cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adapting an Interprofessional Training Model for Social Work Field Placements: An Answer for Better Mental Health Care Outreach for Older Adults in Primary Care

Professional shortages of geriatrically trained social workers pose a barrier to mental health care for older adults. Integrating graduate social work interns into primary care settings may increas...
Spatio-Temporal Model for Silencing of the Mitotic Spindle Assembly Checkpoint

The spindle assembly checkpoint arrests mitotic progression until each kinetochore secures a stable attachment to the spindle. Despite fluctuating noise, this checkpoint remains robust and remarkably sensitive to even a single unattached kinetochore among many attached kinetochores; moreover, the checkpoint is silenced only after the final kinetochore-spindle attachment. Experimental observations showed that checkpoint components stream from attached kinetochores along microtubules toward spindle poles. Here, we incorporate this streaming behavior into a theoretical model that accounts for the robustness of checkpoint silencing. Poleward streams are integrated at spindle poles, but are diverted by any unattached kinetochore; consequently, accumulation of checkpoint components at spindle poles increases markedly only when every kinetochore is properly attached. This step-change robustly triggers checkpoint silencing after, and only after, the final kinetochore-spindle attachment. Our model offers a conceptual framework that highlights the role of spatiotemporal regulation in mitotic spindle checkpoint signaling and fidelity of chromosome segregation.
Extracting bus transit boarding stop information using smart card transaction data

The smart card-based automated fare collection (AFC) system has become the main method for collecting urban bus and rail transit fares in many cities worldwide. Such smart card technologies provide new opportunities for transportation data collection since the transaction data obtained through AFC system contains a significant amount of archived information which can be gathered and leveraged to help estimate public transit origin–destination matrices. Boarding location detection is an important step particularly when there is no automatic vehicle location (AVL) system or GPS information in the database in some cases. With the analysis of raw data without AVL information in this paper, an algorithm for trip direction detection is built and the directions for any bus in operation can be confirmed. The transaction interval between each adjacent record will also be analyzed to detect the boarding clusters for all trips in sequence. Boarding stops will then be distributed with the help of route information and operation schedules. Finally, the feasibility and practicality of the methodology are tested using the bus transit smart card data collected in Guangzhou, China.
El Nietzsche de Rafael Gutiérrez-Girardot

espanolSe analizan los textos de Rafael Gutierrez-Girardot sobre F. Nietzsche en torno a la tragedia y el pesimismo. Esta aproximacion se elabora a partir de tres temas: estilo, nihilismo y estetica. Se argumenta que la interpretacion de Gutierrez-Girardot sobreNietzsche impide que este sea visto solo como un critico literario. Asimismo, este trabajo brinda el tono a la escritura de Rafael Gutierrez Girardot y, de este modo, configura su estilo personal. EnglishThe article analyzes Rafael Gutierrez-Girardot’s texts on F. Nietzsche’s reflections regarding tragedy and pessimism, on the basis of three topics: style, nihilism, and aesthetics. It argues that Gutierrez-Girardot’s interpretation of Nietzsche proves that the former is not merely a literary critic, and that those texts shape the tone and personal style of Gutierrez Girardot’s writing
Bioequivalence and Therapeutic Equivalence of Generic and Brand Bupropion in Adults With Major Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Controversy persists about bupropion XL 300 mg generic equivalence to brand product. A prospective, randomized, double-blinded crossover in 70 adults with major depression in stable remission taking any bupropion XL 300 mg tested bioequivalence and therapeutic equivalence of available XL 300 mg products. After a 4-week lead-in on patients' existing bupropion, four 6-week phases evaluated brand and three generics. Patients were uninformed of switching. Drug overencapsulation ensured blinding. There were no differences between any generic and brand, or between generics, in peak plasma concentration (Cmax ) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve over the 24-hour dosing interval (AUC0-24 ) for racemic bupropion or major metabolites. All generics met formal bioequivalence criteria for bupropion and metabolites. There were no differences between generics and brand, or between generics, in depression symptoms or side effects, assessed by every 3-week in-person interview and daily smartphone-based self-report. There were no differences in patients' perceptions of bupropion products. Results show three bupropion XL 300 mg generic products are both bioequivalent and not therapeutically different from brand drug and each other.
(Re)defining the First Mark of Development: Lebanese Feminist Discourse in Al-Raida, 1976–1985

This article is a feminist history of Al-Raida , a Lebanese feminist journal launched in 1976 by the Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World at the Lebanese American University. The article outlines the journal’s role in the foundation of modern Lebanese feminist discourse, and in particular traces the dominant strand of discourse on development during the journal’s first decade. By situating this strand within both dominant and local historical contexts, the article analyzes the ways in which the journal positioned arguments for development, presented research studies, and employed methodologies in order to forge solutions to Arab women’s issues while maintaining international visibility through the use of normative and transnational language.
Prognostic significance of sentinel lymph node biopsies (SLNB) in melanoma.

