cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhancement of endocannabinoid signaling by fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibition: a neuroprotective therapeutic modality

Abstract Aims This review posits that fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibition has therapeutic potential against neuropathological states including traumatic brain injury; Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases; and stroke. Main methods This proposition is supported by data from numerous in vitro and in vivo experiments establishing metabolic and pharmacological contexts for the neuroprotective role of the endogenous cannabinoid (“endocannabinoid”) system and selective FAAH inhibitors. Key findings The systems biology of endocannabinoid signaling involves two main cannabinoid receptors, the principal endocannabinoid lipid mediators N -arachidonoylethanolamine (“anandamide”) (AEA) and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), related metabolites, and the proteins involved in endocannabinoid biosynthesis, biotransformation, and transit. The endocannabinoid system is capable of activating distinct signaling pathways on-demand in response to pathogenic events or stimuli, thereby enhancing cell survival and promoting tissue repair. Accumulating data suggest that endocannabinoid system modulation at discrete targets is a promising pharmacotherapeutic strategy for treating various medical conditions. In particular, neuronal injury activates cannabinoid signaling in the central nervous system as an intrinsic neuroprotective response. Indirect potentiation of this salutary response through pharmacological inhibition of FAAH, an endocannabinoid-deactivating enzyme, and consequent activation of signaling pathways downstream from cannabinoid receptors have been shown to promote neuronal maintenance and function. Significance This therapeutic modality has the potential to offer site- and event-specific neuroprotection under conditions where endocannabinoids are being produced as part of a physiological protective mechanism. In contrast, direct application of cannabinoid receptor agonists to the central nervous system may activate CB receptors indiscriminately and invite unwanted psychotrophic effects.
Calculation of multicomponent ionic diffusion from zero to high concentration: II. Inclusion of associated ion species

Abstract This paper presents a theoretical model of multicomponent ionic diffusion which is valid to high concentration for systems which show ion association. The development is completely general for species which do not react with the solvent. It is demonstrated that the Onsager phenomenological coefficients for associated ion species can be unambiguously determined only in solutions where the concentration of these species can be independently measured. In all other instances, only combinations of the Onsager coefficients for the bare ions and the ion pairs can be experimentally determined. The results of our formulations are contrasted with those of more simplified models for systems containing Na 2 SO 4 and MgSO 4 , as well as for multicomponent natural seawater. The differences between our model and simplified models are significant, especially at high concentration. Inconsistencies which may develop with the use of the simplified approaches are demonstrated. Our approach requires considerable data which are not available at temperatures other than 25°C. Therefore, other approaches which are based only on data at infinite dilution are of great interest. We show here that, if chemical potential derivatives are included in the infinite dilution model of Nernst and Hartley which uses only infinite dilution mobilities, the model can be extended to slightly concentrated solutions. This extended Nernst-Hartley model gives good agreement with all of the existing experimental mutual diffusion coefficient data at concentrations below about 0.2 M in the six component system Na-K-Ca-Mg-Cl-SO 4 -H 2 O. This may be the most reliable way to extend infinite dilution data into more concentrated regions. In the systems we have studied, the inclusion of ion-association species for weakly interacting species does not appear to provide significant improvement over our generalized Nernst-Hartley model.
A study of beta-adrenergic and prostaglandin receptors in patients with aspirin-induced bronchospasm

Abstract Nine patients with aspirin-induced bronchospasm were compared with age-matched normal controls to test the hypothesis that a defect in the beta-adrenergic system could lead to excessive dependence on prostaglandins to maintain bronchodilator function. Lymphocyte beta-receptor density and affinity were measured by 3 H-dihydroalprenolol binding. Beta-receptor function was measured in terms of cyclic AMP accumulation in response to isoproterenol. Prostaglandin (PG) responsiveness was measured in terms of cyclic AMP accumulation caused by PGE 1 stimulation. No difference was found in either the number of beta-adrenergic receptors (1234 ± 115 vs 1213 ± 82) or dissociation constant (1.40 ± 0.23 nM vs 1.19 ± 0.07 nM) (mean ± SEM) between the asthmatic and the control group, respectively. Furthermore, neither group showed any difference in maximally stimulated cyclic AMP in response to isoproterenol and PGE 1 . Thus we find no evidence of an inherent defect of beta-adrenergic receptor and function to account for the susceptibility to aspirin-induced bronchospasm.
The relationship of cardiovascular risk factors to microalbuminuria in older adults with or without diabetes mellitus or hypertension: the cardiovascular health study.

