cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of prehospital rewarming techniques to treat accidental hypothermia.

Study objective: Evaluation of inhalation rewarming and peripheral rewarming for reducing the body core temperature afterdrop and accelerating rewarming rates. Design: Prospective, randomized human experimentation. Setting: Physiology laboratory with cooling during ice water immersion and rewarming in rescue sleeping bags in a windy, cold (2 C) air environment. Type of participants: Eight experimental subjects who were cooled to clinical hypothermia (35.0 C), rectal or esophageal temperature (Tr or Te). Measurements and main results: Afterdrop was characterized as minimum Tr and Te plus recovery time to the Tr and Te levels at the onset of rewarming. Rewarming rates 30 and 60 minutes after maximum afterdrop for Tr and Te were measured. By analysis of variance, inhalation rewarming and peripheral rewarming evaluated separately or in combination did not significantly influence afterdrop duration, afterdrop recovery, or rewarming rates. Conclusion: With no physiological benefit and hazards identified (inhalation rewarming burning the face, peripheral rewarming eliminating carbon monoxide equal to 300 to 600 ppm), inhalation rewarming and peripheral rewarming are not recommended for the prehospital treatment of mild hypothermia.
Deformation conditions in the northern Subalpine Chain, France, estimated from deformation modes in coarse-grained limestone

Abstract In low-temperature experiments, the deformation mode and ductility in a single rock type are most directly controlled by the confining pressure and strain magnitude. A graphical technique is developed from published experimental microstructural data that allows for the determination of deformation mode for coarsegrained limestone on the basis of microstructural point-count data. The deformation mode and strain are used to constrain the confining pressure during thin-section scale deformation by comparison with experimental deformation results. The technique is applied to coarse-grained samples of Cretaceous and Tertiary limestone from the northern Subalpine Chain, France, and reveals that the majority of samples deformed mostly by twinning in the uniform flow mode at minimum depths, estimated from deformation mode and strain, of between 0 and 6.0 km and maximum depths, interpreted from peak metamorphic temperatures and geothermal gradient, of about 2.7–9.7 km. In the remaining samples, brittle failure probably occurred at relatively shallow depths (
Structural Similarities between Thiamin-Binding Protein and Thiaminase-I Suggest a Common Ancestor

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are responsible for the transport of a wide variety of water-soluble molecules and ions into prokaryotic cells. In Gram-negative bacteria, periplasmic-binding proteins deliver ions or molecules such as thiamin to the membrane-bound ABC transporter. The gene for the thiamin-binding protein tbpA has been identified in both Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Here we report the crystal structure of TbpA from E. coli with bound thiamin monophosphate. The structure was determined at 2.25 A resolution using single-wavelength anomalous diffraction experiments, despite the presence of nonmerohedral twinning. The crystal structure shows that TbpA belongs to the group II periplasmic-binding protein family. Equilibrium binding measurements showed similar dissociation constants for thiamin, thiamin monophosphate, and thiamin pyrophosphate. Analysis of the binding site by molecular modeling demonstrated how TbpA binds all three forms of thiamin. A comparison of TbpA and...
Structural and redox relationships between Paracoccus denitrificans, porcine and human electron-transferring flavoproteins.

Electron-transferring flavoprotein (ETF) was purified from the bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans and the structural and redox relationships to the porcine and human ETFs were investigated. The three proteins have essentially identical subunit masses and the α-helix content of the bacterial and porcine ETFs are very similar, indicating global structural similarity. An anti-(porcine ETF) polyclonal antibody that crossreacts with the human large and small subunits also crossreacts strongly with the large subunit of Paracoccus ETF. However, crossreactivity with the small subunit is very weak. Nonetheless, an amino-terminal peptide and four internal peptides of the small bacterial subunit show extensive sequence identity with the human small subunit. Local similarities in environment are also indicated by the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence emission spectra of porcine and Parucoccus ETFs. Although the visible spectra of porcine and Paracoccus ETFs are virtually identical, flavin fluorescence in the bacterial protein is only 15% that of the mammalian protein. Further, the circular dichroic spectrum of the flavin in the bacterial protein is significantly more intense, suggesting that the microenvironment of the isoalloxazine ring is different in the two proteins. Enzymatic or photochemical reduction of Paracoccus ETF rapidly yields an anionic semiquinone; formation of the fully reduced flavin in the bacterial ETF is very slow. The spacing of the oxidation-reduction potentials of the flavin couples in the bacterial ETF is essentially identical to that in porcine ETF as judged from the disproportionation equilibrium of the bacterial ETF flavin semiquinone. Together, the enzymatic reduction and disproportionation equilibria suggest that the flavin potentials of the two ETFs must be very close. The data indicate that the structural properties of the bacterial and mammalian proteins and the thermodynamic properties of the flavin prosthetic group of the proteins are very similar.
A new family of fixed degree Cayley networks for multiprocessor design

