cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Lungs as the Site of Initiation of RA

It has long been known that the lung can be involved in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there are also emerging data that the lung may be a site of initial generation of RA-related autoimmunity even prior to the development of the clinically apparent joint disease during a period called “preclinical RA.” Herein, we will discuss an overall model of RA development where disease is initiated at a mucosal surface and specifically the lung. We will also discuss the biologic mechanisms, epidemiologic factors, and clinical and research findings that support that the lung may be an initial site of generation of RA-related autoimmunity. We will conclude by discussing a research agenda for further studies in this area.
Fast and simple comparison of semi-structured data, with emphasis on electronic health records

We present a locality-sensitive hashing strategy for summarizing semi-structured data (e.g., in JSON or XML formats) into 9data fingerprints9: highly compressed representations which cannot recreate details in the data, yet simplify and greatly accelerate the comparison and clustering of semi-structured data by preserving similarity relationships. Computation on data fingerprints is fast: in one example involving complex simulated medical records, the average time to encode one record was 0.53 seconds, and the average pairwise comparison time was 3.75 microseconds. Both processes are trivially parallelizable. Applications include detection of duplicates, clustering and classification of semi-structured data, which support larger goals including summarizing large and complex data sets, quality assessment, and data mining. We illustrate use cases with three analyses of electronic health records (EHRs): (1) pairwise comparison of patient records, (2) analysis of cohort structure, and (3) evaluation of methods for generating simulated patient data.
Effects of noncontingent ethanol, DHEA, and pregnanolone administration on ethanol self-administration in outbred female rats.

Abstract Previous research from this laboratory demonstrated that male outbred rats (Long-Evans) can be trained to prefer ethanol (10% v/v) over water during 30-min home-cage sessions and that higher ethanol concentrations (18–32% v/v) can serve as a reinforcer under various operant schedules. Further, we have shown that two neurosteroids, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and pregnanolone, can readily decrease ethanol self-administration in males. The present study used the same procedures in an attempt to systematically replicate the previous findings in female outbred rats. Rats were first trained to self-administer ethanol in the home cage using a saccharin-fading procedure. Subsequently, a two-bottle preference test was initiated by substituting different ethanol concentrations after subjects reliably consumed 10% ethanol alone. Water was always available during this phase. Next, subjects were transitioned to a fixed-ratio 10 (FR-10) schedule of reinforcement with 0.1 mL of ethanol (18% v/v) serving as the reinforcer so that a concentration-effect curve could be established. Upon completion, subjects were transitioned to an FR-10 FR-20 multiple schedule of ethanol (32% v/v) and food reinforcement to determine whether noncontingent ethanol, DHEA, and pregnanolone could selectively decrease ethanol intake. Not surprisingly, female subjects preferentially consumed ethanol over water at concentrations of 3.2–18% (v/v) during the home-cage procedure, and significantly increased the mean dose of ethanol consumed and blood ethanol concentration (BEC). Similarly, increasing concentrations under an FR-10 schedule significantly increased the dose of ethanol presented and BEC compared to control (water). Finally, under the multiple schedule, noncontingent injections of ethanol (0.32–1.8 g/kg), DHEA (10–100 mg/kg), and pregnanolone (1.8–32 mg/kg) dose-dependently decreased food- and ethanol-maintained responding and the dose of ethanol presented. BEC was significantly decreased by the neurosteroids, but increased by ethanol due to its noncontingent administration. Together, these data replicate only a subset of the data previously obtained in males, suggesting there are sex differences particularly with respect to the effects of DHEA and pregnanolone.
Power integrity challenges of re-designing a mobile SoC with fully integrated voltage regulator to IoT applications

The demand for connected smart cars has grown exponentially in the past few years. To meet consumer's digital lifestyle needs and take part in this emerging market, microprocessor companies, such as Intel®, are shifting a focus to automotive SoC package designs. This paper examines the differences in design specifications between automotive and mobile and the implications to Power Integrity. The automotive use case, temperature cycling, and reliability qualifications are more stringent and add to the Power Integrity challenges. Frequency and time domain simulations were performed for all Fully Integrated Voltage Regulator (FIVR) and non-FIVR rails and compared between automotive vs. mobile.
The New Drug Application (NDA), the Investigative New Drug Exemption (IND) and the General Drug Approval Pathway

The New Drug Application (NDA) is the request to FDA for approval to market the new drug. It is to contain all of the information generated by the sponsor or obtained elsewhere, including the preclinical information such as the chemistry, manufacturing and control information on the active agent, the information usually generated in animal studies on the agent’s absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, its toxicities and its mechanism of action in the body, and the human or clinical study results (Phases 1–3). The NDA will also contain proposed drug labeling. This information is generated and reported with the aim of giving FDA the basis to decide if: (1) the proposed drug is safe and effective in its intended use(s); (2) the benefits of the proposed drug outweigh the risks; (3) the proposed labeling is suitable; and (4) the proposed drug can be consistently manufactured properly, including its identity, strength, purity and shelf-life.
Analysis and Projection of Population and Income

