cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of mismatched 5-hydroxymethyluracil in DNA by selective chemical labeling

How DNA demethylation is achieved in mammals is still under extensive investigation. One proposed mechanism is deamination of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine to form 5-hydroxymethyluracil (5hmU), followed by base excision repair to replace the mismatched 5hmU with cytosine. In this process, 5hmU:G mispair serves as a key intermediate and its localization and distribution in mammalian genome could be important information to investigate the proposed pathway. Here we describe a selective labeling method to map mismatched 5hmU. After converting other cytosine modifications to 5-carboxylcytosines, a biotin tag is installed onto mismatched 5hmU through β-glucosyltransferase-catalyzed glucosylation and click chemistry. The enriched 5hmU-containing DNA fragments can be subject to subsequent sequencing to reveal the distribution of 5hmU:G mispair with base-resolution information acquired.
Nonrandom Distribution of Vector Ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) Infected by Francisella tularensis

The island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, is the site of a sustained outbreak of tularemia due to Francisella tularensis tularensis. Dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis, appear to be critical in the perpetuation of the agent there. Tularemia has long been characterized as an agent of natural focality, stably persisting in characteristic sites of transmission, but this suggestion has never been rigorously tested. Accordingly, we sought to identify a natural focus of transmission of the agent of tularemia by mapping the distribution of PCR-positive ticks. From 2004 to 2007, questing D. variabilis were collected from 85 individual waypoints along a 1.5 km transect in a field site on Martha's Vineyard. The positions of PCR-positive ticks were then mapped using ArcGIS. Cluster analysis identified an area approximately 290 meters in diameter, 9 waypoints, that was significantly more likely to yield PCR-positive ticks (relative risk 3.3, P = 0.001) than the rest of the field site. Genotyping of F. tularensis using variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis on PCR-positive ticks yielded 13 different haplotypes, the vast majority of which was one dominant haplotype. Positive ticks collected in the cluster were 3.4 times (relative risk = 3.4, P<0.0001) more likely to have an uncommon haplotype than those collected elsewhere from the transect. We conclude that we have identified a microfocus where the agent of tularemia stably perpetuates and that this area is where genetic diversity is generated.
Structural and kinetic evidence for an extended hydrogen-bonding network in catalysis of methyl group transfer. Role of an active site asparagine residue in activation of methyl transfer by methyltransferases.

The methyltetrahydrofolate (CH3-H4folate) corrinoid-iron-sulfur protein (CFeSP) methyltransferase (MeTr) catalyzes transfer of the methyl group of CH3-H4folate to cob(I)amide. This key step in anaerobic CO and CO2 fixation is similar to the first half-reaction in the mechanisms of other cobalamin-dependent methyltransferases. Methyl transfer requires electrophilic activation of the methyl group of CH3-H4folate, which includes proton transfer to the N5 group of the pterin ring and poises the methyl group for reaction with the Co(I) nucleophile. The structure of the binary CH3-H4folate/MeTr complex (revealed here) lacks any obvious proton donor near the N5 group. Instead, an Asn residue and water molecules are found within H-bonding distance of N5. Structural and kinetic experiments described here are consistent with the involvement of an extended H-bonding network in proton transfer to N5 of the folate that includes an Asn (Asn-199 in MeTr), a conserved Asp (Asp-160), and a water molecule. This situation is reminiscent of purine nucleoside phosphorylase, which involves protonation of the purine N7 in the transition state and is accomplished by an extended H-bond network that includes water molecules, a Glu residue, and an Asn residue (Kicska, G. A., Tyler, P. C., Evans, G. B., Furneaux, R. H., Shi, W., Fedorov, A., Lewandowicz, A., Cahill, S. M., Almo, S. C., and Schramm, V. L. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 14489-14498). In MeTr, the Asn residue swings from a distant position to within H-bonding distance of the N5 atom upon CH3-H4folate binding. An N199A variant exhibits only ∼20-fold weakened affinity for CH3-H4folate but a much more marked 20,000-40,000-fold effect on catalysis, suggesting that Asn-199 plays an important role in stabilizing a transition state or high energy intermediate for methyl transfer.
DISPERSION PHENOMENA IN HIGH VISCOSITY IMMISCIBLE FLUID SYSTEMS AND APPLICATION OF STATIC MIXERS AS DISPERSION DEVICES IN SUCH SYSTEMS

(1982). DISPERSION PHENOMENA IN HIGH VISCOSITY IMMISCIBLE FLUID SYSTEMS AND APPLICATION OF STATIC MIXERS AS DISPERSION DEVICES IN SUCH SYSTEMS. Chemical Engineering Communications: Vol. 14, No. 3-6, pp. 225-277.
Differential effects by the p21 CDK inhibitor on PCNA-dependent DNA replication and repair

In mammalian cells, DNA damage increases the levels of the nuclear tumour-suppressor p53, resulting in elevated synthesis of p21, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK). p21 may also directly block DNA replication by inhibiting the proliferating-cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), an essential DNA replication protein. However, PCNA is also required for nucleotide-excision repair of DNA, an intrinsic part of the cellular response to ultraviolet irradiation. Using an in vitro system, we now show that p21 does not block PCNA-dependent nucleotide-excision repair, in contrast to its inhibition of simian virus 40 DNA replication. Furthermore, the short gap-filling DNA synthesis by PCNA-dependent DNA polymerases delta and epsilon is less sensitive to inhibition by p21 than is long primer-extension synthesis. The ability of p21 to inhibit the role of PCNA in DNA replication but not in DNA repair rationalizes in vivo data showing that genetic damage leads to inactivation of chromosomal replication while allowing damage-responsive repair.
The effect of salicylate administration on the prothrombin time.

