cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disseminated cryptococcosis associated with administration of eculizumab.

Purpose A case report of fatal disseminated cryptococcosis in a patient treated with eculizumab is presented along with a review of literature suggesting a possible etiologic mechanism. Summary A 23-year-old man with a history of minimal change nephrotic syndrome was hospitalized for acute kidney injury and abdominal pain and swelling. He was found to have disseminated pneumococcal disease, including peritonitis, bacteremia, and pulmonic endocarditis. The patient developed evidence of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, leading to a diagnosis of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, and was started on eculizumab. The patient initially improved but developed septic shock 18 days after the first dose of eculizumab. All subsequent blood, respiratory, and intraabdominal cultures grew Cryptococcus neoformans . Twenty-eight days after the initial dose of eculizumab, the patient died. Autopsy findings demonstrated disseminated cryptococcosis, with infection noted in lung, myocardial, kidney, and liver tissues. Considering the complement-dependent nature of host defenses against Cryptococcus species and available evidence regarding C. neoformans pathogenicity from studies of murine models, it was hypothesized that the patient’s cryptococcosis and death were secondary to administration of eculizumab and consequent blockage of the C5 component of the complement cascade. Eculizumab is known to predispose recipients to infections with encapsulated organisms; however, this was believed to be the first reported case of infection with an encapsulated yeast possibly due to eculizumab use. Patients receiving eculizumab should be monitored closely for invasive cryptococcal infections. Conclusion A 23-year-old man developed fatal disseminated cryptococcosis after treatment with eculizumab.
The EARLY ALLIANCE Prevention Trial

This paper describes a preventive intervention trial called EARLY ALLIANCE which is aimed at reducing risk for three adverse outcomes in childhood and adolescence: conduct problems, substance abuse, and school failure. The structure of the prevention trial is unique because two linked designs are being implemented concurrently. The primary design focuses on children at elevated risk for adverse outcomes, and compares a targeted, multicontextual preventive intervention with family, classroom, peer relational, and academic components to a universal, schoolwide preventive intervention that emphasizes peaceful conflict management and serves as a “usual care” control condition. The secondary design focuses on children at lower risk for adverse outcomes and compares a universally administered classroom program to the control condition. The paper describes the theoretical foundation for EARLY ALLIANCE, the goals of the prevention trial, the rationale for design choices, and the methods employed. Control Clin Trials 2000;21:286–302
Managing Organizational Culture in Online Group Mergers

Research in social computing has typically conceptualized community growth as a process through which a group welcomes newcomers individually. However, online communities also grow through formal and informal mergers, where groups of newcomers with shared experiences join in batches. To understand this process, we conducted a six month, comparative ethnography of two mergers of World of Warcraft raid guilds. While one merger led to a single, thriving community, the other led to the dissolution of both pre-merger groups. Analysis of our ethnographic data suggests that differences in managing organizational culture (a concept drawn from organization studies) led the successful and failed cases to diverge. The study contributes to our understanding of why some attempts to integrate members of different communities are more successful than others. We outline several ways that community leaders, researchers, and designers can effectively take organizational culture into account.
Sagliker syndrome in a patient with end-stage renal disease with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Sagliker syndrome (SS), also known as an “uglifying human face syndrome,” is one of the severe manifestations of chronic kidney disease in patients with uncontrolled secondary hyperparathyroidism. ...
Curating Research Data - Cyber security perspective from a nascent Brain Machine Interface Laboratory

Researchers across disciplines are in dissonance between data curation and open access versus data security. To accelerate new discoveries, preserving scientific artifacts such as research protocols and raw data is a rational expectation. Brain-machine interface research is particularly sensitive to data curation as data sets are large, archived in disparate formats, and bereft of useful metadata associated with mode of capture, number of channels, or even activities performed by participants during capture. Moreover, curating such data in a secure fashion is little discussed and requires expertise not shared across all fields. Time and labor costs for research data curation can be exorbitant without the addition concern of security. Such factors amplify further when a laboratory is young and resident at a small school with limited resources. Thus, this paper describes the development of a secure research data curation model within a nascent brain-machine interface laboratory at a small, private four-year institution in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. We utilized a case study design to analyze existing data curation and cybersecurity literature for best practices. Using five unique search strings, we identified eight thematic best practices across three cyber security dimensions (integrity, availability, and access control). Recommendations and future work are discussed in response to the execution of the case research and the findings.
Towards a contextual understanding of human rights

Should human rights be understood within a specific context? In order words, should the discourse on human rights be historically contingent? If so, isn’t there a risk that they will lose their uni...
ZEBrA: Zebra finch Expression Brain Atlas—A resource for comparative molecular neuroanatomy and brain evolution studies

