cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Randomised clinical trial: MiraLAX vs. Golytely – a controlled study of efficacy and patient tolerability in bowel preparation for colonoscopy

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011; 33: 33–40 Summary Background MiraLAX is gaining acceptance as a bowel cleanser for colonoscopy. We hypothesize that MiraLAX/Gatorade is as efficacious for bowel cleansing as Golytely and is more tolerable for patients undergoing screening colonoscopy. Aim To compare bowel preparation scores of MiraLAX/Gatorade vs. Golytely and examine differences in patient tolerability. Methods Patients undergoing screening colonoscopy were randomized to 4 L Golytely or 238 g MiraLAX in 64 ounces Golytely and four bisacodyl tablets. Efficacy in bowel cleansing was assessed using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BPPS). Subjects completed a brief survey assessing patient tolerability. Results A total of 190 patients were enrolled (85 male, 105 female; mean age 56.9 years, s.d. 6.3); 87 were randomized to MiraLAX, 103 to Golytely. There was no difference in age, gender or timing of colonoscopy between the bowel preparation groups. Golytely’s median total BBPS score was significantly higher than that of MiraLAX [9 (IQR 7–9) vs. 8 (IQR 6–9), P = 0.034]. Golytely had a higher rate of an excellent equivalent BBPS score of 8 or 9 than MiraLAX (70% vs. 55%, P = 0.036). There was no difference in patient tolerability (P = 0.857). Conclusions Golytely was more efficacious than MiraLAX/Gatorade in bowel cleansing; both preparations were equally tolerated by patients.
Fission Yeast Ras1 Effector Scd1 Interacts With the Spindle and Affects Its Proper Formation

Ras1 GTPase is the Schizosaccharomyces pombe homolog of the mammalian Ha-Ras proto-oncoprotein. Ras1 interacts with Scd1 (aka Ral1), a presumptive guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Cdc42sp, to control organization of the cytoskeleton. In this study, we demonstrated that the scd1 deletion (scd1Delta) induced hypersensitivity to microtubule destabilizing drugs and instability of the minichromosome. Overexpression of scd1 induced formation of abnormal spindles and chromosome missegregation. The scd1 deletion worsened the defects of spindle formation in tubulin mutants; by contrast, it did not induce lethality in mutants defective in the spindle pole bodies. These genetic data suggest that Scd1 can interact with tubulin with substantial specificity to affect proper spindle formation and chromosome segregation. Subcellular localization data further illustrated that a GFP-Scd1 fusion protein can associate with the spindle. Finally, we showed that unlike ras1Delta and scd1Delta, byr2Delta (affecting the Ras1 effector for mating) is not synthetically lethal with the tubulin mutations. These data collectively suggest that the Ras1 pathway can impinge upon microtubules through Scd1, but not Byr2, to affect proper spindle formation and chromosome segregation.
The Future of Administrative Law: Reforming Agency Processes and Court Review of Administrative Decisions

This article analyzes proposals to reform agency decision making and then expands the discussion to include broader issues of why agency caseloads are so large, what can be done to reduce them, and what is the appropriate role for the federal courts in reviewing agency policymaking. The proposals include first, Judge Heifitz’s proposals suggestive of a future where alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and automated data processing will lead to more efficient caseload management. He suggests ALJs should remain assigned to particular agencies to best utilize their experience rather than become part of a unified corps able to hear cases before any agency. In analyzing his ADR proposal, I raise a cautionary concern that in many regulatory and benefit claims decisions, government officials act as surrogates for the public. Here government officials have a responsibility to exercise their policy making function and only approve settlements that are consistent with their legislatively-mandated standards. Second, I analyze James Cawley’s provocative thesis that the Sunshine laws have led to decreased deliberative discussions at multi-member agencies, reduced collegiality, and have resulted in a decline in the importance of agency meetings. I then critically examine his proposal that deliberative discussions by agency members be exempt from the Sunshine laws procedural requirements. The article then more broadly asks for a rethinking of the benefits claims process and on the regulatory side, a re-examination of standards by which courts review agency regulatory decisions. The fundamental questions are: (1) what is the appropriate role of the federal courts in reviewing executive policymaking, and (2) when is regulatory action necessary to safeguard the public from imperfections in the market place? In the twenty-first century, the United States is in a period of expanding government deficits that inhibit economic growth and burden future generations. Certain fundamental problems of administrative policy that affect agency caseloads and their resolution must be addressed. What benefit programs should be funded and at what levels? What is the proper role of government in our economy? Should the supervision and regulation of banks and savings and loans associations be increased or decreased? What regulatory techniques should be used to improve environmental quality? What is the role of the federal courts in reviewing agency policymaking decisions?
Why Do Private Companies Demand Auditing? A Case for Organizational Loss of Control

