cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical Stability of the Botanical Drug Substance Crofelemer: A Model System for Comparative Characterization of Complex Mixture Drugs

As the second of a 3-part series of articles in this issue concerning the development of a mathematical model for comparative characterization of complex mixture drugs using crofelemer (CF) as a model compound, this work focuses on the evaluation of the chemical stability profile of CF. CF is a biopolymer containing a mixture of proanthocyanidin oligomers which are primarily composed of gallocatechin with a small contribution from catechin. CF extracted from drug product was subjected to molecular weight-based fractionation and thiolysis. Temperature stress and metal-catalyzed oxidation were selected for accelerated and forced degradation studies. Stressed CF samples were size fractionated, thiolyzed, and analyzed with a combination of negative-ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and reversed-phase-HPLC with UV absorption and fluorescence detection. We further analyzed the chemical stability data sets for various CF samples generated from reversed-phase-HPLC-UV and ESI-MS using data-mining and machine learning approaches. In particular, calculations based on mutual information of over 800,000 data points in the ESI-MS analytical data set revealed specific CF cleavage and degradation products that were differentially generated under specific storage/degradation conditions, which were not initially identified using traditional analysis of the ESI-MS results.
Synergistic Combination of Learned and Hand-Crafted Features for Prostate Lesion Classification in Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging

In this paper, we propose and evaluate a new method for classifying between malignant and benign prostate cancer lesions in multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We show that synergistically combining automatically-learned and handcrafted features can significantly improve the classification performance. Our method utilizes features extracted from convolutional neural networks (CNNs), texture features learned via a discriminative sparsity-regularized approach, and hand-crafted statistical features. To assess the efficacy of different feature sets, we use AdaBoost with decision trees to classify prostate cancer lesions using different sets of features. CNN-derived, texture, and statistical features achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.75, 0.68, and 0.70, respectively. Augmenting CNN features with texture and statistical features increased the AUC to 0.84 and 0.82, respectively. Combining all three feature types led to an AUC of 0.87. Our results indicate that in medical applications where training data is scarce, the classification performance achieved by CNNs or sparsity-regularized classification methods alone can be sub-optimal. Alternatively, one can treat these methods as implicit feature extraction mechanisms and combine their learned features with hand-crafted features using meta-classifiers to obtain superior classification performance.
Thoracoscopic Lobectomy for Congenital Lung Lesions

Congenital lung lesions (CLLs) comprise a heterogeneous group of developmental and histologic entities often diagnosed on screening prenatal ultrasound. Most fetuses with CLL are asymptomatic at birth; however, the risk of malignancy and infection drives the decision to prophylactically resect these lesions. The authors describe their approach to minimally invasive lobectomy in children with CLLs, postoperative care, and management of procedure-specific complications.
Introduction to Analyzing African Entrepreneurs

This chapter traces the scholarly literature on black African entrepreneurship from the colonial period through the first fifteen years of the twentyfirst century. Sandberg explores the alternative debates about why no substantial capitalist class developed in Africa during the colonial period and in the decades following independence. She then explores the puzzle that the “varieties of capitalism” literature and methodological research that have been so popular in analyzing business’ challenges in Europe have not been widely applied to the African context. African scholarly literature and debates focus mainly on state developmentalism (both import substitution and the East Asian models) and neo-liberal approaches to African political economic development (especially globalization, austerity programs with their curtailing of inputs, undermining transport and other infrastructure, and problematic access to credit). She highlights the related topics of entrepreneurs forming business organizations, seeking mentors, attempting to maintain practices of social responsibility, and the particular challenges for women that inform the chapters of the volume. She underscores that many chapters argue that those entrepreneurs who cope best with the challenges they face seem to have the closest relations with African state officials.
Inflammation NODs to Antagonists of RIP2-XIAP Interaction

While innate immunity is crucial for host defense, dysregulated signaling activation leads to pathological inflammation. In this issue of Molecular Cell, Goncharov et al. (2018) present a strategy to combat inflammatory diseases by disrupting RIP2-XIAP interaction in NOD2-mediated signaling.
Phase Stability of Al3X Alloys (X = Ti, Zr, Hf)

Current research on ordered intermetallics is motivated by the need of high-strength structural materials for high-temperature applications. Single-phase early transition metal aluminides A13X (X = Sc, Ti, V, Y, Zr, Nb) have desirable properties such as high melting temperature, low density, good oxidation resistance, and low chemical interdiffusion (i.e., good thermal stability). These properties make them suitable for potential structural applications at high temperatures (in single-phase form) or at intermediate temperatures (as a strenthening phase in two-phase aluminum alloys). Single-phase A13X alloys are brittle and this has prevented any serious consideration for applications. However, two-phase Al-Al3X alloys have the potential for developing “alumalloy” [1], which has a low coarsening rate because of small lattice mismatch with the aluminum matrix, and are useful to about 420° C. The electronics industry is increasingly interested in thin-film trialuminides for applications in which diffusion barriers are needed to decrease the electromigration of the interconnecting electrode and to suppress hillock formation [2].
The use of video as a tool for reflection with preservice teachers