An in-depth understanding of the genetics and evolution of brain function and behavior requires detailed mapping of gene expression in functional brain circuits across major vertebrate clades. Here we present the Zebra finch Expression Brain Atlas (ZEBrA; www.zebrafinchatlas.org, RRID: SCR_012988), a web-based resource that maps the expression of genes linked to a broad range of functions onto the brain of zebra finches. ZEBrA is a first of its kind gene expression brain atlas for a bird species, and a first for any sauropsid. ZEBrA's >3,200 high-resolution digital images of in situ hybridized sections for ~650 genes (as of June, 2019) are presented in alignment with an annotated histological atlas and can be browsed down to cellular resolution. An extensive relational database connects expression patterns to information about gene function, mouse expression patterns and phenotypes, and gene involvement in human diseases and communication disorders. By enabling brain-wide gene expression assessments in a bird, ZEBrA provides important substrates for comparative neuroanatomy and molecular brain evolution studies. ZEBrA also provides unique opportunities for linking genetic pathways to vocal learning and motor control circuits, as well as for novel insights into the molecular basis of sex steroids actions, brain dimorphisms, reproductive and social behaviors, sleep function, and adult neurogenesis, among other fundamental themes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
College Student Problematic Internet Use and Digital Communication Medium Used With Parents: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Problematic internet use (PIU) is associated with mental health concerns such as depression and affects more than 12% of young adults. Few studies have explored potential influences of parent–college student digital communication on college students’ risk of PIU. Objective: This study sought to understand the relationship between parent–college student digital communication frequency via phone calls, text messages, and Facebook contacts and PIU among college students. Methods: Incoming first-year students were randomly selected from registrar lists of a midwestern and northwestern university for a 5-year longitudinal study. Data from interviews conducted in summer 2014 were used. Measures included participants’ daily Facebook visits, communication frequency with parents via phone call and text message, and 3 variables related to Facebook connection status and communication: (1) parent–college student Facebook friendship status, (2) college student blocking personal Facebook content from parent, and (3) Facebook communication frequency. PIU risk was assessed using the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale. Analysis included participants who reported visiting Facebook at least once per day. Multiple linear regression was used, followed by a post hoc mediation with Hayes process macro to further investigate predictive relationships among significant variables. Results: A total of 151 participants reported daily Facebook use and were included in analyses. Among these participants, 59.6% (90/151) were female, 62.3% (94/151) were from the midwestern university, and 78.8% (119/151) were white. Mean Facebook visits per day was 4.3 (SD 3.34). There was a collective significant effect between participant daily Facebook visits, college student–parent phone calls, texts, and all 3 Facebook connection variables (F6,144=2.60, P=.02, R2=.10). Phone calls, text messages, and Facebook contacts were not associated with PIU risk. However, two individual items were significant predictors for PIU: participant daily Facebook visits were positively associated with increased PIU risk (b=0.04, P=.006) and being friends with a parent on Facebook was negatively associated with PIU risk (b=–0.66, P=.008). Participant daily Facebook visits were not a significant mediator of the relationship between college student–parent Facebook friendship and PIU risk (b=–0.04; 95% CI –0.11 to 0.04). Conclusions: This study did not find support for a relationship between parent–college student digital communication frequency and PIU among college students. Instead, results suggested Facebook friendship may be a protective factor. Future studies should examine how a parent-child Facebook friendship might protect against PIU among children at varying developmental stages.
How do investors react to auditor resignations

Many prior studies examining stock market reaction to auditor changes have focused on short windows surrounding their announcements. These studies have found mixed results on how investors process auditor change information. Expanding the test window, we document a downward market reaction that begins 60 days prior to auditor resignation announcements and continues for at least 30 days after the announcements. Our analyses using longer pre- and post-announcement windows provide a fuller picture of the stock market reaction to auditor change events. We also find that there is negative market reaction to reportable events disclosures in the Form 8-K in the post-SOX years. This suggests that post-SOX, rather than simply assume that resignations are signals of bad news, investors find the specific reasons provided for the resignations to be incrementally useful.
What is Venmo? A descriptive analysis of social features in the mobile payment platform

Abstract This article describes the social features found in Venmo, a US-based payment app. Venmo is a social payments platform that allows users to broadcast transactions to a private social activity stream and a fully public transaction feed. After assessing and measuring the content and structure of public Venmo transaction messages (N = 328,769,355), we present findings related to the types of payment transactions, the frequency of emoji and text in messages used for labeling and earmarking payments, and trends in the temporality of payments from the first six years of the Venmo Public Feed. We explore how affordances in Venmo support social features typically seen in social media platforms with public feeds such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Our findings ultimately detail how mobile payment services like the Venmo support social practices, digital communication, and commerce with social features found in social media platforms. In addition to these descriptive findings, this early Venmo case study develops some implications for the design, study, and impact of researching mobile payment technologies as social media.
Self-help housing and DIY home improvements: evidence from the American Housing Survey

