cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Public Management Decision Making: Effects of Decision Content

One obvious aspect of public management decisions and decision making has largely escaped attention-decision content. We examine the effects of decision content by asking the following questions for budget cutback and information technology decisions: How does content affect the time required for decision making? How does content affect who participates? How does content affect the decision criteria employed? How does content affect the information quality used in the decision-making process and red tape? The results suggest that information technology and budget cutback decisions differ in important ways. For information technology decisions, cost-effectiveness is not a significant criterion, average decision time is much longer, and decisions are generally viewed as permanent and stable. For cutback decisions, cost-effectiveness is a significant criterion, decisions. are made much more quickly, and they are viewed as unstable and changeable. Surprisingly, decision content does not appear to affect the number of participants.
Stress-induced adaptive tolerance response and virulence gene expression in Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading causes of bacterial gastroenteritis, but little is known concerning how this fastidious bacterium survives stressful conditions. C. jejuni strains were exposed to acid conditions (pH = 4.5), acid conditions and aerobic atmosphere, or starvation stress, allowed to recover, and again challenged with acid stress. The counts of acid-adapted, acid- and aerobic-adapted, and starvation-adapted cells that survived further acid stress were higher than those of nonstressed cells in some strains, but adaptation and survival was time dependent. Expression of the virulence gene cadF was up-regulated by starvation stress while cdtB and ciaB were down-regulated. The proteomic study revealed that six proteins were synthesized due to starvation stress and eight proteins appeared to be absent. These results indicate C. jejuni surviving stress can increase chances of surviving further stress such as passage through the human gastrointestinal tract and stress may be a significant factor in inducing some virulence genes. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The mechanisms of survival of Campylobacter jejuni outside the host are not fully understood. This research identifies adaptive tolerance responses (ATRs) as a mechanism of survival. Understanding how sub-lethal treatments and stress may further promote the survival of C. jejuni is necessary for evaluating food preservation methods because some methods may have unwanted effects on bacterial virulence, such as inducing virulence gene expression. This research determined a correlation between virulence and stress in C. jejuni that could have an impact on food preservation methods chosen, disease outcome and subsequent treatment options. The molecular mechanisms of disease by C. jejuni are still not fully understood, but by studying the survival of C. jejuni in response to specific stresses, insight may be gained into mechanisms of colonization and virulence in the human host. Understanding mechanisms of survival by studying global response to stress is an effective way to develop methods of control and targets for therapeutic medicines.
Blasts from the past: New lessons in stem cell biology from chronic myelogenous leukemia

Abstract Cancer can be viewed as a hierarchical system that is dependent on a small population of "cancer stem cells" with unlimited self-renewal potential for continued growth and propagation of tumors. The identity and nature of these cells remains enigmatic, but an improved understanding of their biology may allow for selective therapeutic targeting. A recent report by Jamieson et al. (2004) sheds new light on leukemia stem cells by identifying the cells with in vitro self-renewing properties in various phases of chronic myelogenous leukemia, and linking the self-renewal properties of this population to activation of β-catenin, a major effector of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway.
A framework of intangible valuation areas and antecedents

Purpose – The paper seeks to develop a list of operational knowledge assets as antecedents to a validated common taxonomy of intangible strategic value drivers.Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data from focus groups was collected to validate a theory‐based list. The list contains the value generation activities (i.e. performance focus areas) and their respective critical success factors emerging from the interaction of eight validated intangible value drivers. Two primary questions were addressed at the focus groups: What performance focus areas does the organization need to focus on?; and What knowledge do employees need to leverage within each focus area? Data were analyzed using template analysis. Structural equation modeling using PLS was performed to develop a theory about the impact of the list of operational knowledge assets on intellectual capital and business performance measures.Findings – A validated list of knowledge assets called the list of operational knowledge assets (LOKA) was de...
Concentrations and fluxes of tin in aerosols and rain

Abstract The concentration of tin in atmospheric aerosols has been measured at land and ship based sites in the northern and southern hemispheres. Tin concentrations in the northern hemisphere are up to three orders of magnitude greater than those in the southern hemisphere, indicating the importance of anthropogenic inputs to the atmospheric tin cycle. In aerosols sampled in Tallahassee, Florida, tin is correlated with soot carbon in air masses originating in the central U.S., but is not correlated with locally produced soot carbon. Rainwaters collected in Tallahassee, Florida have been analyzed for dissolved tin and major ions. Factor analysis of the results indicates a continental and pollution source for tin. The dissolved fraction of tin in rain represents only a minor component of the deposition flux of tin. Rates of deposition of atmospheric tin are consistent with estimated fluxes of tin to the atmosphere.
Hybrid membrane bioreactor technology for small water treatment utilities: Process evaluation and primordial considerations

