cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemokine pattern in relation to disease state in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children.

Although beta chemokines can block human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) entry into target cells, their role in HIV disease progression is controversial. To determine the association of RANTES with HIV disease state, we examined constitutive mRNA expression by reverse-transcribed polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and induction of RANTES secretion by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (MAb)-stimulated cultures of PBMCs, and in CD4 + and CD8 + T cell subsets of 17 HIV-infected children. In comparison with uninfected subjects, PBMCs of HIV-infected children were deficient in both constitutive RANTES mRNA expression as well as in stimulus-induced RANTES production. Children in clinical category C were found to be more deficient than children in clinical category A. Expression of RANTES mRNA in PMBCs was inversely correlated with plasma virus load and correlated directly with CD4 + T cell counts. In T cell subsets, RANTES produc...
Binding of ReO 4 − with an engineered MoO 4 2− -binding protein: towards a new approach in radiopharmaceutical applications

Radiolabeled biomolecules are routinely used for clinical diagnostics. 99mTc is the most commonly used radioactive tracer in radiopharmaceuticals. 188Re and 186Re are also commonly used as radioactive tracers in medicine. However, currently available methods for radiolabeling are lengthy and involve several steps in bioconjugation processes. In this work we present a strategy to engineer proteins that may selectively recognize the perrhenate (ReO4 −) ion as a new way to label proteins. We found that a molybdate (MoO4 2−)-binding protein (ModA) from Escherichia coli can bind perrhenate with high affinity. Using fluorescence and isothermal titration calorimetry measurements, we determined the dissociation constant of ModA for ReO4 − to be 541 nM and we solved a crystal structure of ModA with a bound ReO4 −. On the basis of the structure we created a mutant protein containing a disulfide linkage, which exhibited increased affinity for perrhenate (K d = 104 nM). High-resolution crystal structures of ModA (1.7 A) and A11C/R153C mutant (2.0 A) were solved with bound perrhenate. Both structures show that a perrhenate ion occupies the molybdate binding site using the same amino acid residues that are involved in molybdate binding. The overall structure of the perrhenate-bound ModA is unchanged compared with that of the molybdate-bound form. In the mutant protein, the bound perrhenate is further stabilized by the engineered disulfide bond.
Soil bacterial community composition altered by increased nutrient availability in Arctic tundra soils

The pool of soil organic carbon (SOC) in the Arctic is disproportionally large compared to those in other biomes. This large quantity of SOC accumulated over millennia due to slow rates of decomposition relative to net primary productivity. Decomposition is constrained by low temperatures and nutrient concentrations, which limit soil microbial activity. We investigated how nutrients limit bacterial and fungal biomass and community composition in organic and mineral soils within moist acidic tussock tundra ecosystems. We sampled two experimental arrays of moist acidic tussock tundra that included fertilized and non-fertilized control plots. One array included plots that had been fertilized annually since 1989 and the other since 2006. Fertilization significantly altered overall bacterial community composition and reduced evenness, to a greater degree in organic than mineral soils, and in the 1989 compared to the 2006 site. The relative abundance of copiotrophic α-proteobacteria and β-proteobacteria was higher in fertilized than control soils, and oligotrophic Acidobacteria were less abundant in fertilized than control soils at the 1989 site. Fungal community composition was less sensitive to increased nutrient availability, and fungal responses to fertilization were not consistent between soil horizons and sites. We detected two ectomycorrhizal genera, Russula and Cortinarius spp., associated with shrubs. Their relative abundance was not affected by fertilization despite increased dominance of their host plants in the fertilized plots. Our results indicate that fertilization, which has been commonly used to simulate warming in Arctic tundra, has limited applicability for investigating fungal dynamics under warming.
Immunocytochemistry as a tool for zebrafish developmental neurobiology

Two methods are presented here that allow clear visualization of antibody localization in zebrafish whole mount preparations, both for immunocytochemistry (ICC) alone and in combination with in situ hybridization (ISH). The first protocol describes ICC performed using a modified permeabilization technique and the chromogen AEC (3-Amino-9-ethylcarbazole). The second protocol describes the co-localization of transcriptional and translational products using a combined ISH/ICC protocol. A fluorescing chromogen (Fast Red, FR) is used to detect mRNA transcripts by ISH, and is combined with ICC that uses a secondary antibody conjugated to a different fluorescent molecule (Alexa 488). These procedures allow the identification of gene expression patterns in cell types identifiable with known antibodies.
Prison populations: A projection model

We propose a method for estimating prison populations under a variety of assumptions about sentencing policy and demographic structure. The approach builds on a familiar stochastic model of the individual criminal career. After a validation exercise involving Pennsylvania data, we use the model to make illustrative projections about Massachusetts, Utah and Florida. The results suggest that, while prison populations might stabilize everywhere during the early 1990s, only rarely will this situation signify an end to the growth in prison-capacity requirements.
The mortality and morbidity of acute appendicitis

