cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monocytes, but not T or B cells, are the principal target cells for dengue virus (DV) infection among human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

A better understanding of the pathogenesis of dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome requires the precise identification of dengue virus (DV) permissive target cells. To examine the relative DV permissiveness among cell subsets, we inoculated unfractionated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with DV2-16681 in the presence or absence of pooled DV-immune human sera (PHS), and assessed infection with fluorescent dye labeled DV-specific monoclonal antibody and cell surface markers using flow cytometry. We found significantly higher levels of DV antigen staining on DV-infected than mock-infected primary monocytes (3.54 +/- 3.42% vs. 0.50 +/- 0.38%; P = 0.001). The magnitude of infection was markedly enhanced in the presence of highly diluted PHS (10.04 +/- 6.10% vs. 3.54 +/- 3.42%; P = 0.015). Under identical experimental conditions, primary T or B cells were not infected either with or without the addition of PHS (0.06 +/- 0.04% and 0.44 +/- 0.22% for T and B cells, respectively). Furthermore, depletion of CD14+ monocytes prior to DV inoculation abrogated the detection of infected cells, and the addition of monoclonal antibodies to either FcgammaRI (CD64) or FcgammaRII (CD32) led to a 50-70% reduction in antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of DV infection. Collectively, these results provide further support to the notion that primary monocytes and FcgammaRs expressed on these cells may be important in the initial steps of immune enhancement observed in some patients with natural DV infection. They also demonstrate that using modern experimental technology, DV infection, and neutralization and enhancement of DV infection can be easily assessed simultaneously in multiple cell types.
Host Choice of Late Instar Gypsy Moths (Lepidoptera: Lynmantriidae) Between Loblolly Pine and Sweetgum

Host choice of late instar (LA-L6) gypsy moths, Lymantria dispar (L.), was evaluated using stems and foliage of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., and sweetgum, Liquidambar styraciflua L. Upon release as 4th instars, larvae were free to roam within arenas, where their location was recorded several times per day until all had pupated. The number of larvae on a particular host species was highly dependent on larval age. After release into experimlintal arenas, there was nearly unidirectional movement from loblolly pine to sweetgum, resulting in 75% of larvae being found on this host after 4 d. Sweetgum remained the preferred host for most of the larval stage; however, as larvae neared pupation there was strong movement to loblolly pine, which was preferred over sweetgum ≍3 to 1 for pupation. The initial host of release had no effect on larval host-choice for pupation. Host sequence, defined by host of release and host of pupation, affected larval duration and pupal weight only in the following cases. Insects that began and pupated on loblolly pine developed at a slower rate and weighed less than those that began and pupated on sweetgum. Individuals that switched hosts for pupation generally were not significantly different (in pupal weight or development time) from either of these. Implications of the observed pattern of host use, especially the overwhelming choice of loblolly pine for pupation, on gypsy moth interactions with natural enemies in the southeastern United States are discussed.
Should internal mammary nodes be sampled in the sentinel lymph node era

Controversy exists regarding internal mammary lymph nodes (IMNs) in the staging and treatment of breast cancer. Sentinel lymph node identification with radiocolloid can map drainage to IMNs and directed biopsy can be performed with minimal morbidity. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that IMN drainage of breast tumors may be underestimated. To gain further insight into the prognostic value of IMNs, we reviewed the outcome of patients in whom the IMN status was routinely assessed. A retrospective review of 286 patients with breast cancer who underwent IMN dissection between 1956 and 1987 was conducted. Median follow-up is 186 months, age was 52 years (range, 21–85 years), tumor size was 2.5 cm, and number of IMNs removed was 5 (range, 1–22); 44% received chemotherapy, 16% endocrine therapy, and 5% radiotherapy. Presence of IMN metastases correlated with primary tumor size (P<.0001) and number of positive axillary nodes (P<.0001) but did not correlate with primary tumor location or age. Overall, the 20-year disease-free survival is significantly worse for the 25% of patients with IMN metastases (P<.0001). In patients with positive axillary nodes and tumors smaller than 2 cm, there was a significantly worse survival (P<.0001) in the patients with IMN metastases. This difference in survival was not seen in women with tumors larger than 2 cm. Patients with IMN metastases, regardless of axillary node status, have a highly significant decrease in 20-year disease-free survival. Treatment strategies based on knowledge of sentinel IMN status may lead to improvement in survival, especially for patients with small tumors. At present, sentinel IMN biopsies should be performed in a clinical trial setting.
Evaluation of four methods for computing parameter sensitivities in dynamic system models

