cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What’s new in nerve sheath tumors

Peripheral nerve sheath tumors are commonly encountered and frequently pose challenges to the pathologist and the clinician. This review discusses the wide range of entities with an emphasis on new discoveries in the past decade. Clinical, histologic, immunohistochemical, and pathogenetic findings are discussed with an emphasis on clinical implications and differential diagnosis.
Bridging the implementation gap of machine learning in healthcare

Applications of machine learning on clinical data are now attaining levels of performance that match or exceed human clinicians.1–3 Fields involving image interpretation—radiology, pathology and dermatology—have led the charge due to the power of convolutional neural networks, the existence of standard data formats and large data repositories. We have also seen powerful diagnostic and predictive algorithms built using a range of other data, including electronic health records (EHR), -omics, monitoring signals, insurance claims and patient-generated data.4 The looming extinction of doctors has captured the public imagination, with editorials such as ‘The AI Doctor Will See You Now’.5 The prevailing view among experts is more balanced: that doctors who use artificial intelligence (AI) will replace those who do not.6 Amid such inflated expectations, the elephant in the room is the implementation gap of machine learning in healthcare.7 8 Very few of these algorithms ever make it to the bedside; and even the most technology-literate academic medical centres are not routinely using AI in clinical workflows. A recent systematic review of deep learning applications using EHR data highlighted the need to focus on the last mile of implementation: ‘for direct clinical impact, deployment and automation of deep learning models must be considered’.9 The typical life-cycle of an algorithm remains: train on historical data, publish a good receiver-operator curve and then collect dust in the ‘model graveyard’. This begs the question: if model performance is so …
The Influence of Various Systems of Fertilizers on the Removal and Accumulation of NPK in the Alluvial Meadow-Forest Soils of Azerbaijan

The experimental data obtained in stationary field experiments in the conditions of irrigated alluvial meadow-forest soils of the dry subtropics of Azerbaijan (North-Eastern part of the Greater Caucasus) are studied and presented. The use of fertilizer systems (mineral, organic and organic-mineral, i.e. their combined use) had different effects on the accumulation of basic nutrients (NPK) in the aboveground organs (fruits, leaves, stems) of the tomato plant. The efficiency of the influence of different systems of fertilizers under the culture of the tomato is established. Yield and total removal of the potassium effective option the organic - mineral system of organic-mineral system of fertilizers in the norm of the Background—(P90K120) + N60 + manure 12 t/ha; for total removal of phosphorus, organic system of fertilizers in the norm of manure 24 t/ha; and the total removal of nitrogen was efficient Background option—(P90K120) + N120. The overall takeaway was accordingly 272.88 kg/ha potassium; 76.76 kg/ha for phosphorus and 170.56 kg/ha of nitrogen.
Policy Optimization for Markovian Jump Linear Quadratic Control: Gradient-Based Methods and Global Convergence.

Recently, policy optimization for control purposes has received renewed attention due to the increasing interest in reinforcement learning. In this paper, we investigate the global convergence of gradient-based policy optimization methods for quadratic optimal control of discrete-time Markovian jump linear systems (MJLS). First, we study the optimization landscape of direct policy optimization for MJLS, with static state feedback controllers and quadratic performance costs. Despite the non-convexity of the resultant problem, we are still able to identify several useful properties such as coercivity, gradient dominance, and almost smoothness. Based on these properties, we show global convergence of three types of policy optimization methods: the gradient descent method; the Gauss-Newton method; and the natural policy gradient method. We prove that all three methods converge to the optimal state feedback controller for MJLS at a linear rate if initialized at a controller which is mean-square stabilizing. Some numerical examples are presented to support the theory. This work brings new insights for understanding the performance of policy gradient methods on the Markovian jump linear quadratic control problem.
Significantly Lower Infection Risk for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Grafts Presoaked in Vancomycin Compared With Unsoaked Grafts: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Purpose To compare postoperative infection rates following ACL reconstruction performed with grafts presoaked in vancomycin versus those without vancomycin. Methods A systematic review was performed using PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for therapeutic level I to III studies that compared outcomes of presoaking ACL grafts with vancomycin versus without vancomycin in human patients. Included graft types were tendon autografts or allografts, and included studies documented infection with a minimum follow-up of 30 days. Postoperative infection rates and knee-specific patient-reported outcome scores were extracted from each study and compared between groups. Study methodological quality was analyzed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) and Modified Coleman Methodology Score (MCMS). Infection rates and retear rates were pooled and weighted for meta-analysis using a random-effects model. All P values were reported with an α level of 0.05 set as significant. Results The initial search yielded 144 articles (44 duplicates, 100 screened, 29 full-text review). Ten articles (21,368 subjects [7,507 vancomycin and 13,861 no vancomycin], 67% males, mean ± standard deviation age 29.5 ± 1.5 years) were included and analyzed. Eight of the 10 studies included only autografts, with 94.5% of grafts being hamstring autografts. Soaking grafts in vancomycin resulted in significantly fewer infections (0.013% versus 0.77%; odds ratio 0.07; 95% confidence interval 0.03, 0.18; P Conclusions Soaking ACL tendon grafts with vancomycin before implantation is associated with a nearly 15 times decrease in odds of infection compared with grafts not soaked in vancomycin. Few studies investigated patient-reported outcomes and retear rates after soaking ACL grafts in vancomycin. Level of Evidence III, systematic review of level III studies
Electroactive Polymeric Composites to Mimic the Electromechanical Properties of Myocardium in Cardiac Tissue Repair

