cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased multiple sclerosis disease activity in patients transitioned from fingolimod to dimethyl fumarate: a case series

Fingolimod is a S1P1 receptor modulator that prevents activated lymphocyte egress from lymphoid tissues causing lymphopenia, mainly affecting CD4+ T lymphocytes. Withdrawal from fingolimod can be followed by severe disease reactivation, and this coincides with return of autoreactive lymphocytes into circulation. The CD8+ T cytotoxic population returns prior to the regulatory CD4+ T lymphocytes leading to a state of dysregulation, which may contribute to the rebound and severity of clinical relapses. On the other hand, dimethyl fumarate (DMF) preferentially reduces CD8+ T lymphocytes, has the same efficacy as fingolimod, and therefore, was expected to be a suitable oral alternative to reduce the rebound associated with fingolimod withdrawal. We present six patients with relapsing-remitting MS who developed an unexpected increase in disease activity after transitioning from fingolimod to DMF. All patients were clinically and radiologically stable on fingolimod for at least 1 year. The switch in therapy was due to significantly low CD4+ T lymphocyte count ≤65 cells/ul (normal range 490–1740 cells/ul), after discussing the results with the patients and the potential risk for opportunistic infections including cryptococcal infections. DMF was introduced following a washout period of 5 to 11 weeks to allow reconstitution of the immune system and for the absolute lymphocyte count to reach ≥500 cells/ul. Every patient who experienced a relapse had several enhancing lesions in the brain and/or spinal cord between 12 to 23 weeks after cessation of fingolimod and 1 to 18 weeks after starting DMF. All relapses were treated with intravenous methylprednisolone with good clinical responses. The anticipated beneficial response of DMF treatment to mitigate rebound after fingolimod therapy cessation was not observed. Our patients experienced rebound disease despite being on treatment with DMF. Additional studies are necessary to understand which treatments are most effective to transition to after discontinuing fingolimod.
Effect of occipitoatlantal decompression on cerebral blood flow dynamics as evaluated by Doppler ultrasonography

Context Osteopathic manipulative treatment reduces symptoms in patients with headache disorders, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Objective To evaluate blood flow in the intracranial and extracranial vasculature before and after occipitoatlantal decompression (OAD) using Doppler ultrasonography. Methods Healthy, first-year osteopathic medical students from A.T. Still University's Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine participated in a randomized, single-blinded, two-period, two-treatment crossover study. The participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment interventions: OAD or sham touch. After one week, participants returned to have the other intervention performed. Blood flow parameters-peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV)-in the middle cerebral artery (MCA), internal carotid artery (ICA), and vertebral artery (VA) were evaluated before, immediately after, 5 minutes after, and 10 minutes after treatment. Differences in PSV, EDV, heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP) for both interventions were analyzed for the four time points using mixed-effects models. Results Thirty healthy medical students (11 men, 19 women; mean age, 24 years) participated in this study. EDV increased after OAD in the MCA, ICA, and VA (all p 0.05). EDV was greater for all post-treatment timepoints after OAD in the MCA, ICA, and VA than after sham touch (all p 0.59). Changes in PSV in the ICA and VA and for HR and BP did not depend on treatment intervention (p>0.06). Conclusion Increases in EDV occurred in major cranial arteries after OAD but not after sham touch, indicating that OAD improves blood flow to the brain. The exact mechanism of this increase is unknown; however, it can be explained by either parasympathetic stimulation through the secretion of vasodilating neurotransmitters or by a decrease in external tissue pressure on ICA and VA, with the resulting flow causing further dilation in the MCA.
Challenging Solitary Confinement Through State Constitutions

Eighth Amendment jurisprudence has resulted in limited scrutiny of solitary confinement despite the known harms associated with the practice. Due to the two-part test established by the federal courts and the limitations imposed on challenging prison conditions as a result of the Prison Litigation Reform Act, it can be difficult to establish that solitary confinement is cruel and unusual punishment. State constitutional challenges to solitary confinement are underexplored. Nearly all state constitutions contain an equivalent provision to the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. State courts need not be bound by federal jurisprudence in interpreting the scope of the state provision. Some state constitutions also contain additional provisions such as requiring safe and comfortable prisons, recognizing the principles of reformation and reformation, prohibiting unnecessary rigor, or recognizing individual dignity, which might enable even greater judicial scrutiny of solitary confinement. This Article explores those provisions and the justifications for developing independent state court jurisprudence relating to solitary confinement.
Anti-proliferative effect of a novel purine-template based dual Src/Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor AP23464 on native and Imatinib-resistant Bcr-Abl cell lines

