cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chondrogenesis of neural crest cells: effect of poly-L-lysine and bone extract.

The mechanisms of chondrogenic differentiation are generally studied in vitro by analyzing the action of agents that promote or affect chondrogenesis in embryonic mesenchyme, such as cells of the embryonic limb bud. However, it is not known whether progenitor cells of the craniofacial skeleton, which are of a different embryonic origin and derived from the neural crest, are similarly responsive to such agents. To gain insight into the regulation of chondrogenic differentiation in cells derived from neural crest, we have treated chick embryonic neural crest explants in vitro with poly-l-lysine (PL, Mr 380 kDa) or bovine bone extract (BBE), two agents known to enhance chondrogenesis of limb mesenchymal cells. Both cephalic (normally chondrogenic) and trunk (normally nonchondrogenic) neural crest cells were analyzed. Chondrogenic differentiation was determined by histological, immunohistochemical and autoradiographic methods. Our results indicate that both PL (380 kDa) and BBE significantly enhance chondrogenesis of cephalic neural crest cells, suggesting that the mechanism of chondrogenesis of these ectodermally derived cells is similar to that of mesodermally derived limb mesenchymal cells. However, trunk neural crest cells did not undergo chondrogenesis in response to PL or BBE. These data show that chondrogenesis can be enhanced in cranial ectodermal neural crest cells in a manner similar to that in the limb mesenchyme. However, since nonchondrogenic trunk neural crest cells are not responsive, an inherent potential for cartilaginous differentiation is necessary for exogenous stimulation of chondrogenesis.
Severe radiographic knee osteoarthritis – does Kellgren and Lawrence grade 4 represent end stage disease? – the MOST study

Summary Objective To determine what MRI-detectable osteoarthritis features that are not visualized on radiography demonstrate progression longitudinally in Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grade 4 knees. Methods We studied subjects from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study who had KL grade 4 knees at baseline and had baseline and 30-month MRI. Cartilage damage, bone marrow lesions (BMLs), meniscal damage, synovitis (signal changes in Hoffa fat pad), and effusion (fluid equivalent signal in the joint cavity) were semiquantitatively scored using the Whole Organ MRI Score (WORMS) system in five subregions of the medial and lateral tibiofemoral (TF) compartments. Analysis was performed for the compartment showing bone-on-bone appearance ("index") on radiograph and also for the other TF compartment of the same knee. Synovitis and effusion were assessed for the whole knee. Changes in scores at follow-up were noted for each feature. For cartilage and BML, within-grade changes were also recorded. Results 140 subjects (164 knees) were included (50% women, mean age 66.0 ± 8.6 years, mean BMI 30.4 ± 5.1 kg/m 2 ). Longitudinally, 51 index compartments (34%) showed an increase in the sum of cartilage scores from all subregions. In the other compartment, 25% showed an increase in the sum score for cartilage damage. For BMLs in the index compartment, 50 knees (33%) showed an increase in maximum score and 32 (21%) showed a decrease. Meniscal status mostly remained stable. Effusion worsened in 36 knees (25%) and improved in 13 knees (9%). Synovitis worsened in 14 knees (10%) and improved in six knees (4%). Conclusion In KL grade 4 knees, MRI-detected cartilage loss and fluctuation of BMLs, effusion, and synovitis occurred frequently over a 30-month period.
Dystrophin is a microtubule-associated protein

Cytolinkers are giant proteins that can stabilize cells by linking actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules (MTs) to transmembrane complexes. Dystrophin is functionally similar to cytolinkers, as it links the multiple components of the cellular cytoskeleton to the transmembrane dystroglycan complex. Although no direct link between dystrophin and MTs has been documented, costamere-associated MTs are disrupted when dystrophin is absent. Using tissue-based cosedimentation assays on mice expressing endogenous dystrophin or truncated transgene products, we find that constructs harboring spectrinlike repeat 24 through the first third of the WW domain cosediment with MTs. Purified Dp260, a truncated isoform of dystrophin, bound MTs with a Kd of 0.66 µM, a stoichiometry of 1 Dp260/1.4 tubulin heterodimer at saturation, and stabilizes MTs from cold-induced depolymerization. Finally, α- and β-tubulin expression is increased ∼2.5-fold in mdx skeletal muscle without altering the tubulin–MT equilibrium. Collectively, these data suggest dystrophin directly organizes and/or stabilizes costameric MTs and classifies dystrophin as a cytolinker in skeletal muscle.
Drug Treatment of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in Elderly Long-Term Care Residents

