cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of hepatitis B virus serological testing in employees

Objective To analyze the serological testing results of HBV for employees in Zhanjiang city in 2007, provide basis for the future prevention and control measures. Methods ELISA was used to detect HBsAg for the employees who came for the first physical examination, if HBsAg'was positive, other HBV serum markers were detected. Results A total of 46 443 employees joined in all types of medical examinations in 2007, in which 3335 were HBsAg positive, the infection rate was 7.18%. The male infection rate was 10.75% (1363/12 684) and female was 5.84%(1972/33 759). 16-30 age persons had high infection rate, up to 7:65%(2675/34 983). Sauna massage salons of the tourist industry had high rate, up to 8.66%(352/4066); there were 6 types of infection patterns of serum HBV markers for 1440 cases of HBsAg positive staff. Conclusions HBV infection is high in employees in Zhanjiang. Restriction of HBsAg and HBeAg-positive people from their posts and issuing permits can effectively reduce the infection and cut off the route of transmission. At the same time, hepatitis B vaccination for HBsAg negative people is recommeded when necessary. Key words: Hepatitis B virus; Serological testing; Employees
Lessons from local governance and collective action efforts to manage irrigation withdrawals in Kansas

Abstract This study evaluates four groundwater management plans to increase the understanding of how local governance and collective action can be effectively implemented to manage irrigation withdrawals in Kansas. The results of our analysis demonstrate five key lessons that highlight the challenges of collective action efforts to manage common-pool resources in a developed country setting. First, the four management plans generally follow Ostrom’s design principles for collective action. However, there are important areas—particularly boundaries and allocations definition—where the management plans could be improved to better align with Ostrom’s design principles. Second, a majority of farmers agree that action is needed to reduce the rate of aquifer depletion but management plans have not substantially reduced water use. Third, management plans that allow for voluntary participation have not received more support than those that require mandatory compliance, perhaps due to the classic free-rider problem. Fourth, there is no clear evidence that heterogeneous benefits from management explain support within a management area. Fifth, groundwater users generally perceive that they have an acceptable level of information. Our analysis highlights the significant challenges facing successful collective action efforts to manage water in the USA. and that the efforts are most likely to be successful when they are small-scale, mandatory, and involve users in the formation process.
The Patient Care Ownership Scale: External Validation of an Instrument that Measures Patient Care Ownership Among Internal Medicine Trainees-a Multi-Institutional Study.

Patient care ownership improves accountability, clinical skills, and quality of patient care among resident physicians, but appears to be gradually eroding. Research is limited by the lack of a reliable, objective measure of ownership. To validate the Patient Care Ownership Scale, an instrument that measures decision ownership among internal medicine residents. Multi-institutional, cross-sectional study using a 66-item, online survey that queried residents on ownership’s key constructs (advocacy, responsibility, accountability, follow-through, knowledge, communication, initiative, continuity of care, autonomy, self-efficacy, and perceived ownership) as well as mood and burnout. Internal medicine residents in five geographically diverse residency programs completing an inpatient rotation. We performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in two randomly split groups to evaluate for subscales and inform item reduction. We conducted reliability testing with Cronbach’s α. We performed bivariate analyses to examine construct validity and identify correlates of ownership. Of the 785 eligible residents, 625 completed the survey (80% response rate); we included responses from 563 in the analysis. We identified three factors corresponding to assertiveness, conscientiousness, and confidence or perceived competence. After iterative item reduction, the 13-item ownership scale demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.82). Convergent validity was supported by a significant association with perceived ownership (eliminated from the final scale) (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). There was a positive association between ownership and training level (p < 0.01) and prior experience in the intensive care unit (p < 0.001). There were significant, inverse relationships between ownership and self-defined burnout (r = − 0.24, p < 0.001), depression (r = − 0.22, p < 0.001), detachment (r = − 0.26, p < 0.001), and frustration (r = − 0.15, p = 0.02), and significant positive associations between ownership and feeling energetic (r = 0.29, p < 0.001), happy (r = 0.33, p < 0.001), and fulfilled (r = 0.34, p < 0.001). The Patient Care Ownership Scale is valid in diverse residency program settings. Medical educators and investigators can use our scale to assess interventions aimed at fostering ownership.
An Intersectional Approach to DIF: Do Initial Findings Hold across Tests?

Differential Item Function (DIF) analysis is commonly employed to examine potential bias produced by a test item. Since its introduction DIF analyses have focused on potential bias related to broad...
Anticholinergic Medication Use, Dopaminergic Genotype, and Recurrent Falls.

