cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Iron Deficiency and the Small bowel.

This article reviews iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and suspected small bowel bleeding (SSBB) from initial consultation through laboratory evaluation, endoscopic evaluation, and therapeutic options. Recent guidelines on management of SSBB, IDA, video capsule endoscopy (VCE), and device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) are reviewed. The advantages and limitations of VCE, DAE, and imaging are discussed. Medical treatment for refractory small bowel bleeding is discussed. Evaluation of IDA starts with a detailed history and physical exam. Additional lab work can establish the diagnosis of IDA and evaluate for associated conditions. If initial endoscopic tests are unrevealing, SSBB should be ruled out. Further investigation can be performed using video capsule endoscopy (VCE), device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE), and imaging. The mainstay of medical treatment of IDA secondary to SSBB is iron supplementation. Additional treatment is tailored to the pathology and may include medical, endoscopic and surgical options.
Primary Language and the Electronic Health Record Patient Portal: Barriers to Use among Spanish-Speaking Adults with Asthma

Objectives: To assess electronic health record patient portal use among Spanish-speaking patients with asthma compared to English-speaking patients and identify barriers to use.Methods: Using data collected for a PCORI-funded randomized controlled trial to increase patient portal use in low-income adults with uncontrolled asthma, we estimated the association between portal use, measured using surveys and actual user login data, and primary language. Open-ended survey responses were grouped into common themes.Results: Among 301 adults with asthma: age 18-87, 90% female, 17% Spanish speakers; 44% had no portal use during the study. Spanish speakers were less likely to have ever heard of the patient portal than English speakers (p=.001) and reported more difficulty navigating the portal (p≤.001). Spanish speakers with low health literacy had less portal use (31%) than their English-speaking counterparts (51%) (p=.02). Compared to high-literacy English speakers, the odds of using the portal for low-literacy Spanish speakers were 0.34 (95% CI 0.14, 0.84) (p=.02). Three-quarters of Spanish speakers cited barriers to portal use compared to one-quarter of English speakers, and many suggested creating a Spanish version to improve user-friendliness.Conclusions: English-only patient portals may not meet the needs of Spanish-speaking patients with uncontrolled asthma. Health systems serving Spanish-speaking communities should implement patient portals in Spanish.
On the theory of Cα-tests

Abstract While in principle, score tests and C α - tests provide asymptotically optimal tests for composite hypotheses, in practice, these techniques often lead to intractable calculations. The tests proposed here are asymptotically equivalent to C α - tests , and require only routinely available software, thus greatly enlarging the practical reach of asymptotic theory.
Secondary electron emission from a thin coating on Lucite and Lexan substrates

Measurements of the SEEC (secondary electron emission coefficient) on samples of Lucite and Lexan cut from commercially available bar stock exhibit large variations from sample to sample. This scatter is too large to be explained by experimental uncertainties. It is proposed that the sample surfaces really are different due to the inhomogeneous bar stock. Techniques exist for measuring the density and composition of the polymers and it is suggested that these should be applied to the surface of these samples. The problem is not trivial, however, because the SEEC measurements probe only a thin surface layer. Therefore, the surface density, composition, and structure must be analyzed using techniques which also probe only a thin layer, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. >
Decay modes and lifetimes of the levels in the πh92·νg92 multiplet in 210Bi

Abstract The decay scheme for the ten levels of the ( π h 9 2 ·ν g 9 2 ) multiplet in 210 Bi has been determined by utilizing the 209 Bi(d.pγ) 210 Bi reaction. The halflives of the 433.3 and 438.7 keV levels were measured to be 58±6 ns and 38±6 ns. respectively. The spin sequence within the multiplet is deduced from these data.
Lattice Color Groups of Quasicrystals

Lattice color groups are introduced and used to study the partitioning of a periodically- or quasiperiodically-ordered set of points into N symmetry-related subsets. Applications range from magnetic structure to superlattice ordering in periodic and quasiperiodic crystals.
Walk Score: The Significance of 8 and 80 for Mortgage Default Risk in Multifamily Properties

In this paper, I use logistic regression to study the relationship between walkability and mortgage default risk in multifamily housing in a pool of nearly 37,000 Fannie Mae loans. Walkability is measured with Walk Score, a widely available metric. Controls were introduced for loan terms, property characteristics, neighborhood conditions, and macroeconomics. Walkability reduced default risk but the relationship was nonlinear with thresholds. Default risk significantly increased where walkability was very low and significantly decreased where it was very high. The implication is that walkability and its possible benefits to health and the environment could be fostered by relaxing lending terms without adding default risk.
SIPping from the data firehose

When mining large databases, the data extraction problem and the interface between the database and data mining algorithm become important issues. Rather than giving a mining algorithm full access to a database (by extracting to a flat file or other directly-accessible data structure), we propose the SQL Interface Protocol (SIP), which is a framework for interaction between a mining algorithm and a database. The data continues to reside entirely within the database management system (DBMS), but the query interface to the database gives the data mining algorithm sufficient information to discover the same patterns it would have found with direct access to the data. This model of interaction brings several advantages; for example, it allows a mining algorithm to be parallelized automatically just by using a parallelized DBMS to answer queries. We show how two families of mining algorithms may be implemented as "SIPpers," and we discuss related work in databases that should further enhance performance in the future.
Automated recognition of low-level process: a pilot validation study of zorro for test-driven development

