cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advances in our understanding of the Reinke space.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Normal vocal fold vibration depends critically upon the composition of the Reinke space or the lamina propria extracellular matrix. Alterations in the normal composition of the extracellular matrix result in a loss of normal vibratory function. In this article, the present literature on the Reinke space in normal and disease states is reviewed including publications in the multidisciplinary fields of biomechanics, histology, molecular biology, and tissue engineering. RECENT FINDINGS With recent technology advances, the etiology for benign lesions has been investigated with computer models and bioreactors. Particular extracellular matrix constituents in various benign vocal fold lesions--fibronectin, fibromodulin and hyaluronan--appear to be involved in altering the viscoelastic properties of the Reinke space. Significant basic science approaches to the investigation of the characterization of the Reinke space in vocal fold scarring has produced several potential future treatment avenues. Tissue-engineering approaches for regeneration of the Reinke space are the most recent addition to the literature showing promising research directions. SUMMARY Voice disorders represent a significant clinical problem. Research attempting to discover the underlying molecular and genetic regulation and homeostasis of the extracellular matrix of the Reinke space are essential. Effective future clinical interventions must be based upon the knowledge of how genetic and biologic features are disturbed in vocal diseases and how they relate to vocal symptoms.
Sensitive gas chromatographic determination of the monosaccharide composition of glycoproteins using electron capture detection

Abstract A gas chromatographic procedure using electron capture detection has been developed for the monosaccharide analysis fo submicrogram quantites of glycoproteins. Methanolysis of the glycorproteis and subsequent trifluoroacetylation of the resultant methyl glycosides using N-mehylbis(trifluoacetamide) is carried out in a single capillary tube. The carbohydrate composition of 0.1 μg of several glycoproteins has been quantitativly determined by this method.
Differential rotation driven by convection in a rapidly rotating annulus

Abstract The generation of a mean zonal flow by centrifugally driven thermal convection in a rotating annulus heated from the outside and cooled from within is investigated theoretically as well as experimentally. It is shown that the direction of the mean flow depends on the curvature of the conical surfaces bounding the fluid in the axial direction. Convex conical boundaries give rise to a prograde mean flow in the outer part and a retrograde mean flow in the inner part of the fluid annulus. The directions are reversed for concave conical boundaries. Although the parameter regime for which the theoretical results have been derived could not be realized in the experiment, semi-quantitative agreement between theoretical predictions and observations has been found.
Solute-atom segregation: An oscillatory Ni profile at an internal interface in Pt(Ni).

Thermodynamic equilibrium segragation at an individual grain boundary in a Pt-3 at. % Ni alloy is studied via transmission electron microscopy, atom-probe field-ion microscopy, and Monte Carlo simulations. Ni segregation is measured at the grain boundary. The Ni concentration profile is asymmetric with respect to the grain-boundary plane; it decreases in an oscillatory fashion on one side and monotonically on the other side.
On-Site Assessment of Extractable Soil Nutrients after Long-Term Biosolid Applications to Perennial Forage

The objective of this study was to evaluate soil nutrient loading and depth distributions of extractable nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) after long-term, continuous annual surface applications of anaerobically digested class B biosolids at a municipal recycling facility in central Texas. Commercial forage production fields of coastal bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) were surface applied at 0, 20, 40, or 60 Mg dry biosolids ha−1 y−1 for 8 years. Application duration was evaluated in fields treated with 20 Mg dry biosolids ha−1 y−1 for 0, 8, or 20 years. Total soil loads of extractable inorganic N and P increased linearly with application rate, but only extractable P increased with duration. Neither total load nor soil distribution of extractable K was affected by biosolid applications. Mineralization of biosolid-derived organic N and P likely contributed to elevated concentrations of nitrate throughout the soil profile (0–110 cm) and orthophosphate in surface soils (0–40 cm).
Hormonal Regulation of Phospholipid Methyltransferase by 3′,5′-Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate-Dependent and Independent Mechanisms*

Treatment of isolated rat adipocytes with epinephrine or isoproterenol caused a time- and concentrationdependent increase in phospholipid methyltransferase (PLMT) activity that was blocked by propranolol and unaffected by phentolamine. Forskolin mimicked the stimulatory effect on PLMT, and insulin inhibited this effect. In both the absence and presence of insulin, there was a linear relationship between PLMT activity and lipolysis. PLMT activity was also increased in response to oxytocin, which does not activate adenylate cyclase in adipocytes and does not stimulate lipolysis. The effects of oxytocin were inhibited by insulin and were additive with those of isoproterenol on PLMT. These data suport the hypothesis that in adipocytes, PLMT is activated by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase and a cAMP-independent mechanism, both of which can be regulated independently, and both of which are sensitive to inhibition by insulin. (Endocrinology 120: 2421–2427,1987)
Expression of Sonic hedgehog-Fc fusion protein in Pichia pastoris. Identification and control of post-translational, chemical, and proteolytic modifications

