cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
B Cell Induction of IL-13 Expression in NK Cells: Role of CD244 and SLAM-Associated Protein

NK cells are an important component of the innate immune system that can also interact with B cells in a mutually productive manner. We have previously shown that activated B cells can induce NK cells to up-regulate their secretion of IFN-γ. In this study, we show that B cells, and, particularly, marginal zone B cells, can, in addition, induce NK cells via direct cell-cell interactions to express mRNA encoding the Th2 cytokine IL-13. The induction of NK cell IL-13 mRNA expression requires the ligation of the CD244 receptor by the CD48 ligand on B cells via signaling pathways that depend upon expression of the X-linked lymphoproliferative disease gene product, SH2D1A/DSHP/SAP (SLAM-associated protein, or SAP) in NK cells. Thus, the positive signals attributed to the B cell activation of CD244 on murine NK cells appears to be more similar to the activity of CD244 on human cells. The induction of IL-13 mRNA by B cells may account for the effect of NK cells on the generation of Th2-type responses in the presence of some adjuvants.
Belief Dynamics and Biases in Web Search

We investigate how beliefs about the efficacy of medical interventions are influenced by searchers' exposure to information on retrieved Web pages. We present a methodology for measuring participants' beliefs and confidence about the efficacy of treatment before, during, and after search episodes. We consider interventions studied in the Cochrane collection of meta-analyses. We extract related queries from search engine logs and consider the Cochrane assessments as ground truth. We analyze the dynamics of belief over time and show the influence of prior beliefs and confidence at the end of sessions. We present evidence for confirmation bias and for anchoring-and-adjustment during search and retrieval. Then, we build predictive models to estimate postsearch beliefs using sets of features about behavior and content. The findings provide insights about the influence of Web content on the beliefs of people and have implications for the design of search systems.
A new pathway of exogenous fatty acid incorporation proceeds by a classical phosphoryl transfer reaction.

Summary The Firmicute bacteria readily incorporate exogenousfatty acids into their phospholipids. In some (but notall) family members incorporation of the fatty acidspresent in human serum precludes the use of fattyacid synthesis inhibitors to treat infections. However,the pathway(s) of exogenous fatty acid incorporationin these bacteria remained unknown, although itwas thought to differ from known pathways. Parsonsand co-workers show that in Staphylococcus aureus exogenous fatty acids are activated by phosphoryltransfer from ATP to form acyl-phosphates, a mixedanhydride suggested as a potential intermediate 70years ago. This ﬁnding has important ramiﬁcationsfor the efficacy of treatment of S. aureus infectionsusing inhibitors of fatty acid synthesis. About 15 years ago the enzymes of bacterial fatty acidbiosynthesis debuted as favoured targets for design ofantibacterial agents to replace those that had been ren-dered ineffective. Although the mechanism of fatty acidsynthesis is well conserved in bacteria and mammals, thedetails differ sufficiently that bacterial enzymes couldbe speciﬁcally targeted (Campbell and Cronan, 2001;McDevitt
Synthetic peptides from region 65-84 of bovine myelin basic protein: radioimmunoassays and equilibrium competitive inhibition studies with antibodies prepared against myelin basic protein.

Synthetic peptides with various and overlapping sequences represented by the residue region 65–84 of bovine myelin basic protein (MBP-bov) were tested in sodium sulfate radioimmunoassays for their reactivity with 15 rabbit antisera against MBPs from six different animal species and nine pools of syngeneic Lewis rat anti-MBP antisera. Three of the peptides were labeled with125I and studied by direct binding reactions: (1) the prototype peptide S82 sequence TTHYG-SLPQKAQGHRPQDEG, corresponding to residues 65–84 of bovine MBP except for the C-terminal glycine, which is encephalitogenic in rabbits: (2) S81, which lacks the first three residues of S82 and is nonencephalitogenic in rabbits; and (3) S79, which represents the C-terminal half of S82 and which, because of its C-terminal glycine instead of asparagine, is nonencephalitogenic in Lewis rats. Fourteen of the rabbit anti-MBP antisera were reactive with [125I]S82 (two borderline) including 2 of 3 antisera against human MBP, one against monkey MBP, and one against chicken MBP. The cross-reactions with [125I]S81 were somewhat fewer and less intense. There were no cross-reactions with [125I]S79. None of nine different pools of syngeneic rat MBP antisera cross-reacted with any of the three labeled peptides. With the use of a rabbit anti-MBP-rat antiserum that crossreacted strongly with [125I]S82, 15 additional peptides with overlapping sequences within the residue region 65–84, as well as five MBP preparations from four different species, were tested by equilibrium and nonequilibrium competitive inhibition RIAs. Unlabeled S82 and MBP-bov were completely competitive with [125I]S82 in the equilibrium assays; S81 and three other peptides had low degrees of cross-reactivity; but none of the remaining eight unlabeled peptides or unlabeled MBP preparations of guinea pig, rat, or mouse origin gave any evidence of competitive activity. Nonequilibrium competitive inhibition RIAs, however, did reveal cross-reactivities among several of the peptides as well as guinea pig and rat MBP. It was concluded that the N-terminal half of S82, particularly residues 68–74 (YGSLPQK), must contain an immunodeterminant of amino acid residues which identifies with the corresponding and exposed sequence in intact MBP-bov.
Growth of single crystal silicon nanowires in supercritical solution from tethered gold particles on a silicon substrate

