cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An evidence-based narrative review of the emergency department evaluation and management of rhabdomyolysis

Abstract Background Rhabdomyolysis is a medical condition caused by muscle breakdown leading to potential renal damage. This can result in significant morbidity and mortality if not rapidly identified and treated. Objective This article provides an evidence-based narrative review of the diagnosis and management of rhabdomyolysis, with focused updates for the emergency clinician. Discussion Rhabdomyolysis is caused by the breakdown of muscle cells leading to the release of numerous intracellular molecules, including potassium, calcium, phosphate, uric acid, and creatinine kinase. There are a number of potential etiologies, including exertion, extreme temperature changes, ischemia, infections, immobility, drugs, toxins, endocrine causes, autoimmune reactions, trauma, or genetic conditions. Findings can include myalgias, muscle weakness, or dark-colored urine, but more often include non-specific symptoms. The diagnosis is often determined with an elevated creatinine kinase greater than five times the upper-limit of normal. Severe disease may result in renal failure, electrolyte derangements, liver disease, compartment syndrome, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Treatment includes addressing the underlying etiology, as well as aggressive intravenous hydration with a goal urine output of 300 mL/h. Bicarbonate, mannitol, and loop diuretics do not possess strong evidence for improved outcomes. Renal replacement therapy should be determined on a case-by-case basis. Most patients are admitted, though some may be appropriate for discharge. Conclusion Rhabdomyolysis is a potentially dangerous medical condition requiring rapid diagnosis and management that may result in significant complications if not appropriately identified and treated. Emergency clinician knowledge of this condition is essential for appropriate management.
Qué Diría Carlos? The ‘No al Canal’ Movement and the Rhetoric of Resistance to Nicaragua’s ‘Grand Canal’

The legal framework and potential threat of a Chinese-built interoceanic canal across Nicaragua garnered a strong ‘No al Canal’ movement because the concession, Law 840, sanctioned significant human and environmental rights violations. This chapter analyses the important role played by women in the movement and employs a feminist perspective to explore how two leaders leveraged their unique identities, as a farmer and a lawyer respectively, to obtain national and international support for the movement. It also examines ways in which the ‘No al Canal’ movement employed the language of the original founders of the Sandinista National Liberation Front as a kind of rhetorical trap to reinforce how far the Nicaraguan government had deviated from the original Sandinista philosophy in authorizing the building of the canal. Finally, this chapter explores how the ‘No al Canal’ movement maintained nonviolent discipline, even in the light of violent repression by the regime against the protestors.
Correlation between bioassessments of macroinvertebrates and fishes and natural land cover in Virginia Coastal Plain watersheds

CORRELATION BETWEEN BIOASSESSMENTS OF MACROINVERTEBRATES AND FISHES AND NATURAL LAND COVER IN VIRGINIA COASTAL PLAIN WATERSHEDS Warren Hunter Smigo, B.S. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005 Directors: Leonard A. Smock, Ph.D., Chairman, Department of Biology Gregory C. Garman, Ph.D., Director, Center for Environmental Studies Twenty five first through third order streams in the Coastal Plain of Virginia were sampled for benthic macroinvertebrates and fishes to determine whether a predictable relationship between areas of Unfragmented Natural Land Cover (UNLC) and biotic integrity could be established. I hypothesized that as the area of UNLC increased in a watershed at either the whole catchment or riparian scale, biotic indices measuring stream water and habitat quality would increase. Biotic integrity was measured through the scores from the Coastal Plain Macroinvertebrate Index (CPMI) for benthic macroinvertebrates and the VCU Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for fishes. Using GIs, the percentage of UNLC at the catchment and riparian scale was calculated for each stream's watershed. Physicochemical parameters, habitat metrics and other
Hypertension in Adults With Intellectual Disability: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Introduction Individuals with intellectual disability have a high prevalence of obesity and low physical activity levels, which are risk factors for hypertension. This study estimated the prevalence of hypertension in a global data set of adults with intellectual disability participating in Special Olympics and investigated the role of physical activity and obesity in hypertension risk. Methods A total of 33,122 individuals aged ≥18 years with intellectual disability who participated in Special Olympic events from 2014 to 2018 had their brachial blood pressure, BMI, and self-reported physical activity assessed. Hypertension was classified using 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines (systolic blood pressure≥130 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure≥80 mmHg). Data were analyzed in 2019. Results Participants were aged 31 (SD=11) years, 64% male, and had a resting blood pressure of 121 (SD=16)/76 (SD=12) mmHg. The population was 48% (95% CI=47.5%, 48.6%) hypertensive. Male participants had a higher prevalence of hypertension (50.7%, 95% CI=50.1%, 51.4%) than female participants (43.1%, 95% CI=42.2%, 44.0%), with prevalence increasing with age. Odds of hypertension increased when performing no or insufficient physical activity and with increasing obesity (p Conclusions This study is the first to determine population-based prevalence rates of hypertension in individuals with intellectual disability. It highlights the similarity in prevalence to the general population. The results emphasize the importance of population-wide screening, increasing physical activity, and reducing obesity in decreasing cardiovascular risk in this population.
Contextual Attention for Hand Detection in the Wild