We have investigated the suitability of Pichia pastoris as an expression system for the candidate therapeutic protein, Sonic hedgehog fused to an immunoglobulin Fc domain (Shh-Fc). Sonic hedgehog is a morphogen protein involved in the patterning of a wide range of tissues during animal embryogenesis. The presence of Sonic hedgehog and its receptor, Patched, in adult nervous tissue suggests possible applications for the protein in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease and injury. We have engineered the Shh-Fc fusion protein in order to improve binding affinity and increase systemic exposure in animals. N-terminal sequencing, peptide mapping, mass spectrometry, and other biochemical and biological methods were used to characterize the purified protein. These analyses revealed several unanticipated problems, including thiaproline modification of the N-terminal cysteine, cleavage by a Kex2-like protease at a site near the N-terminus, proteolysis at sites near the hinge, addition of a hexose in the CH3 domain of the Fc region, and several sites of methionine oxidation. Sequence modifications to the protein and changes in fermentation conditions resulted in increased potency and greater consistency of the product. The final product was shown to be biologically active in animal studies.
Determinants of Nutrient Intake of the Elderly

We examine the impact of a wide variety of factors on nutrient intake of a nationally representative sample of persons aged 55 and older. We studied individual food consumption data for a sample of 5615 persons obtained over a three-day period in the basic sample of the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey. We used multivariate estimation techniques to examine effects of source of income, program participation, and demographic and personal characteristics. Federal programs, particularly those for the elderly, appear significantly to improve nutrient intake and diet quality. Increases in away-from-home consumption are associated with significantly less calcium and phosphorous intakes. Other demographic and socioeconomic factors have important and statistically significant effects.
The impact of onychomycosis on quality of life: development of an international onychomycosis-specific questionnaire to measure patient quality of life.

Abstract Background: Onychomycosis is a widespread refractory disease deleteriously affecting quality of life via social stigma and disrupting daily activities. Many physicians perceive onychomycosis as a cosmetic rather than a medical problem. Objective: Our purpose was to develop a questionnaire-based instrument to quantify the impact of onychomycosis on patients' quality of life. Methods: The questionnaire was developed and validated in a multinational cross-sectional study. Completed questionnaires from 532 patients were analyzed: 284 toenail, 248 fingernail (onychomycosis or paronychia). Results: The degree of quality of life impairment from onychomycosis varied by country studied, possibly reflecting cross-national health perception differences. Longer duration of disease, greater involvement of individual nails, and greater number of nails involved were associated with more serious adverse effects. Many physicians underestimated the associated degree of pain. Conclusion: The study confirms that onychomycosis physically and psychologically affects patients' lives. The questionnaire may be a valuable tool in evaluating the effect of therapeutic agents on quality of life of patients with onychomycosis. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1999;41:189-96.)
Life-Space Mobility Declines Associated with Incident Falls and Fractures

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of falls and fractures on life-space mobility in a cohort of community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study with a baseline in-home assessment and 6-month telephone follow-up interviews over 4 years. SETTING: Central Alabama. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older recruited from a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries stratified according to sex, race, and urban versus rural residence (N = 970). MEASUREMENTS: Sociodemographic factors, medical history, depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale), cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination), mobility-related symptoms, transportation difficulty, and healthcare use were assessed during a baseline in-home interview of participants. Life-space mobility and falls or injuries (including fractures) were assessed at the baseline interview and at 6-month intervals in follow-up telephone calls. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-four (47%) participants reported at least one fall during the 4-year follow-up. The life-space score fell 3.2 points from the beginning to the end of the 6-month interval during which a fall occurred, adjusting for other known predictors of decline in life-space mobility. The decrease in interval life-space score was progressively greater for a fall and an injury (-4.7 points), a fall and a fracture (-14.2 points), and a fall and a hip fracture (-23.6 points). CONCLUSION: Falls, whether associated with an injury or not, were independently associated with a decrease in life-space mobility in the ensuing 6 months. Further studies are needed to determine reasons for life-space mobility decline in community-dwelling older adults with incident falls without any injuries. Language: en
Beampattern analysis for MIMO radar and telecommunication system coexistence

In this paper, we present a beampattern analysis of the MIMO radar coexistence algorithm proposed in [1]. We extend the previous work and analyze the performance of MIMO radars by projecting finite alphabet constant-envelope waveforms onto the null-space of interference channel matrix. First, we compare and analyze the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) on angle direction estimation. Second, we compare and analyze beampatterns of the original radar waveform and the null-projected radar waveform. Analytical and simulation results show minimal degradation of a radar's angle estimation of a target and transmit-receive beampattern. We also propose methods to substantially improve angle estimation and beampatterns of a null projected radar waveform which will not only guarantee optimal performance of the radar but at the same time guarantee coexistence of the radar and communication systems.
Elevated atmospheric CO2 and feedback between carbon and nitrogen cycles