4641 Bcr-Abl is a dysregulated tyrosine kinase that causes chronic myeloid leukemia and is targeted by the signal transduction inhibitor Imatinib mesylate (IM). Imatinib is an effective treatment choice for Bcr-Abl-positive malignancies. However, resistance toward IM develops frequently in advanced-stage (Blast crisis), and is even observed in chronic-phase of leukemia. Point mutations within the ABL kinase and SH3 domain emerged as a major mechanism of resistance toward imatinib. Frequently, mutations occur at positions that determine specific contacts of imatinib to the ATP-binding site. However, an interesting class of mutants appears to act allosterically by influencing the confirmation of the kinase domain. These mutants alter the “breathing” of the N-lobe of the kinase domain relative to the C-lobe. Emergence of resistance to IM warrants the exploration of novel well-tolerated anticancer agents. We evaluated a novel purine template-based dual Src/Abl kinase inhibitor AP23464 (ARIAD Pharmaceuticals) for their potential to overcome resistance in various imatinib-resistant cell lines. This compound effectively suppressed the activity of 30 different kinase domain mutants resistant to IM. The common P-loop mutants are sensitive to AP23464, and only the L267R (type Ib) remains resistant. Interestingly, the most frequent and robust mutant T334I (type Ib) was effectively suppressed; whereas, F336L (type Ib) is 30 fold resistant over native Bcr-Abl. Surprisingly, eight of the 30 kinase domain mutants (D295V, E300K, V308S, E311Q, Q319H, T334S, G340W and M370T; type Ib) were highly sensitive as compared to the native Bcr-Abl. These observations led us to conclude that AP23464 is an effective compound against most of the frequently observed mutations of Bcr-Abl in connection with IM resistance. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in drug sensitivity is important to exploiting this novel Src/Abl kinase inhibitor and its analogs. Moreover, combination studies of AP23464 and other drugs may also be a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome IM resistance. Our data support the development of AP23464 for the treatment of CML and provide impetus to test AP23464 in combination with other drugs relative to further understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in Bcr-Abl-positive malignancies.
Surface creation and curve deformations between two complex closed spatial spline curves

This paper presents an algorithm to generate a smooth surface between two closed spatial spline curves. With the assumption that the two input curves can be projected to a single plane so that the projections do not have any mutual or self intersections, and so that one projection completely encloses the other. We describe an algorithm that generates a temporal deformation between the input curves, one which can be thought of as sweeping a surface. Instead of addressing feature matching, as many planar curve deformation algorithms do, the deformation method described generates intermediate curves that behave like wavefronts as they evolve from the shape of one boundary curve to a medial type curve, and then gradually take on the characteristics of the second boundary curve. This is achieved in a manner that assures there will be neither singularities in the parameterization nor self-intersections in the projected surface.
Large Area Laser Conditioning of Dielectric Thin Film Mirrors

The laser conditioning of dielectric thin film HR coatings has been studied as a practical method for the improvement of the damage thresholds of large area (1.1 m dia.) high power 1064 nm laser mirrors on the LLNL 120 kJ, 100 TW Nova laser system. Both HfO 2 /SiO 2 and ZrO 2 /SiO O FIR coatings were conditioned by rastering with a small (-0.2 mm) diameter beam from a pulsed (18 Hz, 8 ns) Nd-YAG laser (1064 nm). The samples were rastered at various fluences below the unconditioned damage threshold and subsequently damage tested. Large area conditioning studies were also performed using a large aperture beam of the Nova laser. The laser conditioning effect was found to be permanent. Improvements in damage threshold due to conditioning were as high as a factor of 2.7 and were dependent on the conditioning parameters. A model for the conditioning effect is proposed based on the emptying of electronic defect levels within the bandgap of the dielectric materials.
A Conversation with Richard S. Dunn

Friday the Thirteenth is usually thought of as the unluckiest of days. The one in December, 1996 started out that way as I drove from State College to Philadelphia in an unending rainstorm to interview Richard Dunn. But I was rewarded with a wonderful two-hour conversation at the headquarters of the Philadelphia Center for Early American Studies, which Richard founded in 1978. Although the ugly, square building and windowless offices consti tute perhaps the least attractive physical setting for a nomadic Center that, at least to my knowledge, has been previously housed in two old Victorians and deep in the bowels of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the personal atmosphere could not be warmer. As always, several of the fellows were work ing away and occasionally chatting. The Center has always struck me as the most egalitarian and informal, as well as productive, of any academic environ ment I have been privileged to work in. The Director s Office, in which Rich ard and I spoke, is a small square cubicle like all the others, its most notable features being large maps of Montserrat and Barbados on the wall. I began by asking Richard about how he became interested in early American history.
Changes in Red Snapper Diet and Trophic Ecology Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

AbstractRed Snapper Lutjanus campechanus were sampled at 33 natural and 27 artificial reef sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico prior to (2009–2010) and after (2010–2011) to examine potential diet and trophic shifts following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. We dissected 708 stomachs for gut content analysis and processed 65 muscle tissue samples for stable isotope ratio-mass spectrometry analysis of δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S. Forty-eight percent of stomachs contained identifiable prey, which we grouped into seven categories: fish, decapods, cephalopods, stomatopods, gastropods, zooplankton, and other invertebrates. Based on these categories, Red Snapper diet was significantly different following the DWH oil spill, and was differentially affected by fish size. The interaction between habitat (natural versus artificial reefs) and DWH oil spill effects was also significant. Significant differences in diet among Red Snapper size-classes were due to low trophic position prey, such as pelagic zooplankton, bei...
The Great Recession, the Resulting Budget Shortfall, the 2010 Elections and the Attack on Public Sector Collective Bargaining in the United States

