cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of hospital special-ventilation-room pressures.

Objective:To quantitate the magnitude and consistency of positive (airflow out) and negative (airflow in) hospital special-ventilation-room (SVR) airflow.Design:A room-pressure evaluation was conducted during two seasons on a total of 18 rooms: standard rooms, airborne infection isolation rooms, and protective environment rooms. The pressures were measured using a digital pressure gaugepiezoresistive pressure sensor that measured pressure differentials. With doors closed, the rooms were measured a minimum of 30 times each for a cooling season and a heating season.Results:The standard rooms showed the least amount of variability in pressure differential, with an average of −0.2 Pa (median, −0.2 Pa), and an interquartile range (IQR) of 0.4 Pa. Airborne infection isolation rooms showed more variability in pressure, with an average of −0.3 Pa (median, −0.2 Pa) and an IQR of 0.5 Pa. Protective environment rooms had the greatest fluctuation in pressure, with an average of 8.3 Pa (median, 7.7 Pa) and an IQR of 8.8 Pa. Dramatic pressure changes were observed during this evaluation, which may have been influenced by room architectural differences (sealed vs unsealed); heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning zone interactions; and stack effect.Conclusion:The pressure variations noted in this study, which potentially affect containment or exclusion of contaminants, support the need for standardization of pressure requirements for SVRs. To maintain consistent pressure levels, creating an airtight seal and continuous pressure monitoring may be necessary.
A proof of the Morse-Bott Lemma

Abstract It is often said that the Morse-Bott Lemma can be viewed as a “parameterized” Morse Lemma, and its proof should follow from the differentiability of the methods used to prove the Morse Lemma. The goal of this expository paper is to fill in the details. We present Palais' proof of the Morse Lemma using Moser's path method, which yields the necessary differentiability.
New insight into enhanced superconductivity in metals near the metal-insulator transition.

We have studied the transport properties of disordered WSi films near the metal/insulator transition (MIT) and we have also reviewed the data for several other disordered materials near their MIT. In all cases, we found the presence of enhanced superconductivity. We constructed a superconductivity ``phase diagram'' (i.e., ${T}_{c}$ versus $\ensuremath{\sigma}$) for each system, which reveals a striking correlation: In all cases, ${T}_{c}$ values are significantly enhanced only for samples whose conductivities lie within a narrow range on the metallic side of, and moderately near, the MIT. We present a heuristic model to explain this phenomenon.
Ethanol-induced suppression of LTP can be attenuated with an angiotensin IV analog.

Abstract Hippocampal slices taken from animals chronically or acutely treated with ethanol exhibit significant inhibition of long-term potentiation (LTP). This inhibition appears to be associated with impaired activity of N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors, perhaps via ethanol-induced increases in GABAergic synaptic transmission. Recently, a role for the octapeptide angiotensin II (AngII) in ethanol's inhibition of LTP has been reported. Complementary to these findings our laboratory has shown that the application of the hexapeptide metabolite of AngII, angiotensin IV (AngIV), significantly facilitated normal tetanic-induced LTP in the hippocampal slice. This facilitation is presumably by activation of the angiotensin receptor subtype, AT 4 . The present study tested whether an AT 4 receptor agonist could overcome ethanol-induced suppression of LTP. The results indicate that Nle 1 -AngIV could offset ethanol-induced suppression of LTP in the CA 1 region of the hippocampus. Pretreatment with the specific AT 4 receptor antagonist Nle 1 ,Leual 3 -AngIV blocked this facilitation implicating the involvement of the AT 4 receptor subtype. These results suggest that an AT 4 receptor agonist is effective in overcoming ethanol's suppressing influence on LTP, and encourage further investigation of the cognitive enhancing properties of such compounds.
Tagging the rice transcriptome.

Analysis of ∼50 million expressed sequence tags in rice reveals a complex collection of RNA species.
Chicoric acid: chemistry, distribution, and production

Though chicoric acid was first identified in 1958, it was largely ignored until recent popular media coverage cited potential health beneficial properties from consuming food and dietary supplements containing this compound. To date, plants from at least 63 genera and species have been found to contain chicoric acid, and while the compound is used as a processing quality indicator, it may also have useful health benefits. This review of chicoric acid summarizes research findings and highlights gaps in research knowledge for investigators, industry stakeholders, and consumers alike. Additionally, chicoric acid identification, and quantification methods, biosynthesis, processing improvements to increase chicoric acid retention, and potential areas for future research are discussed.
The Instanton Induced Superpotential in Supersymmetric {QCD}

Abstract In massless supersymmetric QCD, with N colors and N ƒ flavors, innstantons have been shown to give rise to a superpotential. The form of the superpotential is uniquely determined by the symmetries of the theory, leaving only a numerical coefficient undetermined. In this paper we explicitly perform the instanton calculation to calculate the value of this coefficient.
Idiopathic and diabetic skeletal muscle necrosis: evaluation by magnetic resonance imaging

