cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Viral respiratory diseases in children : classification, etiology, epidemiology, and risk factors

The epidemiology, molecular structure, cell tropism, and pathophysiology of many human disease-causing viruses have been painstakingly and elegantly characterized during the past 50 years. Vaccines and antiviral drugs of varying efficacy were developed and tested. Despite the relegation of smallpox to a freezer chest and the progress in the control of measles and hepatitis B, the viruses that cause respiratory tract infections remain significant causes of illness and death in pediatric populations worldwide. This discussion surveys the virus groups that contain nearly 200 distinct viruses that cause sporadic and epidemic respiratory infections in children. The epidemiology of infection with the influenza A and B, parainfluenza, and respiratory syncytial viruses and adenoviruses and their impact on infants and children and the groups at highest risk for morbid outcomes are discussed.
Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy Characterization of Surface Monolayers: Catalytic Reaction Intermediates and Polymer Surfaces

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy is highly surface sensitive because the second-order nonlinear optical process is only allowed in media without inversion symmetry, such as interfaces. As an all-optical technique, SFG can be employed to study molecular compositions and structures at solid/liquid and at solid/high pressure gas interfaces. This paper discusses the applications of SFG in our laboratory to study the reaction intermediates of catalytic reactions on metal surfaces under high-pressure conditions, the surface composition and structure of polymers, and the interfacial properties of proteins on liquid/solid interfaces. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2004.106]
Congenital Pulmonary Lymphangiectasis

CONGENITAL pulmonary lymphangiectasis is the name applied by Laurence1to a rare, usually fatal disease, characterized by dilated lymphatic channels in the subpleural and interlobular areas of the lungs of infants. Ekelund et al2recently published a review of the literature and found 26 such cases. The present report deals with a full-term male infant who died in respiratory failure nine hours following birth and demonstrated congenital pulmonary lymphangiectasis at autopsy. This patient differs from those previously reported in that a pneumothorax was present. Report of a Case The patient was a full-term white male infant born by spontaneous vaginal delivery, without maternal anesthesia. It was the second uneventful pregnancy for the 20-year-old mother. The first stage of labor was four hours, the second stage of labor one half hour, and the membranes ruptured spontaneously one hour prior to delivery. The baby received an Apgar 10 on delivery
Identification of Interaction Sites between Human βA3- and αA/αB-crystallins by Mammalian Two-hybrid and Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Acceptor Photobleaching Methods

Our recent study has shown that βA3-crystallin along with βB1- and βB2-crystallins were part of high molecular weight complex obtained from young, old, and cataractous lenses suggesting potential interactions between α- and β-crystallins (Srivastava, O. P., Srivastava, K., and Chaves, J. M. (2008) Mol. Vis. 14, 1872–1885). To investigate this further, this study was carried out to determine the interaction sites of βA3-crystallin with αA- and αB-crystallins. The study employed a mammalian two-hybrid method, an in vivo assay to determine the regions of βA3-crystallin that interact with αA- and αB-crystallins. Five regional truncated mutants of βA3-crystallin were generated using specific primers with deletions of N-terminal extension (NT) (named βA3-NT), N-terminal extension plus motif I (named βA3-NT + I), N-terminal extension plus motifs I and II (named βA3-NT + I + II), motif III plus IV (named βA3-III + IV), and motif IV (named βA3-IV). The mammalian two-hybrid studies were complemented with fluorescence resonance energy transfer acceptor photobleaching studies using the above described mutant proteins, fused with DsRed (Red) and AcGFP fluorescent proteins. The results showed that the motifs III and IV of βA3-crystallin were interactive with αA-crystallin, and motifs II and III of βA3-crystallin primarily interacted with αB-crystallin.
HYPERFINE TEMPERATURE SHIFT OF DEUTERIUM IN NEON AND ARGON.

The temperature dependence of the hyperfine frequency of deuterium in neon and argon buffer gases has been measured over the range - 100 to +300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. From a linear least-squares fit to the data, the shifts at constant buffer-gas density were found to be (2.9 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.4) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ Hz/\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K Torr in neon and (3.1 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.5) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ Hz/\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K Torr in argon.
Predicting Readmission to a Child Psychiatric Inpatient Unit: The Impact of Parenting Styles

The risk of rehospitalization after a child receives psychiatric inpatient treatment is generally high. Although disorder-specific behavior contributes to the need for treatment, other environmental variables may also play a role in the need for inpatient psychiatric treatment. Therefore, we examined the influence of parenting styles (authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive) on children’s risk for readmission to an inpatient psychiatric facility. Analyses were conducted with a sample of 80 children (57 males, 50% Black) ranging from 6 to 12 years of age (mean age = 8.90 years). Race was examined as a moderator of the relation between parenting style and risk for readmission. Permissive parenting was the only parenting style that was associated with an increased risk for readmission. The relation between parenting styles and risk for readmission was not moderated by race.
Expression of polysialylated N-CAM in the central nervous system of adult canaries and its possible relation to function

