cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geographic Differences in Time to Culture Conversion in Liquid Media: Tuberculosis Trials Consortium Study 28. Culture Conversion Is Delayed in Africa

Background: Tuberculosis Trials Consortium Study 28, was a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 2 clinical trial examining smear positive pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Over the course of intensive phase therapy, patients from African sites had substantially delayed and lower rates of culture conversion to negative in liquid media compared to non-African patients. We explored potential explanations of this finding. Methods: In TBTC Study 28, protocol-correct patients (n=328) provided spot sputum specimens for M. tuberculosis culture in liquid media, at baseline and weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8 of study therapy. We compared sputum culture conversion for African and non-African patients stratified by four baseline measures of disease severity: AFB smear quantification, extent of disease on chest radiograph, cavity size and the number of days to detection of M. tuberculosis in liquid media using the KaplanMeier product-limit method. We evaluated specimen processing and culture procedures used at 29 study laboratories serving 27 sites. Results: African TB patients had more extensive disease at enrollment than non-African patients. However, African patients with the least disease by the 4 measures of disease severity had conversion rates on liquid media that were substantially lower than conversion rates in non-African patients with the greatest extent of disease. HIV infection, smoking and diabetes did not explain delayed conversion in Africa. Some inter-site variation in laboratory processing and culture procedures within accepted practice for clinical diagnostic laboratories was found. Conclusions: Compared with patients from non-African sites, African patients being treated for TB had delayed sputum culture conversion and lower sputum conversion rates in liquid media that were not explained by baseline severity of disease, HIV status, age, smoking, diabetes or race. Further investigation is warranted into whether modest variation in laboratory processes substantially influences the efficacy outcomes of phase 2 TB treatment trials or if other factors (e.g., nutrition, host response) are involved. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00144417
Symmetric alpha-stable filter theory

Symmetric /spl alpha/-stable (S/spl alpha/S) processes are used to model infinite-variance impulsive noise. In general, Wiener filter theory is not meaningful in (S/spl alpha/S) environments because the expectations may be unbounded. To develop a theory for linear finite impulse response systems with independent identically distributed (S/spl alpha/S) inputs, we propose median orthogonality as a linear filter criterion, derive a generalized Wiener-Hopf solution equation, and show a sufficient condition for a filter to achieve the criterion. For non-Gaussian (S/spl alpha/S) densities, zero-forcing least-mean-squares is the only well-known filter that satisfies the criterion, but others can be designed. We present a second algorithm and simulations showing that both converge to the generalized Wiener-Hopf solution.
Collaborative software development: a discussion of problem solving models and groupware technologies

Teamwork is always challenging. Adding the complication of problem solving and software design only amplifies this challenge. The challenges of developing software as a team can be reduced by using groupware to coordinate and communicate the intricate details involved in the process. The study sets out to determine if in fact there are tools available to assist in the collaborative problem solving and software development process. It must be understood at the outset that problem solving is at the heart of software development. Without amplifying the collaborative problem solving steps required for developing an effective and efficient solution, a much less then accurate solution will result. The paper provides a review of collaborative problem solving techniques and groupware in the software development domain, covering both methodology and technology. There are three areas of focus in the paper: collaborative problem solving and decision making; groupware theory and tools; and group cognition and psychology. The review is followed by analysis of the collaboration models and tools as well as their potential impact on software development. The paper ends with a discussion of future work that will include developing a tool which incorporates a problem solving model and collaborative structures for the software development domain.
Hierarchical Means: Single Number Benchmarking with Workload Cluster Analysis

Benchmark suite scores are typically calculated by averaging the performance of each individual workload. The scores are inherently affected by the distribution of workloads. Given the applications of a benchmark suite are typically contributed by many consortium members, workload redundancy becomes inevitable. Especially, the merger of the benchmarks can significantly increase artificial redundancy. Redundancy in the workloads of a benchmark suite renders the benchmark scores biased, making the score of a suite susceptible to malicious tweaks. The current standard workaround method to alleviating the redundancy issue is to weigh each individual workload during the final score calculation. Unfortunately, such a weight-based score adjustment can significantly undermine the credibility of the objectiveness of benchmark scores. In this paper, we propose a set of benchmark suite score calculation methods called the hierarchical means that incorporate cluster analysis to amortize the negative effect of workload redundancy. These methods not only improve the accuracy and robustness of the score, but also improve the objectiveness over the weight-based approach. In addition, they can also be used to analyze the inherent redundancy and cluster characteristics in a quantitative manner for evaluating a new benchmark suite. In our case study, the hierarchical geometric mean was applied to a hypothetical Java benchmark suite, which attempts to model the upcoming release of the new SPECjvm benchmark suite. In addition, we also show that benchmark suite clustering heavily depends on how the workloads are characterized.
Commitment-based approach to categorizing, organizing and executing negotiation processes

