cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic Kidney Disease, Plasma Lipoproteins, and Coronary Artery Calcium Incidence: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Objective— To determine the association of chronic kidney disease and coronary artery calcium (CAC) incidence, and the distribution of lipoproteins across categories of kidney function and their association with CAC risk. Methods and Results— We analyzed data from 2795 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis with no CAC (calcium score=0) at baseline enrolled at the first Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis visit between the years 2000 and 2002. During a median follow-up of 2.4 years, incident calcium (calcium score>0 at follow-up) developed in 12%, 19%, and 27% of participants with a cystatin-c estimated glomerular filtration rate (mL/min per 1.73 m) 2 of ≥90, 60 to 89, and 30 to 59 ( P for difference P trend =0.014) in those with estimated glomerular filtration rate of 60 to 89 and 30 to 59, respectively. These associations were attenuated after adjusting for a characteristic and strongly interrelated lipid phenotype (principal component 1), which was more common in those with chronic kidney disease and characterized by a predominance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins: CAC incidence risk ratios=1.21 (95% CI, 1.00–1.46) and 1.44 (95% CI, 1.02–2.04; P trend =0.06) in those with estimated glomerular filtration rate 60 to 89 and 30 to 59, respectively, after adjusting for principal component 1. Conclusion— Chronic kidney disease is strongly associated with CAC incidence. Part of this association is mediated through a characteristic lipid phenotype comprising elevations in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.
Both processes and readmissions matter for heart failure: How can we align them?

American Heart Journal - In Press.Proof corrected by the author Available online since mercredi 19 aout 2015
On embedded scalar quantization

The paper studies the rate-distortion performance of symmetric scalar quantizers having a large (effectively infinite) number of steps and using the same step size for all steps except the one containing the zero input value. Quantizers of this form have been shown to have good performance for a variety of sources, and are precisely optimal for the Laplacian source. The performance is investigated particularly for embedded quantization, in which the representation of a source quantity is refined successively by forming finer quantizers from further segmentation of the steps of coarser quantizer constructions. Although the use of a double-wide dead-zone has dominated prior embedded quantization practice, it is shown that any rational number can be maintained as a stable dead-zone ratio. Two forms are investigated in more depth - quantizers with dead-zone ratios of 1 and 2 - and a ratio of 1 is shown often to provide a significant performance advantage (up to 1 dB). Performance is explored primarily in the context of the generalized Gaussian pdf using the squared-error distortion measure, but should also apply in other contexts.
Billiards and Teichmüller curves on Hilbert modular surfaces

This paper exhibits an infinite collection of algebraic curves isometrically embedded in the moduli space of Riemann surfaces of genus two. These Teichmuller curves lie on Hilbert modular surfaces parameterizing Abelian varieties with real multiplication. Explicit examples, constructed from L-shaped polygons, give billiard tables with optimal dynamical properties.
Scalable Clustering with smoka

The paper reports a multi-step clustering procedure equipped with a divergence (a distance like junction derived from a convex function). The first step of the procedure is a BIRCH like algorithm capable to convert very large datasets to "summaries" that require much less computer memory. The second step is the principal direction divisive partitioning algorithm (PDDP) that partitions the set of "summaries" into k clusters. This partition is the input for a smoothed k-means based clustering algorithm (smoka). The final partition of "summaries" generated by smoka induces a partition of the original dataset. Preliminary numerical experiments with text collections reported in the paper demonstrate smoka's remarkable accuracy and speed of convergence
The call of conscience, rhetorical interruptions, and the euthanasia controversy

Abstract Emmanuel Levinas writes of how the “call of conscience”; is a “primordial discourse”; that “interrupts”; the routines and language‐games that help organize and give meaning to a person's everyday existence. Levinas thus provides a way of thinking about the relationship between the call of conscience and rhetoric that advances what rhetorical theorists have so far claimed about this relationship. This essay develops the position that the call of conscience is a rhetorical interruption in its purest form. A case study is offered to illustrate how such an interruption manifests itself in the debate over the justifiability and social acceptability of physician‐assisted suicide. The specific rhetorical transaction in question occurred in cyberspace and lasted five months; it began when members of a disability civil rights group known as “Not Dead Yet!”; conducted what their opponents described as an “invasion”; of an electronic mailing list operated by the Euthanasia Research and Guidance Organization.
Novel low-cost on-chip CPW slow-wave structure for compact RF components and mm-wave applications

In this paper, an ideal slow wave coplanar waveguide (CPW) structures with low losses, moderate impedance and CMOS fabrication technology have been developed. The slow wave CPW transmission line structures were achieved through IBM 0.13 mum technology with multi-layer metals. The CPW were implemented with narrower signal line or wider separation between signal and ground plane to increase the inductance per unit length, while metal strips on another metal layers cross under/above the CPW lines, which are orthogonal to signal propagation direction. Losses reduction using via bars to increase the thickness of the signal metal layer, structures with metal strip options (above, under and both CPW) to increase the capacitance per unit length of the CPW and provide more flexibility for the proposed structure, effect of the metal strips pitch are also discussed. The slow wave structure discussed in this paper can shrink the side dimension of the mm-wave passive components by up to 35%.
Improving Seasonal Hurricane Predictions for the Atlantic Basin

