cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utility of Immunologic Testing in Suspected Rheumatologic Disease

The use of diagnostic testing in the clinical practice of medicine has been a shifting landscape from the time that the first blood test was utilized. This is no different in the field of immunology and in particular rheumatology. As the field of immunology is relatively young, the clinical tests are not well established and therefore guidelines for use are still under debate. In this review, we seek to look at some of the key autoantibodies, as well as other tests that are available to diagnose suspected rheumatologic disease, and examine how to best use these tests in the clinic. In particular, we will focus on the anti-nuclear antibodies, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, complement, cryoglobulins, rheumatoid factor, and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies.
Determination of plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol by pulsed electron capture gas chromatography

An improved method is described for determining picogram quantities of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) in plasma of humans and of other species. The method makes use of gas-liquid chromatography and electron capture detection. Low level nonlinearity of detector response was corrected by operating the detector in the pulsed rather then the customary steady state mode. Detector overloading was prevented by heat coagulation of plasma proteins and subsequent ultrafiltration. Sensitivity was significantly enhanced by utilizing a derivatizing agent carrying a higher number of electrophores. Baseline conditions are described and control values for plasma MHPG of human volunteers, Rhesus monkeys and rats are presented.
Self Constructing Activities

Classic research and contemporary scholarship suggest that the self cannot be understood apart from the activities of people within specific contexts. The current conceptualization of self construc...
Education and public outreach program for IHY A global approach

Abstract Education and public outreach (EPO) is one of the four components of the International Heliophysical Year (IHY). It is fundamental in achieving one of IHY’s primary objectives which is to “demonstrate the beauty, relevance and significance of Space and Earth science to the world.” In this paper we give an overview of the IHY–EPO Program. We describe its goals, structure, elements, plans and what have already been achieved.
An electronic audio switch

This article describes an electronic switch that allows presentation of sine wave stimuli without the often undesirable transient thump, thud, or click usually caused by ordinary electromechanical switches.
A low-voltage droplet microgripper for micro-object manipulation

We present a low-voltage microgripper utilizing a liquid droplet to pick up and release micro-objects. Lifting force is generated by a liquid bridge formed between the gripper surface and an object. Electrowetting was used to dynamically change the capillary lifting forces and enable easy object release. The driving voltage was applied to a pair of coplanar interdigitated electrodes, eliminating the need for an electrode on top of the droplet and thus significantly facilitating object manipulation. A barium strontium titanate insulation layer was used to lower the driving voltage. Experiments indicated that the lifting forces can be as high as 213 µN at a driving voltage of 28 V. Experiments also demonstrated a low-voltage, low power consumption soft microgripper by picking up and releasing micro glass beads.
Strong impact of the electron-photon matrix element on angle-resolved photoelectron spectra of Sr2CuO2Cl2

In recent years insight has been gained into the electronic structure of layered cuprates using angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. In many of these studies it is assumed that the electron-photon matrix element follows the trends set by the atomic photoionization cross sections and does not influence lineshape, dispersion and the k-dependence of the spectral intensity. In this study using Sr2CuO2Cl2 as an example it will be shown that the electron-photon matrix element can have a strong impact on both strength and shape of a feature in an angle-resolved photoelectron spectrum of a layered cuprate which can strongly affect information on character and the momentum-dependence of the energy and spectral weight of a state deduced from the spectra. The results of this study put an emphasis on the need to employ the whole parameter range of the ARPES method to get reliable information on the spectral function of cuprates for which purpose synchrotron radiation is an uniquely suited tool.
Case Study: Shelving and the Autistic Employee

Using college students to shelve library books in a university library has always presented a variety of problems. Attention spans are short; dedication to this repetitive task as well as socializing can be a problem for the average student. For the past 9 years, Oakland University's Kresge Library has employed a young man with autism to shelve their books and journals. It has been a positive experience for both the Library and the employee. This article is a case study on employing an individual with autism to shelve books in a university library and the implications involved.
Monocytes are target cells for IL-10 induction by HIV-1 Nef protein.

IL-10 plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of several diseases and is elevated in sera of HIV-infected patients. Recently, we demonstrated that HIV Nef induces IL-10 mRNA expression as well as IL-10 production using PBMCs, H9 or U937 cells. This induction of IL-10 is inhibited by a calmodulin antagonist, W-7. In the present study, T or B lymphocytes or monocytes were isolated from PBMCs of healthy HIV-negative donors. Production of IL-10 and mRNA gene expression were analyzed on each isolated cell population after treatment with Nef or SEA for 3-24 h. The results show that Nef induces IL-10 production as well as mRNA expression significantly using monocytes but not with T or B lymphocytes. By contrast, SEA induced IL-10 production as well as mRNA expression using T lymphocytes but not with monocytes or B lymphocytes.
Prime rings with involution and generalized polynomial identities

