cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dopant-modulated pair interaction in cuprate superconductors.

A comparison of recent experimental STM data with single-impurity and many-impurity Bogoliubov--de Gennes calculations strongly suggests that random out-of-plane dopant atoms in cuprates modulate the pair interaction locally. This type of disorder is crucial to understanding the nanoscale electronic inhomogeneity observed in BSCCO-2212, and can reproduce observed correlations between the positions of impurity atoms and various aspects of the local density of states such as the gap magnitude and the height of the coherence peaks. Our results imply that each dopant atom modulates the pair interaction on a length scale of order one lattice constant.
Research Article: The Effect of Infectiousness, Duration of Sickness, and Chance of Recovery on a Population: A Simulation Study

Abstract. Mathematical modeling has become a mainstream approach in scientific research when it is not feasible to design adequate experimentation. Agent based modeling provides rapid assessments of possible scenarios, especially in epidemiological studies where the goal is to carry out quick and effective preventive steps when an infection breaks out. In this paper, the relationships between infectiousness, chance of recovery, duration of a micro-parasitic disease, and the population dynamics of the host via parameter sweeps in a simple model system were analyzed. A disease with a very low infection rate is unable to spread in the population, unless the population density is high and the duration of the sickness is long. In cases of low recovery rates the number of sick and immune individuals showed a maximum value at 30% infectiousness. As the size of the population decreases, the population density decreases, and therefore, the transmission rate decreases as well. This effect leads to a new equilibrium...
Predictions of moisture removal efficiencies for packed-bed dehumidification systems

Abstract Liquid desiccant-based dehumidification systems have been widely used to remove water vapour from air in a packed column using different liquid desiccants. The liquid desiccants are usually grouped into two categories: aqueous solutions of inorganic salts and aqueous solutions of organic compounds. In order to design such a desiccant—dehumidification system, correlations of the column performance parameters are necessary. A correlation of column efficiency for different packings and desiccant solutions was developed in this study using lithium chloride (LiCl) as the inorganic salt and triethylene glycol (TEG) as the organic compound. This correlation involves the air and liquid flow rates, air and liquid inlet temperatures, column and packing dimensions, and the equilibrium properties of the desiccant solutions. The correlation was tested for polypropylene Flexi rings, ceramic Berl saddles, glass Raschig rings and polypropylene Pall rings. The average value of the errors between predicted values and experimental data was about 7%.
Profile based image analysis for identification of chopped biomass stem nodes and internodes.

Abstract Because of their significant variation in chemical composition, segregation of chopped biomass into nodes and internodes helps in efficient utilization of these feedstocks. Stem internodes having low ash content are a better feedstock for biofuel and bioenergy applications than nodes. However, separation of these components is challenging because their physical characteristics are similar. We applied an image processing technique to identify nodes and internodes of chopped biomass from scanned digital images. In this study, we utilized the object profile identified differences in the node and internode components and tested on chopped corn stalks and switchgrass stems. We considered four methods of image processing including rectangularity, solidity, width-, and slope-variation and developed an ImageJ plugin for the node–internode identification. Digital chopping of the ends of the objects was necessary for identification, especially dealing with projecting fibers and chipped rough ends, and an algorithm was developed for this. Among the methods tested, width-variation gave the best identification accuracy (97–98%), followed by rectangularity (93–96%), solidity (86–91%), and slope-variation (69–82%). Rectangularity – a relatively simpler method, and solidity – a standard ImageJ output, can be directly used to perform identification. The developed approach of node–internode identification can be easily applied to other chopped biomass and similar materials, and its application may lead to efficient biomass end use in biofuel and bioproduct industries.
United States–Japan Cooperative Earthquake Engineering Research Program on Composite and Hybrid Structures

The United States‐Japan Cooperative Earthquake Research Program began in 1979 under the auspices of the UJNR panel on wind and seismic effects. The overall objective of the program was to improve seismic safety practices in both countries through cooperative studies to determine the relationship among fullscale, small-scale, and component tests, as well as related analytical and design implication studies. The first four phases of the program were Reinforced concrete ~RC! structures, steel structures, masonry structures, and precast concrete structures. Research on composite steel RC ~SRC! structures was identified as an important area of concern and recommended in the planning group report. Considering the importance of developing seismic design guidelines and code provisions for typical composite and hybrid structures that have been used in recent practice, and the need for developing new and innovative composite structural elements and hybrid systems using advanced new materials and devices, a 5 year research program on composite and hybrid structures was recommended as the fifth phase of the United States-Japan cooperative earthquake research program. The program contents were based on a number of technical meetings of the United States and Japan planning groups and on the outcome of a joint planning group workshop held in Berkeley, Calif. on September 10‐12, 1992 ~Goel and Yamanouchi 1992!. Because of the diverse and broad scope of the subject area, the research program was organized into the following four groups: concrete-filled tube~CFT! column systems; RC/SRC column systems ~RCS!; RC/SRC hybrid-wall systems ~HWS!; and new materials, elements, and systems ~compiled by Research for Innovation!. The first two systems are moment-resisting frames made of steel beams and either CFT or RC/SRC composite columns, whereas, the HWS systems utilize RC or composite shear walls and steel-beam and column frames. The research work on those three systems aimed at developing practical design guidelines as they represent typical composite and hybrid structural systems used in recent practice. The last group aimed at developing new and innovative composite structural elements and hybrid systems using advanced new materials and devices. A theme structure provided a common focus of the overall research program to facilitate cross-comparison between various system types, and to derive structural elements and subassemblages for detailed studies. The work carried out in the four groups listed previously is briefly described in the following sections.
Identification and classification of spine vertebrae by automated methods