Abstract A hybrid membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology was investigated for treatment of natural waters containing natural organic matter (NOM), nitrate, alachlor and viruses. The NOM are precursors to disinfection byproducts (DBPs) such as trihalomethanes, and potential cause for microbial growth in distribution systems. Batch bioreactor studies optimized the carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, temperature and pH for biological denitrification. Mini-pilot MBR studies with ethanol as electron donor were conducted under three scenarios: no powder activated carbon (PAC) or biomass, biomass alone, and combination of PAC and biomass. The removals of nitrate, alachlor, total organic carbon (TOC), trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) and MS-2 virus were revaluated. Nitrite and ethanol residuals were well below their detection limits in the MBR effluent under steady-state conditions. Using biomass alone, the removal efficiencies for NOM (as TOC), alachlor, and THMFP were 60, 36 and 61%, respectively; whereas, on combining PAC and biomass they increased to 84, 99.8 and 98%. The virus rejection mechanisms postulated were size exclusion, sorption to membrane surface, attachment to bio-particles, and sorption onto foulant or cake layers. The MS-2 removals exceeded 3.8-logs under optimal process conditions. Membrane fouling and flux decline patterns under the three experimental scenarios were well described by the resistance model. The flux decline was characterized by three distinct stages, namely, initial conditioning fouling, rapid fouling, and slow fouling. The Tustin groundwater was associated with lower organic fouling but higher inorganic fouling than the Fountain Valley groundwater.
Identification of aneuploidy‐inducing agents using cytokinesis‐blocked human lymphocytes and an antikinetochore antibody

The identification of agents causing aneuploidy in humans, a condition associated with carcinogenesis and birth defects, is currently limited due to the highly skilled and time-consuming nature of cytogenetic analyses. We report the development of a new simple and rapid assay to identify aneuploidy-inducing agents (aneuploidogens). The assay involves the chemical- or radiation-induced formation of micronuclei in cytokinesis-blocked human lymphocytes and the use of an antikinetochore antibody to determine whether the micronuclei contain centromeres--a condition indicating a high potential for aneuploidy. All agents tested produced dose-related increases in the frequency of micronucleated cells. The micronucleated cells induced by the known aneuploidogens--colchicine, vincristine sulfate, and diethylstilbestrol--contained kinetochore-positive micronuclei 92, 87, and 76% of the time, respectively. In contrast, the micronucleated cells induced by the potent clastogens--ionizing radiation and sodium arsenite--contained kinetochore-positive micronuclei only 3 and 19% of the time, respectively. These results indicate that this relatively simple assay can discriminate between aneuploidogens and clastogens and may allow a more rapid identification of environmental and therapeutic agents with aneuploidy-inducing potential.
TTHE EFFECTS OF OVARIECTOMY ON THE ADRENAL GLANDS OF THE ALBINO RAT

THAT AN adrenal-ovary relationship exists is established, but its nature and significance are as yet incompletely known. This experiment was carried out in order to study morphologic changes in the adrenal glands following ovariectomy, with the hope of elucidating further the connection between these structures. Of the vast amount of literature which deals directly and indirectly with the subject, reference will be made only to some of the more important and pertinent reports in the discussion of results. A study was made of 99 pairs of adrenal glands obtained from female albino rats of the Wistar strain, treated as follows: weaning to 3-month group, 22 control and 21 test animals, operated on during the 4th week of age and autopsied at 3 months; weaning to 6-month group, 25 control and 25 test animals, operated on during the 4th week of age and killed at 6 months; and 3- to 6-month group, 4 control and 3 test animals, operated on at 3 months and killed at 6.
Quantitative biomarker analysis of synovial gene expression by real-time PCR

Synovial biomarker analysis in rheumatoid arthritis can be used to evaluate drug effect in clinical trials of novel therapeutic agents. Previous studies of synovial gene expression for these studies have mainly relied on histological methods including immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. To increase the reliability of mRNA measurements on small synovial tissue samples, we developed and validated real time quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) methods on biopsy specimens. RNA was isolated from synovial tissue and cDNA was prepared. Cell-based standards were prepared from mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Real time PCR was performed using TaqMan chemistry to quantify gene expression relative to the cell-based standard. Application of the cellular standard curve method markedly reduced intra- and inter-assay variability and corrected amplification efficiency errors compared with the C(t) method. The inter-assay coefficient of variation was less than 25% over time. Q-PCR methods were validated by demonstrating increased expression of IL-1β and IL-6 expression in rheumatoid arthritis synovial samples compared with osteoarthritis synovium. Based on determinations of sampling error and coefficient of variation, twofold differences in gene expression in serial biopsies can be detected by assaying approximately six synovial tissue biopsies from 8 to 10 patients. These data indicate that Q-PCR is a reliable method for determining relative gene expression in small synovial tissue specimens. The technique can potentially be used in serial biopsy studies to provide insights into mechanism of action and therapeutic effect of new anti-inflammatory agents.
John Locke and the ethics of belief

