cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
5-HT1A/5-HT1B imaging in the evaluation of treatment response in Major Depressive Disorder.

1144 Objectives: Evaluate the efficacy of 5-HT1A/5-HT1B in the assessment of MDD Methods: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder that is diagnosed clinically by a constellation of 5 or more symptoms, including at least 1 of either depressed affect or anhedonia, over 2 or more weeks that leads to significant distress in occupational or social activities. This psychiatric disorder is estimated to affect 16.1 million people (6.7% of people aged 18+) in the United States, and approximately one-third of patients do not respond to traditional pharmacotherapy and cognitive therapy. Structural imaging methodologies have demonstrated low sensitivity and specificity in psychiatric disorders. In contrast, recent developments in positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals, especially 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor ligands, may offer new insights into disease characterization and treatment response. This educational exhibit will discuss the current literature on 5-HT1A/5-HT1B receptor imaging in the assessment of MDD. Results: Recent studies have utilized PET imaging to correlate 5-HT1A/5-HT1B receptor binding and binding potential to MDD. Relative to healthy controls, patients with MDD demonstrate higher levels of 5-HT1A binding potential across multiple regions of interest. In addition, greater uptake is associated with higher levels of psychic anxiety, remission, and familial transmission of MDD. Other studies have also demonstrated that both human and animal treatment responders (defined by improvement in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score) showed downregulation in 5-HT1A autoreceptor binding on PET imaging. Unlike 5-HT1A receptors, 5-HT1B receptors have been shown to exhibit lower binding potentials in patients with MDD when compared to healthy controls. Because it has been demonstrated that responders to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy present with an increase in 5-HT1B receptor binding post-treatment, some have hypothesized that pharmacotherapies modulating 5-HT1B receptor binding may be promising potential future treatment therapies. Therefore, we believe that future PET studies focusing on this topic, specifically 5-HT1B receptor binding, will yield potentially useful clinical information regarding MDD management. Conclusions: We have demonstrated that 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor imaging by PET is a priority in the future of MDD. Moving forward, we anticipate a major role for this neurotransmitter imaging modality in the research and clinical care for MDD patients.
Pharmacists’ Perceived Barriers to Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination: A Systematic Literature Review

About 45:000 cancers are linked to HPV each year in the United States alone. The HPV vaccine prevents cancer and is highly effective, yet vaccination coverage remains low. Pharmacies can play a meaningful role in increasing HPV vaccination access due to their availability and convenience. However, little is known about pharmacists' perceived barriers to HPV vaccination. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize existing literature on perceived barriers to administering HPV vaccination reported by pharmacists. Barriers identified from selected studies were synthesized and further grouped into patient, parental, (pharmacist's) personal, and system/organization barrier groups. Six studies were included in this review. The cost of the HPV vaccine, insurance coverage and reimbursement were commonly reported perceived barriers. Adolescent HPV vaccination barriers related to parental concerns, beliefs, and inadequate knowledge about the HPV vaccine. Perceived (pharmacist's) personal barriers were related to lack of information and knowledge about HPV vaccine and recommendations. At the system/organization level, barriers reported included lack of time/staff/space; difficulty in series completion; tracking and recall of patient; perceived competition with providers; and other responsibilities/vaccines taking precedence. Future strategies involving pharmacy settings in HPV-related cancer prevention efforts should consider research on multilevel pharmacy-driven interventions addressing barriers.
Unified RANS-LES Simulations of Turbulent Swirling Jets and Channel Flows

The accurate and efficient simulation of both attached and separated flows represents a huge challenge. RANS methods suffer from the lack of ability to simulate instantaneous turbulence structures, and LES methods are computationally very expensive regarding the simulation of wall-bounded flows, which have to be considered very often. A promising alternative is the use of hybrid RANS-LES methods, but existing hybrid methods like DES face many questions. The paper focuses on the use of unified RANS-LES methods implied by stochastic analysis as an alternative to using existing hybrid RANS-LES methods. The theoretical basis of the approach applied and applications to turbulent channel flows and turbulent swirling jet flows will be presented. The accuracy and cost features of the unified RANS-LES model will be discussed in comparison with other (in particular DES) hybrid methods.
Reconfigurable Teams: Cooperative Goal Seeking with Self-Reconfigurable Robots

Self-reconfigurable (SR) robots have been developed with the promise of enabling a wide range of abilities within a single hardware system. Particularly in the context of locomotion, SR robots may be able to traverse a wider range of environments than traditional legged or wheeled robots. Additionally, with a large number of modules, the system may be able to divide to explore areas in parallel and recombine to make larger, more capable groups. However, the choice of how to divide and merge these “reconfigurable teams” to most effectively solve tasks such as exploration of unknown terrain remains unanswered. This exploration problem can be seen as a superset of traditional multi-robot exploration, as robots must not only choose places to visit but also may coordinate to dynamically adjust the number of entities in the team. In this paper, we present a state-based distributed control algorithm for entities within a reconfigurable team that uses local sensory information and a team model to choose actions within the environment. We show a set of empirical results from simulation that show how the best choice of strategy may depend on the nature of the environment.
Purification and characterization of poliovirus polypeptide 3CD, a proteinase and a precursor for RNA polymerase.

