cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binding structures and energies of the human neonatal Fc receptor with human Fc and its mutants by molecular modeling and dynamics simulations.

Homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to model the detailed structures of the human neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) binding with the wild-type Fc of human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and its various mutants. Based on the modeled human FcRn–Fc binding structures, it has been proposed that the protein–protein binding interface is composed of three subsites. The first subsite is a hydrophobic core where residue I39 of human Fc can be accommodated very well, and the other two subsites are all composed of critical salt bridges between human FcRn and human Fc. All of the modeled structures and the calculated binding energies are qualitatively consistent with the available experimental data, suggesting that the modeled human FcRn–Fc binding structures are reasonable. The modeled human FcRn–Fc binding structure may be valuable for future rational design of novel mutants of human Fc and Fc-fused therapeutic proteins with a potentially higher binding affinity for human FcRn and, thus, a longer in vivo half-life in humans.
Street signs: Semiotics, Romeo and Juliet, and young adult literature

(1998). Street signs: Semiotics, Romeo and Juliet, and young adult literature. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 37, Literary Theory in the High School English Classroom, pp. 211-219.
Spatial irregularities of sensitivity along the organ of Corti of the cochlea.

Fine structures of spatial profiles were computed from existing records of cat and chinchilla auditory-nerve fibers on the basis of their characteristic frequencies and cochlear maps. The spatial fine structures of characteristic-frequency thresholds and of “spontaneous” and driven firing rates were mutually correlated, implying the presence of sensitivity fluctuations due to spatial irregularities of presynaptic structures or processes of the inner hair cells and their input. These findings suggest that activity that appears spontaneous is not actually spontaneous and may indicate irregularities of tonotopic mapping in cochlear mechanics.
Translation of virus mRNA: synthesis of bacteriophage PP7 proteins in cell-free extracts from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Abstract The translation of Pseudomonas phage PP7 RNA has been investigated, using cell-free extracts from Pseudomonas aeruginosa , strain 1. S-30 extracts translated PP7 phage RNA quite efficiently, but the isolated ribosomes incubated with an Escherchia coli S-100 supernatant preparation, were even more active. Three distinct products are made which correspond to in vivo labeled PP7 phage polypeptides judged by polyacrylamide-SDS gels. It is suggested that the PP7 genome has at least three cistrons. The major product of in vitro synthesis, synthesized in great excess of the other products, coelectrophoreses with authentic coat protein prepared from labeled phage. Tryptic peptide analysis of this product yielded leucine labeled tryptic peptides very similar to those of PP7 coat protein. It is concluded that this in vitro polypeptide is the product of the coat protein cistron. This product was also efficiently synthesized when PP7 RNA was translated by E. coli ribosomes, but the other PP7 genome products are not made, except occasionally in very small amounts. This result, and the fact that Pseudomonas ribosomes translate PP7 RNA more efficiently than R17 and Qβ RNA, indicates differential cistron recognition between Pseudomonas and E. coli ribosomes or their initiation factors.
Fever and survival.

The significance of fever in response to a bacterial infection has been investigated using the lizard Dipsosaurus dorsalis as an animal model. These lizards develop a fever of about 2 degrees C after injection with the bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila. To determine whether this elevation in body temperature increases the resistance of the host to this infection, as measured by survival, lizards were infected with the live bacteria and placed in a neutral (38 degrees C), low (34 degrees or 36 degrees C), or high (40 degrees or 42 degrees C) ambient temperature. An elevation in temperature following experimental bacterial infection results in a significant increase in host survival.
Significance of correlation in ultrasound signal processing

The correlation between ultrasonic speckle patterns acquired with different system configurations determines the effectiveness of spatial and frequency compounding, phase aberration correction, elastography, and other applications. For some algorithms, such as compounding, decorrelation has a direct effect on performance. In others decorrelation indirectly degrades performance by reducing the accuracy of signal processing methods such as time delay estimation (TDE). This paper reviews the causes of echo decorrelation for a variety of applications. The mechanisms of decorrelation are described using k-space and simulation. We show examples of signals at different correlation levels to build intuition. The direct impact of decorrelation is described for several of the aforementioned applications. We quantify the indirect effect of decorrelation by examining TDE performance. This analysis shows that reducing correlation from 1.0 to 0.99 increases TDE errors by a factor of 3 under reasonable conditions. This paper also describes a new method of computing speckle pattern correlation directly from system point spread functions, assuming either shift- invariant or shift-variant systems. This paper concludes that echo decorrelation has a major impact on the performance of ultrasound signal processing, and that this decorrelation can be computed using simulation, k-space, or the system point spread function.
Model fitting for continuous-time stationary processes from discrete-time data

