cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Successive Standardization: Application to Case-Control Studies

In this note we illustrate the use and applicability of successive standardization (or normalization), studied earlier by some of the same authors (see Olshen and Rajaratnam, Algorithms 5(1):98–112, 2012; Olshen and Rajaratnam, Proceeding of the 1st International Conference on Data Compression, Communication and Processing (CCP 2011), June 21–24, 2011; Olshen and Rajaratnam, Annals of Statistics 38(3):1638–1664, 2010), in the context of biomedical applications. Successive standardization constitutes a type of normalization that is applied to rectangular arrays of numbers. An iteration first begins with operations on rows: first subtract the mean of each row from elements of the particular row; then row elements are divided by their respective row standard deviations. This constitutes half an iteration. These two operations are then applied successively at the level of columns, constituting the other half of the iteration. The four operations together constitute one full iteration. The process is repeated again and again and is referred to as “successive standardization.” Work in Olshen and Rajaratnam, Algorithms 5(1):98–112, 2012; Olshen and Rajaratnam, Proceeding of the 1st International Conference on Data Compression, Communication and Processing (CCP 2011), June 21–24, 2011; Olshen and Rajaratnam, Annals of Statistics 38(3):1638–1664, 2010 is about both theoretical and numerical properties of the successive standardization procedure, including convergence, rates of convergence, and illustrations. In this note, we consider the application of successive standardization to a specific biomedical context, that of case–control studies in cardiovascular biology. We demonstrate that successive standardization is very useful for identifying novel gene therapeutic targets. In particular, we demonstrate that successive standardization identifies genes that otherwise would have been rendered not significant in a Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) study had standardization not been applied.
Exosomes and tunneling nanotube conduits: Synergistic interaction that facilitates intercellular communication between malignant and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment

Abstract Extracellular vesicles—including exosomes—facilitate long-range intercellular communication in cancer. These membrane-lined vesicles are diffusible carriers of vital cellular signals that can alter the phenotype of recipient cells. However, they are not the only mediator of long-range intercellular cross talk in the complex and heterogeneous tumor microenvironment. Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) and tumor microtubes are long, thin, filamentous actin-based cell extensions formed by cancer cells to create direct pipeline-like connections that also mediate direct intercellular signaling. Exosomes and TNTs can, in fact, act synergistically: tumor-derived exosomes stimulate the formation of TNTs in cancer, and in turn TNTs can serve as direct physical conduits for cell-to-cell transport of exosomes and their contents. Here, we will examine the interface of exosomes and TNTs; discuss how they work together rather than in isolation; review physiologic conditions that enhance their formation; and explore common mechanisms and markers of formation that serve as potential therapeutic targets.
Elicitation of Expert Judgments of Climate Change Impacts on Forest Ecosystems

Detailed interviews were conducted with 11 leading ecologists to obtainindividualqualitative and quantitative estimates of the likely impact of a2 × [CO2] climate change onminimally disturbed forest ecosystems. Results display a much richer diversityof opinion thanis apparent in qualitative consensus summaries, such as those of the IPCC.Experts attachdifferent relative importance to key factors and processes such as soilnutrients, fire, CO2fertilization, competition, and plant-pest-predator interactions. Assumptionsand uncertaintiesabout future fire regimes are particularly crucial. Despite these differences,most of the expertsbelieve that standing biomass in minimally disturbed Northern forests wouldincrease and soilcarbon would decrease. There is less agreement about impacts on carbon storagein tropicalforests. Estimates of migration rates in northern forests displayed a rangeof more than fourorders of magnitude. Estimates of extinction rates and dynamic response showsignificantvariation between experts. A series of questions about research needs foundconsensus on theimportance of expanding observational and experimental work on ecosystemprocesses and ofexpanding regional and larger-scale observational, monitoring and modelingstudies. Results ofthe type reported here can be helpful in performing sensitivity analysis inintegrated assessmentmodels, as the basis for focused discussions of the state of currentunderstanding and researchneeds, and, if repeated over time, as a quantitative measure of progress inthis and other fieldsof global change research.
Crystal growth, crystal structure and anisotropic magnetic properties of KBaR(BO3)2 (R = Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Tm, Yb and Lu) triangular lattice materials

Abstract Crystals of the KBaR(BO3)2 (R = Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Tm, Yb and Lu) rare earth borates were grown by spontaneous nucleation from a KF-B2O3 flux. The crystals obtained were typically well-developed hexagonal plates about 1 mm in large dimension. The crystals were used to study the anisotropic temperature and field dependent magnetization of the materials, which are based on ideal triangular planes of magnetic rare earths. All structures were refined in space group R 3 - m by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and in addition to the equilateral triangular rare earth plane lattice, displayed K/Ba site occupancy disorder. All magnetic compounds reveal dominantly antiferromagnetic spin interactions with no magnetic ordering above 1.8 K. With the exception of KBaGd(BO3)2, magnetic anisotropy was observed for other five magnetic members of the family. The results suggest that KBaR(BO3)2 crystals may be of further interest for investigating the magnetic properties of rare earth ions on a triangular lattice.
Isolation and Characterization of Methionine-Independent Clones from Methionine-Dependent Cancer Cells

