cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PET/MRI in Lung Cancer

Introduction Imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. Radiography is often the initial modality of diagnosis, but detection depends on the size and density of nodules. The sensitivity of detection may be improved by using the dual-energy subtraction technique, which generates a soft tissue reconstruction that is free of overlapping chest wall and bony structures, or by using tomosynthesis. Computed tomography (CT) has become the established modality for the screening, diagnosis, and staging of lung cancers. Radiation and the use of potentially nephrotoxic contrast media are the risk factors associated with it. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) does not involve radiation, but its use in lung cancer is limited by intrinsic low proton spin density, magnetic field inhomogeneities, and motion artifacts from cardiac and respiratory motion. However, novel sequences show potential in the evaluation of lung cancer. Positron emission tomography (PET) with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) is useful in determining the metabolic activity of the lung tumor. False-negative results are seen in small tumors and in bronchoalevolar carcinoma, whereas falsepositive findings are seen in cases of infection or inflammation. The hybrid imaging modality of PET/CT is now the standard of care in the staging of lung cancers, combining the morphologic information of CT with the metabolic information of PET. PET/MRI is a novel hybrid imaging technology that involves the fusion of 2 powerful imaging modalities: PET and MRI. MRI provides tissue characterization capabilities
Does insomnia kill

STUDY OBJECTIVES We investigated the prevalence and hazard ratios for insomnia complaints in a large cohort of middle-aged men and women. DESIGN The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study is a prospective study of cardiovascular disease. Using multivariate regression analysis, we predicted the likelihood of endorsing the insomnia complaints by age, sex, alcohol intake, smoking, diabetes, heart disease, menopausal status, use of hypnotics, hypertension, depressive symptoms, education level, body mass index, respiratory symptoms, and pulmonary function status. We predicted the hazard ratios (HR) of death at 6.3 +/- 1.1 year by endorsement of insomnia complaints and by hypnotic use controlling for covariates. SETTING North American communities. PARTICIPANTS 13563 participants aged 45 to 69 years at baseline INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS The prevalence of insomnia complaints in this cohort was 23%. Predictors of insomnia complaints were female sex (odds ratio [OR] 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45-0.70 for men), annual family income below 50,000 dollars (OR 1.23, CI 1.09-1.40), age 40 to 49 years (OR 1.29, CI 1.11-1.50), depressive symptoms (OR 5.05, CI 4.60-5.55), heart disease (OR 1.89, CI 1.67-2.14), severe airflow obstruction (OR 1.61, CI 1.17-2.22), pulmonary symptoms (OR 1.71, CI 1.5-1.95), and restrictive lung disease (OR 1.27, CI 1.10-1.47). After controlling for covariates, insomnia complaints were not associated with an increased risk for death (OR 1.01, CI 0.85-1.21), nor was the use of hypnotics (OR 1.38, CI 0.90-2.13). CONCLUSIONS In this cohort, the prevalence of insomnia complaints was 23%. After controlling for confounders, neither insomnia complaints nor hypnotic use predicted increased mortality over 6.3 years.
Identification of the murine leukemia viral antigens detected on mouse cells by H-2 alloantisera

H-2 alloantisera have been previously reported to contain antibodies against murine leukemia viral antigens, but the nature of the viral antigens on mouse cells which interact with these antibodies has not been established. We have found that H-2 alloantisera recognize components of molecular weight 70 000 – 80 000 on mouse lymphocytes and leukemia cells. These components were also detected by a goat antiserum against the murine leukemia virus (MuLV) glycoprotein (gp70) and are therefore closely related to or identical with that viral protein. Although most H-2 alloantisera detected gp70-like molecules on lymphocytes and leukemia cells from a great variety of mouse strains, only one H-2 alloantiserum was found to interact with a gp70 component on cells from C57BL/10 and C57BL/6 mice. Animals such as C57BL/10 mice that lacked the component reacting with most H-2 alloantisera showed increased serum levels of anti-MuLV antibodies after injection of B10.A spleen cells having a gp70 component detectable by other H-2 alloantisera. In contrast, strains with cells reactive to antiviral antibodies in the H-2 alloantisera had low responses to MuLV antigens after a similar immunization procedure. Serum levels of anti-MuLV antibodies in both groups of mice, however, were increased after injection of Freund's adjuvant. These observations suggest that anti-MuLV antibodies in mouse alloantisera may arise from a response to viral antigens on the immunizing cells and general stimulation of the immune system.
Adaptive collision meshing and satellite droplet formation in spray simulations

Improved numerical methods and physical models have been applied to droplet collision modeling. Numerically, an adaptive collision mesh method is developed to calculate collision rate. This method produces a collision mesh that is independent of the gas phase mesh and adaptively refined according to local parcel number density. An existing model describing the satellite droplet formation during the collision process is improved to reflect the experimental findings that the satellite droplets are much smaller than the parent droplets. The adaptive collision mesh and the improved satellite model have been used to simulate three impinging spray experiments. The model was able to qualitatively predict the occurrence of small satellite drops and bi-modal post-collision drop size distributions. The effect of the collision mesh and the satellite droplet model on a high-speed non-evaporating diesel spray is also assessed.
Increased Incidence of In-Stent Thrombosis Related to Cocaine Use: Case Series and Review of Literature:

The purpose of this article was to determine the incidence of in-stent thrombosis (IST) after coronary stent implantation in patients with cocaine abuse. A retrospective review was done of medical records of consecutive patients who underwent coronary stent implantation for obstructive coronary artery disease at a single inner-city institution from January 1997 to October 2006. Patients with temporal cocaine use were identified by positive urine drug screen. IST was confirmed angiographically. Of the 81 patients with active cocaine use that underwent coronary stent implantation, 4 (5%) suffered IST (mean period from stent implantation, 28.5 +/- 14 days). All procedures were performed successfully and received intravenous IIb/IIIa antagonist intraprocedurally. All patients were prescribed dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel at discharge; however, all 4 patients that suffered from IST continued cocaine abuse were noncompliant with the prescribed dual antiplatelet therapy. Of these 4 patients, 2 presented with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (50%), whereas 2 presented with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (50%). One was managed medically. Two received repeat percutaneous coronary intervention, and 1 underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. The patient that underwent surgery died in the postoperative period. The remaining 3 patients survived. Patients with active cocaine abuse who undergo successful coronary stent revascularization have a high (5%) incidence of stent thrombosis. A majority of patients that suffer stent thrombosis continue cocaine abuse and are noncompliant with antiplatelet therapy.
X-ray vibrational studies on (100)-oriented CdTe crystals as a function of the temperature (8--350 K)

The integrated intensities of the (h,0,0) Bragg reflections of a CdTe single-crystal wafer have been measured at 0.546\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.001 A\r{} x-ray wavelength from the white spectrum of a tungsten anode and at 1.281? A\r{} (W L${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{1}$ excitation line). Their temperature dependences have been determined between about 8 and 360 K and analyzed with the Debye and the one-particle potential models. It is shown that the (2,0,0), (6,0,0), and (10,0,0) reflections have temperature behaviors similar to those in InSb. Furthermore, the present experimental rms atomic vibrational amplitudes are significantly higher than those predicted by some lattice-dynamical calculations.
Regional changes in blood flow, extracellular potassium and conduction during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion

Abstract Objectives. We postulated that ventricular arrhythmias may arise from the heterogeneous washout of ischemic metabolites. Our objective was to investigate the distribution of extracellular potassium concentration ([K+]0) during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion and to correlate this distribution with regional differences in myocardial blood flow. Background. Our previous study showed that reperfusion after a brief period of ischemia resulted in heterogeneous reflow of the ischemic myocardium. Methods. The changes in regional myocardial blood flow, midmyocardial [K+]0and electrogram duration were quantitated in 14 dogs undergoing 20 min of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion and 1 min of reperfusion. Regional myocardial blood flow was measured by using 15-μm radioactive microspheres in 1- to 1.5-g full thickness myocardial samples. The [K+]0was measured with intramyocardial K+·sensitive electrodes. Results. During coronary occlusion, the ischemic zone exhibited a reduction in regional blood flow to 0.13 ± 0.06 ml/g per min and increases in [K+]0to 9.3 ± 2.6 mmol/liter and electrogram duration to 131.8 ± 38.6% of control. Heterogeneous reduction in regional blood flow at various sites in the ischemic zone had fair correlations with variable increases in [K+]0(r = −0.70) and electrogram duration (r = − 0.73). During min 1 of reperfusion, regional blood flow ranged from two to more than seven times baseline, resulting in a disorganized spatial distribution of perfusion with islands of high and low blood flows. Associated with the heterogeneous early reperfusion regional myocardial blood flow, [K+]0and electrogram duration changed at different rates toward normal. Whereas correlation between regional blood flow and [K+)0or standardized electrogram duration was fair during ischemia, this correlation was poor during early reperfusion. Conclusions. Spatial heterogeneity in regional myocardial blood flow during myocardial ischemia and early reperfusion is associated with heterogeneity in [K+]0and eleclrophysiologic characteristics, which in turn may play an important role in the genesis of arrhythmias arising from the ischemic and reperfused myocardium.
Patient perspectives on postoperative visits after common general operative procedures.