Nicholas Wolterstorff discusses the ethics of belief which Locke developed in Book IV of his Essay Concerning Human Understanding, where Locke finally argued his overarching aim: how we ought to govern our belief, especially on matters of religion and morality. Wolterstorff shows that this concern was instigated by the collapse, in Locke's day, of a once-unified moral and religious tradition in Europe into warring factions. His was thus a culturally and socially engaged epistemology. This view of Locke invites a new interpretation of the origins of modern philosophy. He maintained that instead of following tradition we ought to let 'reason be our guide.' Accordingly, after discussing Hume's powerful attack on Locke's recommended practice, Wolterstorff argues for Locke's originality and emphasizes his contribution to the 'modernity' of post-sixteenth-century philosophy.
Perfect matchings in random uniform hypergraphs

Let ℋk(n, p) be the random k-uniform hypergraph on V = [n] with edge probability p. Motivated by a theorem of Erdős and Renyi 7 regarding when a random graph G(n, p) = ℋ2(n, p) has a perfect matching, the following conjecture may be raised. (See J. Schmidt and E. Shamir 16 for a weaker version.) Conjecture. Let k|n for fixed k ≥ 3, and the expected degree d(n, p) = p(). Then (Erdős and Renyi 7 proved this for G(n, p).) Assuming d(n, p)/n1/2 ∞, Schmidt and Shamir 16 were able to prove that ℋk(n, p) contains a perfect matching with probability 1 − o(1). Frieze and Janson 8 showed that a weaker condition d(n, p)/n1/3 ∞ was enough. In this paper, we further weaken the condition to A condition for a similar problem about a perfect triangle packing of G(n, p) is also obtained. A perfect triangle packing of a graph is a collection of vertex disjoint triangles whose union is the entire vertex set. Improving a condition p ≥ cn−2/3+1/15 of Krivelevich 12, it is shown that if 3|n and p ≫ n−2/3+1/18, then © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 23: 111–132, 2003
Interstitial Networks of Kaolinite Within Pyrite Framboids in the Meigs Creek Coal of Ohio

ABSTRACT Recently, the authors discovered interstitial kaolinite within pyrite framboids in the Meigs Creek coal of Ohio. Previously, only iron sulfides and organic matter have been found to occupy these interstices in pyrite framboids. Framboidal pyrite was investigated under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer. Sample preparation included polished sections of coal, freshly fractured chips of coal, low-temperature coal ash, and a heavy fraction separated from the whole coal by bromoform. SEM observation revealed that a foreign material occurs between the crystallites of many pyrite framboids and forms a three-dimensional network extending throughout the framboid. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed the "interstitial networks" to be co posed of Al and Si. X-ray powder diffraction patterns determined the aluminosilicate to be kaolinite. The interstitial network morphology is not limited to the interstices of framboids, but may occur wherever euhedral pyrite crystals are intimately associated with kaolinite. The peculiar association of framboidal pyrite and kaolinite probably results from the formation of pyrite crystals within a kaolinitic gel or solution. The uniform thickness of the interstitial networks and the manner in which kaolinite completely surrounds individual crystals argue against the infilling of already existing framboids by kaolinite. The imprint of pyrite crystallites on interstitial kaolinite in the framboids indicates that this morphology is created by the displacive growth of the pyrite. Therefore, even if the organic matter incorporated in the framboid is the remains of a microorganism, the original morphology of the organism is probably not retained.
A parallel processing algorithm for vector quantizer design based on subpartitioning

A technique for designing vector quantizers that is well suited for parallel processing environments is presented. The input space is iteratively partitioned into M disjoint connected regions composed of unions of partition regions. Each of M processors then independently commutes an optimal subquantizer for its restricted input space. The partitions can regularly be changed to further improve the overall quantizer performance. This technique can improve on the performance of the generalized Lloyd algorithm by following the traditional design process with the subpartitioning iterations. >
Influence of supplemental dietary poultry fat, phytase, and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol on the egg characteristics of commercial layers inoculated before or at the onset of lay with F-strain Mycoplasma gallisepticum.

