cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enteropathogenicity of non-toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 for adult mice.

Abstract The enteropathogenic potential of 32 Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates that do not produce cholera toxin was examined in the orally inoculated, sealed adult mouse model. Live cultures (2 × 1010 cfu/ml) of 7 16 clinical and 6 16 environmental isolates produced a positive intestinal fluid accumulation (FA) ratio that reached near maximum at approximately 5 h post-inoculation. Colony hybridization did not detect genes for cholera toxin, Escherichia coli heat-labile and heat-stable toxins, or shiga-like toxins. FA activity did not correlate precisely with cytotoxic activities on Chinese hamster ovary ( 28 32 positive), Vero ( 29 32 ) or HeLa ( 25 32 ) cells. Certain clinical and environmental isolates of non-toxigenic V. cholerae O1 appear to be enteropathogenic for the mouse, providing evidence that they may have pathogenic potential for humans through an as yet undefined mechanism(s).
Isoscalar M1 and E2 amplitudes in np→dγ

Abstract The low energy radiative capture process np→dγ provides a sensitive probe of the two-nucleon system. The cross section for this process is dominated by the isovector M1 amplitude for capture from the 1 S 0 channel via the isovector magnetic moment of the nucleon. In this work we use effective field theory to compute the isoscalar M1 and isoscalar E2 amplitudes that are strongly suppressed for cold neutron capture. The actual value of the isoscalar E2 amplitude is expected to be within ∼15% of the value computed in this work. In contrast, due to the vanishing contribution of the one-body operator at leading order and next-to-leading order, the isoscalar M1 amplitude is estimated to have a large uncertainty. We discuss in detail the deuteron quadrupole form factor and 3 S 1 − 3 D 1 mixing.
Error detection and correction in a photo-digital storage system

An error-correction system has been implemented for data stored in the IBM Photo-Digital Storage System. Hardware is used for encoding and error detection, and a processor-controller is used, on a time-sharing basis, for error correction. A Reed-Solomon code is used to obtain a very low error rate in spite of flaws affecting the recorded bits. This approach is applicable to systems which require complex codes and have a data processor available on a time-sharing basis.
Reduction of group constructions to point stabilizers

The construction of point stabilizer subgroups is a problem which has been studied intensively. [1, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 14] This work describes a general reduction of certain group constructions to the point stabilizer problem. Examples are given for the centralizer, the normal closure, and a restricted group intersection problem. For the normal closure problem, this work provides an alternative to current algorithms, which are limited by the need for repeated closures under conjugation. For the centralizer and restricted group intersection problems, one can use an existing point stabilizer sequence along with a recent base change algorithm [2] to avoid generating a new point stabilizer sequence. This reduces the time complexity by at least an order of magnitude. Algorithms and theoretical time estimates for the special case of a small base are also summarized. An implementation is in progress.
Wilson's disease: Transplantation when all else has failed

Experience with liver transplantation for patients with Wilson's disease who have major neurological impairment is limited, and this report describes the results obtained in two such patients. The first was a 30-year-old man with a 14-month history of hepatic and neurological impairment. In spite of treatment with d-penicillamine, he developed increasing dysarthria, dysphagia, akinesia and rigidity of all four limbs, and required continuous nursing care. Following transplantation, liver function was almost normal from four weeks onwards, but recovery of neurological function was much slower and was not seen until two to three months after surgery. By four months he was sufficiently mobile to be discharged, and when he returned for assessment at eight months, no abnormal neurological signs were detectable. The second patient was a 27-year-old woman with worsening liver dysfunction for eight years; one year previously she had developed dysarthria, akinesia, a fine tremor and moderate rigidity of all limbs as well as marked psychological impairment. There was no improvement on treatment with d-penicillamine or trientine, but as liver function returned to normal two months after liver grafting, her neurological and psychological function began to improve so that by three months she could be discharged.
Frequency Response of a Thermistor Temperature Probe in Air

Abstract An analytical study was conducted of the thermal frequency response of an atmospheric temperature probe consisting of a thermistor bead with two lead wires soldered to thin support posts. Such probes are used in aircraft temperature sensors and for surface-layer turbulence studies. The results show the effects of the lead wires on the frequency response (amplitude and phase) of the probe for two end conditions of the lead wires: 1) fixed temperature at the mean free-stream value, and 2) adiabatic. For the smallest commercially available thermistor bead of approximately 200-µm diameter and for 20-µm-diameter platinum lead-wire lengths of about 0.8 mm, the conduction to the supports was found to be minimal for both end conditions. It was determined, however, that the lead wires themselves act as heat transfer fins and actually improve the frequency response over that of an ideal isolated bead. Model calculations show that the inclusion of multiple lead wires (four and six) connected mechanically, b...
Industry perceptions of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by computer programmers

