cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Community recruitment process by race, gender, and SES gradient: lessons learned from the Community Health and Stress Evaluation (CHASE) Study experience.

Recruitment of community participants for clinical research studies is a challenging task. When possible, community-based recruitment efforts should involve members of the targeted community in the planning, community preparation, and actual recruitment process. It becomes even more difficult to recruit study participants from the community when the research involves an invasive procedure, or when diverse target groups require that a variety of recruitment methods be used. The Community Health and Stress Evaluation (CHASE) Study was designed to determine the role of psychosocial and biobehavioral factors in the etiology of coronary heart disease. It involved both an invasive medical procedure (a spinal tap) and the collection of survey and medical information from Black and White persons in different socioeconomic status (SES) groups. Interestingly, we experienced the greatest difficulty in recruiting lower SES white persons, while groups that typically are “difficult to find” (such as Blacks) were actually easiest to recruit for the study. This paper describes the background of the CHASE study, the community recruitment methods used, and the results of the recruitment efforts by race, gender and SES gradient. We present an evaluation of the community recruitment component, why we think differences occurred, and the lessons learned from the experiences that may be applied to similar studies.
SU (N ) fractional quantum Hall effect in topological flat bands

We study $N$-component interacting particles (hardcore bosons and fermions) loaded in topological lattice models with $\mathrm{SU}(N)$-invariant interactions based on exact diagonalization and density matrix renormalization group method. By tuning the interplay of interspecies and intraspecies interactions, we demonstrate that a class of $\mathrm{SU}(N)$ fractional quantum Hall states can emerge at fractional filling factors $\ensuremath{\nu}=N/(N+1)$ for bosons [$\ensuremath{\nu}=N/(2N+1)$ for fermions] in the lowest Chern band, characterized by the nontrivial fractional Hall responses and the fractional charge pumping. Moreover, we establish a topological characterization based on the $\mathbf{K}$ matrix and discuss the close relationship to the fractional quantum Hall physics in topological flat bands with Chern number $N$.
TCT-479 Impact of Left Ventricular Outflow Tract (LVOT) Morphology and LVOT-Annular Mismatch on Paravalvular Leak and New Conduction Abnormalities after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Concept of the “Non-Tubular Index” and LVOT Sealing Zone

Annular sizing predicts paravalvular leak (PVL) and new persistent left bundle branch block (pLBBB), but little is known on Left Ventricular Outflow Tract (LVOT) anatomy on TAVR outcomes. We propse an LVOT seal zone to quantify LVOT-Annular mismatch and derive a “non-tubular index (NTI)”, to
Reply to Christakoudi and Hernandez-Fuentes: We agree-Let's move on.

In regard to the Letter to the Editor by Christakoudi and Hernandez-Fuentes (1), we can only say that we generally agree with all the points the authors make, and are at a loss as to how the cautionary statements included in our manuscript (2) are at odds with the concerns they raise. Obviously we agree with their title “Lack of adjustment for confounding [sic] could lead to misleading conclusions.” The authors write as if we are advocating clinical usage of a signature based solely on the data presented in our paper. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Assessing levels and trends of child health inequality in 88 developing countries: from 2000 to 2014.

Background: Reducing child mortality was one of the Millennium Development Goals. In the current Sustainable Development Goals era, achieving equity is prioritized as a major aim.Objective: This st...
Diversity of the Extrasolar Worlds

The solar system consists of three different types of planets located in three distinctly separated areas. Their orbits are mostly circular and confined in a plane perpendicular to the sun’s rotation axis. These regular features have led to a standard scenario for the solar system formation through the collisional growth of small rocky and icy particles (planetesimals) and subsequent gas accretion within a rotating circumstellar disk of gas and dust (protoplanetary disk). Since then, a huge diversity of exoplanets, planets orbiting stars other than the sun, has been discovered. With the steady improvements in the observational technique and the advent of new tools, we are beginning to obtain detailed information on the architectures and physical properties of those distant new worlds. Such efforts have consequently revealed that the properties of our solar system may not be the norm, and called into question what we thought we knew about the solar system. One of the goals of exoplanetary science is to understand the diversity in orbital and physical properties in a comprehensive manner. More specifically, we wish to distinguish the features of planetary systems that necessarily result from the law of Nature, from those that are sculpted by accidents specific to each system. This thesis is to deal with one aspect of those “nature and nurture” problems in exoplanetary science, which will be described in the first three chapters.
Comparative Physiology of Thermoregulation

Human thermoregulatory responses represent one point on the spectrum of physiological and behavioral adaptations across the animal kingdom. By examining the wide variety of mechanisms and behaviors that animals employ to cope with changing ambient conditions, we can better understand our own responses to environmental stressors. The examples presented within this chapter highlight both the uniqueness of human thermoregulation and the multifaceted challenges that athletes, laborers, and soldiers endure.
An open source noise dosimeter for evaluating exposure metrics

