cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Renal function 17 to 23 years after chelation therapy for childhood plumbism.

Renal function 17 to 23 years after chelation therapy for childhood plumbism. An elegant retrospective description of an epidemic of chronic renal failure occurring in patients with histories of untreated childhood lead poisoning in Queensland, Australia established beyond reasonable doubt the existence of lead nephropathy. However, a retrospective uncontrolled report from Boston in 1963 refuted the claim that there are serious renal consequences of untreated childhood lead poisoning. We conducted a controlled prospective, longitudinal study to examine the effects of childhood lead poisoning on renal function 17 to 23 years after chelation therapy. The present study reports the results of renal functional tests in a unique cohort of study subjects (N = 62) with significant lead poisoning (initial PbB > 100 µg/dl) diagnosed and treated between 1966 and 1972 and their age-matched control siblings (N = 19; initial PbB 2 -microglobulin, fractional excretion β 2 -microglobulin, urinary protein:creatinine ratio, serum phosphate, tubular reabsorption of phosphate, serum uric acid, and urinary specific gravity were similar in study subjects compared with sibling controls. The frequency of abnormal values for these tests was similar in the two groups. Multiple linear regression analyses failed to demonstrate a significant influence of the presence of plumbism or initial PbB on serum creatinine or systolic or diastolic blood pressure. A modest increase in serum creatinine values was observed over a nine year period in four of 62 study subjects (1.4, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 mg/dl). There were no statistical differences in either renal function or blood pressure between study subjects and control siblings. The possibility exists that longer follow-up is necessary to determine whether these subjects are at risk of developing lead nephropathy. The four of 62 patients identified with modestly elevated serum creatinine values will require close long-term follow-up.
Robustness of the efficient DMUs in data envelopment analysis

Abstract By means of modified versions of CCR model based on evaluation of a decision making unit (DMU) relative to a reference set grouped by all other DMUs, sensitivity analysis of the CCR model in data envelopment analysis (DEA) is studied in this paper. The methods for sensitivity analysis are linear programming problems whose optimal values yield particular regions of stability. Sufficient and necessary conditions for upward variations of inputs and for downward variations of outputs of an (extremely) efficient DMU which remains efficient are provided. The approach does not require calculation of the basic solutions and of the inverse of the corresponding optimal basis matrix. The approach is illustrated by two numerical examples.
ACED IT: A tool for improved ethical and moral decision-making

Numerous examples of unethical organizational decision-making highlighted in the media have led many to question the general moral perception and ethical judgments of individuals. The present study examined two forms of a straightforward ethical decision-making (EDM) tool (ACED IT cognitive map) that could be a relatively simple instrument for organizations to improve the moral and EDM of its members. Results revealed that participants utilizing either form of ACED IT were more likely to identify a moral dilemma than were control participants. Additionally, participants in the modified condition responded differently to the situation. Implications and other findings are discussed.
Microglia: Key Elements in Neural Development, Plasticity, and Pathology

A century after Cajal identified a “third element” of the nervous system, many issues have been clarified about the identity and function of one of its major components, the microglia. Here, we review recent findings by microgliologists, highlighting results from imaging studies that are helping provide new views of microglial behavior and function. In vivo imaging in the intact adult rodent CNS has revolutionized our understanding of microglial behaviors in situ and has raised speculation about their function in the uninjured adult brain. Imaging studies in ex vivo mammalian tissue preparations and in intact model organisms including zebrafish are providing insights into microglial behaviors during brain development. These data suggest that microglia play important developmental roles in synapse remodeling, developmental apoptosis, phagocytic clearance, and angiogenesis. Because microglia also contribute to pathology, including neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral disorders, ischemic injury, and neuropathic pain, promising new results raise the possibility of leveraging microglia for therapeutic roles. Finally, exciting recent work is addressing unanswered questions regarding the nature of microglial-neuronal communication. While it is now apparent that microglia play diverse roles in neural development, behavior, and pathology, future research using neuroimaging techniques will be essential to more fully exploit these intriguing cellular targets for effective therapeutic intervention applied to a variety of conditions.
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors in childhood

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is an uncommon sarcoma in the pediatric population; however, its presence should be considered in a child with an enlarging or painful soft-tissue mass. Diagnosis of this neoplasm depends on either the demonstration of its origin within a peripheral nerve or the association with a contiguous neurofibroma. We have identified 16 cases of MPNST involving children 16 years of age or less, which represent 12.8% of the total cases seen at the Mayo Clinic. Most of the lesions arose in children with von Recklinghausen's disease and were associated with a contiguous neurofibromatous component. The mean survival of patients who were known to have died of tumor was only 1.8 years. This sarcoma requires prompt aggressive therapy utilizing wide surgical excision. Because of the association of MPNST with von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis, a careful workup and family history should be obtained for the potential prognostic value and for the purpose of genetic counseling.
The genetics of California populations of the blue mussel: Further evidence for the existence of electrophoretically distinguishable species or subspecies

Abstract Geographic variation in allele frequencies was studied for five polymorphic loci in Mytilus using electrophoresis. Eight populations of mussels were sampled from locations along the coast of California. Populations were found to be strongly differentiated into two groups based on multilocus genotypes. The patterns of differentiation between the two genetic forms of Mytilus conform with long recognized biogeograpic boundaries along the coast of California. These findings confirm the results of other researchers that the cosmopolitan mussel, Mytilus edulis may actually be a complex of morphologically cryptic species, subspecies or varieties.
Twenty-four-hour pattern of intraocular pressure in untreated patients with ocular hypertension.