Abstract Background:Microalbuminuria is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). It occurs most commonly in the settings of diabetes and hypertension. The mechanisms by which it increases CHD risk are uncertain. Methods:We examined the cross-sectional association of microalbuminuria with a broad range of CHD risk factors in 3 groups of adults aged 65 years or older with and without microalbuminuria: those with (1) no diabetes or hypertension (n = 1,098), (2) hypertension only (n = 1,450), and (3) diabetes with or without hypertension (n = 465). Results:Three factors were related to microalbuminuria in all 3 groups: age, elevated systolic blood pressure, and markers of systemic inflammation. In patients with neither diabetes nor hypertension, increasing C-reactive protein levels were associated with microalbuminuria (odds ratio per 1-mg/L increase, 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15 to 1.84). Among those with diabetes, an increase in white blood cell (WBC) count was associated with microalbuminuria (odds ratio per 1,000-cell/mL increase, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.12 to 5.89). Among those with hypertension, an increase in WBC count (odds ratio per 1,000-cell/mL increase, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.04 to 3.23) and fibrinogen level (odds ratio per 10-mg/dL increase, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.05) were significantly associated with microalbuminuria. In all 3 groups, prevalent CHD was related to an elevated WBC count. In none of the 3 groups was brachial artery reactivity to ischemia, an in vivo marker of endothelial function, related to microalbuminuria. Conclusion:Microalbuminuria is associated with age, systolic blood pressure, and markers of inflammation. These associations reflect potential mechanisms by which microalbuminuria is related to CHD risk.
Toxicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in the Golden Syrian hamster

Abstract Lethality, pathology, and various clinical chemical parameters were assessed in the hamster following a single ip or po treatment with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD). A single dose, 50-day LD 50 of greater than 3000 μg TCDD/kg, ip, was obtained for male and female hamsters while the LD 50 of orally administered TCDD was found to be 1157 μg/kg. Thus, the hamster appears to be the least sensitive mammalian species to the lethal effect of TCDD that has yet been investigated. TCDD treatment generally reduced the rate of body weight gain, with orally treated hamsters exhibiting the greatest reduction in rate. Thymic atrophy was the most consistent pathologic finding in TCDD treated hamsters. No histopathological changes were seen in the liver, spleen, kidneys, adrenals, or heart. Moderate to severe ileitis and peritonitis were found in many of the hamsters which died following oral treatment with TCDD. This lesion usually affects the distal ileum and consists of a marked hyperplasia of the mucosal epithelium with mild to severe hemorrhaging and necrosis. The intestinal lesion probably contributed in part to the greater lethality of TCDD in orally treated hamsters. A significant increase in serum alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, protein, iron, cholesterol, and a decrease in serum albumin, chloride, urea nitrogen, and triglycerides were found in hamsters following both ip and po treatment with TCDD.
Limitations on analysis of small particles with an electron probe: Pollution studies

Abstract Recent literature concerning the size and composition of airborne lead particles in automobile exhaust emission determined by electron microprobe analysis reports fourteen distinct lead compounds. Particle sizes reported were from 0·2 μm to 2 μm in diameter. The determination of chemical formulae for compounds requires quantitative elemental data for individual particles. It was also assumed that the lead-bearing particles analysed were solid (specifically non-porous or non-fluffy) compounds which occurred as discrete (non-aggregate) particles. Intensity data obtained in our laboratory from the excited volume in a 1 μm-diameter sphere of solid lead chloride indicate insufficient precision and sensitivity to obtain chemical formulae as reported in the literature for exhaust emission products.
The metalation of thioanisole and thiophenetole with n-butyllithium

Abstract The metalation of thioanisole and thiophenetole with n-butyllithium in ether has been reinvestigated with careful product analysis. Thioanisole metalates initially in the ring with shift of lithium to the methyl group, probably by transmetalation, although the possibility of concurrent initial attack of the methyl group by n-butyllithium was not excluded by the data. The metalation of thiophenetole occurred at all ring positions with unexpectedly large amounts (compared with phenetole) of meta and para attack. Also unexpected were large amounts of cleavage of the sulfur-to-phenyl bond leading to phenyllithium. Only small amounts of metalation in the α-position of the ethyl group were indicated by the product composition. It is postulated that initial ring attack is followed by transmetalation of the α-position of the ethyl group, and that this species undergoes a rapid intramolecular cleavage of the sulfur-to-phenyl bond.
Generalizing the notion of confidence

In this paper, we explore extending association analysis to non-traditional types of patterns and non-binary data by generalizing the notion of confidence. We begin by describing a general framework that measures the strength of the connection between two association patterns by the extent to which the strength of one association pattern provides information about the strength of another. Although this framework can serve as the basis for designing or analyzing measures of association, the focus in this paper is to use the framework as the basis for extending the traditional concept of confidence to error-tolerant itemsets (ETIs) and continuous data. To that end, we provide two examples. First, we (1) describe an approach to defining confidence for ETIs that preserves the interpretation of confidence as an estimate of a conditional probability, and (2) show how association rules based on ETIs can have better coverage (at an equivalent confidence level) than rules based on traditional itemsets. Next, we derive a confidence measure for continuous data that agrees with the standard confidence measure when applied to binary transaction data. Further analysis of this result exposes some of the important issues involved in constructing a confidence measure for continuous data.
Sliding-Mode-Based Congestion Control and Scheduling for Multiclass Traffic Over Per-Link Queueing Wireless Networks

