cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SALL4 and SF-1 Are Sensitive and Specific Markers for Distinguishing Granulosa Cell Tumors From Yolk Sac Tumors:

Granulosa cell tumors are classified as juvenile and adult types. They may be misinterpreted as a yolk sac tumor when they exhibit a “reticular” growth pattern and contain prominent mitotic activity. In this study, the authors performed immunohistochemical stains for SALL4 and steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) on 27 cases of yolk sac tumors and 24 granulosa cell tumors. Nuclear stains for both antibodies were considered as positive and the intensity of staining was graded as negative, weak, moderate, and strong. All the yolk sac tumors were positive for SALL4 (100%) with moderate to strong grade staining and negative for SF-1 (100%). In contrast, all the granulosa cell tumors were positive for SF-1 (85% moderate to strong grade staining and 15% weak staining) and negative for SALL4 (100%). The difference was significant (P < .01, Student’s t test). This result indicates that these 2 markers could be used to distinguish these 2 tumors in a difficult situation.
Decreasing Activity Limits for Asthma Patients

Asthma disproportionally affects children, minorities, and people who live in urban areas ((1,2)) and is characterized by periodic episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, increased mucus production in the lungs, and fatigue ((3,4)). Approximately 90% of all asthmatic patients experience exercise-induced asthma (EIA) that may develop slowly during exercise, with symptoms returning or intensifying during recovery ((4)).
Microprocessor support and interface circuits

In the application of microprocessors, an increasingly important role is being played by peripheral, interface and support circuits. In this light, panelists will assess such major areas as data acquisition, special function processors, mixed analog/digital functions, bus driver/coupler circuits and universal interface adapters.
Adolescent girls’ construction of moral discourses and appropriation of primary identity in a mathematics classroom

This qualitative study examines the way three American young adolescent girls who come from different class and racial backgrounds construct their social and academic identities in the context of their traditional mathematics classroom. The overall analysis shows an interesting dynamic among each participant’s class and racial background, their social/academic identity and its collective foundation, the types of ideologies they repudiate and subscribe to, the implicit and explicit strategies they adopt in order to support the legitimacy of their own position, and the ways they manifest their position and identity in their use of language referring to their mathematics classroom. Detailed analysis of their use of particular terms, such as “I,” “we,” “they,” and “should/shouldn’t” elucidates that each participant has a unique view of her mathematics classroom, developing a different type of collective identity associated with a particular group of students. Most importantly, this study reveals that the girls actively construct a social and ideological web that helps them articulate their ethical and moral standpoint to support their positions. Throughout the complicated appropriation process of their own identity and ideological standpoint, the three girls made different choices of actions in mathematics learning, which in turn led them to a different math track the following year largely constraining their possibility of access to higher level mathematical knowledge in the subsequent schooling process.
Teacher-Student Interaction in Urban At-Risk Classrooms: Differential Behavior, Relationship Quality, and Student Satisfaction with School.

In this study I examined teacher-student interactions and relationship quality among poor, urban, African-American children expressing differential school satisfaction. Multiple methods of data collection, including classroom observation, interviews, and self-report questionnaires, were used with 61 third through fifth graders. Results suggested that perceptions of a caring, supportive relationship with a teacher and a positive classroom environment were related to school satisfaction by as early as third grade. A different pattern of behavioral interactions with teachers was noted between students expressing high and low satisfaction with school, although this was not an important contributor to students' satisfaction with school. Results are discussed in light of theory that posits children's relationships with others as an important variable in learning and in light of contemporary movements within education that stress the importance of relationships in schooling.
Connections between the quantum Hall effect and conformal field theory

The quantum Hall effect (QHE) is studied in the context of a conformal field theory (CFT). Winding state vertex operators for an effective field of N "spins" associated with the cyclotron motion of particles are defined. The effective field of spins may be used to define an effective Hamiltonian. This effective Hamiltonian describes the collective motion of the N particles (with coupling κ0) together with a current-current interaction (of strength κ1). Such a system gives rise to a CFT in the large-N limit when κ0=κ1. The Laughlin wave function is derived from this CFT as an N'-point correlation function of winding state vertex operators.
The selective hydrogenation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using heterogeneous catalysts

The products produced by hydrogenation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) are potential sustainable substitutes for petroleum-based building blocks used in the production of chemicals. We have studied the hydrogenation of HMF over supported Ru, Pd, and Pt catalysts in monophasic and biphasic reactor systems to determine the effects of the metal, support, solution phase acidity, and the solvent to elucidate the factors that determine the selectivity for hydrogenation of HMF to its fully hydrogenated form of 2,5-di-hydroxy-methyl-tetrahydrofuran (DHMTHF). We show that the selectivity to DHMTHF is affected by the acidity of the aqueous solution containing HMF. The major by-products observed are C6-polyols formed from the acid-catalyzed degradation and subsequent hydrogenation of 2,5-dihydroxymethylfuran (DHMF), an intermediate hydrogenation product of HMF to DHMTHF. The highest yields (88–91%) to DHMTHF are achieved using Ru supported on materials with high isoelectric points, such as ceria, magnesia–zirconia, and γ-alumina. Supported catalysts containing Pt and Pd at the same weight percent as Ru are not as active for the selective hydrogenation to DHMTHF.
Ring kinetic theory for tagged-particle problems in lattice gases.

