cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Somatic Hypermutation in the JH4 intron of Germinal Center B cells from Mouse Peyer's Patches

Within the germinal centers of lymphoid organs, mature B cells alter their expressed immunoglobulin (Ig) by introducing untemplated mutations into the variable coding exons of the Ig heavy and light chain gene loci. This process of somatic hypermutation (SHM) requires the enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), which converts deoxycytidines (C), into deoxyuridines (U). Processing the AID-generated U:G mismatches into mutations by the base excision and mismatch repair pathways introduces new Ig coding sequences that may produce a higher affinity Ig. Mutations in AID or DNA repair genes can block or significantly alter the types of mutations observed in the Ig loci. We describe a protocol to quantify JH4 intron mutations that uses fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), PCR, and Sanger sequencing. Although this assay does not directly measure Ig affinity maturation, it is indicative of mutations in Ig variable coding sequences. Additionally, these methods utilize common molecular biology techniques which analyze mutations in Ig sequences of multiple B cell clones. Thus, this assay is an invaluable tool in the study of SHM and Ig diversification.
Association of THC Content and Price in Herbal Cannabis Products by Dispensaries in California

Eighty percent of medicinal cannabis users are pain patients. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a main component of cannabis, reduces neuropathic pain at low potency ( 15% THC) dominate the legal U.S. cannabis market, medical and recreational. Even though demand could be a reason for this, financial gain could also play a role. We hypothesize that there is an association between THC content and price. We tested this hypothesis in CA since this was the first state to legalize medical cannabis in 1996. We randomly selected dispensaries across California, screened for a web presence, and noted product menu, THC content for herbal products, CBD content, price, type of product (flower or preroll), and chemovar (Sativa, Indica or Hybrid). We observed that more potent products (>15% THC) were more prevalent and more expensive than low potency (
Application of a rabbit-elastase aneurysm model for preliminary histology assessment of the PPODA-QT liquid embolic.

Background PPODA-QT is a novel liquid embolic under development for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms. We sought to test the rabbit-elastase aneurysm model to evaluate the tissue response following PPODA-QT embolization. Methods Experimental elastase-induced aneurysms were created in fourteen New Zealand White Rabbits. Eight animals were used for aneurysm model and endovascular embolization technique development. Six PPODA-QT-treated animals were enrolled in the study. Control and aneurysm tissues were harvested at acute (n = 2), 1-month (n = 2), and 3-month (n = 2) timepoints and the tissues were prepared for histology assessment. Results All fourteen rabbit-elastase aneurysms resulted in small and medium aneurysm heights (<10 mm dome height) with highly variable neck morphologies, small midline dome diameters, and beyond-wide dome-to-neck (d: n) ratios. Histological evaluation of four aneurysms, treated with PPODA-QT, demonstrated reorganization of aneurysm wall elastin into a smooth muscle layer, and observed as early as the 1-month survival timepoint. At the aneurysm neck, a homogenous neointimal layer (200-300 μm) formed at the PPODA-QT interface, sealing off the parent vessel from the aneurysm dome. No adverse immune response was evident at 1- and 3-month survival timepoints. Conclusion PPODA-QT successfully embolized the treated aneurysms. Following PPODA-QT embolization, neointimal tissue growth and remodeling were noted with minimal immunological response. The experimental aneurysms created in rabbits were uniformly small with inconsistent neck morphology. Further testing of PPODA-QT will be conducted in larger aneurysm models for device delivery optimization and aneurysm healing assessment before human clinical investigation.
Rights Versus Duties

The question asked is why more cannot be done, why more is not done, to encourage a sense of citizen obligation in the United States, to accompany and balance the strong urge evidenced by all elements of the populace to demand their rights. Why cannot we Americans be more considerate of the rights of others and more willing to sacrifice for the good of the country, instead of concentrating, as we do, on the self-interested pursuit of personal and group advantage? This is the question posed to me. In responding, I propose to begin at the beginning.
American Labour's Longue Durée : Class Conflicts (and the lack of them) in Cincinnati

Recent work in united states labour history casts a curious shadow over the middle decades of the 19th century. Studies of New York, Philadel phia, and Lynn, to make the most prominent examples, indicate the forma tion of a working class and attendant class culture already by the 1830s. But at least two problems remain in characterizing and assigning significance to these developments in national (even national urban) terms. First, the con nections between local events seem muted and intrinsically weak. Secondly, a period of disintegration, at least in terms of organizational and political expression in the 1840s and 1850s, makes problematic the connections be tween the pioneering initiatives of the 1820s and 1830s and the post-war labour movement reaching out from the skilled trades to the factory working class. Implicitly acknowledging the problem, most studies have confined themselves to one side or other of the Civil War divide. But what works well for research purposes retards our explanatory pow ers. The connections?and contrasts?between workers under commercial capitalism and early and late factory industrialization are left unspoken. The distinctions in worker ideology and language?especially the changing mean ing of "republican" articles of faith?are likewise difficult to discern. Fi nally, and perhaps most importantly, the Civil War itself continues to stand "outside" of labour history, even as its significance to workers and their communities is reflexively acknowledged. No one work, and certainly no single community study, can make up all this ground in one swoop. Thankfully, however, the most impressive ef
The Exocytic Pathway and Development