Background Anticholinergic medications are associated with fall risk. Higher dopaminergic signaling may provide resilience to these effects. We tested interactions between anticholinergic medication use and dopaminergic genotype on risk for recurrent falls over 10 years. Methods Participants in the Health ABC study (n=2372, mean age=73.6; 47.8% men; 60.0% White) without disability or anticholinergic use at baseline were followed for up to 10 years for falls. Medication use was documented in 7 of 10 years. Highly anticholinergic medications were defined by Beers criteria, 2019. Recurrent falls were defined as ≥2 in the 12 months following medication assessment. Generalized estimating equations tested the association of anticholinergic use with recurrent falls in the following 12 months, adjusted for demographics, health characteristics, and anticholinergic use indicators. Effect modification by dopaminergic genotype (catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT); Met/Met, higher dopamine signaling, n=454 vs Val carriers, lower dopamine signaling, n=1918) was tested and analyses repeated stratified by genotype. Results During follow-up, 841 people reported recurrent falls. Anticholinergic use doubled the odds of recurrent falls (adjusted OR [95% CI]=2.09 (1.45, 3.03)), with suggested effect modification by COMT (p=0.1). The association was present in Val carriers (adjusted OR [95% CI]=2.16 (1.44, 3.23)) but not in Met/Met genotype (adjusted OR [95% CI]=1.70 (0.66, 4.41)). Effect sizes were stronger when excluding baseline recurrent fallers. Conclusion Higher dopaminergic signaling may provide protection against increased 12-month fall risk from anticholinergic use. Assessing vulnerability to the adverse effects of anticholinergic medications could help in determination of risk/benefit ratio for prescribing and deprescribing anticholinergics in older adults.
TractEM: Evaluation of protocols for deterministic tractography white matter atlas.

Abstract Reproducible identification of white matter pathways across subjects is essential for the study of structural connectivity of the human brain. One of the key challenges is anatomical differences between subjects and human rater subjectivity in labeling. Labeling white matter regions of interest presents many challenges due to the need to integrate both local and global information. Clearly communicating the manual processes to capture this information is cumbersome, yet essential to lay a solid foundation for comprehensive atlases. Segmentation protocols must be designed so the interpretation of the requested tasks as well as locating structural landmarks is anatomically accurate, intuitive and reproducible. In this work, we quantified the reproducibility of a first iteration of an open/public multi-bundle segmentation protocol. This allowed us to establish a baseline for its reproducibility as well as to identify the limitations for future iterations. The protocol was tested/evaluated on both typical 3 T research acquisition Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) and high-acquisition quality Human Connectome Project (HCP) datasets. The results show that a rudimentary protocol can produce acceptable intra-rater and inter-rater reproducibility. However, this work highlights the difficulty in generalizing reproducible results and the importance of reaching consensus on anatomical description of white matter pathways. The protocol has been made available in open source to improve generalizability and reliability in collaboration. The goal is to improve upon the first iteration and initiate a discussion on the anatomical validity (or lack thereof) of some bundle definitions and the importance of reproducibility of tractography segmentation.
Development of an algorithm to assess unmeasured symptom severity in gynecologic care.

Background Disparities research is often limited by incomplete accounting for differences in health status by populations. In the U.S., hysterectomy shows marked variation by race and geography, but it is difficult to understand what factors cause these variations without accounting for differences in the severity of gynecologic symptoms that drive hysterectomy decision-making. Objective Our objective is to demonstrate a method for using electronic health record (EHR)-derived data to create composite symptom severity indices to more fully capture relevant markers that influence the decision for hysterectomy. Study design This was a retrospective cohort study of 1,993 people who underwent hysterectomy between April 4, 2014 and December 31, 2017 from ten hospitals and over 100 outpatient clinics in North Carolina. EHR data including billing, pharmacy, laboratory data, and free text notes, were used to identify markers of 3 common indications for hysterectomy: bulk symptoms (pressure from uterine enlargement), vaginal bleeding, and pelvic pain. To develop weighted symptom indices, we finalized a scoring algorithm based on the relationship of each marker to an objective measure, in combination with clinical expertise, with the goal of composite symptom severity indices that had sufficient variation to be useful in comparing different patient groups and allow discrimination between more or less severe symptoms of bulk, bleeding, or pain. Results Ranges of symptom severity scores varied across the three indices; including composite bulk score (0 to 14), vaginal bleeding score (0 to 44) and pain score (0 to 30). Mean values of each composite symptom severity index were greater for those who had diagnostic codes for vaginal bleeding, bulk symptoms, or pelvic pain, respectively. However, each index also demonstrated variation across the entire group of hysterectomy cases and identified symptoms that ranged in severity among those with and without the target diagnostic codes. Conclusions Leveraging multisource data to create composite symptom severity indices provided greater discriminatory power to assess common gynecologic indications for hysterectomy. These methods can advance understanding in healthcare use in the setting of long-standing inequities and be applied across populations to account for previously unexplained variation across race, geography, and other social indicators.
Comments on the Josephson Plasma Resonance in 3He(A)

Phenomena relating to the longitudinal nuclear magnetic resonance in superfluid 3He A are discussed on the basis of a previously proposed analogy between this resonance and the Josephson plasma resonance in superconductors. Some effects which are subject to experimental test are suggested.
Review of Kierkegaard and Socrates: A Study in Philosophy and Faith