Our main purpose in writing this paper is to prove that if R is a prime ring with involution whose symmetric elements satisfy a generalized polynomial identity over the extended centroid C of R, then the central closure A = RC + C must in fact be a primitive ring with a minimal right ideal eA such that eAe is a finite dimensional division algebra over C. This generalizes a previous theorem of ours [8], in which we obtained the above result for the case where R was assumed to be primitive. It also generalizes a recent result of Skinner [lo, Theorem 5.11, where the above result was obtained for the case where R was a prime Goldie ring. In the course of proving this theorem, and without digressing too much from our main goal, we rework and combine the techniques of Amitsur in [l] and [2] with those of ours in [7], so as to obtain the various structure theorems (due to Amitsur, Posner, Herstein, Kaplansky, and the author) on simple, primitive, and prime rings (with involution) whose (symmetric) elements satisfy a (generalized) polynomial identity. We hope this attempt to give a more or less unified approach to a group of theorems, the existing proofs of which are not for the most part too closely related, will be of general interest. In Section 2, we recall the notion of extended centroid of a prime ring and discuss some of its key properties (Theorems 2.1-2.4). Next, putting together some ideas of Amitsur, we give a particular way of embedding prime rings in primitive rings (Theorems 2.5-2.8). Finally, we show how information about primitive rings can be pulled back to prime rings (Theorems 2.9-2.10). In Section 3, we recall the notion of generalized multilinear identity (GMI) and show (Theorems 3.1-3.2) that GMI’s are carried over by the aforementioned embedding of prime rings in primitive rings. A fundamental result of Amitsur (Theorem 3.3) together with its corollary, Theorem 3.5, are applicable to primitive rings and say in effect that some nonzero linear
Geometrical derivation of a new ground state formula for the n-electron Friedel resonance model

The n-electron ground state of the Friedel resonance model can be written as a single Slater determinant of n s-electrons plus one d-electron-s-hole companion. This new formula is derived geometrically in the Hilbert space. The derivation uses the fact that a n-electron Slater determinant, built from N band states, corresponds to a n-dimensional subspace in the N-dimensional Hilbert space.
Insulin Enhances Epidermal Growth Factor- and Transforming Growth Factor- α-Stimulated Growth in Primary Cultures of Guinea Pig Gastric Mucous Epithelial Cells

Rutten MJ, Harmon P, Campbell DR. Insulin enhances epidermal growth factor-and transforming growth factor-α-stimulated growth in primary cultures of guinea pig gastric mucous epithelial cells. Scand J Gastroenterol 1991, 26, 965–973The effect of insulin on epidermal growth factor (EGF)- and transforming growth factor-α (TGFα)-induced cell proliferation was examined in primary cultures of gastric surface mucous epithelial cells by using changes in cell counts and DNA as indices of cell growth. With 1.0% fetal bovine serum and Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (low-serum DMEM) there was no effect of bovine insulin (0.1–10.0 μg/ml) on cell growth. Higher doses of insulin (20.0 μg/ml) in low-serum DMEM were able to stimulate growth of these cells compared with controls. In low-serum DMEM with no insulin the lowest effective dose of EGF or TGFα for stimulating cell growth was 10 nM and 5 nM, respectively. In low-serum DMEM containing 2.5 μg/ml insulin there was a dose-dependent increase in cell growth with EGF ...
Biased AC Electroosmosis Device for the Detection of DNA Molecules with Piezoresistive Microcantilever

This work represents active DNA concentration on piezoresistive microcantilever using biased AC electroosmosis. Two different sizes of DNA molecules, -phage DNA (48.5 kbp) and single-strand DNA of 20 nucleotides are concentrated on separate piezoresistive microcantilever sen- sor for detection. Before concentration, mixing of DNA molecules is performed using the same device for efficient concentration. During concentration of DNA molecules, biased and unbiased AC elec- troosmosis are needed to concentrate single-strand DNA and -phage DNA, respectively. Moreover, dielectrophoresis is induced by biased AC electroosmosis that can generate attractive force to trans- port negatively charged single-strand DNA. This paper represents a device configuration to integrate biased and unbiased AC electroosmosis and dielectrophoresis with piezoresistive microcantilever sen- sors for the detection of -phage DNA and single-strand DNA.
Progress Toward Title IX Compliance: The Effect of Formal and Informal Enforcement Mechanisms*

Objective. This article examines the factors that determine whether an intercollegiate athletic program is in compliance with Title IX, the statute requiring gender equity in educational programs. Methods. I conduct a series of econometric regressions that examine the compliance status of Division I institutions as well as the progress they have made toward compliance. Results. Large institutions and institutions with a lower percentage of female undergraduates are more likely to be in compliance. Institutions with football programs are less likely to be in compliance as are schools in the south. The effect of football revenues, operating budgets, and NCAA sanctions varies across division as well as compliance area. Conclusions. The results of the analysis indicate that current enforcement mechanisms have been relatively ineffective at increasing compliance and that some change either in enforcement or compliance standards is warranted. Additionally, a one-size-fits-all enforcement approach is unlikely to be effective.
Intramembranous particles are clustered on microvillus membrane vesicles.

