Increasing voltage gradient electrophoresis of DNA.

We developed a method which allows electrophoretic fractionation of DNA in an agarose matrix according to an increasing current gradient, using a previously designed [R. Barbieri, V. Izzo, M.

Enhanced vagal withdrawal during mild orthostatic stress in adolescents with chronic fatigue.

Background: Hemodynamic abnormalities have been documented in the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), indicating functional disturbances of the autonomic nervous system responsible for cardiovascular regulation. The aim of this study was to investigate autonomic heart rate control during mild orthostatic stress in adolescents with CFS.

Methods: A total of 14 CFS patients and 56 healthy controls having equal distribution of age and gender underwent lower body negative pressure (LBNP) of horizontal line 20 mmHg.

Geographic distribution of reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) fellowships in the United States.

Objective: To examine in detail the geographic distribution of reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) fellowships in the United States.

Design: Ecological.

Setting: University-based REI fellowship program.

Phase II study of sequential chemotherapy with docetaxel-estramustine followed by mitoxantrone-prednisone in patients with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Sequential chemotherapy may improve treatment efficacy avoiding the additive toxicity associated with concomitant polichemotherapy in hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). Forty patients received docetaxel 30 mg m(-2) intravenous (i.v.

Automatic quantitative evaluation of emotions in E-learning applications.

The long term goal of our research is to develop a tool for recognizing human emotions during e-learning processes. This could be accomplished by combining quantitative indexes extracted from non-invasive recordings of four physiological signals: namely skin conductance, blood volume pulse, electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram. Wearable, non-invasive sensors, communicating with a PC, were applied to 30 students and data were collected during exposure to three different computer-mediated content stimuli designed to evoke specific emotional states: stress, relaxation and engagement.

Correction of erroneous and ectopic beats using a point process adaptive algorithm.

We present a new R-R interval correction procedure based on a point process model of the human heart beat. The algorithm combines an adaptive point process filter with a set of conditions on the probability of having a beat according to the model. This framework allows for correction of ectopic and erroneously detected beats in an on-line fashion, simultaneous with computation of instantaneous estimates of heart rate and heart rate variability.

Chromosomal localization and molecular characterization of three different 5S ribosomal DNA clusters in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.

In this paper the chromosomal localization and molecular cloning and characterization of three 5S rDNA clusters of 700 bp (base pairs), 900 bp, and 950 bp in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus are reported. Southern blot hybridization demonstrated the existence of three 5S rDNA repeats of differing length in the P. lividus genome.

Physical activity and inactivity in relation to sex hormone, prolactin, and insulin-like growth factor concentrations in premenopausal women - exercise and premenopausal hormones.

An association between physical activity and premenopausal breast cancer risk may be due, in part, to relationships with sex hormones or growth factors. Therefore, we assessed whether MET-h/week of total physical activity (moderate-to-vigorous intensity), walking, or vigorous physical activity, and h/week of standing or sitting were associated with plasma concentrations of several hormones. We examined levels of estrogens, androgens, progesterone, prolactin, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF binding protein-3, and growth hormone (GH) in 565 premenopausal women, ages 33-52 years, from the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII).

Anxiety levels in cancer patients and "life sound" experience.

Aims And Background: For the hospitalized cancer patient, time takes on a rhythm which is very different from the external reality. Based on the idea that time represents a fundamental dimension of human existence and is connected to future plans, time spent waiting and memories, we carried out this experience entitled "Life Sound" project. The objectives of the project were to experiment different and unusual ways of spending time in hospital in order to improve the quality of life of the hospitalized cancer patient, to help the patient adapt to the hospital environment, to encourage awareness of self and to give a different meaning to time spent in the hospital.

Dietary patterns, the Alternate Healthy Eating Index and plasma sex hormone concentrations in postmenopausal women.

To evaluate the association between overall diet and sex hormones concentrations, we collected blood from 578 postmenopausal women ages 43 and 69 years in 1989 or 1990. Food intake was measured in 1990 via a food frequency questionnaire. We calculated the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), and dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis.

Construction of point process adaptive filter algorithms for neural systems using sequential Monte Carlo methods.

The stochastic state point process filter (SSPPF) and steepest descent point process filter (SDPPF) are adaptive filter algorithms for state estimation from point process observations that have been used to track neural receptive field plasticity and to decode the representations of biological signals in ensemble neural spiking activity. The SSPPF and SDPPF are constructed using, respectively, Gaussian and steepest descent approximations to the standard Bayes and Chapman-Kolmogorov (BCK) system of filter equations. To extend these approaches for constructing point process adaptive filters, we develop sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) approximations to the BCK equations in which the SSPPF and SDPPF serve as the proposal densities.

A Bayesian decoding algorithm for analysis of information encoding in neural ensembles.

Developing optimal strategies for constructing and testing decoding algorithms is an important question in computational neuroscience, In this field, decoding algorithms are mathematical methods that model ensemble neural spiking activity as they dynamically represent a biological signal. We present a recursive decoding algorithm based on a Bayesian point process model of individual neuron spiking activity and a linear stochastic state-space model of the biological signal. We assess the accuracy of the algorithm by computing, along with the decoding error, the true coverage probability of the approximate 0.

