bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pharmacists ascribing value of technician certification using an organizational behavior framework
Authors: Desselle Shane P , Mckeirnan Kimberly C , Hohmeier Kenneth C 
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Purpose
To gather rich details about the value of technician certification from diverse groups of pharmacists of various practice settings and levels of experience.

Methods
Focus groups of pharmacists were conducted using a semistructured interview guide in 4 states (California, Idaho, Tennessee, and Washington) varying in pharmacy technician scope of practice, regulation, and education and/or training environment. Participant pharmacists came from health-system, clinic, and community pharmacy environments. The focus groups took the unique approach of an organizational behavior perspective to contextualize technician readiness for practice change and employer fit. The sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Rapid-based qualitative analysis was used to code the data, with summary templates completed by 2 of the researchers for each of the 4 sessions.

Results
There were a total of 33 focus group participants, including 13 male and 20 female pharmacists ranging in age from 27 to 68 years. The 4 major themes yielded by the data were (1) impact of certification, (2) context of certification, (3) organizational culture considerations, and (4) future credentialing. Certification was deemed to have a greater impact on technician maturation, professional socialization, and career commitment than on actual job skills, even while job knowledge was also deemed to be enhanced. In fact, the certification process was also deemed beneficial in that it meshes with on-the-job training. Participants indicated preferences for technician certification examinations to incorporate more content in “soft skills” and also for development of more specialty and/or differentiated certification products.

Conclusion
Pharmacists from 4 states saw value in certification but agreed that certification is but one component of readying technicians for future practice. Suggestions for furthering the value of certification were shared.
Tempel: time-series mutation prediction of influenza A viruses via attention-based recurrent neural networks
Authors: Yin Rui , Luusua Emil , Dabrowski Jan , Zhang Yu , Kwoh Chee Keong 
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Motivation
Influenza viruses are persistently threatening public health, causing annual epidemics and sporadic pandemics. The evolution of influenza viruses remains to be the main obstacle in the effectiveness of antiviral treatments due to rapid mutations. The goal of this work is to predict whether mutations are likely to occur in the next flu season using historical glycoprotein hemagglutinin sequence data. One of the major challenges is to model the temporality and dimensionality of sequential influenza strains and to interpret the prediction results.

Results
In this article, we propose an efficient and robust time-series mutation prediction model (Tempel) for the mutation prediction of influenza A viruses. We first construct the sequential training samples with splittings and embeddings. By employing recurrent neural networks with attention mechanisms, Tempel is capable of considering the historical residue information. Attention mechanisms are being increasingly used to improve the performance of mutation prediction by selectively focusing on the parts of the residues. A framework is established based on Tempel that enables us to predict the mutations at any specific residue site. Experimental results on three influenza datasets show that Tempel can significantly enhance the predictive performance compared with widely used approaches and provide novel insights into the dynamics of viral mutation and evolution.

Availability and implementation
The datasets, source code and supplementary documents are available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15WULR5__6k47iRotRPl3H7ghi3RpeNXH.