Abstract This paper demonstrates that improved forecasts of the annual number of hurricanes in the Atlantic tropical basin are possible by separating tropical-only hurricanes from hurricanes influenced by extratropical factors. It is revealed that variables previously shown to have a predictive relationship with the annual number of Atlantic hurricanes have a significantly stronger predictive association with the number of hurricanes formed solely from tropical mechanisms. This stronger relationship exists for extended-range (6-month lead) as well as for short-range (0-month lead) forecast models. Any future study of seasonal hurricane activity over this region should consider tropical-only hurricanes as separate from hurricanes influenced by baroclinic disturbances. The annual number of hurricanes that form or intensify as a result of interactions with baroclinic disturbances appears unrelated to significant tropical or midlatitude atmospheric anomalies and thus should be considered the random component ...
Disrupting and Reimagining the Workplace through Casual Fridays

Imagine every Monday through Friday, from nine to five every week, putting on formal business wear as you head to the office or classroom. If you are a woman, you make sure to put on your pantyhose and heels, matched with your pencil skirt and conservative button down, ironed blouse. If you are a man, you find your cuff-links, tie your tie, and make sure your suit is freshly ironed and your shoes freshly shined. As you enter into your workplace’s formal atmosphere, all of your peers and superiors wear the same outfit. You immediately fee the importance of looking fancy to reflect the professionalism of the company for which you work. The person who comes in with their shirt wrinkled or their hair unkempt is stigmatized; their co-workers wonder why they would come to work in such a sloppy manner. This institutional behavior that has defined corporate America for decades has been disrupted by a folk ritual that changes the office structure.
Morse Theory and Optimal Control Problems

It is well known that Morse Theory is a very flexible tool for dealing with nonlinear problems of analysis and topological problems. The main purpose of the present paper is to describe a modification of this theory which can be used for the study of optimal control problems. The necessity of such a modification is related to the fact that for these problems the inequality constraints are typical (for example, control constraints, phase constraints, etc.) The inequalities destroy the smooth structure and hence the necessity to construct the theory for spaces with singularities. We encounter this situation in the case of optimal control problems.
Half-Lives of N 12 and B 12

The half-lives of ${\mathrm{N}}^{12}$ and ${\mathrm{B}}^{12}$ have been measured with high precision because of recent interest in the spectrum shape of these two beta emitters. The ${\mathrm{N}}^{12}$ and ${\mathrm{B}}^{12}$ activities were made in the reactions ${\mathrm{B}}^{10}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, n){\mathrm{N}}^{12}$ and ${\mathrm{B}}^{11}(d, p){\mathrm{B}}^{12}$ by bombarding boron targets with ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ ions and deuterons. The beam was obtained from the 3-MeV electrostatic accelerator at the Kellogg Radiation Laboratory, and was pulsed on for 20 msec and off for 180 msec. During the "beam-off" period, the counts from the ${\mathrm{N}}^{12}$ or ${\mathrm{B}}^{12}$ activity were recorded as a function of time using a 400-channel time interval analyzer. The measured values for the half-lives are ${t}_{\frac{1}{2}}({\mathrm{N}}^{12})=10.95\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05$ msec and ${t}_{\frac{1}{2}}({\mathrm{B}}^{12})=20.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1$ msec. Using these values, the $\mathrm{ft}$ values for the decays of ${\mathrm{N}}^{12}$ and ${\mathrm{B}}^{12}$ to the ground state of ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$ are $ft({\mathrm{N}}^{12})=(1.33\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.027)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$ and $ft({\mathrm{B}}^{12})=(1.17\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.012)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$. The uncertainties quoted for the $\mathrm{ft}$ values include the uncertainties in the branching ratios and end-point energies for the two decays.
The Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation and Photoreactivation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the union of biological phenomenology and biochemical and physical techniques. Enzymes are inactivated by ultraviolet (UV)-induced damage to the aromatic amino acids and tryptophan and particularly to cystine. Protein damage is not important in killing bacteria, with the possible exception of the UV-resistant Micrococcus radiodurans . Pyrimidine dimers contribute to the biological effects of UV. Such dimers block DNA synthesis in bacterial cells and can inactivate purified transforming DNA. Pyrimidine dimers can be produced in any pair of adjacent pyrimidine residues. The cellular mechanisms for repairing pyrimidine-dimer damage in the DNA of bacteria and bacterial viruses are: (1) the dimers might be monomerized by a photoreactivating enzyme in the presence of light and (2) the dimers might be excised from the DNA, and, depending on the particular cellular system, might appear in the acid-soluble fraction of the cell, in the medium outside the cell, or in oligonucleotides that are too large to be acid-soluble. The excision mechanism is a first step in the repair of a wide range of damages in DNA as well as UV lesions.
Effects of Fire on the Small Mammal Component of an Experimental Grassland Community

