cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mapping Pharmacy Student Learning During Cocurricular Activities to National Standards and Institutional Outcomes.

Objective. To assess pharmacy student learning from co-curricular activities and map this to Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) standards and the institution’s curricular outcomes. Methods. Student representatives of professional organizations at one college of pharmacy were asked to complete a 16-item questionnaire on behalf of their members about each cocurricular activity their organization completed. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the results. Content analysis was conducted on open-ended questions, and resulting codes were mapped to ACPE Standards 2016 and curricular outcomes. Results. The majority (74%) of the 152 unique cocurricular activities reported were designated as community outreach events and an average of 15 (SD=43) student members participated in each activity. The most frequently selected domain by student representatives was “promoted professionalism” for 86% of activities. Upon distilling student representatives’ open-ended responses regarding their members’ learning, each response was assigned to one or more of 34 codes. The most frequently assigned codes to learning descriptions (36%) were for patient education and counseling. Conclusion. Representatives of student organizations characterized their members’ participation in cocurricular activities as opportunities for learning. The results from the content analysis aligned with the quantitative data collected. Cocurricular activities provide opportunities for Doctor of Pharmacy students to enhance their skills, knowledge, and attitudes in both pharmacy practice and personal areas that map to ACPE Standards 2016 and the college’s own curricular outcomes.
Genre and Television: From Cop Shows to Cartoons in American Culture

Genre and Television proposes a new understanding of television genres as cultural categories, offering a set of in-depth historical and critical examinations to explore five key aspects of television genre: history, industry, audience, text, and genre mixing. Drawing on well-known television programs from Dragnet to The Simpsons, this book provides a new model of genre historiography and illustrates how genres are at work within nearly every facet of television-from policy decisions to production techniques to audience practices. Ultimately, the book argues that through analyzing how television genre operates as a cultural practice, we can better comprehend how television actively shapes our social world.
Abstract P088: The Gut Microbiome Contributes To The Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Phenotype In Spontaneously Hypertensive Stroke Prone Rats

In recent years, it has become apparent that the gut microbiome can influence the functioning and pathological states of organs and systems throughout the body. In this study we tested the hypothes...
The Vascular Component of Melasma: A Systematic Review of Laboratory, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Evidence

Background Melasma is a common acquired disorder of hyperpigmentation, classically manifesting as symmetric brown patches on the face. Although the exact pathogenesis is not fully understood, vascular abnormalities have been implicated in melasma. Objective To evaluate the laboratory and clinical evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of antivascular agents for the treatment of melasma. Methods A systematic review of PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane was conducted on May 13, 2020, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Original research articles investigating the role of vascularity and/or evaluating the use of antivascular therapeutics in melasma were included. Clinical recommendations were based on the American College of Physicians guidelines. Results A total of 34 original research articles as follows were identified: 4 laboratory studies, 15 diagnostic studies, and 15 therapeutic studies. Conclusion There is promising evidence supporting the use of tranexamic acid and laser/light therapies to treat the vascular component of melasma, and more rigorous clinical trials are needed to validate their efficacy. Clinicians may consider treatment with one or more antivascular therapeutics in patients with melasma. Further research is warranted to characterize the role of cutaneous vascularization in melasma and may provide insights for novel therapies.
CSEdGrad: @serving and supporting graduate students

CSEdGrad, an NSF-funded collaboration between Purdue University, Michigan State University, and SageFox Consulting Group, is focused on exploring and developing the pathways for computer science education graduate students.
Advancing the science of digital biomarkers

Digital biomarkers are the physiological and behavioral measures collected via connected digital devices or wearable and mobile computing systems. A set of accurately and reproducibly measurable digital biomarkers can be used to predict and influence various health conditions, outcomes, and to generate actionable insights. In recent years, we observed a rapid growth in adoption of digital biomarkers in the medical literature, computer science research, and digital health industry. Advancing the translational science of digital biomarkers requires the continuous integration of key technological innovations from the areas of mobile computing, machine learning, health sciences and medicine. This editorial aims to lay out a brief overview of the current state of digital biomarkers research, recent initiatives taken by researchers to promote research and development of this area, and the key challenges and opportunities in this field.
Correlation of transport properties with grain boundary atomic structure in high-{Tc} superconducting films and tapes

The critical current density of high-{Tc} superconducting thin films is found to be sensitive to the presence of flux-pinning defects, and particularly to the existence of grain boundaries which may act either as pinning centers for the vortices or as weak link junctions. Atomic resolution Z-contrast imaging and spatially resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy provide a method to obtain a direct image of the atomic grain boundary structure for correlation with its electronic structure. Using a combination of transport measurements and electron microscopy, the authors have begun to correlate superconducting properties with atomic scale grain boundary structure using YBCO thin films deposited on SrTiO{sub 3} bicrystals and on Ni substrates (RABiTS).
Non-uniform kernel allocation based parsimonious HMM

