cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lymphocyte enhancer‐binding factor 1 (Lef1) inhibits terminal differentiation of osteoblasts

Lef1 is a transcriptional regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade. Wnts directly augment bone formation and osteoblast differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells by receptor-mediated pathways involving Lrp5 and Frizzled. We previously reported that Lef1 represses Runx2-dependent activation of the late osteoblast differentiation gene, osteocalcin. Lef1 is expressed in preosteoblasts but is undetectable in fully differentiated osteoblasts. To determine if downregulation of Lef1 is necessary for osteoblast maturation, we constitutively overexpressed Lef1 in MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts. Lef1-overexpressing cells produced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin later, and at lower levels than control cells. Moreover, the extracellular matrices of Lef1-overexpressing cell cultures never mineralized. To further examine the role of Lef1 in osteoblasts, we suppressed Lef1 expression in MC3T3-E1 cells by RNA interference. Transient expression of a Lef1 shRNA efficiently reduced murine Lef1 levels and transcriptional activity. Stable suppression of Lef1 in MC3T3 preosteoblasts did not affect proliferation or Runx2 levels; however, ALP production and matrix mineralization were accelerated by 3–4 days. Gene chip analyses identified 14 genes that are differentially regulated in Lef1-suppressed cells. These data outline a role for Lef1 in delaying osteoblast maturation and suggest that Lef1 controls the expression of multiple genes in osteoblasts. J. Cell. Biochem. 97: 969–983, 2006. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Thermal Stratification and the Potential for Enhanced Phosphorus Release from the Sediments in Lake Okeechobee, USA

Abstract We inferred the potential importance of enhanced phosphorus (P) release from the sediments during periods of thermal stratification in Lake Okeechobee USA, a large, shallow, eutrophic lake. This was accomplished by determining the frequency and duration of thermal stratification, using monitoring data collected during 1997 and 1999, with multiparameter sondes, which were positioned at a weather platform in the center of the lake. We also monitored dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, turbidity and redox potential, to assess if any relationships existed between these variables and thermal stratification. Thermal stratification was infrequent, documented for 42 and 74 total hours, and occurred for an extrapolated period of at least one hour on approximately 18 days or 5% of both years. Thermal stratification occurred almost exclusively during the summer (May – September), and was brief, typically lasting for one to six hours per event, although there was one event during 1999, where 49 conti...
Incarceration and unstable housing interact to predict sexual risk behaviours among African American STD clinic patients.

Given the dramatic racial disparities in the rates of HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among African Americans, understanding broader structural factors that increase the risk for HIV/STIs is crucial. This study investigated incarceration history and unstable housing as two structural predictors of HIV risk behaviour among 293 African Americans (159 men/134 women, mean age = 27). Participants were recruited from an urban sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic in the southeastern U.S. Approximately half the sample had been incarcerated in their lifetime (54%), and 43% had been unstably housed in the past six months. Incarceration was independently associated with the number of sex partners and the frequency of unprotected sex. Unstable housing was independently associated with the frequency of unprotected sex. However, these main effects were qualified by significant interactions: individuals with a history of incarceration and more unstable housing had more sex partners and more unprotected s...
Treatment of Experimental Intravitreal Fibrin With Tissue Plasminogen Activator

We produced experimental intravitreal fibrin clots in rabbits that had previous gas compression of the vitreous or intact vitreous. Twenty-four hours after production of fibrin, the eyes were injected with 25 μg of tissue plasminogen activator or physiologic irrigation solution. In the gas compression group (n = 11), all tissue plasminogen activator-treated eyes cleared within six hours of injection; complete clearing was not seen until six days in the physiologic irrigation solution-treated eyes (n = 9). A similar response was seen in the intact vitreous group. No evidence of toxicity was observed as measured by slit-lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure, corneal thickness, electroretinography, or histopathologic examination.
Dual Use of an Amplatzer Device in the Transcatheter Embolization of a Large High-flow Renal Arteriovenous Fistula

Embolization procedures are now considered the first-line therapy in the treatment of renal arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs). However, a risk posed by the use of these minimally invasive techniques is the migration of occluding agents into the venous and pulmonary circulations. The risk is of particular importance for larger, high-flow fistulas. The authors describe a case in which an Amplatzer Vascular Plug (AVP) was opened upstream of a renal AVF in the dilated feeding artery and used as a filter and a buttress during coil embolization to prevent coil migration during the treatment of the large, high-flow renal AVF. It was then removed and used again as the final embolic device in the renal artery, performing a dual role in the closure of the renal AVF.
Acute Myocardial Infarction Caused by Transient Coronary Vasospasm in a Child With Kawasaki Disease and No Coronary Aneurysms