The development of a multicellular organism is mosdy controlled at the transcriptional level but it has also been shown to require the transport of membrane and proteins through the exocytic pathway to the plasma membrane and the extracellular medium. As they are transported in the different compartments making up this pathway, newly synthesized proteins are modified and dispatched to their final destinations. In this chapter, we will first outline how mutations in genes encoding key proteins of this pathway, such as components of the COPII coat, tethers, components of the SNARE machinery, glycosylation enzymes, etc, lead to severe developmental defects. In the second part, we will describe how specific steps of epithelial development, such as epithelial cell formation, establishment of polarity, junction formation and morphogen secretion, are controlled or regulated by the exocytic machinery.
Safe Code – It’s Not Just for Applets Anymore

Despite numerous “trusted systems” initiatives, current systems software continues to be riddled with errors. The recent “Slammer Worm” incident shows that an adversary exploiting just one such error (a “buffer overrun”) can cause tens of thousands of hosts to fail around the world in just minutes. Even more suprisingly, for this particular vulnerability there had been a patch available more than six months earlier, and yet even many of the OS manufacturer’s (Microsoft’s) own computers succumbed to the attack.
Probing Lyα Absorbers in Cosmological Simulations with Double Lines of Sight

We perform a double-line-of-sight (DLOS) analysis of the Lyα forest structures that form and evolve in cosmological N-body/hydrodynamic simulations. Pairs of simulated spectra, extracted from lines of sight separated by distances from D = 12.5 kpc up to D = 800 kpc, and a "control sample" of unrelated lines of sight, are analyzed at redshifts z = 3, 2, and 1. Coincident line samples are defined for H I column density thresholds Nco = 1012.5, 1013, and 1014 cm-2. We find the following: (1) Under the assumption of a single structure size, a Bayesian analysis yields sizes that are larger for smaller Nco, and at fixed Nco the size decreases with decreasing redshift. However, these derived sizes are found to increase with increasing D, indicating that the assumption of a single structure size is invalid. (2) The column densities of coincident pairs are highly correlated for small D, with increasing scatter as D is increased, consistent with structures that have a centrally peaked NH that decreases gradually with radius. (3) The velocity difference distribution for coincident lines is very narrow for small D and widens as D is increased to meet the expectation for chance coincidences in unrelated lines of sight. This behavior is indicative of organized motion within the structures. (4) For small D, the distribution of anticoincident line column densities, Nac, falls steeply as Nac increases from the cutoff value but has a significant tail at large values, which is inconsistent with a population of spherical absorbers with sharp edges and consistent with a flattened geometry. The conclusions reached on the basis of the DLOS analysis are validated by an examination of the three-dimensional structures and velocity flows in the simulation data.
The Involvement of Ribonuclease I, Ribonuclease II, and Polynucleotide Phosphorylase in the Degradation of Stable Ribonucleic Acid during Carbon Starvation in Escherichia coli

Abstract Using Escherichia coli mutants, some of them lacking in ribonuclease I (RNase I, EC 2.7.7.17) and others containing various combinations of modified and unmodified ribonuclease II (RNase II, EC 3.1.4.1) and polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase, EC 2.7.7.8), it was possible to show that the three enzymes RNase I, RNase II, and PNPase participate in the degradation of stable RNA during carbon starvation.
Neurologic manifestations of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma

Abstract Purpose of review: Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma is a rare subtype of large B-cell lymphoma that affects various organs including the nervous system. The diagnosis is challenging and frequently made at autopsy. Recent findings: We report 5 cases with an array of neurologic manifestations. All patients were initially evaluated for alternative diagnoses. Three patients were diagnosed at autopsy, one with brain biopsy, and another with muscle biopsy. Muscle was involved in all 3 patients who had muscle tissue available for analysis. Summary: Our observations suggest that random open muscle biopsy may present a high-yield, less invasive option for the diagnosis of this disorder.
Towards DNA Sequencing Chips

DNA sequencing is an important technology for the determination of the sequences of nucleotides that make up a given DNA fragment. In view of the limitations of current sequencing technology, it would be advantageous to have a DNA sequencing method that provides the sequences of long DNA fragments and is amenable to automation. Sequencing by Hybridization (SBH) is a challenging alternative to the classical sequencing methods. The basic approach is to build an array (Sequencing Chip) of short DNA fragments of lenght l and to use biochemical methods for finding all substrings of lenght l of an unknown DNA fragment. Combinatorial algorithms are then used to reconstruct the sequence of the fragment from the l-tuple composition. In this article we review biochemical, mathematical, and technological aspects of SBH and present a new sequencing chip design which might allow significant chip miniaturization without loss of the resolution of the method.
Human Nervous System, Noninvasive Coupling of Electronically Generated Data into

