cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Obesity and cardiovascular disease: From pathophysiology to risk stratification

Obesity is associated with numerous co-morbidities such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), type 2 diabetes, hypertension and others. As obesity is considered to be a major risk factor for atherosclerosis, understanding of the underlying mechanisms leading to obesity and linking obesity with atherogenesis is necessary, for the development of therapeutic strategies against atherosclerosis. The pathophysiology of CVD linked to obesity is an area of intensive research. In this review we examine the role of obesity on CVD, and we focus on specific mechanisms of major importance in atherogenesis, such as the role of adipokines, insulin resistance, endothelial function and cardiac structure with emphasis on the effects of obesity on vascular endothelium and atherosclerosis. We then proceed from the pathophysiology of obesity to clinical practice, and we discuss clinical studies linking obesity with subclinical or overt CVD. We highlight that obesity is an easily assessed cardiovascular risk factor in the clinical setting and strategies to promote optimal body weight should be encouraged.
Occurrence and nature of antibacterial substances in plants affecting Bacillus thuringiensis and other entomogenous bacteria

Abstract Antibacterial substances that inhibit the growth of Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis were found in leaves of 22 plants belonging to pinaceae, Taxaceae, Fagaceae, Salicaceae, Hamamelidaceae, and Leguminosae. These antibacterial substances in leaves of pitch pine, Pinus rigida , Virginia pine, Pinus virginiana , and loblolly pine, Pinus taeda , that were studied in more detail, were found throughout the year. Both old and new growth contained antibacterial substances. It was found that expressed juice from pitch pine foliage inhibited the growth in vitro of all entomogenous bacteria that were tested. In a study of the chemical nature of antibacterial substances in plants, a simplified qualitative analytical method was developed in which pitch pine and Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis were used as test organisms. Purification and complete separation of the antibacterial material from expressed juice was obtained by ion-exchange column chromatography. A combination of strongly acidic and strongly basic ion-exchange resins were used. Separation of inhibitory material, obtained from ion-exchange chromatography, into five antibacterial substances was achieved by thin-layer chromatography. Silica gel H and solvent system: ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, formic acid, and distilled water in the ratio 5:3:1:1 were employed. Infrared and ultraviolet spectra and other evidence indicate that these antibacterial substances in pitch pine foliage are possibly hydroxy carboxylic acids.
A genomic view of the human-Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron symbiosis

The human gut is colonized with a vast community of indigenous microorganisms that help shape our biology. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of the Gram-negative anaerobe Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a dominant member of our normal distal intestinal microbiota. Its 4779-member proteome includes an elaborate apparatus for acquiring and hydrolyzing otherwise indigestible dietary polysaccharides and an associated environment-sensing system consisting of a large repertoire of extracytoplasmic function sigma factors and one- and two-component signal transduction systems. These and other expanded paralogous groups shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying symbiotic host-bacterial relationships in our intestine.
Effect of chromium supplementation and copper status on glucose and lipid metabolism in Angus and Simmental beef cows

Abstract Pregnant Angus ( n = 83) and Simmental ( n = 69) cows were blocked by age into three blocks and then randomly assigned by breed to one of two free choice mineral supplements to determine effects of dietary Cr and Cu status on glucose metabolism and blood metabolites in beef cows. Supplements consisted of: (1) control (no supplemental Cr) and (2) 40 mg Cr/kg of mineral (from Cr picolinate). Mineral supplements were formulated to contain all minerals typically supplemented to cattle diets with the exception of Cu. The study began approximately 75 days prepartum, at which time half of the cows in each treatment received a 25 g Cu oxide needle bolus. Blood was collected from 36 cows on days 28, 58, 97 (approximately 20-day postpartum), 155, 210, and 279 for plasma glucose and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) determination. Chromium supplementation reduced (P versus Simmental cows. In cows receiving a Cu bolus, plasma glucose levels were similar between breeds. Plasma NEFA concentrations were affected by time (P versus control cows. Clearance rates for glucose were not affected by treatment. In the postpartum GTT, plasma glucose was affected by an interaction between Cr supplementation and Cu status, as Cr supplemented cows that received a Cu bolus had higher (P versus control cows. Results indicate that plasma glucose is lower in cows receiving supplemental Cr, and that an interaction between Cr and Cu status may alter glucose metabolism.
Toxicity and bioaccumulation of thallium in Hyalella azteca, with comparison to other metals and prediction of environmental impact.

