cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Double round hybridization of membrane based cDNA arrays: improved background reduction and data replication

Microarray analysis provides the ability to obtain gene expression data on thousands of gene targets in parallel and is being applied to an increasing variety of neurobiological samples. Nylon filter based cDNA arrays often provide an alternative to oligo-based or glass-based gene expression analysis systems. cDNA arrays regardless of the platform, are usually quite expensive to purchase and equally expensive to produce. As such, obtaining both high quality and replicated data, as well as the ability to recover from an apparently failed hybridization experiment are important factors in microarray experimental design. Using a collection of 1152 neuronally relevant cDNAs, this report describes simple modifications in experimental design of radioactive microarray experiments that, (1) improves reproducibility; (2) allows recovery from a failed experiment and; (3) provides a type of replicate data set with no requirement for additional arrays, no additional probe labelings, and little extra cost.
Focal impulse and rotor modulation ablation of sustaining rotors abruptly terminates persistent atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm with elimination on follow-up: A video case study

Ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) by using strategies that eliminate AF triggers via pulmonary vein (PV) isolation1 produces a single procedure success of 45%-65% at up to 1 year.2 Importantly, while it is known that PV ectopy may trigger AF, the mechanisms that actually sustain human AF after it has been triggered are unclear. There are 2 prevailing hypotheses. The multiwavelet hypothesis is based on evidence that complex activation in AF represents continuously meandering electrical waves,3 while the localized source hypothesis is based on experimental models in which rapidly activating reentrant circuits (rotors)4 or focal impulses5 cause disorganized AF. There has until now been indirect6 but little7,8 or no3 direct evidence to support sustaining rotors in human AF. We present a gentleman referred because of persistent AF despite prior left atrial radiofrequency Maze and endocardial ablation procedures. In the electrophysiological study, novel computational mapping developed in our laboratory revealed one AF rotor in the right atrium and another in the left atrium. Brief 3-5-minute ablation applications at each rotor (focal impulse and rotor modulation [FIRM]) abruptly terminated AF to sinus rhythm, with non-inducibility on aggressive testing and no AF recurrence by continuous ECG monitoring over 6 months. A video recording of the entire case is provided as an online supplement.
Government-community relationships: extending the relational theory of public relations

Abstract A study of government-citizen relationships found that public relations can contribute to community building. The study also found that the Bruning-Ledingham Relationship Scale is an effective tool for assessing relationship quality, and for predicting citizen behavior. Moreover, social exchange was found to serve as a useful concept for explaining human behavior within the broader framework of relationship management. Further, the study demonstrates the usefulness of the relational perspective as a paradigm for public relations.
Verbal Activity of Middle- and Lower-Class Parents When Teaching Their Child

Summary.-The present study attempted to evaluate the influence of social class insofar as determining patterns of parental activity during a parent-to-child teaching interaction. In all respects subject composition was the same as'previously reported. The experimental task required parents to explain the meaning of a proverb to their son, and during this interaction total talking time was recorded for each family member. Results supported expectations that fathers spoke more than mothers in middle-class families and almost equal to mothers in lower-class families. The meaning of class differences in family interaction is discussed and directions for research are described. During the past two decades various investigators have described parental role behavior ss sharply differentiated in lower-class families where mothers assume primary (if not total) responsibility for child rearing and care (6). In contrast, parental roles are much less differentiated in middle-class families and, perhaps most importantly, middle-class versus lower-class fathers assume sjgnificant responsibility in child-rearing functions. Given descriptions of lower-class life styles (especially for fathers) characterized by a rejection of intellectuality (3, 4), one would expect significant social class differences in family process were the situation to "demand" explicitly parental role behavior related to the function of teaching or instructing a child. In a recent study concerned with social-developmental parameters of normal family functioning, however, Jacob (5) reported that process measures, that is, verbal frequency measures, produced relatively weak results insofar as differentiating interactions in middle- versus lower-class families. In evaluating these findings, however, it may be noted that the experimental task (an unrevealed difference technique) was quite structured and unambiguous, it implicitly reduced intrafamilial differences in status, and it did not clearly "demand or elicit parental role behavior. In that Jacob (5) also included a task which explicitly structured a parent-to-child teaching interaction, an opportunity was available to evaluate the following proposition: fathers will be as or more involved than mothers in middle-class families whereas fathers will be less involved than mothers in lower-class families when the interactional context calls for parents to teach one of their children. METHOD
Review: Target-oriented drug treatment improves clinical outcomes more than routine care in rheumatoid arthritis

Source Citation Schoels M, Knevel R, Aletaha D, et al. Evidence for treating rheumatoid arthritis to target: results of a systematic literature search. Ann Rheum Dis. 2010;69:638-43. 20237123
Activation of TRPML1 Clears Intraneuronal Aβ in Preclinical Models of HIV Infection

