cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Religion and Social Solidarity

To understand religion’s relation to social solidarity, scholars frequently rely on the neo-Tocquevillian synthesis. This approach assumes that the number of citizen associations or volunteer groups in a society is a good indicator of social solidarity. In addition it invokes a “unitary actor model” of religion that treats individuals and groups either as continuously religious or non-religious. The neo-Tocquevillian synthesis has become an increasingly inadequate way to understand religion’s relation to social solidarity in societies characterized by porous institutions and loose, detachable social ties, rather than tightly bound groups. In this post-Tocquevillian scenario, religious expression may cross group or institutional boundaries more readily, and voluntary, solidarity-sustaining activities take a variety of forms, some of them very individualized. In light of these realities, this essay proposes an alternative, “pragmatist” approach that studies religious expression in different public settings rather than taking individual or collective religious actors as the object of study. Different settings are organized by different group styles that shape opportunities for religious expression. Those styles give different opportunities for participants to connect religion to acts of solidarity—be those casual volunteering or projects carried out by more traditional associations. A case of a church-sponsored organization that advocates for homeless people’s needs in a large US city illustrates the benefits of the pragmatist approach.
De novo synthesis of prolactin by human decidua.

Abstract Relatively large amounts of immunoreactive prolactin were measured in homogenates of human decidual tissue obtained immediately after delivery of normal term pregnancies. In order to study the release and possible synthesis of prolactin by this tissue, explants of decidua were incubated for 24 hours at 37°C in oxygenated Gey's buffer containing 20% fetal calf serum. When cycloheximide was added to the medium in concentrations sufficient to prevent in vitro protein synthesis, 85–90% of the prolactin present in the tissue was released into the medium during the first 3 hours of incubation. No additional prolactin accumulated in either the medium or the tissue during the remainder of the incubation period. In the absence of cycloheximide, the prolactin concentration in the medium increased progressively during incubation, so that after 24 hours the total amount of hormone present in the tissue and medium was significantly greater than that in the tissue and medium prior to incubation (37.6 ± 9.6 ng/ml at 0 time vs 82.2 ± 7.7 ng/ml at 24 hours). When 3H-1-leucine (100 u Ci) was supplied during incubation, radioactive proteins were detected in the medium at 24 hr, 14–20% of which were specifically precipitated by antiserum to human pituitary prolactin. When aliquots of this medium were chromatographed on Sephadex G-100, 80–95% of the 3H-proteins precipitated by antiserum to pituitary prolactin eluted in the same position as did purified, iodinated pituitary prolactin. These data indicate that a species of prolactin which is identical to pituitary prolactin by the criteria of immunoprecipitation and gel chromatography is synthesized by human decidual tissue in vitro .
Minimal Brain Dysfunction: Psychological and Neurophysiological Disorders in Hyperkinetic Children

Minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) has become an important diagnostic label for the disorders in many children who exhibit certain constellations of learning and behavior problems. There remains, however, considerable misunderstanding about the meaning and the applicability of this term. The disagreements about MBD result from differing views regarding evidence for brain disorders and the significance of the many symptoms that have been attributed to the children with this diagnosis. In order to clarify these issues and establish an acceptable definition for MBD, a national task force was convened (Clements, 1966). The definition, which still lacked simplicity and clarity, stated that MBD should only be applied to describe those children with at least near-average intelligence whose learning and behavioral disabilities are the consequence of certain perceptual, cognitive, and attentive dysfunctions. A review of the symptoms and signs that had been used for MBD diagnosis resulted in a list of 99 items; these were reduced to ten major characteristics. The author cautioned that this “sign” approach should be employed only as a guideline for identification and diagnosis, because any one MBD child exhibits only some of these symptoms, with varying degrees of severity. The efforts by this task force resulted in clarification of several issues: the MBD diagnosis requires the exclusion of other disorders such as mental retardation, sensory impairments, “major” neurological disorders (e.g., cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and aphasia), and psychiatric disturbances.
Strengths and weaknesses of the czech economy before the accession to the EU

This study deals with the analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of the Czech economy before becoming a full member of the European Union after its accession to the EU in 2004. The accession to the EU and related pertinence to the common market does not mean the end of macroeconomic efforts and transformation activities in candidate countries; this will be the time when the potential of these countries will be subjected to strict tests. This was the reason why one of the candidate countries was chosen and its power was tested in order to analyze and prove the advantage of its accession.
Hemodynamic evaluation of isosorbide dinitrate in alcoholic cirrhosis. Pharmacokinetic-hemodynamic interactions.