We tested a conceptual model describing the influence of elevated atmospheric CO2 on plant production, soil microorganisms, and the cycling of C and N in the plant-soil system. Our model is based on the observation that in nutrient-poor soils, plants (C3) grown in an elevated CO2 atmosphere often increase production and allocation to belowground structures. We predicted that greater belowground C inputs at elevated CO2 should elicit an increase in soil microbial biomass and increased rates of organic matter turnover and nitrogen availability. We measured photosynthesis, biomass production, and C allocation of Populus grandidentata Michx. grown in nutrient-poor soil for one field season at ambient and twice-ambient (i.e., elevated) atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Plants were grown in a sandy subsurface soil i) at ambient CO2 with no open top chamber, ii) at ambient CO2 in an open top chamber, and iii) at twice-ambient CO2 in an open top chamber. Plants were fertilized with 4.5 g N m−2 over a 47 d period midway through the growing season. Following 152 d of growth, we quantified microbial biomass and the availabilities of C and N in rhizosphere and bulk soil. We tested for a significant CO2 effect on plant growth and soil C and N dynamics by comparing the means of the chambered ambient and chambered elevated CO2 treatments.
Observations on the Significance of the Electrostatic Potentials at the Nuclei of Atoms and Molecules

The first portion of this paper reviews the development of a series of relationships, both exact and approximate, between the energies of atomic and molecular systems and the total electrostatic potentials at the nuclei in these systems. Mathematical formulations are presented for such properties as the energy of the valence electronic charge of an atom, and the energies associated with the individual atoms in a molecule. An equation is obtained that relates the energy of a molecule to the changes in the electrostatic potentials at the nuclei of the free atoms when they combine to form the molecule. The second portion of the paper discusses some properties of the potentials at nuclei, including their remarkable insensitivity to the environments of the nuclei. It is pointed out that the potentials at nuclei serve as links between theory and various experimental techniques, including electron spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and Mossbauer spectroscopy. A general theme of this paper is that the electrostatic potentials at nuclei are a fundamental and unifying property of atomic and molecular systems, which can help to clarify and generalize some very basic concepts.
Translocation Mapping Exposes the Risky Lifestyle of B Cells

Recurrent chromosomal translocations can drive oncogenesis, but how they form has remained elusive. Now, Chiarle et al. (2011) and Klein et al. (2011) characterize the genome-wide spectrum of translocations that form from a single double-stranded break, revealing that specific loci have an intrinsic predisposition for frequent chromosomal rearrangements.
Analytical determination of compound 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) residues in biological materials.

A rapid and accurate method is described to determine toxic organofluorine residues in biological materials. Sample preparation is minimal. The sample is degraded by oxygen combustion, and the liberated inorganic fluoride determined by an ion-specific electrode. The method is specifically designed for the determination of sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080), and several of its derivatives with similar physiological action, during vertebrate pest-control programmes.
Statistical Difficulties in Determining the Role of Race in Capital Cases: A Re-analysis of Data from the State of Maryland

In this paper, we re-analyze data used to study the role of race in capital cases in the state of Maryland. We show that when alternative, and arguably more appropriate, statistical procedures are applied, the racial effects reported in early work turn out to be very fragile. The methodological point is more general: conventional causal modeling with observational data is not likely to produce robust results for a variety of criminal justice applications.
Reactive hot compaction of NiAl with in situ alumina reinforcement

A reactive hot compaction process has been usd to produce interconnected Al 2 O 3 reinforcements in situ in an NiAl matrix. The process involved blending of Ni and Al powders in which one of the constituents was pre-oxidized, followed by reactive hot pressing. The fracture toughness of the materials was found to depend on the volume fraction and the morphology of the alumina reinforcement phase, which is determined by the type of oxidation treatment employed. Oxidation of the Al powders resulted in the formtion of a dispersed or rod-like network while oxidizing the Ni powders produced a tubular network. The oxidation treatment was found to be the critical step for the development of the proper alumina morphology to maximize fracture toughness. The highest room temperature fracture toughness obtained in these experiments was 14 MPa m 1/2 at differential thermal analysis 18 vol.%. The processing sequence and its effect on the alumina morphology are presented based on and interrupted quenching experiments.
Synthesis of 14C-indole-3-acetyl-myo-inositol

Synthesis of the mixed isomeric 14C-indoleacetyl-myo-inositols from carrier-free β[2-14C]-indoleacetic acid (57.2 mCi/mmole) and inositol via an imidazolide intermediate is described. Radiological decomposition of the indolylic compounds was prevented by the use of a volatile thiol, dithioethane, and anthracene.
The diffuse ω structure: its relationship to spontaneous vitrification in β-TiCr

