cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro and in vivo activity of the VEGF receptor inhibitor PAZOPANIB (GW786034) in Multiple Myeloma: Therapeutic implications.

5658 Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors play an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM). VEGF present in the MM bone marrow microenvironment induces neovascularization, triggers tumor cell growth, survival and migration, inhibits dendritic cell maturation, and promotes osteoclastogenesis. VEGF therefore provides a potential novel therapeutic target in MM. Here we investigated a novel and potent VEGF receptor inhibitor, pazopanib. In vitro, pazopanib inhibits VEGF- triggered VEGF receptor phosphorylation and activation of downstream signaling molecules including Src kinase in MM cells and blocks MM cell migration, growth and survival. Moreover, gene expression and signaling network analysis in pazopanib- treated cells demonstrate transcriptional changes of several signaling pathways. Most prominently among these is a dramatic downregulation of cMyc. siRNA targeting cMyc blocked VEGF production and secretion in MM cell lines. In addition, pazopanib reduced VEGF in the microenvironment and directly inhibited endothelial cell growth, migration and vessel formation. Furthermore, pazopanib inhibited VEGF- induced upregulation of adhesion proteins on both endothelial and MM cells, thereby abrogating endothelial cell -MM cell adhesion and associated tumor cell proliferation. Pazopanib also strongly sensitized tumor cells bound to endothelial cells to DNA- damaging chemotherapeutic agents (i.e. melphalan), immunomodulatory drugs, and bortezomib. Similar activity of pazopanib was demonstrated using a MM xenograft mouse model. In summary, this is the first report showing anti- MM activity of an antiangiogenic compound in both in vitro and in vivo strongly supporting its clinical evaluation, alone or in combination with other therapies.
Persistent viral shedding despite seroconversion in a kidney transplant recipient with severe extrapulmonary COVID-19.

Renal transplant (RT) recipients are at increased risk for infectious complications. The clinical course of COVID-19 has been described in several RT recipients with varying clinical outcomes. Most present with pulmonary manifestations, however extrapulmonary presentations are not uncommon. Also, the timing and efficacy of seroconversion in transplant recipients is not well known. This report describes the duration of viral shedding and timing of seroconversion in a young adult RT recipient with COVID-19 who presented with severe diarrhoea and acute kidney injury requiring dialysis. She developed anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody after 5 weeks despite persistently shedding the virus in the nasopharynx until 6 weeks after symptom onset. Further studies are needed to determine if immunosuppressed patients have prolonged viral shedding and are still contagious despite seroconversion.
Circadian Mechanisms in Medicine

Circadian Mechanisms in Medicine Molecular insights into diurnal variations in human physiology and behavior are extending our understanding of a wide range of disease processes. Chronobiology is a...
Single-step label-free nanowell immunoassay accurately quantifies serum stress hormones within minutes

A non-faradaic label-free cortisol sensing platform is presented using a nanowell array design, in which the two probe electrodes are integrated within the nanowell structure. Rapid and low volume (≤5 μl) sensing was realized through functionalizing nanoscale volume wells with antibodies and monitoring the real-time binding events. A 28-well plate biochip was built on a glass substrate by sequential deposition, patterning, and etching steps to create a stack nanowell array sensor with an electrode gap of 40 nm. Sensor response for cortisol concentrations between 1 and 15 μg/dl in buffer solution was recorded, and a limit of detection of 0.5 μg/dl was achieved. Last, 65 human serum samples were collected to compare the response from human serum samples with results from the standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These results confirm that nanowell array sensors could be a promising platform for point-of-care testing, where real-time, laboratory-quality diagnostic results are essential.
When Will Going Green Enhance Firm Performance?: An Abstract

Studies of firms’ eco-friendly efforts flourish in trade and academic publications. Despite its size, the literature shows equivocal results on the impact of firms’ initiatives to preserve the natural environment. Corporate executives are increasingly sensitive to the topic of sustainable business operation. However, their suspicion of whether the benefits of firms’ environmental commitment can offset the costs is exacerbated by the lack of consensus among empirical studies. To help resolve this issue, we conduct a meta-analysis of 330 correlations between corporate environmental commitment and firm performance (i.e., effect sizes from 94 empirical studies) to investigate the boundary conditions under which corporate environmental initiatives can boost business bottom line.
Band broadening in mobility shift affinity capillary electrophoresis due to pressure-driven flow

