cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 7 Biomarkers in the Study of Families of Children with Developmental Disabilities

Abstract Research during the past 20 years on families of children with developmental disabilities (DD) has yielded a rich body of knowledge about the risk and protective factors that result in profiles of family resilience versus vulnerability at various stages of the family life course. Virtually all of this research has been based on data collected from self-report or observational measures, and has examined family interactions, family relationships, and the psychosocial well-being of individual family members. The present chapter focuses on different sources of data, namely biomarkers, which have the potential to expand our understanding of the biological mechanisms by which the stress of parenting a child with developmental disabilities can take its toll on parents’ physical and mental health. We focus on two examples: (1) variations in the FMR1 gene, FMRP, and FMR1 messenger RNA in mothers of children with fragile X syndrome and the association of these measures with maternal depression and anxiety and (2) profiles of cortisol in mothers of children with disabilities and the association of cortisol with daily measures of caregiving stress. These biomarkers extend past behavioral and psychosocial measures of family adaptations.
Kosten der HRM2-Einführung : eine Regulierungskostenanalyse auf Zürcher Gemeindeebene

The new municipal law in the canton of Zurich obliges the municipalities to adopt HAM2 by the year 2019. The aim of this article is to analyze the implementation costs of this new model by using the “Analysis of regulatory costs” from the Swiss federal government. It is the first time this methodology is being used on a regulation at cantonal level. Regarding empirical evidence, 17 interviews with all pilot- and project communities within the canton of Zurich serve as the basis of data. This full census is completed by a validation interview with the respective cantonal authority. The results show that the absolute costs of the implementation of HAM2 strongly correlate with the size of a community. Looking at the relative costs per capita, it appears that HAM2 is less cost intensive for tax subjects of larger municipalities. Besides the one-time project effort of implementation, the municipalities also have additional expenses in their daily business. However, these costs are low and worthwhile since they include managing the fixed assets accounting, which is according to the interviewees the most crucial advantage of HAM2.
Discovering a New Correlations and Patterns related to Educational Programs in Web Development

Web design and development and Website management are two fields that are classified within computer science in the educational datasets. There are several datasets that provide aggregate data about higher education institutions. However, the IPEDS dataset provides data not only about the institution, but also the finance, programs, staffing, enrollment and graduates. The numbers of graduates have been growing from 2010 through 2014. This paper looks at institutional characteristics, which may impact institutions offering Web programs or having a larger program.
Teaching Leadership from Both Sides of the Classroom Door:The Case of the Homeless Leadership Class

The guarantee of a classroom for course instruction is an expectation of students who register for a faceto-face course at colleges and universities. Unfortunately, the assurance of a classroom is not always the case for a wide range of reasons. One possible reason for this shortcoming is leadership. The challenge of not having a classroom presented an opportunity for the students in one professor’s leadership class to personally apply the interactional framework for analyzing leadership. This case provides first-hand accounts of the leadership lessons learned by students and the professor as they traveled along the path to a classroom.
SHORT AND LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF MEDICARE PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME UNDERGOING PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION VIA THE TRANSRADIAL VERSUS TRANSFEMORAL APPROACH: INSIGHTS FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE CLINICAL OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

Transradial access (TRA) for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) reduces vascular complications in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and short-term mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) compared to transfemoral access (TFA). Long-term outcomes of TRA
IMPACT OF EXPANDED CARRIER SCREENING (ECS) ON UPTAKE OF PREIMPLANTATION GENETIC TESTING FOR MONOGENIC DISORDERS (PGT-M)

