cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Family Caregiver Problems in Outpatient Palliative Oncology.

Background: Understanding challenges of family caregivers within specific palliative care contexts is needed. Objective: To describe the challenges of family caregivers of patients with cancer who receive outpatient palliative care. Methods: We summarized the most common and most challenging problems for 80 family caregivers of cancer patients receiving outpatient palliative care in the midwestern United States. Results: Caregiver worry and difficulty managing side effects or symptoms other than pain, constipation, and shortness of breath were most common. "Financial concerns" was cited most as a "top 3" problem. Almost half of caregivers reported "other" problems, including family members, patient physical function, care coordination, and patient emotional state. Conclusions: The most common and most challenging problems of family caregivers of cancer patients receiving outpatient palliative care may differ from those experienced in other serious illness care contexts. Comparative studies on caregiver problems across the cancer care continuum can help develop and refine interventions.
The High-Strain-Rate Constitutive Behavior and Shear Response of Pure Magnesium and AZ31B Magnesium Alloy

The high-strain-rate response of pure magnesium and AZ31B magnesium alloy is examined in compression and in a forced shear-loading top-hat configurations. Compression specimens loaded in the direction normal to the plane of the rolled plate (TT) display higher-strain-rate sensitivity than specimens that were loaded within the plane of the rolled plate (IP). This effect is more pronounced for pure magnesium as compared to the alloy, due to increased twinning in the IP direction as compared to the TT. Additionally, top-hat shear specimens loaded at high strain rates are observed to display stable deformation during loading, and the development of adiabatic shear bands is not observed. We hypothesize that this result is due to adiabatic heating during deformation, which enhanced the contribution of slip, lessened the role twinning, and possibly activated dynamic recrystallization processes, thus, preventing the formation of distinct shear bands.
Miniaturized System for Tumor Cell Detection and Differentiation

This paper presents an automated, miniaturized, and portable system capable of detection and differentiation of cultured tumor cells and non-malignant cells. It is also capable of differentiation between single tumor cells and cell clusters. It is noninvasive, and operates without the need for cell labelling, device functionalization, and cell immobilization. The system is composed of a microfabricated electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) based sensor, a custom printed circuit board (PCB) and software running on a computer. The custom PCB replaces costly and specialized impedance analysis instruments and the software with a graphical user interface facilitates automated decisions - thus making the system easy to operate. Performance was tested with three human breast cell lines: healthy cell line BPE-3 and tumor cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The system successfully detected and differentiated between the three cell lines. The observed difference between the healthy cell line and the two tumor cell lines was more pronounced. And as cell detection and differentiation is based solely on biophysical properties of cells, disadvantages arising from affinity-based methods can be avoided. The presented miniaturized system possesses the potential to be developed into a low cost, portable and mass producible device for automated detection of CTCs in blood samples at point of care locations. The figure shows the microfabricated sensor consisting of a microfluidic channel with gold electrodes on the channel sidewalls employed to probe biological cells: (A) final device with PDMS layer to be bonded. (B) Microscope image of an electrode pair. (Scale bars 5mm and $100~\mu \text{m}$ ).
The reformulation argument: reining in Gricean pragmatics

A semantic theory aims to make predictions that are accurate and comprehensive. Sometimes, though, a semantic theory falls short of this aim, and there is a mismatch between prediction and data. In such cases, defenders of the semantic theory often attempt to rescue it by appealing to Gricean pragmatics. The hope is that we can rescue the theory as long as we can use pragmatics to explain away its predictive failures. This pragmatic rescue strategy is one of the most popular moves in philosophy of language, philosophical logic, and formal semantics. In this paper I argue that this strategy fails whenever the predictive failures at issue can be recast in epistemological or metaphysical terms. This general “reformulation argument” undermines a wide variety of pragmatic rescue attempts.
TU‐AB‐201‐09: Calibration of An Element of a New Directional Pd‐103 Planar Source Array

Purpose: The CivaSheet™ is a new directional Pd-103 planar source array, with a variable number of discrete source elements referred to as “dots”. Each dot consists of a polymer capsule containing 1⁰3Pd and a gold shield that attenuates radiation on one side of the device to define hot and cold dose regions. Fluorescence from the gold shield is observed in the dot spectrum. Since CivaSheet™ is a planar directional source, conventional methods used for calibration of azimuthally symmetric sources are not applicable. The purpose of this work is to establish an air-kerma-strength standard and a transfer to a well chamber for clinical calibration. Methods: Primary air-kerma strength measurement of the dots was performed using a variable-aperture free-air chamber (VAFAC). Charge measurements were recorded using a well chamber with a custom insert. Anisotropy measurements were performed using a Sodium-Iodide detector. Spectral measurements were performed using a low-energy germanium detector and compared to a source without gold. The dot geometry was modeled using the MCNP6 radiation transport code. Results: Air-kerma strength measurements of a batch of four dots performed with the VAFAC were within ±1.5% of the average measured value and the measurement precision was within ±0.5%. Anisotropy measurements indicated uniform emission within the measurement uncertainty for the solid angle defining the VAFAC aperture used. Charge measurements of each dot using the well chamber in four cardinal angle source orientations were within ±1.5% of the average measured values. The spectral study of a dot resulted in identification of fluorescence from the gold shield and primary spectral energies that were compared to MCNP6 simulations. Conclusion: Calibration procedures for the new directional Pd-103 source dot were established for future clinical use, based on the results of experimental and Monte Carlo investigations. This work was partially supported by NCI contract (HHSN261201200052C) through CivaTech Oncology Inc.
Rehabilitating a Philosophy of Rehabilitation