The objective of this paper is to explain the motivation for owners of private companies to voluntarily demand audit (positive) assurance. It is hypothesized that the owner/manager seeks audits as compensatory control systems for the organizational loss of control inherent in hierarchical organizations. Thus, the expected value of wealth at risk due to loss of control sets a lower limit on the amount owners would be willing to pay for audits to compensate for that loss. The hypothesized relationship was tested using information for 103 private companies demanding audit (positive) assurance.The obtained relationships were basically unaltered by the introduction of lenders' requirement of audits (n = 40). Furthermore, the hypothesized compensatory aspect of audit assurance was absent for the demand for negative assurance (reviews) in a sample of 31 companies. This is consistent with the fact that negative assurance is not viewed as a way of providing confidence so as to compensate owners for loss of direct ...
Contribution of Non-catalytic Core Residues to Activity and Regulation in Protein Kinase A

Protein kinase A holoenzyme is comprised of two catalytic (C) and two regulatory (R) subunits which keep the enzyme in an inhibited state before activation by cyclic-AMP. The C-subunit folds into a conserved bi-lobal core flanked by N- and C-terminal tails. We report here characterization of a C-tail loss-of-function mutant, CF327A, and a related suppressor mutant, CF327A/K285P. Phe-327 is the only residue outside the kinase core that binds to the adenine ring of ATP, whereas Lys-285 is ∼45 A away and lies in an AGC kinase-specific insert. The two mutations were previously identified from a yeast genetic screen, where the F327A mutation was unable to complement cell growth but mutation of K285P in the same allele rescued cell viability. We show that CF327A exhibits significant reduction in catalytic efficiency, which likely explains the observed loss-of-function phenotype. Interestingly, the additional K285P mutation does not restore kinase activity but reduces the inhibitory interaction of the double mutant with RII subunits. The additional K285P mutation, thus, helps to keep a low but uninhibited PKA activity that is sufficient for cell viability. The crystal structure of CF327A/K285P further reveals that recruitment of Phe-327 to the ATP binding pocket not only contributes to the hydrophobic pocket, as previously thought, but also recruits its flanking C-tail region to the kinase core, thereby concertedly positioning the glycine-rich loop and ATP for phosphoryl transfer. The study exemplifies two different ways for regulating cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity through non-conserved residues and sheds light on the structural and functional diversity of the kinase family.
Craft Knowledge at the Interface of Written and Oral Cultures

How did artisans in late imperial and Republican China reproduce technical knowledge, what role did writing play in knowledge reproduction, and to which extent did literate and oral knowledge cultures meet? This article looks at these questions from two angles: it reconstructs tacit, oral, and literate modes of knowledge transmission among artisans (in particular papermakers) in the nineteenth and twentieth century, and it looks at the production, circulation, and potential impact of texts dealing with artisanal techniques.
Several simple rules predicted complications in high-risk patients with diabetes.

(2001) Diabetes Care 24, 1547. Selby JV, Karter AJ, Ackerson LM, et al. . Developing a prediction rule from automated clinical databases to identify high-risk patients in a large population with diabetes. . Aug; . : . –55 . [OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] QUESTION: What is the accuracy of a prediction rule for identifying patients with diabetes mellitus who are at high short term risk for macro- and microvascular events, infectious disease, and metabolic complications? A cohort of patients, randomly split into derivation and validation datasets. Kaiser Permanente health maintenance organization (HMO) in Oakland, California, USA. 57 722 members of the HMO who were ≥ 19 years of age, had diabetes, and were continuously enrolled in the health plan during the 2 year baseline period. The derivation dataset included 28 838 patients (mean age 61 y, 53% men), and the validation dataset included 28 884 patients (mean age 61 y, 52% men). A “best” model and 4 simpler … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DDiabetes%2BCare%26rft.stitle%253DDiabetes%2BCare%26rft.issn%253D0149-5992%26rft.aulast%253DSelby%26rft.auinit1%253DJ.%2BV.%26rft.volume%253D24%26rft.issue%253D9%26rft.spage%253D1547%26rft.epage%253D1555%26rft.atitle%253DDeveloping%2Ba%2BPrediction%2BRule%2BFrom%2BAutomated%2BClinical%2BDatabases%2Bto%2BIdentify%2BHigh-Risk%2BPatients%2Bin%2Ba%2BLarge%2BPopulation%2BWith%2BDiabetes%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.2337%252Fdiacare.24.9.1547%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F11522697%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=diacare&resid=24/9/1547&atom=%2Febmed%2F7%2F3%2F96.1.atom
Barrett's esophagus: a late complication of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding has become a popular bariatric restrictive procedure in the USA. The increasing popularity of the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band procedure could, in part, be related to the lower cost and lower morbidity compared with laparoscopic gastric bypass. Although its placement is related to a lower number of perioperative complications compared with laparoscopic gastric bypass, its morbidity may be substantial. Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal intestinal metaplasia is a known complication of chronic gastro-esophageal reflux disease that, in rare occasions, progresses to dysplasia and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Barrett’s esophagus, after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding placement, is a rare but not unexpected complication after gastric band placement. The incidence of Barrett’s esophagus after adjustable gastric banding is not known. We present a case of Barrett’s esophagus as a result of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding placement due to a chronically and highly restrictive gastric band in a former morbidly obese patient.
Ecological Assessment Process and Credit System for Highway Capacity Projects