Abstract Isosorbide dinitrate, a long-acting organic nitrate, has been shown to decrease portal pressure in the experimental animal and humans. We conducted a double-blind randomized hemodynamic evaluation of the effects of placebo and 10 mg and 20 mg isosorbide dinitrate in stable individuals with alcoholic cirrhosis. Baseline values for all three groups were similar. Isosorbide dinitrate resulted in a peak reduction of the hepatic venous gradient of 24.7% ± 3.0%, with significantly decreased values 4 h after the administration of the 20-mg dose. A reduction of arterial pressure and cardiac index (peak decrease of 25.7% ± 1.5%) was well tolerated by 13 of 15 patients. Changes in mean arterial pressure were not predictive of modifications in the hepatic vein wedge pressure. There was no relation between the area under the plasma isosorbide dinitrate concentration curve and hemodynamic changes. Levels of isosorbide-5-mononitrate, a vasoactive metabolite, were detectable for an 8-h period. Isosorbide dinitrate significantly reduced portal pressure in stable cirrhotics, in association with systemic hemodynamic changes. Thus, titration of isosorbide dinitrate is required to maximize hemodynamic benefits in individual patients. As the decrease in portal pressure is more predictable than the effect of previously tested pharmacologic agents, isosorbide dinitrate should be evaluated for its efficacy in the management of portal hypertension.
Um pequeno "Atlas" de "Mapas" sobre "Mapeamento de Informações"

Este e o segundo artigo da serie de ajudas de trabalho sobre aspectos de design instrucional e desenvolvimento de materiais didaticos para sistemas de EAD. O motivo da inclusao dos dois primeiros textos da serie na mesma edicao da Revista e resultado da inter-relacao entre ambos. O primeiro texto, sobre conceito e uso de "ajuda de trabalho", utilizou a tecnica de "mapeamento" em sua redacao e tambem classificou esta tecnica como uma das mais usadas para redacao de ajudas de trabalho. O segundo apresenta uma descricao mais completa dessa tecnica, para que o leitor interessado possa analisar as sugestoes contidas no texto anterior com maior compreensao dos conceitos e principios de "mapeamento de informacoes". Este segundo texto tambem serve como uma introducao ao uso de "mapeamento" para desenvolvimento de materiais didaticos e materiais de consulta. Coloca suas sugestoes na pratica, utilizando o processo de "mapeamento" para organizar sua propria mensagem e incluindo algumas perguntas de auto-avaliacao para o leitor testar sua compreensao deste processo.
Prepregnancy Fat Free Mass and Associations to Glucose Metabolism Before and During Pregnancy

Objective Our aim was to quantify the individual contribution of prepregnancy (PP) fat-free mass (FFM), expressed as [PP-FFM index (PP-FFMI) = FFM (kg)/height (m2)], on markers of glucose homeostasis before and during pregnancy. Methods Body composition was assessed in 43 women before pregnancy using air-displacement plethysmography. Blood was drawn at PP and gestational weeks ∼8 and 30. Relationships between body composition (independent) variables and glucose homeostasis (dependent) variables were assessed using adjusted correlations and simple and multiple linear regression analyses. Results PP-FFMI was the strongest predictor of plasma insulin concentration [squared partial correlation (Pr2) = 17, P = 0.007] and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) (Pr2 = 16, P = 0.010). At gestation week 30, PP-FFMI and gestational weight gain (GWG) were the strongest predictors of insulin concentration (PP-FFMI: Pr2 = 20, P = 0.010; GWG: Pr2 = 12, P = 0.052) and HOMA2-IR (PP-FFMI: Pr2 = 19, P = 0.012; GWG: Pr2 = 13, P = 0.045). After accounting for PP fat mass index (PP-FMI), PP-FFMI and GWG were independently associated with first-phase insulin response (PP-FFMI: Pr2 = 20, P = 0.009; GWG: Pr2 = 15, P = 0.025) and second-phase insulin response (PP-FFMI: Pr2 = 19, P = 0.011; GWG: Pr2 = 17, P = 0.016). PP-FMI was the strongest predictor of an oral glucose tolerance test‒derived estimated metabolic clearance rate of glucose (PP-FMI: Pr2 = 14, P = 0.037) and estimated insulin sensitivity index (PP-FMI: Pr2 = 13, P = 0.047). Conclusions PP-FFMI was a predictor of markers of glucose homeostasis before and during pregnancy. Studies assessing the effect of skeletal muscle quality on metabolic regulation during pregnancy are warranted.
High Temperature X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy of the Local Electronic Structure and Oxide Vacancy Formation in the Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6−δ Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anode Catalyst

Perovskite based catalysts have recently been investigated as replacements for traditional solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode materials to tolerate carbon containing fuels in these devices and resi...
A Retrospective Study to Identify Novel Factors Associated with Post-stroke Anxiety.