Summary 1. Varying doses of salicylate were administered to twenty-four patients (eleven infants and thirteen children) over periods of fifteen to thirty-five days. 2. Eighteen patients received acetylsalicylic acid and six patients received sodium salicylate. 3. Determinations of the prothrombin time, carbon dioxide combiningpower, blood and urine pH, and plasma salicylate levels were made every second, third, or fourth day during the period of observation. 4. Six patients showed an abnormal prolongation of their prothrombin timeor reduction of their prothrombin activity. 5. The most marked reduction of the prothrombin activity occurred betweenthe second and fifth day of salicylate administration. In every patient, despite continuous salicylate therapy, the prothrombin activity returned to normal by the ninth day of medication. 6. Six patients showed early signs of salicylate intoxication, during whichtime a slight elevation of the blood pH occurred in five. Intoxication occurred in one patient with salicylate levels as low as 100 microgrammas. 7. No correlation was observed between the changes in the alkali reserve and serum levels of salicylate.
Particle physics: Mass by numbers.

A highly precise calculation of the masses of strongly interacting particles, based on fundamental theory, is testament to the age-old verity that physical reality embodies simple mathematical laws.
A rapid microtechnique for in vitro stimulation of human lymphocytes by phytohemagglutinin.

Abstract A simple, rapid micromethod to determine in vitro stimulation of lymphocytes with phytohemagglutinin is described. The test utilizes whole blood instead of purified lymphocytes and a γ-emitter, 125 I deoxyuridine in place of 3 H thymidine to pulse the cultures, thus greatly facilitating the procedure. This test is suitable in aiding the clinical evaluation of immune-deficiency diseases.
Anglish-Yinglish: Yiddish in American Life and Literature

Writers have celebrated the fruitful dialogue between English and Yiddish for decades. In this engrossing lexicon, Gene Bluestein reveals the full extent of that dialogue, introducing "Anglish, or Anglicized Yiddish, in which a Yiddish word is integrated into English usage, as in 'shmo'and 'shmoozing'; and Yinglish, or Yiddishized English, in which an English word is integrated into Yiddish usage, as in 'allrightnik,' or the expression 'a Heifitz he isn't.'" Bluestein's insights into and examples of countless Yiddish expressions that have made their way into American English are fascinating and delightful. They vividly remind us of the multiculturalism of the American language and of the nation itself. The lexicon can be read selectively, like a dictionary, or straight through, as an informative and entertaining romp through a sumptuous linguistic tradition. Everywhere are the words of some of America's most distinctive voices-Saul Bellow, Cynthia Ozick, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Grace Paley, Philip Roth, Joseph Heller, and countless others. This greatly expanded and updated second edition of Anglish/Yinglish is a splendid guide to the ways Yiddish has permeated and transformed the American language.
MO-H-19A-04: Multichannel CW Ultrasonic Thermometry for Imaging Therapeutic Dose Fields in Water

Purpose: To develop a scalable, multichannel ultrasonic thermometry system suitable for imaging clinical-beam dose distributions in a water phantom. Method: A small, glass-walled rectangular water phantom (15 cm × 20 cm × 30 cm) was filled with distilled water, and two ultrasonic transducers were placed on the outside, against opposing walls, approximately 5 cm below the water line, and were aligned to optimize transmission/reception of ultrasound between them. Two synchronized lock-in amplifiers were connected to the transducers to enable full-duplex operation of two separate ultrasonic frequency channels configured to transmit simultaneously through the same volume of water and thereby provide independent measurements of the temperature-dependent ultrasonic phase lag. Controlled heating of the water via immersed power resistors provided a means to study dependence of measured phase lag on temperature change for both channels; cross-correlation of the phase outputs enabled much smaller temperature fluctuations in the phantom to be used to ascertain the noise floor and achievable temperature resolution. Results: Temperature measurements from both channels, converted from phase measurements via polynomials available in the literature, exhibited the expected linear dependence of ultrasonic phase on temperature change (measured via calibrated thermistor probe). Cross-correlation analysis of phase fluctuations yielded rms noise estimates ofmore » approximately 1-2 microKelvin, comparable to that observed in standard water calorimeters. Conclusion: Phase-sensitive detection of cw ultrasound has been shown to provide temperature sensitivity needed for calorimetry of external treatment beams, and the present simple demonstration establishes that multiple channels may be run simultaneously without phase disturbances that currently affect time-of-flight techniques utilizing phase-detection. Immediate plans include doubling the number of sensors, to enable a simple tomographic reconstruction, and to test the system in Clinac x-rays and electron beams.« less
Cholinergic effects of cimetidine and ranitidine.

