cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A patient and community-centered approach selecting endpoints for a randomized trial of a novel advance care planning tool.

Background Despite a movement toward patient-centered outcomes, best practices on how to gather and refine patients' perspectives on research endpoints are limited. Advanced care planning (ACP) is inherently patient centered and would benefit from patient prioritization of endpoints for ACP-related tools and studies. Objective This investigation sought to prioritize patient-centered endpoints for the content and evaluation of an ACP video being developed for patients undergoing major surgery. We also sought to highlight an approach using complementary engagement and research strategies to document priorities and preferences of patients and other stakeholders. Materials and methods Endpoints identified from a previously published environmental scan were operationalized following rating by a caregiver co-investigator, refinement by a patient co-investigator, review by a stakeholder committee, and validation by patients and family members. Finalized endpoints were taken to a state fair where members of the public who indicated that they or a loved one had undergone major surgery prioritized their most relevant endpoints and provided comments. Results Of the initial 50 ACP endpoints identified from the review, 12 endpoints were selected for public prioritization. At the state fair, 359 individuals prioritized the endpoints, the highest ranking of which was having a meaningful conversation with a physician before surgery (57%). Conclusion Using a novel combination of engagement and research techniques provided the opportunity to understand which endpoints were most important to patients and families and fostered framework development clarifying the differential contributions of engagement and research. Results from this study ultimately changed the content and evaluation of the ACP video.
In Service Together: University Students and Incarcerated Youth Collaborate for Change:

Through the lens of two courses at Portland State University (PSU), this article addresses critical service learning pedagogy as transformational for both incarcerated youth and university students...
Laser Capture Microdissection of Highly Pure Trabecular Meshwork from Mouse Eyes for Gene Expression Analysis

Laser capture microdissection (LCM) has allowed gene expression analysis of single cells and enriched cell populations in tissue sections. LCM is a great tool for the study of the molecular mechanisms underlying cell differentiation and the development and progression of various diseases, including glaucoma. Glaucoma, which comprises a family of progressive optic neuropathies, is the most common cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Structural changes and damage within the trabecular meshwork (TM) can result in increased intraocular pressure (IOP), which is a major risk factor for developing glaucoma. However, the precise molecular mechanisms involved are still poorly understood. The ability to perform gene expression analysis will be crucial in obtaining further insights into the function of these cells and its role in the regulation of IOP and glaucoma development. To achieve this, a reproducible method for isolating highly enriched TM from frozen sections of mouse eyes and a method for downstream gene expression analysis, such as RT-qPCR and RNA-Seq is needed. The method described herein is developed to isolate highly pure TM from mouse eyes for downstream digital PCR and microarray analysis. In addition, this technique can be easily adapted for the isolation of other highly enriched ocular cells and cell compartments that have been difficult to isolate from mouse eyes. The combination of LCM and RNA analysis can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the cellular events underlying glaucoma.
Earth System Grid Federation: Federated and Integrated Climate Data from Multiple Sources

In climate science, the quantity of data in use by 2020 is expected to be in the hundreds of exabytes (EB, where 1 exabyte = 1018 bytes). Current and future heterogeneous climate data will be distributed around the globe and must be harnessed to find solutions to mission-critical problems. Additionally, more requirements and more constraints are needed to expand and integrate new modeling capabilities and tasks, such as climate prediction, uncertainty quantification (UQ) of model performance, test-bed development, and assimilation of more diverse data sets. These data exploration tasks can be complex and time-consuming, and frequently involve numerous resources spread throughout the modeling and observational climate communities. Staff expertise and core competencies must therefore be flexibly applied to multiple projects and programs to accommodate more complex applications and state-of-the-art science analysis, while allowing resources to be adapted to address future areas of interest in climate research.
Proper Names: Philosophical Aspects

Proper names, expressions such as ‘George W. Bush,’ ‘New York,’ and ‘Armageddon,’ raise two central philosophical questions. One concerns meaning: What do proper names contribute to the meanings of the sentences in which they occur? Another concerns reference: What is the mechanism by which proper names refer to their bearers? In responding to these questions, philosophers often compare and contrast proper names with other linguistic expressions, including definite descriptions and natural kind terms.
A TEST OF MCNP WITH A 6LI-GLASS MODERATING NEUTRON DETECTOR

Rigorous tests of the Monte Carlo transport code MCNP have been performed by measuring the efficiency of a 6Li-glass moderating neutron detector using Lucite as the moderator relative to the effici...
Utilization of Screening Mammograms in the Medicare Population Before and After the Affordable Care Act Implementation

