cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temporal trends in acute stroke management.

The benefit of intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke is well established.1,2 Unfortunately, the rates of rt-PA use among US patients with ischemic stroke remain quite low. Previously, our group published the rate of rt-PA use among ischemic stroke patients within the large Premier database, which is a 15% sampling of US hospitals that cross-references drug use with administrative data. The rate of rt-PA use was extremely low and did not increase from 2001 to 2004.3 This was despite rt-PA being approved for use in the US since 1996. More recently, we found that the rates of rt-PA have begun to slowly increase from 1.4% in fiscal year (FY) 2001 to 4.5% in FY 2009 (Figure 1).4 The timing of this increase seemed to coincide with primary stroke center certification by the Joint Commission in the United States in 2004, although this is only an association rather than definitive causality. Rates of rt-PA use did not seem to be affected by increased reimbursement given to hospitals for care of rt-PA–treated patients (instituted in 2006), as we had originally hypothesized. Figure 1. National estimates of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) use in the United States. To explore the impact further of …
A Hybrid GWR-Based Height Estimation Method for Building Detection in Urban Environments

LiDAR has become important data sources in urban modelling. Traditional methods of LiDAR data processing for building detection require high spatial resolution data and sophisticated methods. The aerial photos, on the other hand, provide continuous spectral information of buildings. But the segmentation of the aerial photos cannot distinguish between the road surfaces and the building roof. This paper develops a geographically weighted regression (GWR)-based method to identify buildings. The method integrates characteristics derived from the sparse LiDAR data and from aerial photos. In the GWR model, LiDAR data provide the height information of spatial objects which is the dependent variable, while the brightness values from multiple bands of the aerial photo serve as the independent variables. The proposed method can thus estimate the height at each pixel from values of its surrounding pixels with consideration of the distances between the pixels and similarities between their brightness values. Clusters of contiguous pixels with higher estimated height values distinguish themselves from surrounding roads or other surfaces. A case study is conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. It is found that the accuracy of the proposed hybrid method is better than those by image classification of aerial photos along or by height extraction of LiDAR data alone. We argue that this simple and effective method can be very useful for automatic detection of buildings in urban areas.
Mechanisms of Tumor-Associated T-Cell Tolerance

The great challenge in the treatment of cancer has been to develop modalities that destroy tumor cells without damaging healthy tissues. In fact, modalities such as chemotherapeutics that are standardly used to treat a wide variety of cancers work on the principle that tumor cells are slightly more sensitive to their cytotoxic effects than are healthy cells, and thus treatment regimens are administered that may or may not fully eradicate the cancer (depending upon the outgrowth of drug-resistant tumor cells) but generally inflict significant side effects on the patient. In this regard, there has been a long-standing interest in programming the adaptive immune system to mediate anti-tumor immunity through the targeting of antigens expressed specifically by tumors. This effort has been accelerated during recent years by advances in the ability to prime robust cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses. Nevertheless, results from recent clinical trials testing a variety of T cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches have only demonstrated partial successes (Rosenberg et al., 2004; Srivastava, 2006). This is likely to be at least partially due to the ability of tumors to dampen cognate T-cell responses. Ironically, the first evidence demonstrating that tumors can suppress cognate T-cell responses came from the same studies establishing that tumors can elicit T-cell responses. Thus, mice harboring established carcinogen-induced transplantable tumors can reject a second transplant of the same tumor, and T cells harvested from mice with established tumors can confer protection against tumor growth when transferred into naive syngeneic mice that are simultaneously challenged with the same tumor. This phenomenon of concomitant immunity (reviewed in Gorelik, 1983) thus indicated that while tumors can possess immunogenic properties that allow them to prime cognate T-cell responses, they can simultaneously suppress the function of these effector T cells when they enter the tumor
An impairment of renal tubular DA-1 receptor function as the causative factor for diminished natriuresis to volume expansion in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

It has been demonstrated that endogenous kidney dopamine (DA) contributes to the natriuretic response to acute volume expansion (VE). Several studies suggest that a defect in renal DA-ergic mechanism may play a role in genetic hypertension in humans and rats. The present study was designed to determine the role of renal DA and tubular DA-1 receptors in the natriuretic response to VE in age-matched spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats of 10–12 weeks of age. In pentobarbital-anesthetized rats, VE was carried out by intravenously infusing isotonic sodium chloride (5% body weight) over a period of 60 min. This maneuver evoked pronounced increases in urine output, urinary sodium excretion and urinary DA excretion. However, the natriuretic and diuretic response to VE was significantly reduced in SHR, although the increase in urinary DA excretion was similar in both SHR and WKY rats. During VE no significant changes in glomerular filtration rate or blood pressure were noted in either...
Intellectual Property Intermediaries

During the past 5 to 10 years, several different intermediation business models have emerged for the intellectual property (IP) market. This note describes the most prominent ones: non-practicing entities (or patent trolls), defensive patent aggregators, online IP platforms, live IP auctions and IP exchanges. Learning Objective: Illustrating challenges associated with establishing business models for intellectual property intermediation.
Greening IEEE

With more than 375 000 members, IEEE is the world's leading professional association. There may be no other organization as well positioned to take a leading role in pursuing environmental sustainability. IEEE is in a position to rally global support of sustainability initiatives, and has successfully done so on a number of occasions, but there remains a great deal of work yet to be completed.
Production of ketosis in alloxan diabetic rats with nicotinic acid.