One of important problems in the health care application of technological developments in genomics is the availability of prospective identification of those at need for these technologies. The development and implementation of prospective carrier screening programs in the last few years is expected to increase the uptake of PGT-M. But most of couples at genetic risk are unaware of their genetic profiles to request PGT, which has been improved with the upgrade of traditional ethnicity-based screening to the expanded carrier screening (ECS). Recent advances in genomic technologies allow for multiplexed platforms with ability to screen for thousands of mutations and variants at a reasonable cost. The present ECS panels differ greatly in scope and include over thousand conditions and variants of variable penetrance, which are commercially available, offering the possibility of a more comprehensive and efficient risk evaluation. However, although the potential ECS to increase the number of couples presenting for PGT-M is obvious, no data are available to evaluate their actual impact. So this report evaluates the impact of ECS on the uptake of PGT-M, based on our ongoing PGT-M experience, which represents the world's largest series in one center. A total of 643 (54.6%) PGT-M cases were performed through ECS referral during the years 2016-2018, as part of our overall PGT-M practice of 1188 cases, including referrals through traditional approach during the same period of time. To evaluate the impact of ECS on the PGT-M uptake, we analyzed the dynamics of increase of at-risk couples presenting for PGT-M through ECS overall, as well as separately for each genetic condition tested, compared to the baseline referrals through the traditional approach. The analysis showed an increase of ECS based referrals to PGT-M from 35.1% (133 of 322 cases) in 2016 to 53.8% (210 of 392 total) in 2017, and 63.3% (300 of 474) in 2018. Among the most frequently referred conditions were cystic fibrosis (CFTR) (131 of 182, 72%), the uptake of which increased from 50% in 2016 to 82.7% in 2018; Deafness (GLB2) (65 of 81, 80.2%) with the uptake growing from 31.2% in 2015 to 86.4% in 2018; Fragile X (FMR1) (102 of 128, 80%), the uptake growing from 73% in 2016 to 84% in 2018; Thalassemia and sickle cell disease (HBB) (58 of 99, 58.6%), increasing from 45.8% in 2016 to 60.9% in 2018. So, the overall number of prospective PGT-M cases for the last three years more than doubled after ECS-based referral, with a similar dynamics for each condition tested (up to 80% increase of referrals through ECS). This may become the major source for performing PGT-M in the near future, allowing to offer PGT-M prospectively before the birth of an affected child. The data show significant increase of the PGT-M uptake following ECS, demonstrating the utility for offering PGT-M prospectively to the couples at risk.
A coupled, physics-based matrix-grain boundary model for creep of carbide strengthened nickel-based superalloys - II. Experimental results and model application

Abstract Materials which precipitate secondary phases in intergranular regions suppress grain boundary sliding directly as the carbides act as pinning sites resulting in dislocation accumulation and the generation of back stress. Materials which precipitate in intragranular regions suppresses grain boundary sliding indirectly by limiting the rate at which dislocations arrive to the boundary, Reference [1]. It is considered that grain boundary sliding necessitates a supply of extrinsic dislocations that are released from the matrix during creep. As carbides act as obstacles to dislocation motion, their presence in the matrix suppresses the rate at which dislocations can arrive to the boundary to facilitate grain boundary sliding. Aging and stress relaxation experiments have been conducted on the nickel-based superalloy, Inconel 617, to investigate the role of intragranular and intergranular carbides on grain boundary sliding. All specimens were solutioned for 2 h at 1200 °C and water quenched prior to testing to dissolve remaining secondary phases. Following solutioning, aging at 1000 °C for increasing durations produced unique microstructural parameters of carbide size, spacing, and volume fraction within the grain and along the grain boundary. Carbide size, spacing, and volume fraction and grain size were all observed to increase with increasing exposure; for up to 30 h of aging. Stress relaxation tests at 780 °C with an initial stress of 200 MPa were then conducted on the aged specimens to investigate and analytically model the rate controlling properties of matrix and grain boundary carbides as they pertain to grain boundary sliding according to the model formulation presented in Reference [1]. Relaxation rate of Inconel 617 drastically decreased after aging at 1000 °C for 3 h with little variation in relaxation rate up to 30 h of aging prior to testing. Using the model presented in Reference [1] combined with the experimental results presented below, a reload test has been simulated, considering the combined role of both the matrix and grain boundary on the overall sliding rate.
Meeting the Challenge of Instructor Shortages: A Blended Teaching and Learning Model for a Neuroscience Course in a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

Background Physical therapy workforce shortages are expected to increase for all 50 states through 2030. There is a recognized nationwide unprecedented shortage of well-prepared physical therapy instructors. One practical solution can be to share instructors among Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs using a blended teaching and learning model. Objective The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a blended teaching and learning model for a neuroscience course in a DPT program. Methods Faculty members from two DPT programs collaborated to develop, implement, and evaluate a blended teaching and learning model. The Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) was available at both institutions and chosen as the learning platform. The design of this research study was retrospective nonexperimental observational. Results The overall feedback from the students was positive. Most students (91.6%) strongly agreed or agreed that the content of the course was appropriate for learning neuroscience. The students taking this blended course performed slightly better than the students taking the traditional course, though there was no significant difference (p=0.06). Conclusions The results support the use of a blended teaching and learning model to meet faculty shortage challenges. Future research with a larger sample size is necessary.
The impacts of high-speed rail extensions on accessibility and spatial equity changes in South Korea from 2004 to 2018

The construction of South Korean High-Speed Rail (HSR) or Korea Train eXpress (KTX) has been evolving in phases since its first operation in 2004. This development raises concerns whether the benefits from the extended HSR network would again be limited to the initial HSR corridors and will deepen the inequalities in accessibility with the rising issue of uneven regional development of the country. This paper measures the accessibility of each stage of HSR network extension and evaluates its spatial distribution, variation, and changes using weighted averaged travel time and potential accessibility indicators. The results of this study find different accessibility impacts from each stage of HSR extension. Although travel-time reduction and increased attractions have been widened in more cities by each HSR extension, the spatial equity is degenerated by the extension in 2010/2011 as the improvement of accessibility has been concentrated in cities along the primary HSR corridor near the already-advantageous Seoul capital area. In contrast, the future HSR extension in 2018 will enhance equitable accessibility to the isolated regions such as the northeast and the southwest regions of the country. However, the relative degree of accessibility improvement will not be large enough for increasing the spatial equity of accessibility without more extended HSR networks between provinces.
Forecast Upcoming Traffic States by Exploiting Nearest Junctions and Big Data