In a day and age where computer information systems permeate virtually every facet of society, organizations find it difficult to hire adequate numbers of computer personnel. Judging by the number of `quick-fix' organizations that offer training in “weeks rather than years” and the number of individuals that each claims to train per year, the shortage would seem to come from a lack of adequate skills rather than a lack of applicants. This paper reports the findings of an study designed to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed by one group of information technology (IT) personnel — the computer programmer.
Improved Constant Rate of Strain Consolidation Test on Stiff Shale

Detailed discussions on the poroelastic behavior of stiff shales are provided with the aim of developing a fast reliable method to characterize stress-dependent shale permeability using the constant rate of strain (CRS) consolidation test. Shales usually have dense stiff matrices composed of soft grains. Characterizing the hydromechanical properties of shales in fully-saturated condition is challenging due to their very low permeability. For reliable development of unconventional reservoirs in terms of borehole stability and hydraulic fracturing, the effect of hydromechanical interactions between shale matrix and pore fluid is an important factor. Thus, fast, reliable and simple test methods to characterize the hydro-mechanical properties of saturated shales are needed. Applying the CRS test standardized for soft soils to shales confronts some critical technical issues. Satisfying the required test condition, that is one-dimensional consolidation with satisfactory one-dimensional fluid flow in test sample, is highly difficult for shales. Thus, the consolidation is carried out in isotropic stress condition. Stressdependent anisotropy of deformation of tested shale attributed to their layered structure is evaluated based on the stiffness matrix determined in a previous study. In the standard CRS procedure, the permeability during CRS test is related to the strain rate, sample thickness, and excess pore pressure. However, in shales, non-negligible compressibility of solid grains is considered to cause a certain loss of excess pore pressure, which is not considered in the standard procedure. In this study, the loss of excess pore pressure is compensated by assuming that the ratio of excess pore pressure for a porous medium composed of compressible solid grains to that for a porous medium having negligible solid grain compressibility is equivalent to the value of Skempton's pore pressure coefficient, B, of the former medium. To extract the B-value of shale sample from that experimentally-determined in the presence of porous metal filters, the B-value of multi-layered porous media is formulated in relation to the fluid saturation, porosity, Biot coefficient, and solid grain bulk modulus of each layer. The extracted B-value based on the estimated value of fluid saturation of sample, 0.94, overcompensates the loss. It is found that the CRS permeability values obtained by assuming full saturation are highly consistent with the steady-state permeability values.
Work in Progress - Evaluating the impact of reflective thinking on learning objectives in undergraduate multidisciplinary project teams

The interprofessional projects program (TPRO) is a project-based course through which all undergraduate students are expected to develop their multidisciplinary teamwork, communication, and project management skills and knowledge while learning how to resolve ethical issues. Evaluation of these learning objectives is done through various performance measures of the program including a teamwork survey, a self-assessment of the learning objectives, and scores at IPRO Projects Day. A continued pilot for assessment is reflections, a written assignment team members complete 3 times over the semester. The fourth semester of our reflections pilot at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) includes questions about project management, teamwork, communications, and ethical issues, which are the meta-learning objectives of the program. We have compared the 11 teams that used reflections and 24 teams that did not use reflections in the Fall 06 semester, and 11 teams that used and 28 that did not in the Spring 07 semester. Overall, we find little meaningful differences between the teams on the performance measures.
Interval estimation and Monte Carlo simulation of digital communication systems

The authors quantify the accuracy of bit error rate (BER) estimates produced by Monte Carlo simulations by carefully applying confidence interval estimation techniques. Due to numerical difficulties, some previous work in this area has assumed that the BER statistic possessed a Gaussian distribution. The authors demonstrate that in some important regions the estimate is decidedly non-Gaussian, and application of central limit theorem arguments can result in errors in excess of an order of magnitude. They investigate the accuracy of common approximations and the feasibility of exact calculation of confidence intervals, and present a novel polynomial class approximation. By combining this approximation with more conventional approaches, an algorithm is developed for estimating confidence intervals of BER estimates. The algorithm is nonrecursive and numerically stable, requires a trivial amount of compute time to evaluate, has a small margin of error, and can be used for all error rates less than 0.5. >
GuaA and GuaB Are Essential for Borrelia burgdorferi Survival in the Tick-Mouse Infection Cycle

Pathogens lacking the enzymatic pathways for de novo purine biosynthesis are required to salvage purines and pyrimidines from the host environment for synthesis of DNA and RNA. Two key enzymes in purine salvage pathways are IMP dehydrogenase (GuaB) and GMP synthase (GuaA), encoded by the guaB and guaA genes, respectively. While these genes are typically found on the chromosome in most bacterial pathogens, the guaAB operon of Borrelia burgdorferi is present on plasmid cp26, which also harbors a number of genes critical for B. burgdorferi viability. Using molecular genetics and an experimental model of the tick-mouse infection cycle, we demonstrate that the enzymatic activities encoded by the guaAB operon are essential for B. burgdorferi mouse infectivity and provide a growth advantage to spirochetes in the tick. These data indicate that the GuaA and GuaB proteins are critical for the survival of B. burgdorferi in the infection cycle and highlight a potential difference in the requirements for purine salvage in the disparate mammalian and tick environments.
Low Plasma Growth Hormone Binding Protein in IDDM

