cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What Is the Role of Repeat Aspiration in the Diagnosis of Periprosthetic Hip Infection

BACKGROUND The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons clinical practice guideline currently recommends repeat joint aspiration when workup of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) reveals conflicting data. This guideline is based on a single study of 31 patients published 25 years ago. We sought to determine the correlation between first and second aspirations and factors that may play a role in variability between them. METHODS Sixty patients with less than 90 days between aspirations and no intervening surgery were identified at our institution and classified by Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) criteria as infected, not infected, or not able to determine after both aspirations. Culture results from both aspirations were recorded. The rates of change and correlation in clinical diagnosis and culture results between aspirations were determined. RESULTS Repeat aspiration changed the diagnosis in 26 cases (43.3%, 95% confidence interval 31.6-55.9, kappa coefficient 0.32, P < .001), and the culture results in 25 cases (41.7%, 95% confidence interval 30.1-54.3, kappa coefficient 0.27, P < .01). Among patients initially MSIS negative, the proportion who changed to MSIS positive was greater for those with a history of prior PJI compared to those without (66.7% vs 0%, P < .05), and the first aspiration mean volume was higher for those changed to MSIS positive compared to those that remained MSIS negative (12.0 vs 3.0 mL, P < .01). Among patients initially MSIS positive, the proportion of patients who changed to MSIS negative was greater for those with a history of adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR) to metal debris compared to patients without suspicion of ALTR (100% vs 7.7%, P < .05). CONCLUSION Repeat aspiration is particularly useful in patients with conflicting clinical data and prior history of PJI, suspicion of ALTR, or with high clinical suspicion of infection.
Nietzsche (as) educator

There has been no shortage of readers who take Nietzsche as educator (cf., for a by no means exhaustive list: Allen, 2017; Aviram, 1991; Bell, 2007; Cooper 1983; Fairfield, 2017; Fitzsimons, 2007; ...
Treating Tumors at Low Drug Doses Using an Aptamer-Peptide Synergistic Drug Conjugate.

Combination chemotherapy must strike a difficult balance between safety and efficacy. Current regimens suffer from poor therapeutic impact because drugs are given at their maximum tolerated dose (MTD), which compounds the toxicity risk and exposes tumors to non-optimal drug ratios. A modular framework has been developed that selectively delivers drug combinations at synergistic ratios via tumor-targeting aptamers for effective low-dose treatment. A nucleolin-recognizing aptamer was coupled to peptide scaffolds laden with precise ratios of doxorubicin (DOX) and camptothecin (CPT). This construct had an extremely low IC50 (31.9 nm) against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in vitro, and exhibited in vivo efficacy at micro-dose injections (500 and 350 μg kg-1 dose-1 of DOX and CPT, respectively) that are 20-30-fold lower than their previously-reported MTDs. This approach represents a generalizable strategy for the safe and consistent delivery of combination drugs in oncology.
Validation of a Concussion Screening Battery for Use in Medical Settings: Predicting Centers for Disease Control Concussion Symptoms in Children and Adolescents

Objective Effective screening for concussion is increasingly important, and medical professionals play a critical role in diagnostic and return-to-play decisions. However, few well-validated measures are available to assist in those decisions. This study aims to determine whether previously validated measures assessing neurocognitive and neurobehavioral abilities can predict Centers for Disease Control (CDC) concussion symptom endorsement in a sample of child or youth athletes. Method Participants were 113 individuals, aged 6-17, representing 29 consecutive cases undergoing a post-concussion evaluation by a pediatric neurologist and 84 consecutive cases completing standardized baseline assessments (i.e., not being evaluated as a follow-up to a concussion). All participants completed the same standardized battery of tests comprised of the Connors' Continuous Performance Test (CPT 3), the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), and the NIH 4-Meter Gait Test as well as completing a checklist of CDC concussion symptoms. Results Regression analyses indicate that the screening battery explained 33% of the variance (d = 1.4) in concussion symptom endorsement, after controlling for age. The neurocognitive test alone (CPT 3) accounts for 21.5% of the variance (d = 1.05) in symptoms after controlling for age, and the neurobehavioral measures (BESS and NIH 4-Meter Gait) then account for an additional 11.5% variance (accounting for 18.6% variance, d = .96, when entered first). These effect sizes are considered large to very large and reflect a marked increase in predictive validity relative to existing measures commonly used in concussion assessments. Conclusions A relatively brief screening battery can function in medical settings to predict significant and substantial variability in CDC concussion symptoms in a pediatric sample.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Inpatient Management of Primary Spinal Cord Tumors.

