cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
0024 Feasibility and acceptability of telemedicine and patient portal interventions to prevent opioid misuse in adolescents and young adults

Statement of purposePreventing opioid misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD) is necessary given the opioid epidemic Prevention programs for adolescents/young adults are needed to alter risk trajectories We developed interventions using telemedicine (synchronous video conference) and a patient portal-like messaging system to address risk factors for opioid misuse/OUD among young Emergency Department (ED) patients Our presentation describes these promising interventions and their feasibility and acceptability Methods/ApproachIn Spring 2020, N = 40 ED patients ages 16–30 who were at risk for opioid misuse/OUD enrolled in a pilot trial involving screening/baseline assessments, motivational interviewing-based remote interventions (baseline telemedicine brief intervention [BI], 1-month of portal messaging), and a 1-month follow-up Before COVID-19, N = 10 enrolled in the ED (in-person cohort: IPC);during COVID-19, N = 30 recent ED patients enrolled via phone recruitment (remote cohort: RC) Feasibility data are presented by cohort;acceptability data are combined ResultsAmong the N=40, the sample had a mean age of 22 9 years Gender was: 70% female, 5% non-conforming, 25% male Race was: 75% White, 15% Black/African American, and 10% other racial identities;17 5% were Hispanic/Latinx Regarding feasibility, eligibility rates were similar (IPC: 17%, RC: 15%);consenting rates differed (IPC: 100%, RC: 56%), likely due to the RC’s telephone approach Portal engagement increased from the IPC (60%) to the RC (93%), possibly due to addressing technical difficulties and IPC user feedback BI and portal satisfaction were high (M = 9 3 on a 1–10 scale and M = 8 5, respectively) Interventions exceeded motivational interviewing fidelity thresholds (adapted for portal messaging) Follow-up rates were high (IPC: 80%, RC: 93%) SignificancePreventing opioid misuse is critical to avoiding escalation of opioid use and overdoses, and emergency department patients are at increased risk This study demonstrates the feasibility and acceptability of these intervention approaches via telemedicine for preventing future injuries
Linkage of electron emission and breakdown mechanism theories from quantum scales to Paschen's law

Numerous applications such as micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems, microplasmas, and directed energy increasingly drive device miniaturization to nanoscale and from vacuum to atmospheric pressure. This wide range of operating conditions and relevant mechanisms complicates the derivation of a single scaling law for electron emission and gas breakdown; therefore, theoretical studies often unify two or three mechanisms piecemeal. This study defines a common set of scaling parameters across the range of dominant mechanisms to derive a theory that links electron emission and breakdown mechanism theories from quantum scales to Paschen's law and yields asymptotic solutions for quantum space-charge limited emission (QSCL), classical space-charge limited emission (CSCL), space-charge limited emission with collisions (MG), Fowler–Nordheim field emission (FN), field emission driven gas breakdown, and classical gas breakdown defined by Paschen's law (PL). These non-dimensionalized equations are universal (true for any gas) across all regimes except for PL, which contains a single, material-dependent parameter. This approach reproduces various nexuses corresponding to the transitions across multiple mechanisms, such as QSCL to CSCL, CSCL to FN, CSCL to MG to FN, and field emission-driven breakdown as described by FN to PL, using a single non-dimensionalization scheme to facilitate experimental designs concerned with crossing these regimes. Furthermore, we demonstrate the conditions for more complicated nexuses, such as matching QSCL, CSCL, MG, and FN. This provides valuable information to experimentalists concerning regimes where slight perturbations in conditions may alter the electron emission mechanism and to theorists concerning the applicability of the asymptotic solutions or reduced nexus theories.
Flow in a ring-sheared drop: Drop deformation

The ring-sheared drop is a containerless system where shear is imparted by two contact rings, one rotating and the other stationary. In microgravity, aqueous drops can be studied in the air at the centimeter scale. Drops of this scale can also be studied experimentally on Earth, but the effects of gravity need to be mitigated by density matching the drop liquid and its surrounding fluid. The use of silicone oil drops surrounded by an aqueous solution allows density matching while retaining the viscosity ratio of the aqueous-air system in microgravity. The imposed shear drives a meridional flow in the drop which leads to a pear-shaped drop. A perturbation analysis with the capillary number as the small parameter is used to account for this mean drop deformation. The theory and time-averaged experiments agree, particularly at smaller ring rotation rates where the capillary number in the experiments is smaller. On top of the mean deformation, there is a smaller amplitude nonaxisymmetric deformation, which for slower ring rotation rates consists of a rotating wave with azimuthal wavenumber m = 1, that is, synchronous with the rotating ring. This is traced back to imperfections in the wetting and contact between the drop and the rotating ring in the experiment. At larger ring rotations, the experiments detect further unsteadiness with a broad frequency peak at about one third the ring rotation rate. Nonlinear simulations of the outer flow, assuming a nondeforming drop, find that at these ring rotations, the outer flow is unsteady with a similar frequency peak.
Brief Report: Autistic Traits Predict Spectral Correlates of Vowel Intelligibility for Female Speakers

A growing body of research finds that neurotypical autistic traits are predictive of speech perception and language comprehension patterns, but considerably less is known about the influence of these traits on speech production. In this brief report, we present an analysis of vowel productions from 74 American English speakers who participated in a communicative speaking task. Results show higher autistic trait load to be broadly and inversely related to spectral correlates of vowel intelligibility. However, the statistical significance of this relationship is specific to autistic traits along the pragmatic communication dimension, and limited to female speakers.
Childhood adversity links to self-reported mood, anxiety, and stress-related disorders.

