cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunoglobulin Safety Related to Testing for Antibody to Hepatitis C Virus

A study was performed to determine whether the safety of intravenous immunoglobulin (IGIV) would be compromised if units of plasma reactive for antibody to hepatitis C (anti-c100-3) were withheld from pools from which IGIV is manufactured. Initially, two chimpanzees were infused with 25 ml/kg of unprocessed, pooled plasma from 2887 donors nonreactive for anti-c100-3. These animals became infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Subsequently three chimpanzees were each infused with 1000 mg/kg of IGIV manufactured from the same pooled plasma units. These three animals did not show any evidence of infection with HCV 15 months after inoculation. Two of these animals were then challenged with human non-A, non-B infectious plasma; both showed evidence of HCV infection.
Freeze-induced cyanide toxicity does not maintain the cyanogenesis polymorphism in white clover (Trifolium repens)

Premise of the study The maintenance of adaptive polymorphisms within species requires fitness trade-offs reflecting selection for each morph. Cyanogenesis, the ability to produce hydrogen cyanide (HCN) after tissue damage, occurs in >3000 plant species and exists as a discrete polymorphism in white clover. This polymorphism is spatially distributed in recurrent clines, with higher frequencies of cyanogenic plants in warmer climates. The HCN autotoxicity hypothesis proposes that cyanogenic plants are selected against where frosts are common, as freezing liberates HCN and could impair cellular respiration. Methods We tested the HCN autotoxicity hypothesis using a freezing chamber to examine survival, tissue damage, and physiological recovery as assessed via chlorophyll fluorescence following mild and severe freezing treatments. We utilized 65 genotypes from a single polymorphic population to eliminate effects of population structure. Key results Cyanogenic plants did not differ from acyanogenic plants in survival, tissue damage, or recovery following freezing. However, plants producing either of the two required cyanogenic precursors had lower survival and tissue damage after freezing than plants lacking both precursors. Conclusions These results suggest that freezing-induced HCN toxicity is unlikely to be responsible for the maintenance of the cyanogenesis polymorphism in white clover. However, energetic trade-offs associated with costs of producing the cyanogenic precursors may confer a fitness benefit to acyanogenic plants under stressful climatic conditions. The lack of evidence for HCN toxicity suggests that cyanogenic clover uses physiological mechanisms mediated by β-cyanoalanine synthase and alternative oxidase to maintain cellular function in the presence of HCN.
Characterizing dynamic functional connectivity using data-driven approaches and its application in the diagnosis of alzheimer’s disease

Abstract Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a noninvasive means for investigating dynamic brain activity. To date, most work in this area has focused on measuring static functional connectivity (FC) for computational efficiency due to high data dimensionality and redundancy. Because cerebral activity is dynamic and condition-dependent, however, the correlation of spontaneous fluctuations among brain regions dynamically changes even in the resting state. Thus, quantifying the dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) can potentially provide valuable insights for both individual discrimination and group comparison. In this chapter, we will first briefly introduce the background of dFC analysis and its application to Alzheimer’s disease. Then we will describe the tensor-based statistic model for dFC analysis, which includes three parts: (1) A data-driven approach to measure FC across brain regions; (2) a data-driven approach to characterize dFC across time; and (3) a statistic model to represent the intrinsic intersubject variation patterns of dFC.
Measurement of Transverse Impedance of Specific Components in CESR Using BPM Measurements of Pinged Bunches

A beam-based technique is applied to determine the quadrupole impedance of large-impedance components of the CESR storage ring. Two bunches separated by 1/3 of the ring circumference are charged to 1.44 × 1010 and 0.48 × 1010 N/bunch (0.9 and 0.3 mA). Both bunches are given a single kick of the same amplitude. Turn-by-turn, bunch-by-bunch position information is recorded for 16 k turns. BPM-by-BPM phase is calculated using the All-phase FFT method of spectral analysis. The difference in the BPM-to-BPM phase advance between the two bunches is a measurement of the local transverse impedance. The impedances of a small-aperture in-vacuum undulator, collimators, scrapers, RF cavities, electrostatic separators, and bulk impedance of the remaining ring are determined in this manner.
Analyzing protein glycosylation using UHPLC: a review

Ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) uses small stationary-phase particle size (<2 μm) and high pressure in order to achieve rapid and efficient separations. The speed and high resolution of this method has made it a valuable tool for analyzing the complex glycosylation patterns found in post-translationally modified proteins. This article highlights the differences between UHPLC and HPLC and reviews recent UHPLC applications and developments for detecting glycosylated proteins (e.g., glycomics studies) and characterizing glycosylated pharmaceuticals (e.g., monoclonal antibodies).
Recent Developments in Patent Law (Spring 2017)

This paper summarizes the significant developments in patent law in the twelve months ending in April 2017.
Trust and Glycemic Control in Black Patients With Diabetic Retinopathy: A Pilot Study