Abstract Computation of state sensitivities with respect to parameters can be a difficult and costly numerical problem when the number of states and parameters is large, or when sensitivities must be computed repeatedly, as with many optimization algorithms. Four methods are evaluated in terms of solution accuracy, and computer-time and storage requirements: direct numerical integration of the complete sensitivity-system differential equations, a reduced-order method based on the controllable states of the sensitivity system, a numerical-quadratures technique applied directly to the analytic solution of the original system, and an approach based on the solution of the transition matrix. Three linear system models, with four different types of inputs, were used as test cases, the largest having 6 states and 12 parameters. The reduced-order method was the most time-efficient in a majority of cases, but it was prone to numerical instability problems in certain situations which may be encountered in applications. It also had the largest storage requirements. For the highest-order system, only direct numerical integration and the transition-matrix method produced sufficiently accurate results for most applications, because of matrix-inversion problems with the other methods. For impulse inputs, the transition-matrix and the numerical-quadratures methods overall were the most computationally efficient, but the transition-matrix approach required much more memory storage.
Pigmented villonodular synovitis: dedicated PET imaging findings

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is an uncommon entity, which has the potential to cause severe pain. The gold standard for evaluation is MRI, and previous PET findings associated with PVNS have only been documented in the setting of concurrent malignancy. In the setting of recurrent disease, PET is being used to evaluate prebiological and postbiological treatment responses. Recurrent PVNS demonstrates greater hypermetabolic activity than previously documented, supporting the case as a potential mimic of malignant/metastatic disease. Post-treatment evaluations demonstrate decreased metabolic activity, which suggests response to treatment. This behaviour further supports the contention that there is a neoplastic origin to PVNS.
Instrument-assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization: Effects on the Properties of Human Plantar Flexors

The effect of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (ISTM) on passive properties and inflammation in human skeletal muscle has not been evaluated. Passive properties of muscle, inflammatory myokines and subjective reporting of functional ability were used to identify the effects of ISTM on the plantar flexors. 11 healthy men were measured for passive musculotendinous stiffness (MTS), passive range of motion (PROM), passive resistive torque (PASTQ) and maximum voluntary contraction peak torque (MVCPT) for plantar flexor muscles of the lower leg. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured from muscle biopsies from the gastrocnemius, and subjective measurements of functional ability were taken using the perception of functional ability questionnaire (PFAQ). MTS, PROM, PRT and MVCPT were measured in the treatment leg (TL) and control leg (CL) before, immediately after, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h following IASTM. Biopsies for IL-6 and TNF-α and PFAQ responses were collected before as well as 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after IASTM. There were no significant differences in MTS, PROM, PASTQ, MVCPT, IL-6 and TNF-α between the TL or CL. A significant decrease in the perception of function and a significant increase in pain for the TL were found following IASTM.
A “Designer” Annuloplasty Ring for Patients with Massive Mitral Annular Dilatation

We describe a new type of mitral annuloplasty ring designed for use in the massively dilated mitral annulus. The ring can be fabricated at the operating table from a 4-mm Gore-Tex graft and umbilical tape and can be adapted in size to fit a mitral annulus of any diameter.
Changes in dewetting behavior of SiO2 films on TiO2 substrates due to film thickness and crucible choice

The TiO2/SiO2 materials system has had renewed interest in recent years due to its photoelectric and photocatalytic properties, and serves as an ideal model system for liquid-phase sintering studies (LPS). In this study, glass SiO2 films of three different nanoscale thicknesses were deposited onto (001) rutile TiO2 substrates. The resulting dewet patterns of the glass were found to change depending on the initial film thickness when subjected to identical annealing conditions. In addition, changing the crucible type from Pt to Al2O3, caused films of the same thickness to undergo different convection mechanisms and thus developing very different surface patterns. It is proposed that Marangoni convection drove pattern formation when a Pt crucible was used, while the Rayleigh instability was responsible for dewetting when an Al2O3 crucible was used.
Stereoselectivity in the reduction of [Co(ox)3]3− by [Co(en)3]2+ and its derivatives

The oxidation of cobalt(II) by [Co(ox) 3 ] 3- in 1,2-diaminoethane solutions proceeds by both inner-sphere and outer-sphere pathways leading to formation of [Co(en) 2 (ox)] + and [Co(en) 3 ] 3+ with rate constants 3300 and 390 M -1 s -1 , respectively, at 25.0˚C and 0.10 M ionic strength
Parental Leave and Gender Equality: Lessons from the European Union

abstract This article describes the development of European Union parental leave policy and its impact on mothers’and fathers’access to parental leave in the individual nations that make up the union. Cross-national variations in parental leave policy are described and analyzed. Although the 15 countries belonging to the EU in 2002 are concerned about helping working parents reconcile employment and family responsibilities, so far, only one—Sweden—has begun to develop a parental leave policy likely to facilitate men's and women's sharing of responsibility for breadwinning and child care.
Reverse Engineering the Structure and Function of the Allegheny Mound Ant Neck (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Formica, Exsectoides)