The kinetic theory for tagged-particle problems in lattice-gas cellular automata is extended beyond Boltzmann's mean-field approximation by including correlated ring-type collisions. This theory provides explicit expressions for the velocity autocorrelation function (VACF) for all times in terms of the ring-collision integral, as well as corrections to the Boltzmann values of the transport coefficients. For times long compared to the mean free time, the ring integral equation yields the phenomenological mode-coupling theory and the long-time tails. For intermediate times it describes a slow transition from initial exponential decay to the long-time tails. At short times the ring kinetic theory is exact. In particular, deviations from the Boltzmann result in the VACF of three-dimensional systems after two time steps are calculated explicitly and compared with computer simulations.
FOREIGN CAPITAL IN EASTERN EUROPE BETWEEN THE WORLD WARS

THE CONCLUSIONS OF THIS study are derived from a comparative analysis of the amounts and character of foreign capital in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The gains and costs due to international capital transactions are evaluated in terms of changes in national incomes, productive structures, and external balances. Aside from analyzing specific historical developments, the monograph aims to determine the nature of responsiveness of small developing countries to changes in international capital flows under alternative policies. Consequently, an attempt is made to use modern economic theory to analyze problems of efficiency, balance, and growth when a small country engages in international capital transactions. In Eastern Europe, overconcern with the maintenance of price stability before the Great Depression prevented a full utilization of foreign capital as the base for drawing underemployed resources into the productive system. Cessation of capital inflows during the early 1930's contributed to domestic depressions via the commercial and state monetary institutions. Poland relied on "classical" remedies and thus protracted her depression. Similarly, Czechoslovakia insisted on maintaining a net creditor position on current account and thus impeded her growth. In contrast, more positive monetary and fiscal policies adopted by Estonia, Latvia, and Hungary successfully stimulated investment and tended to uphold full employment of domestic resources. Capital was allocated most efficiently in Estonia and Latvia, where governments guided the allocation of funds in the desired direction, and in Hungary, where an efficient banking system prevented foreign capital from establishing secluded enclaves in the economy. Poland's permissiveness in regard to foreign interests hindered balanced growth. Correction of the productive structures by stimulating new investments was more economical than piecemeal interferences with the market mechanism. The evidence indicates that, in order to en-
A Mathematical Model of Ultra-Thin Catalyst Layer in PEFC

A mathematical model for an ultra-thin catalyst layer in PEFCs is introduced. It utilizes Nernst-Planck and Poisson equations. Calculated polarization curves are shown to compare favourably with published experimental data for ultra-thin catalyst layers. Aspects of current conversion, reactant, current distribution, and catalyst utilization are explored. The effect of catalyst layers thickness on the Pt utilization is discussed. This study gives us a better understanding of transport and reaction at the mesoscopic scale and it furnishes the directions for optimization of this type of catalyst layer.
Structural Descriptions and Inexact Matching

In this paper we formally define the structural description of an object and the concepts of exact and inexact matching of two structural descriptions. We discuss the problems associated with a brute-force backtracking tree search for inexact matching and develop several different algorithms to make the tree search more efficient. We develop the formula for the expected number of nodes in the tree for backtracking alone and with a forward checking algorithm. Finally, we present experimental results showing that forward checking is the most efficient of the algorithms tested.
Welfare and Protection in the Presence of Endogenous Transfer Prices

This paper analyzes the welfare effects of a host-country tariff in the presence of endogenous transfer prices. The high transfer price and the low transfer price scenarios are analyzed in the presence of "arm's length" restraints on a foreign multinational. The welfare analysis decomposes the various elements which influence the tariff rate. Under the high transfer price regime the host country's wel- fare maximizing tariff is negatively related to the foreign price elasticity of demand for the multinational's product, and under the low transfer price regime it is related positively to the slope of the multinational's cost curves in the foreign country. Further, under arm's length restraints, it is never optimal for the host country to charge the "critical" tariff rate at which the multinational is indifferent between a low or a high transfer price. [F13, F23]
Application of special-purpose artificial neural networks for speckle reduction in SAR images