Fire was applied in late July 1969, to one of two comparable 0.4-ha fenced enclosures, each previously planted in oats ( Avena sativa ) and stocked with three species of small mammals, house mice ( Mus musculus ), deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus ), and meadow voles ( Microtus pennsylvanicus ). By late winter both Mus and Microtus had disappeared from the burned grid, whereas all three species prevailed in the control grid. Mus reached a population density of approximately 120 individuals in the unburned grid during March 1970. Oat seeds helped to account for this population explosion. Microtus failed to reproduce in both enclosures throughout the study. Peromyscus population density was reduced approximately 50% after fire treatment. There was no evidence that fire directly killed any small mammals.
Interocular transfer. An assessment of binocularity in strabismus.

The interocular transfer of the motion aftereffect (MAE) was used to probe for the existence of binocularity in subjects with strabismus. The interocular transfer was measured with coarse and fine gratings subtending 2° and 8° of visual angle. Strabismic subjects were categorized by the extent of their binocular vision, particularly with respect to extrafoveal fusion and retinal correspondence. Subjects classified as having the monofixation syndrome consistently showed a substantial, though less than normal, amount of transfer with the larger 8° gratings. This is consistent with the peripheral binocular cooperation usually found in these subjects, and establishes interocular transfer of the MAE as a suitable test for binocularity in strabismus. The test is especially suitable in patients with suppression in which an existing binocularity may be masked by suppression on clinical testing. The tests were found to be applicable in children as young as eight years. MAE tansfer for large coarse gratings is believed to imply the existence of an early cortical binocularity, which provides the potential for sufficient binocular cooperation to permit stable ocular alignment.
Preoperative screening: what tests are necessary?

SUMMARY The preoperative evaluation often includes more tests than are necessary. This article reviews the usefulness of and indications for nine commonly ordered preoperative tests.
Biochemical and pharmacological studies with D- and L-5-hydroxytryptophan.

SummaryThe d and l forms of 5-hydroxy-tryptophan were prepared. Only the l form was found to be acted on by 5HTP decarboxylase, to increase brain serotonin levels in vivo, and to be pharmacologically active.
Structural insight into the MC4R conformational changes via different agonist-mediated receptor signaling.

The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) plays a key role in the regulation of food intake and body weight. Previous studies indicate that α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) binds to MC4R and activates three signal pathways (cAMP, calcium, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways), whereas MC4R synthetic agonist THIQ can activate only the cAMP pathway. The molecular basis of the MC4R responsible for different ligand-mediated signaling is unknown. We hypothesize that different MC4R agonists can stabilize different MC4R conformations and result in ligand-mediated signal transduction. In this study, we examined the effect of the MC4R conformational change in cAMP signaling pathways mediated by different agonists by cross-linking two transmembrane helices (TM3 and TM6). We generated and tested 11 single and 8 double mutations that are located at the end of TM3 and beginning of TM6 in MC4R. Our results indicate that (1) single or double mutations of the MC4R did not significantly alter cAMP production ind...
The Progress of Tea Standards

This article focused on the Status of tea standards all over the world,analyzed briefly of the draft background of China tea standards,pointed out especially,that different tea standards were fit on different historical background,trade environment and the level of tea production:that the decisions of tea standards depend on the level of tea production,appropriate tea standards would greatly facilitate the development of tea production;recommended the Government to enact a new national"health standards of tea"which could effectively control the quality and safety of China tea products and make China tea products to meet the requirements of pollution-free food,the green food and organic food as soon as possible,while the Government took into account the limited safety indicators of foreign tea product and China tea production levels.
Determination of cyclamate in food by pre-column derivatization-high performance liquid chromatography

Objective:To establish an analytical method for the determination of cyclamate in food by pre-column derivatization-high performance liquid chromatography.Methods:The cyclamate in food was separated on Synergi Hydro-Rp C18 column(250 mm×4.6 mm i.d.,4 μm)by using 75% acetonitrile as an eluent at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min.Detection was performed on an ultraviolet detector.The wavelength was 314 nm.Quantification was calculated by an external standard method.Results:The linearity of cyclamate in the tested concentration range was good and the correlation coefficient was more than 0.999.The limit of quantification was 1.0 μg for the target compounds.The extraction recoveries were 84.0%～103.4% and the RSD all less than 5.0%.Conclusion:This method is stable,simple,sensitive and accurate for the determination of cyclamate in food and it can be satisfactorily applied to routine analysis.
Changes of serum cystatin C in children with Kawasaki disease and its role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery lesions

