cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trigger Point Injections

Myofascial pain syndrome, which is caused by myofascial trigger points, is a very common muscular disorder. Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are defined as the most tender (hyperirritable) foci in a palpable taut band of skeletal muscle fiber that can elicit pain, referred pain, a local twitch response (LTR), motor dysfunction, as well as autonomic phenomena, among other symptoms. MTrPs can develop secondary to overextension of a muscle, acute trauma, or repetitive microtrauma. The pathophysiology of the development of MTrPs can be explained using the integrated hypothesis. This hypothesis has three essential features that include excessive acetylcholine release, sarcomere shortening, and the release of sensitizing substances. The most common way in which trigger points are localized is through a proper history and physical exam. Trigger point injections are specific techniques aimed at the alleviation of pain located within the MTrP. Whether an agent is injected into the MTrP or dry needling is performed, both techniques disrupt the trigger point by causing the relaxation and lengthening of the involved muscle fibers. Trigger point injections are generally very safe, but like all procedures, certain precautions must be taken into consideration.
Sex differences in behavioral and neurochemical profiles after chronic stress: Role of housing conditions

This experiment sought to identify the extent housing conditions can differentially enhance or dampen the effects chronic restraint stress has on exploration and object memory in male and female rats. Subjects were either pair- or singly housed during stress (21 days of 6-h restraint) and maintained under those conditions during poststress behavior testing (7 days). Neurochemical analysis of neural tissue was accomplished by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Interactions between stress and housing conditions were found across both sexes. Stress was associated with less activity in the center of the forced open-field in both sexes. Stress also decreased the latency for males to enter the free open-field to female levels. Object recognition was greatly impaired in double-housed males but unaffected by stress or housing in females. Object location memory was impaired in stressed males if they were singly housed, and females performed as well as control males only if they were stressed. Both sexes generally showed increased in hippocampal (CA3) norepinephrine levels in their respective stress groups. Singly housed subjects had higher CA1 serotonin levels compared to double-housed subjects, whereas in the prefrontal cortex, a general sex difference was found with females having higher levels of serotonin and dopamine metabolites. These results show that stress affects limbic neurochemistry across sex, although only males exhibit stress-dependent decrements in object memory. Housing condition also has a profound effect on neurochemistry and male performance on object recognition. Thus, housing condition is a critical variable for male models of stress that can influence the extent the stress manipulation affects behavior. The differences observed across sex are further discussed in the context of behavioral inhibition.
Abnormalities of Cutaneous Sensory Receptors Following Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

Injuries to peripheral nerves involve complex problems in clinical management as reviewed in detail by Sunderland (1978). Sensory as well as motor sequelae often leave patients significantly impaired needing intensive rehabilitation as described by Dellon (1981). The nature of the problems encountered clinically have changed little from the descriptions by Head and Sherren (1905) at the turn of the century to Stopford’s (1930) or Haymaker and Woodhall’s (1953) reviews. While peripheral nerves are capable of regeneration, the results clinically can frequently be disappointing. In the case of surgical repair of peripheral nerve injuries considerable attention has been given to the alignment of nerve fascicles in the proximal and distal stump. While some benefits have been claimed for proper alignment, some misrouting is inevitable. The monograph edited by Gorio et al. (1981) explores this general problem in some detail as does Sunderland (1978). Problems of misrouting of sensory and motor axons are obvious sequelae even within a matched set of nerve fascicles. However, within sensory nerves alone mismatch is inevitable.
The effect of lithium on release of granulocyte colony stimulating activity in vitro.

Blood neutrophil concentration increases when lithium carbonate (Li) is given to hematologically normal subjects (O’Connell, 1970; Shopsin and Friedman, 1971). Recent reports (Hammond and Dale, 1979) have suggested that Li may increase blood neutrophils in gray collie dogs with cyclic hematopoiesis and may attenuate the neutropenia induced by cyto-toxic chemotherapy (Stein et al., 1977; Fehir and Rossof, 1977; Lyman et al., 1978; Joyce and Chervenick, 1979). Following reports (Tisman et al., 1973) that lithium enhances granulocyte production in vitro and increases release of colony stimulating activity (CSA) (Joyce and Chervenick, 1975a), Rothstein et al., (1978) demonstrated increased granulocyte production and expanded blood granulocyte pools in psychiatric patients receiving Li. Malloy et al., (1978) studied normal subjects given Li and found increased marrow neutrophils and neutrophil progenitor cells and increased levels of urinary CSA. Increased levels of urine CSA have been reported in patients with Felty’s syndrome given Li (Gupta et al., 1976) and addition of Li to media conditioned by murine lung tissue has been demonstrated to enhance release of CSA (Harker et ah, 1977). Blood monocytes and mitogen stimulated lymphocytes are major sources of CSA in man (Chervenick and LoBuglio, 1972; Cline and Golde, 1974). The increased release of CSA from leukocytes in the presence of Li forms the basis of this report.
Adverse Event Reporting, Pharmacovigilance and FDA