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is more prevalent in blacks than whites because, compared to whites, blacks on average have worse glycemic control. Both of these racial disparities reflect differences in sociocultural determinants of health, including physician mistrust. This randomized, controlled 6-month pilot trial compared the efficacy of a culturally tailored behavioral health/ophthalmologic intervention called Collaborative Care for Depression and Diabetic Retinopathy (CC-DDR) to enhanced usual care (EUC) for improving glycemic control in black patients with DR (n = 33). The mean age of participants was 68 years (SD 6.1 years), 76% were women, and the mean A1C was 8.7% (SD 1.5%). At baseline, 14 participants (42%) expressed mistrust about ophthalmologic diagnoses. After 6 months, CC-DDR participants had a clinically meaningful decline in A1C of 0.6% (SD 2.1%), whereas EUC participants had an increase of 0.2% (SD 1.1%) (f[1, 28] = 1.9; P = 0.176). Within CC-DDR, participants with trust had a reduction in A1C (1.4% [SD 2.5%]), whereas participants with mistrust had an increase in A1C (0.44% [SD 0.7%]) (f[1, 11] = 2.11; P = 0.177). EUC participants with trust had a reduction in A1C (0.1% [SD 1.1%]), whereas those with mistrust had an increase in A1C (0.70% [SD 1.1%]) (f[1, 16] = 2.01; P = 0.172). Mistrust adversely affected glycemic control independent of treatment. This finding, coupled with the high rate of mistrust, highlights the need to target mistrust in new interventions to improve glycemic control in black patients with DR.
UAV-RT: An SDR Based Aerial Platform for Wildlife Tracking

Small airborne platforms can evolve autonomous wildlife tracking by efficiently collecting data over terrain that is difficult to access. This paper presents an unmanned aerial vehicle radio telemetry (UAV-RT) system that integrates VHF radio telemetry equipment with an unmanned aerial system. The system includes a modified hexacopter, an onboard computer, an SDR receiver, a directional antenna, and a ground control station (GCS) laptop. Preliminary experiments are conducted to demonstrate the capabilities of this system and localization accuracy of the system is quantified. Principal components analysis (PCA) and radiation pattern matching (RPM) are used for bearing estimation. Impact of flight altitude and polarization of the tag on system range are investigated. It is found that raising the antenna from the ground level to 122 $m$ more than triples the reception distance of VHF signals.
Scaffolds for skeletal muscle tissue engineering

Abstract The ability of skeletal muscle to regenerate after acute injury is compromised in the case of disease or massive traumatic injury (i.e., volumetric muscle loss). An understanding of the mechanisms by which skeletal muscle can acutely regenerate has informed the development of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine–based approaches to treat muscle injuries traditionally considered irreparable using both cell-based and acellular approaches. This chapter discusses the use of stem cells and diverse scaffold materials, synthetic, biosynthetic, and biologic in nature, to promote functional myogenesis. The preclinical and clinical progress of each of these methods and barriers to their further utility as a clinical therapy are discussed.
Magnetic Surveys Over Burning And Remediated Coal Seam Fires In Western North Dakota

Burning coal seams are increasingly recognized as an environmental hazard. These fires alter overlying soils and sedimentary rocks, changing their magnetic properties and causing magnetic anomalies. We conducted magnetic surveys at four sites in an area of recently burning coal seams in the Little Missouri National Grassland, McKenzie County, western North Dakota. The maximum anomaly amplitude was over 1000nT at the site where the seam is still burning; the anomalies may be due to formation of highly magnetic clinker, and/or the reduction of magnetic minerals in the soil. Smaller anomalies were identified at one remediated site, and at a site not previously identified as having burning coal. The fourth site did not have significant anomalies, because the fire was extinguished and the profiles were probably too far away from the burn area. These kinds of anomalies could be useful in remediation efforts for delineation of subsurface burns and for simple depth estimates to coal seam fires.
Quantitative Pupillometry in the Intensive Care Unit

Quantitative pupillometry provides a noninvasive and objective assessment within the neurological examination. This review details the physiology of the pupillary light response, the clinical significance of changes in pupillary reactivity, and the variables that compose the Neurological Pupil index or NPi are discussed. This article reviews the most recent applications and advances in quantitative pupillometry for noninvasive intracranial pressure monitoring, postcardiac arrest prognostication, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Also discussed are the limitations and confounders of quantitative pupillometry in the modern neurological intensive care unit.
The impact of childhood poverty on brain health: Emerging evidence from neuroimaging across the lifespan.

