cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global and regional brain atrophy is associated with low or retrograde facial vein flow in multiple sclerosis

Increased collateral facial vein (FV) flow may be associated with structural damage in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective was to assess differences in FV flow and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived outcomes in MS. The study included 136 MS patients who underwent neck and head vascular system examination by echo-color Doppler. Inflammatory MRI markers were assessed on a 3T MRI using a semi-automated edge detection and contouring/ thresholding technique. MRI volumetric outcomes of whole brain (WB), gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), cortex, ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (vCSF), deep gray matter (DGM), thalamus, caudate nucleus (CN), putamen, globus pallidus (GP), and hippocampus were calculated. Independent t -test and ANCOVA, adjusted for age, were used to compare groups based on FV flow quartiles. Thirty-four MS patients with FV flow ≤327.8 mL/min (lowest quartile) had significantly lower WB (P 327.8 mL/min (higher quartiles). There were no differences in T1-, T2- and gadolinium- enhancing lesion volumes between the quartile groups. The lack of an association between FV blood flow and inflammatory MRI measures in MS patients, but an association with brain atrophy, suggests that the severity of neurodegenerative process may be related to hemodynamic alterations. MS patients with more advanced global and regional brain atrophy showed low or retrograde FV volume flow.
Importance of transplanted onions contributing to late-season Iris yellow spot virus epidemics in New York.

Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) is an economically significant tospovirus of onion transmitted by onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman). IYSV epidemics in onion fields are common in New York; however, the role of various habitats contributing to viruliferous onion thrips populations and IYSV epidemics is not known. In a 2-year field study in New York, the abundance of dispersing onion thrips, including those determined to be viruliferous via reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, was recorded in habitats known to harbor both IYSV and its vector. Results showed that viruliferous thrips were encountered in all habitats; however, transplanted onion sites accounted for 49 to 51% of the total estimated numbers of viruliferous thrips. During early to midseason, transplanted onion sites had 9 to 11 times more viruliferous thrips than the other habitats. These results indicate that transplanted onion fields are the most important habitat for generating IYSV epidemics in all onion fields (transplanted and direct-seeded) in New York. Our findings suggest that onion growers should control onion thrips in transplanted fields early in the season to minimize risk of IYSV epidemics later in the season.
Removal of HIV DNA by CRISPR from Patient Blood Engrafts in Humanized Mice

We used NOD/SCID mice, also known as NRG, to assess the ability of lentivirus-mediated intravenous delivery of CRISPR in editing the HIV-1 genome from the circulating PBMC engrafts, some of which homed within several animal solid tissues. Lentivirus-mediated delivery of a multiplex of guide RNAs accompanied by Cas9 endonuclease led to the excision of the targeted region of the viral genome positioned within the HIV-1 LTR from the in-vitro-infected human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) embedded in the spleens of NRG mice. Similarly, the treatment of NRG mice harboring PBMC engrafts derived from HIV-1-positive patients with the therapeutic lentivirus eliminated the presence of the viral DNA fragment in the blood, as well as in the spleen, lung, and liver, of the engrafted animals. Sanger sequence analysis of the viral DNA after treatment with the lentiviral vectors expressing Cas9 and gRNAs verified the editing and removal of the proviral DNA fragment from the viral genome at the predicted sites. This proof-of-concept study, for the first time, demonstrates successful excision of the HIV-1 proviral DNA from patient immune cell engrafts in humanized mice upon treatment with lentivirus-expressing CRISPR and causes a decline in the level of replication-competent virus.
SIMULTANEOUS INTERPENETRATING NETWORKS FROM EPOXIDIZED TRIGLYCERIDE OILS: MORPHOLOGY AND MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR

Concern for the stability of future petroleum supplies has stimulated much attention in the past few years to feedstocks for polymers based on renewable resources. (1–7). Among these have been the botanical oils, which are usually triglycerides. Indeed, botanical oils have long been employed in applications such as coatings, plasticizers, and in the synthesis of monomers such as brassylic and sebacic acid. More recently, other monomers and polymers have been made, including simultaneous interpenetrating networks (SINs) based on elastomers from various botanical oils coupled with polystyrene networks (PSN) (8–13). In the present work, the goal has been to develop new polymers based on industrial-type oils derived from plants (8,11). To demonstrate feasibility, several unsaturated oils (linseed, crambe, lunaria and lesquerella) were epoxidized and converted to elastomeric components of SIN3; thalictrum oil has also been partially epoxidized and converted to a flexible crosslinked product. The use of epoxy-containing vernonia oil in SINs is described separately (12), and the possible adaptation to reactive injection molding (RIM) processes is proposed elsewhere (13). This paper updates earlier reports (8,11) and reviews the synthesis, morphologies,and properties of SINs based in part on epoxidized botanical oils.
Misdiagnosed HIV infection in pregnant women: implications for clinical care.

