cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcome of Salvage Therapy in Patients (pts) with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Who Failed Imatinib after Developing BCR-ABL Kinase Mutation.

Abstract Resistance to imatinib among pts with CML is most often associated with point mutations in the Bcr-Abl kinase domain. Novel kinase inhibitors have shown activity against both imatinib resistant BCR-ABL mutant and non-mutant kinases. Other investigational agents have been used to treat pts who develop resistance to imatinib. We assessed the outcome of different salvage therapies in 40 pts with CML (chronic phase [CP] n=21, accelerated phase [AP] n=16, blast phase [BP] n=3) harboring 20 different protein kinase mutations. The most common mutations were G250E (n=5, 13%), E355G/A (n=4, 10%), and F317L (n=4, 10%). Seventeen (42%) had P-loop mutations and 3 (8%) had T315I. Salvage therapy after imatinib failure included allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in 9 pts (CP n=3, AP n=3, BP n=3); combination of tipifarnib (a farnesyl transferase inhibitor [FTI]) and imatinib in 10 pts; lonafarnib (an FTI) and imatinib combination in 9 pts (CP n=2, AP n=7), decitabine and imatinib in 3 pts (CP n=1, AP n=2); single agent decitabine or lonafarnib in 2 pts each (CP n=1, AP n=1); homoharingtonine (HHT) in 2 pts in CP; and high-dose imatinib in 3 pts (CP n=1, AP n=2). All pts undergoing ASCT achieved a molecular remission; 2 later relapsed after 7 months, one in BP (Q252H) and one in AP (T315I). Six of the 10 pts treated with tipifarnib/imatinib responded (4 partial cytogenetic response [CGPR] and 2 complete hematologic response [CHR]); 4/6 lost their response after a median of 5 months (range, 2–8 months) and two patients in CP have remained in CGPR (M244V) and CHR (G250E) after 8 and 3 months, respectively. Three pts in AP treated with lonafarnib/imatinib had a response lasting a median of 6 months (range, 4–8 months); responses were CGPR (Y253H), CHR (F359V), and partial hematologic response (PHR) (E292V). Two patients treated with HHT achieved, respectively, a complete cytogenetic response (CGCR) (D276G), and a CHR (G250E+Y253H); responses were lost after 7 months. High dose imatinib was effective in all patients treated: one patient in CP achieved a CGPR (L298V) that lasted for 11 months, one in AP achieved a transient CHR (M244V) for 3 months, and one in AP (V299L) achieved a minor cytogenetic response sustained for 21 months. None of the patients treated with lonafarnib monotherapy or decitabine based therapy responded. Of the 3 pts with T315I, one received tipifarnib/imatinib and achieved a CGPR for 3 months, followed by ASCT with a sustained molecular remission for 12+ months; the second had an ASCT and relapsed 7 months later; and the third received decitabine/imatinib with no response. We conclude that ASCT remains an important salvage option for pts who develop resistance to imatinib through Bcr-Abl mutations. Although responses were transient, the combination of imatinib and FTI therapies may overcome resistance in some pts. Early introduction of such therapies may result in better outcome.
Aeroheating Measurements of BOLT Aerodynamic Fairings and Transition Module

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) has sponsored the Boundary Layer Transition (BOLT) Experiments to investigate hypersonic boundary layer transition on a low-curvature, concave surface with swept leading edges. This paper presents aeroheating measurements on a subscale model of the BOLT Flight Geometry, aerodynamic fairings, and Transition Module (TSM) in the NASA Langley 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel. The purpose of the test was to investigate and identify any areas of localized heating on the TSM for inclusion in the BOLT Critical Design Review (CDR). Surface heating distributions were measured using global phosphor thermography, and data were obtained for a range of model attitudes and free stream Reynolds numbers. Measurements showed low heating on the fairings and TSM. Additional analysis was completed after the CDR to compare heating on the TSM for the nominal BOLT vehicle reentry angle-of-attack with heating on the TSM for possible reentry angle-of-attack excursions. The results of this analysis were used in conjunction with thermal analyses from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (JHU/APL) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to assess the need for thermal protection on the flight vehicle TSM.
Modeling of dynamic compatibilities between high-Z and low-Z in-vessel component materials under DT-plasma bombardment in a fusion device

If in-vessel components in a fusion device are made of two or more different materials, materials mixing will take place via erosion and redeposition. Such materials mixing can alter surface characteristics significantly, which then impacts on the plasma interactions behavior. This is particularly true if low-Z and high-Z materials are mixed up, where Z is the atomic number. Discussed in this report are the dynamic compatibilities between these materials under DT-plasma particle bombardment. 16 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.
Tocilizumab in Coronavirus Disease 2019-Related Critical Illness: A Propensity Matched Analysis

