cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 15909: Pacemaker and Implantable Defibrillator Lead Survival and Malfunction Study: Long-term Follow-up of the Sprint Fidelis Lead

Introduction: The Sprint Fidelis lead is the largest defibrillator lead ever recalled. Multiple independent studies have suggested that the manufacturer9s lead failure data significantly underestimates actual lead failure rates observed in clinical practice. Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that manufacturer reported data underestimates actual lead failure rates observed at a large implanting center. Methods: This study was approved by the Winthrop University Hospital9s IRB. All implanted Sprint Fidelis leads were retrospectively analyzed with respect to age, gender, ejection fraction, and implant approach. Lead failure included failure to capture/sense, abnormal impedance, fracture/insulation defect, dislodgement and/or perforation. Each suspected failure was independently confirmed by an individual who was blinded to the operator and patient identifiers. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were computed and a Cox regression was used to determine the relationship between survival and the continuous variable of age. Results were considered significant when p Results: A total of 795 leads were implanted by 5 physicians through October 2007 (595 men: 200 women) with a mean age of 70.8±12.7 years. The mean follow-up was 31.1±5.3 months with a total of 24 lead failures (3.02% failure rate). The first year lead survival was 99.9%, second year was 98.7%, third year was 96.1%, fourth year was 94.7% and the fifth year was 94.7%. 63.1% were implanted via cephalic venous and 36.9% via subclavian venous approach. There were no lead failure differences observed in our study based on age, gender, ejection fraction, or implant approach. Conclusions: This study used identical lead failure criteria as employed by the manufacturer and came up with more favorable lead survival results when compared to other independent studies. Manufacturer reported Sprint Fidelis lead failure rates do not underestimate real world clinical experience.
6 – ANTI-HEALTH FACTORS IN HARVESTED FORAGES

Harvested forages may contain toxicants that directly harm the ingesting animals, antipalatability factors that reduce dry matter intake (DMI), or antidigestibility factors that reduce digestibilityand often intake as well. Foreign material in harvested forages may be sorted out and remain unutilized or may be inadvertently consumed and then be harmful. Small metals consumed with the forage can cause a serious malady referred to as hardware disease. Dead rodents, rabbits, or birds may be bound up in hay bales and result in killing livestock by botulism if consumed. The botulism toxin can also occur in silage that spoils rather than properly ensiles during processing. Large masses of blister beetles killed during hay harvesting and included as contaminants in the hay have been found to be toxic to livestock because of an irritant chemical contained in the insect bodies. Insecticides with high toxicity to livestock can cause severe maladies when applied at excessive rates to the forage crop, when applied too soon before harvesting, or applied to hay after harvesting. Even high-quantity forages—those of high palatability and nutritive value—may cause or at least contribute to animal disorders. Thus, it is important to be alerted against and to understand the basic antihealth aspects of harvested forage, and how to prevent or reduce their consequences.
Dynamic regime identification and prediction based on observed behavior in electronic marketplaces

We present a method for an autonomous agent to identify dominant market conditions, such as oversupply or scarcity. The characteristics of economic regimes are learned from historic data and used, together with real-time observable information, to identify the current market regime and to forecast market changes. The approach is validated with data from the Trading Agent Competition for Supply Chain Management.
Hot Electron Diffusion in Superlattices

Hot electron diffusion in superlattices is studied by the Monte Carlo technique. As the applied electric field increases, the diffusion coefficient decreases. It has values comparable to those of the constituent materials.
Neuroleptic drugs in the treatment of acute psychosis: how much do we really know?

The efficacy of neuroleptic antipsychotic drugs has been well demonstrated and neuroleptics are the standard treatment of acute psychosis. However, important aspects of neuroleptic treatment, including course of response, optimal doses, and mechanism of action, remain poorly studied or controversial. Placebo-controlled studies of the onset of the response of acute psychosis to neuroleptics are few and yield conflicting results. Studies of the relationship of doses and blood levels to the therapeutic effects of neuroleptics suggest that the optimal range of doses and levels is narrow and that commonly used doses are too high. Finally, studies of the mechanism of action of neuroleptics suggest that the dopamine hypothesis is based on unsupported assumptions concerning drug effects, drug distribution, and effective doses of drug. Alternative hypotheses, that the antipsychotic effects of the neuroleptics are mediated, at least in part, through α1-adrenergic or serotonin 5-HT2 receptor antagonism, are reviewed. The evidence regarding these issues and controversies is discussed, and specific approaches to increase our understanding and enhance our use of the neuroleptics are suggested.
Dangers and Misconduct

This unit is divided into two parts. The first section accounts situations in which volunteers have been seriously injured or killed.
Seeking professional help for an eating disorder: The role of stigma, anticipated outcomes, and attitudes