Unlike normal cells, transformed cells are unable to grow when methionine in the growth media is restricted. Reversion to methionine independence is a rare event in transformed and malignant cells. Methionine-independent revertants provide an excellent system to identify metabolic signatures and molecular characteristics associated with methionine dependency of transformed cells. Revertants maintain the genetic background and general growth behavior of the parental cell line, except that they proliferate under methionine restriction such as in methionine-free media supplemented with homocysteine. Here we describe a general approach to generate methionine-independent revertants using the example of the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-468. To validate and characterize reversion we describe assays to evaluate cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth in soft agar.
HIV Infection in Transgender Persons

Transgender persons are disproportionately affected by HIV compared to the general population. In this chapter, we hope to shed light on the true burden of HIV on this marginalized population. We will review the factors that contribute to the high prevalence of HIV among transgender persons, in particular, high-risk sexual behaviors and substance abuse. Additionally, we will discuss the unique socioeconomic and psychosocial barriers that predispose this population to poor outcomes related to HIV prevention and treatment. We will also explain the contribution of transphobia in healthcare systems to the poor outcomes across the continuum of HIV care. This chapter will highlight challenges for transgender persons living with HIV, and attempt to offer solutions to overcome some of the obstacles. The choice of antiretroviral therapy with concomitant use of gender-affirming therapies will be discussed in detail.
After Words: Interactive Sound Installation Connecting Language, Body, and Machine

"After Words" is an interactive sound installation in which the viewer's participation causes basic units of speech to puncture the space, interrupting and overlapping yet remaining untied to any specific language. Inspired by early speech synthesizer technologies that could only emit syllables, consonants, and vowels, these structures house circuit boards which trigger audio files at random when the connected stand has air blown into it. The sounds emitted gesture towards a desire for language, but foreclose the possibility of meaning. Ultimately, "After Words" aims to create a space where sounds question logic, embrace nonsense, and untether the voice from language while revealing underlying connections between human and machine.
Cardiac Computed Tomography: A Team Sport

As one would expect, the initially empty space surrounding the rapidly expanding use of cardiac CT strongly attracted enterprising individuals with a variety of backgrounds and training. The sudden realization that we could noninvasively image coronary arteries at high spatial resolution was a powerful draw for cardiologists who have always been fascinated by coronary anatomy. The striking views of the heart and vasculature that could be created using newer approaches such as curved multiplanar reconstructions and three-dimensional volume rendering also proved irresistible to radiologists. Given a history of struggles over ownership of other cardiac imaging modalities such as invasive or catheter-based coronary angiography and nuclear cardiology, it is not altogether surprising that tensions also developed in this new landscape. The term “tribalism” refers to a strong cultural or ethnic identity that separates one group from another. In medicine, tribes are most often defined by specialty or departmental affiliations. The conflicts that exist regarding the modern practice of cardiac CT generally relate to debates over which medical specialty is best suited to oversee the equipment and technologists, the interpretation of the images, communications with referring providers, and the financial aspects of the service being rendered.
Fifteen-Year Prevalence, Trajectories, and Predictors of Body Dissatisfaction From Adolescence to Middle Adulthood:

Body dissatisfaction is common in adolescence and associated with negative outcomes (e.g., eating disorders). We identified common individual trajectories of body dissatisfaction from mid-adolescence to adulthood, and predictors of divergent patterns. Participants were 1,455 individuals from four waves of Project EAT (Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults), a population-based, 15-year longitudinal study. Aggregate body dissatisfaction increased over 15 years, which was largely attributable to increases in weight. Growth mixture modeling identified four common patterns of body dissatisfaction, revealing nearly 95% of individuals experienced relatively stable body dissatisfaction from adolescence through adulthood. Baseline depression, self-esteem, parent communication/caring, peer dieting, and weight-based teasing predicted differing trajectories. Body dissatisfaction appears largely stable from mid-adolescence onward. There may be a critical period for body image development during childhood/early adolescence. Clinicians should intervene upon body dissatisfaction before it becomes chronic, and target depression, self-esteem, parent/child connectedness, and responses to teasing and peer dieting.
Human Memory T Cells Proliferate but Do Not Elicit Cytotoxicity in Response to Alloantigens.