Mary Switzer, recognized champion of persons with disabilities for 50 years, practiced keeping promises. The rehabilitation program in the United States today represents many of the promises Mary Switzer kept. I thought it would be simple to write about rehabilitation as a philosophy and promised to do so for this issue of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation. I have taught graduate students in rehabilitation counseling for 20 years, and I always began with philosophy. I had no idea how difficult it would be to keep my promise. My search of rehabilitation literature yielded a wide collection of values, principles, and concepts. Some writers had attempted philosophical considerations, but I became increasingly frustrated as I tried to systematically present what I had so easily taught in graduate classes. I realized, quite painfully, that there is no one philosophy of rehabilitation and that I was very angry and frightened by cu"ent critics of the rehabilitation system, a system that embodies an approximation of rehabilitation philosophy. I spent four years writing the story of Mary Switzer's life, a life embedded in rehabilitation history. As an outcome of that experience, I have great respect for incrementalism. I gained increasing respect for the ultimate insider and the changes Mary Switzer was able to effect from within a bureaucracy. I was o.ffended by accusations that the rehabilitation system had thwarted supported employment (Rogan and Murphy, 1991). I was frightened by the separatism of consumers (Parrino, 1991). It seemed to me that the rehabilitation system nurtured by Mary Switzer was at great risk of being dismantled. The urgency I felt each time I tried to write about the philosophy of rehabilitation reflected the tension of the time. If ever a unifying philosophy was needed, it was now. My friend and philosophy teacher, Patricia james, read the first draft of this article and rescued it from my defensiveness. Patricia james drew me into a dialogue of reconstruction. I began to order those concepts that guide our practice discipline. I offer this reconstruction to you, as one practitioner to another, in the hope that we may be able to assemble our various wisdoms, to bring to light rich differences, and to prepare ourselves for thoughtful action. My promise is partially kept, with the invitation to each reader to criticize and communicate as we attempt to articulate commonalities and differences.
Traffic Engineering with MPLS (MPLS‐TE)

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction The business drivers Application scenarios Setting up traffic‐engineered paths using MPLS‐TE Using the traffic‐engineered paths Deployment considerations Using traffic engineering to achieve resource optimization Offline path computation Conclusion References Further reading Study questions
TrueNorth: Design and Tool Flow of a 65 mW 1 Million Neuron Programmable Neurosynaptic Chip

The new era of cognitive computing brings forth the grand challenge of developing systems capable of processing massive amounts of noisy multisensory data. This type of intelligent computing poses a set of constraints, including real-time operation, low-power consumption and scalability, which require a radical departure from conventional system design. Brain-inspired architectures offer tremendous promise in this area. To this end, we developed TrueNorth, a 65 mW real-time neurosynaptic processor that implements a non-von Neumann, low-power, highly-parallel, scalable, and defect-tolerant architecture. With 4096 neurosynaptic cores, the TrueNorth chip contains 1 million digital neurons and 256 million synapses tightly interconnected by an event-driven routing infrastructure. The fully digital 5.4 billion transistor implementation leverages existing CMOS scaling trends, while ensuring one-to-one correspondence between hardware and software. With such aggressive design metrics and the TrueNorth architecture breaking path with prevailing architectures, it is clear that conventional computer-aided design (CAD) tools could not be used for the design. As a result, we developed a novel design methodology that includes mixed asynchronous–synchronous circuits and a complete tool flow for building an event-driven, low-power neurosynaptic chip. The TrueNorth chip is fully configurable in terms of connectivity and neural parameters to allow custom configurations for a wide range of cognitive and sensory perception applications. To reduce the system’s communication energy, we have adapted existing application-agnostic very large-scale integration CAD placement tools for mapping logical neural networks to the physical neurosynaptic core locations on the TrueNorth chips. With that, we have successfully demonstrated the use of TrueNorth-based systems in multiple applications, including visual object recognition, with higher performance and orders of magnitude lower power consumption than the same algorithms run on von Neumann architectures. The TrueNorth chip and its tool flow serve as building blocks for future cognitive systems, and give designers an opportunity to develop novel brain-inspired architectures and systems based on the knowledge obtained from this paper.
Clinical competence understood through the construct validity of three clerkship assessments

