cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age-related alterations in default mode network: Impact on working memory performance

The default mode network (DMN) is a set of functionally connected brain regions which shows deactivation (task-induced deactivation, TID) during a cognitive task. Evidence shows an age-related decline in task-load-related modulation of the activity within the DMN during cognitive tasks. However, the effect of age on the functional coupling within the DMN and their relation to cognitive performance has hitherto been unexplored. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated functional connectivity within the DMN in older and younger subjects during a working memory task with increasing task load. Older adults showed decreased connectivity and ability to suppress low frequency oscillations of the DMN. Additionally, the strength of the functional coupling of posterior cingulate (pCC) with medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) correlated positively with performance and was lower in older adults. pCC was also negatively coupled with task-related regions, namely the dorsolateral PFC and cingulate regions. Our results show that in addition to changes in canonical task-related brain regions, normal aging is also associated with alterations in the activity and connectivity of brain regions within the DMN. These changes may be a reflection of a deficit in cognitive control associated with advancing age that results in deficient resource allocation to the task at hand.
Time of flight mass spectrometry of DNA laser-ablated from frozen aqueous solutions: applications to the Human Genome Project

Abstract Time of flight mass spectrometry offers an extremely rapid and accurate alternative to gel electrophoresis for sizing DNA fragments in the Sanger sequencing process, if large single-stranded DNA molecules can be volatilized and ionized without fragmentation. A process based on pulsed laser ablation of thin frozen films of DNA solutions has been shown to ablate intact DNA molecules up to ≈400 kDa in mass, and also has been shown to yield molecular ions of single-stranded DNA up to ≈18 500 Da. The theoretical basis and the progress to date in this approach are described and the potential impact of mass spectrometry on large-scale DNA sequencing is discussed.
Lower Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer Predisposition Syndromes

Although inherited predisposition to colorectal cancer (CRC) has been suspected for more than 100 years, definitive proof of Mendelian syndromes had to await maturation of molecular genetic technologies Since the 1980s the genetics of several clinically distinct entities has been revealed Five disorders that share a hereditary predisposition to CRC are reviewed in this article
ENUM: Is It Time to Get Ready for Orwellian ID?

For a while now, Electronic Numbering, a convergent and highly efficient identifying standard on the Internet, has been discussed and debated and now is in trial. Although it is considered more robust technologically and economically, extremely useful and cost efficient, many researchers and organizations have not been euphoric about it. The major concern has been that such a technology can compromise the privacy of an individual, especially in the global electronic market space. Scholars have pointed out ample scenarios where this numbering scheme can be easily abused by hackers as well as governments that are not so open and/or are not democratic. In this paper, all these issues have been documented, summarized, and analyzed to give a better understanding of the issues at hand so users of this numbering system can have a clearer understanding of the technology.
The virial theorem in relativistic quantum mechanics

For a class of potentials including the Coulomb potential q = μr−1 with ¦ μ ¦ < 1 (∗) (i.e., atomic numbers Z ⩽ 137), the virial theorem (u, α · pu) = (u, r(∂q∂r)u) is shown to hold, u being an eigenfunction of the operator Hu = TU : = (α · p + β + q)u , D(H) = {u ¦ u ∈ [Hloc1(R+3)]4, r−12u, TU ∈ [L2(R)3]4} (R+3 := R⧹{0}). The result implies in particular that H with (∗) does not have any eigenvalues embedded in the continuum. The proof uses a scale transformation.
Error sources in a 3-D reverse engineering process

The repeatability and accuracy of the digitizing process in a reverse engineering or 3-D inspection process becomes critical when destructive methods are used for data capture, as the part is no longer available for verification by other methods. This paper deals with the error sources in a destructive 3-D reverse engineering process. In this process, the part is encapsulated in epoxy and the encapsulated part is milled one layer at a time using a fly cutter with a small layer thickness. The freshly cut surface is scanned and images of different layers are merged to give 3-D point data for the part. Various sources of errors contributing to overall error in accuracy and repeatability of the process have been identified and their effects are discussed. The study showed that the threshold setting for image processing and mill-head vibrations have significant effect on accuracy and repeatability, respectively.
Solving the maximum edge weight clique problem via unconstrained quadratic programming

The unconstrained quadratic binary program (UQP) is proving to be a successful modeling and solution framework for a variety of combinatorial optimization problems. Experience reported in the literature with several problem classes has demonstrated that this approach works surprisingly well in terms of solution quality and computational times, often rivaling and sometimes surpassing more traditional methods. In this paper we report on the application of UQP to the maximum edge-weighted clique problem. Computational experience is reported illustrating the attractiveness of the approach.
Leadership development needs of today’s organizational managers