In the United States, the FDA is responsible for drug safety or pharmacovigilance. Although the word pharmacovigilance, combining the Greek word for drugs and the Latin word for watch, might suggest it relates only to drug safety, pharmacovigilance usually also applies to medical device safety. Pharmacovigilance is not a word often encountered in the medical literature most doctors read. The World Health Organization defines pharmacovigilance as: “The science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any drug-related problem.” Generally, pharmacovigilance has been taken up more formally in other countries than it has been in the United States. Because the FDA is the agency which approves drugs and devices, judging them to be sufficiently safe and effective and allowing them to be marketed, critics often point out that it is inappropriate for FDA to also be in charge of monitoring and assuring ultimate safety once marketed since FDA might be reluctant to conclude their initial judgment was incorrect. In some countries the approval and the marketing surveillance activities are handled by separate agencies.
Isothermal Transformation Characteristics. Of an Iron-Chromium Alloy of Titanium

A commercial Ti-Fe-Cr alloy, Ti-150, exhibits a martensitic transformation on cooling and two nucleation and growth reactions, one above and one below the Ms-Mr region, on isothermal holding below the single-phase β temperature range. The reactions were followed by metallographic, X-ray diffraction, and microhardness methods.
The Models of Order in the Eighth and Ninth Letters

It was concluded above (1) that the definition of hierarchic order in Ps.-Dionysius’ treatises presupposes the quasi-axiomatic system of Proems’ Elements of Theology; that hierarchic order is equivalent to a form of analogia based on “extensive” Eros and the necessity of logos; 1 (2) that the Letters of Ps.-Dionysius are intended to represent both a continuous literary image of the Christian hierarchy and a set of theological and philosophic problems associated with each phase of the hierarchy. The author’s theoretical justification for and explanation of the tripartite nature of hierarchic order is found only on the Eighth and Ninth Letters, which represent the problems associated with the highest ranks of both sides of the hierarchy, the “contemplative” order on one hand, and the active” order, (eνeργούμeνοι) on the other hand. As noted above,2 the perplexing place of the Eighth Letter to Demophilus, a catechumen or monk, in the Letters as a group parallels the perplexing opinions and actions of Demophilus, which threaten the hierarchy with disorder. The Eighth Letter is the first to address itself to the problem of hierarchic order as the problem of justice. The Ninth adds to this a theoretical explanation of tripartite hierarchic order in terms of the problem of scriptural exegesis. Together the two letters justify the unexplained legal definition of order in the author’s treatises on hierarchy. The only explicit basis of hierarchic order in the treatises was the “precept” (θeσμός) that in every hierarchy there are “first, middle, and last ranks.”3 It is often noted that the tripartition of the hierarchy makes Ps.-Dionysius’ metaphysics dovetail with Proclus, but seldom is any attempt made to understand how the author himself actually derived or analyzed this ex cathedra precept. He only cautiously mentions it and then is silent about its cosmological and metaphysical presuppositions. Since the two letters are long and present complex difficulties, their terminology and sources are outlined and an interpretation then presented.
Muscle Sympathetic Activity Kinetics during One-leg Cycling in Men and Women with and without Heart Failure: Evidence for Preserved Cardiopulmonary Baroreflex Sympathoinhibition

Microneurographic recordings of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) are generally analyzed over discrete epochs, usually in minutes. This is sufficient for determining resting sympathetic outflow but may obscure physiologically relevant information regarding temporal changes during an acute stress, such as exercise. To address this limitation, we applied a moving average to examine continuously the effects of one-leg cycling on MSNA in 22 participants with (n=11) and without (n=11) heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). MSNA burst frequency and incidence were acquired over an 8 minute period: 2 minutes of baseline, zeroload cycling, moderate intensity cycling (50% of VO2 peak), and recovery. MSNA was analyzed in 30 second epochs, advancing in five-second increments to create a 91 point overlapping moving average plot. Area under the curve analysis demonstrated that both MSNA burst frequency and incidence were higher in HFrEF than controls during zeroload and moderate intensity cycling ...
A Systematic Review of Complications Following Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Including Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

To assess complications after minimally invasive spinal surgeries including transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) by reviewing the most recent literature. Current literature demonstrates that minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in spine has improved clinical outcomes and reduced complications when compared with open spinal procedures. Recent studies describing MI-TLIF primarily for degenerative disk disease, spondylolisthesis, and vertebral canal stenosis cite over 89 discrete complications, with the most common being radiculitis (ranging from 2.8 to 57.1%), screw malposition (0.3–12.7%), and incidental durotomy (0.3–8.6%). Minimally invasive spine surgery has a distinct set of complications in comparison with other spinal procedures. These complications vary based on the exact MIS procedure and indication. The most frequently documented MI-TLIF complications in current published literature were radiculitis, screw malposition, and incidental durotomy.
Current Developments in the Behavioral Assessment of Children