Noise dosimeters can be effective tools for measuring individual risk to sound exposure, especially in free-moving environments where sound pressure levels can vary significantly as a function of location and time. Commercial noise dosimeters typically compute noise exposure as an average A-weighted energy over an 8-hour work day (LAeq8hr), and health guidelines suggest a maximum exposure of 85 dB or 90 dB to limit noise-induced hearing injuries. However, recent studies have suggested that conventional noise exposure metrics may not be satisfactory and may not predict susceptibility to synaptic damage in the cochlea nor protect suprathreshold hearing. There is also evidence to suggest that the LAeq may under-predict health risk in complex noise environments, where there is both continuous and impulse noise, and over-predict health risk for long-duration impulse noise. This suggests a need for improved dosimeters with the ability to incorporate new noise metrics. Here we utilize a low-cost open source audi...
Abnormality of von Willebrand factor in patients with hemoglobin E-β° thalassemia

The authors have identified six Southeast Asian patients ranging in age from 14 to 21 years with hemoglobin E-beta(0) thalassemia and a coagulopathy involving von Willebrand factor (vWF). These patients had normal or only slightly decreased plasma clotting factor levels. The activated partial thromboplastin time was prolonged in four of the patients. The abnormal feature common to all patients was a qualitative loss of high molecular weight multimers of vWF by crossed immunoelectrophoresis (vWF:CIE). Plasma vWF antigen concentration (vWF:Ag) and ristocetin cofactor activity (vWF:RCo) also were decreased and bleeding time prolonged in three patients. Epistaxis was present in two. No family history of increased bleeding tendency was present in any patient. Coagulation parameters and vWF:CIE were normal in two first-degree relatives without this hemoglobinopathy. vWF abnormalities and clinical manifestations were greatest in those patients with the most severe anemia and hepatosplenomegaly. These six patients appear to have an acquired abnormality of vWF, although they lack the clinical characteristics of acquired von Willebrand disease. While the etiology of this abnormality is unclear, the authors speculate that proteolysis of vWF secondary to extramedullary hematopoiesis or loss through high cardiac output shear stress in these anemic patients may be involved.
A conceptual model of team dynamical behaviors and performance in human-autonomy teaming

Abstract The focus of this study is to bring new insights on the relationship between team dynamics and performance at the systems (i.e. global) level. In this light, we describe a body of research that identifies characteristics of team dynamics and their relation to team performance. Non-linear dynamical systems methods were applied to communication and coordination behaviors of teams in two different studies: human-synthetic agent teams in a Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) simulated task environment and human-dyads in a simulated victim locator Minecraft task environment. An inverted U-shaped model was discovered that related team coordination and team performance. Specifically, we identified that Human-Autonomy Team (HAT)s were rigid compared to all-human teams that were least stable; and the extreme stability and instability is associated with low levels of team performance. Based on this model, we hypothesize that (1) with enough training and experience, teams should become increasingly stable, ultimately reaching an optimal blend of stability and flexibility and (2) as autonomous agents become increasingly flexible and adaptive, HATs should trend toward this moderate level of stability.
A Mixed-Methods Study of Teacher Dispositions and Culturally Relevant Teaching:

The study tests the proposition that pedagogical orientations foster domain-specific teacher dispositions. Nineteen preservice teachers in an urban teacher certification program emphasizing cultura...
Science expectancy, value, and cost profiles and their proximal and distal relations to undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math persistence

Despite efforts to attract and maintain diverse students in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) pipeline, issues with attrition from undergraduate STEM majors persist. The aim of this study was to examine how undergraduate science students' competence beliefs, task values, and perceived costs in science combine into motivational profiles and to consider how such profiles relate to short and long-term persistence outcomes in STEM. We also examined the relations between underrepresented group membership and profile membership. Using latent profile analysis, we identified three profiles that characterized 600 participants' motivation during their first semester in college: Moderate All, Very High Competence/Values-Low Effort Cost, and High Competence/Values-Moderate Low Costs. The Moderate All profile was associated with the completion of fewer STEM courses and lower STEM GPAs relative to the other profiles after one year and after four years of college. Furthermore, underrepresented minority students were overrepresented in the Moderate All profile. Findings contribute to our understanding of how science competence beliefs, task values, and perceived costs may coexist and what combinations of these variables may be adaptive or deleterious for STEM persistence and achievement.
Pool boiling of HFO-1336mzz(Z) on a reentrant cavity surface

Abstract This paper quantifies the pool boiling performance of R1336mzz(Z) on a flattened, horizontal Turbo-ESP surface for air-conditioning and industrial heat recovery applications for heat fluxes between roughly 10 kWm−2 and 120 kWm−2. The R1336mzz(Z) pool boiling curve was measured for three saturation temperatures and exhibited the best performance with respect to saturation temperature near the middle saturation temperature of 298.1 K. The study showed that the boiling performance of R1336mzz(Z) on the Turbo-ESP did not differ statistically from that of R123 for heat fluxes between 13 kWm−2 and 59 kWm−2. For heat fluxes larger than 59 kWm−2, the R123 boiling heat flux was up to 5% larger than the heat flux for R1336mzz(Z). A pool boiling model was modified to include a convective term and was used to predict boiling heat transfer for the test refrigerants on the Turbo-ESP surface, mostly, to within ±0.5 K.
Guselkumab for the treatment of severe refractory psoriasis in a pediatric patient

