cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social determinants of health and child maltreatment: a systematic review.

Background Child maltreatment causes substantial numbers of injuries and deaths, but not enough is known about social determinants of health (SDH) as risk factors. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the association of SDH with child maltreatment. Methods Five data sources (PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, SCOPUS, JSTORE, and the Social Intervention Research and Evaluation Network Evidence Library) were searched for studies examining the following SDH: poverty, parental educational attainment, housing instability, food insecurity, uninsurance, access to healthcare, and transportation. Studies were selected and coded using the PICOS statement. Results The search identified 3441 studies; 33 were included in the final database. All SDH categories were significantly associated with child maltreatment, except that there were no studies on transportation or healthcare. The greatest number of studies were found for poverty (n = 29), followed by housing instability (13), parental educational attainment (8), food insecurity (1), and uninsurance (1). Conclusions SDH, including poverty, parental educational attainment, housing instability, food insecurity, and uninsurance, are associated with child maltreatment. These findings suggest an urgent priority should be routinely screening families for SDH, with referrals to appropriate services, a process that could have the potential to prevent both child maltreatment and subsequent recidivism. Impact SDH, including poverty, parental educational attainment, housing instability, food insecurity, and uninsurance, are associated with child maltreatment. No prior published systematic review, to our knowledge, has examined the spectrum of SDH with respect to their associations with child maltreatment. These findings suggest an urgent priority should be routinely screening families for SDH, with referrals to appropriate services, a process that could have the potential to prevent both child maltreatment and subsequent recidivism.
Factors Associated With Self-Selected Step Rates Between Collegiate and High School Cross Country Runners

Introduction: Cross country is a popular high school and collegiate sport with a high rate of running-related injuries (RRI). Among high school runners, higher step rates have been associated with greater running experience and decreased body height, and lower step rates have been prospectively associated with increased risk of shin RRI. These associations have not been reported in collegiate cross country runners. The purpose of this study was to compare step rates between collegiate and high school cross country runners. Secondary objectives included determining if step rates in collegiate runners were related to experience and anthropometric variables, and whether their self-selected step rates were prospectively related to lower extremity RRI. Materials and methods: Twenty-nine NCAA Division III collegiate cross country runners (13 females, mean ± SD age 19.7 ± 1.3 years) completed a survey and ran at their self-selected speed. Step rate was assessed with Polar RCX5 wristwatches and S3+ Stride Sensors™ on the first day of the season. Runners were followed during the season for occurrence of time-loss lower extremity RRI. A cohort of 68 high school runners was used for comparison of step rates at their self-selected speeds. Results: Collegiate runners' self-selected step rates (177.1 ± 7.2 spm [steps per minute]) were higher than high school runners' (171.3 ± 8.3 spm) (p = 0.01). Collegiate runners ran at higher self-selected speeds (4.6 ± 0.5 m/s) than the high school runners (3.8 ± 0.5 m/s) (p < 0.001). A lower percentage of collegiate runners ran at ≤166 spm than high school runners. Body mass was negatively correlated with step rate in collegiate runners. During the season, 41.3% of collegiate runners experienced lower extremity RRI. Step rates for collegiate runners who did not experience RRI (178.9 ± 7.7 spm) were not significantly higher than runners who did experience RRI (174.5 ± 5.7 spm) (p = 0.10). Discussion: Higher step rates were found in collegiate than high school runners, but the difference was partially explained by higher self-selected running speeds. Thus, variations in step rate between high school and collegiate runners may be expected based on experience, speed, and body mass.
SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infectivity and expression of viral entry-related factors ACE2, TMPRSS2, Kim-1, and NRP-1 in human cells from the respiratory, urinary, digestive, reproductive, and immune systems.

Infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes a wide spectrum of syndromes involving multiple organ systems and is primarily mediated by viral spike (S) glycoprotein through the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and numerous cellular proteins including ACE2, transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1), and neuropilin-1 (NRP-1). In this study, we examined the entry tropism of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV using S protein-based pseudoviruses to infect 22 cell lines and 3 types of primary cells isolated from respiratory, urinary, digestive, reproductive, and immune systems. At least one cell line or type of primary cell from each organ system was infected by both pseudoviruses. Infection by pseudoviruses is effectively blocked by S1, RBD, and ACE2 recombinant proteins, and more weakly by Kim-1 and NRP-1 recombinant proteins. Furthermore, cells with robust SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection had strong expression of either ACE2 or Kim-1 and NRP-1 proteins. ACE2 glycosylation appeared to be critical for the infections of both viruses as there was a positive correlation between infectivity of either SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV pseudovirus with the level of glycosylated ACE2 (gly-ACE2). These results reveal that SARS-CoV-2 cell entry could be mediated by either an ACE2-dependent or -independent mechanism, thus providing a likely molecular basis for its broad tropism for a wide variety of cell types.
Impact of facility-volume on the oncologic outcomes of premenopausal patients with early-stage cervical cancer undergoing trachelectomy