Abstract Background Child abuse has been identified within the DSM-5 as a putative etiologic risk for over two dozen psychiatric disorders. Methods This study examined associations between self-reported diagnostic histories of six Mood, Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders and childhood adversities measured using dichotomous ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) counts and dimensional indices of child abuse. Results Adversity odds ratio were all significant (p Limitations The cross-sectional analysis relied on retrospective self-reports that may not generalize fully to respondents differing in ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or other factors. Conclusions Childhood adversity in four different forms was associated with higher prevalence rates for six different mood and anxiety disorders. Childhood sexual and emotional abuse appeared to account for unshared variance in all of these lifetime diagnoses. Significant high risk adversity combinations were found for Major Depression (sexual/physical/ emotional), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (sexual/physical & physical/maternal battering), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (physical/emotion/maternal battering).
The Research Interview: A Performative Reinterpretation:

The shift from positivistic to interpretive and critical paradigms within qualitative research entails a certain messiness in its methodology and analyses. This aligns with an entailed abandonment ...
Parole Holds: Their Effects on the Rights of the Parolee and the Operation of the Parole System

When a parole agent or other representative of the administrative component of a parole system causes a parolee to be placed or retained in custody, without action by the quasi-judicial, decision-making component of the system, a parole hold is said to have been placed. An examination of legal theories offered to support such holds suggests that no sound authority exists for the use of parole holds. Their present use appears to be not only unauthorized, but in violation of the basic rights which parolees retain after conviction and incarceration. An analysis of the theoretical basis for having an independent parole case-decision-making body separate from the administrative workings of the system suggests that parole holds undermine the theoretical foundations of such a separation system and are likely to have serious detrimental effects on the system's successful operation. This Comment will present and analyze these issues, then propose specific reforms which can better serve the interests of both the parolee and the parole system.
Chapter 4 – Chemical properties of nicotine and other tobacco-related compounds

This chapter discusses the chemical properties of 15 of the most important constituents of tobacco. The structural relationships between these alkaloids, their stereochemistry, and the occurrence of enantiomeric forms in nature are also addressed. Information on the physicochemical properties of the alkaloids, i.e., basicity (pKa), and log P values is provided, and the significance of these properties regarding biological activity is discussed. The chapter also deals with electronic structure, oxidation and reduction, N-alkylation and dealkylation reactions, N-acylation reactions, reactions, pyridine ring substitution reactions, pyrrolidine ring substitution reactions, ring opening reactions, resolution and racemization procedures, and other miscellaneous reactions. Finally, it deals with the total synthesis of nicotine and related alkaloids via enantioselective pathways, and the preparation of their isotopic forms.
A Curriculum for The Milestones (s19.002)

OBJECTIVE: To create a reading curriculum for neurology residency milestones. BACKGROUND: The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandated in 2013 that neurology residents achieve proficiency in 29 areas within neurology (called “milestones”). Competency within each topic requires clinical skills gained by practice as well as theoretical knowledge gained by reading and didactics. None of the textbooks in neurology or online reference sources, however, are organized according to the milestones making it difficult for residents to master the topics. DESIGN/METHODS: We sought to create a textbook linked reading curriculum based on the milestones topics. We used Custom Curriculum, which is an online platform developed by McGraw Hill to create selections of textbook passages or multimedia content. Within each institution, individual residents can be assigned the curricula and then be tracked for completion. We used the textbook Principles of Neurology (Samuels, MA, Ropper, AH, Klein, JP. 10th ed. McGraw Hill Professional; 2014) to select collections of text for each milestone topic. RESULTS: Reading selections for each milestone topic (such as “epilepsy”) ranged in number from 2 to 26. All the topics had text selections from non-contiguous sections of the textbook, and majority spanned more than one chapter. Because of the broad nature of each milestone topic and lack of further definition by ACGME, the number and type of subtopics selected (such as “cerebral venous sinus thrombosis” within “cerebrovascular disorders”) were based entirely on consensus between the two authors. CONCLUSIONS: We present the first curriculum that provides reading selections based on the milestones topics. Lack of more precise description of required subtopics within the broader competencies (such as subtopics within “movement disorder”) will likely create substantial variability among institutions in interpreting the required content of the milestones. Disclosure: Dr. Bhattacharyya has nothing to disclose. Dr. Milligan has nothing to disclose.
Advantages of use of maternal erythrocytes for fetal transfusion