The primary objective was to evaluate ICU mortality at 28 days in patients with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure due to coronavirus disease 2019 infection who received tocilizumab The secondary objectives were to evaluate ICU-, hospital-, mechanical ventilation-, and vasopressor-free days at day 28 and development of secondary infections Design: Retrospective, observational, multicenter, cohort study between March 15, 2020, and May 31, 2020 Using propensity score matching based on ICU admission source, C-reactive protein, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, vasopressor use, age, race, weight, and mechanical ventilation, patients who received tocilizumab were matched to patients who did not receive tocilizumab Setting: Ten hospitals within the Cleveland Clinic Enterprise PATIENTS: Adult patients admitted to a medical, surgical, neurosciences, or mixed ICU with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection Interventions: None Measurements and Main Results: Four-hundred forty-four patients were included: 342 patients (77%) did not receive tocilizumab and 102 patients (23%) received tocilizumab Of those, 82 patients in each arm were matched Before matching, patients who received tocilizumab had higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (6 1 +/- 3 4 vs 4 7 +/- 3 6), higher C-reactive protein (21 0 +/- 10 2 vs 13 7 +/- 9 6 mg/dL), higher frequency of intubation, vasopressor requirement, and paralytics After matching, characteristics were more balanced and over 85% of patients required mechanical ventilation ICU mortality was lower in tocilizumab group (23 2% vs 37 8%;risk difference, -15%;95% CI, -29% to -1%), with more ICU-, hospital-, and vasoactive-free days at day 28 compared with those who did not receive tocilizumab There was no difference in mechanical ventilation-free days at day 28 or development of secondary infections Conclusions: Tocilizumab use was associated with a significant decrease in ICU mortality in critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 patients with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure Future randomized controlled trials limited to tocilizumab administration in critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 patients, with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure, are needed to support these findings
Regiodivergent Synthesis of Spirocyclic Compounds through Pd-Catalyzed Regio- and Enantioselective [3+2] Spiroannulation

A novel Pd0 -catalyzed highly regio- and enantioselective [3+2] spiroannulation reaction has been developed for rapid assembly of a new class of [5,5] spirocyclic carbo- and heterocycles. Notably, the regioselectivity could be dominated by fine-tuning of the Pd-π-allyl intermediate. An array of coupling partners could be well-tolerated with excellent regio-, and enantioselectivities. Moreover, the potential application of this reaction was exemplified by several further transformations.
Advancing CLIL as Bilingual Pedagogy and Performance in Spain: A Commentary from ‘el Otro Lado del Charco’

Being mindful of his positionality as a scholar working in the United States of America, del otro lado del charco, the author suggests future challenges and ways forward for CLIL characteriszation, implementation, and research in light of the state-of-the-art work presented in this timely edited volume. In asserting how this work advances CLIL as bilingual pedagogy and performance, Aquino-Sterling outlines how Perez-Canado and colleagues, by virtue of their sound and comprehensive study, render CLIL as an evidence-based approach to bilingual education; one that, when implemented in contextually and pedagogically informed ways, has the potential to yield positive impactful results. Furthermore, this commentary suggests ways in which CLIL could continue to serve as a powerful pedagogical force for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within Spain’s culturally and linguistically diverse classroom contexts. Drawing on the critical multilingual tradition in Spain, the author frames CLIL within its continued potential to serve as a humanising and socially engaged bilingual pedagogy for all.
Underwater Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for 10 mm or Larger Nonpedunculated Colorectal Polyps: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background/aims Recent studies have reported the favorable outcomes of underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) for colorectal polyps. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy and safety of UEMR for nonpedunculated polyps ≥10 mm. Methods We performed a comprehensive search of multiple databases (through May 2020) to identify studies reporting the outcomes of UEMR for ≥10 mm nonpedunculated colorectal polyps. The assessed outcomes were recurrence rate on the first follow-up, en bloc resection, incomplete resection, and adverse events after UEMR. Results A total of 1276 polyps from 16 articles were included in our study. The recurrence rate was 7.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.3-12) and 5.9% (95% CI, 3.6-9.4) for nonpedunculated polyps ≥10 and ≥20 mm, respectively. For nonpedunculated polyps ≥10 mm, the en bloc resection, R0 resection, and incomplete resection rates were 57.7% (95% CI, 42.4-71.6), 58.9% (95% CI, 42.4-73.6), and 1.5% (95% CI, 0.8-2.6), respectively. The rates of pooled adverse events, intraprocedural bleeding, and delayed bleeding were 7.0%, 5.4%, and 2.9%, respectively. The rate of perforation and postpolypectomy syndrome was 0.8%. Conclusions Our systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates that UEMR for nonpedunculated colorectal polyps ≥10 mm is safe and effective with a low rate of recurrence.
Complexity leadership and followership: Changed leadership in a changed world

