cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are patients with hematuria appropriately referred to Urology? A multi-institutional questionnaire based survey.

Abstract Introduction Hematuria is a common finding that may be a sign of serious underlying urologic disease. Thus, the AUA guidelines (written in conjunction with the American Academy of Family Practice) recommend urologic evaluation for patients with both microscopic and gross hematuria. We sought to evaluate practice patterns of the evaluation of hematuria by primary care physicians (PCPs) in two locations in the United States. Methods Anonymous questionnaires regarding use of urinalysis (UA) and evaluation of hematuria were mailed to 586 PCPs in Miami, Florida and 1,915 in Dallas, Texas. Surveys were mailed to physicians who identified themselves as practitioners of internal medicine, family practice, primary care, or obstetrics and gynecology. Results Surveys were completed by 788 PCPs including 270 (46%) and 518 (26%) PCPs in Miami and Dallas, respectively. Screening UAs were obtained on all patients by 77% and 64%, of physicians in Miami and Dallas, respectively. In both Miami and Dallas, only 36% of PCPs reported referring patients with microscopic hematuria to an urologist. In patients with gross hematuria, referral rates were 77% and 69% in Miami and Dallas, respectively. Conclusions While many PCPs use UA in many of their patients routinely, few PCPs automatically refer their patients with microscopic hematuria to urology and not all patients with gross hematuria are referred. Further investigations regarding why and when patients are referred to urology is warranted. Increasing awareness of the complete and timely evaluation of hematuria may be beneficial in preventing a delay in bladder cancer.
Construction, visualization, and analysis of biological network models in Dynetica

Mathematical modeling has become an increasingly important aspect of biological research. Computer simulations help to improve our understanding of complex systems by testing the validity of proposed mechanisms and generating experimentally testable hypotheses. However, significant overhead is generated by the creation, debugging, and perturbation of these computational models and their parameters, especially for researchers who are unfamiliar with programming or numerical methods. Dynetica 2.0 is a user-friendly dynamic network simulator designed to expedite this process. Models are created and visualized in an easy-to-use graphical interface, which displays all of the species and reactions involved in a graph layout. System inputs and outputs, indicators, and intermediate expressions may be incorporated into the model via the versatile “expression variable” entity. Models can also be modular, allowing for the quick construction of complex systems from simpler components. Dynetica 2.0 supports a number of deterministic and stochastic algorithms for performing time-course simulations. Additionally, Dynetica 2.0 provides built-in tools for performing sensitivity or dose response analysis for a number of different metrics. Its parameter searching tools can optimize specific objectives of the time course or dose response of the system. Systems can be translated from Dynetica 2.0 into MATLAB code or the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) format for further analysis or publication. Finally, since it is written in Java, Dynetica 2.0 is platform independent, allowing for easy sharing and collaboration between researchers. Open image in new window
Pharyngeal findings in 21 patients with achalasia of the esophagus

Dynamic imaging of the pharynx revealed unsuspected pharyngeal findings in 11 of 21 consecutive patients with achalasia of the esophagus. Findings included cricopharyngeal prominence, asymmetry of pharyngeal contraction or epiglottic tilt, and lateral pharyngel pouches, many of which emptied postswallow into the pyriform sinus, resulting in retention of contrast. Two patients had a Zenker's diverticulum; a Zenker's diverticulum had been resected 10 years previously in a third. There may be a causal relationship between these pharyngeal findings and the esophageal disease. In achalasia, it is important to examine the pharynx in addition to the esophagus, so that pharyngeal findings will not be overlooked.
Fetal deafferentation: the ontogenesis of movement in the absence of peripheral sensory feedback.

Abstract Three monkeys were deprived of sensation in their forelimbs by sectioning dorsal roots C2-T3 bilaterally prior to delivery. The infants were active and used their limbs in proper sequence during walking. They did not, however, use their hands to climb or pick up objects. It was concluded that the fine hand movements seen in monkeys deafferented during adolescence are elaborated on the basis of engrams laid down prior to surgery.
Low expression of interferon-stimulated genes in active multiple sclerosis is linked to subnormal phosphorylation of STAT1

Multiple sclerosis is an immune-mediated brain disease ameliorated by interferon-beta therapy. Immune responses to IFN-alpha and IFN-beta are sometimes subnormal in MS peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNCs), suggesting an underlying defect in type I IFN signaling. We studied IFN-beta regulation of mRNA and protein induction for IFN regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) and IRF-2, which control multiple IFN-stimulated genes, and for 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2',5'-OAS) and MxA, which are antiviral proteins. First, mRNA levels in resting MNC from untreated patients with clinically active MS contained IRF-1 at 38% of normal controls, 45% for IRF-2, 44% for 2',5'-OAS (all p<0.005), and 46% for MxA protein (p<0.007). Stable MS patients had intermediate levels of 2',5'-OAS and MxA. IFN-beta-1b therapy increased IRF-1, IRF-2, and 2',5'-OAS mRNA in resting MNC-but only up to levels seen in unstimulated control cells. In untreated patients with active MS, serine phosphorylation of the STAT1 transcription factor was markedly reduced, suggesting a mechanism for the low levels of IFN-induced genes. Secondly, in untreated patients with stable MS, culture with IFN-beta induced excessive tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1, and this correlated with low SHP1 tyrosine phosphatase levels. Excessive P-Tyr-STAT1 responses could induce inflammatory cytokines and demyelination in MS, as in motheaten mice, which have defects in SHP-1 function. Abnormal IFN signaling may predict the course of MS and responses to therapy.
The ratio of acetylcholinesterase to butyrylcholinesterase influences the specificity of assays for each enzyme in human brain.

