cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating Lean Exploration Loops Into Healthcare Facility Design.

Purpose:To explore what, when, and how Lean methods and tools can add value during the programming phase of design through providing additional resources and support to project leadership and the architectural design team.Background:This case study–based research took place at one large academic hospital during design efforts of a surgical tower to house 19 operating rooms (ORs) and support spaces including pre- and postop, central processing and distribution, and materials management. Surgical services project leadership asked for support from Lean practitioners during the design process.Methods:Lean exploration loops (LELs) were conducted to generate evidence to support stakeholders, as they made important decisions about the new building design. The analyses conducted during LELs were primarily focused on the relative advantages of a large footprint with few floors or a smaller footprint with more floors and support spaces not collocated adjacent to ORs on the same floor.Results:LELs resulted in quanti...
The safety and efficacy of bevacizumab in the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Bevacizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). (Avastin; Genetech, Inc, San Francisco, CA) Angiogenesis is blocked by the binding of bevacizumab to VEGF, inhibiting the binding of this ligand to the VEGF receptor. On 14 August 2014 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved use of bevacizumab in persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer.Areas covered: Herein we review pharmacodynamics and kinetics, clinical data and treatment-related toxicities of bevacizumab in the treatment of metastatic, recurrent or persistent cervical cancer. Additionally, future areas of development are reviewed.Expert commentary: Anti-angiogenesis therapy with bevacizumab is central to metastatic, persistent, and recurrent cervical cancer treatment. Additional anti-angiogenesis drugs are in development. Future studies will need to establish if the addition of multiple anti-angiogenesis agents or anti-angiogenesis in combination with...
Breaking the Tetra‐Coordinated Framework Rule: New Clathrate Ba8M24P28+δ (M=Cu/Zn)

A new clathrate type has been discovered in the Ba/Cu/Zn/P system. The crystal structure of the Ba8M24P28+δ (M=Cu/Zn) clathrate is composed of the pentagonal dodecahedra common to clathrates along with a unique 22-vertex polyhedron with two hexagonal faces capped by additional partially occupied phosphorus sites. This is the first example of a clathrate compound where the framework atoms are not in tetrahedral or trigonal-pyramidal coordination. In Ba8M24P28+δ a majority of the framework atoms are five- and six-coordinated, a feature more common to electron-rich intermetallics. The crystal structure of this new clathrate was determined by a combination of X-ray and neutron diffraction and was confirmed with solid-state 31P NMR spectroscopy. Based on chemical bonding analysis, the driving force for the formation of this new clathrate is the excess of electrons generated by a high concentration of Zn atoms in the framework. The rattling of guest atoms in the large cages results in a very low thermal conductivity, a unique feature of the clathrate family of compounds.
An Essential Role of the RNA Editing Enzyme ADAR1 in T Cell Development.

Abstract 917 Post-transcriptional regulation such as RNA editing in hematopoiesis and lymphopoiesis is poorly understood. ADAR1 (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA-1) is a RNA editing enzyme essential for embryonic development. Disruption of the ADAR1 gene was shown to cause defective embryonic hematopoiesis (Wang Q et al, Science 2000). Moreover, we have recently obtained direct evidence for the preferential effect of ADAR1 deletion on adult hematopoietic progenitor cells as opposed to the more primitive cells via a RNA-editing dependent mechanism by different conditional gene deletion strategies (Xufeng R et al PNAS 2009, in press). To further determine the role of ADAR1 in T cell development, we generated a mouse model in which ADAR1 was deleted specifically in T lymphocytes by interbreeding ADAR1lox/lox mice with Lck-Cre transgenic mice. In our current study, we report that ADAR1 is essential for T cell differentiation at the late progenitor stage in the thymus, coincident with T cell receptor-α/β expression. In ADAR1lox/loxLck-Cre mice, mature T cells decreased dramatically in peripheral blood, spleen and lymph nodes in comparison to littermate controls. In the thymus, the production of CD4+/CD8+ double positive cells was severely impaired and massive cell death was observed in pre-T cell populations. Within the pro-T cells, ADAR1 deletion resulted in a significant decrease of late progenitor cells but not early progenitor subsets. In both pro-T and pre-T cell stages, defective T cell development preferentially occurred in the beta chain positive cells, but was not apparent in gamma/delta T cells. Our data demonstrated an indispensable role of ADAR1 in early T cell differentiation that correlated with T cell receptor beta chain expression, thereby indicating that RNA editing by ADAR1 is an essential event in T cell development. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Comparison of Meniscal Cell-Mediated and Chondrocyte-Mediated Calcification.