Objective: This study examined screening mammograms in women aged 65 to 74 years and 75+ years before and after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation. Method: This repeated cross-sectional study of community-dwelling women age 65+ years without a history of breast cancer or mastectomy utilized the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey and Medicare fee-for-service claims data from 2001 to 2013. We used covariate-adjusted logistic regression with generalized estimating equations, stratified by age group. Results: The adjusted odds of screening mammograms in women aged 65-74 (n = 742) and 75+ years (n = 681) were lower in 2013 (odds ratio [OR]: 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.67, 0.83]; OR: 0.67, 95% CI: [0.60, 0.75], respectively) than the odds of screening mammograms in 2001. Discussion: Annual screening mammograms decreased in women aged 65 to 74 years and 75+ years, despite increased access from the ACA implementation. Future research as to why women are no longer receiving screening mammograms, such as changes in physician specialty guidelines, is warranted.
The Oral Bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum Binds Staphylococcus aureus and Alters Expression of the Staphylococcal Accessory Regulator sarA

Staphylococcus aureus, an opportunistic pathogen member of the nasal and skin microbiota, can also be found in human oral samples and has been linked to infectious diseases of the oral cavity. As the nasal and oral cavities are anatomically connected, it is currently unclear whether S. aureus can colonize the oral cavity and become part of the oral microbiota, or if its presence in the oral cavity is simply transient. To start addressing this question, we assessed S. aureus ability to directly bind selected members of the oral microbiota as well as its ability to integrate into a human-derived complex oral microbial community in vitro. Our data show that S. aureus forms aggregates with Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis and that it can incorporate into the human-derived in vitro oral community. Further analysis of the F. nucleatum-S. aureus interaction revealed that the outer-membrane adhesin RadD is partially involved in aggregate formation and that the RadD-mediated interaction leads to an increase in expression of the staphylococcal global regulator gene sarA. Our findings lend support to the notion that S. aureus can become part of the complex microbiota of the human mouth, which could serve as a reservoir for S. aureus. Furthermore, direct interaction with key members of the oral microbiota could affect S. aureus pathogenicity contributing to the development of several S. aureus associated oral infections.
Anti TNF-α therapy in patients with relapsed and refractory Langerhans cell histiocytosis: a phase II study.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is produced in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) lesions and is elevated in plasma of patients with active LCH. It has been postulated that TNF-α may play a ro...
PHENIX measurements of low momentum direct photon radiation

Abstract The versatility of RHIC allowed the PHENIX collaboration to measure low momentum direct photons from small systems, such as p+p, p+A, d+Au at s N N = 200 GeV as well as from large A+A systems, such as Au+Au and Cu+Cu at 200GeV and Au+Au at 62.4GeV and 39GeV. In these measurements PHENIX has discovered a large excess over the scaled p+p yield of direct photons in A+A collisions, and a non-zero excess over the scaled p+p yield in central p+A collisions. Another PHENIX discovery is that at low- p T the integrated yield of direct photons, dN γ / dy , from large systems follows a universal scaling as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity, ( dN ch / dη ) α , with α = 1.25. The observed scaling properties of direct photons from these systems show that the photon production yield increases faster than the charged-particle multiplicity.
Evaluation of Patients for Zika Virus Infection in a Travel Clinic in the Southeast United States, 2016.

Objectives Zika virus is an emerging infection that has posed vexing challenges to the US public health system. Improved characterization of patients with possible and confirmed infection is needed to better understand risks for infection in US travelers and to inform evolving evaluation guidelines. Methods We performed a retrospective electronic health record review of patients evaluated for Zika virus infection at an academic travel clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, from January 1 through August 31, 2016. We evaluated 46 patients who presented to the clinic during this period for evaluation of possible Zika virus infection, including patients with Zika virus symptoms, asymptomatic patients with possible exposure to Zika virus, and referral visits for Zika virus testing. Results Among the 46 patients evaluated, 30 (65.2%) were tested for Zika virus, 8 of whom (17.4%) had laboratory evidence of infection (7 confirmed, 1 probable). Cases, including confirmed and probable infections, most commonly had fever, rash, conjunctivitis, headache, and myalgia, although differences compared with noncases were not statistically significant. Many patients evaluated were not tested because of stringent testing criteria. Conclusions Our findings may help inform improvements in timely clinical decision making for Zika virus testing. This may assist clinicians and public health agencies. Wider access to accurate screening modalities will help providers evaluate and advise patients.
Subcutaneous immunotherapy in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis.

Potential competing interests Dr. Dellon is a consultant for Adare, Alivio, Allakos, Banner, Calypso, Enumeral, EsoCap, GSK, Gossamer Bio, Receptos/Celegene, Regeneron, Robarts, and Shire, receives research funding from Allakos, Adare, GSK, Meritage, Miraca, Nutricia, Receptos/Celgene, Regeneron, and Shire, and has received an educational grant from Allakos, Banner, and Holoclara. None of the other authors report and potential conflicts of interest with this study. Funding Source This study was funded in part by NIH award T32 DK007634 (SE; CCR). It also used services from the NC Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute, which is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) through Grant Award Number UL1TR002489.
Investigation of indoor air quality determinants in a field study using three different data streams

