cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) regulates chromosome segregation and kinetochore function via H4K16 deacetylation during oocyte maturation in mouse.

Changes in histone acetylation occur during oocyte development and maturation, but the role of specific histone deacetylases in these processes is poorly defined. We report here that mice harboring Hdac1−/+/Hdac2−/− or Hdac2−/− oocytes are infertile or sub-fertile, respectively. Depleting maternal HDAC2 results in hyperacetylation of H4K16 as determined by immunocytochemistry—normal deacetylation of other lysine residues of histone H3 or H4 is observed—and defective chromosome condensation and segregation during oocyte maturation occurs in a sub-population of oocytes. The resulting increased incidence of aneuploidy likely accounts for the observed sub-fertility of mice harboring Hdac2−/− oocytes. The infertility of mice harboring Hdac1−/+/Hdac2−/−oocytes is attributed to failure of those few eggs that properly mature to metaphase II to initiate DNA replication following fertilization. The increased amount of acetylated H4K16 likely impairs kinetochore function in oocytes lacking HDAC2 because kinetochores in mutant oocytes are less able to form cold-stable microtubule attachments and less CENP-A is located at the centromere. These results implicate HDAC2 as the major HDAC that regulates global histone acetylation during oocyte development and, furthermore, suggest HDAC2 is largely responsible for the deacetylation of H4K16 during maturation. In addition, the results provide additional support that histone deacetylation that occurs during oocyte maturation is critical for proper chromosome segregation.
Towards efficient automated characterization of irregular histology images via transformation to frieze-like patterns

Histology is used in both clinical and research contexts as a highly sensitive method for detecting morphological abnormalities in organ tissues. Although modern scanning equipment has enabled high-throughput digitization of high-resolution histology slides, the manual scoring and annotation of these images is a tedious, subjective, and sometimes error-prone process. A number of methods have been proposed for the automated characterization of histology images, most of which rely on the extraction of texture features used for classifier training. The irregular, nonlinear shapes of certain types of tissues can obscure the implicit symmetries observed within them, making it difficult or cumbersome for automated methods to extract texture features quickly and reliably. Using larval zebrafish eye and gut tissues as a pilot model, we present a prototype method for transforming the appearance of these irregularly-shaped tissues into one-dimensional, "frieze-like" patterns. We show that the reduced dimensionality of the patterns may allow them to be characterized with greater efficiency and accuracy than by previous methods of image analysis, which in turn enables potentially greater accuracy in the retrieval of histology images exhibiting abnormalities of interest to pathologists and researchers.
Computational Tools and Algorithms for Designing Customized Synthetic Genes

Advances in DNA synthesis have enabled the construction of artificial genes, gene circuits, and genomes of bacterial scale. Freedom in de novo design of synthetic constructs provides significant power in studying the impact of mutations in sequence features, and verifying hypotheses on the functional information that is encoded in nucleic and amino acids. To aid this goal, a large number of software tools of variable sophistication have been implemented, enabling the design of synthetic genes for sequence optimization based on rationally defined properties. The first generation of tools dealt predominantly with singular objectives such as codon usage optimization and unique restriction site incorporation. Recent years have seen the emergence of sequence design tools that aim to evolve sequences toward combinations of objectives. The design of optimal protein-coding sequences adhering to multiple objectives is computationally hard, and most tools rely on heuristics to sample the vast sequence design space. In this review, we study some of the algorithmic issues behind gene optimization and the approaches that different tools have adopted to redesign genes and optimize desired coding features. We utilize test cases to demonstrate the efficiency of each approach, as well as identify their strengths and limitations.
Fibrous cortical defect with bizarre nuclear features

A femoral neck fibrous cortical defect with typical radiographic features had bizarre nuclear features on histological examination. Recognition of the benign radiographic appearance, similar bizarre features of accompanying macrophages, and paucity of mitoses led us to consider this a pseudoanaplastic ischemic or degenerative change in an old fibrous cortical defect. Because the biological behavior was not known with certainty, we closely followed this case. After 25 months, there has been no recurrence or regrowth. The close cooperation between the pathologist and other disciplines facilitates recognition of these pseudoanaplastic lesions and development of treatment strategies for lesions of unknown or uncertain biological behavior.
Demographic and obstetric factors influencing pregnancy outcome in twin gestations.

