cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An unusual case of Cardiobacterium valvarum causing aortic endograft infection and osteomyelitis.

HACEK (Haemophilus spp., Aggregatibacter spp., Cardiobacterium spp., Eikenella corrodens, and Kingella spp.) group organisms are responsible for 0.8% to 6% of all infective endocarditis cases, with Cardiobacterium spp. being the third most commonly implicated HACEK microorganism. Within this genus is Cardiobacterium valvarum (C. valvarum), a novel organism described in 2004. To date, only 15 cases of C. valvarum infection have been reported in the English-language literature, and have primarily been cases of infective endocarditis in patients with valvular disease. C. valvarum has not been reported to cause infections spreading to the surrounding bone. We present a case of a 57-year-old man with a history of aortic dissection followed by aortic endograft replacement who presented with back pain. He was found to have radiographic evidence of an infected aortic endograft, along with vertebral osteomyelitis, discitis, and epidural phlegmon. Blood cultures identified C. valvarum as the causative organism. The patient was treated with ceftriaxone and surgical intervention was deferred due to the patient’s complex anatomy. His course was complicated by septic cerebral emboli resulting in cerebrovascular accident. This case report highlights C. valvarum, a rare and emerging HACEK group microorganism that warrants consideration in high-risk patients with evidence of subacute infection and disseminated disease. While C. valvarum classically presents as infective endocarditis, extra-cardiac manifestations have also been described. As demonstrated in this case, endograft involvement and osteomyelitis may occur in rare circumstances.
In cancer, all roads lead to NADPH

Cancer cells require increased levels of NADPH for increased nucleotide synthesis and for protection from ROS. Recent studies show that increased NADPH is generated in several ways. Activated AKT phosphorylates NAD kinase (NADK), increasing its activity. NADP formed, is rapidly converted to NADPH by glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzymes, overexpressed in tumor cells with mutant p53. Calmodulin, overexpressed in some cancers, also increases NADK activity. Also, in IDH1/2 mutant cancer, NADPH serves as the cofactor to generate D-2 hydroxyglutarate, an oncometabolite. The requirement of cancer cells for elevated levels of NADPH provides an opportunity to target its synthesis for cancer treatment.
As estórias que as coisas contam e por que elas contam: Tradução por Felipe Neis Araujo

Translation into Portuguese of "The Stories Things Tell and Why They Tell Them", by Michael Taussig, made by Felipe Neis Araujo. The original is available in the book "The Corn Wolf". Taussig, Michael. 2015. The Stories Things Tell and Why They Tell Them. In The Corn Wolf. Chicago e Londres: University of Chicago Press, 15-30.
A feature-oriented analysis of developers' descriptions and user reviews of top mHealth applications for diabetes and hypertension.

Abstract Background and objective Diabetes and hypertension are two prevalent and related chronic conditions. To inform the design and development of mobile health applications (mHealth apps) for people living with multiple chronic conditions, this paper examines features mentioned in developers’ descriptions and user reviews of mHealth apps, along with users’ attitudes toward associated features. Materials and methods Eleven top apps for diabetes and hypertension were identified from Google Play as of January 2020. Based on a stratified sampling strategy, 1,100 user reviews were selected to form the final dataset. Developers’ descriptions were also collected for analysis. Using the grounded theory approach, we developed a feature-oriented coding scheme, which was used to identify three levels of features mentioned in app descriptions and user reviews: feature group (the highest level), feature type (the second level), and individual feature (the lowest level). Users’ attitudes toward app features mentioned in user reviews were also analyzed. Results Most top-rated apps for diabetes and hypertension under study were multifeatured, incorporating self-management, information sharing, and decision support features. At the feature-group level, most informative user reviews commented on features related to self-management, followed by decision support and information sharing. The four most frequently mentioned feature types were data entry, data export/import, data visualization, and assessment. Users expressed overwhelming positive attitudes toward app features across all feature categories. Based on users’ assessments of existing features and requests for additional features, design implications for app development are provided. Conclusions Despite the diversity of app features provided by mHealth apps and users’ primarily positive attitudes toward existing app features, more comprehensive and personalized features are expected by app users to satisfy their health needs. Beyond identifying app features in user reviews, future research may seek more in-depth feedback from real-life patients for app development and design using methods like interviews and focus groups, to further enhance the overall quality of relevant mHealth apps to better support users.
The relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment among older adults living with HIV.

