cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
6.628 – Vascular Grafts

Native autogenous vessels have served as the gold standard conduit material in the treatment of many vascular diseases. However, a significant percentage of patients lack suitable autogenous vessels for use in vascular interventions. For these patients, alternative grafts comprised most commonly of synthetic polymers demonstrate poor long-term patency rates when bypassing arteries of small caliber. This chapter begins with a discussion of the clinical efficacy of autogenous vessels in comparison to the most commonly utilized synthetic materials used in vascular procedures, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and polyethylene terepthalate. It then discusses the interactions between the host and the material at circulatory, perivascular, and anastomotic interfaces, which generally account for the inferior performance of currently available synthetic grafts. Finally, it concludes with a discussion of some of the strategies employed to improve the long-term efficacy of synthetic grafts by modulating host–biomaterial interactions, including a description of the methodologies utilized for the construction of tissue-engineered blood vessels.
Understanding the application of diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis helps prevent misdiagnosis.

I would like to highlight several considerations regarding application of the 2017 McDonald criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) in the case reported by Nasser and colleagues[1][1] in CMAJ . The authors stated that MS is “an atypical cause” of this patient’s lateral pontine syndrome (not
Unequal burdens: assessing the determinants of elevated COVID-19 case and death rates in New York City's racial/ethnic minority neighbourhoods.

Background The disproportionate burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on racial/ethnic minority communities has revealed glaring inequities. However, multivariate empirical studies investigating its determinants are still limited. We document variation in COVID-19 case and death rates across different racial/ethnic neighbourhoods in New York City (NYC), the initial epicentre of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak, and conduct a multivariate ecological analysis investigating how various neighbourhood characteristics might explain any observed disparities. Methods Using ZIP-code-level COVID-19 case and death data from the NYC Department of Health, demographic and socioeconomic data from the American Community Survey and health data from the Centers for Disease Control’s 500 Cities Project, we estimated a series of negative binomial regression models to assess the relationship between neighbourhood racial/ethnic composition (majority non-Hispanic White, majority Black, majority Hispanic and Other-type), neighbourhood poverty, affluence, proportion of essential workers, proportion with pre-existing health conditions and neighbourhood COVID-19 case and death rates. Results COVID-19 case and death rates for majority Black, Hispanic and Other-type minority communities are between 24% and 110% higher than those in majority White communities. Elevated case rates are completely accounted for by the larger presence of essential workers in minority communities but excess deaths in Black neighbourhoods remain unexplained in the final model. Conclusions The unequal COVID-19 case burden borne by NYC’s minority communities is closely tied to their representation among the ranks of essential workers. Higher levels of pre-existing health conditions are not a sufficient explanation for the elevated mortality burden observed in Black communities.
Coherence of interior and exterior formal qualities in parametrically designed buildings

Parametrically designed buildings often have spectacular exterior forms, quasi-sculptural, that catch the eye of the passers by. However, the indoor space design of parametric architecture has received less attention due to over emphasis on exterior aesthetic requirements. This may lead to superficial aesthetics where the quality of the indoor space is not compatible with the outer building envelope. This paper seeks to highlight the importance of coherency between these two parts of parametrically designed buildings. To do this, we conducted a two-step survey with architecture students where we first presented a set of different views of indoor and outdoor spaces of some parametric buildings. They were asked to match the images of the interior spaces to images of the exterior facades. In the second step, students were asked to evaluate each building by their formal criteria (specifically the coherence of the facade and indoor space) for parametrically designed projects in order to identify if a gap existed between the two aesthetics.
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines drive differential Fc-functional profiles in pregnant, lactating, and non-pregnant women

Significant immunological changes occur throughout pregnancy to tolerize the mother and allow growth of the fetal graft. However, additional local and systemic immunological adaptations also occur, allowing the maternal immune system to continue to protect the dyad against foreign invaders both during pregnancy and after birth through lactation. This fine balance of tolerance and immunity, along with physiological and hormonal changes, contribute to increased susceptibility to particular infections in pregnancy, including more severe COVID-19 disease. Whether these changes also make pregnant women less responsive to vaccination or induce altered immune responses to vaccination remains incompletely understood. To holistically define potential changes in vaccine response during pregnancy and lactation, we deeply profiled the humoral vaccine response in a group of pregnant and lactating women and non-pregnant age-matched controls. Vaccine-specific titers were comparable, albeit slightly lower, between pregnant and lactating women, compared to non-pregnant controls. Among pregnant women, we found higher antibody titers and functions in those vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine. FcR-binding and antibody effector functions were induced with delayed kinetics in both pregnant and lactating women compared to non-pregnant women. Antibody boosting resulted in high FcR-binding titers in breastmilk. These data point to an immune resistance to generate highly inflammatory antibodies during pregnancy and lactation, and a critical need to follow prime/boost timelines in this vulnerable population to ensure full immunity is attained.
Abstract LB078: Hexyl-(cuban-1-yl-methyl)-biguanide (HCB) inhibits hormone therapy resistant breast cancer cells, in part by Inhibiting CYP3A4 arachidonic acid epoxygenase activity