Self-help housing has been widely studied across the developing world. Little is known, however, about the contemporary use of self-help housing in the U.S. In this study we examine self-help housi...
‘Sinecures which could be held by girls’: Margaret Oliphant and Women’s Labour

This chapter focuses on the contrarian form of feminism Margaret Oliphant advances in her Carlingford series (1863–1876), especially in the novel Phoebe Junior (1876). Read alongside Oliphant’s anonymous editorials in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, her work of the 1860s and 1870s adds a broader perspective to middle-class attitudes towards women’s labour and the suffragist movement. Furthermore, Oliphant’s writings reveal her engaged critique of John Stuart Mill. By imagining a ‘sinecure’ for middle-class girls and dissenting religious communities, Oliphant dramatizes the effect of England’s credit economy on the traditional church order. Oliphant’s analysis of household labour and ‘social politics’ tracks how certain forms of independent authority may play to Victorian women’s strengths.
Coronavirus Disease 2019-Associated Bilateral Massive Pulmonary Emboli Caused Death in a Healthy 35-Year-Old Patient

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection was first reported in December 2019. Within three months, the virus caused a global pandemic that has affected the whole world's dynamics. Many causes of death due to COVID-19 infection have been identified, involving but not limited to atypical acute respiratory distress syndrome, hypercoagulability, renal failure, and a proinflammatory cytokine storm, often associated with multiorgan failure. We report the case of a young, previously healthy patient who developed massive pulmonary emboli due to COVID-19 infection, resulting in death.
Practical assessment of the performance of aluminium battery technologies

Aluminium-based battery technologies have been widely regarded as one of the most attractive options to drastically improve, and possibly replace, existing battery systems—mainly due to the possibility of achieving very high energy density with low cost. Many reports have demonstrated primary or rechargeable Al-based battery chemistries in both aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes. However, the practical realization of these battery chemistries has been difficult over a long period of time (170 years). In fact, no Al-based battery has been shown with the required stability or touted energy density. Typically, the performance of Al-based batteries is overstated in the literature due to imprecise considerations that do not fairly evaluate practically achievable energy densities. Here we provide accurate calculations of the practically achievable cell-level capacity and energy density for Al-based cells (focusing on recent literature showing ‘high’ performance) and use the results to critically assess their future deployment. Performance breakthroughs in rechargeable batteries are regularly reported in academic publications. Here the authors closely examine literature data on aluminium batteries and offer a realistic perspective on the technology.
The use of the anterolateral thigh vascular free flap in complex open elbow fractures after major trauma - An illustrated report of an interesting case.

Abstract Major trauma may result in severe open elbow fractures with significant soft tissue injury and skin loss. Reconstruction of those defects can be complicated and inadequate cover can result in severely limited functional outcome. The free anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) is one of the ways to reconstruct those defects. Its utilisation in severe complex open elbow fractures is recently being increased due to its advantages. The purpose of this article is to present an interesting case where the ALT flap was used with success in a challenging situation of a severe elbow bony, ligamentous and soft tissue injury. Our case has demonstrated that the ALT flap presents an effective method in treating successfully severe open elbow fractures, and its advantages include 1)large amount of available skin and subcutaneous tissue for coverage of the elbow joint without creating strictures, 2)potential of using the vascularised vastus lateralis muscle to minimise the residual dead space in order to prevent infection and as a vascular bed for nerve grafting and 3) the ability to harvest fascia lata grafts and use them to reconstruct ligamentous and tendinous injuries. We recommend the use of the vascularised ALT flap when treating severe open elbow fractures.
Pediatric N-Methyl-d-Aspartate (NMDA) Receptor Encephalitis, With and Without Herpes Encephalitis.

Objective:To compare clinical, diagnostic, management, and outcome factors in children with anti–N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis and a history of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE...
Optimizing pediatric histrelin implantation to improve success rates in clinic without sedation

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to review our success rate performing the histrelin implant procedure in clinic without sedation. METHODS A retrospective study was performed for histrelin implant procedures done at our institution from 2008 to 2020. Wilcoxon rank-sum test or Fisher's exact test was utilized to identify significant differences (p<0.05). RESULTS A total of 73 patients underwent 184 histrelin implant procedures from 2008 to 2020. In the past few years, there has been a decrease in procedures for precocious puberty and an increase for gender dysphoria. The majority of procedures were performed in clinic without sedation (82%). The only risk factor associated with requiring sedation was younger age (median 9 vs. 10 years; p<0.003). Complications (i.e. implant fracture or need for counter-incision) were noted in 10 of the procedures (5%). The only risk factor identified for a procedural complication during implant removal/replacement was interval time from insertion (21 vs. 13 months; p<0.01). The only documented wound problem reported was dermatitis in 1 patient (no suture granuloma, dehiscence, or implant extravasation). CONCLUSIONS Procedural refinements and distraction therapy have enabled us to perform the majority of procedures in clinic without sedation. In our experience, procedural difficulty and complications appear to increase with prolonged implant duration. Histrelin implantation is increasingly being performed for gender dysphoria.
Characterizing mechanical and microstructural properties of novel montmorillonite-rich polyethylene composites

