cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nanosecond emission anisotropy of interacting enzymes aspartate aminotransferase glutamate dehydrogenase.

Abstract Nanosecond fluorescence studies were performed on mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase from beef liver to determine whether the dimeric enzyme displays any modes of flexibility in the nanosecond range. The most informative quantities calculated from nanosecond fluorescence measurements S(t) and D(t) decay in a monoexponential manner with decay times τ S = 13 and τ D = 10 nanoseconds respectively. The observed rotational correlation time θ = 43 M-seconds yields a volume for the dimeric enzyme of 1.97 × 10 5 A o3 . The rotational correlation time of aspartate aminotransferase is influenced by the presence of the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase.
Infrared spectrum and molecular constants of CT4

Abstract The bands, ν 3 , ν 4 , and 2 ν 3 of CT 4 have been observed. The ν CH band of CHT 3 was observed also. An analysis of the band ν 3 of CT 4 yields ν 3 = 1937.0 cm −1 and ζ 3 = 0.252. The data on CT 4 was combined with data in the literature of CH 4 and CD 4 to calculate average valence force constants for the methanes.
Cultivating Self-Awareness with Team-Teaching: Connections between Classroom Learning and Experiential Learning.

The Honors College program prepares leaders for the 21 st century to become forces for positive change through problem-solving, scholarship, service, teamwork, and leadership. Its structure involves nine sequenced courses familiarizing students with challenges facing communities. Courses are team-taught by professors in different disciplines to highlight the diversity in applying concepts across contexts. This paper offers an examination of the connections for cultivating self-awareness through team-teaching in the classroom and experiential learning.
The stories of our national past: History and heritage in a Jewish high school

This paper explores the relationship between the teaching of history (the academic study of the past) and the teaching of heritage (meaningful stories tying people to a collective past). The resear...
Symbolic implicit Monte Carlo radiation transport in the difference formulation: a piecewise constant discretization

The equations of radiation transport for thermal photons are notoriously difficult to solve in thick media without resorting to asymptotic approximations such as the diffusion limit. One source of this difficulty is that in thick, absorbing media, thermal emission and absorption are almost completely balanced. A new formulation for thermal radiation transport, called the difference formulation, was recently introduced in order to remove the stiff balance between emission and absorption. In the new formulation, thermal emission is replaced by derivative terms that become small in thick media. It was proposed that the difficulties of solving the transport equation in thick media would be ameliorated by the difference formulation, while preserving full rigor and accuracy of the transport solution in the streaming limit. In this paper, the transport equation is solved by the symbolic implicit Monte Carlo method and comparisons are made between the standard formulation and the difference formulation. The method is easily adapted to the derivative source terms of the difference formulation, and a remarkable reduction in noise is obtained when the difference formulation is applied to problems involving thick media.
IDENTIFYING THE TIME OF A CHANGE IN A POISSON RATE PARAMETER

Control charts are used to monitor for process changes. However, when a control chart signals, it does not indicate when the process changed. Knowing when the process changed would be helpful to process managers in identifying the special cause and impr..
Rapid changes in protein synthesis and cell size in the cochlear nucleus following eighth nerve activity blockade or cochlea ablation.

Destruction of the cochlea causes secondary changes in the central auditory pathway through transynaptic regulation. These changes appear to be mediated by an activity-dependent process and can be detected in the avian auditory system as early as 30 minutes after deafferentation. We compared the early changes in cochlear nucleus neurons following deafferentation by cochlea ablation with those seen following activity deprivation by perilymphatic tetrodotoxin (TTX) exposure. Protein synthesis and size of large spherical cells in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) of 14-day-old gerbils were measured during the first 48 hours after the manipulations. Both cochlea ablation and TTX produced a reliable decrease in protein synthesis by AVCN neurons (30–-40%) by 1 hour. The magnitude of change in tritiated leucine incorporation was similar at all survival times, in both experimental groups. In contrast to the rapid changes in protein synthesis, the decrease in cell size was first evident 18 hours after TTX exposure and 48 hours after cochlea ablation. There was no significant change in protein synthesis or cell size in control groups at any of the survival times. These findings are consistent with changes in the avian auditory system in response to deafferentation and TTX exposure. Cochlea ablation and TTX exposure induced similar transneuronal changes, supporting the hypotheses that activity of auditory afferents in young mammals plays a regulatory role in the metabolism and morphology of their target neurons in the central auditory pathway, and that early changes following destruction of the peripheral receptor are due to reduction of activity-dependent interactions of presynaptic and postsynaptic cells.
Expression and Subcellular Localization of the Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27Kip1 in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Abstract Objective. To determine if p27 Kip1 expression was altered in epithelial ovarian cancers as compared to normal ovarian surface epithelial (NOSE) cells and to determine if subcellular localization of p27 Kip1 was an important feature. Methods. Thirteen tumor samples (1 Stage IC [early] and 12 Stage III/IV [advanced]) from patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and five NOSE samples were evaluated. Samples were surgically dissected to obtain an enriched population (90%) of cancer cells. The level of p27 Kip1 protein expression was determined by Western blot analysis. Actin was used as a loading control, and results were quantified by scanning densitometry using the ratio of the p27 Kip1 signal to the actin signal for comparison. To evaluate the subcellular localization of p27 Kip1 , immunocytochemical staining was performed. Clinical pathological parameters were correlated to nuclear p27 Kip1 staining to establish if any association existed. Results. When comparing the expression of p27 Kip1 between NOSE and ovarian cancer samples, only 2 of 13 ovarian cancer samples had altered p27 Kip1 expression. No correlation was found between the expression level of p27 Kip1 on Western blot and clinical pathological correlates. While no correlation between expression level of p27 Kip1 and subcellular localization was found, decreased nuclear staining (1+) was associated with shorter survivals using the log-rank test ( P Kip1 staining was noted in cells that were undergoing mitosis. Conclusions. p27 Kip1 protein degradation may not be modified in ovarian cancer cells undergoing mitosis. Altered expression of p27 Kip1 is not an overwhelming feature in certain epithelial ovarian cancers. Decreased nuclear staining of p27 Kip1 is associated with poor survival in some epithelial ovarian cancers.
A novel electroactive polymer buoyancy control device for bio-inspired underwater vehicles