All who have experienced the global pandemic of 2020 can tell you that we live in a changed world. People no longer question whether we are in complexity, that reality has been made explicitly clea...
Network Module-based Drug Repositioning for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disorder characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary arterial pressure. PAH is a highly morbid cardiopulmonary disease adversely affecting lifespan and quality of life. Despite increased awareness and advances of medical therapies in recent decades, long-term prognosis and survival remain poor for patients with PAH. Novel therapies that can target the underlying pathobiology of PAH and reverse pulmonary vascular remodeling are clearly needed. In this study, we develop a network module-based framework to examine potential drug repositioning for PAH. The rationale for this approach is that in order to have therapeutic effects, the targets of potential drugs must be significantly proximate to the disease module of interest in the human protein-protein interactome. Based on 15 existing drugs for treating PAH, our framework integrates drug-drug interactions, drug-drug chemical similarity, drug targets, and PAH disease proteins into the human interactome, and prioritizes candidate drugs for PAH. We identified 53 drugs that could potentially be repurposed for PAH. Many of these candidates have strong literature support. Compared to black-box-like machine learning models, network module-based drug repositioning can provide mechanistic insights into how repositioned drugs can target the underlying pathobiological mechanisms of PAH.
Private Multi-Task Learning: Formulation and Applications to Federated Learning

Many problems in machine learning rely on multi-task learning (MTL), in which the goal is to solve multiple related machine learning tasks simultaneously. MTL is particularly relevant for privacy-sensitive applications in areas such as healthcare, finance, and IoT computing, where sensitive data from multiple, varied sources are shared for the purpose of learning. In this work, we formalize notions of task-level privacy for MTL via joint differential privacy(JDP), a relaxation of differential privacy for mechanism design and distributed optimization. We then propose an algorithm for mean-regularized MTL, an objective commonly used for applications in personalized federated learning, subject to JDP. We analyze our objective and solver, providing certifiable guarantees on both privacy and utility. Empirically, we find that our method allows for improved privacy/utility trade-offs relative to global baselines across common federated learning benchmarks.
Victor/Victorian: Gender and Aesthetic Idealism During the Italian Risorgimento

Henry James’ short story, Last of the Valerii (1874), articulates the author’s final assessment of the Anglo-American style. The marriage between the American heiress and impoverished Italian nobleman expresses the transition in the American economy from rural agriculture to one driven by industrial wealth and the creation of large estates. By making the Italian aristocracy the protagonists of his Anglo-Italian novels, James also provides a cursive acknowledgement of the restoration of the Italian aristocracy which was at the heart of the revolutionaries’ nationalist debate during the Italian Risorgimento. The creation of a unified and independent Italy in 1871 also included a king, Victor-Emmanuel II. The desire to acquire the habits and style of the genteel European nobility was grafted onto the new American interest in collecting the aesthetic treasures of Europe then being acquired by wealthy Americans to form the major museum collections of America. Towards the turn of the century, Anglo-Italian authors and artists lost their interest in the revolutionary cause of Italy and centennial America, and replaced this cause with a new pure aestheticism, lacking an underlying political and moral agenda. James’ novels articulate a new crisis in marriage in which men declare their independence from their dependent women. James’ reversal of the women’s movement issue approaches domestic gender roles from the male perspective. His protagonists are educated aesthetes who long for escapism from the confines of societal gender and marriage roles. The new wealth acquired by Americans towards the end of the century during the Gilded Age, afforded such perversions of traditional male duties, without overtly supporting the women’s suffrage movement and rehabilitation of women’s employment.
Nitrogen metabolism and kinetics of ammonia-oxidizing archaea.

Abstract The discovery of ammonia-oxidizing mesophilic and thermophilic Group I archaea changed the century-old paradigm that aerobic ammonia oxidation is solely mediated by two small clades of Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria. Group I archaea are extremely diverse and ubiquitous in marine and terrestrial environments, accounting for 20–30% of the microbial plankton in the global oceans. Recent studies indicated that many of these organisms carry putative ammonia monooxygenase genes and are more abundant than ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in most natural environments suggesting a potentially significant role in the nitrogen cycle. The isolation of Nitrosopumilus maritimus strain SCM1 provided the first direct evidence that Group I archaea indeed gain energy from ammonia oxidation. To characterize the physiology of this archaeal nitrifier, we developed a respirometry setup particularly suited for activity measurements in dilute microbial cultures with extremely low oxygen uptake rates. Here, we describe the setup and review the kinetic experiments conducted with N. maritimus and other nitrifying microorganisms. These experiments demonstrated that N. maritimus is adapted to grow on ammonia concentrations found in oligotrophic open ocean environments, far below the survival threshold of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. The described setup and experimental procedures should facilitate physiological studies on other nitrifying archaea and oligotrophic microorganisms in general.
Monocular visual deprivation in macaque monkeys: a profile in the gene expression of lateral geniculate nucleus by laser capture microdissection.