Abstract A series of 150 consecutive private cases showing the pathology of acute appendicitis is studied for morbidity and mortality. The method of operation and treatment is given. Age and sex incidence and other miscellaneous data are charted. The series shows morbidity in six unruptured and twelve ruptured cases, or 13.3 per cent for the entire series. The mortality rate is 3.7 per cent for ruptured appendicitis, 0.66 per cent for the series.
Characterizing Teleoperator Behavior for Feedback Design and Performance Analysis

Simple teleoperator feedback schemes such as proportional-derivative control can be tuned based on intuition. More sophisticated feedback controllers, however, do not generally provide such intuitive parameters for tuning. In this paper, we examine a parameterization of teleoperator feedback design that reveals relationships between controller design and closed-loop performance. The four transfer function parameters we identify separate the feedback design into compensation of hardware dynamics and tuning of a virtual coupler between the master and slave. To demonstrate the utility of this parameterization, we show that the parameters are related in simple ways to measures of transparency and tracking performance. Interpretation of these expressions generates design directives that apply to all feedback designs. Furthermore, we prove bounds on a measure of transparency which are satisfied for a class of environment dynamics defined by their magnitude frequency response. Based on this result, we introduce a graphical tool we term a transparency diagram which reveals the aspect of the feedback design that limit transparency for given environment dynamics.
Reduction of reperfusion injury edema with corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF): A pilot study

Regulation of capillary permeability with ischemic reperfusion injury is a complex interaction between vascular endothelium and circulating blood factors. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), a 41 -amino acid peptide CNS neurotransmitter known to modulate the pituitary-adrenal axis during stress response, has been shown to affect capillary leakage after thermal injury in peripheral tissue. When administered prior to ischemic reperfusion injury in a pedicled rat hindlimb model, CRF (80 mcg/kg) reduced limb weight gain to approximately 50% of saline control, suggesting a role for CRF in control of vascular permeability. The characteristics of CRF are reviewed.
Association of employment and working conditions with physical and mental health symptoms for people with fibromyalgia

Purpose: This study examines physical and mental health symptoms among people with fibromyalgia (FM) by employment status and working conditions. Method: Secondary data analysis of the 2007 National Fibromyalgia Association Questionnaire study resulted in employment and symptom information for 1702 people of working age with FM. In this cross-sectional internet study, six factors of symptom clusters (physical, mental health, sleeping, concentration, musculoskeletal, support) were seen in the data. Linear regression models used employment, age, income, gender, and education to predict symptom clusters. Among those employed, working conditions were also associated with symptom severity. Results: In the predominately female sample, 51% were working. Of these, 70% worked over 30 hours/week and half had flexible hours. Employment, higher income, and education were strongly associated with fewer symptoms. Working conditions, including level of physical and mental exertion required on the job as well as coworker...
A study of reconstituted anion channels using lipid bilayers

Abstract A chloride channel from impermeant sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was embedded in a planar lipid bilayer (BLM) and its electrical properties determined. Studies using ER-derived vesicles fused with BLMs have shown that they are permeable to Na + , K + , choline and Cl − but less permeable to Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ . Though highly permeable to K + , the liver ER membrane has been postulated to a lack of an efficient ion-conducting structure for K + channel in the SR. The present study was undertaken with the aim to look at the anionic, Ca 2+ and K + permeability pathways present in the ER membrane. Our reconstituted system exhibits considerable anionic permeability following the sequence: SCN − >I − >Br − Cl − >gluconate. The findings suggest the chloride channels have low field-strength sites. It can be pharmacologically dissected to Zn 2+ -sensitive and DIDS-sensitive types. The gating of the channel is weakly voltage-dependent and at higher positive or negative voltages the channel prefers the low sub-conductance states.
Diagnosis and Management of Multiple Sclerosis: Case Studies

Although substantial capabilities have emerged in the ability to globally manage patients who have MS, clinicians continue to be confronted with formidable challenges. Reduction in disease activity and its impact on dis-ability progression remains the central objective of disease-modifying therapy and most current MS research initiatives. Nevertheless, the principal factors that determine the day-to-day limitations on functional capabilities(activities of daily living, work performance, quality of life, and so forth)are a derivative of the pathophysiology of the disease process itself. The substrate for these limitations is inherent in the pathology of demyelination and axonal dysfunction. Identifying measures that can optimize the performance and fidelity of axonal conduction mechanisms may translate into a reduction in MS-related symptoms. Chronic neurologic disease management (with MS representing a signature example) can be optimized when all members of the care team (including patients and their families) collaborate in the co-ordination of interdisciplinary care models that address all aspects of suffering.
Insulin resistance and salt sensitivity. A renal hemodynamic abnormality

