cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ergonomic issues on entering the automated highway system

This paper presents a study of some of the ergonomic issues that need to be resolved before a safe and successful Automated Highway System (AHS) can be designed. An experimental study was designed and executed to address several features associated with issues focusing on: 1) the best way to enter an AHS; 2) the transfer of control from the driver to the AHS; and, 3) design speeds and vehicular gaps that should be maintained on the AHS. The study recommends the use of a low velocity differential for vehicle entry to the AHS and some automatic form of control transfer.
Low Conductivity Thermal Barrier Coatings

Thermal barrier coatings will be more aggressively designed to protect gas turbine engine hot-section components in order to meet future engine higher fuel efficiency and lower emission goals. In this presentation, thermal barrier coating development considerations and requirements will be discussed. An experimental approach is established to monitor in real time the thermal conductivity of the coating systems subjected to high-heat-flux, steady-state and cyclic temperature gradients. Advanced low conductivity thermal barrier coatings have also been developed using a multi-component defect clustering approach, and shown to have improved thermal stability. The durability and erosion resistance of low conductivity thermal barrier coatings have been improved utilizing advanced coating architecture design, composition optimization, in conjunction with more sophisticated modeling and design tools.
Dislocation fracture of the pisiform in a 14-year-old—a rare injury to the hand

Isolated dislocation or dislocation fracture of the pisiform are rare injuries with only few cases reported in the literature. Injuries to the pisiform occur more often in combination with other carpal injuries as the sturdiness and stability of its ligamentous attachments protect it from dislocating following a minor trauma. The most cases of dislocation or fracture occur following a direct trauma to the palmar and ulnar aspects of the wrist. Predominantly young male patients present with this problem. We present a case of a 14-year-old female who suffered from a dislocation fracture after falling from her bicycle on her outstretched hand. After confirming the diagnosis of pisiform dislocation fracture and reviewing the literature, we performed pisectomy with rerouting of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon by suturing it to the ligamentous attachments. These rare injuries to the wrist are demanding in diagnostics and treatment and could be neglected in acute period. However, with a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment, an excellent clinical outcome can be achieved.
Development and characterization of EGFR inhibitor resistant lines; A model to study acquired resistance to EGFR blockade

B60 Inhibition of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling has emerged as a promising cancer therapy. The first major Phase III clinical trial in head and neck cancer combining EGFR inhibition (Cetuximab) with radiation confirmed a strong survival advantage. However, many patients still manifested tumor recurrence suggesting acquired resistance to EGFR inhibition when coupled to radiation. Therefore the development of both in vitro and in vivo models of cetuximab resistance is highly desired to elucidate the mechanisms leading to resistance and to identify biomarkers that can be used clinically to predict response to EGFR blockade. In addition, identifying targets that may be potential candidates for combinatorial therapy will play an important role in defining future therapeutic regimens.To understand mechanisms of acquired resistance to EGFR inhibition we established stable EGFR inhibitor-resistant clones from the NSCLC (H226) cell line. The IC50 dose for cetuximab was placed on H226 sensitive lines and the cetuximab dose was doubled every 10-14 days for 8 dose doublings (10nM-1280nM cetuximab). We utilized this heterogeneous population of resistant cells to perform protein array-based identification of intracellular signaling proteins as well as phosphoRTK (receptor tyrosine kinases) arrays to investigate putative RTKs involved in conferring resistance to EGFR inhibition. The results of this work indicated that pErk1/2, p-AKT, p-Stat1, STAT5, catenin, pJNK and GSK-38 were all upregulated whereas Stat3, Caveolin1 and p53 were dramatically down regulated. The phosphoRTK array indicated that the RTKs MET, EGFR, ErbB2 and ErbB3 were significantly upregulated in the resistant lines as compared to the cetuximab-sensitive parental line. Once stable resistant lines were generated and characterized we subcloned out seven single cell clones for further characterization. Further analysis of individual resistant clones revealed striking homogeneity in regards to intracellular signaling molecules and their pathways. Most notable was the gain of active MET, EGFR, ErbB2, ErbB3 and the down regulation of p53, Bax and p21 in all seven cetuximab-resistant clones. Furthermore the cetuximab-resistant clones have constitutively active MAPK and AKT as compared to the cetuximab- sensitive parental line.In summary we have generated seven cetuximab-resistant lines and these lines show remarkable homogeneity in terms of altered protein expression. These findings suggest that these pathways may be critical for conferring resistance to EGFR blockade. We aim to characterize these specific molecular targets and their pathways and determine if they are directly or indirectly involved in regulating resistance to EGFR blockade.
Effects of Speech Rate on Personality Perception