A novel depth control device has been designed and built. The proof-of-concept device utilizes the principles of electrolysis of water, enhanced by the inclusion of an ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) membrane as a medium. The device design incorporates an artificial bladder where the volume of gas generated by electrolysis is controlled by a solenoid valve, thus changing the device's buoyancy. A set of gold electrodes, separated by an IPMC film, is used as a lightweight and compact electrolysis generator. IPMC acts as stable, low power, highly efficient and environmentally friendly gas generator. Experimental results using open-loop control show that the device is capable of controlling its buoyancy efficiently with no noise and low power consumption. Applications for this technology include integration into bio-inspired, unmanned underwater vehicles.
COMPUTATIONAL COMPLEXITY AND LEXICAL FUNTIONAL GRAMMAR

An important goal of modern linguistic theory is to characterize as narrowly as possible the class of natural languages. One classical approach to this characterization has been to investigate the generative capacity of grammatical systems specifiable within particular linguistic theories. Formal results along these lines have already been obtained for certain kinds of Transformational Generat ive Grammars: for example, Peters and Ritchie 1973a showed that the theory of Transformational Grammar presented in Chomsky's Aspects of the Theory of Syntax 1965 is powerful enough to allow the specification of grammars for generating any recursively enumerable language, while Rounds 1973,1975 extended this work by demonstrating that moderate ly restricted Transformat ional Grammars (TGs) can generate languages whose recognition time is provably exponential. 1
General superiority of biphasic over uniphasic shocks in cardiac defibrillation

The comparative results of eight studies involving uniphasic and biphasic waveforms in 16383 transthoracic fibrillation-defibrillation episodes in 100-kg calves are critically summarized. A 1200-episode study of uniphasic and biphasic waveforms in epicardial and catheter defibrillation in dogs and two studies involving 733 defibrillation attempts using uniphasic and biphasic waveforms in the epicardial defibrillation of calves are presented. It is found that appropriate biphasic waveforms generally outperform uniphasic waveforms by (a) yielding a higher percent success, (b) requiring less energy to yield the peak possible value of success, and (c) furnishing quite successful results over a broader range of waveform parameters, thus making satisfactory performance less dependent on operator technique or patient-to-patient differences. >
Multiple-access insights from bounds on sensor localization

In this paper, we build on known bounds on localization in sensor networks and provide new insights that can be used in multiple-access design from a localization perspective. Specifically, we look at the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB)for the estimation of a sensor's location given unbiased Gaussian range estimates from a set of location-aware "anchor" nodes. A novel characterization of the accuracy of sensor location-estimates is derived, which provides new insights into the design of multiple-access schemes from the perspective of sensor localization accuracy. These insights are validated through the investigation of the performance of a spread-spectrum based multiple-access scheme in an ultra-wideband sensor network.
Long-term Skeletal Muscle Protection After Gene Transfer in a Mouse Model of LGMD-2D

Limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) describes a group of inherited diseases resulting from mutations in genes encoding proteins involved in maintaining skeletal muscle membrane stability. LGMD type-2D is caused by mutations in alpha-sarcoglycan (sgca). Here we describe muscle-specific gene delivery of the human sgca gene into dystrophic muscle using an adeno-associated virus 1 (AAV1) capsid and creatine kinase promoter. Delivery of this construct to adult sgca–/– mice resulted in localization of the sarcoglycan complex to the sarcolemma and a reduction in muscle fiber damage. Sgca expression prevented disease progression as observed in vivo by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and confirmed in vitro by decreased Evan's blue dye accumulation. The ability of recombinant AAV–mediated gene delivery to restore normal muscle mechanical properties in sgca–/– mice was verified by in vitro force mechanics on isolated extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles, with a decrease in passive resistance to stretch as compared with untreated controls. In summary, AAV/AAV-sgca gene transfer provides long-term muscle protection from LGMD and can be non-invasively evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging.
RHIC power supplies: lessons learned from the 1999-2001 RHIC runs

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) was commissioned in 1999 and 2000. The two RHIC rings require a total of 933 power supplies (PSs) to supply currents to highly inductive superconducting magnets. These units function as 4 main PSs, 237 insertion region (IR) PSs, 24 sextupole PSs, 24 Gamma-T PSs, 8 snake PSs, 16 spin rotator PSs, and 620 correction PSs. PS reliability in this type of machine is of utmost importance because the IR PSs are nested within other IR PSs, and these are all nested within the main PSs. This means if any main or IR PS trips off due to a PS fault or quench indication, then all the IR and main PSs in that ring must follow. When this happens, the Quench Protection Assemblies (QPA's) for each unit disconnects the PSs from the circuit and absorb the stored energy in the magnets. Commissioning these power supplies and QPA's was and still is a learning experience. A summary of the major problems encountered during these first three RHIC runs will be presented along with solutions.
MSFC shuttle lightning research

The shuttle mesoscale lightning experiment (MLE), flown on earlier shuttle flights, and most recently flown on the following space transportation systems (STS's), STS-31, -32, -35, -37, -38, -40, -41, and -48, has continued to focus on obtaining additional quantitative measurements of lightning characteristics and to create a data base for use in demonstrating observation simulations for future spaceborne lightning mapping systems. These flights are also providing design criteria data for the design of a proposed shuttle MLE-type lightning research instrument called mesoscale lightning observational sensors (MELOS), which are currently under development here at MSFC.
Gastrostomy and jejunostomy placement: the urban hospital perspective pertinent to nursing home care.

Objectives In nursing home settings, providers often think that most percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes are placed in older people, some perhaps inappropriately. We sought to describe the relationships between patient age and the indications for, the decision making behind, and the outcomes of gastrostomy and jejunostomy placement in an urban hospital to give perspective to those of us working in long-term care settings. Design Retrospective, observational study. Setting Urban hospital. Participants Two hundred thirty-nine inpatients who underwent gastrostomy or jejunostomy (G/J) placement. Measurements Hospital records were reviewed for patient demographics, disease process, decision making, and short-term outcomes associated with G/J placement. Mortality at 30 days and 1 year was obtained by a search of the National Death Index. The prevalence of these variables in those aged 65 years and older was compared to the prevalence in those younger than 65 with associations calculated both unadjusted and adjusted for gender, place of residence, underlying condition, and Charlson comorbidity index. Results Patients who were aged 65 years and older were more likely to be female with more comorbid illnesses and were more likely to have had a stroke that precipitated their difficulty eating. They were more likely to have been referred by a medical specialist, to have been seen by a speech pathologist, and to have had their procedure without general anesthesia. The older patients had a shorter mean hospital length of stay with fewer complications but had higher mortality rates at 30 days and 1 year. Conclusion Patient age was associated with gender and type of disease process and may have influenced the decisions made during the hospital stay. Despite a higher burden of chronic illness, older patient age was not associated with adverse short-term outcomes but was associated with higher mortality rates after discharge.
Partial discharge behavior of epoxy resin-impregnated transformer coils

Partial discharge (PD) investigations of industrially made epoxy-resin-impregnated transformer coils and coils produced under laboratory conditions in a temperature range between -30 and 180 degrees C are described. The PD characteristics of the industrial coils can be reproduced with the simplified lab coils, and these results can be transferred to the industrial coils. The PD measurements show that the PD inception voltage decreases with rising temperature, which is explained with the superposition of two temperature-dependent phenomena. First, the temperature-dependent rising values of the relative permittivity of the epoxy resin strengthen the electrical field inside the gas cavity. Second, the ignition condition, i.e., the relative gas density in the cavity, changes due to diffusion. From the observed voltage dependence of the repetition rate and phase position of the PD pulses and with the help of a capacitive electrical circuit, it is shown that the measured PDs are discharges in gas-filled cavities. >
Interactive Virtual Reality Simulation for Nanoparticle Manipulation and Nanoassembly using Optical Tweezers

Nanotechnology is one of the most promising technologies for future development. This paper proposes virtual reality (VR) as a tool to simulate nano particle manipulation using optical tweezers towards achieving nano-assembly and to handle effectively issues such as difficulty in viewing, perceiving and controlling the nano-scale objects. The simulation modeled using virtual reality displays all the forces acting on nanoparticle during the manipulation. The simulation is developed for particles that belong to the Rayleigh region and represents interactions of OT (a laser beam) with the nanoparticle. The laser beam aimed on to the nanoparticle traps the particle by applying optical forces. The trapped particle is then moved by moving the laser beam. The proposed VR based simulation tool with it capabilities can be easily extended and used for creating and open system framework by connecting it to a real OT setup to control nanoparticles manipulation. In addition, a feedback system can be build to increase of precision of movement.
The effect of temperature on cerebrovascular resistance and cerebral metabolism in the primate.