Abstract Background and Purpose: Post-stroke anxiety (PSA) is common and disabling. PSA should be considered as an important outcome in stroke. However, there is a lack of understanding of factors that may be linked to PSA. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of PSA and sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with PSA in a cohort of racially and ethnically diverse stroke patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients seen in a stroke outpatient clinic from August 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. Patients were eligible if a Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item (GAD-7) instrument was available. GAD-7 scores greater than or equal to 10 indicated the presence of moderate to severe PSA. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with PSA. Results: Records from 289 stroke patients with a GAD-7 instrument were analyzed. PSA was common (21%; GAD-7 ≥ 10). Fifty-seven percent of females had a GAD-7 greater than or equal to 10 compared to 41% of females who had a GAD-7 less than 10 (P = .03). Multivariable analysis found that self-reported nonmarried status (odds ratio, 3.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.44-7.44), excessive fatigue (odds ratio, 4.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.87-10.63), and depression (odds ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.33) were independently associated with PSA. Conclusions: PSA may occur more frequently in those who report non-married, excessive fatigue, or depression. Trials of PSA interventions should consider the potential impact of social support, depression, and comorbid conditions contributing to post-stroke fatigue, including sleep apnea.
Error Discovery Learning

Error discovery learning (EDL) is a web-based active learning method that makes students’ mistakes their most powerful learning tool. It engages students to solve fast challenge problems through their own thinking, in their own words, and then to assess competing conceptual arguments and identify specific conceptual errors. In 7 years of studies using EDL both inside and outside of the classroom, it has greatly increased student engagement, exam scores, and course completion rates (e.g., for women in a computer science theory course). Notably, EDL produced its biggest improvements for the bottom half of enrolled students – apparently by way of big boosts in their engagement – reducing course outcome disparities. Moreover, EDL is designed to be easy for instructors and scalable to large classes, using a free, open-source web platform (Courselets.org). I briefly review these results, show how EDL works with clear examples, and focus on simple best practices that make EDL easy for any instructor to start. The following questions are covered: Where is the easiest place in your class to start using EDL? How exactly do you run an EDL exercise for maximum learning? What is the first place to “individualize” student learning using EDL? How can I apply EDL to graded homework? How do I write effective EDL problems?
Narrativizing the Surge: From Quagmire to Counterinsurgency in Iraq

In 2006 President George W. Bush and his advisers devised a strategy, known as the “surge,” to combat the growing insurgency in Iraq. It is widely credited with reducing violence and stabilizing th...
Causal interaction and effect modification: same model, different concepts

Social scientists use the concept of interactions to study effect dependency. In the causal inference literature, interaction terms may be used in two distinct type of analysis. The first type of analysis focuses on causal interactions, where the analyst is interested in whether two treatments have differing effects when both are administered. The second type of analysis focuses on effect modification, where the analyst investigates whether the effect of a single treatment varies across levels of a baseline covariate. While both forms of interaction analysis are typically conducted using the same type of statistical model, the identification assumptions for these two types of analysis are very different. In this paper, we clarify the difference between these two types of interaction analysis. We demonstrate that this distinction is mostly ignored in the political science literature. We conclude with a review of several applications where we show that the form of the interaction is critical to proper interpretation of empirical results.
Chapter 39 – Mechanisms of Estrogen Action in Bone

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the mechanisms of estrogen action in bone. The mechanisms of the bone-sparing effects of estrogen appears to be particularly complex as it involve the regulated production of cytokines from hematopoietic cells and bone cells and the responsiveness of stromal cells to these cytokines. In addition, the contribution of specific factors to postmenopausal bone varies as the system adapts over time to the hormonal withdrawal. Estrogen downregulates the production of several proosteoclastogenic factors, including IL-1, IL-6, TNF, M-CSF, and PGE2. Estrogen represses the monocytic production of IL-1 and IL-6 and the proliferation of T cells in the bone marrow, thus leading to decreased T-cell TNF production. Sex steroids also regulate the production of IL-6, OPG, and TGFβ by stromal cells and osteoblasts. The enhanced osteoclastogenesis and the increased osteoclastic bone resorption leading to postmenopausal bone loss result from the stimulated production of inflammatory cytokines. Among them, monocytic IL-1 and T-cell-produced TNF play a particularly important role. The increase in bone marrow levels of IL-1 and TNF induced by estrogen deficiency leads to the selection of a population of stromal cells that exhibit increased Egr-1 phosphorylation, decreased binding of Egr-1 to Sp-1, and enhanced free Sp-1 levels. This, in turn, results in increased Sp-l-induced M-CSF production. The IL-1 and TNF increase the production of M-CSF and RANKL by stromal cells and osteoblasts. The T-cell-produced TNF also augments the capacity of RANKL to stimulate the differentiation of osteoclast precursors into mature osteoclasts.
VERIFICATION PROCEDURES USED IN TWO INVENTORY COUNTS IN NEW SPAIN, 1596–1597

This is a report on an examination of translated official documents from two inspections of the Onate expedition conducted in 1596 and 1597 in New Spain—present day Mexico. Its principal objective is to describe the purpose, the nature, and the quality of verification practices used in the Spanish-Americas at that time. The findings include: (1) verification of contract compliance was an established practice in sixteenth century New Spain, (2) the two inspections differed substantially in the care and thoroughness of the work done, and (3) generally, the practices showed rapid adoption of Spanish methods in the frontiers of its empire.
Moral and Ethical Issues in the Development of Biomaterials and Medical Products