Abstract Indoor air quality (IAQ) is determined by indoor and outdoor sources and conditions, building characteristics, and occupant behavior. In the field study context where the researcher lacks full control of observational conditions, it is difficult to compare and integrate these determinants because they require such different types and sources of data. This pilot-level project investigated the potential to overcome these limitations by integrating traditional IAQ measurement techniques with questionnaires and analysis of building deficiencies using 3D infrared thermography imaging in two residential multi-apartment buildings. Of the building deficiencies detected by the 3D thermography, missing insulation (MI) correlated best with the IAQ measurements and questionnaire data. Apartments missing more than 5% of insulation in their exterior wall (n = 6) had a significantly higher number concentration of ultrafine airborne particles (diameter
The Suffering and Death of the Imago Dei: A Theological Perspective for Palliative and Hospice Care

Marie Francoise-Therese Martin, better known today as Therese of Lisieux, was a Carmelite nun who died on September 30, 1897, in Lisieux, France, after an extended battle with tuberculosis, aged only 24. She was canonized a saint of the Catholic Church on May 17, 1925. Remarkably, the nuns who cared for St. Therese during the final months of her long illness chose to record their last conversations with her. These remain a vivid testament to the Catholic ideal of a holy death. They constitute a relatively recent historical example for how Catholics are called to experience, to accept, and to redeem the pain and suffering at the end of life.
Characterization of BiOX compounds as photocatalysts for the degradation of pharmaceuticals in water

The surface and photophysical properties of bismuth oxyhalide catalysts were determined and correlated with photocatalytic activity. The catalysts themselves were characterized using SEM-EDS, XRD, BET and steady-state luminescence. The photocatalytic potential of these catalysts was determined for their ability to degrade 17 α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2) and estriol at the ppm level in water. The degree of photodecomposition was evaluated using luminescence spectroscopy and HPLC-MS/MS. This is the first time BiOX catalysts have been used to photodegrade synthetic estrogens. Also, this study reports that these BiOX catalysts are more effective at photocatalyzing the selected pharmaceuticals than traditional catalysts such as TiO2. The photocatalytic mechanisms for EE2 and estriol were compared between samples treated with BiOX and TiO2. These BiOX catalysts show great potential as solution to waste water treatment and environmental remediation.
In vivo measurement of enhanced agouti-related peptide release in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus through Gs activation of agouti-related peptide neurons

Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons of the hypothalamus play a role in hunger-triggered food intake, stability of body weight, and long-term energy balance. A recent study showed that activation of the Gs-linked G protein-coupled receptors (GCPR) expressed by hypothalamic AgRP neurons promotes a sustained increase in food intake. Enhanced AgRP release has been the postulated underlying mechanism. Here, we confirmed that activation of Gs-coupled receptors expressed by AgRP neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus, which is the primary brain region for the synthesis and release of AgRP, leads to increased release of AgRP in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). We were unable to confirm changes in AgRP expression or intracellular content using traditional histological techniques. Thus, we developed an assay to measure AgRP in the extracellular fluid in the brain using large molecular weight cut-off microdialysis probes. Our technique enables assessment of brain AgRP pharmacokinetics under physiological conditions and in response to specific pharmacological interventions designed to modulate AgRP signaling.
Pathways to work-family synergy: resources, affect and wellbeing

This study proposes and tests a model of work-family synergy that addresses some of the shortcomings observed in the literature. We examine pathways that enhance work-family synergy (positive energ...
3,4-Diamino-benzonitrile.

The non-H atoms in the structure of the title mol­ecule, C7H7N3, are almost coplanar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.018 A). The two amine groups each donate two and accept one weak N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds. N—H⋯N hydrogen bonding between the amine and nitrile groups results in chains parallel to [101] in the crystal structure. The chains are cross-linked by N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds between amine groups, giving rise to an infinite three-dimensional network.
Extreme Acetylation of the Cardiac Mitochondrial Proteome Does Not Promote Heart Failure.

Rationale: Circumstantial evidence links the development of heart failure to posttranslational modifications of mitochondrial proteins, including lysine acetylation (Kac). Nonetheless, direct evide...
Orders of Healthier Adult Menu Items in a Full-Service Restaurant Chain with a Healthier Children's Menu.

This study evaluated orders of adult menu items designated as healthier at the Silver Diner, a regional full-service restaurant chain serving over 4 million customers annually. This restaurant implemented a healthier children's menu in April 2012. Orders of adult menu items were abstracted from before (September 2011-March 2012; PRE; n = 1,801,647) and after (September 2012-March 2013; POST; n = 1,793,582) the healthier children's menu was introduced. Entrees, appetizers, and sides listed as healthier options on the menu were coded as healthier. PRE to POST changes in the percentage of orders of healthier items, soda, and dessert were evaluated using McNemar tests of paired proportions. Orders of healthier entrees, appetizers, and sides on the adult menu increased PRE to POST (8.9% to 10.4%, 25.5% to 27.5%, and 7.3% to 9.3%, respectively), and soda and dessert orders decreased (23.2% to 21.7% and 29.0% to 28.3%, respectively). All shifts were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Our findings demonstrate improvements in orders of healthier adult menu options during the same time frame as a healthy children's menu change. Future research can help elucidate mechanisms to inform future health promotion efforts in restaurants in ways that have the potential to impact both adults and children.
America on the Brink