We propose a new family of trivalent network graphs with constant node degree 3 for design of massively parallel systems. These graphs are shown to be regular, to have logarithmic diameter in the number of nodes, and to be maximally fault tolerant. We investigate different algebraic properties of these networks (including fault tolerance) and propose simple and optimal routing algorithms. We also show that the proposed graph belongs to the well known family of Cayley graphs. >
Speckle filtering of SAR images using Ho/spl uml/lder regularity analysis of the sparse code

This paper introduces a novel approach for filtering speckle in SAR images using the Ho/spl uml/lder regularity analysis of the sparse code. Recently, sparse code shrinkage was proposed for filtering images corrupted with additive white Gaussian noise. Sparse coding is a method for finding a representation of the data in which only a small portion of the basis is simultaneously active. In the proposed approach, first the sparse code representation for the SAR image is obtained. Then, the pointwise Ho/spl uml/lder exponent is computed for each of these basis functions and used as a cost function for basis enhancement. This enhancement is the key for reducing speckle in SAR images. As the results show, the reconstructed images have a better visual perception as compared to those obtained by adaptive filtering techniques and coefficient shrinkage based algorithms.
Steady deformation and tip-streaming of a slender bubble with surfactant in an extensional flow

Slender-body theory is used to investigate the steady-state deformation and time-dependent evolution of an inviscid axisymmetric bubble in zero-Reynolds-number extensional flow, when insoluble surfactant is present on the bubble surface. The asymptotic solutions reveal steady ellipsoidal bubbles covered with surfactant, and, at increasing deformation, solutions distinguished by a cylindrical surfactant-free central part, with stagnant surfactant caps at the bubble endpoints. The bubble shapes are rounded near the endpoints, in contrast to the pointed shapes found for clean inviscid bubbles. Simple expressions are derived relating the capillary number exhibit spindle shapes with tip-streaming filaments.
Factors influencing the decision to amputate or reconstruct after high-energy lower extremity trauma.

Background Factors thought to influence the decision for limb salvage include injury severity, physiologic reserve of the patient, and characteristics of the patient and their support system.Methods Eligible patients were between the ages of 16 and 69 with Gustilo type IIIB and IIIC tibial fractures
Residually Finite Varieties of Nonassociative Algebras

We prove that if &#x1d4b1; is a residually finite variety of nonassociative algebras over a finite field, and the enveloping algebra of each finite member of &#x1d4b1; is finitely generated as a module over its center, then &#x1d4b1; is generated by a single finite algebra.
Meta-Analytic Review of Responsiveness-To- Intervention Research: Examining Field-Based and Research-Implemented Models

A responsiveness-to-intervention (RTI) approach to diagnosing LD is a leading alter native to current practice. This study con ducted a meta-analytic review of research on four existing large-scale RTI models and other models implemented for research. Twenty-four effect sizes and unbiased esti mates of effect (UEE) were computed. Results found a larger UEE for studies of existing RTI models than those implemented by university faculty for research, but both were strong. The UEE for student achievement and sys temic outcomes both exceeded 1.0, but the UEE for systemic outcomes among field-based RTI models was nearly twice as large as for stu dent outcomes. Further, RTI models imple mented for research led to an UEE of 1.14 for student outcomes and 0.47 for systemic out comes. The mean percentage of nonrespon ders in the studies was 19.8% (SD= 12.5), and an average of 1.68% (SD = 1.45) of the stu dent population was placed into special edu cation. Implications for practice and future research are included.
Trace Components of the Flavor Fraction of Maple Syrup

SUMMARY– An exhaustive chloroform extraction of maple syrup removed the maple flavorants. The extract was analyzed in part by a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer tandem procedure. Several previously undetected flavor-related compounds were found in trace amounts. Among these were the aromatic compounds acetovanillone, guaiacyl acetone and vanilloyl methyl ketone. These aromatics could have resulted from the ethanolysis of ligneous material previously reported in maple sap. Sugar degradation products found were furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, lactic acid and levulinic acid. These indicate that the products of caramelization also are part of the maple flavorants. Acids found, in addition to those above, were the C5 to C9 aliphatic acids and oxalic, fumaric and malic acids. All of the acid occurred as ethyl esters resulting from unintentional esterification during extraction. The C, to C, acids may be artifacts perhaps derived from the vegetable oil used as antifoaming agent in syrup processing.
Mucin poor mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma of the kidney, with nonclassic morphologic variant of spindle cell predominance and psammomatous calcification

