic processes. Presynaptic hyperpolarization (PH) was also observed in some corticofugal endings, and in primary afferent endings it was mainly restricted to the A delta group.
Long-term effect of different treadmill interventions on gait development in new walkers with Down syndrome

This longitudinal study investigated the long-term effect of different treadmill interventions on the development of gait patterns in infants with Down syndrome (DS). Thirty infants with DS (mean age 10.0 months, S.D. 1.9 months) were randomly assigned to either a "low intensity-generalized" (LG) training group, or a "high intensity-individualized" (HI) training group. Treadmill intervention was conducted in infants' homes until they walked three steps independently. Twenty-five participants completed a 1-year gait follow-up after the treadmill intervention. Six basic gait parameters were examined: normalized velocity, cadence, step length, step width, double support percentage, and dynamic base. Principal component analysis (PCA) conducted for the set of the six basic gait parameters demonstrated that the first principal component (PC1) accounted for 83.8% of the variance. A two-way ANOVA with repeated measures conducted with PC1 scores revealed a significant visit effect and group difference; both groups significantly increased PC1 scores over time, and the HI group produced significantly higher PC1 scores than the LG group. Specifically, the HI group produced significantly higher normalized velocity and cadence, and lower double support percentage than the LG group. In addition, both groups significantly reduced foot rotation asymmetry over time although no difference was found between the two groups. We concluded that the HI treadmill intervention provided a better long-term effect on the development of basic gait parameters than the LG training, and the reduction of foot rotation asymmetry over time was not differentially affected by the different training protocols.
Selective excitation of the LP11 mode in step index fiber using a phase mask

We present a novel mode selective coupling technique for step index fiber. This technique utilizes phase matching for excitation of higher-order modes while suppressing the fundamental mode. Using this technique, a phase element is fabricated and tested to demonstrate the high coupling efficiency to the LP11 mode. In addition, we derive an analytical expression of the coupling efficiency of the LP11 using a single
On sending one bit of information over an AGWN channel with noiseless feedback

We study the problem described by the title under the real-time constraint that no block coding is allowed. Three separate schemes, including the well known center-of-gravity scheme, and their performance are compared.
The importance of diamond coated tools for agile manufacturing and dry machining

Abstract This paper discusses the global movement towards an agile and green manufacturing environment and its impact on metal cutting in the automotive industry. Two major visible changes have been identified: (1) a large portion of the conventional transfer lines will be replaced with high speed high performance CNC machining centers; and (2) no or minimal use of machining fluids will be the goal of a “dry” machining system. In order to meet these new challenges and to remain competitive and profitable, the viability of CVD diamond coated tooling is considered to be a key success factor. The second part of the presentation will describe recent test results and current capabilities/limitations with CVD diamond coated tools on machining aluminum—silicon alloys. Important areas for further research and development of CVD diamond coated tools are summarized.
Capacity of deoxycytidine to selectively antagonize cytotoxicity of 5-halogenated analogs of deoxycytidine without loss of antiherpetic activity.

Enzyme kinetic studies from this laboratory (M. Dobersen and S. Greer, Biochemistry 17:920-928, 1978) suggested that deoxycytidine could antagonize the toxicity of 5-halogenated analogs of deoxycytidine without interfering with their antiviral activity. Antagonism by deoxycytidine of the toxicity of 5-chlorodeoxycytidine without impairing its anti-herpes simplex virus type 2 activity is demonstrated in the present studies. Tetrahydrouridine, an inhibitor of cytidine deaminase, was utilized. The high Km for deoxycytidine (0.6 mM) with respect to the herpes pyrimidine nucleoside kinase as compared with the low Km for 5-chlorodeoxycytidine (1.1 microM) accounts for the absence of antagonism of the antiviral activity. The high Km for 5-chlorodeoxycytidine (56 microM) as compared with the low Km of deoxycytidine (2 microM) with respect to mammalian deoxycytidine kinase accounts, in great part, for the antagonism of toxicity. In addition, antagonism of toxicity by deoxycytidine is the result of factors other than the kinetic parameters of nucleoside kinases, as indicated by its antagonism of the cytotoxicity of 5-chlorodeoxyuridine. This may be attributed to replenishment of low dCTP pools, diminished because of effector inhibition of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase by Cl-dUTP. Resistance of the herpes-encoded enzymes to effector control may also play a role in the selective antagonism. Cell culture studies with high concentrations of tetrahydrouridine and 29-deoxytetrahydrouridine suggest that competition by deoxycytidine for deaminases may not play a major role. The fact that deoxycytidine antagonizes the toxicity of chlorodeoxyuridine also argues against competition for the deaminases as a major reason for its effect. Limited studies with a topical herpes simplex virus type 2 infection system indicate heightened efficacy of 5-chlorodeoxycytidine (and tetrahydrouridine) when deoxycytidine is coadministered. The concepts of selective antagonism of a chemotherapeutic agent derived from these studies may be applied to other approaches that extent beyond viral chemotherapy.
What's the Problem? L2 Learners' Use of the L1 During Consciousness-Raising, Form-Focused Tasks

