cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Total hip arthroplasty in patients 55 years or younger: Risk factors for poor midterm outcomes.

Abstract Background Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is increasingly performed in younger patients. The purpose of this study is to report on the midterm outcomes of primary cementless THA in patients 55 years and younger; and specifically to examine the risk factors for aseptic failure, all-cause revision, and mortality in this patient population. Methods Four hundred and twenty-six consecutive patients with minimum 5-year follow-up were retrospectively reviewed. Multivariate analyses were conducted to control for potential confounding factors identified by univariate analyses. Results Mean follow-up was 92.12 ± 30.9 months. The overall 5-year implant survival rate was 90.8% and the aseptic survival rate was 92.6%. Among the potential risk factors, only bearing surface had a significant relationship with aseptic revision (P = 0.041). Aseptic revisions occurred more frequently with metal-on-polyethylene articulation (P = 0.012). Higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was a significant risk factor for all-cause complications (P = 0.04) while higher CCI and lower body mass index were significant risk factors for mortality (P = 0.001 and 0.006 respectively). Conclusion Bearing type was the only risk factor for revision surgery, particularly metal-on-polyethylene bearing. Patients with higher comorbidities were at increased risk for postoperative complications and mortality, while higher body weight appeared to have a protective effect against mortality. These findings should be considered before surgery for risk modification and management of patient expectations. While it appears that bearing couples other than metal-on-polyethylene are especially suitable for young patients, more studies are needed to determine the best bearing couple and to reduce the rates of postoperative complications in this patient population.
Pharmacology of Inhalational and Intravenous Anesthetic Agents

Varying depths of sedation through general anesthesia may be required in critically ill patients during surgical interventions, non-invasive procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging, or invasive procedures such as central line placement. During such procedures, a variety of agents may be chosen to provide the conditions required for a surgical procedure including amnesia, analgesia, muscle relaxation and control of the sympathetic nervous system. The agents used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia may be broadly classified into either inhalational (volatile) or intravenous agents. In addition to their use in the operating room for the provision of general anesthesia, both the intravenous and volatile agents may be used outside of the operating for either their sedative properties or even occasionally for their therapeutic effects. Examples include the use of propofol for sedation during magnetic resonance imaging, pentobarbital to control intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with traumatic brain injury, or the administration of isoflurane for the treatment of status asthmaticus. The following chapter reviews the history, pharmacology, and end-organ effects of the inhalational and intravenous anesthetic agents.
Addressing Physical Inactivity in Impoverished Communities through School-based Physical Education

This article describes the game of community ball, which after being taught in the physical education setting, can easily be played by students in their own community.
The Fate of Elevated Metal Ion Levels After Revision Surgery for Head-Neck Taper Corrosion in Patients With Metal-on-Polyethylene Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Elevated metal ion levels have been associated with the presence of adverse local tissue reactions in patients with metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) total hip arthroplasty (THA) secondary to corrosion at head-neck taper junction. Patients are frequently concerned with their elevated systemic metal ion levels. This study investigated the rate of decline of serum cobalt and chromium ion levels after revision surgery. Methods A total of 39 patients with MoP THA were revised because of the presence of symptomatic adverse local tissue reactions on magnetic resonance imaging with elevated serum metal ion levels. The time between initial implantation of MoP THA (index surgery) and revision surgery was considered the duration of metal exposure. The prerevision measure of ion level was considered the intensity of exposure. Prerevision median serum Co and Cr levels, as well as revision serum Co/Cr ratio, were reported. Results The median serum levels of cobalt and cobalt-to-chromium ratio significantly decreased from prerevision levels of 8.2 μg/L (0.2-56.1 μg/L) and 5.6 μg/L (0.1-53.3 μg/L) to 3.1 μg/L (0.2-14 μg/L) and 1.7 μg/L (0.4-3.8 μg/L) at postrevision (P Conclusion At 3 months after revision surgery, cobalt and chromium ion levels declined by 34% and 8% of prerevision level, respectively. This study provides evidence-based practical information for surgeons to provide MoP THA patients when considering revision surgery for head-neck taper corrosion.
Examining Q&A of Peer Tutor Learning via Online Videos

Peer tutor learning has been effectively adopted in various learning contexts. It draws attention from the CHI community as it has the potential to be advanced through computer-mediated online video technologies. In this paper, we focus on understanding how Q&A (questions and answers) between tutors and their students is used to promote learning using online videos. Building upon our prior work, we designed and implemented a new Q&A interaction. Through conducting a field study and a follow-up survey of 47 graduate students, our research reveals gaps between a peer tutor's strategy (i.e., question position and knowledge type) and a learner's preference and answering effort. For example, compared to tutors, learners preferred that questions be inserted in the middle of the videos and that the answers to tacit knowledge-related questions be more numerous and longer than those for explicit knowledge-related questions. The design implications from our findings need to be incorporated into practice and into future research of online videos for peer tutor learning.
Remediation of Physical Exam Skills