PURPOSE Amblyopia is the most common cause of visual impairment in children. Early detection of amblyopia and subsequent intervention are vital in preventing visual loss. Understanding the molecular pathogenesis of amblyopia would greatly facilitate development of therapeutic interventions. An animal model of amblyopia induced by monocular vision deprivation has been extensively studied in terms of anatomic and physiologic alterations that affect visual pathways. However, the molecular events underlying these changes are poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize changes of gene expression profiles in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) associated with amblyopia induced by monocular visual deprivation. METHODS Monocular vision deprivation was generated by either opaque dark contact lens or tarsorrhaphy of newborn rhesus monkeys. LGN was harvested at two or four months following induction of vision deprivation. Laser capture microdissection was used to obtain individual LGN layers for total RNA isolation. Linear T7-based in vitro RNA amplification was used to obtain sufficient RNA to conduct DNA microarray studies. The resulting Affymetrix GeneChip Expression data were analyzed using Affymetrix GeneChip Operating Software. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization were used to further analyze expression of selected genes. RESULTS Using 52,699 microarray probe sets from a Rhesus array, we identified 116 transcripts differentially expressed between deprived and nondeprived parvocellular layers: 45 genes were downregulated and 71 genes were upregulated in deprived parvocellular layers. We also observed substantial changes in deprived magnocellular laminae: 74 transcripts exhibited altered expression, 42 genes were downregulated, and 32 genes were upregulated. The genes identified in this study are involved in many diverse processes, including binding (calcium ion binding, nucleic acid binding, and nucleotide binding), catalytic activity, and signal transducer activity. CONCLUSIONS There were significant differences in gene expression profiles between deprived and nondeprived parvocellular layers and magnocellular laminae of LGN. These alterations in gene expression may play a critical role in the molecular pathogenesis of amblyopia. The genes identified in this study may provide potential targets for therapeutic intervention of this disease.
An exploratory examination of patient and parental self-efficacy as predictors of weight gain in adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

Objective To determine whether increases in adolescent or parental self-efficacy predicted subsequent weight gain in two different therapies for adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN). Method Participants were 121 adolescents with AN (M = 14.4 years, SD = 1.6), from a two-site randomized clinical trial for family-based treatment (FBT) and individual adolescent focused therapy (AFT). Both adolescent and parental self-efficacy were assessed at baseline and sessions 2, 4, 6, and 8. Adolescent self-efficacy was assessed using a generic measure of self-efficacy, while parental self-efficacy was assessed using a measure specific to the recovery of an eating disorder. Weight was assessed at baseline, sessions 1 through 8, and end of treatment. Mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the relation between patient and parent self-efficacy and subsequent weight gain, controlling for weight at the previous time point. Results For families who received FBT, greater within-treatment increases in parental self-efficacy predicted greater subsequent adolescent weight gain compared to those who received FBT with lesser change in parental self-efficacy and those who received AFT. Interestingly, adolescent self-efficacy did not significantly predict subsequent weight gain. Discussion Greater increases in parental self-efficacy predicted significantly greater subsequent weight gain for adolescents who received FBT, but the same was not true for adolescents who received AFT. Neither overall level nor change in adolescent self-efficacy significantly predicted subsequent weight gain in either treatment group. These findings emphasize the importance of increasing parental self-efficacy in FBT in order to impact adolescent weight outcomes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:883–888)
Diffusion and viscosity equations of state for a Lennard-Jones fluid obtained from molecular dynamics simulations

Equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations were performed for a Lennard-Jones fluid at 171 conditions spanning the range 0≤p +≤1.0 and 0.8≤T +≤4.0. The Einstein or, mean-squared-displacement (MSD) formula was used to compute the self-diffusion coefficient and a recently suggested, modified MSD equation was used to compute the shear viscosity at each condition. Analytical equations for the self-diffusion and viscosity coefficients were then fitted to the simulated data as polynomial functions ofp + andT +. The resultant smoothing equations correlate the simulated data quite well and agree with argon experimental data within the uncertainty of the data.
Contextual SVM for hyperspectral classification using Hilbert Space Embedding

In this paper, a contextual Support Vector Machine (SVM) technique based on the principle of Hilbert Space Embedding (HSE) of a local hyperspectral data distribution into an Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS) is proposed to optimally exploit the spectral and local spatial information of the hyperspectral image. The idea of embedding is to map hyperspectral pixels in a local neighborhood into a single point in the RKHS that can uniquely represent those pixels collectively. Previously, the authors have employed an HSE called empirical mean map to build the contextual SVM. In this work, a weighted empirical mean map is utilized to exploit the similarities and variation in the local spatial information. For every pixel, a small set of the neighboring pixels in a hyperspectral image are mapped into an RKHS induced by a certain kernel (Eg. Gaussian RBF kernel) and then, the embedded point of these group of pixels is obtained by calculating the weighted empirical mean of these mapped points. The weights are determined based on the distance between the pixel in consideration and its neighbors. An SVM separating hyperplane is built to maximize the margin between classes formed by weighted empirical means. The proposed technique showed significant improvement over the existing contextual and composite kernels on two hyperspectral image data sets.
Recovery of function after brain damage: A theory of the behavioral deficit