This study explores how the process of making and reviewing videos of their own instruction impacts the development of preservice teachers. The study looks at the impacts, both positive and negativ...
Core Characterization and Inductor Design Investigation at Low Temperature

Superconducting technologies such as motors together with the supporting cryogenic power electronic system are growing in importance in aircraft applications. It is critical to understand the influence of low temperature on filters of the power converter system in these applications. Also, it is worthwhile to investigate whether the converter system can achieve higher efficiency and high power density by utilizing the provided low temperature cooling environment. This paper conducted a comprehensive magnetic core characterization at low temperature to understand the core properties and support filter design at low temperature. The ferrite and nanocrystalline material are characterized from room temperature to cryogenic temperature in a wide range of operating frequencies. The results show that the permeability of ferrite material decreases by a factor of 7∼8 and the core loss increases more than 10 times when operating at very low temperature. The permeability of nanocrystalline material decreases to 60% and the core loss increases 1.5∼2.5 times when operating at very low temperature. The saturation flux density of both materials has slight increase at low temperature. Based on tested data, a case study of inductor design considering the low temperature cooling environment is presented to illustrate the influence of low temperature on inductor design.
The Business Family as the Business Model of Our Time

The information technology has reduced the cost of business transactions large managerial corporations are giving way to small family business firms. It is good change because family businesses could not only aim to sustain the family economically but also could aim nurturing children. The role of ethics in family business is has not been studied systematically. This paper has argued that family firms are more socially responsible that non-family firms because family firms are breeding ground for core family values. This paper also argues that business literature should lay emphasis on virtues and character based business in place of value and culture based business. To manage for organizational virtue and character is to treat ethics as an end in itself. To manage by values and characters is to treat ethics as means for some ulterior motive. If employees are told that they should be honest because it pays then profit may trump in case of a conflict. The combination of family virtues and business can make the family busines as moral model or moral leadership for all types of business in this era of high demands for accountability.
Collaborative Completions in Everyday Interaction: A Literature Review

This article provides an overview of conversation analytic research that investigates the phenomenon of interlocutors “finishing each other’s sentences,” termed collaborative completion, in everyday conversation. The objective is twofold: (1) by reporting on research that examines the formal features and the social actions of collaborative completions, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of both what this practice looks like and what it can achieve in interaction; and (2) in discussing this particular body of work with respect to the larger topic of how language is studied, the author hopes to demonstrate the power of the CA approach to deepen our understanding of the nature of language and how language is used. The paper first reviews the formal features of collaborative completions, namely its syntactic, paralinguistic, and sequential characteristics. Then, the various social actions that can be accomplished with this practice are discussed. Finally, some important themes and suggested directions for future research are mentioned and contextualized within some of the larger objectives of CA research.
Brillouin microscopy: exploring niche applications (Conference Presentation)

Brillouin microscopy is an emerging tool of biomedical imaging [1]. While for a long time Brillouin spectroscopy was considered an exquisite tool of precise spectroscopy, recent advancements in instrumentation, methods of signal and data analysis, and multimodal imaging have paved the way to new applications in the broad area of biomedical research. In my presentation, I will review the recent advances of instrumentation, which result in much higher speed of Brillouin spectroscopy and imaging, while providing better discrimination against the background scattering and better sensitivity of Brillouin microscopy measurements. I will also discuss some new developments which can potentially lead to improved spatial resolution of Brillouin microscopy imaging and which can utilize the quantum nature of light to improve the signal discrimination. The above improvements in instrumentation translated into a number of applications, which allowed tissue assessment using Brillouin microscopy (see, for example, [2]) to be an essential component of broader medical protocols [3-4] to evaluate undergoing modifications of tissues in response to a certain treatment procedure. I will attempt to make sense out of such unusual sensitivity of Brillouin microscopy to the physiologically significant variations in tissue properties and will outline other potential directions of biological and biomedical research, which can be facilitated by continuously improving Brillouin microscopy instruments. [1] Z Meng, AJ Traverso, CW Ballmann, MA Troyanova-Wood, VV Yakovlev, Advances in Optics and Photonics 8 (2), 300-327 (2016). [2] M Troyanova‐Wood, C Gobbell, Z Meng, AA Gashev, VV Yakovlev, Journal of Biophotonics 10(12), 1694-1702 (2017). [3] OY Gasheva, IT Nizamutdinova, L Hargrove, C Gobbell, M Troyanova-Wood, SF Alpini, S Pal, C Du, AR Hitt, VV Yakovlev, MK Newell-Rogers, DC Zawieja, CJ Meininger, GD Alpini, H Francis, AA Gashev, Journal of Experimental Medicine (2018), Under review. [4] D Akilbekova, B Ogay, T Yakupov, M Saesenova, B Umbayev, VV Yakovlev, A Nurakhmetov, K Tazhin, and ZN Utegulov, Journal of Biomedical Optics (2018), Under revisions.
Dysphagia Management in Schools: A Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists

Purpose To date, few studies have examined school-based pediatric feeding and swallowing practices across the United States. This study aims to (a) identify barriers to feeding and swallowing servi...
Timescales of water-quality change in a karst aquifer, south-central Texas

Abstract Understanding the drivers and timescales over which groundwater quality changes informs groundwater management, use, and protection. To better understand timescales of water-quality change over short (daily to monthly) and long (seasonal to decadal) timescales, the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Enhanced Trends Network (ETN) program instrumented and sampled three wells in the Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas. The wells were instrumented to provide high-frequency continuous (subhourly) water-quality data (temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen), which were augmented by the collection of discrete samples (about 6 per year) for a range of geochemical constituents (including selected isotopes and age tracers). ETN data (2013–2017) are considered with data from additional sites for the same time period, and also historical records (over more than 80 years) of climatic and hydrologic conditions. During the four-year study, hydrologic conditions transitioned from very dry to very wet. Sites in the updip/unconfined part of the aquifer showed notable changes in water level and geochemistry (1) in response to rainfall/recharge events, and (2) over the multiyear dry/wet cycle. Sites in the downdip/confined part of the aquifer showed changes in water level/spring discharge over similar timescales, although the response is more muted. Geochemistry at the downdip/confined sites, however, varied slowly and minimally, indicating that the geochemical response of the deeper aquifer is decoupled from recent hydrologic responses. Changes at the updip/unconfined sites reflect mixing with recent recharge, whereas the downdip/confined sites were dominated by mineral-solution reactions resulting from longer (decadal) residence times. Mean groundwater ages interpreted from measured age tracers and lumped parameter models range from 7 to >700 years (where mixed with premodern downdip water) but were mostly modern. The aquifer is characterized by updip-to-downdip trends in geochemistry with respect to water-rock interaction and groundwater age. Fourier spectral analysis of historical records indicate hydrologic variability has occurred at dominant periods of 30 and 15 years; in conjunction with age tracers, these results provide insight into timescales at which the aquifer’s public supply is vulnerable to changes in the water quality of recharge.
Observations of Pomacea spp. (Apple Snails) Beyond the Shallow Marsh

Fluctuating populations of native and non-native Pomacea spp. (apple snails) pose a particular concern to managers tasked with developing recovery plans for the endangered Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus (Everglades Snail Kite) in Florida because the snails are the primary food source for the kite. The data presented herein provide observational records and quantitative evaluation of Pomacea paludosa (Florida Apple Snail) and P. maculata (Island Apple Snail) occurrences in a variety of Florida aquatic ecosystems. Qualitative observations documented Florida Apple Snail and Island Apple Snail in water depths up to 14.6 m and 8.4 m, respectively. In 1 study location, 65% of all apple snail species were in depths greater than 0.75 m. This data suggests that in areas where apple snails appear to be rare or absent from shallow habitats (<1.0 m), surveys in deeper waters should also be conducted because apple snails may be found there.
Ethnicity and health outcomes among people with epilepsy participating in an epilepsy self-management RCT.

Abstract People with epilepsy (PWE) may experience negative health events (NHEs) such as seizures, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations, with ethnic and racial minorities disproportionately affected. Epilepsy self-management may reduce NHEs; however, few reports examine self-management outcomes in racial minorities. Using data from a longitudinal 6-month randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 120 PWE, this analysis compared African–American and Whites at baseline, 10 weeks and 24 weeks after receiving the “ S elf- ma nagement fo r people wi t h epilepsy (SMART) and a history of NHEs” self-management program. The primary RCT outcome was number of NHEs. At baseline, compared to Whites, African–Americans had less education (p = 0.02) and greater depressive severity (p = 0.04). Both African–American and Whites generally improved with SMART, and there were no racial differences in NHE counts or other outcomes' responses. Given known racial disparities in epilepsy care, it may be particularly important to reach out to minority PWE with self-management programs.
BRUGADA SYNDROME AND BRUGADA PHENOCOPY: A CASE SERIES

Brugada phenocopies can mimic true Brugada syndrome or acute myocardial infarction. (1) 80 year old male with atrial fibrillation presented with weakness and encephalopathy. Initial ECG showed bradycardic wide complex rhythm, with sudden pulseless cardiac arrest for 30 seconds in setting of
Surface dynamics measurement on a gold based metallic glass

The surface diffusion kinetics has been measured on an Au60Cu15.5Ag7.5Si17 metallic glass using the method of surface grating decay from room temperature up to 20 K below the glass transition temperature (Tg). In the early stage of grating decay, the surface diffusion coefficients were estimated as varying in the range of 10−20 to 10−18 m2/s and the corresponding average activation energy is about 0.67 eV. During longer annealing, times the surface grating decay rate slowed down significantly. The slowing of the initial decay was a result of the surface dynamics and influenced by the surface segregation of silicon at a long time, which induced a surface crystallization of a silicon-rich phase.
Subacute cannabidiol alters genome-wide DNA methylation in adult mouse hippocampus.