This Strategic Highway Research Program capacity project (C06B) study developed a cumulative effects and alternatives assessment (CEAA) process for highway capacity projects within an integrated ecological and transportation planning framework called the Ecological Assessment Framework. This framework created tools to support the principles of Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects. Existing ecological assessment and ecosystem crediting tools were surveyed and assessed, and a new template for cumulative effects and alternatives analysis was developed. The resulting process includes methods for enhancing data needed to reach early agreement with regulatory agencies under the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. Guidance for developing function-based ecosystem crediting tools to meet regulatory requirements and to promote environmental stewardship goals is also provided. The CEAA process was piloted in three states to compare results between the new method and tr...
A predictive analysis for optimum contour-after-wear for magnetic heads

Reliable reproduction of recorded signals is dependent upon a good head-tape interface, and particularly, upon adequate contact pressure at the gap. In the case of grooved magnetic heads the pressure profiles are complex 3-dimensional surfaces. The head contours, as machined, may cause pressure profiles which are unfavorable to good signal reproduction. A mathematical analysis is outlined, which forecasts the progressively changing head contours and pressure profiles in terms of the average depth of head wear due to passage of tape (magnetic or lapping tape). The analysis indicates the amount of wear needed to substantially improve the pressure profile. Good correlation is shown between the theoretical predictions and actual test values.
Further Observations on the Numbers of Spermatogonia, Spermatocytes, and Spermatids Connected by Intercellular Bridges in the Mammalian Testis

The presence of true intercellular bridges connecting groups of spermatocytes and spermatids in the mammalian testis has been described repeatedly in electron microscopic studies, and recently Gondos and Zemjanis (1970) have reported pairs of interconnected spermatogonia in monkey testis. The present paper describes the fine structure of bridges between developing germ cells in a variety of mammalian species and considers the numbers of cells involved and the significance of this syncytial arrangement in the overall organization of the seminiferous epithelium. in addition to spermatocytes and spermatids, spermatogonia type A and type B were also found to be joined by bridges. In rodents the type A have oval nuclei containing a uniformly granular nucleoplasm and one or more nucleoli at or near the nuclear membrane. The type B possess spherical nuclei with several clumps of chromatin near the periphery and additional small clumps associated with a centrally placed nucleolus. If a pair of connected type A spermatogonia initiates spermatogenesis and the daughter cells of all subsequent divisions remain connected, then one would expect after the eight ensuing mitotic and meiotic divisions, hundreds of conjoined spermatids. The theoretical maximum numbers are probably never achieved since considerable cell death is known to occur normally at certain stages of the spermatogenic cycle. Degenerations are invariably associated with divisions but it appears that some members of a group of conjoined cells may degenerate without the degenerative process extending to the entire group. A possible explanation for this limitation of the process resides in transient specializations of the preexisting intercellular bridges during division that temporarily isolate cell territories within the syncytium. This consists of a series of 8-12 parallel cisternae oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the bridge. These cisternae are separated by intervening layers of relatively dense cytoplasmic material. Since these septa appear to interrupt cytoplasmic continuity, it is possible that they may prevent spread of degenerative changes throughout the syncytium and permit selective degeneration of certain cellular units. The total number of viable spermatids which remains interconnected is indeterminate, and probably variable, but may well be as many as a hundred.
Vertical deformation and absolute gravity

SUMMARY Crustal deformation in the Greenland and Antarctic areas is strongly influenced by both postglacial rebound and contemporary mass redistribution. We explore the relationship between the displacement field and the gravitational disturbance for a viscoelastic Maxwell Earth with an arbitrary radial viscosity profile. We seek to determine whether the effects of viscous relaxation in the memory of surface mass change can be separated from the effects of present day mass variation by combined measurements of vertical displacement and absolute gravity when the viscosity profile in the Earth’s interior is unknown. Our conclusion is positive. Specifically, the non-elastic effects can be reduced substantially by combined measurements of displacement and gravity change for a Maxwell viscoelastic Earth regardless of its radial viscosity profile. The underlying physics has nothing to do with the mathematical structure of viscous relaxation modes. Rather, it is due to the fact that the non-elastic response of a Maxwell Earth is nearly incompressible.
How defined contribution plans and 401(k)s affect employer pension costs

