cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prenatal diagnosis and outcome of fetal lung masses

Abstract Aim The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of prenatal diagnostic features, particularly congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation volume ratio (CVR), in predicting outcomes for fetuses with lung masses. Methods The records and imaging features of all fetuses referred to the Texas Children's Fetal Center with a fetal lung mass between July 2001 and May 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. Data collected included gestational age (GA) at diagnosis, fetal magnetic resonance imaging findings, CVR, mass size, nature of fetal treatment, surgical findings, pathology, and outcome. Data were analyzed for predicting development of hydrops or the need for fetal therapy using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results Of 82 fetuses (41 male) evaluated for a lung mass, 53 (65%) were left-sided (1 bilateral), and the mean (SD) GA at diagnosis was 21.5 (4.3) weeks. Seventy-three fetuses underwent fetal magnetic resonance imaging at a mean (SD) GA of 26.1 (4.6) weeks. Thirteen fetuses (16%) had fetal treatment. Four fetuses with hydrops underwent open fetal surgical resection, and 3 survived. Six fetuses with large lung masses and persistent mediastinal compression near term underwent ex-utero intrapartum therapy-to-resection procedures, and 3 fetuses with hydrops underwent serial thoracentesis. Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation volume ratio correlated strongly with the development of hydrops and the need for fetal therapy with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.96 ( P P P Conclusion Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation volume ratio correlates strongly with the development of fetal hydrops and the need for fetal intervention. A threshold value of 2.0 yields the most powerful statistical results.
Characterization of dynamic physiology of the bladder by optical coherence tomography

Because of its high spatial resolution and noninvasive imaging capabilities, optical coherence tomography has been used to characterize the morphological details of various biological tissues including urinary bladder and to diagnose their alternations (e.g., cancers). In addition to static morphology, the dynamic features of tissue morphology can provide important information that can be used to diagnose the physiological and functional characteristics of biological tissues. Here, we present the imaging studies based on optical coherence tomography to characterize motion related physiology and functions of rat bladder detrusor muscles and compared the results with traditional biomechanical measurements. Our results suggest that optical coherence tomography is capable of providing quantitative evaluation of contractile functions of intact bladder (without removing bladder epithelium and connective tissue), which is potentially of more clinical relevance for future clinical diagnosis - if incorporated with cystoscopic optical coherence tomography.
Complex visual textures as a tool for studying the VEP

Abstract A method of separating components of the visual evoked potential by using complex visual textures is described. Interchange of visual textures with identical power specta and third-order autocorrelations elicits a response which may be analyzed into symmetric and asymmetric components. It is shown that the asymmetric component depends on complex attributes of form. Mechanisms that generate this component must possess nonlinear interactions among multiple areas of the visual pattern. These interactions are likely to be more complex than rectification following spatial summation. It is concluded that the asymmetric component reflects intracortical, rather than precortical, processsing.
Actions of the decarboxylase inhibitor, alpha-methyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, in the dog.

Alpha-methyl-3,4-dihydroxy-DL-pheny]alanme was shown by Sourkes1to be a potent inhibitor of the decarboxylation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in vitro. This action was confirmed by animal studies in which the pharmacological actions of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and 5-hydroxytryptophan were decreased by administration of this compound2,3. Further evidence of the activity of α-methyl-3,4-dihydroxy-DL-phenylalanine in vivo was obtained by Smith4, who reported that levels of serotonin in the brains of mice were decreased after parenteral administration of this compound. More recently, Oates et al. 5, in this Laboratory, observed a decrease in the formation of serotonin, tryptamine and tyramine from the precursor amino-acids when 1.0–6.0 gm./day of α-methyl-3,4-dihydroxy-DL-phenylalanine were administered to hypertensive patients. Associated with this decrease in amine production was the development of transient sedation and a lowering of the blood pressure.
Effect of Electric Shock

This paper describes an investigation of the effects of electric shock on the central nervous system. A total of 286 rats was employed in the investigation. These were shocked at 110, 220, 500, and 1000 volts on both alternating and continuous current circuits for varying lengths of time. In each series the duration of the shock was increased until it was found impossible to resuscitate the rats. When possible the rats were resuscitated by means of artificial respiration, and kept alive for about a week. Then they were killed by an overdose of ether and an autopsy was immediately made. The rats reacted in entirely different manner on the two types of circuit. At the lower voltages the alternating current was deadlier than the continuous, but at the high voltage the opposite was found to be the case. In many instances the rats were paralyzed by the application of the current and in the majority of these animals gross hemorrhages were found in the spinal cord at autopsy. All of the deaths that occurred as a result of the shock were caused by respiratory failure, which could usually be traced to an injury of the central nervous system. In some cases the electric current produced peculiar effects upon the rats.
NASA's Space Launch System: An enabling capability for discovery