Medical Education 2011: 45: 849–857 Objectives This study examined the construct validity of three commonly used clerkship performance assessments, including preceptors’ evaluations, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)-type clinical performance measures, and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) medicine subject examination, in order to better understand their conceptual structures and utility in the explanation of clinical competence. Methods A total of 686 students who took an in-patient medicine clerkship during the period 2003 to 2007 participated in the study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using structural equation modelling were adopted to examine the latent domains underlying various indicators assessed by these three measures and the pattern of indicator–domain relationships. Results Factor analyses found three latent constructs, labelled Clinical Performance, Interpersonal Skills and Clinical Knowledge, underlying the observed measures. The three domains were modestly correlated with one another (inter-factor correlation coefficients ranged from 0.39 to 0.54). They also tapped a common higher-order construct, Clinical Competence, in varying degrees of magnitude (0.73, 0.74, 0.53, respectively). Conclusions The study demonstrated that although the three commonly used tools for assessing clerkship performance contributed uniquely to the understanding of clinical performance, they also attested to a shared domain of clinical competence in their assessment. The study confirmed the need for a multiple-methods approach to clinical performance assessment. Findings also revealed that clerkship preceptors need to differentiate their evaluation of students’ performances, and that the OSCE did not assess a single domain of clinical competence.
Beyond (and Within) City Limits: Climate Policy in an Intergovernmental System

This analysis explores the role of city-level and state-level variables to explain why some cities make more progress on climate-related policy implementation than others. Using multilevel modeling, we find little support for the influence of state factors on local government leadership among the 812 cities in the dataset, but local government institutional and community variables are strongly associated with climate policy initiatives. We argue for a rethinking of the notion of the limited and constrained city and suggest that, in the realm of climate protection and environmental policy, cities are leading a bottom-up federalism. Moreover, where some political analysts and scholars have argued that climate protection and environmental policies may not be economically rational for cities to pursue, we theorize that cities are acting locally to further their self-interest in an increasingly global economy.
The Federalization of Airport Security: Privacy Implications

In the wake of the terrorist events on September 11, 2001, the government was faced with a public demand for increased airport security. The government had to respond in a way that ensured safety in air travel; Congress needed to pass laws mandating tighter security and stricter enforcement. In response, the Democratic Senate unanimously passed a bill called the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (Aviation Act), which would federalize airport security. The need for swift legislation surpassing partisan concerns, the Republican House and Bush Administration yielded to the Senate and agreed to federalize airport security. Given the political turmoil at the time, Congress may have acted too quickly in passing the Aviation Act without considering the full impact of the Aviation Act on citizens' privacy. Federalizing airport workers has far-reaching implications. Fifth Amendment restraints may now affect the hiring and firing process of federal screeners. The Fourth Amendment will contour the extent of security searches of passengers by federal workers. Although Congress may have noted the substantive effects of the law on citizens' privacy, in their haste to pass the law they overlooked an aspect of the law, that passengers who have their privacy impermissibly violated will be less able to secure a remedy for that violation. Passenger plaintiffs will now have to face the defense of qualified immunity and overcome the daunting obstacle of political justification. This article explores the implications of federalizing on passenger privacy and citizen suits.
Microviscosity and calcium exchange in yeast cells and effects of phenethyl alcohol.

Abstract The microviscosity of the yeast cell interior determined by a fluorimetric method is 13.6 cp. Treatment with 0.5% phenethyl alcohol increases viscosity to 15 cp and increases calcium content fivefold. Phenethyl alcohol at low concentrations causes reversible increase in cell membrane permeability to fluorescein.
The short chain fatty acids, butyrate and propionate, have differential effects on the motility of the guinea pig colon

Background Colonic microbiota digest resistant starches producing short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The main SCFAs produced are acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Both excitatory and inhibitory effects of SCFAs on motility have been reported. We hypothesized that the effect of SCFAs on colonic motility varies with chain length and aimed to determine the effects of SCFAs on propagating and non-propagating contractions of guinea pig proximal and distal colon. Methods In isolated proximal colonic segments, Krebs solution alone or containing 10–100 mM acetate, propionate, or butyrate was injected into the lumen, motility was videorecorded over 10 min, and spatiotemporal maps created. In distal colon, the lumen was perfused with the same solutions of SCFAs at 0.1 mL/min, the movement of artificial fecal pellets videorecorded, and velocity of propulsion calculated. Key Results In proximal colon, butyrate increased the frequency of full-length propagations, decreased short propagations, and had a biphasic effect on non-propagating contractions. Propionate blocked full and short propagations and had a biphasic effect on non-propagating contractions. Acetate decreased short and total propagations. In distal colon, butyrate increased and propionate decreased velocity of propulsion. Conclusions & Inferences The data suggest that luminal SCFAs have differing effects on proximal and distal colonic motility depending on chain length. Thus, the net effect of SCFAs on colonic motility would depend on the balance of SCFAs produced by microbial digestion of resistant starches.
Wheat Belly—An Analysis of Selected Statements and Basic Theses from the Book