Jacob Howland's Kierkegaard and Socrates: A Study in Philosophy and Faith is a welcome and solid contribution to a handful of philosophical discussions. By training, Howland is a student of Plato's writings; and as his publication record indicates, he is a Plato scholar first and foremost. Consequently, Kierkegaard and Socrates is perhaps best conceived as the debut offering of a lover of Socrates in the realm of Kierkegaard studies. As Howland tells the story, it all began innocently enough: "During an idle moment in my office at the university, now well over ten years ago, I selected from my bookcase a thin blue hardcover volume that I had never before opened. The book was Philosophical Fragments, by Johannes Climacus" (1). Thus began the affair, and thus begins a book that Socrates himself would likely be inclined to call the offspring of this affair. Born of a seemingly chance encounter, what Howland ultimately discovers in his engagement with Philosophical Fragments is a kind of dramatic philosophical recreation, with Kierkegaard playing the part of Plato, Climacus cast in the role of Socrates, and the speculative idealists filling in for the sophists. The topic of discussion: the nature of philosophy, the nature of faith, and the relationship between the two in the life of an existing individual. Consisting of ten chapters and an epilogue, Howland's study is, as promised, relatively "straightforward" in its development (7). With the exceptions of Chapters 1, 3, and 10, each of Howland's chapters corresponds nearly one-to-one to the pieces of Philosophical Fragments. Chapter 2 deals with the "Preface," and Fragments I: "Thought-Project." Chapter 4 deals with Fragments II: "The God as Teacher and Savior." Chapter 5 deals with Fragments III: "The Absolute Paradox." Chapter 6 deals with the "Appendix" to Fragments III: "Offense at the Paradox." Chapter 7 deals with Fragments IV: "The Situation of the Contemporary Follower." Chapter 8 deals
Organic foods contain higher levels of certain nutrients, lower levels of pesticides, and may provide health benefits for the consumer

The multi-billion dollar organic food industry is fueled by consumer perception that organic food is healthier (greater nutritional value and fewer toxic chemicals). Studies of the nutrient content in organic foods vary in results due to differences in the ground cover and maturity of the organic farming operation. Nutrient content also varies from farmer to farmer and year to year. However, reviews of multiple studies show that organic varieties do provide significantly greater levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus than non-organic varieties of the same foods. While being higher in these nutrients, they are also significantly lower in nitrates and pesticide residues. In addition, with the exception of wheat, oats, and wine, organic foods typically provide greater levels of a number of important antioxidant phytochemicals (anthocyanins, flavonoids, and carotenoids). Although in vitro studies of organic fruits and vegetables consistently demonstrate that organic foods have greater antioxidant activity, are more potent suppressors of the mutagenic action of toxic compounds, and inhibit the proliferation of certain cancer cell lines, in vivo studies of antioxidant activity in humans have failed to demonstrate additional benefit. Clear health benefits from consuming organic dairy products have been demonstrated in regard to allergic dermatitis.
Modulation of Excitatory Synaptic Transmission by Adenosine Released from Single Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons

Adenosine is a potent neuromodulator in the CNS, but the mechanisms that regulate adenosine concentrations in the extracellular space remain unclear. The present study demonstrates that increasing the intracellular concentration of adenosine in a single hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron selectively inhibits the excitatory postsynaptic potentials in that cell. Loading neurons with high concentrations of adenosine via the whole-cell patch-clamp technique did not affect the GABAA-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, the membrane resistance, or the holding current, whereas it significantly increased the adenosine receptor-mediated depression of excitatory postsynaptic currents. The effects of adenosine could not be mimicked by an agonist at the intracellular adenosine P-site, but the effects could be antagonized by a charged adenosine receptor antagonist and by adenosine deaminase, demonstrating that the effect was mediated via adenosine acting at extracellular adenosine receptors. The effect of adenosine loading was not blocked by BaCl2 and therefore was not caused by an adenosine-activated postsynaptic potassium conductance. Adenosine loading increased the paired-pulse facilitation ratio, demonstrating that the effect was mediated by presynaptic adenosine receptors. Finally, simultaneous extracellular field recordings demonstrated that the increase in extracellular adenosine was confined to excitatory synaptic inputs to the loaded cell. These data demonstrate that elevating the intracellular concentration of adenosine in a single CA1 pyramidal neuron induces the release of adenosine into the extracellular space in such a way that it selectively inhibits the excitatory inputs to that cell, and the data support the general conclusion that adenosine is a retrograde messenger used by pyramidal neurons to regulate their excitatory input.
Determination of enzyme kinetic parameters by continuous addition of substrate to a single reaction mixture and analysis by a tangent-slope procedure. II. Application of the method to soluble and immobilized enzymes.

