cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Internal medicine residents’ clinical and didactic experiences after work hour regulation

BACKGROUND: Work hour regulations for house staff were intended in part to improve resident clinical and educational performance. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the effect of work hour regulation on internal medicine resident inpatient clinical experience and didactic education. DESIGN: Cross-sectional mail survey. PARTICIPANTS: Chief residents at all accredited U.S. internal medicine residency programs outside New York. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The response rate was 62% (202/324). Most programs (72%) reported no change in average patient load per intern after work hour regulation. Many programs (48%) redistributed house staff admissions through the call cycle. The number of admissions per intern on long call (the day interns have the most admitting responsibility) decreased in 31% of programs, and the number of admissions on other days increased in 21% of programs. Residents on outpatient rotations were given new ward responsibilities in 36% of programs. Third-year resident ward and float time increased in 34% of programs, while third-year elective time decreased in 22% of programs. The mean weekly hours allotted to educational activities did not change significantly (12.7 vs 12.4,P=.12), but 56% of programs reported a decrease in intern attendance at educational activities. CONCLUSIONS: In response to work hour regulation, many internal medicine programs redistributed rather than reduced residents’ inpatient clinical experience. Hours allotted to educational activities did not change: however, most programs saw a decrease in intern attendance at conferences, and many reduced third-year elective time.
Idiopathic Ventricular Tachycardia. Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Primary Prevention, Immediate Evaluation and Management, Long-term Management, Experimental and Theoretical Developments

Classi~cation schemes for idiopathic VT vary, but the most commonly used scheme divides these arrhythmias into: (1) repetitive monomorphic VT; (2) paroxysmal sustained VT; and (3) idiopathic left VT. Idiopathic left VT is also referred to as verapamil-sensitive VT. Paroxysmal sustained VT is often called catecholamine-responsive or exercise-induced VT. Over the past year or two, relatively little has been published to alter the classi~cation scheme for idiopathic VT. Lerman et al.1 have investigated the mechanism of repetitive monomorphic VT using adenosine, vagal maneuvers, edrophonium, beta blockade or calcium channel blockade. They concluded that repetitive monomorphic VT was probably due to cyclic AMP-mediated triggered activity, similar to paroxysmal exercise-induced VT. Two articles have appeared describing polymorphic VT in patients with a normal QT.2,3 Eisenberg et al.3 found that their patients could be divided into three distinct groups. One group had polymorphic VT induced by exercise and initiated by late-coupled beats. All four responded to beta blockade. Another group had VT during episodes of coronary spasm and responded to calcium channel blockade. Polymorphic VT unrelated to exertion or spasm occurred in a third group. Tachycardia began with closely coupled beats or a pause in many of the patients. Sudden death was most prevalent in the third group. This group of patients described by Leenhardt et al.3 was thought to be a variant of adrenergic-dependent long QT syndrome. Pathopysiology
Advanced Nanomaterials: Promises for Improved Dental Tissue Regeneration

Nanotechnology is emerging as an interdisciplinary field that is undergoing rapid development and has become a powerful tool for various biomedical applications such as tissue regeneration, drug delivery, biosensors, gene transfection, and imaging. Nanomaterial-based design is able to mimic some of the mechanical and structural properties of native tissue and can promote biointegration. Ceramic-, metal-, and carbon-based nanoparticles possess unique physical, chemical, and biological characteristics due to the high surface-to-volume ratio. A range of synthetic nanoparticles such as hydroxyapatite, bioglass, titanium, zirconia, and silver nanoparticles are proposed for dental restoration due to their unique bioactive characteristic. This review focuses on the most recent development in the field of nanomaterials with emphasis on dental tissue engineering that provides an inspiration for the development of such advanced biomaterials. In particular, we discuss synthesis and fabrication of bioactive nanomaterials, examine their current limitations, and conclude with future directions in designing more advanced nanomaterials.
Individual Differences in Behavioral Responses to Palatable Food or to Cholecystokinin Predict Subsequent Diet-Induced Obesity.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated whether individual differences in behavioral responses to palatable food and to the satiation signal cholecystokinin (CCK) in outbred chow-maintained Sprague-Dawley rats enabled prediction of individual differences in weight gained after subsequent high-fat/high-sugar diet (HFHSD) maintenance. METHODS Meal size, meal number, and early dark cycle intake during initial HFHSD exposure were measured, as were early dark cycle sucrose solution and chow intake, chow meal size and meal number, the intake-suppressive effects of 0.5-µg/kg CCK injection, and CCK-induced c-Fos activation in the nucleus tractus solitarius. Subsequently, rats were maintained on an HFHSD for 5 weeks, and weight gain was determined. RESULTS Rats that took larger and less frequent meals on the first day of HFHSD exposure, whose early dark cycle intake (HFHSD and sucrose) was larger during initial HFHSD exposure, gained more weight after HFHSD maintenance. Rats with lesser sucrose intake suppression in response to CCK gained more weight after HFHSD maintenance and displayed reduced CCK-induced c-Fos activation in the nucleus tractus solitarius. CONCLUSIONS Together, these data identify individual differences in behavioral responses to palatable food and to CCK as novel predictors of diet-induced obesity.
Dementia-Capable Healthcare: One Step Closer

