cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-Frequency Noise Contributions From Channel and Contacts in InAs Nanowire Transistors

Nanowire transistors are promising candidates for future electronics applications; however, they generally exhibit higher levels of low-frequency noise compared with traditional MOSFETs. The physics of this noise generation in nanowires needs to be understood for improving the device performance. In this paper, the low-frequency noise in InAs nanowire transistors was studied at different gate voltages before and after passivation by a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) layer. Noise levels in nanowire devices can be separated into contributions from the channel and from the contacts by analyzing the noise behavior under different bias conditions for devices with varying channel lengths. It is shown that a noise component, which is independent of channel length, can be attributed to the contacts, and a length-dependent component is attributed to the channel. Applying the PMMA passivation layer over the entire device reduces the noise level generated by the channel, but does not change the noise level generated by the contacts. This paper provides a method to understand, and potentially improve, the noise performance. Operation in a channel-dominated bias regime allows extraction of a Hooge parameter specifically for the channel. PMMA passivation was effective in reducing this channel Hooge parameter from 1.4×10-1 to 1.8×10-3.
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in the rat pituitary gland

The presence of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is described within specific regions of the adult rat pituitary gland. Immune staining methods revealed a small number of GDNF-immunopositive cells in the anterior lobe, and in areas of the neural lobe, while no immunoreactive endocrine cells were observed in the intermediate lobe. In the neural lobe, immunofluorescence methods were also used to demonstrate that GDNF and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) are co-localized in the glial cells (pituicytes) of the neural lobe. GDNF was not co-localized with neurofilament (NF) in nerve fibers of the neural lobe, suggesting that it is not present in axonal fibers. Measurements of GDNF content in separated anterior and neurointermediate lobes were also performed, using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Values for GDNF were slightly higher in the neurointermediate lobe than those obtained for the anterior lobe. The presence of GDNF in areas of the pituitary is discussed in the context of its possible function to support and maintain hypothalamic innervation, as well as a potential autocrine factor within endocrine cells.
QC metrics from CPTAC raw LC-MS/MS data interpreted through multivariate statistics.

Shotgun proteomics experiments integrate a complex sequence of processes, any of which can introduce variability. Quality metrics computed from LC-MS/MS data have relied upon identifying MS/MS scans, but a new mode for the QuaMeter software produces metrics that are independent of identifications. Rather than evaluating each metric independently, we have created a robust multivariate statistical toolkit that accommodates the correlation structure of these metrics and allows for hierarchical relationships among data sets. The framework enables visualization and structural assessment of variability. Study 1 for the Clinical Proteomics Technology Assessment for Cancer (CPTAC), which analyzed three replicates of two common samples at each of two time points among 23 mass spectrometers in nine laboratories, provided the data to demonstrate this framework, and CPTAC Study 5 provided data from complex lysates under Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to complement these findings. Identification-independent quality metrics enabled the differentiation of sites and run-times through robust principal components analysis and subsequent factor analysis. Dissimilarity metrics revealed outliers in performance, and a nested ANOVA model revealed the extent to which all metrics or individual metrics were impacted by mass spectrometer and run time. Study 5 data revealed that even when SOPs have been applied, instrument-dependent variability remains prominent, although it may be reduced, while within-site variability is reduced significantly. Finally, identification-independent quality metrics were shown to be predictive of identification sensitivity in these data sets. QuaMeter and the associated multivariate framework are available from http://fenchurch.mc.vanderbilt.edu and http://homepages.uc.edu/~wang2x7/, respectively.
Agouti-related protein increases food hoarding more than food intake in Siberian hamsters

Agouti-related protein (AgRP), an endogenous melanocortin 3/4 receptor antagonist, appears to play an important role in the control of food intake and energy balance because exogenous administration in rats and overexpression in mice result in hyperphagia and body mass gain. Furthermore, arcuate nucleus AgRP mRNA is increased with fasting in laboratory rats and mice and is decreased with refeeding. In Siberian hamsters, fasting also increases arcuate nucleus AgRP mRNA, but these animals increase food hoarding, rather than food intake with refeeding. Therefore, we tested whether exogenous AgRP increased food hoarding in this species. Hamsters were trained in a hoarding/foraging apparatus to run a programmed number of wheel revolutions to earn food pellets. Four doses of AgRP-(83-132) or vehicle were injected into the third ventricle at the beginning of the dark phase, and food hoarding, food intake, and foraging were measured at various time points subsequently. Overall, food hoarding was stimulated as much as 10 times more than food intake, and both responses occurred as early as 1 h after injection. Food hoarding was increased the greatest at the lowest dose (0.1 nmol), whereas food intake was increased the greatest at the second lowest dose (1 nmol). Food intake and especially food hoarding were increased up to seven days after the AgRP injections. Foraging was increased at all AgRP doses except the highest dose (100 nmol). These results suggest that AgRP triggers the search for food in this species, and once they find it, hoarding predominates over eating.
Formaldehyde kinetics and bacteriology in dialyzers