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory T cell–mediated condition that affects approximately 1% of children. Of the risk factors, obesity is associated with higher frequency and severity of disease.1 Although most children have mild to moderate disease and generally respond well to topical treatment or phototherapy, those with severe disease require systemic treatment. Until recently in the United States, etanercept was the only approved biologic agent for pediatric patients aged 4 years and older with moderate to severe psoriasis; however, data from adults suggests that it is less efficacious than the other available biologic medications. In Europe, adalimumab is also approved for psoriasis for patients aged 4 years and older. Ustekinumab was recently approved for the treatment of psoriasis in pediatric patients aged 12 and older, providing another on-label therapeutic option for adolescents.2, 3 In refractory cases, however, alternative treatment options often need to be pursued. Here we present a case of severe, recalcitrant psoriasis in a child that responded to guselkumab.
Achievement goals and conceptual learning: An examination of teacher talk.

Achievement goals are the reasons for pursuing competence-related tasks. Much prior work has shown that they can affect student motivation, learning, and performance outcomes. They are typically measured in classroom settings vis-a-vis self-report surveys about students’ goals or the perceived goal structure of the class. Less work has measured how achievement goals naturally emerge in class instruction. We address this gap by examining teacher talk for evidence of different achievement goals and their relation to conceptual math learning. Classrooms with high- and low-growth on a conceptual mathematics assessment were compared for instances of mastery- or performance-focused talk in relation to the framing of the instructional task, student recognition, and student evaluation. Results showed that teachers from high-growth classrooms used more mastery-focused talk for both the framing of the task and student evaluation than teachers from low-growth classrooms. Teachers from low-growth classrooms used more performance-focused talk for the framing of the task than teachers from high-growth classrooms. There were no differences between high- and low-growth classrooms for either mastery or performance student recognition or performance-focused student evaluation. These results help to bridge the gap between teacher practice and achievement goal theory and have implications for understanding how goals manifest in the classroom as well as possible interventions that support productive classroom goals and student learning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)
Efficient Neural Network Image Reconstruction from Raw Data Using a Radon Inversion Layer

Direct neural network image reconstructions methods from raw data are notoriously memory inefficient in the transformation from the measurement space domain to image space by use of one or more fully connected layers. This inefficiency has thus far limited the size of of the final image and posed a significant obstacle to studying direct neural network reconstruction methods. However, this memory space challenge can be corrected by observing the measurement data that contributes to the formation of a given image patch and designing a network layer to exploit those observations. This article takes this approach and proposes a novel Radon inversion neural network layer that enables full size direct image reconstruction from Radon encoded raw measurement data with a 99.84% decrease in memory requirements compared to the recently published AUTOMAP direct reconstruction network. We demonstrate high quality full size image reconstruction from a neural network using the Radon inversion layer and compare the results to the SART reconstruction method utilizing a structural similarity measure for comparison.
Dual CD4-based CAR T cells with distinct costimulatory domains mitigate HIV pathogenesis in vivo

An effective strategy to cure HIV will likely require a potent and sustained antiviral T cell response. Here we explored the utility of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, expressing the CD4 ectodomain to confer specificity for the HIV envelope, to mitigate HIV-induced pathogenesis in bone marrow, liver, thymus (BLT) humanized mice. CAR T cells expressing the 4-1BB/CD3-ζ endodomain were insufficient to prevent viral rebound and CD4+ T cell loss after the discontinuation of antiretroviral therapy. Through iterative improvements to the CAR T cell product, we developed Dual-CAR T cells that simultaneously expressed both 4-1BB/CD3-ζ and CD28/CD3-ζ endodomains. Dual-CAR T cells exhibited expansion kinetics that exceeded 4-1BB-, CD28- and third-generation costimulated CAR T cells, elicited effector functions equivalent to CD28-costimulated CAR T cells and prevented HIV-induced CD4+ T cell loss despite persistent viremia. Moreover, when Dual-CAR T cells were protected from HIV infection through expression of the C34-CXCR4 fusion inhibitor, these cells significantly reduced acute-phase viremia, as well as accelerated HIV suppression in the presence of antiretroviral therapy and reduced tissue viral burden. Collectively, these studies demonstrate the enhanced therapeutic potency of a novel Dual-CAR T cell product with the potential to effectively treat HIV infection.
Prenatal Nondiscrimination Laws: Disability, Social Conservatism, and the Political Economy of Genetic Screening