We present Hand-CNN, a novel convolutional network architecture for detecting hand masks and predicting hand orientations in unconstrained images. Hand-CNN extends MaskRCNN with a novel attention mechanism to incorporate contextual cues in the detection process. This attention mechanism can be implemented as an efficient network module that captures non-local dependencies between features. This network module can be inserted at different stages of an object detection network, and the entire detector can be trained end-to-end. We also introduce large-scale annotated hand datasets containing hands in unconstrained images for training and evaluation. We show that Hand-CNN outperforms existing methods on the newly collected datasets and the publicly available PASCAL VOC human layout dataset. Data and code: https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~cvl/projects/hand_det_attention/
Veterinary student experiences in a community- and competency-based primary care rotation: A case study

Background: Over the past 10–20 years, health professions' education has increasingly utilized community-based models of distributive medical education (CBDME) and competency-based education (CBE) frameworks. Although programs combining CBDME and CBE have reported enhanced student education and professional development outcomes, health professions' educators have also noted challenges integrating these frameworks, including vague university expectations regarding student performance, issues balancing efficiency with student learning in the private practice environment, lack of private practitioner training in pedagogy, and limited university faculty involvement in community-based clinical training of students. Aims and Objectives: The current paper describes the efforts of one veterinary school to refine a 4-week community-based primary care clinical rotation. The 2-year project aimed (1) to incorporate tracked competencies, improve preceptor training, and enhance involvement of university faculty through online student learning (Year 1) and (2) to use focus groups to solicit students' feedback on the course (Year 2). Settings and Design: Descriptive and Case-study. Methods and Material: Focus group, semi-structured interview. Statistical Analysis Used: Content analysis method of qualitative data, open and axial coding. Results: Compared to other “hospital rotations”, students reported that the CBDVE-equine primary care course gave them more opportunity to voice their professional opinions, determine course(s) of treatment, and discuss concerns/questions regarding case management. CBE helped students distinguish between competencies they had completed themselves versus procedures they had only been able to observe. The technology meant to support competency tracking in the field presented significant challenges to the student learning experience, including lack of internet access in remote locations, concerns regarding use of technology and appearance of professionalism, and redundancy of competency documentation. Conclusions: Veterinary student perceptions towards CBE and CBDVE are positive. Incorporating technology to track clinical competencies and support student learning during distributed clinical training requires an iterative process of feedback and negotiation with stakeholders, including students, university faculty, and private practice partners. The project approach and study findings described will be of interest to health professions educators who participate in, or plan to use, competency- and/or community-based models of education.
Cell-Based Bioassay to Screen Environmental Chemicals and Human Serum for Total Glucocorticogenic Activity.

Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that have systemic effects that are mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor. Environmental chemicals that disrupt glucocorticoid receptor signaling and/or glucocorticoid homeostasis could adversely affect the health of human and nonhuman vertebrates. A major challenge in identifying environmental chemicals that alter glucocorticoid receptor signaling and/or glucocorticoid homeostasis is a lack of adequate screening methods. We developed a cell-based bioassay to measure total glucocorticogenic activity (TGA) of environmental chemicals and human serum. Human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were stably transfected with a luciferase reporter gene driven by 3 tandem glucocorticoid-response elements. Dose-response curves for 6 glucocorticoids and 4 non-glucocorticoid steroid hormones were generated to evaluate the specificity of the bioassay. Cells were also optimized to measure TGA of 176 structurally diverse environmental chemicals and human serum samples in a high-throughput format. Reporter activity was glucocorticoid-specific and induced 400-fold by 1 μM dexamethasone. Furthermore, 3 of the screened chemicals (3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide, isopropyl-N-phenylcarbamate, and benzothiazole derivative 2-[4-chlorophenyl]-benzothiazole) potentiated cortisol-induced glucocorticoid receptor activity. Serum TGA estimates from the bioassay were highly correlated with a cortisol enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The present study establishes an in vitro method to rapidly screen environmental chemicals and human serum for altered glucocorticogenic activity. Future studies can utilize this tool to quantify the joint effect of endogenous glucocorticoids and environmental chemicals. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:177-186. © 2020 SETAC.
Evaluation of the potential teratogenic and toxic effect of the herbicide 2,4-D (DMA® 806) in bullfrog embryos and tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus).