Background Racial disparities, such as differential treatment and provider bias, negatively affect quality of life for minority patients. However, literature evaluating racial/ethnic differences in the treatment of primary spinal cord tumors (SCTs), a rare condition relying primarily on neurosurgical care, is lacking. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all primary SCT discharges from 2012 to 2016 within the National Inpatient Sample, a 20% all-payer database from hospitals across 47 U.S. states. Relative risks (RRs) for the association of race with mortality, receipt of surgery, and disposition, as well as length of stay and hospital charges, were calculated. Results A total of 1296 discharges met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inpatient mortality was similar across all racial/ethnic groups. Compared with white patients, African Americans were less likely to receive surgical intervention for the same diagnosis (RR, 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70–0.93) and to be discharged home (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.50–0.91) as opposed to a skilled nursing or intermediate-care facility (RR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.06–2.27). Hispanic patients remained in the hospital 2–3 days longer (6.12 ± 5.86 vs. 8.61 ± 10.97; P = 0.028), resulting in higher hospital charges (U.S. $111,357.02 ± $99,468.44 vs. $163,416.30 ± $228,420.60; P = 0.022). Conclusions African Americans were less likely to receive surgical intervention for treatment of primary SCTs compared with whites. Hispanic patients faced longer hospital stays. These disparities may be attributed to compromised access, provider attitudes and biases, communication barriers, or historical distrust in the medical community: issues that health care reform should address.
Chapter 13 – Respiration

The primary function of the respiratory system is gas exchange—delivering oxygen from the environment to the tissues, and removing carbon dioxide from the tissues. Maintaining a constant and high body temperature and exercise in flight create very high demands for oxygen delivery, and birds have evolved a unique respiratory system to meet these demands. Basic principles of mammalian respiratory physiology that govern ventilation, pulmonary blood flow, diffusion, oxygen and carbon dioxide carriage in the blood, pulmonary and tissue gas exchange, and control of breathing apply to birds also. However, the unique structure of the avian respiratory system, which separates the functions of ventilation and gas exchange between large, poorly vascularized air sacs and small constant volume lungs, respectively, confers functional advantages over other vertebrates, especially in hypoxia. Although the basics of avian respiratory physiology are understood, there are many important and fundamental questions that remain to be answered.
Social Learning in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Community Establishments' Closure Decisions Follow Those of Nearby Chain Establishments

As conveners that bring various stakeholders into the same physical space, firms can powerfully influence the course of pandemics such as coronavirus disease 2019. Even when operating under governm...
Phase-dependent Stimulation for Modulating Phase-amplitude Coupling: A Computational Modeling Approach

Phase-amplitude coupling (PAC), in which the amplitude of a faster neural oscillation couples to the phase of a slower rhythm, is one of the most common representations of complex neuronal rhythmic activities. In a healthy brain, PAC accompanies cognitive function, and abnormal patterns of PAC have been linked to several neurological disorders. Among the various brain neuromodulation techniques, phase-dependent stimulation has a strong potential to modulate PAC levels. In this study, we utilize a computational model in the NEURON environment based on a detailed mathematical model of neuronal populations, consisting of networks with both excitatory and inhibitory neurons, to simulate PAC generation. The model was then used to investigate the modulatory effects of phase-dependent stimulation on the generated PAC. Simulated data from the model shows that stimulation locked to the phase of slower rhythms increased PAC level during stimulation. These results demonstrate the capacity of phase-dependent stimulation to modulate PAC, which could allow for applications in the treatment of neurological disorders associated with abnormal PAC, such as Parkinson's disease.Clinical Relevance— Analyzing the origins of neuronal PAC and developing a brain stimulation technique for modulating the level of PAC can facilitate the development of novel treatment methods for neurological disorders associated with abnormal cross-frequency coupling.
Some Intersections in the Poincaré Bundle and the Universal Theta Divisor on

We compute all the top intersection numbers of divisors on the total space of the Poincare bundle restricted to B × C (where B is an abelian variety, and C ⊂ B is any test curve). We use these computations to find the class of the universal theta divisor and m-theta divisor inside the universal corank 1 semiabelian variety — the boundary of the partial toroidal compactification of the moduli space of abelian varieties. We give two computational examples: we compute the boundary coefficient of the Andreotti-Mayer divisor (computed by Mumford but in a much harder and ad hoc way), and the analog of this for the universal m-theta divisor.
High-quality real-time raycasting and raytracing of streamtubes with sparse voxel octrees

Voxel-based rendering and signed distance function (SDF) raycasting have been active areas of graphics research recently because they simplify high-quality graphical effects like ambient occlusion and shadowing as compared to rasterization. Much work has centered around converting triangle meshes to sparse voxel octrees (SVOs) and developing memory efficient storage schemes but little exploration of the implications to scientific visualization has taken place. In this work we explore techniques for high-performance rendering of tubes, such as streamtubes used for visualizing vector fields and fiber tracts from diffusion tensor MRI. We first present our method for generating a voxelization of the tubes, and then describe several methods for rendering: raytracing a SVO storing straight tube segments in the leaves, and hybrid raytracing/raycasting a SVO storing curved tube segments. We discuss the tradeoffs inherent in these different representations and compare the rendering techniques and results. Compared to standard graphics pipeline approaches, like using the geometry shader, we achieve joining, capping, and smooth circular cross-sections with minimal additional effort.
Understanding CNN based anthropomorphic model observer using classification images