Summary Cimetidine and ranitidine were submitted to eight in vitro assays: their intrinsic activity was evaluated on guinea-pig auricles and ileum, acetylcholine synergism on guinea-pig tracheal muscle, frog rectus abdominis, guinea-pig vas and rat phrenic nerve diaphragm, and antagonism on guinea-pig auricles and rat jejunum estimated at a range of concentrations. Ranitidine alone opposed 1-hyoscyamine antagonism in guinea-pig ileum when acetylcholine was the agonist, but not when the agonist was bethanechol.
The factor structure of the posttraumatic growth inventory: A comparison of five models using confirmatory factor analysis

There are different views about the dimensions of the positive changes resulting from the struggle with traumatic events. Using Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) data reported by participants (N = 926) experiencing a variety of traumatic events, five models of the underlying structure of the PTGI were tested via confirmatory factor analyses to examine whether the PTGI comprises three domains (Changed Perception of Self, Changed Interpersonal Relationships, and Changed Philosophy of Life), five factors (Relating to Others, New Possibilities, Personal Strength, Spiritual Change, and Appreciation of Life), or a unitary dimension. Results indicated an oblique 5-factor model best fit the data, thus revealing the PTGI was multidimensional. Present findings offer implications for understanding the nature of posttraumatic growth.
Airborne Trajectory Prediction Accuracy Assessment Based on the Weather Trends Impacts

*The article presents principles for a trajectory prediction accuracy assessment. The proposed method considers the aspects influencing the trajectory prediction accuracy. The most influential factor is linked with the w eather forecast quality. The qualitative parameter can be provided either by the weather service provider itself , or it can be estimated based on the results of a statistical analysis. A technique for using the weather forecast accuracy estimation as a method for assessing the accuracy of the longitudinal part of the trajectory is presented in the article.
Improving the Quality Versus Increasing the Quantity of Schooling

Interest in estimating the impact of school quality on earnings has increased. But most studies on this topic have important limitations, particularly in studies for developing countries. They tend to ignore behavioral decisions regarding schooling and individual and family background characteristics, use school quality measures aggregated to the regional level, and rely on crude indicators of teacher quality. These limitations may explain why the micro evidence of important school quality effects is scant. Moreover, the question of the relative rates of return, in terms of earnings, to improving school quality versus raising quantity has not been addressed. The data demands for estimating such rates of return are considerable. This paper presents a conceptual framework for undertaking such estimates, uses special data collected for this study, and makes estimates within a framework that controls for important individual and household choices, including the duration of schooling and subsequent participation in the wage labor market. Subject to qualifications because such an ambitious strategy stretches the limits of the even the special data that we collected, the estimates suggest that in rural Pakistan rates of return are much higher for investing in primary school quality or quantity than for investing in middle schools and, at the primary school level, somewhat higher for expanding low-quality schools (predominantly for girls) than for increasing quality in existing schools. More generally, the methods adopted here permit a more satisfactory assessment in developing economies than previously of the rates of return to improving school quality versus increasing quantity and their implications for educational policy.
Effect of aging on hypopharyngeal safe volume and the aerodigestive reflexes protecting the airways

Objectives/Hypothesis Studies on young volunteers have shown that aerodigestive reflexes are triggered before the maximum volume of fluid that can safely collect in the hypopharynx before spilling into the larynx is exceeded (hypopharyngeal safe volume [HPSV]). The objective of this study was to determine the influence of aging on HPSV and pharyngo-glottal closure reflex (PGCR), pharyngo-UES contractile reflex (PUCR), and reflexive pharyngeal swallow (RPS). Study Design Comparison between two groups of different age ranges. Methods Ten young (25 ± 3 standard deviation [SD] years) and 10 elderly (77 ± 3 SD years) subjects were studied. PGCR, PUCR, and RPS were elicited by perfusing water into the pharynx rapidly and slowly. HPSV was determined by abolishing RPS with pharyngeal anesthesia. Results Frequency–elicitation of PGCR and PUCR were significantly lower in the elderly compared to the young during slow water perfusion (47% vs. 97% and 40% vs. 90%, respectively, P < .001). RPS was absent in five of the 30 (17%) slow injections in the elderly group. In these elderly subjects, HPSV was exceeded and laryngeal penetration of the water was seen. The threshold volume to elicit PGCR, PUCR, and RPS was significantly lower than the HPSV during rapid injections. Except for RPS, these volumes were also significantly lower than HPSV during slow injections. Conclusions PGCR, PUCR, and RPS reflexes are triggered at a threshold volume significantly lower than the HPSV in both young and elderly subjects. Lower frequency–elicitation of PGCR, PUCR, and RPS in the elderly can predispose them to the risks of aspiration. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 124:1862–1868, 2014
An inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor‐dependent cation entry pathway in DT40 B lymphocytes