Novice clinicians vary greatly in physical examination (PE) skill levels. In this chapter, the authors define common PE deficits, explore institutional and educator constraints to educating about physical exam skills, describe methods of identifying learners needing remediation, describe potential tools that can be used in remediation, and, finally, revisit each of the major PE skills deficit domains with illustrative cases and specific remediation strategies for those cases.
Multibody Dynamics Modeling of Variable Length Cable Systems

This paper presents a procedure for studying the dynamics ofvariable length cable systems. Such systems commonly occur in deploymentand retrieval (pay-out and reel-in) in cable towing systems such as inship and marine applications.
Lyapunov and ISS Frameworks for Adaptive Nonlinear Stabilization

Abstract For stabilization of nonlinear systems with unknown constant parameters, we present two control Lyapunov function frameworks. In the Lyapunov framework the adaptive stabilization problem is reduced to the problem of nonadaptive stabilization of a modified system. In the ISS framework the problem is reduced to input-to-state stabilization with respect to parametric disturbance inputs.
HIV Infection-Associated Frailty: The Solution for Now Is Antiretroviral Drugs: A Perspective:

This Perspective article provides a new view of frailty as it relates to HIV-1 infection. We discuss new findings and where our research is going.
Plot Holes in Children's Drawing

In the fall of 2017, following a seminar held for undergraduate students that focused on the artistic and play-based practices of young children, the topic of plot holes was brought up.1 Although I...
Patient Characteristics and In-Hospital Outcomes of Heart Failure with Ischemic versus Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

Introduction Heart failure (HF) has 2 major etiologies: ischemic and non-ischemic. We compared patient characteristics and in-hospital outcomes between ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICMP) patients and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICMP) patients hospitalized for heart failure. Methods We selected patients with principle diagnosis of heart failure (ICD-10 codes: I50, I09.81, I11.0, I130, I132) from National Inpatient Sample database 2016 and divided them into 2 groups by secondary diagnosis of ICMP (ICD-10 code: I25.5) or NICMP (ICD-10 codes: I42.0-I42.9). Demographic characteristics and common comorbidities were compared. Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, need for percutaneous ventricular assist device (PVAD) or intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), acute kidney failure (AKI), respiratory failure, VT/VFib, and need for palliative care. Results There were total 150480 patients in ICMP group and 227935 patients in NICMP group. ICMP group were older and had more male patients than NICMP (Table 1). ICMP group were more likely to have DM, HLD, smoking, HTN, chronic pulmonary disease while NICMP group were more likely to have obesity, VHD, liver disease, OSA, and pulmonary hypertension (Table 1). ICMP group had higher in-hospital mortality (OR 1.22, 95% CI (1.11-1.33), P Conclusion Hospitalized heart failure patients with ICMP had higher in-hospital mortality and more complications (cardiogenic shock, need for PVAD or IABP, AKI, respiratory failure, need for palliative care) than patients with NICMP.
Sirolimus for the Treatment of Airway Obstruction due to Indolent T-Lymphoblastic Proliferation.

Introduction. Indolent T-lymphoblastic proliferation (iT-LBP) is a rare nonmalignant entity that presents as a proliferation of T-lymphoblasts. We report a first such case with a recurrent laryngeal obstruction presentation that was successfully controlled with Sirolimus. Case presentation. This is the case of a 29-year-old female who presented with a recurrent significant lymphoid hyperplasia in the adenoid and tongue base region as well as a right cervical lymph node. After repeated adenoidectomies and tonsillectomies, and based on pathological and clinical findings she was diagnosed with iT-LBP. Trials of radiotherapy and immunotherapy with cyclosporine and rituximab all failed to control the progression of the disease. Sirolimus was finally able to restrict the growth and improve her symptoms. Conclusion. While It-LBP does not usually require treatment, it is important to report cases in which treatment was crucial for the survival of the patient, and the effective role of Sirolimus in doing so, without any major adverse effects.
Disturbed sensory physiology underlies poor balance and disrupts activities of daily living in alcohol use disorder

Postural stability is a multi-factorial skill maintained implicitly. Components of quiet standing can decline with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), cause instability, and disrupt activities of daily living (ADL). To examine how stability factors contribute to ADL and balance, 638 force platform testing sessions measured sway paths acquired during quiet standing in 151 AUD and 96 control men and women, age 25-75. Structural equation (seq) path analysis estimated contributions from age, diagnosis, and sensory perception to sway and measures of ADL and roadside ataxia testing. Whether eyes were open or closed, older AUD and control participants had longer sway paths than younger ones; older men had longer sway paths than older women. Although each sensory ability tested declined with aging, different factor constellations influenced ADL, ataxia scores, or sway path. Seq-path analysis indicated that ADL was strongly dependent on sensory (but not cognitive) systems with sway-path length accounting for upwards of 25% of variance. Within the AUD group, an index of historically-experienced withdrawal symptoms was a common predictor of stability regardless of vision condition. The greatest variance measured by the seq-path model was for predicting platform sway and simple ataxia testing of one-leg standing even though these measures were affected by different predictor variables: strong predictors of one-leg standing were diagnosis and age (R2 = 39.6%-43.2%), whereas strong predictors of sway-path length were sensory factors and withdrawal index (R2 = 22.0%-22.9%). These findings present evidence for appreciating selective factors that contribute to declining postural stability and to liability for compromised quality of life in AUD.
Forging Germans: youth, nation, and the National Socialist mobilization of ethnic Germans in Yugoslavia, 1918–1944: by Caroline Mezger, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2020, xviii + 339 pp., £65.00/$85.00 (hardback), ISBN: 9780198850168