We are currently working toward developing computer-assisted methods for the indexing of a collection of 17,000 digitized x-ray images by biomedical content. These images were collected as part of a nationwide health survey and form a research resource for osteoarthitis and bone morphometry. This task requires the development of algorithms to robustly analyze the x-ray contents for key landmarks, to segment the vertebral bodies, to accurately measure geometric features of the individual vertebrae and inter-vertebral areas, and to classify the spine anatomy into normal or abnormal classes for conditions of interest, including anterior osteophytes and disc space narrowing. Subtasks of this work have been created and divided among collaborators. In this paper, we provide a technical description of the overall task, report on progress made by collaborators, and provide the most recent results of our own research into obtaining first-order location of the spine region of interest by automated methods. We are currently concentrating on images of the cervical spine, but will expand the work to include the lumbar spine as well. Development of successful image processing techniques for computer-assisted indexing of medical image collections is expected to have a significant impact within the medical research and patient care systems.
Bloch-based MRI system simulator considering realistic electromagnetic fields for calculation of signal, noise, and specific absorption rate.

Purpose To describe and introduce new software capable of accurately simulating MR signal, noise, and specific absorption rate (SAR) given arbitrary sample, sequence, static magnetic field distribution, and radiofrequency magnetic and electric field distributions for each transmit and receive coil. Theory and Methods Using fundamental equations for nuclear precession and relaxation, signal reception, noise reception, and calculation of SAR, a versatile MR simulator was developed. The resulting simulator was tested with simulation of a variety of sequences demonstrating several common imaging contrast types and artifacts. The simulation of intravoxel dephasing and rephasing with both tracking of the first order derivatives of each magnetization vector and multiple magnetization vectors was examined to ensure adequate representation of the MR signal. A quantitative comparison of simulated and experimentally measured SNR was also performed. Results The simulator showed good agreement with our expectations, theory, and experiment. Conclusion With careful design, an MR simulator producing realistic signal, noise, and SAR for arbitrary sample, sequence, and fields has been created. It is hoped that this tool will be valuable in a wide variety of applications. Magn Reson Med 72:237–247, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Anomalous Index of Refraction in Photonic Bandgap Materials

Abstract Near the gap in a photonic bandgap material the effective index of refraction can become less than unity and in fact can approach zero at the band edge itself—leading to ultra-refractive optical effects. We illustrate this effect quantitatively in a simple one-dimensional Kronig-Penney model of a three-dimensional bandgap structure. As a complement to index-enhancing schemes involving lasing without inversion, ultra-refractive optics with photonic band materials has many applications, including laser accelerators and lenses of ultra-short focal lengths.
A broadcast-and-select OADM optical network with dedicated optical-channel protection

A metro-area optical-ring network based on a novel optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM) architecture using a wavelength blocker is proposed. We demonstrate experimentally the performance of the OADM and capability of optical channel dedicated protection in a two-fiber ring network with 24/spl times/10 Gb/s dense wavelength division multiplexing traffic capacity. The channel-by-channel optical protection of the network is enabled by using a liquid crystal-based wavelength-selective switch as the protection switch and erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) with fast transient-gain control. The bit-error rate performance of the network is studied for the normal operation and for the transition to the protection state from a failure. The network protection for all channels is provided within 5 ms on a cable-cut failure. Importance of transient-gain control during protection switching to reduce the network transients is also discussed.
Slit2/Robo4 signaling modulates HIV-1 gp120-induced lymphatic hyperpermeability.