Formaldehyde kinetics and bacteriology in dialyzers. The kinetics of formaldehyde washout in new and reused dialyzers with 2% (w/v) and 4% formaldehyde solution was studied. Using a standard method of rinsing, the concentration of formaldehyde decreases exponentially, but the rate of decrease and the steady-state level depends on the type of dialyzer. The residual quantity of formaldehyde using a 4% solution is more than twice that seen with a 2% solution in similar dialyzers. Bacteriological tests on water-adapted, formaldehyde-resistant organisms indicate that a significant proportion of these organisms can survive a 4-hr incubation with 4% formaldehyde at 20°C. However, increasing the temperature of incubation to 40°C or the addition of ethanol up to 8% (v/v) improved the bacteriological efficacy of formaldehyde. Under these conditions, a 1% formaldehyde solution allows eradication of all organisms tested. Similar results were observed in multiple-use dialyzers inoculated with the same organisms. There was no effect of incubation at 40°C on the in vitro clearance determinations of new and reused dialyzers.
Structural basis for antioxidant activity of trans-resveratrol: ab initio calculations and crystal and molecular structure.

From the experimental crystal structure and ab initio calculations on resveratrol and its derivatives, structural features of mechanistic importance are described. The molecular structure reveals the relative coplanarity of the trans-stilbene skeleton, and the molecular packing in the solid state shows an extensive hydrogen bond network that elucidates the flip-flop motion of the three hydroxyl groups that alternately form and break H bonds with each of the neighboring phenolic oxygens. The dynamic behavior provoked by the alternation of hydrogen bond formation and breaking can result in the ready mobility of up to three hydrogen atoms per resveratrol molecule that can be transferred to reactive oxidants that are rich in electron density. In addition, theoretical studies confirm the planarity of resveratrol as well as for half of the molecule of a condensation dimeric derivative of resveratrol, trans-σ-viniferin. Furthermore, these studies show the p-4‘-OH group to be more acidic compared to the other two...
Existence and regularity of a weak solution to Maxwell's equations with a thermal effect

This paper deals with Maxwell's equations with a thermal effect, where the electric conductivity strongly depends on the temperature. It is shown that the coupled system has a global weak solution and the temperature is Holder continuous if the conductivity decays suitably as temperature increases. Moreover, uniqueness of the solution is proved, which gives a positive answer for a open question from the previous research. The main idea for the global existence is based on deriving various energy estimates for the solution of the coupled system. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Removal of salts from purines, pyrimidines and nucleosides using an xad—4 resin

Abstract In the present study, procedures are described for using columns of XAD-4 resin beads, a styrene—divinylbenzene copolymer, as adsorbents for purines, pyrimidines and their nucleosides. Elution of these nitrogenous compounds from the beads is carried out with either water or 19% ethanol, depending upon how tightly the particular compound is bound to the beads. The various salts [i.e., sodium chloride, sodium acetate, sodium phosphates, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris), etc,] that have been tested are not adsorbed on the columns and appear in the first few fractions of the column effluent. Studies have been carried out with approximately 30 different compounds, including a number of methylated purines and purine nucleosides. Nearly all of the compounds were obtained entirely free of salt with an average recovery from the column of 96%.
Hemophagocytic syndrome in pregnancy

Abstract Background: Hemophagocytic syndrome is characterized by nonmalignant histiocytes that undergo uncontrolled phagocytosis of normal hematopoietic cells. Clinical severity ranges from complete recovery to rapid deterioration and death. Case: Thrombocytopenia was discovered upon routine initial prenatal evaluation of a 24-year-old, gravida 2, para 1, at 29 weeks’ gestation with a history of necrotizing lymphadenitis. Cytopenia and elevated transaminases developed, followed by hyperpyrexia. The patient delivered and her postpartum course was complicated by coagulopathy, multiorgan failure, and death. Bone marrow biopsy confirmed hemophagocytic syndrome. Conclusion: Early diagnosis of hemophagocytic syndrome during pregnancy might be helped by recognizing symptoms and signs, including a history of necrotizing lymphadenitis, and obtaining a bone marrow biopsy.
SYSTOLIC TIME INTERVALS IN ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT

Diminished pulmonary vascular compliance (PVC) is believed to be a major determinant of the widened splitting of the second heart sound (S2) in atrial septal defect (ASD). However in association with the decreased PVC in ASD, the right ventricular ejection time (RVET) is prolonged. We tested the thesis that RVET shortens in the immediate post-op ASD period and that this shortening is directly associated with narrowed splitting of S2. Right and left pre-ejection periods (RPEP. LPEP) and ejection times (RVET, LVET) were measured pre-op both at cardiac catheterization (cath) and by echocardiographic semilunar valve recordings (echo) in 14 children with ASD. Repeat echo systolic time intervals (STI) were measured on the seventh post-op day. Pre-op and post-op phonocardiograms (phono) were recorded at the second left intercostal space. The maximum expiratory interval between the two high frequency components of S2 were recorded as A2-P2. All pre-op echo STI correlated highly with cath STI (r=0.87). RPEP changed from 0.073±.01 S.D. (seconds) pre-op to 0.065±.01 post-op; LPEP 0.073±.01 pre-op to 0.071±.01 post-op; and LVET 0.26±.01 pre-op to 0.27±.04 post-op. The RVET changed from 0.29±.04 pre-op to 0.24±.02 post-op.* The A2-P2 changed from 0.060±.007 pre-op to 0.014±.005 post-op.* Conclusions: We have demonstrated that RVET shortens in the early post-op period after ASD closure. Because PVC changes demand anatomic alterations, immediate shortening of A2-P2 suggests that RVET may be the major determinant of the width of splitting of S2. *p<0.001
Design and Modeling of Thermally Actuated MEMS Nanopositioners

Several micro-scale nanopositioning mechanisms, or MEMS nanopositioners, have been developed for application in nanotechnology and optical sensors. In this paper, the design and modeling of these devices is presented along with initial experimental results. The MEMS nanopositioner is comprised of a parallel bi-lever flexure mechanism and a bent-beam thermal actuator. The flexure mechanism is designed to amplify and guide the motion of the actuator with high precision, while the thermal actuator provides the necessary force and displacement. The relationship between the applied voltage and resulting displacement for this mechanism has been calibrated using a scanning electron microscope and a simple image processing technique. A finite difference thermal model along with a FEA representation of the flexure mechanism and actuator is used to estimate the motion range of the device. Results from this method are compared with experimental calibrations, showing that the model provides a sufficient approach to predict the mechanism’s static performance. Finally, an open-loop controller based on calibration data was used to demonstrate the nanopositioning capabilities of these devices. The motion repeatability was found to be less than +/- 7 nm and step sizes well below 50 nm are possible, indicating suitable performance for many nanopositioning applications.
Evidence of interaction of fillers with matrix polymers via transition maps

Surface modifications of fillers can be detected via dielectric relaxation spectroscopy with surface coatings that interact with the matrix polymer resulting in higher glass transition temperatures of the matrix polymer. Increasing the surface area of filler present by increasing the amount of filler systematically shifts the glass transition temperature of the matrix polymer to higher values. Increasing the surface area of the filler by making the surface microporous improves many mechanical properties but may not immobilize as many matrix polymer molecules if a weak boundary layer is present.
The impact of body mass index on rectal dose in locally advanced cervical cancer treated with high-dose-rate brachytherapy.

Abstract Purpose The impact of body mass index (BMI) on rectal dose in brachytherapy for cervical cancer is unknown. We assessed the association of BMI on rectal dose and lower gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity. Methods and Materials Between 2007 and 2010, 51 patients with 97 brachytherapy planning images were reviewed. Volumetric measurements of the maximum percentage, mean percentage, dose to 2cc (D2cc), and dose to 1cc (D1cc) of the rectum, and the Internal Commission on Radiation Units and Measurement (ICRU) rectal point were recorded. Linear mixed effect models, analysis of variance, and regression analyses were used to determine the correlation between multiple observations or to detect a difference in the mean. The GI acute and late toxicity were prospectively recorded and retrospectively analyzed. Results The average BMI (kg/m 2 ) was 27.7 with a range of 17.4–46.6. Among the patients, 8% were morbidly obese, 25% obese, 25% overweight, 40% normal weight, and 2% underweight. The mean D1cc, D2cc, mean rectal dose (%), maximum rectal dose (%), and ICRU rectum was 3.03 Gy, 2.78 Gy, 20%, 60%, and 2.99 Gy, respectively. On multivariate analysis, there was a significant decrease in the D1cc and D2cc rectal dose ( p = 0.016), ICRU rectal point dose ( p = 0.022), and mean rectal dose percentage ( p = 0.021) with an increase in BMI. There was, however, no statistically significant relationship between BMI and GI toxicity. Conclusions Obesity decreases the rectal dose given in high-dose-rate brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer because of an increase in fatty tissue in the recto-uterine space. There is no significant correlation between BMI and acute or late GI toxicity.
Exploiting and Defending Opportunistic Scheduling in Cellular Data Networks