Objective:To investigate the changes of serum cystatin C in children with Kawasaki disease and its role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery lesions.Methods:Fourty two children with Kawasaki disease and 21 febrile controls were studied.The duration of Kawasaki disease was divided into three phases,including the acute phase,the subacute phase and the convalescent phase.Serum cystatin C was detected by immunoturbidimetry in three phases,respectively.The coronary artery lesions were checked by doppler echocardiograph.Results:The levels of serum cystatin C in Kawasaki disease patients decreased significantly in acute phase and subacute phase(P0.05),and the levels of serum cystatin C in the group with coronary artery lesions decreased more significantly than the group without coronary artery lesions.The levels of serum cystatin C in Kawasaki disease patients in conval escent phase were not significantly lower than those of the control group.Conclusion: The levels of serum cystatin C dropped obviously in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease,especially in the group with coronary artery lesions,and can't reincrease in subacute and convalescent phases of Kawasaki disease,which may be related to the degree of coronary artery injury.Thus,monitoring serum cystatin C may predict risk for the pathogenesis of coronary artery lesions in children with Kawasaki disease.
Gastrointestinal Tumors in Children

The presentation of a gastrointestinal tumor remains a rarity in the practice of surgery for children. Primary tumors of the gastrointestinal tract are estimated to compose less than 5 % of all pediatric neoplasms. Estimates as to the prevalence of primary gastrointestinal malignancies with the incorporation of gastrointestinal-associated lymphomas approach 1 % of all pediatric malignancies. Lymphomas compose roughly three-quarters of gastrointestinal-related malignancies. The clinical presentation of these tumors, which arise anywhere from the level of the esophagus to the rectum, is either incidental or based on symptoms related to the mass or mass-effect of the tumor. The majority of presenting symptoms includes abdominal pain and vomiting. The tumors of the gastrointestinal tract can best be categorized based on their cellular differentiation. By order of prevalence gastrointestinal-related malignancies are composed of lymphomas, sarcomas, carcinomas, neuroendocrine tumors, teratomas, and hyperplastic stromal tumors or polyps.
Concentration Sensing by the Moving Nucleus in Cell Fate Determination: A Computational Analysis

During development of the vertebrate neuroepithelium, the nucleus in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) moves from the apex toward the base and returns to the apex (called interkinetic nuclear migration) at which point the cell divides. The fate of the resulting daughter cells is thought to depend on the sampling by the moving nucleus of a spatial concentration profile of the cytoplasmic Notch intracellular domain (NICD). However, the nucleus executes complex stochastic motions including random waiting and back and forth motions, which can expose the nucleus to randomly varying levels of cytoplasmic NICD. How nuclear position can determine daughter cell fate despite the stochastic nature of nuclear migration is not clear. Here we derived a mathematical model for reaction, diffusion, and nuclear accumulation of NICD in NPCs during interkinetic nuclear migration (INM). Using experimentally measured trajectory-dependent probabilities of nuclear turning, nuclear waiting times and average nuclear speeds in NPCs in the developing zebrafish retina, we performed stochastic simulations to compute the nuclear trajectory-dependent probabilities of NPC differentiation. Comparison with experimentally measured nuclear NICD concentrations and trajectory-dependent probabilities of differentiation allowed estimation of the NICD cytoplasmic gradient. Spatially polarized production of NICD, rapid NICD cytoplasmic consumption and the time-averaging effect of nuclear import/export kinetics are sufficient to explain the experimentally observed differentiation probabilities. Our computational studies lend quantitative support to the feasibility of the nuclear concentration-sensing mechanism for NPC fate determination in zebrafish retina.
Co-opting Royal Women’s Authority

As Chapter 3 demonstrated, in the summer of 1404, Gerson characterized the University of Paris in a manner that recalled the very public and politically-charged homecoming of the king’s flesh and blood daughter, Isabelle of France as a means of mobilizing the crown’s sympathy for the university’s position in its case against Charles of Savoisy. Portraying the Daughter of the King as a weak dependent in need of fatherly protection, however, was not suited to the more significant task of creating an independent voice for the university within the government of France. Moreover, as hostilities escalated between the Dukes of Burgundy and Orleans, France seemed more and more in need of such a voice.1 In this situation, the political authority the queen exercised as the guardian of the dauphin, and thus the future of the French monarchy, offered Gerson both a useful model for shaping the university’s political aspirations and a target for political critique. These circumstances encouraged Gerson to reconsider the particular female characteristics he attributed to his personification of the University of Paris as the Daughter of the King.
Non-coding RNAs as drug targets

Most of the human genome encodes RNAs that do not code for proteins. These non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) may affect normal gene expression and disease progression, making them a new class of targets for drug discovery. Because their mechanisms of action are often novel, developing drugs to target ncRNAs will involve equally novel challenges. However, many potential problems may already have been solved during the development of technologies to target mRNA. Here, we discuss the growing field of ncRNA - including microRNA, intronic RNA, repetitive RNA and long non-coding RNA - and assess the potential and challenges in their therapeutic exploitation.
Polycythemia vera terminating with myeloblastic leukemia; correlation of morphologic findings with leukocytic phosphatase studies.