The present discussion assumes that recovery of function is not an event but rather a process. When it occurs, this process bridges the gap between the occurrence of the brain injury and the reinstatement of a particular behavior disrupted by the brain injury. Accordingly, to understand the process of recovery of function, one must first appreciate the point from which the process begins, that is, the behavioral deficit. It is the thesis of the present discussion that one effect of neural injury is to cause the individual to shift behavioral control to neural systems not directly affected by the neurological insult. The behavioral deficit is then the result of the individual’s attempting to learn new behaviors to compensate for those normally mediated by the damaged neural system. Recovery of function, on the other hand, represents a return to the neural system directly affected by the injury and the utilization of whatever of this system may be spared.
The unique origins of Fairbairn's Theories

From Instinct to Self: Selected Papers of W. R. D. Fairbairn, Vols. I and II, edited by David Scharff and Ellinor Fairbairn Birtles (Northvale, NJ: Aronson, 1994, Vol. 1‐xxi + 172 pp.; Vol. 2‐xxii + 490 pp.)
Observing middle and inner ear mechanics with novel intracochlear pressure sensors

Intracochlear pressure was measured in vivo in the base of the gerbil cochlea. The measurements were made over a wide range of frequencies simultaneously in scalae vestibuli and tympani. Pressure was measured just adjacent to the stapes in scala vestibuli and at a number of positions spaced by tens of micrometers, including a position within several micrometers of the basilar membrane, in scala tympani. Two findings emerged from the basic results. First, the spatial variation in scala tympani pressure indicated that the pressure is composed of two modes, which can be identified with fast and slow waves. Second, at frequencies between 2 and 46 kHz (the upper frequency limit of the measurements) the scala vestibuli pressure adjacent to the stapes had a gain of approximately 30 dB with respect to the pressure in the ear canal, and a phase which decreased linearly with frequency. Thus, over these frequencies the middle ear and its termination in the cochlea operate as a frequency independent transmission line. A subset of the data was analyzed further to derive the velocity of the basilar membrane, the pressure difference across the organ of Corti complex (defined to include the tectorial and basilar membranes) and the specific acoustic impedance of the organ of Corti complex. The impedance was found to be tuned in frequency.
The ‘Hungry Forties’ and the New Poor Law: a Case Study

For well over a century the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, the so-called New Poor Law, has been die centre of controversy. Just as contemporaries were drawn into bitter conflict over die measure, modern scholars have continued to debate die degree of ‘cruelty’ engendered in this novel poor relief scheme. The records of die individual poor law unions, however, reveal so many variations in administrative practices as to render invalid nearly all generalizations regarding me operation of die Act. The most obvious difficulty arises over the disparity between Poor Law Commission policy, ostensibly founded upon the recommendations of the famous Royal Commission report of 1834,3 and its actual implementation by the commissioners at Somerset House and their assistants in the field. It is by now a commonplace of poor law history that the commissioners, despite opposition from their secretary, Edwin Chadwick, pursued different policies in various parts of England.4 As we shall see, moreover, the commissioners often held certain provisions of their directives in abeyance, leaving their implementation to the discretion of provincial administrators.
π ± − p Elastic Scattering at 31.4 MeV

Five new measurements of ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p$ and three of ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+p$ elastic differential cross sections, extend the angular range and the accuracy of the data near 30 MeV. These data, combined with the previous measurements at this energy, provide a significant improvement in the accuracy of $s$- and nonresonant $p$-wave phase shifts. A phase-shift analysis yields four solutions, two of which are inconsistent with photoproduction measurements near threshold. One of the remaining two is preferred on the basis of a considerably more likely fit to recent charge-exchange measurements at the same energy. Assuming $f=0.0878$; ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1}=0.087\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.009$; ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{11}=0.051\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.008$; ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{13}=\ensuremath{-}0.043\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.004$; ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{31}=\ensuremath{-}0.008\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002$; ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{3}=\ensuremath{-}0.066\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.001$.
Influence of age on contractile response to insulin-like growth factor 1 in ventricular myocytes from spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract —Evidence suggests a pathophysiological role of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in hypertension. Cardiac function is altered with advanced age, similar to hypertension. Accordingly, the effects of IGF-1 on cardiac myocyte shortening and intracellular Ca 2+ were evaluated in hypertension at different ages. Ventricular myocytes were isolated from Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), aged 12 and 36 weeks. Mechanical and intracellular Ca 2+ properties were examined by edge-detection and fluorescence microscopy. At 12 weeks, IGF-1 (1 to 500 ng/mL) increased peak twitch amplitude (PTA) and FFI changes (ΔFFI) in a dose-dependent manner in WKY myocytes, with maximal increases of 27.5% and 35.2%, respectively. However, IGF-1 failed to exert any action on PTA and ΔFFI in the age-matched SHR myocytes. Interestingly, at 36 weeks, IGF-1 failed to exert any response in WKY myocytes but depressed both PTA and ΔFFI in a dose-dependent manner in SHR myocytes, with maximal inhibitions of 40.5% and 16.1%, respectively. Myocytes from SHR or 36-week WKY were less sensitive to norepinephrine (1 μmol/L) and KCl (30 mmol/L). Pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N ω -nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 μmol/L) did not alter the IGF-1–induced response in 12-week WKY myocytes but unmasked a positive action in 12-week SHR and 36-week WKY myocytes. L-NAME also significantly attenuated IGF-1–induced depression in 36-week SHR myocytes. In addition, the Ca 2+ channel opener Bay K8644 (1 μmol/L) abolished IGF-1–induced cardiac depression in 36-week SHR myocytes. Collectively, these results suggest that the IGF-1–induced cardiac contractile response was reduced with advanced age as well as with hypertension. Alterations in nitric oxide and intracellular Ca 2+ modulation may underlie, in part, the resistance to IGF-1 in hypertension and advanced age.
The contribution of internal degrees of freedom to the non-Newtonian rheology of model polymer fluids