Third Generation (3G) cellular networks take advantage of time-varying and location-dependent channel conditions of mobile users to provide broadband services. Under fairness and QoS constraints, they use opportunistic scheduling to efficiently utilize the available spectrum. Opportunistic scheduling algorithms rely on the collaboration among all mobile users to achieve their design objectives. However, we demonstrate that rogue cellular devices can exploit vulnerabilities in popular opportunistic scheduling algorithms, such as Proportional Fair (PF) and Temporal Fair (TF), to usurp the majority of time slots in 3G networks. Our simulations show that under realistic conditions, only five rogue device per 50-user cell can capture up to 95 percent of the time slots, and can cause 2-second end-to-end interpacket transmission delay on VoIP applications for every user in the same cell, rendering VoIP applications useless. To defend against this attack, we propose strengthening the PF and TF schedulers and a robust handoff scheme.
The dynactin complex is required for cleavage plane specification in early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

Background: During metazoan development, cell diversity arises primarily from asymmetric cell divisions which are executed in two phases: segregation of cytoplasmic factors and positioning of the mitotic spindle ‐ and hence the cleavage plane ‐ relative to the axis of segregation. When polarized cells divide, spindle alignment probably occurs through the capture and subsequent shortening of astral microtubules by a site in the cortex. Results: Here, we report that dynactin, the dynein-activator complex, is localized at cortical microtubule attachment sites and is necessary for mitotic spindle alignment in early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Using RNA interference techniques, we eliminated expression in early embryos of dnc-1 (the ortholog of the vertebrate gene for p150 Glued ) and dnc-2 (the ortholog of the vertebrate gene for p50/Dynamitin). In both cases, misalignment of mitotic spindles occurred, demonstrating that two components of the dynactin complex, DNC-1 and DNC-2, are necessary to align the spindle.
AFFECT EXPRESSION, MARITAL SATISFACTION, AND STRESS REACTIVITY AMONG PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN DURING A CONFLICTUAL MARITAL DISCUSSION

Relationships between women's affect expressions, marital satisfaction, and cardiovascular reactivity were investigated. Twenty-four healthy women and their spouses completed the Marital Satisfaction Inventory (MSI). Women's cardiovascular reactivity was monitored during a 10-minute videotaped husband-wife conflict discussion that later was rated for affect expressions. Regression analysis showed that active negative affect accounted for 20% of the variability in systolic blood pressure. Neither positive affects nor MSI Global Marital Distress was related to women's cardiovascular responses. For women, 53% of the variance in MSI Global Marital Distress was accounted for by total negative affect, but for men affects and marital distress were unrelated. Further research is warranted on the associations between marital distress, affect expression, and cardiovascular reactivity that may lead to physical and mental health problems.
Meta-Analysis of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a viable option in the treatment of severe aortic stenosis in patients at high risk for surgery. We sought to further investigate outcomes in patients at low to intermediate risk with aortic stenosis who underwent surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) versus TAVR. We systematically searched the electronic databases, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane for prospective cohort studies of the effects of TAVR versus SAVR on clinical outcomes (30-day mortality, all-cause mortality, stroke and myocardial infarction, major vascular complications, paravalvular regurgitation, permanent pacemaker implantation, major bleeding, and acute kidney injury). We identified 5 clinical studies, examining 1,618 patients in the TAVR group and 1,581 patients in the SAVR group with an average follow-up of 1.05 years. No difference in all-cause mortality, stroke, and myocardial infarction between the 2 approaches was found. TAVR was associated with higher rates of vascular complications, permanent pacemaker implantation, and moderate or severe paravalvular regurgitation (p
Water stress, shoot growth and storage of non‐structural carbohydrates along a tree height gradient in a tall conifer

We analysed concentrations of starch, sucrose, glucose and fructose in upper branch wood, foliage and trunk sapwood of Douglas-fir trees in height classes ranging from ∼2 to ∼57 m. Mean concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) for all tissues were highest in the tallest height class and lowest in the lowest height class, and height-related trends in NSC were most pronounced in branches. Throughout a 17-month sampling period, mean values of branch NSC from the 57 m trees ranged between 30 and 377% greater than the 2 m trees. Branch NSC was inversely correlated with midday shoot water potential (Ψl), shoot osmotic potential at full turgor (Ψ) and shoot extension. Temporal fluctuation in branch NSC was inversely correlated with height, and positively correlated with midday Ψl, Ψ and shoot extension. The positive correlation between height and storage of NSC, and the negative correlation between NSC storage and shoot extension provide evidence that size-related growth decline in trees is not strongly associated with constraints on photosynthesis. The negative correlation between height and fluctuation in NSC suggests that mobilization of photosynthate in taller trees is constrained by some factor such as reductions in turgor-driven cell expansion or constraints on phloem transport.
Adherence to pharmacotherapy in patients with alcohol and opioid dependence