ABSTRACT The effects of supplemental dietary poultry fat (PF), phytase (PHY), and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (D3) on the egg characteristics of commercial layers inoculated with F-strain Mycoplasma gallisepticum (FMG) were investigated in 2 trials. Sham and FMG inoculations were administered at 12 (before lay) and 22 (onset of lay) wk and 4 dietary treatments [basal control diet (BCD); BCD with 0.75% supplemental PF; BCD with 1.50% supplemental PF; BCD with 1.50% supplemental PF, 0.013% PHY, and 0.025% D3] were initiated at 20 wk of age. Percentages of albumen, yolk, and eggshell weights; yolk:albumen ratio; yolk moisture and lipid concentrations; and eggshell weight per unit of surface area were determined at 24, 34, 44, 50, and 58 wk of age. Inoculation with FMG reduced yolk lipid concentration at wk 24 and increased yolk moisture concentration at wk 58. In birds inoculated on wk 22, percentage of yolk weight was lower in those inoculated with FMG compared with those that were sham-inoculated. Yolk:albumen ratio was lower in birds that were FMG-inoculated at 22 wk of age compared with those that were sham-inoculated at the same age or that were FMG-inoculated at 12 wk of age. Percentage of yolk weight was greater in birds inoculated at wk 22 and fed the BCD with 1.50% supplemental PF treatment compared with those inoculated at wk 22 and fed the BCD or BCD with 1.50% supplemental PF, 0.013% PHY, and 0.025% D3 treatments and compared with birds inoculated at wk 12 and fed the BCD with 0.75% supplemental PF treatment. In conclusion, inoculation with FMG before or at the onset of lay caused a decrease in yolk lipid content early in lay but an increase in yolk moisture late in lay, and FMG reduced percentage of yolk weight in birds inoculated on wk 22. Furthermore, when used in combination with added 1.50% PF in birds inoculated on wk 22, supplementary PHY and D3 prevented an increase in percentage of yolk weight that occurred in response to diets supplemented only with 1.50% PF.
Deception and fear in politically oppressive contexts: its trickle-down effect on families

The mystified reality, restricted options and inherent risks of living in countries under a repressive political regime translate into survival tactics that reduce the reliance on social support, into semantic and cognitive restrictions and alternative codes, and into silences that translate into symptoms. While this is the case for the average citizen, it is even more pronounced in individuals and families directly touched by the repressive apparatus. These processes are discussed and two clinical examples are provided to illustrate them. In 1971, while I was still living and practicing psychotherapy in Buenos Aires ‐Argentina ruled then by still another military government that toppled still another legitimately elected president---, I received a call from a young woman requesting a consultation. There was something unusual in that call: she wanted to be sure that I would see her even if she wouldn’t give me her name or phone number. Due to the political context of the time, that request clued me quite clearly that she belonged to some underground anti-governmental organization. A benign possibility was that she was a member of a student organizations turned underground because of the interdiction against students’ political groups and the increasing repressive acts by the police. But it could have also meant that she was herself associated with a group preparing itself for urban guerilla, or even that she was an undercover police operative. Intrigued, I accepted her conditions, and offered her an appointment (It should be noted that all this happened while the political violence in
Experimental evidence for endothelium dependent relaxation and neuronal nitric oxide in corpus cavernosum

It is known that penile erection is mediated primarily through the release of a nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) neurotransmitter which has been recently identified as nitric oxide (NO). To evaluate whether the endothelium is involved in neurally mediated relaxation in corpus cavernosum, we determined electrical field stimulation (EFS) induced relaxation in both the presence and absence of endothelium, and we tested the effect of an inhibitor of NO synthase, NG-nitro-L-arginine (NOARG), in the absence of endothelium to examine if de-endothelialized tissue can still generate NO. Isolated corpus cavernosal strips from New Zealand White rabbits were used for isometric tension study using organ chambers. The endothelium was removed through denuding tissue. After the tissue was contracted with norepinephrine, EFS was performed at frequencies of 5, 15 and 40 Hz in the presence of guanethidine and atropine to evaluate NANC-selective nerural relaxation. The relaxation induced by EFS was observed after preincubation with NOARG(10(-4) M) for 30 minutes. L-arginine (10(-3) M) was then added for 30 minutes in the presence of NOARG before a second set of EFS studies were performed. Following norepinephrine precontraction, EFS relaxed corporal strips in both the intact and de-endothelialized strips. However, deendothelialization significantly impaired EFS induced relaxation (p < 0.05). NOARG attenuated relaxation induced by EFS and the addition of L-arginine reversed the inhibitory effect of NOARG in the strips with endothelium. In the strips without endothelium, NOARG still inhibited EFS induced relaxation. This relaxation was reversed by the addition of L-arginine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Control primitives for robot systems

A methodology is developed for describing of hierarchical control of robot systems in a manner which is faithful to the underlying mechanics, structured enough to be used as an interpreted language, and sufficiently flexible to encompass a wide variety of systems. A consistent set of primitive operations which form the core of a robot system description and control language is presented. This language, motivated by the hierarchical organization of neuromuscular systems, is capable of describing a large class of robot systems under a variety of single-level and distributed control schemes. >
Agonistic Behavior of Juvenile Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass

ABSTRACT Juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu) were videotaped in aquaria and in a river, and were observed exhibiting 18 types of agonistic behavior. Behavioral patterns included attempts to injure, threatening displays, and appeasement postures. Field observations confirmed that juvenile smallmouth bass can display complex agonistic behavior within 50 days of hatching.
Estuaries of the South Atlantic Coast of North America: Their Geographical Signatures