The perceived stigma, anticipated outcomes, and attitudes towards counseling may deter those with an eating disorder from seeking the help they need. Part 1 (N = 145) of a twopart study was conducted to examine the relationship between self-stigma and the anticipated outcomes (risks and benefits) associated with seeking counseling on attitudes toward counseling among those currently experiencing or at risk for an eating disorder. The results of multiple hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that self-stigma, anticipated risks, and anticipated benefits significantly predicted attitudes towards seeking help for people with disordered eating. In addition, self-stigma had a stronger relationship with men’s attitudes towards seeking help than women’s and anticipated benefits had a stronger relationship with women’s attitudes than men’s. Part 2 (N = 676) used a pretest posttest experimental design to measure the effects of an educational intervention hypothesized to improve attitudes, increase the anticipated benefits and lessen the self-stigma, public stigma, and the anticipated risks associated with seeking counseling for an eating disorder. Against predictions, repeated measures Analysis of CoVariance (ANCOVA) demonstrated that the intervention had no significant effects on attitudes, self-stigma, anticipated risks, or anticipated benefits.
Such Beastly Behavior! Predation, Revenge, and the Question of Ethics

After a woman is dragged from her tent in the night and eaten by a bear in William Kittredge’s short story “We Are Not in This Together,” Halverson, the story’s protagonist, seeks “one bear, for a head, to mount on the wall, to get things even.” But what Halverson really searches for is the moment when the bear anticipates his own death: “There had to be time for thinking, and time for the bear, for hoping the animal might dimly sense the thing happening.” Likewise when a man checks his crab pots and is pulled under by a crocodile, or a boy is attacked by a tiger, or a young surfer loses her arm to a shark: in each case, their human communities demand revenge. McFarland’s chapter explores issues that converge in the behavior of predatory nonhuman animals and vengeful humans: for example, the notion that animals can “murder,” the belief that animals must be held accountable for their acts of “violence,” and the idea that humans can (and should) enact revenge against other species, demanding that animals pay a penalty for their actions.
Economic coercion and the problem of sanctions-proofing:

Although sanctions generate economic costs, target states may “sanctions-proof” their regime by borrowing capital from abroad. While some targets obtain interest-free capital from black knight stat...
S^3DNN: Supervised Streaming and Scheduling for GPU-Accelerated Real-Time DNN Workloads

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) are being widely applied in many advanced embedded systems that require autonomous decision making, e.g., autonomous driving and robotics. To handle resource-demanding DNN workloads, graphic processing units (GPUs) have been used as the main acceleration engine. Although much research has been conducted to algorithmically optimize the efficiency of applying DNN to applications such as object recognition, limited attention has been given to optimizing the execution of GPU-accelerated DNN workloads at the system level. In this paper, we propose S^3DNN, a system solution that optimizes the execution of DNN workloads on GPU in a real-time multi-tasking environment, which simultaneously optimizes the two (sometimes) conflicting goals of real-time correctness and throughput. S^3DNN contains a governor that selectively gathers system-wide DNN requests to perform smart data fusion, and a novel supervised streaming and scheduling framework that combines a deadline-aware scheduler with the concurrency-enabled CUDA stream technique. To simultaneously maximize concurrency-induced benefits and real-time performance, S^3DNN explores a rather interesting and unique characteristic of DNN workloads, where multiple layers of a DNN instance often exhibit a gradually decreased GPU resource utilization pattern. We have fully implemented S^3DNN in a GPU-accelerated system and have conducted extensive sets of experiments evaluating the efficacy of S^3DNN under a wide range of system and workload scenarios. The results show that S^3DNN significantly improves upon state-of-the-art GPU-accelerated DNN processing frameworks, e.g., up to 37% and over 40% improvements in real-time performance and throughput, respectively.
Incorporation of salinity, nitrogen, and shading stress factors into the Huesemann Algae Biomass Growth model

Abstract This research calibrates nitrogen, salinity and shading growth factors for The Huesemann Algae Biomass Growth (HABG) model. It continues the HABG approach of independently calibrating growth coefficients for specific strains prior to simulation of algal growth in open pond raceways. Several Regional Algal Feedstock Testbed (RAFT) had salinity stress, nitrogen limitation, and shading, which all reduced growth rate. The salinity effect appeared to be most significant in Scenedesmus obliquus experiments. In order to quantify these effects, laboratory experiments were carried out to measure growth response of S. obliquus to high salinity and limited nitrogen. In addition, the shading effect was estimated based on raceway geometry, solar angle, albedo, and measured light intensity data. The new salinity, shading, and nitrogen stress factors greatly improved the accuracy of the model with the observed growth conditions. Over-estimation was decreased from 90% to 22%. The methods developed in this study are straightforward and can be applied to other algae strains and raceways.
Differentiating stable buckle fractures from other distal radius fractures: the 1-cm rule

