cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myeloperoxidase Generates 5-Chlorouracil in Human Atherosclerotic Tissue A POTENTIAL PATHWAY FOR SOMATIC MUTAGENESIS BY MACROPHAGES

Somatic mutations induced by oxidative damage of DNA might play important roles in atherogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Myeloperoxidase, a heme protein expressed by select populations of artery wall macrophages, initiates one potentially mutagenic pathway by generating hypochlorous acid. This potent chlorinating agent reacts rapidly with primary amines to yield long-lived, selectively reactive N-chloramines. In the current studies, we demonstrate that myeloperoxidase produced by human macrophages differentiated in the presence of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor generates 5-chlorouracil, a mutagenic thymine analog. The primary amine taurine fails to block the reaction, suggesting that N-haloamines produced by macrophages might oxidize uracil. Model system studies demonstrated that N-chloramines convert uracil to 5-chlorouracil. Interestingly, the tertiary amine nicotine dramatically enhances uracil chlorination, suggesting that cigarette smoke might promote nucleobase oxidation by N-chloramines. To look for evidence that myeloperoxidase promotes uracil oxidation in vivo, we measured 5-chlorouracil levels in human aortic tissue, using isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The level of 5-chlorouracil was 10-fold higher in atherosclerotic aortic tissue obtained during vascular surgery than in normal aortic tissue, suggesting that halogenated nucleobases produced by macrophages might contribute to atherogenesis. Because 5-chlorouracil can be incorporated into nuclear DNA, our observations raise the possibility that halogenation reactions initiated by phagocytes provide one pathway for mutagenesis, phenotypic modulation, and cytotoxicity during atherogenesis.
Neuroendocrine concomitants of reproductive aging

Abstract Depletion of ovarian follicles is often thought to be the determining factor in female reproductive aging. However, increasing evidence suggests that neural and neuroendocrine changes play important causative roles in the decline of regular reproductive cycles leading to the menopause. A blunting or suppression in the daily pattern of secretion of several neuroendocrine hormones has been documented in aging laboratory animals and humans. Investigators have designed experiments to test whether these changes reflect multiple unrelated changes in the regulation of each of these hormones, or whether these alterations result from a fundamental change in the time-keeping mechanism that underlie these patterns of hormone secretion. Oscillations that occur approximately every 24 h are a hallmark of most living organisms. These cycles provide the organism with the capability of coordinating events that occur at higher (hourly) and lower (weekly or monthly) frequencies within an individual organism, and with the capability of synchronizing these events with the external environment. In mammals, the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus is thought to be a master oscillator that regulates most circadian rhythms in mammals. Perturbations in temporal organization occur during aging and influence multiple physiological systems, including reproductive cyclicity in females. Thus, the question for neuroendocrinologists is: Do changes in the cyclic pattern of hormone secretion reflect a change in the master oscillator, and do these changes play a role in female reproductive aging? Data from our laboratory demonstrate that the timing of the preovulatory and steroid-induced luteinizing hormone (LH) surge changes during middle-age in rats. This change correlates with changes in the diurmal pattern of activity or gene expression of several neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine, serotonin, and beta-endorphin. These neurotransmitters regulate the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus. More recent findings show that changes in the integrity of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or inputs and/or outputs of this neural pacemaker, may underlie changes in the pattern of activity of these neurotransmitters: 1) The circadian pattern of metabolism of the neural substrate, as measured by local cerebral glucose utilization, is blunted and phase advanced in aging animals; and 2) Transplantation of fetal suprachiasmatic tissue partially restores the diurnal rhythm in cFos expression of the aging host to that observed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of young animals. These data strongly suggest that changes in neural time-keeping mechanisms may contribute to changes in the patterns of LH secretion that, in turn, may contribute to age-related deterioration of ovarian function.
Role of the scattering length in three-boson dynamics and Bose - Einstein condensation

We investigate systems of three identical bosons in the context of current experimental efforts to achieve Bose - Einstein condensation. Calculated adiabatic hyperspherical potential curves permit us to draw some general conclusions about the dependence of the three-body physics on the two-body scattering length. In particular, we find that the long-range three-body interaction is effectively repulsive for either sign of the scattering length. This also hints that a stable Bose - Einstein condensate might be formed for either sign.
Engineered high-affinity nanobodies recognizing staphylococcal Protein A and suitable for native isolation of protein complexes

In addition to its high affinity for antibody Fc domains, staphylococcal Protein A has been shown to bind certain Fab domains. We investigated this in order to develop a small, recombinant Protein A-binding alternative to immunoglobulin G (IgG) from nanobodies, single-domain antibodies derived from a camelid variant IgG’s variable region. We engineered a nanobody with affinity solely for Protein A as well as a dimerized version of higher affinity for typical multidomain Protein A constructs. Because this recombinant nanobody can be immobilized using a cleavable crosslinker, it has proven to be suitable for the isolation and mild elution of protein complexes in native conditions.
Quinidine for prophylaxis of arrhythmias in acute myocardial infarction.