Abstract A cDNA clone encoding the 3CD proteinase (3CDpro) of poliovirus type 2 (Sabin), the precursor to proteinase 3Cpro and RNA polymerase 3Dpol, was expressed in bacteria by using a T7 expression system. Site-specific mutagenesis of the 3C/3D cleavage site was performed to generate active proteolytic precursors impaired in their ability to process themselves to 3Cpro and 3Dpol. Of these mutations, the exchange of the Thr residue at the P4 position of the 3C/3D cleavage site for a Lys residue (3CDpro T181K) resulted in a mutant polypeptide exhibiting the smallest amount of autoprocessing. This mutant was purified to 86% homogeneity and used for subsequent proteolytic studies. Purified 3CDproM (M designates the cleavage site mutant 3CDpro T181K) was capable of cleaving the P1 capsid precursor, a peptide representing the 2BC cleavage site, and the 2BC precursor polypeptide. Purified 3CDproM demonstrated the same detergent sensitivity in processing experiments with the capsid precursor as was observed by using P1 and crude extracts of poliovirus-infected HeLa cell lysates. Purified 3CDproM did not have any detectable RNA polymerase activity, whereas 3Dpol, separated from 3CDproM by gel filtration in the last step of purification, did. We conclude that 3CDproM can process both structural and nonstructural precursors of the poliovirus polyprotein and that it is active against a synthetic peptide substrate. Moreover, cleavage of 3CD to 3Dpol is needed to activate the 3D RNA polymerase.
Expression of type I iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Abstract The enzymes mediating the conversion of thyroxine to 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine have proved difficult to purify and characterize biochemically. In this report we describe the successful expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes of type I iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase. Oocytes injected with rat liver mRNA and then incubated for 5 days demonstrated a progressive increase in 5'-deiodinase activity. This activity: (a) manifested a Km for 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine of 0.24 microM, (b) was sensitive to inhibition by 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil, and (c) was associated with the membrane fraction of oocyte homogenates. Size fractionation of the mRNA by agarose gel electrophoresis under non-denaturing conditions resulted in the identification of a 1.5-2.0-kilobase fraction capable of inducing type I 5'-deiodinase activity. This oocyte assay system should provide a mechanism for identifying cDNA(s) encoding the enzymes involved in the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones.
A hybrid framework for detecting the semantics of concepts and context

Semantic understanding of multimedia content necessitates models for the semantics of concepts, context and structure. We propose a hybrid framework that can combine discriminant or generative models for concepts with generative models for structure and context. Using the TREC Video 2002 benchmark corpus we show that robust models can be built for several diverse visual semantic concepts. We use a novel factor graphical framework to model inter-conceptual context for 12 semantic concepts of the corpus. Using the sum-product algorithm [1] for approximate or exact inference in these factor graph multinets, we attempt to correct errors made during isolated concept detection by forcing high-level constraints. This results in a significant improvement in the overall detection performance. Enforcement of this probabilistic context model enhances the detection performance further to 22% using the global multinet, whereas its factored approximation also leads to improvement by 18% over the baseline concept detection. This improvement is achieved without using any additional training data or separate annotations.
Optimal Aggregate Production Strategies for Plants with Semifixed Operating Costs

Abstract Many plants have a semifixed operating cost which can be saved when the plant is shutdown. When demand is less than plant capacity production must be reduced to prevent inventory accumulation. Production strategies for matching production to demand are: (1) throttling the production to equal demand or, (2) producing at capacity rates and periodically shutting down to reduce inventories. This paper uses classical optimization techniques to develop optimal strategies for a single production line with semifixed operating costs and linear variable costs.
Megathrust splay faults at the focus of the Prince William Sound asperity, Alaska

[1] High-resolution sparker and crustal-scale air gun seismic reflection data, coupled with repeat bathymetric surveys, document a region of repeated coseismic uplift on the portion of the Alaska subduction zone that ruptured in 1964. This area defines the western limit of Prince William Sound. Differencing of vintage and modern bathymetric surveys shows that the region of greatest uplift related to the 1964 Great Alaska earthquake was focused along a series of subparallel faults beneath Prince William Sound and the adjacent Gulf of Alaska shelf. Bathymetric differencing indicates that 12 m of coseismic uplift occurred along two faults that reached the seafloor as submarine terraces on the Cape Cleare bank southwest of Montague Island. Sparker seismic reflection data provide cumulative Holocene slip estimates as high as 9 mm/yr along a series of splay thrust faults within both the inner wedge and transition zone of the accretionary prism. Crustal seismic data show that these megathrust splay faults root separately into the subduction zone decollement. Splay fault divergence from this megathrust correlates with changes in midcrustal seismic velocity and magnetic susceptibility values, best explained by duplexing of the subducted Yakutat terrane rocks above Pacific plate rocks along the trailing edge of the Yakutat terrane. Although each splay fault is capable of independent motion, we conclude that the identified splay faults rupture in a similar pattern during successive megathrust earthquakes and that the region of greatest seismic coupling has remained consistent throughout the Holocene.
Illness perceptions mediate the relationship between depression and quality of life in patients with epilepsy