This paper considers the problem of joint congestion control and scheduling in wireless networks with quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees. Different from per-destination queueing in the existing works, which is not scalable, this paper considers per-link queueing at each node, which significantly reduces the number of queues per node. Under per-link queueing, we formulate the joint congestion control and scheduling problem as a network utility maximization (NUM) problem and use a dual decomposition method to separate the NUM problem into two subproblems, i.e., a congestion control problem and a scheduling problem. Then, we develop a sliding-mode-based (SM) distributed congestion control scheme and prove its convergence and optimality property. Different from the existing schemes, our congestion control scheme is capable of providing multiclass QoS under the general scenario of multipath and multihop; in addition, it is robust against network anomalies, e.g., link failures, because it can achieve multipath load balancing.
Effects of the Interaction between Genetic Diversity and UV‐B Radiation on Wood Frog Fitness

Genetic diversity may buffer amphibian populations against environmental vicissitudes. We hypothesized that wood frogs (Rana sylvatica)from populations with lower genetic diversity are more susceptible to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation than those from populations with higher diversity. We used RAPD markers to obtain genetic diversity estimates for 12 wood frog populations. We reared larval wood frogs from these populations and exposed experimental groups of eggs and larvae to one of three treatments: unfiltered sunlight, sunlight filtered through a UM-B-blocking filter (Mylar), and sunlight filtered through a UV-B-transmitting filter (acetate). In groups exposed to UVB, larval mortality and deformity rates increased significantly, but egg mortality did not. We found a significant negative relationship between genetic diversity and egg mortality, larval mortality, and deformity rates. Furthermore, the interaction between UV-B treatment and genetic diversity significantly affected larval mortality. Populations with low genetic diversity experienced higher larval mortality rates when exposed to UVB than did populations with high genetic diversity. This is the first time an interaction between genetic diversity and an environmental stressor has been documented in amphibians. Differences in genetic diversity among populations, coupled with environmental stressors, may help explain patterns of amphibian decline.
Spectral analysis of biochemical reactions used for identification of bacteria

To define parameters for optimizing automated discrimination of bacterial biochemical reactions certain theoretical considerations of spectrophotometric analysis were explored. One-hundred and one recent clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli (21 species) were inoculated into AP1 20 E strips and read manually after 24 hours. With spectrophotometric scanning, the AP1 reactions could be classified into three analytical categories: pH change, production of new products, and darkening of the medium. Whereas single wavelength analysis gave 2.9% disagreement from the visual, multiple wavelength analyses were uniformly more accurate. The best results for pH change reactions were obtained by calculating a ratio of two wavelengths. New color reactions were best interpreted by demonstration of the new peak, whereas darkening reactions required quantitation of the area under the entire curve. With these methods, a 99.3% overall agreement of individual reactions and a 97% agreement of identification were achieved. Multiple-point analysis of spectra coupled with computerized interpretation of the data should help resolve the problem of equivocal reactions in bacterial identification schemes optimized for spectral analysis.
Lead toxicosis in mallard ducks.

Eight #6 lead pellets placed in the ventriculus of mallard drakes induced maturation arrest of promegaloblastic-like erythroid cells in the bone marrow, a hypochromic microcytic anemia with poikilocytosis in the peripheral blood, and acid-fast intranuclear inclusions in the renal proximal tubule cells.
Self‐concept and self‐esteem: Another prespective

Study of the “self” has a long history and considerable current attention. This field is plagued by a multiplicity of terms which are not clearly differentiated. To reduce confusion, three discrete concepts are advanced: self, as the sum total of all one can call his; self-concept, the substantive description which one employs to identify his nature; and self-esteem, one's statisfaction with his self-concept.
Brief announcement: secret handshakes from CA-oblivious encryption

Secret handshake protocols were recently introduced by Balfanz, et al. [1] to allow members of the same group to authenticate each other secretly, in the sense that someone who is not a group member cannot tell, by engaging in the handshake protocol, whether his counterparty is a member of the group. On the other hand, any two parties who are members of the same group will recognize each other as members. Thus, secret handshakes can be used in any scenario where group members need to identify each other without revealing their group affiliations to outsiders. The secret handshake protocol of [1] relies on a Bilinear Diffie-Hellman assumption on certain elliptic curves. We show how to build secret handshake protocols secure under more standard cryptographic assumptions, like the RSA or the Diffie Hellman (DH) assumption, using a novel tool of CA-oblivious public key encryption, i.e. an encryption scheme where neither the public key nor the ciphertext reveal any information about the Certification Authority which certified the public key.
Development of a One-Piece Reentrant Cannula for the Proximal Duodenum of Dairy Cows