Abstract Although many incompletely understood problems surround fetal transfusion, the desirability of maximum quality control of donor blood is evident. It is felt that the administration of washed maternal erythrocytes will minimize the risk of incompatibility, homologous serum jaundice, infection, and immunologic disorders in the fetus. The removal of extraneous, unnecessary, and potentially injurious components from whole blood is incomplete, for mitotically active lymphocytes are present in all donor blood tested at the time of transfusion. Studies on 6 male fetuses who were transfused revealed 2 instances of more than 5 per cent XX lymphocytes in short-term cultures from samples of peripheral blood obtained on the day of birth (23 days after fetal transfusion) and at 16 months of age. Lymphocytic chimerism may be an infrequent but important complication of fetal transfusion.
Data Aggregation in Wireless Sensor Networks

With advance in technology, sensor networks composed of small and cost effective sensing devices equipped with wireless radio transceiver for environment monitoring have become feasible. The key advantage of using these small devices to monitor the environment is that it does not require infrastructure such as electric mains for power supply and wired lines for Internet connections to collect data, nor need human interaction while deploying. These sensor nodes can monitor the environment by collecting information from their surroundings, and work cooperatively to send the data to a base station, or sink, for analysis. However, currently there are two limitations on these sensor nodes. First, the power supply is limited. Without electric infrastructure, the nodes are powered by batteries. Once the batteries run out of energy, the nodes die. Battery replacement is not economic, and sometimes infeasible. The sensor nodes will be very cheap once they are mass production products. Deploying new sensor nodes will be more economic than human power. Sometimes the sensor network may be deployed in a hostile or unreachable environment, such as a battle field or chemical waste disposal, and therefore it is not possible for a human to replace a depleted battery. Second, the bandwidth of the radio transceiver is limited. Unlike the current 802.11 wireless LAN which can reach up to 54Mbps, current radio transceivers of these sensor nodes can only reach to a few hundreds Kbps, and some only have 30 ∼ 40 Kbps. Therefore the amount of data that can be transmitted within the sensor network is limited. To reduce energy consumption and traffic load of a sensor network, the amount of the data transmitted in the network must be reduced. Consider the dynamics of a sensor network. It collects data from its surrounding environment. This data is usually highly correlated within the sensor’s area, thus the data collected by sensor nodes close to each other is usually closely related. Temperature readings, for example, are usually the same from each of a cluster of sensors. If every node transmits its sensed data to the sink, these multiple packets will contain duplicate readings. Also, for applications that ask only for averages, sums or total counts from sensor nodes,
Boundaries and potentials of traditional and alternative neuroscience research methods in music therapy research.

How should music therapists engage with the enormous potential of neuroscience research? The methodological rigors usually employed in such research complicate this highly attractive arena, requiring operationalizing music and removing it from the context in which it is usually experienced (Fachner and Stegemann, 2013). Deconstructing music in this way merely addresses the neural processing of music perception and action, ignoring the holistic experience of music, which unfolds over time and is embedded in personal and situational context (Fachner, 2002). Furthermore, because music therapy by definition is an interpersonal experience involving client and therapist, and the therapy process depends “upon not merely the music, but also the client's experience of it” (p. 115, Bruscia, 2014), research methods which isolate the research subject from this interaction neglect an important component in the clinical dynamic of music therapy. From a broader perspective, emerging research into the effects of early relationships on brain development and behavior (Schore, 2012), shows that individuals' brains have unique patterns of interacting with the world as well as perceiving and responding to the world. While cognitive neuroscience can identify some global responses to music as stimuli, the high degree of variability across individuals continues to be a serious confounding factor. In response, new research methods are exploring ways to account for individual experience in conjunction with neuroimaging (Varela, 1996) as well as how interpersonal musical interaction correlates with brain activity (Lindenberger et al., 2009). Therefore, in this piece I will discuss researching and interpreting the behavior of the human brain in relation to music therapy contexts. I will delineate the boundaries of research methods employed in the neurosciences and discuss ways in which new, alternative methods have the potential to meaningfully elucidate clinically relevant information for music therapists.
Identifying Critical Facilities in Hub‐and‐Spoke Networks: A Hub Interdiction Median Problem