It is widely accepted that medical imaging reconstruction strategies should be optimized by maximizing the chance of a radiologist making a correct diagnostic. This implies organizing costly sessions with doctors to evaluate the images and provide feedback. Model Observers (MO) are algorithms designed to act as human surrogates in evaluating and providing feedback as a measure of diagnostic accuracy, and should be tuned to make the same diagnostic as the human’s, regardless of the correctness. In this work, we use a previously trained and optimized Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) based MO to construct classification images that show how the diagnostic information is accessed by the MO in a form of a perceptual filter. A single MO was trained for a forced-localization task in simulated data with three different power-law noise backgrounds representing different levels of background variability. The classification images are computed in the same way as they would for a human observer using 10,000 simulated images with a defect. The frequency profile of the MO classification images show that frequency weights appear band-pass in nature and highly correlated to the frequency weights from the human observer classification images.
The early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on business sales

COVID-19 led to a massive shutdown of businesses in the second quarter of 2020. Estimates from the Current Population Survey, for example, indicate that the number of active business owners dropped by 22% from February to April 2020. We provide the first analysis of losses in sales among the universe of businesses in California using administrative data from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Losses in taxable sales average 17% in the second quarter of 2020 relative to the second quarter of 2019 even though year-over-year sales typically grow by 3-4%. We find that sales losses were largest in businesses affected by mandatory lockdowns such as accommodations, which lost 91%, whereas online sales grew by 180%. Placing business types into different categories based on whether they were considered essential or nonessential (and thus subject to early lockdowns) and whether they have a moderate or high level of person-to-person contact, we find interesting correlations between sales losses and COVID-19 cases per capita across counties in California. The results suggest that local implementation and enforcement of lockdown restrictions as safety measures for public health and voluntary behavioral responses as reactions to the perceived local COVID-19 spread both played a role. Business sales dropped by 17% on average due to the pandemic during the second quarter of 2020 in California. Accommodations lost 91% of sales, whereas online sales grew by 180%. Sales fell more steeply in counties with more COVID-19 cases. We examine how much businesses lost in sales using administrative sales tax data. The average losses of 17% in the second quarter of 2020 relative to the second quarter of 2019 occurred even though year-over-year sales typically grow by 3-4%. We find that sales losses were largest in businesses affected by mandatory lockdowns such as accommodations, drinking places, and arts, entertainment, and recreation. Distinguishing between essential and nonessential businesses, which were subject to early lockdowns, and by the level of person-to-person contact, we find that local implementation and enforcement of lockdown restrictions for public health safety and voluntary responses to the perceived local COVID-19 spread both played a role. The results suggest that small businesses may need more support from governments and consumers to mitigate the strong shift to online vendors, and that the pandemic must be brought under control as a prerequisite to a full recovery.
Performance Evaluation for Fleet-based and Unit-based Prognostic Methods

Within the last decade several new methods for prognostics have been developed and an overall understanding of the various issues involved in predictions for health management has significantly improved. However, it appears that there is still a lack of consensus on how prognostics is defined and what constitutes good performance for prognostics. This paper first differentiates prognostics from other prediction approaches before highlighting key attributes of performance for prediction methods. Then it argues that it is important to understand what factors affect the performance of a prognostic approach. Factors such as the application and end use of a prognostic output, the various methods to make predictions, purpose of performance evaluation, etc. are discussed. This paper presents a comprehensive view of various such aspects that dictate or should dictate what performance evaluation must be as far as prognostics is concerned. It is also discussed what should be used as baseline to assess performance and how to interpret commonly used comparisons of algorithm predictions to observed failure times. The primary goal of this paper is to present some arguments of how these issues can be addressed and to stimulate a discussion about meaningful evaluation of prognostic performance. These discussions are followed by a brief description of prognostics metrics proposed recently, their applicability, and limitations. This paper does not intend to suggest any metrics in particular rather highlights important aspects that must be covered by any performance evaluation method for prognostics.
Crystal Structure of a New Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Protein Encoded by Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Elements

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a global public-health threat. Methicillin resistance is carried on mobile genetic elements belonging to the Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome or SCC family. The molecular mechanisms that SCC elements exploit for stable maintenance and for horizontal transfer between strains are poorly understand. Previously, we identified and characterized several conserved SCC genes with putative functions in DNA replication, including lp1413, which we found encodes a single-stranded (ss) DNA binding protein. We report here the 2.18 A crystal structure of LP1413, which shows that it adopts a winged helix-turn-helix fold rather than the OB-fold normally seen in replication-related ssDNA binding proteins. However, conserved residues form a hydrophobic pocket not normally found in winged helixturn-helix domains. LP1413 also has a conserved but disordered C-terminal tail. As we find that deletion of the tail does not affect cooperative binding to ssDNA, we propose that it mediates interactions with other proteins. We discuss roles that LP1413 could play in vivo.
Neurobiology of Substance Use Disorders