Objectives: Investigate the impact of trachelectomy facility-volume on the outcomes of patients with early-stage cervical carcinoma. Methods: Patients aged Results: A total of 774 trachelectomies were performed for patients with cervical cancer at 269 institutions. Ten (3.3%) institutions reported at least 10 cases between 2004 and 2016, while most institutions (190, 70.6%) reported one or two cases. Outcomes were evaluated for 514 patients with known histology, stage I disease who underwent lymphadenectomy; 29.4% were managed at a high-volume facility. Patients who underwent trachelectomy at a high-volume center were more likely to have private insurance (88.1% vs 77.7%, p=0.023) while there were no differences in terms of race, presence of comorbidities and tumor histology (p>0.05) between high and low volume facilities. Patients who underwent surgery at a high-volume center had lower 30-day re-admission rate (1.3% vs 6.4%, p=0.013) but comparable rate of prolonged (>5 days) hospitalization (8.2% vs 6.5%, p=0.48). There was no difference in OS between high and low-volume centers, p=0.47; 5-year OS rates were 93.8% and 95.4% respectively. After controlling for the presence of comorbidities and tumor histology, performance of trachelectomy at a high-volume facility was not associated with better survival (HR: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.48, 3.05). Conclusions: Given the low incidence of cervical cancer in this age group, and possible de-centralization, facility-volume for trachelectomy is very low with no clear detrimental effect on survival or perioperative outcomes. Further research is needed to determine if centralization to high volume centers is associated with superior reproductive and survival outcomes.
Archetypes of checkpoint-responsive immunity.

Responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy in cancer is currently predicted by disparate individual measures – with varying degrees of accuracy – including tumor mutation burden, tumor-infiltrating T cell densities, dendritic cell frequencies, and the expression of checkpoint ligands. We propose that many of these individual parameters are linked, forming two distinct 'reactive' immune archetypes – collections of cells and gene expression – in ICB-responsive patients. We hypothesize that these are 'seeds' of antitumor immunity and are supported by specific elements of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and by actions of the microbiome. Although removing 'immunosuppressive' factors in the TME is important, understanding and parsing reactive immunity is crucial for optimal prognosis and for engaging this biology with candidate therapies to increase tumor cure rates.
Online Shape Modeling of Resident Space Objects Through Implicit Scene Understanding

Neural networks have become state-of-the-art computer vision tools for tasks that learn implicit representations of geometrical scenes. This paper proposes a two-part network architecture that expl...
Purification, characterization, and substrate relationships of the tannase from Cryphonectria parasitica

The tannase of Cryphonectria parasitica was isolated from the mycelium and purified 142-fold with a 10% yield by anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The estimated molecular weight was 240 kDa and the molecule may be a tetramer composed of four subunits with a molecular weight of 58 kDa. The enzyme was separated into six bands in the pH range of 4·6–5·1. Based on the Michaelis-Menten constant (K m ) of the tannase for three substrates tested, aleppo tannic acid was the best substrate (K m = 0·95 m m ). Hamamelitannin, present in blight-susceptible chestnut bark, was also a good substrate for the enzyme (K m = 5·07 m m ). The ellagitannins, vescalagin and castalagin, were not good substrates for the enzyme and no inhibition of C. parasitica tannase by these compounds was found. Gallic acid was an effective competitive inhibitor of the tannase with all substrates and concentrations tested (K i = 11·0–13·1 m m ). The relative activities of the tannase on specific tannin substrates may be related to the number of ester and depside bonds in the substrates.
Pulsenet: A Program to Detect and Track Food Contamination Events

PulseNet USA is a national foodborne surveillance program that facilitates standardized subtyping of foodborne bacteria through a network of over 70 public health laboratories throughout the United States. With over a decade of successes in the rapid detection, communication, and response to foodborne outbreaks, PulseNet has proven instrumental to the identification and investigation of scores of outbreaks associated with unintentional foodborne contamination. In an increasingly globalized economy, the importance of food safety and biosecurity has become increasingly paramount. An act of bioterrorism involving food products is likely to be recognized, at least initially, in the same manner as naturally occurring foodborne outbreaks, and response capabilities will rely heavily upon the capacity and efficiency of existing public health infrastructure. Preparedness efforts will require the extension and enhancement of foodborne surveillance programs beyond the national level, and increased reliance on multilateral cooperation and information sharing with international partners. The recent globalization of PulseNet, with the establishment of PulseNet International, has greatly expanded the reach of foodborne disease surveillance to include regional networks in Asia, Europe, Canada, Latin America, and the Middle East, ushering in a promising new era for improved food safety and public health. Keywords: molecular epidemiology; surveillance; bacterial subtyping; foodborne pathogens; bioterrorism
MIC evaluation and testing for the Yucca Mountain repository