“Tipping points” are those in which political possibility turns into actuality. The United States (US) finds itself in one of those moments right now. President Donald Trump is feeling the heat. He...
Social Work Values, Nonviolence, Peace and Development

Issues of peace, development and the nuclear threat necessitate the active involvement of every profession and individual. Social work, along with other disciplines--especially philosophy and religion--could make a significant contribution in promoting peace and people-oriented development. Historically, the social work profession has had a tradition of reform and peace-related efforts. Clarke Chambers refers to the “priestly” and the “prophetic”--the service and the reform--aspects of social work as it deals with situations of change and development in societies (Chambers, 1962). The contribution of pioneers such as Jane Addams, Harry Hopkins and Rene Sand, symbolize some of the best peace, reform and development activities in social work.
Scientific community needs to financially support human brain tissue research and brain banks

The paper by Goldberg, Huey, and Devanand1 describes a study using a large database of banked human brain tissue to ascertain the effects of the e2 allele of the APOE gene on cerebrovascular disease. Because of the rarity of the e2 allele in the general population, this study would have been impossible to perform without a large number of donated human brains, most of which likely have neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer disease (AD). The neuroscience community is indebted to these unfortunate patients and their families for making the donations possible. This study underscores the need for support of human brain banks and research using that brain tissue. Funding agencies tend to be biased in …
A phase 2 trial of inhaled nitrous oxide for treatment-resistant major depression

Nitrous oxide at 50% inhaled concentration has been shown to improve depressive symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant major depression (TRMD). Whether a lower concentration of 25% nitrous oxide provides similar efficacy and persistence of antidepressant effects while reducing the risk of adverse side effects is unknown. In this phase 2 clinical trial (NCT03283670), 24 patients with severe TRMD were randomly assigned in a crossover fashion to three treatments consisting of a single 1-hour inhalation with (i) 50% nitrous oxide, (ii) 25% nitrous oxide, or (iii) placebo (air/oxygen). The primary outcome was the change on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-21). Whereas nitrous oxide significantly improved depressive symptoms versus placebo (P = 0.01), there was no difference between 25 and 50% nitrous oxide (P = 0.58). The estimated differences between 25% and placebo were -0.75 points on the HDRS-21 at 2 hours (P = 0.73), -1.41 points at 24 hours (P = 0.52), -4.35 points at week 1 (P = 0.05), and -5.19 points at week 2 (P = 0.02), and the estimated differences between 50% and placebo were -0.87 points at 2 hours (P = 0.69), -1.93 points at 24 hours (P = 0.37), -2.44 points at week 1 (P = 0.25), and -7.00 points at week 2 (P = 0.001). Adverse events declined substantially with dose (P < 0.001). These results suggest that 25% nitrous oxide has comparable efficacy to 50% nitrous oxide in improving TRMD but with a markedly lower rate of adverse effects.
Searches for dark matter and extra dimensions with the ATLAS detector

Different approaches to finding evidence for dark matter at the LHC are pre- sented. These include searches for events with large missing transverse momentum and a single jet, photon or W/Z boson. Studies sensitive to the presence of extra spatial dimen- sions are also described, such as classical or quantum black holes and other non-resonant phenomena. Results are presented from the √ s=8 TeV data taking period.
An anonymous attestation scheme with optional traceability

Direct Anonymous Attestation (DAA) is a cryptographic scheme designed for anonymous attestation of a hardware device while preserving the privacy of the device owner. Signatures created by a DAA signer are anonymous and untraceable, i.e., cannot be opened to find out the identity of the signer. To prevent abuse of privacy, DAA has a feature called user-controlled-traceability in which the signer and verifier can negotiate whether or not the signatures from the signer can linked. This feature is a preventive mechanism against corrupted DAA signers because they can be prevented from making multiple anonymous authentications. However, it is not a proactive deterrent against such activity as nobody is able to identify the corrupted signer. In this paper, we introduce a new cryptographic scheme called Optionally Traceable Anonymous Attestation (OTAA), in which the signer and verifier can negotiate whether signatures from the signer are traceable to the issuer instead of just being linkable. In the OTAA scheme, if a corrupted signer has produced a traceable signature or published his private key widely, the issuer can identify the signer and effectively revoke him using the verifier-local revocation. We give a construction of an OTAA scheme from bilinear pairing. Our OTAA scheme is efficient and provably secure in the random oracle model under the strong Diffie-Hellman assumption and the external Diffie-Hellman assumption.
Effector Function of Diabetogenic CD4 Th1 T Cell Clones: A Central Role for TNF-α

