cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flt3 Is Required for MLL-ENL-Induced Leukemogenesis In Vivo, but Not for LSC Function in Vitro

Abstract Abstract 2450 Flt3 is a type III tyrosine kinase receptor expressed on hematopoietic multipotential progenitors and more downstream progenitor cells in the mouse bone marrow (BM).Flt3 is one of the most frequently mutated genes in acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) patients, leading to constitutive activation. Several Flt3 kinase inhibitors are in clinical development in AML with Flt3 mutations, although disappointing results suggest that Flt3-inhibitors as monotherapy are unlikely to become reality. Wild type (wt) Flt3, which differs in its signaling characteristics and downstream targets from mutated Flt3, is highly expressed in particular in AML and ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) with MLL (Mixed Lineage Leukemia) rearrangements. These observations suggest a role for wt Flt3 in pathogenesis as well, although little experimental or clinical evidence has been published yet supporting this notion. To our knowledge, there is only one report suggesting that wt Flt3 is required for the development of leukemia in a murine model of c-cbl mutation-induced leukemogenesis (Rathinam C, et al. Cancer Cell 2010). For this reason, we focused on the role of wt Flt3 in leukemogenesis and using leukemia mouse models established by retroviral transduction of MLL-ENL, MLL-AF9 and AML1-ETO9a. Mice transplanted with MLL-ENL-transduced Flt3−/− BM cells showed a higher survival rate (wt 61.3%, n=34 vs Flt3−/− 96.8%, n=31, median follow-up period; 255 days, p=0.038). No difference in survival was observed in the MLL-AF9 and AML1-ETO9a models however. Surprisingly, MLL-ENL-transduced Flt3−/− BM cells showed no significant difference in serial replating capacity of BM cells in methylcellulose colony forming assays in vitro compared to wt BM cells, and putative lin-kit+ leukemic stem cells (LSCs) did not express Flt3. In vivo, however, putative MLL-ENL LSCs, but not MLL-AF9 LSCs expressed Flt3. Furthermore, in non- and pre-leukemic MLL-ENL-transduced mice BM cells the frequency of lin-kit+ putative LSCs among MLL-ENL positive populations was decreased in Flt3−/− group (wt 1.468% vs Flt3−/− 0.466%, p=0.031). Flt3+ lin-kit+ populations were increased in MLL-ENL transduced leukemic wt mice compared to non-leukemic mice (leukemic mice 26.7% vs non-leukemic mice 9.9%, p=0.028). These results suggest that Flt3 signaling is required for MLL-ENL-induced leukemogenesis and maintenance of LSCs in vivo, but not in vitro. Importantly, the data suggest that the in vitro replatable leukemia stem cell (LSC) paradigm might not reflect LSC function or phenotype in vivo. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Inborn errors of metabolism are rare, but the diseases with which they are associated often have a significant impact on growth, development, and long-term health of affected children. Early recognition and intervention (when possible) are essential to avoiding disastrous consequences associated with these diseases. Some disorders arise as a result of mutations to catabolic pathways involving lysosomal storage and macromolecule degradation. Alterations in the storage and utilization of glycogen can lead to hepatic and myopathic manifestations. Galactosemia, a heritable disease in which glucose metabolism is affected, leads to accumulation of toxic metabolites in tissue; manifestations can be widespread but may be lessened with early dietary intervention. The inability to metabolize phenylalanine leads to phenylketonuria, which leads to neurological impairment and other symptoms if phenylalanine is not eliminated from the diet. The disorders associated with urea cycle defects are varied, but all result in accumulation of ammonia during protein catabolism. Herein, we will discuss each of these categories of inborn errors of metabolism in more depth.
Promoting Strengths and Resilience in Single-Mother Families

Mothering can be particularly demanding for single women who are more vulnerable to a variety of risks ranging from economic hardship to poor psychological functioning. These risks place their children at higher risk of experiencing maladjustment. Examining factors that contribute to the well-being of single mothers and, in turn, their parenting may be one of the most effective ways of contributing to children's adjustment. This article highlights two factors, perceived social support and specific internal resources, that (a) substantially contribute to single mothers’ well-being, (b) are linked to positive parenting behaviors, and (c) are amenable to change. The authors highlight the current research in these focus areas and explore how these two particular risk modifiers have potential to be changed via behavioral interventions.
Social Harmony and Diversity: The Affordances and Constraints of Harmony as an Educational Goal.