Mobility Shift Affinity Capillary Electrophoresis (msACE) presents a simple and powerful approach to determining the equilibrium and kinetic parameters governing the interaction between a variety of analyte and ligand molecules. These determinations often rely on measuring the elution peak profile for the analyte zone when migrated with a steady electric field. However, pressure-gradients applied intentionally or generated due to unwanted differences in the hydrostatic heads at the capillary/channel ends and/or a variation in the electroosmotic flow rate along the analysis column can significantly alter this peak profile introducing error in the estimated parameter values. To account for these alterations, this article describes a mathematical formulation for quantitating band broadening in msACE systems due to a steady pressure-driven flow in the Taylor–Aris dispersion limit with fast analyte-ligand binding kinetics. The current analysis shows that the additional zone dispersion under such conditions can be quantitated using four terms that scale with the square of the Peclet number calculated based on the pressure-driven flow velocity. While the first term among these quantitates the Taylor–Aris dispersion experienced by a neutral tracer advected by the pressure-gradient, the other three terms are proportional to the square of the difference in the diffusion coefficients for the analyte and analyte-ligand complex. Moreover, these latter terms also vary inversely with the Damkohler number computed as the ratio of the rate of reaction over that of diffusive mass transfer with the coefficient for each of the four terms shown to be dependent on the cross-sectional shape of the analysis column.
Development and Biology of East Asian Skin, Hair, and Nails

People of skin of color comprise the majority of the world’s population and Asian people comprise more than half of the total population of the world. East Asia encompasses a subregion of Asia that may be defined in geographical or cultural terms. Geographically, it covers about 28 % of Asia and is populated by more than 1.5 billion people, just over one-fifth of the world’s population. Countries traditionally classified as being part of East Asia include China, Japan, North and South Korea, Mongolia, and Taiwan. Historically, many societies in East Asia have been part of the Chinese cultural sphere. However, with the increasing mobility of the world’s population over the past two centuries, people of East Asian descent have fanned out to not only other parts of Asia but also to all other continents.
Kinematic Retargeting with Potential Fields: Enabling a Unified Social Behavior Repository

In this paper, we describe a method for kinematic retargeting, the porting of configurations and motions from one embodiment (e.g., human, robot, or animated character) to another. This approach is implemented through an optimization process involving potential fields. Unlike platform-specific approaches, this approach has the capability to retarget motion between arbitrary embodiments. That portability enables the development of a unified social behavior repository for human-robot interaction.
Chinese Martial Arts: The Yuan Dynasty

The rise of the Mongols under Chinggis Khan in the thirteenth century was a signal event in world history. Following the pattern of the preceding Kitans and Jurchens, the Mongols began by overthrowing the preexisting steppe political order, and then advanced south into China. Of course, in the case of the Mongols, they also reached across Eurasia and founded the largest land empire in history. In China the Mongols founded a Chinese-style dynastic government to administer and rule the Chinese population. This dynasty, the Yuan (1272–1368), like the preceding steppe dynasties, used a hybrid Chinese-steppe government system. The privileges and power of the ruling Mongols were paramount, though some Chinese did achieve a measure of authority. For the most part, the Mongol emperors did not attempt to change Chinese culture or society, preferring to leave local society alone. The Yuan government was most concerned with extracting taxes and labor from the Chinese population. Part of the labor was military forces. The Mongol army was made up of different components formed by combining specific groups with specific military skills. Mongols themselves served exclusively as horse-archers. Infantry, naval, or siege units were drafted from subject populations with these skills. When the Yuan invaded Japan, for example, the navy was Chinese and Korean, and many of the troops were Jurchen. Very few Mongols took part. As a category, Yuan Dynasty martial arts include both Chinese and various steppe practices. Whereas in the Six Dynasties and Tang Dynasty the meaning and practice of these martial arts was more combined, in the Yuan Dynasty, Chinese and steppe martial arts were quite distinct.
Empiric therapy for hospital-acquired, Gram-negative complicated intra-abdominal infection and complicated urinary tract infections: a systematic literature review of current and emerging treatment options.

Empiric therapy for healthcare-associated infections remains challenging, especially with the continued development of Gram-negative organisms producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and the threat of multi-drug–resistant organisms. Current treatment options for resistant Gram-negative infections include carbapenems, tigecycline, piperacillin-tazobactam, cefepime, ceftazidime, and two recently approved therapies, ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam. This systematic literature review surveys the published clinical trial evidence available since 2000 in support of both current and emerging treatment options in the settings of complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI) and complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI). When available, clinical cure rates for patients with infections from ESBL-producing strains are provided, as is information about efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Clinical trial evidence to guide selection of empiric antibiotic therapy in patients with complicated, hospital-acquired, Gram-negative IAIs and UTIs is limited. Though most of the clinical trials explored in this overview enrolled patients with complicated infections, often patients with severe infections and multiple comorbidities were excluded. Practitioners in the clinical setting who are treating patients with complicated, hospital-acquired, Gram-negative IAIs and UTIs need to consider the possibility of polymicrobial infections, antibiotic-resistant organisms, and/or severely ill patients with multiple comorbidities. There is a severe shortage of evidence-based research to guide the selection of empiric antibiotic therapy for many patients in this setting. New therapies recently approved or in late-stage development promise to expand the number of options available for empiric therapy of these hospital-acquired, Gram-negative infections.
A Model-Based Image Reconstruction Algorithm With Simultaneous Beam Hardening Correction for X-Ray CT

