cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Managing class imbalance and differential staining of immune cell populations in multi-class instance segmentation of multiplexed immunofluorescence images of Lupus Nephritis biopsies

Lupus nephritis (LuN) is a manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus defined by chronic infiltration of immune cells into the kidneys—particularly lymphocytes and dendritic cells (DCs). Ultimately, our goal is to characterize the cellular communities associated with progression to kidney failure. To accomplish this, we have generated a dataset of fluorescence confocal microscopy images of kidney biopsies from 31 LuN patients that have been stained for two T-lymphocyte populations, B-lymphocytes and two DC populations. We are using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with a Mask R-CNN architecture to perform instance segmentation on these five classes. This multi-class instance segmentation task is hindered by an inherent class imbalance between lymphocytes and DCs, with DCs being much less prevalent. Here we discuss methods for managing class imbalance to achieve comparable instance segmentation of both DCs and lymphocytes in LuN biopsies. A network trained to identify all 5 classes yielded higher sensitivity to DCs when the training set was filtered to contain images with all 5 cell classes present. Average DC sensitivity on an independent test set improved from 0.54 to 0.63 with filtered training data. DC segmentation improved further when the network was trained specifically for DC classes. Average DC sensitivity reached 0.91 when trained separately from lymphocytes, with average Jaccard index of DCs improving from 0.69±0.2 to 0.76±0.2. Accurate segmentation of all cell types relevant to LuN pathogenesis enabled in-depth spatial analysis of the immune environments that result in renal failure in LuN patients.
The Irish whales: Olympians of old New York: by Kevin Martin, London, Rowman & Littlefield, 2020, xii + 201 pp., £25.00 (hardback), ISBN 9781538142301

The Irish Whales: Olympians of Old New York is Kevin Martin’s latest Irish history monograph, where the author turns his gaze away from pub culture and towards sport. In this book, Martin tells us ...
126 days of continuous sunshine

After fifty-two uneventful but edgy years in Los Angeles, Hugh discovered that he had a lump on his backside. It came as a surprise. He had expected Franky and Bone, two teenagers driving wildly through Beverly Hills south of Sunset with high-powered air rifles shooting out the rear windows of thirty-seven parked cars. Though he lived nowhere near Beverly Hills, Hugh detected a lump. It felt as if it covered one entire buttock. It felt as if it covered both buttocks and
Halomethyl-metal compounds: XLII. Trimethylsilyl-substituted halomethylmercury compounds as precursors for trimethylsilyl-substituted carbenes

Abstract The silicon-substituted organomercurials (Me3SiCCl2)2Hg, (Me3SiCBr2)2Hg and (Me3SiCHBr)2Hg have been evaluated as potential divalent carbon transfer agents. (Me3SiCCl2)2Hg, in combination with an equimolar quantity of diphenylmercury, was found to react with olefins at ca 120–130° to give x-chloro-x-trimethylsilylcyclopropanes in moderate to good yield. Me3SiCCl2Hg bond homolysis, which is a minor side reaction at 120°, became the major process at 220°, and evidence indicates that the trimethylsilyldichloromethyl radicals formed couple and abstract hydrogen and chlorine. (Me3SiCBr2)2Hg reacted with cyclohexene at 95° in the presence of diphenylmercury to give 7-bromo-7-trimethylsilylnorcarane in moderate yield, but (Me3SiCHBr)2Hg is too stable, even at 160°, to serve as a divalent carbon transfer agent.
Hydrodynamics in Shallow Estuaries with Complex Bathymetry and Large Tidal Ranges

Abstract : Out interest is in understanding how stratification, turbulence, and circulation interact in estuarine flows. It is our hypothesis that the role of stratification in suppressing turbulence is central to this interaction. Thus, a major focus of our work is in finding simple relationships (if possible) connecting local flow conditions to turbulence state and turbulent fluxes. We are also interested in using field data from complex estuarine flows to test circulation models, both in terms of straightforward comparisons/calibration and in terms of improving the ability of circulation models to properly represent the physics of these flows.
An Overview of Research Infrastructure for Medieval Studies in the United States: Associations, Institutes, and Universities

This overview of research infrastructure in the United States briefly mentions some institutes, universities, associations, conferences, sources of funding, types of courses, research databases, academic journals and book publishers. It intends to make American medievalist resources better accessible to colleagues from other countries, and to encourage those who wish to study in the United States and those who are using the Internet to seek printed or digital materials for their teaching or research.
TAUmon: scalable online performance data analysis in TAU

In this paper, we present an update on the scalable online support for performance data analysis and monitoring in TAU. Extending on our prior work with TAUoverSupermon and TAUoverMRNet, we show how online analysis operations can also be supported directly and scalably using the parallel infrastructure provided by an MPI application instrumented with TAU. We also report on efforts to streamline and update TAUoverMRNet. Together, these approaches form the basis for the investigation of online analysis capabilities in a TAU monitoring framework TAUmon. We discuss various analysis operations and capabilities enabled by online monitoring and how operations like event unification enable merged profiles to be produced with greatly reduced data volume prior to application shutdown. Scaling results with PFLOTRAN on the Cray XT5 and BG/P are presented along with a look at some initial performance information generated from FLASH through our TAUmon prototype frameworks.
Evaluating Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change Interventions: Lessons Learned From CDC's Prevention Research Centers.