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to identify the influence of parity and previous preterm delivery on pregnancy outcome in twin gestations. Study Design: A retrospective comparative analysis of women with twin gestations completing an outpatient preterm labor surveillance program between April 1995 and February 2000 was performed. Included were those enrolled at 2 test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Data were analyzed for 1268 twin pregnancies. The mean gestational age at delivery for the multiparous women without a history of previous preterm delivery (35.3 ± 2.7 weeks) was significantly greater than the mean gestational age at delivery for nulliparous (34.4 ± 3.2 weeks) and multiparous women with a previous preterm delivery (34.0 ± 3.1 weeks), P P values ≤.001). Conclusion: In twin gestations, multiparous women without history of previous preterm delivery have a significantly greater gestational age at delivery, a lower incidence of cerclage, and a reduced neonatal hospital stay than do nulliparous women or those with a history of a previous preterm delivery. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;186:910-2.)
Texts-in-interaction: collaborative problem-solving in quasi-synchronous computer-mediated communication

Quasi-synchronous chat consists of the production and posting of text messages in an online environment. It differs from face-to-face talk-in-interaction in a number of important ways that are significant for participants in the chats and methodologically in terms of the way analysis can be conducted and the kinds of analytical claims that can be made. The perspective adopted in this paper is that chat interaction can be considered the computer-mediated production and reading of texts-in-interaction. However, since the production of a posted text is usually not available to anyone but the author of that text, I am not concerned with the production of posted texts. Rather, I am concerned with the way texts, as produced artifacts, are organized to be read by recipients. In particular, I consider ways in which quasi-synchronous chat postings provide instruction in their design for how they are to be read by recipients of these postings.
Induction of Diverse Arterial and Myocardial Lesions by Adrenal Regeneration Hypertension in Sprague-Dawley Versus Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats*

vNonarteriosclerotic, virgin, Sprague-Dawley (SD), and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats and arteriosclerotic breeder SD and SHR rats were subjected to adrenal regeneration-induced hypertension (ARH) with and without extra salt. ARH caused a marked increase in the blood pressure of SD rats and a mild increase in SHR rats; extra salt caused exacerbation of hypertension in SD rats only. Heart and kidney weights were greatly increased commensurate with blood pressure. Increased adrenal weight concomitant with thymus gland involution was considerable in SD and less marked in SHR rats. Testes and ovaries were involuted. Creatine phosphokinase and lactic dehydrogenase levels were abnormally high; blood triglycerides, FFA, glucose, and corticosterone decreased, and total cholesterol, glucose, and corticosterone increased in SD but decreased in SHR rats. Blood urea nitrogen levels were much more abnormally elevated in SD than in SHR rats. ARH did not induce arterial disease in the virgin SD or SHR rats, but i...
A Scientific Look at Spaghetti

ABSTRACT The article's central concept is the study of a common material, spaghetti, in a scientific way. Hands-on, minds-on activities are used to study the strength of spaghetti. The quantitative investigations emphasize collection, analysis, and use of class data. This approach provides an instructional alternative that brings the spirit of the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council 1996) to the classroom.
Radiation properties of slot and dipole elements on layered substrates

This paper presents calculations of the radiation properties of slot and dipole antennas on electrically thick, grounded, dielectric substrates. These structures offer the possibility of simplifying the fabrication of imaging array antenna structures which operate at millimeter wave and far infrared freqeuncies. They also offer the possiblility of good beam patterns which can be tailored to suit a specific need. We present an analysis of practical layered structures which have beam patterns that are suitable for millimeter wave and far-infrared imaging array applications. We discuss considerations of the choice of dielectric layers with regard to beam patterns, surface wave losses, and the type of element used. The effects of dielectric and ground plane losses in high-gain structures are also considered. Efficiencies and beam patterns for three and five layer structures are presented, although the analysis techniques are extendable to an arbitrary number of layers. It is found that in combination with the use of a twin element configuration, both slot and dipole antennas can overcome the problems of losses to surface waves in the substrate. Consequently, they can be made to efficiently radiate to air on these layered dielectric structures.
Prospective Study of the Frequency and Outcomes of Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Embolism Administered Heparin Prior to Confirmatory Imaging

Objectives The administration of empiric systemic anticoagulation (ESA) before confirmatory radiographic testing in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) may improve outcomes, but no data have been published regarding current practice. We describe the use of ESA in a large prospective cohort of emergency department (ED) patients and report the outcomes of those treated with ESA compared with patients not receiving ESA.
Fine structure of an octopaminergic neuron and its terminals

The large octopaminergic dorsal unpaired median neuron of the locust that innervates the extensor tibiae muscle, DUMETi, was examined electronmicroscopically. Its soma contains many Golgi complexes apparently making dense-core vesicles similar to those found in peripheral branches and terminals. There are also larger stores of the dense material in the soma, especially near the exit of the principal neurite, that are not in vesicular form. Since the neurons can readily be penetrated and stimulated by microelectrodes, they form favorable subjects for direct studies of the control of neurosecretion. Preterminal fine branches of the neuron were located in proximal outer bundles of muscle fibers into which they had been traced electrophysiologically. They contain numerous large dense-core vesicles arrayed in rows near microtubules. These fine branches have a thick layer of collagenous connective tissue between the axon and the muscle fiber. Final terminals have varicosities containing many vesicles, lying inside the outer layers of the sarcolemmal complex of muscle fibers. They do not form synaptic structures. Terminals of another DUM neuron, one that innervates the dorsal longitudinal flight muscles (DUMDL), were similar in detail to those of DUMETi. DUMETi swelled about 20-fold in cross-sectional area above a ligature, in a 12-hr period, indicating that there is an extensive centrifugal flow of material in it, and sprouted a branch.
Correlation of objective chemical measurements and subjective sensory evaluations. wines of vitis vinifera variety 'pinot noir' from france and the united states