Use of cannabidiol (CBD), the most abundant non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis (Cannabis sativa), has recently increased as a result of widespread availability of CBD-containing products. CBD is FDA-approved for the treatment of epilepsy and exhibits anxiolytic, antipsychotic, prosocial, and other behavioral effects in animal studies and clinical trials, however, the underlying mechanisms governing these phenotypes are still being elucidated. The epigenome, particularly DNA methylation, is responsive to environmental input and can govern persistent patterns of gene regulation affecting phenotype across the life course. In order to understand the epigenomic activity of cannabidiol exposure in the adult brain, 12-week-old male wild-type a/a Agouti viable yellow (Avy ) mice were exposed to either 20 mg/kg CBD or vehicle daily by oral administration for 14 days. Hippocampal tissue was collected and reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) was performed. Analyses revealed 3,323 differentially methylated loci (DMLs) in CBD-exposed animals with a small skew toward global hypomethylation. Genes for cell adhesion and migration, dendritic spine development, and excitatory postsynaptic potential were found to be enriched in a gene ontology term analysis of DML-containing genes, and disease ontology enrichment revealed an overrepresentation of DMLs in gene sets associated with autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and other phenotypes. These results suggest that the epigenome may be a key substrate for CBD's behavioral effects and provides a wealth of gene regulatory information for further study.
With Love: Attempting to Instill the Lasting Value of Humanity While Teaching During a Global Pandemic

Given the onslaught of COVID-19, the University of Minnesota suspended in-person instruction, forcing instructors to engage multiple forms of distance learning. This essay describes how two graduate instructors in social studies teacher education shifted their pedagogical focus from one course’s content to the ways in which their students would experience their online instruction. The instructors’ overarching goal was to model for their pre-service teachers what they hoped would be the pedagogical imperatives in those pre-service teachers’ future classrooms: the centering of humanity, the ability to balance grace with high expectations, and the willingness to reflect and learn on their own.
The possibilities of feminist poststructural discourse analysis as an approach to gender research in the mathematics classroom

Theories of gender and race in mathematics education predominately remain unchanged in recent years (Damarin, 2008; Parks & Schmeichel, 2012), with feminism not always seen as relevant to mathematics education. New theories and methodologies related to gender create possibilities to reinvigorate gender research in mathematics education and offer opportunities for students at the margins to be seen and read as mathematically powerful. In this paper, I propose feminist poststructural discourse analysis as an alternative methodology in mathematics education to study gender and racial (in)equity in mathematics classrooms. I describe the theoretical underpinnings of the methodology (i.e., feminist poststructural theory), three main projects of discourse analysis within a feminist poststructural paradigm, and introduce Baxter's (2003) feminist poststructural discourse analysis (FPDA) methodology. Through one conceptualization of feminist poststructural discourse analysis study in a seventh grade mathematics classroom in the United States, I exemplify an analysis using Baxter’s denotative and connotative textual analysis methods and argue the productive possibilities of FPDA research.
Preface: Shifting Career Realities and Navigating Career Journeys

The COVID-19, worldwide pandemic forced organization leaders and employees to shift their career realities. They had to determine ways to navigate their career journeys more rapidly. Human resource...
DNA interfaces with dimensional materials for biomedical applications

DNA interfaces with nano, micro, and macro materials have gained widespread attention for various applications. Such interfaces exhibit distinct functions and properties not only due to the unique properties of interfacing materials but also sequence- and conformation-dependent characteristics of the DNA. Therefore, DNA interfaces with diverse dimensional materials have advanced our understanding of the interaction mechanisms and the properties of such interfaces. The unique interfacial properties of such novel materials have applications in nanotechnology, biophysics, cell biology, biosensing, and bioelectronics. The field is growing rapidly with the frequent emergence of new interfaces carrying remarkable interfacial character. In this review article, we have classified the DNA interfaces into 0D, 1D, 2D, and 3D categories based on the types of dimensional materials. We review the key efforts made in the last five years and focus on types of interfaces, interfacing mechanisms, and their state-of-the-art applications. This review will draw a general interest because of the diversity in the DNA materials science but also the unique applications that will play a cutting-edge role in biomedical and biosensing research.
Yield and nutrients of six cultivars of strawberries grown in five urban cropping systems