Antiretroviral therapy extends the lifespan of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, but many survivors develop premature impairments in cognition. These residual cognitive impairments may involve aberrant deposition of amyloid β-peptides (Aβ). By unknown mechanisms, Aβ accumulates in the lysosomal and autophagic compartments of neurons in the HIV-infected brain. Here we identify the molecular events evoked by the HIV coat protein gp120 that facilitate the intraneuronal accumulation of Aβ. We created a triple transgenic gp120/APP/PS1 mouse that recapitulates intraneuronal deposition of Aβ in a manner reminiscent of the HIV-infected brain. In cultured neurons, we found that the HIV coat protein gp120 increased the transcriptional expression of BACE1 through repression of PPARγ, and increased APP expression by promoting interaction of the translation-activating RBP heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C with APP mRNA. APP and BACE1 were colocalized into stabilized membrane microdomains, where the β-cleavage of APP and Aβ formation were enhanced. Aβ-peptides became localized to lysosomes that were engorged with sphingomyelin and calcium. Stimulating calcium efflux from lysosomes with a TRPM1 agonist promoted calcium efflux, luminal acidification, and cleared both sphingomyelin and Aβ from lysosomes. These findings suggest that therapeutics targeted to reduce lysosomal pH in neurodegenerative conditions may protect neurons by facilitating the clearance of accumulated sphingolipids and Aβ-peptides.
Social capital and self-rated health: results from the US 2006 social capital survey of one community

Using data from the 2006 Social Capital Community Survey in Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, USA, we investigate associations between individual social capital measures (attitudes on trust, formal group involvement, informal socializing, organized group interaction, social support and volunteer activity) and self-rated health after controlling for individual and economic characteristics. In particular, we address issues of social capital as an endogenous determinant of self-reported health using instrumental variables probit estimation. After accounting for the endogeneity of these various measures of individual social capital, we find that individual social capital is a significant predictor of self-rated health.
Oxides grown on textured single-crystal silicon for enhanced conduction

The electrical properties and integrity of oxides grown on textured single‐crystal silicon (TSC oxides) are investigated and are compared to oxides grown on untextured single‐crystal silicon (normal oxides) and oxides grown on polycrystalline silicon (polyoxides). The 230 A TSC oxide exhibited enhanced electron injection in both polarities, reducing the voltage necessary for JG=+1 mA/cm2 from 21 V for normal 230 A oxides to 5 V. This made the 230 A TSC oxide approximately equivalent to a 60 A normal oxide. The electron trapping rate for the TSC oxide was similar to that of 230 A normal oxides but is much smaller than that of polyoxides. Charge‐to‐breakdown (QBD) measurements showed a much better QBD histogram (large area capacitors) for the TSC oxide than for 230 A and 60 A normal oxides.
Killings of Police in U.S. Cities since 1980: An Examination of Environmental and Political Explanations

Most research on killings of police in urban areas attempted to link lethal violence against officers to the violence and disorder in the communities they work.Yet support for this relationship is inconsistent. Fewer studies considered whether local political arrangements affect killings of police. This study attempts to remedy this gap by using recent data to investigate the relationship between the political conditions of large U.S. cities and the number of homicides of police officers in the line of duty in the years 1980, 1990, and 2000. Negative binomial regression analyses suggest that racial income inequality and the size of the Black population are positively associated with killings of police but cities with African American mayors have less killings. Police killings of citizens are also positively related to officer killings. The results largely support political explanations and uncover time-contingent effects of segregation on violence against state representatives.
The travesty of choosing after positive prenatal diagnosis

Objective: To integrate the findings of qualitative studies of expectant parents receiving positive prenatal diagnosis. Data Sources: Seventeen published and unpublished reports appearing between 1984 and 2001 and retrieved between December of 2002 and March of 2003. The electronic databases searched include Academic Search Elite, AIDS Information Online (AIDSLINE), Anthropological Index Online, Anthropological Literature, Black Studies, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Digital Dissertations, Dissertation Abstracts Index (DAI), Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC), MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS), PubMed, Social Science Abstracts (SocSci Abstracts), Social Science Citation Index, Social Work Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts (Sociofile), Women's Resources International, and Women's Studies. Study Selection: Qualitative studies involving expectant parents living in the United States of any race, ethnicity, nationality, or class who learned during any time in pregnancy of any fetal impairment by any means of diagnosis were eligible for inclusion. Data Extraction: Metasummary techniques, including the calculation of frequency effect sizes, were used to aggregate the findings. Metasynthesis techniques, including constant comparison analysis and the reciprocal translation of concepts, were used to interpret the findings. Data Synthesis: The topical emphasis in the findings is on the termination of pregnancy following positive diagnosis. The thematic emphasis is on the dilemmas of choice and decision making. Positive prenatal diagnosis was for couples an experience of chosen losses and lost choices. Couples managed information to minimize stigmatization and cognitive dissonance. Conclusions: Existing guidelines for caring for couples after perinatal losses must accommodate the chosen loss experientially defining positive prenatal diagnosis.
Mechanisms of action of atypical antipsychotic drugs: a critical analysis