In the current research and development of e-commerce systems, the negotiation process and the enforcement/execution of the results of the negotiation process are often treated as separated business activities. The separation creates an integration problem because these activities should be integral parts of most business transactions. In this paper, we have proposed an approach to categorizing, organizing, and executing negotiation results through business commitments. First, we classify negotiation attributes into 5 categories based on the 5 key elements of news reports. Second, we propose a category-based negotiation process that would allow negotiators to simultaneously bargain on negotiation attributes within an attribute category, and categories of negotiation attributes can be negotiated either sequentially or in parallel. Third, we have described the approach to convert these negotiation attributes into business commitments that are executable in a management platform.
In Vivo Neuronal Function of the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein is Regulated by Phosphorylation

Fragile X syndrome (FXS), caused by loss of the Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 (FMR1) gene product (FMRP), is the most common heritable cause of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders. It has been long hypothesized that the phosphorylation of serine 500 (S500) in human FMRP controls its function as an RNAbinding translational repressor. To test this hypothesis in vivo, we employed neuronally targeted expression of three human FMR1 transgenes, including wild-type (hFMR1), dephosphomimetic (S500A-hFMR1 )a nd phosphomimetic (S500D-hFMR1), in the Drosophila FXS disease model to investigate phosphorylation requirements. At the molecular level, dfmr1 null mutants exhibit elevated brain protein levels due to loss of translational repressor activity. This defect is rescued for an individual target protein and across the population of brain proteins by the phosphomimetic, whereas the dephosphomimetic phenocopies the null condition. At the cellular level, dfmr1 null synapse architecture exhibits increased area, branching and bouton number. The phosphomimetic fully rescues these synaptogenesis defects, whereas the dephosphomimetic provides no rescue. The presence of Futsch-positive (microtubule-associated protein 1B) supernumerary microtubule loops is elevated in dfmr1 null synapses. The human phosphomimetic restores normal Futsch loops, whereas the dephosphomimetic provides no activity. At the behavioral level, dfmr1 null mutants exhibit strongly impaired olfactory associative learning. The human phosphomimetic targeted only to the brain-learning center restores normal learning ability, whereas the dephosphomimetic provides absolutely no rescue. We conclude that human FMRP S500 phosphorylation is necessary for its in vivo function as a neuronal translational repressor and regulator of synaptic architecture, and for the manifestation of FMRPdependent learning behavior.
Functional hot spots in human ATP-binding cassette transporter nucleotide binding domains

The human ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily consists of 48 integral membrane proteins that couple the action of ATP binding and hydrolysis to the transport of diverse substrates across cellular membranes. Defects in 18 transporters have been implicated in human disease. In hundreds of cases, disease phenotypes and defects in function can be traced to nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs). The functional impact of the majority of ABC transporter nsSNPs has yet to be experimentally characterized. Here, we combine experimental mutational studies with sequence and structural analysis to describe the impact of nsSNPs in human ABC transporters. First, the disease associations of 39 nsSNPs in 10 transporters were rationalized by identifying two conserved loops and a small α-helical region that may be involved in interdomain communication necessary for transport of substrates. Second, an approach to discriminate between disease-associated and neutral nsSNPs was developed and tailored to this superfamily. Finally, the functional impact of 40 unannotated nsSNPs in seven ABC transporters identified in 247 ethnically diverse individuals studied by the Pharmacogenetics of Membrane Transporters consortium was predicted. Three predictions were experimentally tested using human embryonic kidney epithelial (HEK) 293 cells stably transfected with the reference multidrug resistance transporter 4 and its variants to examine functional differences in transport of the antiviral drug, tenofovir. The experimental results confirmed two predictions. Our analysis provides a structural and evolutionary framework for rationalizing and predicting the functional effects of nsSNPs in this clinically important membrane transporter superfamily.
Temperature-induced alterations in rabbit testicular contractility in vitro.

Rabbit testicular contractions and intratesticular pressure were recorded in vitro as temperature was increased from 33 to 38°C. The response of the testicular capsule to several physiological agents was quantified at 35, 37 and 38°C. A corresponding increase in intratesticular pressure was observed with each contraction. Uniform intratesticular pressures developed in normal spontaneous autorhythmic testicular preparations. The force of capsular contractions increased slightly from 33 to 35°C, but decreased markedly with temperatures above 35°C. Intratesticular pressure increased linearly with increased force of contractions to a maximum of 142 mg of tension. As intratesticular pressure increased, the amplitude of contractions decreased. Marked irregularities in force and frequency of contractions occurred with temperatures above 38°C. Increasing testicular temperature from 35 to 37°C and from 37 to 38°C both markedly reduced the effectiveness of acetylcholine by 58 and 71%, serotonin by 52 and 71%, epine...
Explaining Employee Engagement with Strategic Change Implementation: A Meaning-Making Approach