In conventional Gaussian mixture based Hidden Markov Model (HMM), all states are usually modeled with a uniform, fixed number of Gaussian kernels. In this paper, we propose to allocate kernels non-uniformly to construct a more parsimonious HMM. Different number of Gaussian kernels are allocated to states in a non-uniform and parsimonious way so as to optimize the Minimum Description Length (MDL) criterion, which is a combination of data likelihood and model complexity penalty. By using the likelihoods obtained in Baum-Welch training, we develop an effcient backward kernel pruning algorithm, and it is shown to be optimal under two mild assumptions. Two databases, Resource Management and Microsoft Mandarin Speech Toolbox, are used to test the proposed parsimonious modeling algorithm. The new parsimonious models improve the baseline word recognition error rate by 11.1% and 5.7%, relatively. Or at the same performance level, a 35-50% model compressions can be obtained.
Dynamics of Orbiting Dust under Radiation Pressure

For a three-dimensional Keplerian system in the presence of a homogeneous field possibly in uniform rotation, action and angle variables are introduced by canonical transformation in the averaged Hamiltonian truncated at the first order. After substitution, the first order averaged system proves to be integrable. More precisely, it is shown how the orbit space decomposes into a pair of spheres in a three-dimensional space, on which the representative curves are the small circles induced by a finite rotation about a fixed axis. From this intuitive geometric picture follow simple formulas for solving the initial value problem.
Algebraic Shift Register Sequences: Feedback with carry shift registers and multiply with carry sequences

A feedback with carry shift register is a feedback shift register with a small amount of auxiliary memory. In its simplest form, the cells of the register consist of bits (0 or 1) while the memory contains a nonnegative integer. The contents (0 or 1) of the tapped cells of the shift register are added as integers to the current contents of the memory to form a sum σ. The parity bit, σ (mod 2) of σ is fed back into the first cell, and the higher order bits, └σ/2┘ are retained for the new value of the memory. See Figure 4.1. There are many parallels between LFSR sequences and FCSR sequences, some of which we list in Table 4.1. The output sequences generated by an FCSR are examples of multiply with carry sequences. They enjoy many of the useful statistical properties of linearly recurrent sequences. As with linearly recurrent sequences, several algebraic structures are available for the analysis of multiply with carry sequences, including ordinary integer arithmetic, N -adic numbers, and an analog of the trace function. Multiply with carry sequences have been applied in such areas as pseudo-random number generation, cryptanalysis, stream cipher design, and arithmetic codes. FCSRs were first described in the early 1990s [67, 115, 119]. These devices were suggested as a method for high speed hardware generation of binary sequences with enormous periods, as might be used in a stream cipher or digital communication system.
Translating obesity: Navigating the front lines of the “war on fat”

Objectives Obesity is treated within medicine, public health, and applied sciences as a biomedical fact with urgent health implications; obesity is also, however, a social fact and one that reveals biomedical concerns can lead to social suffering. Translation of social science-oriented obesity research for broader public good requires navigation of the space between these polemical and seemingly mutually exclusive positions. Methods Using examples from our own current programs of biocultural research, we explain the opportunities and ongoing challenges of efforts to bridge the chasm between critique and intervention when the topic under discussion is obesity. The examples range from cross-population analyses of human variation and the implications for how we measure and classify obesity to biocultural research into fat-stigma to translational research conducted as part of a larger collaboration across multiple institutions. Results and Conclusions Translation of social science-oriented obesity research for broader public good requires collaborative work across disciplines and fields, as well as between academics, professionals working in public health and medicine, policy makers, and other key stakeholders. Translation efforts must acknowledge and develop practical programs addressing the “obesity crisis,” but also are compelled to question core assumptions upon which obesity-reduction interventions have thus far been based. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:61–68, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
How do trees die? A test of the hydraulic failure and carbon starvation hypotheses

Despite decades of research on plant drought tolerance, the physiological mechanisms by which trees succumb to drought are still under debate. We report results from an experiment designed to separate and test the current leading hypotheses of tree mortality. We show that pinon pine (Pinus edulis) trees can die of both hydraulic failure and carbon starvation, and that during drought, the loss of conductivity and carbohydrate reserves can also co-occur. Hydraulic constraints on plant carbohydrate use determined survival time: turgor loss in the phloem limited access to carbohydrate reserves, but hydraulic control of respiration prolonged survival. Our data also demonstrate that hydraulic failure may be associated with loss of adequate tissue carbohydrate content required for osmoregulation, which then promotes failure to maintain hydraulic integrity.
Effects of oak-hickory woodland restoration treatments on native groundcover vegetation and the invasive grass, Microstegium vimineum.