Due to the limited regenerative capabilities of cardiomyocytes, incidents of myocardial infarction can cause permanent damage to native myocardium through the formation of acellular, non-conductive scar tissue during wound repair. The generation of scar tissue in the myocardium compromises the biomechanical and electrical properties of the heart which can lead to further cardiac problems including heart failure. Currently, patients suffering from cardiac failure due to scarring undergo transplantation but limited donor availability and complications (i.e., rejection or infectious pathogens) exclude many individuals from successful transplant. Polymeric tissue engineering scaffolds provide an alternative approach to restore normal myocardium structure and function after damage by acting as a provisional matrix to support cell attachment, infiltration and stem cell delivery. However, issues associated with mechanical property mismatch and the limited electrical conductivity of these constructs when compared to native myocardium reduces their clinical applicability. Therefore, composite polymeric scaffolds with conductive reinforcement components (i.e., metal, carbon, or conductive polymers) provide tunable mechanical and electroactive properties to mimic the structure and function of natural myocardium in force transmission and electrical stimulation. This review summarizes recent advancements in the design, synthesis, and implementation of electroactive polymeric composites to better match the biomechanical and electrical properties of myocardial tissue.
Bubble formation in helium-implanted nanostructured ferritic alloys at elevated temperatures

Abstract Helium bubble formation was examined by scanning/transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) in Fe-9/10Cr binary alloys and two dispersion strengthened nanostructured alloys (CNA3 and 14YWT containing 5–10 nm diameter carbide and oxide particles, respectively) after ex-situ and in-situ He implantation to ~10,000 appm at 500 to 900 °C. The combination of high-resolution STEM images and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) revealed that the Y-Ti-O nanoparticles in 14YWT were uniformly distributed and exhibited a one-to-one relationship for bubble attachment to the nanoclusters. In the in-situ experiment at 900 °C, grain boundary cracking was severe in the Fe-10Cr model alloy, but not in the nanostructured alloys. From 500 to 900 °C, the bubble size generally increased with increasing irradiation temperature, while the bubble density decreased with increasing temperature. At the same temperatures, the bubble size in the implanted materials was in the order of Fe-9/10Cr > CNA3 > 14YWT, while the bubble density showed the opposite order. The observed bubble number densities for the nanostructured alloys are comparable to the nanoparticle density, suggesting that the nanoparticles in both alloys were effective in trapping He. Our results indicate that very high He concentrations can be managed in nanostructured alloys by sequestering the helium into smaller bubbles (which leads to a lower volume swelling value) and to shield He from the grain boundaries. This can be attributed to the much higher sink strength associated with the nanoclusters or the He trapping ability between different types of nanoclusters.
Help-seeking intentions among Asian American and White American students in psychological distress: Application of the health belief model.

Objective Underutilization of needed mental health services continues to be the major mental health disparity affecting Asian Americans (Sue, Cheng, Saad, & Chu, 2012). The goal of this study was to apply a social psychological theoretical framework-the health belief model (Rosenstock, 1966)-to understand potential reasons why Asian Americans underutilize mental health services relative to White Americans. Method Using a cross-sectional online questionnaire, this study examined how perceived severity of symptoms, perceived susceptibility to mental health problems, perceived benefits of treatment, and perceived barriers to treatment influenced intentions to seek help among a sample of 395 Asian American and 261 White American students experiencing elevated levels of psychological distress. Results Analyses using structural equation modeling indicated that Asian Americans in distress had relatively lower intentions to seek help compared with White Americans. Perceived benefits partially accounted for differences in help-seeking intentions. Although Asian Americans perceived greater barriers to help seeking than did White Americans, this did not significantly explain racial/ethnic differences in help-seeking intentions. Perceived severity and barriers were related to help-seeking intentions in both groups. Conclusions Outreach efforts that particularly emphasize the benefits of seeking mental health services may be a particularly promising approach to address underutilization. The findings have implications in help-seeking promotion and outreach. (PsycINFO Database Record
Effects of a 2‐year behavioral weight loss intervention on sleep and mood in obese individuals treated in primary care practice