Abstract Many intramembranous particles in pig jejunal microvillus membranes cluster during cell disruption and membrane vesiculation with the MgCl2 aggregation technique (Hauser, H., Howell, K., Dawson, R.M.C. and Bowyer, D.E. (1980) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 602, 567–577). Isolated brush borders and purified microvillus membrane vesicles were jet-frozen and examined by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. From 30 to 60% of purified vesicles exhibited no intramembranous particles on their fracture face and 22–39% exhibited clustered or aggregated intramembranous particles. Only 6–15% of the vesicles exhibited the random distribution of intramembranous particles that is characteristic of intact enterocytes. Aggregation was not reversed after dialysis to remove divalent cations. Prior freezing of tissue or vesicles (−70°C) gave the same results as fresh unfrozen material. Heterogeneity of microvillus vesicles may occur among the vesicles generated from a single microvillus.
Differential effects of estrogen and progesterone on levels of POMC mRNA levels in the arcuate nucleus: Relationship to the timing of LH surge release

Beta-endorphin is thought to be an important inhibitor of LHRH neuronal activity and also to play a role in conveying information about changes in steroid levels to LHRH neurons. We have previously shown that the mRNA encoding the precursor of beta-endorphin, proopiomelanocortin (POMC), fluctuates during the estrous cycle with the most dramatic changes occurring on proestrus. POMC mRNA levels decline before the onset of LH surge release but then dramatically rise and remain elevated during the surge. In the present studies we tested the hypothesis that the decline in POMC mRNA levels immediately before the proestrus LH surge is mediated by estrogen and the rise during the surge by progesterone. To test this hypothesis, we compared changes in POMC mRNA levels between ovariectomized (OVX) and OVX estrogen (E2)-treated rats and between OVX E2-treated rats with and without progesterone. Animals were examined at hourly intervals after the administration of progesterone, then at every 4 h during the LH surge. Using in situ hybridization histochemistry, we found that E2 decreased POMC mRNA levels in OVX rats before the onset of the LH surge and further suppressed levels during the surge. Compared to animals treated with E2 alone, progesterone advanced the time at which both the LH surge began and the time at which POMC mRNA levels declined. After a transient decline, POMC mRNA levels rose in these progesterone-treated animals and remained elevated throughout the period of the LH surge. These results support the hypothesis that progesterone times the LH surge and limits its appearance to one day be exerting a biphasic effect on the activity of beta-endorphinergic neurons of the arcuate nucleus.
No Genetic Effect of α1-Antichymotrypsin in Alzheimer Disease

Abstract Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder for individuals over the age of 40. AD has a complex etiology, and it is likely that multiple genes, acting independently and/or interacting, affect the risk of developing AD. Several genes involved with AD have been described already, but only the APOE gene on chromosome 19q has been shown to affect the risk of the common late onset form of AD. α 1 -Antichymotrypsin (AACT) is a major component of the amyloid plaques found in the brains of AD patients, and an allele in its gene has been proposed to increase the risk of developing AD when also associated with the APOE-4 allele. We have examined the role of this AACT polymorphism in a large set of families and sporadic cases, and do not see any effect, either alone or in combination with the APOE-4 allele.
Enolization of Δ9,10-Octal-1-one: Relative Stabilities of s-Trans Exocyclic and s-Cis Endocyclic Dienolates

Δ9,10-Octal-1-one (3,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-1(2H)-naphthalenone, 1) can be deprotonated at either of its two γ positions to form the isomeric exocyclic (1-exo) and endocyclic (1-endo) dienolates. The rate of deuterium exchange for the γexo protons of 1 (1.6(±0.1) × 10-4 M-1 s-1) is 12-fold faster than that for those at the γendo position (1.38(±0.08) × 10-5 M-1 s-1). Assuming a Bronsted coefficient of 0.5, these results indicate that the exocyclic dienolate is 3.0 kcal/mol more stable than its endocyclic counterpart.
Dissolution of hausmannite (Mn3O4) in the presence of the trihydroxamate siderophore desferrioxamine B