The U.S. Department of Energy is engaged in a suitability study for a potential deep geological repository at Yucca Mountain (YM), Nevada, for the containment and storage of high-level nuclear waste. There is growing awareness that biotic factors could affect the integrity of the repository directly through microbially induced corrosion (MIC) of waste package (WP) materials and other repository elements. A program to determine the degree that microorganisms, especially bacteria, influence the corrosion of waste package materials has therefore been undertaken. These studies include testing candidate waste package materials for their susceptibility to MIC, and also seek to determine rates of biocorrosion under varying environmental conditions, as well as predict rates of waste package corrosion over the long term. Previous characterization of bacterial isolates derived from YM geologic material showed that many possessed biochemical activities associated with MIC, 2. Various Yucca Mountain microbes demonstrated the abilities to oxidize iron, reduce sulfate to sulfide, produce acids, and generate exopolysaccharides (or `slime`). Table 1 summarizes previously characterized YM organisms and their associated relevant activities. A subset of the characterized YM bacteria were spread on WP alloy coupons in systems designed to collect polarization resistance (Rp) data for corrosion rate calculations, and to determine cathodic and anodic potentiodynamic polarization to assess corrosion mechanisms. Coupons inoculated with bacteria were compared to those that remained sterile, to determine the bacterial contribution to overall corrosion rates.
GPU Based Sound Simulation and Visualization

As the era of Moore's Law and increasing CPU clock rates nears its stopping point the focus of chip and hardware design has shifted to increasing the number of computation cores present on the chip. This increase can be most clearly seen in the rise of Graphic Processing Units (GPU) where hundreds or thousands of slower cores work in parallel to accomplish tasks. Programming for these chips represents a new set of challenges and concerns. A visualization of sound waves in the room was desired so that phenomena like standing waves could be quickly identified. In order to produce the visualization quickly, some form of acceleration would be required. The GPU was chosen as the accelerator using CUDA to produce the data for the simulation. The prototype was tested on a computer with an Intel Core2 Quad core CPU Q9450 and an NVidia GeForce GTX 480 GPU which contains 15 groupings of 32 compute cores for a total of 480 compute cores and has 1.5 GB of on board memory.
Properties of H-2L locus products in allogeneic and H-2 restricted, trinitrophenyl-specific cytotoxic responses.

The role of the recently defined L antigen (a second D region product) in allogeneic and TNP-specific syngeneic primary CML responses has been investigated. The lysis by anti-L specific cytotoxic effector cells was not inhibited when the target cells were pretreated with an antiserum directed against K and D, whereas an antiserum against L completely abrogated this response. Therefore, H-2L products are recognized on the target cells independently of H-2K and H-2D locus products. Both A.SW cells as well as B10 cells were found to respond to Ld alloantigens, in addition to Dd alloantigens when stimulated by cells differing only in the D region. The results of cold target blocking and antiserum inhibition experiments failed to detect cytotoxic cells with specificity for L antigens in association with TNP, under conditions in which TNP-specific effectors to K and D antigens were demonstrable. These findings suggest that there is a more limited involvement of H-2L locus products than the H-2K or H-2D locus products in the induction and specificity of these responses.
Document Image De-warping for Text/Graphics Recognition

Document analysis and graphics recognition algorithms are normally applied to the processing of images of 2D documents scanned when flattened against a planar surface. Technological advancements in recent years have led to a situation in which digital cameras with high resolution are widely available. Consequently, traditional graphics recognition tasks may be updated to accommodate document images captured through a hand-held camera in an uncontrolled environment. In this paper the problem of perspective and geometric deformations correction in document images is discussed. The proposed approach uses the texture of a document image so as to infer the document structure distortion. A two-pass image warping algorithm is then used to correct the images. In addition to being language independent, the proposed approach may handle document images that include multiple fonts, math notations, and graphics. The de-warped images contain less distortions and so are better suited for existing text/graphics recognition techniques.
Health-Related Quality Of Life By SF-36 in Patients with HNPP Compared To Those With CMT1A (P2.067)

OBJECTIVE: To compare quality of life (QoL) concerns of patients with Hereditary Neuropathy with Liability to Pressure Palsies (HNPP) to those with Charcot Marie Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) BACKGROUND: The SF-36 is a health survey with 36 questions. It yields an 8-scale profile of functional health and well-being scores as well as psychometrically-based physical (PCS-36) and mental health (MCS-36) summary measures. The Italian CMT QoL Study Group found there was no significant difference in in the SF-36 scores of 13 Italian patients with HNPP compared with the general Italian population except for mild deterioration of physical functioning domain. We have noted anecdotally that many patients with HNPP have significant QoL concerns. We wish to evaluate larger numbers of patients with HNPP, comparing the findings with those from patients with CMT1A. DESIGN/METHODS: Patients in the Inherited Neuropathy Consortium (INC) Rare Disease Clinical Research Network (RDCRN) routinely complete The SF-36 Health Survey. To date, we have analyzed thirteen SF-36 Surveys completed by patients with HNPP and compared them with age matched patients who have molecularly confirmed CMT1A. The average percentage of the CMT Neuropathy Score version 2 was calculated for both groups. RESULTS: Patients with HNPP scored lower (indicating perception of poorer health) on all eight subscales of the SF-36 and the summary measures of physical and mental health even though the subjects with CMT1A had significantly worse CMT Neuropathy Scores. Differences in the subscales of Role Physical, Bodily Pain, and Role Emotional were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HNPP differ from those in the general population in the results of the SF-36 in ways that differ from those with CMT1A. Larger numbers of patients and the future use of disease specific QoL measures will further define QoL issues relative to HNPP. Understanding these concerns will be important in designing relevant outcome measures for natural history studies and clinical trials for patients. Study Supported by: INC, NIH RDCRN (grant #1U54NS065712-01) Disclosure: Dr. Grider has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cuthbertson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Feely has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shy has nothing to disclose.
Differential constructions of trauma in cases of suspected child sexual molestation.