Abstract Forty wines of Vitis Vinifera var. 'Pinot Noir' were analyzed for their elemental and organic compositions by atomic emission spectrometry and glass-capillary gas chromatography, respectively. Their sensory quality was evaluated by a panel of judges. Average overall quality scores were used to rank these wines. Stepwise regression analysis and principal component factor analysis were used to investigate correlations between objective chemical measurements and subjective sensory evaluations. Compounds which were found to be related to overall quality of wine were identified.
Study of Strains Between Enamel and Iron as Related to Physical Properties of Each

The test methods used for measuring strains between enamel and iron are reviewed. The values obtained by each of these methods, as determined from the mechanics involved in producing the strains, are correlated with experimental data reported in the literature. The strains obtained from the split-ring test are expressed in terms of the variables of enamel-iron thickness and modulus of elasticity. These variables are graphically presented by means of a nomograph. Based on the strains obtained from the split-ring test, a method is presented whereby the stresses responsible for the strains may be calculated. By determining the movement of a split ring under one condition of enamel-iron thickness, the compressive forces developed within the enamel of different thicknesses and applied to various thicknesses of iron may be calculated.
Total parenteral nutrition solution preparation utilizing amino acid sources with and without pre-added electrolytes: a time and cost comparison

A comparison study of the time and cost of preparation of total parenteral nutrition solutions using a crystalline amino acid source with pre-added electrolytes and an amino acid source without electrolytes is presented. Four pharmacists and 4 technicians each prepared 4 solutions, utilizing each of the two amino acid sources. Both time of preparation and time of checking were measured. Utilizing list prices as acquisition costs for ingredients and the average salary for pharmacists and technicians at Medical University Hospital to determine the labor ocst, the average cost of preparing each solution was determined. The results of this study demonstrated that a potential savings of 10.3% and 9.9% was possible for pharmacist-prepared and technician-prepared solutions, respectively, when amino acid solutions containing pre-added electrolytes are utilized. The authors concluded that the use of crystalline amino acid solutions with pre-added electrolytes could offer substantial savings of labor and money for the hospital pharmacy. These solutions could also represent a significant cost savings to home-prepared parenteral nutrition formulas.
FepA with Globular Domain Deletions Lacks Activity

TonB-gated transporters have β-barrels containing an amino-terminal globular domain that occludes the interior of the barrel. Mutations in the globular domain prevent transport of ligands across the outer membrane. Surprisingly, FepA with deletions of the globular domain (amino acids 3 to 150 and 17 to 150) was previously reported to retain significant sensitivity to colicins B and D and to use ferric enterochelin, all in a TonB-dependent fashion. To further understand TonB interaction with the β-barrel, in the present study, proteins with deletions of amino acids 1 to 152, 7 to 152, 20 to 152, and 17 to 150 in fepA were constructed and expressed in a ΔfepA strain. In contrast to previous studies of fepA globular domain deletions, constructs in this study did not retain sensitivity to colicin B and conferred only marginal sensitivity to colicin D. Consistent with these observations, they failed to bind colicin B and detectably cross-link to TonB in vivo. To address this discrepancy, constructs were tested in other strains, one of which (RWB18-60) did support activity of the FepA globular domain deletion proteins constructed in this study. The characteristics of that strain, as well as the strain in which the ΔFhuA globular domain mutants were seen to be active, suggests the hypothesis that interprotein complementation by two individually nonfunctional proteins restores TonB-dependent activity.
Heterogeneity exploration for peak temperature reduction on multi-core platforms

As IC technology continues to evolve and more transistors are integrated into a single chip, high chip temperature due to high power density not only increases packaging/cooling cost, but also severely degrades reliability and the performance of computing systems. In the meantime, as transistor feature size continues to shrink, it becomes difficult to precisely control the manufacturing process. The manufacturing variations can cause significant differences from core to core and chip to chip. We believe that the heterogeneity due to manufacturing variations, if handled properly, can in fact improve the design objectives of real-time applications. In this paper, we study the problem on how to reduce the peak temperature of a real-time application by judiciously mirroring the physical architecture of an individual device to the logical architecture where the application was initially designed upon. We develop three computationally efficient algorithms for deploying applications to individual devices. Our simulation study has clearly shown that, by taking advantage of the uniqueness of each individual physical chip, the proposed approaches significantly reduce the peak temperature. The experiments also show that these approaches are efficient and have low operational cost.
Absorption spectroscopic evidence for argon matrix-isolated XeO