Zorro is a system designed to automatically determine whether a developer is complying with the Test-Driven Development (TDD) process. Automated recognition of TDD could benefit the software engineering community in a variety of ways, from pedagogical aids to support the learning of test-driven design, to support for more rigorous empirical studies on the effectiveness of TDD in practice. This paper presents the Zorro system and the results of a pilot validation study, which shows that Zorro was able to recognize test-driven design episodes correctly 89% of the time. The results also indicate ways to improve Zorro's classification accuracy further, and provide evidence for the effectiveness of this approach to low-level software process recognition.
Do Limits Matter? Evidence on the Effects of Tax Limitations on Student Performance

Abstract The goal of this research is to determine if limits on the revenue-raising ability of school districts translate into constraints on the ability of these districts to affect student performance. We use the recent imposition of property tax limitations on school districts in the Chicago metropolitan area to determine if these limits have translated into slower growth in student performance. We find only limited evidence that student performance in districts subject to the tax limitations has fallen relative to student performance in districts not subject to the limitations.
LUNG INJURY AND FIBROGENIC RESPONSE TO DUSTS FROM CITRUS AND GRAPE HARVESTS

AbstractOusts were collected in citrus orchards and in vineyards from leaf surfaces in the area where harvest operations were ongoing. Six milligrams of each of the dusts was instilled intratracheally into the lungs of rats. All dusts contained approximately the same amounts of quartz. Three days later, the lung lavage fluid was assayed for protein and cell content. In animals that had been exposed to vineyard dusts, the percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the recovered cells was significantly higher than in control animals. This change was not seen in animals exposed to citrus orchard dusts. One of the vineyard and one of the citrus orchard dusts were instilled either once or four times into other animals, and lung hydroxyproline content, lung lavage composition, and incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine into cellular DNA was measured 1 wk later. Following a single instillation, vineyard dust produced signs of increased cell proliferation in the large airways and terminal bronchioles and, after fo...
A Creative Machine: The Media History of Theodor Fontane's Library Network and Reading Practices

This article proposes a new understanding of Theodor Fontane's reading techniques in the context of nineteenth-century textual practices. On the basis of Fontane's unpublished notebooks and other sources, the article reconstructs Fontane's management of a postal library network that supplied him with a ceaseless influx of materials from both highbrow and lowbrow culture. Analyzing the reading practices with which he traversed this variegated overabundance of material, the article contends that the virtuosic technique of “brutal reading” enabled Fontane to break textual sources down into discrete passages that became available for creative recombination for his own writing process. The article rebuts conventional approaches in Fontane scholarship that focus on his reading of individual authors and their influence, arguing that the question of how Fontane read is far more important than the question of what he read.
MicroPET Imaging of Breast Cancer Using Radiolabeled Bombesin Analogs Targeting the Gastrin-releasing Peptide Receptor

Mammography is a well-established method for detecting primary breast cancer; however, it has some limitations that may be overcome using nuclear imaging methods. Current radiopharmaceuticals have limited sensitivity for detecting small primary lesions and it has been suggested that novel radiopharmaceuticals are necessary for detection of primary breast cancer, as well as for detecting metastases and recurrence, or for monitoring therapy. The gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) is a seven-transmembrane G-protein coupled receptor that is overexpressed on primary breast cancer and lymph node metastases. Bombesin (BN) is a tetradecapeptide that binds with high affinity to GRPR and can be radiolabeled with the positron-emitter, copper-64 ((64)Cu) for imaging with positron-emission tomography (PET). The goal of this study was to evaluate BN analogs that could be radiolabeled with (64)Cu for PET imaging of breast cancer. A series of BN analogs containing 4, 5, 6, 8, and 12- carbon linkers were evaluated with regard to their binding and internalization into T-47D human breast cancer cells. The (64)Cu-labeled analogs were then evaluated in mice bearing T-47D xenografts by tissue biodistribution and microPET imaging. These studies showed that all of the analogs had IC(50) values <100 nM and were all internalized into T-47D cells. Biodistribution studies showed that the BN analog with the 8-carbon linker not only had the highest tumor uptake but also had high normal tissue uptake in the liver. The analogs containing the 6- or 8-carbon linkers demonstrated good tumor uptake as determined by microPET imaging. Overall, this study shows the feasibility of using positron-labeled BN analogs for PET detection of GRPR-expressing breast cancer.
Phlorizin-receptor interactions in fat cell plasma membranes