Introduction: Small molecule therapeutics of estrogen receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer remains an area of active investigation where novel agents are greatly needed for treatment of hormone therapy resistant metastatic disease. The biguanide hexyl-benzyl-biguanide (HBB) is a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4 arachidonic acid (AA) epoxygenase activity and inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation and MCF-7 breast cancer tumor growth in nude mice. To explore the impact of bioisosteric substitution of the benzyl moiety of HBB with a cubane moiety, we synthesized hexyl-(cuban-1-yl-methyl)-biguanide (HCB) and tested its potency for the inhibition of the cognate CYP3A4 target AA epoxygenase activity as well as breast cancer cell proliferation of hormone therapy sensitive and resistant cell lines. Results: HCB selectively inhibited CYP3A4-mediated biosynthesis of (±)-14,15-EET with an IC50 of 4.7±0.2 uM vs. 64.8±6.5 uM for 8,9-EET and 26.5±1.9 uM for 11,12-EET. At 24 hours, HCB inhibited proliferation of MCF-7 (ER+HER2-), BT474 (ER+HER2+) and MDA-MB-231 (ER-HER2-) cells at IC50 of 8.4±1.2, 11±1.3 and 15±0.9 uM, respectively. At 48 hours, HCB inhibited proliferation of aromatase inhibitor and fulvestrant resistant (LR,FR), and cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKi) palbociclib resistant (LR,FR,PR) MCF-7 cell lines; LR,FR MCF-7AC1 (IC50 =1.34±0.1 uM) and LR,FR,PR MCF-7AC1 (IC50 =1.64±0.2 uM). Addition of 14,15-EET (1 uM) partially rescues MCF-7 cells from HCB-mediated inhibition of proliferation. OXPHOS is promoted, in part, by EETs. HCB is a potent OXPHOS inhibitor and rapidly inhibits O2 consumption of the MCF-7 and ZR75 (ER+HER2-) cells in a dose-dependent fashion (P Conclusion: These results show that HCB inhibits proliferation of ER+HER2- breast cancer cells, in part through inhibition of OXPHOS and suppression of the CYP product 14,15-EET. This inhibition is highly active in hormonal therapy and CDKi resistant ER+HER2- breast cancer cells. These results suggest that HCB is a novel and potent biguanide that has potential to be developed for inhibition of hormone therapy resistant and CDKi resistant breast cancer. Citation Format: Zhijun Guo, Jianxun Lei, Kwon Ho Hong, Beverly Norris, Craig M. Flory, Swaathi Jayaraman, Connor McDermott, Elizabeth Ambrose, Irina Sevrioukova, Tom Poulos, Ilia Denisov, Stephen Sliga, Robert J. Schumacher, Gunda I. Georg, John R. Hawse, Matthew P. Goetz, David A. Potter. Hexyl-(cuban-1-yl-methyl)-biguanide (HCB) inhibits hormone therapy resistant breast cancer cells, in part by Inhibiting CYP3A4 arachidonic acid epoxygenase activity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr LB078.
Nephrolithiasis (part 1): Epidemiology, causes and pathogenesis of recurrent nephrolithiasis

A recent increase in the incidence of recurrent renal calcium oxalate calculi has been demonstrated. Although a few advances have shown that the increase in incidence of these stones is due to genetic causes, it is mostly associated with a change in environmental factors. Global warming and weather changes, some medications administered to young children and eating habits play a pivotal role in increasing stone incidence. By far the most important single factor in stone incidence involves the increased ingestion of red meat and salt. So much so that it is anticipated that calcium oxalate stone occurrence will increase pari passu with dietary changes in the South African black community. The reasons for the difference in the incidence between males and females (12% v. 6%) remain controversial, and should be further studied.
Vegetation reflectance measurements as a function of solar zenith angle

An understanding of the behavior of vegetation canopy reflectance as a function of solar zenith angle is important to several remote sensing applications. Spectral hemispherical-conical reflectances of a nadir looking sensor were taken throughout the day of a lodgepole pine and two grass canopies. Mathematical simulations of both a spectral hemispherical-conical reflectance factor and a spectral bi-hemispherical reflectance were performed for two theoretical canopies of contrasting geometric structure. These results and results from literature studies showed a great amount of variability of vegetation canopy reflectances as a function of solar zenith angle. Explanations for this variability are discussed and recommendations for future measurements are proposed.
Embedding degenerate graphs of small bandwidth

We develop a tool for embedding almost spanning degenerate graphs of small bandwidth. As an application, we extend the blow-up lemma to degenerate graphs of small bandwidth, the bandwidth theorem to degenerate graphs, and make progress on a conjecture of Burr and Erdős on Ramsey number of degenerate graphs.
Gendered Violence and Work: Reckoning with the Boundaries of Sex Discrimination Law