Like other developing country, traffic jam is one of the common problems for Bangladesh. Every day almost a hundred thousand vehicles roaming and creating a serious traffic jam in the metropolitans. In this manner, it becomes impossible for an inhabitant to reach his/her destination on time. In this paper, we have introduced a scheme, named FTCP (Future Traffic Condition Predictor). This system has carried out to examine traffic conditions by vehicles measurement and the main theme of the study is to find out that factors which describe traffic problems by exploiting big data concept. We have categorized each key factor in different classes and each class has different traffic causes along with time durations of self-solving. When a traffic seeker is requesting for the information for a specific junction by any electronic devices, the system has acquired data information in favor of two ways. The first acquisition will be completing by collects previously recorded data and on the other, current data information of target junction via images and date-times. Here, previously recorded data were analyzed according to system define format and image samples were estimates by through FCN (Fully Convolutional Network). At last, experiments all of the major factor by vector analytical method. The experimental simulation was achieved promising accuracy in terms of using sophisticated datasets.
Inpatient Mortality Benefit with Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt for Hospitalized Hepatorenal Syndrome Patients

It has been reported that transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS) might be utilized as a salvage option for hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), while randomized controlled trials are pending and real-world contemporary data on inpatient mortality is lacking. We conducted an observational retrospective cohort study from the National Inpatient Sample from 2005 to 2014. We included all adult patients admitted with HRS and cirrhosis, using ICD 9-CM codes. We excluded cases with variceal bleeding, Budd–Chiari, end-stage renal disease, liver transplant and transfers to acute-care facilities. TIPS’ association with inpatient mortality was assessed using multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression, as well as exact-matching, thus mitigating for TIPS selection bias. The exact-matched analysis was repeated among TIPS-only versus dialysis-only patients. A total of 79,354 patients were included. Nine hundred eighteen (1.2%) underwent TIPS. Between TIPS and non-TIPS groups, mean age (58 years) and gender (65% males) were similar. Overall mortality was 18% in TIPS and 48% in dialysis-only cases (n = 10,379; 13.1%). Ninety six (10.5%) TIPS patients underwent dialysis. In-hospital mortality in TIPS patients was twice less likely than in non-TIPS patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.43, 95% CI 0.30–0.62; p < 0.001), with similar results in matched analysis [exact-matched (em) OR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.17–0.89; p < 0.024; groups = 96; unweighted n = 463]. Head-to-head comparison showed that TIPS-only patients were 3.3 times less likely to succumb inpatient versus dialysis-only patients (contrast aOR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.20–0.46; p < 0.001), with similar findings post-matching (emOR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.15–0.33; p < 0.001; groups = 54, unweighted n = 1457). Contemporary, real-world data reveal that TIPS on its own, and when compared to dialysis, is associated with decreased inpatient mortality when utilized in non-bleeders-HRS patients. Further randomized studies are needed to establish the long-term benefit of TIPS in these patients.
Intended and unintended benefits of specialty courts: results from a Texas DWI court

Specialty courts are a popular alternative to traditional solutions for addicted offenders and a large body of research exists regarding the effectiveness of these courts. Specialty court effective...
Attempted Blind Constrained Descent Experiments.

Blind Descent uses constrained but, guided approach to learn the weights. The probability density function is non-zero in the infinite space of the dimension (case in point: Gaussians and normal probability distribution functions). In Blind Descent paper, some of the implicit ideas involving layer by layer training and filter by filter training (with different batch sizes) were proposed as probable greedy solutions. The results of similar experiments are discussed. Octave (and proposed PyTorch variants) source code of the experiments of this paper can be found at this https URL . This is compared against the ABCDE derivatives of the original PyTorch source code of this https URL .
Butler and Smith's Ethical and Theological Framing of Commerce