Using a framework of meaning-making derived from social psychological research on how individuals manage adverse life events and research on sensemaking, we develop and test a theory about how frontline employees overcome the challenges of implementing strategic change. We find that certain types of meaning-making (strategy worldview and benefits finding) can create the requisite psychological resources that facilitate employees engaging in change implementation behaviors. The meaning-making change adaptation model (MCAM) we develop helps explain when and how employees adapt to change, thereby opening the “black box” of how to facilitate more effective strategic change implementation. We develop and empirically test the MCAM using qualitative and quantitative data from a Fortune 500 retailer.
Use of a newly developed rapid microbial ATP bioluminescence assay to detect microbial contamination on poultry carcasses

A newly developed rapid microbial ATP bioluminescence test IR-mATPI was shown to be an adequate means to assay the microbial load of poultry carcasses. This assay utilizes differential extraction and filtration to separate somatic from microbial ATP in a very rapid timeframe. The assay requires approximately 5 min to complete; approximately 3.5 min to sample and 90 s analytical time. Correlation coefficient In between aerobic colony counts and R-mATP test results In=3291 was 0.82. Post-test probabilities to correctly classify carcasses with different levels of microbial contamination were as high as 98% for samples of ;;.3.5 log aerobic CFU per ml. Given the rapidity of this assay, the R-mATP holds potential for monitoring the microbial load of carcasses at poultry-processing critical control points. Other potential applications of this new version of the microbial ATP bioluminescence test are discussed. C 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fluorescent Protein-Tagged Sindbis Virus E2 Glycoprotein Allows Single Particle Analysis of Virus Budding from Live Cells

Sindbis virus (SINV) is an enveloped, mosquito-borne alphavirus. Here we generated and characterized a fluorescent protein-tagged (FP-tagged) SINV and found that the presence of the FP-tag (mCherry) affected glycoprotein transport to the plasma membrane whereas the specific infectivity of the virus was not affected. We examined the virions by transmission electron cryo-microscopy and determined the arrangement of the FP-tag on the surface of the virion. The fluorescent proteins are arranged icosahedrally on the virus surface in a stable manner that did not adversely affect receptor binding or fusion functions of E2 and E1, respectively. The delay in surface expression of the viral glycoproteins, as demonstrated by flow cytometry analysis, contributed to a 10-fold reduction in mCherry-E2 virus titer. There is a 1:1 ratio of mCherry to E2 incorporated into the virion, which leads to a strong fluorescence signal and thus facilitates single-particle tracking experiments. We used the FP-tagged virus for high-resolution live-cell imaging to study the spatial and temporal aspects of alphavirus assembly and budding from mammalian cells. These processes were further analyzed by thin section microscopy. The results demonstrate that SINV buds from the plasma membrane of infected cells and is dispersed into the surrounding media or spread to neighboring cells facilitated by its close association with filopodial extensions.
Estimation of Causal Effects using Propensity Score Weighting: An Application to Data on Right Heart Catheterization

We consider methods for estimating causal effects of treatments when treatment assignment is unconfounded with outcomes conditional on a possibly large set of covariates. Robins and Rotnitzky (1995) suggested combining regression adjustment with weighting based on the propensity score (Rosenbaum and Rubin, 1983). We adopt this approach, allowing for a flexible specification of both the propensity score and the regression function. We apply these methods to data on the effects of right heart catheterization (RHC) studied in Connors et al (1996), and we find that our estimator gives stable estimates over a wide range of values for the two parameters governing the selection of variables.
Mycobacterium-Specific γ9δ2 T Cells Mediate Both Pathogen-Inhibitory and CD40 Ligand-Dependent Antigen Presentation Effects Important for Tuberculosis Immunity

ABSTRACT Numerous pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, can activate human γ9δ2 T cells to proliferate and express effector mechanisms. γ9δ2 T cells can directly inhibit the growth of intracellular mycobacteria and may also act as antigen-presenting cells (APC). Despite evidence for γδ T cells having the capacity to function as APC, the mechanisms involved and importance of these effects on overall tuberculosis (TB) immunity are unknown. We prepared M. tuberculosis-specific γ9δ2 T cell lines to study their direct protective effects and APC functions for M. tuberculosis-specific αβ T cells. The direct inhibitory effects on intracellular mycobacteria were measured, and the enhancing effects on proliferative and effector responses of αβ T cells assessed. Furthermore, the importance of cell-to-cell contact and soluble products for γ9δ2 T cell effector responses and APC functions were investigated. We demonstrate, in addition to direct inhibitory effects on intracellular mycobacteria, the following: (i) γ9δ2 T cells enhance the expansion of M. tuberculosis-specific αβ T cells and increase the ability of αβ T cells to inhibit intracellular mycobacteria; (ii) although soluble mediators are critical for the direct inhibitory effects of γ9δ2 T cells, their APC functions do not require soluble mediators; (iii) the APC functions of γ9δ2 T cells involve cell-to-cell contact that is dependent on CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interactions; and (iv) fully activated CD4+ αβ T cells and γ9δ2 T cells provide similar immune enhancing/APC functions for M. tuberculosis-specific T cells. These effector and helper effects of γ9δ2 T cells further indicate that these T cells should be considered important new targets for new TB vaccines.
Comment on H. Zimmermann: Credit Risk Transfer, Hedge Funds, and the Supply of Liquidity?

