cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surveillance of pneumococcal colonization and invasive pneumococcal disease reveals shift in prevalent carriage serotypes in Massachusetts' children to relatively low invasiveness

Abstract Background Following the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV), overall nasopharyngeal colonization rates have not changed significantly, however a dramatic and sustained decline in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children was observed in every setting where the PCVs were implemented. We aimed to describe the differences in invasive disease potential of serotypes that are common colonizers in pre- and post-vaccine eras in order to provide further insight in our understanding of dynamic epidemiology of pneumococcal diseases. Methods Using data from surveillance of nasopharyngeal carriage and enhanced surveillance for IPD, a serotype specific “invasive capacity (IC)” was computed by dividing the incidence of IPD due to serotype x by the carriage prevalence of that same serotype in children Results An approximate 50-fold variation in the point estimate was observed between the serotypes having the highest (7F, 38, 19A, 3, 33F) and the lowest (6C, 35B, 21, 11A, 23B and 23A) computed serotype specific invasive disease potential. In the post-PCV13 era (6C, 35B, 11A, 23B and 23A), 5 of the 7 most common serotypes colonizing the nasopharynx were serotypes with the lowest invasive capacity. Serotype specific invasive capacity trended down in older children for majority of the serotypes, and serotypes 3, 10A and 19A had significantly lower invasive capacity in children older than 24 months of age compared to younger children. Conclusion Invasive capacity differs among serotypes and likely by age. Point estimates of IC for most of the common serotypes colonizing children in Massachusetts in post-PCV13 era were low and likely explain the continued reduction in IPD from the pre-PCV era in the absence of specific protection against these serotypes.
One Truncal Valve or Two Semilunar Valves: An Unusual Case of Truncus Arteriosus.

In truncus arteriosus, a common arterial trunk arises from the heart and gives rise to the ascending aorta, pulmonary arteries, and coronary arteries. Proximal to the arterial trunk is typically a single truncal valve, the morphology of which varies. Highlighting the embryologic aberration resulting in this disease, we present the unusual finding of a partially septated truncal valve, giving the appearance of two distinct semilunar valves arrested in development, in a neonate with truncus arteriosus and aortic arch hypoplasia.
Association between unilateral or bilateral mastectomy and breast cancer death in patients with unilateral ductal carcinoma.

Background Utilization of bilateral mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer is increasing despite cost and surgical risks with conflicting reports of survival benefit. Current studies evaluating death after bilateral mastectomy have included patients treated both with breast conservation therapy and unilateral mastectomy. In this study, we directly compared breast cancer-specific death of patients who underwent bilateral or unilateral mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer using a matched cohort analysis. Methods This was an observational study of women diagnosed with unilateral breast cancer from 1998 through 2002, using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. A 4-to-1 matched cohort of patients was selected including 14,075 patients. Mortality of the groups was compared using Cox proportional hazards models for cause-specific death. Results A total of 41,510 patients diagnosed with unilateral breast cancer were included. Unilateral mastectomy was performed in 93% of patients, while bilateral mastectomy was performed in the remaining 7% of patients. When 4-to-1 matching was performed, 11,260 unilateral mastectomy and 2,815 bilateral mastectomy patients were included. Patients with bilateral mastectomy did not have a significantly lower hazard of breast cancer-specific death when compared with patients with unilateral mastectomy (hazard ratio: 0.92 vs 1.00, p=0.11). Conclusion Bilateral mastectomy did not provide a clinically or statistically significant breast cancer-specific mortality benefit over unilateral mastectomy based on a matched cohort analysis of a nationwide population database. These findings should be interpreted in the context of patient preference and alternative benefits of bilateral mastectomy.
Long-Acting Injectable Second-Generation Antipsychotics: An Update and Comparison Between Agents

Schizophrenia is a chronic medical condition with periods of remission and relapses over a patient's lifetime. Antipsychotic medications represent the mainstay of treatment for this disease. Long-acting injectable (LAI) formulations of antipsychotics are an attractive alternative to their oral counterparts, as they enhance patient adherence. A number of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are available in LAI formulations. These include paliperidone, aripiprazole, olanzapine, and risperidone. This article reviews the most recently developed and approved of these formulations-aripiprazole monohydrate, aripiprazole lauroxil, and paliperidone palmitate. While all were initially available as once-monthly formulations, a paliperidone palmitate 3-monthly injection formulation has been approved and is the first LAI agent to extend the dosing administration beyond the typical monthly time period. In addition, aripiprazole lauroxil every 6-week and 8-week administration preparations have been developed. LAI preparations of the SGAs have all demonstrated superiority over placebo and are comparable to their oral counterparts in terms of safety and tolerability, if injection site reactions are not taken into account. First-generation antipsychotic LAI preparations (e.g., haloperidol decanoate) have recently been compared with SGA LAI agents, and both formulations demonstrated comparable efficacy with the expected adverse events seen with each drug. Despite their availability, barriers to the use of LAIs remain. Education of both patients and clinicians on the use of LAI formulations and the continued development of these agents are important steps in ensuring these medications are available to the patients they would be most likely to benefit.
An analysis of the 2016 US presidential election using Chanakya - a knowledge discovery platform for text mining