Dissemination of HIV in the host involves transit of the virus and virus-infected cells across the lymphatic endothelium. HIV may alter lymphatic endothelial permeability to foster dissemination, but the mechanism is largely unexplored. Using a primary human lymphatic endothelial cell model, we found that HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 induced lymphatic hyperpermeability by disturbing the normal function of Robo4, a novel regulator of endothelial permeability. HIV-1 gp120 induced fibronectin expression and integrin α5β1 phosphorylation, which led to the complexing of these three proteins, and their subsequent interaction with Robo4 through its fibronectin type III repeats. Moreover, pretreatment with an active N-terminus fragment of Slit2, a Robo4 agonist, protected lymphatic endothelial cells from HIV-1 gp120-induced hyperpermeability by inhibiting c-Src kinase activation. Our results indicate that targeting Slit2/Robo4 signaling may protect the integrity of the lymphatic barrier and limit the dissemination of HIV in the host.
Spatial abilities and virtual technologies: examining the computer graphics learning environment

Research in the area of spatial visualization enjoys a long tradition in the discipline of cognitive psychology. However, the computer graphics profession, particularly the educational component, takes into account a person's spatial abilities as a means for designing effective instructional experiences and assessments. It builds on a learner's visual or haptic abilities. This paper outlines a brief history of visualization assessments instruments and strategies and their use within computer graphics-related learning environments. The use of virtual reality technologies to enable the learning process is discussed, as well as an introduction to visual science as a discipline.
The HERON Project — Multimedia Database Support for History and Human Sciences

The interdisciplinary HERON project investigates the impact of multimedia applications from the humanities, in particular heraldry, on future database technology. We present first evaluation results of querying image databases by visual content. Also the requirements of a digital workbench for art historians are described. Here we present an approach how to tackle the complex problem of exchanging multimedia documents over the internet.
Range identification for perspective dynamic systems with 3D imaging surfaces

Range identification using image sequence via observations from a traditional camera-type vision system has been discussed in the literature. In this paper, the camera-type planar imaging surface is extended to several well-known 3D surfaces, such as an arbitrary plane, a sphere, an ellipsoid, and a paraboloid. For a general imaging surface, the resulting perspective dynamic system is not guaranteed to preserve an affine form. In this case, most-existing nonlinear observers that are applicable to the perspective dynamic system observed via a camera can not be applied for the range identification problem directly. We show via simulations that our recently proposed linear approximation observer can perform the state estimation.
The impact of Medium Access Delays on the packet service-time in saturated ad hoc networks

Medium Access Control (MAC) delays significantly increase the packet service-time in saturated networks. As the number of contending nodes increases, the occurrence of collisions and cross-transmissions (CTs) also increases, resulting in high packet service-time. In this paper, we model packet servicetime in IEEE 802.11 Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) networks in terms of medium access delays, and illustrate the impact of collisions and cross-transmissions on the neighbor's transmissions. Our simulation results indicate that collisions and cross-transmissions induce high delays in the packet-transmission process severely degrading the performance of the network. We conclude with a discussion on the effect of packet service-time on the real-time applications.
The evolving role of cetuximab in non-small cell lung cancer

Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody directed against the ligand binding site in the extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Cetuximab is currently approved for the treatment of patients with refractory colorectal cancer. In locally advanced head and neck carcinoma, cetuximab in combination with radiotherapy significantly improved survival compared with radiotherapy alone, and this treatment awaits Food and Drug Administration approval. In previously treated non–small cell lung cancer, single-agent cetuximab produced an objective response in 3 of 66 eligible patients and a median survival of 8.1 months. Treatment was well tolerated, with skin rash as the principal toxicity. The vast majority of patients (60 of 66) expressed EGFR by immunohistochemistry but no correlation existed between response and EGFR mutations. Two single-arm phase II trials testing cetuximab in combination with a platinum-based doublet in previously untreated patients showed responses in the range of 26% to 29%, with median survival times of 10 to 11 months. A European phase II randomized trial tested cisplatin/vinorelbine with or without cetuximab as first-line therapy in 86 patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer. Overall efficacy was slightly superior in the cetuximab arm and a phase III trial is currently ongoing to definitively determine the role of cetuximab in this setting.
Endogenous Antibody Interferences in Immunoassays

The potential for interfering substances to cause inaccurate laboratory results that may cause significant adverse effects on patient care is well known. Immunoassays are subject to interferences that are not readily detectable prior to analysis, but may cause erroneous results. Learning Objectives After reading this article, readers should understand potential causes of interference that are specific to immunoassays, methods used to detect interference, and approaches used to resolve discrepancies between laboratory results and the clinical picture.
daughterless-abo-like, a Drosophila maternal-effect mutation that exhibits abnormal centrosome separation during the late blastoderm divisions

