cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of modifiable risk factors and left ventricular ejection fraction among hospitalized Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders with heart failure.

BACKGROUND Heart failure (HF) disproportionately affects Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders (NHOPIs). This study examines risk factors associated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) among 151 hospitalized NHOPI HF patients enrolled at a single tertiary care hospital between June 2006 and April 2010. METHODS Enrollment criteria: (1) NHOPI by self-identification. (2) Age ≥ 21 yrs. (3) Diagnosis of HF defined: (a) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40% or LVEF ≤ 60% with abnormal diastolic function and (b) classic HF signs/symptoms. LVEF was measured by echocardiography within 6 weeks of hospitalization. Clinical measures, medical history, and questionnaires were assessed using standardized protocols. Linear regression modeling was used to examine the association of significant correlates of LVEF, which were then included en bloc into the final model. A P-value < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Of 151 participants, 69% were men, mean age 54.3 ± 13.5 years, blood pressure 112 ± 20/69 ± 15 mmHg, and body mass index (BMI) 36.9 ± 9 kg/m(2). Twenty-five percent of participants were smokers, 45% used alcohol and 23% reported a history of methamphetamine use. Clinically, 72% had hypertension, 49% were diabetic and 37% had a prior myocardial infarction. Nearly 60% had moderate to severe LVEF (< 35%). Higher LVEF was independently associated with female sex and greater BMI (P < .04) while pacemaker/defibrillator and methamphetamine use was independently associated with lower LVEF (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS Methamphetamine use and BMI may be important modifiable risk factors associated with LVEF and may be important targets for improving HF morbidity and mortality.
Mid-Century Experiments in Encyclopedism

To whatever extent the public perception of the literary marketplace in the early eighteenth century gave new purchase to ancient woes about an overabundance of writing and the difficulty of distinguishing the worthy from the unremarkable, by the 1740s such complaints had again become thoroughly commonplace. As they had for decades, missives about the impossibility (or, at the very least, the inconvenience) of attempting to read and understand everything available in print continued to feature regularly in the hundreds if not thousands of texts published in order to fight the rising tide that supposedly threatened to sink all boats. Descriptions and defenses of extensive plans and methodized programs—all designed to bring some kind of order to what had been or would otherwise be an unmediated and therefore unmanageable chaos—echoed throughout the literary landscape of the mid-eighteenth century in a wide range of works intended to supplant proliferating forms of instruction and entertainment even as they competed with each other to define and control the past, present, and future of British literature.
Healthy Aging in the Context of Educational Disadvantage: The Role of “Ordinary Magic”:

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine the correlates of healthy aging in the context of educational disadvantage and the extent to which identified correlates are shared with the wider, more educationally advantaged population. Method: Data are from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study. The analytic sample included 17,484 self-respondents ≥50 years of age. Educational disadvantage was defined as having less than a high school diploma. Using logistic regression, healthy aging was regressed on demographic, early-life, and health-related factors by educational status. Results: Among educationally disadvantaged adults, demographic characteristics (e.g., age), health practices (e.g., physical activity), and the presence of health conditions were independently correlated with healthy aging. With few exceptions, correlates of healthy aging were similar among educationally advantaged and disadvantaged adults. Discussion: Ordinary factors are associated with healthy aging among adults without a high...
A comparison of serum and plasma cytokine values using a multiplexed assay in cats.

Abstract Background Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is highly prevalent in cats, and pain contributes to morbidity. In humans, alterations of cytokine concentrations have been associated with joint deterioration and pain. Similar changes have not been investigated in cats. Cytokine concentrations can be measured using multiplex technology with small samples of serum or plasma, however, serum and plasma are not interchangeable for most bioassays. Correlations for cytokine concentrations between serum and plasma have not been evaluated in cats. Objective To evaluate the levels of detection and agreement between serum and plasma samples in cats. Animals Paired serum and plasma samples obtained from 38 cats. Methods Blood was collected into anti-coagulant free and EDTA Vacutainer® tubes, serum or plasma extracted, and samples frozen at −80 °C until testing. Duplicate samples were tested using a 19-plex feline cytokine/chemokine magnetic bead panel. Results Agreement between serum and plasma for many analytes was high, however correlation coefficients ranged from −0.01 to 0.97. Results from >50% of samples were below the lower limit of quantification for both serum and plasma for nine analytes, and for an additional three analytes for plasma only. Conclusions and clinical importance While serum and plasma agreement was generally good, detection was improved using serum samples.
Abstract LB-294: Cellular microRNAs whose expression is altered by the oncogenic mouse polyomavirus