Older people with HIV (PWH) experience increased risk of age-related neurodegenerative disorders and cognitive decline, such as amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between aMCI and plasma VEGF biomarkers among older PWH. Data were collected at a university-based research center from 2011 to 2013. Participants were 67 antiretroviral therapy-treated, virally suppressed PWH. Participants completed comprehensive neurobehavioral and neuromedical evaluations. aMCI status was determined using adapted Jak/Bondi criteria, classifying participants as aMCI + if their performance was > 1 SD below the normative mean on at least two of four memory assessments. VEGF family plasma biomarkers (i.e., VEGF, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, and PIGF) were measured by immunoassay. Logistic regression models were conducted to determine whether VEGF biomarkers were associated with aMCI status. Participants were mostly non-Hispanic white (79%) men (85%) with a mean age of 57.7 years. Eighteen (26.9%) participants met criteria for aMCI. Among potential covariates, only antidepressant drug use differed by aMCI status, and was included as a covariate. VEGF-D was significantly lower in the aMCI + group compared to the aMCI - group. No other VEGF levels (VEGF, VEGF-C, PIGF) differed by aMCI classification (ps > .05). In a sample of antiretroviral therapy-treated, virally suppressed PWH, lower levels of VEGF-D were associated with aMCI status. Longitudinal analyses in a larger and more diverse sample are needed to support VEGF-D as a putative biological marker of aMCI in HIV.
Framing the Crisis: COVID-19 (preprint)

What are the stakes of crisis”? While abundant scholarship attempts to explain crises, there is a surprising lack of attention to the concept of crisis itself. I ask how the term crisis functions as a blind spot in the production of knowledge. The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be the most obvious case of a crisis. But we need to ask foundational questions about the constitution of “the crisis” as an event. How is crisis constituted as something that we act upon? This question is important not merely for semantic or discursive reasons. Foundational questions about the constitution of the pandemic as a crisis are significant because this framing results in material consequences for various communities. In other words, answers to these questions help us to consider the effects of the claim to crisis. Ultimately, they force us to examine the consequences of positing human security in terms of biological security as opposed to public welfare.
Field Programmable Gate Array Testing

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the typical architecture and configuration features of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) as well as the testing challenges posed by these complex devices. With the incorporation of embedded cores including RAMs, DSPs, and processors, FPGAs more closely resemble SOC implementations. At the same time, more SOCs are incorporating embedded FPGA cores. The programmability of FPGAs facilitates the implementation of a wide range of applications and, as a result, presents a number of testing solutions as well as a number of testing challenges. The programmable logic blocks and routing resources of an FPGA core can be reprogrammed to test the other embedded cores within SOCs such as RAM and DSP cores. With algorithmic generation, execution, and diagnosis of BIST configurations from an embedded processor core, a single program can be stored and used for manufacturing testing or incorporated into the system for on-demand built-in self-test and diagnosis of the FPGA core for fault-tolerant applications. Therefore, FPGA testing techniques are becoming increasingly important for a broader range of system applications. FPGA testing challenges continue to increase with the introduction of new cores and architectures. On the other hand, these testing challenges in conjunction with the programmability of FPGAs provide an excellent platform for research and development of new SOC test architectures, strategies, and methodologies, such as silicon debug and diagnosis.
The Application of Indocyanine Green to Evaluate Duodenal Perfusion in Pancreas Transplantation

In cases of suspected duodenal ischemia during pancreas transplantation, surgical decisions severely affect the outcome of the patient and the graft. The use of a nontoxic intravenous tracer, indocyanine green, allows the surgeon to evaluate the perfusion of tissues within seconds of injection. Its application to pancreas transplantation has not been reported previously.
The permeability of the human placenta to water and the supply of water to the human fetus as determined with deuterium oxide

Abstract 1. 1. Changes in permeability of the human placenta to water have been measured with deuterium oxide as the tracer material from the fourteenth week of pregnancy until term. There is about a fivefold increase in transfer rate of water per unit weight of placenta during this period. 2. 2. The placental transfer coefficient for water is five times as great as that for sodium at corresponding periods of gestation. 3. 3. The permeability of the placenta of the guinea pig to water has been found to be about twice that of the human placenta; this divergence is considerably greater than for sodium. 4. 4. The human fetus receives across the placenta at the fourteenth week of gestation 700 times and at the thirty-first week 3,800 times as much water as is incorporated in the growing tissues.
Clinical implications of the tumor necrosis factor family in benign and malignant hematologic disorders

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), originally identified as a factor produced in the serum of endotoxin-injected animals, is a cytokine that mediates tumor necrosis. To date, 20 different members of the TNF superfamily and 21 different receptors have been identified. All ligands of the TNF superfamily have been found to activate transcription factor NF-κB and c-Jun kinase. Members of this family have diverse biologic effects, including induction of apoptosis, promotion of cell survival, and regulation of the immune system. The current review focuses on four members that play important roles in regulating hematopoietic cells and are involved in the pathogenesis of several hematologic malignancies. The potential therapeutic use of these members also is discussed. Cancer 2003;98:458–67. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11524
Pre-Service Teachers' Use of Videotape for Self-Evaluation.