daughterless-abo-like (dal) is a maternal-effect semilethal mutation in Drosophila. The nuclear divisions of embryos derived from homozygous dal females are normal through nuclear cycle 10. However, during nuclear cycles 11, 12 and 13, a total of about half of the nuclei in each embryo either fail to divide or fuse with a neighboring nucleus during telophase. These abnormal nuclei eventually sink into the interior of the embryo, leaving their centrosomes behind on the surface. The loss of about one-half of the peripheral nuclei into the interior of the embryo results in these embryos cellularizing during nuclear cycle 14 with about one-half the normal number of cells. Surprisingly, many of these embryos develop a nearly normal larval cuticle and 8% develop to adulthood. Observations of live embryos doubly injected with tubulin and histones that have been fluorescently labeled allows nuclear and centrosomal behavior to be directly followed as the embryo develops. We find that the abnormal nuclei arise from nuclei whose centrosomes have failed to separate normally in the previous interphase. These incompletely separated centrosomes can cause a non-functional spindle to form, leading to a nuclear division failure. Alternatively, they can form an abnormal spindle with a centrosome from a neighboring nucleus, causing two nuclei to share a common spindle pole. Such nuclei with a shared centrosome will undergo telophase fusions, unequal divisions, or division failures later in mitosis. These findings have helped us to understand the function of the centrosome in the Drosophila embryo.
Viscoelastic study of ionomers

Stress-relaxation curves were obtained for ionomers containing different cations, per cents of ionization, and thermal treatments. Differences in the rheological behavior were found to depend more on the ionization level than on the ion. A recently proposed model for ionomers is discussed and found to be consistent with these results. In terms of this model the degree of ionization in the polymer acts as a regulator for the growth of small oriented lamellar (crystalline) regions. In the most general terms, the mechanical behavior and strength of ionomers appears dominated by the existence of “hard” regions interspersed among “soft” regions. In the polymers studied here there was some slight crystallinity; however, similar effects and explanations are probably suitable for amorphous “ionomers.” Toughness was also found in some completely amorphous carboxylcontaining copolymers without added ionic salts. The same explanation of “hard” regions interspersed among soft regions is also valid here. The “blocky” nature of the copolymerization may play a role in setting up this type of structure.
Mathematical modeling of pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) is the most common cause of fungal meningitis worldwide. In infected patients, growth of the fungus can occur within the phagolysosome of phagocytic cells, especially in non-activated macrophages of immunocompromised subjects. Since this environment is characteristically acidic, Cn must adapt to low pH to survive and efficiently cause disease. In the present work, we designed, tested, and experimentally validated a theoretical model of the sphingolipid biochemical pathway in Cn under acidic conditions. Simulations of metabolic fluxes and enzyme deletions or downregulation led to predictions that show good agreement with experimental results generated post hoc and reconcile intuitively puzzling results. This study demonstrates how biochemical modeling can yield testable predictions and aid our understanding of fungal pathogenesis through the design and computational simulation of hypothetical experiments.
Epidemiology of Plasmodium hexamerium Huff, 1935, in meadowlarks and starlings of the Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton County, Kansas.

A 2-year epidemiological study of Plasmodium hexamerium in meadowlarks and starlings of the Cheyenne Bottoms Waterfowl Management Area, Barton County, Kansas, revealed that seasonal infection incidence varied significantly in the meadowlark, being highest in the early spring and lowest in the winter, but did not vary significantly in the starling. Both host species became infected at an early age, the meadowlark in the nest and the starling soon after leaving it. In concurrent vector studies: (1) Culex tarsalis was infected with P. hexamerium in the laboratory; (2) C. tarsalis, Aedes nigromaculis, and A. sollicitans were exceedingly abundant and fed regularly on small birds in the field, therefore all are considered potential vectors with C. tarsalis the most likely; (3) mosquito populations were not high until June when annual transmission probably begins; (4) populations of probable vectors are too low during March and April to account for the observed increase in malaria incidence in meadowlarks collected at that time. Overall differences in the epidemiological patterns of P. hexamerium in the meadowlark and starling are credited principally to differences in migratory habitats of the two birds and degree of ecological association with vectors. The natural transmission of avian malaria is one of the most poorly understood aspects of the biology of Plasmodium. Herman's (1938) study of malaria in the redwing (Agelaius phoeniceus (L.)) is a classic and has been supplemented only recently by the work of Fallis and others on Leucocytozoon (Fallis, Anderson, and Bennett, 1956; Fallis and Bennett, 1963; Fallis, Davies, and Vickers, 1951; Fallis, Pearson, and Bennett, 1954). Growing interest in the ecology of the encephalitis viruses, along with the suggestion that bird malaria studies may shed light on this problem (Herman et al., 1954), makes further work on the epidemiology of avian malaria desirable. The present survey was part of a general study of animal parasites and viruses in central Kansas which began in February 1963 and is still in progress. The meadowlarks (Sturnella magna (L.) and S. neglecta Aud.) and European starling (Sturnus vulgaris L.) were studied because both were found to harbor Plasmodium hexamerium Huff. Thus, variations in epidemioReceived for publication 15 October 1965. * Taken from a dissertation submitted to Graduate College in partial fulfillment of requirements for degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Supported in part by NIH Grant AI-05232-02 which provided many of the facilities used. t Present address: Department of Zoology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. logical patterns of this parasite in its different hosts might be manifestations of factors which generally affect avian malaria epidemiology.
Pricing policies for quantity discounts