Idiopathic and diabetic-associated muscle necrosis are similar, uncommon clinical entities requiring conservative management and minimal intervention to avoid complications and prolonged hospitalization. An early noninvasive diagnosis is therefore essential. We evaluated the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of muscle necrosis in 14 patients, in eight of whom the diagnoses were confirmed histologically. Two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists performed retrospective evaluations of the MRI studies of 14 patients with the diagnoses of skeletal muscle infarction. In 10 cases gadolinium-enhanced (T1-weighted fat-suppressed) sequences were available along with T1-weighted, T2-weighted images and STIR sequences, while in four cases contrast-enhanced images were not available. Eight patients had underlying diabetes and in six patients the cause of the myonecrosis was considered idiopathic. T1-weighted images demonstrated isointense swelling of the involved muscle, with mildly displaced fascial planes. There was effacement of the fat signal intensity within the muscle. Fat-suppressed T2-weighted images showed diffuse heterogeneous high signal intensity in the muscles suggestive of edema. Perifascial fluid collection was seen in eight cases. Subcutaneous edema was present in seven patients. Following intravenous gadolinium administration, MRI demonstrated a focal area of heterogeneously enhancing mass with peripheral enhancement. Within this focal lesion, linear dark areas were seen with serpentine enhancing streaks separating them in eight cases. In two cases, a central relatively nonenhancing mass with irregular margins and peripheral enhancement was noted. The peripheral enhancement involved a significant part of the muscle. No focal fluid collection was noted. We believe that the constellation of imaging findings on T1- and T2-weighted images and post-gadolinium sequences is highly suggestive of muscle necrosis. We consider certain specific findings on gadolinium-enhanced images to be characteristic. The findings reported here should provide radiologists with useful information in making the diagnosis of skeletal muscle necrosis without resorting to invasive procedures.
A Pilot Study on Acquiring Metric Temporal Constraints for Events

Previous research on temporal anchoring and ordering has focused on the annotation and learning of temporal relations between events. These qualitative relations can be usefully supplemented with information about metric constraints, specifically as to how long events last. This paper describes the first steps in acquiring metric temporal constraints for events. The work is carried out in the context of the TimeML framework for marking up events and their temporal relations. This pilot study examines the feasibility of acquisition of metric temporal constraints from corpora.
A note on locally constant income elasticities

Abstract A simple proof of Willig's theorem that all non-unitary income elasticities that are constant must be equal to one another is given. It is also shown that multiplicatively separable demand implies locally constant income elasticity.
Flow in lymphatic networks: interaction between hepatic and intestinal lymph vessels.

Objective:Lymph from both the liver and intestine flows into the cisterna chyli. We hypothesized that increasing liver lymph flow would increase cisterna chyli pressure and, thereby, decrease intestinal lymph flow, potentiating intestinal edema formation. Methods:Anesthetized dogs were instrumented to measure and manipulate portal vein pressure and cisterna chyli pressure. The effects of directly increasing portal pressure with and without directly increasing cisterna chyli pressure on intestinal wet-to-dry ratio and intestinal ascites formation rate were determined. Target values for portal and cisterna chyli pressures were determined following elevation of inferior vena caval pressure to levels seen in patients with obstructive caval disease. Results:Direct elevation of portal pressure (Pport) alone to 17.5 mm Hg caused a significant increase in intestinal wet-to-dry ratio (3.98 ± 0.24 vs. 3.40 ± 0.43) and the rate of ascites formation (0.36 ± 0.12 vs. 0.05 ± 0.03 mL/g dry wt/h). Simultaneous direct ele...
Photodissociation of iron-pyrene and iron-perylene cation complexes

Abstract Gas-phase cation complexes between iron atoms and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pyrene (C 16 H 10 ) and perylene (C 20 H 12 ) are produced in a molecular beam using laser vaporization in a pulsed nozzle cluster source. Mass spectrometry reveals the formation of clusters of the form Fe x (pyrene) y + for up to x = 4 and y = 2 and Fe x (perylene) y + for up to x = 2 and y = 3. Photodissociation studies show that the PAH ligand molecular cation is the most prominent fragment for each system. In both systems, species with more than one iron present fragment by the loss of neutral iron atoms. Additionally, there is evidence that these clusters form sandwich and multi-metal sandwich structures.
A study of amorphous molecular dispersions of indomethacin and its sodium salt