A point process adaptive filter for time-variant analysis of heart rate variability.

Estimating time-variant heart variability indices from R-R interval beat series has been widely investigated by current research involving cardiovascular control. Most of the currently accepted approaches in time-variant heart rate analysis ignore the underlying discrete structure of human heart beats, and usually require minutes of data. We derive an adaptive point process Bayes' filter based on a statistical model which considers the stochastic structure of heart beat intervals as a point process.

Twin goals: continuing professional development and improved patient care: report of an ACOG District I retreat focused on the future of obstetrics and gynecology.

On April 8 and 9, 2006, District I of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) held a retreat to assess the future of the specialty. The retreat leaders were Dr. Fredric D.

Birthweight and body size throughout life in relation to sex hormones and prolactin concentrations in premenopausal women.

The association of birthweight and body size throughout life with premenopausal breast cancer risk may be due, in part, to relationships with sex hormones. Therefore, we assessed whether birthweight, body shape at ages 5 and 10, body mass index (BMI) at age 18 and adulthood, adult waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and attained height were associated with the plasma concentrations of estrogens, androgens, progesterone, prolactin, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in 592 premenopausal women, ages 33 to 52 years old, from the Nurses' Health Study II. About 85% of women provided blood samples during follicular and luteal menstrual phases; other women had a single untimed sample.

Endogenous steroid hormone concentrations and risk of breast cancer among premenopausal women.

Background: Higher levels of endogenous sex steroid hormones are associated with increased risks of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Data for premenopausal women are sparse, in part because of the complexity of measuring hormone levels that vary cyclically. We prospectively evaluated associations between plasma sex hormone levels and breast cancer risk among premenopausal women in a case-control study nested within the Nurses' Health Study II.

Electrophoresis of proteins and DNA on horizontal sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels.

An inexpensive Plexiglas apparatus which allows a simple and rapid preparation of horizontal polyacrylamide gels of different dimensions for different purposes, is described. Preparation of such gels is as easy and rapid as agarose gel preparation, and polymerized polyacrylamide gels are used to fractionate proteins or small DNA fragments using a common horizontal electrophoretic tank. This apparatus was used to electrophoretically fractionate proteins or DNA for immuno-blot analyses, particularly in the study of the allergenic response to Parietaria judaica pollen in senescence, for Southern-blot hybridizations and in the study of DNA polymorphisms.

Reproducibility of plasma steroid hormones, prolactin, and insulin-like growth factor levels among premenopausal women over a 2- to 3-year period.

Few studies have evaluated whether a single blood hormone measurement, as is available in most epidemiologic studies, sufficiently characterizes a premenopausal woman's long-term hormone levels; there is particular concern whether sex steroid hormones, which fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, are reliable. We conducted a prospective study within the Nurses' Health Study II to examine the reproducibility of plasma estrogens, androgens, progesterone, prolactin, sex hormone binding globulin, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3). One blood sample per year over 3 years was collected from 113 premenopausal women during both the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle.

The association of plasma DHEA and DHEA sulfate with breast cancer risk in predominantly premenopausal women.

Concentrations of adrenal androgens are positively associated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk; however, results in premenopausal women are conflicting. Therefore, we conducted a prospective nested case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study II cohort to examine the relationship of DHEA and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) with breast cancer risk in predominantly premenopausal women. Blood samples were collected from 1996 to 1999.

Analysis of candidate genes in celiac disease: a tool to identify life-threatening associated genes?

The authors have recently reported that celiac patients show a proinflammatory cytokine genetic profile characterized by the contemporaneous presence of both the tumour necrosis factor-alpha-308A and the interferon-gamma +874T allele-positive genotypes. The same alleles are considered risk factors for aging associated disease, whereas an anti-inflammatory cytokine genotype profile might be associated with an extended life expectancy. This paper reports data on the 1249-1250InsACAA/Non-Ins transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta2, a multifunctional anti-inflammatory cytokine, polymorphism distribution in 88 celiac disease (CD) patients, 99 age- and sex-matched controls, and 28 >95-year-old healthy subjects living in western Sicily.

The nACHR4 594C/T polymorphism in Alzheimer disease.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia with complex etiology and multifactorial origin. Although several neurochemical deficits have been described in AD patients, explanation of the nature of the cognitive disturbance is focused on the "cholinergic hypothesis." The neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (neuronal nAChR) belongs to the superfamily of ionic channel activated by ligand.

Natural hair color and the incidence of endometriosis.

Objective: To investigate a previously hypothesized relation between natural hair color and endometriosis.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Nurses' Health Study II with 10 years of follow-up.

Professional liability payments in obstetrics and gynecology.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the percentage of subspecialists in obstetrics and gynecology who made payments on professional liability claims was less than the percentage of general obstetrician-gynecologists who made payments.

Methods: Professional liability payment data from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine was used.

Results: During the 10 years preceding August 2005, 38.