Background Chondrocytes have been traditionally thought to be responsible for calcium crystal deposits within osteoarthritic knees. Increasing recent experimental evidence suggests that menisci may also play a role. However, the calcifying potential of chondrocytes and meniscal cells derived from same OA patients, and the genes associated with meniscal calcification have never been fully examined. Objective Examine and compare the calcifying potential of articular chondrocytes and meniscal cells derived from same OA patients and identify the calcium crystal type(s) and selected gene expression in OA menisci. Methods Chondrocytes and meniscal cells were isolated from articular cartilage and menisci of OA patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Chondrocyte- and meniscal cell-mediated calcification was examined using both monolayer and micromass culture-based assays. Crustal types were examined with histological staining. Levels of Type X Collagen, MMP-13, and ANKH in OA menisci were examined using immunohistochemistry. Results Primary human OA meniscal cells produced calcified deposits at a similar rate compared to OA chondrocytes in-vitro. Histological examinations indicate that both BCP crystals and CPPD crystals are present in the meniscal tissue. Type X collagen, MMP-13, and ANKH were found in human OA menisci and their levels increased with OA severity. In addition, type X collagen was co-localized with calcium crystals. Conclusion These findings suggest that OA meniscal cells have a similar calcifying potential as OA chondrocytes, supporting a pathogenic role of OA menisci in OA.
Review: Occurrence of the pathogenic amoeba Naegleria fowleri in groundwater

Naegleria fowleri is a thermophilic free-living amoeba found worldwide in soils and warm freshwater. It is the causative agent of primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a nearly always fatal disease afflicting mainly children and young adults. Humans are exposed to the organism via swimming, bathing, or other recreational activity during which water is forcefully inhaled into the upper nasal passages. Although many studies have looked at the occurrence of N. fowleri in surface waters, limited information is available regarding its occurrence in groundwater and geothermally heated natural waters such as hot springs. This paper reviews the current literature related to the occurrence of N. fowleri in these waters and the methods employed for its detection. Case reports of potential groundwater exposures are also included. Despite increased interest in N. fowleri in recent years due to well-publicized cases linked to drinking water, many questions still remain unanswered. For instance, why the organism persists in some water sources and not in others is not well understood. The role of biofilms in groundwater wells and plumbing in individual buildings, and the potential for warming due to climate change to expand the occurrence of the organism into new regions, are still unclear. Additional research is needed to address these questions in order to better understand the ecology of N. fowleri and the conditions that result in greater risks to bathers.
Letter--The Authors Respond

DISCLOSURES: None of the authors of this study are involved in financial or personal relationships with agencies, institutions, or organizations that inappropriately influenced the statistical analysis plan or interpretation of the study results. DiDomenico received an honorarium from Amgen for the preparation of a heart failure drug monograph for Pharmacy Practice News and was a coinvestigator on funded research for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. DiDomenico also serves as an advisory board member for a heart failure program at Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals and as an advisory board member at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Touchette has received unrestricted grant funding from Cardinal Health and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals and has also served as a consultant to, and director of, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Practice-Based Research Network on a study funded by Pfizer.
Implementing evidence-based practice: Selecting treatment words to boost phonological learning

Purpose Word selection has typically been thought of as an inactive ingredient in phonological treatment, but emerging evidence suggests that word selection is an active ingredient that can impact ...
Use Of Laser Annealing To Achieve Low Loss In Corning 7059 Glass, ZnO, Si3N4, Nb2O5, And Ta2O5 Optical Thin Film Waveguides

We report consiaerabe success in using the technique of laser annealing to reduce scattering in a variety of thin-film optical waveguides deposited onto thermally-oxidized silicon substrates. For the materials Si 3N4, Nb90,, and Ta205 values of waveguide loss less than 1 oB/cm were achieved. Values of waveguide loss as1UW as'.01 db/cm nave been measured for laser-annealed Zn0 waveguides and for Corning 7059 glass wave-guides which have been both laser anneal ea and had surface coatings applied.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Grating configurations to compress free-electron laser pulses

The optical layout of soft X-ray grating compressors designed to provide both positive and negative group-delay dispersion (GDD) is discussed. They are tailored for chirped-pulse-amplification experiments with seeded free-electron laser sources. Designs with plane or concave gratings are discussed, depending on the sign of the GDD to be introduced.
The Magnitude of a Community's Health Needs and Nonprofit Hospitals' Progress in Meeting Those Needs: Are We Faced With a Paradox?