In this review of the popular press book Wheat Belly by William Davis, a variety of the positions discussed in the book are analyzed using scientific literature by first stating Davis' point and then providing an analysis of the point. The statements can be divided into four categories: 1) those which are based on good, sound nutrition science; 2) those that are controversial, i.e., there are studies supporting both sides of the issue; 3) those that are theory, i.e., they have no data to support or refute them; and 4) those that run counter to widely supported data reported in the scientific and medical literature.
Effects of fertilizer type and rate, and liming on banana squash yield

Abstract There is a question whether it is best to use synthetic or alternative materials to fertilize horticultural crops. Levels of applied fertilizer can affect development of crops such as banana squash (Curcubita maxima Duch.). Seed were planted in 1990, 1991, and 1992 into beds treated with sufficient fertilizer to raise the residual nutrient levels to the recommended (base) and twice recommended (2X) rate with a synthetic or an alternative fertilizer. Lime was applied prior to seeding in 1990 and as a treatment was, or was not, applied prior to seeding in 1991 and 1992. Plants grown in beds treated with the synthetic fertilizer consistently produced higher yields than plants grown in beds treated with the alternative fertilizer. In 1990, the base fertilizer rate improved yield. There was no difference in 1991 due to fertilizer level, and in 1992, the 2X fertilizer rate improved yield. Application of fertilizer above the base level is not encouraged. Liming did not affect yield. By the spring of 199...
Cytoskeleton Regulation of Ion Channels

Cardiac arrhythmia is one of the leading causes of sudden death in developed countries, and results from abnormal cardiac electrical activity. Regular beat-to-beat cardiac excitability requires the coordinated activity of membrane bound ionophoric proteins which are channels and transporters. Aberrant currents can result from either changes in the gating properties of ionophores or altered trafficking to their appropriate membrane subdomain. Mutations in the genes of ionophoric proteins result in inherited human arrhythmogenic syndromes. While mutations of channel proteins can affect biophysical gating properties1, most inherited arrhythmia disorders likely result from altered protein trafficking rather than gating2-5. In addition, mutations in the proteins that make up the trafficking apparatus, namely the cytoskeletal and associated proteins, can also result in arrhythmia disorders.
Gallbladder sludge formation after bone marrow transplant: sonographic observations.

We prospectively studied 12 patients before and after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) with serial sonography to evaluate gallbladder sludge formation. Patients were studied on four separate occasions to assess the gallbladder for sludge and stones: prior to BMT and conditioning chemoradiation, and on days 3, 13, and 28 after BMT. During two of the sonographic studies, gallbladder volume measurements were made before and after administration of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-OP) and the ejection fraction (EF) was calculated. Medical records were reviewed for symptoms of cholecystitis, narcotic use, and dietary intake. Sludge and/or stones developed in eight of 12 patients (67%), and in four patients sludge was observed by day 3 post-BMT. Ejection fraction was normal (>50%) pre-BMT in six of the eight patients who developed sludge, and in four of these six post-BMT. Furthermore, five of the eight patients developed sludge and/or stones in the absence of fasting and/or narcotic use. We conclude that gallbladder sludge develops frequently and early in BMT patients and may resolve or progress to stone formation. We did not demonstrate a relationship between impaired contractility and the development of sludge and/or stones, nor did we find a strong association between sludge formation and conditions presumed to cause gallbladder stasis, such as narcotic use and fasting. These findings suggest that other factors apart from impaired gallbladder contractility may play a role in the formation of sludge in the BMT patient.
Intraspecific shell exchange in the hermit crab Clibanarius virescens (Krauss)

Intraspecific shell exchange in the hermit crab Clibanarius virescens (Krauss) was studied by field and laboratory experiments. Shell exchange frequencies were determined in potentially competitive (only one individual of a pair would benefit from an exchange) and potentially mutualistic (both members benefit) situations. The frequency of competitive exchanges in laboratory experiments, which paired individuals occupying very poor quality shells and individuals occupying the shells in which they were collected, was very low (2%). Higher exchange frequencies were observed between individuals in poor quality shells and individuals in shells of their preferred size. Shell exchange frequencies were highest in mutualistic situations and situations in which all individuals occupied poor quality shells. Crabs which had been evicted from their shells by the experimenter prior to selecting new shells were evicted from the new shells in subsequent shell fight experiments significantly more often than crabs which had not been evicted. Field experiments resulted in exchange frequencies similar to those observed in the laboratory. The relevance of the present experiments to Maynard Smith and Parker's theory of asymmetric contests is discussed.
Psychophysical approaches to motor control