The hub location problem has been widely used in analyzing hub-and-spoke systems. The basic assumption is that a large number of demands exist to travel from origins to destinations via a set of intermediate transshipment nodes. These intermediate nodes can be lost, due to reasons such as natural disasters, outbreaks of disease, labor strikes, and intentional attacks. This article presents a hub interdiction median (HIM) problem. It can be used to identify the set of critical facilities in a hub-and-spoke system that, if lost, leads to the maximal disruption of the system's service. The new model is formulated using integer linear programming. Special constraints are constructed to account for origin-to-destination demand following the least-cost route via the remaining hubs. Based on the HIM problem, two hub protection problems are defined that aim to minimize the system cost associated with the worst-case facility loss. Computational experiment results are presented along with a discussion of possible future work. El problema de la ubicacion de la central (hub) ha sido ampliamente analizado para el caso de los sistemas de sistemas radiales (hub-and-spoke). La presuncion inicial es que existe un gran numero de demandas que viajan desde puntos de origen hasta sus puntos de destino a traves de un set de nodos intermedios de trasbordo. Estos nodos intermedios pueden perderse por diferentes motivos, como desastres naturales, brotes de enfermedades, huelgas de trabajadores, o ataques intencionales. Este articulo presenta un problema de tipo mediana de interdiccion de hub, conocido como hub interdiction median-HIM. Puede usarse para identificar un set de instalaciones criticas de un sistema tipo hub-and-spoke que, si se pierde, conduce a la maxima interrupcion del servicio del sistema. El nuevo modelo se ha formulado utilizando programacion entera lineal, (integer linear programming-ILP). El modelo construye restricciones especiales para dar cuenta de la demanda de “origen-a-destino” (O-D), siguiendo la ruta de menor costo, a traves de los hubs restantes. Basandonos en el problema de HIM, se definen dos problemas de proteccion de hub que buscan minimizar el costo asociado al peor caso posible de perdida de instalaciones. Se presentan ademas, resultados de experimentos computacionales, asi como a una discusion sobre posibles futuros trabajos en la materia. 枢纽区位研究已广泛应用于中枢辐射型系统分析，其基本假设条件为起始点到目的地之间存在大量旅行需求的中间转运节点。但自然灾害、突发疾病、劳务罢工和蓄意攻击等因素可能导致中间转运节点的丧失。本文提出了一种枢纽封闭中心模型（HIM），可用于识别中枢辐射型系统的重要节点，一旦这些节点丧失，将导致整个系统服务最大程度的瓦解。新模型通过整数线性规划公式建立。模型特殊约束条件的建立基于最小成本路径通过余下枢纽的花费来解释始发到目的地（ origin-to-destination）需求量。基于HIM问题，双枢纽保护问题被定义为旨在最小化系统花费及其与之关联的最坏情况下节点丢失问题。最后，根据计算的经验结果讨论未来可能深入的研究。
Galaxy Formation: The Board Game

We summarize the rules of “Galaxy Formation!”, a board game, and describe the course of the game played at the end of the conference.
A ROLE FOR NATURAL SIMIAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS AND HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS TYPE 1 NEF ALLELES IN LYMPHOCYTE ACTIVATION

A T-lymphoid cell line termed 221 was derived from a rhesus monkey infected with herpesvirus saimiri. Growth of 221 cells was dependent on the addition of interleukin-2 (IL-2) to the culture medium. In the absence of IL-2, 221 cells arrested in G0-G1 but did not die. Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replicated efficiently in IL-2-stimulated 221 cells whether or not the nef gene was present. In the absence of IL-2, nef-containing SIV replicated 8 to 100 times more efficiently in 221 cells than did the same virus lacking nef. nef-containing virus preferentially stimulated the production of IL-2 from 221 cells. HIV-1 nef and v-ras genes, but not the c-ras gene, were shown to substitute functionally for SIV nef when tested as recombinant viruses in this assay system. These results demonstrate a role for natural nef in causing lymphoid cell activation, and they provide a system for delineating the biochemical mechanisms responsible for this activation.
Steep restitution of ventricular action potential duration and conduction slowing in human Brugada syndrome.

t a a c o ntroduction rugada syndrome is an increasingly recognized cause of udden cardiac arrest, defined by characteristic electrocariogram (ECG) findings and features suggesting a direct or amily history of ventricular tachyarrhythmias. However, he mechanisms for arrhythmogenesis remain controversial. nimal studies suggest that the ECG “Brugada sign” reects loss of action potential dome in the epicardium but not n the endocardium, enabling extra beats (from phase 2 eentry) to interact with transmural repolarization dispersion o initiate reentry. However, elegant mapping of an exlanted heart from a patient with Brugada syndrome howed only broad restitution of propagation (slow conducion at rapid rates) from occult scar. Steep rate-response restitution) of action potential duration (APD) and transural APD dispersion, which may theoretically facilitate eentry, were not seen. In this paper, we describe steep PD restitution as well as broadened restitution of propaation in vivo in the right ventricular (RV) endocardium of patient with Brugada syndrome, near syncope, and easily nduced ventricular fibrillation (VF).
Thymectomy does not abrogate long-term acceptance of MHC class I-disparate lung allografts in miniature Swine.