Within recent years, there has been a phenomenal growth in the interest in behavior therapy with children. The advances in behavioral approaches is evidenced by the fact that in the 1950s, behavior modification was not even considered a major treatment technique for children (Buxbaum, 1954), and now there are several books devoted exclusively to this topic (e.g., Graziano, 1975; Mash, Hamerlynck, & Handy, 1976; Ross, 1974).
Outcomes of tracheoesophageal puncture in twice-radiated patients.

Abstract Objective Previous research has demonstrated the safety of tracheoesophageal puncture voice prosthesis (TEP) placement in radiated patients; however, there is a growing population of twice-radiated patients with limited research on the outcomes of TEP-placement in this cohort. Methods After Institutional Review Board approval, a retrospective review of 80 patients that underwent TEP from 2006 to 2017 at a single institution was conducted, of which 16 patients underwent two courses of radiation. Outcome measures include TEP removal, complication and duration of usage. Results Half of twice-radiated patients had ultimate removal of their voice prosthesis with removal occurring at a median of 24.9 months after placement. Reasons for prosthesis removal included widening tracheoesophageal fistula, local recurrence, and dysphagia/esophageal stenosis. Nearly one-third of these patients required surgical intervention for closure of a widening fistula. In contrast, only 17% of once-radiated patients had their prosthesis removed with removal occurring at a median of 28.1 months. This was statistically fewer than the twice-radiated group (p = 0.02). Reasons for removal included patient preference, persistent leakage, recurrence of disease, enlarging tracheoesophageal fistula, poor voice, and dysphagia. Eleven percent of once-radiated patients required surgical intervention for TEP-related complications (p = 0.057). Conclusion In the twice-radiated patient cohort, there is a higher rate of TEP removal and need for surgical intervention for a voice prosthesis-related complication as compared to a once-radiated cohort.
3 – Population Structure of Pathogenic Bacteria

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the processes at work in bacterial populations, the biases that can impact our inferences, methods for identifying and studying bacterial populations. There are many processes that give rise to an immense diversity in bacterial population. Population genetics provides knowledge about the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance, vaccine escape, the impact of natural selection on bacterial populations and other processes, such as drift or demographic factors. It attempts to understand how genetic variation arises. Bacteria reproduce asexually through binary fission but gene exchange and subsequent recombination between bacteria is enabled by conjugation, transduction, and transformation. Researchers have studied the spread of resistance and the role of recombination on bacterial population structure. Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) uses the electrophoretic mobility of expressed water-soluble enzymes to indirectly assess genetic variation. The index of association (Ia) makes use of the variance in the distribution of pairwise allelic mismatches among bacteria. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) later succeeded MLEE as the tool of choice for bacterial population genetics. Apart from mutational and recombinational processes, there are other population-level processes that generate genetic variation such as neutral genetic drift and natural selection but there has been no progress in developing analysis tools that assess their relative roles in shaping bacterial genetic variation. STRUCTURE and BAPS are some of the programs that perform population analyses. It was noted that STRUCTURE as well as BAPS may be inappropriate for less-recombinant species. This chapter reveals that population analyses have great potential in the study of pathogenic bacteria. Population analyses have great potential in the study of pathogenic bacteria, especially those in which there is a high rate of homologous recombination rendering straightforward phylogenetic analysis inappropriate.
A quality improvement project to improve diabetes self-management and patient satisfaction in a low-resourced central Kenyan hospital

Background: There is limited evidence about effective strategies for promoting culturally congruent diabetes education in low-resourced primary-care settings. Objectives: This project, conducted in Central Kenya, examined the effect of an intervention on provider practices and patients’ knowledge of diabetes self-care management. Methods: The intervention consisted of short (30-minute) sessions that offered providers evidenced-based, culturally con- gruent diabetes education and teaching materials to use with patients. A checklist was used to assess providers’ diabetes care practices at baseline and post intervention. Data from semi-structured patient interviews assessed patients’ diabetes knowledge at baseline and post intervention. Providers and patients also completed post-intervention satisfaction surveys. Results: Six providers and 74 patients participated in the project. Statistical analysis was completed using SPSS. Significant increases were noted in patients’ post-intervention overall diabetes knowledge score (p=.05) and the foot care knowledge subscale (p=.02). No significant differences were noted between patients’ baseline and post-intervention scores in the gen- eral diabetes (p=.86) or nutrition knowledge (p=.32) subscales. Conclusion: These findings suggest supporting providers with culturally congruent tools and resources about diabetes care guidelines can improve knowledge of self-care practices in patients with diabetes. Keywords: Type II diabetes mellitus; foot care; diabetes self-care; diabetes education; culturally congruent; Swahili; Kikuyu; central Kenya.
Deployment Scalability in Exposed Buffer Processing