Objective To examine the effect of weight loss on sleep duration, sleep quality, and mood in 390 obese men and women who received one of three behavioral weight loss interventions in the Practice-based Opportunities for Weight Reduction trial at the University of Pennsylvania (POWER-UP). Methods Sleep duration and quality were assessed at baseline and months 6 and 24 by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire and mood by the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8). Changes in sleep and mood were examined according to treatment group and based on participants' having lost ≥5% of initial weight vs. <5%. Results There were few significant differences between treatment groups in changes in sleep or mood. At month 6, however, mean (±SD) min of sleep increased significantly more in participants who lost ≥5% vs. <5% (21.6 ± 7.2 vs. 1.2 ± 6.0 min, P = 0.0031). PSQI total scores similarly improved (declined) more in those who lost ≥5% vs. <5% (−1.2 ± 0.2 vs. −0.4 ± 0.2, P < 0.001), as did PHQ-8 scores (−2.5 ± 0.4 vs. −0.1 ± 0.3, P < 0.0001). At month 24, only the differences in mood remained statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion Losing ≥5% of initial weight was associated with short-term improvements in sleep duration and sleep quality, as well as favorable short- and long-term changes in mood.
Laboratory performance of ASR modified asphalt binders

Automobiles, when they are no longer useful, are flattened and shipped to an automotive shredder facility. At the shredder facility, while they are shredded to recover the ferrous and non-ferrous metals for recycling, a huge quantity of non-metallic residue commonly called Automotive Shredder Residue (ASR) is generated. Since ASR mostly contains plastic and rubber related materials, and addition of plastic and scrap rubber from waste tires as a road material has been proven to be effective in solving existing pavement related problems, attempts were made to examine the feasibility of ASR as a road material additive. As a part of this effort, compatibility and mechanical properties of ASR modified asphalt were studied. The asphalt was mixed with a requisite amount of ASR for one hour at 375°F. Glass transition temperature (Tg) and microstructure of ASR, asphalt and ASR modified as-phalt were examined to determine compatibility. Mechanical properties of ASR modified asphalt were studied by performing dynami...
The Role of the American Society of Civil Engineers in Influencing Public Policy on Controversial Technical Issues

Civil Engineers have earned the responsibility of protecting, informing, and advising the public on controversial issues related to their field. Civil Engineers can best serve society in this capacity through the united voice of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). As a group, this professional organization can influence public policy, resulting in the most beneficial outcome for society. Society needs to be protected from hazards, informed on issues that concern the well being of the public, and advised on the possible alternatives concerning controversial issues. Civil engineers are in the best positions to perform these duties due to their technical background and their experience in serving the general public.
Abstractions to support dynamic adaptation of communication frameworks for user-centric communication

The convergence of data, audio and video on IP networks is changing the way individuals, groups and organizations communicate. This diversity of communication media presents opportunities for creating synergistic collaborative communications. This form of collaborative communication is however not without its challenges. The increasing number of communication service providers coupled with a combinatorial mix of offered services, varying Quality-of-Service and oscillating pricing of services increases the complexity for the user to manage and maintain ‘always best’ priced or performance services. Consumers have to manually manage and adapt their communication in line with differences in services across devices, networks and media while ensuring that the usage remain consistent with their intended goals. This dissertation proposes a novel user-centric approach to address this problem. The proposed approach aims to reduce the aforementioned complexity to the user by (1) providing high-level abstractions and a policy based methodology for automated selection of the communication services guided by high-level user policies and (2) providing services through the seamless integration of multiple communication service providers and providing an extensible framework to support the integration of multiple communication service providers. The approach was implemented in the Communication Virtual Machine (CVM), a model-driven technology for realizing communication applications. The CVM includes the Network Communication Broker, the layer responsible for providing a network-independent API to the upper layers of CVM. The initial prototype for the NCB supported only a single communication framework which limited the number, quality and types of services available. Experimental evaluation of the approach show the additional overhead of the approach is minimal compared to the individual communication services frameworks. Additionally the automated approach proposed out performed the individual communication services frameworks for cross framework switching.
Treefall gaps required for establishment, but not survival, of invasive Rubus phoenicolasius in deciduous forest, Maryland, USA