This article analyzes recent state laws and legislative debates in the United States concerning the prohibition of abortions performed because of a diagnosis of fetal disability. The article brings together critical theories to analyze the legislative records—including floor debates and committee hearings—in the four states that enacted disability PRENDAs before 2019. This analysis shows how social conservatives use disability PRENDAs to present themselves as the protector of the oppressed, while advancing their views about family and gender. Furthermore, I argue that PRENDAs place the burden for structural economic and political concerns on the shoulders of individuals, especially pregnant persons, while largely ignoring the medical-industrial complex as well as the government's own poor funding of social services for people with disabilities. Critical attention thus needs to be paid to how factors such as the ascendancy of genetics, the privatization of medicine, and the state's facilitation of capital accumulation for biotechnology corporations help constitute the ideal self-regulating risk-averse pregnant neoliberal subject. To bring attention to these factors, the article examines the political economy of non-invasive prenatal tests (NIPTs).
A Simulated Prospective Evaluation of a Deep Learning Model for Real-Time Prediction of Clinical Deterioration Among Ward Patients.

Objectives The National Early Warning Score, Modified Early Warning Score, and quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment can predict clinical deterioration. These scores exhibit only moderate performance and are often evaluated using aggregated measures over time. A simulated prospective validation strategy that assesses multiple predictions per patient-day would provide the best pragmatic evaluation. We developed a deep recurrent neural network deterioration model and conducted a simulated prospective evaluation. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Four hospitals in Pennsylvania. Patients Inpatient adults discharged between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2019. Interventions None. Measurements and main results We trained a deep recurrent neural network and logistic regression model using data from electronic health records to predict hourly the 24-hour composite outcome of transfer to ICU or death. We analyzed 146,446 hospitalizations with 16.75 million patient-hours. The hourly event rate was 1.6% (12,842 transfers or deaths, corresponding to 260,295 patient-hours within the predictive horizon). On a hold-out dataset, the deep recurrent neural network achieved an area under the precision-recall curve of 0.042 (95% CI, 0.04-0.043), comparable with logistic regression model (0.043; 95% CI 0.041 to 0.045), and outperformed National Early Warning Score (0.034; 95% CI, 0.032-0.035), Modified Early Warning Score (0.028; 95% CI, 0.027- 0.03), and quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (0.021; 95% CI, 0.021-0.022). For a fixed sensitivity of 50%, the deep recurrent neural network achieved a positive predictive value of 3.4% (95% CI, 3.4-3.5) and outperformed logistic regression model (3.1%; 95% CI 3.1-3.2), National Early Warning Score (2.0%; 95% CI, 2.0-2.0), Modified Early Warning Score (1.5%; 95% CI, 1.5-1.5), and quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (1.5%; 95% CI, 1.5-1.5). Conclusions Commonly used early warning scores for clinical decompensation, along with a logistic regression model and a deep recurrent neural network model, show very poor performance characteristics when assessed using a simulated prospective validation. None of these models may be suitable for real-time deployment.
Machine learning sequence prioritization for cell type-specific enhancer design

Abstract Recent discoveries of extreme cellular diversity in the brain warrant rapid development of technologies to access specific cell populations, enabling characterization of their roles in behavior and in disease states. Available approaches for engineering targeted technologies for new neuron subtypes are low-yield, involving intensive transgenic strain or virus screening. Here, we introduce SNAIL (Specific Nuclear-Anchored Independent Labeling), a new virus-based strategy for cell labeling and nuclear isolation from heterogeneous tissue. SNAIL works by leveraging machine learning and other computational approaches to identify DNA sequence features that confer cell type-specific gene activation and using them to make a probe that drives an affinity purification-compatible reporter gene. As a proof of concept, we designed and validated two novel SNAIL probes that target parvalbumin-expressing (PV) neurons. Furthermore, we show that nuclear isolation using SNAIL in wild type mice is sufficient to capture characteristic open chromatin features of PV neurons in the cortex, striatum, and external globus pallidus. Expansion of this technology has broad applications in cell type-specific observation, manipulation, and therapeutics across species and disease models.
Long-lived Ag106+ luminescence and a split DNA scaffold.

Molecular silver clusters emit across the visible to near-infrared, and specific chromophores can be formed using DNA strands. We study C4AC4TC3G that selectively coordinates and encapsulates Ag106+, and this chromophore has two distinct electronic transitions. The green emission is strong and prompt with ϕ = 18% and τ = 1.25 ns, and the near-infrared luminescence is weaker, slower with τ = 50 µs, and is partly quenched by oxygen, suggesting phosphorescence. This lifetime can be modulated by the DNA host, and we consider two derivatives of C4AC4TC3G with similar sequences but distinct structures. In one variant, thymine was excised to create an abasic gap in an otherwise intact strand. In the other, the covalent phosphate linkage was removed to split the DNA scaffold into two fragments. In relation to the contiguous strands, the broken template speeds the luminescence decay by twofold, and this difference may be due to greater DNA flexibility. These modifications suggest that a DNA can be structurally tuned to modulate metastable electronic states in its silver cluster adducts.
Historical Fire Regimes and Stand Dynamics of Xerophytic Pine–Oak Stands in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, Virginia, USA