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Space Launch System (SLS) Program, managed at the Marshall Space Flight Center, is making progress toward delivering a new capability for human spaceflight and scientific missions beyond Earth orbit (BEO). Developed with the goals of safety, affordability, and sustainability in mind, the SLS rocket will launch the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), equipment, supplies, and major science missions for exploration and discovery. Making its first uncrewed test flight in 2017 and its first crewed flight in 2021, the SLS will evolve into the most powerful launch vehicle ever flown, capable of supporting human missions into deep space and to Mars.
Massively parallel implementation of neural network architectures

In recent years neural networks have been used to solve some of the difficult real time character recognition problems. These SIMD implementations of the networks have achieve some success, but the real potential of neural networks are yet to be utilized. Several well known neural network architectures have been, modified, and implemented. These architecture are then applied to character recognition. The performance of these parallel character recognition systems are compared and contrasted. Feature localization and noise reduction are achieved using least squares optimized Gabor filtering. The filtered images are then presented to an FAUST based learning algorithm which produces the self- organizing sets of neural network generated features used for character recognition. Implementation of these algorithms on highly parallel computer with 1024 processors allows high speed character recognition to be achieved at a speed of 2.3 ms/image, with greater than 99% accuracy on machine print and 89% accuracy on unconstrained hand printed characters. These results are achieved using identical parallel processor programs demonstrating that the method is truly font independent. The back propagation is included to allow comparison with more conventional neural network character recognition methods. The network has one hidden layer with multiple concurrent feedback from the output layer to the hidden and from hidden layer to the input layer. This concurrent feedback and weight adjustment is only possible on a SIMD computer.
Expression of c-FLIP in pulmonary metastases in osteosarcoma patients and human xenografts

Objective(s) We have previously shown that Fas expression inversely correlates with the metastatic potential of osteosarcoma (OS) to the lung. FasL is constitutively expressed in the lung microenvironment and eliminates Fas+ osteosarcoma cells leaving Fas− cells to form metastases. Absence of FasL in the lung epithelium or blocking the Fas-signaling pathway interfered with this clearance mechanism allowing Fas+ cells to remain and form lung metastases. We also demonstrated that while the majority of patient OS lung metastases were Fas−, 10-20% of the lesions contain Fas+ cells, suggesting that these cells were not sensitive to FasL-induced apoptosis. The expression of c-FLIP, an inhibitor of the Fas pathway, has been associated with tumor development, progression, and resistance to chemotherapy. We therefore evaluated the expression of c-FLIP in OS patient tumor specimens and human xenograft lung metastases.
Autogenous Tissue Reconstruction in the Management of Aortoiliofemoral Graft Infection

Management of infected prosthetic arterial grafts remains a challenging clinical problem. Revascularization following removal of the infected arterial prosthesis is frequently necessary and usually achieved using remote extraanatomic bypasses. We present three cases where complete removal of the infected prosthesis was followed by autogenous reconstruction using reversed saphenous vein, endarterectomized segments of superficial femoral artery, or endarterectomy of the native occluded vessels. Eradication of the infection was seen in all three patients. The reconstructions have remained patent in the three patients with follow-up from four months to three years. Percutaneous balloon dilation was successful in the management of a distal limb stenosis in one patients. Autogenous vascular reconstruction following removal of infected prosthetic vascular grafts remains a viable alternative in the treatment of difficult, selected cases of infected arterial prosthesis. It is probably an underutilized alternative, when one considers that the surgical techniques employed are familiar to vascular surgeons. Cure of the infection and prepreservation of critical vascular beds can both be achieved with autogenous tissue, either in situ or from remote areas. Available percutaneous techniques may play an important role in maintaining durability of these reconstructions.
A new foreign policy: MHC class I molecules monitor the outside world

Although most cells exclusively use their major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules to present peptides from endogenous proteins, phagocytes also use them to present exogenous antigens. Here, Kenneth Rock describes how this novel antigen-presenting pathway may play an important role in immune surveillance for intracellular bacteria or parasites, as well as for viral infections and tumors affecting somatic tissues.
All the Lonely People: The Relationship among Loneliness, Communicative Competence, and Communication Anxiety.

This paper reports research which examines the relationship of loneliness with communication variables. The study examines the relationship between loneliness, communication anxiety, and communicative competence. Statistical analysis reveals two types of loneliness ‐lack of an intimate (romantic or particularly close) relationship (intimate other) and lack of a group or network of friends (social network). Two dimensions of communicative competence significantly predict loneliness, communication apprehension makes no contribution to the model. Canonical correlation reveals a significant relationship between the communicative competence dimension, social experience, and the lack of a social network. Future research issues regarding the study of loneliness are presented.
Displacements of Prohead Protease Genes in the Late Operons of Double-Stranded-DNA Bacteriophages

Most of the known prohead maturation proteases in double-stranded-DNA bacteriophages are shown, by computational methods, to fall into two evolutionarily independent clans of serine proteases, herpesvirus assemblin-like and ClpP-like. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that these two types of phage prohead protease genes displaced each other multiple times while preserving their exact location within the late operons of the phage genomes.
Policy Coherence and Component-Driven Policymaking: Arctic Policy in Canada and the United States