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential teratogenic and toxic effect of the herbicide 2,4-D (DMA® 806) on bullfrog embryos and tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus). We used the FETAX (Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay Xenopus) assay for embryos, and for tadpoles, we used acute (96 h) and chronic (49 days) toxicity tests and evaluated aspects of healthiness, hematology, and histopathology. The LC50–144h (Median Lethal Concentration), EC50–144h (Median Effective Concentration), MCIG (Minimum Concentration to Inhibit Growth) and TI (Teratogenic Index) for embryos were 792 mg/L, 593 mg/L, 150 mg/L of 2,4-D (DMA) and 1.34, respectively. For tadpoles, the LC50–96h was 700 mg/L of 2,4-D (DMA) and chronic test indicated an inflammatory process and erythrocytosis (with possible polycythemia), with consequent reduction of the spleen. This demonstrates physiological stress probably due to dehydration, which can be proven by the gill tufts widening intercellular space and gill tuft fusions. We also found injuries to the kidneys and skin of the animals even in the lowest concentration tested. Our results indicated that this pesticide is minimally teratogenic and has a low toxicity on L. catesbeianus embryos and tadpoles, but it can inhibit embryo growth in concentrations lower than those tested in this study. We hypothesized that the herbicide 2,4-D (DMA® 806) may be a respiratory allergen for L. catesbeianus tadpoles and recommend precautionary measures for prolonged exposure of aquatic organisms to this pesticide.
Sliding-Capon Based Convolutional Beamspace for Linear Arrays

A new method to design the filter for convolutional beamspace (CBS), called Capon-CBS, is proposed. The idea is to design the filter to be a sliding Capon beamformer. Such design takes input statistics into account, so it can do a better job of suppressing the sources that fall in the stopband. Capon-CBS can offer higher probability of resolution and smaller mean square error for DOA estimation, as demonstrated in the simulations. Moreover, like traditional CBS, Capon-CBS also has the advantage of low computational complexity.
Polygenic breast cancer risk for women veterans in the million veteran program

PURPOSEAccurate breast cancer (BC) risk assessment allows personalized screening and prevention. Prospective validation of prediction models is required before clinical application. Here, we evalua...
Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Guatemala.

Objectives. To describe excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guatemala during 2020 by week, age, sex, and place of death. Methods. We used mortality data from 2015 to 2020, gathered thr...
Injury of bacteria by sanitizers.

Injury of test cultures was quantitated by differences in colony counts obtained with a complete medium and those obtained on conventional selective media. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, and several strains of Escherichia coli were injured when exposed to the quaternary ammonium compound methylalkyltrimethyl ammonium chloride. Representative hypochlorite sanitizers also caused injury of E. coli ML30. Sanitizer concentration appeared to be the main factor in the cause of death and injury, a higher concentration being needed to cause death. Increases in temperature did not result in substantial increases in injury; however, the lethal effect was greater at higher temperatures. Varying the cell concentration from 107 to 109 cells per ml did not change the fraction of cell population killed or injured. The inability or failure of common selective media to detect injured bacteria in food could have serious public health consequences.
Immunoaffinity chromatography utilizing monoclonal antibodies: Factors which influence antigen-binding capacity

Abstract Differences in antigen-binding capacity of a monoclonal antibody coupled to Sepharose under varying conditions were explored. The extent of cyanogen bromide activation, and the pH of the coupling reaction had a profound effect upon the rate of antibody coupling, but only small differences in antigen-binding capacity were observed if the antibody coupling reaction was terminated when 80–90% of the antibody was covalently coupled to Sepharose. However, if antibody was incubated with activated resin until 100% coupling was attained, the antigen-binding capacity of the resulting immunoadsorbent decreased significantly. Monoclonal antibody coupled to Sepharose via an N-hydroxysuccinimide ester linkage and approximately half the antigen-binding capacity of antibody coupled by CNBr activation. Concentrations of monoclonal antibodies as high as 13 mg/ml of packed resin could be used without noticeable steric hindrance.
An Exact Probability Metric for Decision Tree Splitting and Stopping

ID3‘s information gain heuristic is well-known to be biased towards multi-valued attributes. This bias is only partially compensated for by C4.5‘s gain ratio. Several alternatives have been proposed and are examined here (distance, orthogonality, a Beta function, and two chi-squared tests). All of these metrics are biased towards splits with smaller branches, where low-entropy splits are likely to occur by chance. Both classical and Bayesian statistics lead to the multiple hypergeometric distribution as the exact posterior probability of the null hypothesis that the class distribution is independent of the split. Both gain and the chi-squared tests arise in asymptotic approximations to the hypergeometric, with similar criteria for their admissibility. Previous failures of pre-pruning are traced in large part to coupling these biased approximations with one another or with arbitrary thresholds; problems which are overcome by the hypergeometric. The choice of split-selection metric typically has little effect on accuracy, but can profoundly affect complexity and the effectiveness and efficiency of pruning. Empirical results show that hypergeometric pre-pruning should be done in most cases, as trees pruned in this way are simpler and more efficient, and typically no less accurate than unpruned or post-pruned trees.
The Impact of the Contractual Use of Ratings on the Rating Process - Evidence from Rating Agency Adjustments