American public sector unions and collective bargaining have been subjected to a vicious attack under the auspices of balancing government budgets, promoting "equity" between private and public employees and limiting the impact of "special interests" on government policy. The American and world financial crisis of 2007 resulted in the Great Recession of 2008 and substantial budget shortfalls for local and national governments world-wide. This financial crisis and the resulting disintegration of aggregate demand and employment are eerily similar to the financial crisis and collapse that led to the Great Depression of the 1930’s. However, unlike the calamity of the 1930’s, in the present emergency American conservatives, funded by the moneyed class, are attempting to use the predicament as an opportunity to attack collective bargaining and other institutions of support and power for the American middle class. This grasp for power represents and assertion of power and control by the American upper class not experienced since rise of scientific management and the deskilling of jobs and the destruction of the trade union system of collective bargaining in the 1890’s. In this paper I will outline the recent attack on public sector unions’ power in the American economy and the accompanying changes, and proposed changes, in American law. I will briefly describe the impact of the recent financial crisis on the American economy and the balance sheets of American state and national governments and the opportunism of the American plutocracy in using this crisis to propose and enact legislation to undermine the institution of collective bargaining and political proponents for the Middle and Lower classes. In particular I will discuss the recent efforts in Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan to severely limit or prohibit public sector collective bargaining and the political influence American public sector workers. This attack on collective bargaining amounts to the largest grab for economic and political power by the American upper class since the destruction of the labor guilds in the 1890’s and the rise of the "gilded age" from the 1890’s-1930’s.
Model Calibration via Deformation

Dynamical computer models often exhibit space-time features that are partially misaligned or misshapen when compared to observational data. Whether due to approximate numerical schemes, incomplete physics, or estimated boundary conditions, the goal of calibrating these models to field data involves optimally aligning model output with observed features. The traditional approach to correcting model discrepancy is to introduce an additive and/or multiplicative bias. Especially for dynamical models, systematic bias may alternatively be viewed as deformation bias. We introduce an expanded approach to model calibration in the presence of space-time feature discrepancy. Borrowing ideas from the image warping literature, we propose a nonlinear deformation of the computer model that optimally aligns with observed images; probabilistically this manifests as a transformation of model coordinate space with a variational penalty on the likelihood function. We apply the approach to a dynamical magnetosphere-ionosphere...
Resolving Stressful Relationships in Prehistory: Macroscopic and Histological Indicators of Growth Disruption in Subadult Long Bones

This poster provides a set of quadratic formulas for predicting body mass using the femoral midshaft in subadult skeletons. This age-structured method has lower %SEE and is more efficient than estimating body mass from the bone ends (Ruff, 2007). This poster demonstrates that estimates of body mass in subadult skeletons can be compared with stature to look at biocultural stress levels in prehistoric populations. Finally a qualitative assessment of histological markers of growth disruption is provided for individuals that demonstrate low bone mass for body size.
Coupling of Nucleon Orbitals

The coupling of nucleon orbitals through the mediation of surface waves has been treated by the intermediate coupling procedure, considering only states with 0, 1, and 2 surfons. A single-nucleon description appropriate for $_{14}\mathrm{Si}_{15}$ and $_{15}\mathrm{P}_{14}$, and a three-nucleon description with $T=\frac{3}{2}$ appropriate for $_{14}\mathrm{Si}_{17}$ and $_{17}\mathrm{Cl}_{20}$ (3 proton holes) are considered. $2{s}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ and $1{d}_{\frac{3}{2}}$ orbitals are coupled in this mass region. ${(2{s}_{\frac{1}{2}})}^{2}(1{d}_{\frac{3}{2}})$, $(2{s}_{\frac{1}{2}}){(1{d}_{\frac{3}{2}})}^{2}$, and ${(1{d}_{\frac{3}{2}})}^{3}$ states are coupled in the three-nucleon systems. $M1$ transition matrix elements between $I=\frac{3}{2}+$ and $I=\frac{1}{2}+$ states are small but not $l$-forbidden as they are for pure $1{d}_{\frac{3}{2}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2{s}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ transitions. The $l$-forbidden $\frac{1}{2}+\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\frac{3}{2}+\mathrm{G}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{w}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{l}\mathrm{l}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{r}$ matrix element in the decay $_{15}P_{14}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}_{14}\mathrm{Si}_{15}$ has the value 0.027 (experimental value 0.040). The correction to the ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ Schmidt moment in $_{14}\mathrm{Si}_{15}$ is about one-half the experimental deviation; while the correction to the ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\frac{3}{2}}$ moment for $_{17}\mathrm{Cl}_{20}$ is 0.788, compared to 0.552 observed. Similar calculations for three-nucleon systems with $T=\frac{1}{2}$ yield results applicable to $_{15}\mathrm{P}_{16}$ and $_{18}\mathrm{A}_{19}$. The coupling of $1{g}_{\frac{7}{2}}$, $2{d}_{\frac{5}{2}}$, $2{d}_{\frac{3}{2}}$, and $3{s}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ proton orbitals in $_{51}\mathrm{Sb}_{70}$ and $_{51}\mathrm{Sb}_{72}$ is treated by a single-nucleon description. The electric quadrupole moments of both $_{51}\mathrm{Sb}_{70}$ and $_{51}\mathrm{Sb}_{72}$ are accounted for and an appreciable $M1$ matrix element is found for the "$l$-forbidden" transition $\frac{5}{2}+\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\frac{7}{2}+$ in $_{51}\mathrm{Sb}_{72}$.
Acrylic Plastic Spherical Pressure Hull for 2439 m (8000 ft) Design Depth: Phase I