This research extends theorizing about the implications of political environments to the content of policy areas. We consider the case of Arctic policy in Canada and the United States as an example of what we label as component-driven policymaking. We show how the lack of a clear constituency and the lack of a stable policy subsystem for the Arctic create a policy environment for which the politics of particular issues dominate Arctic policymaking. The result is a policy space labeled Arctic policy that lacks policy coherence. We suggest that similar features of component-based policymaking help explain limited policy coherence for a variety of policy areas such as policies for children, families, rural areas, urban areas, and women in the United States.
Ammonia: Its Effects on Biological Systems, Metabolic Hormones, and Reproduction

The physical, chemical properties of ammonia, its sources and detoxification, its effects in biological systems, its influence upon insulin action and glucose metabolism, and its possible effects on reproduction are discussed. Present chemical methods do not distinguish nonionic from ionic forms. At physiological pH, nonionic ammonia concentrations remain low but are primarily responsible for toxic effects. Thus, biologically significant changes of ammonia concentrations may not be revealed by determinations of ammonia in blood plasma. For these and other reasons the subacute toxicity of ammonia often is unrecognized, and its effects on intermediary metabolism and the hormonal milieu in normal and disease states remain poorly understood. Effects of ammonia may be stimulatory at low concentrations and inhibitory as concentrations rise or exposure is extended. Extensive experiments in eight ureotelic species, including man, show that urinary excretion of orotic acid becomes significantly elevated when the quantity of ammonia presented to the liver exceeds the capacity for normal detoxification. Present evidence with arginine and other intermediates of the urea cycle suggest that these substances influence glucose metabolism and insulin action. Recent studies of dairy cattle provide speculative evidence that high protein feeding or forms of protein that lead to elevated ammonia concentrations in tissue decrease conception rates and increase the calving to conception interval of dairy cows. Limited data concerning luteinizing hormone concentrations and steroid hormone metabolism are insufficient to establish whether differences in reproductive performance are due to changes of hormonal physiology, intrauterine environment, or metabolism.
A Theory of Chemical Separations: Thermodynamic Relationships in Linear Multistate Chemical Systems

Abstract A simple relationship between the over-all thermodynamic equilibrium constant and the thermodynamic equilibrium constants for the individual partition states that occur within a linear multistate chemical system is derived. The interrelationships between the various parameters that characterize gas-liquid systems—the symmetrical activity coefficient at infinite dilution, Henry's constant, and the partition coefficient—are treated in detail to demonstrate the application of the theoretical results.
Tree Ring Evidence for Chronic Insect Suppression of Productivity in Subalpine Eucalyptus

Experimental reduction of insect grazing pressures suggests that longterm, continuous feeding by phytophagous insects has severely depressed growth and productivity of subalpine Eucalyptus trees (measured by annual ring growth) for at least 25 years.
The influence of IUDs on uterine neutrophils

Abstract The study was designed to determine the neutrophilic response of the rat uterus to different IUDs and to observe the effect of the ovarian hormones on the response. Copper, silk thread, and polyethylene devices were placed in the cervical half of one uterine horn of intact and castrate rats. More neutrophils were observed in the luminal fluid of the IUD horns than in that of the controls, and more were observed in the mated rats containing a copper or a silk thread IUD than in rats with a polyethylene device. Estrogen increased the number of neutrophils in the uterine fluid of rats with a copper or silk thread. Progesterone decreased the neutrophil count but only in the rats with the polyethylene device. Regardless of treatment, rats with the polyethylene IUD had the fewest neutrophils in the uterine tissue. Our data show that the composition of the foreign device was of prime importance in determining the neutrophilic response. Furthermore, the data demonstrate that the ovarian hormones modify the response but this was dependent upon the composition of the IUD. In order to evaluate the total effect of the IUD on the neutrophilic response, it is essential to consider the luminal and tissue neutrophils. The possibility that a critical number of neutrophils is essential for preventing implantation in IUD horns is considered.
Distributed target localization via spatial sparsity

We propose an approximation framework for distributed target localization in sensor networks. We represent the unknown target positions on a location grid as a sparse vector, whose support encodes the multiple target locations. The location vector is linearly related to multiple sensor measurements through a sensing matrix, which can be locally estimated at each sensor. We show that we can successfully determine multiple target locations by using linear dimensionality-reducing projections of sensor measurements. The overall communication bandwidth requirement per sensor is logarithmic in the number of grid points and linear in the number of targets, ameliorating the communication requirements. Simulations results demonstrate the performance of the proposed framework.
Prediction of micro and nanoindentation size effect from conical or pyramidal indentation

Abstract It is well-known by now that the hardness of the material at the micron and submicron length scales is dependent on the indent size. The objective of this work is to formulate a micromechanical-based model that can be used to predict simultaneously the indentation size effect (ISE) from both micro and nanoindentations by conical or pyramidal (Berkovich and Vickers) indenters. This model is based on the evolution of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) beneath the indenter which is nonlinearly coupled to the evolution of statistically stored dislocations (SSDs) through the Taylor’s hardening law. It is shown through comparisons with micro and nanoindentation experimental data that the proposed model gives much better predictions of hardness at small indentation depths as compared to the Nix–Gao model. It is concluded that when using the Taylor’s hardening law a simple sum of flow stresses from SSDs and GNDs is more adequate than the simple sum of SSD and GND densities. Moreover, it is shown that the length scale responsible for the ISE is proportional to the spacing between dislocations. Thus, it is concluded that materials with smaller length scales are harder but exhibit lower ISE.
Correlations among behavioral measures of orbitofrontal function.