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is used extensively for remote-sensing applications due to its ability to operate under all weather conditions and provide high-resolution images. However, high-resolution images constructed from SAR data often suffer from speckle, which makes identification and classification of edges/boundaries a difficult task. Speckle noise is multiplicative in nature and is a result of constructive and destructive interference of signals from randomly distributed scatterers in a resolution cell illuminated by a coherent signal. Usually, speckle is reduced by incoherent averaging of high-resolution image pixels that degrade resolution. The principal goal in all speckle-reduction algorithms is to reduce speckle with minimum loss of resolution. In this investigation, we used specially trained and validated artificial neural networks (ANNs) for speckle reduction in images generated with a radar-depth sounder/imager and compared their performance to the conventional adaptive filtering and Sp...
Antitumor effects of vitamin A and inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase in cultured neuroblastoma and glioma cells

Abstract The antiproliferative effects of vitamin A analogs and difluoromethyl ornithine, an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, were evaluated in cultured neuroblastoma and glioma cells. Retinol and retinoic acid arrested the proliferation of neuroblastoma at concentrations of 50 μM; retinal was effective at 5 μM. Glioma cells were 5–10 fold less sensitive to all three analogs. A correlation existed between the inhibition of growth and the inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase in both cell lines treated with the retinoids. Difluoromethyl ornithine did not toally arrest tumor growth at concentrations of 5 mM; however, the antitumor effects were enhanced with the addition of retinol. An earlier and more complete cytostatic response was observed in glioma cells which had been treated with the combination of 100 μM retinol and 5 mM difluoromethyl ornithine than in cells which had been treated with either agent alone. These results show that tumors of neural origin are retinoid sensitive and suggest that a combination of vitamin A analogs and ornithine decarboxylase inhibitors may produce an increased chemotherapeutic response.
Language-association cortex asymmetry in autism and specific language impairment

Language deficits are among the core impairments of autism. We previously reported asymmetry reversal of frontal language cortex in boys with autism. Specific language impairment (SLI) and autism share similar language deficits and may share genetic links. This study evaluated asymmetry of frontal language cortex in a new, independent sample of right-handed boys, including a new sample of boys with autism and a group of boys with SLI. The boys with autism were divided into those with language impairment (ALI) and those with normal language ability (ALN). Subjects (righthanded, aged 6.2–13.4 years) included 22 boys with autism (16 ALI and 6 ALN), 9 boys with a history of or present SLI, and 11 normal controls. MRI brain scans were segmented into grey and white matter; then the cerebral cortex was parcellated into 48 gyral-based divisions per hemisphere. Group differences in volumetric asymmetry were predicted a priori in language-related regions in inferior lateral frontal (Broca’s area) and posterior superior temporal cortex. Language impaired boys with autism and SLI both had significant reversal of asymmetry in frontal language-related cortex; larger on the right side in both groups of language impaired boys and larger on the left in both unimpaired language groups, strengthening a phenotypic link between ALI and SLI. Thus, we replicated the observation of reversed asymmetry in frontal language cortex reported previously in an independent autism sample, and observed similar reversal in boys with SLI, further strengthening a phenotypic link between SLI and a subgroup of autism. Linguistically unimpaired boys with autism had similar asymmetry compared with the control group, suggesting that Broca’s area asymmetry reversal is related more to language impairment than specifically to autism diagnosis. Ann Neurol 2004;56:757–766
Nested KB mirror fabrication for synchrotron hard x-ray nanofocusing

Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) mirrors consist of two individual mirrors: one vertical focusing mirror and one horizontal mirror at separate positions. Nested (Montel) KB mirrors consist of two mirrors arranged perpendicularly to each other and side-by-side. We report our results from the fabrication and tests of the first set of nested KB mirrors for a synchrotron hard x-ray micro/nano-focusing system. The elliptically shaped nested Platinum KB mirrors include two 40 mm long mirrors fabricated by depositing Platinum on Silicon substrates using the magnetron sputtering technique. Hard x-ray synchrotron tests have been performed at 15 keV and 2D focal spots of approximately 150 nm x 150 nm (FWHM) were achieved from both monochromatic and polychromatic beams at the 34 ID beamline of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory. The side-by-side arrangement of nested KB mirrors requires them to have good surfaces and low figure errors at the intersection of the two mirrors' surfaces. It is very challenging to fabricate substrates that fit the nested KB mirror's arrangement and to deposit thin films to ideal elliptical shapes at the edge of the mirrors. Further research and development will be performed in the areas of fabrication and testing with respect to nested KB mirrors used in micro/nano-focusing systems. In particular, substrate processing and deposition techniques should be examined to improve the performance of the mirrors.
Religious and Moral Conditions Among the Canadian Pioneers

The generous phraseology of our title may suggest a field of inquiry larger than that covered by the following study. The data to be here considered are derived from the records of life in Protestant settlements formed after the close of the French regime (1763) and within the provinces east of Lake Huron. The accompanying bibliography will indicate the principal sources utilized, and the limitations of these will be noted by expert students. While admittedly incomplete, they have been sufficient to illustrate certain phases of pioneer religious and social life, and the writer feels justified in the hope that the main impressions here given will not be negatived by further investigation.
Revealing an empirical understanding of aggression and violent behavior in athletics