Abstract A one-piece cannula was developed for reentry or spot collection of duodenal digesta in dairy cows. Progession through three cannula designs is described. Exteriorizing cannulae between the tenth and eleventh ribs produced stable preparations although ribs were deformed. A simple one-piece T cannula was suitable for spot sampling, but digesta blockage prevented its use for reentry collections. A double entry T cannula was unsuitable for reentry collections because of digesta blockages and inability to secure diversion gates in the cannula. A Y-shaped cannula allowed blockage-free reentry collections and easy spot sampling. Diversion gate design provided for a snug fit, and dualphase digesta marker recovery studies and necropsy findings suggested complete diversion in two of three cows. Post-mortem observations of rib distortion and intestinal tissue erosion from between the cannula and abdominal wall suggest inclusion of an inner restraining collar for future preparations. Several other modifications are discussed.
Snake Mobbing By California Ground Squirrels: Adaptive Variation and Ontogeny

California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi) commonly live in association with and are the prey of snakes. Field observations indicate that encounters between the two may often include mobbing by the squirrel and defensive behavior by the snake. Our research had three goals : 1) to systematically observe and describe these mobbing interactions in both field and laboratory situations; 2) to compare in the laboratory the intensity of mobbing gopher, garter, and rattlesnakes by squirrels from two populations which encounter rattlesnakes (rattlesnake adapted), and one which does not (rattlesnake nonadapted) ; 3) to record and describe reactions to a garter snake by young snake-naive squirrels from rattlesnake adapted and nonadapted populations. We found the following. 1. Squirrels approached snakes, investigated them in elongate postures, bobbed their heads, flagged their tails, and sniffed snakes. Aggressively motivated squirrels kicked sand at the snakes, displayed lateral postures, pounced on, and bit them. 2. The stressful impact of this behavior upon the snake is documented by positive correlations between indices of mobbing intensity by squirrels and indices of defensive behavior by the snake. 3. Squirrels from both rattlesnake adapted populations mobbed snakes less intensely than the rattlesnake nonadapted squirrels. 4. The adult-like response of young snake-naive squirrels to a garter snake was significantly stronger than to a moving novel object, thus demonstrating that their response to the snake was based upon stimulus parameters other than novelty. 5. Snake-naive young from a rattlesnake adapted population mobbed less intensely than snake-naive young from a rattlesnake nonadapted population. 6. Snake-naive young mobbed more intensely than wild-caught adults. We proposed the following. 1. Snake mobbing may benefit ground squirrels by reducing the snake's hunting efforts in the area in which mobbing occurred. 2. The presence of venomous snakes increases the risk to the mobber, thereby favoring an adaptive attenuation in mobbing intensity. 3. Because young squirrels are often left at the burrow by foraging mothers, it is likely that first encounters with snakes often occur in the absence of adults. Under these conditions natural selection might favor predetermined epigenesis of the ability to recognize and respond appropriately to snakes. 4. Young snake-naive squirrels may not be as capable as adults of recognizing immobile snakes. Their enhanced response, relative to adults, to moving snakes may be an adaptive mechanism which permits the young to learn to recognize static snake form.
Improving quality of service for streaming multimedia applications in ubiquitous mobile environment

Despite the great potential demonstrated by the multimedia-rich data in various business applications, none of the prior research has addressed the design of high-quality access to the multimedia content in heterogeneous wireless networking environment. In this research, we have presented a partial pre-retrieval and buffering scheme to improve various quality of service (QoS) parameters for multimedia content for in such context. Specifically it addresses the three important QoS parameters namely delay, delay variation, and information loss that directly impact the mobile user's quality of experience indicators. Here we have also presented the analysis of the buffering requirements and the related issues for high-quality access to the multimedia content in such environment. Results of this research have potential to improve the understanding of these multimedia QoS parameters for ubiquitous wireless infrastructures.
CAM Competencies for the Health Professions

As consumer demand for complementary therapies has increased, so too has the public's expectation that health care professionals be knowledgeable about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and prepared to advise patients. In 2000, the National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) began awarding competitive, 5-year educational grants to academic institutions committed to teaching CAM content to health professional students. Fifteen awards were made under this program. Five somewhat overlapping domains of competency have emerged: awareness of CAM therapies and practices, evidence base underlying CAM therapies, CAM skill development, self-awareness and self-care, and CAM models and systems. The NCCAM R-25 projects have demonstrated the value of defining competencies in a variety of ways that can usefully guide the allopathic learner toward the broader goals of informed integrative, patient-centered practice and enhanced self-care.
Isolation and characterization of a hemagglutinin from Limulus polyphemus