This chapter presents ethical and theological perspectives on commerce in Adam Smith through the lens of Bishop Joseph Butler. After discussing the context of Butler's political economy and Smith's and Butler's overlapping theological and psychological frameworks, I focus on three issues. The first is self-love. Against Hobbes, the French Jansenists, and then especially Mandeville, Butler rehabilitates self-love, framing it as morally legitimate, interrelated with conscience, and consistent with the good of our neighbor. Smith follows suit. Second is the dialectical relationship between self-love and benevolence. Butler is clear that the affections of self-love and benevolence interrelate on a psychological level. But the objects of self-love and benevolence--private and public good--also coincide. In pursuing our own happiness, we very often further what a benevolent onlooker would approve of; in knowledge of that coincidence, we may derive a deeper satisfaction from the pursuit. Third, Smith follows Butler's sensibilities about effective benevolence and the limits of knowledge. Both thinkers warmly regard charity and distributive justice. But they see that to pursue distributive justice in an impersonal, abstract fashion is to reach beyond our comprehension. Commercial activity and local beneficence within the bounds of our knowledge appear as principal ways in which we can cooperate with God in serving the good of humankind.
Assessing Perceptions and Behaviors Related to COVID-19: A Random-Sample Survey of Oregon Residents

This report presents the results of a survey of a representative sample of Oregonians age 18 and over, assessing perceptions and attitudes of behaviors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey responses were collected between November 19 and December 7, 2020. We collected 638 responses: 326 from urban areas and 313 from rural areas. The overall sample has a margin of error of ±3.9 percent, and the urban/rural subsamples a margin of error of ±5.5 percent.
Hematoporphyrin-Derivative and Phototherapy in Extensive Basal-Cell Carcinoma of the Dorsal Skin

A 75 year old male patient was diagnosed of multiple “basal cell carcinoma in a surface area of l8 × 21 cm2 of the dorsal skin. Contraindications for surgery and radiation therapy made the patient eligible for phototherapy. After hematoporphyrln-derivative (HpD) administration at the dose of 3 mg/kg, body weight, the entire area of lesions was treated 2 times and in 12 fractionated areas, by using Argon or Dye lasers and different exposure times. Five of the 12 fractions were treated with Argon-ion laser at 100 mW/cm2 average irradiance for 20 min, whereas 7 fractions were treated at the same irradiance with Dye laser for 10 min in one, 15 min in 3 and 20 min for the remaining 3. Energy dose of 60 J/cm2 with Dye laser irradiation and 120 J/cm2 with Argon-ion laser irradiation resulted in similar effectiveness from clinical and histologic standpoints for the studied surface epitheliomas.
Orientation effects on the measurement and analysis of critical CTOA in an aluminum alloy sheet

Fracture tests were conducted on 76.2mm wide, 2.3mm thick middle crack tension (M(T)) specimens machined from 2024-T3 aluminum sheet. The specimens were tested on the T-L orientation and comparisons were made to similar tests conducted in the L-T orientation. Measurement of critical crack tip opening angle (CTOA), applied stress, and crack front shape were made as a function of crack extension. A two-dimensional, elastic-plastic finite element analysis was used to simulate the fracture behavior for both orientations. The results indicate that the T-L orientation had a 10 percent lower stress at fracture than similar tests conducted in the L-T orientation. Correspondingly, the critical CTOA in the T-L tests reached a constant value of 4.7 degrees after 2-3mm of crack extension and the L-T tests reached a value of 6 degrees. The fracture surfaces of the T-L specimens were observed to remain flat, while those of the L-T specimens transitioned to a 45 degree slant fracture after about 2-3mm of crack extension. The tunneling behavior of the two orientations also differed; the T-L specimens reached a deeply tunneled stabilized crack front shape while, the L-T specimens were observed to have only a small amount of tunneling once the crack began to grow on the 45 degree slant. The two-dimensional, elastic-plastic finite element analysis was able to simulate the fracture behavior for both the T-L and L-T orientations.
A curriculum for teaching information technology investigative techniques for auditors.

Recent prosecutions of highly publicized white-collar crimes combined with public outrage have resulted in heightened regulation of financial reporting and greater emphasis on systems of internal control. Because both white-collar and cybercrimes are usually perpetrated through computers, internal and external auditors’ knowledge of information technology (IT) is now more vital than ever. However, preserving digital evidence and investigative techniques, which can be essential to fraud examinations, are not skills frequently taught in accounting programs and instruction in the use of computer assisted auditing tools and techniques – applications that might uncover fraudulent activity – is limited. Only a few university-level accounting classes provide instruction in IT investigative techniques. This paper explains why such a course would be beneficial to the program, the college, and the student. Additionally, it presents a proposed curriculum and suggests useful resources for the instructor and student.
Expression and function of aminopeptidase N/CD13 produced by fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis: role of CD13 in chemotaxis of cytokine-activated T cells independent of enzymatic activity.