We examined the roles of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptors (IP3R) in calcium signaling using DT40 B lymphocytes, and a variant lacking the three IP3R isoforms (IP3R-KO). In wild-type cells, B cell receptor (BCR) stimulation activates a cation entry route that exhibits significantly greater permeability to Ba2+ than does capacitative calcium entry. This cation entry is absent in IP3R-KO cells. Expression of the type-3 IP3R (IP3R-3) in the IP3R-KO cells rescued not only agonist-dependent release of intracellular Ca2+, but also Ba2+ influx following receptor stimulation. Similar results were obtained with an IP3R-3 mutant carrying a conservative point mutation in the selectivity filter region of the channel (D2477E); however, an IP3R-3 mutant in which this same aspartate was replaced by alanine (D2477A) failed to restore either BCR-induced Ca2+ release or receptor-dependent Ba2+ entry. These results suggest that in DT40 B lymphocytes, BCR stimulation activates a novel cation entry across the plasma membrane that depends upon, or is mediated by, fully functional IP3R.
Roles of ZO-1, occludin, and actin in oxidant-induced barrier disruption

Oxidants such as monochloramine (NH(2)Cl) decrease epithelial barrier function by disrupting perijunctional actin and possibly affecting the distribution of tight junctional proteins. These effects can, in theory, disturb cell polarization and affect critical membrane proteins by compromising molecular fence function of the tight junctions. To examine these possibilities, we investigated the actions of NH(2)Cl on the distribution, function, and integrity of barrier-associated membrane, cytoskeletal, and adaptor proteins in human colonic Caco-2 epithelial monolayers. NH(2)Cl causes a time-dependent decrease in both detergent-insoluble and -soluble zonula occludens (ZO)-1 abundance, more rapidly in the former. Decreases in occludin levels in the detergent-insoluble fraction were observed soon after the fall of ZO-1 levels. The actin depolymerizer cytochalasin D resulted in a decreased transepithelial resistance (TER) more quickly than NH(2)Cl but caused a more modest and slower reduction in ZO-1 levels and in occludin redistribution. No changes in the cellular distribution of claudin-1, claudin-5, or ZO-2 were observed after NH(2)Cl. However, in subsequent studies, the immunofluorescent cellular staining pattern of all these proteins was altered by NH(2)Cl. The actin-stabilizing agent phalloidin did not prevent NH(2)Cl-induced decreases in TER or increases of apical to basolateral flux of the paracellular permeability marker mannitol. However, it partially blocked changes in ZO-1 and occludin distribution. Tight junctional fence function was also compromised by NH(2)Cl, observed as a redistribution of the alpha-subunit of basolateral Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase to the apical membrane, an effect not found with the apical membrane protein Na(+)/H(+) exchanger isoform 3. In conclusion, oxidants not only disrupt perijunctional actin but also cause redistribution of tight junctional proteins, resulting in compromised intestinal epithelial barrier and fence function. These effects are likely to contribute to the development of malabsorption and dysfunction associated with mucosal inflammation of the digestive tract.
Network-based inference from complex proteomic mixtures using SNIPE

Motivation: Proteomics presents the opportunity to provide novel insights about the global biochemical state of a tissue. However, a significant problem with current methods is that shotgun proteomics has limited success at detecting many low abundance proteins, such as transcription factors from complex mixtures of cells and tissues. The ability to assay for these proteins in the context of the entire proteome would be useful in many areas of experimental biology. Results: We used network-based inference in an approach named SNIPE (Software for Network Inference of Proteomics Experiments) that selectively highlights proteins that are more likely to be active but are otherwise undetectable in a shotgun proteomic sample. SNIPE integrates spectral counts from paired case–control samples over a network neighbourhood and assesses the statistical likelihood of enrichment by a permutation test. As an initial application, SNIPE was able to select several proteins required for early murine tooth development. Multiple lines of additional experimental evidence confirm that SNIPE can uncover previously unreported transcription factors in this system. We conclude that SNIPE can enhance the utility of shotgun proteomics data to facilitate the study of poorly detected proteins in complex mixtures. Availability and Implementation: An implementation for the R statistical computing environment named snipeR has been made freely available at http://genetics.bwh.harvard.edu/snipe/. Contact: ssunyaev@rics.bwh.harvard.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Low Molecular Weight Heat Shock Proteins of Soybean Seedlings

The heat shock (HS) response has been studied extensively for about 30 years since the discovery of the phenomenon in Drosophila in the early 1960s; studies in plants have been restricted generally to less than 15 years. Heat shock is the subject of numerous reviews in recent years (e.g. Craig, 1985; Kimpel and Key, 1985a; Key et al., 1985a; 1985b; Lindquist, 1986; Lindquist and Craig, 1988; Nagao et al., 1986; Key et al., 1987a; 1987b; Nagao and Key, 1989; Nagao et al., 1990; Neumann et al., 1989; Vierling, 1991; Gurley and Key, 1991). Since various aspects of the HS response in a number of plant systems are covered in this volume, the comments of this contribution will focus on our work on the low molecular weight (LMW) heat shock proteins (hsps) of soybean seedlings, much of which is detailed in some of the reviews cited above, with emphasis on expression of the HS genes encoding hsps, and some properties of those proteins, in the 15 to 27 kD range. This relates to a rather unique feature of HS in plants in that most plants synthesize a large number of LMW hsps, and some of these are generally the most abundant hsps expressed in plants. Most other eukaryotes, in contrast, synthesize a limited number of LMW hsps, and these are generally much less abundant than the 70 kD and 83/90 kD hsps, with hsp70 proteins often representing the majority of hsp synthesis in many organisms. Plants synthesize a complement of hsps in the 60 kD, 70 kD, 83/90 kD, and 104/110 kD MW range which appear to be homologs of the corresponding hsps of other eukaryotes.
Help or Hinder: Bayesian Models of Social Goal Inference

