cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recruiting and retaining service agencies and public health providers in longitudinal studies: Implications for community-engaged implementation research

This article addresses a lack of attention in the implementation science literature regarding how to overcome recruitment and retention challenges in longitudinal studies involving large samples of service agencies and health service providers ("providers"). Herein, we provide a case-illustration of procedures that improved recruitment and retention in a longitudinal, mixed-method study-Project Interprofessional Collaboration Implementation-funded by the US National Institute of Mental Health. Project Interprofessional Collaboration Implementation included counselors, program workers, educators, and supervisors. We present a research-engagement model to overcome barriers that included developing a low-burden study, social gatherings to engage stakeholders, protocols to recruit agencies and providers, comprehensive record-keeping, research procedures as incentives to participation, a plan to retain hard-to-reach participants, and strategies for modifying incentives over time. Using our model, we retained 36 agencies over the life of the project. Between baseline (N = 379) and 12-month follow-up (N = 285), we retained 75% of the sample and between the 12- (N = 285) and 24-month follow-ups (N = 256), we retained 90%. For qualitative interviews (between baseline and 12-month follow-up and between 12- and 24-month follow-ups), we retained 100% of the sample (N = 20). We provide a summary of frequency of contacts required to initiate data collection and time required for data collection. The model responded to environmental changes in policy and priorities that would not have been achievable without the expertise of community partners. To recruit and retain large samples longitudinally, researchers must strategically engage community partners. The strategies imbedded in our model can be performed with moderate levels of effort and human resources. Creating opportunities for research partners to participate in all phases of the research cycle is recommended, which can help build research capacity for future research.
Ptolemy’s Cosmology

The Ptolemaic system has long been in common use as the name for the cosmological scheme that was eventually replaced by the Copernican. It consists of seven nested spherical shells, one for the Sun, one for the Moon, and one for each of the five planets, all surrounded by the sphere of the fixed stars. All of this revolves once a day about a central, stationary Earth, while Sun, Moon, and planets move appropriately and much more slowly, each within its own sphere. This scheme is most often represented graphically by its intersection with the plane of the ecliptic (the Sun’s orbit)—it then becomes a system of nested annuli—for the planets and the Moon are always close to this plane.
Hydrocarbon Oxidation by a Polynuclear Iron Sandwich Polyoxotungstate - Hydrogen Peroxide System

The synthesis and characterization of isolated, isomerically pure tetranuclear iron sandwich polyoxotungstates [(FeII)4(B-PW9O34)2]10- and [(FeII)4(B-P2W 15 O 56)2]16- as organic-soluble tetra-n-butylammonium salts are reported. These complexes have been characterized by 31p NMR, elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility, UV-visible, infrared and EPR.
Methods for studying the regulation of membrane traffic by ubiquitin and the ESCRT pathway

Covalent modification of proteins with ubiquitin dynamically regulates their function and fate. The ubiquitination of most plasma membrane proteins initiates endocytosis and ESCRT-mediated sorting to the lysosomal lumen for degradation. Powerful genetic approaches in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been particularly instrumental in the discovery and elucidation of these molecular mechanisms, which are conserved in all eukaryotes. Here we provide two detailed protocols and tools for studying ubiquitination-dependent membrane trafficking mechanisms in yeast. The first utilizes fusions between a protein of interest and an auxotrophic marker to screen for mutants that affect ubiquitin-mediated endocytosis. The second method artificially ubiquitinates a protein of interest, allowing downstream trafficking steps to be studied independently from the regulatory signals that initiate endocytosis.
Clostridium Difficile Infection: The Effects of Acid Suppression Therapy in Patients With Cancer.

BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is common among hospitalized patients and is particularly serious in patients with cancer. Acid suppression therapy, particularly that which uses proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), has been shown to place hospitalized adult patients at greater risk for CDI, but this relationship has not been proven among patients with cancer. OBJECTIVES This review assesses risk factors for CDI among patients with cancer, with a specific focus on acid suppression therapy using PPIs and histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs). METHODS A literature search was performed using four electronic databases. FINDINGS CDI increases morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer and interferes with their active treatment plans. PPIs and H2RAs increase the risk of developing CDI among patients with cancer, but PPIs carry a higher risk. Other risk factors include antibiotics, transplantation, and chemotherapy.
Survival of Long-Lived Plasma Cells (LLPC): Piecing Together the Puzzle.