Background/ContextThere is a pressing need to consider how citizens should live together, especially in societies that are increasingly ethnically and politically diverse. Even though multicultural...
Food scarcity and state vulnerability: Unpacking the link between climate variability and violent unrest:

Increased scholarly focus on climate variability and its implications has given rise to a substantial literature on the relationship between climate-induced food insecurity and violent conflict. In this article, we theorize this relationship as contingent on the institutional and structural vulnerability of the state. States’ institutional and structural capabilities and constraints – such as the strength of the agricultural sector and domestic regime type – influence the probability that climate-induced food insecurity will translate into conflict, because they determine the degree to which countries are able to successfully address insecurity. We estimate the effect of food insecurity and state vulnerability on the occurrence of violent uprisings in Africa for the years 1991–2011. We find that these effects are interactive, with state vulnerability moderating the impact of food insecurity on the likelihood of violence. We also find that capable governance is an even better guarantor of peace than good w...
Optimal Synchronization of Heterogeneous Nonlinear Systems With Unknown Dynamics

Optimal output synchronization of multi-agent leader–follower systems with unknown nonlinear dynamics is considered. The agents are assumed heterogeneous so that the dynamics may be nonidentical. A distributed observer is designed to estimate the leader state for each agent. A discounted performance function is defined for each agent, and an augmented Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation is derived to find its minimal value. The HJB solution depends on the trajectories of the local state and the distributed observer state. A control protocol based on the HJB solution assures that the synchronization error goes to zero locally asymptotically fast for all agents. The proposed approach has two main advantages compared to standard output synchronization methods. First, it is optimal in the sense that it not only makes the steady-state synchronization error zero, but also minimizes the transient error. Second, it does not require the explicit solution to the output regulator equations, though the HJB solutions implicitly provide optimal solutions to them. Finally, a reinforcement learning technique is used to learn the optimal control protocol for each agent without requiring any knowledge of the agents or the leader dynamics. Simulation studies on a notional multi-agent system validate the proposed approach.
The Role of Endothelin and Oxidative Stress in the Slow Pressor Responses to Angiotensin II (ANG II).

44 Chronic infusion of subpressor doses of Ang II causes blood pressure to increase progressively over several days. The mechanisms underlying this response are unknown but may involve Ang II-induced generation of additional vasoconstrictor processes. In this study, we tested whether endothelin and/or oxidative stress are implicated in the slow pressor responses to Ang II. We infused either vehicle (group 1; n=6) or Ang II (group 2; n=5) intravenously at 5 ng/kg/min via osmotic pumps for 15 days into Sprague Dawley rats. In addition to the Ang II infusion, groups 3 and 4 (n=6 each) received 30 mg/kg/day of either losartan (an angiotensin AT 1 receptor blocker) or bosentan (a blocker of both endothelin receptors, ET A and ET B ) in their drinking water. We measured systolic blood pressure (SBP) during the infusion, and the levels of circulating Ang II and isoprostanes (a marker of oxidative stress) at the conclusion of the experiments. Rats infused with vehicle had no change in SBP (from 138±13 to 138±2 mmHg) and normal levels of Ang II (34.5±9 pg/ml) and isoprostanes (111±10 pg/ml). Ang II infusion increased SBP from 133±10 to 158±8 mmHg, as well as circulating levels of Ang II (144±65 pg/ml) and isoprostanes (156±19 pg/ml). Losartan treatment abolished Ang II induced increases in SBP (SBP went from 137±5 to 120±4 mmHg), and isoprostanes (115±15 pg/ml), without altering Ang II levels (101±30 pg/ml). Bosentan also blocked Ang II-induced increases in SBP (from 135±4 to 139±3) but did not alter the increased isoprostane levels (146±14 pg/ml). Surprisingly, bosentan blunted the increase in Ang II levels (51±10 pg/ml). In conclusion, low dose Ang II-induced increases in SBP and oxidant stress depend on the AT 1 receptor. Endothelin receptor blockade also reduces SBP, but it does so independently of reducing oxidative stress (as measured by isoprostanes).
Um cinema afro-cubano? Conversa com Gloria Rolando / An afro-cuban cinema? Chat with Gloria Rolando

Entrevista a Gloria Rolando para os leitores de 80 grados, no dia 26 de abril de 2013, no bairro La Habana Vieja, na capital cubana.
Even Perfect Numbers End in 6 or 28

Perfect numbers—positive integers equal to the sum of their proper divisors, such as 6 = 1 + 2 + 3 and 28 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14—are a staple of every elementary number theory course. Most textbooks ...
Use of Electromyography (EMG) in Neuromodulation

Neuromodulation is an emerging field that offers promise for patients with a variety of pelvic floor disorders; these include recalcitrant urge-frequency syndrome, urinary retention, and fecal incontinence. The use of neuromodulation continues to grow exponentially and more indications for neuromodulation will surely follow. For neuromodulation to be effective one has to deploy electrodes near the nerve target in a consistent fashion. Unfortunately, there is no clinical way to view the actual nerve targeted. Currently only surrogate markers of response are used, including visual cues of bellows response and great toe flexion. These markers are arbitrary and depend on personal interpretation. In many cases, adequate motor responses may not be possible due to medical disease or body habitus. Sensory responses are also used and are not consistent. These clinical responses are subjective, inaccurate, and leave room for interpretation. Recent studies show an 80% response rate to SNS [1, 2]. One reason that one in five do not respond may be due the subjective interpretation of responses. The use of Electroneurodiagnostics may aid in better use of neuromodulation. Electroneurodiagnostics include Electromyography (EMG), nerve conduction studies and evoked potentials. For this chapter, we will focus on use of EMG. The use of EMG allows recording of a Compound Motor Action Potential (cMAP). The use of Compound Muscle Action Potential (cMAP) monitoring objectifies the process of neuromodulation and may increase the success of the therapy. Currently there is a paucity of data evaluating the effectiveness of cMAP monitoring and most experts in the field are just implementing the use of this technology in clinical practice. In time, the use of cMAP evaluation will become standard care for the application of pelvic neuromodulation. This chapter focuses on a complete review of cMAP technology and cMAP applications for pelvic neuromodulation.
Hepatopulmonary shunting on Tc99m-MAA liver mapping: correlation with dynamic cross-sectional imaging and description of different shunting patterns.