Although plant invasions are often associated with disturbance, localized disturbances can promote invasion either by: (i) creating sites where individuals establish; or (ii) enabling an invader to colonize the entire stand. The former is expected when both establishment and survival to reproductive age require disturbed conditions, whereas the latter should occur in systems when either establishment or survival are limited to disturbed sites. We investigated the role of localized disturbance, specifically treefalls, in the invasion of the Asian Rubus phoenicolasius in a deciduous forest in Maryland, USA. We investigated the density and demography of R. phoenicolasius in treefall gaps of various sizes, but identical age to non-gap areas, using Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analyses to identify the most important predictors. To explore how the demography of established individuals responds to disturbed versus undisturbed conditions, we carried out a garden experiment with three different levels of shade (5, 12 and 22% full sun). We found vegetative and sexual reproduction, and seedling establishment, to be limited to large gaps in an old stand, but not in a stand in an earlier age of succession. However, in the garden experiment, established plants were able to survive and grow under all shade treatments. These findings indicate that R. phoenicolasius requires disturbances such as treefalls to establish in forests, but established plants will survive canopy closure, leading to stand-wide invasion. Managers should be able to prevent invasion, however, by inspecting large gaps for new recruits every 3 years.
Evaluating Rapid Assessment Instruments' Psychometric Error in a Practice Setting

Abstract Objective: This paper presents a clear methodological example for practitioners' evaluation of rapid assessment instruments' psychometric error. Participants: One hundred and twenty nine incarcerated multiple offender drunk drivers were administered 3 rapid assessment instruments. The average age was 39, males comprised 83% and 81% were white. Thirty percent were married; 45% had never married. Method: Receiver Operating Characteristics analysis compared instrument scores to a criterion diagnosis. False positive and false negative rates were graphed, tabled and examined. Findings: All three instruments were reliable (alpha > .85) but subject to false positive and/or false negative diagnostic rates in excess of 14%. Conclusion: Receiver Operating Characteristics analysis is an effective practical methodology for evaluating the performance of rapid assessment instruments in clinical settings allowing practitioners to knowingly manage psychometric error.
Photovoltaics: Non-cubic solar cell materials

Controlled growth of non-cubic, anisotropic solar cell materials, such as antimony selenide, is bringing new opportunities for efficient thin-film photovoltaics.
Patient-Specific Simulation of Carotid Artery Stenting Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

An image-based computational methodology to predict the outcome of carotid artery stenting procedures is presented. Anatomically realistic models are reconstructed from contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography images using deformable models. Physiologic flow conditions are obtained from phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography data. Finite element flow calculations are obtained before and after modifying the anatomical models in order to simulate stenting procedures. The methodology was tested on image data from a patient with carotid artery stenosis. Significant changes in the blood flow through the common carotid and internal carotid artery were found after conducting a "virtual stenting" intervention. Pending experimental validation, this methodology may potentially be used to plan and optimize vascular stenting procedures on a patient-specific basis.
Variational methods for wave scattering from random systems

The scattering of waves by random surfaces and media has long been of considerable interest from both theoretical and experimental viewpoints. This paper briefly reviews the work of our group toward developing variational principles which are applicable to the scattering of scalar and vector waves from stochastic systems. These principles have the general form 4π = / for arbitrary scattering statistics. In this expression, T is the far-field scattering amplitude, N1 is the usual noninvariant integral representation of T, and the ratio of integrals N2/D is the variational correction factor. Application to a simple model of a random rough surface has shown this stochastic variational approach to account in large measure for multiple scattering. The potential tractability of stochastic variational principles should allow broader application of variational techniques to random scattering problems.
An integrated observational and model‐based analysis of the hydrologic response of prairie pothole systems to variability in climate

[1] We developed a hydrologic model capable of simulating pothole complexes composed of tens of thousands or more individual closed-basin water bodies. It was applied to simulate the hydrologic response of a prairie pothole complex to climatic variability over a 105 year period (1901–2005) in an area of the Prairie Pothole Region in North Dakota. The model was calibrated and validated with a genetic algorithm by comparing the simulated results with observed power law relationships on water area–frequency derived from Landsat images and a 27 year record of water depths from six wetlands in the Cottonwood Lake area. The simulated behavior in water area and water body frequency showed good agreement with the observations under average, dry, and wet conditions. Analysis of simulation results over the last century showed that the power laws changed intra-annually and interannually as a function of climate. Major droughts and deluges can produce marked variability in the power law function (e.g., up to 1.5 orders of magnitude variability in intercept from the extreme Dust Bowl drought to the extreme 1993–2001 deluge). Analyses also revealed the frequency of occurrence of small potholes and puddles did not follow pure power law behavior and that details of the departure from linear behavior were closely related to the climatic conditions. A general equation, which encompasses both the linear power law segment for large potholes and nonlinear unimodal body for small potholes and puddles, was used to build conceptual models to describe how the numbers of water bodies as a function of water area respond to fluctuations in climate.
Is There a Bias Against Education in the Jury Selection Process

