cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of zeranol and trenbolone acetate on testis function, live weight gain and carcass traits of bulls.

The ability of zeranol and trenbolone acetate (trenbolone) to alter testis function, weight gain and carcass traits of young bulls was studied. In Exp. 1, the effects of age at initial zeranol implantation was determined. After a 235-d experimental period, sequential implantation (56-d intervals) beginning at 100 or 150 d of age had reduced testis growth (P less than .01), sperm production (P less than .01) and serum testosterone concentration in response to gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH; P less than .01). The 200-d age group was partially suppressed, while the 250-d age group was not affected. Body weights were similar to controls in all groups. In Exp. 2, bulls previously implanted with zeranol at 175 and 231 d of age received single implants of zeranol, trenbolone or trenbolone plus zeranol at approximately 300 d of age. At slaughter (135 d later), body weight and carcass characteristics in all treatments were similar to controls. However, trenbolone reduced sperm production (P less than .05), zeranol reduced sperm production and testes weight (P less than .05), but trenbolone plus zeranol was similar to controls. Mean testosterone response to GnRH was suppressed in all implant groups on d 65 (P less than .01), but only in trenbolone or trenbolone plus zeranol groups on d 112 (P less than .05). Results indicate that zeranol suppresses spermatogenesis and testosterone production if implanted before approximately 200 d of age. Reduction of endogenous testosterone without alteration of weight gain or carcass characteristics may be of benefit if behavioral or masculinity traits of bulls are altered. Also, it appears that no benefit is derived from implanting bulls with both trenbolone and zeranol.
Utility representation of an incomplete and nontransitive preference relation

Abstract The objective of this paper is to provide continuous utility representation theorems analogous to Debreu's classic utility representation theorem, albeit for preference relations that may fail to be complete and/or transitive. Specifically, we show that every (continuous and) reflexive binary relation on a (compact) metric space can be represented by means of the maxmin, or dually, minmax, of a (compact) set of (compact) sets of continuous utility functions. This notion of “maxmin multi-utility representation,” generalizes the recently proposed notions of “multi-utility representation” for preorders and “justifiable preferences” for complete and quasitransitive relations. As such, our main representation theorems lead to some new characterizations of these special cases as well.
The human tRNA-modifying protein, TRIT1, forms amyloid fibers in vitro

TRIT1 is a highly conserved tRNA isopentenyl transferase that modifies a subset of tRNAs in human cells and is a candidate tumor suppressor in lung cancer in certain ethnic populations. The yeast homologue, Mod5, has similar tRNA-modifying functions in the cytoplasm and is required for the transcriptional silencing activity of RNA polymerase II promoters near tRNA genes in the nucleus, a phenomenon termed tRNA gene mediated (tgm) silencing. Furthermore, Mod5 can fold into amyloid fibers in vitro and in vivo, which confers resistance to certain fungicides in yeast. Since TRIT1 complements both tRNA modifying and tgm-silencing activities in yeast where the Mod5 gene has been deleted, it seemed possible that TRIT1 might also have amyloid-forming capabilities. Here we show that TRIT1, like Mod5, directly binds to tRNAs that are both substrate and non-substrates for modification with similar affinity, and to an unstructured, non-tRNA. Binding appears to involve distinct protein-RNA multimers which decrease in electrophoretic mobility as the protein to RNA ratio increases. Furthermore, we characterize TRIT1 as a novel human amyloid fiber forming protein. We discuss these data in light of TRIT1's functional roles and possible implications for disease.
Beyond distributions and primary goods: Assessing applications of rawls in information science and technology literature since 1990

This article reviews the ways in which the work and ideas of political philosopher John Rawls have been appropriated or applied by scholars of information science, technology, and related areas since 1990. The article begins with an overview of Rawls's work, paying particular attention to its foundations and methods. Subsequently, a 2-phase discussion of the literature is presented. The first phase reviews engagements with Rawls from more than 150 scholarly articles from databases and journals dedicated to information and technology ethics, information/technology studies, philosophy of technology, and technology and human values. The second phase focuses on scholars who have demonstrated a significant commitment to Rawlsian theory in these areas. Overall, the review demonstrates that most significant applications of Rawls are oriented toward unequal distributions of informational goods exacerbated by advanced information and communication technologies ICTs. Critically, however, scholars in this area have overlooked the relevance of Rawls's foundations for the sorts of complex networked relationships afforded by those same advanced ICTs. Rather than representing a fatal gap, it opens up a new avenue for the renewed consideration of Rawls-his ideas on the basic structure of society and the importance of self-respect are offered as 2 possible paths forward.
An Empirical Examination of the Performance of Commodity Mutual Funds