The purpose of the study was to correlate lung shunt fraction (LSF) calculated by intra-arterial injection of Technetium-99m (Tc-99m)-labeled macroaggregated albumin (MAA) in a hepatic artery branch with the presence of certain patterns of vascular shunts on dynamic CT or MRI of the liver. This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board and informed consent was waived. We reviewed 523 MAA scans in 453 patients (301 men, 152 women) performed from July 2007 to June 2015 and their correlative cross-sectional imaging. Patterns of vascular shunts on dynamic CT or MRI performed within 3 months of the MAA study and that potentially divert hepatic arterial inflow to the systemic venous return were defined as “target shunts.” Dynamic CT or MRI was classified into three groups with target shunt present, absent, or indeterminate. The mean LSF was compared across the first and second groups using paired t test. 342 CT and MRI studies met inclusion criteria: target shunts were present in 63 studies, absent in 271 studies, and 8 studies were indeterminate. When target shunts were visualized, the mean LSF on corresponding MAA scans was 12.9 ± 10.36% (95% CI 10.29–15.15%) compared to 4.3 ± 3.17% (95% CI 3.93–4.68%) when no target shunt was visualized. The difference was statistically significant (p value < 0.001). Identified target shunts were either direct (arteriohepatic venous shunt) or indirect (arterioportal shunt combined with a portosystemic shunt). Visualizing certain patterns of vascular shunting on a dynamic CT or MRI scan is associated with high LSF.
Electropolishing valve metals with a sulfuric acid-methanol electrolyte at low temperature

Abstract This study reports the electropolishing of Ti and Nb metals using a fluoride-free electrolyte of sulfuric acid and methanol at low temperature (−70 °C) without prior treatment. A fluoride-free electrolyte provides a less hazardous and more environmentally friendly option for electropolishing procedure. Experimental studies are presented on electropolishing with sulfuric acid electrolyte, which provides high quality macro- and micro-smoothing of the metal surfaces. Optimal conditions yielded leveling and brightening of the surface of Ti and Nb metals beyond that by the currently utilized electropolishing procedures with fluoride-containing electrolytes. The root mean square roughness (Rq) from atomic force microscopy analysis was 1.64 and 0.49 nm for Ti and Nb, respectively. Lower temperature experiments led to noticeable kinetic effects, indicated by a dramatic drop in current densities and the expansion of the steady-state current density plateau in anodic polarization curves. In addition, the voltage range of the current plateau expanded with increasing acid concentration. Surface characterization of Ti and Nb metals after polishing provided evidence of salt film formation. In addition, these metals were used as substrates in the formation of nanostructured metal oxides. The overall quality of the electropolishing led to a dramatic improvement in the uniformity of the nanostructures.
Urinary supersaturation with calcium oxalate before and during orthophosphate therapy.

AbstractThe concentrations of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfate, citrate and oxalate in the urine of normal subjects were compared to the concentrations in urine of calcium oxalate stone-forming patients. Because of the large volume excreted by stone-forming patients the urine contained less concentrations of sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfate and citrate than did the urine from normal subjects. The urinary concentrations of calcium and oxalate were similar in the 2 groups and, thus, the calculated supersaturation of calcium oxalate was greater in the urine of stone-forming patients than in the urine of normal subjects. Orthophosphate therapy increased the urinary concentration of alkali ions and phosphate but reduced urinary calcium concentration, thereby causing a reduction in urine supersaturation with calcium oxalate. There was no discernible correlation between the phosphate-induced changes in urine supersaturation and the presence or absence of continued calcu...
Adapting to a Changing Environment: the Brownian Restless Bandits.