A single-vial extraction radiometric assay was used to measure acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase in human post-mortem brain tissue. Data are presented regarding the differential inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase in several brain areas from a case of Alzheimer's disease and a case without neuropsychiatrie disease. The results indicate that neither enzyme is entirely specific for its substrate, and the necessity for using inhibitors depends upon the ratio of acetylcholinesterase to butyrylcholinesterase in a particular sample.
The Ethnography of Reading

The Ethnography of Reading. JONATHAN BOYARIN, ed. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993. viii + 285 pp.
TADS and Technical Assistance

This article discusses background and introductory material about TADS and its technical assistance (TA) contract with the U.S. Special Education Programs (SEP) and its Handicapped Children's Early Education Program (HCEEP). An overview to TA is provided along with a definition, description of related literature, and principles. Next the special education and early childhood context and mandate are discussed in relation to SEP's intent for TADS and its TA. Finally, the TADS mission and approach is described in terms of
Neutron single particle states above the N=152 subshell☆

Abstract Single-particle states above the N=152 subshell have been studied by high-resolution 250Cf(d,p) reaction. All states between the 152 and 164 neutron subshell have been identified. A tentative assignment has been made for the 1 2 −[761] orbital.
Metabolite 1H relaxation in normal and hyponatremic brain

Proton spin relaxation rate constants in normal and hyponatremic rat brain were measured to determine the sensitivity of metabolite relaxation properties to cytotoxic edema and to quantify metabolite concentration in normal and edematous brain. Relaxation rate constants for protons of water and spectral regions with dominant contributions from methyl protons of cholines (Cho), creatines (Cr), N-acetylaspartate (NA), and lactate (Lac), and for methylene protons of glutamate (Glu) were measured at 7 T. Changes in metabolite relaxation properties associated with cytotoxic edema were a decrease in the Cr longitudinal rate constant, from 0.63 +/- 0.02 s-1 (mean +/- SE) in controls to 0.50 +/- 0.03 s-1 in edematous brain, and an increase in the transverse rate constant of NA from 5.3 +/- 0.2 s-1 in controls to 6.6 +/- 0.3 s-1 in edematous brain. Four hours after induction of hyponatremia, there was a 14% reduction in summed metabolite concentrations of Cho, Cr, and NA, and a 200% increase in Lac signal intensity. It is concluded that changes in both metabolite spin relaxation and detectable spin concentration accompany the cerebral pathology of cytotoxic edema complicated with secondary ischemia.
L-Type Calcium Channel C Terminus Autoregulates Transcription

Calcium homeostasis is critical for cardiac myocyte function and must be tightly regulated. The guiding hypothesis of this study is that a carboxyl-terminal cleavage product of the cardiac L-type calcium channel (Ca(V)1.2) autoregulates expression. First, we confirmed that the Ca(V)1.2 C terminus (CCt) is cleaved in murine cardiac myocytes from mature and developing ventricle. Overexpression of full-length CCt caused a 34+/-8% decrease of Ca(V)1.2 promoter activity, and truncated CCt caused an 80+/-3% decrease of Ca(V)1.2 promoter (n=12). The full-length CCt distributes into cytosol and nucleus. A deletion mutant of CCt has a greater relative affinity for the nucleus than full-length CCt, and this is consistent with increased repression of Ca(V)1.2 promoter activity by truncated CCt. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that CCt interacts with the Ca(V)1.2 promoter in adult ventricular cardiac myocytes at promoter modules containing Nkx2.5/Mef2, C/EBp, and a cis regulatory module. The next hypothesis tested was that CCt contributes to transcriptional signaling associated with cellular hypertrophy. We explored whether fetal cardiac myocyte Ca(V)1.2 was regulated by serum in vitro. We tested atrial natriuretic factor promoter activity as a positive control and measured the serum response of Ca(V)1.2 promoter, protein, and L-type current (I(Ca,L)) from fetal mouse ventricular myocytes. Serum increased atrial natriuretic factor promoter activity and cell size as expected. Serum withdrawal increased Ca(V)1.2 promoter activity, mRNA, and I(Ca,L). Moreover, serum withdrawal decreased the relative nuclear localization of CCt. A combination of promoter deletion mutant analyses, and the response of promoter mutants to serum withdrawal support the conclusion that CCt, a proteolytic fragment of Ca(V)1.2, autoregulates Ca(V)1.2 expression in cardiac myocytes. These data support the novel mechanism that a mobile segment of Ca(V)1.2 links Ca handling to nuclear signaling.
Kansans' Perceptions of Health Care Reform: A Qualitative Study on Coming to Public Judgment

