cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pericardial Involvement with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma: A Rare Case of Constrictive Pericarditis.

Cardiac malignancies are rare, ranging in prevalence from 0.05% to 4.8%1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in large autopsy series, with secondary involvement being more common compared with primary malignancies of the heart. Although the hematopoietic system is the second most common cause (behind the lung) of secondary malignancies involving the heart, this remains a rare clinical entity with variable presentations. Malignancies secondarily involving the pericardium account for 75% of all cardiac malignancies, but constrictive pericarditis is present in only 4% of these cases.5 In this report, we present a case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) involving the pericardium presenting with symptoms of constrictive pericarditis.
Pharmacy-Based Approach to Improving Heart Failure Medication Use by Older Adults with Limited Health Literacy: Learning from Interdisciplinary Experience.

Heart failure is a chronic disease requiring careful attention to self-care. Patients must follow instructions for diet and medication use to prevent or delay a decline in functional status, quality of life, and expensive care. However, there is considerable heterogeneity in heart failure patients’ knowledge of important care routines, their cognition, and their health literacy, which predict the ability to implement self-care. Our interdisciplinary team of cognitive scientists with health literacy expertise, pharmacists, and physicians spent 18 years designing and testing protocols and materials to assist ambulatory heart failure patients with their care. Our approach is theory- as well as problem-driven, guided by our process-knowledge model of health literacy as it relates to self-care among older adult outpatients with either heart failure or hypertension. We used what we had learned from this model to develop a pharmacy-based protocol and tailored patient instruction materials that were the central component of a randomized clinical trial. Our results showed improved adherence to cardiovascular medications, improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction, and direct cost reductions. These results demonstrate the value of our interdisciplinary efforts for developing strategies to improve instruction and communication with attention to health literacy, which are core components of pharmacy and other ambulatory healthcare services. We believe attention to health literacy with medication use will result in improved health outcomes for older adult patients with heart failure and other complex chronic diseases.
The Association of Patient Satisfaction-Based Incentives with Primary Care Physician Opioid Prescribing

Purpose: The opioid epidemic in the United States is an ongoing public health concern. Health care institutions use standardized patient satisfaction surveys to assess the patient experience and some offer incentives to their providers based on the results. We hypothesized that providers who report being incentivized based on patient satisfaction surveys are more likely to report an impact of such surveys on their opioid prescribing practices. Methods: We developed a 23-item survey instrument to assess the self-perceived impact of patient satisfaction surveys on opioid prescribing practices in primary care and the potential impact of institutional incentives. The survey was emailed to all 1404 members of the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians. Results: The response rate to the online survey was 10.4% (n = 146). Clinical indications for which responders prescribe opioids included acute pain (93%), cancer pain (85%), and chronic nonmalignant pain (72%). Among physicians using patient satisfaction surveys, incentivized physicians reported at least a slight impact on opioid prescribing 3 times more often than physicians who were not incentivized (36% vs 12%, P = .004). Conclusions: Efforts to improve patient satisfaction may have potentially untoward effects on providers9 opioid prescribing behaviors. Our results suggest a need to further study the impact of provider incentive plans that are based on patient satisfaction scores.
The safety of lanreotide for neuroendocrine tumor.

Introduction: Lanreotide autogel is a synthetic somatostatin analogue which has been FDA and EMA approved for unresectable, well to moderately differentiated, locally advanced or metastatic gastroe...
Annihilator dimers enhance triplet fusion upconversion

Optical upconversion is a net process by which two low energy photons are converted into one higher energy photon. There is vast potential to exploit upconversion in applications ranging from solar energy and biological imaging to data storage and photocatalysis. Here, we link two upconverting chromophores together to synthesize a series of novel tetracene dimers for use as annihilators. When compared with the monomer annihilator, TIPS–tetracene, the dimers yield a strong enhancement in the triplet fusion process, also known as triplet–triplet annihilation, as demonstrated via a large increase in upconversion efficiency and an order of magnitude reduction of the threshold power for maximum yield. Along with the ongoing rapid improvements to sensitizer materials, the dimerization improvements demonstrated here open the way to a wide variety of emerging upconversion applications.
Marketing mathematics in early eighteenth-century England: Henry Beighton, certainty, and the public sphere

L'historiographie de la science publique du XVIII e siecle en Angleterre est decrite en analysant l'economie agraire et de consommation qui fut a l'origine des premiers ideaux de precision et de rationnel des mathematiques
A brief history of the supplemental poverty measure