Abstract Let X = { X ( t ), −∞ t X (λ; θ), where θ is a vector of unknown parameters. Let { τ k } be a stationary point process on the real line which is independent of X . The identifiability and the estimation of θ from the discrete-time observation { X ( τ k ), τ k } are considered. The consistency of appropriate estimates θ T as the time T a ∞ is extablished and a central limit theorem for θ T is given.
Structure of CH3(CH2)17SH Self-Assembled on the Ag(111) Surface: An Incommensurate Monolayer

We describe the first experimental study of the molecular structure of the self-assembled monolayer of CH 3 (CH 2 ) 17 SH formed on the Ag(111) surface. Using both low-energy He diffraction and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, we show that the monolayer formed on Ag is both incommensurate and rotated with respect to the Ag lattice, with a lattice spacing which is very similar to n-alkane chains in bulk hydrocarbon crystals.
Surveillance in the management of the cancer patient with special reference to breast and colon cancer

Senior surgeons of the Society of Surgical Oncology were surveyed concerning their followup practices for patients with colon and breast cancer and compared them with the recommendations in the current literature. Intensive followup is not indicted for patients with breast cancer patients and all surgeons agree by using physical examination and mammograms predominantly. Colon cancer followup was variable and the literature indicates a small survival advantage for intensive followup.
NOTE ON RELIABILITY OF PEER RATINGS OF CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE

Peer ratings have been judged to be reliable and valid measures of individual performance in various situations and generally less subject to observer-deficiency bias in comparison to ratings by superiors. General findings indicate that peers have more opportunity to observe performance and that because of performing similar or identical functions in the same siruation they are more sensitive to variation in performance. The remaining question then concerns the minimum duration of observation required to produce maximum reliability. Prien and Lee (1965) investigated the change in internal consistency of peer ratings in a classroom situation. Peer ratings were obtained following 10, 20, and 30 90-min. class meetings. The course format included combined lecture-discussion and discussion only sessions. The internal consistency of peer ratings was low but relatively constant for the three durations. Thus, the hypothesis relating internal consistency to exposure time was not supported, or more probably, the design of the study was faulty and did not provide an adequate test of the hypothesis. Therefore, a quasi-replication of the study was conducted to invest~gste the change of internal consistency of peer ratings associated with varying durations ot ~nrerpetsonal exposure time. Mechod.4~ were the 29 smdenrs, 11 females and 18 males, in a junior level industrial psychology course. The class met for 90 min. daily for 6 wk., with lecture plus disNS~O~ and discussion only on alternating days. The class was randomly divided into five discussion groups of 6, 6, 6, 6, and 5 members. The peer-rating instrument was the same one used in the previous study by Prien and Lee (1965). The rating instrument consists of four graphic scales. Each dimension is defined globally and behavioral definitions are provided for the scale anchor points and for the midpoint. The scale defiaitions were: Scale 1. Coordinarion and 0rgunizdion.The individual assembles information and relates the material to the problem being discussed. The effect he has on guiding the group toward decisions and the identification of points md situations which are irrelevant to group goals. Scale 2. Idem, Information, and Resourcer.-The individual draws from information and resources to give reliable ideas; his ideas are pertinent to the specific subject or project; he presents an interpretation of the topic and/or information. Scale 3. Effort.-The rate or degree to which this person utilizes source material and is a hard worker for the betterment of the group. Scale 4. Inte+personal Relatio7zr.-The influence of the individual's relationship on the personal reaction of others in the group. Results.-Intraclass correlation was used as the measure of judgmental consistency for each scale of each time period. The obtained coefficients appear in Table 1. Coefficients
Germline genomic variants associated with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Mary Relling and colleagues report results of a genome-wide association study of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and its subtypes, identifying a specific association between common variants in ARID5B and B-hyperdiploid ALL. Using the Affymetrix 500K Mapping array and publicly available genotypes, we identified 18 SNPs whose allele frequency differed significantly(P < 1 × 10−5) between pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases (n = 317) and non-ALL controls (n = 17,958). Two SNPs in ARID5B not only differed between ALL and non-ALL groups (rs10821936, P = 1.4 × 10−15, odds ratio (OR) = 1.91; rs10994982, P = 5.7 × 10−9, OR = 1.62) but also distinguished B-hyperdiploid ALL from other subtypes (rs10821936, P = 1.62 × 10−5, OR = 2.17; rs10994982, P = 0.003, OR 1.72). These ARID5B SNPs also distinguished B-hyperdiploid ALL from other subtypes in an independent validation cohort (n = 124 children with ALL; P = 0.003 and P = 0.0008, OR 2.45 and 2.86, respectively) and were associated with methotrexate accumulation and gene expression pattern in leukemic lymphoblasts. We conclude that germline variants affect susceptibility to, and characteristics of, specific ALL subtypes.
Empirical Equations for Planing Hull Bottom Pressures

