cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ILIAD 2 STUDY - IDEOMOTOR LIMB APRAXIA IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: DEVELOPMENT OF A SHORT STAGING TOOL IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Introduction The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) is currently the gold standard tool for staging the severity of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) into mild, moderate, and severe. In the ILIAD Phase 1 study, the Postural Knowledge Test (PKT) - developed by Mozaz et al for identifying limb apraxia - was determined to be significantly correlated with the severity of dementia in (AD) as measured by the (MMSE). However, the PKT is a lengthy tool to administer. This study investigates the correlation between the shortened PKT-Transitive (PKT/T) and the MMSE. The ultimate objective would be to assess the efficacy of the PKT/T as a shorter, easier and more practical clinical staging tool for AD. Methods Right-handed participants with either an established or suspected clinical diagnosis of AD were enrolled in our study. Exclusion criteria included concomitant diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Parkinson's Disease, or other neurodegenerative disorders. These participants were administered the MMSE then the PKT/T by two blinded examiners. Participants were staged as normal vs mild, moderate, or severe AD based on their MMSE scores. Results To date, the tests were administered to 65 eligible subjects. Results demonstrate a strong correlation (Pearson's coefficient = 0.763) between the PKT/T and the MMSE. The ROC curve had an area of 0.869 (95% CI: 0.776-0.962). The coordinates of the ROC curve showed the optimum cutoff between normal and cognitive impairment at a PKT/T score of 8/10 with a sensitivity of 0.900 and a specificity of 0.745 Conclusions The significant correlation between both tests supports the PKT/T as a possible staging tool. The ROC curve shows a score of 8/10 to be an appropriate cutoff between normal and cognitively impaired participants. Further data still needs to be collected for sub-stratifying into mild, moderate, and severe AD accurately. This research was funded by: Not Applicable
Structural basis of ion transport and inhibition in ferroportin

Ferroportin is an iron exporter essential for releasing cellular iron into circulation. Ferroportin is inhibited by a peptide hormone, hepcidin. In humans, mutations in ferroportin lead to ferroportin diseases that are often associated with accumulation of iron in macrophages and symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. Here we present the structures of the ferroportin from the primate Philippine tarsier (TsFpn) in the presence and absence of hepcidin solved by cryo-electron microscopy. TsFpn is composed of two domains resembling a clamshell and the structure defines two metal ion binding sites, one in each domain. Both structures are in an outward-facing conformation, and hepcidin binds between the two domains and reaches one of the ion binding sites. Functional studies show that TsFpn is an electroneutral H+/Fe2+ antiporter so that transport of each Fe2+ is coupled to transport of two H+ in the opposite direction. Perturbing either of the ion binding sites compromises the coupled transport of H+ and Fe2+. These results establish the structural basis of metal ion binding, transport and inhibition in ferroportin and provide a blueprint for targeting ferroportin in pharmacological intervention of ferroportin diseases. Ferroportin is an iron exporter essential for releasing cellular iron into circulation and is inhibited by a peptide hormone, hepcidin. Here authors present cryo-EM structures of the ferroportin from the primate Philippine tarsier (TsFpn) with and without hepcidin and show that TsFpn is an electroneutral H+ /Fe2+ antiporter.
Derivation of a Coronary Age Calculator Using Traditional Risk Factors and Coronary Artery Calcium: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Background The optimal method for communicating coronary heart disease (CHD) risk to individual patients is not yet clear. Recent research supports the concept of "coronary age" for more effective ...
Resolving two point targets with unequal and unknown Intensities in a FPA

This paper presents a method of determining whether two closely spaced objects observed by an electro-optical (EO) sensor are resolvable. The first goal of this work is to develop the method that will determine whether data from an EO sensor is sufficient to estimate two sets of target parameters or whether a single target is more applicable. The second goal is to quantify the effectiveness of this method theoretically and confirm these assertions via Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Work has been done previously on extracting measurements of single targets, as well as two targets of possibly dissimilar intensity. The current work extends these works in providing a test to determine which method is best to employ. We consider point targets that deposit energy in the FPA according to a Gaussian point spread function (PSF) with parameter σPSF. The resolution determination method is framed as a hypothesis test, with the null hypothesis representing a single set of target parameters to be estimated and the alternate hypothesis indicating two sets of target parameters can be extracted. We derive the approximate type-I error and power of this test and present this data as a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) for varying degrees of target separation. We also present the resolution probability versus target separation for varying target signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) differentials to compare this test with a commonly used approximation. Our simulated results show good agreement with theoretical derivations and we find that the test can nearly perfectly resolve these targets at separations above 0:8σPSF for SNR differentials up to 6dB.
Ant’s choice: The effect of nutrients on a key ant–hemipteran mutualism