Thallium (Tl) is an extremely toxic but little studied metal. For Hyalella azteca exposed in Lake Ontario water, a 25% reduction in survival (the LC25) occurred at about 48 nmol litre−1 after 4 weeks. Body concentrations of Tl, which were proportional to water concentrations, averaged 290 nmol g−1 dry mass at the LC25. Growth was reduced at slightly lower concentrations. Concentrations affecting reproduction were variable at < 50% of the LC25. On a water-concentration basis Tl was more toxic than Ni, Cu or Zn, but less toxic than Cd or Hg to Hyalella; toxicity to Pb was similar. On a body-concentration basis, the toxicities of Tl, Cd, Hg and Pb were all similar. Unlike Cd, Tl toxicity and uptake was affected by K concentrations in the water, and not by Ca, Mg, Na or other ions. Toxicity was proportional to uptake, and body concentrations were better predictors of toxicity than water concentrations in media with varying K concentrations. Preliminary measurements of Tl and Cd uptake by Hyalella from Hamilton Harbour and Lake Ontario sediments suggested that total bioavailable metal concentrations were greater in deep-water sediments from Lake Ontario than in sediments from the harbour. The ratio of bioavailable metal to the toxic threshold was slightly higher for Cd than for Tl, but well below 1 for both metals.
Safety and Effectiveness of Concomitant Administration of Dipivefrin and Timolol Maleate

Dipivefrin, an epinephrine prodromal drug, was used in conjunction with timolol maleate to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of combined therapy. Seventeen patients who had used timolol maleate for at least six months added dipivefrin (Group 1) and seven patients who had used dipivefrin for at least six months added timolol maleate (Group 2). Intraocular pressure decreased further in both groups. Side effects were most prominent in Group 1.
Student ratings and various instructional variables from a within-instructor perspective

The relationship between class size, instructional method, course level, reason for enrollment, and student ratings of instruction was assessed from a within-instructor perspective. Two hundred fifty-four pairs of courses taught by the same instructor were correspondingly identified and subjected to a stepwise multiple regression procedure. Only class size was found to be a significant predictor of ratings once individual differences between instructors were controlled, hence underlining the importance of (1) taking cognizance of the size of the course when using student ratings of instructors as a measure of teaching effectiveness, and (2) controlling for systematic variation due to instructor idiosyncracies in instructional research.
The effect of phase change on reflection on optical measurements

Under specific conditions, light will undergo a phase change upon reflection. This phase change affects the results of many precision dimensional measurements. The phase change on reflection was investigated at a glass-metal interface using samples with evaporated metal strips on the back surface of a wedged glass substrate. The samples were measured on a phase shifting interferometer and the phase change was calculated from the apparent measured step heights from the internal reflection at the back glass-metal interface. The background subtraction process was the largest contributor to the phase change uncertainty. The phase change was measured for gold, copper and aluminum at normal incidence and for gold at varying angle of incidence. The measured phase change for gold, copper, and aluminum is 131.4° ±3.8°, 173.7° ±3.8°, and 200.7° ±3.8°, respectively. The measured phase change for gold at varying incident angle is shown. In addition, the effect of the phase change on the radius measurement was investigated. A bias in the radius measurement due to the phase change was found that is interferometer dependent.
ANEMIA IN FAMILIES OF IRON DEFICIENT INNER-CITY SCHOOL CHILDREN: A FOLLOW-UP STUDY, 1972–1976

A hematologic survey conducted in 1972 Identified 68 of 1210 children 5 to 8 years of age as iron deficient. The 68 families were investigated; in 1975, 38 of the families were reinvestigated. In 1975, 9 Infant children had a mean hemoglobin concentration (HGB) of 10.4 gn/dl (SD=0.97) as compared to a mean HGB of 11.5 (SD=1.38) for 13 similarly-aged children in these same 38 families in 1972 (p<0.005). For 39 children 3 to 10 years of age at both times of testing, mean HGB was 10.8 In 1975 as compared to 12.0 in 1972 (p<0.001). For the 1210 children originally surveyed in 1972, mean HGB was 12.25 (SD=1.03). In 1976 a survey of 221 similarly-aged children in a single school revealed a mean HGB of 11.8 (SD=1.04) (p<0.001). During the period between investigations, there were dramatic changes in food costs, and nationally, in patterns of food consumption. A survey of local supermarket sales showed significant reductions in purchases of meat products in the impoverished area of Philadelphia where these investigations took place; no such change was demonstrated in a prosperous area of the city. A rise in the prevalence of specific nutrient deficiency is known to occur in underdeveloped countries in association with rises in the cost of food staples. The data presented herein suggests that a similar phenomenon has occurred here.
Galactosyl receptor, a cell surface C-type lectin of normal and tumoral prostate epithelial cells with binding affinity to endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND The mechanism of bone metastasis of prostate cancer involves the interaction of cell surface receptor(s) on cancer cells with ligand(s) on bone marrow endothelial cell surfaces. The rat galactosyl receptor gene generates two mRNA species by differential splicing: one species encodes a protein identical to the minor form of hepatocyte asialoglycoprotein receptor and displays a galactose/N-acetyl-galactosamine-recognition domain; the other encodes a protein with identical intracellular and transmembrane domains but with a different extracellular domain lacking the carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD). Both proteins appear to coexist as a heterooligomer on the surface of normal mouse, rat, and human prostate epithelial cells and human prostate cancer cells, including the PC-3 cell line. The CRD of galactosyl receptor mediates adhesion of normal and tumoral prostate cells to the surfaces of a human bone marrow endothelial cell line. The use of inhibitors targeting the CRD would be very valuable in hindering the binding of prostate cancer cells to endothelial cells, thus decreasing the incidence of hematogenous metastasis to bone. METHODS Molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and a cell aggregation assay were used to determine the expression and role of the galactosyl receptor in cell adhesion. RESULTS Immunoblotting experiments demonstrated that each component of the heterooligomer has a mass of 54 kDa, ascribed in part to associated carbohydrates. An oligonucleotide probe showed the presence of both galactosyl receptor forms in rat prostate and testis, but not in liver, kidney, and spleen. Antibodies to the CRD and a segment of the nonhomologous extracellular domain of the galactosyl receptor blocked cell adhesion to endothelial cell monolayers. CONCLUSIONS The galactosyl receptor provides a valuable target for the development and use of synthetic ligands capable of disrupting endothelial cell-prostate cancer cell interaction, the first step in prostate cancer bone metastasis. Prostate 43:175–183, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Static Fatigue Limit for Sintered Silicon Carbide at Elevated Temperatures