Various criteria used to define atypical antipsychotic drugs include: 1) decrease, or absence, of the capacity to cause acute extrapyramidal motor side effects (acute EPSE) and tardive dyskinesia (TD); 2) increased therapeutic efficacy reflected by improvement in positive, negative, or cognitive symptoms; 3) and a decrease, or absence, of the capacity to increase prolactin levels. The pharmacologic basis of atypical antipsychotic drug activity has been the target of intensive study since the significance of clozapine was first appreciated. Three notions have been utilized conceptually to explain the distinction between atypical versus typical antipsychotic drugs: 1) dose-response separation between particular pharmacologic functions; 2) anatomic specificity of particular pharmacologic activities; 3) neurotransmitter receptor interactions and pharmacodynamics. These conceptual bases are not mutually exclusive, and the demonstration of limbic versus extrapyramidal motor functional selectivity is apparent within each arbitrary theoretical base. This review discusses salient distinctions predominantly between prototypic atypical and typical antipsychotic drugs such as clozapine and haloperidol, respectively. In addition, areas of common function between atypical and typical antipsychotic drug action may also be crucial to our identification of pathophysiological foci of the different dimensions of schizophrenia, including positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and neurocognitive deficits.
Functional Gene Detection and Clustering from Seed Gene Sets

The availability of rapidly increasing repositories of micro array data requires the help of computer-aided analysis techniques. This data combined with a growing knowledge base about molecular processes enables the use of intelligent machine learning algorithms to expand the existing knowledge base. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm, namely iterated Hidden Markov Model, to query micro array expression data with genes known to be involved in the same function to produce novel genes involved with the same cellular function. We run this algorithm on publicly available benchmark data sets and show that it outperforms comparable machine learning approaches.
Lysozyme sensitivity of pantothenate-deficient Lactobacillus plantarum grown with exogenous fatty acids

A pantothenic acid deficiency in Lactobacillus plantarum reduces lipid synthesis, prevents normal uptake and retention of extracellular amino acids and markedly increases sensitivity of these cells to lysozyme induced lysis. Pantothenate-deficient cells provided with exogenous fatty acids synthesize additional lipids and express nearly normal solute transport activities. The present study has shown that such cells retain a heightened sensitivity to lysozyme induced lysis. These observations indicate that the lysozyme sensitivity of pantothenate-deficient cells is not produced as in indirect effect of membrane lipid depletion, but represents an independent consequence of pantothenate insufficiency.
Location of Incisive Canal in Relation to Central Incisor Implants

Computerized tomography (CT) scanning, now widely used for the diagnosis and treatment planning of dental implant sites, can be more specifically useful with integrated computer software. In this instance, the potentially critical incisive foramen area at the premaxilla is analyzed to better under s
Activation of ganglion cells in wild-type and rd1 mouse retinas with monophasic and biphasic current pulses

We and other research groups are designing an electronic retinal prosthesis to provide vision for patients who are blind due to photoreceptor degeneration. In this study, we examined the effect of stimulus waveform on the amount of current needed to activate retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) when the retinal neural network is stimulated. Isolated retinas of wild-type and rd1 mice were stimulated with cathodal and anodal monophasic current pulses of 1 ms duration and symmetric biphasic current pulses (1 ms per phase) delivered through an electrode that was located subretinally. For both wild-type and rd1 mouse retinas, cathodal current pulses were least effective in activating most RGCs. The median threshold current for a cathodal current pulse was 2.0-4.4 fold higher than the median threshold current for either an anodal or a biphasic current pulse. In wild-type mouse retinas, the median threshold current for activating RGCs with anodal current pulses was 23% lower than that with biphasic current pulses. In rd1 mouse retinas, the median threshold currents for anodal and biphasic current pulses were about the same. However, the variance in thresholds of rd1 RGCs for biphasic pulse stimulation was much smaller than for anodal pulse stimulation. Thus, a symmetric biphasic current pulse may be the best stimulus for activating the greatest number of RGCs in retinas devoid of photoreceptors.
Gamma rays emitted in disintegration of 192Ir and 194Ir

Abstract The gamma rays emitted in disintegration of 192 Ir and 194 Ir have been studied in a Ge(Li) detector having a depletion layer thickness of 4.2mm. Quantum energies and relative intensities have been obtained. Sixteen gamma rays, previously reported to be emitted in the decay of 192 Ir, were not observed. A hitherto undetected gamma ray at 589 keV has been observed in the disintegration of 194 Ir. Modifications in the various modes of de-excitation of the residual nuclei 192 Os, 192 Pt and 194 Pt are proposed.
Thin to win?: network performance analysis of the OnLive thin client game system