Background Many postoperative concerns after common general operative procedures may be addressed over the phone, thereby saving time and resources for both the patient and surgeon. Methods Over a 6-month time period, patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis, and inguinal or umbilical hernia repair were mailed an anonymous survey. The primary outcome measure was whether or not patients felt their concerns could have been addressed adequately over the phone in place of an office visit. Results A total of 1,406 surveys were mailed with 339 responses (24%: 174 laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 83 inguinal hernia, 41 appendectomy, and 41 umbilical hernia). One hundred twelve (33%) felt their concerns could have been addressed adequately over the phone without an office visit. Patients who spent less time with their doctor at the appointment favored telephone follow-up (P Conclusion These observations are important for healthcare organizations seeking to maximize surgeon efficiency while improving patient satisfaction.
Unsteady flow of dilute fiber suspensions using a Generalized Eulerian Lagrangian approach

In recent years the emphasis on the development of fiber reinforced plastics has experienced an unprecedented expansion. One of the most commonly used methods in manufacturing of plastic products is injection molding. In this work we are using a Generalized Eulerian Lagrangian (GEL) formulation to study the unsteady flow of dilute fiber suspensions in injection molding. This formulation combines the advantages of both formulations: in the same flow problem but different regions the GEL formulation allows the selective application of an Eulerian, Lagrangian or a mixture of the two formulations. The suspending fluid is considered to be Newtonian and the contribution of the fibers to the local stress tensor is obtained using a volume averaging theory. The fiber distribution tensor is expressed in terms of a second order tensor with a quadratic closure approximation. Results are shown and discussed for the filling of a cavity from a single gate under different process conditions fibers aspect ratio and content.
Treatment of arteriovenous malformations: Indications, grading, and techniques

The selection of management for an individual arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is reliant on a comparison of the long-term risks presented by the untreated lesion with the risks associated with therapy. Over the past 20 years, a substantial amount of information has been gathered that has defined the natural history of untreated AVMs. 1~ The consensus is that AVMs carry a risk of bleeding of approximately 2% to 3% annually. The risk of bleeding after an episode of hemorrhage appears to be increased and is 4% to 17% during the first year after a hemorrhage. Each episode of hemorrhage is associated with a risk of mortality (12% to 20%) and disabling neurological morbidity (30% to 50%). A recent long-term follow-up study of patients with untreated AVMs showed that these patients have, on average, an appreciably shorter life expectancy than a control population. 1 It can reasonably be stated that more than 50% of patients with AVMs, regardless of the type of symptomatic presentation, will at some point in their life experience serious problems because of the AVM. This is supported by the fact that asymptomatic, incidental AVMs are an extremely unusual finding at autopsy. The rather grim outlook for patients with AVMs, when the lesion is left untreated, merits an aggressive therapeutic posture. Tremendous advances over the past 20 years have provided several therapeutic options for the management of AVMs. Microneurosurgical excision, therapeutic embolization, and stereotactic radiosurgery, alone or in combination, have proved effective for the management of most cerebral AVMs. 2"9 The selection of the therapeutic alternative relies on a weighing of the anticipated efficacy (complete angiographic obliteration of the AVM) and medical and neurological risk associated with each technique. Several factors are considered when planning therapy: age, general medical condition, vocation and avocation, psychological impact of disease, and specific anatomic features of the AVM (AVM grade).
Efficiency enhancement and linearity trade-offs for cascode vs. common-emitter SiGe power amplifiers in WiMAX polar transmitters

In this paper, a monolithic RF cascode SiGe power amplifier (PA) design capable of enhancing its power-added efficiency (PAE) is demonstrated. Four RF switches are adopted at the bases of the common-emitter transistors, which can be turned on/off in response to the desired output power. Simulations show that by utilizing device size variation, our cascode PA achieves higher gain and PAE compared to conventional fixed-size cascode PA in the low power region; in addition, it also provides more output power and higher average PAE than single-stage common-emitter PAs. We also studied and compared the linearity performance of our cascode PAs vs. single-stage common-emitter PAs in a RF polar TX using an envelope tracking (ET) technique. We found that even through self-biasing for the common-base device can improve the output distortion of cascode PAs, a single-stage common-emitter SiGe PA designed for comparison is still considerably more linear than cascode PAs. Therefore, more careful system linearization design will be critical when the cascode PAs are adopted in RF polar transmitters (TXs), especially for broadband wireless applications such as mobile WiMAX studied here.
Cell-free translation of apocytochrome b5 messenger RNA and analysis of the peptide product

Abstract Using a reticulocyte lysate system, total rat liver poly A+ RNA was translated in vitro and the apocytochrome b5 product examined by immunochemical methods. Demonstrably specific antisera to cytochrome b5 was produced in sheep against whole purified apoprotein isolated from rat liver microsomes. The results show that apocytochrome b5 is translated as a protein that is not appreciably different in size from that isolated from membranes.
Convex Approximations of a Probabilistic Bicriteria Model with Disruptions

We consider a multiperiod system operation problem with two conflicting objectives, minimizing cost and risk. Risk stems from uncertain disruptions to the system during operation. Whereas a general model would hedge against disruptions in each time period, we study special cases in which only a modest number of disruptions occur. To optimize for risk, we employ a convex approximation based on constraint sampling. We develop a stratified sampling scheme based on distributional information on the time of disruption. We establish that our scheme yields significant savings in sampling costs---up to an order of magnitude in the number of time periods---over naive sampling. Moreover, in the absence of distributional information, we exhibit a sampling strategy that has comparable performance to optimal stratification. We numerically demonstrate that stratification improves cost over naive sampling, improving the solution's proximity to the efficient frontier of the bicriteria problem.
Determining the Natural Head Posture for Extant Animal Species Using Line-of-Sight From the Eyesocket and Optical Foramen