Effector function of T cells in autoimmune diabetes has been widely studied with mixed populations of lymphoid T cells stimulated ex vivo, but this approach does not permit evaluation of the contribution by a single T cell clone in the inflammatory site during pathogenesis. We have investigated cytokine production both in vitro and in vivo in a panel of diabetogenic CD4 Th1 T cell clones derived from the NOD mouse. SuperArray analysis showed a common pattern of mRNA expression for inflammatory cytokines and receptors in vitro after TCR stimulation. Ex vivo intracellular cytokine staining demonstrated that two important inflammatory cytokines, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, were being made by these T cells recovered from the pancreas 6 days following adoptive transfer. TNF-alpha produced in the pancreas by pathogenic T cell clones and recruited macrophages was not the membrane-bound form. Secreted TNF-alpha can lead to production of multiple inflammatory chemokines, as were observed in the pathogenic clones by intracellular cytokine staining. Our results not only define the nature of an inflammatory cytokine response critical to development of diabetes, but also suggest its role in the regulation of other events during pathogenesis induced by CD4 T cells. Similar analyses in other models demonstrated that disease induced by CD4 T cell clones closely resembles spontaneous autoimmune diabetes in which both CD4 and CD8 T cells are required. Thus, cloned T cells in effect amplify effector function of T cells which otherwise may be difficult to detect without ex vivo stimulation.
BRIDGING THE CHASM BETWEEN SOCIOTECHNICAL AND TECHNICAL VIEWS OF SYSTEMS IN ORGANIZATIONS

This paper presents a metamodel that addresses the long standing gap between technical and sociotechnical views of IT-reliant systems in organizations. The metamodel provides an integrated set of concepts that extend and clarify the work system framework and related work system concepts, thereby helping in understanding, analyzing, and designing technical and sociotechnical systems. The metamodel is a step toward an enhanced work system approach that is understandable to business professionals, is more rigorous than most current applications of work system concepts, and can be linked more directly to precise, highly detailed analysis and design approaches for IT professionals. Specification of the metamodel clarifies ambiguities in the work system framework and forms a clearer conceptual basis for tools and methods that could improve communication and collaboration between business and IT professionals. It also might be used to organize a body of knowledge for the IS field.
Comments on multiplicity in proton nucleus collisions

We model particle creation in the central rapidity region in ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions by assuming an intermediate state of color flux. Our starting point is that nucleon-nucleon collisions are dominated by single gluon exchange.1 This causes the color to flip from singlet to octet so that the two receding nucleons become linked by a flux tube with the diameter of the nucleon. This flux tube then materializes to produce the observed phenomena. In the case of a proton-nucleus collision there will be several gluon exchanges for each quark in the projectile, which will change the details of the flux tube’s formation and materialization. In what follows, we make some comments on this problem.
Molybdenum but Not Copper Counteracts Cysteine-Induced Tibial Dyschondroplasia in Broiler Chicks

Studies were conducted to evaluate the ability of copper and molybdenum to prevent cysteine-induced tibial dyschondroplasia in broiler chicks. Experiment 1 was a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments used to investigate the interaction between Cu (0, 150 or 300 mg/kg diet) and Mo (0, 10, or 100 mg/kg diet) on cysteine-induced tibial dyschondroplasia. Molybdenum at both supplemental levels, but not Cu, prevented cysteine-induced tibial dyschondroplasia. In Experiment 2 (a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with 0, 5 or 10 g/kg diet of cysteine and 0, 10 or 100 mg/kg diet of Mo), Mo prevented cysteine-induced but not spontaneous tibial dyschondroplasia. Cysteine and Mo did not affect the mechanical properties of the tibiotarsus. In Experiment 3, cysteine (0 or 10 g/kg diet) and Mo (0 or 100 mg/kg diet) were used to study the tissue concentrations of mineral and hepatic sulfite oxidase activity. Supplemental Mo increased Mo concentrations in the plasma and liver. Cysteine prevented these increases; however, cysteine, in the absence of supplemental Mo, did not affect concentrations of Mo in these tissues. Dietary cysteine and/or Mo did not affect tissue levels of Cu. We conclude that Mo prevents cysteine-induced tibial dyschondroplasia and that the induction of tibial dyschondroplasia by cysteine is not related to the Mo and Cu deficiency.
Changes in the Self Concept and Athletic Performance of Weight Lifters Through a Cognitive-Hypnotic Approach: An Empirical Study

Abstract This study examined the effects of a cognitive-hypnotic-imagery approach (CHI), cognitive restructuring (CR), and hypnosis only (HO) treatments on neuro-muscular performance, muscular growth, reduction of anxiety, and enhancement of self-concept. Thirty-two volunteer male weightlifters served as subjects for the study. Eight subjects were randomly assigned to each of four treatment conditions conducted over a four-week period. A 4 × 3 factorial design utilizing CANOVA and MANOVA programs was employed. The CHI group showed statistically significant treatment effects over the other groups on all six dependent variables from pretest to post Test I. From post Test I to post Test II, a time period in which no treatment was conducted, self-concept and muscular growth measures for CHI showed significance. The CHI group was statistically superior to all other conditions, (CR, HO, control), which did not significantly differ from each other. Neuro-muscular performance (supine barbell press mean increase o...
Zero-field splitting of quintet conjugated dinitrenes: 2,6-biphenylenedinitrene

Abstract 2,6-Diazidobiphenylene was synthesized and photolyzed in frozen matrix. The resulting electron spin resonance spectrum showed the formation of 2,6-biphenylenedinitrene as a quintet species with zero field splitting (zfs) parameters ∣D/hc∣=0.260±0.002 cm−1, ∣E/hc∣≤0.0005 cm−1. The zfs parameters are in excellent accord with dipolar models for a quintet state produced by interaction between triplet state nitrene sites.
Delayed timing of intrauterine insemination results in a significantly improved pregnancy rate in female partners of quadriplegic men.

