cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MultiRankSeq: Multiperspective Approach for RNAseq Differential Expression Analysis and Quality Control

Background. After a decade of microarray technology dominating the field of high-throughput gene expression profiling, the introduction of RNAseq has revolutionized gene expression research. While RNAseq provides more abundant information than microarray, its analysis has proved considerably more complicated. To date, no consensus has been reached on the best approach for RNAseq-based differential expression analysis. Not surprisingly, different studies have drawn different conclusions as to the best approach to identify differentially expressed genes based upon their own criteria and scenarios considered. Furthermore, the lack of effective quality control may lead to misleading results interpretation and erroneous conclusions. To solve these aforementioned problems, we propose a simple yet safe and practical rank-sum approach for RNAseq-based differential gene expression analysis named MultiRankSeq. MultiRankSeq first performs quality control assessment. For data meeting the quality control criteria, MultiRankSeq compares the study groups using several of the most commonly applied analytical methods and combines their results to generate a new rank-sum interpretation. MultiRankSeq provides a unique analysis approach to RNAseq differential expression analysis. MultiRankSeq is written in R, and it is easily applicable. Detailed graphical and tabular analysis reports can be generated with a single command line.
The Political Context of Science in the United States: Public Acceptance of Evidence-Based Policy and Science Funding

In recent years, professional science organizations in the United States, including the National Research Council, National Institutes of Health, and National Science Foundation, have expressed concern about waning policy influence, declining government funding, and the growing politicization of science. Given this background, a number of theoretical questions motivate this study. First, what is the political context of scientific authority in the contemporary United States? More specifically, how can we best understand the association between political ideology and public perceptions of science in the current polarized environment? Using data from the National Science Foundation’s Survey of Public Attitudes Toward and Understanding of Science and Technology (2006–2012), this study finds that the American public is culturally and politically divided in its support for the intersection of science and the state. Various models of political and cultural polarization are tested. Overall, ideological challenges to the cultural authority of science cannot be reduced to left-right political polarization or to conservative religious beliefs. Instead, skepticism on the political right is multifold, involving distinct modes of thought and concerns about the institutional ties between science and the state.
Pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal epoetin alfa in patients on peritoneal dialysis using an 8-hour “dry dwell” dosing technique★

Abstract Pharmacokinetic studies of intraperitoneal (IP) epoetin alfa administered to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients have shown low bioavailability, primarily attributable to the dilutional effect of coadministered dialysate. However, bioavailability is improved by instilling the dose into a dry peritoneum. The current study was designed to determine whether absorption after administration into a dry peritoneum is improved by extending the dry dosing period from 4 to 8 hours. The pharmacokinetics of a single 100-unit/kg IP epoetin alfa dose were studied in 8 noninfected CAPD patients. The dose was instilled into a dry peritoneum via the peritoneal catheter and allowed to dwell for 8 hours. CAPD was then resumed. Blood samples were collected for 96 hours after the dose. A 14-hour effluent dialysate sample was collected to determine epoetin alfa recovery. Enzyme immunoassay was used for epoetin alfa analysis of serum and effluent. Standard pharmacokinetic methods were employed for analysis of the serum concentration time data. The extent of epoetin alfa absorption was significantly greater than previously reported for a 4-hour dry dwell. The mean (±SD) dose-normalized area-under-the-curve (nlAUC 0–∞ ) using the 8-hour dry dwell dosing technique was 6,331 ± 2,536 mIU · h/mL. This is significantly greater than the value of 2,589 ± 1,450 mIU · h/mL (two-sided P value=0.002) from a previous study in which patients received the same 100-unit/kg dose using a 4-hour dry dwell. The absorption of epoetin alfa administered by the intraperitoneal route is improved by extending the time the dose resides in a dry peritoneum.
Fluoride Accumulation in Bone and the Effect on Their Physical Properties in Guinea Pigs Given Different Levels of Fluoridated Water

Guinea pigs were exposed to fluoridated water (2-20 ppm) for a period ranging from 15 to 42 weeks. The fluoride content of the bones increased in proportion to the concentration of fluoride in drinking water and the period of exposure. The rate constant of accumulation of fluoride in guinea pig bones was estimated to be 2.5 X 10(-2) week-1, with a half-life of plateau formation in the order of 28 weeks. This indicated that maximum accumulation of fluoride during a continuous exposure, or a computed complete elimination of fluoride after exposure, will take approximately four years. Although fluoridated water improved the weight gain of guinea pigs, no effect on physical properties of bones was observed. No other toxic effects of fluoride under these conditions were noted.
Modification of work organization.