Workplace discrimination based on sex persists despite decades of anti-discrimination law. Domestic and sexual violence survivors' treatment at work often reflects a subtle form of sex discrimination that inevitably informs and distorts workplace decisions involving domestic and sexual violence victims, yet, in many cases, remains legally insignificant. This article proposes an approach that draws on the growing literature documenting cognitive bias. It argues that survivors' experiences at work should be recognized for the ways those experiences reflect subtle gender-based bias. The proposed approach would interrupt the operation of unconscious bias at the points where it most frequently operates and would require evaluation of the actual, rather than presumed, role of abuse. This approach would produce a fuller and more accurate account of discrimination while protecting employers' legitimate interests in both performance and safety.
The Price of Defiance: James Meredith and the Integration of Ole Miss – By Charles W. Eagles

James Meredith's struggle to integrate the University of Mississippi in 1962 and the ensuing segregationist machinations, intimidation, and violence exploded in a campus riot that became a watershe...
Development of an Instrument to Assess Prospective Elementary Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs about Equitable Science Teaching and Learning (SEBEST)

This paper presents an overview of the procedures used to develop and validate an instrument to measure the self-efficacy beliefs of prospective elementary teachers about equitable science teaching and learning. The instrument, titled the SEBEST, was based on the work of Ashton and Webb (1986a, 1986b) and Bandura (1977, 1986). It was modeled after the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) (Riggs, 1988) and the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument for Prospective Teachers (STEBI-B) (Enochs & Riggs, 1990). Based on the standardized development procedures used and associated evidence, the SEBEST appears to be a content and construct valid instrument, with high internal reliability qualities. "Most probable response" plots are introduced and used to bring meaning to SEBEST raw scores.
Differences in Algorithmic Parallelism in Control Flow and Call Multigraphs

Our parallel hybrid analysis methods facilitate the parallelization of the analysis phase of a software transformation system, by enabling deeper semantic analyses to be accomplished more efficiently than if performed sequentially. Our previous empirical studies profiled these hybrid techniques on the Reaching Definitions problem [LMR91, LR92a, LR92b]. Recently, we have applied our method to the Interprocedural May _Alias Problem for Fortran programs in a prototype implementation. The interpretation of our results suggested further performance studies, comparing our region partition algorithms (both Bottom_Up and Forward partitioning [LRF94]) on call multigraphs and control flow graphs. These comparisons yielded statistically significant differences in performance of our graph partitioning techniques applied to these two graph populations. This research is part of a larger effort to calculate the modification side effects problem (MOD) for Fortran programs using our parallel hybrid techniques.
Upper extremity contractures in a patient with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.

Abstract L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid taken as an over-the-counter nutritional supplement for a variety of conditions including chronic pain, insomnia, and depression. In October 1989 several patients were reported having eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) who had taken L-tryptophan in large doses. Little is known about the longterm outcomes of EMS. A patient with EMS who developed contractures of the upper extremities because of severe myalgias is discussed. Early aggressive rehabilitative intervention may prevent contractures in patients with EMS.
Design strategies for low voltage and energy efficient pipelined data converters

The following topics are dealt with: architecture review: design strategies; and key design issues including amplifiers, component matching, calibration and interleaving.
Prevalence of pesticide exposure in young males (</= 50 years) with adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Evidence implicating pesticides as causative agents of prostate cancer is controversial, and specifically, data in young adults is lacking. Hence, we performed a preliminary study evaluating the relationship between pesticide exposure and prostate cancer in young males. After approval from the University of North Dakota Institutional Review Board and Human Subjects Committee, a retrospective study was performed on all young males ( 2400 hours were considered as 'exposed.' The 2400 hour cut-off value was chosen on the basis of previous reports indicating that this figure represents heavy exposure to genotoxic agents. Statistical analysis was obtained using SPSS-10®. Between 1991 and 2001, 61 young males with adenocarcinoma of the prostate were identified, of whom 56 patients with a mean age of 47 years (range: 40–49) had complete records of treatment and could be contacted for completion of the questionnaire. The most common stage at presentation was Stage III and the mean Gleason's score was 7.5 (range 5–9). Interestingly, almost a third (16/56, 28.6%) of patients had stage IV disease at presentation. 37/56 (66.1%) patients had 'significant' exposure in our study. In addition, interestingly, the mean survival in the subgroup of patients with pesticide exposure was 11.3 months (SD: +/- 2.3 months), while the mean survival in the patients without pesticide exposure (n = 19) was 20.1 months (SD: +/- 3.1 months), with p-value <0.01. Although our study is relatively small, it does reveal preliminary evidence linking pesticide exposure to the early development of, possibly aggressive, prostate adenocarcinoma. Future, larger, epidemiological studies are needed to confirm the findings of our study.
On robustifying the C-Means algorithms

The Hard and Fuzzy C-Means algorithms are commonly used in many applications. However, they are highly sensitive to noise and outliers. We reformulate the Hard and Fuzzy C-Means algorithms and combine them with a robust estimator called the Least Trimmed Squares to produce robust versions of these algorithms. To find the optimum trimming ratio of the data set and to eliminate the noise from the data set, we develop an unsupervised algorithm based on a cluster validity measure. We illustrate the robustness of these algorithm with examples.
Causes and Consequences of Western Extreme Negativism against Islam Will Such Negativism Ever End? How? Why or Why Not?