We report non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of rigid and non-rigid dumbbell fluids to determine the contribution of internal degrees of freedom to strain-rate-dependent shear viscosity. The model adopted for non-rigid molecules is a modification of the finitely extensible nonlinear elastic (FENE) dumbbell commonly used in kinetic theories of polymer solutions. We consider model polymer melts — that is, fluids composed of rigid dumbbells and of FENE dumbbells. We report the steady-state stress tensor and the transient stress response to an applied Couerte strain field for several strain rates. We find that the rheological properties of the rigid and FENE dumbbells are qualitatively and quantitatively similar. (The only exception to this is the zero strain rate shear viscosity.) Except at high strain rates, the average conformation of the FENE dumbbells in a Couette strain field is found to be very similar to that of FENE dumbbells in the absence of strain. The theological properties of the two dumbbell fluids are compared to those of a corresponding fluid of spheres which is shown to be the most non-Newtonian of the three fluids considered.
The Impact of Converting Categorical into Block Grants: The Lessons from the 314(d) Block Grant in the Partnership for Health Act

Section 314(d) of P. L. 89-749, (1966), the Partnership for Health Act, combined nine categorical health grants into one block grant for health. The impact of section 314(d), according to data gathered for this study, can be summarized as follows: the block grant increased the administrative flexibility of state health officials; state health planning agencies generally did not have a major influence on the block grant; state health planning agencies located in governors' offices had less influence over the block grant than those located in state health departments; Congress did not significantly increase expenditures for the block grant; national influence was increased by creating health programs that could potentially have been made part of the block grant; and the block grant did not generally result in a reordering of spending priorities. The best explanation for the unspectacular effect of combining several categorical grants into one block grant was that, without new resources, the substantial (and welcome) new administrative flexibility given state officials was insufficient to produce an important substantive reordering of program priorities.
Commentary on an article by Wouter Mallee, MSc, et al.: "Comparison of CT and MRI for diagnosis of suspected scaphoid fractures".

Despite extensive study, the optimal imaging modality for the diagnosis of a suspected scaphoid fracture remains controversial. Traditionally, patients with clinical findings consistent with scaphoid fracture but with negative initial radiographs have been managed with splint or cast immobilization followed by repeat clinical and radiographic examination two weeks following injury. However, given the relatively low prevalence of true fractures in this population, the classical approach has been criticized for overtreating a majority of these patients. To avoid diagnostic delay and unnecessary immobilization, advanced imaging techniques have gained popularity to facilitate early definitive diagnosis of scaphoid fractures. Studies advocating the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), bone scintigraphy, and ultrasound in the evaluation of suspected scaphoid fractures are plentiful. Among these imaging modalities, MRI has emerged as a relative gold standard, due to both its excellent reported diagnostic performance as well as its ability to identify alternate causes of wrist pain. Criticisms of MRI have been that it is susceptible to misinterpretation of injuries such as bone bruises, potentially resulting in false positive results, and that it has limited capacity to demonstrate subtle degrees of fracture displacement. The use of CT in the acute diagnosis of scaphoid fractures is less well documented but has been advocated because of its lower costs and widespread availability, although the diagnostic accuracy of CT in this situation has been questioned1. Although current institutional protocols vary, an often recommended algorithm is to first proceed …
Rhizosphere bacteria enhance the accumulation of selenium and mercury in wetland plants.

The role of rhizosphere bacteria in facilitating Se and Hg accumulation in two wetland plants, saltmarsh bulrush (Scirpus robustus Pursh) and rabbitfoot grass (Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf.), was studied. Ampicillin-amended plants (i.e., with inhibited rhizosphere bacteria) supplied with Na2SeO4 or HgCl2 had significantly lower concentrations of Se and Hg, respectively, in roots than plants without ampicillin. These results were confirmed by inoculating axenic saltmarsh bulrush plants with bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of plants collected from the field; these plants accumulated significantly more Se and Hg compared to axenic controls. Therefore, rhizosphere bacteria can increase the efficiency of Se and Hg phytoremediation by promoting the accumulation of Se and Hg in tissues of wetland plants.
THE SITE OF SODIUM OUTFLUX FROM THE GILL OF FUNDULUS KANSAE.

