cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of monocular visual deprivation: disuse or binocular interaction?

Abstract Patches of transneuronal degeneration were produced in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) by retinal laser burns and a tarsorrhaphy was performed in the contralateral eye of Macaca mulatta during infancy. The adverse effect of unilateral visual deprivation on geniculate cell growth was absent in those portions of deprived LGN laminae that were located opposite a degenerated patch. This finding supports the hypothesis that arrest of geniculate cell growth from unilateral visual deprivation is caused by abnormal binocular interaction. However, the concurrent findings of arrest of cell growth in the monocularly innervated LGN portions suggest that disuse may play an additional role in causing the LGN changes, since abnormal binocular interaction cannot take place in those parts of the LGN that receive input exclusively from one eye.
vibration—vibration energy transfer in hydrogen molecules: H2(1) + H2(1) → H2(2) + H2(0)

Abstract The effect of molecular rotation and temperature dependence of energy transfer probabilities of the vibration—vibration process H2(1) + H2(1) → H2(2) + H2 (0) have been investigated using a semi-empirical potential in the probability expression obtained from an approximate solution of the time dependent wave equation. Orientation-averaged probabilities are an order of magnitude smaller than those for collinear collisions.
An overview on the advances in cardiovascular interventional MR imaging

Interventional cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (iCMR) represents a new discipline whose systematic development will foster minimally invasive interventional procedures without radiation exposure. New generations of open, wide and short bore MR scanners and real time sequences made cardiovascular intervention possible. MR compatible endovascular catheters and guide-wires are needed for delivery of devices such as stents or atrial septal defect (ASD) closures. Catheter tracking is based on active and passive approaches. Currently performed MR-guided procedures are used to monitor, navigate and track endovascular catheters and to deliver local therapeutic agents to targets, such as infarcted myocardium and vascular walls. Heating of endovascular MR catheters, guide-wires and devices during imaging still presents high safety risks. MR contrast media improve the capabilities of MR imaging by enhancing blood signal, pathologic targets (such as myocardial infarctions and atherosclerotic plaques), endovascular catheters and by tracking injected therapeutic agents. Labeling injected soluble therapeutic agents, genes or cells with MR contrast media enables interventionalists to ensure the administration of the drugs in the target and to trace their distribution in the targets. The future clinical use of this iCMR technique requires (1) high spatial and temporal resolution imaging, (2) special catheters and devices and (3) effective therapeutic agents, genes or cells. These conditions are available at a low scale at the present time and need to be developed in the near future. Such progress will lead to improved patient care and minimize invasiveness.
Service quality gap analysis toward customer loyalty: practical guidelines for casino hotels

Abstract Based on 192 completed surveys from casino players, the authors conducted a gap analysis between loyal customers and potential switchers in evaluating casinos’ service quality attributes. It was found that the top three gaps were all related to the functional quality (interactions between customers, and casino employees), not technical quality (e.g., the casino's variety of games, better odds, or preferred rules). This study offered an approach to help improve service quality toward customer loyalty.
Reaction mechanism studies in 24Mg(α, α'γ)24Mg

Abstract Reaction-plane double differential cross sections were measured for 24Mg(α, α'γ)24Mg at 16.65 MeV with an 800 keV thick target to provide energy-averaged results. Scattered α-particles were detected from 27.5° to 140° at 7.5° intervals in the lab frame. The γ-detector was moved in the same plane to measure 15-point α'-γ double differential cross sections at each α-angle. Data were obtained for 24Mg(α, α1γ)24Mg and for 24Mg(α, α2 + α3γ)24Mg. The former data were analyzed with previous elastic-scattering differential cross sections and with (α, α1) and (α, α2) cross sections in a DWBA plus Hauser-Feshbach analysis and a coupledchannels plus Hauser-Feshbach analysis. The first three levels of 24Mg were treated as levels of a rotational band. The compound-nucleus contributions are significant at all backward angles and dominate the calculated inelastic cross sections. However, the compound-nucleus contribution is near zero in the angular region 60° to 120° for the anisotropy parameters of the (α,α1γ) cross sections. The DWBA plus Hauser-Feshbach fits are in close agreement with the coupled-channels plus Hauser-Feshbach fits for the (α, α') cross sections but show less agreement for the (α, α1γ) cross sections.
FURTHER ANALYSIS OF INTERSENSORY FACILITATION OF LEARNING SETS IN MONKEYS.