This chapter reviews the three-stage neurobiological model of substance use and related disorders. Relevant neurocircuitry governing intoxication, acute and post-acute withdrawal, and cognitive preoccupation is situated within the clinically useful framework of incentive salience, negative emotionality, and executive dysfunction. A case study is used to illustrate the utility of this neuroscience framework in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals presenting with addiction.
The Use of Journaling As a Learning Technique In Consumer Behavior Education

This study empirically analyzed Kolb's experiential learning process through the technique of journaling. Undergraduate students enrolled in consumer behavior were asked to respond to four areas of inquiry for a purchase experience according to Kolb's model. Results indicate that the technique of journaling is an effective method of learning for consumer behavior students. This new experiential learning technique may also be useful for other marketing courses.
Organic Chemical Dynamics of the Mixed Layer: Measurement of Dissolved Hydrophilic Organics at Sea

Insights into important dynamic oceanographic processes can be gained through analyses of natural dissolved organic compounds. These analyses are being facilitated by the adaptation of sensitive and rapid measuring techniques which can be used at sea to follow real-time variations in water column processes. Particularly noteworthy is the analytical approach employing reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled with specific detection. In this review, this approach is discussed in some detail. Actual and potential shipboard methods based on this approach are described for amino acids, thiols, low molecular weight carbonyl compounds, carboxylic acids, and metal-organic complexes. Emphasis is placed on how the methods work, their limitations, and examples of field applications.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Steroid Hormones

Sex steroid secretion by the gonads is regulated by luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone secreted from the pituitary gland. The secretion of these gonadotropins is, in turn, regulated by the circulating levels of the sex steroid hormones. Thus, the ability of these sex steroid hormones to enter the central nervous system from the plasma is likely to be important in the feedback regulation of gonadotropin secretion. This short Chapter reviews this aspect of steroid physiology. The discussion centers on the sex steroids of primary importance in man: testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol, progesterone, and 17-hydroxyprogester-one. Cortisol, the major glucocorticoid in man, is also examined for comparison. The movement of the sex steroid hormones from plasma into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the concentrations of the sex steroid hormones in CSF, and the movement of sex steroid hormones from plasma into various areas of the brain, including the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, are discussed. Data generated in our own laboratories relevant to these subjects are first presented, and then discussed in relation to data available from the literature.
Wise breeding GA via machine learning techniques for function optimization

This paper explores how inductive machine learning can guide the breeding process of evolutionary algorithms for black-box function optimization. In particular, decision trees are used to identify the underlying characteristics of good and bad individuals, using the mined knowledge for wise breeding purposes. Inductive learning is complemented with statistical learning in order to define the breeding process. The proposed evolutionary process optimizes the fitness function in a dual manner, both maximizing and minimizing it. The paper also summarize some tuning and population sizing issues, as well as some preliminary results obtained using the proposed algorithm.
Recent Calculations of Isospin-Mixing Corrections to the Fermi Matrix Element in Superallowed β-Decay and the Determination of the Weak Vector Coupling Constant

In this report, corrections to the Fermi matrix element for superallowed β-transitions due to isospin impurities are presented. An important feature of these decays is that, since they are purely vector, their ft values are given by $$ {f_R}t = K/G_V^2{\left| {{M_F}} \right|^2} $$ (1) where K is a constant, f the statistical rate function (which includes the nucleus -dependent “outer” radiative correction δR of Sirlin [1], i.e. fR=f(1+δR)), t the partial half-life, GV the effective vector coupling constant for single nucleon β-decay, and MF the Fermi matrix element for the transition. Once all nucleus-dependent corrections have been applied to (1), it is possible to extract empirical values of GV. This is important because the effective vector coupling constants for nucleon and muon β-decay are related by $$ G_V^2 = G_{\mu }^2{\cos^2}{\theta_C}\left( {1 + {\Delta_{\beta }} - {\Delta_{\mu }}} \right) $$ (2) where θC is the Cabibbo angle, and Δβ and Δμ are the “inner” radiative corrections to nucleon and muon 3-decay, respectively. With GV/Gμ and θC determined from experiment, it is then possible to test current theoretical estimates for Δβ - Δμ.
Effect of mastication and other mechanical treatments on fuel structure in chaparral

