cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE NATURE OF NEUTRAL 17-KETOSTEROIDS IN HUMAN PLASMA

INTRODUCTION ALTHOUGH the quantitative and qualitative pattern of neutral 17-ketosteroids in the urine of normal individuals has been fairly well established, until recently, little has been known of these substances in the human blood. Gardner (1) has described a method for their determination in human plasma. He reported that adult males have levels of from 40 to 130 μg. per 100 ml. of plasma. Migeon and Plager (2), by means of paper chromatography, have isolated and identified dehydroepiandrosterone from human plasma. Another compound in smaller amounts was isolated, which was thought to be androsterone and/or etiocholanolone. The study to be reported was undertaken in an attempt to define more clearly the pattern of neutral 17-ketosteroids in human plasma. A large volume of plasma was extracted so that there would be enough steroidal material for fractionation by means of column chromatography and identification by definitive means. This communication deals with a description and the results of such a...
The NTT gene is required for transmitting-tract development in carpels of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Summary Background The majority of pollen-tube growth in Arabidopsis occurs in specialized tissue called the transmitting tract. Little is currently known about how the transmitting tract functions because of a lack of mutants affecting its development. We have identified such a mutant and we used it to investigate aspects of pollen-tube growth. Results Reverse genetics was used to identify mutations in a gene, NO TRANSMITTING TRACT (NTT) , encoding a C2H2/C2HC zinc finger transcription factor specifically expressed in the transmitting tract. The ntt mutants have a negative effect on transmitting-tract development. Stage-specific analysis of transmitting-tract development was carried out and was correlated with investigations of pollen-tube behavior. In ntt mutants, pollen tubes grow more slowly and/or terminate prematurely, and lateral divergence is accentuated over apical-to-basal movement. Normal transmitting-tract development is shown to involve a process of programmed cell death (PCD) that is facilitated by, but does not depend upon, pollination. Conclusions This is the first report of a gene that is specifically required for transmitting-tract development in Arabidopsis . Mutations in NTT cause reduced fertility by severely inhibiting pollen-tube movement. The data support the idea that the function of the transmitting tract is to increase fertilization efficiency, particularly in the lower half of the ovary. This occurs by facilitating pollen-tube growth through differentiation and then death of transmitting-tract cells.
Medically valid religious beliefs

Patient requests for “inappropriate” medical treatment (violations of the standard of care) based on religious beliefs should have special standing. Nevertheless, not all such requests should be honored, because some are morally disturbing. The trouble lies in deciding which ones count. This paper proposes criteria that would qualify a religious belief as medically valid to help physicians decide which requests to respect. The four conditions suggested are that the belief (1) is shared by a community, (2) is deeply held, (3) would pass the test of a religious interpreter and (4) does not harm others.
Development of a clinical prediction model for assessment of malignancy risk in Bosniak III renal lesions.

Objective To identify independent predictors of malignancy in Bosniak III (BIII) renal lesions and to build a prediction model based on readily identifiable clinical variables. Methods In this institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant retrospective study, radiology, and hospital information systems containing data from January 1, 1994, to August 31, 2009, were queried for adult patients (age >18 years) with surgically excised BIII lesions. Clinical variables and results of histopathology were noted. Univariate and multiple-variable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify potential predictors and to build a prediction model. Cross-validation was used to assess generalizability of the model's performance, as characterized by concordance (c) index. Results Of the 107 lesions in 101 patients, 59 were malignant and 48 benign. On univariate analyses, the strongest potential predictors of malignancy were African American race ( P = .043), history of renal cell carcinoma (RCC; P = .026), coexisting BIII lesions ( P = .032), coexisting Bosniak IV (BIV) lesions ( P = .104), body mass index (BMI; P = .078), and lesion size ( P 80%, the positive predictive value of the model is 92% (CI 78%-100%). Conclusion Clinical risk factors offer modest but definite predictive ability for malignancy in BIII lesions. In particular, a prediction model encompassing lesion size, BMI, and history of RCC seems promising. Further refinements with possible inclusion of imaging biomarkers and validation on an independent dataset are desirable.
Anthrone and oxanthrone C-glycosides from Picramnia latifolia collected in Peru