Treatment pathways for isolated distal radius fractures in children are becoming more tailored to specific fracture types and include different management plans for stable buckle fractures versus potentially unstable distal radius fractures. To propose a measurement rule to aid in differentiating stable buckle fractures from other distal radius fractures in children. A medical record search identified 203 children with closed distal radius fractures during a 14-month period. A consensus of two senior readers served as a reference standard to distinguish buckle fractures from other distal radius fractures. We measured fracture-to-physis distance on posteroanterior (PA) and lateral radiographs for each of the isolated distal radius fractures. We analyzed diagnostic accuracy, using fracture-to-physis distance as a predictor for buckle fractures, in children ages 3–16 years. We used a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to determine the cut-off values tested. There were 148 buckle fractures (73%) and 55 isolated potentially unstable distal radius fractures (27%). For children 7–16 years, buckle fracture-to-physis distance was <1 cm in only 1/106 (0.9%) on the PA projection and none on the lateral projection. Diagnostic accuracy for buckle fracture diagnosis was 82% using a cut-off of 14 mm (PA) and 13 mm (lateral). In children 3–6 years old, the buckle fracture-to-physis distance was <1 cm in 1/42 (2.4%) on the PA radiographs and another 1/42 (2.4%) on the lateral radiographs. Diagnostic accuracy was low for younger children for all tested distances. We propose utilizing a measurement rule to increase diagnostic accuracy for buckle fractures in children ≥7 years old. An isolated distal radius fracture in a child 7 years or older is not likely to be a buckle fracture if the fracture-to-physis distance is <1 cm.
The prognostic significance of lymph node micrometastasis in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Lymph node metastasis is a well known feature of poor prognosis in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. However, a significant proportion of apparently lymph node negative patients die early of metastatic disease. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and prognostic significance of occult lymph node metastasis in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS Lymph node sections from esophagectomy specimens of 78 patients with lymph node negative esophageal carcinoma (49 patients with adenocarcinoma and 29 with squamous cell carcinoma) were cut serially, it toto, and immunostained with the cytokeratin antibody AE1/AE3 and evaluated for occult lymph node metastasis. The results were correlated with the clinical and pathologic features and with patient survival. RESULTS Fifteen of 49 patients (31%) with adenocarcinoma and 5 of 29 patients (17%) with squamous cell carcinoma had occult lymph node metastasis detected by cytokeratin staining. In the adenocarcinoma patients, the presence of occult lymph node metastasis showed a significant correlation with increasing depth of invasion, but was not associated significantly with any other clinical or pathologic feature. In the squamous cell carcinoma patients, the presence of occult lymph node metastasis did not correlate significantly with any clinical or pathologic parameter, except that patients with occult lymph node metastasis were more likely to have received preoperative chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Occult lymph node metastasis did not correlate with poorer survival rates in patients with either adenocarcinoma (Cox proportional hazards ratio: 1.42; P = 0.46) or squamous cell carcinoma (Cox proportional hazards ratio: 0.86; P = 0.90). CONCLUSIONS Occult lymph node metastasis is not an independent poor prognostic feature in esophageal adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, the authors do not recommend extensive lymph node sectioning with keratin immunostaining for prognostication of patients with these malignancies. Cancer 1999;85:769–78. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Adverse reactions to sulfobromophthalein sodium. Report of 2 cases.

Reports on fatal and nonfatal reactions to sulfobromophthalein (BSP) continue to appear in the medical literature, though infrequently. In this paper, a review of these reports and 3 additional cases are presented. To avoid BSP reaction, the allergic history of the patient and his response to previous administration of BSP should be obtained. BSP should be administered slowly to avoid thrombophlebitis, and other precautionary measures, before, during, and after BSP injection, should be observed.
Esophageal Lengthening Procedures

The concept of acquired short esophagus is possibly one of the most controversial aspects in surgery for benign esophageal disease with esophageal lengthening procedures being useful techniques in the armamentarium of an upper GI surgeon. Esophageal lengthening procedures are required when there is a less than 2.5 cm of intra-abdominal esophagus. Conditions often associated with this include chronic GERD, giant hernia, and presence of a stricture; however, ultimately the need for a Collis gastroplasty can only be determined intraoperatively. Type II mobilization of the esophagus is critical to gaining length in addition to careful determination of the gastroesophageal junction. The modified Collis gastroplasty holds the potential to decrease recurrence and wrap failure in the properly selected patient population. It is associated with minimal morbidity with most studies demonstrating equivalent quality of life outcomes in comparison with fundoplication-only cohorts.
Hybrid Interactive and Didactic Teaching Format Improves Resident Retention and Attention Compared to Traditional Lectures