The growth in network bitrates and server-based processing has provided a renewed opportunity for thin client games, where the server does heavy-weight computations, sending only the visual game frames to the client, and the client displays frames, sending only the user actions to the server. Understanding the traffic characteristics of thin client games is important for building traffic models and classifiers and planning network infrastructures to meet future demand. This paper provides the first detailed study of the network characteristics of OnLive, a commercially available thin client game system. Carefully designed experiments measure OnLive game traffic for several game genres, analyzing the bitrates, packet sizes and inter-packet times for both upstream and downstream game traffic, with comparisons to traditional game clients and streaming video. Results indicate OnLive rapidly sends large packets downstream, similar but still significantly different than live video. OnLive less frequently sends much smaller packets upstream, significantly different than traditional game client traffic. The results should be a useful beginning for building effective traffic models and classifiers, and for preparing end-host networks to support this upcoming generation of computer games.
Rupture and inflation of a basic magma chamber by silicic liquid

The prevailing view among volcanic geologists is that the introduction of basic magma into a silicic magma chamber may trigger explosive silicic volcanism1 and lead to the eruption of mixed magmas2. Although the patterns of basic and silicic eruptions in some areas may support an input of basic magma1 just before silicic eruption, evidence from the study of the erupted rocks is generally equivocal; many occurrences are as readily explained by injection of silicic into basic magma. Although this latter sequence is a more efficient way to produce contemporaneous magma mixing and explosive silicic volcanism, it appears to have been largely overlooked. This report describes evidence in the Newark Island layered intrusion for the rapid emplacement of large volumes of silicic magma into a basic magma chamber and suggests that such events, in the uppermost crust, may also be important in triggering explosive silicic volcanism and commingling of magmas just before eruption.
Phosphorylation within the MafA N Terminus Regulates C-terminal Dimerization and DNA Binding

Phosphorylation regulates transcription factor activity by influencing dimerization, cellular localization, activation potential, and/or DNA binding. Nevertheless, precisely how this post-translation modification mediates these processes is poorly understood. Here, we examined the role of phosphorylation on the DNA-binding properties of MafA and MafB, closely related transcriptional activators of the basic-leucine zipper (b-Zip) family associated with cell differentiation and oncogenesis. Many common phosphorylation sites were identified by mass spectrometry. However, dephosphorylation only precluded the detection of MafA dimers and consequently dramatically reduced DNA-binding ability. Analysis of MafA/B chimeras revealed that sensitivity to the phosphorylation status of MafA was imparted by sequences spanning the C-terminal dimerization region (amino acids (aa) 279–359), whereas the homologous MafB region (aa 257–323) conveyed phosphorylation-independent DNA binding. Mutational analysis showed that formation of MafA dimers capable of DNA binding required phosphorylation within the distinct N-terminal transactivation domain (aa 1–72) and not the C-terminal b-Zip region. These results demonstrate a novel relationship between the phosphoamino acid-rich transactivation and b-Zip domains in controlling MafA DNA-binding activity.
Chemical Composition of Bio-oils Produced by Fast Pyrolysis of Two Energy Crops †

Bio-oils from the fast pyrolysis of switchgrass forage and two sets of alfalfa stems (from two stages of development—bud and full flower stages) have been analyzed by wet-chemical methods, GC-MS, and HPLC. The chemical composition of bio-oil is important because it may give insights into its quality, stability, or suitability for downstream upgrading. Pyrolysis experiments were conducted at 500 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere in 2.5 kg/h fluidized bed reactor. A total of 62 chemical species were positively identified in the liquids. Of the identified compounds, 27 have been quantified. The chemical compositions of the bio-oils are compared with what is known about the compositions of these feedstocks. While the compositions of the bio-oil from the two alfalfa stems were similar, there were numerous differences in the compositions of the alfalfa and switchgrass bio-oils. Noted are the higher levels of nitrogen, water, and aromatic hydrocarbons in bio-oils produced from alfalfa stems than from switchgrass an...
A new assessment of subcellular distribution of bound estrogen in the uterus.

The experiments to be described demonstrate that the levels of estradiol-receptor complex† present in uterine cytosol after whole tissue incubations at 0° or 37° are much lower than previous estimates. This discrepancy appears to be due to free estrogen trapped extracellularly which binds to the receptor upon disruption of the cells during homogenization. The time course of estradiol binding to cytosol and nuclear fractions at 37° shows that the amount of bound estradiol in the cytosol is very small relative to the total bound estradiol, and suggests that the transfer of estradiol binding sites from cytosol to nucleus is a very rapid process. Incubations at 0° indicate that the entry of estradiol into the uterine cell is markedly temperature-dependent.
Cerebellar Na+,K+-ATPase activity is increased during early postnatal development of the estrogenized female rat.