Professional education courses in teacher preparation programs vary in content depending on state certification and individual college or university requirements. One component, however, is essential to all professional education programs: the pre-service teaching experience (Meade 1991). Program requirements may vary from a single teaching experience (e.g., fifteen weeks during the senior year) to multiple teaching experiences (e.g., six weeks during the junior year and ten weeks during the senior year). The intent of the pre-service teaching experience is to provide students with a setting in which to apply the skills they have learned. Although teacher education certification and accreditation groups (e.g., Illinois Board of Higher Education, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) emphasize the need for students to have supervised practice before they receive teaching certification, little has been done on coordinating the means for evaluating the pre-service teaching experience. There are as many ways for evaluating student teachers' performances as there are teacher preparation programs. When evaluating pre-service teachers' performances, two types of evaluations are necessary: (a) formative evaluations for providing information related to the improvement of instruction, and (b) summative evaluations for providing university faculty members with information on which to base decisions concerning pre-service teachers' level of success (i.e., pass or fail) (Cangelosi 1991; Cooper 1984). Providing feedback for the purpose of instructional improvement is the main objective of the pre-service teaching experience. Information obtained from the supervisors' observations is intended to provide formative feedback to pre-service teachers in order to allow them to make teaching-related decisions. The secondary function of the evaluation process is to evaluate pre-service teachers' performances and make summative
Professional Communication in Audiology

The expected level of the intended reader of this book is a student or beginning clinician in audiology. Another potential audience for this book is audiology clinical preceptors, who could use the...
Alimentos funcionales y biotecnología

The contemporary lifestyle causes a strong impact on eating habits, with increased consumption of processed foods and fast foods which adverse health effects are clearly noticeable . The food in the Western world is associated with pleasure, so the compromise between gratification and health is a dilemma in our society. Health problems associated with eating habits : diabetes , cancer, heart failure , allergies and obesity affect both adults and children and have a profound impact on developing country where the harmful effects are more evident than in developed countries due to economic constraints ( Ezzati et al. , 2005).
Antithrombotic Drugs: Pharmacology and Implications for Dental Practice

Appropriate preoperative assessment of the dental patient should always include an analysis of the patient's medications. This article reviews the actions and indications for the various categories of antithrombotic medications and considers actual risks for postoperative bleeding and potential interactions with drugs the dental provider might administer or prescribe.
Pulsed UV‐light treatment of corn meal for inactivation of Aspergillus niger spores

Summary Fungal contamination of grains, intended for human and animal consumption, during the pre/post-harvest periods has been a recurring health hazard. A pulsed UV-light system was used to inactivate fungal spores of Aspergillus niger in corn meal. Response surface methodology was utilized for experimental design. The three process parameters evaluated were treatment time (20–100 s), voltage input (2000–3800 V), and distance from the UV strobe (3–13 cm). Optimization of the process parameters was validated by a quadratic regression equation designed to fit the experimental log10 reduction of fungal spores. Model prediction for a 100-s treatment time, 3 cm of distance from the UV strobe, and with 3800 V input gave a 4.93log10 reduction of A. niger. Modification of the pulsed UV-light system was recommended to maximize the UV fungal disinfection while minimizing the heat generation.
Analysis of independent protection layers used in three typical chemical processes

Independent protection layers (IPLs) used to mitigate the most severe consequences are analyzed for three chemical processes. The IPLs are categorized by type, function, and design. An analysis of management systems that are in place to ensure the integrity of the IPLs is also included. Categorizations for all three plants revealed similar results and suggest that the results extend across the chemical industry. The data show that the chemical plants depend much more heavily on IPLs that prevent an incident rather than respond to an incident once hazardous material is released. The survey also found that there is a significant reliance on administrative safeguards to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Recommendations are made on how administrative safeguards can adapt these systems to improve their robustness. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2011
Effects of physical exertion on trans-tibial prosthesis users’ ability to accommodate alignment perturbations

Background:It has long been reported that a range of prosthesis alignments is acceptable in trans-tibial prosthetics. This range was shown to be smaller when walking on uneven surfaces. It has also...
Damped harmonics and polynomial phase signals

The concern here is of retrieving damped harmonics and polynomial phase signals in the presence of additive noise. The damping function is not limited to the exponential model, and in certain cases, the additive noise does not have to be white. Three classes of algorithms are presented, namely DFT based, Kumaresan-Tufts type extensions, and subspace variants including the MUSIC algorithm. Preference should be based on the available data length and frequency separations. In addition, retrieval of self coupled damped harmonics, which may be present when nonlinearities exist in physical systems, is investigated. Simulation examples illustrate main points of the paper.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Gaze-based image retrieval system using dual eye-trackers