Abstract Experiencing poverty in childhood has been associated with increased risk for physical and mental health difficulties later in life. An emerging body of evidence suggests that brain development may be one mediator of this relation. In this chapter, we discuss evidence for an association between childhood poverty and brain structure/function. First, we examine the association from a lifespan perspective discussing studies at multiple developmental stages from the prenatal period to late adulthood. Second, we examine existing studies that link childhood poverty, brain development, and physical and mental health outcomes. Third, we discuss studies linking childhood poverty and environmental risks and protective factors. Lastly, we discuss suggestions for future studies including advances in network neuroscience, population neuroscience, using multiple imaging modalities, and the use of longitudinal neuroimaging studies. Overall, associations between childhood poverty, brain development, and development over the life course may help to both better understand and eventually reveal salient intervention strategies to mitigate social disparities in health.
Resurrection of a Global, Metagenomically Defined Gokushovirus

Gokushoviruses are single-stranded, circular DNA bacteriophages found in metagenomic datasets from diverse ecosystems worldwide, including human gut microbiomes. Despite their ubiquity and abundance, little is known about their biology or host range: Isolates are exceedingly rare, known only from three obligate intracellular bacterial genera. By synthesizing circularized phage genomes from prophages embedded in diverse enteric bacteria, we produced gokushoviruses in an experimentally tractable model system, allowing us to investigate their features and biology. We demonstrate that virions can reliably infect and lysogenize hosts by hijacking a conserved chromosome-dimer resolution system. Sequence motifs required for lysogeny are detectable in other metagenomically defined gokushoviruses; however, we show that even partial motifs enable phages to persist cytoplasmically without leading to collapse of their host culture. This ability to employ multiple, disparate survival strategies is likely key to the long-term persistence and global distribution of Gokushovirinae.
Parents' Perceptions of Health-Related Quality of Life of Children Diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this research was to describe the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) perceptions of parents of children diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Design and Methods This research used a descriptive design with a comparative sample. The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ-PF 28) parent form was used to assess HRQoL in a sample of 37 parents from a mid-western tertiary pediatric hospital OI specialty clinic. Comparisons were made with a sample of parents of well children. Results Parent HRQoL perception scores were described in both the physical and psycho-social-emotional domains. The domains of physical function (PF), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), parent impact-emotional (PE), and child self-esteem (SE) were the lowest HRQoL mean domain scores for the parents of the children diagnosed with OI. Ceiling and floor scores were calculated to describe the magnitude of the differences between the mean HRQoL perception domain scores of the two parent groups. Conclusions Low HRQoL physical and psycho-social-emotional mean domain scores in conjunction with small percentage scores in the ceiling (and greater percentage scores in the floor) for parents of children diagnosed with OI were described. Findings suggest the on-going need for research to identify interventions to promote physical functioning for the child diagnosed with OI. Outcome based programs for parent and family-centered psycho-social self-care should be developed. PracticeImplications: ip Comprehensive and longitudinal assessment of HRQoL for both parents and their children diagnosed with OI will assist in documenting the outcomes of interventions for the management of chronic care.
Assessing the Burden of Nodal Disease for Breast Cancer Patients with Clinically Positive Nodes: Hope for More Limited Axillary Surgery

Omission of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is accepted for patients with one or two positive sentinel nodes, and studies are focusing on clinically node-positive patients who have been downstaged with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Evidence is lacking for patients with positive nodes who undergo surgery upfront. These patients are assumed to have a higher burden of nodal disease such that ALND remains the standard of care. Patients who underwent ALND for breast cancer between 2010 and 2019 at the authors’ institution were retrospectively identified. Those with clinical N1 disease were included in the study. Patients who received NAC and those who had surgery for sentinel node positive disease or axillary recurrence were excluded. Clinical and pathologic factors associated with nodal stage were evaluated. Of 111 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 61.3% had a palpable node on exam, and 41.4% ultimately had pN1 disease. Most of the tumors were estrogen receptor (ER)-positive (91.5%), and 21.7% of the tumors were invasive lobular cancers. Lobular histology, tumor size, and metastasis size were associated with higher nodal stage. In the multivariable analysis, the patients with nodal metastasis larger than 10 mm had significantly lower odds of having pN1 disease (odds ratio 0.12; 95% confidence interval 0.02–0.69; p = 0.02). In a subset analysis of patients with palpable nodes, tumor size and histology remained significantly associated with nodal stage. More than 40% of breast cancer patients with clinically positive nodes had minimal nodal disease (pN1) at surgery. Additionally, palpable nodes on exam did not predict higher nodal stage. A subset of patients with clinically positive nodes may be identified who can potentially be spared the morbidity of ALND.
Partial Resectoscopic Endometrial Ablation As a Viable Alternative to Global Ablation: A Case Series and Demonstration