The modified static loading technique for estimating static fatigue limits was used to study the effects of oxidation and temperature on the static fatigue limit, K10 for crack growth in sintered silicon carbide. For as-machined, unoxidized sintered silicon carbide with a static load time of 4 h, K10× 2.25 MPa * m1/2 at 1200° and ∼1.75 at 1400°C. On oxidation for 10 h at 1200°C, K10 drops to ∼1.75 MPam1/2 at 1200° and ∼1.25 at 1400°C when tested in a nonoxidizing ambient. Similar results were obtained at 1200°C for tests performed in air. A tendency for strengthening below the static fatigue limit appears to result from plastic relaxation of stress in the crack-tip region by viscous deformation involving an oxide grain-boundary phase for oxidized material and, possibly, diffusive creep deformation in the case of unoxidized material.
Academic levels and achievement gains of children hospitalized for psychiatric disorders.

Academic achievement of children with psychiatric disorders is less frequently studied than their social or emotional adjustment and is consequently less well established. Knowledge of their academic progress seems nonetheless important to the development of sound educational planning both during and after treatment. This study examined the academic functioning of children during psychiatric hospitalization. Academic levels and gains were computed for 110 children and examined in relation to such variables as age, diagnosis, and length of hospital stay. Significance of findings for schooling of youngsters with psychiatric disorders was discussed.
Co-inhibitory molecules of the B7-CD28 family in the control of T-cell immunity.

Co-signalling molecules are cell-surface glycoproteins that can direct, modulate and fine-tune T-cell receptor (TCR) signals. On the basis of their functional outcome, co-signalling molecules can be divided into co-stimulators and co-inhibitors, which promote or suppress T-cell activation, respectively. By expression at the appropriate time and location, co-signalling molecules positively and negatively control the priming, growth, differentiation and functional maturation of a T-cell response. We are now beginning to understand the power of co-inhibitors in the context of lymphocyte homeostasis and the pathogenesis of human diseases. In this article, I focus on several newly described co-inhibitory pathways in the B7–CD28 family.
Effect of choice of medium on the results of in vitro susceptibility testing of eight antibiotics against the Bacteroides fragilis group.

The susceptibility of isolates of the Bacteroides fragilis group to eight antibiotics was determined by the agar dilution method on three media. At intermediate breakpoints established by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS), only minimal differences in the susceptibility of each species to any of the antibiotics were documented among the three media. At NCCLS susceptible breakpoints, greater differences among media were found for cefoxitin and cefotetan than for the other drugs tested. Only minimal differences among the three media were evident in comparisons of MIC 50 , MIC 9O , and geometric mean MIC values for all antibiotics tested. Thus, use of any one of these three media does not significantly affect agar-dilution MIC results for the B. fragilis group.
Method for rapid evaluation of accelerator pulsed beam time performance

Abstract A method for monitoring accelerator pulsed beam time performance is described. This method has minimized the time and effort necessary to tune the pulsing system on a tandem Van de Graaff accelerator.
Matrix generation algorithm for an M -stage closed tandem queue with blocking

Abstract This paper contains a discussion concerning state transition rate matrix generation for a closed tandem queue with a fixed number of pallets and with blocking due to there being intermediate queue between any pair of machines. The method is based on the blocal balance concept. 'with this matrix, one can obtain the limiting probability of each system state. Once the limiting probabilities are found, machine utilizations and average queue lengths are readily computed. The computational algorithm for a closed tandem queue with blocking is provided and the results are compared to the average values of a computer simulation model.
Two-sided estimates for root vector functions of the Dirac operator

We consider the one-dimensional Dirac operator. We derive a shift formula for its root vector functions and prove anti-a priori and two-sided estimates for various Lp-norms of these functions.
A new sensitive method for detecting human endogenous (leukocyte) pyrogen.

