cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observations on the origin of ovarian cortical inclusion cysts in women undergoing risk‐reducing salpingo‐oophorectomy

Aims Evidence suggests that up to 70% of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSCs) arise potentially from fallopian tube fimbriae, and that many of the remaining cases arise from within the ovary in cortical inclusion cysts (CICs) with a Mullerian phenotype (Mullerian-CICs). It has been proposed that Mullerian-CICs arise either from metaplasia of mesothelial ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) entrapped within the ovary after ovulation or from normal tubal cells entrapped postovulation. However, this proposal is controversial. We therefore conducted a study of CICs in women, most of them BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, undergoing risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy at our institution from 2000 to 2014. Methods and results We used immunohistochemistry for PAX8, a Mullerian marker, and calretinin, a mesothelial marker to classify CIC cells. In 499 CICs from 59 women, 72.3% were positive for PAX8 (PAX8+ ): ≥10% of CIC cells positive; 43.5% positive for calretinin (calretinin+ ). The proportion of PAX8+ CICs increased from 62.9% in premenopausal to 80.5% in postmenopausal patients. The proportion of calretinin+ CICs decreased from 52.6% to 35.6%, respectively. There was significant overlap of PAX8 and calretinin positivity: 82 (16.4%) CICs were PAX8+ /calretinin+ ; 43 (40.2%) of these 82 demonstrated PAX8+ /calretinin+ in the same cells. Conclusions These results, and the increased ratio of PAX8+ to calretinin+ CICs from premenopausal to postmenopausal, show that many PAX8+ CICs probably arise from metaplasia of OSE-derived CICs. The proportion of PAX+ /calretinin- CICs arising from OSE-derived CICs is unclear, but our results strongly support the proposal that many Mullerian-CICs arise from OSE via metaplasia.
Historical Aspects of Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy

Short-term psychodynamic techniques based on psychoanalytic theory constitute innovative techniques and approaches that open the way to new objectives and potentialities for psychoanalytic psychotherapy. They constitute a historical trend of the first magnitude and point to one of the major directions in which the rational psychotherapies of the future will be moving.
Empirical Methods for Determining the Stability of Certain Linear Delay Systems

In this chapter we present two methods for examining the stability of certain delay systems. These methoos make use of well-known computing packages such as MATLAB and are variations on both the Lyapunov and analytic function approaches. The first method is to consider systems where the delays are treated as parameters and the undelayed system is uniformly exponentially stable (u.e.s.). To find the “closest” parameters for which the parametric family loses u.c.s. we give a necessary and sufficient condition for a corresponding family of quadratic matrices to satisfy a Riccati matrix equation. This condition is relatively easy to verify and depends on the zeros of a quasi-polynomial defined on a compact Canesian product. In particular if the delays are commeasureable this procedure either determines the smallest delays for which the system is u.e.s. or shows that it is u.e.s. for all delays.
Fairness in the Classroom: Lessons Learned from Organizational Justice Research

This paper examines how perceived injustice among students can emerge in the classroom as a result of performance appraisal and classroom management practices. The goal of this conceptual piece (offered as an 'extended abstract') is to propose approaches that may reduce or at least bridge the perceptual gap between students and instructors with regard to performance evaluation. Specifically, the focus is on enhancing perceptions of a grade's accuracy and utilizing the intercorrelations among the four dimensions of justice.
Tumoren des Rückenmarks

Tumoren des Ruckenmarks sind selten. Innerhalb der grosen Anzahl verschiedener Erkrankungen sind Astrozytome, Ependymome und Neuroblastome am haufigsten. Haufigste Symptome sind Schmerz, motorische Ausfalle und Inkontinenz. Die Kernspintomographie erlaubt eine Unterscheidung zwischen extraduralen Wirbelsaulentumoren, intraduralen und intramedullaren Tumoren. Unspezifisch hilfreich ist Dexamethason, aber zur endgultigen Diagnose fuhrt erst die Operation. Die weitereTherapie richtet sich dann nach der Histologie. Neuroblastome und wenige hoch maligne Erkrankungen werden vornehmlich chemotherapeutisch behandelt, die meisten semimalignen Tumoren mussen bestrahlt werden. Bei Ependymomen kann eine komplett gelungene Resektion kurativ sein.
Phantom Verification of AAA and Acuros Dose Calculations for Lung Cancer: Do Tumor Size and Regression Matter?

