cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of PCR and culture to detect Helicobacter pylori in naturally infected cats following triple antimicrobial therapy.

Helicobacter pylori causes gastritis and peptic ulcers and is linked to gastric cancer. Domestic cats from a commercial source were found to be naturally infected with H. pylori, and studies were undertaken to eradicate H. pylori from infected cats by using triple antimicrobial therapy. Eight cats infected with H. pylori were used in the study. Six cats received a 21-day course of oral amoxicillin, metronidazole, and omeprazole, and two cats served as controls. Two weeks and 4 weeks posttreatment (p.t.), all six treated cats were negative at several sites (saliva, gastric juice, and gastric mucosa) for H. pylori by culture. However, as determined by PCR with primers specific for the 26-kDa product, the majority of cats at 2 and 4 weeks p.t. had gastric fluid samples which were positive for H. pylori and three of three cats at 2 weeks p.t. had dental plaque which was positive for H. pylori. At 6 weeks p.t., all six cats had H. pylori-negative cultures for samples from several gastric sites taken at necropsy, and only one cat had H. pylori cultured from gastric juice. PCR analysis revealed that five of six cats had H. pylori DNA amplification products from plaque, saliva, and/or gastric fluid samples. Negative bacterial cultures for cats for which there was demonstrable PCR amplification of H. pylori DNA may reflect the inability of in vitro culture techniques to isolate small numbers of H. pylori organisms, focal colonization at sites not cultured, or a failure of the antibiotics to successfully eradicate H. pylori from extragastric sites which allowed subsequent recolonization of the stomach after cessation of therapy. Alternatively, the treatment strategy may have induced in vivo viable but nonculturable coccoid forms of H. pylori. The H. pylori cat model should allow further studies to test these hypotheses as well as the efficacies of other combined therapeutic regimens. Also, because 100% of these cats were naturally infected with H.pylori, this model should prove useful in exploring mechanisms whereby human populations in underdeveloped countries, which have H. pylori infection rates approaching 100%, have a high rate of recurrence of H. pylori infection after use of prescribed antibiotic therapies that successfully eradicate H. pylori in individuals in developed countries.
Life in Virtual Worlds: Plural Existence, Multimodalities, and other Online Research Challenges

Virtual environments present researchers with a range of methodological considerations, both new and old. With the advent of embodied online worlds, experiences with distributed presence, anonymity and multiple modes of engagement increasingly have become the norm. Avatars and their textual counterparts lead us to critically encounter how research can be most meaningfully handled given a terrain in which users are actually embodying themselves digitally, and often in multivalent ways. This article discusses some of the theoretical issues at stake in this form of research, as well as providing several grounded practices to help methodologically negotiate virtual worlds.
Seasonal radiolarian flux at the VERTEX North Pacific time-series site

Fluxes of radiolarians were measured at several depths from 50 to 2000 m at 33°N. 139°W with free-floating particle interceptor traps in a series of 3-month collections from October 1986 to May 1988. Fluxes of spumellarians, nassellarians and phaeodarians were generally highest and were most variable in the upper 100 m. Patterns of flux differed among the three groups, and no clear seasonal patterns were evident, within the resolution of the methods. Standing stocks, sampled with large-volume water samples, varied little during the study period. Fluxes of each group from the base of the euphotic zone (150 m) were similar throughout the study period, as generally were fluxes from 150 to 2000 m. Flux patterns of two species of nassellarians and of several species of phacodarians were examined. Flux of the symbiont-bearing nassellarian Lithopera bacca from the euphotic zone peaked in summer, but at 2000 m there was no seasonal pattern to its flux. Among the phacodarians. Lirella bullata showed spring peaks in flux at 2000 m. The lack of clear seasonal patterns for the groups and for many individual species suggests that the seasonal variability in factors, such as primary productivity and nitrogen dynamics, at this oligotrophic site was too weak to affect radiolarians, which are at least one trophic step removed from these factors. Variability in radiolarian fluxes at all depths over the 18 month period ranged from undetectable to a factor of 10; this probably represents normal variability at this oligotrophic site. The majority of polycystines trapped in the upper 100 m were alive at the time of capture, and the percentage of living specimens decreased rapidly as depth increased. In contrast, living phacodarians dominated the fluxes of phacodarians at all depths. Several species of phacodarians with shallower depth distributions were absent from the deepest traps, whereas species with deeper distributions were present in the 2000 m traps. Carbon flux of living radiolarians, estimated from volume: carbon conversions, showed no clear seasonal pattern. Radiolarians were estimated to contribute from 80% of the total carbon flux, and they generally contributed < 10%. The low radiolarian carbon flux at 2000 m throughout the year suggests that radiolarians contribute an insignificant amount of carbon to the deep sea in this oligotrophic regime. Analysis of reproduction of phacodarians showed no evidence that formation of swarmers was causing phacodarians to sink at any time during the study. Multinucleate phcodarians were very rare. Organisms undergoing binary fission were more common, but there was no convincing evidence of seasonal patterns of asexual reproduction for any of the phacodarians.
Control of Thumb-Sucking in a Classroom

