cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Great Dane

We cannot go to the stars to sample them directly. So how do we get information about the stars? We have to extract it from something that comes to us from the stars. Most commonly this “something” is light—electromagnetic radiation. To decode the information contained in the light, we have to know some things about how it is produced in the first place. What does the light tell us about the thing that is emitting the light? Ultimately, where does the light come from anyway? In this chapter, we seek answers to these questions.
ACE: A Probabilistic Model for Characterizing Gene-Level Essentiality in CRISPR Screens

High-throughput knockout screens based on CRISPR-Cas9 are widely used to evaluate the essentiality of genes across a range of cell types. Here we introduce a probabilistic modeling framework, Analysis of CRISPR- based Essentiality (ACE), that enables new statistical tests for essentiality based on the raw sequence read counts from such screens. ACE estimates the essentiality of each gene using a flexible likelihood framework that ac- counts for multiple sources of variation in the CRISPR-Cas9 experimental process. In addition, the method can identify genes that differ in their degree of essentiality across samples using a likelihood ratio test. We show using simulations that ACE is competitive with the best available methods in predicting essentiality, and is especially useful for the identification of differential essentiality. Furthermore, by applying ACE to publicly available CRISPR-screen data, we are able to identify both known and previously overlooked candidates for genotype-specific essentiality, including RNA m6-A methyltransferases that exhibit enhanced essentiality in the presence of inactivating TP53 mutations. In summary, ACE provides improved quantification of essentiality specific to cancer subtypes, and a robust probabilistic framework for identifying genes responsive to therapeutic targeting.
Measures of care fragmentation: Mathematical insights from population genetics

OBJECTIVE To identify novel properties of health care fragmentation measures, drawing on insights from mathematically equivalent measures of genetic diversity. STUDY DESIGN We describe mathematical relationships between two measures: (a) Breslau's Usual Provider of Care (UPC), the proportion of care with the most frequently visited provider, analogous to the "frequency of the most frequent allele" at a genetic locus; and (b) Bice-Boxerman's Continuity of Care Index (COCI), a measure of care dispersion across multiple providers, analogous to "Nei's estimator of homozygosity" in genetics. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Just as the frequency of the most frequent allele places a tight constraint on homozygosity, the proportion of care with the most frequently visited provider (UPC) places lower and upper bounds on dispersion of care (COCI), and vice versa. This property presents the possibility of a normalized COCI given UPC (NCGU) measure, which reflects a bounded range of care dispersion dependent on the number of visits with the most frequently visited provider. Mathematical aspects of UPC and COCI also suggest thresholds for the minimal number of patient visits to use when studying fragmentation. CONCLUSIONS Applying knowledge from population genetics elucidated relationships between care fragmentation measures and produced novel insights for care fragmentation studies.
Creating a digital duplicate denture file using a desktop scanner and an open-source software program: A dental technique.

Abstract This article describes a digital technique for obtaining a standard tessellation language (STL) file of a complete denture using a desktop scanner and an open-source software program. Accurate recording of the surface details of the denture in 3D was performed using a desktop scanner. The generated STL file from this technique represents a digital duplicate of the scanned denture. This file can be used for surgical implant placement planning, fabricating a duplicate denture, and storing the scanned denture as a digital file for future use.
Self‐reported physical and psychological symptoms among victims and perpetrators of bullying in Arab American Adolescents

PROBLEM The adverse effects of bullying victimization among adolescents have been examined extensively. However, few studies have examined how bullying perpetration affects health. Moreover, ethnic or religious minorities are particularly at risk for bullying involvement, but little is known about bullying among Arab Americans. The purpose of this study is to examine how bullying perpetration and victimization are related-independently and concurrently-to physical and psychological problems among Arab American adolescents. METHOD Arab American adolescents (N = 150), ages 12-16, were recruited from a community center and a mosque located in Southeast Michigan. Participants completed the Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument, the Children's Somatization Inventory, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale. FINDINGS Both bullying perpetration and victimization correlated positively with physical and psychological symptoms. Hierarchical regressions indicated that both perpetration and victimization simultaneously and significantly predicted physical and psychological symptoms, and these relationships were independent of the demographic factors and general life stress. CONCLUSIONS Bullying perpetration and victimization are associated with adverse health outcomes in Arab American adolescents, independent of life stress. These findings are among the first ones in this population and pave the way for future research and intervention programs.
Argatroban Treatment and Decreased Fibrinogen in a Septic Patient.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a consumptive coagulopathy associated with multiple conditions. Diagnosis is based upon clinical and laboratory findings with assessment of fibrinogen, platelets, D-dimer, prothrombin time/international normalized ratio and activated partial thromboplastin time. Herein, we report a case of a 39-year-old female patient diagnosed with endocarditis complicated by pulmonary septic emboli. For anticoagulation, the patient initially was treated with a heparin drip, but the patient remained subtherapeutic despite increasing dosage. The patient was transitioned to argatroban and developed an acute drop in the fibrinogen level. With concern for possible DIC, argatroban was held with a repeat panel six hours later revealing a significantly improved fibrinogen level. It was discovered that the Clauss method, which measures the capability of fibrinogen to form a clot after a high concentration of thrombin is added to diluted plasma, was used to measure fibrinogen at our institute. Argatroban may falsely reduce measured fibrinogen levels in vitro, caused by this method.
The Effects of Tablet-Based Electronic Grading on Airline Evaluator Performance