Objective: To review pregnancy rates obtained with three protocols used during development of a successful therapy for infertility in couples in which the male partner had spinal cord injury. Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Private infertility center. Patient(s): Eleven quadriplegic men and their spouses undergoing intrauterine insemination. Intervention(s): Protocol 1: Intrauterine insemination was performed 24 hours after the LH surge was detected in unstimulated cycles. Sperm were prepared by standard sperm washing. Protocol 2: Female partners were stimulated with clomiphene citrate and hCG. Sperm were inseminated 32–34 hours after hCG injection. Sperm preparation was by serum swim-up or density gradient preparation. Protocol 3: Identical to protocol 2, except the insemination was delayed to 38–40 hours after hCG injection. Main Outcome Measure(s): Pregnancy rates. Result(s): Five patients were enrolled into protocol 1 and underwent a total of 19 inseminations with no subsequent pregnancies. They then underwent protocol 2, but no pregnancies resulted from inseminations. Four of the original couples, along with six additional couples, underwent insemination in protocol 3. A total of 19 inseminations were performed, and 6 of the 10 patients (60%) became pregnant. The success of insemination at 38–40 hours after hCG administration was significantly better than that of the initial two protocols (P<.05). No differences were observed in sperm quality between protocol 2 and protocol 3. Overall, 73% (8 of 11) of the patients became pregnant. Conclusion(s): Intrauterine insemination 38-40 hours after the hCG injection results in an improved chance of pregnancy. These results indicate that many couples with spinal cord injury-associated male infertility can be treated with intrauterine insemination of sperm treated by serum swim-up, with a high probability of success.
Sequence analysis of a mosquito ribosomal protein rpL8 gene and its upstream regulatory region.

The gene encoding Aedes albopictus ribosomal protein L8 was isolated using a cDNA probe. Based on the deduced amino acid sequence, rpL8 has a mass of 28,605 Da, a pl of 11.97, and contains 9.6% Arg and 11.9% Lys. The rpL8 gene spans 1229 nucleotides, and contains three exons measuring 73, 150, and 648 nucleotides. The first intron is 293 nucleotides long and interrupts an 85-nucleotide untranslated leader sequence. The AUG codon is located 12 nucleotides downstream of the 5′-end of the second exon. Separating the second and third exons is a 65-nucleotide intron. The major transcription initiation site, identified by primer extension and polymerase stop reactions, mapped 378 nucleotides upstream from the AUG start codon; minor initiation sites were also detected. The DNA sequence upstream of the rpL8 gene was T-rich, but conventional TATA and CAAT boxes were absent. This is the first molecular analysis of a mosquito ribosomal protein gene.
Method Myopia Real or Imagined

Academy of Management Journal (AMJ) was reviewed for research method frequency from 1968 through 2000.As expected, it was discovered that controlled experiments were scant at best, and a significan...
The Invisible Harry Gold: The Man Who Gave the Soviets the Atom Bomb

Fighting fascism during World War II, the United States cooperated more closely with its British and Canadian allies than with its remaining major partner, the Soviet Union. This distinction held p...
Reconceptualizing Bias in Teaching Qualitative Research Methods

Researchers who have been prepared in positivist traditions to social research frequently equate “subjectivity” with “bias,” which is viewed as both a problem to be managed and a threat to the credibility of a study. Teachers of qualitative research methods are familiar with questions about “subjectivity” that invoke “bias” from newcomers to qualitative research. This article revisits the methodological literature to examine how bias has been understood in qualitative inquiry. We argue for an approach to teaching qualitative research methods that assists students to make sense of long-standing and new debates related to “bias” and reconceptualize it in relation to their work. We provide recommendations for how teachers of qualitative inquiry might do this and illustrate these strategies with examples drawn from methodological reflections completed by a graduate student taking qualitative coursework.
Protein kinase Cε and the antiadrenergic action of adenosine in rat ventricular myocytes

Adenosine-induced antiadrenergic effects in the heart are mediated by adenosine A1 receptors (A1R). The role of PKCe in the antiadrenergic action of adenosine was explored with adult rat ventricula...
The Determination of Coronary Flow Equivalent with Coincidence Counting Technic