This Editorial comments on the Clinical Investigation by Lee A. Jennings et al. in this issue.
Risk Factors and Correlates of Self-Injurious Behavior and Suicidal Ideation among College Students

ABSTRACTThis research examines psychosocial risk factors of non-suicidal self injury (NSSI) and suicidal ideation among a sample of college students. Data were collected from a random sample of 1,1...
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents approximately 15% of breast cancers and is characterized by the lack of expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2). The annual incidence of TNBC is estimated to be approximately 40,000, with 20,000 diagnosed with metastatic disease in the USA (Plasilova et al. Medicine 95:e4614, 2016). The current standard-of-care treatment for TNBC remains to be cytotoxic chemotherapy, and the only FDA-approved targeted therapy is olaparib for the treatment of BRCA-associated TNBCs (Robson et al. OlympiAD: phase III trial of olaparib monotherapy versus chemotherapy for patients (pts) with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC) and a germline BRCA mutation (gBRCAm). American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2017). Despite aggressive upfront chemotherapy, a high percentage of patients still face increased risk of early metastasis and death from TNBC (Anders and Carey. Clin Breast Cancer 9:S73–S81, 2009). In the metastatic setting following first-line treatment, median overall survival is 6–13 months, and medial progression-free survival (PFS) is 3–4 months (Kassam et al. Clin Breast Cancer 9:29–33, 2009; Lin et al. Cancer 118:5463–5472, 2012). There is no standard chemotherapy to treat patients with refractory or relapsed disease.
Fully Automated Segmentation Algorithm for Perihematomal Edema Volumetry After Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background and Purpose— Perihematomal edema (PHE) is a promising surrogate marker of secondary brain injury in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage, but it can be challenging to accur...
Predictors of Sexual Orientation Diversity in Intercollegiate Athletics Departments

In adopting a multilevel perspective, the purpose of this study was to examine antecedents of sexual orientation diversity among university athletic departments. Data were gathered from top administrators (N = 653) in 199 athletic departments. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the size of the university, the racial diversity of department employees, and the gender diversity of department employees were all positively associated with sexual orientation diversity. The entire model explained 24% of the variance. The author discusses ways to increase sexual orientation diversity, study contributions, limitations, and future directions.
Surface Treatment of PMMA with Polyvinylpyrrolidone and a Titanium Compound and Its Effect on Blood Compatibility

The surfaces of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) have been modified through a chemical infusion process by treatment of the sample with a solution containing varying amounts of titanium (IV) isopropoxide and poly (vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). The resulting sample is modified in the outermost 150–325 micron region while the underlying polymeric material is unchanged. The chemical infusion process, a solvent based surface modification technique, is described in detail along with a study correlating treatment conditions with penetration depth. The treated samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and neutron activation analysis. These samples were evaluated for blood compatibility using two biological assays: (1) an adherence assay in which the adherence of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes to the samples was determined, and (2) a dynamic hemolysis assay using rat blood erythrocytes to determine the hemolytic activity of the samples. Based on the results of these assays, the PMMA samples treated with PVP alone resulted in an improvement in reactivity with the blood cells in a manner comparable to TecoflexR, a commercially available polymer with relatively benign characteristics.
Neuroscience of Aphasia Recovery: the Concept of Neural Multifunctionality

Aphasia therapy, while demonstrably successful, has been limited by its primary focus on language, with relatively less attention paid to nonlinguistic factors (cognitive, affective, praxic) that play a major role in recovery from aphasia. Neuroscientific studies of the past 15-20 years have opened a breach in the wall of traditional clinico-anatomical teachings on aphasia. It is not an exaggeration to talk of a paradigm shift. The term "neural multifunctionality" denotes a complex web of neural networks supporting both linguistic and nonlinguistic functions in constant and dynamic interaction, creating language as we know it and contributing to recovery from aphasia following brain damage. This paper reviews scientific underpinnings of neural multifunctionality and suggests ways in which this new approach to understanding the neural basis of language can lead to meaningful, practical steps for improvements in aphasia therapy.
Biology of Polyomavirus miRNA

Polyomaviruses are a family of non-enveloped DNA viruses with wide host ranges. Human polyomaviruses typically cause asymptomatic infection and establish persistence but can be reactivated under certain conditions and cause severe diseases. Most well studied polyomaviruses encode a viral miRNA that regulates viral replication and pathogenesis by targeting both viral early genes and host genes. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of polyomavirus miRNAs involved in virus infection. We review in detail the regulation of polyomavirus miRNA expression, as well as the role polyomavirus miRNAs play in viral pathogenesis by controlling both host and viral gene expression. An overview of the potential application of polyomavirus miRNA as a marker for the progression of polyomaviruses associated diseases and polyomaviruses reactivation is also included.
Demonstration of generating explanations for black-box algorithms using Lewis

Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) aims to reduce the opacity of AI-based decision-making systems, allowing humans to scrutinize and trust them. Unlike prior work that attributes the respons...
Persons from racial and ethnic minority groups receiving medication for opioid use disorder experienced increased difficulty accessing harm reduction services during COVID-19.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic collided with the opioid epidemic and longstanding health inequities to exacerbate the disproportionate harms experienced by persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) who self-identify as from racial and ethnic minority groups. Disrupted access to harm reduction services (e.g., naloxone, sterile syringes, recovery support) is one pathway whereby COVID-19 might exacerbate health disparities. We tested the hypothesis that persons receiving medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) who self-identify as from racial/ethnic minority groups would experience more disruptions in access to harm reduction services than persons identifying as non-Hispanic White, even when controlling for severity of opioid use and sociodemographics (e.g., education, income, biological sex, age). Methods Analyses used data from a cluster randomized trial that had enrolled 188 patients, all of whom had provided baseline data on sociodemographics and severity of opioid use, across eight opioid treatment programs. Data collectors re-contacted participants between May and June 2020 and 133 (71% response rate) agreed to complete a survey about access to harm reduction services. Results Twenty-six respondents (20%) identified as from racial/ethnic minority groups (predominantly Black, Hispanic, and/or biracial). Between 7% and 27% of respondents reported disrupted access to harm reduction services. Logistic regressions indicated that persons identifying as from racial/ethnic minority groups were 8-10 times more likely than persons identifying as non-Hispanic White to report reduced access to naloxone and sterile syringes (p Conclusions This report concludes with a discussion of potential outreach strategies and policies to advance more equitable access to essential harm reduction services.
Idiopathic Anaphylaxis—A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Dilemma

Idiopathic anaphylaxis is a diagnosis of exclusion which falls in the spectrum of mast cell activation disorders. The role of bone marrow biopsy remains controversial, but in the appropriate clinical context, this diagnostic tool may be useful in ruling out a potential systemic mast cell process. There is no definitive treatment for idiopathic anaphylaxis, but omalizumab and rituximab show a promising role in prevention. At this time, data suggesting a role for these two monoclonal antibodies come from case reports but do not prove causation or efficacy of therapy. Clinical trials further investigating efficacy of these options are warranted.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adolescence

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Though traditionally thought to be a disorder that children outgrow, ADHD commonly persists into adolescence. Given the pivotal nature of this period of development, the presentation of ADHD in adolescence is unique and involves a number of issues that are not typically considered in childhood. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of and synthesize the state of the science on ADHD during adolescence, including developmental trends into adolescence, comorbidity, assessment, treatment, issues related to stimulants and long-term use, emotion dysregulation, and developmental issues into adulthood.
Particle Filter Based Object Tracking with Discriminative Feature Extraction and Fusion

This paper presents an object tracking algorithm based on the unscented particle filtering (UPF) approach. In this algorithm, occlusion tolerant features are first obtained for the images of the object in the consecutive frames based on the color, texture and shape (edge) information, and then a variant of the Fisher's linear discriminant function approach is applied for reducing the dimensionality of the feature space. Similarities of the two images in each feature dimension are computed by matching the histograms of the quantized feature values, and finally these similarity values are aggregated into an over all similarity measure by a novel feature fusion technique embedded in the UPF framework. Results of experimentation with two different data sets indicate that our algorithm is both efficacious in handling severe occlusions (almost as high as 80%) and efficient with respect to tracking accuracy ...
Development and Evaluation of Sustained-Release Ibuprofen–Wax Microspheres. II. In Vitro Dissolution Studies

A modified USP paddle method using minibaskets was used to study the effects of various formulations on in vitro dissolution of ibuprofen microspheres. Formulations containing waxes such as paraffin or ceresine wax without modifiers exhibited very slow dissolution profiles and incomplete release, which did not improve with increased drug loading or the preparation of smaller microspheres. The addition of modifiers such as stearyl alcohol and glyceryl mono-stearate greatly increased the dissolution rate, with 20% (w/w) near the optimum for predictable dissolution. Higher drug loading and decreased microsphere size increased the dissolution rate from microspheres containing modifier. Optimum formulations contained ceresine wax or microcrystalline wax and stearyl alcohol as a modifier, with a drug content of 17%. An increase in the encapsulation dispersant concentration had little effect on the dissolution profiles. The dissolution data from narrow size fractions of microspheres indicated spherical matrix drug release kinetics; the 50% dissolution time decreased with the square of the microsphere diameter. With appropriate modifiers, wax microsphere formulations of drugs with solubility characteristics similar to those of ibuprofen can offer a starting basis for predictable sustained release dosage forms.
Phagocytosis of urinary pathogens in persons with spinal cord injury