Objective: This experimental study assessed the effects of an Apple iPad (Apple and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries) grading instrument on airline eval...
Red Blood Cells Function as DNA Sensors

Abstract Erythrocytes have long been mistaken as exclusively inert oxygen carriers lacking immune function. Here we show that red blood cells (RBCs) serve as immune sensors through surface expression of the nucleic acid-sensing toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), a classically endosomal receptor that initiates immune responses following the detection of unmethylated CpG motifs present in pathogen and mitochondrial DNA. Mammalian RBCs express TLR9 on their surface and bind CpG-containing bacterial, malarial, and mitochondrial DNA. Erythrocyte-bound CpG DNA increases during infection, and CpG-carrying RBCs trigger accelerated erythrophagocytosis and innate immune activation characterized by RBC-TLR9 dependent local and systemic cytokine production. Thus, RBC nucleic acid detection and capture regulates red cell clearance and immune responses and provides evidence for RBCs as innate immune sentinels during pathologic states. One Sentence Summary The ability of RBCs to detect and bind cell-free nucleic acids contributes to immunity during acute inflammatory states.
Bio-inspired design of soft mechanisms using a toroidal hydrostat

Summary Biology is replete with soft mechanisms of potential use for robotics. Here, we report that a soft, toroidal hydrostat can be used to perform three functions found in both living and engineered systems: gripping, catching, and conveying. We demonstrate a gripping mechanism that uses a tubular inversion to encapsulate objects within a crumpled elastic membrane under hydrostatic pressure. This mechanism produces gripping forces that depend predictably upon the geometric and materials properties of the system. We next demonstrate a catching mechanism akin to that of a chameleon’s tongue: the elasticity of the membrane is used to power a catapulting inversion process (≈400 m/s2) to capture flying objects (e.g., a bouncing ball). Finally, we demonstrate a conveying mechanism that passes objects through the center of the toroidal tube (∼1 cm/s) using a continuous inversion-eversion process. The hybrid hard-soft mechanisms presented here can be applied toward the integration of soft functionality into robotic systems.
Targeting gene fusions in glioma.

Purpose of review Glioma represents of variety of brain malignancies, the majority of which confer a poor prognosis despite treatment. With the widespread use of next-generation sequencing, gene fusions are being found in greater numbers. Gene fusions in glioma represent an opportunity to deliver targeted therapies to those with limited options for treatment. Recent findings Extensive studies on these gene fusions have shown that they can exhibit distinct phenotypes, such as PTPRZ1-MET fusions in secondary glioblastoma or FGFR3-TACC3 fusions in IDH wildtype gliomas. Responses have been observed with the use of targeted therapies but some have been short lived because of the development of treatment resistance. Summary Increasing detection of gene fusions in glioma along with basket trials have helped define different fusion phenotypes and paved the way for targeted kinase inhibitor-based therapies. Targeting NTRK fusions has been the most successful fusion-guided therapy to date and evaluating all patients for these fusions may be warranted.
Helping Their Child, Helping Each Other:: Parents’ Mediated Social Support in the Children's Hospital

During a health crisis, such as the hospitalization of a child with a serious illness, families must adjust and support each other in coordinating care. CSCW researchers have shown the potential for collaborative technologies to enhance social support in different settings. However, less is known about the potential for CSCW technologies to augment social support practices within family caregiving circles. In this poster, we describe findings from 14 interviews with parents of children hospitalized for cancer treatment. We categorized the support practices between parents and found that they rely heavily on technology to support each other from a distance. We identified opportunities for designing future collaborative technology to augment social support in caregiving teams.
Single Core vs. Parallel Software Algorithms on a Multi-core RISC Processor

Algorithms with order-independent instructions have the opportunity to be executed on multiple cores at the same time in a process called parallelism. For this reason, multi-core processors are the standard in contemporary computer architecture. To understand the benefits and drawbacks of multi-core processors, we analyzed the performance of three algorithms that are important workloads in the general use of computers – sorting, password hashing, and graphics rendering – when computed as single core and multi-core workloads. We found that in the first and last examples for small workloads, the benefits of parallelism did not outweigh the performance drawbacks of coordination, but in the second example, they did.
Sphingolipids Inhibit Multistage Carcinogenesis and Protein Kinase C

Sphingolipids have long been associated with cell surface phenomena relevant to signal transduction (reviewed in Ref. 1). They are found primarily on the external surface of the plasma membrane, and affect the properties of cell surface receptors. they undergo changes with cell growth differentiation and neoplastic transformation; bind cytoskeleton elements and lectins; participate in cell to cell communication; act as cell surface antigens; and alter the behavior of cellular protein kinases. The underlying mechanisms of action for sphingolipids are poorly understood. Recent findings have suggested that complex sphingolipids, such as gangliosides, may interact directly with receptors to modulate their functions, and the sphingolipid turnover may remove one type of bioactive compound to produce sphingosine lyses, sphingolipids, and ceramides that serve as lipid second messengers (4).
I and Q analysis of a Costas phase-locked loop with mismatched filters