Deployment scalability was introduced to capture a very general notion that is often a goal of shared infrastructure. It refers to the ability of the infrastructure’s basic service to grow across many boundaries that might constrain it, through the acceptable application of resources, and while maintaining it at a standard level. In order to achieve deployment scalability the Internet architecture created a common infrastructure interface, or “spanning layer,” at the Network layer of the communication stack. This architecture was adopted to achieve two central goals: 1) The spanning layer virtualizes the variety of local services, enabling interoperability through the adoption of a common model; and 2) it provides an abstraction that hides the complex and dynamic topology and behavior of local infrastructure, thereby restricting the ability of clients to inspect or control local resources. The central design choice of the Internet Architecture is to make end-to-end datagram delivery the “bearer service” that defines its spanning layer. By contrast, Exposed Buffer Processing creates a more general platform by defining an underlay platform that provides the resources for implementing networking, storage, and computation. Exposed Buffer Processing implements a) a low-level “data plane” that provides fundamental persistence, transfer, and processing functionality and b) a higher-level programmable “control plane” that defines a variety of more global services.
COVID-19, Courts, and the “Realities of Prison Administration” Part II: The Realities of Litigation

Lawsuits challenging prisons and jails for not doing enough to stop the spread of COVID-19 among inmates have faced mixed results in the courts: wins at the district court level are almost always followed by losses (in the form of stays of any orders to improve conditions) at the appeals court level or at the Supreme Court. This short article tries to explain why this is happening, and makes three comparisons between how district courts and appeals courts have analyzed these lawsuits. First, district courts and appeals courts tend to emphasize different facts in their decisions. District courts focus more on the severity of COVID-19 and the heightened risk of its spread in correctional facilities; appeals courts tend to emphasize more the enormous managerial problems correctional officials face in the day-to-day running of prisons during a rampant and hard-to-control pandemic. Second, when it comes to the constitutional test of whether correctional officials have shown “deliberate indifference” to the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jails, district courts look more at the objective harm suffered by inmates, where appeals courts fix on the lack of subjective culpability on the part of correctional officials. Finally, and most fundamentally, district courts seem to work with a picture that prioritizes the constitutional standards for prisons and jails—about which judges are the experts—while appeals courts frame their opinions with an eye to the expertise of those who have the job of running prisons and jails and deferring to them. The article concludes by positing that real reform at the level of prison management is more likely to come from the legislative and executive branches than as the result of court orders.
Harnessing the electronic health record to advance integrated care.

INTRODUCTION Integrated health care is utilized in primary care clinics to meet patients' physical, behavioral, and social needs. Current methods to collect and evaluate the effectiveness of integrated care require refinement. Using informatics and electronic health records (EHR) to distill large amounts of clinical data may help researchers measure the impact of integrated care more efficiently. This exploratory pilot study aimed to (a) determine the feasibility of using EHR documentation to identify behavioral health and social care components of integrated care, using social work as a use case, and (b) develop a lexicon to inform future research using natural language processing. METHOD Study steps included development of a preliminary lexicon of behavioral health and social care interventions to address basic needs, creation of an abstraction guide, identification of appropriate EHR notes, manual chart abstraction, revision of the lexicon, and synthesis of findings. RESULTS Notes (N = 647) were analyzed from a random sample of 60 patients. Notes documented behavioral health and social care components of care but were difficult to identify due to inconsistencies in note location and titling. Although the interventions were not described in detail, the outcomes of screening, referral, and brief treatment were included. The integrated care team frequently used EHR to share information and communicate. DISCUSSION Opportunities and challenges to using EHR data were identified and need to be addressed to better understand the behavioral health and social care interventions in integrated care. To best leverage EHR data, future research must determine how to document and extract pertinent information about integrated team-based interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Dietary approaches to maintaining muscle mass

Abstract Skeletal muscle is a vital tissue for the maintenance of physical independence and quality of life across the lifespan. Skeletal muscle mass is regulated by net protein balance—the difference between muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown rates—and can be maximized by resistance exercise and consuming adequate amounts of high-quality dietary protein at strategic times across the day. The age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass has been coined sarcopenia. The preservation of skeletal muscle becomes vital as we age, as the loss of skeletal muscle mass can contribute to impairments in functional capacity and an increased risk of chronic metabolic diseases. In turn, individuals with anabolic resistance, such as those with sarcopenia, should attempt to preserve lean mass by consuming dietary protein intakes above the recommended dietary allowance and couple these feeding strategies with a resistance training program that caters to their physical limitations.
Professional Pitfalls in Malingering Determinations.