Durable humoral immunity is dependent upon the generation of antigen-specific antibody titers, produced by non-proliferating bone marrow resident long-lived plasma cells (LLPC). Longevity is the hallmark of LLPC, but why and how they survive and function for years after antigen exposure is only beginning to be understood. LLPC are not intrinsically long-lived; they require continuous signals from the LLPC niche to survive. Signals unique to LLPC survival (versus PC survival in general) most notably include those that upregulate the anti-apoptotic factor Mcl-1 and activation of the CD28 receptor expressed on LLPC. Other potential factors include expression of BCMA, upregulation of the transcription factor ZBTB20, and upregulation of the enzyme ENPP1. Metabolic fitness is another key component of LLPC longevity, facilitating the diversion of glucose to generate pyruvate during times of stress to facilitate long term survival. A third major component of LLPC survival is the microenvironment/LLPC niche itself. Cellular partners such as stromal cells, dendritic cells, and T regulatory cells establish a niche for LLPCs and drive survival signaling by expressing ligands such as CD80/CD86 for CD28 and producing soluble and stromal factors that contribute to LLPC longevity. These findings have led to the current paradigm wherein both intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms are required for the survival of LLPC. Here we outline this diverse network of signals and highlight the mechanisms thought to regulate and promote the survival of LLPC. Understanding this network of signals has direct implications in increasing our basic understanding of plasma cell biology, but also in vaccine and therapeutic drug development to address the pathologies that can arise from this subset.
Involvement of PKCe in the Negative Regulation of Akt Activation Stimulated by G-CSF.

Abstract Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) supports the proliferation, differentiation and survival of myeloid cells by stimulating the activation of several signaling cascades including the serine/threonine kinase Akt pathway. Akt activation has been shown to be important for G-CSF-induced survival and granulocytic differentiation. Although significant progresses have been made in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which Akt is activated, much less is known about the signaling events that negatively regulate Akt activation. Interestingly, G-CSF-induced activation of Akt was completely inhibited when myeloid 32D cells transfected with the wild type G-CSF receptor were incubated with phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a PKC activator. PMA-mediated inhibition of Akt activation occurred with 5 min and lasted at least 1 hour. Previously, it has been shown that a carboxyl terminally truncated G-CSF receptor (D715), whose expression is associated with the development of acute myeloid leukemia in patients with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN), mediates significantly prolonged Akt activation. Notably, Akt activation by G-CSF in 32D cells expressing the D715 receptor mutant was rapidly downregulated by PMA treatment. The inhibitory effect of PMA on Akt activation was abolished by pretreatment of cells with the specific PKC inhibitor GF109203X, suggesting that PKC-dependent pathway negatively regulates Akt activation. Ro-31-7549, a specific inhibitor of PKCe, also abrogated PMA-mediated inhibition of Akt activation whereas rottlerin and Go6976, inhibitors of PKCd and PKC a/bI, respectively, displayed no effect. Together, these results identified PKCe as being critically involved in PMA-mediated inhibition of Akt activation. Experiments are currently under way to determine the mechanism by which PKCe downregulates Akt activation and the role of PKCe in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and survival in response to G-CSF.
Enhanced shockwave lithotripsy with active cavitation mitigation

The goal of this study was to examine acoustical mechanisms that manipulate cavitation events in order to improve the efficacy of shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) at higher rates. Previous work has shown that applying low amplitude acoustic pulses immediately after each shockwave (SW) can force cavitation bubbles to coalesce and enhance SWL efficacy. In this study, the effects of applying low amplitude acoustic pulses at different time delays is investigated before and after each SW, which would result in different interactions among residual microbubbles producing forced coalescence and dispersion. Utilizing forced coalescence and dispersion was hypothesized to mitigate the shielding effect of residual bubbles, further improving efficacy particularly for higher SWL rates. A set of in vitro experiments was performed in a water tank so that the behavior of bubbles, coalescence and dispersion, could be observed with a high-speed camera. Model kidney stones were treated by a clinical Dornier lithotripter with firing rates of 30 shocks/min and 120 shocks/min, along with an in-house made transducer to generate low amplitude acoustic pulses fired at different pressures and time delays. The average percentage of untreated stone fragments greater than 2 mm was 15.81% for 120 shocks/min without mitigation and significantly reduced to 0.19% for the optimum mitigation protocol.
Chemical analysis of Karenia papilionacea.