Recently there has been increasing interest in the fluid–structure interaction problem of planing hull bottom structure during slamming events. Significant work has been done in estimating the bottom pressures that occur during a slam and incorporating this into structural models of planing craft. In this article, empirical equations for the pressure distribution on prismatic planing hulls are developed, including both hydrostatic and hydrodynamic effects, deadrise variation, trim, and wetted length. The empirical method is based on relevant experimental measurements of planing hull bottom pressures that have been made over an 80-year period. This analysis may readily be extended to the impact problem by substitution of an equivalent planing velocity, which is discussed in the article. The end result is a closed form solution for bottom pressures on prismatic planing craft that can be rapidly calculated using a simple spreadsheet. The method is applicable for deadrise angles from 0 � to 40 � ,t rim angles up to 30 � , and wetted lengths up to five beams. This wide range of parameters is significantly larger than most current models. The empirical method is modular, allowing for substitution of more accurate formulae as more data become available in the future.
Sociobiology and Levels of Explanation

this seems harsh, White himself had accused other anthropologists of starting cults (White 1966). I have attempted here to answer Dillingham's objections point by point. What concerns me most is that the personal issue raised by Dillingham in the latter part of her comment could becloud the extremely important matter (as I see it) of anthropology's responsibility toward the surviving tribal cultures of the world. Apart from unhappiness at having to speak so severely, I regret only that my response has been delayed for so long.
Density fluctuations and radiated noise for a high-temperature supersonic jet

Experimental data on density fluctuations were obtained by the laser Schlieren method in a supersonic jet which at the nozzle exit had a Mach number of 1.43 and a stagnation temperature of about 1090 K. The jet emerged into the ambient atmosphere in an anechoic chamber, correctly expanded from a nozzle which had an exit diameter of 10.8 cm. Using the information on the density fluctuations and the mean shear obtained by probes, the autocorrelation of the radiated noise was calculated by a theory that is suitable for Mach wave emission. This theory is a modification of that developed by Ffowcs Williams and Maidanik (1965). The calculated noise field agrees well with that obtained by using microphones outside the jet.
Two-pan and operant lever-press tests of dogs' preference for various foods

The traditional two-pan choice test and an operant lever-press choice test were used to assess dogs' preferences between various foods. In the first two experiments the foods differed in flavor as manipulated by the amount of fat-coating added to a dry-food base. In the third experiment, the foods were commercially-available dry and semi-moist dog foods. The experiments illustrate that preference data obtained with these two test methodologies do not always point to the same conclusion, and that complexities are involved in predicting the outcome of a preference test from performance on previous tests.
HYDRODYNAMIC SHOCK WAVE PROPAGATION AFTER ELECTRICAL BREAKDOWN.

Abstract Laser schlieren measurements in liquid dielectrics have been used to examine the radial expansion of both the acoustic shock wave and the conductive breakdown channel during the first few microseconds after electrical breakdown under high voltage impulse conditions. It was found that the acoustic shock wave expands at a constant velocity while the expanding radius of the breakdown channel is proportional to the fourth root of the energy and the square root of time. These dependencies are predicted by modeling the breakdown channel as an expanding adiabatic ideal gas with an instantaneous input of energy. The Rankine-Hugoniot boundary conditions in the strong shock limit are used to relate discontinuities in velocity, pressure, and mass density across the cylindrical shock front using the same analysis which was used previously to describe exploding wires in air. When the expansion velocity of the gas column decreases below the acoustic wave velocity in the liquids, an acoustic wave propagates ahead of the electrohydrodynamic shock.
Cranial capacity and performance on delay‐response task correlated with principal sulcus length in monkeys

During the process of evolution, a selective advantage may have been gained by organisms that had the ability to utilize mentally stored information of a stimulus rather than the stimulus itself. The ability to temporarily store and mentally operate on stimulus information is often termed “working memory.” Within the neocortex of primates, the functional anatomic subdivision surrounding the principal (rectus) sulcus plays an important role in modulating the performance of delay-response tasks in monkeys (representing working memory). However, it appears that no study has investigated the direct relationship between the length of the principal sulcus and performance on a delay-response task. Therefore, this paper investigates the relationships between principal sulcus length and performance on delay-response tasks. However, to control for the effect of overall brain size on this relationship, cranial capacity is analyzed with both principal sulcus length and delay-response performance. Results support a consistent and significant correlation between principal sulcus length and performance on delayed-response tasks in a variety of Old World and New World monkeys. Principal sulcus length is also significantly correlated with cranial capacity; however, cranial capacity is not significantly correlated with performance on delayed-response tasks. The results of this investigation provide a method for analyzing cranial capacity and working-memory abilities in select primates based on principal sulcus length, and may prove useful for interpreting endocasts in the primate fossil record. Am J Phys Anthropol 109:33–40. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hemolytic streptococci of the appendix vermiformis