In the multi-armed bandit (MAB) problem there are k distributions associated with the rewards of playing each of k strategies (slot machine arms). The reward distributions are initially unknown to the player. The player iteratively plays one strategy per round, observes the associated reward, and decides on the strategy for the next iteration. The goal is to maximize the reward by balancing exploitation: the use of acquired information, with exploration: learning new information. We introduce and study a dynamic MAB problem in which the reward functions stochastically and gradually change in time. Specifically, the expected reward of each arm follows a Brownian motion, a discrete random walk, or similar processes. In this setting a player has to continuously keep exploring in order to adapt to the changing environment. Our formulation is (roughly) a special case of the notoriously intractable restless MAB problem. Our goal here is to characterize the cost of learning and adapting to the changing environment, in terms of the stochastic rate of the change. We consider an infinite time horizon, and strive to minimize the average cost per step which we define with respect to a hypothetical algorithm that at every step plays the arm with the maximum expected reward at this step. A related line of work on the adversarial MAB problem used a significantly weaker benchmark, the best time-invariant policy. The dynamic MAB problem models a variety of practical online, game-againstnature type optimization settings. While building on prior work, algorithms and steady-state analysis for the dynamic setting require a novel approach based on different stochastic tools. ∗Microsoft Research, Mountain View CA. E-mail: slivkins at microsoft.com. Parts of this work has been completed while A. Slivkins was a postdoc at Brown University. †Computer Science Department, Brown University, Providence RI. E-mail: eli at cs.brown.edu. Supported in part by NSF awards CCR-0121154 and DMI-0600384, and ONR Award N000140610607.
Selection of head and neck cancer patients for adaptive replanning of radiation treatment using kV-CBCT

Purpose; To develop a CBCT-based method for selection of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients that may require adaptive replanning. Materials and Methods; We retrospectively analyzed 11 HNC patients with different degree of weight loss during the 7 weeks of IMRT treatment. Weight loss related dosimetric parameters were determined using CBCT and verified against new CT scans acquired during adaptive replanning process. The planning CT body surface in the head and neck region was modified using the CBCT body surface. The target volumes (PTV) and organs at risks (OAR) were modified where necessary following the body shrinkage. Anatomical and dosimetric changes were studied using the resulting modified CT. Dose calculation was performed using the parameters of the original treatment plan with the modified CT structure set using Eclipse treatment planning system. Action levels for adaptive replanning were developed evaluating dosimetric changes in all structures. Results; The largest volume loss occurred in the lateral neck, the cheeks and chin regions. The correlation % dose versus % volume changes is quasi-linear and patient/structure-specific. A 10 mm loss in the neck average radius corresponded to an increment in the dose to the PTVs/OARs of up to 4%. Deep PTV's maintain good coverage (V100 > 95%) during the treatment but PTV coverage is reduced in shallow regions. Conclusion; The estimated dosimetric changes obtained for CBCT and replanning CT are consistent. The anatomical and dosimetric changes in HNC patients derived from CBCT can be used to guide decision-making as to when during RT treatment replanning is necessary or optional.
Distracted Driving, Visual Inattention, and Crash Risk Among Teenage Drivers.

Introduction Distracted driving resulting from secondary task engagement is a major contributing factor to teenage drivers’ crash risk. This study aims to determine the extent to which visual inattention while engaging in distracting secondary tasks contributes to teenage drivers’ crash risk. Methods Real-world driving data were collected from a cohort of 82 newly licensed teenagers (average age 16.48 years, SD=0.33) recruited in Virginia. Participants’ private vehicles were equipped with data acquisition systems that documented driving kinematics and miles driven, and made video recordings of the driver and driving environment. Data were collected from 2010 to 2014 and analyzed in 2017. The analysis of secondary task engagement was based on 6-second video segments from both crash and random samples of normal driving. Results Of a wide range of secondary tasks, only manual cellphone use (OR=2.7, 95% CI=1.1, 6.8) and reaching/handling objects while driving (OR=6.9, 95% CI=2.6, 18.6) were associated with increased crash risk. Drivers’ duration of eyes off the road accounted for 41% of the crash risk associated with manual cellphone use and 10% of the risk associated with reaching/handling objects while driving. Conclusions Secondary tasks vary in the risk they introduce to the teenage driver. Manual cellphone use and reaching for objects were found to be associated with increased crash risk. These findings objectively quantify the effect of visual inattention resulting from distracting secondary tasks on teenage drivers’ crash risk. Teenage drivers may benefit from technologic and behavioral interventions that will keep their eyes on the road at all times and discourage engagement in distracting secondary tasks.
Legacy Artwork in Pediatric Oncology: The Impact on Bereaved Caregivers' Psychological Functioning and Grief.