Abstract A system is described for semiautomated evaluation of enzyme kinetic parameters, S0.5, V, and Hill n. It consists of a Gilford spectrophotometer modified for continuous addition of substrate to a stirred enzyme assay mixture, and for recording of absorbance data coded on paper tape. The Hill parameters for a number of enzymes, obtained from these data by tangent-slope or curve-fitting procedures, are in good agreement with published or manually determined values. Experiments with rabbit muscle lactate dehydrogenase covalently linked to Sephadex G-50 or Sepharose 4B demonstrate the feasibility of this approach when applied to enzymes attached to solid supports. Instrumental errors due to spectrophotometer nonlinearity and drift, stirring, mixing, pumping, truncation in readout of absorbance, and bias in experimental parameters are minimal and do not significantly interfere with the method. The advantages and disadvantages of the approach are discussed, and improvements and extensions are suggested for the instrumental and data handling system which could greatly extend its utility.
Glycosylation of CD4. Tunicamycin inhibits surface expression

The T-cell surface glycoprotein CD4 plays an important role in mediating cellular immunity and serves as the receptor for human immunodeficiency virus. We have examined the glycosylation of CD4 and asked whether carbohydrate addition is essential for proper expression of the glycoprotein on the cell membrane. Under conditions where treatment of CD4+ human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells (CEM-CM3 cells) with the glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin decreased surface expression of CD4 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, the surface expression of several other glycoproteins was unaffected. Incubation with tunicamycin for 48 h inhibited mannose incorporation by 98%, caused a 76% decrease in CD4 surface expression as judged by flow cytometry, and had little effect on methionine incorporation. Scatchard analysis showed a decrease in the total number of CD4 molecules on the cell surface from 17,000 to 8,900 after 24 h of tunicamycin treatment. Immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled CD4 revealed the presence of an unglycosylated precursor in tunicamycin-treated cells. The observed difference between the Mr of the glycoprotein and its precursor is consistent with glycosylation at two potential N-linked sites. However, this precursor could not be detected by measuring steady state levels by immunoblotting. Also, no intracellular accumulation of CD4 in tunicamycin-treated cells was detectable using immunofluorescence microscopy. We conclude that surface expression of CD4 depends on glycosylation of the protein and that the unglycosylated precursor is preferentially degraded.
Role of gastric distention in angina pectoris. Intractable angina pectoris with cascade stomach and magenblase syndrome treated with gastric resection.

Abstract A patient with intractable angina pectoris, in whom a large magenblase in association with a cascade stomach appeared to be consistent precipitating factors of the anginal seizures, is presented. The successful control of the anginal attacks by a gastric resection for correction of air-trapping in the stomach is noted. The possible mechanisms responsible for alterations of coronary blood flow and the potential deleterious effects of gastric distention on clinical angina pectoris are discussed.
Cytokine Response in Multiple Lymphoid Tissues during the Primary Phase of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Type 1 and 2 cytokine mRNA responses were measured at various time periods and in various lymphoid compartments during the acute stage (first 4 months) of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection in laboratory cats. Cytokine responses were correlated with virus replication. Virus was detected in plasma and tissue from day 14 postinfection (p.i.) onward, peaked at 56 to 70 days, and declined greatly by 70 days. Virus replication was highest in the thymus, followed by spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, and cervical lymph nodes. Baseline cytokine levels were highest in the mesenteric lymph nodes and lowest in the cervical lymph nodes. Cytokine upregulation after FIV infection was most dramatic in the cervical lymph nodes, with the greatest increase in interleukin-10 (IL-10) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ). Cytokine transcription in the mesenteric lymph node increased above baseline by day 14 p.i. for IFN-γ, IL-12p40, IL-4, and IL-10, while elevations in the spleen were mainly for IFN-γ, IL-12p40 and IL-10. An increase in IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-12p40 occurred in the thymus at day 56 p.i., concomitant with the onset of thymitis. In general, type 2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) were increased greater than 1 log over baseline, while the elevations in type 1 cytokines were less than 1 log. In the tissues tested, CD4+ cells were the primary source of IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10. Both CD4+ and CD8+ cells produced IFN-γ, while no cytokine mRNA was detected in B cells. These results demonstrate the presence of a heterogeneous cytokine response in lymphoid tissues during the primary stage of FIV infection. The nature and intensity of the response differed from one compartment to the other and, in the case of the thymus, also with inflammatory changes. Although limited in scope, the present study confirms the usefulness of the FIV infection model in studying early cytokine events that lead to the secondary subclinical carrier state typical of most lentivirus infections.
Reducing self-interest and improving the relevance of economic research

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the main objective as occurring because of the economist's desire to find solutions to important problems in society relating to the actual economy. Thus, economists should perhaps be classified as “pragmatists.” “Truth” about the economy can be thought of as a final product, a useful approximation to it is an intermediate product. The chapter points out a sharp distinction between the physical and the behavioral or decision sciences, the latter including economics, psychology, and sociology. In the behavioral sciences, research output can influence and change the behavior of the objects being studied, but this cannot occur in the physical sciences. There are three types of economic research: theory, econometrics, and applied. The first two classifications will each be divided into two, giving in: (1) pure theory, (2) applicable theory, (3) econometric theory, (4) applicable econometrics, and (5) applied economics. A dominant feature of any actual economy is its complexity. It consists of many economic units, individuals and families making many decisions about consumption, investments, work patterns, and savings. Because of the immense complexity of an actual economy, it is generally accepted that it is necessary to adopt a simplifying strategy to conduct sensible research on it.
The Nuclear Matrix: A Structural Milieu for the Intranuclear Attachment and Replication of Eucaryotic DNA