An important goal of restoring fire to upland oak-dominated communities that have experienced fire exclusion is restoring groundcover plant species diversity and composition indicative of fire-maintained open habitats. Treatment-driven declines in rare forest specialists and increases in widespread ruderals and competitive non-native species, however, could negate the benefits of ecological restoration in these ecosystems. We tested the effects of treatment-related disturbances on native groundcover vegetation, density and proliferation of patches of an invasive grass, Japanese stiltgrass ( Microstegium vimineum ), and the net effects of treatment and the invasive grass on native groundcover vegetation. Results from multiple years of monitoring at two replicate sites in north Mississippi showed that thinning and burning significantly increased both groundcover species richness and the abundance of species indicative of fire-maintained open habitats. We found subtle increases in forest species in response to treatments, whereas most native ruderals did not increase significantly in response to the treatments over the long term. The density and competitive effect of the invasive Japanese stiltgrass increased dramatically at both sites in response to the restoration treatments. However, new patches of Japanese stiltgrass established in response to the treatments only at the site with the more recent history of agricultural disturbance. Results suggest that fire restoration treatments were effective in the absence of past agricultural disturbance and in areas lacking Japanese stiltgrass. At sites with a history of agriculture and large populations of Japanese stiltgrass, effective restoration may require eradication of Japanese stiltgrass and reintroduction or augmentation of competitive, native specialists of fire-maintained open habitats.
Effects of anaerobiosis on adenine nucleotide levels and the release of ATP by Leishmania major promastigotes

1. Leishmania major promastigotes showed a large decrease in ATP and increases in ADP and AMP contents after 4 min of anaerobiosis. 2. When ADP was added to intact promastigotes, it was completely metabolized, apparently by its conversion to adenosine extracellularly followed by adenosine uptake, further metabolism intracellularly, and release of hypoxanthine. Under anaerobic conditions, adenosine uptake was strongly inhibited and ADP degradation was stopped at adenosine. 3. Under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, ATP was released into the medium. ATP release was specific, since ADP and AMP were not detectable extracellularly even when their external degradation was inhibited with molybdate.
Conformational changes involving ammonia tunnel formation and allosteric control in GMP synthetase

GMP synthetase is the glutamine amidotransferase that catalyzes the final step in the guanylate branch of de novo purine biosynthesis. Conformational changes are required to efficiently couple distal active sites in the protein; however, the nature of these changes has remained elusive. Structural information derived from both limited proteolysis and sedimentation velocity experiments support the hypothesis of nucleotide-induced loop- and domain-closure in the protein. These results were combined with information from sequence conservation and precedents from other glutamine amidotransferases to develop the first structural model of GMPS in a closed, active state. In analyzing this Catalytic model, an interdomain salt bridge was identified residing in the same location as seen in other triad glutamine amidotransferases. Using mutagenesis and kinetic analysis, the salt bridge between H186 and E383 was shown to function as a connection between the two active sites. Mutations at these residues uncoupled the two half-reactions of the enzyme. The chemical events of nucleotide binding initiate a series of conformational changes that culminate in the establishment of a tunnel for ammonia as well as an activated glutaminase catalytic site. The results of this study provide a clearer understanding of the allostery of GMPS, where, for the first time, key substrate binding and interdomain contacts are modeled and analyzed.
3rd International Conference on Therapies for Viral Hepatitis.

Abstract This meeting was attended by several hundred delegates and covered, in lecture and poster presentations, recent developments in basic, applied and clinical research as they concern antiviral drug development for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Below are summaries of presentations that are relevant to the development of antiviral drug resistance.
Functional dissection of myosin binding protein C phosphorylation

Cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C) phosphorylation is differentially regulated in the normal heart and during disease development. Our objective was to examine in detail three phosphorylatable sites (Ser-273, Ser-282, and Ser-302) present in the protein's cardiac-specific sequences, as these residues are differentially and reversibly phosphorylated during normal and abnormal cardiac function. Three transgenic lines were generated: DAA, which expressed cMyBP-C containing Asp-273, Ala-282, and Ala-302, in which a charged amino acid was placed at residue 273 and the remaining two sites rendered nonphosphorylatable by substituting alanines for the two serines; AAD containing Ala-273, Ala-282, and Asp-302, in which aspartate was placed at residue 302 and the remaining two sites rendered nonphosphorylatable; and SDS containing Ser-273, Asp-282, and Ser-302. These mice were compared to mice constructed previously along similar lines: wild type, in which normal cMyBP-C is transgenically expressed, AllP-, in which alanines were substituted and ADA mice as well. DAA and AAD mice showed pathology that was more severe than cMyBP-C nulls. DAA and AAD animals exhibited left ventricular chamber dilation, interstitial fibrosis, irregular cardiac rhythm and sudden cardiac death. Our results define the effects of the sites' post-translational modifications on cMyBP-C functionality and together, give a comprehensive picture of the potential consequences of site-specific phosphorylation. Ser-282 is a key residue in controlling S2 interaction with the thick and thin filaments. The new DAA and AAD constructs show that phosphorylation at one site in the absence of the ability to phosphorylate the other sites, depending upon the particular residues involved, can lead to severe cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.
Contributions of Psychology to Limiting Climate Change.