Credit Risk Transfer (CRT) instruments are burgeoning. Prof. Zimmerman's paper provides insights into this important market, which on the one hand can enhance social wealth by distributing credit risk to more efficient risk bearers and on the other hand carries along quite some risks. The intransparency of CRT instruments and their highly leveraged capital positions could lead to an inability to cope with a crisis. Prof. Zimmerman highlights these risks, nevertheless refrains from calling for more regulation. The international financial system has been remarkably robust and crises have been more often than not results of ill-considered attempts at regulation.
Potential Foraging Decisions by a Desert Ungulate to Balance Water and Nutrient Intake in a Water-Stressed Environment.

Arid climates have unpredictable precipitation patterns, and wildlife managers often provide supplemental water to help desert ungulates endure the hottest, driest periods. When surface water is unavailable, the only source of water for ungulates comes from the forage they consume, and they must make resourceful foraging decisions to meet their requirements. We compared two desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) populations in Arizona, USA: a treatment population with supplemental water removed during treatment, and a control population. We examined whether sheep altered their seasonal diets without supplemental water. We calculated water and nutrient intake and metabolic water production from dry matter intake and forage moisture and nitrogen content, to determine whether sheep could meet their seasonal daily water and nutrient requirements solely from forage. Diets of sheep were higher in protein (all seasons) and moisture (autumn and winter) during treatment compared to pretreatment. During treatment, sheep diet composition was similar between the treatment and control populations, which suggests, under the climatic conditions of this study, water removal did not influence sheep diets. We estimated that under drought conditions, without any surface water available (although small ephemeral potholes would contain water after rains), female and male sheep would be unable to meet their daily water requirements in all seasons, except winter, when reproductive females had a nitrogen deficit. We determined that sheep could achieve water and nutrient balances in all seasons by shifting their total diet proportions by 8–55% from lower to higher moisture and nitrogen forage species. We elucidate how seasonal forage quality and foraging decisions by desert ungulates allow them to cope with their xeric and uncertain environment, and suggest that, with the forage conditions observed in our study area during this study period, providing supplemental water during water-stressed periods may not be necessary for desert bighorn sheep.
Fastbus Mechanics

The following article contains a description of the mechanics work at SLAC from October 1978 thru September 1979. Mechanics prototyping and testing will continue for the next year, hence, this report only contains preliminary results.
A fast approximation for maximum weight matroid intersection

We present an approximation algorithm for the maximum weight matroid intersection problem in the independence oracle model. Given two matroids defined over a common ground set N of n elements, let k be the rank of the matroid intersection and let Q denote the cost of an independence query for either matroid. An exact algorithm for finding a maximum cardinality independent set (the unweighted case), due to Cunningham, runs in O(nk1.5Q) time. For the weighted case, algorithms due to Frank and Brezovec et al. run in O(nk2Q) time. There are also scaling based algorithms that run in O(n2 [EQUATION] log(kW)Q) time, where W is the maximum weight (assuming all weights are integers), and ellipsoid-style algorithms that run in O((n2 log(n)Q + n3 polylog(n)) log(nW)) time. Recently, Huang, Kakimura, and Kamiyama described an algorithm that gives a (1 -- e)-approximation for the weighted matroid intersection problem in O(nk1.5 log(k)Q/e) time.We observe that a (1 -- e)-approximation for the maximum cardinality case can be obtained in O(nkQ/e) time by terminating Cunningham's algorithm early. Our main contribution is a (1 -- e) approximation algorithm for the weighted matroid intersection problem with running time O(nk log2 (1/e)Q/e2).
The Eudaimonic Turn: Well-being in Literary Studies

The history of the world is in part the story of competing trends of thinking, of zeitgeist, as Hegel calls them, which come to dominate an age. In the last 150 years, the largest development in ou...
Alpha-6-deoxyoxytetracycline IV. Penetration and concentration within a localized area of inflammation.

SummaryThe presence of DOOTC, as well as MOTC, DMCT, and TC, in inflammation exudate within the granuloma pouch demonstrated that these tetracyclines can pass from the blood into localized areas of inflammation. In addition, unbound concentrations of DOOTC and the other antibiotic were generally greater than the MIC values for bacteria commonly associated with suppurative disease. One could readily presume effective antimicrobial chemotherapy under the condition of these modified physiological conditions. The DOOTC appeared in the inflammation exudate more rapidly, to a greater concentration, and persisted longer than did the other antibiotics studied.
Electron-Impact-Induced Fragmentation of N-(Substitutedthio)Phthalimides. A Rationalization for their Pre-Vulcanization Inhibition