Purpose To characterize the 24-hour pattern of intraocular pressure (IOP) in untreated ocular hypertensive (OHTN) patients. Methods IOP measurements were taken every 2 hours during a 24-hour period from 15 untreated OHTN patients (ages 41-77 years). Measurements were both sitting and supine (diurnal) and supine only (nocturnal). Mean diurnal and nocturnal IOPs in the OHTN group were compared to previously reported values in age-matched healthy and glaucomatous eyes. Post hoc analysis compared the 24-hour IOP pattern of the OHTN patients who converted to glaucoma and those who did not with that in the same healthy and glaucomatous eyes. Results Mean sitting and supine IOPs were significantly higher in the OHTN group than in the healthy control but not the glaucoma group. Similar to the glaucoma group, the OHTN group demonstrated significant differences from healthy controls in diurnal IOP variation and IOP changes upon awakening in habitual and supine positions. The 24-hour IOP curve acrophases and amplitudes for OHTNs were closer to those of the glaucoma than the healthy control group in the habitual position. Thirty-three percent of OHTNs developed glaucoma during a mean follow-up period of 4.3 ± 3.8 years. Similar to findings in the glaucoma group, habitual IOP curve phase delay, habitual IOP variation, diurnal-to-nocturnal IOP changes, and IOP changes upon awakening of the converters were significantly different from those in healthy controls. There were no differences between nonconverters and other groups. Conclusions Baseline 24-hour IOP pattern in OHTN patients is similar to that in glaucomatous patients. In contrast to nonconverters, OHTN patients who converted to glaucoma are significantly different from healthy controls.
Electric-field gradient at oxygen sites in RBCO: Effects from a positive muon

A limited quantum chemistry approach has been used to examine changes to the electric-field gradient at oxygen sites in rare-earth barium copper oxides (RBCO) due to a bonded muon (or hydrogen). Results are reported for an all electron, extended basis set calculation for an OMu− molecule which is embedded in various point charge clusters to simulate the RBCO crystal environment. Differences between the gradients for O2− and OMu− are examined for five likely muon bond sites. In each case the muon significantly modifies the calculated gradient.
Cloning and physical mapping of Yaba monkey tumor virus DNA

The physical map positions for the BamHI, EcoRI, and SalI restriction fragments of Yaba monkey tumor pox virus DNA were determined using cloned virus DNA fragments as probes for hybridization as well as analyzing the secondary digests of larger DNA restriction fragments. Digests of EcoRI A and B fragments and SalI A and B fragments with BamHI allowed for the orientation of most of the BamHI restriction map. These secondary digest products were confirmed and the map positions for the EcoRI fragments were established using cloned BamHI fragments. Yaba monkey tumor virus DNA was cloned using the plasmid vector pBR322.
The Effects of Homocystine, Methionine, Vitamin B12, and Antibiotics in a Methionine Deficient Chick Ration

Abstract KLOSE and Almquist (1941) reported that when fed alone neither homocystine nor cystine was equal to methionine in promoting growth of chicks; however, when the two were fed in combination, they effectively replaced methionine. Jukes, Stokstad and Broquist (1950) reported that vitamin B12 may be needed in the transformation of homocystine to methionine in chicks. Patton, Marvel, Petering and Waddell (1946) reported that the growth-promoting effect of methionine as a supplement to a corn-soybean ration was no longer observed when sardine meal was added to the basal ration. That methionine improved the growth of pigs on a cornpeanut meal diet only in the absence of an animal protein factor supplement was reported by Cunha et al. (1949). A simplified ration containing an alcohol-extracted soybean protein was fed by Jukes, Stokstad and Broquist (1950) to chicks hatched from eggs laid by hens receiving a diet containing no source of vitamin B12. . . .
Colorectal Cancer: National and International Perspective on the Burden of Disease and Public Health Impact

Colorectal cancer is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and throughout the world. The importance of this disease to gastroenterologists cannot be understated, given that screening and surveillance colonoscopy are dominant segments of clinical practice. The United States is the only country in the world where incidence and mortality rates from colorectal cancer are reported to be decreasing significantly, but health disparities in cancer screening, treatment, and survival persist. Health disparities are also evident worldwide, where the impact of this disease is staggering. In fact, rates of cancer are increasing in many parts of the world. Eliminating barriers to cancer screening and treatment could lead to substantial gains in quality and quantity of life and decrease the burden of colorectal cancer on public health. Programmatic and opportunistic screening programs have already had a measurable impact on disease burden, although the optimal screening strategy remains a matter of debate. Screening programs vary throughout the world, and further refinement will require a tailored approach because of differences in politics and fiscal reality among individual countries. Despite the strong impact of colorectal cancer on public health, there is cause for optimism and room for hope.
Specificity of the host recognition behaviour of larvalUnionicola(Acari: Unionicolidae): the effects of larval ontogeny and early larval experience