Musculoskeletal diseases are a major industrial problem in terms of both disability and cost. These diseases cause a large number of permanent disability ratings and a burden to medical services. Low back pain occurs in 50% of workers in heavy industries. Repetitive loadings appear to fatigue and weakens the tissues leading to frank failures or an inflammatory response. Identification of the injury threshold will await an extensive epidemiologic data base. In establishing the organization for prevention of occupational musculoskeletal disease, the first priority is to form an effective and representative task force. The task force must first develop the epidemiologic data base so that mechanical hazards can be identified. An ergonomic approach, if soundly based on biomechan-ical principles, and in conjunction with correct management techniques will be effective in reducing such injuries. The task force should employ representatives from all relevant constituencies and should develop programmes for hazard ...
Sequential Occurrence of Toxic Nodular Goiter Followed By Graves’ Disease

ABSTRACT Objective: To present the first case of Graves’ disease occurring after toxic nodular goiter in a patient who had not received radioiodine therapy. Methods: We describe the clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings in a 65-year-old woman with toxic nodular goiter followed by Graves’ disease and review related reports in the literature. Results: Although isolated case reports have documented the sequential occurrence of toxic nodular goiter or toxic adenoma and Graves’ disease, no definite connection currently exists between these two types of hyperthyroidism. In cases previously described, Graves’ disease appeared after the use of radioiodine for the treatment of the toxic nodular goiter. In our current patient, toxic nodular goiter was treated surgically, followed by the occurrence of Graves’ disease 3 years later. Conclusion: This is the first published case of sequential toxic nodular goiter and Graves’ disease in which radioiodine was not used for treatment of the goiter and thus cannot be implicated as the inciting event for the subsequent development of Graves’ disease. (Endocr Pract. 1998;4:150-152)
Ten kilobases of 5′-flanking region confers proper regulation of the mouse alcohol dehydrogenase-1 (Adh-1) gene in kidney and adrenal of transgenic mice

Abstract The expression profile of the mouse Adh-1 gene, which encodes class I alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme (ADH), is complex and includes tissue specificity and differential hormone responsiveness. Whereas kidney Adh-1 transcription rate is stimulated six- to sevenfold by testosterone treatment, adrenal gland ADH-1 mRNA is reduced to less than 5% of control level within 18 h following hormone administration. Androgen receptor is required for both responses since neither occurs in Tfm mutant mice lacking receptor. Hormonal and tissue-specific aspects of Adh-1 regulation were studied in transgenic mice harboring either of two constructs containing either −2.5 kb or −10 kb of 5′-flanking sequence attached to an Adh-1 minigene. The minigene transcript was expressed in kidney and adrenal tissues, but not liver, in five independent lines harboring a transgene with −2.5 kb of 5′-flanking sequence. Androgen treatment repressed the level of the minigene transcript in adrenal gland, but did not cause induction in kidney. In four lines of transgenic mice carrying the construct with −10 kb of 5′-flanking sequence, the minigene transcript was both repressed in adrenal and induced in kidney by testosterone. These lines have no detectable transgene expression in liver tissue. The −10 kb region in the mouse Adh-1 gene contains necessary controlling regions for proper tissue expression and hormonal regulation in kidney and adrenal; however, this region does not contain all essential elements necessary for expression in liver.
Size and Weight of Pupae and Adults of Laboratory-Reared Screw-Worm Flies

Puparia of male Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) were longer, thicker, and heavier than puparia of females reared simultaneously. Also, fixed linear associations were found between puparial length and puparial diameter or adult thoracic length, and between female weight and number of eggs laid.
Effect of pH on the Conformation and Backbone Dynamics of a 27-Residue Peptide in Trifluoroethanol AN NMR AND CD STUDY

The C-terminal fragment, residues 385-411, from human fibrinogen gamma-chain, i.e. KIIPFNRLTIGEGQQHHLG-GAKQAGDV, shows multiple turn conformations in aqueous solution (Mayo, K. H., Burke, C., Lindon, J. N., and Kloczewiak, M. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 3277-3286). The present study investigates the effect of pH and trifluoroethanol on the conformation and backbone dynamics of this 27-residue peptide. Both circular dichroism (CD) and 1H-NMR data indicate the normally observed increased helical conformations as a function of increasing trifluoroethanol. 1H-NMR structural studies done in the presence of 40% trifluoroethanol, pH 5.3, yield a network of nuclear Overhauser effects consistent with significant populations of helix-like conformation. Distance geometry calculations based on nuclear Overhauser effect-derived distance constraints yield a family of structures with relatively well defined N- and C-terminal conformations and an ill defined mid-peptide region from Gly397 to Gly403. Similar conformational populations are observed at pH 2.5. CD studies, however, indicate an increase in average alpha-helix content on decreasing the pH from 6 to 2. This apparent conflict between CD and NMR results may be explained by a transition from multiple beta-turn character at pH 5.3 to increased alpha-helix structure at pH 2.5. 13C alpha NMR relaxation data analyzed with the Lipari-Szabo model-free approach provide order parameters that demonstrate little if any influence of pH on backbone motional restrictions within the more flexible mid-peptide domain. At low pH, however, motions become less restricted within N-terminal residues Lys385-Phe389 and more restricted within C-terminal residues Ala405-Val411.
Acute rupture of the diaphragm due to blunt trauma: diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of CT.