Nursing home-acquired skin and soft tissue infections are common, with an estimated prevalence of approximately 5%. Such infections can be a cause of significant morbidity. The types of organisms that cause primary skin and soft tissue infections in the elderly are diverse, and include bacterial, viral and fungal infections, as well as infestations with scabies or lice. In the elderly, these infections or infestations may present with atypical signs and symptoms, so a high index of suspicion is necessary. These skin and soft tissue infections may complicate an underlying chronic skin disorder (such as a decubitus ulcer), further altering their clinical presentation. Treatment of skin infections and infestations is based on the appropriate diagnostic tests. Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, treatment with the standard drug therapy is usually associated with a favourable clinical outcome. This article summarises the major skin and soft tissue infections in the elderly, and the appropriate drug therapy, with emphasis on special considerations for long-term care residents and the unique environment of the nursing home that allows for the emergence of resistant organisms. These factors make the management of skin and soft tissue infections in this population unique and challenging.
ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OF PRIMORDIAL XENON

A large excess of Xe/sup 129/ and secondary anomalous abundances for many of the other isotopes of xenon were previously reported for the meteorite, Richardton. Similar secondary anomalies in xenon are reported for the meteorite Murray. For every isotope other than Xe/sup 129/, the ratio of the Murray percent abundance to the Richardton percent abundance was the same for both meteorites. The secondary anomalous xenon component was more abundant in Murray than in Richardton by a factor of 45. Mechanisms of this anomaly are discussed. An analysis by isotope dilution of all rare gases in the two stones is compared. (C.J. G.)
The user interface in group decision support systems

Abstract The human interface is a critical success factor for group decision support systems (GDSS). The user interface design problem for such systems is more complex than that for individual work stations because it involves consideration of the public and private screens and their interactions, the physical environment of the facility, the response time of the network, and the cognitive style and cultural differences among users. This paper explores five interface design issues that are specific to decision support systems for groups: the design of the public scree; the interaction between the private screens and the public screen; the design of the individual's interaction with the system as a whole; the effects of varying cognitive style, and the implications of cultural differences among participants particularly in international GDSS. The design issues are illustrated by the interfaces provided in four experimental GDSS's (U. of Arizona, Claremont Graduate School, U. of Minnesota, and XEROX PARC). These systems are all of the single room type, where participants are present at the same time. The interfaces described range in approach from simple listings, to conventional microcomputer interface, to near type writerless interfaces using touchscreens, to a highly sophisticated “what you see is what I see” (WYSIWIS).
Season of birth and electrodermal activity in functional psychoses

Abstract The present study examined the association between electrodermal activity (EDA) and season of birth in a sample of first-episode patients with schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, and affective disorder with psychotic features, and in a normal control group. Patients with schizophrenia who were born during the season of excess risk (January–April) were less responsive than those born during other times of the year. They had lower skin-conductance levels and fewer skin-conductance responses. No such effects were found in patients with schizophreniform or affective disorder, or in the normal subjects. When compared with the control group, winter-born schizophrenics showed significantly more evidence of hyporesponsivity. In contrast, nonwinter-born patients did not differ from normal subjects in skin-conductance level or number of skin-conductance responses. Schizophreniform patients born during the other seasons of the year were more likely to be hyporesponsive. The above results provide supporting evidence for the validity of the season of birth phenomenon. We hypothesize that a viral infection, or some other perinatal complication associated with winter and early spring births, leads to temporal lobe damage and consequent dyregulation of electrodermal activity in patients with schizophrenia.
Use of an infrared temperature monitoring system to determine optimal temperature for arterial repair using light-activated surgical adhesive