Abstract Urban populations may struggle to access health-promoting fresh fruits and vegetables, and urban agriculture approaches are of increasing interest. In this study, we used five cropping systems for urban environments to produce strawberry fruit, a popular and high-value fruit. Two green roof systems, a hydroponic system, an aquaponic system, and a raised bed system were used to grow six strawberry cultivars: ‘Albion,’ ‘Eversweet,’ ‘Monterey,’ ‘Portola,’ ‘San Andreas’ and ‘Seascape.’ We measured total mass of fruit, marketable mass, size, percentage rotted fruit and mineral content. We found productivity and aspects of fruit quality to vary among cultivars within a cropping system and the best performers in one cropping system may not be the best in another. The most consistent result was that ‘Portola’ was among the best yielding cultivars in all systems, although ‘Monterey’ had reasonably good production in most systems, good berry size in the green roof pots and raised beds, and good mineral content in the aquaponic system. ‘Monterey’ and ‘Portola’ had higher amounts of calcium, silicon and sodium in the aquaponic system than other cultivars. ‘San Andreas’ had higher amounts of copper, potassium, phosphorus and silicon in the hydroponic system. ‘Portola,’ ‘Seascape’ and ‘Eversweet’ had higher amounts of copper and zinc in the green roof planters and ‘Eversweet’ also had higher amounts of zinc and calcium in the raised beds. Given the spatial and financial constraints in urban systems and the variability of performance among cultivars, the cropping system should be selected before the cultivar.
Strategies for Ensuring High Availability Cloud Services

Enterprises have come to rely on clouds for dynamic resource scaling, always-on availability, and low-cost service provisioning. For cloud services, downtime can quickly cripple workflow, reduce productivity, and translate into lost business. From time and money spent on last-minute repairs to damaged reputations, service interruptions are increasingly expensive. To reduce the likelihood of a service interruption, platform developers are beginning to incorporate features for boosting the reliability of cloud infrastructure. Due to architectural differences and contradictory design terminologies, it is difficult to compare cloud platforms’ strategies for ensuring high-availability services. The purpose of this research is to allow for apples-to-apples comparisons by (1) reviewing cloud architectures (2) identifying the tenants of high availability computing, and (3) creating a taxonomy of strategies for assuring high availability cloud services. The proposed taxonomy is used to compare two cloud computing platforms. Implications for theory and practice are provided.
Rational period functions and indefinite binary quadratic forms, II

In I-4] Eichler introduced a generalized abelian integral, now called an Eichler integral, obtained as a (2k l)-fold integral of an entire modular form of positive weight 2k. Under the action of the modular group, the transformation equation of the Eichler integral contains a polynomial of degree 2k 2 which is called the period polynomial, by analogy with the abelian integral. The coefficients of the period polynomial are, essentially, the periods of the corresponding modular form. This is the basis of the beautiful results of Eichler and Shimura [12] on Eichler cohomology. In [7] Knopp further generalized Eichler integrals by introducing modular integrals with period functions that are now rational functions as opposed to being polynomials. In a sequence of papers I-7, 8] Knopp developed the theory of modular integrals. Parson and Rosen 1-11] provided additional examples; but it was Choie I-3] who finally settled the existence question by showing how to construct rational period functions for any integral weight. The object of this paper is to begin the classification of rational period functions of positive weight. This is accomplished by looking at possible irreducible systems of poles, as defined in Sect. 4. If the irreducible system of poles exhibits algebraic symmetry, that is, if the poles occur in conjugate pairs, then the rational period function of weight 2k, k odd, whose pole set is the irreducible system of poles is of the form
Development of a novel FRET immunosensor for detection of listeria

A fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based Listeria biosensor has been developed. Sensors utilizing FRET switch their fluorescence wavelength between donor and acceptor fluorophores as the distance between the two fluorophores change. This change in distance is a result of the conformational change in the 3D structure of the antibody as it binds to the target antigen. Listeria antibodies were labeled with FRET donor fluorophores (Alexa Fluor 546) while protein G was labeled with the acceptor fluorophores (Alexa Fluor 594). The labeled antibody-protein G complex was formed via incubation of the labeled antibody with protein G which specifically attaches to the Fc fragment of antibodies. The labeled antibody-protein G complex was tested in solution and specific and non-specific antigens were exposed to the in solution complex. Changes in fluorescence were monitored by a spectrofluorometer. For "in-solution" tests, the optimal acceptor/donor fluorophore (A/D) ratio was 1.0 for Listeria, and Listeria antigen detection limits were 2.0 Hg/ml. Immobilization studies were also performed where the protein/antibody complex was immobilized to an optical fiber and interface with a benchtop fluorometer. The results showed the limit of detection was 103 cells/ml of Listeria monocytogenes at a surface packing density of 0.033 mg/ml.
Determination of functional levels of protein C, an antithrombotic protein, using thrombin-thrombomodulin complex