Polysialylated neuronal cell adhesion molecule (PSAqN-CAM) is a cell surface molecule associated with neurons that undergo changes in configuration or spatial translocation. In both cases, this molecule is thought to reduce the adhesivity of these cells or of their processes, which can thereby insinuate themselves into the existing parenchyma. We used a monoclonal antibody specific to PSA to offer what we believe is the first account of the distribution of PSA-N-CAM in the adult songbird brain. This antibody stained a diversity of cell classes and processes, as follows: (1) a subset of ventricular zone cells; (2) migrating cells thought to be neuroblasts; (3) a subset of differentiated neurons; (4) some brain surface astrocytes; (5) some tanycytes; (6) the neuropil of some regions; (7) some axonal fibers; and (8) possibly some synapses. Our results demonstrate also, for the first time, the wide distribution of a very numerous population of migrating cells in the telencephalon and the seasonal regulation of PSA-Nq-CAM expression in a part of the adult brain known to undergo seasonal changes in cell recruitment and function. However, we did not find PSA-N-CAM associated with young migrating cells in the high vocal center (HVC), nor was there PSA-N-CAM in the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA), which is known to receive new axonal endings from HVC. In these instances spatial translocation may occur with the assistance of other surface molecules. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The ATPases of Muscle Proteins

The ideas and results of Blum, Oosawa, Strohman, and many others are reviewed and, when consolidated with the authors' work, lead to the following picture of muscle protein adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases). Two major features of myocin ATPase seem to be a catalytic interaction between enzyme, a metal cation, and the terminal pyrophosphate moiety of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and a rate-retarding interaction between enzyme, Mg++, and the purine ring of ATP. Sulfhydryl groups of the enzyme participate at both loci. In the catalytic interaction an ionizable group (pK, ca. 6.8) may participate. G-actin molecules binding ATP (probably by the purine ring) and relieved of their mutual repulsion cooperate in catalysing dephosphorylation, thereby giving rise to the somewhat loose, possibly helical, structure of F-actin.
A new myxosporidan, Dicauda atherinodi n.g., n. sp. of the minnow, Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque

. Dicauda atherinoidi n.g., n. sp. (Protozoa: Myxosporida) was found in feral minnows, Notropis atherinoides (Cyprinidae), from western Lake Erie (Sterling State Park), Michigan, and the lower Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, New York. Dicauda, closely related to Myxobolus, differs from it in having two, occasionally three or more, rigid tail-like possibly mucoid appendages attached to the sutural ridge. The cysts are subdermal and most abundant on the head. Histological damage is not striking.
Inhibition of chronic ulcerative colitis associated adenocarcinoma development in mice by inositol compounds

Chronic inflammation is a well recognized risk factor for cancer and patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis (UC) are at an increased risk for colorectal carcinoma development. In order to prevent UC associated carcinogenesis, we tested the effects of inositol compounds (including inositol and hexaphosphate inositol) on UC-associated carcinogenesis in our novel mouse model. Female C57BL/6 mice were subjected to long-term, cyclic dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) treatment and fed a 2-fold iron-enriched diet. The inositol compounds were administered via the drinking fluid. In the DSS-plus-2-fold iron positive control group, colorectal adenocarcinoma incidence was 70.6% (24/34 mice) after 15 cycles of DSS treatment (1 DSS cycle=7 day DSS treatment period followed by a 10 day recovery period). Tumor multiplicity was 1.26+/-1.05 and tumor volume was 21.4+/-5.2 mm3. Adding 1% inositol, tumor incidence was statistically significantly reduced (42%, 9 of 21 mice with tumors), as was tumor multiplicity (0.5+/-0.7) and tumor volume (4.2+/-1.9 mm3). Administration of hexaphosphate inositol noticeably reduced tumor incidence (50%, 12 mice with tumors out of 24 total), tumor multiplicity (0.8+/-0.9) and tumor volume (12.3+/-4.1 mm3); however, the results were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Further mechanistic studies showed that the inhibition of UC-associated carcinogenesis by inositol compounds might relate to their function on the modulation of macrophage mediated inflammation, nitro-oxidative stress and cell proliferation in UC-associated carcinogenesis. This study indicates that inositol compounds may have the potential to serve as preventive agents for chronic inflammation-carcinogenesis.
Molecular characterization of the mouse agouti locus

The agouti (a) locus acts within the microenvironment of the hair follicle to regulate coat color pigmentation in the mouse. We have characterized a gene encoding a novel 131 amino acid protein that we propose is the one gene associated with the agouti locus. This gene is normally expressed in a manner consistent with a locus function, and, more importantly, its structure and expression are affected by a number of representative alleles in the agouti dominance hierarchy. In addition, we found that the pleiotropic effects associated with the lethal yellow (Ay) mutation, which include pronounced obesity, diabetes, and the development of neoplasms, are accompanied by deregulated overexpression of the agouti gene in numerous tissues of the adult animal.
Dopamine and epilepsy: hints of complex subcortical roles.