Mechanical fuel treatments are a common pre-fire strategy for reducing wildfire hazard that alters fuel structure by converting live canopy fuels to a compacted layer of dead surface fuels. Current knowledge concerning their effectiveness, however, comes primarily from forest-dominated ecosystems. Our objectives were to quantify and compare changes in shrub-dominated chaparral following crushing, mastication, re-mastication and mastication-plus-burning treatments, and to assess treatment longevity. Results from analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified significant differences in all fuel components by treatment type, vegetation type and time since treatment. Live woody fuel components of height, cover and mass were positively correlated with time since treatment, whereas downed woody fuel components were negatively correlated. Herbaceous fuels, conversely, were not correlated, and exhibited a 5-fold increase in cover across treatment types in comparison to controls. Average live woody fuel recovery was 50% across all treatment and vegetation types. Differences in recovery between time-since-treatment years 1–8 ranged from 32–65% and exhibited significant positive correlations with time since treatment. These results suggest that treatment effectiveness is short term due to the rapid regrowth of shrubs in these systems and is compromised by the substantial increase in herbaceous fuels. Consequences of not having a full understanding of these treatments are serious and leave concern for their widespread use on chaparral-dominated landscapes.
Growth of Myxovirus parainfluenza Type 3 in Organ Cultures of Guinea Pig Tissue

Craighead, J. E. (Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.). Growth of Myxovirus parainfluenza type 3 in organ cultures of guinea pig tissue. J. Bacteriol. 92:751-761. 1966.-Organ cultures of adult guinea pig nasal mucosa, lung, and pleura were infected with Myxovirus parainfluenza type 3. Observations were made on the growth of virus at intervals after inoculation. An inoculum of 10(2.5) tissue culture infectious doses (tcid(50)) initiated infection in each of the tissues. Cultures of nasal mucosa yielded up to 10(6.0)tcid(50) per 6 hr for periods of as long as 2 weeks. Virus production was not affected by the "immune" status of the animal used as a source of tissue. Introduction of antiserum into the medium appeared to suppress virus release but failed to "cure" the infection. Interferon was not detected in fluids bathing the nasal mucosa. Cultured fragments of lung produced virus for 28 days after inoculation. As much as 10(5.0)tcid(50) per 6 hr was released by the tissue. Pleural mesothelial cells lining the diaphragm yielded up to 10(6.0)tcid(50) per 6 hr over a 14-day period. Histological sections showed that the tissues retained differentiated morphological features during maintenance in vitro. Cytological changes unequivocally associated with infection were not recognized. The techniques described give reproducible, quantitative results. Organ cultures are feasible for the study of virus growth and cytopathology in differentiated tissues.
Interface and diffusion control of hydrogen transport

Il est interessant d'etablir si le transport de l'hydrogene est controle par la diffusion a l'interface ou dans le volume. Des etudes recentes par des techniques de permeation ou de faisceau ionique ont permis de determiner les constantes de vitesse phenomenologiques. Ces valeurs semblent controler une diffusion interfaciale
Analytical transmission electron microscopy of La2O3-doped Y2O3

Analytical electron microscopy has been used to study the precipitation reactions in sintered samples of 9 mol% La2O3-Y2O3 samples upquenched from the single phase cubic region into the cubic and hexagonal phase field. Samples annealed just inside the two-phase cubic-cubic and hexagonal solvus exhibited predominantly grain boundary precipitation. Small La2O3 rich second phases formed within the first ten minutes and developed into strained, facetted precipitates after 300 min. Intergranular and intragranular precipitation occurred in samples annealed further into the two-phase field. Strained, lathlike La2O3-rich monoclinic precipitates, exhibiting a preferrred orientation in the matrix, appeared as the dominant morphology for long times at temperature. Chemical microanalyses of the strained structures obtained in samples annealed for 300 min revealed La2O3 matrix concentrations in agreement with phase diagram predictions. However, the La2O3 concentrations in the second-phase precipitates were found to be far in excess of the cubic and hexagonal-hexagonal solvus. This discrepancy is believed to arise from a re-equilibration of the second phase in the cubic and monoclinic phase field during quenching.
Energy performance sensitivity of a net-zero energy home to design and use specifications

The purpose of this report is to test the sensitivity of the energy performance of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)'s Net Zero Energy Residential Test Facility (NZERTF) design to variation in the assumed specifications of occupant behaviour and building design characteristics using whole building energy simulations. The analysis includes a total of 128 EnergyPlus (E+) simulations (DOE 2013) considering two levels for each of the seven factors that could impact the energy performance of the NZERTF: building design, air leakage, occupant behaviour, weather, building orientation, and heating and cooling setpoint temperatures. The results for each combination of the seven factors are analysed to determine the magnitude and significance of changing these factors, and the interaction effects between the factors. There is particular focus on the building design results to determine if the energy performance of the NZERTF is more or less stable than that of typical residential constructio...
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Prevent p53-Dependent and p53-Independent Bax-Mediated Neuronal Apoptosis through Two Distinct Mechanisms