The current study examined whether negative illness perceptions help explain the link between depression and quality of life. Seventy patients with epilepsy completed standardized self-report questionnaires measuring depression, illness perception, and quality of life (QOL). Illness perception statistically mediated the relationship between depression and QOL (Indirect effect (CI; confidence interval) = -.72, lower limit = -1.7, upper limit = -.22, p < .05). Results held with and without adjusting for potential confounding variables (age, sex, ethnicity, income, and seizure frequency) and when operationalizing depression as a continuous variable that indexed severity of symptoms or as a dichotomous variable that indexed criteria consistent with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder. This study is the first to suggest that illness perceptions may be a useful target in screening and intervention approaches in order to improve QOL among low-income, racially/ethnically diverse patients with epilepsy.
Metastases to the adrenal glands and the development of Addison's disease

Metastases to the adrenal glands are common in patients with cancer but symptomatic Addison's disease is rarely noted in this population. The development of body computerized tomography (CT) allows the diagnosis of adrenal metastases to be made more readily antemortem. From 1980 to 1981, 19% (4/21) of patients at the Massachusetts General Hospital who had metastatic cancer and who were noted to have enlarged adrenal glands on CT also had or developed symptomatic adrenal insufficiency. The case histories of 8 patients with Addison's disease and one patient with adrenal hemorrhage on the basis of metastatic infiltration are reviewed. Since adrenal insufficiency may develop abruptly in this group of patients, it is suggested that prophylactic maintenance glucocorticoid therapy be initiated as soon as the diagnosis of adrenal metastases is made.
Micro patterned quantum dots excitation and imaging for cellular microarray screening

Abstract We developed a colloidal quantum dot (QD)-based multicolor excitation light source array designed for compact lab-on-a-chip cell screening and imaging. We have demonstrated multicolor ex vivo transmission mode microscopy to evaluate the nucleus–cytoplasm ratios of cancer cells. We have also performed immunofluorescence excitation of two types of cancer cells (MDA-MB 435 and SKBR3) that are cultured in a microwell array to quantify the disease specific protein expression. Printed array of color filters and microwells were used to perform fluorescence excitation and measurement of the biomarkers. Our method provides patterned multicolor light sources at low-cost that are suitable for high-throughput microarray cellular screening.
Strabismus After Cataract Surgery

In addition to traditionally cited causes for strabismus after cataract surgery, myotoxicity from inadvertent intramuscular injection of the local anesthetic has become recognized as an infrequent ...
Minority nationalities in the Russian Baltic provinces: The 1881 Baltic census

The population of the Russian Baltic provinces during the second half of the nineteenth century experiences substantial growth and differentiation, though these dynamics are difficult to describe precisely because of the paucity of census data. The first Imperial census took place only in 1897; for earlier periods, provincial censuses have to be relied upon. The 1881 census of the Baltic provinces shows the difficulty of analyzing minority demography in an era when the concept of “minority” was seldom used and enumerators relied upon such classifications as language, religion, and social status. Though the Baltic provinces were leaders in the fertility transition in the Russian Empire, the picture at the level of “minorities” is mixed, underlining the need for additional longitudinal and cross-sectional research.
Fungi Subvert Vaccine T Cell Priming at the Respiratory Mucosa by Preventing Chemokine-Induced Influx of Inflammatory Monocytes

Summary Vaccinologists strive to harness immunity at mucosal sites of pathogen entry. We studied respiratory delivery of an attenuated vaccine against Blastomyces dermatitidis . We created a T cell receptor transgenic mouse responsive to vaccine yeast and found that mucosal vaccination led to poor T cell activation in the draining nodes and differentiation in the lung. Mucosal vaccination subverted lung T cell priming by inducing matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), which impaired the action of the chemokine CCL7 on egress of CCR2 + Ly6C hi inflammatory monocytes from the bone marrow and their recruitment to the lung. Studies in Mmp2 −/− mice, or treatment with MMP inhibitor or rCCL7, restored recruitment of Ly6C hi monocytes to the lung and CD4 + T cell priming. Mucosal vaccination against fungi and perhaps other respiratory pathogens may require manipulation of host MMPs in order to alter chemokine signals needed to recruit Ly6C hi monocytes and prime T cells at the respiratory mucosa.
Lattice baryons in the 1 / N expansion

Results are presented for hadron spectroscopy with gauge groups $SU(N)$ with $N=3$, 5, 7. Calculations use the quenched approximation. Lattice spacings are matched using the static potential. Meson spectra show independence on $N$ and vacuum-to-hadron matrix elements scale as $\sqrt{N}$. The baryon spectrum shows the excitation levels of a rigid rotor.
A characterization of weakest preconditions