The tongue display unit (TDU) is a practical technology for coupling machine-generated data into the human nervous system. Through the TDU, a human user experiences what the machine captures by direct perception. It is an enabling technology through which the human literally becomes “one with the machine,” as if the machine were another appendage of the body. Unlike conventional human-machine interface (HMI) analog and digital displays, direct coupling to the nervous system is based on unconscious integration and is far faster and more effective than conscious interpretation of data. TDU-based human-machine synergism enables anticipatory behavior derived from the meaning of a data stream, rather than a reactive response to individual data. It provides a means to integrate anticipatory function into manmade processes. Unlike the invasive direct-coupling HMI strategies being investigated by many researchers, this interface requires no surgical implants. The TDU, developed at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, uses electrotactile contact with the tongue. Prototype TDU-based sensory prosthesis have been applied to the restoration of lost senses, such as sight to blind persons and balance to victims of vestibular loss. Earlier vibro- and electrotactile interfaces to various skin areas (abdomen, finger, forehead, back) have also been used with artificial sensors for vision substitution and to restore the lost sense of touch in victims of leprosy. The TDU's potential goes beyond enabling the restoration of lost senses. Decades of experience in sensory substitution suggest that the brain can abstract meaning from many different forms of data passing through the TDU, implying that it can enable subjects to directly experience processes that would otherwise be outside the range of human sensibilities. For example, using this interface to monitor a large computer network, an administrator may be able to unconsciously abstract meaning from data flows, and to sense problems in the network “by feel.” In other words, the TDU provides a practical means of creating artificial senses. This development has many potential broad impacts. First, it heralds a new and highly significant type of relationship between human and machine; they become one. Second, it enables a level of process monitoring that is unavailable through any other technology, enabling dramatic improvements in the quality, safety, and reliability of practically any industrial or commercial processes. Third, it provides a novel strategy for solving many of the most perplexing problems in the information technology industry. Keywords: tongue; sense; blind; vestibular; electrotactile; prosthesis; prosthetic; human-machine interface; perception; unconscious integration
Polyimidines, 7. Synthesis and the polymerization of 3‐(p‐Aminophenyl)‐3‐phenylphthalide

A new monomer for the preparation for polyimidines has been synthesized from 3,3-diphenylphthalide. The starting material can be mononitrated on one of the pendant phenyl groups by the use of acetyl nitrate or nitronium tetrafluoroborate. The resulting nitrophthalide is then reduced to the amine with hydrogen over PtO2 or with ammonium sulfide with overall yields of 85–90%. 3-(p-Aminophenyl)-3-phenylphthalide then can undergo self-condensation to provide a new polyimidine with a rigid backbone structure which may be a candidate for liquid crystal formation. The condensation can take place at temperatures of 180–350°C, either in polyphosphoric acid or nitrobenzene as solvents, or without solvent in a sealed tube. The yield from the polymerization is as high as 89% and inherent viscosities range up to 0,19 dl/g. Thermal stabilities in air and nitrogen are as high as 520 and 565°C, respectively; however a significant difference occurs in thermal stability for different methods of synthesis. All polymers were soluble in chloroform, dimethylformamide and other organic solvents.
Studies on the mechanism of scatter factor. Effects of agents that modulate intracellular signal transduction, macromolecule synthesis and cytoskeleton assembly.

Scatter factor (SF) is a cytokine that causes cohesive epithelial colonies to ‘scatter’ into isolated cells and stimulates epithelial cell migration. To investigate SF9s mechanism(s), we screened agents that modulate various intracellular processes for effects on scattering of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Selected agents were studied in quantitative migration assays using microcarrier beads. Agents that activate the adenylate cyclase (AC) pathway caused mild to moderate inhibition of scattering and migration, while modulators of Ca2+/calmodulin pathways had little effect on scattering. In contrast, phorbol esters (PMA, PDD) and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors (staurosporine, H-7, 7,8-dihydroxychlorpromazine) markedly enhanced and accelerated scattering; PMA and staurosporine also stimulated migration. Diacylglycerol analogues (e.g. diC8), naphthalenesulfonamide PKC activators (SC-9, SC-10) and inactive phorbol esters (e.g. 4a-PDD) did not potentiate scattering, while PKC depletion by 48 h pre-incubation with PMA markedly stimulated scattering. Thus, PMA-enhanced scattering may be related to down-modulation of PKC. Scattering was blocked by inhibitors of protein and RNA but not DNA synthesis; SF- and agent-stimulated migration were ablated by cycloheximide. Scattering and migration were inhibited by an anti-microfilament (cytochalasin B) but not anti-microtubule (e.g. colcemid) agents. These findings suggest that SF-induced epithelial mobility may be mediated, in part, by protein synthesis, alterations in protein phosphorylation (?inhibition of PKC), and actin filament reorganization. They indicate directions for further studies.
Abstract 11297: Chronic PPAR-γ Stimulation with Pioglitazone Increases Expression of Mitochondrial Antioxidants in Chronically Ischemic Pig Hearts