Endogenous, or leukocyte pyrogen (EP), the mediator of fever, is currently detected by injection of pyrogen-containing supernatants into rabbits. This assay has been of little value in the study of human fever because it required injection of relatively large amounts of pyrogen. We now report that injection of medium containing human EP produces fever in mice. Supernatant from 1 × 105 granulocytes, stimulated by phagocytosis of staphylococci and incubated overnight, or 1 × 104 monocytes similarly treated, produce clear pyrogenic responses. This method for detecting EP is about 100-fold more sensitive than the rabbit assay, and it appears to be specific for EP. Preliminary studies of EP released by small samples of needle liver biopsies from febrile and afebrile patients suggests that this sensitive assay may be useful for investigations into the mechanisms of clinical fever.
Vasomotor responses to cooling in the extremities of subjects with neurologic lesions.

Reflex vascular responses to cooling were studied in subjects with neurologic disorders, with a younger and an elderly "normal" group being used for comparison. By and large the responses were mirror images of those described for the Gibbon-Landis procedure. It was demonstrated that normal reflex responses to cooling as well as to warming are dependent upon the integrity of sympathetic innervation.
Blood flow in mesenteric, hepatic portal and renal portal veins of chickens.

Blood flows were determined by electromagnetic probes placed upon the posterior vena cava (PVC), coccygeomesenteric vein (COCMV), mesenteric vein (MV), and hepatic portal vein (PV) of white Leghorn males. Blood flow in ml/min of non-fasted, unanesthetized males were as follows: $$per kg \frac{{MV}}{{6.2}}{\text{ }}\frac{{COCMV}}{{8.3}}{\text{ }}\frac{{PV}}{{15.0}}{\text{ }}\frac{{{\text{PVC}}}}{{45.0}}$$ Withholding food for 24 hrs decreased flow significantly only in the MV and PVC. Anesthesia decreased flow in PVC, PV and COCMV. After ligation of PVC, blood was shunted from caudal areas and renal portal circulation to COCMV and liver. Ligation of PV caused a diversion of flow to renal portal circulation and an increase in PVC flow and a reversal of direction of flow in COCMV.
Novel frame buffer pixel circuits for liquid-crystal-on-silicon microdisplays

A 32 /spl times/ 16 liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) backplane with novel frame buffer pixels is designed and fabricated using the AMI Semiconductor's 0.5-/spl mu/m double-poly triple-metal CMOS process. The three novel pixel circuits described herein increase the brightness of an XGA LCOS microdisplay by at least 36% without sacrificing image contrast ratio. The increase of brightness is attributed to maximizing overall image view time, allowing an image to be displayed at full contrast while the next image is buffered onto the backplane. The new circuits achieve this by removing charge sharing and charge inducement problems shown in previously proposed frame buffer pixel circuits. Voltages on the pixel electrodes measured through rail-to-rail operational amplifiers with negative feedback vary from 0 to 4.25 V (6-V power source). All data voltage levels remain constant over a frame time with less than 1% drop, thus ensuring maximum contrast ratio. Modeling and experimental measurement on the fabricated chip show that these pixel circuits outperform all others to date based on storage time, data storage level, and potential for highest contrast ratio with maximum brightness.
Stem Cell-Based Approaches to Improve Nerve Regeneration: Potential Implications for Reconstructive Transplantation?

Reconstructive transplantation has become a viable option to restore form and function after devastating tissue loss. Functional recovery is a key determinant of overall success and critically depends on the quality and pace of nerve regeneration. Several molecular and cell-based therapies have been postulated and tested in pre-clinical animal models to enhance nerve regeneration. Schwann cells remain the mainstay of research focus providing neurotrophic support and signaling cues for regenerating axons. Alternative cell sources such as mesenchymal stem cells and adipose-derived stromal cells have also been tested in pre-clinical animal models and in clinical trials due to their relative ease of harvest, rapid expansion in vitro, minimal immunogenicity, and capacity to integrate and survive within host tissues, thereby overcoming many of the challenges faced by culturing of human Schwann cells and nerve allografting. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived Schwann cells are of particular interest since they can provide abundant, patient-specific autologous Schwann cells. The majority of experimental evidence on cell-based therapies, however, has been generated using stem cell-seeded nerve guides that were developed to enhance nerve regeneration across “gaps” in neural repair. Although primary end-to-end repair is the preferred method of neurorrhaphy in reconstructive transplantation, mechanistic studies elucidating the principles of cell-based therapies from nerve guidance conduits will form the foundation of further research employing stem cells in end-to-end repair of donor and recipient nerves. This review presents key components of nerve regeneration in reconstructive transplantation and highlights the pre-clinical studies that utilize stem cells to enhance nerve regeneration.
Teach our students well: A call for training models that embrace the wisdom of the past