If S is a set of states, a function f :2 S → 2 S is the “weakest precondition” map of somemechanism of bounded nondeterminacy if and only if it is strict, preserves binary intersections, and is continuous over directed sets. If S is countable, the continuity condition may be weakened to continuity over ω-chains.
Isoelectronic analogue of oxywater: a parametric two-electron reduced-density-matrix study of ammonia oxide

A parametrization of the two-electron reduced density matrix (2-RDM) provides energies that improve on the accuracy of coupled electron-pair theories including coupled cluster with single-double excitations at the computational cost of configuration interaction with single-double excitations [Mazziotti, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 253002 (2008)]. This parametric 2-RDM method was recently employed to study the isomerization of oxywater to hydrogen peroxide where it predicted a lower energy barrier from oxywater (2.1 kcal mol−1) than coupled cluster methods (4.2 kcal mol−1). In this paper we study an isoelectronic analogue, the isomerization of ammonia oxide to hydroxylamine. In the extrapolated basis-set limit, using the augmented correlation-consistent polarized valance quadruple-zeta (aug-cc-pVQZ) basis set, the parametric 2-RDM method predicts a 27.5 kcal mol−1 barrier from ammonia oxide to hydroxylamine. We report reaction energies, barriers, geometries, and natural-orbital occupation numbers for the ammonia...
Comparison of ALA and Photofrin in two rat glioma models

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) shows good promise as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of gliomas. PDT requires the use of a photosensitizer but there have been few studies in which they have been directly compared. Two rat brain glioma cell lines, BT4C and F98 were used to study the effects of Photofrin (PF) and aminolevulinic acid (ALA) as photosensitizers. Both compounds were able to sensitize cells to red light (635nm) however, PF treated (2.5 mg/ml) cells displayed more cell death than ALA treated (1 mM) cells. ALA-PDT treated cells did not have a block in the cell cycle while PF-PDT treated cells had a fluence dependent G1 block 24 hrs after treatment. The BT4C cell line also displayed a G2 cell cycle block. Both photosensitizers were able to induce apoptosis as measured by flow cytometry but only PF-PDT was able to induce necrosis at the fluence rates investigated (1-20 J/cm 2 ). These differences in cellular responses to ALA and
Physiological effects of boot weight and design on men and women firefighters

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two leather (L1, L2) and two rubber (R1, R2) boots on firefighters’ metabolic and respiratory variables during simulated firefighting tasks. Twenty-five men and 25 women, while wearing full turnout clothing, a 10.5-kg backpack, gloves, helmet, and one of four randomly assigned pairs of firefighter boots, walked for 6 min at 3 mph (4.8 km/hr) on a level treadmill while carrying a 9.5-kg hose and climbed a stair ergometer for 6 min at 45 steps per min without the hose. Minute ventilation ( E), absolute and relative oxygen consumption ( and ml.kg.min-1, respectively), CO2 production (), heart rate (HR), and peak inspiratory (PIF) and expiratory (PEF) flow rates were measured, and an average of the breath-by-breath data from minute 6 was used for analysis. During treadmill exercise, a 1-kg increase in boot weight caused significant (p < 0.05) increases in E (9%), (5 – 6%), (8%), and HR (6%) for men, whereas a 1-kg increase caused significant increases ...
Epidemiology of celiac disease: What are the prevalence, incidence, and progression of celiac disease?

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disorder induced by gluten proteins present in wheat, barley, and rye. Contrary to common belief, gluten enteropathy is a systemic disease rather than merely an ailment of the alimentary tract. Genetically susceptible persons develop autoimmune injury to the gut, skin, liver, joints, uterus, brain, heart, and other organs (Figure 1). The classical definition of CD included gastrointestinal manifestations (chronic diarrhea, failure to grow, weight loss, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, distention, and constipation), confirmed by a small bowel biopsy (SBB) with findings of villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia, and normalization of the villous architecture in response to a gluten-free diet. 1,2 Previously, CD was thought to be a disease primarily of infancy; however, with the widespread delay in introduction of wheat into the infant diet, the clinical manifestations have become more subtle, and diagnosis is now typically made in older children and adults. 3‐5 SBB is poorly accepted by a majority of patients with mild or no symptoms, and the pathologic examination of biopsy material is suboptimal in most settings. The use of SBB as a “gold standard” for diagnosis has significant limitations. It is occasionally false-negative because of patchy mucosal changes. Villous atrophy is often most severe in the proximal jejunum, typically not reached by endoscopic biopsy. This has led some to propose a new definition of CD, based on the presence of serum IgA autoantibodies to tissue transglutaminase (IgA TG) and HLA-DQB1*0201 or *0302 alelles. 6 These markers are increasingly used in screening for CD, but their true sensitivity and specificity are debatable. Although efforts to standardize IgA TG assays have been undertaken, 7,8 previous reports have likely overestimated the sensitivity and underestimated the specificity because of verification bias 9 caused by the lack of SBB studies in patients negative on TG screening.
Effects of l-asparagine and related compounds on the hepatic fatty infiltration and necrosis induced by ethionine and carbon tetrachloride