Objectives:Although most nonprofit hospitals are required to conduct periodic community health needs assessments (CHNAs), such assessments arguably are most critical for communities with substantia...
Multilevel Coded Modulation for the Full-Duplex Relay Channel

We investigate coded modulation for full-duplex relay channels, proposing and analyzing a multilevel coding (MLC) framework with capacity approaching performance and practical features. Sufficient conditions are derived under which multilevel coding meets the known achievable rates for decode-and-forward relaying. The effect of a bit additive superposition and the linearity of multilevel code components on the performance of the system are studied. It is shown that linearity of the relay component codes imposes no penalty on rate, however, the linearity of the source-to-relay component codes may impose a performance penalty especially for small modulation constellations. We show that this rate loss occurs because a linearity constraint on codebooks at the source node introduces a new tension between optimality of rate allocation in multilevel coding layers and optimality of source/relay codebook correlations. Motivated by this insight, an alternative modulation labeling is proposed that minimizes the rate loss. The results are extended to multi-antenna relays. Slow fading and fast Rayleigh fading without channel state at the transmitter are also analyzed. The error exponent of the proposed scheme is studied. Finally, the frame- and bit-error rate performance of the proposed scheme is studied via simulations using point-to-point LDPC codes, showing that the proposed MLC relaying has excellent performance.
Bis(cobaltocenium) tetra­chlorido­cobaltate(II) di­chloro­methane 1.2-solvate

The structure of bis­(cobaltocenium) tetra­chlorido­cobaltate(II) di­chloro­methane 1.2-solvate, [Co(C5H5)2]2[CoCl4]·1.2CH2Cl2, has been determined at 100 K. The title compound crystallizes in the space group P\overline{1} and is an example of an unusual Z′ = 5 structure. The asymmetric unit contains ten cobaltocenium ions, five tetra­chlorido­cobaltate(II) ions and six mol­ecules of di­chloro­methane, i.e. 5{[Cp2Co]2[CoCl4]}·6CH2Cl2. All the cobaltocenium ions are determined to be in the eclipsed conformation with respect to the cyclo­penta­dienyl rings.
Effect of education and lactation support on maternal decision to provide human milk for very-low-birth-weight infants.

Premature infants are at increased risk for infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, feeding intolerance, and developmental delay compared with term infants. When infants are fed human milk, the incidence of these problems is diminished (Schanler et al. 1999; Atkinson 2000). In the United States, the national breastfeeding initiation rate of mothers who deliver prematurely is 48%, compared with 60% for mothers of term infants. Incidence of breastfeeding is correlated negatively with infant gestational age and socioeconomic status of the mother (Ryan 1997). Family and hospital staff support has been found to increase lactation success in mothers of premature infants (Peitschnig et al. 2000). However, health care professionals may be reluctant to ask mothers to provide human milk for a number of reasons: 1) stress has been shown to interfere with milk production (Lau 1999) and preterm delivery has been shown to be stressful to parents, 2) the effort and time required might be considered burdensome and stressful when breastfeeding was not the mothers’ feeding plan, and 3) the time and expertise required for adequate counseling of mothers could be costly when mothers’ willingness and ability to express milk is uncertain. These concerns are countered by the view that mothers should be presented with all the evidence supporting human milk feeding in preterm infants in order for a well-informed decision to be made.
iES - An Intelligent Electronic Sales Platform

Current e-commerce systems support online shopping based on electronic product catalogs. The major issues associated with catalog-based commerce systems are: difficulty in distinguishing one retailer from another, complex navigation with confusing links, and a lack of personalized service. This paper reports an intelligent solution to address these issues. Our solution will provide a more personalized sales experience through the use of a transaction-based knowledge model that includes both the rules used for reasoning as well as the corresponding actions. Based on this solution, we have developed an intelligent electronic sales platform that is supported by a framework which provides the desired personalization as well as extensibility and customization capabilities. This paper reports our design and development of this system and application examples.
Broad Coverage, Domain-Generic Deep Semantic Parsing

The TRIPS parser is a broad-coverage domain-general deep semantic parser that produces logical forms grounded in a general ontology. While using many of the techniques of modern syntactic theory, the system is semantically driven and uses many of the ideas of construction grammar. Unlike most work in semantic parsing, which is limited to specific simple domains, the TRIPS parser performs well in many diverse domains, after incorporating domain-specific named entity recognition where needed. The TRIPS grammar uses syntactic, semantic and ontological constraints simultaneously to construct semantically accurate parses, and includes many rules that capture the common constructions of everyday spoken language.
CHAPTER 268 – Signaling Pathways that Regulate Neuronal Specification in the Spinal Cord

A cascade of signaling events triggers the differentiation of specific neuronal and glial cell populations that comprise the central nervous system (CNS). Epidermal ectoderm deprived of bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling differentiates into "neural" ectoderm, the precursor of the CNS. These neural cells are multipotential and respond to signals in their environment in order to generate the appropriate types of neurons and glia at the correct positions. This chapter focuses on the spinal cord, the mostcaudal region of the CNS, since it has served as a useful model in which to investigate signaling events that give rise to neuronal and glial populations within the developing neural tube. Emerging from a combination of modem molecular studies and classical cellular studies, a central theme in spinal cord development is one in which inductive factors signal along the dorsoventral and rostrocaudal axes of the developing spinal cord to specify cell fate in a Cartesian-coordinate-like manner. This signaling leads to the generation of dorsal spinal cord interneurons that process sensory information and relay it to the brain, while the ventral spinal cord forms interneurons and motor neurons involved in locomotor control. Along the rostrocaudal axis, discontinuous subclasses of motor neurons are generated in register with the peripheral targets that they innervate. In addition, numerous glial cell types are formed including the roof plate and floor plate, which act as organizing centers within the spinal cord, and astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which support neuronal function and myelinate neurons, respectively.
Cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometric determination of mercury using sodium tetrahydroborate reduction and collection on gold