Everyday social interactions are heavily influenced by our snap judgments about others' goals. Even young infants can infer the goals of intentional agents from observing how they interact with objects and other agents in their environment: e.g., that one agent is 'helping' or 'hindering' another's attempt to get up a hill or open a box. We propose a model for how people can infer these social goals from actions, based on inverse planning in multiagent Markov decision problems (MDPs). The model infers the goal most likely to be driving an agent's behavior by assuming the agent acts approximately rationally given environmental constraints and its model of other agents present. We also present behavioral evidence in support of this model over a simpler, perceptual cue-based alternative.
Event Recognition in Sensor Networks by Means of Grammatical Inference

Modern military and civilian surveillance applica- tions should provide end users with the high level representation of events observed by sensors rather than with the raw data measurements. Hence, there is a need for a system that can infer higher level meaning from collected sensor data. We demonstrate that probabilistic context free grammars (PCFGs) can be used as a basis for such a system. To recognize events from raw sensor network measurements, we use a PCFG inference method based on Stolcke(1994) and Chen(1996). We present a fast algorithm for deriving a concise probabilistic context free grammar from the given observational data. The algorithm uses an evaluation metric based on Bayesian formula for maximizing grammar a posteriori probability given the training data. We also present a real-world scenario of monitoring a parking lot and the simulation based on this scenario. We described the use of PCFGs to recognize events in the results of such a simulation. We finally demonstrate the deployment details of such an event recognition system. its construction. Second, we are using a novel method for fast calculation of the metric that takes advantage of the properties of the chunk and merge operations, originally introduced by Stolcke. Please note that what we are presenting in this paper is actually a supervised learning method because the definitions of the events to be recognized are initially given to the learning algorithm. Then, the recognition phase takes place during which new data are classified into events using the grammar created in the learning stage. The rest of the paper is organized as follows. We start with a basic introduction to PCFGs. The next section describes the previous work on PCFG inference methods and applications of PCFGs to event detection in WSNs. Then, we define our method for grammar inference and analyze its complexity. Finally, we present a real world scenario of parking lot monitoring and its simulations, as well as deployment details of such a system on a sensor network.
Worldview and Change in Cross-Cultural Counseling

A model for conceptualizing the change process in cross-cultural counseling is presented, using worldview as a unifying construct. Drawing from anthropology and counseling process research, key understandings regarding culture and change are combined into a coherent framework that provides guidance to counselors on how to enhance the therapeutic relationship and effectively facilitate change in a cross-cultural counseling context. After the model is outlined, its operationalization in counseling and assessment is described and illustrated Finally, it is concluded that although further research is needed worldview appears to be a viable unifying construct for understanding change within cross-cultural counseling.
Interrelations among the Soil-Water Retention, Hydraulic Conductivity, and Suction-Stress Characteristic Curves

AbstractThe three fundamental constitutive relations that describe fluid flow, strength, and deformation behavior of variably saturated soils are the soil-water retention curve (SWRC), hydraulic conductivity function (HCF), and suction-stress characteristic curve (SSCC). Until recently, the interrelations among the SWRC, HCF, and SSCC have not been well established. This work sought experimental confirmation of interrelations among these three constitutive functions. Results taken from the literature for six soils and those obtained for 11 different soils were used. Using newly established analytical relations among the SWRC, HCF, and SSCC and these test results, the authors showed that these three constitutive relations can be defined by a common set of hydromechanical parameters. The coefficient of determination for air-entry pressures determined independently using hydraulic and mechanical methods is >0.99, >0.98 for the pore size parameter, and 0.94 for the residual degree of saturation. One practical...
Prosthetics and Patient Management: A Comprehensive Clinical Approach

Carroll K, Edelstein JE, eds. Thorofare, NJ 08086, Slack Inc, 2006, hardcover, 284 pp, illus, ISBN: 1-55642-671-2, $52.95. The aim of this book is to provide the reader with a comprehensive source of information about prosthetics and management of patients with an amputation. The editors indicate that their audience is prosthetists, physical therapists, physicians, nurses, and other clinicians. The book is organized into 4 sections. The first section, “Early Management,” includes 6 chapters covering topics such as amputation surgery, postoperative management, pain management, and the management of skin disorders. One particular chapter in this section explores the psychological consequences of amputation. Like …
Cluster Analysis for Object-Oriented Verification of Fields: A Variation

Abstract In a recent paper, a statistical method referred to as cluster analysis was employed to identify clusters in forecast and observed fields. Further criteria were also proposed for matching the identified clusters in one field with those in the other. As such, the proposed methodology was designed to perform an automated form of what has been called object-oriented verification. Herein, a variation of that methodology is proposed that effectively avoids (or simplifies) the criteria for matching the objects. The basic idea is to perform cluster analysis on the combined set of observations and forecasts, rather than on the individual fields separately. This method will be referred to as combinative cluster analysis (CCA). CCA naturally lends itself to the computation of false alarms, hits, and misses, and therefore, to the critical success index (CSI). A desirable feature of the previous method—the ability to assess performance on different spatial scales—is maintained. The method is demonstrated on ...
Isotretinoin and recombinant interferon alfa-2a therapy of metastatic malignant melanoma.