Abstract The rate but not the extent of phlorizin binding to purified fat cell plasma membranes was temperature dependent and this binding was a saturable process. A Scatchard plot revealed a population of sites which exhibited a dissociation constant of about 0.35 mM and a maximum binding capacity of about 8 nmoles/mg membrane protein. Under the conditions of these experiments neither glucose, phloretin, nor cytochalasin B inhibited [ 3 H]phlorizin binding. These data demonstrate the presence in fat cell plasma membrane of specific receptors for phlorizin which may mediate the inhibitory effects of this agent on hexose trasport.
Working with Military Families Through Deployment and Beyond

Military families experience considerable stress, periods of long separation, and changes to the family system due to family members planning to enter a war zone, actively living in a war zone, and reuniting after being in a war zone. Anticipation and understanding of the stages of deployment improves family, couple and individual functioning. The issues that the family and the couple are confronting at each stage of deployment: pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment are presented. Clinical interventions for the family and the couple are presented at each stage of deployment. Additionally, the impact of the service member’s war time experience on the family, couple, and her/himself is discussed.
Seasonal variation in neuroendocrine and mood responses to IV L-Tryptophan in depressed patients and healthy subjects

Seasonality of mood disorders might involve alterations in the rhythmicity of serotonin [5-HT] function. We examined seasonal effects on the neuroendocrine and mood responses to L-tryptophan (L-TRP) in depressed patients and healthy subjects. In this study, 126 drug-free patients with DSM-III-R major depression and 58 healthy subjects received in IV infusion of L-TRP. Serum prolactin (PRL) and plasma tryptophan levels were measured. Mood was assessed with visual analogue scales. Cosinor analysis revealed seasonal variation in peak change (A) PRL and baseline tryptophan levels in the combined depressed and in unipolar, nonmelancholic, and nonpsychotic patients. Peak A PRL and tryptophan levels were inversely correlated in combined depressed and unipolar patients. Seasonality was more evident in female than in male patients. These data support previous evidence that 5-HT function is abnormal in depression and further suggest a seasonal variability of such abnormalities that is absent in healthy subjects.
Regulation of cerebral microvascular endothelial cell cyclooxygenase-2 message and activity by blood derived vasoactive agents.

Abstract We have investigated the effects of prolonged treatment of cerebral microvascular endothelial cells with vasoconstrictor products of blood clot hemolysis on prostanoid production and cyclooxygenase (COX)/prostacyclin synthase activity and message. Confluent primary cultures of endothelial cells derived from piglet cerebral microvessels were incubated with endothelin-1 (ET-1; 10 nM) or thromboxane A 2 analog U-46619 (1 μM), alone or combined, and COX/prostacyclin synthase activity determined following exposure of treated cells to arachidonic acid (10 μM) for 30 min. 6-KetoPGF 1 α and PGE 2 levels in the medium were determined using radioimmunoassay. Effect of treatments on COX-2 message was determined by RNAse Protection Assay. Combined treatment with ET-1 (10 nM) and U-46619 (1 μM) for 24 h significantly reduced 6-ketoPGF 1 α and PGE 2 levels in the media by 57% and 33%. Treatment of cells with U-46619 alone increased both 6-ketoPGF 1 α and PGE 2 level in the media by 170% and 42%. Incubation of control cells with arachidonic acid (10 μM) for 30 min increased 6-ketoPGF 1 α and PGE 2 production by 163% and 567%. Pretreatment with ET-1 or U-46619 alone for 24 h had no significant effect on 6-ketoPGF 1 α produced from exogenous arachidonic acid. However, PGE 2 production from exogenous arachidonic acid by cells pretreated with ET-1 but not with U-46619 was attenuated by 35%. Combined treatment with ET-1 and U-46619 reduced both PGE 2 and 6-ketoPGF 1 α production from arachidonic acid by 14% and 40%, respectively. Acute incubation of cells with ET-1 or U-46619 did not have any significant effects on COX-2 mRNA. In conclusion, combined ET-1 and U-46619 reduced prostanoid production. The reduction cannot be fully explained by changes in COX/prostacyclin synthase activity and/or message, but the changes could be due to reduced availability of free arachidonic acid potentially resulting from inhibition of endothelial phospholipase A 2 .
Simultaneous Monitoring of Insulin and Islet Amyloid Polypeptide Secretion from Islets of Langerhans on a Microfluidic Device

A method was developed that allowed simultaneous monitoring of the acute secretory dynamics of insulin and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) from islets of Langerhans using a microfluidic system with two-color detection. A flow-switching feature enabled changes in the perfusion media within 5 s, allowing rapid exchange of the glucose concentrations delivered to groups of islets. The perfusate was continuously sampled by electroosmotic flow and mixed online with Cy5-labeled insulin, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled IAPP, anti-insulin, and anti-IAPP antibodies in an 8.15 cm mixing channel maintained at 37 °C. The immunoassay mixture was injected for 0.3 s onto a 1.5 cm separation channel at 11.75 s intervals and immunoassay reagents detected using 488 and 635 nm lasers with two independent photomultiplier tubes for detection of the FITC and Cy5 signal. RSD of the bound-to-free immunoassay ratios ranged from 2 to 7% with LODs of 20 nM for insulin and 1 nM for IAPP. Simultaneous secretion profiles of ...
Mayer Sampling: Calculation of Cluster Integrals using Free-Energy Perturbation Methods