The starting point of any analysis of economic development is, of course, population. Before we discuss the issues involved with regional population growth and its projection, a region itself needs to be defined.
Clinical Sociological Contributions to the Field of Mediation

Mediation is a creative, humanistic, and flexibly-structured process in which an impartial individual or individuals (third party) help disputants identify their individual and mutual interests and perhaps reduce or resolve their differences. Many disciplines and organizations have contributed to the field of mediation. One of these influences, the discipline of sociology, has assisted with the theoretical analysis of conflicts and dispute intervention mechanisms such as mediation. Clinical sociology, a subfield of sociology, not only has contributed to the theoretical analysis of conflicts and conflict intervention techniques, but clinical sociologists also are involved in conducting mediations and establishing and improving mediation systems This chapter defines mediation and then identifies and discusses five clinical sociological contributions to the field of mediation: multilevel system intervention, cultural competency, empowerment, integrated theoretical analysis and redefinition of the situation.
Evaluation of agriculture subsidising policy with respect to the environment

Agriculture could be understood as an economic oriented activity that directly influences the landscape. In the Czech Republic more than 50% of whole area is used by agriculture. The quantity as well as the quality of agriculture production is highly influenced by nature condition and again certain production structure often hardly effects the nature environment. For such stimulation of certain agricultural policy several instruments are used namely direct subsidies and so called purpose subsidies. Main aim of such direct subsidies is 10 evaluate non-production functions of agriculture and compensate lower yields in some marginal or less favored areas. Those payments are supported without respect to the quality of mentioned functions and often don't stimulate the farm to provide such non-production functions in certain quality. The second types of subsidies connected with environment are instruments used for stimulation of certain production type. Nevertheless the performed analysis of environmental subsidies efficiency shows that such types of subsidies are mostly short-term oriented and this aspect decreases strongly the efficiency of this funding. Prior research indicates needs for certain types of indicators for environmental and landscapes quality. These indicators could be used as basis for subsidies distribution and will be implemented as stimulation for increase of landscape environmental efficiency.
Pharmacological cognitive enhancement: Examining the ethical principles guiding college students' abstention.

To understand the ethical principles guiding college students’ abstention from pharmacological cognitive enhancement (PCE), and to determine the correlates associated with endorsing different principles. One-stage cluster sampling was used to implement a paper-based survey among undergraduate students attending one university in the U.S. Thematic analysis was used to explore the ethical principles guiding PCE abstention. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine sociodemographic correlates associated with endorsed ethical principles. Of the 499 eligible students who completed the survey (student response proportion: 94.7%), 259 students had a negative attitude towards PCE, did not engage in PCE, and provided reasons for abstention. The thematic analysis resulted in the identification of eight themes, with respondents often endorsing more than one theme per response. The three themes most endorsed were non-malfeasance (i.e., avoiding PCE to prevent harm), disapproval of drugs (i.e., a moral opposition to substance use) and dosage beneficence (i.e., adhering to dosage guidance to promote health). The sociodemographic correlates associated with endorsing each theme varied across themes. Students abstain from PCE for a multitude of reasons, many of which are guided by ethical principles. These findings may be incorporated into future prevention programming messages.
Near point convergence and other measures of vestibulo-ocular dysfunction are associated with protracted neurological recovery after sports concussion (S9.006)