Thirty visual and 30 tactual object discrimination problems were given to normal and parietally and temporally lesioned monkeys. Half of each group received the visual problems first and half the tactual problems first. Performance was facilitated or retarded depending upon experience and type of lesion.
Copolymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam and glycidyl methacrylate: Reactivity ratio and composition control

Free-radical copolymerizations of N-vinylcaprolactam (VCL) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) were investigated to synthesize temperature-responsive reactive copolymers with minimized compositional heterogeneity. The average copolymer composition was determined by Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The reactivity ratios for VCL and GMA were found to be 0.0365 ± 0.0009 and 6.44 ± 0.36 by the Fineman–Ross method and 0.039 ± 0.006 and 6.75 ± 0.29 by the Kelen–Tudos method, respectively. When prepared by batch polymerization, VCL–GMA copolymers had a highly heterogeneous composition and fractions of different solubilities in water. The use of a gradual feeding technique, which included the sequential addition of more reactive GMA monomer into the reaction, yielded copolymers with much more homogeneous composition. The produced copolymers with 0.9 and 0.11 fractional GMA contents preserved their temperature-responsive properties and precipitated from aqueous solutions when the temperature exceeded 31 °C. The GMA units in the VCL–GMA copolymers were capable of reacting with amino end-functionalized poly(ethylene oxide) at room temperature to produce poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)–poly(ethylene oxide) graft copolymers. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 183–191, 2006
Divorce The Aftermath

This piece examines the sequelae of divorce and the intersection of private loneliness and public belonging. It considers the impact of place on one’s sense of identity.
Blended payment methods in physician organizations under managed care.

ContextIndependent practice associations (IPAs) are developing new methods of physician reimbursement to balance the objectives of encouraging individual productivity and clinical cooperation. The economic literature on payment incentives, derived from nonhealth industries, predicts that methods blending elements of fee-for-service and capitation will outperform exclusive reliance on either form of payment.ObjectiveTo identify emerging payment methods within IPA physician groups that contract with managed care organizations.Design and SettingCase studies of 7 large IPAs in the San Francisco, Calif, metropolitan region that served 826,000 health maintenance organization (HMO) patients during the summer and fall of 1998.Main Outcome MeasurePayment methods of IPAs for primary care physicians, specialists, and physicians grouped by specialty department within the overall IPA structure.ResultsAll the IPAs contracted with multiple HMOs for the full range of primary and specialty care physicians' services but paid member physicians using methods that blended elements of fee-for-service and subcapitation. For primary care, most IPAs used monthly capitation adjusted for patient age, sex, and selected diagnoses, supplemented with fee-for-service payment for a wide range of visits and procedures, including patient visits in subacute, skilled nursing facility, emergency department, or home settings; for preventive care services; for office procedures requiring expensive supplies; and, most importantly, for borderline primary care procedures that either could be performed directly or referred to specialty care. All the IPAs paid specialty departments on a capitated basis and delegated to the departments responsibility for allocating the budget among individuals. Allocation mechanisms for individual specialists included adjusted fee-for-service, referral-based capitation, and blends of both.ConclusionOur results and case studies indicate that IPAs are developing payment methods that blend elements of fee-for-service and capitation in innovative ways for primary care and specialty physicians.
Pneumocystis pneumonia in patients treated with rituximab.

Background Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP) is an opportunistic fungal infection. Although T-cell immunity is classically related to Pneumocystis defense, recent data support roles for B lymphocytes in the development of PcP in animals, and we have observed several cases of PcP in patients receiving rituximab. These observations prompted a systematic review of our experience to define the spectrum of clinical presentations in which PcP has occurred in the setting of rituximab therapy. Methods Using a computer-based search, we reviewed the records of patients who received rituximab and developed PcP at Mayo Clinic Rochester over the years 1998 to 2011 to establish the underlying conditions, clinical course, possible risk factors, and potential association between this drug and the development of PcP. Results Over this period, 30 patients developed PcP during treatment with rituximab. The underlying diseases included hematologic malignancies in 90% of cases. Glucocorticoids were used in 73% of these patients, under different chemotherapeutic regimens. Three patients (10%) developed PcP in the setting of rituximab without concomitant chemotherapy or significant glucocorticoid exposure. Of these 30 patients, 88% developed acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and 53% required ICU admission. The clinical course was fatal in 30%. Conclusion PcP can occur in association with rituximab, with the majority of cases having also received cytotoxic chemotherapy or significant doses of glucocorticoids. The clinical course of cases of PcP in patients treated with rituximab can be quite fulminant, with significant mortality. Primary prophylaxis should be considered in patients at risk, and secondary prophylaxis provided unless immune reconstitution is well assured.
Trust in standards: Transitioning clinical exome sequencing from bench to bedside

Clinical exome sequencing is a genetic technology making the transition from a laboratory research tool to a routine clinical technique used to diagnose patients. Standards help make this transition by offering authoritative shortcuts for time-intensive tasks, but each shortcut means that something is lost during abstraction. In clinical exome sequencing, reliance on standards may obscure the match between a patient’s phenotype and genotype. Based on three years of observations, I show how a clinical exome sequencing team decides when to trust standards and when to develop workarounds. I argue that the match between phenotype and genotype is circumscribed by the team’s reliance on specific standards and that trusting in standards means trusting in experts’ appropriate use of standards, generating a workflow of reflexive standardization.
Are sensitive technologies enablers of civil nuclear power? An empirical study