Free-energy simulation methods are applied toward the calculation of cluster integrals that appear in diagrammatic methods of statistical mechanics. In this approach, Monte Carlo sampling is performed on a number of molecules equal to the order of the integral, and configurations are weighted according to the absolute value of the integrand. An umbrella-sampling average yields the value of the cluster integral in reference to a known integral. Virial coefficients, up to the sixth for the Lennard-Jones model and the fifth for the SPCE model of water, are calculated as a demonstration.
The Relationship of two Measures of Authoritarianism to the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory

(1960). The Relationship of two Measures of Authoritarianism to the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 333-338.
Random selection assisted long web search query optimization

Commercial search engines do not return optimal search results when the query is a long or multi-topic one [1]. Long queries are used extensively. While the creator of the long query would most likely use natural language to describe the query, it usually contains extra information. This information dilutes the results of a web search, and hence decreases the performance as well as the quality of the results returned. Kumaran et al. [14] showed that shorter queries extracted from longer user generated queries are more effective for ad-hoc retrieval. Hence, reducing the query length by removing extra terms improves the quality of the search results. There are numerous approaches used to address this shortfall. Our approach evaluates various versions of the query, trying to find the optimal one. This variation is achieved by reducing the query length using a random keyword combination. We use existing models and plug in information with the help of randomization to improve the overall performance while keeping any overhead calculations in check.
Prominent roles for odorant receptor coding sequences in allelic exclusion.

Summary Mammalian odorant receptors (ORs) are crucial for establishing the functional organization of the olfactory system, but the mechanisms controlling their expression remain largely unexplained. Here, we utilized a transgenic approach to explore OR gene regulation. We determined that although olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are capable of supporting expression of multiple functional ORs, several levels of control ensure that each neuron normally expresses only a single odorant receptor. Surprisingly, this regulation extends beyond endogenous ORs even preventing expression of transgenes consisting of OR-coding sequences driven by synthetic promoters. Thus, part of the intrinsic feedback system must rely on elements present in the OR-coding sequence. Notably, by expressing the same transgenic ORs precociously in immature neurons, we have overcome this suppression and established a generic method to express any OR in ∼90% of OSNs. These results provide important insights into the hierarchy of OR gene expression and the vital role of the OR-coding sequence in this regulation.
Indonesian Batik: Processes, Patterns, and Places

This book describes the whole range of batiks of Indonesia: the traditional designs of Central Java as well as those of the north coast of Java, and covers the processes, designs, and regional centers of batik.
The location of brainstem neurons which project bilaterally to the spinal trigeminal nuclei as demonstrated by the double flourescent retrograde tracer technique

Abstract Cells with possible dual projections to both spinal trigeminal nuclei were identified in the rat brainstem following separate injections of different retrogradely transported markers into the right and left spinal trigeminal nucleus. The greatest number of double-labeled cells was located in the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis. Several double-marked were also observed in the nucleus raphe magnus, the nucleus paragigantocellularis and the periaqueductal gray. These results suggest that some cells in the above brainstem nuclei may have a bilateral modulating effect on the spinal trigeminal nuclei.
Glutamate dehydrogenase isomerization: a simple method for diagnosing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium sufficiency in maize (Zea mays L.)

Improved nutrient-use efficiency in cropping systems is needed to increase farm income and to minimize possible nutrient emission to the environment. Plant glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) offers a means for improved diagnosis of the nutrient status of crops. Zea mays L. DK-68 was fertilized with nutrient solutions containing different ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N, P, K). Maize shoot GDH was fractionated to its population of isoenzyme by Rotoforation followed with native PAGE. The GDH of the control maize had the complete set of 28 isoenzymes. Fertilization of the maize with N 1 P 1 K 1 did not repress the 14 anodal but did repress the 14 cathodal isoenzymes. As the P content of the fertilizer increased in the sequence N 0 P 0 K 0 , N 1 P 0 K 1 , N 0 P 1 K 0 , N 1 P 1 K 1 , N 0 P 2 K 0 , and N 0 P 4 K 0 , the amination maximum velocity (V max ) of the enzyme decreased curvilinearly in the sequence 310, 246, 140, 130, 108, and 83 μmol min -1 mg -1 , respectively. The highest dry matter yield occurred when the fertilizer contained 1-3 mM P i , which was thus the nutrient deficiency-sufficiency interphase. In the GDH integration of the signals from the N, P, and K so as to respond with a characteristic isoenzyme population pattern, the signal from N superseded that from K; in turn, the signal from P superseded those from N and K. Signal integration was therefore based on the dominance by the most nucleophilic nutrient. In this case, the decreasing order of nucleophilic dominance was PO 4 3- > NH 4 + > K + .
SU‐E‐J‐34: A Multi‐Modality Image Atlas for Transforming An MR Image Into a Pseudo CT Image for MRI‐Based IGRT Application