Abstract Out of nearly 900 women in a research study of human immunodeficiency virus infection in pregnancy, 8 were subsequently found not to be infected. Misdiagnoses could have resulted from (a) laboratory errors or specimen mixups; (b) failure to follow the testing algorithm recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm results; (c) women perceiving they were infected by high-risk behavior in the absence of testing, despite the receipt of negative test results, or based on screening results only; or (d) factitious disorder, HIV Munchausen syndrome, or malingering. Because of the potentially devastating impact of an HIV diagnosis and the toxicity of HIV therapies, health care providers should obtain independent confirmation of the diagnosis before initiating treatment or followup for HIV based on patient report or provider referral. Quality test interpretation and counseling must be ensured. Therapeutic interventions may be indicated for persons intentionally and falsely presenting themselves as HIV-infected.
Analysis of fluorescently labeled oligosaccharides by capillary electrophoresis and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Neutral oligosaccharides were fluorescently conjugated with 7-amino-1, 3-naphthalenedisulfonic acid. A mixture of fluorescently labeled chitobiose, chitotriose, and chitotetrose were successfully separated by preparative capillary electrophoresis (CE) and the individual components characterized by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). By combining fluorescent labeling with CE, the use of highly specific exoglycosidases and ESI-MS, a more structurally complex N-linked glycan was analyzed.
A comparison of stimulus set size on tact training for children with autism spectrum disorder

Previous studies on skill acquisition have taught targets in stimulus sets composed of different numbers of stimuli. Although the rationale for selection of a stimulus set size is not clear, the number of target stimuli trained within a set is a treatment decision for which there is limited empirical support. The current investigation compared the efficiency of tact training in 4 stimulus set sizes, each of which included 12 stimuli grouped into (a) 4 sets of 3 stimuli, (b) 3 sets of 4 stimuli, (c) 2 sets of 6 stimuli, and (d) 1 set of 12 stimuli. Results of all 4 participants with autism spectrum disorder show tact training with larger (i.e., 6 and 12) stimulus set sizes was more efficient than training with smaller (i.e., 3 and 4) stimulus set sizes.
GRASPEL: GRAPH SPECTRAL LEARNING AT SCALE

Learning meaningful graphs from data plays important roles in many data mining and machine learning tasks, such as data representation and analysis, dimension reduction, data clustering, and visualization, etc. In this work, for the first time, we present a highly-scalable spectral approach (GRASPEL) for learning large graphs from data. By limiting the precision matrix to be a graph Laplacian, our approach aims to estimate ultra-sparse (tree-like) weighted undirected graphs and shows a clear connection with the prior graphical Lasso method. By interleaving the latest high-performance nearly-linear time spectral methods for graph sparsification, coarsening and embedding, ultra-sparse yet spectrally-robust graphs can be learned by identifying and including the most spectrally-critical edges into the graph. Compared with prior state-of-the-art graph learning approaches, GRASPEL is more scalable and allows substantially improving computing efficiency and solution quality of a variety of data mining and machine learning applications, such as spectral clustering (SC), and t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE). {For example, when comparing with graphs constructed using existing methods, GRASPEL achieved the best spectral clustering efficiency and accuracy.
Reading Fluency in Young Elementary School Age Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children

The Center on Literacy and Deafness examined the language and reading progress of 336 young deaf and hard-of-hearing children in kindergarten, first and second grades on a series of tests of language, reading, and spoken and fingerspelled phonological awareness in the fall and spring of the school year. Children were divided into groups based on their auditory access and classroom communication: a spoken-only group (n = 101), a sign-only group (n = 131), and a bimodal group (n = 104). Previous work reports the overall data (Antia, S., Lederberg, A., Schick, B., Branum-Martin, L., Connor, C. M., & Webb, M. (2020a). Language and reading progress of young DHH children. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, (3), 25; Lederberg, A. R., Branum-Martin, L., Webb, M. L., Schick, B., Antia, S., Easterbrooks, S. R., & Connor, C. M. (2019). Modality and interrelations among language, reading, spoken phonological awareness, and fingerspelling. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 24(4), 408-423). This report presents an in-depth look at the reading fluency of the participants measured along multiple dimensions. In general, 43% of the participants were unable to read fluently and an additional 23% were unable to read fluently at grade level. Rate and accuracy, rate of growth, miscue analysis, and self-corrections differed by communication modality. Most notably, children demonstrated limited strategies for self-correction during reading fluency tasks.
Drug resistance mutations in HIV provirus are associated with defective proviral genomes with hypermutation.