We and others have recently demonstrated that memory T cells do not induce graft-versus-host disease in several different animal models. To test whether the same concept applies to humans, we compared the ability of memory T cells to respond to alloantigens with that of naive as well as bulk T cells. Purified T cells were first obtained from peripheral blood from healthy donors and then separated into memory and naive T cell subsets based on the expression of CD45RA (memory: CD45RA−, naive: CD45RA+). Memory T cells were subsequently tested for their ability to respond to alloantigens using proliferation and cytotoxicity assays in comparison with naive and bulk T cells. Proliferation assay was performed using 1.25x105 responder cells and 5x105 irradiated stimulator cells per well in 96-well flat-bottom plate. Cytotoxicity was measured by the standard 4-hour Cr-51 release assay after 5-day mixed lymphocyte culture. In contrast to the mouse data, memory T cells proliferated equally well as naive and bulk T cells did in mixed lymphocyte culture (Figure A). However, these same memory T cells failed to kill the allogeneic targets despite the vigorous proliferative responses against the same alloantigens (Figure B). These data demonstrated that human memory T cells proliferate but do not elicit cytotoxicity in response to alloantigens, suggesting that human memory T cells may not contain true alloantigen-specific T cells if they have never exposed to those alloantigens before and may not cause graft-versus-host disease upon in vivo transfer. These observations warrant the further testing of human memory T cells in clinically more relevant models and in vivo for their ability to induce graft-versus-host disease. ![Figure][1] Figure [1]: pending:yes
Unresponsive: A Case of Hyperglycemia and Altered Mental Status

Abstract Altered mental status is an emergency that significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality in children, and thus, requires rapid and thorough evaluation. Identification of the underlying cause of altered mental status is crucial for appropriate clinical management. With a presentation of hyperglycemia and a family history of diabetes mellitus type 2, an astute physician would consider metabolic encephalopathy as the cause of altered mental status. We describe a critical case of altered mental status in a 14-year-old obese male adolescent with no history of chronic illness or surgeries who presented to the emergency department with hyperglycemia.
Molecular and Free Electron Spontaneous Emission in Periodic Three Dimensional Dielectric Structures

Since the prediction by Purcell in 1946 that the spontaneous emission rate of an atom could be enhanced by placing it in a resonantly tuned high-Q cavity, a great deal of theoretical and experimental work has been performed in this area.(1) In particular, Klepner was able to extend Purcell’s observation to both predict and observe the inhibition of spontaneous emission.(2, 3) This effect relies on the opposite extreme of placing the excited atom in a structure which has no modes available at the atomic radiation frequency. The inhibition of spontaneous emission was elegantly demonstrated using high Rydberg state transitions and parallel plate structures in a molecular beam experiment. The use of high Rydberg state transitions was necessitated by the requirement of a long wavelength emission where a structure could be fabricated. The molecular beam was required because the transition energies involved are of the order of 10-2eV and the excited states would be quickly collisionally quenched in an environment with enough atoms to directly obtain a fluorescence signal.
Oxidation performance of Si-HfO2 environmental barrier coating bond coats deposited via plasma spray-physical vapor deposition

Abstract Current state of the art (SOA) environmental barrier coating (EBCs) systems necessary for SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) rely upon a metallic silicon bond coat. While this layer provides durability and adhesion, the upper use temperature of these systems is limited by the melting point of silicon (1414 °C). Turbine engine temperatures already exceed this melting point and in order to reduce or eliminate cooling for advanced components, new bond coat materials are required for EBC systems. One potential EBC bond coat that has been proposed is a composite layer of silicon and hafnium oxide (Si-HfO2). This coating concept intends to provide a well-bonded interface between silicon and the substrate, similar to the ‘pure’ metallic silicon bond coat, but with a higher temperature capability owed to the addition of HfO2. Two-layer systems of Si-HfO2 bond coat and a Yb2Si2O7 EBC top coat were deposited using Plasma Spray- Physical Vapor Deposition (PS-PVD), which is a hybrid coating method technique capable of vapor or liquid deposition. Coatings were deposited on bulk α-SiC and tested for oxidation performance in both laboratory air and in 90%/10% H2O/O2. A thermally grown oxide (TGO) of SiO2 was formed at the substrate/bond coat interface and the growth of this layer was measured and compared to literature values to determine TGO growth rates.
Cyberbullying and cybervictimization: Does gender matter?:

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate gender effects on college students' judgements about a hypothetical episode of cyberbullying on Facebook that resulted in the suicide of a cybervictim. A total of 176 undergraduate students at a midsize public university in the Northeast served as participants. Four one-page versions of a hypothetical trial transcript detailing a cyberbullying case were utilized. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: male cyberbully/male cybervictim, male cyberbully/female cybervictim, female cyberbully/male cybervictim, and female cyberbully/female cybervictim. After reading one of the trial transcripts, participants rated eight variables, including criminal guilt and intent of the cyberbully, responsibility of entities involved, and appropriate punishment for the cyberbully. Results revealed significant differences in judgments based on the gender of the cyberbully, cybervictim, and participant.
Long-term test-retest evaluation of the King-Devick test in youth soccer athletes.