By the application of cognitive technique, aversive stimulus and positive nonverbal reinforcement, an attempt was made to control thumb-sucking behavior of a school girl in a Grade 4 classroom. During the first baseline period, thumb-sucking occurred on the average 63% a class-session but decreased on an average of 12% after treatment. With reinstatement of baseline conditions, it rose to an average of 54%, but after second experimental phase decreased to a mean of 5.1%. No recurrence appeared during the last days. Use of multiple treatment conditions limited interpretations.
Errata to ‘Localized Normal Maps and the Stability of Variational Inclusions’ (Set-Valued Analysis 12 (2004), 259–274)

PROPOSITION 3.1. Assume the hypotheses of Theorem 2.1. Choose w0 2 W0 and take S 1⁄4 U0 fw0g. Define multifunctions X: U0 ! X0 and Z : U0 ! Z0 by requiring that ðu; xÞ belong to the graph of X if and only if ðu;w0; xÞ 2 MS, and that ðu; zÞ belong to the graph of Z if and only if ðu;w0; zÞ 2 NS, where MS and NS are defined by (7). Then one of the multifunctions X and Z is inner semicontinuous if and only if the other is. Proof. Let G be an open subset of X0 and suppose that Xðu0Þ meets G. Then there is x0 2 G such that ðu0;w0; x0Þ 2 MS. Let z0 1⁄4 ðu0;w0; x0Þ; then ðu0; w0; z0Þ 2 NS and therefore z0 2 Zðu0Þ; moreover, ðu0; z0Þ 1⁄4 x0. As is continuous, we can find an open neighborhood H of z0 and a neighborhood U 00 of u0 with U 00 U0 and such that if ðu; zÞ 2 U00 H then ðu; zÞ 2 G. As Z is inner semicontinuous, by shrinking U00 further if necessary we can ensure that if u 2 U00 then ZðuÞ meets H. Choose u 2 U00, and find z in ZðuÞ \ H. The triple ðu; w0; zÞ is then in NS, so the point ðu;w0; xÞ :1⁄4 ðu;w0; zÞ belongs to MS, and x 1⁄4 ðu; zÞ. As ðu; zÞ 2 U00 H we have x 1⁄4 ðu; zÞ 2 G; however, as ðu;w0; xÞ 2 MS we also have x 2 XðuÞ. Therefore XðuÞ meets G, so X is inner semicontinuous at u0. A parallel argument gives the proof in the other direction. I
Practical characterization of the structure of crystalline polymer moldings

The thermal and flow gradients present during thick polymer molding processes can produce layered structures through the thickness which vary in crystallinity, orientation, and axiality. Such structural complexity is difficult, expensive, and time consuming to characterize and presently impossible to predict. In order to overcome these problems emphasis in our laboratory has been directed toward the development of rapid, nondestructive techniques for the quantitative characterization of the structure of thick polymer samples. This includes the characterization of the average structure, the surface structure, and the internal layer structure. The present paper discusses some of these techniques and illustrates their application.
ISETL: a language for teaching discrete mathematics (abstract)

ISETL is an interactive implementation and extension of SETL1, a programming language built around mathematical notation and objects, primarily sets and functions. Just as an introductory chemistry course uses a laboratory to provide an arena for experimenting, an introductory mathematics class could use ISETL to provide a workplace for its students.When children first begin their study of mathematics — counting and simple arithmetic — it is easy to provide them with concrete examples suitable for manipulation: coins, sheep, apples and oranges. As the level of mathematics increases, however, it becomes harder to provide direct experience. ISETL implements some of the common objects used in mathematics, and so provides a place for students to experiment with immediate feedback. It is important to notice that, unlike the experience gained from most general purpose programming languages, ISETL provides transferrable knowledge, because it uses standard mathematical notations and ideas. E.g., the primes less than 50: {p: p in [2..50] | forall i in [2..p-1] | p mod i/=0}By providing functions as first class objects, both as sets of ordered pairs and as computational objects, ISETL permits students to manipulate functions, providing examples of higher order mathematical structures (such as groups of functions). Aside from its original application as a laboratory for experimentation in Discrete Mathematics, ISETL has been used for teaching calculus, introductory programming, programming languages, and abstract algebra. The first class functions provide support for many of the paradigms of programming in a single familiar context. ISETL is in use in more than 100 schools. ISETL is available for UNIX, VMS, MSDOS, and the Macintosh. Write to the author for more information.
Subliminal Messages, Persuasion, and Behavior Change

(1988). Subliminal Messages, Persuasion, and Behavior Change. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 128, No. 4, pp. 563-565.
Potential New Therapeutic Agents for Diabetic Kidney Disease

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, and both the incidence and prevalence of diabetic nephropathy continue to increase. Currently, various treatment regimens and combinations of therapies provide only partial renoprotection. It is obvious that new approaches are desperately needed to retard the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Recently, a number of new agents have been described that have the potential to delay the progression of diabetic kidney disease and minimize the growing burden of end-stage renal disease. These include inhibitors and breakers of advanced glycation end products, receptor antagonists for advanced glycation end products, protein kinase C inhibitors, NADPH (reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) oxidase inhibitors, glycosaminoglycans, endothelin receptor antagonists, antifibrotic agents, and growth factor inhibitors. This review addresses these promising new therapeutic agents for delaying the progression of diabetic kidney disease.
Further observations of stopping venom immunotherapy: Comparison of patients stopped because of a fall in serum venom-specific IgE to insignificant levels with patients stopped prematurely by self-choice