e20029 Background: The risk of lymph node involvement for cutaneous melanoma increases with tumor thickness - 5% for Breslow thickness ≤1mm and 34% for T4 or ulcerated lesions. SLNB is standard of ...
Review of Combinational Logic Circuits

Logic gates are the essential elements of digital design, and ultimately constitute the building blocks for digital systems. A good understanding in designing complex logic blocks from primitive logic gates and mastering the design tools and techniques that need to be incorporated in the design process is a requirement for the reader before moving on to the details of computer architecture and design.
Varying Allocation Formulas to Identify Discipline-Specific Serials Budgets

This article describes Western Kentucky University Library’s process for reallocating their serials budget, including the rationale behind using a formula and the selection of formula inputs. The a...
The One Voice in Foreign Relations Law and the Future of Federal Common Law

For most of the past century, those who followed foreign relations law believed that federal law, including that made by the federal courts in the absence of legislation and treaties, should govern the field. Anything else would burden political and economic ties with the rest of the world and stymie efforts to adapt the law to a rapidly changing international environment. Only in the last two decades has a revisionist perspective emerged, one that sees federal judicial lawmaking as more of a threat to, than a solvent for, successful foreign relations. Both the Supreme Court and the American Law Institute’s new Restatement (Fourth) of the Foreign Relations Law of the United States shows the influence of this revisionism, but many lower courts and the majority of legal academics continue to believe that one voice requires judicial control. This article examines the underappreciated shortcomings of a federal common law of foreign relations and defends further limits on that project.
Investigation of the structure and propagation speeds of n-heptane cool flames

Abstract Low temperature combustion of n-heptane was investigated through an experimental and numerical study of laminar cool flame structure and propagation speeds. Lean and stoichiometric n-heptane cool flames of equivalence ratios 0.4–1.0 were stabilized using a Hencken burner at sub-atmospheric pressures. Characterization of cool flame lift-off heights in burner-stabilized and freely propagating regimes was performed using broadband chemiluminescence and formaldehyde planar laser-induced fluorescence (CH2O PLIF), and the adiabatic cool flame propagation speed was estimated at the intersection of these two regimes. Temperature measurements of cool flames were performed and temperature profiles were employed in fixed temperature numerical simulations. Reduction of a chemical kinetics model was conducted using the Directed Relation Graph method along with reaction rate sensitivity analysis, and a reduced model covering the range of experimentally investigated equivalence ratios was achieved. The resultant propagation speeds from freely propagating flame simulations using the reduced model were compared with experimentally measured values. Additionally, CH2O PLIF intensity profiles over a range of reactant flow rates were compared to assess flame structures in freely propagating and burner-stabilized regimes. Finally, mole concentrations of major species at quasi-equilibrium conditions downstream of the flame were compared to numerical simulations using the full and reduced models, and reasonable agreement between the experiments and simulations was observed.
Real Effects of Tax Audits: Evidence from Firms Randomly Selected for IRS Examination

Tax audits are a necessary component of the tax system but have potentially adverse real effects on firms selected for audit. This paper examines the real effects on small firms of being subjected to a tax audit, using administrative data from both random and nonrandom tax audits. We find that audited firms are less likely to continue as going concerns following the audit. However, we find that the effect is almost entirely isolated to firms that underreported their tax liability. We find little evidence that the administrative costs of an audit are associated with ceasing to operate. Among audited firms that continue as going concerns, we find evidence of adverse real effects on future revenues but no evidence of effects on wages, employment, or investment. Finally, we consider whether tax audits could also have side-benefits and find that in certain cases tax audits help firms learn and make important changes.
Implementation of standardized color-coded isolation signs at a teaching hospital and their effect on compliance with isolation precautions

Issue In an effort to increase knowledge regarding infection prevention and compliance with isolation precautions among our staff in a 722 bed tertiary referral teaching hospital, we created a standardized color-coded isolation signs. Project Different versions of isolation precaution signs existed at our institution. Concerns in regards to these signs included being in a neutral color and easily overlooked, providing insufficient information regarding isolated pathogen, ignoring appropriate isolation garb, and technique required for performing hand hygiene. This led to the creation of a standardized signage throughout the institution. Signs were color-coded, with each color representing a common pathogen requiring isolation. Such a system allowed us to maintain patient confidentiality. Pocket references explaining the coding system, as well as cards that would adhere to personal identification badges were provided to care providers. the reason for isolation. Staff was no longer required to reference the patients chart to discern the reason for isolation, which saved time. Housekeeping could immediately discern appropriate needs in cleaning and disinfection. Our rate of compliance with isolation precautions was maintained in the ninetieth percentile. A Lesson Learned: Communication and cooperation amongst healthcare workers were essential keys in problem solving and served to increase both staff and patient safety and increase the knowledge and comfort level with the infection control practices and guidelines. The process was driven by frontline care providers and, as such, led to immediate uptake and likely improved adherence.
Evidence-Based Women’s Health Physical Therapy Across the Lifespan