Objective Aminopeptidase N/CD13 (EC 3.4.11.2) is a metalloproteinase expressed by fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). It has been suggested that CD13 can act chemotactically for T cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We undertook this study to measure CD13 in vivo and in vitro in RA samples and to determine whether CD13 could play a role in the homing of T cells to the RA joint. Methods Interleukin-17–treated FLS were used to immunize mice, from which a novel anti-human CD13 monoclonal antibody (mAb), 591.1D7.34, was developed. The mAb 591.1D7.34 and a second anti-CD13 mAb, WM15, were used to develop a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for CD13, and CD13 enzymatic activity was measured in parallel. Chemotaxis of cytokine-activated T cells was measured by a chemotaxis-under-agarose assay. Results We detected substantial amounts of CD13 in synovial fluid (SF), sera, FLS lysates, and culture supernatants by ELISA, with a significant increase in CD13 in RA SF when compared to osteoarthritis SF. CD13 accounted for most but not all of the CD13-like enzymatic activity in SF. Recombinant human CD13 was chemotactic for cytokine-activated T cells through a G protein–coupled receptor and contributed to the chemotactic properties of SF independently of enzymatic activity. Conclusion CD13 is released from FLS into culture supernatants and is found in SF. CD13 induces chemotaxis of cytokine-activated T cells, a T cell population similar to that found in RA synovium. These data suggest that CD13 could play an important role as a T cell chemoattractant, in a positive feedback loop that contributes to RA synovitis.
Discrete Wavelet Transform: Architectures, Design and Performance Issues

Due to the demand for real time wavelet processors in applications such as video compression [1], Internet communications compression [2], object recognition [3], and numerical analysis, many architectures for the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) systems have been proposed. This paper surveys the different approaches to designing DWT architectures. The types of architectures depend on whether the application is 1-D, 2-D, or 3-D, as well as the style of architecture: systolic, semi-systolic, folded, digit-serial, etc. This paper presents an overview and evaluation of the architectures based on the criteria of latency, control, area, memory, and number of multipliers and adders. This paper will give the reader an indication of the advantages and disadvantages of each design.
Interference Aware Subcarrier and Power Allocation in OFDMA-Based Cognitive Radio Networks

Two novel algorithms are presented for subcarrier and power allocation in OFDMA-based cognitive radio (CR) networks. In one algorithm, a transmitted power mask is imposed on different subcarriers in order to limit the interference introduced in the primary network to a specified threshold. Following this step, the subcarrier allocation problem is formulated as a multiple knapsack problem (MKP), and a search algorithm is employed to maximize the sum capacity of the CR network. The second algorithm employs a heuristic approach by assigning different non-overlapping sets of OFDMA subcarriers to different CR users according to their channel conditions. This is followed by a power allocation algorithm that maximizes the sum capacity while maintaining the interference power introduced in the primary network band below a predefined threshold. The proposed algorithms show near-optimal performance while significantly reducing the complexity of the original allocation problem which is known to be NP-hard.
Dose-Response Relationship of Inhaled Metaproterenol Sulfate in Preschool Children With Mild Asthma

The dose-response relationship of single doses of nebulized metaproterenol sulfate 5% inhalant solution was evaluated by placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of 30 children, aged 3 to 6 years old, with stable asthma. Total respiratory resistance, the primary variable used to assess response, was measured by the forced oscillation method for a period of 6 hours from the start of inhalation. When comparisons were made between metaproterenol sulfate and saline, only 0.01 and 0.02 mL/kg showed significant bronchodilation (P less than .05) in percent change from baseline and area under the curve. However, no significant differences were seen between these doses. Moreover, the effect was sustained for 3 hours with both higher doses. Minimal side effects were observed. Metaproterenol sulfate 5% inhalant solution at a dose of 0.01 mL/kg seems to be optimal to elicit significant and sustained bronchodilatory response in preschool children with mild asthma.
Neurotrophin-regulated sorting of opioid receptors in the biosynthetic pathway of neurosecretory cells.

Neurotrophins modulate the endogenous opioid system, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We observed an unexpected effect of neurotrophin signaling on the membrane trafficking of recombinant opioid receptors expressed in neurosecretory cells. Epitope-tagged δ opioid receptor (DOR) and μ opioid receptor (MOR) were differentially localized between surface and internal membrane pools, respectively, when expressed in primary cultured hippocampal neurons, consistent with previous studies by others of natively expressing neurons. Selective intracellular targeting of DOR was observed in nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated PC12 neurosecretory cells but not in PC12 cells cultured in the absence of NGF, where both DOR and MOR were localized in the plasma membrane. Surprisingly, NGF initiated intracellular targeting of DOR in PC12 cells acutely, within 60 min after initial activation of TrkA. The NGF-induced intracellular pool of DOR originated from a late stage of the biosynthetic pathway after exit from the endoplasmic reticulum and processing of N-linked glycans in the Golgi, resulting in the accumulation in cells of a biochemically mature “reserve” pool of intracellular DOR that exhibited depolarization-dependent insertion into the plasma membrane. The C-terminal cytoplasmic tail of DOR contains a signal determining the specificity of NGF-regulated intracellular targeting. These results indicate that cloned opioid receptors are differentially targeted when expressed heterologously in neurosecretory cells, establish a model system that facilitates mechanistic study of this process, and suggest a novel function of neurotrophins in modulating the anterograde membrane trafficking of opioid receptors.
Nucleotide-binding properties of kinase-deficient epidermal-growth-factor-receptor mutants.