This detailed and engrossing book joins a growing body of literature focused on a hitherto somewhat neglected group: the ethnic Germans of East and Southeast Europe. In this study of youth activism...
Does Free Community College Improve Student Outcomes? Evidence From a Regression Discontinuity Design:

In this article, I utilize a regression discontinuity design to estimate the effects of Tulsa Achieves—a prevalent and understudied type of tuition-free college program. In contrast to concerns reg...
Abstract 17442: Myocardial Damage Assessed by Late Gadolinium Enhancement on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Cancer Patients Treated With Anthracyclines and/or Trastuzumab

Aims: In cancer patients with cardiomyopathy related to anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab, data on late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) are conflicti...
A Randomized Clinical Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia to Augment Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment in Survivors of Interpersonal Violence.

Introduction Individuals exposed to interpersonal violence (IPV) commonly develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with co-occurring depression and insomnia. Standard PTSD interventions such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT) do not typically lead to remission or improved insomnia. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) improves insomnia in individuals with PTSD, but PTSD severity remains elevated. Objective To determine whether sequential treatment of insomnia and PTSD is superior to treatment of only PTSD. Methods In a 20-week trial, 110 participants exposed to IPV who had PTSD, depression and insomnia were randomized to CBTi followed by CPT or to attention control followed by CPT. Primary outcomes following CBTi (or control) were the 6-week change in score on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). Primary outcomes following CPT were the 20-week change in scores. Results At 6 weeks, the CBTi condition had greater reductions in ISI, HAM-D, and CAPS scores than the attention control condition. At 20 weeks, participants in the CBTi+CPT condition had greater reductions in ISI, HAM-D, and CAPS scores compared to control+CPT. Effects were larger for insomnia and for depression than for PTSD. Similar patterns were observed with respect to clinical response and remission. A tipping point sensitivity analyses supported the plausibility of the findings. Conclusions The sequential delivery of CBTi and CPT had plausible, significant effects on insomnia, depression, and PTSD compared to CPT alone. The effects for PTSD symptoms were moderate and clinically meaningful.
Textile Electronics for EM Applications

Flexible electronics have proven their usefulness for applications where bendability, stretchability, wearability, portability, and lightness are needed. These include wearable health and fitness sensors as well as foldable and deployable antennas for space and aerospace utilization. A common approach for realizing flexible electronics is to employ plastic substrates and print circuits on them. However, an alternative and more adaptable approach consists in using textile substrates. The latter offers the same advantages as plastic and mylar substrates but is better suited for wearable applications considering how effortlessly textiles can be integrated into clothing. Since textile substrates have already demonstrated reliable performance up to 6 GHz, they are also suitable for radio frequency (RF) applications. Nevertheless, creating textile electronics with optimal RF characteristics presents its own challenges, ranging from conductivity characterization to durability. The fabrication process can have a major impact on the properties of the textile substrate and associated printed electronics, and this will be the focus of our work.
The regression-calibration method for fitting generalized linear models with additive measurement error

This paper discusses and illustrates the method of regression calibra- tion. This is a straightforward technique for fitting models with additive mea- surement error. We present this discussion in terms of generalized linear models (GLMs) following the notation defined in Hardin and Carroll (2003). Discussion will include specified measurement error, measurement error estimated by replicate error-prone proxies, and measurement error estimated by instrumental variables. The discussion focuses on software developed as part of a small business innovation research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The authors of this paper served as consultants to Stata Corporation on that grant.
Iron-induced fluorescence in the retina: dependence on vitamin A.