Despite increased attention within psychiatry and psychoanalysis to childhood sexual abuse, the problem of cases in which sexual abuse is suspected but cannot be verified has received relatively little consideration. Just as underattention to the possibility of molestation as a cause of sexual trauma can fail to address the child's environmental and therapeutic needs, so a premature conclusion that molestation did occur may skew the course of treatment and have adverse medicolegal ramifications. Although the occurrence of molestation may be verifiable, its absence generally cannot be proven. However, some cases of suspected or equivocal child sexual abuse may involve trauma other than frank molestation. In unclear or equivocal situations, extended diagnostic formulation or treatment with attention to reconstruction may lead to an explication of the symptoms that is at least plausible. In this report, cases thought to involve possible sexual molestation are presented to illustrate alternative formulations or constructions of the trauma. A psychoanalytic perspective can be useful in the approach to such cases. Language: en
Unraveling the fabric of polyploidy

Draft genome sequences of tetraploid Upland cotton and other polyploids promise insights into genome evolution and cotton fiber biology.
Magnetic susceptibility of Inconel alloys 718, 625, and 600 at cryogenic temperatures

In June 1988, the Discovery Space Shuttle mission was delayed because of a malfunctioning hydrogen fuel bleed valve system. The problem was traced to the linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) which produced erroneous readings for the valve position. Near liquid hydrogen temperatures, Inconel 718 used in the armature of the LVDT became strongly magnetic. The AC magnetic susceptibility of three samples of Inconel 718 of slightly different compositions, one sample of Inconel 625, and one sample of Inconel 600 were measured as a function of temperature. Inconel 718 behaves as a spin glass. Its susceptibility reaches a maximum between 15 and 19 K, near the liquid hydrogen boiling point, 20 K. The susceptibility increases by an order of magnitude as the iron content increases by 1.2% and the nickel content decreases by 1.5%. The nominal composition is 12–20% iron and 50–55% nickel. Inconel 625, which contains about 4% iron, was paramagnetic. Inconel 600 exhibited spin glass properties below 6 K, short-range ferromagnetism between 6 and 92 K, and paramagnetism above 92 K.
Characteristics of short-stay admissions to a psychiatric inpatient service

Since the rapid expansion of managed care coupled with dramatic reductions in lengths of inpatient stays, there is widespread concern that the emphasis on cost containment is eclipsing attention to patient care. The present study was undertaken to evaluate speculations that the majority of short-stay (less than 48 hours) admissions to a psychiatric inpatient service at a large teaching hospital in the midwestern United States consisted of public pay patients who were rapidly transferred to area state hospitals. Using two case mix measures, severity of illness and changes in acuity and clinical outcomes of a sample of short-stay (n = 77) and longer stay (n = 145) admissions were compared. Short-stay admissions, although similar to longer stay patients in terms of demographics, Axis I diagnosis, payer status, and appropriateness of admission, are clinically distinct. The use of nonhospital alternatives in treating a subsample of suicidal patients and the implications for improved mental health service delivery are discussed.
Two binary cycles of GX 301-2

The slow X-ray pulsar, GX 301-2, has been observed throughout two full binary cycles of 41.5 days in the energy range 13-170 keV by the UCSD/MIT Hard X-Ray and Low Energy Gamma-Ray Experiment aboard HEAO 1. Increased intensity and variability was observed for about four days near periastron during the two binary cycles, which were separated by six months in 1978. The spectral shape was not observed to vary with binary phase, with the possible exception of a steepening of the continuum above 20 keV near superior conjunction in one of the two observing epochs. Evidence for a spectral line was found in the data at the 1-percent confidence level, but not confirmed in the remaining data. The temporal variability of GX 301-2 was not consistent with simple models of X-ray production by interaction of the stellar wind with the neutron star, implying that future modeling must include effects on wind density and speed caused by shocks in the wind, the X-ray flux from the neutron star, the gravitational influence of the neutron star, and possible mass accumulation near the neutron star.
An Adaptive Finite Element Method for Steady and Transient Problems