Molecularly tethered gold (Au) nanocrystals with average diameter of 7 nm were used to grow single-crystal silicon (Si) nanowires on a substrate through a supercritical fluid−liquid−solid (sc-FLS) mechanism. Si wires were obtained by degrading diphenylsilane (DPS) in cyclohexane heated and pressurized well above its critical point (Tc = 281 °C; Pc = 4.1 MPa) and the Si/Au eutectic temperature (363 °C). Under these conditions, silicon dissolves in the gold nanocrystals and subsequently crystallizes in the form of wires. The nanowire diameter reflects the gold nanocrystal diameter, ranging from 5 to 30 nm, with lengths of several micrometers. Both batch and flow reactors were used. The flow reactor minimized the undesirable deposition of Si particulates formed in the bulk solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of Si nanowires grown at a series of temperatures, reactor residence times, and Si precursor concentrations reveal that the wire growth kinetics influence nanowire morphology significantl...
Convergence of visceral and cutaneous afferent pathways in the lumbar spinal cord

Abstract 1. A method has been devised for stimulating visceral afferents in the caudal portion of the sympathetic chain, while recording from the lumbar spinal cord. This makes it possible to study interactions in the spinal cord between visceral afferents and simultaneously activated cutaneous afferents. 2. Mapping the spinal cord with microelectrodes shows that both visceral afferents and the small myelinated (A delta) cutaneous afferents evoke maximum focal negativity in the same layer of dorsal horn, Rexed's lamina V. 3. Many neurons in lamina V can be activated by both visceral nerve and skin nerve stimulation. 4. The large myelinated (A beta) afferents of visceral nerves seem to differ from those of cutaneous nerves in that only the latter have recordable actions on cells of Rexed's lamina IV of the dorsal horn. 5. The demonstrated convergence of visceral and cutaneous afferent pathways onto common interneurons in the dorsal horn, many of which send axons into ascending tracts in the white matter, provides a mechanism by which the referral of visceral pain to the skin might be explained.
Neither Inbred Nor Extinct

A geneticist and staunch monarchist cannot ignore yet another restatement of the hoary misapprehension that “[t]he hemophilia that plagued Europe's royal families in the 1800s is a clear example of how mating with first cousins and other close kin can cripple a gene pool by allowing recessive genes to emerge from hiding” (J. Kaiser, Research News, 3 Apr., [p. 35][1]). Most obviously, hemophilia, being an X-linked recessive condition, does not “hide” like an autosomally coded recessive: it is expressed in all the hemizygous sons of a carrier mother (such as Queen Victoria evidently was). Close inbreeding could result in an excess of homozygous, hemophiliac females, but no such cases were reported among the royals, none of whom was the offspring of a first-cousin marriage. Moreover, Victoria herself produced nine children who survived to adulthood and who themselves produced an ample crop of prolific grandchildren and great-grandchildren-hardly a crippled gene pool limping toward extinction! [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.280.5360.35b
Do Y geniculate neurons have greater contrast sensitivity than X geniculate neurons at all visual field locations

Contrast sensitivities for gratings of different spatial frequencies drifting at 5.2 Hz were measured for X- and Y-type neurons of the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. It was found that, for cells with neighboring receptive fields, the peak contrast sensitivities of Y-type cells were always greater than those of X-type cells. This greater contrast sensitivity of Y geniculate cells was found not to depend on the area of visual field in which the cells' receptive fields were located.
Overexpression, phosphorylation, and growth effects of ORF162, a Klebsiella pneumoniae protein that is encoded by a gene linked to rpoN, the gene encoding δ54

The product of a Klebsiella pneumoniae gene, orf162, may regulate δ54-dependent transcription and has sequence similarity to proteins of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS). We have overproduced the product of orf162 and demonstrated its PTS-dependent phosphorylation in Escherichia coli extracts. We have also observed moderate growth inhibition of a wild-type, but not a δ54-mutant, strain by overexpression of orf162. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the product of orf162 could be a regulatory link between the PTS and δ54 activity in bacteria.
Lymphomatoid contact dermatitis caused by nickel

Lymphomatoid contact dermatitis is a rarely reported entity consisting of allergic contact dermatitis that resembles mycosis fungoides pathologically. Although the histopathology has been previously described, there have been no attempts to reproduce the dermatitis for pathologic evaluation. A 68-year-old woman presented with a papular rash on her neck after exposure to a nickel-containing necklace. A biopsy specimen was suspicious for mycosis fungoides. However, the dermatitis responded quickly to topical steroids and avoidance of the necklace. A patch test to nickel was positive, and a biopsy specimen from the patch test site had no findings of mycosis fungoides. Although we were able to reproduce the contact dermatitis at a distant site, the disease was dissimilar. Lymphomatoid contact dermatitis has an excellent prognosis and resolves completely simply by avoiding the offending agent.
Indices of fatness and serum cholesterol at age eight years in relation to feeding and growth during early infancy