A variety of experimental approaches have recently helped identify the reference frames and coordinate systems that describe the control of eye and limb movements. These descriptions apply at the behavioral level and also, despite the distributed nature of neural processing, to the population responses of different neural structures. Studies on the process of adaptation to altered environments have also provided new insights into the controlled variables for movements: although handpaths can be adapted to extrinsic demands, the adaptation is, in some cases, in an intrinsic frame of reference.
Cerebellar tonsillar herniation after weight loss in a patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

(Headache 2010;50:146-148) Acquired cerebellar tonsillar herniation is a known complication of lumboperitoneal shunt (LPS) for any indication, including idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), also known as pseudotumor cerebri.1 While the underlying pathophysiology of IIH remains unknown, increasing body mass index is a clear risk factor for the development of IIH. We describe an obese patient with IIH unresponsive to LPS who developed symptoms of intracranial hypotension and cerebellar tonsillar herniation after bariatric surgery and a 50-kg weight loss.
A unique role for retrospective studies in clinical oncology.

subgroup (n = 12) who received the antineoplastic agent gemcitabine and who appeared to have a higher rate of tumor response compared to individuals administered either topotecan or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin [1] . Of course, it must be emphasized that the very limited sample size does not permit any definitive conclusions regarding the relative utility of any individual strategy, including providing a truly meaningful ‘objective response rate’. However, recognizing the rarity of this specific malignant condition (72 total patients identified in a period of 16 years at 20 centers), this retrospective experience will likely be of some value to individual oncologists needing to consider potential therapeutic options for a patient with recurrent clear-cell ovarian cancer. Further, in the event a multi-institutional prospective trial is ultimately undertaken in this most uncommon clinical setting, the results of this retrospective analysis should surely help to inform the planned study design. There is a long-established tradition of retrospective studies in clinical cancer investigation. Single institutional data or large multicenter efforts examining past experiences can serve both as hypothesis-generating elements for a future prospective clinical study, an idea to be explored in a translational laboratory research project, and even as confirmation of the results of a reported study in a more heterogeneous patient population. Further, retrospective analyses can provide critically relevant data in populations known to be poorly represented in cancer clinical trials (e.g. the elderly and individuals with relevant comorbidities) and may identify adverse events potentially not recognized in the often highly homogenous groups of study participants. Finally, both the safety and the efficacy associated with longer observation periods and a more prolonged therapy than reported in many prospective clinical trials can be revealed through retrospective examinations of previously treated patients. In the current issue of Oncology, Esposito et al. [1] present an interesting retrospective analysis of patients with recurrent clear-cell ovarian cancer, a most uncommon condition and one for which there are preciously limited data suggesting an effective therapeutic strategy. As a result, this paper represents a provocative example of yet another use of a retrospective study design. In this retrospective analysis involving 72 patients who underwent second-line therapy at one of 20 Italian centers over a 16-year period, the investigators noted a small Published online: June 12, 2014
Update: schizophrenia across cultures.

The incidence of schizophrenia, as well as the symptoms, course, and outcomes for people so diagnosed seem to vary across some cultural contexts. The mechanisms by which cultural variations may protect one from or increase one’s risk of developing schizophrenia remain unclear. Recent findings from transdisciplinary cross-cultural research, indicate ways that we may better understand how socioenvironmental and cultural variables interact with physiologic pathways relating psychosocial stress and psychotic symptoms, epigenetic changes, and people’s use of culturally available tools to mitigate stress, in ways that may inform relevant, effective interventions for people diagnosed with psychotic disorders worldwide.
Role of CD44 cytoplasmic domain in hyaluronan binding

The hyaluronan (HA) binding activity of mutant CD44 constructs expressed in AKR1 T-lymphoma cells was evaluated by flow cytometry using fluorescein-conjugated HA (Fl-HA). Previous studies showed that wild-type hematopoietic CD44 bound Fl-HA when expressed in AKR1, but that truncated "tailless" CD44, lacking all but six amino acids of the cytoplasmic domain, did not bind. Here, we show that a disulfide-bonded dimer of CD44, formed by substituting the transmembrane region of CD3 zeta chain for that of CD44, binds Fl-HA, even when the cytoplasmic domain of the CD44 dimer is absent. We conclude that dimerization of CD44 abrogates the requirement for the cytoplasmic domain, suggesting that the cytoplasmic domain of CD44 may contribute to HA binding by promoting CD44 clustering. These results suggest that changes in the distribution of CD44 on the cell surface, induced by molecular interactions either from within the cell or from outside, may regulate its role as a receptor. Further studies sought to localize the region of the CD44 cytoplasmic domain contributing to HA binding by the construction of a series of cytoplasmic domain truncation mutants and internal deletion mutants. All of the mutant CD44 molecules bound Fl-HA similarly to wild-type CD44. Thus, it was not possible to assign the function mediating HA binding to a specific region of the cytoplasmic domain, suggesting either that multiple regions of the cytoplasmic domain can promote enhancement of HA binding, or that the role of the cytoplasmic domain in mediating this function does not require a specific amino acid sequence.
The Pittsburgh Agitation Scale: A User-Friendly Instrument for Rating Agitation in Dementia Patients.