Abstract That microbial siderophores may be mediators of Mn(III) biogeochemistry is suggested by recent studies showing that these well known Fe(III)-chelating ligands form very stable Mn(III) aqueous complexes. In this study, we examine the influence of desferrioxamine B (DFOB), a trihydroxamate siderophore, on the dissolution of hausmannite, a mixed valence Mn(II, III) oxide found in soils and freshwater sediments. Batch dissolution experiments were conducted both in the absence (pH 4–9) and in the presence of 100 μM DFOB (pH 5–9). In the absence of the ligand, there is a sharp decrease in the extent of proton-promoted dissolution above pH 5 and no appreciable dissolution above pH 8. The resulting aqueous Mn 2+ activities were in good agreement with previous studies, indirectly supporting the accepted two-step mechanism involving the formation of manganite and reprecipitation of hausmannite. Desferrioxamine B enhanced hausmannite dissolution over the entire pH range investigated, both via the formation of a Mn(III) complex and through surface-catalyzed reductive dissolution. Above pH 8, non-reductive ligand-promoted dissolution dominated, whereas below pH 8, dissolution was non-stoichiometric with respect to DFOB. Concurrent proton-promoted, ligand-promoted, reductive, and induced dissolution was observed, with Mn release by either reductive or induced dissolution increasing linearly with decreasing pH. The fast kinetics of the DFOB-promoted dissolution of hausmannite, as compared to iron oxides, suggest that the siderophore-promoted dissolution of Mn(III)-bearing minerals may compete with the siderophore-promoted dissolution of Fe(III)-bearing minerals.
Nonlethal Tissue Sampling Techniques and Microsatellite Markers Used for First Report of Genetic Diversity in Two Populations of the Endangered Somatochlora hineana (Odonata: Corduliidae)

Techniques for obtaining DNA noninvasively or nonlethally are highly desirable in molecular genetic studies of protected species, and several advances have been made in these types of sampling and extraction techniques. Insects present a unique set of difficulties in this regard that are not present when working with most vertebrates. This study evaluated the effectiveness of several nonlethal sampling techniques for larval and adults of the federally listed endangered dragonfly Somatochlora hineana (Williamson) (Odonata: Corduliidae). Fecal pellets and shed exuviae from captive S. hineana larvae did not provide high enough quality DNA for microsatellite analyses. Invasive, but nonlethal, wing clips from adults and tarsi from larvae provided high-quality DNA that amplified 10 microsatellite markers for this species. Ten loci were polymorphic in 94 specimens with four to 14 alleles per locus. Two populations in WI had average observed heterozygosity of 0.47, which is within the range reported for other odonates. Our sampling techniques and these new microsatellite markers provide an essential tool for determining the genetic structure of S. hineana populations throughout its range.
All STDs are not created equal: an analysis of the differential effects of sexual behaviour changes on different STDs.

The same sexual behaviours that transmit HIV are implicated in the transmission of certain other STDs, including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis. Consequently, it is often assumed that preventi...
Hypertrophy of the human heart at the level of fine structure. An analysis and two postulates.

Muscle cells in the left ventricular walls of four markedly hypertrophied human hearts (above 600 gm) were compared with muscle cells in four non-hypertrophied hearts (up to 310 gm). Blocks of tissue obtained postmortem within 6 hours were processed for light and electron microscopy under conditions suitable for good preservation of myofibrils. A lattice parameter, qh, was defined as the number of myosin filaments per square micron in either H zones or A bands. By the use of methods of electron microscopy, qh was determined for perpendicular cross-sections of A bands in a large number of well preserved myofibrils of muscle cells in both groups of hearts. Statistical evaluation of the distributions of values of qh revealed no significant difference between the two groups. Thus, the myofilament lattices in hypertrophied cells were geometrically within normal limits. Planimetric measurements of cross-sectional areas of muscle fibers were made, using photomicrographs obtained from one representative hypertrophied heart and from one control. The size-frequency distribution of the measurements showed a marked difference between the two hearts, and confirmed the presence of hypertrophy of muscle cells. Counts of the number of myofibrils per muscle cell were determined for samples from the same two hearts, evaluated statistically, and found to be significantly higher for the hypertrophied heart. It is proposed (a) that myofibrils in hypertrophied heart muscle cells have filament lattices with geometrical arrangement and macromolecular parameters that are the same as those found in myofibrils of normal heart muscle cells; and (b) that in hypertrophy the number of myofilaments increases through formation of new myofibrils, and possibly also by addition of filaments to preexisting myofibrils.
Whatever Happens in the Laboratory Stays in the Laboratory: The Prevalence and Prevention of Participant Crosstalk

Foreknowledge in research participants can undermine the validity of psychological research. Three studies examined a potentially major source of foreknowledge: participant crosstalk in an undergraduate subject pool. Participants in all three studies attempted to win extra experimental credit by guessing the number of beans in a jar-a nearly impossible task without foreknowledge of the answer. Participants guessing incorrectly were told the correct answer by the experimenter. In Study 1, 23 of 809 participants showed clear evidence of having received the correct answer from a prior participant. In Study 2, a classroom-based treatment asking students not to talk about experiments to other students significantly reduced crosstalk rates. In Study 3, a laboratory-based treatment supplemented the classroom-based treatment. After revealing the number of beans in the jar, the experimenter obtained a verbal commitment from participants that they would not tell anyone about the experiment. The combined treatment nearly eliminated crosstalk.
Vitelliform macular dystrophy.