In this paper we present a novel gaze-based image retrieval application. The application is designed to be run on a dual monitor setup with a separate eye tracking device dedicated to each monitor. A source image is displayed on one monitor and the retrieved images are displayed on the second monitor. The system is completely gaze controlled. The user selects one or more objects or regions in the source image by fixating on them. The system then retrieves images containing similar objects from an image database. These are displayed in a grid on the second monitor. The user can then fixate on one of these images to select it as the new source image and the process can be repeated until a satisfactory image is found.
Evangelicals' Sanctification of Marriage through the Metaphor of Jesus as a Husband

Researchers have examined how perceiving marriage as “sacred” or believing God is manifest in marriage is associated with marital functioning and satisfaction, but little is known about how biblical family metaphors (e.g., God is father) inform Christians’ interpretations of family relationships. Few studies explore the perspective of individuals who believe in, interpret and apply these metaphors to their relationships. This study uses Hermeneutic Theory to examine how Evangelicals apply the metaphor of Jesus as husband and the church as bride to their intimate relationships and spirituality. Qualitative interviews with 15 Evangelicals explored the meaning, interpretations, and processes of marital relationships in light of the Christ-groom God image. Participants indicated many ways the metaphor was useful: value partners more; invest more in the relationship; strive to demonstrate love, patience, etc. toward partners; and guidance in relationship structuring. They discussed how their couple relationships opened positive and negative possibilities for relating to God. Gender hierarchy and implication that husbands are the “head” or “Christ” figure in marriage caused incongruence for some participants as did the difficulty of comparing a person or human relationship to a spiritual metaphor. Application, implications, and ideas for future research are discussed.
The Epidemiology of Polymyositis

Incidence data and the descriptive epidemiology of polymyositis in a defined population area are reported. An age-adjusted incidence rate for hospital-diagnosed polymyositis of 5.0 cases per million population per year, over a twenty-two year period, for a racially mixed population, has been determined. The incidence of polymyositis was highest in Negro females, a rate significantly different from that for white females (p A bimodal distribution in the age-specific incidence of polymyositis suggests to us that the polymyositis that occurs in childhood may be of different pathogenesis or immediate precipitation than the disease that has its onset in adulthood. Prior infection, endocrine factors or other host mechanisms, e.g., associated malignancy, may be operative in the bimodal distribution observed. No epidemiologic evidence of a direct infectious agent or communicable disease etiology was found in this series of patients, and no socioeconomic or other environmental associations were uncovered.
A bipartite Tobacco mosaic virus-defective RNA (dRNA) system to study the role of the N-terminal methyl transferase domain in cell-to-cell movement of dRNAs.

Plant viruses, in particular Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), are model systems to study RNA and protein trafficking in plants. Although TMV cell-to-cell transport controlled by the 30-kDa movement protein (MP) has been intensively studied, it was only recently demonstrated that the 126/183-kDa replicase proteins are also involved in cell-to-cell movement. Elucidating the role(s) of 126/183-kDa proteins in movement is complicated because these proteins have multiple functions associated with replication and gene expression. To overcome these difficulties we developed a TMV helper virus-defective RNA (dRNA) system to study the role of replicase protein sequences in dRNA cell-to-cell movement. Artificially constructed dRNAs lacking sequences encoding the helicase and polymerase domains of the replicase proteins and portions of the MP were viable in protoplasts and plants in the presence of helper virus. Expression of at least ∼50% of the methyl transferase (MT) domain was required for efficient dRNA movement in Nicotiana benthamiana. dRNAs that encoded the N-terminal 64 replicase amino acids or lacked a translatable MT domain failed to move or moved poorly. TMV dRNAs expressing 258 amino acids of the replicase protein moved into all specialized non-vascular tissues, whereas dRNAs expressing replicase sequences beyond amino acid 258 were restricted to the epidermis and palisade mesophyll tissues. Furthermore, second-site mutations within the dRNA-encoded truncated replicase protein altered efficiency in dRNA cell-to-cell movement.
Review of Mathematical Models of Small Watershed Hydrology and Applications by Vijay P. Singh and Donald K. Frevert