Background: Legacy-making (i.e., a way for patients with terminal illness to create or do something for others as a means of remembrance) is rising in popularity in palliative medicine, although only one study has examined its impact in a pediatric population. Objective: In response to the gaps in literature, this study (1) examines the impact of legacy artwork on bereaved caregivers' psychological functioning and grief and (2) compares caregivers' perceptions of support provided by the hospital throughout their child's cancer journey between the intervention and control groups. Methods: Forty-four caregivers whose children died of cancer completed a demographic questionnaire specifically created for this study, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18, and the Prolonged Grief Disorder-13. They also answered questions regarding supportive services provided to them toward the end of the child's life, at the time of death, and after the child's death. Those caregivers who endorsed participating in legacy artwork were identified as the intervention group, whereas those who did not were classified as the control group. Results: There were no significant differences in psychological functioning among caregivers who participated in legacy artwork versus those who did not participate. However, caregivers who created legacy artwork with their child reported significantly less symptoms of prolonged grief and a greater perception of support from health care providers compared with caregivers who did not engage in this activity. Conclusion: Although preliminary, these findings suggest that legacy artwork may have the potential to improve grief and overall satisfaction of support from the hospital in bereaved caregivers.
Assessing the preservation and provenance of Sr and Nd isotopic signatures in Cretaceous volcanic ash beds

Abstract Bentonite, a claystone formed from the devitrification of volcanic ash, demonstrates varying amounts of alteration in elemental concentrations through the transition from glass to clay. Many studies have sought to characterize and correlate bentonites using various elemental signatures, but the information garnered from this can be misleading since 1) volcanoes produce highly variable compositions during single events, making tephra classifications reliant on the position within the bed and the distance from the source, and 2) the elemental concentrations may vary significantly due to devitrification. Strontium and neodymium isotopic signatures offer a powerful dataset to supplement these efforts, but the extent to which the isotopic ratio is preserved during devitrification and post-depositional diagenesis is not well documented. Here we perform a detailed isotopic, geochemical, and mineralogical examination of sixteen bentonites preserved in Cenomanian and Campanian strata (Late Cretaceous) from South Dakota in order to characterize the diagenetic factors that may influence the ash geochemistry, while checking for the fidelity of the isotopic signatures to the magmatic source. A mixing model between the isotopic composition of bentonite and seawater can be generated to determine the original endmember composition of each deposit, since Sr was likely derived from both sources during devitrification. Initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios from Cenomanian samples ranged higher than the Campanian, demonstrating a negative correlation with eNd values that point towards magmatic signatures with the influence of crustal assimilation. X-Ray diffraction was utilized to determine the speciation of the clay mineral and sedimentary input, displaying a complete lack of smectite illitization that would indicate the presence of a hydrothermal influence. Bentonite isotopic chemistry, therefore, is reliably traced to the magmatic source under the appropriate diagenetic conditions. With careful consideration for diagenesis, the isotopic composition of the Cretaceous bentonites can be used for provenance identification and points towards magmatic emplacement within an evolved crustal source on the Laurentian craton. This isolates the most likely provenance of Cenomanian bentonites as being the Idaho batholith, while Campanian bentonites were likely derived from the Elkhorn Volcanic complex.
Towards Instantaneous Recovery from Autonomous System Failures via Predictive Crowdsourcing

Autonomous systems (e.g., long-distance driverless trucks) aim to reduce the need for people to complete tedious tasks. In many domains, automation is challenging because systems may fail to recognize or comprehend all relevant aspects of its current state. When an unknown or uncertain state is encountered in a mission-critical setting, recovery often requires human intervention or hand-off. However, human intervention is associated with decision (and communication, if remote) delays that prevent recovery in low-latency settings. Instantaneous crowdsourcing approaches that leverage predictive techniques reduce this latency by preparing human responses for possible near future states before they occur. Unfortunately, the number of possible future states can be vast and considering all of them is intractable in all but the simplest of settings. Instead, to reduce the number of states that must later be explored, we propose the approach that uses the crowd to first predict the most relevant or likely future states. We examine the latency and accuracy of crowd workers in a simple future state prediction task, and find that more than half of crowd workers were able to provide accurate answers within one second. Our results show that crowd predictions can filter out critical future states in tasks where decisions are required in less than three seconds.
Answer to March 2020 Photo Quiz.

Answer: Lecythophora (Coniochaeta) hoffmannii . A few yeast-like colonies were isolated on fungal culture (Sabouraud dextrose agar) after 7 days at 30°C (see Fig. 1A and B in the photo quiz). Microscopic examination with lactophenol cotton blue stain revealed hyaline hyphae and short
Body Composition Measurements from Birth through 5 Years: Challenges, Gaps, and Existing & Emerging Technologies—A National Institutes of Health workshop

Body composition estimates are widely used in clinical research and field studies as measures of energy-nutrient balance, functionality and health. Despite their broad relevance and multiple applications, important gaps remain in techniques available for accurately and precisely quantifying body composition in infants and children from birth through 5 years. Identifying these gaps and highlighting research needs in this age group were the topics of a National Institutes of Health workshop held in Bethesda, MD, USA, 30-31 May 2019. Experts reviewed available methods (multicompartment models, air-displacement plethysmography, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, weight-length and height indices, bioimpedance analysis, anthropometry-skinfold techniques, quantitative magnetic resonance, optical imaging, omics and D3-creatine dilution), their limitations in this age range and high priority research needs. A summary of their individual and collective workshop deliberations is provided in this report.
[Surveillance on schistosomiasis after its transmission interruption in Baoying County, Jiangsu Province].