I am honored to be invited to provide this editorial for the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law . Since the mid-1980s, I have immersed myself in the study of malingering and related response styles. Less publicized have been my extensive consultations on malingering cases,
Care Challenges Due to COVID-19 and Mental Health Among Caregivers of U.S. Adults With a Chronic or Disabling Condition.

Background and objectives The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses new challenges for caregivers of adults with chronic or disabling conditions. This study uses nationally representative data to examine the prevalence of pandemic care challenges and supports and their associations with caregiver mental health and interpersonal well-being. Research design and methods Participants include 311 caregivers aged 50-80 in the United States who were providing care for an adult with a chronic or disabling condition from the June 2020 National Poll on Healthy Aging. Five care challenges (e.g., confusion on public health guidelines) and 2 supports (e.g., physician offered information on care during COVID-19) are treated as predictors of caregiver mental health (care-related stress, self-reported mental health, and depressive symptoms) and interpersonal well-being (interpersonal conflicts, lack of companionship, and isolation). Results Each care challenge/support was endorsed by 13%-23% of caregivers. In adjusted models, difficulty getting needed medical care was associated with greater caregiver stress, depressive symptoms, and lower interpersonal well-being. All care challenges universally predicted greater caregiver stress. Caregiving supports were not independently associated with caregiver' mental health and interpersonal well-being. Discussion and implications Care challenges were associated with caregivers' mental health and interpersonal well-being during the early months of the pandemic. Some of these challenges may be attributed to changing public health guidelines and practices as the pandemic unfolded, whereas others are relevant to all care contexts (e.g., less support from family). Tools and supports for caregivers must consider both changing policies and care needs.
Systematic review with meta-analysis: the impact of functional cure on clinical outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND Although hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss is considered the ideal therapeutic endpoint for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, its impact on clinical outcomes remains uncertain. AIM To assess the impact of HBsAg loss on clinical outcomes following spontaneous and treatment-related HBsAg loss. METHODS We searched PUBMED, Embase, the Cochrane library, and published abstracts through to May 2021 for studies that reported HBsAg loss, had >1 year of follow-up and reported at least one clinical outcome in adults with chronic HBV infection. RESULTS We identified 57 studies (258 744 HBsAg-positive patients, 63 270 with HBsAg loss). Based on 24 studies including 160 598 patients with and without HBsAg loss, HBsAg loss was associated with a non-significant 23% relative risk reduction of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared to those who remained HBsAg-positive (RR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.38-1.57). In subgroup meta-analysis of 10 studies, treatment-related HBsAg loss was associated with a non-significant higher pooled proportion of HCC (0.94%) compared to spontaneous HBsAg loss (0.45%). HCC development after HBsAg loss was significantly higher in males, those with underlying cirrhosis, and those with a family history of HCC. HBsAg loss was associated with lower pooled proportions of incident cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, overall and liver-related mortality compared to no HBsAg loss. Substantial heterogeneity was noted across studies for all outcomes. CONCLUSION HBsAg loss is associated with a reduced risk of clinical outcomes. However, several shortcomings in the published studies prevent a more definitive conclusion on the potential benefits of HBsAg loss.
Solvent Dynamical and Symmetrized Potential Aspects of Electron Transfer Rates

Recent experiments on very fast electron transfers have provided evidence for slow solvent dynamics under such conditions. The role of the vibrational motion of the reactants is included in the present treatment. The overall decay can be single- or multi-exponential. A simple approximate expression is given for a characteristic reaction time. The “symmetrization” approximation in the cross-relation is also discussed.
Physical layer-aware wireless link layer protocols

With wireless devices becoming ubiquitous, the problem of designing high performance and reliable wireless networks is of great importance today. Wireless links are characterized by a rapidly varying channel, requiring transmitters to dynamically adapt their transmit bit rate. The broadcast nature of radio also necessitates the use of medium access protocols to arbitrate access among competing transmitters and reduce losses due to interference, while enabling successful concurrent transmissions. We observe that the problems with existing bit rate adaptation and medium access protocols stem from insufficient information about the wireless channel at the link layer. This dissertation makes two contributions: (i) a redesign of the interface between the physical and link layers in wireless networks to expose more information about the wireless channel to the link layer, and (ii) the design and evaluation of new link-layer protocols that improve throughput by using information about the channel delivered via the new interface. In today's network architecture, the physical layer (PHY) delivers received frames and per-frame signal strength measurements to the link layer. This dissertation proposes two enhancements to this interface: the PHY streams bits to the link layer as soon as they are decoded and before the entire frame reception completes, and it computes and exports SoftPHY hints with each decoded bit. The SoftPHY hint of a bit indicates the PHY's confidence that the decoded bit is correct. We show that the SoftPHY hints of a received frame can be used to estimate the bit error rate (BER) of the wireless channel faster and with more accuracy than with existing methods. We develop the SoftRate bit rate adaptation protocol that uses this BER computed from SoftPHY hints to pick transmit bit rates and improves throughput by 2 x over existing protocols. The streaming PHY interface enables the link layer to learn about the current transmission on the air by decoding headers before frame reception completes. The SoftCMAP and CMAP protocols make smart medium access decisions using this knowledge of ongoing transmissions along with a distributed map of conflicting transmissions, and improve aggregate network throughput by up to 50% by increasing the number of successful concurrent transmissions.
Multiple antigenic peptide vaccine targeting the loop neutralizing determinant of protective antigen from Bacillus anthracis completely protects rabbits from aerosol spore challenge