Pharmacological manipulation of protein acetylation levels by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors represents a novel therapeutic strategy to treat neurodegeneration as well as cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms that determine how HDAC inhibition exerts a protective effect in neurons as opposed to a cytotoxic action in tumor cells has not been elucidated. We addressed this issue in cultured postnatal mouse cortical neurons whose p53-dependent and p53-independent intrinsic apoptotic programs require the proapoptotic multidomain protein, Bax. Despite promoting nuclear p53 accumulation, Class I/II HDAC inhibitors (HDACIs) protected neurons from p53-dependent cell death induced by camptothecin, etoposide, heterologous p53 expression or the MDM2 inhibitor, nutlin-3a. HDACIs suppressed p53-dependent PUMA expression, a critical signaling intermediate linking p53 to Bax activation, thus preventing postmitochondrial events including cleavage of caspase-9 and caspase-3. In human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, however, HDACIs were not able to prevent p53-dependent cell death. Moreover, HDACIs also prevented caspase-3 cleavage in postnatal cortical neurons treated with staurosporine, 3-nitropropionic acid and a Bcl-2 inhibitor, all of which require the presence of Bax but not p53 to promote apoptosis. Although these three toxic agents displayed a requirement for Bax, they did not promote PUMA induction. These results demonstrate that HDACIs block Bax-dependent cell death by two distinct mechanisms to prevent neuronal apoptosis, thus identifying for the first time a defined molecular target for their neuroprotective actions.
Keynote: A systems biology approach to integrative cancer genomics

Computational analysis of the recent onslaught of cancer molecular profile data is producing an unprecedented repertoire of genetic and epigenetic alterations contributing to tumorigenesis and progression. Yet, the direct impact of this knowledge on tumor treatment and prevention is still largely unproven. Loss of tumor suppressor function is difficult to target pharmacologically and, with a handful of exceptions, alterations providing potential drug targets are relatively infrequent in cancer patients and are thus unlikely to support clinical development.
Mind–body group treatment for women coping with infertility: a pilot study

AbstractObjectives: To evaluate the feasibility of a 10-week mind–body intervention (MBI) for women coping with fertility challenges, examine the impact of an MBI on psychological distress and cortisol levels, and assess adherence to MBI skills 12-months after completion of the intervention.Design: Prospective open pilot study of 51 women with infertility enrolled in a group MBI. Psychological variables and salivary cortisol levels were obtained pre- and post-intervention; a 12-month follow-up survey assessed MBI skill adherence. Participants completed practice logs throughout the intervention.Results: Participants attended an average of eight sessions (SD = 2.0), and practiced mind–body techniques which elicited the relaxation response (RR) an average of 5.9 (SD = 0.8) days/week and 20.1 (SD = 9.9) min/day; 80% completed the post-treatment assessment. The intervention resulted in a significant increase in perceived social support and a decrease in depressive symptoms and perceived stress; however, there ...
Discovery of thoracic meningioma with cord compression on a screening “total body” computed tomography scan

Abstract Background context The use of “total body” screening computed tomography (CT) scans has increased dramatically, although the procedure is controversial, and its benefit to the patient is unproven. When a screening CT scan of the chest is performed, the major areas of interest are the heart and lungs. However, significant portions of the spinal column are also included in the examination. Purpose To describe a case in which a screening CT scan of the chest revealed clinically important findings within the spinal column. Study design/setting Case report. Methods Summary of clinical course and imaging studies, with literature review. Results A healthy 72-year-old woman without neurologic symptoms was self-referred for a screening “total body” CT examination. The chest portion of the study showed a calcified meningioma with cord compression at the T4 level. Within 2 months of the examination, the patient developed a progressive thoracic myelopathy and required excision of the tumor. Definitive management of the tumor was delayed because the patient was not referred for neurologic or neurosurgical consultation at the time of diagnosis. Conclusions This case illustrates two important points. First, clinically significant pathology within the spinal column may be identified on a screening CT scan of the chest. Such lesions may have major neurologic implications for the patient. Second, because most patients undergoing screening radiology examinations do not have a referring physician, it is critically important for the radiologist to make prompt referral to a neurologist or neurosurgeon at the time of diagnosis.
Random protein association analyses of MALDI-TOF mass spectra of two- and three-component protein systems using binomial and multinomial distribution