There are many rating instruments designed to assess symptoms of agitation in patients with dementia. Most scales require that raters assess multiple specific behaviors over several days, limiting the use of such scales to clinical staff who have direct contact with patients but do not have the time to complete a comprehensive assessment following each period of observation. Also, scales that assess behavior over several days must rely on "secondhand" information describing behaviors not directly observed by the rater. The Pittsburgh Agitation Scale (PAS) is an easy-to-use instrument, based on direct observations of the patient, that was developed to monitor the severity of agitation associated with dementia. Interrater reliability and measures of validity have been established with clinical staff on a busy psychogeriatric inpatient unit and with research personnel in a nursing home setting.
Evidence for genetic contamination of inbred Buffalo rats (RT-1b) obtained from a commercial vendor

Inbred Buffalo rats (RT-1b) have been used in studies of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and autoimmune thyroiditis. Since our studies, and those of others, have relied on the genetic purity of inbred Buffalo rats, we chose to test these animals for expression of strain-dependent, allotype-specific variants of CD45 (leukocyte common antigen, LCA) using the monoclonal antibodies RT7.1 and RT7.2. The goal of this study was to confirm the genetic purity and to verify the inbred status of Buffalo rats obtained from a commercial source.
Epidemiology and treatment of lacrimal gland tumors: a population-based cohort analysis.

Importance Primary tumors of the lacrimal gland are rare and are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. The literature regarding these tumors is limited to case series and case reports. Objective To examine the incidence, treatment, and overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) of patients with cancer of the lacrimal gland. Design, Setting, and Participants Population-based cohort analysis using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify patients with primary tumors of the lacrimal gland from 1973 to 2010. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall survival and DSS. Results A total of 321 patients with nonlymphoid tumors of the lacrimal gland were identified. The most common histological subtypes were adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) (32.1%) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (29.9%). Survival analysis revealed a 5-year OS and DSS for all lacrimal gland tumors of 60% and 75%, respectively. On univariate analysis, low tumor grade ( P = .04) and surgical treatment ( P P = .009), but not radiotherapy ( P = .44), was found to significantly improve OS. For SCC tumors, surgical treatment significantly improved both OS ( P P = .004); radiation therapy also significantly improved OS ( P = .03). Using a multivariable analysis model, age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.03 [95% CI, 1.01-1.04]; P P = .003), and T stage at presentation (HR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.01-1.37]; P = .03) were found to be independent predictors of OS. For ACC alone, age (HR, 1.04 [95% CI, 1.02-1.06]; P P = .03) were independent predictors of OS. For SCC, age (HR, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.02-1.09]; P = .005), surgical resection (HR, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.12-0.83]; P = .02), and radiation therapy (HR, 0.33 [95% CI, 0.14-0.80]; P = .01) were independent predictors of OS. Conclusions and Relevance Our study demonstrates that ACC is the most common malignant epithelial neoplasm of the lacrimal gland. Determinants of survival for tumors of the lacrimal gland include age at diagnosis and surgical therapy. Radiation therapy is associated with improved DSS in SCC but not in ACC.
Weak-beam stereomicrography of defects in GaAs/In x Ga 1- x As interfaces

Weak-beam stereomicrography was used to image dislocation arrays at the two interfaces in GaAs/In x Ga1−x As/GaAs sandwich structures. For samples with mismatch equal to 1.8%, separate dislocation arrays were found at each interface. The measured dislocation density at the upper interface was only 10% of the density found at the lower interface. This is attributed to reduced mismatch at the upper interface due to strain in the In0.25Ga0.75As layer. Also, the dislocation spacing asymmetry along the [01l] and [01l] directions is exhibited at each interface. In the upper interface, it is attributed to growth on asymmetrically strained In0.25Ga0.75As. Stereo-imaging of samples with higher mismatch (f = 2.9%) showed 3-dimensional details of dislocation half-loop nucleation that leads to a semiorthogonal array with increasing In0.4Ga0.6As layer thickness.
The UV excess of quasars - Luminosity dependence

The transition from the near-infrared power law to the blue bump in quasar spectra is studied by analyzing the complete sample published by Neugebauer et al. (1987). It is found that the flattening of the continuum spectrum toward the UV increases with continuum luminosity; the spectral slope between 4200 A and 7500 A (in the quasar's rest frame) is strongly correlated with luminosity and redshift. Only part of this correlation can be attributed to contamination by starlight of the host galaxy. This result is modeled in terms of an accretion disk spectrum combined with a nonthermal power law. In order to fit the data, the Eddington ratio must be in the range L(opt)/L(E) approximately 0.003-0.03(epsilon/0.1) exp -1 (epsilon being the efficiency). This parameter range also yields inner disk temperatures of (30,000-200,000 K), in accordance with the temperatures inferred from the UV excess of quasars observed with the IUE.
TLR8 signaling enhances tumor immunity by preventing tumor-induced T-cell senescence