Abstract Amorphous solid dispersions of indomethacin (IMC) and sodium indomethacin (NaIMC) over a range of compositions were prepared by physically mixing amorphous IMC and amorphous NaIMC, as well as by coprecipitation from methanol solution. Measurement of glass transition temperatures, T g , for the physical mixtures revealed two values indicating, as expected, phase separation. In contrast, all samples of coprecipitated materials exhibited one value of T g , which was greater than that predicted for ideal miscibility in the formation of a molecular dispersion. Such nonideality suggests a stronger acid‐salt interaction in the amorphous state than that between acid‐acid and salt‐salt. FTIR spectroscopic analysis provides evidence for interactions between NaIMC and IMC through a combination of hydrogen bonding and ion‐dipole interactions between the carboxylic group of the acid and the carboxylate anion of the salt. The inhibition of isothermal crystallization of IMC by NaIMC only when in molecular dispersion is believed to result from the interaction between the acid and the salt, which prevents the formation of hydrogen‐bonded carboxylic acid dimers for IMC, required for the formation of crystal nuclei and crystallization. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 90:1991–2004, 2001
Plastic flow under multiaxial cyclic loading

An experimental study of the inelastic behavior of annealed aluminum alloy 6061-T6 tubular specimens subjected to combined axial and torsional stress cycles is presented. Particular attention is paid to the question of how plastic strain is developed and how the yield surface moves along the 90-deg out-of-phase stress cycle. Experimental results agree qualitatively with the predictions of the two-surface plasticity theory.
The Range of Motor Activation in the Normal Human Cortex Using Bold fMRI

Understanding and documenting the nature of normal human brain functional motor activation using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is necessary, if valid statements are to be made about normal and disease functional states using fMRI activation maps. The present study examines activation maps in ’normal‘ adults. Six healthy adult volunteers performed three motor tasks isolating the tongue, non-dominant foot, and non-dominant thumb during a single magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/(fMRI) scanning session. Group maps demonstrated discrete areas of activation that were task dependent. The degree of variability between the anatomical central location of global maximum intensity for each individual may mean extra care should be applied when using the global maximum to define the area of activation. These differences may represent anatomical variability among individuals, task complexity, paradigm design, data analysis techniques or a combination thereof, which form the basis of our ongoing research endeavors. Standard notions of strongly associated functions as related to anatomic foci may need to be revised.
The Gly(972)Arg Variant of Human IRS1 Gene Is Associated With Variation in Glomerular Filtration Rate Likely Through Impaired Insulin Receptor Signaling

The objective of this study is to identify and characterize the genetic variants related to the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) linkage on 2q37. Of the positional candidate genes, we selected IRS1 and resequenced its 2-kb promoter region and exons for sequence variants in 32 subjects. A total of 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. To comprehensively cover the 59-kb-long intron-1, eight additional tagging SNPs were selected from the HapMap. All the 19 SNPs were genotyped by TaqMan Assay in the entire data set (N = 670; 39 families). Association analyses between the SNPs and GFR and type 2 diabetes–related traits were performed using the measured genotype approach. Of the SNPs examined for association, only the Gly(972)Arg variant of IRS1 exhibited a significant association with GFR (P = 0.0006) and serum triglycerides levels (P = 0.003), after accounting for trait-specific covariate effects. Carriers of Arg972 had significantly decreased GFR values. Gly(972)Arg contributed to 26% of the linkage signal on 2q. Expression of IRS1 mutant Arg972 in human mesangial cells significantly reduced the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of IRS1 and Akt kinase. Taken together, the data provide the first evidence that genetic variation in IRS1 may influence variation in GFR probably through impaired insulin receptor signaling.
Programmatic effects to modify sources of financial support among Hispanic teenage mothers

Abstract This study evaluates whether a randomized school-based intervention for adolescent teenage mothers successfully helped participants achieve better financial independence and economic prospects. Project Mothers and Schools (PMAS) is an initiative intended to modify attitudes and beliefs related to self-sufficiency, parenting, educational goals and achievement, career goals, health behaviors, and interpersonal relationships with family members. PMAS participants were surveyed at baseline and 12 months after intervention enrollment to evaluate the receipt of financial support from 11 sources. The 48 “core group” participants received a basic level of services, whereas the 43 “core-plus group” participants received the same basic services and additional enhanced services. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to identify statistically significant changes in participant responses from baseline to 12 months post-intervention. Both groups reported higher levels of employment 12 months post-intervention compared to baseline (z = − 3.162, p = 0.002 and z = − 2.646, p = 0.008, respectively). The core-plus group used more Food Stamps (z = − 2.673, p = 0.008) and reported receiving more child support (z = 2.236, p = 0.025) 12 months post-intervention versus baseline. PMAS benefited all participants by promoting employment 12 months post-intervention versus baseline. The enhanced services offered to the core-plus group appeared to also increase participant access to Food Stamps and child support, sources which assist participants down the path toward eventual financial independence.
The GHS inequality and the Riemann hypothesis

LetV(t) be the even function on (−∞, ∞) which is related to the Riemann xi-function by Ξ(x/2)=4∫−∞∞ exp(ixt−V(t))dt. In a proof of certain moment inequalities which are necessary for the validity of the Riemann Hypothesis, it was previously shown thatV'(t)/t is increasing on (0, ∞). We prove a stronger property which is related to the GHS inequality of statistical mechanics, namely thatV' is convex on [0, ∞). The possible relevance of the convexity ofV' to the Riemann Hypothesis is discussed.
Interactions between malaria parasites infecting the same vertebrate host

