cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quartic supercyclides I: basic theory

Abstract Various classes of algebraic surfaces have been examined as to their suitability for CAGD purposes. This paper contributes further to the study of a class of quartic surfaces recently investigated by Degen, having strong potential for use in blending, and possibly also in free-form surface design. These surfaces are here put in the context of a classification of quartic surfaces originally given more than one hundred years ago. An algebraic representation is provided for them, and a simple geometric interpretation given for their rational biquadratic parametric formulation. Their theory is established from an analytic geometry viewpoint which is more straightforward than Degen's original approach and gives further useful geometric insight into their properties. A major subclass of Degen's surfaces consists of projective transforms of the Dupin cyclides; for this reason (and others, explained in the text) the name supercyclides is proposed for them.
Metastable cluster intermediates in the condensation of charged macromolecule solutions

The authors examine the possibility of a two-step nucleation to the bulk condensation transition that proceeds via a metastable liquid cluster intermediate having some preferred size. The metastable intermediate is stabilized by electrostatic repulsion, which becomes screened by small mobile ions at sufficiently large cluster sizes, thus allowing the eventual condensation to a bulk phase. Our calculation employs a capillary model for the cluster and the electrostatic interactions are treated using the Poisson-Boltzmann approach. Condensation via this metastable intermediate may be a very general phenomenon which applies not only to solutions of charged particles (e.g., proteins, colloidal particles, and polyelectrolytes) but to any system involving short-range attraction and long-range repulsion undergoing macrophase separation in which a metastable microphase separation is also possible.
Observation and Identification of Metastable Excited States in Ultrafast Laser-Ionized Pyridine

We report on the fragmentation of ionized pyridine (C5H5N) molecules by focused 50 fs, 800 nm laser pulses. Such ionization produces several metastable ionic states that fragment within the field-free drift region of a reflectron-type time of flight mass spectrometer, with one particular metastable dissociation being the leading fragmentation process. Because the time of flight is no longer dependent in a simple way on the mass of the ion, the metastable decay is manifested as an unfocused peak on the mass spectrum that appears at a time of flight not corresponding to an integer mass. A previously-developed method is used to identify the precursor and final masses of these ions. The metastable process that creates the most prevalent peak is shown to be C5H5N+ → C4H4+ + HCN. Simulations confirm this result and place restrictions on the processes for several other observed metastable reactions.
Performance analysis of the MUSIC algorithm

The MUSIC algorithm is one of the more important high resolution approaches for direction finding and spectral estimation that have been developed in recent years. Asymptotically (i.e. infinite data or SNR) the MUSIC algorithm has been shown to yield efficient unbiased estimates. However the performance of the algorithm for the non-asymptotic situation of high noise and limited data has not been fully addressed. In this paper we study the performance of the MUSIC algorithm when only finite noise corrupted data is available. We focus on the role of array design in the performance of MUSIC algorithm for direction finding and introduce certain measures to characterize its performance. We show that in the single target situation these measures can be described in terms of the familiar conventional beampatterns. Results of computer simulations carried out to check the usefulness of such measures are also presented.
Gate sizing for crosstalk reduction under timing constraints by Lagrangian relaxation

This work presents a post-route, timing-constrained gate-sizing algorithm for crosstalk reduction. Gate-sizing has emerged as a practical and feasible method to reduce crosstalk in deep sub-micron VLSI circuits. It is however critical to ensure that the timing constraints of the circuit are not violated after sizing. We present an iterative gate-sizing algorithm for crosstalk reduction based on Lagrangian relaxation that optimizes area and power while ensuring that the given timing constraints are met. Experimental results demonstrating the effectiveness of the algorithm are reported for the ISCAS benchmarks and other large circuits with comparisons to an alternative design methodology.
Building Data Infrastructure to Evaluate and Improve Quality: The National Cancer Data Base and the Commission on Cancer's Quality Improvement Programs

It is only in the last decade that the quality of cancer care delivery has begun to be seriously measured. The authors focus on efforts by the Commission on Cancer to develop the oncology quality agenda using the National Cancer Data Base.
Multifaceted assessment of species validity in the Dasymutilla bioculata species group (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)

This study examines the validity of the ten species and eight subspecies composing the Dasymutilla bioculata species group. Four lines of evidence are examined: morphological data derived from both sexes; behavioural data derived from the study of mating pairs; geographic distribution; and molecular data derived from the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 of the nuclear ribosomal RNA cistron (ITS1 and ITS2). Morphological studies reveal that none of the taxa in question can be consistently diagnosed by any synapomorphies or unique combinations of characters. Mating studies reveal that males of single nominal taxa are attracted to females of multiple nominal taxa, and that females of single nominal taxa attract multiple males. None of the nominal taxa are geographically isolated from the others. Genetic distances between these taxa are significantly lower than those seen in interspecific comparisons of other Dasymutilla species. Based on this evidence, we infer that the taxa in question share a recent common ancestor, and cannot be adequately differentiated using any of the available data sources. Therefore, employing the phylogenetic species concept, Dasymutilla bimaculata Manley & Pitts, Dasymutilla chiron chiron (Blake), Dasymutilla chiron ursula (Cresson), Dasymutilla creusa creusa (Cresson), Dasymutilla creusa bellona (Cresson), Dasymutilla lepeletierii (Fox), Dasymutilla medea (Cresson), Dasymutilla melanippe melanippe Mickel, Dasymutilla melanippe conformis Mickel, Dasymutilla praegrandis praegrandis Mickel, Dasymutilla praegrandis russata Mickel, Dasymutilla pyrrhus (Fox) and Dasymutilla sulcatulla Mickel must be considered junior synonyms of Dasymutilla bioculata (Cresson). We also discuss the identification of this species, as well as subspecific relationships and species-group implications.
High‐Speed Roll‐to‐Roll Nanoimprint Lithography on Flexible Plastic Substrates