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to evaluate dose calculation accuracy for the Eclipse Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm (AAA) and Acuros XB algorithm for various lung tumor sizes and to investigate dosimetric changes associated with treatment of regressing tumors. Methods and materials A water phantom with cylindrical cork inserts (lung surrogates) was fabricated. Large (202 cm3), medium (54 cm3), and small (3 cm3) solid water tumors were implanted within cork inserts. A plain cork insert was used to simulate a lung without a tumor. The cork inserts and tumors were cut along the long axis, and Gafchromic film was placed between the sections to measure dose distributions. Three-dimensional conformal plans were created using 6 MV and 10 MV beams, and volumetric modulated arc therapy plans were created using 6 MV beams for each tumor size. Doses were calculated using Eclipse AAA and Acuros XB. The measured and calculated dose distributions were compared for each tumor size and treatment algorithm. To simulate a regressing tumor, the original plans created for the large tumor were separately delivered to the phantom that contained a small, medium, or no tumor. The dosimetric effects were evaluated using gamma passing rates with a 2%/2 mm criterion and dose profile comparisons. Results Agreement between the measurements and AAA calculations decreased as tumor size decreased, but Acuros XB showed better agreement for all tumor sizes. The largest difference was observed for a 6 MV volumetric modulated arc therapy plan created to treat the smallest tumor. The gamma passing rate was 89.7% but that of Acuros was 99.5%. For the tumor regression evaluation, the gamma passing rates ranged from 53% to 99% for AAA. For Acuros XB, the gamma passing rates were >98% for all scenarios. Conclusion Both AAA and Acuros XB calculated the dose accurately for the largest lung tumor. For the smallest and regressing tumors, Acuros XB more accurately modelled the dose distribution compared with AAA.
Liquid landscape: geography and settlement at the edge of early America

Liquid Landscape focuses on the “porous foundations” of early America. The book features a stunning close-up of mangrove roots on the cover and then explores how mangroves are used to answer the qu...
A bridge from HeartMate XVE to HeartMate 3

Cardiac recovery after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is rare. Recurrent heart failure after device explantation is also rare. We describe a patient who is the recipient of a third-generation LVAD due to recurrent heart failure nearly one decade after successfully being bridged to recovery after implantation of a first-generation LVAD.
Supporting Social and Gender Equity Through Micro-Grid Deployment in the DR Congo

Energy use has long been associated with improvements in development and social outcomes but in many areas, realization of these benefits is stalled by the challenges of building out the infrastructure for a centralized grid. The development of mini-and micro-grids has opened up new opportunities for electricity access by offering flexibility in deployment, the potential for more localized control, and greater versatility in financing options. When powered by renewable energy, these systems offer the additional benefit of environmental gains. While tools to optimize clean energy system deployment in traditional contexts exist, there remains a need for an approach that links the identification of appropriate energy systems with the unique social context of off-grid communities, such as conflict resolution, gender equity, and the limitation of illegal environmental degradation. Below, we propose that a data-informed, participatory framework can assist in site selection and design process for deploying microgrids, to maximize the likelihood that electricity provision will lead to positive social and environmental outcomes, including the reduction of tensions and the promotion of peace in conflict-prone regions. We apply this framework to communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A Hyperfluorinated Hydrophilic Molecule for Aqueous 19F MRI Contrast Media.

Fluorine-19 (19F) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the potential for a wide range of in vivo applications but is limited by lack of flexibility in exogenous probe formulation. Most 19F MRI probes are composed of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) or perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) with intrinsic properties which limit formulation options. Hydrophilic organofluorine molecules can provide more flexibility in formulation options. We report herein a hyperfluorinated hydrophilic organoflourine, ET1084, with ∼24 wt. % 19F content. It dissolves in water and aqueous buffers to give solutions with ≥8 M 19F. 19F MRI phantom studies at 9.4T employing a 10-minute multislice multiecho (MSME) scan sequence show a linear increase in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with increasing concentrations of the molecule and a detection limit of 5 mM. Preliminary cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assessments suggest it is safe at concentrations of up to 20 mM.
Using bug descriptions to reformulate queries during text-retrieval-based bug localization

Text Retrieval (TR)-based approaches for bug localization rely on formulating an initial query based on the full text of a bug report. When the query fails to retrieve the buggy code artifacts, developers can reformulate the query and retrieve more candidate code documents. Existing research on query reformulation focuses mostly on leveraging relevance feedback from the user or on expanding the original query with additional information. We hypothesize that the title of the bug reports, the observed behavior, expected behavior, steps to reproduce, and code snippets provided by the users in bug descriptions, contain the most relevant information for retrieving the buggy code artifacts, and that other parts of the descriptions contain more irrelevant terms, which hinder retrieval. This paper proposes and evaluates a set of query reformulation strategies based on the selection of existing information in bug descriptions, and the removal of irrelevant parts from the original query. The results show that selecting the bug report title and the observed behavior is the strategy that performs best across various TR-based bug localization approaches and code granularities, as it leads to retrieving the buggy code artifacts within the top-N results for 25.6% more queries (on average) than without query reformulation. This strategy is highly applicable and consistent across different thresholds N. Selecting the steps to reproduce or the expected behavior (when provided in the bug reports) along with the bug title and the observed behavior leads to higher performance (i.e., between 31.4% and 41.7% more queries) and comparable consistency, yet it is applicable in fewer cases. These reformulation strategies are easy to use and are independent of the underlying retrieval technique.
"Not for Human Consumption": A Descriptive Investigation into User Characteristics, Motives, and Consequences Associated with Bath Salt Use.