Abstract Despite the clinical utility of baseline comparisons during concussion assessments, little evidence exists on long-term test-retest reliability of baseline tests in youth athletes. In addition, sex differences in baseline performance are inconsistent in youth athletes, warranting further research. The purpose was to examine sex differences, prevalence of false-positive scores, and long-term test-retest reliability of the King-Devick (KD) test. Healthy youth athletes (23 males, 28 females) completed the KD test prior to the Spring 2016 and Fall 2017 seasons. Two-way random-effects intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were utilized to determine test-retest reliability. A mixed between-within ANOVA with post-hoc t-tests were used to identify the interaction between sex and season, and frequencies were used to determine abnormal test score prevalence. The KD test demonstrated good test-retest reliability (0.77[95% CI, 0.43–0.89]), with 11.8% of youth athletes having clinically meaningful improvements between Season 1 to Season 2. There was a significant sex*season interaction (F(1,49) = 4.67, p = .04), with significantly greater improvements between seasons in male youth athletes compared to female youth athletes. However, 33–35% of youth athletes displayed abnormal test scores in Season 2 relative to Season 1. The KD test demonstrated good reliability and only a small percentage had clinically meaningful changes, however a high prevalence of false-positive scores were observed in this sample.
New manual unguals of Trierarchuncus prairiensis from the Hell Creek Formation, Montana, and the ontogenetic development of the functional alvarezsaurid hand claw

Abstract The Alvarezsauridae comprise a clade of small-bodied theropod dinosaurs with highly-specialized skeletal adaptations, primarily reduced but proportionately robust forelimbs which have been hypothesized as relating to an insectivorous ecology. Alvarezsaurids are known predominantly from Mongolia, China, and South America, with a comparatively sparse North American record, where alvarezsaurid remains are among the most rarely recovered vertebrate fossils from the Upper Cretaceous Western Interior. North American alvarezsaurids include Albertonykus borealis from the lower Maastrichtian Horseshoe Canyon Formation of Alberta, Canada, known from a partial skeleton and additional isolated remains, and the recently named Trierarchuncus prairiensis from the upper Maastrichtian Hell Creek Formation of eastern Montana, USA, known previously from isolated specimens, including three manual D-I unguals, a partial radius, and a partial metatarsal III. Here we describe two new manual D-I unguals referable to the alvarezsaurid Trierarchuncus from the Hell Creek Formation of eastern Montana, USA. These new unguals contribute additional detail to the currently known ontogenetic series of Trierarchuncus manual D-I unguals and indicate the sequence and degree of change that occurred through growth within these alvarezsaurid hand claws. These changes appear to be modifications and reinforcement related to stresses induced from the hypothesized ecology of alvarezsaurids as insectivores which would tear apart substrates in search of insect prey, and as such can be characterized as ecologically-driven ontogenetic changes. Additionally, we demonstrate morphological indicators for determining whether isolated alvarezsaurid manual D-I unguals pertain to the right or left manus.
Minimally invasive repair of a left diaphragm hernia after debulking surgery for advanced ovarian cancer.

Abstract Eighty percent of women with ovarian cancer have advanced disease (FIGO stage III or IV) at the time of diagnoses and require extensive upper abdominal surgery to obtain complete gross resection ( Minig et al., 2015 , Eisenhauer et al., 2006 ). A diaphragmatic hernia is defined as abdominal contents bulging into the thoracic cavity ( Spellar and Gupta, 2020 ). While rare following primary debulking surgery (PDS), these present with a variety of symptoms and are often misdiagnosed. Computed tomography (CT) is the diagnostic gold standard ( Vertaldi et al., 2020 ). This video demonstrates repair of a left-sided complex diaphragm hernia via robotic video-assisted thoracic surgery in a 45-year-old with stage IVB ovarian cancer. She previously underwent extensive PDS, including modified posterior exenteration, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection, appendectomy, bilateral diaphragm peritonectomy, splenectomy, resection of a right mediastinal lymph node, and insertion of a right chest tube. Complete gross resection was achieved. No left-sided diaphragm resection or repair was performed during the initial surgery. She received standard adjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel, carboplatin and bevacizumab. Six months postoperatively a surveillance CT scan revealed a small left hemidiaphragm hernia containing parts of the stomach. Although initially asymptomatic, she developed mild symptoms on follow-up, especially with lying supine. Imaging showed an increase in the size of the diaphragm defect. After completion of her maintenance bevacizumab therapy, corrective surgery was performed to prevent incarceration of the stomach. This video demonstrates the complex repair of this 4 × 6 cm defect located in the central tendon of the diaphragm. On two-week follow-up after corrective surgery, the patient’s symptoms had resolved.
House full: Indian cinema and the active audience: by Lakshmi SrinivasChicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016, 315 pagesISBN-13: 978-0-226-36142-0 (cloth) $112.50, ISBN-13: 978-0-226-26516-7 (paper) $37.50, ISBN-13: 978-0-226-36173-4 (e-book) $10.00 to $37.50

Lakshmi Srinivas’ House Full is a major contribution to understanding the place of cinema in society. It is a richly detailed account of how Indian audiences use movies in their everyday lives, and...
Galvanizing Action on Primary Health Care: Analyzing Bottlenecks and Strategies to Strengthen Community Health Systems in West and Central Africa.