BACKGROUND HIV proviral sequencing overcomes the limit of plasma viral load requirement by detecting all the 'archived mutations', but the clinical relevance remains to be evaluated. METHODS We included 25 participants with available proviral sequences (both intact and defective sequences available) and utilized the genotypic sensitivity score (GSS) to evaluate the level of resistance in their provirus and plasma virus. Defective sequences were further categorized as sequences with and without hypermutations. Personalized GSS score and total GSS score were calculated to evaluate the level of resistance to a whole panel of antiretroviral therapies and to certain antiretroviral therapy that a participant was using. The rate of sequences with drug resistance mutations (DRMs) within each sequence compartment (intact, defective and plasma viral sequences) was calculated for each participant. RESULTS Defective proviral sequences harbored more DRMs than other sequence compartments, with a median DRM rate of 0.25 compared with intact sequences (0.0, P = 0.014) and plasma sequences (0.095, P = 0.30). Defective sequences with hypermutations were the major source of DRMs, with a median DRM rate of 1.0 compared with defective sequences without hypermutations (0.042, P < 0.001). Certain Apolipoprotein B Editing Complex 3-related DRMs including reverse transcriptase gene mutations M184I, E138K, M230I, G190E and protease gene mutations M46I, D30N were enriched in hypermutated sequences but not in intact sequences or plasma sequences. All the hypermutated sequences had premature stop codons due to Apolipoprotein B Editing Complex 3. CONCLUSION Proviral sequencing may overestimate DRMs as a result of hypermutations. Removing hypermutated sequences is essential in the interpretation of proviral drug resistance testing.
Transverse emittance equation with acceleration and compression

The formula for emittance charge of a drifting beam in an inertial fusion driver (IFD) is generalized by the inclusion of acceleration and compression. Applications have been made to various acceleration schedules in a FODO transport channel. In particular, for the case of decompression in the head and tail of a bunch, the decrease of emittance has been predicted. As the tune depression becomes less (longer Debye length), the density profile becomes centrally peaked as opposed to uniform (minimum field energy state). Thus, a part of the transverse kinetic energy is converted to field energy and emittance decreases. With acceleration, the change of the normalized emittance is decreased due to a smaller radial size of the beam for a given undepressed tune, and with compression, the effect of the space charge on the emittance is amplified due to the larger available electrostatic energy. However, since the typical time scale of relaxation to a quasi-equilibrium state via random phase mixing is short compared with the time scale of the acceleration and compression in an ion IFD, these effects on the emittance change are not large. >
Reining in Unnecessary Admission EKGs: A Successful Interdepartmental High-Value Care Initiative.

Introduction Unnecessary "admission electrocardiograms (EKGs)" on admitted patients waiting ("boarding") in the emergency department (ED) are often ordered. We introduced evidence-based EKG ordering guidelines and determined changes in the percent of patients with "preadmission" and "admission" EKGs ordered before vs. after guideline introduction and which patient characteristics predicted EKG ordering. Methods In 2016, our ED, cardiology, and hospitalist services implemented EKG ordering guidelines to reduce unnecessary ED EKGs ordered after disposition. We compared pre- vs. post-guideline EKG ordering to determine whether guidelines were associated with changes in "preadmission" or "admission EKG" ordering. Patients with an admission diagnosis unrelated to cardiac or pulmonary systems were included. An EKG was "admission" if the order time was after disposition time. The numerator was the number of "admission EKGs" ordered; the denominator was the total number of such admissions; those with "preadmission EKGs" were excluded from this analysis. Variables that might influence EKG ordering were explored. The chi-square test with Bonferroni adjustment was used to compare 2015 vs. 2016 percentages of patients with an "admission EKG." Results There was a decrease in unwarranted "admission EKGs" among ED boarding patients (44.1% pre-implementation to 27.5% by two years post-implementation) and an increase in unwarranted "preadmission EKGs" (66.1% pre-implementation to 72.8% post-implementation). Age ≥40 and past medical history independently predicted EKG ordering. Discussion The decrease in the ordering of "admission EKGs" but "preadmission EKGs" suggests the decline reflects a true change in ordering and not a general environmental/ecologic decline in ordering. This highlights the importance of careful guideline development and implementation.
Nosocomial COVID-19 infection mortality following surgery for severe progressive cervical myelopathy: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: We present the unique case of a nosocomial COVID infection acquired after urgent surgical intervention for cervical myelopathy, as well as the sequelae that followed in the postoperative period. CASE PRESENTATION: An initially COVID-negative patient underwent urgent surgical intervention for cervical myelopathy with significant neurological deterioration. She underwent an uncomplicated staged anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with corpectomy, as well as a subsequent posterior cervical instrumented fusion within the same hospitalization. The patient would refuse to adhere to standard COVID precautions during her admission and demonstrated rapid decompensation following her particularly uneventful surgeries, ultimately leading to her expiration. A laboratory test confirmed that she had contracted COVID at the time of the patient's death. DISCUSSION: This report highlights the repercussions of COVID-19 infection during the perioperative period and its implications on surgical outcomes. The stresses of surgery and the body's immunosuppressive responses during this time place patients at particular risk for the contraction of this virus. The standard precautions should be followed and vaccination should be considered for surgical candidates prior to their operations, as they become more readily accessible.
An IoT System for Autonomous, Continuous, Real-Time Patient Monitoring and Its Application to Pressure Injury Management