Abstract Despite the multitude of published accounts that focus on “aggressive athletes,” scientific investigation into aggression and violence within an athletic population has been surprisingly absent. Publications have often been more editorial in nature, with scientific rigor, sound methodology, and empirical exploration appearing to be secondary concerns. The present review seeks to summarize what is currently known about aggression and violence in sports through actual empirical investigation. The information presented herein was synthesized from the inclusion of studies that met strict scientific and methodological inclusion criteria, representing less than one-third of published studies on the subject over the past 30 years.
ALD as enabling technology for the next generation of microprocessors

As dimensions of microprocessor components continue to shrink, new and enabling technologies are required to enable the next generation of (sub)nanometer size features and components. With this aim, the industry has long aspired to gain molecular and even atomic-level control over architectural assembly. Building from the basic principles of chemistry and physics, one of today's technological forefronts in self-assembly and atomic-scale placement is being realized via ALD. Herein, the advances in ALD/CVD with a focus on BEOL interconnect development will be reviewed. Architectural, materials, and integration platforms (barrier, adhesion, seed) will be reviewed. Industrial challenges will be addressed and leading strategies will be considered. Finally, the latest results involving methods and materials will be presented.
An investigation into the performance of macro-fiber composites for sensing and structural vibration applications

Abstract This paper presents the use of macro-fiber composites (MFC) for vibration suppression and structural health monitoring. The major advantages of the piezoelectric fiber composite actuators are their high performance, flexibility, and durability when compared with the traditional piezoceramic (PZT) actuators. The recently developed MFC actuator provides these advantages and can be used in structural vibration applications. In addition, the ability of MFC devices to couple the electrical and mechanical fields is larger than in monolithic PZT. In this study, we showed that an MFC could be used as a sensor and actuator to find modal parameters of an inflatable structure. This sensor and actuator combination has also been used to reduce vibration in an inflated object. Once the sensing capability was identified, we developed a self-sensing circuit for an MFC. Our experimental results clearly indicate that this strategy can suppress structural vibration, while reducing the number of system components. Finally, the MFC has been implemented as impedance sensor for structural health monitoring (e.g. a of bolted joint connection). The experimental results presented in this paper show the potential of MFC for use in the dynamics and control of flexible structures.
Silicon photonic microring resonator arrays for scalable and multiplexable bioanalysis

Silicon photonic devices, such as SOI microring resonators, have optical properties that are incredibly responsive to changes in the local dielectric environment accompanying a biological binding event at or near the ring surface. We have developed a platform in which arrays of uniquely addressable microrings are functionalized with target-specific capture agents so as to create a powerful tool for multiplexed biomolecular detection. We will discuss applications of this technology to the multiplexed detection of DNA, RNA, and proteins in clinically-relevant matrices, and will also describe the rigorous empirical determination of key sensitivity metrics.
Adaptive parsons problems with discourse rules

Parsons problems are code segments that the user must put in the correct order with the correct indention. Research on Parsons problems suggests that they might be a more effective and efficient learning approach than writing equivalent code, especially for time-strapped secondary teachers. I intend to explore this hypothesis with empirical experiments, observations, and log file analysis.
The multiple-reciprocity method. A new approach for transforming BEM domain integrals to the boundary

The application of the boundary element method for solving boundary value problems with body forces, time dependent effects or certain class of non-linearities generally leads to an integral equation which contains domain integrals (e.g. Ref. 1). Although these integrals do not introduce any new unknowns they detract from the elegance of the formulation and affect the efficiency of the method as integrations over the whole volume are required. Hence, a substantial amount of research has been carried out to find a general and efficient method of transforming volume integrals into equivalent boundary ones. The approaches which have so far been proposed can be divided into three groups. The first approach started in 1982 and is called the Dual Reciprocity Method, This approach was developed by Nardini and Brebbia 2'3 and afterwards extended for a variety of problems by Brebbia and WrobeP and by Loeffler and Mansur 5. It has been proved that the Dual Reciprocity Method (e.g. Refs 6, 7, 8) permits to solve a wide range of problems and is accurate. Another group of approaches is based on the expansion of the source term into the Fourier series. The method was proposed by Tang 9 to deal with potential and elasticity problems and has also been successfully applied for solving neutron diffusion problems by Itagaki and Brebbia 1 o. The third class of methods is the use of particular solutions which can convert domain integrals into boundary integrals. This technique offers some advantages versus the previous approaches in some specific applications as demonstrated by Azevedo and Brebbial 1. It has also been pointed out in Ref. 11 that the use of global particular solutions can be thought of as a special case of Dual Reciprocity. In this paper a new method of transforming domain integrals into boundary integrals is proposed. The Multiple Reciprocity Method (MRM) can be thought of as an extension of the idea of Dual Reciprocity. However, instead of approximating the source term by the set of coordinate functions, a sequence of functions related to the fundamental solution is introduced. These constitute a set of higher order fundamental solutions which permit the second Green's identity to be applied to each term of
A note on fair value pricing of mutual funds