Objective: To characterize specific measures of neurologic dysfunction and recovery associated with concussion in student-athletes using the neurological examination and Cleveland Clinic Concussion application (C3 app). Background: Sports concussion presents with a wide variety of clinical symptoms within multiple domains of neurological function. Current AAN concussion guidelines suggest providers may utilize baseline testing, but are limited in recommending specific objective measures of vestibulo-ocular dysfunction, and other components of the neurological examination. Post-injury assessments which elucidate recovery profiles of student-athletes may provide clinical value in managing sports concussion. Design/Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study of 181 student-athletes aged 14–20 diagnosed by a Cleveland Clinic physician with concussion in our clinic. C3 data were collected pre-season, and at least once post-injury, along with a physician clinical examination. Individuals were stratified into two groups based on recovery time: typical Results: At baseline, both groups performed similarly on all C3 modules. Significant differences in NPC were seen among the typical versus protracted group (mean 7.62 cm versus 13.57 cm, p=0.0002). Also, significantly worse performance among the protracted group was seen in GSC (p=0.0001), and measures affected by vestibulo-ocular dysfunction including biomechanical quantification of BESS (p Conclusions: Convergence insufficiency is associated with protracted recovery and should be included in baseline and post-injury assessments after concussion. Identification of vestibulo-ocular dysfunction helps guide post-concussion treatment, and return-to-play decision-making. Disclosure: Dr. Russman has received personal compensation for activities with Genentech and Bristol-Myers Squibb as a scientific advisory board member. Dr. Linder has received research support from NIH. Dr. Gray has nothing to disclose. Dr. Figler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dey has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cruickshank has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lally has nothing to disclose. Dr. Alberts has received personal compensation for activities with Boston Scientific, Juniper Health Systems, and I1 Biometrics as a consultant.
Polypharmacy is a risk factor for disease flare in adult patients with ulcerative colitis: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Polypharmacy is a common clinical problem with chronic diseases that can be associated with adverse patient outcomes. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and patient-specific characteristics associated with polypharmacy in an ulcerative colitis (UC) population and to assess the impact of polypharmacy on disease outcomes. METHODS A retrospective chart review of patients with UC who visited a tertiary medical center outpatient clinic between 2006 and 2011 was performed. Polypharmacy was defined as major ( ≥ 5 non-UC medications) or minor (2-4 non-UC medications). UC medications were excluded in the polypharmacy grouping to minimize the confounding between disease severity and polypharmacy. Outcomes of interest include disease flare, therapy escalation, UC-related hospitalization, and surgery within 5 years of the initial visit. RESULTS A total of 457 patients with UC were eligible for baseline analysis. Major polypharmacy was identified in 29.8% of patients, and minor polypharmacy was identified in 40.9% of the population. Polypharmacy at baseline was associated with advanced age (P< 0.001), female sex (P= 0.019), functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders (P< 0.001), and psychiatric disease (P< 0.001). Over 5 years of follow-up, 265 patients remained eligible for analysis. After adjusting for age, sex, functional GI disorders, and psychiatric disease, major polypharmacy was found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of disease flare (odds ratio, 4.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.66-9.62). However, major polypharmacy was not associated with the risk of therapy escalation, hospitalization, or surgery. CONCLUSIONS Polypharmacy from non-inflammatory bowel disease medications was present in a substantial proportion of adult patients with UC and was associated with an increased risk of disease flare.
No Right to Share the City: Being Homeless in Rio de Janeiro during the FIFA World Cup:

To stage a successful mega-event, hosts believe they must present their city as safe and clean. Thus, policy-makers create and enforce spatial rules to hide the homeless from public view. Spatial c...
Presence of Bacterial Pathogens and Levels of Indicator Bacteria Associated with Duck Carcasses in a Commercial Processing Facility.

ABSTRACT Little information has been published on the microbiological aspects of U.S. commercial duck processing. The objective of this study was to measure prevalence and/or levels of bacteria in duck samples representing the live bird and partially or fully processed oven-ready duck meat. At 12 monthly sampling times, samples were collected at six sites along the processing line in a commercial duck slaughter plant. Crop and cecum samples were collected at the point of evisceration. Whole carcass rinse samples were collected before and after carcass immersion chilling plus application of an antimicrobial spray. Leg quarters were collected from the cut-up line before and after application of an antimicrobial dip treatment. All samples (five from each site per monthly replication) were directly plated and/or enriched for Salmonella and Campylobacter. For the last 10 replications, carcass and leg quarter rinse samples were also evaluated for enumeration of total aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, and coliforms. Most cecum, crop, and prechill carcass rinse samples were positive for Campylobacter (80, 72, and 67%, respectively). Carcass chilling and chlorinated spray significantly lowered Campylobacter prevalence (P < 0.01), and even fewer leg quarters were positive for Campylobacter (P < 0.01). Passage through a chlorinated dip did not further reduce Campylobacter prevalence on leg quarters. Salmonella was infrequently found in any of the samples examined (≤10%). Total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and E. coli levels were reduced (P < 0.01) on whole carcasses by chilling but were not different after cut-up or leg quarter dip treatment. Overall, current commercial duck processing techniques as applied in the tested plant were effective for reducing the prevalence and levels of Campylobacter on duck meat products. HIGHLIGHTS
Detection of one pot methamphetamine laboratory byproducts in wastewater via solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract The One Pot method has become the primary method of methamphetamine production in clandestine drug laboratories across the United States, due to its simple procedure and the availability of required materials. Despite its simplicity, One Pot reactions are highly flammable and, barring an explosion or fire incident, they may not be discovered for an extended period of time. While reactive investigations remove clandestine laboratories from communities, proactive efforts would identify One Pot methamphetamine laboratories before extensive harm is brought to people and the environment. This study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of One Pot methamphetamine laboratory detection through wastewater monitoring. Methamphetamine was produced via the One Pot method and the powdered methamphetamine was filtered out of each reaction. In collaboration with local authorities, the resulting waste materials generated during the One Pot methamphetamine reactions were deposited into a semi-isolated stretch of a municipal wastewater system. Wastewater samples were collected post-deposit, extracted via solid phase extraction and analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Methamphetamine, pseudoephedrine, and ephedrine were all detectable in the wastewater, as well as an over-reduced methamphetamine byproduct known as CMP [1-(1′,4′-cyclohexadienyl)-2-methyl-aminopropane]. This research identified and demonstrated the potential for analyzing wastewater to detect clandestine One Pot methamphetamine laboratories within communities.
Plasma MCP-1 levels in bipolar depression during cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor combination treatment.