I study the use of credit ratings in debt contracts. When debt contracts use credit ratings rather than accounting ratios to enforce restrictions on borrowers, there is likely to be increased pressure on rating agencies to cater to borrower incentives. I investigate whether the explicit use of ratings in contracts affects rating agencies' incentives to issue more favorable credit risk assessments than justified by the underlying economics. I focus on performance pricing (PP) agreements which are now widespread in lending agreements and which use either ratings or accounting ratios to calibrate pricing grids. I examine whether, ceteris paribus, rating agencies are more likely to cater to borrowers when PP agreements use ratings rather than accounting ratios to administer PP agreements so that rating changes directly impact borrowers' cash flows. I use data from Moody's to investigate this prediction and report evidence from a number of tests that is consistent with the catering hypothesis.
Childhood psychosis: initial studies and new insights

Childhood Psychosis : Initial Studies and New Insights , Childhood Psychosis : Initial Studies and New Insights , کتابخانه مرکزی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی تهران
Tremor reveals stress shadowing, deep postseismic creep, and depth‐dependent slip recurrence on the lower‐crustal San Andreas fault near Parkfield

[1] The 2003 magnitude 6.5 San Simeon and the 2004 magnitude 6.0 Parkfield earthquakes induced small, but significant, static stress changes in the lower crust on the central San Andreas fault, where recently detected tectonic tremor sources provide new constraints on deep fault creep processes. We find that these earthquakes affect tremor rates very differently, consistent with their differing transferred static shear stresses. The San Simeon event appears to have cast a “stress shadow” north of Parkfield, where tremor activity was stifled for 3–6 weeks. In contrast, the 2004 Parkfield earthquake dramatically increased tremor activity rates both north and south of Parkfield, allowing us to track deep postseismic slip. Following this event, rates initially increased by up to two orders of magnitude for the relatively shallow tremor sources closest to the rupture, with activity in some sources persisting above background rates for more than a year. We also observe strong depth dependence in tremor recurrence patterns, with shallower sources generally exhibiting larger, less-frequent bursts, possibly signaling a transition toward steady creep with increasing temperature and depth.
EXPENSE PREFERENCE AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS

There is little direct evidence on the widely held view that school districts spend too few of available resources on student instruction. I find evidence of such an expense preference by assessing the effect of competition from private schools on the allocation of resources by school districts. I also examine the effects of instructional and non-instructional spending on high school completion rates. The results suggest that school districts direct too few of available resources towards instruction. The results also demonstrate, however, that money spent on instruction is highly effective when conditioned on the decision to spend outside the classroom.
Evaluating Bond Fund Sector Timing Skill

Reported portfolio data indicate that bond fund managers engage in sector timing behavior. I use simulation procedures to examine the ability of various versions of the Treynor and Mazuy (1966) timing specification to detect positive sector timing skill. Results indicate that the models are unable to detect timing ability at reasonable skill levels for the majority of managers. Alternative measures which compare actual fund returns to the returns from passive strategies using the previous period's sector weights are better able to detect positive ability at reasonable skill levels. When applied to a sample of general government bond funds, these measures indicate managers may possess positive sector timing ability.
From 1-D to 2-D fuzzy: A proof that interval-valued and complex-valued are the only distributive options

While the usual 1-D fuzzy logic has many successful applications, in some practical cases, it is desirable to come up with a more subtle way of representing expert uncertainty. A natural idea is to add additional information, i.e., to go from 1-D to 2-D (and multi-D) fuzzy logic. At present, there are two main approaches to 2-D fuzzy logic: interval-valued and complex-valued. At first glance, it may seem that many other options are potentially possible. We show, however, that, under certain reasonable conditions, interval-valued and complex-valued are the only two possible options.
The Ideological “Coherence” of the Brazilian Party System, 1990-2009

This paper contributes to the debate about the ideological coherence of the Brazilian party system. Using discriminant function analysis of 20 years of surveys of Brazilian legislators, we find that the party system now exhibits relatively little coherence. Though the Worker’s Party (PT) is clearly distinct, no clear ideological differences exist between the placement of the system’s three other main parties. Moreover, the spatial distance between the PT and the other parties is diminishing over time. Given the importance of a coherent ideological map to any consolidated party system, we question the notion that the Brazilian party system has gradually consolidated. Indeed, our results suggest the opposite: in recent years the Brazilian party system has become relatively more “inchoate.”
Inhibitors of hepatitis C virus NS3.4A protease. Effect of P4 capping groups on inhibitory potency and pharmacokinetics.