Salt has been a staple of the human diet for millennia and has long been known to be a critical factor in blood pressure regulation. The threshold and precise relationship between dietary salt and blood pressure has not been established. Moreover, there is significant variability in blood pressure responses to changes in dietary salt between patients. This variation approximates a Gaussian distribution, is highly reproducible in individual patients, and is persistent over time. Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that blood pressure, salt sensitivity and insulin resistance frequently coexist. It is likely that neurohormonal systems, particularly the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin system, play a critical role in explaining the interrelationship of salt sensitivity, insulin resistance, and an impaired pressure-natriuresis response.
Alkali metal fluoride matrix modifiers for the determination of trace levels of silicon by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract A method is described for the determination of silicon by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry with alkali metal fluorides as matrix modifiers. Alkali metal fluorides react with silicon to produce metal hexafluorosilicates, which are stable at temperatures as high as 1120– 1300°C, depending on the particular metal used. At higher temperatures, alkali metal hexafluorosilicates decompose into the metal fluoride and silicon tetrafluoride. The subsequent gas-phase atomization of silicon tetrafluoride occurs rapidly, and produces clean, sharp absorption peaks. When used in conjunction with a zirconium-treated graphite tube, this method has a sensitivity of 50 pg Si at a confidence interval of 95%. There is no evidence of silicon carbide formation in the graphite tube, and very little evidence of any deterioration of the zirconium-treated surface, as demonstrated by the fact that more than 200 samples can be processed on a single graphite tube without a decrease in sensitivity or change in the baseline.
Metaplasticity and behavior: how training and inflammation affect plastic potential within the spinal cord and recovery after injury

Research has shown that spinal circuits have the capacity to adapt in response to training, nociceptive stimulation and peripheral inflammation. These changes in neural function are mediated by physiological and neurochemical systems analogous to those that support plasticity within the hippocampus (e.g., long-term potentiation and the NMDA receptor). As observed in the hippocampus, engaging spinal circuits can have a lasting impact on plastic potential, enabling or inhibiting the capacity to learn. These effects are related to the concept of metaplasticity. Behavioral paradigms are described that induce metaplastic effects within the spinal cord. Uncontrollable/unpredictable stimulation, and peripheral inflammation, induce a form of maladaptive plasticity that inhibits spinal learning. Conversely, exposure to controllable or predictable stimulation engages a form of adaptive plasticity that counters these maladaptive effects and enables learning. Adaptive plasticity is tied to an up-regulation of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Maladaptive plasticity is linked to processes that involve kappa opioids, the metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor, glia, and the cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Uncontrollable nociceptive stimulation also impairs recovery after a spinal contusion injury and fosters the development of pain (allodynia). These adverse effects are related to an up-regulation of TNF and a down-regulation of BDNF and its receptor (TrkB). In the absence of injury, brain systems quell the sensitization of spinal circuits through descending serotonergic fibers and the serotonin 1A (5HT 1A) receptor. This protective effect is blocked by surgical anesthesia. Disconnected from the brain, intracellular Cl- concentrations increase (due to a down-regulation of the cotransporter KCC2), which causes GABA to have an excitatory effect. It is suggested that BDNF has a restorative effect because it up-regulates KCC2 and re-establishes GABA-mediated inhibition.
Anxiety and Caffeine

The relationship between anxiety and caffeinated beverages was studied using Spielberger's questionnaire and additional questions concerning the consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, and the students...
High-field electron paramagnetic resonance as a microscopic probe of anisotropic strain at Mn2+ sites in CdSe:Mn2+ quantum dots

Abstract High-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (HF-EPR) provides a contactless microscopic probe of magnetic impurities and their surroundings in nanoparticles. In 5.0 nm colloidally prepared CdSe quantum dots (QDs) containing 0.6% Mn 2+ , a core and a surface site can be readily distinguished on the basis of g -factor and 55 Mn hyperfine interaction. In contrast to EPR in the bulk, at low temperatures a broad background signal develops, which at high fields is the only remaining feature. Previous studies have suggested this background signal originates from exchange coupled Mn 2+ clusters arising from spinodal decomposition; HF-EPR shows that it is due to strain-broadening of the zero-field splitting related to local lattice distortions within the QD.
A Descriptive Analysis of Test Session Observation Checklist Ratings From the Woodcock Johnson III Standardization Sample

Modern scale construction techniques have been used to develop scales measuring examiner ratings of examinees’ test session behavior (TSB) on Wechsler and Stanford-Binet intelligence tests. This st...
Laser measurements of chemotactic response of bacteria

Abstract The theoretical basis for using laser light intensity correlation spectroscopy to study bacterial chemotaxis is discussed. Data are presented showing how chemotactic response velocities may be obtained for samples containing mixtures of responding and nonresponding cells.
Gene transfer to the tendon-bone insertion site