Using the voices of six subjects, representing various social and educational backgrounds, fifty-four synthetic voices were generated by computer. Each normal voice was both increased and decreased in rate by 121/2, 25, 371/2, and 50 per cent. Judges evaluated the fifty-four voices using a series of adjectives representing two major personality factors of " competence " and " benevolence ".Several statistical analyses were performed, and it was found that the competence factor was much more sensitive to rate manipulations than was the benevolence factor. Ratings of competence were found to increase as rate increases and decrease as rate decreases, in a linear fashion. Benevolence had an inverted U-relationship with speech rate; the highest benevolence ratings occurred with normal speech rate.
Multidisciplinary teams to fulfill apprenticeship requirements in industry

At the University of Rhode Island (URI), we require all B.S. CS majors to take two consecutive semesters of SEA (software engineering apprenticeship) with industry, or with a research or development group on campus. The students are expected to find positions that require them to work with a group of software professionals to carry out software design, implementation, quality assurance and/or maintenance activities. Most students find individual positions in industry and are managed on site. In this funded project we managed two teams of 5 students from engineering, computer science, business administration, and art, with an MBA student from our Business program as manager. Students were also advised by a team of professionals from GTECH and professors at URI in a series of seminars to carry out the various aspects of their projects. The team composition mirrored the philosophy of removing specialized silos and creating teams at GTECH to carry out their own projects. In this project, the students were asked to spend some time on market analysis and software plans before the design and implementation phase. They designed and developed prototype video games for the company during two semesters. This was a highly popular project for the students. GTECH was also very happy with the results.
Challenges in commercial biotechnology. Part I. Product, process, and market discovery.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the challenges in commercial biotechnology. A process is a sequence of operations or steps resulting in the production of a certain product or in a particular treatment or raw materials. A technical field dealing with bioprocessing is called bioprocess engineering or bioprocessing. Most biotechnological processes consist of a chemical reaction process section (fermentation, or bioreaction section) and of a subsequent product recovery section. A process system can be defined by addressing the interrelated and interdependent nature of elements of a process. It can be arbitrarily defined as consisting of the upstream and downstream segments, including those of fermentation, cell recovery, and product recovery processing. Each process system interacts with its environment by means of mass, energy, and information flows. A set of elements and flows determines the internal structure of the process system. Such elements are then described as structural elements. Time and space conglomerates of elements, having a certain common similarity, are called subsystems.
Putting the Utility of Match Tracking in Fuzzy ARTMAP Training to the Test

An integral component of Fuzzy ARTMAP’s training phase is the use of Match Tracking (MT), whose functionality is to search for an appropriate category that will correctly classify a presented training pattern in case this particular pattern was originally misclassified. In this paper we explain the MT’s role in detail, why it actually works and finally we put its usefulness to the test by comparing it to the simpler, faster alternative of not using MT at all during training. Finally, we present a series of experimental results that eventually raise questions about the MT’s utility. More specifically, we show that in the absence of MT the resulting, trained FAM networks are of reasonable size and exhibit better generalization performance.
Ribonucleases, tRNA nucleotidyltransferase, and the 3' processing of tRNA.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes 3’ maturation and repair, with particular emphasis on the ribonucleases and tRNA nucleotidyltransferase, the enzymes that participate in these processes. All tRNA molecules are synthesized initially as tRNA precursors containing additional residues at their 5’ and 3‘ termini that must be removed to generate active tRNAs. The strict requirement for an intact -C-C-A sequence for the proper functioning of tRNA necessitates specific and accurate processing machinery for 3’ maturation and also a mechanism to repair tRNA molecules with faulty 3’ termini. For precursors in which -C-C-A residues are already present (type-I precursors), 3’ maturation would only require removal of residues following the mature terminus, either by exonucleolytic trimming or by a specific endonucleolytic cut following the 3’ terminal adenosine. Such enzymes are known. In addition, there are differences in 3’-terminal structure between most prokaryotic and eukaryotic tRNA precursors that introduce an additional level of complexity to this process.
MPrime: efficient large scale multiple primer and oligonucleotide design for customized gene microarrays

Enhancements in sequencing technology have recently yielded assemblies of large genomes including rat, mouse, human, fruit fly, and zebrafish. The availability of large-scale genomic and genic sequence data coupled with advances in microarray technology have made it possible to study the expression of large numbers of sequence products under several different conditions in days where traditional molecular biology techniques might have taken months, or even years. Therefore, to efficiently study a number of gene products associated with a disease, pathway, or other biological process, it is necessary to be able to design primer pairs or oligonucleotides en masse rather than using a time consuming and laborious gene-by-gene method. We have developed an integrated system, MPrime, in order to efficiently calculate primer pairs or specific oligonucleotides for multiple genic regions based on a keyword, gene name, accession number, or sequence fasta format within the rat, mouse, human, fruit fly, and zebrafish genomes. A set of products created for mouse housekeeping genes from MPrime-designed primer pairs has been validated using both PCR-amplification and DNA sequencing. These results indicate MPrime accurately incorporates standard PCR primer design characteristics to produce high scoring primer pairs for genes of interest. In addition, sequence similarity for a set of oligonucleotides constructed for the same set of genes indicates high specificity in oligo design.
Age-dependent changes in the structure and function of mammalian chromatin—I. Variations in chromatin template activity

