cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Improved Single Molecule Imaging Vivo Method for In Vivo Stoichiometric and Functional Analysis of Protein Complexes

Elucidating the composition and stoichiometry of membrane bound and cytosolic protein complexes is critical to understand their biological function and the underlying molecular mechanisms involved. Existing techniques used to determine subunit stoichiometry in single molecule experiments may significantly bias experimental results due to the need for either extremely low expression levels required to obtain concentrations suitable for single molecule imaging, or in the case of protein complex isolation for in vitro characterization, perturbation of the normal stoichiometric relationships by the isolation method used. Here we present an alternative approach in which protein complexes are assembled at physiological concentrations and subsequently diluted by conditionally controlled cell fusion to obtain protein levels suitable for single-molecule observation while preserving the complexes in a near-native live cell environment. Methods such as stepwise photobleaching can then be used to study the subunit stoichiometry of membrane receptors, or for cytosolic complexes, this strategy greatly facilities fluorescence correlation spectroscopy based methodologies which can provide a quantitative assessment of cytoplasmic oligomerization state. We present examples that illustrate the advantages of the method for both membrane and intracellular cytosolic investigations. The method, called Single Protein Recovery After Dilution (SPReAD), is a simple and versatile means of extending the concentration range of single molecule measurements to what are often more normal cellular levels with minimal perturbation of protein complex stoichiometry.
Death and the City: ChicagoAS Mortality Transition, 1850-1925

Between 1850 and 1925, the crude death rate in Chicago fell by 60 percent, driven by reductions in infectious disease rates and infant and child mortality. What lessons might be drawn from the mortality transition in Chicago, and American cities more generally? What were the policies that had the greatest effect on infectious diseases and childhood mortality? Were there local policies that slowed the mortality transition? If the transition to low mortality in American cities was driven by forces largely outside the control of local governments (higher per capita incomes or increases in the amount and quality of calories available to urban dwellers from rising agricultural productivity), then expensive public health projects, such as the construction of public water and sewer systems, probably should have taken a back seat to broader national policies to promote overall economic growth. The introduction of pure water explains between 30 and 50 percent of Chicago%u2019s mortality decline, and that other interventions, such as the introduction of the diphtheria antitoxin and milk inspection had much smaller effects. These findings have important implications for current policy debates and economic development strategies.
Impact of Maillard reaction products on nutrition and health: Current knowledge and need to understand their fate in the human digestive system

The Maillard Reaction (MR) is a non-enzymatic chemical reaction which results in the linkage between the amino group of amino acids and the carbonyl group of reduced sugars. MR products (MRPs) are common components of processed foods, mainly as a result of heating, especially in the Western diet. MRPs are classified as into three stages: initial, intermediate, and final stages, indicative of increased complexity and size, incurring different flavor, aroma, and texture. MRPs presence is known to reduce the nutritional quality of foods, particularly by reducing protein digestibility. Early reports have linked MRPs, especially advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) present in high concentration in the typical Western diet, to health conditions and diseases. However conflicting data has since been reported, and only a few (acrylamide, heterocyclic amines and 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural) MRPs have documented potential toxic or carcinogenic effects. High molecular weight MRPs are not available for direct absorption in the higher gastrointestinal tract, and are thus mostly metabolized by resident colonic microbes. MRPs have been the subject of sparse research interest in comparison with other non-digestible dietary elements. In this review, we outline the state of knowledge on MRPs in nutrition and health, and highlight the need to develop the limited knowledge on their impact on the gut microbiota and which metabolites derive from MRPs fermentation.
Structural repair using cold spray technology for enhanced sustainability of high value assets

Abstract Cold spray technology has been in significant development since the early 1990s, however, not until recently has it begun to approach near wrought like properties for metals and alloys of aluminum, copper, nickel, titanium, as well as steels, stainless steels, superalloys, and refractory metals like niobium and tantalum. These advancements have come through the use of high pressure cold spray equipment and a greater fundamental understanding of the process variables. As a result, numerous applications have been developed for repairing high cost and long lead time parts for the aerospace and defense market, as well as a broad range of commercial markets such as oil & gas, transportation, and heavy industry. In particular, parts with lead times in excess of 12 months have been successfully repaired and re-introduced into service. This saves not only the direct cost of the part, but also returns the system to service much sooner. Cold spray is an additive manufacturing technology that uses heated high-pressure inert gas to accelerate metal powders through a converging-diverging de Laval nozzle above the critical velocity for deposition onto a substrate. The process produces only mild heating of the substrate compared to most conventional metal deposition or welding technologies, hence the nomenclature of “cold” in cold spray, even though there is heating of the gas in almost all cases. There are also no toxic fumes or other harmful emissions from cold spray because the accelerant gases are: 1) inert (helium, nitrogen, or air), and 2) the heating source is electric and is controlled at temperatures below the melting temperature of the material being sprayed. Furthermore, because parts are being repaired and refurbished rather than replaced, there is tremendous cost, energy, and overall environmental benefit, making cold spray a very “green” technology and an excellent technology for enhancing the long-term sustainability of high value assets.
Overview of Electrophysiological and Echocardiographic Findings and Outcomes with His Bundle Pacing for Cardiac Resynchronization