Synthetic cathinones, commonly referred to as “bath salts,” are recreational designer drugs that recently emerged as a drug of abuse. However, little is known about bath salt users, particularly in...
Step-by-step technique for single-port robot-assisted radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph nodes dissection using the da Vinci® SP™ surgical system

Objectives To describe a step-by-step technique for robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) performed using the da Vinci® SP™ surgical system (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Patients and methods Four consecutive patients diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder were counselled for RARC with PLND and ileal conduit urinary diversion performed using the da Vinci SP surgical system. A 3-cm midline incision was made 5-cm above the umbilicus. Dissection was performed to access the abdominal cavity. Insertion of the GelPOINT® advanced access platform (Applied Medical, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA) with the SP Cannula was performed through the incision made. A 12-mm AirSeal® (SurgiQuest Inc., Milfort, CT, USA) port for the assistant was placed on the pre-marked stoma site, where an ileal conduit urinary diversion was desired. Demographics and perioperative outcomes were collected under Institutional Review Board approval (IRB 13-780). The surgeries were performed by reproducing the steps of the institutional approach for RARC performed with the multi-arm robotic platform. Results The surgeries were successfully completed. There was neither conversion to standard multi-arm robotic or open approaches nor the need for additional port placement. The mean (range) operative time was 454 (420-496) min. Blood loss averaged 312 mL. No transfusions were required and no intraoperative complications occurred. All patients had negative surgical margins. All patients were discharged on postoperative day 5. Conclusion From our preliminary experience, RARC with PLND and ileal conduit urinary diversion is feasible and safe using the da Vinci SP surgical system. Further comparative studies with open and multi-arm robotic approaches are warranted.
Abstract 2975: CXCR4 blockade of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia causes systemic disease in an NSG model allowing ruxolitinib and venetoclax to synergistically treat cancer burden

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a hematologic malignancy that accounts for 25% of adult and 15% of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases. Relapsed or refractory T-ALL is difficult to salvage with chemotherapy, which causes long-term toxicity, and is often fatal. The JAK/STAT and BCL-2 pathways are upregulated in T-ALL and promote increased T-ALL proliferation and survival. Currently, targeted therapies of the JAK/STAT and BCL-2 pathways have not been investigated in combination. I propose that dual inhibition of the JAK/STAT and BCL-2 pathways, with ruxolitinib and venetoclax respectively, will lead to maximal T-ALL cell death. Jurkat cells were treated with single doses of ruxolitinib (0.156µM - 5µM) or venetoclax (1.56nM - 50nM) in vitro, and analyzed by trypan blue exclusion, MTT and flow cytometry at 24, 48 and 72h post-treatment. Results demonstrate decreased proliferation by MTT, decreased viability by trypan blue exclusion, and increased apoptosis by flow cytometry for the three highest doses of ruxolitinib (1.25µM, 2.5µM and 5µM) and venetoclax (12.5nM, 25nM and 50nM). A synergistic effect was achieved for all three assays at 48 and 72h when cells were treated with a combination dose of ruxolitinib (1.25µM) and venetoclax (25nM; CI Citation Format: Kirsti L. Walker, Sabrina A. Kabakov, Fen Zhu, Sydney L. Olson, Lixin Rui, Christian M. Capitini. CXCR4 blockade of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia causes systemic disease in an NSG model allowing ruxolitinib and venetoclax to synergistically treat cancer burden [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2975.
Parental Math Talk During Home Cooking and Math Skills in Head Start Children: The Role of Task Management Talk

The current study attempted to investigate the nature and impact of home math talk of low-income primary caregivers of Head Start children during home cooking (N = 46). Using hierarchical regressio...
What About Interaction Geography to Evaluate Physical Learning Spaces

This paper reviews and explores how interaction geography, a new approach to visualize people’s interaction over space and time, extends current approaches to evaluate physical learning spaces. This chapter begins by reviewing representations produced using interaction geography to study visitor engagement and learning in a museum. In particular, this review illustrates Mondrian Transcription, a method to map people’s movement and conversation over space and time, and the Interaction Geography Slicer (IGS), a dynamic visualisation tool that supports new forms of interaction and multi-modal analysis. Subsequently, this chapter explores how interaction geography may advance the evaluation of physical learning spaces by providing dynamic information visualisation methods that support more expansive views of learning and the evaluation of the alignment between space and pedagogy. This chapter concludes by outlining significant limitations and next steps to expand interaction geography to evaluate physical learning spaces.
Management of Perioperative Pain for Outpatient Bronchoscopy

The growth of hospital-based and freestanding ambulatory surgery centers has enabled a dramatic increase in the variety of procedures being performed on an outpatient basis. Bronchoscopy is a procedure that is fitting for such centers, though the patient population presenting for bronchoscopy can be challenging to manage due to multiple chronic comorbidities. This procedure is generally short and requires minimal medication for pain per se, and thus does not typically require extensive post-procedure monitoring except for standard post-anesthetic care if general anesthesia is used. The aim of this chapter is to present options for periprocedural pain control for outpatient bronchoscopy. Medication regimens to achieve maximal comfort while minimizing potential adverse events and promoting efficient recovery times will be discussed. Common adverse effects of these medications, and some of the remedies available, will also be reviewed.
Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Organoids to Identify New Pathologies in Patients with PDX1 Mutations