Insects as mechanical systems have been optimized for form and function over millions of years. Ants, in particular, can lift and carry extremely heavy loads relative to their body mass. Loads are lifted with the mouthparts, transferred through the neck joint to the thorax, and distributed over six legs and feet that anchor to the supporting surface. While previous research efforts have explored attachment mechanisms of the feet, little is known about the mechanical design of the neck — the single joint that connects the load path from the thorax to the head. This work combines mechanical testing, computed tomography (CT) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging, and computational modeling to better understand the mechanical structure-function relation of the ant neck joint.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
THYROID RADIATION DOSES FROM FALLOUT

Absorbed doses of radiation from fallout, when averaged over yearly periods and over large numbers of individuals, have usually been assumed to be well below the corresponding doses from natural background sources. Although this assumption may be valid for most body organs, it is unlikely to have been valid for the thyroid glands of the average infant and child in the U.S. The purpose of this note is to point out that for the last few years such thyroids probably have received an annual radiation dose (chiefly, from the beta-rays of radioiodine) that is approximately equal to the annual dose which they receive from natural background radiations.
Use of monitoring data and population viability analysis to inform reintroduction decisions: Peregrine falcons in the Midwestern United States

Abstract The peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus anatum ) has not yet recolonized natural cliff sites in Illinois and much of the lower Midwestern US, and remains restricted to urban areas. We constructed a landscape-linked population viability analysis using RAMAS/GIS software to compare possible reintroduction strategies for the species. Habitat-specific (i.e. cliff and urban) demographic parameters such as survival, fecundity, and dispersal rates were derived from the Midwest Peregrine Society Database for peregrines in the central Mississippi River region during 1982–2006. We simulated a base scenario of no reintroduction and 18 models of reintroduction with varying cohort sizes, supplementation schedules, and number of reintroduction sites, and used the Lake Superior population to test our model. Our analysis indicated that even without reintroductions in Illinois, the peregrine population in the lower Midwestern region is slowly increasing and is not likely to go extinct. Recolonization of cliff sites in southern Illinois likely will occur via dispersal from urban populations, however further research on dispersal rates between urban areas and cliffs is needed. Analysis indicated that the most cost-effective reintroduction strategy would be priced at approximately $280,000 and would result in only two additional breeding pairs compared to the no-action scenario. Thus, funds would be more effectively used in other management efforts such as habitat preservation. This study provides an example of how post-release monitoring can be used to inform future reintroduction plans.
Potential roles of the nucleotide exchange factor ECT2 and Cdc42 GTPase in spindle assembly in Xenopus egg cell‐free extracts

The ECT2 protooncogene encodes a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the Rho family of small GTPases. ECT2 contains motifs of cell cycle regulators at its N-terminal domain. We previously showed that ECT2 plays a critical role in cytokinesis. Here, we report a potential role of XECT2, the Xenopus homologue of the human ECT2, in spindle assembly in cell-free Xenopus egg extracts. Cloned XECT2 cDNA encodes a 100 kDa protein closely related to human ECT2. XECT2 is specifically phosphorylated in M phase extracts. Affinity-purified anti-XECT2 antibody strongly inhibited mitosis in Xenopus cell-free extracts. Instead of bipolar spindles, where chromosomes are aligned at the metaphase plane in control extracts, the addition of anti-XECT2 resulted in the appearance of abnormal spindles including monopolar and multipolar spindles as well as bipolar spindles with misaligned chromosomes. In these in vitro synthesized spindle structures, XECT2 was found to tightly associate with mitotic spindles. The N-terminal half of XECT2 lacking the catalytic domain also strongly inhibited spindle assembly in vitro, resulting in the formation of mitotic spindles with a low density. Among the representative Rho GTPases, a dominant-negative form of Cdc42 strongly inhibited spindle assembly in vitro. These results suggest that the Rho family GTPase Cdc42 and its exchange factor XECT2 are critical regulators of spindle assembly in Xenopus egg extracts.
Indicators of developmental deviance in individuals at risk for schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is generally conceptualized as a neurodevelopmental disorder. In order to examine psychometrically-identified individuals at risk for schizophrenia in terms of indicators of developmental deviance, we examined digit ratios, nailfold plexus visibility, and dermatoglyphic features in young adults with elevated scores on the Social Anhedonia Scale. These individuals were compared to an age-matched control group. The two groups did not differ in terms of their digit ratios, though across both groups, the males had significantly lower 2D:4D ratios than the females. The socially anhedonic group had a significantly higher prevalence of nailfold plexus visibility. Males reporting excessive social anhedonia exhibited significantly lower a–b ridge counts than controls, though the two groups did not differ in terms of finger ridge counts. Study findings indicate that relationships exist between some indicators of nonspecific developmental injury and negative schizotypy, especially in males. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Chlorine K-shell spectroscopy of directly driven cylindrical implosions