The activities of Na+,K+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase were measured in the crude P2 synaptosomal fraction of the cerebellum through age 35 days in female rats injected s.c. with 500 micrograms estradiol benzoate 24 h after birth. Estrogenization did not affect Mg2+-ATPase. However, the activity of Na+,K+-ATPase was significantly increased above control values between ages 5 and 20 days. These data demonstrate an age-dependent estrogen-induced effect on cerebellar Na+,K+-ATPase during early postnatal development.
The feasibility study in information systems: an analysis of criteria and contents

The feasibility study has been prescribed and described as an important step in information system development. Yet there has been little research on issues pertaining to its con-tents and criteria. This paper addresses these issues and reports research from a quasi-experimental investigation using actual system development projects. The empirical results show that the two most important factors in a feasibility study are: convincing the users that the system they get will actually meet their functional requirements, and also that the system will work effectively within the organizational environment. A surprising result was the low importance attached by respondents to meeting the needs of the clerical personnel providing inputs to and handling the outputs from the system. Also. economic factors, which have been the focus of attention for many researchers. were ranked in the middle of all factors considered.
Evaluation of bone regeneration in implants composed of hollow HA microspheres loaded with transforming growth factor β1 in a rat calvarial defect model

Abstract Implants that serve simultaneously as an osteoconductive matrix and as a device for local growth factor delivery may be required for optimal bone regeneration in some applications. In the present study, hollow hydroxyapatite (HA) microspheres (106–150 μm) in the form of three-dimensional (3-D) scaffolds or individual (loose) microspheres were created using a glass conversion process. The capacity of the implants, with or without transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), to regenerate bone in a rat calvarial defect model was compared. The 3-D scaffolds supported the proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity of osteogenic MLO-A5 cells in vitro, showing their cytocompatibility. Release of TGF-β1 from the 3-D scaffolds into phosphate-buffered saline ceased after 2–3 days when ∼30% of the growth factor was released. Bone regeneration in the 3-D scaffolds and the individual microspheres increased with time from 6 to 12 weeks, but it was significantly higher (23%) in the individual microspheres than in the 3-D scaffolds (15%) after 12 weeks. Loading with TGF-β1 (5 μg per defect) enhanced bone regeneration in the 3-D scaffolds and individual microspheres after 6 weeks, but had little effect after 12 weeks. 3-D scaffolds and individual microspheres with larger HA diameter (150–250 μm) showed better ability to regenerate bone. Based on these results, implants composed of hollow HA microspheres show promising potential as an osteoconductive matrix for local growth factor delivery in bone regeneration.
Preparing Special Education Teacher Candidates: Extending Case Method to Practice:

Case methodology is receiving more recognition in the field of education as a viable pedagogy for use in the preparation of future educators. In this article, the coauthors explore two examples of case method instruction that extend beyond university classrooms to field sites: case report and case study. Both examples were used in special education teacher preparation graduate courses. A case report example is provided to illustrate the methodology used to prepare teacher candidates to teach students with severe and multiple disabilities; the second example illustrates the use of a case study to prepare candidates to teach students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Each example describes the process and content of the case requirement, along with descriptions of candidate outcomes and assessment of the case method learning. The coauthors provide concluding remarks on the successful use of the two variations of case methodology.
A thermophilic apoglucose dehydrogenase as nonconsuming glucose sensor.

Blood glucose is a clinically important analytes for diabetic health care. In this preliminary report we describe a protein biosensor for d-glucose based on a thermostable glucose dehydrogenase. The glucose dehydrogenase was noncovalently labeled with 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS). The ANS-labeled enzyme displayed an approximate 25% decrease in emission intensity upon binding glucose. This decrease can be used to measure the glucose concentration. Our results suggest that enzymes which use glucose as their substrate can be used as reversible and nonconsuming glucose sensors in the absence of required cofactors. Moreover, the possibility of using inactive apoenzymes for a reversible sensor greatly expands the range of proteins which can be used as sensors, not only for glucose, but for a wide variety of biochemically relevant analytes.
A survey of habit behaviors exhibited by individuals with mental retardation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of habit behaviors exhibited by individuals with mental retardation living in the community. Two hundred and fifty-nine direct care staff and parents from the upper mid-west and northeast regions of the country completed a survey measuring the prevalence of major habit disorders (bruxism, trichotillomania, motor/vocal tics, and stuttering) and habit behaviors exhibited by individuals with mental retardation being served by community residential agencies. Habit disorders were also subjectively evaluated according to the respondents' perception of the severity and noticeability of the behavior, and naturalness of appearance of the individual. In addition, respondents indicated their usual reaction to the habit disorder. Overall, stuttering was found to be the most prevalent habit disorder (32%), followed by tics (16·6%), bruxism (13·1%), and trichotillomania (5%) for the sample surveyed. Furthermore, differences were found in the prevalence of habit disorders and other habit behaviors by level of mental retardation and age (adults versus children/adolescents). The implications and limitations of the data, as well as suggestions for future investigations of habit disorders and habit behaviors exhibited by individuals with mental retardation, are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Linearity testing of ADCs using low linearity stimulus and Kalman filtering