The ability of microto nanometer-scale patterning on flexible substrates can enable many new applications in the area of photonics and organic electronics. A major roadblock has remained for many practical applications of patterned nanostructures, which is the throughput of nanopattern replication and the associated cost issues. Among the emerging techniques, nanoimprint lithography (NIL) clearly stands out as a promising technology for high-throughput and highresolution nanometer-scale patterning, which can achieve resolutions beyond the limitations set by light diffraction or beam scattering that are encountered in other traditional techniques. Developments in this area have enjoyed great momentum in the past decade and numerous applications, such as in Si electronics, organic electronics and photonics, magnetics, and biology have been exploited by many researchers. On the other hand, the current process and throughput in NIL (on the order of a few minutes per wafer) is still far from meeting the demands of many practical applications, especially in photonics, biotechnology, and organic optoelectronics. The concept of roller imprinting has been pursued by previous investigators as a means to improve speed. However, the procedure was to imprint a small piece of Si mold onto a Si substrate, which is not too different from that of conventional NIL except that a rod is used to apply pressure rather than a flat plate. The reverse nanoimprinting or nanotransfer printing methods produce positive-tone polymer or metal patterns, which in principle can also be applied to roll-to-roll printing processes. In addition, Lee et al. proposed a bilayer transfer process from a ‘‘rigiflex’’ mold to a Si wafer, and pointed out that the process can potentially be extended to a roller bilayer transfer process. However, these are yet to be demonstrated.
Synaptic enrichment of microRNAs in adult mouse forebrain is related to structural features of their precursors

: Within mouse forebrain, a subset of microRNAs are significantly enriched in synaptoneurosomes (a synaptic fraction containing pinched-off dendritic spines) and a subset are significantly depleted relative to total forebrain homogenate. Here I show that, as a group, the pre-miR hairpin precursors of synaptically enriched microRNAs exhibit significantly different structural features than those that are non-enriched or depleted. Precursors of synaptically enriched microRNAs tend to have a) shorter uninterrupted double-stranded stem segments, and b) more symmetrical bulges containing a single nucleotide on each side. These structural differences may provide a basis for the differential binding of proteins that mediate dendritic transport of pre-miRs, or that prevent premiRs from being prematurely processed into mature miRNAs during the transport process. Reviewers: This article was reviewed by I. King Jordan and Jerzy Jurka.
Does Public Infrastructure Affect Regional Performance

Does public infrastructure affect state output? This paper uses both a Cobb-Douglas and a translog production function to examine the impact of public infrastructure spending on state output. Like labor and private capital, the stock of public capital is considered to be an input into the production process. The data are based on Alicia Munnell's work and were provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Unlike many of the earlier studies employing Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) techniques, this analysis employs estimating methods that take advantage of the longitudinal nature of the data set. While these methods lend support to the public capitol hypothesis, there is evidence that studies relying on OLS have reported a coefficient on public capital that is upward biased. This paper, which controls for heterogeneity in the data, finds the coefficient on public capital to be smaller than that presented in previous studies. This finding has important policy implications. It indicates that while investment in public capital may have a positive impact on the private sector, this impact will be much smaller than predicted by previous studies.
Survival of patients with structurally-grouped TP53 mutations in ovarian and breast cancers

The objective of this study was to determine if ovarian cancer patients with a TP53 mutation grouped by location of the mutation within the p53 protein structure exhibit differential survival outcomes. Data from patients with high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGS OvCa) (N = 316) or breast cancer (BrCa) (N = 981) sequenced by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was studied by Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards survival analysis. A TP53 DNA binding domain (BD) missense mutation (MM) occurred in 58.5% (185/316) of HGS OvCas and 16.8% (165/981) of BrCas. Patients with a TP53 DNA BD MM grouped by structural location had significantly different overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Median OS (months) of HGS OvCa patients by structural group were: Sheet-loop-helix stabilizers, 31.1; DNA minor groove residue R248, 33.6; Wild-type, 34.2; all other MMs, 44.5; DNA major groove residues, 84.1, and zinc ion coordinating residues, 87.0 (log-rank p = 0.006). PFS of DNA major groove MM cases was longer than TP53 wild-type cases (19.1 versus 10.1 months, log-rank p = 0.038). HGS OvCa and BrCa patients with structurally-grouped TP53 DNA BD MMs have different survival outcomes.
Nutrition and Exercise Concerns of Middle Age