The aim of this paper is to review the current evidence for physical therapy (PT) in the treatment of pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) in women throughout the female lifespan. Although trials are small and heterogeneous, there is an increase in evidence to support PT as a safe, effective treatment option for women with PFDs at various life stages. Evidence to support PT interventions for pelvic floor conditions including dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and genitourinary syndrome of menopause are discussed. Clinicians are recommended to consider prevention and wellness strategies to promote pelvic health for women and screen for PFDs for early intervention. At various stages along the lifespan, a woman may be at risk for PFDs, impacting function, and quality of life. Knowledge of the potential risk factors based on a women’s history and life stage to appropriately screen for PFDs may facilitate early intervention. Pelvic health PT is considered to be a low risk, effective treatment option for women with PFDs. Future research is needed to determine longer term outcomes and potential prevention strategies for women on a larger scale.
Estimating hybridization rates in the wild: easier said than done?

Hybridization has important effects on the evolutionary trajectories of natural populations but estimates of this process in the wild and at the individual-level are lacking. Justyn et al. attempted to fill this gap using the citizen science database eBird but there are limitations to this approach. Here, we outline and directly test these limitations using literature searches, case studies, and a comparison between eBird and Birds of North America (BNA), a database that documents hybridization using the scientific literature. We use a hybrid zone between Lazuli and Indigo buntings to highlight the importance of considering geographic range when estimating rates of hybridization and two literature searches to show the importance of considering cryptic hybrids (those that cannot be identified using phenotypic traits) when quantifying these rates. We also use BNA and a case study of hybrid White-faced and Glossy Ibises to show that citizen scientists are underreporting hybrids compared with experts. Justyn et al. highlighted an important gap in the literature, but their results likely represent the lower limit of hybridization between birds and a more nuanced interpretation of their results (e.g., considering extrinsic postzygotic selection) is needed.
Attenuating public skepticism: Effects of pre-crisis corporate engagement and post-crisis CSR initiatives on corporate evaluations

Abstract This study examined the effects of stated motives in post-crisis corporate social responsibility (CSR) messages, CSR-crisis issue congruence, and pre-crisis corporate engagement on public skepticism toward CSR and subsequent corporate evaluations. We conducted a 3 (motive of post-crisis CSR initiative: no statement vs. firm-serving vs. public-serving) x 2 (issue congruence: CSR initiative incongruent vs. congruent with crisis) x 2 (pre-crisis corporate engagement: absence vs. presence) between-subjects online experiment via Qualtrics panel (N = 378). The findings showed that stating a public-serving motive or launching a CSR initiative incongruent with a crisis heightened some aspects of CSR skepticism. We further found that pre-crisis corporate engagement interacted with stated motive and issue congruence to influence corporate evaluations. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.
The Emerging Science of Content Labeling: Contextualizing Social Media Content Moderation

There is a toolbox of content moderation options available to online platforms such as labeling, algorithmic sorting, and removal. A content label is a visual and/or textual attachment to a piece of user-generated content intended to contextualize that content for the viewer. Examples of content labels are fact-checks or additional information. At their essence, content labels are simply information about information. If a social media platform decides to label a piece of content, how does the current body of social science inform the labeling practice? Academic research into content labeling is nascent, but growing quickly; researchers have already made strides toward understanding labeling best practices to deal with issues such as misinformation, conspiracy theories, and misleading content that may affect everything from voting to personal health. We set aside normative or ethical questions of labeling practice, and instead focus on surfacing the literature that can inform and contextualize labeling effects and consequences. This review of a kind of “emerging science” summarizes the labeling literature to date, highlights gaps for future research, and discusses important considerations for social media platforms. Specifically, this paper discusses the particulars of content labels, their presentation, and the effects of various label formats and characteristics. The current literature can help guide the usage and improvement of content labels on social media platforms and inform public debate and policy over platform moderation.
Citizenship Status and Prevalence of Diagnosed and Undiagnosed Hypertension and Diabetes Among Adults in the U.S., 2011-2016.

In the U.S., racial and immigrant minorities are at increased risk for hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM), with undiagnosed hypertension and DM notably higher among these groups (1,2). Noncitizen immigrants (e.g., temporary visa status, undocumented) encounter structural barriers to accessing health care as they are ineligible for health insurance, while at the same time they face multiple vulnerabilities (poverty, low wage jobs), which contribute to adverse health outcomes (3,4). Legal status, and specifically citizenship status, has been considered to be a social determinant of health (3). Citizenship status may be a critical driver of cardiovascular disease (CVD) disparities among immigrants, with noncitizens being especially vulnerable compared with either naturalized citizens or native-born citizens. However, differences between prevalence of diagnosed versus undiagnosed hypertension and DM by citizenship status remain unknown among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The primary objective of the current study was to examine this issue. We used serial cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the current study. NHANES uses a complex, stratified, and multistage probability sampling design …
Managing tumor changes during radiotherapy using a deep learning model.