Traditional linearity testing of ADCs involves using a spectrally pure or a highly linear stimulus, along with a large number of samples per code to average out the effects of noise. Test equipments need to house expensive instruments to provide the highly linear stimulus. The large number of samples required for the procedure results in long test times. These two factors are prime contributors to the test cost. In this paper, algorithms which use low linearity stimuli and a Kalman Filter to reduce both the hardware resources and the test time for the test procedure have been proposed. Simulations results for a 14-bit ADC show that a 7-bit linear stimulus with one sample per code can be used to measure the INL of the ADC with a maximum estimation error of 1 LSB.
Tumescent technique without epinephrine for endovenous laser therapy and serum lidocaine concentration.

Objective Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) requires tumescent lidocaine anesthesia. Although it is well known that the absorption of local anesthetic varies according to the injection site, little evidence exists establishing the maximum recommended safe dose for extravascular injections such as those used for EVLT. The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma concentration of lidocaine over time after administration of tumescent lidocaine during EVLT procedures in healthy volunteers. Methods Between January 2011 and February 2013, 10 healthy patients scheduled for an EVLT procedure performed in a hospital setting were recruited to participate in an observational study. For each subject, a total of 10 venous samples were obtained for analysis after surgical injection of the tumescent lidocaine solution (0.1% concentration). Samples were collected at baseline (before the surgical procedure start) and then every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours after the initial lidocaine injection. Thereafter, venous samples were obtained every 2 hours, with the last sample drawn 12 hours after the surgeon's initial lidocaine injection. All specimens were drawn from a dedicated intravenous catheter, immediately placed in a heparinized blood collection tube, and centrifuged for 10 minutes at 3000 rpm. Plasma was then removed with a pipette and stored at −70°C until analyzed. Total and free plasma lidocaine concentrations were determined by immunoassay. Plasma lidocaine concentrations were normalized by peak concentration for statistical comparisons. Results Laboratory data were available for nine of the 10 volunteers. The mean total lidocaine dose administered was 6.38 (±2.2) mg/kg (range, 3.57-10.7 mg/kg). The total lidocaine blood levels ranged from 0.48 (±0.28) to 1.3 (±0.49) mcg/mL. The free lidocaine blood levels ranged from nondetectable to 0.76 (±0.43) mcg/mL. The average total time of injection for the group was 32.8 (±10.0) minutes (range, 21-49 minutes). Among all dose ranges, both total and free lidocaine peak blood level ratios occurred at times 60 to 120 minutes ( P Conclusions Tumescent lidocaine without epinephrine for EVLT procedures produces a peak serum concentration at 60 to 120 minutes. The peak plasma concentration as observed with the standard institutional dosing of tumescent lidocaine appeared below the threshold for human toxicity.
Some Magnetic Properties of Gadolinium Metal

The saturation magnetization of gadolinium has been found to follow a ${T}^{\frac{3}{2}}$ law between 20-250\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The saturation magnetization at absolute zero, determined by extrapolation is 253.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.9 cgs units, corresponding to 7.12 Bohr magnetons. The data fall considerably below the theoretical curve predicted by the Debye quantum modification of the Weiss theory of ferromagnetism for the $^{8}S_{\frac{7}{2}}$ state. Curie point determinations have also been made.
First decadal response to treatment in a disturbance-based silviculture experiment in Maine

Disturbance-based silvicultural systems generally seek to promote complex stand structures that are consistent with temporal and spatial patterns of natural disturbance while allowing for the sustainable harvest of timber. Gap-based harvesting systems are commonly used within this framework because they can be designed to approximate the frequencies and spatial patterns of a wide array of disturbance regimes. Patterns in stand-level growth, sapling recruitment and regeneration response were examined for one such gap-based system, the Acadian Forest Ecosystem Research Program (AFERP) in central Maine, that was designed to emulate the annual 1% disturbance frequency typical of the northeastern United States and Canada. A decade after treatment, stand-level differences in basal area growth and density between two gap-based treatments and an unharvested control were not statistically significant, largely due to low replication, but within-stand growth and regeneration responses differed strongly by spatial position relative to harvest gaps. Regeneration of shade-tolerant and intolerant species increased regardless of gap size, likely a response to increasing light availability from canopy openings due to harvesting and mortality. Further, there was evidence of gap size effects on sapling recruitment as large gaps (>1000 m 2 ) favored the growth and survival of mid-successional species such as red maple and white
Anti-HLA antibody binding to hla class I molecules induces proliferation of airway epithelial cells: a potential mechanism for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.