Abstract 1. In rats given ethionine or carbon tetrachloride, intraperitoneal injection of l -asparagjne fully protected against fatty infiltration of the liver. l -Asparagine did not prevent CCl 4 -induced hepatic necrosis. l -Glutamine and l -methionine also prevented fatty infiiltration after ethionine or CCl 4 , but l -aspartic and α-ketoglutaric acids did not. 2. Chromatographic analysis of the hepatic lipids after CCl 4 administration revealed that the intraperitoneal injection of l -asparagine had prevented the expected alterations in the fatty acid pattern indicative of lipid mobilization from adipose tissue. 3. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Analysis of long-term Elmiron therapy for interstitial cystitis

Abstract Objectives The long-term efficacy and safety of Elmiron (oral pentosan polysulfate sodium) in relieving recurring symptoms of interstitial cystitis (IC) were investigated in a long-term, open-label physician's usage study. Methods Patients with diagnosed interstitial cystitis who met the study entry criteria received shipments of Elmiron for 3 months at a dose of 100 mg 3 times a day and for consecutive 3-month periods, provided they completed and returned questionnaires about their disease symptoms, reported any adverse events, and had laboratory data collected before each new shipment. Patients were required to purchase the medication. Responses to questionnaires provided the data reported here. Several symptomatic parameters of the disease (overall improvement, overall improvement in pain and urgency, urinary frequency, and nocturia) were recorded in this way and used to evaluate efficacy. Results Elmiron usage was correlated with improvements in some symptoms, and these improvements increased with duration of treatment. Some symptoms were improved within 5 months, although most continued to show improvements in both severity rating and in percentage of positive responders over 1 to 2 years. Populations of patients receiving extended treatment, some for >90 months, showed no further improvement or worsening in symptom values. Forty-six percent of patients dropped out of the study within the first 3 months of Elmiron treatment. The frequency of adverse events was Conclusions Elmiron appears to be an efficacious long-term treatment for reducing a constellation of debilitating symptoms associated with interstitial cystitis in some patients. Patients with a positive response to Elmiron appear to maintain this response over time.
Improved confidence regions for a mean vector under general conditions

In this paper, we propose two different confidence regions for a mean vector under general conditions when the population of interest is nonnormal and the sample size is moderate. It is shown that both confidence regions will improve the accuracy of the approximation in the sense that the coverage error is of order on^-^1. Monte Carlo examples are demonstrated to show the performance with comparison to the classical methods.
Shortage Intensity, Priority Penetration, and Resource Allocation in Socialist Industry: A Translog Shadow Cost Model

Abstract A temporary-equilibrium model of a shadow cost minimizing socialist industry is developed to assess the effects of priority and shortage intensity on resource allocation in socialist industry. The model is applied to time series data from the Hungarian chemicals and mining sectors for the period 1955-1985. Increasing shortage intensity is found to raise the relative shadow price of the scarce input. Increasing priority status tends to soften the terms on which material inputs are allocated to both sectors, encouraging over-utilization relative to nominal cost minimization levels of 82.3% for the chemicals sector and 37.5% for the mining sector. J. Comp. Econom. October 1994, 19 (2), pp. 237-259. Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA 98447.
Hydrogenated amorphous silicon photodiodes for optical addressing of spatial light modulators.

We discuss the use of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) photodiodes as photosensors in high-performance optically addressed spatial light modulators (OASLM’s). To find the performance limitations that result from the photodiode exclusively, a pseudo-OASLM is constructed; it is composed of an a-Si:H photodiode in series with a discrete capacitor and resistor to simulate an electrically ideal liquid-crystal modulator. The a-Si:H photodiode conduction regimes are identified, and the maximum and minimum frame rates that may be attained with an a-Si:H photodiode-driven OASLM are determined to be ~ 100 kHz and ~ 0 Hz, respectively. Optimum performance is obtained when the photodiode capacitance is equal to the light modulator capacitance.
Radiologic and surgical demonstration of uterine polyposis

We describe a rare case of uterine polyposis that was visualized by sonohysterogram, hysterosalpingogram, and hysteroscopy.
The IL12B Gene Is Associated with Asthma

The IL12B gene on chromosome 5q31-33 encodes the p40 subunit of interleukin 12, an immunomodulatory cytokine. To test the hypothesis that the IL12B gene contains polymorphisms associated with asthma, we genotyped six haplotype-tagging polymorphisms in the IL12B gene, both in 708 children enrolled in the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP) and in their parents. Using the family-based association test (FBAT) program and its haplotype (HBAT) and phenotype (PBAT) options, we tested each polymorphism and haplotype for association with asthma and asthma-related phenotypes. We tested positive associations for replication in a case-control study comparing 177 adult moderate-to-severe asthmatics with 177 nonasthmatic controls. In whites in the CAMP cohort, the A allele of the IL12B G4237A polymorphism was undertransmitted to asthmatic children (P=.0008, recessive model), the global test for haplotypes for affection status was positive (P=.009, multiallelic χ2), and two polymorphisms were associated with different atopy phenotypes. In addition, we found a strong association between the IL12B_4237 and IL12B_6402 polymorphisms and an asthma-severity phenotype in whites, which we also found in the independent population of white adult asthmatics. IL12B may be an important asthma gene.
The frequency-dependent electrical conductivity of powders: Nickel oxide☆☆☆

