cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Defining an Ultrasound-guided Regional Anesthesia Curriculum for Emergency Medicine.

Objectives Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) can be a powerful tool in the treatment of painful conditions commonly encountered in emergency medicine (EM) practice. UGRA can benefit patients while avoiding the risks of procedural sedation and opioid-based systemic analgesia. Despite these advantages, many EM trainees do not receive focused education in UGRA and there is no published curriculum specifically for EM physicians. The objective of this study was to identify the components of a UGRA curriculum for EM physicians. Methods A list of potential curriculum elements was developed through an extensive literature review. An expert panel was convened that included 13 ultrasound faculty members from 12 institutions and from a variety of practice environments and diverse geographical regions. The panel voted on curriculum elements through two rounds of a modified Delphi process. Results The panelists voted on 178 total elements, 110 background knowledge elements, and 68 individual UGRA techniques. A high level of agreement was achieved for 65 background knowledge elements from the categories: benefits to providers and patients, indications, contraindications, risks, ultrasound skills, procedural skills, sterile technique, local anesthetics, and educational resources. Ten UGRA techniques achieved consensus: interscalene brachial plexus, supraclavicular brachial plexus, radial nerve, median nerve, ulnar nerve, serratus anterior plane, fascia iliaca, femoral nerve, popliteal sciatic nerve, and posterior tibial nerve blocks. Conclusions The defined curriculum represents ultrasound expert opinion on a curriculum for training practicing EM physicians. This curriculum can be used to guide the development and implementation of more robust UGRA education for both residents and independent providers.
Evaluating the Associations Between the Liver Frailty Index and Karnofsky Performance Status With Waitlist Mortality.

Author(s): Xu, Chelsea Q; Yao, Frederick; Mohamad, Yara; Wong, Randi; Kent, Dorothea; Seetharaman, Srilakshmi; Srisengfa, Yanin; Lai, Jennifer C | Abstract: Frailty has emerged as a critical determinant of mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Currently, the United Network for Organ Sharing registry only includes the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scale, which captures a single component of frailty. We determined the associations between frailty, as measured by the Liver Frailty Index (LFI), and KPS with waitlist mortality.MethodsIncluded were 247 adult patients with cirrhosis listed for liver transplantation without hepatocellular carcinoma from February 2014 to June 2019, who underwent outpatient assessments using the LFI and KPS within 30 days of listing. "Frail" was defined using the established LFI cutoff of ≥4.4. Competing risk models assessed associations between the LFI and KPS with waitlist mortality (death/delisting for sickness).ResultsAt a median 8 months follow-up, 25 (10%) patients died/were delisted. In this cohort, median Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium was 17, LFI was 3.9 (interquartile range 3.4-4.5), and KPS was 80 (interquartile range 70-90). In multivariable analysis, LFI (sub-hazard ratio 1.07, per 0.1 unit; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.12) was associated with waitlist mortality while KPS was not (sub-hazard ratio 1.00, per 10 units; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-1.29).ConclusionsOur data suggest that frailty, as measured by the LFI, may be more appropriate at capturing mortality risk than KPS and provide evidence in support of using the LFI more broadly in clinical transplant practice in the outpatient setting.
Does fiscal redistribution discourage local public investment

This paper studies the determinants of regional (oblast-level) public investment in transitional Russia, focusing on the effects of federal fiscal redistribution. A model of local government expenditure in the presence of regional asymmetries shows that revenue redistribution from wealthy to poor regions discourages local public investment. Random- and fixed-effects estimation of regional panel data for 1994–97 supports the existence of a disincentive effect from fiscal redistribution on regional public investment, which varies according to a region’s federal status and wealth: nonrepublics have a lower propensity to invest out of transfers than out of own income, as do regions with above-median per capita income. Republics reduce public investment more than current spending in response to higher federal taxation. Russia’s ‘asymmetrical federalism’ thus creates different fiscal incentives for different types of regions.
Ethnic Studies Is for Everyone: C. E. Sleeter & M. Zavala. (2020). Transformative Ethnic Studies in Schools: Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Research. Teachers College Press. $29.95 (paperback). ISBN: 978-0807763452.

Multicultural education as a movement and practice has continued to develop diverse epistemologies that include intersectional identities. However, academics and practitioners alike have called for...
Uterine Leiomyomatosis: A Case Study and Literature Review

Study Objective The objective of this study is to examine techniques for management of diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis that preserve the patient's uterus and/or fertility. Design A literature search was performed and revealed seven papers, largely case series and case reports. Setting Academic medical center. Patients or Participants A 38-year-old G2P0020 with known history of fibroids and multiple transfusions, now presenting with worsening abnormal uterine bleeding unresponsive to oral progestin. Interventions Operative hysteroscopy, myomectomy, and dilation and curettage. Samples of several fibroids were taken along with an endometrial sample. Measurements and Main Results The patient was found to have diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis discovered via hysteroscopy. Literature search revealed a few different conservative methodologies for treatment of DUL, including medical management with GnRH agonists, partial myomectomy with and without GnRH agonist adjunct therapy, and uterine artery embolism. Conclusion While hysterectomy is the only definitive treatment for DUL, there exist many options for DUL treatment for the patient who wishes to preserve her uterus and/or her fertility.
CMV after transplant: T-cell repertoire crooks