One of the most widely studied organisms responsible for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) is the marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. This organism produces neurotoxic compounds known as brevetoxins. A related dinoflagellate, Karenia papilionacea, has been reported to occasionally co-bloom with K. brevis but has received little attention as a possible toxin producing species. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the toxin profile for K. papilionacea. A toxic fraction was identified using a cell based cytotoxicity assay and the toxin was isolated and identified as the ladder frame polyether brevetoxin-2 (PbTx-2) using mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Toxin production in K. papilionacea increased in response to hypoosmotic stress, as previously observed in K. brevis.
Longitudinally Dependent Low-Latitude Ionospheric Disturbances Linked to the Antarctic Sudden Stratospheric Warming of September 2019

The strongest Southern Hemisphere minor sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in the last 40 years occurred in September 2019 and resulted in unprecedented weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex....
Magnetic Sphincter Augmentation for the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

The surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be distilled into basic components: achieving appropriate length of intra-abdominal esophagus, diaphragmatic crura re-approximation, and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) augmentation. LES augmentation traditionally has been achieved with partial or full fundoplication wraps. As an alternative to fundoplication, a magnetic lower esophageal sphincter augmentation device (LINX®) has been FDA approved for fundus-sparing treatment of GERD.
MU-ID: Multi-user Identification Through Gaits Using Millimeter Wave Radios

Multi-user identification could facilitate various large-scale identity-based services such as access control, automatic surveillance system, and personalized services, etc. Although existing solutions can identify multiple users using cameras, such vision-based approaches usually raise serious privacy concerns and require the presence of line-of-sight. Differently, in this paper, we propose MU-ID, a gait-based multi-user identification system leveraging a single commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar. Particularly, MU-ID takes as input frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) signals from the radar sensor. Through analyzing the mmWave signals in the range-Doppler domain, MU-ID examines the users’ lower limb movements and captures their distinct gait patterns varying in terms of step length, duration, instantaneous lower limb velocity, and inter-lower limb distance, etc. Additionally, an effective spatial-temporal silhouette analysis is proposed to segment each user’s walking steps. Then, the system identifies steps using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) classifier and further identifies the users in the area of interest. We implement MU-ID with the TI AWR1642BOOST mmWave sensor and conduct extensive experiments involving 10 people. The results show that MU-ID achieves up to 97% single-person identification accuracy, and over 92% identification accuracy for up to four people, while maintaining a low false positive rate.
Automated Design Architecture for Lunar Constellations

Missions to the Moon are actively being developed for its scientific and engineering values. The Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) has identified at least twenty enabling and enhancing goals to fulfill the existing lunar exploration Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKG). Several of these goals will require multi-asset missions to the surface of the Moon involving human and machine interaction, as well as access to a ground station on Earth. Therefore, a communication enabling constellation deployed around the moon will serve as a crucial enabling technology for such missions. However, the limited orbital stability of lunar orbits constrains the use of traditional central body orbits for designing these constellations. The Earth-Moon Lagrange points, on the other hand, offer a viable location to deploy these constellations. The stationarity of the Lagrange points coupled with the fact that they have a large line of sight access area to the Moon's surface makes them a viable candidate for deploying constellations with a minimal number of spacecraft. However, the design of a Lagrange point constellation mission is not straight forward. This involves selecting the Lagrange points that offer the optimal coverage, optimal quasi-stationary trajectories around these Lagrange points, the optimal transfer to these trajectories, and the design of the constituent spacecraft. Clearly, this multi-disciplinary problem can benefit from a unifying mission design architecture that simultaneously handles the above-mentioned challenges. In our previous work, we developed the Integrated Design Engineering and Automation of Swarms (IDEAS) software do design swarm missions to solar system small bodies. This work will focus on extending the capability of the IDEAS architecture to design optimal constellations deployed at the Earth-Moon Lagrange points. The constellation will be designed to act as a relay network to Earth with a minimum number of spacecraft. The performance of the constellation will be noted by studying the accessible regions on the surface of the moon. The approach taken by this work is as follows. We begin by modeling the coverage of spacecraft antenna by studying the accessible areas. The spacecraft will be assumed to be in halo orbits about the colinear Lagrange points. A selection scheme for the halo orbits is then discussed in order to coverage, synchronization, and stability requirements. Finally, the principles described are demonstrated by designing a Lagrange point constellation with three spacecraft that have access to at least 85 % of the Moon's surface and can communicate with at least 70 % of the surface at any given instant. The requirements and performance of this constellation are then evaluated assuming state-of-the-art hardware capabilities. The results indicate successful performance of the developed algorithms thus enabling the IDEAS architecture to generate holistic optimal designs which will greatly increase the returns of the future missions to the Moon.
Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review of the Literature

In this systematic review, we investigate the epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). We identified 85 cases from 22 studies. The frequency of CAPA is currently unknown but ranges between 30% in different case series; the possibility of colonization rather than invasive disease is the most important confounder. The vast majority of patients with CAPA did not have any of the classic host risk factors, such as immunosuppression from organ transplant or neutropenia, although a significant proportion (46%) had received corticosteroids. Age, pulmonary comorbidities and male sex were associated with higher mortality. Patients treated with voriconazole had numerically lower case-fatality rate. Clinical vigilance for CAPA is advisable in critically ill patients with COVID-19 who are not improving, even those who do not meet classic host criteria for invasive mycoses, especially if they are receiving corticosteroids. A thorough, multi-faceted diagnostic work-up and early initiation of a mold-active triazole may be lifesaving. Further research studies using standardized, uniform definitions of invasive disease and colonization are urgently needed.
Prioritizing Communication in the Provision of Palliative Care for the Trauma Patient.