A natural hemagglutinin from the hemolymph of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus has been isolated and partially characterized. The hemagglutinin is a protein having a molecular weight of approximately 400,000 and an S20,w0 = 13.5 s. It consists of subunits having a molecular weight of 22,500 which are linked through non-covalent interactions. The agglutinating activity is potentiated by calcium ions. Starch gel electrophoresis, amino acid analysis, two-dimensional high-voltage electrophoresis of tryptic peptides, and immunological analysis were performed on the purified hemagglutinin. The data indicate that the hemagglutinin structure differs in many respects from that of vertebrate immunoglobulins.
Silencing of autoreactive B cells by anergy: a fresh perspective

B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) signals are crucial for initiation of humoral immune responses and must be actively modulated and/or terminated in preparation for receipt of subsequent cues for progression. BCR signaling is also actively inhibited in autoreactive cells in which unresponsiveness is maintained by anergy. This serves to prevent cell activation and autoimmunity. Importantly, the feedback mechanisms that modulate and/or terminate signaling during normal antigen-induced B-cell activation appear to also be involved in maintaining B-cell anergy. In fact, it is suggested that anergy reflects nothing more than the normal inability of cells to respond to antigen following preceding stimulation of normal inhibitory feedback mechanisms. Thus, the time-honored two-signal hypothesis is almost certainly correct, with second signals being required to release the cell from inhibitory BCR-specific and trans-active feedback regulation.
The relationship between essay reading style and scoring proficiency in a psychometric scoring system

Abstract This article presents a model that describes the cognitive frameworks and processes used by essay scorers in a large scale psychometric scoring system. Based on this model, an investigation of the relationship between a scorer's reading style and proficiency with a scoring rubric is reported. Scorers who demonstrated different levels of proficiency (i.e., different levels of interrater agreement) with a narrative scoring rubric performed a think aloud task. Protocols were analyzed to determine whether scoring proficiency is manifested in the way a scorer considers various features of the essay, makes judgments about the quality of the essay, and makes personal comments about the essay and scoring task. The results suggest that proficient scorers are better able to withhold judgment and may focus their efforts more intensely on the process of evaluation. Implications of these results for selecting, evaluating, and training scorers are discussed.
Optical Switching Architecture for Data Center Networks

Optical switching for data center network applications has shown some system benefits, including high bandwidth, flexibility, and low power consumption. We present our recent work of first all optical switching architecture for data center networks.
Surface properties of uranium dioxide from first principles

Abstract Computational modeling of the properties of clean uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) surfaces is a necessary step to modeling and understanding UO 2 surface mechanisms such as corrosion and the formation of complex species via environmental gas adsorption. In this work, all-electron hybrid density functional theory, including spin–orbit coupling effects, has been used to study the evolution of the work function, surface energy, incremental energy, and band gap of the clean (1 1 0) and (1 1 1) surfaces of UO 2 with respect to the system size. At five layers of formula units and beyond the surface properties of UO 2 converge. The estimated work function, surface energy, and band gap of the (1 1 1) surface were 3.5 eV, 0.97 J/m 2 , and 1.2 eV respectively; the corresponding values for the (1 1 0) surface were 2.2 eV, 1.76 J/m 2 , and 0.65 eV respectively. The localization of the 5 f electron states is pronounced at the top surface layer while bulk-like behavior is exhibited at and below the subsurface layer. The Mott–Hubbard type insulating behavior in the bulk is retained in the surfaces, albeit with a smaller band gap.
Catholics and Evangelical Protestants on Homoerotic Desire: Augustine vs. Pelagius

Catholic and Protestant religious responses to the emergence of the late nineteenth-century concept of a more or less fixed sexual orientation have taken three different directions: some have largely abandoned doctrinal hostility to homosexuality (“Mainline” Protestants, roughly speaking); some have conjoined the belief that homoerotic relationships are sinful with the conviction that homosexuality is a product of malleable individual choice, curable through reparative therapy (Evangelical Protestants, roughly speaking); while others contend that, although still potentially sinful, homoerotic dispositions are typically innate and immutable (chiefly the Vatican and other clerical authorities among Roman Catholics). This article offers a theological analysis of the dramatic divergence of opinion between the second and third groups. It is suggested that the differences depend on divergent theological commitments to the disparate accounts of human nature and sexual ethics implicit in Paul, Pelagius, and (more...
GROWTH PARAMETERS IN SCHOOL-AGED BOYS WITH LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

Children with learning and behavior problems may have mild growth suppression when created with stimulant medication for poor attention or hyperactivity. However, data is unavailable substantiating normal growth in untreated children. This study was undertaken to identify any difference in growth parameters of such children compared to national norms. A retrospective analysis was undertaken via chart review of 97 boys between 6 and 11 years of age, with normal intelligence and on no medication, evaluated for learning or behavior problems and diagnosed as learning disabled, attention deficit disorder, and/or minimal cerebral dysfunction. Height and weight were obtained at initial evaluation with a standard medical scale. A z-score was assigned for these values as well as weight-for-height ratio (w/h) based upon the Natl. Ctr. for Health Statistics standards. Analysis of SES, number of behavior problems, IQ, reading quotient, and parental education was performed to identify any correlations with these measures. Height, weight, and w/h showed no statistically significant difference between this group and the general population (mean z-score ± 1 SD: 0.06 ± 1.23, 0.18 ± 1.22, 0.18 ± 1.02, respectively). No correlations were found between these growth measures and the other factors. We conclude that children with learning and behavior problems, including subclasses of these children, are of normal stature and weight.
In vitro transfer of radiocadmium, Cd115, from plasma to human erythrocytes.