Purpose We propose a treatment planning framework that accounts for weekly lung tumor shrinkage using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images with a deep learning-based model. Methods Sixteen patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were selected with one planning CT and six weekly CBCTs each. A deep learning-based model was applied to predict the weekly deformation of the primary tumor based on the spatial and temporal features extracted from previous weekly CBCTs. Starting from Week 3, the tumor contour at Week N was predicted by the model based on the input from all the previous weeks (1,2…N-1), and was evaluated against the manually contoured tumor using Dice coefficient, precision, average surface distance and Hausdorff distance. Information about the predicted tumor was then entered into the treatment planning system and the plan was re-optimized every week. The objectives were to maximize the dose coverage in the target region while minimizing the toxicity to the surrounding healthy tissue. Dosimetric evaluation of the target and organs at risk (heart, lung, esophagus, spinal cord) was performed on four cases, comparing between a conventional plan (ignoring tumor shrinkage) and the shrinkage-based plan. Results The primary tumor volumes decreased on average by 38% ± 26% during six weeks of treatment. Dice coefficients (DSC) and average surface distance (ASD) between the predicted tumor and the actual tumor for Week 3, 4, 5, 6 were (0.81, 0.82, 0.79, 0.78) and (1.49, 1.59, 1.92, 2.12) mm, respectively, which were significantly superior to the score of (0.70, 0.68, 0.66, and 0.63) and (2.81, 3.22, 3.69, and 3.63) mm between the rigidly transferred tumors ignoring shrinkage and the actual tumor. While target coverage metrics were maintained for the re-optimized plans, lung mean dose dropped by 2.85, 0.46, 2.39, and 1.48 Gy for four sample cases when compared to the original plan. Doses in other organs such as esophagus were also reduced for some cases. Conclusion We developed a deep learning-based model for tumor shrinkage prediction. This model used CBCTs and contours from previous weeks as input and produced reasonable tumor contours with a high prediction accuracy (DSC, precision, HD, ASD). The proposed framework maintained target coverage while reducing dose in the lungs and esophagus.
Non-linear analysis models for Composite Plate Shear Walls-Concrete Filled (C-PSW/CF)

Abstract Composite Plate Shear Walls-Concrete Filled (C-PSW/CF) are a special seismic-force resisting system consisting of steel plates and concrete infill. Composite walls have been occasionally built in the past decades, but their use for seismic application is fairly new and particularly attractive. As a result, there is a need (by researchers as well as practicing engineers) for nonlinear inelastic hysteretic models that can be used in pushover analyses, cyclic analyses, and seismic response analysis of C-PSW/CF and coupled C-PSW/CF. This paper describes two different approaches for modeling C-PSW/CF walls for these purposes. In a first approach, walls are modelled using a fiber-hinge elements (i.e., distributed plasticity model) using model with constitutive equations that account for both buckling and fracture of the steel. In the second approach, the walls are modelled with fiber-hinge elements having effective stress-strain curves derived from results of 3D finite element analyses.
SAWBRID: SmArt WhiteBoard Replacement Interactive Device

The idea of attending a professor’s office hours seems very basic to the average college student. The beginning of each semester brings about a wave of invitations to visit each professor in their office, at the allotted time for the section of their class. Recent developments such as the growing prevalence of texting and email, as well as specific events such as the Covid-19 pandemic have brought the norm away from these in person meetings between students and professors, to the detriment of the students’ education. The SmArt WhiteBoard Replacement Interactive Device (SAWBRID) is an innovative solution composed of an interactive device with a Low-power screen that, through a user friendly mobile application, makes the facilitation of office hours and the student/professor interactions outside of the classroom far more flexible and simple. In whole, the project is centered around the individual professor, their schedule, and how that schedule is communicated. The SAWBRID sits in an accessible casing outside of the professor’s office, relaying information about their schedule, available time slots to be scheduled through the mobile application, and personalized messages. The device is self-updating whenever a change is detected in the professor’s schedule, or when they decide to update their personalized message. The student can access a professor’s schedule through the mobile application and schedule an appointment, which will place their initials in the selected time slot on both the mobile application and the SAWBRID. The professor has a different interface to interact with their SAWBRID from the mobile application giving them more control over their schedule, the personalized messages they want to display and other features. We use security services such as confidentiality and authentication throughout the system to protect user credentials, user data, and to ensure the privacy of the users. Our solution effectiveness and performance are evaluated through power measurements to determine the device’s ability to self-sustain for long periods of time and the ease of use.
Costs and Security in Clouds