The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of CT in detecting acute rupture of the diaphragm after blunt trauma.Abdominal CT scans taken before surgery of 11 patients with diaphragmatic rupture (eight left and three right) and 21 patients with intact diaphragms after major acute blunt abdominal trauma were independently reviewed by three observers who were unaware of surgical findings. Retrospective note was made of diaphragmatic discontinuity, intrathoracic herniation of abdominal contents, waistlike constriction of bowel ("collar sign"), and associated findings. Right and left hemidiaphragms were graded as intact or ruptured, and these findings were correlated with surgical findings. Individual and average observer sensitivity and specificity in detecting acute diaphragmatic rupture were calculated.Of the 11 cases of diaphragmatic rupture, diaphragmatic discontinuity was seen in eight, visceral herniation was seen in six, and the "collar sign" was seen in four ...
The role of thorium in endomyocardial fibrosis.

The behaviour of thorium in animals exposed through injection, ingestion and inhalation, as well as in uranium miners, millers and the general population suggests that thorium . accumulates primarily in the lung, tracheobronchial lymph nodes and skeleton; or in the liver if injected with polymeric thorium. Epidemiological studies on uranium miners, Thorotrast studies in man and animal, and studies on the toxic effects of thorium in animals suggest that there is no apparent heart diseases due to exposure to thorium in man and animal.
Prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen velocity and probability of detecting high-grade prostate cancer.

Objectives Men with high-grade prostate cancer experience a survival benefit when androgen suppression therapy is combined with radiotherapy (RT) compared with RT alone. We evaluated whether an association exists between the pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) velocity and high-grade prostate cancer at diagnosis, controlling for known predictors of high-grade disease. Methods The study cohort consisted of 358 men with Stage T1c-T4 prostate cancer treated with external beam RT from 1989 to 2002. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess whether an association exists between the pretreatment PSA velocity, PSA level, age, clinical T stage, and Gleason score 4+3 or greater compared with Gleason score 3+4 or less prostate cancer. Results Of the 358 men, 73 had a Gleason score of 4+3 or greater. The median PSA velocity was 2.71 ng/mL/yr (interquartile range 1.09 to 12.6) for men with a Gleason score of 4+3 or greater and 1.24 ng/mL/yr (interquartile range 0.71 to 3.37) for men with a Gleason score of 3+4 or less. All clinical covariates were significantly associated (P ≤ 0.05) with a Gleason score of 4+3 or greater on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis, the PSA velocity (odds ratio 1.06, 95% confidence interval 1.02 to 1.10, P = 0.004), age (odds ratio 1.07, 95% confidence interval 1.02 to 1.13, P = 0.008), and clinical T stage (odds ratio 2.17, 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 3.92, P = 0.01) were significantly associated with the detection of Gleason score 4+3 or greater prostate cancer. Conclusions The prediagnostic PSA velocity, patient age, and clinical T stage were significantly associated with high-grade prostate cancer at diagnosis. Because a biopsy Gleason score of 4+3 or greater is associated with a prostatectomy Gleason score of 7 or greater in the vast majority of cases, these parameters can identify men at high risk of harboring occult high-grade prostate cancer, permitting improved selection of RT fields and the use of androgen suppression therapy.
Modeling state-dependent sodium conductance data by a memoryless random process

Abstract State-dependent features implying memory in the kinetics of the sodium conductance system were found experimentally in the Myxicola axor [14]. The memoryless time-homogenous Markov-process formulation of a single hypothetical membrane gating site consisting of four aggregating molecular components can account for such state-dependent sodium kinetics. In the context of this stochastic formulation of the aggregation model, the memory that results in state-dependent conductance is due to the relative frequencies of nonconducting gating-site configurations that are unobservable by voltage-clamp techniques. This illustrates that state dependence in data does not necessarily preclude a memoryless underlying mechanism consisting of very few components.
The role of inflammation in the initiation of osteoarthritis after meniscal damage

Meniscal damage and meniscectomy lead to subsequent osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee joint through multiple and diverse mechanisms, yet the interaction of these mechanisms remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this review is to suggest the multi-scale, multi-faceted components involved between meniscal injury or meniscectomy and the initiation of OA. There is evidence of structural, mechanical, and biological changes after meniscal damage, all of which can be greatly affected by the presence of local or systemic inflammation. Meniscal damage or resection causes changes in knee mechanics during walking, resulting in altered cartilage loading. Because cartilage is mechanically sensitive, these loading changes can initiate a catabolic effect, culminating in tissue degeneration. The evidence suggests that the addition of elevated inflammation at the time of meniscal damage or meniscectomy results in an accelerated progression toward cartilage degradation. Initial cartilage degradation produces inflammation and pain in conjunction with structural changes to the joint, thus perpetuating the cycle of altered cartilage loading and subsequent degradation. Furthermore, the inflammation secondary to obesity and aging introduces an increased risk of developing OA following meniscal injury. Therefore, an overall route between meniscal damage or resection and OA is presented here in a manner that considers two distinct pathways; these pathways reflect the absence or presence of conditions that cause elevated inflammation.
Variational Multiscale Models for Charge Transport