Supplementary information
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
AptCompare: optimizedde novomotif discovery of RNA aptamers via HTS-SELEX
Authors: Shieh Kevin R , Kratschmer Christina , Maier Keith E , Greally John M , Levy Matthew , Golden Aaron 
Published: January 2020

AbstractSummaryHigh-throughput sequencing can enhance the analysis of aptamer libraries generated by the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment. Robust analysis of the resulting sequenced rounds is best implemented by determining a ranked consensus of reads following the processing by multiple aptamer detection algorithms. While several such approaches have been developed to this end, their installation and implementation is problematic. We developed AptCompare, a cross-platform program that combines six of the most widely used analytical approaches for the identification of RNA aptamer motifs and uses a simple weighted ranking to order the candidate aptamers, all driven within the same GUI-enabled environment. We demonstrate AptCompare’s performance by identifying the top-ranked candidate aptamers from a previously published selection experiment in our laboratory, with follow-up bench assays demonstrating good correspondence between the sequences’ rankings and their binding affinities.Availability and implementationThe source code and pre-built virtual machine images are freely available at https://bitbucket.org/shiehk/aptcompare.Supplementary informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The role of endometrial stem cells in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and their application to its early diagnosis†
Authors: Liu Yanli , Zhang Zhiqin , Yang Fen , Wang Hongmei , Liang Shengying , Wang Huiling , Yang Jun , Lin Juntang 
Published: January 2020

AbstractPelvic pain, infertility, and a high postoperative recurrence rate are associated with endometriosis and adversely affect the physical and mental health of patients. Moreover, these factors place a heavy burden on families and society. The identification of endometrial stem cells (EnSCs) in the eutopic endometrium, menstrual blood, and ectopic lesions of women with endometriosis not only provides new research objects in the context of endometriosis but also promotes and improves our understanding of its pathogenesis. Furthermore, based on previous studies, we reasonably suppose that dysfunctions of eutopic EnSCs play a critical role in the onset of endometriosis and directly cause abnormalities in the endometrium; subsequently, retrograde menstruation facilitates the delivery of abnormal endometrial tissues to the ovaries and pelvic cavity, where they ectopically implant, grow, and form ectopic lesions. Additionally, as a chronically progressive disease, there is a delay (3–11 years) from the first onset of symptoms to the diagnosis of endometriosis. Therefore, the development of a method for early diagnosis with high sensitivity and specificity is essential for endometriosis patients and has the potential to enable early treatment, prevent endometriosis progression, and relieve pain in patients. Thus, focusing on EnSCs will contribute to clarifying the potential pathogenesis of endometriosis and provide support for the application of EnSCs as therapeutic and early diagnostic targets in endometriosis treatment.Summary sentenceFocusing on endometrial stem cells (EnSCs) will contribute to clarifying the potential pathogenesis of endometriosis and provide support for the application of EnSCs as therapeutic and early diagnostic targets in endometriosis treatment.
In Their Own Words: Susan Stafford
Authors: Verdier James M 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
In Their Own Words chronicles the stories of scientists who have made great contributions to their fields, particularly within the biological sciences. These short oral histories provide our readers a way to learn from and share their experiences. Each month, we will publish in the pages of BioScience and in our podcast, BioScience Talks (http://bioscienceaibs.libsyn.com), the results of these conversations. This fourth oral history is with Dr. Susan Stafford, professor and dean emerita at the University of Minnesota. She previously served as president of the American Institute of Biological Sciences. Note: Both the text and audio versions have been edited for clarity and length.
Chemical Abnormalities in Blood Serum Associated with the Carrier State of Viral Hepatitis
Authors: Reinhold John G 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
The results of studies made for the purpose of identifying carriers of viral hapatitis among blood donors have been reviewed. Some carriers of the virus appear to suffer from a subclinical liver disease recognizable by abnormalities in hapatic tests. The carriers of the virus also tend to have elevated serum cholinesterase activities and elevated serum lipid concentrations.
The use of hepatic tests for screening large numbers of blood donors has been discussed in the light of observations made of the behavior of hepatic tests in proved and suspect carriers. Evidence is presented that among the donors with abnormal hepatic tests there are some that show changes in serum protein as measured by zone electrophoresis, characteristic of liver disease.
Effects of Diet on Blood Lipids In Man
Authors: Keys Ancel , Anderson Joseph T , Fidanza Flaminio , Keys Margaret Haney , Swahn Bengt 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
1. Lipids exist in the blood serum as emulsions ("chylomicrons") and as solutions of lipoprotein containing proteins, cholesterol, and other lipids. Interest in relation to atherosclerosis is centered on the cholesterol and the beta lipoproteins which contain most of the cholesterol.
2. The diet influences the blood lipids in man and animals but great quantitative differences between species makes it essential to study man himself to discover the effects of the diet on the blood lipids in man.