In this paper, we introduce PIMAP, an IoT-based system for continuous, real-time patient monitoring that operates in a fully autonomous fashion, i.e. without the need for human intervention. To our knowledge, PIMAP is the first open system that integrates the basic patient monitoring workflow including sensed data collection, storage, analysis, and real-time visualization. PIMAP's open design allows it to easily integrate a variety of sensors (custom and off-the-shelf), analytics, and visualization. Other novel features of PIMAP include its deployment flexibility, i.e., its ability to be deployed in different configurations depending on the specific application needs, setting, and resources, as well as PIMAP's self-profiling and self-tuning capabilities. While PIMAP can be applied to various patient monitoring applications and settings, in this paper we focus on the unsolved problem of preventing pressure ulcers, or pressure injuries. We describe how PIMAP's design addresses autonomous, continuous, realtime operation to sense, store, analyze, and visualize patient data from a variety of off-the-shelf as well as custom sensors. We present our current PIMAP prototype as well as different PIMAP configuration scenarios, e.g. cloud-based or edge-based deployment options. We also evaluate PIMAP's performance under different workloads and demonstrate its use collecting wearable pressure sensor data in real-world scenarios from patients with high risk of forming pressure injuries.
Speculation on the role of sea-level rise in the tragic collapse of the Surfside condominium (Miami Beach, Florida U.S.A.) was a bellwether moment for coastal zone management practitioners

Abstract The tragic collapse of the Surfside condominium was a bellwether moment in coastal zone management because it forever changed the way we think about risk and vulnerability of the built and human environment. Shortly afterwards, questions emerged regarding whether the structural integrity of the building was compromised by a rise in sea level caused by climate change. Historical trends in the elevation of sea-level, King Tides, and hurricane storm surge quantified between 1994 and 2020 reveal the number of times sea level rose to elevations above the building's basement floor increased from an average of 244 per year between 1994 and 2006 to 636 from 2007 to 2020. This is attributed to a 3-fold increase in the rate of relative sea-level rise that occurred after 2006. Conditions of increasing soil saturation caused by rising seas is likely on most other barrier islands. It follows the context in which we think about managing climate change in the coastal zone must be expanded to consider existing and future below-ground conditions, which to date has largely been overlooked by coastal zone management practitioners.
Microstructure of a Pd/ceria–zirconia catalyst after high-temperature aging

A model automotive exhaust catalyst, consisting of 2.25 wt% Pd supported on initially high-surface-area (88 m2/g) cerium–zirconium mixed oxide (Ce0.5Zr0.5O2), was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), following high-temperature (1150°C) redox aging. Spherical Pd particles with size varying from 30 to 80 nm in diameter were found to be embedded both within single grains and at interfaces between multiple grains of the mixed oxide. X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and microbeam electron diffraction show that these particles are pure Pd, with face-centeredcubic structure. These results, together with elemental distribution maps obtained by EDS imaging, provide detailed visualization of an encapsulation phenomenon previously reported on the basis of XRD and TGA measurements alone.
Impact of Device-Associated Infection on Trauma Patient Outcomes at a Major Trauma Center

Abstract Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are considered performance measures. We analyzed the incidence, prevalence, and ri...
Innate Humoral Defense Factors

Abstract Although innate immunity came into the research spotlight in the late 1990s when its instructive role in the adaptive immune response was recognized, innate humoral defense factors have a much older history. The exocrine secretions of the body contain a plethora of distinct soluble factors (lysozyme, lactoferrin, peroxidases, proline-rich proteins, histatins, etc.) that protect the body from mucosal microbial pathogens. More recent studies have established that the humoral arm of innate immunity contains a heterogeneous group of pattern-recognition molecules (e.g., pentraxins, collectins, and ficolins), which perform diverse host-defense functions, such as agglutination and neutralization, opsonization, control of inflammation, and complement activation and regulation. These pattern-recognition molecules, which act as functional predecessors of antibodies (“ante-antibodies”), and the classic soluble innate defense factors form an integrated system with complementary specificity, action, and tissue distribution, and they are the subject of this chapter.
Life-cycle improvements analysis: procedure development and demonstration

The use of life-cycle assessment (LCA) methods for identifying, evaluating, and selecting among alternative opportunities for improving the energy, resource, and environmental release profile of a product or process is in its infancy. Methods development and demonstration efforts are being supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The authors discuss some of these efforts in the context of linkages with other related product design and development tools. >
Low‐resolution sodium D absorption is a bad proxy for extinction

Dust extinction is generally the least tractable systematic uncertainty in astronomy, and particularly in supernova science. Often in the past, studies have used the equivalent width of Na I D absorption measured from low-resolution spectra as proxies for extinction, based on tentative correlations that were drawn from limited data sets. We show here, based on 443 low-resolution spectra of 172 Type Ia supernovae for which we have measured the dust extinction as well as the equivalent width of Na I D, that the two barely correlate. We briefly examine the causes for this large scatter that effectively prevents one from inferring extinction using this method.
Sound demonstration software for teaching DSP

The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how teaching a few key concepts in digital signal processing (DSP) can be made easier and more effective by exploiting the sound capabilities of today's multimedia computer systems, such as the PC. By using DSP concepts, the audible difference in sound quality of a music clip when downsampled with and without an anti aliasing filter can be explained to the students. By the same token, it is easy to explain the difference in quality of an upsampled sound signal when used with and without an interpolation filter. MATLAB (Version 4.2c) is used because of its ease of use, and cross platform portability. Sound data files are read in, processed, and then saved. It is then possible to hear the difference between signals either using MATLAB itself or using an appropriate sound tool. >
Erratum: Dual HER2 blockade: preclinical and clinical data.