Abstract The pre-vulcanization inhibitor activity of a series of N-(substitutedthio)-phthalimides is attributed to thermal cleavage of the N—S bond with formation of phthalimide and the corresponding thiol radical, which subsequently acts as a scavenger for 2-mercaptobenzothiazole giving the unsymmetrical 2-benzothiazolyl disulfide.
Static, Mixed-Array Total Evaporation for Improved Quantitation of Plutonium Minor Isotopes in Small Samples

Actinide isotope measurements are a critical signature capability in the modern nuclear forensics "toolbox", especially when interrogating anthropogenic constituents in real-world scenarios. Unfortunately, established methodologies, such as traditional total evaporation via thermal ionization mass spectrometry, struggle to confidently measure low abundance isotope ratios (<10(-6)) within already limited quantities of sample. Herein, we investigate the application of static, mixed array total evaporation techniques as a straightforward means of improving plutonium minor isotope measurements, which have been resistant to enhancement in recent years because of elevated radiologic concerns. Results are presented for small sample (~20 ng) applications involving a well-known plutonium isotope reference material, CRM-126a, and compared with traditional total evaporation methods. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.
All retraction operators on a complete lattice form a complete lattice

H. Crapo raised in 1982 the following problem: IfP is a complete lattice, is Retr (P) a complete lattice? here Retr (P) denotes the set of all retraction operators onP with the pointwise order, that is,f≤g in Retr (P) ifff(x)≤g(x) for everyx inP. An affirmative answer will be given in the present paper.
Each one, reach one: An autobiographic account of a Black PR professor’s mentor–mentee relationships with Black graduate students:

In this study by explicitly positioning race and mentoring at the center of this work, via autobiography, I uncover different discourses and practices in mentor–mentee relationships in public relations (PR) than have been highlighted by other scholars and then extend findings to confront the issues that Black PR faculty and Black PR graduate students encounter in the way that they view and enact mentor–mentee relationships. This study introduces autobiographic analysis to public relations research and inquiry and makes the case for its potential scholarly contributions to the discipline.
Technique and Indications for Thrombolytic Treatment of Acute Venous Stroke

Acute dural sinus and deep venous thrombosis may lead to venous hypertension, congestion, edema and then hemorrhage. We reviewed 41 patients with 5 different stages of imaging presentation and increment increasing dural sinus pressure.The early Stages I or II may not need thrombolysis, but Stage III and IV should start as early as possible. Stage II may require thrombolysis if it fails in the trial of anticoagulation. All Stage V patients' results with fatality with or without thrombolysis.
Accuracy constraints upon rapid elbow movements

Kinematic and myoelectric variables associated with rapid elbow-flexion movements of various distances to targets of various widths were studied. The movement time in these experiments conformed to Fitts’ law: movement time increased with target distance and decreased with target width. Peak movement velocity, electromyograph (EMG) duration, and EMG quantity were poorly described by Fitts’ law, for increases in target width were accompanied by increases in these variables. We show with regression equations, using separate weighting coefficients, that kinematic and myoelectric variables can be related to distance and target width. The use of distance and target width as independent variables allows us to suggest that the literature does not agree on the relation between EMG and distance moved partly because of the influences of the target on this relationship. We propose that human voluntary movement involves a subject “strategy,” or set of internal constraints, that affect movement outcome. Significant el...
The Genus Neoephemera in North America (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae)

With the discovery of a new species of Neoephemera, it seems advisable to review our present knowledge of all of the species of the genus and to construct keys for their separation. It is certainly likely that as our knowledge of the mayflies of North America is enlarged additional species of Neoephemera will be described; such summary may, therefore, serve as a guide for future work.
Electrophoretic Migration of Serum Lipoproteins in Starch Gel.

Summary and Conclusions1. Alpha-2 and beta lipoproteins in starch gel migrated close to the origin, whereas alpha-1 lipoproteins migrated in the postalbumin region. 2. Some of the causes of inconsistencies of lipoprotein patterns in starch gel are discussed.
Melengestrol Acetate-Induced Exuberant Endometrial Decidualization in Goeldi's Marmosets (Callimico goeldii) and Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)