In this era of information overload, discovering knowledge is a challenge. However, a new generation of text mining tools enables researchers and practitioners to analyse large volumes of data. Thi...
G-Protein-Coupled Receptors in the Heart

G-protein-coupled receptors, or GPCRs, constitute the largest class of plasma membrane receptors. The ubiquity and variety of GPCRs enable cells to fine-tune physiological processes in response to extracellular stimuli. The heart alone contains over 200 types of GPCRs that regulate important functions ranging from myocyte contractility to gene transcription. During cardiac pathologies, however, aberrant or excessive signaling from many of the common cardiac GPCRs contributes to the characteristic pathophysiology that drives disease progression. Despite our increased understanding of the mechanisms underlying GPCR signaling, cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Herein, we present the major cardiac GPCRs regulating cardiac function, particularly β-adrenergic and angiotensin II receptors. We also highlight the complexity of signaling pathways initiated by these GPCRs and describe how they mediate many pathological processes. Finally, activation of non-classical signaling cascades are discussed in the context of exploiting such mechanistic insight to develop the next generation of therapeutics for heart disease.
Abstract 2636: Magnetic Resonance Oxygen Metabolic Index Distinguishes infarct from peri-infarct tissue better than ADC and PWI In hyperacute ischemic Stroke Patients

Background: Diffusion (DWI) and perfusion weighted imaging (PWI) have been extensively studied to delineate irreversibly-injured tissue (that will progress to infarct) from reversibly-injured tissue (that will remain viable). An MR-based method, oxygen metabolism index (MROMI), may provide relevant metabolic information critical for determining tissue viability. We compared the ability of hyperacute MROMI, mean transit time (MTT), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) to distinguish brain tissue that infarcted one month later from an initially hypoperfused region that survived, and contralateral mirror brain regions. Methods: Ischemic stroke patients were imaged at 4sec + the contralateral median MTT. Three ROIs were defined: (1) ROI Infarct (final infarct as manually outlined on the 1month FLAIR); (2) ROI Peri (acutely hypoperfused, but not included in the final infarct); and (3) ROI Mirror (the contralateral mirror region of the ROI Infarct . Each patient’s ROIs were normalized (n) to the contralateral hemisphere as follows: nMTT= MTT-contralateral median MTT, nADC= ADC/contralateral median ADC, and nMROMI=MROMI/contralateral median MROMI. nMROMI was calculated in gray and white matter separately. The 3 ROI’s were compared for nMROMI, nMTT and nADC using the Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s post-tests. Results: 25 patients were imaged at 2.9 ± 0.7 hrs and 1 month after stroke onset. Mean values for nMTT, nADC, and nMR-OMI were obtained for the 3 ROI’s (ROI Infarct ROI Peri and ROI Mirror ) for each patient. Significant differences were found between ROI Infarct and ROI Mirror (P Infarct and ROI Mirror (P Infarct varied greatly across patients and no significant differences between ROI Infarct and ROI Peri were found. Conclusions: Identifying tissue that would die from hypoperfused but survived tissue is challenging during acute ischemia. Our results have demonstrated that hyperacute MROMI show significant differences between these two regions, while MTT and ADC did not, likely due to high inter-individual variability using the latter parameters.
Optical Anisotropy of the Statistical Segment in Block Copolymers

The optical anisotropy of the statistical segment in block copolymers of poly(dimethyl siloxane) bisphenol-A polycarbonate has been determined for several different compositions and molecular structures as a function of temperature and in the presence of several different swelling fluids. A thermal transition in the stress-optical coefficient (SOC) has been observed, which depends on composition and structure of copolymer. In the swollen state the SOC depends on the nature of the swelling fluid. Some liquids, such as silicone fluids and cyclohexane, reduce the magnitude of the statistical segment anisotropy while other liquids, such as CC14, increase it. An interpretation of these results in terms of local internal field variations, optical and geometric anisotropy of the swelling fluid, and the molecular dynamics of the block copolymer molecules is presented.
Comprehensive Medical Evaluation

The initial medical evaluation, which is conducted by a medical provider with familiarity with all obesity-related comorbid conditions that contribute to surgical risk, establishes the focus for the comprehensive medical evaluation. Extreme obesity is commonly associated with significant abnormalities in critical organ function, which are usually related to the extent and duration of obesity. The degree of obesity-related organ dysfunction must be carefully evaluated in order to complete a patient-centered risk assessment. Patients with significant cardio-pulmonary impairment should be evaluated for obese cardiomyopathy, pulmonary hypertension, obesity hypoventilation, severe sleep apnea, and thromboembolism risk. The comprehensive medical evaluation includes those specialty consultations and medical tests necessary to establish patient-centered health risks of extreme obesity and risks of bariatric surgery.
Delphi Approach to Identifying Best Practices for Succession Planning within Construction Firms.