See related review by Patel et al., http://breast-cancer-research.com/content/16/4/419 The online version of the original article can be found under doi:10.1186/s13058-014-0419-5.
CHARACTERIZATIONS OF NEAREST AND FARTHEST NEIGHBOR ALGORITHMS BY CLUSTERING ADMISSIBILITY CONDITIONS

Abstract Monotone admissibility for clustering algorithms was introduced in Fisher and Van Ness [Biometrika 58, 91–104 (1971)]. The present paper discusses monotone admissibility for a broad class of clustering algorithms called the Lance and Williams algorithms. Necessary and sufficient conditions for Lance and Williams algorithms to be monotone admissible are discussed here. It is shown that the only such algorithms which are monotone admissible are nearest neighbor and farthest neighbor.
Peptide bond cleavage site determination of novel proteolytic enzymes found in ROS 17/2.8 cell lysates

We have identified proteolytic activities in the rat osteoblastic osteosarcoma cell line ROS 17/2.8 which are capable of cleaving a peptide substrate for protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation (PSPKC, Pro-Leu-Ser-Arg-Thr-Leu-Ser-Val-Ala-Ala-Lys). Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis conditions similar to those used to resolve small molecular weight proteins, the peptide bonds of PSPKC which are cleaved by the proteolytic activities present in ROS 17/2.8 cell lysates have been determined. These activities cleave the Ser-Arg, Thr-Leu, and Ser-Val peptide bonds. To date, no proteolytic activities present in osteoblast cell lysates have been described with the aforementioned peptide bond specificities, suggesting that these activities are novel. The PSPKC-cleaved peptide fragment pattern generated was similar for several different osteoblast cell lysates. Lysates generated from different rat tissues were also able to cleave PSPKC, but the peptide fragment pattern generated by ROS 17/2.8 cell lysates appeared to be unique amongst these tissues. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
β-adrenergic receptor regulation of pigment epithelial-derived factor expression in rat retina

In the present study, we have examined a potential mechanism by which sympathetic nerves regulate PEDF and whether its down regulation may be responsible for increased capillary density observed after sympathectomy. Six weeks post-sympathectomy, eyes were removed from female Sprague-Dawley rats for Western blot analysis, RNA isolation, real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry for measurement of PEDF expression. The contralateral or left eye was used as an intra-animal control. In addition, retinal pigment epithelial cells were grown in culture and treated with norepinephrine and propranolol. An ELISA assay was used to determine the amount of PEDF secreted into the RPE media. Quantitative results of Western blot analysis and real-time PCR confirm that both steady-state gene expression and protein levels of PEDF are significantly decreased in the sympathectomized retina (P<0.05) when compared to the contralateral retina. Qualitative results of immunohistochemistry verify that PEDF is located predominantly in the RPE cell layer of the retina, and levels are decreased in the sympathectomized retina. ELISA results illustrate that norepinephrine significantly increases PEDF secretion by RPE cells and propranolol slightly decreases PEDF secretion into RPE cell medium. In conclusion, down regulation of PEDF may contribute to the increased capillary density of the outer plexiform layer in the retina noted after sympathectomy. Furthermore, expression of PEDF was significantly increased after treatment of norepinephrine in RPE medium demonstrating a role of beta-adrenergic regulation of PEDF. Since sympathetic nerves are damaged in diabetes and PEDF appears to be regulated by beta-adrenergic receptors, these results suggest a role for sympathetic nerves in diabetic retinopathy. This knowledge, in turn, may be used for future treatment and prevention of diabetic retinopathy and other ocular diseases.
Bidirectionality in Self-Regulation and Expressive Vocabulary: Comparisons Between Monolingual and Dual Language Learners in Preschool.

Significant differences in language and self-regulation skills exist among children when they enter formal schooling. Contributing to these language differences is a growing population of dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States. Given evidence linking self-regulatory processes and language development, this study explored bidirectional associations between English expressive vocabulary and self-regulation skills for monolingual English and DLL preschool children (N = 250) from mixed-income families in Los Angeles. Across three time points, findings provide initial support for bidirectionality between these developing skills for both monolinguals and DLLs. Results provide strong empirical support for vocabulary serving as a leading indicator of self-regulation skills in preschool. Findings also suggest that early self-regulation skills play a particularly important role for vocabulary development.
Sulfolipid in Ochromonas danica.