SummaryA series of 20 rats of the Long-Evans strain which had severe alloxan diabetes for a preliminary period of 2 to 4 months, was given a diet with excess nicotinic acid. The diet was adequate but contained 1 g niacin/kg. The most outstanding effect of this diet was the production of ketonuria in 16 of the 20 animals, although the degree of ketonuria and the response pattern was variable. Supplementary choline did not inhibit ketosis. The action of nicotinic acid in altering fat metabolism is discussed.
Factors Influencing Tree and Stand Susceptibility to Douglas-Fir Tussock Moth Attack

The basic objective of our studies is to develop knowledge needed for spatial prediction of Douglas-fir tussock moth epidemics—rating the risk of sites and stands to defoliation by the moths. We hope that such information will provide the basis for preventive forest management measures; more efficient aerial and ground detection of insect population build-ups; and research on the factors predisposing trees and stands to the defoliator.
Evaluating the evidence: is phrenic nerve stimulation a safe and effective tool for decreasing ventilator dependence in patients with high cervical spinal cord injuries and central hypoventilation?

Case reports, case series and case control studies have looked at the use of phrenic nerve stimulators in the setting of high spinal cord injuries and central hypoventilation syndromes dating back to the 1980s. We evaluated the evidence related to this topic by performing a systematic review of the published literature. Search terms “phrenic nerve stimulation,” “phrenic nerve and spinal cord injury,” and “phrenic nerve and central hypoventilation” were entered into standard search engines in a systematic fashion. Articles were reviewed by two study authors and graded independently for class of evidence according to published guidelines. The published evidence was reviewed, and the overall body of evidence was evaluated using the grading of recommendations, assesment, development and evaluations (GRADE) criteria Balshem et al. (J Clin Epidemiol 64:401–406, 2011). Our initial search yielded 420 articles. There were no class I, II, or III studies. There were 18 relevant class IV articles. There were no discrepancies among article ratings (i.e., kappa = 1). A meta-analysis could not be performed due to the low quality of the available evidence. The overall quality of the body of evidence was evaluated using GRADE criteria and fell within the “very poor” category. The quality of the published literature for phrenic nerve stimulation is poor. Our review of the literature suggests that phrenic nerve stimulation is a safe and effective option for decreasing ventilator dependence in high spinal cord injuries and central hypoventilation; however, we are left with critical questions that provide crucial directions for future studies.
Research on blood lipid change of rheumatoid arthritis

Objective To observe the clinical value of blood lipid change in diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Methods 86 patients who were diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis received anti-rheumatoid drug and small doses of hormone treatment,after 1 year,ESR,CRP,rheumatoid factor,TC,TG,LDL-C and HDL-C were detected before and after treatment,blood lipid change of patients were analyzed for the value of diagnosis and treatment.Results After treatment,the patients with rheumatoid arthritis were significantly lower than before treatment on ESR,CRP,TC(P 0.05),but HDL-C was significantly rise than before treatment(P 0.05),LDL-C and TG had no significantly change than before treatment(P 0.05).ESR and HDL-C had the negative correlation(P 0.05).CRP,rheumatoid factor and HDL-C did not appear correlation(P 0.05).Conclusion Blood lipid change has important value in the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,rheumatoid arthritis has a close relationship with lipid metabolism and inflammatory responses.
Monitoring of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Using Sputum Smear Method

Objective To analyze the effectiveness of the preventive measures used in the control of tuberculosis. Methods Compulsory treatment was given to 7 684 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The disease progression was monitored by sputum smear test at the end of 2 to 3 months after the treatment. Results Average of 93.92% and 96.45% of the patients showed negative sputum smear test at 2 and 3 months at the end of months after the treatment,respectively. Newcomer pulmonary tuberculosis patients with sputum smear positive have the highest negative rate,with 96.52% at the end of two months and 98.56% at the end of three months. Received pretreatment but still with sputum smear positive patients show the lowest negative rate,only 80.93% at the end of two months. Relapsed sputum Smear positive patient's negative rate is in the middle of above two. Conclusion The keys of success of preventing pulmonary tuberculosis,especially the relapse cases,are to strengthen the patient management,implementation of the compulsory treatment scheme,and reduction of multiple drug resistant bacteria.
Semi-automated rapid quantification of brain vessel density utilizing fluorescent microscopy