Purpose To compare the traditional lecture to a hybrid interactive and didactic teaching format with regards to radiology resident short- and long-term retention, as well as attention. Materials and Methods The tested hybrid format consists of a 30-minute didactic lecture followed by 30 minutes of interactive cases based on material from the lecture portion. Faculty members were randomly selected to give a 60-minute lecture or a hybrid presentation. To assess short- and long-term retention, a test developed from the presenter's slides was sent to all residents approximately 15 minutes after each presentation, and again approximately 3 months later. The presenters were blinded to the survey questions. Attention was assessed by comparing the proportion of questions answered correctly from each quarter of the presentation. Equality in difficulty of questions was validated across teaching methods. Results For 6 hybrid presentations, 106 and 60 retention tests were submitted, answering 848 and 480 short- and long-term survey questions, respectively. For 6 lectures, 91 and 55 retention tests were submitted, answering 728 and 440 short- and long-term survey questions, respectively. Short-term retention was 75.7% (640/848) for hybrid presentations, versus 63.2% (460/728) for lectures (p Conclusion A hybrid interactive and didactic teaching format for radiology residents demonstrates better short-term retention, long-term retention, and attention when compared to traditional lectures.
Perspectives of English, Chinese, and Spanish-Speaking Safety-Net Patients on Clinician Computer Use: Qualitative Analysis

Background: Safety-net systems serve patients with limited health literacy and limited English proficiency (LEP) who face communication barriers. However, little is known about how diverse safety-net patients feel about increasing clinician electronic health record (EHR) use. Objective: The aim of this study was to better understand how safety-net patients, including those with LEP, view clinician EHR use. Methods: We conducted focus groups in English, Spanish, and Cantonese (N=37) to elicit patient perspectives on how clinicians use EHRs during clinic visits. Using a grounded theory approach, we coded transcripts to identify key themes. Results: Across multiple language groups, participants accepted multitasking and silent clinician EHR use if focused on their care. However, participants desired more screen share and eye contact, especially when demonstrating physical concerns. All participants, including LEP participants, wanted clinicians to include them in EHR use. Conclusions: Linguistically diverse patients accept the value of EHR use during outpatient visits but desire more eye contact, verbal warnings before EHR use, and screen-sharing. Safety-net health systems should support clinicians in completing EHR-related tasks during the visit using patient-centered strategies for all patients.
Conversion Total Knee Arthroplasty Needs Its Own Diagnosis-Related Group Code

Abstract Background Conversion from a prior knee procedure has been demonstrated to require greater operative times and resources, but still lacks a separate procedural or facility code from primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study is to determine differences in facility costs between patients who underwent primary TKA and those who underwent conversion TKA. Methods We retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of patients undergoing primary TKA at 2 hospitals from 2015 to 2017, comparing itemized facility costs between primary and conversion TKA patients. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for increased facility costs, the need for additional implants, length of stay, and discharge disposition. Results Of 2447 TKA procedures, 678 (27.7%) underwent conversion TKA, which was associated with greater implant costs ($3931.47 vs $2864.67, P = .0120) and total facility costs in a multivariate regression ($94.30 increase, P = .0316). When controlling for confounding variables, patients with a prior ligament reconstruction ($402 increase, P = .0002) and prior open reduction and internal fixation ($847 increase, P = .0020) had higher costs and were more likely to require stemmed implants (P Conclusion Conversion TKA is associated with greater implant and inpatient facility costs than primary TKA, particularly those who had a history of an open knee procedure. A separate diagnosis-related group should be created for conversion TKA given the increased cost and complexity of these procedures compared to primary TKA.
The costs of dementia subtypes to California Medicare fee-for-service, 2015

Abstract Introduction Dementia is among the costliest of medical conditions, but it is not known how these costs vary by dementia subtype. Methods The effect of dementia diagnosis subtype on direct health care costs and utilization was estimated using 2015 California Medicare fee-for-service data. Potential drivers of increased costs in Lewy body dementia (LBD), in comparison to Alzheimer's disease, were tested. Results 3,001,987 Medicare beneficiaries were identified, of which 8.2% had a dementia diagnosis. Unspecified dementia was the most common diagnostic category (59.6%), followed by Alzheimer's disease (23.2%). LBD was the costliest subtype to Medicare, on average, followed by vascular dementia. The higher costs in LBD were explained in part by falls, urinary incontinence or infection, depression, anxiety, dehydration, and delirium. Discussion Dementia subtype is an important predictor of health care costs. Earlier identification and targeted treatment might mitigate the costs associated with co-occurring conditions in LBD.
Seizure Prophylaxis in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Comparative Study of Levetiracetam and Phenytoin Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels in Trauma Patients with Signs of Increased Intracranial Pressure Requiring Ventriculostomy.