Understanding natural head posture in animals is improtant in interpreting their biomechanics and behavior. For extinct animals, natural posture cannot be directly determined from the fossil record. There have been few prior studies of animal line of sight and head posture. Most line of sight studies have focused on the breadth of binocular vision versus panoramic vision in relation to behavior (predator type or grazer, for instance) or the animals typical environment (open or cluttered) [1]. For head posture some have studied changes in cognition or the environment or related aspects like the eyeball orientation as head posture changes [2]. Still others have focused on the areas of the brain that control 3D head position [3]. However, none of these studies address a method to determine the natural head posture or angle. While there currently is no definitive way to determine natural head angle in extinct animals, it seems reasonable to assume that the natural head posture would place the line of sight in the horizontal plane for most species. Therefore, we hypothesized that the opening for the optical (the optical foremen) and the eye socket structure itself can be used to accurately determine the natural head posture for a large portion of extant and extinct animal species. Specifically, if the skull is oriented such that the plane of sight (the plane common to both lines of sight) is horizontal, then the skull will be in the natural posture. If this hypothesis is shown to be valid, it will provide naturalists a reliable tool to determine the natural head posture (head angle) of extinct animals. The objective of this study was to test the above hypothesis on animals in the Felidae (cats).© 2012 ASME
Disparities in End of Life Care for Elderly Lung Cancer Patients

The objective of this study was to examine geographic and race/ethnic disparities in access to end of life care among elderly patients with lung cancer. The study sample consisted of 91,039 Medicare beneficiaries with lung cancer who died in 2008. The key outcome measures included the number of emergency room visits, the number of inpatient admissions and the number of intensive care unit (ICU) days in the last 90 days of life, hospice care ever used and hospice enrollment within the last 3 days of life. Medicare beneficiaries with lung cancer residing in rural, remote rural, and micropolitan areas had more ER visits in the last 90 days of life as compared to urban residents. Urban residents however, had more ICU days in the last 90 days of life and were more likely to have ever used hospice as compared to residents of rural, remote rural and micropolitan counties. Racial minority lung cancer patients had more ICU days, ER visits and inpatient days than non-Hispanic White patients, and also were less likely to have ever used hospice care or be enrolled in hospice in the last 3 days of life. Lung cancer patients with very low socioeconomic status (SES) were less likely to ever use hospice or be enrolled in hospice care in the last 3 days of life, as compared to those who had very high SES. Geographic, racial and socioeconomic disparities in end of life care call for targeted efforts to address access barriers for these groups of patients.
Color image attribute and quality measurements

Color image quality measures have been used for many computer vision tasks. In practical applications, the no-reference (NR) measures are desirable because reference images are not always accessible. However, only limited success has been achieved. Most existing NR quality assessments require that the types of image distortion is known a-priori. In this paper, three NR color image attributes: colorfulness, sharpness and contrast are quantified by new metrics. Using these metrics, a new Color Quality Measure (CQM), which is based on the linear combination of these three color image attributes, is presented. We evaluated the performance of several state-of-the-art no-reference measures for comparison purposes. Experimental results demonstrate the CQM correlates well with evaluations obtained from human observers and it operates in real time. The results also show that the presented CQM outperforms previous works with respect to ranking image quality among images containing the same or different contents. Finally, the performance of CQM is independent of distortion types, which is demonstrated in the experimental results.
Imprinting at the SMPD1 locus: implications for acid sphingomyelinase-deficient Niemann-Pick disease.

Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) is the lipid hydrolase that is deficient in types A and B Niemann-Pick disease (NPD). Here, we demonstrate that the gene encoding ASM (SMPD1) is paternally imprinted and that differential expression of the mutant alleles in patients with ASM-deficient NPD and in carriers influences the disease phenotype. Comparison of the results of genomic sequencing versus reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction sequencing for several patients with NPD revealed preferential expression of one mutant allele. Further analysis of one family showed that the expressed allele was maternally inherited and that the distinct clinical presentations of the individual patients were correlated with the amount of residual ASM activity expressed from the maternal mutation. Treatment of NPD cell lines with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine enhanced the expression of the paternal SMPD1 allele, and bisulfite genomic sequencing identified which CpG dinucleotides within the SMPD1 promoter were methylated. In a related set of studies, we identified a carrier individual who had ∼15% of normal ASM activity and clinical features of ASM-deficient NPD. DNA sequencing confirmed that this individual carried a single SMPD1 mutation and that this mutant allele was preferentially expressed. These data thus demonstrate, for the first time, imprinting at the SMPD1 gene and reveal the influence of this epigenetic modification on the presentation of ASM-deficient NPD.
Scleroderma, pleural calcification and reticulum cell sarcoma of the lungs.