Succession planning serves to develop and retain workers at all levels of employment. Retaining high performers is critical to a contractor’s success. The nature of the construction industry create...
Testing the Effect of Price Framing on Nonresidents’ Perceptions of Dual Pricing in State Parks: An Application of Prospect Theory

Dual pricing is a differential pricing technique that has been frequently practiced in public-funded parks and recreation services. Unfortunately, this practice can arouse resentment among nonresid...
Owning, Using and Renting: Some Simple Economics of the

New Internet-based markets enable consumer/owners to rent out their durable goods when not using them. Such markets are modeled to determine ownership, rental rates, quantities, and surplus generated. Both the short run, before consumers can revise their ownership decisions, and the long run, in which they can, are examined to assess how these markets change ownership and consumption. The analysis examines bringing-to-market costs, such as labor costs and transaction costs, and considers the operating platform’s pricing problem. A survey of consumers broadly supports the modeling assumptions employed. For example, ownership is determined by individuals’ forward-looking assessments of planned usage. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.
Convolutional Neural Network Analysis of Two-Dimensional Hyperfine Sublevel Correlation Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectra

A machine learning approach is presented for analyzing complex two-dimensional hyperfine sublevel correlation electron paramagnetic resonance (HYSCORE EPR) spectra with the proficiency of an expert spectroscopist. The computer vision algorithm requires no training on experimental data; rather, all of the spin physics required to interpret the spectra are learned from simulations alone. This approach is therefore applicable even when insufficient experimental data exist to train the algorithm. The neural network is demonstrated to be capable of utilizing the full information content of two-dimensional 14N HYSCORE spectra to predict the magnetic coupling parameters and their underlying probability distributions that were previously inaccessible. The predicted hyperfine (a, T) and 14N quadrupole (K, η) coupling constants deviate from the previous manual analyses of the experimental spectra on average by 0.11 MHz, 0.09 MHz, 0.19 MHz, and 0.09, respectively.
An automated method for evaluating resistance to stress-corrosion cracking with ring-loaded precracked specimens

This paper describes a ring-loading method for evaluating stress-corrosion resistance with precracked specimens and presents representative data for compact specimens of some high-strength aluminum alloys. The deflection of the ring was large relative to that of the specimen, simulating deadweight loading. This method provides several advantages over techniques previously used. Unlike most constant-displacement loading systems, the load and crack length and thus the stress intensity are known accurately throughout the life of each test, and the initiation and growth of stress-corrosion cracking (SCC) lead to a definitive end point (failure). Also, the effects of corrosion product wedging are minimal. The ring loading system is more compact than most deadweight systems, and because it is readily automated, data can be collected with the expenditure of few manhours.
Impact of Chemical and Mechanical Processes on Leakage from Damaged Wells in CO2 Storage Sites

The perceived risk of CO2 leakage through wells has been considered a potential limitation to commercial scale deployment of geologic CO2 storage. However, chemical and mechanical alteration of cement can reduce the permeability of leakage pathways. We conducted 100s of simulations spanning realistic operating conditions and well-damage characteristics to understand (1) under what conditions and time frames do fractures seal and (2) for fractures that do not seal, how quickly and to what extent is the permeability reduced. For the conditions simulated, fractures with apertures in the tens of microns seal while those greater than hundreds of microns may exhibit long-term leakage. Fractures with apertures between 10 and 500 μm took a few days to a couple of years to seal. For non-sealing fractures mechanical deformation of altered asperities can rapidly reduce permeability. A sealing criterion was developed to relate fracture aperture with the cemented length required for self-sealing. Longer cemented intervals can seal large fractures; however, they take longer to seal and leak larger volumes before sealing. While the results presented here are subject to uncertainties, the manuscript provides a framework in which a model can be used to quantitatively answer questions regarding well integrity to facilitate decision making.
In-Service Training in Health Education

(1949). In-Service Training in Health Education. Journal of the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation: Vol. 20, No. 10, pp. 641-683.
Early Impact of the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine CDEM/CORD Special Issue in Educational Research & Practice.