Abstract Ultraviolet absorption spectra of Ar/Xe/O 3 matrix samples subjected to mercury-arc photolysis showed a marked decrease in ozone absorption at 250 nm and a weak new band at 227 nm. Comparison with the 237 nm emission of gas-phase XeO indicates that the 227 nm argon-matrix absorption is due to the charge-transfer transition of XeO.
Preferential solvation of dithizone in chloroform in cyclohexane

Abstract The molar absorptivity of diphenylthiocarbazone in cyclohexane is dramatically enhanced by the addition of small quantities of chloroform. This has been attributed to the formation of a 1:2 dithizone chloroform complex (formation constant 104.0) rather than simple nonspecific solvent effects.
Energy concentration in band-limited extrapolation

The authors present a novel bandlimited extrapolation method that incorporates qualitative prior knowledge of the distribution of signal energy in both the time domain (spatial domain) and the frequency domain. The extrapolation is easily computed by simple noniterative algorithm. The prior information is incorporated by means of a weighted energy measure, and the resulting solution is derived by straightforward Hilbert space optimization. The algorithm accommodates complex-valued sequences, nonuniform sampling, and arbitrary spectral support and is applicable in one or several dimensions. Many existing extrapolation algorithms are noted as special cases. Examples of signal extrapolation and spectrum estimation using the new algorithm are given in one and two dimensions, algorithm modification for noisy data is investigated, and error bounds are presented. >
Supporting Effective Software Modeling

Dans cet article nous identifions les raisons de la faible utilisation des techniques de modelisations dans l'industrie et nous donnons un apercu d'une approche basee modele qui peut ameliorer l'utilisation des modeles pour le developpement des systemes complexes. Les mecanismes presentes ici reposent sur une approche du developpement guide par les modeles et qui met en avant (1) la reutilisation explicite des artefacts de modelisation, (2) la transformation systematique des modeles par l'utilisation de patrons et de restructurations, et (3) une separation multidimensionnelle des aspects par la modelisation orientee aspect.
A recursive approach to compute bit error rate in underwater channels with multiple paths

In underwater acoustic channels, signal is transmitted over several distinct paths, eigenpaths, from transmitter to receiver due to reflections at sea boundaries, where each eigenpath contains a dominant specular component and a number of scattered components. As a result, an underwater acoustic channel response is the superposition of several dominant specular components and numerous scattered components. Bit error rate (BER) in multipath fading channels has been extensively studied in the past. However, limited research has been conducted on fading channels with several dominant specular components. In this paper, BER in multipath channels with several specular components is studied. A new formula to compute the BER recursively and efficiently is derived. Then using Jensen's inequality, one specular component, Rice fading, is shown to provide the lowest possible BER. Upon using the new BER formula and Lagrange multipliers to solve a constrained optimization problem, it is further shown that for two dominant specular components, BER achieves its maximum when the two components are equally weighted. More results on BER for three and four specular paths are also presented. The results shed light on the impact of the number of specular paths on BER, as well as the maximum and minimum values of BER, which are of interest in underwater communication systems.
Highly sensitive single crystalline metal oxide nanowires gas sensors

Interest in nanowires of metal oxide oxides has been exponentially growing in the last years, due to the attracting potential of application in electronic, optical and sensor field. We have focused our attention on the sensing properties of semiconducting nanowires as conductometric and optical gas sensors. Single crystal nanostructures In 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , and ZnO were synthesized to explore and study their capability in form of multi-nanowires sensors.
Psychopathic and Nonpsychopathic Violence among Alcoholic Offenders

Alcohol abuse and psychopathy continue to be associated with violent crime. In this study, 128 incarcerated alcoholic offenders (64 men and 64 women) were categorized as psychopaths or nonpsychopaths using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R), and comparisons were made regarding violence, alcohol use, and alcohol use in relation to violent crime. Qualitative and quantitative results are reported. Qualitative analysis found that psychopathic alcoholics (a) react violently to less provocation, (b) display a lack of emotion for their victim, (c) report increased self-esteem following violence, (d) indicate a lack of remorse, and (e) use alcohol as an excuse for violence less often. Quantitative analysis found that although psychopathic alcoholics committed more violent crimes and were more alcohol dependent, they used alcohol less frequently when causing serious injury (medical attention or death) to their victims. Theoretical and treatment implications are discussed.
A 500-bp region, ≈40 kb upstream of the human CYP19 (aromatase) gene, mediates placenta-specific expression in transgenic mice