A case of scleroderma with calcified pleura, an exceedingly rare finding, is documented. The patient died of acute fulminating reticulum cell sarcoma, and the radiographs and clinical course mimicked an acute infectious process.
Otoc1: A Novel Otoconin-90 Ortholog Required For Otolith Mineralization In Zebrafish

Within the vestibular system of virtually all vertebrate species, gravity and linear acceleration are detected via coupling of calcified masses to the cilia of mechanosensory hair cells. The mammalian ear contains thousands of minute biomineralized particles called otoconia, whereas the inner ear of teleost fish contains three large ear stones called otoliths that serve a similar function. Otoconia and otoliths are composed of calcium carbonate crystals condensed on a core protein lattice. Otoconin-90 (Oc90) is the major matrix protein of mammalian and avian otoconia, while otolith matrix protein (OMP) is the most abundant matrix protein found in the otoliths of teleost fish. We have identified a novel gene, otoc1, which encodes the zebrafish ortholog of Oc90. Expression of otoc1 was detected in the ear between 15 hpf and 72 hpf, and was restricted primarily to the macula and the developing epithelial pillars of the semicircular canals. Expression of otoc1 was also detected in epiphysis, optic stalk, midbrain, diencephalon, flexural organ, and spinal cord. During embryogenesis, expression of otoc1 mRNA preceded the appearance of omp-1 transcripts. Knockdown of otoc1 mRNA translation with antisense morpholinos produced a variety of aberrant otolith phenotypes. Our results suggest that Otoc1 may serve to nucleate calcium carbonate mineralization of aragonitic otoliths.
Effect of the evaporation of various solvents upon the stability of corticosterone-1,2-3H and corticosterone-4-14C.

Abstract Some unpurified solvents commonly used in the extraction and manipulation of corticosterone-1,2- 3 H have been found to affect its structure, as revealed in the chromatographic mobility of its radioactive isotope. Purification proceduRes which inactivate the contaminants in the solvents are described.
Efficient Slowing of Atomic and Molecular Beams using Optical Bichromatic Forces

The optical bichromatic force provides an efficient, simple, and compact means to decelerate atomic and molecular beams. We present new results for chirped deceleration of atomic helium, and describe progress on laser slowing of CaF.
Segmentation and classification of four common cotton contaminants in x-ray microtomographic images

Technologies currently used for cotton contaminant assessment suffer from some fundamental limitations. These limitations result in the misassessment of cotton quality and may have a serious impact on the evaluation of the economic value of the cotton crop. This paper reports on the recent advances in the use of a 3D x-ray microtomographic system that employs image processing and pattern recognition techniques to accurately detect and classify trash present in cotton. The proposed method offers an attractive alternative to existing trash evaluation technologies, because of its ability to produce 3D representations of the samples, to robustly segment the trash from its background, and to accurately classify the contaminant types. This procedure could have a serious impact on the process control technologies (cotton lint cleaning), and indeed on the economic value of cotton.
Recurrent B-cell Neoplasms After Rituximab Therapy: An Immunophenotypic and Genotypic Study

Rituximab has been widely used to treat relapsing or advanced stage B-cell neoplasms with an efficacy of about 50%. However, approximately 40-50% of Rituximab treated patients will recur. It is not clear whether these recurrent diseases have the same immunophenotype as that of the original tumors. At the City of Hope, we treated 91 cases of CD20-positive B-cell neoplasms with Rituximab in combination with chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation between August 1999 and December 2000. Thirty-five of 91 patients (38%) experienced recurrence during the time period within one year from treatment. Tumor cells from all of the recurrent patients expressed one or more B cell antigens (CD19, CD20, CD22, CD45RA, or CD79a). However, thirteen of 35 recurrent cases showed aberrant loss of CD20 expression (37%) by immunohistochemical or flow cytometric studies. Pre- and post-Rituximab treated tumor cell DNA was successfully extracted from archival paraffin sections, hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stained slides, smears, or frozen cells in 10 of 13 CD20 negative recurrent cases. PCR studies for immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain gene rearrangements were performed in all these cases. Five cases showed identical Ig heavy chain gene rearrangements in the paired specimens. PCR assay for Ig kappa (kappa) gene rearrangement was performed in the five paired specimens lacking detectable Ig heavy chain gene rearrangements; 2 of them showed identical Igkappa gene rearrangements. Three pairs showed unmatched Ig heavy chain and Igkappa gene rearrangements, probably due to poor quality of recovered DNA. Aberrant loss of CD20 antigens may be a mechanism of treatment resistance and should be considered in the immunophenotyping of recurrent Rituximab-treated B-cell neoplasms; therefore, a panel of B cell markers is recommended for the immunologic diagnosis of recurrent B cell malignancies after Rituximab therapy. Seven of ten pairs of recurrent CD20-negative cases showed identical Ig heavy chain and Igkappa gene rearrangements by PCR assay, strongly suggesting that the pre- and post-Rituxan treated B cell neoplasms are clonally-related.
Longitudinal association of anthropometry with mammographic breast density in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation

High percent mammographic breast density is strongly associated with increased breast cancer risk. Though body mass index (BMI) is positively associated with risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, BMI is negatively associated with percent breast density in cross-sectional studies. Few longitudinal studies have evaluated associations between BMI and weight and mammographic breast density. We studied the longitudinal relationships between anthropometry and breast density in a prospective cohort of 834 pre- and perimenopausal women enrolled in an ancillary study to the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Routine screening mammograms were collected and read for breast density. Random intercept regression models were used to evaluate whether annual BMI change was associated with changes over time in dense breast area and percent density. The study population was 7.4% African-American, 48.8% Caucasian, 21.8% Chinese, and 21.9% Japanese. Mean follow-up was 4.8 years. Mean annual weight change was +0.32 kg/year, mean change in dense area was -0.77 cm(2)/year, and mean change in percent density was -1.14%/year. In fully adjusted models, annual change in BMI was not significantly associated with changes in dense breast area (-0.17 cm(2), 95% CI -0.64, 0.29). Borderline significant negative associations were observed between annual BMI change and annual percent density change, with percent density decreasing 0.36% (95% CI -0.74, 0.02) for a one unit increase in BMI over a year. This longitudinal study provides modest evidence that changes in BMI are not associated with changes in dense area, yet may be negatively associated with percent density.
A high data rate universal lattice decoder on FPGA

This paper presents the architecture design of a high data rate universal lattice decoder for MIMO channels on FPGA platform. A phost strategy based lattice decoding algorithm is modified in this paper to reduce the complexity of the closest lattice point search. The data dependency of the improved algorithm is examined and a parallel and pipeline architecture is developed with the iterative decoding function on FPGA and the division intensive channel matrix preprocessing on DSP. Simulation results demonstrate that the improved lattice decoding algorithm provides better bit error rate and less iteration number compared with the original algorithm. The system prototype of the decoder shows that it supports data rate up to 7Mbit/s on a Virtex2-1000 FPGA, which is about 8 times faster than the original algorithm on FPGA platform and two-orders of magnitude better than its implementation on a DSP platform.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
High Throughput Route Selection in Multi-rate Ad Hoc Wireless Networks

Modern wireless devices, such as those that implement the 802.11b standard, utilize multiple transmission rates in order to accommodate a wide range of channel conditions. Traditional ad hoc routing protocols typically use minimum hop paths. These paths tend to contain long range links that have low effective throughput and reduced reliability in multi-rate networks. In this work, we present the Medium Time Metric (MTM), which is derived from a general theoretical model of the attainable throughput in multi-rate ad hoc wireless networks. MTM avoids using the long range links favored by shortest path routing in favor of shorter, higher throughput, more reliable links. We present NS2 simulations that show that using MTM yields an average total network throughput increase of 20% to 60%, depending on network density. In addition, by combining the MTM with a medium time fair MAC protocol, average total network throughput increases of 100% to 200% are obtained over traditional route selection and packet fairness techniques.
Determination of the Dynamic Structures of Igg Antibody by Individual-Particle Electron Tomography

Antibody, also known as immunoglobulin, functions as one of the key parts in human immune response. Studying antibodies provides benefits in treating immune system diseases, medical diagnostics utilizing particular antibodies, and applications such as monoclonal antibody therapy. Antibodies perform functions through identifying and neutralizing various foreign objects based on a unique Y-shaped highly dynamic structure. In antibody structure, two antigen-binding domains (Fabs) are connected to effector domain (Fc) via a flexible hinge-loop region allowing two antigen-binding sites to vary. Dynamics of the loop region allow antibodies to undergo large conformational change to search binding sites on various biological macromolecule surfaces, fitting the paratope to a targeted antigen. Conventional techniques, such as X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance technique, or single particle TEM reconstruction method, in studying antibody structure are faced with difficulty in revealing structural dynamic properties in 3D, due to their requirement of averaging vast numbers of particles.Here, we use our recently developed individual-particle electron tomography (IPET) to obtain nearly a hundred 3D density maps each from an individual antibody. Each 3D map provided the spacing and orientations of the three domains of each antibody. By comparison of the domain spatial relation among different antibody molecules, the 3D distributions of the two Fab domains uncovered the dynamics and fluctuations of this antibody type in solution. These dynamic characteristics provide us insight into antibody functional expression, and show potential approaches to increase antibody binding affinity.
Functional change in the 5-HT presynaptic receptor in spinal cord of aged rats