A case of somewhat atypical polycythemia vera with marked leukocytosis and terminal myeloblastic leukemia has been studied hematologically and biochemically. The biochemical studies consisted of repeated estimations of the leukocytic alkaline and acid phosphatase activities during the last nine months of the patient’s life. These studies suggested that, except during the terminal myeloblastic leukemia, there was a leukemoid reaction rather than chronic myelogenous leukemia associated with polycythemia. The significance of these findings is briefly discussed and it is suggested that the widespread application of similar biochemical studies to cases of polycythemia vera with marked leukocytosis might be of value its helping to determine the true incidence of myelogenous leukemia in this disease.
Attitude determination using a photon counting star tracker

This paper describes a path toward the development of theory for using a photon counting camera as a star tracker for spacecraft attitude estimation. The benefit of using a photon counting camera is that star data can be sampled at a faster rate while allowing one to measure very dim stars, increasing the number of stars available for attitude estimation. The development of a noise model is discussed and an algorithm to process raw data is shown. An attitude estimation method is discussed and simulated data is shown. A simulated star tracker for attitude estimation is shown and attitude estimation results are shown.
Cation–Hydroxide–Water Coadsorption Inhibits the Alkaline Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction

Rotating disk electrode voltammograms and infrared reflection absorption spectra indicate that the hydrogen oxidation reaction of platinum in 0.1 M tetramethylammonium hydroxide solution is adversely impacted by time-dependent and potential-driven cation–hydroxide–water coadsorption. Impedance analysis suggests that the hydrogen oxidation reaction inhibition is mainly caused by the hydrogen diffusion barrier of the coadsorbed trilayer rather than intuitive catalyst site blocking by the adsorbed cation species. These results give useful insights on how to design ionomeric binders for advanced alkaline membrane fuel cells.
The Keys to Making a Confident Diagnosis of IPF

Diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs) are characterized by injury primarily to the interstitium of the lung, but may involve alveolar spaces, airways, and vessels (American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 165(2):277–304, 2002). Many DPLDs are idiopathic (referred to as idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, or IIPs), but DPLD can develop secondary to other factors, including connective tissue disease (CTD), environmental exposures, and drugs/toxins (American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 165(2):277–304, 2002). The IIPs include idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease (RB-ILD), acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP), lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP), and desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP) (American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 165(2):277–304, 2002). There is significant overlap in the clinical features of the IIPs, including chronic dyspnea, interstitial changes on imaging studies, reduction in lung volumes, and impairment in diffusion capacity (DLCO) (American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 165(2):277–304, 2002). Distinct radiographic and histopathological features can distinguish between the clinical entities, and establishing an accurate diagnosis is critical to determining treatment and understanding prognosis (Flaherty et al. Eur Respir J 19(2):275–83, 2002; Bjoraker et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 157(1):199–203, 1998).
Sending Secret Messages on Nitrocellulose Membrane and the Use of a Molecular Pen for Orientation in ECL Membrane Assays

Invisible ink and writing secret messages have been part of man's fantasy, having proven useful in clandestine and high sensitivity areas. Security inks, made up of invisible materials that give printed images that cannot be photocopied, that can be read only under special environments have become important. An ink formulation based on silicon (IV) 2,3-naphthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyloxide) as colorant, invisible to the naked eye but infrared readable, has been described earlier. Biometric DNA ink has also been developed for security authentication. In lighter vein, many budding scientists and others have often experimented with writing secret messages on paper, either for purposes of fun or actually sending secret messages to friends. It involved the use of lemon juice, milk, or other solutions that could be used with a dip pen, brush, or a fountain pen to write invisible messages on a blank white paper. Words turn up as though by magic when the paper is exposed' to heat in one form or the other. Here, an attempt is made to end this book on a slightly humorous note by showing that invisible messages can be written on nitrocellulose membranes (but not on polyvinylidene difluoride membranes) using an appropriately diluted horseradish peroxidase/alkaline phosphatase anti-IgG conjugate (rabbit, mouse, or human anti-IgG). The message is written on the membrane, preferably with a fountain pen, and the membrane is allowed to dry. Regular detection with enhanced chemiluminiscence (ECL) plus or nitro blue tetrazolium/5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate systems is used to unravel the secret message. In addition, this method could be used to mark nitrocellulose membranes for orientation purposes using ECL detection system and thus can eliminate the use of autoradiography pens.
Social Foundations of Consciousness

Fundamental relationships among between-person and within-person social interactions and levels of consciousness (i.e., conscious, unconscious or automatic, and metaconsciousness) are considered. The critical roles of verbal and nonverbal communication are discussed.
Network basis of suicidal ideation in depressed adolescents.