Abstract 1. 1. Chemical and histochemical studies of the gill and pseudobranch of the plains killifish, Fundulus kansae , showed (1) that the pseudobranch does not contain cholinesterase and (2) that the enzyme is located in the epithelium of the leaflets rather than in the Keys-Willmer cells. 2. 2. By transferring fish rapidly from 0·60 M NaCl to tap water, it was shown that no close correlation exists between sodium outflux and the histological appearance of the Keys-Willmer cells. 3. 3. It is concluded that these cells are not involved in salt metabolism.
Association of Infinitely Divisible Random Vectors

Abstract We show that the Levy measure of an associated infinitely divisible random vector in R d may charge those quadrants of the space where the coordinates have different signs. We describe further certain families of infinitely divisible random vectors for which association does require the Levy measure to be concentrated on R d+ ∪ R d−.
Optimal Redistributive Taxation When Individual Welfare Depends upon Relative Income

I. Introduction, 589. — II. An optimal negative income tax model, 591. — III. The maximin criterion, 594. — IV. A utilitarian social objective, 597. — V. Conclusion, 598. Our theory … depends upon the validity of a single hypothesis, viz.: that the utility index is a function of relative rather than absolute consumption expenditure. — J. Duesenberry Income, Saving and the Theory of Consumer Behavior
Measurement of the Conductivity Effective Mass in Semiconductors Using Infrared Reflection

There exist various approximate relationships between the conductivity effective mass of free carriers ${m}_{c}$ and the angular frequency ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$ of the reflectivity minimum in the infrared arising from the free-carrier dispersion. A detailed analysis of the reflectivity equation shows that it is possible to obtain a relationship between ${m}_{c}$ and ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$ when in addition one has a knowledge of the free-carrier concentration, the drift mobility, and the dielectric constant of the semiconductor at very high frequencies. This relationship is shown to yield a value of ${{m}_{c}}^{*}=0.145$ for $n$-type germanium at room temperature using data presented in the literature. This value compares well with the value of ${{m}_{c}}^{*}=0.15$ obtained using a combination of reflection and transmission measurements. The experimental work required to obtain accurate values for ${m}_{c}$ using this relationship is considerably less than that required by other techniques, such as cyclotron resonance, magnetoplasma, and combined infrared reflection and transmission measurements, which are presently used. Moreover, this procedure can be applied over very broad ranges of temperature and of free-carrier concentration.
Experimental Characterization of Full Field Creep Deformation in Adhesively Bonded Joints

Bondline durability assessment of adhesively bonded composite structures requires the understanding of the adhesive properties. This paper presents the result of an investigation into the creep behavior of a room temperature cured epoxy adhesive (Hysol ® EA 9394) under biaxial combined shear and normal loads. The bonded joint specimens were tested using an Arcan fixture in an environmental chamber at elevated temperatures (below the glass transition temperatures Tg), over a period of 10 to 20 hours. The surface strains were measured using photogrammetric techniques provided by digital image correlation methods (ARAMISTM). The load levels for the creep tests were maintained at 15–40% of the static failure stress. Experimental results obtained indicate that the adhesive material exhibits nonlinear viscoelastic creep behavior in pure shear that can be well fitted with using a Bailey-Norton power law creep model. Creep tests under pure normal loads (at 30% of failure stress) did not exhibit any creep deformation. Similarly, creep tests under mixed mode loads indicate that the creep rates are insensitive to the normal loads acting perpendicular to the bondline. The paper also demonstrates how the use of full field Digital Image Correlation visualization for strain in creep testing also provides very precise information on damage evolution and debonding time and region in the joint and allows to carefully screen tests for any manufacturing variability or alignment errors, thereby leading to more precise estimation of adhesive material properties.
Electrostatic charging of a conducting sphere using another conducting sphere at constant voltage

Abstract This study uses results of classical electrostatics to predict the resulting voltage of a conducting sphere that is charged by a second sphere maintained at a constant voltage. The voltage of the charged sphere is calculated as a function of the charging voltage and the size ratio of the two spheres. Theoretical predictions are verified experimentally using conducting spheres of various sizes and a Faraday ice pail apparatus. The results may seem somewhat counterintuitive. For example, a charging sphere held at 100 V will charge another sphere of equal size only to 69.3 V by contact.
Preparation of Monophasic [NZP] Radiophases: Potential Host Matrices for the Immobilization of Reprocessed Commercial High-Level Wastes

The compositional flexibility of the sodium zirconium phosphate (NaZr{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}) structure has been exploited in the design of monophasic radiophases capable of immobilizing the most common cations associated with reprocessed high-level commercial waste streams. Highly crystalline, monophasic members of the NaZr{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} structural family ([NZP]) have been prepared with conventional processing methods and equipment. These radiophases were tailored to accommodate 10--20 wt% modified PW-4b simulated calcine as single phases isostructural with NaZr{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}. To meet the challenge of designing monophasic materials capable of accommodating the chemical complexity of PW-4b, an ionic substitution scheme based on crystal chemical principles was developed. The radiophases were prepared with inexpensive, inorganic precursors and a solution sol-gel method; these materials were heat treated and/or sintered under a variety of conditions to determine the optimum conditions for single phase [NZP] formation. X-ray powder diffraction provided valuable information that was used to assess the suitability of the ionic substitution model developed in this investigation. The results of this investigation suggest that monophasic [NZP] radiophases capable of accommodating 10--20 wt% modified PW-4b simulated calcine may be continuously processed with conventional ceramic processing methods and equipment. Moreover, the relatively low temperatures involved andmore » the reproducibility of the process make [NZP] radiophases economically attractive hosts for radioactive and heavy metal industrial wastes.« less
Dynamical structure of liquid and amorphous metals