Objective To understand the endemic situation of schistosomiasis after its transmission interruption in Baoying County, so as to provide the evidence for adjusting the prevention and control strategy. Methods The data of schistosomiasis surveillance in Baoying County from 1988 to 2015 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Results The schistosomiasis surveillance has been established since it was interrupted in Baoying County in 1987. The total surveyed area with Oncomelania hupensis snails was 21 269.95 hm2, but no living snails were found. The number of schistosomiasis examinations of residents was 163 196 person-times, and 270 person-times were positive in serum test, 26 person-times were positive in stool test. No positive cases were found since 1997. The number of schistosomiasis tests of livestock was 2 180 cattle-times but no infection was found. Conclusions No schistosome infected snails or livestock are founded in Baoying County for last 28 years, and no patients are founded for last 11 years. The effect of schistosomiasis control is steady.
Peroneal Tendon Injury Associated with the Cavus Foot

The cavus foot is commonly associated with peroneal tendon pathology, and reconstruction of this deformity is often warranted in conjunction with peroneal surgery. Procedures must be individualized on the basis of the characteristics of the deformity. Newer methodologies for the evaluation of the cavus foot, including weight-bearing CT, may allow for more accurate patient selection and preoperative planning. Minimal incision techniques have recently been developed that minimize the risk associated with multiple simultaneous procedures on the lateral hindfoot.
Spinal cord repair: is tissue oxygenation an important variable?

It is now clear that a broad range of grafting techniques can be used to successfully introduce fetal homografts of the vertebrate spinal cord into an adult injury site (Sladek and Gash, 1984; Houle and Reier, 1988). In general, these grafts are capable of long-term survival, and undergo extensive differentiation even to the extent that many exhibit features characteristic of homologous sites of the normal adult CNS. Furthermore, these grafts can form axonal interactions in varying degrees with the recipient spinal cord; host axons often project to the transplants, and dorsal root afferents penetrate the graft neuropil (Tessler et al., 1988). Thus, fetal spinal grafts also provide an excellent experimental condition in which to investigate problems of development, plasticity, and regeneration (Sladek and Gash, 1984). Although important questions remain about the mechanism by which such repair processes take place, various lines of evidence suggest that this could occur either by restoration of neurotransmitter stores, by provision of a cellular bridge which can facilitate axonal elongation across a lesion, or by anatomical and physiological reconstruction of damaged synaptic circuitries. In this regard, transplantation seems to offer great promise as a possible therapeutic approach to a variety of brain disorders related to disease and trauma.
Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

Cerebral venous thrombosis occurs when a thrombus develops within the intracranial venous system. The overall incidence is estimated to be 0.3–0.5 per 100,000 person-years and can affect patients of any age. The most common risk factor for cerebral venous thrombosis is the presence of a prothrombotic condition. The clinical presentation is variable but often manifests as a headache, focal neurologic deficits, seizures, or disturbances in level of consciousness. Diagnosis can be delayed or missed due to the variability and nonspecificity of clinical manifestations. Radiologic imaging is the mainstay for diagnosis, and magnetic resonance venography is the most sensitive method to confirm the diagnosis and is considered the current gold standard. Treatment consists of anticoagulation and symptomatic treatment. Mortality from cerebral venous thrombosis has decreased due to improvements in diagnostic techniques and earlier institution of treatment.
National Guard and Active Duty Lend a Hand to Civil Authorities on the Border

JURIST Guest Columnist Kevin Govern of the Ave Maria School of Law reveals the policy and legal limitations that will affect the involvement of military forces with civilian domestic law enforcement along the US-Mexico border and beyond.
Screening for new red blood cell alloantibodies after transfusion in patients with sickle cell disease.

Background Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are frequent recipients of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and are at risk for RBC alloimmunization. RBC alloimmunization is diagnosed by identifying RBC alloantibodies as part of pre-transfusion testing, but this testing fails to detect alloantibodies that have evanesced. It may be beneficial to screen for new RBC alloantibody development after transfusion before possible antibody evanescence. Study design and methods Our institution started a new initiative for episodically transfused patients with SCD to obtain at least one antibody screen 2-6 months after transfusion as part of their clinical care. A database was created to prospectively track all transfused patients for 1 year and their post-transfusion antibody screen results. Patients received prophylactically CEK-matched RBC units. Results During the study year, 138 patients with SCD received a total of 242 RBC transfusions. Patients with a history of an RBC alloantibody (n = 13, 9.4%) had previously received more RBC units than non alloimmunized patients (median 11 vs. 2 RBC units, p = .0002). A total of 337 post-transfusion antibody screens were obtained in 127 patients (92.0%) with 110 patients (79.7%) having at least one antibody screen 2-6 months post-transfusion. With this prospective testing, two new RBC alloantibodies (anti-C and -M) were identified in two patients. Conclusion It is feasible to test for new RBC alloantibody development in most episodically transfused patients with SCD as part of their routine care. The yield of this screening appears low with CEK matching, but it could still provide important information for individual patients.
Analysis of misses in imaging of head and neck pathology by attending neuroradiologists at a single tertiary academic medical centre.