The use of commodities to hedge inflation risk and diversify portfolios is generally thought to be an important consideration for portfolio management. Direct investment in commodities or commodity derivatives requires that investors have significant assets and/or expertise in these commodities or their respective derivatives markets. As an alternative to direct investment, investors in recent years have increasingly resorted to the use of commodity-based mutual funds. In this article we evaluate the performance, persistence, market timing, and selectivity of four categories of mutual funds whose returns are based on commodity prices. Our period of analysis begins with each fund’s inception and ends in December of 2012. Our results indicate that these funds have not been able to create positive alphas for their investors, have negative or insignificant performance persistence, and have no market timing ability. Some of the categories of funds, however, do exhibit some selectivity. We did find that when these commodity-based funds’ performance was evaluated during specific time periods of market downturns (e.g., the 2000 stock market downturn and the financial crisis that began in late 2007), their performance was significantly positive, which indicates that these funds provide a good hedge during bear markets/financial crises.
Soft Skills versus Hard Skills: Practitioners' Perspectives on Interior Design Interns

Interior design, like other applied disciplines, has a clear career cycle requiring education and professional experience before becoming eligible for examination. Internships are often encouraged in academic curriculums for increased career placement and enhancement of student learning outcomes; they also serve as a benchmark for academic programs to evaluate their curriculum and its relevance to practice. As the design industry rapidly shifts the scope and needs in projects, it becomes more difficult for academic programs to assess practitioners' values as they relate to recent interns and entry-level hires. Using a social constructivist approach, this longitudinal study aims to better understand practitioners' perceptions of soft and hard skill sets necessary for emerging interior design professionals. This study utilizes content analysis to evaluate practitioners' responses (N = 260) from 2006 to 2014 through a survey questionnaire that consisted of open-ended questions aimed to evaluate senior-level interior design students' performance during the required 400-hour internship at a mid-sized Southeastern university. The findings showed that soft skills were more often listed as positive attributes where interns performed exceedingly well. Furthermore, soft skills affected the willingness of practitioners to hire interns.
Playing the credit score game: algorithms, ‘positive’ data and the personification of financial objects

AbstractThis paper is about how people are learning to ‘make themselves up’ in response to the market’s new algorithmic ways of seeing. More specifically, it explores how the self-datafication of informal financial relations is being used to affect the calculation of credit score. I argue that credit score functions as a legal technology of arbitration beset with contradictions that are giving rise to inchoate struggles over the distribution of calculative agency in consumer credit markets. Drawing on an ethnographic case study of credit building peer ‘lending circles’, the paper explores how financially marginalized groups and financial inclusion advocates are reacting to the blind spots and biases of credit-scoring algorithms through compensatory and transgressive data-generation practices.
Environmental Aspects of Large-Scale Microalgae Cultivation

The environmental issues involved with large-scale production of microalgae or bacteria are closely associated with production efficiency. In microalgae production, it is necessary to maximize the cell production rate (i.e., the cell yield that is equivalent to the grams of cells produced per gram of substrate) when the cells or a cellular component are the desired product. In other cell cultivation systems where the desired product is not the cell mass, or even contained within the cell mass, such as biohydrogen production, it is necessary to minimize the cell yield and maximize the production of the desired product (i.e., the grams of H2 per gram of substrate). In each case, it is necessary to minimize substrate and energy inputs. These are production issues, but are also directly related to waste issues. Generally, as the mass production rate of the desired product increases, so does the rate of by-product formation. The undesired by-products must be separated and disposed of as waste. In addition, any required purification of the desired products may result in additional waste product streams. These waste by-product streams are a potential source of environmental pollution. The type and quantity of waste products depend on the type of growth reactor, type of microbial culture, type of substrate, conversion efficiency, and growth environment. In addition to solid waste products from cell wasting, other waste products include liquid waste (unused substrate, converted or residual nutrients, salts, etc.) and off-gases (odor, CO2, CH4, etc.). Requirements for further processing (treatment) of wastes depend on local conditions, various regulations, and available disposal methods. For the wasted cell solids, dewatering alone may be suitable prior to disposal.
Introduction to the special issue: The formation and evolution of Ceres' Occator crater

Abstract Ceres, the largest body in the asteroid belt, was explored from orbit for the first time by the Dawn mission. The ∼92 km-diameter Occator crater contains bright regions, or faculae, which are one of the most remarkable discoveries of Dawn's exploration of Ceres. A pit within the center of the crater contains both the Cerealia Facula and a central dome. The Vinalia Faculae are located in the eastern crater floor. Occator's faculae are composed mostly of sodium carbonate and their single scattering albedo is the highest of any material on Ceres’ surface. The faculae do not occur in other impact craters on Ceres and Occator's extensive interior lobate materials are unusual. Understanding the driving forces behind the formation of Occator crater and its faculae has the potential to lead us to a new understanding of the processes and conditions in Ceres’ past, and to possibly provide constraints about the present-day internal state. In this special issue we present a variety of investigations, which use Dawn data, theoretical modeling and laboratory experiments to investigate Occator crater and its faculae. The results of these investigations are summarized and synthesized in the final paper of this collection. Herein we introduce Ceres and the Dawn mission and summarize the geophysical, geological, mineralogical and geochemical properties of Ceres as derived from Dawn data. We also discuss the regional setting of Occator crater and introduce Occator crater itself.
A Primer on Bernoulli Numbers and Polynomials