Soil fertility is understood to act in many indirect ways, in addition to directly providing nutrients to plants. Given that higher order indirect interactions frequently are key to understanding community structure, it would be natural to expect that indirect mutualisms should be as important as other interactions in generating such structure. Although mutualisms are ubiquitous in nature, exploring the myriad ways in which they interconnect with other elements of a system is less common. That soil fertility has an indirect effect on community structure is well known, suggests that soil fertility may be important in determining the effect of mutualisms on the structure of the ecological communities in which they are embedded. Here we report on a laboratory study that specifically examines the direct connection between the behavior of a mutualist and nutritional properties of the soil. We tested the effects of soil fertilization (high, medium and low levels) on the Azteca seriseasur–Coccus viridis mutualism on coffee plants in Mexico. We found that ants foraged significantly more on plants that were infected with C. viridis over control plants. Moreover, ants preferred to tend C. viridis on high fertilized over medium and low fertilized plants. This study highlights the importance of the links between soil nutrient properties and their effects on a key ant-hemipteran mutualism, illustrating the cascading effects on other interactions involving this keystone ant species.
A Learning-Based Method for Predicting Heterogeneous Traffic Agent Trajectories: Implications for Transfer Learning

In this paper we present a learning-based trajectory prediction method for different road users, including vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. The model uses history position information of traffic agents, and predicts future positions of subjects within a finite horizon. Instead of developing different model architectures for different agent types, a generic model architecture is used to learn trajectory patterns. This common architecture is then trained using agent-specific datasets, providing individualized models for different agent types. We evaluate the model on the Lyft dataset-a public dataset collected by a set of autonomous vehicles-and compare its performance against extended Kalman filter (EKF) as a benchmark. Results indicate that the learning-based method outperforms the benchmark method and provides high accuracy predictions in 5-second prediction horizons across all agent types. We also show that the prediction accuracy on rarely-seen agents can be greatly improved using transfer learning,
BRAKING CONTROLLERS AND STEERING CONTROLLERS FOR COMBINATION VEHICLES.

Methods for deriving braking controllers and steering controllers for combination vehicles (i.e. low–vehicle and trailer(s) combinations) are described. Central to the development of these controllers is a vehicle model in which the tyre forces are represented as bilinear functions of wheelslip and slipangle. This tyre force representation is valid for tyre forces below saturation levels. It captures the essential trade–off between cornering forces and braking or accelerating forces. Moreover, when the bilinear equations are substituted into the equations of motion, the resulting vehicle model is bilinear. This is important because a large family of control strategies is available for bilinear systems. These control strategies are based on Lyapunov Theory. Many forms of controllers can be derived. In this paper an emergency stop braking controller, a stability enhancement braking controller, and a steering controller are derived. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the braking controllers.
Telemedicine and Parkinson’s Disease

Telemedicine is a viable solution for providing treatment and longitudinal care to patients with Parkinson’s disease. With an expected rise in the national and global burden of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, there will be a greater need for neurologic care services which are able to reach individuals despite distance from major care providers. Given the current distribution of specialists, the present standard of care for Parkinson’s disease is insufficient to meet the changing needs of patients. Demand for safe and inexpensive strategies for providing high-quality care to individuals living with Parkinson’s disease will continue to increase. Challenges, especially reimbursement and licensure, still hinder the expanded adoption of telemedicine, yet many of the present barriers will be resolved as states continue to propose and enact legislation in support of telemedicine. We present a model of providing specialty care to patients by using telemedicine that is generalizable to other physicians and institutions and can help to improve care for individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
Inhibition of N2 Fixation by H2

Li and Burris (Biochemistry, in press) demonstrated the formation of HD from D2 with nitrogenase preparations from Azotobacter vinelandii, Clostridium pasteurianum, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Azospirlllum sp. From these observations it is concluded that the ability to form HD is a general property of nitrogenases. However, there are differences among the nitrogenases in their Ki values for D2 (N2 fixation) and in the rates at which they are capable of catalyzing HD formation. Among the nitrogenases examined, C. pasteurianum supported the slowest formation of HD. We have investigated the inhibition by H2(D2) of NH3 formation by nitrogenase from Klebsiella pneumoniae and have confirmed that the inhibition is competitive vs N2. D2 inhibits NH3 formation by diverting nitrogenase from production of NH3 to production of HD (1 electron/HD). By careful exclusion of N2 from the reaction mixture, we have been able to place an upper limit on N2-independent HD formation by nitrogenase, under 1 atm of D2, at 1% of the total electron flux. Formation of NH3 and of HD were inhibited identically by CO. We observed that as the ratio or dinitrogenase reductase is increased, the ratio of HD formed to NH3 formed rises, and D2 becomes a stronger inhibitor of N2 reduction. This may be caused in part by an accompanying increase that is observed in the Km of nitrogenase for N2. Examination of the kinetics of HD formation indicates that it arises via an ordered sequential reaction with H2(D2) binding first. We propose a model for D2 inhibition of NH3 formation in which D2 and N2 compete for the same form of nitrogenase. N2 reduction is aborted (N2 and enzyme are released) and 2 molecules of HD are produced at the net expense of 1 electron per HD. Key consequences of the model are that it predicts that H2 (D2) is a competitive inhibitor of NH3 formation, and that the apparent Km(N2) for formation of HD and NH3 may differ. It also predicts that at infinite pN2, no HD should be produced.
Cell-Mediated Immunity