Several species of malarial protozoans commonly parasitize the same host population and often the same individual host. This paper reviews the evidence for interactions among such host-sharing parasites. Field studies measuring the cross-sectional prevalence of malarial species often record fewer mixed infections than expected by chance, suggesting that one parasite has excluded another or suppressed its parasitaemia to undetectable levels. Prevalences may vary reciprocally between seasons, with one species increasing in prevalence while another decreases, despite parallel increases in the transmission rates of both, again suggesting suppression of one species by another. However, longitudinal studies of individual hosts indicate that malarial parasites may also favourably affect the host environment for each other, perhaps due to their depressive effect on the immune system: this is shown by the recrudescence of a latent malarial species immediately before or after the parasitic wave of another species. The suppression hypothesis is supported by data derived from the simultaneous inoculation of two Plasmodium species into laboratory animals; many studies have shown that one or both species are suppressed. This may be mediated by competition for host cells or nutrients, or by heterologous immunity. However, the suppressed species rebounds after the other species has abated, and may show a prolonged infection. Experimental evidence that one species can facilitate the recrudescence of another is minimal, but this may reflect the paucity of investigations of this phenomenon. Laboratory studies show only minor cross-resistance between host-sharing species, which is consistent with the hypothesis that their co-occurrence has led to antigenic divergence or that species showing strong heterologous resistance cannot co-exist in the same host population. Such complementarity occurs not only with the host immune response but also with many other life-history characteristics of host-sharing parasites, such as host cell preference. I conclude that malarial species have been important in each other's evolution, particularly in the tropics where multi-species complexes are common.
Simulation of Paraequilibrium Growth in Multicomponent Systems

A methodology to simulate paraequilibrium (PE) growth in multicomponent systems using the DIC-TRA (Diffusion-Controlled Transformation) software is presented. For any given multicomponent system containing substitutional and interstitial elements, the basic approach is to define a hypothetical element Z, whose thermodynamic and mobility parameters are expressed in terms of the weighted average (with respect to site fraction) of the thermodynamic parameters and mobilities of the substitutional alloying elements. This procedure facilitates the calculation of PE phase diagrams and the PE growth simulations directly in the Thermo-Calc and DICTRA software, respectively. The results of two distinct case studies in multicomponent alloys are presented. In the first example, we simulate the isothermal growth of PE cementite in an Fe-C-Co-Cr-Mo-Ni secondary hardening steel during tempering. This is of practical importance in modeling the carbide precipitation kinetics during secondary hardening. In the second example, we have presented the results of PE ferrite growth during continuous cooling from an intercritical temperature in an Fe-Al-C-Mn-Si low-alloy steel. This is of importance to the design of triple-phase steels containing an austenite that has optimum stability, to facilitate stress-induced transformation under dynamic loading. The results of both simulations are in good accord with experimental results. The model calculations do not consider any resistive or dissipative forces, such as the interfacial energy, strain energy, or solute drag, and, as a result, the interface velocities represent an upper limit under the available chemical driving force.
The Study of Politics in Germany: A Bibliometric Analysis of Subfields and Methods

In this article, we present an inventory of the published articles in two German political science journals: the Politische Vierteljahresschrift (PVS) and the Zeitschrift fur Politikwissenschaft (ZPol, formerly Jahrbuch fur Politik) from 1960 to 2003 and from 1994 to 2003, respectively. Our focus is on the methodological orientations of the articles and the coverage of thematic subfields of political science. The resulting analysis shows that until the 1990s, German political science (as presented in these journals) was mainly non-comparative, non-quantitative, theoretical and inward-oriented. For one of the two journals, this long-term trend has significantly changed since the 1990s.
New ARV drugs

There are 28 approved antiretroviral drugs for the treatment of HIV infection; combinations of these drugs clearly change the natural history of HIV, dramatically decreasing HIV-related morbidity and mortality and promoting and prolonging healthy survival. Despite the benefits of HIV treatment, some antiretroviral regimens may be inconvenient, toxic, and/or have suboptimal antiretroviral activity, particularly against drug-resistant viral strains. Thus, newer compounds are needed that continue to improve convenience and tolerability, reduce toxicity, and improve antiretroviral activity, particularly against drug-resistant viruses. Additionally, newer drugs may better penetrate tissue reservoirs (e.g. genital tract, central nervous system) and/or exploit new viral or cellular targets with new mechanisms of action. In addition to the direct antiretroviral action, some investigational agents may target inflammation and/or immune responses. Finally, newer formulations of antiretroviral agents may allow additional options for one-pill, once-daily dosing or allow less frequent dosing than once-daily, perhaps as infrequently as once-monthly or once-quarterly parenteral dosing. There are a number of investigational antiretroviral agents currently in development. These include newer antiretroviral agents in existing classes, including new nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, integrase inhibitors, and entry inhibitors. Of those in the pipeline, a few compounds are in advanced stages of development: Tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) is a nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor currently in phase 3 that is potent and potentially less toxic than the current TDF formulation. Doravirine (formerly MK-1439) is a non-nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor currently in phase 2 that demonstrates activity against NNRTI-resistant viral strains. GSK ‘744 is an integrase inhibitor currently in phase 2, being developed in a long-acting preparation. In addition there are investigational drugs with new mechanisms of action in development: BMS-663,068, is a small molecule CD4 attachment inhibitor that completed phase 1 testing. Cenicriviroc is a novel CCR5/CCR2 antagonist currently in phase 3 that offers both antiretroviral activity and the potential for an anti-inflammatory effect (through CCR2 antagonism). A number of other compounds are in earlier stages of pre-clinical and clinical development. The clinical use of these newer agents and formulations will depend on the results of clinical trials, and the timeline for development and availability. Continued progress in HIV drug development will allow improvements in the clinical care of patients living with HIV infection.
Comparison of dynamic properties of canal-evoked vestibulospinal reflexes of the neck and forelimb in the decerebrate cat