Abstract The in vitro template activity of chromatin isolated from submandibular gland increases threefold as rats age from two to twelve months. The increased capacity for DNA-primed RNA synthesis cannot be attributed to differences in nuclease or protease activity, and there are no variations in the ability of young and older submandibular gland DNA to transcribe RNA under these conditions. The histone content of young and older submandibular gland chromatin is similar. However, these proteins are less tenaciously bound to the DNA with age; consistent with the age-dependent increase in template activity. In contrast, there is an age-dependent decrease in the quantity of nonhistone chromosomal proteins associated with submandibular gland chromatin.
Nucleoside triphosphate dependence of repair replication in toluenized Escherichia coli.

Abstract Ultraviolet irradiation of Escherichia coli stimulates non-conservative DNA synthesis in cells rendered permeable to nucleoside triphosphates by treatment with toluene. This synthesis, like semi-conservative replication, proceeds in the presence of millimolar concentrations of ATP. Unlike semi-conservative replication, the ultraviolet-stimulated DNA synthesis can proceed if other nucleoside triphosphates are substituted for ATP. The selective dependence of semi-conservative replication upon ATP has been used to study the repair mode of synthesis in the absence of the semi-conservative mode and to demonstrate the dependence of ultraviolet-stimulated synthesis upon the uvrA gene product. Studies with recB mutants show that the nucleoside triphosphate-dependent ultravioletstimulated DNA synthesis occurs in strains deficient in the RecBC deoxyribonuclease.
Community Ergonomics: Data Collection Methods and Analysis of Human Characteristics

This paper presents methods that can be used in community ergonomics to examine the Community-Environment fit. An example is discussed that illustrates the use of survey questionnaire in assessing the fit between the community and its banking environment.
Mid-infrared doping tunable transmission through subwavelength metal hole arrays on InSb.

Doping-tunable mid-infrared extraordinary transmission is demonstrated from a periodic metal hole array patterned on n-InSb. The polarization-dependent transmission was measured at room temperature and 77 K. In addition, the extraordinary transmission was measured for incident angles from 0° to 35° in 5° steps. A fundamental resonance shift of ~123 cm-1 (1.4 µm) is observed by varying the doping from 1×1016 to 2×1018 cm-3. The calculated transmission resonances were in good agreement with the experimental results. This suggests that InSb semiconductor-based plasmonic structures may be suitable for a variety of tunable mid-infrared device applications.
Fiber optic sensor for simultaneous determination of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and relative humidity.

We describe a novel optical sensor for the simultaneous measurement of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and relative humidity (RH). A transparent backing thin layer silica gel chromatographic plate impregnated with 8-amino-1-naphthol-5-sulfonic acid (ANS) is used as the collection/sensor element. The plate transmittance is probed by three discrete light emitting diodes (LEDs) centered, respectively, at 442, 525, and 850 nm. The transmission of the plate changes reversibly across visible to NIR wavelengths as the RH around the plate changes; this is the basis for a limited-resolution RH sensor. The ANS on the plate reacts to form brown and pink colored products, respectively, when it reacts with NO2 and O3. The sample air impinges on the plate via an entrance nozzle. The LEDs are alternately turned on in a preprogrammed manner and the light is brought to the impregnated face of the plate by a three-legged fiber optic. The transmitted light is detected on the obverse side of the plate. The 85...
Coxsackie virus valvulitis and myocarditis observed at routine autopsy.

Die Gegenwart von Coxsackie-Virus Antigen wurde mit Antikorper-Test in Klappen und Herzmuskel junger Patienten mit verschiedener Todesursache festgestellt. Von 55 Herzuntersuchungen waren 17 Herzmuskeln und 3 Mitralklappen fur Coxsackie-Virus Antigen positiv. In den meisten Fallen konnte B-2 und B-5 beobachtet werden. In allen positiven Fallen zeigten die histologischen Untersuchungen interstitielle Herzmuskel-und chronische Klappenentzundung.
A test for the equivalence ofk ARMA models

This paper has suggested a method for determining the equivalence of multiple time series when the series are not necessarily independent. By borrowing on the seemingly-unrelated time series structure and employing separate induced tests the researcher is presented with a technique for inferring equivalence between series, and in its absence identifying the structural elements causing non-equivalence. The proposed approach is thought to be simpler to apply than previous methods, less demanding of computational resources and overcomes at least two major difficulties (the assumption of independence and the problem of extending the results to more than two series, inherent in earlier time series equivalence determination strategies.
On Animating Whip-type Motions