We investigate the pension choices made by over 700 firms between 1981 and 1998 when DC plans expanded and overtook DB plans. Their average pension contribution per employee dropped in real terms from 1,404 in 1998. At the same time, the share of their pension contributions attributed to defined contribution plans was 23% in 1981 and increased to 68% in 1998. By analyzing pension plan data from the IRS Form 5500 and finances of the plan's sponsoring employer from COMPUSTAT with a fixed-effects ordinary least squares model and a simultaneous model, we find that a 10% increase in the use of defined contribution plans (including 401(k) plans) reduces employer pension costs per worker by 1.7–3.5%. This suggests firms use DCs and 401(k)s to lower pension costs. Lower administrative expenses may also explain the popularity of DC plans. Although measuring a firm's pension cost per worker may be a crude way to judge a firm's commitment to pensions, this study suggests that firms that provide both a traditional defined benefit and a defined contribution plan are the most committed because they spend the most on pensions. Further research, especially case studies, is vital to understand employers' commitment to employment-based pension plans.
Methylammonium uptake by Chesapeake Bay phytoplankton: Evaluation of the use of the ammonium analogue for field uptake measurements1

The uptake of methylammonium (MA) by Chesapeake Bay phytoplankton was measured in short term experiments by using the ‘4c radioisotope. This uptake was inversely related to ambient NH4+ concentrations, and the specificity for uptake of both substrates was demonstrated by competitive inhibition. At stations with low ambient NH4+, MA uptake followed saturation kinetics, but the V,,, vnlucs decreased over time during 10-60-min incubations. Uptake rates of MA were generally lower than those of NH4+, but in short incubations (lo15 min) the V,,, values were similar. Although lMA and NH4+ are taken up by the same transport system, the utility of MA as an NHdk analogue is restricted by the strong inhibition of MA uptake by low concentrations of NH,+ and by the fact that in some cases MA uptake primarily reflects membrane transport, whereas N11,+ uptake can also reflect metabolic assimilation. Our results show that in typical uptake experiments, NH4+ uptake is rate-limited by either internal pool filling or metabolic assimilation rather than by the membrane transport system. As a consequence, the kinetic parameters reported in the literature for NIL+ uptake overestimate K, and underestimate V,,, ibr the membiane transport system.
Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of new halogenated chiral synthons

Two-step and practical asymmetric syntheses of enantiomerically pure 4-trifluoromethyl-2,2-dioxo-1,3,2-dioxathiolane and 4-trichloromethyl-2,2-dioxo-1,3,2-dioxathiolane (>98% ee) have been achieved. Catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation (AD) of 3,3,3-trifluoropropene and 3,3,3-trichloropropene, respectively, is followed by direct cyclic sulfate formation by reaction with sulfuryl chloride. Opening of the cyclic sulfates with various nucleophiles provides easy access to important chiral synthons.
Polypharmacy prevalence rates in the treatment of unipolar depression in an outpatient clinic

Abstract Objective Unipolar depression is a complex illness with an ever increasing number of pharmacological treatments available. As the number of available medication options increases, so does the potential for polypharmacy, a practice with possible complications. Such complications include a greater number of side effects with the initiation of additional medications and the consequences of drug–drug interactions. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of polypharmacy on efficacy of treatment as well as whether polypharmacy is instituted after appropriate initial monotherapy trials. This study attempts to answer these questions. Methods Patient names for this investigation were provided by residents in the UMass Medical School Psychiatry Residency program. The charts of these patients were analyzed to collect data regarding demographics, clinical data about the illness, medication names, types, duration of use and to access efficacy using the Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Results Of 160 reviewed charts, 135 subjects were included in the final analyses (others excluded due to incomplete data or no depression diagnosis). Patients were on average on 2.0 medications (SD = 0.5) with 2.1 past trials. A greater number of current antidepressant medications did not correlate with a greater improvement in CGI, implying that polypharmacy did not necessarily lead to greater efficacy. The impact of illness severity, as measured by comorbidities, substance abuse, and trauma history, were included in the analysis, and did not significantly change this outcome. Additionally, prescription patterns themselves were examined, including reasons for termination of medication trials, the impact of side-effects, and the number of patients that had complete monotherapy trials before transitioning to polypharmacy. Study limitations Small sample size, retrospective review, one CGI rater. Conclusions First, many patients did not receive an adequate monotherapy trial, as defined by dose and duration, before progressing to polypharmacy. Secondly, the use of two or more medications concurrently did not appear to increase efficacy as measured by CGI. Due to study limitations, direct comparison of the efficacy of one and two medications was not significant; however the study did demonstrate a general correlation between polypharmacy and greater depressive symptomatology. This suggests the need for optimizing monotherapy regimens before initiating polypharmacy that may not lead to improvement in symptoms.
Predicting total body fat from anthropometry in Latino children.