Abstract The efficacy of quinidine therapy for the prevention of cardiac arrhythmias was determined in a prospective controlled clinical trial involving 53 patients with uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction. After a loading procedure, 300 mg of quinidine sulfate or placebo was administered orally every six hours for five days under balanced, random, double-blind conditions. An automated arrhythmia detection system was used to quantify arrhythmias from stored continuous electrocardiographic tape recordings. By the sixth hour of therapy quinidine-treated patients demonstrated a 50 per cent reduction (p less than 0.001) in ventricular and supraventricular premature contractions, a 33 per cent lowered incidence (p less than 0.05) of serious ventricular arrhythmias and a blood quinidine level of 2.5 ± 0.3 (mean ± S.E.M.) mg per liter. One patient died in each treatment group. Mild adverse reactions to quinidine were observed in only two patients. Quinidine at a dosage producing modest blood concentration ...
Selective killing of ATM- or p53-deficient cancer cells through inhibition of ATR

Here we report a comprehensive biological characterization of a potent and selective small-molecule inhibitor of the DNA damage response (DDR) kinase ATR. We show a profound synthetic lethal interaction between ATR and the ATM-p53 tumor suppressor pathway in cells treated with DNA-damaging agents and establish ATR inhibition as a way to transform the outcome for patients with cancer treated with ionizing radiation or genotoxic drugs.
The Influences of Inversion Height on Precipitation and Airflow over the Island of Hawaii

Abstract Both the daily rainfall on the windward side of the island of Hawaii and the early morning (0200 HST—Hawaiian standard time) trade-wind inversion height at Hilo varied substantially during the Hawaiian Rainband Project (HaRP). In general, the inversion was higher during the passage of a cold front to the north or during the approach of tropical disturbances from the east to the south. The daily rainfall on the windward side is highly correlated with the 0200 HST inversion height at Hilo with a maximum correlation greater than 0.7 in the Hilo area. The daily daytime (1100–1900 HST) rainfall on the windward slopes, nocturnal (1900–0300 RST) showers an the windward lowland, and coastal precipitation in the predawn and early morning hours (0300–1100 HST) are also highly correlated with the inversion height with a maximum correlation greater than 0.7, 0.7, and 0.5, respectively. For the low- (high-) inversion days, the median daily rainfall on the windward side is about one-half (more than twice) of t...
Object type constructors

Object type constructors are a model for container objects in typed object-oriented programming languages. Object type constructors solve the difficulties with combining container objects with type inference and parametric polymorphism, the latter of which are used very successfully in functional languages such as ML and Haskell. The semantics of object type constructors introduces a new object cloning operation for container objects with method update, motivated by concerns independent of type inference.
Beyond Traits: Personality as Intersubjective Themes

The author argues that research in the idiographic tradition is more conducive to effective clinical work than the uncritical adoption of specific “evidence-based therapies” for discrete symptomatic disorders. She views pressures on therapists to adopt evidence-based therapies without consideration of individual differences and personal subjectivity as the misapplication of a research paradigm to the clinical situation. Reviewing some recent empirical work on individuality and therapeutic process, she critiques efforts to formulate personality diagnosis on the basis of externally observable traits without attention to internal experience, and she contends that intrapsychic themes account for personality differences more powerfully than traits, even when traits are construed dimensionally.
Metabolic responses of folic acid and related compounds to thyroxine in rats

This study deals with the effects of thyroidectomy and feeding thyroid powder on histidine and folic acid metabolism. Normal rats maintained on a soy protein diet, low in methionine but supplemented with vitamin B-12, oxidize approx. 10% of an injected dose of [2-14C]histidine in 3 h and excrete low levels of formiminoglutamic acid. Addition of methionine increases histidine oxidation to approx. 20%. The feeding of thyroid powder or the injection of high levels of thyroxine decreases histidine oxidation and increases formiminoglutamic acid excretion. Surgical thyroidectomy at weaning increases histidine oxidation to approx. 45% and, thus, resembles the effect of methionine in promoting histidine oxidation and decreasing formiminoglutamic acid excretion. The feeding of methionine to the thyroidectomized animal further increases histidine oxidation to 65%. The distribution of folate forms in the liver was determined by column chromatography following administration of a dose of tritiated folic acid. In the normal animal, tetrahydrofolate accounts for 38% of the total folate present. The feeding of methionine increases this to 48%, which is consistent with the observed increase in histidine metabolism. Thyroidectomy increases the percentage of tetrahydrofolate to 63% and the feeding of methionine further increases it to 68%. The percentage of tetrahydrofolate relative to total folate is in proportion to the observed rate of histidine metabolism. The action of thyroidectomy in increasing histidine oxidation may be accounted for by its effect in increasing the proportion of tetrahydrofolate.
Literacy in America: Historic Journey and Contemporary Solutions: Edward E. Gordon, Elaine H. Gordon; Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003, 329 pages

