Managed care has done a better job at reducing expenditure growth than it has in improving quality. Although reduced expenditure growth is not appreciated by many, it has real benefits. For the majority of Americans who are privately insured, it results in greater disposable income for goods and services other than health care (although the illusion of employer-paid health insurance obscures th...

Macrophages have been shown to mediate glomerular injury in antiglomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) glomerulonephritis in rats and rabbits. To evaluate the role of macrophages and the macrophage-related cytokines, colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and RANTES, accelerated anti-GBM nephritis was studied in op/op mutant mice, which lack CSF-1 and a...

background: two main muscles studied in the hand for evaluation of median nerve injuries are opponens pollicis (op) and abductor pollicis brevis (apb). however, riché-cannieu communicating branch (rccb) may limit the use of these muscles in electrodiagnosis. this condition is confusing in the case of median nerve injuries. this study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of rccb.   methods: ...

The transimpedance or current feedback operational amplifier (CFB op-amp) is reviewed and compared to a conventional voltage mode op-amp using an analysis emphasizing the basic feedback characteristics of the circuit. With this approach the paradox of the constant bandwidth obtained from CFB op-amps is explained. It is demonstrated in a simple manner that the constant gain-bandwidth product of ...

We assess the variability of protein function in protein sequence and structure space. Various regions in this space exhibit considerable difference in the local conservation of molecular function. We analyze and capture local function conservation by means of logistic curves. Based on this analysis, we propose a method for predicting molecular function of a query protein with known structure b...

Faced with the choice between multiple subscription databases, each with a different interface and search functions, and the simplicity of Google, college and university students are increasingly finding their research materials on the open web. Federated searching provides one way that academic libraries can begin to win back some of these novice users, and ensure they are finding the highest ...

In this study, the influence of the functional groups by the diblock copolymers of poly(styrene-b-4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP), poly(styrene-b-2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP), and poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) on their blends with octa-functionalized phenol polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OP-POSS) nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated. The relative hydrogen bonding strengths...

Transitions to obligate asexuality have been documented in almost all metazoan taxa, yet the conditions favoring such transitions remained largely unexplored. We address this problem in the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. In this species, a polymorphism at a single locus, op, can result in transitions to obligate parthenogenesis. Homozygotes for the op allele reproduce strictly by asexual repr...

background: osteoporosis (op) is a common complication of inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis (ra). in this study we evaluated osteoporosis and its related factors in ra patients. methods: this cross - sectional study was carried out from 2010 to 2011 on 121 women with ra aged 45-75 years. these patients were selected and divided in two groups according to their bone mineral den...

organophosphate (op) poisoning is one of the most common causes of poisoning in developing countries especially in southeastern asia. poisoning with phosphorus-containing organic chemicals or op compounds can be managed with antidotes like oximes which are potential reactivators of acetylcholinesterase (ache). the efficacy of oxime therapy in op poisoned patients mainly depends upon various fac...