Preface The Editor Contributors Section I: INTRODUCTION Nutrition and Exercise Concerns of Middle Age, J. Driskell Section II: ENERGY-YIELDING NUTRIENTS Carbohydrates, M. Green and J. Doyle, Lipids, S. Ehlers, H. Rasmussen, and J. Lee Proteins, B. Snyder and M. Haub Section III: VITAMINS Fat Soluble Vitamins, M. Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis, and G. Borthakur Vitamin C, H. Schellhorn, and Y. Li B-Vitamins, G. Liepa, S. Pernecky, S. Pernecky, and S. McGregor Section IV: MINERALS Major Minerals: Calcium, Magnesium, and Phosphorus, F. Nielsen Iron, E. Haymes Trace Elements Excluding Iron, Chromium, and Zinc, H. Lukaski and A. Scrimgeour Section V: FLUIDS AND HYDRATION Fluids, Electrolytes, and Hydration, D. Kalman Section VI: OTHER COMMONLY CONSUMED SUBSTANCES Caffeine and Tannins, J. Kandiah and V. Amend Herbal Supplements, J. Sun and D. Giraud Section VII: RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES Endurance Training, S. Simonson and C. Ratzin-Jackson Resistance Training, R. Moffatt, J. Wilson, and T. Lawrence SectIon VII: AGE-RELATED DISORDERS Cardiovascular Issues, S. Mitmesser Cancer, F. Ahmed APPENDICES: Appendix A: Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Adequate Intakes (AIs) of Carbohydrates, Fiber, Fat, Protein, and Water for Adults, 31-70y Appendix B: Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Adequate Intakes (AIs) of Vitamins for Adults, 31-70y Appendix C: Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Adequate Intakes (AIs) of Minerals for Adults, 31-70y Appendix D: Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) of Vitamins for Adults, 31-70y Appendix E: Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) of Minerals for Adults, 31-70y Appendix F: Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) and adequate Intakes (AIs) of Dietary Fiber, Fat, Protein, and Water for Adults, 31-70y, Living in Australia and New Zealand Appendix G: Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) and Adequate Intakes (AIs) of Vitamins for Adults, 31-70y, Living in Australia and New Zealand Appendix H: Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) and Adequate Intakes (AIs) of Minerals for Adults, 31-70y, Living in Australia and New Zealand Appendix I: Upper Levels of Intake (ULs) of Vitamins for Adults, 31-70y, Living in Australia and New Zealand Appendix J: Upper Levels of Intake (ULs) of Minerals for Adults, 31-70y, Living in Australia and New Zealand Appendix K: World Health Organization's Recommended Nutrient Intakes of Vitamins for Adults, 19-65y Appendix L: World Health Organization's Recommended Nutrient Intakes of Minerals for Adults, 19-65y Appendix M: Daily Values for Adults and Children 4 years of Age and Older Appendix N: Basic Recommended and Personal Recommendations Expected to Reduce the Incidence of Cancer, According to the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Index
Variation in composition of hopi indian beans

Dry Phaseolus beans grown on the Hopi Indian reservation by traditional agricultural techniques were collected and compared with beans utilized by the Hopis but grown off the reservation. Species included P. vulgaris, P. acutifolius var. latifolius, P. coccineus and P. lunatus. Ethnobotanical information, morphological and chemical data were obtained. Beans grown on the reservation were generally but not always found to be superior in protein content, but no clear differences in protein quality could be attributed to bean types or field environments. Legumes are consumed at the same level (30 g/day/person) but native beans contribute less protein to the Hopi diet than during the 1930's, as a consequence of reduced diversity in varieties locally produced and consumed. Much variation occurs in mineral levels in Hopi beans, but the wide range in soil composition found in Hopi fields gave no clear correlation with bean composition.
The Influence of the 1998 El Niño upon Cloud-Radiative Forcing over the Pacific Warm Pool.

Clouds cool the climate system by reflecting shortwave radiation and warm it by increasing the atmospheric greenhouse. Previous studies have shown that in tropical regions of deep convection there is a near cancellation between cloud-induced shortwave cooling and longwave warming. The present study investigates the possible influence of the 1998 El Nino upon this near cancellation for the tropical western Pacific's warm pool; this was accomplished by employing satellite radiometric measurements (Earth Radiation Budget Experiment, and Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System). With the exclusion of the 1998 El Nino, this study also finds near cancellation between the shortwave and longwave cloud forcings and demonstrates that it refers to the average of different cloud types rather than being indicative of a single cloud type. The shortwave cooling slightly dominates the longwave warming, and there is considerable interannual variability in this modest dominance that appears attributable to interannual variability of tropopause temperature. For the strong 1998 El Nino, however, there is a substantially greater tendency toward net radiative cooling, and the physical mechanism for this appears to be a change in cloud vertical structure. For normal years, as well as for the weaker 1987 El Nino, high clouds dominate the radiation budget over the warm pool. In 1998, however, the measurements indicate the radiation budget is partially governed by middle-level clouds, thus explaining the net cooling over the warm pool during the 1998 El Nino as well as emphasizing differences between this event and the weaker 1987 El Nino.
K. Duistermaat and I. Regulski (eds.), Intercultural Contacts in the Ancient Mediterranean

A selective review of the section: “Material Evidence for Contact: Ceramics, Imports and Imitations” DOI:10.2458/azu_jaei_v04i4_ownby2
Viral investigations in ulcerative colitis and regional enteritis.