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a major source of morbidity in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), often prolonging hospitalization, interfering with rehabilitation, and leading to secondary urologic complications. Greater understanding of host and bacterial factors that may predispose to invasive UTI and identification of persons at greatest risk for renal deterioration could facilitate development of measures to improve the quality of life for these individuals. A prospective investigation of host phagocyte-bacterial interactions was undertaken as a means to assess whether persons with SCI who develop renal deterioration may be deficient in this important means by which invasive bacteria are eliminated from tissues. Neutrophil phagocytic and serum opsonic activities against uropathogenic Escherichia coli and Enterococcus fecalis were studied in 17 persons with SCI who had diminished renal function and 25 persons with SCI who had normal renal function. Phagocytic and opsonic activities of neurologically intact persons were also comparatively studied as an additional control group. No differences in efficiency of opsonization or phagocytosis were detected when persons with SCI and impaired renal function were compared with persons with SCI who had normal renal function or neurologically intact controls. Whether biochemical characteristics of urine or other undefined local aspects of the urinary tract influence host-bacterial relationships and urologic outcome following SCI are topics worthy of future investigation.
Development of Mathematical Understanding.

The chapter reviews research on infants' and children's developing mathematical competencies—from the ability to determine sizes of small sets to the solving of word problems. A brief summary of the history of research in the area is provided in the first section, and reviews of contemporary research are provided in the second section. The latter includes reviews of research and debate on infants' and preschool children's early quantitative abilities. These include infants' sensitivity to the quantity of sets of objects and sensitivity to additions and subtractions from these sets. Debates revolve around whether these abilities are primarily quantitative and whether they are inherent. The review in the second section continues with preschool children's emerging counting competencies and their application of these in contexts that involve simple arithmetic. Next, children's developing mathematical competencies in school are reviewed. The topics include arithmetic concepts, base-10 knowledge, fractions, estimation, arithmetical operations, and arithmetical problem solving. The second section concludes with discussion of potential mechanisms of change, that is, the mechanisms that underlie developmental and school-based learning in these quantitative areas, although the presented model is potentially related to change in other domains. The discussions include consideration of potentially evolved as well as culturally specific areas of mathematical competency and development. Keywords: arithmetic; culture; evolution; mathematical development; problem solving; quantity
NMR studies of porcine uteroferrin: Evidence for a spin-coupled binuclear iron cluster

Abstract Uteroferrin is an iron-containing acid phosphatase of molecular weight near 35,000 isolated from either the allantoic fluid of pregnant sows or the uterine flushing or pseudopregnant sows [1–3]. The protein can exist in two forms - a purple (λmax ∼ 570 nm), enzymatically inactive, oxidized form and a pink (λmax/t 510 nm), enzymatically active, reduced form [2,3]. The former is EPR-silent, while the latter exhibits a novel EPR signal centered near g = 1.74 [4–6], reminiscent of signal observed for the semimethemerythrins [7]. We have undertaken a 1H NMR study of porcine uteroferrin focusing on paramagnetically shifted resonances in order to elucidate the active site structure and magnetic properties of the protein. Figure 1 shows the 300 MHz 1H NMR spectrum of pink two-iron uteroferrin in sodium acetate buffer (D2O), pH 4.9, at 30 °C. We-resolved features spanning 160 ppm are observed with linewidths ranging from 300–2000 Hz. In buffered H2O, additional resonances are observed near 89,43, and −25 ppm. The similarity of the EPR signal exhibited by pink uteroferrin to those of the semimethemerythrins [7] suggests the involvement of antiferromagnetically coupled Fe(III)Fe(II) centers. Estimates for the value of the antiferromagnetic coupling constant J (H = −2JS1 · S2) can be made from the temperature dependence of the isotropic shifts, since the shifts are proportional to magnetic susceptibility, assuming a temperature-invariant Fermi contact term [8]. Based on data obtained from 0–50 °C, we conclude that −J Some of the metal ligands in pink uteroferrin can be identified by comparing the observed shifts to those of synthetic complexes. Based on our model studies, histidine is found in the coordination environments of both the ferrous and the ferric centers while tyrosine is coordinated only to the ferric center. Other ligands including the bridging group have yet to be identified.
A Novel Approach to Hand Gesture Recognition for Virtual System Based on Adaptive Background Model

The interactive approach to virtual system is a hot research topic. This paper presents a novel interactive approach based on hand gesture recognition. The hand gesture segmentation method is based on the adaptive background model. The method improves the ability of adaptation environment. And an improved algorithm of hand recognition is presented by using Fourier Descriptor and BP neural network. Experiment results indicate that the approach is flexible, realistic and exact.
Improving Safety Behavior Using ADKAR Model

Several safety management programs have been developed to eliminate the unsafe behavior and promote the safety performance in the organization. Unfortunately, most of these programs and systems, if not all, have failed to achieve their goals; basically, because they are lack of proper behavior change process or methodology. This paper aims to adopt the ADKAR model to be used as coaching tool to improve individual’s safety behavior and also as basis tool to facilitate implementing new safety programs effectively.
A computer simulation evaluation of the role of mutations in finite populations on the response to directional selection: The generations required to attain maximum genetic variance.