The role of dopamine in epilepsy is intriguing, complex, and unresolved. While no dopaminergic agonists or antagonists are used for treatment of seizures, there is evidence that many of these agents modulate cerebral networks that exert either anticonvulsant or proconvulsant effects.1 Potential roles of dopaminergic pathways in seizure expression or control have been reported in both generalized and focal epileptic disorders.2–5 Reverberant circuits within the basal ganglia, including the dopamine-rich nigrostriatal projection, affect basal ganglia outputs that modulate thalamocortical projections to regions involved in epilepsy syndromes.6 The parallel mesocorticolimbic projection from the ventral tegmental area to the frontal cortex directly regulates frontal cortical function. These facts, and the pronounced motor manifestations of many seizures, leads naturally to a closer look at the relationship of dopamine to the pathophysiology of epileptic syndromes. Molecular imaging with PET offers the advantage of examining the distribution of neurotransmitter receptors and transporters. These data may be used to explore hypotheses about neurotransmitter function. As reported in this issue of Neurology ®, this attribute of PET has been utilized to explore dopaminergic aspects of two genetic epilepsy syndromes, autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) and juvenile myoclonic …
Gender and Marital Status Clarify Associations between Food Insecurity and Body Weight

Prior research shows that food insecurity is associated with being overweight in women, with few and ambiguous results in men. Little is known about the characteristics and roles of individuals who are most likely to be both food insecure and overweight or obese. This study analyzed associations between food insecurity and body weight, and whether gender and marital status are involved in that relationship. Using multiple regression models, we examined food insecurity, marriage, and body weight among 4338 men and 4172 women aged $ 20 y in the 1999–2002 NHANES. Married men were more likely to be overweight than men in all other marital-status categories except for those living with partners. Divorced men were more likely than never-married men to live in a household with very low food security. Compared with fully foodsecure men, marginally food-secure men were heavier, whereas men with low food security were lighter. Compared with fully food-secure women, marginally food-secure women also showed a tendency to be overweight (P ¼ 0.05), whereas women with low food security were more likely to be obese. When considering the interaction between food insecurity and marital status, food insecurity was related to a greater likelihood of obesity among married women, those living with partners, and widows, when compared with never-married women. Sensitivity analyses suggest this effect was concentrated among marginally food-secure women. These findings indicate that food insecurity relates differently to body weight for men and women, and that partnering plays a strong part in this relationship for women. J. Nutr. 137: 1460–1465, 2007.
Cognitive and behavioral features of c9FTD/ALS

Numerous kindreds with familial frontotemporal dementia or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or both have been linked to chromosome 9 (c9FTD/ALS), and an expansion of the GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat in the non-coding region of chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72) was identified in the summer of 2011 as the pathogenic mechanism. An avalanche of papers on this disorder is in progress, and a relatively distinctive phenotype is taking form. In this review, we present an illustrative case and summarize the demographic, inheritance, clinical, and behavioral aspects and presumed pathologic underpinnings of c9FTD/ALS on the basis of the available data on more than 250 patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration syndromes, parkinsonism, or ALS or a combination of these disorders.
The multifaceted roles of RNA binding in APOBEC cytidine deaminase functions

Cytidine deaminases have important roles in the regulation of nucleoside/deoxynucleoside pools for DNA and RNA synthesis. The APOBEC family of cytidine deaminases (named after the first member of the family that was described, Apolipoprotein B mRNA Editing Catalytic Subunit 1, also known as APOBEC1 or A1) is a fascinating group of mutagenic proteins that use RNA and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as substrates for their cytidine or deoxycytidine deaminase activities. APOBEC proteins and base-modification nucleic acid editing have been the subject of numerous publications, reviews, and speculation. These proteins play diverse roles in host cell defense, protecting cells from invading genetic material, enabling the acquired immune response to antigens and changing protein expression at the level of the genetic code in mRNA or DNA. The amazing power these proteins have for interphase cell functions relies on structural and biochemical properties that are beginning to be understood. At the same time, the substrate selectivity of each member in the family and their regulation remains to be elucidated. This review of the APOBEC family will focus on an open question in regulation, namely what role the interactions of these proteins with RNA have in editing substrate recognition or allosteric regulation of DNA mutagenic and host-defense activities.
arfI and arfII, Two Genes Encoding α-l-Arabinofuranosidases in Cytophaga xylanolytica

arfI encoded the 57.7-kDa subunit of Cytophaga xylanolytica arabinofuranosidase I (ArfI). arfII encoded a 59.2-kDa subunit of ArfII. Products of both cloned genes liberated arabinose from arabinan and arabinoxylan. The deduced amino acid sequences of ArfI and ArfII revealed numerous regions that were identical to each other and to regions of homologous proteins from Bacteroides ovatus, Bacillus subtilis, and Clostridium stercorarium.
AgentCell: a digital single-cell assay for bacterial chemotaxis