microRNAs are non-coding small RNAs that regulate expression of many genes and have been proposed as useful biomarkers for diverse diseases including cancer. Studies of the highly oncogenic mouse polyomavirus (Py) have identified many pathways in tumor development. The pathways found altered in Py-induced tumors strongly overlap with those affected in various human cancers, highlighting the Py-mouse systems9s broad applicability to oncology. In spite of the resolving power of microRNA expression analysis and the relevance of the oncogenic mouse virus to human cancer, currently there is a lack of systematic profiling analysis on microRNAs in the context of the early phases of Py-induced tumor development and progression. We focused our investigation on cellular microRNAs that may be targeted by Py during viral infection for possible microRNA biomarkers of oncogenesis. To explore the effects of Py infection on the host microRNA expression and to identify those microRNAs that are functionally involved in Py-induced tumorigenesis, microRNA expression in uninfected and Py-infected mouse cells were compared using the microRNA Array kit. This qRT-PCR based screening and further validation assays revealed that the levels of seven murine microRNAs were elevated in Py-infected cells which include miR-let7a, miR-32, miR-124, miR-141, miR-146a, miR-215, and miR-218.Our further research focuses on identification of genes targeted by these microRNAs and their roles during viral infection. This study will bring a better understanding of microRNA involvement in tumor development, progression and possibly prevention. Citation Format: Neethu Chokkalingam, Chang K. Sung. Cellular microRNAs whose expression is altered by the oncogenic mouse polyomavirus. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-294. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-LB-294
Comparative GMM and GQL logistic regression models on hierarchical data

We often rely on the likelihood to obtain estimates of regression parameters but it is not readily available for generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). Inferences for the regression coefficients ...
A novel stepped-care approach to weight loss: The role of self-monitoring and health literacy in treatment outcomes

Abstract Objectives The aims of the current study were twofold: 1) examine the effectiveness of an innovative three-step, stepped-care behavioral weight loss treatment, and 2) examine factors that contribute to poor weight loss outcomes and the need for more intensive treatment. Methods The total sample for the study consisted of 53 individuals (87% female) with MBMI = 35.6, SDBMI = 6.4. A three-step, stepped-care treatment approach was implemented over six months. Step 1 included the Diabetes Prevention Program manual adapted for self-administration augmented with monitoring technology shown to facilitate weight loss and participant accountability and engagement. Participants who were unsuccessful at achieving established weight loss goals received stepped-up treatments in 2-month increments beginning at month 2. The stepped progression included the addition of meal replacement at Step 2 and individual counseling concurrent with meal replacement at Step 3. Results Un-stepped and once stepped participants lost a clinically significant amount of weight (i.e., > 5%), while twice stepped participants lost an insignificant amount of weight. Twice stepped participants were significantly lower in health literacy and self-monitoring frequency. Conclusions In this investigation, approximately 60% of the participants were able to lose a clinically significant amount of weight utilizing a minimally intensive intervention with little additional support. Regular self-monitoring and high health literacy proved to be significant correlates of success.
Default mode network deactivation to smoking cue relative to food cue predicts treatment outcome in nicotine use disorder.

Identifying predictors of treatment outcome for nicotine use disorders (NUDs) may help improve efficacy of established treatments, like varenicline. Brain reactivity to drug stimuli predicts relapse risk in nicotine and other substance use disorders in some studies. Activity in the default mode network (DMN) is affected by drug cues and other palatable cues, but its clinical significance is unclear. In this study, 143 individuals with NUD (male n = 91, ages 18-55 years) received a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan during a visual cue task during which they were presented with a series of smoking-related or food-related video clips prior to randomization to treatment with varenicline (n = 80) or placebo. Group independent components analysis was utilized to isolate the DMN, and temporal sorting was used to calculate the difference between the DMN blood-oxygen-level dependent signal during smoke cues and that during food cues for each individual. Food cues were associated with greater deactivation compared with smoke cues in the DMN. In correcting for baseline smoking and other clinical variables, which have been shown to be related to treatment outcome in previous work, a less positive Smoke - Food difference score predicted greater smoking at 6 and 12 weeks when both treatment groups were combined (P = 0.005, β = -0.766). An exploratory analysis of executive control and salience networks demonstrated that a more positive Smoke - Food difference score for executive control network predicted a more robust response to varenicline relative to placebo. These findings provide further support to theories that brain reactivity to palatable cues, and in particular in DMN, may have a direct clinical relevance in NUD.
A rapidly-labeled RNA species from the silkgland of the wax moth, Galleria mellonella (L.).

Abstract Extraction of the Galleria 28-S rRNA from silkgland in a SDS-phenol solution at 450° results in the conversion of this rRNA to a 18S rRNA component. If the silkgland RNA is labeled with 3 H-uridine for 2 hours, a new highly radioactive RNA species is found that separates by sucrose gradient centrifugation at the same place as the 28S-rRNA. This radioactive RNA is not converted by heat-treatment to the 18-S rRNA component.
Homoepiboxidines: further potent agonists for nicotinic receptors.