Distributing integral error uniformly over variable subdomains, or finite elements, is an attractive criterion by which to subdivide a domain for the Galerkin/finite element method when localized steep gradients and high curvatures are to be resolved. Examples are fluid interfaces, shock fronts and other internal layers, as well as fluid mechanical and other boundary layers, e.g. thin-film states at solid walls.The uniform distribution criterion is developed here into an adaptive technique for one-dimensional problems. Nodal positions can be updated simultaneously with nodal values during Newton iteration, but it is usually better to adopt nearly optimal nodal positions during Newton iteration upon nodal values. Three illustrative problems are solved: steady convection with diffusion, gradient theory of fluid wetting on a solid surface and Buckley-Leverett theory of two-phase Darcy flow in porous media. The new adaptive technique resists entanglement of the nodes of the nodal mesh without requiring the special restrictions upon which the earlier moving finite element method relies.
A Second-Order Accurate Time-Stepping Algorithm for Dominant Mode Propagation in Ferrite Media

This communication presents a fully second-order accurate time-domain simulation scheme that incorporates magnetic materials operating in the dominant mode. The proposed scheme is a modification of the Yee scheme by incorporating the Landau-Lifschitz equation of motion including the dominant and loss terms. Additionally, a rigorous dispersion analysis is presented for the proposed scheme. It is demonstrated that the proposed scheme has no numerical losses (when the phenomenological loss term is set to zero), and the pertinent resonant frequencies experience a second-order shift as a consequence of the numerical discretization.
Modulation of Na+-H+ exchange by ethinyl estradiol in rat colonic brush-border membrane vesicles

Abstract Prior studies by our laboratory have suggested that a relationship may exist between rat colonic brush-border membrane vesicular fluidity and Na+-H+ exchange. To further explore this possible relationship, in the present studies the effects of ethinyl estradiol (17α-ethinyl-1,3,5-estratriene-3,17-β-diol) administration subcutaneously (5 mg/kg body wt. per day) for 5 days, on rat colonic brush-border membrane fluidity and Na+-H+ exchange were examined. This treatment regimen has previously been shown to decrease the lipid fluidity of rat hepatic and rabbit small intestinal plasma membranes. In agreement with these prior studies, the present results demonstrate that this agent decreases the lipid fluidity of treated-rat colonic brush-border membranes compared to control membranes, as assessed by steady-state fluorescence polarization techniques using three different fluorophores. An increase in the cholesterol content and cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio of treated-membranes appear to, at least partially, be responsible for the fluidity differences. Furthermore, examination of the kinetic parameters for amiloride-sensitive sodium-stimulated proton efflux in treated and control membrane vesicles, utilizing the pH-sensitive fluorescent dye, Acridine orange, revealed that ethinyl estradiol administration decreased the Vmax for this exchange mechanism, expressed in arbitrary fluorescence units, by approx. 25% but did not influence its Km for sodium. These data, therefore, lend further support to the contention that alterations in fluidity may modulate Na+-H+ exchange in rat colonic brush-border membrane vesicles.
Research of the Relation between the Industry Structure and Carbon Emissions in China

The green house gases emission have made a notable impact on the economy, environment and mankind existence by the humanity activities. With fast economic development, the carbon emissions are growing. There has a huge pressure to control the green house gases emissions. In order to lessen the green house gases emissions and to realize the market in 2020 and the economic sustainable development, this paper analyses the relationship between the industry structure and the carbon emissions, and puts forward the countermeasures.
Race differences in cardiac catheterization: the role of social contextual variables.

BACKGROUND Race differences in the receipt of invasive cardiac procedures are well-documented but the etiology remains poorly understood.
ERKs and p38 Kinase Phosphorylate p53 Protein at Serine 15 in Response to UV Radiation

Phosphorylation of the p53 tumor suppressor protein is likely to play an important role in regulating its activity. Serine 15 phosphorylation of p53 leads to a stabilization of p53 by reducing its interaction with murine double minute 2, a negative regulatory partner. Recently, p53 was reported to be activated and phosphorylated at serine 15 following UV radiation. However, the signaling pathway that mediates UV-induced phosphorylation is less well characterized. Here, we provide evidence that UVB-induced phosphorylation of p53 at serine 15 is mediated directly by ERKs and p38 kinase. We find that in a mouse JB6 epidermal cell line, ERKs and p38 kinase form a complex with p53 following UVB radiation. Inhibition of ERKs or p38 kinase activity by the use of a dominant negative mutant of ERK2 or p38 kinase or their respective specific inhibitor, PD98059 or SB202190, results in abrogation of UVB-induced phosphorylation of p53 at serine 15. Strikingly, incubation of UVB-activated ERKs or p38 kinase immunoprecipitated complex with exogenous p53 shows serine 15 phosphorylation of both exogenous and co-precipitated endogenous p53 protein. Additionally, active recombinant ERK1/2 and p38 kinase but not JNKs are also able to phosphorylate p53 at serine 15 in vitro. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with PD98059 or SB202190 blocks p53-dependent transcription activity but increases the level of p53 co-precipitated murine double minute. These results strongly suggest that both ERKs and p38 kinase have a direct role in UVB-induced phosphorylation of p53 at serine 15 in vivo.
Yeast DNA repair and recombination proteins Rad1 and Rad10 constitute a single-stranded-DNA endonuclease