Beam hardening is a well-known effect in X-ray CT scanning that is caused by the interaction of a broad polychromatic source spectrum with energy-dependent material attenuation. If the scanned object only consists of a single material, the beam hardening effect can be corrected by sinogram precorrection techniques. However, when multiple materials are present, it becomes much more difficult to fully compensate for this distortion; in general, the beam hardening can contribute to reconstruction artifacts such as cupping and streaking. In this paper, we present a novel model-based iterative reconstruction algorithm that incorporates beam hardening correction (MBIR-BHC). Unlike most correction algorithms, which require knowledge of the X-ray spectrum or mass attenuation functions, the MBIR-BHC algorithm works by simultaneously reconstructing the image and estimating the beam-hardening function. The method is based on the assumption that the object is formed by a combination of two distinct materials that can be separated based on their densities. We formulate a poly-energetic X-ray forward model using a polynomial function of two material projections: one for the low-density material and one for the high. We then develop an alternating minimization algorithm for jointly estimating the reconstructed image, the material segmentation, and the coefficients of the two component polynomial that models the beam-hardening function. With this approach, the spectrum and mass attenuation functions are not needed in advance, and the correction is adapted to the dataset being reconstructed. We examine the performance of the proposed algorithm using both simulated and real datasets. Results indicate that the MBIR-BHC algorithm significantly reduces several reconstruction artifacts without advanced knowledge of the X-ray spectrum and material properties.
Plotting and analyzing data trends in ternary diagrams made easy

Ternary plots are used in many fields of science to characterize a system based on three components. Triangular plotting is thus useful to a broad audience in the Earth sciences and beyond. Unfortunately it is typically the most expensive commercial software packages that offer the option to plot data in ternary diagrams. However, they lack features that are paramount to the geosciences, such as the ability to plot data directly into a standardized diagram and the possibility to analyze temporal and stratigraphic trends within this diagram.
Why IQ Is Relevant to the Definition of Learning Disabilities

L'auteur presente des arguments en faveur de la prise en compte du Q.I. pour la definition des difficultes d'apprentissage et ainsi critique la these defendue par SIEGEL (1989). Les arguments de l'auteur sont a la fois methodologiques et theoriques
Design considerations for a small ultraviolet-visible space telescope for amateur and professional use

Presented is a preliminary design for a small ultraviolet- visible (uv-vis) sensitive space telescope. Included will be optical, sensor, and spacecraft subsystem design considerations. With recent advances in charge coupled device (CCD) technology it is now possible to build a space telescope system with wavelength sensitivity from 200 to 1000 nm. A main objective of this design is to keep costs to a minimum and use commercial off the shelf (COTS) components wherever possible. Such a low-cost system could provide a platform for studying such untested techniques as small space-based optical interferometry. The observatory could be open to a guest observer program with proposal for observing time accepted from anyone with a scientifically useful plan. Amateurs and professional astronomers alike. The World Wide Web (WWW) could be used to provide data and images to registered subscribers.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
EZ‐IMPACT: A judgment‐based program for public input in resource management and modeling

Abstract Managing and modeling public resources involves more than the preferences of the resource manager or a modeling researcher. The activity is a public process which affects numerous groups with diverse interests. Recognizing this, resource modelers and managers are seeking public input when making decisions. Obtaining public input is facilitated by procedures which are both efficient and productive. This paper identifies several of the more promising procedures for acquiring public input. A recently developed procedure, EZ‐IMPACT, is described in some detail. It is a judgment‐based program that uses public input and microcomputer‐based software to facilitate resource modeling and decision making.
Practical Limits to the Scope of Digital Preservation

This paper examines factors that limit the ability of institutions to digitally preserve the cultural heritage of the modern era. The author takes a wide-ranging approach to shed light on limitations to the scope of digital preservation. The author finds that technological limitations to digital preservation have been addressed but still exist, and that non-technical aspects—access, selection, law, and finances—move into the foreground as technological limitations recede. The author proposes a nested model of constraints to the scope of digital preservation and concludes that costs are digital preservation’s most pervasive limitation.
Acceptance of insurance by psychiatrists and the implications for access to mental health care.