The role of mutations in finite populations on response to artificial selection was investigated by a computer simulation model designed to mimic the biological model of pupal weight of Tribolium. Given the model, the results showed that with selection about 25–55 generations were needed for genetic variances to reach a maximum value depending on population size, selection intensity, and gene number. When effective population size was larger than 40 or the intensity of selection was high (less than 50% selected), selection had a dramatic effect in reducing the time to approach the maximum point of genetic variance. Furthermore, the genetic variance after that point often declined as a function of selection instead of remaining at a steady state in the subsequent generations.
Results of Displacement Damage Testing of the Intersil ISL70227SRH Dual Operational Amplifier

We report results of displacement damage testing of the Intersil ISL70227SRH dual operational amplifier. This part uses a complementary bipolar SOI process. Samples were irradiated using 1MeV neutrons at the WSMR Fast Burst Reactor.
The effect of coherency stress on the mechanism of the reaction albite+K+⇌K-feldspar+Na+ and on the mechanical state of the resulting feldspar

Coherency stress and coherency strain energy generated by Na+−K+ ion exchange in alkali feldspars are calculated using an isotropic model, and deformation of single crystals of alkali feldspars exposed to molten alkali chlorides at $$P_{H_2 O} $$ < 1 bar is described. Coherency stress in alkali feldspars can reach 10–20 kb. When it is large, partial relaxation by fracture and/or plastic deformation takes place under anhydrous conditions, but temporary build-up of stress is unavoidable even under hydrothermal conditions. Because of coherency strain energy, a thin layer of an end-member alkali feldspar produced by cation exchange on a grain of the other end-member alkali feldspar would be unstable with respect to dissolution. Therefore, under hydrothermal conditions one end-member alkali feldspar replaces the other by dissolution and precipitation. The mechanism of the reaction $$Na_x K_{1 - x} AlSi_3 O_{8_{(feld.)} } + yK^ + \rightleftharpoons Na_{x - y} K_{1 + y - x} AlSi_3 O_{8_{(feld.)} } + yNa^ + $$ is primarily controlled by $$P_{H_2 O} $$ and by ΔK/(Na + K), the difference between the equilibrium value and the initial value of the atomic K/(Na + K) ratio of the feldspar. When ¦ΔK/(Na + K)¦ is small, the reaction proceeds by cation exchange. When ¦ΔK/(Na + K)¦ is large, cation exchange still occurs if $$P_{H_2 O} $$ is very low, but under hydrothermal conditions replacement by dissolution and precipitation occurs.
Constraints on the order parameter of superconducting UPt3 from the phase diagram

Abstract The tetracritical point seen in the HT phase diagram of UPt3 for several orientations of H strongly constrains Ginzburg-Landau (GL) theories, as the GL “Hamiltonian” must have a conserved quantity Q. A two-component vector order parameter model has a Q for H∥c but no tetracritical point. Among accidentally nearly degenerate like-parity order parameters, only the case where one behaves as an A and the other as a B representation of D6h (the point group of UPt3) is allowed. This model is studied and compared to experiment.
Normal simulation through APL computer language

A very simple APL function with the capability of simulating random sample from the widely applied normal distribution, through the very important central limit theorem, is introduced. Documentations and examples are presented.
Apolipoprotein L, a New Human High Density Lipoprotein Apolipoprotein Expressed by the Pancreas IDENTIFICATION, CLONING, CHARACTERIZATION, AND PLASMA DISTRIBUTION OF APOLIPOPROTEIN L

In this study, we have identified and characterized a new protein present in human high density lipoprotein that we have designated apolipoprotein L. Using a combination of liquid-phase isoelectrophoresis and high resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, apolipoprotein L was identified and partially sequenced from immunoisolated high density lipoprotein (Lp(A-I)). Expression was only detected in the pancreas. The cDNA sequence encoding the full-length protein was cloned using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The deduced amino acid sequence contains 383 residues, including a typical signal peptide of 12 amino acids. No significant homology was found with known sequences. The plasma protein is a single chain polypeptide with an apparent molecular mass of 42 kDa. Antibodies raised against this protein detected a truncated form with a molecular mass of 39 kDa. Both forms were predominantly associated with immunoaffinity-isolated apoA-I-containing lipoproteins and detected mainly in the density range 1.123 < d < 1.21 g/ml. Free apoL was not detected in plasma. Anti-apoL immunoaffinity chromatography was used to purify apoL-containing lipoproteins (Lp(L)) directly from plasma. Nondenaturing gel electrophoresis of Lp(L) showed two major molecular species with apparent diameters of 12.2-17 and 10.4-12.2 nm. Moreover, Lp(L) exhibited both pre-beta and alpha electromobility. Apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, A-IV, and C-III were also detected in the apoL-containing lipoprotein particles.
Mining “junk” DNA to find hidden transcriptional gems