The nucleotide-binding properties of wild-type epidermal- growth-factor (EGF)-receptor protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) and EGF-receptor mutants with site-specific amino acid substitutions known to attenuate protein kinase activity were analysed by a fluorescence competition assay employing the nucleotide analogue 2ʹ(3ʹ)- O -(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)adenosine 5ʹ-triphosphate.Binding affinities for ATP and Mn·ATP complex were determined for the PTK domains of the wild-type and two mutant proteins. Surprisingly, mutation of the highly conserved Lys-721 residue in the nucleotide-binding site of the EGF- receptor PTK domain did not abolish ATP and Mn·ATP binding, although the binding affinity for the Mn·ATP complex was significantly reduced. A second kinase-inactivating mutation that targeted the highly conserved Asp-813 residue had little effect on the nucleotide-binding properties of the EGF-receptor PTK domain. These results indicated that the principle effect of these two kinase-inactivating amino acid substitutions is not to block nucleotide binding, but is instead an inhibition of the phospho-transfer reaction.
Laboratory Reports For The Physician

Communications with physician-users is a serious problem in clinical laboratory practice today. Its symptoms are cumbersome test request procedures, abuse of stat requests, duplication of test orders, too many phone calls. Most computerized systems ignore these problems. Those that rely on on-line interactive terminals have only exacerbated it. These problems are easily solved by reports printed in the laboratory and delivered on schedule directly to each physician. These reports contain only current information on the patients of direct interest to the addressee, and they satisfy 85% of his need for laboratory information. A system of this kind has been operating continuously in one hospital, and has recently been installed in a second.
Identification of neuropeptide S antagonists: structure-activity relationship studies, X-ray crystallography, and in vivo evaluation.

Modulation of the neuropeptide S (NPS) system has been linked to a variety of CNS disorders such as panic disorder, anxiety, sleeping disorders, asthma, obesity, PTSD, and substance abuse. In this study, a series of diphenyltetrahydro-1H-oxazolo[3,4-α]pyrazin-3(5H)-ones were synthesized and evaluated for antagonist activity at the neuropeptide S receptor. The absolute configuration was determined by chiral resolution of the key synthetic intermediate, followed by analysis of one of the individual enantiomers by X-ray crystallography. The R isomer was then converted to a biologically active compound (34) that had a Ke of 36 nM. The most potent compound displayed enhanced aqueous solubility compared with the prototypical antagonist SHA-68 and demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetic properties for behavioral assessment. In vivo analysis in mice indicated a significant blockade of NPS induced locomotor activity at an ip dose of 50 mg/kg. This suggests that analogs having improved drug-like properties will faci...
Infection control practices to reduce airborne bacteria during total knee replacement: a hospital survey in four states.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of laminar airflow, body exhaust, and ultraviolet lights during total knee replacement (TKR) in four U.S. states. DESIGN: Survey of healthcare facilities. SETTING: Hospitals in Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee that performed TKR during 2000 as identified by Medicare claims data. PARTICIPANTS: Hospitals responding to a mailed questionnaire. RESULTS: Two hundred ninety-five (73%) of 405 eligible hospitals that performed 18,374 primary and revision TKR procedures responded to the questionnaire. Among responding hospitals, 30% reported regular use (for > 75% of procedures) of laminar airflow, 42% reported regular use of body exhaust, and 5% reported regular use of ultraviolet lights. Among hospitals providing complete data, 150 (58%) performing 66% of procedures reported regular use of at least one of these techniques. On regression analyses, laminar airflow was used more often by hospitals with a TKR volume greater than 25 procedures per year (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI 95 ], 1.1-3.7) and orthopedic residency programs (OR, 2.8; CI 95 , 1.3-6.3), but its use was not significantly related to hospital setting or ownership status. CONCLUSIONS: Although these clean air practices are not recommended by any U.S. governmental or professional organization, they are used in nearly two-thirds of TKR procedures. Better information about their impact on current practice and more explicit guidelines may aid decisions about the use of these resource-intensive infection control practices.
Determining the accuracy of stock and custom tray impression/casts

A study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of casts made from stock tray and custom tray impressions using polysiloxane impression material. The results indicate that all casts distort but that impressions made from custom trays were more accurate and consistent in reproduction than were stock tray impressions.
A method for controlling the thickness of hollow obturator prostheses