There exist a wide variety of communication systems in operation that utilize different modulation bandwidths. The first purpose of this paper is to analyze the phase-error variance of a Costas phase-locked loop (PLL) when there is a mismatch between the modulation bandwidth and the filter bandwidth in the receiver. One such example occurs in signal intelligence (SIGINT) operations where the receiver does not possess perfect knowledge of the parameters of the received signal. The second purpose of this work is to analyze the Costas circuit when perfect phase-lock is not achieved. That is, to ascertain the fraction of signal and noise power that leaks from the in-phase channel into the quadrature channel, and the fraction of noise power that leaks from the quadrature channel into the in-phase channel. While the phase-error variance is already well known for the Costas PLL with matched filters, it is not a trivial extension to the case when there is a filter mismatch in the system
cAMP regulates G-protein alpha i-2 subunit gene transcription in polarized LLC-PK1 cells by induction of a CCAAT box nuclear binding factor.

Abstract Heterotrimeric G-proteins function as signal transducers for a variety of hormone-coupled enzyme systems in eukaryotic cells. In LLC-PK1 renal cells, vasopressin-stimulated adenylylcyclase activity is regulated in part, by the counterbalancing activity of stimulatory G-proteins (Gs) and inhibitory pertussis toxin-sensitive G-proteins (Gi). Two Gi genes encoding the Gi isoforms G alpha i-2 and G alpha i-3 are expressed in LLC-PK1 cells. In polarized cells, these isoforms are topographically segregated to different membranes, which allows for the selective inhibition of adenylylcyclase by G alpha i-2. The genes encoding these isoforms are similarly regulated in these cells during growth and differentiation but differ in response to steroid hormone signals (Holtzman, E.J., Kinane, T.B., West, K., Soper, B.W., Karga, H., Ausiello, D.A., and Ercolani, L. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 3964-3975). We now demonstrate after stimulating polarized LLC-PK1 cells with forskolin, which raises intracellular cAMP levels 50-fold, G alpha i-2 but not G alpha i-3 protein is increased 3-fold at 12 h and remains elevated above control values by 24 h. In cells stably transfected with G alpha i-2 or G alpha i-3 gene 5'-flanking sequences fused to firefly luciferase cDNA reporter gene, forskolin treatment increased G alpha i-2 transcription 3-fold but inhibited G alpha i-3 transcription by 50% at 12 h. In vivo footprinting of forskolin-treated cells was performed to examine the molecular basis for activation of the G alpha i-2 gene. Protected guanosines were identified in a 135-base pair (bp) area previously associated with enhancer activity of this gene in non-polarized cells. This DNA segment did not contain the classical cAMP response element 5'-TGACGTCA-3'. Utilizing the 135-bp DNA segment as a probe in mobility shift assays, which compared nuclear extracts from cells before and after forskolin treatment, an induced nuclear protein complex was identified. Following systematic reduction and mutation of this DNA segment, a "CCAAT" box motif was identified that bound the induced nuclear protein complex during forskolin-induced G alpha i-2 gene transcriptional activation. Induction of this nuclear protein complex was prevented in forskolin-treated cells by cycloheximide. To demonstrate functional activity of the CCAAT box motif, cells were transiently transfected with plasmids encoding either the minimal 135-bp segment or a multimerized CCAAT box segment fused to a Rous sarcoma minimal promoter/firefly luciferase reporter gene.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Ultrastructural changes in mouse myometrium during pregnancy.

Abstract This investigation was designed to study the progressive changes that occur during pregnancy in the mouse myometrium. It was found that by the sixth day of gestation, nearly all the qualitative changes which occur by term had already taken place. However there appeared to be a continuous increase in the quantity of organelles, pinocytotic vesicles, and “desmosome-like” surface specializations as pregnancy progressed. It was postulated that the increase in number and size of the “desmosome-like” surface attachments may have been responsible for facilitating the propogation of intercellular transmission of impulses. This phenomenon may be important in the contraction of the uterine muscle in synchrony during parturition.
COMP-REF: a technique to guide the delegation of responsibilities to components in software systems

In software systems, components collaborate to collectively fulfill requirements. A key concern of software design is the delegation of responsibilities to components such that user needs are most expediently met. This paper presents the COMP-REF technique based on a set of metrics and Linear Programming (LP) to guide the allocation of responsibilities of a system's components. We define the metrics Aptitude Index, Requirement Set, and Concordance Index to extract some design characteristics and use these metrics in an optimization algorithm. Results from experimental validation of the COMP-REF technique across a range of software systems are reported. We also discuss future directions of work in extending the scope of technique.
Results of Treatment After Relapse From High-Dose Chemotherapy in Germ Cell Tumors