SYNOPSIS. Cells of Ochromonas danica were grown under photoautotrophic as well as heterotrophic conditions in the presence of 35SO4=, and the content of sulfolipid was studied using the technics of paper chromatography and paper electrophoresis. Photoauto-trophic cells of O. danica contained 5 to 6 times as much sulfolipid, sulfoquinovosyldiglyceride, as did cells grown under heterotrophic conditions.
Radioimmunoscintigraphy in the differential diagnosis of hepatic mass lesion.

A patient with suspected recurrent cancer of the colon underwent a variety of imaging procedures for the differential diagnosis of a hepatic mass lesion. Computed tomography (CT) showed a low-density lesion in the left hepatic lobe, and the initial CT-guided biopsy of the liver mass was reported to demonstrate a benign lesion. Ultrasonography (US) showed a hypoechoic lesion, and technetium-99m red blood cell (RBC) scan failed to suggest a hemangioma. However, radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) using99mTc- labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) monoclonal antibody clearly demonstrated increase uptake of antibody in the liver lesion. Scheduled hepatic angiography was canceled and subsequent exploratory laparotomy confirmed liver metastasis. RIS appears most helpful in the diagnosis of hepatic metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer and a rising CEA level. CT, US, and99mTc-RBC studies for the investigation of hepatic masses are briefly discussed.
Sensory-evoked potentials in rats chronically exposed to trichloroethylene: Predominant auditory dysfunction

Sensory-evoked potentials (EPs) were studied in male Long-Evans and Fischer-344 rats in order to characterize the electrophysiological consequences of chronic inhalation exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE). Groups of ten Long-Evans rats were exposed to air or 1600 ppm or 3200 ppm TCE for twelve weeks and evaluated periodically with a multisensory test battery. Brainstem auditory-evoked response (BAER) amplitudes were depressed by TCE, whereas somatosensory and visual potentials remained normal. The effects on BAERs, which varied with tone intensity and frequency, suggested that TCE causes a predominantly high-frequency hearing loss. Comparable effects were obtained in both strains of rats and were like those previously observed following exposure to toluene.
Analyzing single bit failure in SRAM with no visual defects

We present a simulation methodology to analyze single bit fails in SRAMs with no visual defect to account for the failure. Our approach generates the MOS IV curves for all six transistors of the failing bit cell and uses this data to simulate read, write and read-disturb failures. A good agreement with the tester data then establishes the basis for the failure even in the absence of any visual defect(s).
Motion tracking for realtime, offline image stabilization with limited hardware

We present a work-in-progress system for tracking small objects with limited features to produce stabilized, successive images for frame-to-frame analysis in a specialized, hand-held, digital microscopy environment with limited resolution and processing capability and soft real-time requirements. Our system is able to track dirt or imperfections as small as about 10 μm across the end face of a fiber optic cable under a moving camera. It must locate three distinct features and track each of them from frame to frame. The measured positions of the features are used to calculate transformation matrices relative to a selected basis image and move each image in the image stack into the coordinate frame of the basis image so that we can perform focus stacking on the set of images. All of this must be completed in under a second on a low-power, hand-held device.
Studies on segmental differences in sensitivity to adrenergic agonists in pulmonary arteries isolated from the guinea-pig.

Abstract This study was designed to examine the existence and possible mechanisms of segmental differences in sensitivity to adrenergic substances in the pulmonary vasculature of the guinea pig. The main pulmonary artery was found to be less sensitive to epinephrine, norepinephrine and phenylephrine than its left and right main branches. Because there were no differences in sensitivities between the left and right branches, most comparisons were made between the main and left branches. The differences in sensitivity was larger for adrenergic agonists which are known to be taken up by adrenergic neurons (epinephrine, norepinephrine, phenylephrine) than for an agonist which is not taken up by these neurons (methoxamine). The left artery from reserpine-treated animals was only slightly more sensitive (1.5-fold) to barium chloride than the main pulmonary artery. Cocaine potentiated to a greater extent in the main than in the left pulmonary artery the amines which are taken up by adrenergic neurons. The left arterial branch was less responsive to transmural electrical stimulation than the main artery in the absence and presence of cocaine. [3H]Norepinephrine uptake was larger in main arterial segments than in the branches and histochemical fluorescence studies demonstrated a greater degree of adrenergic innervation in the proximal segments. The results indicate that a major explanation for the differences in sensitivity between the vascular segments is a smaller degree of adrenergic neuronal uptake of agonist in the arterial branches.
Parenchymal and vascular strips from bovine lung respond differently to vasodilators

Strips of bovine intrapulmonary artery (IPA), intrapulmonary vein (IPV), trachealis muscle and parenchyma were mounted for recording of isometric tension and responses to several vascular smooth muscle relaxants were measured and compared. Although nitroglycerin (GTN) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) induced concentration-related (10−11 to 10−5) relaxation (up to 80–100%) in IPA, IPV and trachealis muscle, 10−5 M GTN or SNP induced only 4–5% relaxation in parenchyma. In contrast, all four tissues relaxed well in response to isoproterenol (10−11 to 10−5 M), forskolin (10−5 M), 8-bromo-cyclic GMP (10−4 M) and 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (10−5 M). When compared to IPA, IPV and trachealis muscle, the marked hyporesponsiveness of parenchyma to GTN and SNP suggests that the contractile cells which are primarily responsible for potassium-induced tone in bovine parenchymal strips differ markedly from smooth muscle cells in trachealis muscle and large, central IPA and IPV in their responsiveness to the vasodilators, GTN and SNP.
High-dose interleukin-2 for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma : a retrospective analysis of response and survival in patients treated in the surgery branch at the National Cancer Institute between 1986 and 2006