This study investigated whether gene transfer to the tendon-bone insertion site is possible during early tendon-transplant healing using viral vectors. In addition, we evaluated the optimal gene delivery technique for an in vivo adenoviral gene transfer to a tendon-bone insertion site in a bone tunnel. Twenty-six rabbits underwent a bilateral transfer of the flexor digitorum longus tendon into a bone canal in the calcaneus. The animals were divided into two groups. The first group (n=18) received a direct injection of an adenoviral vector carrying the luciferase marker gene into the tendon on the left side, while on the right side the adenoviral vector was first injected into the bone trough and the tendon was later inserted into the trough. The analysis of this experiment showed that over a 4-week period a higher luciferase activity was achieved using the bone trough immersion technique. In the second group (n=8) we therefore used the qualitative marker virus (Ad/-LacZ) with the bone trough immersion technique in order to show the site of gene expression. The histological analysis of this experiment demonstrated the presence of β-galactosidase positive cells within the tendon-bone interface over a 4-week period. Therefore we showed in the first part of this study that the bone canal provides a more efficient target for direct adenoviral gene delivery than the tendon. In the second part of the study we demonstrated the feasibility of the bone trough immersion technique since sustained gene expression within the tendon-bone interface was obtained for up to 4 weeks. This study has shown the feasibility of gene delivery to the tendon-bone interface and provides the basis for the application adenoviral delivery of growth factor genes to the tendon-bone insertion site.
Transcription of nuclear DNA in nuclei isolated from plasmodia at different stages of the cell cycle of Physarum polycephalum.

Abstract The nearest neighbor frequencies of RNA synthesized in nuclei isolated from plasmodia of Physarum polycephalum at different stages of the cell cycle were investigated. The relative frequencies of dinucleotides, beginning with guanylic and cytidylic acids, increased during the cell cycle, whereas dinucleotides beginning with adenylic and uridylic acids decreased. Since dinucleotide frequencies are a measure of the RNA nucleotide sequence, there was a qualitative shift in DNA transcription from predominantly adenylic and thymidylic acid-rich DNA molecules or molecular regions to guanylic and cytidylic acid-rich DNA molecules or molecular regions as the cell cycle progressed. These nearest neighbor frequency analyses also showed that the RNA nucleotides were not randomly arranged in the polynucleotide chains and that only a limited portion of the total nuclear DNA was transcribed. These results suggest that DNA transcription follows an ordered temporal sequence during the cell cycle and also show that mitosis must provide a means of reinitiating DNA transcription at the starting point in a temporal cycle.
Calcium-dependent regulator protein: localization in mitotic apparatus of eukaryotic cells.

Abstract Calcium-dependent regulator protein is a low molecular weight (17,000), thermostable, calcium binding protein which is structurally homologous to skeletal muscle troponin C. This protein is present in all nonmuscle cells and has been shown to decorate stress fibers in interphase cells by indirect immunofluorescence. Using this procedure we have investigated the distribution of the protein during mitosis of eukaryotic cells. As the cells enter prophase, the distinct cytoplasmic localization disappears commensurate with the dissolution of the cytoskeleton. The regulator protein seems to be randomly distributed throughout the prophase cell, including the region around the condensed chromosomes. However, at prometaphase, it is localized in association with the half-spindles of the mitotic apparatus. Through metaphase and most of anaphase, the protein remains localized between the chromosomes and the poles of the spindle. During late anaphase the protein is also found in the interzone region but rapidly condenses into two small regions, one on each side of the midbody that separates the daughter cells. The regulator protein is not localized in the cleavage furrow during telophase, whereas actin is demonstrable in this region. Indeed, placement of the protein during mitosis is distinct from both that of actin and that of tubulin. The localization of calcium-dependent regulator protein during mitosis suggests that it may mediate the calcium effects on the mitotic apparatus and thus play a role in chromosome movement.
Evapotranspiration in the Okefenokee Swamp watershed : a comparison of temperature-based and water balance methods

Abstract In the Okefenokee Swamp, actual evapotranspiration (AET) should approximate potential evapotranspiration (PET) as there is rarely a moisture deficit. Even during droughts, a high evapotranspiration rate is maintained owing to a large area of wetlands and a shallow groundwater table in the watershed. Therefore, if AET can be estimated in the Okefenokee Swamp watershed, it can be used to evaluate the accuracy of PET estimates for the region. In this study, temperature-based PET estimates were compared with AET obtained by the water balance method for the Okefenokee Swamp watershed. Swamp water level data were used to identify subperiods with identical storage at the beginning and end of the period, so that a steady-state water balance model could be used to estimate AET as the difference between precipitation and outflow runoff. When the PET estimates were regressed upon AET, Thornthwaite PET had the highest R 2 value (0.817), followed by Blaney-Criddle PET (0.781), and Holdridge PET proportioned by biotemperature (0.768). The Thornthwaite method also rendered a long-term average very close to that of AET. Seasonal errors in Thornthwaite PET were reduced by using pan evaporation and temperature data to partition annual values into monthly values. Holdridge PET overestimated evapotranspiration from the Okefenokee Swamp watershed. Using standard crop coefficients, the Blaney-Criddle method would have overestimated evapotranspiration in the humid Okefenokee Swamp watershed. However, by substituting a very low crop coefficient ( K = 1.5), the Blaney-Criddle method gave results for the Okefenokee region similar to those obtained by the Thornthwaite method with the lowest error among all the methods examined. Pan evaporation correlated well with AET ( R 2 = 0.628) once an appropriate pan coefficient (0.71) had been determined.
Tango Immigrants in New York City The Value of Social Reciprocities