This paper presents algorithmic methods to generate progressive, whip-type motions, characteristic of experienced humans in high speed athletic activities like throwing and striking. In deriving these methods, we deduce boundary conditions for dynamic quantities by analysing the motion of a two-link system. A control algorithm based on cascading gains is introduced and is shown to be efficient when compared to fixed-gain proportional control. Principles of energy redistribution within links are used to explain the mechanical advantage gained by a whip-type motion, and the efficiency of cascading gain control. The results can be applied in motion synthesis for animation which is demonstrated through simulation of a multi-link system. Our aim has been to obtain biomechanically plausible solutions which approximate natural motions.
Thermal and thermoperiodic effects on larval development and diapause in the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis

Abstract Effects of temperature and thermoperiod on larval development and the induction of diapause were investigated in the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis. Developmental threshold temperatures characteristic of the first four larval instars were estimated under both thermoperiods and constant temperatures. Threshold values were similar under the two conditions, but the 4th-larval instar was shown to display a significantly lower developmental threshold temperature than was characteristic of the earlier instars. Although developmental times (days per instar) were not greatly affected by fluctuating temperature regimes, the quantity of growth (weight, head width) during the 4th and 5th (last) stadia was found to be much greater under thermoperiodic regimes than under comparable constant temperature conditions. By means of thermoperiodic regimes having identical mean temperatures but different cryophase durations, it was demonstrated that the induction of diapause is dependent on the duration of the cryophase rather than on the mean temperature of the thermoperiod. To be effective, the cryophase must be colder than the insect's thermoperiodic response threshold. It was also demonstrated that thermoperiodic responses that are readily produced under continuously dark rearing conditions are not manifested under continuous light.
Efficient Synthesis of Deoxyribonucleoside Phosphoramidites by Eliminating the Use of Additional Activator

Abstract An efficient, safe and cost effective synthesis of deoxyribonucleoside phosphoramidites is described. The amine hydrochloride produced as a by-product during the synthesis of nucleoside phosphorbisamidite is used as an internal activator in the synthesis of phosphoramidites.
What is Utility

Social scientists could learn some useful things from philosophy. Here I shall discuss what I take to be one such thing: a better understanding of the concept of utility. There are several reasons why a better understanding may be useful. First, this concept is commonly found in the writings of social scientists, especially economists (see, for example, Sen and Williams, 1982). Second, utility is the main ingredient in utilitarianism, a perspective on morality that, traditionally, has been very influential among social scientists. Third, and most important, with a better understanding of utility comes, as I shall try to show here, a better understanding of “personal welfare”. or, in other words, of what may be said to be in people's best interests. Such an understanding is useful to social scientists and philosophers alike, whether for utilitarian purposes or not.
A dynamic key management solution to access hierarchy

Hierarchical access control (HAC) has been a fundamental problem in computer and network systems. Since Akl and Taylor proposed the first HAC scheme based on number theory in 1983, cryptographic key management techniques for HAC have appeared as a new and promising class of solutions to the HAC problem. Many cryptographic HAC schemes have been proposed in the past two decades. One common feature associated with these schemes is that they basically limited dynamic operations at the node level. In this paper, by introducing the innovative concept of 'access polynomial' and representing a key value as the sum of two polynomials in a finite field, we propose a new key management scheme for dynamic access hierarchy. The newly proposed scheme supports full dynamics at both the node level and user level in a uniform yet efficient manner. Furthermore, the new scheme allows access hierarchy to be a random structure and can be flexibly adapted to many other access models such as 'transfer down' and 'depth-limited transfer'.
A loess–paleosol record of climate and glacial history over the past two glacial–interglacial cycles (~ 150 ka), southern Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Loess accumulated on a Bull Lake outwash terrace of Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 6 (MIS 6) age in southern Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The 9 m section displays eight intervals of loess deposition (Loess 1 to Loess 8, oldest), each followed by soil development. Our age-depth model is constrained by thermoluminescence, meteoric 10Be accumulation in soils, and cosmogenic 10Be surface exposure ages. We use particle size, geochemical, mineral-magnetic, and clay mineralogical data to interpret loess sources and pedogenesis. Deposition of MIS 6 loess was followed by a tripartite soil/thin loess complex (Soils 8, 7, and 6) apparently reflecting the large climatic oscillations of MIS 5. Soil 8 (MIS 5e) shows the strongest development. Loess 5 accumulated during a glacial interval (~ 76–69 ka; MIS 4) followed by soil development under conditions wetter and probably colder than present. Deposition of thick Loess 3 (~ 43–51 ka, MIS 3) was followed by soil development comparable with that observed in Soil 1. Loess 1 (MIS 2) accumulated during the Pinedale glaciation and was followed by development of Soil 1 under a semiarid climate. This record of alternating loess deposition and soil development is compatible with the history of Yellowstone vegetation and the glacial flour record from the Sierra Nevada.
The use of masculine and feminine to describe women's and men's behavior.