Abstract Using a primate single carotid perfusion model we studied CVR and A-VO 2 differences through a wide range of cerebral temperatures. By keeping cerebral blood flow constant and systemic temperature normal, the influence of systemic blood pressure and low cerebral blood flow was avoided. Our data suggest a direct relationship between temperature and CVR as well as oxygen extraction. A-VO 2 differences became less marked below 15°C and are probably negligible when considering hypothermia for most clinical uses.
Dimensions of Quality for Financial Investment Services

Several methods of developing dimensions of service quality have been proposed recently in the literature. This study uses secondary sources, recommendations by “experts”, to derive a substantial list of quality characteristics for financial investment services. These characteristics are then categorized into strategic dimensions. The usefulness of the approach, and suggestions for further research, are discussed.
The Promise of Congressional Enforcement of the Thirteenth Amendment

In recent years, the Supreme Court has placed restrictions upon congressional power to enact laws protecting rights of belonging, those rights that promote an inclusive vision of who belongs to the national community of the United States and that facilitate equal membership in that community. The Rehnquist Court restricted congressional power to enforce the two primary sources of those rights, the Commerce Clause Section Five of the Fourteenth Amendment. However, the oft-overlooked Section Two of the Thirteenth Amendment, which empowers Congress to enact appropriate measures to enforce the abolition of slavery accomplished by Section One of that Amendment, has considerable potential to resolve this dilemma. The Reconstruction Congress intended the enforcement power granted by Section Two to be a broad source of individual rights, and the Court generally has been deferential to that power.The broad vision of freedom held by the Framers of the Thirteenth Amendment encompasses both economic rights and the right to racial equality. This chapter considers legislation that Congress has enacted pursuant to its Section Two power, and examines Court rulings evaluating that legislation. While Congress has rarely exploited its Section two power, important civil rights statutes such as the 1866 Civil Rights Act, several Anti-peonage Acts, portions of the 1968 Fair Housing Act, and the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, are based in that power. The chapter concludes that Section Two of the Thirteenth Amendment holds great promise for a Congress seeking to define and protect our rights of belonging in the future.
Scalp-sparing total skin electron therapy in mycosis fungoides: Case report highlighting technique and outcome.

Among the classically described cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common. Patients typically present with pruritic patches or tumors of the skin. Prognosis relates to age, stage, and the presence of extracutaneous disease.1,2 Total skin electron therapy (TSET) has emerged as the single most effective targeted therapy for patients with MF. Historically, complete response rates improved with dose escalation from 8 Gy to 36 Gy. Also seen with dose escalation was an increase in toxicity including dry desquamation, skin erythema, alopecia, anhidrosis, and loss of fingernails.1,3 Therefore, more recent studies have focused on the impact of dose de-escalation on toxicity and response rates. A pooled analysis published by Hoppe et al. explored low-dose (12 Gy, 1 Gy per fraction) TSET for patients with stage IB to IIIA disease. Of the 33 evaluable patients, the majority experienced a rapid reduction of disease burden and minimal toxicities.1 Alopecia remains a common concern of patients preceding TSET. In the aforementioned study, 1 female patient with stage IIB
Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk in Adults With Celiac Disease.

Background:Patients with celiac disease (CD) may be at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), yet CVD risk factors are not well defined in CD. The validated Framingham Heart Study 10-year general CVD risk score (FRS) that incorporates traditional CVD risk factors including body mass inde
Prognostic value of coronary CTA vs. exercise treadmill testing: results from the Partners registry.