The significance of hemolytic streptococci in the etiology of appendicitis is not well known. Osier 1 says that the Streptococcus pyogenes is present in a large number of cases. Rose and Carless 2 appear to agree with Osier in this respect. Rosenow and Dunlap3 reported an epidemic of streptococcus appendicititis at Camp Culver, and according to their report the cause was a hemolytic streptococcus. Takaki4 and Ungerman 5 reported the isolation of Streptococcus pyogenes from the vermiform appendix. Others have reported the occurrence of appendicitis due to streptococci, but it is not clear whether the organisms were hemolytic or nonhemolytic. In view of the foregoing facts, I undertook an investigation of this lesion with the object of determining the frequency with which hemolytic streptococci are found in the normal appendix and in acute and chronic appendicitis and, if possible, the role they play as a primary etiologic factor in appendicitis.
Uptake and retention of dietary cadmium in mallard ducks

Adult mallard ducks fed 0, 2, 20, or 200 ppm of cadmium chloride in the diet were sacrificed at 30-day intervals and tissues were analyzed for cadmium. No birds died during the study and body weights did not change. The liver and kidney accumulated the highest levels of cadmium. Tissue residues were significantly correlated in all treatment groups and residues increased with treatment level. Hematocrits and hemoglobin concentrations were normal in all groups throughout the study. Little cadmium accumulated in eggs of laying hens, but egg production was suppressed in the group fed 200 ppm.
Identification of L-altrose in the extracellular polysaccharide from Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens strain CF3

Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens strain CF3, a stricyly anaerobic bacterial isolate from the ovine cecum, produces extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) when grown on a defined medium containing glucose as the carbon source. EPS were purified from culture supernatants and their monosaccharide composition was determined by two different procedures. Analysis of EPS hydrolysates by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) yielded spots coincident with standard glucose, altrose, and 1,6-anhydroaltrose. These results were corroborated by both gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) and GLC-mass spectroscopy (GLC-MS) of alditol acetates prepared from EPS hydrolysates. Purification of the altrose from EPS hydrolysates was accomplished by preparative paper and column chromatography. Polarimetry demonstrated the isolated altrose to have the L-configuration. The occurrence of this hexose in nature has not yet been reported.
The Heart in Dystrophia Myotonica

Abstract 1. 1. Five patients with dystrophia myotonica and abnormal electrocardiograms are presented. 2. 2. The literature dealing with the heart in this disorder is reviewed. Abnormal tracings were found in 68.3 per cent of the eighty-five patients studied electrocardiographically. Other alterations of less frequency consisted of bradycardia, hypotension, cardiac enlargement, splitting of the first heart sound at the apex, muffling of the heart sounds, and apical systolic murmurs. 3. 3. The lack of detailed anatomical studies of the heart is stressed. 4. 4. The possibility that the heart is affected by the underlying, but yet unknown, disorder of dystrophia myotonica is offered.
Determination of the Glycosylation Site of Flavonoid Monoglucosides by Metal Complexation and Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Metal complexation and tandem mass spectrometry were used to differentiate C- and O-bonded flavonoid monoglucoside isomers. Electrospray ionization of solutions containing a flavonoid glycoside and a metal salt led to the generation of the key [M(II) (L) (L-H)]+ complexes, where M is the metal ion and L is the flavonoid glycoside. Thirteen flavonoid monoglucosides were examined in combination with Ca(II), Mg(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II). Collisional activated dissociation (CAD) of the [M(II) (L) (L-H)]+ complexes resulted in diagnostic mass spectra, in contrast to the CAD mass spectra of the protonated, deprotonated, and sodium-cationized flavonoid glucosides. Five common sites of glycosylation could be predicted based on the fragmentation patterns of the flavonoid glucoside/magnesium complexes, while flavonoid glucoside/calcium complexes also were effective for location of the glycosylation site when MS3 was employed. Cobalt, nickel and copper complexation had only limited success in this application. The metal complexation methods were also applied for characterization of a flavonoid rhamnoside, and the dissociation pathways of the metal complexes indicate that flavonoid rhamnosides have distinctive dissociation features from flavonoid glucosides.
Acetabular cartilage delamination in femoroacetabular impingement. Risk factors and magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis.