Orbitofrontal cortex plays an important role in guiding behavior based on emotional input and rewards. It receives multimodal higher order sensory information and mediates reinforcement for primary as well as secondary or conditioned forms of reinforcement (e.g., monetary rewards). Several behavioral measures have demonstrated putative sensitivity to orbitofrontal function: smell identification, delayed alternation, and response inhibition (go/no-go and antisaccades). A correlational study of performances on these tasks by healthy controls demonstrated some interrelationships: go/no-go correlated with antisaccades, left nostril smell correlated with go/no-go, and right nostril smell correlated with delayed alternation. Further analysis showed that certain smells correlated with tasks more strongly than others. Given the diversity of these tasks, it is suggested that these intercorrelations result from at least the partial overlap of the neural substrates for olfactory identification and tasks requiring re...
Cancer of Unknown Primary: Changing Approaches. A Multidisciplinary Case Presentation from the Joan Karnell Cancer Center of Pennsylvania Hospital

Cancer of unknown primary is a common clinical syndrome, accounting for 2%-5% of cancer patients. A representative case is presented. This heterogenous group of disorders includes entities such as poorly differentiated carcinoma of unknown primary, adenocarcinoma of unknown primary, neuroendocrine carcinoma of unknown primary, squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary, poorly differentiated (not otherwise specified) cancer of unknown primary, and melanoma of unknown primary. It is crucial to identify those treatment-responsive presentations of unknown primary with the greatest potential for long-term survival. This discussion emphasizes newer approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of unknown primary cancer, including advances in pathology with immunoperoxidase and molecular genetic techniques, positron emission tomography, and published chemotherapeutic trials. With the increased sophistication of pathologic and radiologic techniques, the frequency of unknown primary cancers will likely continue to decline. Further, as newer and more targeted therapies for specific types of cancer are identified, the previously held nihilism regarding the search for and identification of the primary may become less supportable.
Effects of recombinant plasmid content on growth properties and cloned gene product formation in Escherichia coli.

Plasmid–host cell interactions have been investigated experimentally using Escherichia coli HB101, plasmid RSF1050 which contains the origin of replication of pMB1, and four other closely related copy number mutant plasmids. Growth characteristics of these recombinant strains and β-lactamase activity expressed from a plasmid gene were investigated in Luria broth (LB) and in minimal medium (M9) containing in some cases casamino acids or different concentrations of α-methylglucoside, a competitive inhibitor of glucose transport. Maximum specific growth rates in LB and minimal media were reduced for increasing plasmid content per cell. Plasmid copy number increased when specific growth rate was reduced by changing medium composition. Growth rates of high copy number strains were less sensitive to α-methylglucoside than lower copy number strains and the plasmidfree host. The overall efficiency of plasmid gene expression, measured as the ratio of β-lactamase specific activity to plasmid content, decreased significantly with increasing plasmid content in LB medium.
A modified method of characteristics incorporating streamline diffusion

A hybrid finite-element method, combining ideas from a modified method of characteristics and the streamline diffusion method, delivers accurate solutions to the advection–diffusion equation. An error analysis for the case of tensorial diffusion shows that the lowest-order version of the scheme, which allows one to use a symmetric linear solvers at each time step, possesses first-order accuracy in time and space. Numerical experiments demonstrate the scheme's ability to model advection-dominated transport of solute plumes without distorting sharp fronts. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Three-dimensional PSF characterization of circle-plus-arc cone-beam computed tomography

Cone-beam CT (CBCT) realizes true three-dimensional (3D) imaging in terms of its direct volume reconstruction with isotropic resolution. However, the 3D imaging performance of a CBCT system is spatially variant (or non-uniform) over the support domain, which can be quantitatively characterized by 3D point spread function (PSF). The CBCT system PSF can be experimentally measured through the use of telfon ball and edge-spread technique. For a single circular scan orbit, its volume reconstruction fails to meet data sufficiency condition, consequently causing spatial shift variance. In the pursuit of meeting data sufficiency condition, we have proposed a circle-plus-arc CB scan scheme. The overall CBCT imaging process involves several factors, including x-ray source, cone-beam projection, and computational reconstruction; each factor can in principle be characterized by a convolution kernel or PSF. In this paper, we concentrate on the PSF characterization of circle-plus-arc algorithm. Based on the linearity of Radon transform and inverse Radon transform, we can partition the Radon domain. In particular, the circle-plus-arc scan scheme partitions the Radon domain into a donut-like region (associated with the circle scan) and funnel-like null region (provided by the arc scan). A modified FDK algorithm is responsible for donut region reconstruction, and a filtered-backprojection-styled inverse Radon transform is for the null region reconstruction. By adding them up, we obtain the complete volume reconstruction. Through the use of a bead array phantom (a 5×5×5 array), subject to cone-beam scan under different scan patterns and volume reconstruction, we calculated the local PSF blurs and the spatial variance. The result shows that, for our CBCT simulation with 28 degree cone angle, the circle scan produces a spatial variance of 9.3% and the circle-plus-arc scan reduces that to 1.8%.
Three messages are not optimal in worst case interactive communication