Sera from 57 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 15 patients with regional enteritis (RE), and 65 age-, race-, and sex-matched control subjects, were tested for the presence of antibodies to viral antigens. A higher frequency of cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibody (P
Calibration of PCSWMM to Estimate Metals, PCBs and HCB in CSOs from an Industrial Sewershed.

The Buffalo River, New York, is one of forty-three 'Areas of Concern' identified by the International Joint Commission as exhibiting environmental impairment. …
Exploring High-Speed Axisymmetric Jet Noise Control Using Hartmann Tube Fluidic Actuators

This work is part of an ongoing effort to better understand the influence of frequency and amplitude when controlling high Reynolds number, high-speed jets using a Hartmann Tube Fluidic Actuator (HTFA). In addition to HTFA forcing, a steady mass injector (SMI) with the same mass flow rate as the HTFA was used. Forcing was applied with two actuators separated by 180° and four actuators separated by 90° in the azimuthal direction. The jet under study was axisymmetric with Mach numbers between 0.6 and 0.98 and Reynolds number between 5.7 x 10 5 and 7.6 x 10 5 . To understand the influence of forcing on far-field noise, acoustic measurements were acquired at 30° and 60° with reference to the jet axis. With two actuators, the jet noise increased when the actuators operated at a frequency between St D = 0.2 - 0.5. Forcing with two or four actuators at higher Strouhal numbers (St D > 0.75) or with steady mass injection slightly reduced the peak broadband jet noise and increased the high frequency noise. The slight reduction was only observed when the total mass injection was greater than 1%. The actuators (SMI or HTFA) had their largest impact when they were injected at an angle between 45 and 60° with respect to the jet axis.
Synthesis of proteins in cells infected with herpesvirus

In an effort to determine the role of arginine in herpesvirus infection, several parameters of infection were measured under conditions of arginine starvation. It was found that whereas infection of rabbit kidney cells in stationary phase results in an increase in the rate of incorporation of 3H-choline into the phospholipids of the nuclear membrane, as well as in a flow of phospholipids from the cytoplasmic membranes to the nuclear membrane, these events do not occur in cells deprived of arginine. Furthermore, even though virus-specific glycoproteins are synthesized by arginine-deprived cells, the structural viral glycoproteins are not integrated into the nuclear membrane as they are during the course of normal infection. We conclude from these results that the virus-induced synthesis of nuclear membrane does not occur in arginine-deprived, infected cells and that viral glycoproteins can only become integrated into areas of the nuclear membrane newly synthesized by the cells after infection.
Desensitization of rabbit myometrium to oxytocin and prostaglandin F2 alpha.

The desensitizing effects of oxytocin (OT) and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) were investigated in the uteri of rabbits. Uterine motility was measured in anesthetized rabbits infused intraveno...
Regeneration of the Liver in Triturus viridescens.

SummaryRegeneration was studied in the liver of the newt, Triturus viridescens, following approximately 78% partial hepatectomy. H3-thymidine and autoradiographs were used to quantitate DNA synthesis in liver cell nuclei. DNA synthesis began 5 days after partial hepatectomy, reached a peak of 1.9% of liver cells at 10 days, fell to 0.2% at 20 days, rose to a second peak of 1.3% at 105 days, and continued at an elevated level of 0.5% at 150 days, the latest time studied. Liver weight was restored to normal 4 weeks after operation.
A randomized trial of mexiletine in ALS Safety and effects on muscle cramps and progression

Objective: To determine the safety and tolerability of mexiletine in a phase II double-blind randomized controlled trial of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS). Methods: Sixty participants with SALS from 10 centers were randomized 1:1:1 to placebo, mexiletine 300 mg/d, or mexiletine 900 mg/d and followed for 12 weeks. The primary endpoints were safety and tolerability. Secondary endpoints were pharmacokinetic study from plasma and CSF, ALS Functional Rating Scale–Revised (ALSFRS-R) score, slow vital capacity (SVC), and muscle cramp frequency and severity. Results: The only serious adverse event among active arm participants was one episode of imbalance. Thirty-two percent of participants receiving 900 mg of mexiletine discontinued study drug vs 5% on placebo ( p = 0.026). Pharmacokinetic study demonstrated a peak plasma concentration 2 hours postdose and strong correlation between plasma and CSF ( p p = 0.047; 900 mg: 16% of placebo, p = 0.002) and cramp intensity (300 mg: mean = 45% of placebo, p = 0.08; 900 mg: 25% of placebo, p = 0.005). Conclusions: Mexiletine was safe at both doses and well-tolerated at 300 mg/d but adverse effects at 900 mg/d led to a high rate of discontinuation. Mexiletine treatment resulted in large dose-dependent reductions in muscle cramp frequency and severity. No effect on rate of progression was detected, but clinically important differences could not be excluded in this small and short-duration study. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class I evidence that mexiletine is safe when given daily to patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at 300 and 900 mg and well-tolerated at the lower dose.
Why Measure Outcomes