The tremendous increase in computing power over the last decades, the abundance of new water and environmental data sets ~particularly remotely sensed land-surface information! and the development of new spatial data analysis and database management tools have revolutionized the capabilities and application opportunities for watershed modeling. As a result, hydrologic watershed models have become a popular and versatile tool for investigating a wide range of environmental and water resources problems. The authors have recognized the pivotal role played by mathematical models, and have produced this timely and comprehensive account of mathematical models and their application to watershed hydrology. The various types and large number of mathematical models led to the publication of two volumes. The first volume Mathematical Models of Large Watershed Hydrology covers 15 models and also addresses fundamental modeling issues with respect to validation and testing. The second volume Mathematical Models of Small Watershed Hydrology and Applications presents 23 models. Both volumes complement the 1995 book Computer Models of Watershed Hydrology by Dr. Singh that described 25 models. These books provide a unique and encompassing collection of mathematical models and a reference text for student and practitioner alike. The book reviewed herein, Mathematical Models of Small Watershed Hydrology and Applications, has a beautifully designed hard cover showing snow capped mountains in the background and a forest, meadow, and lake in the foreground. The book is organized into five sections with a total of 23 chapters. A brief overview of the models in this book is given first, followed by a general discussion of the book’s content ~Fig. 1!. The first section covers six distributed watershed models. The Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model ~DHSVM! provides a dynamic representation of the spatial distribution of evapotranspiration, snow cover, soil moisture, and runoff at the spatial scale of digital elevation model data. The physically based distributed river basin modeling system SHETRAN couples water flow, sediment, and solute transport in basins up to about 5,000 km. The hydrologic model CASC2D calculates surface runoff on a cascade of 2D square planes and provides a unique tool for the simulation of dynamic rainstorms. The Dynamic Watershed Simulation Model ~DWSM!, which has evolved from the SEDLAB, RUNOFF, and RUNOFF3 models, simulates surface and subsurface storm-water runoff, propagation of flood waves, soil erosion, and transport of sediment, nutrients, and pesticides in agricultural and rural watersheds. The numerical model SIRG describes the spatial and temporal variation of surface runoff, infiltration, river discharge, and groundwater flow. Finally, a kinematic model for runoff and ero-
Converging Streams of Opportunity for Prison Nursery Programs in the United States

Prison nursery programs allow departments of correction to positively intervene in the lives of both incarcerated mothers and their infant children. The number of prison nurseries in the United States has risen dramatically in the past decade, yet there remains a significant gap between predominant correctional policy in this area and what is known about parenting and infant development. Using Kingdon's streams metaphor, this article examines the recent convergence of problem, policy, and political events related to incarcerated women with infant children and argues that this has created a window of opportunity for development of prison nursery programs. Aday's policy analysis criteria are also used to analyze available evidence regarding the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of prison nursery programs as policy alternatives for incarcerated women with infant children.
DNase I footprinting and enhanced exonuclease function of the bipartite Werner syndrome protein (WRN) bound to partially melted duplex DNA.

Werner syndrome is a premature aging and cancer-prone hereditary disorder caused by deficiency of the WRN protein that harbors 3′ → 5′ exonuclease and RecQ-type 3′ → 5′ helicase activities. To assess the possibility that WRN acts on partially melted DNA intermediates, we constructed a substrate containing a 21-nucleotide noncomplementary region asymmetrically positioned within a duplex DNA fragment. Purified WRN shows an extremely efficient exonuclease activity directed at both blunt ends of this substrate, whereas no activity is observed on a fully duplex substrate. High affinity binding of full-length WRN protects an area surrounding the melted region of the substrate from DNase I digestion. ATP binding stimulates but is not required for WRN binding to this region. Thus, binding of WRN to the melted region underlies the efficient exonuclease activity directed at the nearby ends. In contrast, a WRN deletion mutant containing only the functional exonuclease domain does not detectably bind or degrade this substrate. These experiments indicate a bipartite structure and function for WRN, and we propose a model by which its DNA binding, helicase, and exonuclease activities function coordinately in DNA metabolism. These studies also suggest that partially unwound or noncomplementary regions of DNA could be physiological targets for WRN.
Effects of nicotinic acid upon post-burn oedema: a preliminary report of clinical trials

Summary Experimental animal studies indicate that administration of nicotinic acid effectively minimizes plasma extravasation associated with thermal injury. Nicotinic acid was administered to 17 patients with average body surface burns of 52 per cent. This therapy was begun within 10 hours of injury, in a dose of 2–3·6 g/day over the first 2 days, followed by declining dosage rates throughout the final 24-hour treatment period. Oedema formation in these patients was minimal. Only one developed sufficient oedema to require escharotomy. Total fluid requirements in the first 24 hours after initiation of this therapy averaged 2·0 ml/kg for each per cent of the body surface area burned. This modest fluid requirement appeared adequate to meet the patients' needs. Mean arterial blood pressure was 134/88±6/5 on the first day of treatment, 119/77±6/4 on the second day, and 120/75±6/3 on the third day of treatment. Mean heart rates of 98±6, 113±6, and 118±6 were observed on the first 3 treatment days respectively. An average urinary output of 72 ml/hour was obtained on the first day, 83 ml/hour on the second day and 118 ml/hour on the third day. Seven of these patients died 5–40 days following cessation of the nicotinic acid therapy. These patients were burned over an average of 74±6 per cent of their surface area (61±7 per cent third-degree). Small scattered foci of renal papillary necrosis were observed in 2 patients and medullary interstitial nephritis in a third. This complication, if attributable to nicotinic acid therapy, constitutes the only serious adverse reaction observed. Subsequent animal experiments suggest that this pathology may be minimized by the administration of mannitol. The last 7 patients in these trials received mannitol (30 mg/kg body-weight/hour) throughout the period of nicotinic acid administration. No further clinical or histopathological evidence of renal papillary necrosis was seen.
Precipitation of a monoclonal antibody by soluble tungsten