Abstract K-shell X-ray emission from a chlorinated marker layer is used to diagnose the density and temperature evolution of the inner surface of the ablator in a series of directly driven cylindrical implosions. Because the shape of the emitting region is irregular, the line-of-best-fit (LIBEF) method of Kilkenny et al. [Phys. Rev. A 1980;22:2746.] is applied for the inference of electron density and the results used to find constraints on the temperature of the marker layer.
Ultraviolet surface‐photopolymerization from phenol, cyclohexanol, and ethylbenzene

The formation of surface-photopolymerized films from the vapors of phenol, cyclohexanol, and ethylbenzene is described. The structures of the films are discussed in terms of their multiple-reflection infrared spectra.
Kinetics of a fast moving twin boundary in nickel

Abstract A complete description of high-rate dynamic deformation of metals demands, in part, the fundamental understanding and characterization of twin boundary (TB) kinetics. We use molecular dynamics (MD) to characterize the TB kinetics in nickel, which serves as a model material for understanding TB kinetics in face-centered cubic metals. The kinetics of twinning dislocations (TD) fundamentally govern the TB kinetics. Propagation kinetics for a TD shares many common features with full dislocation kinetics, including non-linear kinetics, stable propagation regimes and forbidden velocities. However, a TD experiences an additional drag (as compared to a full dislocation) due to damping interactions with the TB; these characteristics are reflected in the TB kinetics. We show that, in Ni, TB velocities are limited to ∼ 650 m s - 1 , well below the shear wave speed. The insights gained from the MD simulations inform our proposed kinetic relations for TD and TB, and we show how these kinetic relations may be utilized in both macroscopic and crystal plasticity formulations.
Urine Collagen Fragments and CKD Progression—The Cardiovascular Health Study

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is common with ageing and strongly prognostic for ESRD but is poorly captured by eGFR or urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR). Higher urine levels of procollagen type III N-terminal propeptide (PIIINP) mark the severity of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in biopsy studies, but the association of urine PIIINP with CKD progression is unknown. Among community-living persons aged ≥65 years, we measured PIIINP in spot urine specimens from the 1996 to 1997 Cardiovascular Health Study visit among individuals with CKD progression (30% decline in eGFR over 9 years, n =192) or incident ESRD ( n =54) during follow-up, and in 958 randomly selected participants. We evaluated associations of urine PIIINP with CKD progression and incident ESRD. Associations of urine PIIINP with cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and death were evaluated as secondary end points. At baseline, mean age (±SD) was 78±5 years, mean eGFR was 63±18 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 , and median urine PIIINP was 2.6 (interquartile range, 1.4–4.2) μ g/L. In a case-control study (192 participants, 231 controls), each doubling of urine PIIINP associated with 22% higher odds of CKD progression (adjusted odds ratio, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.49). Higher urine PIIINP level was also associated with incident ESRD, but results were not significant in fully adjusted models. In a prospective study among the 958 randomly selected participants, higher urine PIIINP was significantly associated with death, but not with incident cardiovascular disease or heart failure. These data suggest higher urine PIIINP levels associate with CKD progression independently of eGFR and ACR in older individuals.
A 3-D Texture Model Of Natural Scene Image

A new 3-D texture model is developed by considering scene image as the superposition of a random texture image and a smooth shaded image. This smoothed surface is obtained by taking average of pixel intensities from natural image, and texture image can be generated by substracting the smoothed image from the original one. Then, Shape from-shading technique is applied to estimate the orientation of surface. For describing a random texture image, the long-correlation periodic model is chosen because of its good performance in texture synthesis and its ability to represent the coarseness and the pattern of the surface at the same time. Then, a projection technique is developed to deal with this particular random model, which has a non-isotropically distributed texture pattern. For estimating the parameters, a hybrid method which uses both the least square and the maximum likelihood estimates is applied directly to the given intensity function.
Like You Need a Hole in the Head: Tool Innovation a Possible Cause of Trephination. A Case from Kerma, Nubia

This paper presents one case from Kerma (ind-14.1.595 or K317) which was initially reported to have a ‘fatal traumatic wound’ in the front of the skull. The individual has a dime sized, circular hole with no radiating or concentric fracture lines associated with it. It also shows clear evidence of healing along the inside edges of the pathology. This was according to the preliminary, and only, analysis performed when excavated at Kerma (1913–1916), which was most likely performed by a crew member not formerly trained in anthropology, or medical science. Differential diagnosis will be discussed with respect to this lesion actually being a form of traumatic injury, possible remnants of a bony tumour, and trephination, among other diagnoses. Trephination has been identified in ancient Egypt and Nubian studies, though it is a rarity. Although trephination is a possible cause for the present lesion, this example does not fit the morphology of any other examples of the practise from this region or time period. Given that there have been similar borings witnessed on architecture from the Egyptian Old Kingdom, this lesion may suggest implementation of an already present architectural tool for medical purposes among the Kerma Nubians. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Whatever Was, Was Right