Abstract Background Measurement of vascular density has significant value in characterizing healthy and diseased tissue, particularly in brain where vascular density varies among regions. Further, an understanding of brain vessel size helps distinguish between capillaries and larger vessels like arterioles and venules. Unfortunately, few cutting edge methodologies are available to laboratories to rapidly quantify vessel density. New method We developed a rapid microscopic method, which quantifies the numbers and diameters of blood vessels in brain. Utilizing this method we characterized vascular density of five brain regions in both mice and rats, in two tumor models, using three tracers. Results We observed the number of sections/mm 2 in various brain regions: genu of corpus callosum 161 ± 7, hippocampus 266 ± 18, superior colliculus 300 ± 24, frontal cortex 391 ± 55, and inferior colliculus 692 ± 18 (n = 5 animals). Regional brain data were not significantly different between species (p > 0.05) or when using different tracers (70 kDa and 2000 kDa Texas Red; p > 0.05). Vascular density decreased (62–79%) in preclinical brain metastases but increased (62%) a rat glioma model. Comparison with existing methods Our values were similar (p > 0.05) to published literature. We applied this method to brain-tumors and observed brain metastases of breast cancer to have a ∼2.5-fold reduction (p > 0.05) in vessels/mm 2 compared to normal cortical regions. In contrast, vascular density in a glioma model was significantly higher (sections/mm 2 736 ± 84; p Conclusions In summary, we present a vascular density counting method that is rapid, sensitive, and uses fluorescence microscopy without antibodies.
Voters, Elections, Accountability, and Choice

Voters are the ultimate authority in a democracy. Their preferences and behaviors are the fundamental sources of legitimacy for policymakers, who get their power through elections. Their preferences and behaviors also place constraints on what elected politicians can do. The electorate is the source for the authority of constitutional rules of procedure and for the authority of official statements of public goals. When there is ambiguity about what goals are appropriate for public policy, voter choices can resolve them at least provisionally. When there is ambiguity about which potential officeholders have correct or appropriate beliefs about the way the economic world works, voter choices can determine which ones will get to test their views against experience. All this would be true in a world of ideal democratic citizens, but it is true in the real world as well. Yet the effort to maximize one's share of the votes of even ideal citizens can lead to opportunism, according to some of the models of political economy we have reviewed. And whereas ideal citizens may be public-spirited and fully informed, real-world voters may not have either of those qualities. This chapter will assess what we know about how voting behavior is affected by macroeconomic issues, as well as the implications for policy making. Most real-world voters are not well informed about political issues; they sometimes are characterized as being vulnerable to cynical manipulation by opportunistic politicians.
MTSS Coaching: Bridging Knowing to Doing.

Improving educator effectiveness and school functioning requires continuous attention to practice selection, implementation fidelity, and progress monitoring, especially in the context of systemic school reform efforts. As such, supporting professional development must be targeted, comprehensive, efficient, and relevant. In particular, coaching must be established to bridge the implementation gap from knowing-to-doing. To increase the precision with which we develop and use coaching supports, we describe how (a) coaching is conceptualized, described, and operationalized within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework using a behavioral approach; (b) professional development activities are considered from a teaching and phases of learning perspective; and (c) critical coaching components are implemented from within a multi-tiered support systems framework. Existing and future research about effective coaching is also considered.
Breast cancer brain metastases: Comprehensive review of tumor extent, histology and treatment on survival.

1059 Background: Breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) are associated with poor overall survival (OS) and no treatment guidelines exist. Localized treatments include neurosurgery (ns), stereotactic...
Does race affect the quality of treatment for intermediate-risk and high-risk prostate cancer?

e17678 Background: Black men are more likely to develop and die of prostate cancer than white men. Past studies show lower rates of definitive treatment among black men. However these studies included early-stage disease for which treatments may not be beneficial. We undertook this study to assess the quality of prostate cancer treatment among men with intermediate & high risk prostate cancer who could benefit from active therapies. Methods: A Steering Committee of experts in prostate cancer care reviewed the evidence to create quality measures of proven effective treatments of intermediate & high risk prostate cancer. All black and a random sample of white men with Gleason Scores of >7, diagnosed at an inner-city academic center between 2007 and 2012, were identified from pathology and charts abstracted for clinical, pathologic and treatment data. Results: Of 289 black & 266 white men identified, average age was 60y (SD=8.5) with no racial difference in age or insurance coverage. 14% of men had D’Amico i...
Catholic Institutions within a Democratic Polity: A Potential Procrustean Bed

Catholic healthcare institutions face serious challenges to the exercise of their religious freedom with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The challenges require participation by way of cooperation in actions—elective abortion and contraception—deemed immoral in the Catholic tradition which holds these practices to be damaging to individuals, to the institution of marriage, and to the polity. An understanding of the principles that guide cooperation in complex human acts where the cooperation can be seen as cooperation in evil and an application of these principles to the issues of elective abortion and contraception identifies the possible harms. The assessment of this paper is that that cooperation in these acts by Catholic institutions forces them to lie down in a Procrustean bed wherein acquiescence to these objectionable government-mandated services in the name of toleration in a pluralistic polity forces a damaging or perhaps even fatal encounter with the contemporaneous Procrustes.
Coal rib response during bench mining: A case study.