This study extends our experience applying the criterion of a fall in serum venom-specific IgE (RAST) to insignificant levels as an indication to stop venom immunotherapy (VIT) and compares the follow-up results with the results of re-stings in patients who stopped VIT "prematurely" by self-choice. All patients in both groups had a history of venom anaphylaxis, most with cardiovascular and/or respiratory symptoms and initial elevated serum venom-specific IgE; all patients received VIT. The groups were closely matched for age, sex, nature of initial sting reaction, and insect identification. In the group with low-level RAST titers, the duration of VIT was 6 months to 5 years (mean 2 1/2 years). Re-stings occurred from 1 month to 7 years (mean 2.2 years) after cessation of therapy. There were 75 re-stings in 41 patients with four systemic reactions (10% per patient and 5% per sting). All four reacting patients had tolerated several stings during cessation of VIT before the re-sting systemic reaction; two patients had subsequent stings with no reaction. In the group of patients who stopped VIT for other reasons, the duration of VIT was 5 months to 4 years (mean 1.8 years). Re-stings occurred from 4 months to 6 years (mean 2.1 years) after stopping therapy. There were 74 re-stings in 38 patients with seven systemic reactions in four patients (9.5% per patient and 10.5% per sting). Two of the reacting patients had tolerated stings before the re-sting reaction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Fueling the Credit Crisis: Who Uses Consumer Credit and What Drives Debt Burden?

Excessive household debt contributed to the worst recession in decades. Insights about borrowing and spending behavior can inform economic recovery forecasts, policy decisions, and financial education. This study identifies life cycle and credit attitude as key determinants of who uses debt. Younger households are more likely to borrow for consumption, as are those who believe that it is all right to borrow to purchase luxury goods or cover living expenses. Furthermore, households that condone borrowing for these purposes have a higher consumer debt burden. Debt capacity (or creditworthiness) and financial discipline are also significant factors in determining household debt use.
Allelic and haplotypic association of GABRA2 with alcohol dependence

Alcohol dependence is a highly prevalent disorder that is associated with serious morbidity and mortality. Because the GABAA neurotransmitter receptor is an important mediator for several behavioral effects of alcohol, genes encoding GABA-related proteins are functional candidates to influence risk of alcohol dependence. Two genome-wide scans showed linkage of alcohol dependence to a region on chromosome 4p, which contains a cluster of genes encoding GABAA receptor subunits. A recent effort to fine map that region showed a haplotypic association of alcohol dependence to the gene encoding the GABAA receptor α-2 subunit (GABRA2). We examined 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning the coding region of this gene in samples of European American subjects with alcohol dependence (n = 446), and controls (n = 334) screened to exclude substance use disorders. There was evidence of association to alcohol dependence for seven adjacent markers spanning 98,000 bp in the middle and 3′-portion of the GABRA2 gene (range of P-values = 0.008–0.03). When the subset of the alcohol-dependent subjects excluding those with a diagnosis of cocaine or opioid dependence or major depressive episode (n = 198) was examined, the strength of the association was increased across these 7 SNPs (range of P-values = 0.002–0.007). Two common haplotypes in this region accounted for 90.8% of chromosomes. The more common haplotype was present in 55.6% of control group chromosomes versus 48.2% of alcohol-dependent subjects (P = 0.007) and 45.8% of subjects with alcohol dependence but no co-morbid drug dependence or depression (P = 0.003). These findings replicate and extend recently reported findings, which together underscore the potential contribution of polymorphic variation at the GABRA2 locus to the risk for alcohol dependence. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Organization of interdoublet links in Tetrahymena cilia.

Ciliary axonemes from Tetrahymena extracted by KCl to remove the dynein arms reveal an orderly array of interdoublet links connecting adjacent A-B or A-A subfibers. The links repeat every 96 nm at a stable site on the A subfiber positioned near the bases of radial spokes 2 and 3. Both links and radial spokes are in lateral register across the nine successive doublets of unbent axonemes. In contrast, bent axonemes or those reactivated by ATP to undergo partial sliding disintegration exhibit systematic displacement of the interdoublet links. The links show no evidence of having elastic or other extendable properties and, therefore, must have undergone intermittent attachment with nonstructural binding sites on the adjacent subfiber. These observations suggest a more dynamic role for the interdoublet links in ciliary motion than previously has been envisioned.
Generating stereoscopic displays with Eye Lines: Applications in instruction and research

Eye Lines, a set of software programs for designing and running experiments using the method of adjustment, was used to generate stereoscopic stimuli. To increase the understanding of stereopsis in undergraduate instruction, students created stereograms by using Eye Lines and also viewed an Eye Lines-generated anaglyph of a Necker cube. By adjusting the amount of disparity in the anaglyph, the students noted the corresponding percept changes. The potential applications of Eye Lines to research on stereoscopic versions of illusions and on cue competition are discussed.
Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) in geriatric primary care: A feasibility study