The recent global renaissance of tango dancing has been accompanied by the emergence of a thriving tango economy in New York City (NYC) that has encouraged the arrival of Argentine tango dancers an...
Strengthening of immature teeth during long-term endodontic therapy.

Abstract A method to strengthen a nonvital immature maxillary central incisor during long-term endodontic therapy is described. Calcium hydroxide paste was packed into the root canal space, then removed to a level 3 mm apically to the osseous crest. A layer of IRM cement was placed over the paste to provide a bacteria-tight seal. The coronal portion of the root canal as well as the pulp chamber were acid-etched and filled with a composite resin in an attempt to strengthen the tooth. Access to the root canal was maintained by means of a vaseline-coated plastic post placed centrally in the resin. After polymerization of the resin the post was removed and the space was sealed with zinc oxide and eugenol cement. After completion of the endodontic treatment the space was filled with the composite resin.
Comparison of PGE2, prostacyclin and leptin release by human adipocytes versus explants of adipose tissue in primary culture

The present studies were designed to investigate the sites of PGE(2), prostacyclin and leptin formation in human adipose tissue. Most of the PGE(2) and prostacyclin formation by adipose tissue explants from obese humans after 48 h in primary culture was due to blood vessels and other tissues not digested by collagenase. However, there was appreciable PGE(2) formation by adipocytes over a 48 h incubation and leptin formation was only seen in adipocytes. An increase in COX-2 immunoreactive protein was also seen after incubation of isolated human adipocytes for 48 h. The release of PGE(2) by adipocytes incubated for 48 h was about 4% that by intact adipose tissue explants while the release of prostacyclin was about 1.5% that by tissue. However, in a different experimental design where PGE(2) formation was measured over 2 h in the presence of 20 microM arachidonic acid the formation of PGE(2) by adipocytes after 48 h prior incubation in primary culture was 38% of that by tissue explants. Dexamethasone enhanced leptin release by adipocytes while inhibiting PGE(2) release and COX-2 up-regulation. The mechanisms involved in up-regulation of COX-2 activity during primary culture of adipocytes and the inhibition of this by dexamethasone do not appear to involve p38 MAPK or p42-44 MAPK. Interleukin I(beta) further enhanced PGE(2) formation by adipocytes but did not affect leptin formation. In conclusion, these data indicate that leptin release is exclusively a function of adipocytes while prostanoids are made by both adipocytes and the other cells present in human adipose tissue
Optical Activity, Circular Dichroism, and Absorption of Crystalline Nickel Sulphate

Previous measurements of the optical rotatory power of crystalline $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ --- NiS${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}6${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O in the visible spectrum have now been extended to cover the wave-length range from 0.25\ensuremath{\mu} to 2.2\ensuremath{\mu}. Circular dichroism and absorption measurements have also been made over the infra-red range. Striking anomalies in the rotatory dispersion curve appear at 0.69\ensuremath{\mu} and particularly at 1.16\ensuremath{\mu}, corresponding to absorption and circular dichroism maxima at these wave-lengths. The theoretical relation between rotatory power and dichroism is verified quite exactly and in detail, particularly with regard to the 1.16\ensuremath{\mu} band.
New directions for cell-based therapies in acute liver failure

The mortality in acute liver failure (ALF) remains high despite superior contemporary management. Although orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is best for rescue in ALF, donor organ short-ages and contraindications or irreversible neurological complications may restrict OLT. Therefore, alternative therapeutic approaches for ALF are necessary. These are typically aimed at managing complications, ameliorating inflammation, providing hepatic support, and inducing liver repair/regeneration. Whether cell therapy would offer such benefits is of interest for many reasons: cells from one donor could be used for several people; cryopreserved and banked cells could be administered rapidly; cells could be transplanted multiple times; provision of hepatic support from transplanted cells could “bridge” to OLT; reseeding of the liver with transplanted cells could promote tissue repair; secretion of appropriate factors from transplanted cells could aid liver regeneration, which might avoid OLT altogether; cell therapy is technically simple and is also “reversible” because the native liver need not be removed. Allogeneic hepatocytes are normally rejected over 7–10 days but immunosuppression might not be required for short-term cell therapies in ALF. Recent insights into the potential of various cell types in liver regeneration, mechanisms of liver repopulation and tissue engineering support the possibility of cell therapy for ALF. New sources of cells for transplantation, including candidate stem cells, will expand the supply of transplantable cells. A major question in ALF is whether one must reseed the native liver with cells, which is difficult, or whether creating a mass of transplanted cells elsewhere in simpler ways will suffice. Here, we highlight issues in intrahepatic versus extrahepatic transplantation of cells for ALF. Findings from animal studies are included in this discussion.
A novel application of the Intent to Attend assessment to reduce bias due to missing data in a randomized controlled clinical trial