A technique for the construction of a hollow obturator prosthesis has been described. The obturator prosthesis has the advantage of being formed with entirely heat-cured material, and the thickness of the hollow extension can easily be controlled.
The Sun Compass of Fowler's Toad, Bufo Woodhousei Fowleri

[Apparatus and techniques were developed to test bufonid's use of celestial cues to find preferred directions in controlled experiments. Toads were trained to select an escape direction relative to a sun lamp and were found to maintain a course at the same angle to the light cue when the apparatus was rotated, the light moved, when tested outdoors under the sun, and if various lamps (e.g., bright incandescent, dim incandescent, infrared, and red flood) were substituted for the sun lamp. Reference objects, learned muscular movements, sounds, and odors were eliminated as possible orientational cues in this investigation. Toads could not orient to the learned direction when the light cue was obscured and the shadows were evenly distributed. B. w. f owleri possess a clocking mechanism and are able to compensate for the apparent 15° per hour movement of the cue throughout a diel cycle. The azimuth of the cue seems to be more important than the altitude to toads. Trained animals can be diverted from a trained direction by conspecific calls after injections of sex hormones. Celestial orientation is considered a basic orientational mechanism and apparently functions in conjunction with other mechanisms in the natural environment of toads., Apparatus and techniques were developed to test bufonid's use of celestial cues to find preferred directions in controlled experiments. Toads were trained to select an escape direction relative to a sun lamp and were found to maintain a course at the same angle to the light cue when the apparatus was rotated, the light moved, when tested outdoors under the sun, and if various lamps (e.g., bright incandescent, dim incandescent, infrared, and red flood) were substituted for the sun lamp. Reference objects, learned muscular movements, sounds, and odors were eliminated as possible orientational cues in this investigation. Toads could not orient to the learned direction when the light cue was obscured and the shadows were evenly distributed. B. w. f owleri possess a clocking mechanism and are able to compensate for the apparent 15° per hour movement of the cue throughout a diel cycle. The azimuth of the cue seems to be more important than the altitude to toads. Trained animals can be diverted from a trained direction by conspecific calls after injections of sex hormones. Celestial orientation is considered a basic orientational mechanism and apparently functions in conjunction with other mechanisms in the natural environment of toads.]
HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein bends double-stranded nucleic acids.

The human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) nucleocapsid (NC) protein is believed to be unique among the nucleic acid (NA) binding proteins encoded by this retrovirus in being highly multifunctional and relatively nonsequence-specific. Underlying many of NC’s putative functions, including for example its chaperon-like activity for various steps of HIV-1 reverse transcription, is NC’s ability to partially melt short double-stranded regions of structured NAs, which is essentially a consequence of NC’s general binding preference for single-stranded bases. Herein we report a different, previously undiscovered, mode of NC/NA interaction, i.e., NC-induced sharp bending of short segments of fully duplexed DNA/DNA and DNA/RNA. We use single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (SM-FRET) in vitro to probe NC-induced NA bending and associated heterogeneous conformational dynamics for model NC/NA complexes. NC-induced NA bending may have important biological roles in the previously reported NC-mediate...
Detection of coherent structures in a turbulent boundary layer using a scanning LDV system

Abstract A scanning laser-Doppler velocimetric (LDV) system was used for detecting coherent structures in a turbulent boundary layer. This scanning LDV system gives instantaneous velocity profiles that enable uus to develop a new coherent structure detection technique based on the spatial structure of an event. This spatial detection was found to be relatively independent of threshold. A conditional sampling analysis based on the spatial size and location of low-speed structures indicated movement of the low-speed structure away from the wall corresponding to the movement of a high-speed structure toward the wall.
Trace formulae forS 1 invariant green’s operators onS 2

We study the spectrum of the Laplacian acting on 1-forms for a surface of revolution diffeomorphic toS2 and obtain, for theS1 invariant spectrum, a trace formula for the eigenvalues of its Green’s operator. The trace formula is used to “hear” negative curvature for some metrics and to prove the existence of metrics onS2 with rather unusual spectral characteristics.
Pan-aortic hybrid treatment of mega-aorta syndrome

Hybrid procedures combining traditional open and newer endovascular techniques are increasingly used to treat complex aortic disease. We present a novel approach for total aortic replacement, including hybrid repair of the arch and thoracoabdominal aorta, in a patient with "mega-aorta syndrome." A two-stage approach using a valve-sparing aortic root replacement, total arch replacement (stage I elephant trunk), and left carotid-axillary bypass was used to treat the root, proximal-mid arch, and left subclavian aneurysmal pathology. This was followed by a hybrid distal arch/Extent II thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair 3 months later. After 15 months follow-up, the patient remains asymptomatic with an intact repair, no endoleak, and normal ventricular and aortic valve function. This case demonstrates a novel "pan-aortic" hybrid approach for repair of extensive thoracic aortic disease.
Control Structure in Public Schools and the Decision and Influence Roles of Elementary School Principals and Teachers