Author(s): Love, Jeffrey N.; Santen, Sally A.; Way, David P.; Munzer, Brendan W.; Merritt, Chris; Ander, Douglas S.; Cyrus, John W. | Abstract: Introduction: In 2015, with a stated goal of disseminating best teaching practices and developing a community of educational scholars, the Council of Emergency Medicine Directors (CORD) and th eClerkship Directors of Emergency Medicine (CDEM) created an annual Special Issue in Educational Research and Practice (Special Issue) in cooperation with the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine. The intention of this study was to analyze the impact of this effort to date.Methods: Bibliometric data was gathered on all four special issues, 2015-2019, from the Web of Scienceand then verified with the eScholarship website. Authorship, academic affiliation, date published, articletype, and format were tabulated for descriptive analysis. Using metrics from Google Scholar, alternative scholarly impact metrics (altmetrics), and the eScholarship website, the authors identified top articles and grouped them into themes.Results: Of the 136 articles included in the first four years of the Special Issue, 126 represented peer reviewed publications with an overall acceptance rate of 25.0% (126/505). Authors from this cohort represented 103 of the 182 (56.6%) Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) programs in existence at the time of the inaugural issue. Multi-institutional studies represented 34.9% (44/126) of the peer-reviewed publications. Traditional and alternative publication metrics are reported to assess the impact of articles from the Special Issues.Conclusion: The Special Issue is a proven outlet to share best practices, innovations, and research related to education. Additionally, the infrastructure of this process promotes the development of individual faculty and a community of teaching scholars.
Exploiting the winter trophic relationship between weasels ( Mustela spp.) and their microtine prey as a survey method for weasels in meadow ecosystems

Weasels can be important components of grassland and meadow communities where they influence the dynamics of small mammal populations which, in turn, can be keystone species in these communities. We evaluate a method for detecting and identifying two species of North American mustelines (i.e., Mustela frenata and M. erminea) in mountain meadow systems. It is based on previous knowledge that weasels often co-opt the winter nests of their vole (or lemming) prey and frequently deposit scats there. We exploit this aspect of the predator-prey relationship and describe how, when paired with genetic identification of species from scat, searching after spring melt for weasel scats in winter-constructed vole nests may be an alternative survey method for detecting weasels in meadows. Our work was conducted at the Sagehen Experimental Forest in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We discovered and examined 90 winter vole nests over four spring seasons, resulting in an average (SD) of 3.31 (1.81) nests found per survey hour per year. From these nests we collected an average of 0.57 (0.37) putative weasel scats per survey hour. Of the seven scats that were verified to be from a weasel, five were from M. frenata and two from M. erminea. This was a proof of concept effort, to which we conclude that searches of vole nests for scat that can be genetically verified as weasel should have a place in the biologist's toolkit. The method is likely to be the most efficient for obtaining a genetic sample for weasels in mountain meadow systems.
Profits before patients? Analyzing donors’ economic motives for foreign aid in the health sector

Abstract Why do some donor countries allocate their foreign aid according to their own interests, while others pay more attention to the needs of recipient countries? By focusing on the health sector, this paper explains the difference in aid allocation patterns across donors from two factors: The influence of the powerful pharmaceutical industry and the structure of the foreign aid institution. I argue that where an aid agency is not institutionally autonomous, donors that are home to powerful pharmaceutical companies give a higher portion of their health aid to activities that require the use of pharmaceutical products. In contrast, donors with autonomous aid agencies, even when they have large pharmaceutical companies, allocate health aid regardless of whether such allocation would benefit their economic constituents. While the majority of existing research analyzes the selection of recipient countries to examine the motives of donors, this paper makes the case that assessing the selection of specific activities is useful in analyzing donor's economic motives. Statistical analysis of dyadic panel data of 23 OECD donor and 149 recipient countries lends support to these arguments. The findings challenge the naive assumption that health aid is different because it is closely related to basic human needs.
A comparative case study: Administrators' and students' perceptions of the Seal of Biliteracy

This comparative case study explores the perceived value of the Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL) between two key stakeholders, administrators and students. Drawing on interviews and focus group data from one large, urban district in Minnesota that was instrumental in assisting the state in diversifying languages awarded with the SoBL, this study investigated areas in which administrators' perceived value of the SoBL converged or diverged with linguistically diverse students' perceived value. Findings revealed convergences along the two themes of college credit and promoting multilingualism as an asset and divergences along the three themes of racial equity, proof/validation, and future opportunities. Convergences between these two groups represent the maximal zone of policy implementation whereas divergences represent areas in which work could be done to enhance the policy's potential. Implications focus on how to increase the number of linguistically diverse students earning the SoBL and highlight critical areas in need of additional research.
Training Needs of Nutrition Educators Engaged in Policy, Systems, and Environmental Approaches.