(2008). A Primer on Bernoulli Numbers and Polynomials. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 178-190.
Recent Developments in KKR Theory

The KKR or Green’s function method has been generalized and sophisticated by many workers. We present here three steps in the method’s continuing evolution. First, we generalize the method to accommodate greater deviations of the potential from muffin-tin form. Second, by clarifying the relation between KKR and the cellular method, we arrive at a new prescription for the wave function. Third, we describe our efforts (not yet completely successful) to qualitatively decrease the time required for KKR calculations by eliminating the necessity for determinant evaluation. Finally, we offer our opinion concerning the relative merits of various methods discussed at the conference.
Catalytic Synthesis of Methanol from CO/H2 III. The Role of Alumina and Ceria in the Cu/ZnO System.

The effect of alumina and ceria on the activity, crystal structure, morphology, and electronic properties of the binary Cu/ZnO catalysts has been studied. Both catalysts are finely interdispersed composites of all three components, in which alumina or ceria are present in amorphous form, zinc oxide in crystalline form, and copper as crystallites and as a solute in the zinc oxide. The active phase is the copper-zinc oxide solid solution. While alumina stabilizes its highly active and morphologically favorable form, ceria drives the copper into the crystalline phase with concomitant decrease of activity of the Cu/ZnO catalyst to methanol synthesis. (change-para-here) Compositions of the individual crystal phases were determined in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and are given for the precipitate precursors and for the catalysts in their active state. The microstructural relationships within the composites, determined from morphologies and selected area diffraction patterns, demonstrate that the very well defined physical nature of these catalysts critically depends on the precursor composition and structure.
The Menagerie of Social Agents: People and Their Connections

Society lives under influences, some which are uncomfortably exogenous and beyond their control. A dynamic flow of networked relationships must be navigated and negotiated. Social networks are powerful and are often underutilized in uncovering the underlying social structure of public policy. But the work that is held dear must be acknowledged for its power to illuminate macrolevel ecological gaps and failures. The following chapter will lay the groundwork to introduce social network analysis as a necessary framework in developing sound health policies.
How China's Enforcement of Its Anti-Monopoly Law Poses Risks to Multinational Companies

China’s recent enforcement of its Anti-Monopoly Law (AML) has caused alarm and concern among Multinational Companies (MNCs). Many MNCs believe that the primary purpose of China’s AML is not to create open, fair, and market-based competition but is to serve the Industrial Policy goals of China’s ruling Communist Party. These goals result in the enforcement of the AML in favor of Chinese companies, especially China’s massive State-owned Enterprises, at the expense of MNCs doing business in China. In addition, China’s AML enforcement authorities seem to be using the AML to force MNCs to transfer their valuable technologies (intellectual property rights) at below market rates to Chinese firms and to force price reductions of their products sold in China. AML enforcement authorities also appear to be using the AML to protect famous Chinese brands from being acquired by foreign firms. China’s use of the AML appears to be consistent with China’s overall goal of strengthening its position as a global economic power.
A measurement of the attenuation of radiation from F-18 by a PET/MR scanner

The attenuation of 511 keV photons by the structure of a PET/MR scanner was measured prior to energizing the magnet. The exposure rate from a source of fluorine-18 was measured in air and, with the source placed at the isocenter of the instrument, at various points outside of the scanner. In an arc from 45 to 135 degrees relative to the long axis of the scanner and at a distance of 1.5 m from the isocenter, the attenuation by the scanner is at least 5.6 half-value layers from the MR component alone and at least 6.6 half-value layers with the PET insert installed. This information could inform better design of the radiation shielding for PET/MR scanners.
Correction to: Baseball Retrograde Analysis

In the second, third, and fourth box scores appearing in this paper, the number for LOB (left on base) for Mudville should be 6, not 4.
Performance-based bi-objective design optimization of wind-excited building systems

Abstract This paper proposes a framework for the bi-objective optimization of uncertain and dynamic wind-excited systems whose susceptibility to system-level damage is modeled through probabilistic fragility-based loss measures. In particular, the proposed framework is based on first reformulating the bi-objective stochastic optimization problem into a suite of single-objective optimization problems through the e-constraint approach. Secondly, a new optimization sub-problem is introduced for efficiently solving the single-objective problems, whose formulation is based on combining the auxiliary variable vector approach with a new kriging-enhanced approximation scheme. Because the sub-problem can be fully calibrated and subsequently solved from the results of a single performance assessment carried out in a fixed point of the design space, efficiency and scalability to high-dimensional problems is achieved. Through solving a sequence of sub-problems, solutions to the e-constraint problems are obtained leading to the identification of the Pareto-optimal solutions of the original bi-objective optimization problem. To illustrate the applicability, efficiency and scalability of the proposed framework, an example of application to a large-scale structure is presented, where structural material volume and a system-level loss measure defined in terms of expectation and standard deviation of the total repair cost are simultaneously minimized.
The Irrelevance of the Middle East