In this challenging article Professors Otto and Veldman report on their rigorous study of the relationship between perceptions of con trol structure and perceptions of organizational climate on the part of elementary school principals and teachers. The research was supported by the Cooperative Research Program of the Office of Education, United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Project S-350.
In vivo breast cancer characterization imaging using two monoclonal antibodies activatably labeled with near infrared fluorophores

Introduction The gene expression profiles of cancer cells are closely related to their aggressiveness and metastatic potential. Antibody-based immunohistochemistry (IHC) of tissue specimens is a common method of identifying expressed proteins in cancer cells and increasingly inform treatment decisions. Molecular imaging is a potential method of performing similar IHC studies in vivo without the requirement for biopsy or tumor excision. To date, antibody-based imaging has been limited by high background levels related to slow clearance, making such imaging practical. However, optically activatable imaging agents, which are only fluorescent when bound to their cognate receptor, open the possibility of doing in vivo multi-color IHC.
Comparison of Diuraphis noxia resistance in wheat isolines and plant introduction lines

The Russian wheat aphid. Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), is one of the most important aphid pests of wheat, Triticum aestivum L., worldwide. Among the various pest management options, plant resistance is an economical management tactic to control D. noxia in cereal crops such as wheat. Researchers have identified D. noxia resistant germplasm and it has been incorporated into wheat. This study compared D. noxia resistance between the 'Betta' wheat isolines Betta-DnI, Betta-Dn2, and Betta-Dn5 and their corresponding donor gene plant introduction (PI) lines PI 137739 (DnI), PI 262660 (Dn2), and PI 294994 (Dn5). Although the Betta isolines and Pl lines showed D. noxia resistance when compared with Betta wheat, the degree of resistance in the isolines to D. noxia was different from their corresponding PI donors. Aphid number, aphid fecundity, and biomass per aphid were not different between Betta-DnI and PI 137739 or Betta-Dn2 and PI 262660; however, the same parameters were significantly lower on PI 294994 compared with Betta-Dn5. This indicated that aphid resistance in PI 137739 and PI 262660 was probably governed by a single dominant gene, while the resistance in PI 294994 was controlled by more than one gene. Additionally, plant biomass reduction was aphid density dependent, which suggested that use of appropriate aphid infestation level is important when using plant biomass reduction as an indicator of resistance. Plant resistance categorization showed that there was no detectable difference in antixenosis among the seven lines evaluated. However, the higher aphid fecundity observed on PI 262660 compared with PI 137739 and PI 294994, in addition to no significant differences among the three PIs in plant biomass reduction, suggested PI 26266() was a tolerant line, while PI 137739 and PI 294994 were antibiotic lines. Plant tolerance could not be elucidated among the three Betta isolines using aphid fecundity and plant biomass reduction as indicators.
Cefadroxil in the horse: pharmacokinetics and in vitro antibacterial activity

Sodium cefadroxil was administered as a single intravenous dose (25 mg/kg) to six healthy adult mares. Plasma samples were collected over a 24-h period and cefadroxil concentrations were measured by microbiological assay. The pharmacokinetic behavior of the drug was appropriately described in terms of a one-compartment open model. Values for the major pharmacokinetic terms were: extrapolated initial plasma concentration = 59.2 +/- 15.0 micrograms/ml; half-life = 46 +/- 20 min; apparent volume of distribution = 462 +/- 191 ml/kg; and body clearance = 7.0 +/- 0.6 ml/min.kg. In a subsequent study, a suspension of cefadroxil monohydrate was administered intragastrically (25 mg/kg) to the same six horses. Plasma concentrations of the drug peaked at 1-2 h but, in general, absorption was both poor and inconsistent. The data were unsuitable for determination of cefadroxil bioavailability from this oral dosage form. Ninety-nine isolates of eleven bacterial species obtained from clinically ill horses were tested for susceptibility to cefadroxil. All strains of Streptococcus equi, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and five out of six strains of Actinobacillus suis were highly susceptible to the drug (MIC less than 4 micrograms/ml). Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella sp. showed intermediate susceptibility (MIC 4-16 micrograms/ml), while all isolates of Corynebacterium (Rhodococcus) equi, Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa proved to be highly resistant to cefadroxil (MIC greater than 128 micrograms/ml).
A trend in the use of computers for information processing

There is a basic assumption in much of the work done in the field of information processing that computers are, could, or should be considered to be the model devices for doing information processing. This premise has potentially important ramifications when the possible future use of computers in information processing is considered, especially with regard to the handling of natural language. Recent applications of computers indicate a trend to adapting them to the problem rather than vice versa.