In humans, aromatase P450 (product of CYP19 gene), which catalyzes conversion of C19 steroids to estrogens, is expressed in a number of tissues, including ovary, adipose, and syncytiotrophoblast of the placenta. The 5′ untranslated regions of CYP19 mRNA transcripts in these tissues are encoded by different tissue-specific first exons, which are spliced onto a common site just upstream of the translation initiation site in exon II. In placenta, the 5′ untranslated region of CYP19 mRNA transcripts is encoded by exon I.1, which lies ≈40 kb upstream of exon II. To map genomic sequences required for placenta-specific CYP19 expression, fusion genes containing 2,400 and 501 bp of placenta-specific exon I.1 5′ flanking DNA linked to the human growth hormone gene (hGH), as reporter, were introduced into transgenic mice. Expression of CYP19(I.1):hGH fusion genes containing as little as 501 bp of 5′ flanking DNA was placenta-specific and developmentally regulated. Furthermore, transgene expression occurred specifically in the labyrinthine trophoblast of the mouse placenta, which contains syncytial cells that may be analogous to the human syncytiotrophoblast. We show that a relatively small segment of DNA (≈500 bp) >40 kb upstream of the protein coding region of a human gene is able to direct expression in an appropriate tissue- and cell-specific manner in transgenic mice. These findings suggest that 5′ flanking DNA within 501 bp of exon I.1 of the human CYP19 gene contains cis-acting elements that bind placenta-specific transcription factors that are conserved between humans and mice.
Consensus and the Creation of Status Beliefs

We develop a new status construction theory argument that apparently valid social realities in which a salient social difference is consistently linked to signs of status and competence induce participants to form status beliefs. Supporting this social validity account, an experiment showed that when an influence hierarchy developed between categorically different actors and appeared to be consensually accepted in the situation and therefore valid, participants formed strongly differentiated status beliefs about the categorical distinction. Yet when slight challenges to these influence hierarchies broke the validating consensus, participants' status beliefs were significantly weaker and less clear. An implication is that acts of resistance can disrupt the emergence of new status beliefs, so that while some differences become axes of status inequality, others do not.
Lithium Toxicity in the Setting of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medications

Lithium toxicity is known to affect multiple organ systems, including the central nervous system. Lithium levels have been used in the diagnosis of toxicity and in assessing response to management. There is evidence that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) can increase lithium levels and decrease renal lithium clearance. We present a case of lithium toxicity, which demonstrates this effect and also highlights the fact that lithium levels do not correlate with clinical improvement, especially the neurological deficit.
Type I IFNs mediate development of postinfluenza bacterial pneumonia in mice

Influenza-related complications continue to be a major cause of mortality worldwide. Due to unclear mechanisms, a substantial number of influenza-related deaths result from bacterial superinfections, particularly secondary pneumococcal pneumonia. Here, we report what we believe to be a novel mechanism by which influenza-induced type I IFNs sensitize hosts to secondary bacterial infections. Influenza-infected mice deficient for type I IFN-alpha/beta receptor signaling (Ifnar-/- mice) had improved survival and clearance of secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae infection from the lungs and blood, as compared with similarly infected wild-type animals. The less effective response in wild-type mice seemed to be attributable to impaired production of neutrophil chemoattractants KC (also known as Cxcl1) and Mip2 (also known as Cxcl2) following secondary challenge with S. pneumoniae. This resulted in inadequate neutrophil responses during the early phase of host defense against secondary bacterial infection. Indeed, influenza-infected wild-type mice cleared secondary pneumococcal pneumonia after pulmonary administration of exogenous KC and Mip2, whereas neutralization of Cxcr2, the common receptor for KC and Mip2, reversed the protective phenotype observed in Ifnar-/- mice. These data may underscore the importance of the type I IFN inhibitory pathway on CXC chemokine production. Collectively, these findings highlight what we believe to be a novel mechanism by which the antiviral response to influenza sensitizes hosts to secondary bacterial pneumonia.
Simulation of a single ping ultrasonic bearing estimation design using spatiotemporal filtering

A low-power, compact, lightweight architecture for an in-air SONAR device is proposed and simulated. The sensor is intended to aid in the autonomous navigation of a micro-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Inspired by the manner in which bats use ultrasound to sense and navigate their environments, the sensor transmits a single ping and uses an array of small ultrasonic microphones to detect echoes. The incident angle of returning echoes is determined using spatiotemporal filtering and a simple classifier. The distal range of the sensor is a critical design constraint due to the high attenuation of ultrasound in air, therefore the ability of the sensor to handle weak signals (a low signal to noise ratio) is of utmost concern. The sensor is shown to have an RMS error of 1.10 over the range [−600 600] for non-overlapping signals with SNR of 10dB. Overlapping signals are detected with only a minor decrease in accuracy.
Hostility Toward Men and the Perceived Stability of Male Dominance

Two studies examined how ambivalent gender ideologies, measured by the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) and Ambiv- alence Toward Men Inventory (AMI), relate to the perceived legitimacy and stability of gender hierarchy. Study 1 showed simple corre- lations of each ASI and AMI subscale with the perceived legitimacy of gender hierarchy, but only Hostility Toward Men (HM: A traditional, but unflattering view of men as domineering) predicted the perceived stability of gender hierarchy. In Study 2, experimentally priming HM (but not other gender ideologies) increased perceptions of the stability of gender hierarchy. Although HM derides men for acting in a domineering manner, it characterizes men as designed for dominance. By reinforcing the perceived stability of gender hier- archy, HM may undermine women's motivation to seek change.
Feasibility study on replacing conventional epoxy dispensing with wafer back coating epoxy for QFN packages for discrete product