Reversible tetrapeptide-based compounds have been shown to effectively inhibit the hepatitis C virus NS3·4A protease. Inhibition of viral replicon RNA production in Huh-7 cells has also been demonstrated. We show herein that the inclusion of hydrogen bond donors on the P4 capping group of tetrapeptide-based inhibitors result in increased binding potency to the NS3·4A protease. The capping groups also impart significant effects on the pharmacokinetic profile of these inhibitors.
Existence and semiclassical limit for the quantum drift-diffusion model

In this paper, we construct a weak solution to the unipolar quantum drift-diffusion model in a bounded domain with Neumann boundary conditions, thereby extending an existence result in Gianazza et al. (Arch Rational Mech Anal 194:133–220, 2009) to the case where the boundary of the domain is only Lipschitz. We also obtain the limit of the solution as the scaled Planck constant $$\varepsilon $$ in the problem goes to $$0$$ .
Effect of physical activity on functional status among older middle‐age adults with arthritis

Objective To determine the effect of leisure time and work-related physical activity on changes in physical functioning among 3,554 nationally representative survey respondents, ages 53–63 years in 1994, with arthritis and joint symptoms, interviewed in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Methods In 1992–1994, light and vigorous exercise items were empirically categorized into recommended, insufficient, and inactive leisure time physical activity levels using data from the HRS. Leisure and work-related physical activity levels in 1994 were used to predict 1996 functional decline or improvement, controlling for baseline functional difficulties, health status, sociodemographic characteristics, and behavioral risk factors. Results Whereas 29.7% of respondents reported functional declines in 1996, 38.6% of those with baseline difficulties in 1994 reported improvement. Compared with inactive respondents, recommended and insufficient leisure time physical activity were equally protective against functional decline (odds ratio [OR] 0.59 and 0.62, respectively; P < 0.0001). Higher levels of physical activity were also modestly associated with functional improvement among respondents with baseline functional difficulties (OR 1.47, P = 0.05 and OR 1.45, P = 0.01, respectively). Work-related physical activity was not a significant predictor of decline or improvement. Conclusion Given the high prevalence of arthritis, even modest increases in rates of lifestyle physical activity among older adults could make a substantial contribution to disability-free life expectancy.
On differentially private frequent itemset mining

We consider differentially private frequent itemset mining. We begin by exploring the theoretical difficulty of simultaneously providing good utility and good privacy in this task. While our analysis proves that in general this is very difficult, it leaves a glimmer of hope in that our proof of difficulty relies on the existence of long transactions (that is, transactions containing many items). Accordingly, we investigate an approach that begins by truncating long transactions, trading off errors introduced by the truncation with those introduced by the noise added to guarantee privacy. Experimental results over standard benchmark databases show that truncating is indeed effective. Our algorithm solves the "classical" frequent itemset mining problem, in which the goal is to find all itemsets whose support exceeds a threshold. Related work has proposed differentially private algorithms for the top-k itemset mining problem ("find the k most frequent itemsets".) An experimental comparison with those algorithms show that our algorithm achieves better F-score unless k is small.
Full STEAM Ahead: The Benefits of Integrating the Arts Into STEM

Abstract There is growing interest amongst forward looking public officials, educators, and professionals in enhancing the education platform to better prepare students for both analytical and creative thinking. Traditional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) degrees focus on convergent skills whereas art degrees focus on divergent skills. Having the ability to execute both at scale can better position our nation for global competitiveness. A study by the Partnership for a New American Economy, called “Not Coming to America,” demonstrates the lacking interest of STEM in undergraduates throughout American born citizens. With a STEM job market increasing three times faster than the rest of the economy, and only 4.4% of American undergraduates enrolled in STEM programs, there is a huge shortage of qualified high-tech workers. Education must foster not only problem solving skills but also problem seeking skills all while maintaining the interest of the students. The author, an art educator with STEM interest, will summarize the major initiative in STEM, rationalize the value of arts integration, discuss objective driven assessment, evaluate literacy opportunities, provide examples of taking theory to practice, and challenge the audience to go full “STEAM” ahead.
Light-Dependent Hydrogen Evolution by Scenedesmus* **

The effect of glucose and the uncoupler Cl-CCP upon hydrogen production was studied in adapted cells of Scenedesmus obliquus D3. Cl-CCP at 10-5M concentration completely inhibited the evolution of H2 in the dark and increased the apparent rate of H2 evolution in the light. At 10-5M Cl-CCP, photosynthesis and photoreduction by anaerobically adapted algae were only temporarily inhibited; O2 evolution reappeared after approximately 1 hr of illumination if CO2 was present. Increasing the Cl-CCP concentration to 5 x 10-5M led to a maximum rate of photohydrogen production and fully inhibited H2 evolution, photoreduction and dark H2 evolution. H2 evolution was accompanied by a release of varying amounts of CO2 in the light, as well as in the dark. Dark CO2 production was stimulated by Cl-CCP. H2 evolution in the light was stimulated by adding glucose to autotrophically grown cells or by growing the cells heterotrophically with glucose; starvation had an opposite effect. Adapted cells released 14CO2 from the 3 and/or 4 position of specifically labeled glucose, indicating that degradation occurred via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway. The amount of H2 released by autotrophically grown cells was the same either with continuous illumination or with short periods of light, followed by darkness. Scenedesmus mutant No. 11, which is unable to evolve O2 was not inhibited in its capacity to evolve H2 in the light. These data indicate that the evolution of H2 in the light by adapted Scenedesmus depends upon the degradation of organic material and does not require the production of free O2 by photosystem II.
On the Veridicality of Claims in Design Science Research