Cytotoxicity-based, bioassay-guided fractionation of the chloroform-soluble extracts of both the roots and leaves of Picramnia latifolia led to the isolation of two new anthrone C-glycosides, picramniosides G (1) and H (2), two new oxanthrone C-glycosides, mayosides D (3) and E (4), and a new benzanthrone natural product, 6,8-dihydroxy-10-methyl-7H-benz[de]anthracen-7-one (5), together with 10 known compounds, 6,8-dihydroxy-4-methyl-7H-benz[de]anthracen-7-one (6), nataloe-emodin (7), chrysophanein, chrysophanol, 1,5-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-3-methylanthraquinone, pulmatin, 7-hydroxycoumarin, 7-hydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin, beta-sitosterol, and beta-sitosterol glucoside. The structures of 1-5 were established by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR, HRMS, and CD data interpretation. The cytotoxic activity of all isolates was evaluated in a small panel of human cancer cell lines. Compound 7 exhibited significant in vitro cytotoxic activity in the tested cell lines, but no significant activity was observed with an in vivo hollow fiber model at doses of 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg/injection.
Proximity effect thermometer for local electron temperature measurements on mesoscopic samples

Using the strong temperature-dependent resistance of a normal metal wire in proximity to a superconductor, we have been able to measure the local temperature of electrons heated by flowing a direct-current (dc) in a metallic wire to within a few tens of millikelvin at low temperatures. By placing two such thermometers at different parts of a sample, we have been able to measure the temperature difference induced by a dc flowing in the samples. This technique may provide a flexible means of making quantitative thermal and thermoelectric measurements on mesoscopic metallic samples.
Animating an equation: a guide to using FLASH in mathematics education

Macromedia's FLASH development system can be a great tool for mathematics education. This article presents detailed Flash tutorials that were developed and taught by the author to a group of mathematics professors in a summer course in 2005. The objective was to educate the teachers in the techniques of animating equations and mathematical concepts in Flash. The course was followed by a 2-year study to assess the acceptance of the technology by the teachers and to gauge its effectiveness in improving the quality of mathematics education. The results of that 2-year study are also reported here.
Cogitations on the Education of Water Resources Managers

Journal of Contemporary Water researCh & eduCation UCOWR Contemporary education, ostensibly oriented towards producing a cadre of water managers that can deal with the emerging complexity of issues such as sustainable development and integrated water resources management, is failing to deliver the caliber of students that are needed by the public and private sectors. Existing programs have evolved to stress research on a wide variety of interdisciplinary subjects such as sustainable development and watershed management rather than the needs of management practice. The dilemma, of course, is that contemporary water resources management is an interdisciplinary venture, requiring a great deal of knowledge and expertise in many different fields. Yet, no single graduate program can deliver the requisite broad background without unduly diluting the curriculum. Some interdisciplinary programs further dissipate the knowledge base by promoting indoctrination into new and untested water management doctrines. Academia needs to rethink its approach and “return to the future” with more rigorous technical curricula that prepare its graduates for a professional career and that emphasize the basic principles, tools, and techniques that comprise the best management practices of the water resources profession.
Application of infra‐red spectrometry to the analysis of combustion products containing carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and small proportions of propane

Calibration curves of optical densities against concentrations at the selected wavelengths of 14.98, 4.65 and 3.3 μ for each of the gases carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and propane respectively, with nitrogen as diluent, are presented. Deviations from Beer's law are apparent and result in appreciable errors in analysing mixtures of these gases. Correction curves are provided that allow accuracies in analysis of within 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4% for propane, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide respectively, which shows an improvement on results of previously published work on similar mixtures.
EFFECTS OF CEMENTATION ON STRESS-STRAIN AND STRENGTH CHARACTERISTICS OF SANDS

This paper presents a series of tests performed on uncemented and cemented sands along conventional and unconventional stress paths using a true (or cubical) triaxial testing device. The tests were planned such that the influence of cementation on constitutive behavior of sands could be comprehended. The true triaxial device used for this study was a flexible boundary type that could allow testing of a 4 in. (10.2 cm) cubical soil specimen under any stress path in the first octant of stress space. The stress paths considered in this investigation included hydrostatic compression, conventional triaxial compression, and tests along different directions on different octahedral planes. All the tests were stress controlled, and performed under drained condition. The specimens were prepared by the method of undercompaction using Monterey No.0 sand and portland cement type I. The test results show that the effect of cementation on failure, shear strength, stress-strain, and volume change behavior of sands is significant and depends strongly on the stress path.
The Federal Courts Improvement Act: a Practitioner's Perspective

The Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1982 took effect on October 1, 1982. By combining the former Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the appellate branch of the former Court of Claims, the statute created a new federal appeals court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which is equal in stature to the regional courts of appeals.
The regionalisation of global brands: emerging market perspectives