The hypothesis that the terms masculine and feminine would not have the same connotations as the personality traits that are typically associated with them was investigated. Two hundred five undergraduates (116 women and 89 men) at a US university rated how much they expected to like various hypothetical women and men, each of whom was described by a single trait adjective. Ten instrumental-trait and 10 socioemotional-trait adjectives, including the terms masculine and feminine, were associated with a targeted female or male character (e.g., "an independent woman" or "an understanding man"). Although "a masculine woman" and "a feminine man" both received low ratings, female targets described by instrumental adjectives and male targets described by socioemotional adjectives received high ratings. Nonstereotypic characters were rated more positively by the female respondents than they were by the male respondents. Stereotypic targets were rated more positively by other-gender respondents than by same-gender respondents.
The role of endoscopic stents in the management of chronic anastomotic and staple line leaks and chronic strictures after bariatric surgery

Abstract Background The use of endoluminal stents has been proposed for the management of fistulas and anastomotic strictures after bariatric surgery. The objective of our study was to determine the success of endoscopically placed, self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) in bariatric patients specifically with either chronic persistent anastomotic or staple line leaks/fistulas or chronic, persistent anastomotic strictures. Methods We treated 21 patients including 5 with chronic staple line leaks/fistulas (4 from the gastric sleeve after biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch [BPD/DS] and 1 after removal of an eroding laparoscopic adjustable gastric band) and 16 with chronic anastomotic strictures (15 at the gastrojejunostomy after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and 1 at the duodenoileal anastomosis after BPD/DS). Patients with early leaks or anastomotic strictures were excluded. Results All but one of these patients had been referred to our institution after chronic treatment elsewhere was unsuccessful with prior stent placement for fistulas or multiple endoscopic dilations for strictures. Their bariatric operations had been performed a mean of 386 days beforehand. Stent placement was performed successfully in all patients without complications but was successful in only 4 of 21 patients (19%)—2 with chronic fistulas and 2 with chronic anastomotic strictures. Stent migration occurred in 10 patients (47%); the migrated stents were removed/replaced endoscopically in 7 patients but required elective operative removal in 3 with concomitant correction of the leak, fistula, or anastomotic stricture; none were operated emergently. Conclusion Only 4 of 21 patients with a chronic persistent leak or anastomotic stricture were treated definitively using a SEMS. Although endoluminal stents may not lead to resolution of a chronic leak or stricture, SEMS may suppress ongoing sepsis and allow patients to undergo nutritional resuscitation orally before operative correction.
cDNA isolation, functional expression, and characterization of (+)-α-pinene synthase and (−)-α-pinene synthase from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda): Stereocontrol in pinene biosynthesis

The complex mixture of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and diterpenes that comprises oleoresin provides the primary defense of conifers against bark beetles and their associated fungal pathogens. Monoterpene synthases produce the turpentine fraction of oleoresin, which allows mobilization of the diterpene resin acid component (rosin) and is also toxic toward invading insects; this is particularly the case for alpha-pinene, a prominent bicyclic monoterpene of pine turpentine. The stereochemistry of alpha-pinene is a critical determinant of host defense capability and has implications for host selection, insect pheromone biosynthesis, and tritrophic-level interactions. Pines produce both enantiomers of alpha-pinene, which appear to arise through antipodal reaction mechanisms by distinct enzymes. Using a cDNA library constructed with mRNA from flushing needles of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), we employed a homology-based cloning strategy to isolate, and confirm by functional expression, the genes encoding (+)-(3R:5R)-alpha-pinene synthase, (-)-(3S:5S)-alpha-pinene synthase, and several other terpene synthases. The pinene synthases, which produce mirror-image products, share only 66% amino acid identity (72% similarity) but are similar in general properties to other monoterpene synthases of gymnosperms. The stereochemical control of monoterpene cyclization reactions, the evolution of "antipodal" enzymes, and the implications of turpentine composition in ecological interactions are discussed.
Moment Lyapunov exponent and stability index for linear conservative system with small random perturbation

Asymptotic expansion series for the moment Lyapunov exponent and stability index are constructed and justified for the two-dimensional linear stochastic system close to a harmonic oscillator. As an example, a one-degree-of-freedom mechanical system parametrically excited in stiffness and damping is considered and several terms of the expansion are obtained.
The use of human pemphigoid autoantibodies to study the fate of epidermal basal cell hemidesmosomes after trypsin dissociation.