Summary Two patients with mutations in PDX1 presented with pancreatic agenesis, chronic diarrhea and poor weight gain, the causes of which were not identified through routine clinical testing. We generated patient derived organoids as a novel diagnostic strategy and observed that PDX1188delC/188delC antral organoids convert to an intestinal phenotype, while intestinal organoids undergo gastric metaplasia with significant reduction in enteroendocrine cells. This prompted a re-examination of gastric and intestinal biopsies from both PDX1188delC/188delC patients, which recapitulated organoid phenotypes. Antral biopsies had increased parietal cells and lacked G-cells suggesting loss of antral identity. These patients will now be monitored for the progression of metaplasia. This study demonstrates the utility of organoids for patient diagnoses and treatment.
Biofuel from fast pyrolysis and catalytic hydrodeoxygenation

This review addresses recent developments in biomass fast pyrolysis bio-oil upgrading by catalytic hydrotreating. The research in the field has expanded dramatically in the past few years with numerous new research groups entering the field while existing efforts from others grow. The issues revolve around the catalyst formulation and operating conditions. Much work in batch reactor tests with precious metal catalysts needs further validation to verify long-term operability in continuous flow systems. The effect of the low level of sulfur in bio-oil needs more study to be better understood. Utilization of the upgraded bio-oil for feedstock to finished fuels is still in an early stage of understanding.
Lactate Transport and Exchange During Exercise

The sections in this article are: 1 Why Does [La] Increase During Exercise? 1.1 Muscle Hypoxia: The Traditional Hypothesis 1.2 Evidence Against Muscle Hypoxia 1.3 Multiple Factors 1.4 Criticism of Evidence Against O2-limitation 1.5 Near-Equilibrium Steady State: A Unifying Hypothesis? 1.6 Summary 2 The Lactate Shuttle 3 Carrier-Mediated Lactate Transport 3.1 Lactate Transport in Sarcolemmal Vesicles 3.2 Lactate Transport in Isolated Cells 3.3 Reconstitution of the Lactate Carrier 3.4 Lactate Transport In Situ 3.5 Summary 4 Muscle as a Consumer of Lactate: Regulating Factors 4.1 Lactate Concentration 4.2 Metabolic Rate 4.3 Blood Flow 4.4 Hydrogen Ion Concentration 4.5 Muscle Fiber Type 4.6 Exercise Training 4.7 Summary 5 Blood Transport of Lactate 5.1 Lactate Distribution between Plasma and RBCs 5.2 Comparative Aspects of Lactate Transport in RBCs 6 Altitude 6.1 The Lactate Paradox 6.2 Explanations for the Lactate Paradox 6.3 Summary
A supercomputer for neural computation

The requirement to train large neural networks quickly has prompted the design of a new massively parallel supercomputer using custom VLSI. This design features 128 processing nodes, communicating over a mesh network connected directly to the processor chip. Studies show peak performance in the range of 160 billion arithmetic operations per second. This paper presents the case for custom hardware that combines neural network-specific features with a general programmable machine architecture, and briefly describes the design in progress. >
INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE: A REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF RESEARCH DESIGNS FROM 1977-2007

The paper analyzes the research designs of empirical studies of institutional change published in leading management and sociology journals from 1977-2007. Generic institutional change research strategies are evaluated in terms of their strengths, weaknesses, rationale and appropriateness. Studies are further evaluated in terms of threats to their internal, external and construct validity; measurement types and classes; time scales; ethical considerations; and statistical conclusion validity. Overall, field studies, especially those drawing on archival data and event history analysis, are found to be the dominant research design. The discussion highlights four potential limitations of these prior institutional change studies related to (1) tensions between the theoretical and operational level of analysis, (2) data limitations with regard to understanding microprocesses of institutional change, (3) the possible misspecification of the effects of historical time on hazard rate independent of elapsed time, and (4) the reliance on archival measures which are themselves constituted by institutional pressures. Finally, the paper proposes a research design that would provide additional precision in the control and measurement of variables of interest.
An effect of radiative corrections on a monopole model

A model consisting of aSO3 gauge field interacting with an isovector Higgs field is considered. When the original Higgs field mass parameter is imaginary, real-valued, static, radially symmetric, finite-energy magnetic-monopole solutions have been found to exist at the tree level of the classical theory. It is speculated that no such solutions exist at the one-loop level of this model.
Self-heterodyne detection of the in situ phase of an atomic superconducting quantum interference device

The current-phase relationship in an atomic version of SQUID --- a quantum interference device for building quantum circuits --- is studied in detail in a toroidal Bose-Einstein condensate, where comparisons between the experiment and the theoretical models reveal the origin of spiral structures and also explain the relevant time scales.
Implausible Equilibrium Solutions in Economics and Finance