This paper reports the findings of multi-country study which compared the relationship between country of origin and brand trust in several emerging market economies (Nepal, Poland and Bulgaria) and one fully developed economy (the USA). The study measured the importance of buying a global brand in 23 different product categories and asked respondents to evaluate brand trust and country-of-origin (COO) across all categories. The product categories of interest ranged from high involvement, durable goods (refrigerators and washing machines) to low involvement, fast moving consumer goods (chocolate bars, yogurt and disposable batteries). Analysis of COO effects yielded the research's most interesting finding: global brands might have a regional, or meso level, component which consumer brand trust has uncovered for the first time.
The Akt signaling pathway contributes to postconditioning’s protection against stroke; the protection is associated with the MAPK and PKC pathways

We previously reported that ischemic postconditioning with a series of mechanical interruptions of reperfusion reduced infarct volume 2 days after focal ischemia in rats. Here, we extend this data by examining long-term protection and exploring underlying mechanisms involving the Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathways. Post-conditioning reduced infarct and improved behavioral function assessed 30 days after stroke. Additionally, postconditioning increased levels of phosphorylated Akt (Ser473) as measured by western blot and Akt activity as measured by an in vitro kinase assay. Inhibiting Akt activity by a phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor, LY294002, enlarged infarct in postconditioned rats. Postconditioning did not affect protein levels of phosphorylated-phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 or -phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (molecules upstream of Akt) but did inhibit an increase in phosphorylated-glycogen synthase kinase 3beta, an Akt effector. In addition, postconditioning blocked beta-catenin phosphorylation subsequent to glycogen synthase kinase, but had no effect on total or non-phosphorylated active beta-catenin protein levels. Furthermore, postconditioning inhibited increases in the amount of phosphorylated-c-Jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in the MAPK pathway. Finally, postconditioning blocked death-promoting deltaPKC cleavage and attenuated reduction in phosphorylation of survival-promoting epsilonPKC. In conclusion, our data suggest that postconditioning provides long-term protection against stroke in rats. Additionally, we found that Akt activity contributes to postconditioning's protection; furthermore, increases in epsilonPKC activity, a survival-promoting pathway, and reductions in MAPK and deltaPKC activity; two putative death-promoting pathways correlate with postconditioning's protection.
Party Control and Partisan Bias in 1980s Congressional Redistricting

We estimate bias and responsiveness in 1980 and 1982 congressional elections for the nation as a whole and for states grouped according to control of the governorship and state legislature and according to legislative versus court control of the redistricting process. We find that in states where one party controlled the redistricting process, partisan bias moved in a direction favoring the party controlling the redistricting, but the effect was large only for states under unified party control. However, at the national level, redistricting was almost a wash, with a slight pro-Democratic bias in 1982 which was lower than that in 1980. These findings contradict views widely expressed in the national press about a strong pro-Democratic national gerry-mander, and also contradict the findings of Abramowitz (1983) that partisan bias in 1980s congressional redistricting was important only in Democratic-controlled states. We show that Abramowitz's conclusions rest on an improper method of estimating bias, one th...
Metabolism of arachidonic acid to epoxyeicosatrienoic acids by human granulosa cells may mediate steroidogenesis.

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), cytochrome P-450 metabolites of arachidonic acid, have attracted attention because of their effects on stimulus-response coupling in endocrine, renal, and vascular cells. To investigate a possible role for EETs in ovarian physiology, we conducted a series of experiments using human luteinized granulosa cells. Granulosa cell microsomes produce EETs, which are identified by their comigration with known standards using reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography. EET synthesis by granulosa cells is NADPH dependent and inhibited by ketoconazole, suggesting an enzymatic mechanism of production. Intact granulosa cells synthesize EETs from exogenous arachidonic acid, and EET production is increased by hCG stimulation of the cells. To investigate whether EETs have a role in ovarian steroidogenesis, they were added to cultures of granulosa cells. Varying concentrations of 14,15-EET differentially affected estradiol secretion; 0.001-0.05 microM stimulated estradiol production...
Natural Transformation of Campylobacter jejuni Requires Components of a Type II Secretion System

The human pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is one of more than 40 naturally competent bacterial species able to import macromolecular DNA from the environment and incorporate it into their genomes. However, in C. jejuni little is known about the genes involved in this process. We used random transposon mutagenesis to identify genes that are required for the transformation of this organism. We isolated mutants with insertions in 11 different genes; most of the mutants are affected in the DNA uptake stage of transformation, whereas two mutants are affected in steps subsequent to DNA uptake, such as recombination into the chromosome or in DNA transport across the inner membrane. Several of these genes encode proteins homologous to those involved in type II secretion systems, biogenesis of type IV pili, and competence for natural transformation in gram-positive and gram-negative species. Other genes identified in our screen encode proteins unique to C. jejuni or are homologous to proteins that have not been shown to play a role in the transformation in other bacteria.
Heterogeneous elastic response of human lung microvascular endothelial cells to barrier modulating stimuli.

