cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Untersuchungen über die tagesperiodik des3H-indexes im epithel der wangenschleimhaut und in der rückenepidermis der männlichen ratte

An 10 erwachsenen mannlichen Sprague-Dawley-Ratten wurden die tageszeitlichen Schwankungen des3H-Indexes in der schnell proliferierenden Wangenschleimhaut und in der langsamer proliferierenden Ruckenepidermis bestimmt, an der Wangenschleimhaut zusatzlich der Mitoseindex. Es zeigte sich, das die Werte des3H-Indexes in beiden Geweben in den Nachtstunden (3 Uhr) und am Morgen (9 Uhr) gegenuber den Tages- und Abendwerten (15 und 21 Uhr) stark erhoht sind und das die tageszeitlichen Proliferationsschwankungen in beiden Geweben zeitlich parallel verlaufen. Auch der Mitoseindex in der Wangenschleimhaut zeigte tagesperiodische Schwankungen, wobei die Minima und Maxima zeitlich spater auftraten als die Minimal- und Maximalwerte des3H-Indexes. Die Bedeutung der Befunde wird diskutiert und mit den in der Literatur vorliegenden Befunden verglichen.
Interferon-stimulated response element and NFκB sites cooperate to regulate double-stranded RNA-induced transcription of the IP-10 gene

ABSTRACT To understand the mechanisms involved in dsRNA-induced gene expression, we analyzed the poly(I/C)-induced transcription of the IFN-inducible chemokine gene HMO using the GRE cell line in w...
G525(P) Wet cough in children with Severe Therapy Resistant Asthma (STRA)

Introduction Severe therapy resistant asthma (STRA) accounts for a small subgroup of asthmatic asthma with significant morbidity and health care utilisation. The underlying immune pathological mechanisms are poorly understood (Bossley, JACI: 2012). Mucus hypersecretion is one of the pathophysiological features described in adult asthma but its role in paediatric STRA is unknown (Kuperman, Nat Med: 2002). We hypothesised that asthmatic children with wet cough have more severe disease compared to those without. Methods An observational retrospective review of children with STRA (at step 5 of the SIGN/BTS guideline on asthma management, 2013) in a tertiary paediatric respiratory centre. All patients underwent protocol based STRA assessment. Data from 20 age-matched 6 to16-year-old STRA patients with wet cough were compared with those without wet cough (n = 21). All STRA patients with wet cough had additional investigations including CT chest scan, sweat test and immunological tests to exclude other underlying pathology. Spirometry, total and specific aeroallergen IgE, inhaled steroid and oral maintenance steroid dose, antibiotic use, infective and asthma exacerbations in preceding 12 months were included. All the data was collected +/- 3 months of the CT scan in patients with wet cough. Results STRA patients with wet cough had similar weight, height and inhaled steroid dose compared to those without (Table 1). Patients with wet cough had significantly higher serum eosinophil counts (0.75 vs 0.45, p = 0.01) (Fig1) and higher number of infective episodes requiring antibiotics (1 vs 0, p = 0.001). 15% children had bronchiectasis and 35% had bronchial wall dilatation on scans. Patients with wet cough had lower lung function, higher total IgE and higher dose of maintenance oral steroids, although these parameters did not reach statistical significance (Table 1). Conclusion We report a subgroup of STRA children with wet cough who have more troublesome symptoms and added treatment burden. This may represent a novel phenotype of paediatric STRA which may have different underlying immune mechanisms. Further prospective studies will help understand these and explore phenotype specific novel therapies.
Human Cord Blood Cells Are Capable of Generating Amylase-Producing Pancreatic Acinar Cells without Cell Fusion.

Abstract Pancreatic acinar cells and hepatocytes arise from the same cell population located within the embryonic endoderm during embryogenesis. It has been reported that a multi-potent population of liver cells is capable of differentiating into pancreatic cells. Thus, pancreatic acinar cells and hepatocytes may share a common precursor. Recent studies revealed that murine and human hematopoietic cells have the ability to generate hepatocytes in vivo. To determine whether human cord blood cells can generate pancreatic cells, we carried out in vivo xenograft experiments. We transplanted 105 CD34+ cord blood cells into conditioned newborn NOD/SCID/beta-2 microglobulin-null mice via facial vein injection and, 2–4 months later, examined pancreata from recipient mice showing high level (16–52%, n=9) human multilineage hematopoietic engraftment in the bone marrow. RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses revealed human amylase mRNA and human amylase protein, respectively, in the pancreata of recipient mice. Using fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH), we also identified human alpha-satellite DNA positive cells with a morphology characteristic of pancreatic acinar cells. Recently, a number of investigators have reported that the apparent reconstitution of tissue cells such as hepatocytes by hematopoietic stem cells is the result of spontaneous cell fusion between donor hematopoietic cells and recipient tissue cells. To negate this possibility, we used FISH for human and mouse DNA and examined the pancreas for the evidence of fusion between human hematopoietic cells and recipient pancreatic cells. We performed four-color analysis using FISH with human pan-centromere probe, mouse pan-centromere probe, and species non-specific probes for pancreatic amylase mRNA, combined with Hoechst nuclear counter staining on paraffin-embedded sections of pancreata from recipient mice. We identified cells that were amylase mRNA-positive expressed human-specific alpha-satellite DNA and exhibited morphological characteristics of pancreatic acinar cells but did not express mouse-specific gamma-satellite DNA. These findings establish that human umbilical cord blood cells are capable of generating pancreatic acinar cells via a non-fusion mechanism.
Organotypic culture in three dimensions prevents radiation-induced transformation in human lung epithelial cells.