When modelling the aggregate behavior of a population over long periods of time the standard approach is to consider the system as always being in equilibrium -- using averaging procedures based upon assumptions of rationality, utility-maximization and a high degree of independence amongst the agents. These analytically tractable models are fully determined by a small number of variables and the future evolution of the system is decoupled from its past. Previous studies [Akerlof and Yellen 1985, Scharfstein and Stein 1990] suggested that allowing a subset of the agents to be non-maximizing might shift the equilibrium solution but a logical flaw in those analyses prevented the possibility of non-equilibrium solutions. We show how equilibrium assumptions and solutions can be 'stress-tested' by embedding the models within frameworks capable of far-from-equilibrium dynamics. This procedure is applied to Brownian motion (Random walk) asset pricing which serves as our prototypical equilibrium model. The introduction of a simple, yet plausible, form of non-maximizing coupling between the agents results in endogenous fluctuations that destabilize the equilibrium solution. These fluctuations typically consist of long periods of increasingly severe mispricing followed by rapid, unannounced, corrections. Importantly, this occurs at realistic parameter values and is consistent with the observed price dynamics of real markets. Furthermore the mispricing phase may be mistaken for a trend in the fundamentals of the equilibrium model. We argue that the 'boom-bust' nature of the destabilizing endogenous dynamics is likely to be prevalent in economic systems at all scales.
The combined effects of dietary protein and fat on prolactin in female rats.

A 3 X 3 factorial experiment was conducted to examine how protein content (8, 16 and 32% of kcals from casein) and fat content (12, 24 and 48% of kcals from corn oil) interact to influence prolactin homeostasis in female rats. Weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to each of nine diets fed ad libitum. Dietary fat had no effect on the time of vaginal opening although first estrus occurred slightly earlier with high fat diets (P less than 0.05). Rats fed diets with protein at 8% of kcal showed a 2-wk delay in vaginal opening and first estrus. After 18-20 wk of feeding, serum and pituitary prolactin concentrations were determined after decapitation during the afternoon of proestrus or diestrus. Although serum prolactin was elevated at proestrus, there were no effects of fat or protein on the serum or pituitary prolactin. Another group of rats were fitted with jugular cannulae and treated with perphenazine, a potent prolactin-stimulating drug. Dietary fat or protein had no effect on prolactin secretion after perphenazine treatment. In the final experiment, rats fed each diet were treated with either i.p. saline or perphenazine followed by decapitation. The pituitary was removed 3 h later for determination of the amount of prolactin depleted from the pituitary. There was no effect of diet on the amount of pituitary prolactin depleted by perphenazine. No evidence was obtained that changes in dietary fat or protein concentration influence serum prolactin or its secretion in response to a provocative stimulus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
New directions in percolation, including some possible applications of connectivity concepts to the real world

This talk is designed to complement that of D. Stauffer; together both seek to review recent work in percolation theory that has taken place after completion of the two recent reviews by Stauffer (1979) and Essam (1980). Stauffer's talk focusses on new results concerning percolations clusters, while this talk concerns some less well understood topics, including possible applications of percolation to the real world. The organization of this talk is presented in the following outline. After presenting a word of philosophy, we shall describe several topics and exemplify each with a particular system: Open image in new window
Drug-like Leads for Steric Discrimination between Substrate and Inhibitors of Human Acetylcholinesterase

Protection of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from the toxic effects of organophosphate insecticides and chemical warfare agents (OPs) may be provided by inhibitors that bind at the peripheral binding site (P-site) near the mouth of the active-site gorge. Compounds that bind to this site may selectively block access to the acylation site (A-site) catalytic serine for OPs, but not acetylcholine itself. To identify such compounds, we employed a virtual screening approach using AutoDock 4.2 and AutoDock Vina, confirmed using compounds experimentally known to bind specifically to either the A-site or P-site. Both programs demonstrated the ability to correctly predict the binding site. Virtual screening of the NCI Diversity Set II was conducted using the apo form of the enzyme, and with acetylcholine bound at the crystallographic locations in the A-site only and in both and A- and P-sites. The docking identified 32 compounds that were obtained for testing, and one was demonstrated to bind specifically to the P-site in an inhibitor competition assay.
Reporting of Dementia on Death Certificates: A Community Study

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which conditions suggesting dementia are reported on death certificates of older adults and to identify the factors associated with reporting of dementia. DESIGN: A prospective epidemiological study in which community-dwelling subjects with and without dementia were identified and followed until death, after which their death certificates were examined. POPULATION: A total of 527 individuals who died during 8 years of follow-up of a population-based cohort of 1422 persons aged 65 and older at study entry. MEASUREMENTS: Demographic; study diagnoses, including Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Scale stages and diagnoses of Probable and Possible Alzheimer's disease (AD) by NINCDS-ADRDA criteria; disorders listed on death certificates as immediate, underlying, or contributory causes of death. RESULTS: Of 172 deceased subjects with study diagnoses of dementia, 30.2% had CDR =. 5 and 69.8% had CDR ≥ 1. Of 168 subjects in which dementia subtype could be diagnosed, Probable AD was diagnosed in 31.0% and Possible AD in 38.7%. On their death certificates, conditions indicating or suggesting dementia were reported in 23.8% of dementias overall; in 1.9% of those with CDR =. 5 and 33.3% of those with CDR ≥ 1; in 36.5% of those with Probable AD and 21.5% of those with Possible AD. In a multiple logistic regression model, variables associated independently with the reporting of dementia in demented individuals were: higher CDR stage of dementia (odds ratio (OR) 22.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.9–174.7); likely etiology of dementia, Probable AD (OR = 3.5; CI, 1.1–10.6); and place of death, long-term care institution (OR = 3.8; 95% CI, 1.6- 9.0). CONCLUSIONS: Although Alzheimer's disease is widely regarded as a leading cause of death, dementias are reported on the death certificates of only a quarter of demented individuals in the population at large. Reporting is more likely in those with more advanced dementia, with Probable Alzheimer's disease, and those who die in long-term care institutions.
Feature Enhancement Using Noncoherent Optical Processing