Abstract In this study we employ atomic force microscopy, supported by finite element analysis and fluorescence microscopy, to characterize the elastic properties accompanying cytoskeletal structural rearrangements of lung microvascular endothelial cells in response to barrier altering stimuli. Statistical analysis of elasticity data obtained from multiple cells demonstrates a heterogeneous cellular elastic response to barrier-enhancing and barrier-disrupting agents; sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and thrombin, respectively. A small but detectable (10%) increase in the average elastic modulus of all cells is observed for S1P, which is accompanied by a corresponding significant decrease in cell thickness. Variable effects of thrombin on these parameters were observed. To account for possible substrate effects in our elasticity analysis, we analyzed only the low-force sections of the force-displacement curves and utilized a finite-thickness correction to the Hertzian model. Our finite element analysis results substantiate this approach. The heterogeneous elastic behavior correlates with differential cytoskeletal rearrangements observed with fluorescence microscopy. From the Clinical Editor This team of investigators employed atomic force microscopy coupled with finite element analysis and fluorescence microscopy to characterize the elastic properties accompanying cytoskeletal structural rearrangements of lung microvascular endothelial cells in response to barrier altering stimuli, demonstrating the validity of their approach.
Polarization Characteristics and Chemistry in Reversible Tubular Solid-Oxide Cells Operating on Mixtures of H2, CO, H2O , and CO2

This paper reports the results of combined experimental and modeling studies of reversible solid-oxide cells. The tubular cells are fabricated using a Ni-YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia) fuel-electrode support, a dense YSZ electrolyte membrane, and a strontium-doped lanthanum manganate-YSZ composite air electrode. Experiments are designed to systematically vary gas-phase species partial pressures and operating temperatures. The fuels are mixtures of H 2 , CO, H 2 O, CO 2 , and Ar. Performance is measured under anodic (fuel cell) and cathodic (electrolysis) polarization. The models consider reactive porous-media transport within the composite electrodes, thermal chemistry on Ni and YSZ surfaces, and charge-transfer chemistry. All chemistry is modeled with elementary reversible reactions. Close coupling between experimental measurements and model-based interpretation provides a basis for establishing reaction pathways and rates. In addition to advancing fundamental understanding, the resulting detailed reaction mechanisms are valuable for incorporation into predictive models that can be used for design and optimization of fuel-cell and electrolysis systems.
The health status of adults on the autism spectrum

Compared to the general pediatric population, children with autism have higher rates of co-occurring medical and psychiatric illnesses, yet very little is known about the general health status of adults with autism. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of psychiatric and medical conditions among a large, diverse, insured population of adults with autism in the United States. Participants were adult members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California enrolled from 2008 to 2012. Autism spectrum disorder cases (N = 1507) were adults with autism spectrum disorder diagnoses (International Classification of Diseases-9-Clinical Modification codes 299.0, 299.8, 299.9) recorded in medical records on at least two separate occasions. Controls (N = 15,070) were adults without any autism spectrum disorder diagnoses sampled at a 10:1 ratio and frequency matched to cases on sex and age. Adults with autism had significantly increased rates of all major psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety...
Characterization of human upper airway epithelial progenitors.

Background New epithelial cells are generated through the proliferation and differentiation of resident progenitor cells in the nasal cavity. In several upper airway diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and chronic rhinosinusitis, self-renewing progenitor cells may be functionally defective, or compromised in their ability, to regenerate cells that maintain normal mucociliary clearance. Herein, we describe our early work to define and characterize a rare population of human nasal epithelial putative progenitors. Methods Single-cell suspensions of human ethmoid sinus tissues were prepared following endoscopic sinus surgery. Cell surface antibodies were analyzed as candidate markers for detecting progenitor cells. A panel of antibodies, including epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM, epithelial cells), CD45 (hematopoietic cells), nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR/CD271), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1/CD54), and integrin-α6 (ITGA6/CD49f) were used to resolve epithelial progenitor candidates by high-dimensional flow cytometry and the gating technique of fluorescence minus one (FMO) controls. Results A rare population of approximately 0.06% of total ethmoid cells was discriminated as EpCAM−CD45−NGFR+ICAM1+ by surface markers. Use of ITGA6 was excluded based on FMO control analysis. This lineage-negative population was purified to 99% homogeneity by cell sorting and analyzed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Sorted cells were subsequently confirmed to uniformly express the transcription factor p63. Upon in vitro culture, lineage-negative clonal cells were confirmed to spontaneously differentiate into epithelial lineage-positive cells. Conclusion Using the NGFR and ICAM1 cellular coordinates, we have identified a promising population of native human nasal epithelial progenitor cells that require more formal investigation for their role in upper airway regeneration.
Solving a 2D knapsack problem using a hybrid data-parallel/control style of computing