We analyze thirty jury selections in the District of Connecticut for evidence that juries are relatively undereducated compared to the venires from which they are chosen. Contrary to popular lay and scholarly belief, neither judges nor attorneys appear to systematically excuse or exclude relatively well-educated potential jurors. We conclude that juries are not relatively undereducated compared to venires. Further, the mean education level of juries in our sample is actually higher than the mean of members of society (as represented by U.S. Census data for the State of Connecticut). Finally, we conclude that (1) further studies should be performed in jurisdictions with different selection procedures; and (2) it is unnecessary for courts to adopt radical proposals designed to ensure that juries are not undereducated relative to venires (or to society as a whole). This study reinforces our belief that any policy analysis should include empirical study and attention to practical literature, both of which have been missing in the scholarly debate over education levels of juries.
Introducing new standards to the user community

The VHSIC hardware description language (VHDL) and the electronic design interchange format (EDIF) are recent standards. The designation for VHDL is IEEE standard 1076-1987, and for EDIF it is EIA IS44. Based on experiences with these two standards, a panel has been convened that explores how the standards can be introduced to industry and academia, what the problems of introduction are, and what makes a new standard acceptable. >
Live Virus Vaccines in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Children: A Retrospective Survey

Live virus vaccines can cause serious adverse reactions when administered to immunocompromised patients. Because children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may be immunosuppressed, immunization of these children with live virus vaccines is a potential problem. A retrospective survey was conducted by the New York City Department of Health, with consultation from the Centers for Disease Control, to evaluate the frequency of serious adverse events following receipt of live vaccines among children with HIV infection receiving pediatric care in New York City and New Jersey. Outpatient records of 319 children being cared for by 16 participating physicians were reviewed. Of the 319 charts, 221 (69%) contained vaccination histories. Perinatal transmission of HIV infection was suspected for 208 (94%) of the 221 cases and infection via transfusion for the remaining 13 (6%). Of the 221 for whom immunization histories were available, 180 (81%) had received at least one dose of live oral polio vaccine and 70 (32%) had received measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. There were 120 children for whom a temporal relationship between immunization and onset of symptoms of immunodeficiency could be seen; 46/120 had received at least one dose of oral polio vaccine and 23/45 had received measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine after onset of symptoms. Although follow-up of this population has been limited, there were no reports of serious adverse events such as typical or atypical measles, paralytic poliomyelitis, or aseptic meningitis in the month following vaccination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sociodemographic and Personality Characteristics of Canadian Donors Contributing to International Charity

This study aims to establish a sociodemographic and personality profile of Canadians who donate internationally, fills the gap in the literature with regard to individual-level determinants of inte...
Using graphics to communicate

Abstract Computer graphics help to translate facts into digestible information which can then be of use to the decision maker. Business graphics are being used more and more in presenting company reports, for general documentation and are now being integrated with word processing and communications facilities. Although standards have yet to be decided upon, graphics facilities are now within the reach of the small business user.
Meshfree simulation of deforming domains

Spatial discretization of the domain and/or boundary conditions prevents application of many numerical techniques to physical problems with time-varying geometry and boundary conditions. By contrast, the R-functions method (RFM) for solving boundary and initial value problems discretizes not the domain but the underlying functional space, while the prescribed boundary conditions are satisfied exactly. The clean and modular separation of geometric information from the numerical procedures results in a solution technique that is essentially meshfree and allows an almost effortless modification of geometrical shapes, boundary conditions, and the governing equations. We show that these properties of the RFM make it highly suitable for automated modeling and simulation of non-stationary physical problems with time-varying geometries and boundary conditions.
Reply to Calvin Redekop

In his criticism of my review, Professor Redekop expresses indignation at some alleged distortions resulting from "ideological" and "emotional" bias, distortions which happen to reflect unfavorably upon persons who share his own religious persuasion. The Latin American anthropologists who courageously contributed to this book should be excused, however, if their interpretations of events and situations do not always coincide with those of the European settlers whose desire for economic and social privileges impedes-and it should be emphasized, continues to impede-the cultural and physical survival of many native American groups. It is true that the difficulties experienced by Indians (mainly Lengua and Chulupi) living in the Mennonite domain cannot be compared to the struggles of certain other
Scheduling FFT computation on SMP and multicore systems