Purpose: IGRT tools are most useful when registering similar datasets. In particular it is difficult to automatically register reference MR images with treatment CT or CBCT images. We proposed to create a pseudo CT from the reference MR images and to register the pseudo CT to the treatment CT. Methods: Two mice were sacrificed and immobilized on a rigid platform, and then imaged with small animal T1 and T2 weighted MRI and CBCT. Data from the first mouse was to develop an atlas and data from the 2nd mouse was to validate the system. To create a pseudo CT from an MRI, we first established the intensity conversion curve between the atlas CBCT and mouse MRI. This intensity conversion curve maps the intensity of fat tissue and soft tissue of the MRI onto the atlas CBCT intensity of the same tissue type. We used this conversion curve to create an intensity‐corrected MRI. Next, using global affine registration, local (bone‐by‐bone) affine registration, and deformable registration, we calculated the deformation field linking bony regions in the atlas MRI and the validation MRI. This deformation field was used to deform the CBCT image inside the atlas bone contour and to replace that section of the image in the validation mouse MRI. Results: The pseudo CT and validation CBCT are visually similar. Soft tissue in the pseudo CT is more recognizable and differentiable than in the validation CBCT. Contouring the bone structure on both images, the Dice index of the two bone structures was found to be 75%. The cross correlation of the image contents inside the fat‐soft tissue region between the pseudo CT and validation CBCT was 0.85. Conclusion: A novel approach was developed to create pseudo CT images from MR images that has potential applications in both small animal and human IGRT.
Modeling a Ground Water Circulation Well Alternative

Ground water circulation wells (GCWs) provide an appealing alternative to typical pump-and-treat ground water remediation systems because of the inherent resource-conservative nature of the GCW systems. GCW performance prediction is challenging because the consideration of extraction and recharge in a single well is unusual for most practitioners, the technology is relatively new, and a meaningful body of literature has not been published. A three-part evaluation process using state-of-the-practice numerical ground water flow and mass transport models was developed for application during GCW pilot studies at the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant site. A small-scale ground water flow model was developed during the pilot study planning process to predict the system performance and to locate performance-measuring monitoring wells. Key predictions included the capture zone predicted to develop upgradient of the GCW, the downgradierit GCW recharge zone, and the circulation zone centered on the GCW. The flow model was subsequently verified using ground water elevation data and contaminant concentration data collected during pilot study operation. Aquifer parameters were reestimated as a result of the verification process. Those parameter values were used as input to a larger scale model, which was used to develop a remedial alternative consisting of multiple GCW systems.
A Video Processing System Capable of Performing Coherence Length Measurements and Characterization of Fiber-Coupled Laser Diodes

The increasing interest in fiber optic communication and sensor systems utilizing interferometric detection of optical fields has made accurate determination of the light field's coherence parameters more important. We have developed a computer based measurement system which allows for video frame grabbing of Michelson interferometer output beams. Key attributes of this system are that it uses a standard non-dedicated microcomputer (Macintosh II) and relatively inexpensive commercially available software and frame acquisition hardware. Video frames are acquired and simply processed allowing fringe contrast to be easily determined, from which coherence length may be found. While the system described here is capable of performing optical contrast measurements of any field illuminating the video sensor array, its primary use in our facility has been to examine coherence of laser diodes that have been coupled into various types of single and multimode optical fiber. In addition, the system has been used to determine laser diode coherence length as the diode was subjected to various biasing conditions. Such measurements will be presented as will a complete description of the entire system.
Acute toxicity and mutagenicity of the copper complex of pyruvaldehyde-bis (N-4-methylthiosemicarbazone), Cu-PTSM

Cu-PTSM is a potential imaging agent for the heart and brain when labeled with either 64Cu or 62Cu. Unlabeled Cu-PTSM was evaluated for its acute toxicity and mutagenicity. Cu-PTSM had an i.v. LD50 of 26 mg kg-1 in the rat and 2 mg kg-1 in the rabbit. At necropsy, rats exhibited severely hemorrhagic lungs, histological findings of acute pulmonary congestion, hemorrhage and edema, and mild congestion in kidney, liver and brain. The rabbit displayed marked polymorphonuclear infiltration in alveoli, peribronchial and periarterial areas with marked macrophage hyperplasia, congestion and mild hemorrhage into alveolar spaces. No effects were found in kidney, liver, testes or brain. Administration of 2.16 micrograms kg-1 day-1 for 5 days per week for 2 weeks resulted in no changes in histopathology, hematology or clinical chemistry parameters. This daily dose is at least 300 times the diagnostic dose intended for use in man. Cu-PTSM was not mutagenic when tested in the absence of S9 supernatant, but elicited a weakly mutagenic response in the presence of S9. Since acute effects in the lung occur at doses approaching 300,000 times the diagnostic dose, it is highly unlikely that the clinical use of Cu-PTSM would result in any acute adverse effects.
Quantitation and characterization of human platelet glycoprotein IIIa by radioimmunoassay