The loop neutralizing determinant (LND) from domain 2 of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen (PA) has been shown to represent a potentially important target for an epitope-specific vaccine for anthrax. This region in the 2β2-2β3 loop of PA is immunologically inert, since rabbits immunized with PA or otherwise immune to PA do not contain antibody specific for this region. Herein we evaluated the immunogenicity in rabbits of a MAP peptide comprising the T* helper T cell epitope from Plasmodium falciparum colinearly synthesized at either the N- or C-terminus with a.a. 304-319 from PA. In initial studies, the MAP peptides formulated in Freund’s adjuvant were found to be highly immunogenic in rabbits, rapidly eliciting high levels of neutralizing antibody. To more fully evaluate this peptide as an anthrax vaccine, we immunized separate groups of rabbits (n=7) five times at two-week intervals with either of the two LND MAP peptides or with soluble PA in Freund’s adjuvant and then subjected all rabbits to a 200 LD50 aerosol spore challenge with B. anthracis Ames strain. 100% of rabbits immunized with the LND MAP in the B-T orientation and with soluble PA, and 89% of rabbits immunized with the LND MAP in the T-B orientation, survived the spore challenge, while all naive rabbits died. Analysis of post-challenge serum suggested little or no spore germination in challenged rabbits. We conclude that the LND MAP peptide is a promising epitope-specific prototype vaccine for anthrax.
A phrase-based method for hierarchical clustering of web snippets

Document clustering has been applied in web information retrieval, which facilitates users' quick browsing by organizing retrieved results into different groups. Meanwhile, a tree-like hierarchical structure is well-suited for organizing the retrieved results in favor of web users. In this regard, we introduce a new method for hierarchical clustering of web snippets by exploiting a phrase-based document index. In our method, a hierarchy of web snippets is built based on phrases instead of all snippets, and the snippets are then assigned to the corresponding clusters consisting of phrases. We show that, as opposed to the traditional hierarchical clustering, our method not only presents meaningful cluster labels but also improves clustering performance.
The Impact of Interior Cabin Noise on Passenger Acceptance

Based on flight test data gathered in general aviation aircraft, a composite motion-noise passenger comfort model has been developed which enables the assessment of cabin interior noise impact on passenger acceptance. Relationships between special subject responses and passenger responses are given, as well as the effect of comfort on passenger acceptance. The importance of comfort and noise on the overall passenger reaction is discussed.
Chapter 11. Antibiotics

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the development and clinical studies of antibiotics. The molecular basis of antibiotic action is presented. Plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance was demonstrated in Streptococcus faecalis and Bordetella bronchiseptica and evidence for its conjugal transfer was adduced. The curing of an R-factor from Escherichia coli by trimethoprim was achieved. R-factors carrying multiple copies of a penicillinase gene were identified. An R-factor mediated resistance to penicillins not involving p-lactamase was described. R-factor transfer in E. coli occurred under anaerobic conditions simulating those prevailing in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. The effect of FL 1060, a 6β-amidinopenicillanic acid, on E. coli was intensely investigated. The morphological changes elicited by this compound differ from the classical penicillin-induced response. The three enzymes sensitive to penicillins: peptidoglycan transpeptidase, D -alanine carboxypeptidase, and endo eptidase, were not inhibited at bactericidal concentrations of FL 1060, but the formation of peptidoglycans covalently bound to the cell wall or to lipoproteins was impaired. The asymmetric incorporation of valine into penicillins N and V and cephalosporin C was demonstrated by incubating the producing cultures with 3-chiral valine.
Full-folding-model description of elastic scattering at intermediate energies.

