cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of potassium tartrate for equilibrium density-gradient centrifugation of animal viruses.

DENSITY-GRADIENT centrifugation of both the velocity and equilibrium types has been applied for separating and purifying plant viruses such as tobacco mosaic and potato yellows1, and also very recently to animal viruses such as Rous sarcoma2, Shope fibroma3 and polyoma4. Equilibrium banding with satisfactory recovery of biological activity has usually been achieved in rubidium or caesium chlorides after centrifugation for approximately 24 hr. Some viruses are, however, inactivated by these salts, and others, as, for example, Rous sarcoma, require stabilization by albumin and citrate2. Non-equilibrium sedimentation in glycerol gradients has been used to purify Shope papilloma3 ; and reasonably sharp peaks of influenza and Newcastle disease viruses, and also of vaccinia haemagglutinin, may be obtained after brief centrifugation in sucrose gradients of the velocity-sedimentation type5.
Studies on TTA complexes with metal ions—III Investigations of uranyl-TTA complex in the solid state

Abstract Single crystals of uranyl-TTA complex (UO2T2·2H2O) have been prepared by recrystallization from benzene solution. Crystallographic, X-ray powder diffraction, chemical and optical data are presented for the compound. Studies were also conducted of its infra-red absorption and differential thermal analysis curves.
Wave-Related Fluctuations in the Airflow Above Natural Waves

Abstract Simultaneous observations of wave heights and velocity fluctuations at two levels above the waves are analyzed to examine properties of the wave-related fluctuations in the allow. Results are obtained from spectral and joint probability density function, conditional mean function (JPDF-CMF) analyses. Results are examined with respect to predictions from potential flow theory and recent theoretical formulations for wind-wave coupling. Of interest are recent formulations which allow interaction between the wave-induced motion and turbulence in the airflow, the so-called “turbulence” models. Cospectral results exhibit features which are predicted by theoretical formulations with regard to height variations of the wave-related momentum transfer. These features include the oscillatory variations predicted by recent turbulence models and also enhanced transfer at both levels as predicted by the quasi-laminar model. JPDF-CMF analyses are used to obtain phase-amplitude information for those variables exa...
Mislocalization of Kir channels in malignant glia

Inwardly rectifying potassium (K(ir)) channels are a prominent feature of mature, postmitotic astrocytes. These channels are believed to set the resting membrane potential near the potassium equilibrium potential (E(K)) and are implicated in potassium buffering. A number of previous studies suggest that K(ir) channel expression is indicative of cell differentiation. We therefore set out to examine K(ir) channel expression in malignant glia, which are incapable of differentiation. We used two established and widely used glioma cell lines, D54MG (a WHO grade 4 glioma) and STTG-1 (a WHO grade 3 glioma), and compared them to immature and differentiated astrocytes. Both glioma cell lines were characterized by large outward K(+) currents, depolarized resting membrane potentials (V(m)) (-38.5 +/- 4.2 mV, D54 and -28.1 +/- 3.5 mV, STTG1), and relatively high input resistances (R(m)) (260.6 +/- 64.7 MOmega, D54 and 687.2 +/- 160.3 MOmega, STTG1). These features were reminiscent of immature astrocytes, which also displayed large outward K(+) currents, had a mean V(m) of -51.1 +/- 3.7 and a mean R(m) value of 627.5 +/- 164 MOmega. In contrast, mature astrocytes had a significantly more negative resting membrane potential (-75.2 +/- 0.56 mV), and a mean R(m) of 25.4 +/- 7.4 MOmega. Barium (Ba(2+)) sensitive K(ir) currents were >20-fold larger in mature astrocytes (4.06 +/- 1.1 nS/pF) than in glioma cells (0.169 +/- 0.033 nS/pF D54, 0.244 +/- 0.04 nS/pF STTG1), which had current densities closer to those of dividing, immature astrocytes (0.474 +/- 0.12 nS/pF). Surprisingly, Western blot analysis shows expression of several K(ir) channel subunits in glioma cells (K(ir)2.3, 3.1, and 4.1). However, while in astrocytes these channels localize diffusely throughout the cell, in glioma cells they are found almost exclusively in either the cell nucleus (K(ir)2.3 and 4.1) or ER/Golgi (3.1). These data suggest that mislocalization of K(ir) channel proteins to intracellular compartments is responsible for a lack of appreciable K(ir) currents in glioma cells.
Chemical fractionation in the silicate vapor atmosphere of the Earth