The coincidence counting technic was used to measure the clearance equivalent of rubidium-84 as a function of coronary flow by the human heart in vivo. This technic makes possible a distinction of radioactivity of the heart muscle from the surrounding tissue, eliminates lead collimation, and is more sensitive than the singles technic. In experiments on isolated dog heart it was found that changes in rate of perfusion of the coronary arteries failed to influence the myocardial extraction ratio of rubidium-84. Alterations in heart rate were also without effect. Nitroglycerin increased the clearance equivalent of rubidium-84 in patients without coronary heart disease. In patients with coronary artery disease the drug led to fall in clearance equivalent. The method has been helpful in distinguishing between normal individuals and those with coronary artery disease.
Influence of Mechanical Stress on Auxin-Stimulated Growth of Excised Pea Stem Sections

The growth rate of etiolated pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) seedlings was reduced by a single gentle mechanical disturbance, with thigmo (contact)-stress more effective than seismo (vibrational)-stress, and manipulation of the hook more effective than of the epicotyl. Manual stimulation of the apical hook progressively altered the auxin-dependent growth of excised stem sections with increasing time between treatment and cutting sections. Stress treatment initially stimulated in vitro growth of stem sections cut from the first 5 mm of tissue below the hook during the first 8 h after cutting, but inhibited growth if cut after 8 h. Growth of sections cut from the second 5 mm of tissue was progressively inhibited with time between treatment and cutting sections. Basal (minus auxin) section growth was unaffected by stress, indicating that stress response was specific for the auxin-dependent component of growth. Hook removal or ethylene pretreatment of seedlings had the same effects with time on section growths as did thigmo-stress of the hook, suggesting reduced movement of growth promoters from the apex. Seismo- or thigmo-stress of the inact plant also inhibited polar auxin transport by stem sections. An auxin-ethylene interaction is implicated to be involved in mechanical stress growth reduction.
Case Report: Transverse Colon Volvulus in a Patient With Clostridium Difficile Pseudomembranous Colitis

Sixty-eight cases of transverse colon volvulus have been reported in the literature. The authors report the first case of transverse colon volvulus in association with Clostridium difficile pseudomembranous colitis, with a review of the available literature. It is possible that the acute inflammation of the colonic mucosa, which occurred from the pseudomembranous colitis in this patient, contributed to the development of volvulus. Further studies are needed to explore the role of mucosal inflammation in the occurrence of volvulus.
Reducing hospital use and expenditures through utilization review. Findings from an outcome evaluation.

Utilization review (UR) has become a prominent approach to cost containment now used by almost 65% of private group insurance plans. Although insurers have increasingly relied on UR to contain heal...
Detection and quantification of maternal-effect gene transcripts in mouse second polar bodies: potential markers of embryo developmental competence.

Objective To test the hypothesis that quantification of messenger RNAs originating from the second polar body (PB 2 ) provides a noninvasive tool for assessing embryo quality. Design Prospective study. Setting Hospital-based academic research laboratory. Animal(s) CD1 female mice. Intervention(s) Metaphase II oocytes obtained from 7- to 8-week-old mice after pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin and hCG priming. After in vitro fertilization, the PB 2 was biopsied from zygote, followed by reverse transcription. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to quantify gene expression levels in single PB 2 . The sibling zygotes were continuously cultured to blastocyst stage. Main Outcome Measure(s) Embryo developmental competence and six maternal-effect gene ( Dnmt1 , Mater , Nobox , Npm2 , Tcl1 , and Zar1 ) transcripts in the PB 2 . Result(s) Second polar body messenger RNA was detected in all candidate genes. Transcripts that were present in greater abundance in the zygote were more likely to be detected in quantitative polymerase chain reaction replicates from single PB 2 . Four candidate genes ( Dnmt1 , Nobox , Npm2 , and Tcl1 ) expression levels in PB 2 between two groups (two-cell embryo vs. blastocyts) approached statistical significance. Conclusion(s) Second polar bodies may contain a representative transcript profile to that of the zygote after fertilization. Differences in gene expression in PB 2 may be potential biomarkers of embryo quality.
Measurement of the amplitude of phase excursions in the earth’s atmosphere

The maximum of the probability density distribution of phase fluctuations in the earth’s atmosphere, as a function of point separation, was measured visually in white light for starlight observed from the ground with a 1.5 m astronomical telescope. A wave-front folding interferometer was used.
Malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde adducts decrease bronchial epithelial wound repair.