Literacy in America traces the growth of literacy in the United States from the Colonial period to contemporary times. Following the trajectory of white European settlement and colonization, the bo...
Distribution of polysaccharide components of human gastric juice in the electrophoretic partition

Abstract A large pool of non-dialyzable solids of normal acid gastric juice was fractionated by paper electrophoresis. Over 350 electrophoretic strips were cut into 5 mm segments and after elution were analyzed for proteins, hexoses, hexosamine, fucose, sialic and uronic acids, and sulfates. The results obtained were correlated with mean electrophoretic patterns of the same gastric juice pool stained by amido black and PAS stains, traced, and analyzed by means of Gaussian curves. Three main protein peaks were found, which were localized in the areas corresponding to that of: (1) pepsin, (2) mucosubstances M2 and M3 (in which albumin is also located) and (3) X1 (where γ-globulin is present). Only one major carbohydrate peak was found, coinciding with that traced by electrophoresis and corresponding to the area of mucosubstance M3, which, on Gaussian curve analysis shows the presence of many components. The carbohydrate spectrum along the electrophoretic partition of the normal gastric juice also changes markedly, and points in the same direction. The anodic area contains highest concentration of sialic acid and hexoses and lower-most of hexosamine and fucose. The central area, which coincides with the carbohydrate peak, contains highest concentrations of hexosamine and fucose and is low in sialic acid. The cathodic area has highest concentration of hexoses, and lowermost of sialic acid, hexosamine and fucose. Sulfates form three peaks, of which the highest is located in the most anodic area, where no proteins and PAS-stainable carbohydrates are detected. The complexity of the distribution of sugars along the electrophoretic partition of the normal acid gastric juice suggests the presence of several carbohydrate materials and proteins of different composition. This indicates the inadequacy of any chemical analysis of the total non-fractionated acid gastric juice. The prevention of proteolysis by means of neutralization of gastric juice in vivo and in vitro simplifies the analytical problems but introduces an artifact which does not exist under physiological conditions in the normal stomach.
Ultrafiltration for recovery and reuse of peptidoglutaminase in protein deamidation.

Ultrafiltration (UF) of B. circulans cell extract using a 100kd hollow-fiber membrane had no effect on peptidoglutaminase (PGase) activity and allowed 34 and 26% of PGases I and II to permeate. UF, with 30kd spiral membrane, slightly increased PGase activity in retentate but no activity was detected in permeate. Retentate was used to sequentially deamidate four batches of a soy protein hydrolysate at 30°C for 2 hr, then PGase was recovered by UF. The 100kd membrane resulted in substantial PGase loss in sequential tests due to permeation and inactivation. A 100% conversion and 97% of PGase were obtained after tests with the 30 kd membrane. Multiple recovery and use of PGase by a suitable membrane is possible.
Cardiac Trauma During Teenage Years

The spectrum of blunt cardiac trauma ranges from asymptomatic myocardial contusion to fatal cardiac arrhythmias and/or cardiac rupture. Although cardiac rupture is common in fatal traffic accidents, these patients rarely reach hospital care. Insignificant blunt cardiac injury during sports may cause fatal arrhythmia in teens. Penetrating cardiac trauma is fairly common in the United States, encountered frequently in major urban centers. Most cases are dead at the scene and never reach hospital. The incidence of cardiac sequelae in survivors is high, and these patients should be evaluated with early and late echocardiography to detect anatomic or functional cardiac involvement. Language: en
Overlap of different urological symptom complexes in a racially and ethnically diverse, community-based population of men and women.

OBJECTIVE To define the prevalence and overlap of symptom patterns traditionally associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome, and incontinence among men and women in a racially and ethnically diverse, community-based population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS In all, 5506 men and women aged 30–79 years were recruited to participate in the Boston Area Community Health Survey, using a stratified-cluster sampling technique to obtain roughly similar representative samples by age group, gender and race/ethnicity (White, Black, Hispanic). Survey data were collected by bilingual interviewers in subjects’ homes. Scales measuring symptom patterns were derived from validated instruments, with minor changes to eliminate different recall periods and overlap in items that might have confused subjects. RESULTS About a quarter of men and women of all ages met the definition for one or more of the target symptom patterns; there was no significant variation in the prevalence of any of the symptom patterns by race/ethnicity. Overall, ≈16% of men and women had one symptom pattern, while 7% had overlap patterns. Except for urinary incontinence and interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome in both men and women, the prevalence of all symptom complexes were associated with one another significantly more often that would be expected by chance. CONCLUSIONS Overlapping patterns of lower urinary tract symptoms and pelvic pain are common. These overlapping patterns present challenges for clinical practice and research, and require further investigation of their causes, diagnosis and optimum treatment.
Effects of External Ions upon Proton Transfer Reactions. H-Bonded Systems Containing HCOOH