Protein C is a vitamin K-dependent plasma protein. Activated protein C is a potent anticoagulant and enhances blood clot lysis. We have developed a functional assay for protein C in human plasma. The measurement of protein C is accomplished by the addition of thrombomodulin, an endothelial-cell-associated cofactor for protein C activation, and thrombin in a 1:1 molar complex. The activated protein C formed in the plasma is immunoadsorbed with goat anti-human protein C IgG-agarose. The immunoadsorbed activated protein C retains the ability to hydrolyze chromogenic substrates, and after unbound plasma proteins are removed by washing, the bound activated protein C is quantitated by incubation with the substrate H-D-phe-pip-arg-p-nitroanilide (S-2238). Normal individuals have functional protein C levels of 3.9-5.9 micrograms/ml, with a mean value of 4.8 micrograms/ml. Individuals undergoing warfarin anticoagulation and patients with advanced liver diseases have decreased levels, as do certain patients with evidence of intravascular clotting. Functional protein C levels correlate well with immunologic levels of the protein in the patient groups studied. Heparin enhances the rate of activated protein C inhibition, as monitored by recovery of activated protein C by immunoadsorption. A patient with recurrent venous thrombosis and abnormal functional protein C activity, but normal levels of antigen, has been identified.
TnAraOut, A transposon-based approach to identify and characterize essential bacterial genes

Identification of genes that encode essential products provides a promising approach to validation of new antibacterial drug targets. We have developed a mariner-based transposon, TnAraOut, that allows efficient identification and characterization of essential genes by transcriptionally fusing them to an outward-facing, arabinose-inducible promoter, PBAD, located at one end of the transposon. In the absence of arabinose, such TnAraOut fusion strains display pronounced growth defects. Of a total of 16 arabinose-dependent TnAraOut mutants characterized in Vibrio cholerae, four were found to carry insertions upstream of known essential genes (gyrB, proRS, ileRS, and aspRS) whereas the other strains carried insertions upstream of known and hypothetical genes not previously shown to encode essential gene products. One of the essential genes identified by this analysis appears to be unique to V. choleraeand thus may represent an example of a species-specific drug target.
Fine-Tuning the Institutional Repository: Evaluating the Self-Archiving Behavior of Researchers in Music

While self-archiving gains more traction as a means for scholars to make their research freely available, a perception persists that certain disciplines in the humanities lag behind the sciences in this regard. This article investigates the rate of self-archiving by scholars contributing to the top journals in the field of music, a discipline that traditionally falls within the humanities, although research in the field is highly interdisciplinary and draws heavily on multiple scientific fields. The contributors to these journals come from a range of background and interests, and represent colleges and universities from six continents.
Therapy of Stokes-Adams syndrome: Report of four unusual cases, with a review of the literature∗

Abstract 1. 1. Current concepts in the therapy of Stokes-Adams syndrome have been reviewed. Four cases illustrating some of the more difficult problems have been presented and commented on. 2. 2. Recognition of the etiology of the A-V block and the mechanism of the syncope, whether it be ventricular asystole or acceleration, is important for successful management. 3. 3. Isoproterenol and epinephrine are the most valuable of the pharmacologic agents available and are used intravenously to control episodes due to asystole. Isoproterenol seems to have less tendency to produce ventricular fibrillation in human beings. 4. 4. Molar sodium lactate is useful in the patient who is no longer responsive to the sympathomimetic amines due to acidosis and hyperkalemia. 5. 5. Adrenocortical steroids may have some value in heart block complicating acute myocardial infarction, on the basis of their antiinflammatory action. 6. 6. Potassium deprivation can often improve A-V conduction. On this basis, chlorothiazide and adrenal steroids may be of value in chronic heart block. 7. 7. Quinidine and procaine amide are contraindicated in the presence of complete heart block. This may also apply to potassium. 8. 8. The external electric pacemaker is of great value in the management of episodes of syncope due to ventricular asystole but will have no effect on episodes due to ventricular acceleration. In the latter, the external electric defibrillator is effective. 9. 9. A small group of patients with Stokes-Adams disease and proved gallbladder disease may be helped by cholecystectomy. 10. 10. Resuscitation in the acute situation requires rapid action in a planned series of steps, while maintaining the airway at the same time. If asystole is suspected, pounding on the chest followed by cardiac needling, follwed by the external pacemaker or open thoracotomy is the proper sequence. All this must be accomplished within four minutes If ventricular fibrillation is the cause of the syncope, only external defibrillation or thoracotomy with cardiac massage will be effective unless the episode is very brief and spontaneous recovery occurs.
Integrated Design Patterns for Control System Analysis and Synthesis