Despite its importance to questions of lunar origin, the chemical composition of the Moon is not precisely known. In recent years, however, the isotopic composition of lunar samples has been determined to high precision and found to be indistinguishable from the terrestrial mantle despite widespread isotopic heterogeneity in the Solar System. In the context of the giant-impact hypothesis, this level of isotopic homogeneity can evolve if the proto-lunar disk and post-impact Earth undergo turbulent mixing into a single uniform reservoir while the system is extensively molten and partially vaporized. In the absence of liquid–vapor separation, such a model leads to the lunar inheritance of the chemical composition of the terrestrial magma ocean. Hence, the turbulent mixing model raises the question of how chemical differences arose between the silicate Earth and Moon. Here we explore the consequences of liquid–vapor separation in one of the settings relevant to the lunar composition: the silicate vapor atmosphere of the post-giant-impact Earth. We use a model atmosphere to quantify the extent to which rainout can generate chemical differences by enriching the upper atmosphere in the vapor, and show that plausible parameters can generate the postulated enhancement in the FeO/MgO ratio of the silicate Moon relative to the Earth's mantle. Moreover, we show that liquid–vapor separation also generates measurable mass-dependent isotopic offsets between the silicate Earth and Moon and that precise silicon isotope measurements can be used to constrain the degree of chemical fractionation during this earliest period of lunar history. An approach of this kind has the potential to resolve long-standing questions on the lunar chemical composition.
A Review of AIDS Policies at Schools for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

Surveys completed by state boards of education and state schools for the deaf and hard of hearing in 39 states/territories provided information about policies regarding students with HIV+/ AIDS. In addition, copies of the actual policies were provided by some survey respondents. Analysis of the survey data and content analysis of the policies themselves determined that policies vary in comprehensiveness from school to school and from state to state, from brief paragraphs to detailed, multipage sets of instructions. In many cases, these "policies" provide insufficient guidance for handling the complexities of placing and providing services to deaf and hard of hearing HIV+/AIDS students in a residential setting. The data reported and analyzed here were part of a larger but uncompleted study of AIDS policies at schools for deaf and hard of hearing students (see the editor's note).
A simple stopped-flow photometer

Abstract A stopped-flow photometer is described which is simple enough for teaching applications yet sufficiently versatile to serve as a nucleus for a research instrument. The rapid mixing device employs small sample volumes (typically 20 μl of each reactant) and features a mixing time of 4 milliseconds, a pneumatic drive mechanism, and temperature control for the reactants. Rapid reactions can be monitored by changes in transmittance or fluorescence or by measuring simultaneous changes in transmittance and fluorescence. A photometric system with all solidstate electronic components is described along with an oscilloscope triggering circuit.
Low Level of Hepatitis B Virus Screening Among Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Background & Aims Chemotherapy of patients with inactive hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can lead to viral reactivation and hepatitis flares. We investigated the proportion of patients screened for HBV infection before chemotherapy over time and the outcomes of screened patients. Methods In a retrospective study, we collected data from a pharmacy database on patients who underwent cytotoxic chemotherapy for solid or hematologic malignancies at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, from January 1, 2006, through September 30, 2011. Laboratory data were collected from electronic medical records. Screening was identified based on tests for hepatitis B surface antigen, for any reason at any time before chemotherapy. Results Of 8005 patients undergoing chemotherapy, 1279 (16%) were screened for HBV infection before chemotherapy, including 668 of 1805 patients with hematologic malignancies (37%). The proportion of patients screened for HBV increased from 14.3% in 2006 to 2008 to 17.7% in 2009 to 2011 ( P P 300 U/L), only 1 patient appeared to have an undiagnosed HBV infection. Conclusions Only a small percentage of patients receiving chemotherapy are screened for HBV infection. However, a larger proportion of patients was screened during 2009 to 2011 than during 2006 to 2008, especially patients with hematologic malignancies. Strategies are needed to ensure that patients receiving chemotherapy are protected from the consequences of undiagnosed HBV infection.
Evolving strategies for the treatment of microvascular angina in women

Microvascular angina, also known as cardiac syndrome X, is characterized by anginal chest pain, at least one cardiovascular risk factor, an abnormal stress test and normal coronary arteries on angiography. It is significantly more common in women than in men. A definitive diagnosis of microvascular angina can be made by invasive or noninvasive methods; a presumptive diagnosis can also be made based on fulfillment of diagnostic criteria. Effective treatment of microvascular angina requires aggressive risk factor modification; exercise is one of the most effective treatment modalities. Several other treatment strategies have been shown to relieve anginal symptoms as well as improve vascular function; these include b-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, ranolazine, l-arginine, statin drugs and potentially estrogen replacement therapy. Nitrates may be effective for symptom relief. Further studies are required to determine whether specific treatments are associated with improved survival as well...
Failure, The Next Generation: Why Rigorous Standards are not Sufficient to Improve Science Learning