Abstract Mutual funds claim that they employ fair value pricing to prevent active investors from trading on their beliefs that the funds’ net asset values are stale. Our results support the funds’ assertions. We estimate the returns from the following active strategy: buy international open end mutual funds that do not employ fair value pricing on days that the S&P500 index rises by a large amount, and/or sell them on days that the S&P500 index declines by a large amount. These active strategies significantly outperform pure buy-and-hold strategies. We conclude that international mutual funds should make greater use of fair value pricing.
Identification and characterization of the gyrB gene from Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum

The nucleotide sequence of a DNA gyrase B subunit gene (gyrB) from Treponema pallidum has been determined. Southern blot analysis of T. pallidum chromosomal DNA indicated that this gene is present as a single copy. The organization of genes flanking the gyrB gene is unique in comparison to that of other bacteria. The gyrB gene encodes a 637 amino acid protein whose deduced sequence has a high degree of homology with type-II topoisomerase ATPase subunits (GyrB and ParE). Five type-II topoisomerase motifs, an ATP-binding site (Walker A), and amino acid residues that putatively interact with ATP, are highly conserved in the T. pallidum GyrB protein.
Hotspot detection and clustering: ways and means

This paper reviews the development of methods for the analysis of hotspots and clustering. Discussion focusses on different data types and the usefulness of density estimation, scan testing and model-based approaches to clustering. Various application areas are considered ranging from ecology, over health mapping to genomics and landscape analysis. A discussion of software availability is also provided.
High-Pressure Viscosity Measurements of 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane

Viscosity measurements have been carried out with a falling-cylinder instrument in the compressed liquid and supercritical regions of the hydrofluorocarbon 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R134a). A highly pure sample was used. The measurement region at temperatures from 293.15 K to 438.15 K with pressures from 10 MPa to 400 MPa extends the existing data range substantially. With estimated uncertainties of 3.5 % for viscosity, the greater of 1 MPa or 0.5 % for pressure, and 0.4 K for temperature, the new results can be used to reconcile inconsistencies between literature data sets. They also provide a test of the extrapolation capability of existing viscosity correlations for this fluid and enable the development of a more accurate and wider ranging formulation.
Special issue—Philosophy of Science Education

(2006). Special issue—Philosophy of Science Education. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 38, No. 5, pp. 579-584.
CD8+ T cells in cutaneous leishmaniasis: The good, the bad and the ugly

CD8+ T lymphocytes are components of the adaptive immune response and play an important role in protection against many viral and bacterial infections. However, their role in parasitic infections is less well understood. In leishmaniasis, a disease caused by intracellular protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, CD8+ T cells have been shown to be protective. However, increasing evidence indicates that CD8+ T cells may also exacerbate disease. In this review, we will describe the situations where CD8+ T cells are either good or bad for the outcome of the infection and attempt to reconcile the dual role played by CD8+ T cells in cutaneous leishmaniasis.
ATP Binding Regulates Oligomerization and Endosome Association of RME-1 Family Proteins

Members of the RME-1/mRme-1/EHD1 protein family have recently been shown to function in the recycling of membrane proteins from recycling endosomes to the plasma membrane. RME-1 family proteins are normally found in close association with recycling endosomes and the vesicles and tubules emanating from these endosomes, consistent with the proposal that these proteins directly participate in endosomal transport. RME-1 family proteins contain a C-terminal EH (eps15 homology) domain thought to be involved in linking RME-1 to other endocytic proteins, a coiled-coil domain thought to be involved in homo-oligomerization and an N-terminal P-loop domain thought to mediate nucleotide binding. In the present study, we show that both Caenorhabditis elegans and mouse RME-1 proteins bind and hydrolyze ATP. No significant GTP binding or hydrolysis was detected. Mutation or deletion of the ATP-binding P-loop prevented RME-1 oligomerization and at the same time dissociated RME-1 from endosomes. In addition, ATP depletion caused RME-1 to lose its endosome association in the cell, resulting in cytosolic localization. Taken together, these results indicate that ATP binding is required for oligomerization of mRme-1/EHD1, which in turn is required for its association with endosomes.
Transport properties for combustion modeling