Abstract The water mites Unionicola formosa and U. foili are obligate symbionts of the freshwater unionid mussels Pyganodon cataracta and Utterbackia imbecillis , respectively. Although behavioural specificity of adult U. formosa and U. foili is well documented, behaviour of the larvae of these species is poorly understood. The present study revealed that host-influenced behaviour of larval U. formosa and U. foili is highly host-specific, but changes during larval ontogeny. Larvae that had completed their parasitic phase with chironomid dipterans (=post-chironomid larvae) preferentially responded to a chemical signal from their respective host mussel, and exhibited the host-induced negative phototaxis that characterizes adult mites. Specificity of the host recognition behaviour of post-chironomid larvae was modified when larvae were exposed to water modified by a non-host mussel species early in development. The chemically mediated behaviour patterns exhibited by post-chironomid larvae were absent among mite larvae prior to parasitizing chironomids (=pre-chironomid larvae). These data suggest that parasitism of a chironomid is adaptive for the ontogeny of behaviour of these mussel-mites at specific stages in the mite's life cycle. Differences in the behaviour of pre-chironomid and post-chironomid larvae may reflect the different demands of contacting an insect host prior to establishing the symbiotic association with the final molluscan host. The behavioural preferences of larval U. formosa and U. foili complement those of adult mites and suggest that host specificity is an important mechanism in maintaining reproductive isolation between these two species.
Update on current concepts of the molecular basis of β2-adrenergic receptor signaling

Abstract The proposed manner by which β 2 -adrenergic receptors signal has dramatically changed from earlier concepts that centered on a lock-and-key mechanism in which the receptor acts as a simple switch. We now know that β 2 -adrenergic receptors spontaneously toggle to an activated state (R*) and that the equilibrium between R (the inactive state) and R* can be altered by ligands. In addition, the R* conformation is likely to consist of multiple subspecies that may favor certain signaling pathways or regulatory events. Changes in agonist structure alter the abundance of certain subspecies of R*. Indeed, multifunctional coupling is common with many G-protein-coupled receptors and can be modulated pharmacologically to attain specific outcomes. In addition to providing the basis for development of new β-agonists for unique signaling, these properties can be extended such that β 2 -adrenergic receptors, or highly modified "designer" receptors, can be used for gene therapy with highly specific effects. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2002;110:S223-8.)
Arachidonic acid induced degranulation of rabbit peritoneal neutrophils.

Abstract We have found that arachidonic acid rapidly and selectively induces the release of lysosomal enzymes from cytochalasin B treated rabbit peritoneal neutrophils. 5, 8, 11, 14-eicosatetraynoic acid inhibits the arachidonate induced release with an apparent K D of 1.5 × 10 −6 M. 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (2.5 × 10 −5 M also inhibits the chemotactic factors and the A23187 induced release in the presence of cytochalasin B but does not affect the degranulation induced by A23187 alone. These observations strongly suggest a role for arachidonate metabolites in rabbit neutrophil physiology.
A combined chemical-physical treatment for herpes simplex lesions in guinea pigs

Determination of the effectiveness of chemical treatments for Herpes simplex type 2 infections has generally relied on a reduction in the rate of mortality. A more natural progression of the disease is seen when nonprogressive cutaneous lesions are induced. Treatment of characteristic cutaneous lesions with ultrasound alone, a cream compound designated Herpigon alone, or a combination of ultrasound and Herpigon were compared to determine the time required for lesions to heal and the amount of virus recoverable from treated lesions. Results indicate that the use of Herpigon alone or in combination with ultrasound resulted in a significant reduction in the time required for the lesions to heal. A comparison of the amount of virus present in treated lesions indicated that the combined treatment was most effective in reducing the amount of recoverable virus.
Effects of glucose fermentation products on determination of mannitol by periodate-titrametric method.