Ab initio calculations reveal that a cation, in a position equidistant from the two H-bonding oxygen atoms of (HC(OH)O · H · OH2)+, acts to push the proton from HCOOH toward OH2 if the ion is located near the —OH or CH group of HCOOH. In contrast, rotation of the cation out of the HCOOH plane, while maintaining its position relative to the two H-bonding atoms, leads to a potential which is little different than that observed in the absence of an ion. These findings are readily explained on the basis of ion-induced internal polarization of the subunit to which the ion is closer. Replacement of OH2 by HCOOH suggests that polarization of the more distant subunit can also be a factor.
Models of subcortical functions in language: Current status

Abstract Recent models of subcortical functions in language are discussed. Some emphasis is placed upon whether the thalamus and basal ganglia function via neuroregulation or direct information processing, or perhaps they play no role at all in language. Regarding the basal ganglia, models vary from suggesting no functional significance for language, to hypothesizing a role in the release of cortically formulated segments into the speech output stream, to theorizing a pivotal part in the monitoring and selection of lexical alternatives. For the thalamus, suggested roles include participating with the basal ganglia in selection of lexical alternatives or release of formulated responses, semantic monitoring, or selective engagement of cortical areas necessary for different language processes. In general, theorists agree the thalamus plays some fundamental or supportive role in language, though no consensus has been reached about the nature of this role. It is less clear that the basal ganglia participate in primary or supportive functions for language. The importance of subcortical functions for understanding how brain systems produce language and cognition is noted.
Spread of a laminar diffusion flame

A theoretical description is presented for a laminar diffusion flame spreading against an air stream over a solid- or liquid-fuel bed. Both a thin sheet and a semi-infinite fuel bed are considered. The burning process is described as follows: The hot flame heats the unburned fuel bed, which subsequently vaporizes. The resulting fuel vapor reacts with the oxygen supplied by the incoming air, thereby producing the heat that maintains the flame-spread process. The formulated model treats the combustion as a diffusion flame, for which the details of the reaction kinetics can be ignored by assuming infinite reaction rates. The model includes the chemical stoichiometry, heat of combustion, gas-phase conductive heat transfer, radiation, mass transfer, fuel vaporization, and fuel-bed thermal properties. The radiation is mathematically treated as a heat loss at the flame sheet and a heat gain at the fuel-bed surface. The calculated flame-spread formulas are not inconsistent with available experimental data. These results reveal much of the physics involved in a spreading, flame. For instance, the flame-spread rate is strongly influenced by (1) the adiabatic stoichiometric flame temperature, and (2) the fuel-bed thermal properties, except for the fuel-bed conductivity parallel to the propagation direction.
Graph databases for large-scale healthcare systems: A framework for efficient data management and data services

Designing a database system for both efficient data management and data services has been one of the enduring challenges in the healthcare domain. In many healthcare systems, data services and data management are often viewed as two orthogonal tasks; data services refer to retrieval and analytic queries such as search, joins, statistical data extraction, and simple data mining algorithms, while data management refers to building error-tolerant and non-redundant database systems. The gap between service and management has resulted in rigid database systems and schemas that do not support effective analytics. We compose a rich graph structure from an abstracted healthcare RDBMS to illustrate how we can fill this gap in practice. We show how a healthcare graph can be automatically constructed from a normalized relational database using the proposed “3NF Equivalent Graph” (3EG) transformation. We discuss a set of real world graph queries such as finding self-referrals, shared providers, and collaborative filtering, and evaluate their performance over a relational database and its 3EG-transformed graph. Experimental results show that the graph representation serves as multiple de-normalized tables, thus reducing complexity in a database and enhancing data accessibility of users. Based on this finding, we propose an ensemble framework of databases for healthcare applications.
Long-term survival after coronary heart disease comparisons between men and women in a national sample

This study examined the sex differential in long-term survival after incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in the Epidemiologic Followup Study to the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This cohort was first contacted in 1971 to 1975 with follow-up through 1987. Of the 1407 white participants for whom CHD was identified at some point during the study, 56% of men and 46% of women died during the follow-up period. After adjustment for age at incidence, traditional heart disease risk factors, and initial coronary disease diagnosis, the relative risk of death among women compared to men was 0.70. Women's survival advantage after myocardial infarction was 0.81. Women who had ever taken post-menopausal estrogens were most likely to survive after CHD or myocardial infarction compared to men (relative risks [RRs] = 0.42 and 0.57, respectively), although women who did not take estrogen were also significantly more likely than men to survive after CHD (RR = 0.79) but not after myocardial infarction (RR = 0.88).
Evaluation Of Spectral Discriminant Functions For Guidance Of Laser Angioplasty