Communication skills in the ICU are an essential part of the care of trauma patients. The goal of this review is to summarize key aspects of our understanding of communication with injured patients in the ICU. The need to communicate effectively and empathetically with patients and identify primary goals of care is an essential part of trauma care in the ICU. The optimal design to support complex communication in the ICU will be dependent on institutional experience and resources. The best/worst/most likely model provides a structural model for communication. We have an imperative to improve the communication for all patients, not just those at the end of their life. A structured approach is important as is involving family at all stages of care. Communication skills can and should be taught to trainees.
Meta-Learning for Natural Language Understanding under Continual Learning Framework.

Neural network has been recognized with its accomplishments on tackling various natural language understanding (NLU) tasks. Methods have been developed to train a robust model to handle multiple tasks to gain a general representation of text. In this paper, we implement the model-agnostic meta-learning (MAML) and Online aware Meta-learning (OML) meta-objective under the continual framework for NLU tasks. We validate our methods on selected SuperGLUE and GLUE benchmark.
'Fine Arts' in the Encyclopedia of Consumer Culture

The three-volume Encyclopedia of Consumer Culture covers consuming societies around the world, from the Age of Enlightenment to the present, and shows how consumption has become intrinsic to the world's social, economic, political, and cultural landscapes. Offering an invaluable interdisciplinary approach, this reference work is a useful resource for researchers in sociology, political science, consumer science, global studies, comparative studies, business and management, human geography, economics, history, anthropology, and psychology. The first encyclopedia to outline the parameters of consumer culture, the Encyclopedia of Consumer Culture provides a critical, scholarly resource on consumption and consumerism over time.
The Roles of Self-Concealment and Perceived Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in General Psychological Distress among Racial and Ethnic Minority College Students in the United States

In the present cross-sectional study, we examined whether self-concealment and perceived racial and ethnic discrimination were uniquely associated with general psychological distress among racial and ethnic minority (REM) college students in the United States (U.S.), and whether these associations differed for individuals who self-identified as Black American, Asian American, Latinx American, or other REMs. Three hundred twenty-six REM college students (nwoman = 279, nman = 47; age range = 16-54 years) completed self-report measures of interest online. Results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that greater self-concealment was significantly associated with higher levels of general psychological distress in all REM groups above associations between perceived racial and ethnic discrimination and psychological distress. Importantly, results also revealed that greater perceived racial and ethnic discrimination was only significantly associated with higher levels of general psychological distress in the Black American group, and not in the Asian American, Latinx American, or other REM groups. Limitations and applied implications of these findings are discussed.
Explaining the Varying Impact of International Aid for Local Democratic Governance in Bosnia-Herzegovina

International assistance programs for local governance in Bosnia have been most effective in situations where the initial level of governing capacity is low; where local office is competitive; and where local leaders are practical, entrepreneurial consensus builders. Politicization, however, frustrates citizen participation, and civic organizations do not seem to have an impact on local governance performance.
Building an Effective Peritoneal Dialysis Program

Home dialysis is the wave of the future, and the current shift from in-center to home dialysis has been sped up by recent legislation and expert body guidance. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) comes with many physiologic, medical, psychosocial, and lifestyle benefits but with challenges in recruitment and retention as well. The keys to building an effective PD program start with an up-to-date and passionate physician champion of PD and a dedicated team. Education of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients as they approach stages IV and V is integral in helping recruit patients appropriately. Support of the PD catheter placement team and planning ahead are important to prevent crash hemodialysis starts and to work toward urgent start PD (Abdel-Aal AK, Dybbro P, Hathaway P, Guest S, Neuwirth M, Krishnamurthy V, Perit Dial Int 34:481–493, 2014). Both core and extended teams are vital to create an integrated dialysis network, and as such we review the “team” concept in this chapter. During the Coronavirus-19 (COVID 19) era, the benefits of home dialysis, especially PD, are starting to mandate a paradigm shift in the delivery of care to ESKD patients, and those systems that are most prepared stand to reap the rewards.
Syphilis testing and diagnosis among people with HIV engaged in care at four United States clinical sites, 2014-2018.