The ability to reproduce strong repairs is essential to establishing the reliability of laser-tissue soldering techniques and advancing their use to the clinical setting. While some thermal damage is necessary to achieve a viable solder-tissue bond, excessive thermal damage leads to decreased flexibility and strength of the repair. In addition, if the temperature at the solder/tissue interface is too low, inadequate solder-tissue bonding will occur to provide a strong repair. This suggests the presence of an optimal temperature for laser-tissue repair. The choice of solder material presents another challenge to the reproducibility of strong repairs. The emerging use of chromophore-enhanced solder-doped polymer scaffolds offers numerous advantages over more traditional liquid and solid solders composed of serum albumin and an absorbing chromophore mixed in deionized water. Polymer scaffolds, fabricated from poly(L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) using a solvent casting and particulate leaching technique, are porous enough to absorb serum albumin and can also be doped with various hemostatic and thrombogenic agents to aid in tissue healing. Use of the polymer scaffolds allows one to combine the strength of solid solders and the flexibility of liquid solders without the common “runaway” problems. An in vitro study was performed to correlate tissue temperature with the tensile strength of arterial repairs formed using the chromophore-enhanced solder-doped polymer scaffolds. Laser irradiance was varied and the solder surface and solder/tissue interface temperatures were monitored by an IR temperature monitoring system and a type-K thermocouple, respectively. The solder/tissue interface temperature required for optimized tensile strength was determined to be 67 ± 5°C. This value was in agreement with previous studies using serum albumin solders alone, where the optimal solder/tissue interface temperature was found to be 65°C.
Prevalence of Painful Bladder Syndrome in Older Women

OBJECTIVES To examine the prevalence of and symptoms associated with painful bladder syndrome (PBS) in a population of older women, utilizing the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) cohort. METHODS In 2004, NHS participants were asked by mailed questionnaire, "In the past 10 years, have you experienced bladder or pelvic pain associated with urinary symptoms for more than 3 consecutive months?" Women who responded "yes" were sent a detailed supplementary questionnaire. A severity score was calculated according to information about symptoms and bother in the previous 6 months. RESULTS The PBS screening question was answered by 67,095 participants. A supplemental questionnaire was sent to all 4005 women who answered yes, and 3042 (76%) responded. Symptoms consistent with PBS were reported by 1548 respondents (51%), representing 2.3% of the screened cohort. The prevalence of PBS was 1.7% in those younger than 65 years and increased progressively to 4.0% in women aged 80 years and older (P trend <0.001). Severity, based on both symptoms and bother, was mild in 14.8% of women with PBS, moderate in 29.0%, and severe in 56.2%. CONCLUSIONS Painful bladder syndrome is a common condition in women. The prevalence of PBS increases with age, and the vast majority of women with PBS have moderate or severe symptoms.
Crystal growth of macromolecular crystals: correlation between crystal symmetry and growth mechanisms

In situ atomic force microscopy was utilized to study the relation between crystal structure, surface morphology, and growth mechanisms of faces of macromolecular crystals that have screw axes perpendicular to them. It was found that the {001} faces of orthorhombic catalase, trigonal trypsin, and tetragonal Bence-Jones protein (BJP) crystals grow by successive deposition of n alternating, symmetry-related layers with a thickness of d 00n = 1/n|c|. These layers are associated with two-, three- and four-fold screw-axes in the crystal structure of catalase (n = 2), trypsin (n = 3) and BJP (n = 4) crystals, respectively. Implications for growth rates and three-dimensional morphological development are discussed.
Stimulus properties of d-amphetamine as compared to 1-amphetamine

Abstract Rats were trained to discriminate between d-amphetamine and saline. The discriminable ED 50 values for amphetamine isomers were calculated from dose-response curves and the potency ratio was 4.9. Co-administration of the ED 50 S was shown to produce synergistic effects suggesting that the amphetamine isomers may share a common site of action.
Development of a Biocatalytic Process as an Alternative to the (−)-DIP-Cl-Mediated Asymmetric Reduction of a Key Intermediate of Montelukast

A KetoREDuctase (KRED) engineered via directed evolution technologies catalyzed the asymmetric reduction of (E)-methyl 2-(3-(3-(2-(7-chloroquinolin-2-yl)vinyl)phenyl)-3-oxopropyl)benzoate to the corresponding (S)-alcohol, a key intermediate in the synthesis of montelukast sodium (Singulair). Through synergistic efforts in process chemistry, molecular biology, bioinformatics and high throughput screening, a KRED with very high enantioselectivity (>99.9% ee) was developed for an economical and simple process that takes advantage of the physical properties of the substrate and product. The evolved KRED is an efficient and robust enzyme for catalyzing the reaction of an essentially water insoluble substrate (c log P ≈ 7) at a 100 g/L loading in the presence of ∼70% organic solvents at 45 °C. The biocatalytic process currently runs at >200 kg scale.
Differential effects of treatments for chronic depression: a latent growth model reanalysis.