BACKGROUND The treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with high-dose interleukin-2 (HD IL-2) has resulted in durable tumor regression in a minority of patients. The current study presents the authors’ 20-year experience administering this immunotherapeutic agent.
Glycogen debranching enzyme is associated with rat skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

AIMS: Gel electrophoresis revealed a band of molecular weight approximately 160 000 Da associated with the skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicle preparations. This investigation sought to examine glycogen debranching enzyme associated with skeletal muscle SR. METHODS: Sarcoplasmic reticulum samples were also taken from muscle whose glycogen content had been reduced either via stimulation of the sciatic nerve or alpha-amylase treatment of muscle homogenates. RESULTS: The stimulation protocol reduced whole muscle glycogen by 86% (7.4 +/- 0.4 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.3 microg mg(-1) wet mass, P < or = 0.05). Glycogen associated with the SR was reduced by 82% in the stimulation protocol (533 +/- 82 vs. 96 +/- 7 microg mg(-1) protein) and by 94% in alpha-amylase treatment (493 +/- 11 vs. 29 +/- 2 microg mg(-1) protein), respectively. Gel electrophoresis and Western blots revealed that the content of glycogen debranching enzyme was reduced by approximately 53% as a result of muscle stimulation and by approximately 46% in alpha-amylase treatment (P < or = 0.05). In addition, glycogen debranching enzyme activity was reduced by 61% in stimulated samples compared with control (20.3 +/- 1.0 vs. 8.0 +/- 1.2 nmol mg(-1) min(-1), respectively), a value consistent with reductions observed from gel electrophoresis and Western blots. CONCLUSION: These results confirm that similar to glycogen phosphorylase, glycogen debranching enzyme is associated with the skeletal muscle SR and is dissociated under exercise conditions.
A novel ischemic stroke risk locus at 12q24.12 using a genome-wide association study approach

The heritability of stroke risk is supported by family-based analyses and concordance analyses focusing on monozygotic twins.1,2 While mutations in certain genes, such as notch3 causing cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, predispose to cerebral ischemic events, the genetic underpinnings in nonsyndromic stroke remain largely unknown. In most stroke patients without a genetic syndrome, ischemic stroke is likely multifactorial, resulting from complex interactions among multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. Unlike the approach to monogenetic diseases, where genetic risk is dichotomous (i.e., an abnormal gene causes disease but disease does not occur when the gene is normal), the complex disease model holds that a collection of haplotypes confers disease risk in a graded manner with variable penetrance and unpredictable interactions among polygenic traits.3
The nature of AIDS and babies

The rapidly growing menace to young children, Pediatric AIDS, is generally unrecognized, under-reported and too often misunderstood. This paper discusses the nature of AIDS with particular emphasis on, the symptoms, modes of transmission and the various treatment issues.
Autoimmune enteropathy with a CD8+ CD7-T-cell small bowel intraepithelial lymphocytosis: case report and literature review

Background Adult onset autoimmune enteropathy (AIE) is a rare condition characterized by diarrhea refractory to dietary therapy diagnosed in patients with evidence of autoimmune conditions. Auto-antibodies to gut epithelial cells and other tissues are commonly demonstrated. Despite increasing awareness, the pathogenesis, histologic, immunologic and clinical features of AIE remain uncertain. There remains controversy regarding the diagnostic criteria, the frequency and types of auto-antibodies and associated autoimmune conditions, and the extent and types of histologic and immunologic abnormalities. CD4+ T-cells are thought to at least responsible for this condition; whether other cell types, including B- and other T-cell subsets are involved, are uncertain. We present a unique case of AIE associated with a CD8+CD7- lymphocytosis and review the literature to characterize the histologic and immunologic abnormalities, and the autoantibodies and autoimmune conditions associated with AIE.
Nanophotonics of quantum dot-protein composites