BackgroundMissing data are unavoidable in most randomized controlled clinical trials, especially when measurements are taken repeatedly. If strong assumptions about the missing data are not accurate, crude statistical analyses are biased and can lead to false inferences. Furthermore, if we fail to measure all predictors of missing data, we may not be able to model the missing data process sufficiently. In longitudinal randomized trials, measuring a patient’s intent to attend future study visits may help to address both of these problems. Leon et al. developed and included the Intent to Attend assessment in the Lithium Treatment – Moderate dose Use Study (LiTMUS), aiming to remove bias due to missing data from the primary study hypothesis.PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess the performance of the Intent to Attend assessment with regard to its use in a sensitivity analysis of missing data.MethodsWe fit marginal models to assess whether a patient’s self-rated intent predicted actual study adherence...
Detection and Evaluation of a Palpable Breast Mass

The discovery of a breast mass, either self-detected or identified by a clinician, is a common, often distressing occurrence for many women. Although most detected breast masses are benign, every woman presenting with a breast mass should be evaluated to exclude or establish a diagnosis of cancer. This article provides a succinct overview of normal breast anatomy and reviews common causes of breast masses. The role of the clinical breast examination is discussed, and an algorithm is provided for optimal utilization of available tools in the diagnostic evaluation of a breast mass. The evaluation should be performed expeditiously and the results communicated promptly to the patient. Regardless of the age of the woman, a clinically suspicious mass must be evaluated even if findings on a mammogram are normal.
Gating of Store-Operated Channels by Conformational Coupling to Ryanodine Receptors

We report here that RyRs interact with and gate the store-operated hTrp3 and Icrac channels. This gating contributes to activation of hTrp3 and Icrac by agonists. Coupling of hTrp3 to IP3Rs or RyRs in the same cells was found to be mutually exclusive. Biochemical and functional evidence suggest that mutually exclusive coupling reflects clustering and segregation of hTrp3-IP3R and hTrp3-RyR complexes in plasma membrane microdomains. Gating of CCE by RyRs indicates that gating by conformational coupling is not unique to skeletal muscle but is a general mechanism for communication between events in the plasma and endoplasmic reticulum membranes.
Deaminatively Generated Carbocations as Initiators of Styrene Polymerization

Addition polymerization is readily accomplished via free radicals and carbanions but conventional initiations via carbocations are limited principally by low initiator reactivity. Thermolyses of N-...
Design and performance of multifunctional structural composite capacitors

Dielectric capacitors with mechanical load-bearing capability have been constructed by laminating glass-epoxy prepregs with metalized film electrodes. Mechanical characterization and high-voltage t...
Gravitational Casimir energy in even dimensions.

A method is described for calculating the one-loop gravitational effective potential (gravitational Casimir energy) in Kaluza-Klein theories with an even number of dimensions. The self-consistency condition that the effective potential vanish at its minimum is used to fix the subtraction point for a renormalization of the graviton wave function. The method avoids the use of a higher-dimensional cosmological constant. The calculation is performed for the background manifold (Minkowski space)x(N-sphere), in which case the potential is shown to be real and to possess a single stationary point, which turns out to be a maximum. A higher-dimensional cosmological constant appears to be necessary for global stability of the potential.
The role of angiogenic growth factors in breast cancer progression

A number of transitional stages in breast cancer progression have been described. There is epidemiological evidence that some premalignant lesions may give rise to malignant lesions and that non-invasive ductal carcinoma in situ may give rise to invasive ductal carcinomas. A significant portion of invasive carcinomas can be cured by local therapy; therefore it is assumed that additional alterations are required for a breast tumor to develop a metastatic phenotype. In addition, other alterations are presumed to allow a tumor cell to develop resistance to either chemotherapy or antihormonal therapy. Areas of neoangiogenesis have been observed in some ductal carcinomas in situ [1] and the development of a vascular network is required for tumor mass to progress beyond a size of 1-2 mm 3 [2]. Therefore it is likely that expression of angiogenic growth factors may play a significant role in the progression of breast cancer at very early stages of the disease.
Experimental heating distributions for biconics at incidence in Mach 10 air and comparison to prediction