Aims An important factor that has thus far limited the effectiveness of pharmacotherapies for patients with alcohol and opioid dependence is poor adherence to medication regimens. This paper presents a review of issues related to medication adherence in patients with these substance use disorders. Design and methods A literature review was conducted of English language publications relating to medication adherence among patients with alcohol or opioid dependence. Findings The paper places the topic in the context of adherence difficulties among patients with a variety of chronic medical and psychiatric illnesses. Difficulties measuring adherence are discussed, and strategies to improve medication adherence are reviewed. These include specific interventions that prescribing clinicians can implement in their individual meetings with patients; the use of external reinforcers, such as positive and negative contingencies, and involvement of family members or significant others; and specific prescribing and dosing practices that may improve adherence. Conclusions As the use of pharmacotherapy for substance-dependent patients increases, rigorous and innovative approaches to encourage medication adherence should be sought.
Scratching the surface

According to a tenth-century grammarian from St. Gall, “reading [lectio] is so called as if it were litterarum statio, the station of letters.” That station — the place where letters stand, is a very material place, composed, as the grammarian tells us, of the encounter of human perception with “pen, hand, ink, wax, and parchment.” This essay takes its stand in three manuscript artifacts made in Iberia during the early Middle Ages: Verona, Biblioteca Capitolare, MS 89; Cordoba, Archivo Capitular, MS 1; Leon, San Isidoro, MS 2. It attends to the materialities of each manuscript, and to the superficial, material theory of reading that they share. The result is a veritable somatics of scriptura. Surface reading: it’s not just “the way we read now”; it’s the way these ancient texts imagine their own lectura — their future being-read.
Enhancement of mobility in pseudomorphic FETs with up and down monolayers

Summary form only given. A comparison was made between three pseudomorphic FET channels. The control sample was a strained In/sub 0.15/Ga/sub 0.85/As quantum well bounded by undoped Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/As and GaAs with a 50-AA Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/As spacer and 5*10/sup 12/ Si planar doping. The second structure was identical to the first except one GaAs monolayer was replaced with one down monolayer. The third quantum well had one InAs down monolayer and two AlAs up monolayers positioned to increase the intersubband energy between the ground state and the next two states. The mobility was measured as a function of temperature from about 40 to 340 K for these structures. Some results are discussed. >
Congestion-dependent pricing of network services

We consider a service provider (SP) who provides access to a communication network or some other form of on-line services. Users initiate calls that belong to a set of diverse service classes, differing in resource requirements, demand pattern, and call duration. The SP charges a fee per call, which can depend on the current congestion level, and which affects users' demand for calls. We provide a dynamic programming formulation of the problems of revenue and welfare maximization, and derive some qualitative properties of the optimal solution. We also provide a number of approximate approaches, together with an analysis that indicates that near-optimality is obtained for the case of many, relatively small, users. In particular, we show analytically as well as computationally, that the performance of an optimal pricing strategy is closely matched by a suitably chosen static price, which does not depend on instantaneous congestion. This indicates that the easily implementable time-of-day pricing will often suffice. Throughout, we compare the alternative formulations involving revenue or welfare maximization, respectively, and draw some qualitative conclusions.
Coping behavior and locus of control in children1

Several investigators report a distinction between inward (withdrawn, somaticizing, fearful) behavior and outward (antisocial, hostile, aggressive) behavior. The present study was designed to clarify the relationship between type of coping behavior and locus of control (i.e., the attribution of causality to internal vs. external factors) for children aged 4 to 12 years. Two locus of control (LOC) instruments were administered—the Nowicki-Strickland and a new measure which distinguished between LOC for desirable and undesirable events. Measures of coping behavior were completed by parents. Results indicated that the new LOC scale related to type of coping behavior: external LOC children tended to have a greater proportion of inward behavior. Furthermore, desirable-event items were better able to distinguish between inward and outward behavior than were undesirable-event items. The Nowicki-Strickland scale was significantly correlated with the new scale, but not with coping behavior. Replication of the findings was obtained in a subsequent study. Discussion centered on the relationship between generalized perceptions of control and situationally manipulated perceptions of control, and differences between perceptions of control involved in inward and outward behavior.
gp130: a promising drug target for cancer therapy.

Introduction: Ubiquitously expressed in the human body, glycoprotein 130 (gp130) is a shared subunit of receptor complexes for at least nine cytokines (IL-6, OSM, LIF, IL-11, CNTF, CLC, IL-27, CT-1, and NP) that mediate highly diverse biological processes. Dysregulation of gp130 expression, activation, or associated signaling pathways are implicated in a variety of human diseases, including cancer. Accumulating evidence indicates that the gp130-mediated signaling networks play important roles in the progression of multiple types of cancer. Areas covered: This review discusses the structural basis of gp130 in signal transduction activity and its role in physiological and pathological conditions, particularly cancer. We analyzed the currently available databases to illustrate the expression of gp130, its coexpression with other molecules involved in the gp130 signaling pathways, and the role of gp130 in cancer progression. Finally, we highlight strategies for blocking gp130 signaling and the currently avail...
Carbon-13 chemical shifts of some cholinergic neural transmission agents