Nucleon-nucleus optical potentials are calculated using full off-shell nucleon-nucleon free t matrices based on the Paris potential. Applications to proton scattering from $^{40}\mathrm{Ca}$ at 200 and 300 MeV are presented. Significant differences are found between observables calculated using full-folding potentials and t\ensuremath{\rho} approximations to them, demonstrating the importance of an accurate treatment of off-shell effects. The agreement between calculated and measured observables improves substantially using the full-folding model.
A Generalized Cross-Entropy Approach for Modeling Spatially Correlated Counts

This article discusses and applies an information-theoretic framework for incorporating knowledge of the spatial structure in a sample while extracting from it information about processes resulting in count outcomes. The framework, an application of the Generalized Cross-Entropy (GCE) method of estimating count outcome models, allows researchers to incorporate such real-world features as unobserved heterogeneity—with or without spatial clustering—when modeling spatially correlated counts. The information-recovering potential of the approach is investigated using a limited set of simulations. It is then used to study the determinants of counts of homicides recorded in 343 neighborhoods in Chicago, Illinois.
Altered presymptomatic AMPA and cannabinoid receptor trafficking in motor neurons of ALS model mice: implications for excitotoxicity

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder involving the selective loss of spinal cord motor neurons. Excitotoxicity mediated by glutamate has been implicated as a cause of this progressive degeneration. In this study we examined two types of receptors, the excitatory AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) and inhibitory cannabinoid receptor (CB1) with respect to their localization and total expression in spinal cord motor neurons. AMPAR and CB1 represent major excitatory and inhibitory transmission input respectively and their expression levels on the plasma membrane have direct relevance to the vulnerability of the motor neurons to glutamatergic excitotoxicity. We used quantitative immunofluorescence microscopy to comparatively measure the total cellular expression and the synaptic localization of specific subclasses of AMPARs (as determined by the presence of the subunits GluR1 or GluR2) and cannabinoid receptors (CB1) in spinal cord motor neurons during disease progression in a G93ASOD1 mouse model of ALS. We found an increase in synaptic GluR1 and a decrease of synaptic and total GluR2 at early ages (6 weeks, prior to disease onset). Total CB1 receptor levels were decreased at 6 weeks of age. We determined gene expression of CB1, GluR1, and GluR2 using quantitative real time RT-PCR. The decreased synaptic and total GluR2 and increased synaptic GluR1 levels may result in increased numbers of Ca2+ -permeable AMPARs, thus contributing to neuronal death. Early alterations in CB1 expression may also predispose motor neurons to excitotoxicity. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of presymptomatic changes in trafficking of receptors that are in direct control of excitotoxicity and death in a mouse model of ALS.
Experimental evidence for the divergence of a transport coefficient in a quasi-two-dimensional fluid.

We report experimental evidence for the divergence of the collective diffusion coefficient in a quasi-two-dimensional fluid. The system studied is a monolayer of nearly monodisperse self-assembled disks of the diblock copolymer polystyrene-b-polymethylmethacrylate, supported in the air/water interface, and the method used to measure the collective diffusion coefficient is dynamic evanescent wave light scattering. In all cases studied, in a system of interacting particles the collective diffusion coefficient, which depends on the sum of the time integrals of the velocity autocorrelation and crosscorrelation functions for all pairs of particles, is proportional to the self-diffusion coefficient. It has been predicted that the self-diffusion coefficient of a two-dimensional fluid does not exist, i.e., that the apparent self-diffusion coefficient defined by the time integral of the velocity autocorrelation function diverges as t\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}, implying that so, also, will the collective diffusion coefficient of a two-dimensional fluid. Our experimental data are consistent with this qualitative expectation and they also agree with the asymptotic dependence on time (t\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}), wave vector (Q\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0), and surface density of the self-diffusion coefficient of a two-dimensional fluid predicted by Yuan and Oppenheim [H.H.-H. Yuan and I. Oppenheim, Physica 90A, 1 (1978); 90A, 21 (1978); 90A, 561 (1978)].
A high luminosity trigger design for the Tevatron collider experiment in D0

The authors describe the triggering system for the D0 Experiment at the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider. They first give an overview of the structure of the trigger and data acquisition systems with particular attention to the principal signal paths. The calorimeter trigger is described, and some of the Monte Carlo studies that were done to investigate the trigger performance and determine its design parameters are discussed. The current status of the triggering system is examined. >
Current prosthodontic practice: A dental laboratory survey

A survey was distributed to dental laboratory owners at the 1988 annual meeting of the Minnesota Dental Laboratory Association. Current laboratory practice in infection control, the use of nonprecious alloys, the amount of time devoted to complete removable prosthodontics, and complete denture laboratory techniques were surveyed. Responses indicate a moderate level of awareness and compliance with infection control techniques recommended by the American Dental Association, a declining demand for removable prosthodontic services, a high percentage of use of nonprecious alloys, and a very high rate of porcelain occlusion requested by dental practitioners. Comparisons with other laboratory surveys and the implications of these results for undergraduate education in prosthodontics are discussed.
Line outage detection in power transmission networks via message passing algorithms