Abstract Objective Assess training needs of nutrition educators incorporating policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) approaches into their obesity prevention efforts, to identify content for online training. Methods Conducted a national, online survey of state and local Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education professionals engaged in PSE efforts. Results Respondents (n = 601) rated the importance of 24 training topics related to planning, implementing, and evaluating PSE approaches. Most (21) topics were rated very important or essential, confirming the need for a comprehensive approach. Paired-sample t tests found significant differences (P Conclusions and Implications Results informed the development of an online training for program implementers. Future research will be needed to assess and refine training needs further, which will evolve as nutrition educators gain more experience in PSE approaches.
Characterizing Chronic Pain Episodes in Clinical Text at Two Health Care Systems: Comprehensive Annotation and Corpus Analysis

Background: Chronic pain affects more than 20% of adults in the United States and is associated with substantial physical, mental, and social burden. Clinical text contains rich information about chronic pain, but no systematic appraisal has been performed to assess the electronic health record (EHR) narratives for these patients. A formal content analysis of the unstructured EHR data can inform clinical practice and research in chronic pain. Objective: We characterized individual episodes of chronic pain by annotating and analyzing EHR notes for a stratified cohort of adults with known chronic pain. Methods: We used the Rochester Epidemiology Project infrastructure to screen all residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, for evidence of chronic pain, between January 1, 2005, and September 30, 2015. Diagnosis codes were used to assemble a cohort of 6586 chronic pain patients; people with cancer were excluded. The records of an age- and sex-stratified random sample of 62 patients from the cohort were annotated using an iteratively developed guideline. The annotated concepts included date, location, severity, causes, effects on quality of life, diagnostic procedures, medications, and other treatment modalities. Results: A total of 94 chronic pain episodes from 62 distinct patients were identified by reviewing 3272 clinical notes. Documentation was written by clinicians across a wide spectrum of specialties. Most patients (40/62, 65%) had 1 pain episode during the study period. Interannotator agreement ranged from 0.78 to 1.00 across the annotated concepts. Some pain-related concepts (eg, body location) had 100% (94/94) coverage among all the episodes, while others had moderate coverage (eg, effects on quality of life) (55/94, 59%). Back pain and leg pain were the most common types of chronic pain in the annotated cohort. Musculoskeletal issues like arthritis were annotated as the most common causes. Opioids were the most commonly captured medication, while physical and occupational therapies were the most common nonpharmacological treatments. Conclusions: We systematically annotated chronic pain episodes in clinical text. The rich content analysis results revealed complexity of the chronic pain episodes and of their management, as well as the challenges in extracting pertinent information, even for humans. Despite the pilot study nature of the work, the annotation guideline and corpus should be able to serve as informative references for other institutions with shared interest in chronic pain research using EHRs.
The Power of a Promise: Dual Admission for Community College-to-University Transfer Students

Dual admission programs offer students who are not quite ready for enrollment at a four-year university joint admission to the university and a partner community college. After completing program r...
Effects of a Behavior Management Strategy, CW-FIT, on High School Student and Teacher Behavior

Challenging classroom behavior can interfere with learning. Fortunately known, positive, and proactive approaches to behavior management can improve student responding. Class-Wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) have led to improvement in student behavior across elementary and middle school contexts. However, little is known of the impact of the intervention on high school student behavior. This study evaluated CW-FIT’s utility in improving high school student and high school teacher behavior in a co-taught learning environment. A single-subject withdrawal design was used to evaluate improvements in on-task behavior for 14 high school students in one co-taught classroom. The impact on praise and reprimand statements of two high school teachers was also assessed. The findings showed improvement to student and teacher behavior and sustainability of the intervention. Further, teachers and students expressed satisfaction with the intervention and teachers maintained high levels of implementation fidelity. Limitations of the evaluation and areas for future research are presented.
PETROLOGY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE OF DETRITAL SAND AND SILT IN A STALAGMITE FROM DROTSKY'S CAVE, BOTSWANA

Analysis of a stalagmite from northwestern Botswana shows that variation in the abundance of detrital grains, which can be conveniently approximated by gray-scale measurements, provides a potentially valuable paleoclimatological record. The stalagmite, which is from near the mouth of Drotsky's Cave, is largely spelean CaCO3. It nonetheless also contains detrital grains of quartz, clays and iron oxides, carbonates, and other minerals. The abundance of those detrital materials varies along the stalagmite's growth axis. Analysis of the positions of those grains indicates that they preferentially accumulate in the dry season. Gray scale (a measure of the lightness or darkness of the cut speleothem) is inversely correlative with detrital content and thus with periods of decreased rainfall. It also correlates positively with historical records of rainfall and with rates of speleothem growth, which are controlled by rainfall. Gray-scale measurements from this speleothem can thus serve as a proxy paleoclimatologi...
Existence of Invariant Tori for Certain Non-Symplectic Diffeomorphisms

In this paper, we consider certain diffeomorphisms on I m × T n , where I = [1, 2] ⊂ ℝ and T = S 1 . We show that under certain nondegeneracy conditions and intersection property, all of the maps sufficiently close to the integrable ones preserve a large set of m-dimensional invariant tori. Some applications of these results to forced oscillations with changing forcing frequencies are given.
Proof that hsp70 is required for assembly of the glucocorticoid receptor into a heterocomplex with hsp90.