Abstract The phenomenon of protein randomly associating among themselves during MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric measurements is manifest on all the proteins tested here. The magnitude of this random association seems to be protein-dependent. However, a detailed mathematical analysis of this process has not been reported so far. Here, binomial and multinomial equations are used to analyze the relative populations of multimer ions formed by random protein association during MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric measurements. Hemoglobin A (which consists of two α-globins and two β-globins) and biotinylated insulin (which contains intact, singly biotinylated, and doubly biotinylated insulin) are used as the test cases for two- and three-component protein systems, respectively. MALDI-TOF spectra are acquired using standard MALDI-TOF techniques and equipment. The binomial distribution matches the relative populations of multimer ions of Hb A perfectly. For biotinylated insulin sample, taking lesser relative populations for doubly biotinylated insulin and intact insulin compared with singly biotinylated insulin into account, the relative populations of multimer ions of the biotinylated insulin confirms the prediction of multinomial equation. The pairs of unrelated proteins such as myoglobin, avidin, and lysozyme show lesser intensities for heteromultimers than for homomultimers, indicating weaker propensities to associate between different proteins during MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric measurements. Contrary to the suggestion that the multimer ions are formed in the solution phase prior to MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric measurement through multistage sequential reactions of the aggregation of protein molecules, we postulate that multimer ions of proteins are formed after the protein molecules have been vaporized into the gas phase through the assistance of the laser and matrix.
Rethinking Emerging Adulthood in Japan: Perspectives From Long‐Term Single Women

ABSTRACT—For women who have resisted convention and remained single into their 40s in Japan, the transition into adulthood is elongated and ambiguous. Their identities and lifestyles challenge the postwar concept of maturity for women, which includes patience and self-sacrifice achieved through marriage and motherhood, a conception that was part of the formula for economic growth. Concentrating instead on broadening “self” (jibun) outside of family, single women face difficulties attaining adulthood (ichininmae) in the eyes of elders and even peers, unless they are economically successful or they care for parents. Emerging adulthood should be studied historically with attention to groups whose identities are under debate as a society changes. The historical–cultural logic of adulthood requires a nuanced, contextual definition of early adulthood, its aims, processes, and results.
Quantitative determination of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides in the polyvalent vaccine. I. Standardization of an immunoelectrophoretic method.

A quantitative immunoelectrophoretic method, using one-dimensional electrophoresis into antibody-containing agarose gels was standardized for measurement of the individual pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides in the final polyvalent container. The method is simple, rapid, inexpensive and provides both a qualitative and quantitative method for control of the polyvalent vaccine. The addition of Triton X-100 for type 7F(51) and treatment with galactose oxidase for type 14 were necessary modifications for extending this assay system to these two neutral polysaccharides.
Measurement of computer system/information system performance

This paper reports the results of a field study conducted to obtain managers perceptions of their Management Information Systems (MIS). The basic study involved responses from over 100 MIS/DP managers, users, and other business professionals. The research sampled the perspectives of both MIS and non-MIS personnel and found no great disparities in either the favorable quality of services provided or in the ranking of tasks contributing to system productivity.
Transcriptional remodeling of rapidly stimulated HL-1 atrial myocytes exhibits concordance with human atrial fibrillation

During atrial fibrillation (AF), rapid stimulation causes atrial remodeling that increases arrhythmia susceptibility. Using an established atrial (HL-1) myocyte model, we investigated the transcriptional profile associated with early atrial myocyte remodeling. Spontaneously contracting HL-1 cells were cultured in the absence and presence of rapid stimulation for 24 h and RNA harvested for microarray analysis. We identified 758 genes that were significantly altered with rapid stimulation (626 up- and 132 down-regulated). Results were confirmed using real-time quantitative RT-PCR for selected genes based on physiological relevance in human AF and/or experimental atrial tachycardia (AT), and regulation in the microarray results. In some cases, transcriptional changes were rapid, occurring within 3 h. For a selected group of genes, results were validated for the expressed protein, with findings that correlated with observed transcriptional changes. Significantly regulated genes were classified using the Gene Ontology Database to permit direct comparison of our findings with previously published myocardial transcriptional profiles. For broad functional categories, there was strong concordance between rapidly stimulated HL-1 myocytes and human AF, but not for other remodeling paradigms (cardiomyopathy and exercise). Many individual gene changes were conserved with AF/AT, with marked up-regulation of genes encoding brain and atrial natriuretic peptide precursors, and heat shock proteins. For the conserved genes, both a cellular stress and survival response was evident. Our results demonstrate similarities with human AF/experimental AT with respect to large-scale patterns of transcriptional remodeling, as well as regulation of specific individual genes. Importantly, we identified novel pathways and molecules that were concordantly regulated in vivo.
A novel temperature-sensitive mammalian cell line exhibiting defective prophase progression

Abstract A temperature-sensitive mammalian cell line has been isolated which grows and divides normally at the permissive temperature of 33°C. When incubated at 39°C, the nonpermissive temperature, interphase cells continue to enter a prophase-like state. Chromatin-like material condenses and coalesces into dark-staining clumps rather than into discernible chromosomes. Disappearance of the nuclear boundary is observed, but re-formation of the boundary around the clumps fails to occur. Incorporation of labeled precursors reveals a decrease in protein synthesis which is accompanied by a slower decrease in DNA synthesis. Approximately 0.2% of the mutant cells revert in their capability of growth and cell division at 39°C. These "revertants" are found to contain a higher number of chromosomes. The isolation of this mutant is based on the initial observation that the cells become rounded at the nonpermissive temperature. The cell-rounding process characteristic of mitotic cells should serve as a useful marker in the isolation of mitotic mutants.
Production of the Phytotoxic Metabolite, Ferricrocin, by the Fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