Poorly controlled insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is associated with elevated basal plasma growth hormone (GH), disproportionally low insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels, and impaired somatic growth. These derangements in the GH-IGF axis imply a state of GH resistance. The mechanism of GH resistance is unknown; it may involve a defect at the level of the GH receptor, unresponsiveness due to a postreceptor defect in GH action, or both. To investigate a potential receptor involvement, we measured plasma high-affinity GH-binding protein (GHBP), which represents a truncated GH receptor and may reflect GH receptor levels in tissues, in patients with IDDM, patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM), and nondiabetic control subjects. Patients with IDDM had significantly lower plasma GHBP levels than either patients with NIDDM or nondiabetic control subjects (mean value 18.2 vs. 24.6 and 23.8% GH bound/ml plasma, respectively, P P 1 , duration of diabetes, or plasma GH. GHBP and IGF-I levels were significantly correlated in NIDDM but not in IDDM. We conclude that IDDM is associated with low GHBP levels and that GH resistance found in this disorder may be mediated, at least in part, by a decrease in GH receptor levels. Insulinopenia may be the principal reason for GHBP/receptor deficiency.
Dynamics of the Circulation in Acute Hypertension Produced by Stimulation of the Cerebral Cortex

Electric stimulation of motor areas of the cerebral cortex of the dog is followed by a prompt rise in systemic blood pressure, without significant changes in heart rate or cardiac output. Small increases occurred in lesser circuit pressures.
CUTS: a system execution modeling tool for realizing continuous system integration testing

This paper presents the Component Workload Emulator (CoWork-Er) Utilization Test Suite (CUTS), which is a system execution modeling tool for validating quality-of-service (QoS) properties, e.g., end-to-end response time, throughput, and scalability, on the target architecture continuously throughout the software lifecycle.
The MIT IDEAS competition: promoting innovation for public service

The MIT IDEAS competition is a unique forum for student enterprise and innovation that encourages teams to devise creative methods to resolve community needs. The IDEAS competition provides a support network for students to develop their innovative ideas to solve a wide range of technical and social problems that face under-served communities and individuals, in both local and international contexts. By providing constructive criticism, mentors, and development grants to all viable projects, and hosting a poster session at the final awards ceremony, IDEAS helps every team to make significant progress with their project and to publicize their work. The IDEAS competition fills an important niche on the MIT campus by giving students the opportunity to be creative and to take active leadership roles in a nonacademic setting; exposing them to social, ethical, and political issues; and helping to prepare them to be community leaders on a global scale.
Simultaneous posterior communicating artery aneurysm clipping and selective amygdalohippocampectomy via direct lateral access through the mesial temporal lobe to the basal cisterns

We report a 23-year-old man with intractable epilepsy and an incidental posterior communicating artery aneurysm who was treated simultaneously for both pathologies. He was counseled regarding the potential to treat both pathologies with one procedure. He elected to undergo a simultaneous approach. The patient was doing well at his 5-month follow-up examination with no residual seizures or neurologic deficits. We conclude that access to aneurysms within the basal cisterns is viable with transchoroidal approaches through the temporal horn of the lateral ventricle. Anterior extension through portions of the amygdala further increases access. In our patient, selective amygdalohippocampectomy and posterior communicating artery aneurysm clipping were performed during the same surgical setting/approach. This directly lateral corridor allowed our young patient with an incidental aneurysm to undergo a less invasive combined operation rather than two separate procedures.
Understanding DNA Radicals Employing Theory and Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy

Ionizing radiation, such as γ-rays, X-rays, or ion beam radiation, results in the formation of cation and anion radicals in DNA and neutral radicals by secondary reactions. These DNA radicals are stable at low temperatures and, therefore, can be studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. In these DNA radicals, the unpaired spin on the radical site interacts with nuclei with a magnetic moment, such as, 1H, 2H, and 14N. This electron spin–nuclear spin interaction gives rise to hyperfine coupling, which is characterized by the hyperfine coupling constant (HFCC) values. The HFCC values along with the g-values determine the ESR spectra of these radicals. Calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) allow for identification of these DNA radicals via the prediction of stabilization energies and, most importantly, accurate values of the HFCCs. These calculations elucidate radical conformational structures as well. Thus, the combination of ESR with DFT calculations is a powerful approach to the investigation of DNA radicals and is the main focus of this article. This is illustrated in this article by specific examples—such as the prediction of sites of deprotonation in the DNA base cation radicals, intra-base pair proton transfer processes in DNA base radicals, and excited state-induced reactions of the DNA base cation and anion radicals leading to sugar radical formation. Keywords: electron spin resonance (ESR); density functional theory (DFT); cation radicals; anion radicals; neutral radicals; hyperfine coupling constant (HFCC); g-value; A-tensor; anisotropic hyperfine coupling; isotropic hyperfine coupling; conformational energies; low-energy electron (LEE); DNA radicals; excited states of DNA radicals
A retrospective analysis of ethics knowledge in physical therapy (1970-2000).