Detecting multiple simultaneous line outages in power transmission networks is known to be a challenging problem due to the number of hypotheses that grows exponentially with the network size. A low complexity message passing algorithm is proposed for multi-line outage identification, which exploits the underlying sparse structure of the network topology in power systems. First, a factor graph is established that characterizes jointly the power system and the sensor network monitoring it. For inferring line status, the mixed integer and continuous variables and the loopy structure of the factor graph make it difficult to use conventional message passing algorithms. Exploiting the power flow equations, efficient message representation and new techniques in message passing algorithms are developed. Simulation results demonstrate that the developed algorithm can effectively identify an arbitrary number of simultaneous line outages in real time.
Enrofloxacin pharmacokinetics in the European cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, after a single i.v. injection and bath administration

Enrofloxacin pharmacokinetics were studied in European cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, after a single 5 mg/kg i.v. injection or a 2.5 mg/L 5 h bath. A pilot study with two animals was also performed following a 10 mg/kg p.o. administration. The concentration of enrofloxacin in hemolymph was assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and pharmacokinetic parameters were derived from compartmental methods. In the i.v. study, the terminal half-life (t 1 / 2 ), apparent volume of distribution, and systemic clearance were respectively 1.81 h, 385 mL/kg, and 4.71 mL/min/kg. Following bath administration the t 1 / 2 , peak hemolymph concentration (C m a x ), and area under the curve to infinity (AUC 0 - ∞ ) were 1.01 h, 0.5 ′ 0.12 μg/mL, and 0.98 μg.h/ mL, respectively. After oral administration, the t 1 / 2 , C m a x , and AUC 0 - ∞ were 1.01 h, 10.95 μg/mL, 26.71 μg.h/mL, respectively. The active metabolite of enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, was not detected in any samples tested. The hemolymph concentration was still above minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for shrimp and fish bacterial isolates at. 6 h after i.v. administration, therefore, a dose of 5 mg/kg i.v. every 8-12 h is suggested for additional studies of efficacy. The C m a x value for the water bath was lower than for the i.v. study, but a bath of 2.5 mg/L for 5 h once to twice daily is suggested for additional studies to test efficacy against highly susceptible organisms. Although only two animals were used for the oral study, a dose of 10 mg/kg produced hemolymph concentrations of enrofloxacin that were in a range consistent with therapeutic efficacy in other species.
Prurigo nodularis and Hashimoto thyroiditis

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic skin condition that presents with diffuse multiple pruritic nodules. Nodules oftenpresent on the extensor surfaces of the extremities and are 0.5 to 3.0 cm in most reported cases. 1 The nodules tend to be extremely pruritic but nonpainful. The condition is a clinical diagnosis that may be supported through histologic identification. There are no confirmatory findings, but many reports include hyperkeratosis or parakeratosis with diminished nerve fiber density. Other histologic findings include acanthosis and an inflammatory perivascular infiltrate in the lower epidermis and upper dermis. 2 The precise cause is unknown but is presumed to be due to an increased number of nerves in the papillary dermis secondary to overexpression of nerve growth factor and receptor tyrosine kinase A. 3 Mast cells can be observed near these nerves and release nerve growth factor. However, these findings are not confirmed, and recent research has suggested that reduced nerve fiber density may suggest a neuropathic cause behind this condition. 4 However, recent studies have
Pharmacokinetics of theophylline before and after nephrectomy in dogs

The role of the kidneys in the elimination of theophylline was directly assessed using nephrectomized dogs. Data was analyzed by two different pharmacokinetic approaches. Analysis indicated that a given dosage regimen produced significantly different serum concentrations before and after nephrectomy. Model independent pharmacokinetic analysis failed to show a significant difference in parameters. A model dependent approach, using a nonlinear regression analysis employing a linear two-compartment model, demonstrated that the differences observed could be accounted for by a change in the first order elimination kinetics.
Comparison of Two Dosage Schedules of Gold Salts in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Two doses of gold sodium thiomalate were compared for their effect on rheumatoid arthritis. Thirty-seven patients with active disease for longer than 6 months were treated with 25 mg of gold sodium thiomalate for an average of 29.6 weeks, then at biweekly or monthly intervals to complete 2 years of treatment. Thirty-eight patients were given more than twice as much gold salt at the same intervals on a flexible dose schedule that produced serum gold levels which averaged 332 microgram/dl during the weekly injection phase. No differences were observed in the therapeutic responses of the two groups. Therefore the minimal dose of gold sodium thiomalate required to induce a response in rheumatoid arthritis is 25 mg or less per week. Serum gold levels in the steady state varied between 95 and 386 microgram/dl and were not related to response. Serum half-life for gold was calculated for patients who had an excellent response and for those who were treatment failures. The rate at which gold disappeared from serum was not related to therapeutic responses.