cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth in diastrophic dysplasia

Abstract Objective: To study the growth and its correlates in diastrophic dysplasia (DTD) and to construct standard growth curves for DTD. Methods: Growth data of 121 Finnish patients with DTD were collected. Percentile growth curves for height and relative weight were constructed by using interpolated values from individual curves. Pubertal growth, intrafamilial variability, and correlates of adult height were assessed. Results: The median adult height was 135.7 cm for the male and 129.0 cm for the female subjects. The growth failure was progressive partly because of absent or weak pubertal growth spurt. The severity of the growth failure varied greatly, even among siblings. The final height did not correlate with the midparental height but correlated well with the height at 1.0 and 5.0 years. The relative weight was normal in childhood but increased before puberty; 28% of the adults were overweight. Head circumference was normal. Conclusions: DTD interferes profoundly with normal growth and results in progressive growth failure of varying severity. The growth charts should prove useful in following up an individual patient with DTD; they may be used to predict adult height and to evaluate growth-promoting therapies.(J Pediatr 1997;130:641-6.)
Optimizing surgical treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma associated with BRAF mutation

Background To date, a mutation of the BRAF oncogene is the most common genetic alteration found in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and is associated with extrathyroidal extension, lymph node metastasis, and tumor recurrence. It is not known whether pre-operative identification of BRAF mutations in cytologic specimens should alter surgical management. Methods From 2006 to 2008, the clinical, cytologic, and pathologic parameters of 106 consecutive surgically treated patients with BRAF-positive PTC were compared with a concurrent cohort of 100 patients with BRAF-negative PTC. Results In all, 99 BRAF-positive PTC patients underwent initial treatment, and 7 BRAF-positive patients had surgical resection of recurrent/persistent PTC. BRAF mutations were identified on preoperative cytologic samples (31 patients) or after thyroidectomy (75 patients). All 31 patients with BRAF-positive fine-needle aspiration (FNA) had PTC at thyroidectomy (specificity 100%). At short-term follow-up, 11/106 BRAF-positive patients have required reoperation for recurrent/persistent disease compared with 3 BRAF-negative patients (P = .04). Preoperative knowledge of BRAF mutation positivity could have productively altered initial PTC surgical management in 24% of patients. Conclusion In PTC, BRAF mutations are associated with cervical recurrence and with reoperation. Pre-operative cytologic identification of BRAF mutation has high specificity and may guide the initial extent of thyroidectomy and node dissection.
Jump discontinuities of semilinear, strictly hyperbolic systems in two variables: creation and propagation

The creation and propagation of jump discontinuities in the solutions of semilinear strictly hyperbolic systems is studied in the case where the initial data has a discrete set, {xi}i=1n, of jump discontinuities. LetS be the smallest closed set which satisfies: (i) S is a union of forward characteristics. (ii) S contains all the forward characteristics from the points {xi}i=1n. (iii) if two forward characteristics inS intersect, then all forward characteristics from the point of intersection lie inS.
Radiation‐Coloration‐Resistant Glasses With High‐Water Content

Radiation-coloration-resistant glasses were prepared by incorporating a larghd amount of water into dry glasses under hydrothermal conditions. After γ-ray irradiation of 106 rad, the glasses remained transparent.
Multimodality therapy for pancreatic cancer in the U.S. : utilization, outcomes, and the effect of hospital volume.

BACKGROUND. Despite decreased perioperative morbidity and mortality and clinical trials suggesting improved outcomes with adjuvant therapy, national practice patterns in the management of pancreatic cancer remain poorly defined. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate multimodality therapy utilization and outcomes relative to hospital type and volume. METHODS. Using the National Cancer Data Base, stage-specific treatment patterns were analyzed for 301,033 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Logistic regression was used to evaluate treatment utilization. Cox proportional hazards modeling was utilized to evaluate the effect of multimodality therapy on survival. RESULTS. Stage at presentation did not differ from 1985–1994 to 1995–2003; however, the percentage of patients receiving cancer-directed treatment increased from 45.1% to 51.8% (P < .001). Pancreatectomy for localized disease (AJCC 6th edition stages I and II) increased from 36.9% to 49.3% (P < .001). After resection, the use of adjuvant chemotherapy alone increased from 4.1% to 5.7% (P < .001), but the use of adjuvant radiation alone decreased from 7.0% to 4.6% (P < .001). Adjuvant chemoradiation use increased from 26.8% to 38.7% (P < .001). The use of surgery alone decreased from 62.1% (5213 of 8400 cases) to 49.9% (10,807 of 21,679 cases) (P < .001). Patients with localized pancreatic cancer were more likely to receive pancreatectomy and adjuvant chemoradiation at academic and high-volume centers (P < .001). Survival for localized disease was better after surgery with adjuvant therapy (hazards ratio [HR], 0.44; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.42–0.47) and surgical resection alone (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.52–0.57) compared with no treatment. CONCLUSIONS. To the authors' knowledge, the current study is the largest study regarding pancreatic cancer performed to date, and the first to investigate national practice patterns for multimodality therapy utilization. Multimodality therapy utilization has increased over time and appears to have a beneficial impact on survival. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Out-of-Plane Modes of cis-1,3,5-Hexatriene: Frequency Shifts in the 21A1 and 11B1 Excited States†