Abstract The frequency-dependent conductivity of powdered NiO, both undoped and doped with Cr 3+ , has been studied. A qualitative discussion is given of the causes of conductivity dispersion in powdered materials. Both the effects of the powder structure (interparticle contacts, surface resistance, etc.) and of intrinsic losses independent of the powder structure (dielectric losses, hopping-type conductivity, etc.) are considered. In undoped NiO it is argued that the observed conductivity dispersion is due to the hopping type of conductivity which masks any possible structure due to the powdered nature of the material. In Cr 3+ -doped NiO, however, a structure observed in the frequency-dependent conductivity is interpreted as being caused by a nonuniform distribution of Cr 3+ , the Cr 3+ being concentrated on the surface of the powder particle. Additional evidence confirming this interpretation is given. An unexplained high-frequency, temperature-independent loss in Cr 3+ -doped NiO has been observed.
Covariation of physical and mental symptoms across illnesses: results of a factor analytic study.

Objective: Chronic illnesses are associated with reports of symptoms, problems, and dysfunction along multiple dimensions. To determine if the dimensionality is disease-specific and whether physical and emotional symptoms are concomitant and inseparable aspects of the illness experience, we present a factor analysis of symptom and problem reports from five different chronic conditions. Method: People with five different conditions participated in this study: multiple sclerosis (MS) (n=263), non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (n=420), nonhead nonneck injury trauma (n=852), and a group of terminal patients comprised of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) (n=99) and cancer (n=74) patients. Participants were asked to complete the Quality of Well-Being Scale (QWB) and symptom items from the QWB were factor analyzed. Results: Both within each condition and across conditions, two factors accounted for the majority of the explained variance and could be described as an Observable Limitations factor and a Subjective Symptoms factor. Conclusions: Our factor analyses suggest that physical and emotional symptoms covary and are common to different types of illness.
The Effects of Brand Name Suggestiveness and Decision Goal on the Development of Brand Knowledge

This research represents an initial step toward understanding how the brand name interacts with associated brand information in the development of brand knowledge. In particular, it draws on extant research on psycholinguistics, consumer memory, and decision making to demonstrate, in 2 experiments, that a brand name's semantic suggestiveness interacts with the type of decision task involved in the initial brand encounter to influence the brand information encoded and recalled during a subsequent encounter with a proposed brand extension. When information about an efficient set of new brands is learned through a choice task, brand names that suggest general superiority appear to benefit subsequent brand extensions more than names that are suggestive of category-specific, attribute-based superiority. After a judgment task, however, the latter names appear to benefit brand extensions more than the former ones. Moreover, this interactive effect of brand name suggestiveness and decision goal on brand extension evaluations is accompanied by systematic shifts in the extent to and the manner in which individuals process attribute information about the parent brands and recall and identify such information.
Analysis of characteristics, activities, and exposure to vermin of human landfill scavengers in a developing nation

Scavengers, an important and legitimate group especially in developing countries, seem to have been virtually ignored by local municipalities in formulating solid waste management policies. Using researcher-administrated survey and semi-structured interviews, this study provides comprehensive information about human landfill scavengers in Kampala, Uganda, a developing nation. The results showed that the human scavengers consider waste picking as a full-time employment and not as a transitory form of urban employment. Also, the scavengers live in residential areas and not in squatter villages around the landfill. Scavengers’ exposure to flies is noted to be relatively high. The respondents do not engage in fierce competition involving pushing one another and that they often leave the collected items on the landfill without the concern of having the materials stolen. The relatively high level of trust among the scavengers can serve as a spring board for establishing scavengers’ cooperatives.
Omnipotence and the transfer of power

D'un point de vue intuitif, l'idee de l'omnipotence suggere qu'un etre comme Dieu a la possibilite illimitee de commettre ce qu'il entend. L'A. propose cette definition: un etre x est omnipotent si et seulement si x peut faire tout ce qui est logique. L'omnipotence de Dieu repose sur sa mise hors du temps, sur la simultaneite de l'etat passe, present et futur des choses. Le desir de Dieu s'identifie a son intellect. Les objets de l'acte divin tombent dans la categorie des objets de la connaissance de Dieu. Ce principe de l'omnipotence divine repose sur le transfert de pouvoir
Are Dinosaurs Extinct

It is widely believed that empiricism, though once dominant, is now extinct. This turns out to be mistaken because of incorrect assumption about the initial dominance of logical empiricism and about the content and variety of logical empiricist views. In fact, prominent contemporary philosophers (Quine and Kuhn) who are thought to have demolished logical empiricism are shown to exhibit central views of the logical empiricists rather than having overthrown them.
Thick-walled micropolar cylinder in a state of plane strain