The purpose of this study was to analyze the discussion of participants from three Kansas town meetings on health care reform. Yankelovich's process of "coming to public judgment" was used to guide the research. In this study participants were in the process of the first two stages of public judgment: consciousness-raising and working through. Health care reform was described in six themes: access, bureaucracy, distribution, expectations, futility, and prevention. Health care needs and reform were described within the context of personal meaning for those attending the town meetings.
Using Brain Imaging Measures in Studies of Procognitive Pharmacologic Agents in Schizophrenia: Psychometric and Quality Assurance Considerations

The first phase of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICs) initiative focused on the identification of cognitive constructs from human and animal neuroscience that were relevant to understanding cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, as well as promising task paradigms that could be used to assess these constructs behaviorally. The current phase of CNTRICs has the goal of expanding this initial work by including measures of brain function that can augment these behavioral tasks as biomarkers to be used in drug development processing. Here we review many of the psychometric issues that need to be addressed regarding the development and inclusion of such methods in the drug development process. In addition, we review quality assurance concerns, issues associated with multicenter trials, concerns associated with potential pharmacologic confounds on imaging measures, as well as power and analysis considerations. Although review is couched in the context of the use of biomarkers for treatment studies in schizophrenia, we believe the issues and suggestions included are relevant to the entire range of neuropsychiatric disorders as well as to a wide range of imaging modalities (i.e., functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, event-related potentials, electroencephalography, transcranial magnetic stimulation, near infrared spectroscopy, etc.) and are relevant to both pharmacologic and psychological intervention approaches.
The incidence of a classified property tax

Abstract Under a classified property tax, different classes of property are taxed at different rates. The incidence of such a tax is analyzed in a two-sector, two-factor model.
EDUCATORS' RESPONSE TO STRESS: TOWARDS A COPING TAXONOMY

Popular writers and academic researchers have added volumes of literature in the past decades to the study of occupational stress. Most data based studies have investigated the sources of stress while few have addressed how educators cope with their job pressures. Current research on coping provides a wide‐ranging assemblage of fragmented coping techniques or categories of coping that have been theorized but not tested. This study is advanced as a means of overcoming some of the previous shortcomings by: (1) identifying specific coping techniques helpful to educators in handling the tensions of their jobs; (2) clustering the reported techniques into interpretable coping categories; (3) assessing the number and frequencies of coping techniques used by educators; and (4) identifying similarities and differences in coping responses. The results of this study suggest a possible coping taxonomy from which educators could seek stress reduction through a balance of seven coping categories.
On the Minimizing Trajectory of Convex Functions with Unbounded Level Sets

We consider a convex function f(x) with unbounded level sets. Many algorithms, if applied to this class of functions, do not guarantee convergence to the global infimum. Our approach to this problem leads to a derivation of the equation of a parametrized curve x(t), such that an infimum of f(x) along this curve is equal to the global infimum of the function on /Bbb Rn. We also investigate properties of the vectors of recession, showing in particular how to determine a cone of recession of the convex function. This allows us to determine a vector of recession required to construct the minimizing trajectory.
Ineffectiveness of aprotinin on psoralen-UVA-(PUVA)-induced erythema.

Because bradykinin constitutes a possible candidate for mediation of topical 8-methoxypsoralen-UVA-PUVA)-induced erythema, aprotinin (Trasylol), inhibitor of kallikrein and interrupter of the cascade leading to kinin production was assessed in guinea pigs. Response was assessed at 24, 48, and 72hr after topical PUVA and there was no significant difference between normal saline and aprotinin by intradermal or intraperitoneal routes of administration. The results of this study indicate that intradermal and intraperitoneal aprotinin, in the dose and method tested, is not capable of significantly decreasing erythema induced by topical PUVA in guinea pigs.
Macronutrient and dietary energy density influences on the intake of free-living humans

The influence of the composition of foods, their macronutrient contents and the dietary energy densities on intake, were investigated by analyzing 7-day diet diary reports from 669 free-living normal adult humans who adequately reported intake. The analyses revealed subtle but small macronutrient specific relationships with intake. Dietary energy density, however, was found to have large reliable short-term relationships with intake. The results support the hypothesis that short-term intake is controlled on the basis of the volume of nutrients in the stomach at the end of the meal and not upon their food energy or macronutrient contents.
Socially Assigned Gender Nonconformity: A Brief Measure for Use in Surveillance and Investigation of Health Disparities

Discrimination and violence targeting people perceived as gender nonconforming have been linked to a range of negative health outcomes, and large-scale representative data are needed to begin population surveillance of associated health disparities. A brief self-report measure of gender expression as perceived by others was tested using cognitive interviewing methods in a diverse sample of 82 young adults aged 18-30 years, recruited from the New England region in the U.S. Results identified themes related to item clarity, gender expression variation, undesirability of highest or lowest ends of item range, and tension between self and others' perceptions. The item performed as expected and is recommended for use on studies of health disparities, including statewide and national public health surveillance tools.
Regeneration and division of Blepharisma following x-irradiation.