ABSTRACT: During the early months of life, gains in length and weight are more rapid by formula-fed than by breast-fed infants and we and others have speculated that the greater gains of the formula-fed infants are the result of greater food intake. If overfeeding during early infancy resulted in establishment of habits of overeating, or if, for any other reason, diet-induced fatness in infancy persisted into childhood, we might be able to demonstrate differences in fatness in childhood related to mode of feeding (breast or bottle) during infancy. We therefore examined at age 8 years 469 children born in 1966-1971 who had been studied intensely in our unit from 8 to 112 days of age. At age 8 years there were no differences in indices of fatness related to mode of feeding during infancy. Serum concentrations of cholesterol at age 8 years were also of interest because of reports from animal studies that differences in feeding during early life may be responsible for subsequent differences in cholesterol homeostasis. Cholesterol concentrations at age 8 years did not demonstrate significant differences related to mode of feeding during infancy. It is possible, however, that age 8 years is too early for an effect to be demonstrated.
Updating toward the signal

Modelers frequently assume (either implicitly or explicitly) that an agent’s posterior expectation of some variable lies between their prior mean and the realization of an unbiased signal of that variable. We call this property updating toward the signal (UTS). We show that if the prior and signal error densities are both symmetric and quasiconcave then UTS will occur. If, for a given prior, UTS occurs for all symmetric and quasiconcave error densities, then in fact the prior must be symmetric and quasiconcave. Similar characterizations are derived for two additional updating requirements that are strictly weaker than UTS.
ALL AUTHOR COCITATION ANALYSIS AND FIRST AUTHOR COCITATION ANALYSIS: A COMPARATIVE EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION

Abstract The majority of author cocitation analysis (ACA) have relied on the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) citation databases. ISI convention allows only the retrieval of papers that cite works of which the author is first or sole author. Non-primary authors (authors whose name appear in second or later position) will not be counted when assembling a cocitation frequency matrix. Therefore, this has been a methodological issue in ACA study. This paper empirically examines the impact of the ISI convention on the results of ACA. Previous research has addressed and shed light on some parts of methodological issues, but failed to address issues such as to what extent the use of different approach has resulted in different outcomes in terms of actual intellectual structure of a given academic discipline. Using our data and cociation matrix generation systems, we compare the differences in the process and outcomes of using different cocitation matrices. Our study concludes that all author based ACA is better than first author based ACA to capture all influential researchers in a field. It also identifies more research subspecialties. Finally, all Author based ACA and first author based ACA produce little differences in stress values of MDS outputs.
Utilization of Compost Increases Organic Carbon And Its Humin, Humic and Fulvic Acid Fractions In Calcareous Soil

Organic carbon sustainability in a gravelly calcareous soil is a great challenge under the humid conditions of south Florida. The beneficial effects of compost utilization on soil fertility prompted an investigation on (i) accumulation of total organic carbon and (ii) the soil organic carbon (SOC) in humin, humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) fractions in a gravelly calcareous soil amended with composts or inorganic fertilizer. In 1996 and 1998, compost from municipal solid waste (MSW) (100% MSW), Bedminster cocompost (75% MSW and 25% biosolids) and biosolids compost (100% biosolids) at 72, 82.7 and 15.5 Mg ha−1, respectively, were each incorporated in soil beds and inorganic fertilizer (6-2.6-10) NPK at 2.8 Mg ha−1. A control (no amendment) treatment was also included. Total organic carbon and various fractions of soil organic carbon were determined in two depths (0-10 and 10-22 cm) for both soil particles ( 2mm). Inorganic and organic soil amendments had decreased soil pH and incre...
The Influence of Supportive Relations on the Psychological Well-Being of Teenage Mothers

Little is known about how family members respond to teenage childbearing and mothering. This paper explores the influence of family and peer resources on adaptation to teenage motherhood. Several sources of support are considered separately in order to determine whether they all contribute similarly to psychological wellbeing. Data from a survey of young mothers support the hypothesis that personal relations differ in their influence. Supports from friends and relatives, in particular female siblings, are associated with higher levels of stress and distress, while support from a male partner is associated with low levels of distress. The empirical analysis controls for the effects on psychological well-being of race, education, age, household composition, marital status, and poverty status. The results suggest that race and education are also important in explaining variations in psychological well-being of teenage mothers. Although family and community supports are assumed to help teenage mothers cope with the stress of mothering, few studies have explored how family support affects maternal adjustment (for the exceptions see Furstenberg and Crawford; Zuckerman et al.). The limited studies which have examined social supports of teenage mothers have relied on broad indicators of social support such as household composition and marital status. These broad indicators do not allow investigation of the complexities of family relationships. This paper examines the impact of family and peer resources on
Line width of the solar EUV He I resonance emissions at 584 and 537 Å