Let X and Y be two jointly distributed random variables. Suppose person P/sub X/, the informant, knows X, and person P/sub Y/, the recipient, knows Y, and both know the joint probability distribution of the pair (X,Y). Using a predetermined protocol, they communicate over a binary error-free channel in order for P/sub Y/ to learn X, whereas P/sub X/ may or may not learn Y. C/spl circ/m(X/spl verbar/Y) is the minimum number of bits required to be transmitted (by both persons) in the worst case when only m message exchanges are allowed. C/spl circ//spl infin/(X/spl verbar/Y) is the number of bits required when P/sub X/ and P/sub Y/ can communicate back and forth an arbitrary number of times. Orlitsky proved that for all (X,Y) pairs, C/spl circ//sub 2/(X/spl verbar/Y)/spl les/4C/spl circ//spl infin/(X/spl verbar/Y)+3, and that for every positive c and /spl isin/ with /spl isin/ 0, there exist some (X,Y) pairs for which C/spl circ//sub 3/(X/spl verbar/Y)/spl ges/(2/spl minus//spl isin/)C/spl circ//sub 4/(X/spl verbar/Y)/spl ges/c. That is, three messages are not optimal either. >
Astrocyte-derived soluble factors promoting neuronal differentiation of adult neural progenitor cells

v CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION Introduction 1 Dissertation Organization 2 Abbreviations 3 Literature Review 5 References 23 CHAPTER 2. SOLUBLE FACTORS FROM NEOCORTICAL ASTROCYTES ENHANCE NEURONAL DIFFERENTIATION OF NEURAL PROGENITOR CELLS FROM ADULT RAT HIPPOCAMPUS ON MICROPATTERNED POLYMER SUBSTRATES Abstract 44 Introduction 45 Materials and Methods 47 Results 53 Discussion 56 Conclusion 60 Acknowledgements 61 References 63 Figure legends 68 Figures 1~4 71 CHAPTER 3. ASTROCYTE-DERIVED INTERLEUKIN-6 PROMOTES SPECIFIC NEURONAL DIFFERENTIATION OF NEURAL PROGENITOR CELLS FROM ADULT HIPPOCAMPUS Abstract 75 Abbreviations 77
Educating Students with Severe Disabilities in Their Neighborhood School The Utah Elementary Integration Model

The Utah Elementary Integration (UEI) Model, a federally funded model demonstration project, focused on providing a comprehensive and appropriate education for students with severe disabilities within their neighborhood elementary school. In this article we (a) review the rationale and data base for supporting neighborhood school placements, (b) provide an overview of UEI model components, (c) summarize data on the outcomes of model implementation, and (d) discuss issues related to the successful implementation of neighborhood school models. Outcome date are reported on several measures of adaptive behavior and social integration for participating students (n = 27), as well as on the reactions of the general education homeroom teachers who included the participating students with severe disabilities in their classrooms for part of the school day.
Frio Shale Mineralogy and the Stoichiometry of the Smectite-to-Illite Reaction: The Most Important Reaction in Clastic Sedimentary Diagenesis

Burial diagenesis of shales of the Frio Formation resulted in an increase in the abundance of mixed-layer illite-smectite (I-S), albite and chlorite, and a decrease in the abundance of K-feldspar, illite and kaolinite. Some of the mineralogic trends determined in this study contrast with the results of Hower et al. (1976) and other studies of Frio shales. The differences are due to improvements in laboratory and clay quantification techniques since the time of the earlier research. I-S composition changed from ~20% to ≥80% illite, and mineralogic and chemical reaction of I-S continued throughout burial. Shale diagenesis was an open-system process that required addition of K2O and A12O3, and resulted in loss of SiO2. The amount of SiO2 made available by shale diagenesis is sufficient to be the source of the quartz-overgrowth cements in the associated Frio sandstones. The relationships between I-S diagenesis and fluid flow from shales into sandstones, generation of abnormal formation-water fluid pressure, onset of sandstone diagenesis and distribution of authigenic phases in sandstones indicate that reaction of the I-S in shales is one of the most important components of the sandstone/shale/formation water diagenetic system.
Proteomic analysis of human follicular fluid from fertile women