In this issue of Blood , [Suessmuth et al][1] demonstrate that cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in unrelated donor transplant recipients associates with quantifiable defects in T-cell repertoire recovery.[1][2] ![Figure][3] Depiction of T-cell repertoire deficits at 1 year after allogeneic
"The Cow is Still the Most Important Figure in Indian Politics!": Religion, Imperial Culture and the Shaping of Indian Political Reform in the 1930s

This essay assesses the impact of imperial culture, particularly constructions of India and hinduism, on British responses to the Indian nationalist movement in the 1930s. The essay draws on personal and governmental papers, paying special attention to the language and vocabulary employed by British policy makers concerned with Indian affairs. The major issue addressed here is the British presumption that the 1935 Government of India Act, a plan for a federated India with British central control, would defuse nationalist agitation. Such a sanguine view of this proposal seemed misplaced, given the popular success of the nationalists, especially Gandhi, and given the explicit demands of Indians for full self-government. However, such an optimistic assessment drew on presumptions about Indian political and social behaviour, and especially on conceptions of hinduism. Policy makers in Britain and India argued along well-established lines, that hinduism inculcated moral and physical weakness, among other deficiencies, and that a British offer of compromise would attract many Indians who feared continuing confrontation with the Raj. Moreover, colonial advisors relied on a belief that social and caste divisions within hinduism would recur within the nationalist ranks as well. This sense that Indians would respond to half-measures of reform persisted until the 1937 provincial elections. Though British administrators predicted only a moderate showing by the Indian National Congress, the polling proved otherwise, as Congress took power in the majority of the provinces. The Raj lasted another decade, but the confident cultural assumptions sustaining it took a fatal blow.
The Effect of Holding Company Affiliation on Bank Risk and the 2008 Financial Crisis

The 2008 financial crisis originated at banking institutions with a specific combination of high leverage, low liquidity, low capitalization and high exposure to subprime mortgage loans. We perform a comparative analysis of independent banks and holding company affiliated banks, and find that during the crisis holding company affiliation was related to a higher risk position in banks, characterized by riskier mortgage loans, higher leverage and lower liquidity and capitalization. Market measures of risk during this period, however, were not different for the different structures, indicating that the market did not price the additional risk contribution of affiliated banks to the main causes of the contagion.
Why New States Accept Old Obligations

Deciding when a successor state should be bound by its predecessor’s commercial treaties and international contracts, even though the successor never consented to them, is a trenchant problem in world affairs. This problem was acute when former Eastern bloc states disintegrated. It may become more intense in the years ahead because there are many secessionist movements in the post Cold War world. Eschewing futile attempts to derive purported laws, which would ultimately lack controlling authority, legal scholars increasingly favor policy-oriented solutions to this problem that are descriptively more accurate and normatively more attractive. Yet, because the policy-oriented approach to succession was proposed only half a decade ago, further theoretical work and practical analysis remains to be done. Two recent successions, Kosovo and Iraq, have not been fully appraised. This article carries out the appraisals and deepens the policy-oriented approach to state succession and commercial obligations. Broadly speaking, it makes three contributions to the extant literature about the effect of succession on commercial obligations.
Online throughput maximization in an energy harvesting multiple access channel with fading

In this paper, we consider an energy harvesting multiple access channel (MAC) where the transmitters are powered by energy harvested from the ambient environment. We assume that the energy harvesting processes at the transmitters can be modeled as independent Bernoulli processes with parameters λ i s, and the channel states between the transmitters and the receiver are independent Bernoulli processes with parameter µ i s. An active transmitter always transmits with a fixed power and consumes one unit amount of energy in a time slot. Under the assumption that µ i ≥ λ i , ∀ i , our objective is to schedule the transmissions adaptively according to the instantaneous channel and battery states of transmitters, so that the long-term average sum-throughput of the MAC is maximized in expectation. We first show that for a general asymmetric scenario where λ i s and µ i s are not identical across the transmitters, the expected long-term average sum-throughput has an upper bound for any transmission scheduling policy satisfying the energy causality constraints. We then consider a special symmetric scenario where λ i s and µ i s are uniform among transmitters. We propose a randomized longest-connected-queue transmission scheduling policy and show that it achieves the upper bound almost surely as time T approaches infinity, thus it is optimal.
Function of the Classical and Alternate Pathways of Human Complement in Serum Treated with Ethylene Glycol Tetraacetic Acid and MgCl2-Ethylene Glycol Tetraacetic Acid