PURPOSE: To identify therapy-related or patient-related characteristics that predict response and long-term survival after failure of high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) for germ cell tumors (GCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1986 and 1997, 101 GCT patients relapsed after high-dose carboplatin and etoposide (VP-16) at Indiana University (Indianapolis, IN). Median time to relapse was 10 months (range, 1 to 17 months). HDCT was the first salvage treatment in 29 patients and second or later salvage treatment in 72 patients. RESULTS: Fifty-four of 101 patients received post-HDCT treatment. Of these, 47 received chemotherapy, alone (n = 35) or in combination with surgery (n = 12). Seven patients underwent surgery alone. There were only 12 objective responses (three complete and nine partial responses) for 66 chemotherapy regimens given to 47 patients, for an overall response rate of 18.2%. Fifteen patients received platinum-based chemotherapy, with only one objective response. Chemotherapy was discontinued in 17% ...
The Economic Sociology of Firms and Entrepreneurs

The way in which entrepreneurs, particularly minorities and immigrants manage to obtain the capital and labor necessary to sustain a business can be studied by considering the social structure within which individuals and groups construct firms.Ethnographic studies of Java and the Philippines indicate that trust and solidarity among entrepreneurs are integral to the formation of small enterprises.Certain patterns of group solidarity give immigrants and other minorities an advantage in the construction of new ventures. Examples of these solidarity patterns include the credit associations and social connections that have enabled overseas Chinese to establish efficient firms in Southeast Asia.While this sort of "internal coupling" (with co-ethnics) works to minorities' and immigrants' advantage, they also benefit by the "decoupling process" that results from moving away from friends and family. Although some argue that social capital hampers the expansion of minority-owned businesses, the fact is that many large industrial empires are built on social and family connections.(SAA)
Crystal growth and scintillation properties of Cs3EuI5 crystals

Abstract In this work, we report on single crystal growth and characterizations of Cs3EuI5. Single crystal Cs3EuI5 was grown via the Vertical Gradient Freeze method. Scintillation characteristics such as radioluminescence spectra, scintillation decay profiles and gamma-ray energy spectra are presented. The crystal exhibits scintillation light yield of ∼39,000 ph/MeV and scintillation decay of ∼4 μs. This compound was found to be highly hygroscopic and requires special packaging techniques to maintain its optical and scintillation properties.
Plant sterols as selective DNA polymerase β lyase inhibitors and potentiators of bleomycin cytotoxicity

In a survey of crude plant extracts for DNA polymerase beta lyase inhibitors, the hexanes extracts of Cladogynus orientalis, Hymenache donacifolia, and Heteropsis integerrima, and the methyl ethyl ketone extract of Acacia pilispina were found to exhibit good inhibition of the dRP lyase activity of DNA polymerase beta. Bioassay-guided fractionation of these extracts led to the isolation of three DNA polymerase beta lyase inhibitory phytosterols, namely stigmasterol (1) and beta-sitosterol (2), isolated from the hexanes extracts, and beta-sitosterol-beta-d-glucoside (3), isolated from the methyl ethyl ketone extract. Compounds 1-3 inhibited the DNA polymerase beta lyase activity with IC(50) values of 43.6, 43.3, and 72.4 microM, respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 were found capable of potentiating the action of bleomycin in cultured human tumor cells, consistent with the possibility that lyase inhibitors may find utility in vivo.
Laboratory Demonstration Of Image Reconstruction For Coherent Optical System Of Modular Imaging Collectors (COSMIC)

The first physical demonstration of the principle of image reconstruction using a set of images from a diffraction-blurred elongated aperture is reported. This is an optical validation of previous theoretical and numerical simulations of the COSMIC telescope array (coherent optical system of modular imaging collectors). The present experiment utilizes 17 diffraction blurred exposures of a laboratory light source, as imaged by a lens covered by a narrow-slit aperture; the aperture is rotated 10 degrees between each exposure. The images are recorded in digitized form by a CCD camera, Fourier transformed, numerically filtered, and added; the sum is then filtered and inverse Fourier transformed to form the final image. The image reconstruction process is found to be stable with respect to uncertainties in values of all physical parameters such as effective wavelength, rotation angle, pointing jitter, and aperture shape. Future experiments will explore the effects of low counting rates, autoguiding on the image, various aperture configurations, and separated optics.
Simulation and simulator technology in obstetrics: past, present and future

Healthcare has come to appreciate the value of simulation and its role in education, training, evaluation and research. This article reviews simulator technology and the role of simulation in obstetrics. The scope and nature of the obstetric literature published between January 1950 and July 2007 were reviewed. A total of 84 out of the 305 articles identified met criteria for inclusion in this review, most (59/84) having been published since 2000. The field of obstetrical simulation has grown substantially over the past decade. Thus far, the literature supports simulation as an essential tool for practicing routine and critical events, and improving technical proficiency and teamwork. Simulation can serve as a strategy for improving procedural and behavioral skills, potentially mitigating adverse perinatal events. More research is needed to determine whether obstetrical simulation leads to a significant reduction in the risk of birth-related injury and improved birth outcomes.
Interaction between polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein and jasmonic acid during defense activation in tomato against Botrytis cinerea