In order to better understand, quantitatively and objectively, the factors that have been associated with the extent to which a given state relies on nuclear energy to generate electricity (termed 'nuclear reliance' (NR)), regression analysis was applied to a set of 14 hypothesised independent variables having associated measures constructed from a database assembled for this purpose. That process led to a linear model with five independent variables that collectively predict NR with high confidence (p < 0.05, for all predictors) and acceptable goodness of fit (R² = 0.53). This basic linear model was then employed as a tool to analyse several more-or-less current topics related to proliferation. These include the historical effectiveness of the nonproliferation regime, as regards the spread of sensitive fuel-cycle technologies; the premise underlying (fuel) assurance programmes, as intended to ensure access to (insensitive) nuclear materials and technology, in return for forgoing development of sensitive technologies; and the persistent lack of recipient states willing to accept the bargain underlying assurance programmes.
Ultrastructural studies of vasopressin neurons of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus using a monoclonal antibody to vasopressin: Analysis of synaptic input

The ultrastructure of the vasopressin neurons of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus was studied by immunocytochemical techniques. Tissue antigen was detected in unembedded tissue sections using a monoclonal antibody that recognizes vasopressin but not oxytocin or vasotocin. At the light-microscopic level, reaction product was seen to fill the cytoplasm of the neuron cell body as well as large portions of the dendrite and axon. Immunoreactive spines were seen on both somatic and dendritic surfaces and their presence was confirmed at the ultrastructural level. In the light-microscope, axonal processes do not have spines and are thinner and more varicose than dendritic processes. At the electron-microscopic level, both axons and dendrites of the vasopressin cells are filled with reactive neurosecretory granules. The presence of large numbers of these organelles made it difficult to distinguish proximal dendrites from Herring bodies (axonal swellings). At the ultrastructural level, reaction product was also observed in the cytoplasm of all segments of the vasopressin cells. The presence of reaction product outside of membranous compartments is undoubtably due to disruption of membranes by detergent treatment or exposure to basic pH. However, the staining procedure used did allow us to examine the synaptic input to the vasopressin cells. All portions of the vasopressin neuron receive a diverse innervation. The somata have synapses on their surfaces and on spines. These axo-somatic terminals are primarily, but not exclusively, symmetrical and the presynaptic elements contain spherical or elongate vesicles. On the dendrites, terminals again were observed on the surface or on spines. these axo-dendritic synapses were usually asymmetrical. The presynaptic elements contained clear spherical, elongate or pleomorphic vesicles. Occasional varicosities with dense-core granules were seen to make en passant contacts with dendrites; these contacts did not have obvious membrane specializations. Input to vasopressin axons was studied both along the paraventricular-neurohypophysial tract and in the median eminence. Vasopressin axons receive a synaptic input (axo-axonic), predominately of the asymmetric variety with clear, spherical vesicles in the presynaptic element. These findings demonstrate that the vasopressin neurons of the paraventricular nucleus receive a diverse innervation.
Blocking and ripening of colloids in porous media and their implications for bacterial transport

A model accounting for the dynamics of colloid deposition in porous media was developed and applied to systems containing similarly charged particles and collectors. Colloid breakthrough and intracolumn retention data confirmed that blocking reduced overall colloidal adhesion to soil. The surface coverage at which blocking occurred varied for the type of colloid, as shown by changes in the clean-bed collision efficiency, a0, and the excluded area parameter, b. Excluded area parameters were relatively high due to unfavorable interactions between particles and collectors, and ranged from 11.5 for one bacterium (Pseudomonas putida KT2442) to 13.7 and 24.1 for carboxylated latex microspheres with differing degrees of charged groups on their surfaces. Differences in b values for the three colloids were correlated with electrophoretic mobility, with the most negatively charged colloid (carboxylated latex; CL microspheres) having the highest b. No correlation between hydrophobicity and a0 or b was found. Besides using colloidal particles capable of blocking, the addition of chemical additives to the soil has been suggested as a means for reducing attachment of colloids to porous media. Dextran addition caused an order-of-magnitude reduction in the overall a (for carboxylated-modified latex; CMLs). This reduction was not attributed to blocking, but to the sorption of dextran to the soil which lowered a0. The filtration-based numerical model used to fit the a0 and b parameters was used to demonstrate that blocking could result in significantly enhanced bacterial transport in field situations. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The spleen as a hematological organ.