Background Despite rising rates of syphilis among people with HIV (PWH) in the United States, there is no optimal syphilis screening frequency or prioritization. Methods We reviewed records of all PWH in care between January 1, 2014 and November 16, 2018 from four sites in the CFAR Network of Integrated Clinical Systems Cohort (CNICS; N=8455). We calculated rates of syphilis testing and incident syphilis and used Cox proportional hazards models modified for recurrent events to examine demographic and clinical predictors of testing and diagnosis. Results Participants contributed 29568 person-years of follow-up. The rate of syphilis testing was 118 tests per 100 person-years (95%CI: 117-119). The rate of incident syphilis was 4.7 cases per 100 person-years (95%CI: 4.5-5.0). Syphilis diagnosis rates were highest among younger cisgender MSM and transgender women, Hispanic individuals, people who inject drugs, and those with detectable HIV RNA, rectal infections, and hepatitis C. Conclusion We identified PWH who may benefit from more frequent syphilis testing and interventions for syphilis prevention.
Recent and Emerging Therapies for Iron Deficiency in Anemia of CKD: A Review.

Iron deficiency commonly contributes to the anemia affecting individuals with chronic kidney disease. Diagnostic criteria for iron deficiency in chronic kidney disease are explained. Mechanisms of functional and absolute iron deficiency and general treatment Principles as delineated in the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines are reviewed. Repletion of absolute iron deficits has progressed over time with the addition of better tolerated, more effective oral agents including ferric citrate, ferric maltol, and sucrosomial iron. Structural characteristics and trial data enabling regulatory approval of these novel oral agents are examined. Newer intravenous iron therapies including ferric carboxymaltose and ferric derisomaltose allow for fewer infusions and decreased risk of serious hypersensitivity reactions. Concerns about adverse events including cardiovascular events and infections are discussed. The potential risk of 6H syndrome due to these intravenous agents, including hypophosphatemia, osteomalacia, and pathologic fractures is emphasized. The proposed pathophysiology of 6H syndrome and hypophosphatemia is described. Ferric pyrophosphate citrate enables administration of iron for repletion through dialysate. Relative merits, costs, and risks of various iron agents such as hypersensitivity and 6H syndrome/hypophosphatemia are summarized.
The European Commission and the Integration of Europe: Men (and women) at Europe's helm

Between June 1995 and February 1997 I conversed with 137 directors-general, deputy directors-general, directors, and senior advisors of the European Commission in semi-structured interviews lasting on average 79 minutes. I also asked them to mail back a structured questionnaire containing behavioral and attitudinal questions. By May 1997, I had received 106 mail questionnaires. These interviews and mail questionnaires provide the empirical basis for this book. I elaborate below five important elements in this research: the context, the organization, sampling, interviewing, and the people. The context The European Union is at a crossroads between 1995 and 1997. Its future is deeply contested and uncertain, and yet Europe's elites, if not its citizens, seem determined to integrate deeper and faster. Three major issues dominate the headlines and structure the daily dealings of top Commission officials: economic and monetary union (EMU) – at first, the plan's survival, and, later, the conditions of implementation; the ban from the European internal market of British beef infected by BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy – “mad cow disease”); and preparations for the 1996–7 intergovernmental conference, which would culminate in the 1999 Amsterdam Treaty. Two deeper concerns cloud EU politics during that period. Public opinion polls register a rapid rise in public dissatisfaction with European integration, and, on the economic front, most European countries suffer from persistently high unemployment whereas the US economy is booming. This is the political background against which I probe top Commission officials' basic preferences on EU governance.
The Inverse Discrete Radon Transform with Applications to Tomographic Imaging Using Projection Data

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with the situation when the Radon transform samples are on a regular grid. By viewing the Radon transform as a bivariate function, rather than as a parameterized univariate function as is usually done, the power of two-dimensional signal theory is applied to Radon transform theory. This approach permits the story of tomographic imaging, told by the varied and vast body of literature, to be unified and simplified. The chapter reviews and clarifies the requirements for a set of regularly spaced measurements to specify adequately the Radon transform. In order to provide insight into potential areas of applications of the radon transform in imaging, several areas where imaging is achieved from projection data are reviewed. The chapter discusses the historical background and review of reconstruction algorithms of tomography. Selected properties of the θu-coordinatized Radon transform are summarized and illustrated. The chapter elaborates on sampling the radon transform with parallel-beam projections and fan-beam projections. The existing questions regarding the amount of information in a finite number of projections are addressed and the processing required to extract this information is identified. It is shown to, within the standard approximations employed in sampling theory, that for Radon transforms adequately sampled on a rectangular grid an exact inverse discrete Radon transform exists. The effects of finite detector (source) size and motion are reviewed, and a systematic approach is again shown to be available through the unifying viewpoint provided by the application of two-dimensional signal processing techniques. The ultimate purpose of this chapter is to establish a firm theoretical foundation for tomographic imaging systems where the measurements are regularly spaced.
The Ontological Argument as an Exercise in Cartesian Therapy