Purpose Intravitreal iron injection induces fluorophore formation in the photoreceptor outer segments, followed by an accumulation of inclusions with lipofuscin-like fluorescence in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The accumulation of RPE lipofuscin during aging is dependent on vitamin A availability. Experiments were conducted to determine whether iron-induced fluorophore formation in the outer segments and in RPE is also dependent on vitamin A, and thus whether oxidation promotes the participation of vitamin A in lipofuscin formation. Methods For 23 weeks, beginning at weaning, albino Fischer rats were fed diets containing vitamin A either in the form of retinyl palmitate (+A), which can be metabolically converted into the retinoids involved in vision, or retinoic acid (-A), which does not support visual function. After 23 weeks, when rhodopsin levels had decreased more than 90% in the -A rats, some animals in this group were given an intramuscular injection of all-trans retinol and were allowed to recover from retinoid deficiency for 7 days (-A+A). Animals in all three treatment groups were then given an intravitreal injection of ferrous sulfate. Both 1 day and 7 days after the iron injections, the retinas and RPEs were examined for fluorophores with excitation and emission properties similar to those of RPE lipofuscin fluorophores. Results In retina sections examined with fluorescence microscopy 24 hours after the ferrous sulfate treatment, the photoreceptor outer segments of rats in all of the treatment groups displayed a fluorescence with a blue emission maximum. This outer-segment fluorescence was not present in untreated eyes. The in situ outer-segment fluorescence was correlated with the appearance of blue-emitting fluorophores in organic solvent extracts of the retinas. One week after the iron injections, the RPE cells of the +A animals became filled with inclusions that displayed a golden-yellow fluorescence emission when excited by blue light. Very little of this lipofuscin-like fluorescence was observed in the RPE of the -A rats 1 week after iron treatment. However, in the -A rats that had been repleted with vitamin A, the ability of iron to induce the RPE fluorescence was restored. Several orange-emitting fluorophores were present in organic solvent extracts of the RPE-choroids of the +A rats. The amounts of these fluorophores were not appreciably affected by the iron treatment. These orange-emitting compounds were not observed in extracts of any eyes in the -A or -A+A groups. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that oxidation of the photoreceptor outer-segment lipids generates blue-emitting fluorophores that are not directly involved in RPE lipofuscin fluorophore formation. The findings also indicate that retinoids are direct precursors of RPE lipofuscin fluorophores, and that oxidative stress to the retina promotes participation of vitamin A in the formation of some of the compounds responsible for RPE lipofuscin fluorescence.
Changing Field Sites and the Comparative Perspective in Anthropology

The contributors to this volume describe how and why they changed field sites and what the changes meant for their personal and professional lives. Two themes stand out. First, several contributors, mostly women, describe how doing fieldwork in a new place had something to do with their personal lives: loving and grieving for a life partner (Virginia Dominguez), adopting a child (Linda Seligmann), caring for aging and ill parents (Maria Lepowsky), worrying about personal safety for self and family with the breakout of political violence (Alma Gottlieb), and aging (Edward Bruner). None of them made this choice lightly, and some write eloquent and moving accounts of how they balanced work and family. Second, the contributors reveal what the comparative perspective in anthropology has come to mean to them at an advanced stage in their careers. Most reject the older positivistic logic of the comparative method as practiced by structure functionalists, structuralists, and Marxists, according to which one should aim to carry out a systematic comparison of cultures to come up with laws of human behavior. Paul Stoller, in his afterword, quotes from Wittgenstein and summarizes this volume by saying that the contributors strayed from the “straight highway” (p. 159) and took meandering paths to reach their destinations. The authors characterize their experience in different ways. Some represent changing field sites as moving to a new situation that is nearly the inverse of the first. Virginia Dominguez shifted from studying the meaning of race in New Orleans and Surinam to wondering, when she turned to Israel, how a people with a long, rich, and well-documented history “could still not be sure what they were” (p. 26). Alma Gottlieb left the Beng in the Cote d’Ivoire to study the diaspora of Cape Verdeans, some of whom have Jewish ancestry. Her shift meant going from a small, isolated, and oral culture to doing fieldwork in a big European city with a hidden and widely dispersed community with a richly written history. Others stress the continuities between their old and new
Purine N-Oxides XXVII. THE METABOLISM OF GUANINE 3-OXIDE BY THE RAT

Abstract The oncogenic purine derivative, guanine 3-oxide, was oxidized at position 8, and the N-oxide function was reduced by the rat, leading to 8-hydroxyguanine 3-oxide, 8-hydroxy-guanine, and guanine. A small amount was deaminated to 3-hydroxyxanthine. The guanine formed gave rise to some labeling of the purine bases of the RNA and DNA. There was no evidence of significant incorporation of guanine 3-oxide-8-14C into RNA.
Motivating Students to Learn.

(1994). Motivating Students to Learn. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 67, No. 4, pp. 213-216.
Chapter 11 Socially constructed reality and its impact on technically trained professionals

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the styles of planning most often in use today, the social learning paradigm and its influence on the collaborative style of planning and the engineering profession, and illustrates the effectiveness of the participatory paradigm in the context of two examples. One example led to a fundamental change in the direction of California energy policy in the late 1980s. The other addresses a contemporary engineering/planning effort underway in mid-2005, such as collaboration in action: a regional environmental management system in Silicon Valley. It is reported that while these programs the participants in the sustainable silicon valley initiative project and the planning involving pacific gas and electric company and the natural resources defense council effort have put into practice the theories of social learning. In these efforts they have shed the paradigm of old, that of rational/technical planning and engineering, and embraced multi-stakeholder collaboration. They have developed social, intellectual, and political capital and have achieved results that likely would not have been achieved without recognizing the social and political aspects of group problem-solving.
Phlebotomy: Worktext and Procedures Manual. Sandra R. Sommer, Robin S. Warekois, and Richard Robinson. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company, 2002, $32.00, 414 pp. ISBN 0-7216-8484-X.