Abstract This paper deals with the important boundary value problem of a thick-walled micropolar cylinder loaded with an internal pressure. Use is made of a finite element model to study the influence of the micropolar characteristics on the stresses and displacements in the cylinder.
Dynamic stress-concentration factors

The problem of the response of structural discontinuities to short-duration stress pulses is studied experimentally. Employing explosively induced stress pulses in thin plastic plates containing central circular holes, a dynamic stress-concentration factor is determined as a function of pulse frequency. It is concluded, for the loading case, that the dynamic stress concentration is significantly lower than the static value.
Three-Dimensional Computer Simulation of Ferroelectric Domain Formation

Three-dimensional (3-D) computer simulations of ferroelectric domain formation and evolution were performed, using a computer simulation model based on the time-dependent Ginsburg-Landau equations. A cubic-to-tetragonal ferroelectric phase transition is considered. It is shown that the initial stage of the transition during the annealing of a quenched cubic paraelectric phase involves the nucleation and growth of the ferroelectric domains, followed by the domain coarsening leading to the formation of 90° and 180° domain structures. Part of the 3-D results reported here confirm our conclusions made earlier for the two-dimensional (2-D) case, namely, the nonlocal elastic interactions are critical to the formation of twin structure and the dipole-dipole interactions are responsible for the head-to-tail arrangements of dipoles at twin boundaries. In contrast to our previous work, and others; the effect of the depolarization energy was explicitly incorporated into the simulation model. It is found that when there are no surface charges to compensate the Lorentz field due to the polarization charges, and if the system is mechanically clamped, both 90° and 180° domains are thermodynamically stable.
Low prevalence of interleukin L-1A(-899) and IL-1B(+3954) genetic polymorphism found in a Thai population group.

Original Article Anusaksathien O, Sukboon A, Sitthiphong P, Teanpaisan R. Distribution of interleukin-1beta(+3954) and IL-1alpha(-889) genetic variations in a Thai population group. J Periodontol. 2003 Dec;74(12):1796-802. Level of Evidence 4 Purpose To determine the distribution of IL-1A -899 and IL-1B +3954 genotypes in different forms of periodontal disease in a group of Thai subjects Source of Funding Prince of Songkla University Grant Type of Study/Design Case-control study
THE GROWTH OF THE ANTERIOR LOBE OF THE PITUITARY AND THE TESTES IN THE COCKEREL1

THE GROWTH of the pituitary gland in normal animals during the period from birth or hatching to maturity has been given very little attention by endocrinologists. This situation is surprising in view of the excellent analysis of pituitary development and function in the foetal pig by Smithy and Dortzbach (1929), and Nelson (1933), the detailed studies of the physiological activity of extracts and implants of the anterior pituitary, and the cytological studies of cell types which have been correlated with varied physiological conditions. The significant problems involving the amount and initiationof gonadotropic hormone secretion by the anterior lobe and the production of sex hormones by the gonads with their reciprocal action on the pituitary are yet to be investigatedfully during this early period of hypophyseal development. The best available growth data for mammals are presented by Hatai (1914), King and Donaldson (1929) for the rat, Rasmussen (1938) for man, Stockard (1941) for the dog, and Bates, Rid...
Enhancement of the acoustic startle response by dopamine agonists after 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the substantia nigra pars compacta: corresponding changes in c-Fos expression in the caudate-putamen

Rats with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway show enhanced locomotor and stereotyped behaviors when challenged with direct and indirect dopamine (DA) agonists due to the development of postsynaptic supersensitivity. To determine if this phenomenon generalizes to other motor behaviors, we have used this rat model of Parkinson's disease to examine the effects of the direct dopamine D(1) receptor agonist SKF 82958 and the indirect DA agonist L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) on the acoustic startle response. In addition, we used the expression of c-Fos protein as a marker of neuronal activity to assess any corresponding drug-induced changes in the caudate-putamen (CPu) after L-DOPA administration. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received bilateral injections of 6-OHDA into the substantia nigra pars compacta and 1 week later were tested for startle after systemic administration of SKF 82958 (0.05 mg/kg) or L-DOPA (1, 5, 10 mg/kg). SKF 82958 produced a marked enhancement of startle with a rapid onset in 6-OHDA-lesioned but not SHAM animals. L-DOPA produced a dose- and time-dependent enhancement of startle in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats that had no effect in SHAM animals even at the highest dose (10 mg/kg). Furthermore, L-DOPA produced a dramatic induction of c-Fos in the CPu in 6-OHDA-lesioned animals. Consistent with other literature, these data suggest that neurons in the CPu become supersensitive to the effects of DA agonists after 6-OHDA-induced denervation of the nigrostriatal pathway and that supersensitive dopamine D(1) receptors may mediate the enhancement of startle seen in the present study.
Subclavian Venipuncture and Its Complications