Estuaries of the southeastern Atlantic coastal plain are dominated by shallow meso-tidal bar-built systems interspersed with shallow sounds and both low flow coastal plain and high flow piedmont riverine systems. Three general geographical areas can be discriminated: the sounds of North Carolina; the alternating series of riverine and ocean dominated bar-built systems of South Carolina, Georgia, and northeast Florida, and the subtropical bar-built estuaries of the Florida southeast coast. The regional climate ranges from temperate to subtropical with sea level rise and hurri- canes having a major impact on the region's estuaries because of its low and relatively flat geomorphology. Primary production is highest in the central region. Seagrasses are common in the northern and southern most systems, while intertidal salt marshes composed of Spartina alterniflora reach their greatest extent and productivity in South Carolina and Georgia. Nuisance blooms (cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, and cryptomonads) occur more frequently in the northern and extreme southern parts of the region. Fishery catches are highest in the North Carolina and Florida areas. Human population growth with its associated urbanization reaches a maximum in Florida and it is thought that the long-term sustainability of the Florida coast for human habitation will be lost within the next 25 years. Tidal flushing appears to play an important role in mitigating anthropogenic inputs in systems of moderate to high tidal range, i.e., the South Carolina and Georgia coasts. The most pressing environmental problems for the estuaries of the southeastern Atlantic coast seem to be nutrient loading and poor land use in North Carolina and high human population density and growth in Florida. The future utilization of these estuarine systems and their services will depend on the development of improved management strategies based on improved data quality.
The Stanford prison experiment in introductory psychology textbooks: A content analysis.

The present content analysis examines the coverage of theoretical and methodological problems with the Stanford prison experiment (SPE) in a sample of introductory psychology textbooks. Categories ...
Zoonoses in the bedroom

In most industrialized countries, pets are becoming an integral part of households, sharing human lifestyles, bedrooms, and beds. The estimated percentage of pet owners who allow dogs and cats on their beds is 14%-62%. However, public health risks, including increased emergence of zoonoses, may be associated with such practices.
Science, Social Work, and Intervention Research The Case of Critical Time Intervention

Intervention research is an important, yet often neglected, focus of social work scholars and investigators. The purpose of this article is to review significant milestones and recent advances in intervention research. Methodological and analytical developments in intervention research are discussed in the context of science and social work. Critical Time Intervention, a psychosocial approach to preventing homelessness and improving mental health outcomes among adult populations, is described as an example of rigorous intervention research in social work.
Polymorphic blending attacks

A very effective means to evade signature-based intrusion detection systems (IDS) is to employ polymorphic techniques to generate attack instances that do not share a fixed signature. Anomaly-based intrusion detection systems provide good defense because existing polymorphic techniques can make the attack instances look different from each other, but cannot make them look like normal. In this paper we introduce a new class of polymorphic attacks, called polymorphic blending attacks, that can effectively evade byte frequency-based network anomaly IDS by carefully matching the statistics of the mutated attack instances to the normal profiles. The proposed polymorphic blending attacks can be viewed as a subclass of the mimicry attacks. We take a systematic approach to the problem and formally describe the algorithms and steps required to carry out such attacks. We not only show that such attacks are feasible but also analyze the hardness of evasion under different circumstances. We present detailed techniques using PAYL, a byte frequency-based anomaly IDS, as a case study and demonstrate that these attacks are indeed feasible. We also provide some insight into possible countermeasures that can be used as defense.
Relationships between needle nitrogen concentration and photosynthetic responses of Douglas-fir seedlings to elevated CO2 and temperature

Summary • Here we examined correlations between needle nitrogen concentration ([N]) and photosynthetic responses of Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ) seedlings to growth in elevated temperatures and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations ([CO 2 ]). • Seedlings were grown in sunlit, climate-controlled chambers at ambient or ambient +3.5 ° C and ambient or ambient +180 µmol mol − 1 CO 2 in a full factorial design. Photosynthetic parameters and needle [N] were measured six times over a 21-month period. • Needle [N] varied seasonally, and accounted for 30‐50% of the variation in photosynthetic parameters. Across measurement periods, elevated temperature increased needle [N] by 26% and light-saturated net photosynthetic rates by 17%. Elevated [CO 2 ] decreased needle [N] by 12%, and reduced net photosynthetic rates measured at a common [CO 2 ], maximum carboxylation activity ( V c,max ) and electron transport capacity ( J max ), indicating photosynthetic acclimatization. Even so, elevated [CO 2 ] enhanced net photosynthesis, and this effect increased with needle [N]. • These results suggest that needle [N] may regulate photosynthetic responses of Douglas-fir to climate change. Further, needle [N] may be altered by climate change. However, effects of elevated [CO 2 ] on photosynthesis may be similar across growth temperatures.
Multimedia objects models for synchronization and databases