Progress in recent years in defining a variety of specific proteins involved in the replication of procaryotic DNA has lead to the concept of the “replisome” in which a large number of proteins form a replication complex and move along the DNA strands at the replication forks (see Kornberg 1980 for an excellent discussion). Although our knowledge of eucaryotic replication is more limited, it is generally anticipated that replication in eucaryotic cells will prove to be at least as complex as procaryotic replication with regard to the number of factors involved and the integration of these factors during the replicative process.
An Overview of Current Tribology Problems in Magnetic Disk Recording Technology

Current tribology problems in magnetic recording technology are discussed including (a) flying of a magnetic recording slider at extremely small spacing, (b) evaluation of friction between slider and disk as a function of slider design and surface roughness, (c) surface roughness modifications by means of laser texturing, and (d) load/unload of a slider to reduce friction and wear during start/stop. In addition, future trends with regard to tribology problems in magnetic recording technology are examined.
The Fluid Flow and Solidification Phenomenon in Billet Continuous Casting Process with Mold and Final Electromagnetic Stirrings

Coupling electromagnetic field, flow field and solidification phenomena, a 3D numerical model was developed to simulate the SWRT82B steel billet by continuous casting with mold (M-EMS) and final electromagnetic stirrings (F-EMS). The columnar region was regarded as a porous media and a generalized approach was used to calculate permeability, while for the equiaxed zone, a variable apparent viscosity model was applied to simulate the fluid flow at the early stage of equiaxed dendrites. The model was validated by the measured data in plant. The simulation results show that the fluid flow pattern near the meniscus with considering solidification is quite different from that without considering solidification. And the maximum stirring velocity of molten steel in M-EMS and F-EMS zone increases with the increase of the current intensity. Moreover, the critical coherency solid fraction determined by the crystal morphology affects the fluid flow in F-EMS zone strongly.
Economic Sociology vs. Real Life: The Case of Grocery Shopping

Economic sociology improves on neoclassical economics but underanalyzes the economic activity of the consumer, leaving the assumption of consumer sovereignty unchallenged. We believe eco- nomic sociology marginalizes consumer activity because it is written from the standpoint of privileged men. Using institutional ethno- graphy, we examine economic activity beginning from a standpoint of the person who grocery shops for a family. Starting from this standpoint exposes the gendered character of both the economy and economic sociology's conventional approach to analyzing it. In the roughly three decades of its existence, economic sociology has significantly broadened our understanding of economic activity. As a much needed corrective to the neoclassical isolated individual making self-maximizing choices, economic sociology provides an analysis of the way economic activity is embedded in social relationships among economic actors (Granovetter 1985, 1992). One branch of this subdiscipline has focused on the social links between individual actors and positions, corporations, and industrial districts. A second has drawn on organizational theory to study the structure of firms and the links between corporations and their environments. A third perspec- tive looks at the economic impact of cultural factors as tools economic actors use in producing markets and/or as sources of meaning and values in economic structures and transactions (Fligstein and Dauter 2007).
Reassessment of Hypotrachyna virginica, an endangered, endemic Appalachian macrolichen, and the morphologically similar species with which it has been confused

ABSTRACT. Hypotrachyna virginica was long considered to be an endemic Appalachian macrolichen until it was recently reported from the Caribbean. Here we show that Neotropical material identified as H. virginica is morphologically distinct from that species and instead is conspecific with H. exsecta, a species widespread in the Paleotropics. Both species have also previously been confused with H. laevigata, which is widespread in the Americas and Europe. A revision of the three species is presented, including descriptions, illustrations, distribution maps, and global IUCN red-list assessments.
Engaging Youth Through African-Derived Dance and Culture

This article provides a brief history of African and African-derived dance and culture and highlights the physical health, dance education, historical, and cultural benefits of a school-based program that incorporates African dance as its core component. The article also includes the phases of the programming and brings attention to potential obstacles.
Subtractive antibody to a human immunosuppressive lymphokine affinity isolates a suppressive factor and blocks its function.