Reveals that the need to develop leadership capacity among organizational managers has been on the increase since the early 1990s. Two of the major factors generating this need are the advent of the quality movement with its dependence on teams, and the widespread incidence of organizational flattening that has eliminated many middle management positions. Today’s organizational managers need leadership skills to develop high performing teams and to cover the wider spans of control left in the wake of downsizing. Presents the experience of one quality‐conscious, downsized, team‐based organization as a case study on leadership development needs among today’s beleaguered managers. Notes that there are two primary outputs: first, presents the process by which the case study organization identified its leadership development needs. Second, provides the findings from the identification process within the case study organization. These findings, while not universally applicable, present an initial list of potential leadership development needs among today’s organizational managers.
Effects of mild prenatal decompressions on growth and behavior in the rat

Two experiments report retarded physiological and behavioral development of rats prenatally exposed to a sequence of rapid, brief decompressions to 6,000 ft. In Experiment I, prenatally treated young gained weight more slowly than controls, acquired climbing skills at a later age, and ambulated less in an open field at 32 days of age. In Experiment 2, open-field data pro­ vided evidence for a critical period during the first 12 days of gestation. Studies employing real or simulated altitudes in excess of 10,000 ft provide most of the evidence for the prenatal influence of low barometric pressure. None­ theless, the investigation of "mild" decompressions, involving less than IO,OOO-ft altitude change, seems equally interesting. In addition to those who live in decompressed atmospheres below 10,000 ft, many individuals experience similarly mild decompressions during air travel. Effects of these mild decompressions are unknown, but high-altitude studies suggest that reduced barometric pressure generally retards both fetal (Chiodi, 1953 ; Grahn & Kratchman, 1963 ; Johnson & Roofe, 1965 ; Lichty , Ting, Burns, & Dyar, 1957 ; Mazess, 1965 ; McClung, 1969; Moore & Price, 1948) and newborn (McCullough & Blackman, 1976) development. 'Th e- ' present study attempts to extend these findings to prenatally administered , rapid, brief decompressions to 6,000 ft, like those experienced during air travel. In the first experiment, rats receiving treatments for 20 days of gestation were observed for body-weight gains and various motor skills, including righting, grasping, walking an inclined plane, and climbing. It was expected that the stressor would reduce body weights of pups and retard appearance of these motor skills relative to untreated controls. Though McCullough and Blackman (1976) reported that acute anoxia did not affect emotionality of 53-day-old rats, weanlings in the second experiment were subjected to open-field testing because decompression exposes animals to potential stressors in addition to hypoxia . Experiment 2 also attempted to isolate a critical period during which
Physiological and Pathological Secretion of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein by Cells in Culture

Abnormalities in cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), a pentameric structural protein of the cartilage extracellular matrix, have been identified in pseudoachondroplasia and multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, two human autosomal dominant osteochondrodysplasias. However, the function of the protein remains unknown. With the goal of establishing a model to study the mechanisms by which COMP mutations cause disease, we have analyzed synthesis and secretion of COMP in cultured chondrocytes, tendon, and ligament cells. Pentameric protein detected inside of control cells suggested that pentamerization is an intracellular process. Patient cells expressed mutant and normal RNA and secreted COMP at levels similar to controls, suggesting that abnormal pentamers are likely to be found in the extracellular matrix. Inclusions within patient cartilage stained with anti-COMP antibodies, and cultured cells presented similar inclusions, indicating that presumably abnormal COMP pentamers are less efficiently secreted than normal molecules. We conclude that the COMP disorders are likely to result from a combination of a decreased amount of COMP in the matrix and a dominant negative effect due to the presence of abnormal pentamers in cartilage.
Behavioral thermoregulation at high environmental temperatures: Effect of variation in intensity of heat stimulus and magnitude of reinforcement

Subjects that have learned to bar-press for a blast of cold air in a “hot” environment, discriminate the difference between a 14-deg C. blast of air and a 24-deg C. blast of air. This discrimination is evidenced by a decrease in rate of obtaining reinforcement when the temperature of the reinforcement is 14 deg C. The Ss were able to make this discrimination at an environmental temperature of 37 deg and 45 deg C, but not at 55 deg C. The rate of reinforcement at a particular reinforcement temperature increases as the temperature of the environment is elevated.
Finite approximants of compact totally disconnected machines

O. It is classical that compact totally disconnected algebraic structures are approximable by finite algebraic structures of the same genus. Thus compact totally disconnected groups, rings, semigroups, lattices, and so on, are projective (inverse) limits of finite groups, rings, etc. Here we are concerned with similar propositions for simple "automata", and are particularly interested in the approximants having two-element state spaces. Except for results contained in papers on topological semigroups, there seems to exist little in the literature on topological automata, in the sense to be used here, though there are a couple of papers in press. (The papers of Day and Wallace [4] and Wallace [ 17] have been submitted for publication, and a dissertation by David Stadtlander (under the direction of L. W. Anderson) has been completed. Closely related ideas appear in the instance of relative ideals in which consideration is given to a subsemigroup acting on a semigroup ([2], [15] and [16]). There is, however, the wellknown problem of Seymour Ginsburg [5] as to the possibility of topologizing automata to simulate analog machines. The difficulty here is, apparently, that appropriate mathematical models of analog computers still lack definition. This paper deviates somewhat from what might be regarded as the norm for contributions to machine-theory, not only in the use of topology, but in the assumption that the input semigroup is compact, rather than, for example, freely generated by an alphabet. It may be observed, however, that (i) in proving existence theorems involving topology, some sort of com*The authors are grateful to the National Science Foundation (GP 3623) for its support. 2O9
A solubilized T-cell receptor from a human leukemia cell line binds to a ligand in the absence of MHC products.