Instrumentation was carried aloft on a Black Brant rocket in August 1982 to gather spectrometry on the solar He I resonance lines. The payload consisted of a He spectrometer which furnished 11 readings at FWHM of close to 97 and 132 mA for the 584 and 537 a lines, respectively. The results indicated a variation of the solar line width that was inversely correlated with solar activity and with the solar EUV flux. Further studies of the 522 A line are recommended to detect any unidentified first order solar emissions close to or within the absorption profile of the 537 A line that contributed to the observed line width.
An improved LC-MS/MS procedure for brain prostanoid analysis using brain fixation with head-focused microwave irradiation and liquid-liquid extraction

High-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection (LC-MS/MS) allows a highly selective, sensitive, simultaneous analysis for prostanoids (PG) without derivatization. However, high chemical background noise reduces LC-MS/MS selectivity and sensitivity for brain PG analysis. Four common methods using different solvent systems for PG extraction were tested. Although these methods had the same recovery of PG, the modified acetone extraction followed by liquid/liquid purification had the greatest sensitivity. This method combined with hexane/2-propanol extraction permits the simultaneous analysis of other lipid molecules and PG in the same extract. We also determined that PG mass in brain powder stored at -80 degrees C was reduced 2- to 4- fold in 4 weeks; however, PG were stable for long periods (>3 months) in hexane/2-propanol extracts. PG mass was increased significantly when mice were euthanized by decapitation and the brains rapidly flash-frozen rather than euthanized using head-focused microwave irradiation. This reduction is not the result of PG trapping or destruction in microwave-irradiated brains, demonstrating its importance in limiting mass artifacts during brain PG analysis. Our improved procedure for brain PG analysis provides a reliable, rapid means to detect changes in brain PG mass under both basal and pathological conditions and demonstrates the importance of sample preparation in this process.
Action of cobra venom phospholipase A2 on large unilamellar vesicles: Comparison with small unilamellar vesicles and multibilayers

Phospholipase A2 (Naja naja naja) catalyzes the hydrolysis of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine in small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) with a faster initial rate than in large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) and multilamellar vesicles (MLVs). For the SUVs, the hydrolysis was initially faster for gel phase than liquid crystalline phase phospholipid. For both LUVs and MLVs, hydrolysis was low except in a small temperature range around the thermotropic phase transition of the phospholipid. In this temperature range, the reaction time course of phospholipase action on dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine in LUVs and MLVs included a lag period. With SUVs, a lag period also was observed above the phase transition temperature, but it was not observed below it.
Rabl Organization of Chromosomes in the Yeast Nucleus

The location of genes in the interphase nucleus can influence gene expression and recombination. We examine a random walk polymer model of an interphase yeast chromosome that takes into account Rabl organization, namely attachment of the centromere to the spindle pole body, and tethering of the telomeres to the nuclear membrane. using this model, we calculate the probability distribution for the spatial positioning of a single genetic locus on chromosome III and compare it to an experimental distribution obtained by fluorescence microscopy of wild-type yeast cells. To best fit the model to the experimental distribution, the parameters for chromatin rigidity and nuclear architecture are optimized using values within the ranges reported by previous studies. We then quantitatively test the model using a yeast mutant in which the telomeres are not tethered to the nuclear envelope. The mutant's experimental and computational distributions quantitatively agree, which is evidence that a random walk polymer model of yeast chromosomes that incorporates Rabl organization can account for the spatial positioning of genetic loci during interphase. Further studies will apply this model to the understanding of homologous recombination, specifically in the context of double strand break repair.
Immunofluorescent and ultrastructural studies of polygonal microfilament networks in respreading non-muscle cells.

Abstract Respreading gerbil fibroma cells (CCL146) have been found to display cytoplasmic actin-based polygonal fiber networks 10 h after replating (stage III of respreading according to Vasiliev & Gelfand, [1]). The networks have been analyzed by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. The foci, sites of actin, α-actinin and filamin distribution, are condensed meshworks of microfilaments attached to the inner surface of the plasma membrane. The interconnecting fibers, sites of uniform actin distribution and complementary periodicities of α-actinin and myosin, are bundles of parallel microfilaments with periodic dense bodies. Heavy meromyosin (HMM) labelling of the microfilaments in the foci and interconnecting bundles confirm that they contain actin. In addition, approx. 70% of the microfilaments associated with an individual focus have a uniform polarity relative to it (arrowheads pointing away) suggesting that they have their origin there. Our results support earlier conclusions [2] that polygonal networks are structural intermediates responsible for organizing contractile proteins of the cortical microfilament layer into stress fibers.
Review of Ann Curthoys, Ann Genovese and Alexander Reilly’s Rights and Redemption: History, Law and Indigenous People