Introduction The renewed commitment to primary health care (PHC) presents an opportunity to strengthen health systems in West and Central Africa (WCA). Though evidence-based cost-effective interventions that are predicted to prevent up to one-third of maternal, newborn, and child health complications and deaths with universal coverage have been identified, more than 50% of people living in rural areas or from poor families still do not have access to these interventions in resource-constrained settings. Methods We conducted a multicountry systematic analysis of bottlenecks and proposed solutions to strengthen community health systems through a series of collaborative workshops in 22 countries in WCA. Countries were categorized by their under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) to assess specificities related to reported challenges. We also reviewed existing data on selected health system tracer interventions to analyze country profiles. Results The bottlenecks identified as severe or very severe were related to health financing (19 countries, 86%), essential medical technology and products (16 countries, 73%), integrated health service delivery (14 countries, 64%), and community ownership and partnerships (self-reported by 14 countries, 64%). Only the integrated service delivery was self-reported as a severe challenge by countries with high U5MR. The issue of human resources for community health was one of the least reported challenges. Conclusion In WCA, strengthening community health systems as part of PHC revitalization efforts should focus on increasing health financing and innovative investments, strengthening the logistics management system, and fostering community ownership and partnerships. Countries with high U5MR should also reinforce integrated service delivery approaches through innovation. Government actions galvanized by global and regional ongoing initiatives should be sustained to ensure that no one is left behind.
Finite-Element Analysis of Scattering From a Complex BOR Using Spherical Infinite Elements

Recently, a new type of infinite elements (IFEs) was proposed as an accurate and efficient mesh truncation method for the finite element analysis of open–region acoustic scattering. These IFEs are based on the radial expansion of the scattered field and are used to model the scattered field outside a separable surface characterized by a constant radial coordinate (such as a spherical or a spheroidal surface in three dimensions). In this paper, spherical infinite elements are formulated and implemented for the finite element (FE) analysis of time–harmonic electromagnetic scattering from a complex body of revolution (BOR), and their performance is studied by comparison with the finite element solution using conventional absorbing boundary conditions (ABCs). Numerical results are presented to demonstrate that the new type of infinite elements is indeed more accurate than both the first– and second–order ABCs.
Training Psychology Students for Telehealth: a Model for Doctoral-Level Education

The proliferation of telehealth has provided a means to extend and supplement traditional face-to-face approaches for the provision of psychological care. To develop true competency in the use of telehealth modalities, one must ensure focused education related to both general knowledge and hands-on skills. Despite several post-doctoral continuing education programs having emerged, a growing number of psychological professionals have suggested the utility of telehealth-focused education in doctoral-level graduate programs for psychology students. While graduate-level education holds many potential benefits, including providing a foundation for future telehealth usage and creating a means to address ongoing mental health disparities, such training programs have been minimally discussed in the literature, with no formal model disseminated. As such, the current discussion sought to support program development by briefly outlining a proposed model for doctoral-level graduate education for psychology students. Competencies, initial and advanced coursework, direct application, supervision, and program evaluation are discussed.
Evolutionary and Social Psychological Perspectives on Human Cooperation

Integrating early social psychological theory and data with evolutionary theory proved difficult due to an apparent paradox: Humans are deeply cooperative in everyday situations, but how can this be so if Darwinian imperatives necessitate competition? In this chapter, we review research and theory that combines evolutionary ideas with observations from social psychological science that help to resolve this paradox. We begin by introducing the social dilemma framework to ground the conflict between the interests of the individual and others in the social environment. We then review evolutionary theories that predict when cooperation should emerge and some supportive research. Finally, we examine some of the psychological factors that favor cooperative behavior.
Intracellular Membrane Trafficking, Secretion/Exocytosis and Endocytosis