This work presents a few variational multiscale models for charge transport in complex physical, chemical and biological systems and engineering devices, such as fuel cells, solar cells, battery cells, nanofluidics, transistors and ion channels. An essential ingredient of the present models, introduced in an earlier paper (Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, 72, 1562-1622, 2010), is the use of differential geometry theory of surfaces as a natural means to geometrically separate the macroscopic domain from the microscopic domain, meanwhile, dynamically couple discrete and continuum descriptions. Our main strategy is to construct the total energy functional of a charge transport system to encompass the polar and nonpolar free energies of solvation, and chemical potential related energy. By using the Euler-Lagrange variation, coupled Laplace-Beltrami and Poisson-Nernst-Planck (LB-PNP) equations are derived. The solution of the LB-PNP equations leads to the minimization of the total free energy, and explicit profiles of electrostatic potential and densities of charge species. To further reduce the computational complexity, the Boltzmann distribution obtained from the Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) equation is utilized to represent the densities of certain charge species so as to avoid the computationally expensive solution of some Nernst-Planck (NP) equations. Consequently, the coupled Laplace-Beltrami and Poisson-Boltzmann-Nernst-Planck (LB-PBNP) equations are proposed for charge transport in heterogeneous systems. A major emphasis of the present formulation is the consistency between equilibrium LB-PB theory and non-equilibrium LB-PNP theory at equilibrium. Another major emphasis is the capability of the reduced LB-PBNP model to fully recover the prediction of the LB-PNP model at non-equilibrium settings. To account for the fluid impact on the charge transport, we derive coupled Laplace-Beltrami, Poisson-Nernst-Planck and Navier-Stokes equations from the variational principle for chemo-electro-fluid systems. A number of computational algorithms is developed to implement the proposed new variational multiscale models in an efficient manner. A set of ten protein molecules and a realistic ion channel, Gramicidin A, are employed to confirm the consistency and verify the capability. Extensive numerical experiment is designed to validate the proposed variational multiscale models. A good quantitative agreement between our model prediction and the experimental measurement of current-voltage curves is observed for the Gramicidin A channel transport. This paper also provides a brief review of the field.
Simulation optimization by genetic search

Abstract This is an example of simulation optimization by genetic search. We compare a new technique, genetic search, to two old techniques the pattern search and the response surface method search. The pattern search uses the Hooke–Jeeves algorithm and the response surface method search uses the computer code of Dennis Smith. This research compares these three algorithms for accuracy and stability. In accuracy we look at how close the algorithm comes to the optimum. The optimum having been previously determined from exhaustive testing. We evaluate stability using the variance of the response function determined from 50 searches; the lower the variance the more stable the response. The example tested is a university time-sharing computer system with two real decision variables: quantum, the amount of time that the computer spends on a job before sending it back to the queue and overhead, that is the time that its takes to execute this routing operation. The response is the cost of operating the system determined from a cost function.
Failure of Y90 to Escape from Skeletally-Fixed Sr.90

SummaryThe data presented demonstrate that Y90 produced in vivo from long term skeletal deposits of Sr90 in young dogs does not escape from the local areas of bone in which it is produced. This is in agreement with previous experimental evidence(5). The implications of this finding are as follows: First, the combined energy of the Sr90 and Y90 beta rays irradiates the skeleton. Hence, dosimetric data determined in vitro can be directly applied to in vivo conditions. Second, the Sr90 deposited in the growing skeleton is probably intracrystalline. This is in agreement with the x-ray diffraction findings of McDonald(6). Work is in progress to see whether this effect occurs in older dogs where there is less bone growth and less crystal formation.
Building Performance Assessment—From POE to BPE, A Personal Perspective

(2005). Building Performance Assessment—From POE to BPE, A Personal Perspective. Architectural Science Review: Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 201-204.
Intra-cluster exchange-coupled high-performance permanent magnets

Abstract Inert gas condensation has been used to produce Fe-rich Fe–Pt clusters imbedded in C or SiO 2 . Compositions of the clusters ranged from the single-phase Fe 3 Pt phase field to the single-phase FePt phase field, and included compositions in the two-phase Fe 3 Pt+FePt phase field. The as-formed clusters formed in the A1 fcc structure for all compositions, and after proper heat treatment transformed to the Fe 3 Pt and/or FePt phases, depending on composition. Because the clusters were well isolated, the scale of the phases was limited by the cluster size. This intracluster structuring on such a fine scale ensured that the soft Fe 3 Pt and hard FePt phases were fully magnetically exchange-coupled with each other, which allowed greater soft phase fractions comparing with previous work. Energy products of the two-phase clusters with 50% Fe 3 Pt exceeded 25 MGOe, compared to 11.8 MGOe for the single-phase FePt clusters. Micromagnetic simulations revealed remarkable similarities with the experimental results with respect to the relationship between both coercivity and energy product as a function of cluster composition.
Estimating the effects of multiple time-varying exposures using joint marginal structural models: Alcohol consumption, injection drug use, and HIV acquisition

