The Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), an ongoing prospective study of the natural history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), has stored biologic specimens, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), from 5,622 participants for up to 12 years. The purpose of the present analysis was to evaluate the quality of the PBMC in the MACS repository in order to test the validity and fea...

BACKGROUND Couples with unexplained infertility (UI) tend to have low fertilization rates with current IVF procedures. Here, we attempted to identify spermatozoa with apoptotic markers in couples with UI and unsuccessful intrauterine insemination (IUI) and we investigated the efficiency and benefit of magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) for sperm preparation in such patients. METHODS Sixty...

Diverse animal taxa metamorphose between larval and juvenile phases in response to bacteria. Although bacteria-induced metamorphosis is widespread among metazoans, little is known about the molecular changes that occur in the animal upon stimulation by bacteria. Larvae of the tubeworm Hydroides elegans metamorphose in response to surface-bound Pseudoalteromonas luteoviolacea bacteria, producing...

BACKGROUND Several lung diseases are increasingly recognized as comorbidities with HIV; however, few data exist related to the spectrum of respiratory symptoms, diagnostic testing, and diagnoses in the current HIV era. The objective of the study is to determine the impact of HIV on prevalence and incidence of respiratory disease in the current era of effective antiretroviral treatment. METHOD...

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) collect and report measurements, such as temperature, to a central node. Because sensors are usually low-powered devices, data is transmitted hop-by-hop, through neighboring nodes, before it reaches the destination. Each nodes’ messages are authenticated with a MAC (Message Authentication Code), keyed with a key known to the generating sensor and the control node....

This paper looks at the management accounting and control system (MACS) changes in the Housing Authority of Fiji (hereafter HA) from the wider social and political dimensions. The HA has been set up to provide affordable shelter and mortgage finance for low and middle-income earners in Fiji. The subject organisation has been able to meet the demands of customers. Presently, the HA has been able...

Metal atomic chain (MAC) is an ultimate one-dimensional structure with unique physical properties, such as quantized conductance, colossal magnetic anisotropy, and quantized magnetoresistance. Therefore, MACs show great potential as possible components of nanoscale electronic and spintronic devices. However, MACs are usually suspended between two macroscale metallic electrodes; hence obvious te...

reat to the validity of a test. Both the APA (American Psychological Association) and the ITC (International Test Commission) standards emphasize the necessity of checking for DIF in order to guarantee the fair use of a test (AERA, APA, NCME, 1999; COPITC, 2000). With these recommendations in mind, and with the intention of spreading the application of DIF analyses, researchers should develop a...