A program has been initiated to provide the oceanographic community with a manned submersible with panoramic visibility for 2439 m (8000 ft) design depth. The first phase of the program is to validate the design of the acrylic plastic pressure hull utilizing model scale spheres with different diameters and thickness to inside diameter (t/D/sub i/) ratios. This paper summarizes 1) the criteria used in the design of the acrylic plastic hull for 2439 m (8000 ft) depth, 2) the experimental test plan for validation of the hull design, and 3) the fabrication, and short-term pressurization to destruction of the first scale model with an aluminum hatch.
Impact of drug screening in suspected overdose

We studied how emergency qualitative drug screens were ordered and used during the evaluation of 405 consecutive adult patients presenting to a metropolitan emergency department with suspected drug intoxication. Physicians completed a two-part questionnaire outlining diagnosis, diagnostic certainty, suspected drug(s), and management plans immediately following initial evaluation and again at the time of ED disposition. Screen results were reviewed prior to ED disposition in 361 (89%) cases. We found that qualitative drug screens were associated with substantial changes in diagnostic certainty, as measured by changes in probability estimates and changes in absolute mean log-likelihood ratios. In 196 cases for which all data were recorded prospectively, drug screens excluded a diagnosis of drug intoxication or specifically suspected drugs in 81 cases (41%), but identified previously unsuspected drugs in only 21 cases (11%, P
Does head-down tilt simulate zero gravity?

Six anesthetized female rhesus monkeys were studied to determine the effect of head-down tilt on renal function. Head-down tilt is believed to simulate zero gravity. Some animals were tilted from 0° to −5° or −10° and others from +10° to −10°. None of these maneuvers consistently altered renal function. These results are in accord with those reported in early literature for the human but contrary to more recent reports. The interpretation of the latter are seriously hampered by experimental design. If indeed zero gravity translocates blood to the thorax with a resultant diuresis and natriuresis, headdown tilt is not an appropriate model for weightlessness.
Optical dephasing by nonequilibrium phonons in LaF3.

Phonon-induced coherence loss (PICL) is produced by a monoenergetic nonequilibrium distribution of phonons in ${\mathrm{LaF}}_{3}$:${\mathrm{Pr}}^{3+}$. The phonons are generated by relaxation between excited states of the ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{3+}$ ion after selective excitation with a pulsed, tunable dye laser. The optical dephasing is observed from the effect on the free-induction decay of ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{3+}$ ions whose excited-state level separation is resonant with the phonons. It is shown that PICL is a sensitive detector of monoenergetic phonons, and can be used to study phonon dynamics. The observed rate of optical dephasing is reduced relative to an equivalent occupation of 23-${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ phonons produced thermally.
Decline in homophone spelling associated with loss of semantic influence on spelling in Alzheimer's disease

The homophone spellings of 20 subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild dementia were compared to those of matched normal controls. Both groups were tested once (Time 1) and then again 9 months to 1 year later (Time 2). At Time 1, AD subjects misspelled more homophones than the control group and the discrepancy between the two groups' performances significantly increased by Time 2. Two types of errors were tabulated: homophone confusions (i.e. an inappropriate yet correctly spelled homophone given the context, such as spelling doe, given the context "bake the bread dough") and other spelling errors (e.g. doue, dogh). The relationship between homophone confusions and confrontation naming increased from Time 1 to Time 2. In contrast, the relationship between the number of spelling errors (that were not homophone confusions) and confrontation naming performance was not significant at Time 2. One subgroup of 3 subjects showed an increase in homophone confusions and confrontational naming errors and not more spelling errors. Another subgroup of 4 subjects showed neither an increase in homophone confusions nor in confrontational naming errors, but did show an increase in spelling errors. Based on these results, we suggest that homophone confusions are primarily due to impairment of semantic access to a functional orthographic output lexicon. Other spelling errors may reflect post-linguistic spelling deficits without a significant change in the use of semantic input for spelling homophones.
Effects of surgery, immunization, and laser immunotherapy on a non-immunogenic metastic tumor model