Abstract Glycoprotein IIIa was quantitated in human platelets by radioimmunoassay using antisera specific to platelet membranes and purified glycoprotein IIIa. Glycoprotein IIIa and glycoprotein IIb were isolated from washed platelets by Triton X-114 extraction followed by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Radioiodinated glycoprotein IIIa was further purified by affinity chromatography on Lentil lectin-Sepharose 4B. Purified glycoprotein IIb showed little crossreactivity with 125I-labeled glycoprotein IIIa using the anti-platelet membrane or anti-glycoprotein IIIa antisera on a competition inhibition radioimmunoassay. The expression of glycoprotein IIIa epitopes were the same for the purified glycoprotein IIIa and glycoprotein IIIa in Triton X-100 solubilized platelets. A 66 kDa protein derived from glycoprotein IIIa by limited proteolysis of platelet membranes also expressed the same epitopes as intact glycoprotein IIIa. Solubilized platelets contained approximately 16 μg of total glycoprotein IIIa antigen per 109 cells. The level of glycoprotein IIIa determined by radioimmunoassay in one patient with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia amounted to 6.7% of normal and it was close to the values obtained by other methods.
The electric field produced in the mantle by the dynamo in the core

Abstract A rigorous singular perturbation theory is developed to estimate the electric field E produced in the mantle M by the core dynamo when the electrical conductivity σ in M depends only on radius r, and when |r ∂rln σ| ⪢ 1 in most of M. It is assumed that σ has only one local minimum in M, either (a) at the Earth's surface ∂V, or (b) at a radius b inside the mantle, or (c) at the core-mantle boundary ∂K. In all three cases, the region where σ is no more than e times its minimum value constitutes a thin critical layer; in case (a), the radial electric field Er ≈ 0 there, while in cases (b) and (c), Er is very large there. Outside the critical layer, Er ≈ 0 in all three cases. In no case is the tangential electric field ES small, nearly toroidal, or nearly calculable from the magnetic vector potential A as −∂tAS. The defects in Muth's (1979) argument which led him to contrary conclusions are identified. Benton (1979) cited Muth's work to argue that the core-fluid velocity u just below ∂K can be estimated from measurements on ∂V of the magnetic field B and its time derivative ∂ t B . A simple model for westward drift is discussed which shows that Benton's conclusion is also wrong. In case (a), it is shown that knowledge of σ in M is unnecessary for estimating ES on ∂K with a relative error |r ∂r 1n σ|−1from measurements of ES on ∂V and knowledge of ∂tB in M (calculable from ∂tB on ∂V if σ is small). Then, in case (a), u just below ∂K can be estimated as − r × E S /B r . The method is impractical unless the contribution to ES on ∂V from ocean currents can be removed. The perturbation theory appropriate when σ in M is small is considered briefly; smallness of σ and of |r ∂r ln σ|−1 a independent questions. It is found that as σ → 0, B approaches the vacuum field in M but E does not; the explanation lies in the hydromagnetic approximation, which is certainly valid in M but fails as σ → 0. It is also found that the singular perturbation theory for |r ∂r ln σ|−1 is a useful tool in the perturbation calculations for σ when both σ and |r ∂r ln σ|−1 are small.
Genetic influences on neural plasticity

Neural plasticity refers to the capability of the brain to alter function or structure in response to a range of events and is a crucial component of both functional recovery after injury and skill learning in healthy individuals. A number of factors influence neural plasticity and recovery of function after brain injury. The current review considers the impact of genetic factors. Polymorphisms in the human genes coding for brain-derived neurotrophic factor and apolipoprotein E have been studied in the context of plasticity and stroke recovery and are discussed here in detail. Several processes involved in plasticity and stroke recovery, such as depression or pharmacotherapy effects, are modulated by other genetic polymorphisms and are also discussed. Finally, new genetic polymorphisms that have not been studied in the context of stroke are proposed as new directions for study. A better understanding of genetic influences on recovery and response to therapy might allow improved treatment after a number of forms of central nervous system injury.
Common configurations for Engineering Student Support Centers

In response to the persistent issues of retention and diversity, many colleges offer Engineering Student Support Centers (ESSCs). However, little is known about ESSC design or how these centers function alongside the engineering curriculum and within the larger systems of engineering education. Based on the current literature, there is a need to better understand ESSC design and how such centers influence the institutional experience of undergraduate engineering students. Our research seeks to address this gap by examining ESSCs of varying structure and configuration at multiple institutions. The overall study will use a multi-case study approach, which includes interviews and open-ended surveys with center administrators and engineering students. Preliminary results from the first phase of the project reveal a variety of ESSC structures and will assist us in representing the assortment of centers in the later phases of the study.
An approach to quantitation in rhodamine isothiocyanate labeling.