Background: Delamination of acetabular articular cartilage is a common abnormality in hips with femoroacetabular impingement. The purpose of the present study was to identify clinical and radiographic factors predisposing to delamination and to assess the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance arthrography for the detection of these lesions. Methods: Following a retrospective review of records, we determined that acetabular cartilage delamination had been present in twenty-eight of sixty-four hips that had undergone a surgical dislocation procedure for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the correlation of radiographic findings (i.e., magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography findings) with the status of delamination. The preoperative interpretations of the magnetic resonance arthrograms for twenty-seven hips that underwent surgical dislocation were reviewed to assess the accuracy of detecting delamination. At the time of surgery, nine of these twenty-seven hips were found to have delamination. Magnetic resonance arthrography interpretations that did not correlate with operative findings were subjected to conspicuity assessment and error analysis. Results: The rate of delamination of the acetabular cartilage as noted at the time of surgical dislocation was 44% (twenty-eight of sixty-four). Delamination was strongly associated with male sex and femoral sided signs of impingement; however, it was not associated with acetabular overcoverage (center-edge angle, >40°) (odds ratio = 0.16; p < 0.05). While there was no significant difference in the prevalence of labral lesions between groups, whenever labral and delamination lesions were found in the same hip, they were directly adjacent to one another. Preoperative magnetic resonance arthrography had a low sensitivity for delamination (22%) but had a high specificity (100%). Two-thirds of the delamination lesions were visible on retrospective review of these images when the reader was unblinded to the surgical findings. Delamination could most often be identified on the sagittal T1-weighted image and on the proton-density sequences with fat saturation. Discussion: There should be a high level of suspicion for articular cartilage delamination in men and in patients with primarily cam-type femoroacetabular impingement. Acetabular overcoverage may be protective against delamination. Preoperative high-quality magnetic resonance arthrograms should be carefully analyzed for evidence of delamination in this patient population. Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level III. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Relationship of sleep abnormalities to patient genotypes in Prader‐Willi syndrome

To assess whether sleep abnormalities are related to the genetic abnormalities in Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), we performed polysomnographic studies (nighttime and daytime) and determined the chromosome 15 genotypes in eight patients with PWS. Four patients demonstrated sleep onset REM periods (SOREM), and five met the objective polysomnographic criteria for severe or moderate excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Three of the four patients with SOREM displayed a paternally derived deletion of chromosome 15q11-q13, whereas the fourth exhibited maternal uniparental heterodisomy in this chromosomal region (UPD). Two of the four patients that did not display SOREM carried paternally derived deletions; the remaining two demonstrated UPD. Four of the five patients with EDS displayed paternal deletions, and the fifth exhibited UPD. One of three patients without evidence of EDS demonstrated paternal deletion; the remaining two showed UPD. Although neither EDS nor SOREM was not consistently associated with a specific genetic abnormality, these phenotypes may be more common in patients with paternal deletions than in those with UPD. Sleep abnormalities in PWS cannot be explained by a single genetic model. 32 refs., 1 tab.
‘God’s law indeed is there to protect you from yourself’: The Christian personal testimonial as narrative and moral schemata to the US political apology

Abstract This paper examines the deployment of semiotic devices in several mass-mediated public apologies by US politicians and the reflexive awareness of apology as commodity in national political contexts. Beyond acts of contrition and deliverance from the clutches of sin, apology events are extremely dialogical, salient modes of sociality that reach across, arbitrate, and bond multiple publics. The paper examines how speakers toggle between particular chronotopes—of time, place, and personhood—to both shape and reflect particular presentation and participation frameworks. Of certain interest is how the Protestant testimonial informs the apology, makes way for, even necessitates future transgression as it shifts proximity between the sin of the Lost and the testimony of the Found, reinstating membership in and reinforcing a moral public.
Information security management objectives and practices: a parsimonious framework

Purpose – As part of their continuing efforts to establish effective information security management (ISM) practices, information security researchers and practitioners have proposed and developed many different information security standards and guidelines. Building on these previous efforts, the purpose of this study is to put forth a framework for ISM.Design/methodology/approach – This framework is derived from the development of an a priori set of objectives and practices as suggested by literature, standards, and reports found in academia and practice; the refinement of these objectives and practices based on survey data obtained from 354 certified information security professionals; and the examination of interrelationships between the objectives and practices.Findings – The empirical analysis suggests: four factors (information integrity, confidentiality, accountability, and availability) serve as critical information security objectives; most of the security areas and items covered under ISO 17799...
The Economic Hegemonization of Bt Cotton Discourse in India

Among the various transgenic crops being researched and developed for India, Bt cotton is the only crop commercialized at present. Social actors in various professions and positions have been expressing their expectations of what will or will not happen if agrifood biotechnologies are or are not commercially introduced. In their discourse, these social actors have identified diverse and complex issues extending from questions of equity (how the benefits of commercialization will be distributed between growers in different social and economic strata, and how the environmental or health risks will be distributed and redistributed among different groups in the population) to questions of development (how to improve agricultural productivity so as to meet the growing food demands, and how to maintain national autonomy in agricultural technology). This article explores the discourse concerning Bt cotton in India by examining the interpretations advocated by various social actors. The concept of frame is used t...
The interprofessional clinical experience: interprofessional education in the nursing home

The interprofessional clinical experience (ICE) was designed to introduce trainees to the roles of different healthcare professionals, provide an opportunity to participate in an interprofessional team, and familiarize trainees with caring for older adults in the nursing home setting. Healthcare trainees from seven professions (dentistry, medicine, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, optometry and social work) participated in ICE. This program consisted of individual patient interviews followed by a team meeting to develop a comprehensive care plan. To evaluate the impact of ICE on attitudinal change, the UCLA Geriatric Attitudes Scale and a post-experience assessment were used. The post-experience assessment evaluated the trainees' perception of potential team members' roles and attitudes about interprofessional team care of the older adult. Attitudes toward interprofessional teamwork and the older adult were generally positive. ICE is a novel program that allows trainees across healthcare professions to experience interprofessional teamwork in the nursing home setting.
Regional anesthesia versus general anesthesia: Does it make a difference?