The calculation of Hessian matrices for the out-of-plane modes of cis-1,3,5-hexatriene (CHT)in the 11A1, 21A1, and 11B1 states is reported at the equilibrium geometry of the electronic ground state. The complete-active-space self-consistent-field (CASSCF) electronic structure model is employed. π and σ orbitals are included in the active space to account for the mixing of both types of molecular orbitals at nonplanar conformations of CHT. On the basis of the Hessian matrices and the resulting approximate normal frequencies, an interpretation of recent spectroscopic evidence for the valence excited states of CHT is attempted. In particular, we make assignments of transitions in the low-frequency region of the hv + hv resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectrum of the 21A1 state. The predicted excited-state frequencies appear to be accurate and normal coordinate rotations induced by electronic excitation are shown to play an important role for the intensity distributions observed by REMPI and...
Subcellular plasticity of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor in dendrites of the mouse bed nucleus of the stria terminalis following chronic opiate exposure

Chronic opiate administration alters the expression levels of the stress-responsive peptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). This brain region contains CRF receptors that drive drug-seeking behavior exacerbated by stress. We used electron microscopy to quantitatively compare immunolabeling of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor (CRFr) and CRF in the anterolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTal) of mice injected with saline or morphine in escalating doses for 14 days. We also compared the results with those in non-injected control mice. The tissue was processed for CRFr immunogold and CRF immunoperoxidase labeling. The non-injected controls had a significantly lower plasmalemmal density of CRFr immunogold particles in dendrites compared with mice receiving saline, but not those receiving morphine, injections. Compared with saline, however, mice receiving chronic morphine showed a significantly lower plasmalemmal, and greater cytoplasmic, density of CRFr immunogold in dendrites. Within the cytoplasmic compartment of somata and dendrites of the BSTal, the proportion of CRFr gold particles associated with mitochondria was three times as great in mice receiving morphine compared with saline. This subcellular distribution is consistent with morphine,- and CRFr-associated modulation of intracellular calcium release or oxidative stress. The between-group changes occurred without effect on the total number of dendritic CRFr immunogold particles, suggesting that chronic morphine enhances internalization or decreases delivery of the CRFr to the plasma membrane, a trafficking effect that is also affected by the stress of daily injections. In contrast, saline and morphine treatment groups showed no significant differences in the total number of CRF-immunoreactive axon terminals, or the frequency with which these terminals contacted CRFr-containing dendrites. This suggests that morphine does not influence axonal availability of CRF in the BSTal. The results have important implications for drug-associated adaptations in brain stress systems that may contribute to the motivation to continue drug use during dependence.
Passive-only wave-based structural health monitoring from ambient noise

It has recently been demonstrated theoretically and experimentally that Green's functions (impulse responses) can be estimated from coherent processing of random vibrations using only passive sensors studies in various applications (ultrasonics, acoustic, seismic...). This article investigates the passive-only estimation of coherent guided waves waves (DC-500 kHz) in an aluminum plate of thickness comparable to aircraft fuselage and wing panels. Furthermore these passively reconstructed waveforms can also be used for damage detection in the plate similarly to conventional active testing. Based on this study, passive structural health monitoring techniques for aircraft panels can be developed using random vibrations.
Human myometrium and leiomyomas express gonadotropin-releasing hormone 2 and gonadotropin-releasing hormone 2 receptor

Objective To determine the presence or absence of a second form of GnRH (GnRH2) and corresponding receptor (GnRHR2) in human uterine myometrium and leiomyomata. Design Evaluation of human leiomyoma and patient-matched myometrium of differential mRNA and protein expression of GnRH2 and GnRHR2. Setting University hospital. Patient(s) Eight women undergoing medically indicated hysterectomy for symptomatic fibroids. Intervention(s) Microarray analysis, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry. Main Outcome Measure(s) Expression of mRNA and protein in leiomyoma and patient-matched myometrium. Result(s) Microarray analysis demonstrated expression, and we confirmed the findings by RT-PCR. Real-time RT-PCR demonstrated equivalent expression of the genes in leiomyoma compared with patient-matched myometrium (0.99-fold for GnRH2 and 1.28-fold for GnRHR2). Immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of GnRH2 protein in both leiomyoma and myometrium. Conclusion(s) A second form of GnRH and corresponding receptor exists in the fibroid and myometrium. We speculate that an autocrine loop exists. Our findings provide further evidence that GnRH agonists may interact directly with GnRH receptors present in uterine fibroids.
Intracellular microbes and haemophagocytosis