The spleen has multiple roles in human physiology. Eight major functions are discussed in this review (hematopoiesis, erythrocyte destruction, hormonal function in hematopoiesis, culling and pitting, platelet and leukocyte destruction, particulate removal, reservoir function, and immunologic function). Splenic trapping of red cells, and the concepts of hypersplenism, are major responsibilities of this organ. These aspects are placed in perspective for the reader.
A comparison of the mechanisms of action of interferon beta and glatiramer acetate in the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Abstract Background: The development of immunomodulatory agents has represented a major advance in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). To date, immunomodulatory agents approved for the treatment of relapsing MS in the United States include 3 forms of recombinant interferon (IFN) beta (2 formulations of IFN beta-1a and 1 of IFN beta-1b) and synthetic glatiramer acetate (GA). Recognition of how these agents work to regulate the immune system may lead to a better understanding of disease mechanisms, as well as to development of more effective therapies or combinations of therapy. Objective: This article reviews the potential mechanisms of action of IFN beta products and GA in the context of their regulatory effects on autoimmune components that may be of importance in MS. Methods: MEDLINE and Current Contents/Clinical Medicine were searched for articles published in English from 1993 to the present using the search terms interferon beta, glatiramer acetate , and multiple sclerosis . Results: IFN beta products affect the disease process in MS through multiple potential mechanisms of action, including antiviral, antiproliferative, and anti-inflammatory effects. The mechanisms of action of GA are less clear, but may involve immune regulation induced by a gradual shift of T-cell phenotype from proinflammatory (type 1 T-helper cells) to anti-inflammatory (type 2 T-helper cells) and interference with antigen presentation. Conclusion: Understanding the mechanisms of action of IFN beta products and GA provides important insights into the disease processes involved in MS.
African Boundary Conflict: An Empirical Study

Modern African life has been profoundly affected by the brief period of European colonial domination during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While the past is prologue for all states, the ramifications of Africa's colonial past have been felt with particular acuity in the current era due to the speed of Africa's transition from colonial status to that of independence. Many aspects of contemporary Africa reflect the residual effects of colonialism, but few do so with the clarity of the boundary situation. This study will focus on one particularly important aspect of that boundary situation—boundary conflict. In particular, it will define the explanations for boundary conflict offered most often in the traditional literature and test their validity using empirical methods. The boundaries of modern Africa were the creation of European diplomats who partitioned Africa among themselves with little regard for, or knowledge of, the socio-cultural characteristics of the continent. As a result of the capriciousness of the European partition, a typical African boundary may group together many ethnic groups in one state, it may cut across many ethnic or national boundaries of the past, or it may create a state whose physical characteristics hinder political, social, or economic stability. Since the colonial boundaries were used, with few exceptions, as the basis for the devolution of sovereignty in Africa, the current leaders of the continent have had to deal with the effects of this boundary situation. African international relations have also been influenced by the presence of externally defined, artificial boundaries. Political boundaries mark sharp discontinuities in political jurisdiction, but in Africa few of those discontinuities correspond to the patterns of the socio-cultural environment. It has, therefore, been frequently charged that the artificial boundaries of Africa form the basis for conflict between the African states (Emerson, 1963: 105). In order to make their boundaries more congruent with the ethnic landscape, some states might attempt to adjust their boundaries at the expense of a neighbor. If Africa's modern boundaries had been allowed to evolve in a more natural manner, or if the colonial powers had based their partition upon a more thorough appreciation of the ethnic contours of the continent, it is assumed that the states of Africa would be less prone to boundary conflict.
Coral Reef Fishes: Opportunities, Challenges and Concerns

Coral reef fishes represent superb models for test of biological theory in field or laboratory. Nonetheless, our knowledge comes from few locations, few biological disciplines, and few of the more than 70 families of fishes occupying coral reefs. Most reef fishes exhibit complex life histories involving distinctive pelagic larval stages, ecological and structural changes associated with settling on reefs, and a quest by growing juveniles for high quality adult habitat. Remarkable adaptations in development, physiology and behavior characterize these stages, yet opportunities to understand such adaptations decline with the destruction of reef habitat and fish populations by rapidly expanding human populations. Recent advances reflect the power of interdisciplinary collaboration, but the future of reefs and their fishes will likely depend on the ability of reef biologists to collaborate with caring non-scientists and provide knowledge, understanding and direction to those who govern.
Evolving neural networks for fractured domains

Evolution of neural networks, or neuroevolution, bas been successful on many low-level control problems such as pole balancing, vehicle control, and collision warning. However, high-level strategy problems that require the integration of multiple sub-behaviors have remained difficult for neuroevolution to solve. This paper proposes the hypothesis that such problems are difficult because they are fractured: the correct action varies discontinuously as the agent moves from state to state. This hypothesis is evaluated on several examples of fractured high-level reinforcement learning domains. Standard neuroevolution methods such as NEAT indeed have difficulty solving them. However, a modification of NEAT that uses radial basis function (RBF) nodes to make precise local mutations to network output is able to do much better. These results provide a better understanding of the different types of reinforcement learning problems and the limitations of current neuroevolution methods. Thus, they lay the groundwork for creating the next generation of neuroevolution algorithms that can learn strategic high-level behavior in fractured domains.
Evidence that Chlamydia pneumoniae Causes Pneumonia and Bronchitis