Objective: Development of anti-HLA antibodies is associated with development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation. We sought to determine the mechanism by which anti-HLA antibodies affect the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. We postulated that anti-HLA antibodies bind to the donor lung epithelium and stimulate phosphorylation and proliferation. Methods: The A549 lung epithelial carcinoma cell line was cultured in serum-deficient medium to produce static growth. Then the cells were treated with anti-HLA sera from lung transplant recipients, pooled anti-HLA serum from highly sensitized patients, or normal human serum. The cells were also treated with the W6/32 mouse anti-HLA class I monoclonal antibody or control mouse IgG. Tritiated thymidine uptake was determined at 24, 48, and 72 hours. In parallel experiments the cells were treated as described above, and the levels of tyrosine phosphorylation were determined by Western blot analysis. Results: Cells treated with anti-HLA serum or the W6/32 monoclonal antibody exhibited significantly greater proliferation and tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins of approximately 170, 130, 110, and 70 kd compared with cells treated with normal human serum or mouse IgG, respectively. Conclusions: These data indicate that anti-HLA antibodies have the ability to stimulate airway epithelial cell proliferation and that they may play an important role in the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Prevention of HLA sensitization and immunosuppression with agents capable of blocking indirect antigen presentation and the humoral immune response against the allograft may be pivotal in preventing the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;119:39-45)
How social marketing works in health care

Social marketing applies commercial marketing strategies to promote public health. Social marketing is effective on a population level, and healthcare providers can contribute to its effectiveness. In the preface to Marketing Social Change , Andreasen defines social marketing as “the application of proven concepts and techniques drawn from the commercial sector to promote changes in diverse socially important behaviors such as drug use, smoking, sexual behavior… This marketing approach has an immense potential to affect major social problems if we can only learn how to harness its power.”1 By “proven techniques” Andreasen meant methods drawn from behavioural theory, persuasion psychology, and marketing science with regard to health behaviour, human reactions to messages and message delivery, and the “marketing mix” or “four Ps” of marketing (place, price, product, and promotion).2 These methods include using behavioural theory to influence behaviour that affects health; assessing factors that underlie the receptivity of audiences to messages, such as the credibility and likeability of the argument; and strategic marketing of messages that aim to change the behaviour of target audiences using the four Ps.3 Social marketing is widely used to influence health behaviour. Social marketers use a wide range of health communication strategies based on mass media; they also use mediated (for example, through a healthcare provider), interpersonal, and other modes of communication; and marketing methods such as message placement (for example, in clinics), promotion, dissemination, and community level outreach. Social marketing encompasses all of these strategies. Fig 1 Social marketing wheel Communication channels for health information have changed greatly in recent years. One-way dissemination of information has given way to a multimodal transactional model of communication. Social marketers face challenges such as increased numbers and types of health issues competing for the public's attention; limitations on people's time; and increased numbers and types of …
Is (Pro)Renin Receptor a Multifunctional Receptor

The existence of various components of the renin-angiotensin system in the eye has been known for more than a decade, and the importance of this system in ocular pathophysiology is a subject of active investigation.1 It has long been recognized that prorenin, an inactive precursor of renin, is elevated in the ocular fluids of patients with diabetic retinopathy.2 However, the pathophysiological implications of these elevated levels remained a mystery until the discovery of a specific receptor for renin and prorenin: the (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR].3 (P)RR is a 350–amino acid transmembrane protein which has been proposed to function by two distinct mechanisms: (1) by binding to (pro)renin, (P)RR activates renin’s enzymatic activity inherent in prorenin, leading to the generation of angiotensin II by a traditional renin-angiotensin system pathway at the cell/tissue level4; and (2) (pro)renin binding to (P)RR initiates a cascade of signaling events that are associated with profibrotic and proliferative actions, independent of angiotensin II.4 Although the action of (P)RR in the generation of Ang II is documented, its coupling to signaling pathways leading to vasodeleterious effects remains to be fully elucidated. This is, in part, due to lack of a reliable and selective (P)RR antagonist. A peptide segment corresponding to amino acids 10 to 19 of the prorenin prosegment, called handle region peptide (HRP), has gained significant interest as a (P)RR antagonist. HRP has been shown to inhibit prorenin binding to (P)RR, and thus nonproteolytic activation,5 and to be capable of preventing …
Automated sound recording and analysis techniques for bird surveys and conservation