AIM To analyse errors in head and neck (HN MRI brain was the most common examination (27%). Clearly malignant or potentially malignant masses accounted for 48.6% of all misses. CONCLUSION The majority of H&N misses were perceptual and were detected on examinations not performed for a H&N indication. Clearly malignant or potentially malignant masses represented half of all misses.
Recent progress of oxide-TFT-based inverter technology

Oxide semiconductor-based thin-film transistor (oxide-TFT) technology have gained significant attention since the innovation of n-channel oxide-TFT using ZnO and amorphous In–Ga–Zn–O (a-IGZO) chann...
Decontamination and Personal Protection

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the importance of decontamination and personal protection. Decontamination is the most fundamental and difficult step in the management of mass casualties. It is defined as the reduction, neutralization, or removal of external radiological, chemical, or biological agents to the extent that they are no longer a hazard to the patient or the caregiver. The large-scale implementation of decontamination requires considerable resources. There are three levels of decontamination: personal, casualty, and personnel. Personal decontamination refers to the self-removal of the offending agent. Casualty decontamination refers to the treatment of the contaminated patients, whether ambulatory or nonambulatory, while personnel decontamination refers to those who are considered noncasualties—usually those wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Compulsive, detail-oriented individuals are ideal to supervise the decontamination training as well as the actual implementation. Training with surrogate agents to continually assess effectiveness is an excellent way to emphasize the need for precision.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Posterior Cruciate and Posterolateral Corner Injuries of the Knee

Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and posterolateral corner injuries are less common than anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Over the last decade or so, there has become increased awareness of these injuries and also the realization of potential poor clinical outcomes if not repaired, to include chronic instability, osteoarthritis, and both anterior cruciate ligament and PCL graft failures. This, in turn, has led to improvements in imaging technique and understanding of biomechanical anatomy. The objective of this article is to review the normal anatomy and normal appearance of PCL and posterolateral corner structures on magnetic resonance imaging. We would then discuss the imaging findings of injuries of PCL and posterolateral corner and common imaging pitfalls that can mimic an injury.
Incorporation of aspartate and malate into the pyridine ring of nicotine.

Abstract A unique nicotinic acid degradation was devised which permitted the isolation of each individual carbon atom of the pyridine ring. Aspartate-3-14C and malate-3-14C were administered to Nicotiana rustica tobacco plants for 4 hours and found to be incorporated almost exclusively into carbons 2 and 3 of the pyridine ring of nicotine. When aspartate-3-14C was fed, 57% of the tracer resided at carbon 3 and 38% at carbon 2. Malate-3-14C labeled carbon 3 with 61% of the isotope and carbon 2 with 38%. The dilution of incorporation of aspartate-3-14C was 600 and of malate-3-14C, 1260. The incorporation of aspartate and malate with low dilution and the lack of randomization of 14C between carbons 2 and 3 of the pyridine ring indicate either that aspartate or malate is the immediate precursor of the pyridine ring of nicotine, or that they are converted to the immediate precursor without passing through a symmetrical intermediate.
And then came the liberators, by Albert Jaern

And Then Came the Liberators by Albert Jaern is a stark but not depressive look at the Nazi occupation of Norway (1940–1945) through the eyes of the author, who also illustrated the book with a ser...
A Horizontal Wind and Wind Confidence Algorithm for Doppler Wind Profilers

Abstract Boundary layer wind profilers are increasingly being used in applications that require high-quality, rapidly updated winds. An example of this type of application is an airport wind hazard warning system. Wind shear can be a hazard to flight operations and is also associated with the production of turbulence. A method for calculating wind and wind shear using a linear wind field assumption is presented. This method, applied to four- or five-beam profilers, allows for the explicit accounting of the measurable shear terms. An error analysis demonstrates why some shears are more readily estimated than others, and the expected magnitudes of the variance for the wind and wind shear estimates are given. A method for computing a quality control index, or confidence, for the calculated wind is also presented. This confidence calculation is based on an assessment of the validity of the assumptions made in the calculations. Confidence values can be used as a quality control metric for the calculated wind a...
Vygotsky and Sociocultural Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Even though he was writing more than 80 years ago, the work of the Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky is still relevant to educational psychology today, especially his theories on the interrelationship of individual and social processes in learning and development. In this chapter, we look at Vygotsky's historical background and describe the development of his theoretical framework and methodological approach, focusing on his reliance on the dialectical approach of Marx and Engels. Central to Vygotsky's work is the examination of the unification of thinking processes with language processes. Vygotsky spends most of his last and major work Thinking and Speech describing the nature of verbal thinking—the entity that issues from that unification, and its key role in the development of higher psychological processes. We describe a central, but little known, aspect of his work, the internal system of meaning that is created through the use of language in social interaction and that is central to concept formation. Having described Vygotsky's theory and methodology, we provide an overview of ways that researchers following in his tradition have applied them in practice, particularly in literacy and second language learning research. Keywords: culture; systems; meaning; second language; thinking; Vygotsky; sociocultural; method; dialectics; literacy
Physical Properties of Filament Wound Glass Epoxy Structures as Applied to Possible Use in Liquid Hydrogen Bubble Chambers