Background: We hypothesized that chronic administration of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ agent pioglitazone (PIO) would increase the expression of mitochondrial anti-oxidant proteins within chronically ischemic heart tissue. Methods: Eighteen pigs underwent a thoracotomy with placement of a fixed constrictor around the LAD artery. At 8-weeks post-instrumentation, they were given daily doses of either PIO (3 mg/kg) or placebo in the chow for 4 weeks. Regional function by ECHO was measured at baseline and regional blood flows by μspheres were determined at baseline and during high-dose dobutamine (40 μg/kg/min). Post-sacrifice, mitochondria from the LAD region of both groups were isolated. Protein expression of PPARγ coactivator (PGC-1α) in nuclear fractions (Western blots) and antioxidant proteins (proteomic analysis with iTRAQ) were compared. Results: In all pigs, baseline regional wall thickening (%) was lower in the LAD versus Remote region (42±5% vs 58±5%; P<0.05). LAD blood fl...
Gems at the galactic cosmic-ray source

Galactic cosmic rays probably predominantly originate from shock-accelerated gas and dust in superbubbles. It is usually assumed that the shock-accelerated dust is quickly destroyed by sputtering. However, it may be that some of the dust can survive bombardment by the high-metallicity gas in the superbubble interior, and that some of that dust has been incorporated into solar system materials. Interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) contain enigmatic submicron components called GEMS (Glass with Embedded Metal and Sulfides). These GEMS have properties that closely match those expected of a population of surviving shock-accelerated dust at the GCR source (Westphal and Bradley in Astrophys. J. 617:1131, 2004). In order to test the hypothesis that GEMS are synthesized from shock-accelerated dust in superbubbles, we plan to measure the relative abundances of Fe, Zr, and Mo isotopes in GEMS using the new Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometer at Argonne National Laboratory. If GEMS are synthesized from shock-accelerated dust in superbubbles, they should exhibit isotopic anomalies in Fe, Zr and Mo: specificially, enhancements in the r-only isotopes 96Zr and 100Mo, and separately in 58Fe, should be observed. We review also recent developments in observations of GEMS, laboratory synthesis of GEMS-like materials, and implications of observations of GEMS-like materials in Stardust samples.
Smaller may not be better if you cut corners.

Key points 5-Fr transradial sheathless guide technique using a 4-Fr mother–child technique can be accomplished with excellent clinical success An enhanced risk for local traumatic injury to the radial artery was observed that may stem from the imperfect transition and taper between catheters, or friction inherent in the catheter surface design, that technologic advances may be able to address in the future If larger sheath technology is not feasible, this sheathless approach presents an option whether the risk/benefits appear favorable despite the potential from radial artery trauma
Cognitive and behavioral models of assertive behavior: Review, analysis and integration

Abstract Prevailing cognitive and behavioral models for understanding assertive behavior are reviewed. The primary assumptions of the behavioral model regarding the causes of assertive and nonassertive behavior are described, relevant supporting research is examined, and the assumptions are critiqued. Because of the relative newness of cognitive formulations, assumptions implied by the cognitive model are examined after a review of the major empirical studies. An attempt is made to integrate the cognitive and behavioral models in a way that considers both situation-specific and person-specific sources of variation in assertive behavior. Implications of this hybrid model for research on assertive behavior are discussed.
Calcium uptake and release by dividing sea urchin eggs.

Abstract During early cleavage stages the sea urchin egg, when supplied with 45 Ca in the sea water shows distinct peaks of activity representing uptake and release of the 45 Ca. Three distinct peaks corresponding with prophase, metaphase and 50% cleavage, were observed during each division cycle. The 45 Ca inside the cells appeared to be free and capable of efflux when exogenous 40 Ca was supplied. The observed 45 Ca peaks were discussed in relation to ( a ) viscosity changes in egg cytoplasm; ( b ) formation of the mitotic apparatus; ( c ) regional membrane contraction and relaxation; ( d ) cyclic changes in membrane permeability; ( e ) cofactor requirements.
Masking of near-threshold flashes by brief electrical pulses to the optic tract of the cat