Homoepiboxidine (3) and the corresponding N-methyl (4) and N-benzyl (5) derivatives were prepared from a 6β-carbomethoxynortropane (8). Affinities and functional activities at neuromuscular, central neuronal and ganglionic-type nicotinic receptors were compared to those of epibatidine 1, and epiboxidine 2. Homoepiboxidine had equivalent affinity/activity to epiboxidine at neuromuscular, neuronal α4β2, and most α3-containing ganglionic-type nicotinic receptors. The N-substituted derivatives showed reduced affinity/activity at most receptor subtypes. Replacement of the methylisoxazole moiety of 3 and 4 with a methyloxadiazole moiety provided analogues 6 and 7, which had greatly reduced affinity/activity in virtually all assays at nicotinic receptors. Marked analgetic activity in mice occurred at the following ip doses: epibatidine 10 μg/kg; epiboxidine 25 μg/kg; homoepiboxidine 100 μg/kg; N-methylhomoepiboxidine 100 μg/kg; the methyloxadiazole (6) 100 μg/kg. The time course at such ip doses was significantly longer for homoepiboxidine 3 with marked analgesia still manifest at 30 min post-injection. Epiboxidine and the homoepiboxidines were less toxic than epibatidine.
Standard Midwest Guardrail System Placed at 1V:2H Slope Break Point or with Omitted Post:

State departments of transportation (DOTs) throughout the United States commonly use W-beam guardrail systems to keep errant vehicles from leaving high-speed roadways and encountering safety hazards adjacent to the roadway edge, such as steep roadside slopes. Additionally, although W-beam guardrail is used to protect errant vehicles from safety hazards along the roadways, obstructions at post locations within a run of guardrail are a common occurrence. State DOTs wanted to evaluate the standard Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) for use in these instances. First, the standard MGS with 6-ft (1,829-mm) W6 × 8.5 (W152 × 12.6) steel posts spaced at 75 in. (1,905 mm) placed at the slope break point of a 1V:2H slope was successfully crash tested and evaluated according to the Test Level 3 (TL-3) safety performance criteria presented in the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). Subsequently, the standard MGS with one omitted post, which created an unsupported span of 12.5 ft (3.8 m), was full-scale crash test...
Factors Contributing to the Antiviral Effectiveness of Tenofovir

Over 1 million people in the United States are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which may progress to AIDS. The use of antiviral therapy has successfully controlled the rate of viral growth in patients. Antiviral agents improve the quality of life and reduce the potential for spreading HIV; HIV is currently considered a chronic disease provided patients are compliant with their antiviral medications. Tenofovir is a nucleoside transcriptase inhibitor that prevents viral replication and is approved for treatment of HIV and chronic hepatitis B infection. Tenofovir is an antiretroviral drug used alone and in combination with other nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor agents to lower viral load in HIV patients. Tenofovir is administered as a prodrug to increase bioavailability. The prodrug forms of tenofovir are tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, approved in 2001, and tenofovir alafenamide, approved in 2016. Tenofovir is extensively used in controlling HIV, as it is administered once daily, allowing for good compliance. This minireview discusses the impact of food, age, and drug transporters on tenofovir absorption and clearance. The changes in dosing that are needed in the presence of renal impairment, which is a common occurrence with HIV chronic disease progression, will also be discussed. The potential special conditions occurring with fixed-combination doses containing tenofovir will also be reviewed, including the use of cobicistat, a cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitor. The short review also addresses some newer preparations using niosomes to improve tenofovir absorption and delivery to the target cells.
Must rational intentions maximize utility

Suppose that it is rational to choose or intend a course of action if and only if the course of action maximizes some sort of expectation of some sort of value. What sort of value should this definition appeal to? According to an influential neo-Humean view, the answer is “Utility”, where utility is defined as a measure of subjective preference. According to a rival neo-Aristotelian view, the answer is “Choiceworthiness”, where choiceworthiness is an irreducibly normative notion of a course of action that is good in a certain way. The neo-Human view requires preferences to be measurable by means of a utility function. Various interpretations of what exactly a “preference” is are explored, to see if there is any interpretation that supports the claim that a rational agent’s “preferences” must satisfy the “axioms” that are necessary for them to be measurable in this way. It is argued that the only interpretation that supports the idea that the rational agent’s preferences must meet these axioms interprets “...
Measuring proteomes with long strings: A new, unconstrained paradigm in mass spectrum interpretation