Twenty-five patients with metastatic malignant melanoma were treated with isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) orally at 1 mg/kg daily and recombinant interferon alfa-2a (IFN-α) subcutaneously at 3 million units daily for 16–48 weeks. Therapy was well tolerated; fatigue and hyperlipidemia were the most frequent dose-limiting toxicity and necessitated dose reductions in 14 patients. Two patients achieved a complete response, and 3 responded partially for a total response rate of 20% (95% confidence interval: 4–36%). Responses occurred primarily in patients with limited tumor burden and disease confined to the skin and lymph nodes. Significant elevations in peripheral blood 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase activity and natural killer activity were observed with therapy. The magnitude of these changes, however, was not predictive of response. Biopsy specimens of two responding lesions showed extensive necrosis of tumor. One specimen showed large aggregates of melanophages in association with tumor. The combina...
Performance of Maximum Inspiratory Pressure Tests and Maximum Inspiratory Pressure Reference Equations for 4 Race/Ethnic Groups

BACKGROUND: Maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) is an important and noninvasive index of diaphragm strength and an independent predictor of all-cause mortality. The ability of adults over a wide age range and multiple race/ethnicities to perform MIP tests has previously not been evaluated. METHODS: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis recruited white, African American, Hispanic, and Chinese American participants, ages 45–84 years, and free of clinical cardiovascular disease in 6 United States cities. MIP was measured using standard techniques among 3,849 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis participants. The MIP quality goal was 5 maneuvers, with the 2 largest values matching within 10 cm H2O. Correlates of MIP quality and values were assessed in logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: The 3,849 participants with MIP measures were 51% female, 35% white, 26% African American, 23% Hispanic, and 16% Chinese American. Mean SD MIP was 73 26 cm H2O for women and 97 29 cm H2O for men. The quality goal was achieved by 83% of the cohort and was associated with female sex, older age, race/ethnicity, study site, low ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), and wheeze with dyspnea. The multivariate correlates of MIP were male sex, younger age, higher body mass index, shorter height, higher FVC, higher systolic blood pressure (in women) and health status (in men). There were no clinically important race/ethnic differences in MIP values. CONCLUSIONS: Race-specific reference equations for MIP are unnecessary in the United States. More than 80% of adults can be successfully coached for 5 maneuvers, with repeatability within 10 cm H2O. Key words: diaphragm strength, respiratory muscle strength, maximum inspiratory pressure, quality control, pulmonary function testing. [Respir Care 2009;54(10):1321–1328. © 2009 Daedalus Enterprises]
An electromyographic method for the quantitative evaluation of narcotic analgesics in rats

Abstract A new electromyographic (EMG) method described by Bieger et al . (1972) was developed for the quantitative evaluation of narcotic analgesics in rats anesthetized with urethane. d -Amphetamine increased the amplitude and the frequency of myoclonic twitch activities (MTA) of suprahyoideal muscle. Morphine and several other narcotic analgesics antagonized the amphetamine-induced MTA and their relative inhibitory potency closely paralleled their analgesic potencies. Etorphine was 2000–3500 times more potent than morphine, while meperidine showed only 2% of the activity of morphine. Levorphanol was 3–4 times more potent than morphine, while dextrorphan was inactive. l -Methadone was 10 times as potent as d -methadone. The inhibition of MTA by morphine was completely reversed by naloxone. On the other hand, the inhibition of MTA by haloperidol or by pentobarbitone was not influenced by naloxone. The measurement of the EMG of suprahyoideal muscle in rats appears to provide a convenient test and reliable means to assess the central effect of narcotic analgesics.
Dynamic congestion-based pricing of bandwidth and buffer

We consider pricing of network resources in a reservation-based quality-of-service architecture. The pricing policy implements a distributed resource allocation to provide guaranteed bounds on packet loss and end-to-end delay for real-time applications. Distributed pricing roles are assigned to each user, each network node, and an arbitrager in between the user and the network. When delay constraints are not binding, we investigate two dynamic pricing algorithms using gradient projection and Newton's method to update prices, and prove their convergence. We analyze the performance of the dynamic pricing policies and show that the gradient algorithm using Newton's method converges more quickly and displays only a few small fluctuations. When delay constraints are binding, we investigate subgradient methods which can provide convergence to some range of the optimal allocation.
Including Transgender Students in School Physical Education

The purpose of this article is to provide information for successfully working with students who identify as transgender. It provides insight into the topic from the perspective of an elementary school physical educator and that of a student.
Femtosecond Far-Infrared Studies of Carrier Dynamics in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon and Silicon-Germanium Alloys