Abstract Objective Evaluate the feasibility of generating patient-centered goals using GAS with older adults who have multiple chronic conditions, recruited through primary care. Method Adults age 65+ (N = 27) were recruited from a geriatric primary care center. Participants were asked to identify 2–4 activity-based goals and set attainment levels using GAS. At 8 weeks, participants were asked to rate current level of their goal performance. Physician surveys were used to evaluate if goals were realistic and feasible, and patient surveys were implemented to evaluate satisfaction. GAS T-scores were used to quantify change in goal achievement. Results Ninety-three percent (n = 25) of participants were able to establish a minimum of two goals using GAS. 100% of participants were able to rate goal performance at follow-up. Physician survey results identified 100% of goals realistic and 93% achievable and 100% of participants were either neutral or satisfied with the process. Significant improvement was reported in GAS change scores (t(24) = 6.54, p Conclusion Findings support the feasibility of GAS for older adults with multiple chronic conditions in geriatric primary care as a strategy to facilitate patient-centered care and suggest that the process of personalized goal-setting itself may facilitate goal attainment.
Prenatal Education in a High-Risk Population: The Effect on Birth Outcomes

This case-control investigation examined the relationship between absence of specific educational content during prenatal care and risk of adverse birth outcomes. A total of 1484 women from three regions with high rates of low birthweight and infant mortality participated in structured postpartum interviews. Analyses were performed for both the full sample and three regional subsamples. For the full sample an adjusted risk ratio of 2.87 (95% CI = 1.75, 4.71) was noted between risk of preterm low birthweight and lack of advice to call the health provider if preterm labor were suspected. For one subsample an adjusted risk ratio of 2.50 (95% CI = 1.11, 5.60) was noted between the risk of preterm low birthweight and lack of education on the signs and symptoms of preterm labor. This study reinforces a body of literature that stresses the importance of appropriate prenatal care in preventing preterm low birthweight. It further suggests that adequacy measures of prenatal care should reflect quality and content as well as timing and number of prenatal visits.
Inhibition of Protein Geranylgeranylation Causes a Superinduction of Nitric-oxide Synthase-2 by Interleukin-1β in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Abstract Recently, we have designed farnesyltransferase and geranylgeranyltransferase I inhibitors (FTI-277 and GGTI-298) that selectively block protein farnesylation and geranylgeranylation, respectively. In this study, we describe the opposing effects of these inhibitors on interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-stimulated induction of nitric-oxide synthase-2 (NOS-2) in rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (RPASMC) and rat hepatocytes. Pretreatment of cells with GGTI-298 caused a superinduction of NOS-2 by IL-1β. RPASMC treated with GGTI-298 (10 μm) prior to IL-1β (10 ng/ml) expressed levels of NOS-2 protein five times higher than those exposed to IL-1β alone. This superinduction of NOS-2 protein by pretreatment with GGTI-298 resulted in nitrite concentrations in the medium that were 5-fold higher at 10 ng/ml IL-1β and 10-fold higher at 1 ng/ml IL-1β. Furthermore, NOS-2 mRNA levels in RPASMC were also increased 6- and 14-fold (at 10 and 1 ng/ml IL-1β, respectively) when the cells were pretreated with GGTI-298. In contrast, treatment of cells with the inhibitor of protein farnesylation, FTI-277 (10 μm), blocked IL-1β-induced NOS-2 expression at mRNA and protein levels. Pretreatment with lovastatin, an inhibitor of protein prenylation, resulted in superinduction of NOS-2. This superinduction was reversed by geranylgeraniol, but not by farnesol, further confirming that inhibition of geranylgeranylation, not farnesylation, is responsible for enhanced NOS-2 expression. The results demonstrate that a farnesylated protein(s) mediates IL-1β induction of NOS-2, whereas a geranylgeranylated protein(s) represses this induction.
The behavior of one-dimensional acceleration waves in an inhomogeneous granular solid

Abstract In this paper we study the propagation of 1-dimensional acceleration waves in a particular granular solid. Experimental data on the average wave speed and the wave amplitude are reported for two different initial amplitudes. These results are then compared with the predictions of a recently developed theory of granular materials. The theoretical predictions are shown to agree well with the experimental observations.
Cooperative diversity routing and transmission for wireless sensor networks

In this study, the authors present a novel design framework aimed at developing `cooperative diversity' in 802.11-based wireless sensor networks. The proposed scheme is a combination of a time-reversed space-time block code scheme at the physical layer and a cooperative routing protocol at the network layer. The core feature of this architecture is that the multiple routes are capable of assisting the transmission of each other, hence the reliability of `all' the wireless links are enhanced simultaneously by cooperative diversity. This will involve the design of physical layer transmission schemes, medium access protocols and routing strategies. For the latter in particular, the authors present a cooperative routing protocol that is capable of exploiting full transmit diversity in wireless sensor networks. The authors restrict ourselves by imposing as few modifications to existing schemes as possible, so that integration to the existing infrastructure will be straightforward. Comprehensive simulations have been carried out to demonstrate the end-to-end performance of the proposed scheme. It is shown that a substantial gain can be achieved by cooperative diversity using a virtual multiple input multiple output system architecture.
Ectomycorrhizal diversity alters growth and nutrient acquisition of grey birch (Betula populifolia) seedlings in host-symbiont culture conditions