Human bad manners of blame games, corruptions, crimes, deceptions, dislikes, greed, hate and turns and twists divide people and create most problems in the society. Since the beginning of industrialization human bad manners have increased many folds in recent years and perhaps reached the highest level resulting in the demise of Soviet communism in early 1990s and the free market economy or capitalism in 2008. After communism Islam became the undeclared enemy of the West that led to the tragic events of terrorism on September 11, 2001. No doubt such heinous acts are absolutely unacceptable and unjust, these gave the few most influential and powerful people in the West to demonize Islam and dehumanize the Muslims for their vested interests. These are the tiny ‘invisible’ interest groups of who come from different sectors of the society and they always benefit from societal chaos, conflicts, confusions and even wars. Justifiably the West went to war to punish and eliminate the terrorists ignoring totally the other side of story that made Muslim world hostile with the West – the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. This is the major cause of Muslim dissatisfaction around the world. To show their anger and dissatisfaction with the USA we saw people dancing and showing their happiness and joy on the streets in the Middle East immediately after destruction of the Twin Towers after the 911 attacks! The truth on Muslim anger was best enumerated by the Pew Research Centers and in a few interviews to the media by a top ranking ex-CIA agent, Michael Scheuer who was assigned to monitor and track bin Laden. In one interview he says, “We have yet to find a politician who is willing to tell the American people the truth” on the causes that divide the Muslims and the West. Instead of seriously trying to resolve the differences between the Muslims and the West, those tiny but most powerful interest groups are heavily engaged – more openly in slandering and smearing Islam and have launched propagandas 24/7 to destroy any good images and names that Islam ever had. This paper discusses the causes and consequences of the prevalence of extreme negativism against Islam in the West through a theory that he calls the Residual Rules. Two systemic models have also been developed to show the various linkages that led to such extreme negativism against Islam. President Clinton’s recent remark on the Middle East Conflict that Netanyahu killed the peace process and a large section of evangelical US Congressmen are making it impossible to end the conflict. The paper also raised many important issues and suggested few measures to improve relationships between the Muslims and the West. IIUC Studies Vol.9 December 2012: 161-186
Ellsworth C. “Buster” Alvord, Jr

> “If I have seen a little further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” > > Sir Isaac Newton Ellsworth C. “Buster” Alvord, Jr, was born on May 9, 1923, in Washington, DC, and died on January 19, 2010, in Seattle, WA, a devoted husband to Nancy for 66 years, beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, dear friend, generous benefactor, outstanding neuropathologist, and past president of the American Association of Neuropathologists (1964). Buster received his BS in January 1944 from Haverford College (Phi Beta Kappa) and his MD from Cornell University (Alpha Omega Alpha) in March 1946, followed by internship and residency in pathology at The New York Hospital where he held his first faculty position as Assistant in Pathology (1947-1948). It was during this early period that Buster's interest in immunologic-mediated injury to the central nervous system began. Indeed, his second publication was coauthored with LD Stevenson, “Allergy in the Nervous System, A Review of the Literature” (1). Buster, Nancy, and their young family moved from New York to the Washington, DC, area where he continued his training with a residency …
Performance Measures of Behavior-Based Signatures: An Anti-malware Solution for Platforms with Limited Computing Resource

The signature-based malware-detection method is the most popular one used in anti-malware software. However, given advanced malware capabilities, the database of traditional signature-based antimalware software is becoming bloated to support identification of every variant. The increase in signatures slows the detection process and, in some cases, exceeds the resource availability of the platforms that need it most. With the expansion of the smaller platforms with limited computing resources, such as some mobile devices and various types of sensor networks, including Internet-of-Things (IoT), anti-malware's capability needs to be refined to support these platforms. Behavior-based signatures might provide that much-needed reduction in the number of signatures found in a signature set while retaining the full spectrum of malware variants.
Incidence and clinical characteristics of National Institutes of Health type III prostatitis in the community.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Few population based epidemiological studies of prostatitis have been performed. We used coded physician diagnoses and subsequent chart reviews to estimate the incidence and clinical characteristics of physician diagnosed National Institutes of Health (NIH) type III prostatitis.Materials and Methods: Computer searches of the Kaiser Permanente Northwest (Portland, Oregon) database were performed on the 2-year interval May 2002 to May 2004 to identify new diagnoses of chronic prostatitis (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision code 601.1) and prostatitis not otherwise specified (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision code 601.9). Of the 1,223 men identified with these coded diagnoses, chart reviews were performed on a random subset of 413 (33.8%). Patients were categorized based on NIH prostatitis definitions of type I/II—evidence of pyuria and/or bacteriuria on urinalysis or culture, type III—presence of at least 1 of the pain or urinary symptoms in the NIH ...
Splitting the Hedgehog signal: sex and patterning in Drosophila