Background One of the most common life-threatening injuries to trauma patients arriving in the emergency department (ED) is traumatic brain injury (TBI). Traditionally, intravenous medications have been given as seizure prophylaxis in patients demonstrating signs of increased intracranial pressure (ICP), as post-traumatic seizures in trauma patients are associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Medications traditionally given for this indication such as phenytoin have been established to reach therapeutic levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) quickly and are effective in preventing post-traumatic seizures but often have a large side-effect profile. A newer medication that is being used for seizure prophylaxis in patients with epilepsy is levetiracetam. Levetiracetam typically has a better side effect profile, but it has not been demonstrated that the drug reaches therapeutic levels in the CSF as quickly as phenytoin. Studies have shown levetiracetam and phenytoin to be equivocal in the prevention of post-TBI seizure prophylaxis. Methods This was a prospective, randomized, case-control study at a Level II trauma center of adult patients (age >/= 18 years) who suffered severe TBI (sTBI) requiring the placement of an external ventricular drain (EVD) from May 2017 to June 2018. Twelve patients were randomly placed into one of two groups for the administration of antiepileptic medication (either levetiracetam or phenytoin), allowing for the subsequent serial collection of CSF for the analysis of therapeutic levels of antiepileptic medications. Levetiracetam or phenytoin was administered at standardized fixed doses per our neurosurgical center standard protocol. CSF was collected before either drug was administered, 60 minutes after completion of administration and 360 minutes after completion of drug administration. Data analysis was performed to compare the time frame for which therapeutic levels of the medications were achieved in the CSF. The published steady-state and therapeutic CSF level of levetiracetam is 32 mcg/ml and phenytoin is 2 mcg/ml. Results A trend was observed in which the closer the fixed dosage approximated the weight-based dosing of phenytoin, the more their CSF phenytoin level increased (and approximated the therapeutic range) with an associated R-squared value of 0.6274. This trend was not found in patients receiving levetiracetam. Conclusions Levetiracetam does not reach levels needed for seizure prophylaxis in human CSF when loaded at standard dosing regimens in the acute setting. Phenytoin does reach levels needed for seizure prophylaxis in human CSF with standardized regimen dosing when dosages approximate weight-based dosing. If needed, in the acute setting phenytoin should have additional doses given prior to six hours after the loading dose to achieve therapeutic CSF levels.
Ex-Vivo Fucosylation Improves the Anti-Graft-Versus-Host-Disease Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the NOD/SCID/IL-2R Null Mouse Model

Abstract BACKGROUND: Graft versus host disease (GVHD) remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Due to their immunomodulatory properties, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have produced durable responses in HSCT patients with steroid resistant GVHD, but their positive effects are not seen in all patients. Sackstein et al have shown that MSCs lack an E-selectin ligand on their surface, which impairs their ability to home to the bone marrow and potentially to sites of inflammation associated with GVHD. Our in vitro results confirmed that fucosylation markedly enhanced the E-selectin ligand expression on the MSC cell surface and did not adversely affected MSCs immunomodulatory properties. Hencewe postulated that ex-vivo fucosylation of MSCs would enhance their homing to sites of inflammantion and thus their clinical efficacy in our NOD/ SCID/IL-2R null (NSG) mouse model of GVHD. METHODS: On day -1 NSG mice were sub-lethally irradiated (300cGy) and infused with 2x106 fucosylated MSCs. Briefly, healthy bone marrow donor derived MSCs were treated for 30 minutes at room temperature with FT-VI (33ng/ml) and GDP-fucose (1mM) (Targazyme, Carlsbad, CA), and then washed prior to tail vein injection. Control mice received 2x106 unfucosylated MSCs or no MSCs. On day 0 all mice received 1x107 normal human donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs), representing a MSCs:PBMNCs ratio of 1:5. Mice were then followed for weight loss, clinical GVHD score and survival. RESULTS: We found that a single dose of FT-VI treated MSCs reduced the acute severity of GVHD compared to unfucosylated MSCs and no MSCs (PBMNCs alone) in this xenogeneic mouse model. This was shown by prevention of weight loss (Fig. 1a), and lower GVHD scores (Fig 1b) in the FT-VI treated MSCs mice. Furthermore, when short-term survival was compared among the subgroups, unfucosylated MSCs did not significantly improve short-term survival over PBMNCs group (P=0.3) (Fig. 2a). However, FT-VI treated MSCs mice showed a significantly longer short-term survival compared to PBMNCs group (P=0.002) (Fig. 2b) and untreated MSCs mice (P=0.02) (Fig. 2c). CONCLUSION. Our data suggest that fucosylated MSCs exert a better anti-GVHD effect at a similar dose than unfucosylated MSCs. Additional data is being generated to confirm these preliminary results and optimize the dose and schedule of fucosylated MSCs. Download : Download high-res image (131KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Architecture of Airport Terminals: Gateway To A City

This paper looks at Airport Terminals as icons in a city and the design aspects for the Terminal building which is the interface between ground & air transport. The architecture of Terminal building involves diverse perspectives of analysis and understanding. As glamorous gateways to a city, Airports are representative and first impressions of the city. Hence, form and function of Terminal buildings are both equally prime aspects of planning & design. Cities vie for world class airports- domestic or international, as they are a city’s pride like any other monument or landmark, catering to visitors across cities and nations. Airports are generally planned for a longer life term functioning at least for half a century with intent of good possibility of future expansion. A Terminal has two sides to it; land-side and air-side. While passenger comfort and safety are of utmost importance, on air-side the operational activities of the aircrafts require critical planning and management. They are large establishments involving architecture and technical design detailing at various scales. Apart from the primary objectives of passenger needs, airline operational needs, airport management- safety & security, there is a community objective as well; which involves a facility for citizens; airport building itself being an aesthetic and integral part of the city. Indian cities are witnessing unprecedented growth in air travel and expectations of a good experience at the Airport is deemed prerogative. ‘Green Airports’ are the current theme in India going the social & environmental way of design & conceptualization.
Natural Killer Cells