HE DISCUSSION of which is the best anesthetic technique, regional or general anesthesia, is as old as the two techniques themselves. Both techniques have stood the test of time, and each has advantages and disadvantages. The question of which technique is safer cannot be answered definitively, as there are no studies clarifying this problem. Fortunately for the patient and anesthesiologist, both regional (RA) and general (GA) anesthesia are associated with very low risk for bad outcome. Because of a large variety of intravenous and inhalational agents, GA has the advantage of having no absolute contraindications, and remains the method of choice in septic patients; in patients with hemodynamic instability and concomitant potential for airway compromise; in anticoagulated patients; in patients with acute diseases of the spine and its contents; in patients in whom a conversion to GA, either due to failure of RA or because of an unanticipated prolonged duration of the case, would present a problem during a surgical procedure; and in patients who absolutely refuse a regional technique. If GA works in most surgical interventions, why do anesthesiologists practice RA? Why would more anesthesiologists favor a regional technique if they were the patients themselves? 1 Certainly there is no single plausible answer available for these questions. Besides, it is not always possible to provide a scientific explanation for matters we believe to be correct because of ethical and financial constraints or because of rapid progress. 2 The low risk for mortality using either anesthetic technique implies that a pro
Structural and functional heterogeneity in phloem loading and transport.

The phloem is often regarded as a relatively straightforward transport system composed of loading (collection), long-distance (transport), and unloading (release) zones. While this simple view is necessary and useful in many contexts, it belies the reality, which is that the phloem is inherently complex. At least three types of sieve element–companion cell complexes are found in minor veins of leaves. Individual species may have more than one type, indicating that they employ multiple loading strategies, even in the same vein. Gene expression data in particular point to heterogeneity in sieve element–companion cell complexes of minor veins, perhaps in all flowering plants. Phloem heterogeneity in the transport phloem is also evident in many species based on anatomical, biochemical and gene expression data. In this regard, members of the Cucurbitaceae are especially complex and interesting. We conclude that a hidden world of specialized phloem function awaits discovery.
GPU-Euler: Sequence Assembly Using GPGPU

Advances in sequencing technologies have revolutionized the field of genomics by providing cost effective and high throughput solutions. In this paper, we develop a parallel sequence assembler implemented on general purpose graphic processor units (GPUs). Our work was largely motivated by a growing need in the genomic community for sequence assemblers and increasing use of GPUs for general purpose computing applications. We investigated the implementation challenges, and possible solutions for a data parallel approach for sequence assembly. We implemented an Eulerian-based sequence assembler (GPU-Euler) on the nVidia GPUs using the CUDA programming interface. GPU-Euler was benchmarked on three bacterial genomes using input reads representing the new generation of sequencing approaches. Our empirical evaluation showed that GPU-Euler produced lower run times, and comparable performance in terms of contig length statistics to other serial assemblers. We were able to demonstrate the promise of using GPUs for genome assembly, a computationally intensive task.
Intracellular Pasteurella pseudotuberculosis: Multiplication in Cultured Spleen and Kidney Cells.

Abstract Pasteurella pseudotuberculosis multiplied within rabbit cells in primary culture. Spleen cells from rabbits were either dispersed mechanically, exposed to the organism immediately after cell preparation, and grown as a pellet or the cells were dispersed enzymatically and grown as a monolayer for 4 to 6 days before the bacteria were introduced. Intracellular multiplication proceeded at a logarithmic rate for 1 to 2 days, with a generation time of about 70 min in pelleted cells and 4 to 5 hr in monolayered cells. Under the conditions employed, the wild-type virulent strain and an avirulent mutant multiplied at similar rates. Atmosphere, constituents of the medium, and multiplicity of infection influenced intracellular proliferation. The organism also proliferated in kidney cells. Microscopic observation of stained cells indicated limited growth of the pathogen in spleen cells at 37 C. In kidney cells, the pasteurellae localized in compartments; frequently, a single compartment with masses of proliferating organisms almost filled the cytoplasm.
AWESpice: a general tool for the accurate and efficient simulation of interconnect problems