Although many states in the United States are adopting policies that require all students to complete college-preparatory science classes to graduate from high school, the outcomes of such policies have not always led to improved student outcomes. While there is much speculation about the cause of the dismal results, there is scant research on the process by which the policies are being implemented at the school level, especially in schools that enroll large numbers of historically non-college-bound students. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted a four-year ethnographic case study of policy implementation at one racially and socioeconomically diverse high school in Michigan. Guided by the structuration theory of Anthony Giddens, we gathered and analyzed information from administrator and science teacher interviews, observations of science classes, and relevant curriculum and policy documents. Our findings reveal the processes and rationales by which a state policy mandating three years of college-preparatory science for all students was implemented at the school. Four years after the policy was implemented there was little improvement in science outcomes. The main reason for this, we found, was the lack of correspondence between the state policy and local policies developed in response to that state policy.
Meta-Analysis and Cross-Cultural Comparison Sex Differences in Child Competitiveness

This article argues for the application of meta-analysis to cross-cultural comparison as an adjunct to traditional review methods. The objective means of combining results of independent hypothesis tests provided by meta-analysis is illustrated through an examination of the literature on sex differences in child competitiveness. The results indicate an overall tendency for males to be more competitive than females. However, analysis within cultures indicates that this is not a universal trend. The utility of meta-analysis and the problems encountered in its cross-cultural application are discussed. It is concluded that the use of meta-analysis in conjunction with cross-cultural comparison provides a means of theory advancement of great potential.
Of Forests and Time in the Culture of Possession

SUMMARY Forest biotechnology is moving on a separate path, away from U.S. agbiotech business models. Now is the time to define its research charter broadly defined to the benefit of more of the world's forests, well beyond its current focus on intensively managed GE forest plantations. This became evident when forest biotechnology officially took a separate path during the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization's AgBiotech Conference held in Guadalajara Mexico in March 2–6, 2010. My aims here are twofold: 1) to map forest biotechnology's path away from U.S. agbiotech business models although its momentum can be traced to forestry's long timelines, a feature notably absent in agriculture, and 2) to broadly defined its research charter, a research charter defined here as forest biotechnology sensu lato. I propose that forest biotechnology's narrow focus on planting GE plantations be exchanged in favor of a research charter which emphasizes policy-relevant climate change research, basic research, and even m...
Financial Intermediaries and Monetary Controls

I. Introduction, 533. — II. Financial intermediaries and commercial banks, 533. — III. Possible destabilizing effects of intermediaries, 538; substitutions between money and intermediary claims, 540; portfolio shifts by intermediaries, 546. — IV. Concluding comments, 551.
CHILDREN'S IMITATION OF A RIDICULED MODEL

In order to test the effectiveness of ridicule as an educational and social corrective in children's educational television programs, arbitrary activities involving a novel object were performed by a Muppet model, videotaped, and presented to 4- and 6-year-olds. In each of three conditions of type of motivational message (ridicule, command, suggestion), a highly specific action was discouraged, another was encouraged, and a third was neither discouraged nor encouraged. The frequency with which subjects played with the novel object served as a measure of imitation. Four-year-olds consistently responded most effectively to correction when commands were given. In sharp contrast, 6-year-olds were most responsive to ridicule and least responsive to command.
Ultra-Wideband Multifunctional Communications/Radar System

We have designed, simulated, fabricated, and tested an ultra-wideband (UWB) multifunctional communication and radar system utilizing a single shared transmitting antenna aperture. Two surface acoustic wave bandpass chirp filters were used to modulate the radar and communications pulses, generating linear frequency modulation waveforms with opposite slope factors. The system operates at a center frequency of 750 MHz with 500 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth. The measured range resolution is 63 cm (25 in) using targets with a radar cross section of 2.7 m2. The probability of detection was measured to be 99%, and the probability of false alarm was 7% with the communication and radar systems operating simultaneously. The bit error rate for simultaneous communication at 1 Mb/s, and radar at 150 kHz pulse repetition frequency and 1.5-ns pulsewidth is 2e - 3. Our UWB multifunctional system demonstrates the ability to simultaneously interrogate the environment and communicate through a shared transmitting antenna aperture, while realizing a simple system architecture with low output power and not employing time-division multiplexing.
13C-13C correlation spectroscopy of membrane-associated influenza virus fusion peptide strongly supports a helix-turn-helix motif and two turn conformations.

The influenza virus fusion peptide (IFP) is the N-terminal domain of the viral hemagglutinin protein, binds to the endosomal membrane, and plays a critical role in fusion between the viral and endosomal membranes which is a primary step in infection. The IFP is also an important system for testing simulation methods for membrane-associated peptides. In detergent, the IFP forms helix-turn-helix and helix-turn-strand structures at pH 5.0 and 7.4, respectively, while simulations in membranes by different groups have yielded conflicting results with some reports of a continuous helix without a turn. In this study, 13C−13C NMR correlation spectra were obtained for the membrane-associated IFP and the 13C chemical shifts supported a helix-turn-helix motif at both pH 5.0 and 7.4 with an alternate turn conformation at pH 5.0 that was absent at pH 7.4. The alternate conformation was correlated with protonation of the side chain of Glu-11 in the turn and with greater fusion at pH 5.0. The structures are overall cons...
Adequacy of sexual performance in men maintained on methadone.