Summary1. Glucose fermentation products interfere with the periodate-titrimetric method of mannitol determination. 2. Failure to correct for this interference lowers the mannitol clearance values.
Performance comparison of dual and combined mode adaptive techniques for dynamic channel equalizations

A cost function, utilizing the signal amplitude as well as the phase information, yields fast convergence and small mean square errors, when used for equalizing dynamic wireless channels. Recently, it has been shown that the minimization of cost functions that include both amplitude-dependent and constellation-dependent terms leads to improved receiver performance for high-order signal constellations, compared to that achieved by only using either term. The amplitude-dependent term corresponds to the constant modulus algorithm (CMA), which ensures proper global convergence properties. On the other hand, the constellation-matched error (CME) term provides desirable local convergence properties. Two possible schemes can be used for presenting a combined cost function. One scheme is based on a weighted sum of the CMA and the CME terms, where the weights are fixed, whereas the cost function in the other scheme has time-varying weights that are recursively update using gradient techniques. In this paper, performance comparison is conducted between techniques implementing combined cost functions with fixed and variable weighting parameters. The comparison also includes the CMA and DD techniques as well as adaptive equalizations based on dual modes. In the latter, one term of the cost function is considered at one time. The common dual-mode approach calls for initialization with CMA and thereafter switching to a proper constellation-matched algorithm.
Tether Dynamics Simulation Workshop summary

The Tether Dynamics Simulation Workshop focused on the efforts of the Tether Applications Simulation Working Group (TASWG) to catalog various dynamics simulations, document environmental models, and provide a set of verified simulation results. The workshop consisted of reports on these activities and the presentation of papers on current dynamics topics of general interest. This paper documents the work performed at the Workshop and the results and recommendations for further work.
Class II Antigen Processing: Analysis of Compartments and Functions

The endocytic and phagocytic pathways are composed of a series of vesicular or vacuolar organelles within the cytoplasm in which exogenous proteins or particles are processed. This processing includes catabolism of protein antigens by proteases that exist within endosomes, lysosomes, phagosomes, and phagolysosomes. Antigen processing produces peptides that bind to class II MHC (MHC-II) molecules, which also target to vesicular compartments. Multiple different vesicular compartments may contribute to antigen processing, although some compartments appear to be specialized in order to perform certain antigen processing functions. The relative levels of MHC-II molecules, processing enzymes, and other specialized molecules (e.g., HLA-DM) are among the variables that determine the relative contribution of different compartments. Recent studies have begun to identify specific compartments that mediate certain antigen processing functions, including the binding of immunogenic peptides to MHC-II molecules.
Adaptations in the Mandible and Appendicular Skeleton of High and Low Bone Density Inbred Mice

The appendicular skeletons of high [C3H/HeJ (C3H)] and low [C57BL/6J (B6)] density inbred mice have been shown to differ in morphology, mechanical properties, and cellular activity. The focus of the current study was to (1) characterize the mandibular bone formation rate (BFR/BS), bone mass, indentation modulus (IM), and hardness of C3H and B6 mice and (2) investigate the relationship of the mechanical properties in three skeletal sites: mandible, femur, and tibia. Specimens from 17-week-old female C3H and B6 (n = 15/group) mice were obtained. Mandibular bone mass was estimated from the lateral-view area (LVA) and transverse cross sections. BFR/BS was measured in the mandibular section distal to the third molar. In addition, bone blocks from the distal surface of the third molar and the femoral and tibial midshaft were obtained for mechanical testing. BFR/BS, cortical area, and LVA were greater (P 0.05), femur (P < 0.001), and tibia (P < 0.01). Mandibular IM was lower (P < 0.05) than the femoral and tibial IM within each inbred mouse. IM was not significant between C3H and B6 mandibles. However, the magnitude of the difference (∼12%) in the mandible was similar to the difference in the appendicular skeleton. This mandibular bone phenotype is similar to that observed in the appendicular skeleton of these distinct inbred mice.
Rational Standard and Ability Adjusted Standard Transformed Score Models.

A rational approach to standard transformed scores which always results in the numerical to letter grade correspondence A(90 & above), B(80-89.99), C(70-79.99), D(60-69.99), and F(59.99 & below) for any chosen hypothetical grade distribution model is developed. The basic model is extended to an ability adjusted standard transformed scores model with the same numerical to letter grade correspondence. Numerical examples are used to illustrate both models and to give insight into a number of other possible grade distribution alternatives.
Prevalence of Overweight Among Preschool Children in the United States, 1971 Through 1994

Objective. To examine the prevalence of overweight among US preschool children 2 months through 5 years of age between the years 1971 through 1974 and 1988 through 1994. Design. Nationally representative cross-sectional surveys with a physical examination, including measurement of stature, length, and weight. Between 1200 and 7500 children younger than 6 years were examined in each of four different surveys during 1971 through 1974 (first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES I]), 1976 through 1980 (NHANES II), 1982 through 1984 (Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), and 1988 through 1994 (NHANES III). Results. The prevalence of overweight increased among some sex and age groups of preschool children between 1971 through 1974 and 1988 through 1994. More than 10% of 4- and 5-year-old girls were overweight in 1988 through 1994 compared with 5.8% in 1971 through 1974. However, there was no change during this period in the prevalence of overweight among 1- and 2- to 3-year-old children. During 1988 through 1994, the prevalence of overweight among children 2 months through 5 years of age was consistently higher in girls than boys. Mexican-American children had a higher prevalence of overweight than non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white children. These results parallel what has been reported for older children and adults in the United States. Conclusion. These results show that in the last 20 years the prevalence of overweight has increased among 4- and 5-year-old children but not among younger children. These findings suggest that efforts to prevent overweight, including encouragement of physical activity and improved diets, should begin in early childhood. overweight, anthropometry, preschool children.
Issues in accelerating the pace of development for neuroprotective agents