An immunochemical and functional analysis of the classical and alternate complement pathways in human serum was performed in the presence of 10 mM ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and MgCl(2)-EGTA (MgEGTA), chelating agents which have been recently utilized as a means of distinguishing between these two complement pathways. Total hemolytic activity, integrity of the C1 complex, hemolytic activity of C2, conversion of factor B (C3 proactivator), and complement-dependent bactericidal activity were studied. The effect of these chelators on activation of complement pathways by Escherichia coli, by sensitized erythrocytes as a prototype of activators of the classical pathway, and by zymosan as a prototype of alternate (properdin) pathway activators was studied. Human serum containing 10 mM EGTA, which provides almost no ionized calcium and considerably less ionized magnesium than unchelated serum, allowed consumption of complement via the alternate (properdin) pathway, but blocked the classical pathway as judged by disintegration of the C1 complex and lack of utilization of C2. However, activity of the alternate complement pathway in EGTA serum, as judged by conversion of factor B and bactericidal activity against gram-negative bacteria, was distinctly suboptimal. Addition of magnesium ion in a concentration equimolar to EGTA (MgEGTA serum), while still providing conditions in which the C1 complex dissociated, significantly enhanced alternate complement pathway-mediated bactericidal activity. However, in MgEGTA serum considerable fluid-phase activation of the alternate pathway, as indicated by decrease in 50% hemolytic complement (CH(5 0)) titers and conversion of factor B to its active form in the absence of any activating challenge, was observed. Moreover, some fluid-phase consumption of C2 was observed in MgEGTA serum, even though, as mentioned, the C1 complex was shown to be dissociated under these conditions. MgEGTA-related activation of C2 and of the alternate (properdin) pathway of complement was significantly enhanced by the presence of zymosan and E. coli. These results indicate that use of the chelating agents EGTA and MgEGTA to differentiate between classical and alternate pathway activation of human complement is more complex than has hitherto been suggested. In EGTA serum, spontaneous activation of either pathway does not occur but bactericidal activity, as a measure of biologic function of complement, is suboptimal. In MgEGTA serum, bactericidal activity is fully expressed, but there is considerable instability, in terms of fluid-phase activation, in Mg(2+)-dependent components of both pathways. Thus, caution is indicated in the use and interpretation of the effects of these chelating agents on biologic functions mediated by either pathway of human complement.
Verification in Higher Order Logic of Mutual Exclusion Algorithm

In this work a mutual exclusion algorithm is modeled using Transition Assertions. The main feature of a mutual exclusion algorithm is to prevent simultaneous access of a shared resource by two or more systems. The specification of the algorithm is a collection of transition assertions with each transition assertion containing a precondition and postcondition. The Transition Assertions model is formalized in higher order logic and the HOL mechanized theorem prover is used to show that the Transition Assertions model complies with the mutual exclusion requirement.
Production and Application of a Soluble Hydrogenase from Pyrococcus furiosus

Hydrogen gas is a potential renewable alternative energy carrier that could be used in the future to help supplement humanity's growing energy needs. Unfortunately, current industrial methods for hydrogen production are expensive or environmentally unfriendly. In recent years research has focused on biological mechanisms for hydrogen production and specifically on hydrogenases, the enzyme responsible for catalyzing the reduction of protons to generate hydrogen. In particular, a better understanding of this enzyme might allow us to generate hydrogen that does not use expensive metals, such as platinum, as catalysts. The soluble hydrogenase I (SHI) from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus, a member of the euryarchaeota, has been studied extensively and used in various biotechnological applications. This review summarizes the strategies used in engineering and characterizing three different forms of SHI and the properties of the recombinant enzymes. SHI has also been used in in vitro systems for hydrogen production and NADPH generation and these systems are also discussed.
High-voltage-input, low-voltage-output, series-connected converters with uniform voltage distribution

This paper presents a power system consisting of current-mode, shared-bus converters configured as Series-Input, Parallel-Output (SIPO). These current-mode commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) dc-dc converters transform a 1kV system input voltage into a 5V output with up to 500 Watts of power. The SIPO power system provides for system expansion and preserves the standalone converter's efficiency of over 80%. Uniform input voltage distribution control improves power system reliability by distributing thermal stresses equally among the series-connected converters. Furthermore, robust system stability and uniform input voltage distribution among series-connected converters is realized without control conflict. A computer simulation and an experimental 1 kV 500 W prototype were successfully implemented to validate the uniform voltage distribution power converter architecture.
Spatio-temporal modeling of criminal incidents using geographic, demographic, and twitter-derived information

Personal and property crimes create large economic losses within the United States. To prevent crimes, law enforcement agencies model the spatio-temporal pattern of criminal incidents. In this paper, we present a new modeling process that combines two of our recently developed approaches for modeling criminal incidents. The first component of the process is the spatio-temporal generalized additive model (STGAM), which predicts the probability of criminal activity at a given location and time using a feature-based approach. The second component involves textual analysis. In our experiments, we automatically analyzed Twitter posts, which provide a rich, event-based context for criminal incidents. In addition, we describe a new feature selection method to identify important features. We applied our new model to actual criminal incidents in Charlottesville, Virginia. Our results indicate that the STGAM/Twitter model outperforms our previous STGAM model, which did not use Twitter information. The STGAM/Twitter model can be generalized to other applications of event modeling where unstructured text is available.
Expression of C-kit in Ewing Family of Tumors: A Comparison of Different Immunohistochemical Protocols