Incubation of immunopurified glucocorticoid receptor with rabbit reticulocyte lysate forms a complex between the receptor and hsp90, with simultaneous conversion of the receptor from a non-steroid binding but DNA binding state typical of the transformed receptor back to the steroid binding, non-DNA binding state typical of the untransformed receptor (Scherrer, L. C., Dalman, F. C., Massa, E., Meshinchi, S., and Pratt, W. B. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 21397-21400). The receptor heterocomplex formed by the lysate also contains hsp70 and is formed in an ATP-dependent and cation-selective manner (Hutchison, K. A., Czar, M.J., Scherrer, L. C., and Pratt, W.B. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 14047-14053). In this work, we selectively depleted reticulocyte lysate of hsp70 by passing it through a column of ATP-agarose. The hsp70-depleted lysate contains hsp90, but it cannot form a receptor-hsp90 heterocomplex. hsp70 purified from mouse L cells binds to immunopurified glucocorticoid receptor but does not convert it to the steroid binding state. Addition of purified hsp70 to the hsp70-depleted lysate reactivates the heterocomplex assembly system, permitting formation of a receptor-hsp90-hsp70 complex, with the receptor being returned to the high affinity steroid-binding conformation. These data are consistent with a model in which the protein-unfolding activity of hsp70 is required for hsp90 binding to the hormone binding domain of the glucocorticoid receptor. The hsp56 immunophilin component of the native receptor heterocomplex is also present in the reconstituted receptor heterocomplex in an hsp70-dependent manner. In addition to hsp70, other as yet unidentified factors in reticulocyte lysate are required for receptor heterocomplex assembly.
Efficient Density Clustering Method for Spatial Data

Data mining for spatial data has become increasingly important as more and more organizations are exposed to spatial data from sources such as remote sensing, geographical information systems, astronomy, computer cartography, environmental assessment and planning, etc. Recently, density based clustering methods, such as DENCLUE, DBSCAN, OPTICS, have been published and recognized as powerful clustering methods for data mining. These approaches have run time complexity of O(nlogn) when using spatial index techniques, R + tree and grid cell. However, these methods are known to lack scalability with respect to dimensionality. In this paper, a unique approach to efficient neighborhood search and a new efficient density based clustering algorithm using EIN-rings are developed. Our approach exploits compressed vertical data structures, Peano Trees (P-trees), and fast P-tree logical operations to accelerate the calculation of the density function within EIN-rings. This approach stands in contrast to the ubiquitous approach of vertically scanning horizontal data structures (records). The average run time complexity of our algorithm for spatial data in d-dimension is \(O(dn\sqrt{n})\). Our proposed method has comparable cardinality scalability with other density methods for small and medium size of data, but superior speed and dimensional scalability.
Two schedules of second-line irinotecan for metastatic colon carcinoma.

BACKGROUND In a recently reported, randomized trial, it was found that a regimen of irinotecan once every 3 weeks for patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma was associated with a lower incidence of severe diarrhea compared with weekly treatment, and both regimens had similar efficacy. METHODS Resource utilization was captured prospectively for all 291 patients who were included in the trial. Utilities were estimated by transformation of the global quality-of-life (QOL) item on the Eastern Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 instrument. RESULTS Patients in the every-3-week arm incurred an average incremental cost of $1362, because they received higher average weekly doses and because the every-3-week regimen resulted in less toxicity, allowing delivery of 97% of the planned doses compared with delivery of only 75% of the planned doses in the weekly arm. This lower toxicity also resulted in offsetting savings from decreased hospitalization and less requirement for supportive medications. Non-chemotherapy-related treatment administration costs also were lower, because the every-3-week regimen could be delivered with half the number of infusions. Utility declined less in the every-3-week arm, resulting in a saving of 6.3 quality-adjusted days. The base-case cost:utility ratio was $78,627 per quality-adjusted life year for patients on the every-3-week schedule. However, that ratio was very sensitive to the cost of irinotecan. CONCLUSIONS The schedule of irinotecan once every 3 weeks schedule was more costly but achieved lower toxicity, resulting in modestly improved utility. The cost-per-utility ratio was comparable to other commonly accepted contemporary treatments. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Using Psychology Theories in Archival Financial Accounting Research