Abstract Diffuse scattering from quenched β-TiCr alloys is investigated using electron diffraction. A new structural model based on displacive atomic shifts coupled to chemical short-range order is described and shown to account for the observed diffuse scattering. Changes of the diffuse scattering in Ti 0.6 Cr 0.4 due to 1 MeV electron irradiation support the presence of chemical short-range order in quenched TiCr. The significance of these results in light of recent reports that the quenched-in β phase in a concentrated TiCr alloy undergoes a transformation to the amorphous state during low temperature annealing, a process known as spontaneous vitrification, is discussed.
Central α1-adrenergic system in behavioral activity and depression

Abstract Central α 1 -adrenoceptors are activated by norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EPI) and possibly dopamine (DA), and function in two fundamental and opposed types of behavior: (1) positively motivated exploratory and approach activities, and (2) stress reactions and behavioral inhibition. Brain microinjection studies have revealed that the positive-linked receptors are located in eight to nine brain regions spanning the neuraxis including the secondary motor cortex, piriform cortex, nucleus accumbens, preoptic area, lateral hypothalamic area, vermis cerebellum, locus coeruleus, dorsal raphe and possibly the C1 nucleus of the ventrolateral medulla, whereas the stress-linked receptors are present in at least three areas including the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, central nucleus of the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Recent studies utilizing c-fos expression and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation have shown that various diverse models of depression in mice produce decreases in positive region-neural activity elicited by motivating stimuli along with increases in neural activity of stress areas. Both types of change are attenuated by various antidepressant agents. This has suggested that the balance of the two networks determines whether an animal displays depressive behavior. A central unresolved question concerns how the α 1 -receptors in the positive-activity and stress systems are differentially activated during the appropriate behavioral conditions and to what extent this is related to differences in endogenous ligands or receptor subtype distributions.
Bulimia Nervosa and Associated Alcohol Abuse among Secondary School Students

Four adolescent student populations (totalling 686 girls and 705 boys) completed confidential questionnaires (98.6% response rate) concerning bulimia nervosa and alcohol abuse. All of the DSM-III-R criteria for bulimia nervosa were met by 2.0% of the girls and 0.1% of the boys. On the basis of score greater than or equal to 42 on the Adolescent Alcohol Involvement Scale, 12.5% of all girls and 9.2% of all boys were alcohol abusers. Our results suggest a significant association between bulimic behavior and alcohol abuse in this female population. Other factors associated with bulimic behavior included high maternal vocational status, high socioeconomic class (girls only), high weight for age and height, and low personal ideal weight. Other factors associated with alcohol abuse included high maternal vocational status, low paternal vocational status and education, low socioeconomic class (boys only), low grade point average, high age, and high birth order.
Interaction of the Antimalarial α-Dibutylaminomethyl-2,6-bis(trifluoromethylphenyl)- 4-pyridinemethanol with Human Serum Albumin

Abstract Binding of the antimalarial α -dibutylaminomethyl-2,6- bis(trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-pyridinemethanol with human serum albumin was studied using difference spectroscopy, fluorescence quenching, and equilibrium dialysis. Results indicated that the number of high affinity binding sites of the drug on protein is 0.45, with the total number of binding sites being 3.3-4.0. The binding constants were in the range of 0.57-4.00 × 10 6 M − 1 . The drug was bound more strongly to a nonionic detergent than to either a cationic or anionic detergent. Interpretation of these data and fluorescence quenching results indicated that the drug is possibly bound to a hydrophobic site on human serum albumin.
Shear modulus and material damping of municipal solid waste based on large-scale cyclic triaxial testing

Representative dynamic properties of municipal solid waste (MSW) are required to perform reliable seismic analyses of MSW landfills. A comprehensive large-scale cyclic triaxial laboratory testing p...
Late gestation supplementation of beef cows differing in body condition score: Effects on cow and calf performance

A 2-yr study utilizing 120 mature, crossbred (Angus × Herford) cows/year, evaluated the influence of cow BCS and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) supplementation during late gestation on cow performance and productivity of subsequent offspring. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 facto- rial in a randomized complete block design with 2 BCS and with or without DDGS supplementation. Cows were nutritionally managed to enter the last trimester of gestation with a BCS of approximately 4 (LBCS) or 6 (HBCS) and were thereafter managed in a single herd (initial BCS were 4.4 and 5.7 for LBCS and HBCS treatments, respectively). During the last trimester, 12.7 kg/cow of low quality meadow hay (6.4% CP; DM basis) was provided each day. Supplemented cows were gathered and sorted into pens (12 pens; 5 cows/pen; 6 pens/BCS) every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and received the equivalent of 0.9 kg/cow daily of DDGS (31% CP; DM basis; supplement was consumed within 30 min on each supplementation day). Calf birth weight was greater for HBCS compared to LBCS (P = 0.001) and for supplemented compared to nonsupplemented cows (P = 0.04). Cow weight at weaning was greater for HBCS compared with LBCS (P 0.05) due to treatments. Nevertheless, HBCS cows had approximately 10% more live calves at birth and at weaning (P ≤ 0.01) compared to LBCS cows. Consequently, the total weaned calf weight per cow was 26 kg greater for HBCS compared with LBCS (P = 0.004). Pregnancy rate was greater (P = 0.05) for HBCS than LBCS cows (92% vs. 79%, respectively) but not affected by supplementation (P = 0.94). This research demonstrates the potential consequences of not maintaining cows in adequate BCS at calving. Also, though it appears that supplementation of beef cows with DDGS during late gestation has a positive effect on weaning weight, there was no apparent develop- mental programming effect on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics of calves.
Time-varied magnetic field enhances transport of magnetic nanoparticles in viscous gel