Abstract Engineering ethics often takes the classical approach of preventive ethics. That is, engineering ethics most commonly focuses upon safety and regulation in an attempt to prevent the failure of future products. Such approaches generally rely on sets of standards and guidelines in an attempt to normalize development and ensure safety. While medicine certainly has standards and guidelines that govern and normalize its practice, as well as holding safety in the highest regard, the manner in which ethical issues are addressed by medical professionals often differs from the strategies used by engineers and scientists. As medical issues are complex, and focus primarily upon the treatment of individuals rather than the development of products or interpretation of research results, medical ethics has a strong emphasis on core values in decision making as well as on respect for the autonomy and wellbeing of the patient.
Special Education Evaluation Practices and Procedures: Implications for Referral and Eligibility Decision-making

Special education service provision depends upon referral for evaluation, corresponding evaluation procedures, and resulting eligibility decisions. However, how school districts and decision-makers (e.g., school psychologists) apply special education evaluation procedural rules is largely unknown. Through a survey of practicing school psychologists, the current study examined the most common special education referral concerns, multidisciplinary team (MDT) members’ roles in eligibility decision-making, the value of various assessment data sources in determining special education eligibility, and differences in those variables across participants’ years of experience, degree level, and geographic region. Participants reported that reading was the most common special education referral, school psychologists primarily made special education eligibility decisions with some input from other MDT members, and test scores were the most valued source of assessment data in determining special education eligibility. There were no reported differences in these variables across degree or US geographic region, but there were differences in reported perceptions of the most important sources of assessment data across years of experience. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
A Non-Essentialist Version of Legal Pluralism

The concept of legal pluralism has been touted by many socio-legal scholars as a key concept in the analysis of law. Yet, after almost twenty years of such claims, there has been little progress in the development of the concept. This article will argue that the underlying cause of this lack progress lies in the fact that promoters of the concept have relied upon function-based, essentialist concepts of law. It will describe the problems generated by such concepts and, following this general analysis, will review the versions of legal pluralism articulated by Boaventura de Sousa Santos and Gunther Teubner. The critique of their versions of legal pluralism will lead into the posing of a non-essentialist alternative which avoids the conceptual problems of prevailing versions of legal pluralism, and provides a better tool for purposes of research and analysis of the relationship between law and society.
Study on HIV Prevention, Infertility and Concordance in Partner Selection among Couples Living with HIV and AIDS in Rural and Peri-Urban Contexts in Botswana

This paper examines marital partner selection and the significance of fertility status among couples living with HIV using qualitative research methods. This study was conducted in the Maun and Gaborone areas in Botswana in southern Africa where patrilineal marriage traditions are normative and both civil as well as traditional marriage practices remain prevalent. Data were collected from 32 respondents using in-depth interviews after new civil marriages and where HIV status was positive for both partners. Results from the research demonstrate that HIV status is socially significant in the decisions that the couples living with HIV make in terms of selecting marriage partners. Yet once new marital relationships are established based on concordant HIV status, the cultural importance of fertility and child-bearing remains paramount and rates of unprotected sex remain high. HIV positive and concordant couples engaged in unprotected sex in order to reinforce positive social status through reproductive success even when knowledge about mother to child transmission and increased viral loads in their own bodies was evident. This paper demonstrates the value of understanding cultural norms that surround fertility desires and fears of infertility in crafting efficacious HIV prevention programmes. HIV concordant couples still seek fertility success with partners in a context where HIV infection rates have remained high and this paper contributes to literature on both partner selection with respect to HIV status as well as the value of qualitative investigation to elucidate cultural challenges to HIV prevention. The paper concludes with further recommendations for understanding of the often overlooked cultural significance of infertility in areas with high HIV infection in order to better inform policies in the formulation of evidence based prevention strategies in Botswana with respect to people living with HIV and AIDS.
The Impact of Obesity on Critical Illnesses

ABSTRACT In the last few decades, obesity became one of the world's greatest health challenges reaching a size of global epidemic in virtually all socioeconomic statuses and all age groups. Obesity is a risk factor for many health problems and as its prevalence gradually increases is becoming a significant economic and health burden. In this manuscript we describe how normal respiratory and cardiovascular physiology is altered by obesity. We review past and current literature to describe how obesity affects outcomes of patients facing critical illnesses and discuss some controversies related to this topic.
Security and Reliability of Safety-Critical RTOS

Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) presents a computing environment with the ability to react to events within a strictly-defined period. Modern domain-specific (e.g., aerospace, industrial control, defense, and medical) embedded systems include safety-critical applications whose failures would result in catastrophic events. Such systems avoid the general-purpose operating system and leverage RTOS to work in increasingly dynamic and harsh environments. Moreover, many of these systems operate over networks, making them susceptible to various attacks. Hence, the reliability and security of embedded systems running on top of RTOS are equally important. Although research on these two crucial components has been conducted and presented for traditional operating systems, there has been a significant research thrust on RTOS due to the recent emergence of the internet of things (IoT). This article presents an in-depth and systematic review of the security and reliability of safety-critical systems. We highlight the best practices and recent research efforts and their feasibility in the context of safety-critical RTOS. We compare the solutions qualitatively and discuss their pros and cons. We conclude the article with open-ended research questions.
Characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes of neutropenia after liver or kidney transplantation in children.