Abstract Background Neuroinflammation plays a role in the pathophysiology of Bipolar Disorder Depression (BDD) and altered levels of inflammatory mediators, such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1, aka CCL2) have been reported. This study reports specifically on MCP-1 levels, as a potential marker of BDD and/or treatment response in patients receiving combination treatment with the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, celecoxib (CBX). Methods In this randomized, 10-week, double-blind, two-arm, placebo-controlled study, 47 patients with treatment resistant BDD received either escitalopram (ESC) + CBX, or ESC + placebo (PBO). Plasma MCP-1 levels were measured at 3 time points in the BDD subjects, and in a healthy control (HC) group. Depression severity was quantified using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17). Results The CBX group had significantly lower HAMD-17 scores vs. PBO at week 4 (P = 0.026) and week 8 (P = 0.002). MCP-1 levels were not significantly different in BDD vs. HC subjects at baseline (P = 0.588), nor in CBX vs. PBO groups at week 8 (P = 0.929). Week 8 HAMD-17 scores and MCP-1 levels were significantly negatively correlated in treatment non-responders to CBX or PBO (P = 0.050). Non-responders had significantly lower MCP-1 levels vs. responders at weeks 4 (P = 0.049) and 8 (P = 0.014). MCP-1 was positively correlated with pro-inflammatory analytes in the PBO group and with anti-inflammatory analytes in the CBX group. Conclusions Combination treatment reduced treatment resistance and augmented antidepressant response. Baseline plasma MCP-1 levels were not altered in BDD patients. Since non-responders had lower levels of MCP-1, elevated MCP-1 may indicate a better response to CBX + SSRI treatment.
Simulating internal watershed processes using multiple SWAT models.

The need for effective water quality models to help guide management and policy, and extend monitoring information, is at the forefront of recent discussions related to watershed management. These models are often calibrated and validated at the basin outlet, which ensures that models are capable of evaluating basin scale hydrology and water quality. However, there is a need to understand where these models succeed or fail with respect to internal process representation, as these watershed-scale models are used to inform management practices and mitigation strategies upstream. We evaluated an ensemble of models-each calibrated to in-stream observations at the basin outlet-against discharge and nutrient observations at the farm field scale to determine the extent to which these models capture field-scale dynamics. While all models performed well at the watershed outlet, upstream performance varied. Models tended to over-predict discharge through surface runoff and subsurface drainage, while under-predicting phosphorus loading through subsurface drainage and nitrogen loading through surface runoff. Our study suggests that while models may be applied to predict impacts of management at the basin scale, care should be taken in applying the models to evaluate field-scale management and processes in the absence of data that can be incorporated at that scale, even with the use of multiple models.
First Principles assisted modeling to understand Chlorine passivation of CdTe grain boundary

A computational study on cadmium telluride (CdTe) (111)/(220) grain boundary was performed using a first-principles approach. Cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ) treatment of CdTe based solar cells has proven to be highly beneficial for device performance. Published literature suggests incorporation of chlorine at Te site (Cl Te ) in CdTe grain boundaries. Density Functional Theory was therefore used to identify the mechanisms responsible for enhancing CdTe device performance after CdCl 2 treatment. The computational model explains the formation of local p-n-p junctions through field effect passivation after inclusion of Cl Te , which significantly improves CdTe device performance by mitigating recombination at the interface.
Adaptation of the Coping With Stress Course for Black Adolescents in Low-Income Communities: Examples of Surface Structure and Deep Structure Cultural Adaptations

Abstract Black adolescents in low-income communities are at increased risk of developing mental health problems due to the impact of cumulative poverty-related stressors and racial discrimination, yet Black youth have relatively low rates of mental health service utilization, resulting in significant unmet need. The Coping With Stress (CWS) Course is an evidence-based, cognitive behavioral intervention that has been shown to reduce the incidence of anxiety, mood, and conduct problems among predominantly White samples, as well as Asian and Latinx youth. In the past 25 years since the CWS Course was introduced, Black adolescents have either been severely underrepresented or conspicuously absent from program evaluation research on the CWS Course, with few exceptions. The purpose of this article is threefold: (1) to justify the need for cultural adaptations to the CWS Course for Black adolescents from low-income communities, (2) to describe the scientific basis for the specific surface structure and deep structure modifications made to the culturally adapted version of the CWS Course, known as Resilient In spite of Stressful Events or RISE, and (3) to illustrate the deep structure adaptations with a vignette drawn from implementation of the RISE program with Black adolescents in a low-income, urban community.
Instructed Hand Movements Affect Students’ Learning of an Abstract Concept From Video