Study Objective In the past decade, recognition of late onset endometrial ablation failures - generally resulting from intra-uterine scarring around residual or recovered endometrium - has increased interest in alternative treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding, such as partial ablation. This video presents the history of this uncommon procedure, a case series, and a demonstration of our preferred technique. Design This retrospective case series illustrates operative indications and limited outcomes with an average of 1.4 years of follow-up. The surgical video demonstrates principles for a safe and effective procedure. Setting Minimally invasive gynecologic sub-specialty group within a suburban community teaching hospital system. Patients or Participants From 2010-2019, 11 of 132 (8%) patients identified by billing procedure codes met inclusion criteria that a partial endometrial ablation was performed for heavy menstrual bleeding. Interventions A 9mm bipolar resectoscope was used to remove 50-65% of the endometrium and superficial myometrium (at least 4mm depth), including the anterior or posterior surface and the lateral walls. Any concomitant focal pathology was also removed. Measurements and Main Results Seven of 11 patients were 45 years old or younger. All patients declined or failed hormonal therapies and declined hysterectomy. Operative time averaged 45 minutes. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Of 9 patients with at least 1 year of follow-up, 6 reported eumenorrhea. Ultimately 3 of 11 patients underwent or desired hysterectomy to date. Conclusion This video reviews the limited literature and one center's experience with partial resectoscopic endometrial ablation as an alternative to global ablation and includes a demonstration of proper technique.
To Splice or Not to Splice, That Is the Treatment.

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Shibata et al. (2020) rescue expression of CFTR from a defective gene by inhibiting splicing factors required for the inclusion of a pathogenic pseudo exon. Their work highlights the untapped potential of RNA splicing as a therapeutic target.
Healthcare-associated infections: where we came from and where we are headed

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are those infections acquired by an individual who is seeking medical care in any healthcare facility, including acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities (including nursing homes), outpatient surgical centres, dialysis centres or ambulatory care clinics.1 They are further defined as occurring at least 48 hours after hospitalisation or within 30 days of receiving medical care.2 HCAIs have plagued hospitals, physicians and patients for centuries and likely played a role in the reputation that hospitals historically had as dangerous places.3 In the mid-19th century, Ignaz Semmelweis observed that labouring mothers in an obstetrics unit had a high incidence of Puerperal (Childbed) fever, which he thought was related to direct contact with medical students. After working with cadavers, students often moved directly from the anatomy lab to the hospital, leading Semmelweis to postulate that students were contaminated and bringing a pathogen into the unit. He saw dramatic improvements in maternal mortality after introducing a chlorinated lime hand wash for healthcare providers.4 Though not quickly accepted at large, his observations would become part of the foundation of the germ theory that we intuitively accept today. Over a century after Semmelweis introduced the idea of hand hygiene, infection prevention in healthcare settings has been thrust into the spotlight worldwide. In the 1960s, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted research within the Comprehensive Hospital Infections Project and introduced surveillance and control techniques still used today. The creation of the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) propelled infection control onto a national public health platform in the USA.3 Today, reduction of HCAIs has become a regulatory, financial and quality imperative across the world. Healthcare frequently involves the use of invasive devices and procedures that can increase the risk of HCAIs, including catheter-associated urinary tract infections, …
Physiological Perspectives on the Use of Triheptanoin as Anaplerotic Therapy for Long Chain Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders

Inborn errors of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO) comprise the most common group of disorders identified through expanded newborn screening mandated in all 50 states in the United States, affecting 1:10,000 newborns. While some of the morbidity in FAO disorders (FAODs) can be reduced if identified through screening, a significant gap remains between the ability to diagnose these disorders and the ability to treat them. At least 25 enzymes and specific transport proteins are responsible for carrying out the steps of mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism, with at least 22 associated genetic disorders. Common symptoms in long chain FAODs (LC-FAODs) in the first week of life include cardiac arrhythmias, hypoglycemia, and sudden death. Symptoms later in infancy and early childhood may relate to the liver or cardiac or skeletal muscle dysfunction, and include fasting or stress-related hypoketotic hypoglycemia or Reye-like syndrome, conduction abnormalities, arrhythmias, dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and muscle weakness or fasting- and exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis. In adolescent or adult-onset disease, muscular symptoms, including rhabdomyolysis, and cardiomyopathy predominate. Unfortunately, progress in developing better therapeutic strategies has been slow and incremental. Supplementation with medium chain triglyceride (MCT; most often a mixture of C8-12 fatty acids containing triglycerides) oil provides a fat source that can be utilized by patients with long chain defects, but does not eliminate symptoms. Three mitochondrial metabolic pathways are required for efficient energy production in eukaryotic cells: oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), FAO, and the tricarboxylic (TCA) cycle, also called the Krebs cycle. Cell and mouse studies have identified a deficiency in TCA cycle intermediates in LC-FAODs, thought to be due to a depletion of odd chain carbon compounds in patients treated with a predominantly MCT fat source. Triheptanoin (triheptanoyl glycerol; UX007, Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals) is chemically composed of three heptanoate (seven carbon fatty acid) molecules linked to glycerol through ester bonds that has the potential to replete TCA cycle intermediates through production of both acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA through medium chain FAO. Compassionate use, retrospective, and recently completed prospective studies demonstrate significant reduction of hypoglycemic events and improved cardiac function in LC-FAOD patients, but a less dramatic effect on muscle symptoms.
Motion-Prediction-based Wireless Scheduling for Multi-User Panoramic Video Streaming