This book is filled with an enticing smorgasbord of topics and numerous elegant illustrations. It is organized under five units with specific subjects addressed as chapters within each unit. Each chapter has at its conclusion a brief paragraph summarizing the subject covered, study questions, and questions to prepare the phlebotomist for the certification examination. Unit 1 introduces the reader to phlebotomy by including separate chapters devoted to phlebotomy, healthcare structure, safety, and infection control. The chapter on healthcare structure outlines organization of hospitals and clinical laboratories, with a brief tabulation of tests performed in each discipline. The role of the Occupational Safety and …
Molecular characterization of recombinant mouse adenosine kinase and evaluation as a target for protein phosphorylation.

The regulation of adenosine kinase (AK) activity has the potential to control intracellular and interstitial adenosine (Ado) concentrations. In an effort to study the role of AK in Ado homeostasis in the central nervous system, two isoforms of the enzyme were cloned from a mouse brain cDNA library. Following overexpression in bacterial cells, the corresponding proteins were purified to homogeneity. Both isoforms were enzymatically active and found to possess Km and Vmax values in agreement with kinetic parameters described for other forms of AK. The distribution of AK in discrete brain regions and various peripheral tissues was defined. To investigate the possibility that AK activity is regulated by protein phosphorylation, a panel of protein kinases was screened for ability to phosphorylate recombinant mouse AK. Data from these in vitro phosphorylation studies suggest that AK is most likely not an efficient substrate for PKA, PKG, CaMKII, CK1, CK2, MAPK, Cdk1, or Cdk5. PKC was found to phosphorylate recombinant AK efficiently in vitro. Further analysis revealed, however, that this PKC-dependent phosphorylation occurred at one or more serine residues associated with the N-terminal affinity tag used for protein purification.
Solar Energetic Particle Isotopic Composition

We discuss isotopic abundance measurements of heavy (6 ≤ Z ≤ 14) solar energetic particles with energies from ∼15 to 70 MeV/nucleon, focusing on new measurements made on SAMPEX during two large solar particle events in late 1992. These measurements are corrected for charge/mass dependent acceleration effects to obtain estimates of coronal isotopic abundances and are compared with terrestrial and solar wind isotope abundances. An example of new results from the Advanced Composition Explorer is included.
Invited Review: Nutrition and Immune Function

Despite provision of adequate calories and nitrogen, patients receiving current nutrition support formulations often have suppression of immune function. Certain nutrients may act pharmacologically on the immune system. The choice of nutrients appropriate for a given disease state must take into consideration the nutritional status of the subject, presence of infection, injury or hypermetabolism, and the specific immune defect. Nutritional therapy specific for certain disease states is complex and in its infancy but may hold promise for improved patient outcome. Randomized prospective trials to evaluate efficacy are mandatory. Continued research into individual nutrients to elucidate mechanisms of immunomodulation must follow. In the meantime, broad application of products shown to be effective for a specific indication is inappropriate.
Kinetics and Mechanisms of Drug Action on Microorganisms XXII: Effects of Aminosidine with and without Organism Pretreatment with Bacteriostatic Agents

Escherichia coli generation in the logarithmic growth phase was inhibited in peptone broth USP at pH 7.0 without kill below 3.0 μg/ml of aminosidine. Above this value, the logarithms of the number of viables of the drug‐treated culture ultimately decreased linearly with time and the slopes of these plots were independent of concentration. A concentration‐dependent lag in the time of attainment of the cidal action was observed, and the extent of this lag was related to the ease of emergence of resistant organisms. The minimal concentration for cidal action increased with increasing concentrations of nutrients and with decreasing pH. Pretreatment of the cultures with novobiocin and tetracycline lessened the minimum bactericidal concentration of aminosidine whereas chloramphenicol pretreatment increased it. Tetracycline pretreatment inhibited the emergence of aminosidine‐resistant organisms.
Detection, Enumeration, and RAPD Analysis of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates in Fish Derived fromRetail Outlets in WesternMassachusetts

Fish were sampled over a 24-month period from two major supermarket retail outlets in Hadley, Massachusetts, USA, designated A and B, for the incidence of Listeria monocytogenes and numbers of the organism present per 100 g of tissue. Fifteen species of fish were represented. Seventy-four samples out of a total of 320 were confirmed by PCR as yielding L. monocytogenes. From retail source A, a total of 171 samples yielded 59 (34.5%) that were positive for the presence of L. monocytogenes. In contrast, from retail source B, a total of 149 samples yielded 15 (10.0%) that were positive. Only six samples (3.5%) from retail source A had MPN counts of L. monocytogenes in the range of 100 to 1,000 per 1,000 g. Only two samples (1.3%) from retail source B had counts of L. monocytogenes from 100 to 1,000 per 100 g. A total of 221 strains of L. monocytogenes were derived from the MPN cultures, 164 from retail source A, and 57 from retail source B. All 221 strains were subjected to RAPD analysis using three random pr...
Rapid measurement of plasma free fatty acid concentration and isotopic enrichment using LC/MS.

