Natural direct and indirect effects formalize traditional notions of mediation analysis into a rigorous causal framework and have recently received considerable attention in epidemiology and in social sciences. Sufficient conditions for the identification of natural direct effects were formulated by Judea Pearl under a nonparametric structural equations model, which assumes certain independenci...

We have built a virtual data integration system which extends the BIRN Mediator[1] to include OWL 2 ontologies where these ontologies are used as domain schema. This mediator integrates data from multiple, heterogeneous sources. This data integration system rewrites conjunctive queries using LAV views defined over a DL-Lite ontology. This is an important problem in query optimization, data inte...

Mediator is a modular multisubunit complex that functions as a critical coregulator of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription. While it is well accepted that Mediator plays important roles in the assembly and function of the preinitiation complex (PIC), less is known of its potential roles in regulating downstream steps of the transcription cycle. Here we use a combination of genetic and mole...

Natural and vaccine-induced virus infections often are associated with depression of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH),' T-helper cell function, and the in vitro proliferative response of lymphocytes to antigens and phytohemagglutinin (1-3). The underlying mechanisms are complex and have not yet been fully elucidated. However, in certain myxoand paramyxovirus infections, unresponsiveness seem...

PURPOSES To compare the speechreading between individuals with hearing impairment and with normal hearing levels to verify the factors that influence the speechreading among hearing impaired patients. METHODS Forty individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss aged between 13 and 70 years old (study group) and 21 hearing individuals aged between 17 and 63 years old (control group) were eva...