Natural killer (NK) cells represent a distinct lineage of lymphocyte that is conserved in all mammals. Their dominant role is to protect against infection prior to the appearance of effective T cell responses. They may also be important, however, to antitumor responses, and to coordination of adaptive immunity. Functionally, they are much like cytotoxic T cells in using granules containing perforin and granzymes to kill target cells; they also secrete many immune-coordinating cytokines, foremost of which is interferon-γ. Recent studies show NK cells to be more complex than previously suspected – transiting a multisite and multistage developmental process, engaging in critical interactions with accessory cells, and using a panoply of receptors to recognize targets. This chapter summarizes these elements of NK biology, in addition to NK cell assays and chemical agents that modulate NK function.
Inhibition of IGF-1 receptor and alternate cancer targets by nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) analogs

LB-298 NDGA is a lignan isolated from the resinous extract of the creosote bush Larrea divaricata previously investigated as an anti-cancer agent. Numerous reports document the ability of NDGA to inhibit the growth of cancer cell lines in culture and in vivo, and NDGA is currently being investigated in a Phase 1 trial of prostate cancer patients at UCSF. The mechanisms whereby NDGA exerts its effects remain unclear, as numerous enzyme targets and diverse cellular effects have been reported. Previously, we demonstrated that NDGA directly inhibits the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and the c-erbB2/HER2/neu receptor in vitro, and that its ability to inhibit growth of breast cancer cells in culture and in vivo was associated with a blockade of these signaling pathways. Herein we pursue the hypothesis that the structure of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) can be refined for selective potency against the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) as a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer while diminishing its action against other cellular targets. Thus, a set of 8 NDGA analogs was prepared and examined for inhibitory potency against several reported targets of NDGA that could contribute to anti-cancer activity. Purified kinase domain peptides were employed to study the efficacy of these analogs at inhibiting the IGF-1R, HER2, and PDGFR tyrosine kinases. Activity against 15-lipoxygenase (15 LOX) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) was also determined in cell free assays. The anti-cancer effects of these compounds were determined by their ability to inhibit growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The design of the analogs was based upon a cursory Topliss approach in which one of NDGA’s aromatic rings was modified with various substituents. Structural modification of one of the two catechol rings of NDGA was found to have little effect upon the inhibitory potency against both kinase activity of the IGF-1R and IGF-1 mediated cell growth of MCF-7 cells. 15-LOX was found to be most sensitive to structural modifications of NDGA. From the limited series of NDGA analogs examined, one cyclic compound with a framework similar to a natural product isolated from Larrea divaricata exhibited the greatest selectivity for IGF-1 mediated growth compared to inhibition of alternate targets such as 15-LOX and PDGFR. The results for this compound are significant because of its greater specificity towards the breast cancer target IGF-1R, less ubiquitous activity against general RTKs, and, importantly, a 10-fold weaker potency against 15-LOX, an enzyme which has a purported tumor suppressing role in breast cancer. With increased specificity and potency, synthetic analogs of NDGA may serve as new leads in developing novel therapeutic agents for breast and other cancers.
Efficient and robust phase-split computations in the internal energy, volume, and moles (UVN) space

Abstract Phase-split computations in an isolated system, which in general may be defined as one where the total internal energy (U), volume (V), and the number of moles ( N = N 1 , N 2 , … , N n ) of the components are fixed at some specified set of values, involves the determination of the temperature (T), pressure (P), plus the amount and composition of the various phases that constitute the system. A simpler, but analogous problem is one where T, P, and N are specified instead. In TPN space, one may first perform a stability analysis to determine whether the system is stable, meaning whether at equilibrium it will split up into multiple phases or remain in single phase. If the single-phase state is unstable, the stability analysis reliably provides a good set of initial guesses in the subsequent phase-split computations. In UVN space, however, we demonstrate that the stability analysis (which is the main subject of our earlier study [1]) may not in general provide good enough initial guesses; we offer alternative strategies for setting up good initial guesses. Furthermore, we show that a combination of successive substitution iteration (SSI) and Newton's method---two iterative methods that are prevalent in the literature in TPN space---facilitates a robust and efficient algorithm for phase-split computations in isolated systems. This combination has so far not been applied in UVN space.
Single dose toxicity of 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN, NSC-21206), methylmercaptopurineriboside (6-MMPR, NSC-40774), and L-aspartic acid-N-phosphonoacetyl disodiumsalt (PALA, NSC-224131) in beagle dogs