Abstract This chapter describes the research and historical events that led to the production of the Supplemental Poverty Measure for the United States. This chapter includes an overview of the official measure, a description of numerous attempts to replace the official measure with an alternative poverty measure, and finally the recommendations for the production of a measure that supplements rather than replaces the official measure. These recommendations were based on an enormous body of research designed to improve poverty measurement in the United States undertaken by economists and statisticians at the Bureau of Labor Statistics; Census Bureau; other federal, state, and local agencies; universities; and think tanks around the country. The ultimate result of this work is a poverty measure that is designed to better reflect current living standards in the United States and the goals of today's society as reflected in tax and transfer policies.
Multi-epoch X-ray spectral analysis of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 478

A multi-epoch X-ray spectral and variability analysis is conducted for the narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) active galactic nucleus (AGN) Mrk 478. All available X-ray data from XMM-Newton and Suzaku satellites, spanning from 2001 to 2017, are modelled with a variety of physical models including partial covering, soft-Comptonisation, and blurred reflection, to explain the observed spectral shape and variability over the 16 years. All models are a similar statistical fit to the data sets, though the analysis of the variability between data sets favours the blurred reflection model. In particular, the variability can be attributed to changes in flux of the primary coronal emission. Different reflection models fit the data equally well, but differ in interpretation. The use of reflionx predicts a low disc ionisation and power law dominated spectrum, while relxill predicts a highly ionised and blurred reflection dominated spectrum. A power law dominated spectrum might be more consistent with the normal X-ray-to-UV spectral shape (aox). Both blurred reflection models suggest a rapidly spinning black hole seen at a low inclination angle, and both require a sub-solar (~0.5) abundance of iron. All physical models require a narrow emission feature at 6.7 keV likely attributable to Fe xxv emission, while no evidence for a narrow 6.4 keV line from neutral iron is detected.
High-temperature thermochemical energy storage – heat transfer enhancements within reaction bed

Abstract Ca(OH)2/CaO reversible reaction system has high potentials to be used for high-temperature thermal energy storage. Endothermic dehydration of Ca(OH)2 and exothermic hydration of CaO can be carried out at high temperatures compatible with most of the concentrated solar power applications. One of the challenges in using Ca(OH)2/CaO is the slow rate of heat transfer inside the solid reaction beds. Heat transfer enhancement techniques are introduced in a circular fixed bed heated indirectly through heat exchanger walls. Two reactor configurations are studied: one in which the heat transfer fluid (HTF) flows through an outer annular shell and another in which the HTF flows through a central pipe. Dehydration and rehydration processes are simulated with and without fins attached to the heat exchanger wall extending into the reaction bed. Heat and mass transport equations coupled with reaction kinetics are solved numerically. The designed heat transfer enhancements (HTE) within the reaction beds resulted in a significant decrease in overall conversion time during the energy storage and discharge. It is shown that the reactor with an outer annular shell as the HTF channel has better performance compared to the reactor with internal pipe flow configuration for HTF.
Cytotoxic Injury to Thymic Stroma and Impaired Reconstitution.

A key component of long-term outcome after stem cell transplant (SCT) is successful reconstitution of the immune system. Effective reconstitution of antigen-specific T-cell immunity requires de novo T cell generation. Bone marrow derived progenitors seed the thymus and undergo a complex process involving lineage commitment, proliferation and selection. Coordinated interaction of marrow-derived lymphoid progenitors with thymic stromal cells is required for successful T lymphopoiesis in the post-natal thymus. Disruption of the microenvironment can result in disrupted T cell lymphopoiesis. One cause of prolonged defects in generating functional T lymphocytes after BMT is damage to the thymic microenvironment induced by radiation or cytotoxic therapy. However, the impact of individual agents, administered at myeloablative or non-myeloablative doses, on the thymic microenvironment has not been fully evaluated. In addition, mechanisms by which stromal injury modifies T cell production and maturation have only begun to be understood. We have developed a model system using immunodeficient mice as a platform on which to assess thymic reconstitution. The thymus of mice deficient for the alpha chain of the IL-7 receptor (IL7R−/−) is relatively depleted of lymphoid cells and can be reconstituted following transplant of wild type marrow administered without myeloablative or immunosuppressive treatment. Injection of low doses of wild type bone marrow into these mice results in low levels of marrow chimerism and a normally cellular thymus repopulated with donor-derived lymphocytes. The ability to achieve this reconstitution appears to depend on absolute numbers of early intra-thymic precursors, rather than on total thymic cellularity. We have exploited this model to differentially assess the effects of cytotoxic agents including radiation and immunosuppressive drugs, on the capacity of the thymic microenvironment to support the maturation of normal lympoid progenitors (Figure 1). We demonstrate that some agents do not affect the ability of the thymic microenvironment to support reconstitution (eg fludarabine), others nearly ablate it (cyclophosphamide). We are also able to show dose, schedule, and synergistic effects on the ability of the thymic microenvironment to support de novo T cell lymphopoeisis. Distinct morphologic and phenotypic effects can be demonstrated by different agents (eg busulfan versus thiotepa) with preliminary data suggesting that the effects are mediated by injury to different stromal subsets. It is anticipated that this information will lead to strategies to both minimize delayed immune reconstitution and to augment T cell lymphopoiesis post-transplant. In addition, further evaluation of impaired thymic reconstitution will augment the understanding of lymphostromal interactions crucial to normal T cell lymphopoiesis.
Prevalence and genetic characteristics of Cronobacter spp. from food and human clinical stool samples in Wenzhou, China 2008-2018.

Pathogenic Cronobacter species are responsible for life-threatening illness in neonates. A ten-year comprehensive survey was conducted to examine the population structure and antimicrobial resistant patterns of Cronobacter isolates from food (n = 78) and clinical (n = 12) sources in Wenzhou, China. A total of 90 (4.4%) isolates were recovered from 2051 collected samples. The occurrence of Cronobacter spp. was highest in spices with a rate of 22% (26/119), whereas the lowest contamination rate of 1% was found in powered infant and toddler formula (7/494), special medical infant formula (1/95) and human stool samples (12/1024). Cronobacter strains revealed a high degree of genetic diversity among the isolates tested. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) distinguished 75 clonal groups, and the biggest cluster consisted of four strains. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method displayed 43 sequence types (STs), of which ST1, ST4, ST8, ST64, ST148 and ST201 were most frequently identified. Meanwhile, two new sequence types were discovered and added to the PubMLST international database. Resistance to ceftriaxone, cefotaxiv, amoxicillin, ampicillin, cefoxitin, tetracycline, streptomycin, azithromycin, chloramphenicol, as well as multidrug resistance, was noted. Taken together, this large-scale surveillance study highlights the wide dissemination and diverse molecular features of Cronobacter spp. in Wenzhou China.
9 – Cellular Bioenergetics

In this chapter, we discuss the bioenergetics of the mitochondrion in the context of the intact eukaryotic cell, starting with the functional aspects of the transport processes across the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes. We review techniques for determining mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters in intact cells, the use of permeabilised cells, in vivo bioenergetic determinations, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and the role of uncoupling pathways. Except where information from lower eukaryotes such as yeast is essential, we focus on mammalian cells. However, the principles discussed have broad application.
An Alternative to Laboratory Animal Experimentation for Human Health Risk Assessment: Epidemiological Studies of Pet Animals:

Alternative approaches to the use of laboratory animals for human health risk assessment have traditionally utilised in vitro techniques. We propose an expanded concept of an alternative to include...
Cyclopentadithiophene polymers synthesised via Suzuki-Miyaura polymerisation of MIDA boronate esters

Cyclopentadithiophene (CPDT), a Csp3-bridged bithiophene heteroaromatic unit, displays interesting properties when it is embedded in the repeating units of π-conjugated polymers, and they are applied in organic electronics devices. Common synthetic routes to CPDT-derived polymers rely on toxic methodologies whilst alternative non-toxic strategies such as the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction have been less studied. In this report we demonstrate that the use of a N-methyliminodiacetic acid (MIDA) boronate ester-derived CPDT monomer allows the efficient formation of poly(cyclopentadithiophene) homopolymer under Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction conditions. Thus, the use of MIDA boronate esters might be extended to other organic units to design and construct a plethora of π-conjugated polymers.
Electrophoretic Transport of Single-Stranded DNA through a Two Dimensional Nanopore Patterned on an In-Plane Heterostructure

Recent advances in nanotechnology have facilitated fabrication of various solid state nanopores as a versatile alternative to biological nanopores; however, effective transport of a single-stranded...
Multi-pulse laser-induced bubble formation and nanoparticle aggregation using MoS2 nanoparticles.

Understanding of how particles and light interact in a liquid environment is vital for optical and biological applications. MoS2 has been shown to enhance nonlinear optical phenomena due to the presence of a direct excitonic resonance. Its use in biological applications is predicated on knowledge of how MoS2 interacts with ultrafast (< 1 ps) pulses. In this experiment, the interaction between two femtosecond pulses and MoS2 nanoparticles suspended in liquid is studied. We found that the laser pulses induce bubble formation on the surface of a nanoparticle and a nanoparticle aggregate then forms on the surface of the trapped bubble. The processes of formation of the bubble and the nanoparticle aggregation are intertwined.
Improving Quantitative Abilities and Attitudes in Clinical Psychology Courses: Longitudinal Assessment of a Blended Learning Intervention

Background:Many students report negative attitudes toward research methods and statistics (RMS), and these attitudes are associated with impaired performance. Student interest in clinical psycholog...
Emotion regulation and specificity: The impact of animal-assisted interventions on classroom behavior

Abstract We discuss Bornstein's (2017) specificity principle as a codification of the larger systems-oriented zeitgeist currently dominant in developmental science and the implications that accommodating specificity has for applied research. We illustrate the importance of specificity by analyzing coded videos obtained as part of an evaluation of animal-assisted interventions implemented in the context of a school for children with special educational needs. At the level of the whole sample, findings indicate that students' emotion regulation improves across the pretest period and therefore indicate that student behaviors may change in anticipation of animal-assisted interventions. When analyzed at the person-specific level, the data furthermore indicated that the whole-sample findings only generalize to a subset of participants. The pattern of results suggests that the selected measure may have limited validity for assessing emotion regulation among the rest of the sample. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research and program evaluations.
2020 in review: FDA approvals of new medicines.

Abstract Amid a global pandemic, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) remained relatively active, approving 55novel molecular entities (NMEs) in 2020, the third highest annual rate recorded. Orphan approvals also surged, capturing 60% of NMEs introduced during 2020, as did the number of NMEs approved using a priority review. The pandemic did appear to impact one recent trend, and in a paradoxically encouraging way. Escalating rates of consolidation slowed in 2020, with only 102 companies lost, down by two-thirds over the rate in 2019. This leaves 2000 extant clinical-stage pharmaceutical companies. When limiting this analysis to companies contributing to the research and development (R&D) of an approved drug, eight were lost, leaving 144 extant.
Human–Robot Collaboration in Construction: Classification and Research Trends

AbstractConstruction robots continue to be increasingly deployed on construction sites to assist human workers in various tasks to improve safety, efficiency, and productivity. Due to the recent an...
More Frequent Food Shopping May Promote Fruit and Vegetable Intake: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background Food shopping frequency may be an important modifiable factor related to increasing fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. Because of mixed findings of individual studies of shopping frequency, a systematic review is needed to examine findings across studies and store types. Objective To conduct a systematic review of articles examining the relationship between frequency of food shopping and FV intake including examination of participation in federal nutrition assistance programs on FV intake, if reported. Methods A search, guided by the Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Reviews and Metanalyses, using terms related to FV consumption and food shopping across 4 online databases, was conducted. Studies conducted in the US and published through October, 2020, included adults, and had a cross-sectional, longitudinal, cohort, or randomized study design were eligible for inclusion. Results Twenty-four articles were included. The majority of studies found at least 1 positive finding between the frequency of food shopping and FV intake, indicating that as the frequency of food shopping increased, FV intake increased. In studies with 100% participation in government/federal nutrition assistance programs, participation was associated with FV intake. Studies that included participation as a subset found participation not associated with FV intake. Implications for Future Research and Practice The frequency of shopping may be modifiable to increase FV intake. Experimental research is needed to test the directionality and causality of the relationship. Federal nutrition assistance programs may be a logical place to test the relationship through the adjustment of fund disbursements.
Design of UHPC Structural Members: Lessons Learned and ASTM Test Requirements

Over the past decade, Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) has been used in several pilot projects, which included designing of different bridge components. In each case, it became clear that the design efficiency and cost effectiveness of the UHPC structural member was not possible when the conventional approaches developed for normal concrete members were followed. More efficient structural design solutions were realized when alternative geometries and/or unique properties of the UHPC were taken advantage of in the design process. Structural testing of these members and/or field testing of bridges designed with UHPC structural members has shown that their performance was extremely satisfactory in spite of adopting new design concepts and alternative geometries. Drawing design experience from bridge girders to bridge decks to UHPC piles to wind turbine towers, this paper summarizes the important lessons learned and establishes ASTM test requirements that can facilitate designing of cost-effective UHPC members and connections with satisfactory performance. In this process, ultimate strength for flexure, shear and torsion, fatigue resistance, serviceability issues and long-term behavior of different UHPC members are given consideration.
The Rights of Refugees under International Law: Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (1951)

Preamble The High Contracting Parties , Considering that the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights approved on 10 December 1948 by the General Assembly have affirmed the principle that human beings shall enjoy fundamental rights and freedoms without discrimination, Considering that the United Nations has, on various occasions, manifested its profound concern for refugees and endeavoured to assure refugees the widest possible exercise of these fundamental rights and freedoms, Considering that it is desirable to revise and consolidate previous international agreements relating to the status of refugees and to extend the scope of and the protection accorded by such instruments by means of a new agreement, Considering that the grant of asylum may place unduly heavy burdens on certain countries, and that a satisfactory solution of a problem of which the United Nations has recognized the international scope and nature cannot therefore be achieved without international co-operation, Expressing the wish that all States, recognizing the social and humanitarian nature of the problem of refugees, will do everything within their power to prevent this problem from becoming a cause of tension between States, Noting that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is charged with the task of supervising international conventions providing for the protection of refugees, and recognizing that the effective co-ordination of measures taken to deal with this problem will depend upon the co-operation of States with the High Commissioner,
Pharmacological Drug Effects on Brain and Behavior

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the effects of various psychoactive substances such as alcohol, illicit drugs, and prescribed medications on brain and behavior. These substances not only affect the mood, but also have significant effects on cognition, behavior, and physiology, and therefore substantially alter perceptions and social function. Characteristic pharmacological and pharmacokinetic features are important for understanding the acute and chronic effects of a substance on an individual. Psychoactive substances can be classified into central nervous system stimulants, which include cocaine and amphetamines, and central nervous system depressants including alcohol, opioids, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines. The neurotransmitter dopamine and its function in the neurological reward system, especially the nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area, have been implicated extensively in drug and alcohol addiction. The release of dopamine and the nucleus accumbens has been associated repeatedly with craving for cocaine. In addition, morphine, marijuana, nicotine, and alcohol administration have also resulted in increased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. These same drugs are also associated with molecular adaption in dopamine transporters, as well as opioid receptors, nicotinic receptors, and G-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Cocaine withdrawal leads to depression, anxiety, agitation, paranoia, and drug craving, which may last for several days. Withdrawal symptoms from amphetamines include dysphoria, fatigue, insomnia, appetite disturbance, agitation, and other somatic symptoms. Antidepressants that decrease the reuptake of serotonin and/or noradrenalin appear to attenuate this withdrawal phenomenon. Alcohol withdrawal may include severe physical symptoms such as diaphoresis, tachycardia, nausea and vomiting, fever, and convulsions.
Purification of ribonucleic acid polymerase from SP82-infected Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract A procedure for the isolation of RNA polymerase from Bacillus subtilis is presented which yields enzyme with very high specific activity. RNA polymerases isolated from uninfected and from SP82-infected B. subtilis are compared. The activity of the two enzymes on various DNA templates and their sensitivity to rifampicin and streptolydigin are similar. However, the subunit composition of the two enzymes as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis is different. The uninfected cell enzyme shows the expected configuration β'βα2δ. The polymerase isolated from infected cells, even though it has an increased specific activity, contains only traces of the δ subunit. In addition, three new small polypeptides co-purify with the polymerase; the major small polypeptide has a molecular weight of 16,000.
Radioimmunoprecipitation Assay for Quantitation of Serum Antibody to the Hemagglutinin of Type A Influenza Virus

A double-antibody radioimmunoprecipitation (RIP) assay has been developed to provide a sensitive and specific measure of antibody to hemagglutinins of H3N2 influenza viruses. Chloramine T was used to radiolabel purified hemagglutinins to high specific activity without loss of antigenicity. The purity of the labeled hemagglutinin was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which also established that both the HA(1) and HA(2) polypeptides were iodinated. Radiolabeled hemagglutinins with a specific activity that did not exceed 12 muCi/mug of protein could be maintained for up to 30 days at -70 degrees C in the presence of supplemental protein. The RIP assay was compared with conventional methods, hemagglutination inhibition and viral neutralization tests, using H3N equine 1 hybrid viruses for determining serum antihemagglutinin antibody titers. The geometric mean titers for human convalescent sera after infection with A/England/72 virus were 118, 161, and 18,822 for hemagglutination inhibition, viral neutralization, and RIP tests, respectively, and the three tests demonstrated significant rises in antihemagglutinin antibody titers with equal efficiency. In general, a positive correlation existed between antihemagglutinin antibody titers determined by these three procedures; however, the antibody level determined by RIP assay for each individual could not be related to hemagglutination inhibition or viral neutralization titers by a constant factor. A similar lack of a constant relationship was found by using hyperimmune guinea pig antisera, which suggests that the RIP assay can detect antibody populations that exhibit differing efficiencies for inhibition of viral hemagglutination and replication.
Management of Patients With Stable Angina and Type 2 Diabetes.

Abstract Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a well-established risk factor for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients with CAD and comorbid T2D also have a higher risk of cardiovascular complications, such as silent ischemia and stable angina. In treating the symptoms of stable angina in patients with CAD and comorbid T2D, it is vital to utilize therapies that reduce symptoms and improve outcomes. At the same time, there is significant concern about the preservation of glycometabolic parameters, such as glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), particularly because some antianginal therapies, such as β-blockers and calcium channel blockers-although effective at improving the symptoms of stable angina and reducing ischemia-may also worsen glycemic control by increasing HbA1c levels. Available trial data on the efficacy of antianginal agents in patients with stable angina and comorbid T2D are limited. Therefore, in patients with stable angina and T2D, a tailored approach to treatment of stable angina by selecting therapies with a neutral or positive glycometabolic profile may improve outcomes and increase treatment compliance. Additionally, patients with a dual diagnosis may benefit from therapies that have beneficial effects on both stable angina and T2D, thereby reducing polypharmacy. Prospective studies in patients with stable angina and T2D are needed to guide therapy decisions.
Calcific rheumatoid constrictive pericarditis with cardiac failure treated by pericardiectomy.

A 74-year-old man with classic rheumatoid arthritis developed constrictive pericarditis accompanied by gross pericardial calcification. Pericardiectomy was followed by marked clinical improvement, substantiated by hemodynamic data. Immunofluorescent staining of the resected pericardium demonstrated precipitates of IgG, IgM, and complement C3. Similar precipitates were not encountered in normal pericardium or pericarditis due to other etiology.
Linsky on substitutivity

tive" (The Structure of Science (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1961), pp. 319ff) are considerably more sophisticated, but not, I think, different in principle. 'A. Pap points out correctly in Analytische Erkenntnistheorie (Vienna: Springer, 1955), p. 138, that an empirical statement can function as a " 'pragmatic' presupposition of the procedures of the scientist." In his later book, An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science (Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press, 1962), he takes the view that it is a "matter of taste" whether we consider the principle to be a proposition or a rule of procedure (p. 311 ).
A unified framework for evaluating test criteria in model-checking-assisted test case generation

Testing is often cited as one of the most costly operations in testing dependable systems (Heimdahl et al. 2001). A particular challenging task in testing is test-case generation. To improve the efficiency of test-case generation and reduce its cost, recently automated formal verification techniques such as model checking are extended to automate test-case generation processes. In model-checking-assisted test-case generation, a test criterion is formulated as temporal logical formulae, which are used by a model checker to generate test cases satisfying the test criterion. Traditional test criteria such as branch coverage criterion and newer temporal-logic-inspired criteria such as property coverage criteria (Tan et al. 2004) are used with model-checking-assisted test generation. Two key questions in model-checking-assisted test generation are how efficiently a model checker may generate test suites for these criteria and how effective these test suites are. To answer these questions, we developed a unified framework for evaluating (1) the effectiveness of the test criteria used with model-checking-assisted test-case generation and (2) the efficiency of test-case generation for these criteria. The benefits of this work are three-fold: first, the computational study carried out in this work provides some measurements of the effectiveness and efficiency of various test criteria used with model-checking-assisted test case generation. These performance measurements are important factors to consider when a practitioner selects appropriate test criteria for an application of model-checking-assisted test generation. Second, we propose a unified test generation framework based on generalized Buchi automata. The framework uses the same model checker, in this case, SPIN model checker (Holzmann 1997), to generate test cases for different criteria and compare them on a consistent basis. Last but not least, we describe in great details the methodology and automated test generation environment that we developed on the basis of our unified framework. Such details would be of interest to researchers and practitioners who want to use and extend this unified framework and its accompanying tools.
Characterization of Nrf1b, a Novel Isoform of the Nuclear Factor-Erythroid-2 Related Transcription Factor-1 That Activates Antioxidant Response Element-Regulated Genes

Nuclear factor E2-related factor 1 (Nrf1) is a basic leucine zipper transcription factor that plays an important role in the activation of cytoprotective genes through the antioxidant response elements. The previously characterized long isoform of Nrf1 (Nrf1a) is targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum and accumulates in the nucleus in response to activating signals. Here we characterized a novel Nrf1 protein isoform (Nrf1b) generated through an alternative promoter and first exon that lacks the ER targeting domain of Nrf1a. The 5′-flanking region of Nrf1b directed high levels of luciferase reporter expression in cells. RT-PCR and Western blotting showed Nrf1b is widely expressed in various cell lines and mouse tissues. Immunoblot analysis of subcellular fractions and imaging of green fluorescence protein (GFP)-tagged Nrf1b demonstrate Nrf1b is constitutively localized to the nucleus. Nrf1b can activate GAL4-dependent transcription when fused to the heterologous GAL4 DNA-binding domain. Gel-shift and coimmunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that Nrf1b forms a complex with MafG, and expression of Nrf1b activates the expression of antioxidant response element containing reporters and genes in cells. These results suggest Nrf1b is targeted to the nucleus where it activates ARE-driven genes and may play a role in modulating antioxidant response elements.
The interaction of chemicals and viruses and their role in Reye's syndrome

Abstract Chemicals have not conclusively been shown to potentiate human viral infections or Reye's Syndrome, but they have been proven to potentiate viral disease in insects, mice, rats, ducks, and tissue in culture. The data suggest that we cannot rule out virus-chemical interactions in the pathogenesis of human disease. Reye's Syndrome (RS), an encephalopathy with fatty changes of the viscera, is a disease of children with a high mortality and unknown etiology. The most frequently suggested causes of RS are viruses or environmental toxins. It has also been suggested that both may cause RS acting either alone or in concert. Varicella or influenza B are the viruses most frequently associated with RS. Aflatoxin, a fungal toxin, has been the toxin most frequently implicated in RS or a disease that is almost identical to it. The hepatic tissue of 9 children with Reye's Syndrome was examined and was found to contain no aflatoxin. The sensitivity of our test was 5.2 μg of aflatoxin B 1 /kg wet hepatic tissue. With some reservation, it is felt unlikely that aflatoxicosis is important in the pathogenesis of Reye's Syndrome in the United States. We also examined the serum of 12 patients with RS for pseudocholinesterase activity. Although the mean value of this activity for the RS patients was 12% less than that for the control group, there was no significant differences (P > 0.05) and, therefore, our RS patients did not demonstrate any effects of pseudocholinesterase inhibitors. It is as yet difficult to demonstrate, except coincidentally, environmental toxins in the pathogenesis of Reye's Syndrome.
Optical sensor research at Virginia Tech Center for Photonics Technology

Optical sensors that can be used in harsh environments are desirable in a wide range of industrial and military applications where conventional measurement devices are difficult to apply due to the harsh environments. Optical fiber sensors have been demonstrated to be attractive for the measurement of a wide variety of physical parameters because of such inherent advantages as 1) small size, 2) an immunity to electromagnetic interference, 3) high resolution, 4) non-electrically conducting, 5) capability of responding to a wide variety of measurands, 6) avoidance of electric sparks, 7) resistance to harsh environment, 8) remote operation, and 9) capability of multiplexing. In the past two decades, fiber sensors have been demonstrated and developed. The optical sensor research at the Virginia Tech Center for Photonics Technology (VTCPT) has been mainly focused on the development of sensors for measurement of pressure, temperature, strain, acoustic waves, flow, electric partial discharges, surface mapping and 3-D temperature imaging. Most of these sensors are based on optical fibers, including silica glass fiber with various polymer and metallic coatings and single-crystal sapphire fiber waveguides. In terms of the optical parameters being modulated, these sensors could be approximately classified into interferometric, polarimetric, intensity-based, and wavelength-coded devices. This paper presents several examples of the sensors recently developed at Virginia Tech.
Role of development in reorganization of the SI forelimb-stump representation in fetally, neonatally, and adult amputated rats.

Rats that sustain forelimb removal on postnatal day (P) 0 exhibit numerous multi-unit recording sites in the forelimb-stump representation of primary somatosensory cortex (SI) that also respond to ...
Skeleton-based 3D computer-aided detection of colonic polyps

In this paper, we propose a new computer aided detection (CAD) technique to utilize both global and local shape information of the colon wall for detection of colonic polyps. Firstly, the whole colon wall is extracted by our mixture-based image segmentation method. This method uses partial volume percentages to represent the distribution of different materials in each voxel, so it provides the most accurate information on the colon wall, especially the mucosa layer. Local geometrical measure of the colon mucosa layer is defined by the curvature and gradient information extracted from the segmented colon-wall mixture data. Global shape information is provided by applying an improved linear integral convolution operation to the mixture data. The CAD technique was tested on twenty patient datasets. The local geometrical measure extracted from the mixture segmentation represents more accurately the polyp variation than that extracted from conventional label classification, leading to improved detection. The added global shape information further improves the polyp detection.
Electrospinning of heated gelatin-sodium alginate-water solutions

Most polymers that are electrospun are dissolved in a solvent and are spun at ambient temperature. Gelatin, a natural polymer, has excellent potential in medical applications as a biodegradable polymer, especially when combined with sodium alginate. Unfortunately, gelatin/water or gelatin/sodium alginate/water solutions cannot be electrospun at ambient temperature without the incorporation of substances that are considered potentially toxic to the human body, such as acetic acid. In this study, gelatin/water solutions with and without sodium alginate were successfully electrospun without the use of additional solvents by using heated water solutions. The effect of electrospinning parameters such as solution concentration and applied voltage on the nanofiber morphology of these solutions was studied. These nanofibers from heated gelatin/water solutions exhibited good morphology with an average size of 291 ± 67 nm at 18% concentration to 414 ± 52 nm at 20% concentration. Similar sizes were observed when sodium alginate was incorporated into the gelatin/water solutions, although the relationship was dependent upon the amount of sodium alginate in the solution as well as the total concentration. Typically, these nanofibers containing sodium alginate were produced at a lower gelatin concentration compared with the gelatin/water nanofibers because of the increase of viscosity and conductivity of the solutions due to the addition of the highly viscous and conductivity sodium alginate. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
ASP-Based Encoding Model of Architecture Synthesis for Smart Cameras in Distributed Networks

A synthesis approach based on Answer Set Programming (ASP) for heterogeneous system-on-chips to be used in distributed camera networks is presented. In such networks, the tight resource limitations represent a major challenge for application development. Starting with a high-level description of applications, the physical constraints of the target devices, and the specification of network configuration, our goal is to produce optimal computing infrastructures made of a combination of hardware and software components for each node of the network. Optimization aims at maximizing speed while minimizing chip area and power consumption. Additionally, by performing the architecture synthesis simultaneously for all cameras in the network, we are able to minimize the overall utilization of communication resources and consequently reduce power consumption. Because of its reconfiguration capabilities, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) has been chosen as the target device, which enhances the exploration of several design alternatives. We present several realistic network scenarios to evaluate and validate the proposed synthesis approach.
Neuroethics: Interacting “Traditions” as a Viable Meta-Ethics

Neil Levy (2011) offers neuroethics as “a new way of doing ethics” and claims that neuroethics “offers the opportunity to learn about, refine and even dramatically alter the tools we use as applied...
Substance use for insomnia in Metropolitan Detroit

Objective: People with insomnia are not typically treated medically for their insomnia. Studies have reported approximately 30% of insomniacs self-medicate with alcohol or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. This study was done to identify determinants and risks of different insomnia therapeutics. Methods: A random-digit-dial, computer-assisted survey of a representative sample of adults in Metropolitan Detroit, aged 18–65 years, is being conducted. A sample of all respondents over an 18-month period was collected (n=1324) with a 68% response rate. Exclusive past-year use of alcohol for sleep was reported by 10% (n=132), prescription medications by 8% (n=108), and OTC medications by 10% (n=135). Five percent used both alcohol and sleep medications. The three exclusive-use groups formed the comparison groups of the study. Results: The prescription drug group used medications for more consecutive nights and for more total nights than the alcohol and OTC users. Alcohol users were predominately male, while OTC and prescription drug users were predominately female. Alcohol users were more likely to be single than the others, and prescription drug users were older than the others. Prescription drug users had more severe insomnia and had greater disability, neuroticism, and daytime fatigue than the others. In contrast, the alcohol users had greater daytime sleepiness than the others. Conclusions: In Metropolitan Detroit, insomniacs receiving medical treatment have more severe insomnia and greater disability than those who self-treat. However, while the insomnia of those self-treating is less severe, it is still associated with some risks.
Culture Technologies – Dreimal mehr in Herz und Kopf!

Ich beginne mit dieser Kolumne, bzw. eigentlich mit einer Rede vor der damaligen Ministerin Schavan, das Ende der Kreidezeit in den Schulen zu fordern. In Anlehnung an die damals gerade beginnende weltweite Kampagne „The Smarter Planet“ der IBM mochte ich einen „Brighter Planet“. Ich pladiere dafur, neue Bildungstechnologien zu entwickeln und Deutschland zum Exporteur von „Culture Technologies“ aufzubauen.
A Note on Item Analysis of Family Relations Test Data

Summary Two statistical problems prevent meaningful item analysis of Family Relations Test (FRT) data: (a) multiple assignment invalidates the assumption of independence and (b) low frequencies prevent computation of probabilities. It is suggested that: (a) multiple assignment be disallowed and (b) items be made more representative of family interactions.
Earthquake Stress Drops, Ambient Tectonic Stresses and Stresses That Drive Plate Motions

A variety of geophysical observations suggests that the upper portion of the lithosphere, herein referred to as the elastic plate, has long-term material properties and frictional strength significantly greater than the lower lithosphere. If the average frictional stress along the non-ridge margin of the elastic plate is of the order of a kilobar, as suggested by the many observations of the frictional strength of rocks at mid-crustal conditions of pressure and temperature, the only viable mechanism for driving the motion of the elastic plate is a basal shear stress of several tens of bars. Kilobars of tectonic stress are then an ambient, steady condition of the earth’s crust and uppermost mantle. The approximate equality of the basal shear stress and the average crustal earthquake stress drop, the localization of strain release for major plate margin earthquakes, and the rough equivalence of plate margin slip rates and gross plate motion rates suggest that the stress drops of major plate margin earthquakes are controlled by the elastic release of the basal shear stress in the vicinity of the plate margin, despite the existence of kilobars of tectonic stress existing across vertical planes parallel to the plate margin. If the stress differences available to be released at the time of faulting are distributed in a random, white fashion with a mean-square value determined by the average earthquake stress drop, the frequency of occurrence of constant stress drop earthquakes will be proportional to reciprocal faulting area, in accordance with empirically known frequency of occurrence statistics.