Introduction: The field of public health is increasingly implementing initiatives intended to make policies, systems, and environments (PSEs) more supportive of healthy behaviors, even though the evidence for many of these strategies is only emerging. Our objective was 3-fold: 1) to describe evaluations of PSE-change programs in which the evaluators followed the steps of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health, 2) to share the resulting lessons learned, and 3) to assist future evaluators of PSE-change programs with their evaluation design decisions. Methods: Seven Prevention Research Centers (PRCs) applied CDC's framework to evaluate their own PSE-change initiatives. The PRCs followed each step of the framework: 1) engage stakeholders, 2) describe program, 3) focus evaluation design, 4) gather credible evidence, 5) justify conclusions, and 6) ensure use and share lessons learned. Results: Evaluation stakeholders represented a range of sectors, including public health departments, partner organizations, and community members. Public health departments were the primary stakeholders for 4 of the 7 evaluations. Four PRCs used logic models to describe the initiatives being evaluated. Their evaluations typically included both process and outcome questions and used mixed methods. Evaluation findings most commonly focused on contextual factors influencing change (process) and the adoption or implementation of PSE-change strategies (outcome). Evaluators shared lessons learned through various channels to reach local stakeholders and broader public health audiences. Conclusion: Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health is applicable to evaluations of PSE-change initiatives. Using this framework to guide such evaluations builds practice-based evidence for strategies that are increasingly being used to promote healthful behaviors.
What's new in musculoskeletal tumor surgery.

The field of musculoskeletal oncology is broad and includes the study and treatment of a rare group of connective-tissue tumors. Although these tumors are uncommon, they can have devastating consequences for the life and the limb of the patient. In this field, which involves not only orthopaedics but other subspecialties as well, there is a rapid explosion of new information each year from a variety of fronts. I will try to summarize the important findings as reported both in the literature and at tumor meetings in 1999 and 2000. I will focus primarily on malignant neoplasms of bone and soft tissue. One area of interest to orthopaedic oncologists is the stratification of patients into specific prognostic groups, not only to predict outcome but also to identify the patients with poor prognoses who might benefit from innovative treatment strategies. For most tumors there are known clinical factors that indicate a good or poor prognostic category. ### Ewing Sarcoma/ Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor is a family of primitive round-cell tumors with a common karyotypic translocation between chromosomes 11 and 22. In the past they were nearly uniformly fatal neoplasms, but major advances in treatment have been made, primarily as a result of the use of adjuvant chemotherapy and proper local control. Prognostic factors in 975 patients with Ewing sarcoma were reported in a paper from the European Intergroup Cooperative Ewing’s Sarcoma Study Group (EICESS), which is a cooperative effort of the Medical Research Council/United Kingdom Children’s Cancer Study Group and the Cooperative Ewing Sarcoma Study1. The study included patients treated between 1977 and 1993 with similar chemotherapy protocols. The strengths of this retrospective analysis are the large number of patients and the substantial follow-up period (a median of 6.6 years). The most important adverse prognostic factor was metastatic disease detectable at the time …
Understanding and Identifying Monoclonal Gammopathies

Monoclonal gammopathies reflect conditions in which abnormal amounts of immunoglobulins are produced by a clone that developed from a single pro-B germ cell. The condition may reflect a disease process or be benign. The primary purpose of this review is to emphasize routine clinical laboratory techniques that currently are recommended for use in identifying monoclonal gammopathies from serum and urine. Selection of the preferred technique and correct interpretation often is dependent on an understanding of the immunological basis and clinical sequelae associated with these conditions. For this reason, we first briefly discuss the structure, production, and nature of immunoglobulins, and then describe important features of the associated diseases. Finally, we discuss strengths and weaknesses of the techniques and make reference to current recommendations to facilitate optimal testing. We discuss in detail high-resolution electrophoresis, methods for quantifying immunoglobulins, immunofixation electrophoresis, problems associated with analysis of urine immunoglobulins, and identification of cryoglobulins and immune complexes.
Preoperative serum albumin but not prealbumin is an excellent predictor of postoperative complications and mortality in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Preoperative serum albumin level is well recognized as a general predictor of adverse surgical outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy. Whether serum albumin or prealbumin levels...
The decay of 111Pd and 111mPd