Abstract Hybridoma suppressor factor(s) (HSF), secreted by a human thymus hybridoma (8E-24) established in this laboratory, suppresses Ig as well as IL-2 synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). To aid in the characterization of this lymphokine, we prepared a subtractive antibody to HSF using the products of the hybridoma parent cell line to generate antibodies to irrelevant proteins. The concentrated supernatant fluid of the hybridoma parent cell line (CEM) was used to generate rabbit antibodies and titers of anti-CEM were monitored by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Next, to remove factors shared by both the parent cell line and hybridoma, the concentrated supernatant fluid of 8E-24 (crude HSF) was passed over an immunoaffinity column, composed of protein A beads coupled to anti-CEM. The ‘subtracted’ HSF, termed partially purified HSF, was shown to be suppressive in vitro and was then used to prepare a second rabbit antisera. Using partially purified HSF as antigen, the presence of specific antibody was monitored by EIA. This antibody (anti-HSF) was used to prepare another immunoaffinity column by covalently coupling this antibody to protein A beads. Factors bound and then eluted from this affinity column were shown to inhibit IL-2 production by PBMC in a manner similar to HSF. Specific activity of the affinity purified HSF was 50 times that of partially purified HSF. Furthermore, the suppressive activity of affinity purified HSF was abrogated in the presence of anti-HSF. Western blot analysis performed on the concentrated crude HSF, using both the anti-HSF and anti-CEM antibodies, revealed the presence of several bands that selectively reacted with anti-HSF and not anti-CEM. Each of these bands were present in the affinity purified HSF. Of particular interest due to their similar size to the suppressive agent are a band at 12 kDa that reacts selectively with anti-HSF and is detected in crude and affinity purified HSF and a band at 10 kDa. In summary, this protocol resulted in the detection and separation of hybridoma specific proteins within the predicted size range of the suppressive lymphokine.
Games, algorithms, and the Internet

The advent of the Internet brought parallel paradigm shifts to both Economics and Computer Science. Computer scientists realized that large-scale performing systems can emerge from the interaction of selfish agents and that incentives are a quintessential part of a good system design. And economists saw that the default platforms of economic transactions are computational and interconnected. Algorithmic Game Theory is a subdiscipline that emerged from this turmoil, revisiting some of the most important problems in Economics and Game Theory from a computational and network perspective. This talk will survey some of the major themes, results and challenges in this field.
Cliometric Metatheory III: Peircean Consensus, Verisimilitude and Asymptotic Method

Statistical procedures can be applied to episodes in the history of science in order to weight attributes to predict short-term survival of theories; an asymptotic method is used to show that short-term survival is a valid proxy for ultimate survival; and a theoretical argument is made that ultimate survival is a valid proxy for objective truth. While realists will appreciate this last step, instrumentalists do not need it to benefit from the actuarial procedures of cliometric metatheory.
The formation of lignin and its biochemical degradation

Abstract The mechanism of the biogenesis of lignin has intrigued lignin chemists ever since the discovery of this complex material. The process of lignification is the transformation in certain plants whereby the aromatic lignin polymer is synthesized, ultimately from CO2, probably by way of intermediates related to carbohydrates. Lignification is but one illustration of the more general phenomenon of aromatization, i.e. the conversion by living cells of non-aromatic precursors into compounds containing benzenoid-type rings. Fundamentally, an understanding of the biogenesis of lignin centers on knowing the enzymic pathway by which this highly polymeric aromatic compound is formed from substances pre-existing in the plant. A comprehensive solution to this problem requires consideration of two basic assumptions: First, the complex material must have its ultimate origin in certain relatively simpler units; and second, the biogenesis of lignin must involve the functioning of not one enzyme system but, rather, of several different systems, each exerting its influence in its substrate in an organized and integrated sequence, with the sum total of the reactions giving rise to a product, lignin, which is required for the existence of the mature plant. Thus, in such a biosynthetie study, both the precursors of the final product and the energetics of the reactions involved must be considered. To elucidate the mechanism of the enzymic degradation of softwood lignin by white-rot fungi, studies were conducted of the chemical properties of isolated pine and spruce lignins after decay by Polyporus versicolor, Polyporus hirsutus, Poria subacida J247 and N199, Fomes fomentarius, Fomes annosus, and Trametes pini. Determinations of the intermediate products formed from these lignins by the action of the fungi were also carried out. Products thus derived from lignin were coniferaldehyde, p-hydroxycinnamic acid, guaiacylglycerol and guaiacylglycerol-β-coniferyl ether. The results indicate the presence of the guaiacylglycerol-β-coniferyl ether unit in the lignins of pine and spruce woods. To understand the metabolism of lignin degradation products by white-rot fungi, investigations were carried out on the enzymic conversion by Polyporus versicolor and Fomes fomentarius of certain aromatic compounds structurally related to softwood lignin. Products derived in this way were vanillic acid, vanillin and dehydrodivanillin from ferulic acid and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylpyruvic acid; vanillic acid, vanillin, dehydrodivanillin and ferulic acid from coniferaldehyde and coniferyl alcohol; vanillic acid, vanillin, dehydrodivanillin and 4-droxy-3-methoxyphenylpyruvic acid from guaiacylglycerol and its β-guaiacyl ether. It is therefore suggested that 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylpyruvic acid is an intermediate in the fugal decomposition of the guaiacylglycerol-β-coniferyl ether units present in softwood lignin, and that the enol form of this acid is converted to vanillic acid and vanillin. Coniferaldehyde and ferulic acid, obtained from lignin, were also converted to vanillic acid via vanillin.
Effect of sex and AIDS status on the plasma and intrapulmonary pharmacokinetics of rifampicin.