Sodium tetrahydroborate(III) is equivalent to or better than tin(II) chloride as a reducing agent for mercury in cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry using collection on gold. Concentrations of copper, silver, nickel, iodide, antimony, arsenic, bismuth and selenium typically found in water or waste water do not interfere. Prerequirements for satisfactory performance are that the gold is at a temperature below 100‡C during collection of mercury and that the gas from the reaction flask is washed with sodium hydroxide and dried with magnesium perchlorate. All determinations were carried out in 5 mol l−1 hydrochloric acid and in the presence of 200 mg l−1 iron(III). Detection limits (3σ) of 0.15 ng absolute, and of 15 ng l−1 or 3 ng l−1, using 10 ml or 50 ml solution, respectively, are obtained. The analytical curve is linear to 40 ng, and the relative standard deviation in the optimum working range is better than 2%.
Chapter 32 – Volcanic Plumes

Volcanic plumes are mixtures of volcanic particles, gases, and entrained air that are produced by explosive eruptions. Material can be injected to high levels in the atmosphere and dispersed on a global scale. Their structure and behavior are controlled by factors such as magmatic composition, the amount and nature of volatile components, rate of magma discharge, and geometry of the source vent. Volcanic plumes have the potential for impacting the Earth’s climate by the injection of volcanic aerosols into the stratosphere and reducing the solar energy that reaches the Earth’s surface. Collapsing plumes generate hot mixtures of gases and particles that move down the slopes of a volcano at high speeds and can result in severe volcanic hazard. Significant progress has been made in the modeling of the structure and evolution of plumes as they interact with the atmosphere, and in the tracking of plumes by remote sensing techniques once they disperse downwind from source.
A Fixed-Switching-Frequency Sliding Mode Current Controller for Mutually Coupled Switched Reluctance Machines Using Asymmetric Bridge Converter

In this paper, an integral sliding mode current controller (SMC)is proposed for mutually coupled switched reluctance motors (MCSRM)using asymmetric bridge converters aiming to achieve constant switching frequency and lower sampling rate. A generalized state-space model is built and then the design of a sliding mode controller along with the stability analysis of the closed-loop system are presented. The effectiveness of SMC is verified using simulation studies with a three-phase, sinusoidal excitation 12/8 MCSRM over a wide speed range. Compared to the hysteresis current control, the proposed SMC-based design approach demonstrates a comparable response in terms of currents ripples, the root-mean-square error of current and torque while achieving a constant switching frequency and lower sampling rate.
Acceptability and Feasibility of Community-Based, Lay Navigator-Facilitated At-Home Self-Collection for Human Papillomavirus Testing in Underscreened Women.

Objective: Women without regular health care providers or a medical home routinely fail to complete recommended cervical cancer screening. At-home self-collection of samples to test for high-risk s...
Burn-Induced Impairment of Ileal Muscle Contractility Is Associated with Increased Extracellular Matrix Components.

Severe burns lead to marked impairment of gastrointestinal motility, such as delayed gastric emptying and small and large intestinal ileus. However, the cellular mechanism of these pathologic changes remains largely unknown. Male Sprague Dawley rats approximately 3 months old and weighing 300–350 g were randomized to either a 60% total body surface area full-thickness scald burn or sham procedure and were sacrificed 24 h after the procedure. Gastric emptying, gastric antrum contractility ileal smooth muscle contractility, and colonic contractility were measured. Muscularis externa was isolated from the ileal segment to prepare smooth muscle protein extracts for Western blot analysis. Compared with sham controls, the baseline rhythmic contractile activities of the antral, ileal, and colonic smooth muscle strips were impaired in the burned rats. Simultaneously, our data showed that ileal muscularis ECM proteins fibronectin and laminin were significantly up-regulated in burned rats compared with sham rats. TGF-β signaling is an important stimulating factor for ECM protein expression. Our results revealed that TGF-β signaling was activated in the ileal muscle of burned rats evidenced by the activation of Smad2/3 expression and phosphorylation. In addition, the total and phosphorylated AKT, which is an important downstream factor of ECM signaling in smooth muscle cells, was also up-regulated in burned rats’ ileal muscle. Notably, these changes were not seen in the colonic or gastric tissues. Deposition of fibrosis-related proteins after severe burn is contributors to decreased small intestinal motility.
A Middleware Bridge Between MOOS and LCM