Producing content-related gestures has been found to impact students' learning, whether such gestures are spontaneously generated by the learner in the course of problem-solving, or participants are instructed to pose based on experimenter instructions during problem-solving and word learning. Few studies, however, have investigated the effect of (a) performing instructed gestures while learning concepts or (b) producing gestures without there being an implied connection between the gestures and the concepts being learned. The two studies reported here investigate the impact of instructed hand movements on students' subsequent understanding of a concept. Students were asked to watch an instructional video-focused on the concept of statistical model-three times. Two experimental groups were given a secondary task to perform while watching the video, which involved moving their hands to mimic the placement and orientation of red rectangular bars overlaid on the video. Students were told that the focus of the study was multitasking, and that the instructed hand movements were unrelated to the material being learned. In the content-match group the placement of the hands reinforced the concept being explained, and in the content-mismatch group it did not. A control group was not asked to perform a secondary task. In both studies, findings indicate that students in the content-match group performed better on the posttest, and showed less variation in performance, than did students in the content-mismatch group, with control students falling in between. Instructed hand movement-even when presented as an unrelated, secondary task-can affect students' learning of a complex concept.
A Rare Case of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis and Macrophage Activation Syndrome in Settings of Etanercept Use and Epstein-Barr Virus Infection.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare syndrome in which widespread activation of the immune system leads to a state of excessive inflammation causing tissue damage. While this condition is mainly established in the pediatric population; due to its rarity, physicians often do not suspect this condition in adults. However, while diagnostic criteria are based on protocols tailored for the pediatric society, recognizing this condition in a timely manner in adults is utterly important to prevent a dismal prognosis. In instances where a concomitant rheumatological disorder is present, the syndrome is referred to as macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). This report describes a case of an adult patient who presented with mucosal bleeding and abdominal pain who was later diagnosed with MAS.
Equivalence Class Establishment with Two-, Three-, and Four-Choice Matching to Sample by Senior Citizens

In Experiment 1, 12 senior citizens from the community were trained with 18 sets of conditional discriminations. Training included 2-, 3-, and 4-choice matching-to-sample (MTS) configurations in linear series (LS), many-to-one (MTO), and one-to-many (OTM) training structures. Training structure order was counterbalanced across participants. The design permitted tests for class establishment ranging from 2 classes of 3 stimuli each to 4 classes of 4 stimuli each in the LS, MTO, and OTM structures. The experiment tested the hypothesis that 3- and 4-choice MTS would increase the probability of class establishment, relative to 2-choice MTS, by reducing the potential for sample/S- control to arise during training. Results showed, however, that training with 3- and 4-choice MTS did not significantly increase equivalence class establishment and unequivocal evidence of sample/S- control was found in only 1 instance of a 2-choice training and testing structure. Experiment 2 systematically replicated Experiment 1 with 6 additional senior citizens in a 0-s delayed MTS paradigm. As in Experiment 1, equivalence class establishment was not related to number of choice stimuli. The delayed MTS paradigm, however, required fewer training trials to establish the conditional relations and led to more class establishment overall. The results are compared to data from previous studies with younger and older participants.
Object technology in application development

A comprehensive guide for managers and developers who want to apply object-oriented methods in large-scale information technology environments. Demonstrating the ups, downs, and trade-offs of OO methodologies, the authors offer a wealth of information that will help managers make choices about the resources and technologies available for their applications development environments.
γ-Diketone Peripheral Neuropathy: III. Neurofilament Gene Expression

Abstract Evidence suggests the morphologic hallmark of γ-diketone neuropathy is axon atrophy and that this effect is associated with reduced neurofilament (NF) subunit protein content (Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2000;165:141–7). To investigate the mechanism of diminished NF content, subunit (NF-L, -M and -H) gene expression was quantified in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of slightly affected and moderately intoxicated groups of rats exposed to 2,5-hexanedione (HD) at one of three daily dosing rates (175, 250 and 400 mg/kg per day). Results show that sensory ganglia from slightly affected rats exhibited no changes in gene expression, whereas at a moderate level of neurotoxicity, each dosing protocol was associated with small but significant reductions (approximately 20%) in mean NF subunit mRNA. This was not a generalized effect on expression of cytoskeletal components in sensory ganglia since tubulin message levels were not affected. Although the observed reduction in NF gene expression might be related to diminished levels of subunit proteins in peripheral nerve, the actual contribution is likely to be minimal. The magnitude of effect was small and did not correspond to the dose-rate dependent effect of HD on respective isotype proteins. The mechanism of γ-diketone-induced axon atrophy is unknown but might involve local changes in axonal NF phosphorylation and degradation.
User specific training of a music search engine