Abstract This review examines current approximations and approaches that underlie the evaluation of transport properties for combustion modeling applications. Discussed in the review are: the intermolecular potential and its descriptive molecular parameters; various approaches to evaluating collision integrals; supporting data required for the evaluation of transport properties; commonly used computer programs for predicting transport properties; the quality of experimental measurements and their importance for validating or rejecting approximations to property estimation; the interpretation of corresponding states; combination rules that yield pair molecular potential parameters for unlike species from like species parameters; and mixture approximations. The insensitivity of transport properties to the intermolecular forces is noted, especially the non-uniqueness of the supporting potential parameters. Viscosity experiments of pure substances and binary mixtures measured post 1970 are used to evaluate a number of approximations; the intermediate temperature range 1 10; (7) performing more accurate measurements of the molecular parameters used to evaluate the molecular heat capacity and the rotational relaxation collision number, since they affect thermal conductivity; and (8) using the EGLIB approach and computer program with improved supporting data to evaluate transport properties. EGLIB uses the TRANLIB methodology for collision integral evaluation.
Increased nonsterol isoprenoids, dolichol and ubiquinone, in the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome: effects of dietary cholesterol

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is an inherited autosomal recessive cholesterol deficiency disorder. Our studies have shown that in SLOS children, urinary mevalonate excretion is normal and reflects hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity but not ultimate sterol synthesis. Hence, we hypothesized that in SLOS there may be increased diversion of mevalonate to nonsterol isoprenoid synthesis. To test our hypothesis, we measured urinary dolichol and ubiquinone, two nonsterol isoprenoids, in 16 children with SLOS and 15 controls, all fed a low-cholesterol diet. The urinary excretion of both dolichol (P < 0.002) and ubiquinone (P < 0.02) in SLOS children was 7-fold higher than in control children, whereas mevalonate excretion was comparable. In a subset of 12 SLOS children, a high-cholesterol diet decreased urinary mevalonate excretion by 61% (P < 0.001), dolichol by 70% (P < 0.001), and ubiquinone by 67% (P < 0.03). Our hypothesis that in SLOS children, normal urinary mevalonate excretion results from increased diversion of mevalonate into the production of nonsterol isoprenoids is supported. Dietary cholesterol supplementation reduced urinary mevalonate and nonsterol isoprenoid excretion but did not change the relative ratios of their excretion. Therefore, in SLOS, a secondary peripheral regulation of isoprenoid synthesis may be stimulated.
Ventricular Aneurysms and Blunt Chest Trauma

A patient with blunt chest trauma leading to a left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) is presented and the literature is reviewed. The common pathophysiologic factor in the formation of these aneurysms appears to be obstruction of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). Awareness of this might, under ideal circumstances, lead to emergency coronary catheterization and saphenous vein grafting preventing the formation of a LVA in a relatively young person.
Teaching non-verbal children with autistic disorder to read and write: a pilot study

Objectives: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of an innovative curriculum designed to teach communicative receptive and expressive language to non-verbal children with autism through reading and writing. Methods: Randomized, controlled clinical trial of 18 children aged 5–13 years with autistic disorder and functional spoken language limited to single words, holophrases, or over-learned phrases. The treatment group (n = 9; mean age: 7·1 years; three female) received 9–11 months of one-to-one instruction in reading and writing. The control group (n = 9; mean age: 8·6 years; two female) received teaching that matched the literacy curriculum in all features of administration and organization, but taught number recognition, addition, and subtraction. Before and after the intervention, participants were given criterion-referenced tests to assess their skills in the knowledge domains taught in the treatment and control interventions. Results: Five literacy participants and four control participants co...
Functional Dyspepsia in Review: Pathophysiology and Challenges in the Diagnosis and Management due to Coexisting Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Functional dyspepsia is a common disorder which imposes significant diagnostic and treatment challenges for patients and physicians. The most recent update of the diagnostic criteria subdivides functional dyspepsia into two subcategories based on the main symptom of epigastric pain or postmeal fullness. As we discuss in this review, several studies have shown significant overlap in symptoms and pathophysiology between functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, and the spectrum of reflux disorders. This overlap in symptoms can be informative in helping us to understand the underlying pathophysiology, diagnostic approaches, and treatment strategies. The addition of diagnostic testing such as pH impedance manometry of the distal esophagus to the current common diagnostic tests might be helpful in distinguishing between functional dyspepsia and reflux disease. Importantly, various treatment modalities may be more effective than others if the main symptom is burning rather than pain or postmeal fullness rather than early satiation.
Separation of Chemical Reaction Intermediates by Metal–Organic Frameworks

HPLC columns custom-packed with metal-organic framework (MOF) materials are used for the separation of four small intermediates and byproducts found in the commercial synthesis of an important active pharmaceutical ingredient in methanol. In particular, two closely related amines can be separated in the methanol reaction medium using MOFs, but not with traditional C18 columns using an optimized aqueous mobile phase. Infrared spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis are used in combination with molecular dynamic simulations to study the separation mechanism for the best-performing MOF materials. It is found that separation with ZIF-8 is the result of an interplay between the thermodynamic driving force for solute adsorption within the framework pores and the kinetics of solute diffusion into the material pores, while the separation with Basolite F300 is achieved because of the specific interactions between the solutes and Fe(3+) sites. This work, and the exceptional ability to tailor the porous properties of MOF materials, points to prospects for using MOF materials for the continuous separation and synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds.
Pragmatic use of priority life cycle assessment elements to help drive product stewardship