Cloud computing has emerged as an important paradigm for deploying services and applications for both enterprises and end-users. In this chapter, we explore two important aspects of cloud computing – costs and security. We aim to answer two questions: (1) Is cloud computing a cost effective endeavor? (2) How much security can we afford in the cloud while maintaining the cost benefits of outsourcing?To answer these questions, we start by looking at the economics of computing in general and clouds in particular. Specifically, we derive the end-to-end cost of a CPU cycle in various environments and show that its cost lies between 0.5 picocents in efficient clouds and nearly 27 picocents for small enterprises (1 picocent = $1 × 10−14), values validated against current cloud pricing. We show that cloud computing makes sense only in scenarios when the clients distance can be offset by a minimal application computation footprint. We then explore the cost of common cryptography primitives as well as the viability of their deployment for cloud security purposes. It turns out that securing outsourced data and computation against untrusted clouds is often costlier than the associated savings, with outsourcing mechanisms up to several orders of magnitudes costlier than their non-outsourced locally run alternatives.
Isolation of RNA.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses various methods of isolating RNA. If the purification of large initial transcripts of RNA or rare RNA intermediates undergoing processing is the goal, protocols that utilize guanidium salts to solubilize tissue and denature proteins, including ribonucleases, are the methods of choice. The preparation of RNA from subcellular fractions requires procedures for gentle disruption of cells and for inhibiting nucleases during subsequent purification of the desired molecules. The cytoplasmic components contained in the supernatant fluids are suitable for analysis of polysomes, enrichment of specific RNAs by immunoisolation of polysomes, isolation of RNA-protein complexes, and purification of cytoplasmic RNAs. The pelleted nuclei are not usually used for the isolation of RNA. The isolation of nuclei or nuclear components is usually carried out to purify nuclear RNAs or RNA processing complexes or for in vitro transcription. The efficiency of cell lysis and the quality of the nuclei can be ascertained by examination of the cell suspension before and after cell lysis in a phase-contrast microscope.
An Analytic Independent Particle Model for Atoms: III. lonization of Rare Gas Atoms by Electrons in the Born Approximation

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an analytic independent particle model for atoms and focuses on the development of the GOS formalism for ionization. The GOS formalism for ionization has many features in common with the GOS formalism for excitation. A comparison in the region of the ionization threshold between the p to s partial wave contribution to the ionization GOS and the appropriately energy-normalized p to s excitation GOS is presented. In addition, the chapter presents the calculational results and shows that as one goes to higher Z atoms the differences between this model and simple hydrogenic results become very substantial. The Bethe continuum surface is shown as series of cuts at constant ejected electron energy and constant momentum transfer. The cross-section differential in both incident electron energy and ejected electron energy, S (E, T), is compared with recent experiments. A cross section can be obtained by integrating out the angular dependence of the GOS. The chapter assesses the current status of work and describes possible future directions. The use of an analytic independent particle model (IPM) potential for obtaining atomic wave functions provides a tractable means of exploring the trends of electron impact ionization cross sections. Furthermore, the analytic potential lends the calculation an adaptability that is not present in calculations using a fixed numerical potential such as the HFS potential.
Computer Organization, A Top-Down Approach

Part 1 The higher level language model: Hill - the higher level language model. Part 2 The assembly language machine: using assembly language numeric representation and computer arithmetic data and control structures. Part 3 The machine language model: the machine language model the assembler and related software. Part 4 The digital language model: logical operations digital circuits memory. Part 5 The integrated system model: the computer as a system input and output. Part 6 Extensions: debuggers, debugging and anti-bugging real arithmetic variations on the Von Neumann model - microprogrammed and RISC machines parallel computation. Appendices.
An efficient architecture solution for low-power real-time background subtraction

Embedded vision is a rapidly growing market with a host of challenging algorithms. Among vision algorithms, Mixture of Gaussian (MoG) background subtraction is a frequently used kernel involving massive computation and communication. Tremendous challenges need to be reolved to provide MoG's high computation and communication demands with minimal power consumption allowing its embedded deployment. This paper proposes a customized architecture for power-efficient realization of MoG background subtraction operating at Full-HD resolution. Our design process benefits from system-level design principles. An SLDL-captured specification (result of high-level explorations) serves as a specification for architecture realization and hand-crafted RTL design. To optimize the architecture, this paper employs a set of optimization techniques including parallelism extraction, algorithm tuning, operation width sizing and deep pipelining. The final MoG implementation consists of 77 pipeline stages operating at 148.5 MHz implemented on a Zynq-7000 SoC. Furthermore, our background subtraction solution is flexible allowing end users to adjust algorithm parameters according to scene complexity. Our results demonstrate a very high efficiency for both indoor and outdoor scenes with 145 mW on-chip power consumption and more than 600× speedup over software execution on ARM Cortex A9 core.
High performance Viterbi decoder for OFDM systems