(2005). The Ontological Argument as an Exercise in Cartesian Therapy. Canadian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 521-562.
Bayesian Case Reconstruction

Bayesian Case Reconstruction (BCR) is a case-based technique that broadens the coverage of a case library by sampling and recombining pieces of existing cases to construct a large set of "plausible" cases. It employs a Bayesian Belief Network to evaluate whether implicit dependencies within the original cases have been maintained. The belief network is constructed from the expert's limited understanding of the domain theory combined with the data available in the case library. The cases are the primary reasoning vehicle. The belief network leverages the available domain model to help evaluate whether the "plausible" cases have maintained the necessary internal context. BCR is applied to the design of screening experiments for Macromolecular Crystallization in the Probabilistic Screen Design program. We describe BCR and provide an empirical comparison of the Probabilistic Screen Design program against the current practice in Macromolecular Crystallization.
A Note on Local Ultrametricity in Text

High dimensional, sparsely populated data spaces have been characterized in terms of ultrametric topology. This implies that there are natural, not necessarily unique, tree or hierarchy structures defined by the ultrametric topology. In this note we study the extent of local ultrametric topology in texts, with the aim of finding unique ``fingerprints'' for a text or corpus, discriminating between texts from different domains, and opening up the possibility of exploiting hierarchical structures in the data. We use coherent and meaningful collections of over 1000 texts, comprising over 1.3 million words.
Effect of gastrin on pancreatic enzyme secretion and gallbladder emptying in man.

This study was designed to assess the effect of unsulfated synthetic human little gastrin (HG-17-I) on pancreatic secretion and gallbladder emptying in man. During continuous gastric and duodenal aspiration, 6 male subjects were given, on different days, either HG-17-I (7, 20, 60, 180 and 540 pmol kg-1 hr-1, cholecystokinin (0.1, 0.3, and 0.9 U kg-1 hr-1) or 238 pmol kg-1 (500 ng kg-1) of HG-17-I as a rapid intravenous injection. Trypsin output and bilirubin output increased significantly (P
Nutrient Composition and Anti-inflammatory Potential of a Prescribed Macrobiotic Diet

Despite nutrient adequacy concerns, macrobiotic diets are practiced by many individuals with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. This study compared the nutrient composition and inflammatory potential of a macrobiotic diet plan with national dietary recommendations and intakes from a nationally representative sample. Nutrient comparisons were made using the 1) macrobiotic diet plan outlined in the Kushi Institute's Way to Health; 2) recommended dietary allowances (RDA); and 3) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2010 data. Comparisons included application of the recently developed dietary inflammatory index (DII). Analyses focused on total calories, macronutrients, 28 micronutrients, and DII scores. Compared to NHANES data, the macrobiotic diet plan had a lower percentage of energy from fat, higher total dietary fiber, and higher amounts of most micronutrients. Nutrients often met or exceeded RDA recommendations, except for vitamin D, vitamin B12, and calcium. Based on DII scores, the macrobiotic diet was more anti-inflammatory compared to NHANES data (average scores of -1.88 and 1.00, respectively). Findings from this analysis of a macrobiotic diet plan indicate the potential for disease prevention and suggest the need for studies of real-world consumption as well as designing, implementing, and testing interventions based on the macrobiotic approach.
Scalability Analysis of Job Scheduling Using Virtual Nodes

It is important to identify scalability constraints in existing job scheduling software as they are applied to next generation parallel systems. In this paper, we analyze the scalability of job scheduling and job dispatching functions in the IBM LoadLeveler job scheduler. To enable this scalability study, we propose and implement a new virtualization method to deploy different size LoadLeveler clusters with minimal number of physical machines. Our scalability studies with the virtualization show that the LoadLeveler resource manager can comfortably handle over 12,000 compute nodes, the largest scale we have tested so far. However, our study shows that the static resource matching in the scheduling cycle and job object processing during the hierarchical job launching are two impediments for the scalability of LoadLeveler.
Free radicals generated in yeast by the Salmonella test-negative carcinogens benzene, urethane, thiourea and auramine O