Increased complexity of memory systems to ameliorate the gap between the speed of processors and memory has made it increasingly harder for compilers to optimize an arbitrary code within a palatable amount of time. With the emergence of multicore (CMP), multiprocessor (SMP) and hybrid shared memory multiprocessor architectures, achieving high e ciency is becoming even more challenging. To address the challenge to achieve high e ciency in performance critical applications, domain speci c frameworks have been developed that aid the compilers in scheduling the computations. We have developed a portable framework for the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) that achieves high e ciency by automatically adapting to various architectural features. Adapting to parallel architectures by searching through all the combinations of schedules (plans) is an expensive task, even when the search is conducted in parallel. In this paper, we develop heuristics to simplify the generation of better schedules for parallel FFT computations on CMP/SMP systems. We evaluate the performance of OpenMP and PThreads implementations of FFT on a number of latest architectures. The performance of parallel FFT schedules is compared with that of the best plan generated for sequential FFT and the speedup for di erent number of processors is reported. In the end, we also present a performance comparison between the UHFFT and FFTW implementations.
Two predominance-region diagrams for plutonium

Two predominance-region diagrams for plutonium are illustrated. One diagram plots the pH vs. the equilibrium fraction of hexavalent plutonium. The other diagram plots the equilibrium fraction of tetravalent plutonium vs. the plutonium oxidation number. Both diagrams define the boundaries of the regions where tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexavalent plutonium are the predominant species. In each diagram, the two principal triple points are located at the intersections of three predominance-region boundary lines.
NATO conference on space plasmas

During the week of April 21–26, 1981, a group of research physicists with a special interest in artificial particle beams as applied to space plasma studies met at a conference site at Geilo, in the mountains of central Norway. Major support was provided by NATO, and the meeting was the first of a new series known as NATO Advanced Research Institutes. The session format somewhat resembled the recent Chapman conferences held at Yosemite National Park. Sessions were held each morning, Tuesday through Saturday, and after a lunch and recreational break, continued in the afternoon and early evening, up to dinner hour. The attendance was limited to about 65 persons, who were encouraged to stay together for the entire conference period. The unique character of the meeting was the result of current interest in this very specialized topic, the international attendance, and the excellent accommodations at the Vestilia Hoyfjellshotell. The conferees assembled in Oslo and traveled together by train on Monday, April 20, arriving at Geilo in about 4 hours. The fact that most participants remained for the entire week and the fact that the rather relaxed pace of the meeting gave ample time for discussion and interchange of ideas contributed much to its success.
Preparation and analysis of deuterium-labeled aspirin: application to pharmacokinetic studies.

Inhibition of endogenous prostacyclin and thromboxane biosynthesis by aspirin is critically dose-dependent in humans. Gastrointestinal and hepatic hydrolysis may limit systemic availability of aspirin, especially in low doses, perhaps contributing to the biochemical selectivity of aspirin. Existing analytical methods do not permit determination of systemic bioavailability when low (<100 mg) doses of aspirin are administered. Deuterium-labeled aspirin (2-acetoxy[3,4,5,6-2H4]benzoic acid) was synthesized from salicylic acid by catalytic exchange and subsequent acetylation. Analysis of the compounds as benzyl esters by GC–MS followed extractive alkylation from plasma. Heptadeuterated compounds were used as internal standards. Simultaneous administration of tetradeuterated aspirin intravenously with native aspirin orally to anesthetized dogs permitted kinetic studies of both aspirin and salicylic acid. The sensitivity of the method is superior to published methods using HPLC and, thus, more applicable to studies of low dose aspirin. Pulse administration of stable isotope-labeled aspirin permits detailed and repeated studies of dose-related aspirin pharmacokinetics in humans.
The Changing Environment Within Contract Research Organizations

AbstractContract research is a growing industry, with more pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies depending on contract research organizations (CROs) to provide valuable expertise in drug development and clinical trials management CROs are changing in response to the changing needs of their clients, competitive pressures in the industry, and the general increase in sophistication and scope of the opportunities. They are being asked to meet more complex needs, to generate and manage data more efficiently and to fully exploit new scientific tools and concepts. CROs are acquiring more expertise in therapeutic areas, in some cases more than the client CROs are also expanding the breadth of their capabilities, from preclinical all the way through the clinical and post-marketing phases of drug development and into portfolio management, so that the larger CROs are taking on the complete development of indications or whole products. This paper describes some of the changes that have occurred a...
Frondanol-A5 from cucumaria frondosa induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer poses a grave prognosis due to the advanced and inoperable stage at which it is usually diagnosed and lack of effective adjuvant therapy. We previously reported that a commercial product, Frondanol(r)-A5, produced from an edible sea cucumber inhibits growth of pancreatic cancer. In the present study, we examined its effects on cell cycle and apoptosis. Methods: Cells were cultured in serum-free conditions 24 hours prior to treatment. Cell cycle and apoptosis-related proteins were evaluated by western blotting. Cells were stained with propidium iodide for cell cycle analysis. Messenger RNA was quantified by real-time PCR. Results: Frondanol(r)-A5 inhibited proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells by arrest in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and induction of apoptosis. Thymidine incorporation was concentration-dependently decreased by Frondanol(r)-A5 and was markedly inhibited in AsPC-1 (P < 0.005) and MiaPaCa-2 (P < 0.01), at 16 and 62 mcg/ml, respectively. Western blots explained the G2/M phase arrest with a decrease in cyclin A, cyclin B and CDC25c in treated cells versus controls at 24 hours. Frondanol(r)-A5 increased the apoptotic p21waf1 mRNA by 32-fold in AsPC-1 and S2013 cells at three hours. The increase in p21waf1 protein was dramatic at three hours and persisted beyond 24 hours. Marked cleavage of caspase 3 and PARP at 24 hours and increasing by 48 hours of treatment confirmed the induction of apoptosis. Conclusions: The consistent induction cell cycle arrest and apoptosis with lack of known toxicity make Frondanol(r)-A5 a promising agent for future preventive and/or adjuvant therapy of pancreatic cancer.
Development and application of the concept of user image: The case of mass transit ridership