Summary • The influence of ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity on plant performance was investigated by establishing a gradient of ectomycorrhizal diversity on Betula populifolia (grey birch) seedlings. • We measured growth, as well as N and P uptake, of individual B. populifolia seedlings inoculated with replicate one, two and four species ‘communities’ of ectomycorrhizal fungi simultaneously and without mycorrhizas in axenic culture. • Colonization of B. populifolia by individual species of ectomycorrhizal fungi decreased with increasing fungal diversity although total colonization increased. Shoot biomass decreased with increasing ectomycorrhizal diversity and mycorrhizal root biomass increased. Plant biomass did not differ with individual mycorrhizal species or composition. Shoot N concentration showed a small increase with increasing ectomycorrhizal diversity. Whole plant P content and concentration increased across the ectomycorrhizal diversity gradient. Despite higher mycorrhizal colonization rates with increasing fungal diversity, plant growth and nutrient responses were best explained by changes in ectomycorrhizal diversity. • Greater ectomycorrhizal diversity per se, rather than colonization or composition, increased mycorrhizal root biomass at the expense of shoot biomass and increased P uptake of B. populifolia seedlings.
Use of double spin-labeled histones to monitor histone-chromatin integration.

Tyrosine-specific nitroxide spin labels have been synthesized that utilize either deuterium or deuterium and [15n]isotopic substitution within the nitroxide ring. These probes have been used to differentially spin label and simultaneously monitor both histones H1 and H5, during the displacement of endogenous spin-labeled H1 from reconstituted chromatin by exogenously added spin-labeled H5.
AOSLO: from benchtop to clinic

We present a clinically deployable adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) that features micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) deformable mirror (DM) based adaptive optics (AO) and low coherent light sources. With the miniaturized optical aperture of a μDMS-Multi TM MEMS DM (Boston Micromachines Corporation, Watertown, MA), we were able to develop a compact and robust AOSLO optical system that occupies a 50 cm X 50 cm area on a mobile optical table. We introduced low coherent light sources, which are superluminescent laser diodes (SLD) at 680 nm with 9 nm bandwidth and 840 nm with 50 nm bandwidth, in confocal scanning ophthalmoscopy to eliminate interference artifacts in the images. We selected a photo multiplier tube (PMT) for photon signal detection and designed low noise video signal conditioning circuits. We employed an acoustic-optical (AOM) spatial light modulator to modulate the light beam so that we could avoid unnecessary exposure to the retina or project a specific stimulus pattern onto the retina. The MEMS DM based AO system demonstrated robust performance. The use of low coherent light sources effectively mitigated the interference artifacts in the images and yielded high-fidelity retinal images of contiguous cone mosaic. We imaged patients with inherited retinal degenerations including cone-rod dystrophy (CRD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP). We have produced high-fidelity, real-time, microscopic views of the living human retina for healthy and diseased eyes.
Molecular thermodynamics of supercritical fluid mixtures

Supercritical fluid extraction uses a dense gas as a solvent at a temperature only slightly above its critical temperature and a pressure of a few hundred bars. The process offers the advantages of both conventional distillation and solvent extraction, and permits the facile achievement of difficult separations by highly selective absorption and desorption of various solutes. A valid thermodynamic model is essential for the rational design of such processes. Extensive solubility measurements at pressures to about half a kilobar have been made, and the results interpreted in terms of perturbed hard-sphere equations of state. In this, solution nonidealities were characterized in terms of enhancement factors, which are often in the range of 10/sup 3/-10/sup 8/. Even better information about the specific solvent solute interactions is available from measurements of partial molar volumes in supercritical solutions. These are very difficult measurements, as the effects are most pronounced precisely where the solvent compressibility is greatest, and accurate data are possible only because of the advent of the high-pressure vibrating tube densitometer, which converts density determinations to highly accurate frequency measurements for determinations to a precision of +/- 0.0001 g/cc. The solute partial molal volumes are many liters negative in the critical region,more » and these data are interpreted in terms of various equations of state.« less
Extending life or prolonging death: When is enough actually too much?