A large fraction of carcinogens score negative in short-term genotoxicity assays such as the Salmonella reverse mutation (Ames) assay. More information is needed about the mechanism of action of such Salmonella-negative carcinogens. Many Salmonella-negative carcinogens induce deletions due to intrachromosomal recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with an apparent threshold. We have previously shown that the Salmonella-negative carcinogens cadmium, aniline, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride generate free radical species in S. cerevisiae. We have further investigated the possible generation of intracellular free radical species by the diverse Salmonella-negative carcinogens benzene, urethane, thiourea and auramine O. The toxicity and recombinagenicity of thiourea and auramine O was reduced in the presence of the free radical scavenger N-acetyl cysteine. N-acetyl cysteine did not protect against toxicity or recombination induced by the Salmonella-positive carcinogens ethyl methane sulfonate, methyl methane sulfonate or nitroquinoline-N-oxide. A strain deficient in the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which catalyses the dismutation of superoxide anion radical, was hypersensitive to killing by benzene, urethane and thiourea. The sod- strain was only slightly more sensitive to the Salmonella-positive carcinogens. Intracellular oxidation of the free radical-sensitive reporter compound dichlorofluorescin diacetate was increased in yeast cultures exposed to benzene, urethane and auramine O; again, the Salmonella mutagens had no effect on oxidation of the dye. These data show that free radical species are produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae following exposure to benzene, urethane, thiourea and auramine O, and suggest a possible role for oxidative stress is recombination induced by these carcinogens.
Influence of diurnal cycles on metal concentrations and loads in streams draining abandoned mine lands : an example from High Ore Creek, Montana

Diurnal water samples were collected simultaneously at four locations along High Ore Creek (Montana, USA), a small stream with near-neutral pH that contains elevated concentrations of Zn, Mn, Cd, and As from abandoned mines near its headwaters. During the same time period, two sets of synoptic samples were collected by workers moving in opposite directions along the stream. Large diurnal fluctuations in Zn concentration were found at three of the 24-h monitoring stations, but not at the outlet to a settling pond. Because the concentrations of Zn were dropping at most locations in the creek during the day (in response to the daily cycle of day-time attenuation and night-time release), the synoptic sampler who moved upstream obtained a data set that led to the conclusion that Zn load increased with distance downstream. The sampler who moved in a downstream direction obtained the opposite results. Thus, failure to take short-term diurnal cycling into account can lead to incorrect conclusions regarding spatial or temporal trends in water quality within a watershed.
Mineral chemistry and the petrogenesis of eucrites: II. Cumulate eucrites

Abstract We carried out an ion microprobe study of REEs and other selected trace and minor element concentrations in orthopyroxene, augite lamellae, and plagioclase of two cumulate eucrites Moama and Moore County in order to reevaluate the relationships between cumulate and noncumulate eucrites and among cumulate eucrites. Pyroxene and plagioclase in these two meteorites are more homogeneous in major, minor, and trace elements than in noncumulate eucrites, and trace and minor element concentrations in Moore County are higher than in Moama. Although subsolidus equilibration erased and original igneous zoning, it did not affect the REE patterns of these minerals. Both pigeonite and plagioclase of Moama and Moore County have higher LREE/HREE ratios than those phases in noncumulate eucrites. This indicates that cumulate eucrites derived from melts with fractionated REE patterns and, thus are not related to noncumulate eucrites. In addition, the inconsistency between degrees of fractional crystallization deduced from major and trace elements and the differences of LREE/HREE ratios recorded in pigeonite and plagioclase also suggest that Moama and Moore County did not form in the same fractional crystallization sequence. This study confirms earlier observations and conclusions of Ma and Schmitt (1979) and poses problems for prevalent models.
The Human Relaxin Receptor (LGR7): Expression in the Fetal Membranes and Placenta

The relaxin receptor has been recently described as a leucine-rich repeat G-protein coupled receptor and designated as LGR7. A closely related receptor, LGR8, is co-expressed by some cells. This study explored the expression of the genes for these receptors in the human fetal membranes and placenta by RT-PCR and the LGR7 protein by immunolocalization. The results showed that LGR7 was well expressed in the fetal membranes, with significantly more in the decidua (p < 0.05) than in the amnion. On the other hand, relatively low levels were expressed in the placenta. The major splice variant of LGR7 was undetectable in either the placenta or fetal membranes. Expression of LGR8 was also below the level of detectability in either tissue. Immunostaining for LGR7 was conducted with antisera to both its endomain and ectodomain, in order to seek evidence for a solubilized ectodomain. However, similar staining patterns were obtained with both antisera, with predominant staining in the cells of the amniotic epithelium, chorionic cytotrophoblast and decidua. Full-thickness fetal membranes from preterm deliveries, before and after labor or after preterm premature rupture of the membrane (PPROM) and labor were collected. In addition, membranes at term, both before and after spontaneous labor were used for analysis of LGR7 gene expression. There was significantly greater LGR7 expressed (p = 0.01) in the preterm period compared to term, indicating a potentially important role for relaxin at this time. There was a marginal decline in LGR7 gene expression after labor and delivery both at preterm and term, which did not reach significance. Immunostaining patterns showed less inter-patient variability than did gene expression, with more intense staining for LGR7 after labor and delivery.
DNA adduct burden and tobacco carcinogenesis.