Accelerating the pace of development for neuroprotective agents requires a number of advances in the therapeutics of Alzheimer disease. Identification of patients who are presymptomatic, by discovering early markers of Alzheimer disease will be essential. Clinical trials methodology must be devised to accommodate atypical outcome measures, prolonged trials, and large sample sizes without posing serious ethical considerations regarding placebo administration. Finally, regulatory issues that discourage development of drugs that will be in complicated, expensive and lengthy clinical trials need to be addressed. This paper reviews these issues, and offers some suggestions.
Opposing effects of inositol hexakisphosphate on rod arrestin and arrestin2 self-association.

The robust cooperative formation of rod arrestin tetramers has been well-established, whereas the ability of other members of the arrestin family to self-associate remains controversial. Here, we used purified arrestins and multi-angle light scattering to quantitatively compare the propensity of the four mammalian arrestin subtypes to self-associate. Both non-visual and cone arrestins only form oligomers at very high non-physiological concentrations. However, inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6), a fairly abundant form of inositol in the cytoplasm, greatly facilitates self-association of arrestin2. Arrestin2 self-association equilibrium constants in the presence of 100 μM IP6 suggest that an appreciable proportion could exist in an oligomeric state but only in intracellular compartments where its concentration is 5–10-fold higher than average. In contrast to arrestin2, IP6 inhibits self-association of rod arrestin, indicating that the structure of these two tetramers in solution is likely different.
Analysis of vulnerabilities of telecommunication systems to natural disasters

This papers discusses vulnerability aspects of telecommunication systems to natural disasters. The discussion focuses on power supply and other ancillary infrastructure issues, such as air conditioners, because this is the source of most outages on communication systems during such critical events. The discussion points out that the conventional approach of studying communication network availability by considering each site an autonomous entity may have hidden important vulnerabilities that become evident during disasters. In the alternative view provided here, communication systems are viewed as a system within a larger system-of-systems that includes other fundamental infrastructures necessary for their correct interdependent operation in all conditions. The analysis is based on reliability analysis tools and supported by empirical observations from damage assessments of past hurricanes.
195: Cardiac C4d staining is not associated with abnormal hemodynamics

vascular macrophages were detected despite 35 grade 1R biopsies (in 10 patients; untreated) and 3 episodes of Grade 2R rejection (in three patients; treated). Conclusions: Capillary deposition of C4d occurs ‘normally’ in EMBs after cardiac Tx. C3d staining was more frequent and persistent. Intracapillary macrophages were not seen even in the presence of ACR and therefore could be a more specific marker of humoral rejection. The ‘normal’ pattern of complement deposition must be considered when assessing biopsies for AMR.
Search, Swim and See: Deleuze's Apprenticeship in Signs and Pedagogy of Images.

(2004). Search, Swim and See: Deleuze's apprenticeship in signs and pedagogy of images. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 327-342.
Coreference and lexical repetition: Mechanisms of discourse integration

The use of repeated expressions to establish coreference allows an investigation of the relationship between basic processes of word recognition and higher level language processes that involve the integration of information into a discourse model. In two experiments on reading, we used eye tracking and event-related potentials to examine whether repeated expressions that are coreferential within a local discourse context show the kind of repetition priming that is shown in lists of words. In both experiments, the effects of lexical repetition were modulated by the effects of local discourse context that arose from manipulations of the linguistic prominence of the antecedent of a coreferentially repeated name. These results are interpreted within the context of discourse prominence theory, which suggests that processes of coreferential interpretation interact with basic mechanisms of memory integration during the construction of a model of discourse.
Adhesion of Platinum-Gold Glaze Conductors

The present work studies the time-temperature relationships of adhesion for typical platinum-gold glaze conductors. An empirical equation is derived from which it is possible to calculate the optimum time and temperature of firing. It is shown that the effects of two firings must be taken into account in choosing primary firing conditions. Adhesion was studied as a function of time at elevated temperature, as a function of elevated temperature and humidity and as a function of temperature cycling. Adhesion is degraded by high ambient temperature and humidity through continued reaction with eutectic solder, but life is estimated at 1,000 hours even at 150°C. Conductor films appear insensitive to thermal shock.
Population-based study of SR-BI genetic variation and lipid profile