Importance There have been recent calls for increased access to mental health services, but access may be limited owing to psychiatrist refusal to accept insurance. Objective To describe recent trends in acceptance of insurance by psychiatrists compared with physicians in other specialties. Design, Setting, and Participants We used data from a national survey of office-based physicians in the United States to calculate rates of acceptance of private noncapitated insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid by psychiatrists vs physicians in other specialties and to compare characteristics of psychiatrists who accepted insurance and those who did not. Main Outcomes and Measures Our main outcome variables were physician acceptance of new patients with private noncapitated insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. Our main independent variables were physician specialty and year groupings (2005-2006, 2007-2008, and 2009-2010). Results The percentage of psychiatrists who accepted private noncapitated insurance in 2009-2010 was significantly lower than the percentage of physicians in other specialties (55.3% [95% CI, 46.7%-63.8%] vs 88.7% [86.4%-90.7%]; P P P P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance Acceptance rates for all types of insurance were significantly lower for psychiatrists than for physicians in other specialties. These low rates of acceptance may pose a barrier to access to mental health services.
A review on the development of wind turbine generators across the world

Wind power as a source of green and abundant energy is proposed as one of the main new world power sources and has acquired a great momentum across the world. In the last few decades, wind turbines with different generators have been developed to increase the maximum power capture, minimize the cost, and expand the use of the wind turbines in both onshore and offshore applications. This paper reviews the development of different types of wind turbine generator technologies and discusses advantages and disadvantages of each type. In addition, a comparison of different generator designs based on the technical data and market trends is provided. To better understand the development of generator concepts on the market, the market trends of current large generators with a capacity of 2.5 MW and above across the world are evaluated.
CATHODIC PROTECTION OF STEEL STRUCTURES IN DEEP WATER: A REVIEW

An extensive review of literature that addresses the application of cathodic protection (CP) in the oceans at depths greater than 300 meters is presented. The review discusses environmental factors encountered in deep water and their effect on cathodic polarisation behaviour of steel and calcareous deposit formation. Deep water field tests results and operating experiences are also presented. An evaluation of available data and an identification of data needed for optimum cathodic protection design for deep water are included. Current CP design approaches and deep water CP studies are also discussed.
Ringgold's nonesuch acquisitions system: One year after installation

Unlike many university library systems having one or two large general libraries and numerous small divisional collections, the Wayne State University system includes five medium-sized libraries, three of which run their own acquisitions operations. Before the installation of the Nonesuch system in February of 1981, all order and payment records were maintained in 3 x 5" files. At the central technical services department files were kept for on order, recently received, and in-process titles, as well as for gifts, standing orders, and for expenditures. Similar files were maintained at the five service units, especially at those with their own technical services operations. These files were extremely idiosyncratic, varying widely in accuracy and completeness, and were incomprehensible to all but the few staff who worked with them regularly. Records had only one point of access, could not be analyzed for management purposes, and were often absent from their files while being processed. Furthermore, each file was confined to a single physical location. In short, we were not satisfied with our means of accounting for a materials budget of nearly $1.5 millioin.
Time estimation and expectancies

The purpose of this research was to examine the influence of different types of expectancies on time estimation behavior. In Experiment 1, subjects were led to expect that a given number of trials would occur in a music perception task. In Experiment 2, expectancies concerning the duration of a given waiting period were varied. Results of both experiments indicated that the confirmation/violation of expectancies exerted a significant im acton4urationjudgments. When subjects received more/fewer trials than expected or waited for a duration-that-waslonger/shorter than expected, the total duration of these time spans was over- and underestimated, respectively. Conversely, time estimates were relatively accurate whensubjects' expectancies were confirmed. The results of Experiment 1 further revealedthat reaction time responses within-the-music perception task were also systematically influenced by the expected amount of activity. Results are discussed in terms of a framework that emphasizes the role of anticipatory attending on time estimation behavior.
The prevalence of overmedication with levothyroxine in ambulatory elderly patients

Objective To estimate the prevalence of overmedication with levothyroxine in ambulatory elderly patients and to determine if this older patient population is inherently more likely to have suppressed serum TSH concentration.
The crystal structure of Tm0.76Se (blue phase)

Abstract Tm0.76Se crystallizes in space group Pnnn, with cell constants a = 7.9591(3) A , b = 7.9524(4) A , c = 11.2513(6) A and Z = 16. The final residual values obtained are RF = 0.067 and wRF = 0.069 for the 402 unique reflections observed up to 60° 2 − θ with graphite-monochromatized Mo Kα and refined with 20 structural parameters. This compound is a superstructure from the NaCl type with ordering of the cation vacancies with bodycentered orthorhombic lattice, while the collapsing of the anions around the sites with reduced occupations further lowers the symmetry to primitive orthorhombic.
Metabolic rate measurements in males inspiring a high oxygen concentration compared to room air