Miranda Johnson, Visiting Assistant Professor, Michigan Society of Fellows and Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan, reviews Rights and Redemption: History, Law and Indigenous People , by Ann Curthoys, Ann Genovese and Alexander Reilly (Sydney: University of New South Wales Press 2008, pp. 304, AU$49.95pb).
Some studies of the diffusion of steroids across a cellulose acetate membrane

The diffusion of four steroids across a cellulose acetate membrane has been examined and from the variation of diffusion rate with temperature the energies of activation have been estimated. The energies of activation are compared with solubility and partition data and it suggested the relative hydrogen bonding ability of the four steroids is of considerable importance in governing the diffusion rate.
The Janus Project: The Remaking of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology

In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions. He is depicted as having 2 faces on his head, facing opposite directions: one face looks eastward and the other westward, looking simultaneously into the future and the past. He also symbolizes change and
Comparison of the Characteristics of Small Business in China and the U.S.

AbstractThis research deepens the existing literature on the local nature of the globalization of business. The authors argue for a comparative perspective in the study of small business in China and the U.S. At the same time, we investigate the roles of institutions and human capital in local economic development. The analysis of these phenomena are conducted based on a geographic perspective, since the desire for wealth and entrepreneurial motives may be universal, but national and regional realities and cultural differences can influence the choice and success of methods to initiate and promote small businesses.
YidC1 and YidC2 Are Functionally Distinct Proteins Involved in Protein Secretion, Biofilm Formation and Cariogenicity of Streptococcus Mutans

The cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans has two paralogues of the YidC/Oxa1/Alb3 family of membrane protein insertases/chaperones. Disruption of yidC2 results in loss of genetic competence, decreased membrane-associated ATPase activity and stress sensitivity (acid, osmotic and oxidative). Elimination of yidC1 has less severe effects, with little observable effect on growth or stress sensitivity. To examine the respective roles of YidC1 and YidC2, a conditional expression system was developed allowing simultaneous elimination of both endogenous YidCs. The function of the YidC C-terminal tails was also investigated and a chimeric YidC1 protein appended with the C terminus of YidC2 enabled YidC1 to complement a ΔyidC2 mutant for stress tolerance, ATP hydrolysis activity and extracellular glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) activity. Elimination of yidC1 or yidC2 affected levels of extracellular proteins, including GtfB, GtfC and adhesin P1 (AgI/II, PAc), which were increased without YidC1 but decreased in the absence of YidC2. Both yidC1 and yidC2 were shown to contribute to S. mutans biofilm formation and to cariogenicity in a rat model. Collectively, these results provide evidence that YidC1 and YidC2 contribute to cell surface biogenesis and protein secretion in S. mutans and that differences in stress sensitivity between the ΔyidC1 and ΔyidC2 mutants stem from a functional difference in the C-termini of these two proteins.
A sustained elevation in retinoic acid receptor-β2 mRNA and protein occurs during retinoic acid-induced fetal dysmorphogenesis

Abstract We have previously shown that oral treatment of pregnant mice with all-trans retinoic acid (RA) at doses which cause 100% fetal dysmorphogenesis results in a rapid elevation in the mRNA of one specific isoform of the RA receptor-β, RAR-β2, in susceptible embryonic regions. To further investigate the involvement of RAR-β2 mRNA in teratogenesis, we have examined its expression in mouse embryos exposed to marginal/nonteratogenic and teratogenic dosing regimens of both 13-cis RA and all-trans RA. We have found that the mere elevation in embryonic RAR-β2 mRNA levels and free retinoid levels is not sufficient to result in dysmorphogenesis. Rather, retinoid-induced dysmorphogenesis of embryos appears to occur only when RAR-β2 mRNA and unbound retinoid levels remain elevated for at least 6–9 h following retinoid treatment resulting in a significant and prolonged elevation in RAR-β protein levels.
Risk-free profits with forward contracts in exchange rates and interest rates

Abstract The scope and extent of risk-free profits attainable by a rational investor within the framework of arbitrage in the foreign exchange market with the hedging instruments of forward contracts in both currency and interest rates are presented in terms of theory and evidence. Further, an attempt is made to generalize the basic results of the two-country two-subperiod structure to its n-country n-subperiod analogue via circular covered arbitrage.
A Model on the Motion of Wear Particles in the Synovial Fluid of an Artificial Hip Joint

Improvements in surgical procedures, installation techniques and properties of materials have resulted in a remarkable reduction in the failure of artificial hip joints (AHJ) due to infection. However, the durability of these replacements is greatly limited by premature osteolysis and eventual joint loosening, caused by macrophage activity in response to the release of submicron particles of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) cup material [1–4]. The wear debris is mainly due to wear between the bearing surfaces, and these wear rates are known to be accelerated by the third body action of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement particles and metallic fragments of the femoral head material scattered within the synovial fluid lubricant [5]. This study is focused on development of a model that simulates the motion of UHMWPE particles in the synovial fluid between the AHJ bearing surfaces during articulation.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Obesity and Functional Disability in Elderly Americans