HUANG, TERRY T.-K., MICHAEL P. WATKINS, AND MICHAEL I. GORAN. Predicting total body fat from anthropometry in Latino children. Obes Res. 2003;11: 1192–1199. Objective: To develop prediction equations for total body fat specific to Latino children, using demographic and anthropometric measures. Research Methods and Procedures: Ninety-six Latino children (7 to 13 years old) were studied. Two-thirds of the sample was randomized into the equation development group; the remainder served as the cross-validation group. Total body fat was measured by DXA. Measures included weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, and skinfolds (suprailiac, triceps, abdomen, subscapula, thigh, and calf). Results: The previously published equation from Dezenberg et al. did not accurately predict total body fat in Latino children. However, newly developed equations with either body weight alone (intercept SE 1.78 1.53 kg, p 0.05; slope SE 0.90 0.07, p 0.05 against slope 1.0; R 2 0.86), weight plus age and gender (intercept SE 2.28 1.20 kg, p 0.05; slope SE 0.91 0.05, p 0.05; against slope 1.0; R 2 0.92), or weight plus height, gender, Tanner stage, and abdominal skinfold (intercept SE 1.47 1.01 kg, p 0.05; slope SE 0.93 0.04, p 0.05; against slope 1.0, R 2 0.97) predicted total body fat without bias. Discussion: Unique prediction equations of total body fat may be needed for Latino children. Weight, as the single most significant predictor, can be used easily to estimate total body fat in the absence of any additional measures. Including age and gender with weight produces an equally stable prediction equation with increasing precision. Using a combination of demographic and anthropometric measures, we were able to capture 97% of the variance in measured total body fat.
A novel floating-gate method for measurement of ultra-low hole and electron gate currents in MOS transistors

A new method for measurement of ultra-low gate currents in MOS transistors is presented. It is based on a novel coupled floating-gate transistor (CFGT) structure, which enables a clear distinction between threshold voltage shifts due to charge accumulated in the floating gate, and shifts due to device degradation. This advantage gives the new method a demonstrated sensitivity of 10-19A. In addition, with this structure it becomes possible to measure the relation between device degradation and the actual amount of charge injected to the gate. The method is demonstrated by measurements of hole and electron currents in NMOSFET's.
Transparent conducting oxide-based, passivated contacts for high efficiency crystalline Si solar cells

In this work, we investigate a transparent conducting oxide (TCO)-based, passivated contact for the potential use as a passivated tunnel contact to p-type Si. As a surface passivation layer, the Al2O3 films with varying the thickness are deposited using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) at 200 °C, followed by post-deposition annealing. For a ∼15 nm thick Al2O3 layer, a high level of surface passivation is achieved, characterized by the effective surface recombination velocity (Seff,max) of <30 cm/s. The samples with ultrathin Al2O3 layer <3 nm, however, shows degradation in passivation quality, reaching the Seff,max<500 cm/s. When Al-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) as TCO contact is directly deposited onto a ∼10.6 nm thick Al2O3 coated p-Si via RF magnetron sputtering, the final passivation quality (p-Si/Al2O3/ZnO:Al) is characterized by the saturation current density at contact (J0,contact) of 92.1 fA/cm2 with the implied open-circuit voltage (iVoc) of 653 mV, showing the passivation quality is not severely degraded after sputtering without thermal treatment. Further process optimization of PEALD is in progress to produce an improved quality of surface passivation with the Seff,max<10 cm/s for ultrathin passivation layers less than 2 nm, enabling a passivated tunneling contact.
A semi-blind logo watermarking scheme for color images by comparison and modification of DFT coefficients

Digital watermarking is considered to be a major technology for the protection of multimedia data. Some of the important applications are broadcast monitoring, copyright protection, and access control. In this paper, we present a semi-blind watermarking scheme for embedding a logo in color images using the DFT domain. After computing the DFT of the luminance layer of the cover image, the magnitudes of DFT coefficients are compared, and modified. A given watermark is embedded in three frequency bands: Low, middle, and high. Our experiments show that the watermarks extracted from the lower frequencies have the best visual quality for low pass filtering, adding Gaussian noise, JPEG compression, resizing, rotation, and scaling, and the watermarks extracted from the higher frequencies have the best visual quality for cropping, intensity adjustment, histogram equalization, and gamma correction. Extractions from the fragmented and translated image are identical to extractions from the unattacked watermarked image. The collusion and rewatermarking attacks do not provide the hacker with useful tools.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Adaptive Solver for THEp-VERSION of Finite Element Method

An adaptive solver for large-scale hierarchic finite element systems has been developed. A decision-making methodology aimed at selecting an optimal solution strategy on the basis of estimated conditioning, sparsity and memory requirements for a given problem has been devised. Numerical experiments have been conducted on selected shell and 3-D problems in the range of 1000–100 000 degrees of freedom. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
108. Decreased regulatory T cell populations in an in vitro stress model using normal human PBMC