Psychologists have studied human behavior for over a century and, as a result, have developed a robust set of theories regarding how people behave. Most financial accounting issues deal with matters of human behavior, such as the judgments and decisions of managers, investors, analysts, and auditors. Consequently, psychology offers a rich pool of theories from which financial accounting researchers can draw to motivate hypotheses and interpret results. Despite this, archival accounting researchers traditionally have relied almost solely on theories based in financial economics. We argue that two major obstacles to the use of psychology theories by archival researchers has been a lack of awareness about the theories that are available and when their use would be most productive. Our paper attempts to bridge this gap. Specifically, we describe a number of psychology theories that are applicable to financial accounting issues, lay out the circumstances where they may be especially useful to archival researchers, and provide a number of specific examples of how psychology theories provide new insights about financial accounting issues.
Vaginitis in childhood.

AN UNDERSTANDING of the physiology of the vagina in infancy and childhood is necessary in order to diagnose and treat pediatric vaginitis. At the time of birth the vagina of the child is quite thick, having 20 to 40 layers of stratified squamous epithelium, but differs from the adult vagina by the absence of cornification or maturity in the superficial cells. This great thickening of the squamous epithelium of the newborn is caused by estrogenic hormones produced by the placenta of the fetus. The vulva is enlarged at birth, and the skin of the body of the newborn (also affected by estrogenic hormone) is thick and resilient. At this time a white discharge composed of mucus and a profusion of hexagonal epithelial cells with small nuclei may be noted. The pH of the vagina of the newborn on the first day is 5.7, on the second day 5.6, the third day 4.9, and the fourth day 4.8.l Gradually the vagina becomes more alkaline; in 2 to 6 weeks after birth the pH of the vagina is 7.0, 7.5, or 8.0. Cultures of the vagina of the newborn are sterile for the first 12 hours, then cocci appear which may not be cultured.2 After 24 hours various cocci are found, and in 48
Defects of Lipid Synthesis Are Linked to the Age-Dependent Demyelination Caused by Lamin B1 Overexpression

Lamin B1 is a component of the nuclear lamina and plays a critical role in maintaining nuclear architecture, regulating gene expression and modulating chromatin positioning. We have previously shown that LMNB1 gene duplications cause autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD), a fatal adult onset demyelinating disease. The mechanisms by which increased LMNB1 levels cause ADLD are unclear. To address this, we used a transgenic mouse model where Lamin B1 overexpression is targeted to oligodendrocytes. These mice showed severe vacuolar degeneration of the spinal cord white matter together with marked astrogliosis, microglial infiltration, and secondary axonal damage. Oligodendrocytes in the transgenic mice revealed alterations in histone modifications favoring a transcriptionally repressed state. Chromatin changes were accompanied by reduced expression of genes involved in lipid synthesis pathways, many of which are known to play important roles in myelin regulation and are preferentially expressed in oligodendrocytes. Decreased lipogenic gene expression resulted in a significant reduction in multiple classes of lipids involved in myelin formation. Many of these gene expression changes and lipid alterations were observed even before the onset of the phenotype, suggesting a causal role. Our findings establish, for the first time, a link between LMNB1 and lipid synthesis in oligodendrocytes, and provide a mechanistic framework to explain the age dependence and white matter involvement of the disease phenotype. These results have implications for disease pathogenesis and may also shed light on the regulation of lipid synthesis pathways in myelin maintenance and turnover. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD) is fatal neurological disorder caused by increased levels of the nuclear protein, Lamin B1. The disease is characterized by an age-dependent loss of myelin, the fatty sheath that covers nerve fibers. We have studied a mouse model where Lamin B1 level are increased in oligodendrocytes, the cell type that produces myelin in the CNS. We demonstrate that destruction of myelin in the spinal cord is responsible for the degenerative phenotype in our mouse model. We show that this degeneration is mediated by reduced expression of lipid synthesis genes and the subsequent reduction in myelin enriched lipids. These findings provide a mechanistic framework to explain the age dependence and tissue specificity of the ADLD disease phenotype.
Knowledge of essence: the conferralist story

Realist essentialists face a prima facie challenge in accounting for our knowledge of the essences of things, and in particular, in justifying our engaging in thought experiments to gain such knowledge. In contrast, conferralist essentialism has an attractive story to tell about how we gain knowledge of the essences of things, and how thought experiments are a justified method for gaining such knowledge. The conferralist story is told in this essay.
The architecture of response-pipelined content addressable memories