We present femtosecond time-resolved studies of the photoexcited carrier response in the far-infrared spectral range in PECVD a-Si:H and a-SiGe:H thin films. The experiments are carried out using an optical pump / terahertz (THz) probe technique, in which a femtosecond pump pulse excites carriers in the sample and a time-delayed probe pulse measures the resulting change in the far-infrared optical properties as a function of time delay following the excitation. These measurements are sensitive to carrier processes at low energy, corresponding to a range of approximately 1 - 10 meV, a key energy scale in these materials. We find that the observed photoexcited carrier dynamics are consistent with trapping of carriers into band tail states on a picosecond time scale.
Impact of Clinic Closures on Women Obtaining Abortion Services After Implementation of a Restrictive Law in Texas

Objectives. To evaluate the additional burdens experienced by Texas abortion patients whose nearest in-state clinic was one of more than half of facilities providing abortion that had closed after the introduction of House Bill 2 in 2013.Methods. In mid-2014, we surveyed Texas-resident women seeking abortions in 10 Texas facilities (n = 398), including both Planned Parenthood–affiliated clinics and independent providers that performed more than 1500 abortions in 2013 and provided procedures up to a gestational age of at least 14 weeks from last menstrual period. We compared indicators of burden for women whose nearest clinic in 2013 closed and those whose nearest clinic remained open.Results. For women whose nearest clinic closed (38%), the mean one-way distance traveled was 85 miles, compared with 22 miles for women whose nearest clinic remained open (P ≤ .001). After adjustment, more women whose nearest clinic closed traveled more than 50 miles (44% vs 10%), had out-of-pocket expenses greater than $100 ...
Self-regulated, droplet-based sample chopper for microfluidic absorbance detection

Akin to optical beam chopping, we demonstrate that formation and routing of aqueous droplets in oil can chop a fluidic sample to permit phase sensitive detection. This hand-operated microfluidic sample chopper (μChopper) greatly reduces the detection limit of molecular absorbance in a 27 μm optical path. With direct dependence on path length, absorbance is fundamentally incompatible with microfluidics. While other microfluidic absorbance approaches use complex additions to fabrication, such as fiber coupling and increased optical paths, this self-regulated μChopper uses opposing droplet generators to passively alternate sample and reference droplets at ∼10 Hz each. Each droplet’s identity is automatically locked-in to its generator, allowing downstream lock-in analysis to nearly eliminate large signal drift or 1/f noise. With a lock-in time constant of 1.9 s and total interrogated volume of 59 nL (122 droplets), a detection limit of 3.0 × 10–4 absorbance units or 500 nM bromophenol blue (BPB) (29 fmol) wa...
Cartilaginous Metaplasia in Calcific Aortic Valve Disease

In a 49-year-old man, symptoms of aortic valve stenosis developed that required surgical intervention with valve replacement. Pathologic examination of the valve showed severe calcific aortic sclerosis and foci of hyaline cartilage. The authors believe that these foci are secondary to cartilaginous transformation of mesenchymal valvular tissue. This represents abnormal repair of valvular tissue damaged, in this case, by the nodular calcific process of calcific aortic stenosis.
The Impact of Idea Ownership and Take-over Aversion on Entrepreneurship: An Experimental Study

Using a novel experimental paradigm, we explore how idea ownership, and the possibility of another person taking over and potentially benefiting from one’s idea, affect decisions of potential investors. Investment decisions reveal overconfidence when subjects in our experiment invest in their own ideas, and either correct confidence or under-confidence when they invest in others’ ideas, depending on whether they have or have not proposed an idea of their own. The existence of a potential second investor who can exploit an unexploited entrepreneurial opportunity (i.e., the possibility of takeover) increases willingness to invest.
465 OCTREOTIDE IN THE TREATMENT OF ACROMEGALY: AN UNUSUALLY RAPID RESPONSE.

Acromegaly is most often caused by a somatotroph adenoma of the pituitary gland. Infrequently, these adenomas co-secrete other hormones. Transsphenoidal resection is the treatment of choice for these adenomas, especially when they cause visual impairment. The role of medical therapy has not been clearly established as primary treatment, but medical therapy is often used when surgery carries an unacceptable risk. Studies have shown that treatment with somatostatin analogues decreases IGF-1 levels and also decreases adenoma size. However, these studies have measured the outcomes at a minimum of 3 months. We report a unique case of acromegaly due to a somatotroph adenoma with a dramatic response to octreotide within 1 week. A 53-year-old woman with a history of multiple myeloma, colon cancer, and recent-onset diabetes mellitus was referred to our institution for headaches, blurry vision, left visual field cut, decreased hearing, and ataxia. MRI of the brain revealed a large, lobulated homogeneous enhancing mass extending superiorly and posteriorly from the clivus, causing compression of the optic chiasm as well as encasing bilateral carotid arteries. Biopsy of the mass revealed a pituitary adenoma with staining strongly positive for chromogranin and prolactin along with focal GH, LH, and FSH immunoreactivity. Serum laboratories included IGF-1 level 926 ng/mL, GH 2.17 ng/mL, prolactin 30.6 ng/mL, LH 50% to 434 ng/mL. Repeat MRI revealed a decrease in size of the adenoma and no compression of the optic chiasm. This case illustrates an unusually rapid response of a somatotroph adenoma to octreotide. Thus, octreotide should be strongly considered in patients with an advanced tumor burden and in patients with compressive neurologic symptoms for whom urgent surgical intervention may be indicated. Response to the octreotide, as demonstrated by this case, may occur more quickly than previous studies have shown.
Linker Installation: Engineering Pore Environment with Precisely Placed Functionalities in Zirconium MOFs