Integrating multiple semi-redundant open source packages for a single target application can be challenging. Such is the case with robotic middleware software such as ROS, MOOS, and LCM which each have fairly independent support communities. Each package provides unique strengths, and lead to a more capable architecture if both can be included in the design. In this paper, we detail an open source software package that provides a bridge between two of the common robotic middleware communities, MOOS and LCM. This application forwards desired communication packets between MOOS and LCM communities and is configured with an xml file at runtime without requiring source code recompilation. Our target application is an unmanned underwater vehicle (Icefin) which uses LCM as a core communication architecture, but must also support the advanced and experimental autonomy available with the MOOS IvP Helm application. Herein, we will present the design of the MOOS-LCM bridge package as well as our example target application. The software package developed here will be provided open-source to the research community and we hope this will advance what is capable in autonomous systems by lowering the barriers between these communities.
Ustekinumab associated chronic eosinophilic pneumonia.

IntroductionUstekinumab induced eosinophilic pneumonia is rare and to our knowledge, this is the 5th reported case of such an entity.Case StudyA 60-year-old female was admitted with worsening short...
Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: a Review of Risk Factors, Radiation Therapy Contribution, and Management Strategies

In recent years, breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), which affects one in five patients treated for breast cancer (BC), has garnered increasing interest by clinicians and researchers as BC survival rates improve and survivorship issues become increasingly imperative. This review represents an overview of the literature for BCRL risk factors, such as radiation therapy (RT), screening, and treatment. Risk factors with strong evidence include axillary surgery, regional lymph node radiation, elevated body mass index, cellulitis, and subclinical edema. Neoadjuvant and taxane-based chemotherapy, trastuzumab, breast reconstruction, RT field design, and genetic susceptibility are emerging as potentially influencing BCRL risk. Comprehensive BCRL care necessitates a multidisciplinary team that coordinates BC treatment, educates patients, and vigilantly screens them throughout survivorship. Providers should be knowledgeable of BCRL risk factors and individualize patient education. Universal diagnostic criteria using relative change from baseline and consistently incorporating baseline measurements are imperative.
Broadband Cyclic-Symmetric Magnetless Circulators and Theoretical Bounds on Their Bandwidth

In this paper, we explore theoretically and experimentally broadband spatiotemporally modulated magnetless circulators realized by combining three-port nonreciprocal junctions with three identical bandpass filters. We develop a rigorous theory for the proposed circuit, which allows optimizing its design and to derive a global bound on the maximum possible bandwidth (BW). We verify our theory with simulations and measurements of a printed circuit board prototype based on a differential wye junction and second-order Chebyshev bandpass filters, resulting in a measured fractional BW of 13.9% at a center frequency of 1 GHz.
Antihypertensive prescribing patterns and hypertension control in females of childbearing age.

PURPOSE The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) to treat hypertension (HTN) during pregnancy presents well-established risks to a developing fetus. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the current state of antihypertensive prescribing and contraceptive use in females of childbearing age within a large safety-net health system. METHODS The retrospective cross-sectional study focused on females aged 18-49 years with a documented diagnosis of HTN. The proportion of patients prescribed an ACE inhibitor or ARB and using a documented form of contraception was calculated. Documented forms of contraception included oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices, injections, implants, and surgical intervention. RESULTS A total of 4,187 patients were identified from the HTN registry; after application of exclusion criteria 3,045 patients were included in the study population. The mean age was 39 years (range, 18-49 years). The most frequently prescribed classes of antihypertensive medications were ACE inhibitors and ARBs (one or the other was used by 1,146 patients [37.6%]), followed by thiazide diuretics (n = 710, 23.3%) and calcium channel blockers (n = 599, 19.7%). Of the 1,146 patients prescribed an ACE inhibitor or ARB, 553 (48%) were using a documented form of contraception. CONCLUSION Rates of ACE inhibitor or ARB prescribing to females of childbearing age were high despite the teratogenic risks, and fewer than half of patients had documented protection from pregnancy. Provider and patient education and potential creation of best practice alerts in the electronic medical record regarding the risks of using ACE inhibitors and ARBs in females of childbearing age are warranted.
Acute oral toxicity and tissue residues of saxitoxin in the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos).