The authors propose a technique for formally specifying and modeling the temporal composition of multimedia data. The proposed model is based on timed Petri nets and the logic of temporal intervals. A strategy based on the inter media timing relationships established by the proposed modeling tool is presented for constructing a database schema to facilitate data storage and retrieval of data elements. An algorithm which allows the retrieval of media elements from the database in a manner which preserves the temporal requirements of the initial specification is proposed. The proposed model accomplishes the specification of synchronization requirements for complex structures of temporally related objects. >
Using case reports to determine when liver bleeding occurs during disease progression in HELLP syndrome

Abstract Background Hepatic hemorrhage occurs in less than 5% of patients with hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets (HELLP) syndrome but it is a profound cause of maternal/perinatal morbidity and mortality. Objectives To determine when liver bleeding occurs during the development of HELLP syndrome. Search strategy The English literature was searched for all reports of HELLP syndrome associated with liver bleeding. Selection criteria Eighty-seven case summaries of liver bleeding in the setting of HELLP syndrome were included. The standard definition of HELLP syndrome was used with expansion into the Mississippi classification system, supplemented by patients with partial HELLP syndrome. Data collection and analysis Demographic and clinical data were collected and recorded in an Excel database. Main results Liver bleeding was detected in 18 (20.7%) patients with class 1 HELLP syndrome, 24 (27.6%) with class 2 HELLP syndrome, and 12 (13.8%) with class 3 or partial HELLP syndrome. In 33 (37.9%) patients, the exact class of HELLP syndrome at the time liver bleeding was detected could not be determined from the published descriptions. Conclusions Liver bleeding can occur early during HELLP syndrome development, not only in patients with advanced, class 1 illness.
Linkage of Crohn's disease-related serological phenotypes: NFKB1 haplotypes are associated with anti-CBir1 and ASCA, and show reduced NF-kappaB activation.

Background and aims: Genetics studies of the serum expression of antibodies to microbial antigens may yield important clues to the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease. Our aim was to conduct a linkage study using expression of anti-CBir1, anti-I2, anti-OmpC and ASCA as quantitative traits. Methods: Expression of antibodies to microbial antigens was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and a standard ∼10 cM whole genome microsatellite study was conducted. Single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping was performed using either Illumina or TaqMan MGB technology. Nuclear factor Kappa B (NF-κB) activation in cells from Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-transformed cell lines was assessed using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay and protein was measured using ELISA and western blotting. Results: Evidence for linkage to anti-CBir1 expression was detected on human chromosome 4 (logarithm of odds (LOD) 1.82 at 91 cM). We therefore directly proceeded to test the association of haplotypes in NFKB1 , a candidate gene. One haplotype, H1, was associated with anti-CBir1 (p = 0.003) and another, H3, was associated with ASCA (p = 0.023). Using cell lines from Crohn’s disease patients with either H1 or H3, NF-κB activation and NF-κB p105 and p50 production were significantly lower for patients with H1 compared to patients with H3. Conclusions: These results suggest that NFKB1 haplotypes induce dysregulation of innate immune responses by altering NF-κB expression. The results also show the use of EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines to conduct phenotypic studies of genetic variation.
Effects of Implementing MODIS Land Cover and Albedo in MM5 at Two Contrasting U.S. Regions

This study implements a new land-cover classification and surface albedo from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU–NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) and investigates its effects on regional near-surface atmospheric state variables as well as the planetary boundary layer evolution for two dissimilar U.S. regions. Surface parameter datasets are determined by translating the 17-category MODIS classes into the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Simple Biosphere (SiB) categories available for use in MM5. Changes in land-cover specification or associated parameters affected surface wind, temperature, and humidity fields, which, in turn, resulted in perceivable alterations in the evolving structure of the planetary boundary layer. Inclusion of the MODIS albedo into the simulations enhanced these impacts further. Area-averaged comparisons with ground measurements showed remarkable improvements in near-surface temperature and humidity at both study areas when MM5 is initialized with MODIS land-cover and albedo data. Influence of both MODIS surface datasets is more significant at a semiarid location in the southwest of the United States than it is in a humid location in the mid-Atlantic region. Intense summertime surface heating at the semiarid location creates favorable conditions for strong land surface forcing. For example, when the simulations include MODIS land cover and MODIS albedo, respective error reduction rates were 6% and 11% in temperature and 2% and 2.5% in humidity in the southwest of the United States. Error reduction rates in near-surface atmospheric fields are considered important in the design of mesoscale weather simulations.
Folic Acid Food Fortification—Its History, Effect, Concerns, and Future Directions

Periconceptional intake of folic acid is known to reduce a woman's risk of having an infant affected by a neural tube birth defect (NTD). National programs to mandate fortification of food with folic acid have reduced the prevalence of NTDs worldwide. Uncertainty surrounding possible unintended consequences has led to concerns about higher folic acid intake and food fortification programs. This uncertainty emphasizes the need to continually monitor fortification programs for accurate measures of their effect and the ability to address concerns as they arise. This review highlights the history, effect, concerns, and future directions of folic acid food fortification programs.
CXCR4-gp120-IIIB interactions induce caspase-mediated apoptosis of prostate cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth

CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) has been implicated in prostate cancer metastasis and this receptor also acts as a coreceptor for HIV-1 120-kDa glycoprotein variant IIIB (gp120-IIIB). The interaction between CXCR4 and gp120-IIIB has been shown to mediate apoptosis of both immune and endothelial cells. In this study, we have examined the effects of gp120-IIIB on hormone-refractory prostate cancer cells (PC3 and DU145) in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Normal prostatic epithelial (PrEC) and prostate cancer cell lines were treated with gp120-IIIB with or without anti-CXCR4 antibody. Caspase expression was evaluated by real-time PCR and active caspase assays. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. gp120-IIIB treatment correlated with active caspase-3 and -9 expression and apoptosis of prostate cancer cells but not PrEC cells. This effect was significantly inhibited after CXCR4 blockade. PC3 and DU145 tumor-bearing mice received intraperitoneal injections of gp120-IIIB and controls received bovine serum albumin in PBS. PC3 and DU145 tumor sizes were measured over time and excised tumors were evaluated for CD44, CD34, lymphatic endothelial cell marker LYVE-1, active caspase-3, and active caspase-9 expression by immunohistochemistry. The tumor size in mice receiving gp120-IIIB was significantly smaller than compared with tumors in control mice. This regression was associated with significant decreases in CD44, CD34, and LYVE-1 and increases in active caspase-3 and -9 expression. These results suggest that gp120-IIIB induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells and reduced tumor-associated lymphoendothelial cells.
Alternative Circuit-Breaker Programs: an Analysis of the Size and Distribution of Benefits

This paper develops and applies a method for estimating the sensitivity of the Abstract size and distribution of benefits to changes in property tax circuit-breaker formulas. Distributions of housing values and rental values by income classes are calculated using available data. Based on these distributions, several alternative circuit-breaker formulas are then simulated to derive estimates of the total benefits from each formula and the distributions of benefits among income classes, between owners and renters, and between metro and nonmetro residents in Georgia.
Alteration of gene expression by intestinal epithelial cells precedes colitis in interleukin-2-deficient mice

Intestinal epithelial cells may be actively involved in the immunoregulatory pathways leading to intestinal inflammation. The aim of this study was to assess expression by intestinal epithelial cel...
Discrete Ginzburg-Landau solitons in laser arrays

We demonstrate that discrete solitons are possible in laser arrays described by Ginzburg-Landau lattices. As a result of discreteness, we find that this system exhibits novel features that have no counterpart whatsoever in either the continuous limit or in other conservative discrete models.
Channel Selection in Virtual MIMO Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, we present two practical algorithms for selecting a subset of channels in virtual multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to balance the MIMO advantage consumption of sensor cooperation. If intracluster node-to-node multihop needs be taken into account, the maximum spanning tree searching (MASTS) algorithm, with respect to the cross-layer design, always provides a path connecting all sensors. When the WSN is organized in a manner of cluster-to-cluster multihop, the singular-value decomposition-QR with threshold (SVD-QR-T) approach selects the best subset of transmitters while keeping all receivers active. The threshold is adaptive by means of fuzzy c-means (FCM). These two approaches are compared by simulation against the case without channel selection in terms of capacity, bit error rate (BER), and multiplexing gain with water filling or equal transmission power allocation. Despite less multiplexing gain, when water filling is applied, MASTS achieves higher capacity and lower BER than virtual MIMO without channel selection at moderate-to-high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), whereas SVD-QR-T by FCM provides the lowest BER at high SNR; in the case of no water filling and equal transmission power allocation, MASTS still offers the highest capacity at moderate-to-high SNR, but SVD-QR-T by FCM achieves the lowest BER. Both algorithms provide satisfying performances with reduced resource consumption.
Technology and Legal Ethics: The Need for Uniform Regulation