The responses of neck and forelimb muscles to sinusoidal polarization of the horizontal canal nerve were compared by recording from these muscles simultaneously. Contrary to results on the vestibulocollic reflex, the central phase lag in the vestibulo-forelimb reflex increases with increasing frequencies up to 3 Hz. This demonstrates a difference in the organization of vestibular-driven pathways to neck and forelimb muscles.
Strength Degradation in Polycrystalline Alumina Due to Sharp‐Particle Impact Damage

Sharp-particle impact damage in five aluminas, varying in purity, grain size, and porosity, was studied, and postimpact strengths were determined. Target specimens were subjected to single-particle impacts using a gas gun and multiparticle impacts using a slinger-type apparatus. For comparison, static indentation damage in the same aluminas was studied using a Vickers microhardness indenter. For the fine-grained materials the impact damage morphology was characterized by severe radial cracking and lateral chipping; the coarse-grained materials exhibited chipping and grain fall-out and very irregular radial crack patterns. The postimpact and postindentation fracture strength was modeled by assuming that the materials exhibited crack resistance toughening. Based on these results, fracture resistance curves (R curves) for each of the five aluminas were predicted and compared. The large-grained aluminas exhibited the strongest R-curve behavior and the greatest impact resistance; i.e., strength degradation was least sensitive to impacting energy.
Collaborative data visualization for earth sciences with the OptIPuter

Collaborative visualization of large-scale datasets across geographically distributed sites is becoming increasingly important for Earth Sciences. Not only does it enhance our understanding of the geological systems, but also enables near-real-time scientific data acquisition and exploration across distant locations. While such a collaborative environment is feasible with advanced optical networks and resource sharing in the form of Grid, many technical challenges remain: (1) on-demand discovery, selection and configuration of supporting end and network resources; (2) construction of applications on heterogeneous, distributed environments; and (3) use of novel exotic transport protocols to achieve high performance. To address these issues, we describe the multi-layered OptIPuter middleware technologies, including simple resource abstractions, dynamic network provisioning, and novel data transport services. In this paper, we present an evaluation of the first integrated prototype of the OptIPuter system software recently demonstrated at iGrid 2005, which successfully supports real-time collaborative visualizations of 3D multigigabyte earth science datasets.
Properties of Cloned and Expressed Human RNase H1

We have characterized cloned His-tag human RNase H1. The activity of the enzyme exhibited a bell-shaped response to divalent cations and pH. The optimum conditions for catalysis consisted of 1 mM Mg(2+) and pH 7-8. In the presence of Mg(2+), Mn(2+) was inhibitory. Human RNase H1 shares many enzymatic properties with Escherichia coli RNase H1. The human enzyme cleaves RNA in a DNA-RNA duplex resulting in products with 5'-phosphate and 3'-hydroxy termini, can cleave overhanging single strand RNA adjacent to a DNA-RNA duplex, and is unable to cleave substrates in which either the RNA or DNA strand has 2' modifications at the cleavage site. Human RNase H1 binds selectively to "A-form"-type duplexes with approximately 10-20-fold greater affinity than that observed for E. coli RNase H1. The human enzyme displays a greater initial rate of cleavage of a heteroduplex-containing RNA-phosphorothioate DNA than an RNA-DNA duplex. Unlike the E. coli enzyme, human RNase H1 displays a strong positional preference for cleavage, i.e. it cleaves between 8 and 12 nucleotides from the 5'-RNA-3'-DNA terminus of the duplex. Within the preferred cleavage site, the enzyme displays modest sequence preference with GU being a preferred dinucleotide. The enzyme is inhibited by single-strand phosphorothioate oligonucleotides and displays no evidence of processivity. The minimum RNA-DNA duplex length that supports cleavage is 6 base pairs, and the minimum RNA-DNA "gap size" that supports cleavage is 5 base pairs.
Systemic lupus erythematosus: A role for anti-receptor antibodies?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is considered by many to represent the best example of human disease where immune complexes play a primary role in the pathogenesis. SLE is thought to have an autoimmune basis; a conclusion based largely upon the propensity of these patients to form antibodies to cell nuclear components. The etiology of SLE remains unknown, as does the mechanism by which nuclear components are rendered autoantigenic. Here we present an argument for considering SLE as an antireceptor autoimmune disease, analogous to Graves' disease or myasthenia gravis. The proposed target of autoimmune attack, the estrogen receptor (ER), is normally resident in the nucleus, physiologically more active in women, and shed from hormonally responsive tissues during the course of the menstrual cycle. Autoantigenicity of ER is enhanced in SLE patients owing to a biochemical abnormality of estrogen metabolism which favors ligand occupancy of the receptor. The spectrum of anti-nuclear antibodies characteristic of SLE arises via normally functioning immune network regulatory mechanisms.
Further developments in binocular summation