Purpose To investigate and integrate the photographic, angiographic, and tomographic findings from a group of patients with various stages of vitelliform macular dystrophy type 2 (VMD2; also known as Best's disease) and use this information to propose mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. Design Retrospective observational case series. Participants Nine consecutive patients seen in a private practice referral setting by the authors. Methods Patients with VMD2 were imaged with conventional fundus and autofluorescence photography, fluorescein angiography, fundus photography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Main Outcome Measures The integrated ocular imaging findings. Results Early stage lesions were smaller and had accumulation of yellowish material in the central macula. This material was highly autofluorescent and appeared to be located on the outer retinal surface by OCT. Later stages were characterized by larger lesions with central clearing of the yellowish material and deposition of autofluorescent subretinal material at the outer borders of the lesion. Both early and late lesions had a subretinal fluid component with no reflectivity as detected by OCT. Fluorescein angiography showed transmission defects with a suggestion of late leakage, much like that seen in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Conclusions Similar to that seen in CSC, patients with VMD2 have an accumulation of material on the outer retina, which may represent shed photoreceptor outer segments in association with subretinal fluid.
Effects of storage on the volatile composition of nutmeg

Abstract The volatile constituents of nutmeg ( Myristica fragrans ) were isolated and identified using GLC techniques and i.r. and u.v. spectral data. In addition to the previously reported volatile constituents, α-thujene, Δ 3 -carene, 1(7),2- p methadiene, and trans and cis -sabinene hydrate were identified. Prolonged storage of nutmeg resulted in changes in the volatile composition as determined by gas chromatography. The variation in composition of these nutmeg constituents appears to be mainly a function of their volatilization. The percentage of free myristic acid may serve as an indication of the age of ground nutmeg.
Multiple paternity increases effective population size.

*NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National MarineFisheries Service, 110 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060,USA, †Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA, ‡Department ofApplied Math and Statistics, University of California, SantaCruz, CA, USAReceived 11 March 2009; revision received 30 April 2009;accepted 5 May 2009The effective size, N
Some Effects of Chemical Composition on the Flammability Behavior of Textiles

The oxygen index method is shown to be a valuable tool for the investigation of the flammability of textile samples as a function of their chemical composition. Measurements of limiting oxygen inde...
Detection of Super Sources and Destinations in High-Speed Networks: Algorithms, Analysis and Evaluation

Detecting the sources or destinations that have communicated with a large number of distinct destinations or sources (i.e., large "fan-out" or "fan-in") during a small time interval is an important problem in network measurement and security. Previous detection approaches are not able to deliver the desired accuracy at high link speeds (10-40 Gb/s). In this work, we propose two novel algorithms that provide accurate and efficient solutions to this problem. Their designs are based on the insight that sampling and data streaming are often suitable for capturing different and complementary regions of the information spectrum, and a close collaboration between them is an excellent way to recover the complete information. Our first solution builds on the standard hash-based flow sampling algorithm. Its main innovation is that the sampled traffic is further filtered by a data streaming module which allows for much higher sampling rate (hence, much higher accuracy) than achievable with standard hash-based flow sampling. Our second solution is more sophisticated but offers higher accuracy. It combines the power of data streaming in efficiently estimating quantities (e.g., fan-out) associated with a given identity, and the power of sampling in collecting a list of candidate identities. The performance of both solutions are evaluated using both mathematical analysis and trace-driven experiments on real-world Internet traffic
Infective endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus hominis after vasectomy.

The case of a 28-year-old US man who developed infective endocarditis after vasectomy complicated by epididymitis is presented. The man had undergone vasectomy 7 weeks before presentation to the hospital for fever and myalgia. 2 days after vasectomy the patient had been struck in the groin with a snowball and the suture line was disrupted. The physical examination produced normal findings but Staphylococcus hominis was recovered from multiple blood cultures. Treatment with vancomycin and rifampin was commenced and furosemide therapy was provided to address pretibial sacral and pulmonary edema. On the 10th hospital day a Bjork-Shiley aortic valve was placed. Evaluation of the resected aortic valve revealed a bicuspid valve with friable vegetation that contained vancomycin-resistant S. hominis. Intravenous penicillin and rifampin were then administered and resulted in resolution of the infection. This is only the second reported case of endocarditis complicating vasectomy.
Retinoid Regulated Association of Transcriptional Co-regulators and the Polycomb Group Protein SUZ12 with the Retinoic Acid Response Elements of Hoxa1, RARβ2, and Cyp26A1 in F9 Embryonal Carcinoma Cells