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC) is a rare type of kidney tumor that has only been recently described. The classic MTSCCs are polymorphic renal neoplasms characterized by small, elongated tubules lined by cuboidal cells and/or cords of spindled cells separated by pale mucinous stroma. Nonclassic morphologic variants and features of MTSC have not been well studied and rarely been reported. We report a challenging case of mucin-poor MTSCC with marked spindle cell predominance and focal psammomatous calcification in a 39-year-old man and describe its histologic and immunohistochemical features. Pathologists must be aware of the histologic spectrum of MTSCCs to ensure their accurate diagnosis.
Ultra High Resolution Rain Retrieval from QuikSCAT Data

Originally designed only to measure near-surface winds over the ocean at 25 km resolution, backscatter measure- ments made by the QuikSCAT scatterometer can be used to simultaneously estimate wind and rain. By applying resolution enhancement algorithms, the wind and rain can be estimated at significantly improved resolution, though with higher noise. Initial results for inferring wind and rain at ultra high resolution are presented. I. INTRODUCTION
Adenosine A1-receptor knockout mice have a decreased blood pressure response to low-dose ANG II infusion

Adenosine, acting on A1-receptors (A1-AR) in the nephron, increases sodium reabsorption, and also increases renal vascular resistance (RVR), via A1-ARs in the afferent arteriole. ANG II increases b...
Evolving software requirements and architectures using software product line concepts

This paper proposes an evolutionary development approach, which uses software product line and feature modeling concepts for evolving software requirements and architectures. The different versions of an evolutionary system are considered a software product line, with each version of the system a product line member. Requirements are modeled using both use case and feature modeling. Evolution is built into the software development approach because variability in the software architecture is determined by considering the impact of each variable feature on the software architecture and evolving the architecture to address new features. Being feature based, the approach closely relates the evolution of the software architecture to the evolution of software requirements, as well as providing traceability between requirements and architecture.
Continuous and discontinuous Galerkin methods for a scalable three-dimensional nonhydrostatic atmospheric model: Limited-area mode

This paper describes a unified, element based Galerkin (EBG) framework for a three-dimensional, nonhydrostatic model for the atmosphere. In general, EBG methods possess high-order accuracy, geometric flexibility, excellent dispersion properties and good scalability. Our nonhydrostatic model, based on the compressible Euler equations, is appropriate for both limited-area and global atmospheric simulations. Both a continuous Galerkin (CG), or spectral element, and discontinuous Galerkin (DG) model are considered using hexahedral elements. The formulation is suitable for both global and limited-area atmospheric modeling, although we restrict our attention to 3D limited-area phenomena in this study; global atmospheric simulations will be presented in a follow-up paper. Domain decomposition and communication algorithms used by both our CG and DG models are presented. The communication volume and exchange algorithms for CG and DG are compared and contrasted. Numerical verification of the model was performed using two test cases: flow past a 3D mountain and buoyant convection of a bubble in a neutral atmosphere; these tests indicate that both CG and DG can simulate the necessary physics of dry atmospheric dynamics. Scalability of both methods is shown up to 8192 CPU cores, with near ideal scaling for DG up to 32,768 cores.
Fabrication and Characterization of Thermoresponsive Films Deposited by an RF Plasma Reactor

Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (pNIPAM) undergoes a sharp property change in response to a moderate thermal stimulus at physiological temperatures. In this work, we constructed a radio frequency (RF) plasma reactor for the plasma polymerization of pNIPAM. RF deposition is a method that coats surfaces of any geometry producing surfaces that are sterile and uniform, making this technique useful for forming biocompatible films. The films generated are characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angles, cell culture, and interferometry. We find that a plasma with a decreasing series of power settings (i.e., from 100W to 1W) at a pressure of 140 millitorr yields the most favorable results.
Radiology Report Innovation: The Antidote to Medical Imaging Commoditization

Innovation has become the mantra of medicine, but in reality, real innovation is in short supply. If you want to learn from a true model of innovation, just look at Apple. In many respects, Apple has redefined innovation by introducing technologies that have revolutionized the marketplace in ways that go beyond the products themselves. In the creation of the iPod, Apple not only created a novel MP3 player (ie, a technology innovation) but also introduced innovations in networking (novel agreements with music companies to sell songs online), business modeling (songs sold for $1 each), and branding (through its sleek artistic design). The iTunes software platform in turn created a revenue-generating dynamo, with consumers willing to pay a premium for Apple’s combined products and services. If that remarkable innovation wasn’t enough to differentiate Apple from its competitors, the company went on to create the iPhone and iPad, both of which have transformed their respective markets and made Apple the most valuable company today, on the basis of market capitalization. Ironically, in 1997, Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy but was dramatically transformed through its radical innovation strategies. A number of lessons can be learned from Apple’s innovation
Romantic Relationships and Criminal Desistance: Pathways and Processes

In dominant theories of criminal desistance, marital relationship formation is understood to be a key "turning point" away from deviant behavior. Empirical studies supporting this claim have largely focused on the positive role of marriage in men's desistance from crime, and relatively few studies have examined the role that non-marital relationships may play in desistance. Drawing on 138 longitudinal in-depth interviews with 22 men and women reentering society from prison, this paper extends the scope of desistance research by additionally considering the significance of more fleeting and fluid relationships, and the diverse processes through which romantic relationships of all sorts are linked with criminal behaviors. We present an empirically-based typology detailing six processes, grouped within three conceptual categories, through which romantic relationships had their effects. These pathways include material circumstances, social bonds and interactions, and emotional supports and stressors. We also consider gender differences in these processes. While more tenuous bonds to marginally conventional partners would seem to exert little effect, as one of the few relationships and social roles available to many former prisoners, we found that they wielded important influence, if not always in a positive direction.
Endometrial carcinoma expresses an increased cathepsin B/D ratio.