Abstract The energy levels of 111 Ag have been investigated through study of the decay of 22 min 111 Pd and 5.5 h 111m Pd using high-resolution Ge(Li) and Si(Li) spectrometers and a 30 cm 3 Ge(Li), 45 cm 3 Ge(Li) coincidence system. More than 150 gamma transitions have been observed from the two isomers. The coincidence results, in conjunction with energy sums and relative-intensity considerations, suggest a 111 Ag level scheme involving 48 energy levels below 2.2 MeV. On the basis of beta and gamma selection rules, unique spin-parity assignments are suggested for a number of the established levels. The 74 sec first excited state in 111 Ag has been shown to independently beta decay to several excited states in 111 Cd. It is noted that there are many similarities in the level structures of 111 Ag, 109 Ag and 107 Ag. These nuclei seem reasonably well described by the particle-photon coupling model; however, it also appears possible that certain groups of levels are rotational in character.
Strengthening Shared Identity in I-O Psychology Through Online Social Networks

Central to the argument of Ryan and Ford (2010) is that the identity of “industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologist” is at a number of tipping points that could lead to major changes in the field. The two tipping points that we will focus on are (a) the increasingly blurry distinctions between current I-O psychologists and HR/OB professionals and (b) the growing number of new I-O psychologists who do not have a deep-structure I-O identity because they are ultimately employed in fields outside of I-O psychology.
Replication of N2-ethyldeoxyguanosine DNA adducts in the human embryonic kidney cell line 293.

N2-Ethyldeoxyguanosine (N2-ethyldGuo) is a DNA adduct formed by reaction of the exocyclic amine of dGuo with the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde. Because ethanol is a human carcinogen, we assessed ...
Optimal Experimental Designs in Two Dimensions Using Minimum Bias Estimation

Abstract The general problem of minimum bias estimation is reviewed for polynomial response surface models, where the true model, a polynomial of degree d + k — 1, is estimated by a polynomial of degree d — 1. Through the choice of estimator, the same minimum integrated squared bias B is achieved for any experimental design that satisfies a simple estimability condition. This design flexibility is used to construct D-optimal, V-optimal, and A-optimal experimental designs in two dimensions through a computerized simplex search procedure. The resulting optimal designs for both square and circular regions of interest are discussed and recommendations as to their use are made.
Crossed-stranded DNA structures for investigating the molecular dynamics of the Holliday junction.

Abstract We have developed a simple and rapid procedure for the synthesis and isolation of figure-eight DNA molecules (figure-8s) beginning with phagemid vectors. The figure-8 molecules generated contain a Holliday junction within 2·9 kb (1 kb=10 3 bases or base-pairs) of continuous homology connecting the two monomer duplexes. The structure of these molecules was verified by restriction endonuclease analysis, two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis, and electron microscopy. Digestion of the figure-8 molecules with a restriction enzyme that cleaves only within the region of DNA sequence homology converted them to X-forms that could dissociate to yield linear monomers. The X-form molecules were stable under physiological conditions, a finding contradicting the notion that spontaneous branch migration is fast.
Nonelastic microstrains and damping loops in the easy glide region

Stress-microstrain relationship for metal crystals prestrained in easy glide, obtaining mobile inelastic dislocation density and internal stress
Validation of a Multi-Axial Fatigue Life Prediction Using Maximum Shear Experimental Results

A multi-axial prediction method is used to calculate the fatigue life of components under pure torsion loading. The general life prediction method was developed based on the understanding that the total accumulated strain energy density in a fatigue and monotonic processes is the same. Due to this understanding, the fatigue life prediction method has been used to calculate fatigue cycles of components experiencing either uniaxial, transverse shear, or multi-axial loads. This manuscript extends the capability of the multi-axial prediction method by calculating the fatigue life of components under pure torsion loads. This calculation is possible because the maximum applied shear stress from a pure torsion load can be observed as two normal principal stresses. Based on some unusual results from experimental torsion fatigue, it was assumed that a linear misalignment was present in the experimental setup. With the inclusion of this correction, a comparison between experimental torsion fatigue results and the energy-based prediction method further affirms the capability to determine fatigue life cycles in a multi-axial loading state.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Selectin-Like Kinetics and Biomechanics Promote Rapid Platelet Adhesion in Flow: The GPIbα-vWF Tether Bond

The ability of platelets to tether to and translocate on injured vascular endothelium relies on the interaction between the platelet glycoprotein receptor Ib alpha (GPIb(alpha)) and the A1 domain of von Willebrand factor (vWF-A1). To date, limited information exists on the kinetics that govern platelet interactions with vWF in hemodynamic flow. We now report that the GPIb(alpha)-vWF-A1 tether bond displays similar kinetic attributes as the selectins including: 1) the requirement for a critical level of hydrodynamic flow to initiate adhesion, 2) short-lived tethering events at sites of vascular injury in vivo, and 3) a fast intrinsic dissociation rate constant, k(0)(off) (3.45 +/- 0.37 s(-1)). Values for k(off), as determined by pause time analysis of transient capture/release events, were also found to vary exponentially (4.2 +/- 0.8 s(-1) to 7.3 +/- 0.4 s(-1)) as a function of the force applied to the bond (from 36 to 217 pN). The biological importance of rapid bond dissociation in platelet adhesion is demonstrated by kinetic characterization of the A1 domain mutation, I546V that is associated with type 2B von Willebrand disease (vWD), a bleeding disorder that is due to the spontaneous binding of plasma vWF to circulating platelets. This mutation resulted in a loss of the shear threshold phenomenon, a approximately sixfold reduction in k(off), but no significant alteration in the ability of the tether bond to resist shear-induced forces. Thus, flow dependent adhesion and rapid and force-dependent kinetic properties are the predominant features of the GPIb(alpha)-vWF-A1 tether bond that in part may explain the preferential binding of platelets to vWF at sites of vascular injury, the lack of spontaneous platelet aggregation in circulating blood, and a mechanism to limit thrombus formation.
Optimal Systolic Design for the Transitive Closure and the Shortest Path Problems