This paper develops the concept of user image and then reports on an empirical test and appliation of the concept. User image is defined as the image held of users of a product or service. This concept is supplemental to other conceptualizations of image (e.g., self-image or ideal self-image). It was hypothesized that users and non-users, while demographically similar, would hold differentimages of users of mass transportation. That hypothesis was supported. Implications for market segmentation promotions are drawn.
Anomalous coronary artery with aortic origin and course between the great arteries: improved diagnosis, anatomic findings, and surgical treatment.

Background Anomalous origin of a coronary artery with subsequent coursing between the great vessels is a rare congenital heart defect that may cause myocardial ischemia and sudden death. Because of the fatality rate of this anomaly, many are diagnosed at the postmortem examination, and reports of surgical correction are few. We present our experience with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of this rare coronary anomaly. Methods Between June 2003 and August 2005, 9 patients (8 males) were diagnosed with anomalous origin of a coronary artery coursing between the great vessels. The mean age was 12 ± 5.8 years (range, 4 months to 23 years). Three patients had an intramural origin of the coronary artery. One infant had a single coronary artery and was diagnosed during follow-up of other heart defects. The 8 older patients all presented with exertional syncope or chest pain and echocardiography was used for the initial diagnosis. Six patients had coronary artery reimplantation in the correct aortic sinus, 2 patients had unroofing of the intramural coronary segment, and 1 patient had pericardial patch enlargement of his right coronary artery before reimplantation. One patient, the infant, awaits repair at an older age. Results No postoperative deaths occurred. The mean hospital stay was 5.5 ± 1.2 days (range, 4 to 8 days). Three patients had transient ST segment changes during the first 24 hours postoperatively. Follow-up was 4 months to 2.5 years. All patients underwent an exercise myocardial perfusion scan 3 months postoperatively without evidence of myocardial ischemia, and all patients remain clinically well. Conclusions Echocardiography imaging of young patients with exertional syncope or chest pain is reliable for the diagnosis of this coronary anomaly. It is surgically correctable; however, individual coronary anatomy may cause the surgical approach to vary. The postoperative outcome is excellent.
A functional factor X deficiency.

A functional factor X deficiency is described which caused pronounced reduction in the in vitro activation of the extrinsic system while marginally affecting the in vitro activation of the intrinsic pathway. All studies were normal with the exception of a prolonged PT, an elevated factor X antigen, and low factor X activity. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of two factor X species. The abnormal molecule was of higher molecular weight. Interestingly, there was no bleeding associated with this deficiency. The biochemical basis of this defect is currently under investigation. ©1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On Ky Fan's result on eigenvalues and real singular values of a matrix ☆

Abstract Ky Fan's result states that the real parts of the eigenvalues of an n × n complex matrix A is majorized by the real singular values of A. The converse was established independently by Amir-Moez and Horn, and Mirsky. We extend the results in the context of complex semisimple Lie algebras. The real semisimple case is also discussed. The complex skew symmetric case and the symplectic case are explicitly worked out in terms of inequalities. The symplectic case and the odd dimensional skew symmetric case can be stated in terms of weak majorization. The even dimensional skew symmetric case involves Pfaffian.
Long-term use of fluticasone propionate/salmeterol fixed-dose combination and incidence of nonvertebral fractures among patients with COPD in the UK General Practice Research Database.