Carbon-13 chemical shifts have been obtained in the pulse Fourier transform mode on the following cholinergic neural transmission agents: acetylcholine, β-methyl acetylcholine, carbamoyl choline, choline, tetramethylammonium, scopolamine, atropine, methyl atropine, tropine, tropic acid, nicotine, dimethyl phenylpiperazinium, arecoline, oxotremorine and pilocarpine. The effects of structural variations, asymmetric centers and steric interactions on the 13C shielding are considered. The observed chemical shifts do not appear to correlate simply with potencies in the cholinergic nervous system.
Detection of Salmonella enteritidis in equine feces using the polymerase chain reaction and genus-specific oligonucleotide primers

Salmonella was identified in feces from horses, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genus-specific oligonucleotide primers. Feces from healthy horses were determined to be culture negative and PCR negative for Salmonella. Fecal samples were inoculated with known numbers of colony-forming units (CFU) of S. enteritidis. The fecal samples were enriched overnight in tetrathionate broth, and then DNA was extracted and amplified by PCR using genus-specific primers. Sensitivity of the assay extended to 10 degrees CFU Salmonella enteritidis/g feces; sensitivity of microbiologic culture with enrichment extended to 10 degrees CFU Salmonella enteritidis/g feces. Feces that were not inoculated with S. enteritidis were negative by the PCR. Detection of salmonellae in feces was possible using the PCR within 24 hours from the time of submission of samples. Because samples were enriched, isolates were available for determining antibiograms and serologic grouping or typing.
Incorporating new technology improves outcomes for heart failure patients

Background: Appropriate care measure compliance and proper patient identification prevent heart failure readmissions. Methods: Proper identification of heart failure patients is needed to perform concurrent chart review and patient education. Electronic Medical Record implementation and use of pivot tables creates a workable list for the Heart Failure Inpatient Teaching Team. The list prioritizes patients based on the following criteria; heart failure diagnosis, BNP level, diuretics, and physician. Identification of patients provides opportunities to review charts and educate patients in real time. Weekly meetings, physician accountability, and sharing of appropriate care measure results led to the team’s success. Results: Patient’s being sent home with accurate discharge instructions improved from 84% to 95% in 2009. When comparing the lists of patients based on the new technology, and those being coded for heart failure, the new list is 98% accurate for the identification of patients. Conclusion: Incorporating new technology improves heart failure disease management programs through education and compliance with appropriate care measures.
Stroke: a global killer on the rise.

How a disease ranks vis-a-vis morbidity and mortality will dictate the allocation of clinical and research resources. This ranking can define strategic planning for national and international health organizations as well as biomedical corporations. With ever diminishing resources, the need to understand healthcare priorities and reduce disease burden on society is more critical than ever. In an effort to gain greater insight into this issue, Lozano et al., part of the Global Burden of Disease 2010 team, spent 5 years researching all available data related to mortality in 187 countries between 1980 and 2010. Their work was recently published in the Lancet (1). Lozano et al. present a complex and thorough analysis of the collected data with the aim of determining cause-specific mortality per age group, year, and country. A stepwise methodology was used to collect and analyze data. Sources included medical certification of causes of death, verbal autopsy data, population-based cancer registries, police and crime reports, demographic and health surveys, as well as data on deaths in health facilities. The data collection and study analysis consumed a daunting 5 years, with countless hours dedicated to imperfect data processing. The study period was over 30 years, but because data prior to 1990 were deemed insufficient for robust analysis, the final analysis was done for the years 1990e2010. Data were then processed using complex statistical models. For the modeling of individual causes of death, the Cause of Death ensemble Modeling was used for all major causes of death except HIV/AIDS and measles. For rare causes of death, the authors used fixed proportion models. Finally, the authors combined the results for individual causes of death to generate a final model. In their final analysis, the 2 leading causes of death worldwide between 1990 and 2010 remain ischemic heart disease and stroke. Ischemic heart disease was responsible for 13.3% among all causes of death in 2010; stroke followed at 11.1%, roughly split equally between ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Combined, ischemic heart disease and all forms of stroke resulted in 12.9 million deaths in 2010, a quarter of the global total, compared with one fifth of the global total 20 years earlier. These numbers, however, should be cautiously interpreted in light of
Web delivery of interactive laboratories: comparing three authoring tools

As educators know, the more a student interacts with a subject, the better he or she will learn it. This is particularly true in technical subjects. One way to promote interaction is to have "laboratories" in which the student manipulates objects on the computer screen using the keyboard or mouse and then sees those actions' outcome.
The Relationship Between Episodes of Dissociative Amnesia, Symptomology of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Childhood Sexual Abuse

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EPISODES OF DISSOCIATIVE AMNESIA, SYMPTOMOLOGY OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, AND CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE by Jennifer E. Perkins
Altruistic suicide in the trolley problem1

Abstract Sixty-four students enrolled in psychology courses were given the “trolley dilemma” in which either the person on the bridge pushed a stranger (who was killed) into the path of a train, diverting it and thereby saving the lives of five workmen on the train tracks, or the person himself or herself jumped off the bridge (and was killed) in order to divert the train. The suicide received significantly higher scores for heroism than the murderer, and the act of suicide was given higher scores for being “the right thing to do.”
Impairment of IKCa channels contributes to uteroplacental endothelial dysfunction in rat diabetic pregnancy.