Oligogalacturonic acids (OGAs) generated from in vitro interaction between fungal polygalacturonase (PG) and bean PG-inhibiting protein (PGIP) were shown to activate phytoalexin biosynthesis in soybean. Based on this observation, it was hypothesized that PGIP-dependent generation of OGAs activates plant defence responses in vivo. We tested the hypothesis that PGIP activates jasmonic acid-dependent responses to pathogens. For this purpose, a population of tomato plants segregating for a mutation in the jasmonate receptor CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1 (coi1) and for overexpression of pear PGIP (pPGIP) was challenged with Botrytis cinerea. The coi1 mutant was hypersensitive to B. cinerea, but overexpression of pPGIP in the coi1 mutant background reduced pathogen susceptibility, suggesting that these two genes independently alter defence responses. In addition, pPGIP overexpression suppressed pathogen induction of salicylic acid in the coi1 mutant and activated expression of acidic s-1,3-glucanase independently of the coi1 mutation. However, expression of proteinase inhibitor II (PIN II) in pPGIP overexpressing tomato plants was dependent on COI1. Effects of pPGIP overexpression on defence are therefore complex and only in the case of PIN II pPGIP acts through COI1.
Effect of Halogenation on Edge−Face Aromatic Interactions in a β-Hairpin Peptide: Enhanced Affinity with Iodo-Substituents

In a model β-hairpin peptide, we have found that the favorable interaction of cross-strand aromatic rings can be enhanced by up to 1 kcal mol-1 with halogen substituents. It appears that the polarizability of the halogen atoms accounts for the increase in stability and that there is a direct interaction between the N-terminal phenylalanine and the halogen atom. Thermal denaturation studies indicate that the interaction is enthalpically driven with an associated entropic cost. These findings have relevance to areas of molecular recognition and drug design.
Continuous time realization of time-stretch ADC

We present computational and experimental results for the time-stretch photonic ADC that show this technology can be used to compress bandwidth and digitize continuous-time RF signals. The key to continuous time operation is our demonstration that novel low-loss dispersive elements, such as chirp fiber Bragg gratings, can replace lossy dispersion compensation fiber in the time stretch ADC. Carrier-to-noise ratio calculations are presented showing the impact of CFBGs on design of a high-resolution continuous-time ADC.
The variance in time-averaged samples from an intermittent plume

Abstract Gifford's (1959) fluctuating plume model is extended to obtain an expression for the autocorrelation function for concentration fluctuations. This is then used to derive results for the reduction in sample variance as the averaging time is increased. A simple exponential shape assumption for the autocorrelation function is shown to give reasonable results, but the integral time scale for the concentration field is very much shorter than the Eulerian integral time scale of the velocity field for highly intermittent plumes. A simple expression for the time scale in terms of the ensemble mean and variance of the concentration is proposed.
On the Molecular Specificity of Steroid-Enzyme Combinations. The Kinetics of $\beta $-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase

$\beta $-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase is a purified enzymic protein of bacterial origin which catalyzes oxidations of $3\beta -$ and $17\beta $-hydroxysteroids to their respective ketones with diphosphopyridine nucleotide as a hydrogen acceptor. The reaction kinetics of this enzyme with a variety of steroids are not in accordance with the predictions of the theory of Michaelis & Menten (1913), since the velocity of oxidation shows a marked tendency to decline at high concentrations of substrate. The behaviour of these compounds may be fully analyzed on the assumption of the formation of an enzyme-substrate complex involving two substrate molecules. The theory for bimolecular complex formation and its implications are examined. Affinity constants have been calculated for various steroids and conclusions drawn as to the structural requirements favouring attachment to the enzyme surface. Phenolic compounds of the oestra-1:3:5(10)-triene-3-ol family are most firmly bound. Planar molecules of the androst-4-ene, androst-5-ene or $5\alpha $-androstane series show intermediate affinity, while testane $(5\beta $-androstane) derivatives which deviate considerably from planarity are most poorly bound to the enzyme surface. The presence of oxygenated functions at positions 3 and 17 promotes high affinity, whereas an additional $11\alpha -$ or $11\beta $-hydroxyl group opposes this effect. Conclusions have been drawn as to the manner of attachment of substrates to the enzyme surface. Certain correlations between the molecular requirements for efficient binding of steroids to the enzyme surface and their physiological activities are demonstrated.
Comparative effects of desflurane and isoflurane on vecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade

Abstract Study Objective: To evaluate the neuromuscular effects o f a nondepolarizing muscle relaxant (vecuronium) during anesthesia with equipotent concentrations of either desflurane or isof lurane. Design: Randomized open study comparing effects of desflurane and isoflurane on vecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade. Setting: University-affiliated medical center. Patients: Forty-five healthy adults undergoing elective surgical procedures randomly assigned to receive either desflurane, nitrous oxide (N 2 O), and vecuroniuma or isoflurane, N 2 O, and vecuronium for maintenance of general anesthesia. Interventions: Following a standardized induction sequence, patients receiving either desflurane and N 2 O or iso flurane and N 2 O were administered bolus doses of vecuronium equal to 0.01, 0.02, or 0.03 mg/kg intravenously (IV) during the maintenance period. Neuromuscular transmission was measured using a Relaxograph monitor. Measurements and Main Results: Vecuronium produced similar depression of neuromuscular function at equipotent (50% of the minimum alveolar concentration) end-tidal concentrations of isoflurane 0.6% and desflurane 3.0%. Following administration of vecuronium 0.01 to 0.03 mg/kg IV, onset times (3.4 ± 0.4 minutes to 3.2 ± 0.4 minutes and 3.2 ± 0.5 minutes to 3.0 ± 0.6 minutes), maximum T 1 twitch depression (80% ± 10% to 95% ± 9%, and 81% ± 9% to 97% ± 10%), clinical duration of blockade (12 ± 5 minutes to 20 ± 8 minutes and 10 ± 5 minutes to 19 ± 17 minutes), and T 1 recovery times (10 ± 3 minutes to 12 ± 6 minutes and 10 ± 3 minutes to 12 ± 4 minutes) were similar in the isoflurane and desflurane treatment groups, respectively (means ± SD). Conclusion : Vecuronium has similar neuromuscular effects when administered in the presence of desflurane 3% and isofurane 0.6%.
Lighting up hybridization

This article is a succinct review of recent advances in fluorescence spectroscopy which are optimizing current hybridization techniques. 7 refs., 1 fig.
REFERENCE CLASSES AND MULTIPLE INHERITANCES

The reference class problem in probability theory and the multiple inheritances (extensions) problem in non-monotonic logics are special cases of conflicting beliefs. One popular solution accepted in the two domains is the specificity principle. By analyzing an example, several factors beyond specificity are found to be relevant to the priority of a reference class. A new approach, Non-Axiomatic Reasoning System (NARS), is discussed, where these factors are all taken into account. It is argued that the solution provided by NARS is better than the solutions provided by probability theory and non-monotonic logics.
Literacy learning and pedagogical purpose in Vivian Paley’s ‘storytelling curriculum’:

Vivian Gussin Paley’s ‘storytelling curriculum’ consists of two interdependent activities, dictation and dramatization. It has long been recognized for its impact on young children’s psychosocial, language, and narrative development. As a result of the Bush administration’s educational polices, holistic, play-based curricula like storytelling are rapidly being replaced in early childhood classrooms across America by curricula aimed at specific sub-skills of the reading and writing process. This article provides a structural analysis of what happens when children dictate and dramatize original stories in the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classroom. It highlights the opportunities for literacy learning around specific literacy sub-skills that are available in this holistic, play-based activity as well as the teacher’s role in the process. It also looks at the storytelling curriculum’s relationship to the goals of a ‘balanced’ approach to early literacy instruction, including oral language development, n...
The cysteine residues in the carboxy terminal domain of tropoelastin form an intrachain disulfide bond that stabilizes a loop structure and positively charged pocket.

Summary Analysis of purified bovine tropoelastin with Ellman's reagent and [ 14 C]iodo-acetamide demonstrated that the only two cysteine residues in the molecule form an intrachain disulfide bond. Molecular modeling suggests that the cysteine residues are juxtaposed as the result of a tight turn that produces an antiparallel beta structure. Protruding from the C-terminal end of the turn is the sequence Arg-Lys-Arg-Lys which forms the floor of a positively charged pocket created by the extension of the arginine and lysine side chains on opposite sides of the peptide chain perpendicular to the plane of the turn. The side chain of a conserved lysine residue in the disulfide-bonded loop forms the top of the pocket. This positively charged pocket may define a binding site for acidic microfibrillar proteins that mediate elastic fiber assembly.
Rupture of horseshoe kidney in a child Secondary to blunt abdominal trauma

Abstract A case is reported of a thirteen-year-old boy who suffered a ruptured horseshoe kidney secondary to trivial blunt abdominal trauma. Some features of the horseshoe kidney make it more susceptible to injury. These features as well as certain principles of diagnosis and management are reviewed.
Purification of a Secreted Form of Recombinant Rabies Virus Glycoprotein: Comparison of Two Affinity Tags