The concept of measuring the outcomes of treatment in health care was promoted by Ernest Amory Codman in the early 1900s, but, until recently, his ideas were generally ignored. The forces that have advanced outcome measurement to the forefront of health care include the shift in payers for health care from the patient to large insurance companies or government agencies, the movement toward assessing the care of populations not individuals, and the effort to find value (or cost-effective treatments) amid rising healthcare costs. No ideal method exists to measure outcomes, and the information gathered depends on the reason the outcome information is required. Outcome measures used in research are best able to answer research questions. The methods for assessing physician and hospital performance include process measures, patient-experience measures, structure measures, and measures used to assess the outcomes of treatment. The methods used to assess performance should be validated, be reliable, and reflect a patient's perception of the treatment results. The healthcare industry must measure outcomes to identify which treatments are most effective and provide the most benefit to patients.
Pharmaceutical services in nongovernmental hospitals on the west coast

A survey of nongovernment, nonprofit and for-profit hospitals in Washington, Oregon and California was conducted to determine the incidence of selected hospital pharmacy services (1) directly related to drug distribution and (2) not directly related to drug distribution. Questionnaires were mailed to all qualifying hospitals in the three states; the return rate was 75.4%. Unit dose drug distribution was used in combination with other delivery systems by 58.3% of the respondents; 26.5% used unit dose exclusively. Over half of the respondents provided i.v. admixture programs, outpatient and inpatient discharge prescriptions, and inpatient medication profiles. Additionally, 77.9% provided pharmacy consultation to physicians. Nonprofit hospitals had significantly higher pharmacy staffing levels (both pharmacists and supportive personnel) than for-profit hospitals in the categories, "open seven days per week," "open nine to 16 hours per day," "open 17 to 24 hours per day, "101 to 200 beds" and "201 or more beds." Hospitals that provided the following services had significantly higher pharmacy staffing levels than those that did not provide the serices: unit dose drug distribution, i.v. admixture services, inpatient discharge prescriptions, inpatient medication profiles, drug therapy monitoring, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation team participation (difference of supportive staff only).
Continuous layout optimization of urban fire station

With the rapid urbanization and industrialization,the risk of urban disasters increases and the layout of the city fire stations cannot meet fire safety requirements.In order to effectively overcome the traditional polygon coverage and edge coverage in the location problem of big error and low efficiency,the algorithm expanded the discrete(node-edge) graphic patterns as the continuous network structure to achieve the continuous coverage of road network.In the optimization of the selection process,this paper introduced the simulated annealing and improved the annealing process.A case has verified the selection method of location,and a comparative analysis of the coverage indicators of the location between discrete and continuous optimization was made.The result shows that the continuous optimization has better performance.It is of feasibility,generality and rationality and is a preferable method to resolve the site selection of the urban fire station properly.
Evaluation of a Skin Test for Chicken Pox

Results with a VZV skin test as a marker of past infection were compared with histories of chicken pox and specific antibody detected by ELISA in 100 individuals--25 of whom were pediatric patients with malignant diseases. A negative or uncertain history was not reliable, neither were the skin test results among the oncology patients. However, among the normal individuals, the skin test when compared with the ELISA had a sensitivity of 85%, a specificity of 100%, and a positive predictive value of 100%. [Infect Control 1985; 6(8): 314-316.]
A Comparative Study of the Interaction of Chlorpromazine, Trifluoperazine, and Promethazine with Mouse Brain Tubulin

The comparative interaction of chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, and promethazine with mouse brain tubulin has been examined via their effects on the assembly of tubulin in vitro, the circular dichroism of tubulin under nonpolymerizing conditions, and the fluorescence intensity of the protein. Of the two tranquilizing drugs, the more potent trifluoperazine inhibits assembly more strongly than does chlorpromazine, whereas the nontranquilizing drug promethazine does not inhibit but instead enhances assembly somewhat. Likewise, trifluoperazine has a stronger effect on the far-ultraviolet circular dichroic spectrum than does chlorpromazine, whereas promethazine is without effect. Thus, there are two separate correlations between biophysical measurements and the clinical potencies of these three phenothiazines. The fluorometric measurements, in turn, correlate in a provocative way with the assembly and circular dichroism results. The possible biological significance of these findings is discussed.
Juxtamedullary and superficial nephron phosphate reabsorption in the cat.