4345 MAP, a combination of 6-AN, 6-MMPR, and PALA, is a potential therapeutic anticancer regimen that depletes tumoral ATP and increases tumor regression. A toxicity study was conducted using Beagle dogs to identify target organs and its reversibility. Male and female dogs were administered a single iv dose of 6-AN (6-aminonicotinamide), 6-MMPR (methylmercaptopurineriboside), and PALA (L-aspartic acid-N-phosphonoacetyl disodiumsalt). Two dogs/sex/group were given vehicle or PALA on Day 1 and vehicle and/or 6-MMPR and/or 6-AN on Day 2 to reflect the intended clinical protocol. PALA (12.5 mg/kg) and 6-MMPR (7.5 mg/kg) dosages were kept constant, whereas the 6-AN dose varied. By group, the dosing regimen was vehicle only (Group 1); PALA/6-MMPR (Group 2); 6-AN only (Group 3); and PALA/6-MMPR with 6-AN (0.25, 0.75, and 1.5 mg/kg; Groups 4, 5, and 6, respectively). Necropsies were performed on Days 8 and 33 (1 dog/sex/group/necropsy day). There were no changes in clinical observations or body weights that were attributed to any of the test articles. Mild, reversible increases in ALP, AST, ALT, and/or GGT on Days 5 and/or 8, indicated the presence of hepatocellular alteration (increased transaminases), stress (increased ALPs), and cholestasis (increased ALP and GGT). These results were most likely due to PALA and/or 6-MMPR, since all of the affected groups received both of these test articles with or without 6-AN and Group 3, which did not exhibit these enzyme changes, received only 6-AN. Terminal body weight and gross and microscopic pathology results did not indicate any evidence of drug-related toxicity. Increased ALP, ALT, AST, and GGT noted in some dogs given PALA and 6-MMPR indicated hepatocellular alteration and cholestasis, but no microscopic pathology correlates could be found for these biochemical changes. Based on the clinical pathology findings, the liver was considered a target organ. The no-observable-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) is less than 12.5 mg/kg for PALA in combination with 7.5 mg/kg for 6-MMPR when administered with or without 6-AN. The NOAEL for 6-AN is greater than 1.5 mg/kg since no signs of toxicity were seen when administered alone or in combination with PALA and 6-MMPR (supported by NCI Contract N01-CM-42200 under the NCI RAID Program).
Spin-orbit coupling and weak antilocalization in the thermoelectric material β-K₂Bi₈Se₁₃.

We have studied the effect of spin–orbital coupling (SOC) on the electronic transport properties of the thermoelectric material -K2Bi8Se13 via magnetoresistance measurements. We found that the strong SOC in this material results in the weak antilocalization (WAL) effect, which can be described well by a three-dimensional weak localization model. The phase coherence length extracted from theoretical fitting exhibits a power-law temperature dependence, with an exponent around 2.1, indicating that the electron dephasing is governed by electron–transverse phonon interactions. As in topological insulators, the WAL effect in -K2Bi8Se13 can be quenched by magnetic impurities (Mn) but is robust against non-magnetic impurities (Te). Although our magnetotransport studies provide no evidence for topological surface states, our analyses suggest that SOC plays an important role in determining the thermoelectric properties of -K2Bi8Se13.
Psalm 104: The Panorama of Life:

Psalm 104 is a majestic hymn to creation, a dynamic corollary to the more formal presentation of the creation of the world in Genesis 1. Reflection upon some of the passages provides us with insigh...
The relationship between prior military education and academic performance in an online technology management undergraduate program