Two major types of immune response have been described in man. One type is mediated by thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes and is characterized by cellular interactions. The other type is produced by the activities of immunoglobulins secreted by bone marrow (B) lymphocytes when these have differentiated to become plasma cells. Since T-cell immunity requires cellular functions for both development and expression, this type of response has been termed cell-mediated immunity. In contrast, B-cell-associated immune response depends on immunoglobulins carried in the serum and has been called humoral immunity. T-cell immune functions include those effective in host defense against spread of certain infectious agents, contact sensitivity, allograft rejection, and graft-vs.-host disease. B-cell-associated immune responses provide protection against encapsulated bacteria and many viruses, participate in formation of immune complexes, are essential for antibody-mediated cytotoxicity, and affect many aspects of immune reactions through the production of specific antibodies. The ontogeny and development of T and B lymphocytes are described elsewhere. Humoral immunity and the specificity of immunoglobulin production by differentiated B cells are discussed in Chapter 3. In this chapter some characteristic features of cell-mediated immunity will be presented.
Computational Intelligence Techniques Applied to Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Data of Human Brain Cancers

Computational intelligence techniques were applied to human brain cancer magnetic resonance spectral data. In particular, two approaches, Rough Sets and a Genetic Programming-based Neural Network were investigated and then confirmed via a systematic Individual Dichotomization algorithm. Good preliminary results were obtained with 100% training and 100% testing accuracy that differentiate normal versus malignant samples.
The Neuropathology of Older Persons with and Without Dementia from Community versus Clinic Cohorts

Community-based cohorts of older persons may differ neuropathologically from clinic-based cohorts. This study investigated age-related pathologies in persons with and without dementia and included autopsied participants from two community-based cohorts, the Rush Religious Orders Study (n=386) and the Memory and Aging Project (n=195), and one clinic-based cohort, the Clinical Core of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center (n=392). Final clinical diagnoses included no cognitive impairment (n=202), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n=150), probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n=474), possible AD (n=88), and other dementias (n=59). Postmortem diagnoses included pathologic AD, cerebral infarcts, and Lewy body disease. Community-based persons with clinical AD had less severe AD pathology (p<0.001) and had more cerebral infarcts (p<0.001) compared to clinic-based persons. Additionally, community-based persons with MCI had more infarcts compared to clinic-based persons. Overall, there was a higher proportion of Lewy bodies and atypical pathologies in the clinic-based compared to the community-based cohorts (p<0.001). Community-based persons with probable AD show less severe AD pathology and more often have infarcts and mixed pathologies; those with MCI more often have infarcts and mixed pathologies. Overall, clinic-based persons have more Lewy bodies and atypical pathologies. The spectrum of pathologies underlying cognitive impairment in clinic-based cohorts differs from community-based cohorts.
Some Novel Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Inhibited by Adenosylmethionine and Adenosylhomocysteine

These investigations have established the existence of a novel type of non-nutritional mutant (ai) which is inhibited in the presence of two naturally occurring cellular compounds. The inhibition is complete at an extracellular concentration at least as low as 0.05 μmole/ml of either adenosylhomocysteine or adenosylmethionine. It is suggested that adenosylhomocysteine is the true inhibitor. The ai mutants are phenotypically indistinguishable from the wild type in the absence of inhibitors. The results have shown that, if any direct effect on the methionine biosynthetic pathway exists, it is a secondary rather than the primary effect of the inhibitors. The ai mutation does not involve the loss of the adenosylmethionine (or methylmethionine): homocysteine methyltransferase. In addition, the ai mutants accumulate, maintain, and utilize adenosylmethionine and methionine in a manner similar to the parental strain. No genetic relationship could be detected between the ai-1 mutation and several different markers affecting methionine biosynthesis. The ai-1 mutation was also shown to be genetically recessive. Methionine partially reverses the inhibition caused by adenosylmethionine or adenosylhomocysteine. Neither methylmethionine nor homocysteine reversed the inhibition, which showed that the homocysteine methyltransferase cannot catalyze the synthesis of sufficient methionine under these conditions to simulate the effects of extracellularly supplied methionine. If adenine is present, methionine does not cause reversal of inhibition due to adenosylmethionine or adenosylhomocysteine. From the data presented, it is clear that the ai mutation involves some metabolic control mechanism, though the alteration does not appear to be associated primarily with the biosynthesis of methionine.
Virtual Chironomia: Developing Standards for Non-verbal Communication in Virtual Worlds