C.R. Snyder and T.R. Elliott's forward-looking clinical training model (this issue) assumes that traditional clinical theories, particularly psychoanalytic theories, have little to offer the study of human strengths. Yet the psychoanalytic literature reveals many insights into the nature of strengths and weaknesses. This essay describes a three-pronged habit of thinking that has led positive psychology advocates, including Snyder and Elliott, to underestimate the potential contribution of psychoanalytic models to our understanding of human strengths and to training models that stress their importance. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.
The fabrication of low-impedance nanoporous gold multiple-electrode arrays for neural electrophysiology studies

Neural electrodes are essential tools for the study of the nervous system and related diseases. Low electrode impedance is a figure of merit for sensitive detection of neural electrical activity and numerous studies have aimed to reduce impedance. Unfortunately, most of these efforts have been tethered by a combination of poor functional coating adhesion, complicated fabrication techniques, and poor fabrication repeatability. We address these issues with a facile method for reliably producing multiple-electrode arrays with low impedance by patterning highly adherent nanoporous gold films using conventional microfabrication techniques. The high surface area-to-volume ratio of self-assembled nanoporous gold results in a more than 25-fold improvement in the electrode-electrolyte impedance, where at 1 kHz, 850 kΩ impedance for conventional Au electrodes is reduced to 30 kΩ for nanoporous gold electrodes. Low impedance provides a superior signal-to-noise ratio for detection of neural activity in noisy environments. We systematically studied the effect of film morphology on electrode impedance and successfully recorded field potentials from rat hippocampal slices. Here, we present our fabrication approach, the relationship between film morphology and impedance, and field potential recordings.
Structural Effects in Al(111)/Si(111) Heteroepitaxy by Partially Ionized Beam Deposition α

Single crystal Al(111) films were grown on Si(111) surface at room temperature under a conventional vacuum condition using the partially ionized beam (PIB) deposition technique. The Al films were deposited with an ion to atom ratio of about 0.3% and an acceleration voltage of 1 kV. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed that the as-deposited films were single crystal with certain density of dislocation networks. These dislocations disappeared following a heat treatment at 450°C for 30 min. From X-ray diffraction and TEM patterns, it was observed that the Al(111) was aligned to the substrate with Al //Si . Possible mechanisms of the PIB epitaxial growth and a novel structural defect that is unique to this large lattice mismatch system are discussed.
5-HT1A receptors of the nucleus tractus solitarii facilitate sympathetic recovery following hypotensive hemorrhage in rats.

The role of serotonin in the hemodynamic response to blood loss remains controversial. Caudal raphe serotonin neurons are activated during hypotensive hemorrhage, and their destruction attenuates s...
Attending to Problems of Practice: Routines and Resources for Professional Learning in Teachers’ Workplace Interactions:

The authors investigate how conversational routines, or the practices by which groups structure work-related talk, function in teacher professional communities to forge, sustain, and support learning and improvement. Audiotaped and videotaped records of teachers’ work group interactions, supplemented by interviews and material artifacts, were collected as part of a 2-year project centered on teacher learning and collegiality at two urban high schools. This analysis focuses on two teacher work groups within the same school. While both groups were committed to improvement and shared a common organizational context, their characteristic conversational routines provided different resources for them to access, conceptualize, and learn from problems of practice. More specifically, the groups differed in the extent to which conversational routines supported the linking of frameworks for teaching to specific instances of practice. An analysis of the broader data set points to significant contextual factors that h...
Association Between Malaria Incidence and All Cancer Mortality in Fifty U.S. States and the District of Columbia

Background: There is a relationship between malaria in the United States and brain tumor incidence, seen in data on malaria outbreaks in 2004 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and reports of brain tumor incidence by state from 19 US states. Methods: In the present study, data from 50 US states and the District of Columbia on malaria outbreaks in 1994, compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was analyzed in relation to state by state all cancer mortality data, 1950-94, from the National Cancer Institute. Results: There was a significant association of malaria incidence with all cancer mortality in 50 US states and the District of Columbia. The association was independent of state population size, percentage black population by state, and median population age. Conclusion: The association between malaria and cancer mortality can be possibly explained by the well established ability of Plasmodium to induce suppression of the immune system. A second explanation may be that the anopheles mosquito, the vector of malaria, transmits an obscure virus that initially causes only a mild transitory illness but much later predisposes to cancer. There are few studies of the relationship of cancer to malaria, although Suresh et al. have reported analogies at the cellular level for the two diseases (1). Welsh et al. found no relationship of malaria seropositivity rates to primary liver cancer (2). Efferth et al. have shown that the anti-malarial artesunate is active against cancer (3). Epstein Barr Virus- related Burkitt's lymphoma is believed to require cofactors, such as malaria infection, for tumor development (4). There is a relationship between malaria in the United States and brain tumor incidence, seen in data on malaria outbreaks in 2004 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (5) and reports of brain tumor incidence by state from 19 US states (6). The association of malaria with brain tumors was significant (p<0.001), and independent of the effect of state population size (p<0.001) (7). In the present study, data from 50 US states and the District of Columbia on malaria outbreaks in 1994, compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (8), was analyzed in relation to state by state all-cancer mortality data, 1950-1994, from the National Cancer Institute (9).
IL28B genotype does not correlate with HIV control in African Americans.