Montmorillonite (MMT) clays are important industrial materials used as catalysts, chemical sorbents and fillers in polymer–clay nanocomposites. The layered structure of these clays has motivated research into further applications of these low-cost materials, including use as ion exchange media and solid-state ionic conductors. In these applications, the mechanical properties of MMT are key when considering long-term, reliable performance. Previous studies have focused on the mechanical properties of nanocomposites with MMT as the minority component or pure MMT thin films. In this work, the microstructure and mechanical properties of pure MMT and majority MMT/polyethylene composites pressed into dense pellets are examined. Characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy together with nanoindentation reveal important structure–property relationships in the clay-based materials. Utilizing these techniques, we have discovered that MMT processing impacts the layered microstructure, chemical stability and, critically, the elastic modulus and hardness of bulk MMT samples. Particularly, the density of the pellets and the ordering of the clay platelets within them strongly influence the elastic modulus and hardness of the pellets. By increasing pressing force or by incorporating secondary components, the density, and therefore mechanical properties, can be increased. If the layered structure of the clay is destroyed by exfoliation, the mechanical properties will be compromised. Understanding these relationships will help guide new studies to engineer mechanically stable MMT-based materials for industrial applications.
Neutral red-mediated microbial electrosynthesis by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Zymomonas mobilis

The aim of this work was to compare the effects of electrosynthesis on different bacterial species. The effects of neutral red-mediated electrosynthesis on the metabolite profiles of three microorganisms: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Zymomonas mobilis, were measured and compared and contrasted. A statistically comprehensive analysis of neutral red-mediated electrosynthesis is presented using the analysis of end-product profiles, current delivered, and changes in cellular protein expression. K. pneumoniae displayed the most dramatic response to electrosynthesis of the three bacteria, producing 93% more ethanol and 76% more lactate vs. control fermentation with no neutral red and no electron delivery. Z. mobilis showed no response to electrosynthesis except elevated acetate titers. Stoichiometric comparison showed that NAD(+) reduction by neutral red could not account for changes in metabolites during electrosynthesis. Neutral red-mediated electrosynthesis was shown to have multifarious effects on the three species.
Visible and far-infrared spectral studies of tetrahedral and octahedral complexes in non-aqueous solvent systems—III . Far-infared spectra of tetrachloro and tetrabromo gallate (III) anions in benzene solution

Abstract The far-i.r. spectra (413–433 cm−1) of GaCl4− and GaBr4− in benzene solution, ion-paired with long-chain, high molecular weight tertiary and quaternary ammonium cations have been recorded. Spectra consistent with tetrahedral anions of Td and C3v symmetry were observed. The degree of distortion from Td symmetry was found to be dependent on the relative concentrations of cation and metal and the nature of the cation. No evidence of species of coordination numbers higher than four was observed.
Beta-blockers for the Treatment of Hypertension in Patients with Diabetes: Exploring the Contraindication Myth

Purpose: To review the evidence supporting the “contraindications” (hypoglycemic unawareness, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia) usually given as the reasons by physicians for not using beta blockers for treating hypertension in patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods: A research synthesis based on MEDLINE (January 1966 through January 1999), hand searches of pertinent references and textbooks, and consultation with experts. Results: There is little evidence to support the assertion that beta blockers should be routinely contraindicated in diabetes. Beta blockers have few clinically important effects on hypoglycemic awareness and recovery, insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, or lipid profiles. Moreover, when diabetics have been treated with beta blockers for hypertension or for the secondary prevention of myocardial infarction, they benefit as much, if not more, than nondiabetic patients. There may be many circumstances (e.g., hypertensive patients with coronary disease) under which beta blockers are the drugs of first choice for diabetic patients. Recommendations to use agents other than beta blockers (or low dose thiazide diuretics) for the treatment of hypertension in diabetes are based on these agents' effectiveness against surrogate endpoints, and not their proven benefit in preventing important clinical endpoints. Conclusions: Except for patients with brittle glycemic control, manifest hypoglycemic unawareness, renal parenchymal disease, or documented intolerance, beta blockers should no longer be considered routinely contraindicated in the presence of diabetes.
Functional properties of parietal visual neurons: Radial organization of directionalities within the visual field