Query-by-Humming (QBH) systems transcribe a sung or hummed query and search for related musical themes in a database, returning the most similar themes as a play list. A major obstacle to effective QBH is variation between user queries and the melodic targets used as database search keys. Since it is not possible to predict all individual singer profiles before system deployment, a robust QBH system should be able to adapt to different singers after deployment. Currently deployed systems do not have this capability. We describe a new QBH system that learns from user provided feedback on the search results, letting the system improve while deployed, after only a few queries. This is made possible by a trainable note segmentation system, an easily parameterized singer error model and a straight-forward genetic algorithm. Results show significant improvement in performance given only ten example queries from a particular user.
The Effects of Ethanol and Diet on Hepatic and Serum γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase Activities in Rats

Rats fed pelleted nonpurified diets had significantly higher hepatic gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) activities than those fed liquid diets, with no difference in serum GGTP activities. However, levels of both hepatic and serum GGTP activity were higher in rats fed ethanol than in those fed liquid diets without ethanol. In addition, hepatic GGTP levels varied inversely with dietary carbohydrate content. These findings suggest that factors other than a mere increase of liver GGTP may be responsible for the elevated serum levels of this enzyme seen after chronic ethanol consumption and that dietary carbohydrate levels influence hepatic GGTP levels.
Effectiveness and cost analysis of "just-in-time" salvage plerixafor administration in autologous transplant patients with poor stem cell mobilization kinetics.

Background Plerixafor is a recently Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved CXCR4 antagonist, which is combined with granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to facilitate stem cell mobilization of lymphoma and myeloma patients. Study design and methods To evaluate the effectiveness and the related costs of a "just-in-time" strategy of plerixafor administration, we performed a retrospective cohort study comparing 148 consecutive lymphoma and myeloma patients in whom mobilization was attempted during 2008 before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of plerixafor with 188 consecutive patients mobilized during 2009 after FDA approval. Results Plerixafor was administered to 64 of 188 patients considered to be at risk for mobilization failure due to either their medical history ("high risk," n = 23) or the occurrence of peripheral blood CD34+ count of fewer than 15 × 10(6) cells/L with a white blood cell count of greater than 10 × 10(9) cells/L after at least 5 days of G-CSF administration (just-in-time, n = 41). The success rates of collecting a minimum transplant CD34+ cell dose (≥2 × 10(6) cells/kg) or target cell dose (≥5 × 10(6) lymphoma or ≥10 × 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg myeloma) in the just-in-time patients compared favorably with the 36 poor mobilizers collected with G-CSF alone: 93% versus 72% and 42% versus 22%, respectively. Conclusions The use of plerixafor in selected high-risk patients and poor mobilizers did not increase the total charges associated with stem cell collection when compared with poor mobilizers treated with G-CSF alone. The targeted use of plerixafor increased the overall success rate of mobilizing a minimum number of CD34+ cells from 93% to 98% in patients with hematologic malignancies scheduled for autotransplant and increased the overall charges associated with stem cell collection in all patients by an average of 17%.
A Review of “The Hungry Cowboy: Service and Community in a Neighborhood Restaurant”

In The Hungry Cowboy: Service and Community in a Neighborhood Restaurant, Karla A. Erickson describes navigating many of the questions posed by restaurants as both consumer and social spaces. As th...
Physiology and chemical composition of nitrogen-fixing phytoplankton in the central North Pacific Ocean

The magnitude and physiological characteristics of biological nitrogen fixation have been studied in the oligotrophic waters of the North pacific gyre. The filamentous blue-green algae Trichodesmium spp. and Richelia intracellularis were the important nitrogen-fixing phytoplankton. Most of the nitrogen fixation occurs in the upper 40 m of the water column, with detectable fixation as deep as 90 m, which corresponds to about the 1 % light depth. There was no evidence of photoinhibition of nitrogen fixation, although CO2 reduction was depressed slightly at the highest light levels. The rate of nitrogen fixation in the water column varied throughout the day, being highest in mid-morning and in late afternoon. Relatively high fixation rates were also found during periods of darkness. Elevated oxygen concentrations had a marked inhibitory effect on rates of nitrogen fixation, a pO2 of 0.4 atm causing a 75% inhibition. Data from studies of nitrogen fixation and assimilation rates of 15N-labelled nitrate, ammonium, and urea indicate that nitrogen fixation furnished about 3% of the total daily fixed nitrogen requirement for phytoplankton growth. Studies with isolated colonies of Trichodesmium spp. indicated that 100% of their nitrogen requirement was met by nitrogen fixation. Chemical composition of the Trichodesmium colonies showed that the C:N ratio was 4.1 and that their phosphorus content relative to carbon or nitrogen was much lower than that of the total particulate material in the water column. Elevated ratios of carbon: adenosine triphosphate (ATP) also suggest that phosphorus deficiency may be limiting the growth of Trichodesmium. The magnitude of nitrogen fixation in the gyre is seasonally dependent, with high rates in late summer and autumn. At these times the water column is stratified, with phosphate and nitrate barely detectable in the upper 100 m. Our data suggest that during these months of stratification, biological fixation of nitrogen amounts to about 33 μg-at N/m2/day.
Structure of the cytoplasmic domain of Yersinia pestis YscD, an essential component of the type III secretion system.