Abstract Expression of recombinant eukaryotic proteins in transfected mammalian cell lines has become an important approach for the characterization of the structure and function of these proteins. However, it is often difficult to recover and purify the recombinant proteins. Therefore, the use of fusion proteins incorporating epitope or affinity tags has become more widespread. In this paper, we directly compare two affinity tags, the hexahistidyl tag and the biotin peptide mimetic, Strep-tag, for use in purification of a recombinant soluble form of rabies virus glycoprotein secreted by transfected Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts. The recombinant rabies virus gly- coproteins are denoted RGP(WT)T441his and RGP(WT)T443s-tag, respectively. These affinity tags were chosen because the chromatographic matrices (Ni(II)-NTA-agarose and recombinant core streptavidin–agarose, respectively) were readily available and these methods offered the possibility of a one-step purification using mild elution conditions. However, in our hands, neither method allowed for a one-step purification protocol. Nonetheless, it was possible to purify RGP(WT)T441his to homogeneity from crude conditioned medium using a combination of metal–chelate affinity chromatography and immunoaffinity chromatography. In contrast, although the Strep-tag has been useful for purifying recombinant proteins expressed in bacteria, we were not able to effectively purify RGP(WT)T443s-tag from conditioned medium using chromatography on recombinant core streptavidin–agarose.
The optical path length approach to radiation heat transfer with isotropic scattering and gaseous absorption

Abstract The hemispherical total reflectance and transmittance for banded gaseous absorption and isotropic scattering are determined by the optical path length approach. The optical path length approach decouples the scattering and absorption so that any absorption can be evaluated once the path length distributions have been evaluated. The path length distributions are determined by numerical inversion of the Laplace transform and the exponential wide band model is employed to evaluate the absorption. The effects of scattering total optical depth, scattering albedo, pressure broadening parameter and gaseous optical depth on the scattering total band absorption properties are presented and discussed.
Finite Element Micromechanics for Stiffness and Strength of Wavy Fiber Composites

In this paper, a micromechanical model of a composite lamina material with fiber waviness is described. Results are presented and discussed with regard to stiffness and strength predictions for composite lamina. A micromechanical model of a unit cell from periodically distributed unidirectional waved cylindrical fibers embedded within matrix is proposed to withdraw the different material stiffness parameters. Finite element analysis of the periodic unit cell characterizing the structural stiffness of the composite material is carried out to determine the average stress and strain components. The composite stress-strain relations are then employed to determine the stiffness parameters. Numerical results for a typical composite constituted of polymer matrix and carbon fibers in the form of periodically hexagonal packing and initially sinusoidal waviness are presented for different amplitude to wavelength ratios and a range of fiber volume fractions. The results reveal the presence of local periodic-antisymm...
Lenalidomide-Associated ITP

Lenalidomide is a potent immunomodulatory agent being used increasingly for treatment of hematologic malignancies including multiple myeloma and myelodysplasia. The common toxicities of lenalidomide, including dose-limiting myelosuppression, are well described. However, the immunomodulatory properties of lenalidomide may give rise to unexpected autoimmune complications. Herein, we describe a case of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) associated with use of lenalidomide.
Induction of sister chromatid exchanges in human peripheral blood lymphocytes by bromoform: investigation of the role of GSTT1-1 polymorphism.

Abstract Brominated trihalomethanes (THMs) are disinfection by-products present frequently in chlorinated drinking water. Brominated THMs are mutagenic in a variety of systems and are carcinogenic in rodents. The metabolism of brominated THMs is thought to involve a GSH conjugation reaction leading either to formaldehyde or DNA-reactive intermediates via glutathione S -transferase-theta ( GSTT1-1 ), which is polymorphic in humans. In the present study, we have determined the genotoxicity of one of the brominated THMs, bromoform (BF), by measuring its ability to induce sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in whole-blood (WB) cultures of human peripheral blood lymphocytes from GSTT1-1 + and GSTT1-1 − donors. The results showed no differences in SCEs per cell by BF between GSTT1-1 + and GSTT1-1 − individuals when the cells were exposed to 5×10 −3 M BF at the beginning of cell culturing (10.8±0.85 vs. 10.57±0.47, respectively), at the 16th (9.66±0.91 vs. 9.57±0.07), or the 24th h (8.21±0.61 vs. 8.29±0.24) of cell growth. Although GSTT1-1 is expressed in the erythrocytes, the lack of expression of the GSTT1-1 gene in the target cells (lymphocytes) may account for this observation.
X-ray crystal structures of half the human papilloma virus E2 binding site: d(GACCGCGGTC)

The X-ray crystal structure of the DNA decamer d(GACCGCGGTC), containing half the human papilloma virus E2 binding site, has been solved from two crystals grown at different ionic conditions (50 mM MgCl2and 50 mM spermine or 1.56 mM MgCl2and 1.56 mM spermine). Despite the variation in salt concentration, the two DNA structures are in a very similar, A-type DNA conformation, with helical axes curving towards the major groove. Although the salt concentrations do not effect the helical parameters or hydration to a large degree, there is a change in the overall helical curvature; 18 degrees and 31 degrees for the low and high salt structures, respectively. This curvature appears to be sequence specific and biologically relevant when compared with similar DNA structures, including the E2 binding site of a protein-DNA complex.
A computer program for constructing language comprehension tests

Abstract The sentence verification technique (SVT) has become increasingly popular among educators and psychological researchers as a powerful means for constructing cost-effective, psychometrically valid tests of literal language comprehension. Instead of testing a reader or listener on a few details of information in a passage, an SVT test assesses comprehension over an entire text. This article reviews the SVT technique, why it was devised, and some of its advantages over traditional measures, and then discusses a program, now available, that automates and greatly simplifies the process of constructing SVT tests. The program is very powerful, and includes such features as an internal text editor and a measure of text readability.
Computer analysis of monophasic action potentials: manual validation and clinically pertinent applications