Thousands of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) dynamically impact nearly all cellular functions. Mass spectrometry is well suited to PTM identification, but proteome-scale analyses are biased towards PTMs with existing enrichment methods. To measure the full landscape of PTM regulation, software must overcome two fundamental challenges: intractably large search spaces and difficulty distinguishing correct from incorrect identifications. Here, we describe TagGraph, software that overcomes both challenges with a string-based search method orders of magnitude faster than current approaches, and probabilistic validation model optimized for PTM assignments. When applied to a human proteome map, TagGraph tripled confident identifications while revealing thousands of modification types on nearly one million sites spanning the proteome. We expand known sites by orders of magnitude for highly abundant yet understudied PTMs such as proline hydroxylation, and derive tissue-specific insight into these PTMs9 roles. TagGraph expands our ability to survey the full landscape of PTM function and regulation.
Acute Respiratory Failure After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Infectious and noninfectious pulmonary complications are common among HSCT recipients and are the leading cause for respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation and ICU admission. Unique pulmonary syndromes include peri-engraftment respiratory distress syndrome, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, and idiopathic pneumonia syndrome. Respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation after HSCT continues to be associated with a poor prognosis.
Force-Dependent Recruitment from the Myosin Off State Contributes to Length-Dependent Activation.

Abstract Cardiac muscle develops more force when it is activated at longer lengths. The concentration of Ca2+ required to develop half-maximal force also decreases. These effects are known as length-dependent activation and are thought to play critical roles in the Frank-Starling relationship and cardiovascular homeostasis. The molecular mechanisms underpinning length-dependent activation remain unclear, but recent experiments suggest that they may include recruitment of myosin heads from the off (sometimes called super-relaxed) state. This manuscript presents a mathematical model of muscle contraction that was developed to investigate this hypothesis. Myosin heads in the model transitioned between an off state (that could not interact with actin), an on state (that could bind to actin), and a single attached state. Simulations were fitted to experimental data using multidimensional parameter optimization. Statistical analysis showed that a model in which the rate of the off-to-on transition increased linearly with force reproduced the length-dependent behavior of chemically permeabilized myocardium better than a model with a constant off-to-on transition rate (F-test, p
Growth factor impact on wound healing.

Sixty thousand to 118,000 lower extremity amputations are performed each year in the United States. The combination of peripheral vascular disease and diabetes mellitus accounts for most cases, with diabetic patients representing 45% to 70% of all nontraumatic, lower extremity amputations. The 3-year survival rate after amputation is only 50%. As podiatric physicians, we are directly involved in limb preservation. Progress has occurred in both the diagnosis and treatment of lower extremity, chronic, nonhealing ulcers. An aggressive, comprehensive amputation intervention program is critical to those patients with refractory wounds to prevent the emotional, functional, and economic costs of limb loss. Recent developments in recombinant growth factors are making it possible to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with defective angiogenesis, fibroblastic proliferation, collagen remodeling, and epithelial regeneration. Widespread use of growth factors will first occur in topical applications. Absorbable sutures, as well as impregnated bandages, are a likely method of delivering the growth factors to the wound site. Biotechnology companies are developing a stable formulation for bFGF topical application. Clinical trials have begun at various teaching hospitals across the United States for treatment of venous stasis ulcers. U.S. and European firms are collaborating to conduct the clinical studies required to obtain regulatory approvals leading to the sale of topical recombinant bFGF. Although U.S. approval is pending, European use of EFG in the healing of corneal incisions began several years ago. In the future, use of recombinant EGF topically with burn patients may permit earlier reharvesting of healed donor sites as well as coverage of larger graft areas. As some growth factors affect specific processes of healing and cell types, it may be necessary to combine growth factors for complex wounds. PDGF application in combination with other growth factors to incisional wounds may decrease postoperative complications with wound dehiscence while mediating inflammation and repair. In vivo experimental findings suggest that combinations of PDGF and insulin applied topically to wounds may increase the rate of wound repair in diabetics. It is also possible that even the normal healing process may be accelerated, thereby shortening postsurgical convalescence. Approval for internal administration of growth factors will require additional research and thorough clinical trials. The ability of TGF-beta to promote collagen formation may also relate to a metabolic condition such as osteoporosis, in which inadequate formation of collagen or other components of the bone matrix may contribute to pathogenesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of mercuric chloride-induced acute tubular necrosis in rat kidney.

Scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy were used to elucidate morphological changes associated with acute tubular necrosis induced by high doses of mercuric chloride. Marked morphological changes were demonstrated in proximal tubules with TEM at one hour and with both SEM and TEM at six hours. These changes appeared earlier than reported in previous studies using any dose. The scanning microscope provided a three-dimensional view of proximal cells showing changes in early injury with subsequent separation of the injured cells from the remaining cells. Certain of these residual cells change into low-lying cells which reline the proximal tubule. Variability was seen in the number of cells injured, in the time of initiation of the injury to individual cells, and in the number of residual cells. However, once cell injury was initiated, necrosis proceeded in a reproducible manner.
Models as Side Conditions