In this paper we analyze the seller's decision to offer quantity discounts to the buyer. We build on an existing model as follows. We first characterize the range of order sizes and prices which reduce costs for the buyer and seller, and develop related pricing schemes. The model is then extended to allow inventory carrying costs to be a function of price.
Degradation and lifetime of II-VI blue-green LEDs under high injection

The aging of II-VI blue-green LEDs, which contain a low density of as-grown extended defects has been examined under room temperature continuous-wave operation at a constant current density of 100 A/cm/sup 2/. The authors observe a slow decrease in the emission intensity and a monotonic increase in the operating voltage during the device lifetime for more than 350 h.
Targeting Mdm2 and Mdmx in Cancer Therapy: Better Living through Medicinal Chemistry?

Genomic and proteomic profiling of human tumor samples and tumor-derived cell lines are essential for the realization of personalized therapy in oncology. Identification of the changes required for tumor initiation or maintenance will likely provide new targets for small-molecule and biological therapeutics.For example, inactivation of the p53 tumor suppressor pathway occurs in most human cancers.Although this can be due to frank p53 gene mutation, almost half of all cancers retain the wild-type p53 allele, indicating that the pathway is disabled by other means.Alternate mechanisms include deletion or epigenetic inactivation of the p53-positive regulator arf, methylation of the p53 promoter, or elevated expression of the p53 regulators Mdm2 and Mdmx.This review discusses current models of p53 regulation by Mdm2 and Mdmx and presents the rationale for design of future Mdmx-specific therapeutics based on our knowledge of its structure and biological functions.(Mol Cancer Res 2009;7(1):1 – 11)
Non-Invasive Prenatal Detection of Trisomy 21 Using Tandem Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms

Background: Screening tests for Trisomy 21 (T21), also known as Down syndrome, are routinely performed for the majority of pregnant women. However, current tests rely on either evaluating non-specific markers, which lead to false negative and false positive results, or on invasive tests, which while highly accurate, are expensive and carry a risk of fetal loss. We outline a novel, rapid, highly sensitive, and targeted approach to non-invasively detect fetal T21 using maternal plasma DNA. Methods and Findings: Highly heterozygous tandem Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) sequences on chromosome 21 were analyzed using High-Fidelity PCR and Cycling Temperature Capillary Electrophoresis (CTCE). This approach was used to blindly analyze plasma DNA obtained from peripheral blood from 40 high risk pregnant women, in adherence to a Medical College of Wisconsin Institutional Review Board approved protocol. Tandem SNP sequences were informative when the mother was heterozygous and a third paternal haplotype was present, permitting a quantitative comparison between the maternally inherited haplotype and the paternally inherited haplotype to infer fetal chromosomal dosage by calculating a Haplotype Ratio (HR). 27 subjects were assessable; 13 subjects were not informative due to either low DNA yield or were not informative at the tandem SNP sequences examined. All results were confirmed by a procedure (amniocentesis/CVS) or at postnatal follow-up. Twenty subjects were identified as carrying a disomy 21 fetus (with two copies of chromosome 21) and seven subjects were identified as carrying a T21 fetus. The sensitivity and the specificity of the assay was 100% when HR values lying between 3/5 and 5/3 were used as a threshold for normal subjects. Conclusions: In summary, a targeted approach, based on calculation of Haplotype Ratios from tandem SNP sequences combined with a sensitive and quantitative DNA measurement technology can be used to accurately detect fetal T21 in maternal plasma when sufficient fetal DNA is present in maternal plasma.
Pattern-directed to isotropic dewetting transition in polymer films on micropatterned surfaces with differential surface energy contrast.

Surface chemical patterns can both cause and direct dewetting in overlying thin polymer films. In this paper we focus on a key factor in this phenomenon, the magnitude of the surface energy difference between surface pattern domains (Δγ). To probe the influence of Δγ on film dewetting, we utilize novel combinatorial test patterns exhibiting a gradient in Δγ. Specifically, our test patterns consist of a series of micron-scale striped regions that continuously change in their surface energy (γ) relative to background striped regions having a fixed and calibrated γ. Using polystyrene (PS) films as a demonstration case, we employ these test patterns to quantify the morphology and kinetics of dewetting as Δγ diminishes. Our study indicates a transition from pattern-directed to isotropic PS dewetting at critical Δγ values. For Δγ > 14 mJ m−2, ordered droplet arrays are formed, while for Δγ < 7 mJ m−2, the dewetting is isotropic. A competition between these limiting behaviors is found for a “crossover regime”, 7 mJ m−2 < Δγ < 14 mJ m−2. These combinatorial test patterns provide a powerful approach for investigating the large number of parameters that govern the stability of ultrathin polymer films, and the physical factors that influence the dewetted film morphology.
Testosterone in the Fetal Rat Testis