A human T cell αβ antigen receptor from the acute lymphoblastoid leukemia line HPB-ALL (also called HPB-MLT) binds and is precipitated in detergent solubilized form by an antigen present on the surface and secreted by several strains of the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. This binding is completely independent of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. Receptor/ligand binding is unique to this one cell line (i. e., clonotypic) and furthermore completely blocked by an idiotype-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) to this receptor, but not by three different nonidiotype-specific mAbs. The nature of this interaction appears more similar to immunoglobulin/antigen binding than to T-cell receptor/antigen/MHC/accessory molecule interactions and would suggest that some T-cell receptors may not require MHC products to interact with antigen.
Transmembrane potential across single conical nanopores and resulting memristive and memcapacitive ion transport.

Memristive and memcapacitive behaviors are observed from ion transport through single conical nanopores in SiO2 substrate. In i–V measurements, current is found to depend on not just the applied bias potential but also previous conditions in the transport-limiting region inside the nanopore (history-dependent, or memory effect). At different scan rates, a constant cross-point potential separates normal and negative hysteresis loops at low and high conductivity states, respectively. Memory effects are attributed to the finite mobility of ions as they redistribute within the negatively charged nanopore under applied potentials. A quantative correlation between the cross-point potential and electrolyte concentration is established.
Efficient distributed disk caching in data grid management

Effectively utilizing disk caches is critical for delivering and sharing data in data-grids considering the large sizes of requested files and excessively prolonged file transmission time. An essential component in the disk cache management is its replacement policy that determines which file(s) are least valuable and should be evicted to create space for incoming files. Though a large number of replacement algorithms for data objects of different sizes have been proposed recently in the domain of Web-caching and disk caching in data grids, they inherit the shortcomings of the LRU and LFU replacements in characterization access patterns. In order to address this limit, we propose a technique to measure relative file access locality strength - how soon a file is to be re-accessed before being evicted compared with other files. When we estimate the in-cache reaccess probability, we take the disk space consumed by accessed files as well as disk cache size into consideration. Using relative locality strength estimation, we are able to accurately rank the value of each file for being cached, and select the file(s) with least values for replacement. Our simulation results show that our proposed policy is the most effective one among existing policies in interpreting access patterns, and considering achieves performance improvement measured by hit ratios and byte hit ratios.
Comparisons of Subjective Global Assessment Ratings and Routine Biochemical Markers in Evaluating Nutrition Status of Patients on Hemodialysis

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To compare two rating methods of subjective global assessment (SGA) of nutrition status to routinely used biochemical markers in patients on hemodialysis. A comparison of SGA of nutrition status to nutritionally related lab values was conducted in 128 African American patients on chronic hemodialysis. SGA focuses on the medical history (weight changes, dietary intake changes, and GI symptoms) and on a physical exam (loss of subcutaneous fat, muscle wasting, presence of edema, and ascites). The mean age was 51 years (range 19 to 87) with renal disease etiology of diabetes in 26% and hypertension in 55%. SGA was evaluated by a trained rater who was blinded to biochemical indicies using both a SGA standard rating (A-well nourished, B-mild to moderately malnourished, C-severely malnourished) and a SGA Likert type scale of 1 to 7 (1-severely malnourished, 7-well nourished). The biochemical markers evaluated included: Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Serum creatinine, albumin, cholesterol, and hematocrit Kt/V and protein intake (nPCR) were also included. Single laboratory data determination of one month indicated that serum albumin was higher in patients found to be severely malnourished by SGA standard rating (A=3.7±0.1, B=3.7±0.0, C=4.0 g/dl.±0.1; p=.04) with less significance in the Likert-type scale (1=4.1±0.1, 2=3.8±0.1, 3=3.6±0.1, 4=3.7±0.1, 5=3.7±0.1, 6=3.6±0.1, 7=3.8±0.2 g/dl; p=.08). Since physical parameters are acquired over time serial measurements of biochemical markers were also evaluated to determine whether the normal albumin levels were artificial. As noted previously, the SGA standard rating categorized the severely malnourished patients as having higher serum albumin levels (A=3.9±0.0, B=3.9±0.0, C=4.0±0.0; p
Importance sampling for simulation of communication systems with adaptive equalizers

An importance sampling (IS) methodology for Monte Carlo simulation of communication links characterized by time-varying channels and adaptive equalizers is presented. This methodology is denoted the twin system (TS). A key feature of the TS is that biased noise samples are input to the adaptive equalizer, but the equalizer is only allowed to adapt to these samples for a time interval equal to the memory of the system. Experimental results are presented that show runtime speed-up factors of three to six orders of magnitude for a static linear channel with memory, and of four to nine orders of magnitude for a slowly varying, random linear channel with memory. >
Valganciclovir: what is the status in solid organ transplantation?