ABSTRACT Development of a clinically acceptable laser angioplasty system has been hindered by the inability to adequately guide ablative laser radiation to atherosclerotic plaque. Low power laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy is capable of discriminating normal and atherosclerotic arterial tissue. The purpose of this investigation was to develop and evaluate several spectral classification algorithms that would enable discrimination of atherosclerotic and normal arterial tissue by a computer controlled fluorescence guided laser angioplasty system. 1. INTRODUCTION Development of a clinically acceptable laser angioplasty system has been hindered by the risk of vessel perforation due to laser ablation of normal arterial wall1 . Although several imaging modalities, including fluoroscopy2'3, angioscopy4'5, and high frequency ultrasound6 have been investigated as potential guidance mechanisms, none of these imaging techniques have enabled selective ablation of atherosclerotic plaque. Laser-induced arterial fluorescence spectroscopy has been suggested as an alternative means of laser angioplasty guidance^-lO. A "smart" laser angioplasty system containing a low power laser could sample arterial fluorescence between ablative laser pulses and use the spectral information to selectively guide plaque ablation. Such a system would require spectral classification algorithms capable of online arterial tissue discrimination. The focus of this study was to develop and evaluate several spectral classification algorithms for this purpose.
Bank structure and new business creation lessons from an earlier time

Abstract This paper examines the relationship between bank structure and the birth and growth of new manufacturing firms. It also extends and tests a path-dependent model of new firm creation that incorporates an agglomeration hypothesis. The results indicate that the rates of birth and growth of new manufacturing firms are negatively related to average bank size and the presence of interest rate ceilings, and positively associated with the degree of local bank concentration. The results also confirm the agglomeration and path-dependent hypotheses.
Metering Cooling Flows in the Water-Cooled Gas Turbine

Metering of coolant flow to bucket cooling passages in the water-cooled gas turbine rotor was experimentally evaluated. Through water flow per cooling passage is approximately one gallon per hour and rotor ''g'' field is approximately 20,000 g's, the water-cooled gas turbine depends on uniform water distribution. Measurements indicative of water distribution accuracy to eight buckets and representative cooling passages in each bucket were made in separate tests. Rotor water pressure measurements were made at both metering elements and compared to static differential pressure data. This work is part of the technology development and component verification testing of an advanced water-cooled gas turbine, firing at 2600/sup 0/F (1427/sup 0/C) being performed by General Electric under Phase II of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded High Temperature Turbine Technology (HTTT) Program.
Direct Power Generation Using Tunneling and Thermionic Emission

Thermionic emission in vacuum could be a highly efficient cooler or power generator if the work function, the minimum work for electrons to go into vacuum, is around 0.3–0.4 eV for heat source at a temperature below 500C [Mahan, 1994]. Unfortunately, the work function of existing materials is currently above 1 eV. Theoretical and experimental studies have shown that the work function can be reduced to 0.3–0.4 eV if the distance between the two electrodes (cathode and anode) of the thermionic emission cooler/power generator is below 10 nm [Hishinuma, et al, 2001, 2003]. At this nanometer scale, electron transport between the two electrodes takes two paths: electron tunneling and thermionic emission. The combined physical processes result in a desired work function. However, maintaining a nanometer gap for two parallel plates within an area larger than 1 cm2 is a daunting task, if not impossible, especially if the power generator is mounted on a moving or vibrating device. Even a slight vibration or thermal expansion of the two plates (electrodes) could cause direct contact between the two plates (electrodes), and thus shorten the circuits. Thus vacuum thermionic power generator based on difficult to make and to operate [Tavkhelidze, et al., 2002]. In this study, we propose to use a solid insulating spacer for preventing the shortening and for feasibility of manufacturing. The spacer is less than 5nm, and electron transport as thermionic emission and tunneling concurrently. In this study, we first investigate electron and phonon transport in single-layer (spacer) double heterostructures by including the tunneling effects. It is found that single-layer generator can have a high efficiency, but small power intensity due to the small temperature difference between the two electrodes. We then investigate the efficiency of multilayer-layer power generator. Calculations show that the solid power generator operating at a temperature below 500°C, can have an efficiency of larger than 40% of the Carnot efficiency.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Measuring the performance of national criminal justice systems

We argue that the emergence of the nation‐state has produced a common structure of criminal justice systems across all nations, thus making it feasible to validly compare criminal justice system performance cross‐nationally. Based upon a theoretical framework derived from the literature on criminal justice performance measures, we introduce an index of national criminal justice system performance. The index measures the performance of national criminal justice systems in three areas: equity, effectiveness, and efficiency. A variety of indices has been used to rank nations in other areas, such as corruption, human rights, human development, political freedom, and informatization. Ours represents the first effort to compare quantitatively the performance of national criminal justice systems. Data for the index are derived from the Fourth and Fifth United Nations Surveys of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems and from Charles Humana's World Human Rights Guide (3rd edition, 1992). Although...
Integrated Framework for the Numerical Solution of Multicomponent Population Balances. 2. The Split Composition Distribution Method