FOUR words will constitute the extremely paradoxical text of this evening's discourse, namely, Whatever was, was right. In the exposition of this text, look not for the rare jewel of consistency in this ugly head. The sense of these four words will be twisted first this way, and then that. As a typical New England farmer on Martha's Vineyard said many years ago, recounting his conversation with the summer visitor next door who had asked him if he skimmed his milk before delivering it: "'Yes,' I told her, 'first I skim it on one side, and then I turn it over and skim it on the other."' This text is, of course, a slight alteration of Alexander Pope's utterance of more than two centuries ago: "Whatever is, is right." This is a hard saying, especially if we attempt to apply it to our own age of world wars and cold wars, of economic and social and racial cleavage, when almost everyone, whether Democrat or Republican, employer or member of a trade union, Communist or libertarian, affirms that he is absolutely right, and that those who disagree with him are completely in the wrong, while some go so far as to insist that those who disagree with them, or with whom they disagree,
Traditional vs Anchored Instruction for Diabetes-Related Nutritional Knowledge, Skills, and Behavior

This paper describes a nutrition education experiment in which traditional direct instruction was compared with a problem-solving method called anchored instruction (AI). Participants were 69 children ages 9 to 15 years, with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), who attended a diabetes camp. Following pretesting, campers were assigned to AI or direct instruction control classes. Posttests involved evaluating diabetes knowledge, personal meal plan knowledge, ability to choose an appropriate meal from a buffet line, and ability to pack appropriate meals for an overnight campout. AI and direct instruction both produced significant knowledge gains in this study. However, because the scores for the two groups did not differ, this study was unsuccessful in replicating results of other studies or extending the findings to selected measures of actual behavior.
Size-selective fishing affects sex ratios and the opportunity for sexual selection in Alaskan sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka

Selective exploitation can cause adverse ecological and evolutionary changes in wild populations and also affect sex ratios but few studies have empirically documented skewed sex ratios in exploited fishes (other than species with extreme sexual size dimorphism, SSD). To investigate the possibility of sex-selective fishing on Alaskan sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka, we assessed sex ratios in fish at two spatial scales: within each of five fishing districts and among 13 breeding populations in one of these districts. We predicted that populations’ sex ratios would vary based on the average size of fish and SSD because size affects vulnerability to fishing. At the larger scale, we found a small but significant bias in fish returning to four of the five fishing districts (average = 52% females), and in four of the five districts males were caught at significantly higher rates than females. At the finer scale there was marked variation in sex ratio on the breeding grounds, ranging from 36% to 47% males. Populations with fish of intermediate sizes experienced the greatest sex ratio biases; the greater vulnerability of males than females to fishing resulted from a combination of larger SSD and different harvest rates between the sexes associated with the fishery size-selectivity curve shape. Skewed sex ratios may change competition and behavior on the breeding grounds, relaxing selection on male traits associated with mate choice by females or intra-sexual competition and altering demographic and evolutionary pressures on the fish. Assessment of the size selectivity of fishing gear and the population's SSD can help to illuminate if and how exploitation can affect sex ratios. Future studies examining size-selective fishing should also evaluate the consequences for sex ratios, as this might help explain changes in harvested population structure and sustainability.
Differential Privacy for Clinical Trial Data: Preliminary Evaluations

The concept of differential privacy as a rigorous definition of privacy has emerged from the cryptographic community. However, further careful evaluation is needed before we can apply these theoretical results to privacy preservation in everyday data mining and statistical analysis. In this paper we demonstrate how to integrate a differential privacy framework with the classical statistical hypothesis testing in the domain of clinical trials where personal information is sensitive. We develop concrete methodology that researchers can use. We derive rules for the sample size adjustment whereby both statistical efficiency and differential privacy can be achieved for the specific tests for binomial random variables and in contingency tables.
Evaluation of Porcelain and Toughened Glass Suspension Insulators Removed from Service

Porcelain and toughened glass suspension type insulators that were removed after 25-30 years of service were evaluated in the laboratory with the objectives of understanding failure mechanisms and assessing the condition of similar insulators in the field. The remaining electrical and mechanical strength was highly variable for porcelain and for some they were significantly reduced from the rated value. Scanning electron microscopy and electric field calculations provided an insight into the failure mechanism responsible for electrical strength reduction in porcelain. Toughened glass insulators with shells shattered intentionally in the laboratory (stubs) always flashed over externally and were therefore puncture proof. Multiple explanations are provided to explain this phenomenon based on internal examination of the stubs. The variation in the tensile load to cause failure for toughened glass insulators was smaller when compared to porcelain and was close to the rated value.
Utilization of Dental Services by the Elderly1