Abstract Background Suicidal ideation rates rise precipitously in adolescence, contributing to risk for attempts. Although researchers are beginning to explore the brain basis of attempts in depressed adolescents, none have focused on the basis of ideation, which has implications for prevention. This study examined the association between intrinsic neural network coherence and the severity of suicidal ideation in depressed adolescents. Methods Forty adolescents diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder were administered the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale and underwent resting-state fMRI. We quantified within-network coherence in the executive control (ECN), default mode (DMN), and salience (SN) networks, and in a non-relevant network consisting of noise signal. We associated coherence in each of these networks with the greatest lifetime severity of suicidal ideation experienced, covarying for motion, age of depression onset, and severity of current depressive and anxious symptoms. Results Lower coherence in the left ECN, anterior DMN, and SN were independently associated with greater lifetime severity of suicidal ideation. When including all three significant networks and covariates in a single model, only the left ECN significantly predicted suicidal ideation. Limitation Studies with a larger sample size are needed to verify our findings. Conclusions Our finding of hypoconnectivity in multiple networks extends emerging evidence for hypoconnectivity in adolescent suicidality and is consistent with theoretical conceptualizations of suicidal ideation as a complex set of cognitions associated with cognitive control, self-referential thinking, and processing salient information. While multiple networks could be targets for effective early interventions, those targeting ECN functionality (cognitive control) may be particularly beneficial.
The mechanochemical and solution combustion syntheses of cerium-doped lutetium oxyorthosilicate powder

Abstract Lu2SiO5:Ce powders have been synthesized by mechanochemical processing of the constituent oxides and by urea/hexamine-nitrate-based solution-combustion methods with microwave and furnace sintering of each material. Powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), photoluminescence excitation (PLE) and emission (PL) spectroscopy, time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC), particle size analysis (PSA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been used to characterize the resulting powders. Mechanochemical synthesis results in the formation of agglomerated powders with the C 1 2/c 1 symmetry while solution combustion leads to the formation of porous powders with a mixture of the C 1 2/c 1 and P 1 21/c 1 symmetries. This mixture transitions to the C 1 2/c 1 phase with sintering. Both syntheses result in particle sizes of less than 50 μm before sintering. Each material shows the typical luminescence from the 5d-4f transition in addition to decay times that match standard Ce3+ values.
Baseline and Center-Level Variation in Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Listing in the United States.

Background The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network has implemented medical criteria to determine which candidates are most appropriate for simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) transplantation in comparison to liver-alone transplantation. We investigated prepolicy center-level variation among SLK listing practice, in light of such criteria. Methods We identified 4736 SLK-eligible candidates after Share-35 in the United States. We calculated the proportion of candidates at each center who were listed for SLK transplantation within 6 months of eligibility. Multilevel logistic regression and parametric survival model was used to estimate the center-specific probability of SLK listing, adjusting for patient and center-level characteristics. Results Among 4736 SLK-eligible candidates, 64.8% were listed for SLK within 6 months of eligibility. However, the percentage of SLK listing ranged from 0% to 100% across centers. African American race, male sex, transplant history, diabetes, and hypertension were associated with a higher likelihood of SLK listing. Conversely, older age was associated with a lower likelihood of SLK listing. After adjusting for candidate characteristics, the percentage of SLK listing still ranged from 3.8% to 80.2% across centers; this wide variation persisted even after further adjusting for center-level characteristics. Conclusions There was significant prepolicy center-level variation in SLK listing for SLK-eligible candidates. Implementation of standardized SLK listing practices may reduce center-level variation and equalize access for SLK candidates across the United States.
National Institutes of Health Policy on the Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research

This chapter describes the National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy, which requires applicants seeking funding for clinical research to include women and members of minority groups in their studies. It starts by describing the policy, how it is assessed during peer review, and monitored during the grant's life cycle. The oversight role of institutional review boards is also covered. Challenges to the recruitment of women and minorities are addressed, with particular attention to the challenges of enrolling women of childbearing age and pregnant women. Finally, the chapter concludes with the most recently available demographic data from NIH, illustrating the impact of the inclusion policy.
CALENTAMIENTO GLOBAL Y CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO EN SUDAMÉRICA

Global warming presents one of the most serious threats to South American nations. Countries in the region are at risk of a variety of climate change related problems: rising sea levels, diminishing potable water supplies, forest res, intense storms and ooding, heat waves and the spread of diseases. These disasters are occurring more frequently in the region and will likely increase in intensity also. The armed forces in the region are the only government departments with both the capacity and the manpower to respond to these massive catastrophes. Military support to civilian authorities will be required more frequently and under more severe conditions as climate change conditions worsen.
Molecular mechanisms driving transcriptional stress responses