We report a 15-month old girl with acute myocardial infarction 3 months after treatment for Kawasaki disease (KD); she had no coronary aneurysms. In the first 2 months after KD, she had normal electrocardiograms (ECGs) and echocardiograms that showed mildly dilated coronary arteries. At 3 months, she was asymptomatic but developed ECG changes of anteroseptal MI and increased troponin levels. Echocardiogram showed regional wall-motion abnormalities and decreased left ventricular function. She was admitted and treated with heparin and nitroglycerin drips. Repeat echocardiogram at 24 h showed resolution of wall-motion abnormalities and improved function. Cardiac catheterization showed normal coronary arteries. Her troponin levels normalized within 36 h, and she was discharged on low molecular-weight heparin and aspirin. She has done well since discharge with normal ECGs and echocardiograms during the following 2.5 years. Although coronary vasospasm has been described in young adults with history of KD, we report the first such presentation in a child. This underscores the fact that vascular endothelial dysfunction occurs despite absence of overt coronary aneurysms in patients with KD as well as the need for close follow-up.
Novel Treatment Approaches for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancers share an aggressive biology, marked by increased recurrence risk and poorer survival compared with hormone receptor-positive subtypes. Few therapeutic trials have specifically focused on triple-negative breast cancer, and the treatment of patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer has changed little in the past decade. Over this time, however, attention has shifted to treatment approaches based on molecular subtypes of breast cancer, and investigation into the mechanistic underpinnings of these distinct subtypes has exploded. Converging preclinical rationales combined with early provocative clinical efficacy has focused recent attention on strategies targeting DNA repair defects for the treatment of patients with triple-negative and BRCA mutation-associated breast cancers. These developments are very promising and suggest that major advances in the targeted treatment of patients with triple-negative breast cancer are in sight. This review provides an overview of the clinical features of triple-negative breast cancer and current treatment strategies in the adjuvant setting. Mechanisms of DNA repair and the DNA damage response are reviewed to provide background for understanding novel approaches targeting DNA repair defects in this disease with DNA-damaging chemotherapeutic agents and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors. Ongoing studies, including those investigating the role of antiangiogenic therapies, are also reviewed.
Full-Scale Bridge Finite-Element Model Calibration Using Measured Frequency-Response Functions

AbstractA frequency-response function–based parameter-estimation method was used for finite-element (FE) model calibration of a full-scale bridge using measured dynamic test data. Dynamic tests were performed on the bridge to obtain measured frequency-response functions. Data quality was ensured by comparing measured data with the FE model and removing erroneous data. A coherence data selector was developed to remove the noise-contaminated portions of the measured frequency-response functions. An unrefined FE model was created using design information for the geometry and structural parameters. This model was improved to a refined model by using concrete cylinder property data, as-built drawing geometry, and the addition of components that participate in the dynamic response of the bridge. Simulations were performed using the model to ensure both observability and identifiability of structural parameters. The model of the bridge was then calibrated successfully using measured frequency-response functions....
Time course effects of soman on acetylcholine and choline levels in six discrete areas of the rat brain

The time course of changes in rat brain levels of acetylcholine (ACh) and choline (Ch) was investigated following a single SC injection of soman (0.9 LD50, 120 μg/kg) to understand the relationship between central neurotransmitter alteration and soman toxicity. Of the animals exposed to the dose of soman, 46% died within 24 h, with maximum mortality occurring during the first 40 min following soman administration. In a second group, surviving rats were killed at various times after treatment by a beam of focused microwave radiation to the head, and ACh and Ch levels were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Soman produced a maximal ACh elevation in the brain stem at 20 min (34.4%), in cerebellum at 40 min (51.9%), in cortex and striatum at 2 h (320.3% and 35.2%, respectively), and in hippocampus and midbrain at 3 h (94.5% and 56.8%, respectively). ACh levels remained above normal approximately 30 min in the brain stem; 2 h in the midbrain, cerebellum, and striatum; 8 h in the cortex; and 16 h in the hippocampus. Ch levels were elevated in all areas except the striatum. Ch maxima occurred at 10–40 min and returned to control levels approximately 3 h after injection. Results suggest that perturbation of ACh levels due to soman was not uniform throughout the brain and that soman toxicity may reflect ACh changes in multiple areas, rather than changes in any given area. These data further suggest a possible relationship between elevated Ch levels and soman toxicity.
Preparation of triple-block DNA polymers using recombinant DNA techniques.

The construction of several recombinant plasmid derivatives containing novel triple-block DNA sequence insertions is described. The protocol for these constructions involves synthesis of a heterogenous mixture of block oligomer duplexes, : formula: (see text), using pancreatic deoxyribonuclease and terminal transferase. The synthetic duplexes were mixed with linearized and dG-tailed vectors and the DNA mixture used to transform E. coli. Triple-block sequences of the type dGidAjdCk.dGkdTjdCi, characterized by DNA sequencing, were inserted into the Bam HI site of pBR322 and next to the lac wild-type and UV5 promoter regions in pRW26 and pRW28. Similarly, sequences were inserted into the Sma I site of pACYC189 and could be excised by cleavage with Sma I since the procudure regenerates the recognition site. The approach provides a technique for the synthesis of a large family of defined sequence triple-block polymers in essentially unlimited amounts. Although these inserts contain sequences which have the potential for forming stable hairpin structures, the recombinant plasmids are stable and appear to replicate normally.
The use of matrix permutation tests for evaluating competing hypotheses of modern human origins

Critique de la methode d'approche fondee sur la comparaison des tests de permutation de matrice par DM Waddle qui ont amene cette derniere a la conclusion selon laquelle l'homme moderne se serait constitue sur un modele d'origine unique
N-acetylcysteine Reduces Methemoglobin in an In Vitro Model of Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency ♦ 364

N-acetylcysteine Reduces Methemoglobin in an In Vitro Model of Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency ♦ 364
Cross talk between the intrarenal dopaminergic and cyclooxygenase-2 systems.