Psychology can make a significant contribution to limiting the magnitude of climate change by improving understanding of human behaviors that drive climate change and human reactions to climate-related technologies and policies, and by turning that understanding into effective interventions. This article develops a framework for psychological contributions, summarizes what psychology has learned, and sets out an agenda for making additional contributions. It emphasizes that the greatest potential for contributions from psychology comes not from direct application of psychological concepts but from integrating psychological knowledge and methods with knowledge from other fields of science and technology.
Testimony (presented 22 October 1975) on the California nuclear initiative

Abstract I should like to testify about three separate topics: 1. (1) the safety of light water reactors in view of the study by the American Physical Society (APS) which modified the Rasmussen Report, 2. (2) the safety of fast breeders and 3. (3) the effect of a possible nuclear moratorium on reactor safety.
The Stabilization of Face-Centered-Cubic Titanium

The artificial layering of metals can change both physical and structural characteristics from the bulk. The stabilization of such phases often occurs when the component layers are constructed on a nanometric scale. The sequential layering of nickel and titanium has produced the formation of a previously unreported, face-centered-cubic (f.c.c.) phase of titanium.
Self-reported quality of life in patients with diabetes: A comparison of patients with and without charcot neuroarthropathy

Background:Previous reports using the Short Form-36 as a generic measure of quality of life have demonstrated reduced quality of life in patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN). The aim of this study was to assess self-reported quality of life using the SF-36 and a region-specific assessment (the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure [FAAM]), hypothesizing that patients with diabetes and CN would have lower self-reported scores than patients with diabetes and no foot disease.Methods:Fifty patients with diabetes and CN were included in the study group. Fifty-six patients with diabetes and no pedal complaints comprised the control group. Quality of life was assessed with the SF-36 and the FAAM.Results:Patients with CN were more likely to have type 1 diabetes mellitus, were more likely to use insulin, had greater duration of diabetes, and were more likely to be neuropathic than patients in the control group. Patients with CN reported mean FAAM activities of daily living (ADL) scores that were 2 standard deviati...
Interlingual facilitation of short-term memory.

The probability of recalling a word from a long list of unconnected words increases monotonically with its frequency of occurrence. This facilitating effect of repetition upon recall is found to occur interlingually. The probability of recalling a word when it and its translation are presented n/2 times in each of a bilingual's two languages is approximately equal to its unilingual presentation n times. Since the words in the two languages are usually phonetically and visually distinct, it appears to be their conceptual identity that permits the facilitation.
Multimodality therapy in early-stage neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Abstract Objective. Patients with early-stage neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma (NECC) have a high mortality rate despite aggressive therapy. The rarity of this tumor precludes initiation of a randomized, prospective trial. We reviewed our experience in early stage disease and performed a meta-analysis of the literature to identify prognostic factors and determine optimal multimodality therapy. Methods. Eleven women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) early stage (IB–IIA) NECC were treated with surgery and chemotherapy at our institutions between 1978 and 1998. Administration of radiation therapy was recorded, but not required for inclusion in this study. A gynecologic pathologist reviewed all histopathologic sections. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed and clinical data obtained. Twenty-three early-stage NECC patients who were similarly treated during the study interval were identified by a Medline search of the English literature and included in the analysis. The Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test were used for survival analysis. Results. The overall 2-year survival rate for the 34 patients was 38%. The median age was 37 years (range, 20–75 years). Median cervical tumor diameter was 3.2 cm (range 0.5–11.0 cm). Lymphovascular space invasion was present in 21 (78%) of 27 patients (7 unknown). Fifteen (52%) of twenty-nine had lymph node metastases (5 unknown). Fifteen patients received postoperative platinum/etoposide (PE), seven received vincristine/adriamycin/cyclophosphamide (VAC), two received alternating cycles of VAC and PE, and ten received other chemotherapy regimens. Twenty women were treated with radiation therapy. The presence of lymph node metastases was a poor prognostic factor ( P P Conclusion. NECC is a highly lethal variant of cervical cancer. The presence of lymph node metastases is the most important prognostic variable. Postoperative VAC or PE appears most likely to improve chances for survival.
Effect of Probenecid on the Blood Levels and Urinary Excretion of Cefamandole

Abstract Two oral 0.5-g doses of probenecid given 7 and 1 h before a single 1-g intramuscular dose of cefamandole resulted in higher serum levels of cefamandole than when cefamandole was given alone: 37 versus 20 μg per ml of serum, respectively. Cefamandole was not measurable (<0.3 μg/ml) at 8 h when it was given alone, whereas an average 8-h value of 2.9 μg/ml was obtained after pretreatment with probenecid. By prolonging the duration of these high cefamandole levels, probenecid should permit the treatment of more serious clinical infections, including those due to relatively resistant organisms, or permit a reduction in either the dosage of cefamandole or the frequency of administration.
Twelve-lead electrocardiogram monitoring of subjects before and after voluntary exposure to the Taser X26.

