cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The N-terminal metal-binding site 2 of the Wilson's Disease Protein plays a key role in the transfer of copper from Atox1

The Wilson's disease protein (WNDP) is a copper-transporting ATPase regulating distribution of copper in the liver. Mutations in WNDP lead to a severe metabolic disorder, Wilson's disease. The function of WNDP depends on Atox1, a cytosolic metallochaperone that delivers copper to WNDP. We demonstrate that the metal-binding site 2 (MBS2) in the N-terminal domain of WNDP (N-WNDP) plays an important role in this process. The transfer of one copper from Atox1 to N-WNDP results in selective protection of the metal-coordinating cysteines in MBS2 against labeling with a cysteine-directed probe. Such selectivity is not observed when free copper is added to N-WNDP. Similarly, site-directed mutagenesis of MBS2 eliminates stimulation of the catalytic activity of WNDP by the copper-Atox1 complex but not by free copper. The Atox1 preference toward MBS2 is likely due to specific protein-protein interactions and is not due to unique surface exposure of the metal-coordinating residues or higher copper binding affinity of MBS2 compared with other sites. Competition experiments using a copper chelator revealed that MBS2 retained copper much better than Atox1, and this may facilitate the metal transfer process. X-ray absorption spectroscopy of the isolated recombinant MBS2 demonstrated that this sub-domain coordinates copper with a linear biscysteinate geometry, very similar to that of Atox1. Therefore, non-coordinating residues in the vicinity of the metal-binding sites are responsible for the difference in the copper binding properties of MBS2 and Atox1. The intramolecular changes that accompany transfer of a single copper to N-WNDP are discussed.
Auto-catalytic effect in ammonia dissociation on Si(100) surface: First-principles model study

Density functional theory and an approximate instanton method have been applied to calculate absolute rate constants of ammonia dissociation on a model Si(100) surface. It is shown that the dissociation is dominated by hydrogen atom tunneling even at room temperature, and that high coverage of the surface, when two ammonia molecules adsorb on the nearest-neighbour Si dimers occupying the same row, speeds up the dissociation process. This auto-catalytic effect is attributed to the modification of the buckling of the two Si dimers in the presence of a second ammonia molecule.
Clinical Trials of Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Alzheimer’s Disease

The human polyclonal IgG antibody preparation known as Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been under study as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD) since 2002. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that IVIG has anti-amyloid and immune modulatory properties relevant to treating neurodegenerative disorders. In early stage AD clinical trials, IVIG was found to reduce cognitive decline and increase brain glucose metabolism. Unfortunately, IVIG failed to meet primary outcome objectives in the North American Phase 3 clinical trial in mild to moderate AD. However, positive cognitive signals were observed in pre-planned subgroup analyses among APOE-e4 carriers and moderately impaired AD patients. Biomarker studies revealed dose dependent increases in plasma and CSF immunoglobulins and decreases in beta amyloid-42 levels. In addition, IVIG treatment was generally safe and well-tolerated. These findings suggest that naturally occurring human anti-amyloid antibodies may play a physiologic role in the clearance of aggregated amyloid proteins. While the results of clinical trials to date do not provide support for the use of IVIG to treat AD at the doses tested, additional studies of IVIG's mechanisms are warranted and may guide the development of more effective therapies for AD in the future.
Negotiating local autonomy

Abstract The political apathy of the late 20th century is being offset by a counter-movement seeking to replace technocratic + political decision making with localized citizen activism. The objective of this movement is to expand the scope of local autonomy, defined here as the capacity of localities to control the social construction of place. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques, increasingly used in public policy decision making and implementation, offer the normative potential for expanded local empowerment through validation of alternative value structures and modes of discourse. If ADR reduces the salience of rational-technical discourse in public policy making, then adoption of ADR should contribute to local enfranchisement, producing greater local control over the construction of place and augmenting the expression of local autonomy. As evidenced in the case of negotiation with local communities over the siting of hazardous waste facilities, the empowering potential of ADR has been subverted in the process of its implementation by the state. To explain the failure of ADR to empower localities in practice, I identify a series of structural barriers to local autonomy embedded in the state's negotiation process. Contrary to ADR's theoretical inclusivity and normative embrace of parallel discourses, these structural barriers undermine local autonomy by reasserting the dominance of rational-technical discourse in the policy-making process. The state's success in controlling negotiations to maintain pliable communities, however, is short-lived. When understood as a continuing and constitutive relation between the local and the non-local, local autonomy that is blocked by truncated negotiations finds expression through other means.
Binocular stereopsis without spatial disparity

Binocular stereopsis has traditionally been studied mainly under static viewing conditions. There has consequently been the tendency to view binocular stereopsis only in terms of the pickup of purely spatial (time-frozen) disparity. However, whenever there is movement of objects or the 0, the structure of the light entering each eye undergoes continuous change, and so a different type of disparity—kinetic disparity—is made potentially available to the binocular system. That kinetic disparity can, in fact, be picked up is shown by the present experiment, in which there was no spatial disparity information available about the three-dimensional motion path of an object; only kinetic disparity information was available. This suggests that a clear distinction should be made between binocular-static and binocular-kinetic space perception.
Differential Admission Requirements and Student Achievement in Teacher Education.