Abstract The extent that high fractional inspired oxygen concentrations (F1O2) affect metabolic measurements was evaluated using indirect calorimetry. On each of three tests days indirect calorimetry was performed twice in six subjects, first while subjects inspired an F1O2 of 0.6 (60% O2) and then room air (RA; F1O2 of 0.2093). The metabolic parameters obtained were minute ventilation ( V ˙ E ) , oxygen consumption ( V ˙ O 2 ) , and carbon dioxide production ( V ˙ C O 2 ) . The resting energy expenditure (REE) was calculated from ( V ˙ O 2 ) and V ˙ C O 2 corrected for urinary nitrogen loss. Metabolic parameters were not statistically different between 60% O2 and RA over the three test days. At an F1O2 of 0.6, V ˙ E was 8.6±0.6 L/min, V ˙ O 2 was 270±11 ml/min, V ˙ C O 2 was 216±11 ml/min and REE was 1850±200 kcal/day compared to a V ˙ E of 8.6±0.5 L/min, V ˙ O 2 of 258±14 ml/min, V ˙ C O 2 of 209±10 ml/min and REE of 1760±225 kcal/day, respectively, while breathing RA. These results suggest that inspiring a high F1O2 does not significantly affect the metabolic measurements in spontaneously breathing subjects.
Making A Comeback

In this paper I explore the nature, varieties, causes and meanings of comebacks related to sport. I argue that comebacks have an axiological dimension, and that the best comebacks involve personal growth. I attempt to show that a major reason that comebacks connected to sport are often inspiring is that we are all in need of a comeback at some point in our lives. When improbable comebacks occur in the world of sport, they expand our sense of possibility.
Presidential Elections: Cyclical and Distributional Economic Effects:

Studies of the effects of economic conditions on elections reach a mixed verdict. Some find significant effects of unemployment, real income, and/or inflation, while others do not. Stigler contends that macroeconomic factors are not important but that distributional issues are. In this article the effects of real income growth and inflation on U.S. presidential elections are studied using a pooling of state-level and time-series data. The data are analyzed using ordinary least squares, variance components, and other estimation techniques, since any single technique is not wholly satisfactory for the analysis of this data set. The effect of real income growth is found to be insignificant over time but significant across states. This suggests that Stigler's contention is correct. The effect of inflation is not as clear since high t-values for the full-sample inflation term may be due to conincidental correlation with time-dependent factors outside the model.
Repair of impact damaged prestressed bridge girder using a variety of materials and placement methods

Abstract A laboratory investigation of repair techniques and materials was conducted to evaluate application methods and performance characteristics of several prepackaged repair materials combined with low pressure epoxy injection to repair impact damage to a prestressed concrete bridge girder. The girder was struck on the bottom flange by an overheight vehicle and subsequently removed and taken to the laboratory for damage assessment and repair studies. In addition to concrete repair studies, internal strand splice assemblies were installed on the repaired girder to assess installation techniques and the structural performance of several different splice assemblies. Several methods of monitoring stress levels in strands during installation have also been
Dynamic model of solenoids under impact excitation, including motion and eddy currents

Modeling of solenoids activated from a DC source (impact excitation) is difficult because of the coupling of a nonlinear magnetic system, which indicates eddy currents, with a mechanical system that involves a time-varying gap. While the finite-element method in two dimensions has been successfully implemented to solve this complex problem, the large number of successive iterations involved makes it inconvenient when repeated design trials are made, for instance, during optimization. It is shown that the problem geometry, including eddy currents, can be satisfactorily approximated using only one dimension. The resulting set of equations is solved using the finite-difference method. Comparisons with test data and with two-dimensional finite-element calculations are conclusive. The proposed model can be used for the assessment of any solenoid, including fast-acting devices. The resulting algorithm converges rapidly, a desirable feature during a design process where many runs are necessary. >
Regulatory effects of interleukin-4 on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes derived from human renal cell carcinoma.

We have studied the effects of interleukin-4 (IL-4) on the expansion, proliferation, phenotype, and antitumor activity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) derived from human renal cell carcinoma. Cultures were obtained from three primary renal tumors and one group of tumor-invaded, regional lymph nodes. IL-4 induced a significant increase in lymphocyte expansion and proliferation, but the response was dependent on the concurrent dose of IL-2 in culture. Increased growth activity was only observed in those cultures receiving low doses (20 U/ml) of IL-2 (average increase of fold expansion of 6.5, P < 0.01) with no changes in growth activity in the high dose (1000 U/ml) cultures. The combination of low dose IL-2 and IL-4 (200 U/ml) promoted lymphocyte growth significantly better than high dose IL-2 alone, the current standard growth regimen for in vitro expansion of TIL. TIL grown in the presence of IL-4 significantly reduced the level of nonspecific, non-major histocompatibility complex-restricted antitumor activity (P < 0.01 for allogeneic renal, nonrenal, and NK-sensitive K562 cells), while exhibiting no effect on the level of autologous killing. This is in contrast to previous findings of significant enhancement of autologous antitumor activity using IL-4 on tumor-specific, melanoma-derived TIL. We also evaluated the effects of irradiated autologous tumor stimulation (TIL:tumor ratio, 10:1) on TIL cultures. Addition of autologous tumor cells increased expansion and proliferation of all cultures regardless of concurrent lymphokines present in the culture media (average increase fold expansion of 2.21, P < 0.05). In addition, significantly enhanced levels of autologous killing were observed in some cultures after the addition of autologous tumor cells (3.4 and 5.9 lytic units without and with autologous tumor stimulation, respectively, P < 0.02). Therefore, the greatest total fold expansion was seen in those cultures containing the combination of IL-4, low dose IL-2, and irradiated autologous tumor cells, which when compared to the standard TIL growth condition of 1000 U/ml of IL-2 alone exhibited a 5.22 ± 2.44 greater fold expansion. Our results suggest that IL-4 and autologous tumor stimulation are effective growth factors, when used in combination with a low dose IL-2 regimen, and may be of significant benefit for growing activated TIL from patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Furthermore, the different biologic properties and responses to exogenous lymphokines of TIL derived from RCC versus other histologically distinct neoplasms suggests the need for an individualized approach in determining the optimal regimen for the expansion and activation of these cells.
Fluorescence of ammonia-d3 from its first excited singlet state☆