Background and Purpose. Purtilo, Guccione, and others have noted that increased clinical autonomy for physical therapists presents more complex ethical dilemmas. The body of literature examining physical therapy ethics, however, is relatively small and has not been analyzed. The primary purposes of this research were: (1) to use multiple perspectives to describe and analyze literature examining ethics in physical therapy from 1970 to 2000, (2) to develop a model to describe the evolution of knowledge of ethics in physical therapy during this period, and (3) to compare the proposed model with the evolutionary models proposed by Purtilo in physical therapy and by Pellegrino in bioethics. Sample. The sample consisted of peer-reviewed journal articles cited in the MEDLINE or Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases between 1970 and 2000 or referenced in Ethics in Physical Therapy . Methods. A two-phase mixed quantitative and qualitative method was used to analyze publications. In the quantitative phase, the author sorted publications into a priori categories, including approach to ethics, author, decade, country of publication, role of the physical therapist, and component of morality. During the qualitative phase of the research, the author analyzed and sorted the publications to identify common themes, patterns, similarities, and evolutionary trends. These findings were compared with the evolutionary models of Pellegrino and Purtilo. Results. The 90 publications meeting inclusion criteria were predominantly philosophical, using the “principles” perspective; focused on the patient/client management role of the physical therapist; and addressed the moral judgment component of moral behavior. As predicted by Purtilo's model, the focus of identity evolved from self-identity to patient-focused identity, with increasing representation of societal identity. Recurrent themes included the need to further identify and clarify physical therapists' ethical dilemmas, the interrelationship between clinical and ethical decision making, and the changing relationship with patients. Discussion and Conclusion. Although knowledge of ethics grew steadily between 1970 and 2000, this retrospective analysis identified gaps in our current knowledge. Further research is needed to address the unique ethical problems commonly encountered in all 5 roles of the physical therapist; patient perspectives on ethical issues in physical therapy; variety in ethical approaches; factors affecting moral judgment, sensitivity, motivation, and courage; and cultural dimensions of ethical practice in physical therapy.
Microarray Studies of Psychostimulant-Induced Changes in Gene Expression

Alterations in the expression of multiple genes in many brain regions are likely to contribute to psychostimulant-induced behaviours. Microarray technology provides a powerful tool for the simultaneous interrogation of gene expression levels of a large number of genes. Several recent experimental studies, reviewed here, demonstrate the power, limitations and progress of microarray technology in the field of psychostimulant addiction. These studies vary in the paradigms of cocaine or amphetamine administration, drug doses, route and also mode of administration, duration of treatment, animal species, brain regions studied and time of tissue collection after final drug administration. The studies also utilize different microarray platforms and statistical techniques for analysis of differentially expressed genes. These variables influence substantially the results of these studies. It is clear that current microarray techniques cannot detect small changes reliably in gene expression of genes with low expression levels, including functionally significant changes in components of major neurotransmission systems such as glutamate, dopamine, opioid and GABA receptors, especially those that may occur after chronic drug administration or drug withdrawal. However, the microarray studies reviewed here showed cocaine- or amphetamine-induced alterations in the expression of numerous genes involved in the modulation of neuronal growth, cytoskeletal structures, synaptogenesis, signal transduction, apoptosis and cell metabolism. Application of laser capture microdissection and single-cell cDNA amplification may greatly enhance microarray studies of gene expression profiling. The combination of rapidly evolving microarray technology with established methods of neuroscience, molecular biology and genetics, as well as appropriate behavioural models of drug reinforcement, may provide a productive approach for delineating the neurobiological underpinnings of drug responses that lead to addiction.
Guts and Grasses