Abstract 1. 1. The regeneration of irradiated fragments of Blepharisma undulans var. americanus , is delayed by X-irradiation, the delay being greater the larger the dose, the effect increasing at a rate greater than linear. Only the posterior fragments were used in these experiments and the reappearance of the food vacuoles was taken as the end point of reformation of functional mouth parts. 2. 2. The delay in regeneration of X-irradiated fragments is parallel to a delay in macronuclear reorganization which always accompanies regeneration. 3. 3. Subsequent division of the regenerated fragments is also delayed similarly to delay of regeneration. 4. 4. Decreasing the oxygen tension by flushing the culture with nitrogen decreases the effectiveness of a given dose of radiations but does not alter the qualitative nature of the results. Fragments irradiated in pure oxygen were no more retarded than those irradiated in air. 5. 5. Fragments of starved Blepharisma proved to be more susceptible to X-rays than fragments of well-fed animals, as indicated by more prolonged regeneration-delay as well as division delay. Again, only a quantitative difference in susceptibility to X-rays between experiments carried out in air and in nitrogen was observed. 6. 6. The delay in regeneration produced by X-rays is greatest when the irradiation occurs three hours after cutting, indicating a period of radiation sensitivity at this time. When the fragments are irradiated four and a half hours after cutting, regeneration is delayed very much less. 7. 7. The delay of division of the regenerated fragments referred to in #6 is much the same regardless of the time after cutting when irradiation occurs. 8. 8. Regeneration of fragments cut after X-irradiation is most delayed when the animals are cut soon after irradiation; the delay decreases progressively until in four to six hours after irradiation the delay is very small and in eight to twelve hours almost nil. 9. 9. Cutting the irradiated Blepharisma was found to accelerate recovery from division-retarding effects of X-rays.
Franciscan inquisition and mendicant rivalry in mid-thirteenth-century Marseille

Although Dominicans are more widely studied as the work force behind medieval inquisitions, Franciscan friars began to act as inquisitors of heretical depravity within Provence and elsewhere by the mid-thirteenth century. In this article, the testimony of a Marseille priest, Master Durand, found in the Archives Departementales de Vaucluse Cordeliers d'Avignon 24 H 3, reveals much about the period of political intrigue within the commune of Marseille when the order of Friars Minor first assumed control of the inquisition within the county of Provence. The testimony exposes the tensions between members of the Dominican convent at Marseille and the Franciscan inquisitors as the Franciscans sought to establish themselves as heresy inquisitors in the region and as both mendicant orders sought to retain the approval of the count of Provence, Charles I of Anjou.
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus non-structural protein 1 suppresses tumor necrosis factor-alpha promoter activation by inhibiting NF-κB and Sp1

The objective of this study was to identify porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)-encoded proteins that are responsible for the inhibition of TNF-α expression and the mechanism(s) involved in this phenomenon. Using a TNF-α promoter reporter system, the non-structural protein 1 (Nsp1) was found to strongly suppress the TNF-α promoter activity. Such inhibition takes place especially at the promoter's proximal region. Both Nsp1α and Nsp1β, the two proteolytic fragments of Nsp1, were shown to be involved in TNF-α promoter suppression. Furthermore, using reporter plasmids specific for transcription factors (TFs) that bind to TNF-α promoter, Nsp1α and Nsp1β were demonstrated to inhibit the activity of the TFs that bind CRE-κB(3) and Sp1 elements respectively. Subsequent analyses showed that Nsp1α moderately inhibits NF-κB activation and that Nsp1β completely abrogates the Sp1 transactivation. These findings reveal one of the important mechanisms underlying the innate immune evasion by PRRSV during infection.
Current thinking on the premarketing evaluation of abuse-deterrent opioid formulations

Aims: Numerous prediction studies have identified variables (e.g., substance use and psychiatric severity) associated with attrition from outpatient substance abuse treatment (SAT). Very few studies have examined factors associated with dropout from the client’s perspective. Those that have indicate that dissatisfaction with aspects of treatment as well as individual status factors are reported reasons for dropout. The present study rates clients’ selfreported reasons for early attrition from outpatient SAT. Methods: Clients (N=106) recently admitted to two outpatient SAT programs, who irregularly attended treatment during the first 2–3weeks,were contacted for a brief telephonemotivational intervention. During this call they were queried about reasons for lack of attendance, which were then abstracted and coded. Results: Clients reported various and multiple reasons for poor early engagement in treatment that roughly paralleled those reported for dropping out of treatment by clients in previous studies. These reasons can be categorized as: Client Factors—particularly medical and psychological problems, and acute life stressors; Treatment Factors including issueswith clients and staff, as well as the schedule and nature of the treatment itself; and Environmental or Logistical Factors such as transportation, finances, and competing employment demands. Conclusions: Client attributions for outpatient treatment attrition are not fully parallel with variables identified in prediction studies obtained via patient assessments. Further, clients identify many issues that appear to be actionable in some way, and that if prepared for or dealt with by the clinics at both the programmatic and individual client levels, could improve retention. Financial support: NIAAA 1-P01-AA016821-01A1 and NIDA 2P60-DA005186-21.
Vibrations of slack cables with discrete masses