The persistent belief, distributed throughout American politics, that U.S. energy dependence is a serious strategic and economic liability is simply not true. The time is long overdue for policymakers and analysts alike to put the many urgent issues that confront the people of the Middle East in the context of dramatic and unprecedented global transformations in process today.
Making Ethical Marketing Decisions

The issue of ethics in business, and marketing in particular, has received much attention over the years in the popular press and academic journals as the debate continues over a working definition of ethics, how it applies to business, and why marketers should be especially concerned about ethics. This article reviews the literature on ethics and attempts to offer an applied ethical action model that marketing managers can use in all decision-making situations.
Temperature sensor based on liquid-filled negative curvature optical fibers

We computationally investigate a novel temperature sensor that uses liquid-filled negative curvature optical fibers. Both the core and cladding tubes are infiltrated with a liquid that has a temperature-sensitive refractive index. The high-loss resonant wavelengths are sensitive to the liquid’s change of the refractive index. The refractive index of the liquid decreases and the resonant wavelengths increase when the temperature increases. The temperature sensitivity is 1.1 nm/$\,^{\circ }\mathrm {C}$∘C as the temperature changes from 15$\,^{\circ }\mathrm {C}$∘C to 35$\,^{\circ }\mathrm {C}$∘C using negative curvature optical fibers that are filled with liquid that has a refractive index of 1.36. The temperature sensitivity rises from 0.82 nm/$\,^{\circ }\mathrm {C}$∘C to 2.48 nm/$\,^{\circ }\mathrm {C}$∘C when different liquids are used with a refractive index from 1.30 to 1.42, and we use the third resonant peak in the fiber. The temperature sensitivity can be increased by 38$\%$% by using the second resonant peak. An analytical formula for the temperature sensitivity is derived, which can give an accurate prediction for the temperature sensitivity of this sensor. The relatively large size of the air core and cladding tubes, on the order of 10 $\mu$μm, should make the infiltration procedure easier compared to other photonic crystal fibers with smaller holes. With temperature sensors based on liquid-filled negative curvature optical fibers, there is no need for any special post-processing, such as the liquid filling of selected air holes or inscription of fiber gratings.
Organizing for Sustainability: Exploratory Analysis of the Healthcare Industry

Sustainability is fast becoming a business megatrend, essential for organizations to address in order to maintain their competitive positions. Sustainability seeks to balance and simultaneously optimize environmental, social and financial concerns. Sustainability in healthcare represents a particularly challenging undertaking as it necessarily encompasses the wide variety of facilities, operations and activities in a typical healthcare organization. This exploratory study examines the organizational approaches of eight healthcare systems with relatively successful sustainability initiatives.
Risk Stratification for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Risk assessment models developed from administrative and clinical databases are used for clinical decision making. Since these models are derived from a database, they have an inherent limitation of being as good as the data they are derived from. Many of these models under or overestimate certain clinical outcomes particularly mortality in certain group of patients. Undeniably, there is significant variability in all these models on account of patient population studied, the statistical analysis used to develop the model and the period during which these models were developed. This review aims to shed light on development and application of risk assessment models for cardiac surgery with special emphasis on risk stratification in severe aortic stenosis to select patients for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Cardiol Res. 2019;10(6):323-330 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/cr966
Dual innervation of free gracilis muscle for facial reanimation: What we know so far.

Abstract Background In the last decade, some institutions have begun combining the CFNG and masseteric nerve to provide dual innervation to the gracilis muscle for dynamic facial reanimation in facial paralysis patients. We reviewed the various ways that these two nerves have been coapted to provide dual innervation, and summarized the functional outcome for these methods. Methods A search of the Ovid EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Scopus databases was performed from 1946 to May 2019 for dual innervation of gracilis muscle using CFNG plus masseteric nerve for facial reanimation. Results A total of 184 articles were identified in the initial search, of which seven met our inclusion criteria. Three additional abstracts with 43 patients were identified but the level of details was not sufficient to include the results in the analysis. A total of 57 patients were reviewed (mean age of 42.1 years (6–79 years)). The majority of dual innervation procedures were performed using the ipsilateral masseteric nerve sutured end-to-end to the obturator nerve, and an additional CFNG connected end-to-side to the obturator nerve. In the 26 patients with Terzis scores available, there were no differences between masseteric nerve coapted end-to-end and CFNG as end-to-side to the obturator, or the reverse coaptation. All but two patients achieved function of the gracilis activated by the masseteric nerve within 2–5 months. Conclusions This review shows that dual innervation of the gracilis is safe; and in some cases, does appear to provide early onset gracilis activation as well as an eventual spontaneous smile.
Demonstration of interactive runtime debugging of distributed dataflows in Texera