His bundle pacing (HBP) is gaining popularity as a therapy for cardiac conduction disease. Utilization of the conduction system with HBP avoids the adverse effects of right ventricular pacing (RVP). Improvements in left ventricular (LV) function, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, and quality of life (QOL) accompanying physiological activation induced by HBP attract attention. This is particularly important given the 30% non-responder rate from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) studies; large number of patients with or at risk for pacing-induced cardiomyopathy and patients with poor coronary sinus (CS) targets. The advantages of HBP as an alternative method for resynchronizing failing ventricles are supported by several recent studies, which are detailed in this review. HBP had significant clinical benefits in terms of LV ejection fraction (LVEF), NYHA functional class, and diuretic use. A growing number of case reports from several centers also support this growing trend. Additionally, success rates of in correcting bundle branch block have been reported in a number of studies and appear similar to traditional BiV pacing. HBP is an attractive alternative to CRT in patients with heart failure and electrical conduction abnormalities. With improvements in guide-catheter design, lead structure, and overall operator experience, increased use and improved outcomes are expected in the next decade.
Intellectual foundations of public choice, the forest from the trees

After War World II, a group of scholars began using rational choice models from economics and game theory to examine the manner in which public policies would be determined if men and women were as “rational” in their political activities as they were in other spheres of life. The implications of such an approach to politics were not obvious and took decades to be worked out. Indeed, they are still being worked out. The result was a new field of research that deepened our understanding of economic and political systems and their many interdependencies. This review essay provides an overview of the core findings of public choice during its first half century and of the boot-strapping process through which those findings emerged. Those core findings provide the idea base and results that ground most contemporary public choice research.
Absorption, Protein Binding, and Elimination of Riboflavin

The absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of riboflavin have been studied most extensively in man and in the rat. These studies have revealed considerable species differences in the intestinal absorption, protein binding, biliary excretion, and renal excretion of the vitamin. Fortunately, the pharmacologic innocuousness and the availability of good methods for the quantitative analysis of riboflavin in biological fluids and tissues have permitted detailed investigation of the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the vitamin in man. Most of these studies have been carried out with relatively large doses of riboflavin (>0.1 mg/kg), considerably in excess of the amounts that satisfy nutritional requirements. Such studies are therefore useful more for elucidating mechanisms of absorption and elimination of the vitamin, rather than for illustrating the quantitative aspects of these processes when riboflavin is derived entirely from normal dietary sources.
Isomerization Mechanisms and the Φ and Haldane Relationships

In 1957 DALZIEL (1) described certain relationships that must be obeyed when initial rate experiments are carried out in both directions at a single pH for kinetically reversible bireactant systems. More recently, DALZIEL has extended this treatment to terreactant enzymes (2). The use of these relationships, called Φ relations, represents an important and powerful tool in enzyme kinetics for making a choice between certain kinetic mechanisms; however, its application requires very exact kinetic data and experimental reversibility. Another problem, which will be alluded to later, is that at least one type of kinetic mechanism, the rapid equilibrium Random Bi Bi mechanism, can in theory provide Φ relationships consistent with all those bireactant mechanisms that exhibit specific and unique Φ relationships.
COMPUTATIONAL TECHNIQUE FOR OPTIMIZING ACCURACY OF RADIOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENTS OF INTERVERTEBRAL JOINT MOTION

Accurate measurements from single plane radiographs are complicated by magnification and distortion in plane films. Stereoradiography and biplanar radiography have been used to overcome the problems of making these measurements. This technique has been applied especially to measuring spine orientation and movements since the vertebral bodies have several identifiable landmarks. This paper describes a computational technique for processing measurements of typically nine landmarks on each vertebra of a patient's lumbar spine, the patient having been radiographed in two or more positions, such as flexion and extension of the spine. The method relies on the assumption that as a patient moves, the vertebrae do not deform and can, therefore, be treated as rigid bodies. The ‘center of gravity’ or centroid of the nine landmarks on each vertebra was used as an origin for spherical polar coordinates defining these landmark positions. For rigid body behavior, the lengths of spherical polar vectors and the angles between them would be constant. Errors of measurement were reduced by making adjustments to measured landmark positions in order to have them conform to this constraint. Vector lengths were adjusted first in a single step, and then angles between the vectors were adjusted in an iterative routine. Any three landmarks on each vertebra were then used to describe the bones' orientation and motion in space. The improvement in accuracy of measurement was studied using radiographs of a deep frozen spinal specimen. Measurements of apparent intervertebral joint movements in the specimen were used as a measurement of the accuracy of the technique. Measurements before and after adjustments of landmark positions were compared. The adjustment technique reduced the standard error of these apparent intervertebral joint movements by about 30%. This technique is a valuable way of utilizing the redundant information in the nine landmarks on each vertebrae. It may have application to other biomechanical measurements of body segment kinematics.
Science Education and Females of Color: The Play Within a Play