For the past several years, we have been conducting research on hybrid systems that combine nonconventional incoherent optical spatial filtering systems with digital or analog electronics to allow bipolar (and, if desired, complex valued) spatial filtering of self-luminous or incoherently illuminated object distributions [1-4; see also 5-9]. As has been emphasized in previous papers, such systems are free from many of the input problems that characterize coherent spatial filtering systems and are free from the blemish noise characteristic of coherent optical systems in general. Hybrid systems with a bipolar capability are necessary if incoherent spatial filtering is to be applied successfully to a wide range of image processing problems including feature enhancement and pattern recognition. We have recently implemented an experimental system suitable for a wide range of experiments in this area. This paper reports on preliminary tests of this system. We begin with a brief analytical review of incoherent spatial filtering, then consider specific hybrid implementations for bipolar spatial filtering.
A proteinaceous competitive inhibitor of lipase isolated from Helianthus annuus seeds

Abstract A proteinaceous inhibitor of lipase was isolated and partially purified from confectionery and high-oil type sunflower seed ( Helianthus annuus L.) by ammonium sulphate fractionation. The 50 % of saturation fraction contained most of the proteinaceous lipase inhibitor activity from both seed types. Gel chromatography of dialysed preparations of this fraction indicated that the inhibitor protein has a M r of ca 70 000 determined from calculated distribution coefficients (K d ) on G-150 and G-200 Sephadex columns. Complete inhibition of hog pancreas and C. cylindracea lipases was achieved when mixed 1: 1 (v/v) with the sunflower protein, even though substrate specificity for these two lipases was significantly different on cottonseed and olive oils. The sunflower protein was a competitive inhibitor of C. cylindracea lipase during lipolysis of sunflower oil. The apparent V m determined from the inhibited and uninhibited reactions was 5.5 x 10 −6 mol FFA/sec/mg protein. The apparent K m determined for the uninhibited reaction with sunflower oil was 4.1 M and 6.2 M for the inhibited reaction. The formation of a tightly-bound inhibitor protein-lipase complex probably occurred since free fatty acid composition was unaltered during lipolysis in the inhibited reaction and oil substrate inhibition was approximately the same in both inhibited and uninhibited reactions.
An adaptive middleware to support delay tolerant networking

Delay Tolerant Networks are emerging as a new form of network in which sending and receiving nodes may not be reliably connected to each other in a traditional sense but must instead rely on mobile nodes to ferry messages through the network. Applications operating in these dynamic mixed environments would like their connections to be supported by the network technology best suited to the combination of the communication session's requirements and instantaneous network context. In this paper, we explore the systems issues related to enabling such a symbiotic network architecture. We develop an adaptive middleware that enables connections to seamlessly migrate from one communication style to another in response to changing network or application conditions. We delineate the properties of the middleware architecture, describe an initial implementation, and provide a simulation analysis that demonstrates that, given perfect context-awareness, significant performance improvements can be made by using such an adaptive middleware.
The rhetorical construction of time in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “letter from Birmingham jail”

This essay explores the rhetorical use of time in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and offers an explanation of the ideological heritage that temporally unifies the discourse. The essay describes the “Letter's” recent, historical, and spiritual time frames, accounts for the ideological purpose each serves, and explains on what ground they unite.
An X-Ray Study of the p-n-Alkoxybenzoic Acids. Part VI. Isotypic Crystal Structures of Four Smectogenic Acids Having Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten Alkyl Chain Carbon Atoms

Abstract The isotypic crystal form for the smectogenic p-n-alkoxybenzoic acids has been determined by room-temperature single-crystal x-ray diffraction analyses for the acids having 7, 8, 9, and 10 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. The molecules are present in the crystals as centrosymmetric hydrogen-bonded dimers. The alkyl chains adopt an all-trans extended conformation but a gauche-relation of the ether oxygen and C(γ) about the C(α)-C(β) bond of the chains imparts a markedly non-linear and non-planar conformation to the molecules. With these chain lengths, adoption of this conformation makes possible an imbricated stratified layer structure in which the alkyl chains and the central aromatic nuclei are segregated into separate close-packed strata. Antiparallel interdigitation of chains in adjacent layers gives a 2:1 ratio of chains to nuclei in the strata. Evidence is presented that the molecules in the smectic mesophase probably retain the conformation found in the crystal and it is shown that the chan...
Caring for Patients with Malignancy in the Emergency Department: Patient–Provider Interactions