3. The amount of lipid in the chylomicron form in the serum is practically independent of the concentration of cholesterol and lipoproteins in the serum. The correlation between the concentrations of alpha and beta lipoproteins is very low.
4. Experiments on man show that dietary cholesterol per Se, even in large amount, has no important influence on the serum cholesterol concentration but that the latter is markedly affected by the total fat content of the diet.
5. Calorie intake per se has little influence on the blood lipids. Such effect as it has may be secondary to fat metabolism differences commonly associated with differences in calorie intakes.
6. Studies on population samples of healthy men show a marked direct relationship between the content or proportion of fat in the diet on the one hand and the concentration of total cholesterol and of beta lipoproteins in the serum on the other. The effect of the diet tends to be greater in middle-aged men than in younger men.
7. The average concentration of cholesterol in the serum of men in areas where the diets are very high in fats (of the order of 40 per cent of calories), is 25 to 50 per cent greater than the average in areas where the diets are low in fats (of the order of 20 per cent, or less, of calories).
8. A significant effect of dietary fat level on the serum cholesterol concentration is evident in man in a few weeks on a changed diet. The effect tends to increase very slowly with time thereafter and it is most pronounced when comparison is made between populations habitually subsisting on different diets.
9. It is not known how the dietary fat intake exerts its controlling influence on the blood lipids of man but the mechanisms must be complex.
Iron Content of Tissues in Exogenous and Endogenous Hemochromatosis
Authors: Klein Bernard , Gordon Benjamin S , Graef Irving 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
1. Tissues from patients with the endogenous and exogenous (trans-fusion) forms of hemochromatosis were analyzed for iron content and their values compared.
2. Tissues from patients with long-standing anemia were analyzed for iron content.
3. The values obtained in all cases overlap and tissue-iron analysis cannot be used to differentiate the two forms of hemochromatosis.
Rapid Estimation of Amylase Activity of Serum by Turbidimetry
Authors: Peralta Oscar , Reinhold John G 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
The method of Waldron for turbidimetric measurement of amylase activity of duodenal contents has been adapted to measurement of amylase activity of serum. The speed and simplicity of the method make it suitable particularly when results are needed quickly.
Comparison of the results obtained by the turbidimetric method with those of a saccharogenic method showed that high amylase activities could be established dependably by the turbidimetric method.
Serum Beta-Lipoproteins of Normal,Atherosclerotic, and Lipemic Individuals
Authors: Gottfried Sidney P , Pope Russell H , Friedman Nathan H , Akerson Irving B , Mauro Salvatore Di 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
1. Serum lipids, cholesterol, and lipoproteins were determined on 8 normal 7 atherosclerotic, and 8 lipemic individuals in the fasting state. Serum lipids and cholesterol were determined chemically, the lipoprothins by paper electrophoresis. Serum lipoproteins were also performed after incubating at 6.5° and 37° for 24, 48, and 72 hours, and changes in the physical appearance of the serum, and in the concentration and mobility of the β-lipoproteins were observed. In 12 of the above cases, serum protein patterns were noted with the lipoprotein patterns.
2. In many cases a visible turbidity appeared upon incubating at 37°, never upon incubating at 6.5°. Inmost cases this turbidity appeared after incubating for 48 hours, and tended to occur more frequently in atherosclerotic sera than in normal sera.
3. The concentration of β-lipoproteins decreased upon incubating either at 6.5°orat 37°, the decrease being of the same order of magnitude for normal, atherosclerotic, or lipemic sera.
4. Incubating at 37°increased the mobility of the β-lipoproteins (except when a turbidity appeared), the peak shifting from between the β- and γ-globulins to between the β- and γ-globulins. Incubating at 6.5° had no effect on the mobility of the β-lipoprotein.
5. When a turbidity appeared upon incubating at 37°, the mobility of the β-lipoproteins decreased, the peak shifting toward the origin. As the turbidity became marked, a sixth protein fraction appeared, of slower mobility than the γ-globulin. This protein fraction first appeared to form at the expense of the β- and γ-globulins and then at the expense of the α-globulins, all of which decreased. It is considered that the turbidity is due to the formation of "denatured" proteins and lipoproteins which are characterized by a decrease in mobility.