Background Follicular fluid is a unique biological fluid in which the critical events of oocyte and follicular maturation and somatic cell-germ cell communication occur. Because of the intimate proximity of follicular fluid to the maturing oocyte, this fluid provides a unique window into the processes occurring during follicular maturation. A thorough identification of the specific components within follicular fluid may provide a better understanding of intrafollicular signaling, as well as reveal potential biomarkers of oocyte health for women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment. In this study, we used high and low pH HPLC peptide separations followed by mass spectrometry to perform a comprehensive proteomic analysis of human follicular fluid from healthy ovum donors. Next, using samples from a second set of patients, an isobaric mass tagging strategy for quantitative analysis was used to identify proteins with altered abundances after hCG treatment.
Government Subsidized Academic Research: Economic and Ethical Conflicts

Justification for public funding of academic research is based on the linear model of technological advance first proposed by Francis Bacon. The model hypothesizes that government subsidized science generates new technology which creates new wealth. Mainstream economics supports Bacon’s model by arguing that academic research is a “public good.” The Bayh–Dole Act allows universities to privatize federally funded research and development (R&D) which is in direct conflict with the public good argument. Diminishing returns to university R&D, challenges to Bacon’s linear model and the labor exploitation of young scientists by research universities suggest that policy makers may want to reconsider the system for allocating federal R&D to universities and colleges.
The Pathogenicity of Nonenterotoxigenic Vibrio cholerae Serogroup 01 Biotype EI Tor Isolated from Sewage Water in Brazil

Nonenterotoxigenic strains no. 1196-78 and no. 1074-78 of Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 (biotype El Tor, serotype Ogawa) were isolated from sewage water in Brazil and fed to 20 volunteers. Neither strain caused diarrhea. None of the seven volunteers who ingested Ogawa strain no. 1074-78 (10(6) organisms) excreted the organism whereas eight of the 13 volunteers who ingested Ogawa strain no. 1196-78 (10(6) or 10(8) organisms) did excrete the organism in their stools. None of 114 stool-culture isolates yielded cholera enterotoxin, and none of the 20 volunteers had significant increases in serum titers of antitoxin as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay although six of the volunteers had slightly elevated vibriocidal antibody levels. Six volunteers used as controls and four volunteers who had stool cultures positive for strain no. 1196-78 of V. cholerae were challenged with pathogenic El Tor Ogawa strain no. E7946 (10(6) organisms) to determine if previous ingestion of the Brazilian strain would induce protective immunity. All 10 of the volunteers developed diarrhea, and the severity of the illness was similar in both groups.
Alterations in Intracellular Calcium Ion Concentrations in Cerebellar Granule Cells of the CACNA1A Mutant Mouse, Leaner, During Postnatal Development

Maintaining calcium ion (Ca2+) homeostasis is crucial for normal neuronal function. Altered Ca2+ homeostasis interferes with Ca2+ signaling processes and affects neuronal survival. In this study, we used homozygous leaner and tottering mutant mice, which carry autosomal recessive mutations in the gene coding for the α1A pore forming subunit of CaV2.1 (P/Q-type) voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC). Leaner mice show severe ataxia and epilepsy, while tottering mice are less severely affected. Leaner cerebellar granule cells (CGC) show extensive apoptotic cell death that peaks at postnatal (P) day 20 and continues into adulthood. Intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) concentrations in leaner and tottering mouse Purkinje cells have been described, but [Ca2+]i concentrations have not been reported for granule cells, the largest neuronal population of the cerebellum. Using the ratiometric dye, Fura-2 AM, we investigated the role of Ca2+ homeostasis in CGC death during postnatal development by demonstrating basal [Ca2+]i, depolarization induced Ca2+ transients, and Ca2+ transients after completely blocking CaV2.1 VGCC. From P20 onward, basal [Ca2+]i levels in leaner CGC were significantly lower compared to age-matched wild-type CGC. We also compared basal [Ca2+]i levels in leaner and wild-type CGC to basal [Ca2+]i in tottering CGC. Potassium chloride induced depolarization revealed no significant difference in Ca2+ transients between leaner and wild-type CGC, indicating that even though leaner CGC have dysfunctional P/Q-type VGCC, Ca2+ transients after depolarization are the same. This suggests that other VGCC are compensating for the dysfunctional P/Q channels. This finding was further confirmed by completely blocking CaV2.1 VGCC using ω-Agatoxin IV-A.
Experimental Determination of Quantum and Centroid Capacitance in Arsenide–Antimonide Quantum-Well MOSFETs Incorporating Nonparabolicity Effect

Experimental gate capacitance (Cg) versus gate voltage data for InAs0.8Sb0.2 quantum-well MOSFET (QW-MOSFET) is analyzed using a physics-based analytical model to obtain the quantum capacitance (CQ) and centroid capacitance (Ccent). The nonparabolic electronic band structure of the InAs0.8Sb0.2 QW is incorporated in the model. The effective mass extracted from Shubnikov-de Haas magnetotransport measurements is in excellent agreement with that extracted from capacitance measurements. Our analysis confirms that in the operational range of InAs0.8Sb0.2 QW-MOSFETs, quantization and nonparabolicity in the QW enhance CQ and Ccent. Our quantitative model also provides an accurate estimate of the various contributing factors toward Cg scaling in future arsenide-antimonide MOSFETs.
Measuring Intracellular Oxygenation with Myoglobin MRS