Fire-dependent yellow pine (Pinus) forests are included within the temperate deciduous forest of eastern North America. These forests, which occupy dry slopes and typically contain xerophytic oaks ...
Safety concerns related to modular/prefabricated building construction

The US construction industry annually experiences a relatively high rate of fatalities and injuries; therefore, improving safety practices should be considered a top priority for this industry. Modular/prefabricated building construction is a construction strategy that involves manufacturing of the whole building or some of its components off-site. This research focuses on the safety performance of the modular/prefabricated building construction sector during both manufacturing and on-site processes. This safety evaluation can serve as the starting point for improving the safety performance of this sector. Research was conducted based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated accidents. The study found 125 accidents related to modular/prefabricated building construction. The details of each accident were closely examined to identify the types of injury and underlying causes. Out of 125 accidents, there were 48 fatalities (38.4%), 63 hospitalized injuries (50.4%), and 14 non-hospitalized injuries (11.2%). It was found that, the most common type of injury in modular/prefabricated construction was 'fracture', and the most common cause of accidents was 'fall'. The most frequent cause of cause (underlying and root cause) was 'unstable structure'. In this research, the accidents were also examined in terms of corresponding location, occupation, equipment as well as activities during which the accidents occurred. For improving safety records of the modular/prefabricated construction sector, this study recommends that future research be conducted on stabilizing structures during their lifting, storing, and permanent installation, securing fall protection systems during on-site assembly of components while working from heights, and developing training programmes and standards focused on modular/prefabricated construction.
Monte Carlo simulation study of in-beam intra-treatment PET imaging for adaptive proton therapy

We conducted Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the feasibility of the proton beam-range verification with few beam spills before the start of treatment to provide rapid feedback for treatment plan verification and re-planning (if necessary) for improving the accuracy of treatment targeting: a potentially novel intra-treatment image-guided adaptive proton therapy. MCNPX package was used to generate the distributions of positron emitters in a uniform cylinder PMMA phantom irradiated by a collimated 180MeV pristine proton beam. Two PET systems, a small dual-panel rotational PET and a stationary brain PET, with depth-of-interaction (DOI) measurement, were simulated with GATE for imaging. The images were reconstructed with list-mode MLEM algorithm using simulated coincidence data accumulated during- and post-irradiations. Positron activity-ranges were measured as a function of number of beam spills, total acquisition time, crystal cross-section size, crystal length, and the number of coincidence events. Results show that the accuracy of activity-range measurement is a function of data statistics but converging rapidly within few beam spills under simulated conditions; few spills can be sufficient to measure the activity-range within 1.0 mm from the final converged value; the number of spills can be further reduced if acquiring 30–60sec post-irradiation data, which is still considered a rapid intra-treatment imaging. The accuracy and precision of activity-range measurement was also calculated as a function of count statistics under the simulated conditions, providing a general and very useful guideline to calculate the required statistics for an accurate intra-treatment “in-beam” activity-range measurement.
Non-axisymmetric magnetostatic equilibrium

This paper considers the structural properties of a sunspot-like magnetic flux tube which lacks perfect axisymmetry. The flux tube is taken to be in static equilibrium with an atmosphere in a uniform gravity. Assuming the departure from axisymmetry to be slight, the equations for the first order non-axisymmetric part of the equilibrium are derived in cylindrical coordinates. These first order equations reduce to a linear second order hyperbolic partial differential equation in the r-z plane. Whereas Cauchy type boundary conditions are appropriate for hyperbolic equations, physical considerations dictate the specification of boundary conditions on a closed surve for our problem of interest. The construction of solutions to this boundary value problem is illustrated with three analytically soluble cases, where the zero-order axisymmetric equilibria are chosen to have magnetic field geometry of different complexity. A physical discussion of the results is given.
Site-directed mutational analysis of the novel catalytic domains of α -aminoadipate reductase (Lys2p) from Candida albicans