Accumulating evidence suggests the immunosuppressive microenvironments created by malignant tumors represent a major obstacle for effective anti-tumor immunity. A better understanding of the suppressive mechanisms mediated by tumor microenvironments and the development of strategies to reverse the immune suppression are major challenges for the success of tumor immunotherapy. Here, we report that human tumor cells can induce senescence in naive/effector T cells, exhibiting potent suppressive function in vitro and in vivo. We further show that tumor-derived endogenous cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is responsible for the induction of T-cell senescence. Importantly, activation of TLR8 signaling in tumor cells can block the induction and reverse the suppression of senescent naive and tumor-specific T cells in vitro and in vivo, resulting in enhanced anti-tumor immunity. These studies identify a novel mechanism of human tumor-mediated immune suppression and provide a new strategy to reverse tumor immunosuppressive effects for tumor immunotherapy.
Self-assembling biomaterials.

Self-assembly has become a useful way of constructing biomaterials for a variety of applications ranging from cell culture to tissue engineering. Attractive features of self-assembled biomaterials include chemical definition, modularity, stimulus-sensitivity, and the ability to produce complex supramolecular objects from comparatively simple precursors. These aspects also make self-assembly an effective way of bridging the practicality of synthetic materials with the molecular and structural complexity of biologically derived materials. In this chapter, self-assembling strategies are summarized, with particular emphasis on materials employing peptides and proteins as the essential oligomerizing components. Two-dimensional self-assemblies, primarily self-assembled monolayers, are also overviewed. Immune responses to supramolecular biomaterials, advantages that arise from self-assembling approaches, and examples of recent in vivo applications of these materials are additionally discussed.
Plasticity of fin command system function following spinal transection in larval sea lamprey.

Abstract The descending control of dorsal fin posture by a reidentifiable reticulospinal command neuron (I1), was examined in the sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus. Intracellular stimulation of I1 controls the posture of both dorsal fins. Spinal transection between the fins results not only in loss of control of posterior dorsal fin posture, but after 2 h, the control of the anterior dorsal fin as well. Anterior dorsal fin responses remained absent at 4,5 and 6 days after transection. Stimulation of I1 could control anterior dorsal fin posture in specimens which had recovered the ability to right during swimming (77 and 100 days after transection), although higher than normal stimulus frequencies were required. I1 control of posterior dorsal fin posture did not recover.
Binaural modulation detection interference

The ability to detect amplitude modulation (AM) of a tonal probe can be disrupted by the presence of modulated masking tones. Two experiments examined whether a disparity in the interaural parameters of the probe and masker can reduce the amount of interference. In the first experiment, the effects of interaural time and intensity differences were studied in separate sets of conditions. With low-frequency carriers, the detection of 10-Hz probe modulation in the presence of 10-Hz masker modulation was not significantly affected by interaural time differences. With higher-frequency carriers, dichotic stimuli were generated through combinations of diotic, dichotic, or monotic probe and masker presentations in which the probe and masker did not share a common interaural intensity difference. In these conditions, the amount of interference was affected by the interaural configuration. However, monotic level differences between the probe and masker may have contributed to the effect of interaural configuration. In the second experiment, the probe and masker were presented through separate speakers in an enclosed listening environment. Spatial separation between the sources for the probe and masker led to a small reduction in the amount of interference. When the masker modulation rate was varied with the probe AM rate fixed at 10 Hz, the extent of tuning in the modulation domain in the sound-field conditions was similar to that obtained with diotic stimulus presentation over headphones.
A framework for classifying and developing extensible architectural views

Abstract Despite its widespread use in the software architecture community, architectural views and relationships among them are poorly defined. A solid taxonomy of views is a critical factor in tackling this problem since it must adopt an unambiguous definition of views and provide rigorous criteria for classification. Nevertheless, the existing taxonomies of views fail to eliminate vagueness surrounding the definitions of views and their inter-relationships mainly due to their informal nature. One of the most significant consequences of these failures is inability to systematically define new views in support of domain-specialization. This paper is an attempt to resolve these outstanding problems by proposing a sound framework for creating new, customized taxonomies of views in a repeatable manner, based on the formal concept of refinement.
Comparative immune responses to native cell envelope antigens and the hot sodium dodecyl sulfate insoluble fraction (PG) of Brucella abortus in cattle and mice.