The present study assessed the functional integrity of the serotonin (5-HT) presynaptic receptor in the spinal cord of aged (18-20 months) rats. Previous research determined that exogenous 5-HT and 5-HT1B agonists, in adult (3 months) rats, activated the 5-HT presynaptic receptor resulting in a dose-dependent decrease in 3H-5-HT release from spinal cord slices. Contrastively, exogenous 5-HT and the selective 5-HT1B agonist 1-(m-chlorophenyl) piperazine HCl (mCPP) produced a dose-dependent increase in depolarization-evoked 3H-5-HT release from spinal cord of aged rats. The selective 5-HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy-2(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OHDPAT) increased 3H-5-HT release from aged rat spinal cord slices similar to results previously obtained from adult rat spinal cord slices. The inability of 5-HT and mCPP to inhibit 3H-5-HT release from spinal cord of aged rats indicates a functional change in the 5-HT presynaptic receptor in these animals. Possible mechanisms mediating this functional change are discussed.
Cross‐cultural challenges for a global maritime enterprise

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a hypothetical case study which provides an opportunity for students to conduct realistic business analysis applying subject material related to cross‐cultural issues presented in the international business, international management and management courses.Design/methodology/approach – The hypothetical case study requires students to review and analyze cross‐cultural issues related to the appointment of the senior executive for a foreign office of a global business enterprise. A hypothetical Chinese maritime enterprise and its publicly‐traded subsidiary are profiled. Cross‐cultural considerations come into play as the senior executive for two foreign offices must be appointed.Findings – The case reflects refinements based upon its use during the past few years. Students are provided a realistic experiential exercise. Student feedback indicates a heightened sensitivity to cross‐cultural considerations that transcends their assigned textbook readings and trad...
Revisiting Auctions in Chapter 11

WHEN Eastern Airlines filed its bankruptcy petition in March 1989, its future was bleak. For decades, it had systematically invested in the wrong airplanes, beginning with a commitment to propeller aircraft in the late 1950s. Its cost structure was higher than its competitors. It had failed to find a viable market niche in a deregulated environment, an environment in which the hub-and-spoke system brought significant economies of scale. Eastern had already sold its most valuable assets, such as its shuttle between Washington, D.C., and New York, and its entire work force was on strike. Moreover, its service was poorly regarded, and it had little goodwill with the general public. If Chapter 11 mandated that the assets of a publicly traded firm be swiftly sold, however, someone would have bought Eastern's airplanes and landing gates for an amount sufficient to provide a dividend to the preferred stockholders. Instead, the managers of Eastern and later a court-appointed trustee used the umbrella of bankruptcy law to try to keep the airline intact as a going concern. Over the next two years, Eastern lost over a billion dollars. The airline began liquidation only when its assets were insufficient to pay the administrative expenses, such as lawyers' fees, involved in running the bankruptcy case.1 Financial News Network (FNN) entered Chapter 11 in early 1991. Shortly afterward, a joint venture between Dow Jones and Group W offered to pay $90 million for FNN's assets. A unit of NBC countered with a bid of $115 million. The bankruptcy court ordered an auction of the firm's assets. NBC eventually won with a bid of $146 million and
Utility theoretic semi-logarithmic incomplete demand systems in a natural experiment: Forest fire impacts on recreational values and use

Abstract This study develops a utility theoretic demand model for an arbitrary number of goods that handles correlation between goods and over time. The bivariate compound Poisson estimator is applied to a semi-logarithmic incomplete demand system to estimate the demand for wilderness recreation and the associated welfare measures both prior to and post a 40,000 acre wilderness fire in Washington. Forest fires can simultaneously affect the environmental qualities of many recreational sites; this highlights the need for a utility theoretic demand system approach for modeling consumer behavior that handles the dynamic behavioral and statistical interdependencies over goods and time. Results suggest an increase in consumer welfare per trip post fire, after an initial period of low values, relative to before the fire.
Spectroscopy and collision theory. III. Atomic eigenchannel calculation by a Hartree-Fock-Roothaan method

Previous papers have expressed various experimental spectral data in terms of a single set of parameters (eigen-quantum-defects, transformation matrix, and excitation dipole moments). The parameters pertain to eigenstates of an electron-ion scattering matrix which represents only the effect of short-range interactions. This paper presents a method for calculating the same parameters by solving the many-electron Schr\"odinger equation for an atom within a limited spherical volume. Quantitative results, for Ar states with $J=1$ and odd parity, are compared with data extracted earlier from an analysis of spectral data, and are also used to reproduce the first 65 discrete line positions and their intensities, the positions and profiles of autoionization lines, and the branching ratio of the photoionization.
Role of Visual Speech in Phonological Processing by Children With Hearing Loss

Purpose This research assessed the influence of visual speech on phonological processing by children with hearing loss (HL). Method Children with HL and children with normal hearing (NH) named pictures while attempting to ignore auditory or audiovisual speech distractors whose onsets relative to the pictures were either congruent, conflicting in place of articulation, or conflicting in voicing—for example, the picture “pizza” coupled with the distractors “peach,” “teacher,” or “beast,” respectively. Speed of picture naming was measured. Results The conflicting conditions slowed naming, and phonological processing by children with HL displayed the age-related shift in sensitivity to visual speech seen in children with NH, although with developmental delay. Younger children with HL exhibited a disproportionately large influence of visual speech and a negligible influence of auditory speech, whereas older children with HL showed a robust influence of auditory speech with no benefit to performance from adding...
Combining label-free cell phenotypic profiling with computational approaches for novel drug discovery.