Abstract Hox gene expression is activated by all-trans retinoic acid (RA), through binding to retinoic acid receptor-retinoid X receptor (RAR-RXR) heterodimers bound at RA response elements (RAREs) of target genes. The RARs and RXRs each have three isotypes (α, β, and γ), which are encoded by distinct genes. Hox genes are also repressed by polycomb group proteins (PcG), though how these proteins are targeted is unclear. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation assays to investigate the association of RXRα, RARγ, cofactors, and the PcG protein SUZ12 with the Hoxa1, RARβ2, and Cyp26A1 RAREs in F9 embryonal carcinoma cells (teratocarcinoma stem cells) during RA treatment. We demonstrate that RARγ and RXRα are associated with RAREs prior to and during RA treatment. pCIP, p300, and RNA polymerase II levels increased at target RAREs upon exposure to RA. Conversely, SUZ12 was found associated with all RAREs studied and these associations were attenuated by treatment with RA. Upon RA removal, SUZ12 re-associated with RAREs. H3ac, H3K4me2, and H3K27me3 marks were simultaneously detected at target loci, indicative of a bivalent domain chromatin structure. During RA mediated differentiation, H3K27me3 levels decreased at target RAREs whereas H3ac and H3K4me2 levels remained constant. These studies provide insight into the dynamics of association of co-regulators with RAREs and demonstrate a novel link between RA signaling and PcG repression.
An agent based modeling framework to evaluate the Capital Asset Pricing Model

This paper presents the findings of a research effort to create an agent based economy where investors collect information and simultaneously make decisions about how much of their wealth they are each willing to risk. As an extension of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), the investors must choose how much of their wealth to allocate between a risk-free asset and the risky asset. The price of the risky asset will fluctuate depending upon the price at which the investors in the market are willing to buy and sell. The investor's perception of the asset's correct price will change as news is introduced to various players in the market. The framework can be manipulated to answer many questions surrounding CAPM and modern portfolio theory particularly whether an equilibrium state will emerge and whether certain investors have a tendency to make above-average returns. The major finding of the research is that while patterns emerge in some simulations few patterns persist in all or most simulations.
Simplified design guidelines for dominant pole amplifiers peaked actively by emitter or source followers

The author discusses active inductance realization using time moment theory to determine the effective dominant zero and dominant pole of the driving point impedance seen at the emitter of a bipolar junction transistor (or source of a MOSFET) operated as a two-terminal circuit element. The analyses produce sufficient conditions for inductance realization, the value of the effective inductance actually realized, and the signal frequency range over which the effective inductance is nominally constant. Complementary benefits of the analyses include circuit design guidelines that eliminate output inductance in emitter and source followers. This latter information is useful when impedance buffering is required to couple amplifier outputs to capacitive loads. These results are interpreted and applied to the design of an actively peaked, broad-banded integrated circuit amplifier. >
Design of Monolithic Low Dropout Regulator for Wireless Powered Brain Cortical Implants Using a Line Ripple Rejection Technique

This brief introduces an integrated low dropout regulator for wireless powered brain cortical implants. A line ripple rejection technique is employed to improve the line regulation of the regulator. A fast transient response is ensured to accommodate frequent changes of workload and power. The system is stabilized over the entire load range without using any external compensation capacitors. System modeling and theoretical analysis are conducted to offer a systematic study on the proposed structure. The regulator was fabricated with an IBM 130-nm CMOS process. The active die area is 0.025 mm2. Experimental results show that the power supply rejection ratio remains above 52.8 dB within the interested frequency band. The line regulation is controlled below 0.44% throughout the full input range. The output voltage can recover within 69 ns from a full load current change, with a less than 8.1-mV voltage droop.
Consecuencias económicas de los regímenes financieros: una nueva perspectiva de las políticas bancarias de México y Brasil, 1890-1910

This paper compares the consequences of different financial policies adopted in Mexico and Brazil in the decades before World War I. In the 1890s, the national governments of Mexico and Brazil pursued strikingly different policies toward banking regulation. In Brazil, after the fall of the monarchy, authorities briefly experimented with financial liberalization. In Mexico, in the same era, public officials created a banking system with more constraints and regulations. We compare the costs and benefits to the financial systems and the macroeconomic effects of these different banking regimes, thereby revisiting two classic concerns of financial historians, the costs of financial fragility versus the benefits of financial liberalization. We look at the outcomes for financial sectors and consider the differences in broad measures of overall economic performance under stress. Normal 0 21 false false false ES-MX X-NONE X-NONE
Mouse Models of Human Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Raising the Bar

Lung cancer is a devastating disease that presents a challenge to basic research to provide new steps toward therapeutic advances. The cell-type-specific responses to oncogenic mutations that initiate and regulate lung cancer remain poorly defined. A better understanding of the relevant signaling pathways and mechanisms that control therapeutic outcome could also provide new insight. Improved conditional mouse models are now available as tools to improve the understanding of the cellular and molecular origins of adenocarcinoma. These models have already proven their utility in proof-of-principle experiments with new technologies including genomics and imaging. Integrated thinking to apply technological advances while using the appropriate mouse model is likely to facilitate discoveries that will significantly improve lung cancer detection and intervention.
Chronic myeloid leukemia: Standard treatment options