This paper reviews experiments that bear on the issue of binocular summation, the superiority of binocular over monocular viewing on various visual tasks covering studies published since the appearance of a previous review of this literature by Blake and Fox (1973). The experiments are grouped into three main categories—those that deal with the specificity of binocular summation (i.e., the extent to which inputs to the two eyes must coincide spatially and temporally), those that study binocular summation on suprathreshold tasks, and those that correlate binocular summation with other aspects of binocular function. The last section of the paper critically reviews several models of binocular summation.
Seizures in Fragile X Syndrome: Characteristics and Comorbid Diagnoses.

Abstract A national survey of caregivers of individuals with fragile X syndrome addressed characteristics of epilepsy and co-occurring conditions. Of the 1,394 individuals (1,090 males and 304 females) with the full mutation, 14% of males and 6% of females reported seizures. Seizures were more often partial, began between ages 4 and 10 years, and were infrequent and easily treated. Similar characteristics and patterns were seen in medical chart review data from a large clinic cohort of patients with fragile X syndrome. National survey data showed that autism was significantly associated with seizures as a co-occurring condition. Although seizures in fragile X syndrome are typically not severe and easily treated with medications, they appear to be associated with developmental–behavioral comorbidity that impacts function.
Toward a model for lexical access based on acoustic landmarks and distinctive features

This article describes a model in which the acoustic speech signal is processed to yield a discrete representation of the speech stream in terms of a sequence of segments, each of which is described by a set (or bundle) of binary distinctive features. These distinctive features specify the phonemic contrasts that are used in the language, such that a change in the value of a feature can potentially generate a new word. This model is a part of a more general model that derives a word sequence from this feature representation, the words being represented in a lexicon by sequences of feature bundles. The processing of the signal proceeds in three steps: (1) Detection of peaks, valleys, and discontinuities in particular frequency ranges of the signal leads to identification of acoustic landmarks. The type of landmark provides evidence for a subset of distinctive features called articulator-free features (e.g., [vowel], [consonant], [continuant]). (2) Acoustic parameters are derived from the signal near the landmarks to provide evidence for the actions of particular articulators, and acoustic cues are extracted by sampling selected attributes of these parameters in these regions. The selection of cues that are extracted depends on the type of landmark and on the environment in which it occurs. (3) The cues obtained in step (2) are combined, taking context into account, to provide estimates of “articulator-bound” features associated with each landmark (e.g., [lips], [high], [nasal]). These articulator-bound features, combined with the articulator-free features in (1), constitute the sequence of feature bundles that forms the output of the model. Examples of cues that are used, and justification for this selection, are given, as well as examples of the process of inferring the underlying features for a segment when there is variability in the signal due to enhancement gestures (recruited by a speaker to make a contrast more salient) or due to overlap of gestures from neighboring segments.
Regulation of human calcitonin gene transcription by cyclic AMP

Transcription of the human calcitonin (CT) gene is markedly increased by cAMP in the TT line of medullary thyroid carcinoma. This response is conferred by 5' flanking DNA sequences located between -132 and -252 relative to the transcription initiation site. Within this region are an upstream cyclic AMP response element (CRE), a downstream CRE flanked by two octamer motifs, and two adjacent C-rich AP2-like sequences. In transfection experiments in TT cells, the downstream CRE, combined with CT promoter sequences, generated 70% of the maximal cAMP response. The upstream CRE and the C-rich elements conferred 10 and 30% of this response, respectively. In gel mobility shift assays, specific TT cell proteins bound to each of these sequences. Therefore, the cAMP response of the CT gene is complex, requiring multiple elements acting in concert.
The Role of Ubiquitination in Drosophila Innate Immunity