In mammalian kidney, dopamine produced in the proximal tubule (PT) acts as an autocrine/paracrine natriuretic hormone that inhibits salt and fluid reabsorption in the PT. In high-salt-treated anima...
Vermiculite lamellae as substrates for transmission electron microscopy.

Summary Chemically exfoliated vermiculite has been investigated as a specimen-support film for electron microscope. The thinnest lamellae obtained appear to be less than 1 μg/cm2 (∼4 nm) thick, have low electron noise and show good stability in the electron beam. Their surface is smooth and hydrophilic and phase texture is low.
Implications of situational constraints on performance evaluation and performance management

Abstract Situational constraints and facilitators have not been adequately considered in the area of performance appraisal. In this article we examine the influence of situational constraints on observed performance levels and the performance evaluation process, including scale design, cognitive processing and rater training. In addition, implications of situational constraints for performance management and performance appraisal interviews are considered. We conclude that situational constraints have the potential to exert a significant influence on the performance evaluation process and should be more vigorously examined in future research.
Cocaine pharmacodynamics after intravenous and oral administration in rats: relation to pharmacokinetics.

Rationale: To design optimal dose regimes for oral cocaine, it is essential to characterize pharmacokinetics (PK) of cocaine after IV and PO administration. Objectives: To investigate the absolute bioavailability of oral cocaine, its effectiveness and the relation between PK and PD in a within-subject design. Methods: We used the effects of IV and PO cocaine on a contingency-controlled timing behavior, the differential reinforcement of low rate schedule (DRL 45-s) in 3-h sessions, as the PD measures [i.e., the shorter-response rate (srr) and the reinforcement rate (rr)]. Cocaine PK parameters were determined by simultaneous modeling of the concentration-time profiles (CTPs) after IV 2 mg/kg and PO 20 mg/kg cocaine administration. The absolute oral cocaine bioavailability was determined pharmacokinetically (F) and pharmacodynamically (Fsrr and Frr). Results: IV and PO cocaine increased the shorter response rate and decreased the reinforcement rate in a dose- and time-related fashion, which mirrored the respective prototypical serum cocaine CTPs. After the absorption phase, the serum cocaine CTP of PO cocaine paralleled that of IV cocaine. The duration of action for PO cocaine was longer than that for IV cocaine owing to its larger mean residence time. The active metabolite, norcocaine, was not detected after IV but after PO cocaine administration. The value of F was 4.66% which was significantly lower than the values of Fsrr (13.67%) and Frr (32.63%). Furthermore, the concentration-effect relations for the reinforcement rate revealed that PO cocaine was more potent than IV cocaine. Conclusions: Oral cocaine is more effective behaviorally than from predictions made in terms of its PK. The differences in active metabolite profiles as well as the rate and extent of acute tolerance for IV versus PO cocaine may account for the greater potency observed for oral cocaine.
Separation of microgram quantities of aluminum and iron(III)

Abstract The separation of microgram quantities of ferric iron and aluminum can be effected by passage of an acidic thiocyanate solution through the anion exchange resin Amberlite IRA-400A. The anionic complex of iron and thiocyanate remains on the column whereas aluminum passes through with the eluate. This method has been utilized in the separation of up to 200 μg of iron from comparable amounts of aluminum thus permitting the spectrophotometric determination of the latter in caustic liquors and other alkali products.
Variations in brain temperature in relation to food intake

Abstract Temperature records obtained from preoptic and other subcortical as well as cortical areas of rats and cats showed a reliable increase during feeding (as well as during the transition from sleep to wakefulness and from inactivity to activity). That this temperature change is not a necessary or even sufficient condition for satiety or the regulation of food intake, as suggested by a “thermoregulatory” hypothesis, is indicated by the following observations: (1) animals often continued feeding long after the peak brain temperature had been reached; (2) the recovery time to prefeeding baselines was often very short and showed no correlation with meal size or duration; (3) all animals consumed normal sized meals when the food was presented during periods of activity (when brain temperatures are high) and ate no more when the food was presented during periods of inactivity (when brain temperatures are low); (4) cats ate normal quantities of cold (5°C) food which immediately produced marked temperature changes in the preoptic area; (5) two cats showed no correlation between brain temperature and food deprivation; two others showed a small rise after 12 to 18 hr of deprivation (presumably related to a concurrent increase in activity) rather than the decrease predicted by a thermoregulatory hypothesis; (6) a liquid diet produced reliably smaller brain temperature changes than a diet of dry, solid food, suggesting that the muscular effort involved in chewing may be the cause of at least some of the feeding-related increase.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a translational tool for the study of neonatal stroke.