Sex-lethal (Sxl), the Drosophila sex-determination master switch, is on in females and controls sexual development as a splicing and translational regulator. Hedgehog (Hh) is a secreted protein that specifies cell fate during development. Previous work has demonstrated that Sxl protein is part of the Hh cytoplasmic signaling complex and that Hh promotes Sxl nuclear entry. In the wing disc anterior compartment, Patched (Ptc), the Hh receptor, acts positively in this process. Here, it is shown that the levels and rate of nuclear entry of full-length Cubitus interruptus (Ci), the Hh signaling target, are enhanced by Sxl. This effect requires the cholesterol but not palmitoyl modification on Hh, and expands the zone of full-length Ci expression. Expansion of Ci activation and its downstream targets, particularly decapentaplegic the Drosophila TGFbeta homolog, suggests a mechanism for generating different body sizes in the sexes; in Drosophila, females are larger and this difference is controlled by Sxl. Consistent with this proposal, discs expressing ectopic Sxl show an increase in growth. In keeping with the idea of the involvement of a signaling system, this growth effect by Sxl is not cell autonomous. These results have implications for all organisms that are sexually dimorphic and use Hh for patterning.
The couple's odyssey: Hollywood's take on love relationships.

Psychiatrists need to be aware of how their individual clients are impacted by issues they may be having in their intimate relationships and how couples issues, in turn, impact and are impacted by emotional and mental disorders. In addition, psychiatrists need to be able to offer sound advice to individuals in troubled relationships, know how to make referrals to trained marriage therapists and know how medications they prescribe may impact couples. Over the past twenty years, there have been significant advances in couple research to assist health professionals in offering insight to couples struggling with communication, conflict resolution, affairs, addictions and many other aspects of the couple's odyssey. Movie clips offer an effective way of teaching psychiatrists about common issues in coupling and couple therapy. The use of movies for teaching health professionals is well documented in previous articles and books on cinemeducation. This paper highlights movies and movie clips which are useful for ...
High-speed resonant-tunneling diodes made from the In0.53Ga0.47As/AlAs material system

New double-barrier resonant-tunneling diodes have been fabricated in the pseudomorphic In0.53Ga0.47As/AlAs material system that have peak current densities exceeding 1x105 A cm-2 and peak-to-valley current ratios of approximately 10 at room temperature. One of these diodes yielded oscillations up to 125 GHz, but did not oscillate at higher frequencies because of a large device capacitance. A device with a much lower capacitance is estimated to have a maximum oscillation frequency of 932 GHz and a voltage rise time of 1.5 ps in switching from the peak bias point to the valley bias point. Other reported In0.53Ga0.47As/AlAs diodes are analyzed and yield theoretical maximum oscillation frequencies over 1 THz and rise times as low as 0.3 ps.
Insights into silicate carbonation processes in water-bearing supercritical CO2 fluids

Abstract Subsurface injection of CO2 is commonplace in certain industries, yet deployment at the scale required for emission reduction is unprecedented and therefore requires a high degree of predictability. Accurate modeling of subsurface geochemical processes related to geologic carbon sequestration requires experimentally derived data for mineral reactions. Most work in this area has focused on aqueous-dominated systems in which dissolved CO2 reacts to form crystalline carbonate minerals. Comparatively little laboratory research has been conducted on reactions occurring between minerals in the host rock and the wet supercritical fluid phase. We studied the carbonation of wollastonite [CaSiO3] exposed to variably hydrated supercritical CO2 (scCO2) at 50, 55 and 70 °C and 90, 120 and 160 bar. Reactions were followed by three novel in situ high pressure techniques, which demonstrated increased dissolved water concentrations in the scCO2 resulted in increased wollastonite carbonation approaching ∼50 wt.%. Overall, the X-ray diffraction and infrared and magic angle nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies experiments conducted in this study allow detailed examination of mechanisms impacting carbonation rates. These include the development of amorphous passivating layers, thin liquid water films, and amorphous hydrated carbonate phases. Collectively, these results emphasize the importance of understanding geochemical processes occurring in wet scCO2 fluids.
Identifying the Pattern of Localization Responses with a Haptic Seat Intended to Alert Drivers to the Direction of a Crash Threat

The potential safety benefits afforded by emerging automotive crash avoidance systems may be enhanced by implementing a driver vehicle interface (DVI) that effectively communicates the direction of...
Differential sensitivity of resting and IL-2 activated NK cells to R-verapamil.