Precise placement of multiple functional groups in a highly ordered metal–organic framework (MOF) platform allows the tailoring of the pore environment, which is required for advanced applications. To realize this, we present a comprehensive study on the linker installation method, in which a stable MOF with coordinatively unsaturated Zr6 clusters was employed and linkers bearing different functional groups were postsynthetically installed. A Zr-MOF with inherent missing linker sites, namely, PCN-700, was initially constructed under kinetic control. Twelve linkers with different substituents were then designed to study their effect on MOF formation kinetics and therefore resulting MOF structures. Guided by the geometrical analysis, linkers with different lengths were installed into a parent PCN-700, giving rise to 11 new MOFs and each bearing up to three different functional groups in predefined positions. Systematic variation of the pore volume and decoration of pore environment were realized by linker i...
Event-based information-theoretic privacy: A case study of smart meters

Traditional information-theoretic privacy uses the mutual information rate as a metric of privacy for protecting the input data stream sent by participating users; a low information rate implies that the entire input data stream cannot be correctly inferred from the output with high probability. In many applications such as smart metering, however, the private event (e.g., whether the user is having dinner within a particular time slot) that a user does not wish to reveal may only be associated with part of the data stream, which can still be inferred correctly by adversaries under a low information rate. To this end, we propose a new information-theoretic metric that can provide event-based privacy guarantees. As a case study, we consider the problem of protecting the privacy in user's home energy usage profile with the aid of an internal energy storage device (e.g., a rechargeable battery). Through charging and discharging, the energy storage device is capable of altering the real-time energy usage profile and masking distinctive patterns that may be of interest to adversaries. We evaluate the new privacy metric under the best-effort control policy, which tries to keep the reported energy usage constant through compensation from the storage device. Through simulations, we show that the new privacy metric can be computed numerically and gives a nontrivial privacy guarantee.
Intellectual Humility and the Ends of the Virtues: Conflicting Aretaic Desiderata

This essay demonstrates that disagreement about how to characterize intellectual humility masks deeper disagreement about the ends the intellectual virtues are meant to serve. This has been largely unacknowledged in discussions of intellectual humility, and of the intellectual virtues generally. Despite disclaimers, contestants often proceed as though there is an available unified account of the virtue that, with enough persuasion, all could be brought to accept. This essay contends a shared account is unlikely and therefore such persuasive efforts miss the point. What is needed, rather, is more attention to the kinds of desiderata that are being privileged in the various accounts: what are the conceptions of human nature and human flourishing driving different accounts? I use a simple method to make my case. I begin with the two best contemporary efforts to characterize intellectual humility. I show why each side's attempts to persuade the other are likely to fail. I then show that even if some unified a...
The Importance of Understanding MHC-I Diversity in Nonhuman Primate Models of Human Infectious Diseases:

Decades of research, including the 1996 Nobel Prize in Medicine, confirm the evolutionary and immunological importance of CD8 T lymphocytes (TCD8+) that target peptides bound by the highly variable...
High Speed Interface Wirebond Modeling Division Methodology

As the frequency of the high speed interfaces in computer platforms and systems continue to ramp due to architectural advancement and strong market demands, electronic packages have been stretched to its limit to support these interfaces. The increase in the complexities caused the electrical modeling methodologies to become increasingly complicated and tedious too. New modeling methodologies have to be developed to shorten through put time without sacrificing much of its accuracy. Wirebond package has been in the industry for a long time due to its good performance and relatively low cost compared to flip chip package. Even though facing huge challenge to support higher frequency interfaces, wirebond package still proves to be a capable and cost effective solution, but at the expense of requiring extensive and tedious modeling work. This paper discusses the high speed interfaces wirebond modeling methodology proposed to improve through put time and scalability besides reducing multiple models extraction required and human errors associated with it. This is done by mathematically dividing the parasitic resistance, inductance and capacitance obtained from a full wirebond model by the number of segments required based on the interface frequency. In order to obtain a 3-dimensional package electrical model, the wirebond models are extracted and analyzed based on their actual physical dimension from a specific package for accurate results using AnsoftLinktrade and Ansoft Q3D Extractorreg. The wirebond models extracted are then connected with other package interconnect models and simulated using HSPICE, Ansoft Designerreg/Nexximreg and Matlabreg are used to obtain its final result in terms of eye diagram, time domain reflectometry (TDR) impedance, insertion and return loss. TDR measurement has been performed on actual package and the results are correlating well with the analysis result, proving the accuracy of this methodology. The proposed modeling methodology shows accurate results and significantly reduces through put time, thus it should be considered as an option to model high speed interfaces' wirebond.