SummaryThe 24-hour in vitro transfer of radiocadmium, Cd115, from plasma to human erythrocytes was investigated. Most of the isotope became erythrocyte-bound during the first 8 hours of incubation ...
Congenital lipoprotein lipase deficiency in hyperlipemic kitten siblings.

The nature of the hyperlipemia in two 3-week-old male kittens, one of which was presented with the owner's complaints of retarded growth and white streaks on its eyes, was studied. Hypertriglyceridemia, hyper-cholesterolemia, and reduced Post-Heparin Plasma Lipolytic Activities (PHPLA) were observed in both animals. One of the kittens, however, was more severely affected and in addition, had lipemia retinalis and a marked lactescent, hyperchylomicronemic serum in spite of a short-term fast before sampling. These findings are strikingly similar to those found in human Type I hyperlipoproteinemia due to familial Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) deficiency. Diagnosis of persistent hyperlipemic syndromes in kittens should include the possibility of LPL deficiency as determined by PHPLA measurements.
Biosynthesis of granulysin, a novel cytolytic molecule

Abstract Granulysin is a newly described lytic molecule expressed by CTL and NK cells. Three mRNA (519, 520, and 522) and two protein products of 15 and 9 kDa are encoded by the granulysin gene. Stable transfectants overexpressing the predominate 520 mRNA were generated to determine the protein products originating from the translation of this message. A transfectant of the NK cell tumor YT overexpressed both 15 and 9 kDa proteins while a transfectant of the T cell tumor HuT78 produced mainly 15 kDa granulysin. Thus the 520 mRNA is sufficient for production of both 15 and 9 kDa granulysin. 9 kDa granulysin accumulated via post-translational processing of 15 kDa protein and was present intracellularly but not in the cell culture supernatant, indicating specific retention of the 9 kDa protein. An inhibitor of granule acidification, concanamycin A, blocked the processing of 15 kDa granulysin to the 9 kDa form. A deduced structural difference between the two forms of the protein and a decrease in lytic activity of 9 kDa granulysin at granule pH suggest two mechanisms by which a granulysin expressing cell is protected from autolysis during the biosynthesis of this potentially harmful molecule.
Effects of Enhanced Multi-party Tradespace Visualization on a Two-person Negotiation☆

Abstract Previous research has hypothesized that framing remains an uncontrolled variable impacting the performance of stakeholders and analysts engaging in tradespace exploration, with particularly negative consequences expected during multi-stakeholder tradespace exploration (MSTSE). This paper describes an experiment in which subjects engaged in a two-person negotiation using tradespace exploration software, with the goal of choosing a car that they would share. The control group was given a standard tradespace exploration tool and the treatment group was given a modified tool designed to emphasize the relevant multi-stakeholder aspects of the problem. Analysis of the resulting data confirms the original hypothesis that multi-stakeholder visualization can reduce fixation on the individual cost-benefit Pareto front and improve grasp of “true” gains and losses around the best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA) for each participant. Other outcomes and potential future directions for MSTSE experiments are also discussed.
Noise exposure criteria for continuous noise: A case for reducing the 8 hour open ear exposure level

Personnel working in hazardous noise environments can be protected from noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) or other hearing related disabilities when their exposures are limited. Limiting noise exposures can be accomplished by engineering controls, administrative controls, and/or with the use of personal protective equipment. Damage risk criteria (DRC) were developed as a guide to limit personnel noise exposure in order to reduce the risk of NIHL. With the exception of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the US and many European countries accepted the DRC of 85 dB for 8 hours with a 3 dB per doubling exchange rate. Recent studies of the auditory response to noise dose, conducted at the Air Force Research Laboratory, found that A-weighted open ear exposures may be more hazardous (i.e., have a higher effective noise dose) than equal A-weighted level protected ear exposures. A potential conclusion of these studies is that hearing protectors are more effective than previously thought and reducing the open ear exposure criteria may be needed in order to minimize NIHL. This presentation will describe the pros and cons of reducing the 85 dBA DRC.
Similar Genetic Mechanisms Underlie the Parallel Evolution of Floral Phenotypes