Older persons utilize dental services at a significantly lower rate than they use other health services, and lower than the rates for younger age groups. This presentation will focus on utilization behavior within the framework of a person-environment congruence model. Much of the previous research in this area has been concerned with the person component, specifically predisposing (demographic) and enabling (financial resources) variables. But these variables have rarely been found to predict a significant proportion of the variance in utilization behavior. More recent studies have examined perceived and objective need for dental care, and have found low perceived need among non-utilizers. The author's own research on psychosocial factors in dental behaviors points to the role of attitudes, personality, and perceived oral health status in determining the older person's oral self-care and utilization behaviors. Our research with elderly Caucasians and Pacific Asians suggests that reducing the traditional barriers to dental care delivery and educating older persons about oral health will not significantly improve their health care behaviors. Attitudinal barriers must first be overcome. Research on other psychological and environmental barriers to dental service utilization, and alternative methods of eliminating these barriers is needed. Areas of potentially valuable research are discussed. Only by moving from descriptive to more experimental studies such as these can we enhance the oral health behaviors of the elderly population.
Identifying Sources of Fecal Contamination in Shellfish Waters in Two Tidal Rivers

ABSTRACT Sources of fecal contamination in two shellfish-bearing tidal rivers (Coan and Little Wicomico) adjacent to the lower Chesapeake Bay in Virginia were identified using antibiotic resistance analysis (ARA) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) on Escherichia coli. Both rivers contained numerous shellfish beds that were closed to harvest as a result of fecal contamination. Host-origin fecal samples (n = 519) were collected and used to build a regional library for each method (8 E. coli isolates per sample for ARA, 4,152 total; 4 isolates per sample for PFGE, 2,076 total). The best classification rule for the host-origin data set was generated by discriminate analysis (nonpooled covariance, jackknife estimates, 80% threshold), and the average rate of correct classification (ARCC) for the libraries was 70.4% for ARA and 83.3% for PFGE. The libraries were challenged for predictive ability with sets of isolates that represented reproducibility, accuracy, and robustness. The libraries were used to ...
Cadmium- and Mercury-Induced Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Expression in Immortalized Proximal Tubule Cells: Evidence for a Role of Decreased Transforming Growth Factor-β1

Abstract A definitive association between the aberrant expression of cytokines and adhesion molecules in renal failure has been established. In this regard a relationship between cytokine and adhesion molecule expression is suggested but has not been shown in models of proximal tubular cell injury. To investigate the impact of acute injury on the relationship between transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression, two immortalized mouse proximal tubular epithelial cell lines were exposed to cadmium chloride or mercuric chloride (0–50 μM) for 0–8 h. ELISA and Western blot measured expression of secreted and intercellular TGF-β1, respectively. Direct cellular ELISA or Western blot was used to assess ICAM-1 expression. Challenge with cadmium caused a greater loss of cell viability than did mercury. Interestingly, cadmium significantly decreased the amount of TGF-β1 in the conditioned media. Although a similar trend was seen in mercury-challenged cells, no significant differences were observed. The decrease in TGF-β1 in the culture media was not due to decreased expression of this cytokine, as intercellular levels were not affected by metal-induced injury. Significant increases in ICAM-1 protein expression were observed following cadmium and mercury challenge. The increase in ICAM-1 appears to be due to increased mRNA, as Northern blot analysis demonstrated increased message expression following a 4-h cadmium or mercury challenge. Supplementation of the culture media with exogenous TGF-β1 decreased basal ICAM-1 expression and attenuated the cadmium-induced increase. These data suggest that metal-induced injury is associated with increased ICAM-1 expression. The mechanism of this induction may involve the decreased TGF-β1 in the conditioned media following metal challenge. Taken together, these studies suggest a link between cytokine and adhesion molecule expression in renal injury.
The pyrite standard: the Midas touch in the diagnosis of axial pain syndromes.

The validation of diagnostic testing is critical to understanding disease and scientifically advancing treatment. Recent surveys have found that many studies on diagnostic validity are poorly designed or executed, resulting in exaggerated or biased results regarding diagnostic accuracy [1]. In the world of axial pain syndromes many questionable diagnoses are made in clinical practice. Which of these may be right or wrong is usually unknown. With serious diseases, such as infection or tumor, the clinician may conclusively determine the correct diagnosis. Yet, in the overwhelming majority of axial pain syndromes there is little evidence supporting confidence in diagnostic test validity. The clinician may be left with little more to judge diagnostic accuracy than the clinical course revealing no serious destructive process, the possible evolution of generalized central-pain illness, or perhaps, the response to specific treatments. This issue of The Spine Journal presents another attempt to resolve disputed claims between different camps purporting high diagnostic certainty in axial pain. Dr. Bogduk and colleagues (pages 22‐26, this issue) point out that one study in 1988 [2] ‘‘claimed that manual examination of the neck had 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity for diagnosing painful zygapophyseal joints.’’ This is, of course, an astounding rate for any clinical test. These authors believe, and it stands to reason, that manual medicine techniques are not nearly that accurate. However, the same authors then contend that the same diagnosis is ‘‘diagnosed definitively’’ by their own method of facet injections: an equally unlikely proposition. Nonetheless, the authors go on to compare the outcome of manual testing, whose proponents claim high accuracy, against anesthetic blocks, which Dr. Bogduk and colleagues claim is the actual ‘‘definitive’’ determinant of a true-positive or negative study. Their results show that manual testing and injection testing results are frequently at odds. As Abraham Lincoln noted when both Federal and Confederate partisans claimed God was on their side: one side may be wrong, or the other may be wrong, but certainly both cannot be right. The diagnostic injection method used in this study as the gold standard for the diagnosis was comparative anesthetic injections: a ‘‘positive’’ joint being one in which pain relief was obtained with anesthetic blockade with both short (lignocaine) and long (bupivacaine) acting anesthetic and
Korean students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of their internship experiences in the hospitality industry in Korea