Summary form only given. This paper describes a parallel solution of the sequential dynamic programming method for solving a NP class, 2D knapsack (or cutting-stock) problem which is the optimal packing of multiples of n rectangular objects into a knapsack of size L/spl times/W and are only obtainable with guillotine-type (side to side) cuts. Here, we describe and analyze this problem for the associative model. Since the introduction of associative SIMD computers over a quarter of a century ago, associative computing and the data-parallel paradigm remain popular. The MASC (multiple instruction stream associative computer) parallel model supports a generalized version of an associative style of computing. This model supports data parallelism, constant time maximum and minimum operations, one or more instruction streams (ISs) which are sent to an equal number of partition sets of processors, and assignment of tasks to ISs using control parallelism. We solve this NP class problem with a parallel algorithm that runs in O(W(n+L+W)) time using L processors, where L>W for a 2D knapsack problem with a capacity of L/spl times/W. The new multiple IS version using LW processors and max{L,M} ISs runs in O(n+L+W) given practical hardware considerations. Both of these results are cost optimal with respect to the best sequential implementation. Moreover, an efficient MASC algorithm for this well-known problem should give insight to how the associative model compares to other parallel models such as PRAM.
Performance Evaluation of Insulating Links Used for Worker Protection in Cranes

Insulating links are used to protect crane workers from accidentally contacting a transmission line. This paper presents the results of laboratory tests that determined the leakage current produced by sudden energization of polluted and wet insulating links. Two different manufacturers' links were tested at heavy and light pollution. The results show that the short duration transient or the root mean square (rms) leakage current is the measure of the ability of the links to provide protection. The leakage current can endanger the life of a crane worker before flashover occurs. The dependence of leakage current on test voltage under heavy and light pollution conditions was determined. Obtained leakage current data was compared with IEC 479-1 standard, that provides health effect data. The link protects the crane worker, if the line voltage is less than the maximum voltage determined from the correlated test results. The results were used to assess the efficiency of worker protection.
From letters to words: efficient stroke-based word completion for trackball text entry

We present a major extension to our previous work on Trackball EdgeWrite--a unistroke text entry method for trackballs--by taking it from a character-level technique to a word-level one. Our design is called stroke-based word completion, and it enables efficient word selection as part of the stroke-making process. Unlike most word completion designs, which require users to select words from a list, our technique allows users to select words by performing a fluid crossing gesture. Our theoretical model shows this word-level design to be 45.0% faster than our prior model for character-only strokes. A study with a subject with spinal cord injury comparing Trackball EdgeWrite to the onscreen keyboard WiViK, both using word prediction and completion, shows that Trackball EdgeWrite is competitive with WiViK in speed (12.09 vs. 11.82 WPM) and accuracy (3.95% vs. 2.21% total errors), but less visually tedious and ultimately preferred. The results also show that word-level Trackball EdgeWrite is 46.5% faster and 36.7% more accurate than our subject's prior peak performance with character-level Trackball EdgeWrite, and 75.2% faster and 40.2% more accurate than his prior peak performance with his preferred on-screen keyboard. An additional evaluation of the same subject over a two-month field deployment shows a 43.9% reduction in unistrokes due to strokebased word completion in Trackball EdgeWrite.
Somatotropin-induced protein anabolism in hindquarters and portal-drained viscera of growing pigs

To differentiate the effect of somatotropin (ST) treatment on protein metabolism in the hindquarter (HQ) and portal-drained viscera (PDV), growing swine (n = 20) treated with ST (0 or 150 μg · kg−1...
From point-based to feature-based aerial triangulation

This paper is concerned with using linear features in aerial triangulation. Without loss of generality, the focus is on straight lines with the attempt to treat tie lines in the same fashion as tie points. The parameters of tie lines appear in the block adjustment like the tie points do. This requires a unique representation of lines in object space. We propose a four-parameter representation that also offers a meaningful stochastic interpretation of the line parameters. The proposed line representation lends itself to a parameterized form, allowing use of the collinearity model for expressing orientation and tie line parameters as a function of points measured on image lines. The paper describes in detail the derivation of the extended collinearity model and discusses the advantages of this new approach compared to the standard coplanarity model that is used in line photogrammetry. The intention of the paper is to make a contribution to feature-based aerial triangulation on the algorithmic level.
Autoimmunity and Age-related macular degeneration: A review of the literature

There is an increased prevalence of neurodegenerative disease in elderly populations (1). Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are only a few examples of ...
Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Metabolic Effects: Evidence from Animal Models