Due to VLSI technological progress, algorithm- oriented array architectures, such as systolic arrays, appear to be very effective, feasible, and economic. This paper discusses how to design systolic arrays for the transitive closure and the shortest path problems. We shall focus on the Warshall algorithm for the transitive closure problem and the Floyd algorithm for the shortest path problem. These two algorithms share exactly the same structural formulation; therefore, they lead to the same systolic array design. In this paper, we first present a general method for mapping algorithms to systolic arrays. Using this methodology, two new systolic designs for the Warshall-Floyd algorithm will be derived. The first one is a spiral array, which is easy to derive and can be further simplified to a hexagonal array. The other is an orthogonal systolic array which is optimal in terms of pipelining rate, block pipelining rate, and the number of input/output connections.
Restructured Regions and Families: The Feminization of Poverty in the U.S.

Abstract We examine the geographic dimensions of the feminization of poverty in the U.S. from 1970–80. County-level maps of growth in female-headed family poverty show strongest concentration in the Northeast and North Central regions. Three explanations for these variations are presented: the breakdown of the traditional nuclear family, changes in welfare programs, and the status of women's work. The last is integrated into a broader thesis focusing on sectoral and spatial economic restructuring. We estimate dynamic regression models of growth in poverty among black and white female-headed families, using county-level data, for the entire U.S. and stratified by census region. The results confirm the importance of female-headed family formation across all region and race subfiles. Welfare program changes operate at the national level, but not in accordance with expectations derived from the conservative perspective. The regional restructuring thesis is also supported: concentration of women's employment i...
Transcriptional regulation of spermiogenesis: insights from the study of the gene encoding the acrosomal protein SP-10

Spermiogenesis is the terminal differentiation process of the male germ cell during which haploid spermatids acquire unique structures such as the acrosome and flagellum and undergo extensive cellular reorganization. Although well described morphologically, the molecular mechanisms underlying spermiogenesis are not well understood. The SP-10 gene, which codes for the acrosomal protein SP-10, has been well characterized in mice and men. This single copy gene is localized to syntenic regions of chromosomes 9 and 11 in mouse and human, respectively. The SP-10 gene is testis-specific, and is transcribed and translated in round spermatids. The differentiation marker SP-10 serves as a useful model to address questions regarding the regulation of round spermatid-specific gene transcription and acrosome biogenesis. This paper defines the temporal pattern of SP-10 gene expression during spermiogenesis and reviews the work done on analysis of the SP-10 promoter. Transgenic mice demonstrated that either the -408/+28 or the -266/+28 region of the SP-10 promoter could drive round spermatid-specific expression of a GFP reporter gene whereas the -91/+28 region lacked promoter activity. The transgene expression mimicked the spatial and temporal patterns of expression of the endogenous SP-10 gene. Surprisingly, none of the transgenic lines showed expression of GFP in tissues other than testis. Given the complexity of eukaryotic transcriptional regulation, the fact that a short 294-bp promoter is capable of conferring developmental stage- and cell type-specific transcription of a gene is intriguing and paradoxical.
Understanding the impact of racial self-identification on perceptions of health-related quality of life: a multi-group analysis.

Purpose Multiple group analysis is used to determine whether the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) model developed by Wilson and Cleary (1995) is equivalent across racial categories. Using data from the Centers for Disease Control’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, this study compares racial groups (African American vs. White; Hispanic vs. White) to determine whether they perceive HRQoL similarly.
“Wiping the Refugee Dust from My Feet”: Advantages and Burdens of Refugee Status and the Refugee Label

There are two dominant contrasting images of refugees in scholarship and popular discourse: refugees as powerless victims or beneficiaries of generous welfare packages. While it is true that an individual who enters the United States with legal refugee status has – at least at first glance – many advantages over those arriving as immigrants. Unlike immigrants, refugees are entitled to numerous government benefits, thus putting her or him in a privileged position compared to those who lack the official status of refugee. On the other hand refugees' depiction as being need of services and protection can also perpetuate an image of them as victims without agency. This ethnographic study of Liberian refugees in Staten Island, New York shows how refugees themselves and their co-ethnics who are in the US under a variety of other legal statues regard the term “refugee”. This paper establishes the advantages that are associated with the legal refugee status and the burdens with the informal label “refugee”. This analysis will clarify how the legal refugee status can be beneficial and the informal label refugee, burdensome not just for Liberian, but for refugees in general and as such have significant policy implications.
A new paradigm for studying and treating primary ovarian insufficiency: the community of practice.