An epidemic often provides an opportunity to obtain evidence of the etiologic association of a microorganism with disease. Chlamydia pneumoniae TWAR is a newly recognized organism whose relationship to disease is not completely understood. An outbreak of C. pneumoniae infections from November 1990 to February 1991 was studied in University of Washington students. Twelve TWAR infections were identified serologically in 54 students with acute respiratory disease. The organism was isolated from 7 of the 12 and identified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 2 that were isolation-negative. The organism was not found in any of the 42 serologically negative patients or in 51 control student patients without respiratory illness cultured in 1991. There was no evidence of infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae or respiratory viruses in the 12 patients with C. pneumoniae infection. During the 4-month outbreak, there was an increase in total pneumonia cases. These findings provide evidence for an etiologic association of C. pneumoniae with pneumonia and bronchitis.
The Gift of Life The Sociology of Religion in Talcott Parsons' Late Work

In the last decade of his life, Talcott Parsons devoted a large part of his scholarly attention to the sociology of religion and to the history and symbolism of Christianity. This part of Parsons' work has been almost completely neglected – both in the literature on Parsons and in the sociology of religion. In my interpretation, Parsons' late systems-theoretical ‘human condition paradigm’ is separated from his quasi-structuralist analyses of Jewish and Christian myths. The core of these myths is, according to Parsons, the idea of life as a gift. The article analyses the importance of this idea for(1) a sociological understanding of Christianity, (2) some aspects of contemporary moral theorizing, particularly the question how the Judeo-Christian tradition can be appropriated under the condition of highly developed autonomous individuality, and (3) the question of a latent Protestant bias in Parsons' theory of social change.
Scaling the SIESTA magnetohydrodynamics equilibrium code

SUMMARY We report the results of a scaling effort that increases both the speed and resolution of the SIESTA magnetohydrodynamics equilibrium code. SIESTA is capable of computing three-dimensional plasma equilibria with magnetic islands at high spatial resolutions for toroidally confined plasmas. Starting with a small-scale parallel implementation, we identified scale-dependent bottlenecks of the code and developed scalable alternatives for each performance-significant functionality, cumulatively improving both its runtime speed (on the same number of processors) and its scalability (across larger number of processors) by an order of magnitude. The net outcome is an improvement in speed by over 10-fold, utilizing a few thousand processors, enabling SIESTA to simulate high spatial-resolution scenarios in under an hour for the first time. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
La obra de Bernardo de Aldrete en el contexto catalanohablante: imperialismo frente a nacionalismo lingüístico

Este articulo se centra en las ideas sobre el monolinguismo y la mezcla linguistica en la obra Del origen y principio de la lengua castellana o romance que oi se usa en Espana de Bernardo de Aldrete (1606), y las coloca en el contexto politico, social y cultural de la zona catalanohablante a finales del siglo dieciseis y principios del siglo diecisiete. Esta contextualizacion de-muestra, en primer lugar, que una parte importante de la ideologia linguistica en Del origen consiste en la defensa del imperialismo linguistico frente al nacionalismo linguistico. Esta postura se basa en el rechazo de la mezcla linguistica y en el apoyo al bilinguismo desequilibrado, que implica la defensa del uso exclusivo del castellano en contextos formales en la zona catalanoparlante. En segundo lugar, la comparacion de Del origen con textos de la zona catalanohablante escritos tanto en catalan como en castellano muestra que en Del origen hay ideas contradictorias en lo que al valor de la mezcla linguistica se refiere.
Shared Molecular Strategies of the Malaria Parasite P. falciparum and the Human Virus HIV-1

We augmented existing computationally predicted and experimentally determined interactions with evolutionarily conserved interactions between proteins of the malaria parasite, P. falciparum, and the human host. In a validation step, we found that conserved interacting host-parasite protein pairs were specifically expressed in host tissues where both the parasite and host proteins are known to be active. We compared host-parasite interactions with experimentally verified interactions between human host proteins and a very different pathogen, HIV-1. Both pathogens were found to use their protein repertoire in a combinatorial manner, providing a broad connection to host cellular processes. Specifically, the two biologically distinct pathogens predominately target central proteins to take control of a human host cell, effectively reaching into diversified cellular host cellular functions. Interacting signaling pathways and a small set of regulatory and signaling proteins were prime targets of both pathogens, suggesting remarkably similar patterns of host-pathogen interactions despite the vast biological differences of both pathogens. Such an identification of shared molecular strategies by the virus HIV-1 and the eukaryotic intracellular pathogen P. falciparum may allow us to illuminate new avenues of disease intervention.
A profit-based scoring system in consumer credit: making acquisition decisions for credit cards