DAMAGE-SPECIFIC recognition and incision of DNA during nucleotide excision repair in yeast1 and mammalian cells2 requires multiple gene products. Amino-acid sequence homology between several yeast and mammalian genes suggests that the mechanism of nucleotide excision repair is conserved in eukaryotes2–7, but very little is known about its biochemistry. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae at least 6 genes are needed for this process, including RAD1 and RAD10 (ref. 1). Mutations in the two genes inactivate nucleotide excision repair8,9 and result in a reduced efficiency of mitotic recombinational events between repeated sequences10–15. The RadlO protein has a stable and specific interaction with Radl protein16,17 and also binds to single-stranded DNA and promotes annealing of homologous single-stranded DNA18. The amino-acid sequence of the yeast RadlO protein is homologous with that of the human excision repair gene ERCC1 (ref. 3). Here we demonstrate that a complex of purified Radl and RadlO proteins specifically degrades single-stranded DNA by an endonucleolytic mechanism. This endonuclease activity is presumably required to remove non-homologous regions of single-stranded DNA during m. tic recombination between repeated sequences as previously suggested13, and may also be responsible for the specific incision of damaged DNA during nucleotide excision repair.
Kinematic Analysis of Brake-Induced Vehicle Steering Wheel Vibration

Vehicle steering comfort is strongly influenced by chassis system sensitivity to brake-induced vibration. If drivers feel vibration on the steering wheel during a braking event, it negatively impacts their satisfaction with a vehicle’s performance and quality. The suspension is the primary chassis sub-system that transmits vibration from the brakes to the rest of vehicle. Since the suspension system is directly linked with the brake, tire/wheel assembly, sub-frame and steering system, its coupled vibration is very complicated. The current paper presents a sensitivity study of chassis system vibration distribution, a vibration reduction proposal with traditional vibration approach and a vibration reduction proposal with a kinematic design strategy. A system integration approach is used to derive an improvement strategy that can potentially make a vehicle insensitive to the vibration caused by torque variation of the brakes. The approach links suspension, steering and sub-frame vibration characteristics, kinematics modeling and robust design principles in a systematic fashion. The concept and method have been successfully demonstrated on a typical mid-size passenger car.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
The Promise of Neuroprotective Agents in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain. Since there are limited treatment options for PD, neuroprotective agents are currently being tested as a means to slow disease progression. Agents targeting oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation are prime candidates for neuroprotection. This review identifies Rasagiline, Minocycline, and creatine, as the most promising neuroprotective agents for PD, and they are all currently in phase III trials. Other agents possessing protective characteristics in delaying PD include stimulants, vitamins, supplements, and other drugs. Additionally, combination therapies also show benefits in slowing PD progression. The identification of neuroprotective agents for PD provides us with therapeutic opportunities for modifying the course of disease progression and, perhaps, reducing the risk of onset when preclinical biomarkers become available.
The use of human acellular dermis in the operative management of giant omphalocele.

Abstract Purpose The management of giant omphalocele presents a major challenge to pediatric surgeons. Current treatment modalities often result in wound infection, fascial separation, and abdominal domain loss. Human acellular dermis (AlloDerm), as a primary abdominal fascial substitute, may prevent these complications. We present our experience with its application in neonates with giant omphalocele. Methods Charts of patients with giant omphalocele from January 2003 to September 2004 were reviewed and data collected regarding wound healing, rate of infection, ventilatory support, and outcome. Results Three neonates underwent abdominal wall closure with AlloDerm (gestational ages: 38, 37, and 28 weeks; birthweights 2880, 2640, and 1160 g, respectively). All had cardiac anomalies; 1 required cardiac surgery and 1 was ventilator-dependent, secondary to pulmonary hypoplasia. Omphalocele repair was performed on day-of-life 9, 2, and 87. No fascial dehiscence or infection was encountered. Neovascularization was noted by day 7. Two died of cardiopulmonary disease (6 months and 1 year). The third exhibited normal growth and development without complication. Conclusions AlloDerm provides visceral coverage without compromising cardiopulmonary function, diminishing abdominal domain, or requiring multiple operations, allowing prompt treatment of associated anomalies. AlloDerm represents an exciting alternative in the treatment of giant omphalocele. Further study is required to determine long-term benefits.
Education Reform, Equal Opportunity and Educational Achievement: Do Trend Data Adequately Report Progress?