Prophylactic drug therapy for cytomegalovirus disease in solid organ transplant recipients is effective and simple to implement, but it is associated with patient nonadherence and viral resistance. Recent data show that the efficacy and safety of oral ganciclovir and oral valganciclovir are similar. However, three large daily doses of oral ganciclovir are required, which is inconvenient, and viral resistance can develop to the drug. The single daily dose and lack of viral resistance are advantages of valganciclovir. This has become the primary agent for the prevention of cytomegalovirus disease. Current trials are underway to determine its effectiveness for treatment of cytomegalovirus disease, the optimal length of prophylaxis, and the safety and efficacy of a syrup formulation in children.
Self-help group participation among substance use disorder patients with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Debate has ensued about whether substance use disorder (SUD) patients with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) participate in and benefit from 12-step groups. One hundred fifty-nine SUD-PTSD and 1,429 SUD-only male patients were compared on participation in 12-step activities following an index episode of treatment. Twelve-step participation was similar for SUD patients with and without PTSD. PTSD patients with worldviews (e.g., holding disease model beliefs) that more closely matched 12-step philosophy participated more in 12-step activities. Although greater participation was associated with better concurrent functioning, participation did not prospectively predict outcomes after case mix adjustment. An exception was that greater participation predicted decreased distress among PTSD patients whose identity was more consistent with 12-step philosophy. In summary, PTSD patients participate in and benefit from 12-step participation; continuing involvement may be necessary to maintain positive benefits.
Numerical Simulation of the Phase Separation of a Polymer-Polymer-Solvent Ternary System on a Heterogeneously Functionalized Substrate

The spinodal decomposition of a polymer-polymer-solvent ternary system was investigated in a 3-dimensional numerical model. The Cahn-Hilliard equation was employed to describe the free energy profile of the domain. A heterogeneously functionalized substrate was also implemented into the model to simulate the effect of substrate attraction. The mechanism of the morphology evolution was studied quantitatively. The well established linear relationship of the characteristic length, R(t) with t1/3 can be observed in the simulation results. The compatibility of the result pattern and the pattern on the substrate was measured by a scalar, Cs . The influence of the solvent concentration on the refinement of the result pattern was studied in this work. A critical time can be observed from the evolution of the value of Cs . The morphology evolution of a system considering the solvent evaporation was also studied.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Interannual variability of shellfish toxicity in the Gulf of Maine: Time and space patterns and links to environmental variability

Six metrics characterize annual aspects of the magnitude and timing of shellfish toxicity resulting from dinoflagellates of the genus Alexandrium at >100 monitoring stations over 21 years (1985–2005) along the coast of Maine, northeastern USA. Climatologies at each station show distinct geographic patterns, generally consistent with previous reports based fewer stations/years. Earliest initiation and dates of maxima are at far western coastal stations, latest in far eastern stations. Toxicity magnitudes are highest at exposed western coastal stations and at far eastern stations inside a bay with minima in the center of the study region. Multivariate statistics group years according to similarity in station toxicity magnitude and timing. Results (a) confirm that a year of extreme toxicity (2005) differs from recent years but show it to be similar to strongly toxic years of the late 1980s, (b) show 3 year-groups, 1980s–early 1990s of high toxicity, mid-1990s–early 2000s of lower toxicity, and 2004–2005 similar to the early years, and (c) show temporal autocorrelation suggesting that processes carrying from year to year are important in controlling toxicity. Multivariate statistics then group stations according to interannual co-variability. Resulting station-groups show strong regionality consistent with known hydrographic and circulation patterns and identify stations that differ from their neighbors. Annual means calculated within stationgroups provide 21-year time series that are cross-correlated with concurrent monthly environmental metrics of Gulf of Maine oceanographic conditions calculated from field measurements, satellite data and numerical circulation model hindcasts. These analyses provide three main results. First, toxicity time series show an overall pattern of elevated magnitudes and increased duration in the 1980s, minimum values in the mid-late 1990s and then increasing again in the 2000s. Second, only station-groups geographically located in the western portion of the study area have correlations with any tested environmental metric. Third, toxicity in many western station-groups was positively correlated to interannual variability in early season (April–May) wind stress driving onshore Ekman transport, negatively correlated with summer (June–July) wind stress driving offshore Ekman transport and negatively correlated with summer (June–July) cross-shelf surface temperature gradients indicative of relatively warm coastal surface temperature patterns, consistent with patterns expected from the wind transport correlations. The data do not show significant correlation between station-group toxicity and along-shelf temperature structure (an indicator of fronts and alongshore flow connection), river discharge, surface temperature anomalies, modeled surface salinities or alongshore current velocities. These data provide a quantitative summary of Maine coastal toxicity over 21 years, a spatial toxicity geography and isolate dominant environmental forcing responsible for interannual variability.
Phenotypic expression of oxacillin resistance in Staphylococcus epidermidis: roles of mecA transcriptional regulation and resistant-subpopulation selection.