OSA, the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing, is characterized by recurrent collapse of the upper airway during sleep leading to periods of intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. There is growing evidence that OSA is associated with metabolic abnormalities and may be implicated in causality of metabolic disorders. OSA is linked to increased risk of hypertension, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, independent of underlying obesity. There are interactions between metabolic dysregulation and OSA that may lead to a vicious circle of cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity. The complexity of the relationship between metabolism and OSA can be scrutinized most effectively with animal models, which can account for all possible confounding factors.
A Two-Factor Model of Ethnic Identity Exploration: Implications for Identity Coherence and Well-Being

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the multidimensional nature of ethnic identity exploration and its relevance for a broader sense of identity and well-being. Participants were 3,637 ethnic minority college students who completed survey measures of ethnic identity exploration, general identity coherence, general identity confusion, and well-being. Consistent with our 3 hypotheses, the results indicated that (a) ethnic identity exploration comprised 2 dimensions, participation and search; (b) participation was positively associated with well-being, whereas search was negatively associated with well-being; and (c) identity coherence and identity confusion mediated the associations between participation and search, respectively, and well-being. These findings have important theoretical implications for conceptualization and measurement of ethnic identity exploration and its association with well-being.
Pulmonary hypertension and thyroid disease.

Background The association between thyroid dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension (PH) has not been well characterized. Methods This retrospective study comprised 356 consecutive PH patients seen at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville Pulmonary Hypertension Center from 1992 to 2006 and 698 sex-matched control subjects without PH. Thyroid disease was defined as an abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone level, with or without an abnormal free or total thyroxine level, a history of thyroid disease on replacement, or an elevated thyroperoxidase antibody level. The main outcome measure was prevalence of thyroid disease in each group. Results Median age of the 356 PH patients was 65 years; 230 patients (65%) were female. The control group of 698 patients had the same sex ratio and median age of 68 years. Most PH patients had severe PH, as categorized by World Health Organization (WHO) class (74% class 3–4) and pulmonary artery systolic pressure. Among those with PH, 85 patients (24%) had thyroid disease vs 107 control patients (15%). After adjusting for age and sex, the prevalence of thyroid disease was increased in PH patients compared with control patients. Increased prevalence was most prominent in WHO group 1, pulmonary artery hypertension confirmed by right-heart catheterization (odds ratio, 2.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.55 to 4.08; p Conclusions Patients with PH have a higher prevalence of thyroid disease than other pulmonary patients. Evaluation of thyroid function in PH patients may be warranted to detect and assess coexisting thyroid disease.
Concordant Genetic and Physiological Data Are Required for Candidate Genes

To the Editor: In a recent article, Chen et al1 present additional data on differences in the biochemical and physiological properties of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) between Dahl salt-sensitive (S) and Dahl salt-resistant (R) rats. The data establish that the enzyme responds differently to increasing concentrations of l-arginine with regard to nitrite production, such that the S enzyme is less active at a given substrate concentration than the R enzyme. This makes sense as a potential mechanism for hypertension in S rats, which would be expected to produce less NO. Also, there was a single base change in the coding region of NOS2, resulting in an amino acid substitution and a DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP); this RFLP appeared to be unique to S rats among the several strains tested. The question arises as to the causative relationship between the above interesting changes and blood pressure differences between S and R rats. In the last paragraph of their article, Chen et al provide a rather misguided attempt to reconcile their biochemical/physiological data with our genetic data. Chen et al quote our early genetic linkage data2 using F2 populations derived by crossing S with Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) or crossing S with the Milan normotensive strain (MNS) that localizes a blood pressure quantitative trait locus (BP QTL) to a region of rat chromosome 10. This region does include NOS2 and did initially support NOS2 as a locus causing inherited differences in blood pressure. Subsequent data using congenic strains, however, definitively ruled out NOS2 as a locus causing inherited differences in blood pressure between S and MNS.3 Congenic strains substituting a relatively large region of chromosome including NOS2 from MNS into the S background showed a marked reduction in blood pressure compared with …
Comparative Transcriptomics of Infectious Spores from the Fungal Pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum Reveals a Core Set of Transcripts That Specify Infectious and Pathogenic States