Using Kentucky as a case study, the research described in this paper examines efforts to provide equality of educational opportunity. Standards based educational reform has produced myriad data on student achievement that are used by educators, policy analysts, legislators, and researchers to discern progress. This research makes use of multiple sources of data(CATS index, reading proficiency, math proficiency) in an attempt to more thoroughly consider progress in attempts to ameliorate gaps in student achievement that have been found to exist as related to local wealth. Findings from the study show mixed results. Although local wealth has decreased as a predictor of student achievement in reading, it is still a significant predictor of achievement in math. Gaps are closing more rapidly at the elementary school level which suggests the need to study the process of education at the secondary level. Lastly, student demographics, especially students qualifying for free and reduced lunch continue to be a significant predictor of student achievement. We conclude that changes to state accountability systems that move the unit of analysis from the school to the student level offer the best opportunity to utilize emerging research methodologies that will enable practitioners and analysts to better analyze educational process.
Wave propagation in fluid-saturated porous media: An efficient finite element procedure

Abstract An efficient finite element procedure to analyze wave propagation phenomena in fluid-saturated porous media is presented. The saturated porous medium is modelled as a two-phase system consisting of a solid and a fluid phase. Time integration of the resulting semi-discrete finite element equations is performed by using an implicit-explicit algorithm. In order to remove the time step size restriction associated with the presence of the stiff fluid in the mixture, the fluid contribution to the equations of motion is always treated implicitly. The procedure allows an optimal selection of the time step size independently of the fluid. Depending upon the particular intended applications (e.g., seismic, blast loading,...) the fluid may be assumed incompressible or compressible. Numerical results which demonstrate the accuracy and versatility of the proposed procedure are presented.
Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis: Pathogenesis, Treatments, and Emerging Role in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis causes heart failure from cardiac deposition of TTR amyloid fibrils, the by-product of TTR homotetramer disassembly. Wild-type (WT) TTR deposition leads to senile amyloidosis, predominantly manifesting with cardiomyopathy. Missense mutations in the TTR gene result in familial TTR amyloidosis. Certain mutations are more likely to affect the heart, while others cause more neurologic involvement. Extracellular fibril deposition triggers intracellular stress response, upregulation of the inflammatory cascades, apoptosis, and organ dysfunction. Recent studies suggest that TTR cardiac amyloid may be a significant contributor to the pathogenesis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Summarized in this review are the molecular pathways underlying the cellular toxicity of TTR amyloid fibrils and the emerging therapies aimed at TTR tetramer stabilization, abrogation of TTR synthesis in the liver, or inhibition of amyloidogenesis.
Mercury in breeding and wintering Nelson’s Sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni)

The objective of this study was to increase our understanding of Hg exposure in birds with obligate ties to coastal salt marsh and inland wetland systems. Many species filling such niches are of conservation concern because of reduced size and quality of vital habitats. We used Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni) as an indicator of regional mercury (Hg) availability in its breeding and wintering salt marsh and wetland habitats. Blood, breast feathers and the first primary feather were sampled from Nelson’s Sparrows wintering in North Carolina coastal salt marshes and breeding in wetland systems in North Dakota (A. n. nelsoni) and Ontario, Canada (A. n. alterus). Wintering Nelson’s Sparrow breast feathers contained 3.0 times as much Hg as birds breeding in North Dakota and 2.4 times as much Hg as those breeding in Ontario. Breeding Nelson’s Sparrows in North Dakota exhibited blood Hg levels 4.9 times as high as those from birds breeding along James Bay and 7.6 times as high as those wintering in North Carolina. These results provide significant insight on the timing of molt in this species as well as how Hg exposure varies regionally and seasonally for these birds. Further, our results provide a better understanding of how and where Hg exposure may be a threat to Nelson’s Sparrows and other birds with obligate ties to aquatic systems.
Protect from light: Photodegradation and protein biologics

The exposure of proteins to light and the ensuing chemical and physical degradation has been studied extensively for many years. The residues in proteins that undergo primary photooxidation include tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and cysteine/cystine. While photooxidation has been recognized as a major contributor to protein degradation, the effects of photoinduced damage have not been widely studied for biopharmaceuticals. This is particularly important since photodegradation can lead to changes in primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of protein and these changes, while not definitively established, could lead to differences in long-term stability, bioactivity, or immunogenicity. In this review we briefly describe the major pathways of photodegradation for proteins followed by a description of the limited data on photodegradation of biopharmaceuticals and methods that have been used to reduce or prevent damage. It is our intent to spur additional research in this area for increasing the safety and effectiveness of biopharmaceutical products.
Molecular Characterization of a Mutable Pigmentation Phenotype and Isolation of the First Active Transposable Element from Sorghum bicolor