Testes of fetal rats possess the enzymes necessary for converting radioactive acetate to radioactive testosterone as early as 15.5 days of intrauterine life. The fetal testis is, therefore, capable of formation do novo of testosterone through the period of sexual differentiation of the internal genitalia. Testosterone was measured in testicular tissue of fetal rats. Values ranged from as low as 0.09 ng/mg at 15.5 days of gestation to 2.76 ng/mg at 18.5 days of gestation. The sharp rise at 18.5 days of fetal age coincides with morphological evidence that relatively large amounts of testosterone are necessary for Wolifian duct stabilization at this time. Fetal testes were also incubated with [‘4C] acetate or [‘H] pregnenolone. Whereas conversion of both substrates to radioactive testosterone occurred at 15.5 and 16.5 days of gestation, no such conversion was evident at 14.5 days of fetal age with either substrate. Nonradioactive testosterone was, however, measurable in incubation from all three time periods. Neither radioactive nor nonradioactive testosterone was detectable in incubations of fetal ovaries with radioactive acetate or pregnenolone at 15 to 20 days of gestation. The influence of steroid androgens on
Complete Response to Erlotinib and Bevacizumab in a Patient With Biphenotypic (Hepatobiliary) Primary Liver Carcinoma

Biphenotypic (hepatobiliary) primary liver carcinomas [B(H-B)PLCs] are rare tumors with features of both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). These tumors are associated with a poor overall prognosis and treatment is not well defined. Research over the past 20 years has identified aberrations in several molecular pathways, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in hepatocellular and biliary tract cancers. These discoveries led to the evaluation of targeted therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, for the treatment of HCC and ICC. We report a case of a patient with metastatic B(H-B)PLC found to have a single nucleotide variant in the EGFR gene locus R521K who achieved a complete response on imaging after treatment with the combination of an EGFR inhibitor and a VEGF inhibitor. This case prompts consideration of further genomic analysis of these rare tumors and the potential use of targeted therapies in the treatment of patients with B(H-B)PLCs.
Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy in asymptomatic and chronic low back pain subjects.

Purpose To examine ligamentum flavum thickness using magnetic resonance (MR) images to evaluate its association with low back pain symptoms, age, gender, lumbar level, and disc characteristics. Materials and Methods Sixty-three individuals were part of this IRB-approved study: twenty-seven with chronic low back pain, and thirty-six as asymptomatic. All patients underwent MR imaging and computed tomography (CT) of the lumbar spine. The MR images at the mid-disc level were captured and enlarged 800% using a bilinear interpolation size conversion algorithm that allowed for enhanced image quality. Ligamentum flavum thickness was assessed using bilateral medial and lateral measurements. Disc height at each level was measured by the least-distance measurement method in three-dimensional models created by CT images taken of the same subject. Analysis of variance and t-tests were carried out to evaluate the relationship between ligamentum flavum thickness and patient variables. Results Ligamentum flavum thickness was found to significantly increase with older age, lower lumbar level, and chronic low back pain (p < 0.03). No difference in ligamentum flavum thickness was observed between right and left sided measurements, or between male and female subjects. Disc height and both ligamentum flavum thickness measurements showed low to moderate correlations that reached significance (p < 0.01). Additionally, a moderate and significant correlation between disc degeneration grade and ligamentum flavum thickness does exist (p <0.001). Conclusion By measuring ligamentum flavum thickness on MR images at two different sites and comparing degrees of disc degeneration, we found that ligamentum flavum thickness may be closely related to the pathogenesis of pain processes in the spine.
Prostate cancer: Bone density testing--essential or extraneous?

A recent study shows that recommended bone mineral testing is rarely performed in men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy. Although these patients are at increased risk of fragility fracture, the reported incidence, from prospective randomized trials, is low. As a result, bone density testing for these men requires careful consideration.
Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries Favor Administration of Methylprednisolone

Methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) for treatment of acute spinal cord injury (SCI) has been associated with both benefits and adverse events. MPSS administration was the standard of care for acute SCI until recently when its use has become controversial. Patients with SCI have had little input in the debate, thus we sought to learn their opinions regarding administration of MPSS. A summary of the published literature to date on MPSS use for acute SCI was created and adjudicated by 28 SCI experts. This summary was then emailed to 384 chronic SCI patients along with a survey that interrogated the patients' neurological deficits, communication with physicians and their views on MPSS administration. 77 out of 384 patients completed the survey. 28 respondents indicated being able to speak early after injury and of these 24 reported arriving at the hospital within 8 hours of injury. One recalled a physician speaking to them about MPSS and one patient reported choosing whether or not to receive MPSS. 59.4% felt that the small neurological benefits associated with MPSS were 'very important' to them (p<0.0001). Patients had 'little concern' for potential side-effects of MPSS (p = 0.001). Only 1.4% felt that MPSS should not be given to SCI patients regardless of degree of injury (p<0.0001). This is the first study to report SCI patients' preferences regarding MPSS treatment for acute SCI. Patients favor the administration of MPSS for acute SCI, however few had input into whether or not it was administered. Conscious patients should be given greater opportunity to decide their treatment. These results also provide some guidance regarding MPSS administration in patients unable to communicate.
Determination of boron in plants and plant-derived foods by ultrasonic nebulization-inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry with addition of mannitol