A group of 74 students admitted to a teacher education program without meeting one or more of the admission requirements was compared on entrance and exit characteristics and achievement with 74 students who had met all of the requirements for admission. The exceptional admission group had lower GPAs, higher failure rates on the NTE, and lower evaluations of their subject matter competency than the regular admission group; however, there were no significant differ ences between the two groups in completing program requirements and in securing teaching cre dentials. The use of admission standards as predictors of teaching success is discussed.
Serotonin Regulates Calcium Homeostasis in Lactation by Epigenetic Activation of Hedgehog Signaling

Calcium homeostasis during lactation is critical for maternal and neonatal health. We previously showed that nonneuronal/peripheral serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] causes the lactating mammary gland to synthesize and secrete PTHrP in an acute fashion. Here, using a mouse model, we found that genetic inactivation of tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (Tph1), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in peripheral 5-HT synthesis, reduced circulating and mammary PTHrP expression, osteoclast activity, and maternal circulating calcium concentrations during the transition from pregnancy to lactation. Tph1 inactivation also reduced sonic hedgehog signaling in the mammary gland during lactation. Each of these deficiencies was rescued by daily injections of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (an immediate precursor of 5-HT) to Tph1-deficient dams. We used immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts to demonstrate that 5-HT induces PTHrP through a sonic hedgehog-dependent signal transduction mechanism. We also found that 5-HT altered DNA methylation of the Shh gene locus, leading to transcriptional initiation at an alternate start site and formation of a variant transcript in mouse embryonic fibroblasts in vitro and in mammary tissue in vivo. These results support a new paradigm of 5-HT-mediated Shh regulation involving DNA methylation remodeling and promoter switching. In addition to having immediate implications for lactation biology, identification and characterization of a novel functional regulatory relationship between nonneuronal 5-HT, hedgehog signaling, and PTHrP offers new avenues for the study of these important factors in development and disease.
A New Role for RPTPσ in Spinal Cord Injury: Signaling Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan Inhibition

It has been known for more than two decades that chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) inhibit axonal growth and regeneration. In the adult nervous system, CSPGs are enriched in perineuronal nets, and their abundance is increased in reactive astrocytes following injury to brain or spinal cord. Degradation of chondroitin sulfate (CS) sugar moieties by the local infusion of the bacterial enzyme chondroitinase ABC (ChaseABC) enhances experience-dependent neuronal plasticity in the adult visual cortex and results in substantially improved behavioral outcomes after spinal cord injury (SCI). Although the positive effects of ChaseABC treatment on neuronal plasticity have been known for some time, the underlying mechanisms remained enigmatic. The receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase sigma (RPTPsigma) has now been identified as a receptor for inhibitory CSPGs. Similarly to ChaseABC treatment, functional ablation of Ptprs, the gene encoding RPTPsigma, promotes neurite outgrowth in the presence of CSPGs in vitro and enhances axonal growth into CSPG-rich scar tissue following SCI in vivo. The discovery of neuronal RPTPsigma as a receptor for inhibitory CSPGs not only provides important mechanistic clues about CSPG function, but also identifies a potential new target for enhancing axonal growth and plasticity after nervous system injury.
Intraspecies Regulation of Ribonucleolytic Activity

The evolutionary rate of proteins involved in obligate protein-protein interactions is slower and the degree of coevolution higher than that for nonobligate protein-protein interactions. The coevolution of the proteins involved in certain nonobligate interactions is, however, essential to cell survival. To gain insight into the coevolution of one such nonobligate protein pair, the cytosolic ribonuclease inhibitor (RI) proteins and secretory pancreatic-type ribonucleases from cow (Bos taurus) and human (Homo sapiens) were produced in Escherichia coli and purified, and their physicochemical properties were analyzed. The two intraspecies complexes were found to be extremely tight (bovine Kd = 0.69 fM; human Kd = 0.34 fM). Human RI binds to its cognate ribonuclease (RNase 1) with 100-fold greater affinity than to the bovine homologue (RNase A). In contrast, bovine RI binds to RNase 1 and RNase A with nearly equal affinity. This broader specificity is consistent with there being more pancreatic-type ribonucleases in cows (20) than humans (13). Human RI (32 cysteine residues) also has 4-fold less resistance to oxidation by hydrogen peroxide than does bovine RI (29 cysteine residues). This decreased oxidative stability of human RI, which is caused largely by Cys74, implies a larger role for human RI as an antioxidant. The conformational and oxidative stabilities of both RIs increase upon complex formation with ribonucleases. Thus, RI has evolved to maintain its inhibition of invading ribonucleases, even when confronted with extreme environmental stress. That role appears to take precedence over its role in mediating oxidative damage.
Frequency Analysis for Precipitation Events and Dry Durations of Virginia

Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs) are widely used to control and treat stormwater runoff pollution. The first step in SCM design is to evaluate the precipitation patterns at a site. SCMs are normally designed using a storm with a specific return period. A robust design process that uses frequency distribution of precipitation and monitoring of performance could improve our understanding of the behavior and limitations of a particular design. This is not the current norm in the design of SCMs. In this research, frequency analyses (FA) of precipitation events was conducted using hourly precipitation data from 1948 to 2010 for eight sites representing the four major physiographic regions of Virginia. The available data were treated using an inverse distance method to eliminate missing gaps before processing into events determined by minimum inter-event times. FA was at each site to develop frequency plots of precipitation and dry duration. FA of the eight locations indicates a range of rainfall depths from 22.9 mm in Bristol to 35.6 mm in Montebello, compared to the nominal “water quality storm” of 25.4 mm (i.e., 1 in.). Similarly, for dry duration, for a 10 % exceedance probability, the range is from 16.8 days in Richmond and Norfolk to 19.5 days in Montebello. Dry duration provides guidance for vegetation selection, which is important for some SCMs. The degree of variability in both parameters argues for consideration of site-specific information in design. FA was also used to provide guidance to improve monitoring programs. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated that performance monitoring programs applied in different regions would likely encounter more than 30 % of precipitation events less than 6.35 mm, and 10 % over 25.4 mm under various sampling regimes. The percentages of precipitation events encountered in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions are not impacted by sampling regimes, however the Blue Ridge Mountains and Valley and Ridge regions are likely impacted. Anticipating event occurrences improves the chances of implementing a successful monitoring program. The use of these results could enhance the performance of SCMs with consideration of local conditions for both monitoring SCMs and their design basis.
Immunohistochemical localization of enkephalin in rat brain and spinal cord.

The distribution of immunoreactive enkephalin in rat brain and spinal cord was studied by immunoperoxidase staining using antiserum to leucine-enkephalin ([Leu5]-enkephalin) or methionine-enkephalin ([Met5]-enkephalin). Immunoreactive staining for both enkephalins was similarly observed in nerve fibers, terminals and cell bodies in many regions of the central nervous system. Staining of perikarya was detected in hypophysectomized rats or colchicine pretretated rats. The regions of localization for enkephalin fibers and terminals include in the forebrain: lateral septum, central nucleus of the amygdala, area CA2 of the hippocampus, certain regions of the cortex, corpus striatum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, hypothalamus including median eminence, thalamus and subthalamus; in the midbrain: nucleus interpeduncularis, periaqueductal gray and reticular formation; in the hind brain: nucleus parabrachialis, locus ceruleus, nuclei raphes, nucleus cochlearis, nuclear tractus solitarii, nucleus spinalis nervi trigemini, motor nuclei of certain cranial nerves, nucleus commissuralis and formatio reticularis; and in the spinal cord the substantia gelatinosa. In contrast enkephalin cell bodies appear sparsely distributed in the telencephalon, diencephelon, mensencephalon and rhombencephalon. The results of the histochemical staining show that certain structures which positively stain for enkephalin closely correspond to the distribution of opiate receptors in the brain and thus support the concept that the endogenous opiate peptides are involved in the perception of pain and analgesia. The localization of enkephalin in the preoptic-hypothalamic region together with the presence of enkephalin perikarya in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei suggest a role of enkephalin in the regulation of neuroendocrine functions.
Solute trapping in silicon by lateral motion of {111} ledges.

The orientation dependence of the nonequilibrium partition coefficient of Bi in Si at constant solid-liquid interface velocity has been measured. The partition coefficient, measured with pulsed-laser melting techniques on a series of Si wafers cut at 5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} increments from (110) through (111) to (001), is sharply peaked at (111) and decreases monotonically with increasing inclination from (111). The results suggest that crystal growth and solute trapping occur by the lateral motion of {111} ledges.
Epidural analgesia and active management of labor: effects on length of labor and mode of delivery.

Abstract Objective: To determine whether cervical dilatation at the time of placement of patient-requested epidural affects cesarean rates or lengths of labors in actively managed parturients. Methods: The charts of 255 women randomized to active management of labor ( n = 125) or control protocols ( n = 130) were reviewed and stratified to early epidural placement (up to 4 cm cervical dilatation) versus late placement (more than 4 cm). Results: Women with early epidural placement had shorter labors than those with late placement (11.6 ± 4.6 versus 13.2 ± 5.6 hours; P = .02). Active management reduced the length of labor compared with controls regardless of epidural timing, with a reduction of 1.4 hours in early epidural placement (10.9 ± 4.7 versus 12.3 ± 4.3 hours; P = .04) and 3.6 hours in those with later placement (11.0 ± 3.6 versus 14.6 ± 6.2 hours; P = .004). Cesarean rates did not vary significantly (early 14.5% versus late 7.9%; P = .21). Early epidural placement did not lengthen the second stage of labor or increase operative vaginal delivery rates. Conclusion: Early epidural placement did not affect lengths of labor or cesarean rates and was actually associated with shorter labor compared with late epidural placement. Women managed actively in labor, regardless of timing of epidural placement, had shorter labors than controls.
Quantum State Tomography of an Itinerant Squeezed Microwave Field