The community of practice (COP) model described by Cooper et al. clearly defines the stakeholders in the management of primary ovarian insufficiency. The larger challenge they face is ensuring that the appropriate infrastructure exists to cultivate this COP.
Effect of Myoglobin from Eastern Little Tuna Muscle on Lipid Oxidation of Washed Asian Seabass Mince at Different pH Conditions

: The effect of pH (6.0, 6.5, and 7.0) on lipid oxidation in washed Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) mince mediated by oxymyoglobin from the dark muscle of little Eastern tuna (Euthynnus affinis) during 8 d of refrigerated storage was studied. Metmyoglobin formation and discoloration increased with increasing storage time and the changes were more pronounced at lower pH. The highest lipid oxidation and off-odor development were observed when myoglobin was incorporated in washed mince at pH 6.0. At low pH, oxidation of myoglobin took place and lipid oxidation in washed mince was enhanced. This was concomitant with the increased fishy and rancid off odor in the sample containing myoglobin, especially at pH 6.0. Washed mince containing myoglobin at pH 6.0 had 1-octen-3-ol and hexanal as the major volatile compounds. Thus, postmortem pH and myoglobin played an essential role in lipid oxidation and off odor in fish muscle during the extended storage. Practical Application: Myoglobin plays a role in the color of fish muscle. The change of myoglobin affects not only consumer acceptability, but also lipid oxidation as well as odor. The control of pH of muscle could be a potential means to lower the lipid oxidation mediated by myoglobin. As a consequence, the prime quality of fish with a negligible fishy odor could be maintained during postharvest handling or storage.
Effects of repeated transport on Holstein calf post-transport behavior and feed intake

Previous studies have determined that stress causes decreases in feed intake and efficiency in livestock, but the effect of repeated transport on these parameters has not been well studied. This study determined how repeated transport affected calf post-transport behavior, feed intake, ADG, and feed conversion. Thirty-six 4-mo-old Holstein steer calves were housed in groups of 6 with each group randomly assigned to either transport or control treatments. Each calf was assigned to an individual Calan gate feeder and feed intake was recorded daily. Transport calves were transported for 6 h in their groups in a 7.3 by 2.4 m gooseneck trailer divided into 3 compartments, at an average density of 0.87 m/calf, every 7 d for 5 consecutive weeks. After return to their home pens, behavior was recorded for transported calves at 5-min intervals for 1 h. Calf ADG and feed conversion were analyzed in a mixed model ANOVA, whereas feed intake was analyzed as a repeated measure in a mixed model ANOVA. Post-transport, calves followed a pattern of drinking, eating, and then lying down. The highest (82 ± 5% calves) and lowest (0 ± 5% calves) incidences of eating behavior occurred 10 and 60 min post-transport, respectively. Control calves had a higher feed intake than transported calves overall (7.29 ± 0.22 kg for control and 6.91 ± 0.21 kg for transport; = 0.01), for the feeding posttreatment (6.78 ± 0.27 kg for control and 6.01 ± 0.28 kg for transport; = 0.007), and the day after treatment (7.83 ± 0.23 kg for control and 7.08 ± 0.15 kg for transport; = 0.02). Feed intake for the feeding post-transport for transport calves significantly decreased after the second transport but increased with each successive transport ( < 0.0001). Overall, control calves had higher ADG than transported calves (1.34 ± 0.13 kg/d for control and 1.15 ± 0.12 kg/d for transport; = 0.006). No significant difference ( = 0.12) between treatments was detected for feed conversion. These results suggest that calves exposed to repeated transport may decrease feed intake compared to nontransported calves as an initial response to transport; however, overall feed conversion was not affected and these Holstein calves may have quickly acclimated to repeated transport.
Modifications of the Water-insoluble Human Lens α-Crystallins