The effects of radiation in two-dimensional (2D) cell culture conditions may not recapitulate tissue responses as modeled in three-dimensional (3D) organotypic culture. In this study, we determined if the frequency of radiation-induced transformation and cancer progression differed in 3D compared to 2D culture. Telomerase immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) with shTP53 and mutant KRas expression were exposed to various types of radiation (gamma, +H, 56Fe) in either 2D or 3D culture. After irradiation, 3D structures were dissociated and passaged as a monolayer followed by measurement of transformation, cell growth and expression analysis. Cells irradiated in 3D produced significantly fewer and smaller colonies in soft agar than their 2D-irradiated counterparts (gamma P = 0.0004; +H P = 0.049; 56Fe P < 0.0001). The cell culture conditions did not affect cell killing, the ability of cells to survive in a colony formation assay, and proliferation rates after radiation—implying there was no selection against cells in or dissociated from 3D conditions. However, DNA damage repair and apoptosis markers were increased in 2D cells compared to 3D cells after radiation. Ideally, expanding the utility of 3D culture will allow for a better understanding of the biological consequences of radiation exposure.
Abstract B51: Racial differences in socioeconomic status, health-related behaviors, and rectal cancer risk

Background: Racial differences in colorectal cancer (CRC) persist despite the overall decreases in both incidence and mortality attributable to screening and improved treatment modalities, with African Americans having the highest rates among all U.S. race/ethnic groups. Most of the reasons for this disparity remain unknown. Objectives: 1) To assess the differences in socioeconomic factors, health conditions, and health-related behaviors between Whites and African Americans without rectal cancer, and 2) determine if risk of rectal cancer associated with these factors differs by race. Methods: We used self-reported data from the North Carolina Colon Cancer Study-Phase 2, a population-based case-control study of 998 rectal (including sigmoid and rectosigmoid junction) cancer cases (751 White, 247 African American) and 989 controls (820 White, 169 African Americans). A chi-square test for independence was used to determine if socioeconomic factors (education, income, marital status, health insurance) health conditions (body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, history of cancer), and health-related behaviors (smoking, alcohol use, fruit/vegetable consumption, physical activity, screening) differed by race. Logistic regression with control for confounders was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Among controls,Whites had significantly higher education and income levels than African Americans, while a significantly larger portion of African Americans (5.4%) had no health insurance compared to Whites (2.1%). African Americans reported a greater prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity than Whites (all chi-square p-values Conclusion: These findings suggest that socioeconomic indicators, chronic health conditions, and health behaviors differ by race, which may in part contribute to racial differences in rectal cancer risk. This study underscores the need to examine these associations separately by race, ideally in racially diverse study populations.
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Mortality and Recovery Rates Vary by Wing Molt Status at Time of Banding

Abstract. Recovery (i.e., shot, retrieved, and reported) rates and daily mortality risk of 52,330 adult Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) leg-banded during pre-molt, in-molt, or post-molt during 1985–2011 were evaluated to better understand mortality during wing molt in dynamics of the Mallard population in California, USA. Recovery rates and non-hunting mortality risk varied by molt status at time of banding and California region where banded. Mallards banded during post-molt were 1.22 (95% credible interval = 1.10–1.32) times more likely to be recovered than Mallards banded pre-molt; recovery probability was similar for pre-molt and in-molt Mallards. Mallards banded post-molt had 0.43 (0.17–0.98) and in-molt 0.87 (0.51–1.49) times the daily risk of non-hunting mortality as Mallards banded pre-molt. Mallards were 0.92 (0.86–0.98) times as likely to be recovered, and daily risk of non-hunting mortality was 2.93 (1.79–4.94) times greater, if banded in Northeastern California than in California's Central Valley...
Arthroscopic Management of Bennett Fracture

Bennett fracture is the most common fracture of the thumb. Choosing the appropriate approach to fracture fixation requires a thorough knowledge of the anatomy surrounding the first carpometacarpal joint, which is necessary to prevent injury to local sensory nerves and tendons. Although no study has shown superior outcomes compared with open reduction internal fixation and fluoroscopically guided closed reduction and percutaneous pinning, arthroscopic-assisted fixation allows for debridement of the carpometacarpal joint, direct visualization of the articular surface during reduction, and has minimal morbidity and associated complications.
Effects of dietary supplementation of the osmolyte betaine on growing pig performance and serological and hematological indices during thermoneutral and heat-stressed conditions