Haemophagocytosis (hemophagocytosis) is the phenomenon of activated macrophage consumption of red and white blood cells, including professional phagocytes and lymphocytes. It can occur in patients with severe cases of intracellular microbial infection, including avian influenza, leishmaniasis, tuberculosis and typhoid fever. While well-known to physicians since at least the mid-1800s, haemophagocytosis has been little studied due to a paucity of tractable animal and cell culture models. Recently, haemophagocytosis has been described in a mouse model of typhoid fever, and it was noted that the infectious agent, Salmonella enterica, resides within haemophagocytic macrophages in mice. In addition, a cell culture model for haemophagocytosis revealed that S. enterica preferentially replicate in haemophagocytic macrophages. This review describes how, at the molecular and cellular levels, S. enterica may promote and take advantage of haemophagocytosis to establish long-term systemic infections in mammals. The role, relevance and possible molecular mechanisms of haemophagocytosis are discussed within the context of other microbial infections and of genetic deficiencies in which haemophagocytosis occurs and is associated with morbidity.
Finite element discrete ordinates method for radiative transfer in non-rotationally invariant scattering media: Application to the leaf canopy problem

A finite element discrete ordinates method for solving the radiative transfer equation in nonrotationally invariant scattering media has been applied to the lead-canopy problem, and results are presented on the cross sections and the reflection functions. The method is based on a unique implementation of the Galerkin integral law formulation of the transport equation. For both near-normal and grazing incidences, the transfer functions of leaf canopies are found to be strongly anisotropic, with relatively more scattered flux in the vertical directions. It is suggested that the assumption of isotropic scattering in leaf canopies is not valid.
Partial life-cycle and acute toxicity of perfluoroalkyl acids to freshwater mussels

Freshwater mussels are among the most sensitive aquatic organisms to many contaminants and have complex life-cycles that include several distinct life stages with unique contaminant exposure pathways. Standard acute (24–96 h) and chronic (28 d) toxicity tests with free larva (glochidia) and juvenile mussels are effective at generating data on contaminant effects at two discrete life stages but do not incorporate effects on brooded glochidia. We developed a novel partial life-cycle assay that incorporates exposures to brooding adult female mussels and used this method in combination with acute toxicity tests to assess adverse effects of perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluoroctanoic acid (PFOA) on freshwater mussels. Fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea) were exposed to PFOS at two life stages: brooding glochidia (in marsupia) for 36 d and free glochidia in water for 24 h. In standard acute tests with glochidia (24–48 h exposures) and juveniles (48–96 h exposures) of fatmucket and black sandshell (Ligumia recta), glochidia were 8 to 25 times more sensitive than juveniles. Perfluoroctanesulfonic acid significantly reduced the duration of glochidia viability and reduced probability of metamorphosis at concentrations 3,000 times lower than the most sensitive acute endpoint (24-h EC50). The partial life-cycle test is adaptable to a variety of endpoints and research objectives and is useful for identifying adverse effects at contaminant concentrations below those required for an acute lethal response. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 1611–1620. © 2012 SETAC
On search guide phrase compilation for recommending home medical products

To help people find desired home medical products (HMPs), we developed an intelligent personal health record (iPHR) system that can automatically recommend HMPs based on users' health issues. Using nursing knowledge, we pre-compile a set of “search guide” phrases that provides semantic translation from words describing health issues to their underlying medical meanings. Then iPHR automatically generates queries from those phrases and uses them and a search engine to retrieve HMPs. To avoid missing relevant HMPs during retrieval, the compiled search guide phrases need to be comprehensive. Such compilation is a challenging task because nursing knowledge updates frequently and contains numerous details scattered in many sources. This paper presents a semi-automatic tool facilitating such compilation. Our idea is to formulate the phrase compilation task as a multi-label classification problem. For each newly obtained search guide phrase, we first use nursing knowledge and information retrieval techniques to identify a small set of potentially relevant classes with corresponding hints. Then a nurse makes the final decision on assigning this phrase to proper classes based on those hints. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our techniques by compiling search guide phrases from an occupational therapy textbook.
Lamarckian with a vengeance: human nature and American international relations theory

This essay considers three interrelated subjects: how the American social milieu effects American international relations (IR) theorizing, why realism has been singled out for criticism within this milieu, and how particular perspectives on human nature have served as the foundational bedrock for American social thinking. It argues that, even when incorporating Darwinian insights into their scholarship, American social scientists have subscribed to a Lamarckian perspective on human nature that reflects the American version of Enlightenment liberalism. This version combines a deep and progressive faith in individualism, capitalism, applied science and a moral national purpose derived from Protestantism. The American social scientific subscription to a Lamarckian perspective on human nature effects not only how realism is theorized in this milieu but also how American scholars see and do IR theory.
Lung uptake of technetium 99m sestamibi: relation to clinical, exercise, hemodynamic, and left ventricular function variables.