Tungsten microparticles may be introduced into some pre-filled syringes during the creation of the needle hole. In turn, these microcontaminants may interact with protein therapeutics to produce visible particles. We found that soluble tungsten polyanions formed in acidic buffer below pH 6.0 can precipitate a monoclonal antibody within seconds. Soluble tungsten in pH 5.0 buffer at about 3 ppm was enough to cause precipitation of a mAb formulated at 0.02 mg/mL. The secondary structure of the protein was near-native in the collected precipitate. Our observations are consistent with the coagulation of a monoclonal antibody by tungsten polyanions. Tungsten-induced precipitation should only be a concern for proteins formulated below about pH 6.0 since tungsten polyanions are not formed at higher pHs. We speculate that the heterogenous nature of particle contamination within the poorly mixed syringe tip volume could mean that a specification for tungsten contamination based on the entire syringe volume is not appropriate. The potential potency of tungsten metal contamination is highlighted by the small number of particles that would be required to generate soluble tungsten levels needed to coagulate this antibody at pH 5.0.
Evaluation of adjunct faculty in higher education institutions

The role that part‐time faculty play in higher education is changing. No longer are part‐time faculty used on an occasional basis at a few institutions. These individuals now play a critical part in the delivery of higher education to students. This study was developed to answer questions regarding how the performance of adjunct faculty is evaluated. The researcher gathered data on what sources of information were used to evaluate adjunct faculty, and how this information was used by various administrators during evaluation and reappointment decisions. The underlying goal was to develop a better understanding of current evaluation practices so that higher education administrators can ensure that quality learning opportunities are available in the classroom.
GROWTH OF SHORT BONES OF THE HAND IN CHILDREN WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME

In this study, we report the elongation of the diaphyses of the short bones of the hand in an institutionalised sample of children with Down's syndrome. These diaphyses are significantly shorter than normal which is typical of other physical dimensions of individuals with Down's syndrome. Sex differences were generally lacking in diaphyseal lengths; this is in agreement with earlier reports. Pubescent spurts were not detected, but their absence cannot be certain. Roche (1965) reports the common absence of pubescent spurts in stature in children with Down's syndrome. However, only the magnitude of growth in stature of a small sample of these Down's children differed from normal; this dissimilarity was the result of differences in adult statures of normal and Down's individuals (Rarick, Wainer, Thissen and Seefeldt, 1975). Benda (1960) speculates that growth of the short bones of the hand stops early; thus, the pubescent spurt may be prevented by premature, epiphyseal closure. This would be in partial agreement with reports for stature (Roche, 1965). In this sample of children with Down's syndrome the extra chromosome, No. 21, appears to affect the growth of short bones of the hand before seven years of age. The diaphyses of short bones of the hand in these children are shorter than normal by seven years of age and significantly so after eleven years of age; but thereafter, these bones grow normally except for the absence of a pubescent spurt. This pattern is similar to reports of growth in length of other parts of the skeleton in children with Down's syndrome.
Difference Raman spectroscopy for “in-situ” analysis of electrode surfaces

La spectroscopie Raman par difference comprenant l'elimination de l'effet de la fenetre et du volume de la solution est utilisee pour analyser la surface de l'electrode
Vascular reactivity and thiazolidinediones.

Abstract Endothelial dysfunction is a critical factor in the development of vascular disease in patients with diabetes mellitus. Maintenance of the vascular tone and luminal diameter of a blood vessel is dependent on the net balance of vasoconstrictor and vasodilator forces. In both diabetes and obesity, vascular reactivity is abnormal. After ischemia, carbon dioxide challenge, thermal challenge, or exercise, individuals with diabetes do not exhibit the increase in blood flow or vasodilation observed in persons without diabetes. The mechanisms involved in abnormal reactivity may include both the endothelium and vascular smooth muscle. Major vasodilator factors that act on vascular smooth muscle cells are nitric oxide, prostacyclin, and hyperpolarizing factor. The main vasoconstrictors are endothelin, angiotensin II, norepinephrine, serotonin, and thromboxane A 2 . In patients with diabetes, there is an increase in vasoconstrictors and a decrease in vasodilators. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) improve vasodilative responses, which may be of importance in the treatment of vascular disease. The TZDs have anti-inflammatory effects and suppress free fatty acids and reactive oxygen species at the endothelial level, which may contribute to the improved vascular reactivity observed in patients treated with these agents. In addition, these effects of TZDs may have implications for reducing the incidence and severity of atherosclerosis in the long term.
Management of overactive bladder.