Ewing sarcoma is a small round blue cell tumor with a high incidence of metastasis and poor survival. The tyrosine kinase receptor, c-kit, is a growth factor receptor that is expressed in a variety of tumors including Ewing sarcoma. Blockade of c-kit by imatinib mesylate (Gleevec; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp, East Hanover, NJ) has been successfully used in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia and gastrointestinal tumors. Detection of c-kit expression in Ewing sarcoma indicates a possible role of c-kit in tumor progression and a potential use of anti-c-kit therapy in Ewing sarcoma. Ki-67 is a proliferation marker found at all stages of the cell cycle. Expression of c-kit and Ki-67 was studied in 17 patients with Ewing sarcoma. Sections from paraffin-embedded tumor samples were immunostained, using standard immunohistochemical protocols, with c-kit and Ki-67 monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal c-kit antibody without antigen retrieval, and c-kit polyclonal antibody with antigen retrieval. Eleven out of 17 cases (65%) stained with c-kit monoclonal antibody; the staining was diffuse in 6/17 (35%) cases. C-kit expression did not correlate with Ki-67 proliferation rates. Using the polyclonal c-kit-antibody without antigen retrieval methods, c-kit expression was demonstrated in 1/11 (9%) cases. Incorporating antigen retrieval methods, c-kit expression increased to 53%. Concordance between monoclonal antibodies in detecting c-kit expression was observed in 12/17 cases (71%). We conclude that c-kit is variably expressed in Ewing sarcoma, using either monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Detection of c-kit expression in Ewing sarcoma improves with the use of antigen retrieval methods.
Optically pumped mid-IR type-II quantum well lasers

ABSTRACT Pulsed, optically pumped four-constituent Type-IT (InAs-Ga1 _rlflrSb- InAs-A1Sb) quantum well lasers emitting at 3.9-4.1 tm were observed tolase up to 285 K with a characteristic temperature T0 of 35 K for 170 K< T0 < 270 K . A theoretical analysis predicts dramatic improvements oncethe potential for suppressing Auger recombination is fully realized. Keywords: Quantum wells, Mid-IR. semiconductor lasers, optically pumped lasers 1. INTRODUCTION There is a rapidly-growing demand for efficient semiconductor lasers emitting at mid-infrared wavelengths beyond 3 and operating either at ambient or at temperatures accessible with a thermoelectric cooler (T  180 K). High-volume commercial markets in-dude chemical process control and leak detection, remote chemical sensing for atmosphericpollution and drug monitoring, JR spectroscopy, and laser surgery. Among the critical miii-tary needs are JR countermeasures, chemical sensing, and JR illumination. At present, bothcommercial and military mid-JR systems are limited primarily by inadequate optical sources.Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs), which use a nonlinear crystal to down-convert or up-convert the output of a pump laser, are currently a leading choice. However, efficient mid-JRsemiconductor laser diodes would have considerable advantages in terms of volume, weight,simplicity of design, reliability, and cost.The development of non-cryogenic mid-JR semiconductor lasers has proven to be quite
EFFECT OF VARIOUS AGENTS ON RESERPINE-INDUCED BLEPHAROPTOSIS.

Abstract Chlorpromazine and imipramine can be differentiated by means of reserpine ptosis tests. Drugs possessing pronounced α-sympatholytic properties augment reserpine-induced ptosis whereas the β-sympatholytic dichloroisoproterenol both prevents and reverses ptosis. Antihistamines also have varying degrees of antireserpine activity which may be related to adrenergic reinforcing effects. Atropine sulfate was ineffective in altering ptosis. These results suggest that antireserpine ptotic effects are related to adrenergic mechanisms.
Davydov’s Soliton

Davydov’s theory for storage and transport of biological energy in protein is described and related to recent infrared absorption measurements in crystalline acetanilide. Some aspects of the quantum theory are considered in detail.
Victoreen calibration "discrepancies" noted.

Errors of 12% are noted for condenser R‐Meters calibrated at the Victoreen Laboratory. Radiotherapists relying on these factors are cautioned to verify the calibration of each ionization chamber.
Development of a fast ion mass spectrometer for space research

An ion mass spectrometer with a cylindrical Ē×B analyzer and either a cylindrical or a spherical electrostatic analyzer is described in this paper. The instrument features two nested channels and a postacceleration between the electrostatic and Ē×B analyzers for wide ranges of energy and mass responses. The dual‐channel construction not only doubles the data acquisition rate, but also makes it possible to reverse the electrostatic field orientation in the inner channel (radially outward, as opposed to radially inward in the outer channel) for lighter ions. The outer channel is then optimized for ions of medium to high mass numbers resulting in enhanced mass resolution for such heavy ions. A 90 °‐deflection angle spherical electrostatic analyzer in combination with a cylindrical Ē×B analyzer provides an extremely wide viewing angle. The angular distribution of ions can be obtained from such geometry if a position‐sensitive resistive anode or a detector array is used at the exit aperture. Details on the principles of operation, the instrument design, and calibration are given in this paper.
High Stakes Stereotypes: The Emergence of the “Casino Indian” Trope in Television Depictions of Contemporary Native Americans