Multi-user panoramic video streaming demands 4∼6× bandwidth of a regular video with the same resolution, which poses a significant challenge on the wireless scheduling design to achieve desired performance. On the other hand, recent studies reveal that one can effectively predict the user’s Field-of-View (FoV) and thus simply deliver the corresponding portion instead of the entire scenes. Motivated by this important fact, we aim to employ autoregressive process for motion prediction and analytically characterize the user’s successful viewing probability as a function of the delivered portion. Then, we consider the problem of wireless scheduling design with the goal of maximizing application-level throughput (i.e., average rate for successfully viewing the desired content) and service regularity performance (i.e., how often each user gets successful views) subject to the minimum required service rate and wireless interference constraints. As such, we incorporate users’ successful viewing probabilities into our scheduling design and develop a scheduling algorithm that not only asymptotically achieves the optimal application-level throughput but also provides service regularity guarantees. Finally, we perform simulations to demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed algorithm using a real dataset of users’ head motion.
Aristotle on Inquiry: Erotetic Frameworks and Domain-Specific Norms

Aristotle is a rarity in the history of philosophy and science - he is a towering figure in the history of both disciplines. Moreover, he devoted a great deal of philosophical attention to the nature of scientific knowledge. How then do his philosophical reflections on scientific knowledge impact his actual scientific inquiries? In this book James Lennox sets out to answer this question. He argues that Aristotle has a richly normative view of scientific inquiry, and that those norms are of two kinds: a general, question-guided framework applicable to all scientific inquiries, and domain-specific norms reflecting differences in the target of inquiry and in the means of observation available to researchers. To see these norms of inquiry in action, the second half of this book examines Aristotle's investigations of animals, the soul, material compounds, the motions of heavenly bodies, and respiration.
Applying for NIH Grants

Applying for grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a difficult process, so why do we put ourselves through this particular test? The most compelling reason for many investigators is the autonomy provided by successful pursuit of federal funding. The budget and duration of NIH grants are often more generous than those from other sources, giving investigators sufficient support to pursue the scientific questions of greatest interest to them and to focus their professional efforts primarily in this direction (by “buying out” their time from alternative demands). There may also be systemic pressures to solicit external funding, as investigators are expected to subsidize both their own salaries and the costs of their laboratories, especially in academic medical centers. In addition, the validation, recognition, and prestige associated with receiving an NIH grant can be important incentives. Nonetheless, before plunging into the arduous world of grantsmanship at the federal level, be sure to ask yourself, “Why me?,” and be confident that your answer is convincing enough to sustain you through the inevitable ups-and-downs you are guaranteed to experience.
Mössbauer studies of solid thionin-oxidized MoFe protein of nitrogenase.

Recently Hagen et al. (Hagen, W. R., Wassink, H., Eady, R. R., Smith, B. E., and Haaker, H. (1987) Eur. J. Biochem. 169, 457-465) reported the observation of S = 7/2 EPR signals for thionin-oxidized nitrogenase MoFe protein. Here we have studied the protein from Azotobacter vinelandii and Klebsiella pneumoniae with Mossbauer and EPR spectroscopies, with the following results: when the MoFe protein is oxidized by addition of stoichiometric amounts (6-8 equivalents) of dissolved thionin, the well characterized P-cluster state Pox results. Pox has an as yet undetermined, but half-integer electronic spin; however, the state is EPR-silent. In contrast, oxidation by addition of a large excess of solid thionin powder, the method used by Hagen et al., yields mixtures with variable proportions of two oxidized P-cluster forms, namely the familiar Pox and the new state Pox(S = 7/2) observed by Hagen et al. The Mossbauer data suggest that Pox and Pox(S = 7/2) are isoelectronic. The two states, however, have distinct electronic structures; the Mossbauer spectra of Pox exhibit the characteristic trapped-valence Fe2+ site, whereas the spectra of Pox(S = 7/2) lack this feature. Hagen et al. have proposed two new P-cluster models. We conclude that one of the models is incompatible with the Mossbauer data and that the basic assumptions of the other model are not supported by the available data. Finally, the Mossbauer data show that either oxidation method puts the cofactor centers into the diamagnetic state Mox.
Somatic hypermutation: a mutational panacea.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses activation-induced deaminase (AID), which was discovered using a subtractive hybridization screen for genes activated on induction of class switch recombination (CSR). AID expression is restricted to activated B cells and is required for somatic hypermutation (SHM) in mice. AID was the cause of human immune disorder, Hyper-IgM-2 syndrome, in which patients exhibited AID deficiency, resulting in the abolishment of both CSR and SHM. Hyper-IgM syndrome (HIGM) is characterized by normal or elevated serum IgM levels associated with the absence of IgG, IgA, and IgE isotypes as a result of defective CSR. Mutations in AID suggests that it functions as a multimer of two or four identical subunits and that specific domains in each peptide may be responsible for recruiting factors that mediate the outcome of SHM and CSR. Attempts to reconstitute the entire SHM process in a test tube are in their infancy. Transcription of AID is highly regulated during normal B-cell development. In humans and mice, its expression is restricted to centroblast cells within germinal centers, and mRNA production in naive B-cells, the cells that have not yet encountered antigen, occurs predominantly within 48 hours after in vitro stimulation. AID is homologous to the mRNA editing enzyme Apobec-1, sharing 34% of amino acid identity. By generating a diverse set of antibodies, the immune response is capable of providing ample protection.
Bacterial Resistance Mechanisms to β-Lactam Antibiotics: Assessment of Management Strategies