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of dietary betaine on pig performance and serological and hematological indices during thermoneutral and heat-stressed conditions. Individually housed pigs ( = 64; 39.0 ± 1.5 kg BW) were assigned within weight blocks and sex to 1 of 8 treatments. Treatments consisted of 2 environmental conditions (thermoneutral or heat-stressed) and 4 levels of betaine (0, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20%). Room temperatures followed a daily pattern with a low of 14°C and a high of 21°C for the thermoneutral environment and a low of 28°C and a high of 35°C for the heat-stressed environment. Experimental diets were fed from d -7 (7 d prior to imposing temperature treatments; constant 21°C) until 28. Respiration rate and rectal temperature were measured on d 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28, and blood samples were collected on d 3 and 28. Heat stress reduced ( ≤ 0.008) ADG (0.710 vs. 0.822 kg/d) and ADFI (1.81 vs. 2.27 kg/d) and increased G:F ( = 0.036; 0.391 vs. 0.365). Betaine tended to quadratically increase G:F ( = 0.071; 0.377, 0.391, 0.379, and 0.366 for 0, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20% betaine, respectively), regardless of environment. Heat stress increased ( ≤ 0.001) respiration rate (48 vs. 23 breaths/30 s) and rectal temperature (39.47 vs. 38.94°C) throughout d 1 to 28. Betaine at 0.10% reduced rectal temperature in heat-stressed pigs but not in control pigs (interaction, = 0.040). Heat stress increased serum cysteine and triglycerides and reduced Ca, alkaline phosphatase, and lipase, regardless of day of sampling ( ≤ 0.048). Heat stress increased serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and K and reduced osmolarity, Na, urea N, methionine, homocysteine, the albumin:globulin ratio, and blood eosinophil count on d 3 but not on d 28 (interaction, ≤ 0.013). Heat stress increased serum Mg, globulin, creatinine, amylase, and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and reduced , the urea N:creatinine ratio, alanine aminotransferase, NEFA, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cells on d 28 but not on d 3 (interaction, ≤ 0.034). Betaine increased serum osmolarity and NEFA and reduced CPK and K on d 3 but not on d 28 (interaction, ≤ 0.060) and increased serum creatinine and reduced amylase on d 28 but not on d 3 (interaction ≤ 0.057). Heat stress reduced growth, disturbed ion balance, and increased markers of muscle damage. Betaine had a minor impact on alleviating heat stress with the possible exception of early days of heat exposure. The beneficial effect of betaine was diminished by pig adaptation.
Neuropsychological Practice in the Oncology Setting

Oncology has experienced positive shifts in survival curves for many cancers largely due to the development of earlier diagnostics and better therapeutics. This has increased the visibility and need for survivorship services, including clinical neuropsychology. Patients with cancer frequently experience cognitive dysfunction related to the presence of cancer itself and treatment neurotoxicity. These cognitive difficulties can profoundly impact patient functioning and autonomy with accompanying declines in quality of life. Clinical neuropsychologists are uniquely positioned to evaluate the cognitive and affective sequelae of cancer and treatment and provide interventions and recommendations that can benefit well-being and potentially alter the disease course. Despite increasing recognition of the importance of neuropsychological issues to cancer survivorship, many neuropsychologists have limited training and guidance regarding navigating and implementing services within the oncology setting. This article provides the basic rationale for neuropsychological practice and research activities in oncology, as well as the experience of the Section of Neuropsychology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Skipped Generation Parents: Building Collaborative Partnerships to Support Custodial Grandparents

Social service caseworkers observed a significant number of custodial grandparents who appeared isolated from typical community support networks. These grandparents, for one reason or another, were actively involved in parenting their children’s children. Many issues of re-parenting were of significant concern. Some grandparents presented poor parenting skills and others were frustrated with their circumstances. Resources typically available to support foster care families were not available to these families. These observations were numerous enough to bring the matter to the attention of others, including supervisors and other caseworkers.
Electron vs. H-Atom Transfer in Chemical Repair

Free radicals are generated by ionizing radiations (e.g., X rays, γ rays, electrons, neutrons, and Rn α-particles),1 and the biological effects they cause are in some ways a consequence of their reactions.2 Free radicals may also be generated by other processes and agents and numerous chemicals generate them under physiological conditions. Cancer promoters3 and antineoplastic drugs4 cause DNA strand breaks via free radical reactions. Metabolic processes are also perceived as possible sources of free radicals.5–7 The repair of free radicals and the elimination (or reduction) of their biological effects by radioprotectors (mainly sulfhydryls) is a well-established defense mechanism in biological systems8. Although the interaction of anticarcinogens (primarily antioxidants) with free radicals is feasible, this is a poorly understood process.8,9
Is There an Association Between Comprehensive Basic Science Examination Score and Acceptance into an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program