AWESpice is a tool for the efficient and accurate simulation of circuits dominated by interconnect. It accepts a general nonlinear circuit and uses the asymptotic waveform evaluation (AWE) algorithm to efficiently convert its linear interconnect portion into multiport admittance macromodels. The macromodels are then simulated in conjunction with the nonlinear devices using a modified version of the SPICE algorithm. This technique leads to a significant reduction in CPU time while retaining the benefits of a conventional circuit simulator. Some examples that have been run to show the accuracy and efficiency of AWESpice on a variety of interconnect problems are presented. >
Learning query-dependent prefilters for scalable image retrieval

We describe an algorithm for similar-image search which is designed to be efficient for extremely large collections of images. For each query, a small response set is selected by a fast prefilter, after which a more accurate ranker may be applied to each image in the response set. We consider a class of prefilters comprising disjunctions of conjunctions (“ORs of ANDs”) of Boolean features. AND filters can be implemented efficiently using skipped inverted files, a key component of Web-scale text search engines. These structures permit search in time proportional to the response set size. The prefilters are learned from training examples, and refined at query time to produce an approximately bounded response set. We cast prefiltering as an optimization problem: for each test query, select the OR-of-AND filter which maximizes training-set recall for an adjustable bound on response set size. This may be efficiently implemented by selecting from a large pool of candidate conjunctions of Boolean features using a linear program relaxation. Tests on object class recognition show that this relatively simple filter is nevertheless powerful enough to capture some semantic information.
New Drugs and Devices from 2011 - 2012 That Might Change Your Practice

To be honest, I thought this would be a lost cause. Even after skipping a New Drugs and Devices essay in 2012, I figured that I would have to search long and hard to find 10 new things that emergency practitioners needed to know about. Although there were no true blockbuster medications for emergency physicians, I nonetheless found 10 medicines that we probably should know, along with a new device that may change the way we work up patients with palpitations, and a clever new delivery system for subcutaneous epinephrine.
The Future Pediatrician: Promoting Children’s Health and Development

The field of pediatrics in the US began in late-nineteenth century urban slums, where young children were monitored to ensure they received safe milk and mothers were educated about nutrition and hygiene. The subsequent reduction of infectious disease through sanitation and vaccination, and a continuing appreciation of the powerful impact of the social context of children's well being, reinforced this early emphasis on preventive care. The past several decades have seen a shift in the distribution of childhood morbidity, as changing social patterns of family life and access to health care have increased the prevalence of chronic illness and developmental and emotional problems. More recently, practitioners and policymakers have recognized the importance of children's social and physical environments on life-long health and social competence. These changes are casting increasing attention on the preventive care available to young children and their families. Whereas public policies have provided most children with access to health care, questions have been raised about the content and quality of that care. Recommendations to improve the quality of preventive care include such strategies as risk-based individualized care plans; greater use of tested practice management tools, such as flow sheets and e-mail; team care; and standardized data collection, including structured screening. Both the content of preventive care and the training of practitioners to provide that care should be guided by a predetermined set of measurable outcomes for which providers should be held accountable, as well as other outcomes to which they should be expected to contribute.
Structural characterization of naturally occurring pteridines by laser desorption Fourier transform mass spectrometry

Detailed structural information can be obtained without derivatization for a variety of naturally occurring pteridines by using laser desorption Fourier transform mass spectrometry. Laser desorption provides a soft ionization technique for these non-volatile compounds and generates characteristic positive and negative ions. The positive-ion spectra usually consist of [M + Na]+ and [M + K]+ ions, whereas the negative-ion spectra reveal [M – H]− ions and fragment ions. Collison-induced dissociation experiments were used to probe the fragmentation pathways of these negative ions. The fragmentation observed for negative ions supports known resonance structures and provides detailed structural information which can be used to differentiate isomers, such as L-sepiapterin, L-biopterin, and L-primapterin (sometimes referred to as 7-biopterin). However, optical isomers, such as monapterin and neopterin, cannot be resolved by differences in fragmentation alone. Twenty-three compounds that are pterins or related structures were characterized.
Volumetric interpretation of protein adsorption: mass and energy balance for albumin adsorption to particulate adsorbents with incrementally increasing hydrophilicity.