Traditional local cancer treatment modalities include surgery and radiation, which has the immediate tumor response due to tumor removal or radiation induced cell death. However, such therapeutic approaches usually do not result in eradiation of tumors, particularly when treating metastatic tumors. In fact, local treatment of primary tumors may stimulate the growth and spread of remote metastasis. Commonly used systemic therapies include chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which target the dividing cells or the immune systems. However, in addition to the severe side effects, chemotherapy often suppresses the immune systems, hence lessening the host's ability to fight the disease. Immunotherapy, on the other hand, aims at educating and stimulating immune systems using either general immune enhancements or antigen-oriented specific immune stimulation. However, so far, the traditional immunotherapy has yielded only limited success in treating cancer patients. A different approach is needed. To combine the advantages of both local therapies for acute and targeted treatment responses and the systemic therapies for stimulation of the immune systems, laser immunotherapy was proposed to use selective photothermal therapy as the local treatment modality and the adjuvant-assisted immunotherapy for systemic control. Laser immunotherapy has show positive results in treating metastatic tumors. In this study, we conducted a comparative study using surgery, freeze-thaw immunization and laser immunotherapy in the treatment of metastatic rat mammary tumors. Our results showed that removal of the primary tumors was unsuccessful at changing the course of tumor progression. The tumor cell lysate immunization delayed the emergence of metastases but did not provide immunity against the tumor challenge. Laser immunotherapy, on the other hand, resulted in regression and eradication.
Theory of the Stark effect for P donors in Si.

We develop an effective mass theory for substitutional donors in silicon in an inhomogeneous environment. Valley-orbit coupling is included perturbatively. We specifically consider the Stark effect in $\mathrm{Si}\ensuremath{\mathbin:}\mathrm{P}$. In this case, the theory becomes more accurate at high fields, while it is designed to give correct experimental binding energies at zero field. Unexpectedly, the ground state energy for the donor electron is found to increase with electric field as a consequence of spectrum narrowing of the $1s$ manifold. Our results are of particular importance for the Kane quantum computer.
Use of R as a Toolbox for Mathematical Statistics Exploration

The R language, a freely available environment for statistical computing and graphics is widely used in many fields. This “expert-friendly” system has a powerful command language and programming environment, combined with an active user community. We discuss how R is ideal as a platform to support experimentation in mathematical statistics, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Using a series of case studies and activities, we describe how R can be used in a mathematical statistics course as a toolbox for experimentation. Examples include the calculation of a running average, maximization of a nonlinear function, resampling of a statistic, simple Bayesian modeling, sampling from multivariate normal, and estimation of power. These activities, often requiring only a few dozen lines of code, offer students the opportunity to explore statistical concepts and experiment. In addition, they provide an introduction to the framework and idioms available in this rich environment.
Priming insight in groups: Facilitating and inhibiting solving an ambiguously worded insight problem

We extend research on the priming of insight by studying group problem solving. Groups of 2–4 participants tried to solve an ambiguously worded problem in the presence of a prime that reinforced the dominant but incorrect interpretation of the problem, a prime that reinforced the uncommon but correct interpretation, or no prime. The paradigm involved participants asking questions of the experimenter that could only be answered “yes” or “no.” In Experiment 1, the prime was present throughout the solving period; in Experiment 2, it was removed prior to the solving period. In both experiments, the primes had their predicted effects. Patterns in the time taken to solve the problem supported the idea that groups stuck at the impasse were more or less able to restructure the problem, depending on the environmental context. Data from the questions asked and questionnaires converged with time taken to solve the problem, consistent with the view that restructuring a problem is an automatic process that produces insight. A comparison of the group data in Experiment 1 with individually tested participants’ data revealed that the insight of the groups benefited from their being able to recognize lines of questions to follow, to listen to answers to questions asked, and to evaluate and reject errors or assumptions.
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for quantifying adherence of Candida to human vascular endothelium.

Success in elucidating the pathogenesis of certain bacterial infections through studies of bacterial adherence to host cells has stimulated interest in parallel investigations of fungal adherence. Fungal adherence differs from bacterial adherence, especially when fungal coadherence (adherence of fungal cells to each other) is a factor. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured in a living monolayer in microtiter plates, we developed an ELISA to study adherence of Candida albicans to endothelial cells in the absence of yeast coadherence. A rabbit antibody to Candida detected the adherent Candida, and an alkaline phosphatase-conjugated antibody to rabbit IgG was the developing antibody. A linear relationship between the log of the optical density and the log of the number of adherent organisms was seen for wells containing 3 X 10(4)-1 X 10(6) organisms (r = .923- .965). In addition to measuring adherence of living Candida to living target cells and avoiding Candida coadherence, this assay makes it possible to investigate adherence limited to lumenal surfaces, conserves reagents, and facilitates the testing of large numbers of potential adherence modifiers.
Hopping transport and energy transfer in substitutionally disordered media

Abstract We present an alternative derivation of configuration-averaged equations governing transport and trapping in a three-component disordered system. It is assumed that migration of the initial excitation is described by the usual master equation. Using the Zwanzig projection operator technique, we were able, after averaging, to separate the contribution of the transport and transfer processes. We found finally that the averaged master equation including sinks is equivalent to a hierarchy of coupled equations.
Profiling the Presidents of Christian Colleges and Universities: A Comparative Study

Research was conducted among the presidents of higher education institutions which belong to the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). The purpose of the investigation was to develop a profile of their career paths to the presidency. Data about CCCU presidents were then compared to similar data regarding non-CCCU presidents studied by the American Council on Education. Similarities and differences between the two groups of presidents are presented in this article.
Sums of games born on Days 2 and 3

Abstract We compute some groups connected with finite partizan combinatorial games whose game-trees have height at most 2 or 3.
Intermarriage and racial amalgamation in the United States.