M y interest in ranges and grasses began belatedly after I had owned ranch and farmland in Central Texas for over a decade. Pretty hills, bottomland along the Middle Bosque River, and some productive farmland as well as worn-out fallow fields compose the property. The first decade or so of my ownership was remarkable only in my poor management. I blamed some of my poor performance on a busy medical practice, but complacency is to blame. I had a rural youth, and I had some working knowledge of livestock but not really the land itself. Like many small-town boys of my generation, the land was where one pursued testosterone-enhanced activities, such as hunting, fishing, and working cattle and goats. I did not appreciate the brittleness of my patch of hills and prairie, nor did I appreciate the nature of the responsibility I had assumed when I acquired the property. I guess I resembled the doctor who knows diseases and goes to work every day but does not have a clue about the actual lives of his or her patients. I am fortunate that there was little mesquite on the land, but it was infested with juniper, and I watched these trees multiply like hamsters. I tried bulldozing, but I only ended up with more rock piles and a new growth of juniper and sumac. The grass was usually ribbon high. A favorite author of mine, John Graves, lives in the same series of limestone hills and says our land is worn out because of "too much cotton and too many cows."' Nevertheless, at some point I realized I could do better, and I started to commute to classes of the School of Ranch Management at Texas Christian University. My first class on soil was superb, but the second class on grasses was an epiphany. I began to try to visualize what the landscape really looked like 150 years ago.
‘We demand justice. We just getting started’: the constitutive rhetoric of 1Hood Media's hip-hop activism

The hip-hop activism of Pittsburgh's 1Hood Media has been a key element of the success of several contemporary social justice campaigns, such as the 2010 Justice For Jordan Miles police brutality case. After offering some background on 1Hood Media and a discussion of constitutive rhetoric, this study offers a close reading of 1Hood's rhetorical appeal, focusing on the ways in which the audience is constituted as both collective and individual subjects whose participation in the narrative is essential to its closure. 1Hood Media's texts focus on a diverse range of victims of injustice who suffer at the hands of police brutality and murder, and other forms of systemic oppression. The villains in these narratives are institutional forces, such as racist police forces, or corrupt Wall Street banks. By focusing on music, lyrical and visual features of 1Hood's cultural products, this study contributes to studies of popular music, hip-hop, rhetoric and cultural politics.
Examining Ways in Which Youth Conferences Can Spell Out Gains in Community Youth Development and Engagement

With student outcomes increasingly becoming associated witht est scores, schools are less able to dedicate themselves to helping students learn how to become engaged and active participants in a democracy. As a result, other community based organizations have stepped in to help students acquire the sense of agency, belonging, and competence—known as the "A, B, C’s" of youth development—that research has shown to be crucial for youth to become contributing citizens. Drawing on survey, interview and observational data, this paper considers how two such organizations give students an opportunity for personal development, while providing youth with leadership skills and opportunities to engage in their schools and communities. This research suggests that in addition to the traditional "A, B, C’s," it may be beneficial to consider aspects of diversity—proposed here as "D"—that play an important role in youth development, as well as the synergy of all four components of youth development that result in positive student outcomes.
Assessment of nutrition in cancer patients and its effect on treatment outcome—A study from a developing country

6125 Background: In developing countries one-third of the people suffer from mal-nutrition. It has been shown that a good nutritional status can reduce complications of treatment, strengthen the im...
Stimulants and the lung : review of literature.

Illicit stimulants, such as cocaine, amphetamine, and their derivatives (e.g., “ecstasy”), continue to exact heavy toll on health care in both developed and developing countries. The US Department of Health and Human Service reported over one million illicit drug-related emergency department visits in 2010, which was higher than any of the six previous years. Both inhaled and intravenous forms of these substances of abuse can result in a variety of acute and chronic injuries to practically every part of the respiratory tract, leading potentially to permanent morbidities as well as fatal consequences—including but not limited to nasal septum perforation, pulmonary hypertension, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, interstitial lung disease, alveolar hemorrhage, reactive airway disease, pulmonary edema, pulmonary granulomatosis, infections, foreign body aspiration, infections, bronchoconstriction, and thermal injuries. Stimulants are all rapidly absorbed substances that can also significantly alter the patient’s systemic acid–base balance and central nervous system, thereby leading to further respiratory compromise. Mounting evidence in the past decade has demonstrated that adulterants coinhaled with these substances (e.g., levamisole) and the metabolites of these substances (e.g., cocaethylene) are associated with specific forms of systemic and respiratory complications as well. Recent studies have also demonstrated the effects of stimulants on autoimmune-mediated injuries of the respiratory tract, such as cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions. A persistent challenge to studies involving stimulant-associated respiratory toxidromes is the high prevalence of concomitant usage of various substances by drug abusers, including tobacco smoking. Now more than ever, health care providers must be familiar with the multitude of respiratory toxidromes as well as the diverse pathophysiology related to commonly abused stimulants to provide timely diagnosis and effective treatment.
Integrating features and similarities: flexible models for heterogeneous multiview data

We present a probabilistic framework for learning with heterogeneous multiview data where some views are given as ordinal, binary, or real-valued feature matrices, and some views as similarity matrices. Our framework has the following distinguishing aspects: (i) a unified latent factor model for integrating information from diverse feature (ordinal, binary, real) and similarity based views, and predicting the missing data in each view, leveraging view correlations; (ii) seamless adaptation to binary/multiclass classification where data consists of multiple feature and/or similarity-based views; and (iii) an efficient, variational inference algorithm which is especially flexible in modeling the views with ordinal-valued data (by learning the cutpoints for the ordinal data), and extends naturally to streaming data settings. Our framework subsumes methods such as multiview learning and multiple kernel learning as special cases. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework on several real-world and benchmarks datasets.
Antisperm antibodies: origin, regulation, and sperm reactivity in human infertility*