More than half of neonatal stroke survivors have long-term sequelae, including seizures and neurological deficits. Although the immature brain has tremendous potential for recovery, mechanisms governing repair are essentially unexplored. We explored whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) early or late after transient middle cerebral arterial occlusion in 10-day-old (P10) rats can serve as an intermediate endpoint for long-term studies. Injured animals selected by diffusion-weighted MRI during middle cerebral arterial occlusion were scanned using T2-weighted MRI at P18 and P25 (injury volumes on MRI and histology were compared), or were subjected to contrast-enhanced MRI at P13 to characterize cerebral microcirculatory disturbances and blood-brain barrier leakage. Injury volume did not predict histological outcome at 2 weeks. Major reductions occurred by P18, with no further changes by P25. Cerebral perfusion was significantly reduced in the injured caudate but blood-brain barrier leakage was small. Therefore, conventional T2-weighted MRI performed during a subchronic injury phase predicts long-term histological outcome after experimental neonatal focal stroke.
Effect of perineal cleansing on contamination rate of mid-stream urine culture

Study objective Urinary tract infection (UTI) and chlamydial or gonococcal urethritis are the most common causes of female dysuria. While chlamydia and gonorrhea can be detected with a nucleic acid amplification test performed on an uncleansed first part voided urine sample, urine cultures to test for UTI require a mid-stream clean caught sample. In order to determine whether collecting two sequential non-clean caught urine samples during the same void to test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and UTI is a reasonable approach, we assessed the degree to which perineal cleansing reduces bacterial contamination of mid-stream urine cultures. Design Experimental study comparing mid-stream urine samples collected with (n = 25) and without (n = 25) perineal cleansing. Setting A university-based adolescent clinic Participants We recruited fifty 14-23-year-old (mean 18.5 yrs, SD 2.3) asymptomatic females. Main outcome measure Perineal flora contamination rate of mid-stream urine cultures collected with and without perineal cleansing. Results No culture grew >10(4) colonies of a pathogenic bacterium. Eleven (44%) of the experimental group samples and 9 (36%) of the control samples grew >10(4) colonies of perineal bacterial flora (chi(2) = .33, P = 0.56). Participants' previous experience collecting mid-stream urine was not associated with less bacterial contamination. Conclusions Among this small sample of asymptomatic young women, perineal cleansing did not significantly reduce perineal flora contamination of mid-stream urine cultures. If larger studies of symptomatic young women replicate these findings, young women could collect two sequential urine samples from the same void to test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and UTI.
The effect on amino acid transport of trypsin treatment of rat renal brush border membranes.

Abstract Trypsin treatment of isolated rat renal brush border membrane vesicles which preferentially releases l -leucine aminopeptides (EC 3.4.11.2) decreases their ability to take up a variety of amino acids under Na + -gradient conditions. Such treatment did not alter the osmotic properties of the vesicles nor affect their fragility. A linear correlation could be demonstrated between the l -leucine aminopeptidase activity of the membranes and the initial rate of uptake of l -leucine and l -proline. Velocity of uptake-concentration dependence studies with these substrates indicate that the major effect of trypsinization is to decrease the maximum velocity ( V max 1 ) of the low- K m high-affinity system with little effect on the V max 2 of the high- K m low-affinity transport process and no effect on the apparent Michaelis constants of either. Although the data indicate that l -leucine aminopeptidase activity and uptake of l -leucine and l -proline are affected in parallel, they should not be construed to imply a role of the enzyme in the transport process, especially in view of the global decrease in the uptake of various amino acids and sugars.
Limitations on the noise figure of microwave amplifiers of the beam type

A general model is developed for microwave amplifiers of the beam type based on the usual assumptions of a small signal, one-dimensional, single velocity flow of the electrons in the beam. The model includes arbitrary noise smoothing schemes and all amplifiers whose input and output structures have no direct rf connection; the rf coupling is provided solely by means of the modulated electron beam. A klystron, a space-charge wave amplifier, and a traveling-wave tube with a severed helix (or a helix with strong localized attenuation) are all special cases of this model. It is shown that the minimum noise figure of such an amplifier is of the form F min =1+2Π/kT|K| [S(z 0 ,w)- K/|K| Π(z 0 ,w) where S(z 0 ,w) and Π(z 0 ,w) are parameters of the beam noise expressed at a cross section z 0 slightly beyond the potential minimum in the electron gun, k is Boltzmann's constant, T is the temperature of the circuit, and K is a constant dependent upon the particular structures used. The dependence of K upon the microwave structures employed is discussed under restrictive assumptions about the loss in the rf structure of the amplifier. Two cases are possible. In the first case, the minimum possible value of K is unity. In the second, K is less than unity. It is shown, however, that in the latter case the available gain, G 0 , of the amplifier is given by G 0 =1/1-K
Glucose as a carbon source for carotene synthesis in tomatoes.