Abstract In 2016, room-and-pillar mining provided nearly 40% of underground coal production in the United States. Over the past decade, rib falls have resulted in 12 fatalities, representing 28% of the ground fall fatalities in U.S. underground coal mines. Nine of these 12 fatalities (75%) have occurred in room-and-pillar mines. The objective of this research is to study the geomechanics of bench room-and-pillar mining and the associated response of high pillar ribs at overburden depths greater than 300 m. This paper provides a definition of the bench technique, the pillar response due to loading, observational data for a case history, a calibrated numerical model of the observed rib response, and application of this calibrated model to a second site.
Certain classes of pluricomplex Green functions on ${\mathbb C}^n$

We consider (pluricomplex) Green functions defined on \({\mathbb C}^n\), with logarithmic poles in a finite set and with logarithmic growth at infinity. For certain sets, we describe all the corresponding Green functions. The set of these functions is large and it carries a certain algebraic structure. We also show that for some sets no such Green functions exist. Our results indicate the fact that the set of poles should have certain algebro-geometric properties in order for these Green functions to exist.
The Molecular Basis of Human Cellular Iron Metabolism

The continued uptake of iron by cells is an absolute requirement for maintenance of metabolic functions and for proliferation. The problems confronting the cell are two-fold: a mechanism must exist to allow uptake of iron and this uptake and the distribution of the iron delivered must be regulated. Because it is ferric iron that cells acquire and this ion is insoluble in water a carrier mechanism (transferrin) has evolved. Because the iron is a highly toxic oxidant its delivery to the cell is carefully regulated both at the level of uptake and intracellularly by detoxication mechanisms.
Anselm Payen Pioneer in Natural Polymers and Industrial Chemistry

Anselm Payen, an early pioneer in polysaccharide, industrial, and agricultural chemistry, was the first to separate cellulose from wood and plants. He showed that celluloses and starches from various sources have the same composition (C6H10O5) and are isomeric with each other. Payen observed (with Pensozok) that starch is hydrolyzed by a substance in malt, which they called diastase. Other polymers investigated by Payen include dextrins, lignin, rubber, and gutta percha; these and other investigations were described in some 200 papers and ten books. As owner and manager of plants that manufactured sal ammoniac, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, borax, refined sulfur, soda, gelatin, charcoal, and sucrose from sugar beets, Payen developed improved processes and introduced new commercial operations. Payen received prestigious honors during his life and two approximately one hundred years later. In 1962 the Anselm Payen Award was established by the ACS Cellulose Paper and Textile Division. In 1968 Payen was named one of the greatest scientists of all time when his biography was included in the World’s Who’s Who in Science. Born in Paris in 1795 and deceased in 1871, Payen was buried in Grenelle near Paris.
A Comparison of Screw versus Drill and Curettage Epiphysiodesis to Correct Leg Length Discrepancy

Purpose: To compare two common surgical techniques of epiphysiodesis: drill/curettage epiphysiodesis versus cross screw epiphysiodesis. The study hypothesis is that these two techniques have similar efficacy, but demonstrate differences in hospital stay and complication rates. Methods: Between 2004 and 2012 a retrospective review of patients 0- 18 years of age who required an epiphysiodesis to correct a leg length discrepancy (LLD) of 2-6 cm with minimum 2 year follow up were identified. Only cases with screw (S) or drill/curettage (D) epiphysiodesis technique …
Towards a Practical Ecosystem of Specialized OS Kernels

Specialized operating systems have enjoyed a recent revival driven both by a pressing need to rethink the system software stack in several domains and by the convenience and flexibility that on-demand infrastructure and virtual execution environments offer. Several barriers exist which curtail the widespread adoption of such highly specialized systems, but perhaps the most consequential of them is that these systems are simply difficult to use. In this paper we discuss the challenges faced by specialized OSes, both for HPC and more broadly, and argue that what is needed to make them practically useful is a reasonable development and deployment model that will form the foundation for a kernel ecosystem that allows intrepid developers to discover, experiment with, contribute to, and write programs for available kernel frameworks while safely ignoring complexities such as provisioning, deployment, cross-compilation, and interface compatibility. We argue that such an ecosystem would allow more developers of highly tuned applications to reap the performance benefits of specialized kernels.
A comparative analysis of documented contraceptive use among women aged 18-30 living with and without HIV in Alabama