Monophasic action potential (MAP) recordings are increasingly being used in a variety of clinical and experimental situations but their manual measurement is cumbersome, especially when hundreds or thousands of beats must be analyzed to monitor the exact time course of action potential duration (APD) changes following heart rate alterations, during surveillance of APD alternans, or during the onset and stabilization of Class III drug effects. To facilitate this task we developed a computer program that automates programmed electrical stimulation, digitizes at 1-kHz sampling frequency MAP recordings up to 8 channels simultaneously, analyzes all APDs at repolarization levels from 10%-90% in 10% decrements (APD10-90), and automatically outputs the analyzed numerical data into spreadsheets for graphical display or statistical analysis. To validate the computer algorithm, two independent observers manually analyzed 585 concurrent MAP recordings at a paper speed of 100 mm/s. Cycle length measurements by the computer were precise to 0.4 +/- 0.5 ms as compared to the computer determined paced cycle length. Computer measurements of APD20, 50, and 90 differed from manual measurements by 2.0 +/- 8.8 ms, 0.7 +/- 7.9 ms, and 0.2 +/- 8.5 ms, respectively, for observer 1; and by 12.2 +/- 8.3 ms, 5.8 +/- 7.5 ms, and 1.4 +/- 10.1 ms, respectively, for observer 2. Inter-observer variability (IOV) was 10.3 +/- 11.1 (APD20), 5.1 +/- 9.0 ms (APD50), and 1.2 +/- 7.8 ms (APD90), which was similar to computer/observer-2 differences and significantly greater (0.001) than computer/observer-1 differences. This indicates that the computer analysis was at least as precise as manual measurements when compared to IOV, and more precise when comparing computer/observer-1 differences to IOV. While providing equal or greater precision, computer-aided analysis of 100 MAP signals took approximately 1 minute while manual analysis of the same data set took between 2.5 and 4 hours. The pacing and analysis software was subsequently applied to experiments that mimic clinically pertinent examples of MAP recordings: (1) automatic generation, analysis, and graphical display of electrical restitution curves at multiple ventricular sites simultaneously; (2) evaluation of myocardial pharmacokinetics by monitoring the progression of Class III antiarrhythmic drug effects by continuous MAP recordings, and displaying differences in drug action between multiple sites; (3) depiction of the adaptation time course of APD to abrupt changes in paced cycle length; and (4) quantitative analysis of APD alternans during myocardial ischemia. The results show that our computerized algorithm greatly facilitates the generation of cardiac electrophysiological, and clinically important, data.
Control systems and teleological systems

A cybernetic systems framework is constructed within which a distinction between teleological, i.e., purposive, and nonteleological systems is drawn on empirical grounds. The following provide conjunctively sufficient and disjunctively necessary tests of the teleological: (1) applicability of cybernetic specification; (2) perturbation test; and (3) independent testability of component relations. This analysis avoids the problem of pinpointing the defining characteristics of the teleological and at least provides the groundwork for a complete analysis of purposive behavior. Teleological systems are found to cut across a broad array of system types, including living and nonliving machine systems, regulatory and servosystems, as well as various system levels ranging from intracellular to organizalional. Finally, a cybernetic systems framework is claimed to be adequate for teleological phenomena in that it is capable of accounting for human purposive behavior.
Memory performance and the apolipoprotein E polymorphism in a community sample of middle-aged adults.

The apolipoprotein E genotype (APOE) is an established risk factor for Alzheimer disease, with the age-at-onset occurring earlier in individuals having at least one APOE epsilon 4 allele, relative to the APOE epsilon 3 or APOE epsilon 2 isoforms. Moreover, nondemented older adults with the APOE epsilon 4 allele also show diminished cognitive performance, particularly on tests of learning and memory, and an accelerated decline in memory performance with increasing age. The current investigation extends the study of the APOE epsilon 4 allele and cognitive performance to healthy, middle-aged adults. A community sample of 220 non-Hispanic Caucasian men and women, aged 24-60 (average age = 46), were genotyped for the APOE polymorphism and completed a battery of neuropsychological tests. Multivariate analyses were conducted on measures of verbal learning and memory (e. g., learning a list of words and recalling them 30 min later), visual memory (e.g., reproducing a previously copied figure from memory), and attention span (e.g., repeating long lists of digits), after adjustments for age, and estimated IQ. Results indicated that performance on learning and memory tasks was significantly poorer in adults having any APOE epsilon 4 allele, relative to adults with APOE epsilon 2 and epsilon 3 genotypes (P <.01). Attention span did not differ by genotype. These findings, the first in a sample of middle-aged adults, suggest that the APOE polymorphism is a marker for age-related decline in memory (detectable prior to overt, clinical manifestations of memory loss), and/or a marker for individual differences in memory ability across the life span. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 96:707-711, 2000.