Heating distributions were measured on a 1.9 percent scale model of a generic, aeroassisted vehicle proposed for missions to a number of planets and also a candidate as a moderate L/D earth orbital transfer vehicle. This vehicle is a spherically blunted, 13 deg/7 deg biconic with the fore-cone bent upward 7 deg to provide self-trim capability; also tested was a straight biconic with the same noise radius and half angles. These measurements were made in the Langley 31-Inch Mach 10 Tunnel at values of the free-stream Reynolds number, based on model length, equal to 0.2 and 0.9 million. The angle of attack, referenced to the aft cone, was varied from 0 to 20 deg. Heating distributions predicted with a parabolized Navier Stokes (PNS) code are compared to measurement over the present range of Reynolds number and angle of attack. Windward heating was predicted to within 10 percent by the PNS code. Leeward heating distributions were predicted qualitatively for both values of Reynolds number, but quantitative agreement was poorer than on the windward side.
Feature geometry and the vocal tract

Perhaps the most important insight in phonological theory since the introduction of the concept of the phoneme has been the role that distinctive features play in phonological theory (Jakobson et al. 1952). Most research since Jakobson's early formulation has focused on the segmental properties of these features without reference to their hierarchical organisation. Recent research, however, has shed considerable light on this latter aspect of the phoneme as a phonological unit. In his seminal article ‘The geometry of phonological features’, for example, Clements (1985), building on earlier work of scholars such as Goldsmith (1976), argues that features are not ‘bundles’ in Bloomfield's sense, but are, in fact, organised into phonological trees with each branch corresponding to what has been called a tier. An overview of the current state of feature geometry can be found in Clements & Hume (forthcoming) and Kenstowicz (1994).
A test of models of membrane structure by molecular hybridization.

Summary A considerable quantity of cytosol (‘extrinsic’) protein is incorporated during reformation of a particulate ‘unit membrane’ structure from detergent-solubilized bacterial membranes, as measured by differential labelling with radioisotopes. This finding argues against an all-or-none type of inclusion mechanism resident in the architecture of membrane-associated (‘integral’) proteins, if the reformed material is a reliable facsimile of the original bacterial membrane.
SELF-CONTROL, POLITICAL IDEOLOGY, AND MISBEHAVIOR: UNPACKING THE EFFECTS OF CONSERVATIVE IDENTITY

Survey data collected from a southwestern metropolitan area indicate that self-defined politically conservative individuals are less inclined to commit criminal or deviant acts than their liberal or moderate counterparts; however, results from multivariate analyses indicate that measures of self-control and pressure to conform all reduce the effects of political conservatism to nonsignificance. In general, the relationship between political ideology and misbehavior appears to be partly spurious and partly indirectly attributable to the effects of other social and situational factors. Moreover, responsiveness to pressures to conform is not due to self-control. The results provide some challenge to traditional interpretations of misbehavior but they also confirm an important part played by structural/contextual variables.
On the identification of systems and the unscrambling of data III: One-dimensional wave and diffusion processes

Abstract : Three effective numerical approaches to a novel inverse problem in wave propagation and diffusion are presented. Given partial information concerning the solution of the telegrapher's equation, various coefficient in the equation are determined using Laplace transforms, semidiscretization, and finite difference methods. Fields of application are radio-wave propagation, automatic control, and oceanography, where it is desired to determine the physical properties of an inhomogeneous medium based on observations of the response of the medium to an input signal. (Author)
Fundamental Chemistry and Materials Science of Americium in Selected Immobilization Glasses

We have pursued some of the fundamental chemistry and materials science of Am in 3 glass matrices, two being high-temperature (850 and 1400 C mp) silicate-based glasses and the third a sol-gel glass. Optical spectroscopy was the principal tool. One aspect of this work was to determine the oxidation state exhibited by Am in these matrices, as well as factors that control or may alter this state. A correlation was noted between the oxidation state of the f-elements in the two high-temperature glasses with their high-temperature oxide chemistries. One exception was Am: although AmO{sub 2} is the stable oxide encountered in air, when this dioxide was incorporated into the high-temperature glasses, only trivalent Am was found in the products. When Am(III) was used to prepare the sol-gel glasses at ambient temperature, and after these products were heated in air to 800 C, only Am(III) was observed. Potential explanations for the unexpected Am behavior is offered in the context of its basic chemistry. Experimental spectra, spectroscopic assignments, etc. are discussed.
An algorithm for nearly-minimal collapsing of finite-state machine networks

An algorithm is presented which simultaneously generates the Cartesian product of a network of finite-state machines and minimizes the resulting product machine. The algorithm can generate collapsed machines, removing a large set of redundant states on the fly, in CPU times comparable to the time required for simple Cartesian product collapsing. The algorithm makes it practical to generate and analyze a much larger class of collapsed FSM networks. >
Bandwidth-delay constrained path selection under inaccurate state information