Parietal visual neurons (PVNs) were studied in waking monkeys as they executed a simple fixation-detection task. Test visual stimuli of varied direction, speed, and extent were presented during the fixation period; these stimuli did not control behavior. Most PVNs subtend large, bilateral receptive fields and are exquisitely sensitive to stimulus motion and direction but insensitive to stimulus speed. The directional preferences of PVNs along meridians are opponently organized, with the preferred directions pointing either inward toward or outward away from the fixation point. Evidence presented in the preceding paper (Motter et al., 1987) indicates that opponent directionality along a single meridian is produced by a feed-forward inhibition of 20 degrees-30 degrees spatial extent. The observations fit a double-Gaussian model of superimposed but unequal excitatory and inhibitory receptive fields: When the former is larger, inward directionality results; when smaller, outward directionality results. We examine here the distribution of the meridional directional preferences in the visual field. Tests showed that opponent organization is not produced by differences in local directional properties in different parts of the receptive field. The distribution of response intensities from one meridian to another is adequately described by a sine wave function. These data indicate a best radial direction for each neuron with a broad distribution of response intensities over successive meridians. Thus, any single PVN, with rare exceptions, cannot signal radial stimulus direction precisely. We then determined how accurately the population response predicted radial stimulus direction by the application of a linear vector summation model. The resulting population vector varied from stimulus direction by an average of 9 degrees. Whether or not the perception of the direction of motion depends upon a population vector remains uncertain. PVNs are especially sensitive to object movement in the visual surround, particularly in the periphery of the visual field. This, combined with their large receptive fields and their wide but flat sensitivity to stimulus speed, makes them especially sensitive to optic flow. This is discussed in relation to the role of the parietal visual system in the visual guidance of projected movements of the arm and hand, in the guidance of locomotion, and in evoking the illusion of vection.
Effect of Hot‐Pressing Conditions on the Density and Microstructure of B4C/B6Si Composites

The effect of hot-pressing conditions on the density and microstructure of boron carbide with silicon hexaboride was investigated. Boron carbide/silicon hexaboride powder mixtures, with 5 at.% silicon, were hot-pressed between 1560°C and 1640°C at 20 MPa for 1 hr. Bulk densities greater than 98% were achieved. Phases and microstructure were determined by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The effect of maximum hot-pressing temperatures on the resulting densities, phases, and microstructures will be discussed.
Cell surface display of minor pilin adhesins in the form of a simple heterodimeric assembly in Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Pilus assembly in Gram-positive bacteria occurs by a two-step mechanism, whereby pilins are polymerized and then covalently anchored to the cell wall. In Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the pilin-specific sortase SrtA catalyses polymerization of the SpaA-type pilus, consisting of the shaft pilin SpaA, tip pilin SpaC and minor pilin SpaB. Cell wall anchoring of the SpaA polymers is triggered when SrtA incorporates SpaB into the pilus base via lysine-mediated transpeptidation; anchoring to the cell wall peptidoglycan is subsequently catalysed by the housekeeping sortase SrtF. Here we show that SpaB and SpaC formed a heterodimer independent of SpaA polymerization. SrtA was absolutely required for the formation of the SpaBC heterodimer, while SrtF facilitated the optimal cell wall anchoring of this heterodimer. Alanine substitution of the SpaB lysine residue K139 or truncation of the SpaB cell wall-sorting signal (CWSS) abolished assembly of the SpaBC heterodimer, hence underscoring SpaB function in transpeptidation and cell wall linkage. Importantly, sortase specificity for the cell wall-anchoring step was found to be dependent on the LAFTG motif within the SpaB CWSS. Thus, C. diphtheriae employs a common sortase-catalysed mechanism involving lysine-mediated transpeptidation to generate both adhesive pilus and simple heterodimeric structures on the bacterial the cell wall.
Does feeding frequency, independent of total energy consumption, affect lizard digestive efficiency or growth?

Down-regulation of the digestive system between large meals is thought to afford energetic benefits to animals that feed infrequently. However, this idea has not been thoroughly tested. Thus, we assessed the realized benefits of infrequent feeding by examining how the timing of meal consumption influenced digestive efficiency and whole-body growth of juvenile Gila monsters, a binge-feeding lizard. All animals in our study received the same total energy intake for each feeding cycle, but meals were distributed differently over time among groups. One group had a 10–14-day period of down-regulation between meal sets while the other group had a constantly activated digestive system. The groups did not show differences in growth; however, differences in digestive efficiency for a specific meal indicate that feeding regime may have caused digestive adjustments (e.g. more efficient digestion) in one treatment group. Overall, our findings show that the energetic benefits of down-regulation may depend more on species, extent of digestive regulation, or duration of fasting than previously supposed.
Neuroblastoma in adults: Incidence and survival analysis based on SEER data