The joint effects of multiple exposures on an outcome are frequently of interest in epidemiologic research. In 2001, Hernan et al (J Am Stat Assoc. 2001;96:440-448) presented methods for estimating the joint effects of multiple time-varying exposures subject to time-varying confounding affected by prior exposure using joint marginal structural models. Nonetheless, the use of these joint models is rare in the applied literature. Minimal uptake of these joint models, in contrast to the now widely used standard marginal structural model, is due in part to a lack of examples demonstrating the method. In this paper, we review the assumptions necessary for unbiased estimation of joint effects as well as the distinction between interaction and effect measure modification. We demonstrate the use of marginal structural models for estimating the joint effects of alcohol consumption and injection drug use on HIV acquisition, using data from 1525 injection drug users in the AIDS Link to Intravenous Experience cohort study. In the joint model, the hazard ratio (HR) for heavy drinking in the absence of any drug injections was 1.58 (95% confidence interval = 0.67-3.73). The HR for any drug injections in the absence of heavy drinking was 1.78 (1.10-2.89). The HR for heavy drinking and any drug injections was 2.45 (1.45-4.12). The P values for multiplicative and additive interaction were 0.7620 and 0.9200, respectively, indicating a lack of departure from effects that multiply or add. We could not rule out interaction on either scale due to imprecision.
Dexamethasone-induced protein degradation in cultured myotubes is p300/HAT dependent

Muscle proteolysis during sepsis and other catabolic conditions is, at least in part, regulated by glucocorticoids. Dexamethasone-treated myotubes are a commonly used in vitro model of muscle wasting. We reported recently that treatment of cultured L6 myotubes with dexamethasone resulted in increased gene and protein expression of the nuclear cofactor p300 but it is not known whether glucocorticoids upregulate p300 histone acetyl transferase (HAT) activity in muscle and whether p300/HAT activity regulates glucocorticoid-induced muscle proteolysis. Here, we found that treatment of cultured L6 myotubes with dexamethasone resulted in increased nuclear p300/HAT activity. Treatment of myotubes with p300 siRNA or transfection of muscle cells with a plasmid expressing p300 that was mutated in its HAT activity domain blocked the dexamethasone-induced increase in protein degradation, supporting a role of p300/HAT in glucocorticoid-induced muscle proteolysis. In addition to increased HAT activity, treatment of the myotubes with dexamethasone resulted in reduced nuclear expression and activity of histone deacetylases (HDACs) 3 and 6. When myotubes were treated with the HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A, protein degradation increased to the same degree as in dexamethasone-treated myotubes. The results suggest that glucocorticoids increase HAT and decrease HDAC activities in muscle, changes that both favor hyperacetylation. The results also provide evidence that dexamethasone-induced protein degradation in cultured myotubes is, at least in part, regulated by p300/HAT activity.
Glutamate Neurotoxicity and the Inhibition of Protein Synthesis in the Hippocampal Slice

In some animal models of ischemia, neuronal degeneration can be prevented by the selective antagonism of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor subtype, suggesting that glutamate released during ischemia causes injury by activating NMDA receptors. The rat hippocampal slice preparation was used as an in vitro model to study the pharmacology of glutamate toxicity and investigate why NMDA receptors are critical in ischemic injury. Acute toxicity was assessed by quantifying the inhibition of protein synthesis, which we confirmed by autoradiography to be primarily neuronal. The effect of NMDA was prevented by the specific antagonists MK-801 and ketamine, as well as by the less selective antagonist kynurenic acid. The less selective antagonists kynurenic acid and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione antagonized the effects of quisqualate and NMDA. In contrast to previous observations with dissociated neurons in tissue culture, the toxicity of glutamate was unaffected by antagonists, regardless of the glutamate concentration, the duration of exposure, or the presence of magnesium. The high concentration of glutamate required to inhibit protein synthesis and the inability of receptor antagonists to block the effect of glutamate suggest that either glutamate acts through a non-receptor-mediated mechanism, or that the receptor-mediated nature of glutamate effects are masked in the slice preparation, perhaps by the glial uptake of glutamate. The altered physiology induced by ischemia must potentiate the neurotoxicity of glutamate, because we observed with a brain slice preparation that only high concentrations of glutamate caused neurotoxicity in the presence of oxygen and glucose and that these effects were not reversed by glutamate receptor antagonists.
Credit Markets, Exemptions, and Households with Nothing to Exempt

American bankruptcy law has offered a "fresh start" in every state for over one hundred years. As a result, econometric studies of consumer bankruptcy often focus on one of the few aspects of the law that has varied significantly across time and across states: exemptions. Professors Gropp, Scholz and White published the first article to test the effect of exemptions on credit markets. Consistent with theory, they found that residents of states with larger exemptions pay higher interest rates than those in states with lower exemptions and face an increased probability that they will be denied credit. These effects were most pronounced for poor households. This result is surprising because exemptions only allow a household to keep what it has. The difference between a $100,000 exemption and an exemption with no dollar limit should not matter if the household has little or no assets to exempt. This essay examines alternative explanations for why exemptions appear to have a disproportionate impact on the poor. Unfortunately, however, none of these alternative explanations proves entirely satisfactory.
Discrepant visual speech facilitates covert selective listening in "cocktail party" conditions.