It is known that during trypsinization of the skin, the epidermis is first separated from the dermis and individual keratinocytes are dissociated by disruption of the epidermal intercellular spaces. The desmosomal unit is separated at the level of the intercellular space and the split desmosomes are internalized in plasma membrane- limited vesicles; however the fate of the hemidesmosome under such conditions has not been studied. We have recently shown (Mutasim et al: J Invest Dermatol 84:47–53, 1985) that autoantibodies from the sera of patients with bullous pemphigoid bind in vitro to hemidesmosomes but not to desmosomes providing a highly specific marker for these organelles. Utilizing these autoantibodies, we studied the fate of the hemidesmosome during trypsin dissociation of epidermal basal cells derived from the skin of neonatal BALB/c mice. During trypsinization, portions of the dermal face of the plasma membrane which include hemidesmosomes formed pits which pinched off to produce vesicles that moved toward the nucleus. This was accompanied by retraction of the tonofilaments away from the cell periphery. The mechanism of this internalization process is not yet known, but may involve contractile elements of the cytoskeleton. The highly specific binding of bullous pemphigoid autoantibodies to the hemidesmosome may prove helpful in future biochemical and immunocytochemical studies of this organelle.
CT and MR Imaging after Imaging-guided Thermal Ablation of Renal Neoplasms

In recent years, thermal tumor ablation techniques such as percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation and cryoablation have assumed an important role in the management of renal tumors, particularly in patients who may be suboptimal candidates for more invasive surgical techniques. Postablation computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging play an important part in evaluation of the ablation zone, surveillance for residual or recurrent tumor, and identification of procedure-related complications. The appearance of the ablation zone may vary depending on the ablation technique used, initial tumor size, and tumor location and composition. Most ablated tumors demonstrate a gradual decrease in size over time once the acute changes have resolved, although tumor involution is more evident after cryoablation than after RF ablation. Exophytic tumor ablation zones typically have a "bull's-eye" appearance on CT scans and MR images obtained after RF ablation, with a visible mass often persisting in the absence of viable tumor. Residual or recurrent tumor often manifests as a focus of nodular or crescentic enhancement on postablation contrast material-enhanced CT scans and MR images, although a thin peripheral rim of enhancement often persists for several months following cryoablation. Complications following renal tumor ablation are usually minor but may include hemorrhage, ureteral stricture, urine leak, colonic perforation and colonephric fistula, and pneumothorax. As more patients undergo renal ablation procedures, it will become increasingly important that radiologists be able to recognize typical postablation CT and MR imaging findings to prevent confusing them with other pathologic processes.
Endorphinergic and α-noradrenergic systems in the paraventricular nucleus: Effects on eating behavior

Abstract Brain cannulated rats were injected with the opioid peptide β-endorphin (β-EP) directly into the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) where norepinephrine (NE) is most effective in stimulating eating behavior. β-Endorphin (1.0 nmole) reliably increased food intake in satiated animals, and this response was blocked by local administration of the selective opiate antagonist naloxone. The eating induced by β-EP was positively correlated in magnitude with the NE response and, like NE, was antagonized by PVN injection of the α-noradrenergic blocker phentolamine. Naloxone had no effect on NE-induced eating, and the dopaminergic blocker fluphenazine failed to alter either β-EP or NE eating. When injected simultaneously, at maximally effective doses, β-EP and NE produced an eating response which was significantly larger than either of the responses elicited separately by β-EP or NE and was essentially equal to the sum of these two responses. The evidence obtained in this study suggests that β-EP and NE stimulate food ingestion through their action on PVN opiate and α-noradrenergic receptors, respectively, and that β-EP's action is closely related to, and in part may be dependent upon, the PVN α-noradrenergic system for feeding control.
Phenotypic variation of lionfish supraocular tentacles

A previous observation suggested that a novel phenotype of lionfish supraocular tentacle is evolving rapidly in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. We confirm the existence of this phenotype in high prevalence in invasive populations of lionfish in the Western North Atlantic. Observations of individual lionfish from the Atlantic populations indicate that supraocular tentacles are more prevalent on juvenile and young adult lionfish suggesting this characteristic is size specific and is not associated with a genetic lineage. The high prevalence of this novel phenotype in the Atlantic may be a founder effect rather than continued selection. Genetic analysis further supports this conclusion as this phenotype is present in two Pterois species found in the Atlantic.
Automated chest x-ray analysis

A computer hardware-software system has been developed for extracting optical and digital mea-surements from chest x-rays and using these measurements to classify the severity of lung disease. The system consists of a digital image scanner and an optical system consisting of an x - y controller for film transportation and an RSI Fraunhofer diffraction pattern sampling unit. Initially the classification has been of opacity textural patterns associated with coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP). However, the system appears to be expandable to all diseases described in the international standard which include lung disease, heart disease, and cancer with only software modification. Recently extensions to large opacity detection, measures of lung vascularity and lung and heart volume have been made. Results indicate classification accuracy rates for pneumoconioses comparable to visual readings of the films by expert radiologists, and significantly better than non-radiologist physicians who often read these films.
Approximation of coupled Stokes-Darcy flow in an axisymmetric domain