We are developing Texera, an open source system that allows users to perform data analysis on a computing cluster using a GUI-based workflow. A unique functionality of the system is its support for interactive and responsive debugging on dataflows during their execution, while still being scalable and fault tolerant. In particular, users can pause/resume a workflow, investigate the state of operators, change the behavior of an operator, and set conditional breakpoints. In this way, a user will not feel "in the dark" during the long-running execution of an analytics task, a problem faced by other big data processing frameworks. In this demonstration we show this powerful functionality in Texera.
Utilization of a 5- or 14-day progestin-based estrous synchronization protocol with sorted semen in beef heifers

Estrous synchronization protocols that utilize progestin via a controlled internal drug-release insert (CIDR) in conjunction with gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and prostaglandin (PG) treatments have been shown to be effective in beef heifers. Sorted semen is more costly than unsorted semen; thus, AI pregnancy rates need to be maximized when sorted semen is used. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a 5-day versus a 14-day CIDR protocol when sorted semen is utilized for AI in beef heifers. A secondary objective was to determine the effect of timing of insemination on pregnancy rates when using sorted semen.
Wellbeing Economics Narratives for a Sustainable Future

There is increasing attention to the idea of bringing about what is termed a wellbeing economy, and recognition that a coherent story or narrative is important in countering the strength of today’s dominant economic narrative--neoliberalism. Yet there has been relatively little consensus on what such an idea might mean in practice, despite the proliferation of many different initiatives attempting to bring such an economy about. Many of these initiatives have allied with an aggregator called WEAll, the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. In an effort to determine what new economics/next economies initiatives mean by wellbeing economy, this study assesses the statements provided by WEAll allies to WEAll when seeking membership to see whether there is a consistent narrative about wellbeing economy that emerges. Four nuanced, yet related, versions of the wellbeing economy narrative emerged. “Transformation” is mainly a critique of business as usual, emphasizing transformation towards a wellbeing economy that critiques neoliberalism and emphasizes wellbeing of all people. The Nature-Centric or Planetary Boundaries perspective takes a more ecological perspective, emphasizing humanity’s need to live and operate within planetary boundaries. The Good Life or People-Centric perspective offers a people-oriented narrative that emphasizes sustainability while ensuring that basic needs of all are met. The Integrated perspective is an integrated life-centered perspective that combines these interests and focuses on the wellbeing of both people and planet, recognizing the complexity and holistic nature of that task.
Bogotá Utopic: Urban Planning and Public Order in the Building of Colombia, 1948–1853

Der Artikel untersucht ein urbanes Planungsprojekt fur Bogota, Kolumbien, das auslandische Planer nach den grosen Unruhen vom April 1948 entwickelten. Die Bogotazo fuhrte bei den Eliten zu groser Sorge vor offentlichen Aufstanden und zu einer Kongruenz antikommunistischer Zielsetzungen der USA und dem Interesse an der Aufrechterhaltung der offentlichen Ordnung seitens der kolumbianischen Regierung. Stadtplanung erschien als ein Mittel, Ordnung zu fordern. Der Aufsatz untersucht Plane fur Bogota von Le Corbusier, Josep Lluis Sert und Paul Lester Wiener im Kontext der Congres Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne (CIAM). Im Anschluss wendet er sich der Planungsphase zu, die im Kontext gewalthafter Konflikte, Repression und urbaner Migration in den spaten 1940er und fruhen 1950er Jahren verkompliziert wurde. Letztlich scheiterten die Plane an praktischen Grunden und an der Opposition kolumbianischer Politiker und Unternehmer. Damit untersucht der Aufsatz Utopismus im politischen Kontext und pladiert fur die Bedeutung von Planen, die nicht realisiert wurden.
Von Willebrand Factor A1 Domain Binds to Clusters II and IV of Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein 1