Abstract Objectives. Cathepsins B and D belong to a family of proteases involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. As such they may function as biomarkers for the aggressiveness of a given tumor. We examined the enzymatic activity of these proteins as well as the cellular and extracellular distribution of cathepsins B and D. Methods. 39 snap frozen tissue samples were assayed for activity fluorometrically with cathepsin-specific peptide substrates in combination with specific inhibitors. 4 groups were established: benign tissue, stage I/grade 1, stage i/grade 3, and stage IIIC/any grade. IHC staining for cathepsin B with the percentage of counterstained enzyme calculated from each specimen. Results. A significantly increased level of cathepsin B activity was seen in malignant tissue specimens when compared to benign tissue. The cathepsin B/D ratio confirmed and was required to detect the significance of this distinction for each malignant group when compared to benign samples. There were no differences in cathepsin B or D expression detected between the various malignant groups. IHC staining for cathepsin B was more diffuse in the malignant tissues. Conclusions. Malignant endometrium displays increased cathepsin B activity when compared benign samples. The cathepsin B/D ratio is increased for each of the malignant groups studied when compared directly to benign endometrium. The cathepsin B/D ratio cannot be utilized to distinguish the stage or grade between any of the malignant groups studied. This ratio may serve to distinguish malignant from benign tumor samples and may be a constitutive change in the malignant transformation.
Freedom of the Will in Plato and Augustine

There has been a recent surge of interest in ancient accounts of free will. It is surprising, then, that there have been virtually no attempts to discuss whether Plato had such an account. Those who have made an attempt quickly deny that such an account is present in the dialogues. I shall argue that if we draw a distinction between two notions of free will, it is plausible that some account of free will is, in fact, present in the dialogues, the Republic in particular. This is the first in depth search into the question and I demonstrate that the defender of a Platonic free will thesis has more resources than she first appears to. It also has the benefit of giving us an obvious source material for Augustine's discussion.
Improving scenario testing process by adding value-based prioritization: an industrial case study

Most of the current testing strategies treat all aspects of software equally important in a value-neutral way; this becomes more risky when the testing resources are limited. Our goal in this case study aims at improving the testing cost-effectiveness of an industrial scenario testing process under time constraints. We proposed a value-based testing prioritization strategy which allows tests to be ranked by how well the tests can reduce risk exposure. Combining this with the tests’ relative costs enables them to be prioritized in terms of return on investment (ROI) or risk reduction leverage (RRL). Besides, a new metric Average Percentage of Business Importance Earned (APBIE) is proposed to measure how quickly the testing can reduce the quality uncertainty and earn the relative business importance of the system under test (SUT).The results from one case study to prioritize operational testing scenarios in Galorath Inc. show that our method can improve the testing cost-effectiveness in terms of APBIE.
Neither Markets nor Administration: Brandeis and the Antitrust Reforms of 1914

The election of 1912 retains its hold on the imagination of students of American political development. Long interpreted as a conflict between tradition and modernity, Martin Sklar has recently argued that the old order had passed by 1912. In law and economy, competitive-proprietary capitalism had been eclipsed by administration. The political conflict was now over who would administer prices and investment, the corporation of the state?
Generalization Performance in PARSEC - A Structured Connectionist Parsing Architecture

This paper presents PARSEC--a system for generating connectionist parsing networks from example parses. PARSEC is not based on formal grammar systems and is geared toward spoken language tasks. PARSEC networks exhibit three strengths important for application to speech processing: 1) they learn to parse, and generalize well compared to hand-coded grammars; 2) they tolerate several types of noise; 3) they can learn to use multi-modal input. Presented are the PARSEC architecture and performance analyses along several dimensions that demonstrate PARSEC's features. PARSEC's performance is compared to that of traditional grammar-based parsing systems.
Delayed-onset symptomatic hyphema after ab interno trabeculotomy surgery.