In this chapter, I discuss females of color in science education by borrowing from the Shakespearean “play within a play” device to highlight their unique experiences. Though much fanfare has been issued concerning the progress made by females in general, further scrutiny finds that females of color in particular do not fare as well. Thus, I begin by first lifting the veil so to speak on the “double bind” in Science that females of color find themselves in. As they attempt to navigate their way through school and subsequently into Science professions, females of color find themselves hampered by both race and gender at every turn. In an effort to break this cycle, I finish by offering science teacher educators tools and solutions they can incorporate into their own preservice programs. Finally, I close by offering a vision of what an effective K-12 science classroom for females of color would look like.
Theory of Motion

By examining the theory of relativity, we postulate that every massive particle specifies a space-time body frame in a universal entity, which may be referred to as ether. As a result, the four-dimensional theory of general accelerating motion is developed. It is seen that the relative motion of particles is actually the result of relative four-dimensional rotation of their corresponding space-time body frames. Consequently, the governing geometry of relative motion is non-Euclidean.
MPI-Vector-IO: Parallel I/O and Partitioning for Geospatial Vector Data

In recent times, geospatial datasets are growing in terms of size, complexity and heterogeneity. High performance systems are needed to analyze such data to produce actionable insights in an efficient manner. For polygonal a.k.a vector datasets, operations such as I/O, data partitioning, communication, and load balancing becomes challenging in a cluster environment. In this work, we present MPI-Vector-IO 1, a parallel I/O library that we have designed using MPI-IO specifically for partitioning and reading irregular vector data formats such as Well Known Text. It makes MPI aware of spatial data, spatial primitives and provides support for spatial data types embedded within collective computation and communication using MPI message-passing library. These abstractions along with parallel I/O support are useful for parallel Geographic Information System (GIS) application development on HPC platforms. Performance evaluation is done on Lustre and GPFS filesystems. MPI-Vector-IO scales well with MPI processes and file size and achieves bandwidth up to 22 GB/s for common spatial data access patterns. We observed that independent file read functions performed better than collective functions in MPI-IO for contiguous access pattern on Lustre. In general, the I/O is improved by one to two orders of magnitude over real-world datasets using up to 1152 CPU cores. Spatial Join query is used as an exemplar to demonstrate an end-to-end application using MPI-Vector-IO.
Customer and employee perceptual congruence in service co-production

Building on perceptual congruence research, this paper argues that when a customer and a front-line employee have similar perceptions of a co-produced output, employee awareness can support quality...
Vasa previa and extreme prematurity: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE To determine population-based risks of preterm birth associated with vasa previa. STUDY DESIGN Included were 945,950 singleton, live birth cesarean deliveries with and without vasa previa (gestational ages 24-41 weeks) in California between 2007 and 2012. Odds ratios (ORs) of preterm birth were estimated using logistic regression. RESULTS In total, 586 were complicated by vasa previa (0.06%). In total, 369 (63%) of those with vasa previa were delivered <37 weeks, compared with 91,662 (10%) of those without. Odds of extreme and very preterm birth were substantially higher for pregnancies with vasa previa even after controlling for comorbidities known to contribute to prematurity, with ORs of 4.6 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.7-12.5) and 16.0 (95% CI: 10.3-24.8), respectively. CONCLUSION Based on these population-based data, most patients with vasa previa are delivered between 32 and 36 weeks gestation; however, a clinically significant portion occur before 32 weeks. These data are helpful in counseling patients with vasa previa regarding prematurity risk.
Springwater provenance and flowpath evaluation in Blue Lake, Bonneville basin, Utah