The repeated origin of similar phenotypes is invaluable for studying the underlying genetics of adaptive traits; molecular evidence, however, is lacking for most examples of such similarity. The floral morphology of neotropical Malpighiaceae is distinctive and highly conserved, especially with regard to symmetry, and is thought to result from specialization on oil-bee pollinators. We recently demonstrated that CYCLOIDEA2–like genes (CYC2A and CYC2B) are associated with the development of the stereotypical floral zygomorphy that is critical to this plant–pollinator mutualism. Here, we build on this developmental framework to characterize floral symmetry in three clades of Malpighiaceae that have independently lost their oil bee association and experienced parallel shifts in their floral morphology, especially in regard to symmetry. We show that in each case these species exhibit a loss of CYC2B function, and a strikingly similar shift in the expression of CYC2A that is coincident with their shift in floral symmetry. These results indicate that similar floral phenotypes in this large angiosperm clade have evolved via parallel genetic changes from an otherwise highly conserved developmental program.
Temporal Association of the Appearance of Mucoid Strains of Streptococcus Pyogenes With a Continuing High Incidence of Rheumatic Fever in Utah

Objective. Our objective was to confirm an observed temporal association of increased numbers of rheumatic fever cases concomitant with the appearance of an increased prevalence of mucoid strains of Streptococcus pyogenes . During the resurgence of rheumatic fever (RF) that has occurred in the Intermountain area surrounding Salt Lake City, Utah, since 1985, the largest number of cases occurred in 1985 and 1986 and 12 years later in 1997 and 1998. During the initial outbreak and the later exacerbation of the resurgence, an increased number of mucoid strains of S pyogenes were present in the community. Methods. The referred cases of RF that fulfilled Jones criteria have been systematically reviewed by the medical staff at Primary Children’s Medical Center yearly since 1985. Before the resurgence of RF, a program was initiated by the microbiology laboratory at Primary Children’s Medical Center to store frozen isolates of S pyogenes. All frozen specimens were randomly selected and entered into a log; the coded entry allowed for comments regarding the origin of the isolate and whether the isolate had a mucoid appearance on the blood agar culture plate. This log was reviewed in October 2002 to determine whether the percentage of frozen mucoid isolates stored during the resurgence of RF would support the clinical and epidemiologic suspicion that mucoid isolates seemed to be present with a higher frequency during the 2 periods of high incidence of RF. The percentage of mucoid isolates was compared with the yearly number of cases of RF. A Pearson r correlation analysis was completed to determine whether there was a significant association between the percentage of mucoid isolates and the number of cases of RF. Results. The highest number of cases of RF was temporally associated with the highest percentage of mucoid isolates. There was statistically significant correlation between percentage of mucoid strains and the number of RF cases. Conclusions. The Utah experience with the resurgence of RF in a civilian population during the last decade and a half of the 20th century confirmed the temporal association of mucoid strains of S pyogenes , primarily M-type 18, with a high incidence of RF.
Validity, discriminative ability, and reliability of the hearing-related quality of life questionnaire for adolescents.

Objectives The prevalence of hearing loss (HL) in adolescents has grown over the past decade, but hearing-related quality of life (QOL) has not been well-measured. We sought to develop a reliable, valid measure of hearing-related QOL for adolescents, the Hearing Environments And Reflection on Quality of Life (HEAR-QL).
A binding protocol for distributed shared objects

A number of actions, collectively known as binding, prepare a reference for invocation of its target: locating the target, setting up a connection, checking access rights and concurrency control state, type-checking, instantiating a proxy, etc. Existing languages or operating systems support only a single binding policy, that cannot be tailored to object-specific semantics for the management of distribution, replication, or persistence. We propose a general binding protocol covering the above needs; the protocol is simple (a single RPC and one upcall at each end) but recursive; however the recursion can be terminated at any point, trading off simplicity and performance against completeness. This comprehensive, unified protocol is capable of supporting different languages and object models, and may be tailored to support various policies in a simple manner. >
Involving parents in building reading instruction for African‐American children

(1992). Involving parents in building reading instruction for African‐American children. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 31, Literacy and the African-American Learner/The Struggle Between Access and Denial, pp. 350-359.
Nuclear power plant performance study by using neural networks

The thermal performance data obtained from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Sequoyah nuclear power plant show that the heat rate is changing constantly and the plant is probably losing some megawatts of electric power due to variation of the heat rate. It is very difficult to analyze the raw data recorded weekly during the full power operation of the plant because a nuclear power plant is a very complex system with thousands of parameters. The hybrid type of neural network was set up to work as the internal model for prediction of the heat rate. A sensitivity study was then applied to extract information about the key parameters which might strongly affect the plant thermal performance. The preliminary results show that neural networks can be used to analyze plant data and extract some useful information which may be difficult to obtain through traditional analytical models. >
Privacy-preserving Bayesian network structure computation on distributed heterogeneous data