Abstract Since 2014, widespread, annual mortality events involving multiple species of seabirds have occurred in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and Chukchi Sea. Among these die-offs, emaciation was a common finding with starvation often identified as the cause of death. However, saxitoxin (STX) was detected in many carcasses, indicating exposure of these seabirds to STX in the marine environment. Few data are available that describe the effects of STX in birds, thus presenting challenges for determining its contributions to specific mortality events. To address these knowledge gaps, we conducted an acute oral toxicity trial in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), a common laboratory avian model, using an up-and-down method to estimate the median lethal dose (LD50) for STX. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), we tested select tissues from all birds and feces from those individuals that survived initial dosing. Samples with an ELISA result that exceeded approximately 10 µg 100 g−1 STX and randomly selected ELISA negative samples were further tested by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Tissues collected from mallards were also examined grossly at necropsy and then later by microscopy to identify lesions attributable to STX. The estimated LD50 was 167 µg kg−1 (95% CI = 69–275 µg kg−1). Saxitoxin was detected in fecal samples of all mallards tested for up to 48 h after dosing and at the end of the sampling period (7 d) in three birds. In those individuals that died or were euthanized
The Troponin Complex: Discriminating the Signal from the Noise.

ABSTRACT Patients presenting to the Emergency Room with consideration of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are risk-stratified with sensitive troponin assays. Among many patients who present with symptoms other than chest pain, they are admitted for observation if the troponin assay is above the upper reference limit of that specific assay. With the advent of high sensitivity troponin assays, it is estimated that the prevalence of admissions for secondary myocardial infarctions, termed Type 2 Myocardial Infarctions and Myocardial Injury, will increase by 100%. This is a heterogeneous population and although adverse outcomes such as readmission and death are high, outcome-based therapies with Guideline-Directed Treatments have not been advanced in this subset. As such, the clinician is often confused about the optimal treatment at hospital discharge. More studies should address the value of specific known therapies in this cohort, that have been shown to improve outcomes in patients with an acute coronary syndrome or Type 1 Myocardial Infarction.
Chapter 6 Immunoblotting

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the technique of immunoblotting with emphasis on blotting of one-dimensional SDS gels onto nitrocellulose. Immunoblotting or Western blotting is a procedure in which a replica of a separating gel is produced by transferring proteins from a gel to a membrane such as nitrocellulose. This replica, or blot, is subsequently incubated or stained with antibodies. Immunoblotting provides information about an antigen, such as the subunit molecular weight of the antigens can be determined from its mobility in a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel that is blotted. A blot can also give information about the purity of antibodies. Most types of gels, both one and two dimensional, can be blotted provided they are strong enough to withstand physical manipulation. Gels can be blotted either by submersed (wet) methods or by buffer-soaked filter paper (semidry) methods. Transfer can be accomplished either by passive diffusion or electrophoresis. The gel sandwich consists of the gel adjacent to the nitrocellulose with both enclosed by heavy filter paper. The paper and nitrocellulose are saturated with transfer solution to carry the electrical current. Nitrocellulose and other such membranes have a high affinity for proteins (and usually nucleic acids). The entire paper must be coated with protein, otherwise the primary antibody will bind everywhere nonspecifically.
Channel equalization for high data rate MIMO systems

The performance of multicode multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems in the presence of frequency selective fading is evaluated. It is shown that the multiantenna interference is asymptotically Gaussian. The probability of error is derived for the conventional RAKE receiver and its performance is compared to a linear equalizer for various processing gains, path delays, and antenna configurations.
Biochemical and histochemical alkaline glycerophosphatase in normal endometrium, endometrial hyperplasia, and adenocarcinoma.

Abstract Histochemical studies by the Gomori technique on alcohol-fixed tissue for endometrial alkaline phosphatase during the human menstrual cycle have been reported by several authors. 1, 2, 3 It has been found that marked variations in the enzyme activity occurred during the menstrual cycle. The activity, high during the proliferative phase, is reduced during the secretory phase, and disappears several days before menstruation. In view of these findings, the present study was undertaken to assay quantitatively this variation in the normal cycle and in certain abnormal states, and to reinvestigate the histochemical findings, using a fresh frozen tissue technique. 8
Conservation of a protective surface antigen of Tritrichomonas foetus.