The MICs for many oxacillin-resistant (OR) Staphylococcus epidermidis (ORSE) strains are below the Staphylococcus aureus methicillin or oxacillin resistance breakpoint. The difficulty detecting the OR phenotype in S. epidermidis may be due to extreme heterotypy in resistance expression and/or transcriptional repression of mecA , the OR gene, by MecI. To determine the role of these factors in the phenotypic expression of ORSE, 17 geographically diverse mecI + ORSE isolates representing 14 distinct pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pulse types (>3 band differences) were investigated. Thirteen of the 14 types contained mecI and mecA promoter-operator sequences known to be associated with maximal mecA repression, and in all isolates, mecA transcription was repressed. All 17 were heterotypic in their resistance expression. Oxacillin MICs ranged from 1 to 128 μg/ml and increased for 16 of 17 isolates after β-lactam induction. Allelic replacement inactivation of mecI in three isolates similarly resulted in a four- to sevenfold increase in MIC. In the two of these three isolates producing β-lactamase, mecA transcription was regulated by both mecI and β-lactamase regulatory sequences. Heterotypic expression of resistance in these three isolates was unaffected by either β-lactam induction or mecI inactivation. However, prolonged incubation in concentrations of oxacillin just sufficient to produce a lag in growth (0.5 to 1.0 μg/ml) converted the population resistance expression from heterotypic to homotypic. Homotypic conversion could also be demonstrated in microtiter wells during MIC determinations in one isolate for which the MIC was high. We conclude that the phenotypic expression of S. epidermidis OR in broth can be affected both by mecA transcriptional regulation and by subpopulation resistance expression.
X-Ray Radiation Effects on Survival and Sterility of Adults of the Cereal leaf Beetle

X-ray irradiations of adult Oulema melanopus (L.) were performed with a 250-kv constant-potential X-ray machine. Survival percentages of 20 through 80% were measured in the exposure range of 0-8000 R. Only a slight difference in radiation sensitivity between the sexes was observed, but increased survival of both control and irradiated beetles was demonstrated by laboratory-reared stock when compared with corresponding groups from field collections. Sterilization exposure of 5000 Rand 3000 R were measured for males and females, respectively.
Antibody blockade or mutation of the fibrinogen γ-chain C-terminus is more effective in inhibiting murine arterial thrombus formation than complete absence of fibrinogen

An elevated plasma fibrinogen level is a risk factor for thrombotic cardiovascular disease, but which of fibrinogen's functions is responsible for the increased risk is unknown. To define better the contribution of fibrinogen to large vessel thrombus formation, we studied carotid artery thrombosis in wild-type mice, mice lacking fibrinogen (fbg–/–), mice treated with 7E9 (a blocking antibody to the fibrinogen γ-chain C-terminus), and mice expressing a mutant fibrinogen (γΔ5) that lacks the γ-chain platelet-binding motif QADGV. In control mice, thrombus formation resulted in occlusion in 8 ± 2 minutes (mean ± SD). In fbg–/– mice, thrombi grew to large sizes, but then they abruptly embolized, confirming previous observations by others in an arteriolar thrombus model. In contrast, mice treated with 7E9 and γΔ5 mice developed only small, nonoclusive mural thrombi and embolization was limited. These findings reveal that a fibrinogen antibody, 7E9, or a fibrinogen mutant retaining clotting function, can limit thrombus formation more effectively than the complete absence of fibrinogen. We hypothesize that the smaller thrombi in these animals result from the ability of fibrin to bind and sequester thrombin and/or the ability of the altered fibrinogen molecules, which cannot recruit platelets, to bind to and passivate the surface.
TCT-131 Tissue Removal Assessment with Ultrasound of the SFA and Popliteal Study (TRUTH): Orbital Atherectomy Acute Data and Intravascular Ultrasound Analysis

Percutaneous removal of atherosclerotic material using atherectomy devices may offer an alternative approach for improving procedural success. The TRUTH study (24 patients) evaluated the removal of plaque with the Orbital Atherectomy System (OAS) (Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., St. Paul, MN) by
Single Stock Futures as a Substitute for Short Sales: Evidence from Microstructure Data