The purpose of the method in the title, which was established by Stevo Todorcevic ([4], [5]), is to overcome certain problems in proving that some partial orders preserve ω1 . More specifically, the problems with amalgamating conditions while attempting to prove the countable chain condition of partial orders. The general idea is to put inside conditions of forcing notions some extra demands which will make the amalgamation easier. The point is that if one involves models into these extra demands, one is rewarded. These extra demands increase the complexity of the condition (and are no longer finite) and so one has no choice but to forget about proving that the modified partial order satisfies the c.c.c. One tries to prove the properness of the modified forcing. This boils down to the proof that certain conditions are generic2 over certain models.
American Health Care Systems and Depression: The Past, Present, and the Future

American medicine has witnessed 3 major periods in this century that have all played key roles in the evolution of today's medical systems, practice, and education. The first of these periods followed the publication of the Flexner report in the early 1900s that was critical of the then current medical education system. The second came with the development of specialties in the 1920s and 1930s, and the third with the growth of HMOs and managed care and with the reemergence of primary care. Mental health practice has also evolved, moving from a specialist-based direct access to a primary care model. Although great strides have been made regarding the treatment of depression, an overwhelming majority of patients are still undertreated. Treatments for the future must focus on programs to improve recognition of depression, reduce stigma, and increase compliance.
Effect of sterol structure on ordered membrane domain (raft) stability in symmetric and asymmetric vesicles.

Abstract Sterol structure influences liquid ordered domains in membranes, and the dependence of biological functions on sterol structure can help identify processes dependent on ordered domains. In this study we compared the effect of sterol structure on ordered domain formation in symmetric vesicles composed of mixtures of sphingomyelin, 1, 2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and cholesterol, and in asymmetric vesicles in which sphingomyelin was introduced into the outer leaflet of vesicles composed of DOPC and cholesterol. In most cases, sterol behavior was similar in symmetric and asymmetric vesicles, with ordered domains most strongly stabilized by 7-dehydrocholesterol (7DHC) and cholesterol, stabilized to a moderate degree by lanosterol, epicholesterol and desmosterol, and very little if at all by 4-cholesten-3-one. However, in asymmetric vesicles desmosterol stabilized ordered domain almost as well as cholesterol, and to a much greater degree than epicholesterol, so that the ability to support ordered domains decreased in the order 7-DHC > cholesterol > desmosterol > lanosterol > epicholesterol > 4-cholesten-3-one. This contrasts with values for intermediate stabilizing sterols in symmetric vesicles in which the ranking was cholesterol > lanosterol ~ desmosterol ~ epicholesterol or prior studies in which the ranking was cholesterol ~ epicholesterol > lanosterol ~ desmosterol. The reasons for these differences are discussed. Based on these results, we re-evaluated our prior studies in cells and conclude that endocytosis levels and bacterial uptake are even more closely correlated with the ability of sterols to form ordered domains than previously thought, and do not necessarily require that a sterol have a 3β-OH group.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Phenotypes

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) phenotype was first described over 50 years ago and since that time significant progress has been made in understanding the biologic processes underlying the syndrome. Despite this improved understanding, no pharmacologic therapies aimed at the underlying biology have been proven effective in ARDS. Increasingly, ARDS has been recognized as a heterogeneous syndrome characterized by subphenotypes with distinct clinical, radiographic, and biologic differences, distinct outcomes, and potentially distinct responses to therapy. The Berlin Definition of ARDS specifies three severity classifications: mild, moderate, and severe based on the PaO2 to FiO2 ratio. Two randomized controlled trials have demonstrated a potential benefit to prone positioning and neuromuscular blockade in moderate to severe phenotypes of ARDS only. Precipitating risk factor, direct versus indirect lung injury, and timing of ARDS onset can determine other clinical phenotypes of ARDS after admission. Radiographic phenotypes of ARDS have been described based on a diffuse versus focal pattern of infiltrates on chest imaging. Finally and most promisingly, biologic subphenotypes or endotypes have increasingly been identified using plasma biomarkers, genetics, and unbiased approaches such as latent class analysis. The potential of precision medicine lies in identifying novel therapeutics aimed at ARDS biology and the subpopulation within ARDS most likely to respond. In this review, we discuss the challenges and approaches to subphenotype ARDS into clinical, radiologic, severity, and biologic phenotypes with an eye toward the future of precision medicine in critical care.
Current status and future prospects in the immunotherapy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

I reviewed recently the status of immunotherapy of HIV infection in Trends in Pharmacology (1). To recount briefly, a large number of trials involving acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and pre-AIDS patients have been performed with relatively meager results. Intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG) therapy is thought to be of benefit for children with AIDS and a large scale study has been initiated to document this impression. Similar studies have been proposed for adults with or without azidothymidine (AZT) (2). Recombinant alpha interferon, particularly with AZT, has proven successful for managing Kaposi’s sarcoma in AIDS and is now licensed by the FDA for this use. Similarly, recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has proven useful and is licensed for leukopenia due to AZT in AIDS. Interleukin II (IL-2) by continuous infusion has been shown to induce T lymphocytosis and combined trials with AZT are in progress. Diethyl dithiocarbamate (DTC; Imuthiol) was reported to reduce the incidence of infection in AIDS patients in one study (3). The other immunotherapeutic agents have proven of no value in AIDS.
Pracademics in Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration accredited programs: Insights from a survey of program faculty members:

This article examines current and previous practitioner experiences of faculty in Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration accredited programs. Using original survey data, t...
Secreted metabolite-mediated interactions between rhizosphere bacteria and Trichoderma biocontrol agents

Trichoderma has been used as an alternative to synthetic pesticides to control a variety of phytopathogenic fungi, oomycetes, and nematodes. Although its mechanism of pathogen suppression has been extensively studied, how Trichoderma interacts with non-target microbes is not well understood. Here, we investigated how two Trichoderma biological control agents (BCAs) interact with rhizosphere bacteria isolated from a tomato plant via secreted proteins, metabolites, and volatile compounds (VCs). Culture filtrates (CFs) of T. virens and T. harzianum, containing secreted proteins and metabolites, strongly inhibited (>75% reduction in growth) 39 and 19, respectively, out of 47 bacterial strains tested. Their CFs inhibited the remaining strains at lower degrees. Both metabolites and proteins are involved in inhibiting bacteria, but they seem to antagonize each other in inhibiting some strains. Trichoderma and bacteria suppressed the growth of each other using VCs. The secretion of antibacterial and antifungal molecules by T. virens and T. harzianum was significantly affected by VCs from some bacteria, suggesting that both Trichoderma BCAs and rhizosphere bacteria use VCs to influence each other in multiple ways. In light of these results, we discuss how metabolite-mediated interactions can potentially affect the effectiveness of biocontrol.
PREDICTING ADVANCEMENT OF HEART FAILURE PATIENTS FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY CARE DUE TO HEALTH DETERIORATION: THE AMELIORATE-HF SCORE

Heart failure (HF) involves high morbidity and mortality, growing prevalence, and increasing healthcare burden. Often, uncomplicated HF can be managed in a primary care setting, but as its severity advances, secondary care from HF specialists is required. Determining the timeliness of the transition
Preparation and Characterization of Electrospun Conductive Janus Nanofibers with Polyaniline

Multifunctional composite fibers have important applications in various fields. Different components in the composite can be combined to form a fiber in various configurations, with homogeneous ble...
Métissage culturel dans les comédies ethniques et l’islam de France

In the present article, I am interested in analyzing the encounters between French Muslims and Franco-French in contemporary France such as depicted in popular ethnic comedies. I will focus on the ...
Dietary exposure assessment of cadmium of adults in Jiangxi Province in 2016

Objective To evaluate dietary exposure of cadmium and their potential health risks of adults in Jiangxi Province. Methods The concentration data of cadmium of 11 kinds of foods were obtained from food safety monitoring in Jiangxi Province in 2012-2017. The food consumption data was obtained from food consumption survey in Jiangxi Province in 2016. Based on the deterministic assessment model, the dietary exposure of cadmium of adults in Jiangxi Province was calculated. Results The average dietary exposure of cadmium was 18. 426 μg/kg per month, accounting for 73. 7% of the provisional tolerable monthly intake(PTMI). The large portion exposure(P95) of cadmium was 29. 724 μg/kg per month, accounting for 118. 9% of PTMI. The average and the large portion(P95) dietary exposure range of cadmium in different age groups were 16. 224-19. 774 and 24. 059-33. 387 μg/kg per month, respectively. It was indicated that the main dietary sources of cadmium were rice and vegetables, which were contributed more than 92% of total dietary exposure of cadmium. Conclusion The potential health risks caused by dietary exposure to cadmium of adults in Jiangxi Province was at an acceptable level. But there were some potential health risks in high exposure population.
AN ECONOMIC STUDY FOR UNTRADITIONAL FODDER AND THE ITS ROLE TO FIX FODDER SHORTAGE IN SHARKIA GOVERNORATE

Fodder shortage is considered an impediment to develop animal production , many studies show that fodder balance in Egypt has a 6 million ton annual shortage and that equal 2.5 million ton of digested fodder , the availability of the fodder is a necessity and the best way to achieve that is making a plan to benefit from the nutrition which existed in agricultural waste and it can be used as an animal fodder where the most important are ; hays , corn wood , cotton , rice straw and vegetable forks , many studies show that this quantities of agricultural waste will cover efficiently the shortage of fodder balance to feed the animals and that after treating them with mechanical , natural , chemical and biological processes to raise their nutritional value then using them as an animal fodder materials . The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1-The equation of production function shows that all productive treatments affect produced silage because The coefficient of determination is about 0.980 which means that all treatment affect with percentage reached 98% in silage production, calculated (F) value confirms that which reached 49.739 with abstract level 0.01 % . 2-The equation of processed rice straw production function shows that all treatments affect the produced quantity of rice straw pile with coefficient of determination reached 0.936 which means that all treatments affect the processed rice straw pile with percentage of 93.6% , the value of calculated (F) confirms that and reached 38.115 with coefficient of determination 0.01% . 3-The problems of raw materials vary to three problems have relative recurrences , the first problem with relative importance reached 3.33% of all recurrences , when the relative importance of processed rice straw reached 6.67% of all recurrences . the second problem is about raw materials deception which reached about 20% , when the relative importance of processed rice straw reached 13.33% of all recurrences . the third problem is about price raising of raw materials to produce silage with relative importance reached 36.67% , when the relative importance to produce the processed rice straw reached 53.33% of all sample recurrences .
Receptor-Based Mechanism of Cell Memory and Relative Sensing in Mammalian Signaling Networks