Sparse data exist regarding the association between applicants' Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) scores and acceptance into an oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) residency program. The aims of this study were to assess the association between applicants' CBSE scores and acceptance into one OMFS residency program; to determine the association between other applicant-related variables and acceptance into the program; and to identify the mean CBSE score of accepted applicants by their dental schools' American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) district. For this retrospective data analysis conducted in 2017, the study sample consisted of applicants to the University of Illinois at Chicago OMFS residency program for the application cycles of 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16. The primary predictor variable was CBSE score. The primary outcome variable was acceptance to the program. A total of 477 applicants were in the sample. In the multivariate analysis, CBSE score was found to be significantly associated with an increased chance of acceptance into the program (OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.15; p<0.001). Other variables associated with acceptance, though to a non-significant degree, were age (p=0.01), dental school grade point average (GPA) (p=0.01), and number of externships completed prior to application (p=0.02). These findings may be useful for both applicants and program directors.
Neuro-Evolution and Robustness: A Case Study

We designed and implemented a game with a nonplaying character controlled by a neural network, where the weight set determines the character's next move. The weight sets were improved using neuro-evolution, where a genetic algorithm alters the weights of the neural network. Previously, we created neural network data to provide a population from which to select “parents,” then used cross-over and mutation to create a new set of weights (“offspring”), and evaluated them to find relative rankings. After thousands of iterations, sets of weights evolved to allow the NN -controlled character to win easily. Are the results robust, that is, how sensitive is the neuro-evolution solution to initial conditions? In this paper, we test our previous results to see how well the neural network weight sets perform under different starting conditions. We found mixed results: while the experiment confirmed our previous results, modifications of the starting position revealed a subtle bias against starting positions with larger values relative to the Y-axis. The reason for the bias comes from the way the game handles diagonal projectiles as horizontal or vertical graphlcs.
Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS)

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a life-threatening systemic immune-mediated condition and a catastrophic complication of autoinflammatory conditions such as adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA). It is a subtype of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) associated with underlying rheumatologic conditions, both autoimmune and autoinflammatory. The patients are often acutely ill from an ongoing “cytokine storm,” and there is significant morbidity and mortality associated with it. Aggressive treatment with high-dose intravenous corticosteroids, immunomodulators, antineoplastic agents, and, depending on the underlying etiology, biologics is necessary to prevent organ damage and improve survival.
Independent Components of Neural Activation Associated With 100 Days of Cognitive Training

Some cognitive training studies have reported working memory benefits that generalize beyond the trained tasks, whereas others have only found task-specific training effects. What brain networks ar...
Effectiveness of Early Laser Treatment in Surgical Scar Minimization: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Studies investigating the efficacy of lasers to minimize early surgical scars are low powered and report variable results. To further examine the evidence, the authors performed a systemic review and meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE To present the evidence of randomized controlled trials investigating the efficacy of laser modalities in minimizing surgical scars when applied <1 month after operation. MATERIALS AND METHODS A literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Northern Light Life Sciences Conference Abstracts, and Cochrane Library was performed between November 6, 2015, and November 20, 2015. After assessing for inclusion, data extraction used the PRISMA checklist. Assessment for quality, validity, and risk of bias applied a scale devised by Jadad and colleagues, the Oxford Pain Validity Scale, and the RevMan risk of bias assessment tool, respectively. The GRADEpro application graded overall quality, and statistical analysis was performed with RevMan. RESULTS Approximately 4,373/4,397 abstracts and 16/24 full articles were excluded using predefined criteria, leaving 8 articles in the systematic review and 4 in the meta-analysis. The primary outcome reached statistical significance favoring the intervention group with standardized mean difference 0.39 (95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.74) and p = .03. CONCLUSION The outcome supports the efficacy of lasers in minimizing primarily closed surgical scars when treated <1 month after surgery.
The response of free erythrocyte protoporphyrin to pyridoxine therapy in a patient with sideroachrestic (sideroblastic) anemia.

Studies of a patient with acquired sideroachrestic anemia and metastatic carcinoma of the prostate are presented. Although the administration of pyridoxine did not elicit a hematologic response, the administration of this vitamin was associated with a remarkable accumulation of protoporphyrin within the erythrocytes. It is suggested that there were two defects in the hemoglobin biosynthetic pathway: impaired incorporation of protoporphyrin into hemoglobin and defective delta-aminolevulinic acid synthesis. Pyridoxine had no effect on the former hut partially corrected the latter.
Hydrothermal synthesis and structural characterization of NaLnGeO4 (Ln = Ho, Er, Tb, Tm, Yb, Lu) family of lanthanide germanates

NaLnGeO4 (Ln = Ho, Tb, Tm, Er, Yb, Lu) were, synthesized in supercritical water, and the products were obtained in quantitative yield as large single crystals. The crystal structures of the family of NaLnGeO4 were determined, and found to crystallize in the orthorhombic crystal system with the space group Pnma. The structures have olivine type chains as the primary building block, with GeO4 tetrahedra linking the chains through edge- and corner-sharing with lanthanide octahedral units.
Pulmonary vascular development, diagnosis and treatment for pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