To compare the steady-state plasma and intrapulmonary concentrations of oral rifampicin (rifampin) in men and women with and without AIDS. Prospective nonblinded pharmacokinetic study. Ten men with AIDS, ten men without AIDS, ten women with AIDS, and ten women without AIDS. Rifampicin 600mg was administered orally once daily for 5 days to 40 adult volunteers. Blood was obtained 2 hours after the last dose and at the time of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) performed 4 hours after the last dose. Rifampicin was measured in plasma, epithelial lining fluid (ELF) and alveolar cells. Standardised BAL was performed without systemic sedation. The volume of ELF was calculated by the urea dilution method, and alveolar cells were recovered by a standardised centrifugation technique. The volume of alveolar cells was calculated from the cell count and differential performed on the BAL fluid. Rifampicin was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Sex or AIDS status had no effect on plasma concentrations of rifampicin at 2 hours, 4 hours, or in ELF. Plasma concentrations (mean ± SD) of rifampicin at 2 hours (9.15 ± 5.4 mg/L) were not significantly different (p > 0.05) from those at 4 hours (9.10 ± 5.6 mg/L) following the last dose. The ELF concentration was 2.0 ± 1.6 mg/L with a range of 0–7.3 mg/L and the ELF/plasma ratio at 4 hours was 0.2 ± 0.2. Rifampicin was not detectable in ELF in eight subjects (three with AIDS and five without AIDS) or in alveolar cells in three subjects without AIDS. There was no significant effect of AIDS on alveolar cell concentrations of rifampicin. Alveolar cell concentrations of rifampicin were significantly greater in women (13.9 ± 6.7 mg/L) than in men (6.6 ± 4.1 mg/L) [p = 0.0003]. Alveolar cell rifampicin concentrations were 78% greater in smoking women (17.8 ± 7.0 mg/L) than in nonsmoking women (10.0 ± 2.4 mg/L), but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). CD4 + cell counts in the AIDS subjects were not correlated with the concentrations of rifampicin in plasma, ELF or alveolar cells. The absorption of oral rifampicin was not affected by sex or AIDS. Plasma and alveolar cell concentrations were not significantly different, were both greater than ELF concentrations, and were adequate to inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Considerable interpatient variability was detected despite witnessed drug administration. The clinical significance of these findings is unknown but merits further investigation.
Effect of growth hormone on tumor and host in an animal model.

Background: The relative effects of growth hormone on tumor versus host growth and protein metabolism are not known. This study examines the influence of recombinant rat growth hormone (r-rGH) on host and tumor growth, host body composition, and protein synthesis of tumor and host in tumor-bearing rats. Methods: After left flank implantation of methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma, 28 Fischer rats with palpable tumor were treated with s.c. saline or 1 mg/kg/day r-rGH for 11 days. At death, fractional protein synthetic rates (FSRs) of tumor, liver, and gastrocnemius muscle were determined. In a separate experiment, 27 tumor-bearing rats received saline or 1 mg/kg/day r-rGH for 2 weeks. Tumor and host growth and host body composition were analyzed. Results: Animals treated with r-rGH had significantly higher liver FSR than did controls (233 ± 27%/day vs. 110 ± 4%/day, respectively). No significant differences were associated with growth hormone administration with respect to tumor growth, host composition, or FSR of tumor or muscle. Conclusions: Growth hormone stimulates liver protein synthesis, without changing tumor growth, protein synthesis, or host composition in this rat sarcoma model. Further investigation of growth hormone as an anticachectic agent is warranted.
Rapid stable isotope turnover of larval fish in a Lake Superior coastal wetland: Implications for diet and life history studies

Trophic linkages of larval fish in Lake Superior coastal habitats can be identified using naturally occurring differences in the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (15N:14N, δ15N) and carbon (13C:12C, δ13C). We measured 13C and 15N values in common fish larvae weekly during spring run-off (late-April to mid-July) in the hydrologically complex drowned river mouth of the St. Louis River, the second largest tributary to Lake Superior. For all species, δ13C was increasingly negative with increasing weight as the fish developed from the yolk-sac stage, during which they possess a maternally-derived isotopic signature, to an exogenously feeding larvae. Trends in δ15N with increasing weight varied among species; an increase, decrease, and no change in δ15N were observed. A weight-based stable isotope turnover function modeled well the observed changes in δ13C and δ15N. In general, fish obtained a constant signature after a 10-fold gain in body mass, implying their tissue was at isotopic equilibrium with their die...
Specialized social work education: The case for social work with offenders

In the past, social workers have taken a lead in working with individuals involved with justice agencies and advocating for system change. Despite the fact that offender populations continue to inc...
Why Is There A Quality Chasm

Medical care seems to obtain less value from the resources it uses than other industries do, a phenomenon not limited to the United States. I explore several reasons for this, including consumers’ ...
Episodic neonatal hypoxia evokes executive dysfunction and regionally specific alterations in markers of dopamine signaling.