Several mechanisms render antimicrobials inactive; one of these, beta-lactamase hydrolysis of beta-lactam antimicrobials, is a common and serious problem resulting in loss of antimicrobial activity. Resistance in gram-negative organisms may be caused by chromosomally or plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases. Chromosomally mediated resistance may result from exposure to inducer compounds (induction) or by selection of stably derepressed mutants. Plasmids are extrachromosomal elements of DNA that can transfer resistance between bacteria. Common plasmid-encoded beta-lactamases are the TEM- and SHV-type enzymes, which include the newer extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. Infections caused by resistant bacteria frequently result in longer hospital stays, higher mortality, and increased cost of treatment. When bacteria develop resistance during antimicrobial therapy, therapeutic failure ensues in approximately 50% of patients. Clinical studies demonstrate that resistance mediated by beta-lactamases is a critical issue. Strategies for overcoming it include use of beta-lactam-beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations, development of new antimicrobial compounds, and use of regimens that optimize in vivo exposure to drug.
Atmospheric Effects on Shopping Behavior

Abstract This review focuses on the research conducted over the years on the effects of facility-based environmental cues, or “atmospherics”, on buyer behavior. We review the pertinent literature by constructing a comprehensive table of the empirical studies in this area that focuses on the various findings associated with these investigations. This summary table indicates that atmospheric variables influence a wide variety of consumer evaluations and behaviors. In addition to discussing the findings and contributions of this literature stream, the article concludes by identifying gaps in the literature and suggesting potential future topics for atmospheric related research.
Scarcity and Frontiers: The Emergence of the World Economy (from 1000 to 1500)

Both agriculture and civilization continued to expand to new ground between 1000 and 1500, but more slowly than before because so many of the most favorable regions had already been claimed. Instead, the most significant development was intensified interaction within Eurasia and most of Africa, due largely to improved water transport and to the spread of practices and understandings that facilitated trade and promoted specialization of labor. (McNeill and McNeill 2003, p. 116) … valued raw materials unavailable elsewhere (fine-quality wool in England, camphor in Sumatra, frankincense and myrrh on the Arabian Peninsula, spices in the Indian archipelago, jewels in Ceylon, ivory and ostrich feathers in Africa, and even military slaves in eastern Europe) … did not account for the world system; they were products of it. (Abu-Lughod 1989, p. 355) Introduction Around 1000 AD an important development took place that would have profound implications for world economic history. This development was the rapid expansion of international trade, which heralded the first signs of a truly “global” economy. The upsurge in trade between countries and regions during 1000 to 1500 also ushered in an unprecedented period of growth in global population and GDP per capita. By the end of this 500-year period, world population had nearly doubled (see Table 4.1). It is likely that the average world level of GDP per capita had also increased from US$436 per person to US$566 over 1000 to 1500.
Human Genetics on the Web

Use of the World Wide Web ("the web") and our knowledge of human genetics are both currently expanding rapidly. By allowing swift, universal, and free access to data, the web has already played an important role in human genetics research. It has also begun to change the way that information is shared in clinical genetics and, to a lesser degree, affect how education in human genetics occurs. There are scores of web sites helpful to those interested in either research or clinical aspects of human genetics. The web and related communication technologies should continue to play increasingly important roles in human genetics.
High-accuracy conductive textiles for embroidered antennas and circuits

A new embroidery process with a geometrical accuracy of 0.1mm is presented for textile antennas and circuits. Previous embroidery processes employed thicker E-fibers leading to resolution not better than 0.3mm. By employing a novel class of much thinner E-fibers we improved geometrical accuracy by a factor of 3. Measurement and calculation results show that the proposed process achieves similar RF performance to that of our former threads and embroidery processes. Concurrently, accuracy is 3× better.
Gastric wall erosion by an amebic liver abscess in a 3-year-old girl

The occurrence of an amebic liver abscess (ALA) rupturing into the stomach is reported. ALAs in children can have atypical presentations, resulting in delayed diagnosis and increased morbidity and mortality. Timely treatment is usually followed by complete recovery.
Scattering And Depolarization By Two Dimensional Random Rough Surfaces Of Finite Conductivity - Theory And Experiment