Aims We sought to compare the complementary prognostic value of exercise treadmill testing (ETT) and coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) among patients referred for both exams. Methods and results We studied 582 patients without known coronary artery disease (CAD) who were clinically referred for ETT and CTA within 6 months. Patients were followed for cardiovascular (CV) death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), or late revascularization (>90 days), stratified by Duke Treadmill Score (DTS) and CAD severity (≥50% stenosis). Mean age was 54 ± 13 years (63% male). In median follow-up of 40 months, there were 3 CV deaths, 7 non-fatal MIs, and 26 late revascularizations. ETT was inconclusive in 23%, positive in 31%, and negative in 46%. CTA demonstrated no CAD in 37%, non-obstructive CAD in 28%, and obstructive CAD in 35%. Among low-risk ETT patients ( n = 326), there were 3 MI, 10 late revascularizations, and the frequent presence of non-obstructive (32%, n = 105) and obstructive CAD (27%, n = 88). When present, ETT features (i.e. angina, DTS, ischaemic electrocardiogram changes, and exercise capacity) individually failed to predict CV death/MI after adjustment for Morise score. Conversely, both obstructive CAD [HR 4.9 (1.0–23.3), P = 0.048] and CAD extent by segment involvement score >4 [HR 3.9 (1.0–15.2), P = 0.049] predicted increased risk for CV death or MI. Conclusion Patients with a low-risk ETT have an excellent prognosis at 40 months, despite the frequent presence of non-obstructive (32%) and obstructive (27%) CAD. In patients with an intermediate- to high-risk ETT (DTS <5), CTA can provide incremental risk stratification for future CV events.
Illegal drug markets and victimizing crime in New York

It is an embarrassment to criminology that the causes of the great American crime drop are so poorly understood. The essay ‘‘More Drugs, Less Crime,’’ by Wendel et al. (2016) adds a new idea to the body of explanations that earlier theorists have proposed—that falling prices of illegal drugs reduced property crime and violent crime. Unique to the literature on the crime drop, Wendel et al. (hereafter WDCH) draw on both ethnographic study of New York’s market for illegal drugs, and an econometric analysis of quantitative time series data, in support of their thesis. Regrettably we do not have comparable ethnographic observations of victimizing crime in New York, to help specify the relationship between the sale and use of illegal drugs, and victimizing crime. The WDCH proposal is all the more intriguing because it is directly contradictory to some journalistic accounts linking recent crime spikes in St. Louis to conflicts among suppliers stemming from a drop in the price of heroin (Williams 2016). The statistical method WDCH use to relate drug prices to crime rates is Granger causality, sometimes known as ‘‘Granger (non)-causality.’’ When I read studies using this method, I often come away thinking that the authors want to have their econometric cake and eat it too. On the one hand, they remind us that Granger causality is not necessarily the same as ordinary causality. It tells us whether lagged values of a particular variable (call it x) contribute significantly to the explanation of a second variable, y, above and beyond what lagged values of y alone contribute. This is not sufficient to establish causality in the sense that statisticians use this term nowadays. Yet the analyses are undertaken in a context where the question of
Target State Estimation for UCAV Based on ICSM-UKF

When Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle(UCAV) estimates the target state,the upper and lower limits of the acceleration during the sampling time are constant for Current Statistical Model(CSM),which is irrational.To solve the problem,an Improved Current Statistical Model(ICSM) was proposed using the fuzzy adaptive control theory,and the fuzzy subject function was put forward.Considering that the Unscented Kalman Filter(UKF) is not adaptive to the imprecise or unknown measurement noise, we proposed an adaptive UKF algorithm with estimator of measurement noise statistics.The ICSM-UKF algorithm was compared with the EKF based on CSM by simulation.The results show that this algorithm has the advantages of high precision and strong stability.
Influences of Herba Artemisiae Scopariae Combined with Ursodesoxycholic Acid on the Balance Shift of Th1/Th2 and the Result of Pregnancy in Rats with Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy

Objective:To investigate the influences of herba artemisiae scopariae combined with ursodesoxycholic acid(UDCA) on the balance shift of Th1/Th2 and the result of pregnancy in pregnant rats with Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy(ICP).Methods:Model of ICP in pregnant rats was established and divided randomly into 4 groups.Herba artemisiae scopariae group(10cases) treated with herba artemisiae scopariae(5mL·d-1) for 10 days.UDCA group(10cases) treated with UDCA(15mg·kg-1·d-1) for 10 days.Combination group(10cases) treated with herba artemisiae scopariae(5mL·d-1) and UDCA(15mg·kg-1·d-1) for 10 days.10 pregnant rats with ICP were as control group.10 normal pregnant rats were as normal group.Levels of interleukin-2(IL-2),interferon-gamma(IFN-γ) and interleukin-4(IL-4) in the serum were determined by using enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay(ELISA) in 50 pregnant rats at 15th day(befor treatment) and 21th day of pregnancy.To note the number of pregnant days and the survival rate of rat pups of each group.Results:(1) Both the levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ in pregnant rats with ICP were higher than those in normal pregnant rats(P0.05).Whereas the level of IL-4 was lower(P0.05).(2) After the treatment with herba artemisiae scopariae or UDCA,the level of IL-2 in pregnant rats with ICP was reduced significantly(P0.05).Whereas the level of IL-4 was significantly increased(P0.05).But the level of IFN-γ was not reduced significantly(P0.05).(3) The level of IFN-γ and IL-2 in combination group were reduced significantly after drug therapy(P0.05).Whereas the level of IL-4 was significantly increased(P0.05).The level of IFN-γ in combination group was lower than that in either herba artemisiae scopariae or UDCA group(P0.05).The level of IFN-γ and IL-4 had no difference in three drug groups(P0.05).(4) After the therapy,the number of pregnant days and the survival rate of rat pups of each drug group were higher than those of contral group(P0.05).But the survival rate of rat pups of herba artemisiae scopariae group and UDCA group was lower than that of combination group and normal group(P0.05).Whereas the survival rate of rat pups had no difference between combination group and normal group(P0.05).Conclusions:The function of T helper cell in pregnant rats with ICP changes.Overexpression of Th1 type cytokines results in the imbalance of Th1/Th2.Treatment with herba artemisiae scopariae combined with UDCA could induce a shift from Th1 to Th2 cytokine patterns in pregnant rats with ICP and enhance especially the survival rate of rat pups with ICP.
The Forms, Functions and Values of Literacy: Reading for Survival in a Barrio as a Student