The Yersinia pestis YscD protein is an essential component of the type III secretion system. YscD consists of an N-terminal cytoplasmic domain (residues 1–121), a transmembrane linker (122–142) and a large periplasmic domain (143–419). Both the cytoplasmic and the periplasmic domains are required for the assembly of the type III secretion system. Here, the structure of the YscD cytoplasmic domain solved by SAD phasing is presented. Although the three-dimensional structure is similar to those of forkhead-associated (FHA) domains, comparison with the structures of canonical FHA domains revealed that the cytoplasmic domain of YscD lacks the conserved residues that are required for binding phosphothreonine and is therefore unlikely to function as a true FHA domain.
Ultrahigh Vacuum System of the Heavy Ion Transport Line at Brookhaven

Heavy ions with an energy up to 8 MeV/A for S+16 and 1 MeV/A for Au+34 from the 16 MV Tandem will be injected into the AGS for further acceleration to < 15 GeV/A. A 600-meter beam transport line between the Tandem and the AGS has been designed and is under construction. This paper describes the design of the vacuum system of this transport line and the performance of the prototype vacuum sectors.
Variables associated with obtaining and sustaining employment among spinal cord injured males: A follow-up of 760 veterans

Abstract A follow-up questionnaire containing questions on employment was sent to spinal cord injured veterans who had completed their hospital rehabilitation. Of those who responded approximately one-quarter were currently employed, one-quarter had been employed at one time but were not current, and the remainder never had been employed. Two employment variables were examined in relation to several other variables. These issues were (1) whether the individual had obtained any post-injury employment and (2) whether those individuals having obtained employment were able to sustain their jobs (i.e. were currently employed).
Comparison of tissue factor pathway in human umbilical vein and adult saphenous vein endothelial cells: implications for newborn hemostasis and for laboratory models of endothelial cell function.

In this work we have undertaken a comparative study of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human saphenous vein endothelial cells (HSVECs) with respect to functional and antigenic tissue factor (TF), tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), and TF mRNA. Monolayers of each cell type (passage 2, except where specified) were grown to confluence and then activated for 4 h with either 50 U/mL IL-1-α or 10 μg/mL tumor necrosis factor-α. Activated factor X appearing in supernatant was measured using a chromogenic assay, and both Northern blots and quantitative RT-PCR were performed to assess concentrations of TF mRNA accompanying activation. The role of TFPI was separately determined by ELISA for supernatant TFPI antigen, and by measurements of production of activated factor X in the presence of 0, 5, 15, or 50 μg/mL of an antibody directed against TFPI. To address a non-TF pathway endothelial cell function, antigenic concentrations of tissue plasminogen activator for both cell types was also determined by ELISA. HUVECs were found to produce 2.4- to 3.5-fold more functional TF. No significant HUVEC-HSVEC differences were detected in TF antigen, supernatant TFPI, anti-TFPI affinity for endothelial cell-associated TFPI, TF mRNA or its amplification products, and tissue plasminogen activator. Immunostaining for TF antigen, however, may have failed to detect a modest HUVEC-HSVEC difference. Our finding with respect to functional TF indicates that HUVECs and HSVECs are not equivalent in terms of models for endothelial cell function in small children versus adults.
Microhabitat characterization of Trichoderma harzianum in natural soil: evaluation of factors affecting population density.

Abstract A study on the ecology of Trichoderma harzianum in soil evaluated the importance of 54 factors, measured from 50 mg soil samples, with respect to the population densities of T. harzianum in the soil microsites where it was present. The significance of nine abiotic factors, total bacterial, fungal and actinomycete populations, and the presence of 42 different fungi were determined with the use of multiple linear regression analysis. T. harzianum densities were found to be highest during the wet winter months, with a second peak during the early summer. T. harzianum densities were also positively correlated with total bacterial populations and soil moisture content. Sampling depth, and the presences of Chaetomium sp., Penicillium miczynskii, Scolecobasidium variabile, Ulocladium atrum and Verticillium nubilum were all found to be negatively correlated with the density of T. harzianum . Several of the factors found to be important to the density of T. harzianum were not important to the establishment of the fungus in the soil microsites.
Roots as an enhancing factor for the production of artemisinin in shoot cultures of Artemisia annua