Symptoms of overactive bladder are common, are often distressing, and may have serious adverse consequences. Myriad factors — disorders of the lower urinary tract, neurologic conditions, behavioral factors, and a variety of commonly prescribed drugs — may cause this syndrome. This review considers the pathophysiology, diagnostic evaluation, and current treatment of overactive bladder syndrome.
Functional Harmonic Analysis Using Probabilistic Models

A variety of musical analysis techniques, often collectively referred to as functional harmonic analysis, represents a musical passage as a sequence of chords. The chords are expressed in terms of their function (e.g., dominant or tonic), often written with corresponding Roman numerals like V or I. Each chord is analyzed in the context of a key, which might modulate over time. This article focuses on the study of algorithms for this type of analysis. An obvious application of algorithmic harmonic analysis would be locating musical examples in a database matching a particular harmonic query, for example, "What are the earliest examples of the use of German augmented sixth chords or Neapolitan chords?" "Which Beatles songs have deceptive cadences?" "Where can I buy the piece I heard on the radio with the harmonic progression I vi IV V I repeated many times?" It is likely that such applications will be most useful to musicologists, because the mere formulation of such queries requires a more sophisticated understanding of harmony than would be expected of an average music enthusiast.
In vitro vs in vivo Pb effects on brain protein kinase C activity

Abstract Alteration of normal protein kinase C (PKC) function by environmental Pb exposure during neurodevelopment is hypothesized to be an important mechanism of toxicity underlying neurologic impairment. Previous studies have reported widely varying effects of Pb on PKC, possibly in part because of differences in in vitro and in vivo models used in those studies. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that, with comparable tissue Pb levels, the effects of in vitro Pb exposure on brain PKC are the same as the effects caused by in vivo Pb exposure of intact animals. For chronic in vivo Pb exposure, female Long–Evans rats were exposed to Pb or vehicle from postnatal days 1 to 34–36 ( n =10/treatment). For in vitro Pb exposure, homogenate of the frontal cortex region was exposed directly to Pb in an amount comparable to that accumulated in brain during chronic in vivo Pb exposure. Brain Pb levels were measured using ultraclean techniques and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. PKC activity was subsequently determined in cytosolic and membrane subcellular fractions in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, and remaining brain regions. Results indicate that brain Pb levels following in vivo Pb exposure were increased ∼20-fold above those of nonexposed animals (vehicle group [Pb] ∼130 ng Pb/g dry wt.). However, in vivo Pb exposure did not measurably alter brain PKC activity in the regions tested. In contrast, in vitro Pb exposure significantly increased PKC activity by ∼20% in the frontal cortex homogenate membrane subcellular fraction. These results indicate that Pb added in vitro caused more dramatic effects than those produced by a comparable amount of Pb in the tissue from in vivo exposure. While the mechanisms underlying these outcomes are not clear, they suggest that in vitro models might not accurately reflect effects of chronic low-level in vivo Pb exposure.
Record -Efficient Resonantly Cladding-Pumped Yb-free Er-doped LMA Fiber Laser

Further power scaling of resonantly cladding-pumped Er-doped LMA fiber laser is reported. Over 88 W of single transverse mode power at 1590 nm was achieved. Maximum observed optical-to-optical efficiency was 69%.
The God of Luke–Acts

This article analyzes the ways in which Luke–Acts presents the character of God. The God of Israel and of all peoples has a plan that can be discovered in the Scriptures, through angelic visits and...
Ethanol blocks the reversal of prolonged dopamine inhibition of dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area.

Background Dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are important for the rewarding and reinforcing properties of alcohol and other drugs of abuse. Regulation of the firing of DAergic VTA neurons is controlled by a number of factors, including autoregulation of firing by D2 dopamine (DA) receptors. The inhibitory effects of DA on these neurons exhibit concentration- and time-dependent desensitization, which we have termed dopamine inhibition reversal (DIR), as it requires concurrent stimulation of D1/D5 and D2 receptors. Methods Extracellular recording of DAergic VTA neurons in brain slices was used to test the effects of ethanol (EtOH) (10 to 80 mM) on DIR. Results DIR was reduced by concentrations of EtOH as low as 10 mM and was blocked by higher EtOH concentrations. In addition, as we have shown that reversal of inhibition by the selective D2 agonist quinpirole can be observed in the presence of an activator of protein kinase C (PKC), we tested whether EtOH could antagonize the reversal of quinpirole inhibition in the presence of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). EtOH (80 mM) blocked the reversal of quinpirole seen in the presence of PMA, suggesting that the antagonism of DIR by EtOH is owing to an action at a stage in the mechanism at or distal to PKC. Once achieved, DIR is not antagonized by EtOH. Conclusions The blockade by relatively low concentrations of EtOH of DIR may play an important role in the spectrum of action of EtOH on DAergic neurons of the VTA and may be important in the acute and chronic actions of EtOH on the excitability of these brain reward/reinforcement neurons.
On Parsing and Compiling Arithmetic Expressions on Vector Computers