Measurements of plasma free fatty acids (FFA) concentration and isotopic enrichment are commonly used to evaluate FFA metabolism. Until now, gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) was the best method to measure isotopic enrichment in the methyl derivatives of 13C-labeled fatty acids. Although IRMS is excellent for analyzing enrichment, it requires time-consuming derivatization steps and is not optimal for measuring FFA concentrations. We developed a new, rapid, and reliable method for simultaneous quantification of 13C-labeled fatty acids in plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS). This method involves a very quick Dole extraction procedure and direct injection of the samples on the HPLC system. After chromatographic separation, the samples are directed to the mass spectrometer for electrospray ionization (ESI) and analysis in the negative mode using single ion monitoring. By employing equipment with two columns connected parallel to a mass spectrometer, we can double the throughput to the mass spectrometer, reducing the analysis time per sample to 5 min. Palmitate flux measured using this approach agreed well with the GC/C/IRMS method. This HPLC/MS method provides accurate and precise measures of FFA concentration and enrichment.
Stable phantoms for characterization of photoacoustic tomography (PAT) systems

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is an emerging modality that combines the high contrast of optical imaging, with the spatial resolution and penetration depth of ultrasound, by exploiting the photoacoustic effect. As with any new imaging modality, reliable physical phantoms are needed to: calibrate instruments; validate performance; optimize signal-to-noise; perform routine quality control; and compare systems. Phantom materials for testing small animal PAT systems should also mimic both the optical and acoustic properties of soft tissue, while for calibration purposes should be resistant to degradation over long time periods. We show here that polyvinyl chloride plastisol (PVCP) phantoms enable calibration and performance validation using two PAT systems with distinct designs (Visualsonics Vevo LAZR and Endra Nexus 128) across a wavelength range of 680 nm – 950 nm. Inclusions between 2 and 3.2 mm in diameter were fabricated from PVCP using a range of dye concentrations (0 % to 0.256 % Black Plastic Color, BPC) in a custom mold. A calibration phantom was imaged repeatedly on both systems, over time scales of minutes, hours and days, to assess system stability. Both systems demonstrated good reproducibility over time, with the coefficient of variation in the measured signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) being less than 15% over the course of 30 days. Imaging performance was optimized by plotting SNR as a function of different system parameters. The visualization of objects embedded in optically absorbing and scattering backgrounds was also assessed. PVCP is easy to work with and provides stable phantoms for assessing PAT system performance.
Specification of a capability-based IT classification framework

The effort discussed here examined the issue of information technology (IT) classification within the financial services industry. Phase I utilized a Delphi study, involving 31 participants from 11 organizations, to provide initial specification of a capability-based typology of IT. Phase II of the research was a multiple case study that further refined the construct specifications and explored issues in technology application. Results of the Delphi and case study analysis suggested that differentiation within the IT construct occurred along a capability-based continuum that incorporated four primary IT attributes. These attributes included system scope, system focus, system accessibility, and the level of IT integration.
Separation and quantitative recovery of iron and cobalt from biological samples.

SummaryTrace amounts of iron and cobalt are separated and quantitatively recovered from biological specimens using Dowex-1 columns. The procedure for digesting the protein and preparing the samples is given in detail. Recovery values for 72 samples using Co57 and Fe59 as tracers are tabulated. Excellent recovery and reproducibility are achieved.
Rapid purification of wildtype and mutant cytochrome c oxidase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides by Ni2+-NTA affinity chromatography

A rapid and highly efficient method of purifying the aa3-type cytochrome c oxidase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides has been developed. This method relies upon a six-histidine affinity tag fused to the C-terminus of subunit I, which confers to the oxidase a high affinity for Ni(2+)-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) agarose. The histidine-tagged oxidase can be purified rapidly and with high yield by one affinity chromatography step, starting with solubilized membranes. The purified oxidase is > 95% pure and possesses structural and functional characteristics of the wildtype enzyme. The six-histidine tag can be easily added to pre-constructed site-directed mutants of subunit I, increasing the availability of purified cytochrome c oxidase mutants for biophysical and biochemical studies.
Potential Advantages of Virtual Institutions

Social institutions are critical to organization and stability. Governments, businesses, markets, military, schools, hospitals, families, and churches are all complex institutions that provide services through an elaborate system of social organization. These institutions are designed to provide specific services to their constituencies by acquiring resources, by converting those resources to services, and by maintaining a permanent bureaucracy to create and deliver those services.
The Relationship between Disease in Crassostrea virginica (GMELIN) and Thermal Effluents in the Chesapeake‐Delaware Bay Area