We perform state tomography of an itinerant squeezed state of the microwave field prepared by a Josephson parametric amplifier (JPA). We use a second JPA as a preamplifier to improve the quantum efficiency of the field quadrature measurement from 2% to 36%±4%. Without correcting for the detection inefficiency we observe a minimum quadrature variance which is 68(-7)(+9)% of the variance of the vacuum. We reconstruct the state's density matrix by a maximum likelihood method and infer that the squeezed state has a minimum variance less than 40% of the vacuum, with uncertainty mostly caused by calibration systematics.
Bending stresses in subducted lithosphere

Summary. The flow of the mantle near subducted lithosphere applies a force (dynamic load) to the slab which has a normal component as well as a shear component. In addition, the greater density of the slab compared to the surrounding mantle results in a downward force (negative buoyancy) which also has a component normal to the slab. Because the slab is long compared to its thickness, the stresses in the slab due to the normal components of the loads are accurately estimated from the bending moment. We have used previous estimates of the loads to compute the bending moment in the slab as a function of distance down the slab. Our results indicate that the loads applied to the slab are large compared to its strength; bending moments due to normal loads will not be transmitted over the length of the slab. Instead, the slab will deflect so that the normal loads are balanced locally.
Between-Host Evolution of Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Epitopes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1: an Approach Based on Phylogenetically Independent Comparisons

In human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), mutations that escape from cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) recognition have been documented, and sequence analyses have provided indirect support for the hypothesis that natural selection has favored CTL escape mutants within an infected host. In spite of such evidence for within-host selection by CTL, it has been more difficult to determine how natural selection by host CTL has influenced long-term evolution of HIV-1. We used statistical analysis of published HIV-1 genomic sequences to examine the role of natural selection in between-host evolution of CTL epitopes. Based on a phylogenetic analysis, we identified 21 pairs of closely related genomes isolated from different hosts and examined the pattern of nucleotide substitution in genomic regions encoding well-characterized CTL epitopes. The results revealed that certain CTL epitopes have been subject to repeated positive selection across the population, while others are generally conserved. Furthermore, evidence of positive selection was associated with divergence from the canonical epitope sequence and with an enhanced frequency of convergent amino acid sequence changes in CTL epitopes. The results support the hypothesis that CTL-driven selection has been a major factor in the long-term evolution of HIV-1.
Epigenetic Regulation of Transposable Elements in Plants

Transposable elements make up a substantial proportion of most plant genomes. Because they are potentially highly mutagenic, transposons are controlled by a set of mechanisms whose function is to recognize and epigenetically silence them. Under most circumstances this process is highly efficient, and the vast majority of transposons are inactive. Nevertheless, transposons are activated by a variety of conditions likely to be encountered by natural populations, and even closely related species can have dramatic differences in transposon copy number. Transposon silencing has proved to be closely related to other epigenetic phenomena, and transposons are known to contribute directly and indirectly to regulation of host genes. Together, these observations suggest that naturally occurring changes in transposon activity may have had an important impact on the causes and consequences of epigenetic silencing in plants.
Does higher starting dose of FSH stimulation with letrozole improve fertility preservation outcomes in women with breast cancer

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of ovarian stimulation with higher doses of gonadotropins in fertility preservation (FP) cycles with the intention to maximize the likelihood of future pregnancies. Design Retrospective (secondary analysis). Setting Academic medical centers. Patient(s) Low-dose (LD, 150 IU; n = 34) versus high-dose (HD, >150 IU; n = 117) FSH start in 151 patients with breast cancer (BCa) undergoing ovarian stimulation for embryo cryopreservation with letrozole (LE) before cancer treatment. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) FP cycle outcomes. Result(s) Mean total FSH dose (2,037 ± 679 IU vs. 1,128 ± 381 IU) and FSH level on trigger day (21.1 ± 8.9 vs. 10.6 ± 4.5 mIU/mL) were higher in the HD group, confirming the receipt of higher-dose FSH. There was no difference in other patient characteristics. Despite the larger number of follicles >17 mm in diameter in the HD group (5.0 ± 2.0 vs. 3.4 ± 1.4), neither peak E 2 (498.0 ± 377.5 vs. 397.9 ± 320.3), number of oocytes (13.3 ± 8.7 vs. 12.3 ± 8.0), nor number of embryos (6.3 ± 4.7 vs. 5.4 ± 3.8) were significantly different from the LD group. Of those undergoing frozen embryo transfer (ET), live birth rate (LBR)/ET trended higher in the LD (9/15) compared with HD (2/11) group, with 2.1 ± 0.8 vs. 1.9 ± 0.3 embryos transferred, respectively. Conclusion(s) Higher-dose FSH stimulation in LE cycles does not improve outcomes and may be associated with lower LBR. Our findings may support minimal stimulation in young noninfertile women with BCa.
Effective theory of the color-flavor-locked phase