This research study assessed Korean students’ perceptions and overall satisfaction levels regarding the effectiveness of their hospitality internship experiences. Relationships with demographic characteristics were identified. The sample was comprised of 74 senior‐level university students enrolled in Korean hospitality and/or tourism management programs who were completing an internship in Korea. Generally, students exhibited low agreement levels on the internship program aspects being investigated. Previous work experience was the most common factor influencing students’ perceptions of their internship experiences. Agreement levels increased with length of prior work experience. Type of internship workplace, expectation of an employment offer, age and gender were found to influence students’ perceptions of the internship experiences.
Differential introgression of uniparentally inherited markers in bison populations with hybrid ancestries

Historical hybridization between Bison bison (bison) and Bos taurus (cattle) has been well documented and resulted in cattle mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) introgression, previously identified in six different bison populations. In order to examine Y chromosome introgression, a microsatellite marker (BYM-1) with non-overlapping allele size distributions in bison and cattle was isolated from a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone, and was physically assigned to the Y chromosome by fluorescence in situ hybridization. BYM-1 genotypes for a sample of 143 male bison from 10 populations, including all six populations where cattle mtDNA haplotypes were previously identified, indicated that cattle Y chromosome introgression had not occurred in these bison populations. The differential permeability of uniparentally inherited markers to introgression is consistent with observations of sterility among first generation hybrid males and a sexual asymmetry in the direction of hybridization favouring matings between male bison and female cattle.
Axonal transport of phospholipids in rat visual system.

— Seventeen day old rats were injected intraocularly with a phospholipid precursor, [32P]phosphate, and a glycoprotein precursor, [3H]fucose. Animals were killed between 1 h and 21 days later, and structures of the visual pathway (retina, optic nerve, optic tract, lateral geniculate body, and superior colliculus) were dissected. Radioactivity in phospholipids ([32P] in solvent-extracted material) and in glycoproteins ([3H] in solvent-extracted residue) was determined. Incorporation of [3H]fucose into retinal glycoproteins peaked at 6–8 h. Labelled glycoproteins were present in superior colliculus by 2h after injection, indicating a rapid rate of transport; maximal labelling was at 8–10 h after injection. Incorporation of [32P]phosphate into retinal phospholipids peaked at 1 day after injection. Phospholipids were also rapidly transported since label was present in the superior colliculus by 3 h after injection: however, maximal labelling did not occur until 5–6 days. These results indicate that newly synthesized phospholipids enter a preexisting pool, part of which is later committed to transport at a rapid rate. Transported phospholipids were catabolized at the nerve endings with a maximum half-life of several days; there was minimal recycling of precursor label. Lipids were fractionated by thin-layer chromatography, and radioactivity in individual phospholipid classes determined. Choline and ethanolamine phosphoglycerides were the major transported phospholipids, together accounting for approx 85% of the total transported lipid radioactivity. At early time points, the ratio of radioactivity in choline phosphoglycerides to that in ethanolamine phosphoglycerides increased in structures progressively removed from the site of synthesis (retina) but by 2 days approached a constant value. In each structure, choline phosphoglyceride-ethanolamine phosphoglyceride radioactivity ratios decreased with time, rapidly at first, but plateaued by 2 days. These results indicate that choline phosphoglycerides are committed to transport sooner than ethanolamine phosphoglycerides. Some experiments were also conducted using [2-3H]glycerol as a phospholipid precursor. Results concerning incorporation of this precursor into individual phospholipid classes and their subsequent axonal transport were comparable to those obtained using [32P]phosphate, with the following exceptions: (a) incorporation of [2-3H]glycerol into retinal phospholipids was relatively rapid (near-maximal levels at 1 h after injection) although transport to the superior colliculus showed an extended time course very similar to [32P]-labelled lipids; (b) [2-3H]glycerol was somewhat less efficient than [32P]phosphate in labelling lipids committed to transport relative to labelling those which remained in the retina; and (c) [2-3H]glycerol did not label plasmalogens.
A Poke in the Eye : Inhibiting HIV-1 Protease Through Its Flap-Recognition Pocket