An 86-year-old male with chronic renal failure is referred to you for vascular access to allow dialysis. He has multiple comorbidities including advanced dementia and terminal pancreatic cancer. The referring nephrologist, who has been one of your biggest supporters, is apologetic but firm in his consultation for vascular access. The prominent family members, who are substantial donors to the medical center, are insistent on Mr V. Ast getting treatment. In your professional clinical ethical judgment, you strongly disagree. What should be done? A.Go along to get along. B.Refuse outright. C.Bring the matter before the ethics committee. D.Schedule a meeting with the family. E.Schedule a meeting with the nephrologist.
CCD Testing for DECam (Dark Energy Survey Camera)

Abstract The Dark Energy Survey Camera (DECam] will be comprised of a mosaic of 74 charge-coupled devices (CCDs]. The DES science goals set stringent technical requirements for the CCDs. The CCDs are provided by LBNL with valuable cold probe data at 233 K, providing an indication of which CCDs are more likely to pass. After comprehensive testing of 270 CCDs at 273 K, 124 qualify as science grade. Testing this large number of CCDs to determine which best meet the DES requirements is a very time-consuming task. We developed a multistage testing program to automatically collect and analyze CCD test data.
Causal inference in auditing: A framework

SUMMARY: Causal inference—that is, determining the “root cause(s)” of an observed anomaly—is one of the most fundamental audit tasks. This study develops an analytical framework to formally model conditions present in many audit settings, and provides illustrations related to performing substantive analytical procedures. We examine four conditions not fully considered in prior research: multiple hypotheses about what may cause an anomaly, multiple items of evidence with varying diagnosticity, observed effects that may not be certain, and hypotheses sets that may not be exhaustive. The results reveal when the following phenomena should occur: (1) discounting or inflating of posterior probabilities, (2) superadditive probabilities of various causes, and (3) unchanged probability of a potential cause given evidence in support of a different cause. The analytical findings have implications for the design and interpretation of experimental auditing research, for educating novice auditors, and for potentially ...
De novo solid malignancies after cardiac transplantation.

Background. As long-term survival after cardiac transplantation improves, neoplastic complications are increasingly being discovered. Although lymphoproliferative disorders predominate, the incidence and clinical spectrum of solid tumors in a uniform population of heart transplant recipients remains uncertain. Methods. We reviewed our experience with 712 patients who underwent cardiac transplantation. Clinical charts were reviewed and telephone interviews were conducted, when possible. Results. De novo solid malignancies were identified in 3.3% of patients at risk (21 of 633 patients). Twenty patients were male; mean age was 51.5 ± 8.6 years. Most patients reported a significant smoking history. Pulmonary, urologic, and Kaposi's sarcoma were the most common malignancies identified. Mean interval from transplantation to diagnosis was 35 months. Six patients were diagnosed within 6 months of transplantation. One-year and 5-year survival after transplantation were 90% and 49%, respectively. One-year and 3-year survival after cancer diagnosis were 60% and 52%, respectively. Conclusions. De novo solid malignancy after transplantation occurred with about half the frequency of lymphoproliferative disorders. A striking male predominance was noted. The interval from transplantation to the appearance of cancer is variable, and no clustering was identified. A significant smoking history warrants aggressive search for occult malignancy during pretransplantation evaluation of potential heart recipients.
In-vitro selection of resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to teicoplanin and vancomycin

Nineteen strains of Staphylococcus aureus (five penicillin-susceptible and methicillin-susceptible, four methicillin-susceptible and penicillin-resistant, and ten methicillin-resistant) were serially subcultured in broth media containing a subinhibitory concentration (half the MIC) of either teicoplanin or vancomycin. The MIC of the antibiotic was again measured after five passages in antibiotic-containing broth. The experiment was terminated after 25 passages. After passage fifteen strains exhibited an eight-fold or greater increase in MIC of teicoplanin. On the other hand, only two strains exhibited even an unstable four-fold increase in MIC of vancomycin.
Developing Customer Solutions for Subsistence Marketplaces in Emerging Economies: a Bottom–Up 3C (Customer, Community, and Context) Approach

This article demonstrates why and how bottom–up understanding and local collaboration can enable outside entities to design context-sensitive solutions in subsistence marketplaces in emerging markets. Using the literature, we argue that external entities need to understand subsistence marketplaces from the bottom–up in terms of customers/consumers, communities, and the larger context. In turn, they should design context-sensitive core solutions that involve a true collaboration with the preexisting entrepreneurial ecosystem. We use a case study where the first author had direct involvement in implementation to abstract generalizable insights and further assess our arguments with two other case studies from a different organizational context. We draw on these insights to derive implications for marketing management in subsistence marketplaces.
Dimerization and phosphorylation of thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptors are modulated by agonist stimulation.

Abstract Dimerization and phosphorylation of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) receptors was characterized using HEK293 and pituitary GHFT cells expressing epitope-tagged receptors. TRH receptors tagged with FLAG and hemagglutinin epitopes were co-precipitated only if they were co-expressed, and 10–30% of receptors were isolated as hemagglutinin/FLAG-receptor dimers under basal conditions. The abundance of receptor dimers was increased when cells had been stimulated by TRH, indicating that TRH either stabilizes pre-existing dimers or increases dimer formation. TRH increased receptor dimerization and phosphorylation within 1 min in a dose-dependent manner. TRH increased phosphorylation of both receptor monomers and dimers, documented by incorporation of32P and an upshift in receptor mobility reversed by phosphatase treatment. The ability of TRH to increase receptor phosphorylation and dimerization did not depend on signal transduction, because it was not inhibited by the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122. Receptor phosphorylation required an agonist but was not blocked by the casein kinase II inhibitor apigenin, the protein kinase C inhibitor GF109203X, or expression of a dominant negative form of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2. TRH receptors lacking most of the cytoplasmic carboxyl terminus formed dimers constitutively but failed to undergo agonist-induced dimerization and phosphorylation. TRH also increased phosphorylation and dimerization of TRH receptors expressed in GHFT pre-lactotroph cells.
Evidence that Ginkgo biloba extract does not inhibit MAO A and B in living human brain.