Natural killer (NK) cells are the first lymphoid population to reconstitute the peripheral blood compartment of immunologically compromised bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients. Recent data suggest that, among patients transplanted for leukemia, NK cells can prevent or delay disease relapse by mediating a cytotoxic graft vs leukemia (GvL) response. Although the major mechanism by which NK cells mediate target cell lysis involves degranulation and release of cytolytic effector molecules (granzymes, proteoglycans, perforin), accumulating evidence suggests that NK cells possess additional pathways to mediate target cell killing. In fact, it is well recognized that recombinant cytokines such as IL-2 enhance the in vitro cytolytic activity of NK cells. In this study, we observed that the lytic activity mediated by resting and IL-2 activated NK cells against the same target cell appears to occur via two distinct pathways, as distinguished by their differential response to R-verapamil. Specifically, we observed that 25 μM R-verapamil inhibited the lytic activity of resting NK cells against K562 targets by approximately 50%. However, the lytic activity of IL-2 activated NK cells was unaffected by this concentration of R-verapamil. Additional studies suggested that the inhibitory effect of R-verapamil on NK cytotoxic activity was associated with its ability to prevent degranulation of cytotoxic granules. Specifically, R-verapamil inhibited BLT esterase release from resting but not IL-2 activated NK cells. These data suggest that IL-2 activated NK cells can promote target cell lysis by a pathway (possibly degranulation independent) distinct from that used by resting NK cells. We speculate that the target of R-verapamil on resting NK cells is P-glycoprotein (Pgp), an ABC transporter that we recently reported was expressed on NK cells and whose functional activity is known to be inhibited by R-verapamil.
Cooper pairs and composite bosons in two dimensions

Abstract We review our recent work on the ground state of a 2D Fermi gas with given attractive interactions. We discuss (1) the connection between pairing instability and binding in vacuum, (2) the evolution of the ground state from cooperative BCS pairing to a condensate of composite bosons, and (3) the distinction between the gap and the order parameter in the strong coupling regime. The relevance to the high T c superconductors is discussed.
Center-surround antagonism in spatial vision: Retinal or cortical locus?

Mach and Hering had early advanced a model of spatial visual processing featuring an antagonistic interaction between adjoining areas in the visual field. Spatial opponency was one of the first findings when single-unit studies of the retina were begun. Not long afterwards psychophysical experiments revealed a center-surround organization closely matching that found in the mammalian retina. It hinged on the demonstration of reduction of sensitivity in a small patch of the visual field when its surround was changed from dark to bright. Because such patterns inevitably produce borders, well-known phenomena of border interaction could be seen as providing alternative explanations, whose substrate would most likely be in the visual cortex. These competing viewpoints are discussed especially as they pertain to the recent demonstration of spatial differences in the center/surround organization between the normal and affected eyes of amblyopes. To the extent that most findings favor a retinal site for the psychophysically measured antagonism, and that evidence is accumulating for a direct effect on the mammalian retina of stimulus manipulation during visual development, the difference in spatial parameters of center/surround antagonism in amblyopia suggests that the dysfunction in amblyopia begins already in the retina.
Quizzes: Tools or Tyrants?.

Quiz questions can be very effective teachers. They may condition students to study in particular ways, to attend to some types of information and to ignore others, and they may determine how the student processes information.
Use of an electronic patient-reported outcome measurement system to improve distress management in oncology.

Objective:Management of patient distress is a critical task in cancer nursing and cancer practice. Here we describe two examples of how an electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) measurement system implemented into routine oncology care can practically aid clinical and research tasks related to distress management.Methods:Tablet personal computers were used to routinely complete a standardized ePRO review of systems surveys at point of care during every encounter in the Duke Oncology outpatient clinics. Two cases of use implementation are explored: (1) triaging distressed patients for optimal care, and (2) psychosocial program evaluation research.Results:Between 2009 and 2011, the ePRO system was used to collect information during 17,338 Duke Oncology patient encounters. The system was used to monitor patients for psychosocial distress employing an electronic clinical decision support algorithm, with 1,952 (11.3%) referrals generated for supportive services. The system was utilized to examine the efficacy of a psychosocial care intervention documenting statistically significant improvements in distress, despair, fatigue, and quality of life (QOL) in 50 breast cancer patients.Significance of results:ePRO solutions can guide best practice management of cancer patient distress. Nurses play a key role in implementation and utilization.
Psychosocial factors associated with diet quality in a working adult population

The associations between specific intra- and inter-personal psychosocial factors and dietary patterns were explored in a healthy, working adult sample of university and health center employees (N = 640) who were enrolled in a prospective predictive health study. Participants had a mean age of 48 (SD = 11) years and were 67% women and 30% minority. Baseline psychosocial measures of perceived stress, depressive symptoms, social support, and family functioning were examined for their relationships with three diet quality indices-AHEI, DASH, and the Mediterranean. Dietary intake was of moderate quality in this high-income, well-educated, psychosocially healthy population. Social support was positively associated with better diet quality for all three indices (p < .01). Further research should focus on socio-environmental factors associated with diet quality.
Pseudo-phase changes in cupric sulfate pentahydrate during dehydration