Online virtual worlds offer new ways to explore evolving forms of social interaction, including the use of non-verbal elements used in conjunction with other communication modalities of text and voice. Ancient rhetorician Cicero coined the term “chironomia” for non-verbal communication elements that were used in a persuasive manner. Non-verbal communication is an inherently human trait and, while virtual worlds provide an immersive space for interaction, they also introduce new questions regarding standards and best communication practices within them. Because virtual worlds present a richer environment with multiple semiotic modes of interaction, they add additional channels for communication over previous text-based online modalities. In such worlds, users can select and execute non-verbal behavior in a rhetorical manner by animating their avatar thus performing in a virtual context. Therefore, communication in virtual worlds presents an intentional “speech act” in which a speaker purposefully seeks to evoke a particular response or transmit specific semantic content. As people's behavior in virtual worlds evolves and codifies, virtual worlds as a communication platform will need to develop standards based on successful user practices. In this paper we propose the need for a virtual chironomia – a standard for non-verbal elements in virtual world.
Nucleotide and nucleic acid metabolism in developing amphibian embryos. I. Isolation and chemical identification of acid-soluble nucleotides.

Abstract 1. 1. Eight acid-soluble nucleotides from amphibian eggs have been separated chromatographically and chemically identified. 2. 2. The nucleotides include the monophosphates of cytosine, adenosine, guanosine, and uridine; the diphosphate of adenosine; the triphosphates of adenosine, guanosine, and uridine. 3. 3. Preliminary P 32 incorporation data indicate that the AMP-ATP system is highly active in amphibian eggs.
Heme oxygenase-1/CO protect against post-traumatic suppression of adaptive immune responses (IRC8P.475)

Traumatic injury induces a systemic dysregulated immuno-inflammatory response that contributes to mortality. This response includes an upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines by innate cells and an independent suppression of adaptive immunity characterized by reduced Th1 responses. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and its byproduct, carbon monoxide (CO), are protective against injury-induced inflammation and end-organ damage, but their beneficial role in the dysregulation of adaptive responses following trauma is unknown. To investigate this, B6 mice received multiple-trauma or no manipulation, and were given either vehicle or a HO-1 inducer (Cobalt protoporphyrin, CoPP; 5mg/kg) prior to injury. Another cohort received either room air or CO (250ppm) for 4 hours directly post-injury. At 48hr post-trauma, Tcell functions were assessed by ex-vivo mitogen-induced Tcell proliferation and Th1 cytokine release (IL-2 and IFN-γ). As expected after injury, a near 50% reduction in Tcell proliferation was seen in vehicle- or air-treated trauma mice, compared to uninjured controls (p=0.007). A parallel reduction in Tcell IL-2 and IFN-γ release was observed. In clear contrast, CoPP or CO treatment prevented trauma-induced reductions in Tcell proliferation and cytokine release (fold difference 0.90±0.10 and 1.21±0.16 to uninjured controls, respectively). Overall, HO-1 represents an endogenous protective pathway that can be exploited following trauma to preserve normal immune functions & survival.
Primary events in the colicin translocon: FRET analysis of colicin unfolding initiated by binding to BtuB and OmpF.

Cellular import of colicin E3 is initiated by high affinity binding of the colicin receptor-binding (R) domain to the vitamin B12 (BtuB) receptor in the Escherichia coli outer membrane. The BtuB binding site, at the apex of its extended coiled-coil R-domain, is distant from the C-terminal nuclease domain that must be imported for expression of cytotoxicity. Based on genetic analysis and previously determined crystal structures of the R-domain bound to BtuB, and of an N-terminal disordered segment of the translocation (T) domain inserted into the OmpF porin, a translocon model for colicin import has been inferred. Implicit in the model is the requirement for unfolding of the colicin segments inserted into OmpF. FRET analysis was employed to study colicin unfolding upon interaction with BtuB and OmpF. A novel method of Cys-specific dual labeling of a native polypeptide, which allows precise placement of donor and acceptor fluorescent dyes on the same polypeptide chain, was developed. A decrease in FRET effi...
Characterization of a Novel Tektin Member, TEKT5, in Mouse Sperm

Tektins are important components of flagella. Alterations in the expression of or mutations in mouse tektins are correlated with defective sperm motility, a cause of male infertility. Our proteomic studies of flagellar accessory structures previously identified a novel tektin, TEKT5, whose function is unknown. To understand the role of TEKT5 in mouse sperm, we characterized the expression of the mouse Tekt5 gene and the presence of TEKT5 in spermatogenic cells and spermatozoa. A complete cDNA encoding the Tekt5 transcript was assembled following reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends and predicted that TEKT5 is a 62 730-dalton protein with an unusual, long C-terminus. Tekt5 mRNA was highly expressed during late stages of spermiogenesis. Among examined tissues, Tekt5 mRNA was present only in testis and brain, and quantitative RT-PCR showed that the expression level of mRNA in testis was 6.8-fold higher than that in brain. At the protein level, TEKT5 was present in sperm and was enriched in the accessory structures of flagella. Immunofluorescence confirmed that TEKT5 was localized throughout the sperm tail in flagellar accessory structures. The expression pattern suggests that TEKT5 plays an important role in flagella formation during spermiogenesis as well as being implicated in sperm motility.
Formulación de una mezcla vitamínica intravenosa para nutrición parenteral total pediátrica