The α-aminoadipate reductase, a novel enzyme in the α-aminoadipic acid pathway for the biosynthesis of lysine in fungi, catalyzes the conversion of α-aminoadipic acid to α-aminoadipic-δ-semialdehyde in the presence of ATP, NADPH and MgCl2. This reaction requires two distinct gene products, Lys2p and Lys5p. In the presence of CoA, Lys5p posttranslationally activates Lys2p for the α-aminoadipate reductase activity. Sequence alignments indicate the presence of all functional domains required for the activation, adenylation, dehydrogenation and α-aminoadipic acid binding in the Lys2p. In this report we present the results of site-directed mutational analysis of the conserved amino acid residues in the catalytic domains of Lys2p from the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. Mutants were generated in the LYS2 sequence of pCaLYS2SEI by PCR mutagenesis and expressed in E. coli BL21 cells. Recombinant mutants and the wild-type Lys2p were analyzed for their α-aminoadipate reductase activity. Substitution of threonine 416, glycine 418, serine 419, and lysine 424 of the adenylation domain (TXGSXXXXK, residues 416–424) resulted in a significant reduction in α-aminoadipate reductase activity compared to the unmutagenized Lys2p control. Similarly replacement of glycine 978, threonine 980, glycine 981, phenylalanine 982, leucine 983 and glycine 984 of the NADPH binding domain (GXTGFLG, residues 978–984) caused a drastic decrease in α-aminoadipate reductase activity. Finally, substitution of histidine 460, aspartic acid 461, proline 462, isoleucine 463, glutamine 464, arginine 465, and aspartic acid 466 of the putative α-aminoadipic acid binding domain (HDPIQRD, residues 460–466) resulted in a highly reduced α-aminoadipate reductase activity. These results confirm the hypothesis that specific amino acid residues in highly conserved catalytic domains of Lys2p are essential for the α-aminoadipate reductase activity.
Gastrointestinal polyposis with orocutaneous hamartomas (Cowden's disease)

Abstract A patient with Cowden's disease and multiple gastrointestinal polyps is presented. An association of gastrointestinal polyposis with this syndrome is made and the histopathological features are described. The clinical features of Cowden's disease along with its familial tendency are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the importance of considering this diagnosis when evaluating patients with multiple gastrointestinal polyposis. Screening of these patients and their families for the associated malignancies should be performed.
Histochemical localization of gastric and small bowel mucosal enzymes of man, monkey, and chimpanzee.

Summary Specimens of gastric and distal duodenal mucosa from the chimpanzee, man, and monkey were compared for activity of nonspecific esterase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, succinate dehydrogenase, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate dehydrogenases, and cytochrome oxidase. Except for an abnormal distribution of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate dehydrogenase in the chimpanzee small bowel, which may well have been the result of some chronic inflammatory response, all the enzymes studied in the three species of primates had essentially the same localization and intensity of reaction.
Active Model with Orthotropic Hyperelastic Material for Cardiac Image Analysis

Meaningful physiological models are important for studying cardiac physiology. For cardiac image analysis, the models used should be detailed enough to describe the macroscopic physiological behaviors, but should not be too complicated for the inverse problems. To achieve this goal, we propose to use an orthotropic hyperelastic biomechanical model, which has only seven parameters but was reported as the best among the five tested well-known models in a comparative study. Combining with the active contraction forces provided by electromechanical models, the cyclic cardiac dynamics can be available to provide the physiological foundation for cardiac image analysis. To facilitate the complicated inverse problems, the system is implemented under the Cartesian coordinate system, and we propose the corresponding cardiac specific boundary conditions for anatomically realistic deformations. Experiments with analytical solutions were performed to verify the correctness of the implementation, and cardiac cycles were simulated to verify the physiological plausibility of the proposed model.
Characterization and comparison of Clostridium cellulovorans endoglucanases-xylanases EngB and EngD hyperexpressed in Escherichia coli.

By the use of a T7 expression system, endoglucanases-xylanases EngB and EngD from Clostridium cellulovorans were hyperexpressed and purified from Escherichia coli. The two enzymes demonstrated both endoglucanase and xylanase activities. The substrate specificities of both endoglucanases were similar except that EngD had four-times-greater p-nitrophenyl beta-1,4-cellobiosidase activity. The two proteins were very homologous (80%) up to the Pro-Thr-Thr region which divided the protein into -NH2- and -COOH-terminals. The -COOH- region of EngB has high homology to the endoglucanases and a xylanase from Clostridium thermocellum and to an endoglucanase from Clostridium cellulolyticum and did not show strong binding to cellulose (Avicel). However, the -COOH- region of EngD, which had homology to the cellulose-binding domains of Cellulomonas fimi exo- and endoglucanases and to Pseudomonas fluorescens endoglucanase, demonstrated binding ability to cellulose even when the domain was fused to the N-terminal domain of EngB. By probing the Avicel-purified cellulase complex (F8) with anti-EngB and anti-EngD antibodies, both EngB and EngD were shown to be present on the cellulase complex of C. cellulovorans. Many proteins homologous to EngB and EngD were also present on the complex. Images
Concurrent use of laser skin resurfacing and punch excision in the treatment of facial acne scarring.

background. Laser skin resurfacing has added to the numerous treatment options available for acne scarring. Adjunct modalities such as punch excision should be considered to enhance treatment outcomes. Traditionally, punch excision and grafting have been performed, followed 1–2 months later by dermabrasion. objective. To determine the effectiveness of laser skin resurfacing and the concurrent use of punch excision performed at the same treatment session in the treatment of acne scarring. methods. Twenty-one patients with skin types I-III with mild to severe facial acne scarring were treated with a combination of laser skin resurfacing and punch excision of acne scars in the same treatment session. Baseline, postoperative, and follow-up photographs were taken and evaluated by an independent dermatologist and a laser nurse blinded to patient treatment. In addition, subjective patient assessments of improvement were obtained. results. There was a range of clinical improvement by the independent assessor of 25–50% in skin type I, 50–75% in skin type II, and 50–75% in skin type III There was a patient subjective improvement of 25–50% for skin type I, 50–75% for skin type II and 75–100% for skin type III. Postoperative hyperpigmentation was noted in five patients and postoperative hypopigmentation was not seen in any patients. There was no wound dehiscence, evidence of infection, or hypertrophic scarring of treated areas noted on follow-up. conclusion. Laser skin resurfacing with the concurrent use of punch excision improves facial acne scarring. This newly described method negates the need to delay additional resurfacing for a future visit.
Energy-efficient multicore chip design through cross-layer approach