This paper describes a new method for obtaining the natural frequencies and mode shapes of arbitrarily slack cables which may contain concentrated masses as well as distributed mass and tensile stiffness. The method of imaginary reactions is used to perform the static calculation and Stodola's method is applied to do the dynamics. Integral formulas for the required influence functions appropriate to both fixed-fixed and fixed-forced boundary conditions are included. Solutions to sample problems, obtained with a program implemented on Naval Research Laboratory's Advanced Scientific Computer, are presented. The efficiency of this method is believed to exceed that of available finite element programs when the required number of integration intervals is large: that is, when numerous masses are present and/or high order modes are required.
Serious postoperative infections caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci: an epidemiological and clinical study

Abstract We have reviewed all 3577 nosocomial infections occurring at our institution over a 49-month period and found coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) associated with 297. Seventy-eight of 193 CNS tested for antibiotic sensitivity were multiple-drug resistant (MR-CNS). There were 19 well-documented serious postoperative CNS infections including nine ventricular, seven bloodstream and three peritoneal infections. Each was associated with an indwelling device and 11 of the infections involved MRCNS. Antibiotic therapy with or without removal of the device resulted in cure of all patients. Air samples taken during various surgical procedures frequently were positive for CNS but rarely revealed MR-CNS. Our results cause concern regarding current antibiotic prophylaxis regimens.
A test method for analyzing anionic or cationic surfactants in industrial water.

A general 2-phase titration method is introduced for the quantitative identification of either anionic or cationic surface active agents commonly used in the domestic and industrial applications. Initially, an appropriate amount of quaternary ammonium compound is added to an unknown water sample to be analyzed and to ensure the treated sample contains excess amount of quaternary ammonium compound, and thus, is cationic in nature. The amount of excess quaternary ammonium compound is then quantitatively determined by titration with a standard anionic surfactant in the presence of methyl orange dye, buffer reagent, and chloroform. If the original surfactant in the tested sample is anionic, the anionic surfactant content (μM) is equal to the known amount (μM) of the added cationic quaternary ammonium compound minus the amount (μM) of standard anionic titrant spent in the neutralization reaction. If the original surfactant in the tested sample is cationic, the cationic surfactant content (μM) is equal to the amount (μM) of standard anionic titrant spent in the titration minus the known amount (μM) of the added cationic quaternary ammonium compound. The test procedure is simple and can be successfully completed within 5–7 min by a laboratory technician. For research or industrial application, a specific anionic or cationic surfactant to be used should be selected for the surfactant calibration. For the water quality control of unknown samples, the most common anionic surfactant, linear alkylate sulfonate, and the most common cationic surfactant, quaternary ammonium chloride, are selected as surfactant standards. The anionic surfactant concentration of a sample can be reported to be mg/liter as linear alkylate sulfonate while the cationic surfactant concentration of a sample can be reported to be mg/liter as cetyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride. Other alternatives for the use of the proposed general 2-phase titration method are suggested. Effective elimination of the interference caused by the presence of oil in an industrial water is also discussed. The proposed method is limited in application to the measurement of free ionic surface active agents only.
Description and Laboratory Biology of Boliviana floridensis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) Parasitizing the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, Romalea microptera (Orthoptera: Romalidae), from Florida, U.S.A

Abstract Boliviana floridensis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Gregarinidae) is described on the basis of morphology and life history in its natural host, the grasshopper Romalea microptera (Orthoptera: Romalidae) from south Florida, U.S.A. Trophozoites are slender with a globular epimerite. Protomerites are very broadly ovoid in early trophozoites, becoming deltoid in later stages. Deutomerites are deeply obovoid in immature trophozoites, becoming narrowly obdeltoid in mature trophozoites. Association is precocious, biassociative, and caudofrontal, with the satellite protomerite engulfing the posterior end of the primite deutomerite to form an interlock. Gametocysts are spherical with a conspicuous hyaline coat that dehisces through a single, short, and wide sporoduct. Oocysts are elliptoid. In the laboratory at ca. 28°C, the life cycle is completed in 18–20 d.
Withaferin A effectively targets soluble vimentin in the glaucoma filtration surgical model of fibrosis.