Native Americans and race scholars have argued that the media construct and perpetuate racist notions of tribal peoples through images and discursive practices that portray them in very stereotypic...
Mass-spectrometric evidence for quinonoid-lysine coupling products in cigar protein

Abstract On subjecting hydrolysates of hydrogenated cigar protein to derivatization and preparative GLC, two fractions were obtained which had volatilities and mass spectra consistent with an origin from oxidative-condensation products of chlorogenic acid with lysine residues. The mass-spectral evidence was chiefly from high-resolution mass spectrometry of the heaviest fragment ions; there was also high-resolution comparison of the lighter fragment ions with those from relevant model compounds. New compounds prepared were the hydantoin from 6-(1-trans-octahydroquinol-2-onyl)- DL -norleucine and the heptafluorobutyrylated n-propyl esters of four other less-common amino acids. Details of the mass spectra are provided in a Supplementary Publication § or have been sent to the Mass Spectrometry Data Centre.
International differences in body height and weight and their relationship to cancer incidence.

Abstract The relationship between body size (adult height and weight) and cancer incidence was investigated in an international ecological study of 24 populations. Site‐specific and total cancer incidence rates (age standardized) from 1973 to 1977 were correlated with body size data generally obtained between 1954 and 1974. All‐sites cancer incidence was highly correlated with height among both men (r = 0.50; p ≤ 0.01) and women (r = 0.70; p ≤ 0.001). Among men, there were significant correlations between height and cancers of the central nervous system (r = 0.72), prostate (r = 0.66), bladder (r = 0.65), pancreas (r = 0.59), lung (r = 0.47), and colon (r = 0.46). Significant correlations were observed for cancers of the rectum (r = 0.76), pancreas (r = 0.75), ovary (r = 0.73), central nervous system (r = 0.68), breast (r = 0.65), uterine corpus (r = 0.50), and bladder (r = 0.48) in women. Adjustment for weight altered these correlations only minimally. Weight was significantly correlated to all‐sites can...
Haemophilus ducreyi: Clinical features, epidemiology, and prospects for disease control

Haemophilus ducreyi is the causative agent of the genital ulcer disease chancroid. Chancroid is common in developing countries and facilitates human immunodeficiency virus transmission. In this review, the clinical features, epidemiology, and prospects for disease control are discussed in the context of experimental and natural infection of humans.
Measurements of the fracture energy of the coating/substrate interfacial region through radial-notched cylindrical specimens

Measurements of the adhesive strength are normally conducted using the direct pull test. However, in the direct pull test failure often occurs at the location of the polymeric adhesive used to prepare the direct pull test specimen when the adhesive strength of the coating/substrate interface is stronger than the strength of the polymeric adhesive. Even when failure does occur at the coating/substrate interface, the direct pull test provides ill-defined properties since the measured failure strength is strongly affected by the strength-controlling defects present at the interface before the test. In this paper we have developed a new test specimen geometry that ensures the propagation of the crack along the coating/substrate interface or the interfacial region, depending on the properties of the interface and the interfacial region. Furthermore, the new specimen provides well-defined properties, i.e. the fracture energy of the coating/substrate interface or the interfacial region. The proposed specimen is validated using oxide coatings on steel substrates prepared via the thermal spray technique.
Identification of a Set of Proteins (C′ and C) Encoded by the Bicistronic P Gene of the Indiana Serotype of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus and Analysis of Their Effect on Transcription by the Viral RNA Polymerase

Abstract Previous work (C. F. Spiropoulou and S. T. Nichol, 1993,J. Virol.67, 3103–3110) has demonstrated the existence in cells infected with the New Jersey serotype of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) of two small carboxy-coterminal proteins encoded by the P mRNA. These proteins have been named C′ and C. We are interested in studying the function of these proteins in the virus life cycle. Toward this end, we have cloned the ORF encoding the potential C′ protein of the Indiana serotype as a histidine-tagged fusion protein, purified the expressed protein fromEscherichia coli,and used the fusion protein as an immunogen to raise antiserum in a rabbit. We have used this anti-C′ protein serum to demonstrate that both of the predicted C′ and C proteins are synthesized in cells infected with the Indiana serotype of VSV. In addition we have localized a portion of these proteins to nucleocapsids isolated from infected cells, suggesting that they may play a role in RNA synthesis. Reconstitution of the viral polymerase activity by expressing the L and P protein subunits with or without the C proteins failed to demonstrate any effect of the presence of these latter proteins on reconstituted transcription using purified nucleocapsids as templates. However, we have been able to show a dramatic stimulation of the polymerase activity in purified virions by the addition of purified C′ protein toin vitrotranscription reactions. Both the level and the fidelity of mRNA synthesis are stimulated by this protein. Evidence for the specificity of this effect comes from the fact that stimulation appears to be serotype specific; C′ protein of the Indiana serotype stimulates transcription by purified Indiana serotype virions but has a minimal effect on transcription by purified virions of the New Jersey serotype. We are continuing our studies to determine the mechanism of this stimulation.
Temperature sensitivity of fructose-1,6-biphosphate aldolase accounts for the inability of the high-virulence clone of Streptococcus agalactiae to grow at 40°C