Summary.—The presence of congruent visual speech information facilitates the identification of auditory speech, while the addition of incongruent visual speech information often impairs accuracy. This latter arrangement occurs naturally when one is being directly addressed in conversation but listens to a different speaker. Under these conditions, performance may diminish since: (a) one is bereft of the facilitative effects of the corresponding lip motion and (b) one becomes subject to visual distortion by incongruent visual speech; by contrast, speech intelligibility may be improved due to (c) bimodal localization of the central unattended stimulus. Participants were exposed to centrally presented visual and auditory speech while attending to a peripheral speech stream. In some trials, the lip movements of the central visual stimulus matched the unattended speech stream; in others, the lip movements matched the attended peripheral speech. Accuracy for the peripheral stimulus was nearly one standard devia...
Segmental sigmoid polyposis as a colonoscopic indicator of an ileosigmoid fistula in Crohn's ileitis.

Background and aims: Ileosigmoid fistulas (ISFs) are frequently undiagnosed prior to surgery. This study was designed to describe a polyp or cluster of polyps limited to the sigmoid colon as a marker of ISF in patients with ileitis. This novel finding will increase a gastroenterologist’s opportunity to detect them preoperatively and their prognostic implication of worsening ileitis. Methods: The medical records of patients with Crohn’s disease and ISF were reviewed to determine whether colonoscopy had revealed polyposis limited to the sigmoid colon and its frequency. Results: Thirty-seven patients with Crohn’s ileitis complicated by ISF were identified from our database. Twenty had one or more sigmoid polyps without polyps elsewhere in the colon suggesting the site of fistula exit. Fifteen of the patients had ISF and five had ileorectal fistula (IRF). The fistula was detected by various means, including colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, small bowel X-ray series, barium enema, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance enterography. The ISF was generally diagnosed prior to the recognition and significance of the segmental polyps. These polyps were inflammatory or hyperplastic on pathologic review. Conclusion: Most ISFs and IRFs are now found preoperatively by imaging and some are incidental surgical findings. The segmental sigmoid polyps that we describe should help the gastroenterologist to be suspicious of ISF. The polyps are a surrogate marker for the progression of the fistula and the underlying ileitis as they tend to appear after the fistula has matured and lead to increased intensity of medical therapy well before surgical intervention is required.
Learning Fuzzy Models and Potential Outliers

Outliers or distorted attributes very often severely interfere with data analysis algorithms that try to extract few meaningful rules. Most methods to deal with outliers try to completely ignore them. This can be potentially harmful since the very outlier that was ignored might have described a rare but still extremely interesting phenomena. In this paper we describe an approach that tries to build an interpretable model while still maintaining all the information in the data. This is achieved through a two stage process. A first phase builds an outlier-model for data points of low relevance, followed by a second stage which uses this model as filter and generates a simpler model, describing only examples with higher relevance, thus representing a more general concept. The outlier-model on the other hand may point out potential areas of interest to the user. Preliminary experiments indicate that the two models in fact have lower complexity and sometimes even offer superior performance.
Chylomicron metabolism: uptake and metabolism by perfused adipose tissue1

The sections in this article are: 1 Uptake and Metabolism of Triglycerides by Perfused Adipose Tissue 2 Retention of Unhydrolyzed Triglycerides by Perfused Adipose Tissue 3 Hydrolysis of Blood Triglycerides by Lipoprotein Lipase 4 Site of Hydrolysis of Blood Triglycerides 5 Site of Origin of Lipoprotein Lipase 6 Role of Lipoprotein Lipase in the Uptake of Triglycerides by Adipose Tissue
Evaluation of point field sensing in IGBT modules for high bandwidth current measurement

This paper evaluates field-based current sensing integration in power electronic modules. Point field detectors, such as GMR detectors, can provide high bandwidth (DC to MHz) current measurements with a small footprint (1.26 mm2). Magnetic fields surrounding a current carrying conductor are frequency dependent, so the 5% Flat Bandwidth (FBW) metric is used to evaluate placement of the point field detectors to maximize the bandwidth of the current measurement. A significant contribution of this paper is an evaluation of the placement of point field detectors inside a power switching module. The paper focuses on detector placement for the interconnect structures commonly found in power switching modules. Experimental and finite element analysis of wire bond structures with multiple wire bonds and lead frame structures are evaluated for high bandwidth sensing performance.
Salicylate-induced pulmonary edema—a near-miss diagnosis