Abstract: We examine how the introduction of single-stock futures impacts short sale costs and short interest levels in the underlying spot market. We find that short selling in the underling securities declines, after futures are introduced, the cost of borrowing stock for short sales declines and the available unborrowed supply of lendable shares increases. These results are consistent with futures exchanges providing a low-cost substitute market for establishing short positions. Microstructure evidence also suggests that the lower cost and greater ease of short selling via futures markets draws informed traders from the spot market.
Inhibition of Intracellular Clusterin Attenuates Cell Death in Nephropathic Cystinosis

Nephropathic cystinosis, characterized by accumulation of cystine in the lysosomes, is caused by mutations in CTNS. The molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying proximal tubular dysfunction and progressive renal failure in nephropathic cystinosis are largely unclear, and increasing evidence supports the notion that cystine accumulation alone is not responsible for the end organ injury in cystinosis. We previously identified clusterin as potentially involved in nephropathic cystinosis. Here, we studied the expression of clusterin in renal proximal tubular epithelial cells obtained from patients with nephropathic cystinosis. The cytoprotective secretory form of clusterin, as evaluated by Western blot analysis, was low or absent in cystinosis cells compared with normal primary cells. Confocal microscopy revealed elevated levels of intracellular clusterin in cystinosis cells. Clusterin in cystinosis cells localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm and showed a filamentous and punctate aggresome-like pattern compared with diffuse cytoplasmic staining in normal cells. In kidney biopsy samples from patients with nephropathic cystinosis, clusterin protein expression was mainly limited to the proximal tubular cells. Furthermore, expression of clusterin overlapped with the expression of apoptotic proteins (apoptosis-inducing factor and cleaved caspase-3) and autophagy proteins (LC3 II and p62). Silencing of the clusterin gene resulted in a significant increase in cell viability and attenuation of apoptosis in cystinosis cells. Results of this study identify clusterin as a pivotal factor in the cell injury mechanism of nephropathic cystinosis and provide evidence linking cellular stress and injury to Fanconi syndrome and progressive renal injury in nephropathic cystinosis.
Parkinsonism and occupational exposure to pesticides.

OBJECTIVE To examine the risk of parkinsonism related to lifetime occupational exposure to pesticides among a cohort of men, mostly orchardists, in Washington State. METHODS All 310 subjects in this study had previously participated in a cohort study of men occupationally exposed to pesticides. Subjects were given a structured neurological examination and completed a self administered questionnaire which elicited detailed information on pesticide (insecticide, herbicide, and fungicide) use throughout their working careers. Demographic characteristics were also sought. Subjects had a mean age of 69.6 years (range 49–96, SD 8.1). There were 238 (76.8%) subjects who reported some occupational exposure to pesticides, whereas 72 (23.2%) reported none. Parkinsonism was defined by the presence of two or more of rest tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and impairment of postural reflexes in subjects not on antiparkinsonian medication, or the presence of at least one sign if they were on such medication. Parkinson9s disease was not studied explicitly because of the difficulty in distinguishing it from other parkinsonian syndromes. A generalised linear model was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for parkinsonism relative to history of farming, pesticide use, and use of well water. RESULTS A PR of 2.0 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.0 to 4.2) was found for subjects in the highest tertile of years of exposure to pesticides; a similarly increased, non-significant, PR was found for the middle tertile (1.9 (95% CI 0.9 to 4.0)), although a trend test did not show a significant exposure-response relation. No increased risks were found associated with specific pesticides or pesticide classes, nor with a history of farming or use of well water. CONCLUSION Parkinsonism may be associated with long term occupational exposure to pesticides, although no associations with specific pesticides could be detected. This finding is consistent with most of the publications on this topic.
Linear Panel Analysis: Models of Quantitative Change

immaterial. In repeat victimization there is a tendency to repeat the same ype of c im (or nearly he same), but otherwise the transition matrix is homogeneous. Two papers discuss the benefit of using logistic regression as opposed to linear regression for predicting an individual's probability of success on parole from his characteristics. Carefully constructed models perform somewhat better than simple Burgess scales of predictor variables (counting yes, no or 0, 1, 2 on nine items), but surprisingly, the improvement is too modest to imply that one should use the theoretically correct methods. Two good papers on the deterrence effects of punishment seem dated after the publication of a comprehensive review by a National Academy of Sciences panel (Blumstein, Cohen and Nagin 1978). The family of JUSSIM models is described by Blumstein and Koch. JUSSIM I is a deterministic, steady-state, nonqueuing simulation of flows of individuals (arrestees, defendants, etc.) through stages of the criminal justice system. JUSSIM II expands on JUSSIM I by incorporating the feedback flow of recidivists through subsequent arrests. The paper focuses on JUSSIM III, a version that incorporates a crime generation process and a victim generation process. An unusually clear and useful description is given that shows how to construct the model's input data from available criminal justice system statistics. The final paper describes a fascinating redesign of the Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment, by Fienberg, Larntz, and Reiss. This controversial experiment, carried out in 1972-73 by a Police Foundation team headed by Kelling, is remarkable both for the wealth of detail and information it produced and for the vigorous criticisms it provoked. The experiment claimed to show that routine police preventive patrol has no effect on crime rates or citizens' sense of fear or opinion of police services. Although subsequent research has attempted to resolve the residual questions by means different from those suggested here by Fienberg et al., the paper is interesting because it shows how difficult it is to carry out a social experiment with a design adequate to identify reasonable-sized causal effects. The approach suggested here is a randomized controlled field trial with a balanced crossover design.
Hydroquinone: its value and safety. Commentary on the US FDA proposal to remove hydroquinone from the over-the-counter market