Detecting relative rather than absolute changes in external signals enables cells to make decisions in fluctuating environments and diverse biological contexts. However, how mammalian signaling networks store the memories of past stimuli and use them to compute relative signals is not well understood. Using the growth factor-activated PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, we develop computational and analytical models, and experimentally validate a novel mechanism of relative sensing in mammalian cells. This non-transcriptional mechanism relies on a new form of cellular memory, where cells effectively encode past stimulation levels in the abundance of cognate receptors on the cell surface. We show the robustness and specificity of the relative sensing for two physiologically important ligands, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and across wide ranges of background stimuli. The described memory and sensing mechanism could play a role in multiple other sensory cascades where stimulation leads to a proportional reduction in the abundance of cell surface receptors.
Projeto “Idosos em Ação – Virgínia Luchi Marchesini”, em Pancas-ES : reflexos na saúde dos participantes

In the global context, where population aging is increasing, a challenge for public policies is to provide that this aging be accompanied by quality of life. To this end, this study aimed to analyze how the Project, from the municipality of Pancas / ES, “Elderly in Action”, whose main action is to promote physical activities, impacts on their health. Then, the profile of the participants and their reflexes on their health were investigated. The data used were obtained through the application of a questionnaire and information made available by the Municipal Health Department. Based on the responses, aspects that could be improved were noted, but it was also observed that the activities developed resulted in improvements for health and well-being target audience's.
Treatment Acceptability for Interventions Addressing Challenging Behavior Among Chinese Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The present study evaluated treatment acceptability for behavioral interventions addressing challenging behaviors with Chinese caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Factors influencing treatment acceptability (i.e., severity of challenging behavior and Chinese child-rearing values) were investigated. Caregivers of children aged 2–12 years (N = 216) participated in this survey study. Results suggest that caregivers found positive strategies including noncontingent reinforcement and positive reinforcement the most acceptable; punishment-based strategies were rated as the least acceptable. Furthermore, positive punishment was perceived as more acceptable for severe challenging behavior. Caregivers who endorsed training were more likely to find positive strategies acceptable, whereas those who endorsed shaming were more likely to rate punishment-based strategies as more acceptable. Implications for future research and culturally competent behavioral treatments in Chinese context are provided.
Deuterium isotope effects in complexation kinetics—III: The association between magnesium(II) and pyrophosphate

Abstract The association reaction between Mg(II) and pyrophosphoric acid was investigated in H 2 O and D 2 O through the use of the temperature jump relaxation technique. Electrochemical measurements in both solvents were carried out at 22°C in 0·20 M NaNO 3 to determine the acid dissociation constants. In H 2 O, p K 3 = 5·76 ± 0·04 and p K 4 = 8·04 ± 0·10 and in D 2 O, p K 3 = 6·14 ± 0·10 and p K 4 = 8·44 ± 0·26. The kinetics of the association reaction were determined at 15°C and k f = (2·1 ± 0·1) × 10 6 M −1 sec −1 and k d = (3·1 ± 0·4) × 10 3 sec −1 . In D 2 O, k f was a factor of 2·4 times slower than in water while k d was 25% faster. These results were interpreted in terms of the Eigen-Tamm complexation mechanism, with the isotope effect occuring in the step involving the diffusion-controlled formation of the outer-sphere complex.
The Architecture of Efficient Multi-Core Processors: A Holistic Approach