Proteotoxic stress, that is, stress caused by protein misfolding and aggregation, triggers the rapid and global reprogramming of transcription at genes and enhancers. Genome-wide assays that track transcriptionally engaged RNA polymerase II (Pol II) at nucleotide resolution have provided key insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms that regulate transcriptional responses to stress. In addition, recent kinetic analyses of transcriptional control under heat stress have shown how cells ‘prewire’ and rapidly execute genome-wide changes in transcription while concurrently becoming poised for recovery. The regulation of Pol II at genes and enhancers in response to heat stress is coupled to chromatin modification and compartmentalization, as well as to co-transcriptional RNA processing. These mechanistic features seem to apply broadly to other coordinated genome-regulatory responses. Recent studies have revealed the genome-wide reprogramming of gene expression upon exposure to stress, such as acute heat stress. Here, the authors review the molecular mechanisms that underlie stress-induced changes at promoters, enhancers and untranscribed loci.
Knowledge-Based Lung Nodule Detection from Helical CT

Lung nodule detection from CT images has been proven a difficult task even for experienced radiologists. The crucial clinical information concerning the total number of nodules and their size can only be acquired by a reliable detection and out-coming analysis. Apart from detecting a suspicious lesion, its even more difficult to differentiate between true nodules and blood vessels. Recent advantages in CT imagery technique, like helical CT, allows acquisition of continuous 3D data of the lung without respiratory artifacts. Thus, lung structures can be 3D-reconstructed more precisely which allows a shape based separation between cylindrical blood vessels and spherical nodules. Based on helical CT 3D images we developed an automated detection method to find lung nodules by combining shape information and knowledge from lung structures and nodules out of the UCSF PACS environment. First we segment the lung reducing the search space and avoiding false detection outside the lung. The following inspection for suspicious lesions is done slice by slice for smaller nodules, inhabiting only one slice, and by using the whole 3D volume for larger nodules with the gradient Hough transformation for circles and spheres. Finally the detected suspicious lesions are segmented and examined by verifying knowledge about the lung structures. The resulting nodules are stored in a patient database for further analysis of biometrics and cancer tissue textures.
Massive Kaluza-Klein Theories and Bound States in Yang-Mills

As we have seen in the last few years, the role of affine symmetry algebras in particle theories has become more far reaching and more clear. Probably the most fundamental use of symmetry transformations in quantum field theory is that the particle spectrum, the physical states of the system, usually form linear multiplets, i.e. carry a representation of the global invariance group.
Electrophysiological Studies on Radiation-Induced Changes in the Adult Nervous System

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some electrophysiological studies on radiation-induced changes in the adult nervous system. It focuses on acute radiation effects on the adult nervous system and the functional changes that are electrophysiologically demonstrable during exposure to ionizing radiation. The chapter presents some neurophysiological bases for the change in neuronal excitability underlying the integrated response of the nervous system. It describes behavioral and morphological changes and focuses on changes in behavior following irradiation of the brain and histological changes in the nervous system. X-irradiation of the brains of mammals with doses of 500 to 3000 R is generally characterized by a diphasic change in the function of the central nervous system. An initial excitatory or hyperactive period is followed by depression or degeneration, although a few exceptions to this pattern occur in certain species that are extraordinarily hypersensitive to ionizing radiation. There is an interesting and sensitive behavioral reaction that results from exposure to ionizing radiation. This is the so-called radiation-conditioned saccharin aversion reflex. The chapter reviews physiological changes in the nervous system induced by ionizing radiation. Unlike the central nervous system, peripheral nerve fibers are very resistant to ionizing radiation.
Mos and the cell cycle

The mos proto-oncogene-encoded serine/threonine protein kinase plays a key cell cycle-regulatory role during meiosis. The Mos protein is required for the activation and stabilisation of M phase-promoting factor MPF. As a component of a large multiprotein complex known as the cytostatic factor (CSF), Mos is involved in causing metaphase II arrest of eggs in vertebrates. Upon expression in somatic cells, Mos causes cell cycle perturbations resulting in cytotoxicity and neoplastic transformation. All the known biological activities of Mos are mediated through activation of the mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. Here we discuss the interrelationship between Mos and other cell cycle regulators.
Efficacy of mesna for prevention of hemorrhagic cystitis after high-dose cyclophosphamide therapy