Abstract A study of the dehydration kinetics of a model system, cupric sulfate pentahydrate, was made using the temperature programmed desorption technique. The three decomposition steps from the pentahydrate to the anhydrous salt were clearly resolved into distinct spectral peaks even at sample heating rates in excess of 10 K. min −1 . A linear relationship between spectral peak temperature and square root of heating rate was observed for each dehydration step. The kinetic data revealed different activation enthalpies and entropies for each dehydration sequence for heating rates above and below approximately 8 K min −1 . These latter findings are interpreted in terms of crystalline to amorphous pseudo-phase changes in the solid hydrate during decomposition which become apparent only at fast sample heating rates. Enthalpy and entropy changes associated with these structural alterations are evaluated. The results also help to clarify earlier work on the dehydration mechanism in calcium phosphates.
CO/Air turbulent diffusion flame: Measurements and modeling

Abstract Measurements are presented for a turbulent diffusion flame jet of carbon monoxide in coflowing air. Detailed profiles of average velocity, turbulence intensity, average temperature, and species concentrations were measured at a Reynolds number of 1.14 × 10 4 . Several checks on the data indicated good accuracy of the measurements. A model was also developed for turbulent diffusion flames on the basis of their local laminar flame structure. Laminar flame calculations, using a global reaction rate for CO oxidation, provided unique relationships between thermochemical variables and the mixture fraction. These relationships along with a K-ϵ-g model of turbulence in Favre-averaged form were used to make predictions in the CO/air diffusion flame jet. The model predictions showed good agreement for x D ≤ 50 , with some discrepancy for x D > 50 .
Application of 3-(2-furoyl)quinoline-2-carbaldehyde as a fluorogenic reagent for the analysis of primary amines by liquid chromatography with laser-induced fluorescence detection

3-(2-Furoyl)quinoline-2-carbaldehyde (FQCA) has been synthesized and characterized as a fluorogenic derivatizing reagent for liquid chromatography. The reagent forms highly fluorescent isoindoles upon reaction with primary amines. The spectral properties and optimum reaction conditions for the formation of isoindoles have been investigated. The utility of FQCA for the high-sensitivity analysis of amino acids by laser-induced fluorescence with an argon-ion laser is demonstrated.
Experimental application of a structural health monitoring methodology

This paper reviews a method of localized structural health monitoring based on relative changes in localized flexibility properties. The localized flexibility matrices are obtained either by applying a decomposition procedure to an experimentally determined global flexibility matrix or by processing the output signals of a vibration test in a substructure-by-substructure manner. The theory is based on the partitioning of the energy functional of a discrete dynamic system, for which Lagrange multipliers are utilized to enforce compatibility constraints between neighboring substructural regions. The resultant dynamics are then stated in terms of generalized variables that are unique to each substructure and the Lagrange multipliers that can be considered as interface forces which transfer energy between substructures. This theory is demonstrated with an experimental damage detection test of a bridge column model.
Validity studies of the eating disorder examination

The Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) is a comprehensive clinical interview for the assessment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The present study is the first to examine its concurrent validity by comparing it against other, primarily behavioral, measures of eating disorder symptoms. Reports of eating behavior and attitudes on the EDE were associated modestly with daily caloric intake, avoidance of regular meals, avoidance of forbidden foods, frequency and size of binge-eating episodes, and associated highly with frequency of vomiting episodes as recorded on eating diaries. The EDE measures of body image disturbance were related strongly to self-report questionnaires of negative body image attitudes and related modestly to body size overestimation. However, there was no evidence for incremental discriminant validity of the EDE body image scales as compared with the Body Shape Questionnaire.
Monitoring active corrosion of metals in natural environments with magnetometry

Abstract Magnetic fields induced by electrochemical activity from aqueous corrosion of two metals are monitored remotely with low cost sensors in a natural (unshielded and non-cryogenic) laboratory environment. Passive magnetic field measurement is carried out with economical and practical sensors. The measured magnetic fields are ascribed to active uniform aqueous corrosion processes in both aluminum and steel, and we demonstrate a direct relation between corrosion rate and magnetic activity for each case. The results indicate that magnetic activity owing to uniformly corroding surface is not magnetically silent in this particular testing configuration, and the rate of corrosion can be monitored in a practical manner.
The timing of seed dispersal in Viooa nuttallii: attraction of dispersers and avoidance of predators

Elaiosomes attract rodent predators, as well as ant dispersers (Myrmica discontinua and Formica podzolica), to Viola nuttallii seeds. Seed removal by ants and rodents was studied over 24 h and over two separate 4-h periods. Experimental treatments included i) ants and rodents having access to seeds, ii) only ants having access, iii) only rodents having access, and iv) neither ants nor rodents having access. Seed dehiscence was monitored for 3 days. A simple model is used to determine the relative importance of ants and rodents in removing seeds, and these frequencies are related to the time when most seeds were released. The data show that most seeds are shed from capsules between 9 AM and 1 PM and are immediately removed by ants. Ants, on the average, remove 88% of the seeds. The timing of seed dehiscence increases the probability of seeds being dispersed by ants. The results are discussed with respect to the hypothesis that a sychrony of the time of seed dispersal and the period when most ants (mutualists) and least rodents (predators) are active would be advantageous to the plant species.
Allocation of rehabilitation services: who gets a home evaluation.