For systems that deploy conventional convolutional codes, a Viterbi decoder is the best solution, in the maximum likelihood sense, to decode an information sequence. Typically, a Viterbi decoder uses the Euclidean or Hamming distance as a metric. The use of a conventional metric leads to a high performance for systems that are employed for frequency nonselective channels (e.g., additive white Gaussian noise, AWGN, or Rayleigh fading ). However, if the system is based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and the channel has frequency selective multipath fading, then the performance can be further improved. We propose a simple modification to the conventional Viterbi metric (Euclidean distance) that improves the performance substantially if the channel is frequency selective. Simulation results on the IEEE 802.11a wireless local area network (WLAN) standard show that the performance is improved about 10 dB when the proposed metric is used. Furthermore, the proposed metric gives the same high performance as the conventional Viterbi metric if the channel is AWGN or flat fading.
Endometrial hyperplasia producing a syndrome simulating early pregnancy.

Abstract 1. 1. A syndrome is described in which endometrial hyperplasia created such a symptom complex in women of the reproductive age that a diagnosis of pregnancy, either normal or with one of its several complications, was made. 2. 2. The syndrome consisted of normal periods, amenorrhea of one to three months, and menorrhagia. 3. 3. Physical findings usually consisted of uterine bleeding and a slightly enlarged and softened uterus. 4. 4. Microscopic examination revealed hyperplasia of the endometrium. 5. 5. Subsequent pregnancy occurred in thirteen patients.
Inhibition of the Bacillus subtilis Membrane-Bound d-Alanine Carboxypeptidase by 6-Aminopenicillanic Acid Covalently Coupled to Sepharose

An insoluble penicillin derivative, 6-aminopenicillanic acid covalently coupled to Sepharose, was used to investigate the location of the d-alanine carboxypeptidase in the Bacillus subtilis membrane. Only 50% of the enzymatic activity in protoplasts and 74% of that in purified membranes was sensitive, although the purified enzyme could be inhibited completely by the resin. These results suggest that a minimum of 50% of the d-alanine carboxypeptidase exists on the outer face of the bacterial membrane.
Superoxide Dismutase: ORGANELLE SPECIFICITY

Abstract Fresh chicken liver contains two types of superoxide dismutase, one of which is localized in the mitochondria while the other is found in the cytosol. The mitochondrial superoxide dismutase was inactivated by treatment with mixtures of chloroform and ethanol whereas the cytosol superoxide dismutase was not. The cytosol superoxide dismutase was inhibited by cyanide, whereas the mitochondrial enzyme was not. The cytosol superoxide dismutase was purified to homogeneity and was found to contain copper and zinc and to be similar to the other cupro-zinc superoxide dismutases which have been isolated from diverse eukaryotes. In contrast, the superoxide dismutase present in chicken liver mitochondria, when isolated, was found to a manganoprotein which has a molecular weight of 80,000. It is composed of four subunits of equal size, which are not covalently joined. It contains 2.3 atoms of manganese per molecule and is strikingly similar to the superoxide dismutase previously isolated from bacteria (Keele, B. B., Jr., McCord, J. M., and Fridovich, I. (1970) J. Biol. Chem. 245, 6176–6181; Vance, P. G., Keele, B. B., Jr., and Rajagopalan, K. V. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247, 4782–4786). Avimanganin which was isolated from chicken liver mitochondria (Scrutton, M. C. (1971) Biochemistry 10, 3897–3905) appears to be an inactive form of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase. The similarity between the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase and the corresponding enzymes from Escherichia coli and from Streptococcus mutans and the marked dissimilarity to the superoxide dismutase found in the cytosols of eukaryotes lends support to the theory that mitochondria have evolved from aerobic prokaryotes, which entered into an endocellular symbiosis with a protoeukaryote. Chicken liver was not unique in possessing distinct superoxide dismutases in cytosol and in mitochondrial compartments, since the same situation was shown to occur in pig heart. The chicken liver cytosol superoxide dismutase exhibited two peculiar properties. Thus when stored in deep, concentrated solutions it underwent autoreduction to a yellow cuprous form which retained enzymatic activity, and it polymerized to forms which likewise retained activity. Both of these changes were reversible and appeared to be due to reactive sulfhydryl groups which could act as the endogenous reductant and could form intermolecular disulfide bridges. The cytosol superoxide dismutase consisted of a family of electrophoretically distinct forms which could readily be separated on a preparative scale by isoelectric focusing. These multiple forms were indistinguishable in size and in specific activity. The chemical basis of these differences in charge was not explored.
The future of sustainable food production

By the year 2050, the number of people on Earth is expected to increase from the current 6.7 to 9.2 billion. What is the best way to produce enough food to feed all these people? If we continue with current farming practices, vast amounts of wilderness will be lost, millions of birds and billions of insects will die, farm workers will be at increased risk for disease, and the public will lose billions of dollars as a consequence of environmental degradation. Clearly, there must be a better way to resolve the need for increased food production with the desire to minimize its impact.
Alcohol, insulin resistance and the liver-brain axis.