Abstract A brief electrical pulses delivered bilaterally to the optic tracts evoked a response at the LGN and striate cortex several times larger than that evoked by a brief near-threshold visual stimulus. The electrical pulse could raise the detection threshold about 0.3 log units if it occurred during the first 60 msec of the visually evoked response. If it occurred before or after the early components of the visually evoked response, visual detection was unaffected. This indicates that visual detection in the cat is most dependent on the integrity of the early components of the visually evoked activity. After just a small amount of practice the electrical stimulus ceased to have an effect on the visual threshold. It is concluded that this is due to the protective form in which a visual signal is transmitted and due to the unique characteristics of the activity evoked by the OT stimulus. The ‘signal’ or ‘noise’ within the visual system cannot be quantified by simply counting spike potentials within a certain time frame but must be dependent on some specific spatial or temporal organization of the evoked activity.
Structural inhomogeneity and crystallization behavior of aerosol-reacted MgAl2O4 powders

Abstract The preparation of MgAl 2 O 4 spinel powder by an aerosol method, using nitrate solutions as precursors, has been studied. Partial separation of MgO on the surface of aerosolized powders was observed. Post heat treatment at temperatures up to 1000°C could not restore the chemical homogeneity completely. The segregation of MgO influenced the formation of MgAl 2 O 4 by lowering the crystallization temperature of the MgO-deficient spinel solid solution. The segregation phenomenon was eliminated by the addition of glycerol.
Monkey trabecular meshwork cells in culture: Growth, morphologic, and biochemical characteristics

We established tissue cultures of trabecular meshwork cells from cynomolgus monkey eyes. The cultures were initiated within 4 h of enucleation on Falcon Primaria flasks. Using medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum and 5% calf serum, trabecular meshwork cells could be grown for up to eight passages without additional growth factors. The growth pattern and cell morphology were distinct from those seen in fibroblastic or endothelial cultures derived from neighboring tissues. Ultrastructurally, our cells showed the characteristics of trabecular meshwork cells, exhibiting prominent basement membranes, intercellular junctions, pinocytotic vesicles, microvillous projections, and branched cell extensions. These cells were grown mostly as monolayers. However, they also appeared to form multi-layered arrays in densely confluent areas when plated at a high density. The extracellular matrix material was surrounded by cells and cell processes, simulating in vivo trabecular beam formation. Radiolabeling experiments demonstrated that our trabecular meshwork cells had the capacity to produce collagen. These results indicated that our cultured cells retain many in vivo characteristics and may be used for various biologic studies of trabecular meshwork.
Social influence and perceived organizational support: A social networks analysis

Abstract We suggest that employees’ perceptions of organizational support (POS) are not solely a product of independent evaluations of treatment offered by the organization, but are also shaped by the social context. We argue that coworkers will directly (through inquiry via cohesive friendship and advice ties) and indirectly (through monitoring of employees structurally equivalent in advice and friendship networks) affect employees’ perceived organizational support. Network studies in the admissions department of a large public university and a private company specializing in food and animal safety products indicate that employees’ POS are similar to those of coworkers with whom they maintain advice relationships as well as to those who hold structurally equivalent positions in organizational friendship and advice networks. Our work contributes to organizational support theory by developing and testing a theoretical explanation for the relationship between the social context and perceptions of support among employees. Implications for research and practice are offered.
The Emerging Narrative Approach to Counseling and Psychotherapy

Abstract An important recent development within the field of counseling and psychotherapy is the emergence of narrative perspectives on theory and practice. In the narrative approach to counseling, the task of the counselor is viewed as that of assisting the client to “re-author” parts of his or her life-story. The origins of this approach within psychology and other social sciences are discussed, and the central elements of the narrative approach to counseling and psychotherapy are identified. A case-study illustrates some of these elements.
The synthesis of cholesterol‐2,2,4,4,6‐d5

Cholesterol-3,4-d2 and -2,2,4,4,6-d5 have been synthesized from Δ4 - cholestene-3-one for use as mass spectrometric stable isotope internal standards. Conversion of Δ4 >-cholesten-3-one to the enol acetate followed by reduction with sodium borodeuteride in a deuterated solvent yielded cholesterol-3,4-d2. Similarly Δ4-cholesten-3-one-2,2,4,6,6-d5 obtained by base-catalyzed exchange of Δ4-cholesten-3-one in ethanol-O-d1 was converted to the enol acetate, followed by reduction with sodium borohydride in a deuterated medium to give cholesterol-2,2,4,4,6-d5.
Apical Polarity of N-CAM and EMMPRIN in Retinal Pigment Epithelium Resulting from Suppression of Basolateral Signal Recognition

Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells apically polarize proteins that are basolateral in other epithelia. This reversal may be generated by the association of RPE with photoreceptors and the interphotoreceptor matrix, postnatal expansion of the RPE apical surface, and/or changes in RPE sorting machinery. We compared two proteins exhibiting reversed, apical polarities in RPE cells, neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM; 140-kD isoform) and extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), with the cognate apical marker, p75-neurotrophin receptor (p75-NTR). N-CAM and p75-NTR were apically localized from birth to adulthood, contrasting with a basolateral to apical switch of EMMPRIN in developing postnatal rat RPE. Morphometric analysis demonstrated that this switch cannot be attributed to expansion of the apical surface of maturing RPE because the basolateral membrane expanded proportionally, maintaining a 3:1 apical/basolateral ratio. Kinetic analysis of polarized surface delivery in MDCK and RPE-J cells showed that EMMPRIN has a basolateral signal in its cytoplasmic tail recognized by both cell lines. In contrast, the basolateral signal of N-CAM is recognized by MDCK cells but not RPE-J cells. Deletion of N-CAM's basolateral signal did not prevent its apical localization in vivo. The data demonstrate that the apical polarity of EMMPRIN and N-CAM in mature RPE results from suppressed decoding of specific basolateral signals resulting in randomized delivery to the cell surface.
Ambulatory Arrhythmia Monitoring Choosing the Right Device

Remote cardiac telemetry was developed to allow home ECG monitoring of patients with suspected cardiac arrhythmias. It was first introduced by the American biophysicist Norman J. Holter (1914–1983) in the 1940s. The original Holter monitor was a 75-lb backpack with a reel-to-reel FM tape recorder, analog patient interface electronics, and large batteries.1,2 It could record a single ECG lead for several hours and provided the first opportunity to record and analyze ambulatory ECG data outside a standard hospital or outpatient care setting. The clinical need to monitor outpatients has resulted in advances in technology that now allow us to monitor heart rhythms remotely through a wide variety of devices, including ambulatory external monitors, implantable event recorders, pacemakers, and cardioverter-defibrillators. The rapid expansion of ambulatory monitoring technologies affords the clinician the obvious diagnostic advantage of more comprehensive and real-time data. It also presents the challenge of creating systems to handle and pay for this increased information and the potential liability associated with a continuous data stream. This review focuses on the available technology and factors that guide the choice of monitor. Traditionally, ambulatory monitoring has been used to determine the cause of palpitations and syncope and, to a lesser degree, to identify ventricular ectopy or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in patients at potential risk for sudden cardiac death.3 Atrial fibrillation (AF) has become an increasingly important indication for ambulatory monitoring, predominantly as a tool to monitor the efficacy and safety of pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies.4,5 It is also used to identify asymptomatic AF as a potential source of cryptogenic stroke.6,7 Several devices are currently available to remotely assess cardiac rhythm abnormalities in ambulatory patients (Table 1). Devices can record cardiac rhythm continuously or intermittently and can be worn externally or implanted subcutaneously. …
Further Evidence on Foreign Exchange Market Efficiency: An Application of Cointegration Tests

This study extends and expands the body of evidence related to foreign exchange market efficiency by employing the single-equation cointegration test proposed by Phillips and Ouliaris [19], and the Johansen [12] 1991 Full Information Maximum Likelihood procedure for a system of equations. Through the use of these updated techniques and a global data set, the authors are able to more carefully test for the presence of cointegrating relationships and examine the consistency of the results in three trading locations. The results are quite consistent across locations and are highly supportive of efficiency in the global foreign exchange market.
The role of epidemiology in disaster response policy development.

Abstract Purpose Disasters expose the general population and responders to a range of potential contaminants and stressors which may harm physical and mental health. This article addresses the role of epidemiology in informing policies after a disaster to mitigate ongoing exposures, provide care and compensation, and improve preparedness for future disasters. Methods The World Trade Center disaster response is used as a case study. We examine how epidemiologic evidence was used to shape postdisaster policy and identify important gaps in early research. Results In the wake of World Trade Center attacks, epidemiologic research played a key role in identifying and characterizing affected populations, assessing environmental exposures, quantifying physical and mental health impacts, and producing evidence to ascribe causation. However, most studies suffered from methodological challenges, including delays, selection biases, poor exposure measurement, and nonstandardized outcomes. Gaps included measuring unmet health needs and financing coverage, as well as coordination across longitudinal cohorts of studies for rare conditions with long latency, such as cancer. Conclusions Epidemiologists can increase their impact on evidence-based policymaking by ensuring core mechanisms are in place before a disaster to mount monitoring of responders and other affected populations, improve early exposure assessment efforts, identify critical gaps in scientific knowledge, and coordinate communication of scientific findings to policymakers and the public.
Note on generalization in experimental algorithmics

A recurring theme in mathematical software evaluation is the generalization of rankings of algorithms on test problems to build knowledge-based recommender systems for algorithm selection. A key issue is to profile algorithms in terms of the qualitative characteristics of benchmark problems. In this methodological note, we adapt a novel all-pairs algorithm for the profiling task; given performance rankings for m algorithms on n problem instances, each described with p features, identify a (minimal) subset of p that is useful for assessing the selective superiority of an algorithm over another, for all pairs of m algorithms. We show how techniques presented in the mathematical software literature are inadequate for such profiling purposes. In conclusion, we also address various statistical issues underlying the effective application of this technique.
What’s in a Name?: Goeckerman Therapy