Despite the obvious importance of oxygen (O2) in maintaining cellular viability, many fundamental questions still abound about its role in regulating metabolism. These include the knowledge of the critical O2 level required by the cell to maintain healthy function, the role played by O2 in cellular signaling, and the biochemical mechanism of intracellular O2 transport. To address such questions, biophysical techniques must first measure the intracellular oxygen level. Fortunately, detecting the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) myoglobin (Mb) signals of valine E11 (Val-E11) γ1-CH3 and the proximal histidine F8 (His-F8) NδH in vivo has opened unique opportunities to clarify the cellular O2 level, to understand the role of O2 in regulating respiration and oxidative phosphorylation, and to secure new insights into cellular function of Mb. Keywords: oxygen; respiration; hypoxia; ischemia; bioenergetics; muscle; heart
Time Course of Treatment Dropout in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

A substantial minority of people drop out of cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBTs) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There has been considerable research investigating who drops out of PTSD treatment; however, the question of when dropout occurs has received far less attention. The purpose of the current study was to examine when individuals drop out of CBT for PTSD. Women participants (N = 321) were randomized to 1 of several PTSD treatment conditions. The conditions included prolonged exposure (PE), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), CPT-cognitive only (CPT-C), and written accounts (WA). Survival analysis was used to examine temporal pattern of treatment dropout. Thirty-nine percent of participants dropped out of treatment, and those who dropped out tended to do so by midtreatment. Moreover, the pattern of treatment dropout was consistent across CBT conditions. Additional research is needed to examine if treatment dropout patterns are consistent across treatment modalities and settings.
CYP2E1- and TNFalpha/LPS-Induced Oxidative Stress and MAPK Signaling Pathways in Alcoholic Liver Disease

CYP2E1-induced oxidative stress plays a central role in the development and progression of alcohol-induced liver injury. Ethanol-induced intestinal hyperpermeability and endotoxemia with activation of Kupffer cells and production of cytokines such as TNFα also play a key role in ethanol liver injury. This review discusses studies in mice as to how oxidant stress from ethanol or pyrazole induction of CYP2E1 sensitizes the liver to the toxicity of TNFα and LPS and that activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases JNK and p38 MAPK plays a role in this potentiated hepatotoxicity. Thus, two independent risk factors believed to be important for alcohol liver injury, namely ethanol induction of CYP2E1 and ethanol-elevation of TNFα, interact with each other to promote liver injury.
Initial Series of Four-Arm Robotic Completely Intracorporeal Ileal Ureter

Abstract Ileal ureter formation has been found to be a suitable treatment option for long, chronic ureteral strictures not amendable to less invasive forms of repair. Minimally invasive surgical techniques for this condition have been investigated. We report the first series of robotic completely intracorporeal ileal ureter using a four-arm robotic technique. Three patients underwent this procedure, including one patient with a solitary kidney. All procedures were performed effectively with a median operative time of 450 minutes (range: 420–540) and median estimated blood loss of 100 mL (range: 50–200). Postoperatively, one patient suffered volvulus and subsequent necrosis of small bowel and ileal ureter, which required re-operation and small bowel resection, including the ileal ureter. The other two patients report no surgical complications to date. This early series represents preliminary technical procedure feasibility. Further experience is necessary.
ELECTROPHILIC CLEAVAGE OF SULFENATE ESTERS. I. POSSIBLE BIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Abstract Base-assisted electrophilic cleavage of sulfenate esters was studied with reference to possible biological models. It is suggested that sulfenate esters (RSOR') may serve as intermediates in oxidations involving alcohol dehydrogenases. Models for the biological oxidation of alcohols via sulfenate ester intermediates are presented. The lipoic acid catalyzed dehydrogenation step in the actions of α-ketoacid oxidases (e.g., pyruvic acid dehydrogenase and α-keto glutarate dehydrogenase) is also explained in terms of a possible sulfenate ester intermediate. In the interaction of alcohols and amines, with membrane proteins, the possibility of reversible formation of sulfenate esters and of sulfenamide formation is suggested. Experimental support is given for the formation of carbonyl compounds, from alcohols via sulfenate esters and subsequent electrophilic attack by N-iodosuccinimide on the esters. Such reactions of sulfenyl esters open virtually unexplored areas of chemistry and of the related biolog...
Some Effects of Excessive Intakes of Indispensable Amino Acids.