Abstract The most straightforward methodology for designing a multi-core architecture is to replicate an off-the-shelf core design multiple times, and then connect the cores together using an interconnect mechanism. However, this methodology is “multi-core oblivious” as subsystems are designed/optimized unaware of the overall chip-multiprocessing system they would become parts of. The chapter demonstrates that this methodology is inefficient in terms of area/power. It recommends a holistic approach where the subsystems are designed from the ground up to be effective components of a complete system. The inefficiency in “multi-core oblivious” designs comes from many sources. Having multiple replicated cores results in an inability to adapt to the demands of execution workloads, and results in either underutilization or overutilization of processor resources. Single-ISA (instruction-set architecture) heterogeneous multi-core architectures host cores of varying power/performance characteristics on the die, but all cores are capable of running the same ISA. Such a processor can result in significant power savings and performance improvements if the applications are mapped to cores judiciously. The paper also presents holistic design methodologies for such architectures. Another source of inefficiency is blind replication of over-provisioned hardware structures. Conjoined-core chip multiprocessing allows adjacent cores of a multi-core architecture to share some resources. This can result in significant area savings with little performance degradation. Yet another source of inefficiency is the interconnect. The interconnection overheads can be very significant for a “multi-core oblivious” multi-core design—especially as the number of cores increases and the pipelines get deeper. The paper demonstrates the need to co-design the cores, the memory and the interconnection to address the inefficiency problem, and also makes several suggestions regarding co-design.
Studies with a multichannel flame spectrometer: II. The simultaneous determination of magnesium, calcium, copper, manganese, and chromium

Abstract The design, construction, and performance of a multichannel flame spectrometer has been reported (1). In the present paper, the use of the instrument for the simultaneous determination of magnesium, calcium, copper, manganese, and chromium is described. The over-all precision of the measurements of these elements is assessed. The effect of cations and anions on the measurements is determined, and the accuracy of analysis ascertained by measurement of certified standards of the National Bureau of Standards. The work has demonstrated the feasibility of simultaneously determining all of these alkaline earth and transition metals with this multichannel flame spectrometer (1). Experiments designed to demonstrate the suitability of the system for the analysis of metals in biological materials are also performed.
Total neutral 17-ketosteroids; clinical method for measurement.

The Masuda and Thuline method for measuring urinary neutral 17-ketosteroids has been modified by substituting polyethylene bottles and a mechanical shaker for separatory funnels and manual shaking, and by developing the color and reading it in the same test tube. Combining Zimmermann reagents before addition eliminates the necessity for frequently pipeting small volumes. The new method permits the analysis of 10 to 15 urines in a single operation without sacrificing accuracy or specificity.
Fast and Small Short Vector SIMD Matrix Multiplication Kernels for the Synergistic Processing Element of the CELL Processor

Matrix multiplication is one of the most common numerical operations, especially in the area of dense linear algebra, where it forms the core of many important algorithms, including solvers of linear systems of equations, least square problems, and singular and eigenvalue computations. The STI CELL processor exceeds the capabilities of any other processor available today in terms of peak single precision, floating point performance. In order to fully exploit the potential of the CELL processor for a wide range of numerical algorithms, fast implementation of the matrix multiplication operation is essential. The crutial component is the matrix multiplication kernel crafted for the short vector Single Instruction Multiple Data architecture of the Synergistic Processing Element of the CELL processor. In this paper, single precision matrix multiplication kernels are presented implementing the C= Ci¾? A×BToperation and the C= Ci¾? A×Boperation for matrices of size 64 ×64 elements. For the latter case, the performance of 25.55 Gflop/s is reported, or 99.80 percent of the peak, using as little as 5.9 KB of storage for code and auxiliary data structures.
Drawing the Line on District Competition: A Rejoinder

In “Drawing the Line on District Competition,” Michael McDonald (2006) challenges our conclusion that redistricting is not responsible for declining competition in House elections. McDonald claims that this conclusion is incorrect largely because our measure of district partisanship in 1992 is flawed. According to McDonald, using the normalized 1992 major party presidential vote as a measure of House district partisanship in 1992 seriously overstates the competitiveness of House districts in that year because of the impact of the vote for Ross Perot. McDonald recommends instead using the 1988 presidential vote to measure district partisanship in 1992, or using a procedure developed by Gelman and King (1994a) to estimate the partisan bias of House districts. With either of these methods, McDonald claims that a significant proportion of the decline in competitive districts between 1990 and 2002 was caused by redistricting. In addition, contrary to our finding that nonpartisan redistricting commissions have failed to produce increased competition in House elections, McDonald claims that nonpartisan redistricting in Arizona provides a positive example of what can be accomplished by nonpartisan redistricting commissions elsewhere.
Functional analysis of limb enhancers in the developing fin

Despite diverging ∼365 million years ago, tetrapod limbs and pectoral fins express similar genes that could be regulated by shared regulatory elements. In this study, we set out to analyze the ability of enhancers to maintain tissue specificity in these two divergent structures. We tested 22 human sequences that were previously reported as mouse limb enhancers for their enhancer activity in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Using a zebrafish enhancer assay, we found that 10/22 (45 %) were positive for pectoral fin activity. Analysis of the various criteria that correlated with positive fin activity found that both spatial limb activity and evolutionary conservation are not good predictors of fin enhancer activity. These results suggest that zebrafish enhancer assays may be limited in detecting human limb enhancers, and this limitation does not improve by the use of limb spatial expression or evolutionary conservation.