Abstract The solution-depletion method of measuring human serum albumin (HSA) adsorption to surface-modified glass-particle adsorbents with incrementally increasing hydrophilicity is implemented using SDS gel electrophoresis as a separation and quantification tool. It is shown that adsorbent capacity for albumin measured in interfacial–concentration units (mg/mL) decreases monotonically with increasing surface energy (water wettability) to detection limits near an adsorbent-particle water adhesion tension τ 0 = 30 dyne / cm (nominal water contact angle θ = 6 5 ∘ ) and that albumin does not adsorb to (concentrate within the surface region of) more hydrophilic adsorbents. These adsorbed-mass measurements corroborate predictions based on interfacial energetics and are consistent with AFM measurement of protein–surface adhesion. Interpretive mass-balance equations are derived from a model premised on the idea that protein reversibly partitions from bulk solution into a three-dimensional (3D) interphase volume separating the physical adsorbent surface from bulk solution. Theory is shown to both anticipate and accommodate experimental results for all test adsorbents, suggesting that the underlying model is descriptive of the essential physical chemistry of albumin adsorption to surfaces spanning the full range of observable water wetting. In particular, application of theory to experimental data shows that the free-energy cost of dehydrating the surface region by protein displacement upon adsorption increases with increasing adsorbent hydrophilicity in a manner that controls ultimate capacity for protein. It is concluded that a simple, three-component free-energy rule adequately describes protein adsorption from aqueous solution, at least for materials bearing varying surface concentrations of anionic (not cationic) functional groups. Impact statement This work yields detailed insights into the physical chemistry of protein adsorption by elucidating relationships among adsorbent surface energy, capacity to adsorb the protein human serum albumin, and the energy required to displace vicinal water from the interface.
gamma-Glutamylcysteine synthetase and GSH increase in quinone-induced oxidative stress in BPAEC

Glutathione (GSH), an important physiological antioxidant, is synthesized de novo by the sequential reactions of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma GCS) and GSH synthetase. In the present stu...
Genetic variants and disease: correlate or cause?

This editorial refers to ‘Genetic defects in a His-Purkinje system transcription factor, IRX3 , cause lethal cardiac arrhythmias’[†][1], by A. Koizumi et al ., on page 1469. With each rhythmic heartbeat, the atria pump blood top-to-bottom through the atrioventricular valves. The ventricles follow closely, but contract bottom-to-top to eject blood through their respective outflow tracts. Acting as the drum major is the cardiac conduction system, which first directs the atria to pump into waiting ventricles and then instructs the ventricles to initiate contraction from the apex. As myocardial depolarization spreads from the sinoatrial node through the atrioventricular node and the ventricles, this reversal from top-to-bottom (atria) to bottom-to-top (ventricles) contraction is achieved by an initial electrical bypass of the working myocardium via the Purkinje fibres. Among the features distinguishing Purkinje fibres from the working myocardium is expression of connexin 40 (Cx40). These gap junction proteins form intercellular pores that facilitate electrical impulse propagation, and Cx40 is critical to the rapid conduction properties of the Purkinje fibres compared with the working myocardium, which predominantly expresses connexin 43 (Cx43)1 ( Figure 1A ). Orchestrating this differential expression is the transcription factor gene Iroquois homeobox gene 3 ( IRX3 ), one of six Iroquois homeobox transcription factor genes ( IRX1 – IRX6 ) that were first discovered in a mutagenesis study seeking to identify genes important for patterning of external sensory organs of Drosophila .2 Mouse studies show that all six Irx factors are expressed and have distinct or overlapping roles in the heart during development and in adulthood.3–5 A knockout mouse study6 demonstrated critical roles in the Purkinje fibres for Irx3 , which indirectly promotes … [1]: #fn-2
The Story of Rule 410 and United States v. Mezzanatto: Using Plea Statements at Trial

In 1975 Congress simultaneously adopted Federal Rule of Evidence 410 and Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(e)(6), both of which prohibited, in virtually identical language, evidentiary use of withdrawn guilty pleas and statements made during failed plea negotiations. Twenty years later, in United States v. Mezzanatto, the United States Supreme Court held that a criminal defendant may waive the protection provided in these rules. This paper, to be published in Foundation Press' Evidence Stories, is the story of those rules and that case. The story behind the adoption of Rule 410 and its sister rule of criminal procedure is byzantine, but is worth telling because it exemplifies how Congress uses evidentiary rules to promote public policy, in this case a policy bolstering plea bargaining. The story of Mezzanatto is even more important because, despite its relative anonymity, it has had a major impact on criminal procedure and may soon have the same type of impact on evidence law. Using Mezzanatto as a springboard, the lower courts have put a serious dent in Rule 410, to the point where waiver of its protections is now the norm and the options of defense attorneys who go to trial after failed negotiations are severely restricted. Indeed, today an argument can be made that Mezzanatto is the most important decision on plea bargaining since Santobello v. New York explicitly authorized the practice. The opinion's potential significance for evidence rules is almost as profound, because it affects them in two different ways. First, Mezzanatto helped establish new ground rules for interpreting the federal evidence provisions, by making clear that their plain meaning does not always govern. Second, it was the first case in which the Court explicitly recognized that evidence rules, including those meant to further societal goals, could be waived by individual litigants, a precedent that has far-ranging implications for criminal and civil law practice.
Nitric oxide decreases lung liquid production in fetal lambs

Cummings, James J. Nitric oxide decreases lung liquid production in fetal lambs. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(5): 1538–1544, 1997.—To examine the effect of nitric oxide on fetal lung liquid production, I m...