Motivation: In recent years, single-cell biology has focused on the relationship between the stochastic nature of molecular interactions and variability of cellular behavior. To describe this relationship, it is necessary to develop new computational approaches at the single-cell level. Results: We have developed AgentCell, a model using agent-based technology to study the relationship between stochastic intracellular processes and behavior of individual cells. As a test-bed for our approach we use bacterial chemotaxis, one of the best characterized biological systems. In this model, each bacterium is an agent equipped with its own chemotaxis network, motors and flagella. Swimming cells are free to move in a 3D environment. Digital chemotaxis assays reproduce experimental data obtained from both single cells and bacterial populations. Availability: AgentCell is available on request from the authors. Contact: emonet@uchicago.edu Supplementary information: Available at http://bioinformatics.oupjournals.org/cgi/data/bti391/DC1/1
Mixture models and the segmentation of multimodal textures

A problem with using mixture-of-Gaussian models for unsupervised texture segmentation is that a "multimodal" texture (such as can often be encountered in natural images) cannot be well represented by a single Gaussian cluster. We propose a divide-and-conquer method that groups together Gaussian clusters (estimated via Expectation Maximization) into homogeneous texture classes. This method allows to successfully segment even rather complex textures, as demonstrated by experimental tests on natural images.
Navigating the online missiology classroom: Class design and resources for teaching missiology online

There is a growing need for missiologists to consider the unique ways in which the discipline affects the online teaching of missions. This area of education is rapidly growing and presents challenges that need to be addressed. Especially important is the need to consider the local context of students and the types of assignments developed to encourage learning in the field. An awareness of available resources and an understanding of the changing models of learning is also a vital foundation to developing productive and effective high-quality online educational experiences.
Postoperative Testing to Predict Recurrent Cushing Disease in Children

Context: Postoperative testing after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for Cushing disease (CD) in children and its usefulness in predicting residual disease or recurrence are not well studied. Objective: The objective of the study was to identify which one of three tests that are routinely performed in our institution after TSS performs better in the identification of noncured patients or predict relapse for CD. Design: This was a retrospective review of clinical data of 72 children who received surgery for CD (age range 5.8–18.3 yr). Setting: The study was conducted at a tertiary care center. Methods: After TSS, plasma ACTH and serum cortisol (at 0800 h), urinary free cortisol (UFC) values and an ovine CRH (oCRH) stimulation test were obtained. Patients were followed up for 24–120 months by a formal protocol. Results: Of 72 children with CD, 66 (94%) achieved sustained remission after TSS. Two children had persistent disease after TSS, whereas four children appeared cured at first but relapsed later. All four had low or undetectable UFCs that were not different from cured patients (P > 0.0.1). Children who remained in remission had significantly lower morning ACTH and cortisol levels after TSS compared with those who relapsed (P < 0.001). During an oCRH stimulation test, ACTH and cortisol values were higher in patients who relapsed vs. those in remission (P <0.001). Lack of histological confirmation of an adenoma, normal serum cortisol or ACTH, a normal response to oCRH, and glucocorticoid replacement for less than 6 months after surgery were associated with relapse. Conclusion: In pediatric patients with CD, low UFCs after TSS are not good predictors of sustained remission; morning ACTH and cortisol values and/or an oCRH test after TSS predicted patients that recurred.
Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque: Noninvasive MR Characterization and Identification of Vulnerable Lesions

Measurement of vessel stenosis by using ultrasonography or angiography remains the principal method for determining the severity of carotid atherosclerosis and the need for endarterectomy. The ipsilateral stroke rate, however—even in patients with severely stenotic vessels—is relatively low, which suggests that the amount of luminal narrowing may not represent the optimal means of assessing clinical risk. As a result, some patients may undergo unnecessary surgery. Improved imaging techniques are, therefore, needed to enable reliable identification of high-risk plaques that lead to cerebrovascular events. High-spatial-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been described as one promising modality for this purpose, because the technique allows direct visualization of diseased vessel wall and can be used to characterize the morphology of individual atherosclerotic carotid plaques. The purpose of this report is to review the current state of carotid plaque MR imaging and the use of carotid MR to evalu...
Encoding the Laplace transform of stimulus history using mechanisms for persistent firing