6. No consistent changes were noted in the concentration, stability and mobility of the α-lipoproteins upon incubating at either 6.5° or 37°.
Estimation of Lipid Fractions of Blood Plasma
Authors: Kibrick Andre C , Skupp S J 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
The Allen volumetric method for plasma fat has been modified by calibration to include the percentage of olive-oil recovery. The values obtained from calibration with mercury are corrected for the 125 per cent recovery of the oil. The validity of the entire procedure has been discussed.
A simple system of estimating the lipid fractions of plasma has been described. Total lipids are the total of Allen fat + (25 x lipid P). Neutral fat is Allen fat-cholesterol-cholesterol fatty acids. Total fatty acids are X neutral fat + cholesterol fatty acids + (0.64 x phospholipids).
The values of total fatty acids have been compared with those obtained by oxidation with dichromate and by determining the esterified fatty acids with iron perchlorate.
The values of neutral fat found in 13 apparently normal individuals are shown to range from 0 to 88 and to give an average value of 28 mg./100 ml.
Estimation of Lipid Fractions of Blood Plasma
Authors: Kibrick Andre C , Skupp S J 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
On page 320 (Vol. 1, 1955), the second and third sentences in the last paragraph should read, "It is interesting that most of the values are quite low. Among the few high values is Number 8, a man about 45 years old who proved to be an alcoholic and may have had some liver dysfunction."
Plasma Amino Acids in Young and Older Adult Human Subjects
Authors: Ackermann Philip G , Kheim Teofil 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Nineteen amino acids were determined in the plasma of young and older individuals by the chromatographic procedure of Moore, Spackman, and Stein (7,8). Of the essential amino acids, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, and lysine were found to be lower in older subjects. In all, 11 of the 19 amino acids studied showed lower values in these individuals, indicating some differences in protein metabolism between the elderly and younger adults.
The Oxidation of Glutathione by Serum
Authors: Rony Hugo R , West Michael , Zimmerman Hyman J 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Studies of serum glutathione reductase activity in this laboratory prompted an attempt to demonstrate glutathione oxidase in the serum. The oxidation of reduced glutathione in the sera of patients with various diseases does not differ from normal sera. Preheating the serum and addition of cytochrome c does not effect the oxidizing capacity of the serum. The ability of serum to oxidize reduced glutathione appears to represent autoxidation, not the effect of an oxidizing enzyme.
Application of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry in the Determination of Calcium in Serum
Authors: Zettner Alfred , Seligson David 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) was applied to the determination of serum calcium. A special diluent was developed to abolish the effect of absorption depressors. This made possible measurement of calcium in directly diluted serum samples without prior removal of any serum constituents. Values obtained by AAS on calcium oxalate precipitates from serum were identical with those found by the direct dilution technique.
A Photometric System for Automatically Reading Concentration
Authors: McKay D K , Seligson D , Jewett W R 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Spectrophotometric or colorimetric data are normally obtained in some type of photometric unit and must be dealt with mathematically to provide a final result expressed in concentration. Such mathematical operations are time-consuming, require data transfer, and are subject to human error. A photometric system has been devised which can be adjusted to perform calculations automatically and provide direct readout of concentration. This system combines logarithmic conversion of %T with control of both m and b constants in the straight-line equation, y = mx + b, in which y is absorbance, m is slope, x is concentration, and b is the blank correction. The system also provides linearizing compensation for those reactions which do not follow the Beer-Lambert law. The calibration procedure for the system is described, as is the linearization of nonlinear standard curves.