Aim: The potential of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to deliver various forms of therapy has not been fully realized, in part due to difficulties in transporting the carriers through soft tissue to different target sites. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that transport of MNPs through a viscous gel can be controlled by a combined AC (time-varying) magnetic field and static field gradient. Materials & methods: MNP velocity and transport efficiency were measured in a viscous gel at various settings of magnetic field and magnetite loadings. Results: Combined application of an AC magnetic field with the static field gradient resulted in a nearly 30-fold increase in MNP transport efficiency in viscous gel for 30% (w/w) magnetite-loaded particles as compared with static field conditions. Conclusion: The ‘oscillating’ effect of an AC magnetic field greatly improves the ability to transport MNPs within soft media by decreasing the effective viscosity of the gel.
Juvenile White Shrimp Growth, Mortality, and Emigration in Weired and Unweired Louisiana Marsh Ponds

Abstract To study effects of marsh weirs on shrimp ecology, over 6,000 juvenile white shrimp Penaeus setiferus were marked with fluorescent pigments and released into two coastal Louisiana marsh ponds, one with a fixed-crest weir at its only opening, the other without. Marked white shrimp were recaptured as they emigrated toward the Gulf of Mexico from each pond. White shrimp growth was about 0.3–1.4 mm/d and 0.4–2.5 mm/d in 1983 and 0.3–0.4 mm/d and 0.5–0.7 mm/d in 1984 in the unweired and weired ponds, respectively. Growth was significantly greater in the weired pond. Mean time from release to emigration ranged from 31.5 to 47.4 d in the unweired pond and from 30.2 to 59.9 d in the pond with a weir. White shrimp emigrated significantly sooner from the unweired pond than from the weired pond in most experiments, but whether the weir actually delayed emigration was unclear. Peaks in emigration were associated with the occurrence of cold fronts. Instantaneous monthly mortality rates (Z ) from release to re...
Neural tree network for speech segmentation into subword acoustic units

A novel method of segmenting un-transcribed speech into sub-word acoustic units using neural tree networks (NTN) is presented. A NTN is a hierarchical classifier that combines the properties of decision trees and feed-forward neural networks. Segmentation of speech into sub-word units (of acoustic significance) is vital for large vocabulary, continuous speech recognition on un-transcribed speech database.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Comment on Russian Growth Retardation

(2003). Comment on Russian Growth Retardation. Eurasian Geography and Economics: Vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 102-104.
Oscillations of Accretion Disks and Boundary Layers in Cataclysmic Variables. II. A Local, Linear Stability Analysis of Accretion Disk Boundary Layers

We present the results of a linearized perturbation analysis for the models of cataclysmic variable (CV) disks and their boundary layers (BLs), discussed in a previous companion paper. For the case of large-scale, azimuthal oscillations in the BL, we find a triplet of unstable "torsional" modes consisting primarily of perturbations of the azimuthal velocity, plus a singlet mode consisting mainly of a pressure perturbation. In the disk, the torsional modes are modified gravity waves, with rise times short enough for significant amplification before entering the BL; in the BL, the frequencies of these modes are close enough in magnitude to produce beating. In the BL region where the effective temperature has its maximum, the beat frequencies, for a star rotating at 5% of its breakup rate, span a range from the stellar rotation frequency Ω* up to an order of magnitude larger than that, i.e., from periods of P ~ 20 s to (2-3) × 100 s, with the underlying fundamental oscillations having much smaller periods, ~1 s. These beat-frequency oscillations of the torsional modes have attributes similar to the quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in many CVs. Furthermore, if a particular region of the BL is excited, fairly high Q (where Q ≡ |dP/dt|-1) beat-frequency oscillations are produced, which are similar to some observed dwarf nova oscillations (DNOs). We propose two observational tests to determine whether some QPOs can be identified with the modes studied here. The tests require an extension of the search for CV oscillations to the 0.2-2 Hz frequency range.
EMPP: An extensible multiprogramming system for experimental psychology

EMPP is a problem-oriented language developed to simplify programming of psychological experiments on a minicomputer. An important feature of EMPP is its ability to be modified as the need for more complex hardware or software arises. The basic EMPP language is summarized and exemplified in a typical experiment.
The evolving role of liver biopsy