Chronic alcohol exposure inhibits insulin and insulin-like growth factor signaling in the liver and brain by impairing the signaling cascade at multiple levels. These alterations produced by alcohol cause severe hepatic and central nervous system insulin resistance as the cells fail to adequately transmit signals downstream through Erk/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which is needed for DNA synthesis and liver regeneration, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), which promotes growth, survival, cell motility, glucose utilization, plasticity, and energy metabolism. The robust inhibition of insulin signaling in liver and brain is augmented by additional factors involving the activation of phosphatases such as phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN), which further impairs insulin signaling through PI3K/Akt. Thus, intact insulin signaling is important for neuronal survival. Chronic alcohol consumption produces steatohepatitis, which also promotes hepatic insulin resistance, oxidative stress and injury, with the attendant increased generation of “toxic lipids” such as ceramides that increase insulin resistance. The PI3K/Akt signaling cascade is altered by direct interaction with ceramides as well as through PTEN upregulation as a downstream target gene of enhanced p53 transcriptional activity. Cytotoxic ceramides transferred from the liver to the blood can enter the brain due to their lipid-soluble nature, and thereby exert neurodegenerative effects via a liver–brain axis. We postulate that the neurotoxic and neurodegenerative effects of liver-derived ceramides activate pro-inflammatory cytokines and increase lipid adducts and insulin resistance in the brain to impair cognitive and motor function. These observations are discussed in the context of insulin sensitizers as potential cytoprotective agents against liver and brain injury induced by alcohol.
Monoclonal antibodies for rapid detection of viral antigens in shell vials

Diagnosis of Cytomegalovirus Infections and Development of Monocional Antibodies Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common infection that can cause serious disease in infants who have acquired the virus in utero, in patients immunosuppressed for organ transplantation, and in other individuals who receive chemotherapy or high levels of corticosteroids for treatment of neoplastic and other medical processes. Only 4 years ago, the standard method for detecting CMV infection in the laboratory was the inoculation of diploid fibroblast cell cultures in tubes with subsequent identification of typical cytopathic effects that required an average time period of 7 8 days for recognition (3). Immunologic methods for rapid detection of CMV in clinical specimens waned for lack of high quality homotypic antisera that could produce sensitive and specific results and, importantly, be commercially available. Subsequently, two monoclonal antibodies were prepared against an early and a late antigen of the ADI69 strain of CMV by Shuster et al. at the Mayo Clinic. These monoclonal antibodies provided the key to the development of a rapid test for detection of the virus (10). Since 1973, we have used shell vials to diagnose Chlamydia trachomatis infections. This bacterium is .only 3 4 times larger than the CMV virion; nevertheless, centrifugation of the specimen inoculum at low speed (700 x g) has been shown to enhance the rate and ultimate infectivity of this organism and viruses in susceptible cell cultures. Because we wanted to be able to detect CMV as rapidly as possible after inoculation of cell cultures in the laboratory, we used the monoclonal antibody prepared to an early antigen (72,000 d) to assay for the viral components synthesized after 16 hr incubation by the indirect immunofluorescence test (monoclonal antibody available from DuPont Specialty Diagnostics, Wilmington, DE).
Local-moment model of ferromagnetism in metallic compounds

Abstract The concentration dependence of the magnetization of certain transition-metal CsCl-structure compounds is shown to be explicable with a simple localized-moment model.
Stepwise Recruitment of Transcellular and Paracellular Pathways Underlies Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown in Stroke

Brain endothelial cells form a paracellular and transcellular barrier to many blood-borne solutes via tight junctions (TJs) and scarce endocytotic vesicles. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a pivotal role in the healthy and diseased CNS. BBB damage after ischemic stroke contributes to increased mortality, yet the contributions of paracellular and transcellular mechanisms to this process in vivo are unknown. We have created a transgenic mouse strain whose endothelial TJs are labeled with eGFP and have imaged dynamic TJ changes and fluorescent tracer leakage across the BBB in vivo, using two-photon microscopy in the t-MCAO stroke model. Although barrier function is impaired as early as 6 hr after stroke, TJs display profound structural defects only after 2 days. Conversely, the number of endothelial caveolae and transcytosis rate increase as early as 6 hr after stroke. Therefore, stepwise impairment of transcellular followed by paracellular barrier mechanisms accounts for the BBB deficits in stroke.
The potential risk of thrombosis during coronary angiography using nonionic contrast media.