Organization of cells into compartments (cellular organelles) is necessary to separate synthetic and degradative activities and prevent the cell from degenerating into a series of futile cycles. As indicated in chapter 1, the location and form of many organelles, at least in interphase cells, is regulated by their interactions with microtubules (1, 2). During mitosis, most of the organellar structures are converted to vesicles, then reformed during anaphase; these processes also involve microtubules, as described in chapter 5. During the interphase period of the cell cycle, the intracellular organelles are highly dynamic. A schematic view of the major pathways involved in intracellular membrane trafficking through the organelles is shown in Figure 6.1. The primary pathways are: secretion/exocytosis, in which material produced in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is transported to the cell surface for export or incorporation into the plasma membrane; uptake/endocytosis, in which materials are taken from outside the cell, passaged through early (sorting) and/or late (prelysosomal) endosomal compartments and often shunted to the lysosomes for degradation; recycling, endocytosis of plasma membrane into an early endosomal compartment in the cell and back to the plasma membrane for reutilization, often as part of the endocytosis/degradation process; and transcytosis, a variant of recycling in polarized cells in which material and membrane transits from one side of the cell to the other. The cytoskeleton appears to contribute to membrane trafficking in three ways: 1) Cytoskeleton attachments to the plasma membrane, usually microfilaments, can alter membrane properties to facilitate or reduce endocytosis or exocytosis (3). 2) Microtubules can act as struts for maintaining organelle localization and geometries. 3) Microtubules or microfilaments may act as tracks for directed membrane movements (1). These membrane movements depend largely on the activities of a large number of cytoskeleton-associated motor proteins, some of which are indicated in Table 6.1 (4).
WHO Ranking of Health System Performance

In its World Health Report 2000 (WHR2000), the World Health Organization published a ranking of its measures of health system performance of its 191 member states. WHO9s performance measurement initiative both stimulated and contributed to debate on an important and neglected topic. This policy forum argues, however, that the WHO algorithm has serious shortcomings in that it neglects potential variables (such as geography) that can affect a country9s performance.
Isolation and characterization of a protective antigen for adjuvant-free immunization against Schistosoma mansoni.

A single, 68,000 m.w. glycoprotein antigen from adult Schistosoma mansoni was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography with the use of a newly developed, protective, anti-schistosome murine monoclonal antibody. Immunization with two doses of 0.5 microgram or 1 microgram of purified antigen, without adjuvants, afforded a mean 28% reduction in parasite recovery in CF1 mice, and 2-% reduction in parasite BALB/c mice. On immunoblotting, the 68,000 m.w. antigen was common to S. mansoni adults and schistosomula, whereas parasite eggs contained only cross-reacting low m.w. antigens of 19,100 and 16,000. Immunization resulted in the development of anti-antigen antibody and enhanced immediate cutaneous hypersensitivity to the 31-3B6 antigen. By contrast, delayed-type hypersensitivity and sensitization to circumoval granuloma formation were not observed in immunized mice. It was concluded that the 68,000 m.w. 31-3B6 antigen represents a candidate vaccine for adjuvant-free immunization against S. mansoni.
An Analysis of the Core-ML Language: Expressive Power and Type Reconstruction

Core-ML is a basic subset of most functional programming languages. It consists of the simply typed (or monomorphic) $\lambda$-calculus, simply typed equality over atomic constants, and {\tt let} as the only polymorphic construct. We present a synthesis of recent results which characterize this ``toy'''' language''s expressive power as well as its type reconstruction (or type inference) problem. More specifically: (1)~Core-ML can express exactly the ELEMENTARY queries, where a program input is a database encoded as a $\lambda$-term and a query program is a $\lambda$-term whose application to the input normalizes to the output database. In addition, it is possible to express all the PTIME queries so that this normalization process is polynomial in the input size. (2)~The polymorphism of {\tt let} can be explained using a simple algorithmic reduction to monomorphism, and provides flexibility, without affecting expressibility. Algorithms for type reconstruction offer the additional convenience of static typing without type declarations. Given polymorphism, the price of this convenience is an increase in complexity from linear-time in the size of the program typed (without {\tt let}) to completeness in exponential-time (with {\tt let}). (3)~Fragments of Core-ML, based on the order of functionalities used, can be fairly expressive. For example, order $\leq 5$ suffices for the PTIME queries, even without {\tt let} or equality. Also, for each fixed order, type reconstruction is polynomial in program size. Programming by using low order functionalities and type reconstruction is common in functional languages. Thus, our analysis partly explains the wide use and efficiency of such programming practices.
A task analysis approach to the visualization of geographic data

Over the last decade two trends have been apparent; the first an increasing complexity and volume of environmental data and the second a rapid development of computer technology. The first trend would be overwhelming if it were not for the second but this convergence of the need for information tools and the potential to provide them has also dramatically increased the need to provide the human user of such systems with intuitive software support. Scientific visualization is an emerging discipline which holds considerable promise for geographers examining diverse, n-dimensional data sets. Incorporating scientific visualization systems (SVSs) into the set of tools available to geographers requires a thoughtful approach to visual design and software requirements. Traditional approaches to requirements focus on functions or data, often leaving the human user to deal with cumbersome, ineffective software. As visual displays are of optimal support only when they directly support geographer's tasks, a task analysis methodology was developed and tested in this research with the objective of producing more intuitive designs and more user-oriented visualization software requirements. The task analysis methodology developed and modified through this research was based on an examination of the fundamental concepts of task analysis, work on data classification in cartography and visualization, and research on visual operators or visual primitives. An initial task model was tested by the author and two independent designers in seven real-world cases with scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Colorado State Drought Assessment Group. The research produced two results. First, a final task analysis methodology comprising a task structure, task model, design model, and a list of primary visual operators. Second, a set of software requirements was developed through the implementation of designs created from the task analyses. The conclusions drawn from the research indicate that visualization techniques can indeed be of assistance to geographers but that the functions of generic SVSs must be tailored and enhanced, as indicated by the requirements list, for their full value to be realized.
Reply: A Theoretical Framework for Analyzing Social Costs of The Tobacco Program