For these reasons, a definitive statement about the relative efficacy of mesna for prophylaxis of cyclophosphamide-associated HC in BMT patients cannot be made. Because HC is a frequent and potentially serious complication of high-dose cyclophosphamide therapy, the implementation of some preventive measure is mandatory in all patients. Unless medically contraindicated, provision of sufficient hydration and diuresis to maintain adequate high urine flow should be a component of all prophylactic regimens. It is unclear whether the addition of mesna therapy or bladder irrigation to intravenous hydration provides greater protection. Studies indicate that mesna probably has no adverse effect on engraftment. This is consistent with its chemistry and pharmacology, as the drug is hydrophilic and activated only in the kidneys. Thus, it is inactive in the bloodstream and unable to penetrate cell membranes and interfere with the action of cyclophosphamide. Although safety issues surrounding the use of mesna for prevention of cyclophosphamide-associated HC appear to have been resolved, efficacy issues must await the completion of further well-controlled comparative trials.
Multilocus Sequence Typing and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis of Otitis Media Causing Pathogens

Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis are the three leading bacteria species associated with otitis media. Defining the molecular epidemiology of bacteria known to cause otitis media is of great importance, in both clinical and research settings. PFGE and MLST provide data for the characterization of isolates' genetic relatedness, yet they differ in the types of studies for which they are most useful. Consequently, knowledge of both techniques is important for laboratories intending to study the molecular epidemiology of otitis media-associated bacterial pathogens.
Pediatric Traumatic Head Injuries

With the rapid development of neuroimaging and neuroscience in the past several years, the body of research and clinical knowledge about concussion processes in adults continues to rapidly increase. Nevertheless, many questions involving the functioning of a human brain post-head injury and its recover remain unanswered. There is even less known about neurodynamics of concussive processes and recovery in children, whose young brain remains in a state of constant developmental change. There is enormous amount of variations, which are introduced in to the picture of pediatric concussion, that have to do with the child’s brain developmental phase at the time of the injury, its capacity for plasticity and adaptation to TBI, and other factors. This chapter attempts to provide an overview of research and clinical data relevant to the complex interplay of a child’s developing brain and the effects of a mild head injury. There is a growing body of research suggesting that even mild head injuries produce significant neurocognitive and neurobehavioral deficits in children and adolescents. As elucidated below, there is some uncertainty and controversy in regards to the definition, sequelae of, and recovery from pediatric concussions. The review of literature supports the idea that concussive processes produce a unique profile of neurocognitive and neurobehavioral deficits that is different for each child, given his developmental phase at the onset of injury and pre- and post-injury characteristics. The role of a comprehensive neuropsychological examination in detection of these deficits is substantial, as it delineates child’s unique profile of strengths and weaknesses that are essential for effective treatment planning and adequate academic placement.
The innovation machine: mobile UX design combining information and persuasion design to change behavior

Stimulating and managing innovation in product/service development is a 21st century global challenge that applies to executives and staff in business operations, engineering, marketing, and design in the US, as well as in Europe, India, and China. The Innovation Machine project of 2012 developed effective ways to foster a shift to individuals, using information and persuasion design to change people's behavior in the short- and in the long-term. This paper explains the development of its user interface.
Assembling the Tropics: Science and Medicine in Portugal's Empire, 1450–1700

From popular fiction to modern biomedicine, the tropics are defined by two essential features: prodigious nature and debilitating illness. That was not always so. In this engaging and imaginative study, Hugh Cagle shows how such a vision was created. Along the way, he challenges conventional accounts of the Scientific Revolution. The history of 'the tropics' is the story of science in Europe's first global empire. Beginning in the late fifteenth century, Portugal established colonies from sub-Saharan Africa to Southeast Asia and South America, enabling the earliest comparisons of nature and disease across the tropical world. Assembling the Tropics shows how the proliferation of colonial approaches to medicine and natural history led to the assemblage of 'the tropics' as a single, coherent, and internally consistent global region. This is a story about how places acquire medical meaning, about how nature and disease become objects of scientific inquiry, and about what is at stake when that happens.
Scopulariopsis brevicaulis Rhinosinal Infection in a Dog.

ABSTRACTA 1 yr old castrated male American Staffordshire terrier mix was treated for Scopulariopsis brevicaulis that was discovered during an evaluation of chronic rhinosinusitis. A sinusotomy was performed, with intraoperative infusion of amikacin-impregnated gel and systemic administration of postoperative amikacin. Antibiotic therapy was initially chosen because of historic culture of Mycoplasma. Fungal culture of the frontal sinus identified S. brevicaulis by combined phenotypic characterization and DNA sequencing after morphologic analysis failed to identify the organism. Systemic terbinafine therapy was instituted after fungal culture results were available. The patient recovered well and has had no clinical relapse of disease 3 yr after treatment. This is the first reported case of a fungal rhinosinusitis caused by S. brevicaulis in a dog. Reports of Scopulariopsis infections in humans indicate that treatment of S. brevicaulis infection is hampered by multidrug resistance; prognosis may be poor in ...
Factors Associated With Excess Myocardial Infarction Risk in HIV-Infected Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objectives:To estimate the pooled relative risk (RR) of incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among HIV-infected adults compared with HIV-uninfected controls and explore the contribution of traditional and HIV-related risk factors.Background:Understanding AMI risk and associated risk factors in