This qualitative study provides preliminary insight into the role of the first language (L1) when pairs of intermediate-level college learners of French and Spanish are engaged in consciousness-raising, form-focused grammar tasks. Using conversation analysis of audiotaped interactions and stimulated recall sessions, we explored the ways students used the L1 and their second language (L2) to solve a grammar problem. Students who were allowed to use the L1 (Group 1) worked collaboratively in a balanced and coherent manner; students who were required to use the L2 (Group 2) exhibited fragmented interaction and little evidence of collaboration. Findings from the stimulated recall sessions suggested that reading, thinking, and talking appeared to be simultaneous and integrated processes for the students in Group 1, whereas these processes appeared to be sequential and competing for the students in Group 2. In addition to suggesting that using the L1 for these kinds of tasks reduces cognitive overload, these findings invite teachers to tackle the “problem” of the L1 in the foreign language classroom.
A new SNP haplotype associated with blue disease resistance gene in cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Resistance to cotton blue disease (CBD) was evaluated in 364 F2.3 families of three populations derived from resistant variety ‘Delta Opal’. The CBD resistance in ‘Delta Opal’ was controlled by one single dominant gene designated Cbd. Two simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were identified as linked to Cbd by bulked segregant analysis. Cbd resides at the telomere region of chromosome 10. SSR marker DC20027 was 0.75 cM away from Cbd. DC20027 marker fragments amplified from 3 diploid species and 13 cotton varieties whose CBD resistance was known were cloned and sequenced. One single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was identified at the 136th position by sequence alignment analysis. Screening SNP markers previously mapped on chromosome 10 identified an additional 3 SNP markers that were associated with Cbd. A strong association between a haplotype based on four SNP markers and Cbd was developed. This demonstrates one of the first examples in cotton where SNP markers were used to effectively tag a trait enabling marker-assisted selection for high levels of CBD resistance in breeding programs.
The great escape: pathogen versus host.

When bodily surface barriers have been breached, invading microorganisms are confronted by the innate immune system [1]. The first step in mounting a protective response is the rapid activation of an acute inflammatory response characterized by the migration and accumulation of immune cells at the site of invasion. As a primary defense against microbial infections, professional phagocytic cells such as macrophages will attempt to engulf and dispose of the invading microorganisms and their products. The recognition by effector cells of the innate immune system initiates signaling cascades, resulting in phagocytosis, secretion of microbicidal compounds and production of proinflammatory mediators. These early events culminate in the activation of adaptive immune responses; therefore, if launched early and effectively, innate immune responses limit the establishment of infectious foci and curb the severity of infections. However, it becomes more and more evident that microbial pathogens have developed very efficient strategies to circumvent and misguide host defenses, and therefore, their presence in the host results either in their elimination or in infection. Because of the critical role the innate immune system has in controlling microbial burden during the early stages of infection, the mechanisms employed by invading pathogens to thwart host immune defenses have attracted increasing interest. Here we synopsize some of the strategies exploited by two ubiquitous yet important human pathogens, the fungal species Candida albicans and the bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus [2,3]. In addition to possessing an array of virulence factors, these diverse species share many pathogenic characteristics, including the ability to form biofilms on host and abiotic surfaces, rapid development of antimicrobial resistance, and the ability to alter their transcriptome in response to stresses inflicted upon them by host immune cells. Importantly, although C. albicans and S. aureus are commensal species commonly colonizing various niches in the human host, they are the most frequent combination of organisms isolated from polymicrobial infections [4].
An investigation of computer-assisted cognitive-behavior therapy in the treatment of depression

Increasing demands are being placed on a limited pool of mental health professionals to deliver a steadily growing array of effective treatments in an efficient and acceptable manner. The integration of behavioral technology and computing technology may provide a possible solution to the problem of resource limitations. An interactive computer-assisted program for the treatment of mild to moderate unipolar and dysthymic depressive disorders is described. The effectiveness of this treatment will be empirically examined.
Imaging cryosurgery with EIT: tracking the ice front and post-thaw tissue viability

Cryosurgery employs freezing for targeted destruction of undesirable tissues such as cancer. Ice front imaging has made controlled treatment of deep body tumors possible. One promising method, recently explored for this task, is EIT, which recovers images of electrical impedance from measurements made at boundary electrodes. However, since frozen tissue near the ice front survives, ice front imaging is insufficient. Monitoring treatment effect would enable iterative cryosurgery, where extents of ablation and need for further treatment are assessed upon thawing. Since lipid bilayers are strong barriers to low frequency electrical current and cell destruction implies impaired membranes, EIT should be able to detect the desired effect of cryosurgery: cell death. Previous work has tested EIT for ice front imaging with tank studies while others have simulated EIT in detecting cryoablation, but in vivo tests have not been reported in either case. To address this, we report 3D images of differential conductivity throughout the freeze-thaw cycle in a rat liver model in vivo with histological validation, first testing our system for ice front imaging in a gel and for viability imaging post-thaw in a raw potato slice.