A high-virulence clone of serotype IIIStreptoccus agalactiae causing invasive neonatal disease has recently been identified by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and can be further distinguished by its inability to grow at 40°C in a chemically defined medium. The basis for the unusual growth inhibition at 40°C was examined in the present study and shown to be owing to a temperature-sensitive fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (fba). Crude enzyme preparations (75% saturated ammonium sulfate precipitates) of fba obtained from a high-virulence clone demonstrated a 75% reduction in aldolase activity when preincubated at 40°C for 30 min compared with 37°C. In contrast, fba from a serotype III isolate obtained from an asymptomatically colonized infant demonstrated <10% decrease in activity at 40°C. Comparison of another enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase (ldh), from both organisms indicated no loss in activity at 40°C compared with 37°C. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, one of the end-products of fba activity, relieved growth inhibition at 40°C.
The prostaglandins of articular cartilage. I. Correlates of prostaglandin activity in a chondrocyte culture system.

Abstract Suspensions of aggregated chondrocytes display active prostaglandin (PG) production. Radioimmunoassay of culture media and thin layer chromatographic analysis suggests that PGE2 is the primary PG synthesized. In order of decreasing concentration, the following PG were tentatively identified; PGE > PGI > PGA + PGB ≧ PGF 1+2 > T×B . An inverse logarithmic relationship was identified between PG synthesis and cells cultured at densities of 1.5 to 7.5 × 106 cells/ml. Little or no change in the PG distribution profile was seen at these high cell densities. Maximum PG synthesis was attained after 36 hours of incubation with persistence of high synthetic levels up to 48 hours. PGE2 production measured at various post-isolation intervals indicated an initial high rate of synthesis during the first 4 hours which decreased with time up to 24 hours. Cartilage explant organ cultures demonstrated a similar level of PG synthesis suggesting minimal effect of matrix on cellular PG production. Indomethacin (5 μg/ml) inhibited PG synthesis by 70% within 4 hours and 85% after 24 hours of exposure. Arachidonic acid supplementation (10 μM) stimulated PG synthesis by 300%.
Shrinkage estimators of the location parameter for certain spherically symmetric distributions

We consider estimation of a location vector for particular subclasses of spherically symmetric distributions in the presence of a known or unknown scale parameter. Specifically, for these spherically symmetric distributions we obtain slightly more general conditions and larger classes of estimators than Brandwein and Strawderman (1991,Ann. Statist.,19, 1639–1650) under which estimators of the formX +ag(X) dominateX for quadratic loss, concave functions of quadratic loss and general quadratic loss.
Carbohydrate specificity of IgM autoantibodies to CD45 in systemic lupus erythematosus

Patients with SLE develop IgM autoantibodies to different isoforms of CD45, the major surface membrane protein tyrosine phosphatase on lymphocytes and other nucleated hemopoietic cells. Because such autoantibodies could have a potential role in the development of immune dysfunction in this disorder, we performed a series of experiments to characterize their antigenic specificity further. Blots of recombinant E. coli fusion proteins encoded by exons 3-7 of the p220 and p180 isoforms were uniformly non-reactive with SLE IgM, suggesting that anti-CD45 autoantibodies in SLE are directed against conformational and/or carbohydrate epitopes, rather than linear polypeptide epitopes. This issue was examined further using chemically and enzymatically modified CD45 purified from T cells by lectin affinity chromatography as substrates. Treatment of CD45 with 25 mM sodium-m-periodate, sufficient to abrogate binding to various lectins, abolished the reactivity with SLE anti-CD45 autoantibodies. On the other hand, digestion of CD45 with neuraminidase enhanced the binding of anti-CD45 autoantibodies from some of the SLE sera. This result probably reflects decreased steric hindrance or charge repulsion because the binding of mouse monoclonal antibodies directed against linear polypeptide epitopes of CD45 was similarly enhanced. Digestion of CD45 with N-glycosidase F had no effect on autoantibody staining. Taken together, these data suggest that IgM anti-CD45 autoantibodies in SLE recognize non-sialylated carbohydrate determinants in the highly O-glycosylated polymorphic domains of CD45.
Myocardial damage in patients with sarcoidosis and preserved left ventricular systolic function: an observational study