Abstract In this article we investigate the numerical approximation of coupled Stokes and Darcy fluid flow equations in an axisymmetric domain. The fluid flow is assumed to be axisymmetric. Rewriting the problem in cylindrical coordinates reduces the 3-D problem to a problem in 2-D. This reduction to 2-D requires the numerical analysis to be studied in suitably weighted Hilbert spaces. In this setting we show that the proposed approximation scheme has a unique solution, and derive corresponding a priori error estimate. Computations for an example with a know solution are presented which support the a priori error estimate. Computations are also given for a model of fluid flow in the eye.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is an early event in ochratoxin a but not oosporein toxicity to rat renal proximal tubules

Abstract Ochratoxin A (OA) and oosporein (OSN) are two mycotoxins that may cause nephrotoxicity through either mitochondrial dysfunction or lipid peroxidation. Using isolated rat renal proximal tubules in suspension, the cellular events preceding OA- or OSN-induced cytotoxicity were investigated. OA and OSN decreased tubule viability in a concentration (0–1 m m )- and time (0–4 hr)-dependent manner, with initial decreases occurring 1 hr after exposure. Tubule basal and nystatin-stimulated oxygen consumption decreased before cell death after OA (0.5 and 1 m m ) and 0.25 m m t -butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) exposure, but did not decrease after OSN exposure (0.25–1 m m ). The oxidant TBHP was used as a positive control in these studies. Direct probing of mitochondrial function within proximal tubules confirmed the toxicity of OA to mitochondria. Respiration was reduced in the absence and presence of a phosphate acceptor using site I (glutamate/malate) and site II (succinate) respiratory substrates 15 and 30 min after exposure to 1 m m OA. Lipid peroxidation preceded cell death after exposure to 1 m m OA and 0.25 m m TBHP, but did not occur after exposure to 1 m m OSN. Deferoxamine (1 m m ) pretreatment before the addition of 1 m m OA or OSN prevented OA-induced lipid peroxidation, but did not prevent OA- or OSN-induced cytotoxicity. In contrast, deferoxamine pretreatment prevented lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the loss of tubule viability after exposure to 0.25 m m TBHP. This study shows that mitochondrial dysfunction is an early event during the development of OA toxicity, but not in OSN-induced toxicity. Furthermore, iron-mediated lipid peroxidation does not contribute to OA- or OSN-induced proximal tubule cell death.
Cyclophosphamide, vincristine, cisplatin, VP-16 and radiation therapy in extensive small-cell lung cancer. A Southwest Oncology Group Study.

Patients with extensive small-cell lung cancer were given induction chemotherapy consisting of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, cisplatin, and etoposide (COPE) every 3 weeks for four cycles. Responding patients then received chest and elective whole-brain irradiation. Patients presenting with brain metastases received therapeutic brain irradiation during the first cycle of chemotherapy. No maintenance therapy was given, but two late intensification cycles of COPE were given at weeks 24 and 48. Among the 34 evaluable patients, the response rate to induction chemotherapy was 59%, with 10% achieving a complete response (CR) and 49%, a partial response (PR). Of the 18 patients who completed chest irradiation, 3 achieved a CR, producing an overall CR rate of 18%. Five patients completed the projected course of treatment. The median duration of response for all patients was 8 months (range, 2–30+ months) and the median survival was 9 months (range, 1–30+ months). Complete responders had a median response duration of 9 months and a median survival of 11 months. This regimen produced significant myelosuppression, with 5 neutropenic deaths (13%) occuring in the 38 patients evaluable for toxicity; an additional 16% required hospitalization for fever while neutropenic. Only six patients (13%) had nadir platelet counts of <50,000/mm3 with no episodes of thrombocytopenic hemorrhage. Nausea, vomiting, and neurotoxicity were mild to moderate in all patients. One patient with no evidence of disease died of radiation pneumonitis at 6 months. While producing significant toxicity, this regimen did not result in a CR rate or survival advantage that would suggest its superiority over standard regimens for small-cell lung cancer.
Praise, blame, obligation, and DWE: Toward a framework for classical supererogation and kin ☆

Abstract Continuing prior work by the author, a simple classical system for personal obligation is integrated with a fairly rich system for aretaic (agent-evaluative) appraisal. I then explore various relationships between definable aretaic statuses such as praiseworthiness and blameworthiness and deontic statuses such as obligatoriness and impermissibility. I focus on partitions of the normative statuses generated (“normative positions” but without explicit representation of agency). In addition to being able to model and explore fundamental questions in ethical theory about the connection between blame, praise, permissibility and obligation, this allows me to carefully represent schemes for supererogation and kin. These controversial concepts have provided challenges to both ethical theory and deontic logic, and are among deontic logicʼs test cases.
Examining the Association Between Co-Occurring Disorders and Seriousness of Misconduct by Female Prison Inmates:

Although studies have consistently demonstrated mentally ill offenders to be disproportionately involved in misconduct within correctional facilities, research is limited on the potential exacerbating effects of co-occurring disorders (CODs) on inmate behavior. With the vast number of offenders who have comorbid psychiatric and substance use disorders, it is essential that we understand whether the clinically interactive nature of CODs may present increased security and management challenges for correctional administrators. Using data from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC), we compared the institutional misconduct experiences of female inmates with CODs to those for inmates with singular disorders or no disorders. The findings of our study support prior research showing mental illness as a risk factor for prison misconduct. The results further suggest that the presence of both a substance use disorder and a mental illness exacerbates the risk of negative behaviors beyond the singular diso...
A new instrument mechanism

A NEW instrument mechanism has been developed which is remarkable for its small size and weight compared to conventional instruments. It is suitable for use in d-c electric indicating instruments in either portable or panel devices. The instrument is capable of moderately high sensitivity and is most readily adaptable to applications where expanded scale distribution is desirable.
Recent developments in delivery, bioavailability, absorption and metabolism of curcumin: The golden pigment from golden spice

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a yellow pigment present in the spice turmeric (Curcuma longa) that has been associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, and antibacterial activities as indicated by over 6,000 citations. In addition, over one hundred clinical studies have been carried out with curcumin. One of the major problems with curcumin is perceived to be the bioavailability. How curcumin should be delivered in vivo, how bioavailable is it, how well curcumin is absorbed and how it is metabolized, is the focus of this review. Various formulations of curcumin that are currently available are also discussed.
Specificity in the inactivation of enzymes by periodate-oxidized nucleotides☆

Abstract Periodate-oxidized ATP (oATP) inactivates the partial reaction of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in which amino acid is transferred to tRNA without altering the other partial reaction in which ATP is a substrate or a product. The inactivation has been shown to be nonspecific with regard to substituents on the dialdehyde and with regard to the enzymes susceptible to inactivation; oxidized GTP and oxidized uridine react as well as oATP with aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and all three dialdehydes also inactivate rabbit muscle aldolase.
Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Grafts Enhance Normal and Impaired Wound Healing by Recruiting Existing Endogenous Tissue Stem/Progenitor Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been investigated as a clinical therapy to promote tissue repair. However, the disappearance of grafted cells soon after engraftment suggests a possible role as initiators of repair rather than effectors. We evaluated the relative contribution of grafted human MSCs and host stem/progenitor cells in promoting wound healing by using a novel asymmetric wound model in normal and impaired healing diabetic (db/db) mice to discriminate between the effect of direct engraftment and the subsequent systemic response. Experimental animals received paired wounds, with one wound receiving human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and the other wound receiving vehicle to assess local and systemic effects, respectively. Control animals received vehicle in both wounds. Grafted hMSCs significantly improved healing in both normal and impaired healing animals; produced significant elevation of signals such as Wnt3a, vascular endothelial growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α; and increased the number of pre-existing host MSCs recruited to the wound bed. Improvement was also seen in both the grafted and nongrafted sides, suggesting a systemic response to hMSC engraftment. Healing was enhanced despite the rapid loss of hMSCs, suggesting that mobilizing the host response is the major outcome of grafting MSCs to tissue repair. We validate that hMSCs evoke a host response that is clinically relevant, and we suggest that therapeutic efforts should focus on maximizing the mobilization of host MSCs.
Electrical effects of dislocations and other crystallographic defects in Hg 0.78 Cd 0.22 Te n-on-p photodiodes

An understanding of the effects of dislocations in HgCdTe diodes is complicated by several issues such as the diode architecture, diode formation process, and the thermal history and location of the dislocations. To help decouple the effects of these factors, high stress films were used to lithographically introduce dislocations with different densities and locations during the fabrication process of ion implanted, n-on-p diodes. Both array and diode test structures were studied. After fabrication, the diodes were characterized with variable temperature I–V measurements and noise measurements. The diodes were then stripped and defect etched to quantify the density and distribution of the dislocations. The effects of these process-induced dislocations were analyzed and compared to the effects of as grown dislocations, subgrain boundaries and dislocations in other device architectures reported in the literature.1,2 In general, high densities of either as grown or process-induced dislocations in n-on-p, ion implanted diodes severely degrade device performance by producing field dependent dark current At 77K, dislocation densities greater than the mid 106 cm−2 can produce dark current densities in excess of the diode diffusion current. Dislocations located near the outer periphery of the diode produce approximately ten times the dark current of interior dislocations. Grain boundaries, sub-grain boundaries, and twins also produce sufficient field dependent dark current to limit diode performance at 77K. The dark current produced by dislocations is nearly temperature in dependent, suggesting rather severe limitations on dislocation densities for low temperature diode operation.
Beyond the fields: Cesar Chavez, the UFW, and the struggle for justice in the 21st century

by Randy Shaw, Berkeley, University of California Press, 2008, 368 pp., $24.95 (cloth), ISBN 978‐0520251076 The United Farm Workers (UFW) is arguably one of the most important unions in contemporar...