To obtain the scattering cross sections for rough surfaces with different roughness scales a full wave approach (based on the complete expansion of the electromagnetic fields and the imposition of exact boundary conditions) has been used to convert Maxwell's equations into rigorous sets of generalized telegraphists' equations for the forward and back-ward scattered wave amplitudes. The full wave approach accounts for specular point scattering as well as diffuse scattering in a self-consistent unified manner. Thus in order to determine the like and cross polarized cross sections of rough surfaces it is not necessary to decompose the composite surface into surfaces with large and small roughness scales. The single scatter approximations of the rigorous full wave solutions indicate that the enhanced like and cross polarized backscatter is a first order effect. Furthermore, for normal incidence the full wave solutions for the bistatic like and cross polarized cross sections exhibit the observed fourfold symmetry about the backscatter direction.
Animal cognition: defining the issues

The assessment of cognitive functions in rodents represents a critical experimental variable in many research fields, ranging from the basic cognitive neurosciences to psychopharmacology and neurotoxicology. The increasing use of animal behavioral tests as 'assays' for the assessment of effects on learning and memory has resulted in a considerable heterogeneity of data, particularly in the field of behavioral and psycho pharmacology. The limited predictive validity of changes in behavioral performance observed in standard animal tests of learning and memory indicates that a renewed effort to scrutinize the validity of these tests is warranted. In humans, levels of processing (effortful vs. automatic) and categories of information (procedural vs. episodic/declarative) are important variables of cognitive operations. The design of tasks that assess the recall of 'episodic' or 'declarative' information appears to represent a particular challenge for research using laboratory rodents. For example, the hypothesis that changes in inspection time for a previously encountered place or object are based on the recall of declarative/episodic information requires substantiation. In order to generalize findings on the effects of neuronal or pharmacological manipulations on learning and memory, obtained from one species and one task, to other species and other tasks, the mediating role of important sets of variables which influence learning and memory (e.g. attentional, affective) needs to be determined. Similar to the view that a neuronal manipulation (e.g. a lesion) represents a theory of the condition modeled (e.g. a degenerative disorder), an animal behavioral task represents a theory of the behavioral/cognitive process of interest. Therefore, the test of hypotheses regarding the validity of procedures used to assess cognitive functions in animals is an inherent part of the research process.
Inorganic-organic phase arrangement as a factor affecting gas-phase desulfurization on catalytic carbonaceous adsorbents.

Dried sewage sludge was physically mixed with waste paper (paper-to-sludge ratios from 25% to 75%). To increase the catalytic activity, from 1% to 6% calcium hydroxide was added to the mixtures. Then the precursors were carbonized at 950 °C. The performance of materials as H2S adsorbents was tested using a home-developed dynamic breakthrough test. The samples, before and after the adsorption process, were characterized by adsorption of nitrogen, potentiometric titration, thermal analysis, XRF, and SEM. Differences in the performance were linked to the surface properties. It was found that mixing paper with sludge increases the amount of H2S adsorbed/oxidized in comparison with that adsorbed/oxidized by the adsorbents obtained from pure precursors (sludge or waste paper) and the capacity is comparable to those of the best activated carbons existing on the market. Although both sewage sludge and waste paper provide the catalytic centers for hydrogen sulfide oxidation, the dispersion of the catalyst and its ...
Gene Expression Studies on Soft Tissue Tumors

The sequencing of the human genome along with technological achievements that allow large numbers of defined DNA sequences to be attached to various substrates in neat rows and columns, has led to the development of gene microarray analysis. 1 This recently developed technique facilitates the genome-wide screening of expression levels of tens of thousands of genes in a single experiment. The advent of this technology is especially fortuitous, as the human genome project has identified at least 30,000 genes in the human genome. 2 For a significant number of these genes the function is currently unknown. Many genes that play a role in pathogenesis, that could be used as targets for drug therapy, or that could aid in the diagnosis of disease, are yet to be discovered. Clearly, screening by conventional methods (such as Northern blotting) of large numbers of genes for clinically relevant markers or therapeutic targets would be an enormous task. Gene microarray analysis is being applied increasingly to a variety of human tumors, including soft tissue tumors. In the current issue of The American Journal of Pathology, Allander and colleagues 3 report the results of gene microarray analysis of synovial sarcoma. This excellent study highlights the advantages of genome-wide screening of gene expression in synovial sarcoma, a poorly understood neoplasm.
A Role of the Tropical Upper Tropospheric Trough in Early Season Typhoon Development

Abstract A synoptic model is developed to describe a role of the tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT) in early season typhoon development in the western Pacific low-level near-equatorial monsoon trough. The role is threefold: 1) The accompanying sub-equatorial ridge on the south side of the TUTT lies over the low-level trough and decreases the vertical shear; 2) the divergent Row on the south and cast side of a cyclonic cell in the TUTT increases the evacuation aloft to aid in depression development in a low-level trough; 3) a channel to large-scale westerlies is established for efficient outflow of the heat released by increased convection in the developing depression.
Bayesian Methods for Binomial Data with Applications to a Nonresponse Problem

Abstract In this article, Bayesian estimation methods for several binomial probabilities are studied by using a mixture of a product of beta prior distributions. Approximations to the posterior means and credible regions are derived. The results obtained are applied to a sample survey problem in which there is significant nonresponse.
Retrospective consideration of the doses of morphine given intrathecally by chronic infusion in 163 patients by 19 physicians.