Background: No intravenous multivitamin formulation is available at the Chilean market that fulfills the requirements of pediatric patients on total parenteral nutrition. Therefore, adult formulations must be used. Aim: To prepare a parenteral aqueous multivitamin solution, to be used in pediatric patients. Material and methods: The solution was prepared, mixing vitamins according to their stability and compatibility, in a horizontal laminar flow hood. The quality control for this formulation at times zero and 30 days consisted of an organoleptic analysis, microbiologic and pyrogen controls and vitamin quantification. In addition, the effect of vitamin solution incorporation on the stability of total parenteral nutrition formulae was evaluated. The approximated production cost was calculated. Results: The ampoules did not show changes on the organoleptic characteristics. No bacterial contamination or pyrogens were detected. Total parenteral nutrition solutions were not modified after the incorporation of the vitamins. The vitamin solution was stable for one month at 4°C. Conclusions: The manufacture of this formulation results in significant savings, because it has a low manufacturing cost and fulfills pediatric requirements (Rev Med Chile 2001; 129: 905-10)
Linear Metal Nanostructures and Size Effects of Supported Metal Catalysts

Nickel metal catalysts composed of nanometer by micrometer strips have been produced with solid-state microfabrication techniques. The strips are actually the edges of nickelcatalyst thin films, which are sandwiched between separating support layers, which are also nanometers thick. These linear nanostructures constitute well-defined and well-controlled catalytic entities that reproduce the size of traditional supported metal clusters in one dimension, thus separating size from total number of atoms in the catalyst. Examination of their catalytic activity showed that they duplicate the behavior of conventional supported clusters. A specific rate maximum was observed for the hydrogenolysis of ethane at a nanoscale dimension similar to the cluster size at which the rate is maximum in the case of the supported cluster studies, whereas the hydrogenation of ethylene shows no such size dependency. The results suggest that the surface-to-volume ratio or the number of atoms in the catalytic entity cannot be the source of these size effects and that either support effects or nonequilibrium surface structures are the determining factors.
Microbreweries as Tools of Local Identity

During the 1490s, over 1,500 microbreweries sprouted and flourished across the country. This expansion of microbreweries derives, in part, from the desire of people to break away from the smothering homogeneity of popular, national culture. Such breweries are often proudly and sellconsciously local, sporting local historical photos, maps, and other artifacts of a place's personality as part of the decor. Geographer Wes Flack has hypothesized that the growth of such establishments is a prime illustration of a movement termed “neolocalism,” in which people are attempting to reconnect with the local, the personal, and the unique. The microbrewery industry has undergone rapid expansion and major upheaval in the decade since F7lack first carried out his research. This study examines recent trends in the industry and determines that his original thesis is as valid as it was when he first offered it. The core of this paper is an analysis of how ale names and visual marketing imagery are used by microbreweries to...
Human Cytomegalovirus Directly Induces the Antiviral Protein Viperin to Enhance Infectivity

Viperin is an interferon-inducible protein that is directly induced in cells by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. Why HCMV would induce viperin, which has antiviral activity, is unknown. We show that HCMV-induced viperin disrupts cellular metabolism to enhance the infectious process. Viperin interaction with the viral protein vMIA resulted in viperin relocalization from the endoplasmic reticulum to the mitochondria. There, viperin interacted with the mitochondrial trifunctional protein that mediates β-oxidation of fatty acids to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This interaction with viperin, but not with a mutant lacking the viperin iron-sulfur cluster–binding motif, reduced cellular ATP generation, which resulted in actin cytoskeleton disruption and enhancement of infection. This function of viperin, which was previously attributed to vMIA, suggests that HCMV has coopted viperin to facilitate the infectious process.
The effect of reserpine on concurrent repeated administration of d-amphetamine

The augmentation of the rat stereotypy response with repeated amphetamine doses, put forward as a model of human amphetamine psychosis, was examined during concurrent reserpinization. The effects of reserpinization, amphetamine treatment, and amphetamine dose on four dependent variables representing the time course of stereotypy ratings after a post-treatment amphtamine dose, were tested by three-way MANOVA. An earlier onset of stereotypy, as occurred in nonreserpinized rats, was not detected in reserpinized rats, but an earlier offset of stereotypy with repeated amphetamine occurred in these rats when high amphetamine doses were used.
Malabsorption due to cholecystokinin deficiency in a patient with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type I.

Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type I is an autosomal recessive inherited disease caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator gene.1 Its hallmarks are the failure of multiple endocrine glands due to an autoimmune process, susceptibility to chronic candida infection because of a T-cell defect, and dystrophy of ectodermal tissues.2 The most common endocrine manifestations are hypoparathyroidism and adrenal failure. Hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and hypopituitarism may also occur. Nonendocrine manifestations include enamel hypoplasia, nail dystrophy, keratoconjunctivitis, and pernicious anemia.2,3 Except for candidiasis, patients with this syndrome have no apparent susceptibility to infections. About 20 percent of patients with . . .
Development of an Educational Packet for Persons with Life-Threatening Food Allergies

ABSTRACT: Previous studies have shown that those with severe food allergies have significant gaps in knowledge about their disease and how to prevent recurrences. The purpose of this study was to address these deficiencies by creating and testing an educational packet, “Coping with Food Allergies.” Participants included 46 of 58 adults with documented severe food allergies (response rate = 79%); and indeed, over half (57%) of the participants had experienced a food allergic reaction in the past year. The educational packet was tested in waves, with comments from participants used to revise the next version of the packet. Language targeted a lay audience and hand-drawn illustrations were added to make the material more appealing. Most participants recommended expanding sections dealing with symptom management and approaches to take when eating at restaurants. These sections became prominent features of the final edition. The participants were equally divided regarding preferred learning type: text-based compared with visual. No significant associations could be drawn between learning style and perceived clarity of information, with 93% finding the packet very clear and easy to read. Participants commented that the simple illustrations were ideal for a child with allergies or someone reading at a 6th to 8th grade level. Even among this group with longstanding food allergy, over 60% reported that they learned something new from the packet. “Coping with Food Allergies” will be made available to the public via the Food Safety Educators web site of the USDA and the allergy support group, Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN).
The Glucocorticoid Receptor: Coding a Diversity of Proteins and Responses through a Single Gene

The ability of natural and synthetic glucocorticoids to elicit numerous and diverse physiological responses is remarkable. How the product of a single gene can participate in such a myriad of cell- and tissue-specific pathways has remained largely unknown. The last several years have seen increased description of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein isoforms. Here we review the current state of knowledge regarding naturally occurring GR isoforms and discuss how this array of receptor species generates the diversity associated with the glucocorticoid response. We propose that the multiplicity of receptor forms have unique tissue- specific actions on the downstream biology providing a mechanism to create GR signaling networks.
Ultrafiltration of partially hydrolyzed rice bran protein to recover value-added products.

Rice brans were treated with a protease together with a disulfide bond-breaking agent (Na2SO3) to achieve a 2–4% peptide bond hydrolysis (DH). Ultrafiltration (UF) with 3 kDa molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) membrane led to substantial loss of feed protein due to permeation. Using 1 kDa MWCO membrane increased protein yields, but it was not effective in purifying the protein hydrolysates despite the increase in membrane area and operating time. The efficiency of this UF process can be improved using a larger MWCO membrane (e.g., 2 kDa MWCO), which may facilitate complete removal of phytate. Based on disparity of molecular sizes, use of phytase may also increase purity of protein retentates and allow the recovery of functional inositol phosphates in permeates. The presence of Na2SO3 during proteolysis to 2% DH of preheated bran (100°C, 10 min) repaired the damage caused by preheat treatment by increasing protein recovery but increased the concentration of small peptides in hydrolysates, i.e., <1 kDa, particularly for highly aggregated proteins. Heat treatment is necessary to stabilize rice bran, but the sulfite treatment may be avoided to increase UF yield and purity of protein retentates and allow higher DH values for hydrolysis of stabilized brans. Accordingly, this UF process can be an efficient method for recovering high-value components from rice bran, an underutilized rice milling co-product, for many industrial applications.
Highly purified pea chloroplast RNA polymerase transcribes both rRNA and mRNA genes

Pea chloroplast RNA polymerase has been obtained with about 2000-fold purification using DEAE-cellulose and phosphocellulose chromatography. The purified enzyme contained ten prominent polypeptides of 150, 130, 115, 110, 95, 85, 75, 48, 44 and 39 kDa and four other minor polypeptides of 90, 34, 32 and 27 kDa. Purification of this enzyme using chloroplast 16S rDNA promoter affinity column chromatography also yielded an enzyme with similar polypeptides. Purified polyclonal antibodies against the purified chloroplast RNA polymerase were found to recognize most of the polypeptides of the enzyme in Western blot experiments. Primary mobility shift of the 16S rRNA gene and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit (rbc-L) gene promoters observed with the chloroplast RNA polymerase was abolished by these antibodies. The specific in vitro transcription of these rRNA and mRNA genes was also inhibited by these antibodies. The transcription of the rRNA and mRNA genes was also abolished by tagetitoxin, a specific inhibitor of chloroplast RNA polymerase. The chloroplast RNA polymerase was found to bind specifically to the chloroplast 16S rRNA gene promoter region as visualized in electron microscopy. The presence of the polypeptides of 130, 110, 75-95 and 48 kDa in the DNA-enzyme complex was confirmed by a novel approach using immunogold labeling with the respective antibodies. The polypeptides of this purified RNA polymerase were found to be localized in chloroplasts by an indirect immunofluorescence.
Future Food ‘Needs’: From Consumer to Citizen Choice