An ultrasonic nebulization-inductively coupled plasma (ICP) atomic emission spectrometry procedure was developed to determine boron in plants and plant-derived foods. Samples were ashed at 550°C for 4 h, and the resulting ash was dissolved into a mannitol-nitric acid solution to form a boron-mannitol complex. Solutions were directly nebulized into ICP by an ultrasonic nebulizer. The memory effect-the main drawback for determining boron with the ultrasonic nebulizer-was minimized with addition of mannitol. Two National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard reference materials (SRM 1515 apple leaves and SRM 1547 peach leaves) and 25 food and plant materials spiked with NIST SRM 1515 were analyzed to verify method accuracy. Boron contents found in NIST standard samples were in excellent agreement with certified values. A detection limit (2σ) of 0.5 μg/L and typical recoveries of 93 to 106% from spiked selected samples were obtained.
Peripheral nerve injury induces adult brain neurogenesis and remodelling

Unilateral peripheral nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) has been widely used as a research model of human neuropathic pain. Recently, CCI has been shown to induce spinal cord adult neurogenesis, which may contribute to the chronic increase in nociceptive sensitivity. Here, we show that CCI also induces rapid and profound asymmetrical anatomical rearrangements in the adult rodent cerebellum and pons. This remodelling occurs throughout the hindbrain, and in addition to regions involved in pain processing, also affects other sensory modalities. We demonstrate that these anatomical changes, partially reversible in the long term, result from adult neurogenesis. Neurogenic markers Mash1, Ngn2, doublecortin and Notch3 are widely expressed in the rodent cerebellum and pons, both under normal and injured conditions. CCI-induced hindbrain structural plasticity is absent in Notch3 knockout mice, a strain with impaired neuronal differentiation, demonstrating its dependence on adult neurogenesis. Grey matter and white matter structural changes in human brain, as a result of pain, injury or learned behaviours have been previously detected using non-invasive neuroimaging techniques. Because neurogenesis-mediated structural plasticity is thought to be restricted to the hippocampus and the subventricular zone, such anatomical rearrangements in other parts of the brain have been thought to result from neuronal plasticity or glial hypertrophy. Our findings suggest the presence of extensive neurogenesis-based structural plasticity in the adult mammalian brain, which may maintain a memory of basal sensory levels, and act as an adaptive mechanism to changes in sensory inputs.
Edward A. Allworth (1920–2016)*

Edward Alfred Allworth, Professor Emeritus of Turco-Soviet Studies in the Department of Middle East Languages and Cultures at Columbia University and member of the Harriman Institute faculty for ov...
Optimizing Outcomes with Clinical Data Registries

Clinical data registries are platforms to extract, store, analyze, and disseminate large amounts of clinical data. The type of data contained in clinical data registries varies by the registry, and may include patient demographics, clinical examination findings, imaging and laboratory results, procedures performed, and patient-reported outcomes. When large numbers of participants submit data to a clinical data registry the data can then be analyzed in aggregate to answer new clinical questions. Analyses on the data may be performed to show outcomes over time, compare procedures, evaluate care patterns, among others. With the launch of an otolaryngology-specific clinical data registry, Regent, facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons have the opportunity to participate in a clinical data registry for the first time. Through broad participation in the registry, the specialty has a chance to optimize patient outcomes in a manner never before possible.
Genetic Analysis of the φX174 DNA Binding Protein

Abstract The φX174 J protein is 37 amino acids in length and contains 12 basic residues. There are no acidic amino acids in the protein. The basic residues are concentrated in two clusters in the N-terminus which are separated by a proline-rich region. To investigate the morphogenetic functions of the J protein and possible mechanisms by which it may bind DNA, a genetic analysis was conducted. Lysine → leucine and arginine → leucine substitutions were generated within the basic amino acid clusters. At least three substitutions were required to eliminate viability in vivo. Lethal mutants with three or four substitutions exhibit dominant lethal phenotypes, indicating that the mutant proteins retain enough function to interfere with productive assembly. In cells infected with a dominant lethal mutant, noninfectious packaged particles were produced. Infectivity can be restored by second-site suppressors in the viral coat protein which disrupt polar interactions atop the threefold axis of symmetry in the capsid. The viability of strains containing compensating frameshift mutations within the proline-rich region suggests that only the proline residues in this segment are critical for efficient function.
Islet encapsulation with polyphenol coatings decreases pro-inflammatory chemokine synthesis and T cell trafficking.