Most people who abuse alcohol are cigarette smokers. Previously, we have shown that malondialdehyde, an inflammation product of lipid peroxidation, and acetaldehyde, a component of both ethanol metabolism and cigarette smoke, form protein adducts that stimulate protein kinase C (PKC) activation in bronchial epithelial cells. We have also shown that PKC can regulate bronchial epithelial cell wound repair. We hypothesize that bovine serum albumin adducted with malondialdehyde and acetaldehyde (BSA-MAA) decreases bronchial epithelial cell wound repair via binding to scavenger receptors on bronchial epithelial cells. To test this, confluent monolayers of bovine bronchial epithelial cells were grown in serum-free media prior to wounding the cells. Bronchial epithelial cell wound closure was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner (up to 60%) in the presence of BSA-MAA than in media treated cells (Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis [LHC]-9-Roswell Park Memorial Institute [RPMI]). The specific scavenger receptor ligand, fucoidan, also stimulated PKC activation and decreased wound repair. Pretreatment with fucoidan blocked malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde binding to bronchial epithelial cells. When bronchial epithelial cells were preincubated with a PKC alpha inhibitor, Go 6976, the inhibition of wound closure by fucoidan and BSA-MAA was blocked. Western blot demonstrated the presence of several scavenger receptors on bronchial epithelial cell membranes, including SRA, SRBI, SRBII, and CD36. Scavenger receptor-mediated activation of PKC alpha may function to reduce wound healing under conditions of alcohol and cigarette smoke exposure where malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde adducts may be present.
Epoxy insulated carbon fiber and carbon nanotube fiber microelectrodes

Abstract Carbon-fiber microelectrodes (CFMEs) are typically constructed from glass capillaries pulled to a fine taper or from a polyimide-coated capillary that is 90 μm in outer diameter. Here, a new fabrication method is developed to insulate carbon-fiber microelectrodes with a thin epoxy coating. A polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) mold was laser etched with channels 30–40 μm deep and wide and each channel filled with Armstrong C7 epoxy. A carbon fiber was laid into each channel so that the fiber extended past the mold, and the epoxy cured in an oven. One end of the fiber was trimmed to about 100 μm to form a cylindrical carbon-fiber microelectrode, while the other end was attached to a pin and connected to a potentiostat. Epoxy-insulated electrodes were tested with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. For dopamine, the sensitivity is similar to glass and polyimide-coated capillary electrodes with a linear range of 0.1–10 μM and a LOD of 24 nM. SU-8 epoxy was tested as an alternative insulator because it cures at a lower temperature using light, but it was more brittle. Carbon nanotube fibers were also successfully insulated with epoxy. Epoxy-insulated CFMEs were used to detect stimulated dopamine release in vivo. Epoxy-insulated electrodes are smaller in diameter than polyimide-coated capillary electrodes and amenable to mass production. They are advantageous for use in higher order mammals, where glass is not permitted, and with alternative electrode materials, such as carbon nanotube fibers, that cannot be fabricated in a capillary puller.
Coincidence of Mycotic (Histoplasma capsulatum) Vegetative Endocarditis of the Mitral Valve and the Lutembacher Syndrome : Report of a Case

A case of Lutembacher syndrome in which there was vegetative endocarditis lenta of the mitral valve, caused by Histoplasma capsulatum , is presented.
Effect of NaI on protein determination by the Lowry method and by absorption spectroscopy.

Abstract Sodium iodide in concentrations used during the purification of (Na + + K + ) ATPase was found to increase apparent color development in the Lowry determination and to invalidate direct estimates of protein by absorption spectroscopy at 280 nm. Sodium iodide, but not sodium chloride or bromide, was chromogenic in the Lowry assay, with or without protein; the effect was not a single function of blank color development nor was it similar quantitatively for bovine serum albumin and cytoplasmic proteins, Iodide concentrations below 0.1 m did not reduce the phenol reagent. The absorption spectrum of NaI without protein contained a wide band overlapping 280 nm and obscuring direct measurement of protein optical density at this wavelength. Specific activities of enzymes treated with molar sodium iodide may be influenced by iodide-related artifacts in the Lowry protein determination.
Patterns of microRNA expression in normal and early Alzheimer's disease human temporal cortex: white matter versus gray matter.

MicroRNA (miRNA) expression was assessed in human cerebral cortical gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) in order to provide the first insights into the difference between GM and WM miRNA repertoires across a range of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. RNA was isolated separately from GM and WM portions of superior and middle temporal cerebral cortex (N = 10 elderly females, postmortem interval < 4 h). miRNA profiling experiments were performed using state-of-the-art Exiqon© LNA-microarrays. A subset of miRNAs that appeared to be strongly expressed according to the microarrays did not appear to be conventional miRNAs according to Northern blot analyses. Some well-characterized miRNAs were substantially enriched in WM as expected. However, most of the miRNA expression variability that correlated with the presence of early AD-related pathology was seen in GM. We confirm that downregulation of a set of miRNAs in GM (including several miR-15/107 genes and miR-29 paralogs) correlated strongly with the density of diffuse amyloid plaques detected in adjacent tissue. A few miRNAs were differentially expressed in WM, including miR-212 that is downregulated in AD and miR-424 which is upregulated in AD. The expression of certain miRNAs correlates with other miRNAs across different cases, and particular subsets of miRNAs are coordinately expressed in relation to AD-related pathology. These data support the hypothesis that patterns of miRNA expression in cortical GM may contribute to AD pathogenetically, because the aggregate change in miRNA expression observed early in the disease would be predicted to cause profound changes in gene expression.