Technetium 99m sestamibi (2-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile [MIBI]) is a relatively new radiopharmaceutical with improved imaging characteristics for exercise myocardial perfusion studies compared with thallium 201. Although increased lung uptake of201Tl has been shown to have important clinical significance, reflecting severity of coronary artery disease and left ventricular function, the factors affecting MIBI lung uptake are unknown. Therefore we examined the potential clinical, exercise, hemodynamic, myocardial perfusion, and ventricular function determinants of lung uptake of MIBI on exercise myocardial perfusion studies. The study cohort consisted of 103 patients referred for evaluation of coronary artery disease with exercise MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging. All patients underwent both a standard 1-day rest-stress MIBI planar imaging protocol and rest echocardiography. With the anterior-view stress images obtained 1 hour after MIBI injection, regions of interest were drawn over peak lung and myocardial activities and a lung/heart ratio was calculated. Multivariate regression analysis was used to relate the lung/heart ratio to clinical, exercise and hemodynamic, myocardial perfusion, and echocardiographic left ventricular function scores. We found no significant relation between lung/heart ratio and any patient variable. Unlike201Tl, lung uptake of MIBI is not related to indexes of exercise, left ventricular dysfunction, or perfusion abnormalities. Thus MIBI lung uptake does not appear to have the same clinical significance as201Tl lung uptake.
Importance of extensional rheological properties on fiber-enriched corn extrudates

Abstract Incorporation of insoluble fibers into extruded cereals severely limits their expansion and reduces crispness. The specific objective of this work was to investigate how corn bran and its fractions mixed with cornmeal affect rheology and extrudate expansion. Alkali-treated bran (ATB) and alkaline-soluble bran (ASB) were prepared from unmodified corn bran (UMB). Mixtures of the different corn bran fractions and degermed cornmeal having a 26% (w/w) of total dietary fibers were extruded in a twin screw extruder and expansion of the extrudates was determined. Melt shear rheology of mixtures of cornmeal and different corn bran fractions having a 20% total dietary fiber was determined using a capillary rheometer at 120 °C while the extensional rheology was determined using lubricated squeezing flow. The expansion of extrudates containing ATB was larger than those containing UMB, while extrudates containing ASB showed a greater expansion that was close to that of the control. Addition of UMB to cornmeal increased shear and extensional viscosity significantly as compared to the control. ATB addition increased the shear viscosity of the mixture to a small extent but showed the highest extensional viscosity amongst the samples. Addition of ASB resulted in mixtures having lower shear and extensional viscosities than the control.
The Media's Role in Influencing Perceptions of Housing Values and the Resulting Impact on the Macroeconomy

The housing market is a major component of the economy and persistent negative media reports can adversely affect perceptions and expectations of homeowners as to the value of their home. As a result, households reduce their expenditures and increase their savings in an effort to rebuild lost wealth. In the short run the economy suffers and the recession is magnified. This paper demonstrates, through an empirical study, how negative media reports regarding the deteriorating conditions of the national housing market affects what households feel their housing is worth.
Effects of Electrical Stimulation and Delayed Chilling of Beef Carcasses on Carcass and Meat Characteristics

A 2x2 factorial experimental design with 2 replications was used to study the effects of a combination of electrical stimulation and delayed chilling of carcass on meat characteristics. Twenty Standard or Good grade beef cattle were slaughtered and 10 sides were assigned to each of the 4 treatments. Meat characteristics were evaluated subjectively (sensory panel evaluation) and objectively (W-B shear device). Electrically stimulated carcasses cooled faster in the first hour postmortem; thereafter the order of further cooling was reversed. The 24 hr postmortem weight loss in the electrically stimulated with delayed chilling did not differ (P > 0.05) from those receiving electrical stimulation plus immediate chilling nor those not stimulated but chilled immediately. For delayed chill carcasses, 24 hr postmortem weight loss was lower (P 0.05). At the microstructural level, an open triad and T-system were observed immediately following electrical stimulation. As early as 24 hr postmortem, considerable Z-line degradation was observed in the electrically stimulated and delayed chilled samples.
Antibody response to influenza vaccines combined with hexadecylamine.

SummaryHexadecylamine in levels up to .5 mg/ml is well tolerated by man and animals. A single injection into guinea pigs of influenza vaccines containing this material results in rapid production of antibody levels which exceed those elicited by control vaccines. Preliminary results in man suggest that adjuvants of this nature may be most efficacious in a population receiving primary influenza experience.
Pyrethroid pesticide exposure and parental report of learning disability and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in U.S. children: NHANES 1999-2002.