Traditional multi-core designs, based on the Network-on-Chip (NoC) paradigm, suffer from high latency and power dissipation as the system size scales up due to the inherent multi-hop nature of communication. Introducing long-range, low power, and high-bandwidth, single-hop links between far apart cores can significantly enhance the performance of NoC fabrics. In this paper, we propose design of a small-world network based NoC architecture with on-chip millimeter (mm)-wave wireless links. The millimeter wave small-world NoC (mSWNoC) is capable of improving the overall latency and energy dissipation characteristics compared to the conventional mesh-based counterpart. The mSWNoC helps in improving the energy dissipation, and hence the thermal profile, even further in presence of network-level dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) without incurring any additional latency penalty.
A Clinical, Radiologic, and Immunopathologic Study of Five Periorbital Intraosseous Cavernous Vascular Malformations

Purpose To correlate the clinical, radiographic, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical features of 5 primary periorbital intraosseous cavernous vascular malformations. Design Retrospective interventional case series. Methods Clinical and operative records and radiographic images were reviewed. Histopathologic slides were evaluated with hematoxylin-eosin, trichrome, and elastin stains. Immunohistochemical studies were performed with a spectrum of monoclonal antibodies directed at antigens of vascular cells. Results Three men and 2 women ranged in age from 36 to 64 years. Vision was unaffected and there was no proptosis or globe displacement. The slow-growing lesions measured 13–25 mm in greatest diameter (mean 16.4 mm). Computed tomographic studies revealed that 2 lesions were situated in the maxillary bone, 2 in the frontal, and 1 in the zygoma, all anteriorly and with circumscribed, lucent, honeycombed, or sunburst characteristics. Histopathologically the lesions were composed of cavernous or telangiectatic channels; 1 showed advanced fibrotic vascular involution. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated CD31/34 positivity for vascular endothelium and D2-40 negativity for lymphatic endothelium. A typically thin mural myofibroblastic cuff was smooth muscle actin positive, weakly calponin positive, and desmin negative. Glucose transporter-1 and Ki-67 were negative in the endothelium. Conclusions Intraosseous vascular lesions resemble orbital cavernous venous malformations (not true hemangiomas), except that their vascular walls are thinner owing to the constraints imposed by neighboring bone spicules, which limit the amount of interstitium from which mural myofibroblasts can be recruited. The bony trabeculae conferred the honeycomb or sunburst appearances observed radiographically. En bloc excision of these lesions was successful and avoided complications (mean follow-up, 46 months).
Mechanism for the autoxidation of hemoglobin by phenols, nitrite and "oxidant" drugs. Peroxide formation by one electron donation to bound dioxygen.

Abstract The reaction of HbO 2 with phenols to produce metHb shows inverse rate dependence upon [H + ], direct dependence upon [HbO 2 ] and [phenol], and a rate that correlates with the electron donor characteristics of the reagents. Thus, the availability of an electron from an external agent permits facile reduction of O 2 to O 2 = and the reaction of HbO 2 with phenols gives rise to metHb and peroxide as reaction products. In contrast, with nucleophiles such as azide O 2 is displaced as superoxide. Since reduction of bound O 2 is seen to occur only by reductive displacement or by reaction with a single electron donor, Hb apparently owes its normal resistance to autoxidation to the isolation of the binding site from electron donors and nucleophiles and not to an unique kind of iron-O 2 bonding. Such reasoning explains the effects of structural abnormality that render M-type Hbs susceptible to oxidation. Also the oxidation of HbO 2 upon exposure to “oxidant drugs” is explicable in terms of the drugs acting as one electron reducing agents towards bound dioxygen.
Hemispheric differences in simple reaction time to auditory stimuli of different frequencies.