A novel mechanism of inhibiting HIV-1 protease (HIVp) is presented. Using computational solvent mapping to identify complementary interactions and the Multiple Protein Structure method to incorporate protein flexibility, we generated a receptor-based pharmacophore model of the flexible flap region of the semiopen, apo state of HIVp. Complementary interactions were consistently observed at the base of the flap, only within a cleft with a specific structural role. In the closed, bound state of HIVp, each flap tip docks against the opposite monomer, occupying this cleft. This flap-recognition site is filled by the protein and cannot be identified using traditional approaches based on bound, closed structures. Virtual screening and dynamics simulations show how small molecules can be identified to complement this cleft. Subsequent experimental testing confirms inhibitory activity of this new class of inhibitor. This may be the first new inhibitor class for HIVp since dimerization inhibitors were introduced 17 years ago.
A Critique of Mody, Studdert-Kennedy, and Brady's "Speech Perception Deficits in Poor Readers Auditory Processing or Phonological Coding?"

A 1997 article by Mody, Studdert-Kennedy, and Brady claimed that their studies constituted a critical test of two hypotheses concerning students with reading impairment: (a) that they experience speech-specific failure in phonological representation, and (b) they display general deficits in auditory temporal processing. From these studies, the authors concluded that their findings were consistent with the first hypothesis but were not in agreement with the second. A critical analysis of the Mody et al. article leads to the conclusion that it makes no contribution to that debate because (a) the children in the Poor reading group did not meet the accepted reading-impairment criterion of being delayed by at least 1 year in their reading skills, (b) there were severe violations of statistical assumptions, and (c) their conclusions were based on the failure to find significant differences, thus compelling them to accept the null hypothesis as proven, in the absence of any statistical power analysis.
Aptamer Directly Evolved from Live Cells Recognizes Membrane Bound Immunoglobin Heavy Mu Chain in Burkitt's Lymphoma Cells

The identification of tumor related cell membrane protein targets is important in understanding tumor progression, the development of new diagnostic tools, and potentially for identifying new therapeutic targets. Here we present a novel strategy for identifying proteins that are altered in their expression levels in a diseased cell using cell specific aptamers. Using an intact viable B-cell Burkitt's lymphoma cell line (Ramos cells) as the target, we have selected aptamers that recognize cell membrane proteins with high affinity. Among the selected aptamers that showed different recognition patterns with different cell lines of leukemia, the aptamer TD05 showed binding with Ramos cells. By chemically modifying TD05 to covalently cross-link with its target on Ramos cells to capture and to enrich the target receptors using streptavidin coated magnetic beads followed by mass spectrometry, we were able to identify membrane bound immunoglobin heavy mu chain as the target for TD05 aptamer. Immunoglobin heavy mu chain is a major component of the B-cell antigen receptor, which is expressed in Burkitt's lymphoma cells. This study demonstrates that this two step strategy, the development of high quality aptamer probes and then the identification of their target proteins, can be used to discover new disease related potential markers and thus enhance tumor diagnosis and therapy. The aptamer based strategy will enable effective molecular elucidation of disease related biomarkers and other interesting molecules.
Thermal expansion measurements on four optical materials from room temperature to 10 k.

In a continuing study of the physical properties of optical materials, measurements are reported of the linear thermal expansion coefficients for four ir-transmitting materials in the temperature range 10–300 K. A new glass and three polycrystalline materials were investigated by use of a three-terminal capacitance-type dilatometer incorporated into a cryostat. The glass, designated No. 20 by Texas Instruments, Inc., is a nonoxide chalcogenide glass with the composition Ge33Se55As12. One of the polycrystalline materials studied, T-12 (Harshaw Chemical Co.), is an optically integral two-phase material composed of equal molar proportions of CaF2 and BaF2. The other two materials are microcrystalline, hot-pressed forms of CdS and CdTe (Irtran 6), manufactured by the Eastman Kodak Co.
Monoclonal antibody therapy of APL.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a rare subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) for which a number of targeted therapies have been developed. The “targets” have included both genotypic and phenotypic features of the disease. The application of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to this disease to date have been limited to a relatively small number of studies where this therapy has been used to supplement effective approaches to the disease. The preliminary results have been promising, and further development of this modality as an effective adjunct to existing treatment regimens will most certainly occur in the near future.
"Is" Ought To Mean What?

The "is" question came up again in summer 2007 when J. K. Rowl ing, author of the Harry Potter series, said that she always assumed that Professor Dumbledore is gay. Professor Dumbledore is gay? Again, it depends on what the meaning of "is" is. The world is an enigma more so than a fact. To state that something is a fact is to state a truth ... unless one is stating a lie. Hard to tell right off the bat. The "is" word does not clear things up any more than the "fact" that is invoked. The unceasing attempts to interpret the world as if it had a foundational truth at the bottom of it all is a mistake often