Extracts of Ginkgo biloba have been reported to reversibly inhibit both monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B in rat brain in vitro leading to speculation that MAO inhibition may contribute to some of its central nervous system effects. Here we have used positron emission tomography (PET) to measure the effects of Ginkgo biloba on human brain MAO A and B in 10 subjects treated for 1 month with 120 mg/day of the Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761, using [11C]clorgyline and [11C]L-deprenyl-D2 to measure MAO A and B respectively. A three-compartment model was used to calculate the plasma to brain transfer constant K1 which is related to blood flow, and lambdak3, a model term which is a function of the concentration of catalytically active MAO molecules. Ginkgo biloba administration did not produce significant changes in brain MAO A or MAO B suggesting that mechanisms other than MAO inhibition need to be considered as mediating some of its CNS effects.
Protective antigens against glanders identified by expression library immunization

Burkholderia are highly evolved Gram-negative bacteria that primarily infect solipeds but are transmitted to humans by ingestion and cutaneous or aerosol exposures. Heightened concern over human infections of Burkholderia (B.) mallei and the very closely related species B. pseudomallei is due to the pathogens’ proven effectiveness as bioweapons, and to the increased potential for natural opportunistic infections in the growing diabetic and immuno-compromised populations. These Burkholderia species are nearly impervious to antibiotic treatments and no vaccine exists. In this study, the genome of the highly virulent B. mallei ATCC23344 strain was examined by expression library immunization for gene-encoded protective antigens. This protocol for genomic-scale functional screening was customized to accommodate the unusually large complexity of Burkholderia, and yielded 12 new putative vaccine candidates. Five of the candidates were individually tested as protein immunogens and three were found to confer significant partial protection against a lethal pulmonary infection in a murine model of disease. Determinations of peripheral blood cytokine and chemokine profiles following individual protein immunizations show that IL-2 and IL-4 are elicited by the three confirmed candidates, but unexpectedly interferon-and tumor necrosis factor-are not. We suggest that these pathogen components, discovered using genetic immunization and confirmed in a conventional protein format, will be useful toward the development of a safe and effective glanders vaccine.
A Review of Parent Education Programs for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Benefits of parent education have been demonstrated for decades. However, there exists a lack of formative evaluation of parent education for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD...
Electric Propulsion and Controller Design for Drag-Free Spacecraft Operation

A study is presented detailing the simulation of a drag-free follow-up mission to NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment. This work evaluates controller performance, as well as thrust, power, and propellant mass requirements for drag-free spacecraft operation at orbital altitudes of 160–225 km. In addition, sensitivities to thermospheric wind, Global Positioning System signal accuracy, and availability of ephemeris data are studied. Thruster (control actuator) models are based on two different Hall thrusters for providing the orbital along-track acceleration, colloid thrusters for the normal acceleration, and a miniature xenon ion thruster for the cross-track acceleration. At an altitude of 160 km, the maximum along-track thrust component is calculated to be 98 mNwith a required dynamic (throttling) response of 42 mN=s. Themaximum position error at this altitude was shown to be in the along-track direction with a magnitude of 3314.9 nm. At 225 km, the maximum along-track thrust component reduces to 10.3 mN. The maximum dynamic response at this altitude is 4:0 mN=s. For the spacecraft point design considered with a propellant mass fraction of 0.18, the mission lifetime for the 160 km case was calculated to be 0.76 years. This increases 2.27 years at an altitude of 225 km.
Analysis of the n-component n-phase equilibrium extremum problem

Abstract Patton, C.L., Green, K.A. and Luks, K.D., 1992. Analysis of the n-component n-phase equilibrium extremum problem. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 72: 267-275 The general condition for a pressure extremum in the n-component n-phase composition surface when projected onto pressure-temperature coordinates is identified. For n = 2, the physical situation is well known, being either the state of criticality (liquid = gas) or azeotropy (x1g = x11). For n > 2, it is shown that the extremum results from the existence of a linear relation between the compositions of the n phases, with azeotropy being a special case of that constraint.
Evaluation of p-FEM Approximations for Mid-Frequency Elasto-Acoustics

p-refinement strategies for numerical simulation of three-dimensional elasto-acoustic problems in the mid-frequency range are evaluated using high-order finite/infinite element-based approximations. Numerical experiments are used to study the convergence of an appropriate quantity-of-interest (QOI) as a function of polynomial degrees for the elastic-displacement and pressure fields.
TEM characterization of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings and ceramic metal interfaces after hot isostatic pressing