Abstract Objectives The Taser (Taser International, Scottsdale, Ariz) uses high-voltage electricity to incapacitate subjects. We sought to evaluate cardiac rhythm changes during deployment of the Taser on healthy volunteers. Methods This prospective study was performed on 32 healthy volunteer subjects receiving a Taser X26 discharge. The subjects had baseline 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring performed immediately before and within 1 minute after the Taser discharge. Changes in cardiac rhythm, morphology, and interval duration were evaluated. Descriptive statistics and paired-sample t test comparisons are reported. Results All 32 subjects had an interpretable 12-lead ECG obtained before and after the Taser activation, although 1 subject's post–PR interval could not be determined. The mean age and body mass index were 33 years and 26.5 kg/m 2 , respectively. Overall, there was a significant increase in heart rate (2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0-4.9) and a decrease in PR interval (−6.5; 95% CI, −9.7 to −3.3). When stratified by sex, only the PR interval in men significantly decreased (−5.9; 95% CI, −9.2 to −2.5). There were significant changes in heart rate (4.0; 95% CI, 1.3-6.7), PR interval (−6.0; 95% CI, −11.3 to −0.7), and QT interval (−18.8; 95% CI, −33.2 to −4.3) among those with a normal body mass index, and in PR interval among those who were overweight/obese (−6.7; 95% CI, −10.8 to −2.5). None of the statistically significant differences between ECG measures were clinically relevant. Conclusions There were no cardiac dysrhythmia and interval or morphology changes in subjects who received a Taser discharge based on a 12-lead ECG performed immediately before and within 1 minute after a Taser activation.
Vaccine Potential of Ebola Virus VP24, VP30, VP35, and VP40 Proteins

Previous vaccine efforts with Ebola virus Zaire (EBOV-Z) emphasized the potential protective efficacies of immune responses to the surface glycoprotein and the nucleoprotein. To determine whether the VP24, VP30, VP35, and VP40 proteins are also capable of eliciting protective immune responses, these genes were expressed from alphavirus replicons and used to vaccinate BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Although all of the VP proteins were capable of inducing protective immune responses, no single VP protein protected both strains of mice tested. VP24, VP30, and VP40 induced protective immune responses in BALB/c mice, whereas C57BL/6 mice survived challenge only after vaccination with VP35. Passive transfer of immune sera to the VP proteins did not protect unvaccinated mice from lethal disease. The demonstration that the VP proteins are capable of eliciting protective immune responses to EBOV-Z indicates that they may be important components of a vaccine designed to protect humans from Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
Arterial thromboembolic complications of peritoneovenous shunting for malignant ascites

Peritoneovenous shunting for the treatment of malignant ascites has become increasingly popular. This technique can be complicated by tumor embolization, congestive heart failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Arterial thromboembolism has been encountered in two patients following LeVeen shunt insertion. Recurrent bilateral femoral artery thromboemboli and a cerebrovascular accident occurred in one patient and cerebrovascular thromboembolism developed in a second patient. Major arterial embolization is potentially a serious, although infrequent, complication of peritoneovenous shunting in patients who have malignant ascites.
Effect of certain dental materials on human pulp in tissue culture.

Abstract Thirty-three human dental pulps were cultivated in vitro. Only one pulp survived forty transfers. The cells growing from the explants of the pulp were spindle shaped, with dark-staining nuclei. The materials tested in proximity with the cells exhibited the following effects: Cotton, silver, and calcium-hydroxide were nontoxic. Gutta-percha, zinc oxide and zinc oxide—eugenol paste were toxic to the cells.
Biotransformation of isoquinoline, phenanthridine, phthalazine, quinazoline, and quinoxaline by Streptomyces viridosporus

Streptomyces viridosporus T7A (ATCC␣39115), during growth in tryptone/yeast extract broth, cometabolized five heterocyclic nitrogen-containing compounds. The metabolites produced from the azaarenes were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography, UV/visible absorption spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Isoquinoline was transformed to 1(2H)-isoquinolinone (14%), phenanthridine to 6(5H)-phenanthridinone (25%), phthalazine to 1(2H)-phthalazinone (46%), quinazoline to 2,4(1H,3H)-quinazolinedione (4%), and quinoxaline to 2(1H)-quinoxalinone (8%) and 1-methyl-2(1H)-quinoxalinone (12%).
The Treatment of Postoperative Endophthalmitis: Results of Differing Approaches to Treatment

Abstract The authors treated 26 patients with postoperative endophthalmitis over a 4-year period, between 1983 and 1986. Nineteen patients were culturepositive and seven were culture-negative. All patients received intravitreal antibiotics as part of their treatment regimen. Culture-negative patients generally responded well to a single intravitreal antibiotic injection. Five of seven (71.4%) culture-positive patients who were treated with a single intravitreal antibiotic injection and no vitrectomy suffered either a recurrence of their infection or did not respond to treatment. Four of five patients who received a vitrectomy in addition to a single intravitreal antibiotic injection were cured of their infections; the one patient who received repeated intravitreal antibiotic injections alone and all six patients who received repeated intravitreal antibiotic injections in combination with vitrectomy were cured of their infections. Although the intravitreal injection of antibiotics provides an extremely high initial level of antibiotics inside the eye, a single intravitreal antibiotic injection may only partially treat bacterial endophthalmitis. In culture-negative cases, a single intravitreal injection of antibiotics appears to be sufficient treatment. In culture-positive cases, a higher cure rate is achieved with an aggressive approach which includes the use of repeated intravitreal antibiotic injections and/or vitrectomy.
The effect of 5-bromodeoxyuridine on human chromosomes☆