The issue of cybersecurity recurs in the mainstream media every few weeks, whether it concerns a “cyber attack” on an entertainment group, or whether it raises fears of hacked personal information by national managed health care companies. The media have even portrayed cyber attacks on law firms in popular television shows. In reality, there has been an increase in the number of cyber attacks on American law firms in recent years. Although fueled in part by law firms’ perception of being vulnerable targets ignorant of the risk of cyber attacks, hackers also target law firms because, in the fabled words of Willie Sutton, that’s where the money is. This is because nearly all law firms store vast amounts of confidential business information, attorney-client privileged communications, attorney work product, intellectual property, personally identifiable information, and payment information. Data security breaches at law firms may have disastrous consequences on the legal profession in a way that other worries in legal ethics might not. That is, the unintended release of confidential information could have the effect of “potentially hurting business transactions, halting mergers and acquisitions, and damaging relationships forever.” If large-scale attacks were to continue, even at the smallest law firm firms, clients may begin to question whether they should give private information to their lawyers. One former software programmer, who is also a practicing attorney, warns that the whole legal system could “start to fail” if the issue of cybersecurity is not taken seriously. Even with recent amendments to the Model Rules of Professional Responsibility, the American Bar Association (ABA) and state bar associations have demonstrated that they might not be the best sources of reform in this subject. Numerous federal and state laws and regulations already impose liability on some types of attorney behavior regarding information security, while many sophisticated clients are starting to require much more protection than even the updated Model Rules suggest is necessary. This Note argues that, at least with respect to the legal profession and cybersecurity, the Model Rules have so far proven to be irrelevant, and external regulation may be desirable. Part I of this Note discusses the development of the current state of so-called attorney self-regulation and why self-regulation is not likely to solve the cybersecurity issues facing lawyers. Part II describes the current forms of external regulation of attorneys and then details and critiques both current and potential regimes for regulating conduct, including a reformed and more victim-friendly tort system, and a free market approach, more robust state legislative activity, and federalization of cybersecurity rules. This Note concludes with Part III, in which several possible solutions are discussed, principally the adoption of uniform legislation across the state level and a uniform law based on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Context-Aware Crowd-Sensing in Opportunistic Mobile Social Networks

In this paper, we study the physical crowd-sensing problem and draw the connection to the vertex cover problem in graph theory. Since finding the optimal solution for minimum vertex cover problem is NP-complete and the well-known approximation algorithms do not perform well with under crowd-sensing scenario, we propose the notions of node observability and coverage utility score and design a new context-aware approximation algorithm to find vertex cover that is tailored for crowd-sensing task. In addition, we design human-centric bootstrapping strategies to make initial assignment of sensing devices in the physical crowd based on social information about the users (e.g., Interests, friendship). Our experiments on real-world data traces show that the proposed approach significantly outperforms the baseline approximation algorithms in terms of sensing coverage.
Development of a cell-based fluorescence polarization biosensor using preproinsulin to identify compounds that alter insulin granule dynamics

Abstract Diabetes currently affects 9.3% of the U.S. population totaling $245 billion annually in U.S. direct and indirect healthcare costs. Current therapies for diabetes are limited in their ability to control blood glucose and/or enhance insulin sensitivity. Therefore, innovative and efficacious therapies for diabetes are urgently needed. Herein we describe a fluorescent insulin reporter system (preproinsulin-mCherry, PPI-mCherry) that tracks live-cell insulin dynamics and secretion in pancreatic β-cells with utility for high-content assessment of real-time insulin dynamics. Additionally, we report a new modality for sensing insulin granule packaging in conventional high-throughput screening (HTS), using a hybrid cell-based fluorescence polarization (FP)/internal FRET biosensor using the PPI-mCherry reporter system. We observed that bafilomycin, a vacuolar H+ ATPase inhibitor and inhibitor of insulin granule formation, significantly increased mCherry FP in INS-1 cells with PPI-mCherry. Partial least sq...
The Expression of Fc Gamma Receptors in Guillain-Barré Syndrome Nerves (P06.142)

Objective: To investigate the expression level of Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) in Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). Background Specific anti-ganglioside antibodies (Abs) are strongly associated with some autoimmune neuropathies, particularly with GBS. However, the cellular and molecular/immunological mechanisms involved in anti-ganglioside antibody-mediated nerve injury remain unclear. FcγRs provide an important link between the humoral and cellular immune systems to mediate inflammation. Polymorphisms in activating FcγR genes are associated with risk of developing GBS and severe disease raising the possibility that FcγRs are involved in mediating nerve inflammation and injury. Additionally, the activation receptors, such as FcγRIII, are up-regulated in Wallerian degeneration in animal. In order to further investigate the role of FcγRs in GBS, the expression of different FcγRs in nerve tissue of GBS patients was examined in this study. Design/Methods: Immunocytochemistry was performed to examine and compare the expression of the Fc receptor common γ-chain (which is integral FcγRI and FcγRIIIA), specific FcγRI/CD64, FcγRII/CD32, and FcγRIII/CD16, in the nerve tissue of GBS patients and healthy controls. The expression of different FcγRs in GBS patients and controls was further investigated and confirmed with western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. Results: We found that the activation receptors are significantly upregulated in nerve tissue of GBS patients compared to healthy controls. The increased FcγRs is on macrophages and Schwann cells. We are in the process of evaluating FcγRs expression in disease controls. Conclusions: Our results provide the evidence that FcγRs are upregulated in nerves of GBS patients and raise the possibility that these receptors participate in inflammation and injury in GBS. Supported by: GBS/CIDP Foundation and NIH/NINDS (NS42888 and NS54962). Disclosure: Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kakuru has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gao has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bogdanova has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sheikh has nothing to disclose.