ABSTRACT Histoplasma capsulatum is a fungal pathogen that infects both healthy and immunocompromised hosts. In regions where it is endemic, H. capsulatum grows in the soil and causes respiratory and systemic disease when inhaled by humans. An interesting aspect of H. capsulatum biology is that it adopts specialized developmental programs in response to its environment. In the soil, it grows as filamentous chains of cells (mycelia) that produce asexual spores (conidia). When the soil is disrupted, conidia aerosolize and are inhaled by mammalian hosts. Inside a host, conidia germinate into yeast-form cells that colonize immune cells and cause disease. Despite the ability of conidia to initiate infection and disease, they have not been explored on a molecular level. We developed methods to purify H. capsulatum conidia, and we show here that these cells germinate into filaments at room temperature and into yeast-form cells at 37°C. Conidia internalized by macrophages germinate into the yeast form and proliferate within macrophages, ultimately lysing the host cells. Similarly, infection of mice with purified conidia is sufficient to establish infection and yield viable yeast-form cells in vivo. To characterize conidia on a molecular level, we performed whole-genome expression profiling of conidia, yeast, and mycelia from two highly divergent H. capsulatum strains. In parallel, we used homology and protein domain analysis to manually annotate the predicted genes of both strains. Analyses of the resultant data defined sets of transcripts that reflect the unique molecular states of H. capsulatum conidia, yeast, and mycelia.
Battle of sex hormones in genitalia anomalies.

To cope with their transition to a terrestrial lifestyle, vertebrates had to extensively modify their reproductive organs to facilitate reproduction on land (1). The mammalian penis represents such a pinnacle in mammalian evolution, which enabled internal fertilization and successful land invasion. There are two phases of external genitalia development in mammals: (i) an ambisexual stage, in which male and female embryos undergo the same genital outgrowth program; and (ii) a sexually dimorphic stage, in which further growth and differentiation of the male penis depend on androgen. Consequently, it is the second phase of genitalia development that is sensitive to perturbations of the hormonal milieu during development. Congenital penile anomalies (CPAs), including ambiguous genitalia, hypospadias, chordee, and micropenis, represent one of the most common birth defects, second only to congenital cardiac defects. Hypospadias is an arrest in urethra development, such that the urethra opening is located anywhere along the ventral side of the penile shaft instead of at the glans penis. Chordee is the abnormal bending of the penis, resulting from tethering of urethral epithelium to the skin. Over the past few decades, the reported CPA incidents have increased significantly, raising the speculation that in utero exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be responsible for this increase. Published studies using either the mouse or rat model showed that developmental exposures to antiandrogen or estrogenic compounds can lead to a range of penile anomalies similar to human CPAs (2). However, how and when EDCs may influence normal external genitalia development is not very clear. In PNAS, Zheng et al. (3) use a state-of-the-art conditional androgen receptor (AR) knockout mouse model to show that disruption of androgen signaling at different developmental stages can produce the full spectrum of CPAs. The authors go on to show that androgen and estrogen signaling antagonize each other during neonatal mouse genital development and identify a signaling molecule, Indian hedgehog (Ihh), as a novel AR target required for penile masculinization.
Weight-loss intention in the well-functioning, community-dwelling elderly: associations with diet quality, physical activity, and weight change.

Background: Many older adults desire to lose weight, yet the proportion with a health-related weight-loss indication, weight-loss strategies, and success is unknown. Objective: We examined the associations of reported intention to lose weight with health-related indications for weight loss, diet quality, physical activity, and weight-loss success in well-functioning older adults. Design: This prospective, community-based cohort included 2708 elderly persons aged 70 –79 y at baseline. We determined indication for weight loss by using the modified National Institutes of Health guidelines, diet quality by using the Healthy Eating Index, and weight-loss intention and physical activity by using questionnaires. Measured weight change over 1 y was assessed. Results: Twenty-seven percent of participants reported an intention to lose weight, and 67% of those participants had an indication for weight loss. Participants who reported a weight-loss intention were heavier than those who did not, had more depressive symptoms, and were more likely to be dissatisfied with their weight, regardless of weight-loss indication. Participants with an intention to lose weight reported better eating behaviors and a more active lifestyle than did participants without a weight-loss intention, independent of other health conditions. No significant difference in actual weight loss was found between participants intending and not intending to lose weight, regardless of indication for weight loss. Conclusions: Despite being associated with healthier behaviors, the intention to lose weight did not predict greater weight loss in this well-functioning elderly cohort. More attention needs to be focused on the necessity and efficacy of specific strategies for weight loss in older adults. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:466 –74.
An evaluation of routine culture examinations for Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida.

