Persistent left superior vena cava: Two case reports and a review from nephrologists’ perspective

Thoracic venous anomalies without congenital heart anomalies are present in minority of the population, but they are frequent enough to be encountered while placing hemodialysis catheters through the jugular or subclavian veins. Persistent left superior vena cava is the most commonly seen anomaly and it is rarely noticed before the observation of an unusual course of hemodialysis catheter or guidewire on chest X‐ray. We present two patients with previously unspotted persistent left superior vena cava and uncomplicated hemodialysis catheter insertions through the internal jugular veins with good catheter functions. Review of the relevant literature from a nephrologists’ perspective with technical aspects is provided.     

Formalizing Emphasis in Information Visualization

We provide afresh look at the use and prevalence of emphasis effects in Infovis. Through a survey of existing emphasis frameworks, we extract a set‐based approach that uses visual prominence to link visually and algorithmically diverse emphasis effects. Visual prominence provides a basis for describing, comparing and generating emphasis effects when combined with a set of general features of emphasis effects. Therefore, we use visual prominence and these general features to construct a new mathematical Framework for Information Visualization Emphasis, FIVE. The concepts we introduce to describe FIVE unite the emphasis literature and point to several new research directions for emphasis in information visualization.     

Increased chemosensitivity to doxorubicin of intrinsically multidrug-resistant human colon carcinoma cells by prolonged exposure to verapamil

Resistance modifying agents (RMA) such as verapamil (VER) have proved effective in reversing multidrug resistance (MDR) in many in vitro experimental models, but clinical results with RMA have been disappointing. To clarify this apparent discrepancy we have evaluated the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin (DOX) plus VER in four human colon carcinoma (HCOC) cell lines (LoVo, DLD-1, SW948, SW1116). These lines were selected on the basis of their levels of mdr1 mRNA being similar to those expressed by HCC obtained from non-drug-treated patients. In all cell lines the sensitising effect of VER on DOX cytotoxicity was schedule-dependent and maximal potentiation of DOX cytotoxicity was obtained by exposure to VER for a time > or = the cells' population doubling time.     

Transesterification of castor oil assisted by microwave irradiation

Microwave assisted transesterification of castor bean oil was carried out in the presence of methanol or ethanol, using a molar ratio alcohol/castor bean oil of 6:1, and 10% w/w of acidic silica gel or basic alumina (in relation to the oil mass) as catalyst. Under acid catalysis, the reaction occurred with satisfactory yields using H₂SO₄ immobilized in SiO₂, methanol under conventional conditions (60 °C for 3 h) as well as using microwave irradiation for 30 min. The best results were obtained under basic conditions (Al₂O₃/50% KOH) using methanol and conventional (60 °C, stirring, 1 h) or microwave conditions (5 min). In comparison with conventional heating, the catalyzed alcoholysis assisted by microwaves is much faster and leads to higher yields of the desired fatty esters.     

State of the Art of Sports Data Visualization

In this report, we organize and reflect on recent advances and challenges in the field of sports data visualization. The exponentially‐growing body of visualization research based on sports data is a prime indication of the importance and timeliness of this report. Sports data visualization research encompasses the breadth of visualization tasks and goals: exploring the design of new visualization techniques; adapting existing visualizations to a novel domain; and conducting design studies and evaluations in close collaboration with experts, including practitioners, enthusiasts, and journalists. Frequently this research has impact beyond sports in both academia and in industry because it is i) grounded in realistic, highly heterogeneous data, ii) applied to real‐world problems, and iii) designed in close collaboration with domain experts. In this report, we analyze current research contributions through the lens of three categories of sports data: box score data (data containing statistical summaries of a sport event such as a game), tracking data (data about in‐game actions and trajectories), and meta‐data (data about the sport and its participants but not necessarily a given game). We conclude this report with a high‐level discussion of sports visualization research informed by our analysis—identifying critical research gaps and valuable opportunities for the visualization community. More information is available at the STAR's website: https://sportsdataviz.github.io/ .     

Are word-reading processes the same or different in adult literacy students and third–fifth graders matched for reading level?

This study examined whether word-reading processes operate similarly in adult literacy (AL) students and elementary school students matched for reading level. Comparison of mean performances revealed that adults were severely deficient on phonologically complex tasks (segmentation, deletion, and nonword reading). In contrast, on orthographically complex tasks, adults revealed both strengths (sight-word reading) and weaknesses (spelling). Regression analyses revealed that individual differences in word and nonword reading abilities were explained by the same orthographic and phonological processes in AL students and children, despite differences in their levels of performance. Correlations between word reading and spelling measures were weaker among AL students than among children. Inadequate integradon of these skills may explain adults' phonological deficits as well as their reading acquisition difficulties. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)