Summary Liver biopsy is traditionally the ‘gold standard‘ for the evaluation of liver diseases. There are several situations in which its role is being challenged. In hepatitis C, liver biopsy helps assess prognosis and treatment candidacy. An important exception is genotype 2 or 3 because treatment is more likely to succeed and therapy is relatively short in duration. For hepatitis B, liver biopsy gives some prognostic information, but serologic tests and hepatic biochemical tests are the primary determinants of treatment candidacy. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can be accurately diagnosed without a liver biopsy and, furthermore, there are no specific therapies available. The role of liver biopsy to assess methotrexate-associated hepatotoxicity remains controversial. Finally, patients with focal liver lesions usually do not require biopsy and, in the case of hepatocellular carcinoma, biopsy carries a risk of needle-track seeding. In short, the need for liver biopsy depends on the specific situation and should be performed when there is sufficient uncertainty about diagnosis, severity of disease, prognosis, and treatment decisions.
Neuromuscular problems in musicians.

BACKGROUND Musicians are an occupational (or avocational) group that may on occasion have highly specific health care problems apparently caused by or adversely affecting instrumental performance. Neurologists have been intimately involved in the development of a burgeoning interest in these disorders and, because of the nature of the most common symptoms, neurologists can expect to be called upon to evaluate such patients. REVIEW SUMMARY In this review, the most common playing-related disorders are discussed. These include the regional pain syndromes, primarily involving the neck and upper extremity, the focal neuropathies, again predominantly involving the upper extremity, and the focal dystonias or occupational cramps, which typically affect the hand or the cranial-innervated muscles involved in the embouchure (the relationship of the facial musculature to the mouthpiece of the instrument). Risk factors contributing to the development of these disorders are reviewed, the diagnostic approach is described, and the management of these playing-related problems is summarized. Aspects in which the instrumental musician may differ from other patients commonly seen by the neurologist, particularly with respect to the types of problems seen, methods of evaluation, and therapeutic strategies, are emphasized. CONCLUSIONS Many unanswered questions remain in each of these areas. Neurologists and neuroscientists are in an excellent position to help fill the voids in our knowledge base. It is hoped that the reader will be stimulated to participate in this effort.
Anandamide inhibits macrophage-mediated killing of tumor necrosis factor-sensitive cells

Abstract Anandamide (arachidonoylethanolamide) was shown to inhibit macrophage-mediated killing of tumor necrosis factor-sensitive murine L929 fibroblasts. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that L929 cells, co-cultured with Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) -activated peritoneal macrophages from mice treated with vehicle, were either disrupted or had surface abnormalities and numerous punctate lesions. In contrast, L929 cells co-cultured with macrophages from mice receiving P. acnes in concert with Anandamide (20 mg/kg – 80 mg/kg) or the exogenous cannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; 80 mg/kg) did not exhibit ultrastructural abnormalities. Cytotoxicity assays were performed in parallel with SEM in order to determine whether ultrastructural observations correlated with target cell killing as measured by release of radiolabel from L929 target cells. P. acnes -activated macrophages from vehicle-treated mice elicited 41% specific release of radiolabel from [ 51 Cr]-labeled L929 cells. In contrast, macrophages from animals treated with P. acnes and with 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg Anandamide exhibited 38%, 25%, or 28% specific release of radiolabel, respectively. Similarly, macrophages from animals treated with P. acnes and with 80 mg/kg THC exhibited 21% specific release of radiolabel. In vitro cytotoxicity studies using radiolabeled L929 target cells and conditioned medium from RAW264.7 murine macrophage-like cells allowed for determination of the time interval over which Anandamide exerted its inhibitory effect. Maximal inhibition of target cell killing occurred when conditioned medium was obtained from macrophages exposed to Anandamide for 1 hr prior to activation. In contrast, conditioned medium from THC-treated macrophages exerted its maximal inhibition of target cell killing when obtained from RAW264.7 cells pretreated for 24hr – 48hr prior to activation. These results indicate that Anandamide and THC exert a similar inhibition of killing of TNF-sensitive target cells. However, the time interval over which these two substances elicit their suppressive effect differs.
Technical Note-Rationalizing Discrete Programs

In this paper we show that a bounded integer programming problem, with real data, can be replaced with another problem of the same dimension, with rational data, in such a way that the feasible solutions and optimal feasible solutions to the new problem are identical with those to the original problem.
Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Wraml with Academically At-Risk Students:

The Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML) is a nationally standardized instrument designed to assess memory and learning skills in children and adolescents. Controversy about the factor structure of the instrument has resulted in researchers questioning the validity of the three WRAML composite scores (Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, and Learning). To help clarify this issue, the instrument was administered to 1 5 children referred for academic concerns (M age = 10.15). An exploratory factor analysis extracted three factors defined as Attention/Concentration, Visual Memory, and Verbal Memory. These findings are similar to the factor structure of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised. Implications of these data are discussed.
Measuring Thermal Limits of Fish