Consumer credit scoring is one of the most successful applications of quantitative analysis in business with nearly every major lender using charge-off models to make decisions. Yet banks do not extend credit to control charge-off, but to secure profit. So, while charge-off models work well in rank-ordering the loan default costs associated with lending and are ubiquitous throughout the industry, the equivalent models on the revenue side are not being used despite the need. This paper outlines a profit-based scoring system for credit cards to be used for acquisition decisions by addressing three issues. First, the paper explains why credit card profit models—as opposed to cost or charge-off models—have been difficult to build and implement. Second, a methodology for modelling revenue on credit cards at application is proposed. Finally, acquisition strategies are explored that use both a spend model and a charge-off model to balance tradeoffs between charge-off, revenue, and volume.
Immunosuppressive agents and plasmapheresis in immunological disorders.

AbstractPlasmapheresis (PA) was introduced in the treatment of immunologically mediated disease at the beginning of last decade and it was initially claimed to be the panacea for several diseases. it was quickly realized that PA on its own did not have a sustained therapeutic effect and it was the immunosuppressive drugs which could help in the maintenance of an established effect. In this communication we review the immunoregulatory effects of several immunosuppresive agents and discuss their role when used in conjunction with PA primarily in the treatment of rheumatological disorders.
Development of surface metrology for the Giant Magellan Telescope primary mirror

The Giant Magellan Telescope achieves 25 meter aperture and modest length using an f /0.7 primary mirror made from 8.4 meter diameter segments. The systems that will be used for measuring the aspheric optical surfaces of these mirrors are in the final phase of development. This paper discusses the overall metrology plan and shows details for the development of the principal test system - a system that uses mirrors and holograms to provide a null interferometric test of the surface. This system provides a full aperture interferometric measurement of the off-axis segments by compensating the 14.5 mm aspheric departure with a tilted 3.8-m diameter powered mirror, a 77 cm tilted mirror, and a computer generated hologram. The interferometric measurements are corroborated with a scanning slope measurement from a scanning pentaprism system and a direct measurement system based on a laser tracker.
How do animal mitochondria tolerate water stress

The vast majority of animal species do not tolerate severe water stress, but the encysted embryo of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana is an exceptionally useful organism to investigate physiological mechanisms for enduring extreme environmental insults. Any substantial reduction in cellular water poses a threat to survival. Nevertheless anhydrobiotic animals survive virtually complete loss of cellular water. The mechanisms that govern “life without water” (anhydrobiosis) are still not well understood. With certain exceptions, it seems that a recurring strategy for tolerating severe water loss involves the accumulation of both low molecular weight solutes (e.g. trehalose or other polyol) and highly hydrophilic macromolecules such as Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins, which were first described about 20 years ago in plant seeds. New studies show that LEA proteins found in animals not only protect proteins in the cytosol during desiccation, but also confer resistance to water stress, including...
Dynamic contrast-enhanced optical imaging of in vivo organ function.

Conventional approaches to optical small animal molecular imaging suffer from poor resolution, limited sensitivity, and unreliable quantitation, often reducing their utility in practice. We previously demonstrated that the in vivo dynamics of an injected contrast agent could be exploited to provide high-contrast anatomical registration, owing to the temporal differences in each organ's response to the circulating fluorophore. This study extends this approach to explore whether dynamic contrast-enhanced optical imaging (DyCE) can allow noninvasive, in vivo assessment of organ function by quantifying the differing cellular uptake or wash-out dynamics of an agent in healthy and damaged organs. Specifically, we used DyCE to visualize and measure the organ-specific uptake dynamics of indocyanine green before and after induction of transient liver damage. DyCE imaging was performed longitudinally over nine days, and blood samples collected at each imaging session were analyzed for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a liver enzyme assessed clinically as a measure of liver damage. We show that changes in DyCE-derived dynamics of liver and kidney dye uptake caused by liver damage correlate linearly with ALT concentrations, with an r 2 value of 0.91. Our results demonstrate that DyCE can provide quantitative, in vivo, longitudinal measures of organ function with inexpensive and simple data acquisition. © 2012 Society of Photo-Optical
Competitive Outcomes in Product-Differentiated Oligopoly

structure. Firms anticipate the competitive effects of market structure when making their entry and product-type decisions. The market structure variables used to explain the observed outcomes, therefore, derive from the related entry and product choice stage of the game. As a result, it is crucial to allow for correlation between unobserved factors that affect the entry and product-type decisions of firms and unobservables in the outcome regressions. To correct for the potential bias caused by this correlation, an econometric model of equilibrium market structure is employed as a selection equation in a two-step estimation procedure. The second-step outcome regressions are modified to reflect the market structure selection. This alternative approach emphasizes the logical relationship among firms’ entry and product choice behavior, market structure, and price competition. Following this introduction, I provide some background for the analysis of competitive outcomes in motel oligopolies. Section III presents the two-step estimation procedure developed to measure the effects of concentration and differentiation on outcomes. This procedure is used to analyze the observed outcomes of motels located along interstate highways; the data are outlined in section IV. In section V, I present the estimation results. Evidence from the analysis of these outcomes help demonstrate why motel firms find differentiation a profitable product choice strategy. Section VI provides some concluding remarks.
Toward a Sustainable Technopolis