Introduction: Drug discovery is a long and costly process. Innovations and paradigm shifts are essential for continuous improvement in the productivity of pharmaceutical R&D.Areas covered: The author reviews the progress of label-free cell phenotypic and computational approaches in early drug discovery since 2004 and proposes a novel paradigm, which combines both approaches.Expert opinion: Label-free cell phenotypic profiling techniques offer an unprecedented and integrated approach to comprehend drug–target interactions in their native environments. However, these approaches have disadvantages associated with the lack of molecular details. Computational approaches, including ligand-, structure- and phenotype-based virtual screens, have become versatile tools in the early drug discovery process. However, these approaches mostly predict the binding of drug molecules to targets of interest and are limited to targets that are either well annotated for ligands or that are structurally resolved. Thus, combinin...
Comparative Efficacy of Behavioral Interventions in the Management of Female Urinary Incontinence

Behavioral interventions, bladder training, and pelvic muscle exercises are recommended as a first line of treatment in the management of stress and urge incontinence in outpatient female populations.1-11 Traditionally, these two interventions have been used to treat different types of incontinence on the basis of their proposed mechanism of action. Bladder training is hypothesized to improve cortical inhibition over lower urinary tract functioning and has been primarily used in the treatment of urge incontinence.2 Pelvic muscle exercise is hypothesized to enhance urethral resistance by increasing the strength and endurance of the periurethral and perivaginal muscles and by improving the anatomic support to the bladder neck and proximal urethra. These exercises are considered the preferred treatment for female stress incontinence but have recently been recommended for urge incontinence because of reflex bladder inhibition associated with pelvic muscle contraction.1, 11 Biofeedback-assisted instruction is typically used as an adjunct technique to teach correct pelvic muscle contraction and/or bladder inhibition, depending on the instrumentation used to monitor physiologic responses. Although many studies have documented the effectiveness of a particular behavioral intervention, few have compared specific treatments or examined their effects in different physiologic subtypes of urinary incontinence. This study examined the relative efficacy From the Departments of Adult Health Nursing,a Obstetrics and Gynecology,b and Biostatistics,c Virginia Commonwealth University/ Medical College of Virginia, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center,d and The Continence Program for Women Research Group.e A complete list of group members and their affiliations appears at the end of the article. Supported by the National Institute of Aging/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, grant No. UO1 AG05170. Received for publication July 9, 1997; revised March 6, 1998, accepted March 31, 1998. Reprint requests: Jean F. Wyman, PhD, RN, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, 6-101 Weaver-Densford Hall, 308 Harvard St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Copyright © 1998 by Mosby, Inc. 0002-9378/98 $5.00 + 0 6/1/90643 Comparative efficacy of behavioral interventions in the management of female urinary incontinence
Response to Daniell

To the Editor: We thank Daniell (1) for his interest in our article, and his comments regarding the validity of our results (2). Daniell expresses concern that differential loss to follow-up based on high mortality may have created bias in our study. To assess the possibility of death as a competing risk, we had performed a stratified analysis of the subset of 635 patients who survived to complete 90 days of follow-up. Among these patients, there was no evidence of an association between proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI; hazard ratio=0.87, 95% confidence interval=0.60–1.28). Daniell also raises the important question of whether our original definition of PPI exposure was adequate. We defined PPI exposure as PPIs given at least daily for a minimum of 2 days during the C. difficile treatment period. Our original data set did not include complete information on PPI-exposure duration. Therefore, to address Daniell's question, we randomly selected 25 charts from patients who completed C. difficile treatment while they were hospitalized and reviewed these to extract PPI duration information. We found that subjects received a mean 11.9 days of PPI treatment (s.d.=3.9); 21/25 (84%) of subjects received PPIs for 7 or more days during the first 14 days of C. difficile treatment and 13/25 (52%) of subjects received PPIs during all 14 days of C. difficile treatment. Thus, it is unlikely that inadequate PPI exposure accounts for our findings. Finally, Daniell raises the possibility that the type of C. difficile treatment (i.e., metronidazole alone, vancomycin alone, or both) influences the PPI–recurrent CDI relationship (3). Although we agree with Daniell that C. difficile treatment type has been associated with risk of recurrent CDI, there is no evidence that treatment type influences the PPI–recurrent CDI relationship. In our study, we found no evidence of a significant interaction between treatment type and the PPI–recurrent CDI relationship (Breslow-Day, P=0.169).