Abstract Content Addressable Memories (CAMs) are useful as accelerators for search-intensive programs such as rule-based systems, database applications, documents retrieval and pattern matching. Many applications in these areas required searching long words that are too wide to fit into most commercially available CAM chips. To date, only one commercial chip is available with on-chip support for searching multi-word keys associatively. This chip, however, needs K cycles to search logical keys that are K words long. In this paper, we introduce the architecture of a CAM chip that allows cascading to increase the word-size and the number of words, and yet maintain the search rate constant through the use of a technique called response pipelining . Response pipelining allows the logical word size to be increased by a factor of K but maintains a search and operation completion rate of one per cycle, i.e. the search rate remains independent of K . Response pipelining provides this ability by incorporating very negligible hardware in each chip; response pipelining also allows the board level wiring to be kept very simple. Prototype CAM chips ( R esponse P ipelined CAM s-RPCAMS) have been implemented in a 2-micron CMOS process with 2 metal layers. We describe the response pipelining technique and its potential advantages, as well as the architectural details of the RPCAM chips. Results of using the RPCAM as accelerators for search-intensive applications that require relatively long keys show that significant performance gains are possible through their use. The RPCAM chips are thus ideal as building blocks for large associative arrays.
Analysis of Production Decline Characteristics of a Multistage Hydraulically Fractured Horizontal Well in a Naturally Fractured Reservoir

Unconventional hydrocarbon reserves exploration has seen a new high in the recent times owing to the decline in production from conventional reserves. For sustained hydrocarbon production, it is essential for the market to shift from conventional to unconventional sources of energy. Shale gas and tight gas reserves are considered unconventional in nature. Innovative technologies like horizontal well drilling and hydraulic fracturing have made the extraction of hydrocarbons from these unconventional resources economically viable. Most shale gas reservoirs are naturally fractured in nature and exhibit dual porosity characteristics. The flow from these tight gas reserves could accurately be modeled as flow around a horizontal well in a naturally fractured formation. Hydraulic fracturing often alters the reservoir parameters around the wellbore, thus, creating a rubble zone (stimulated reservoir volume-SRV) having different characteristics when compared to the outer zone. This problem could ideally be approximated as flow around a horizontal wellbore in a composite naturally fractured formation. Elliptical flow regime was long considered a transient regime in between radial and pseudo radial flow, but in case of anisotropic reservoirs and low permeability reservoirs (tight gas and shale gas) the elliptical flow regime extends for a considerably large period of time. A solution to the elliptical flow problem that considers flow into a horizontal wellbore in a truly composite naturally fractured reservoir has been attempted. Mathieu’s modified functions were used to solve the elliptical flow problem. The generated solution is validated with other existing solutions by collapsing it into simpler forms given in the literature. Forward solutions are generated for various dimensionless parameters.
EEG correlation of improvement in hemolytic-uremic syndrome after plasma infusion.

Abstract We report a previously undescribed electroencephalographic pattern of epochs of diffuse delta background (85–240 sec) alternating with epochs of classic "burst suppression" (90–270 sec) in a 13-month-old girl with hemolytic-uremic syndrome. A dramatic electroencephalographic improvement was evident on continuous monitoring of cerebral function 3 hours after initiating fresh frozen plasma infusion, well before any clinical improvement was apparent. This patient, in addition to the unusual electroencephalographic findings, illustrates the role of continuous electrophysiologic monitoring of cerebral function and supports the use of fresh frozen plasma in hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
Limits on agenda control in spatial voting games

A theorem due to McKelvey implies that, if a single agent controls the agenda of a spatial voting game, he can almost always design an agenda that yields whatever voting outcome he wishes. Here we make use of a geometrical construct called the ''yolk'' to demonstrate the existence of significant limits on such agenda control. We show that the feasibility of agenda control is inversely related to the size of the yolk. In general, there are strong centripetal forces in spatial voting games, which make it much easier to move voting processes in a centrist direction than in non-centrist one. Thus, outcomes of plausible agenda processes will probably be found in the central area of the space.
An empirical test of models explaining research expenditures and research cooperation: evidence for the German service sector

Abstract Key findings of game–theoretic models that describe the effects of spillovers, market size, research productivity and the generality of a firms’ research approach on innovation efforts and on their propensity to form a research joint venture (RJV) are empirically tested using innovation survey data of the German service sector. A simultaneous econometric model for cooperation choice and innovation expenditures and a nesting logit model for the choice of different types of cooperation partners are applied in the empirical analysis. By and large, the predictions of the theoretical models are empirically validated. A central finding of this paper is that cooperating firms invest more in research than non-cooperating firms.
Aureomycin in urinary infections due to gram negative organisms.

Summary1. Aureomycin is highly effective against many strains of gram-negative bacilli in vitro, including many which were found to be resistant to sulfonamides, penicillin, and streptomycin. The sensitivity of various strains of a given species, however, varies greatly.2. Clinical trial in 10 patients with urinary infections which were refractory to previous treatment with other antibiotics, resulted in a clinical cure of all ten patients. Bacteriologically eight patients were cured, and 2 were markedly improved.