Impairment of sexual performance may occur in men on methadone maintenance. A random sample of 50 of 355 men enrolled in a methadone program was interviewed with respect to sexual activity. Seventeen (33%) reported sexual dysfunction, occurring in 50% within 1 month after initiating methadone therapy. A comparison between these individuals and those without a reported change in sexual activity revealed no differences with respect to demographic parameters, methadone dose, or presence of polydrug abuse. Inadequate sexual function on heroin, however, was reported in 12 (71%) of those experiencing similar difficulties on methadone. This finding was present in only one person (3%) of those individuals whose sexual function on methadone maintenance was considered adequate. This study suggests that those persons with altered sexual function while on street heroin represent a high risk group for the development of inadequate sexual function upon initiation of methadone maintenance.
Some P-properties for linear transformations on Euclidean Jordan algebras

A real square matrix is said to be a P-matrix if all its principal minors are positive. It is well known that this property is equivalent to: the nonsign-reversal property based on the componentwise product of vectors, the order P-property based on the minimum and maximum of vectors, uniqueness property in the standard linear complementarity problem, (Lipschitzian) homeomorphism property of the normal map corresponding to the nonnegative orthant. In this article, we extend these notions to a linear transformation defined on a Euclidean Jordan algebra. We study some interconnections between these extended concepts and specialize them to the space S n of all n × n real symmetric matrices with the semidefinite cone S n and to the space R n with the Lorentz cone.
Ultrastructure of Vascular Smooth Muscle

The sections in this article are: 1 Contractile Apparatus 1.1 Filaments 1.2 Dense Bodies and Surface Patches 1.3 Extracellular and Cell-to-Cell Connections: Mechanical Coupling 2 Organelles 2.1 Sarcoplasmic Reticulum 2.2 Surface Vesicles 2.3 Golgi Apparatus and Other Intracellular Organelles 3 Cell Junctions: Electrical and Metabolic Coupling 3.1 Structure 3.2 Function
Real time characterization of the preparation of amorphous silicon-based solar cells

Real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) has been applied to characterize the p and i layers that compose amorphous silicon-based solar cells prepared in the superstrate configuration using a single-chamber reactor system. In this study, 106-point spectra (1.5-4.5 eV) in the ellipsometry angles (/spl Psi/, /spl Delta/) are obtained during solar cell preparation with acquisition and repetition times as short as 160 ms and 1 s, respectively. With the spectroscopic capability, the evolution of the microstructure can be determined, including void densities, and surface roughness and bulk layer thicknesses, the latter with submonolayer sensitivity. In addition, the complex dielectric function and optical gap of the individual layers can be determined. An ultrathin (mass thickness /spl sim/4 /spl Aring/) narrow gap interface layer is observed to form during an Ar flushing period between the growth of the p and i layers, which may reduce the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of the solar cell.
Functional outcomes in patients with chronic nonmalignant pain on long-term opioid therapy.

▪ Abstract Objectives: Although long-term opioid therapy for chronic nonmalignant pain (CNMP) is widely accepted, it is controversial as to whether long-term benefits outweigh detrimental side effects. This study examines the effect of long-term opioid therapy on quality of life in terms of both physical and mental health in patients with CNMP. Methods: We retrospectively studied a cohort of patients with CNMP. With informed consent, data were collected prior to and at 6–36 months after the institution of opioid therapy in 67 patients with CNMP. The Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey was used to compare self-reported measures of health-related quality of life in nine subscales. Visual analog scale (VAS) for pain intensity scores, disability status, and ability to return to work were also assessed. The pre- and post-therapy parameters were compared. Results: The average scores of self-reported quality of life improved significantly in eight out of the nine parameters in the SF-36 after at least 6 months of opioid therapy. The increase in reported scores was statistically significant for physical functioning, physical role, bodily pain, general health, validity, social functioning, emotional role, and mental health. No significant changes were observed in reported health transition, VAS pain scores, disability status, or return to work. Conclusions: We conclude that judicious use of opioid therapy may lead to improvement in perceived quality of life and certain aspects of functional capacity and daily activities in a highly selected group of patients with CNMP who have not responded to other therapeutic modalities for over 6 months. ▪
IMID: integrated molecular interaction database

Motivation: Molecular interaction information, such as proteinprotein interactions and protein-small molecule interactions, is indispensable for understanding the mechanism of biological processes and discovering treatments for diseases. Many databases have been built by manual annotation of literature to organize such information into structured form. However, most databases focus on only one type of interactions, which are often not well annotated and integrated with related functional information. Results: In this study, we integrate molecular interaction information from literature by automatic information extraction and from manually annotated databases. We further integrate the relationships between protein/gene and other bio-entity terms including gene ontology (GO) terms, pathways, species and diseases to build an integrated molecular interaction database (IMID). Interactions can be selected by their associated probabilities. IMID allows complex and versatile queries for context-specific molecular interactions, which are not available currently in other molecular interaction databases. Availability: The database is located at www.integrativebiology.org.
Liver transplantation in children with glycogen storage disease: controversies and evaluation of the risk/benefit of this procedure.