Aims Late gadolinium enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) is a valuable test to detect myocardial damage in patients with sarcoidosis; however, the clinical significance of LGE in sarcoidosis patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is not defined. We aim to characterize the prevalence of LGE, its associated cardiac findings, and its clinical implications in sarcoidosis patients with preserved LVEF. Methods and results One hundred and fifty-two patients with biopsy proven extra-cardiac sarcoidosis, no known cardiac sarcoidosis, and LVEF ≥50% referred for LGE-CMR were included in this observational study. The presence of LGE in the left ventricular myocardium was considered diagnostic for cardiac sarcoidosis. The cohort was divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of LGE. Twenty-nine patients (19%) had LGE involving 11 ± 9% of the left ventricle. The modified Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare (JMHW) criteria for diagnosing cardiac sarcoidosis only had a sensitivity of 52% and specificity of 83% for identifying myocardial LGE in these patients. Compared with those patients without LGE, those with LGE had a higher heart rate (84 ± 19 vs. 76 ± 18 b.p.m., P= 0.002), greater prevalence of an abnormal electrocardiogram (76 vs. 31%, P< 0.001), diastolic dysfunction (67 vs. 33%, P= 0.05), reduced right ventricular ejection fraction (49 ± 8 vs. 55 ± 6%, P= 0.012), and evidence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (33 vs. 6%). Conclusions In patients with sarcoidosis and preserved systolic function, myocardial damage is commonly present and may increase the risk of ventricular tachy-arrhythmias. The JMHW Criteria were neither sensitive nor specific for predicting the presence of myocardial LGE.
Consensus functions defined on trees

Abstract We prove Arrow's theorem for tree quasi-orders and discuss it in the context of attempting to construct the evolutionary history of a group of species. We then characterize axiomatically two natural classes of consensus rules for classifications.
Aminoglycoside Forecasting in Neutropenic Patients with Cancer

To validate the population pharmacokinetic parameters of aminoglycoside disposition in patients with cancer, a retrospective evaluation of predictive performance of a Bayesian program was performed in 155 patients from 1986 to 1989 who received amikacin, gentamicin or tobramycin. Each patient received 1 of the 3 drugs and had initial drug concentration determination, with a second set of drug concentrations drawn 0.05]. Results demonstrated minimal bias with a mean error in gentamicin concentrations of -0.236 (95% CI -0.533: 0.0613). Significant (p < 0.05) under prediction occurred in concentrations of tobramycin [-0.474 mg/L (95% CI -0.842: -0.0107)] and amikacin [-1.77 mg/L (95% CI -3.42: -0.114)]. Good precision is indicated by a mean squared error for gentamicin of 3.35 mg/L (95% CI 1.70: 4.99) and for tobramycin of 3.64 mg/L (95% CI 1.83: 5.44). Fair precision is demonstrated by amikacin [46.1 mg/L (95% CI 27.3: 65.0)]. Similar results were shown in a separate peak/trough analysis. These data indicate that aminoglycoside pharmacokinetics in patients with cancer can be predicted with minimal bias and good precision using a Bayesian forecasting program for gentamicin and tobramycin.
A retrospective evaluation of the use of video-capable double-lumen endotracheal tubes in thoracic surgery.

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the use of a video double-lumen tube reduced the need for fiberoptic bronchoscopy for (1) verification of initial tube placement and for (2) reverification of correct placement after repositioning for thoracotomy. Design A single-center retrospective study. Setting Thoracic surgery in a medical university hospital. Participants & Interventions After institutional review board approval, 29 patients who underwent thoracic surgical procedures using video double-lumen tubes were included in the final retrospective analysis. Measurements and Main Results For 27 (93.2%) patients, the use of fiberoptic bronchoscopy was not needed either for initial placement or for verification of correct video double-lumen tube placement upon final positioning of the patient. However, for two patients, fiberoptic bronchoscopy was needed: for (1) one patient with severe left mainstem bronchus distortion as a result of a large left upper lobe tumor, and (2) a second patient with secretions that were difficult to clear. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the video double-lumen tube requires significantly less (6.8%) fiberoptic use for both initial placement and verification of final position, in stark contrast to standard practice in which bronchoscopy is always used to verify final positioning of the double-lumen tube. As opposed to intermittent bronchoscopy, the continuous visualization offered by an embedded camera may confer an added measure of safety.
Adiabatic shear localization and erosion of strong aluminum alloys

Abstract A high strength aluminum alloy, 7075-T651, was eroded by ball-bearing impact at high velocities (about 180 m st1) at normal and oblique incidence. Scanning electron microscope studies of the target and ejected chip show that the fracture surface is covered with myriad small globules (roughly 1 μm in dimension) whose form was clearly established by the effect of surface tension on a fluid metal. It is argued that for high strength age-hardened alloys like this, chips are formed by fracture across molten adiabatic shear bands which then quickly solidify after separation to give the globular surface. Such structures were not found on eroded surfaces of the much softer commercially pure aluminum.
Elaboration of mitochondrial function during Trypanosoma brucei differentiation.

The development of various mitochondrial functions has been studied using an in vitro system in which Trypanosoma brucei LUMP 1026 bloodstream trypomastigotes differentiate to procyclic trypomastigotes. During differentiation, antimycin A sensitive respiration begins to develop prior to cyanide sensitive respiration, with sensitivity levels equivalent to established procyclic trypomastigotes attained by 20–24 days in culture. In the early stage of differentiation, inhibitor sensitivity is dependent upon the order of inhibitor addition to the cells. Stimulation of oxygen uptake by the artificial electron donor ascorbate (plus tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine as carrier) closely parallels the development of cyanide sensitivity. Cytochrome aa3 is not observed spectroscopically until nine days in culture. Specific activities of two mitochondrial enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase and succinate cytochrome c reductase, increase from nil in bloodstream trypomastigotes to significant levels in established procyclic trypomastigotes by 24–30 days in culture.
Patellar tendon rupture following a patellar fracture.