The null hypothesis for this research was that oyster parasites and disease were not associated with increased thermal loading in the Chesapeake-Delaware area. The American oyster Crassostrea virginica (GMELIN) was held at a reference station and a test station in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay area for a year. Oysters from the four stations were sampled monthly for histological studies and parasite incidence together with the infestation of the polychaetous annelid Polydora websteri. The incidence of parasites and disease conditions from histology was negligible. Based on these results the null hypothesis was accepted, that oyster parasites and diseases did not increase with increased thermal loading. However, infestation of the oyster commensal P. websteri increased with increased temperature.
Photosynthetic electron transport by Zwittergent-extracted chloroplasts requires solubilized plastocyanin

Evidence from numerous laboratories had demonstrated that light plays a regulatory role in photosynthesis through the modulation of key enzymes [1-3]. One system that has been proposed to account for light-dependent enzyme modulation involves membrane-bound cyst(e)ine-containing proteins, designated 'light effect mediators' or 'LEMs'-components proposed to occur in the oxidized (disulfide) state in the dark and in the reduced (sulfhydryl) state in the light [2,4]. It is visualized that chloroplasts contain two LEMs (both on the acceptor side of photosystem I) that, following reduction by non-cyclic electron transport, modulate enzymes of the stroma. One of the proposed LEM components can be solubilized from peas by extracting chloroplast membranes with a Zwittergent detergent [5,6]. In the presence of an artificial electron donor, ascorbate/ 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP), the Zwittergent-treated chloroplast membranes promoted the photoregulation of NADP-malate dehydrogenase of the stroma. Photoregulation in this system was dependent on the solubilized protein fraction that, based on SDS gel electrophoresis, contained several protein components. In experiments designed to determine the effect of Zwittergent extraction on enzyme photoregulation by systems under investigation in our laboratory (i.e., the ferredoxin/thioredoxin and ferralterin systems
2. ON ISLAMIC TIME: RETHINKING CHRONOLOGY IN THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF MUSLIM SOCIETIES

This article argues that the academic representation of Islamic history as a single timeline, which was established in the nineteenth century and continues to predominate to the present, is a primary issue restricting fruitful readings of Islamic historical materials. Utilizing insights in thinking about history that favor multiple temporalities, I suggest that scholars in Islamic studies can expand the possibilities of their work by paying attention to the diversity of ways in which time is conceptualized within original materials. As illustrations for the rethinking I advocate, I provide readings of the structures and literary affects of three Persian works in different genres, produced circa 1490–1540 ce. I suggest that a foundational reorientation in the field of Islamic historiography has the potential to help us break out of binds identified in the critique of orientalism provided by Edward Said and others and would lead to better ways to approach developments in Muslim societies.
Ultrasonic Welding Simulations of Multiple, Thin and Dissimilar Metals for Battery Joining

Ultrasonic welding is a solid-state bond created using ultrasonic energy. It has been used in the semiconductor industry for several decades, and more recently, in the automotive industry such as for battery welding. Even though there existed several numerical simulations on ultrasonic welding, the models were too simplistic, in both theory and welding configuration, to present the multiple sheet, dissimilar metal ultrasonic welding. In this study, theories and a finite element procedure for the ultrasonic welding process are developed. The procedure invokes both Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/Explicit to simulate the mechanical-thermal coupled phenomena over the entire weld duration with moderate computational cost. The procedure is verified and used to simulate selected specific cases involving multiple sheets and dissimilar materials, i.e., copper and aluminum. The simulation procedure demonstrates its capability to predict welding energy and temperature distribution of the workpieces, towards the goal of improving welding quality.Copyright © 2012 by ASME and General Motors
A novel member of the family Hepeviridae from cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarkii )

Beginning in 1988, the Chinook salmon embryo (CHSE-214) cell line was used to isolate a novel virus from spawning adult trout in the state of California, USA. Termed the cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) virus (CTV), the small, round virus was not associated with disease, but was subsequently found to be present in an increasing number of trout populations in the western USA, likely by a combination of improved surveillance activities and the shipment of infected eggs to new locations. Here, we report that the full length genome of the 1988 Heenan Lake isolate of CTV consisted of 7269 nucleotides of positive-sense, single-stranded RNA beginning with a 5' untranslated region (UTR), followed by three open reading frames (ORFs), a 3' UTR and ending in a polyA tail. The genome of CTV was similar in size and organization to that of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) with which it shared the highest nucleotide and amino acid sequence identities. Similar to the genomes of human, rodent or avian hepeviruses, ORF 1 encoded a large, non-structural polyprotein that included conserved methyltransferase, protease, helicase and polymerase domains, while ORF 2 encoded the structural capsid protein and ORF 3 the phosphoprotein. Together, our data indicated that CTV was clearly a member of the family Hepeviridae, although the level of amino acid sequence identity with the ORFs of mammalian or avian hepeviruses (13-27%) may be sufficiently low to warrant the creation of a novel genus. We also performed a phylogenetic analysis using a 262nt region within ORF 1 for 63 isolates of CTV obtained from seven species of trout reared in various geographic locations in the western USA. While the sequences fell into two genetic clades, the overall nucleotide diversity was low (less than 8.4%) and many isolates differed by only 1-2 nucleotides, suggesting an epidemiological link. Finally, we showed that CTV was able to form persistently infected cultures of the CHSE-214 cell line that may have use in research on the biology or treatment of hepevirus infections of humans or other animals.
Role of the intramolecular hydrogen bond network in the inhibitory power of chymotrypsin inhibitor 2