Bovine trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the flagellated protozoan Tritrichomonas foetus. A protective surface antigen was previously identified and immunoaffinity purified from T. foetus isolate D1 with cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) TF1.15 and TF1.17 (BonDurant, R. H., R. R. Corbeil, and L. B. Corbeil, Infect. Immun. 61:1385-1394, 1993). This antigen elicited antibody responses in the serum and cervicovaginal mucus of heifers. Thus, it may be useful as an immunodiagnostic reagent as well as a subunit vaccine. Conservation of the antigen in all strains would be crucial for either application. We investigated the conservation of this antigen among 36 isolates of T. foetus from Argentina, Costa Rica, and the United States using MAbs TF1.15 and TF1.17 in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MAb TF1.17 reacted with 32 of the 36 isolates, whereas MAb TF1.15 reacted with all of the isolates tested. One of the isolates which did not react with MAb TF1.17 (i.e., D1#3) was investigated further by Western blotting (immunoblotting) to determine the reason for the lack of reactivity with one of the two cross-reactive MAbs. The antigenic band that was reactive with MAb TF1.15 had a molecular mass slightly lower than that of the corresponding band from isolate D1, which reacted with both MAbs TF1.15 and TF1.17. Thus, at least a major portion of the antigen appeared to be conserved. This was confirmed in a study of heifers infected with isolate D1#3. The vaginal immunoglobulin A antibodies of these infected heifers reacted with the antigen of isolate D1 that was immunoaffinity purified with MAb TF1.17. Therefore, even though the epitope recognized by MAb TF1.17 was missing in the challenge isolate (D1#3), the heifers developed an immune response to the rest of the molecule. These results indicate that the major portion of the previously described protective antigen is conserved in different isolates of T. foetus. This portion contains the epitope that reacts with MAb TF1.15. Most isolates express the whole antigen, which possesses both TFl.15 and TF1.17 epitopes, but the few isolates that are missing the portion containing the TF1.17 epitope may still elicit an immune reponse to the conserved portion. Thus, the protective surface antigen is promising for use in immunodiagnosis or vaccination against bovine trichomoniasis. Images
Identification and characterization of fatty acid alkyl esterases found in Staphylococcus aureus (1002.3)

Identification and Characterization of Fatty Acid Alkyl Esterases Found in Staphylococcus aureus Alternative energy is a major field of current research. Biodiesel, a mixture of fatty acid alkyl es...
On two-particle continuum coulomb wave functions

The experimental measurement of multiple-particle scattering cross-sections using a definite arrangement of detectors, thereby defining the boundary conditions of the scattering process, suggests the introduction of co-ordinates which incorporate the channel energy partition among the outgoing particles. As a consequence, for fixed channel energy, the multiple-particle continuum channel states represent adiscrete basis. It is shown that a central nuclear and the Coulomb potential can be incorporated into the channel wave functions which then are extended to the internal nuclear-interaction region using the eigenchannel formulation ofR-matrix theory.
On-line Computation in Behavioral Neurophysiology

Publisher Summary This chapter presents several applications of the computer as a tool that are significant in the analysis of the very complex data that come from brain systems. The chapter discusses a model of brain tissue, which has three compartments. The neural compartment is composed of nerve cells. The second component of the tricompartmental arrangement is a neuroglial compartment. Between the neuroglia and the neuron is a substance, which is a hydrated net of large molecules, mucopolysaccharides, and mucoproteins, specially developed under synapses, and which plays a role in the excitability of the cell. The chapter discusses the types of data that are collected for computer analysis. There are two main varieties of codes. One is widely used in the laboratory and can be generated as a 3-digit 4-bit member in binary coded decimal (BCD). The second group of codes includes so-called IRIG A and B methods that may give a faster coding cycle, but are not usually compatible in their speed with a typical EEG paper record because they are written very fast, and thus cannot be interpreted. The first step in preparation of data for handling by the computer involves analog-to-digital conversion. Secondly, the data sampling rate must bear a relationship with the bandwidth of the data. A typical modern analog-to-digital converter for electrophysiological studies incorporates a multiplexing input to handle 10 to 30 channels of data. Some computational techniques can be used on-line; how much can be done depends upon the size of the central processor and the mode of access to it. One may choose to start simply by averaging, or by correlation analyses.
Doppler Radar Observations of Mesoscale Wind Divergence in Regions of Tropical Convection

Abstract A simple new analysis method for large single-Doppler radar datasets is presented, using data from several tropical field experiments. A cylindrical grid is chosen, to respect both the geophysical importance of altitude and the radar importance of range and azimuth. Horizontal and temporal fine structure are sacrificed, by compiling data as hourly histograms in 12 × 24 × 36 spatial grid cells of 15° azimuth × 8 km horizontal range × 500 m height, respectively. Mean Doppler radial velocity in each region is automatically unfolded (dealiased) using a simple histogram method, and fed into a velocity–azimuth display (VAD) analysis. The result is a set of hourly horizontal wind and wind divergence profiles, with associated error estimates, for circles of different radii centered on the radar. These divergence profiles contain useful heating profile information in many weather situations, not just occasional cases of uniform widespread rainfall. Consistency of independent estimates for concentric circl...
Lithification and porosity evolution in Permian periplatform limestones, Midland basin, Texas