Background: HIV-1 natural viral suppressors (NVS) are individuals that control HIV replication without antiretrovirals (also know as HIV elite controllers). We have recently shown that these individuals have an elevated rate of hepatitis C virus (HCV) clearance. Given the association of IL28B genotype, specifically the rs12979860 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based CC genotype, with HCV clearance, we studied its association with HIV control in 172 African American HIV subjects and 173 race-matched controls. Findings: The frequency of the CC genotype was 12.5% in the NVS, 14.7% in the LVL (“low viral load” cohort with 400–20,000 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL), 17.8% in the MHVL (“medium/high viral load” cohort with >20,000 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL), and 11.6% in an HIV-negative cohort. There was no statistical significance in the CC genotype distribution between these cohorts (p= 0.48 between the NVS and non-NVS HIV positive controls, p= 0.85 between NVS and HIV-negatives). We also did not observe any association between CC genotype distribution and HIV RNA viral load, as a continuous measure. Conclusions: The IL28B CC genotype does not account for the noted HIV control in our specific NVS cohort. Further studies will be needed to determine if a common genetic factor can primarily account for any joint clearance of HCV and control of HIV. Clin Trans Sci 2011; Volume 4: 282–284
Bioequivalence trials, intersection-union tests and equivalence confidence sets

The bioequivalence problem is of practical importance because the approval of most generic drugs in the United States and the European Community (EC) requires the establishment of bioequivalence between the brand-name drug and the proposed generic version. The problem is theoretically interesting because it has been recognized as one for which the desired inference, instead of the usual significant difference, is practical equivalence. The concept of intersection-union tests will be shown to clarify, simplify and unify bioequivalence testing. A test more powerful than the one currently specified by the FDA and EC guidelines will be derived. The claim that the bioequivalence problem defined in terms of the ratio of parameters is more difficult than the problem defined in terms of the difference of parameters will be refuted. The misconception that size-$\alpha$ bioequivalence tests generally correspond to $100(1 - 2 \alpha)%$ confidence sets will be shown to lead to incorrect statistical practices, and should be abandoned. Techniques for constructing $100(1 - \alpha)%$ confidence sets that correspond to size-$\alpha$ bioequivalence tests will be described. Finally, multiparameter bioequivalence problems will be discussed.
Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy in the American College of Radiology Imaging Network 6667 Trial: Effect of Breast MR Imaging Assessments and Patient Characteristics

The results of this study suggest that patient factors and not breast MR imaging results significantly affect decisions by women with newly diagnosed breast cancer as to whether to undergo contralateral prophylactic mastectomy.
Coronary artery disease in women: the role of diagnostic imaging.

In the United States, coronary artery disease (CAD) kills equal numbers of men and women, and is the leading cause of death in women. Except at the oldest ages, the prevalence of disease is lower in women than in men. This low prevalence decreases the accuracy of all noninvasive testing methods, making the noninvasive diagnosis of CAD in women more difficult. Perhaps because of this increased difficulty in diagnosis and the prognosis of women with angina has been perceived to be "benign," invasive testing has been used less often in women. Since the morbidity and mortality are greater in women compared with men with manifest CAD (i.e., myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass grafting), an understanding of the strengths and limitations of noninvasive testing in women is critical. Due to the lower prevalence of CAD in women, symptoms of CAD (i.e., chest pain) and noninvasive tests (graded exercise treadmill) are less reliable with lower positive predictive values. Recent studies suggest using imaging techniques to improve the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of noninvasive testing. This article will review the current literature regarding noninvasive diagnosis of CAD in women, including the use of stress echocardiography and thallium imaging in women. Detailed statistical descriptions of study populations are necessary so that study results can be accurately applied and interpreted in the general population.
K-Ar and U-Pb zircon chronology of Late Cretaceous and Tertiary magmatism in central Chihuahua State, Mexico