Abstract Mevalonic acid provided to detached tomato fruits is the most efficient precursor of carotenoids yet reported. Much of the mevalonic acid is incorporated into a series of nonsaponifiable colorless compounds with chromatographic behavior the same as the known carotenes. Three carotenes, phytoene, β-carotene, and lycopene, which constitute about 88% of the carotenes of tomato fruit, have been freed from these contaminants, and ratios of incorporation of various substrates into carotenes and total nonsaponifiable materials can be calculated. Acetate is apparently incorporated via mevalonic acid. Glucose is a more efficient precursor of carotenes than acetate though less efficient than mevalonic acid, but only small amounts are incorporated into the unknown colorless compounds. Carbon dioxide is incorporated in about the same ratio as glucose. Glucose and carbon dioxide appear to be incorporated into carotenes through a 20-carbon precursor (3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadeca-1,3,6,10,14-pentaene) although the turnover rate is much faster than with mevalonic acid. It is suggested that the differences in the incorporation of mevalonic acid and glucose may be due to different sites of carotene synthesis within the cell.
How much help do repeated presentations give to recognition processes

A recent experiment by Haber and Hershenson (1965) had shown that in a recognition task one long look at a stimulus was always superior to two or more shorter looks summing to the same total presentation time. In order to explore this more fully and to account for opposite results in a different type of recognition task, as well as in a serial learning task, an improved replication of the earlier study was carried out using very short durations and single letters as stimuli. The same non-reciprocity was found, again strongly favoring duration over repetition as a determinant of clarity of a percept, even though repetition alone was also shown to be a significant independent variable. As a subsidiary finding, an error analysis showed that when a letter was misnamed it was nearly always confused with one that looked like it rather than one that sounded like it. Some discussion was offered as to the role of an auditory information storage in low memory load tasks such as this one, as well as some general implications for information processing analyses of the non-reciprocity of duration and repetition.
THE EFFECT OF POLICE MISCONDUCT ON PUBLIC ATTITUDES: A QUASI-EXPERIMENT

ABSTRACT This article uses data derived from more than 1,000 interviews in an effort to disentangle the effects of the Rodney King beating and its aftermath on public attitudes towards the police. Although the conclusions we draw from our analyses of the data are speculative, we suggest that those who lived in neighborhoods, characterized by some crime and disorder, had their attitudes little affected by the incidents, while the college educated were most affected.
EMPLOYEE ELDERCARE RESPONSIBILITIES: SHOULD ORGANIZATIONS CARE?

The question "Should organizations be concerned with the eldercare responsibilities of their employees?" was addressed from several perspectives: (1) prevalence of need, (2) the relationships among eldercare responsibilities, satisfaction with eldercare arrangements, and workplace attitudes and outcomes, and (3) support for organizational eldercare programs. Our sample was predominately female and we defined eldercare responsibilities broadly; however, only 5 of 885 employees reported eldercare responsibilities. The majority relied on family arrangements and reported dissatisfaction with these arrangements. Dissatisfaction was related to interruptions at work, leaving early, and intent to quit. Eldercare-givers did not differ from other groups on job satisfaction and organizational commitment, but were absent from work significantly more often. There was strong employee support for employer-sponsored eldercare programs.
Target design considerations for isotope production with high intensity 200 MeV protons

Abstract An upgrade project was recently completed on the 200 MeV H− Linac and the Brookhaven Linac Isotope Producer (BLIP) in order to improve radioisotope production capacity and reliability. The average beam current has increased from 60 to 146 μA. Because of the large increase in deposited beam power (up to 29 kW), the target cooling system was upgraded, and new targets and target mechanical system were designed. The heat transport model that guided this design and preliminary tests with beam are described.
Anthropology and alcohol: In search of a new paradigm

Jerrold E. Levy and Stephen J. Kunitz. Indian Drinking: Navajo Practices and Anglo‐American Theories. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1974. xii + 257 pp. Tables, notes, appendices, bibliography, and index. $12.50. William Madsen. The American Alcoholic: The Nature‐Nurture Controversy in Alcoholic Research and Therapy. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas, 1974. xvii + 248 pp. References, author and subject indices. $11.50.
A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Rapid Yeast Detection Kits

Objective To determine the cost effectiveness of the utilization of over-the-counter yeast infection detection kits in the diagnosis of vaginal candidiasis. Methods A cost–benefit analysis based on a group of 70 adult women from a previous prospective study who presented with vaginitis symptoms. By constructing two decision trees, one in which the kits are an option to the women and one in which they are not, we predict the cost for diagnosing vaginal candidiasis in this group of women. Results For a group of 70 women presenting with vaginitis symptoms, the total cost of diagnosing their infections without the use of kits is predicted to be $7,051.10. For the same 70 women, the total of cost of diagnosing their infections with the use of kits is predicted to be $5,941.02. Conclusion We conclude that the use of yeast infection detection kits could reduce the cost of diagnosis by 16%. The introduction of kits could save patients the time, money, and other resources involved in visiting a physician to confirm the diagnosis. Moreover, the sensitivity of yeast kits is superior to the traditional wet mount (77% vs. 52%), so there may be a role for the kits in the physician's office as well.
Cognitive Perceptual Intervention in Post-Stroke Patients with Unilateral Neglect:

Unilateral neglect refers to the failure to register or to integrate stimuli and perceptions from one side of the body or of the environ­ ment contralateral to a bruin lesion (Heilman, Watson, & Valcn­ stein, 1(85). This particular syndrome 'has been found to be associ­ ated with poor outcomc for recovery of functional skills and has becn singled out as one of the major disruptive factors impeding rehabilitation success (Denes, Semanza, Stoppa, & Lis, 1982; Kin­ sclla & Ford, 1985; Kotila, Niemi, & Laaksonen, 1986; Smith, Akhtar, & Garraway, 1983; Sunderland, Wade, & Hewer, 1987; Vall Deusen Fox, 1(83). There has been a rapid proliferation of research on the cerebral localization and underlying mechanisms of the syndrome of unilat­ eralneglcct (Jeanne rod, 19B7; Weintraub & Mcsulam, 19B9). Stud­
PLGA microspheres containing plasmid DNA : Preservation of supercoiled DNA via cryopreparation and carbohydrate stabilization

Biodegradable microspheres containing plasmid DNA have potential uses as mediators of transfection in cells, particularly phagocytic cells such as macrophages. However, the hydrophilic nature and the structural instability of supercoiled DNA preclude its facile encapsulation in polymer matrixes such as poly(d, l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) by traditional methods. We initially studied the microencapsulation of plasmid DNA using the established water-in-oil-in-water double-emulsion solvent-evaporation method and found that (1) the encapsulation efficiency was low (about 20%), (2) the microencapsulation procedure nicked (degraded) the supercoiled DNA, and (3) lyophilization of the microsphere also nicked the DNA. We have therefore designed a new microsphere preparation method (called cryopreparation) to specifically address these concerns. Using the cryopreparation method, the aqueous phase of the primary emulsion containing the plasmid DNA is frozen and then subjected to homogenization. Because there is no shear stress inside a solid, we hypothesized that freezing the aqueous phase of the primary emulsion would help to preserve the supercoiled plasmid DNA during formation of the secondary emulsion. We also hypothesized that the formation of crystals from buffers within the primary emulsion was a causative factor for nicking during freezing or lyophilization, and that disruption of the crystal formation by the addition of saccharides into the primary emulsion would improve the supercoiled-DNA content of the spheres. Our results support the two hypotheses. Not only was the supercoiled-DNA content increased from 39% to over 85%, but the encapsulation efficiency was also elevated from 23% to over 85%.
Using Gold Nanoparticles to Enhance the Contrast in Optical Imaging using Short-Pulse laser

Intravenously administration of spherical gold nanoparticles, which accumulate in tumors due to the leakiness of their vasculature, enhances the resolution of laser-based cancer detection system by increasing the contrast of the images.
When animals misbehave: Analogs of human biases and suboptimal choice

Humans tend to value rewards more if they have had to work hard to obtain them (justification of effort). Similarly they tend to persist in a task even when they would be better off beginning a new one (sunk cost). Humans also often give greater value to objects of good quality than the same objects together with objects of lesser quality (the less is more effect). Commercial gambling (lotteries and slot machines) is another example of suboptimal choice by humans because on average the rewards are less than the investment. In another example of a systematic bias, when humans try to estimate the probability of the occurrence of a low probability event, they often give too much weight to the results of a test, in spite of the fact that the known probability of a false alarm reduces the predictive value of the test (base rate neglect). In each of these examples, we have found that pigeons show a similar tendency to choose suboptimally. When one can show comparable findings of suboptimal choice in animals it suggests that whereas culture may reinforce certain suboptimal behavior, the behavior is likely to result from the overgeneralization of basic behavioral processes or predisposed heuristics that may have been appropriate in natural environments. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: "Tribute to Tom Zentall." Language: en
NETp1-03: Partition Filter Set for Power-Efficient Packet Classification

Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) has been widely used for high-performance multi-dimensional packet classification. High power consumption limits the use of TCAM for large filter sets. TCAM power consumption is proportional to the number of TCAM entries enabled for search. Dividing TCAM into many blocks and enabling only a few blocks for search has been proposed to reduce the power consumption dramatically. However, it is quite challenging to design efficient algorithms to partition a set of multi-dimensional filters into many subsets (a subset is placed in one TCAM block). The efficiency of the algorithm is evaluated in three aspects: the maximum number of TCAM blocks that need to be enabled for a single search, the storage utilization of TCAM blocks, and the time and space complexity of the partition algorithm. In this paper, we developed a simple but efficient partition algorithm based on the Hilbert curve. The algorithm reduces TCAM power consumption by a factor of ten on average. The TCAM storage utilization is over 99%. The algorithm takes 0(n log n) time and 0(n) space.
Detection of user-defined, semantically high-level, composite events, and retrieval of event queries