Abstract Brucella abortus vaccines composed of native cell envelopes or outer membrane proteins of smooth strain 2308 were compared with a vaccine (PG) composed of the insoluble residue of strain 2308 cell envelopes which had been extracted with hot sodium dodecyl sulfate. Vaccines were given by injection in an oil base adjuvant containing trehalose dimycolate and muramyl dipeptide or without adjuvant. Mice vaccinated with 30 μg native cell envelopes or PG and challenged 4 weeks later with virulent B. abortus strain 2308 displayed equivalent levels of protective immunity at 1 and 4 weeks post-infection. Heifers were vaccinated with 5 mg of antigens in adjuvant; PG was also administered without adjuvant. Humoral and cell mediated immune (CMI) responses were tested at monthly intervals. PG without adjuvant induced negligible immune responses. Native cell envelope antigens induced significantly higher titers of whole cell agglutinins over a 3-month period than did PG, although revaccination with PG in adjuvant enhanced the production of agglutinins and both vaccines induced antibodies to the O polysaccharide. Lymphocyte blastogenesis responses and delayed hypersensitivity reactions to porin and group 3 proteins were stimulated by both native and PG vaccines, and the magnitude of the responses did not differ significantly between the treatment groups. These vaccines were therefore comparable in their capacity to induce protective immunity in mice and CMI responses in cattle, whereas antibody responses induced by PG in cattle were generally lower. These findings provide a basis for evaluation of nonliving B. abortus vaccines in cattle.
Ebstein's Disease Associated with Complete Atrioventricular Block

The first documented case of Ebstein's anomaly associated with complete heart block is reported in a 49-year-old man who presented with symptoms of low cardiac output and complete heart block. His bundle electrography performed during recovery of intermittent atrioventricular conduction demonstrated infra-His block with prolonged H-Q interval and normal A-H interval. Treatment consisted of permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation.
Cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis in acute bacterial meningitis

Abstract Cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis (more than 50 percent lymphocytes or mononuclear cells) occurred in 14 of 103 cases of bacteriologically proved acute bacterial meningitis. Patients with cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis accounted for 32 percent (13 of 41) of all patients with bacterial meningitis with a cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell concentration of 1,000/mm 3 or less. Cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis was significantly more common in neonates and in those without meningismus, but occurred in all ages and without any clear identifying clinical characteristics. The most common etiologic organisms were Streptococcus pneumoniae (five), Neisseria meningitidis (two), and Hemophilus influenzae (two). Cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis is common in acute bacterial meningitis when the cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell concentration is below 1,000/mm 3 . It is therefore of little value in differentiating bacterial meningitis from viral, fungal, and tuberculous meningitis.
Enterprise Transformation Through Mobile ICT: a Framework and Case Study in Healthcare

This study examines the transformative value and impact of mobile information and communication technology (ICT) in enterprises. Based on a comprehensive field study of mobile ICT adoption, implementation, and use in enterprises across multiple industries, a multi-stage framework for mobile ICT-enabled transformation was developed. The study revealed that mobile ICT enterprise value consists of increased convenience, higher levels of efficiency, new core competences, and creation of competitive advantage. The organizational impact is realized in existing and newly created data and processes, business models and strategies, and entire markets and industries. Four distinct stages of transformation are identified and described, namely mobilization, enhancement, reshapement, and redefinition. The framework is applied in the context of healthcare. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of enterprise transformation and IT-enabled change and provides important guidelines for management of emergin...
Reactions of Peroxynitrite with γ-Tocopherol

The reaction of peroxynitrite with γ-tocopherol (γ-TH) in a methanol/potassium phosphate buffer solution results in the formation of four major products, which were identified as 2,7,8-trimethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyldecyl)-5-nitro-6-chromanol (NGT), 2,7,8-trimethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyldecyl)-5,6-chromaquinone (tocored), and two diastereomers of 8a-(hydroxy)-γ-tocopherone. NGT was the major product formed in these reactions, and its formation was modestly increased by increasing amounts of Fe3+−EDTA. Tocored and NGT also were formed when γ-TH was exposed to 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), a compound that decomposes to form peroxynitrite. When γ-TH reacted with the nitrating agent NO2+BF4- in acetonitrile or methanol/potassium phosphate buffer, NGT and tocored also were formed, but the major product detected was γ-tocopherol quinone (γ-TQ). This product was not detected in reactions involving peroxynitrite. Oxidation of γ-TH by peroxynitrite involves nitration and electron transfer reactions. Since the produc...
Heterogeneity in psychotic depression.

Abstract Earlier data suggests that some patients with major depression and psychotic features are misdiagnosed and have, instead, schizophrenia. To explore methods for clinically isolating such patients, the authors evaluated three alternative ways of subdividing 65 inpatients with psychotic major depression using historical, diagnostic, phenomenological, neuroendocrine, family history, and follow-up measures. Older patients, those with mood-congruent psychotic features only and those with abnormal dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results, were distinguished by a limited number of features more typical of manic depressive disease as traditionally described. While none of these three subdivisions had clear prognostic value by itself, the combination of youth, mood-incongruent psychotic features, and normal DST results predicted a recovery rate during a 6-month follow-up one third that for the remaining patients.