A 43-year-old white woman presented to the emergency department with confusion, agitation, and progressive dyspnea. Chest x-ray revealed pulmonary edema. Initial diagnostic considerations were pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, sepsis, central nervous system infection, substance toxicity, and heart failure. Her salicylate level was 92.6 mg/dL, and an arterial blood gas revealed a respiratory alkalosis and nonanion gap metabolic acidosis, consistent with salicylate poisoning. Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema is an atypical presentation of salicylate toxicity, and this case highlights the importance of an early toxicology screen to make a time-critical diagnosis and provide specific treatment.
Digital Analysis and Sorting of Fluorescence Lifetime by Flow Cytometry

Frequency-domain flow cytometry techniques are combined with modifications to the digital signal-processing capabilities of the open reconfigurable cytometric acquisition system (ORCAS) to analyze fluorescence decay lifetimes and control sorting. Real-time fluorescence lifetime analysis is accomplished by rapidly digitizing correlated, radiofrequency (RF)-modulated detector signals, implementing Fourier analysis programming with ORCAS' digital signal processor (DSP) and converting the processed data into standard cytometric list mode data. To systematically test the capabilities of the ORCAS 50 MS/sec analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and our DSP programming, an error analysis was performed using simulated light scatter and fluorescence waveforms (0.5-25 ns simulated lifetime), pulse widths ranging from 2 to 15 micros, and modulation frequencies from 2.5 to 16.667 MHz. The standard deviations of digitally acquired lifetime values ranged from 0.112 to >2 ns, corresponding to errors in actual phase shifts from 0.0142 degrees to 1.6 degrees. The lowest coefficients of variation (<1%) were found for 10-MHz modulated waveforms having pulse widths of 6 micros and simulated lifetimes of 4 ns. Direct comparison of the digital analysis system to a previous analog phase-sensitive flow cytometer demonstrated similar precision and accuracy on measurements of a range of fluorescent microspheres, unstained cells, and cells stained with three common fluorophores. Sorting based on fluorescence lifetime was accomplished by adding analog outputs to ORCAS and interfacing with a commercial cell sorter with a RF-modulated solid-state laser. Two populations of fluorescent microspheres with overlapping fluorescence intensities but different lifetimes (2 and 7 ns) were separated to approximately 98% purity. Overall, the digital signal acquisition and processing methods we introduce present a simple yet robust approach to phase-sensitive measurements in flow cytometry. The ability to simply and inexpensively implement this system on a commercial flow sorter will allow both better dissemination of this technology and better exploitation of the traditionally underutilized parameter of fluorescence lifetime.
The Use and Abuse of Socrates in Present Day Teaching.

The Greek philosopher Socrates is used as an example of a master teacher in in many contexts, from elementary school discussions, to college philosophy classes, to law school. I examine a number of current uses of Socratic teaching, and expose inconsistencies among them. I analyze critically recent practitioners of Socratic teaching, such as Mortimer Adler, and I consider how the celebrated primary teacher Vivian Gussin Paley enacts the Socratic legacy in a novel way. I argue that the misuse, or abuse, of the Socratic legacy occurs chiefly when his teaching is interpreted narrowly as a pedagogical technique devoid of context and irony.
p38SJ, a novel DINGG protein protects neuronal cells from alcohol induced injury and death

Ethanol induces neuronal cell injury and death by dysregulating several signaling events that are controlled, in part, by activation of MAPK/ERK1/2 and/or inactivation of its corresponding phosphatase, PP1. Recently, we have purified a novel protein of 38 kDa in size, p38SJ, from a callus culture of Hypericum perforatum, which belongs to an emerging DINGG family of proteins with phosphate binding activity. Here, we show that treatment of neuronal cells with p38SJ protects cells against injury induced by exposure to ethanol. Furthermore, pre-treatment of neuronal cells with p38SJ diminishes the level of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax and some events associated with apoptosis such as caspase 3 cleavage. In addition, by inducing stress, alcohol can elevate production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that leads to a decrease in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Our results showed that p38SJ restores the activity of SOD in the ethanol treated neuronal cells. These observations provide a novel biological tool for developing new approaches for preventing neuronal cell death induced by ethanol and possibly treatment of neurological disorders associated with alcohol abuse. J. Cell. Physiol. 221: 499–504, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
COMeT+: Continuous Online Memory Testing with Multi-Threading Extension

Today’s computers have gigabytes of main memory due to improved DRAM density. As density increases, smaller bit cells become more susceptible to errors. With an increase in error susceptibility, the need for memory resiliency also increases. Self-testing of memory health can proactively check for errors to improve resiliency. This paper describes a software-only self-test to continuously test memory. We present the challenges and design for an approach, called Continuous Online Memory Testing with Multi-threading Extension (COMeT+), that targets chip multiprocessors. COMeT+ tests memory health simultaneously with execution of single and multi-threaded applications in anticipation of allocation requests. The approach guarantees that memory is tested within a fixed time interval to limit exposure to lurking errors. We developed and evaluated an implementation of COMeT+. On the SPEC CPU2006 and the PARSEC benchmarks, COMeT+ has a low 4% average performance overhead. On the PARSEC benchmarks, the effect of TLB shootdowns on application performance due to additional page migrations caused by COMeT+ was insignificant. When emulated errors were injected into physical memory, applications executed 1.13x to 4.41x longer with COMeT+ than without it.
Is corruption anti-labour?