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a chronic pro-inflammatory autoimmune disease consisting of islet-infiltrating leukocytes involved in pancreatic β-cell lysis. One promising treatment for T1D is islet transplantation; however, clinical application is constrained due to limited islet availability, adverse effects of immunosuppressants, and declining graft survival. Islet encapsulation may provide an immunoprotective barrier to preserve islet function and prevent immune-mediated rejection after transplantation. We previously demonstrated that a novel cytoprotective nanothin multilayer coating for islet encapsulation consisting of tannic acid (TA), an immunomodulatory antioxidant, and poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVPON), was efficacious in dampening in vitro immune responses involved in transplant rejection and preserving in vitro islet function. However, the ability of (PVPON/TA) to maintain islet function in vivo and reverse diabetes has not been tested. Recent evidence has demonstrated that modulation of redox status can affect pro-inflammatory immune responses. Therefore, we hypothesized that transplanted (PVPON/TA)-encapsulated islets can restore euglycemia to diabetic mice and provide an immunoprotective barrier. Our results demonstrate that (PVPON/TA) nanothin coatings can significantly decrease in vitro chemokine synthesis and diabetogenic T cell migration. Importantly, (PVPON/TA)-encapsulated islets restored euglycemia after transplantation into diabetic mice. Our results demonstrate that (PVPON/TA)-encapsulated islets may suppress immune responses and enhance islet allograft acceptance in patients with T1D.
Design of validation experiments for life prediction models

Abstract This paper proposes a novel validation experiment design optimization (VEDO) method for the assurance of life prediction model, which is one of the key steps in guaranteeing the reliable design of products in meeting the target service life. Life testing data collected from experiments are important for the validation of time-dependent models. However, directly collecting life data for model validation at the operating stress level is usually time-consuming and expensive. In order to overcome this challenge, the accelerated life testing (ALT) method is employed in the proposed method to collect data for model validation. The connection between ALT and model validation is established first; then a VEDO model is developed using the prior information obtained from the computer simulation model. In the VEDO model, the information gain for model validation is maximized within the testing budget and available testing chamber constraints. The obtained optimal number of tests and testing stress levels are designed to maximize the confidence in the validation results. Various sources of uncertainty such as prediction uncertainty, uncertainty of prior information, and observation errors are included within the optimization process in order to improve the robustness of validation experiment design. A composite helicopter rotor hub component is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed VEDO method.
Minimally invasive instrumentation without fusion during posterior thoracic corpectomies: a comparison of percutaneously instrumented nonfused segments with open instrumented fused segments

OBJECTIVE During the mini-open posterior corpectomy, percutaneous instrumentation without fusion is performed above and below the corpectomy level. In this study, the authors' goal was to compare the perioperative and long-term implant failure rates of patients who underwent nonfused percutaneous instrumentation with those of patients who underwent traditional open instrumented fusion. METHODS Adult patients who underwent posterior thoracic corpectomies with cage reconstruction between 2009 and 2014 were identified. Patients who underwent mini-open corpectomy had percutaneous instrumentation without fusion, and patients who underwent open corpectomy had instrumented fusion above and below the corpectomy site. The authors compared perioperative outcomes and rates of implant failure requiring reoperation between the open (fused) and mini-open (unfused) groups. RESULTS A total of 75 patients were identified, and 53 patients (32 open and 21 mini-open) were available for followup. The mean patient age was 52.8 years, and 56.6% of patients were male. There were no significant differences in baseline variables between the 2 groups. The overall perioperative complication rate was 15.1%, and there was no significant difference between the open and mini-open groups (18.8% vs 9.5%; p = 0.359). The mean hospital stay was 10.5 days. The open group required a significantly longer stay than the mini-open group (12.8 vs 7.1 days; p < 0.001). Overall implant failure rates requiring reoperation were 1.9% at 6 months, 9.1% at 1 year, and 14.7% at 2 years. There were no significant differences in reoperation rates between the open and mini-open groups at 6 months (3.1% vs 0.0%, p = 0.413), 1 year (10.7% vs 6.2%, p = 0.620), and 2 years (18.2% vs 8.3%, p = 0.438). The overall mean follow-up was 29.2 months. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that percutaneous instrumentation without fusion in mini-open transpedicular corpectomies offers similar implant failure and reoperation rates as open instrumented fusion as far out as 2 years of follow-up.
The Roles of Leisure Attitudes and Self-Efficacy on Attitudes Toward Retirement Among Retirees: A Sense of Coherence Theory Approach

Coping well with retirement could depend on sense of coherence (SOC), how confident an individual is to predict and manage the situation/environment using personal psychological resources. While di...