Patients with malignancy and caregivers can present to the emergency department (ED) under stress and fatigue as a result of the intensity of energy required to cope with the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of their illness. When interacting with patients and families, emergency clinicians should be aware of patient, family, and caregiver coping, which may be impaired due to the chronic, serious illness. The emergency clinician should not be surprised that conflicts may arise between patients and providers as a result of fatigue and stress. Strategies to manage conflict can be employed.
Anti-neutrophil antibody enhances the neuroprotective effects of G-CSF by decreasing number of neutrophils in hypoxic ischemic neonatal rat model.

Objectives Neonatal hypoxia ischemia (HI) is an injury that can lead to neurological impairments such as behavioral and learning disabilities. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been demonstrated to be neuroprotective in ischemic stroke however it has also been shown to induce neutrophilia, ultimately exacerbating neuronal injury. Our hypothesis is that coadministration of anti-neutrophil antibody (Ab) with G-CSF will decrease blood neutrophil counts thereby reducing infarct volume and improving neurological function post HI brain injury.
Intractable Voiding Dysfunction in Children With Normal Spinal Imaging: Predictors of Failed Conservative Management

OBJECTIVES To identify the factors that might predict which individuals ultimately fail to resolve voiding symptoms by analyzing their presenting symptoms and video-urodynamic findings. Older children with intractable voiding dysfunction and no evidence of neurologic abnormality, who are recalcitrant to medical treatment, pose a management challenge. METHODS The charts of neurologically normal children with intractable voiding dysfunction, who had fluorourodynamic studies and normal lumbosacral magnetic resonance imaging, were reviewed. A database was created that included the urodynamics, presenting urinary symptoms, presence of soiling or constipation, age at onset of symptoms, cystogram and bladder ultrasound findings, and treatments given. Long-term follow-up was determined from chart review (all patients) or by a mailed survey (15 patients). Patients without symptoms and off medication were defined as normal. RESULTS A total of 50 children met the criteria mentioned earlier in the text, presented at a mean age of 9.4 years (range, 3.8-17.3) and were followed up for a mean of 4 years (range, 1-11) from their initial urodynamic evaluation. Of them, 33 (66%) remained symptomatic and 1 (34%) normalized. A total of 31 were found to have uninhibited bladder contractions (UBCs) with daytime wetting, of which 24 (77.4%) failed to normalize (P = .037). All 9 with UBCs and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia remained symptomatic (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS The majority failed to resolve their voiding symptoms. Children who presented with daytime wetting, UBC, and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia were the most likely to remain symptomatic. Patients with these characteristics might be considered for more aggressive alternative therapies, after a period of medical management.
ANALYZING PAIRS IN CROSS‐NATIONAL SURVEY RESEARCH

One device for studying political generations and political socialization is the use of parent-offspring sampling designs. A key advantage of such linkage designs is that they permit two types of analysis. First, aggregates may be compared, thus allowing an assessment of generational or group correspondence and congruence. Second, the pairs can be used as the unit of analysis for assessing the degree of pair or lineage correspondence. Levels of pair and group correspondence are not necessarily identical for the same set of data. Examples of four major combinations of correspondence levels were found in a study of Austria, Great Britain, the Netherlands, West Germany, and the United States. Among the problems attending pair analysis are the usage of percentage agreement versus correlational techniques and the tendency to view pair correspondence as static rather than dynamic. Illustrations of these problems come from an American socialization panel study. Problems in studying group correspondence include efforts to specify life cycle, generational, and period effects. Alternatives to simple aggregate comparisons include a variety of regression and analysis of variance techniques as well as simpler devices for depicting generation and lineage gaps. For both pair and aggregate analysis the availability of cross-national data is an opportunity for theoretical and substantive advancement.
A reverse genetics system for Borna disease virus.

Borna disease virus (BDV) is an enveloped virus. Its non-segmented, negative-stranded RNA genome has the coding capability for six main polypeptides and has an organization characteristic of members of the order Mononegavirales. However, based on its unique genetics and biological features, BDV is considered to be the prototypic member of a new virus family, Bornaviridae. Here, the establishment of a reverse genetics system for BDV is described. Intracellular synthesis of a BDV RNA analogue or minigenome (MG) from a plasmid was driven by RNA polymerase I. Co-transfection with plasmids expressing the BDV polymerase (L), nucleoprotein (N) and phosphoprotein (P) under the control of RNA polymerase II allowed for BDV MG replication and expression. This process depended on a delicate N : P ratio, whereas the L : P ratio was less critical. Two isoforms of N, Np40 and Np38, are present in BDV-infected cells but only Np40 was strictly required for virus polymerase activity. BDV p10 polypeptide encoded by the P gene exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on BDV MG expression.
The Antibody Response of Vitamin A-Deficient Rats to Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Is Enhanced through Coimmunization with Lipopolysaccharide