Accumulation of red phlobaphene pigments in sorghum grain pericarp is under the control of the Y gene. A mutable allele of Y, designated as y-cs (y-candystripe), produces a variegated pericarp phenotype. Using probes from the maize p1 gene that cross-hybridize with the sorghum Y gene, we isolated the y-cs allele containing a large insertion element. Our results show that the Y gene is a member of the MYB-transcription factor family. The insertion element, named Candystripe1 (Cs1), is present in the second intron of the Y gene and shares features of the CACTA superfamily of transposons. Cs1 is 23,018 bp in size and is bordered by 20-bp terminal inverted repeat sequences. It generated a 3-bp target site duplication upon insertion within the Y gene and excised from y-cs, leaving a 2-bp footprint in two cases analyzed. Reinsertion of the excised copy of Cs1 was identified by Southern hybridization in the genome of each of seven red pericarp revertant lines tested. Cs1 is the first active transposable element isolated from sorghum. Our analysis suggests that Cs1-homologous sequences are present in low copy number in sorghum and other grasses, including sudangrass, maize, rice, teosinte, and sugarcane. The low copy number and high transposition frequency of Cs1 imply that this transposon could prove to be an efficient gene isolation tool in sorghum.
Cross-bridge duty cycle in isometric contraction of skeletal myofibrils.

During interaction of actin with myosin, cross-bridges impart mechanical impulses to thin filaments resulting in rotations of actin monomers. Impulses are delivered on the average every tc seconds. A cross-bridge spends a fraction of this time (ts) strongly attached to actin, during which it generates force. The “duty cycle” (DC), defined as the fraction of the total cross-bridge cycle that myosin spends attached to actin in a force generating state (ts/tc), is small for cross-bridges acting against zero load, like freely shortening muscle, and increases as the load rises. Here we report, for the first time, an attempt to measure DC of a single cross-bridge in muscle. A single actin molecule in a half-sarcomere was labeled with fluorescent phalloidin. Its orientation was measured by monitoring intensity of the polarized TIRF images. Actin changed orientation when a cross-bridge bound to it. During isometric contraction, but not during rigor, actin orientation oscillated between two values, corresponding t...
Disparate Effects of Early Pressure Overload Hypertrophy on Velocity-Dependent and Force-Dependent Indices of Ventricular Performance in the Conscious Baboon

Background The effects of early pressure overload on left ventricular (LV) chamber mechanics in the primate heart are poorly understood. Methods and Results To test the hypothesis that early LV pressure overload hypertrophy is associated with depression of velocity-dependent indices of LV systolic (LV dP/dt) and diastolic function (time constant of relaxation, tau) but unchanged systolic elastance (Ees), we studied six conscious baboons instrumented with LV micromanometers and LV dimension and wall thickness sonomicrometers. Loading conditions were altered by pharmacological angiotensin II generation both before and 12 weeks after producing renovascular hypertension (2 kidney, 1 clip). The LV systolic pressure (149±11 [SD] versus 114±5 mm Hg) and LV mass (125±25 versus 91±20 g) were greater 12 weeks after than before (both P<.05). Both Ees and Ees normalized for LV mass were similar before versus 12 weeks after (23.0±9.6 versus 22.3±9.8 mm Hg/mL and 26.5±14.5 versus 19.8±12.5 mm Hg/mL, respectively; both ...
Static 3D image space

As three-dimensional (3D) techniques continue to evolve from their humble beginnings-nineteenth century stereo photographs and twentieth century movies and holographs, the urgency for advancement in 3D display is escalating, as the need for widespread application in medical imaging, baggage scanning, gaming, television and movie display, and military strategizing increases. The most recent 3D developments center upon volumetric display, which generate 3D images within actual 3D space. More specifically, CSpace volumetric display generates a truly natural 3D image consisting of perceived width, height, and depth within the confines of physical space. Wireframe graphics enable viewers a 360-degree display without the use of additional visual aids. In this paper, research detailing the selection and testing of several rare earth, single-doped, fluoride crystals, namely 1%Er: NYF 4 , 2%Er: NYF 4 , 3%Er: NYF 4 , 2%Er:KY 3 F 10 , and 2%Er:YLF, is introduced. These materials are the basis for CSpace display in a two-step twofrequency up-Conversion process. Significant determinants were tested and identified to aid in the selection of a suitable medium. Results show that 2%Er: NYF 4 demonstrates good optical emitted power. Its superior level of brightness makes it the most suitable candidate for CSpace display. Testing also proved 2%Er: KY 3 F 10 crystal might be a viable medium.
“The Color of Money” revisited: Racial lending patterns in Atlanta's neighborhoods

Abstract In 1988, the Atlanta Journal‐Constitution published “The Color of Money,” an influential series examining mortgage redlining in Atlanta. The articles documented wide lending disparities between white and black neighborhoods of similar income levels. Given sweeping changes in housing finance since 1988, we seek to determine whether Atlanta's racial geographic disparities in mortgage lending have changed. Analysis of 1992 to 1996 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data reveals slight improvement. Atlanta's depository lenders made 4.2 times as many conventional home purchase loans per owner‐occupied unit to middle‐income white neighborhoods as they did to middle‐income black neighborhoods; a decade earlier, this ratio was 5.2. Nondepositories post lower ratios, particularly for Federal Housing Administration‐insured loans, but this market segment raises concerns because of potential abuses. By the indicator of most enduring theoretical and policy interest—conventional home purchase lending by depositories...