Carbonate debris flows and turbidites in Lower Permian strata in the subsurface Midland basin (Texas) underwent a long, complex period of diagenesis. Prior to redeposition into toe-of-slope and proximal basin settings platform-margin reef and associated grainstones were pervasively cemented by radiaxial-fibrous calcite (RFC). The former high-Mg calcite mineralogy of these inferred marine cements is suggested by the presence of microdolomite inclusions, relatively high residual MgCO3 contents (1.8 mole %), and mean δ18O (−2.3 o/oo) and δ13C (3.0 o/oo) compositions which approach those of extant sea water. Platform-margin strata subsequently underwent a period of dissolution, accompanied and followed by equant calcite cementation. Evidence of vadose cements in some rocks, the depleted δ18O (−2.6 to −6.6 o/oo) and δ13C (0.3 to 2.7 o/oo) isotopic compositions of these cements relative to RFC and extant sea water, and regional evidence of sea level fluctuations during the Early Leonardian suggest that dissolution and cementation resulted from subaerial exposure and meteoric influx during at least one period of sea-level lowstand. Redeposition transported platform, margin-derived carbonates basinward into water depths of about 500 m, where they were lithified presumably by high-Mg calcite cements. Lithification occurred in the subbottom burial environment, in contact with circulating marine fluids, down to maximum depths of at least 300 m. Chemical compaction and multiple periods of, silicification, fracture formation and occlusion of fractures by calcite occurred during progressively deeper burial. A period of intense dissolution along fractures, probably in the Triassic, resulted in extensive mesogenetic porosity in some of these wells, and likely was coincident with hydrocarbon maturation in associated thermally mature shales.
The Lyme Wars: time to listen

Lyme disease represents a public health threat of major proportions. The murky science and acrimonious politics of Lyme disease have created barriers to reliable diagnosis and effective treatment of this protean illness. Two major clinical problems with the disease are the absence of a therapeutic end point in treating Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochetal agent of Lyme disease, and the presence of tick-borne co-infections, such as babesiosis, anaplasmosis and bartonellosis, that may complicate the course of the illness. From a pathophysiological standpoint, the affinity of B. burgdorferi for multiple cell types and the presence of non-replicating forms of the spirochete have contributed to persistent infection and failure of simple antibiotic regimens. Newer approaches to the treatment of Lyme disease should take into account its clinical complexity in co-infected patients and the possible need for prolonged combination therapy in patients with persistent symptoms of this potentially debilitating illness. The risk and prevention of human transmission of Lyme disease merit further study.
Association Between the Paraoxonase-1 192Q>R Allelic Variant and Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients With Early Coronary Artery Disease

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that allelic variants of the paraoxonase-1 gene are associated with endothelial dysfunction, an early stage of atherosclerosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS We assessed 192Q>R and 55L>M allelic variants of the paraoxonase gene and coronary endothelial function in response to intracoronary acetylcholine in 99 patients (52 with homozygous QQ, 47 with homozygous RR or heterozygous QR). The study was conducted from September 1, 2002, through November 30, 2004. RESULTS Of 52 homozygous QQ patients, 39 (75%) had endothelial dysfunction vs 20 (43%) of the 47 RR/QR patients ( P =.001), and this association remained significant after adjustment in a multivariable linear regression model ( P =.005). In homozygous QQ vs RR/QR patients, epicardial arterial diameter decreased more (percent change in diameter, -22%±21% vs -9%±16%, respectively, P =.002), coronary blood flow increased less (+37%±77% vs +75%±75%, P =.02) in response to acetylcholine, and oxidized LDL levels were higher. The 55L>M allelic variant was not significantly associated with endothelial dysfunction and had no effect on the association between endothelial dysfunction and the 192Q>R allelic variant. CONCLUSION The 192Q>R allelic variant of the paraoxonase-1 gene is associated with coronary endothelial dysfunction. The current study provides further information regarding the potential mechanisms by which this allelic variant contributes to early atherosclerosis in humans.
Glass Wool Filters for Concentrating Waterborne Viruses and Agricultural Zoonotic Pathogens

The key first step in evaluating pathogen levels in suspected contaminated water is concentration. Concentration methods tend to be specific for a particular pathogen group, for example US Environmental Protection Agency Method 1623 for Giardia and Cryptosporidium1, which means multiple methods are required if the sampling program is targeting more than one pathogen group. Another drawback of current methods is the equipment can be complicated and expensive, for example the VIRADEL method with the 1MDS cartridge filter for concentrating viruses2. In this article we describe how to construct glass wool filters for concentrating waterborne pathogens. After filter elution, the concentrate is amenable to a second concentration step, such as centrifugation, followed by pathogen detection and enumeration by cultural or molecular methods. The filters have several advantages. Construction is easy and the filters can be built to any size for meeting specific sampling requirements. The filter parts are inexpensive, making it possible to collect a large number of samples without severely impacting a project budget. Large sample volumes (100s to 1,000s L) can be concentrated depending on the rate of clogging from sample turbidity. The filters are highly portable and with minimal equipment, such as a pump and flow meter, they can be implemented in the field for sampling finished drinking water, surface water, groundwater, and agricultural runoff. Lastly, glass wool filtration is effective for concentrating a variety of pathogen types so only one method is necessary. Here we report on filter effectiveness in concentrating waterborne human enterovirus, Salmonella enterica, Cryptosporidium parvum, and avian influenza virus.