As more and more activities are carried out using computers and computer networks, the amount of potentially sensitive data stored by business, governments, and other parties increases. Different parties may wish to benefit from cooperative use of their data, but privacy regulations and other privacy concerns may prevent the parties from sharing their data. Privacy-preserving data mining provides a solution by creating distributed data mining algorithms in which the underlying data is not revealed.In this paper, we present a privacy-preserving protocol for a particular data mining task: learning the Bayesian network structure for distributed heterogeneous data. In this setting, two parties owning confidential databases wish to learn the structure of Bayesian network on the combination of their databases without revealing anything about their data to each other. We give an efficient and privacy-preserving version of the K2 algorithm to construct the structure of a Bayesian network for the parties' joint data.
The influence of categories on perception: explaining the perceptual magnet effect as optimal statistical inference.

A variety of studies have demonstrated that organizing stimuli into categories can affect the way the stimuli are perceived. We explore the influence of categories on perception through one such phenomenon, the perceptual magnet effect, in which discriminability between vowels is reduced near prototypical vowel sounds. We present a Bayesian model to explain why this reduced discriminability might occur: It arises as a consequence of optimally solving the statistical problem of perception in noise. In the optimal solution to this problem, listeners’ perception is biased toward phonetic category means because they use knowledge of these categories to guide their inferences about speakers’ target productions. Simulations show that model predictions closely correspond to previously published human data, and novel experimental results provide evidence for the predicted link between perceptual warping and noise. The model unifies several previous accounts of the perceptual magnet effect and provides a framework for exploring categorical effects in other domains.
Comparing asthma care provided to Medicaid-enrolled children in a Primary Care Case Manager plan and a staff model HMO.

Objective.—To examine differences in selected processes of asthma care provided to Medicaid-enrolled children in a state-administered Primary Care Case Manager (PCCM) plan and a staff model health maintenance organization (HMO). Methods.—Retrospective cohort study assessing performance on 6 claims-based processes of care measures that reflect aspects of pediatric asthma care recommended in national guidelines. Analyzed Medicaid and HMO claims and encounter data for 2365 children with asthma in the Massachusetts Medicaid program in 1994. Results.—There were no plan differences in asthma primary care visits, asthma pharmacotherapy or follow-up care after asthma hospitalization. Children in the HMO were only 54% as likely (confidence interval [CI]: 0.37–0.80; P Conclusions.—In this study, the HMO served a less sick pediatric asthma population. After controlling for case mix, the staff model HMO provided greater access to asthma specialists and more timely follow-up care after asthma ED visits relative to providers in the state-administered PCCM plan. Further understanding of the impact of these differences on clinical outcomes could guide asthma improvement efforts.
Normalized graph cuts for visual SLAM

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) suffers from a quadratic space and time complexity per update step. Recent advancements have been made in approximating the posterior by forcing the information matrix to remain sparse as well as exact techniques for generating the posterior in the full SLAM solution to both the trajectory and the map. Current approximate techniques for maintaining an online estimate of the map for a robot to use while exploring make capacity-based decisions about when to split into sub-maps. This paper will describe an alternative partitioning strategy for online approximate real-time SLAM which makes use of normalized graph cuts to remove less information from the full map.
Endoscopic Transforaminal Lumbar Discectomy and Reconfiguration: A Postero-lateral Approach into the Spinal Canal

Abstract Background In the past, minimally invasive procedures (chemonucleolysis, laser, automated percutaneous discectomy, percutaneous manual nucleotomy, arthroscopy) have been largely confined to intradiscal work. This study represents cases of working channel, transforaminal spinal endoscopy performed using an endoscope which, because of its small size and flexibility, can bend up to 90 degrees (depending on the guiding cannula), and pass completely through the foramen into the spinal canal (truly transforaminal, as opposed to just going through part of the foramen and into the disc), to directly remove free fragments and reconfigure disc, relieving root and dural displacement at all lumbar levels. Methods The records of 533 patients who had outpatient, minimally invasive operations performed over a 6-year period (ending in 1995) by this author were analyzed. Of these, 110 had small scope transforaminal procedures, forming the basis of this study. Results An independent observer followed the 110 patients who had endoscopic transforaminal procedures for 2 or more years. Using MacNab’s criteria, the success rate (excellent or good) was 95% in the 75 patients with disc presenting lateral to the dura—“lateral presenting,”—and 83% in the 35 patients not presenting disc for direct removal—“non-lateral presenting” (i.e., dura in the pathway)—making an overall success rate of 91%. One patient who developed discitis was the only complication. Conclusion Guideable endoscopes small enough to pass completely through the foramen allow percutaneous surgery to include non-contained disc herniations and even some migrated free fragments, depending on the location. The percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic technique can be an effective, safe approach for disc removal through the foramen, especially in cases where the disc presents itself for direct removal.