The full multicomponent population dynamic equation is developed for systems with coagulation and solved using the split composition distribution method. A full discussion of the origins of this method and its advantages over conventional methods is followed by a complete and rigorous explanation of its numerical implementation. The Wiener expansion is introduced as a method for representing compositional variation in a number density distribution that is solved by orthogonal collocation on finite elements. Results are obtained by numerical integration using fifth-order Runge-Kutta and favorably compared to analytical results.
Estimating Aid-Allocation Criteria with Panel Data

In 1990, the net amount of economic aid, or official development assistance, to all recipients from all multilateral and bilateral sources was about $62 billion, an amount that exceeded the GDPs of Greece and Portugal. Despite the size of this yearly transfer there has been no rigors modeling and estimation of the criteria by which it occurs. As a result, there is little agreement about the extent to which ODA is allocated according to the needs of the recipient countries. The purpose of this paper is to develop a rigorous theoretical model of ODA allocation that can be used to provide consistent estimates of the importance of recipient needs. Copyright 1994 by Royal Economic Society.
Transgenic mice expressing selected insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-5 fragments do not exhibit enhanced bone formation

Skeletal cells synthesize insulin like growth factors (IGF) and six IGF binding proteins (IGFBP). IGFBP-5 and fragments were reported to stimulate bone cell growth and parameters of osteoblastic function. We investigated the effects of IGFBP-5 1-162 and 1-193 on bone remodeling in transgenic mice overexpressing these fragments under the control of the osteocalcin promoter. Transgenic mice had normal appearance, weight, and bone mineral density. Static and dynamic histomorphometry revealed that transgenic mice overexpressing IGFBP-5 1-162 or 1-193 had normal trabecular bone volume, osteoblast and osteoclast number, and normal bone formation rate. MC3T3 cells transduced with retroviral vectors overexpressing IGFBP-5 1-235, 1-193, and 1-162 fragments displayed normal cell growth and maturation, and failed to enhance the expression of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and type I collagen mRNA when compared to cells transduced with vector alone. In conclusion, transgenic mice expressing IGFBP-5 1-162 and 1-193 in the bone microenvironment do not exhibit an obvious skeletal phenotype.
1070 BUCCAL CELLULITIS (BC) RE-EVALUATED

Previous studies of BC have reported conflicting data on the incidence of co-existent bacteremia and meningitis. Otitis media (OM) is reportedly found in 75% of patients and, when unilateral, is said to always occur on the ipsilateral side (suggesting lymphangitic spread to the cheek). To more accurately define the clinical picture of BC, we reviewed the records of 55 children with a clinical diagnosis of primary (no overlying skin trauma) BC. There were 32 males and 23 females with a median age of 11 (range 1.5-64) months. OM was present in 22 (40%) patients. The contralateral ear was involved in 5 of 13 patients with unilateral OM. Blood cultures were positive in 27 (53%) of 51 patients and grew H. influenzae b (HIB) in 25 (92.5%). Two infants with S. pneumoniae and S. agalactiae infections were clinically indistinguishable from the remaining patients. Cellulitis cultures were positive in 6 (17%) of 35 attempts. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures were positive in 3 (9.4%) of 32 patients; one additional child whose CSF was not initially examined later developed meningitis. These data suggest that: (a) bacteremia is commonly present in BC, (b) the pathogenesis of BC does not usually involve lymphangitic extension from the middle ear, (c) lumbar punctures should always be performed because of the associated risk of meningitis and (d) BC is predominately but not exclusively due to HIB. Initial therapy should include parenteral antimicrobial coverage for HIB and Gram positive organisms.
Transcription Regulation Through Promoter-Proximal Pausing of RNA Polymerase II

Recent work has shown that the RNA polymerase II enzyme pauses at a promoter-proximal site of many genes in Drosophila and mammals. This rate-limiting step occurs after recruitment and initiation of RNA polymerase II at a gene promoter. This stage in early elongation appears to be an important and broadly used target of gene regulation.
Voluntary seat belt use among high school students

Abstract Seat belt use of high school drivers was observed at six high schools in Maryland and for comparison, at locations near each school. Use rates for high school drivers ranged from one percent to 21%, varying with socioeconomic status of the areas in which the schools were located. For non-high school drivers the range was 8–31%. For the six schools, the ranking of use rates from lowest to highest was the same for high school and non-high school drivers. However, at each school, belt use rates for high school drivers were lower than for non-high school drivers. At five of the schools, use rates for non-high school drivers were more than double the rates for high school drivers: they were more than five times as high at three schools. Prior research indicates that increasing the use of belts that must be manually fastened is difficult to achieve. The most reliable way substantial increases can be made in the extent to which teenagers and others are restrained in crashes is by providing restraints that work automatically, such as air bags.
A mixed excitation LPC vocoder model for low bit rate speech coding