Abstract Subclavian venipuncture and placement of a superior vena cava catheter for manometric determinations or parenteral fluid infusion can be safe and useful procedures. Serious complications can be minimized only through knowledge of the relationship of the subclavian vein to the adjacent structures and by strict adherence to the procedure described. However, this procedure should be reserved for patients in whom peripheral venipuncture can be used no longer and for patients who require long-term intravenous hyperalimentation or central venous pressure monitoring. In addition, it is recommended that a chest roentgenogram be taken each time a catheter is placed in the superior vena cava.
Vertical distribution of heavy metals and its seasonal variations in Beppu Bay

From July to November, the thermocline which has strong temperature gradient (0.7‡C m−1) is formed in the bottom water of Beppu Bay, and it prevents the downward mixing of surface water. This has caused the bottom water of the basin to become depleted in oxygen, and in November the bottom water below about 60 m depth becomes anoxic. Accordingly manganese and iron are reduced and more soluble under the anoxic condition, those concentrations are high relative to surface water, and the maximums are 1,240Μg l−1 and 80Μg l−1. Under the anoxic condition, the flux of dissolved manganese from the sediment is about 10Μg cm−2 day−1.
Subharmonic coordination in networks of neurons with slow conductances

We study the properties of a network consisting of two model neurons that are coupled by reciprocal inhibition. The study was motivated by data from a pair of cells in the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion. One of the model neurons is an endogenous burster; the other is excitable but not bursting in the absence of phasic input. We show that the presence of a hyperpolarization activated inward current (ih) in the excitable neuron allows these neurons to fire in integer subharmonics, with the excitable cell firing once for every N ≥ 1 bursts of the oscillator. The value of N depends on the amount of hyperpolarizing current injected into the excitable cell as well as the voltage activation curve of ih. For a fast synapse, these parameter changes do not affect the characteristic point in the oscillator cycle at which the excitable cell bursts; for slower synapses, such a relationship is maintained within small windows for each N. The network behavior in the current work contrasts with the activity of a pair of coupled oscillators for which the interaction is through phase differences; in the latter case, subharmonics exist if the uncoupled oscillators have near integral frequency relationships, but the phase relationships of the oscillators in general change significantly with parameters. The mechanism of this paper provides a potential means of coordinating subnetworks acting on different time scales but maintaining fixed relationships between characteristic points of the cycles.
Loss of enzymes in dying cells.

Abstract During the programmed cell death of intersegmental muscles in Manduca sexta , the activities of several enzymes begin to decrease at different times. The rate of loss of these activities also varies among organelles and is dependent on other factors. Myofilament proteins begin to disappear as early as 4 days before the emergence of the adult. An enzyme digesting ATP at acid pH increases 3-fold in total activity, and more than 10-fold in relative activity over the same period.
Increased CSF concentrations of myelin basic protein after TBI in infants and children: absence of significant effect of therapeutic hypothermia.

Background The objectives of this study were to determine effects of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of myelin basic protein (MBP) and to assess relationships between clinical variables and CSF MBP concentrations.
Functional substitution of the basic domain of the HIV-1 trans-activator, Tat, with the basic domain of the functionally heterologous Rev.

Abstract The tat gene of HIV is a strong activator of the viral LTR. The Tat protein contains a highly basic domain that is important for its transport to the nuclear/nucleolar locations. The Tat basic domain when fused to Escherichia coli β-galactosidase directed the chimeric protein to the nucleus and nucleolus. Tat mutants lacking the entire basic domain were severely defective in trans-activation. Substitution of the basic domain of Tat with that of the functionally unrelated HIV-1 Rev protein targeted the chimeric protein to the nucleolus and restored the function of Tat. In contrast, substitution with the nuclear targeting signal (NLS) of SV40 T antigen targeted the chimeric protein to the nucleus and accumulation in the nucleolar region was excluded. The Tat-NLS chimeric protein did not restore the trans-activation function of Tat efficiently. These results indicate that the arginine-rich basic domain of the trans-activator, Tat, and post-transcriptional trans-regulator, Rev, are functionally similar with regard to trans-activation of HIV-1 LTR.
Optimization of a Slow-Release Tablet Formulation Containing Sodium Sulfathiazole and a Montmorillonite Clay

AbstractA slow-release tablet formulation containing high levels of a montomorillonite clay, Veegum F®, was initially developed by trial and error. The present study was undertaken to utilize an approach involving statistics with the aid of computer science to develop a formula with desired characteristics. An experimental design for five factors was employed. The five factors consisted of levels of various components and the amount of compressional force applied while tableting. The response or dependent variables included tablet weight uniformity, hardness and friability; and percent drug in solution after 3 hours of dissolution testing. The response variables were fitted to a second-order polynomial with the five formulation factors as the independent variables. The resulting equations were used to optimize the formulation with respect to the response variables. The results indicated that a formulation with the desired characteristics could be predicted by the technique.
Irreducible Divisor Graphs

In Beck (1988), the author introduces the idea of a zero-divisor graph of a commutative ring. We generalize this idea to study factorization in integral domains and define irreducible divisor graphs. We use these irreducible divisor graphs to characterize certain classes of domains, including UFDs.