Since the water-insoluble crystallins of the lens may be the precursors of cataract, identifying the modifications that differentiate the water-insoluble from the water-soluble crystallins may provide the basis for understanding the chemistry leading to cataract. This investigation of the alpha-crystallins of the water-insoluble urea-soluble portion of 45-year-old normal clear lenses, isolated using gel filtration, ion exchange and reversed phase chromatography, has employed state-of-the-art mass spectrometric techniques to identify and locate the modifications of the water-insoluble alpha-crystallins. Modifications present in the isolated alpha-crystallins were identified by the molecular weights of the modified proteins, by the molecular weights of peptides produced by enzymatic digestion of the proteins, and by the fragmentation patterns produced by collisional activation of the peptides. Modifications that are either unique to the water-insoluble alpha-crystallins or are more prevalent in the water-soluble portion than in the water-soluble part include complete oxidation of the two Cys residues of alpha A-crystallin to form an intra-molecular disulfide bond, partial truncation at both the C-termini and N-termini of alpha A- and alpha B-crystallins, partial oxidation of Met residues to methionine sulfoxide, partial deamidation of several Asn and Gln residues, and evidence of peptide bond cleavage at some of the deamidated residues. Although many reactions have been proposed to contribute to the insolubility of crystallins, this compilation of in vivo post-translational modifications of water-insoluble alpha-crystallins delineates products that are actually present at levels of 5% or more. From these results, it is hypothesized that alpha-crystallin becomes water-insoluble following deamidation of various Asn and Gln residues which cause conformational changes leading to formation of an intra-molecular disulfide bond between the Cys residues of alpha A-crystallin.
Control theory in economic models: A survey

Many economic problems are naturally modeled as dynamic optimization problems, therefore control theory methods have already found substantial use in economics and are likely to find increasing use in the future. A survey is presented here of the principal uses of control theory by economists in macroeconomic (economy wide) and microeconomic (firm, personal, or sectoral) problems.
Growth hormone can induce expression of four major milk protein genes in transfected MAC-T cells.

Abstract Growth hormone (GH) can increase milk production in cattle, and this effect was thought to be mediated by an indirect mechanism because traditional ligand binding assays failed to detect GH binding sites in the mammary gland. However, recent findings that GH receptor (GHR) mRNA and protein are expressed in the epithelial cells of the bovine mammary gland suggest that GH may directly act on these cells to affect milk production. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether GH could affect milk protein gene expression, nutrient uptake, and cell proliferation in bovine mammary epithelial cells using the bovine mammary epithelial cell-derived MAC-T cells as a model. Native MAC-T cells had low expression of GHR. Thus, we transfected them with expression plasmids for GHR and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5), 2 key components of GHR signaling, to maximize their GH response. Growth hormone increased the expression of α S1 -casein, α S2 -casein, β -casein, and α -lactalbumin mRNA 16- to 117-fold in the transfected MAC-T cells, whereas it had no effect on the expression of κ-casein, β -lactoglobulin, or insulin-like growth factor I mRNA. Cotransfection analyses showed that GH also strongly induced reporter gene expression from α S1 -casein, α S2 -casein, β -casein, and α -lactalbumin gene promoters. Growth hormone had no effect on the uptake of 2-deoxyglucose, an unmetabolizable glucose analog, amino acids, or oleic acid; neither did it affect cell proliferation or death. These observations together with the fact that GH receptor mRNA and protein are expressed in the epithelial cells of the bovine mammary gland raise the possibility that GH might act directly on the mammary epithelial cells in cows to stimulate transcription of major milk protein genes, as part of the mechanism by which GH stimulates milk production.
Studies on young child malnutrition in Iraq: problems and insights 1990-1999.

Many reports on Iraq proclaimed a rise in rates of death and disease since the Gulf War of January/February 1991. Several of the studies on nutritional status are not readily accessible, and few have been compared to identify secular trends. Here, 27 studies examining nutrition among Iraqi children in the 1990s are reviewed. Only five studies were found to be of comparable methodologic quality. These are analyzed to identify major trends in child nutrition between August 1991 and June 1999. Limitations of existing studies and recommendations for future studies are discussed.
The Effect of Invalid Task Parameters on Short-Term Motor Memory

Two experiments tested the influence of information from an invalid movement parameter on short-term motor memory for a valid task parameter. Experiment 1 showed that invalid task distance information affected location retention. Experiment 2 showed that invalid task location information affected task distance retention. These findings strengthen the evidence that the codes important for short-term motor retention are affected by a variety of factors within the movement context.
Liver injury may increase the risk of diazoxide toxicity: a case report.

Stress-related hyperinsulinism (HI) may lead to recalcitrant hypoglycemia for weeks or months following perinatal stress, often in premature newborn infants. Diazoxide is an effective and usually safe medication to treat this type and other types of neonatal HI. We report a male infant born at 35-week gestation with severe respiratory distress who developed prolonged hypoglycemia requiring high glucose infusion rates. He also had abnormal liver function tests, including hypoalbuminemia. Laboratory tests were consistent with HI, which responded to diazoxide treatment (10 mg/kg/day started at 10 days of age). The patient developed cardiorespiratory failure, hepatomegaly, worsening liver function tests, and hyperglycemia 7 weeks after the initiation of therapy. Diazoxide was discontinued with rapid resolution of the cardiorespiratory failure and without recurrence of hypoglycemia.
An HIV prevalence-based model for estimating urban risk populations of injection drug users and men who have sex with men.