Objective To follow-up and expand discussion on the action mechanisms of antisperm antibodies in human infertility, the etiology and control of antisperm antibody induction, sperm antigens involved in immunoinfertility, and strategies for therapy. Design A review of the recent literature with an emphasis on female immunoinfertility. Results The role of antisperm antibodies in clinical infertility continues to be defined. Through assisted reproductive technologies, antisperm antibodies were shown to exert detrimental effects on different prefertilization and possibly postfertilization events. The female reproductive tract is part of the common mucosal immune system and is able to mount effective immune responses against infectious agents, foreign antigens, and, occasionally, sperm cells. Sperm membranes and constituents contain numerous antigenic components foreign to the human body, and yet antisperm antibodies become problematic in few women exposed to semen. Semen and sperm cells contain immunosuppressive factors capable of inhibiting different immune cells. Fertile women apparently produce antisperm antibodies but also possess neutralizing serum anti-idiotypic antibodies that are lacking in virgin and immunoinfertile women. Conclusions Antisperm antibodies can affect adversely human fertility but normally may be controlled by anti-idiotypic antibodies, which along with immunosuppressor factors in semen prevent their induction to a significant degree. This balance between detrimental and "beneficial" immune response to sperm may be shifted toward an antisperm antibody response by stimulatory factors such as infection. Therapies may be devised to stimulate the anti-idiotypic antibody system, to induce immune tolerance to sperm antigens, and to use antigens to adsorb antisperm antibodies from spermatozoa.
A computer-aided diagnosis system to detect pathologies in temporal subtraction images of chest radiographs

Radiologists often compare sequential radiographs to identify areas of pathologic change; however, this process is prone to error, as human anatomy can obscure the regions of change, causing the radiologists to overlook pathology. Temporal subtraction (TS) images can provide enhanced visualization of regions of change in sequential radiographs and allow radiologists to better detect areas of change in radiographs. Not all areas of change shown in TS images, however, are actual pathology. The purpose of this study was to create a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system that identifies which regions of change are caused by pathology and which are caused by misregistration of the radiographs used to create the TS image. The dataset used in this study contained 120 images with 74 pathologic regions on 54 images outlined by an experienced radiologist. High and low (“light” and “dark”) gray-level candidate regions were extracted from the images using gray-level thresholding. Then, sampling techniques were used to address the class imbalance problem between “true” and “false” candidate regions. Next, the datasets of light candidate regions, dark candidate regions, and the combined set of light and dark candidate regions were used as training and testing data for classifiers by using five-fold cross validation. Of the classifiers tested (support vector machines, discriminant analyses, logistic regression, and k-nearest neighbors), the support vector machine on the combined candidates using synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) performed best with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of 0.85, a sensitivity of 85%, and a specificity of 84%.
The increasing burden of radiation exposure in the management of trauma patients.

BACKGROUND As trauma care evolves, there has been increased reliance on imaging. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in trauma imaging and radiation exposure over time. Our hypothesis was that there has been an increased usage of imaging in the management of trauma patients without measurable improvements in outcomes. METHODS A continuous series of injured patients admitted to a Level I trauma center during a 2-month period in 2002 was compared with the same period in 2007. All computed tomography (CT)s and plain radiographs performed for each patient were tabulated. Effective radiation dose estimates for each patient were then calculated. The outcome measures were length of stay, mortality, and missed injuries. RESULTS The 495 patients in 2007 and 497 patients in 2002 demonstrated no significant differences in demographics, clinical data, or outcomes between groups. However, from 2002 to 2007, for blunt trauma, the mean CTs per patient increased significantly (2.1 ± 1.6 vs. 3.2 ± 2.0, p < 0.001), as did plain radiographs (8.8 ± 12.9 vs. 14.9 ± 17.0, p < 0.001). For penetrating trauma, roentgenogram usage increased significantly (4.2 ± 5.3 vs. 9.1 ± 14.4, p = 0.01) with a trend toward increased CTs (0.7 ± 1.1 vs.1.0 ± 1.6, p = 0.11). Total radiation dose estimates demonstrated significantly increased radiation exposure in 2007; blunt (11.5 ± 11.3 mSv vs. 20.7 ± 14.9 mSv, p < 0.05) and penetrating (2.9 ± 4.9 mSv vs. 5.4 ± 7.9 mSv, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION From 2002 to 2007, there was a significant increase in the use of CT and plain radiographs in the management of trauma patients, leading to significantly higher radiation exposure with no demonstrable improvements in the diagnosis of missed injuries, mortality, or length of stay.
A Reliability Assessment of Collapse Safety Factors for Tendon Design