Author Contributions: Both authors had full access to all of the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: Cotliar, Frankfurt. Acquisition of data: Both authors. Analysis and interpretation of data: Both authors. Drafting of the manuscript: Both authors. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: Both authors. Administrative, technical, or material support: Both authors. Study supervision: Cotliar.
Signal Transmission Using Underwater Acoustic Vector Transducers

Recent studies show that a vector transducer which measures signal in acoustic particle velocity channels can serve as a compact multichannel communication receiver. In this paper, data transmission via underwater particle velocity channels using a vector transducer is investigated. System and channel equations are derived, and a method for signal modulation in particle velocity channels is proposed. The signal is transmitted with opposite polarities, which makes the received signal the convolution of the transmitted signal and a particle velocity channel response. System performance analysis demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of data transmission using a vector transducer.
Normal children's performance on the McCarthy Scales, Kaufman Assessment Battery, and Peabody Individual Achievement Test.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the McCarthy Scale of Children's Abilities and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children for a sample of 51 normal children. Results ...
On the Mickelsson-Faddeev extension and unitary representations

The Mickelsson-Faddeev extension is a 3-space analogue of a Kac-Moody group, where the central charge is replaced by a space of functions of the gauge potential. This extension is a pullback of a universal extension, where the gauge potentials are replaced by operators in a Schatten ideal, as in non-commutative differential geometry. Our main result is that the universal extension cannot be faithfully represented by unitary operators on a separable Hilbert space. We also examine potential consequences of the existence of unitary representations for the Mickelsson-Faddeev extension.
High-Q, 3kHz Single-Crystal-Silicon Cylindrical Rate-Integrating Gyro (CING)

This paper describes the design, control system and test results of the Single-Crystal-Si (SCS) Cylindrical Rate-Integrating Gyroscope (CING), operating at 3kHz. The CING is a MEMS gyroscope to demonstrate continuous rate-integrating operation, operating over several hours at a time. The sensor is fabricated with the Silicon-On-Glass (SOG) process, calibrated for deep (>300μm), high aspect-ratio (>1:15), and narrow-gap (2μm) Si structures. The sensor has an original Δf of 7Hz, and a nominal damping time (τ 0 ) of 8.7 seconds when modes are matched within 20mHz. It was evaluated in rate- and rate-integrating modes using a hybrid FPGA and software control. The rate-mode angle random walk was 0.09°/√Hr with Allan Variance of 129°/hr and an angular gain of 0.011.
Kramers-Kronig analysis of the absorption change in fiber gratings

We apply a Kramers-Kronig model to several published experimental studies of photosensitivity in Ge-doped silica to calculate the predicted index change (Delta) nKK from the measured change in the absorption spectrum. In most cases (Delta) nKK is close to the measured index change (Delta) nexp. Most of (Delta) nKK arises from absorption changes between 165 and approximately 195 nm. In the few cases where (Delta) nKK is much smaller than (Delta) nexp, the absorption spectrum was not measured below 200 nm, which is probably the reason for the discrepancy. Based on several observations, we also make the hypothesis that in the majority of our study population, color centers are probably responsible for most of the observed absorption change, and thus of the index change.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Cochlear Implantation: Current and Future Device Options

Today most cochlear implant users achieve above 80% on standard speech recognition in quiet testing, and enjoy excellent device reliability. Despite such success, conventional designs often fail to provide the frequency resolution required for complex listening tasks. Furthermore, performance variability remains a vexing problem, with a select group of patients performing poorly despite using the most recent technologies and processing strategies. This article provides a brief history of the development of cochlear implant technologies, reviews current implant systems from all 3 major manufacturers, examines recently devised strategies aimed at improving device performance, and discusses potential future developments.
Nanosecond laser-induced synthesis of nanoparticles with tailorable magneticanisotropy