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether indicators of obesity are associated with functional disabilities in elderly American women and men. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999 to 2004, United States. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand six hundred eighty-four elderly (aged >60) women and 1,611 elderly men. MEASUREMENTS: Functional disabilities. RESULTS: In women, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were each related to higher prevalence of all measures of disabilities. Compared with the lowest quartile of waist circumference, the multivariate odds ratios (ORs) of the highest quartile for having difficulties in functional domains were 2.4 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.6-3.6) for activities of daily living, 2.3 (95% CI = 1.6-3.3) for instrumental activities of daily living, 2.6 (95% CI = 1.6-4.1) for leisure and social activities, 4.8 (95% CI = 3.4-6.9) for lower extremity mobility, and 2.9 (95% CI = 2.1-4.0) for general physical activity. In men, these associations were moderate; the corresponding ORs were 1.2 (95% CI = 0.8-2.0), 1.3 (95% CI= 0.9-2.1), 2.1 (95% CI = 1.2-3.7), 1.8 (95% CI = 1.2-2.7), and 2.1 (95% CI = 1.5-2.8), respectively. Similar results were obtained for BMI. These associations could not be explained by the presence of major chronic conditions. When adjusted simultaneously, waist circumference appeared to be a better predictor than BMI of disability in women. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that indicators of obesity are related to functional disabilities in elderly Americans J. Am Geriatr Soc. 56:689-694, 2008. Americans.
Tortuosity in Porous Media

THE tortuosity, T, of a porous medium such as sandstone is a quantity that has been interpreted in various and sometimes conflicting ways, particularly its relation to porosity, ϕ, and formation factor, F (refs. 1–4). Tortuosity originally was understood to mean the square of the quotient average length of a flow-line divided by the net distance traversed; and formation factor was the electrical resistivity of a porous medium divided by the resistivity of the saturating liquid.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy in the management of head and neck cancer.

Head and neck cancer represents a complex collection of tumors involving mucosal surfaces of the upper aerodigestive tract. Approximately 43,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the United States, representing 3 to 4% of all cancers (1). Worldwide, head and neck cancer represents a much broader oncology problem (∼500,000 annual cases), with tumor development strongly associated with chronic tobacco and alcohol use.
Modelling mobile technology growth using diffusion models and Neural Networks

It is important for market planners and managers of Multi-National Enterprises (MNEs) to forecast global adoption of information technology for efficient market planning. This study builds two pure diffusion models, two popular time-series forecasting models, and one simple Neural Network (NN) model to predict mobile technology growth in 30 Organisation of European Council for Development (OECD) countries, the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) of the European Union (EU), and four non-OECD emerging nations. We compare the performances of all models on new samples. The results show that the NN model is superior to all other models.
"Forgettable" sex: a case of transient global amnesia presenting to the emergency department.

Abstract Background: Transient global amnesia is characterized by the sudden development of dense anterograde amnesia, without alteration in level of consciousness and in the absence of focal neurologic deficits or seizure activity. Various precipitating causes have been reported in the medical literature. Objective: To present a literature-guided approach to the diagnosis and management of transient global amnesia in the Emergency Department (ED). Case Report: We report the case of a 54-year-old woman who presented to the ED with an episode of acute memory loss. Conclusions: Although rare, transient global amnesia may present in a dramatic fashion. The occurrence of a distinct precipitating event and repetitive questioning seem to be key features in making the diagnosis. Important differential considerations include transient ischemic attack, seizure, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Brain imaging and specialty consultation are reserved primarily for patients with unclear circumstances, altered level of consciousness, focal neurologic findings, and persistent (or very brief) amnestic symptoms. Brain imaging may, however, relieve anxiety about more dangerous causes of the event.
Peripartum stroke and intracranial venous thrombosis in the National Hospital discharge survey

Objectives: To determine nationally representative estimates of the incidence of peripartum stroke and intracranial venous thrombosis and to identify potential risk factors for these conditions. Methods: We analyzed National Hospital Discharge Survey data for the period 1979–1991. Nationally representative estimates of risk were calculated by age, race, method of delivery, presence of pregnancy-related hypertension, census region, hospital ownership, and number of hospital beds. Multivariate models were developed using logistic and Poisson regression. Results: There were an estimated 5484 cases of peripartum stroke and 4454 cases of intracranial venous thrombosis in the United States among 50,110,949 deliveries (risk, 10.3 cases of peripartum stroke and 8.9 cases of intracranial venous thrombosis per 100,000 deliveries). In both univariate and multivariate models, peripartum stroke was associated strongly with cesarean delivery, pregnancy-related hypertension, proprietary hospital ownership, and larger hospital size. Intracranial venous thrombosis was strongly associated with cesarean delivery and less strongly with smaller hospital size. Conclusions: Peripartum stroke and intracranial venous thrombosis are common complications of pregnancy. Although the associations identified in this study are plausible, further studies are required to confirm these associations and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
Capacity optimization of flexible manufacturing systems under budget constraints