Background: Use of pyrethroid insecticides has increased dramatically over the past decade; however, data on their potential health effects, particularly on children, are limited.Objective: We exam...
The gustatory receptor family in the silkworm moth Bombyx mori is characterized by a large expansion of a single lineage of putative bitter receptors.

The gustatory receptor (Gr) family of insect chemoreceptors includes receptors for sugars and bitter compounds, as well as cuticular hydrocarbons and odorants such as carbon dioxide. We have annotated a total of 65 Gr genes from the silkworm Bombyx mori genome. The Gr family in the silkworm moth includes putative carbon dioxide receptors and sugar receptors, as well as duplicated orthologues of the orphan DmGr43a receptor. Most prominent in this 65-gene family, however, is a single large expansion of 55 Grs that we propose are predominantly ‘bitter’ receptors involved in perception of the large variety of secondary plant chemicals that caterpillars and moths encounter. These Grs might therefore mediate food choice and avoidance as well as oviposition site preference.
Using assessment in everyday practice for the benefit of families and practitioners

How can assessments be more clinically useful and have more impact on a youth's long-term outcome? Assessments can outline a treatment approach in which target problems are linked to goals, client and family strengths, and specific treatment steps. This can be done in a comprehensive way, such that the youth's real-life functioning can be assessed across various domains. The initial assessment can serve as the baseline evaluation, with an expectation set for ongoing, periodic monitoring. Parents can be encouraged to be actively involved in setting goals and in assessing their child's progress toward those goals. Outcome data can be aggregated across clients to generate practice-focused studies. These data can also be used to provide supportive evidence on behalf of local clinical programs.
Gas-liquid Chromatography and Structure-Retention Time Relationship of Anhalonium Alkaloids and Related Bases

Gas-liquid chromatographic separation of 18 anhalonium alkaloids and related bases has been studied employing 1 per cent methylsiloxane polymer (containing about 5 per cent phenyl substitution) as the liquid phase. The GLC behavior of these closely related compounds suggested a structure-retention time relationship. In general, N -monomethylation of primary and secondary amines, O -methylation, or C -monomethylation of the bases studied was found to decrease the retention time, while introduction of hydroxyl, methoxyl, or methylenedioxy group, or an unsaturation, produced an increase in retentivity. These changes in retention time may be attributed to the changes in polarity of amino and/or phenolic hydroxyl groups brought about by substitution in or adjacent to these groups.
Beyond fusiform and saccular: a novel quantitative tortuosity index may help classify aneurysm shape and predict aneurysm rupture potential.

While saccular abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are thought to be more prone to rupture than fusiform aneurysms, attempts to validate this observation have been limited by the inability to quantitatively define the three-dimensional shape of an aorta. A quantitative three-dimensional shape model may distinguish among shape classes and ultimately be useful in identifying aneurysms at risk for rupture. Three-dimensional luminal surface data of AAAs were generated from computed tomographic (CT) images of 15 patients with small aneurysms (≤5.5 cm maximal transverse diameter). The centerline was used to construct a shape classification based upon the orthographic projection of the centerline about its central axis. The extent and direction of the individual deviations were quantified as areas on the plane of projection to create a shape classification. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to verify distinct shape classes. A tortuosity index was calculated as a function of the centerline projection. AAA shape was calculated as a tortuosity index and classified into distinct classes of minimal or increased three-dimensional tortuosity. Thrombus could change the tortuosity index or shape classification of an aneurysm. In several patients with serial CT scans, the tortuosity index changed over time and was correlated with rupture; in three AAAs that ruptured the mean tortuosity increased 29% whereas the mean transverse diameter increased 3.3%. Expanding AAAs develop specific, quantifiable shapes that can be expressed as a quantitative tortuosity index that may be relevant to their natural history. The three-dimensional features of this shape model provide a novel and potentially clinically relevant adjunct to maximal transverse diameter. Larger studies are needed to correlate the tortuosity index with finite element models and the ability to predict aneurysm rupture.
Some clarifications in the transient energy function method

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the evaluation of path dependent integrals in the energy function method for stability analysis in power systems. In the literature these are handled in an approximate manner through straight line approximation leading to closed form analytic expressions of the energy functions. This may not always be accurate. Here it is compared with the trapezoidal method of integration along the faulted trajectory as originally proposed by Athay et al. The paper also emphasizes some tutorial aspects for explaining the PEBS and the BCU method.
White lighting: A provisional model for predicting perceived tint in “white” illumination