DNA adducts associated with tobacco smoking could provide a marker of biologically effective dose of tobacco carcinogens and improve individual cancer risk prediction. A significant number of clinical and epidemiologic studies have reported associations of increased DNA adduct levels with the occurrence of the prevalent tobacco related cancers including cancer of the lung, head and neck, and bladder. The inducibility of DNA adducts following in vitro treatments using blood lymphocytes also appears to be a risk factor in the development of lung and head and neck cancer. Corroborative evidence pointing to the importance of DNA adducts in tobacco carcinogenesis include numerous studies showing associations of tobacco smoke exposure with the induction of DNA adducts in humans in vivo. Further effort is necessary, however, to more fully characterize the dose-response relationship between smoking and DNA adducts in exposed target and surrogate tissues. The relationship between gene polymorphisms thought to modify tobacco-related cancer risk and DNA adduct levels is complex. Results of some DNA adduct studies (both in vitro and in vivo) appear inconsistent with the epidemiologic findings. This is evident for polymorphisms involving both carcinogen metabolism (e.g. GSTP1) and DNA repair (e.g. XRCC1). Molecular studies of human tumors suggest associations of p53 mutation with DNA adducts and have revealed correlations of DNA adduct levels with somatic alterations (e.g. 3p21 LOH) that are thought to occur at the very earliest stages of tobacco carcinogenesis. More research is needed to assess the relationship between endogenous sources of DNA adducts and tobacco smoke exposure and the relative oncogenic effects of chemically stable versus unstable DNA adducts. Many potentially fruitful new avenues of cancer research are emerging that integrate DNA adduct analyses with assessments of smoking, genetics, diet and ambient air quality. These investigations aim to understand the multifactorial nature of interindividual variability in response to tobacco carcinogens. As these trends continue a variety of innovative study designs and approaches will become important in human populations.
Prediction and Rolston’s environmental ethics: Lessons from the philosophy of science

Rolston (1988) argues that in order to act ethically in the environment, moral agents must assume that their actions are potentially harmful, and then strive to prove otherwise before implementing that action. In order to determine whether or not an action in the environment is harmful requires the tools of applied epistemology in order to act in accord with Rolston’s ethical prescription. This link between ethics and epistemology demands a closer look at the relationship between confirmation theory, particularly notions of plausibility, in the philosophy of science and environmental ethics. Upon taking this look, I conclude that, at least logically, we are no better off assuming that actions are maximally risky (Rolston) than when we assume minimal risk.
Systematic measurement of fast neutron background fluctuations in an urban area using a mobile detection system

Abstract Neutron background measurements using a mobile trailer-based system were conducted in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The 0.5 m 2 system, consisting of eight EJ-301 liquid scintillation detectors, was used to collect neutron background measurements in order to better understand the systematic variations in background that depend solely on the street-level measurement position in a downtown area. Data was collected along 5 different streets, and the measurements were found to be repeatable. Using 10-min measurements, the fractional uncertainty in each measured data point was
The Origin of Bioelectrical Potentials in Plant and Animal Cells

Synopsis. The electrical potential difference across a plant or animal cell membrane can be caused by at least three different mechanisms, acting alone or in concert. First, a Donnan equilibrium can account for a sizable membrane potential without the par? ticipation of any active transport process. In a Donnan equilibrium the membrane po? tential is generated by the diffusion of permeating ions down their concentration gradi? ents. The asymmetric distribution of permeating ions is caused by the presence of charged, nondiffusible ions, e.g., proteins inside the cell. The second mechanism is an electrically neutral ion pump, e.g., the coupled sodium-potassium pump found in many types of cells. An electrically neutral pump can generate a large membrane potential if the membrane has a high passive permeability to one of the actively transported ions, usually potassium. The third mechanism is an electrogenic ion pump, which makes a substantial contribution to the membrane potential in several types of plant and ani? mal cells. An electrogenic pump directly causes a net movement of charge across the cell membrane. The membrane voltage generated by the pump then causes a passive flow of diffusible ions which partially short circuits the potential difference generated by the pump.
Tendon transfers: Part II. Transfers for ulnar nerve palsy and median nerve palsy.

Objectives After reading this article (part II of II), the participant should be able to: 1. Describe the anatomy and function of the median and ulnar nerves in the forearm and hand. 2. Describe the clinical deficits associated with injury to each nerve. 3. Describe the indications, benefits, and drawbacks for various tendon transfer procedures used to treat median and ulnar nerve palsy.4. Describe the treatment of combined nerve injuries. 5. Describe postoperative care and possible complications associated with these tendon transfer procedures.