The influence of contrast media on coagulation has an important association with thromboembolic complication during coronary angiography. In this study, whole blood was methodically mixed with nonionic contrast medium, lohexol (IOH), conventional ionic contrast medium, Hypaque-76 (H76), and low osmolar ionic dimer Hexabrix (HB) in vitro. The thrombotic propensity of contrast agents can be evaluated by measuring the clot formation of the mixtures. The experiments were repeated with whole blood after systemic heparinization. In the in vitro study, 5 ml of canine (N = 10) and 3 ml of human (N = 11) whole blood was incubated for 30 min in glass tubes with equal volumes of IOH, H76, HB, and 0.9% NaCl before heparinization. Clot formation with IOH and 0.9% NaCl were seen both in dogs (4.0 ± 0.7 gm and 5.6 ± 0.8 gm) and in patients (1.4 ± 0.9 gm and 2.9 ± 1.3 gm), whereas no clot was seen with H76 or XB. Following heparinization, no clot was visualized in any mixture of whole blood with contrast media or 0.9% NaCl. Similar results were observed in the catheter-syringe system with canine blood (N = 11) mixed with the contrast agents. Blood clots found in 15 min and 30 min of IOH were 0.07 ± 0.08 gm and 0.44 ± 0.20 gm (P < 0.01) and of NaCl were 0.29 ± 0.37 gm and 0.69 ± 0.38 gm (P < 0.01). No clot was present in HB and H76. After heparinization no blood clot was found in any mixtures of the catheter-syringe system. It is concluded that unlike ionic contrast media, nonionic contrast agents appear to have less inhibitory effects on blood clot formation and, thus, it might be associated with a higher risk of thromboembolic complications during coronary angiography. Since heparin inhibits clotting in the presence of nonionic medium, its use is particularly recommended when this medium is to be used in coronary angiography.
Presenting and Publishing Case Reports

The educational value of case reports and the four main categories of information they include are described. Checklists and directions for effective spoken presentations are detailed, so the presenter knows not only the information the audience is likely to expect, but the techniques that will help convey the information. A typical case as it might be presented during rounds is shown with questions for discussion. Guidelines for writing case reports for publication also are included, such as journal selection, descriptions of the standard and nonstandard case formats, the content of the three main sections of the typical case report, and the directions that journal editors typically ask reviewers to follow.
The window of opportunity for treatment of focal cerebral ischemic damage with noninvasive intranasal insulin-like growth factor-I in rats

Intracerebroventricular injection of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I has been shown to protect against stroke in rats. This method of delivery is not practical in human beings, as it requires an operation with risk of infection and other complications. Intranasal (i.n.) delivery offers a noninvasive method of bypassing the blood-brain barrier to deliver IGF-I to the brain. This study delineates the window of opportunity for treatment of focal cerebral ischemic damage using i.n. IGF-I after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Rats were allowed to survive 7 days after 2 hours of MCAO. Infarct volume, apoptosis after 7 days, and neurologic deficit scores from the postural reflex and adhesive tape tests assessing motor-sensory and somatosensory functions, respectively, at 1 to 7 days were used to evaluate the efficacy of i.n. IGF-I (150 microg) administered at different times after MCAO. I.n. IGF-I significantly reduced infarct volume by 54%; and 39%; versus control when administered at 2 or 4 hours, respectively, after the onset of MCAO (P < .05) and improved motor-sensory and somatosensory functions (P < .05) when administered 2 hours after the onset of MCAO. In addition, treatment with i.n. IGF-I at 2, 4, or 6 hours after MCAO decreased apoptotic cell counts by more than 90%; in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the occlusion. I.n. IGF-I is a promising treatment for stroke with a therapeutic window of opportunity for up to 6 hours after the onset of ischemia. This noninvasive method provides a simpler, safer, and potentially more cost-effective method of delivery than other methods currently in use.
901-35 Has Long-term Survival Improved for the Elderly with Acute Myocardial Infarction?

To determine the extent to which new therapies were applied and whether they were associated with improved survival in elderly myocardial infarction patients, we retrospectively reviewed all records of patients from one county treated in a coronary care unit for acute myocardial infarction. All patients were 70 years or older during 1976–78 (n = 57), 1987–1989 (n = 195), 1991 (n = 88). Rates at which the medical technologies were applied, survival rates adjusted for comorbidity, and disease severity were compared for patients aged 70–79 and ≥80. The use of new therapies (reperfusion therapy, heparin. aspirin, nitrates, and beta blockers) increased over time. Likewise, the acute survival significantly improved over the three period; survival to discharge was 74%, 77%, and 92% for patients aged 70–79; 45%, 74%, and 81% for patients ≥80 (P l 0.02 for time period, P l 0.0001 for age). The improvement in acute survival was sustained during long-term follow-up for patients aged 70–79. However, the improvement was not sustained for patients aged g80. We conclude that, contrary to patients in their 70s, octogenarians have experienced short-term but not long-term benefit in survival from the application of new therapies to treat acute myocardial infarction.
Sustainability and Water Quality: Policy Evolution in Wisconsin’s Fox-Wolf River Basin

This article examines efforts to improve water quality in the Fox-Wolf River basin in northeastern Wisconsin. It places the history of these efforts within the context of sustainability-based envir...