Hewlett-Packard, Computer Products Organization (CPO) has launched a product stewardship program with an overall objective to provide products and services that are environmentally sound throughout their life cycle and to conduct operations worldwide in an environmentally responsible manner. A set of metrics or measurement tools was needed to help drive product and process improvements and to provide management an easy method to review and measure progress. The metrics should be easy to use, pragmatic and noncontroversial. The metrics are used to set product specific objectives and provide a method to measure percentage improvement above a baseline. The metrics can be used with product, packaging, consumables, learning products, (manuals, etc.) and manufacturing processes. >
Effects of Varying Levels of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles on Growth Performance of Broiler Chicks

There is no formal recommendation, regarding dietary concentration, when it comes to feeding distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to young broilers. This study evaluated the effects of varying levels of DDGS in a diet to young broilers from 0 to 14d of age. Diets ranged from 0 to 32% DDGS concentration, with 8% increments. Increasing inclusion rate of DDGS led to decreased body weight gain (BWG), whereas mortality seemed to be linearly increased. However, there was an increase seen in feed conversion (FCR) in conjunction with the increase in DDGS in the diet. An inclusion level of 8% DDGS or less is recommended for starter diets for broiler chicks.
Style Quantification of Scanned Multi-source Digits

The co-occurring patterns in a group carrying the traits of common origin are statistically dependent via an underlying style context. Exploiting style consistency in groups of patterns from multiple sources can increase OCR accuracy. The accuracy gains obtained by a style consistent classifier depend on the amount of style in isogenous (same-source) fields. We present mathematical models to quantify the amount of single-class and multi-class style using entropy, correlation and mutual information. We also demonstrate a method for style homogenization that allows testing our metrics on real data.
Update on the newer antiepileptic drugs in child neurology: Advances in treatment of pediatric epilepsy

The goal of epilepsy treatment is the prevention of recurrent seizures, and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the mainstay. Uncontrolled seizures may cause medical, developmental, and psychologic disturbances. Treatment advances include 1) identification of the basic mechanisms of epilepsy and action of AEDs, 2) the introduction of many new AEDs, and 3) the use of neurostimulation, starting with vagus nerve stimulation. We must balance the efficacy of an AED versus its side effects, which if persistent, lead to patient discontinuation of the AED. Although all AEDs have a proven efficacy, they are differentiated by their efficacy for a given seizure type or epilepsy syndrome versus the side effects or tolerability. The many new AEDs give us a larger armamentarium for epilepsy treatment. We refer to studies and expert opinion consensus.
A systematic review of the aetiology of tobacco disparities for sexual minorities

Objective To conduct a systematic review of the literature examining risk factors/correlates of cigarette smoking among lesbian, gay and bisexual (ie, sexual minority) populations. Methods Sets of terms relevant to sexual minority populations and cigarette smoking were used in a simultaneous search of 10 databases through EBSCOhost. The search was limited to the peer-reviewed literature up to January 2011, using no geographic or language limits. For inclusion, the paper was required to: (1) have been written in English, (2) have sexual minorities (defined by either attraction, behaviour, or identity) included in the study population and (3) have examined some form of magnitude of association for risk factors/correlates of any definition of cigarette smoking. A total of 386 abstracts were reviewed independently, with 26 papers meeting all inclusion criteria. Abstracts were reviewed and coded independently by authors JB and JGLL using nine codes derived from the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Results Studies used various measures of sexual orientation and of smoking. Risk factors that could be considered unique to sexual minorities included internalised homophobia and reactions to disclosure of sexual orientation. Some studies also indicated common smoking risk factors experienced at higher rates among sexual minorities, including stress, depression, alcohol use and victimisation. Conclusions This review identified risks that were associated with sexual minority status and common to the general population but experienced at potentially higher rates by sexual minorities. Government and foundation funds should be directed towards research on the origins of this disparity.
Two-point normalized protein catabolic rate overestimates nPCR in pediatric hemodialysis patients

Normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) calculation depends on estimating the urea generation between consecutive hemodialysis (HD) treatments. Two-point nPCR using blood urea nitrogen (BUN) before and after the same HD treatment has not been validated in pediatric patients, who typically receive a more intense HD dose than adults. This study aimed to compare nPCR calculated with a two-point vs. a three-point nPCR model in pediatric HD patients. Pediatric patients receiving HD at 2 units were enrolled. Three BUN measurements were obtained around a midweek HD treatment: one prior to HD (preBUN1), one 30 s after HD (30sBUN), and one prior to the subsequent HD (preBUN2). The two-point nPCR model was calculated using preBUN1 and 30sBUN and the three-point nPCR model was calculated using preBUN2 and 30sBUN. Seventy-six BUN sets from 35 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 16.4 ± 3.5 years. Mean dry weight was 51.4 ± 17.1 kg. Mean spKt/V was 1.54 ± 0.23. Mean preBUN2 was significantly lower than mean preBUN1 (60.2 ± 18.6 vs. 64.0 ± 18.9 mg/dl, p = 0.0001). nPCR obtained from the three-point model was significantly lower than nPCR obtained from the two-point model (1.07 ± 0.31 vs. 1.17 ± 0.31 g/kg/day, p = 0.00001). Seven of 76 (9.2 %) paired comparisons yielded three-point nPCR 1. Our data show that in pediatric patients receiving HD, the ((1) two-point and three-point models lead to significantly different nPCRs, and (2) inaccurate protein intake assessment may result from reliance on a two-point model for nPCR estimates.
Optimal Recovery of Holomorphic Functions from Inaccurate Information about Radial Integration

This paper addresses the optimal recovery of functions from Hilbert spaces of functions on the unit disc. The estimation, or recovery, is performed from inaccurate information given by integration along radial paths. For a holomorphic function expressed as a series, three distinct situations are considered: where the information error in L2 norm is bound by δ＞0 or for a finite number of terms the error in l2N norm is bound by δ＞0 or lastly the error in the jth coefficient is bound by δj＞0. The results are applied to the Hardy-Sobolev and Bergman-Sobolev spaces.
Animal Models in Nutrition Research

Current knowledge in nutrition is based largely on the use of appropriate animal models together with defined diets. Numerous examples are cited where animal models have been used to solve nutrient x nutrient interactions, to evaluate bioavailability of nutrients and nutrient precursors, and to test for nutrient tolerances and toxicities. Advantages, disadvantages, and idiosyncrasies of various animal species are discussed.
Open Trial of Pindolol in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia

BACKGROUNDEvidence suggests that fibromyalgia is related to both chronic sympathetic hyperactivity and decreased levels of serotonin.OBJECTIVETo examine the efficacy of pindolol, a mixed serotonin (5-HT)1A presynaptic autoreceptor/β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, in the treatment of fibromyalgia.METHODSAn open trial was conducted using 20 female patients who met the American College of Rheumatology criteria for fibromyalgia. Treatment was initiated with pindolol 7.5 mg/day and titrated to a maximum dose of 15 mg/day for a total of 90 days. Primary outcome measures were tender point analysis and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). Anxiety and depression were measured with the Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Scales and Beck Depression Inventory.RESULTSThere was significant improvement in primary outcome measures, including Tender Point Count (mean ± SD, 16.3 ± 2.2 vs 12.3 ± 5.0; F = 8.9; p < 0.001), Tender Point Score (24.4 ± 5.7 vs 17.5 ± 9.4; F = 7.8; p < 0.001), and FIQ (45.3 ± 10.8 vs 35.0 ± 1...
Structural changes during the reaction of Ni thin films with (1 0 0) silicon substrates

Ultrathin films of nickel deposited onto (1 0 0) Si substrates were found to form kinetically constrained multilayered interface structures characterized by structural and compositional gradients. The presence of a native SiO2 on the substrate surface in tandem with thickness-dependent intrinsic stress of the metal film limits the solid-state reaction between Ni and Si. A roughly 6.5 nm thick Ni film on top of the native oxide was observed regardless of the initial nominal film thickness of either 5 or 15 nm. The thickness of the silicide layer that formed by Ni diffusion into the Si substrate, however, scales with the nominal film thickness. Cross-sectional in situ annealing experiments in the transmission electron microscope elucidate the kinetics of interface transformation towards thermodynamic equilibrium. Two competing mechanisms are active during thermal annealing: thermally activated diffusion of Ni through the native oxide layer and subsequent transformation of the observed compositional gradient into a thick reaction layer of NiSi2 with an epitaxial orientation relationship to the Si substrate; and, secondly, metal film dispersion and subsequent formation of faceted Ni islands on top of the native oxide layer. 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Built-In Self-Test Structures

A system that includes self-test features must have facilities for generating test patterns and analyzing the resultant circuit response. This article surveys the structures that are used to implement these self-test functions. The various techniques used to convert the system bistables into test scan paths are discussed. The addition of bistables associated with the I/O bonding pads so that the pads can be accessed via a scan path (external or boundary scan path) is described. Most designs use linear-feedback shift registers for both test pattern generation and response analysis. The various linear-feedback shift register designs for pseudorandom or pseudoexhaustive input test pattern generation and for output response signature analysis are presented.