The bubble chamber has established Itself in high-energy physics research as one of the most useful tools. Since 1952, after the first bubble chamber was Introduced by Glaser[1], hundreds of important experiments have been carried on successfully. With the increase of the energy of modem accelerators the need for better and larger bubble chambers has grown. Recent proposals to match the size and magnetic field to the particle energy [2] show an increase in the bubble chamber size up to 3.93 m (14 ft). However, the magnetic field chosen was 20 kG, partly to save DC power, which for the above proposal is about 11 MW.
Financial Alchemy: How Tax Shelter Promoters Use Financial Products to Bedevil the IRS (and How the IRS Helps Them),

People often question why tax shelters proliferate and why it is so difficult for the government to stop them. This Article explains, through examples, how tax shelters are structured to be a no-lose proposition for wealthy taxpayers. In a manner accessible to non-finance people, the Article sets forth the legal and financial tools underlying modern tax shelters and sheds light on how those tools are used to create technical tax shelters; i.e., tax shelters that work from an often hyper-technical tax perspective but are contrary to any reasonable legislative purpose. The Article then goes on to detail some of the most costly tax shelters in history, including Son of Boss, which the government estimates has cost taxpayers over $6 billion since the mid-1990s. The Article further explains how many shelters, including Son of Boss, evolved from a ninety-year-old tax avoidance technique called short-against-the-box. The Article concludes with a prescription, informed by ten years' experience in the tax shelter industry, for combating tax shelters.
The Psychology of Counterfactual Thinking

Abstract : »Die Psychologie kontrafaktischen Denkens« . Counterfactual think-ing refers to mental constructions of alternatives to past events. In this over-view of the psychological basis of counterfactual thinking, we examine how such thoughts influence emotions and carry benefits for everyday behavior. Two psychological mechanisms, contrast effects and causal inferences, can ex-plain many of the effects of counterfactual thinking reported by psychologists. We then consider how counterfactuals, when used within expository but also fictional narratives (for example, in alternative histories), might be persuasive and entertaining. Keywords : counterfactual thinking, causal inference effect, contrast effect. The Psychology of Counterfactual Thinking What might your life be like if you had made key choices differently? What if you had attended a different college, chosen a different career, married some-one else? Most people ponder such possibilities at least once in awhile; some-times they are haunted by the apparent failings such musings reveal. These sorts of thoughts are termed
Relationship between Complete Pathologic Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Survival in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy reflects the cytotoxic efficacy of a drug, but patient survival is influenced by many other factors. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between increased pCR rate and trial-level survival benefit in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Experimental Design: We used bootstrap resampling from a neoadjuvant trial to simulate trials with different pCR rates. We used estimates from Adjuvant!Online to simulate trial populations with different baseline prognosis and estimated survival improvements associated with changes in pCR rate. Results: Assuming that survival is similar for patients with pCR regardless of treatment arm, a linear relationship exists between increasing pCR rate and increasing recurrence-free survival (RFS). The slope is equal to the difference in survival between those with pCR and residual disease, which in turn is influenced by (i) the baseline prognosis of the trial population, (ii) interactions between prognostic variables and pCR, and (iii) the efficacy of the postneoadjuvant therapies. For example, if the pCR rates are 30% and 60% (OR = 3.5) and the 10-year RFS of the control arm is 0.74, the trial would require 3,550 patients per arm, whereas if the RFS is 0.54, the trial would require only 425 patients per arm to detect significant survival benefit. Conclusions: We provide a framework for understanding the relationship between pCR and overall survival benefit that can help inform the design of neoadjuvant trials aiming to demonstrate improved survival from a regimen that results in higher pCR rate. Clin Cancer Res; 22(1); 26–33. ©2015 AACR. See related commentary by Berry, p. 3
Difficulties in reaching low‐income new fathers: Issues and cases

Of a group of 67 low-income first-time fathers-to-be, half were randomly assigned during the second trimester of pregnancy to participate in an interven-tion program designed to acquaint fathers with information, insights, and clinically appropriate techniques in responsive care for infants. Fathers were videotaped in feeding interactions with the infant at hospital discharge and at one month of age. During two one and a half hour training sessions, the program attempted to sensitize fathers to fetal and early infant characteristics, behaviors, and the need for early and responsive attunement to infant state, signals of distress and ways to modulate distress. Soothing techniques were modeled with a doll. Intrauterine bonding was encouraged through specific skin contact with the pregnant partner. Difficulties in recruitment of fathers were caused by lack of commitment of father to partner or infant, by suspicion of a project about babies by father drug and alcohol abuse, illiteracy, and personality problem...