To determine whether reaction time varies as a function of tone frequency and/or ear stimulated 27 adult subjects were presented with two two-tone series (1,000 Hz vs 2,500 Hz and 1,500 Hz vs 4,000 Hz) in a simple reaction-time paradigm. The analyses clearly indicated that the higher tone in each series and stimulation to the right ear resulted in significantly shorter reaction times. These results were interpreted as indicating that cerebral asymmetries are apparent in tasks and with stimuli that do not seem to require higher-order inferences regarding the functional organization of the cerebral hemispheres.
General Proteolytic Activity of Highly Purified Preparations of Clostridial Collagenase

Commercial clostridial collagenase was chromatographed on DEAE cellulose and separated into two fractions, A and B. When each of these fractions was further resolved by isoelectric focusing, the collagenase activity was found in both cases to be in protein peaks, designated A-3 and B-2, centered around pH 5.5. Fractions A-3 and B-2 differed, however, in their ability to degrade a soluble form of collagen or to solubilize bovine tendon collagen. Although none of the purified fractions or the original commercial preparation released significant amounts of acid soluble peptides from casein, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate of the digest mixtures revealed that all except fraction B-2 partially degraded the casein. When the digestion was carried out in 0.1 % sodium dodecyl sulfate, all fractions but B-2 extensively degraded cytochrome cand catalase. These results suggest that collagenase preparations must be used with care in purifying non-collagenous protein or in releasing such pr...
Plane regions determined by complex moments

will be called the complex moments of the region B. To what extent is B determined uniquely by the numbers r, or by a subset of them? If there is no uniqueness, how might the family g’, from which competing regions B have been extracted, be restricted so that uniqueness results? This is obviously a question about the completeness (in some sense) of the complex powers z”, 11 = 0, l,... . In dealing with two dimensional regions, one normally deals with the real moments ~m,n(B) = pm,n = 11 xqnyn dx dy, 111, n = 0, 1). . . . (1.2) B
Magnetic Particle-Based Hybrid Platforms for Bioanalytical Sensors

Biomagnetic nano and microparticles platforms have attracted considerable interest in the field of biological sensors due to their interesting physico-chemical properties, high specific surface area, good mechanical stability and opportunities for generating magneto-switchable devices. This review discusses recent advances in the development and characterization of active biomagnetic nanoassemblies, their interaction with biological molecules and their use in bioanalytical sensors.
Mechanism of Stimulation of Glucose Transport by H2O2: Role of Phospholipase C

Exposure of Clone 9 cells, a rat liver cell line, to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) resulted in a striking and rapid stimulation of glucose transport (8- to 10-fold in 1 h). A comparable response was found in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, C2C12 myoblasts, and NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, which, similar to Clone 9 cells, express only the Glut 1 glucose transporter isoform. The enhancement of glucose transport in Clone 9 cells in response to H2O2 was significantly attenuated by genistein and the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, U73122. Exposure to H2O2 resulted in a rise in cell sn-1,2-diacylglycerol content, and the rise was significantly inhibited by U73122. Moreover, the H2O2-induced stimulation of glucose transport was significantly blocked by thapsigargin. Neither staurosporine nor a 24-h preincubation in the presence of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA) affected the stimulatory effect of hydrogen peroxide on glucose transport. The activity of big mitogen-activated kinase (BMK1) and of stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK), both members of mitogen-activated protein kinases, were enhanced in response to exposure to H2O2; however, neither protein kinase appeared to be linked to the enhancement of glucose transport by H2O2. It is concluded that the stimulation of glucose transport in response to H2O2 is independent of changes in PKC, BMK1, and SAPK activity, and is mediated, at least in part, through H2O2-induced stimulation of protein tyrosine kinase and PLC pathways.
The use of sodium polystyrene sulfonate in the inpatient management of hyperkalemia.

Background: Limited data exist on the precise dose of sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) needed for specific potassium concentrations in the management of mild to moderate hyperkalemia in an inpatient hospital setting. Methods: A retrospective cohort study involving a review of electronic medical records of inpatients receiving SPS for the treatment of hyperkalemia was conducted at the Jesse Brown Veteran Affairs Medical Center, between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006. Hyperkalemia was defined as a serum potassium concentration >5.1 mmol/L. The primary endpoint was the mean change in potassium concentration associated with specific SPS dosage administration. Results: A total of 122 patients were selected for inclusion in the analysis. The mean potassium concentrations before SPS administration were 5.40 ± 0.18 mmol/L, 5.51 ± 0.30, 5.83 ± 0.46, and 5.92 ± 0.30 in the 15, 30, 45, and 60 gm groups, respectively. The mean potassium concentration decreased by 0.82 ± 0.48 mmol/L in the 15 gm group, 0.95 ± 0.47 in the 30 gm group, 1.11 ± 0.58 in the 45 gm group, and 1.40 ± 0.42 in the 60 gm group. After a single dose of SPS, the mean potassium concentration was within normal range in 115 patients (94%). Conclusions: A possible direct dose response relationship between SPS and the reduction in serum potassium concentration was found and should be evaluated prospectively. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2011. © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Dissociated hypertropia: surgical treatment.

Dissociated hypertropia can be corrected surgically by recession of the superior rectus muscle or resection of the inferior rectus muscle. The usual "maximum" amount of surgery of 4–5 mm is the minimum amount of surgery necessary for correction of this cosmetically disfiguring strabismus. Complications relate to narrowing of the palpebral fissure width and restrictive hypotropia, both following marked inferior rectus muscle resections.