Abstract Introduction. Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a large multimeric plasma glycoprotein involved in hemostasis and thrombosis. Genetic and in vivo studies have identified low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP) as the major clearance receptor of VWF. The ligand-binding moiety of LRP is represented by complement-type repeats grouped into four clusters, among which clusters II and IV are prominent in ligand binding. In in vitro studies under shear stress conditions, VWF acquires an unfolded conformation and interacts with LRP. More than 30 mutations of VWF have been reported to associate with its increased plasma clearance and result in type 2B von Willebrand disease. The majority of these mutations are located within the VWF A1 domain (A1), which is in agreement with previous reports that isolated A1 binds to LRP. However, the interactive site of LRP has not been identified. Objective. We aim to characterize the LRP binding site for VWF by investigating the interaction of individual LRP clusters II-IV to different A1 variants. Experimental Approach. An A1-containing large N-terminal homo-dimeric proteolytic fragment of VWF (SPIII) was produced upon its proteolytic digestion by V8-protease. Alternatively, we generated three variants of recombinant A1: (i) A1(residues 1261-1478), (ii) a VWD type 2B mutant, A1(V1316M) (residues 1261-1478) and (iii) an N-terminus truncated form, (residues 1269-1478). These proteins were tested for binding to immobilized LRP, purified from human placenta, and recombinant LRP clusters II and IV by surface plasmon resonance. Results. We did not find any interaction between the SPIII proteolytic fragment and LRP, suggesting that this fragment may still preserve a folded conformation of VWF that masked its LRP-binding site. In turn, all three forms of recombinant A1 were found to bind LRP and its clusters II and IV. Notably, A1(V1316M) and A1(1269-1478) had higher affinity for LRP and its clusters than A1. This result is consistent with the enhanced clearance of the VWF(V1316M) in vivo and better exposure of the A1 site in a truncated form of A1 to the platelet receptor GpIb-alpha reported previously. Conclusions. Our data demonstrate that LRP has at least two sites for binding to VWF, which are located within clusters II and IV. This finding is in accordance with previous observations that LRP clusters II and IV can serve as “functional duplicates” for binding selected ligands. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Can the Diagnostic Accuracy of Bone Scintigraphy Be Maintained with Half the Scanning Time

Purpose: We aim to show that the acquisition time of a conventional bone scan can be reduced by one-half without loss of the diagnostic value of the scan. Materials and Methods: Fifty adult patients (37 male and 13 female, mean age 62.5, SD 8.7 years) were enrolled. Patients were injected with 25–30 mCi (925-1110 MBq) 99mTc MDP IV. The Standard Protocol whole body planar images were acquired first [scan speed = 10 cm/min, acquisition time around 20 minutes] and were followed immediately by the Half-Time Protocol whole body planar images [scan speed = 20 cm/min; acquisition time around 10 minutes]. Both images were interpreted by two nuclear medicine physicians. Each reviewer, when reviewing the Standard Protocol images, was “self-blinded” to the result they had obtained when reviewing the Half-Time images, and vice-versa. This self-blinding was accomplished by allowing a minimum of two weeks to elapse between the two interpretations. We used the κ-coefficient to compare the agreement between the Standard-Protocol results and the Half-Time results. Results: There was no difference in clinically significant diagnostic information for Half -Time and Standard Protocol. The diagnostic quality of Half-Time and the Standard Protocol images were not significantly different (0.86 < κ < 1.0). Conclusion: Our data suggest that if we reduce the 99mTc MDP dose by half and keep the acquisition time at its standard value we gain the benefits of reduced dose without loss of diagnostic value of the scan.
Disease-, region- and cell type specific diversity of α-synuclein carboxy terminal truncations in synucleinopathies.

Synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), Lewy body dementia (LBD), Alzheimer’s disease with amygdala restricted Lewy bodies (AD/ALB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA) comprise a spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the presence of distinct pathological α-synuclein (αSyn) inclusions. Experimental and pathological studies support the notion that αSyn aggregates contribute to cellular demise and dysfunction with disease progression associated with a prion-like spread of αSyn aggregates via conformational templating. The initiating event(s) and factors that contribute to diverse forms of synucleinopathies remain poorly understood. A major post-translational modification of αSyn associated with pathological inclusions is a diverse array of specific truncations within the carboxy terminal region. While these modifications have been shown experimentally to induce and promote αSyn aggregation, little is known about their disease-, region- and cell type specific distribution. To this end, we generated a series of monoclonal antibodies specific to neo-epitopes in αSyn truncated after residues 103, 115, 119, 122, 125, and 129. Immunocytochemical investigations using these new tools revealed striking differences in the αSyn truncation pattern between different synucleinopathies, brain regions and specific cellular populations. In LBD, neuronal inclusions in the substantia nigra and amygdala were positive for αSyn cleaved after residues 103, 119, 122, and 125, but not 115. In contrast, in the same patients' brain αSyn cleaved at residue 115, as well as 103, 119 and 122 were abundant in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. In patients with AD/ALB, these modifications were only weakly or not detected in amygdala αSyn inclusions. αSyn truncated at residues 103, 115, 119, and 125 was readily present in MSA glial cytoplasmic inclusions, but 122 cleaved αSyn was only weakly or not present. Conversely, MSA neuronal pathology in the pontine nuclei was strongly reactive to the αSyn x-122 neo-epitope but did not display any reactivity for αSyn 103 cleavage. These studies demonstrate significant disease-, region- and cell type specific differences in carboxy terminal αSyn processing associated with pathological inclusions that likely contributes to their distinct strain-like prion properties and promotes the diversity displayed in the degrees of these insidious diseases.
Monitoring forest disturbances in Southeast Oklahoma using Landsat and MODIS images

Abstract Monitoring forest disturbances using remote sensing data with high spatial and temporal resolution can reveal relationships between forest disturbances and forest ecological patterns and processes. In this study, we fused Landsat data at high spatial resolution (30 m) with 8-day MODIS data to produce high spatial and temporal resolution image time-series. The Spatial Temporal Adaptive Algorithm for mapping Reflectance Change (STAARCH) is a simple but effective fusion method. We adapted the STAARCH fusion method to successfully produce a time-series of disturbances with high overall accuracy (89–92%) in mixed forests in southeast Oklahoma. The results demonstrated that in southeast Oklahoma, forest area disturbed in 2011 was higher than it was in 2000. However, two remarkable drops were identified in 2001 and 2006. We speculated that the drops were related to the economic recessions causing reduction in the demand of woody products. The detected fluctuation of area disturbed calls for continuing monitoring of spatial and temporal changes in this and other forest landscapes using high spatial and temporal resolution imagery datasets to better recognize the economic and environmental factors, as well as the consequences of those changes.
Anthrax toxin receptor (ANTXR1)/TEM 8 expression and sensitivity to protective antigen plus lethal factor.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 3816 The combination of two components of Anthrax Lethal Toxin (LeTx), composed of Protective Antigen (PA) plus Lethal Factor (LF), has reported cytotoxicity in vitro and anti-tumor activity in vivo. Current models of the mechanism by which the toxin affects cells involve binding of PA to the Anthrax Toxin Receptor (ANTXR) on the cell surface to mediate the entry of LF into cells. Inside the cell, LF inhibits MAPK signaling and triggers apoptosis of human melanoma cells but not that of normal human melanocytes. Multiple genes have been described to be ANTXR, the transcripts for one of these were found to be expressed at higher levels in freshly isolated human colon tumor endothelial cells compared to donor-matched normal colon endothelial cells and was designated tumor endothelial marker 8 (ANTXR1/TEM 8). We examined the expression of ANTXR1/TEM8 mRNA by real-time PCR and that of ANTXR1/TEM8 protein by flow cytometry on ten different human cell types including MEL 624, WM115, A375 and SKMEL28 human melanoma cell lines, SKNAS human neuroblastoma cell line, HT29 and SW480 human colorectal cancer cell lines, MCF7 and SKBR3 human breast carcinoma cell lines and normal primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The real-time PCR data indicated that eight out of ten cell types expressed ANTXR1/TEM8 mRNA, with HT29 and SKBR3 cells expressing no ANTXR1/TEM8 mRNA. In contrast, the flow cytometry data showed that only the SKNAS neuroblastoma cells expressed ANTXR1/TEM8 protein on the cell surface. We studied the effect of PA plus LF on the nine human cancer cell lines and HUVEC. Growth inhibition was assessed in a 96-well format with 2,000 cells per well and 2% FBS for 72 hrs using PA (100 ng/ml) and a concentration range of LF (0.1 –10 ng/ml). Six of ten cell types responded to PA plus LF growth inhibition. The six sensitive cell types were the HUVEC, the SKMEL28, A375 and WM115 human melanoma cell lines, the SKNAS human neuroblastoma cell line and the HT29 colon carcinoma cell line. The four resistant cell types were the MEL624 human melanoma cell line, the MCF7 and SKBR3 human breast carcinoma cell lines and the SW480 colon carcinoma cell line. Maximum growth inhibition was achieved at a LF concentration of 3 ng/ml and 70–100% growth inhibition was observed. Thus, PA plus LF may be useful in treating cancers in addition to melanoma. The sensitivity of HUVEC to PA plus LF suggests that this toxin might also be useful to treat highly angiogenic malignant tumors. While PA plus LF inhibited the growth of six cell types in culture, only one had detectable ANTXR1/TEM 8 protein on the cell surface, and the HT29 cell line which had neither ANTXR1/TEM 8 mRNA nor protein was inhibited by LF plus PA in a concentration-dependent manner. There was no association between ANTXR1/TEM 8 protein expression and sensitivity to PA plus LF therefore other ANTXRs may be required for toxin-induced growth inhibition in these cell types.
Attention and Preattention

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the model of processing along with its characteristics: (1) perceptual processing may proceed on several independent channels simultaneously; (2) an input receives the same perceptual analysis regardless of whether or not it is “attended”; and (3) stimulus encoding is effortless; capacity limitations in human information processing are because of stages subsequent to encoding devoted to a discussion of evidence pertaining to these three propositions. The independent channels model appears to be an excellent first approximation to reality. The hypothesis that inputs receive the same perceptual analysis whether or not they are attended seems not decisively refutable on the basis of existing evidence.
An Exploration of the Perception of Minerality in White Wines by Projective Mapping and Descriptive Analysis