Since its first edition in 1987, the tendon system design section of The Recommended Practice for Planning, Designing, and Constructing of Tension Leg Platforms, API RP 2T, has not been materially revised. An entirely new draft of that section, including both strength and fatigue recommended practices, has now been completed. One key aspect for future designs is the maximum depth in which tendons can be installed while still maintaining adequate and consistent reliability. The new strength guidance recommends the axial tension-hydrostatic collapse interaction equation currently used by API RP 2A LRFD, coupled with a working stress design format with explicit tension and collapse safety factors. The latter factor controls the water depth applicability. To establish a basis for a hydrostatic collapse safety factor, ExxonMobil performed an independent reliability study to arrive at a safety factor consistent with the new interaction equation accuracy and current fabrication and design tendon practices. This paper presents the data gathering, analysis procedure, and interpretation of results leading to a safety factor that is consistent with standard practices. The analyses were conducted via Monte Carlo simulations for a number of design cases across a range of safety factors. Results indicate that a collapse safety factor of 1.67 for the Category A operational load case that controls tendon design in deep water yields levels of reliability consistent with those historically sought by design codes such as AISC and API.© 2006 ASME
Induced strain actuation for solid-state ornithopters: A geometric configuration study

This paper investigates geometric parameters and boundary conditions that structurally influence static and dynamic bending and twisting response of a wing-like plate when actuated with a surface-bonded piezoelectric material. A simple parametrized cantilevered plate is examined. The response is analyzed using a finite element model that is validated by comparison with known analytical solutions. A piezocomposite wing prototype is fabricated and actuated harmonically with two Macro-Fiber Composite actuators. The resulting experimental data is then used to further validate the theoretical models. The validated finite-element model is subjected to a parametric analysis. The geometric parameters and boundary conditions of the plate such as: the aspect ratio, actuator position, actuator angle, thickness-ratio of the active piezocomposite to the inactive substrate, and portion of the fixed end of the cantilevered structure that is fixed in the chordwise direction are varied. For harmonically actuated cases, the bending resonant frequency is also examined. Performance metrics for bending, twisting, and composite performance are also developed, and the results are reported. The highest bend, twist, and composite performance configurations are presented.
Complement C5b-9 complex activates phospholipases in glomerular epithelial cells

In rat membranous nephropathy, formation of the C5b-9 membrane attack complex (MAC) leads to proteinuria in association with glomerular visceral epithelial cell (GEC) injury. These alterations in GEC function and morphology might result from changes in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration [( Ca2+]i) and activation of phospholipases. We demonstrate that in cultured rat GEC, antibody-directed formation of noncytolytic amounts of the MAC induced a rapid and sustained increase in [Ca2+]i that was partly inhibited by ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). The MAC elevated levels of inositol bis- (IP2) and trisphosphate (IP3), as well as 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) and phosphatidic acid (PA). In permeabilized GEC, IP3 released Ca2+ from intracellular stores. Cellular 45Ca2+ uptake was also increased by the MAC. Thus, in GEC, the MAC induced Ca2+ mobilization from intracellular stores secondary to activation of phospholipase C and production of IP3, as well as enhanced Ca2+ influx. In addition, C5b-9 stimulated release of arachidonic acid (AA), prostaglandin F2 alpha, and thromboxane A2. Indomethacin partially inhibited the increase in DAG levels observed with the MAC, whereas the prostaglandin H2/thromboxane A2 analogue U46619 elevated DAG, suggesting that an eicosanoid product of MAC-induced AA release may enhance the activation of phospholipase C. Activation of phospholipases by the MAC may lead to altered GEC function and thereby contribute to the pathophysiological changes that characterize complement-dependent rat membranous nephropathy.
Pigmented thymic carcinoids: A clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of two cases

Two cases of pigmented thymic carcinoids are presented. The patients were two men, 32 and 47 years of age. The two patients were asymptomatic and the tumor was discovered on routine chest radiographic evaluation. The tumors were treated by surgical excision in both patients. Grossly, they presented as tan-white tumors without evidence of necrosis or hemorrhage or any visible pigmentation. Histologically, the tumors were characterized by a monotonous proliferation of tumor cells arranged in a trabecular or nesting pattern. The tumor cells showed moderate amounts of pale eosinophilic cytoplasm, round to oval nuclei, and inconspicuous nucleoli. Mitotic activity varied from three to eight per 10 high-power fields. In addition, both tumors showed prominent areas of intra- and extracellular dark pigment deposition. The pigment reacted positively with the Fontana-Masson stain and was negative for iron stain. Immunohistochemical studies performed in one case showed immunoreactivity of the tumor cells for chromogranin, Leu 7, and keratin. Synaptophysin and P53 immunostains were negative. Clinical follow-up was obtained in one patient who was alive and well 10 years after surgical resection. The presence of abundant melanin pigment in thymic carcinoids highlights an important pitfall for diagnosis in these tumors that should be taken into consideration in the evaluation of anterior mediastinal lesions.
Biofuels as a Driver of Long Run Land Use Change