The cat kidney possesses discrete venous drainage systems for superficial and deep (juxtamedullary) portions of the renal cortex. Arteriovenous (A-V) extraction and micropuncture studies may thus b...
Neonatal mortality and topical application of chlorhexidine on umbilical cord stump: a meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

Abstract Objective To examine the efficacy of topical chlorhexidine as an intervention on neonatal umbilical cord stumps and its association with neonatal mortality and omphalitis. Study design Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Method PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, IMSEAR, Google Scholar, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register and Clinicaltrials.gov were screened until September 1, 2015 to identify RCTs that met the inclusion criteria. Pooled relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results Five RCTs, conducted in Italy, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and India with a total of 55,008 participants were identified. Analysis revealed a significant reduction in the incidence of neonatal mortality among the intervention group as compared to the control group (pooled RR = 0.8; 95% CI: 0.6–1.0; P = 0.04; random effects model, I 2 = 58%; χ 2 = 9.5; P = 0.05). Additionally, decreased incidence in omphalitis was seen in the intervention group as compared to the control group (pooled RR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3–0.7; P 2 = 50%; χ 2 = 8.0; P = 0.09). Conclusions Application of chlorhexidine to newborn umbilical cord stumps, significantly reduce the incidences of both neonatal mortality and omphalitis. However, high-quality trials from different regions and obstetric settings may help form more conclusive judgement on universal application of topical chlorhexidine.
Critical care obstetrics: management of the fetus.

Critical care obstetrics deals with the simultaneous management of two, and sometimes more, individuals. As a result, the critical care specialist must balance the effects of each treatment decision on the pregnant woman and her fetus in an effort to minimize the risks of morbidity and mortality to both. This article reviews fetal considerations that could confront the critical care specialist, including relevant fetal cardiovascular physiology, placental exchange, fetal adaptions to asphyxia, and current techniques used to assess fetal well-being.
Comparison of vascular access outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease attributed to systemic lupus erythematosus vs. other causes: a retrospective cohort study

U.S. hemodialysis patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are less likely than other ESRD patients to have a permanent vascular access (fistula or graft) in place at the dialysis start. We examined whether vascular access outcomes after dialysis start differed for SLE vs. other ESRD patients. Among U.S. patients initiating hemodialysis in 2010 with only a catheter (n = 40,911; 384 with SLE) and using a permanent access on first dialysis (n = 13,073; 48 with SLE), we examined the association of SLE status with time to first placement of a permanent access (among catheter-only patients) and to loss of access patency (among patients using a permanent access on first dialysis), both censored 1 year after dialysis start, using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Among catheter-only patients, 46.1 % vs. 54.5 % of those with SLE-ESRD vs. other ESRD had a permanent access placed within 1 year after dialysis start. However, with adjustment, there was no association of 1-year placement with SLE status [HR = 1.00 (95 % CI, 0.86-1.17)]. SLE-ESRD vs. other ESRD patients starting dialysis with a permanent access were less likely to experience a 1-year loss of patency (43.8 % vs. 55.0 %), but this association was not statistically significant after adjustment [HR = 0.88 (0.57-1.37)]. These results suggest that SLE-ESRD patients starting dialysis with a catheter are not more likely to have a permanent access placed in the first year of dialysis, despite an observed lack of association of SLE status with subsequent loss of vascular access patency among those starting dialysis with a permanent access.
Data fitting with geometric-programming-compatible softmax functions

Motivated by practical applications in engineering, this article considers the problem of approximating a set of data with a function that is compatible with geometric programming (GP). Starting with well-established methods for fitting max-affine functions, it is shown that improved fits can be obtained using an extended function class based on the softmax of a set of affine functions. The softmax is generalized in two steps, with the most expressive function class using an implicit representation that allows fitting algorithms to locally tune softness. Each of the proposed function classes is directly compatible with the posynomial constraint forms in GP. Max-monomial fitting and posynomial fitting are shown to correspond to fitting special cases of the proposed implicit softmax function class. The fitting problem is formulated as a nonlinear least squares regression, solved locally using a Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. Practical implementation considerations are discussed. The article concludes with numerical examples from aerospace engineering and electrical engineering.
Samarium-153-EDTMP (Quadramet ® ) with or without vaccine in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: A randomized Phase 2 trial