The capacity of a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is optimized with the objective to maximize the system's throughput, while a budget constraint is considered. Decisions are performed on the capacity of machine groups (sets of identical machines), the transportation system and, in case of a significant cost impact, the number of pallets in the system. Throughput evaluation is achieved either by an open finite queueing network or by a closed queueing network if the number of pallets is included in the decision process. For both cases the solution procedure is based on the marginal allocation scheme.
Efficient trafficking of acidic proteins out of the endoplasmic reticulum involves a conserved amino terminal IleProVal (IPV)-like tripeptide motif

Most of the proposed extracellular biomineralization processes include the secretion of proteins that interact with mineral ions and/or mineral surfaces. Typically these proteins are acidic or have acidic domains that interact with multivalent cations in the extracellular environment. We propose that most acidic, Ca(2+)-binding proteins challenge the cell's mechanisms for trafficking through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen due to lumenal mM calcium that cause them to form large aggregates. We have recently shown that >95% of the DSPP mutations that cause non-syndromic genetic dentin diseases start their dominant negative affects by failing to rapidly exit the ER likely by forming complexes that cannot be normally trafficked to the Golgi. The complexes of mutant DSPP then capture more (severe disease) or less (mild disease) of the DSPP translated from the normal allele. After searching genomic databases as well as the published literature, we found the IleProVal (IPV)-like motif at the predicted amino terminus of many acidic proteins made in the mineralizing as well as non-mineralizing tissues of many species including vertebrates, echinoderms, mollusks, and yeast. While we often focused on acidic proteins reported associated with mineralizing structures, proteins associated with hormones and their storage/secretion, digestion, blood functions, as well as milk and other secreted fluids started with variations of the motif. Our hypothesis is that the IPV-like motif interacts with a highly conserved cargo receptor in the ER that efficiently traffics the acidic proteins out of the organelle before they can form harmful aggregates in the Ca(2+)-rich lumen.
Mechanisms underlying atrioventricular nodal conduction and the reentrant circuit of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia using optical mapping

The findings of multiple nondiscrete AV nodal pathways and asymmetric transitional zone provide a biophysical basis for understanding normal and abnormal AV node electrophysiology. Unidirectional block occurring at the transitional zone transforms the nondiscrete pathways model into a classic dual pathways physiology for AVNRT.
Interaction of sublethal and potentially lethal 45°-hyperthermia and radiation damage at 0, 20, 37 or 40°C

Abstract The interaction of hyperthermia damage and radiation damage has most often been studied under conditions which favoured repair of sublethal damage. In the present study the interaction of 45°C -hyperthermia damage and radiation damage on the survival of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was determined at temperatures of 0–4°, 20° and 40°C . Subphysiological temperatures inhibited to various degrees both the repair of sublethal radiation and sublethal 45°C -hyperthermia damage while incubation at 40°C apparently led to the conversion of sublethal 45°C -hyperthermia lesions to lethal lesions. Potentially lethal hyperthermia damage (H-PLD) was repaired at 0–4° and 20°C ; whereas the repair of potentially lethal radiation damage (X-PLD) occurred at 20°C , but not at 0–4° or 40°C . The interaction of 45°C -hyperthermia and radiation damage at temperatures of 0–4°, 20° and 40°C represented a super-position of the separate effects of the two treatment modalities separately combined with incubation at 0–4°, 20° or 40°C . This suggests that ionizing radiation and hyperthermia are affecting distinct targets and that H-PLD and X-PLD do not interact.
Direct and Observed Reinforcement in the Classroom The Interaction between Information and Reinforcement for Socially Approved and Disapproved Behaviors

The modeling process was investigated in a normal classroom with regard to discriminative stimulus and information interpretations of the effects of the observed reinforcement contingencies. For each of two pairs of average IQ kindergarten girls, one received social reinforcement from an observer for appropriate, then inappropriate behavior. The sequence of procedures was then repeated with information about the contingency accompanying the reinforcer. Reinforcement of appropriate behavior in the target children increased appropriate behavior in both members of each pair. Reinforcement of inappropriate behavior in the target children increased inappropriate behavior in both members of each pair. Information added to the effectiveness of both procedures, particularly that involving inappropriate behavior. Discrepancies between these and previous results are discussed in terms of disinhibition, subject selection, and the salience of the model's behavior.
Enhancing the clinical activity of sorafenib through dose escalation: rationale and current experience.