There is a great need for increased use and further development of automated sound recording and analysis of avian sounds. Birds are critical to ecosystem functioning so techniques to make avian monitoring more efficient and accurate will greatly benefit science and conservation efforts. We provide an overview of the hardware approaches to automated sound recording as well as an overview of the prominent techniques used in software to automatically detect and classify avian sound. We provide a comparative summary of examples of three general categories of hardware solutions for automating sound recording which include a hardware interface for a scheduling timer to control a standalone commercial recorder, a programmable recording device, and a single board computer. We also describe examples of the two main approaches to improving microphone performance for automated recorders through small arrays of microphone elements and using waveguides. For the purposes of thinking about automated sound analysis, we suggest five basic sound fragment types of avian sound and discuss a variety of techniques to automatically detect and classify avian sounds to species level, as well as their limitations. A variety of the features to measure for the various call types are provided, along with a variety of classification methods for those features. They are discussed in context of general performance as well as the monitoring and conservation efforts they are used in.
A general approach to extend Berenger's absorbing boundary condition to anisotropic and dispersive media

Previous studies have focused on the extension of the Berenger's (1994) absorbing boundary condition (ABC)-the perfectly matched layer (PML)-to anisotropic and dispersive media. We describe how the PML can be extended for anisotropic and/or dispersive media (or even bianisotropic media) with little analytical effort, in a simple and general conceptual setting, by using an analytical continuation of the coordinate space of the Maxwell's equations to a complex variables domain. Using this approach, there is no conceptual distinction between the derivation of PML for more complex media and the derivation for isotropic, dispersionless media.
Content and Formal Schemata in ESL Reading

This article reports the results of an experiment investigating the simultaneous effects on ESL reading comprehension of both culture-specific content schemata and formal schemata, as well as any potential interaction between them. In the study, high-intermediate ESL students read, recalled, and answered questions about each of two texts. For each of two groups of readers (students of Muslim and Catholic/Spanish backgrounds), one text had culturally familiar content, the other culturally unfamiliar content. Within each group, one half of the subjects read the texts in a familiar, well-organized rhetorical format, the other half read the texts in an unfamiliar, altered rhetorical format. Results showed the conditions expected to yield good reading comprehension (familiar content, familiar rhetorical form) did so. Similarly, the conditions expected to yield poor reading comprehension (unfamiliar content, unfamiliar rhetorical form) did so. More interestingly, the results for the “mixed” conditions (familiar content, unfamiliar rhetorical form; unfamiliar content, familiar rhetorical form) indicated that content schemata affected reading comprehension to a greater extent than formal schemata. Specific results are presented and discussed, as are limitations of the study and teaching implications.
Distribution of ACTH in the hypophysis of Necturus.

The winter Necturus hypophysis both whole and selectively divided was extracted in N/10 HCl (0.25 ml per gland or gland portion). Extracts were diluted with normal saline (1:100 and 1:400) and injected 2 ml/100 gm body weight) into groups of 10 or 12 male, hydrocortisone-blocked assay rats (method of Hodges and Vernikos ('60). Groups of control hydrocortisone-blocked male rats received corresponding volumes of a standard ACTH solution. ACTH content of extracts was appraised by measuring the adrenal ascorbic acid depletion induced as compared with control depletions. A 2 + 2 assay design was employed; results and their fiducial limits (P = 0.95) calculated. The ACTH content of the anterior zone of pars buccalis is that of the entire hypophysis. No ACTH was detected in gland portions consisting of the basophilic bed and transitional zone of pars buccalis plus the neural lobe of pars neuralis. ACTH occurs throughout the anterior zone but is more abundant in its caudal two-thirds both in milliunits (mU) per milliliter of extract and mU/mg of pituitary tissue. This distribution of corticotrophic activity is coincident with the distribution of anterior zone acidophile cells. Regional and cellular sources of ACTH in mammals and amphibia are discussed.
Comparison of intrarenal pressure and irrigant flow during percutaneous nephroscopy with an indwelling ureteral catheter, ureteral occlusion balloon, and ureteral access sheath

Abstract Objectives To determine the differential effects on renal pressures and irrigation flow associated with the application of different ureteral catheters during percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Methods Using ex vivo fresh cadaveric tissue, we established a percutaneous nephrolithotomy model. After obtaining lower pole percutaneous access, we recorded the pressure and irrigant flow measurements. Measurements were made with an empty ureter, 6F ureteral catheter, occlusion balloon catheter, and ureteral access sheaths (10/12F and 12/14F). Three 1-minute trials for each condition were recorded in each of four kidneys. Results Ureteral catheterization with both the 10/12F and the 12/14F ureteral access sheaths resulted in significantly decreased intrarenal pressures in the pressure range tested compared with an empty ureter, a ureteral catheter, or an occlusion balloon application. Total irrigant flow for the 12/14F ureteral access sheath was significantly higher than for the empty ureter, ureteral catheter, or occlusion balloon in the entire pressure range evaluated. Conclusions In this in vitro cadaveric model, application of the ureteral access sheath during percutaneous nephrolithotomy resulted in decreased intrarenal pressures and increased irrigant flow.