The genome is rich in information, posing analysis and visualization challenges, while offering enticing opportunities to discover functional structures. Interestingly, half the human genome is routinely discarded from most analyses as “junk” DNA, when interspersed repeats are masked. The GESTALT Workbench is an online tool for large-scale genomic sequence analysis and visualization, emphasizing the interpretation of interspersed repeats. Using GESTALT's new modular structure, I implemented dynamic and automated analysis pipelines, including the FEAST suite of algorithms. FEAST quantifies “transcriptional footprints” leading to the computational identification of large numbers of transcripts lacking exon conservation and apparently not coding for proteins.
Potential decrease of grass tetany risk in rangelands combining N and K fertilization with MgO treatments

Abstract The most practical and effective method to increase dry matter production in rangelands is by adequate fertilization. N and K fertilizers have commonly been used worldwide to increase yield in rangelands. Fertilizers have a significant effect on mineral concentration in the forage. Risk of tetany, causing yield decrease and death in cattle, increases by feeding forage with a ratio of K/(Ca + Mg) ≥ 2.2. The fertilizers containing N and K are the most important factors increasing K/(Ca + Mg) ratio in forages. The present study has aimed to determine whether the tetany risks caused by K and N fertilization may be compensated by Mg fertilization. For this purpose, N (0 and 120 kg ha−1), K (0 and 100 kg ha−1) and Mg (0 and 30 kg ha−1) were applied as combinations of each other. Each plot was separated into three sub-plots sampled on 25 April, 15 May and 5 June to determine Ca, Mg, K concentrations and K/(Ca + Mg) ratio. In this 2-year study, dry matter production in the control plot was 2064 kg ha−1 and nitrogen application increased the dry matter production of the plots by about 100%. Dry weight ratios of grasses increased while legume dry weight ratios decreased drastically in response to N fertilization. An increase was observed in K/(Ca + Mg) ratio with N fertilization due to the fact that legumes have higher concentrations of Ca and Mg than grasses. K fertilization resulted in an approximately 30% increase of K concentration in dry matter. K/(Ca + Mg) ratio in plots where N and K were applied separately was lower than 2.2. However, K/(Ca + Mg) ratio in plots to which N and K were applied in combination was over 2.2, resulting in tetany risk. It is interesting to determine that Mg fertilization did not change Mg concentration in pasture. It was noted that tetany risk did not decrease with the advance of harvest dates. The results indicated that tetany risk caused by N and K fertilizations could not be compensated by Mg treatment. Therefore, it can be concluded that fertilization programmes avoiding legume decrease in rangelands may be useful to prevent the tetany risk.
Photoreactivity of some organics with aqueous Br− and I− codissolved with nitrate

Our earlier research on the photochlorination of some organics suspended in solutions of aqueous Cl− codissolved with anionic NOx− is extended to systems comprising either bromides or iodides, and NO3−. It is found that the bromide-containing systems follow, under both artificial UV and sunlight, overall reaction patterns quite similar to those of chlorides although the rate term which stands for the bromination of organics is larger and directly proportional to light intensities. Solutions containing iodides also follow a similar overall pattern but the first rate term is now proportional to the square of light intensity. However, they react liberating detectable amounts of iodine which thereafter attack the hydrocarbon. This excess of elementary iodine is thus found to be either dissolved in or adsorbed by the organic; it furthermore also dissolves and becomes complexed in the aqueous phase.
Resistivity measurements on high purity Cu, Ag and A1 between 40mK and 1.5K

Abstract For Cu below 0.8K and Al from 0.2 to 1.5K, the resistivity is of the form ϱ = ϱ 0 + AT 2 . The values of A are compared with previous results. Anomalies in the data for Ag prevent the analysis in terms of this relation.
Hepatocyte polyunsaturated fatty acid enrichment increases acute phase protein synthesis

Background: The production of acute phase proteins by the liver is critical for homeostasis and recovery after injury. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically of the n-3 family, have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties that promote recovery; however, the effects of these fatty acids on acute phase protein synthesis have not been fully evaluated. Methods: The synthesis of the acute phase proteins α-2 macroglobulin and lipopolysaccharide binding protein was studied in hepatocyte-Kupffer's cell cocultures from Wistar rats. Cultures were endotoxin stimulated after enrichment with albumin complexed arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) or docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3). Protein synthesis was analyzed by [35S]-methionine labeling or Western blotting. Culture interleukin-6 levels were determined. Results: Both polyunsaturated fatty acids increase hepatocyte synthesis of acute phase proteins α2-macroglobulin and lipopolysaccharide binding protein compared with controls; however, the response in the docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) treated cultures was significant (P < .05 vs control). Interleukin-6 was also increased in the polyunsaturated fatty acid cultures compared with controls (P < .05 vs control). Cellular phospholipids were significantly enriched with the individual supplemented fatty acids (P < .05 vs bovine serum albumin). Conclusions: Polyunsaturated fatty acids have the capability to increase in vitro acute phase protein synthesis. This may contribute to the observed anti-inflammatory effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid enrichment. (Surgery 1998;124:471-6.)
Arabidopsis chloroplast chaperonin 10 is a calmodulin-binding protein