Abstract Structured emission spectra have been observed from ND 3 excited at 2139 A and 2144 A. The emission is short-lived (τ 1 2 −10 s) and has been assigned to the ND 3 ( A ) → ND 3 ( X ) fluorescence transition.
Clinical response to azithromycin in cystic fibrosis correlates with in vitro effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa phenotypes.

A 6-month clinical trial of azithromycin (AZM) in American cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection showed clinical improvement without significant reduction in bacterial density. Sub-inhibitory AZM has been hypothesized to affect P. aeruginosa virulence, partly contributing to the mechanism of action of AZM. To correlate bacterial phenotypes of P. aeruginosa isolates with clinical response to AZM in CF patients. Pre-treatment P. aeruginosa isolates from subjects randomized to AZM in the US trial were characterized for bacterial phenotypes: AZM minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), mucoidy, and baseline and AZM effects on twitching and swimming motility, and production of pyocyanin, protease and phospholipase C (PLC). Initial analyses of a subset of subjects identified phenotypes most strongly associated with FEV1 response and pulmonary exacerbation. These phenotypes were subsequently characterized and tested in isolates from subjects of the complete AZM cohort. Exploratory analyses of the initial subset suggested that the MIC and in vitro change in PLC and swimming motility with AZM were the strongest candidates among the bacterial phenotypes. When tested, only the change in PLC was significantly correlated with the change in FEV1 (P = 0.05), and occurrence and time to pulmonary exacerbation (both P = 0.02). In the complete cohort, change in PLC continued to show significant correlation with FEV1 response (P = 0.006), but not exacerbation. The in vitro effect of AZM on PLC correlates with FEV1 response to AZM. This suggests that AZM anti-virulence effects may be predictive of clinical response and play a role in the mechanism of action of AZM in CF patients. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007; 42:533–541. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Co-occurrence of partner and parent aggression: Research and treatment implications

Physical aggression toward a child and a partner within the same family occurs more frequently than once thought. In community samples, the co-occurrence rate appears to be 5% to 6%; in clinical samples, it may be more than 50%. The possibility of causal connections between and common predictors of the two problems is real. Despite data demonstrating a consistent relation between aggression toward a child and aggression toward a partner, research and clinical services are not well coordinated. We discuss ways research could benefit from greater awareness of co-occurring aggression, comment on issues related to assessing families for presence of co-occurring aggression or abuse, and describe approaches to intervention that take advantage of what we know about common correlates of parent and partner aggression. Finally, we acknowledge fledgling collaborative efforts by service agencies to keep both children and parents safe and offer suggestions for training clinicians to address co-occurring aggression.
On some experiments in the approximate solution of differential equations with particular application to some vibration problems

Abstract A new criterion to obtain approximate solutions of differential equations is presented in this paper.It requires that the error function and its derivatives approximate the zero function as closely as possible over the domain under consideration. The criterion is used to solve for the normal modes of oscillation of a circular membrane and of a hanging chain. The solutions obtained are shown to be in excellent agreement with exact solutions. The proposed technique seems to yield smoother results than the collocation and the partition method (also called Biezeno-Koch method).
Global proteomics and metabolomics in cancer biomarker discovery

Chromatography and electrophoresis have been used for the last half-century to separate small and large molecules. Advances in MS instrumentation and techniques for sample introduction into the mass analyzer (i.e. matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and electrospray ionization), chromatography in all its formats and modes and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, including two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis, enabled the separation of complex biological mixtures, such as the proteome and the metabolome, in a biological sample. These advances have made it possible to identify compounds that can be used to discriminate between two samples taken from healthy and diseased individuals. The objective is to find proteins or metabolites that can be used as a clinical test for the early diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of the disease and the outcome of therapy. In this manuscript, we present an overview of what has been achieved in the search for biomarkers, with emphasis on cancer, using separation science and MS.
Controlling Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: an Effective Alternative Approach