Skin color defines the image we have of ourselves. Having a pleasing, attractive color is important to everyone. Most individuals seek treatment for pigmentary abnormalities. For those with dark spots, hydroquinone is available with or without prescription. The US FDA proposes to remove nonprescription hydroquinone. The FDA notes that ochronosis, depigmentation and cancer are the issues of concern. However, ochronosis is rare. There are no cases of depigmentation from hydroquinone and skin cancer has never been reported following its use. Studies on populations of individuals exposed to the chemical in industry fail to demonstrate any adverse effects. The history of hydroquinone is one of safety. It is not necessary to remove the medication from the market and meaningful studies can be carried out while people continue to have access to hydroquinone.
Structures and Photoactive Properties of Poly(styrene-co-vinylbenzophenone)

Poly(styrene-co-vinylbenzophenone) prepared by a graft reaction on polystyrene revealed photoactive properties under irradiation of UVA. The photoactive structural features of the polymer were examined via electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) under irradiation of UVA and fluorescent light. The photoactive functions of the polymer such as antimicrobial performance and dye decolorization ability were investigated. The results revealed that the poly(styrene-co-vinylbenzophenone) could generate radicals under fluorescent and UVA irradiation, and some radicals could stay alive for about 30 min in a dark chamber. The photoexcited polymer showed excellent antibacterial ability and decolorization effect on methylene blue and methyl orange dye under both daylight and UVA light. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 2423–2430, 2008
Framing Dissent: Mass-Media Coverage of the Global Justice Movement

This study explores the framing practices employed by mainstream mass-media outlets in the United States in their coverage of the Global Justice Movement during two major episodes of contention: the World Trade Organization protests in Seattle in 1999 and the World Bank/IMF protests in Washington, DC in 2000. A content analysis of prominent and influential newspapers—the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and the Boston Globe—and television networks—ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and FOX—rendered five predominant frames: the Violence Frame, the Disruption Frame, the Freak Frame, the Ignorance Frame, and the Amalgam of Grievances Frame. These frames emerge from the interactive relationship between social movements and the mass media, which is bracketed by journalistic norms and values, and results in a dialectic of escalation whereby dissidents feel pressed to radicalize their tactics and rhetoric if they want to gain mass-media attention.
CODEX: a normalization and copy number variation detection method for whole exome sequencing

High-throughput sequencing of DNA coding regions has become a common way of assaying genomic variation in the study of human diseases. Copy number variation (CNV) is an important type of genomic variation, but detecting and characterizing CNV from exome sequencing is challenging due to the high level of biases and artifacts. We propose CODEX, a normalization and CNV calling procedure for whole exome sequencing data. The Poisson latent factor model in CODEX includes terms that specifically remove biases due to GC content, exon capture and amplification efficiency, and latent systemic artifacts. CODEX also includes a Poisson likelihood-based recursive segmentation procedure that explicitly models the count-based exome sequencing data. CODEX is compared to existing methods on a population analysis of HapMap samples from the 1000 Genomes Project, and shown to be more accurate on three microarray-based validation data sets. We further evaluate performance on 222 neuroblastoma samples with matched normals and focus on a well-studied rare somatic CNV within the ATRX gene. We show that the cross-sample normalization procedure of CODEX removes more noise than normalizing the tumor against the matched normal and that the segmentation procedure performs well in detecting CNVs with nested structures.
The Law-as-Literature Trope

Rather than trying to apprehend the Law and Literature movement as a theory or hypothesis, this essay tries to apprehend it as a literary genre by reading its identifying trope, the analogy of law to literature. Drawing on romantic ideas of literature as liberating and Victorian ideas of literature as edifying and civilizing, the law-as-literature trope is too easily invoked in support of emptily skeptical or sentimental critiques of legal arrangements, or genteelly authoritarian apologies for them. The essay examines five variants of the law-as-literature analogy as deployed in legal scholarship, each emphasizing a different model of literary activity (interpretation, narration, rhetoric, signification, and representation). The first three illustrate the risks of skepticism, sentimentalism and authoritarianism respectively. The fourth illustrates the risks of both skepticism and sentimentalism. The fifth, combining insights from the others, shows promise of checking their deficiencies. Rather than imagining literature outside of law as an aesthetic reproach to law’s crass instrumentalism, a focus on law as an arena for representing and contesting identity can illuminate the ways in which legal advocacy and negotiation involve aesthetic choices that shape the expressive possibilities of culture.
Foodborne Viruses of Human Health Concern