This paper presents the preliminary research findings of a project sponsored by the National Institute of Education. Twenty seven Hispanic youngsters ages 10 to 19, grades 5th to 12th, and bilingual in English and Spanish, living in the South Bay area of San Diego County, were observed and interviewed by graduate students especially trained in ethnographic methods. We used the theoretical perspective of studies on the ethnography of communication to gather and analyze the manifestations and usages of text in the home. The distribution of the various forms, functions and values of literacy is contrasted with other ethnographic information providing a more realistic view of the context of literacy in Mexican and Mexican American homes. Two crucial issues are discussed: (1) the qualitative differences in the use of same forms of literacy by different children, and (2) the role of children in dealing with literacy demands. In conclusion, the paper suggests the need to assist the minority learner play a more a...
The Measurement and Use of Quality of Life-Related Personal Outcomes

The purpose of this chapter is to present a framework for the measurement and use of quality of life-related personal outcomes for persons with intellectual and closely related developmental disabilities. The chapter is composed of two major sections. In the first section (“the measurement of quality of life-related personal outcomes”) the author discusses quality of life (QOL) measurement guidelines, a QOL measurement model, and a framework for measuring QOL-related personal outcomes. In the second section (“the primary use of the QOL conceptual model”) the author discusses a framework for service delivery, evidence-based practices, and quality improvement strategies. The chapter should be read and understood within the context of two significant trends impacting current policies and practices regarding persons with ID/DD: (a) the desire among stakeholders for quality services and personal outcomes; and (b) the need for organizations to improve their performance and accountability through systematically collecting and analyzing QOL-related data and information, and implementing quality improvement strategies based on the analysis.
Chlamydial Plasmid-Dependent Pathogenicity

Most Chlamydia species carry a 7.5kb plasmid encoding eight open reading frames conventionally called plasmid glycoproteins 1–8 or pGP1–8. Although the plasmid is not critical for chlamydial growth in vitro, its role in chlamydial pathogenesis is clearly demonstrated in the genital tracts of mice infected with Chlamydia muridarum, a model for investigating the human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis. Plasmid-free C. trachomatis is also attenuated in both the mouse genital tract and nonhuman primate ocular tissue. Deficiency in pGP3 alone, which is regulated by pGP4, largely reproduced the in vivo but not in vitro phenotypes of the plasmid-free organisms, suggesting that pGP3 is a key in vivo virulence factor. The positive and negative regulations of some chromosomal genes by pGP4 and pGP5, respectively, may allow the plasmid to promote chlamydial adaptation to varied animal tissue environments. The focus of this review is to summarize the progress on the pathogenic functions of the plasmid-encoded open reading frames, which may motivate further investigation of the molecular mechanisms of chlamydial pathogenicity and development of medical utility of the chlamydial plasmid system.
Causes of Relative Sea-Level Change

Relative sea levels (RSL) have changed constantly throughout geologic time as the volume of ocean waters has fluctuated, the shapes of the ocean basins have changed, and the land masses have been broken apart, been welded together, and have emerged or submerged. The challenge is to separate changes in level of the land from changes in level of the ocean surface in an unambiguous fashion, a task that only partly can be successful given the broad spectrum of processes affecting relative sea levels, especially those processes that contribute to the low-frequency portion of the spectrum. To separate land-level changes from sea-level changes effectively, a diverse mixture of geological and geophysical approaches must be integrated. Some contributors to relative sea-level change and their approximate magnitudes are summarized here in a general way, with documentation for some of the more important processes concentrated in later and more pertinent sections of the book. From this summary one can differentiate between processes presently affecting relative sea level and those that were important only during the past.
Intraoperative Evaluation of Surgical Margins in Breast-Conserving Therapy

Negative surgical margins at the time of lumpectomy are essential to achieving optimal patient outcomes. Numerous techniques have been investigated to enhance the accuracy of intraoperative margin analysis. Achieving clear margins at the time of lumpectomy is important because it can facilitate time to treatment of the breast cancer patient and reduce the need for subsequent reoperative procedures to achieve negative margins.
Early detection of senile dementia.