Diabetes mellitus is a common complication of pregnancy associated with increased risks of hypertension and preeclampsia. We identified impaired activity of intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated ...
Isolation of Quiescent Murine Hematopoietic Stem Cells by Homing Properties

A major challenge facing investigators working in the field of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology has been to develop a strategy to purify rare primitive HSCs from bone marrow. Several methods have been available including the commonly used technique of isolating HSCs based on a specific cell-surface phenotype. As surface marker expression is dynamic and may fluctuate depending on the proliferative or activation state of the cell, our laboratory has established a unique functional in vivo assay (the 2-day homing assay) to isolate murine HSCs. This protocol selects for HSCs on the basis of their ability to home to bone marrow and yields a population that can reconstitute the murine hematopoietic system with the transplantation of a single cell. In contrast to other methods that use specific cell-surface antigens to acquire HSCs, our functional assay aids in obtaining a primitive HSC that exhibits both hematopoietic and epithelial engraftment capabilities. The 2-day homing protocol involves harvesting whole bone marrow and performing a physical separation method (elutriation) to acquire a fraction of small-sized cells (fraction 25). Fraction 25 cells are then depleted of later progenitors and differentiated hematopoietic cells, labeled with a fluorescent tracking dye and transplanted into lethally irradiated recipient mice. Two days after transplantation, the bone marrow is harvested from the primary recipient, and HSCs that have homed to the bone marrow are collected by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. In addition to the traditional 2-day homing protocol, we have included in this chapter our recently developed method of using density gradient centrifugation to replace the elutriation step that also selects for a primitive HSC.
Ecophenomenology and the Resistance of Nature

In his justly famous essay “Walking,” published after his death in 1862, Henry David Thoreau wrote that “In wildness is the preservation of the world.” Thoreau penned these words at a time when Americans were enacting their vision of “manifest destiny,” displacing the indigenous peoples from the western half of the continent and hacking down its ancient forests to make way for orchards, cattle pastures, and industrial progress. A century later, Thoreau’s remark became a clarion call for the modern American environmental movement in its effort to preserve our remaining “pristine” forests and natural areas. “Wildness” had become, in the minds of many, equivalent to “wilderness,” defined by the 1964 Wilderness Act as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.
Life in Prison for Stealing $48? Rethinking Second Degree Robbery as a Strike Offense in Washington State

The Washington State legislature should remove second degree robbery as a viable final strike because of the large sentencing disparity between the POAA’s mandatory sentence of life without parole versus the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission’s sentencing range for this offense. However, second degree robbery should remain as a viable first or second strike offense to serve the goal of deterrence, and failing that, to ensure that offenders whose crimes escalate in violence are removed from society by incarceration.This Comment begins by discussing the history of three strikes legislation both nationally and in Washington State and explains why three strikes laws became popular in the mid 1990’s. Part II also addresses the elements and sentencing of second degree robbery under Washington’s current sentencing structure. Part III provides an overview of the sentencing process in Washington State including the background of the Washington Sentencing Guidelines Commission and its goals, the role of both the Washington State Clemency and Pardons Board and the governor in granting clemency, as well as the severity of life in prison without parole. Part IV addresses why the POAA should be amended to better align with the reality of how Washington prosecutors use second degree robbery as a strike offense. Part IV also assesses the disconnect between the outcomes of three strikes laws and the goals behind them and the politics behind criminal sentencing legislation.
Population and the detection of weak tornadoes

This paper uses the National Severe Storms Forecast Center's information on 31,969 tornado segments occurring in the continental U.S. during the 1950-1990 period, and ecological information from the U.S. Census on all counties experiencing tornadoes during this period to model the occurrence of weak tornadoes which are most likely to go unreported. The relative complexity of the demographic pattern of counties is insignificantly related to the proportion of counties with weak storms. Metropolitan and other urban counties do not have higher odds of weak tornadoes than rural counties. Inferentially, these results fail to support the prevailing interpretation in the scientific literature of the existence of a noncausal relationship between the frequency of tornado occurrence and demographic complexity of places. An alternative interpretation is suggested. Language: en
Multinomial logit estimates of household location in the Chicago metropolitan area

The determinants of household location within the Chicago metropolitan area are estimated. Particular attention is given to the effects of education and minority background. It is shown that more affluent and educated African-American are more likely to suburbanize in more depressed suburban areas relative to Hispanics. It is also shown that college-educated whites, blacks, and Hispanics are more likely to live in ”trendy” community areas in the city of Chicago.
Skeletal trauma preceding the development of plasma cell dyscrasia: eight case reports and review of the literature.