The regulatory arm of the immune system is composed of several types of cells, including CD4 + CD25hiFoxP3 + Treg cells, Tr1 (CD4 + IL-10-producing) cells, and Th3 (CD4 + TGFbeta-producing) cells. These cells collectively regulate the responses of effector T cells, including Th1 and Th2. We have previously shown that both short-term (24 h) and long-term (11 day) exposure of lymphocytes to physiological stress-equivalent concentrations (10–8 M) of dexamethasone (DEX; a laboratory analog of cortisol) results in a significant decrease of the Th1/Th2 ratio, but it is unknown how stress affects the regulatory cells of the immune system. PBMC from healthy donors ( n = 18) were incubated with tetanus toxoid, IL-2, and with or without DEX. The phenotype of the various T cell populations was assessed by multicolor flow cytometry after 24 h, 5 days, and 11 days. Consistent with previous data, Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly decreased by DEX at each time point tested. Treg, Tr1, and Th3 cell populations were all significantly decreased by DEX after 24 h exposure. On days 5 and 11, there were no significant effects of DEX incubation on Tr1 and Th3 cells, but there was a significant increase in the number of Treg cells. These data suggest that the stress hormone-induced short term suppression of regulatory T cell subpopulations may be a mechanism for the altered Th1/Th2 balance seen in long term cultures.
Sport heritage and the healthy stadia agenda: an overview

AbstractThe healthy stadia agenda and sport heritage research appear to have much in common, though their relationship has not yet been explored in any detail. Many sport heritages involve playing particular sports, which may enhance physical activity aims of the healthy stadia agenda, while stadium tours – a staple of sport heritage industry – may also incorporate healthy stadia narratives. Similarly, sport heritage and the healthy stadia agenda are potential partners in public education, both through informal stadia-based public programmes and venue displays as well as more formal curriculum-based programming at sporting venues. However, the relationship between sport heritage and the healthy stadia agenda may also have some issues and challenges as well, as many sport heritages involve health risks and unhealthy behaviour. Ultimately, managers and researchers alike may wish to further consider the relationship between sport heritage and the healthy stadia agenda.
Robotic Low Anterior Resection

With an estimated 39,220 new diagnoses in 2016, rectal cancer continues to be a common disease within the United States [1]. Treatment of rectal cancer involves a multidisciplinary approach that often includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
Investigation of HV Power Supply for GEM Detector in High Dose Rate

There are two methods of the HV power supply for the GEM detector. One is a HV channel divided by the resistive chain and the other is the several separate HV channels. In the smaller dose rate of X-ray, all of the methods are similar. When the dose rate increases, the resistive chain-dividing mode has more obvious saturation effect and the working voltage of the GEM detector is unstable. In the paper, a GEM detector with an effective area of 100 mm×100 mm has been studied in the high dose rate using X-tube. The unit values in the divider resistance chain are set to 1, 2, 5 and 30 M? respectively in the test. With the resistive chain-dividing mode, the readout current of the GEM detector's anode tends to saturate when the dose rate of X-ray increases,and the reasons of the saturation effect are analyzed. The results indicate that the effective absorbed dose of X-ray by the triple GEMs detector reaches to the specific value and the divider resistance needs to re-select, even the several separate HV channels mode should be considered. It will keep the constant of the working voltage of the GEM detector without the saturation effect and gain variation and the performance of GEM detector is stable.
Propagation effects at X-band from the 2015 rain measurement campaign in Greeley, Colorado

Propagation effects relating to rainfall remote sensing at X-band are examined using data from an event which occurred during a six-month rain measurement campaign in Greeley, Colorado. The campaign involved three disdrometers, a rain gauge, and polarimetric radar measurements at S and X bands. Attenuation correction schemes using well-established procedures are applied to the radar data. Use of the specific attenuation derived from the correction procedures for estimating rainfall rates is examined.
Multiple regression and vector analyses of laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia and astigmatism.

PURPOSE To construct a quantitative model relating refractive results to laser settings and other factors. METHODS A prospective clinical trial was performed, including 14 surgeons and 523 eyes of 278 patients who desired correction of myopia from -1.00 to -16.00 D (mean, -6.20 D) and astigmatism up to 6.00 D (mean, 1.10 D). Myopia and astigmatism were corrected by laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with sequential spherical and cylindrical ablations using a 5.5-mm ablation zone and a transition zone to 7.0 mm. The Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser and the Chiron Automated Corneal Shaper were used. RESULTS Surgically induced refractive changes 3 months after surgery were measured. Spherical ablation by LASIK produced a 19% greater refractive change than that predicted by the Nidek PRK algorithm. The laser setting needed to achieve each 1.00 D of cylinder correction induced 1.30 D change in spherical equivalent refraction (0.80 D more than expected). Patient age and nonlinear effects had small but statistically significant influences on refractive outcome. Sex, left/right eye, and surgeon were not significant factors. Residual variations in spherical equivalent refraction included a 0.50-D constant plus 9% of the predicted spherical equivlanet change. Residual variations in the parallel and orthogonal components of cylinder correction were, respectively, 28% and 13% of the predicted cylinder change plus a 0.30-D constant component. The standard deviation of axis alignment error for cylinder ablation was 3.7 degrees. CONCLUSIONS Cylindrical ablation produced a spherical change that was larger than expected. To compensate for this, spherical ablation should be reduced in eyes with astigmatism. Variability in the correction of astigmatism was proportionally larger than that for spherical correction and was primarily due to magnitude rather than axis error.
Pulmonary complications of HIV-1 infection among adults living in Sub-Saharan Africa.