One of the key issues in any quality-of-service (QoS) routing framework is how to compute a path that satisfies given QoS constraints. In this paper, we focus on the path computation problem subject to the bandwidth and delay constraints. This problem can be easily solved if the exact state information is available to the node performing the path computation function. In practice, however, nodes have only imprecise knowledge of the network state. The reliance on outdated information and treating this information as exact can significantly degrade the effectiveness of the path selection algorithm. To address this problem, we adopt a probabilistic approach in which the state parameters (available bandwidth and delay) are characterized by random variables. The goal is then to find the most-probable bandwidth-delay-constrained path (MP-BDCP). We provide efficient solutions for the MP-BDCP problem by decomposing it into two subproblems: the most-probable delay-constrained path (MP-DCP) problem and the most-probable bandwidth-constrained path (MP-BCP) problem. MP-DCP by itself is known to be NP-hard, necessitating the use of approximate solutions. By employing the central limit theorem and Lagrange relaxation techniques, we provide two complementary solutions for MP-DCP. These solutions are found to be highly efficient, requiring on average a few iterations of Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm. As for MP-BCP, it can be easily transformed into a variant of the shortest path problem. Our solutions for MP-DCP and MP-BCP are then combined to address the MP-BDCP problem by obtaining a set of near-nondominated paths. Decision makers can then select one or more of these paths based on a specific utility function. Extensive simulations are used to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithmic solutions and, more generally, to contrast the probabilistic path selection approach with the standard threshold-based triggered approach.
Cognitive–Behavioral Coach Training: A Translational Approach to Theory, Research, and Intervention

The science of psychology exists as a sprawling domain within which behavioral phenomena are studied at multiple and complementary levels of analysis in the search for biological, psychological, and environmental causal factors. One consequence of this approach is an increased emphasis on translational research, which involves the application of theories, constructs, measurement approaches, research results, and intervention techniques across psychological domains. For example, Tashiro and Mortensen (2006) have shown how constructs and empirical results from traditional social psychological research might inform the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and service delivery in clinical psychology and how, in turn, knowledge of mental illness can result in enhanced understanding of social psychological processes.
Mutational analyses of a type 2 peroxisomal targeting signal that is capable of directing oligomeric protein import into tobacco BY-2 glyoxysomes.

Summary In this study of the type 2 peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS2) pathway, we examined the apparent discontinuity and conservation of residues within the PTS2 nonapeptide and demonstrated that this topogenic signal is capable of directing heteromultimeric protein import in plant cells. Based on cumulative data showing that at least 26 unique, putative PTS2 nonapeptides occur within 12 diverse peroxisomal-destined proteins, the current (-R/K-L/V/I-X5-H/Q-L/A-) as well as the original (-R-L-X5-H/Q-L-) PTS2 motif appear to be oversimplified. To assess the functionality of residues within the motif, rat liver thiolase (rthio) and various chimeric chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) proteins were expressed transiently in suspension-cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacumL.) cv Bright Yellow cells (BY-2), and their subcellular location was determined by immunofluorescence microscopy. Hemagglutinin (HA)-epitope-tagged-CAT subunits, lacking a PTS2 (CAT-HA), were ‘piggybacked’ into glyoxysomes by PTS2-bearing CAT subunits (rthio-CAT), whereas signal-depleted CAT-HA subunits that were modified to prevent oligomerization did not import into glyoxysomes. These results provided direct evidence that signal-depleted subunits imported into peroxisomes were targeted to the organelle as oligomers (heteromers) by a PTS2. Mutational analysis of residues within PTS2 nonapeptides revealed that a number of amino acid substitutions were capable of maintaining targeting function. Furthermore, functionality of residues within the PTS2 nonapeptide did not appear to require a context-specific environment conferred by adjacent residues. These results collectively suggest that the functional PTS2 is not solely defined as a sequence-specific motif, i.e. -R/K-X6-H/Q-A/L/F-, but defined also by its structural motif that is dependent upon the physiochemical properties of residues within the nonapeptide.
Methane number testing of alternative gaseous fuels

Abstract Alternative gaseous fuels, like syn-gas and bio-gas, are attractive fuels for internal combustion engines due to energy and environmental concerns. Although the worldwide use of alternative gaseous fuels has increased, the knock properties of these fuels are not well understood. The methane number (MN) knock rating technique was selected based on its range and sensitivity. Eight alternative gaseous fuel compositions were simulated with a gas blending system and tested for MN in a Cooperative Fuel Research (CFR) F-2 engine. The alternative gaseous fuels ranged from 24 to 140 MN (natural gas typical range 75–95).
Family Support and Child Adjustment in Single-Parent Families

The complex phenomenon of single parenthood is explored within Roy's (Roy & Roberts, 1981) adaptation framework. Correlation analysis of a large family data set supported the literature and the conceptual framework. Findings suggested that single parents experienced a characteristic set of stressors distinguishing them from two-parent families. The mere availability of help with parenting seemed less important in fostering the children's positive adaptation than the quality of the relationship among the adults involved with the children. Practitioners are advised to address family support and the ability to cope with environmental factors when developing a treatment plan.