Plasma cell dyscrasias are clonal proliferations and accumulations of plasma cells. The etiology of monoclonal neoplasms still remains elusive. A direct correlation between a history of trauma and the development of plasma cell dyscrasias has not been established. Two recent case reports have described plasmacytomas that were diagnosed in patients who suffered injury at the site of plasma cell neoplasms. We report a series of eight patients who stated a history of trauma to the site where plasma cell neoplasms were later diagnosed. The duration from the date of injury to diagnosis ranged from 2 mo to 20 yr. The M:F ratio was 6:2. The median age was 52 (28–75). Multiple myeloma was confirmed in six patients and plasmacytoma without systemic disease in the other two patients. All eight patients had a κ monoclonal plasma cell population, and all but one had a detectable peripheral κ light chain. All patients presented with persistent discomfort at the site where they had experienced trauma. Even though this article does not establish a relationship between trauma, and the development of plasma cell dyscrasia, persistent discomfort at a previous trauma site warrants a complete evaluation and consideration for possible plasma cell dyscrasias.
The Better Sportswomen Get, the More the Media Ignore Them:

In this commentary on Cooky, Messner, and Hextrum’s (2013) article “Women Play Sport, but not on TV: A Longitudinal Study of Televised News Media,” Mary Jo Kane assesses key findings in light of th...
PSEUDO-WELLEN'S SYNDROME AFTER MARIJUANA USE

The electrocardiographic pattern of biphasic or deeply inverted T waves in V2-V3 is suggestive of Wellen's Syndrome, typically associated with critical proximal left anterior descending (LAD) artery occlusion. In this setting, stress testing is contraindicated and urgent cardiac catheterization is
Infections of the Urinary Tract Due to Bacterium Dysenteriae

In contradistinction to typhoid fever, bacillary dysentery is considered to be an essentially localized disease of the intestinal tract. During the last half year, however, we encountered 3 cases of infection of the urinary tract which were caused by Bacterium dysenteriae. It is the purpose of this paper to present the bacteriological and serological findings of these cases and to review briefly 14 cases of dysentery bacillus infections of the urinary system which were collected from the literature. Bacilluria, caused by Bacterium alkalescens, is not included; such a case was recently reported by Snyder and Hanner,' who also reviewed the literature on this subject.
Supervisory Control of Multiple Unmanned Vehicles: International Perspectives on Methodologies and Enabling Interface Technologies:

Unmanned vehicles (UVs) have proven to be an extremely valuable military capability. Added system automation/autonomy will change the role of the UV operator from manual controller to supervisor of...
CATHETER-DIRECTED THROMBOLYSIS (CDT) VERSUS THROMBOLYSIS TO TREAT PULMONARY EMBOLISM: A PROPENSITY SCORE-MATCHED ANALYSIS FROM THE NATIONWIDE INPATIENT SAMPLE

The role of catheter-directed thrombolysis in the treatment of pulmonary embolism is controversial, and real world outcomes are unknown. We used Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 2000 to 2012 to identify all patients aged ≥ 18 years with PE. We compared patients treated with CDT against
Asthma, allergic rhinitis, and sleep problems in urban children.

Objectives:In this study, we examine the association of asthma (asthma symptoms, asthma control, lung function) and sleep problems in a group of urban children. The role of allergic rhinitis (AR), ...
Impact of rainwater harvesting systems on nutrient and sediment concentrations in roof runoff

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems have the unique ability to contribute to stormwater management goals via mitigation of runoff volumes and peak flow rates. Additionally, collecting and storing runoff via RWH systems can potentially provide water quality benefits due to physical and chemical processes that occur within the storage tank. This study quantified the water quality improvement provided by storing rooftop runoff via RWH systems at four sites in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Roof runoff and extraction spigot samples were analyzed for total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen species and total phosphorus. Roof concentrations were significantly greater than spigot concentrations for all constituents except TSS, indicating the ability of RWH systems to significantly lower nutrient concentrations of incoming roof runoff. Lack of significant TSS reduction was likely attributable to low, ‘irreducible’ concentrations of TSS in the roof runoff. The use of additional filtration components prior to the extraction spigot could aid in lowering spigot TSS concentrations. The findings presented herein contend that stormwater benefits associated with RWH are not only limited to hydrologic mitigation, but also include reductions in concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus species. Thus, it is recommended that pollutant removal credit be assigned to these systems when used as stormwater control measures.
Analysis and Research on Leading Phase Operation Test of Large Turbogenerator

Through the analysis and summary of leading phase operation test of turbogenerator in Shaanxi Grid,combined with the limiting condition for generator leading phase operation,several cautions in tubrogenerator leading phase running are proposed to make the reactive power output of the generator not only satisfy ultimate requirements for the generator stable operation but also meet the demand of system stable operation.