Abstract Water in Utah and Nevada is important for agriculture, municipal use, solute transport, and ecosystem preservation. Large spring wetland systems occur on the playa margin of the Bonneville basin, including Blue Lake, 15 km south of the Bonneville Salt Flats on the Utah-Nevada state border. Large spring systems have historically been studied as water budgets don't apparently balance from direct mountain front recharge (Nelson and Mayo, 2014; Gardner and Heilweil, 2014; and others). Blue Lake is no exception; prior studies here have suggested discharge rates 0.04 - 0.05 km3/yr (Louderback and Rhode, 2009), greater than expected for modelled recharge in the surrounding mountain range (0.03 km3/yr). Three hypothesized recharge mechanisms for Blue Lake are tested: mountain-front recharge, interbasinal groundwater flow, and infiltration from historic Lake Bonneville. Remote sensing suggests that a conservative estimate of Blue Lake discharge constitutes 50-64% of modelled mountain-front recharge (Flint et al., 2011). Major ions, δ18O, δ2H, dissolved gases (14C, 3He, 4He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) and trace elements (Sr and 87Sr/86Sr isotopes) comprehensively constrain recharge conditions, water-rock interactions, flowpaths, and groundwater provenance of this large spring system. 14C signatures suggest that Blue Lake discharge has a transit time between 5,600 and 12,200 years, older than that of Fish Springs. Noble gas concentrations in Blue Lake water suggest an elevated recharge temperature greater than 19°C and low salinity, indicating a deep water table and high geothermal gradient in the recharge area. 87Sr/86Sr ratios of playa-margin springs are elevated from that of mid-playa groundwaters, springwaters from the adjacent mountain range, and alluvial fill groundwater from the valley directly south of Blue Lake. Playa-margin spring Sr isotope values (0.713-0.714) are most similar to direct runoff from the Deep Creek Range granodiorite outcrop (>0.713). Interbasinal groundwater flow in combination with mountain-front recharge is best supported by chemical data rather than mountain-front recharge alone or the slow discharge of regional aquifers recharged by lacustrine infiltration from Lake Bonneville.
Oral immunotherapy for multiple foods in a pediatric allergy clinic setting.

Abstract Background The increasing incidence of pediatric food allergy results in significant health care burden and family stress. Oral immunotherapy (OIT) can induce tolerance to peanut, milk, and egg. OIT for other foods, particularly multiple foods simultaneously, has not been thoroughly studied. Objective To summarize our experience with OIT for multiple foods in a pediatric allergy clinic setting. Methods Medical records were reviewed for patients undergoing OIT for multiple foods. Methods and outcomes of OIT were summarized. Outcomes were analyzed for correlation with baseline food allergen skin prick tests (SPTs) and specific IgE (sIgE) test results. Results Forty-five patients aged 1.5 to 18 years undertook OIT for up to 12 foods, including peanut, tree nuts, seeds, legumes, and egg. At the time of review, 35 patients were receiving daily maintenance dosing, 4 had completed OIT and were continuing to eat their foods 3 times weekly, and 6 had stopped OIT because of anxiety, inconvenience, or allergy symptoms. A total of 49% of patients had reactions during the up-dosing process, mostly oral itching (33%), perioral hives (40%), and abdominal pain (35%). There was no correlation of baseline skin prick test (SPT) and sIgE test results with reaction threshold for baseline food challenge, lowest dose causing reactions during up-dosing, or time to reach maintenance. Higher baseline sIgE level but not baseline SPT result was associated with an increased number of allergic reactions during OIT. Baseline SPT correlated with stopping OIT. Conclusion A similar approach to that used for peanut OIT can be taken for nonpeanut foods and for multiple foods simultaneously. High baseline allergy test results are not a contraindication to OIT.
Lateral Movement in Undergraduate Research: Case Studies in Number Theory

We explore the thought processes, strategies, and pitfalls involved in entering new territory, developing novel projects, and seeing them through to publication. We propose twenty-one general principles for developing a sustainable undergraduate research pipeline and we illustrate those ideas in three case studies.
The relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) refers to the ability of the cardiopulmonary system to supply oxygen to skeletal muscles during exercise. Regular physical activity optimizes these systems by physiologic means that not only decrease cardiovascular risk factors but also independently affect mortality. Importantly, CRF is an integrative measure of the effects of its upstream risk factors including physical activity and genetics. In this review, we summarize the main methods that are frequently used to estimate CRF. We cite findings from the major studies on CRF, which demonstrate a beneficial effect on prevalent cardiovascular risk factor burden, subclinical atherosclerosis, and incident adverse outcomes including death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and cancer. We conclude by suggesting the incorporation of CRF into clinical decision-making given the prognostic information it provides.
Age and Attitudes Towards an Internet-Mediated, Pedometer-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Secondary Analysis.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is prevalent among older adults. Promoting physical activity and increasing exercise capacity are recommended for all individuals with COPD. Pulmonary rehabilitation is the standard of care to improve exercise capacity, although there are barriers that hinder accessibility. Technology has the potential to overcome some of these barriers, but it is unclear how aging adults with a chronic disease like COPD perceive technology-based platforms to support their disease self-management. Objective: Guided by the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, the current retrospective secondary analysis explores if age moderates multiple factors that influence an individual with COPD’s openness toward an internet-mediated, pedometer-based physical activity intervention. Methods: As part of an efficacy study, participants with COPD (N=59) were randomly assigned to use an internet-mediated, pedometer-based physical activity intervention for 12 weeks. At completion, they were asked about their experience with the intervention using a survey, including their performance expectancy and effort expectancy, facilitating conditions (ie, internet use frequency and ability), and use of the intervention technology. Logistic regression and general linear modeling examined the associations between age and these factors. Results: Participants ranged in age from 49 to 89 years (mean 68.66, SD 8.93). Disease severity was measured by forced expiratory volume in the first second percent predicted (mean 60.01, SD 20.86). Nearly all participants (54/59) believed the intervention was useful. Regarding effort expectancy, increasing age was associated with reporting that it was easy to find the time to engage in the intervention. Regarding facilitating conditions, approximately half of the participants believed the automated step count goals were too high (23/59) and many did not feel comfortable reaching their goals (22/59). The probability of these perceptions increased with age, even after accounting for disease severity. Age was not associated with other facilitating conditions or use of the technology. Conclusions: Age does not influence performance expectancy or use of technology with an internet-mediated, pedometer-based physical activity intervention. Age is associated with certain expectations of effort and facilitating conditions. Consideration of age of the user is needed when personalizing step count goals and time needed to log in to the website. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01772082; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01772082
Scholarship-Based Undergraduate Laboratory Courses Modeled on a Graduate School Research Rotation