H ats off to Colin Sage. His Environment and Food (Sage 2012) provides a definitive account of the wickedly messy relationships between food, environment, and society, even though the latter is conspicuously absent in the title. The overall argumentative thrust of the book is to highlight that while we strive to enrol the Earth’s resources for purposes of food production we remain subject to certain ecological realities. The goal, then, is to strive to turn these ecological constraints into enablements: a vision of food futures where individual, societal, and nutritional wellbeing is enhanced because of their sustainable nature rather than in spite of it. I should say that the book does not go into too much detail about what those futures look like. Though I appreciate this point, for, as Sage rightfully notes, such a future cannot (and should not) be determined by any one person or organisation – if we learned anything from the Green Revolution it is that there is no magic bullet when it comes to implementing real food security. Sustainable food futures begin, as Sage notes in the book’s concluding paragraph, with highly inclusive social mobilisations. Yet given that ecological realities are, after all, real, I do think there are some things that we can say now about sustainable future food systems. Those conversations hinge on our understanding of ‘need’ and ‘consumer choice’. The book defines a ‘sustainable food system’ (SFS) as follows:
Excitons and excitonic fine structures in Si nanowires: Prediction of an electronic state crossover with diameter changes

Si nanowires have attracted considerable attention as promising candidates for electronic, thermoelectric, photonic, and photovoltaic devices, yet there appears to be only limited understanding of the underlying electronic and excitonic structures on all pertinent energy scales. Using atomistic pseudopotential calculations of single-particle as well as many-body states, we have identified remarkable properties of Si nanowires in three energy scales: (i) In the ``high-energy'' $\ensuremath{\sim}$1-eV scale, we find an unusual electronic state crossover whereby the nature of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) state changes its symmetry with wire diameters for [001]-oriented wires but not for [011]-oriented wires. This change leads to orbitally allowed transitions becoming orbitally forbidden below a certain critical diameter for [001] wires. (ii) In the ``intermediate-energy'' $\ensuremath{\sim}$10${}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$-eV scale, we describe the excitonic binding, finding that in [001] wires the diameter ($D$) dependence of excitonic gap scales as $1/{D}^{1.9}$, not as $1/{D}^{1}$ as expected. The exciton binding energy increases from 52 meV at $D=7.6$ nm to 85 meV at $D=3.3$ nm and 128 meV at $D=2.2$ nm. (iii) In the ``low-energy'' $\ensuremath{\sim}$10${}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$-eV scale, we describe dark/bright excitonic states and predict how orbitally allowed transitions [in scale (i)] become spin-forbidden due to the electron-hole exchange interaction, whereas the spin-allowed states in the orbitally forbidden diameter region remain dark. The diameter dependence of the fine-structure splitting of excitonic states scales as $1/{D}^{2.3}$ in [001] wires and as $1/{D}^{2.6}$ in [011] wires. Surface-polarization effects are found to significantly enhance electron-hole Coulomb interaction, but have a small effect on the exchange fine-structure splitting. The present work provides a road map for a variety of electronic and optical effects in Si nanowires that can guide spectroscopic studies.
Comparison of venous sampling sites for intrapulmonary shunt determinations in the critically III patient

Abstract 1. 1. In patients without significant pulmonary dysfunction (Group I) Csvc O2 may be used in place of Cmv O2 in the calculation of the intrapulmonary shunt Q S Q T without significant error (P > 0.30). 2. 2. In those patients with marked pulmonary insufficiency (Group II) shunts calculated on the basis of Csvc O2 are statistically different from those using Cmv O2. (P 3. 3. There is relatively good correlation in both Group I and II between CV Q S Q T and PA Q S Q T as well as between ΔCV and ΔPA although the large standard error in Group II makes individual predictions difficult. 4. 4. Unpredictable changes in regional venous blood flow and in venous oxygen content occur in many critically ill patients which may lead to gross miscalculation of the shunt. 5. 5. Pulmonary arterial catheterization and sampling is necessary in those patients with marked pulmonary dysfunction to avoid errors in Q S Q T so that decisions regarding the clinical severity of the pulmonary insufficiency may be made.
Unsuccessful search for a liquid‐liquid transition in compression isotherms of polystyrene

In a search for a liquid-liquid transition in the melt of polystyrene, we have measured and analyzed a number of compression isotherms to 1800 kg/cm2 in a relevant temperature range (1.2Tg < T < 1.4Tg). Volume data were recorded at pressure intervals of 10 kg/cm2, i.e., at pressure intervals 5-20 times smaller than used in previous work. For the analysis the data were fitted to the Tait equation. Deviations between fits and data are small, typically 0.0004 cm3/g, but nonrandom. From the absence of any systematic shifts of the nonrandom deviation patterns with temperature, we conclude that the deviations are not manifestations of a pressure-dependent liquid-liquid transition, and that there is, in fact, no evidence for the existence of such a transition in our data.
15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) and lung cancer.