A siderophore was isolated as a non-specific phytotoxic compound from a culture of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides isolated from infected blackberry. This siderophore was identified as ferricrocin by NMR, IR, MS, and CD spectra. The phytotoxic activities of ferricrocin and deferriferricrocin were compared.
Improved Industrial Infrared Spectrophotometers: The Manufacturer's Viewpoint

More than most people, the infrared instrument designer lives in a world of compromise. On the one hand he is asked for faster recording techniques—indeed, even instantaneous presentation—on the other hand he is asked for greater accuracy and precision and increased resolution. These requests are generally incompatible. If the accuracy of measurement is limited as it usually is by random fluctuations in the photoreceiver, then the only easy means by which higher accuracy can be won consists in taking a great deal more time for the measurement so that the random fluctuations may be averaged out. If increased resolution is desired, it too is generally won at sacrifice in scanning time.
Production of monoenergetic X-ray sources of known absolute intensity

Abstract Sources of monoenergetic photons were produced by using the bremsstrahlung from a radiographic X-ray machine. Fluorescent X-rays (5 to 98 keV) emanating from metal foils ( > 99% pure) in the bremsstrahlung beam were filtered to absorb Kβ and L X-rays as well as bremsstrahlung scattered by the foil. In this way strong sources (≈ 1011 photons/sec) with
Overcoming the neglect of economics in urban regime theory.

Urban regime theory rightfully reigns as the dominant paradigm in the analysis of local governance. Nevertheless, regime theory has been hampered by its failure to engage economic questions in a sustained and systematic way, leaving it limited in both empirical and prescriptive terms. This article presents an agenda for research that allows for the engagement of economic questions in a way that enhances the strength of urban regime theory vis-a-vis economic determinist theories of urban politics. It then sketches some possible paths this research might take, with most of the attention given to developing the rudiments of a new alternative economics for regime theory. It also illustrates how this new alternative economic paradigm can potentially generate the conditions necessary for bringing about a fundamental reconstruction of urban regimes.
Hibernation patterns in mammals: a role for bacterial growth?

Summary 1 To examine the hypothesis that stimulation of immune function plays a role in periodic arousal from hibernation, bacterial growth during hibernation was estimated using a simple mathematical model of the general dynamics of bacterial abundance at body temperatures experienced during hibernation. 2 In the model, periodic arousals were important for animals infected with Salmonella at body temperatures above 7 °C, but not below. In contrast, periodic arousals appeared to be important at all temperatures examined when infected with several species of coliform bacteria and Pseudomonas, species that grow well at low temperatures. 3 The modelled outputs were compared with torpor patterns seen in captive European Ground Squirrels, Spermophilus citellus, under natural light and temperature conditions. We used maximum likelihood to estimate model parameters and show that the six bacterial species examined are consistent with the immune stimulation hypothesis. 4 Our analyses suggest that bacterial infection could be a selective force on torpor behaviour and warrants further experimental investigation.
Technology in the classroom: using PCs to teach business and economic statistics

Abstract Rapid advances and declining prices in computer technology have made its use as a classroom tool affordable. However, while it has been clear that diverse disciplines can effectively utilize computer technology to improve instruction, the implementation of computer-intensive pedagogy has been hindered by the lack of knowledge about redesigning courses to employ computers effectively. This paper offers insights learned in teaching business and economic statistics over a period of several years. Both tools and techniques are discussed in the hopes that the paper will serve as a blueprint for others who wish to incorporate computer use into their statistics courses.
INTRACELLULAR LOCALIZATION AND KINETICS OF UPTAKE AND CLEARANCE OF GOLD NANOPARTICLES IN PRIMARY HEPATIC CELLS

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) used for therapeutic applications preferentially accumulate in the liver following exposure. However, uptake and clearance by hepatic cells are not well understood. Time-dependent intracellular localization, uptake and clearance of 30 nm AuNPs were monitored in primary rat hepatocytes and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). Confocal Raman microscopy studies demonstrated the differences in the localization of AuNPs in hepatic cells over a 24 h period. The uptake of unmodified AuNPs over 24 h was 17% and 55% for hepatocytes and LSECs. The uptake of poly(ethylene glycol)-coated AuNPs was 3% and 1% over 24 h in hepatocytes and LSECs, respectively. Both cell types expelled approximately 60–70% of intracellular AuNPs within seven days. AuNP accumulation resulted in the disruption of the pericanalicular actin between adjoining hepatocytes. These trends suggest that AuNPs may affect actin organization, which could impair hepatic function long term.