Purpose. Treatment options for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are discussed. Summary. In the 1980s busulfan and hydroxyurea were the standards of care. These were subsequently replaced by interferon α (IFN α) based therapy. Currently, bone marrow transplant survival has improved, making this also a viable option. Five-year progression-free survival averaged above 70% for chemotherapeutic options. Transplant survival at 56 months was approximately 60%; however, these survivors were generally cured of disease. The recognition of the role for BCR-ABL in CML has led to the development of specific kinase inhibitors such as imatinib. Clinical trial evidence has demonstrated a clear superiority of imatinib over interferon plus cytarabine, making this the new standard of care in first-line treatment of CML. Resistance to imatinib has been observed, in addition to relapse. The data suggest that the probability of response may be estimated as early as six months after initiation of imatinib therapy. Although combinations of imatinib with IFN α show small improvements compared to imatinib therapy alone, the biggest improvements were seen when imatinib doses were doubled. Unfortunately, not all patients can tolerate this increase in dose. The most common mechanism for imatinib resistance is the presence of a mutated BCR-ABL kinase. Several of these mutants have been cloned and characterized. Conclusion. Molecular-targeted BCR-ABL kinase inhibitors, such as imatinib, are now first-line treatment for CML. Allogeneic stem cell transplant is still the only proven curable treatment for CML in patients with an appropriate donor. Next generation BCR-ABL kinase inhibitors hold promise for patients with mutated BCR-ABL kinase that confer resistance to imatinib.
A Case of Paraspinal Muscle Rhabdomyolysis in a 22-Year-Old Male After Ingesting a Supplement Containing Higenamine

ABSTRACT Rhabdomyolysis is a painful and potentially life-threatening injury in which muscle breaks down in response to an insult. In this case report, we describe the clinical course of a 22-year-old man who developed paraspinal muscle rhabdomyolysis and possible compartment syndrome in association with strenuous activity and the ingestion of an exercise supplement containing the stimulant higenamine. Although he did not experience any renal damage, he did experience a high level of pain acutely and for the next 4 months. A history of exercise supplement intake should increase the index of suspicion for rhabdomyolysis when a patient presents with moderate to severe muscle pain, even if the muscle group is not in a classic location for rhabdomyolysis.
Characterization of Damage Evolution in Ti2AlC and Ti3SiC2 Under Compressive Loading

Ti2AlC and Ti3SiC2 are representative members of MAX phase materials, which are thermodynamically stable ternary compounds. These materials are known to exhibit a unique combination of properties typical of ceramics (high elastic stiffness) and metals (high ductility). They are known to be stable at high temperatures and exhibit damping behavior characterized by hysteresis under cyclic loading. In this work, damage initiation and evolution under high strain-rates in MAX phases is studied using Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) technique coupled with in-situ high speed imaging. Traditionally the constitutive response under high strain rates is deduced from the experimental data (from strain gages) using standard wave analysis techniques. Since this technique does not involve a methodology to predict crack initiation in the material, the result is an overestimation of strain values. This is particularly crucial for determining material response of newer class of materials like MAX phases, which have not been widely characterized under high strain-rates. The coupling of the experimental set-up with in-situ imaging facilitates subsequent analysis of experimental results by Digital Image Correlation (DIC). The combination of strain field images with the strain histories are used to determine the point and values of strains at which damage initiated in the specimen. In this way, a direct relationship of the stress-time response with the strain field and damage evolution during the test is obtained. For strain rates of up to 4500 s−1, strain values of ~5 % were observed before macroscopic cracks develop. From analysis of images, mixed mode (combination of mode I and mode II) crack formation and propagation are observed. The results from this analysis establish the synergy and necessity of using in-situ imaging (and DIC) with the SHPB technique for characterizing nano-layered ternary ceramics.
Surface Roughness Effects on Suction Vortex Formation: A Laboratory Simulation

Abstract A vortex simulator is used to study multiple vortices with particular interest on the role of surface friction in their formation. Measurements with a hot-film anemometer show that the maximum velocity in a multiple-vortex system of four is greater than that for a single vortex created with the same volume flow rate. The friction experiments indicate that over a rough surface more swirl is necessary to initiate the transition to a greater number of vortices than over a smooth surface. Thus, for a tornado on the verge of a transition to multiple vortices, translation across a smoother terrain could act as a catalyst for the process.
Parenting attitudes and children's understanding of mind