Abstract We have previously reported that tolerance to class I disparate lung allografts in miniature swine could be induced using an intensive 12-day course of tacrolimus and that pretransplant sensitization with immunogenic MHC class I allopeptides failed to block the induction of tolerance. We also have previously reported the importance of the presence of the thymus in the induction of tolerance to isolated heart, kidney, and combined heart-kidney transplants. In this study, we examined the impact of thymectomy on tolerance induction in lung transplantation. Methods Orthotopic left lung transplantation was performed using MHC class I-disparate donors. The recipients received a 12-day course of high-dose tacrolimus (n = 6). Total thymectomies were performed in three of the swine 21 days prior to transplantation. Lung grafts were monitored by chest radiography and serial open lung biopsy. Results All euthymic recipients maintained their grafts for over 1 year. None of the thymectomized recipients has experienced graft loss in the 6 to 10 months following transplantation. Although isolated lesions of obliterative bronchiolitis were occasionally seen in one thymectomized animal on biopsy, donor-specific unresponsiveness has been observed on assays of cell-mediated lymphocytotoxicity in all recipients. Moreover, co-culture assays have shown that recipient lymphocytes can strongly inhibit the normally robust response of naive recipient-matched lymphocytes to donor antigen. This inhibition was not seen when using stimulators primed with third-party antigens against appropriate targets. Conclusions These data suggest that thymus-independent peripheral regulatory mechanisms may be sufficient to induce and maintain long-term acceptance of the lung allografts.
Accidental placement of the Greenfield filter in the heart: report of two cases.

Abstract The Greenfield filter has become the most popular device for interruption of the inferior vena cava; however, a potential for lethal complications exists. We report two cases in which this filter was accidentally released in the heart. To avoid this problem, it is recommended that the guide wire be positioned in the inferior vena cava before the introducer is inserted into the venous system. (J VASC SURG 1987;6:609-10.)
Chromosome numbers and taxonomic notes for Mexican coreopsis, sections electra and pseudoagarista (compositae: heliantheae)

Notes on morphology and chromosome numbers are given for several species of MexicanCoreopsis, most of which were poorly known prior to recent collections.Coreopsis parvifolia (sectionElectra) is a large, shrubby, octoploid (2n=112) species apparently restricted to a small area in Puebla. It andC. cuneifolia (a diploid with 2n=28) appear to be closely related but differ by a number of morphological features in addition to ploidy level. A first chromosome report forC. pringlei (sectionPseudoagarista) shows this rare species to be diploid (2n=26), a fact which is in agreement with the base number of the section, i.e.,x=13. Additional collections of the very rareC. rudis andC. mcvaughii show them to be similar yet distinct species. Chromosome determinations forC. petrophila from Nayarit and Durango agree with previous counts for Jalisco populations of the species, i.e., 2n=26. Considerable morphological variation exists within this species but no subspecific entities are recognized.
The localization of ribonucleic acid in the egg of Ilyanassa obsoleta.

Abstract Using quantitative microchemical methods the RNA content of the egg, lobeless egg, polar lobe, AB and CD blastomeres was determined in the egg of Ilyanassa obsoleta. The concentration of RNA, calculated from three different reference units, was significantly greater in the AB than in the CD blastomere. The CD cell and the polar lobe had approximately the same concentration of RNA. No RNA was found in the yolk platelets of the Ilyanassa egg.
Mixed Convective Burning of a Fuel Surface With Arbitrary Inclination

An analysis is developed for mixed, forced, and free convective combustion on a flat fuel surface of arbitrary inclination that makes use of the laminar boundary layer approximation to describe the gas flow and of the flame-sheet approximation to describe the gas-phase reactions. A mixed-convection parameter (Re/sub x//sup n/+Gr/sub x//sup m/)/sup 1/2n/ that properly scales the dependent and independent variable fields and a mixed convection ratio (Gr/sub x//sup m//Re/sub x//sup n/)/sup 1/2/ that plays the role of the downstream local similarity coordinate are introduced in the nondimensionalization of the equations. It is shown that these two parameters, rather than the standard Reynolds, Re/sub x/, and Grashof, Gr/sub x/, numbers are the optimum choice of governing nondimensional groups for this problem. The values of m and n are selected to obtain a similarity solution of the governing equations in the pure free convection limit for a vertical (m = 2, n = 4) and a horizontal (m = 2, n = 5) surface, which are the cases solved in this work. With this formulation, the solution of the problem provides for both cases smooth transition of all physical variables from one convective limit to the other. Results are obtained from numericalmore » integration of the governing equations and from application of the local similarity approximation. It is shown that the range of validity of local similarity is extended beyond that obtained with alternate formulations and that the proper limits are approached. For use in practical applications, the results suggest that explicit expressions for the mass burning rate and for the fraction of unburnt pyrolyzate can be found that will suffice over the whole range of mixed-flow intensity.« less
A Backoff Model for Bootstrapping Resources for Non-English Languages

The lack of annotated data is an obstacle to the development of many natural language processing applications; the problem is especially severe when the data is non-English. Previous studies suggested the possibility of acquiring resources for non-English languages by bootstrapping from high quality English NLP tools and parallel corpora; however, the success of these approaches seems limited for dissimilar language pairs. In this paper, we propose a novel approach of combining a bootstrapped resource with a small amount of manually annotated data. We compare the proposed approach with other bootstrapping methods in the context of training a Chinese Part-of-Speech tagger. Experimental results show that our proposed approach achieves a significant improvement over EM and self-training and systems that are only trained on manual annotations.
Structural organization of brain-derived mammalian prions examined by hydrogen-deuterium exchange