Gross appearance, histopathology, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and bacteriology of uteri from 17 melengestrol acetate (MGA)-implanted Goeldi's marmosets (Callimico goeldii), three MGA-implanted squirrel monkeys (Saimir? sciureus), and four nonimplanted Goeldi's marmosets were evaluated. The marmosets were first implanted at 1-7 yr of age with 88-267 mg/kg MGA, and the squirrel monkeys were implanted at 5-12 yr of age with 109-376 mg/kg MGA. Implants remained in marmosets for 2-7 yr and in squirrel monkeys for approximately 3.5 yr. Three MGA-implanted marmosets were ovariohysterectomized because of clinical signs related to uterine lesions. Other samples were obtained via laparotomy or postmortem. In all MGA-implanted mar mosets, the uteri were grossly enlarged, firm, and distended with desiccated, friable material. His tologically, uterine lumina contained massive amounts of necrotic debris merging peripherally with proliferative endometrial stromal cells. The endometrium consisted of multinodular crowded sheets, cords, and papillary projections of large stromal cells with proliferations often thicker than the distended myometrium and with obliteration of glands and normal architecture. The stromal cells had large, irregular, vesiculated nuclei with moderate numbers of often bizarre mitotic figures, abundant and vacuolated cytoplasm, often indistinct cytoplasmic borders, and occasional intercel lular bridges. There was random invasion of underlying myometrium with occasional remote, deep, isolated nests of cells. Lesions were often accompanied by severe infiltrates of primarily neutrophils. Biopsies of all nonimplanted marmosets were histologically normal. Immunohistochemical exami nation revealed multifocal immunoreactivity for vimentin within proliferative stroma and no reac tivity for cytokeratin and desmin. The proliferative cells ultrastructurally had features consistent with decidualized endometrial stroma. Aerobic bacterial cultures of eight implanted marmosets were negative. All implanted squirrel monkeys had similar lesions but with less necrotic debris and suppuration and only slight invasion. The lesion was termed exuberant decidualization, and we concluded that MGA implantation caused the lesion in the marmosets and probably caused the similar lesion in the squirrel monkeys. The use of MGA for long-term contraception in Goeldi's marmosets should be discouraged because it will almost certainly result in exuberant decidualization and may result in clinically apparent disease. The use of MGA in squirrel monkeys should also be
Study on physicochemical properties and palatability characteristics of 74 high-quality rice varieties

Seventy-two high quality japonica rice varieties at home and two japonica rice variety from Japan was used to study physicochemical quality properties,RVA profile and eating quality through taste meter test.The correlation coefficients between amylose content,protein content,RVA profile,physicochemical quality properties of cooked rice and the palatability value of high quality rice varieties were studied.The results showed that all rice varieties obtained the higher palatability values,but their amylose content and protein content are higher than that of Japanese rice variety.The amylose content was negatively correlated to the peak viscosity and the breakdown value with a significant coefficient r of-0.393* and-0.520** respectively,and positively correlated to the setback value with a significant coefficient r of 0.294*.The protein content was negatively correlated to the amylose content with a significant coefficient r of-0.239*;The palatability tasted value was negatively correlated to the protein content with a significant coefficient r of-0.416**;there were significant positive and negative correlations between the palatability value and blue value or transparency respectively,the water absorption ratio,swelling ratio and elongation rate were not significant with taste evaluation index.Eating quality could be improved by decreasing amylose content and protein content.
An experience with estrogen replacement therapy in breast cancer survivors.

Objective To evaluate the outcome of breast cancer patients who elected estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). Study design Breast cancer survivors who elected ERT received the preferred regimen of conjugated estrogen 0.625 mg/day with medroxyprogesterone acetate 2.5 mg/day. Results 145 patients received ERT for at least 3 months. Thirteen recurrences (9%) were identified; 10 are alive with disease, 3 are dead of disease. The median interval between diagnosis and commencement of ERT was 41 months. Forty-one percent of the study group initiated ERT within 3 years of their breast cancer diagnosis. The median duration of follow-up on ERT was 30 months. Conclusion The concern that ERT might activate growth in occult metastatic sites and promote a rash of recurrences was not confirmed. It is unreasonable to categorically deny all breast cancer survivors ERT.
Ethylene Glycol Quenching of Nitrogenase Catalysis: An Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Study of Nitrogenase Turnover States and CO Bonding

Most hydrophilic organic solvents inhibit enzymatic activity. Nitrogenase is shown to be approximately 3 times more sensitive to organic inhibition than most other soluble enzymes. Ethylene glycol (EG) is demonstrated to rapidly inhibit nitrogenase activity without uncoupling ATP hydrolysis. Our data suggest the mechanism of inhibition is EG's blocking of binding of MgATP to the nitrogenase Fe protein. EG quenching allows, for the first time, the observation of the relaxation of the intermediate reaction states at room temperature. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is used to monitor the room-temperature decay of the nitrogenase turnover states following EG quenching of catalytic activity. The return of the intermediate states to the resting state occurs in multiple phases over 2 h. During the initial stage, nitrogenase still possesses the ability to generate CO-induced EPR signals even though catalytic activity has ceased. During the last phase of relaxation, the one-electron reduced state of the MoFe protein (E1) relaxes to the resting state (E0) in a slow first-order reaction.
Cellular basis for cardiac arrhythmias.