Purpose To describe patients who have experienced delayed-onset hyphema after ab interno trabeculotomy surgery with the Trabectome (Neomedix Corp) for open-angle glaucoma. Design Retrospective case series. Methods study population: Patients at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, who underwent Trabectome surgery between September 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010, and who had symptomatic hyphema at least 2 months after surgery. observation procedure: Patients with blurred vision at least 2 months after Trabectome surgery were examined for the presence of hyphema using a slit lamp and gonioscopy. main outcome measures: Proportion of patients experiencing delayed-onset symptomatic hyphema after Trabectome surgery. Associated factors and clinical course for these patients. Results Of 262 cases of Trabectome surgery, there were 12 cases of delayed-onset symptomatic hyphema (4.6%). The average age was 74.3 years (range, 66 to 82 years). Median time to onset of hyphema was 8.6 months (range, 2 to 31 months) after surgery. Symptom onset commonly occurred on awakening. The most common characteristic was maintaining a sleep position on the surgical side. Most hyphemas resolved within 1 to 2 weeks, except in 1 patient, who required trabeculectomy for a refractory intraocular pressure spike. Conclusions This is a series of patients with symptomatic delayed-onset hyphema after Trabectome surgery in the absence of further surgeries or trauma. Likely mechanisms are exertion-related increase in episcleral venous pressure or ocular compression from sleeping on the surgical side, followed by sudden decompression and blood reflux. Symptomatic patients should identify and avoid associated triggers because delayed-onset hyphema may be associated with intermittent intraocular pressure spikes that may require medical or surgical treatment.
Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin elicits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope-specific T lymphocytes at mucosal sites.

A successful vaccine vector for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) should induce anti-HIV-1 T-cell immune responses at mucosal sites. We have constructed recombinant Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (rBCG) expressing an HIV-1 group M consensus envelope (Env) either as a surface, intracellular, or secreted protein as an immunogen. rBCG containing HIV-1 env plasmids engineered for secretion induced optimal Env-specific T-cell gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot responses in murine spleen, female reproductive tract, and lungs. While rBCG-induced T-cell responses to HIV-1 envelope in spleen were lower than those induced by adenovirus prime/recombinant vaccinia virus (rAd-rVV) boost, rBCG induced comparable responses to rAd-rVV immunization in the female reproductive tract and lungs. T-cell responses induced by rBCG were primarily CD4+, although rBCG alone did not induce anti-HIV-1 antibody. However, rBCG could prime for a protein boost by HIV-1 envelope protein. Thus, rBCG can serve as a vector for induction of anti-HIV-1 consensus Env cellular responses at mucosal sites.
The Aristotelianism of George Frederick Holmes

In this paper I would like to establish the priority of Aristotle in the thought of George Frederick Holmes (1820-1897), the South's leading philosopher of the nineteenth century. Accompanying this aim is the possibility of an improved understanding of the historical "Mind of the South" and its particular orientation to the ongoing rise of modern civilization. Holmes copiously presented a firmly articulated "metaphysics" in a myriad of articles over a period stretching from the early 1840's until the end of the 1870's. Holmes spent much of his philosophical energy struggling with such then influential moderns as Comte, Spencer and Darwin. But for all that the basis of his thought remained Aristotelian in nature. If it be allowed that Aristotle can make a "comeback" under today's conditions perhaps George Frederick Holmes is also entitled to be viewed once again as a "live option" given the fundamentally Aristotelian nature of his thought.
Markov Logic in Natural Language Processing: Theory, Algorithms, and Applications

Natural languages are characterized by rich relational structures and tight integration with world knowledge. As the field of NLP/CL moves towards more complex and challenging tasks, there has been increasing interest in applying joint inference to leverage such relations and prior knowledge. Recent work in statistical relational learning (a.k.a. structured prediction) has shown that joint inference can not only substantially improve predictive accuracy, but also enable effective learning with little or no labeled information. Markov logic is the unifying framework for statistical relational learning, and has spawned a series of successful NLP applications, ranging from information extraction to unsupervised semantic parsing. In this tutorial, I will introduce Markov logic to the NLP community and survey existing NLP applications. The target audience of the tutorial is all NLP researchers, students and practitioners. The audience will gain the ability to efficiently develop state-of-the-art solutions to NLP problems using Markov logic and the Alchemy open-source software.
Photochemical Dynamics of Ethylene Cation C2H4(.).

We present a theoretical study of the nonadiabatic effects in ethylene cation C2H4+, the simplest π radical cation, after photoexcitation to its three lowest doublet excited states. Two families of conical intersections are found, with minimum energy structures characterized by planar and twisted geometries. Ab initio multiple spawning dynamical calculations suggest that the competition between these relaxation pathways depends strongly on the initial excited state, with excited state lifetimes in the 30–60 fs range. Ultrafast decay via planar geometries deposits the molecule near a bridged minimum on the ground state, allowing prompt H migration events. The alternative pathway mediated by torsional motion induces important backspawned population transfer promoted by hindered rotations. The results allow us to revisit earlier vibrationally-mediated photodissociation experiments and shed light on the electronic relaxation dynamics of a prototypical radical cation subject to strong vibronic interactions.
Family Health Care Tasks: An Exploration