The chapter offers observations on what makes a technopolis sustainable, and how a technopolis contributes to the sustainability of society outside the technopolis’ boundaries. Each technopolis project must attend to sustainability in the scientific/engineering arena, in the social arena, and in the arena of environment and the triple bottom line. The chapter offers criticism of common concepts of sustainability, suggesting that technopolis designers and scientists are well positioned to sharpen our views and practices regarding sustainability.
Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR)-1 and -2 in the Ovine Corpus Luteum throughout the Estrous Cycle*

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) probably play an important role in development and maintenance of the vasculature of the corpus luteum (CL). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the distribution and levels of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) in the ovine CL from the early, mid- and late stages of the estrous cycle. Presence of FGFR-1 and -2 receptors was evaluated in CL by using Western analysis, immunohistochemistry and topical autoradiography. Western analysis demonstrated that the levels of FGFR-1 and -2 were similar in the early and mid-cycle CL but increased (p < 0.05) in the late stage of the estrous cycle. Immunohistochemistry and topical autoradiography demonstrate that both parenchymal (steroidogenic) and nonparenchymal (e.g. endothelial, fibroblastic) cells express FGFR-1 and -2. FGFR-1 was localized to the luteal vasculature throughout the estrous cycle; in the parenchymal cells, it was present during mid-cycle but was barely detectable in the late stage. Conversely, FGFR-2 was present in the parenchymal cells at all stages of the estrous cycle but localized to the larger microvessels only at the late stage. These data demonstrate that FGF receptors are present in the parenchyma as well as the vasculature of the CL which suggests that FGF is involved in the regulation of luteal parenchymal and vascular function.
Translational and rotational symmetries in integral derivatives of arbitrary order

Abstract Based on the invariance under translations and rotations of quantum chemical one- and two-electron integrals, a method for obtaining a complete set of independent relations among integral derivatives of arbitrary order is presented. Explicit formulas for the dependent integral derivatives are derived in terms of the remaining (independent) ones. The formulas are derived in a manner which imposes no restrictions on the nuclear positions. The special case of collinear nuclear centers is also examined.
On neural network application to robust impedance control of robot manipulators

Performance of impedance controller for robot force tracking is affected by the uncertainties in the robot model and environment stiffness. The purpose of the paper is to improve the controller robustness by applying the neural network technique to compensate for the uncertainties in the robot model. A novel error signal is proposed for the neural network training. In addition, an algorithm is developed to determine the reference trajectory when the environment stiffness is unknown. Simulations show that highly robust position/force tracking by a three degrees-of-freedom robot can be achieved under large uncertainties.
Poster: Towards finding unknown genes: The GenomePro framework

We present a data processing framework aimed at facilitating the discovery of unknown genes in any genome, extracting DNA, RNA or Protein sub-sequences of any length. Using our GenomePro framework, we process raw input data files, of any size, in multiple formats such as NGS, fasta, and GBK, extracting all sub-sequences, of lengths selected by the end user. The only limitations are the computer storage size and/or operating system restrictions. Our framework can be applied to any life form genome.
Synergy between Hematopoietic and Radioresistant Stromal Cells Is Required for Autoimmune Manifestations of DNase II−/−IFNaR−/− Mice

Detection of endogenous nucleic acids by cytosolic receptors, dependent on STING, and endosomal sensors, dependent on Unc93b1, can provoke inflammatory responses that contribute to a variety of autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases. In DNase II-deficient mice, the excessive accrual of undegraded DNA leads to both a STING-dependent inflammatory arthritis and additional Unc93b1-dependent autoimmune manifestations, including splenomegaly, extramedullary hematopoiesis, and autoantibody production. In this study, we use bone marrow chimeras to show that clinical and histological inflammation in the joint depends upon DNase II deficiency in both donor hematopoietic cells and host radioresistant cells. Additional features of autoimmunity in these mice, known to depend on Unc93b1 and therefore endosomal TLRs, also require DNase II deficiency in both donor and host compartments, but only require functional TLRs in the hematopoietic cells. Collectively, our data demonstrate a major role of both stromal and hematopoietic cells in all aspects of DNA-driven autoimmunity. These findings further point to the importance of cytosolic nucleic acid sensors in creating an inflammatory environment that facilitates the development of Unc93b1-dependent autoimmunity.
Development of methods to genetically transform American grape (Vitis × labruscana L. H. Bailey)