The authors summarize current concepts of the cellular electrophy- siologic basis for cardiac arrhythmias. The cellular mechanisms for abnormal formation and propagation of impulses and selected interactions between the two are reviewed. The clinical significance of these phenomena is also discussed.
Is Fantasy Becoming Reality and Leaving Reality Behind? Investigating the Impact of Fantasy Leagues on Professional Sports League Consumption

This article investigates how participation in fantasy leagues has changed fan consumption habits towards actual sports franchises and leagues. Various fantasy sport leagues (FSL) have become popular in today’s sports markets. According to the Fantasy Sport Trade Association (FTSA) the number of players has grown from 500,000 in 1988 to 41.5 million in 2014 in the USA and Canada. Out of those male represent 80 %, and 78 % have at least a college degree or more. Football is the favorite sport played (69.4 %). This shift is recognized in popular culture as the FX channel airs a sit-com titled “The League” where characters’ lives revolve around a fantasy football league that illustrates the popularity of FSL. The popularity of FSL arguably effects the lifestyle and sport consumption of many people in today’s world. Howard (2009) argues that the growing interest in FSL may diminish sponsorship opportunities because of the lack of desire to attend actual sporting events. These actions could potentially threaten sport franchises around the world by eliminating important revenue streams. Howard (2009) also warns of diminishing revenue streams from event purchases such as game tickets, food, and merchandise sales. Specifically, Howard (2009) warns that fans may shift from following their favorite team to following specific players from their fantasy teams. Rather than buying tickets and going to games of one specific team as many loyal fans do, fantasy players prefer to watch and follow many teams not because they are fans of those teams, but to track the performance of specific players. The preliminary analysis suggested that avid fantasy league players tend to be engaged more in real sports leagues than previously imagined. Fantasy participations lead to increased consumption, but on the level of the entire league rather than specific teams. In other words, there is tendency to support their favorite team and all their fantasy players. These findings contradict previous findings and show that fantasy leagues are a tool that promotes a deeper desire to consume games on TV and person therefore making the said league a part of everyday life.
The Zika Virus and Pregnancy

Purpose of Review Following the recent association of Zika virus with microcephaly in Brazil, there has been a multitude of studies attempting to elucidate the relationship between Zika virus infection in pregnancy and congenital anomalies. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) have all issued guidelines governing the screening and management of pregnant patients with Zika exposure. These guidelines have rapidly evolved as the scientific evidence supporting causation of microcephaly in cases of Zika Virus infection has continued to mount. The purpose of this article is to review the current guidelines and the available evidence on which they are based.
The Roots of the Challenge: Undergraduate Chinese Students Adjusting to American College Life

Recent economic development in China not only has improved the overall living standards of Chinese people, but it has also created a new middle class. Another impact of the economic development is the increasing demand for educated workers. Subsequently, the demand for quality higher education has also increased. With more than 50% of the world’s top 100 universities located in the United States, the United States is regarded as the number one destination for international students for higher education. Due to the cultural differences between China and the United States, scholars have found that Chinese students encounter the most challenges adjusting to American college life. Lack of Western cultural exposure, different cultural values, the effect of the One-Child Policy, the emphasis on effort, endurance, and hard work in education, the continual impact of the Cultural Revolution’s aftermath on people’s relationships, the unfulfilled expectations of American college life experiences, and the influence of the Chinese education structure on students’ characters and skills-building all have an impact on Chinese students’ worldview and their interaction with their new environment. By reviewing the literature on the topic, this article seeks to understand the roots of the challenge to gain insight into the reasons why Chinese students do what they do after they come to the United States for higher education.
Productive justice and compulsory service

No abstract available. (Published: 17 October 2016) This paper is part of the Special Issue: Book symposium on Debating Brain Drain: May Government Restrict Emigration? More papers from this issue can be found at http://www.ethicsandglobalpolitics.net Citation: Ethics & Global Politics, Vol. 9, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/egp.v9.33499
AVE5026: A New Hemisynthetic Ultra Low Molecular Weight Heparin with Enriched Anti-Xa Activity and Enhanced Antithrombotic Activity for Management of Cancer Associated Thrombosis

Abstract AVE5026 is an ULMWH with a high anti-Xa activity associated with residual anti-IIa activity (ratio anti-Xa/IIa>30). This ratio may be favorable for use in cancer patients as it may have a higher therapeutic window. This agent is a polydisperse mixture of oligomeric heparin fragments (molecular weight 2000–3000 daltons) prepared by partial and controlled depolymerization of porcine mucosal heparin (UFH).. The anticoagulant profile of AVE5026 has been previously reported (Hoppensteadt, et al. Blood 2007). To validate the hypothesis that AVE5026 is an appropriate antithrombotic in cancer, studies were carried out to determine its antithrombotic, bleeding, tumor growth, angiogenesis and apoptosis effects in animal models. AVE5026 produced a dose-dependent antithrombotic response in the rat laser model of microvascular thrombosis (2.5 mg/kg IV, 9±1.7 laser shots; 5.0 mg/kg SC, 8±1.6 laser shots; control 3±0.8 laser shots). The relative bleeding effects of AVE5026 in a rat tail bleeding model were negligible in comparison to enoxaparin (E) and UFH (all 5 mg/kg IV; UFH >1000 sec; E 360±57 sec; AVE5026 209±29 sec; Control 215±32 seconds). Repeated administration of AVE5026 in dose ranges of 1–5 mg/kg od, SC for 14 days did not result in accumulation of the anti-Xa activity. Furthermore, in contrast to E, there was no enhancement of the hemorrhagic profile. Both E and AVE5026 inhibited tumor growth by regulating angiogenesis and apoptosis in a Lewis Lung carcinoma (14% vs. 22% decrease) rat model and in a Walker 256 carcinosarcoma model (21% vs. 30% decrease) Although comparable results to E were demonstrated in animal models of arterial thrombosis, the bleeding effect of AVE5026 were disproportionately lower. This superior safety-efficacy ratio may translate into improved antithrombotic efficacy with decreased bleeding risk, suggesting that AVE5026 may provide the optimal treatment strategy for the management of cancer associated thrombosis.
Substitute and Complement Theories of Judicial Review