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor inchildren, accounting for 600 new cases per year in the United States[1,2]. Neuroblastoma is rarely reported in adults, with <10% of thecasesdiagnosedafterage10[2].Theincidencerateforpatientsaged30–39 years is about 0.2 cases per million years [1]. The increasingabilitytodistinguishprognosticsubsetsofpatientsbasedonclinicaland biologic features has allowed the design of risk-adaptedtherapies; however, in this era of advancement in diagnostic toolsthat identify patients with high-risk features, age still remains animportant prognostic factor for disease outcome. The currentChildren’s Oncology Group (COG) classiﬁcation schema takes intoaccount the patient’s age, tumor stage, histologic features, n-mycampliﬁcation, and DNA index [3,4]. It is evident that older childrenoften present with high-risk disease features, such as unfavorableShimada histology and/or n-myc ampliﬁcation and metastaticspreadandhavepooroutcomeevenafterintensetreatmentregimensare used [5,6].There are several small reports from single institutions in themedical literature on cases of neuroblastomas diagnosed amongadults [7–18]. Most data suggest that despite the stage, site ofpresentation, and a more protracted clinical course in the ﬁrst fewyears, the overall outcome is much worse for adult patients than inchildren. In most series, neuroblastoma in adults rarely expressesn-myc ampliﬁcation [17,18] and very few tumors secrete catechol-amines [17]. Even with intensive chemotherapy, including amyeloablative course, most adult neuroblastoma patients sufferfrom multiple recurrences and ultimate demise from the disease.Currently there are no standard treatment guidelines for treatingadult neuroblastoma patients. It is shown in most studies that adultsmay have poorer tolerance to intensive chemotherapy compared tochildren [17].The goal of our study was to assess the incidence and diseaseoutcomeforadultpatientsdiagnosedwithneuroblastomaduringthepast three decades using the data from a large population-baseddatabase.
Stratification in clinical trials of febrile neutropenia

Patients with febrile neutropenia are characterized by well described prognostic factors leading to heterogeneity of risk of serious clinical outcomes. These prognostic factors complicate the design and interpretation of clinical trials of antimicrobial therapy in this population. Stratification is a method by which comparability of groups is ensured. This method can be employed prior to randomization or during the analysis. Factors that should be considered for stratification prior to randomization include the underlying neoplasm (leukemia vs solid tumor vs BMT), use of granulocyte growth factors, comorbid conditions and study site (in multicenter trials). In stratified analyses, trend in neutrophil count, site of infection, organism and susceptibility should be considered.
The Level and Integrity of Synaptic Input Regulates Dendrite Structure

How localized synaptic input regulates dendritic branch structure is not well understood. For these experiments, we used single-cell electroporation, live cell imaging, in vitro deafferentation, pharmacology, and electrophysiological stimulation to study how local alterations in synaptic input affect dendritic branch structure in nucleus laminaris (NL). We found that interrupting or modulating synaptic input to distinct sets of NL dendrites can regulate their structure on a very short timescale. Specifically, eliminating synaptic input by deafferenting only one set of the bitufted NL dendrites caused a selective reduction in the total dendritic branch length of the deafferented dendrites but relatively few changes in the normally innervated dendrites on the same cell. An analysis of individual dendritic branch changes demonstrated that both control and deafferented NL dendrites exhibit branch extension and retraction. However, the presence of intact synaptic inputs balanced these changes, maintaining the total dendritic branch length of control dendrites. When glutamate receptor signaling was blocked (DNQX and AP-5), NL neurons exhibited significant dendrite retraction, demonstrating that NL dendrite maintenance depends in part on presynaptic glutamatergic input. Electrophysiological experiments further confirmed that modulating the level of synaptic input regulates NL dendrite structure. Differential stimulation of the two sets of dendrites resulted in a selective reduction in the total dendritic branch length of the unstimulated dendrites and a selective increase in the total dendritic branch length of the stimulated dorsal dendrites. These results suggest that balanced activation of the two sets of NL dendrites is required to maintain the relative amount of dendritic surface area allotted to each input.
Interactions of Electromagnetic Radiation with Electrolytes at High to Ultra-High Frequencies

Abstract At frequencies above one megahertz, the behaviour of electrolytic solutions changes from an ionic conductor to a lossy dielectric. High frequency conductance measurements of aqueous electrolytes (Na2SO4 and KCl) have been made by continuous wave and pulse admittance methods, in cells with immersed, shiny Pt electrodes to study this transition. Peak conductance frequencies as a function of concentration did not conform to the classical circuit representation of a resistance and capacitance. Measured phase angles indicate that relatively concentrated electrolytes (0.001 − 1 M) exhibit inductance due to electromagnetic and perhaps mass (inertial) effects. Modelling was possible with a constant value of the inductance, L, and capacitance, C, using a simple RLC equivalent circuit. Ion and solvent perturbations in high frequency electrical fields first are discussed in terms of a damped harmonic oscillator model, whose macroscopic response is self-consistent and equivalent mathematically to RLC network...
Quantifying NUMA and contention effects in multi-GPU systems