Persistent firing has been observed in slice preparations from a variety of brain regions believed to be important in memory [1-3]. Information about a transient stimulus can be reflected in persistently elevated firing rate over many minutes. What computation could persistent firing cells support? In particular the lack of forgetting observed in slice preparations seems difficult to reconcile with the finding that memory degrades over time. A scale-invariant model for representing past stimuli has been proposed in [4]. This model utilizes two layers of nodes. The first layer is composed of leaky integrators and computes the Laplace transform of the input function. The first layer projects to the second through a linear operator which approximates the inverse Laplace transform so the activity of the second layer at any point of time gives a fuzzy representation of the input history leading up to the present moment. Comparison with behavioral results suggests that the history should be retained over at least a few thousand seconds. If we assume that each node of the above model corresponds to an individual neuron, the neurons encoding the Laplace transform should respond to a particular stimulus with a firing rate that decays exponentially over time. Critically, in order to encode the Laplace transform we require different rates of decay for different neurons in this layer. Moreover, the longest time constant across neurons determines the longest time scale that can be maintained in representation of the history. Persistent firing cells [5] are basically perfect integrators. We have been exploring the conditions under which persistently firing cells observed in the slice could be adapted to give rise to a set of leaky integrators whose rate constants are under external control. The basic idea is to modulate the channels responsible for persistent firing using divisive dendritic inhibition [6]. Under these circumstances, constructing a set of cells with different rate constants amounts to providing a set of identical cells with different levels of inhibitory input. We explore the potential of this mechanism using biophysical simulations centered on a calcium-dependent cationic current - Ican and hyperpolarization-activated, voltage and calcium-dependent cationic current - Ih. We also describe a simple integrate and fire model that yields an explicit analytical solution describing the conditions under which persistent firing can be modulated to yield exponential decay.
How does this make you feel? A comparison of four affect induction procedures

Affect is a fundamental aspect of the human mind. An increasing number of experiments attempt to examine the influence of affect on other psychological phenomena. To accomplish this research, it is necessary to experimentally modify participants’ affective states. In the present experiment, we compared the efficacy of four commonly used affect induction procedures. Participants (38 healthy undergraduate students: 18 males) were randomly assigned to either a pleasant or an unpleasant affect induction group, and then underwent four different affect induction procedures: (1) recall of an affectively salient event accompanied by affectively congruent music, (2) script-driven guided imagery, (3) viewing images while listening to affectively congruent music, and (4) posing affective facial actions, body postures, and vocal expressions. All four affect induction methods were successful in inducing both pleasant and unpleasant affective states. The viewing image with music and recall with music procedures were most effective in enhancing positive affect, whereas the viewing image with music procedure was most effective in enhancing negative affect. Implications for the scientific study of affect are discussed.
Mutation of the invariant chain transmembrane region inhibits II degradation, prolongs association with MHC class II, and selectively disrupts antigen presentation.

The invariant chain (Ii) is a key player in regulating the MHC Class II antigen presentation pathway. Here we used site-directed mutagenesis to identify functionally important regions of the invariant chain in regulating antigen presentation function in transfected cells. Mutation of Ii residues 42–53 caused a defect in the presentation of the ovalbumin 247–265/Ak epitope, but not in the inhibition of presentation of two hen egg lysozyme epitopes, HEL34–45/Ak and HEL74–88/Ab, from endogenously expressed antigens. The mutation did not prevent ER translocation, trimerization, or association with MHC Class II molecules and had no obvious effect on endosomal targeting of Ii. It did, however, increase the half-life of the invariant chain, suggesting that sequences in this region influence the degradation of the invariant chain and as a consequence its function in antigen presentation.
A transmission line simulator for GaAs integrated circuits

A simulator named “TLSIM is described in this paper. TLSIM simulates GaAs circuits considering the interconnects as transmission lines. The simulator provides a simplistic way of updating signals at circuit nodes. The simulation method is applicable to general graph topologies for interconnects. The behavior of signal flow at transmission line junctions and at the active circuit interfaces is captured by the application of Kirchoff‘s current equations. Coupling among conductors and loss in transmission lines are discussed. Results on run time and accuracy are presented for GaAs direct coupled FET logic (DCFL) circuits.
Effectiveness of a partially wetted catalyst for bimolecular reaction kinetics

Etude theorique dans le cas d'une reaction irreversible entre un gaz et un liquide sur une particule catalytique poreuse. La reaction est d'ordre 1 vis-a-vis du gaz et du liquide
Assault and Injury of Dating Partners by University Students in 19 Countries and its Relation to Corporal Punishment Experienced as a Child

This study tested the hypothesis that the more prevalent the use of corporal punishment by parents in a social setting, the higher is the prevalence of assault and injury of a dating partner. The s...
Creating a Global Competitive Advantage for Sub-Saharan African Companies

The paper discusses African companies' ability to create competitive advantage in the global marketplace. After examining the factors that surround the business environment in Africa, the study suggests a model for creating and/or enhancing the global competitive advantage of African companies. The model makes two sets of propositions. First, significant institutional changes and appropriate government policies are necessary to support African companies. Second, African companies need to develop specific strategies aimed at acquiring competencies and at adopting sound competitive strategies. Since Africa is a diverse continent, the analysis focuses on Sub-Saharan Africa.
Baxter healthcare: evolution from ASAP to ValueLink in the hospital supplies marketplace