Family work in dual-earner families has been studied extensively, but the focus has been primarily on household tasks and child care, neglecting the component of health care behavior. In this paper, I introduce scales to study the performance of family health care behaviors in dual-earner families. The items assess topics such as who arranged and accompanied family members to health care appointments, who left work early or took time off from work for health care, and who handled the paperwork of medical expenses. The sample consisted of 174 married women employed in health care and education. The study results indicate that the health care scales are reliable. They are also not highly correlated with demographic variables that might affect the utility of the scales to examine how health care behaviors are linked to other family work.
Identification of endogenous HLA-A2-restricted reactivity against shared melanoma antigens in patients using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Approximately 15% of patients with metastatic melanoma have objective clinical responses to the administration of intravenous high-dose bolus interleukin (IL)-2 (1). The administration of IL-2 results in the development of vitiligo in patients with melanoma but not in those with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, suggesting that T cells from melanoma patients are presensitized to the antigens expressed by their tumors and their normal melanocytes (2). T cells that can recognize these melanoma–melanocyte antigens have been detected in the peripheral circulation of melanoma patients (3,4) and can be isolated from tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Several clinical studies have shown that melanoma patients can be immunized with these antigens; 42% of melanoma patients achieved a clinical response to IL-2 administered in combination with an anchor-fixed, modified peptide from the melanoma antigen gp100 (5). Although IL-2 has been administered safely to thousands of persons, patients must be monitored in the hospital for IL-2–related toxicity (6). No method exists to predict which patients will respond to treatment. We hypothesized that patients pre-sensitized to melanoma antigens might have an increased likelihood of responding to IL-2. To address this question, we designed a system to evaluate the ex vivo tumor reactivity of pretreatment peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from melanoma patients to shared melanoma antigens using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Several limitations made the study of pretreatment PBMCs problematic. Because it was unclear which antigens pretreatment lymphocytes might react against, we stimulated PBMCs with intact tumor cells rather than individual known melanoma antigens to broaden the repertoire of antigens tested. Because autologous tumor was often unavailable, we used allogeneic tumor lines that could enable the detection of shared antigens. Because tumor cells are relatively poor stimulators and express low levels of antigens and costimulatory molecules (7), and because the antigen-specific T-cell precursor frequency in naive PBMCs was likely to be low, we needed to develop a sensitive and efficient assay that could be used to detect putative tumor reactivity. Most assays designed to address these questions require extended periods of in vitro stimulation, during which allogeneic reactivity can develop in the presence of tumor stimulators. For these reasons, we first optimized a rapid molecular assay for the quantitative real-time PCR to harness its amplification capability. The pretreatment PBMCs of clinical responders and nonresponders were cultured with allogeneic histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA-A2)–matched tumor cell lines to determine whether a correlation existed between the pretreatment reactivity against tumor and a response to treatment.
Impact of immunoglobulin isotype and sperm surface location of antisperm antibodies on fertilization in vitro in the human

Objective To investigate the impact of immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes and their location on the human sperm surface on fertilization in vitro. Design Retrospective review and analysis. Setting Reproductive endocrine division of a level 3 academic center. Patients Forty-eight couples (80 IVF cycles) with males showing positive antisperm antibodies on the sperm surface by immunobead test, treated by IVF at the Norfolk Program. Main Outcome Measure Evaluation oftotal fertilization rate of preovulatory oocytes (metaphase II – metaphase I). Results Immunoglobulin G and IgA antibody levels have no significant correlation with total fertilization rate of preovulatory oocytes by logistic regression. Immunoglobulin M, present in 44% of the couples, had a strong correlation with fertilization. When IgA showed very high levels of binding (>68%) and IgM binding was >40%, the fertilization rate dropped significantly. A strong correlation between presence of antibodies and fertilization rate was seen when IgM was directed to the head or tail tip of the sperm. Immunoglobulin A induced a statistically significant reduction of fertilization only when it was present on the head. Conclusion Two male antisperm Ig isotypes significantly impaired fertilization rates. Immunoglobulin A exerted its impact only when high level of binding was detected on the head. Immunoglobulin M, present in 44% of the males, was the Ig isotype that most significantly affected fertilization rates when localized both at the head and at the tail tip level.
Improving Clinical Medical Teaching Level by Learning from the Experience of Advanced Countries

The article points out that to improve the teaching quality and level of national medical colleges and universities,the experience of Medical College of Monpillier University,France should be introduced and learned from.Views and suggestions are also put forward to counter the existing problem in national medical teaching system and clinical practices.
Hydrogen Production Using Sorption-Enhanced Reaction