Abstract A survey of commercially available TMRI and RBI products revealed that many are of unsatisfactory quality. Optimum dye/IgG ratios were obtained in conjugates with TMRI of about 65% purity by labeling them with reaction mixture ratios of 10 and 20 mug dye/mg IgG. Optimum labeling with RBI of comparable purity required reaction mixture ratios of at least 20 mug dye/mg IgG. Although specific storage stability studies of TMRI or RBI products were not performed, one TMRI product underwent appreciable degradation during a 2-year period of storage in a desiccator over Drierite. The importance of evaluating the protein labeling capacity of TMRI or RBI products before making immune conjugate preparations is evident.
Corrigendum to “Structural and magnetic properties of self-assembled nickel nanoparticles in a yttria stabilized zirconia matrix”

Abstract By controlling the early stages of thin film growth during laser ablation (i.e. Volmer–Weber type growth), we have synthesized magnetic nanocomposites consisting of nickel (Ni) nanoparticulates in multiple layers of yttria stabilized zirconia. The magnetic properties are a strong function of the nickel particle size, showing a clear transition from superparamagnetic to ferromagnetic characteristics. The coercivity at 300 K varies from 0 to nearly 13 kA m − 1 (∼ 160 Oe) as the laser ablation time is increased. By applying the Scherrer formula to X-ray diffraction patterns, we estimated the average size of the Ni nanoclusters to be
FISH studies of the sperm of fathers of paternally derived cases of trisomy 21: no evidence for an increase in aneuploidy

Paternal nondisjunction accounts for approximately 5% of cases of trisomy 21. To test the hypothesis that, in some such cases, the fathers might be predisposed to meiotic nondisjunction, we utilized fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to screen for aneuploidy in sperm. We analyzed sperm samples from ten males with a trisomy 21 offspring of paternal origin. Among these individuals, the overall frequency of disomy 21 was 0.15%, comparable to estimates of disomy 21 in the general male population. Furthermore, none of the ten fathers of trisomy 21 individuals had significantly elevated levels of disomic sperm. Thus, our results provide no evidence that the occurrence of a trisomy 21 conceptus of paternal origin imparts an increased risk of trisomy in subsequent pregnancies.
Failure to Launch: Women and Hindu Nationalist Politics in Colonial India

AbstractWhat role does the participation of women play in the political success or failure of radical right-wing religious movements? This study examines the participation of women in the politics of the radical Hindu right in India – known as Hindu nationalism – in its formative years at the turn of the twentieth century. I rely on interpretive empirical methods of archival research and close reading of major texts and speeches, papers, and party documents to find that the first political party of Hindu nationalism – the All-India Hindu Mahasabha – failed or neglected to mobilize and incorporate women in its activities. This failure was among the reasons for the failure of the Mahasabha as a political party, and the early failure of Hindu nationalism as a political enterprise. This is a mistake that its contemporary counterpart, the Bharatiya Janata Party, has not repeated. These findings suggest that the contemporary political success of radical religious nationalism in India derives in part from its re...
Social Justice Versus Social Equality The Capitalistic Jurisprudence of Marcus Garvey

During the 1920s, the Garvey movement challenged Black intellectualism, which at the time was in the midst of a renaissance. Influenced by the philosophy of Booker T. Washington and considered irreparably idealistic, Garveyism, nevertheless, remains the largest sociopolitical race movement in history. Throughout his legal quandaries, Garvey accurately articulated that the American legal system was highly bureaucratized and that the efficient processing of legal matters was the system's paramount concern. Garvey's ideology eerily resembles the law and economics paradigm of contemporary American justice, and his embrace of social justice over social equality is now realized in the rational choice framework of the American legal system. Consequently, Garvey remains relevant because he correctly surmised that capitalism is the cornerstone of righteousness and thus social justice should be evaluated by a capitalistic yardstick rather than by a social justice paradigm.
Factor VIII-Related Antigen Detects Phenotypic Change of Sinusoidal to Vascular Endothelium in Hepatic Fibrosis of Elderly Cadavers

In advanced stages of hepatic fibrosis, the liver sinusoidal endothelium transforms to vascular endothelium with accompanying expression of factor VIII-related antigen (FVIIIRAg), a phenotypic marker of vascular endothelial cells. Liver fibrosis has been shown to be associated with aging and was found to be prevalent in elderly cadavers. Using immunohistochemistry, we studied FVIIIRAg expression in the livers of elderly cadavers with progressive stages of fibrosis. The vascular endothelium of portal tracts and central veins was stained for FVIIIRAg, providing an internal positive control. The incidence of FVIIIRAg expression was low in the sinusoids of livers that showed minimal fibrosis or perisinusoidal fibrosis but was increased in livers with advanced fibrosis (i.e., septa formation, bridging fibrosis, and cirrhosis). FVIIIRAg positive sinusoidal endothelial cells were distributed in loose aggregates in the periportal, periseptal, and midlobular parenchyma and were found less frequently in the centrilobular area. FVIIIRAg immune deposits appeared patchy and discontinuous along the sinusoidal lining, likely representing focalized transformation of sinusoidal to vascular endothelium. There was a discrete localization of FVIIIRAg immunoreactivity in the foci of severe parenchymal fibrosis. Conclusion. FVIIIRAg is a reliable marker for detecting the transformation of sinusoidal to vascular endothelium in advanced liver fibrosis in elderly cadavers.
Cardiac developmental toxicity