This paper describes and assesses the impact of a new upper-level “scholarly” laboratory model that is part of a four-year scaffolded research skills curriculum at a Carnegie Bachelor’s institution. In this scholarly lab model, students gain the “tools” of a discipline in a first-semester laboratory and engage in the scholarly work of the instructor in the second semester. Analogous to the experience of graduate students in a research rotation program, undergraduates participating in these scholarship-based laboratories in addition to their capstone research requirement are exposed to chemical research in multiple subdisciplines as well as different scholarly strategies to conduct research. Student perception data show that scholarly lab students feel highly engaged in all steps of the scientific method and that they integrate, implement, and improve the research skills gained throughout the four-year research skill curriculum. Authentic, student-driven collaborations within and between courses were observed multiple times in the two pilot iterations. However, the model was less effective than anticipated at building student confidence and sense of inclusion in the scientific community. Participation in the scholarly based laboratory model led to a statistically significant ∼10% improvement in lab notebook, final presentation, overall lab, and overall course grades for the scholarly lab cohort compared to a traditional lab cohort in a second-semester physical chemistry course. College-assigned women and men benefit similarly from the scholarly lab model, though these groups show some important perception differences that are discussed.
Enhancing positron production using front surface target structures

We report a target design which produced a substantial gain in relativistic electron-positron pair production using high-intensity lasers and targets with large-scale micro-structures on their surface. Comparing to an unstructured target, a selected Si microwire array target yielded a near 100% increase in the laser-to-positron conversion efficiency and produced a 10 MeV increase in the average emitted positron energy under nominally the same experimental conditions. We had established a multi-scale particle-in-cell simulation scheme to simulate both the laser absorption and the subsequent pair productions in a thick metal target. The experimental results are supported by the simulations demonstrating the performance increase is due to a higher conversion efficiency of laser energy into electrons with kinetic energies greater than 10 MeV due to enhanced direct laser acceleration of electrons enabled by the microwire array.
The new normal of web camera theft on campus during COVID-19 and the impact of anti-theft signage.

Objective: The opportunity for web camera theft increased globally as institutions of higher education transitioned to remote learning during COVID-19. Given the thousands of cameras currently installed in classrooms, many with little protection, the present study tests the effectiveness of anti-theft signage for preventing camera theft. Methods: Examined web camera theft at a southern, public university located in the United States of America by randomly assigning N = 104 classrooms to receive either anti-theft signage or no signage. Camera theft was analyzed using Blaker's exact test. Results: Classrooms not receiving anti-theft signage (control) were 3.42 times more likely to exhibit web camera theft than classrooms receiving anti-theft signage (medium effect size). Conclusions: Using classrooms as the unit of analysis presents new opportunities for not only future crime prevention experiments, but also improving campus safety and security. Also, preventing web camera theft on campus is both fiscally and socially responsible, saving money and ensuring inclusivity for remote learners.
On Linear Operations on Stationary and Non Stationary Random Processes

This brief article considers an arbitrary linear operation on stationary and non stationary second-order random processes and provides conditions for the output process to be of second order. Both mean-square integrals and sample-path integrals are considered.
Upscaling Uncertainty with Dynamic Discrepancy for a Multi-scale Carbon Capture System