Abstract 1. A total of 1,016 women have been examined for Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida. These patients were attending the prenatal and gynecological clinic. 2. The incidence of T. vaginalis and Candida in these patients was determined. 3. The incidence of T. vaginalis and Candida in relation to pregnancy, age, menopause, and parity is discussed. 4. An evaluation of the signs and symptoms of these infections is presented. 5. In the detection of T. vaginalis the culture technique is shown to be much more accurate than the wet smear method.
CROSSING VESSELS: Endourologic Implications

The controversy regarding the functional significance of vessels crossing at the ureteropelvic junction is not a new one, though this debate has been resurrected in recent years because of application of endourologic techniques to manage ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction. The principle limitation of endoscopic treatment of UPJ obstruction is the inferior success rate compared to open dismembered pyeloplasty. The influence crossing vessels may have in affecting both the success rates and complications of endoscopic treatment of UPJ obstruction has yet to be resolved. Crossing vessels may be important for two reasons: (1) they are a potential source of hemorrhage following endoscopic incision, and (2) they may play an etiologic role in UPJ obstruction and therefore may be a reason for failure of endoscopic techniques. This article reviews some of the historical aspects of crossing vessels and explores recent studies that are starting to shed some light on this controversial topic.
Day-Ahead Corrective Adjustment of FACTS Reactance: A Linear Programming Approach

Reserve requirements serve as a proxy for N-1 reliability in the security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC) problem. However, there is no guarantee that the reserve is deliverable for all scenarios (post-contingency states). One cheap way to improve reserve deliverability is to harness the flexibility of the transmission network. Flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices are able to significantly improve the transfer capability. However, FACTS utilization is limited today due to the complexities these devices introduce to the DC optimal power flow problem (DCOPF). With a linear objective, the traditional DCOPF is a linear program (LP); when variable impedance based FACTS devices are taken into consideration, the problem becomes a nonlinear program (NLP). A reformulation of the NLP to a mixed integer linear program, for day-ahead corrective operation of FACTS devices, is presented in this paper. Engineering insight is then introduced to further reduce the complexity to an LP. Although optimality is not guaranteed, the simulation studies on the IEEE 118-bus system show that the method finds the globally optimal solution in 98.8% of the cases. Even when the method did not find the optimal solution, it was able to converge to a near-optimal solution, which substantially improved the reliability, very quickly.
Comparison of Joint Angles for Feet and Leg Conformation Traits between Gilts at Selection and at their Second Gestation and Sows Parity 5 and Above

This study is a portion from the validation process of an objective methodology to measure feet and leg joint angles and to evaluate their relationship with sow longevity. Joint angle measurements from five feet and leg conformation traits (knee, hock, front and rear pasterns and rear stance) that have been previously described in the literature as being related with sow longevity were obtained from maternal gilts at selection and during their second gestation and compared with those obtained from 45 crossbred sows parity 5 and above. Significant differences (P < 0.05) between parities were identified in the knee, both pasterns, hock and rear stance joint angle measurements. These results suggest that as pigs age, structural changes occur. The range of which these changes occur could carry implications for the use of objective feet and leg angles towards future selection programs and protocols.
Development and Testing of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children: Elementary School.

Purpose: This study describes the development and pilot testing of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity–Elementary School (OSRAC–E) Version. Method: This system was developed to observe and document the levels and types of physical activity and physical and social contexts of physical activity in elementary school students during the school day. Interobserver agreement scores and summary data were calculated. Results: All categories had Kappa statistics greater than .80, with the exception of the activity initiator category. Interobserver agreement scores were 96% or greater. The OSRAC–E was shown to be a reliable observation system that allows researchers to assess physical activity behaviors, the contexts of those behaviors, and the effectiveness of physical activity interventions in the school environment. Conclusion: The OSRAC–E can yield data with high interobserver reliability and provide relatively extensive contextual information about the physical activity of students in eleme...
Production of Staphylococcal Pyrogenic Exotoxin Type C: Influence of Physical and Chemical Factors

Physical and chemical factors that may affect the growth of strains of Staphylococcus aureus that are associated with toxic-shock syndrome were examined for their effect on expression of pyrogenic exotoxin type C (PE-C). Significantly more PE-C was made when cultures were incubated at 37 C rather than at 30 C, although bacterial growth was similar at the two temperatures. Furthermore, 32-fold more toxin was made aerobically versus anaerobically for the seven strains tested, whereas only a twofold difference in bacterial growth was seen. Maximal toxin production occurred at pH 7 and pH 8, although the strains grew well in the range of pH 6 to pH 8. Glucose had little effect on growth and toxin production at levels from 0 to 0.3% but suppressed bacterial growth and, more extensively, toxin production at a level of 3%. Significant amounts of PE-C were made in beef-heart medium, brain-heart infusion broth, and Todd-Hewitt broth, but lesser amounts were made in trypticase soy broth.
Responses of Two Strains of the Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta,to Various Light Intensities

The response of moths of Manduca sexta (Johannson) obtained from a laboratory culture was compared with that of adults which were reared from larvae collected in the field. The laboratory strain required more illumination for activity than moths of field origin which were active under an illumination of 0.02 foot candles. The difference in response to light may reflect a deficiency in visual precursor pigments in the synthetic diet.