The Analytical Systems Automated Purchasing (ASAP) system developed by the American Hospital Supply Corporation (AHSC) in the early 1960s is one of the best-known, most often-cited strategic information systems. However, the knowledge and strategic implications of ASAP are scattered across varying sources. The authors describes ASAP in terms of two general evolutionary phases. The first phase includes the company's attempts to experiment with and assimilate innovative business practices developed by field sales representatives working with hospital customers. The second phase- distinguished by a redefined relationship between Baxter and its customers, as well as a fundamental shift in technology away from dedicated, customer-supplier, electronic order entry and towards a multivendor electronic infrastructure-is now emerging. >
Effect of Periodic Driving on the Escape in Periodic Potentials

We consider activation processes in multistable systems exposed to external fluctuations and periodic modulation. The concept of defining escape rates out of a basin of attraction as the ratio of total flux over the basin boundary and the population inside the basin of attraction is generalized for periodically driven systems. Thereby, the escape rate is connected with the Floquet-spectrum of the time inhomogeneous Fokker-Planck operator. Our formalism is demonstrated for the particular case of a multistable washboard potential. Numerical results are compared with theoretical results in the limits of small and large driving frequencies, respectively.
Combining Inferences from Models of Capture Efficiency, Detectability, and Suitable Habitat to Classify Landscapes for Conservation of Threatened Bull Trout

Effective conservation efforts for at-risk species require knowledge of the locations of existing popu- lations. Species presence can be estimated directly by conducting field-sampling surveys or alternatively by developing predictive models. Direct surveys can be expensive and inefficient, particularly for rare and diffi- cult-to-sample species, and models of species presence may produce biased predictions. We present a Bayesian approach that combines sampling and model-based inferences for estimating species presence. The accuracy and cost-effectiveness of this approach were compared to those of sampling surveys and predictive models for estimating the presence of the threatened bull trout ( Salvelinus confluentus ) via simulation with existing models and empirical sampling data. Simulations indicated that a sampling-only approach would be the most effective and would result in the lowest presence and absence misclassification error rates for three thresholds of detection probability. When sampling effort was considered, however, the combined approach resulted in the lowest error rates per unit of sampling effort. Hence, lower probability-of-detection thresholds can be specified with the combined approach, resulting in lower misclassification error rates and improved cost-effectiveness.
Unintended Effects of Preannouncements on Investor Reactions to Earnings News

This study uses an experiment to examine three alternative theoretical explanations for the unintended effects of preannouncements on investor reactions to earnings news. The theoretical explanations are cue consistency, recency effects, and diminishing marginal reactions. The experiment varies the amount of a management preannouncement at five different levels while holding constant consensus analyst expectations prior to the preannouncement and the subsequent earnings announcement. Participants provide preliminary forecasts of current- and next-period earnings per share (EPS) prior to the preannouncement, after the preannouncement, and after the earnings announcement. The pattern of participants' final next-year EPS forecasts and the results of follow-up analyses appear most consistent with the predictions of diminishing marginal reactions and, to a somewhat lesser extent, cue consistency, suggesting that both mechanisms play a role in determining the effects of preannouncements. There is little evidence supporting recency effects. Finally, supplemental evidence indicates that participants are unaware that preannouncements influence their reactions to earnings news, suggesting that the effects are unintended. This study has implications for managers who make preannouncement disclosure decisions and for academics who wish to understand and interpret prior research on earnings preannouncements.
Quantification of happy emotion: dependence on decisions

In the previously proposed theoretical model of emotion, emotion serves as an internal feedback to assess the disparity between the internal prediction and the actual outcomes in the external world, so that congruency between the desirable wants and needs can be met by resolving the emotions. The Emotional-Gain Model predicts that the happy emotional intensity is proportional to the magnitude of the desirable gain signals, while unhappy emotional intensity is proportional to the magnitude loss signals. Using the classical Ultimatum Game (UG) experimental paradigm to elicit self-generated emotions in response to a monetary offer, we want to determine whether the emotional responses are altered in relation to the decision to accept or reject the offer. If so, then does it change the emotional baseline level or the emotional sensitivity? The results showed that the proportionality relationship between emotional intensity and offer-ratios remains the same with respect to the acceptance or rejection decision. The only difference between the decisions is that the baseline level of happiness is shifted by 40% higher for the decisions to accept the offer, compared to the decisions that rejected the offer. The emotional baseline level is changed without changing the emotional sensitivity. This is quantified by the shift in the y-intercept of the emotional stimulus-response function. The happy emotional intensity is shifted upward (toward positive emotion) for those trials that accepted the offer, compared to those who rejected the offer. The slope of the stimulus-response function does not change with respect to the decision, indicating the constancy of the emotional sensitivity. These results validated the hypothesis that happy emotion is inter-related to the decision-making process, such that the decision to accept an offer is related to a shift towards a happier emotion, while the decision to reject an offer is associated with a shift towards an unhappier emotion. This provided the quantitative assessment of how emotion is biased in relation to the decision. The decision to accept an offer is related to a shift to the emotional baseline level rather than a change in the emotional sensitivity — without altering the proportionality relationship between happiness intensity and monetary offer-ratios in UG.
Spatial Analysis of Alphitobius diaperinus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in Broiler Production Facilities

The lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer), is an important economic pest in poultry production systems. Spatial analysis of the beetle population and environmental parameters can aid the integrated management of this pest species. A mealworm population was monitored weekly using tube traps in a broiler facility for five consecutive flock grow-outs ranging from 5 to 8 wk each. Litter temperature, pH, and relative humidity were measured concurrently at six of the same locations as tube trap placement. A geographic information system was used to display weekly spatial relationships of adult and larval beetles during each flock grow-out. Spatial maps of beetle populations showed that low numbers of the beetles were found in the half of the facility used to initiate each flock grow-out during weeks 1–3. Beetle numbers increased continuously in all areas of the facility in latter weeks of each grow-out. Using ranges of environmental conditions considered favorable to the beetles, we developed a model to predict locations of high beetle densities. A comparison of the predictive model to actual counts of adult and larval beetles showed percentages of agreement ranging from 20.0 to 86.7%. The accuracy of the predictive model had limits imposed by house environmental conditions and by beetle movement restrictions. Spatial maps of beetle occurrence based on trap counts display areas in the facility where control efforts would have the greatest impact on beetle numbers, whereas modeling is a less costly alternative than conventional sampling methods for finding areas of high beetle occurrence.
Efficacy of rivastigmine tartrate, transdermal system, in Alzheimer's disease.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: As the most common major neurocognitive disorder, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) will play an increasingly important role both socially and financially as the population ages. Approved treatments for AD are symptomatic in nature and show modest improvements in cognition and global functioning among patients with AD.Areas Covered: This article focuses on the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and safety of the transdermal patch form of the cholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine. The rivastigmine transdermal system is approved for the treatment of patients with mild, moderate, and severe AD. Three randomized trials have shown the rivastigmine patch to be efficacious and tolerable across all stages of AD.Expert Opinion: The rivastigmine patch offers several advantages over the capsule form, including decreased peak to trough plasma fluctuations, reduced rates of nausea and vomiting, better treatment adherence, higher probability of reaching the target dose, ease of administration, a...
IMRJ13-182 Playful dialogues of a bilingual child in every day conversations

Many young Mexican American bilinguals enter US schools with strong linguistic and early biliterate abilities due to their sociolinguistic environment. Young children’s bilingualism may go unnoticed within schooling contexts that value English over other languages. We used a case study approach to describe how adult-mediated exchanges and playful dialogues guided Lucia, a five-year old bilingual child, to critically use the range of her bilingualism in every day conversations. The language samples describe elements of the child’s cognitive, linguistic, and communicative competencies, how adult-mediated interactions guided Lucia to critically think about language, and inform about the child’s notions about literacy. The adult-mediated dialogues explicitly challenged Lucia to engage her metacognitive and metalinguistic awareness as she assessed communicative goals, solved conceptual conflicts, and appropriated text to create novel utterances. We draw instructional implications about how to sustain the academic learning of young bilinguals by drawing on their existing language and literacy competencies.
Coagulating Power of Bothrops Atrox Venom on Hemophiliac Blood

Barnet and Macfarlane1 have recently reported on the use of snake venom for local hemostasis. Their best results were obtained with venom of the Russel viper. We have been working along similar lines with the venom of the Bothrops atrox (Fer-de-Lance). This reptile is a native of Central and South America and is fairly easy to obtain and keep in captivity. Thus, unlike the Russel viper venom, a plentiful and relatively cheap supply of this venom is readily available.Two different samples of the dried venom were obtained through the courtesy of Dr. R. P. Connor, of the United Fruit Co. The samples represented pooled venoms from “milkings” carried out at the Serpentarium, in Tela, Honduras, several years ago. In the experiments, the venom was diluted with physiologic saline.The minimum lethal dose for pigeons (intravenous route) weighing 250-350 gm. varied from 0.2-0.25 mg.; the minimum lethal dose in rabbits (intravenous route) of approximately 2 kilos, was 0.015-0.02 mg. These figures were determined on a...
Further role of antibiotics in aminopterin-induced folic acid deficiency in rats.