As system architects strive for increased density and power efficiency, the traditional compute node is being augmented with an increasing number of graphics processing units (GPUs). The integration of multiple GPUs per node introduces complex performance phenomena including non-uniform memory access (NUMA) and contention for shared system resources. Utilizing the Keeneland system, this paper quantifies these effects and presents some guidance on programming strategies to maximize performance in multi-GPU environments.
Ultraviolet divergences in 1/N expansions of quantum field theories

For asymptotically free theories, ultraviolet divergences computed in the 1/N expansion with dimensional regularization reduce to simple poles plus powers of lnepsilon or finite terms. The theories are effectively superrenormalizable since all divergences are determined by the one- and two-loop perturbative renormalization-group functions.
Photocatalytic oxidation of gaseous 1,2-dichlorobenzene using photonic titania (inverse opal) on optical fibers in a monolith configuration

Abstract Macroporous photonic band-gap titania with inverse opal topology was fabricated on optical fibers using polystyrene templates and sol–gel chemistry. The photonic character of the inverse opal titania was characterized using X-ray diffraction and UV absorbance measurements. The fibers were bundled into a monolith reactor and used to degrade a gaseous pollutant, 1,2-dichlorobenzene (DCB). The process was conducted in a semi-batch system with UV radiation being conducted through optical fibers. Experimental parameters such as polystyrene template size, UV light intensity, fiber distribution pattern and feed flow rates were varied. The reaction rate constant increased with increasing feed flow rate and UV intensity. Rate constants were reaction-limited above a flow rate of 50 mL/min and the intrinsic rate constant reached at asymptotic value above the UV intensity of 60 mW/cm2 in the lab-scale reactor. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations identified flow bypassing in the reactor, which was rectified by rearranging the fibers within the reactor.
Intracellular compartmentation of Na+, K+ and Cl- in the Ehrlich ascites tumor cell: correlation with the membrane potential.

The intracellular distribution of Na+, K+, Cl− and water has been studied in the Ehrlich ascites tumor cell. Comparison of the ion and water contents of whole cells with those of cells exposed to La3+ and mechanical stress indicated that La3+ treatment results in selective damage to the cell membrane and permits evaluation of cytoplasmic and nuclear ion concentrations. The results show that Na+ is sequestered within the nucleus, while K+ and Cl− are more highly concentrated in the cell cytoplasm. Reduction of the [Na+] of the incubation medium by replacement with K+ results in reduced cytoplasmic [Na+], increased [Cl−] and no change in [K+]. Nuclear concentrations of these ions are virtually insensitive to the cation composition of the medium. Concomitant measurements of the membrane potential were made. The potential in control cells was −13.7 mV. Reduction of [Na+] in the medium caused significant depolarization. The measured potential is describable by the Cl− equilibrium potential and can be accounted for in terms of cation distributions and permeabilities. The energetic implications of the intracellular compartmentation of ions are discussed.
Educational selectivity in U.S. Immigration: How do immigrants compare to those left behind?

Current immigration research has revealed little about how immigrants compare to those who do not migrate. Although most scholars agree that migrants are not random samples of their home countries’ populations, the direction and degree of educational selectivity is not fully understood. This study of 32 U.S. immigrant groups found that although nearly all immigrants are more educated than those who remain in their home countries, immigrants vary substantially in their degree of selectivity, depending upon the origin country and the timing of migration. Uncovering patterns of immigrant selectivity reveals the fallacy in attributing immigrants’ characteristics to national groups as a whole and may help explain socioeconomic differences among immigrant groups in the United States.
Hydrogen oxidation and proton transport at the Ni–zirconia interface in solid oxide fuel cell anodes: Quantum chemical predictions

Abstract We explore the hydrogen anode reaction chemistry at the Ni–zirconia triple phase boundary in solid oxide fuel cells by using hybrid density functional quantum chemistry calculations and cluster models. The activation energy for H spillover is calculated to be the same order of magnitude as experimental estimates at the reversible potential. Proton transport on the oxide surface is shown to be activated by strongly held hydrogen-bonded water molecules: in the absence of H2O the activation energy is calculated to be 4.98 eV and the water molecule reduces the activation energy to 0.25 eV. Substitutional Y3+ (for Zr4+) is shown to slow proton diffusion when present in the zirconia surface.
Extinction in the submillimeter atmospheric windows

Abstract We discuss the extinction of the earth's atmosphere at submillimeter wavelengths and the problems posed for ground-based observations. For observations in a submillimeter window with a band pass filter whose width is comparable to that of the window, the extinction law does not follow the usual exponential in airmass dependence. Model calculations show that the extinction may be approximated by the function exp(−αx) √αx where x is the line of sight water vapor column density. Measurements of the effective absorption coefficients in the atmospheric window at 450μ, 625μ, 714μ, and the 1 mm region, relative to that at 350μ are presented. The problems encountered when making submillimeter observations through the atmospheric windows with no band pass isolation filters are also discussed. It is demonstrated that such observations may be combined with the filter observations to measure the atmospheric water vapor.
Religion, Religiosity, and Illness Behavior: The Special Case of the Jews