he United States (U.S.) health care system is the most expensive health care sys-tem in the world, with health expenditures in the year 2000 totaling $1.3 tril-lion, or 13.2% of the gross domestic product, and averaging $4,637 per person(Levit, Smith, Cowan, Lazenby, & Martin, 2002). Despite the huge amountspent on medical care, the U.S. ranks low on many health indicators, such asinfant mortality and life expectancy (World Health Organization [WHO], 2000),and there is mounting evidence that the health care system is plagued with seri-ous problems at all levels (Lewin & Altman, 2000; Moss, 2000). One of the mosttroubling and urgent, according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2002), is thepersistence of serious inequalities in access to and utilization of quality health careservices.In their comprehensive review entitled
CLEAVAGE FURROW FORMATION IN A TELOLECITHAL EGG (LOLIGO PEALII) I. Filaments in Early Furrow Formation

Formation of the first cleavage furrow in the telolecithal egg of Loligo was studied with the electron microscope. Before the actual furrow forms, a dense filamentous band develops below the plasma membrane from membrane-bounded dense bodies which appear to be Golgi-derived. The egg surface is thrown into a number of longitudinal folds which parallel the furrow and eventually become incorporated into it. These longitudinal folds contain a network of tubules and vesicles. Frequently, multivesiculate bodies are associated with the furrow and possibly give rise to the network of tubules and vesicles. Apparently part of the membrane between the two new blastomeres is derived from the surface of the longitudinal folds. The theory of furrow formation by contraction is discussed in light of the filamentous band.
On the reliable decentralised stabilisation of n MIMO systems

In this paper, we consider the problem of reliable decentralised stabilisation for n multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems when some of the shared controllers among these systems are faulty, in the sense that they fail to operate properly due to subsystem (module) failures that may occur in actuators, sensors or controllers. Specifically, we present a design framework using a dilated linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) technique for deriving reliable stabilising state-feedback gains for all n MIMO systems; while a set of decentralised unknown disturbance observers (UDOs) that are shared by all n MIMO systems is used for extending the result to the output-feedback case. Moreover, a sufficient condition for the solvability of the set of decentralised UDOs is given in terms of a minimum-phase condition of each subsystem and a lower-bounding condition on the number of outputs of each channel. We also present a numerical example that illustrates the applicability of the proposed technique.
Evasiveness as a response to structural ambivalence

Abstract Psychiatric residents have to play the dual role of physicians to their patients and advanced students in psychiatry in relation to the staff. Two activity systems are compared: that of psychotherapy, where the resident's interaction with the patient is an isolated dyadic relationship; and the action system of the ward, where the resident deals with the patient in the presence of other staff. It is found that in regard to the ward, much more frequently than in regard to psychotherapy, residents are ready to resort to evasiveness vis-a-vis the patient when faced with the ambiguity of their authority position. This is all the more striking since the type of evasiveness that is used, namely that of avoiding dealing with the issue by turning it into the patient's problem, is a technique borrowed from the practice of psychoanalytically oriented psychotheraphy.
A strategy for the construction of customized design libraries for CAD

This paper presents a strategy for the automatic generation of customized libraries of form features and basic design shapes for CAD systems. Generation of the initial libraries involves the application of a recursive procedure on each model stored in a CAD system. The procedure alternates between a feature extraction stage and a coding stage. In previous coding efforts, objects and form features were classified on the basis of their shape characteristics. As a result, classes of objects and form features were defined. A customized code is then developed to sort objects and form features, when encountered, into one of the predefined classes. In this work, for the purpose of coding, classification is performed at the level of loops, with a loop defined as a cyclic set of edges. Therefore, predefined classes of objects or features are not generated. A code is then developed to convey the loop information. The generation of a loop code for all loops on an object results in a numerical pattern that characterizes the object's (or feature's) topology, constrained by the convexity of its edges.
High-Yield Synthesis of Gold Microplates Using Amphiphilic Block Copolymers: Are Lyotropic Liquid Crystals Required?

High-yield synthesis of gold microplates is achieved through autoreduction of hydrogen tetrachloroaureate (III) hydrate (HAuCl 4 · 3 H 2 O) in aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer (Pluronic L64, EO 13 PO 30 EO 13 ) at ambient conditions, in the absence of added energy, reductant, or other surfactants. The formation by the amphiphilic block copolymer of lyotropic liquid crystals (e.g., ordered cylindrical/hexagonal or lamellar phases) is not required for templating the formation of such microplates.