It is well known that pulmonary hypertension(PH) is one severe complication of bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD) that is associated with high mortality.Aberrant pulmonary vascular growth, abnormal vasoreactivity and pulmonary vascular remodeling may ultimately lead to PH.Symptoms of PH often overlap those of BPD itself.Furthermore, the emergence of symptoms may indicate that the disease has already progressed to a late, less reversible phase, thereby supporting arguments for screening all infants at risk.Echocardiography is non-invasive and widely available, and is currently the most commonly used screening modality for PH in infants with BPD.Because the incidence of associated cardiovascular anomalies is high, cardiac catheterization and CT scanning of the chest should be considered in all infants who have significant PH despite optimal management of their lung disease.Early diagnosis and aggressive specific drug therapy can improve the outcome for these patients. Key words: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; Pulmonary vascular development; Diagnosis and treatment; Pulmonary hypertension; Prematurity
Public participation GIS and neighbourhood recovery: using community mapping for economic development

In 2005, New Orleans, Louisiana experienced an interruption in its neighborhood life cycle due to Hurricane Katrina. While federal, state and local administrative policies have tried to manage the process of recovery, the non-profit sector has been a key to the recovery. This paper will examine the case study of the Beacon of Hope Resource Centre (BOH) whose ability to collect data, expand citizen engagement and influence policy made a positive impact upon economic development through public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS) with the Regional Planning Commission and the Department of Planning and Urban Studies, University of New Orleans. This successful neighbourhood planning model provides an understanding of how PPGIS partnerships can support and encourage community engagement and economic development pre- and post-disaster.
Precision Medicine and Informatics

In this chapter, we will focus on the informatics resources for and implications of precision medicine. We will also provide a basic overview of precision medicine. Informatics is needed for the capture of data, transformation of data into information and knowledge, and – perhaps most importantly – implementation of precision medicine – acting on that new knowledge to improve the health of real people. Electronic health record (EHRs) are an important part of precision medicine both by providing a real world data source as well as a key modality for its implementation.
Short-wave Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy for Lipid and Water Detection

Lipids play a vital role in brain function; Alzheimer's disease and aging are both associated with changes in lipid composition. Current methods for imaging and monitoring lipid deposits within the brain have poor spatial resolution, sensitivity, and/or penetration depth. Photoacoustic imaging (PA/PAI) allows for deep (>5mm) mapping of optical absorption_properties of biological tissue.; however, water and lipid have relatively weak optical absorption properties in the typical near-infrared window used for PAI (700-1000nm). This study investigates PAI in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) range (>1200nm) as a method to dramatically enhance lipid and water contrast. Due to multiple strong absorption peaks within this optical window, a three wavelength unmixing technique labeled Tri-λ Concentration Mapping (CM) is shown to have the ability to quantify lipid and water content several millimeters into tissue. Values of lipid and water concentration are calculated at voxels within sections of marbled bovine muscular tissue. Investigated regions of muscular meat show a bimodal distribution about 75% and 50% predicted water concentration. Calculated lipid regions at depths of ~5mm display a more precise distribution centered around a lipid concentration of 57.25%. This technique demonstrates the ability of SWIR PAI and Tri-λ CM to identify and characterize lipid content within tissue at depths greater than 5mm. The results of this study show promise of the technique for use in more advanced studies, such as tracking Alzheimer's disease progression within mice.
Adherence and barriers to colorectal cancer screening varies among Arab Americans from different countries of origin.

Abstract Background and study aims Arab-Americans (ArA) in Michigan, USA had the lowest colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) in 2008 compared to the state’s general population (45.6% vs. 60.8%). The adherence rate and barriers to CRCS have been identified in a previous study; however, these differences have been not examined among ArA from different countries of origin. Patients and methods Community-based study through a survey filled by 130 Arab-Americans aged ⩾50 years. Demographic information and information about CRC screening knowledge were obtained. Responses were compared between the two largest population groups (Lebanese and Yemenis). Results The majority of the participants (80%) were from Lebanon (52.3%) and Yemen (27.7%). Majority of the Yemenis group have never been screened for CRC (72.2% vs. 27.9%, p Unscreened Lebanese had a higher family history of CRCS (31.6% vs. 0%, p = 0.002). The most common reported barrier for both groups was the misconception that CRCS is not necessary (62% for Yemenis & 42% for Lebanese, p = 0.197). Unscreened Yemenis were more unaware about CRCS (46% vs. 11%, p = 0.002). Conclusion CRC screening rates vary among Arab-Americans from different countries of origin. Physicians should consider the country of origin when recommending CRC screening to Arab-Americans.
The Chemical Synthesis of DNA and RNA Oligonucleotides for Drug Development and Synthetic Biology Applications

Synthetic DNA and RNA sequences have been and are still heavily used in the development of a plethora of therapeutic, diagnostic, and genomic applications. This report describes the details of the phosphoramidite approach to the solid-phase synthesis of DNA sequences including optimization of the critical steps that have been made over the years to improve the coupling kinetics and efficiency of deoxyribonucleoside phosphoramidite monomers. The use of deoxyribonucleoside H -phosphonate monomers, as an alternative to phosphoramidite monomers, is presented in sufficient detail to highlight the versatility of the H -phosphonate approach to the synthesis of native and modified oligonucleotides despite its inherent limitations. The solid-phase synthesis of RNA sequences is also reviewed with a particular emphasis on the selection of 2′-hydroxyl protecting groups for ribonucleosides and their phosphoramidite derivatives to underscore this critical issue in the synthesis of RNA sequences. The in situ synthesis of DNA sequences on microarrays using photolithographic, inkjet printing, electrochemical, and microfluidic processes is reported in the context of diagnostic, drug discovery, and gene assembly applications. The usefulness of DNA microarrays in the fabrication of RNA microarrays is demonstrated while the difficulties of in situ RNA synthesis on glass surfaces remain to be overcome.
A Distributed Partial Order Reduction Algorithm