Recently, a line of minimum tint in chromaticity space for sources of illumination of different correlated color temperatures (CCTs) from 2700 K to 6500 K has been reported. This line of minimum tint did not correspond to the line of blackbody radiation implicitly associated with sources of white illumination used in architectural applications. It was noted that chromaticities along the line of minimum tint were not metamers but, rather, should represent, for a given CCT, chromaticities where the neural signals from the two spectral opponent channels were minimized. Earlier work provided a theoretical framework for representing the four unique hues where the neural signals from one spectral opponent channel are minimized. This framework was used here to quantitatively represent the line of minimum tint and then to empirically test whether this representation could predict the amount of tint perceived in six different sources of “white” Illumination.” Based on these results, a provisional model is proposed for describing the tint and the amount of tint perceived in “white” Illumination used in architectural applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 39, 466–479, 2014
Increased messenger RNA concentration for carbamoyl-phosphate synthase II in hepatoma 3924A*

Previous investigations demonstrated that carbamoyl-phosphate synthase II (synthase II) (EC 6.3.5.5) activity, amount, and in vivo synthetic rate increased approximately 9-fold in the rapidly proliferating rat hepatoma 3924A compared to normal liver (1–4). This study provides evidence by Northern and RNA dot blot hybridizations of a 13-fold increase in the amount of hepatoma 3924A synthase II mRNA compared to levels in normal liver. Southern and DNA dot blots indicated amplification of CAD hepatoma 3924A synthase II gene product.
Detection of human papillomavirus genotypes in cervical neoplasia from Korean women using polymerase chain reaction

Abstract The histopathologic features of cervical dysplasia (20 cases) and cervical carcinoma (15 cases) in Korean women were correlated with the presence of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) as determined by polymerase chain reaction technology on paraffin-processed specimens. A segment of the E6 open reading frame of several HPV types (HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, and 35) was amplified using primers which were synthesized to contain 50% G + C, in order to give optimum annealing for the amplification of HPVs. All specimens were also tested for amplification of the cellular β-globin gene. HPV was found in 19 (54%) cases. The HPV types were HPV 6 in 1 case (3%), HPV 16 in 15 cases (43%), HPV 18 in 2 cases (6%), and HPV 33 in 3 cases (9%). HPV was identified in 16 of 25 (64%) β-globin-positive and 3 of 10 (30%) β-globin-negative tissues. HPV types 11, 31, and 35 were not detected in any of the specimens. HPV 6, 18, and 33 were detected only in preneoplastic lesions, and co-infection with these three viruses was observed in one case of severe dysplasia. HPV type 16 was found in 8 (40%) premalignant lesions and in 7 (47%) invasive carcinomas. These data indicate that HPVs are found along the entire spectrum of cervical neoplasia. HPV 16 was the predominant virus in invasive cancer of the cervix.
Differential Contributions of Cognitive and Motor Component Processes to Physical and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) become dependent upon caregivers because motor and cognitive disabilities interfere with their ability to carry out activities of daily living (ADLs). However, PD patients display diverse motor and cognitive symptoms, and it is not yet known which are most responsible for ADL dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to identify the contributions that specific cognitive and motor functions make to ADLs. Executive functioning, in particular sequencing, was a significant independent predictor of instrumental ADLs whereas simple motor functioning was not. By contrast, simple motor functioning, but not executive functioning, was a significant independent predictor of physical ADLs. Dementia severity, as measured by the Dementia Rating Scale, was significantly correlated with instrumental but not physical ADLs. The identification of selective relationships between motor and cognitive functioning and ADLs may ultimately provide a model for evaluating the benefits and limitations of different treatments for PD.
Comparison of the occurrence of antibiotics in four full-scale wastewater treatment plants with varying designs and operations.

Abstract The occurrence of ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, and trimethoprim antibiotics in four full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) that differ in design and operating conditions was determined. The WWTPs chosen utilized a variety of secondary removal processes, such as a two stage activated sludge process with a nitrification tank, extended aeration, rotating biological contactors, and pure oxygen activated sludge. Several of the WWTPs also employed an advanced treatment process, such as chlorination and UV radiation disinfection. The detected concentrations (μg/l) ranged from 0.20 to 1.4 for ciprofloxacin, 0.21 to 2.8 for sulfamethoxazole, 0.061 to 1.1 for tetracycline, and 0.21 to 7.9 for trimethoprim. The overall percent difference in the concentrations of the antibiotics in the effluent and influent of these antibiotics differed between plants and ranged from 33% to 97%. Based on these four full-scale WWTPs evaluated, the apparent removal of organic micropollutants in wastewater is dependent on a combination of biological and physico-chemical treatment processes and operating conditions of the treatment system.
An evaluation of a case of agenesis of the corpus callosum with Rourke's nonverbal learning disorder model.