A control system is a device that regulates a system's performance over time to provide a desired output based on an input. Designing such a system can be a tedious and difficult process due to the complex nature of control and its interdependencies. This paper presents an innovative approach to integrate several system design patterns into a software package that can generate multiple designed results based on the system performance specifications provided by a front-end user. The purpose of developing the software package is to allow a wider range of users from various engineering fields to apply control theories into their practical system designs, such as an autonomous ground vehicle system, a chemical processing system, a manufacturing or food production line. Especially, when the software design environment is working with a data acquisition board, it will be a powerful tool for real-time control system analysis and synthesis.
Characteristics of Ureaplasma urealyticum urease.

Sonication of Ureaplasma urealyticum cells grown in a dialysate growth medium effectively separated the cytoplasmic fraction from the membrane fraction, with both fractions relatively free from exogenous contaminating proteins. The urease activity was associated with the cytoplasmic fraction, and the ureaplasmal urease exhibited a specific activity higher than that of crystalline jack bean urease. The enzymatic activity of the ureaplasmal enzyme was optimum at pH 7.5 and was resistant to the chelating agents EDTA and sodium citrate. Sulfhydryl-blocking agents such as HgCl2 and Pb(NO3)2 inhibited the ureaplasmal urease, which was also shown to be particularly sensitive to flurofamide and, to a much lesser extent, to acetohydroxamic acid. Electrophoretic analysis of the proteins of the ureaplasmal cell fractions combined with Western immunoblot with an antiserum to the ureaplasmal urease indicated that the urease constitutes a major component of the cytoplasm and is composed of several 70-kilodalton polypeptides. Images
A winter of hope and a spring of despair [computer technology in politics]

In examining the role of computers in politics, it is all too easy to focus on the newest and most sophisticated technologies, such as the blogs and Web pages. Yet, in spite of all the claims that computing technology is changing politics and governance, we find that computing technology has been associated with government since the days of Hollerith.
Have Earnings Announcements Lost Information Content

We investigate the potential historic decline in the information content of earnings announcements. Like Beaver (1968) we focus on the incremental information content of accounting earnings announcements—whether the announcements convey “new news” to the market as evidenced by unusual price movements. We investigate the price reaction to earnings announcements of a broad range of firms over a 23-year time period (1975 through 1997). We find that, on average, the price reaction to earnings announcements has increased over time. However, the robustness of this finding is called into question based on two factors. First, we find that the change in price reaction to earnings varies depending on the size of firms analyzed. Specifically, we find some evidence that small firms exhibit a decreasing price reaction to earnings announcements over time, while larger firms consistently exhibit an increasing price reaction to earnings announcements. Second, we find that a minority of firms drives the observed increase ...
Can Social Scientists Promote the Effects of Social Influence During War? An Effect Size Perspective

A recent paper in Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy by Sara King presented an overview of the role of social influence in modern military affairs. The current article comments on King's paper by focusing on the limitations of implementing social science theory on wartime affairs. Specifically, the author addresses these limitations within an effect size framework, and suggests that a cautious attitude is needed when utilizing social-science theories in wartime affairs. Language: en
Role of the early stages of Ni-Si interaction on the formation of transrotational Ni-silicides

Here we provide an overview on the crucial role played by the early stages of Ni-Si interaction on the reaction process and on the scalability of the reaction products. During the early stages, a precursor layer (a Ni-Si mixed layer) is formed at the deposition stage, whose properties can be tuned in a proper and convenient way. With this method, transrotational Ni-silicide layers can be formed on [001] silicon substrate in a wide range of conditions. A transrotational structure represents an alternative order status possible for thin films allowing them to release the strain accumulated in the attempt to realise a hetero-epitaxial couplings with the substrate. Transrotational layers offer wide reaction and structural stability windows as well as a good electrical behaviour. Their scalability down to 14 nm was tested, and it was verified that the layer performances are even preserved if compared to reference poly-thick layers (e. g. uniformity, structural stability, layer conductivity, low contact resistance). (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Subcellular Localization of Salmonella enteritidis Endotoxin in Liver and Spleen of Mice and Rats

Salmonella enteritidis(14)C-endotoxin was recovered predominantly from the nuclear and mitochondrial subcellular fractions of livers and spleens of mice and rats, 3.5 hr and 3 days after intravenous administration. Of the recovered radioactivity, 10 to 20% was present in the liver mitochondrial fraction as high-molecular-weight, biologically active material, suggesting the presence of intact endotoxin. Autoradiographic studies demonstrated nuclear and cytoplasmic labeling in the liver and at least nuclear label in spleen cells. The resistance of rats, as compared to mice, to the induction of amyloidosis does not appear to be based on a difference in subcellular localization of endotoxin within the reticuloendothelial system.
New Synthesis of rac. Anhalonidine and rac. Pellotine

A new synthesis of rac. anhalonidine and rac. pellotine is reported. The procedure, a modification of the method of Bobbitt et al. (5) for the synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines, is simpler and gives better yields than those previously reported.
The pathogenesis and biochemistry of amyloidosis.