This study examined the relationship between academic performance and prior military service through the use of two models: A logit model to determine the effect of prior military education on the probability that a student will graduate from a Technology Management program within three years of enrollment, and a fixed-effects regression model to determine the effect that prior military education has on academic performance (measured by grade point average). In both cases, the study controlled for variables such as age, gender, and the total number of credit hours the student transferred in to the program. The results of the logit model suggest that there is no statistically significant relationship between the probability that a student will graduate within three years and the student's age, gender, number of transfer credits, or prior military experience. However, the outcomes also indicate that while the independent variables have little stand-alone value, when taken in totality the model's predictive power is significant. The results of the regression model provide no evidence of statistical significance between academic performance and prior military experience. This model did, however, uncovered significant results beyond the scope of this study, indicating a future line of inquiry focusing on gender, military experience, and student success.
Genetic studies exposing the splicing events involved in herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-associated transcript production during lytic and latent infection.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) establishes latency in sensory neurons, a state in which the viral lytic genes are silenced and only the latency locus is transcriptionally active, producing the 2.0- and 1.5-kb latency-associated transcripts (LATs). Previous experimental evidence indicates that the LATs are stable introns, and it has been reported that LAT formation is abolished by debilitating substitution mutations in the predicted splice sites during lytic infection but not latency (J. L. Arthur et al., J. Gen. Virol. 79:107–116, 1998). We have independently studied a set of deletion mutations to explore the roles of the proposed splice sites during lytic and latent infection. HSV-1 mutant viruses missing the invariant intron-terminal 5′-G(T/C) or 3′-AG dinucleotides were analyzed for LAT formation during lytic infection in vitro, when only the 2-kb LAT is produced, and during latency in mouse trigeminal ganglia, where both LATs are expressed. Northern blot analysis of total RNAs from different productively infected cell lines showed that the lytic (2-kb) LAT was not expressed by the various splice site deletion mutants. In vivo studies using a mouse eye model of latency similarly showed that the latent (2- and 1.5-kb) LATs were not expressed by the mutants. PCR analysis with primers flanking the LAT sequence revealed the expected splice junction for LAT excision in RNA from sensory neurons latently infected with wild-type but not mutant virus. Using a virus mutant deleted in the splicing signals flanking the 556-bp region of LAT whose absence distinguishes the 1.5- and 2-kb LATs, we observed selective elimination of 1.5-kb LAT expression in latency, supporting previous suggestions that the internal region is removed by splicing. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the 2-kb LAT is formed during both lytic and latent infection by splicing at the predicted splice sites and that an additional splicing event is involved in the latency-restricted production of the 1.5-kb LAT. We have also mapped the 3′ end of the lytic 2-kb LAT and discuss our results in the context of previous models addressing the unusual stability of the LATs.
Inhomogeneous conduction in the A-V node. A model for re-entry.

Abstract Inhomogeneous conduction in the A-V node as well as concealed and manifest A-V nodal re-excitation were observed in isolated, perfused rabbit hearts during the course of electrophysiologic studies on A-V transmission in 98 experiments. Through the use of two simultaneously impaled glass microelectrodes in the A-V junctional tissues, spread of excitation in this region was studied with reference to the atrial and ventricular electrograms. Re-excitation followed in the wake of prolonged A-V conduction and occurred in an area of the A-V transmission system in which conduction was most severely depressed. In some instances, inhomogeneity of conduction permitted a slow but successful transmission in one region of the specialized conducting system with diminution in another. Thus, the impulse was permitted to travel preferentially through the left side of the A-V node, turn and be transmitted in a retrograde fashion along the right side of the A-V junction, where forward conduction was blocked. These results were obtained in the presence of both sinus and A-V junctional beats, and appeared to be compatible with the concept of re-entry.
Measuring process change in primary care using real-time location systems: Feasibility and the results of a natural experiment

Introduction: Objectively measuring the effect of primary care process interventions is very challenging. Real time location systems RTLS hold the potential to solve this problem. Methods: An outpatient clinic was outfitted with a RTLS based on active-RFID radiofrequency identification. Staff and patients volunteered to wear RFID transponders which unobtrusively recorded time and location. Wearers were identified only by their role: Patient, MA, RN, MD. The clinical process intervention consisted of reorganizing how medical assistants were utilized from a ad hoc common pool of medical assistants to dedicated assignment of medical assistants. Process measures were recorded before, during and after the intervention. Results: 230 unique patient encounters were recorded from October 2009--January 2010. Eight MDs, 7 MA and 6 RNs participated. Total flow time was significantly decreased while waiting room time was increased. Variance was significantly reduced for both total flow time and face time. In-room wait time and patient face time were decreased, though this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Objectively measuring process change in primary care is feasible using RTLS. In this case the intervention resulted in the waiting room being used more effectively as a process buffer smoothing flow and potentially increasing clinic capacity.
Effect of iron on growth, cytochromes, glycogen and fatty acids of Tetrahymena pyriformis.

Although the iron concentration in 2% proteose-peptone was found to be about the same as in chemically defined media, the addition of inorganic iron salts produced a dramatic acceleration of growth and marked alterations in the me tabolism of the ciliated protozoan, Tetrahymena pyriformis. In well aerated cultures, iron supplementation resulted in marked increases in pyridine hemochromogen con centration, conversion of heme to cytochrome, glycogen concentration, degree of un- saturation of fatty acids and cell population. The ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyr iformis bears a striking resemblance to mammals in certain aspects of its metabo lism and nutritional requirements. The re cent discovery that this unicellular organ ism contains an adrenergic system (1), and the isolation of epinephrine (2) and serotonin (3) from the organism, indicate that it would make a promising model sys tem for the study of metabolic controls in higher mammals. It has been used to study protein quality (4) and the litera ture is replete with references (5) indicat ing the validity of using Tetrahymena as a model for the study of nutritional inter relationships in mammals. Under conditions of carbohydrate depri vation, the organism is highly glyconeo-
Length-Torque Measurement: An Integration of Neuromuscular Physiology and Biomechanics.

(1975). Length-Torque Measurement: An Integration of Neuromuscular Physiology and Biomechanics. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 81-87.