With the advent of ultra portable consumer products, the challenge to attach a die as close to the package size as possible is becoming a major challenge. The current die-attach nozzle dispensing method requires a real estate around the die to be sufficiently large to ensure good epoxy coverage, epoxy fillet height and to prevent the epoxy from overflowing the edges of the DAP. Moreover, a thinner package will require a thinner die which, with epoxy dispensing, could result in die overflowing to the die surface. Such constraints takes time to set-up and a dedicated nozzle will be required to fit every die size combination which would end up with high nozzle inventory and maintenance. A solution is needed at die-attach to meet the new challenge where the die size is almost as big as the DAP and where the die thickness is thinner in order to achieve a lower electrical resistance and package height and, where current epoxy dispensing method is no longer viable. And the alternative now available in the market is highly electrically conductive epoxy wafer back coating. This process does away with epoxy dispensing and is printed directly over the back of the wafer and b-staged cured prior to wafer mounting and sawing. The epoxy thickness is directly controlled by the thickness of the electroformed stencil and mesh. Unlike non-conductive paste or lower electrically conductive epoxies, the epoxy does not “sag” after wafer back coating, hence, roughness of the printed epoxy is through squeegee type and the printing parameters. This study covers the feasibility of assembly from wafer preparation to test by using wafer back coating epoxy, its challenges and issues as well as comparing the electrical performance of the package to that of conventional die attach dispense epoxy.
Characterization of Human Antiviral Adaptive Immune Responses during Hepatotropic Virus Infection in HLA-Transgenic Human Immune System Mice

Humanized mice have emerged as a promising model to study human immunity in vivo. Although they are susceptible to many pathogens exhibiting an almost exclusive human tropism, human immune responses to infection remain functionally impaired. It has recently been demonstrated that the expression of HLA molecules improves human immunity to lymphotropic virus infections in humanized mice. However, little is known about the extent of functional human immune responses in nonlymphoid tissues, such as in the liver, and the role of HLA expression in this context. Therefore, we analyzed human antiviral immunity in humanized mice during a hepatotropic adenovirus infection. We compared immune responses of conventional humanized NOD SCID IL-2Rγ–deficient (NSG) mice to those of a novel NOD SCID IL-2Rγ–deficient strain transgenic for both HLA-A*0201 and a chimeric HLA-DR*0101 molecule. Using a firefly luciferase–expressing adenovirus and in vivo bioluminescence imaging, we demonstrate a human T cell–dependent partial clearance of adenovirus-infected cells from the liver of HLA-transgenic humanized mice. This correlated with liver infiltration and activation of T cells, as well as the detection of Ag-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. When infected with a hepatitis C virus NS3–expressing adenovirus, HLA-transgenic humanized mice mounted an HLA-A*0201–restricted hepatitis C virus NS3-specific CD8 + T cell response. In conclusion, our study provides evidence for the generation of partial functional antiviral immune responses against a hepatotropic pathogen in humanized HLA-transgenic mice. The adenovirus reporter system used in our study may serve as simple in vivo method to evaluate future strategies for improving human intrahepatic immune responses in humanized mice.
Financial comparative analysis of minimally invasive surgery to open surgery for localized prostate cancer: a single-institution experience.

Objectives To evaluate the financial implications of how the costs of new minimally invasive surgery such as laparoscopic robotic prostatectomy (LRP) and cryosurgical ablation of the prostate (CAP) technologies compare with those of conventional surgery. Methods From January 2002 to July 2005, 452 consecutive patients underwent surgical treatment for clinically localized (Stage T1-T2) prostate cancer. The distribution of patients among the surgical procedures was as follows: group 1, radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) (n = 197); group 2, radical perineal prostatectomy (RPP) (n = 60); group 3, LRP (n = 137); and group 4, CAP (n = 58). The total direct hospital costs and grand total hospital costs were analyzed for each type of surgery. Results The mean length of stay in the CAP group was significantly lower (0.16 ± 0.14 days) than that for RRP (2.79 ± 1.46 days), RPP (2.87 ± 1.43 days), and LRP (2.15 ± 1.48 days; P <0.0005). The direct surgical costs were less for the RRP ($2471 ± $636) and RPP ($2788 ± $762) groups than for the technology-dependent procedures: LRP ($3441 ± $545) and CAP ($5702 ± $1606; P <0.0005). The total hospital cost differences, including pathologic assessment costs, were less for LRP ($10,047 ± $3107, median $9343) and CAP ($9195 ± $1511, median $8796) than for RRP ($10,704 ± $3468, median $9724) or RPP ($10,536 ± $3088, median $9251), with significant differences (P <0.05) between the minimally invasive technique and open surgery groups. Conclusions In our study, despite the relatively increased surgical expense of CAP compared with conventional surgical prostatectomy (RRP or RPP) and LRP, the overall direct costs were offset by the significantly lower nonoperative hospital costs. The cost advantages associated with CAP included a shorter length of stay in the hospital and the absence of pathologic costs and the need for blood transfusion.
Non-reflux esophagitis: A review of inflammatory diseases of the esophagus exclusive of reflux esophagitis