Background While prior adult studies have shown that approximately 20%-38% of subjects undergoing solid-organ transplant develop neutropenia, similar analyses in pediatric subjects are scarce. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of liver transplant (LT) and kidney transplant (KT) recipients at our center during the period 2008-2018. All of the KT and none of the LT subjects during this time period had induction with either anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) or basiliximab at time of transplant. Neutropenia was defined as absolute neutrophil count (ANC) value ≤1000/mm3 . Results One hundred subjects with LT and 82 subjects with KT were included. The incidence of neutropenia within the first year of transplant in KT was higher compared to LT (54.8% vs 39%, p = .01). The median number of hospitalizations (p = .001) and infectious complications (p = .04) was significantly higher only in the KT subjects who developed neutropenia (compared to those who did not). Multivariate analysis identified factors associated with severity of liver disease at transplant, namely h/o upper gastrointestinal bleeding (p = .02), weight deficit (p = .01), and pre-LT ANC (p = .01), along with high or moderate risk cytomegalovirus status (p = .05) as predictors of neutropenia in LT subjects. Female gender (p = .03) predicted neutropenia, while BK virus infection was protective for neutropenia (p = .04) in KT subjects. Conclusions The incidence of and morbidity associated with neutropenia within 1 year post-transplant is higher in KT subjects compared to LT subjects. The likely reason for this is the use of induction therapy (ATG, basiliximab) at the time of transplant in KT subjects.
Immigrants’ Subjective Well-Being in Italy

The topic of immigrants’ subjective well-being is particularly understudied in Italy, an important country of immigration in the European context and the Mediterranean region. This Chapter is aimed at measuring the main individual factors associated with self-reported life satisfaction among first-generation immigrants regularly residing in Italy, using data from the survey on “Social Condition and Integration of Foreign Citizens” collected by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) in 2011–2012. Before proceeding with the empirical analysis, I provide a brief historical excursus of the evolution of immigration in Italy and, in the next paragraph, I present some key findings on the subjective well-being of immigrants in the country. The multivariate analysis is based on ordinary least squares regression (OLS) and includes various kinds of individual factors: demographic, human capital, immigration, transnationalism and sense of belonging variables. The analysis concludes that demographic and human capital variables have a strong positive impact on self-reported life satisfaction. Country of origin, immigration variables, transnationalism, and gender attitudes also have an impact on life satisfaction. Finally, this Chapter discusses the challenging issue of comparing the self-reported life satisfaction of immigrants with that of natives in Italy.
Hard to Swallow: A Rare Cause

A 66-year-old woman underwent open-access upper endoscopy indicated for a two-month history of odynophagia and dysphagia for solids and liquids, described as difficulty in initiating a swallow followed by the subsequent sensation of food and liquids ‘‘holding up’’ in her mid-chest. Past medical history included type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia; medications consisted of aspirin, rosuvastatin, losartan, hydrochlorothiazide, omeprazole, glipizide, metformin, oral potassium chloride, thyroid hormone, and insulin glargine. There had been no recent changes in medications or dosages. A focused physical examination prior to the endoscopy was unremarkable. Laboratory evaluation includes a complete blood cell count and basic metabolic panel that also revealed no abnormality. Endoscopy revealed an area of healing confluent ulceration extending over several centimeters in the hypopharynx (Fig. 1a). There was also severe, circumferential, erosive esophagitis that extended 5 cm proximally from the gastroesophageal junction (Fig. 1b). Biopsies of the distal esophagus were taken due to the possibility of a viral etiology of the severe ulceration. Following one of the esophageal biopsies, a prominent mucosal defect concerning for a superficial tear was noted for which an endoscopic hemoclip was deployed; no other complications of endoscopy occurred. In addition to standard anti-reflux measures, the patient was prescribed omeprazole. The esophageal biopsies were reported as showing a focally ulcerated fragment of squamous mucosa with associated fibropurulent material, consisting ofmixed inflammatory cells. No nuclear or cytoplasmic inclusions were reported. After endoscopy, her primary care provider prescribed topical treatments for suspected aphthous hypopharyngeal ulceration. Four weeks after endoscopy, she complained of worsening oral pain without improvement of her initial symptoms of odynophagia and dysphagia. An oropharyngeal examination during a clinic visit revealed exudative hypopharyngeal erythema with cracking and ulceration of the buccal mucosa, consistent with the appearance of severe aphthous stomatitis. In view of these findings, buccal biopsies were obtained, which were reported as suprabasal epidermal acantholysis compatible with pemphigus vulgaris (Fig. 2a). Review of the first esophageal biopsy identified a single mucosal fragment with similar suprabasal acantholysis in the buccal specimen, confirming the diagnosis of esophageal pemphigus vulgaris (Fig. 2b). Direct immunofluorescence stain of the buccal specimen revealed a strong, intercellular, intramucosal deposition of IgG and C3, confirming the diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris (Fig. 3).
The Methylation of Lysine Residues in Protein