ABSTRACTUncertainties from model parameters and model discrepancy from small-scale models impact the accuracy and reliability of predictions of large-scale systems. Inadequate representation of these uncertainties may result in inaccurate and overconfident predictions during scale-up to larger systems. Hence, multiscale modeling efforts must accurately quantify the effect of the propagation of uncertainties during upscaling. Using a Bayesian approach, we calibrate a small-scale solid sorbent model to thermogravimetric (TGA) data on a functional profile using chemistry-based priors. Crucial to this effort is the representation of model discrepancy, which uses a Bayesian smoothing splines (BSS-ANOVA) framework. Our uncertainty quantification (UQ) approach could be considered intrusive as it includes the discrepancy function within the chemical rate expressions; resulting in a set of stochastic differential equations. Such an approach allows for easily propagating uncertainty by propagating the joint model p...
Effect of liver fatty acid binding protein on fatty acid movement between liposomes and rat liver microsomes

Although movement of fatty acids between bilayers can occur spontaneously, it has been postulated that intracellular movement is facilitated by a class of proteins named fatty acid binding proteins (FABP). In this study we have incorporated long chain fatty acids into multilamellar liposomes made of phosphatidylcholine, incubated them with rat liver microsomes containing an active acyl-CoA synthetase, and measured formation of acyl-CoA in the absence or presence of FABP purified from rat liver. FABP increased about 2-fold the accumulation of acyl-CoA when liposomes were the fatty acid donor. Using fatty acid incorporated into liposomes made either of egg yolk lecithin or of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, it was found that the temperature dependence of acyl-CoA accumulation in the presence of FABP correlated with both the physical state of phospholipid molecules in the liposomes and the binding of fatty acid to FABP, suggesting that fatty acid must first desorb from the liposomes before FABP can have an effect. An FABP-fatty acid complex incubated with microsomes, in the absence of liposomes, resulted in greater acyl-CoA formation than when liposomes were present, suggesting that desorption of fatty acid from the membrane is rate-limiting in the accumulation of acyl-CoA by this system. Finally, an equilibrium dialysis cell separating liposomes from microsomes on opposite sides of a Nuclepore filter was used to show that liver FABP was required for the movement and activation of fatty acid between the compartments. These studies show that liver FABP interacts with fatty acid that desorbs from phospholipid bilayers, and promotes movement to a membrane-bound enzyme, suggesting that FABP may act intracellularly by increasing net desorption of fatty acid from cell membranes.
The half-life of the styrene free radical†. I. Photopolymerization in a free falling stream

The principle of the method of Paneth and Hofeditz of studying gaseous free radicals has been employed for chain reactions in liquid monomers. The half-life of a photochemically initiated polystyrene free radical has been found to be 0.088 ± 0.015 second. A simple extension of the technique should also give absolute values of the propagation rate constant and the chain transfer constant.
Fourier transform infrared evidence for a predominantly alpha-helical structure of the membrane bound channel forming COOH-terminal peptide of colicin E1

The structure of the membrane bound state of the 178-residue thermolytic COOH-terminal channel forming peptide of colicin E1 was studied by polarized Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. This fragment was reconstituted into DMPC liposomes at varying peptide/lipid ratios ranging from 1/25–1/500. The amide I band frequency of the protein indicated a dominant alpha-helical secondary structure with limited beta- and random structures. The amide I and II frequencies are at 1,656 and 1,546 cm-1, close to the frequency of the amide I and II bands of rhodopsin, bacteriorhodopsin and other alpha-helical proteins. Polarized FTIR of oriented membranes revealed that the alpha-helices have an average orientation less than the magic angle, 54.6 degrees, relative to the membrane normal. Almost all of the peptide groups in the membrane-bound channel protein undergo rapid hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange. These results are contrasted to the alpha-helical membrane proteins, bacteriorhodopsin, and rhodopsin.
Independent and mutual interactions of copper(II) and zinc(II) ions with phytic acid

Abstract The interactions of phytic acid with Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions were examined as functions of metal ion concentrations and pH. Cu(II) ion-selective potentiometric and electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments provide strong evidence for the binding of Cu(II) ions to the phytic acid molecule at low pH (2.4–3.4) values. The relative stabilities of the copper and zinc phytates at low pH values were found to be very similar. For systems with metal ion:phytic acid molar ratios of 1:1–4:1 and 5:1–6:1 and pH values in the 3.4–5.9 and 3.4–5.0 ranges, respectively, Zn(II) ions were found to form complexes with phytic acid that were more stable than those of Cu(II) ions with phytic acid. The phytic acid molecule, however, was found to accommodate Cu(II) ions more readily than Zn(II) ions. For example, in systems containing equal amounts of Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions, 2 Zn(II) ions and 2, 3, 4, or 4.5 Cu(II) ions were found per phytic acid molecule depending upon metal ion:phytic acid molar ratios in the systems and pH. Total metal ion:phytic acid molar ratios and pH affected resultant metal ion solubilities and were factors influencing the effects of Zn(II) and Cu(II) ions on the binding of each other by phytic acid. Zn(II) and Cu(II) ions were observed to potentiate the binding of each other by phytic acid in some systems and compete with each other for phytate binding sites in others.
Reconsidering the team concept: Educational implications for patient-centered cancer care