Government control of tobacco production through output restrictions and price supports began with the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933. The primary goals of the program through the years have been to stabilize tobacco prices and to improve farm income. The tobacco program came under public scrutiny after the U. S. Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health in 1964 [11] and the report this year [12]. Critics charge that tobacco production policies of the U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare are inconsistent or even in direct opposition. These issues present a policy dilemma. A theoretical framework is devised for analyzing social costs of the tobacco program and application of the framework to current policy issues is examined.
Expert-Driven Validation of Rule-Based User Models in Personalization Applications

In many e-commerce applications, ranging from dynamic Web content presentation, to personalized ad targeting, to individual recommendations to the customers, it is important to build personalized profiles of individual users from their transactional histories. These profiles constitute models of individual user behavior and can be specified with sets of rules learned from user transactional histories using various data mining techniques. Since many discovered rules can be spurious, irrelevant, or trivial, one of the main problems is how to perform post-analysis of the discovered rules, i.e., how to validate user profiles by separating “good” rules from the “bad.” This validation process should be done with an explicit participation of the human expert. However, complications may arise because there can be very large numbers of rules discovered in the applications that deal with many users, and the expert cannot perform the validation on a rule-by-rule basis in a reasonable period of time. This paper presents a framework for building behavioral profiles of individual users. It also introduces a new approach to expert-driven validation of a very large number of rules pertaining to these users. In particular, it presents several types of validation operators, including rule grouping, filtering, browsing, and redundant rule elimination operators, that allow a human expert validate many individual rules at a time. By iteratively applying such operators, the human expert can validate a significant part of all the initially discovered rules in an acceptable time period. These validation operators were implemented as a part of a one-to-one profiling system. The paper also presents a case study of using this system for validating individual user rules discovered in a marketing application.
Phosphorylation of the Insulin Receptor in Permeabilized Adipocytes Is Coupled to a Rapid Dephosphorylation Reaction

Abstract Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the insulin receptor were examined in permeabilized rat adipocytes using pulse-chase techniques. Maximum insulin-dependent phosphorylation during a 2-min labeling period with 75 microM [gamma-32P]ATP was attained at 10(-6)-10(-7) M insulin with a small effect at 10(-9) M. The reaction utilized either Mn2+ or Mg2+, but insulin-dependent phosphorylation was 11-fold greater with Mn2+. In the absence of insulin, phosphorylation was 6-fold greater with Mn2+. With either cation, insulin (10(-7) M) was a potent stimulator of receptor phosphorylation with 5- and 8-fold increases above control levels in the presence of Mg2+ and Mn2+, respectively. Phosphorylation of the insulin receptor reached an apparent steady state within 30 s at 37 degrees C under all conditions. By phosphoamino acid analysis, all insulin- and Mn2+-dependent phosphorylation in the 95-kDa subunit of the insulin receptor was phosphotyrosine. A small amount of phosphoserine was detected, but it was not affected by either insulin or Mn2+. Dephosphorylation of the insulin receptor was examined by "chasing" labeled ATP after 2 min with a 40-fold excess of unlabeled ATP. Maximum dephosphorylation was reached in 2 min under all conditions. Insulin had no effect on the dephosphorylation reaction. The labile fraction of Mn2+-dependent phosphoreceptor dephosphorylated to one-half of its initial level in approximately 21 s at 37 degrees C. Vanadate, a potent phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, inhibited dephosphorylation of this phosphoreceptor by 25%. When vanadate was present during the 2-min labeling period, phosphorylation of control, and insulin-dependent receptor was increased by 50%. In summary, rapid "in vitro" autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor is coupled to an equally rapid dephosphorylation reaction in permeabilized adipocytes. This suggests that phosphorylation of the insulin receptor is a dynamic, rapidly reversible, insulin-dependent response in target cells and is consistent with it being involved in insulin signal transduction and insulin action.
Depression and posttraumatic stress disorder among women with vulvodynia: evidence from the population-based woman to woman health study.