Calcium regulates diverse cellular activities in plants through the action of calmodulin (CaM). By using (35)S-labeled CaM to screen an Arabidopsis seedling cDNA expression library, a cDNA designated as AtCh-CPN10 (Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplast chaperonin 10) was cloned. Chloroplast CPN10, a nuclear-encoded protein, is a functional homolog of E. coli GroES. It is believed that CPN60 and CPN10 are involved in the assembly of Rubisco, a key enzyme involved in the photosynthetic pathway. Northern analysis revealed that AtCh-CPN10 is highly expressed in green tissues. The recombinant AtCh-CPN10 binds to CaM in a calcium-dependent manner. Deletion mutants revealed that there is only one CaM-binding site in the last 31 amino acids of the AtCh-CPN10 at the C-terminal end. The CaM-binding region in AtCh-CPN10 has higher homology to other chloroplast CPN10s in comparison to GroES and mitochondrial CPN10s, suggesting that CaM may only bind to chloroplast CPN10s. Furthermore, the results also suggest that the calcium/CaM messenger system is involved in regulating Rubisco assembly in the chloroplast, thereby influencing photosynthesis. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
Mobility measurement,transition matrices and statistical inference

This paper develops statistical inference procedures for testing income mobility with transition matrices. Both summary mobility measures and partial mobility orderings are considered. We first examine the different ways that transition matrices are constructed in the literature on mobility measurement. Different approaches lead not only to distinct interpretations of mobility but also to different sampling distributions. The large sample properties of the estimates of transition matrices allow us to derive testing procedures for both summary mobility measures and partial orders of mobility across income regimes. The tests are illustrated by applying them to income mobility in the U.S. and Germany using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and German Socio-Economic Panel data.
A Novel Approach for the Endovascular Repair of the Small Thoracic Aorta: Customizing Off-the-Shelf Endoluminal Grafts to Treat a Post-Coarctation Pseudoaneurysm

Surgical repair of post-coarctation pseudoaneurysm is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Endovascular stent grafting is a minimally invasive approach to manage this condition. The small thoracic aorta provides a dilemma for endovascular stent grafting using available commercially available thoracic endografts. We describe a hybrid approach including a novel technique to customize various components of the abdominal endoluminal grafts to repair a post-coarctation pseudoaneurysm. The patient is doing well at 1-year follow-up with no endoleaks.
Helicobacter hepaticus NikR controls urease and hydrogenase activities via the NikABDE and HH0418 putative nickel import proteins.

Helicobacter hepaticus open reading frame HH0352 was identified as a nickel-responsive regulator NikR. The gene was disrupted by insertion of an erythromycin resistance cassette. The H. hepaticus nikR mutant had five- to sixfold higher urease activity and at least twofold greater hydrogenase activity than the wild-type strain. However, the urease apo-protein levels were similar in both the wild-type and the mutant, suggesting the increase in urease activity in the mutant was due to enhanced Ni-maturation of the urease. Compared with the wild-type strain, the nikR strain had increased cytoplasmic nickel levels. Transcription of nikABDE (putative inner membrane Ni transport system) and hh0418 (putative outer membrane Ni transporter) was nickel- and NikR-repressed. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) revealed that purified HhNikR could bind to the nikABDE promoter (PnikA), but not to the urease or the hydrogenase promoter; NikR-PnikA binding was enhanced in the presence of nickel. Also, qRT-PCR and EMSAs indicated that neither nikR nor the exbB-exbD-tonB were under the control of the NikR regulator, in contrast with their Helicobacter pylori homologues. Taken together, our results suggest that HhNikR modulates urease and hydrogenase activities by repressing the nickel transport/nickel internalization systems in H. hepaticus, without direct regulation of the Ni-enzyme genes (the latter is the case for H. pylori). Finally, the nikR strain had a two- to threefold lower growth yield than the parent, suggesting that the regulatory protein might play additional roles in the mouse liver pathogen.
Timing inaccuracy of clocks

Since the beginning of time, timing accuracy has been strived for by clock designers. Although everyone has an intuitive sense of what clock accuracy and stability means, there is often an implicit comparison to some sort of assumed reference. In this talk, we will discuss the general notion of oscillator instability and evaluate the oscillator short term instability using a time-variant model which explains the evolution of the physical noise into phase noise in an oscillator. We will examine some of the design implications of such the noise evolution in the oscillator design via some practical examples.
Casimir energy with a Robin boundary: the multiple-reflection cylinder-kernel expansion