Increased surveillance and improved detection methods have led to the worldwide recognition of foodborne viruses as important causes of nonbacterial gastroenteritis. Enteric viral outbreaks are associated with undercooked foods or foods that do not undergo further processing. These viruses are also transmitted via person-to-person, fomites, and aerosolization. Foodborne viruses of concern include human noroviruses, hepatitis A virus, rotaviruses, sapoviruses, hepatitis E virus, Aichi virus, adenoviruses, astroviruses, and other enteroviruses. Rapid robust viral detection and control methods in food environments are needed. Understanding foodborne viral attributes and public education will aid in the prevention and control of foodborne viral outbreaks.
Determination of adenylate kinase variants in two Washington, D.C., population samples: a microcellulose acetate procedure.

In the forensic science laboratory erythrocyte adenylate kinase (AK) polymorphism has been used successfully to further individualize dried bloodstains [1,2]. Three distinct phenotypes of adenylate kinase, AK-1, AK2-1, and AK-2, have been identified in the population and are directed by two common autosomal alleles AK1 and AK2 [3]. Several other less common variants have also been reported [4].
Raman spectroscopic detection of inhomogeneities embedded within a scattering medium

Because vibrational energy levels of molecules result in distinct Raman signatures, Raman spectroscopy provides a means of exploring matter to determine molecular composition. Uses of Raman spectroscopy such as in vitro breast tissue and arterial-wall measurements have been documented widely1,2. This work describes the results from an experimental characterization and analytical modeling of an optically turbid medium. In this work, Raman spectroscopic techniques are used to detect a known heterogeneity embedded within a scattering medium. The techniques presented here show promise for use in future applications of remote detection.
Dichloroacetate treatment accelerates the development of pathology in rodent autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is a toxicant by-product from the chlorination disinfection process for municipal water. The levels would not affect people with normal renal and liver function. However, peop...
A New, Clear And Meaningful Definition of Linear Inversion: Implications For Seismic Inversion of Primaries And Removing Multiples

SUMMARY In this paper, we present a new and clarifying definition for linear inversion, in general, and then specifically for linear seismic inverse methods. This definition derives from the very foundation and bedrock essence of inversion, which has a clarity only unambiguously and uniquely communicated by a direct and non-linear inversion method. The conclusion of this study provides a new framework and foundation, and a concomitant need to reexamine all of the accepted mainstream applications, common-wisdom and on-going research efforts in AVO analysis. The early results of tests with these new algorithms will be presented, as well as processing and data acquisition implications. The influence of these new understandings on inverse scattering series methods for multiple removal, velocity independent depth imaging, non-linear direct AVO, and Q compensation without Q, will be presented; and open issues will be discussed.
Optimal Location of Retail Facilities: A Model with Practical Applications

There is a substantial theoretical literature on the location of retail facilities in space assuming that the spatial demand curve is known, or that the ideal data needed to estimate such a curve is available. This study shows how to implement a formal location analysis for a retail activity (postal services) when all that is known is revenue of currently operating facilities. Further complications, such as the delivery of retail services through two different types of outlets are also accommodated by the method. In the end, it is possible to implement a formal business model for the delivery of retail postal services that allows the user to simulate the consequences of dramatic changes in the way that those services are supplied to the public.
Motion for Leave to File Brief Out of Time and Brief of Amicus Curiae Indiana Tech Law School Amicus Project in Support of Petitioners

The purpose underlying the challenged provisions of Texas House Bill No. 2 (H.B. 2) has little to do with protecting women’s health. Rather, the Texas legislature enacted H.B. 2 to effectively overrule Roe v. Wade and eliminate abortions in Texas. As former Governor Rick Perry declared when signing H.B. 2 into law, “[m]y goal, and the goal of many of those joining me here today, is to make abortion, at any stage, a thing of the past.” That goal, however well-intentioned, is precisely why the challenged provisions of H.B. 2 cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny. To begin with, states have an obligation to enforce, not eviscerate, fundamental constitutional rights. As this Court has held, when federal constitutional rights are at issue, states “must provide procedures which are adequate to safeguard against infringement of constitutionally protected rights.” As a corollary, states may not seek to accomplish through the legislature – here effectively overruling Roe – what they would not be able to accomplish through the courts. In other words, “[w]hat the state may not do directly it may not do indirectly.” Yet, that is precisely what Respondents, in enacting the challenged provisions of H.B. 2, strive to accomplish.