SummaryStreptomycin, terramycin, penicillin and Chloromycetin, unlike aureomycin, were ineffective in overcoming the deficiency induced by the feeding of aminopterin to rats. Citrovorum factor is able to counteract amino-pterin at low levels, indicating that the amino-pterin may be a citrovorum factor antagonist as well as a folic acid antagonist. The addition of aureomycin to a diet containing citrovorum factor provides better growth than could be obtained on either supplement alone.
Calculation of Free Energy Landscape in Multi-Dimensions with Hamiltonian-Exchange Umbrella Sampling on Petascale Supercomputer

An extremely scalable computational strategy is described for calculations of the potential of mean force (PMF) in multidimensions on massively distributed supercomputers. The approach involves coupling thousands of umbrella sampling (US) simulation windows distributed to cover the space of order parameters with a Hamiltonian molecular dynamics replica-exchange (H-REMD) algorithm to enhance the sampling of each simulation. In the present application, US/H-REMD is carried out in a two-dimensional (2D) space and exchanges are attempted alternatively along the two axes corresponding to the two order parameters. The US/H-REMD strategy is implemented on the basis of parallel/parallel multiple copy protocol at the MPI level, and therefore can fully exploit computing power of large-scale supercomputers. Here the novel technique is illustrated using the leadership supercomputer IBM Blue Gene/P with an application to a typical biomolecular calculation of general interest, namely the binding of calcium ions to the small protein Calbindin D9k. The free energy landscape associated with two order parameters, the distance between the ion and its binding pocket and the root-mean-square deviation (rmsd) of the binding pocket relative the crystal structure, was calculated using the US/H-REMD method. The results are then used to estimate the absolute binding free energy of calcium ion to Calbindin D9k. The tests demonstrate that the 2D US/H-REMD scheme greatly accelerates the configurational sampling of the binding pocket, thereby improving the convergence of the potential of mean force calculation.
A C-terminal peptide of bovine rhodopsin binds to the transducin α-subunit and facilitates its activation

In order to investigate the possible roles of the intracellular domains of rhodopsin in the functional coupling of the photoreceptor to transducin, different peptides that correspond to parts of the known sequence of rhodopsin were synthesized. Since we have found tht the binding of rhodopsin to the alpha subunit of transducin (alpha T) increases the susceptibility of alpha T to phosphorylation by protein kinase C-beta 1, we used this phosphorylation reaction as an initial screen for peptides that mimic the actions of rhodopsin. The results of this screen indicated that a peptide from the C-terminal tail of rhodopsin (amino acids 325-338; KNPLGDDEASTTVS-amide; designated as peptide 3) was capable of interacting with the alpha T subunit. Evidence that peptide 3 binds to alpha T at a site that overlaps the rhodopsin-binding domain was obtained from experiments showing that peptide 3 inhibited the rhodopsin-stimulated GTPase activity of alpha T and that this inhibition was overcome at high levels of rhodopsin. A potentially important outcome of the peptide 3/alpha T interaction is the facilitation of the activation of the alpha T subunit. This was first demonstrated in fluorescence experiments where the binding of peptide 3 was shown to strongly promote the enhancement of the tryptophane emission of alpha T that is elicited by the addition of NaF. Specifically, the EC50 for NaF was shifted from approximately 4 mM in the absence of peptide 3 to below 0.5 mM in the presence of peptide 3. Further verification that peptide 3 facilitated the ability of NaF to activate the alpha T subunit was obtained from experiments measuring the alpha T GDP/NaF-stimulated hydrolysis of cyclic GMP by the cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase.
A systematic review of troponin T and I for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE Elevations of serum troponin T and I values are being used to diagnose acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to rule out the condition in patients before their discharge from the emergency department (ED). However, the sensitivity and specificity of these tests vary considerably. Our goal was to systematically review the data on the accuracy of troponin T and I for the diagnosis of AMI in the ED. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the MEDLINE database using the following strategy: troponin (text word) and diagnosis (medical subject heading [MeSH]) or troponin/diagnostic use (MeSH). The references of articles meeting our inclusion criteria were searched for additional articles. SELECTION CRITERIA We evaluated each study for quality. Only prospective blinded cohort studies with an adequate reference standard were included in the analysis. DATA COLLECTION/ANALYSIS Data from each study were abstracted by 2 investigators. We graphed sensitivity and specificity for different points in time from arrival in the ED or from the onset of pain and calculated summary estimates when appropriate and possible. MAIN RESULTS Sensitivity increases for both troponin T and I from 10% to 45% within 1 hour of the onset of pain (depending on the cutoff) to more than 90% at 8 or more hours. Specificity declines gradually from 87% to 80% from 1 to 12 hours after the onset of chest pain for troponin T and is approximately 95% for troponin I. The peak abnormal value in the first 24 hours after admission to the ED has an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.99 and is very useful at ruling out AMI if negative. CONCLUSIONS Although troponin T and I values are useful tools for the diagnosis of AMI, they must be interpreted according to the number of hours from the onset of chest pain. The test is particularly useful at ruling out MI when the value is negative at 8 or more hours after the onset of chest pain.