: GSD-I, III, and IV are congenital disorders of glycogen metabolism that are commonly associated with severe liver disease. Liver transplantation has been proposed as a therapy for these disorders. While liver transplantation corrects the primary hepatic enzyme defect, the extrahepatic manifestations of GSD often complicate post-transplantation management. Upon review of the English-language literature, 42 children <19 yr of age were discovered to have undergone liver transplantation for complications associated with GSD (18 patients with GSD-Ia, six with GSD-Ib, one with GSD-III, 17 with GSD-IV). An additional two children followed at our institution have undergone liver transplantation for GSD complications (one with GSD-Ia and one with GSD-III) and are included in this review. The risks and benefits of liver transplantation should be considered prior to performing liver transplantation in these metabolic disorders, particularly in GSD-Ia. As liver pathology is not the major source of morbidity in GSD-Ib and GSD-IIIa, liver transplantation should only be performed when there is high risk for HCC or evidence of substantial cirrhosis or liver dysfunction. Liver transplantation remains the best option for treatment of GSD-IV.
Expression of NADPH Oxidase Isoform 1 (Nox1) in Human Placenta: Involvement in Preeclampsia

Increased oxidative stress in the placenta has been associated with preeclampsia (PE), a clinical syndrome involving placental pathology. The enzymatic sources of reactive oxygen species in the human placenta are as yet unidentified. We hypothesized that NADPH oxidase is a main source of reactive oxygen species in the placenta and its expression may change in PE. Employing RT-PCR, we have amplified a novel NADPH oxidase isoform Nox1 from human choriocarcinoma BeWo cells. Using polyclonal anti-peptide antiserum recognizing unique Nox1 peptide sequences, we identified by immunohistochemistry and cell fractionation that Nox1 protein localizes in the BeWo cell membrane structures. Immunohistochemistry of normal placental tissues showed that Nox1 was localized in syncytiotrophoblasts, in villous vascular endothelium, and in some stromal cells. At the immunohistochemical level Nox1 expression was significantly increased in syncytiotrophoblast and endothelial cells in placentas from patients with preeclampsia as compared to gestational age-matched controls. Western blot analysis of whole placental homogenate confirmed this increase. Our data suggests that increased Nox1 expression is associated with the increased oxidative stress found in these placentas.
Morphometric analysis of humerus and femur shape in Morrison sauropods: implications for functional morphology and paleobiology

Abstract Morphometric analyses of sauropod limbs have the potential to illuminate functional aspects of sauropod locomotion and paleobiology. However, analyses of sauropod limb dimensions typically show few discernible morphological trends because of large size differences among the individuals in a sample. For sauropods, combined analyses of both limb dimension and shape may be more desirable. Numerous humeri and femora from Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, and Camarasaurus provide an opportunity to explore and compare limb morphology in contemporaneous, sympatric sauropods. Thin-plate splines were used to analyze landmark-based shape differences in combination with traditional morphometrics. The aims of the analysis were (1) to determine if humerus and femur shape were significantly different among the genera; (2) to determine where shape changes occurred; and (3) to infer the basic functional implications of the shape differences using an Extant Phylogenetic Bracket approach. Few differences were detected amon...
Highlights of Association for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology meeting during Experimental Biology 2008.

The Experimental Biology (EB) 2008 meeting was held at the San Diego Convention Center in California from April 5th to 9th, 2008. The meeting was jointly sponsored by the American Association of Anatomists (AAA), the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), the American Physiological Society (APS), the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), the American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP), the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), and the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET).
Femtosecond Optical Code-Division Multiple-Access

We discuss a project aimed at demonstrating the physical feasibility of a novel, high-speed communications network based on encoding and decoding of coherent ultrashort light pulses. Relevant component technologies, such as fiber pigtailed pulse shapers, femtosecond dispersion compensation, and ultrafast optical thresholders, are also discussed.
Stop Notices vs Preallocated Disbursements

Commentary on a recent California appellate decision holding that a contractor’s stop payment notice took priority over the construction lender’s preallocated disbursements.
Re-understanding of the Transformation Patterns of Scientific and Technological Achievements in Production and Industrial Technologies

With the comparison of the transformation form of two technologies of scientific and technological achievements——production technology and industrial technology,it is thought that only when the production technology blend into the industrial technology system,with the formation of a number of other production technologies turning into synchronic structural relationship into industrial technology,will create a huge productivity.By revealing the nature of industrial technology and functions,it is indicated that promotion and protection of the continuous innovation of industrial technology should be of important function to national legislation.Finally,the article makes a detailed interpretation to the significance of practice of two patterns of technologies.
HAART is cost-effective and improves outcomes.