We compute the vacuum energy of a massless scalar field obeying a Robin boundary condition ((∂/∂ x) = β ) on one plate and the Dirichlet boundary condition ( = 0) on a parallel plate. The Casimir energy density for general dimension is obtained as a function of a (the plate separation) and β by studying the cylinder kernel (alias an exponential ultraviolet cutoff); we construct an infinite-series solution as a sum over classical paths and observe that the method of construction has broader applications. The total Casimir energy is finite after subtraction of divergences associated with the individual plates, which do not affect the force between the plates. The series for the total energy is an alternative to the integral formula of Romeo and Saharian, with which it agrees numerically.
Seismic gaps and plate tectonics: Seismic potential for major boundaries

The theory of plate tectonics provides a basic framework for evaluating the potential for future great earthquakes to occur along major plate boundaries. Along most of the transform and convergent plate boundaries considered in this paper, the majority of seismic slip occurs during large earthquakes, i.e., those of magnitude 7 or greater. The concepts that rupture zones, as delineated by aftershocks, tend to abut rather than overlap, and large events occur in regions with histories of both long- and short-term seismic quiescence are used in this paper to delineate major seismic gaps.
Providing Access to Electronic Journals in the Face of a Natural Disaster: The Experience of Two Libraries

As library users become accustomed to electronic access to journals, continuing to provide this access during a natural or man-made disaster becomes paramount. This column describes the recent experience of two large academic health sciences libraries using different modes of emergency access.
Equally Parsimonious Pathways Through an RNA Sequence Space Are Not Equally Likely

An experimental system for determining the potential ability of sequences resembling 5S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) to perform as functional 5S rRNAs in vivo in the Escherichia coli cellular environment was devised previously. Presumably, the only 5S rRNA sequences that would have been fixed by ancestral populations are ones that were functionally valid, and hence the actual historical paths taken through RNA sequence space during 5S rRNA evolution would have most likely utilized valid sequences. Herein, we examine the potential validity of all sequence intermediates along alternative equally parsimonious trajectories through RNA sequence space which connect two pairs of sequences that had previously been shown to behave as valid 5S rRNAs in E. coli. The first trajectory requires a total of four changes. The 14 sequence intermediates provide 24 apparently equally parsimonious paths by which the transition could occur. The second trajectory involves three changes, six intermediate sequences, and six potentially equally parsimonious paths. In total, only eight of the 20 sequence intermediates were found to be clearly invalid. As a consequence of the position of these invalid intermediates in the sequence space, seven of the 30 possible paths consisted of exclusively valid sequences. In several cases, the apparent validity/invalidity of the intermediate sequences could not be anticipated on the basis of current knowledge of the 5S rRNA structure. This suggests that the interdependencies in RNA sequence space may be more complex than currently appreciated. If ancestral sequences predicted by parsimony are to be regarded as actual historical sequences, then the present results would suggest that they should also satisfy a validity requirement and that, in at least limited cases, this conjecture can be tested experimentally.
"Excitonic" matter in a superstrong magnetic field

This paper is an investigation of the properties of excitonic matter in a superstrong magnetic field. The binding energy of an excitonic molecule is first calculated as a function of the magnetic field. The molecule is found to be bound relative to two excitons and so is expected to occur when the electron-hole concentration is small. When the electron-hole concentration is large, a new phase consisting of a two-dimensional van der Waals "solid" of electron-hole cylinders is proposed---analogous to situations at the surface of neutron stars. The binding energy of these cylinders is calculated for the case that the electron and hole have equal isotropic masses.
Germ cell tumors.

The category of germ cell tumors includes a broad array of histologic subtypes ranging from the benign, mature teratoma to the primitive, aggressive embryonal carcinoma (Box 1). These tumors share their origin in a primordial germ cell with multipotent capacity for differentiation along a variety of pathways. Several theories have been proposed to explain the origin and location of these tumors. Some investigators support the theory of aberrant migration of primitive germ cells originating in the embryonic yolk sac [1,2]. An alternative theory is that these tumors arise from totipotent cells originating in the primitive knot and primitive streak that invaginate between the layers of the bilaminar disc to form the mesoderm [3]. Germ cell tumors tend to occur in the midline or para-axial locations of the body. Sacrococcygeal tumors are the most common, followed by gonadal, mediastinal, retroperitoneal, and multiple other rare sites. Germ cell tumors may also occur in the brain but are not included in this review. Germ cell tumors are seen at all ages in childhood, with different age peaks for the various anatomic sites. In any given tumor, there may be a mixture of the various benign and malignant subtypes of germ cell histologies. Two of the malignant cell types secrete proteins that may be detected in the systemic circulation. Endodermal sinus tumors secrete alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and choriocarcinomas secrete beta human chorionic gonadotropin (bHCG). The development of sensitive assays for these tumor markers has improved diagnostic accuracy and monitoring of therapy for these subtypes of malignant germ cell tumors. In the prechemotherapy era, survival of patients who had malignant germ cell tumors treated with surgery alone was rare. The advent of multiagent regimens such as vincristine/dactinomycin/ cyclophosphamide (VAC) resulted in some progress, but the development of platinum-based regimens in the 1980s and 1990s dramatically improved survival. Children who have malignant germ cell tumors currently have