Magmatism in central Chihuahua occurred from at least 68 to 27.5 Ma, a duration that can be separated into two periods by an order of magnitude increase in the intensity of magmatism starting at 46 Ma. Activity prior to 46 Ma was Volumetrically minor and possibly intermittent. The oldest rocks (68 Ma) are a localized, very thick, intermediate-composition sequence of lava flows, debris flows, and related sediments. From 62 until at least 52 Ma, numerous small intrusives and felsic tuffs were emplaced locally. Between 46 and 27.5 Ma, the area was inundated with a quasi-steady supply of volcanic products. The post-46 Ma activity evolved through four distinct stages that produced two sequences of felsic ash-flow tuffs separated by a sequence of massive coarsely porphyritic lavas and tuffs of intermediate to felsic composition. These three calc-alkaline stages were gradually succeeded at about 31 Ma by mildly alkaline basaltic andesite lavas and rhyolitic tuffs with peralkaline characteristics. All volcanic activity terminated abruptly at 27.5 Ma. The most significant events in the evolution of this magmatism are its onset, its termination, and the profound increase in activity beginning at 46 Ma. In its timing and subdued intensity, the pre-46 Ma magmatism fits a setting within the interior of the Laramide Cordilleran orogen. A convergent magmatic are had advanced eastward to central Chihuahua by at least 68 Ma. The oldest rocks are tilted, but volcanic rocks 46 Ma and younger were not deformed. The abrupt increase in magmatism at 46 Ma may be a manifestation of diminished compressional stress related to a decrease in the rate of plate convergence along western North America. The regional stress field remained in compression until about 31 Ma, which corresponds approximately to the time of transition from calc-alkaline to mildly alkaline mafic and peralkaline felsic volcanism. Magmatism ended at 27.5 Ma, prior to extensional faulting in the area, but generally coincident with the end of plate convergence along part of the continental margin of western Mexico.
On the bioactive conformation of the rhodopsin chromophore: absolute sense of twist around the 6-s-cis bond.

Incubation of opsin with synthetic 6-s-locked retinoids 2 a and 2 b only led to pigment formation from the alpha-locked 2 a, the CD spectrum of which was similar to that of native rhodopsin (Rh). This establishes that the 6-s-bond of the chromophore in rhodopsin is cis, and that its helicity is negative. Earlier cross-linking studies showed that the 11-cis to all-trans photoisomerization occurring in the batho-Rh to lumi-Rh conversion induces a flip over of the side carrying the ring moiety. The GTP-binding assay of pigment Rh-(2 a), incorporating retinal analogue 2 a, has shown that its activity is 80 % that of the native pigment. That is, the overall conformation around the 6-s bond is retained in the steps leading to G-protein activation.
Combining Estimates of Location

Abstract Suppose we are given independent random samples of size m and n, respectively, on two populations with the same density, same location parameter, but different scale parameter. Let and denote odd location-scale estimators of location based on the individual samples. If the density is bounded and symmetric about the location parameter, under further very mild conditions, a combined estimator is found which is unbiased and has smaller variance than , for m ≥ 2, n ≥ 6. Values of m and n are indicated for which the usual combined estimator has smaller variance than either or . Details are worked out for the rectangular distribution.
“No Irish Need Apply”? Veto Players and Legislative Productivity in the Republic of Ireland, 1949-2000

This analysis fills an important lacuna in comparative legislative studies by testing the veto players theory against a newly constructed data set of significant domestic policy legislation passed in the Republic of Ireland between 1949 and 2000. Distinguishing between single-party majority, coalition, and minority governments, the analysis places into sharp relief the ways in which the unique context of Irish political parties and institutional dynamics conflict with the basic tenets of the veto players framework. The results underscore the contextual constraints on applicability of the theory.
Microwave Active Filters Based on Transversal and Recursive Principles

Transferal and recursive filter concepts, normally associated with discrete-time applications, are adapted for implementation in the microwave frequency range. Principal focus is on microwave active filter designs that permit realization of wide bandwidths, with microwave transistors used as active elements. A transversal-type and a recursive-type experimental filter, both of which exhibit 9-15-GHz bandpass responses, serve to illustrate aspects of physical implementation, while offering a convenient basis for comparing the two different approaches.
Neurotoxicity and oxidative stress in D1M-substituted Alzheimer's Aβ(1-42): relevance to N-terminal methionine chemistry in small model peptides

Abstract Small model peptides containing N-terminal methionine are reported to form sulfur-centered-free radicals that are stabilized by the terminal N atom. To test whether a similar chemistry would apply to a disease-relevant longer peptide, Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated amyloid beta-peptide 1-42 was employed. Methionine at residue 35 of this 42-mer has been shown to be a key amino acid residue involved in amyloid beta-peptide 1-42 [Aβ1-42]-mediated toxicity and therefore, the pathogenesis of AD. Previous studies have shown that mutation of the methionine residue to norleucine abrogates the oxidative stress and neurotoxic properties of Aβ(1-42). In the current study, we examined if the position of methionine at residue 35 is a criterion for toxicity. In doing so, we tested the effects of moving methionine to the N-terminus of the peptide in a synthetic peptide, Aβ(1-42)D1M, in which methionine was substituted for aspartic acid at the N-terminus of the peptide and all subsequent residues from D1 to L34 were shifted one position towards the carboxy-terminus. Aβ(1-42)D1M exhibited oxidative stress and neurotoxicity properties similar to those of the native peptide, Aβ(1-42), all of which are inhibited by the free radical scavenger Vitamin E, suggesting that reactive oxygen species may play a role in the Aβ-mediated toxicity. Additionally, substitution of methionine at the N-terminus by norleucine, Aβ(1-42)D1Nle, completely abrograted the oxidative stress and neurotoxicity associated with the Aβ(1-42)D1M peptide. The results of this study validate the chemistry reported for short peptides with N-terminal methionines in a disease-relevant peptide.
Gaussian Mean-Shift Is an EM Algorithm