Although the antibody response of vitamin A-deficient rats immunized with pneumococcal polysaccharide (SSS-III) was barely detectable, coimmunization with SSS-III plus 2 or 20 micrograms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in an anti-SSS-III response that was equal to or greater than that of vitamin A-sufficient rats immunized only with SSS-III. Doses of 2 and 20 micrograms of LPS, but not 0.1 and 0.5 micrograms, produced significant adjuvanticity, and LPS functioned as an adjuvant when given concomitantly with SSS-III (day 0) or up to 3 days later. Thus, vitamin A deficiency per se does not preclude the anti-SSS-III response, and LPS or factors released in response to LPS, even after initiation of the response to SSS-III, may substantially enhance antibody production to this thymus-independent, type 2 antigen.
Adaptive beamlet-based finite-size pencil beam dose calculation for independent verification of IMRT and VMAT

Purpose: The use of sophisticated dose calculation procedure in modern radiation therapy treatment planning is inevitable in order to account for complex treatment fields created by multileaf collimators (MLCs). As a consequence, independent volumetric dose verification is time consuming, which affects the efficiency of clinical workflow. In this study, the authors present an efficient adaptive beamlet-based finite-size pencil beam (AB-FSPB) dose calculation algorithm that minimizes the computational procedure while preserving the accuracy. Methods: The computational time of finite-size pencil beam (FSPB) algorithm is proportional to the number of infinitesimal and identical beamlets that constitute an arbitrary field shape. In AB-FSPB, dose distribution from each beamlet is mathematically modeled such that the sizes of beamlets to represent an arbitrary field shape no longer need to be infinitesimal nor identical. As a result, it is possible to represent an arbitrary field shape with combinations of different sized and minimal number of beamlets. In addition, the authors included the model parameters to consider MLC for its rounded edge and transmission. Results: Root mean square error (RMSE) between treatment planning system and conventional FSPB on a 10 × 10 cm2 square field using 10 × 10, 2.5 × 2.5, and 0.5 × 0.5 cm2 beamlet sizes were 4.90%, 3.19%, and 2.87%, respectively, compared with RMSE of 1.10%, 1.11%, and 1.14% for AB-FSPB. This finding holds true for a larger square field size of 25 × 25 cm2, where RMSE for 25 × 25, 2.5 × 2.5, and 0.5 × 0.5 cm2 beamlet sizes were 5.41%, 4.76%, and 3.54% in FSPB, respectively, compared with RMSE of 0.86%, 0.83%, and 0.88% for AB-FSPB. It was found that AB-FSPB could successfully account for the MLC transmissions without major discrepancy. The algorithm was also graphical processing unit (GPU) compatible to maximize its computational speed. For an intensity modulated radiation therapy (∼12 segments) and a volumetric modulated arc therapy fields (∼90 control points) with a 3D grid size of 2.0 × 2.0 × 2.0 mm3, dose was computed within 3–5 and 10–15 s timeframe, respectively. Conclusions: The authors have developed an efficient adaptive beamlet-based pencil beam dose calculation algorithm. The fast computation nature along with GPU compatibility has shown better performance than conventional FSPB. This enables the implementation of AB-FSPB in the clinical environment for independent volumetric dose verification.
Reversal of lifelong mutism after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for myelopathy

A 34-year-old man with a history of spina bifida occulta, fetal alcohol syndrome and mutism presented with an acute on chronic decline of unsteady gait and right arm and leg weakness over the period of a few months. The patient was non-verbal and communicated using hand gestures. MRI of the cervical spine showed severe stenosis at C4-5 with T2 signal abnormalities. Brain MRI demonstrated mild ventriculomegaly. The patient underwent an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for severe cervical spine stenosis. Postoperatively the patient’s myelopathic symptoms improved. He also became verbal and engaged in conversation. Ten months after surgery, the patient who had previously been non-verbal had developed a vocabulary of more than 50 words.
Activation of chloride channels in normal and cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells by multifunctional calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase.

CYSTIC fibrosis is associated with defective regulation of apical membrane chloride channels in airway epithelial cells. These channels in normal cells are activated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase1,2 and protein kinase C3,4. In cystic fibrosis these kinases fail to activate otherwise normal Cl− channels1–4. But Cl− flux in cystic fibrosis cells, as in normal cells, can be activated by raising intracellular Ca2+ (refs 5–10). We report here whole-cell patch clamp studies of normal and cystic fibrosis-derived airway epithelial cells showing that Cl− channel activation by Ca2+ is mediated by multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. We find that intracellular application of activated kinase and ATP activates a Cl− current similar to that activated by a Ca2+ ionophore, that peptide inhibitors of either the kinase or calmodulin block Ca2+-dependent activation of Cl− channels, and that a peptide inhibitor of protein kinase C does not block Ca2+-dependent activation. Ca2+/calmodulin activation of Cl− channels presents a pathway with therapeutic potential for circumventing defective regulation of Cl− channels in cystic fibrosis.