Abstract We explain how an effective theory of the CFL phase can be used to study the effect of the strange quark mass on the ground state and the excitation spectrum. We also apply the effective theory to the problem of neutrino emission from a CFL quark core inside a neutron star.
Comparison of moored wind measurements from a spar and toroidal buoy in the eastern equatorial Pacific during February–March 1981

Wind measurements at 3.8 m from a surface-following toroid and at 4.0 m from a vertically stable spar were compared to estimate the influence of mooring motion. Buoys were separated by 9 km. Data were obtained at 15-min intervals for 41 days in the equatorial Pacific, where the maximum 15-min averaged wind speed was 9.0 m/s and wind speeds averaged 4.5 m/s. Toroid wind speeds were 3.5 percent greater than the spar data, and the correlation coefficient between 15-min toroid and spar data was 0.92. The frequency of the 50-percent noise level was 0.125 cph, and the correlation coefficient between 8-hour averaged toroid and spar data was 0.98. Toroid 8-hour averaged wind speeds referenced to 10-m height were 2 percent larger thancorresponding spar data.
Factors Associated With Inconsistent Sun Protection in First-Degree Relatives of Melanoma Survivors

First-degree relatives (FDRs) of melanoma survivors are at heightened risk for developing melanoma, but use sun protection inconsistently. To develop appropriate interventions, in this article we identify factors related to sun protection inconsistency in melanoma FDRs using ethnographic decision tree modeling. We conducted in-home interviews with 25 melanoma FDRs balanced across gender and sunbathing attitudes and identified factors related to daily decision making about use of sunscreen, shade seeking, hats, and clothing. Results indicated primary facilitators for sun protection involved water settings and sunny weather. Physical activities such as exercise served to promote as well as inhibit sun protection. If participants anticipated shade cover, they tended to forgo other sun protection. The use of hats and clothing was often dictated by nonsun-protection goals. Understanding factors related to inconsistent sun protection with detail and nuance is an important prerequisite to interventions aimed to improve sun-protection maintenance in this population.
Organ-specific oxidative DNA damage associated with normal birth in rats

Mammalian DNA contains bulky endogenous DNA modifications (I-compounds), which increase with age in unexposed animals, as shown by 32P-postlabeling. We have examined the perinatal formation of a subclass (type II) of I-compounds in rat liver, kidney, skin and lung. These I-compounds represent bulky oxidative DNA lesions, defined herein as intrastrand base-base and base-sugar cross-links, adducts of lipid peroxidation products and DNA-protein cross-links. We observed a rapid increase in the levels of five bulky oxidative DNA lesions during the first hours after normal birth of rats, with total levels increasing 4.2-, 3.0- and 1.3-fold, respectively, in liver, kidney and skin. This effect was not noted in lung. The results were consistent with oxidative stress induced by the known sudden increase in partial oxygen pressure at birth in blood and tissues, implying inadequate antioxidant defenses in the affected neonatal organs. Hepatic oxidative damage appeared intensified by increased concentrations of pro-oxidants and reduced concentrations of antioxidants in the maternal diet. The postnatal DNA lesions are postulated to be premutagenic, as indicated by their bulky nature and persistence. Pathophysiological effects of oxidative DNA damage would be exacerbated by rapid cell proliferation in neonatal tissues and consequent fixation as mutations. In addition to inherited mutations, DNA lesions acquired as a consequence of normal birth may play a hitherto unrecognized role in spontaneous carcinogenesis and age-related degenerative diseases.
Comparing Child Care Policy in the Canadian Provinces

The ten Canadian provinces offer a rich site for comparative analysis of child care policy. To utilize this, we construct a framework that uses quantitative measures to assess the variation in child care arrangements across the ten provinces. Our framework suggests that provincial child care variation is multi-dimensional and often involves trade-offs or compromises. This finding challenges some of the assumptions of regime theory, which suggests that social policy arrangements are logical and cohesive. We argue that while regime theory is useful for understanding broad differences in social policy arrangements, including differences between Canada and other industrialized democracies, empirical comparative analysis of the kind we have undertaken is important for uncovering the more complex and nuanced variation apparent in real-world policy arrangements at the provincial level.
Metabolic gene variants and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Genes involved in metabolism of environmental chemical exposures exhibit sequence variability that may mediate the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We evaluated associations between non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 15 variants in AHR, CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, CYP2C9, CYP2E1, GSTP1, GSTM3, EPHX1, NQO1 , and PON1 . Cases were identified from four Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries in the United States, and population-based controls were identified through random-digit dialing and Medicare eligibility files. Metabolic gene variants were characterized for the 1,172 (89% of total) cases and 982 (93%) controls who provided biological samples for genotyping. Subjects who were heterozygous or homozygous for the cytochrome P 450 gene variant CYP1B1 V432L G allele were at slightly greater risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma [odds ratio (OR), 1.27; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.97-1.65]; these results were consistent across B-cell lymphoma subtypes and among both non-Hispanic White and Black subjects, although not statistically significant. The CYP2E1 −1054T allele was associated with decreased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (CT and TT genotypes combined OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.37-0.93), and this pattern was observed among all histologic subtypes. The numbers of cases of particular subtypes were rather small for stable estimates, but we noted that the PON1 L55M AA allele, associated with slightly increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (variant homozygotes OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.96-1.95), was most strongly associated with follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and T-cell lymphoma, with ORs for variant homozygotes of 2.12 and 2.93, respectively. There was no overall association with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for the other gene variants we examined. The modest effects we observed may reflect the context of exposures within the general population represented in our study. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(9):1647–53)
A Novel Data Dependent Multimedia Encryption Algorithm Secure Against Chosen-Plaintext Attacks