This article investigates the effect of corruption on trade openness in low-income and high-income countries. The results suggest corruption is anti-labour, since it reduces trade in low-income countries and increases trade in high-income countries.
Risk and protective factors for depressive symptoms among American Indian older adults: Adverse childhood experiences and social support

Objectives: Despite efforts to promote health equity, many American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations, including older adults, experience elevated levels of depression. Although adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and social support are well-documented risk and protective factors for depression in the general population, little is known about AI/AN populations, especially older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to depression among a sample of AI older adults in the midwest.Method: Data were collected using a self-administered survey completed by 233 AIs over the age of 50. The survey included standardized measures such as the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, ACE Questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Hierarchical multivariate regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the main hypotheses of the study.Results: Two dimensions of ACE (i.e., childhood neglect, household dysfunction) were positively associated with depressi...
Dynamic behavior of SRAM data retention and a novel transient voltage collapse technique for 0.6V 32nm LP SRAM

A novel transient voltage collapse (TVC) technique is presented to enable low-voltage operation in SRAM. By dynamically switching off the PMOS during write operations with a collapsed supply voltage below the data retention voltage, a minimum operating voltage (V ccmin ) of 0.6V is demonstrated in a 32nm 12-Mb low-power (LP) SRAM. Data retention failure of unselected cells is mitigated by controlling the duration of voltage collapse. Circuit-process co-optimization is critical to ensure robust circuit design margin of TVC technique.
The Role of Pulmonary Function Testing in Infants

Tests of pulmonary function are used routinely in school-age and older children to augment or confirm clinical findings obtained by a careful history and physical examination. Spirometry allows both detection of airway obstruction even before wheezing can be heard and objective assessment of medical interventions. Measurement of lung volumes separates those processes that cause restriction from those that do not affect lung size or those that cause air trapping. Serial measurements have yielded important insights into the normal growth and aging of the lung as well as showing how various diseases affect lung and airway growth and repair. Although techniques to measure lung function in infants and toddlers have been available for more than 40 years, they have not been used clinically to the same degree that pulmonary function testing has been used in older children and adults. Possible reasons for infant pulmonary function testing not to be performed routinely relate both to the testing conditions and to the information gained. Chief among the former is the need to sedate all but the youngest infants to perform many of these studies. Both parents (1) and physicians (2) express concern over the need to sedate sick infants, even though the sedation typically is tolerated well. Some tests, such as respiratory inductive plethysmography or the forced oscillation technique, do not require sedation of the infant. Other procedural barriers include what must be done to the infant to obtain the necessary information. For example, measurements of dynamic pulmonary compliance and resistance require placement of an esophageal balloon or catheter and, therefore, are considered invasive. Forced expiratory flows by the rapid thoracic compression (“squeeze”) technique may appear uncomfortable for the infant, although infants do not demonstrate any physiologic signs of distress or discomfort during the testing. Some parents have expressed negative feelings after …
GaN-based avalanche photodiodes

Visible-blind UV sensors for applications that require both wide bandwidth and high sensitivity will benefit from avalanche photodiodes (APDs) that have an internal gain mechanism. This paper reports the first clear observation of avalanche multiplication gain in an ultraviolet photodiode fabricated in the III-V materials system. The photodiodes were fabricated from GaN layers grown on a sapphire substrate by hydride vapour phase epitaxy (HVPE) (Molnar et al., J. Crystal Growth, vol. 178, 147, 1997). First, a 10 /spl mu/m thick layer of n-type GaN was deposited, followed by a 0.25 /spl mu/m thick Zn-doped "i" layer. Circular mesas of 30 /spl mu/m diameter were formed by reactive ion etching and were contacted with a semitransparent Ti film.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of titanium–benzene cluster anions

ðTitaniumÞ n ðbenzeneÞ � cluster anions were studied by both mass spectrometry and anion photoelectron spectroscopy. The cluster anion series, TinðBzÞ �þ1 ðn ¼ 1–6Þ dominated the mass spectra. Vertical detachment energies and adiabatic electron affinities were determined for (n,m) = (1,1), (1,2), (2,3), (3,4), (4,5), and (2,4). The evidence suggests that members of the TinðBzÞ �þ1 series have multiple-decker sandwich structures. Ti2ðBzÞ � was observed and appears to be the dimer anion, ðTiðBzÞ 2 Þ � .