(1981). Measuring Thermal Limits of Fish. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society: Vol. 110, No. 5, pp. 662-664.
Serotonin Syndrome in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Office: A Review of the Literature and Report of a Case

The treatment of patients on antipsychotic medications is a common, perhaps daily, practice for the oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) surgeon. However, the side effects and potential complications of treating patients on such medications are often overlooked preoperatively. Early recognition of such side effects, along with steps to prevent them, should be something every practitioner is cognizant of. Serotonin syndrome (SS) is a potentially life-threatening condition associated with increased serotonergic activity in the central nervous system. The clinical diagnosis is often a triad of mental status changes, autonomic hyperactivity, and neuromuscular abnormalities. The syndrome may result from ingestion of any drug that increases serotonergic neurotransmission. Therapeutic medication use, interactions between drugs, ingestion of 2 or more serotonin-increasing drugs, and intentional overdose may trigger the syndrome. Most of the cases reported present within 24 hours of ingestion of the offending drug(s), and symptoms typically resolved within 24 hours of discontinuation. 1,2 A review of the literature revealed several reports of SS related to drug overdosage or drug interaction, but no cases occurring in conjunction with OMS surgical treatment.
Effects of High Magnetic Field Heat Treatment on the Microstructure of Fe-0.76%C Alloy

The present studies are to investigate the microstructure features during transformation from austenite to ferrite without and with magnetic field on Fe-0.76%C alloy. It is found that the area fraction and numbers of proeutectoid ferrite grain as well as the lamellar spacing of pearlite in Fe-0.76%C alloy increased considerably with the increase of magnetic field intensity. The reason is that, the magnetic field increases the driving force of proeutectoid ferrite nuclei and shifts the eutectoid point to the side of high carbon content and high temperature, which increases the starting-temperature of the transformation from austenite to ferrite. The proeutectoid ferrite grains are elongated along the magnetic field direction, which can be explained as follows: the proeutectoid ferrite becomes the magnetic dipolar under high magnetic field, and then the polarized austenite atoms are much easier to diffuse into ferrite grains along the magnetic field direction. Key words: high magnetic field; Fe-0.76%C alloy; microstructure
A convergent series expansion for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws

The discontinuities piecewise analytic initial value problem for a wide class of conservation laws is considered which includes the full three-dimensional Euler equations. The initial interaction at an arbitrary curved surface is resolved in time by a convergent series. Among other features the solution exhibits shock, contact, and expansion waves as well as sound waves propagating on characteristic surfaces. The expansion waves correspond to he one-dimensional rarefactions but have a more complicated structure. The sound waves are generated in place of zero strength shocks, and they are caused by mismatches in derivatives.
Protein Kinase A and G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinase Phosphorylation Mediates β-1 Adrenergic Receptor Endocytosis through Different Pathways

Agonist-induced phosphorylation of beta-adrenergic receptors (beta ARs) by G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) results in their desensitization followed by internalization. Whether protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated phosphorylation of beta ARs, particularly the beta 1AR subtype, can also trigger internalization is currently not known. To test this, we cloned the mouse wild type beta 1AR (WT beta 1AR) and created 3 mutants lacking, respectively: the putative PKA phosphorylation sites (PKA-beta 1AR), the putative GRK phosphorylation sites (GRK-beta 1AR), and both sets of phosphorylation sites (PKA-/GRK-beta 1AR). Following agonist stimulation, both PKA-beta 1AR and GRK-beta 1AR mutants showed comparable increases in phosphorylation and desensitization. Saturating concentrations of agonist induced only 50% internalization of either mutant compared with wild type, suggesting that both PKA and GRK phosphorylation of the receptor contributed to receptor sequestration in an additive manner. Moreover, in contrast to the WT beta 1AR and PKA-beta 1AR, sequestration of the GRK-beta 1AR and PKA-/GRK-beta 1AR was independent of beta-arrestin recruitment. Importantly, clathrin inhibitors abolished agonist-dependent internalization for both the WT beta 1AR and PKA-beta 1AR, whereas caveolae inhibitors prevented internalization only of the GRK-beta 1AR mutant. Taken together, these data demonstrate that: 1) PKA-mediated phosphorylation can trigger agonist-induced internalization of the beta 1AR and 2) the pathway selected for beta 1AR internalization is primarily determined by the kinase that phosphorylates the receptor, i.e. PKA-mediated phosphorylation directs internalization via a caveolae pathway, whereas GRK-mediated phosphorylation directs it through clathrin-coated pits.
Reply scoring and reporting: A response to bond (2008)

Bond (2008) objects to the attention given to two of our publications on lie detection accuracy because of what he suggests is incompetence in one case and suppression of data in the other. It is our opinion that his claims are based principally on a tortured re-interpretation of a manuscript we attempted to publish that he has kept in his possession for more than a decade and cites without our permission. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Continued mapping of chromosome 2 genes