Bioenergy has played an important role in the global economy ever since the invention of fire. However, bioenergy for transportation—commonly referred to as biofuels, is a more recent phenomenon. This chapter explores the forces driving the recent ‘biofuel boom’ and discusses the implications for food and environmental security. One of the most important aspects of this boom has been the impact on global land use change. Increased demand for feedstocks has boosted prices and this in turn has encouraged additional land conversion. Here, we examine the role of these ‘market-mediated responses’ to growing biofuels demand from both a conceptual and a quantitative perspective. The latter includes a series of special simulations with the SIMPLE model showing how, by ignoring economic responses to scarcity, early estimates of global land use change tended to overstate the impact of biofuels on prices and land conversion.
Education in a Socialist Society

Planning within a socialist framework implies exercising some control over the structure of production, the level of investment and the rate of growth of output. It also implies exercising some control over the distribution of income so that it reflects national priorities and concepts of equity. To control production and distribution, however, it is necessary to plan the educational system too. There are two reasons for this.
Conclusion: Teacher Education to What End?

My semester-long poetry elective was always a small class, but my students and I agreed that we loved it that way. For some reason, it was always scheduled as the last period of the day, and so at 2:30 pm, my students would come in and, without prompting, configure the tables so that we sat facing each other in class. We would chat for a few minutes, and then we would get into our work, each of us opening our journals to free write before turning to the poems we would be discussing that day. Almost without exception over the six years I taught it, the course was a sort of cozy, intellectual community.
Measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OHD3) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 (25OHD2) in human serum using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and its comparison to a radioimmunoassay method.

Abstract Background Measurement of vitamin D molecules are important in the management of patients with bone disease. We developed a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to measure 25OHD3 and 25OHD2 in human serum and compared it to the traditionally used DiaSorin radioimmunoassay (RIA). Methods Serum samples (200 µl) were treated with acetonitrile and centrifuged to remove protein. An online solid-phase extraction procedure was used. Calibration solutions (5–100 ng/ml) of 25OHD2 and 25OHD3 were prepared using 4% albumin in phosphate-buffered saline. Chromatography: C18 column, isocratic ethanol/water (83/17, v/v). Mass spectrometry system: atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in the positive ion mode. Transitions: 25OHD3, m/z 401.4→383.4; 25OHD2, m/z 413.4→395.4; and the internal standard hexadeuterated-25OHD3, m/z 407.7→389.7. Results Detection limits were 0.49 ng/ml (25OHD3) and 1.86 ng/ml (25OHD2). Intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CV) were Conclusions This high throughput candidate reference method requires minimal sample preparation and is suitable for routine use for analysis of vitamin D status.
Reversal of Anticoagulation and Management of Bleeding in Patients on Anticoagulants

Bleeding is the most common complication of all anticoagulants. Any bleeding patient on an anticoagulant should be risk-stratified based on hemodynamic instability, source of bleeding, and degree of blood loss. Although minor bleed may be managed with discontinuation of anticoagulant, major bleed may require transfusion of blood products and use of specific antidote. The residual effects of each anticoagulant may be monitored with distinct coagulation assay. Intravenous or oral vitamin K can reverse the effect of warfarin within 24 to 48 hours and is indicated for any bleeding, international normalized ratio of >10 or 4.5 to 10 in patients with other risk factors for bleeding. Fresh frozen plasma or prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) may be necessary in major bleeding related to warfarin. Protamine sulfate reverses the effect of unfractionated heparin completely and of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) partially. Idarucizumab has recently been approved in United States for dabigatran reversal, whereas andexanet alfa is expected to get approved in the near future for reversal of oral factor Xa inhibitors. The PCC may reverse the effect of rivaroxaban to some extent, but no data are available regarding reversal of apixaban and edoxaban. Aripazine has shown promising results to reverse the effects of LMWH, fondaparinux, and direct oral anticoagulants but is still in the developmental phase.
Metastatic Malignant Mesothelioma Presenting With Cardiogenic Shock

Metastatic tumor progression to the pericardium is generally characterized by pericardial effusion with or without tamponade. It is extremely rare for tumor to metastasize to the pericardium and cause constrictive pericarditis and tamponade physiology. We report a case of metastatic malignant mesothelioma admitted to our facility for acute hypoxic respiratory failure and cardiogenic shock due to extensive pericardial metastasis and trapped heart. This was confirmed during post-mortem evaluation, which showed malignant mesothelioma involving the anterior mediastinum and partially encasing the heart and the root of the aorta in addition to fibrous pericarditis and pericardial adhesion. J Med Cases. 2017;8(2):58-60 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc2739w