SummaryA method to genetically transform embryogenic callus from Vitis × labruscana is reported. Embryogenic calli from ‘Fredonia’ and ‘Niagara’ were co-cultivated with A. tumefaciens strain LBA 4404 carrying constructor Agl-gus BS35, to obtain Agl-gus transgenic plants. Five ‘Fredonia’ Agl-gus plants were recovered in this experiment. They were confirmed as positive transformants by PCR and Southern blot analysis. This is the first report of successful genetic transformation and recovery of transgenic plants in V. × labruscana.
Book Review Essay: Capital Resurgent? The Political Economy of Gérard Duménil and Dominique Lévy

Written from a broadly Marxist perspective, Capital Resurgent proposes a sweeping interpretation of nearly one hundred and fifty years of capitalist development, illuminating the neoliberal revolution of the past quarter century through comparisons with earlier periods. French economists Gerard Dumenil and Dominique Levy have produced an ambitious book, replete with useful data and provocative hypotheses, that summarizes and synthesizes their growing oeuvre.
High-speed 1.3-µm buried crescent injection lasers with semi-insulating current blocking layers

The fabrication and performance of high-speed and high-power 1.3-μm InGaAsP buried crescent lasers with semi-insulating (SI) current blocking layers are reported. These semi-insulation buried crescent (SIBC) lasers have a 3-dB modulation bandwidth of 11 GHz and cw output power of 42 mW/ facet. This is the highest modulation bandwidth and output power yet reported for an InGaAsP laser with a semi-insulating blocking layer.
DNA interstrand cross-linking upon irradiation of aryl halide C-nucleotides.

γ-Radiolysis kills cells by damaging DNA via radical processes. Many of the radical pathways are O2 dependent, which results in a reduction in the cytotoxicity of ionizing radiation in hypoxic tumo...
Antibiotic Stewardship Programs in U.S. Acute Care Hospitals: Findings From the 2014 National Healthcare Safety Network Annual Hospital Survey.

To assess uptake of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs, we analyzed stewardship practices as reported in the 2015 National Healthcare Safety Network's Annual Hospital Survey. Hospital uptake of all 7 core elements increased from 40.9% in 2014 to 48.1% in 2015.
A Comparison of Efficacy of Segmental Epidural Block versus Spinal Anaesthesia for Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is done under general anaesthesia in most of the centres. Associated complications and cost are higher for general anaesthesia than for regional anaesthesia. Present study is designed to compare the efficacy of epidural block versus spinal anaesthesia with regards to intraoperative mean arterial pressure, heart rate, postoperative pain intensity, analgesic requirement, Postoperative complications and patient satisfaction in patients undergoing PCNL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After taking Ethical Committee clearance, patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups using table of randomization (n= 40 each) Group E- Epidural block, Group S- Spinal block. Various parameters like intraoperative mean arterial pressure, heart rate, postoperative pain intensity, analgesic requirement, postoperative complications and patient satisfaction were studied in these groups. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Quantitative data was analysed using unpaired t-test and qualitative data was analysed using chi-square test. RESULTS: Twenty four times in Epidural as compared to fifteen times in spinal anaesthesia two or more attempts required. Mean time (min) required to achieve the block of anaesthesia in group E and group S was 15.45±2.8 and 8.52±2.62 min respectively. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) at 5 min, 10 min and 15 min were significantly lower in spinal group as compared to epidural group. After 30 minutes, differences were not significant but still MAP was lower in spinal group. After 30 minutes difference in heart rate between two groups was statistically significant and higher rate recorded in spinal group till the end of 3 hours. Postoperative VAS score was significantly higher in spinal group and 4 hours onwards difference was highly significant. Postoperative Nausea Vomiting (PONV) Score was significantly higher in spinal group as compared to epidural group. CONCLUSION: For PCNL, segmental epidural block is better than spinal anaesthesia in terms of haemodynamic stability, postoperative analgesia, patient satisfaction and reduced incidence of PONV. Epidural anaesthesia is difficult to execute and takes longer time to act as compared to spinal block which limits its use.
Synaptic Correlates of Odor Habituation in the Rat Anterior Piriform Cortex

Wilson, Donald A. Synaptic correlates of odor habituation in the rat anterior piriform cortex. J. Neurophysiol. 80: 998–1001, 1998. Responses of anterior piriform cortex layer II/III neurons to bot...
Update in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Research.

Context:Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) research is expanding due to increased clinical utility of sonography.Study Design:Clinical review.Level of Evidence:Level 4.Results:Ultrasound is widely applied in musculoskeletal imaging and sports medicine. The real-time capabilities and favorable cost profile of US make it ideal for use in diagnosis of musculoskeletal conditions. The enthusiasm for the use of US in musculoskeletal imaging has led to an increase in US research to broaden its applications.Conclusion:Several recent advances have been made in conventional and novel US imaging techniques, quantitative US imaging, and US-guided interventions.Strength of Recommendations Taxonomy (SORT):C