Sorafenib is an oral multitargeted tyrosine and serine/threonine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of advanced renal cell and hepatocellular carcinoma. An understanding of its dose–toxicity relationship has paved the way for trials seeking to enhance its clinical activity through the exploration of alternative dosing strategies. In this article, we review the dose–toxicity relationship of sorafenib observed during its phase I and early phase II testing, explore its toxicity profile at the recommended dose and schedule, discuss the evidence for dose escalation to higher levels, and examine the preliminary evidence for clinical activity of this strategy. Owing to a temporal relationship between toxicity and dose, it may be possible in select patients to escalate sorafenib to doses beyond those currently employed. However, because of the potential for increased toxicity, sorafenib dose escalation should currently be performed only in the context of a clinical trial.
Assessment of Biotic Integrity Using Fish Communities

Abstract Man's activities have had profound, and usually negative, influences on freshwater fishes from the smallest streams to the largest rivers. Some negative effects are due to contaminants, while others are associated with changes in watershed hydrology, habitat modifications, and alteration of energy sources upon which the aquatic biota depends. Regrettably, past efforts to evaluate effects of man's activities on fishes have attempted to use water quality as a surrogate for more comprehensive biotic assessment. A more refined biotic assessment program is required for effective protection of freshwater fish resources. An assessment system proposed here uses a series of fish community attributes related to species composition and ecological structure to evaluate the quality of an aquatic biota. In preliminary trials this system accurately reflected the status of fish communities and the environment supporting them.
Antibody Phage Display: Technique and Applications

The production of human monoclonal mAbs for research and clinical use is closely related to the development of phage display technology, initially described by Smith in 1985 and further developed by other groups (e.g., Winter, McCafferty, Lerner, Barbas). Antibody phage display (APD) is based on genetic engineering of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) and repeated rounds of antigen-guided selection and phage propagation (Barbas, 2001). This technique allows in vitro selection of mAbs of virtually any specificity, greatly facilitating recombinant production of reagents for use in research and clinical diagnostics, as well as for pharmaceuticals for therapeutic use in humans (e.g., adalimumab, the first fully human APD-derived mAb) (Lee et al., 2007). Because of a physical connection established between the antibody fragment on the outside and the genetic information encoding the displayed protein within the phage, APD also allows comprehensive studies of genetics and function of antigen-specific mAbs. These characteristics make APD a powerful tool to better understand immunological processes and human diseases that involve formation of (auto-)antibodies against defined (self-)antigens.
The neoclassical production function as a relic of anti-George politics: Implications for ecological economics

Abstract Widespread support for Henry George's land tax proposal prompted a backlash from wealthy landowners, who focused their political efforts on tax policy. The backlash corresponded chronologically with the development of neoclassical economics, and land barons became active in the establishment of academic economics institutions in the United States. Whereas the classical economists frequently referred to the factors of production as land, labor, and capital, neoclassical textbooks appearing in the 20th century increasingly ignored land and provided a production function, “Y = f(K,L),” in which capital and labor were the only factors explicitly identified. Neoclassical authors had several possible reasons for using a two-factor production function, but the political influence on neoclassical economics during its formative stages was conducive to avoiding reference to land when discussing factors of production. An emphasis on land would have invited scrutiny of land rents for tax purposes. Ecological economics has evolved as a response to the shortcomings of neoclassical economics in dealing with the environmental perils of economic growth. One of those shortcomings is the capital/labor production function which hides the importance of land and natural resources. Ecological economists have developed production functions that are more ecologically oriented, and one of them is explained herein.
The Effect of Methimazole on the Development of Spontaneous Lymphocytic Thyroiditis in the Diabetes-Prone BB/W Rat

Methimazole (MMI) administration decreases the incidence and intensity of experimentally induced lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT) in the female August rat and male A/J mouse. Spontaneous LT frequently occurs in the insulin-dependent type-I diabetic (DM) BB/ W rat. Experiments were carried out to determine whether MMI administration to BB/W rats from 30 to 120 days of age would affect the incidence and intensity of spontaneous LT and the incidence of spontaneous DM. A total of 870 ng MMI/gm BW or saline (C) were administered ip daily to 77 BB/W rats beginning at age 30 days. Rats were killed at 120 days, blood obtained for measurement of serum T4, TSH, and anti-Tg Ab (ELISA), and thyroids removed for histology. MMI administration was associated with a decrease in the incidence of LT (31% vs. 55%; p < 0.05) but no difference in the severity of the LT. Serum T4 was similar in the MMI and C groups, but serum TSH was slightly but significantly higher in MMI treated rats [43 ± 6 (mean ± SE) μU/ml vs. 30 ± 2.5; p < 0.05]. Serum anti-Tg Ab levels increased with age but MMI administration did not affect this rise. There was no significant difference in the incidence of insulin-dependent DM between the MMI and C rats (MMI, 56%; C, 74%). Conclusion: MMI ad-ministration to the genetically predisposed insulin-dependent diabetes and LT prone BB/W rat during the age when LT spontaneously occurs reduced the incidence of LT.
Comments on the spinodal decomposition mechanism and the kinetics of phase separation

Abstract A critical review of recent developments in describing the kinetics of phase separation via the spinodal decomposition mechanism is given. In addition, we construct stationary nonlinear solutions by using a well known method developed many decades ago for solving nonlinear problems in classical mechanis. Finally, we modify Langer's generalized diffusion equation and derive a wave equation for the density ϱ on the basis of the time-dependent Boltzmann equation by making use of the relaxation time approximation