Abstract This article evaluates the case of an 11-year-old male with congenital agenesis of the corpus callosum, against Rourke's NLD models. A comprehensive neuropsychological assessment was completed, and impairments with attention, movement, fine motor and sensory perception, visuo-spatial organization, and verbal memory were identified. Additionally, a volumetric analysis of the magnetic resonance image (MRI) was completed. Although no gross structural abnormalities, beyond agenesis, were present, the possibility of unobservable abnormalities was considered. Many predicted NLD deficits were clearly evidenced in this case, including associated behavioral problems. This study concludes that although Rourke's NLD model is descriptive of many aspects of white matter impairments, it may not account for the full range or severity of deficits that may be observed. In callosal agenesis, children may exhibit verbal learning, auditory attentional, and verbal expressive difficulties.
Regulation of the Stem Cell–Host Immune System Interplay Using Hydrogel Coencapsulation System with an Anti-Inflammatory Drug

The host immune system is known to influence mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-mediated bone tissue regeneration. However, the therapeutic capacity of hydrogel biomaterial to modulate the interplay between MSCs and T-lymphocytes is unknown. Here it is shown that encapsulating hydrogel affects this interplay when used to encapsulate MSCs for implantation by hindering the penetration of pro-inflammatory cells and/or cytokines, leading to improved viability of the encapsulated MSCs. This combats the effects of the host pro-inflammatory T-lymphocyte-induced nuclear factor kappaB pathway, which can reduce MSC viability through the CASPASE-3 and CAS-PASE-8 associated proapoptotic cascade, resulting in the apoptosis of MSCs. To corroborate rescue of engrafted MSCs from the insult of the host immune system, the incorporation of the anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin into the encapsulating alginate hydrogel further regulates the local microenvironment and prevents pro-inflammatory cytokine-induced apoptosis. These findings suggest that the encapsulating hydrogel can regulate the MSC-host immune cell interplay and direct the fate of the implanted MSCs, leading to enhanced tissue regeneration.
Muon: designing multiagent communication protocols from interaction scenarios

Designing a suitable communication protocol is a key challenge in engineering a multiagent system. This paper proposes Muon, an approach that begins from representative samples of interactions or scenarios. Muon identifies key semantic structures and patterns based on (social) commitments to formally analyze the scenarios and offers a methodology for designing protocols that would meet stakeholder needs. Interestingly, Muon applies its formal representations to suggest ways to identify additional scenarios needed to address exceptions arising in the interactions. This paper contributes (1) a conceptual model of message types and causal relationships among them as a foundation for developing commitment-based communication protocols; (2) a robust, reusable characterization of semantic structures reflecting the above model; (3) a mapping from an annotated scenario to causally related interactions; and (4) a methodology to synthesize specifications of communication protocols. This paper reports on an empirical evaluation involving developers creating protocols from two real-life cases.
Systems pharmacology meets predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory medicine.

computational biology; drug–drug networks; systems biologyThe vision of predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory (P4) [1] medicine isexpected to transform healthcare in the near future, but how exactly is this going to happen?Transformative changes that are relevant to P4 medicine are beginning to bud in theemerging sphere of a new discipline called systems pharmacology. Systems pharmacologycombines high-throughput genome-wide experiments with advanced computation andmodeling to understand drug action in cells and drug-induced events that perturb the humanphenotype. Systems pharmacology combines systems biology with pharmacology but alsoinvolves genetics, genomics and computer science. It attempts to link drug perturbations ofthe molecular networks of cells to the human phenotype. Here we will discuss how thetransformative potential of systems pharmacology touches different aspects of P4 medicine.We focus on two aspects of systems pharmacology: generating and analyzing drug-inducedgene-expression signatures and mining drug/adverse event connections, as well as thepotential synergy of these two activities.Our ability to sequence DNA and RNA fast and inexpensively is opening doors to manyapplications that could transform medicine. For instance, whole-genome sequencing ofmillions of individuals could be used to detect mutations that can further characterizegenetic disorders and identify novel drug targets [2]. In addition, gene expression,metabolomics or proteomics of cells from the blood [3], or sequencing of the microbiomefrom our stool, mouth or skin [4], can be used to monitor the health status of an individualover time with great accuracy [3]. Such data can be correlated with drugs taken byindividuals and the adverse events they may experience. A related transformative approachinvolves the screening of drugs by applying them to stimulate human cells and then
Information asymmetry and levels of agency relationships

Many marketing exchanges are characterized by an information asymmetry between suppliers and customers. Specifically, customers are faced with both adverse selection and moral hazard problems that ...
Treatment and physiology in Parkinson's disease and dystonia: using transcranial magnetic stimulation to uncover the mechanisms of action