The problem of parsing and compiling arithmetic expressions on vector computers is considered. Methods are developed which allow encodings of one or more arithmetic expressions to be transformed directly into encodings of their corresponding derivation trees. The algorithm which performs this transformation is compact, efficient, and able to make extensive use of concurrent vector operations. Routines which concurrently transverse encoded derivation trees in a top-down or bottom-up manner are presented. These routines can be used to structure efficient, compact, and highly concurrent algorithms which complete the process of compiling arithmetic expressions.
Use of Analytical Gradients to Calculate Optimal Gravity-Assist Trajectories

A procedure for calculating the analytical derivatives required for an indirect optimization method of combined, long-duration finite burn and multiple gravity-assist trajectories is presented. The analytical derivatives are calculated using the state transition matrix associated with the complete set of the Euler-Lagrange equations of the optimal control problem on each trajectory segment as well as a state transition matrix that maps perturbations across any discontinuities in the state as a result of a zero-sphere-of-influence patched conic flyby or impulsive maneuver. As applications, the method is used to find Earth-to-Saturn trajectories that use combined low thrust and gravity assists and Earth-to-Saturn trajectories that use impulsive thrust and gravity assists. The state transition matrix derivatives are able to satisfy the trajectory constraints to orders of magnitude greater accuracy than the central difference derivatives. The state transition matrix method also requires less computational time to find an optimal trajectory.
Electrocatalysis at platinum electrodes for anodic electoanalysis

Abstract Numerous anodic oxidations of organic compounds occur at platinum electrodes by mechanisms catalyzed by anodic formation of the lower oxide (PtOH). The electrocatalytic response is short-lived because of the transient lifetime of PtOH and because reaction products (i.e., free radicals) are strongly adsorbed to block further surface activity. The adsorbed carbonaceous material is oxidatively desorbed quite efficiently by the application of a large positive pulse to generate a complete surface layer of the higher oxide (PtO). The “clean”, reduced platinum surface is restored quickly by a negative potential pulse and analyte is adsorbed prior to a positive step of potential for electrocatalytic detection. Multistep waveforms at frequencies of about 0.5–2 Hz are described for successful amperometric detection of carbohydrates, amino acids, and sulfur compounds in flow-injection and chromatographic systems. Preliminary results are also given for detection of As(OH) 3 and thiourea at a β-PbO 2 electrode at a constant potential.
EROS: Better than SAXS!

Revealing the three-dimensional organization of large dynamic protein complexes in solution is challenging. To tackle this problem, Rozycki and collegues (2011) design a method combining small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data with the results of computer simulations. Their study offers new insights into the conformational transition induced by salt that occurs in an endosome-associated ESCRT-III CHMP3 domain.
Late Mississippian thrombolite bioherms from the Pitkin Formation of northern Arkansas

Two types of bioherms occur in the Pitkin Formation (Chesterian) of northern Arkansas. They are composed of a complex series of ovoid thrombolite heads intergrown with various other algal and bryozoan biolithites and are distinguished from each other on the basis of geometry and faunal and floral content. Type I mounds have sharp lateral margins and interfinger with horizontally bedded, contemporaneous, flanking strata owing to having expanded and contracted in size during upward accretion. They are interpreted as having had synoptic relief of 3 m or less during growth. Type II mounds occur slightly higher stratigraphically, to the east of type I mounds, and formed in deeper water, farther out on the Ozark shelf. They are interpreted as having had synoptic relief of 6 m or more during growth. Their margins are similar to those in type I mounds, but owing to higher synoptic relief, they interfinger with sediments derived from erosion higher on the mound.
Studies on the disposition and metabolism of pentachloroanisole in female mice.

Abstract Pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been shown to be methylated to O-methyl-PCP, pentachloroanisole (PCA), in various biological systems. The disposition and metabolism of PCA were studied in female mice to which the compound was administered at a dose of 20 mg [14C]PCA/kg. Elimination of [14C]PCA equivalents from mouse tissues was rapid, with half-lives ranging from 5 to 10 hr in all tissues examined except liver. Excretion of 14C was primarily via the urine, in which a PCP conjugate, free PCP, and an oxidation product, tetrachlorohydroquinone, were demonstrated. Free PCP and its conjugate were also present in feces. There was no evidence for the presence of parent PCA in either urine or feces. Thus the half-lives of elimination and metabolite patterns resulting from treatment of mice with PCA approximated those seen following PCP administration to rodents. These data suggest that PCA must be demethylated prior to excretion.