Artemisinin was produced in differentiated shoot cultures of Artemisia annua L. but was undetected in callus or cell cultures. The growth regulators benzyladenine, kinetin, chlormequat, and daminozide, at concentrations which severely reduced rooting, reduced artemisinin production. A highly significant correlation (1% level) was observed between shoot artemisinin content and number of roots (r=0.775**), but shoot number and artemisinin content were unrelated (r=-0.198). Benzyladenine increased shoot proliferation at 0.5 and 5.0 μM, but decreased root production at 0.5, 5.0, and 50 μM. The highest levels of artemisinin production (0.287% DW) were obtained in hormone-free medium when root production was maximized. Removal of roots from shoots cultured in hormone-free liquid medium reduced shoot artemisinin by 53% and shoot arteannuin B by 60%. Neither artemisinin, arteannuin B, or artemisinic acid were detected from roots developed in semi-solid or liquid medium.
Taxes and firm size

Abstract Firm size has been used as a proxy for the firm's political costs and hence managers' proclivity to choose income reducing accounting procedures. This study provides additional evidence on this topic by examining the association between firm size and effective corporate tax rates. The latter are one component of a firm's political costs. The roughly fifty largest U.S. exchange-listed firms, in particular oil and gas companies and manufacturing firms, have significantly higher worldwide tax rates than other firms. These higher tax rates are observed primarily after the implementation of the U.S. 1969 Tax Reform Act and after the OPEC countries raised their tax rates on U.S. oil producers. The findings, which are insensitive to alternative sources of data, alternative measures of firm size, and alternative measures of effective tax rates, are consistent with the use in previous studies of firm size as a proxy for the firm's political costs.
Pedagogical Practices: Examining Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Their Abilities

Teachers routinely make decisions regarding the best pedagogical methods for altering students’ understandings about academic content. Such practices are at the root of teaching as persuasion, and have been shown to be related to academic achievement. Yet very little research has investigated the extent to which individuals learning to be teachers (i.e., preservice teachers) feel they are capable of performing the practices underlying teaching as persuasion. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which preservice teachers see themselves as capable of performing persuasive pedagogical practices compared to more general teaching practices as operationalized on well-researched measures of teacher efficacy. Results indicated that undergraduates enrolled in preservice teacher education courses perceived themselves as less capable of performing persuasive pedagogical practices than more generally accepted practices. In addition, preservice teachers perceived they were more capable of altering students’ knowledge about content than at modifying their beliefs about content. Implications for research and practice are forwarded.
Binary systems of plutonium with praseodymium, neodymium and samarium

Abstract The Pu-Pr, Pu-Nd, and Pu-Sm binary systems have been investigated by thermal, micrographic, and X-ray diffraction methods. The solubility of each of these rare-earth metals in both δPu and ePu was found to be about 2 at % maximum. No significant solubility in the α, β, γ or δ' allotrope was detected. The rare-earth bcc β phases will dissolve of the order of 30 at % Pu, and they decompose by inverse peritectic reactions. The hexagonal α phases dissolve slightly less plutonium, the maximum being in the range 27–29 at %. The stacking sequences of the close-packed layers of the αPr (4-fold) and αSm (9-fold) structures are modified by the solution of about 7 at % Pu, whereas that of αNd is unaffected.
Prostaglandin endoperoxide metabolism by bovine cerebral micro vessels

Abstract Isolated bovine cerebral microvessels were found to contain two prostaglandin endoperoxide-metabolizing activities: prostaglandin H2-E2 isomerase and prostacyclin synthetase. At low tissue protein concentrations (i.e., less than 1 mg/ml) and in the presence of reduced glutathione, formation of prostaglandin E2 was favored (about 80% of total prostaglandin products), whereas at higher protein concentrations, in the presence or absence of reduced glutathione, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α, the stable breakdown product of prostacyclin, was the major product (40–50% of total). Despite an increase in apparent prostacyclin formation, glutathione-enhanced prostaglandin E2 production was still evident at protein concentrations exceeding 1 mg/ml. No apparent enzymatic prostaglandin E2 forming activity was evident in whole cerebral cortex or pial artery homogenates although some GSH-enhanced prostaglandin E2 formation could be demonstrated in microsomes prepared from these tissues. These findings indicate that prostaglandin E2 formation is a dominant enzymatic endoperoxide-metabolizing activity in microvessels, and that this pathway may be primarily localized to the microvasculature. However, they also indicate that enzyme/substrate ratios and endogenous cofactor availability may affect the outcome of endoperoxide metabolism in the bovine cerebral microvasculature. Prostaglandin E2 and prostacyclin generated in the microvasculature could participate in the regulation of various functions e.g., regional flow and capillary permeability.
Prediction of indoor radon by aeroradioactivity

Attempts to predict which geographic areas should be associated with a high percentage of homes with unusually high indoor radon levels in Virginia and Maryland have been based on estimates of soil radon and soil permeability for geological units. This method is found to be less successful and probably less cost-effective than the use of total-gamma aeroradioactivity maps.