Abstract The variability of the Class B Type I Scavenger Receptor (SR-BI) gene in human populations and the relation of its variants to blood lipids was investigated in a random sample of 1756 untreated adult residents of Geneva, Switzerland, during 1999–2000. A three-step study approach yielded the following results: (1) resequencing the gene's exons and flanking regions in 95 subjects identified four common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs with rare allele frequency >3%); (2) association study of the four common SNPs in subjects with extreme HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and LDL-C phenotypes (186 "atherogenic cases" and 185 "non-atherogenic controls") showed that the synonymous exon 8 C-T (allelic frequency 48%) polymorphism, A350A, was associated with atheroprotection in men (odds ratios (OR)=0.36, 95% confidence intervals (CI)=0.15–0.90, P P =0.14);and (3) population clinical effects of A350A genotypes assessed in all 1756 subjects, showed that the case–control study findings reflected a protective HDL-C effect in men (CC: 1.17mmol/L, CT: 1.22mmol/L, and TT: 1.24mmol/L, trend P =0.0062) and a deleterious LDL-C effect in women (CC: 3.58mmol/L, CT: 3.72mmol/L, and TT: 3.79mmol/L, trend P =0.014). The allelic frequencies of the common SR-BI variants appear to be very similar in European and North American populations. The HDL-C effect increased with age. SR-BI A350A appears to have gender-specific and age-related effects on cholesterol transport lipoproteins.
On a Scale from 1 to 10, How Private Are You? Scoring Facebook Privacy Settings

As social interactions increasingly move to Face- book, the privacy options offered have come under inspection. Users find the interface confusing, and the impact of the individ- ual settings on a user's overall privacy is difficult to determine. This creates difficulties for both users and researchers: users cannot gauge the privacy of their respective configurations, and researchers cannot easily compare the degree of privacy encapsulated in different users' choices. In this work, we suggest a novel and holistic measure for Facebook privacy settings. Based on a survey of a sample of 189 Facebook users, we incorporate appropriate weights that combine the different options into one numerical measure of privacy. This serves as a building block for measurement and comparison of Facebook users' privacy choices, enabling new inferences and insights.
Redetermination of the RNA content and the limiting RNA size of three strains of cucumber mosaic virus

Abstract Recent direct estimates of the molecular weight of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) RNA by comparative methods have resulted in unacceptable differences ranging as high as 30%. This has prompted a reinvestigation of the limiting size of the RNA in CMV by an absolute method. Using the N : P ratios determined in highly purified preparations of the S-, D-, and Q-strains of CMV in combination with the calculated nitrogen and phosphorus percentages of the viral constituents, the RNA content averaged for all three strains was estimated to be 18.18%. Based on a particle weight of 5.3 million daltons for the “average” virion, it is concluded that the limiting size of the “average” RNA contained in cucumber mosaic virions is 0.96 million daltons.
Investigation of Triangular Defects in 4H-SiC 4° Off Cut (0001) Si Face Epilayers Grown by CVD

Triangular defects and inverted pyramid type defects formed during homoepitaxial growth on 4H-SiC Si face, 4° off-cut towards [11-20] direction have been investigated. Growth parameters responsible for triangular defect formation were identified and optimized for its reduction in this study. It was found that although the high temperature reduces the density of inverted pyramid type defects, it is not the only remedy for reducing their density and cleanliness of susceptor along with the initial growth condition plays a major role in the formation of these defects.
Fractional order bessel function approximations to both attractive and repulsive Coulomb scattering

Abstract Using the L + 1/2 order Bessel function as the solved part, we can obtain much improved results to the scattering cross section to the order of ħ 2 by using the Miller and Good's modified WKB method.
Fracture Mechanics Applied to Adhesive Joints

Since the advent of synthetic adhesives in the middle of the last century, the growth in their usage has been so phenomenal that a handbook, the International Plastics Selector-Adhesives, published by D.A.T.A. in 1991, lists some 5000 different adhesive formulations that are commercially available. Despite their wide usage, much is not well understood about adhesives and adhesive joint failure. A few observations relevant to this discussion of Fracture Mechanics Analysis of Adhesive Joints are: (a) The stress distribution in such joints is never as simple as often assumed, and the usually reported “standard test results” often completely ignore the most important aspects of the stress distribution. (b) Crack growth does not always initiate at the point of maximum stresses in an adhesive joint. (c) The locus of adhesive crack growth is often somewhat removed from the adhesive-substrate bond-line, but there are instances where it closely follows this bond-line. (d) Adhesive Fracture Mechanics analysis can provide significant information on the resolution of questions raised in these observations. This presentation will review some of the work in these areas by graduate students in our laboratory. Some of the cited work was accomplished by previous lab students. Other parts of the cited work are from ongoing research by current students. The presentation will endeavor to demonstrate that: (a) Adhesive Fracture Mechanics can be used to quantitatively predict the strength of adhesive joints and, more particularly, to elucidate the effects of such factors as adherend thickness, adhesive thickness (and variation), amount of overlap, geometric configuration, material discontinuities, etc. (b) Other factors being equal, crack growth tends to initiate at locations of maximum energy release rate irrespective of whether or not these are points of maximum stresses. (c) The preferred locus of crack growth is along those paths for which the energy release rate is a maximum. In each of these cases, results of a fracture mechanics analysis will be presented along with experimental verification of the analyses.
Mass spectrometric studies of laser-induced vaporization. II - The bismuth-selenium system.