15-Hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) catalyzes NAD+-linked oxidation of 15 (S)-hydroxyl group of prostaglandins and lipoxins and is the key enzyme responsible for the biological inactivation of these eicosanoids. The enzyme was found to be under-expressed as opposed to cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) being over-expressed in lung and other tumors. A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were used as a model system to study the role of 15-PGDH in lung tumorigenesis. Up-regulation of COX-2 expression by pro-inflammatory cytokines in A549 cells was accompanied by a down-regulation of 15-PGDH expression. Over-expression of COX-2 but not COX-1 by adenoviral-mediated approach also attenuated 15-PGDH expression. Similarly, over-expression of 15-PGDH by the same strategy inhibited IL-1β-induced COX-2 expression. It appears that the expression of COX-2 and 15-PGDH is regulated reciprocally. Adenoviral-mediated transient over-expression of 15-PGDH in A549 cells resulted in apoptosis. Xenograft studies in nude mice also showed tumor suppression with cells transiently over-expressing 15-PGDH. However, cells stably over-expressing 15-PGDH generated tumors faster than those control cells. Examination of different clones of A549 cells stably expressing different levels of 15-PGDH indicated that the levels of 15-PGDH expression correlated positively with those of mesenchymal markers, and negatively with those of epithelial markers. It appears that the stable expression of 15-PGDH induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) which may account for the tumor promotion in xenograft studies. A number of anti-cancer agents, such as transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), glucocorticoids and some histone deacetylase inhibitors were found to induce 15-PGDH expression. These results suggest that tumor suppressive action of these agents may, in part, be related to their ability to induce 15-PGDH expression.
The Inside-Out Approach to Refinery-Wide Optimization

This paper presents a computational comparison between the inside-out approach to refinery-wide optimization, which optimizes the model equations with fixed physical properties and updates the approximate physical property models after each time the model equations are optimized, and the full-scale optimization approach, which solves the optimization problem using the simultaneous solution of the model equations and physical property models. For the refinery model in this study, the inside-out approach decreases the computational time (when compared to full-scale optimization) by nearly 1order of magnitude while converging to the same solution obtained using the full-scale optimization approach with a high degree of reliability. By varying the number of units in the optimization case study, the dependence of CPU time with the number of model equations was assessed for the full-scale and inside-out methods. Extrapolation of these results to a large integrated refinery (i.e., 1 million model equations) indi...
Midterm results of the Ross procedure

Abstract Background . The optimal hemodynamic performance and potential growth of the pulmonary autograft has led to expanded indications for the Ross procedure. We reviewed our institutional experience to assess midterm results with the Ross operation. Methods . In a 7-year period (1992 to 1999), 111 patients with a median age of 15.7 years (range 2 days to 67 years), underwent the Ross procedure. Ninety-five patients had isolated aortic valve disease and 16 pediatric patients had a more complex left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Results . There were 3 early (2.7%) and 3 late deaths over a median follow-up of 3.6 years (range 6 months to 7.6 years). Actuarial survival at 5 years was 94% ± 2%. In pediatric patients, the pulmonary autograft annulus enlarged from 14.7 ± 6.2 mm to 22 ± 6.3 mm. This growth followed the expected increase in pulmonary valve diameter based on body surface area. Eight reoperations were necessary for autograft insufficiency at a median interval of 14 months (range 2 days to 31 months). Freedom from replacement of the pulmonary autograft was 91% ± 3% at 5 years. Three patients developed important obstruction of the pulmonary homograft requiring reoperation at a median of 29 months (range 9 to 31 months). Conclusions . The Ross procedure can be performed with good midterm results. In pediatric patients, autograft growth has been appropriate. The potential for development of important autograft insufficiency suggests close follow-up through the intermediate and late term.
Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Revealing the Stomach Metastases of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Introduction Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) constitutes 3% of all adult malignancies and often presents insidiously. Consequently, 25–30% of patients have metastases at the time of diagnosis.
A Direct Method for Locating the Focus of Expansion

We address the problem of recovering the motion of a monocular observer relative to a rigid scene. We do not make any assumptions about the shapes of the surfaces in the scene, nor do we use estimates of the optical flow or point correspondences. Instead, we exploit the spatial gradient and the time rate of change of brightness over the whole image and explicitly impose the constraint that the surface of an object in the scene must be in front of the camera for it to be imaged.
Garnering input for recycling communication strategies at a Big Ten University

Abstract With increasing environmental challenges confronting our planet, colleges and universities are trying different approaches for minimizing their adverse environmental impacts. Among the approaches being used to revitalize campus sustainability efforts, new waste management strategies have included attempts to improve campus-recycling programs. This paper presents select findings from a comprehensive study at a large, Tier I university aimed at, among other things, informing university administration and decision makers working on the planning and implementation of a new campus-wide recycling facility and program. The researchers used a mixed-method approach to help them develop an understanding of the campus community's (1) perceived barriers to recycling, (2) recycling knowledge, (3) program preferences, and (4) environmental attitudes. The results from a web-based survey (n = 3896, RR1 = 24.9%) suggest, communication efforts for recycling programming should focus more on messages concerning what, how, and where to recycle rather than messages on why to recycle. Furthermore, the results suggest recycling-related publicity approaches should differentiate their mode and content for different segments of the community.