AbstractIntroduction: There has been inconsistent evidence on the association between use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and increased risk of nonvertebral fractures in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In a large population-based study in the United Kingdom, we estimated the association between fluticasone propionate/salmeterol fixed-dose combination (FSC) and other ICS use and nonvertebral fracture incidence among patients with COPD. Methods: We identified a cohort of patients aged ≥ 45 years with COPD in the General Practice Research Database (GPRD) between 2003 and 2006. We used a nested case-control design to estimate the odds of incident nonvertebral fractures associated with prior prescriptions of FSC and other ICS, applying conditional logistic regression and controlling for potential confounders. Exposure to FSC and other ICS was assessed by recency, duration, and number of prescriptions. Average daily dose was defined as low, medium, high, or very high using...
Mechanics and mechanisms of creep deformation and damage

Abstract In recent years, several important advances in the understanding of the mechanics and mechanisms of creep deformation, damage and fracture in polycrystalline alloys have been achieved through the synergistic efforts of materials scientists and applied mechanicians. Current understanding, while far from complete, nonetheless provides a physically-based framework for developing computationally tractable continuum constitutive relations which capture major features of the intrinsic mechanisms of creep damage and deformation. Such models, when applied to the analysis of scientifically and technologically relevant boundary value problems, provide a basis for a local approach to high temperature fracture. The first section of the paper reviews certain aspects of the phenomenology, mechanisms, and mathematical models of creep fracture. It is concluded that an important internal damage parameter influencing macroscopic tertiary creep in conventional polycrystalline materials is the density of grain boundary facet cracks. The development of a “damage” constitutive model can conceptually be broken into two parts. One aspect is to quantify the effect of an (instantaneous) state of damage on the mechanical behavior. In the second part of the paper, this topic is explored for the case of a (generally non-dilute) distribution of aligned facet cracks in a power law creeping matrix. The remaining aspect of the model is to provide evolution equations for the damage variable(s). In the third section of the paper, we develop a simplified model for the evolution of facet crack density under conditions of creep-constrained cavitation. A central feature of the model is the variability in cavity nucleation potency over the grain boundary population.
Granular activated carbons from nutshells for the uptake of metals and organic compounds

Abstract Almond and pecan shells were chosen as hard, lignocellulosic precursors for the production of granular activated carbons (GACs) in order to create carbons for the adsorption of both organic compounds and metals. They were activated either chemically, with H 3 PO 4 , or physically, with CO 2 , under a variety of conditions. Following activation, a portion of the GACs were oxidized with air. The acid-activated samples had higher BET surface areas and greater product yields than the CO 2 -activated carbons. Unoxidized, CO 2 -activated carbons generally sequestered more Cu 2+ from solution than the unoxidized acid-activated GACs, when evaluated in batch assays at pH 4.8. Oxidative treatment, however, improved Cu 2+ adsorption in both types of carbon to levels significantly greater than comparable commercial carbons. Nutshell-based carbons were also examined for their ability to adsorb a variety of low molecular weight organic compounds with differing polarities. For CO 2 -activated pecan shell carbons there was a distinct increase in organic uptake that was usually not altered by oxidation. Both acid- and CO 2 -activated pecan shell carbons took up similar amounts of the non-polar benzene and toluene, but the CO 2 -activated carbons took up more polar compounds. There were several GACs that outperformed commercial carbons in their ability to adsorb significant quantities of Cu 2+ or organics on the same carbon. Our data show that nutshells provide a plentiful and inexpensive precursor for the production of GACs which may be competitive with commercial carbons in wastewater or potable water treatment.
A model for farnesoid feedback control in the mevalonate pathway.

Abstract Mevalonate is the rate-limiting substrate leading to farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), the central intermediate for isoprenoids such as cholesterol, dolichols, ubiquinone, and carotenoids. One major challenge has been to identify the isoprenoid effector molecules and transcription factors mediating negative regulation in this metabolic pathway. A nuclear receptor called FXR has recently been characterized that is activated by farnesyl pyrophosphate metabolites such as farnesol, farnesal, farnesoic acid, and methyl farnesoate. FXR expression in isoprenoidogenic tissues suggests a hypothesis that these intracellular "farnesoids" may be signals for transcriptional feedback control of cholesterol biosynthesis.
Gratitude and grit indirectly reduce risk of suicidal ideations by enhancing meaning in life: Evidence for a mediated moderation model

We examined meaning in life as a suicide resiliency factor. Since meaning in life may be hard to directly modify, we examine gratitude and grit as factors that synergistically confer resiliency to suicide by increasing meaning in life. Using a longitudinal study of 209 college students, we find that gratitude and grit interact such that individuals endorsing high gratitude and grit experience a near absence of suicidal ideations over time. Testing a mediated moderation model we find that grit and gratitude confer resiliency to suicide by increasing meaning in life. Our findings illustrating the importance of examining co-occurring personality factors as well as the mechanisms of these factors that can confer resiliency to suicide.