Abstract This study explores the relationship between maternal parenting attitudes and children's understanding of mind through a comparison of Korean American and Anglo-American families. It was hypothesized that children of authoritative mothers would perform better on theory-of-mind tasks than children of authoritarian families. Understanding of mind was assessed for 45 Korean American children and 52 Anglo-American children from ages 3 to 6. Mothers of the children completed a Parenting Attitudes Inventory (PAI), which measured three aspects of parenting style—a focus on behavioral control, freedom in learning, and encouragement of autonomy. Korean American mothers were generally authoritarian, though not exclusively so, and their 5-year-olds performed better on the theory-of-mind tasks than their Anglo-American agemates. For Anglo-American children, a negative relationship between an understanding of mind and authoritarian parenting attitudes was found. A general positive effect of authoritative parenting was not found. These results suggest that the same developmental endpoint can be reached in different cultures by different means, and that what constitutes ‘good parenting’ depends on a complex of attitudes and behaviors that can only be understood in their sociocultural context.
A novel multitarget stool DNA test for colorectal cancer screening

Review of: Imperiale TF, Ransohoff DF, Itzkowitz SH, Levin TR, Lavin P, Lidgard GP, Ahlquist DA, Berger BM. Multitarget stool DNA testing for colorectal-cancer screening. N Engl J Med 2014;370(14):1287-97. This Practice Pearl reviews the results of a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional clinical study that evaluated the performance of a new multitarget stool DNA (or mt-sDNA) screening test for colorectal cancer (CRC) and compared it with a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in individuals at average risk for CRC. The potential impact of this test on the future of CRC screening is also discussed in a brief commentary. mt-sDNA testing is a noninvasive screening test designed to detect DNA biomarkers associated with colorectal neoplasia and occult hemoglobin in the stool. The sensitivity of mt-sDNA testing for detection of CRC was 92.3%, compared with 73.8% for FIT (p = 0.002). Sensitivity for detecting advanced precancerous lesions was 42.4% for mt-sDNA testing and 23.8% for FIT (p < 0.001). The specificities of mt-sDNA testing and FIT were 86.6% and 94.9%, respectively (p < 0.001). mt-sDNA testing thus may be a first-line screening option for asymptomatic individuals at average risk for CRC who do not want to have a colonoscopy.
Constitutional Change and Direct Democracy

This Essay was prepared for the "Governing by Initiative" conference at the University of Colorado in September 1994.At the state level, unlike the federal level, the American people have long had a direct and determinative role to play in altering their constitutions. Often heralded as the purest and highest form of democracy, procedures for direct state constitutional change came under increasing scrutiny and attack after the passage of Colorado's Amendment Two in November 1992. By a vote of 53.4% to 46.6%, the people of Colorado adopted an initiative amendment to their constitution which prohibits the state, its agents, and its subdivisions from adopting any law "whereby homosexual, lesbian or bisexual orientation, conduct, practices or relationships shall constitute or otherwise be the basis of or entitle any person or class of persons to have or claim any minority status, quota preferences, protected status or claim of discrimination."Whatever one's view of the morality or constitutionality of this amendment to Colorado's constitution, its passage by a relatively slim majority provoke thought on a more general, procedural question taken up in this Essay: Should the same simple majority of the popular vote that is required to enact a statute by initiative continue to be all that is required to adopt an initiative amendment to a state constitution? Relatedly, would the states that currently provide for initiative amendments to their constitutions be more likely to maximize the constitutional protection afforded individual rights if the number of votes required for adoption were increased from a simple majority to a super-majority, perhaps two-thirds?
Expressive Maps

Expressive Maps is an artistic visualization of a complete mouse DNA sequence, taken from embryonic mouse muscle tissue, stretched out in a line. Each individual spiral represents a single chromosome (mice have 20, versus 23 in humans), and active sections perform calls across the corresponding chromosome addresses. It displays three stages of development: before specialization, 60 hours after specialization, and 60 hours post-specialization with an inhibitor present. Each stage has been printed on vellum, so one "map" can be placed on top of another to reveal differences.
Base of Salt Inversion Using Triangular Facets

Recovery of the base of salt is a well established procedure by inverting gravity, gravity gradiometry, or magnetic data. Typically the region is represented using 3-D juxtaposed vertical prisms on a rectilinear mesh whose depth extent act as the boundary between two units of differing density. Instead we propose to discretize the surface using an unstructured mesh with triangular base elements. This formulation has additional computational overheads compared with rectilinear meshes but the flexibility of the unstructured mesh allows for more accurate representation of known a priori structural surfaces. We discuss the forward modeling algorithm, discretization of the model objective function, and illustrate the performance using a synthetic salt example.
Construction and Improvement of Shanxi Provincial Information Systems of New Rural Cooperative Medical Service

With the in-depth development of New Rural Cooperative Medical service,the introduction of management information system into New Rural Cooperative Medical Service is urgently needed for the reality.On the basis of summing up the current situation and necessity of Shanxi New Rural Co-operative Medical Service,this paper analyses the rules and strategic planning the establishment and improvement of Shanxi New Rural Cooperative Medical Service should be acted upon,and then puts forward suggestions concerning the management mechanism,the establishment of information interaction,and the enhancement of personnel training.