cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visualizing the effectiveness of face masks in obstructing respiratory jets

The use of face masks in public settings has been widely recommended by public health officials during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The masks help mitigate the risk of cross-infection via respiratory droplets; however, there are no specific guidelines on mask materials and designs that are most effective in minimizing droplet dispersal. While there have been prior studies on the performance of medical-grade masks, there are insufficient data on cloth-based coverings, which are being used by a vast majority of the general public. We use qualitative visualizations of emulated coughs and sneezes to examine how material- and design-choices impact the extent to which droplet-laden respiratory jets are blocked. Loosely folded face masks and bandana-style coverings provide minimal stopping-capability for the smallest aerosolized respiratory droplets. Well-fitted homemade masks with multiple layers of quilting fabric, and off-the-shelf cone style masks, proved to be the most effective in reducing droplet dispersal. These masks were able to curtail the speed and range of the respiratory jets significantly, albeit with some leakage through the mask material and from small gaps along the edges. Importantly, uncovered emulated coughs were able to travel notably farther than the currently recommended 6-ft distancing guideline. We outline the procedure for setting up simple visualization experiments using easily available materials, which may help healthcare professionals, medical researchers, and manufacturers in assessing the effectiveness of face masks and other personal protective equipment qualitatively.
Utility of Smartphone Telemedical Consultations for Peritonsillar Abscess Diagnosis and Triage.

Importance Telemedicine is rapidly gaining traction as a way to reduce costs and connect patients with medical experts outside their local communities. Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a logical pathologic condition to evaluate for effectiveness of remote diagnosis given its prevalence and the paucity of on-site otolaryngologists at many institutions. Objective To explore the potential of otolaryngology telemedical consultation in triaging and diagnosing patients with suspected PTA. Design, Setting, and Participants A comparative effectiveness research study was conducted from January 1 to June 30, 2018, at 3 tertiary care hospitals among 31 consecutive patients aged 18 to 85 years for whom the otolaryngology department was consulted to assess for PTA. Statistical analysis was conducted from July 1 to September 30, 2018. Interventions Telemedical evaluation of suspected PTA by 5 attending otolaryngologists blinded to patients’ history aside from the chief report of odynophagia. Otolaryngologists rated each patient video on whether they believed the patient had a PTA and whether the case warranted prompt evaluation by an otolaryngologist. Predictions were compared with the criterion standard of drainage or negative needle aspiration. Otolaryngologists additionally assessed video quality. Main Outcomes and Measures Rates of accurate diagnosis and triage of PTA based on otolaryngologists’ review of oropharyngeal examinations recorded using standard smartphone cameras, as well as percentage of videos of oropharyngeal examinations using standard smartphone cameras deemed of sufficiently high quality for clinical decision-making. Results A total of 31 patients (16 women [51.6%]; mean age, 31.9 years [range, 18-62 years]) were recruited, and 16 patients (51.6%) had a PTA. Comparing otolaryngologists’ predictions with PTA status by the criterion standard, the prediction was consistent with that of the criterion standard 81% of the time averaged across otolaryngologists (mean diagnostic accuracy, 0.81). Similarly, the mean diagnostic accuracy was 0.83 when comparing the otolaryngologist’s suggestion for a prompt in-person evaluation with actual PTA status by the criterion standard. Comparing patients who were deemed to require prompt otolaryngology evaluation and those with PTA by the criterion standard, mean sensitivity was 90%. Videos were rated as of sufficiently high quality to make a diagnosis in 154 of 155 videos (99.4%). Conclusions and Relevance This study suggests that telemedical consultation is a viable, cost-conscious, efficient, and safe approach to PTA management. Despite having some difficulty diagnosing PTAs based on “history concerning for PTA” and oropharyngeal video alone, otolaryngologists are able to determine, with high sensitivity, which patients require prompt otolaryngology evaluation. The recording of consistently high-quality video using a standard smartphone camera is achievable without formal training.
Investigation of microwave-assisted transesterification reactor of waste cooking oil

Abstract In this work, the esterification and trans-esterification reactions of waste cooking oil (WCO) with high free fatty acids (FFA) (≥1% by weight) were investigated. This investigation used a two-step batch process with kinetic based reaction mechanisms and examined potential benefits of combining the conventional Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) trans-esterification method with microwave technology. Optimization of an acid-catalyzed FAME process to minimize FFA content in the feedstock found that a feed volume ratio of 0.3 L of methanol per liter of WCO, 2% grams of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) per gram of WCO for a reaction time of 200 min at a reaction temperature of 60 °C produced a biodiesel yield of 24%. By comparison, optimization of a base-catalyzed FAME process found that a feed volume ratio of 0.3 L methanol per liter WCO oil, 1 g of potassium hydroxide (KOH) per gram of WCO for a reaction time of 60 min at a reaction temperature of 60 °C produced a biodiesel yield of 93–98%. When microwave irradiation was included, the reaction time for the acid-catalyzed system was 80 min (compared to 200 min) and 10 min for the base-catalyzed system (compared to 60 min). These preliminary results suggest microwave technology merits further investigation for industrial application to biodiesel production.
Problèmes de déglutition causés par la prothèse phonatoire lors d’une laryngectomie

Resume Introduction L’implication des protheses phonatoires (PP) dans les problemes deglutition n’a pas ete parfaitement evaluee. Le cas d’un patient presentant une aphasie causee par une PP suite a une laryngectomie est presentee. Rapport de cas Le cas etait un patient de 77 ans ayant recu une laryngectomie et presentant une dysphagie. Il presentait un carcinome epidermoide dans la region de l’hypopharynx qui a ete traite par radiotherapie conformationnelle avec modulation d’intensite 13 ans auparavant. La recidive du cancer 2 ans plus tard a requis une laryngectomie et une chirurgie reconstructive par lambeau libre aux depens l’avant-bras. Le patient utilisait la parole tracheo-œsophagienne a l’aide du modele Provox® Vega 22,5/Fr 6 mm. L’endoscopie diagnostique a montre une importante stenose œsophagienne dans la partie superieure du lambeau, juste en dessous de la PP. La PP a ete remplacee par le modele 22,5 Fr/4 mm Provox® Veg qui a ete modifie en coupant son capuchon distal qui faisait saillie dans la lumiere œsophagienne. Le patient a rapporte une amelioration immediate de sa dysphagie qui a persiste pendant les 14 mois suivant l’operation. Conclusions Ce rapport met en evidence la necessite d’evaluer l’implication de la PP lors d’une deglutition rendue difficile apres une laryngectomie. Les obstructions causees par la saillie de la PP peuvent etre allegees par l’installation d’une prothese plus fine et/ou quand c’est possible le deplacement de la ponction dans une autre zone.
Preoperative bevacizumab does not increase complications following cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Background Preoperative bevacizumab has been reported to increase postoperative complication risk following cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC). We sought to review our experience with preoperative bevacizumab in patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC for peritoneal surface malignancy. Methods This is a retrospective review of patients who received neoadjuvant systemic therapy with or without bevacizumab prior to CRS/HIPEC at a high-volume academic center from 2007–2018. Results Of 499 patients, a total of 88 patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone (n = 34) or in combination with bevacizumab (n = 54) within 3 months prior to CRS/HIPEC. No differences existed in 60-day major morbidity (17.6 vs. 16.7%, p = 0.81) or 60-day mortality (0 vs. 0%) between the two cohorts, and neoadjuvant bevacizumab was not associated with increased odds of overall complications (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.35–2.09, p = 0.73) or major morbidity (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.24–3.00, p = 0.81). Stratifying patients by primary tumor origin and post-operative complications did not reveal any significant differences between the two treatment groups. In addition, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were similar in both cohorts. Conclusions Preoperative bevacizumab is not associated with increased morbidity or mortality following CRS/HIPEC. Neoadjuvant therapy employing this biologic agent is safe and should not be a deterrent for aggressive cytoreduction with curative intent.
Decoding Optical Data with Machine Learning

Optical spectroscopy and imaging techniques play important roles in many fields such as disease diagnosis, biological study, information technology, optical science, and materials science. Over the past decade, machine learning (ML) has proved promising in decoding complex data, enabling rapid and accurate analysis of optical spectra and images. This review aims to shed light on various ML algorithms for optical data analysis with a focus on their applications in a wide range of fields. The goal of this work is to sketch the validity of ML-based optical data decoding. The review concludes with an outlook on unaddressed problems and opportunities in this emerging subject that interfaces optics, data science and ML.
The Safety and Efficacy of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Intravesical Therapy in Kidney Transplant Recipients with Superficial Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is frequently encountered in kidney-recipients and its treatment can be challenging. In fact, it is not known whether adjuvant intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) instillation may be as effective and safe as in non-immunosuppressed patient. In this letter, we reported results from all studies available to date on BCG treatment in kidney recipients, to discuss safety and efficacy of this treatment modality, in this special population with an altered immune response.
Lumbosacral Radiculoplexopathy as the Initial Presentation of Lymphoma: A Report of Four Cases (P1.440)

Objective: To evaluate the clinical, laboratory and radiological features of four cases of biopsy proven lymphomatous lumbosacral radiculoplexopathy. Background: Neurolymphomatosis is defined as an infiltration of cranial or peripheral nerves, nerve roots, or plexuses by lymphomatous cells. Lymphomatous lumbosacral radiculoplexopathy is only described in a limited number of case reports and case series. The presentation can mimic degenerative lumbar radiculopathy thus delaying diagnosis and causing significant morbidity due to lack of appropriate treatment. Design/Methods: Retrospective chart review. Results: All patients suffered from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. A mean diagnostic delay of 10 months was encountered. Presenting symptoms in all four patients include back pain, radicular leg pain, and leg weakness, similar to spondylotic radiculopathy. Electrodiagnostic study showed axon loss radiculoplexopathy and lumbar spine MRI demonstrated nerve or nerve root enhancement. Increased uptake by lumbosacral roots/plexus on fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) aided diagnosis in three cases. Cytology was positive in one of nine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. Combined chemotherapy and radiation treatment led to clinicoradiological improvement, with residual neurological symptoms in all patients. Conclusions: Lymphomatous lumbosacral radiculoplexopathy should be considered in patients with progressive lumbosacral radicular symptoms. MRI and FDG-PET, but not CSF, are helpful in achieving early diagnosis. Treatment responses appear favorable. Disclosure: Dr. Marquardt has nothing to disclose. Dr. Li MD has nothing to disclose.
Friends or Foes? Rapid Determination of Dissimilar Colistin and Ciprofloxacin Antagonism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Phages.

Phage therapy is a century-old technique employing viruses (phages) to treat bacterial infections, and in the clinic it is often used in combination with antibiotics. Antibiotics, however, interfere with critical bacterial metabolic activities that can be required by phages. Explicit testing of antibiotic antagonism of phage infection activities, though, is not a common feature of phage therapy studies. Here we use optical density-based ‘lysis-profile’ assays to assess the impact of two antibiotics, colistin and ciprofloxacin, on the bactericidal, bacteriolytic, and new-virion-production activities of three Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages. Though phages and antibiotics in combination are more potent in killing P. aeruginosa than either acting alone, colistin nevertheless substantially interferes with phage bacteriolytic and virion-production activities even at its minimum inhibitory concentration (1× MIC). Ciprofloxacin, by contrast, has little anti-phage impact at 1× or 3× MIC. We corroborate these results with more traditional measures, particularly colony-forming units, plaque-forming units, and one-step growth experiments. Our results suggest that ciprofloxacin could be useful as a concurrent phage therapy co-treatment especially when phage replication is required for treatment success. Lysis-profile assays also appear to be useful, fast, and high-throughput means of assessing antibiotic antagonism of phage infection activities.
Differential expression of endothelin receptor subtypes in cancer

1595 Objectives To explore the potential of tracers targeting the endothelin receptor as in vivo cancer imaging candidates, expression of both endothelin A and B receptor subtypes was quantified using a Beta-Imager in 65 surgically resected human tumor samples and matched normal tissues from kidney, brain, prostate, breast and lungs. Methods Receptor subtype density in the 20-um thick tissue sections was evaluated using displacement receptor autoradiography (50 nM BQ-788 for subtype A and 50 nM BMS204970 for subtype B) with the universal endothelin receptor peptide 125I ET-1(20 pM). Pharmacologic competition experiments using 10 uM BMS204970 were performed to provide proof of specificity of the procedure. Results Endothelin receptor subtype expression was found to be markedly different among human tumors examined. Increased expression of ETAR was more common in surgical specimens of prostate cancer (tumor/normal uptake ratio = 15.6±18.7), renal carcinoma (tumor/normal uptake ratio = 1.8±0.7) and glioblastoma(tumor/normal uptake ratio = 4.4±1.4) and less common in lung cancer(tumor/normal uptake ratio = 1.0±0.4). ETBR was overexpressed in primary breast carcinomas (tumor/normal uptake ratio = 9.0±13.7). In lung cancer both ETAR and ETBR were displayed, with the ETBR being the dominant subtype (tumor/normal uptake ratio = 2.0±1.2). Conclusions The presented data indicate significant differences in the expression of endothelin receptors in different types of cancer and may help select patients suitable for in vivo imaging of the endothelin receptors in the future. High tumor-to background ratios on the basis of the high T/N receptor expression ratios are expected in prostate cancer and brain tumor (subtype A) and breast tumor (subtype B). Research Support Supported by NIH grants: S10 RR022528; R21 CA115532; P50 CA103175. Dr. Gulaldi is a research fellow supported by the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council (TUBITAK).
The next step toward enhanced situational awareness

This paper describes the author's view of the next step in aircraft cockpit situational awareness. In this concept, all of the existing and planned products of avionics research are integrated into a coherent set of visual displays and aural signals for use by the pilots. This results in a set of 64 display formats addressed by 8/spl times/8 Bezel buttons and 6 aural formats automatically addressed by the urgency of the situation. Some of the formats are in pseudo-3D. The aural signals include spatial content. Early examples will be shown of the integration and the formats. Data for this paper has come from Allied/Signal, Collins, Honeywell, NASA, FAA, and McDonnell Douglas.
Rotationally Augmented Flow Structures and Time Varying Loads on Turbine Blades

To better understand wind turbine flow physics, time dependent blade surface pressure data were acquired from the NREL Unsteady Aerodynamics Experiment.
Semantic hedgehog for log analysis

Computer system log analysis should proactively support information security decisions of all types. These security decisions will likely include whether to update configurations, close ports, block access, patch systems, maneuver the system elements, or to do nothing because the risk is acceptable. In a world with Big Data, and a heterogeneous, distributed enterprise, log analysis can be difficult at best. There is so much data from a multitude of logs (e.g. event, application, and security) within the enterprise. On top of that, enterprises have varying configurations based on hardware, software, current patch level, and operating systems. Logs must track all of this data on all of these devices. The authors suggest that semantic technologies hold one key to providing a capability for proactive, and more meaningful, log analysis.
Quantification of microtubule dynamics in living plant cells using fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching

Microtubule (MT) turnover within the four principal MT arrays, the cortical array, the preprophase band, the mitotic spindle and the phragmoplast, has been measured in living stamen hair cells of Tradescantia that have been injected with fluorescent neurotubulin. Using the combined techniques of confocal laser scanning microscopy and fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching (FRAP), we report that the half-time of turnover in spindle MTs is t 1/2 = 31 +/- 6 seconds, which is in excellent agreement with previous measurements of turnover in animal cell spindles. Tradescantia interphase MTs, however, exhibit turnover rates (t 1/2 = 67 +/- seconds) that are some 3.4-fold faster than those measured in interphase mammalian cells, and thus are revealed as being highly dynamic. Preprophase band and phragmoplast MTs have turnover rates similar to those of interphase MTs in Tradescantia. The spatial and temporal aspects of the fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching in all four MT arrays are more consistent with subunit exchange by the mechanism of dynamic instability than treadmilling. This is the first quantification of MT dynamics in plant cells.
Manifestation of chiral tunneling at a tilted graphene p - n junction

Electrons in graphene follow unconventional trajectories at $p$-$n$ junctions, driven by their pseudospintronic degree of freedom. The prominent angular dependence of transmission is significant, capturing the chiral nature of the electrons and culminating in unit transmission at normal incidence (Klein tunneling). We theoretically show that such chiral tunneling can be directly observed from the junction resistance of a tilted interface probed with separate split gates. The junction resistance is shown to increase with tilt, in agreement with recent experimental evidence. The tilt dependence arises because of the misalignment between modal density and the anisotropic transmission lobe oriented perpendicular to the tilt. A critical determinant is the presence of specular edge scattering events that can completely reverse the angle dependence. The absence of such reversals in the experiments indicates that these edge effects are not overwhelmingly deleterious, making the premise of transport governed by electron ``optics'' in graphene an exciting possibility.
Bone Microarchitecture Is Impaired in Adolescent Amenorrheic Athletes Compared with Eumenorrheic Athletes and Nonathletic Controls

Context: Bone mineral density (BMD) is lower in young amenorrheic athletes (AA) compared to eumenorrheic athletes (EA) and nonathletic controls and may contribute to fracture risk during a critical time of bone accrual. Abnormal bone microarchitecture is an independent determinant of fracture risk and has not been assessed in young athletes and nonathletes. Objective: We hypothesized that bone microarchitecture is impaired in AA compared to EA and nonathletes despite weight-bearing exercise. Design and Setting: We conducted this cross-sectional study at the Clinical Research Center of Massachusetts General Hospital. Subjects and Outcome Measures: We assessed BMD and bone microarchitecture in 50 subjects [16 AA, 18 EA, and 16 nonathletes (15–21 yr old)] using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Results: Groups did not differ for chronological age, bone age, body mass index, or vitamin D levels. Lumbar BMD Z-scores were lower in AA vs. EA and non...
Bridging the Scales to Explore Cellular Adaptation and Remodeling

This short paper presents a multiscale framework to better understand the mechanisms of biological tissue evolution from molecular to tissue scale. For this, a bottom-up strategy is proposed in which mechano-sensitive molecular processes, the evolution of cell architecture and contraction as well as the interaction between cells and the extra-cellular matrix can be integrated in a single framework. Preliminary studies based on this approach suggest that mechano-sensitive feed-back mechanisms at several length-scales may be a key element to understand tissue adaptivity to tis mechanical environment.
Distributional Effects of Oil Price Changes on Household Expenditures: Evidence from Mali

Using an input-output approach, this paper assesses the distributional effects of a rise in various petroleum product prices in Mali. The results show that, although rising gasoline and diesel prices affect mainly nonpoor households, rising kerosene prices are most harmful to the poor. Overall, the impact of fuel prices on household budgets displays a U-shaped relationship with expenditure per capita. Regardless of the oil product considered, high-income households would benefit disproportionately from oil price subsidies. This suggests that a petroleum price subsidy is an ineffective mechanism for protecting the income of poor households compared with a targeted subsidy.
Use of multiple 13C-labeling strategies and 13C NMR to detect low levels of exogenous metabolites in the presence of large endogenous pools: Measurement of glucose turnover in a human subject

Abstract A significant problem which may be encountered in 13 C NMR studies of metabolism is the contribution that background levels of 13 C may make to the observed spectra when low or tracer levels of the 13 C label are used. We propose that the introduction of two or more labeled sites in the same tracer molecule is an effective strategy for eliminating or reducing this difficulty and demonstrate its feasibility in an isotope dilution study of glucose turnover in a human volunteer. This approach has two significant advantages over the more common use of a singly enriched labeling strategy: (i) as a consequence of the scalar coupling interactions, multiple-labeled metabolites will yield spectra distinct from those containing natural abundance 13 C, and (ii) at a 99% level of enrichment for the precursor, concentration levels which are ∼1% of the endogenous pools can be detected with approximately equal sensitivity. As a demonstration of this strategy, glucose production in a human subject was determined by continuous infusion of tracer levels of [U- 13 C 6 ]glucose over a 4-h period and subsequent analysis of plasma levels of the tracer in vitro by NMR. Mass spectroscopy was used on the same samples to provide a basis for comparison of the precision and accuracy of the NMR technique. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the multiply labeled approach for detection by NMR of tracer amounts of label in the presence of a much larger endogenous pool of glucose. The NMR and mass spectrometric data gave quantitatively identical results for the glucose production rate demonstrating that equivalent data may be obtained by both methods. The NMR spectra further allow characterization of partially labeled glucose molecules which accumulate.
Evaluation of overall costs of currently available small flexible ureteroscopes.

Abstract Objectives To perform a meta-analysis of the currently available data regarding the durability of flexible ureteroscopes to establish cost estimates for the purchase and use of five currently available, smaller than 9F, ureteroscopes. Healthcare costs have become increasingly germane to the determination of disease management strategies. Improved ureteroscope technology has expanded the role of these instruments. However, the initial purchase costs and high maintenance costs have become problematic with these fragile instruments. Methods Ureteroscope durability data on the Storz 11274AA, Olympus URF-P3, Wolf 7325.172, ACMI AUR-7, and ACMI DUR-8 were collected from three prior studies. Combining the durability data and cost data regarding the initial purchase price and maintenance costs of these instruments, we calculated the overall costs associated with the use of each of the ureteroscopes for 25, 50, 75, and 100 cases during the first year (warranties included) and with subsequent use. Results The variability in the costs associated with the use of the currently available smaller than 9F ureteroscopes was significant. The initial instrument purchase price, durability, repair costs, and associated warranties all contributed to large discrepancies in the cost of performing ureteroscopy. In this model, during the first year of ownership, the projected cost of performing 100 ureteroscopic cases varied by a difference of 95% depending on the ureteroscope used. Conclusions Physicians and institutions that perform ureteroscopy should strongly consider the purchase price, durability, repair cost, and associated warranties before the purchase of small flexible ureteroscopes.
Hemolytic Anti‐hr” (e) Detectable Solely by an Automated Polybrene Technique

An example of a hemolytic anti-hr" (e) detectable solely by an AutoAnalyzer-Polybrene (AAP) system is reported. The antibody was undetectable by routine indirect antiglobulin and enzyme tests, and produced a delayed intravascular hemolytic transfusion reaction. The anti-hr" (e) was no longer AAP detectable five months after the transfusion reaction. This paper points out the potential usefulness of the AAP technique in detecting alloantibodies in cases of transfusion reactions where no antibody specificity can be demonstrated by standard manual techniques.
The neuronal basis of behavior in Tritonia. IV. The central origin of a fixed action pattern demonstrated in the isolated brain.

The mechanisms which initiate and integrate the patterned sequence of activity in the interacting cell groups responsible for the swimming behavior of Tritonia remain operative after complete isolation of the brain from the periphery. Following isolation, a short electrical stimulus applied to a nerve from the oral veil leads to patterned bursting in the flexion neurons of the pedal ganglia, which is identical to that occurring in the same cells during the swimming escape response. Direct evidence of cell-cell interaction in the form of unitary postsynaptic potentials was not obtained, but the close synchronization of burst patterning in both ipsilateral and contralateral synergists infers the existence of positive feed back between many neurons of the group. Alternating bursts of impulses in functional antagonists are associated with reciprocal inhibition between the two networks. As all possibility of proprioceptive feedback has been excluded in the isolated brain, it is evident that the motor output pattern for the escape-swimming response has been generated by a central mechanism without reference to sensory input, which serves only to trigger the action.
A New Quasi-thermal Trap Model for Solar Flare Hard X-Ray Bursts: an Electrostatic Trap Model

A new quasi-thermal trap model of solar flare hard X-ray bursts is presented. The new model utilizes the trapping ability of a magnetic mirror and a magnetic field-aligned electrostatic potential produced by differences in anisotropies of the electron and ion distribution function. It is demonstrated that this potential can, together with the magnetic mirror itself, effectively confine electrons in a trap, thereby enhancing their bremsstrahlung yield per electron. This analysis makes even more untenable models involving precipitation of the bremsstrahlung-producing electrons onto a cold target.
Identification of a novel glucose transporter in medullary thyroid carcinomas and phaeochromocytomas

Background The authors previously reported that medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs) and phaeochromocytomas avidly take up the glucose analogue fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) on FDG positron emission tomography. It was also shown that these tumours do not express any of the known human glucose transporters (Glut 1–5), which are responsible for glucose and FDG uptake into cells. It was hypothesized that a novel glucose transporter is responsible for glucose uptake in MTCs and phaeochromocytomas. Methods Using protein sequences from the known human glucose transporters (Glut 1–5), the National Center for Biotechnical Information expressed sequence tag database was screened for novel homologous sequences. Clones derived were used to screen a pooled kidney complementary DNA (cDNA) library, and cDNAs identified were used to identify patterns of expression by Northern blot analysis. Results A novel member of the human glucose transporter family, called Glut X2, was identified. This transporter had 33 per cent protein sequence identity to Glut 3. Hydropathic analysis showed exofacial and transmembrane domain structure consistent with a hexose transporter. Northern blot analysis showed expression of Glut X2 in all seven MTCs studied, all three phaeochromocytomas and in TT cells, an MTC cell line. These tumours did not express any of the other known facilitative glucose transporters (Glut 1–5). Conclusion A novel member of the human glucose transporter family has been identified which may be responsible for glucose uptake in MTCs and phaeochromocytomas. © 2000 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd
Pseudo-conservation laws in cyclic-service systems with a class of limited service policies

This paper considers a cyclic-service system with a class of limited service policies that consists of exhaustive limited, gated limited and general decrementing policies. Under these policies, the number of customers served consecutively during a server visit is limited by a vector of integers. The major results in this paper are derivations of expected amount of work left in the queues at the server departures for these three policies. Exact expressions of weighted sum of mean waiting times, known as pseudo-conservation laws, are subsequently obtained. The conservation laws for this class of policies contain unknown boundary probabilities. We estimate these probabilities using corresponding server vacation models. Numerical results presented for the exhaustive limited policy are noted to be very accurate compared with simulation results. Moreover, we have obtained analytical bounds for the weighted sums. Finally, we present a conservation law with mixed service policies, and mean waiting times for symmetric systems.
Surface-Layer Similarity of the Temperature Structure Parameter

Abstract The temperature structure parameter at two heights over a horizontally homogeneous site was measured using optical scintillometers and resistance-wire thermometers. The scintillometers gave systematically greater values than did the wire thermometers, as would be expected on the basis of the likely systematic errors of these two different instruments. Eddy correlation measurements of heat and momentum fluxes, as well as momentum flux derived from surface roughness and wind speed, allow investigation of the Monin-Obukhov similarity of the temperature structure parameter. The similarity is confirmed and compared with previous experiments. The data are mostly for unstable conditions. Disagreement between two previous datasets is resolved.
EFFECTS OF EXHORTATION AND SCHEDULED VISITS ON IMPROVING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY PERSONS

For 8 women and 2 men, elderly nursing home residents, assigned to each of 5 conditions psychological well-being was improved (zest for life and social activities) by scheduled 30-min. visits twice...
On a class of nonlinear integral equations of Urysohn's type

Abstract In this paper we study an interesting class of nonlinear integral equations of Urysohn's type, namely, u(x) + ∑ j=l n ∫ Ω k j (x,y)f j (y, u(y)) dy= v(x) (x ∈ Ω) . It is shown that such an equation can be considered as a nonlinear operator equation of Hammerstein type in an appropriate Banach space. One can in this way extend the theory of nonlinear operator equations of Hammerstein type (except for the part which uses variational methods) to this class of equations.
Digital mammography: Comparison of adaptive and nonadaptive CAD methods for mass detection

Rationale and Objectives. The authors compared the performance of adaptive and nonadaptive computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) methods for breast mass detection with digital mammography. Materials and Methods. Both adaptive and nonadaptive modular CAD methods employed recent advances in multiresolution and mutiorientation wavelet transforms for improved feature extraction. The nonadaptive method uses fixed parameters for the image preprocessing modules. The adaptive method, a new class of algorithms, adapts to image content by selecting parameters for the image preprocessing modules within a parameter range. Comparison of the two methods was performed for each individual CAD module with a region-of-interest (ROI) database containing all mass types and normal tissue. Results. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis clearly demonstrated an improvement in performance for the three adaptive modules and a significant overall difference between the two methods. The average ROC area index (Az) values were 0.86 and 0.95 for the nonadaptive and adaptive methods, respectively. The corresponding P value is .0145. For a previously reported database of full mammographic images containing 50 abnormal cases with all mass types and 50 normal images, the adaptive CAD method had a sensitivity of 96% (1.71 false-positive results per image) compared with 89% (1.91 false-positive results per image) for the nonadaptive CAD method. Conclusion. The adaptive CAD method demonstrated better performance. A study is in progress to determine the generalizability of the adaptive CAD method by applying it to larger retrospective image databases with different film digitizers.
Affinity for Nature in Outdoor Programming: Theoretical Foundations, Scale Development, and Importance

The objectives of this study were a) to develop a youth Affinity for Nature Scale that can be used to document the affective outcomes of children participating in nature based programs; b) to review three relevant strains of literature informing the development of the scale: emotion theory, child development, and affinity for nature; and c) to review the importance of this scale's utility in terms of the current state of children's relationship with the natural world. The study outcomes include a field friendly instrument based on the emotion literature providing outdoor educators a reliable method to assess program outcomes aimed at connecting children to nature. A sample of 309 campers was recruited for the initial scale development. Content criterion and discriminant validity were assessed. The results showed there was adequate internal consistency and reliability for a 10 items a shorter 5 item scale. In addition, the paper gives a rationale for the utility of this scale based on current trends of human and environmental health. In response to the growing concerns of childhood obesity, emotional health, and decreases in environmental literacy and sensitivity camps, nature centers, park and recreation organizations, and public land agencies are increasingly tailoring their program offerings to provide opportunities for children to connect with nature. These educators and program planners need tools that are easy to administer in the field to evaluate affective outcomes for the youth in their programs.
The role of IL-17-producing Foxp3+ CD4+ T cells in inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer.

The intestinal epithelium and underlying lamina propria contain T cells that play important roles in maintaining colonic homeostasis. These T cells mediate substantial and specific regulation to ensure that pathogenic microorganisms are eliminated while commensal bacteria are tolerated. There is considerable evidence supporting the notion that the altered ratio between Foxp3+CD4+ T regulatory cells and T effector cells in the colonic microenvironment might contribute to the initiation and progression of inflammation and eventually development of colon cancer. Recent findings on the heterogeneity and plasticity of T regulatory cells, such as the identification of IL-17+Foxp3+CD4+ and the RORγt+Foxp3+CD4+ subsets, in patients with colorectal inflammation and cancer have provided a new twist in our understanding of the pathogenesis of colonic diseases. Phenotypic and functional properties of IL-17-producing Foxp3+CD4+ T cells as well as the significant implications of these cells in the initiation and progression of colorectal diseases are discussed in this review.
Who Is Using the Web for Science and Health Information

This analysis (1) reviews the growth of public access to computers and the Web in recent years, (2) identifies those individuals from a national sample of adults who have sought specific informatio...
Computational physics for undergraduates: The CPUG degree program at Oregon State University

We presently are experiencing historically rapid advances in science, technology, and education driven by a dramatic increase in computer use and power. In the past, educators were content to have undergraduates view scientific computation as black boxes (an abstraction of a device in which only its externally visible behavior is considered, not its implementation) and have them wait for graduate school to learn what's inside. Our increasing reliance on computers makes this less true today, and much less likely to be true in the future. To adjust to the growing importance of computing in all of science, Oregon State University's Physics Department now offers a four-year, research-rich curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in computational physics. The five computational courses developed for this program act as a bridge connecting physics with the computation, mathematics, and computational science communities.
Maintenance of Diastemas by a Cast Lingual Loop Connector and Acid-Etch Technique

When a patient wishes to maintain diastemas, the traditional fixed partial denture is inadequate.
Reconfiguring the spatiality of power: the construction of a supranational migration framework for the European Union

Abstract This paper examines the construction of a supranational framework for immigration control for the European Union since the mid-1980s and its implications for national sovereignty, for EU membership and for migrants. As in the case of European integration more generally, this construction process has been highly contested, involving numerous negotiations, tensions and struggles among different political actors situating themselves and operating at different geographic scales. Contestation occurred over three issues in particular: first, over where power and authority should be located—at which geographic scale and in which institutions; second, over geographic scope—the territorial extent of the framework; and third, over the principles according to which power and authority should be exercised—over divergent visions of justice and democratic accountability. Examination of the cacophony of intergovernmental institutional arrangements and agreements on immigration matters suggests that power over the immigration of non-EU nationals remains in the hands of nation-states, with supranational policies materializing only when they are seen as consistent with national interests. An analysis of the tensions and struggles between different state and non-state actors concerning the rights of current and potential non-EU immigrants reveals contrasting visions of justice and democratic accountability. Juxtaposed to the exclusionary policies promoted by national government representatives and right-wing nationalist parties are calls by transnational nongovernmental organizations for more inclusionary policies encompassing the protection of human rights of immigrants and their representation in the democratic process.
Tightness and Boundedness of Stochastic Flows

In Basak and Kannan, (Basak, G.K.; Kannan, D. Volume nullification and asymptotic flatness of degenerate diffusions. Stoch. Anal. Appl. 1996, 14, 131–148) the authors made a conjectural remark about the relationship between the boundedness and tightness of a degenerate diffusion process (restated in the introductory section below). In the present article we investigate these relationships for the Brownian and Levy flows in particular; some of these results hold for more general forward stochastic flows. Particularly, we show that (a) when the flow is an L p -random field and is also tight for each x, then as t→∞, then the flow cannot be tight for all x. We establish some relationship between tightness and asymptotic behavior of the infinitesimal generator of and also discuss the almost sure boundedness of the flow.
Effect of oxygen exposure on lung clearance of amines

Depression of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) clearance by the endothelial cells of the lung has been shown to be a sensitive index of oxygen (O2) induced pulmonary dysfunction. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of high partial pressures of O2 on the pulmonary clearance of two other bioactive amines, norepinephrine (NE) and imipramine (IMP), which are removed from the circulation by interaction with the pulmonary endothelial cell. Lungs from rats previously exposed to either air or 100% O2 at 1 ATA for 12 to 48 h were isolated, ventilated and perfused via the pulmonary artery. Clearances of NE and IMP were calculated from the arteriovenous difference of radiolabeled amine across the lung. There was a progressive reduction in the clearance of NE with increasing duration of O2 exposure. Compared to control lungs, clearance was depressed 7% after 12 h, 39% (P < 0.001) after 24 h, and 51% (P < 0.001) after 48 h O2 exposure. In contrast, pulmonary clearance of IMP was not altered by exposure to 100% O2. These results indicate that high partial pressures of O2 depress clearance of NE but not IMP in the isolated, perfused rat lung. The most likely mechanism for the depression of NE clearance is interference with the transport properties of lung endothelium.
Theoretical investigations of defects in a Si‐based digital ferromagnetic heterostructure – a spintronic material

We investigate the effects of two different forms of defects on the half-metallic properties of the Mn/Si digital ferromagnetic heterostructure (DFH) (PRL 96, 027211 (2006)) using first principles algorithm based on density functional theory. The half metallicity is retained when the δ-layer of the Mn atoms has 25% imperfection and even a vacancy. The cruci al properties of the DFH are robust against 25% defects (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Derivation of tensile strength ratio by second-order theory

Tension members with edge knots or edge knotholes deflect laterally when they are loaded by a tensile force. In order to consider this behavior for determination of tensile strength ratio (TSR), second-order theory is applied. A matrix displacement method of structural analysis developed from the slope deflection method is used to implement the second-order theory. The method reveals that in a member with a single edge knot the lowest TSR is obtained when the lateral deflection is negligible, and when the ends are hinged. For a stiffness value (EI/L) that is small, both end conditions (hinged and fixed) yield the same TSR; for large stiffness value, fixed end condition always gives a higher TSR than a hinged end condition because the moment is reduced at the defect as a result of the fixed ends. The method further reveals that the maximum moment for two edge knots on the same edge is lower than when they are on opposite edges.
Amino Acid Profiling of Protein Hydrolysates Using Liquid Chromatography and Fluorescence Detection

Abstract A liquid chromatography procedure is described for separating the amino acids in protein hydrolysates. The proteins are hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid and an aliquot of the hydrolysate is derivatized with dansyl chloride reagent. The derivatization procedure takes only 2 minutes using a reaction temperature of 100°C. The dansylated amino acids are chromatographed using a reversed-phase C8 column and a multi-step, nonlinear gradient elution solvent program which is readily achieved using a microprocessor-controlled liquid chromatograph. Chromatography is complete in approximately 40 min. The procedure is useful for characterizing proteins and may also be used to analyse intact dansylated polypeptides. Chromatograms showing the amino acid profile of chymotrypsin, albumin and histone are given.
A lagrangian scheme for the animation of unsteady separation

Abstract A procedure for animating unsteady-separation phenomena, from an impulsive start to the onset of a viscous eruption, is described in this study. The animation is carried out using a lagrangian technique because this type of approach is the most natural scheme for computing and visualizing both the displacement and viscous deformation of the fluid. Furthermore, the lagrangian approach is a very effective and accurate scheme for numerical resolution of the fluid flow as it proceeds to an eruptive state. Detailed descriptions of the algorithm and animation strategy are provided, and a sequence of images of unsteady separation, through to the time of boundary-layer breakdown, is given.
Career-oriented Women with Tattoos

Almost 50 percent of all tattoos are being done on women, many of whom are counselors, nurses, doctors, lawyers and business managers. Career-oriented women (N = 137) who had tattoos for at least six months were surveyed in a national study. Consequences associated with the unconventional, permanent product--purchase risk (pain, expense, inexperience), possession risk (self, family and general society response) and health risks--were examined. Women obtained tattoos as an expression of individuality. Almost no elements of purchase or health risks were reported, but possession risk occurred. Strong support for the tattoo was expressed by the significant person in the women's life and friends, while mild support was perceived from mothers, siblings and children. Respondents cited a lack of, or negative response from their fathers, physicians, registered nurses and the general public. Misunderstanding of what a tattoo means to the individual and stereotyping of women with tattoos continues. Understanding career-oriented women's experience of seeking tattoos may provide a new gender/cultural perspective which has implications for health care professionals. In addition, nursing may have a role to play in educating tattoo artists about health care risks.