SummaryGrowth and food intake were depressed in rats fed a low protein diet to which a large excess of one indispensable amino acid had been added. The growth depression was alleviated if the prote...
Data Analysis of Suspected Adverse Events Following Immunization in Dalian in 2009

Objective To understand the running of the suspected AEFI surveillance system of Dalian.Methods Epidemiological data of suspected AEFI cases in Dalian city in 2009 were analyzed.Results The total of 133 AEFI cases was reported in Dalian in 2009,and the reported incidence rate of AEFI was 1.49/100 000,including 109 cases due to the general reaction of vaccination.which occupied 83.8%of the cases.6 cases due to the abnormal reaction of vaccination,which occupied 4.6%of the cases;15 coincident cases which occupied 11.6%.Among vaccine reaction reported,the most common events were fever and other allergic reaction,which occupied 56.39%of the cases and 3.76%.Conclusion The AEFI surveillance system of Dalian is running well,but it should be further improved and strengthened.
Optical fiber panel shadow self-adaptive detection

In this paper,optical fiber panel(OFP) shadow detection was realized by using self-adaptive Canny operator against the characteristics of the shadow.First,this paper improved the OTSU algorithm by tensioning the gray-scale of the image,and enhancing the gray gap of the goal and the background.Then embedded this improved OTSU algorithm in the Canny operator,realized determining the threshold self-adaptively.Experimental results showed that the detected results of this improved self-adaptive Canny operator reduced the pseudo-edge, excluded the impact of a number of impurity,edge location were more accurate and clear.And it avoided setting the proportion of high threshold parameter manually,reduced the complexity of the program to a large extent.
Consistency and Performance of Sovereign Ratings During the Interwar Years

This chapter provides a comparison of sovereign ratings issued by Fitch, Moody’s, Poor’s, and Standard Statistics during the interwar years. The objective is to assess the quality of ratings assigned by these four CRAs by focusing on their ability to anticipate defaults.
THE CRISIS OF THE EUROPEAN MONETARY UNION

The Euro Zone (EZ)’s economies are under great stress since last decade’s financial crisis. Diverging interest rates, high debt burdens and sluggish growth in several member countries led to various rescue activities. Nevertheless, financial markets have still not calmed and the break-up of the EZ is discussed openly. Contrary to the popular belief I show that the Euro itself has been a success story so far but that the EZ suffers under a debt crisis and huge economic imbalances. An overhaul of the EZ’s institutional framework is necessary.
PD-L1 expression in lung cancer.

It is with great interest that we read the recent manuscript written by Dr. Yu and colleagues in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology (1). In this manuscript Yu et al. describes different aspects of PD-L1 expression both at the protein and mRNA level in two cohorts of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients (1). These data are especially timely given the recent publication of Checkmate 032, a phase I/II trial of nivolumab and nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients with recurrent small-cell lung cancer (2). Their data provides further clarification regarding PD-L1 pattern in SCLC, a cancer that has not been extensively treated with immunotherapy agents, but for which there is significant biologic rationale given the high mutation burden (3).
Abstract IA16: Lung cancer, immunotherapy and health disparities

In recent years, there has been a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of immune evasion by cancer cells. This has led to the development of a number of immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer therapy. The first inhibitor to be approved was ipilumumab, a monoclonal antibody that works to activate the immune system by targeting CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4), also known as CD152 (cluster of differentiation 152), a protein receptor that downregulates the immune system. Ipilimumab inhibits CTLA4, which is important for dampening T cell responses at the priming phase in lymph nodes, and is approved for the therapy of malignant melanoma. The role of checkpoint inhibitors in cancer therapy has blossomed over the last couple of years with the advent of PD1/PDL1 inhibitors. These agents are currently approved for the therapy of NSCLC, melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer hodgkins lymphoma and head and neck cancer. The approved agents are nivolumab, pembrolizumab and atezolizumab. A number of other checkpoint inhibitors are in development. Lung cancer mortality is disproportionately high in minority populations. Pembrolizumab and nivolumab are approved for the second line therapy of non-small cell lung cancer and combinations of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and CTLA4 inhibitors such as nivolumab/ipilimumab are being evaluated for small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. As always, a number of clinical trials have been done with these agents, but these have included very few minority patients. The clinical effects and unique toxicities of these agents will be discussed, as will their cost. Implications of these new treatment modalities for minority and underserved populations with lung cancer will also be discussed. Citation Format: Alex A. Adjei. Lung cancer, immunotherapy and health disparities. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA16.
The Meaning Context of Illness and Care: Reflections on a Central Theme in the Anthropology of Medicine

The past 15 years have witnessed the coming of age of medical anthropology (cf. Lieban, 1977). Although its lineaments can be traced back to Virchow, only recently has medical anthropology become a substantial undertaking within anthropology and begun to receive serious, if still very limited, attention in the health sciences. To my mind, there are at present several more or less distinctive medical anthropologies. For example, there is an anthropology of health beliefs and health maintenance and preventive practices; and there are specialized anthropological interests in nutrition, aging, comparative medical systems, population, and stress. But in this paper, I will review a different subject, namely, anthropological investigation of illness experience and clinical work (1).
Comparing Cross-National Coverage of Genetically Modified Organisms: A Community Structure Approach:

A community structure analysis compared cross-national coverage of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) with variations in national-level demographics from 19 newspapers worldwide, yielding combin...