As more design science research is being conducted based on diverse underlying philosophical perspectives, it becomes important to pause and study ways by which the warranty of claims of such research is being addressed. Using the philosophy of science as a guiding framework, we explore the complexity of the warranty of claims under the current controversial paradigmatic status of design science. The inability to objectively certify knowledge claims in design science research is a serious communication barrier that hinders the dissemination of knowledge across the different philosophical perspectives in the IS community and ultimately the advancement of IS knowledge. In this paper, we explore potential controversies on the veridicality of knowledge claims in design science research and propose that adopting scientific realism as the underlying philosophical stance is the way to address these controversies. It is our intent that this discussion be beneficial for design science scholars as they continue their efforts to develop and disseminate the foundations for design science research.
Tissue distribution and induction of the rat multidrug resistance-associated proteins 5 and 6 ☆

Multidrug resistance-associated proteins (Mrps) are ATP-dependent transporters which transport a wide variety of anionic and cationic compounds. The purpose of this study was to determine the tissue distribution of Mrp5 and 6 in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats in various tissues, and to investigate whether the expression is altered by cholestasis or administration of microsomal enzyme inducers (MEIs). These MEIs activate six different transcriptionally-mediated pathways, and their effects on Mrp5 and Mrp6 expression were determined. The effects of bile-duct ligation, a cholestasis model, on Mrp5 and 6 expression in male rats were quantified. Mrp5 had marked expression in adrenal gland, and moderate expression in cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and stomach. The MEIs polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)126, phenobarbital, and PCB99 slightly repressed Mrp5, but no single class of receptor agonists induced or repressed Mrp5. Bile-duct ligation tended to increase Mrp5 expression, but was not statistically significant at a 3 day timepoint. Mrp6 expression was highest in intestine, liver, and kidney. Mrp6 was slightly repressed by phenobarbital, dexamethasone, and isoniazid, but no one class of receptor agonists induced or repressed Mrp6, and expression was also unchanged bile-duct ligation. In conclusion, Mrp5 in rats is most highly expressed in the adrenal gland, whereas Mrp6 is mainly expressed in excretory organs (liver, intestine, and kidney), suggesting markedly different functions. Hepatic mRNA levels of Mrp5 or Mrp6 do not seem to be coordinately regulated along with Phase I enzymes via receptor-mediated pathways, and are not part of the hepatoprotective upregulation of basolateral transporters that occurs during cholestasis.
Accuracy of US Food and Drug Administration-cleared IgE antibody assays in the presence of anti-IgE (omalizumab).

Background Although serological IgE measurements can aid in efficacy assessment of patients with asthma on omalizumab (Xolair [Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, Calif]; humanized IgG 1 antihuman IgE Fc), its effect on clinically used IgE assay performance is unknown. Objective This study investigated the hypothesis that IgE:IgG–anti-IgE immune complex formation after omalizumab administration diminishes accuracy and increases variability of IgE assays performed in diagnostic immunology laboratories. Methods Plasma from 4 atopic adults was incubated with omalizumab (50 or 200 molar excess to IgE) or buffer. Paired specimens were sent masked to 159 clinical laboratories in the College of American Pathologists Diagnostic Allergy Proficiency Survey (cycles SE-C-2003, SE-A-2005). Inhibitory effects produced by omalizumab on accuracy and reproducibility of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–cleared total and allergen-specific IgE assays were computed by using national proficiency survey data. Results Total serum IgE levels measured in the 2 ImmunoCAP assays were minimally reduced (2.4-9.0%) by the presence of omalizumab, whereas 5 other assays showed marked reductions from 12.5% to 67.2% ( P Conclusion Although as much as 62% loss in accuracy was observed in FDA-cleared human IgE assays, the ImmunoCAP system was sufficiently robust to provide accurate and reproducible total and allergen-specific IgE antibody results in a clinical setting where therapeutic levels of omalizumab are present in serum. Clinical implications Accurate monitoring of total and allergen-specific IgE, together with free IgE levels, in serum from patients on omalizumab may help optimize dosing and maximize the efficacy of Xolair therapy.
Bivalent hapten-antibody interactions--III. Formation of an unusual polymer by IGA (MOPC 315) upon binding a bivalent hapten.