Patient-centered cancer care has become a priority in the oncology field. Increasing efforts to train oncologists in communication skills have led to a growing literature on patient-centered cancer education. In addition, systems approaches have led to an increased emphasis on the concept of teams as an organizing framework for cancer care. In this essay, we examine issues involved in educating teams to provide patient-centered cancer care. In the process, we question the applicability of a tightly coordinated ‘team’ concept, and suggest the concept of a ‘care community’ as a more achievable ideal for the way that cancer care is commonly delivered. We discuss the implications that this has for cancer communication education, and propose three principles to guide the development of educational interventions aimed at increasing patient-centeredness in cancer care delivery systems.
Conservation of a Common Motif in Enzymes Catalyzing ADP-ribose Transfer: IDENTIFICATION OF DOMAINS IN MAMMALIAN TRANSFERASES (∗)

Bacterial toxin ADP-ribosyltransferases, e.g. diphtheria toxin (DT) and pertussis toxin, have in common consensus sequences involved in catalytic activity, which are localized to three regions. Region I is notable for a histidine or arginine; region II, ∼ 50-75 amino acids downstream, is rich in aromatic/hydrophobic amino acids; and region III, further downstream, has a glutamate and other acidic amino acids. A similar motif was observed in the sequence of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked muscle ADP-ribosyltransferase. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed to verify the role of this motif. Proteins were expressed in rat adenocarcinoma cells, released from the cell with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, and quantified with polyclonal antibodies. Transferase His 114 in region I aligned with His 21 of DT; as with DT, the H114N mutant was active. Aromatic/hydrophobic amino acids (region II) were found ∼ 30-50 amino acids downstream of this histidine. Although transferase has a Glu 278 -Tyr-Ile sequence characteristic of region III in DT, Glu 278 was not critical for activity. In an alternative region III containing Glu 238 -Glu 239 -Glu 240 , Glu 238 and Glu 240 but not Glu 239 were critical. Glu 240 aligned with critical glutamates in DT, Pseudomonas exotoxin, and C3 transferase. Thus, the mammalian ADP-ribosyltransferases have motifs similar to toxin ADP-ribosyltransferases, suggesting that these sequences are important in ADP-ribose transfer reactions.
Management of pancreatic carcinoma

Pancreatic cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It is estimated that 27,000 patients die each year with this diagnosis. The overall five-year survival of patients with pancreatic cancer remains less than 5%, but some subsets of patients may have a better prognosis. Advanced imaging and laparoscopy have improved staging to better select patients for potentially curative surgery, while the operative morbidity and mortality of the Whipple resection have decreased in recent years. Non-surgical therapies in current use include chemotherapy, external-beam radiation therapy, and brachytherapy, as well as pain management. More recently, gene insertion therapy has shown promise in animal models. This review discusses current diagnostic and treatment strategies for these patients and documents the need for new strategies in the future.
Advance Directives in the Medical Intensive Care Unit of a Community Teaching Hospital

Study objective To evaluate the frequency with which advance directives (ADs) are available at the time of admission and their impact on subsequent care in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) setting before and 9 months after the implementation of the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA). Design Prospective nonrandomized cohort data collection and analysis. Setting Thirteen-bed MICU of community teaching hospital providing primary and referred care. Patients Consecutive admissions during 2-month periods separated by 1 year: August-September 1991 (91) and August-September 1992 (92). Measurements The following were assessed: the presence and type or absence of AD at the time of admission; the presence or absence of a written order to limit resuscitation (WO-R) during the MICU stay; duration of MICU stay in hours; outcome; and combined duration of use or administration of seven selected interventions. Main results Fifteen of 133 patients (11.3%) in the 91 group and 15 of 171 patients (8.8%) in the 92 group presented with an AD. This difference was not significant (p=0.578). Most patients in both groups (75.9% in 91 and 80.1% in 92) presented without an AD and did not have a WO-R during their MICU course. In addition, most patients who did present with an AD, 11 of 15 (73.3%) in the 91 group and 14 of 15 (93.3%) in the 92 group, did not have a WO-R. A subgroup of older and more severely ill patients in both cohorts was identified; they did not present with an AD but subsequently a WO-R was established. These patients had the highest mortality, about 40%, when compared with the overall mortality of 8.2%. Conclusion Advanced directives were infrequently available and had little impact on the pattern of care.
Comparison of the onset of hypoactivity and anxiety-like behavior during alcohol withdrawal in adolescent and adult rats.