A retrospective, multi-physician survey was carried out to examine the infusion concentrations of morphine delivered intrathecally by continuous infusion pumps placed to control pain. Replies from 19 physicians formed the basis for a population of 163 patients who received morphine by continuous infusion delivered by an Infusaid pump through a chronically implanted intrathecal catheter (N = 130 for pain of a metastatic origin; N = 3 for non-metastatic pain; N = 30 undefined). These patients received a total of 3443 patient weeks of infusion. The median infusion duration was 13 weeks (+/- 1 quartile: 5-24 weeks). Examination of the concentrations employed revealed that the maximally employed concentration was 1 mg/ml (885 patient weeks). Of the 163 patients, 151 patients received no concentration of morphine sulfate higher than 10 mg/ml. The highest reported concentrations used were around 35 mg/ml. No pathological sequelae related to the infusion of any dose of the opiates were reported. Cumulating the experience with morphine solutions of 8.9 and 10 mg/ml reveals a total of 472 patient weeks in 29 patients. Analysis of the change in infusion dose over time in cancer pain patients revealed a prominent time-dependent increase (N = 130) from 4.8 +/- 0.4 mg/day (N = 130) to 21 +/- 9 mg/day at 52 weeks (N = 10; mean +/- S.E.M.). Though the group morphine utilization rose, examination of the patient population which was infused for periods in excess of 3 months indicated that 48% showed less than a 2-fold increase in dose by 3 months.
Anthropometric variables, physical activity, and incidence of ovarian cancer: The Iowa Women's Health Study.

BACKGROUND Reports on the relation between anthropometric variables (height, weight) and physical activity with ovarian cancer have been inconclusive. The objective of the current study was to extend investigation of potential associations in the Iowa Women's Health Study cohort. METHODS The relation between self-reported anthropometric variables and incident ovarian cancer was studied in a prospective cohort of women ages 55–69 years who were followed for 15 years. Two hundred twenty-three incident cases of epithelial ovarian cancer were identified by linkage to a cancer registry. RESULTS No association was found overall between ovarian cancer and height, but a positive association was observed for serous ovarian cancers (relative risk [RR], 1.86 for highest quartile vs. lowest quartile; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.06–3.29). Although current body mass index (BMI) was not associated with ovarian cancer, a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 at age 18 years appeared to be associated positively with ovarian cancer (multivariate-adjusted RR, 1.83 for BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 vs. BMI 4 times per week vs. rarely/never; 95% CI, 1.29–4.38). CONCLUSIONS Anthropometric variables were not major risk factors for ovarian cancer in the cohort studied; however, high BMI in early adulthood and frequent and vigorous physical activity may increase the risk of ovarian cancer among postmenopausal women. Cancer 2004;100:1515–21. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Mother-daughter communication about breast cancer risk: interpersonal and biological stress processes

Women with a personal or maternal history of breast cancer experience psychological stress in relation to breast cancer risk, and adolescent and young adult daughters are particularly at risk for experiencing stress related to their mothers' history of breast cancer. The current study examined interpersonal and biological stress responses during a laboratory-based communication task about breast cancer risk in 32 mother-daughter dyads and explores whether certain communication styles between mothers and daughters are associated with increased stress reactivity during the task. Five saliva samples were collected from each participant to determine cortisol baseline levels, reactivity to, and recovery from the task. Negative maternal communication was associated with higher cortisol levels in daughters. In addition, maternal sadness was correlated with lower levels of daughters' cortisol at all time points with the exception of baseline measures. Implications for understanding the psychobiology of stress in women at risk for breast cancer are highlighted.
Power and trust in board–CEO relationships

In this paper we develop and test a theoretical model that reduces relational risks to solve the puzzle of conflicting task requirements imposed on boards of directors in listed companies. Doing so unites two seemingly conflicting tasks—board control and service tasks—through examining relational risks between the board and the CEO. We also present two mechanisms that could reduce relational risks. One is board power over the CEO, and the other board trust in the CEO. Practitioners could apply these two mechanisms to achieve better performance of board control and service tasks simultaneously. We test hypotheses using 441 survey responses collected in 2005. The result shows a good fit between the model and survey data, indicating examining relational risks is a rewarding approach to understanding conflicting board task performance, and board control over the CEO and board trust in the CEO are two effective mechanisms to reduce relational risks.