Abstract Plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) consisting of both a Ni–5%wt. Al bond coat (Ni–Al) and a thermally insulating 8%wt. Y 2 O 3 partially stabilized ZrO 2 ceramic top coat were subjected to hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with qualitative microanalysis was utilized to characterize the microstructural changes occurring during HIP treatment and to clarify the nature of the ceramic–metal interface [ZrO 2 –(Ni–Al)] both in the as-sprayed and hipped states. During HIP treatment, the as-sprayed ZrO 2 experienced a certain degree of hot plastic deformation and recrystallization, forming dense and crackless fine-equiaxed tetragonal grains. However, due to nonuniformities of the as-sprayed structure, the degree of recrystallization of the original columnar grains changed from location to location, resulting in a recrystallized microstructure ranging from coarse equiaxed grains 1–2 μm in size to co-existing grains of equiaxed and columnar shapes, including still intact columnar grains. Through TEM observations of a plasma-sprayed ZrO 2 –(Ni–Al) interface more than 20 μm long, it was found that the interface is amorphous in nature and unevenly thick and even discontinuous in some locations. The amorphous interfacial layer is composed largely of the Ni–Al bond coat materials together with some ZrO 2 ceramic material. After HIP treatment, the amorphous ZrO 2 –(Ni–Al) interfacial layer is replaced by a continuous, dense and polycrystalline Al 2 O 3 layer which can act as a diffusion barrier for elements both from the ZrO 2 coating to the bond coat and to the substrate, and also in the opposite direction.
Prolonged Q-T Interval Syndrome: Successful Treatment with Combined Ventricular Pacing and Propanolol

A case of the sporadic variety of the prolonged Q-T interval syndrome without deafness is presented. The patient is unusual because of a long survival to age 13, despite progressive worsening of her disease, and the presence of marked atrioventricular conduction abnormalities in addition to the usual ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Successful therapy was finally achieved with a combination of permanent pervenous ventricular pacing and propranolol.
James L. Massey's Contributions in the Early Years of Spread-Spectrum Communication Theory Research

During his long and illustrious research career, James L. Massey (1934–2013) devoted his attention to spread-spectrum communications very infrequently and then only for brief periods of time. In a short summer study for NASA in 1969, his research in sub-baud coding theory produced several concepts and techniques that are very important in the analysis and design of sequences for certain applications of direct-sequence spread spectrum. Massey never published his work on sub-baud coding theory in a journal, and his contributions went unnoticed until several years later when he presented some of his findings at the Allerton Conference. We provide a tutorial survey of Massey's concepts, tools, and sequence optimization criteria that have been employed by other researchers for the past four decades. Extensions of Massey's sequence-optimization concepts to other performance criteria are reviewed.
Effect of temperature-dependent energy-level shifts on a semiconductor's Peltier heat

The Peltier heat of a charge carrier in a semiconductor is calculated for the situation in which the electronic energy levels are temperature dependent. The temperature dependences of the electronic energy levels, generally observed optically, arise from their dependences on the vibrational energy of the lattice (e.g., as caused by thermal expansion). It has been suggested that these temperature dependences will typically have a major effect on the Peltier heat. The Peltier heat associated with a given energy level is a thermodynamic quantity; it is the product of the temperature and the change of the entropy of the system when a carrier is added in that level. As such, the energy levels cannot be treated as explicitly temperature dependent. The electron-lattice interaction causing the temperature dependence must be expressly considered. It is found that the carrier's interaction with the atomic vibrations lowers its electronic energy. However, the interaction of the carrier with the atomic vibrations also causes an infinitesimal lowering (approx.1/N) of each of the N vibrational frequencies. As a result, there is a finite carrier-induced increase in the average vibrational energy. Above the Debye temperature, this cancels the lowering of the carrier's electronic energy. Thus, the standard Peltier-heat formula,more » whose derivation generally ignores the temperature dependence of the electronic energy levels, is regained. This explains the apparent success of the standard formula in numerous analyses of electronic transport experiments.« less
Vulnerabilities of RFID protocols proposed in ISF

RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tags are increasingly being incorporated in a wide variety of applications despite the absence of completely secure authentication protocols. While this is acceptable in some applications, there is an urgent need to address vulnerabilities in existing protocols to develop better, non-vulnerable protocols. Not surprisingly, this continues to be a very active area for research and development. Recently, the Information Systems Frontiers Journal published two papers dealing with RFID authentication protocols. The protocols introduced in these papers, however, are vulnerable to attacks from an active adversary. We identify some existing vulnerabilities in these authentication protocols.
The integral catcher analysis of nuclear recoil experiments

Abstract The integral thick target thick catcher equations for extracting excitation and relaxation recoil velocities of nuclear reaction products have been reformulated. The new data analysis scheme corrects certain limitations and deficiencies inherent in the conventional procedure. Like the latter, our integral catcher analysis uses forward and backward recoil fractions F and B , but has no constraints on target thickness. The utility of the method may be extended with advantage to thinner targets. Additionally, there are no restrictions on the form of the range-velocity relationship that can be employed. Finally, the procedure inherently provides an excellent evaluation of the statistical uncertainties in the derived velocities based on the experimental uncertainties in F and B .