Abstract Objectives To compare contraception use in 18–30-year-old women living with and without HIV. We also explored factors associated with contraceptive use. Study design We reviewed outpatient medical records for women living with HIV aged 18–30 years seen in one of two university-affiliated HIV-subspecialty clinics in Birmingham, Alabama, between July 2015 and June 2016. We selected an age-matched sample of women living without HIV seen in one of two university-affiliated non-HIV primary care clinics as the comparator group and focused our analysis on women with a documented discussion of contraception in clinic. For women with more than one clinic visit during the 1-year study period, the most recent visit was used for analysis. Multinominal and binary logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with contraception use, and models were adjusted for HIV status. Results This study included 197 women (58 HIV-positive, 139 HIV-negative). Short-acting contraception methods were the most common methods used by women with (41.4%) and without HIV (47.5%, p=.43). Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) use was 14% among women with HIV and 32% among women without HIV (p=.12). Contraception use predictors included HIV status, mental health comorbidities, obesity and number of pregnancies. Conclusion Documented contraceptive method use among 18–30-year -old women seen in clinics in urban Alabama varied by HIV status. Women with HIV were less likely to use LARC methods compared to women without HIV. Implications Future studies should focus on identifying factors that influence contraceptive choice and which methods are offered to young women in the South. Providers should document contraception discussions at each visit and remove any barriers to LARC provision.
Does CEO Equity Ownership Facilitate Corporate Strategic Change

Despite the extensive research on the organizational antecedents and consequences of CEO equity compensation, scholarly understanding on how it might affect the degree of strategic change remains u...
Physiological Responses to Hypoxia in the Absence of Brain Glycogen

Background and Hypothesis: Glycogen is a highly branched polymer of glucose and is an important form of energy storage in mammals. The brain is able to form glycogen in astrocytes and neurons via glycogen synthase and branching enzyme. Once formed, brain glycogen functions as the only stored energy source for these cells. Various physiological roles for brain glycogen have been hypothesized, including memory consolidation and sleep regulation, as well as a protective role during various physiological stressors, such as hypoglycemia and hypoxia. For instance, rat brain glycogen levels were decreased 10 minutes after vaginal birth, but not after a C-section. This suggested that cerebral hypoxia experienced during vaginal birth induced the utilization of brain glycogen to minimize neurodegeneration during the hypoxic event. Symptoms of hypoxia can range from tachycardia, tachypnea, shortness of breath, and diaphoresis to confusion, loss of motor coordination and cognitive function, neurodegeneration, and brain death. The many causes of hypoxia include lungs diseases (COPD, pneumonia, pulmonary edema), CNS depressants (opiates), heart problems (CHF), anemia, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We hypothesized that the lack of brain glycogen would cause a noticeable detrimental effect to the survival time and physiologic functions of mice exposed to acute hypoxia. Experimental Design or Project Methods: We subjected mice, with or without glycogen synthase disrupted in the brain, to carbon dioxide- or nitrogen-induced hypoxia and monitored effects on brain glycogen levels, behavior, and survival time. Results: We found that mice lacking brain glycogen exhibited the characteristic physiologic responses to hypoxia, but expired ~50% sooner than mice with brain glycogen. Conclusion and Potential Impact: These results provide evidence that brain glycogen is imperative in responding to hypoxic events. Further, these findings suggest that brain glycogen may protect patients with OSA against other comorbidities, especially neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment.
Expanding the limits of the second genetic code with ribozymes.

The site-specific incorporation of noncanonical monomers into polypeptides through genetic code reprogramming permits synthesis of bio-based products that extend beyond natural limits. To better enable such efforts, flexizymes (transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetase-like ribozymes that recognize synthetic leaving groups) have been used to expand the scope of chemical substrates for ribosome-directed polymerization. The development of design rules for flexizyme-catalyzed acylation should allow scalable and rational expansion of genetic code reprogramming. Here we report the systematic synthesis of 37 substrates based on 4 chemically diverse scaffolds (phenylalanine, benzoic acid, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic monomers) with different electronic and steric factors. Of these substrates, 32 were acylated onto tRNA and incorporated into peptides by in vitro translation. Based on the design rules derived from this expanded alphabet, we successfully predicted the acylation of 6 additional monomers that could uniquely be incorporated into peptides and direct N-terminal incorporation of an aldehyde group for orthogonal bioconjugation reactions. Flexizymes have been used to expand the scope of chemical substrates for ribosome-directed polymerization in vitro. Here the authors deduce design rules of Flexizyme-mediated tRNA acylation that more effectively predict the incorporation of new monomers into peptides.
Antimicrobial treatment impacts resistance in off-target populations of a nosocomial bacterial pathogen: a case-control study

Abstract The antimicrobial resistance crisis has persisted despite broad attempts at intervention. Detailed studies of the population dynamics that lead to resistance could identify additional intervention points. An important driver of resistance in the most concerning antibiotic resistant pathogens can be selection imposed on bacterial populations that are not the intended target of antimicrobial therapy. Here we focus on the important nosocomial pathogen Enterococcus faecium in a hospital system where resistance to daptomycin is evolving despite standard interventions. We hypothesized that the intravenous use of daptomycin generates off-target selection for resistance in transmissible gastrointestinal (carriage) populations of E. faecium. We performed a case-control study in which the daptomycin resistance of E. faecium isolated from rectal swabs from daptomycin-exposed patients was compared to a control group of patients exposed to linezolid, a drug with similar indications. In the daptomycin-exposed group, daptomycin resistance of E. faecium from the off-target population was on average 50% higher than resistance in the control group (n=428 independent E. faecium clones from 22 patients). There was also greater phenotypic diversity in daptomycin resistance within daptomycin-exposed patients. Multiple samples over time were available from a subset of patients, and these demonstrate wide variability in temporal dynamics, from long-term maintenance of resistance to rapid return to sensitivity after daptomycin treatment stopped. Our results demonstrate that off-target gastrointestinal populations rapidly respond to intravenous antibiotic exposure. Gastrointestinal populations are the source for faecal transmission and so can be the driver for hospital-wide population level increases in resistance. Focusing on the off-target evolutionary dynamics may offer novel avenues to slow the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Accuracy: A Novel Approach to Calibrate Cubesat Radiometer Constellations

Recent advances in space technologies enable science missions using CubeSats equipped with radiometers. Constellations of CubeSats can be used to significant effect, overcoming obstacles in cost, weight, and power. However, these benefits come at a cost, including challenges in calibration due in large part to increased sensitivity of the instrument to ambient conditions. These limitations also mean conventional calibration methods are not always possible. To address this problem, a novel, constellation-level calibration framework called “Adaptive Calibration of CubeSat Radiometer Constellations (ACCURACy)” is being developed. ACCURACy uses instrument-level telemetry data to cluster constellation members into time-adaptive groups of radiometers in similar states and facilitates calibration data sharing within each group for optimum calibration performance. This paper presents a prototype MA TLAB framework using synthetic radiometer data and discusses its calibration performance.
Laboratory Technical Advances in the Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a spore-forming, anaerobic, gram positive rod that colonizes the colon of 5 % of healthy adults and 30–70 % of healthy infants [1]. The organism can also be found in a variety of environmental sources including soil, river water, domestic animals, and home and healthcare environments [2]. C. difficile acquired its name from the observations by Hall and O’Toole [3] in the difficulty of isolating the organism because of its slow growth (doubling time 40–70 min) compared to other Clostridium spp. During logarithmic growth, when vegetative cells predominate, the organism is very aerointolerant. In 1978, prior knowledge of the organism and the observation that antibiotic associated diarrhea was associated with a cytotoxin in the hamster model, converged in the work by Bartlett et al. that demonstrated that C. difficile caused disease in humans through the elaboration of a cytotoxin [2, 4, 5]. Later it was established that the organism produces two toxins, toxin A, a 308 kDa enterotoxin and toxin B, a 270 kDa cytotoxin. Both toxins cause disease by glycosylating small GTPases such as Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 in the cell [2, 6]. Glycosylation of these small proteins disrupts signaling pathways causing irreversible changes in cellular morphology and consequent inhibition of cell division and membrane trafficking, leading to cell death [2, 6].
Fungal Wall Components and Immunostimulation

Fungi or components thereof, when introduced into appropriate hosts, can induce antigen-specific immune responses as well as stimulate non-specific antigen-independent events, either of which can be enhancing or suppressive. Two yeasts in particular have been investigated for their ability to interact with the immune system, viz., Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. The former has been investigated predominantly for its ability to enhance responses in a non-specific manner, and the latter for its ability to enhance or suppress both specific and non-specific responses. This review, however, is confined to the stimulatory phenomena resulting in enhancement. Moreover, this presentation will be focused on one of the four major components of the yeast wall, mannan (MAN), either as a homopolymer or as a heteropolymer combined with other wall constituents such as glucan or chitin.
Supplemental vitamin D3 concentration and biological type of steers. II. Tenderness, quality, and residues of beef

Vitamin D3 was orally supplemented to determine the supplemental dose that improved beef tenderness in different cattle breed types. Feedlot steers (n = 142) were arranged in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement consisting of four levels of supplemental vitamin D3 (0, 0.5, 1, and 5 million IU/steer daily) administered for eight consecutive days antemortem using three biological types (Bos indicus, Bos Taurus-Continental, and Bos Taurus-English). Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was measured at 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21 d postmortem, and trained sensory analysis was conducted at 7 d postmortem on LM, semimembranosus, gluteus medius, and supraspinatus steaks. Concentrations of vitamin D3 and the metabolites 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 were determined in the LM, liver, kidney, and plasma. Biological type of cattle did not interact (P > 0.10) with vitamin D3 supplementation for sensory or tenderness traits, suggesting that feeding vitamin D3 for 8 d before slaughter affected the different biological types of cattle similarly. Supplementing steers with 0.5, 1, or 5 million IU/(steer(d) decreased (P 0.05) affected by vitamin D3 treatments. All vitamin D3 treatments decreased micro-calpain activity and increased muscle Ca concentrations (P < 0.05). Vitamin D3 concentrations were increased (P < 0.05) by supplementation in all tissues tested (liver, kidney, LM, and plasma); however, cooking steaks to 71 degrees C decreased (P < 0.05) treatment residue effects. The vitamin D metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was increased (P < 0.05) only in plasma samples as a result of the vitamin D3 treatments. These results indicate that supplementation with vitamin D3 at 0.5 million IU/steer daily for eight consecutive days before slaughter improved tenderness in steaks from different subprimal cuts by affecting muscle Ca concentrations, micro-calpain activities, and muscle proteolysis, with only a small effect on tissue residues of vitamin D3.
Introduction to clinical radiation oncology

This book discusses the management of cancer by radiation therapy both for cure and palliation. A wide range of clinical topics are introduced. In the introductory chapters on radiation physics and radiobiology, important terms and concepts used in clinical radiation oncology are covered. The subsequent chapters, which form the core of the book, group tumors predominantly according to major physiologic systems or anatomic site. Acute and chronic complications of treatment are listed along with pertinent information regarding their pathogenesis and management. There are also chapters dealing with radiation oncology emergencies, palliative treatment, combined-modality therapy and quality assurance. The radiation safety chapter presents guidelines for radiation protection. Current areas of promising investigation are presented in the final chapter. Individual chapters have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases.
The general occurrence of 55 S ribosomes in mammalian liver mitochondria.

Ribosomes isolated from highly purified rat, cow, pig, or rabbit liver mitochondria occur predominantly as 55 to 56 S particles under conditions that stabilize 70 S Escherichia coli monosomes. These ribosomes are of mitochondrial origin since they incorporate 3H-leucine when mitochondria are incubated in vitro, under conditions in which extramitochondrial ribosomes are inactive. They are actively involved in mitochondrial protein synthesis, since puromycin strips 55 S ribosomes of their nascent peptide chains while inhibiting mitochondrial protein synthesis. Dissociation studies show that the 55 S ribosome is a mitochondrial monosome, composed of a 28 S small subunit and a 39 S subunit. These mammalian 55 S mitochondrial ribosomes are the smallest monosomes known, and they differ in several respects from extramitochondrial ribosomes, and even from the mitochondrial ribosomes of Neurospora, yeast, and Tetrahymena. They appear to constitute a unique class of miniature ribosomes of the prokaryotic type that are peculiar to animal mitochondria.
Synthesis and Characterization of Polyimides Based on 3,6-Diphenylpyromellitic Dianhydride:

3,6-Diphenylpyromellitic dianhydride (DPPMDA) has been synthesized from 2,5-diphenyl-3,4-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)cyclopentadiene-1-one and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate. The monomer was polymerized w...
TESTING THE HIGGS SECTOR AND THE THREE VECTOR BOSON COUPLING WITH ELECTROWEAK BOSON PAIRS

Electroweak vector boson pairs can be used to test the Higgs sector and the vector boson self-interactions of the Standard Model. They also constitute a background to new physics signals at future colliders. This is illustrated by vector boson pair production at large transverse momentum in hadronic collisions which may be a background which is relevant for Higgs tagging. The usefulness of electroweak boson pairs to probe the structure of the three vector boson vertex is demonstrated by W γ production at the Tevatron. For an integrated luminosity of 100 pb−1 the WW γ vertex can be measured with 25–40% accuracy in \(p\bar p \) collisons at \(\sqrt s = 1.8TeV\).
Community Service Learning: Bridging Education and Social Practice

Advocates of service learning believe that meaningful education should provide students with opportunities to learn about themselves while learning about the world around them. Many proponents of service learning also believe that connecting education to the world of public affairs is critical to the future functioning of a democratic society. As early as the founding of the Republic, Thomas Jefferson recognized the importance of normative education in nurturing public civility and tolerance. John Dewey's (1916 and 1938) theories of experiential and democratic education recognized the importance of engaging students in the concrete problems of their communities so they might develop the skills necessary for civic engagement. Teachers of political science have a unique opportunity for fostering a student's love of learning with a passion for greater social justice. This article examines the evolution of a community service project designed to address the problems of poor Hispanic farm families. The article discusses the evolution of the project, the strategies, struggles, and the lessons learned along the way for both students and faculty.
Selective Use of Left Heart Bypass for Aortic Coarctation

Background We evaluated left heart bypass (LHB) for spinal cord protection during aortic coarctation repair in patients with mild (primary, postsurgical, or intervention) and complex coarctation. Methods Between 1990 and 2008, 19 patients (mean age, 21 years; weight, 70 ± 16 kg) using LHB were compared with 27 patients (mean age, 16 years; weight, 65 ± 8 kg) undergoing coarctation repair without LHB (non-LHB). Follow-up was similar (LHB, 5 ± 4 vs non-LHB 4 ± 3 years; p = 0.81). Results Cohorts were similar in age and body surface area. No non-LHB patient lost somatosensory evoked potential or had a femoral artery pressure below 45 mm Hg with test clamping. LHB more often allowed graft interposition (18 of 19 [95%] vs non-LHB, 7 of 27 [26%]; p p p = 0.82) and antihypertensive requirements were similar (LHB, 9 of 19 [40%] vs non-LHB, 8 of 27 [30%]; p = 0.35). The late peak transcoarctation gradient was 8 ± 6 mm Hg in the LBH cohort vs 18 ± 11 mm Hg in non-LBH patients ( p = 0.001). Conclusions Although the adequacy of spinal cord collateral assessment in coarctation repair is imperfect, no spinal cord ischemia occurred with coarctation repair and LHB. We recommend LHB in patients with mild or complex coarctation.
Effect of non-uniform core thickness on critical current density of silver-sheathed oxide superconducting tapes

Abstract The fabrication of long silver-sheathed oxide superconducting tapes by the powder-in-tube technique tends to lead to non-uniformity in the core thickness during mechanical deformation and densification. This non-uniformity restricts current flow and reduces the critical current density. Using a simple model, the detrimental effects of various types of core thickness non-uniformity on the critical current density are investigated. Also the degree to which such non-uniformity needs to be controlled, based on the temperature of application of these conductors, is qualitatively inferred.
Apoptosis in human term placenta. A morphological and gene expression study.

The objective of this study was to examine placentas after delivery from normal, healthy patients at term gestation. The placentas were from elective cesarean sections (n = 10, prior to the onset of labor) and spontaneous vaginal delivery (n = 10, after labor). We found that deoxyribonucleic acid laddering was present in all placentas and consistent with the pattern found in tissues that undergo apoptosis. Paraffin-embedded sections of placental villi stained by the in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated biotinylated dUTP nick end labeling method revealed positive apoptotic nuclei in the placental villi. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction demonstrated expression of messenger RNA for testosterone-repressed prostate message 2 and B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 in the placenta. Our data demonstrate that apoptosis occurs in human term placenta.
A model for macrosegregation and its application to Al-Cu castings

A macrosegregation model has been developed to evaluate solute redistribution during solidification of casting alloys. The continuum formulations were used to describe the macroscopic transports of mass, energy, and momentum, associated with the microscopic transport phenomena, for two-phase systems. It was assumed that liquid flow is driven by thermal and solutal buoyancy, as well as by solidification contraction. The movement of free surface was also considered to ensure volume con-servation. In numerical calculations, the solidification event was divided into two stages. In the first stage, the liquid containing freely moving equiaxed grains was described through the relative vis-cosity concept. In the second stage, when a fixed dendritic network formed after dendrite coherency, the mushy zone was treated as a porous medium. After validation of the proposed model for the case of segregation in a bottom-chilled unidirectionally solidified casting of Al-Cu alloys, the nu-merical model was applied to the study of three different castings with simple geometry. It was found that solutal convection tends to decrease the macrosegregation generated by thermal convec-tion. When shrinkage-driven convection was also considered, segregation was again increased, with highly segregated areas forming away from the riser and next to the mold wall. It was demonstrated that solidification contraction has a stronger effect on the liquid flow in the mushy region than buoyancy. The model also was applied to assess the probability of pore formation based on the pressure drop concept. While in the absence of experimental data for the critical pressure drop it was not possible to uniquely predict the formation of porosity, it was possible to indicate the regions where porosity may form preferentially.
The effects of infantile experience on later emotionality and sensory discrimination

Thirty-nine albino rats from four litters were assigned to one of four groups according to a table of random numbers. The treatments consisted of handling, shock, and two appropriate control situations and were administered from 7–21 days of age. Measures of mobility, defecation, and sensitivity to electric shock, taken at ages 71–74 days, revealed that handled Ss were more sensitive to differences in electric shock intensity than their non-handled controls, while shocked Ss were significantly more emotional than all other groups.