Abstract Our current understanding of the dynamics of disordered metals is reviewed, including collective excitations, single-particle motions and diffusive modes. Examples are given for liquid metals, metallic glasses and quasicrystals.
Foregoing Limited Force: The George W. Bush Administration's Decision Not to Attack Ansar Al-Islam

Abstract After September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush's administration presented a national security agenda that held two key goals: the denial of safe havens to terrorist groups with international reach, and the prevention of terrorist groups from acquiring Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). In 2002, a terrorist group, Ansar al-Islam, operating out of a camp in Khurmal, northeast Iraq, was reportedly developing cyanide gas, toxic poisons, and ricin for potential use against Europe and the United States. The Joint Chiefs of Staff unanimously supported, and formally presented to the White House, a military operation to destroy the Ansar camp. This article, based on research and interviews with senior military and civilian officials, assesses four plausible explanations for why President Bush deferred attacking the only place in Iraq that was producing WMD, albeit in small quantities, before the 2003 war. It argues that President Bush made the mistake of bypassing the Khurmal operation, because of con...
An Investigation of the Low Temperature Combustion Regime (LTC) in a Small Bore HSDI Diesel Engine

The low temperature combustion regime (LTC) has been known to simultaneously reduce both NOx and smoke emissions. The concept is to burn the fuel vapor-air charge, low in oxygen concentration, at low temperatures to reduce the formation of both NOx and smoke emissions. The paper investigates two combustion concepts in the LTC regime, the MK (modulated kinetics) and the smokeless locally rich diesel combustion and proposes a new strategy for a further reduction in emissions with minimum penalty in fuel economy. Tests were carried out under simulated turbo charged conditions on a single cylinder, small bore HSDI diesel engine with a re-entrant bowl combustion chamber. The engine is equipped with a common rail fuel injection system. Tests covered a wide range of injection pressures, EGR rates, injection timings and swirl ratios to determine their individual and collective contributions in engine-out emissions and fuel economy within this combustion regime. The proposed strategy is based on the results of this experimental investigation.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Prevention of calcification of glutaraldehyde pretreated bovine pericardium through controlled release polymeric implants: studies of Fe3+, Al3+, protamine sulphate and levamisole.

Abstract Calcification is the principal cause of the clinical failure of bioprosthetic heart valves fabricated from glutaraldehyde pretreated porcine aortic valves or bovine pericardium. The present study investigated controlled-release implants for prevention of the calcification of glutaraldehyde pretreated bovine pericardium in a rat subdermal model. Either Al 3+ and Fe 3+ (inhibitors of the growth and dissolution rate of hydroxyapatite crystals), levamisole (alkaline phosphatase inhibitor) or protamine sulphate (charge modifier) were individually incorporated into various polymeric carriers (either silicone rubber. Polyurethane or silicone rubber-polyurethane copolymer). Polymeric implants were evaluated for in vitro release kinetics, which revealed that sustained drug release was obtained from 21 d to more than 90 d from various drug matrices. In vivo efficacy was studied by co-implanting the polymeric delivery systems with glutaraldehyde pretreated bovine pericardium for 21 d using a subdermal rat model; glutaraldehyde pretreated bovine pericardium calcium levels were quantitated by atomic absorption spectroscopy in the explanted tissues. Fe 3+ and Al 3+ polymeric implants were the most effective for inhibiting deposition of calcium mineral. Al 3+ demonstrated 82% inhibition of calcification compared to controls and Fe 3+ resulted in 80% inhibition of calcification. Specific histologie staining methods showed that Fe 3+ and Al 3+ were localized within the devitalized cells of the explanted glutaraldehyde pretreated bovine pericardium. No adverse effects on somatic growth or recipient bone morphology were noted following controlled-release drug administration. Controlled release of protamine sulphate or levamisole did not significantly inhibit glutaraldehyde pretreated bovine pericardium calcification. It is concluded that regional controlled release of Fe 3+ or AI 3+ inhibits glutaraldehyde pretreated bovine pericardium calcification in the rat subdermal model without adverse effects.
A New Elementary Proof of Stirling's Formula

Stirling's formula appears in many different disciplines, from algorithm analysis to statistical mechanics. Many derivations of it have been given. See, for example, [1], [2], and [3]. In this note we present a new elementary proof of (2); on the way we will see that the two largest terms in the power series for en asymptotically separate its sum into equal parts as n -> oo. We begin with the power series for en in (1) and pare it down to a point where we can conclude (3). The proof requires little beyond first-year calcuius. More specifically, it requires the following three results: