cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Disease Management to Improve Health Outcomes

The heightened awareness of substantial racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes has major implications for how healthcare providers effectively manage health conditions among diverse populations. This report identifies five dimensions that address the major causes of disparities that can exert significant influence over the success and quality of the patient-physician relationship, treatment plans, and health outcomes. These five dimensions are (i) biological and genetic influences; (ii) differential access to care; (iii) quality of care disparities; (iv) clinical-patient perceptions and realities; and (v) language and communication barriers.
Network formation in polymer nanocomposites under shear

We use Molecular Dynamics simulations to determine the role that networks formed by fillers and polymers play in the rheology of polymer nanocomposites. We model the nano-filler particles as spherical particles in a matrix of unentangled polymer chains. We observe the effect of shear on the ability of the network to affect chain orientation. Our results indicate that above a critical concentration of filler particles, the network structure formed between the fillers and the polymers strongly affects the dynamics of the nanocomposite under shear. However, we also find that low concentrations of filler particles lead to a large increase in chain orientation (relative to the pure polymer case) when shear is applied. We suggest the mobility of the nano-filler particles helps in the construction and destruction of the networks seen in these melts. Our results indicate that the ability of fillers to maintain the network during shear results in the enhancement of the shear thinning effect at high concentrations of filler particles, while the ability of fillers to induce high degrees of orientation in polymer chains results in shear thinning being present even at lower concentrations of fillers.
An Inequality of Optimal Order for the Tail Probabilities of the T Statistic Under Symmetry

Abstract An inequality for the tail probabilites of the t statistic under the hypotheses of independence and symmetry is presented and is shown to yield bounds for the upper quantiles that approach those of the normal (and hence the smallest of such bounds possible) as the corresponding upper tail area tends to 0.
Using microsprinkler irrigation to reduce leaching in a shrink/swell clay soil

Abstract Preferential flow allows agricultural chemicals to rapidly move past crop root zone to subsoil, potentially contaminating groundwater. Deep shrinkage cracks in a shrink/swell soil may serve as preferential flow channels. Design and operation of an irrigation system is critical in shrink/swell soils in order to reduce or eliminate preferential flow while providing sufficient water for plant growth. The objective of this study was to compare microsprinkler irrigation (MI) and surface flood irrigation (FI) systems for their ability to reduce preferential flow and chemical leaching through a shrink/swell soil in a pear orchard. The MI system applied water at a rate of 2.8 mm h −1 , and the FI followed the traditional orchard irrigation method. Bromide tracer was applied to the pear orchard. Soil cores and percolate samples from passive capillary samplers (PCAPS) installed at 1.2 m depth were collected to test for the presence of Br tracer in the soil and percolate. The MI system greatly decreased water and Br leaching from soil to the PCAPS in comparison to FI. The percolate in MI was nearly zero. Most of the loss of Br occurred in the first one or two FI events. MI systems, such as that used in this study should be considered as an alternative to FI in such shrink/swell soils to reduce macropore flow.
Characterization of corticosteroid receptors in natural killer cells: comparison with circulating lymphoid and myeloid cells.

Abstract Lymphocytes mediating natural killer (NK.) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activities are relatively refractory to the changes in circulatory traffic and intrinsic function induced in other cell types by in vivo and in vitro corticosteroids (CS). To investigate if such drug resistance could be attributed to differences in the CS receptor number or affinity ( K d ) of these cells, these characteristics were determined in purified populations of large granular lymphocytes (LGL), monocytes, neutrophils (PMN), and T cells. All cell types displayed a single class of CS receptor of uniform affinity; however, LGL resembled monocytes and PMN in receptor number and K d while T cells had significantly fewer sites per cell with lower K d . These studies suggest that the unresponsiveness of NK activity to CS is not secondary to differences in CS receptor capacity or affinity.
Insulin and aging

In invertebrates, signaling pathways homologous to mammalian insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) signal transduction have a major role in the control of longevity. There are numerous indications that these pathways also influence aging in mammals, but separating the role of insulin from the effects of IGF-1 and growth hormone (GH) is difficult. In mice, selective disruption of the insulin receptor in the adipose tissue extends longevity. Increases in lifespan were also reported in mice with deletion of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) in whole body or IRS2 only in the brain. GH deficiency or resistance in mutant mice leads to hypoinsulinemia and enhanced insulin sensitivity along with remarkably extended longevity. These characteristics resemble animals subjected to calorie restriction. Studies of physiological characteristics and polymorphisms of insulin-related genes in exceptionally long-lived people suggest a role of insulin signaling in the control of human aging.
Neuroprotective effect of resveratrol prophylaxis on experimental retinal ischemic injury.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether systemically administered resveratrol can protect against acute retinal ischemic reperfusion injury. Two groups of adult male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 6 per group) were used for this study. Resveratrol (30 mg/kg) or an equal volume of vehicle (30% Solutol HS 15 in 0.9% saline) was administered daily for 5 days via intraperitoneal injection. On the third day of treatment, retinal ischemic injury was induced by elevation of intraocular pressure for 45 min. Prior to resveratrol administration and one-week following ischemic insult, retinal function was measured by scotopic electroretinography (ERG). Retinas were harvested and morphologically analyzed one week after ischemic insult. ERG a- and b-wave amplitudes were significantly reduced following ischemic reperfusion injury. Resveratrol treatment attenuated ischemic-induced loss of retinal function. In control vehicle-treated rats, ischemic reperfusion injury elicited marked thinning of inner retinal layers. Resveratrol prophylactic treatment reduced ischemia-mediated thinning of the whole retina and in particular the inner retinal layers. Therefore, resveratrol may have therapeutic value for the management of retinal ischemic disorders.
Percutaneous treatment of catheter-induced dissection of the left main coronary artery and adjacent aortic wall: a case report.

Left main coronary artery dissection complicating selective coronary angiography is uncommon. Moreover, aortic root dissection associated with coronary intervention is underreported and may require urgent surgical intervention. During percutaneous coronary angioplasty of a catheter-induced left main coronary artery dissection, retrograde dissection of the adjacent aortic root occurred. Both were successfully treated by stenting of the left main coronary artery. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 49:86–89, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Impact of volume loading and load reduction on ventricular refractoriness and conduction properties in canine congestive heart failure.

Abstract Objectives. This investigation was undertaken to examine the alteration of electrophysiologic properties, including refractoriness, strength–interval relations and conduction, with the development of heart failure and to characterize the impact of volume loading on these indexes in the cardiomyopathic setting. Methods. Electrophysiologic properties in eight dogs with pacing-induced dilated cardiomyopathy were compared with those in six control dogs before and after rapid infusion of 800 ml of intravenous saline. Results. The right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) effective refractory period (ERP) and absolute refractory period (ARP) were significantly longer in dogs with pacing-induced cardiomyopathy than in control dogs: RV ERP 181 ± 11 ms versus 138 ± 7 ms (mean ± SD) (p Conclusions. The development of dilated cardiomyopathy results in significant prolongation of refractoriness and repolarization that is increased further by volume augmentation but is not reversed by pharmacologic load reduction. Although these abnormalities may contribute to the environment needed for a non-reentrant, triggered or stretch-mediated arrhythmogenic process in cardiomyopathic states, additional studies will be required to demonstrate such a focal mechanism conclusively.
Adaptive scapula bone remodeling computational simulation: Relevance to regenerative medicine

Shoulder arthroplasty success has been attributed to many factors including, bone quality, soft tissue balancing, surgeon experience, and implant design. Improved long-term success is primarily limited by glenoid implant loosening. Prosthesis design examines materials and shape and determines whether the design should withstand a lifetime of use. Finite element (FE) analyses have been extensively used to study stresses and strains produced in implants and bone. However, these static analyses only measure a moment in time and not the adaptive response to the altered environment produced by the therapeutic intervention. Computational analyses that integrate remodeling rules predict how bone will respond over time. Recent work has shown that subject-specific two- and three dimensional adaptive bone remodeling models are feasible and valid. Feasibility and validation were achieved computationally, simulating bone remodeling using an intact human scapula, initially resetting the scapular bone material properties to be uniform, numerically simulating sequential loading, and comparing the bone remodeling simulation results to the actual scapula's material properties. Three-dimensional scapula FE bone model was created using volumetric computed tomography images. Muscle and joint load and boundary conditions were applied based on values reported in the literature. Internal bone remodeling was based on element strain-energy density. Initially, all bone elements were assigned a homogeneous density. All loads were applied for 10 iterations. After every iteration, each bone element's remodeling stimulus was compared to its corresponding reference stimulus and its material properties modified. The simulation achieved convergence. At the end of the simulation the predicted and actual specimen bone apparent density were plotted and compared. Location of high and low predicted bone density was comparable to the actual specimen. High predicted bone density was greater than actual specimen. Low predicted bone density was lower than actual specimen. Differences were probably due to applied muscle and joint reaction loads, boundary conditions, and values of constants used. Work is underway to study this. Nonetheless, the results demonstrate three dimensional bone remodeling simulation validity and potential. Such adaptive predictions take physiological bone remodeling simulations one step closer to reality. Computational analyses are needed that integrate biological remodeling rules and predict how bone will respond over time. We expect the combination of computational static stress analyses together with adaptive bone remodeling simulations to become effective tools for regenerative medicine research.
Skin as a living coloring book: how epithelial cells create patterns of pigmentation

The pigmentation of mammalian skin and hair develops through the interaction of two basic cell types — pigment donors and recipients. The pigment donors are melanocytes, which produce and distribute melanin through specialized structures. The pigment recipients are epithelial cells, which acquire melanin and put it to use, collectively yielding the pigmentation visible to the eye. This review will focus on the pigment recipients, the historically less understood cell type. These end-users of pigment are now known to exert a specialized control over the patterning of pigmentation, as they identify themselves as melanocyte targets, recruit pigment donors, and stimulate the transfer of melanin. As such, this review will discuss the evidence that the skin is like a coloring book: the pigment recipients create a “picture,” a blueprint for pigmentation, which is colorless initially but outlines where pigment should be placed. Melanocytes then melanize the recipients and “color in” the picture.
MIB-1 labeling index predicts recurrence in intraventricular central neurocytomas

Despite the relatively low-grade of most central neurocytomas (CN), evidence suggests the existence of an aggressive subset with a propensity for recurrence. Recent studies have found the MIB-1 labeling index to be a prognostic indicator in CN. Here we review our experience with CN to analyze the relationships between extent of resection, adjuvant therapy, tumor histology, and clinical outcomes based on aggressive histology, as defined by MIB-1 labeling. A retrospective review was performed on histologically proven CN surgically resected from 1993 to 2009 at the University of California at San Francisco. Recurrence rates were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method with respect to MIB-1 labeling and extent of resection. All MIB-1 labeling indices were analyzed. A total of 18 patients were identified with a mean age of 30 years (range 17–58 years) and median follow-up of 40 months (5–173 months). The treatments were: gross total resection (GTR) alone (17% of patients), subtotal resection (STR) alone (50% of patients), STR plus radiotherapy (XRT: external beam or stereotactic radiosurgery: 28% of patients), or STR plus chemotherapy (5% of patients). The extent of resection and a MIB-1 labeling index >4% was predictive of recurrence (p 4% with median time to recurrence of 23.5 months. The 2-year and 4-year recurrence rates in patients with MIB-1 labeling >4% were 50% and 75% respectively. No patient with a MIB-1 labeling index 4% can be a clinically useful prognostic indicator and can help guide adjuvant treatment.
Surgical Treatment of Aneurysms of the Aortic Root

Abstract A standardized technique for the definitive treatment of chronic aneurysm of the aortic root complicated by aortic valve insufficiency is reviewed. This technique includes (1) excision and graft replacement of the aneurysm from the aortic annulus to the distal ascending aorta or arch, (2) replacement of the insufficient aortic valve with a Starr-Edwards prosthesis, and (3) implantation of the coronary artery orifices into the sides of the prosthetic graft. Angiocardiographic and pathological studies in long-term survivors have shown no instances of further aneurysmal enlargement or dissection, good function of the graft, no aortic valve insufficiency, and patent coronary artery orifices. Thirteen patients have been treated in this fashion with 2 hospital deaths.
Cadmium-113 and magnesium-25 NMR study of the divalent metal binding sites of isocitrate dehydrogenases from pig heart.

Abstract The metal activator sites of NAD + -dependent and NADP + -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenases from pig heart have been probed using 113 Cd- and 25 Mg-NMR. In the presence of isocitrate and ADP, a broad resonance for cadmium bound to NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase was observed ( −8 ppm) arising from exchange with isocitrate (−20 ppm) and/or ADP (27 ppm) complexes. The Cd shift with ADP suggests interaction of the metal with the nucleotide ring nitrogen. Increasing shifts with excess ADP are indicative of macrochelate formation. 25 Mg-NMR demonstrates that, unlike manganese, magnesium has a similar dissociation constant (1.8 mM) from NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase as from the enzyme-isocitrate complex (1.1 mM). The extrapolated line width of bound magnesium increases from 674 Hz in the binary complex to 10 200 Hz in the ternary complex. The quadrupole coupling constant, calculated from relaxation rates, is larger in the ternary complex. indicative of greater distortion in the magnesium coordination sphere. The line widths of magnesium complexed to NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase are broader, as expected for the larger octamer. 113 Cd- and 25 Mg-NMR both show that the metal sites have anisotropic octahedral symmetry. 25 Mg relaxation rates yield correlation times corresponding to motions of a domain with motion independent of the enzyme multimers.
Design parameter investigation of a cold-cathode Penning ion source for general laboratory applications

An investigation of different design parameters of a cold-cathode Penning ion source is described. The Penning source had an iron cathode body, samarium cobalt permanent magnet, stainless steel anode and iron cathode faceplate. The faceplate extraction orifice diameter, anode shape and permanent magnet location were adjusted. Discharge current–voltage characteristics and current to a grounded target were measured for the different ion source configurations. Results indicate that for hydrogen and helium operation, the largest orifice, cylinder anode and baseline magnet location provides optimum source operation. Specifically, a continuous positive hydrogen ion target current of 1.0 ± 0.15 mA was attainable at only 1.6 × 10−4 Torr of pressure. At 1.0 mTorr of hydrogen pressure a target current of 2.0 ± 0.15 mA was possible. These results far surpass the design goal of 1 mA hydrogen ion beam at 1 mTorr of pressure. This cold-cathode Penning ion source design has potential application in a wide variety of laboratory research and development projects.
Loudness recalibration as a function of level

Recent research on loudness has focused on contextual effects on loudness, both assimilation and recalibration. The current experiments examined loudness recalibration [Marks, J. Exp. Psychol. 20, 382-396 (1994)]. In the first experiment, an adaptive tracking procedure was used to measure loudness recalibration as a function of standard- and recalibration-tone level. The standard-tone frequencies were 500 and 2500 Hz and the levels were 80-, 70-, 60-, and 40-dB SPL, and threshold. Seventeen dB of loudness recalibration was obtained (combined over both frequencies) in the 60-dB SPL condition. This amount of loudness recalibration, while substantial, is still less than that obtained by Marks (22 dB), using the method of paired comparisons. The second experiment sought to duplicate Marks' earlier experiment [Marks, J. Exp. Psychol. 20, 382-396 (1994), experiment 2]. The results of this experiment (21 dB) were almost identical to those obtained by Marks. The results of experiment 1 indicate that loudness recalibration is maximum when the recalibration tone is moderately louder than the subsequent standard tones. Relatively little loudness recalibration is exhibited when the standard-tone level equals the recalibration-tone level. In addition, there is no loudness recalibration at threshold. The tracking procedure also identified that the onset of loudness recalibration is very rapid. The difference between the maximum loudness recalibration obtained at each frequency (11 dB at 500 Hz, 6 dB at 2500 Hz) suggests that loudness recalibration is dependent upon the frequency of the standard tone.
Minding the body: psychotherapy and cancer survival.

Objectives This article reviews evidence regarding effects of psychotherapy on overall cancer survival time. Special emphasis is given to research on adverse effects of depression on cancer survival, breast cancer, and mediating psychophysiological pathways linking psychosocial support to longer survival. Design It reviews all published clinical trials addressing effects of psychotherapy on cancer survival, emphasizing depression, breast cancer, and psychophysiological evidence linking stress, depression, and support to cancer survival. Methods Systematic literature review and synthesis. Results Eight of 15 published trials indicate that psychotherapy enhances cancer survival time. No studies show an adverse effect of psychotherapy on cancer survival. Potential psychophysiological mechanisms linking stress to shorter survival include dysregulation of diurnal cortisol, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, reduced natural killer cell activity, shorter telomeres and lower telomerase activity, glucocorticoid-mediated suppression of p53 and BrCA1 gene expression, and sympathetic nervous system activation of vascular endothelial growth factor. Conclusions Stress and support affect the course of cancer progression. Statement of contribution What is known? Stress and support have been thought to be related to cancer risk and progression, but evidence has been mixed. Depression is a natural co-morbid condition with cancer. It has not been clear how stress and support could physiologically affect the rate of cancer progression. Immune function was not thought to have much relevance to cancer progression. Few other physiological mechanisms linking stress to cancer progression were known. What does this paper add? There is evidence from 15 RCTs indicating that effective psychosocial support improves quantity as well as quality of life with cancer. There is evidence that chronic depression predicts poorer prognosis with cancer. Dysregulated circadian cortisol patterns predict more rapid cancer progression. Inflammatory processes affect cancer growth and progression. Sympathetic nervous system activity, telomere length, telomerase activity, and oncogene expression are affected by stress and can affect cancer growth.
The phase diagram of iron to 430 kbar

The e - γ transition and the melting curve of pure iron have been measured in an internally heated diamond cell to 430 kbar. The sample, an iron wire with 0.02-mm diameter, was resistively heated in a sandwiched gasket arrangement, using alumina as the pressure medium. The phase transitions were determined by discontinuities in the resistance-temperature curves of the heated wire. Temperatures were measured with an optical multi-channel analyzer (OMA) by fitting a black-body radiation function to the emission spectrum of the hot wire. Pressures were measured at room temperature using the ruby scale. New data on the α - e transition by Huang et al. (1986) and the present result on the e - γ transition yield a α - e - γ triple point of 116 kbar and 810 K. The slope of the e - γ transition is 2.9 K/kbar. At 500 kbar the present melting temperatures of iron are about 1000 K lower than those calculated by Anderson (1986). From this data, one would expect a e - γ - 1 triple point at 750 kbar and 2500 K. The solid-solid transition found in shock wave experiments at 2 Mbar could therefore be the appearance of a new iron phase, which would be the phase of the inner core of the Earth.
Social Norms Regarding Protected Status and Threat Reactions to the Stigmatized

This research examines whether social norms regarding a stigma’s protection from prejudice differentially affect explicit and implicit threat reactions to the stigmatized, and the degree to which such differences can be accounted for by socially desirable responding, internalized egalitarian values, and dual attitudes about stigmatized individuals. Participants (N = 78) completed a traditional self-report measure to assess explicit reports of threat toward targets from stigmatized social groups and the Implicit Association Test (Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) to assess implicit reports of threat toward the targets’ stigmas. Results indicated that social norms regarding a stigma’s protection from prejudice influenced threat reactions on the explicit measure, but not on the implicit measure. Dual attitudes toward the stigmatized best accounted for this pattern. Prostitutes, the elderly, drug addicts, the poor, ethnic and racial minorities, gays and lesbians: What do all of these groups have in common? According to Goffman (1963), they are all characterized by stigmas or deeply discrediting
All-native DNA transformation: a new approach to plant genetic engineering

Crop genetic engineering relies on the introduction of foreign DNA into plant genomes. Although genetically engineered traits provide valuable alternatives to those available through conventional breeding, there is public concern about the consumption of foods derived from transgenic plants. This concern raises the question of whether crops can be improved by inserting only native dna into their genomes. Here, we discuss how rapid advances in molecular biology make it possible to use plants themselves as DNA sources. Native genes and regulatory elements can be reintroduced into plants without the need to use selectable markers. By also using transfer DNAs that are derived from within the targeted compatibility group, genetically engineered plants can now be produced that lack any foreign DNA.
Probability Estimation in the Rare-Events Regime

We address the problem of estimating the probability of an observed string that is drawn i.i.d. from an unknown distribution. Motivated by models of natural language, we consider the regime in which the length of the observed string and the size of the underlying alphabet are comparably large. In this regime, the maximum likelihood distribution tends to overestimate the probability of the observed letters, so the Good-Turing probability estimator is typically used instead. We show that when used to estimate the sequence probability, the Good-Turing estimator is not consistent in this regime. We then introduce a novel sequence probability estimator that is consistent. This estimator also yields consistent estimators for other quantities of interest and a consistent universal classifier.
Cardiomyocyte proliferation and progenitor cell recruitment underlie therapeutic regeneration after myocardial infarction in the adult mouse heart

Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) have been shown to regenerate infarcted myocardium in patients after myocardial infarction (MI). However, whether the cells of the newly formed myocardium originate from the proliferation of adult cardiomyocytes or from the differentiation of endogenous stem cells remains unknown. Using genetic fate mapping to mark resident myocytes in combination with long-term BrdU pulsing, we investigated the origins of postnatal cardiomyogenesis in the normal, infarcted and cell-treated adult mammalian heart. In the normal mouse heart, cardiomyocyte turnover occurs predominantly through proliferation of resident cardiomyocytes at a rate of ∼1.3-4%/year. After MI, new cardiomyocytes arise from both progenitors as well as pre-existing cardiomyocytes. Transplantation of CDCs upregulates host cardiomyocyte cycling and recruitment of endogenous progenitors, while boosting heart function and increasing viable myocardium. The observed phenomena cannot be explained by cardiomyocyte polyploidization, bi/multinucleation, cell fusion or DNA repair. Thus, CDCs induce myocardial regeneration by differentially upregulating two mechanisms of endogenous cell proliferation.
Development of an expert system for diagnosing component-level failures in a shuttle car

The development of a rule-based expert system (referred to as SCAR) for assisting electricians in diagnosing electrical faults in a shuttle car is discussed. Insight 2+, a microcomputer-based expert-system development tool by Level Five Research, Inc. was used in creating the system. The program requires the user to specify the initial symptoms of the failed machine; then the most probable cause of failure is traced through the knowledge base, with the software requesting additional information, such as voltage or resistance measurements, as needed. A causal-reasoning approach, which was used to develop the production rules, is described. The organization, implementation, and limitations of the knowledge base are also presented, along with a brief discussion of the ongoing development of a new system, SCAR.2. >
Models for depolymerizing enzymes. Application to α‐amylases

Several research groups have explored the action pattern of depolymerizing enzymes by examining the distribution of products during the early stages of digestion. Mathematical models for the various mechanisms that have been proposed for the behaviour of depolymerizing enzymes are developed in this paper. Published data for several amylases are reexamined in light of this theoretical analysis. It is concluded that following an initial random attack on a long polymer substrate, the enzyme frequently releases only one of the substrate fragments. The retained fragment may be repetitively hydrolyzed near one end to release a series of oligosaccharides before the enzyme substrate–fragment complex finally dissociates. Near optimum conditions Bacillus subtilis (var. amyloliquefaciens) amylase is unique among the enzymes tested because it does not repetitively attack substrate fragments.
Methods of Managing Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesias

Levodopa-induced dyskinesias result in considerable functional impairment for patients and formidable therapeutic challenges for physicians. A practical method of treating such dyskinesias is first to classify the levodopa dyskinesias according to their temporal profile after drug administration, namely, into predictable (interdose, biphasic and ‘off-period’) and unpredictable (‘on-off’) dyskinesias. Treatment of each type of dyskinesia requires a different and relatively specific therapeutic strategy. With progression of Parkinson’s disease, the threshold for interdose dyskinesia lowers, while the threshold for antiparkinsonian efficacy is unchanged; therefore, the strategy is to maintain levodopa concentrations between these 2 thresholds and avoid high concentrations. Frequent small doses of liquid levodopa preparations may be indicated. Clozapine appears to increase the threshold for dyskinesia. However, its usefulness is limited primarily by dose-related sedation and by dose-unrelated agranulocytosis. Buspirone and fluoxetine may have specific anti-dyskinetic benefit. Surgjcal treatment may aid selected patients, although criteria for selection are not fully established. The biphasic dyskinesias occur just before and just after an oral dose of levodopa. They result when levodopa concentrations fall below or rise above the threshold for therapeutic efficacy; therefore, the strategy is to maintain concentrations as nearly constant as possible above that threshold. Dopamine agonists such as subcutaneous apomorphine combined with domperidone may be particularly helpful. Thalamic stimulation can also benefit selected patients. ‘Off period’ dyskinesias occur at times of predicted low concentrations of levodopa. The treatment strategy is to provide sufficient levodopa or dopaminergic stimulation during those intervals. Dopamine agonists (e.g. bromocriptine at night) may help the characteristic early morning foot dystonia. Anticholinergic agents may also help. The unpredictable (‘on-off’) dyskinesias are first analysed to establish a pattern of response. Then, on the basis of that pattern, they are treated by maintaining levodopa concentrations or dopaminergic tone during the periods that would ordinarily be ‘off.’ Administration of liquid levodopa preparations, addition of dopaminergic agents, restriction of treatment during the morning hours as well as restriction of the majority of dietary protein to the evening meal may provide a period of predictable good function early in the day. Clozapine, even early in treatment, appears to reduce the incidence of these dyskinesias. Rescue with apomorphine during a malignant prolonged ‘off’ phase is particularly valuable.
Serial determination of glomerular filtration rate in conscious mice using FITC-inulin clearance

Two nonradioactive methods for determining glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in conscious mice using FITC-labeled inulin (FITC-inulin) were evaluated. The first method measured GFR using clearance kinetics of plasma FITC-inulin after a single bolus injection. Based on a two-compartment model, estimated GFR was 236.69 ± 16.55 and 140.20 ± 22.27 μl/min in male and female C57BL/6J mice, respectively. Total or ⅚ nephrectomy reduced inulin clearance to 0 or 32.80 ± 9.32 μl/min, respectively. Conversely, diabetes mellitus induced by streptozotocin was associated with increased GFR. The other approach measured urinary inulin clearance using intraperitoneal microosmotic pumps to deliver FITC-inulin and metabolic cages to collect timed urine samples. This approach yielded similar GFR values of 211.11 ± 26.56 and 157.36 ± 20.02 μl/min in male and female mice, respectively. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of repeated nonisotopic measurement of inulin clearance in conscious mice.
Rhizobium lipopolysaccharide modulates infection thread development in white clover root hairs.

Abstract The interaction between Rhizobium lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and white clover roots was examined. The Limulus lysate assay indicated that Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii (hereafter called R. trifolii) released LPS into the external root environment of slide cultures. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy showed that purified LPS from R. trifolii 0403 bound rapidly to root hair tips and infiltrated across the root hair wall. Infection thread formation in root hairs was promoted by preinoculation treatment of roots with R. trifolii LPS at a low dose (up to 5 micrograms per plant) but inhibited at a higher dose. This biological activity of LPS was restricted to the region of the root present at the time of exposure to LPS, higher with LPS from cells in the early stationary phase than in the mid-exponential phase, incubation time dependent, incapable of reversing inhibition of infection by NO3- or NH4+, and conserved among serologically distinct LPSs from several wild-type R. trifolii strains (0403, 2S-2, and ANU843). In contrast, infections were not increased by preinoculation treatment of roots with LPSs from R. leguminosarum bv. viciae strain 300, R. meliloti 102F28, or members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Most infection threads developed successfully in root hairs pretreated with R. trifolii LPS, whereas many infections aborted near their origins and accumulated brown deposits if pretreated with LPS from R. meliloti 102F28. LPS from R. leguminosarum 300 also caused most infection threads to abort. Other specific responses of root hairs to infection-stimulating LPS from R. trifolii included acceleration of cytoplasmic streaming and production of novel proteins. Combined gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance analyses indicated that biologically active LPS from R. trifolii 0403 in the early stationary phase had less fucose but more 2-O-methylfucose, quinovosamine, 3,6-dideoxy-3-(methylamino)galactose, and noncarbohydrate substituents (O-methyl, N-methyl, and acetyl groups) on glycosyl components than did inactive LPS in the mid-exponential phase. We conclude that LPS-root hair interactions trigger metabolic events that have a significant impact on successful development of infection threads in this Rhizobium-legume symbiosis.
What Can Population Calcium Imaging Tell Us About Neural Circuits

Calcium imaging of bulk-loaded fluorescent indicators can be used to record the spiking activity of hundreds of neurons. Recent advances promise imaging technologies that are faster, more efficient, and applicable to awake animals, thereby moving imaging capabilities closer to the traditional strengths of multi-electrode arrays. This article reviews these technical achievements and discusses how they can help us achieve the goal of understanding neural circuits.
Generalized Euler angle parametrization for SU(N)

In a previous paper [1] an Euler angle parametrization for SU(4) was given. Here we present the derivation of a generalized Euler angle parametrization for SU(N). The formula for the calculation of the Haar measure for SU(N) as well as its relation to Marinov's volume formula for SU(N) [2, 3] will also be derived. As an example of this parametrization's usefulness, the density matrix parametrization and invariant volume element for a qubit/qutrit, three qubit and two three-state systems, also known as two qutrit systems [4], will also be given.
Assessment of clinical hyperandrogenism in adolescent girls

Abstract Hirsutism, oligomenorrhea, or amenorrhea are possible manifestations of excessive androgen production. Distinguishing between adrenal and ovarian causes of hyperandrogenism may be difficult, but is important to determine appropriate therapeutic intervention. We studied 21 adolescent girls referred with either hirsutism, menstrual irregularities, or both to determine if clinical features, basal steroid levels, or basal gonadotropin levels are useful in differentiating patients with mild errors in steroidogenesis, defined by ACTH stimulation tests, from those with other causes of hyperandrogenism. Progesterone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, DHE A, androstenedione, and Cortisol were measured prior to and 30 minutes after an intravenous bolus of Cortrosyn R . The patients were divided into five groups based on their responses to ACTH: patients with decreased 21-hy-droxylase activity, with decreased 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, with other causes of hyperandrogenism, with no hormonal evidence of hyperandrogenism, and those with an indeterminate response. Eight of 21 (40%) adolescent girls were found to have responses consistent with mild errors in steroidogenesis. Neither clinical findings nor basal hormone levels distinguished these eight individuals from the other patients. We found ACTH stimulation tests to be most helpful in differentiating patients with mild errors in steroidogenesis from those with other causes of hyperandrogenism.
Ultralow-Loss Compact Silicon Microring Resonators

We demonstrate as low as 3.88 plusmn 0.57 dB/cm propagation loss at telecom wavelengths in compact silicon microring resonators with small bending radii of 5 mum and a waveguide core cross-section of 500 nm times 250 nm.
Targeted mutagenesis of the phospholipase D gene results in decreased virulence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

Summary The chromosomal gene encoding the phospholipase D from Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (biovar ovis) isolate Whetten 1 was replaced with an allele containing a nonsense mutation. The virulence of the mutant strain (W1.31r1) and the isogenic parental strain were then compared by inoculation of goats. The with-type strain caused abscessation at the site of infection, which then spread to the regional lymph node, while W1.31r1 had a reduced ability to establish a primary infection and was incapable of dissemination. Our results confirm that phospholipase D is a virulence determinant of C. pseudotuberculosis that increases the persistence and spread of the bacteria within the host.
Optimizing computations in a transposed direct form realization of floating-point LTI-FIR systems

The inherent computational redundancy in discrete-time LTI-FIR system response computations in Digital Signal Processing have been exploited in a variety of ways to minimize the computational complexity. We present an improved algorithm-level computational optimization that uses sorted recursive differences between coefficients representing the system transfer function with a Floating-Point number representation to extract maximum benefits from this redundancy. It can be applied to any LTI-FIR system and there is no deterioration in accuracy compared to directly using the coefficients. The results for several practical FIR systems show that there is a significant reduction in the computational complexity, hence power consumed, using this technique.
The Profession’s Role in Meeting its Historical Mission to Serve Vulnerable Populations

This article provides an historical account of how the profession of social work met or failed to meet its mission in the provision of services to those who were poor, oppressed, and vulnerable to societal injustices from the mid-twentieth century, including the turbulent Civil Rights Era, to the early twenty-first century. The profession’s growth and expansion and the challenge of mediating resistance to change are highlighted based on eyewitness accounts.
Synthesis of PAMAM dendrimer-based fast cross-linking hydrogel for biofabrication

Hydrogels possess great potential in biofabrication because they allow cell encapsulation and proliferation in a highly hydrated three-dimensional environment, and they provide biologically relevant chemical and physical signals. However, development of hydrogel systems that mimic the complexity of natural extracellular matrix remains a challenge. In this study, we report the development of a binary hydrogel system containing a synthetic poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimer and a natural polymer, i.e., hyaluronic acid (HA), to form a fast cross-linking hydrogel. Live cell staining experiment and cell viability assay of bone marrow stem cells demonstrated that cells were viable and proliferating in the in situ formed PAMAM/HA hydrogel system. Furthermore, introduction of a Arginylglycylaspartic acid (RGD) peptide into the hydrogel system significantly improved the cell viability, proliferation, and attachment. Therefore, this PAMAM/HA hydrogel system could be a promising platform for various applications in biofabrication.
Trade, Transportation and Trade Imbalances: An Empirical Examination of International Markets and Backhauls

In this paper, we develop and estimate a model of international trade and transportation. The model consists of two regions that trade with one another creating demands for transport in each direction. Supply of transport to both markets is provided under conditions of joint production and joint costs. When demands are balanced, the directional prices are the same, but when there are demand imbalances prices adjust to the resulting trade imbalance. Empirically, we use data from three different sets of markets that comprise the bulk of world trade. Empirical tests show the existence of panel unit roots and cointegrating relations between trade flows, unit specific trade costs and aggregate income shifters. Hence, the structural equations are estimated using panel co-integration techniques. The results point to relatively inelastic demand and supply relations in the international container shipping industry. The estimates show that in the long-run a 1\% permanent increase of freight rates leads to a 0.113% permanent decline of trade on the dominant trade routes and to a 0.179% permanent decline of trade on the secondary routes, while the transport capacity offered to both routes permanently increases by 0.712%.
A Dissonance Approach to Repeat Purchasing Behavior

In a laboratory study of consumer choice behavior, decisions tended to be repeated in conformity with a prediction generated from the theory of cognitive dissonance. The results suggest it may be p...
A Fundação Rockefeller e a campanha de erradicação da ancilostomíase em São Paulo (1917-1926)

A Diretoria Internacional de Saude (International Health Board - IHB) da Fundacao Rockefeller (FR), no inicio do seculo XX, desenvolveu atividades para erradicar o ancilostomo no Estado de Sao Paulo, como parte de uma atuacao mais ampla na saude publica no Brasil. O estudo das suas atividades revela interacoes entre a instituicao norte-americana e as elites cafeeiras, que comecaram a adotar o discurso de saneamento rural para aumentar a produtivdade dos trabalhadores rurais. O texto localiza as acoes da IHB nas areas de producao cafeeira paulista e aponta o alinhamento entre o pensamento eugenico e o movimento sanitarista no Brasil. Destaca-se a relacao entre os fazendeiros e a IHB, e tambem a relacao entre o trabalho da IHB e as figuras publicas como o escritor Monteiro Lobato e dois protagonistas na integracao de eugenia-sanitarismo, Belisario Pena e Renato Kehl. O texto ainda relata a situacao dos colonos nas fazendas de cafe, descritas por funcionarios da IHB
A field experimentation on the inhibitory effects of tick management with avermectin on the prevalence of Xinjiang hemorrhagic fever

Objective To evaluate the inhibitory effects of tick management with avermectin on the prevalence of Xinjiang hemorrhagic fever(XHF), i.e. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever(CCHFV), in livestocks. Methods Comparative experimental study on the efficacy of tick management with avermectin was implemented in goats in the epidemic foci in the Tarim Basin. Results It was found that the tick infestation rate in the experimental group was 55.0% with a tick index of 1.0 after oral the administration of Avermectin, a tick management drug, for the goats and the rate and the index in the control group were 100% and 11.2, respectively, with the 2 parameters 45% and 10.2 respectively lower in the experimental group than in the control group. After six months’ experiment, the positive rate of antibody to XHF in the experimental group was 22.4%, consistent with the the rate before experiment(23.7%) but significantly lower than that in the control group(45.9%). Conclusion Avermectin for goats in the epidemic foci of XHF contributes to the prevention of tick infestation and the prevalence of the epidemic in livestocks.
Nursing Care of a Case with Acrodermatitis Enteropathica

Objective To study the nursing methods of acrodermatitis enteropathica,and accumulate experience for clinical nursing.Methods The child was given skin nursing,that is used LV Xin You,No.3 powder and PI BAO ointment topical lotion in skin lesions except for application antibiotics or antifungal.Results The child's skin lesions didn't complicate other infection through strengthened skin care,protected of gastrointestinal mucosa and monitored disease features during the hospitalization period.Conclusion The reasonable skin nursing has an important role in the therapy of acrodermatitis enteropathica
Organizing for Teacher Agency in Curricular Co-Design

Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) approaches to intervention aim for transformative agency, that is, collective actions that expand and bring about new possibilities for activity. In this article, we draw on CHAT as a resource for organizing design research that promotes teachers’ agency in designing new science curriculum materials. We describe how CHAT informed our efforts to structure a collaborative design space in which teachers and other participants sought to develop new curriculum materials intended to help realize a new vision for science education. Specifically, we describe the tools and routines we deployed to support the design process, and we analyze the ways in which teachers took up elements of our design process as well as how they adapted, resisted, and suggested alternative tools and strategies to help develop new curriculum materials. In so doing, we illustrate ways in which CHAT can serve as a guide both for organizing collaborative design processes and for analyzing their eff...
Evaluation of the Distribution of Glutamine Synthetase Expression in Cirrhosis With Reference to Underlying Etiology

Expression of glutamine synthetase (GS) in normal liver is restricted to pericentrivenular hepatocytes. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for GS has emerged as a key marker of beta-catenin-activated hepatocellular adenoma, focal nodular hyperplasia, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Upon staining several HCCs with GS, we observed novel staining patterns in the regenerative nodules of background cirrhosis. We hypothesized that these patterns might correlate …