An agenda for health care reform is well beyond the scope of this column. However, the agenda for providers of HIV care in managed care settings is clear. On a programmatic level, we know many of the solutions already. For example, there are published data supporting the role of experienced providers for HIV care. Outcomes are improved when patients with HIV receive care from "experts" (i.e., providers with experience in managing the disease). HAART improves outcomes; patients live longer and have more sustained viral load suppression, and costs of care are lower. Adherence to HAART is also beneficial and results in the same improved outcomes. The use of newer technologies to select these expensive antiretroviral regimens also results in these improved outcomes. Early treatment to which patients are adherent, access to experienced HIV providers, and a multidisciplinary program that delivers that care and the needed wraparound services make sense. In the era of HAART, it is often said that HIV is a chronic, manageable illness. Unfortunately, this applies to only a segment of the HIV-infected population. The findings of Freedberg and Bozzette and their colleagues continue to support a model of well-timed, well-coordinated HIV care. While this model of care is expensive, it is less expensive than inpatient care or the resultant poorer outcomes in the underserved, in nonadherent patients, or in those whose care is delivered by less experienced providers. There is no price to be placed on improved quality of life.
Critical of skeletal muscle in vivo

The main purpose of this study was to determine the interstitial oxygen tension at which aerobic metabolism becomes limited (critical ![Formula][1] ) in vivo in resting skeletal muscle. Using an intravital microscope system, we determined the interstitial oxygen tension at 20-μm-diameter tissue sites in rat spinotrapezius muscle from the phosphorescence lifetime decay of a metalloporphyrin probe during a 1-min stoppage of muscle blood flow. In paired experiments NADH fluorescence was measured at the same sites during flow stoppage. NADH fluorescence rose significantly above control when interstitial![Formula][2] fell to 2.9 ± 0.5 mmHg ( n = 13) and was not significantly different (2.4 ± 0.5 mmHg) when the two variables were first averaged for all sites and then compared. Similar values were obtained using the abrupt change in rate of![Formula][3] decline as the criterion for critical ![Formula][4] . With a similar protocol, we determined that NADH rose significantly at a tissue site centered 30 μm from a collecting venule when intravascular![Formula][5] fell to 7.2 ± 1.5 mmHg. The values for critical interstitial and critical intravascular![Formula][6] are well below those reported during free blood flow in this and in other muscle preparations, suggesting that oxygen delivery is regulated at levels well above the minimum required for oxidative metabolism. The extracellular critical![Formula][7] found in this study is slightly greater than previously found in vitro, possibly due to differing local conditions rather than a difference in metabolic set point for the mitochondria. [1]: /embed/mml-math-2.gif [2]: /embed/mml-math-3.gif [3]: /embed/mml-math-4.gif [4]: /embed/mml-math-5.gif [5]: /embed/mml-math-6.gif [6]: /embed/mml-math-7.gif [7]: /embed/mml-math-8.gif
When Are Qualitative Testing Results Sufficient To Predict a Reduction in Illnesses in a Microbiological Food Safety Risk Assessment

Process models that include the myriad pathways that pathogen-contaminated food may traverse before consumption and the dose-response function to relate exposure to likelihood of illness may represent a “gold standard” for quantitative microbial risk assessment. Nevertheless, simplifications that rely on measuring the change in contamination occurrence of a raw food at the end of production may provide reasonable approximations of the effects measured by a process model. In this study, we parameterized three process models representing different product-pathogen pairs (i.e., chicken-Salmonella, chicken-Campylobacter, and beef–E. coli O157:H7) to compare with predictions based on qualitative testing of the raw product before consideration of mixing, partitioning, growth, attenuation, or dose-response processes. The results reveal that reductions in prevalence generated from qualitative testing of raw finished product usually underestimate the reduction in likelihood of illness for a population of consumers...
[Molecular epidemiology on vpr gene of HIV-1 strains].

Objective To understand the rule of vpr gene variance of HIV-1 strains.Methods RT-PCR was used to amplify vpr gene of HIV-1 strains in Shenzhen. PCR products were sequenced and used for gene phylogenetic analysis and the 32-46 amino acids of Vpr protein were compared. The difference of 77 amino acid polymorphism distribution between domestic region and foreign region was analyzed. Results 01_AE was the major HIV-1 subtype in Shenzhen. The gene distance among subtype B was larger than in other subtypes. 77-amino acid of Vpr protein had three polymorphism forms as Arginin, Glutamine and Histidine, with Glutamine as the wild form. There were no significant differences in the three amino acid distributions between HIV-1 strains from domestic region and foreign region. Conclusion vpr genes of different HIV-1 strains belonged to 01_AE subtype. There was polymorphism seen in the vpr gene which was consistent with both domestic and international HIV-1 strains. Key words: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1; vpr gene; Gene polymorphism
Digital linear chirp receiver for high chirp rates with high resolution time-of-arrival and time-of-departure estimation