Esophagitis is a frequent cause of clinical symptoms and is often an indication for upper endoscopy. Mucosal biopsies are procured for diagnostic purposes and may be used to assess the efficacy of treatment, as in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis. This article outlines salient clinical and pathologic features of diseases that cause esophagitis exclusive of reflux esophagitis.
Are race and length of gestation related to age at death in the sudden infant death syndrome

Although race and preterm delivery are known to be associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the relationships between age at death from SIDS and these factors have not been well described. To examine these relationships, we used linked infant birth and death records for the cohort of 1,204,375 White and 283,776 Black postneonates who were born from 1979 to 1981 in five states: California, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee. Deaths attributable to SIDS occurred to 1404 White postneonates and to 696 Black postneonates. Although postneonatal SIDS rate among Black infants was twice that of White infants, the relative risk was smaller among infants with gestations of less than 35 weeks. For White postneonates, the median postneonatal age at death sharply declined for gestations from 28-29 weeks to 36-37 weeks and levelled off for longer gestations. For Black postneonates, the results do not support an association between length of gestation and age at death. The findings suggest that practitioners investigating approaches to avert SIDS need to maintain their interventions to an older age among White preterm infants. Researchers investigating the causes of SIDS need to consider the relationship between length of gestation and age at death from SIDS as well as possible developmental differences between White and Black preterm infants.
Ofatumumab and bendamustine in previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma

Despite initial responses > 90% with fludarabine and rituximab-based regimens, patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) invariably relapse and require further treatment. Ofatumumab and bendamustine have each shown efficacy in relapsed/refractory CLL with overall response rates (ORRs) of 58% and 76%, respectively. Given excellent data with bendamustine and rituximab in relapsed/refractory CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), this phase II study evaluated the combination of ofatumumab and bendamustine in previously treated patients. Patients received ofatumumab 300 mg intravenously (IV) day - 7, followed by ofatumumab 1000 mg IV day 1 and bendamustine 70 mg/m(2) days 1 and 2 of each 28-day cycle. Patients received 4-6 cycles depending on number of prior therapies, as long as well-tolerated or until progression. Of 10 patients enrolled, the ORR was 40% and complete response rate was 20%. The median progression-free and overall survivals were 8.1 months and 16.2 months. Three patients developed Richter transformation. The study was closed early due to unexpected adverse events including infusion-related reactions, infection and neurotoxicity.
Seeking to Bridge Two Cultures: The Wisconsin Hmong Cancer Experience

Compared to white non-Hispanics, Hmong report higher incidence rates of certain cancers and present at an advanced stage. Using a community-based participatory research approach, Hmong leaders partnered with academic researchers to assess the Wisconsin Hmong population’s readiness to address cancer. Using the Colorado Tri-Ethnic Center’s Community Readiness Assessment, face-to-face interviews were conducted with eight Hmong leaders. The stage of readiness to address cancer was “Vague Awareness”. Six thematic areas provided insight into this stage and recommendations for effective intervention. Results emphasize the need for a bridge between Hmong and mainstream communities to provide basic, culturally appropriate education on the US healthcare system and cancer.
Influence Of Implantation Age On School-Age Language Performance In Pediatric Cochlear Implant Users

This study examined specifi c spoken language abilities of 160 children with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss followed prospectively 4, 5, or 6 years after cochlear implantation. Study sample: Ninety-eight children received implants before 2.5 years, and 62 children received implants between 2.5 and 5 years of age. Design: Language was assessed using four subtests of the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (CASL). Standard scores were evaluated by contrasting age of implantation and follow-up test time. Results: Children implanted under 2.5 years of age achieved higher standard scores than children with older ages of implantation for expressive vocabulary, expressive syn- tax, and pragmatic judgments. However, in both groups, some children performed more than two standard deviations below the standardization group mean, while some scored at or well above the mean. Conclusions: Younger ages of implantation are associated with higher levels of performance, while later ages of implantation are associated with higher prob- abilities of continued language delays, particularly within subdomains of grammar and pragmatics. Longitudinal data from this cohort study demonstrate that after 6 years of implant experience, there is large variability in language outcomes associated with modifi ers of rates of language learning that differ as children with implants age.
BACE1-/- mice exhibit seizure activity that does not correlate with sodium channel level or axonal localization