Abstract The complexes formed between mouse myeloma protein MOPC 315 and a variety of 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP)‡ bivalent haptens were studied in the analytical ultracentrifuge. The longest bivalent hapten employed was bis (DNP-β alanyl)-meso-diamino succinate, a dicarboxylic acid in which the two DNP-amine groups are separated by a chain containing 10 carbon and nitrogen atoms. Addition of this bivalent hapten to the reduced and alkylated protein 315 (6·6 S) generates, almost exclusively, a very stable complex with a molar ratio of bivalent hapten/protein of approximately 1·0 and a sedimentation coefficient of 14·1 S. This data is consistent with the tetrameric model previously described by Green et al., J. molec. Biol.56, 203 (1971). The complex is stable over a pH range of 5·1–9·5, but it aggregates and precipitates at pH 4·1. Using shorter bivalent haptens and the 315 protein, no complex was observed when four or fewer methylene groups separated the 2,4-dinitrophenyl amine groups. The complex is first seen with five spacer methylene groups suggesting that the binding site accommodates the DNP group, the nitrogen and up to 2·5 methylene groups.
MO‐F‐108‐05: Treatment Planning Study of Volumetric Arc Therapy for Spine Stereotactic Radiosurgery Using Flattening Filter Free Beams

Purpose: To evaluate the potential usage of flattening filter‐free (FFF) with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in the treatment of spine radiosurgery. Methods: VMAT plans were retrospectively generated for six patients treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) according to the RTOG 0631 protocol. The VMAT plans were developed in the Eclipse treatment planning system on a Varian Truebeam equipped with a Millennium 120 MLC system, using the flattening‐filter‐free mode with a maximum dose rate of 1400 MU/min. The plans were prescribed to either 16 or 18Gy in one fraction to cover at least 90% of the target. Planning target volume (PTV) coverage, conformity index (CI), dose to spinal cord, distance to fall off between the prescription and maximum isodose line of the cord, as well as plan delivery efficiency were evaluated. Results: PTV coverage was better for VMAT compared to IMRT plans. The ratios between VMAT and IMRT for PTV coverage were 1.06 for D99% and 1.01 for D95%. The hot spots were comparable; the ratios of D10% and D5% were both 0.994. The VMAT plans were more conformal than the IMRT plans (CI of 1.13 vs. 1.28, p= 0. 0004). The VMAT plans also had shorter distance to fall off between the prescription and max cord isodose line (0.28 vs. 0.38 cm, p=0.0006). The average cord dose is 4.72 Gy in the VMAT plans, relative to 5.77 Gy in the IMRT plans. Finally, the VMAT treatments required slightly less MUs than the IMRT plans (8236 vs 9410, p=0.116). Conclusion: The VMAT plans had better PTV coverage compared to the IMRT plans. Furthermore, VMAT allowed for lower mean dose to the spinal cord, a sharper dose gradient between the PTV and the cord, and required fewer MUs, thus reducing the treatment time.
Serum and Glucocorticoid-induced Kinase (SGK) 1 and the Epithelial Sodium Channel Are Regulated by Multiple with No Lysine (WNK) Family Members

The four WNK (with no lysine (K)) protein kinases affect ion balance and contain an unusual protein kinase domain due to the unique placement of the active site lysine. Mutations in two WNKs cause a heritable form of ion imbalance culminating in hypertension. WNK1 activates the serum- and glucocorticoid-induced protein kinase SGK1; the mechanism is noncatalytic. SGK1 increases membrane expression of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and sodium reabsorption via phosphorylation and sequestering of the E3 ubiquitin ligase neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally down-regulated 4-2 (Nedd4-2), which otherwise promotes ENaC endocytosis. Questions remain about the intrinsic abilities of WNK family members to regulate this pathway. We find that expression of the N termini of all four WNKs results in modest to strong activation of SGK1. In reconstitution experiments in the same cell line all four WNKs also increase sodium current blocked by the ENaC inhibitor amiloride. The N termini of the WNKs also have the capacity to interact with SGK1. More detailed analysis of activation by WNK4 suggests mechanisms in common with WNK1. Further evidence for the importance of WNK1 in this process comes from the ability of Nedd4-2 to bind to WNK1 and the finding that endogenous SGK1 has reduced activity if WNK1 is knocked down by small interfering RNA.
Multiple sclerosis presenting as a spinal cord tumor

Multiple sclerosis, a disorder of central nervous system demyelination, is a leading cause of disability in young people. Lesions of the spinal cord are usually less than two vertebral body segments long, peripherally located, and found in the cervical region. A 30-year-old woman had a 2-month history of back pain, urinary incontinence, and bilateral lower extremity weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine showed an intramedullary spinal cord tumor from T4 to T8 with an intramedullary cyst from T1 to T4. After thoracic decompressive surgery, findings from biopsy of the cord lesion were consistent with multiple sclerosis. Postoperatively, the patient required an intensive rehabilitation program. This is the first reported case of histopathologically confirmed spinal cord demyelination presenting as an intramedullary thoracic cord tumor. Physiatrists should be alerted that demyelinating disease can mimic a spinal cord tumor, even on MRI, and must be considered in the differential diagnosis of a symptomatic spinal cord mass.
Transposition of the Great Vessels with Hypoplasia of the Right Ventricle