Withaferin A (WFA) is a natural product that binds to soluble forms of the type III intermediate filament (IF) vimentin. Currently, it is unknown under what pathophysiological contexts vimentin is druggable, as cytoskeltal vimentin-IFs are abundantly expressed. To investigate druggability of vimentin, we exploited rabbit Tenon's capsule fibroblast (RbTCF) cell cultures and the rabbit glaucoma filtration surgical (GFS) model of fibrosis. WFA potently caused G0/G1 cell cycle inhibition (IC50 25 nM) in RbTCFs, downregulating ubiquitin E3 ligase skp2 and inducing p27Kip1 expression. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-s-induced myofibroblast transformation caused development of cell spheroids with numerous elongated invadopodia, which WFA blocked potently by downregulating soluble vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression. In the pilot proof-of-concept study using the GFS model, subconjunctival injections of a low WFA dose reduced skp2 expression in Tenon's capsule and increased p27Kip1 expression without significant alteration to vimentin-IFs. This treatment maintains significant nanomolar WFA concentrations in anterior segment tissues that correspond to WFA's cell cycle targeting activity. A ten-fold higher WFA dose caused potent downregulation of soluble vimentin and skp2 expression, but as found in cell cultures, no further increase in p27Kip1 expression was observed. Instead, this high WFA dose potently induced vimentin-IF disruption and downregulated α-SMA expression that mimicked WFA activity in TGF-s-treated RbTCFs that blocked cell contractile activity at submicromolar concentrations. These findings illuminate that localized WFA injection to ocular tissues exerts pharmacological control over the skp2-p27Kip1 pathway by targeting of soluble vimentin in a model of surgical fibrosis.
Correlated treatment of photoionization cross sections in the orthogonalized plane wave approximation for the ejected electron

Expressions are formulated for the correlated treatment of photoionization cross sections using Feynman-Dyson amplitudes of the electron propagator to describe the ionization processes and an orthogonalized plane wave description for the photoelectron. Explicit equations are derived for the theoretical treatment of experimental cross sections using either spherical grid deflection-type spectrometers or those using a particular collection angle. A scheme is suggested for systematic improvement of the theoretical description.
Anthropometric Predictors of Blood Pressure : National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III

Abstract Anthrppometric measurements, which'can be sensitive indicators of health, are valuable in assessing nutritional status. Data from the United States National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988–1994) were used to test relationships of percentage body fat and body fat distribution to blood pressure (BP) levels. The sample included 770 adults, (males = 355, females=415), who were subdivided into three age categories: 19-44,45-64 and 65-90 years. The participants were not taking hypertension medication. Data were analyzed by S AS and SUDAAN and statistical procedures included factor and regression analyses. All analyses incorporated sampling weights. Results showed that abdominal/gluteal ratio (AGR) was the most important predictor ( p ≤.001) of systolic blood pressure levels for both males and females, followed by multiple skinfold measurements (MSFM) (p ≤.01) and body mass index (BMI) (p≤.05 ). AGR was the better predictor (p
Spin-orbit deformation effects in (p,ṕ) from non-spherical nuclei at intermediate energies☆

Abstract Deformed spin-orbit, coupled-channels effects are investigated for 800 MeV proton inelastic scattering from 24 Mg and 154 Sm. The influence of the spin-orbit potential on the inelastic angular distributions and on the deduced multipole moments of the optical potential is shown to be small. The predicted 4 + and 6 + inelastic analyzing powers are, however, significantly affected by deformed spin-orbit coupling, multistep processes, and the large intrinsic quadrupole deformation of these two nuclei.
Vector Quantization Algorithm for Time Series Prediction and Visuo-Motor Control of Robots

We describe a new algorithm for vector quantization and control. The algorithm, in addition to generating a discrete representation of input data by means of Voronoi polyhedra, also generates a tesselation associated with these polyhedra. The tesselation corresponds to a graph which connects neighbouring Voronoi polyhedra and, hence, reflects neighborhood relationships of the embedding space of the data. The algorithm can be extended to approximate through ‘training’ arbitrary functions defined on the data points. The tesselation allows one to speed up the ‘training’ through cooperative learning involving nearest, next-nearest, etc. Voronoi polyhedra, reducing the range of cooperation progressively during training. The algorithm produces a table look-up program, assigning optimally tables to inputs and generating rapidly optimal table entries. The entries can be complex data structures, e.g., combinations of scalars, vectors, and tensors. The use of the algorithm has been demonstrated for time series prediction, surpassing existing algorithms, and for visuo-motor control of an industrial robot, e.g., for precise end effector position control. We will attempt to demonstrate by the time of the lecture also an application of the algorithm for visuo-motor control of a pneumatically driven robot arm, a Bridgestone ‘RUBBERTUATOR’. This light-weight robot, capable of compliant motion, can be operated in contact with humans. The presented algorithm can acquire the complex response characteristics of this arm through training and, thereby, allows accurate and swift control of pneumatic robot motion.
Aplastic anemia after liver transplantation for fulminant viral hepatitis: Black boX or bag of worms?