Summary form only given. Quantum dot nanocrystals (QD) have been the versatile tool of nanophotonic applications with their size tunable narrow emission spectrum and broad-band excitation characteristics. Compared to the conventional dye molecules, they exhibit a longer lifetime, which makes convenient tools to be employed in nonradiative energy transfer applications. QDs can be utilized for the formation of protein/peptide based nanohybrids facilitating nonradiative energy transfer for nanophotonic applications, e.g., sensing and imaging. In such a system protein will be basically benefit from the fluorescence lifetime of the quantum dots while QDs will benefit from the biocompatibility feature of the proteins. In addition to these, many modifications can be made on proteins through protein/genetic engineering for a better functionality. To probe these possibilities, we investigated/tested two systems for sensing. In the first approach, we achieved a layer-by-layer assembled QDs embedded into polypeptide multilayer, where we succeeded lifetime modifications of the QDs as a function of a protease activity. In the second approach a nanohybrid of QD and photoprotein was realized. Using protein engineering, a trypsin cleavage site and a tag for the attachment of photoprotein on the QD surface was inserted to the photoprotein. The lifetime of the photoprotein was enhanced through nonradiative energy transfer from QD to photoprotein. Bioactivity of a trypsin protease was detected using this system, through lifetime change of the nanohybrid as a result of removal of photoprotein from the quantum dot surface.
A differential autoregressive modeling approach within a point process framework for non-stationary heartbeat intervals analysis

Modeling heartbeat variability remains a challenging signal-processing goal in the presence of highly non-stationary cardiovascular control dynamics. We propose a novel differential autoregressive modeling approach within a point process probability framework for analyzing R-R interval and blood pressure variations. We apply the proposed model to both synthetic and experimental heartbeat intervals observed in time-varying conditions. The model is found to be extremely effective in tracking non-stationary heartbeat dynamics, as evidenced by the excellent goodness-of-fit performance. Results further demonstrate the ability of the method to appropriately quantify the non-stationary evolution of baroreflex sensitivity in changing physiological and pharmacological conditions.
Production of Chronic First Degree Atrioventricular Block in Dogs, Using Closed-Chest Electrode Catheter with Radiofrequency Energy

Atrioventricuiar (AV) ablation to yield chronic first degree block was attempted in six mongrel dogs. Radio frequency energy (RFE) at 750 KHz, ranging from 3.4 to 4.5 W, was delivered from the distal pole of a USCI 6F quadripolar electrode catheter to a site near the AV node. RFE delivery times ranged from 5 to 60 sec and were repeated in each animal tintil the PR interval was prolonged by 25% or more, if possible. Immediately after ablation, during autouomic blockade, 5 of the 6 dogs had PR-interval prolongation of 25% or more, averaging 36%. The mean PR prolongation in 4 of these dogs was +41% at 1 week, +50% at 1 month ami +50% at 4 months after ablation in the absence of autonomic blocking agents and +54%, +42%, and +44%, respectively, for the same periods after autonomic blockade. The fifth dog had less than 20% increase in PR during subsequent measurements and the sixth dog experienced permanent third degree block after multiple KFE shocks. In the 4 dogs with chronic PR prolongation, the maximum damage was found in the approaches to and in the AV node, less in the His bundle, and least in the bundle branches. It is concluded that chronic modification of AV conduction can be produced in a majority of dogs with RFE with lesions located in the approaches to the AV node and at the AV node, with minimal or moderate involvement of surrounding tissues.
Recolonization of a high latitude hard-bottom nearshore community

Early recolonization of sessile organisms and grazer effects on recolonization was examined in a high latitude nearshore rocky environment. A manipulative experiment using cleared boulders and cages was used to determine the time needed for initial recruitment and composition of early recruits. The hypothesis tested was invertebrate grazing is causing slow recolonization. Four years of monitoring cleared boulders resulted in an initial recruitment of primarily barnacles in year 3 on boulders that were caged to exclude grazers. The total percent cover on these boulders after 4 years was less than 2%. Cage control and uncaged boulders showed less recruitment. Uncleared and uncaged control rocks showed insignificant temporal variation. Concurrent observations revealed that macroalgae were reproductive during the study and that space was limiting in this community. This study strongly suggests that perturbations causing removal of hard substrate sessile communities in the Beaufort Sea will result in very slow community recovery.
Dietary and Environmental Correlates of Obesity in a Population Study in China

The patterns and correlates of obesity in China were studied in two panels of a nationwide longitudinal survey conducted in 1989 and 1991 (the China Health and Nutrition Survey). Among the Chinese adults, dietary energy and fat intakes were positively and significantly associated with the Body Mass Index (BMI). Household income and physical activity level were also significantly associated with BMI. Urban residence and higher income were associated with lower energy intake, higher fat intake, and lower physical activity level compared to rural residence and other income categories. This paper documents an important emerging health problem: the increasing problem of obesity that has been observed in many lower-income countries during the last several decades.
Some Age Relations and Structural Features of the Precambrian Volcanic Terrane, St. Francois Mountains, Southeastern Missouri

Precambrian rocks of the St. Francois Mountains consist mostly of silicic ash-flow tuff and intrusive granite. These rocks were formed during two igneous episodes occurring 1415 m.y. ago and 1320 m.y. ago, as determined by whole-rock Rb-Sr measurements. A major volcanic subsidence structure, the Taum Sauk Caldera, displaces rocks of the older group but is intruded along ring fractures by a granite of the younger group. These rocks may be the exposed part of a much more extensive Precambrian volcanic terrane, which is now buried under younger sedimentary rocks.