The use of chirp signals in modern radar and ranging systems have numerous benefits. They are extensively used to improve signal-to-noise ratio and range resolution. The performance capabilities of these signals are directly related to their time-bandwidth product, i.e., the duration and bandwidth of the pulse. Ultra-wideband chirp signals are further desirable because they span a large bandwidth, making them resistant to narrowband environmental interference. The accurate detection and measurement of high chirp signals is difficult due to the necessity of a high-sampling analog-digital converter, a target measurement platform with high computational power, and a time-of-arrival (TOA) estimator with high temporal resolution. The difficulty of the problem is further compounded with the requirement that no a priori knowledge of the signal, noise, or operating environment is known. This paper presents a practical approach and implementation of a high linear chirp rate receiver and TOA estimator pair capable of detecting and measuring stationary radio frequency pulses as well as linear chirp rates up to 1.18 GHz in 400 ns. The high-resolution TOA algorithm and linear chirp receiver have been prototyped, synthesized, and placed and routed for a Virtex 6 SX475 FPGA.
Slow Wave Couplers for Microwave Dielectric Heating Systems

AbstractMicrowave heating of lossy dielectric materials in sheet form can be effectively accomplished with slow-wave transmission line couplers with a planar configuration. The attenuation perunit length in a traveling-wave system of this type partially filledwith dielectric is a measure of the heating produced and can be expressed in terms of an interaction impedance that is characteristic of a givenslow-wave structure. This interaction impedance is proportional to the ratio of phase velocity to group velocity which is increased by local reflections and standing waves in the structure . An analogous effect can be obtained by resonating the structure as a wholewith reflections at the ends of the structure. A comparison of resonant and traveling-wave couplers is given for an idealized structure, the developed sheath helix, which can be analyzed exactly.
Energy in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) consume a large fraction of the energy consumed in the United States, second only to transportation as a category of energy consumption. Plans in sustainable energy must include sustainable HVAC. As with transportation fuels, large strides in sustainability in HVAC can be made by an increased reliance on electrical power for these demands and coordination to allow for peak load shifting in grid power.
The use of hypsometry to indicate long-term stability and response of valley glaciers to changes in mass transfer

A simple equation is derived relating the net mass-balance and hypsometric curves of a steady-state valley glacier. It is used to examine how valley shape is linked to disparate extents and responses of glaciers subjected to similar climatic conditions. Examples are given which show that area-based indices (e.g. AAR) for estimating the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) may be subject to a substantial built-in variance because they implicitly rely upon similarity of glacier shape and regimen over a region. If accurate topographic maps are available, the equation may be used to infer the regimen of modern glaciers in the form of a dimensionless ratio of net mass-balance gradients. Alternatively, if similar information is available concerning regional glacier regimen, disparate extents and responses may be collectively utilized to estimate values of ELA or to infer climatic influence, taking glacier hypsometry into account.
Borrowers’ Accounting Information and Banks’ Lending Decisions

I examine the relation between borrowers’ accounting information and banks’ lending decisions, measured in terms of nonperforming loans (NPLs) and pooling of borrowers (i.e., the inability to price-differentiate borrowers). If the information contained in borrowers’ financial statements affects the degree of bank screening and monitoring, banks’ lending decisions will be a function of borrowers’ accounting information. If banks can use their information advantage to overcome any screening and monitoring need, banks’ lending decisions will be independent of borrowers’ accounting information. Using an international sample of banks and loan contracts, I find that banks have impaired screening and monitoring abilities after borrowers are required to change their accounting numbers, i.e., to switch from their local accounting rules (local GAAP) to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), suggesting that borrowers’ financial statements are a nontrivial part of banks’ information set. The results are stronger in countries whose accounting rules differed the most compared to IFRS, in banks with higher proportions of loans granted to borrowers using IFRS, and in banks less familiar with the new standards, suggesting that the effect is not only due to the content of the new standards but also to nontrivial learning costs. The effect is also robust to change in countries’ enforcement levels, although weaker.
The Association of English Functional Health Literacy and the Receipt of Mammography among Hispanic Women Compared to Non-Hispanic U.S.-Born White Women