Whether a person is sensitive to feelings of discomfort, and how he regards his symptoms, are likely to affect considerably whether he will seek medical care and treatment, and what precautions he will practice. The importance of the norms and values underlying people's behavior makes it necessary to study the various social and cultural patterns that effect the arrival of "ill" persons at medical settings, as well as those that lead to various other treatment alternatives.
Competition policy for natural monopolies in a developing market economy1

Not all industries in post-socialist countries are appropriate targets for demonopolization and deregulation: as in the West, some "natural monopoly" sectors will require continued regulation to protect consumers from monopoly abuses. This paper focuses on three aspects of the design of regulatory policy in these countries: the appropriate sectors for regulation, the appropriate treatment of unregulated subsidiaries of regulated firms, and the appropriate regulatory regime for regulated sectors.
Separation of human platelets from plasma proteins including factor VIIIVWF by a combined albumin gradient-gel filtration method using hepes buffer

Abstract Currently used gel filtration methods were investigated in order to obtain a system which would effectively separate platelets from plasma proteins, such as Factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (FVIIIVWF), in relatively small samples of human blood which are not amenable to repeated centrifugation. A new matrix, BioGel A-150 was tested and found to be equally as effective as Sepharose 2B for preparing gel-filtered platelets. However, it did not completely separate the FVIIIVWF as judged by ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation. Therefore, a stepwise albumin gradient was employed as a preceding step to gel filtration. Platelets obtained by this modification were not responsive to ristocetin and ADP unless human plasma, as a source of FVIIIVWF and fibrinogen, was added. Tyrode buffer, which shows variation in pH due to changes in pCO2, was replaced by the more stable zwitterionic HEPES buffer. The need for control of CO2 was thereby obviated, reactivity of platelets in vitro was maintained, and their functional life span was extended from 1 to 2 hours, This modification of existing methods allows efficient separation of human platelets from FVIIIVWF and from other plasma macromolecules in relatively small samples of blood with preservation of the functional and ultra-structural integrity of obtained platelet preparations.
SOME EFFECTS OF COMBINED SDs1

When the individual SD components of a multiple schedule were combined, their control over a response summated, thus increasing the response probability to a point over that controlled by either of the SDs independently. Summation was concluded to be a phenomenon relevant for operant as well as respondent stimulus control (Pavlov, in Kimble, 1960; Hull, 1943). The results of the present study appear to be a special case of the general SD enhancement effect demonstrated by Hanson (1959) and by Pierrel and Sherman (1960).
Sydewynder: rapid prototyping for mobile mixed-reality games

Sydewynder is an open-source SMS receiver and sender application written in Python for the Nokia S60 phones. It can automate the responses of messages and can be used as a mobile application server in areas where setting up a traditional server may be difficult or illegal. It also is very useful for prototyping mobile applications, such as games, without the burden of expensive hosting. As such, it works very well in educational settings. It includes an emulator for developing scripts off of the phones as well as several example applications that students can modify to produce their own work.Sydewynder was tested as an educational tool in the fall of 2007 during classes in the Communication Design and Techonology Department at Parsons The New School for Design. Students developed many different kinds of applications, including using Sydewynder for prototyping mixed-reality games. They found the software to be reasonably easy to use for people with little prior programming experience, as well as a fast tool for rapid prototyping.
Pressure and Temperature Dependences of the Dielectric Properties and Raman Spectra of Rb H 2 P O 4

The pressure (0-21 kbar) and temperature [(4-300)\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K] dependence of the static dielectric properties of rubidium dihydrogen phosphate were investigated. Among the important results of these measurements are the large decrease in the transition temperature with pressure leading to the eventual vanishing of the ferroelectric state at all temperatures for $P\ensuremath{\ge}15.2$ kbar and the decreases with pressure of the Curie constant and dielectric constant in the paraelectric phase. The pressure (0-4 kbar) and temperature [(140-300)\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K] dependences of the Raman-active phonons in the range 0-1000 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ were also investigated. The mode Gr\"uneisen parameter $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ for each of these modes was determined and the pressure dependences of the mode frequencies permitted the modes to be separated into internal and external vibrations relative to the P${\mathrm{O}}_{4}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ ions. From the coupled-mode spectra for the ${B}_{2}$ symmetry phonons, the pressure dependence for the "soft" mode as well as the interaction between this mode and another mode of the same symmetry were determined. These data, together with the dielectric results, were examined within both the coupled proton-tunneling-optic-mode model of Kobayashi and the coupled-mode description discussed by Scott and Wilson. Evaluation of the pressure dependences of the parameters of the Kobayashi model using normally accepted approximations leads to internal inconsistencies in this model. The approximations appropriate to the present measurements and the resulting indeterminancy of the model parameters are briefly discussed.