: Background: Early life alcohol use is associated with increased alcoholism risk. It has been suggested that alterations in the sensitivity of adolescents to the acute effects of ethanol may contribute to this risk by promoting excessive intake. However, an enhanced propensity for developing ethanol dependence or withdrawal-related behavior could also contribute to increased risk. The objective of these studies was to compare the appearance of ethanol withdrawal-related behaviors in adolescent and adult rats. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to ethanol vapor (12 hr/day) for 12 or 14 days during adolescence or adulthood. In the first study, locomotor activity was assessed after 2, 4, 7, 10, and 14 days of ethanol exposure. In the second study, open field behavior was assessed after 5 or 12 days of ethanol exposure. In follow-up studies, changes in sucrose preference during ethanol withdrawal and motor activity during food restriction were assessed in adolescent rats. Withdrawal assessments were made 7 to 9 hr after daily exposure ended. Results: Hypoactivity emerged rapidly in adolescent rats during ethanol withdrawal in activity tests, but comparable reductions were not found in adult rats. However, hypoactivity developed in both adolescents and adults in the novel open field. Enhanced anxiety-like behavior in the open field was not observed in either age group during withdrawal. Finally, sucrose preference was unchanged during ethanol withdrawal, and food restriction increased motor activity in adolescent rats. Conclusions: These data confirm that symptoms of withdrawal may be differentially expressed in adolescent and adult rats. However, discrepancies in hypoactivity between studies suggest that assessment in a novel versus familiar environment may influence the expression of withdrawal-related behaviors.
NYSE Sector Returns and Political Cycles

We address three issues regarding the relationship between political party affiliation and returns in the equities markets, as measured by the NYSE Composite Index and its sub-indexes. First, we find a tendency for returns to be greater during Democratic presidential administrations; however, this result is statistically insignificant. Second, we conclude that returns during the last two years of presidential administrations are greater than during the first two years. Third, we examine the relationship between the majority party in each house of Congress and equity returns. We raise the possibility that party affiliation of Congress is a factor in explaining returns.
Absorption and Biological Activity of Phytochemical-Rich Extracts from Açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) Pulp and Oil in Vitro

Polyphenolic extracts from various fruits and vegetables have been shown to exert growth inhibitory effects in cell culture studies. Whereas individual polyphenolic compounds have been extensively evaluated, understanding of the biological activity of polyphenolic extracts from natural sources is limited and critical to the understanding of their potential effects on the human body. This study investigated the absorption and antiproliferative effects of phytochemical extracts from acai pulp and a polyphenolic-enriched acai oil obtained from the fruit pulp of the acai berry ( Euterpe oleracea Mart.). Chemical composition, antioxidant properties, and polyphenolic absorption of phytochemical fractions in a Caco-2 monolayer were determined, along with their cytotoxicity in HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells. Standardized extracts were characterized by their predominance of hydroxybenzoic acids, monomeric flavan-3-ols, and procyanidin dimers and trimers. Polyphenolic mixtures (0-12 microg of gallic acid equiv/mL) from both acai pulp and acai oil extracts inhibited cell proliferation by up to 90.7%, which was accompanied by an increase of up to 2.1-fold in reactive oxygen species. Absorption experiments using a Caco-2 intestinal cell monolayer demonstrated that phenolic acids such as p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic, and ferulic acids, in the presence of DMSO, were readily transported from the apical to the basolateral side along with monomeric flavanols such as (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin. Results from this study provide further evidence for the bioactive properties of acai polyphenolics and offer new insight on their composition and cellular absorption.
Current Understanding of Contrast Media Reactions and Implications for Clinical Management

Iodinated contrast media (CM) are an integral part of modern diagnostic medicine. Although these agents are considered to be relatively safe, adverse effects in the form of allergy-like reactions occur in a significant number of exposed patients. These reactions may be divided into immediate and delayed responses. Immediate (within 1 hour of administration) anaphylactic reactions range from urticaria and angioedema to laryngeal oedema, hypotension and even death. Delayed reactions to CM occur from 1 hour to 1 week after administration and usually have mostly cutaneous manifestations. History of prior CM reactions and atopy predispose patients to CM reactions. Despite intense research into the pathogenesis of the immediate anaphylactoid responses, new evidence shows that true IgE type I hypersensitivity mediation occurs only in rare, severe cases. The aetiology appears to be multifactorial in most individuals. There is strong evidence to conclude that type IV hypersensitivity is responsible for the delayed reactions to CM. Although switching to non-ionic agents significantly reduces the incidence of immediate reactions to CM, there is little consensus regarding corticosteroid prophylaxis in high-risk individuals. Skin testing and provocative challenges also provide little security. Therefore, physicians must be better prepared to treat immediate anaphylactoid responses. Preventing delayed CM reactions is best performed with patch and delayed intradermal testing in those with a history of prior reactions, although false-negative results have been reported. Corticosteroids and antihistamines may be required for treatment. Until newer agents are developed that negate these issues, healthcare providers must strive to better understand the risk factors associated with CM reactions, as well as the available prophylactic and treatment options.