Minerality is a way for wine writers to associate wines with their terroir. Little research has been carried out on the concept of minerality. In this study white wines were compared by projective mapping (PM) performed by wine industry professionals to a standard sensory descriptive analysis (DA) by trained judges. The PM found minerality to be positively correlated with acid taste and citrus, fresh, wet stone, and chemical aromas, and negatively correlated to butter, butterscotch, vanilla, and oak aromas. The PM panel minerality was associated with both aroma and taste perception. The DA found minerality to be positively correlated with reduced, chalky, and grassy aromas and bitter taste, and negatively correlated with barrel, caramel, honey, juicy fruit, musty, and cat pee aromas. Wine groupings were similar between the two panels. Minerality was highly associated with malic acid, tartaric acid, and titratable acidity, and moderately associated with free and total sulfur dioxide. Practical Applications There were similar concepts for minerality between the two types of panels, but there were also differences. This gives us the hope that teasing out the exact concept of minerality in white wines should be possible.
Bi-axially oriented polystyrene/montmorillonite nanocomposite films

Polystyrene (PS)/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposite films were prepared by bi-axially stretching compounded and extruded PS/MMT nanocomposite sheets, with an aim to achieve intercalation/exfoliation during compounding and an improved level of exfoliation and orientation during stretching. The characterization results support that the expected morphology of improved exfoliation and orientation was achieved, which leads to more significant property improvement compared to the non-stretched nanocomposite sheets. Meanwhile, only marginal deterioration in optical properties was observed in the PS/MMT nanocomposite films. Considering mechanical stretching can be adopted for large scale production, it represents a facile and potential mass production method of nanocomposites for practical applications.
Some Negative Implications of “No Pass, No Play”

(1989). Some Negative Implications of “No Pass, No Play”. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 62, No. 5, pp. 197-197.
Strengthening Your Submissions to HRDQ: Advice from the Managing Editor

This Forum piece is intended to offer some practical and prescribed guidelines for submitting manuscripts to HRDQ. This advice from the HRDQ Managing Editor is shared in order to help clarify the contributor guidelines and improve the chances of submissions, of both new and previous contributors, being placed under review at HRDQ. This article explains the peer-review process and describes the characteristics of a successful submission.
Hospitalists' ability to use hand-carried ultrasound for central venous pressure estimation after a brief training intervention: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND Access to hand-carried ultrasound technology for noncardiologists has increased significantly, yet development and evaluation of training programs are limited. OBJECTIVE We studied a focused program to teach hospitalists image acquisition of inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter and IVC collapsibility index with interpretation of estimated central venous pressure (CVP). METHODS Ten hospitalists completed an online educational module prior to attending a 1-day in-person training session that included directly supervised IVC imaging on volunteer subjects. In addition to making quantitative assessments, hospitalists were also asked to visually assess whether the IVC collapsed more than 50% during rapid inspiration or a sniff maneuver. Skills in image acquisition and interpretation were assessed immediately after training on volunteer patients and prerecorded images, and again on volunteer patients at least 6 weeks later. RESULTS Eight of 10 hospitalists acquired adequate IVC images and interpreted them correctly on 5 of the 5 volunteer subjects and interpreted all 10 prerecorded images correctly at the end of the 1-day training session. At 7.4 ± 0.7 weeks (range, 6.9–8.6 weeks) follow-up, 9 of 10 hospitalists accurately acquired and interpreted all IVC images in 5 of 5 volunteers. Hospitalists were also able to accurately determine whether the IVC collapsibility index was more than 50% by visual assessment in 180 of 198 attempts (91% of the time). CONCLUSIONS After a brief training program, hospitalists acquired adequate skills to perform and interpret hand-carried ultrasound IVC images and retained these skills in the near term. Though calculation of the IVC collapsibility index is more accurate, coupling a qualitative assessment with the IVC maximum diameter measurement may be acceptable in aiding bedside estimation of CVP. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:711–714. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine
Endovascular Management of Iliac Vein Occlusive Disease

Iliac vein occlusive disease presents with either acute or chronic symptoms, both of which can be managed with endovascular techniques. This report summarizes our experience in a small cohort of patients undergoing percutaneous treatment of iliac vein occlusive disease. Six women and one man with occlusive lesions in the iliac veins are included in this report. All patients reported leg pain and swelling, involving the right leg in one and the left leg in six. Symptoms were acute in one patient and chronic in six. Two patients presented with a chronic stasis ulcer. All patients with chronic symptoms were treated with self-expanding stents deployed across the occlusive lesion. The patient with acute symptoms was treated successfully with thrombolysis, which uncovered a fixed stenosis that was then stented. Post-procedure follow-up with duplex scanning was used for vein patency. No significant complications occurred. All patients reported symptomatic improvement, with four having complete resolution. Duplex scanning showed all treated venous segments to be patent at a mean of 12 months. Recanalization of obstructed iliac vein segments can be performed successfully and leads to improvement in pain and edema in the affected limb. Midterm patency rates are excellent.