The present studies establish the enzymatic methylation of lysine residues in certain proteins with S-adenosylmethionine as the methyl donor. Ribosomal proteins of the aquatic fungus Blastocladiella emersonii and basic proteins of chromatin from Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cell nuclei were shown to act as methyl acceptors. Crude protein preparations from Salmonella typhimurium were also able to accept methyl groups. In each case, only lysine residues in protein were methylated to yield e-N-methyllysine. The product of this reaction proved to be identical with authentic e-N-methyllysine by paper electrophoresis and column chromatography.
Generalization Bounds for Some Ordinal Regression Algorithms

The problem of ordinal regression, in which the goal is to learn a rule to predict labels from a discrete but ordered set, has gained considerable attention in machine learning in recent years. We study generalization properties of algorithms for this problem. We start with the most basic algorithms that work by learning a real-valued function in a regression framework and then rounding off a predicted real value to the closest discrete label; our most basic bounds for such algorithms are derived by relating the ordinal regression error of the resulting prediction rule to the regression error of the learned real-valued function. We end with a margin-based bound for the state-of-the-art ordinal regression algorithm of Chu & Keerthi (2007).
The Structure of Haemoglobin

Proteins are large complex molecules consisting of polymers of amino acids. In order to understand the way in which they function it is essential to have a knowledge of the geometry of their structure, that is of their three-dimensional conformation, as well as of their chemical composition. The activity of a protein may be lost by the process of denaturation (which may be reversible) in which no chemical bonds are broken but the three-dimensional conformation is altered; conversely the molecule may become active when sections, which are quite distinct chemically, are brought close to each other. Many proteins contain prosthetic groups at the site of their catalytic activity. These are non-protein groups, such as the haem group in myoglobin or haemoglobin, and the activity depends on the specific protein molecule to which they are attached. The chemical sequence of a protein molecule is genetically determined. This is demonstrated by the abnormal human haemoglobins in which abnormalities, which consist of the substitution of a single amino acid by a different one, are inherited in a Mendelian manner (12, 20). It is widely believed that the three-dimensional structure is determined by this chemical sequence; that is that it is the most energetically favourable conformation of the polypeptide chains.
The Role of Universal Values in Partisanship and Candidate Evaluation

This paper shows that universal values can override the effect of partisanship in how Americans make evaluations of candidates. First, I show that Republicans and Democrats differ in predictable ways on measures of universal human values. Second, I derive several hypotheses regarding the interplay between universal values and partisanship to develop a theory of candidate evaluations. While traditional experiments of candidate evaluation have always found significant partisan advantages, my theory of value-based partisanship predicts that as long as a candidate's position in value-space is clearly signalled, the addition of a party label will not help (or hurt) a candidate's favorability. Through an experimental design embedded within a nationally representative survey I find that in almost every case the addition of partisan information does not change candidate evaluations. Finally, I show that one's universal human values reliably predicts vote choice in national elections.
Mucin biosynthesis: purification and characterization of a mucin beta 6N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase

We have purified, to apparent homogeneity, a mucin beta 6N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (beta 6GlcNAc transferase) from bovine tracheal epithelium. Golgi membranes were isolated from a 0.25 M sucrose homogenate of epithelial scrapings by discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation. The Golgi membranes were solubilized with 1% Triton X-100 in the presence of 1 mM Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha benzyl (Bzl) to stabilize the beta 6GlcNAc transferase. The solubilized enzyme was bound to a UDP-hexanolamine-Actigel-ALD Superflow affinity column equilibrated with 1 mM Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha Bzl and 5 mM Mn2+. Elution of the enzyme with 0.5 mM UDP-GlcNAc resulted in a 133,800-fold purification with a 1.3% yield and a specific activity of 70 mumol/min/mg protein. Radioiodination of the purified enzyme followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography revealed a single band at 69,000 Da. Kinetic analyses of the beta 6GlcNAc transferase-catalyzed reaction showed an ordered sequential mechanism in which UDP-GlcNAc binds to the enzyme first and UDP is released last. The Km values for UDP-GlcNAc and Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha Bzl were 0.36 and 0.14 mM, respectively. Acceptor competition studies showed that the purified beta 6GlcNAc transferase can use core 1 and core 3 mucin oligosaccharides as well as GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta R as acceptor substrates. Proton NMR analyses of the three products demonstrated that GlcNAc was added in a beta 1-6 linkage to the penultimate GalNAc or Gal, suggesting that this enzyme is capable of synthesizing all beta 6GlcNAc structures found in mucin-type oligosaccharides.
Mixing Between Burned Core Material and Surface Layers