Eight cases are reported in which complete transposition of the great vessels was associated with varying degrees of hypoplasia of the right ventricle. In three, the correct diagnosis was suspected on the basis of certain electrovectorcardiographic findings and confirmed by selective angiography. Quantitative analysis of ventricular volumes and valve circumferences demonstrated that these cases represent a distinct pathological entity. The diagnosis of complete transposition with hypoplastic right ventricle may be suggested by electrocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy, relative absence of right ventricular QRS vectors, and leftward axis for age. The vectorcardiogram reveals a counterclockwise QRS loop in the horizontal plane, situated to the left and posteriorly. These findings occur infrequently in the young infant with complete transposition. The presence of a hypoplastic right ventricle is confirmed by angiography, which demonstrates a small right ventricular chamber located central...
Change of variables in the stochastic quantization

Abstract We show that, in contrast to the canonical quantization, the stochastic quantization proposed by Parisi and Wu does not need to know what are the cartesian coordinates in the configuration space of the system. The resulting arbitrariness in the choice of the metric can then be used to obtain a faster approach to the equilibrium. As an explicit example, gaussian integrals, in N dimensions, in cartesian and polar coordinates are compared, by computing the spectra of the corresponding Fokker-Planck hamiltonians.
Treating the Enemy

The telephone rings at the front desk at our U.S. Air Force EMEDS hospital in Baghdad. It is promptly answered by the Master Sergeant enlisted medic. “Sir, they need you over at the morgue—2 casual...
On Estimating the Probability of Aperiodic Outbursts of Microbial Populations from their Fluctuating Counts

The irregular sequence of counts of a microbial population, in the absence of observable corresponding environmental changes (e.g., temperature), can be regarded as reflecting the interplay of several unknown or random factors that favor or inhibit growth. Since these factors tend to balance one another, the fluctuations usually remain within bounds, and only by a coincidence—when all or most act in unison—does an ‘outburst’ occur. This situation can be represented mathematically as a sequence of independent random variables governed by a probability distribution. The concept was applied to reported microbial counts of ground meat and wastewater. It is found that the lognormal distribution could serve as a model, and that simulations from this model are indistinguishable from actual records. The parameters of the lognormal (or other) distribution can then be used to estimate the probability of a population outburst, i.e., an increase above a given threshold. Direct estimation of the outburst probability based on frequency of occurrence is also possible, but in some situations requires an impractically large number of observations. We compare the efficiency of these two methods of estimation. Such methods enable translation of irregular records of microbial counts into actual probabilities of an outburst of a given magnitude. Thus, if the environment remains ’stable’ or in dynamic equilibrium, the fluctuations should not be regarded merely as noise, but as a source of information and an indicator of potential population outbursts even where obvious signs do not exist.
Addendum to Obituary of Jules Henry

The American Anthropologist published an article by Robert Anderson (1971) stating that "voluntary" associations are not a feature of Medieval Civilizations and other pre-industrial state-ruled societies. This simply is not the case. The converse is quite demonstrable. The very fact that such states spent much of their time ferreting out and suppressing such organizations is evidence enough, but there is much more. He seems to have confused various concepts as "voluntary," "compulsory," "independent," "authorized," "customary," "official," "unofficial," etc. It is true that efforts are made in many pre-industrial states to root out all but one monopolistic society in each niche of the social ecology, and make membership in that one mandatory for persons seeking to occupy that niche, but chapel associations, work groups, guilds, knightly orders, even monasteries and the Hansa, are still what should be called voluntary. Certainly bandit gangs and the famed secret societies, from the Fehme to the White Lotus are "voluntary." Anderson noted cases where secret societies carry-out functions elsewhere allotted to governmental agencies. A good case could be made that these are governmental agencies. More to the point is the fact that many of our quandaries over the problem of the state could be solved by considering the state apparatus itself as a "voluntary association." Subjects and employees of the state are not necessarily members of the state association and their participation may not be voluntary. Much of the unrest and processes of contention within a nation or community seem to center around the problem of the extent to which the voluntary association forming the governing body shall or shall not be a secret society.
Dependence of degree of orientation of copper oxide nuclei on oxygen pressure during initial stages of copper oxidation

We report in situ transmission electron microscopy observations of the dependence of the degree of orientations of oxide nuclei on oxygen pressure during the initial-stage oxidation of Cu(100) surfaces, which reveal a transition from nucleating epitaxial Cu${}_{2}$O islands to randomly oriented oxide islands with increasing the oxygen pressure from 5 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} 10${}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ to 150 Torr. We show by a kinetic model that this transition of oxide nucleation orientation is driven by the influence of oxygen pressure on the oxide nucleation barrier and atom collision rate.