This study examined the sorption-enhanced production of H2 via the steam−methane reforming process using a mixture of Ni-based commercial reforming catalyst and Ca-based sorbent obtained from commercial dolomite. The rates of the reforming, water−gas shift, and CO2 removal reactions are sufficiently fast that combined reaction equilibrium was closely approached, allowing for >95 mol % H2 (dry basis) to be produced in a single step. A dolomite pretreatment procedure was developed to remove sulfur, which was necessary to avoid poisoning of the reforming catalyst. The multicycle durability of the catalyst−sorbent mixture was studied as a function of regeneration temperature and gas composition using a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor. Twenty-five-cycle tests showed only moderate activity loss under most of the regeneration conditions studied. The primary loss in activity was associated with the inexpensive sorbent instead of the more expensive catalyst.
Cystoid macular edema and anterior uveitis associated with latanoprost use. Experience and incidence in a retrospective review of 94 patients

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the incidence of cystoid macular edema and anterior uveitis associated with the use of latanoprost. Design: A retrospective review of patients treated with latanoprost in the authors' practice between September 1, 1996, and August 1, 1997, was performed. Participants: Ninety-four patients and 163 eyes were studied. Intervention: Patients presenting with signs and symptoms of ocular inflammation while receiving latanoprost were noted, and their response to the discontinuation of the drug was recorded. Main Outcome Measures: The presence and degree of anterior uveitis and cystoid macular edema were measured. Results: Six (6.4%) of 94 patients (8 [4.9%] of 163 eyes) had anterior uveitis develop, and 2 (2.1%) of 94 patients (2 [1.2%] of 163 eyes) had cystoid macular edema develop while being treated with latanoprost. Conclusion: Although latanoprost is an effective ocular-hypotensive agent, the authors' experience with the drug has shown a significant incidence of anterior uveitis and cystoid macular edema. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to report the incidence of both cystoid macular edema and anterior uveitis associated with latanoprost therapy. Treating physicians should be aware of these potential complicating side effects of latanoprost.
The Tonto Labyrinth

ABSTRACTFor many years there have been discussions about the age of the labyrinth incised in the plaster of the inner room of the Casa Grande, some believing it to be aboriginal, others thinking it must be relatively recent. The existence of a similar laybrinth in unquestionable prehistoric context in the Upper Ruin at Tonto, lends support to pre-Columbian age for the Casa Grande labyrinth.
Taller de Diseño Colaborativo y Hábitat Evolutivo: Puentes entre la Academia y la comunidad

Este articulo narra un proceso de colaboracion entre estudiantes de arquitectura, planificacion y diseno y habitantes de Buena Vista, Santurce, uno del los ocho barrios contiguos al Cano Martin Pena en San Juan, Puerto Rico. Esta colaboracion dio pie a una intervencion urbanistica y arquitectonica, en espacios de uso comun y de uso privado, que comunica las aspiraciones de un colectivo. Entre los objetivos del taller que facilito dicho proceso se encuentra el de salvar la brecha que muchas veces existe entre la academia y la practica, y entre el conocimiento tecnico y la experiencia de los habitantes.
Classifying Mental Disorders: Nontraditional Approaches

Publisher Summary Classifying for purposes of research or intervention is a feature of the scientific method. Traditional methods for Classifying Mental Disorders emerged from the 19th century advances in the biological sciences basic to the science and practice of medicine. Underlying such advances was the explicit adoption of the world view of mechanism, the root metaphor of which was the transmittal of forces. In this context, physicians constructed systems for classifying organic disease. These systems provided the model for traditional psychiatric diagnostic and classification systems. Nontraditional classification systems flow from an alternate worldview: contextualism, the root metaphor of which is the historical act in all its complexities. Instead of relying on the medically inspired concept of psychopathology, nontraditional practitioners speak of unwanted conduct. This practice explicitly recognizes that a moral judgment is being made on the strategic actions that people employ to solve their problems in living. In the nontraditional method described in this chapter, classification is not of disease processes but of interactional strategies and the conditions that influence the success or failure of such strategies.
Anticipatory system for detection of hidden facilities utilizing nodal load consumption information in smart grids

Operation of any type of industrial or commercial facility depends on the use of electrical energy. To that end, facilities are connected to the power grid in order to have access to continuous electrical power supply. Therefore, analysis of power consumption at the grid's nodal level may provide information about the consumers connected to the node. In this paper, a new intelligent system for detecting hidden facilities by utilizing consumption signals measured in smart grids is presented. In particular an anticipatory system that makes use of the synergism of Gaussian process regression and fuzzy logic is adopted for inferring the presence or not of hidden facilities. Presented scenario demonstrates the potentiality of the method for accurately detecting anomalies in power consumption that correspond to hidden facilities.
CAE Tools for Nonlinear Systems Analysis and Design Based on Sinusoidal-Input Describing Functions