A novel encryption algorithm secure to chosen-plaintext attacks is presented. As opposed to traditional key algorithms, one of the keys in the algorithm presented depends on the message itself. Two encryption matrices are generated by means of singular value decomposition (SVD), using a portion of the message. The two encryption matrices generated are further multiplied into the left and right sides of other data frames for encryption in the transmitter. Without additional information, except for a key and an integer for signs, the encryption matrices can be found and, thus, the original data obtained at the receiver. This is done by exploiting special properties of the SVD of real symmetric matrices. Hence, the algorithm performs time-varying encryption (and, thus, decryption), i.e. the algorithm generates time-varying ciphertexts depending on both the design parameters and the plaintext itself. Since the encryption depends on message data, it leads to a good solution to various known attacks, including chosen-plaintext attacks. The algorithm can be applied to any signal such as text, audio, and image, etc.
Unified decoder architecture for LDPC/turbo codes

Low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes on par with convolutional turbo codes (CTC) are two of the most powerful error correction codes known to perform very close to the Shannon limit. However, their different code structures usually lead to different hardware implementations. In this paper, we propose a unified decoder architecture that is capable of decoding both LDPC and turbo codes with a limited hardware overhead. We employ maximum a posteriori (MAP) algorithm as a bridge between LDPC and turbo codes. We represent LDPC codes as parallel concatenated single parity check (PCSPC) codes and propose a group sub-trellis (GST) decoding algorithm for the efficient decoding of PCSPC codes. This algorithm achieves about 2X improvement in the convergence speed and is more numerically robust than the classical ldquotanhrdquo algorithm. What is more interesting is that we can generalize a unified trellis decoding algorithm for LDPC and turbo codes based on their trellis structures. We propose a reconfigurable computation kernel for log-MAP decoding of LDPC and turbo codes at a cost of ~15% hardware overhead. Small lookup tables (LUTs) with 9 entries of 2-bit data are designed to implement the log-MAP algorithm. Fixed point (6:2) simulation results show that there is negligible or nearly no performance loss by using this LUT approximation compared to the ideal case. The proposed architecture results in scalable and flexible datapath units enabling parallel decoding of LDPC/turbo codes.
Dose response of ethanol on antioxidant defense system of liver, lung, and kidney in rat.

This study investigated the alterations in levels of glutathione, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activity in the liver, lung, and kidney of rats treated with acute doses of ethanol. Male Fisher-344 rats were randomly divided into four groups, and were treated as follows: (1) vehicle (saline) control; (2) ethanol 2 g/kg, p.o.; (3) ethanol 4g/kg, p.o.; and (4) ethanol 6 g/kg, p.o. The animals were sacrificed 1 h after treatment, and tissues were isolated and analyzed. The hepatic GSH levels significantly decreased (73, 68, and 66% of control) due to ethanol ingestion at 2, 4, and 6g/kg, respectively. The hepatic GSH/GSSG ratio also decreased with increasing doses indicating stress response due to ethanol. The hepatic SOD activity significantly decreased (70, 75 and 71% of control) with graded doses of ethanol ingestion. The hepatic CAT/SOD and GSH-Px+CAT/SOD ratios significantly increased (147, 169 and 177% of control) and (140, 167 and 178% of control), respectively with increasing doses of ethanol. In the lung, graded doses of ethanol increased GSH-Px activity (120, 114 and 141% of control) and decreased GR activity (98, 89 and 89% of control), respectively. The MDA concentrations in the lung also increased after higher ethanol ingestion. Most of the antioxidant enzyme ratios increased with increasing doses of ethanol in the lung. In the kidney, GSH-Px activity increased (139, 119 and 151% of control), whereas GR activity decreased (84, 85 and 83% of control). GSH-Px/SOD and GSH-Px+CAT/SOD ratios increased whereas GR/GSH-Px ratio decreased after graded doses of ethanol. GSH levels in the kidney decreased after ethanol ingestion. MDA concentrations increased with increasing dose of ethanol in the kidney. These results showed the dose dependant and tissue specific changes in the antioxidant system after ethanol ingestion. Ethanol exerts oxidative stress on antioxidant systems of liver, lung and kidney in proportion to the amount of ethanol ingestion.
A Systematic Review of Innate Immunomodulatory Effects of Household Air Pollution Secondary to the Burning of Biomass Fuels