Detecting events of interest from video sequences, and searching and retrieving events from video databases are important and challenging problems. Event of interest is a very general term, since events of interest can vary significantly among different applications and users. A system that can only detect and/or retrieve a finite set of predefined events will find limited use. Thus, the event detection and retrieval problems introduce additional challenges including providing the user with flexibility to specify customized events with varying complexity, and communicating user-defined events to a system in a generic way. This paper presents a spatio-temporal event detection system that lets users specify semantically high-level and composite events, and then detects their occurrences automatically. Events can be defined on a single camera view or across multiple camera views. In addition to extracting information from videos, detecting customized events, and generating real-time alerts, the proposed system uses the extracted information in the search, retrieval, data management and investigation context. Generated event meta-data is mapped into tables in a relational database against which queries may be launched. It is therefore possible to retrieve events based on various attributes. Moreover, a variety of statistics can be computed on the event data. Thus, the presented system provides capabilities of a fully integrated smart system.
DIF Testing with an Empirical-Histogram Approximation of the Latent Density for Each Group.

This research introduces, illustrates, and tests a variation of IRT-LR-DIF, called EH-DIF-2, in which the latent density for each group is estimated simultaneously with the item parameters as an empirical histogram (EH). IRT-LR-DIF is used to evaluate the degree to which items have different measurement properties for one group of people versus another, irrespective of mean differences on the construct. Usually, the latent distribution is presumed normal for both groups, but results are biased if this assumption is violated. Simulations show that if the latent densities are nonnormal, Type I error and estimates of the item parameters and focal-group mean and SD are more accurate using EH-DIF-2 than standard methods. Free software for carrying out EH-DIF-2 is available on request.
Determination of Trace Elements in Serum Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Spectroscopy with Hydride Generation and Chelating Resin Preconcentration

A procedure is described for the inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopic determination of Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mo, V, and Zn in <1 mL of serum after digestion in nitric and perchloric acids and preconcentration with a poly(dithiocarbamate) resin. Recoveries are 91 to 106%. The determination of As and Se in serum by hydride generation and ICP-AES is performed after the interference of Cu on Se hydride generation was reduced by complexation of the Cu with poly(acrylamidoxime) resin. Verification with NBS-SRMs as well as with human sera samples is reported.
Axonal Atrophy Is a Specific Component of 2,5-Hexanedione Peripheral Neuropathy

To assess the relevance of previously identified axonal atrophy to hexanedione neuropathy, the present study quantitated fiber size in peripheral nerve of rats intoxicated with 2,5-hexanedione (HD) by either oral ingestion (0.4% in drinking water) or ip injection (0.4 g/kg/day). Prior to the appearance of neurobehavioral deficits, rats exposed to oral HD (77 days) exhibited axonal atrophy in proximal sciatic nerve and giant axonal swellings in distal tibial nerve. As oral-treated rats progressed to moderate (86 days) and severe (103 days) hindlimb weakness, both nerve regions contained a mixed population of atrophied and swollen axons. Rats injected with HD ip were sampled at behavioral endpoints that matched those of oral HD-treated rats. In sciatic and tibial nerves from rats treated ip, reductions in the axon area were similar to oral exposure. However, ip treatment did not produce giant axonal swellings in either nerve. Thus, although both routes of administration caused equivalent behavioral neurotoxicity, the expression of axonal swellings was route-dependent. This suggests that the production of swellings depends upon the HD exposure pattern. In contrast, axonal atrophy was prevalent in both nerve regions sampled and developed in parallel with behavioral deficits. In addition, atrophy was expressed regardless of the intoxication route which indicates that atrophy can occur independent of axonal swellings. Together, these attributes suggest that atrophy is a specific component of HD neurotoxicity.
Crystal Structure of the Thermus thermophilus 16 S rRNA Methyltransferase RsmC in Complex with Cofactor and Substrate Guanosine.

Post-transcriptional modification is a ubiquitous feature of ribosomal RNA in all kingdoms of life. Modified nucleotides are generally clustered in functionally important regions of the ribosome, but the functional contribution to protein synthesis is not well understood. Here we describe high resolution crystal structures for the N(2)-guanine methyltransferase RsmC that modifies residue G1207 in 16 S rRNA near the decoding site of the 30 S ribosomal subunit. RsmC is a class I S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methyltransferase composed of two methyltransferase domains. However, only one S-adenosyl-L-methionine molecule and one substrate molecule, guanosine, bind in the ternary complex. The N-terminal domain does not bind any cofactor. Two structures with bound S-adenosyl-L-methionine and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine confirm that the cofactor binding mode is highly similar to other class I methyltransferases. Secondary structure elements of the N-terminal domain contribute to cofactor-binding interactions and restrict access to the cofactor-binding site. The orientation of guanosine in the active site reveals that G1207 has to disengage from its Watson-Crick base pairing interaction with C1051 in the 16 S rRNA and flip out into the active site prior to its modification. Inspection of the 30 S crystal structure indicates that access to G1207 by RsmC is incompatible with the native subunit structure, consistent with previous suggestions that this enzyme recognizes a subunit assembly intermediate.
Principal Component Analysis and Long Time Protein Dynamics