Abstract Human peripheral blood leukocytes were cultured for 3 days in the presence of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (200 μg/ml). This treatment effected a specific increase in the frequency and intensity of secondary constrictions of chromosome #1 and #9 without otherwise altering chromosome morphology or the karyotype.
Fracture Surface Analysis of 3D-Printed Tensile Specimens of Novel ABS-Based Materials

One of the most common materials utilized by material extrusion 3D printing is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The work presented in this research explored the effect of the addition of reinforcing materials on the mechanical properties of ABS in an effort to create materials with enhanced physical properties. A comparison was made between pure ABS, two ABS matrix composites, and one ABS/elastomer blend with the purpose of characterizing the effect of additives on the mechanical properties. Tensile test results of specimens built in different orientations showed that ABS reinforced with 5% by weight TiO2 exhibited the highest ultimate tensile strength for specimens built in both horizontal and vertical directions with 32.2 and 18.4 MPa, respectively. The compounding of an elastomeric material with ABS improved the surface finish of parts as they were visibly smoother compared to those printed from the ABS baseline material, though there was an observable decrease in the ductility of tensile specimens. Analysis was performed on the fracture surface of the tensile specimens through the use of scanning electron microscopy. Fractography revealed different modes of failure related to the different additives. The effects of additives on the anisotropy associated with the mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts were also analyzed.
Stable three-dimensional action potential circulation in the FitzHugh-Nagumo model

Abstract Excitable media generally support vortex rings of self-excitation. Depending on the exact nature of the medium, such a ring may expand or contract, possibly to a stable radius. We describe one such case encountered during numerical experiments on a simple model of electrophysiological excitability in nerve and cardiac muscle membrane. The ring's rate of shrinkage depends parabolically on curvature and on proximity to other rings. The vortex period also depends on curvature, so rings of different sizes compete for territory. We associate the stability of the ring with repulsive forces which we show are present between two-dimensional rotors. The observed minimal distance for repulsion agrees with the stable radius of the vortex ring.
Recurrent carcinoma of the vulva after conservative treatment for “microinvasive” disease

Abstract Although the standard therapy of vulvar carcinoma remains radical surgery, this approach is accompanied by significant postoperative morbidity and psychological adjustment. Radical hemivulvectomy and ipsilateral superficial groin node dissection are increasingly used for patients with "early" or "microinvasive" disease. Two patients with an "early" vulvar carcinoma were treated conservatively and later developed recurrent disease. Despite further surgery and radiotherapy, both patients eventually died of disease. The case histories are described and the pertinent literature is discussed.
Estimation of the dependence parameter in linear regression with long-range-dependent errors

Abstract This paper establishes the consistency and the root-n asymptotic normality of the exact maximum likelihood estimator of the dependence parameter in linear regression models where the errors are a nondecreasing function of a long-range-dependent stationary Gaussian process. The spectral density of the Gaussian process is assumed to be unbounded at the origin. The paper thus generalizes some of the results of Dahlhaus (1989) to linear regression models with non-Gaussian long-range-dependent errors.
Fluid faujasite particulates: Nucleation, crystallization and pseudomorphism

Abstract This paper reports ou crystallization phenomena observed in a new technique of direct synthesis of particulates in the fluid cracking catalyst size range of faujasite-type zeolite molecular sieve. The procedure, using sized sodium illuminate particles reacting with saltcontaining sodium silicate solutions, produces zeolite particulates pseudomorphic after intermediate gel particles. Promoting rapid, uniform growth of small (0.2 μm) intergrown octahedra crystals from numerous nuclei results in pseudomorphic particulates which are attritionresistant.
Training in and implementation of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for depression in the Veterans Health Administration: therapist and patient outcomes.

Abstract Objective The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has implemented a national dissemination and training initiative to promote the availability of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for depression (ACT-D). This paper reports on therapist and patient outcomes associated with competency-based training in and implementation of ACT-D. Method Therapist and patient outcomes were assessed on eleven cohorts of therapists (n = 391) and their patients (n = 745). Results Three-hundred thirty four therapists successfully completed all requirements of the Training Program. Ninety-six percent of therapists achieved competency by the end of training, compared to 21% at the outset of training. Mixed effects model analysis indicated therapists' overall ACT-D competency scores increased from 76 to 112 (conditional SD = 6.6), p Conclusions Training in and implementation of ACT-D in the treatment of Veterans is associated with significant increases in therapist competency and robust improvements in patient outcomes.
Anisotropic scaling in depinning of a flux line.