Vaporization of crystalline and amorphous compositions in bismuth-selenium system by laser mass spectrometry, noting various short range order structural units
Algorithm for haplotype resolution and block partitioning for partial XOR-genotype data

Problems of haplotyping and block partitioning have been extensively studied with regard to the regular genotype data, but more cost-efficient data called XOR-genotypes remain under-investigated. Previous studies developed methods for haplotyping of short-sequence partial XOR-genotypes. In this paper we propose a new algorithm that performs haplotyping of long-range partial XOR-genotype data with possibility of missing entries, and in addition simultaneously finds the block structure for the given data. Our method is implemented as a fast and practical algorithm. We also investigate the effect of the percentage of fully genotyped individuals in a sample on the accuracy of results with and without the missing data. The algorithm is validated by testing on the HapMap data. Obtained results show good prediction rates both for samples with and without missing data. The accuracy of prediction of XOR sites is not significantly affected by the presence of 10% or less missing data.
Relativistic Rise Measurements with Very Fine Sampling Intervals

We have studied the ionization loss in small gas samples using a longitudinal drift ionization detector and fast analog to digital conversion techniques. We find this technique can substantially improve the mass resolution capability of gas particle detectors. We have also shown that only a rather coarse ADC resolution is required to capture all the information needed with the truncated mean sampling method of determining the relative energy loss.
VITAMIN D RESISTANT HYPOPARATHYROIDISM - IMPAIRED RESPONSE TO 1,25 DIHYDROXYCHOLECALCIFEROL (1,25 DHCC)

Resistance to vitamin D is an unusual, frustrating complication of hypoparathyroidism. Magnesium depletion, coincident malabsorption, ↓hepatic or renal hydroxylation, and ↓Ca++ mobilization from bone are postulated mechanisms, but do not explain relative resistance to all vitamin D sterols, including 1,25 DHCC in three patients recently encountered at two institutions. A.G., a 14 year old calciferol-resistant boy with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism, candidiasis and mild malabsorption, maintained for 4 years with oral Dihydrotachysterol (DHT), 4-6 mg/day, suddenly became refractory to DHT in doses up to 15 mg, daily. Oral 1,25 DHCC to 10 μg was ineffective once daily and unaltered by parenteral Mg SO4. A calcemic response to low dose (20-100 U.) PTH was observed. Response to 1,25 DHCC was achieved only with frequent administration (3 μg. q. 6 hours) + 30 Cm elemental Ca++/day. Two other hypoparathyroid patients, one surgical, have been found resistant to calciferol, DHT and ordinary doses of 1,25 DHCC. One responded to 5 μg once daily and has stabilized with 1-2 μg/day, while the other responds to a 5 μg daily dose only with IM parathormone, 20-40 U./day. Plasma 1,25 DHCC (Dr. H. DeLuca) was normal in all 3 patients immediately following ingestion. Preliminary data in A.G. showing a rapid decline in plasma 1,25 DHCC suggest that accelerated sterol metabolism may account for his apparent “resistance”.
DAMPs and autophagy: Cellular adaptation to injury and unscheduled cell death

Autophagy is a lysosome-mediated catabolic process involving the degradation of intracellular contents (e.g., proteins and organelles) as well as invading microbes (e.g., parasites, bacteria and viruses). Multiple forms of cellular stress can stimulate this pathway, including nutritional imbalances, oxygen deprivation, immunological response, genetic defects, chromosomal anomalies and cytotoxic stress. Damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) are released by stressed cells undergoing autophagy or injury, and act as endogenous danger signals to regulate the subsequent inflammatory and immune response. A complex relationship exists between DAMPs and autophagy in cellular adaption to injury and unscheduled cell death. Since both autophagy and DAMPs are important for pathogenesis of human disease, it is crucial to understand how they interplay to sustain homeostasis in stressful or dangerous environments.
Eliminating sorting in IP lookup devices using partitioned table

We present a solution to eliminate the requirements of routing table sorting by prefix length in IP lookup devices using ternary content addressable memories (TCAMs). This reduces delays arising from routing table updates from linear to constant time. This solution introduces slight modifications to the organization of the routing table including the elimination of the built-in priority encoder. The routing table entries are split by output port to remove their dependence on length. Overall, the solution presented reduces the insertion problem to lookup speed while maintaining similar clock rates and storage requirements of traditional designs.
Letters From Pamela: Reading Howard S. Becker's Writing(s) for Social Scientists

A deconstructive reading of a text is only in part an argument that can be abstracted. More than that, a reading deconstructs a text to make explicit how that text implicates a certain kind of reader. The reading can celebrate, resist, or essentialize the very construction of the reader by that text My reading of Becker's Writing for Social Scientists is a resisting reading which focuses: 1) on the formal aspects of the writing style that Becker endorses for social scientists, and 2) on the figure of the woman which Becker uses as a vehicle of “the structure of feeling” that promotes the message of his text.
Initial perturbations based on the ensemble transform (ET) technique in the NCEP global operational forecast system