Traditional pitch-excited linear predictive coding (LPC) vocoders use a fully parametric model to efficiently encode the important information in human speech. These vocoders can produce intelligible speech at low data rates (800-2400 b/s), but they often sound synthetic and generate annoying artifacts such as buzzes, thumps, and tonal noises. These problems increase dramatically if acoustic background noise is present at the speech input. This paper presents a new mixed excitation LPC vocoder model that preserves the low bit rate of a fully parametric model but adds more free parameters to the excitation signal so that the synthesizer can mimic more characteristics of natural human speech. The new model also eliminates the traditional requirement for a binary voicing decision so that the vocoder performs well even in the presence of acoustic background noise. A 2400-b/s LPC vocoder based on this model has been developed and implemented in simulations and in a real-time system. Formal subjective testing of this coder confirms that it produces natural sounding speech even in a difficult noise environment. In fact, diagnostic acceptability measure (DAM) test scores show that the performance of the 2400-b/s mixed excitation LPC vocoder is close to that of the government standard 4800-b/s CELP coder. >
Oral squamous cell carcinoma incidence by subsite among diverse racial and ethnic populations in California

Objective. The aim of this report was to examine the oral cancer incidence by sex, race/ethnicity, and anatomical subsite. Study design. Data from the California Cancer Registry (CCR) were used to calculate the age-adjusted incidence rates of invasive oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) by sex, race/ethnicity, and anatomical subsite among residents in California during 1988 to 2001. Results. Although non-Hispanic (NH) black men have the highest overall incidence rate for OSCC, NH whites and NH blacks have similar incidence patterns by subsite, but the male-to-female (M:F) rate ratio is higher among NH blacks. The OSCC incidence rates for Hispanics are much lower than those for NH whites and NH blacks and similar to those of Asians. The Asian ethnic groups display dramatic variations in terms of the subsite-specific incidence rates and M:F rate ratios. Conclusion. The findings illustrate the heterogeneity and complexity of oral cancer by anatomical location and the importance of cultural habits and behavioral factors in the development of oral cancer. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2008;105:470-80)
Johann Gottfried Herder on War and Peace

In the Briefe zu Beforderung der Humanitat , J. G. Herder engages both Saint-Pierre and Kant in the eighteenth-century debate about perpetual peace, but comes to his own characteristic conclusions. With the last letters of the last collection, Herder analyzes past and present rationalizations for war, finds them hypocritical and self-serving, and proposes a paradigm for peace suggested by a Native American institution instead. An investigation of his formula for peace reveals as well a clear and fundamental link to his definition of Humanitat , the concept at the center of all his thought. Although unable to assert a utopian solution for eternal peace, he nevertheless challenges his readers then and now to temper realism with idealism, skepticism with hope.
In Vitro Formation of the Endoplasmic Reticulum Occurs Independently of Microtubules by a Controlled Fusion Reaction

We have established an in vitro system for the formation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Starting from small membrane vesicles prepared from Xenopus laevis eggs, an elaborate network of membrane tubules is formed in the presence of cytosol. In the absence of cytosol, the vesicles only fuse to form large spheres. Network formation requires a ubiquitous cytosolic protein and nucleoside triphosphates, is sensitive to N-ethylmaleimide and high cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations, and proceeds via an intermediate stage in which vesicles appear to be clustered. Microtubules are not required for membrane tubule and network formation. Formation of the ER network shares significant similarities with formation of the nuclear envelope. Our results suggest that the ER network forms in a process in which cytosolic factors modify and regulate a basic reaction of membrane vesicle fusion.
An effective numerical integration method for typical stiff systems

There is an equivalence between stiff and singularly perturbed systems of ordinary differential equations. This feature is exploited in this paper by numerically employing recent singular perturbation methods to attack troublesome boundary layer stage of the solution in which some variables have very short response times. The numerical method affords a means of essentially determining the thickness of this boundary layer. The algorithm is capable of high stability and accuracy for the commonly occurring stiff system, whether or not it is in singularly perturbed form. Application to a singularly perturbed reaction system and a highly stiff reactor system not in singularly perturbed form demonstrate the effectiveness and utility of this approach.
Reactive microgliosis: extracellular μ-calpain and microglia-mediated dopaminergic neurotoxicity

Microglia, the innate immune cells in the brain, can become chronically activated in response to dopaminergic neuron death, fuelling a self-renewing cycle of microglial activation followed by further neuron damage (reactive microgliosis), which is implicated in the progressive nature of Parkinson’s disease. Here, we use an in vitro approach to separate neuron injury factors from the cellular actors of reactive microgliosis and discover molecular signals responsible for chronic and toxic microglial activation. Upon injury with the dopaminergic neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium, N27 cells (dopaminergic neuron cell line) released soluble neuron injury factors that activated microglia and were selectively toxic to dopaminergic neurons in mixed mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures through nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase. μ-Calpain was identified as a key signal released from damaged neurons, causing selective dopaminergic neuron death through activation of microglial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and superoxide production. These findings suggest that dopaminergic neurons may be inherently susceptible to the pro-inflammatory effects of neuron damage, i.e. reactive microgliosis, providing much needed insight into the chronic nature of Parkinson’s disease.
Structural properties of a new design of composite replicate femurs and tibias