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has served as an important technological breakthrough in the field of the physiology of movement disorders over the last three decades. TMS has grown popular owing to the ease of application as well as its painless and noninvasive character. The technique has provide important insights into understanding the pathophysiology of movement disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease and dystonia. The basic applications have included the study of motor cortex excitability, functioning of excitatory and inhibitory circuits, study of interactions between sensory and motor systems, and the plasticity response of the brain. TMS has also made important contributions to understanding the response to treatments such as dopaminergic medications, botulinum toxin injections, and deep brain stimulation surgery. This review summarizes the knowledge gained to date with TMS in Parkinson’s disease and dystonia, and highlights the current challenges in the use of TMS technology.
Prevalence of Antibodies in Human Sera against JC Virus, an Isolate from a Case of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy

JC virus is a papova-like virus that was isolated recently from the brain tissue of a patient with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) [1]. Our initial studies indicated that JC virus is a new virus that probably belongs in the polyoma-SV40 subgroup of papova viruses. PML is a rare demyelinating disease that usually occurs in people with an immunologic deficiency due to a preexisting chronic disease [2]. It is not known whether such people are more easily infected or whether a latent virus becomes activated in such cases. The finding that JC virus agglutinates human type O erythrocytes permitted the rapid assaying of human sera for antibodies against this virus. The results presented here give an indication of the incidence of infection by JC virus.
Intolerance of uncertainty in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Pathological doubt, a prominent feature of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), may be related to difficulty tolerating ambiguous or uncertain situations. This is thought to be particularly true of those patients with checking compulsions. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been studied extensively within the domains of worry and generalized anxiety; however, it has received relatively little empirical attention in OCD patients. We administered the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale [Personality and Individual Differences 17 (1994) 791] to 55 clinic patients with OCD, 43 of whom had checking compulsions, and 14 nonanxious controls. OC checkers showed greater IU than did OC noncheckers and NACs. The latter two groups did not differ from each other. Furthermore, both repeating and checking rituals were associated with IU. Pathological doubt may be understood not only in terms of knowledge-based constructs, but also patients' emotional reaction to feelings of uncertainty. We discuss the implications for increasing tolerance via cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Unified theory of strong, electromagnetic, and weak interactions based on the vector-like group E(7)

We present a vector-like theory based on the unifying (exceptional) group E(7). The model has six quarks, u and c of charge 23 and d,s,b,h of chage −13, as well as two (heavy) leptons of charge −1. These heavy leptons decay right-handedly into the usual antineutrinos and radiatively into the charged light leptons. The quark weak current contains uR − bR transitions which could account for the “high y anomaly” in ν scattering. It also contains a large cR − sR component as a result of a 1% deviation from Cabibbo universality. CP violating effects can be accommodated by complexifying the Cabibbo-type rotations.
Classifications in Brief: The Hawkins Classification for Talus Fractures.

As reported by Coltart [5], Fabricius von Hilden first described talus injuries in 1608, and in 1919, Anderson et al. [1] reported a series of talus fracture dislocations in which they emphasized dorsiflexion as the mechanism of injury and coined the term ‘‘aviator’s astragalus’’ (astragalus being another term for talus) because of the impressive frequency with which the mechanism—aircraft accidents— was associated with the injury in question. In 1952, Coltart [5] reported on 228 talus injuries treated by surgeons in the British Royal Air Force in an attempt to describe the variety of injuries that occur to the talus and surrounding joints. He described various talus fracture patterns, fracture-dislocation combinations, and isolated peritalar dislocations [5]. Others have presented case series of talus injuries and associated rarely used classification schemes [15, 19], but all have noted high complication rates with injuries to the talus [5, 11, 15, 19]. In 1970, proposed treatment strategies for vertical fractures of the talar neck ranged from nonoperative management to urgent open reduction internal fixation, bone graft augmentation, fusion of the dorsal talus to the distal tibia, and even complete talectomy [11]. Although the importance of early, anatomic reduction of these injuries was noted at that time, the incidence of avascular necrosis (AVN) was not. In 1970 Hawkins [11] described injury patterns and AVN rates in a series of 57 vertical talar neck fractures in 55 patients from three different institutions. All 55 patients sustained forced dorsiflexion injuries, similar to the mechanism described by Anderson et al. [1] in pilots.
Here and there: goals, activities, and predictions about location from geotagged queries

A significant portion of Web search is performed in mobile settings. We explore the links between users' queries on mobile devices and their locations and movement, with a focus on interpreting queries about addresses. We find that users tend to have a primary location, likely corresponding to home or workplace, and that a user's location relative to this primary location systematically influences the patterns of address searches. We apply our findings to construct a statistical model that can predict with high accuracy whether a user will be soon observed at an address that had been recently retrieved via search. Such an ability to predict that a user will transition to a location can be harnessed for multiple uses including provision of directions and traffic information, the rendering of competitive advertising, and guiding the opportunistic completion of pending tasks that can be accomplished en route to a target location.