Aplastic anemia developed in 9 of 32 patients (28 percent) undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation for acute non-A, non-B hepatitis, at one to seven weeks after the procedure. No patient previously had evidence of hematologic dysfunction or conditions known to be associated with aplastic anemia. No other cases of aplastic anemia were identified among 1463 patients undergoing liver transplantation for all other indications at the four centers participating in the study (chi-square = 415, P < 0.001; 95 percent confidence interval for the incidence of aplastic anemia after transplantation for non-A, non-B hepatitis, 13 to 44 percent, vs. 0.00 to 0.13 percent for all other indications). The operative and postoperative treatment of these patients was not otherwise different, indicating that the aplastic anemia was a complication of the hepatitis, not of the transplantation proce- dure. Four of the nine patients died of complications due to infections. Three of the surviving patients have been followed for less than six months, one for one year, and one for two years. The two patients followed the longest have recovered marrow function to an appreciable degree, and two of the others have evidence of early recovery. We concluded that patients undergoing ortho-topic liver transplantation for non-A, non-B hepatitis are at a high risk for the development of aplastic anemia.
Lymph node stroma broaden the peripheral tolerance paradigm

Research into how self-reactive T cells are tolerized in lymph nodes has focused largely on dendritic cells (DCs). We now know that lymph node stromal cells (LNSC) are important mediators of deletional tolerance to peripheral tissue-restricted antigens (PTAs), which are constitutively expressed and presented by LNSCs. Of the major LNSC subsets, fibroblastic reticular cells and lymphatic endothelial cells are known to directly induce tolerance of responding naive CD8 T cells. The biological outcome of this interaction fills a void otherwise not covered by DCs or thymic stromal cells. These findings, we suggest, necessitate a broadening of peripheral tolerance theory to include steady-state presentation of clinically relevant PTA to naive CD8 T cells by lymph node-resident stroma.
Review paper on Bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis is characterized by dilatation of bronchi, airflow limitation and chronic infection/ inflammation. The aetiology, pathology and management are discussed in this review. It is vital that we distinguish bronchiectasis from other obstructive airways disease like Asthma and Chronic obstructive airways disease as management strategies are different. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jaim.v1i1.5839 Journal of Advances in Internal Medicine. 2012; 1(1): 39-42
Assessing myocardial viability and infarct transmurality with left ventricular electromechanical mapping in patients with stable coronary artery disease: validation by delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging.

Background— This study was designed to define myocardial viability and establish practical cut-off values for differentiating normal myocardial tissue from subendocardial and transmural scar tissue by using electromechanical mapping (EMM). We validated our results by delayed-enhancement cardiac MRI (DE-MRI). Methods and Results— We prospectively studied 15 ambulatory patients with stable coronary disease who were candidates for cardiac catheterization. Within 48 hours of EMM, DE-MRI was performed. Using EMM software, we created a bull’s eye precisely matched to that generated by DE-MRI. Segment by segment, we compared the MRI results to the corresponding unipolar voltage value for that same segment in the EMM bull’s eye. Of 300 total segments, 275 were compared. The segments were divided into normal (n=211), subendocardial scar (n=49), and transmural scar (n=15). We found that subendocardial (6.8±2.9 mV) and transmural (4.6±1.9 mV) scar segments had significantly less unipolar voltage than normal (11.6±4....
A high performance memory allocator for object-oriented systems

Object-oriented programming languages tend to allocate and deallocate blocks of memory very frequently. The growing popularity of these languages increases the importance of high-performance memory allocation. For speed and simplicity in memory allocation, the buddy system has been the method of choice for nearly three decades. A software realization incurs the overhead of internal fragmentation and of memory traffic due to splitting and coalescing memory blocks. This paper presents a simple hardware design for buddy-system allocation that takes advantage of the speed of a pure combinational-logic implementation. Two binary trees formed by anding and oring propagate information about the allocation status of blocks and subblocks. They implement a nonbacktracking search for the address of the first free block that is large enough to satisfy a request. Although the buddy system may allocate a block that is much larger than the requested size, the logic that finds a free block can be augmented by a "bit-flipper" to relinquish the unused portion at the end of the block. This effectively eliminates internal fragmentation. Simulation results show that the buddy system modified in this way uses less memory in most, though not all, programs than the unmodified buddy. Hence, the hardware buddy-system allocator is faster and uses memory more efficiently than the standard software approach.
Neural network chaotic system identification

This research focuses on system identification using alternative neural network architectures, where the dynamics of the underlying system are chaotic. A neural network is trained on the measured input-output data of the actual system. The actual system model examined is based on the Lorenz equations for the chaotic attractor of the same name. For comparison, a quadratic system is also studied. In this research, both standard feedforward network architectures and recurrent network topologies proved inadequate to successfully identify the chaotic system, although the quadratic system was readily identified by both architectures. A radial basis network architecture was able to capture the qualitative behavior of the chaotic system on predictive data sets. However, the absolute error in the estimates remained high. Subsampling either produced no substantive improvement or led to impractical retina sizes.
Feline Leukemia Virus-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Macrothrombocytosis in Cats:

The Kawakami-Theilen strain of feline leukemia virus (FeLV-KT), an exogenous anemia-inducing retrovirus, induced significant macrothrombocytosis and thrombocytopenia during acute infections of cats. The geometric mean platelet volumes of both freshly isolated fixed platelets and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid-sphered platelets from infected cats were increased, but the ratio of fresh-fixed to ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid-sphered platelet volumes, an estimate of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid-induced isovolumetric shape change, was normal. Total plasma membrane increased as the platelet volumes increased in FeLV-KT-infected cats, but estimated surface connected canalicular system surface area did not. Platelet concentrations were decreased 2 to 6 weeks after inoculation, but marked macrothrombocytosis resulted in a trend toward increased platelet mass on weeks 5 and 6 after inoculation. Thus, FeLV-KT-induced macrothrombocytosis may serve as a model of impaired platelet volume regulation. The platelet volume and platelet membrane surface area abnormalities found suggest that this model would allow studies of the megakaryocyte/platelet axis, particularly in the area of membrane formation and territorial demarcation.
Social Norms, Self-identity, and Attention to Social Comparison Information in the Context of Exercise and Healthy Diet Behavior

Social norms research has identified a range of distinct norms based on different referent groups that confer influence across a number of behaviors. The current survey study extends social norms research in two ways. First, this research tests the distinctiveness of four types of social norms: distal peer descriptive, distal peer injunctive, proximal peer descriptive, and proximal peer injunctive norms. Second, the current study examines the relationship between social norms and intentions to exercise and maintain a healthy diet, and includes self-identity and attention to social comparison information as moderators of the social norms and intention relationship. Results revealed the distinctiveness of the four types of social norms. Proximal peer descriptive and proximal peer injunctive norms were related to intention to exercise and intention to maintain a healthy diet, while distal peer injunctive norms were related only to intention to have a healthy diet. Additionally, self-identity was a significan...
An Exploratory Investigation of Multiunit Restaurant Productivity Assessment Using Data Envelopment Analysis

SUMMARY Conventional approaches to assessing unit-level productivity, such as labor-cost percentages or basic ratio analysis including sales per labor hour, are limited in utility because they integrate too few operational characteristics to portend true operational efficiency. Moreover, current parametric approaches impose a functional form relating independent variables uniformly to dependent variable(s) and provide only an average by which other operations are compared. Data envelopment analysis (DEA), a linear-programming-based benchmarking technique that explicitly considers weighted outputs and inputs, is introduced as an alternative. DEA does not require any assumptions about functional form and calculates a maximal performance measure for all units in the population. As an exploratory investigation, data from 38 same-brand midscale restaurants were analyzed. Results, which include relative-to-best efficiency valuations, suggest that data envelopment analysis offers considerable potential for manag...
Nitrogen 1s charge referencing for Si3N4 and related compounds

This paper describes the method used to produce a Si3N4 standard for use as a reference material in XPS measurements of silicon nitride related compounds. The reference material was made by high dose ion implantation of N+ into a (100) Si wafer and annealing the wafer at 1150°C. Rutherford back-scattering measurements and an Auger depth profile confirmed that after the anneal a subregion of Si3N4 was formed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra were collected for Si 2p, N 1s and Si KLL lines. Signals from both elemental Si and Si3N4 were observed, with no indication of specimen charging. The N 1s binding energy was determined to be 398.5 eV. Modified Auger parameter plots of the data showed results consistent with other careful measurements for Si and Si3N4. Because data from several studies indicate that the N 1s peak is relatively insensitive to minor compositional changes, the N 1s line can be used as a charge reference for the analysis of Si3N4-based materials. This charge reference can reduce the uncertainty in binding energy measurements on these generally insulating materials to ±0.1 eV.
Improving bioinformatic pipelines for exome variant calling

Exome sequencing analysis is a cost-effective approach for identifying variants in coding regions. However, recognizing the relevant single nucleotide variants, small insertions and deletions remains a challenge for many researchers and diagnostic laboratories typically do not have access to the bioinformatic analysis pipelines necessary for clinical application. The Atlas2 suite, recently released by Baylor Genome Center, is designed to be widely accessible, runs on desktop computers but is scalable to computational clusters, and performs comparably with other popular variant callers. Atlas2 may be an accessible alternative for data processing when a rapid solution for variant calling is required.
Modeling regulatory sites with higher order position-dependent weight matrices

Identification of regulatory signals in DNA depends on the nature and quality of the patterns of representative sequences. These patterns are constructed from training sets of sequences by means of probabilistic models that either assume independence between positions or that suffer from considerable computational complexity. We have developed and tested higher order models that account for significant dependent position pairs or triads, thereby capturing position-dependent information hidden in DNA binding sites. We have evaluated our algorithm on several data sets, including eukaryotic and bacterial transcription factor binding sites and shown that the scores from the higher order representation of binding sites have significant positive correlation to the binding affinity scores.