Issues of cost and complexity have limited the study of the population sizes of men who have sex with men (MSM) and injection drug users (IDUs), two groups at clearly increased risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other acute and chronic diseases. We developed a prototypical, easily applied estimation model for these populations and applied it to Miami, Florida. This model combined HIV prevalence estimates, HIV seroprevalence rates, and census data to make plausible estimates of the number and proportion of MSM and IDUs under a number of assumptions. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the model. The model suggests that approximately 9.5% (plausible range 7.7%–11.3%) of Miami males aged 18 years or older are MSM (point estimate, N=76,500), and 1.4% (plausible range 0.9%–1.9%) of the total population aged 18 years or older are IDUs (point estimate, N=23,700). Males may be about 2.5 times more likely than females to be IDUs. The estimates were reasonably robust to biases. The model was used to develop MSM and IDU population estimates in selected urban areas across Florida and should be replicable in other medium-to-large urban areas. Such estimates could be useful for behavioral surveillance and resource allocation, including enhanced targeting of community-based interventions for primary and secondary HIV prevention.
Direct chemical mapping of electrochemically generated spatial composition gradients on thin gold films with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was employed to map the composition of electrochemically generated gradients in aromatic thiols on Au electrodes. Two commonly used substrates, electrochemically roughened (ORC) and metal film over nanosphere (MFON) electrodes, were tested for this purpose. Only the MFON substrates displayed the requisite electrical continuity and signal-enhancement properties needed for vibrational spectroscopic mapping of electrochemical gradients. One-component gradients and counterpropagating two-component gradients were formed from naphthalenethiol (NPT), chlorobenzenemethanethiol (ClBMT) and acetamidothiophenol (ACT) and were characterized by Raman scattering on Au MFON substrates. The surface coverage observed approximated the coverage predicted by the combination of a linear potential gradient with local Nernstian behavior of the reductive desorption reaction. For two-component gradients of NPT/ClBMT and NPT/ACT it was possible to perform measurements of surface compositi...
Multitasking for Local Parallelism in Applications To Chemically Reacting Supersonic Flows On Cray Y-Mp

This article is concerned with research on parallel pro cessing for chemically reactive supersonic flows. Effi ciency of autotasking and microtasking is examined for the problems of linear algebra and two-dimensional Euler equations with the finite element method. For microtasking, satisfactory improvements in speedup 2.63 for 4 CPUs and 1.67 for 2 CPUs are achieved, with the load balance and the amount of parallelism being the dominant factors for the speedup. Autotask ing has advantages in providing automatic paralleliza tion, but it has been shown that in the solution of finite element Euler equations based on conventional algo rithms, parallelization by means of user's intervention is required for significant speedups 3.35 for 4 CPUs and 1.79 for 2 CPUs. A much better performance may be achieved with a combination of autotasking and microtasking. These results are verified from various example problems of linear algebra and supersonic diffuser flow field calculations with hydrogen-oxygen chemical reactions.
Inside the ‘thick wrapper’ of critical pedagogy and research

This introduction provides a broad overview of the many ‘whys’ (existential, political, professional, and personal) for embracing critical pedagogy and critical research, which are reflected in this special issue as a whole. Scholar‐practitioners of critical pedagogy and critical research hail from many disciplines and utilize various theories and methods, but all share the common goal of ‘humanizing’ education and research. Individually, the articles illustrate the many ‘ways’ and ‘whys’ of critical pedagogy and critical research. As a collection, the articles are representational of the power of the bricolage for the ‘doing of’ critical pedagogy and critical research.
Morphology of Silicon Islands Grown by Selective Epitaxy Over Silicon Dioxide

We studied the selective epitaxial deposition of silicon in patterned oxide-free regions over silicon dioxide in a RF-heated, commercial, reduced-pressure epitaxial reactor, using SiH2Cl2/HCl/H2 gas system. We found that etching into silicon occurs at the high end of HCl content, and nucleation on the silicon dioxide at the low end of HCl content. The selective epitaxial growth of silicon islands is obtained in between.
Juvenile granulosa cell tumor

(1988). Case 2 Juvenile Granulosa Cell Tumor. Pediatric Pathology: Vol. 8, No. 4, pp. 423-427.
Determinants of the demand for breast cancer screening among women veterans in the United States

Demand theory has been applied to use of breast exams for cancer prevention, but not since widespread promotion of mammography screening and managed care. Previous economic analyses may be biased due to inclusion of diagnostic exams and generally fail to consider perceived risk and time costs. The objective was to identify and measure the effect of economic, demographic, and behavioral factors that influence the use of mammography screening among US women veterans aged 50 years and older. Data are from a 2000-2001 national mail survey with telephone follow-up of a random sample of women veterans. There were a maximum of 3415 respondents aged 50 and over with no history of breast cancer. Maximum likelihood probit models were used to estimate the effects of the independent variables on the probability that a woman will have had a mammogram in the past year. Education, income, insurance, and perceived risk of breast cancer are directly related to use of mammography screening. Age, smoking, travel and waiting time are inversely related to the likelihood of mammography screening. Mammography use among women veterans is generally consistent with the theory of the demand for health and medical care, and also consistent with previous national studies on the demand for breast exams. Findings highlight the role of perceived risk and non-price barriers to mammography use in the context of widespread insurance coverage for mammography screening.
Widespread retinal degenerative disease mutation (rdAc) discovered among a large number of popular cat breeds