L'Afrique sub-saharienne, qui represente un peu plus de 10% de la population mondiale, heberge plus de 25 millions de personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA, soit deux tiers du total mondial. Les infections pulmonaires opportunistes sont des causes majeures de morbidite et de mortalite parmi les adultes infectes par le VIH dans ce sub-continent. Parmi ces maladies, la tuberculose (TB) est de loin la plus prevalente et la plus grave, et dans certains pays elle est la cause d'un tiers ou davantage de l'ensemble des deces lies au SIDA. Comme elle est si frequente et represente un probleme majeur de sante publique, la TB vient en tete du diagnostic differentiel chez les gens (avec ou sans infection VIH coexistante) qui se presentent dans le systeme de soins de sante avec une toux chronique et d'autres symptomes pulmonaires. Au fur et a mesure de l'aggravation de l'immunosuppression induite par le VIH, les manifestations cliniques et radiographiques de la TB deviennent de plus en plus atypiques. En seconde place parmi les complications pulmonaires associees au VIH/SIDA, se situe la pneumonie acquise dans la collectivite, due le plus souvent a Streptococcus pneumoniae, et qui repond habituellement aux antibiotiques β-lactames standard. La prevalence de la pneumonie a Pneumocystis jirovecii va en augmentant, par suite a la fois d'une amelioration de la reconnaissance de ses traits caracteristiques cliniques et radiographiques et d'interventions de diagnostic agressives; le resultat du traitement reste toutefois mediocre dans la plupart des pays. Les infections combinees incluant habituellement la TB sont frequentes. La nocardiose pulmonaire, la cryptococcose, le sarcome de Kaposi, et peut-etre l'histoplasmose, semblent peu frequents, mais leur diagnostic est probablement souvent meconnu. Une amelioration du diagnostic, du traitement et de la prevention de toutes ces maladies est necessaire d'urgence, mais un programme d'extension considerable du traitement antiretroviral sera le plus utile.
Heat transport through atomic contacts

Heat transport measurements in single-atom junctions verify the proportionality between thermal and electrical conductance. Heat transport and dissipation at the nanoscale severely limit the scaling of high-performance electronic devices and circuits1. Metallic atomic junctions serve as model systems to probe electrical and thermal transport down to the atomic level as well as quantum effects that occur in one-dimensional (1D) systems2. Whereas charge transport in atomic junctions has been studied intensively in the past two decades2,3,4,5, heat transport remains poorly characterized because it requires the combination of a high sensitivity to small heat fluxes and the formation of stable atomic contacts. Here we report heat-transfer measurements through atomic junctions and analyse the thermal conductance of single-atom gold contacts at room temperature. Simultaneous measurements of charge and heat transport reveal the proportionality of electrical and thermal conductance, quantized with the respective conductance quanta6. This constitutes a verification of the Wiedemann–Franz law at the atomic scale7.
O-GlcNAc regulates CD4+ T cell differentiation

Chronic inflammation is a feature of diabetes and obesity and enhances the risk of atherosclerosis and cancer. Specifically, proinflammatory Th1 and Th17 CD4+ T cells are increased in metabolic diseases. However, a clear molecular mechanism linking metabolic changes with proinflammatory T cells is lacking. We hypothesize that elevated levels of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), a post-translational modification of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins, promotes proinflammatory CD4+ T cell differentiation. Since production of O-GlcNAc involves input from carbohydrate, amino acid, fatty acid, and nucleic acid metabolism, the modification acts as a general sensor of a cell’s nutritional status. To investigate O-GlcNAc’s role, we cultured mouse splenic CD4+ T cells with Thiamet-G (TMG), a selective inhibitor of the enzyme that removes O-GlcNAc (O-GlcNAcase, OGA), before activating with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 under permissive Th0 conditions. We find a significant two-fold increase in protein and transcript levels of IL-17A, the eponymous Th17 cytokine. Intracellular cytokine staining shows two-fold increases in IFNγ+ cells, IL-17+ cells, and IFNγ+IL-17+ cells. Phosphorylation of STAT3 and STAT4, the transcriptionally active form of STATs which define the Th17 and Th1 lineage programs respectively, is increased in TMG-treated cells within 10 minutes of T cell receptor activation. Collectively, our data suggest that elevated O-GlcNAc levels prime Th17, Th1, and Th1-like Th17 CD4+ T cell differentiation by increasing activated STAT3 and STAT4. Further study into the molecular mechanism of how O-GlcNAcylation promotes proinflammatory T cells may provide insight into how nutritional excess exacerbates inflammation.
Impact of nosocomial infections surveillance on nosocomial infection rates: A systematic review.