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a highly prevalent problem with mostly unknown origins. Many cases of CHD likely involve an environmental exposure coupled with genetic susceptibility, but practical and ethical considerations make nongenetic causes of CHD difficult to assess in humans. The development of the heart is highly conserved across all vertebrate species, making animal models an excellent option for screening potential cardiac teratogens. This review will discuss exposures known to cause cardiac defects, stages of heart development that are most sensitive to teratogen exposure, benefits and limitations of animal models of cardiac development, and future considerations for cardiac developmental toxicity research.
Continuous versus Intermittent Infusion of Oxacillin for Treatment of Infective Endocarditis Caused by Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

Infective endocarditis (IE) is the fourth leading cause of life-threatening infection in the United States and imposes significant morbidity and mortality. The American Heart Association guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of IE do not address continuous-infusion (CI) oxacillin. This retrospective study compares outcomes between CI oxacillin and intermittent-infusion (II) oxacillin in the treatment of IE caused by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). A total of 709 medical records were reviewed for inpatients with definitive IE treated between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2007. Continuous data were analyzed by Student's t test or the Wilcoxon rank sum test. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to compare nominal data. A multivariate logistic model was constructed. One hundred seven patients met eligibility criteria for inclusion into the study. Seventy-eight patients received CI oxacillin, whereas 28 received II oxacillin. CI and II groups were similar with respect to 30-day mortality (8% versus 10%, P = 0.7) and length of stay (20 versus 25 days, P = 0.4) but differed in 30-day microbiological cure (94% versus 79%, P = 0.03). Sixty-three patients received synergistic gentamicin, whereas 44 did not. The gentamicin and no-gentamicin groups were similar with respect to 30-day mortality (11% versus 4%, P = 0.2) and 30-day microbiological cure (90% versus 89%, P = 0.8); however, times to defervescence (4 versus 2 days, P = 0.02) were significantly different. CI oxacillin is an effective alternative to II oxacillin for the treatment of IE caused by MSSA and may improve microbiological cure. This convenient and pharmacodynamically optimized dosing regimen for oxacillin deserves consideration for patients with IE caused by MSSA.
Incentive driven information sharing in delay tolerant mobile networks

Mobile wireless devices (e.g., smartphones, PDAs, and notebooks) play important roles in our daily life, e.g., users often use such devices for bank transactions, keep in touch with friends. Users can also store such information and share with one another via opportunistic peer to peer links. However, peer to peer links are opportunistic links which are intermittent in nature and hence require the store-and-forward feature proposed in Delay Tolerant Networks to provide useful data sharing opportunities. Moreover, due to the limited resources, e.g., communication bandwidth and battery consumption, mobile devices can be selfish and may not be willing to forward data items to other devices that are interested in such items. Hence, effective data dissemination schemes need to be designed to encourage nodes to collaboratively share data. In this paper, we propose a Multi-Receiver Incentive-Based Dissemination (MuRIS) scheme that allows nodes to cooperatively deliver information of interest to one another via chosen delivery paths that utilize few transmissions. Our MuRIS scheme utilizes local historical path and tracks users' interests information maintained by each node. In addition, the charge and reward functions incorporated within our MuRIS scheme stimulate cooperation among nodes such that the nodes have no incentive to launch edge insertion attacks. Furthermore, our charge and reward functions are designed such that the chosen delivery paths mimic efficient multicast tree that results in fewest delivery hops. Extensive simulation studies using real human contact-based mobility traces show that our MuRIS scheme outperforms existing methods in terms of delivery ratio and transmission efficiency.
Matter–Antimatter Relativistic Ambiplasma Pinch

An ambiplasma is a plasma made from matter and antimatter. We study here the property of such plasma at relativistic energy, which is made of counterstreaming electron and positron beams, and its extension to a hydrogen-antihydrogen ambiplasma pinch configuration, where the pinch current is made up from counterstreaming electrons and positrons at relativistic energy. Being very much as intense as relativistic electron beams, which are largely immune against the classical pinch instabilities, the same can hopefully be expected for the counterstreaming relativistic electron and positron beams. By radiation cooling, such electron-positron ambiplasma can collapse to a very small diameter, which, in the limit, is determined by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, reaching enormous densities. Because the counterstreaming electrons and positrons move at relativistic energy, their cross section for mutual annihilation is substantially reduced, making the lifetime of this ambiplasma large in comparison with the pinch implosion time. In a similar way, one can obtain a proton-antiproton ambiplasma pinch with two counterstreaming intense multigigaelectronvolt proton and antiproton beams. To overcome the technical problem to create such beams, as an easier way, one may consider a hydrogen-antihydrogen ambiplasma pinch where only the electrons and positrons carry the current. The current is produced by electron-positron runaway through the application of a high voltage pulse from a super Marx generator.