The transformation of serum proteins into Congo red-sensitive fibrillar material is requisite for the onset and progression of amyloid disease. All the mechanisms which lead to the disease itself have not been elucidated, but our knowledge has increased significantly. It is apparent that in all types of amyloid fibrils, three common features are displayed by the major protein constituents. These are that the fibril protein has (1) a serum precursor, (2) a high degree of anti-parallel beta-sheet conformation and (3) a distinctive ultrastructure on electron microscopy. In the AL and AA forms of amyloidosis, the putative precursors appear to undergo limited degradation to form the protein component of amyloid fibrils. It has been suggested that there may be certain primary structural characteristics inherent in precursor molecules which make them amyloidogenic, thus predisposing them to amyloid fibril formation.33 This would include certain subtypes of immunoglobulin light chains, possibly kappa I and lambda VI, in the AL type of amyloidosis and one of the polymorphic SAA species, SAA2, which has been identified as the predominating isotype found in AA amyloid fibrils.32,33,110 In AH amyloidosis, the mechanism of amyloid fibril formation appears to be simply a concentration phenomenon where elevated concentrations of B2-M are not handled normally and amyloid deposition is the result. Amyloidogenesis in the hereditary form of systemic amyloidosis may involve other factors in addition to the presence of a variant precursor prealbumin as indicated by the delayed onset of the disease. It is evident that the elucidation of the mechanism(s) which governs the onset and progression of the amyloidoses will allow future regulation and treatment of these all too often complex disorders.
Transcriptional control: SWItched-on mobility

Recent studies have shown that two nucleosome-remodeling complexes, NURF and CHRAC, open chromatin for transcription and replication by using their common catalytic subunit, the nucleosomal ATPase ISWI, to increase the mobility of nucleosomes relative to DNA sequence.
Artificial cells: Designing biomimetic nanomachines.

A new mathematical approach could lead to a better understanding of how events at the cellular level are related to the way the body functions.
Association of maternal smoking during pregnancy with infant hospitalization and mortality due to infectious diseases.

Background Maternal smoking is associated with infant respiratory infections and with increased risk of low birthweight (LBW) infants and preterm birth. This study assesses the association of maternal smoking during pregnancy with both respiratory and non-respiratory infectious disease (ID) morbidity and mortality in infants.
IUE monitoring of the spatial distribution of the H Ly-alpha emission from Jupiter

North-south spatial maps of the Jovian H Lyman-alpha emission observed with the IUE satellite support the identification of a marked longitudinal asymmetry in the equatorial brightness, with the peak around lambda III(1965) = 50-100 deg longitude, and show a weaker planet-wide equatorial brightening above the level predicted by a plane-parallel layer model. IUE observations made 18 months after the initial discovery of the localized emission bulge establish that it is fixed with respect to Jupiter's magnetic longitude (lambda III system) and not with respect to atmospheric longitude (lambda II system). In addition, a decrease in brightness of 20% in the region of the emission bulge has been observed over a one yr interval, while the rest of the planet remained roughly constant in brightness. This decrease is more than would be expected as a result of changes in the incident solar Lyman-alpha flux, indicating a real decrease in reflectivity in this region of Jupiter's upper atmosphere.
Linear theory of electron temperature anisotropy instabilities: Whistler, mirror, and Weibel

[1] A collisionless, homogeneous plasma in which the electron velocity distribution is a bi-Maxwellian with T⊥e > T∥e, where the directional subscripts refer to directions relative to the background magnetic field Bo, can support the growth of two distinct instabilities. Linear dispersion theory predicts that the whistler anisotropy instability is excited with maximum growth rate γm at k × Bo = 0 and real frequency ωr greater than the proton cyclotron frequency, whereas the electron mirror instability is excited at propagation oblique to Bo and zero real frequency. In an unmagnetized plasma with a similarly anisotropic electron distribution the electron Weibel instability may be excited with zero real frequency and maximum growth rate in the direction of the minimum temperature. Here linear theory is used to compare dispersion and threshold properties of these three growing modes. For 0.10 ≤ β∥e ≤ 1000, the whistler has a larger γm and a smaller anisotropy threshold than the electron mirror, so that the former mode should dominate in homogeneous plasmas for most physical values of electron β. Threshold conditions describing electron temperature anisotropies and parallel wave numbers at given maximum growth rates are presented for each instability.