It has been suggested that principal component analysis can identify slow modes in proteins and, thereby, facilitate the study of long time dynamics. However, sampling errors due to finite simulation times preclude the identification of slow modes that can be used for this purpose. This is demonstrated numerically with the aid of simulations of the protein G-actin and analytically with the aid of a model which is exactly recoverable by principal component analysis. Although principal component analysis usually demonstrates that a set of a small number of modes captures the majority of the fluctuations, the set depends on the particular sampling time window and its width.
Nonlinear analysis of multi-converter power systems for microgrids

Multi-converter power systems play an important role in leveraging microgrids to achieve increased levels of autonomy in power system operation. Desired performance of converters associated with this type of power system architectures can be accomplished via a set of executive and distributed control strategies. However, the effectiveness of these control mechanisms is dependent on the communication network employed for information passing. Consequently, the operation of the converters as well as the power system as a whole relies on knowledge of the conditions under which the control methodologies will become obsolete. These conditions can be described by bounds for plant and network parameters such as loading level and network delay respectively. The focus of this work is the description of static and dynamic behavior of multi-converter power systems, the trajectories of which will be investigated through simulations during disturbances that will prompt the system to breach these bounds.
Map Scale Effects on Estimating the Number of Undiscovered Mineral Deposits

Estimates of numbers of undiscovered mineral deposits, fundamental to assessing mineral resources, are affected by map scale. Where consistently defined deposits of a particular type are estimated, spatial and frequency distributions of deposits are linked in that some frequency distributions can be generated by processes randomly in space whereas others are generated by processes suggesting clustering in space. Possible spatial distributions of mineral deposits and their related frequency distributions are affected by map scale and associated inclusions of non-permissive or covered geological settings. More generalized map scales are more likely to cause inclusion of geologic settings that are not really permissive for the deposit type, or that include unreported cover over permissive areas, resulting in the appearance of deposit clustering. Thus, overly generalized map scales can cause deposits to appear clustered. We propose a model that captures the effects of map scale and the related inclusion of non-permissive geologic settings on numbers of deposits estimates, the zero-inflated Poisson distribution. Effects of map scale as represented by the zero-inflated Poisson distribution suggest that the appearance of deposit clustering should diminish as mapping becomes more detailed because the number of inflated zeros would decrease with more detailed maps. Based on observed worldwide relationships between map scale and areas permissive for deposit types, mapping at a scale with twice the detail should cut permissive area size of a porphyry copper tract to 29% and a volcanic-hosted massive sulfide tract to 50% of their original sizes. Thus some direct benefits of mapping an area at a more detailed scale are indicated by significant reductions in areas permissive for deposit types, increased deposit density and, as a consequence, reduced uncertainty in the estimate of number of undiscovered deposits. Exploration enterprises benefit from reduced areas requiring detailed and expensive exploration, and land-use planners benefit from reduced areas of concern.
Evidence for a near-Earth asteroid belt

In January 1991, the 0.9-m Spacewatch telescope made the first observation of an asteroid outside Earth's atmosphere but in the neighborhood of the Earth-moon system. Since then, more than 40 Earth-approaching asteroids have been discovered, including 13 smaller than 50 m. Using these data, one of us has shown that there is an excess of Earth-approaching asteroids with diameters less than 50 m, relative to the population inferred from the distribution of larger objects. Here we argue that these smaller objects - characterized by low eccentricities, widely ranging inclinations and unusual spectral properties - form a previously undetected asteroid belt concentrated near Earth. The recent discovery of additional small Earth-approaching asteroids supports this conclusion.
cDNA cloning and spatiotemporal expression during avian embryogenesis of hnRNP A1, a regulatory factor in alternative splicing

Alternative splicing and selective transport of RNA transcripts from cell nuclei are important regulatory mechanisms of gene expression during embryonic development. Here we report the molecular characterization and developmental expression in several tissue and organ systems of chicken hnRNP A1, a nucleo-cytoplasmic 'shuttle' protein which in mammalian systems has been shown to function in the regulation of RNA alternative splicing by antagonizing constitutive splicing factors such as SF2/ASF. We show that hnRNP A1 is represented in the chicken by a single gene which is widely expressed at early embryonic stages, with particularly high levels of expression in the brain, skin, developing gut, and other ectodermal and endodermal derivatives. At later stages, expression of its mRNA and protein product become progressively confined to specific organ primordia and cell types, where both transient and persistent expression patterns are observed. HnRNP A1 protein is expressed at sites of active neurogenesis in the developing central and peripheral nervous systems, regions of known extensive alternative splicing.