The purpose of this study was to compare the structural properties of a new vs. established design of composite replicate femurs and tibias. The new design has a cortical bone analog consisting of short-glass-fiber-reinforced (SGFR) epoxy, rather than the fiberglass-fabric-reinforced (FFR) epoxy in the currently available design. The hypothesis was that this new cortical bone analog would improve the uniformity of structural properties between specimens, while having mean stiffness values in the range of natural human bones. The composite replicate bones were tested under bending, axial, and torsional loads. In general, the new SGFR bones were significantly less stiff than the FFR bones, although both bone designs reasonably approximated the structural stiffnesses of natural human bones. With the exceptions of the FFR bone axial tests, the highest variability between specimens was 6.1%. The new SGFR bones had similar variability in structural properties when compared to the FFR bones under bending and torsional loading, but had significantly less variability under axial loading. Differences in epiphyseal geometry between the FFR and SGFR bones, and subsequent seating in the testing fixtures, may account for some of the differences in structural properties; axial stiffness was especially dependent on bone alignment. Stiffness variabilities for the composite replicate bones were much smaller than those seen with natural human bones. Axial strain distribution along the proximal-medial SGFR femur had a similar shape to what was observed on natural human femurs by other investigators, but was considerably less stiff in the more proximal locations.
Stress-only imaging in patients with prior SPECT MPI: A simulation study

The aim of this study was to determine if omitting the repeat resting scan in patients who had prior single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT MPI) would have an impact on the interpretation of the stress test. Current guidelines recommend stress and rest imaging for SPECT MPI studies. Stress-only imaging has also entered the guidelines as a feasible option in low-risk patients but has not been studied in high-risk patients. Two independent readers interpreted 47 consecutive MPIs with prior images to determine if the repeat resting scan had an impact on interpretation of the stress test images. In this retrospective analysis, we compared interpretation of stress-only SPECT images using the old rest image for comparison versus conventional rest-stress SPECT imaging. Both readers were blinded to study results. The primary end point of this study was a comparison of summed difference scores (SDS) from stress-only interpretation compared to standard rest-stress interpretation. In this study, 36% (98/272) of patients had previous SPECT MPI. Of these patients, 48% (n = 47) were eligible for stress-only imaging. There was strong agreement between the SDS from the new stress versus old rest image compared with the new stress versus new rest image (r = 0.866, P < .001) with a mean difference in SDS of 0.6 ± 1.7. In this population, 41 of the 47 studies (87%) could have been performed with a stress-only SPECT MPI with comparison with the prior resting study. Starting with the stress-only protocol would have reduced the radiation in this population by 76%. Very similar data is obtained with stress-only imaging in patients who have a prior resting study. Our study suggests that the stress-only imaging may possibly be expanded to populations who have been studied previously or are at higher risk, reserving the option to add a resting study if the interpretation of the stress-only study is unclear.
Rejoinder to Adra

by various imams and by tribal custom, I refer the reader to Abu Ghanim (1985:244-246), Goitein (1955:9, 15-17), Klein-Franke (1989:266, 268, 269, 272-274), Rossi (1948:78), and Shivtiel, Lockwood, and Serjeant (1983:392, 394, 418-420). On the variations between Shafi'i and Zaydi attitudes toward Jews in Yemen see Shivtiel, Lockwood, and Serjeant (1983:419). On the position of the Jewish communities in modern Yemen see Klein-Franke (1989:270). Finally, Loeb appears to attribute the term "fanatically religious tribes" to me. This phrase, as cited in my review, is not mine but a direct quote from the film. I would never use such an inappropriate stereotype in speech or in writing.
Validation of Terra-MODIS phytoplankton chlorophyll fluorescence line height. I. Initial airborne lidar results

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra spacecraft contains spectral bands that allow retrieval of solar-induced phytoplankton chlorophyll fluorescence emission radiance. Concurrent airborne laser-induced (and water-Raman normalized) phytoplankton chlorophyll fluorescence data is used to successfully validate the MODIS chlorophyll fluorescence line height (FLH) retrievals within Gulf Stream, continental slope, shelf, and coastal waters of the Middle Atlantic Bight portion of the western North Atlantic Ocean for 11 March 2002. Over the entire ∼480-km flight line a correlation coefficient of r2 = 0.85 results from regression of the airborne laser data against the MODIS FLH. It is also shown that the MODIS FLH product is not influenced by blue-absorbing chromophoric dissolved organic matter absorption. These regional results strongly suggest that the FLH methodology is equally valid within similar oceanic provinces of the global oceans.