Hydrogen-deuterium exchange/mass spec analysis of PrPSc derived from mouse brains reveals that the infectious form of the prion adopts conformations that differ substantially from those previously postulated by various structural models.
Concurrent Carboplatin/Paclitaxel and Intravaginal Radiation in Surgical Stage I-II Serous Endometrial Cancer

Abstract Objective To report a single institution experience in surgical stage I–II serous endometrial cancer using combined carboplatin/paclitaxel and intravaginal radiation (IVRT). Methods Between 10/00 and 12/06, 25 stage I–II patients with serous endometrial cancer were treated at our institution with surgery, postoperative IVRT, and concurrent chemotherapy (CT). Results The mean age was 67 years old (range, 53–80 years). Surgery consisted of hysterectomy (TAH/BSO, 64%, LAVH/BSO, 36%), peritoneal washing, omental biopsy, and pelvic lymph-node dissection (median 14 nodes). Para-aortic node sampling was done in 88% (median, 6). IVRT median dose was 21 Gy (range, 18–21 Gy, in 3 fractions) and concurrent CT consisted of carboplatin to AUC=5 and taxol to 175 mg/m 2 given every 3 weeks for 6 cycles. CT was well tolerated with 22/25 (88%) receiving 6 cycles. Three patients received ≤5 cycles; 2 owing to physician preference (3 and 4 cycles) and 1 owing to toxicity (5 cycles). Only 1 patient (4%) had grade 3 toxicity (abscess). Grade 2 neurotoxicity was seen in 5 patients (20%). All patients finished their IVRT as scheduled, and there was no grade 3 toxicity. With a median follow-up of 30 months, the 5-year progression-free and overall survival rate was 88%. None of the patients developed vaginal recurrence. Conclusions Based on this study, surgical staging followed by IVRT and carboplatin/paclitaxel is well tolerated and effective in stage I–II serous endometrial cancer. Confirmation of these results on a larger number of patients with longer follow-up is still needed.
UDel switch: an approach to very large fast-packet switches

abstraction is the existence of a low traffic group and a high traffic group so thatthe input group 1 is mostly destined to the output group 2, vice-versa.'Laffic Pattern 5: Bi-Partitioned Asymmetric Traffic.8 This is similar to the previous case, the quad-partitionedasymmetric traffic, except the traffic matrix is as follows. D = [ Di(c) D2(1 — c) ] (5) Traffic Pattern 6: Hot Spot Traffic. This is a traffic pattern where many input ports try to communicate with oneregion (an output port or a switching element within the switch fabric) of switch fabric simultaneously. This is due topacket traffic pattern which results in output contention and/or internal path collision and/or community of interests.A commonly used hot-spot traffic model is a nonuniform traffic where a single or few hot spots of a higher access ratesuperimposed on the background of uniform traffic.25'42 In an input port, assume p is the packet arrival rate, and h is afraction of packets directed to the hot-spot. Then, p = hp + (1 —
TLR4 inhibits mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) STAT3 activation and thereby exerts deleterious effects on MSC-mediated cardioprotection

Background Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) improve myocardial recovery after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. These effects are mediated in part by the paracrine secretion of angiogenic and tissue growth-promoting factors. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is expressed by MSC and induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation in neuronal progenitors as well as many other cell types. It is unknown whether knock-out (KO) of TLR4 will change the paracrine properties of MSC and in turn improve MSC-associated myocardial protection. Methodology/Principal Findings This study explored the effect of MSC TLR4 on the secretion of angiogenic factors and chemokines in vitro by using ELISA and cytokine array assays and investigated the role of TLR4 on MSC-mediated myocardial recovery after I/R injury in an isolated rat heart model. We observed that MSC isolated from TLR4 KO mice exhibited a greater degree of cardioprotection in a rat model of myocardial I/R injury. This enhanced protection was associated with increased angiogenic factor production, proliferation and differentiation. TLR4-dificiency was also associated with decreased phosphorylation of PI-3K and AKT, but increased activation of STAT3. siRNA targeting of STAT3 resulted in attenuation of the enhanced cardioprotection of TLR4-deficient MSC. Conclusions/Significance This study indicates that TLR4 exerts deleterious effects on MSC-derived cardioprotection following I/R by a STAT3 inhibitory mechanism.
Manufacturing in India and Indonesia: performance and policies

Since the global financial crisis of 2008, the world has been riveted by China's rapid growth and its contribution to the global recovery. But less attention has been paid to India and Indonesia – Asia's two other giants – which also displayed resilience during the crisis and show promise of sustaining this performance. Also remarkable are their geographical, historical and cultural proximity; notwithstanding their differences, these two countries are alike in many respects and face similar challenges, as reflected in their emerging policy priorities. China's large size and rapid growth may have absorbed the attention of Indian and Indonesian policy makers, but this paper argues that a comparative approach to the issues that both countries face can yield interesting insights and provide potential solutions to their development challenges.
Delta crystallin synthesis during chick lens differentiation.