// Christopher R. Heery 1 , Ravi A. Madan 2 , Mark N. Stein 3 , Walter M. Stadler 4 , Robert S. Di Paola 3, 7 , Myrna Rauckhorst 2 , Seth M. Steinberg 5 , Jennifer L. Marte 2 , Clara C. Chen 6 , Italia Grenga 1 , Renee N. Donahue 1 , Caroline Jochems 1 , William L. Dahut 2 , Jeffrey Schlom 1 , James L. Gulley 2 1 Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 2 Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 3 Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA 4 University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA 5 Biostatistics and Data Management Section, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 6 National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 7 Current affiliation: University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington, KY, USA Correspondence to: James L. Gulley, email: Gulleyj@mail.nih.gov Keywords: therapeutic vaccine, radionuclide, prostate cancer, Quadramet ® , cancer immunotherapy Received: April 19, 2016 Accepted: June 26, 2016 Published: July 28, 2016 ABSTRACT PSA-TRICOM is a therapeutic vaccine in late stage clinical testing in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Samarium-153-ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonate (Sm-153-EDTMP; Quadramet ® ), a radiopharmaceutical, binds osteoblastic bone lesions and emits beta particles causing local tumor cell destruction. Preclinically, Sm-153-EDTMP alters tumor cell phenotype facilitating immune-mediated killing. This phase 2 multi-center trial randomized patients to Sm-153-EDTMP alone or with PSA-TRICOM vaccine. Eligibility required mCRPC, bone metastases, prior docetaxel and no visceral disease. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients without radiographic disease progression at 4 months. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and immune responses. Forty-four patients enrolled. Eighteen and 21 patients were evaluable for the primary endpoint in Sm-153-EDTMP alone and combination arms, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the primary endpoint, with two of 18 (11.1%) and five of 21 (23.8%) in Sm-153-EDTMP alone and combination arms, respectively, having stable disease at approximately the 4-month evaluation time point ( P = 0.27). Median PFS was 1.7 vs. 3.7 months in the Sm-153-EDTMP alone and combination arms ( P = 0.041, HR = 0.51, P = 0.046). No patient in the Sm-153-EDTMP alone arm achieved prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decline > 30% compared with four patients (of 21) in the combination arm, including three with PSA decline > 50%. Toxicities were similar between arms and related to number of Sm-153-EDTMP doses administered. These results provide the rationale for clinical evaluation of new radiopharmaceuticals, such as Ra-223, in combination with PSA-TRICOM.
Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne. By Douglas V. Mastriano.(Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 2014. Pp. xii, 306. $34.95.)

In this new study, the author lays his cards on the table. In his view, Alvin York was a true American hero for both his feats on the battlefield in World War I and a “life well‐lived” afterwards. ...
Distributed Models of Drug Kinetics

The hallmark of distributed models of drug kinetics is their ability to describe not only the time dependence of drug distribution in tissue but also its detailed spatial dependence. Previous discussion has mostly revolved around methods meant to characterize the time history of a drug in one or more spatially homogeneous compartments. In these earlier approaches, the end results of pharmacokinetic modeling were time-dependent concentrations, C ( t ), of the drug or metabolite of interest for each body compartment containing one or more organs or tissue types. In these situations, the agent is also delivered homogeneously and reaches a target organ, either via blood capillaries whose distribution is assumed to be homogeneous throughout the organ, or via infusion directly into that organ, followed by instantaneous mixing with the extravascular space. In contrast, distributed pharmacokinetic models require that neither the tissue architecture nor the delivery source be uniform throughout the organ. The end results of this type of modeling are organ concentration functions (for each drug or metabolite) that depend on two independent variables, one describing spatial dependence and the other time dependence – that is, C ( r → , t ) where r → is a spatial vector to a given location in an organ. As might be expected, the pharmacokinetic analysis and equations needed to incorporate spatial dependence in this function require a more complicated formalism than used previously with compartment models.
Home and away: Area socioeconomic disadvantage and obesity risk

Although residential context is linked to obesity risk, less is known about how the additional places where we work, shop, play, and worship may influence that risk. We employ longitudinal data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (LAFANS) to derive time-weighted measures of exposure to home and activity space contexts to ascertain the impacts of each on obesity risk for adults. Results show that increased exposure to socioeconomic disadvantage in the residential neighborhood significantly increases obesity risk, and although activity space disadvantage does not directly influence obesity, it reduces the association between residential disadvantage and obesity. We further explore the ways in which residential and activity space disadvantages may interact to influence obesity and discuss the value of integrating personal exposure and activity space contexts to better understand how places contribute to individual health risks.
Multi-ampoule Bridgman growth of halide scintillator crystals using the self-seeding method

Abstract We investigate the multi-ampoule growth at 25 mm diameter of ternary iodide single crystal scintillator KCaI 3 :Eu using the randomly oriented self-seeded Bridgman method. We compare scintillation performance between cubic inch scale crystals containing small variations of low nominal europium concentrations previously shown to balance light yield with self-absorption in the host crystal. Growth conditions were optimized in the developmental furnace and four 2 in 3 KCaI 3 :Eu crystals were grown simultaneously producing a total of six 25 mm × 25 mm cylinders. Small variations in activator concentration did not result in significant performance differences among the six measured crystals. A range of energy resolutions of 3.5–4.7% at 662 keV was achieved, surpassing that of NaI:Tl crystals commonly used in spectroscopic detection applications. The function and basic design of the multi-ampoule furnace as well as the process of growing single crystals of KCaI 3 is included here.
Chronic Nicotine Exposure Initiated in Adolescence and Unpaired to Behavioral Context Fails to Enhance Sweetened Ethanol Seeking.