Not all senile dementias are irreversible. As this—the first in a series of articles stressing the importance of the early detection of disease states—points out, dementia has been shown to be seco...
Nocturnal elevation of intraocular pressure in young adults.

PURPOSE. TO distinguish 24-hour (circadian) and postural effects on intraocular pressure (IOP) in healthy young adults. METHODS. Thirty-three volunteers were housed in a sleep laboratory for 1 day under a strictly controlled 16-hour light and 8-hour dark environment. Sleep was encouraged in the dark period. Intraocular pressure was measured in each eye every 2 hours using a pneumatonometer. Researchers used night-vision goggles to perform IOP measurements in the dark, while the subject's light exposure was minimized. In the first group of 12 subjects, measurements were taken with subjects in the sitting position during the light-wake period and supine during the dark period. In the second group of 21 subjects, all IOP measurements were taken with the subjects supine. RESULTS. Average IOP was significantly higher in the dark period than in the light-wake period in both groups. The lowest IOP occurred in the last light-wake measurement, and the peak IOP occurred in the last dark measurement. The trough-peak difference in IOP was 8.2 ±1.4 mm Hg (mean ± SEM) in the first group. Intraocular pressure changed sharply at the transitions between light and dark. In the second group, the trough-peak IOP difference was 38 ± 0.9 mm Hg. Intraocular pressure changed gradually throughout the 24-hour period. In comparison with the sitting IOP in the first group, the supine IOP in the second group was significantly higher during the light-wake period. CONCLUSIONS. Circadian rhythms of IOP were shown in young adults, with the peaks occurring in the late dark period. A nocturnal IOP elevation can appear independent of body position change, but change of posture from upright to recumbent may contribute to the relative nocturnal IOP elevation. {Invest Ophthalmol Vis Set. 1998;39:2707-2712)
Sarcoidosis Diagnoses Among U.S. Military Personnel:: Trends and Ship Assignment Associations

Abstract Background: Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disorder of unknown cause that usually first involves the lungs. [1] After the diagnosis of a deck grinder was changed from sarcoidosis to dust-induced lung disease by the VA, the Navy asked the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to determine if Navy work environments have been associated with lung diseases, some of which may have been reported as “sarcoidosis.” Methods: Sarcoidosis-related associations were measured using a case-control approach involving the modern personnel database of the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC). Sarcoidosis incidence rates were also computed using total Navy manpower data, and previously published military data from the 1940s and 1950s were juxtaposed with current findings to gain a broader historical perspective. Results: When reported sarcoidosis incidence rates from 1943 to 1993 are examined, an unexplained peak of military sarcoidosis rates appears in the 1960s and 1970s along with a decline in the black/white ratio of these rates from about 17:1 to 6:1. The case-control analyses reveal a decreased risk for sarcoidosis diagnoses among men who worked only on “clean ships.” Conclusions: These findings suggest that sarcoidosis-like diseases in the military may be associated with environmental factors. To implement effective primary prevention, early detection, and treatment programs for sarcoidosis-like disease, these trends and work environment patterns need to be explained. Clinical studies of Vietnam-War–era veterans, which assess their work exposures and job activities in more detail, may identify preventable causes among this generation, which has a historically high rate of disease.
How to Ask Questions: Designing a Survey

Political polls do a remarkably good job of predicting the winner of national elections. However, we occasionally hear of a case where a poll has gone badly wrong. A recent example was the 1992 election in Colorado, where a measure was on the ballot to prohibit the state legislature and cities from passing anti-discrimination laws concerning homosexuals. Polls showed that the Colorado measure would be defeated. The measure passed. (See the New York Times, November 8, 1992.)
Recent Advances in X-Ray Hydroxyl Radical Footprinting at the Advanced Light Source Synchrotron.

Author(s): Morton, Simon A; Gupta, Sayan; Petzold, Christopher J; Ralston, Corie Y | Abstract: BackgroundSynchrotron hydroxyl radical footprinting is a relatively new structural method used to investigate structural features and conformational changes of nucleic acids and proteins in the solution state. It was originally developed at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the late nineties, and more recently, has been established at the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The instrumentation for this method is an active area of development, and includes methods to increase dose to the samples while implementing high-throughput sample delivery methods.ConclusionImproving instrumentation to irradiate biological samples in real time using a sample droplet generator and inline fluorescence monitoring to rapidly determine dose response curves for samples will significantly increase the range of biological problems that can be investigated using synchrotron hydroxyl radical footprinting.
The ability of an LC-MS/MS-based erythrocyte GALT enzyme assay to predict the phenotype in subjects with GALT deficiency.