Background: Psychological disorders may affect the pain experience of women with vulvodynia, but evidence remains limited. The present study aimed to describe the magnitude of the association of depression and posttraumautic stress disorder (PTSD) with the presence of vulvodynia in a nonclinical population from southeastern Michigan. Methods: Baseline data from 1,795 women participating in the Woman to Woman Health Study, a multiethnic population-based study, was used for this analysis. Validated screening questionnaires were conducted to assess vulvodynia, depression, and PTSD. Modified Poisson regression models with a robust variance estimation were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between vulvodynia status and two mental health conditions, depression and PTSD. Results: In the adjusted models, women who screened positive for depression had a 53% higher prevalence of having vulvodynia (PR=1.53; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.10) compared with women who ...
The impact of rosiglitazone on heat tolerance in patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Background: Diabetes is associated with reduced tolerance to heat. The insulin sensitizer rosiglitazone (RSG), administered for glycemic control, has a secondary effect in increasing vascular endothelial function. The hypothesis to be tested was if administration of rosiglitazone would increase heat tolerance in people with diabetes. Material/Methods: Thirty subjects with diabetes and thirty control subjects were examined. A subset of 21 subjects with diabetes had RSG administered at 4 mg per day for a period of 1 year. At 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year post administration, measurements were taken to assess any potential impact of this drug on thermoregulation. Parameters measured were sweat rate, skin temperature, body core temperature, and skin blood flow. Results: Results of these experiments showed that subjects with diabetes at baseline had 1) sensory impairment, 2) sweat gland impairment 3) high skin temperatures, 4) and low blood flow reduction during heat exposure, all leading to higher core temperature compared to controls subjects. After administration of rosiglitazone for 1 year significant improvements in thermoregulation were observed. Trends for improvement in thermoregulation were observed close to that of age matched control subjects. Conclusions: Heat tolerance can be improved in people with diabetes when taking the insulin sensitizer RSG for Glycemic control, probably due to increased endothelial cell function.
Principles of Forensic Mental Health Assessment

Risk assessment with sexual offenders is generally performed for two purposes: to assist the court in deciding on a relevant legal question (in a legal context), or to plan treatment interventions (in a clinical context). Failure to make this distinction, and to accurately identify the context and purpose for which the assessment is being conducted, can result in significant problems. This chapter will begin by making this distinction. Then, focusing on evaluations done for legal decision making purposes, it will describe 29 recently derived broad principles of forensic mental health assessment and their application to evaluations done to assist legal decision making.
Policing a free society: drunkenness and liberty in colonial New South Wales

David Buchanan was a radical politician, a temperance advocate and a notorious drunkard. His personal struggles with alcohol and the law in New South Wales in the 1860s illustrate changing understandings of drunkenness, but also the wider transformation of the colony under responsible government. As a free society developed, public drunkenness became a symbol of deviance and the authorities used the crime of drunkenness to manage public order and uphold respectability. An increasingly interventionist state challenged traditional notions of individual liberty when it assumed responsibility for problems like drunkenness.This article has been peer reviewed.
Biowatch South Africa and the challenges in enforcing its constitutional right to access to information

Abstract This paper examines the difficulties encountered by Biowatch, a South African civil society environmental organization, in its attempts to obtain access to government information in respect of genetically engineered plants. After establishing the context of South Africa's access to information regime, including a brief discussion of several of its weaknesses, the paper engages in an extended account of the Biowatch case as an exemplar of some of the more pronounced challenges to the effective implementation of the country's access to information legislation. The elaboration of the case is based on interviews conducted with the Director of Biowatch and counsel from the Legal Resources Centre that aided Biowatch, as well as various internal and court documents provided by Biowatch and its lawyers.
Treatment with imatinib results in reduced IL-4–producing T cells, but increased CD4+ T cells in the broncho-alveolar lavage of patients with systemic sclerosis

T cells, particularly those producing IL-4, are implicated in inflammation-mediated fibrosis. In our phase I/IIa open-label pilot study in 15 patients with scleroderma-interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD), high-dose imatinib treatment showed modest improvement in lung function and skin score, but with several adverse events. Here, we investigated T cell phenotype and cytokine production in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from patients enrolled in this trial. We found that IL-4+ T cells showed a stronger correlation with ground glass opacity (GGO) than fibrosis scores on lung high-resolution computer tomography scans. Frequencies of IL-4+ T cells also discriminated patients with high (≥20) versus low (<20) GGO scores. Functional annotation clustering of proteins that correlated with T cells identified two major clusters that belonged to immune/inflammatory and wounding response. Repeat analyses after one year of treatment in 10 BAL samples, one each from the right middle and lower lobes of lung from 5 patients, showed that post-imatinib, IL-4+ T cells were profoundly reduced but CD4+ T cells increased, except in one patient who showed worsening of SSc-ILD. Post-imatinib increase in CD4+ T cells correlated with soluble ICAM-3 and PECAM-1 levels in BAL, which associated with the lack of worsening in SSc-ILD. Thus, imatinib might confer its therapeutic effect in fibrosis via re-directing T cell responses from type 2 to other, non-type 2 cytokine producing CD4+ T cells.