(1967). Intermarriage and racial amalgamation in the United States. Eugenics Quarterly: Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 112-120.
Determinination of plasma osmolality and agreement between measured and calculated values in healthy adult Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis).

Objective—To determine plasma osmolality in healthy adult Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis) and validate osmolality equations in these parrots. Animals—20 healthy adult Hispaniolan Amazon parrots. Procedures—A blood sample (0.5 mL) was collected from the right jugular vein of each parrot and placed into a lithium heparin microtainer tube. Samples were centrifuged, and plasma was harvested and frozen at −30°C. Samples were thawed, and plasma osmolality was measured in duplicate with a freezing-point depression osmometer. The mean value was calculated for the 2 osmolality measurements. Results—Plasma osmolality values were normally distributed, with a mean ± SD of 326.0 ± 6.878 mOsm/kg. The equations (2 × [Na+ + K+]) + (glucose/18), which resulted in bias of 2.3333 mOsm/kg and limits of agreement of −7.0940 to 11.7606 mOsm/kg, and (2 × [Na+ + K+]) + (uric acid concentration/16.8) + (glucose concentration/18), which resulted in bias of 5.8117 mOsm/kg and limits of agreement of −14.6640 to 3.0406...
Serum digoxin concentrations during ethmozine antiarrhythmic therapy

The potential for pharmacokinetic drug interaction between ethmozine (moricizine HCl), a phenothiazine class I antiarrhythmic investigational drug, and digoxin was evaluated in 13 cardiac patients with normal renal function. Antiarrhythmic therapy was initiated in patients with potentially lethal (nonlife-threatening) ventricular arrhythmias (greater than 30 ventricular ectopic beats [VEB]/hr) who were receiving maintenance digoxin therapy for congestive heart failure and/or atrial fibrillation. Serum digoxin concentrations of patients were measured frequently by radioimmunoassay and plasma ethmozine concentrations by high-performance liquid chromatographic methods. Patients entered a short-term (4 weeks) single-blind, placebo controlled ethmozine protocol with an option to receive long-term (1 to 6 months) open-label maintenance ethmozine therapy. Ambulatory ECGs (48 hour) used to assess antiarrhythmic efficacy of ethmozine during each week of the short-term protocol showed that 77% of patients demonstrated greater than 90% mean hourly frequency suppression of all forms of ventricular ectopy. Serum digoxin concentrations during short-term ethmozine dosing showed a nonsignificant (p greater than 0.05) increase of 10% to 15% (mean 0.91 ng/ml to 1.13 ng/ml). The short-term protocol serum digoxin levels correlated closely with serum digoxin concentrations during placebo therapy (1st week, r = 0.90; 2nd week, r = 0.87). Serum digoxin concentrations were not significantly different (p greater than 0.05) from placebo values at the end of 1, 3, and 6 months of maintenance ethmozine therapy. Thus, we conclude that ethmozine administered in an antiarrhythmic efficacious dosage (10 mg/kg/day) showed no important clinical or statistically significant change in serum digoxin concentrations of cardiac patients with normal renal function.
Epidemiology of centipede exposures reported to Texas poison control centers, 1998–2004

Centipedes are found globally, including the southern United States. Although centipede bites may cause pain, the bite is generally not considered life threatening. The present retrospective investigation studied the epidemiology of centipede exposures reported to Texas poison control centers. Cases were all human exposures reported during 1998–2004 that involved centipedes. There were totally 851 cases. Among the cases with a known patient age, 16% were less than 6 years of age, 19% were 6–19, and 65% were greater than 19 years. Females accounted for 55% of the patients with known gender. The reported centipede exposures were managed on site (outside of a health care facility) in 93% of the cases. Of the 305 cases with a known clinical outcome, 82% had minor effects. Cases exhibited a seasonal trend, with most of the reports occurring during July–September. There was no clear geographic pattern to the reported centipede exposures, although the highest rate occurred in West Texas. Dermal irritation or pai...
Insertion of a heterologous gene construct into a non-functional ORF of the Streptococcus thermophilus chromosome