Abstract Over the last several years, an increasing number of hospitals have implemented a "search and destroy" strategy for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) based on the successful use of this approach in The Netherlands. However, the effectiveness of this strategy for reducing high endemic rates of MRSA remains unclear, the cost is high, and there are significant unintended consequences. Alternative methods to control MRSA should be attempted, and a successful approach targeted to reduce infections from all pathogens is outlined and recommended.
The very late antigen family of heterodimers is part of a superfamily of molecules involved in adhesion and embryogenesis

Abstract The very late antigen (VLA) protein family contains at least five related heterodimers, including a fibronectin receptor structure, and probably other cell substrate adhesion receptors. These cell-surface VLA proteins were immunopurified from human placenta (VLA-1, VLA-3, and VLA-5), platelets (VLA-2), and Molt-4 cells (VLA-4) using a series of monoclonal antibody-Sepharose immunoaffinity columns. After further purification by gel electrophoresis, the N-terminal amino acid sequence for each of the five VLA alpha subunits was determined. In the first 14 positions, the five VLA alpha subunits showed an average of 42% homology to each other, rising to 59% including conservative amino acid substitutions. In addition, the alpha subunits from the LFA-1, Mac-1 (CR-3), and p150,95 family of heterodimers, the vitronectin receptor-platelet GPIIb/IIIa family, and a position-specific (PS) antigen important in Drosophila embryogenesis each showed average homologies of 31-40% to individual VLA alpha sequences and 46-52% homology to VLA alpha subunits including conservative substitutions. Taken together, these results suggest that the VLA proteins, the LFA-1, Mac-1, and p150,95 family, the GPIIb/IIIa, vitronectin receptor family, and the Drosophila PS antigens have evolved as four subgroups in a highly conserved supergene family of receptors involved in fundamentally important functions, such as cell adhesion, migration, and embryogenesis.
Alteration in subendocardial and subepicardial myocardial strain in patients with aortic valve stenosis: an early marker of left ventricular dysfunction?

Background It has been suggested that myocardial systolic impairment may not be accurately detected by the evaluation of endocardial excursion alone. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that changes in left ventricular (LV) subendocardial and subepicardial strain are sensitive markers of severity of aortic stenosis (AS) and LV function in patients with AS. Methods Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 73 consecutive patients with AS who had preserved systolic function and in 20 controls. Longitudinal strain, subendocardial radial strain, subepicardial radial strain, and transmural radial strain were measured using LV apical and short-axis images. Results The 73 patients enrolled in this study were classified according to AS severity: mild ( n = 10), moderate ( n = 15), or severe ( n = 48). Although transmural and subepicardial radial strain showed similar values in all groups, subendocardial radial strain and longitudinal strain could differentiate mild or moderate AS from severe AS. Only the ratio of subendocardial to subepicardial radial strain (the bilayer ratio) decreased significantly as the severity of AS increased. Bilayer ratio showed weak correlations with LV ejection fraction ( r = 0.37) and E/E′ ratio ( r = −0.33) and moderate correlations with LV mass ( r = −0.55) and aortic valve area ( r = 0.71). Moreover, bilayer ratio was independently associated with AS severity ( P = .001). In 21 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement, subendocardial radial strain and bilayer ratio increased 7 days after surgery, whereas other echocardiographic parameters of LV function showed no improvement. Conclusions Bilayer ratio can reliably differentiate patients with varying degrees of AS severity and is a sensitive marker of LV function. These findings suggest that the evaluation of subendocardial and subepicardial radial strain might be a novel method for assessing LV mechanics in patients with AS.
On Flame-Edge Propagation

Contemporary interest exists for understanding how reaction zones stabilize and counter-propagate against incoming reactants. Images of flame position, morphology and dynamics are presented primarily from CH planar laser-induced fluorescence (CH-PLIF) measurements. Observations of the leading-edge flame behavior with respect to upstream propagation and recession downstream are made with sequential CH-PLIF imaging, and data have been revisited in light of the recent research of McCraw et al. (Flow Turbul Combust 70(1):83–97, 2007). It is found that in cases where a distinct branch of the outer (fuel-lean) edge of the reaction zone is present, the edge of the flame is either witnessed to propagate upstream or locally disappear. In cases where no distinct branch other than the main branch is observed, the flame is witnessed to either remain stationary or drop back downstream. These observations support the notion that structures in the low speed, outer edge of the reaction zone are involved in the upstream phase of the flame propagation.
Temperature and velocity dependence of superfluid turbulence