Infection of Drosophila by Gram-negative bacteria triggers a signal transduction pathway (the IMD pathway) culminating in the expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides. A key component in this pathway is a Drosophila IκB kinase (DmIKK) complex, which stimulates the cleavage and activation of the NF-κB transcription factor Relish. Activation of the DmIKK complex requires the MAP3K dTAK1, but the mechanism of dTAK1 activation is not understood. In human cells, the activation of TAK1 and IKK requires the human ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes Ubc13 and UEV1a. Here we demonstrate that the Drosophila homologs of Ubc13 and UEV1a are similarly required for the activation of dTAK1 and the DmIKK complex. Surprisingly, we find that the Drosophila caspase DREDD and its partner dFADD are required for the activation of DmIKK and JNK, in addition to their role in Relish cleavage. These studies reveal an evolutionarily conserved role of ubiquitination in IKK activation, and provide new insights into the hierarchy of signaling components in the Drosophila antibacterial immunity pathway.
Performance of the dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine test in predicting respiratory distress syndrome in contaminated samples of amniotic fluid.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of the dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine test in predicting respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in the presence of common contaminants of amniotic fluid. Methods: Forty specimens of amniotic fluid collected within 72 hours of delivery were divided in five 25 μL aliquots and diluted with either phosphate-buffered saline (control), meconium, blood, vaginal fluid, or semen. The concentration of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine in all five groups of samples, as measured by the dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine test, was compared by paired t test, Dunnett test, and analysis of variance, and correlated with the neonatal respiratory status of the newborns. Results: No significant differences in the concentration of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine were found between control and the corresponding contaminated samples ( P = .33). Of the 200 samples evaluated, 80 had dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine concentrations below 12 μg/mL and 120 had at least 12 μg/mL. Using a cutoff dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine concentration of 12 μg/mL, the presence of RDS was predicted accurately in all 15 control and in 61 of 65 contaminated samples. The absence of RDS, as predicted by a dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine value at least 12 μg/mL, was predicted accurately in 24 of 25 control samples and 96 of 100 contaminated samples. The overall accuracy of the dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine test in predicting RDS in contaminated samples was 98%. Conclusion: The dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine test is a reliable predictor of RDS in contaminated samples.
Isotopic Abundances of Silicon in Four Red Giants

High-resolution spectra near 4 μm of the four red giants—β Peg,o1 Ori, 10 Dra, and HR 1105—have been analysed to obtain estimates of the28Si/29Si and28Si/30Si abundance ratios. For βPeg and the S star HR 1105, the28Si/29Si ratio is close to the solar ratio (28Si/29Si=20).29Si appears to be underabundant in the MS staro1 Ori (28Si/29Si=40) and the M star 10 Dra (28Si/29Si∼53). The30Si isotope appears to be underabundant by, perhaps, about a factor of 2 in all four stars.
A theoretical and experimental evaluation of the microangiographic fluoroscope: A high-resolution region-of-interest x-ray imager

Purpose: The increasing need for better image quality and high spatial resolution for successful endovascular image-guided interventions (EIGIs) and the inherent limitations of the state-of-the-art detectors provide motivation to develop a detector system tailored to the specific, demanding requirements of neurointerventional applications.Method: A microangiographic fluoroscope (MAF) was developed to serve as a high-resolution, region-of-interest (ROI) x-ray imaging detector in conjunction with large lower-resolution full field-of-view (FOV) state-of-the-art x-ray detectors. The newly developed MAF is an indirect x-ray imaging detector capable of providing real-time images (30 frames per second) with high-resolution, high sensitivity, no lag and low instrumentation noise. It consists of a CCD camera coupled to a Gen 2 dual-stage microchannel plate light image intensifier (LII) through a fiber-optic taper. A 300 μm thick CsI(Tl) phosphor serving as the front end is coupled to the LII. The LII is the key component of the MAF and the large variable gain provided by it enables the MAF to operate as a quantum-noise-limited detector for both fluoroscopy and angiography.Results: The linear cascade model was used to predict the theoretical performance of the MAF, and the theoretical prediction showed close agreement with experimental findings. Linear system metrics such as MTF and DQE were used to gauge the detector performance up to 10 cycles∕mm. The measured zero frequency DQE(0) was 0.55 for an RQA5 spectrum. A total of 21 stages were identified for the whole imaging chain and each stage was characterized individually.Conclusions: The linear cascade model analysis provides insight into the imaging chain and may be useful for further development of the MAF detector. The preclinical testing of the prototype detector in animal procedures is showing encouraging results and points to the potential for significant impact on EIGIs when used in conjunction with a state-of-art flat panel detector (FPD).
Gingival/soft tissue abscess following subepithelial connective tissue graft for root coverage: report of three cases.