This report describes our continued efforts to elucidate the genetic fine structure of the central portion of the mouse chromosome (Chr) 2. Mice from our panel of 28 Chr 2 congenic strains were tested: (1) for the presence of the antigens which stimulate Chr 2-reactive lymphocyte clones in mixed lymphocyte reactive lymphocyte clones in mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR); (2) for the antigens of histocompatibility (H) genes H-42 a and H-45 a as determined by allograft rejection; and (3) for their ability to respond to the H-Y antigen in a cell-mediated lysis assay. The results obtained in this study have allowed additional mapping of immunoogically involved Chr 2 genes. The gene encoding the antigen which stimulates lymphocyte clone 1C11 can be considered wholly different from other Chr 2 H genes on the basis of chromosomal recombination. We have assigned the symbol H-48 to this gene. The following gene order has been established: [H-3, B2m, pa], we, [H-42, H-48], H-45, IR-H-Y, Hd-1, un, H-13, A w. The order of the bracketed genes is not known. H-44 maps centromeric to IR-H-Y. The genes encoding the antigens that stimulate lymphocyte clones 2G7, 2C10, 1F6, 1B10, and 1H10 map centromeric to H-45.
Parental Home Assessment Index: Internal and Inter-Parent Reliability and Construct Validity:

The Parental Home Assessment Index (PHAI) was developed to obtain parents assessments of the educational/developmental quality of their young children's home environments. The PHAI was composed of 23 home observation items, which each parent rated on a five-point scale. Adequate data were obtained from 73 mothers and 54 fathers of children between 3 and 6 years. The Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient was 0.65 (0.74 standardized) for the fathers and 0.56 (0.65 standardized) for the mothers who responded to the parental survey. The PHAI inter-parent reliability correlation between the 54 pairs of mothers and fathers was .41 (p = .002). The validity of the parental assessment was shown by the correlations between the PHAI scores of mothers and fathers and measures of their children's development. The scale is included.
Reaction time to different wavelengths at various luminances

The present investigation is concerned with determining whether or not differences in the reaction times exist in a human subject’s responses to 6 different wavelengths equated at 5 levels of luminance. The heterochromatic matching was done by the method of flicker photometry and checked by the method of direct comparison. Simple reaction time, the time interval starting with the presentation of a visual stimulus and terminating in a manual response, was used as the method of determining the latencies for the establishment of equal sensory effects for the different wavelengths. Monocular viewing of the stimuli was used by two subjects and reaction times are determined over a luminance range of 5.2 log units around a central value of I millilambert. The results indicated that simple reaction time is inversely related to stimulus luminance. There were no differences in the reaction times to the different wavelengths at the four highest luminance levels; at the lowest luminance level, the wave-lengths fan out in a manner that is in line with the classical data of vision. In other words, the visual functions obtained with simple reaction time parallel certain well-known visual functions in intensity discrimination, flicker and visual acutty-the results may be accounted for by the Duplicity Theory of vision.
Question Threat and Response Bias

ONE CRITICISM of using self-reports to estimate the frequency of different activities is that there may be systematic bias in such reports. The bias is believed to be toward overreporting for socially desirable behaviors (e.g., voting), and toward underreporting for socially undesirable behaviors (e.g., intoxication) and for those of a personal nature about which respondents may feel uneasy talking with others, particularly strangers (e.g., sexual behavior). Because investigators often have no practical alternative to reliance on self-reports, it is important to understand as fully as possible the sources.of these reporting biases, and, where possible, to use question formats and control variables that will enable the investigator to minimize or adjust for the reporting biases. This article presents the results of a study designed to investigate factors related to behavioral reports typified by underreporting. We can distinguish two kinds of questions which might lead respondents to distort their responses: (1) anxiety-arousing questions about, for example, behaviors that are illegal or contra-normative or about
Maintaining Consistency and Bounding Capacity of Software Code Caches

Software code caches are becoming ubiquitous, in dynamic optimizers, runtime tool platforms, dynamic translators fast simulators and emulators, and dynamic compilers. Caching frequently executed fragments of code provides significant performance boosts, reducing the overhead of translation and emulation and meeting or exceeding native performance in dynamic optimizers. One disadvantage of caching, memory expansion, can sometimes be ignored when executing a single application. However, as optimizers and translators are applied more and more in production systems, the memory expansion from running multiple applications simultaneously becomes problematic. A second drawback to caching is the added requirement of maintaining consistency between the code cache and the original code. On architectures like IA-32 that do not require explicit application actions when modifying code, detecting code changes is challenging. Again, consistency can be ignored for certain sets of applications, but as caching systems scale up to executing large, modern, complex programs, consistency becomes critical. This paper presents efficient schemes for keeping a software code cache consistent and for dynamically bounding code cache size to match the current working set of the application. These schemes are evaluated in the DynamoRIO runtime code manipulation system, and operate on stock hardware in the presence of multiple threads and dynamic behavior, including dynamically-loaded, generated, and even modified code.