Abstract Background According to previously studies, nosocomial infections (NIs) surveillance could effectively reduce infection rates. As NIs surveillance systems have been implemented in some hospitals for several years, their impact on NIs need to be explored. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to evaluate the tendency of NI rates during the surveillance period and the impact of surveillance on NI rates. Methods A systematic literature search of the PubMed database to identify papers that evaluated effect of surveillance on NIs, all kinds of NIs occurred during hospitalization or discharged were included. Exclude articles investigated the surveillance combined with other infection control measures. Results Twenty-five articles were included. NI rates had different levels of reduction during surveillance period, the reduction were not limited by state, department, surveillance system, and NI type. Continuous surveillance had a positive impact on NI, OR/RR were ranged from 0.43 to 0.95. Conclusion Participation in NI surveillance is associated with reducing infection rates, though RCTs need to further prove the effective role of surveillance. Hospitals may consider to perform NIs surveillance systems according to its own conditions.
A phase-shift dual-frequency selective harmonic elimination for multiple AC loads in a full bridge inverter configuration

Concurrent dual-frequency ac outputs from a single-inverter configuration potentially benefit many industrial applications, such as induction heating and wireless power transfer. In this paper, a phase-shift dual-frequency selective harmonic elimination (DFSHE) method is proposed to simultaneously generate and regulate two ac outputs at different frequencies from a single full-bridge inverter, which expands the family of DFSHEs. With the phase shift operation, all triplen harmonics of the fundamental are inherently suppressed in the inverter output spectrum, which improves the output THD, and may ease filter design. In addition, an evaluation of the unipolar, bipolar and phase-shift DFSHE techniques is presented, which analyzes design tradeoffs for multi-frequency applications. Finally, experimental results from a 50 W dual-output inverter validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, which agree with theoretical predictions and simulation results.
Altered protein metabolism in aging.

The 20th century has witnessed a remarkable increase in the mean life expectancy of people in the developed countries. In the United States this increase amounts to about 25 years, or 50%. It is, however, widely recognized that the maximal human life-span, of about 100 years, has not changed at all during this period, and has possibly increased only marginally during the whole of recorded history. Most of the recent success in life extension was the result of the development of effective cures for infectious diseases, thereby greatly reducing mortality at young age. Significantly extending human maximal life-span by similarly curing “old age diseases” appears much more difficult because it is well documented (Kohn, 1963) that the mortality from almost any disease increases exponentially with age. Thus, even a small increase in maximal life-span, as a result of eliminating an “old age disease” will expose us to an ever-increasing number of new life-threatening diseases. Such strategy is, therefore, expensive and inefficient.
Extraordinary science and psychiatry: Responses to the crisis in mental health research

Extraordinary Science and Psychiatry: Responses to the Crisis in Mental Health Research, edited by Jeffrey Poland and Serife Tekin, offers a refreshing philosophical take on the crisis currently pl...
Complete genome sequences of Clostridium perfringens Del1 strain isolated from chickens affected by necrotic enteritis.

Clostridium perfringens is ubiquitous in nature. It is a normal inhabitant in the intestinal tract of animals and humans. As the primary etiological agent of gas gangrene, necrosis and bacteremia, C. perfringens causes food poisoning, necrotic enteritis (NE), and even death. Epidemiology research has indicated that the increasing incidence of NE in poultry is associated with the withdrawal of in-feed antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production in response to government regulations. The recent omics studies have indicated that bacterial virulence is typically linked to highly efficient conjugative transfer of toxins, or plasmids carrying antibiotic-resistance traits. Currently, there is limited information on understanding of host–pathogen interaction in NE caused by virulent strains of C. perfringens. Elucidating such pathogenesis has practical impacts on fighting infectious diseases through adopting strategies of prophylactic or therapeutic interventions. In this report, we sequenced and analyzed the genome of C. perfringens Del1 strain using the hybrid of PacBio and Illumina sequencing technologies. Sequence analysis indicated that Del1 strain comprised a single circular chromosome with a complete 3,559,163 bp and 4 plasmids: pDel1_1 (82,596 bp), pDel1_2 (69,827 bp), pDel1_3 (49,582 bp), and pDel1_4 (49,728 bp). The genome had 3361 predicted coding DNA sequences, harbored numerous genes for pathogenesis and virulence factors, including 6 for antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance, and 3 phage-encoded genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Del1 strain had similar genome and plasmid sequences to the CP4 strain. Complete chromosomal and plasmid sequences of Del1 strain are presented in this report. Since Del1 was isolated from a field disease outbreak, this strain is a good source to identify virulent genes that cause many damaging effects of Clostridial infections in chicken gut. Genome sequencing of the chicken pathogenic isolates from commercial farms provides valuable insights into the molecular pathogenesis of C. perfringens as a gastrointestinal pathogen in food animals. The detailed information on gene sequencing of this important field strain will benefit the development of novel vaccines specific for C. perfringens-induced NE in chickens.