Nicotine use in adolescence is pervasive in the United States and, according to the Gateway Hypothesis, may lead to progression towards other addictive substances. Given the prevalence of nicotine and ethanol comorbidity, it is difficult to ascertain if nicotine is a gateway drug for ethanol. Our study investigated the relationship between adolescent exposure to nicotine and whether this exposure alters subsequent alcohol seeking behavior. We hypothesized that rats exposed to nicotine beginning in adolescence would exhibit greater alcohol seeking behavior than non-exposed siblings. To test our hypothesis, beginning at P28, female rats were initially exposed to once daily nicotine (0.4 mg/kg, SC) or saline for five days. Following these 5 initial injections, animals were trained to nose-poke for sucrose reinforcement (10%, w/v), gradually increasing to sweetened ethanol (10% sucrose; 10% ethanol, w/v) on an FR5 reinforcement schedule. Nicotine injections were administered after the behavioral sessions to minimize acute effects of nicotine on operant self-administration. We measured the effects of nicotine exposure on the following aspects of ethanol seeking: self-administration, naltrexone-induced decreases, habit-directed behavior, motivation, extinction, and reinstatement. Nicotine exposure did not alter self-administration or the effectiveness of naltrexone to reduce alcohol seeking. Nicotine exposure blocked habit-directed ethanol seeking. Finally, nicotine did not alter extinction learning or cue-induced reinstatement to sweetened ethanol seeking. Our findings suggest that nicotine exposure outside the behavioral context does not escalate ethanol seeking. Further, the Gateway Hypothesis likely applies to scenarios in which nicotine is either self-administered or physiologically active during the behavioral session.
Teaching the Theory and Practice of Literary Translation Across Multiple Languages

“The Theory and Practice of Literary Translation,” a team-taught upper-level seminar for undergraduates at a liberal arts college, serves a strategic purpose within the context of an institutional curriculum. Since it demands that faculty and students cross traditional disciplinary lines for a common intellectual and creative aim, this course draws participants with expertise in different source languages and from different departments and programs. As such, the authors consider it among their most unifying and cooperative pedagogical experiences. This chapter discusses the rationale for the course, the possibility of—and merit in—teaching without fluency in every language represented, some logistics of course design and management, and the rich and often unforeseen professional development that the enterprise has availed its faculty.
Mechanisms of VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) Inhibitor–Associated Hypertension and Vascular Disease

The VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) pathway has emerged as an important target for cancer therapy, with VEGF signaling pathway (VSP) inhibitors having been approved for several different malignancies. Less anticipated has been the multitude of cardiovascular and renal effects of these therapies. Hypertension occurs in at least a quarter of patients starting VSP inhibitors, with virtually every patient having an absolute increase in blood pressure. Patients can also develop proteinuria, renal dysfunction, vascular events, or cardiomyopathy. Although these toxicities have been generally manageable, they have introduced cardiovascular and renal considerations for patient care. On the other hand, these sequelae have provided a growing appreciation for the critical role of VEGF in vascular and renal homeostasis in human biology. Although several recent articles have addressed practical considerations with respect to patient care with this class of drugs,1–4 this review will explore mechanisms associated with the vascular toxicities arising from VEGF signaling inhibition in cancer treatment. The human VEGF family consists of 5 related glycoproteins: VEGFA, VEGFB, VEGFC, VEGFD, and PIGF (placental growth factor). These are secreted to form homodimers, which interact with a family of 3 receptor tyrosine kinases: VEGFR1 (VEGF receptor 1), VEGFR2, and VEGFR3 (Figure 1). VEGFA and VEGFB bind to VEGFR1, VEGFA binds to VEGFR2, and VEGFC and VEGFD bind to both VEGFR2 and VEGFR3.1,5 PIGF primarily interacts with VEGFR1. The VEGFRs are found on a wide variety of cell types. VEGFR1, also called Flt-1 (fms-like tyrosine kinase 1), is found on vascular endothelial cells, hematopoietic stem cells, monocytes, and macrophages. VEGFR2, also called KDR (kinase insert domain) or Flk-1 (fetal liver kinase 1), is expressed on vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells; VEGFR3 (also called Flt-4) is restricted to lymphatic endothelial cells.5 On ligand binding, VEGFRs transduce intracellular signals through …
Response and survival for primary therapy combination regimens and maintenance rituximab in Waldenström macroglobulinaemia.

Waldenstrom macroglobulinaemia (WM) is a rare and incurable lymphoma. Comparative studies evaluating the efficacy of primary therapy in symptomatic WM patients have not been performed. In this study, we compared response and survival outcomes in WM patients who received primary therapy with cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone-rituximab (CDR), bortezomib-dexamethasone-rituximab (BDR) and bendamustine-rituximab (Benda-R), as well as maintenance rituximab following primary therapy. Analyses were adjusted for relevant clinical factors associated with response and survival. Maintenance rituximab was analysed as a time-varying covariate. Our study included 182 patients, of which 57 (31%) received Benda-R, 87 (48%) BDR and 38 (21%) CDR; 116 (64%) received maintenance rituximab. The median time to best response was shorter for Benda-R and BDR than CDR (18, 20 and 30 months, respectively). Benda-R and BDR were associated with better median progression-free survival (PFS) than CDR (5·5, 5·8 and 4·8 years, respectively), and better 10-year overall survival rates (OS; 95%, 96% and 81%, respectively). Maintenance rituximab was associated with higher rates of major response (97% vs. 68%), and better median PFS (6·8 years vs. 2·8 years) and 10-year OS rate (84% vs. 66%) when compared to not receiving maintenance. Benda-R, BDR and maintenance rituximab associate with higher response rates and longer survival in WM patients than CDR and no maintenance, respectively.