Abstract Perinatal ischemic–anoxic and prolonged anoxic insults lead to impaired dopaminergic signaling and are hypothesized to contribute, at least in part, to the pathogenesis of disorders of minimal brain dysfunction such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. We hypothesized that subtle intermittent hypoxic insults, occurring during a period of critical brain development, are also pathogenic to dopaminergic signaling, thereby contributing to behavioral and executive dysfunction. Between postnatal days 7 and 11, rat pups were exposed to either 20-s bursts of isocapnic hypoxic gas, compressed air, or were left undisturbed with the dam. On postnatal days 23 pups were instrumented with electroencephalographic/electromyographic electrodes and sleep–wake architecture was characterized. Locomotor activity was assessed between postnatal days 35 and 38, learning, and working memory evaluated between postnatal days 53 and 64. Rats were killed on postnatal day 80 and tyrosine hydroxylase, vesicular monoamine transporter, dopamine transporter, and dopamine D1 receptors were quantified in the prefrontal cortex, primary sensorimotor cortex, and precommissural striatum by Western blot analyses. Post-hypoxic pups spent less time awake and more time in rapid-eye-movement sleep during the lights-on phase of the circadian cycle, were hyperlocomotive, and expressed impaired working memory. Striatal expression of vesicular monoamine transporter and D1 receptor proteins were increased in post-hypoxic rats, consistent with depressed dopaminergic signaling. These observations lead to the intriguing hypothesis that intermittent hypoxia occurring during a period of critical brain development evokes behavioral and neurochemical alterations that are long lasting, and consistent with disorders of minimal brain dysfunction.
Numerical prediction of pressure loss coefficient and induced mass flux for laminal natural convective flow in a vertical channel

Abstract The natural convection heat transfer and ventilation characteristics of heated and vented parallel wall channels have been studied numerically. The flow is assumed to be laminar and steady, and the governing two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are solved by a finite volume formulation to calculate the chimney effect that draws cooler ambient air from the lower opening. The fluid-dynamic and heat-transfer characteristics of vented vertical channels are investigated for both symmetric isothermal and constant heat-flux boundary conditions for the Rayleigh number ranging from 10 3 to 10 5 and the aspect ratio in the 5–20 range. The non-dimensional entrance and exit pressure losses and the induced mass-flow are correlated with the Rayleigh number. The results indicate that although inlet- and exit-loss coefficients may vary significantly with Rayleigh number and aspect ratio, the total pressure-loss coefficient is a weak function of Rayleigh number. It is also shown that the total pressure loss coefficient and non-dimensional mass-flow rate results are better correlated with the modified Rayleigh number that is obtained by dividing the Rayleigh number by the aspect ratio. The elliptic flow results, obtained from the present procedure, are compared with fully developed flow results and with boundary-layer calculations of previous authors. Numerical results also yielded important information regarding the placement of the free pressure boundary. The results for the present geometry indicate that the effect of free-boundary location is negligible if it is placed at a distance of four times the channel width or greater.
Going to the Gemba: Identifying Opportunities for Improvement in Radiology

INTRODUCTION In Japanese, gemba means the “real place” and is often referred to as the place where valueadded activities occur [1]. In the radiology department, two principal activities that add direct value to patients are image acquisition and examination interpretation. Because radiology possesses a significant customer service-oriented component, gemba also includes every location where patients and clinicians come in contact with the department as well as the administrative support that allows the provision of services. All layers of management in radiology should routinely be visiting the front line, not just when there is an issue that needs to be resolved. Without gemba, management meetings can frequently get lost in hypothetical conditions and anecdotal perceptions of what is going on. Walking about provides real affirmation about how many patients are waiting at a given time or how the scanners are being utilized. Gemba also provides visibility of management to the front line, which can help demonstrate commitment and receptiveness to ideas. Gemba provides constant grounding in the reality of the workflow, which helps align management and makes for more agile and faster decisionmaking processes. Management assumes responsibility for failures at the front line. This framework purports that management must spend less time behind the desk and more time on the floor to
The influence of student ethnicity on teachers' behavior ratings of normal and learning disabled children

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of ethnicity and diagnostic labels on teachers' ratings of children's behaviors in mainstream classrooms. Specifically, behavioral rating scores on the Devereux Elementary School Behavior Rating Scale (DESBRS) for handicapped and non-handicapped Anglo and Mexican American children were analyzed to explore: (a) the influence of ethnicity (Anglo vs. Mexican American) on the behavior ratings of children by Anglo teachers; (b) the influence of a diagnostic label (normal vs. LD) on behavior ratings by Anglo teachers; and (c) the relationship between the behavior ratings of a sample of Mexican American children and the normative sample of the DESBRS. Significant multivariate Fs were observed for the main effects of ethnicity and diagnostic label. Univariate analyses of ethnicity revealed that Mexican American and Anglo children were rated as being significantly different on three factors: comprehension, creative initiative, and closeness to the teacher. The LD and "normal" children were found to differ significantly on various DESBRS factors: classroom disturbance, inattentive-withdrawn, creative initiative, unable to change, quits, and slow work. Language: en