A distributed version of the PV model checker [5] is being developed at the University of Utah [7]. Other distributed model checkers have also been implemented [1], [2], [6], however these have limited, or do not use partial order reduction.
Factors predicting long-term survival in diffuse mixed, histiocytic, or undifferentiated lymphoma.

Clinical and histopathologic material from 151 cases of diffuse mixed, diffuse histiocytic, and diffuse undifferentiated non-Burkitt's lymphomas have been reviewed to determine the factors that predict long- term survival. Median survival of all patients was 34 mo with 43% alive at 70 mo. Factors associated with a poor prognosis include: male sex, constitutional symptoms, advanced stage, bone marrow involvement, huge (greater than 10 cm) abdominal masses with gastrointestinal involvement, hepatic involvement, hemoglobin greater than 12 g/dl, or serum LDH greater than 250 U. The best prediction of a given patient's survival was defined by a set of four variables, which includes sex, symptoms, bone marrow status, and the presence or absence of a huge abdominal mass with gastrointestinal involvement. In contrast, classification of these patients according to the histopathologic categories of Rappaport of Strauchen did not define patient groups with significant differences in survival, nor did these categories correlate with the previously described clinical factors. Knowledge of the distribution of these prognostic factors in any clinical trial is needed before therapeutic results can be compared. In addition, such data may define subsets of patients for whom current therapy is inadequate and conversely those patients for whom current therapy yields excellent long-term survival.
A study of the mechanism of conversion of galactose to glucose in the intact rat.

The conversion of galactose to glucose was studied by administering galactose labeled uniformly with C/sup 14/ and at position 4 with tritium to rats and examining glucose obtained from liver glycogen. The ratio of tritium to C/ sup 14/ in the isolated glucose was unchanged from that in the administered galactose, indicating that if the mechanism of conversion involved the participation of NAD/sup +/ in an oxidation-reduction process, the NAD/sup +/ must have been bound to the enzyme and brought about both the oxidation and the reduction. Other possible mechanisms of conversion are discussed from the viewpoint of binding by the enzyme of reactants in the conversion. (auth)
Endogenous Encystment of Azotobacter vinelandii

When young cells of Azotobacter vinelandii are impinged on membrane filters, washed free of carbon substrate, and placed on a mineral salts basal medium, the culture will proceed to encyst although at a slower rate than if n-butanol were supplied as a substrate. The endogenous cysts are depleted in polybeta-hydroxybutyrate and have a narrower intine but show an increased resistance to desiccation and are susceptible to lysis by chelating agents. Membrane-supported cells reveal details of the encystment process such as the formation of a zone within the capsule prior to exine formation and the early deposition of exine structures.
Performance of the CLSI Carba NP and the Rosco Carb Screen Assays Using North American Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates

This study compared the performance of the Carba NP assay, published by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, and the Rosco Rapid Carb Screen kit. Carba NP had superior sensitivity, but both assays required an increased inoculum to detect carbapenemase production in isolates with blaNDM, blaIMP, and blaOXA-48.
EM compatibility issues in wireless communications

The wireless communication band of devices of most commonly used by the public extends from about 27 MHz to 2.2 GHz. Recent advances in the technology of "intelligent" magnetic card reading from a distance of several feet have extended the frequency of wireless personal communications down to 0.12 MHz. The traditional wireless portable communication modulation technology has been frequency modulation (FM); few products used single side band (SSB), which entails linear amplification of the carrier. The explosive demand of channels for cellular telephony has caused the application of more sophisticated modulation technologies (pulsed and linear amplitude modulation). The subscriber units of the newer cell phone technologies produce EM fields in the appropriate RF communication band and low frequency magnetic fields in the modulation baseband (11-217 MHz). These low frequency magnetic fields can interfere with proper functions of other electronic equipment in their immediate vicinity. From the above considerations, it is clear that the EM compatibility challenges in wireless communication technologies extend from few Hz to several GHz. In all frequencies, the EMC challenge arises from the need of evaluating the E and H-fields in the immediate vicinity of their sources and must be averaged either over a small volume to detect the source of disturbance fields which have a sphere of influence with an extremely small radius (e.g. 10-12 cm) with respect to the wavelength of the low frequency (<300 Hz) signal.
Assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on QGS, ECT and 4DM-SPECT with comparison to cardiac catheterization (CC) and cardiac echocardiogram (CE) in nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI)