The mean-shift algorithm, based on ideas proposed by Fukunaga and Hosteller, is a hill-climbing algorithm on the density defined by a finite mixture or a kernel density estimate. Mean-shift can be used as a nonparametric clustering method and has attracted recent attention in computer vision applications such as image segmentation or tracking. We show that, when the kernel is Gaussian, mean-shift is an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm and, when the kernel is non-Gaussian, mean-shift is a generalized EM algorithm. This implies that mean-shift converges from almost any starting point and that, in general, its convergence is of linear order. For Gaussian mean-shift, we show: 1) the rate of linear convergence approaches 0 (superlinear convergence) for very narrow or very wide kernels, but is often close to 1 (thus, extremely slow) for intermediate widths and exactly 1 (sublinear convergence) for widths at which modes merge, 2) the iterates approach the mode along the local principal component of the data points from the inside of the convex hull of the data points, and 3) the convergence domains are nonconvex and can be disconnected and show fractal behavior. We suggest ways of accelerating mean-shift based on the EM interpretation
Metabolic Abnormalities in Lobar and Subcortical Brain Regions of Abstinent Polysubstance Users: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging

Aims: The aim of the study was to explore neurometabolic and associated cognitive characteristics of patients with polysubstance use (PSU) in comparison with patients with predominant alcohol use using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Methods: Brain metabolite concentrations were examined in lobar and subcortical brain regions of three age-matched groups: 1-month-abstinent alcohol-dependent PSU, 1-month-abstinent individuals dependent on alcohol alone (ALC) and light drinking controls (CON). Neuropsychological testing assessed cognitive function. Results: While CON and ALC had similar metabolite levels, persistent metabolic abnormalities (primarily higher myo-inositol) were present in temporal gray matter, cerebellar vermis and lenticular nuclei of PSU. Moreover, lower cortical gray matter concentration of the neuronal marker N-acetylaspartate within PSU correlated with higher cocaine (but not alcohol) use quantities and with a reduced cognitive processing speed. Conclusions: These metabolite group differences reflect cellular/astroglial injury and/or dysfunction in alcohol-dependent PSU. Associations of other metabolite concentrations with neurocognitive performance suggest their functional relevance. The metabolic alterations in PSU may represent polydrug abuse biomarkers and/or potential targets for pharmacological and behavioral PSU-specific treatment.
HIV effects on age-associated neurocognitive dysfunction: premature cognitive aging or neurodegenerative disease?

Marked improvements in survival and health outcome for people infected with HIV have occurred since the advent of combination antiretroviral therapy over a decade ago. Yet HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders continue to occur with an alarming prevalence. This may reflect the fact that infected people are now living longer with chronic infection. There is mounting evidence that HIV exacerbates age-associated cognitive decline. Many middle-aged HIV-infected people are experiencing cognitive decline similar that to that found among much older adults. An increased prevalence of vascular and metabolic comorbidities has also been observed and is greatest among older adults with HIV. Premature age-associated neurocognitive decline appears to be related to structural and functional brain changes on neuroimaging, and of particular concern is the fact that pathology indicative of neurodegenerative disease has been shown to occur in the brains of HIV-infected people. Yet notable differences also exist between the clinical presentation and brain disturbances occurring with HIV and those occurring in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. HIV interacts with the aging brain to affect neurological structure and function. However, whether this interaction directly affects neurodegenerative processes, accelerates normal cognitive aging, or contributes to a worsening of other comorbidities that affect the brain in older adults remains an open question. Evidence for and against each of these possibilities is reviewed.
Comparison of the effectivenessof 4 anti-inflammatory drops in relieving photophobia after pupil dilation

Abstract Purpose: To compare the relative effectiveness of diclofenac, flurbiprofen, ketorolac, and prednisolone acetate in relieving photophobia after pupil dilation for fundus examination. Setting: Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Methods: This prospective, blind, placebo-controlled study comprised 105 patientsrandomly assigned to 1 of 10 treatment groups. Five minutes after instillation of dilating drops, each patient received drops of different test medications in the right and left eyes. Light sensitivity and pupil measurement tests were performed over 2 hours after the pharmacological mydriasis. After photostimulation, patients were asked to rate their photosensitivity on numerical and analog scales and to indicate a filter value required to alleviate light-induced discomfort. Test results were analyzed to detect differences among the pain levels associated with each treatment. Results: There were no significant differences between the placebo and any activetreatment drug at any time during the study. Conclusion: These findings suggest that mediators other than prostaglandins mayhave a role in photosensitivity or that increased postmydriatic photosensitivity is a result of higher light levels entering the eye through the dilated pupil.