Serum Cholesterol
Authors: Boutwell Joseph H 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
The chromogenic reaction of cholesterol with iron-sulfuric acid-acetic acid has been modified to increase its sensitivity, precision, and stability. This has been done by carrying out the reaction isothermally (at room temperature), at the same time avoiding exposure to fluorescent light or sunlight. Optimal conditions for maximal yield of chromogen have been established, as a result of which the sensitivity is increased greatly over previous methods. The modified chromogenic reaction is applied to fractions obtained by a modified Abell extraction schema which allows the accurate and precise measurement of the total cholesterol of serum using 0.1-ml. samples.
Method for the Determination of Vitamin E (Total Tocopherols) in Serum
Authors: Martinek Robert G 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
The use of tripyridyltriazine has been investigated as a chromogenic reagent for the colorimetric determination of vitamin E in serum. The advantages of using this re-agent have been elucidated. Comparison is made with a method employing terpyridyl.
Micromethod for the Rapid Determination of Serum Protein-Bound Iodine and Total Serum Iodine
Authors: Gardiner Eli , Burns Arthur 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
A modification is presented of the chloric acid method for the rapid determination of serum protein-bound iodine and total serum iodine requiring less than 0.5 ml. serum for duplicate determinations. The time required for the entire procedure is less than two hours. By adjusting the amounts of reagents used and by varying the time of digestion, the need for constant and continuous supervision is eliminated.
A Study of Variables Affecting the Ion-Exchange Resin Uptake of I131-Labeled Triiodothyronine from Human Serum
Authors: Lee Norman D , Pileggi Vincent J , Segalove Milton 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
When serum is incubated with I131-labeled triiodothyronine and then equilibrated with the anion-exchange resin IRA-400 in the formate cycle, a fraction of the total radioactivity is bound to the resin. Resin uptake values are reproducible and have been correlated with alterations in the thyrometabolic status of patients. A study of a number of fundamental variables in this test yielded the following observations. Resin uptake values were found to be linearly related to serum thyroxine concentration over a limited range; no comparable relationship could be shown for triiodothyronine. Of the specific thyroxine-binding proteins in serum, only the interalpha globulin fraction could be shown to be involved. It was also observed that the radioactivity ultimately bound to resin had been initially associated with serum protein and was continuously being translocated to resin as equilibration time was extended. This continuous translocation was multiphasic with respect to time and probably represented the result of several equilibrium compartments, each involving one or more different protein species. Consequently, these findings indicated that those proteins which bound triiodothyronine nonspecifically had a distinct role in determining resin uptake values.
Simultaneous Determination of Calcium and Magnesium of Serum by a Single Chelometric Titration
Authors: Jackson Sanford H , Brown Florence 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Titration of a trichloracetic acid filtrate of serum with EDTA is carried out at pH 9.8 using an excess of Calmagite indicator. Successive photometric readings of percentage transmission, made with an EEL titrator, are plotted against the volume of EDTA added. There is very little change at first while calcium is being complexed; the reading then decreases rapidly while magnesium is being titrated, followed by a flattening of the curve at completion of the titration. Hence, two sharp "breaks" are obtained in the titration curve, the first corresponding to the amount of calcium and the second to the amount of magnesium.
Estimation of Bilirubin Using Acetamide
Authors: Boutwell Joseph H 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
A study of the effect of acetamide as an accelerator of the reaction between free bilirubin and diazotized sulfanilic acid (DSA) has led to its use in a method for serum bilirubin which is simple, sensitive, linear over a wide range, and which requires neither excessive dilution nor protein precipitation. The conditions necessary for greatest sensitivity and for linearity have been established with regard to the pH of coupling and photometry, the concentration of DSA, the minimizing of turbidities, and the effect of protein.
Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Nicholas H O , Chamberlin James Allen 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
This paper presents the final results obtained by this laboratory during a 3½-year investigation of primary hyperparathyroidism. The project involved establishment of a routine test procedure for more reliable diagnosis of this condition; a study of the incidence of renal lithiasis in hyperparathyroidism, and, finally, the subject of the present paper-the obtaining of data to construct a nomogram for estimation of diffusible serum calcium from the total serum calcium and the albumin and globulin levels.