BACE1 is a key enzyme in the generation of the Aβ peptide that plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. While BACE1 is an attractive therapeutic target, its normal physiological function remains largely unknown. Examination of BACE1-/- mice can provide insight into this function and also help anticipate consequences of BACE1 inhibition. Here we report a seizure-susceptibility phenotype that we have identified and characterized in BACE1-/- mice. We find that electroencephalographic recordings reveal epileptiform abnormalities in some BACE1-/- mice, occasionally including generalized tonic-clonic and absence seizures. In addition, we find that kainic acid injection induces seizures of greater severity in BACE1-/- mice relative to BACE1+/+ littermates, and causes excitotoxic cell death in a subset of BACE1-/- mice. This hyperexcitability phenotype is variable and appears to be manifest in approximately 30% of BACE1-/- mice. Finally, examination of the expression and localization of the voltage-gated sodium channel α-subunit Nav1.2 reveals no correlation with BACE1 genotype or any measure of seizure susceptibility. Our data indicate that BACE1 deficiency predisposes mice to spontaneous and pharmacologically-induced seizure activity. This finding has implications for the development of safe therapeutic strategies for reducing Aβ levels in Alzheimer's disease. Further, we demonstrate that altered sodium channel expression and axonal localization are insufficient to account for the observed effect, warranting investigation of alternative mechanisms.
Alternative Administrative Strategies for Young Handicapped Children: A Policy Analysis

One of the major and puzzling omissions from the legislative blizzard for the handicapped in the 1960's and 1970's has been the preschool handicapped child, aged 0-3. The present policy analysis explores the preferences of three groups of interested persons in 10 program options that would provide services for young children. A group of educators, mental retardation specialists, and advocates all chose public education as the preferred agency to administer services for young handicapped children. Public education was identified as long standing and public funded and more likely to provide continued program support.
Variable crustal structure of strike-slip fault zones as observed on deep seismic reflection profiles

Seismic reflection profiling across strike-slip faults has revealed a distinct variation in deep crustal structure. Profiles across the San Andreas, Great Glen, and Bray faults depict a near-vertical, reflection-free zone that appears to truncate and in some cases offset reflections interpreted to have originated from the base of the crust. A near-vertical, crustal-penetrating fault zone is suggested for these continental transform faults. In contrast, reflection profiles across intra-plate strike-slip fault systems such as the northern Walker Lane and Garlock faults suggest that they are decoupled in the middle crust by subhorizontal detachments. These detachments are inferred from reflections that are traceable below the surface faults without disruption. Such detachments in the middle crust may act to ease the rotation of upper-crustal blocks adjacent to strike-slip fault zones, as observed in paleomagnetic studies. Furthermore, moderately dipping reflections, interpreted to be from the fault zone, project to the surface traces of the northern Walker Lane faults and the frontal faults of the Wichita Uplift, indicating that these strike-slip faults with large components of dip-slip displacement are not vertical but dip moderately into the mid-crust. Although the available data sets are still few, they suggest that there is a primary variation in fault geometry that is related to the different behavior of transform versus intra-plate strike-slip fault systems.
Pulmonary Artery Proportional Pulse Pressure Predicts Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Group 1 Pulmonary Hypertension (Analysis of the NIH Pulmonary Hypertension Registry)

Pulmonary Artery Proportional Pulse Pressure Predicts Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Group 1 Pulmonary Hypertension (Analysis of the NIH Pulmonary Hypertension Registry) Sula Mazimba, James Bergin, Jamie L.W. Kennedy, Jose A. Tallaj, Elizabeth Gay, Mohammad Abuannadi, Andrew Mihalek, Kenneth C. Bilchick; University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
The structure of the Ca2+-binding, glycosylated F-spondin domain of F-spondin - A C2-domain variant in an extracellular matrix protein

Background: F-spondin is a multi-domain extracellular matrix (ECM) protein and a contact-repellent molecule that directs axon outgrowth and cell migration during development. The reelin_N domain and the F-spondin domain (FS domain) comprise a proteolytic fragment that interacts with the cell membrane and guides the projection of commissural axons to floor plate. The FS domain is found in F-spondins, mindins, M-spondin and amphiF-spondin. Results: We present the crystal structure of human F-spondin FS domain at 1.95A resolution. The structure reveals aC a 2+ -binding C2 domain variant with an 8-stranded antiparallel b-sandwich fold. Though the primary sequences of the FS domains of F-spondin and mindin are less than 36% identical, their overall structures are very similar. The unique feature of F-spondin FS domain is the presence of three disulfide bonds associated with the N- and Ctermini of the domain and a highly conserved N-linked glycosylation site. The integrin-binding motif found in mindin is not conserved in the F-spondin FS domain. Conclusion: The structure of the F-spondin FS domain completes the structural studies of the multiple-domain ECM molecule. The homology of its core structure to a common Ca 2+ - and lipid-binding C2 domain suggests that the F-spondin FS domain may be responsible for part of the membrane targeting of F-spondin in its regulation of axon development. The structural properties of the FS domain revealed in this study pave the way for further exploration into the functions of F-spondin.