Abstract Background GALT deficiency is a rare genetic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism. Due to the decreased activity or absence of the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT), cells from affected individuals are unable to metabolize galactose normally. Lactose consumption in the newborn period could potentially lead to a lethal disease process with multi-organ involvement. In contrast to the newborn-stage disease, however, a galactose-restricted diet does not prevent long-term complications such as central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction with speech defects, learning disability and neurological disease in addition to hypergonadotropic hypogonadism or primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) in females. As the literature suggests an association between GALT enzyme activity and the long-term complications, it is of importance to have a highly sensitive assay to quantify the GALT enzyme activity. To that end, we had developed a sensitive and accurate LC-MS/MS method to measure GALT enzyme activity. Its ability to predict outcome is the subject of this report. Materials and methods The GALT enzyme activity in erythrocytes from 160 individuals, in which 135 with classic, clinical variant or biochemical variant galactosemia, was quantified by LC-MS/MS. Individuals with GALT deficiency were evaluated for the long-term complications of speech defects, dysarthria, ataxia, dystonia, tremor, POI, as well as intellectual functioning (full scale IQ). The LC-MS/MS results were compared to a variety of assays: radioactive, [14C]-galactose-1-phosphate, paper chromatography with scintillation counting, enzyme-coupled assays with spectrophotometric or fluorometric readout or high-pressure liquid chromatography with UV detection of UDP-galactose. Results The LC-MS/MS method measured GALT activity as low as 0.2%, whereas other methods showed no detectable activity. Largely due to GALT activities that were over 1%, the LC-MS/MS measurements were not significantly different than values obtained in other laboratories using other methodologies. Severe long-term complications were less frequently noted in subjects with >1% activity. Patients with a p.Q188R/p.Q188R genotype have no residual enzyme activity in erythrocytes. Conclusion Our LC-MS/MS assay may be necessary to accurately quantify residual GALT activities below 5%. The data suggest that patients with >1% residual activity are less likely to develop diet-independent long-term complications. However, much larger sample sizes are needed to properly assess the clinical phenotype in patients with residual enzyme activities between 0.1 and 5%.
A 68-Year-Old Man with Progressive Lower Limb Numbness and Weakness and Urinary Incontinence

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare form of lymphoma that is characterized by exclusive growth of lymphoma cells within the lumens of blood vessels. It most commonly affects central nervous system, skin, and hematopoietic system. Here we describe a case with cauda equine syndrome as an initial and predominant presentation, which is unusual. Nerve and muscle biopsy played a critical role in establishing the diagnosis of IVLBCL in this case. The patient had a favorable treatment response to the R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) regimen and methotrexate.
Association of Treatment Inequity and Ancestry with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Survival

Importance Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a higher incidence and worse outcomes among black patients than white patients, potentially owing to a combination of socioeconomic, biological, and treatment differences. The role that these differences play remains unknown. Objectives To determine the level of survival disparity between black and white patients in a modern PDAC cohort and whether treatment inequity is associated with such a disparity. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used data on 278 936 patients with PDAC with database-defined race from the National Cancer Database from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2015. The median follow-up for censored patients was 24 months. The National Cancer Database, comprising academic and community facilities, includes about 70% of new cancer diagnoses in the United States. Race-stratified receipt of therapy was the primary variable of interest. Multivariable analyses included additional demographic and clinical parameters. Data analysis was initially completed on November 30, 2018, and revised data analysis was completed on June 27, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall survival was the primary outcome, analyzed with Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression modeling. Results The cohort included 278 936 patients (137 121 women and 141 815 men; mean [SD] age, 68.72 [11.57] years); after excluding patients from other racial categories, 243 820 of the 278 936 patients (87.4%) were white and 35 116 of the 278 936 patients (12.6%) were black. Unadjusted median overall survival was longer for white patients than for black patients (6.6 vs 6.0 months;P Conclusions and Relevance Black patients with PDAC present at younger ages and with more advanced disease than white patients, suggesting that differences in tumor biology may exist. Black patients receive less treatment stage for stage and fewer surgical procedures for resectable cancers than white patients; these findings may be only partly associated with socioeconomic differences. When disease stage and treatment were controlled for, black patients had no decrease in survival.
Emerging Roles for Microglial Phagocytic Signaling in Epilepsy

Microglia are the resident immune cells and professional phagocytes of the central nervous system. However, little is known about the contribution of their phagocytic signaling to the neuropathology and pathophysiology of epilepsy. Here, we summarize and discuss the implications of recent evidence supporting that aberrant microglia phagocytic activity and alterations in phagocytosis signaling molecules occur in association with microglia-neuronal contacts, neuronal/synaptic loss, and spontaneous recurrent seizures in human and preclinical models of epilepsy. This body of evidence provides strong support that the microglial contribution to epileptogenic networks goes beyond inflammation, and suggests that phagocytic signaling molecules may be novel therapeutic targets for epilepsy.