Constitutional theory has hypothesized two distinct and contradictory ways in which judicial review may interact with external political and social support. One line of scholarship has argued that judicial review and external support are substitutes. Thus, “political safeguard” theorists of American federalism and the separation of powers argue that these constitutional values are enforced through the political branches, making judicial review unnecessary. However, a separate line of work, mostly composed of social scientists examining rights issues, argues that the relationship between courts and outside support is complementary — judges are unlikely to succeed in their projects unless they have sufficient assistance from political and social actors. The coexistence of these two different theories, which has gone unnoticed by scholars, has important implications for both U.S. and comparative constitutional theory. Close examination demonstrates that the simple classifications suggested in existing work — that the substitute logic applies to constitutional structure while the complement logic applies to rights, for example — are incorrect. Instead, courts face a much more complex reality, with both logics being distributed broadly across a range of issues, forms of support, and contexts. To be successful, courts must maximize their relationship with their external support structures, both by targeting issues where levels of support render review neither futile nor redundant, and by shaping their judgments to increase the amount of support they receive from political, civil society, and international actors. The paper draws on numerous examples drawn from both established and new democracies to demonstrate the plausibility of these tasks, and ultimately to highlight the utility of a theory of judicial review that emphasizes judicial consideration of external support.
Correcting for Microbial Blooms in Fecal Samples during Room-Temperature Shipping

The use of sterile swabs is a convenient and common way to collect microbiome samples, and many studies have shown that the effects of room-temperature storage are smaller than physiologically relevant differences between subjects. However, several bacterial taxa, notably members of the class Gammaproteobacteria, grow at room temperature, sometimes confusing microbiome results, particularly when stability is assumed. Although comparative benchmarking has shown that several preservation methods, including the use of 95% ethanol, fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and FTA cards, and Omnigene-GUT kits, reduce changes in taxon abundance during room-temperature storage, these techniques all have drawbacks and cannot be applied retrospectively to samples that have already been collected. Here we performed a meta-analysis using several different microbiome sample storage condition studies, showing consistent trends in which specific bacteria grew (i.e., "bloomed") at room temperature, and introduce a procedure for removing the sequences that most distort analyses. In contrast to similarity-based clustering using operational taxonomic units (OTUs), we use a new technique called "Deblur" to identify the exact sequences corresponding to blooming taxa, greatly reducing false positives and also dramatically decreasing runtime. We show that applying this technique to samples collected for the American Gut Project (AGP), for which participants simply mail samples back without the use of ice packs or other preservatives, yields results consistent with published microbiome studies performed with frozen or otherwise preserved samples. IMPORTANCE In many microbiome studies, the necessity to store samples at room temperature (i.e., remote fieldwork) and the ability to ship samples without hazardous materials that require special handling training, such as ethanol (i.e., citizen science efforts), is paramount. However, although room-temperature storage for a few days has been shown not to obscure physiologically relevant microbiome differences between comparison groups, there are still changes in specific bacterial taxa, notably, in members of the class Gammaproteobacteria, that can make microbiome profiles difficult to interpret. Here we identify the most problematic taxa and show that removing sequences from just a few fast-growing taxa is sufficient to correct microbiome profiles.
On-Chip Glass Microspherical Shell Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators.

Arrays of on-chip spherical glass shells of hundreds of micrometers in diameter with ultra-smooth surfaces and sub-micrometer wall thicknesses have been fabricated and have been shown to sustain optical resonance modes with high Q-factors of greater than 50 million. The resonators exhibit temperature sensitivity of −1.8 GHz K−1 and can be configured as ultra-high sensitivity thermal sensors for a broad range of applications. By virtue of the geometry’s strong light-matter interaction, the inner surface provides an excellent on-chip sensing platform that truly opens up the possibility for reproducible, chip scale, ultra-high sensitivity microfluidic sensor arrays. As a proof of concept we demonstrate the sensitivity of the resonance frequency as water is filled inside the microspherical shell and is allowed to evaporate. By COMSOL modeling, the dependence of this interaction on glass shell thickness is elucidated and the experimentally measured sensitivities for two different shell thicknesses are explained.
Organization and administration of a nutrition support service.

The establishment, administration, and daily activities of a nutritional support service are outlined. The roles of nutrition support team members are described.