Abstract We report on recent progress in the development of a computer-aided engineering (CAE) environment for nonlinear control system analysis and design based on sinusoidal-input describing function (SIDF) methods. Several major additions have been made to our nonlinear controls CAE software: ACSL macros were developed to allow the generation of SIDF models of nonlinear plants in a manner analogous to that of the SIMNON-based software developed earlier, and MATLAB routines were developed for the analysis of these models and for the design of general nonlinear controllers based on them. This software provides an integrated tool set for treating very general nonlinear systems with no restrictions on system order, number of nonlinearities, configuration, or nonlinearity type. Based on the new software presented here, the use of SIDF-based nonlinear control system analysis and design methods is substantially easier to carry out and more powerful than before
HiMMe: using genetic patterns as a proxy for genome assembly reliability assessment

The information content of genomes plays a crucial role in the existence and proper development of living organisms. Thus, tremendous effort has been dedicated to developing DNA sequencing technologies that provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of cellular processes. Advances in the development of sequencing technology have made it possible to sequence genomes in a relatively fast and inexpensive way. However, as with any measurement technology, there is noise involved and this needs to be addressed to reach conclusions based on the resulting data. In addition, there are multiple intermediate steps and degrees of freedom when constructing genome assemblies that lead to ambiguous and inconsistent results among assemblers. Here we introduce HiMMe, an HMM-based tool that relies on genetic patterns to score genome assemblies. Through a Markov chain, the model is able to detect characteristic genetic patterns, while, by introducing emission probabilities, the noise involved in the process is taken into account. Prior knowledge can be used by training the model to fit a given organism or sequencing technology. Our results show that the method presented is able to recognize patterns even with relatively small k-mer size choices and limited computational resources. Our methodology provides an individual quality metric per contig in addition to an overall genome assembly score, with a time complexity well below that of an aligner. Ultimately, HiMMe provides meaningful statistical insights that can be leveraged by researchers to better select contigs and genome assemblies for downstream analysis.
The Surgical Care Improvement Project Redux: Should CMS Revive Process of Care Measures for Prevention of Surgical Site Infections?

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) incentives and penalties have the potential to exert powerful motivating forces on hospital decision-makers and can result in major changes in prioritization of hospital resources. Because of this, thoughtful alignment of incentives and penalties with performance metrics that are likely to promote adherence to processes that result in improved patient outcomes is critically important. Although CMS has shifted the focus of pay-for-performance metrics from process to outcome measures, challenges around standardizing application of SSI surveillance definitions and methods and the weaknesses of current risk adjustment methods may limit the utility of SSI outcome measures. Possible modifications and additions to prior Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) process measures are discussed.
From the Periodic Table to the Dinner Table

Not until I was nearly finished with high school did people suspect I would someday become a chemical engineer or professor. I had a natural aptitude and love for math and chemistry, and since chemical engineering combines these two subjects, in hindsight it was an obvious choice. I also enjoyed my high school job of tutoring others in math and science, and especially loved that indescribable feeling when I helped a student achieve an “A-ha!” moment: the dawning of recognition on their faces and the almost tangible clarity they suddenly seem to emit was a moment of mutual excitement for me as a teacher as much as it could be for him or her as a student. A teaching career was therefore a clear option by then as well. Without the aid of hindsight, my career plan follows my interests from earlier in my childhood.
Detecting cancer vulnerabilities through gene networks under purifying selection in 4,700 cancer genomes

Large-scale cancer sequencing studies have uncovered dozens of mutations critical to cancer initiation and progression. However, a significant proportion of genes linked to tumor propagation remain hidden, often due to noise in sequencing data confounding low frequency alterations. Further, genes in networks under purifying selection (NPS), or those that are mutated in cancers less frequently than would be expected by chance, may play crucial roles in sustaining cancers but have largely been overlooked. We describe here a statistical framework that identifies genes that have a first order protein interaction network significantly depleted for mutations, to elucidate key genetic contributors to cancers. Not reliant on and thus, unbiased by, the gene of interest9s mutation rate, our approach has identified 685 putative genes linked to cancer development. Comparative analysis indicates statistically significant enrichment of NPS genes in previously validated cancer vulnerability gene sets, while further identifying novel cancer-specific candidate gene targets. As more tumor genomes are sequenced, integrating systems level mutation data through this network approach should become increasingly useful in pinpointing gene targets for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Applications of AMC-based impedance surfaces

The recent and major enhancements of artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) and their applications namely RCS reduction, low-profile antennas and holographic leaky wave antennas are reviewed. Full-wave simulations are compared to measurements of fabricated models, and a good agreement is attained. All of the measurement were conducted in the Arizona State University electromagnetic anechoic chamber (EMAC).
Violent parasomnia with recurrent biting and surgical interventions: Case report and differential diagnosis

A case is reported of recurrent, injurious self-biting during sleep, requiring surgical interventions, in a 55-year-old obese man with a 20-year history of violent complex parasomnia, with greatly ...