Background Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women in the U.S., and mammography is the recommended screening for early diagnosing and preventing breast cancer. Several barriers exist to influence mammography utilization including poor health literacy. However, it is unclear whether the effect of health literacy on mammography utilization is consistent between Hispanic women and non-Hispanic White women. The main objective of this study was to examine association between functional health literacy and the receipt of mammography among Hispanic women compared to non-Hispanic White women in the U.S. Methods A cross-sectional design using participants engaged in the National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Study sample comprised of 4,249 Hispanic and non-Hispanic U.S.-born White women ≥ 40 years of age who completed the functional health literacy assessment. Regression analyses were performed to test the association between health literacy and receipt of mammography. Among Hispanic women, analyses considered the influence of language-preference acculturation. Results Equal percentages of Hispanic (59.3%) and non-Hispanic White (60.6%) women received mammography. After adjusting for covariates, health literacy was positively associated with receiving mammography among U.S.-born White women (β = 0.14, p<0.001), but negatively associated with mammography among Hispanic women (β = -0.13, p<0.001). Analyses stratified by acculturation status revealed that higher health literacy was associated with lower mammography among language-preference acculturated Hispanic women (β = -0.48, p<0.001), yet an opposite result among less acculturated Hispanic women (β = 0.08, p<0.001). Conclusion Functional health literacy has different associations with mammography depending upon ethnicity. Language-preference acculturation may explain the differing association.
Single Particle Observation of SV40 VP1 Polyanion-Induced Assembly Shows That Substrate Size and Structure Modulate Capsid Geometry.

Simian virus 40 capsid protein (VP1) is a unique system for studying substrate-dependent assembly of a nanoparticle. Here, we investigate a simplest case of this system where 12 VP1 pentamers and a single polyanion, e.g., RNA, form a T = 1 particle. To test the roles of polyanion substrate length and structure during assembly, we characterized the assembly products with size exclusion chromatography, transmission electron microscopy, and single-particle resistive-pulse sensing. We found that 500 and 600 nt RNAs had the optimal length and structure for assembly of uniform T = 1 particles. Longer 800 nt RNA, shorter 300 nt RNA, and a linear 600 unit poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) polyelectrolyte produced heterogeneous populations of products. This result was surprising as the 600mer PSS and 500−600 nt RNA have similar mass and charge. Like ssRNA, PSS also has a short 4 nm persistence length, but unlike RNA, PSS lacks a compact tertiary structure. These data indicate that even for flexible substrates, shape a...
How to keep drug data up-to-date

Background The formulary of any Swiss hospital changes quite often, for example, either due to adaptions made by the drug and therapeutics committee, due to drug shortages, or due to market withdrawals of drugs. When changes of the formulary occur, all relating drug data have to be actualized. It is essential not only to integrate new drug data, but also to erase old data to keep all systems up to date. Drug data management is a challenging and ever-expanding task for hospital pharmacies. Aim of the project The aim of the project was to optimize drug data management in the Children's Hospital Zurich. Methods After interviewing all involved staff members, a flowchart was developed that describes the algorithms to keep all relevant drug data containing systems up to date: – clinical decision support systems; – the logistics and productions software; – pharmacy guidelines and drug information lists. The flowchart serves as working tool to define the adaptations to be made after each mutation of the formulary. Responsibilities for the different topics were defined. A pivot table serves to generate to-do lists and to document the completion of the tasks. This ensures an overview of the status and a controlling tool of all drug data mutations. Evaluation Since implementation of the flowchart four months ago, 45 mutations have been documented. The new process proves to be helpful for all involved staff members, improving drug data management und data quality. Conclusion As drug data management in the hospital pharmacy is getting more complex, it seems unavoidable to develop new standard procedures. Through the implementation of algorithms and responsibilities by a flowchart, drug data management is optimized.
The Planning Theory of Law

Hart famously characterized the “essence” of law as “the union of primary and secondary rules.” In doing so, he sought to draw our attention to the systematicity of legality. In a legal system, every primary rule is linked to every other rule by virtue of their common validation by the secondary rule of recognition. Legal systems, as opposed to, say, the norms of etiquette, are systems: the existence of any primary rule can always be traced to the very same source. While Hart thought that systematicity distinguishes law from related phenomena, he does not go so far as to claim that it is unique in this regard. For it is clear that other normative systems also contain secondary, as well as primary, rules. Condominium associations have rules about who can change the rules of the condominium and which rules residents are required to follow. Condo by-laws are thus systematically interconnected in same way as legal rules are; yet, condominium associations are not legal systems. At best, the existence of secondary rules provides only a partial answer to the question “What is law?” It constitutes the “essence” of law in the ordinary meaning of the term, i.e., the main idea or gist, rather than the technical, philosophical sense, i.e., the complete set of properties the possession of which makes the object in question the thing that it is and not something else. My aim in this paper will be to develop an account of the essence of law in the strict philosophical sense. In doing so, I will try to isolate the distinctive nature of legal institutions by contrasting them with closely related phenomena, such as parenting, clubs, organized crime, condominium associations and so on. I hope to show through this comparative process that legal systems are institutions of a very special kind: they are compulsory planning organizations that have a moral aim and bear a privileged relation to other planning organizations. I will claim that these properties constitute the essence of law insofar as their instantiation makes the law the law and not something else.