Dr. Pagel has given us a fine summary of the observations relevant to the topic I am to cover. Drs. Michaud and Vauclair have described in detail the potential effects of diffusive processes which might well explain, at least in part, the apparent abundance anomalies observed in the peculiar A stars and the magnetic A stars. In the paper following mine, Dr. Boesgaard will present the observational evidence regarding the abundance of the light elements lithium, beryllium and boron, and relate these observations to the theory of stellar envelopes. With these important topics expertly covered I shall restrict myself to the single question: How do some reasonably common types of stars, such as the carbon stars and the S stars, manage to show off at their surfaces, for us to observe, a fair sampling of the products of the nuclear burning going on deep in their cores?
Polar Addition and Elimination Reactions

Addition and elimination processes are the reverse of one another. In general, the two processes follow a similar mechanistic path in opposite directions, the final state of the system depending on the conditions. For example, hydration of alkenes and dehydration of alcohols are both familiar reactions that constitute a related addition-elimination pair: Open image in new window In these circumstances, mechanistic conclusions about the addition reaction are applicable to the elimination reaction and vice versa. The principle of microscopic reversibility states that the mechanism (pathway) traversed in a reversible reaction is the same for the reverse reaction as for the forward one under the same conditions. Thus, if an addition-elimination system proceeds by a reversible mechanism, the intermediates and transition states involved in the addition process are the same as in the elimination reaction.
Contemporary Interpersonal Theory and Research: Personality, Psychopathology, and Psychotherapy

Partial table of contents: PERSONALITY AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY. Overt Interpersonal Behavior and the Interpersonal Circle. Interpersonal Behavior: Moderating Factors and Other Issues. Covert Components of Interpersonal Behavior. Interpersonal Behavior and Our Bids for Complementarity. Measurement of the Covert Complementary Response: The Impact Message Inventory. Maladjusted Interpersonal Behavior: General Principles and Formulations for Specific DSM Disorders. DIAGNOSIS, PSYCHOTHERAPY, AND SUPERVISION. Interpersonal Assessment and Diagnosis. The Relationship in Psychotherapy: An Interpersonal Communication Analysis. Interpersonal Communication Interventions: Interpersonal Complementary Principles. Conclusion. References. Indexes.
A 21st century proof of Dougall's hypergeometric sum identity

Abstract My guess is that, within fifty or hundred years (or it might be one hundred and fifty) computers will successfully compete with the human brain in doing mathematics, and that their mathematical style will be rather different from ours. Fairly long computational verifications (numerical or combinatorical) will not bother them at all, and this should lead not just to different sorts of proofs, but more importantly to different sorts of theorems being proved.
Chromosomal translocation t(15;17) in human acute promyelocytic leukemia fuses RARα with a novel putative transcription factor, PML

A unique mRNA produced in leukemic cells from a t(15;17) acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patient encodes a fusion protein between the retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR alpha) and a myeloid gene product called PML. PML contains a cysteine-rich region present in a new family of apparent DNA-binding proteins that includes a regulator of the interleukin-2 receptor gene (Rpt-1) and the recombination-activating gene product (RAG-1). Accordingly, PML may represent a novel transcription factor or recombinase. The aberrant PML-RAR fusion product, while typically retinoic acid responsive, displays both cell type- and promoter-specific differences from the wild-type RAR alpha. Because patients with APL can be induced into remission with high dose RA therapy, we propose that the nonliganded PML-RAR protein is a new class of dominant negative oncogene product. Treatment with RA would not only relieve this inhibition, but the activated PML-RAR protein may actually promote myelocyte differentiation.
Detecting boredom and engagement during writing with keystroke analysis, task appraisals, and stable traits

It is hypothesized that the ability for a system to automatically detect and respond to users' affective states can greatly enhance the human-computer interaction experience. Although there are currently many options for affect detection, keystroke analysis offers several attractive advantages to traditional methods. In this paper, we consider the possibility of automatically discriminating between natural occurrences of boredom, engagement, and neutral by analyzing keystrokes, task appraisals, and stable traits of 44 individuals engaged in a writing task. The analyses explored several different arrangements of the data: using downsampled and/or standardized data; distinguishing between three different affect states or groups of two; and using keystroke/timing features in isolation or coupled with stable traits and/or task appraisals. The results indicated that the use of raw data and the feature set that combined keystroke/timing features with task appraisals and stable traits, yielded accuracies that were 11% to 38% above random guessing and generalized to new individuals. Applications of our affect detector for intelligent interfaces that provide engagement support during writing are discussed.
CAICOS: SITE OF COLUMBUS'LANDFALL