1718 Objectives Comparison and evaluation of LVEF between software programs (QGS, ECT and 4DM-SPECT) in MPI with CC and CE. Methods 699 subjects (361 M, 338 F) with or without known CAD were retrospectively studied. The patients were selected by searching the radiology database at UNMC and CUMC. Subjects were classified into 2 groups, which LVEF was calculated either by QGS and ECT (EF method is R1) at CUMC or by 4DM-SPECT and ECT at UNMC and compared with LVEF was reported on CC and CE. Finally, correlation between gender, age, BMI, DM, FH and the modalities for estimation of LVEF were studied. Differences in means of these data were evaluated with paired t-tests. Pearson correlation coefficients were computed. Results Patient age range was 30-99 years old (mean 65.7 ± 12.6), BMI from 14-64 (mean 32.3 ± 8.2), EDV from 11-340 (Mean 112 ± 48.6) ESV from 2-298 (mean 49 ± 39.9). Correlation of ECT RLVEF with QGS RLVEF and 4DM- SPECT RLVEF were 0.8461 and 0.7783 respectively. Correlation of ECT SLVEF with QGS SLVEF and 4DM- SPECT SLVEF were 0.920 and 0.883 respectively. Correlation between CC and CE shows 0.561 and 0.468 at Creighton and UNMC respectively. At neither institution there is a significant difference between the means for CC and CE (P values 0.32 and 0.29 respectively). Finally the data shows CC has LVEF mean (56.4 ± 10.0) which is the closest to ECT LVEF mean (56.0± 14.9 and 55.1 ± 14.2 for rest and stress respectively) and CE has LVEF mean (52.7± 12.1), which is the closest to QGS LVEF mean (52.6± 14.3 and 53.7 ± 14.4 for rest and stress respectively). 4D-MSPECT LVEF mean (65.5± 15.0 and 64.1 ± 14.8 for rest and stress respectively) is the most far from either software to CC or CE. Conclusions LVEF mean estimates by CC is the closest to LVEF mean calculated by ECT and LVEF mean estimated by CE is the closest to LVEF mean calculated by QGS.
Migration, trade, and development: Comparing Mexico-US and Turkey-Europe

Migration was the major relationship between Mexico and the US and Turkey and Western Europe for most of the past half century. Changes in both migrant-sending and –receiving countries aimed to substitute trade for migration. Mexico and Turkey have had roller-coaster economic growth trajectories, sometimes growing faster than other OECD countries and sometimes shrinking faster. There have been significant changes in Mexico and Turkey but, until more formal-sector jobs are created, especially young people leaving agriculture or joining the labour market may be candidates for migration.
A new nonuniform frequency sampling technique for multidimensional FIR filter design

Summary form only given. A nonuniform frequency sampling method for designing multidimensional finite impulse response (FIR) filters has been derived. The derivation makes use of the fact that a multidimensional polynomial is uniquely reconstructible from its samples on irreducible curves, provided there are enough samples on each curve. The technique entails choosing an appropriate number of samples of the desired frequency response on an appropriate number of straight lines with different rational slopes in such a way that the resulting filter design problem has a unique solution. The major advantage of the technique over a window and transformation methods is its simplicity, and its advantage over existing frequency sampling methods is its increased flexibility. Efficient algorithms for determining the filter coefficients have been developed. >
Mixture class recovery in GMM under varying degrees of class separation: Frequentist versus Bayesian estimation.

Growth mixture modeling (GMM) represents a technique that is designed to capture change over time for unobserved subgroups (or latent classes) that exhibit qualitatively different patterns of growth. The aim of the current article was to explore the impact of latent class separation (i.e., how similar growth trajectories are across latent classes) on GMM performance. Several estimation conditions were compared: maximum likelihood via the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm and the Bayesian framework implementing diffuse priors, “accurate” informative priors, weakly informative priors, data-driven informative priors, priors reflecting partial-knowledge of parameters, and “inaccurate” (but informative) priors. The main goal was to provide insight about the optimal estimation condition under different degrees of latent class separation for GMM. Results indicated that optimal parameter recovery was obtained though the Bayesian approach using “accurate” informative priors, and partial-knowledge priors showed promise for the recovery of the growth trajectory parameters. Maximum likelihood and the remaining Bayesian estimation conditions yielded poor parameter recovery for the latent class proportions and the growth trajectories.
Yolk Sac Absorption and Initiation of Growth in Broilers

A series of three experiments was conducted to determine the role of the yolk sac in initiation of growth in broilers. In Experiment 1, absorption of the yolk sac was found to precede initiation of growth in newly hatched broilers by approximately 24 h. Because the yolk sac is essential for early initiation of growth, in Experiments 2 and 3 it was removed and diets with incremental fat levels of 3, 6, and 10% were fed to assess whether fat was essential for optimal growth during the neonatal period. Results suggest that dietary fat has its greatest effect on growth after 10 days of age. Therefore, initiation of growth may be more closely dependent upon other nutrients.
Peroxynitrite-induced inhibition and nitration of cardiac myofibrillar creatine kinase