Abstract Background Household air pollution (HAP)-associated acute lower respiratory infections cause 455,000 deaths and a loss of 39.1 million disability-adjusted life years annually. The immunomodulatory mechanisms of HAP are poorly understood. Objectives The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of all studies examining the mechanisms underlying the relationship between HAP secondary to solid fuel exposure and acute lower respiratory tract infection to evaluate current available evidence, identify gaps in knowledge, and propose future research priorities. Methods We conducted and report on studies in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. In all, 133 articles were fully reviewed and main characteristics were detailed, namely study design and outcome, including in vivo versus in vitro and pollutants analyzed. Thirty-six studies were included in a nonexhaustive review of the innate immune system effects of ambient air pollution, traffic-related air pollution, or wood smoke exposure of developed country origin. Seventeen studies investigated the effects of HAP-associated solid fuel (biomass or coal smoke) exposure on airway inflammation and innate immune system function. Results Particulate matter may modulate the innate immune system and increase susceptibility to infection through a) alveolar macrophage-driven inflammation, recruitment of neutrophils, and disruption of barrier defenses; b) alterations in alveolar macrophage phagocytosis and intracellular killing; and c) increased susceptibility to infection via upregulation of receptors involved in pathogen invasion. Conclusions HAP secondary to the burning of biomass fuels alters innate immunity, predisposing children to acute lower respiratory tract infections. Data from biomass exposure in developing countries are scarce. Further study is needed to define the inflammatory response, alterations in phagocytic function, and upregulation of receptors important in bacterial and viral binding. These studies have important public health implications and may lead to the design of interventions to improve the health of billions of people daily.
The Orthogonal Complement of Faces for Cones Associated with the Cone of Positive Semidefinite Matrices

It is known that the minimal cone for the constraint system of a conic linear optimization problem is a key component in obtaining strong duality without any constraint qualification. In the particular case of semidefinite optimization, an explicit expression for the dual cone of the minimal cone allows for a dual program of polynomial size that satisfies strong duality. This is achieved due to the fact that we can express the orthogonal complement of a face of the cone of positive semidefinite matrices completely in terms of a system of semidefinite inequalities. In this paper, we extend this result to cones that are either faces of the cone of positive semidefinite matrices or the dual cones of faces of the cone of positive semidefinite matrices. The newly proved result was used in Zhang (4OR 9:403–416, 2011). However, a proof was not given in Zhang (4OR 9:403–416, 2011).
Measurements of the Henry's Law Coefficients of 2-Methyl-3-buten-2-ol, Methacrolein, and Methylvinyl Ketone

Using an equilibrium headspace technique, Henry's law coefficients were measured for methacrolein (H = 6.5 ± 0.7 M atm-1) and methylvinyl ketone (41 ± 7.0 M atm-1) in water at 25 °C. In addition, 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol was studied at 30 °C in water and in an aqueous ionic solution representative of plant tissue. Similar values were found in deionized water (65 ± 3.5 M atm-1) and in a 0.05 mol kg-1 Ca2+, K+, NO3-, SO42- solution (62 ± 0.8 M atm-1). These Henry's Law coefficients are too small to allow for significant partitioning of methacrolein, methylvinyl ketone or methylbutenol into cloud water under equilibrium conditions.
Laparoscopy and thoracoscopy in penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries

BACKGROUND: Cavitary endoscopy, to incorporate laproscopy and thoracoscopy, has a great potential in the management of trauma both for diagnosis and treatment and has the potential to expand its horizons, fostered by innovations in imaging, computerization, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. METHODS: Indications for cavitary endoscopy were developed with consideration of the relevant literature and the author’s own experience. The surgical technique for penetrating injuries, which depends on the particular indication, is described. RESULTS: Cavitary endoscopy is a safe and efficient means of determining the depth of penetrating injuries and can make up for the diagnostic deficits of imaging techniques. Therapeutic measures such as diaphragmatic sutures can also be applied safely. CONCLUSIONS: The trauma surgeon should utilize it ably and efficiently for the benefit of the patient but without increasing iatrogenic complications.
Muscarinic regulation of potassium transport in a human submandibular epithelial cell line

Results of previous studies suggest that the transport of K+ by salivary ducts is under muscarinic control. The mechanisms by which this regulation occurs have not been well defined, however. In this paper, we describe mechanisms involved in the muscarinic regulation of K+ (86Rb) transport in HSG-PA, an epithelial cell line derived from human submandibular gland duct. Stimulation of HSG-PA cells by carbachol, a muscarinic agonist, increases both 86Rb influx and efflux, which results in a decrease in the equilibrium content of 86Rb within the cells. Increases in both fluxes are dose dependent with respect to carbachol concentration, and both responses can be blocked by atropine, a muscarinic antagonist. The carbachol-stimulated 86Rb fluxes appear to be calcium dependent since 1) the calcium ionophore A23187 increases 86Rb fluxes in these cells, 2) cells loaded with 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane- N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA; a calcium chelator) exhibit a reduced ability to respond to carbachol stimulation, and 3) removal of extracellular calcium concentration reduces the carbachol-stimulated effects. Treatment of HSG-PA cells with 10(-7) M phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) partially blocks the carbachol-stimulated changes in 86Rb fluxes, suggesting that protein kinase C plays a role in this response. PMA also partially blocks A23187-stimulated 86Rb influx, suggesting that activation of protein kinase C inhibits muscarinic-stimulated K+ influx by blocking either the Ca2+ signal (X. He, X. Wu, and B.J. Baum. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 152: 1062-1069, 1988), steps subsequent to this effect, or both.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Acute Pain Management: Operative or Medical Procedures and Trauma:

ObjectiveTo review the topics presented in the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Pain Management and provide updated information on therapeuti...
Pay No Attention to That Data Behind the Curtain: On Angry Birds, Happy Children, Scholarly Squabbles, Publication Bias, and Why Betas Rule Metas

This article responds to five comments on my "Angry Birds" meta-analysis of video game influences on children (Ferguson, 2015, this issue). Given ongoing debates on video game influences, comments varied from the supportive to the self-proclaimed "angry," yet hopefully they and this response will contribute to constructive discussion as the field moves forward. In this reply, I address some misconceptions in the comments and present data that challenge the assumption that standardized regression coefficients are invariably unsuitable for meta-analysis or that bivariate correlations are invariably suitable for meta-analysis. The suitability of any data should be considered on a case-by-case basis, and data indicates that the coefficients included in the "Angry Birds" meta-analysis did not distort results. Study selection, effect size extraction, and interpretation improved upon problematic issues in other recent meta-analyses. Further evidence is also provided to support the contention that publication bias remains problematic in video game literature. Sources of acrimony among scholars are explored as are areas of agreement. Ultimately, debates will only be resolved through a commitment to newer, more rigorous methods and open science.
Clearance Studies of Insulin and Nonsuppressible Insulin-Like Activity (NSILA) in the Rat Liver.

SummaryIn the isolated rat liver perfusion system, with a blood flow of 25-30 ml / minute, the biological half-life of crystalline pork insulin was determined to be 14 minutes and pork nonsuppressible insulin-like activity (NSILA) 63 minutes. The prolonged half-life of NSILA is consistent with the apparent lack of change in serum concentration in clinical situations and under physiologic experimentation.
Asynchrony in circadian rhythms of gastric function in the rat. A model for gastric mucosal injury.

A model for gastric mucosal injury is proposed in which a key pathogenetic event is the disruption in the normal relationships among several circadian rhythms of gastric function. In the rat a circadian rhythm in acid secretion was found to be out of phase with a circadian rhythm in gastric pepsin secretion, another aggressive factor, and several mucosal defensive factors (mucus and bicarbonate efflux and tissue prostacyclin content). Gastric corpus mucosal blood flow circadian patterns paralleled the rhythmicity in acid secretion and, therefore, was out of phase with the other measured mucosal defensive factors. Thus, gastric mucosal defense was maintained by different mechanisms over the 24-hr cycle. During the dark phase, when this species was active and when acid secretion was highest, enhanced damage by topical acidified aspirin was documented, despite increased mucosal blood flow. Natural asynchrony in circadian rhythms of gastric function can be protective of gastric mucosal integrity but disruption of this circadian interplay of gastric aggressive and defensive factors could theoretically lead to greater vulnerability to damage. In the human, a circadian rhythm in basal gastric acidity has been described but no information exists as to the possibility of similar rhythmic variation in other gastric factors (aggressive and defensive) and possible disruption of these rhythms in disease.
History of pelvic fracture management: a review

High-energy pelvic fractures represent potentially life-threatening injuries due to the risk of acute exsanguinating retroperitoneal hemorrhage. The first report of a severe pelvic ring disruption dates back to Charles Hewitt Moore’s seminal publication from 1851. Significant advantages in the understanding of injury mechanisms and treatment concepts of pelvic ring injuries evolved in the 20th century, and provided the basis to current classification-guided treatment and life-saving “damage control” concepts. However, there is a paucity of reports in the current literature focused on the historic background on the treatment of pelvic ring injuries. The present review was designed to summarize the history and evolution of our current understanding of the mechanisms and management strategies for severe pelvic ring injuries (excluding acetabular fractures which represent a different entity outside of the scope of this article).
Laboratory Management System Construction Based on Internet

According to the characteristics of laboratory management,this paper carries out the needs analysis,introduces the main functions of the system,and describes the key technology.On the basis of the Internet-based B/S structure,ADO,ASP,ACCESS technology are used as platform to complete the development of sector-level laboratory management system,to promote standardization of laboratory management,information processing and sharing of data,a reasonable allocation of resources and effective use of it.And finally realizes paperless management of laboratory operations.
Cytomegaloviral Epididymitis in a Patient With Theacquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

AbstractWe report on a patient with cytomegaloviral epididymitis and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The diagnosis was suggested by epididymitis that was refractory to antibiotics, and by isolation of cytomegalovirus from the urine and semen. The definitive diagnosis was made with immunohistochemical staining for cytomegaloviral antigens in the epididymal ductal cells. Because of the ineffectiveness of antimicrobial agents in this disorder, epididymectomy is the current treatment of choice.