Abstract Antiserum to delta crystallin was prepared by absorption of total chicken lens antiserum with bovine lens extracts. This yielded an antiserum specific to delta crystallin based on immunoelectrophoretic analysis. The developing lens rudiments of chick embryos between 24 and 96 hr of incubation were pulse-labeled with 14 C-reconstituted protein hydrolysate, and the soluble extract reacted with delta crystallin antiserum. The radioactivity precipitated by the specific antiserum shows delta crystallin synthesis initiated between 54 and 60 hr. A similar series of pulse-labeled lens tissues were examined by cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis. By this method, the initial synthesis of delta crystallin was shown to occur in 54 hr samples. Thus, these two methods corroborate each other with respect to the initial synthesis of delta crystallin, and also provide data on the rates of delta crystallin synthesis during the first seven days of embryonic development.
Proliferation signal inhibitors: chemical, biologic, and clinical properties

The development of this new class of compounds has created opportunities for unique strategies to manage immunosuppression in organ transplant recipients. Although these compounds have been in clinical use for 12 years, their benefits and hazards are incompletely understood as witnessed by the 7489 publications before 2003 and 6824 thereafter. This review seeks to introduce the reader to this vast literature as well as to provide insights garnered from the thousands of patients treated in our transplant center.
Reflecting on Environmental Education: Where Is Our Place in the Green Movement?

Recently the environmental movement has seen much success and progress under a newly-framed green paradigm. Yet, despite the proliferation of national attention to, and public interest in, the go-green mentality, environmental education still seems to be stuck within the old environmental paradigm. This critical essay shares lessons that environmental education can learn through incorporating a human benefits approach. Ultimately, this essay calls for a reflection on environmental education's presence within the budding sustainability movement and calls for the “humanization” of environmental education discourse and pedagogical practice.
A specific antiserum recognizes clonidine-displacing substance: Implications for the structure of the brain's own clonidine

Abstract A polyclonal antiserum was raised in rabbit against the clonidine analog p -aminoclonidine (PAC) coupled to hemocyanin. The antiserum (anti-PAC 3 ) exhibited high affinity for unconjugated [ 3 H]PAC ( K d 0.32 ± 0.07 nM) in a rapid-filtration radioimmunoassay. Competition experiments showed that PAC, clonidine, and naphazoline cross-reacted with the anti-PAC 3 antiserum, whereas a number of other structurally related compounds did not. An endogenous clonidine-displacing substance (CDS) partially purified from bovine brain also inhibited specific [ 3 H]PAC binding to anti-PAC 3 in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, (a) anti-PAC 3 antiserum is specific for clonidine and closely related compounds, and (b) CDS may structurally resemble clonidine since it is recognized by this highly specific antiserum.
Genetic influences on oestrous cyclicity in mice: evidence that cycle length and frequency are differentially regulated

Studies in C57BL/6J, DBA/2J and C3H/HeJ mice and in two F1 hybrid strains (B6D2F1 and B6C3HF1) 2-5 months old revealed marked genotypic differences among inbred strains. C57 mice had three times as many regular (3-6 days) cycles as DBA and C3H mice, due largely to fewer pseudopregnant-like (7-14 day) cycles. C57 had longer regular cycles than DBA and C3H mice. Although the frequencies of regular cycles of DBA and C3H mice were similar, the cycles of C3H mice were shorter than those of DBA mice. The results indicated that the genetic determinants of the frequency of regular cycles differ from those specifying cycle length. Frequency of regular cycles of F1 hybrids was either intermediate between the parent strains (B6D2F1) or similar to the C57 strain (B6C3HF1), suggesting that regular cycle frequency shows additive genetic variation in the former crosses, but mostly dominant variance in the latter background. Regular cycles were either shorter than in both parent strains (B6D2F1) or similar to one of them (B6C3HF1), indicating heterosis and dominance for genes specifying short cycles. Although the lack of reciprocal crosses meant that maternal effects and possible genomic imprinting effects could not be assessed, these results reveal marked genetic influences on cycle length and frequency and suggest that some of the genes specifying these two traits differ.
18O‐labeled nucleosides 3. Preparation and mass spectrometric evaluation of 18O2‐labeled ara‐C and ara‐U

A facile method for the preparation of 18O labeled ara-C and ara-U is described. The method provides a means of incorporating 18O specifically at the 2-position of the nucleobase. The site and level of label was established using mass spectrometry.
New Platform for Testing Candidate Materials for Organic Field-Effect Transistors

A field-effect transistor platform has been designed and fabricated from silicon that allows for the testing of organic semiconductors (OS) as potential materials for organic field-effect transistors (OFET) and as the gate conductor in chemically sensitive field-effect transistors (CHEMFET). Once the OS is deposited, the device can be operated in either mode. This platform should aid in the search for the semiconductor field effect in a variety of organic materials. The effects of contact resistance, surface conductivity, and gate leakage current have been demonstrated and analyzed. No semiconductor field effect has been observed in OFET mode using poly(phenylenesulfidephenyleneamine) as the organic semiconductor.
Effects of Six Insecticides on Emergence of Some Parasites and Predators from Southern Pine Beetle Infested Trees