An integrative vector was constructed for inserting heterologous genes within a non-functional open reading frame (ORF) on the chromosome of Streptococcus thermophilus. The vector, pINTRS, contained a temperature sensitive origin of replication and an erythromycin resistance gene for initial selection in S. thermophilus. The region of the vector containing unique cloning sites, for insertion of recombinant genes, was flanked by homologous DNA sequences corresponding to a pseudogene in S. thermophilus to facilitate chromosomal integration. The gene encoding green fluorescent protein, regulated by a plasmid borne hsp promoter of S. thermophilus, was cloned into pINTRS to demonstrate proper functioning of the vector.
Pharmacological chaperones stabilize retromer to limit APP processing

In silico screening identifies a small molecule that stabilizes the interaction between retromer components Vps35 and Vps29. The compound increases traffic of APP away from the endosomal compartment to limit generation of the Aβ peptides involved in Alzheimer's disease pathology.
Semantic access of frontal face images: the expression-invariant problem

Semantic queries to a database of images are more desirable than low-level feature queries, because they facilitate the user's task. One such approach is object-related image retrieval. In the context of face images, it is of interest to retrieve images based on people's names and facial expressions. However, when images of the database are allowed to appear at different facial expressions, the face recognition approach encounters the expression-invariant problem, i.e. how to robustly identify a person's face for which its learning and testing face images differ in facial expression. This paper presents a new local, probabilistic approach that accounts for this (as well as other previous studied) difficulty.
Sequelae of lateral ovarian transposition in unirradiated cervical cancer patients.

The sequelae of lateral ovarian transposition (LOT) in cervical cancer patients has been examined only in the light of the effect of pelvic radiation therapy on ovarian preservation. Preservation of ovarian function has not been examined in the absence of radiation therapy, and symptomatic ovarian cyst formation in transposed ovaries with the need for subsequent surgery has not been addressed in either radiated or unirradiated cervical cancer patients. We studied 84 premenopausal FIGO stage IA or IB cervical cancer patients treated by primary radical hysterectomy between the years 1978 and 1988. None of these patients received adjuvant radiation therapy. Fifty-nine of eight-four patients had radical hysterectomy (RH) without LOT. These patients were compared to 25 of 84 patients who had LOT in addition to RH. The incidence of symptomatic ovarian cysts, the majority requiring operative intervention, was 24% in the ovarian transposition patients as compared to 7.4% in those who had RH alone. This threefold increase in symptomatic benign ovarian cyst formation in the translocated ovary was significant (P = .048). On the other hand, LOT in these RH patients does not appear to increase the incidence of early menopause (P greater than 0.05). On follow-up of those patients who did not incur additional surgery or radiation, 4.3% became menopausal, as compared to 4.1% of those patients undergoing RH alone, with the mean ages of the two groups being comparable.
Gender differences in computer science students

We examined gender differences and differences in Computer Science (CS) majors vs. non-majors in ability in quantitative areas, educational goals and interests, experience with computers, stereotypes and knowledge about CS, confidence, personality, support and encouragement, stress and financial issues, gender discrimination, and attitudes toward the academic environment in CS. What is unique to this investigation is its multivariate nature. While others have studied these variables in isolation, our study looks at them collectively to identify important interactions among variables. This will eventually allow us to identify a profile of women who pursue careers in CS. The findings are reported in detail below. Particularly noteworthy is that men had more confidence in using computers than did women even when statistically controlling quantitative ability. In fact, female CS majors had less computer confidence than did male non-majors.
Diarrhea, Fever, Hypoxia, and Rash in a House Officer

DR. LEE COHEN. A 26-year-old male physician was in good health until August 1989, when he had five episodes of watery diarrhea over 24 hours after eating in a Mexican restaurant. Six days later he developed fever to 39.7?C that was associated with chills, malaise, myalgias, headache, and sore throat. The fever persisted for 72 hours, at which time he presented to the emergency room at UCLA Medical Center and was given erythromycin for possible streptococcal pharyngitis. He subsequently developed profuse, watery diarrhea, which occurred as frequently as every 15 minutes. He returned to the emergency room on the following day because of persistent diarrhea, sore throat, exertional dyspnea, and nonproductive cough. He denied a history of rash, stiff neck, chest pain, or abdominal pain. He was admitted to the hospital. The patient was a house officer in the department of internal medicine on rotation at a local county hospital. He denied known exposure to patients with communicable diseases, and no member of his household had a similar illness. The patient asserted that he had not traveled recently, gone camping, ingested raw foods or milk, been exposed to animals, or been bitten by arthropods. He had received routine childhood immunizations, and the result of a test for purified protein derivative within the preceding year was negative. He had not been hospitalized recently. Physical examination showed a well-developed,
Spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery with meperidine as the sole agent.