Although cardiac peroxynitrite formation and attendant protein nitration is an established event in both acute and chronic settings of cardiac failure, the putative intracellular targets involved remain incompletely defined. We have recently shown that the myofibrillar isoform of creatine kinase (a critical energetic controller of cardiomyocyte contractility) may be a particularly sensitive target of peroxynitrite-induced nitration and inactivation in vivo. However, the kinetic and mechanistic aspects of this interaction remain undefined. Here we tested the hypothesis that myofibrillar creatine kinase is sensitive to inhibition by peroxynitrite, and investigated the mechanistic role for tyrosine nitration in this process. Peroxynitrite potently and irreversibly inhibited myofibrillar creatine kinase capacity (Vmax), at concentrations as low as 100 nM, while substrate affinity (Km) was unaffected. Concentration-dependent nitration of myofibrillar creatine kinase was observed. The extent of nitration was linearly related to peroxynitrite concentration and highly correlated to the extent of myofibrillar creatine kinase inhibition. This inhibition was not reversible by treatment with free cysteine (250 μM), but pre-incubation with substrate (phosphocreatine and/or ATP) provided significant protection of MM-CK from both nitration and inhibition. These results suggest that myofibrillar creatine kinase is a highly sensitive target of peroxynitrite-mediated inhibition, and that nitration may mediate this inhibition.
Nonseparation in the moduli of complex vector bundles

Let X be a compact complex analytic space with structure sheaf (9 and let Hi(X, GL(r, (9)) denote the cohomology set parameterizing isomorphism classes of rank r analytic vector bundles on X. If r > 1, Ha(X, GL(r, (9)) may not naturally form an analytic space; in fact, the natural topology on the cohomology set is not generally Hausdorff. In this paper we provide computable criteria for determining the topological non-separation of points in the cohomology set. For bundles ~o and ~p admitting a nonzero homomorphism h :~0~p, we show that under suitable hypotheses, it is possible to simultaneously deform q~, ~/~ and h in analytic oneparameter families ~o(t), ~p(t) and h(t) such that, for t near zero, h(t) defines an isomorphism between ~o(t) and W(t) converging as t ~ 0 to the homomorphism h from ~o = ~0(0) to ~0 =~p(0). In case X is a Riemann surface, this method yields necessary and sufficient conditions for non-separation of rank two bundles.
Tracing fourth graders’ learning of fractions: early episodes from a year-long teaching experiment

Abstract Considerable and significant research 1 has been conducted focusing on what students know about fraction ideas. 2 However, much of the research looks at student understanding following some instruction. The research 3 reported in this paper differs from other studies in three significant ways: (1) the students were 9- and 10-year-old fourth graders; (2) they had not yet had an introduction to operational rules and definitions about fractions; and (3) the research design emphasized a student-centered approach. The research is based on the view that given particular conditions in which students are invited to work together and conduct thoughtful investigations with appropriate materials, they can build fundamental mathematical ideas.
Microscopic observations of germination and septum formation in pycnidiospores of Botryodiplodia theobromae

Abstract A population of aseptate pycnidiospores of the fungus Botryodiplodia theobromae can be induced to germinate or to form septa delimiting two cells; this developmental process is dependent upon nutritional and environmental factors. Transmission electron microscope investigations indicate that during germination of the aseptate spore, a new inner wall layer is synthesized de novo at the site of germ tube emergence. Formation of the septum also involves the de novo synthesis of an inner wall layer which comprises the majority of the septum and completely surrounds the spore. The wall of the germ tube emerging from the septate spore is a direct extension of this inner layer deposited during the formation of the septum. Although the early stages of spore germination may involve localized enzymatic degradation of the internal layers of the spore wall, transmission and scanning electron micrographs of germinating spores show that the outer wall layers are physically fractured by the emerging germ tube. It is suggested that spore germination and septum formation are initially similar processes regarding cell wall genesis but that some mechanism responsive to environmental and nutritional conditions determines the course of development.
Automatic Anatomy Recognition Via Multi Object Oriented Active Shape Models

The computerized assistive process of recognizing, delineating and quantifying organs and tissue regions in medical images, occurring automatically during clinical image interpretation, is called automatic anatomic recognition (AAR). This paper studies the feasibility of developing an AAR system in clinical radiology. The anatomy recognition method described here consists of three components: (a) oriented active shape modeling (OASM); (b) multi object generalization of OASM; (c) object recognition strategies. (b) and (c) are novel and depend heavily on the idea of OASM, presented previously in this conference. The delineation of an object boundary is done in OASM via a two level dynamic programming algorithm wherein the first level finds optimal location for the landmarks and the second level finds optimal oriented boundary segments between successive landmarks. This algorithm is generalized to multiple objects by including a model for each object and assigning a cost structure specific to each object in the spirit of live wire. The object recognition strategy attempts to find that pose vector (consisting of translation, rotation, and a scale component) for the multi object model that yields the smallest total boundary cost for all objects. The evaluation results on a routine clinical abdominal CT data set indicate the following: (1) High recognition accuracy can be achieved without fail by including a large number of objects which are spread out in the body region; (2) An overall delineation accuracy of TPVF>97%, FPVF<0.2% was achieved, suggesting the feasibility of AAR.