A series of mutants of chymotrypsin inhibitor 2 (CI2), at residues involved in intramolecular interactions that shape and constrain the binding loop, were studied to determine their relative importance for inhibition of the serine protease subtilisin BPN', and for resistance of the inhibitor to proteolysis. These functional properties were investigated in tandem with the crystal structures of the mutant inhibitor-enzyme complexes. A dense hydrogen bonding network that supports the binding loop in the vicinity of the scissile bond was found to be important both for enzyme affinity and for stability to proteolysis. Structural analysis, in combination with biochemical measurements, allows differentiation of the structural components most important for resistance to proteolysis and/or binding. The most critical participating residues in the network were found to be Thr-58, Glu-60, Arg-65, and Gly-83. Glu-60 is more important for resistance to proteolysis than for binding, while Arg-65 and two other Arg residues play a greater role in binding than in resistance to proteolysis. Structural comparisons reveal a wide variety of subtle conformational changes in response to mutation, with built-in robustness in the hydrogen bond network, such that loss of one contact is compensated by other new contacts.
PHOTOFRIN-mediated photodynamic therapy for treatment of early stage (Tis-T2N0M0) SqCCa of oral cavity and oropharynx.

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of dihematoporphyrin ether (PHOTOFRIN)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of diffuse field cancerization and Tis-T2N0M0 squamous cell carcinoma (SqCCA) of the oral cavity and oropharynx in patients not amenable to or that have failed conventional head and neck cancer treatment. Methods This is a retrospective study of 30 patients with Tis-T2N0M0 SqCCA of the oral cavity/oropharynx treated with PDT. Intravenous PHOTOFRIN (porfimer sodium) (dose 2.0 mg/kg) was administered outpatient, followed 48–60 hours later by intraoperative photoactivation at 630 nm via fiberoptic microlens surface delivery (light dose 50–100 J/cm2) or interstitial implantation via cylindrical diffuser fiberoptic delivery (light dose 50–100 J/cm). Results Twenty-four of 30 patients (80%) have demonstrated complete remission (follow-up 3–144 months). There were six patients who had partial remission with recurrence observed at 3, 3, 5, 9, 23, and 26 months subsequently retreated with conventional therapy. Eleven of 24 patients were cancer disease free at 2 years following PDT. Conclusion PDT provides a surgical oncologic modality for potentially curative treatment of early stage oral cavity and oropharyngeal malignancies either as a primary modality or for treatment in patients that have previously failed surgery and/or radiation therapy. Lasers Surg. Med. 42:1–8, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Trends in Postacute Care and Staffing in US Nursing Homes, 2001–2010

Objective The objective of this study was to document the growth of postacute care and contemporaneous staffing trends in US nursing homes over the decade 2001 to 2010.
Lens permeability changes associated with metabolic inhibition by iodoacetate.

Sodium iodoacetate (IAA) at 10 −3 m was shown to cause a biphasic depolarization of the rabbit lens. The first portion of the depolarization was attributed to inhibition of the electrogenic sodium pump following depression of glycolysis. The larger second phase of lens depolarization, a transient increase both of lens conductance and 42 K efflux rate, all indicate that IAA influences lens membrane permeability characteristics. After 100 min exposure to IAA, the lens potential stabilized at −39 mV, and lens conductance and 42 K efflux rate stabilized at values close to the control values. These findings suggested that extended treatment with IAA increased the ratio of lens sodium to potassium permeability without increasing the overall leakiness of the lens.
How I conduct a comprehensive chronic graft-versus host disease assessment

Since the National Institutes of Health Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (cGVHD) Consensus Project in 2005, a need has emerged to evaluate cGVHD more methodically, not only to make a cGVHD diagnosis, but also to accurately classify individual organ and global organ severity, at baseline and in follow-up so that subjects participating in clinical trials may reliably be assigned an accurate response category irrespective of the evaluator. Even for patients not enrolled on a clinical trial, periodic complete cGVHD assessments can allow subtle manifestations to be detected, monitored carefully, and/or treated early with the goal of hopefully avoiding progression to highly morbid, difficult to treat, and quite often irreversible forms of cGVHD. Early feedback has been that the National Institutes of Health approach to diagnosis classification, staging, and response, as well as other new assessment tools, are too detailed and overly complex. This article tries to address many of these issues by describing how I conduct a comprehensive cGVHD assessment using a streamlined and reliable method that I use regularly within the constraints of a busy clinic.