(1961). CAICOS: SITE OF COLUMBUS'LANDFALL. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 6-9.
Hysterectomy in a decade of change: more than a weighty matter

Objective: Hysterectomy is the second most common surgical procedure performed in the United States. Interest to decrease use of hysterectomy has focused on developing explicit criteria for surgery, peer review and second opinion, as well as changing reimbursement incentives. The purpose of this study is to describe the change in the number of hysterectomies, the indications for hysterectomies, and the histopathology of hysterectomy specimens over the last 10 years at one private, nonprofit, academic, community hospital that does not have a formal system for monitoring hysterectomy use.Methods: Retrospective study utilizing administrative data matched with pathology reports for nonmalignant hysterectomies performed in 1985, 1990, and 1995. Uterine weight and histopathologic diagnoses were recorded. When pathology reports were unavailable, cases were reviewed to determine if the indication was related to prolapse or urinary incontinence. Outcome measures included number of procedures performed, indications for procedures and uterine pathology (uterine weight, histopathology). We utilized the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel chi(2) and the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum statistic (P <.05).Results: The number of hysterectomies declined from 631 in 1985 to 461 in 1995 (P =.007). The median uterine weight increased (P =.0007), and there was a decrease in the number of specimens with absent histopathology, decreasing from 6% in 1985 to 3% in 1995 (P =.013). This difference was explained by changes in the number of procedures performed on patients with private insurance and HMO reimbursement (P =.018).Conclusions: While the proportion of surgeries performed for specific indications did not change, the number of hysterectomies performed decreased, and there were fewer normal specimens.
Reorganization of dorsal root ganglion neurons following chronic sciatic nerve constriction injury: Correlation with morphine and lidocaine analgesia

Chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve is an animal model for neuropathic pain. In this model, the analgesic potency of systemic morphine was significantly diminished in nerve-injured mice (ED(50) 19.4 mg/kg) compared with sham-operated mice (ED(50) 3.3 mg/kg) using a unilateral hot plate withdrawal test, with a similar reduction in sensitivity of intrathecal morphine. The sciatic nerve injury resulted in a reorganization of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Immunohistochemically, the chronic constriction injury triggered a withdrawal of C-fibers from the ipsilateral dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Although A-beta terminals centrally sprouted into Lamina II of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, the peripheral A-beta fibers in the skin retracted from the epidermis to deeper layers of the dermis. To explore the functional significance of these dermal changes, we examined the topical morphine and lidocaine analgesia following chronic sciatic nerve constriction. Both morphine and lidocaine retained topical activity following chronic sciatic nerve injury, but their analgesic dose-response curves were shifted to the right when compared to sham-operated mice. Thus, the chronic nerve constriction injury model is associated with pathological changes in distribution of the central and peripheral axons of the dorsal root ganglion neurons that correspond to a decreased pharmacological sensitivity to topical analgesic agents.
Investigations into the role of anti-HLA class II antibodies in TRALI.

BACKGROUND : TRALI is thought to be triggered by recipient-specific anti-HLA class I or antibodies against neutrophils in donor plasma. Recently, anti-HLA class II have also been implicated. The prevalence of anti-HLA class II was investigated in normal volunteer platelet donors and in two nonfatal TRALI cases utilizing a flow-based assay. Potential target antigens also were investigated. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS : Commercial flow cytometry-based assays (FlowPRA, One Lambda, Inc.) for anti-HLA class I and II were compared with standard lymphocytotoxicity tests. Subsequently, 151 volunteer platelet donors and two clinical cases of TRALI were screened with FlowPRA. Immunohistochemical studies were performed on lung tissue from a surgical case, an autopsy case, and a fatal TRALI case. RESULTS : The FlowPRA assays showed moderate concordance for anti-HLA class I (κ = 0.448) and good concordance for class II antibodies (κ = 0.801), when compared to standard lymphocytotoxicity assays. Ten and 9 percent of female platelet donors were positive for anti-HLA class I and class II, respectively. Two nonfatal cases of TRALI showed both anti-HLA class I and anti-HLA class II. Immunohistochemical analysis of a TRALI case revealed granulocyte aggregation in alveolar capillaries with activated vascular endothelial cells. HLA class II antigen expression was not present on vascular endothelium or intravascular WBCs; however, strong expression was seen on alveolar macrophages. CONCLUSION : FlowPRA assays often detect anti-HLA class I not detected by conventional lymphocytotoxicity assays. These assays reveal anti-HLA class II in normal female donor plasma and in sera implicated in TRALI. Immunohistochemical studies failed to reveal endothelial or intravascular-WBC HLA class II antigen expression in lung tissue derived from TRALI cases or controls, but demonstrated HLA class II expression on pulmonary macrophages.