Six insecticides (lindane, phosmet, diazinon, acephate, propoxur, and carbaryl) were tested to determine effects on predators and parasites associated with southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman, in eastern Texas. Eleven species of parasites and predators emerged from insecticide-treated pine bolts. The most prevalent species was Coeloides pissodis followed by Medetera bistriata, Roptrocerus xylophagorum, Corticeus glaber , and Thanasimus dubius . In terms of emergence from treated pines, only diazinon significantly reduced the total number of associated insects. They were 65% fewer in number following diazinon treatment. The insecticides differed in their effects on the 11 associates. C. glaber, C. pissodis, M. bistriata, R. xylophagorum , and Dinotiscus dendroctoni were the only species showing significant effects due to chemical treatment. R. xylophagorum emergence was significantly greater from all insecticide treatments than from the untreated pines.
Modification of experimental myocardial infarct size by cardiac drugs

Abstract After occlusion of a coronary artery in dogs, regionally ischemic myocardium was delineated by means of a strain gauge-tipped, two pronged catheter probe that measures myocardial fiber shortening. The curves of contraction were sensitive to the effects of ischemia. A central zone of complete ischemia was identified as the region in which fiber shortening was lost and replaced by passive fiber lengthening. As the probe was inched away from the center toward the periphery, an intermediate zone of incomplete ischemia was defined as the region in which contractility was partially diminished but not lost. It was assumed that a shift in oxygen balance induced by an intervention will be reflected as a change in contractility of the intermediate zone. Accordingly, the intermediate zone was used as the test zone to evaluate effects of drugs on the extent of regionally ischemic myocardium. Isoproterenol initially augmented contractility of the intermediate zone but, with continued infusion, a secondary reduction in contractility became evident at 30 to 45 minutes. Norepinephrine augmented contractility of the intermediate zone and this effect persisted through the 1 hour observation period. Ouabaln similarly increased the velocity of shortening of the intermediate zone. An increase in left ventricular afterload induced by methoxamine resulted in loss of contractility and its replacement by fiber lengthening in the intermediate zone. These findings indicate that isoproterenol and methoxamine can increase the extent of noncontractlng ischemic myocardium and, hence, infarct size. Norepinephrine and ouabain do not exert this effect.
Top seal development in the shale-dominated Upper Devonian Catskill Delta Complex, western New York State

The preferential generation of vertical natural hydraulic fractures at the contact of the Upper Devonian Hanover gray shale and overlying Dunkirk black shale of the Catskill Delta Complex, western New York State, suggests that the latter served as a hydraulic top seal to formation fluids migrating upward from deeper in the sediment pile. Petrophysical properties and small-scale textural characteristics of these siliceous fine-grained rocks confirm the crucial role of depositional environment and sequence stratigraphic position of a shale lithotype in determining its sealing capacity. The especially high sealing capacity of the basal interval of the Dunkirk shale, inferred early high-stand systems tract (HST) strata, reflects the anoxic depositional environment of these deposits that favored the preservation of their abundant organic matter and finely laminated depositional texture. The absence of bioturbation enabled the undisrupted sediment, notably carbonaceous clay-rich laminae, to undergo rapid mechanical compaction, platy grain reorientation, and porosity reduction. Compaction-induced squeezing of ductile organic matter into void spaces further reduced pore throat diameters. Immediately underlying heavily bioturbated deposits of the organic-lean Hanover shale, inferred upper HST or low-stand wedge sediments, accumulated in a dysoxic depositional environment. Disruption of layering and homogenization of sediment by burrowing organisms produced a more porous and permeable microfabric through which formation fluids moved only to be arrested by the high capillary entry pressures at the base of the Dunkirk shale. Natural hydraulic fractures, some of which propagated into the Dunkirk shale, formed when fluid pressure at the top of the Hanover shale reached the fracture gradient. The high sealing capacity of the basal Dunkirk shale was probably enhanced by its finely laminated nature and the generation of biogenic methane, both of which contributed to the formation of a near-impermeable gas capillary seal.
The rate for e+e-→BB±π± and its implications for the study of CP violation, BS identification, and the study of B meson chiral perturbation theory

H. Yamamoto has proposed employing B-mesons produced in conjunction with a single charged pion at an ϒ resonance for studies of CP violation in the neutral B-meson system at a symmetric e+ e- collider. The sign of the charged pion would tag the neutral B-meson. We estimate this branching ratio, employing the heavy meson chiral effective field theory. We find a negligible branching ratio to BB± π∓ at the ϒ(5S) and a branching ratio of only a few percent at the ϒ(6S). However, if nonresonant studies of neutral B-mesons should prove feasible, Yamamoto's proposal could be a good method for tagging neutral B's for the study of CP violation at a symmetric collider. We also explore the possibility of studying Bs mesons at the ϒ(5S). The rate is low but depends sensitively on the precise value of the mass of the Bs. The background we compute is comparable to the rate at the largest allowed value of the Bs mass. Finally, we discuss the extraction of the axial coupling of the pion to B-mesons from measurement of the BBπ branching fraction in a restricted region of phase space, where chiral perturbation theory should work well.