We study the depinning of a flux line by analytical and numerical methods. Transverse fluctuations do not influence the critical behavior of the longitudinal component justifying "planar approximations." In an isotropic medium, longitudinal fluctuations have a roughness exponent ${\ensuremath{\zeta}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}=1$, and relax with a dynamic exponent ${z}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{4}{3}$; transverse fluctuations are suppressed (${\ensuremath{\zeta}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}=\frac{1}{2}l{\ensuremath{\zeta}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$), and relax more slowly, with ${z}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}={z}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}+1$. Anisotropy in the depinning threshold, or orientational dependence of force-force correlations, lead to new universality classes.
Isolation and characterization of two species of receptor which bind intrinsic factor

Abstract The intrinsic factor receptor from guinea pig ilea has been characterized following purification by affinity chromatography. The purified receptor complexed to intrinsic factor-cobalamin (holo-receptor) had an anhydrous molecular weight of 680,000, a Stokes radius of 10.9 nm, and a sedimentation coefficient of 15.1 S. In contrast, unsaturated receptor (apo-receptor) resolved into distinct “large” and “small” molecular species having, respectively, (i) molecular weights of 700,000 and 350,000; (ii) Stokes radii of 11.1 and 7.06 nm; (iii) sedimentation coefficients of 15.5 S and 11.9 S; (iv) association constants for binding the intrinsic factor-cobalamin complex of 7.3 and 2.5 × 10 10 liters mol −1 ; and (v) two isoproteins for the larger species (p I 's 4.05 and 4.80), and one isoprotein for the smaller species (p I 4.90). A rabbit anti-receptor serum gave only one precipitation line in immunodiffusion against either the large or the small receptor, and each one of these two lines fused completely with the one of two lines which formed with the purified preparation containing both receptor species. Autoradiography of the precipitin lines obtained when the receptor was coupled to intrinsic factor-cyano[ 57 Co]cobalamin demonstrated that both species of receptor were functional. The reaction of complete immunologie identity, the similar electrical properties and similar kinetics for binding to intrinsic factor, and the observed molecular weight differences indicate that the small and large apo-receptors are chemically interrelated, and suggest that the large receptor may consist of two small functional proteins.
Cell Cycle-mediated Regulation of Smooth Muscle α-Actin Gene Transcription in Fibroblasts and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Involves Multiple Adenovirus E1A-interacting Cofactors

Expression of smooth muscle α-actin in growth factor-induced myofibroblasts and in differentiated vascular smooth muscle cells is transcriptionally controlled by multiple positive or negative trans-acting factors interacting with distinct cis-elements in the 5′-flanking region of the gene. Because none of the transcriptional regulators reported to date is smooth muscle cell- or myofibroblast-specific per se, the dynamic interplay among many factors interacting at specific sites along the promoter appears to be a signature feature of smooth muscle α-actin gene regulation in these cell types. Herein, the ability of the adenovirus E1A 12 S protein to bind and functionally inactivate specific cell regulatory factors has been exploited to identify several previously unknown coactivators of the mouse smooth muscle α-actin promoter in rodent fibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle cells. In transient cotransfection assays, ectopic expression of wild type E1A suppressed promoter activity in a dose- and cis-element-dependent manner. In asynchronous cells, N-terminal E1A mutants defective in CREB-binding protein (CBP) and p300 binding capacity exhibited markedly reduced inhibitory activity toward a smooth muscle α-actin promoter driven by a composite TEF-1-, SRF-, and Sp1/3-regulated enhancer. In synchronized cells, however, a more complex mutant E1A inhibitory pattern indicated that collaboration between CBP/p300 and the retinoblastoma family of pocket proteins was required to produce a fully functional enhancer. Cotransfection experiments conducted with Rb-/- fibroblasts demonstrated the necessity of pRB in augmenting smooth muscle α-actin enhancer/promoter activity. Physical interaction studies with the use of purified wild type and mutant E1A proteins confirmed that CBP, p300, and pRB were targets of E1A binding in nuclear extracts of vascular smooth muscle cells and/or fibroblasts. Collectively, these results suggest that a repertoire of E1A-interacting proteins, namely CBP/p300 and pRB, serve to integrate the activities of multiple trans-acting factors to control smooth muscle α-actin gene transcription in a cell type- and cell cycle-dependent manner.
Assessing risk in chronic kidney disease: a methodological review.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important public health issue that is strongly associated with adverse outcomes. Evaluation of existing therapies, development of new interventions, and timely patient counselling requires accurate prediction models that estimate individual-level risk. Here, Grams and Coresh outline the fundamentals of risk prediction, including considerations pertinent to CKD, common methodological shortcomings in risk prediction studies, and metrics often used to assess the performance of risk prediction models.
Relationship between bull field fertility and in vitro embryo production using sperm preparation methods with and without somatic cell co-culture