Since modern data assimilation (DA) involves the repetitive use of dynamical forecasts, errors in analyses share characteristics of those in short-range forecasts. Initial conditions for an ensemble prediction/forecast system (EPS or EFS) are expected to sample uncertainty in the analysis field. Ensemble forecasts with such initial conditions can therefore (a) be fed back to DA to reduce analysis uncertainty, as well as (b) sample forecast uncertainty related to initial conditions. Optimum performance of both DA and EFS requires a careful choice of initial ensemble perturbations. DA can be improved with an EFS that represents the dynamically conditioned part of forecast error covariance as accurately as possible, while an EFS can be improved by initial perturbations reflecting analysis error variance. Initial perturbation generation schemes that dynamically cycle ensemble perturbations reminiscent to how forecast errors are cycled in DA schemes may offer consistency between DA and EFS, and good performance for both. In this paper, we introduce an EFS based on the initial perturbations that are generated by the Ensemble Transform (ET) and ET with rescaling (ETR) methods to achieve this goal. Both ET and ETR are generalizations of the breeding method (BM). The results from ensemble systems based on BM, ET, ETR and the Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (ETKF) method are experimentally compared in the context of ensemble forecast performance. Initial perturbations are centred around a 3D-VAR analysis, with a variance equal to that of estimated analysis errors. Of the four methods, the ETR method performed best in most probabilistic scores and in terms of the forecast error explained by the perturbations. All methods display very high time consistency between the analysis and forecast perturbations. It is expected that DA performance can be improved by the use of forecast error covariance from a dynamically cycled ensemble either with a variational DA approach (coupled with an ETR generation scheme), or with an ETKF-type DA scheme.
Effect of neurologic complications on outcome after heart transplant.

OBJECTIVE: To study neurologic complications after heart transplant. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Cardiac transplant program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. PATIENTS: We retrospectively studied 313 patients who underwent heart transplant at Mayo Clinic Rochester from January 1, 1988, through October 31, 2006. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neurologic symptoms, neurologic complications, score on the Glasgow Outcome Scale, and mortality. RESULTS: Causes of end-stage heart failure were idiopathic dilated myopathy (34%), ischemic heart failure (29%), congenital disorders (12%), amyloidosis (11%), and miscellaneous (15%). Perioperative neurologic complications occurred in 23% of patients and included delirium or encephalopathy (9%), cerebrovascular complications (5%), and diseases of the peripheral nerves and muscles (4%); however, only perioperative cerebrovascular complications were associated with 1-year mortality (hazard ratio, 4.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-16.76; P = .04). Most of these cerebrovascular complications occurred after the second postoperative day and were related to mechanical support of the circulation. Over 18 years, the risk for neurologic complications was 81%: sleeping disorders, 32%; polyneuropathy, 26%; and cerebrovascular diseases, 14%. Cause of death was neurologic in 12 of 95 patients (13%), and the most common were cerebrovascular disease (n = 6) and central nervous system infectious diseases (n = 3). Adjusting for baseline predictors, central nervous system infection (hazard ratio, 4.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.69-10.91; P = .002), depression (hazard ratio, 1.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-3.09; P = .03), and seizures (hazard ratio, 3.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-8.85; P = .01) were predictive for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative neurologic complications are frequent in heart transplant recipients, but most are transient and inconsequential. However, perioperative stroke is the most important neurologic complication affecting survival in the first year after heart transplant. Infectious diseases of the central nervous system are associated with fatal outcome.
PELP1 oncogenic functions involve CARM1 regulation

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is implicated in the initiation and progression of breast cancer and its transcription depends on the modulation of epigenetic changes at target gene promoters via coregulators. There is a critical need to understand the molecular mechanism(s) by which deregulation of epigenetic changes occurs during breast cancer progression. The ERα coregulator PELP1 plays an important role in ERα signaling and is a proto-oncogene with aberrant expression in breast cancer. PELP1 interacts with histones and may be a reader of chromatin modifications. We profiled PELP1’s epigenetic interactome using a histone peptide array. Our results show that PELP1 recognizes histones modified by arginine and lysine dimethylation. PELP1 functionally interacts with the arginine methyltransferase CARM1 and their interaction is enhanced by ERα. PELP1–CARM1 interactions synergistically enhance ERα transactivation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that PELP1 alters histone H3 arginine methylation status at ERα target gene promoters. Pharmacological inhibition or small interfering RNA knockdown of CARM1 substantially reduced PELP1 oncogenic functions. The critical role of PELP1 status in modulating arginine methylation status was also observed through in vivo studies where PELP1 knockdown mediated decreased tumorigenesis correlated with decreased arginine dimethylation. Further, immunohistochemical analysis of human breast tumor tissues revealed co-overexpression of PELP1 and CARM1 in a subset of ERα-positive breast tumors. Our findings show PELP1 is a reader of histone arginine methyl modifications and deregulation promotes tumor proliferation via epigenetic alterations at ERα target promoters. Targeting these epigenetic alterations through inhibition of PELP1 and the arginine methyltransferases could be a promising cancer therapeutic.