Abstract Controlling the magnetic orientation of nanoparticles is important for many applications. Recently, it has been shown that single domain ferromagnetic hemispherical Co nanoparticles prepared by nanosecond laser-induced self-organization, show magnetic orientation that was related to the negative sign of the magnetostrictive coefficient λ S [J. Appl. Phys. v103, p073902, 2008]. Here we have extended this work to the Fe 50 Co 50 alloy, which has a positive λ S and Ni, which has a negative λ S . Patterned arrays of ferromagnetic nanoparticles of Fe 50 Co 50 , Ni, (and Co) were synthesized from their ultrathin metal films on SiO 2 substrate by nanosecond laser-induced self-organization. The morphology, nanostructure, and magnetic behavior of the nanoparticle arrays were investigated by a combination of electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and magnetic force microscopy techniques. Transmission electron microscopy investigations revealed a granular polycrystalline nanostructure, with the number of grains inside the nanoparticle increasing with their diameter. Magnetic force measurements showed that the magnetization direction of the hemispherical Co and Ni nanoparticles was predominantly out-of-plane while those for the Fe 50 Co 50 alloy was in the plane of the substrate. Finite element analysis was used to estimate the average residual strain in the nanoparticles, following laser processing. The difference in behavior is due to the dominating influence of magnetostrictive energy on the magnetization as a result of residual thermal strain following fast laser processing. Since λ S is negative for polycrystalline Co and Ni, and positive for Fe 50 Co 50 , the tensile residual strain forces the magnetization direction to out-of-plane and in-plane, respectively. This work demonstrates a cost-effective non-epitaxial technique for the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles with tailored magnetization orientations.
Fast and Slow Oscillations in Human Primary Motor Cortex Predict Oncoming Behaviorally Relevant Cues

Summary Beta oscillations (12–30 Hz) in local field potentials are prevalent in the motor system, yet their functional role within the context of planning a movement is still debated. In this study, a human participant implanted with a multielectrode array in the hand area of primary motor cortex (MI) was instructed to plan a movement using either the second or fourth of five sequentially presented instruction cues. The beta amplitude increased from the start of the trial until the informative (second or fourth) cue, and was diminished afterwards. Moreover, the beta amplitude peaked just prior to each instruction cue and the delta frequency (0.5–1.5 Hz) entrained to the interval between the cues—but only until the informative cue. This result suggests that the beta amplitude and delta phase in MI reflect the subject's engagement with the rhythmically presented cues and work together to enhance sensitivity to predictable and task-relevant visual cues.
Surgical Management of High-Risk Breast Lesions

High-risk lesions of the breast are lesions that confer an increased risk of breast cancer, either because of an increased probability of finding cancer associated with percutaneous biopsy findings or because of an increased probability of developing breast cancer over the long term. Atypical ductal hyperplasia found on percutaneous biopsy is generally excised, whereas lobular neoplasia lesions, including both atypical lobular hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ, may be observed if radiologic and pathologic findings are concordant and there is no other high-risk lesion present.
Late recovery from the minimally conscious state Ethical and policy implications

We consider the ethical and public policy implications of late recovery from the minimally conscious state in light of an Institute of Medicine exploratory meeting convened to discuss current knowledge about disorders of consciousness as well as a recently published study demonstrating axonal regrowth in a patient two decades after traumatic injury. Participants at the meeting (which included the authors) described a lack of research initiatives for basic investigations of patients in these states, the frequent warehousing of patients following a diagnosis of persistent vegetative state that limits their access to appropriate neurologic and diagnostic tests, and the breadth of public confusion about disorders of consciousness. Meeting participants encouraged the Institute to pursue a more formal study to outline both the need for research and the unique opportunities to study consciousness, now available through the use of neuroimaging and related technologies. Areas of initial focus would be to define the epidemiology of the minimally conscious state, elucidate mechanisms of recovery, and identify clinically useful diagnostic and prognostic markers that will aid decision making at the bedside.
On Human Information Processing and Inference Analysis as Large Scale Systems Problems

This paper presents a survey of human information processing and associated inference analysis in decentralized organizations as a large scale systems problem. One purpose of aids for inference analysis is to assist humans in using techniques which allow them to make better use of information. The use of hierarchical systems concepts with structured logical reasoning protocols is discussed and illustrated in this overview paper.
Creating New Languages in Blockly: Two Case Studies in Media Computation and Robotics (Abstract Only)

Introducing programming concepts to children early in their education can be beneficial because the type of problem solving that encompasses computational thinking is becoming increasingly relevant in our daily lives. A relatively new breed of programming environments has emerged to address this need. Visual programming languages (VPLs) allow programming logic to be represented with diagrams that illustrate its execution flow. Popular VPLs (e.g., Scratch, Snap, Alice, App Inventor) exist as full-featured, stand-alone programming environments with diagrammatic representations of the program instructions. This representation removes the syntactical barrier to entry that may exist with textual languages.Blockly, developed by Google, is a type of block language development kit that allows the rapid construction of new block-based visual programming languages to address a specific pedagogical or content focus. This poster provides a brief tutorial on the steps used to create a new Blockly environment, along with two case studies demonstrating the power of Blockly. The two environments introduced are focused on the manipulation of images via operations on pixels (Pixly), and programmatic control of a Sphero robot (Spherly). The construction and specific details of these two environments are described and illustrated with html, xml, and Javascript code examples and some of their potential applications. More information about Pixly and Spherly can be found at: http://outreach.cs.ua.edu/pixly and http://outreach.cs.ua.edu/spherly