The patient was a 57-year-old woman who was referred to a physical therapist in an outpatient setting 8 weeks following an open reduction internal fixation procedure for a left patellar fracture following a fall where the patient landed directly on her left knee in a flexed position. The patient's treatment plan was established and consisted of range-of-motion and resistive exercises, and she was scheduled to see the physical therapist again in 5 days. At the time of her follow-up visit, however, the patient reported falling 3 days earlier, which caused increased left knee pain and difficulty with weight bearing. The patient was referred to her orthopaedic surgeon, where radiographs revealed orthopaedic fixation of a healing patella fracture. However, the patella was high riding, consistent with a patellar tendon rupture. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2012;42(11):969. doi:10.2519/jospt.2012.0419
Toddlers’ joint engagement experience facilitates preschoolers’ acquisition of theory of mind

Forty-two children participated in a longitudinal study that investigated the relationship between their joint engagement experience when toddlers and their development of theory of mind when preschoolers. Controlling for language comprehension at 30 months, higher preschool false belief scores were associated with more time in coordinated joint engagement earlier (18-21 mo, beta= .34) and in symbol-infused joint engagement later (27-30 mo, beta= .35) in toddlerhood. Findings suggest that the early foundation of theory of mind development is laid as toddlers attend to both social-emotional and symbolic aspects of shared events.
A study of parametric versus non-parametric methods for predicting paleohabitat from Southeast Asian Bovid astragali

Abstract Studies of the African members of the family Bovidae have demonstrated the feasibility of using linear discriminant analysis to predict paleoenvironment based on measurements from postcranial skeletal elements. The use of discriminant analysis depends upon adherence to certain assumptions about the data set. In certain cases, these assumptions are violated, thus reducing the confidence of the results. The research presented here introduces the use of the non-parametric recursive partitioning method as a test of the linear discriminant method for predicting habitat from a collection of modern Bovid astragali from Southeast Asia. This study also provides a critique of the previous African studies. The results indicate that a combination of the parametric and non-parametric methods provides the highest prediction accuracy for Southeast Asian Bovids, though the independent methods do test favorably; thus providing an additional tool for archaeologists and paleoanthropologists in this region.
Prediction of crosslinking in polyamides containing the diacetylene functionality

Abstract The potential for crosslinking in various polyamides containing the diacetylene moiety has been investigated via computer simulation. Results of simulations performed on an aliphatic, diacetylene-modified polyamide concurred with earlier experimental work, in that the reaction of adjacent diacetylenes was predicted to occur only between mutually hydrogen bonded chains. Hydrogen bonding was predicted to remain intact subsequent to this reaction, also in agreement with experiment. Conversely, other structural arrangements consequent to crosslinking were not predicted accurately. Possible reasons for this disparity have been discussed. A similar study on a diacetylene-modified PPTA system, for which no experimental work exists, has also been conducted. Molecular mechanics simulations indicate crosslinking in this system would be most probable between mutually hydrogen-bonded chains. However, taking into account room temperature thermal vibrations, a three-dimensional network of covalent bonds is predicted.
Inhibition of renin secretion by clonidine after alpha-adrenoceptor blockade in anesthetized dogs.

Dogs anaesthetised with pentobarbital were used to study the effects of the α-adrenoceptor antagonists phentolamine and piperoxane on the clonidine-induced suppression of plasma renin activity (PRA). Given alone, clonidine (30 μg/kg, i.v.) produced an initial rise in mean arterial pressure (MAP) which was followed by a hypotensive response. These changes in blood pressure were accompanied by decreases in PRA and heart rate (HR). Pretreatment with phentolamine, 1 mg/kg i.v. or 3.3 μg/kg/min infused into the third cerebral ventricle, or piperoxane, 20 μg/kg stat. + 5 μg/kg/min infused either i.v. or intraventricularly, did not modify the clonidine-induced falls in PRA, MAP or HR. All pretreatment regimes, with the exception of intraventricular phentolamine, virtually abolished the initial pressor response to clonidine. These results demonstrate that the renin-lowering action of clonidine in the dog is not inhibited by two classical α-adrenoceptor antagonists.
Isolation of high molecular weight DNA from yeast nuclei

Abstract A method for isolating DNA of high molecular weight from purified nuclei of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is described. The DNA preparation obtained by this method has a density of 1.699 gm/cc and, although displaying some heterogeneity, routinely has a modal molecular weight exceeding 100 × 10 6 daltons.
Women, sex, and sports.

(1979). Women, Sex, and Sports. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 67-72.
Signal-detection analysis of luminance generalization in goldfish using latency as a graded response measure

ROC curves were determined from response latencies of goldfish in a single-stimulus generalization task. The resulting functions were similar to ROC curves obtained by rating methods with human Os.