Experiments were designed to compare rates of embryonic development following oocyte exposure to cyropreserved spermatozoa from bulls of varying proven fertility, utilizing 3 different sperm preparation methods prior to oocyte introduction. These included 1) sperm co-culture with bovine oviductal epithelial cells (BOEC); 2) sperm co-culture with buffalo rat liver cells (BRLC); or 3) control culture in a routine, cell-free culture system. Semen from 9 bulls was classified by lifetime 60- to 90-d nonreturn rates as having either (mean ± SEM) high (n=3) 73.2 ± 3a, medium (n=3) 70.3 ± 2b or low (n=3) 65.8 ± 3c field fertility (acP< 0.01; bcP< 0.05). There was no difference in embryo cleavage rates for spermatozoa from the high (58 ± 18%), medium (57 ± 23%) or low (57 ± 18%) fertility groups. Development to morula or beyond of oocytes fertilized with high (53 ± 30%) or low (58 ± 27%) fertility semen tended (P<0.10) to be higher than of those fertilized with medium fertility (33 ± 28%) semen. This lack of relationship between in vivo fertility and in vitro embryo outcome was consistent across all sperm preparation methods. Therefore, pooled data were used to evaluate the effect of sperm preparation on embryo outcome. There was no difference in embryo cleavage rates between BOEC monolayers (51 ± 22%), BRLC monolayers (60 ± 20%) and the cell-free controls (60 ± 17%). Subsequent embryonic development to compact morula and beyond was higher (P<0.01) with the BRLC monolayer treatment (61 ± 28%) than with the BOEC monolayers (42 ± 33%) or control culture (39 ± 24%). In conclusion, these studies suggest that there is no predictive relationship between bull field fertility (in the ranges evaluated here) and in vitro embryo cleavage or development rates. However, oocytes inseminated with sperm cells co-cultured on BRLC monolayers develop to the morula stage or beyond at a higher rate than oocytes inseminated with spermatozoa from the BOEC or cell-free system.
Debunking Critics' Wine Words: Can Amateurs Distinguish the Smell of Asphalt from the Taste of Cherries?*

I report my tests of the hypothesis that wine consumers cannot match critics' descriptions of wines with the wines themselves. My results suggest that testers' ability to match the descriptions with the wines is no better than random. I report on more than two hundred observations of wine drinkers who engaged in the following experiment. The drinker faces 3 glasses of wine, two of which contain identical wines and the third contains a different wine. I record whether the drinker can distinguish wines—whether he can tell the singleton from the doubleton and, if the drinker can distinguish, which wine he prefers. I present the testers with descriptions of the two wines written by the same wine critic/reviewer. I find that 51 percent of the testers who can distinguish the wines correctly match the description of the wine with the wine itself. The percentage matching does not significantly differ from the expected-if-random half. I have recorded the sex of the testers and I can find that men can distinguish the wines better than random, but women cannot. The differences are so small, even though significant, however, that the Exact F test detects no significant difference between the ability of men and women in these experiments. The results span tests of wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhone, Spain, Germany, and Australia; the tests use only still wines, all less than ten years old. (JEL Classification: C93, D12)I dedicate this paper to Adrienne Lehrer, whose 1983 book, Wine and Conversation, with a different experimental design, anticipated these results.
Factors Affecting Stall Use for Different Freestall Bases

The objective of this study was to compare stall use (stall occupancy and cow position) by barn side for factors affecting stall use. A closed circuit television system recorded stall use four times per day for a 9-mo period starting May 9, 2001. Six factors were analyzed: stall base, distance to water, stall location within stall base section, stall location within barn, inside barn temperature, and length of time cows were exposed to stall bases. Two barn sides with different stocking densities were analyzed: low (66%), with cows milked by robotic milker; and high (100%), with cows milked 2X in parlor. Six stall base types were tested: two mattresses, a waterbed, a rubber mat, concrete, and sand (high side only). The base types were grouped 3 to 7 stalls/section and randomly placed in each row. Cows spent more time in mattress-based stalls, but the highest percentage lying was in sand-based stalls. The following significant stall occupancy percentages were found: sand had the highest percentage of cows lying on the high stocking density side (69%), followed by mattress type 1 (65%) > mattress type 2 (57%) > waterbed (45%) > rubber mat (33%) > concrete (23%). Mattress type 1 had the highest percentage stalls occupied (88%), followed by mattress type 2 (84%) > sand (79%) > soft rubber mat (65%) > waterbed (62%) > concrete (39%). On the low stocking rate side, mattress type 1 had the highest percentage cows lying (45%) and occupied (59.6%), followed by mattress type 2 > waterbed > soft rubber mat > concrete. Cow lying and stalls occupied percentages were highest for stalls 1) not at the end of a section, and 2) on the outside row, and varied by base type for time cows exposed to stalls and inside barn temperature. Lying and occupied percentages were different for different mattress types. The percentage of stalls with cows standing was higher for mat and mattress-based stalls. Results show mattress type 1 and sand to be superior and rubber mats and concrete inferior stall bases.