The recent discovery of a mutational variant in the CEP290 gene (CEP290: IVS50+9T>G), conferring recessive retinal degeneration in Abyssinian and Somali (long-haired Abyssinian) cats (rdAc) prompted a survey among 41 cat breeds (846 individuals) to assess the incidence, frequency and clinical consequence of rdAc. The rdAc allele displayed widespread distribution, observed in 16/43 (37%) breeds, exhibiting a high allele frequency (∼33%) in North American and European Siamese populations. Clinical evaluations demonstrated high concordance between rdAc pathology and the CEP290 (IVS50+9T>G) homozygous genotype (P=1.1E-6), with clinical disease similar to affected Abyssinians/Somalis. This retinal degeneration has not been reported in breeds other than the Abyssinian/Somali and poses a significant health risk particularly in the Siamese breed group. Alertness of the veterinary community and the present availability of commercial diagnostic testing could synergistically enable breeders to reduce the incidence of rdAc blindness in pure-bred cat populations.
Gender, Social Networks, and Contraceptive Use in Kenya

The social network approach has recently come to aid our understanding of the ongoing fertility transition in developing countries. This study adds to the growing literature in situating the role of geography and interaction with significant others—community and family members—in understanding Kenya's puzzling fertility transition. Findings indicate that, contrary to previous findings that kin networks are conservative and against innovative fertility behavior, the respondent families, especially in the more prosperous Central Province, are supportive of fertility innovation. Community wide networks are not as influential in directing fertility behavior as own family members are. Family members are the ones who bear the burden of raising children and, as such, are the ones on the forefront of encouraging behavior adjustment. Not all of the social networks significantly influenced use of contraception; however, interacting with healthcare and family-planning networks and friends and being advised to use contraception had a positive impact on using contraception in both regions.
Isolated rat hepatocyte couplets in short-term culture: structural characteristics and plasma membrane reorganization.

Studies of canalicular bile secretion have been limited due to lack of direct access to the canalicular lumen. Isolated rat hepatocyte couplets, consisting of two hepatocytes enclosing a canalicular space, have been proposed as a primary secretory unit that may be useful for direct studies of unmodified canalicular bile secretion. The present study examines their structural characteristics and plasma membrane reorganization. The canalicular space of freshly isolated hepatocyte couplets is freely permeable to ruthenium red, but within 4 hr the junctional borders reseal in most couplets which then exclude ruthenium red from the luminal area. These resealed spaces expand in 61.8 ± 10% of couplets as secretion is elaborated and after 4 hr in monolayer culture, 12.7 ± 4.7% of the canalicular spaces are dilated to diameters greater than 3 μ. Normal-appearing microvilli line these canalicular membranes in the majority of dilated spaces as assessed by electron microscopy. Immediately after isolation, Mg++-ATPase, a histochemical marker for canalicular membranes, is located as a discrete band corresponding to the normal in vivo circumferential distribution of the canalicular membrane domain. However, this pattern of Mg++-ATP-ase staining rapidly diminishes and reorganizes at the remaining canalicular pole within several hours. This membrane reorganization is a microfilament-dependent process, since it is inhibited by cytochalasin D but not by colchicine, an inhibitor of microtubular function or cycloheximide, an inhibitor of new protein synthesis. Thus, 3 to 4 hr after isolation, the isolated hepatocyte couplet has reorganized its canalicular membrane, retaining polarity of its excretory domain only at the remaining junctional contacts between adjacent hepatocytes. Secretion is elaborated into the ruthenium red impermeant canalicular lumen permitting direct studies of canalicular bile secretion by micropuncture, electrophysiologic and quantitative microscopic techniques.
Chimerism induction in vascularized bone marrow transplants augmented with bone marrow cells

Composite tissue allografts (CTAs) are currently accepted in the clinic; however, long-term immunosuppression is still needed for allograft survival. The presence of donor-specific chimerism may induce tolerance. Thirty-six vascularized bone marrow transplantation (VBMT) allotransplantation were performed across MHC barrier under short-term protocol of 7-day alphabeta-TCRmAb and Cyclosporin A therapy to determine the efficacy of VBMT alone and VBMT augmented with donor bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in chimerism induction. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that VBMT supported with donor BMT directly into the bone resulted in chimerism augmentation and maintenance compared to VBMT. In vivo and in vitro tolerance testing showed prolonged survival of donor skin graft up to 35 days and moderate reactivity in MLR assay that suggests only tolerance induction. Transplantation of vascularized bone without chronic immunosuppression provides a substantial source of bone marrow cells, leading to the development of stable donor-specific chimerism.