Long glass tubes of rectangular cross section (10:1 aspect ratio) are shown to be ideal for the study of superfluid turbulence in He-II thermal counterflow. Analysis of thermal-resistance data from four tubes of different sizes yields definitive results for the velocity and temperature dependence of the equivalent homogeneous vortex line density ${L}_{0}$. The velocity dependence is found to be identical with that given by the Schwarz theory of homogeneous turbulence, or by a modified Vinen equation. The temperature dependence of ${L}_{0}$ (or of the Vinen parameter ratio $\frac{{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{1}}{{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{2}}$) is shown to be given approximately by the Schwarz theory. Reanalysis of earlier circular-tube data shows that $\frac{{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{1}}{{\ensuremath{\chi}}_{2}}$ is geometry dependent, but scales simply with the flow-tube hydraulic diameter. The experimental results are consistent with a simple phenomenological expression for the line density which is applicable to any size or shape of tube and any temperature. The critical heat current is shown to be in approximate agreement with the Vinen formula, although the critical region is found to be poorly defined. A universal and intuitively appealing condition for the critical heat current is found in terms of line density.
Automatic ECG quality scoring methodology: mimicking human annotators

An algorithm to determine the quality of electrocardiograms (ECGs) can enable inexperienced nurses and paramedics to record ECGs of sufficient diagnostic quality. Previously, we proposed an algorithm for determining if ECG recordings are of acceptable quality, which was entered in the PhysioNet Challenge 2011. In the present work, we propose an improved two-step algorithm, which first rejects ECGs with macroscopic errors (signal absent, large voltage shifts or saturation) and subsequently quantifies the noise (baseline, powerline or muscular noise) on a continuous scale. The performance of the improved algorithm was evaluated using the PhysioNet Challenge database (1500 ECGs rated by humans for signal quality). We achieved a classification accuracy of 92.3% on the training set and 90.0% on the test set. The improved algorithm is capable of detecting ECGs with macroscopic errors and giving the user a score of the overall quality. This allows the user to assess the degree of noise and decide if it is acceptable depending on the purpose of the recording.
In vitro lipogenesis in adipose tissue from alloxan-diabetic pigs (Sus domesticus)☆

1. 1. The effect of alloxan injection on lipogenesis in pig (Sus domesticus) adipose tissue was studied. The capacity for lipogenesis in adipose tissue slices from alloxan-diabetic pigs was very low when glucose-U-14C, pyruvate-3-14C or acetate-1-14C was supplied as a substrate. 2. 2. Addition of insulin to the incubation medium did not restore lipogenesis but subcutaneous injections of insulin completely restored the capacity for lipogenesis in adipose tissue slices from the diabetic pigs. 3. 3. Activities of NADP-malate dehydrogenase and citrate cleavage enzyme in adipose tissue of diabetic pigs appeared to respond to changes in fatty acid synthesis rather than causing the alterations in lipogenesis.
The variational method in atomic scattering

Abstract This paper reviews the application of the variational method to the scattering (both elastic and inelastic) of electrons and positrons by atoms. The coupled equations of scattering theory are formulated using a pseudostate expansion. The Kohn variational procedure for multichannel scattering is derived. Many variants are considered, including the inverse Kohn procedure, the “optimized minimum norm”, the “optimized anomaly free”, and the “variational least squares”. Applications to both model and realistic problems are described. Results obtained for scattering by hydrogen, and by complex atoms are discussed.
Pharmacology of Cefaclor in Normal Volunteers and Patients with Renal Failure

After a 500-mg dose of cefaclor, the mean peak plasma level was 12.4 mug/ml and after a 250-mg dose it was 5 mug/ml in normal volunteers. Food intake significantly reduced absorption. Probenecid prolonged plasma levels. Mean plasma half-life in normal volunteers was 0.8 h. Only about 50% of the dose was excreted in the urine within 4 h in normal volunteers. Plasma half-life in patients with renal insufficiency was only about 3 h, which suggests that cefaclor may be eliminated by nonrenal mechanisms in humans. Urinary levels of cefaclor were adequate to inhibit susceptible pathogens even in patients with moderately severe renal failure. Plasma half-life during hemodialysis was 2.1 h and rose to 2.8 h after dialysis.
New Directions for Understanding Neural Control in Swallowing: The Potential and Promise of Motor Learning

Oropharyngeal swallowing is a complex sensorimotor phenomenon that has had decades of research dedicated to understanding it more thoroughly. However, the underlying neural mechanisms responsible for normal and disordered swallowing remain very vague. We consider this gap in knowledge the result of swallowing research that has been broad (identifying phenomena) but not deep (identifying what controls the phenomena). The goals of this review are to address the complexity of motor control of oropharyngeal swallowing and to review the principles of motor learning based on limb movements as a model system. We compare this literature on limb motor learning to what is known about oropharyngeal function as a first step toward suggesting the use of motor learning principles in swallowing research.