Meperidine, a phenylpiperidine opioid analgesic, has been noted to have local anesthetic properties when injected intrathecally. The majority of reports using meperidine as the sole agent for spinal anesthesia have included only patients undergoing lower extremity, perineal or urologic procedures.‘-4 The use of intrathecal meperidine to provide anesthesia for major intra-abdominal surgery, such as cesarean delivery, has been reported only in abstract form.’ Moreover, the degree of neonatal exposure to meperidine after maternal intrathecal injection is unknown. We describe here our experience with a patient in whom extenuating medical circumstances prompted the use of this unconventional anesthetic technique.
Streamlined Approach to the Crude Compound Purification to Assay Process

Abstract Purification of medicinal chemistry compounds is often the slow step in the drug‐discovery process, particularly for compounds generated through parallel synthesis. To address this bottleneck we have developed a fully automated purification platform using a preparative‐LC/MS with a customized compound analysis requestor and a data tracking‐handling program. The six workstations that comprise the platform are an 8‐channel MUX, a mass‐directed Prep‐LC/MS, a liquid handling system, a balance automator, an evaporation system, and a central PC that runs the core program. The first step involved in the library purification, following the electronic submission of the dry crude synthetic material submitted in a barcoded plate, consists of automatic dissolution of the material and transfer of an aliquot for pre‐purification QC. Subsequent steps involve generation of a sequence list consisting of the methods for the analysis and processing, automatic generation of a sequence of the confirmed wells for LC/M...
Proton induced reactions in lithium-drifted silicon detectors☆

Abstract The monoenergetic response of lithium-drifted silicon detectors is studied showing the contributions to the tail of the full energy peak resulting from proton induced reactions in the detector.
Constitutive activation of mTOR signaling pathway in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders

We examined activation of the mTOR signaling pathway in situ in the primary, normal reactive and patient-derived post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) tissue samples. We accomplished this analysis by immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens using a set of highly specific antibodies that permitted us to determine phosphorylation status of the key serines in the mTOR target proteins. Our results demonstrate that the mTOR signaling pathway is activated in reactive tissue in a highly distinct fashion with positive, typically enlarged cells being present primarily in the germinal center and, to a lesser degree, in interfollicular areas with mantle zone being conspicuously negative. We could demonstrate mTOR activation in the lesional cells in the entire spectrum of PTLD subtypes, regardless of their Epstein-Barr virus genome expression status. These data demonstrate the ubiquitous activation of the mTOR signaling pathway in PTLD and indicate that mTOR inhibitors may be effective in treatment and, notably, prevention of PTLDs given their immunosuppressive properties. Furthermore, our results define potential biomarkers of the therapeutic response. Because the constitutive mTOR activation has also been identified in cells isolated from other hematologic malignancies, the ability to examine the in vivo mTOR signaling may have implications reaching beyond the PTLD field.
Absolute intensity of internal bremsstrahlung from the electron capture decay of 125I.

The absolute intensity of the internal bremsstrahlung spectrum accompanying the electron capture decay of $^{125}\mathrm{I}$ has been measured and compared to the recent calculation of Suri\ifmmode \acute{c}\else \'{c}\fi{} et al. The measured intensity above the 1s end point is found to be (86\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10)% of the calculated intensity.
Three-dimensional ordering in weakly coupled antiferromagnetic ladders and chains

A theoretical description is presented for low-temperature magnetic-field-induced three-dimensional (3D) ordering transitions in strongly anisotropic quantum antiferromagnets, consisting of weakly coupled antiferromagnetic spin-1/2 chains and ladders. First, effective continuum field theories are derived for the one-dimensional subsystems. Then the Luttinger parameters, which determine the low-temperature susceptibilities of the chains and ladders, are calculated from the Bethe ansatz solution for these effective models. The 3D ordering transition line is obtained using a random-phase approximation for the weak interchain (interladder) coupling. Finally, considering a Ginzburg criterion, the fluctuation corrections to this approach are shown to be small. The nature of the 3D ordered phase resembles a Bose condensate of integer-spin magnons. It is proposed that for systems with higher spin degrees of freedom, e.g., N-leg spin-1/2 ladders, multicomponent condensates can occur at high magnetic fields.
Purification of bovine hemoglobin via fast performance liquid chromatography

Bovine hemoglobin (bHb) was purified from bovine red blood cells (bRBCs) via anion exchange chromatography preceded by dialysis. This is a fast and effective way to obtain bHb from bRBCs using Q Sepharose XL, a strong anion exchange resin. This resin had double the binding capacity for bHb compared to three other anion exchange resins that were studied in this work. Methemoglobin levels remained below 2% with bHb concentrations between 0.7 and 1.7 mM. The high purity of bHb was confirmed via SDS-PAGE and size exclusion chromatography (SEC).
Equity, efficiency and political feasibility in federal project selection procedures

This paper proposes four criteria to evaluate the implementation of U.S. federal grant agency project processing procedures. The criteria - anonymity, non-perversity, implementation of program goals and adequacy - go beyond the arguments over rational-analytic versus incremental policymaking by suggesting criteria which both models can meet. Examples of two federal programs' selection procedures are used to illustrate the applicability of, and divergency from, the proposed criteria. The paper concludes with a discussion of the factors important to administrators in selecting project processing procedures.
A method for expanding the phase-stable regime in synchronous accelerators

Possible advantages resulting from the use of non-sinusoidal radiofrequency accelerating potentials in synchronous accelerators in extending the regime of phase stability and in overcoming space charge effects are pointed out and discussed.