Background: The subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) is a predictable technique for root coverage. The small number of potential postoperative problems make SCTG the current treatment of choice for reversing gingival recession. Methods: The purpose of this article is to report three cases of complications after the use of an SCTG where an abscess occurred following the initial healing phase. The surgical technique that was used and the treatment that was provided for the abscesses are reported, and the possible causes of these complications are discussed. Results: The abscesses were treated conservatively, and no recurrence has been observed after treatment. Conclusions: Possible causes of the abscesses include "stitch abscess" or reaction to the suture material used for the submerged sutures, or a possible role of epithelium implanted during the procedure. The clinical outcome of the root coverage procedure was not affected. J Periodontol 2003;74:1676-1681.
Eligard® 6: A New Form of Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Abstract Objectives Luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists have become the mainstay for the treatment of advanced and metastatic prostate cancer (pCA) but are increasingly used in earlier stages of the disease for various indications. Eligard ® is a depot formulation of leuprolide acetate using the novel delivery system Atrigel ® . Eligard 6 is the first and only LHRH agonist commercially available that extends treatment for 6 mo. Methods This literature review evaluates the efficacy and tolerability of Eligard 6 and discusses its potential advantages and therapeutic applications. Results In a 12-mo open-label multicentre study, Eligard 6 rapidly suppressed testosterone levels to ≤50ng/dl in 97% of patients and ≤20ng/dl in 83% of patients. This was maintained during the course of the study; only one patient experienced a breakthrough testosterone escape. Eligard 6 had a comparable tolerability to the 1- and 3-mo formulations of Eligard. Hot flashes were the most common adverse event with the majority being of mild intensity. Eligard 6 offers practical advantages to patients and physicians in terms of convenience and patient comfort and has cost benefits for the health care system. Its ability to provide 6-mo testosterone suppression may be of particular interest in the (neo)adjuvant setting and/or in patients receiving intermittent therapy for biochemical failure after radical therapy. Conclusions Eligard 6 is a new LHRH agonist formulation that provides testosterone control for 6 mo and offers physicians the ability to tailor the management of pCA to the lifestyles of their patients.
The introduction of skin self-photography as a supplement to skin self-examination for the detection of skin cancer.

S kin cancer is themost common cancer in the United States. Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer, and data show that while only 20% of diagnosed patients have seen a dermatologist in the year before diagnosis, 63% have seen their primary care physician. Because primary care practice and training are less focused on skin cancers, and because wait times can be substantial for dermatologists, we propose the Photos in Cancer Surveillance (PICS) program to encourage patients to be more proactive in monitoring their skin with readily available technology. Skin self-examination (SSE) is widely promoted, and studies show that a patient’s perception of a changing mole can be significant. Total body photography has been useful in detecting early melanomas, and 1 study recommended providing patients with baseline photography in addition to SSE to facilitate early diagnosis. No literature specifically supports the use of skin self-photography (SSP) in detecting early melanoma, but the proliferation of smartphones and digital cameras makes SSP easy. While smartphone applications exist to help monitor skin lesions over time, we encourage patients to simply photograph nevi with their phone or camera. We offer additional instruction at the PICS program web site (www.picsprogram.org). If patients start simple SSP, they can choose to advance to apps if so inclined, but we believe our program fosters compliance. We hope the PICS program serves a role in detecting early melanoma, and we encourage patients to take more active roles in their health care.
Culture vs citizenship? A review and critique of will Kymlicka's multicultural citizenship

The article presents a review and critique of Will Kymlicka's Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights. I focus primarily on the normative elements and consequences of Kymlicka's theory and present an alternative to his liberal defence of group‐differentiated rights. In marked contrast to Kymlicka, I argue that to truly protect their cultures minority groups must forge closer ties with their respective states. Furthermore, I suggest that multicultural citizenship can only be achieved through a commitment by both majority and minority groups to toleration and respect for deep diversity. To be effective, multiculturalism should be considered to be an ordering principle of the regime.
Alterations in the initial portion of the signal-averaged QRS complex in acute myocardial infarction with ventricular tachycardia.

Abstract This study was designed to examine 2 hypotheses: that acute myocardial infarction (AMI) alters early cardiac activation measured by signal-averaging; and that the magnitude of abnormality of early activation may be greater in patients with post-AMI ventricular tachycardia (VT). We examined the root-mean square voltage amplitude in 10-ms intervals over the first 80-ms of the signal-averaged QRS complex. Data from 42 healthy volunteers were compared with those from 52 patients with previous AMI (24 anterior) but no VT and 46 post-AMI patients (33 anterior AMI) with recurrent sustained VT. Patients with VT differed from other post-AMI patients because of lower left ventricular ejection fraction, more frequent aneurysm formation and higher levels of ventricular ectopic activity. A significant decrease in initial voltage amplitude occurred at 30 to 40 ms after the beginning of the QRS in both anterior and inferior AMI patients compared with the normal group. A further significant decrease in initial amplitude occurred in VT patients both after anterior and inferior AMI. These differences persisted for the remainder of the 80-ms interval. These changes were weakly related to QRS duration (r = 0.45), ejection fraction (r = 0.50) and poorly correlated with the presence of Q waves On 12-lead electrocardiogram (r = 0.21). Direct endocardial catheter recordings performed in VT patients confirmed abnormalities of local septal activation after anterior and inferior AMI. An amplitude at 40 ms of