Objective: Psychotherapy–pharmacotherapy combinations are frequently recommended for the treatment of chronic depressive disorders. Our aim in this novel reanalysis of archival data was to identify patient subgroups on the basis of symptom trajectories and examine the clinical significance of the resultant classification on basis of differential treatment effects to psychotherapy (cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy), pharmacotherapy (nefazodone), and their combination. Method: We selected data for 504 patients diagnosed with chronic depression from archival data of a clinical trial (N 681) and analyzed treatment courses (as assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) using growth mixture models, a contemporary exploratory analysis technique. Results: Three patient subgroups were identified from the typical patterns of change of depression severity during 12-week acute-phase treatment. Within these patient subgroups, differential treatment effects were evident: combination treatment clearly outperformed the 2 monotherapies in the largest patient subgroup, characterized by moderate depression severity, but not in the remaining 2 subgroups, characterized by low and severe depression at baseline. Patient characteristics prior to initiation of treatment enabled allocation of 61% of patients to these subgroups. Conclusions: Research on patient subgroups with different change patterns may support classifications of patients that indicate which treatment is most effective for which type of patient.
Separability of VNIR/SWIR reflectance signatures of prepared soil samples: airborne hyperspectral vs. field measurements

To better understand the capabilities of hyperspectral imaging spectrometers, a number of organizations planned and carried out a data collection exercise at a desert site in the southwestern United States. As part of this collection, eight soil 'panels' were constructed; four filled with a coarse gravel/sand mixture and four flled with fine soil. Each set of four panels was prepared to represent two moisture and density conditions: wet versus dry and compacted versus loose. Unlike laboratory soil specimens, which use 'purified' samples, these soil flats contained more variability. They therefore better represented the 'natural' environment that would be viewed by an airborne hyperspectral imaging sensor, while still allowing an experimental study under more controlled conditions. This paper examines how well the eight soil types and conditions can be distinguished based on their VNIR/SWIR reflectance spectra derived from field measurements and from airborne hyperspectral measurements made at nearly the same time. A brief review of the phenomenology of soil reflectance spectra will be given. Based on physical attributes of the soils, some new classification approaches have been developed and were applied to the soil panels. These phenomenological methods include examining contrast in certain broadband features and, based on these, calculating various broadband spectral ratios over subsets of the VNIR/SWIR spectral region. The separability of the reflectance spectra from the eight soil panels were also analyzed by applying the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) hyperspectral distance metric to quantify the separations between all pairs of soil types and conditions. Finally, a neural network approach was applied to determine distinguishing features of the spectra. The phenomenological approaches, SAM analyses, and the neural network results will be compared.
The lipids in pathology of the eye.

The lipoidal composition of the human eye is frequently altered in the diseased state. Un-fortunately, most of the literature is unreliable and only recently has adequate methodology been employed to determine the status of the lipids in ocular pathology. The modern studies have been very useful in helping to understand the mech-anism behind some pathological problems and in a few eases, the lipoidal composition of a tissue has been elucidated and is presented herein for the first time.
New York in the age of the Constitution, 1775-1800

The seven essays in this collection, originally presented at a New-York Historical Society Conference, examine ways in which the epic political events associated with the founding of the United States affected the lives of New Yorkers.
A two-stage cascade nonlinear dynamical model of single neurons for the separation and quantification of pre- and post-synaptic mechanisms of synaptic transmission

Neurons receive pre-synaptic spike trains and transform them into post-synaptic spike trains. This spike train to spike train temporal transformation underlies all cognitive functions performed by neurons, e.g., learning and memory. The transformation is a highly nonlinear dynamical process that involves both pre- and post-synaptic mechanisms. The ability to separate and quantify the nonlinear dynamics of pre- and post-synaptic mechanism is needed to gain insights into this transformation. In this study, we developed a Volterra kernel based two-stage cascade model of synaptic transmission using synaptically-driven intracellular activities, to which broadband stimulation conditions were imposed. The first stage of the model represents the pre-synaptic mechanisms and describes the nonlinear dynamical transformation from pre-synaptic spike trains to transmitter vesicle release strengths. The vesicle release strengths were obtained from the intracellularly recorded excitatory post-synaptic currents (EPSCs). The second stage of the model represents the post-synaptic mechanisms and describes the nonlinear dynamical transformation from release strengths to excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs). One application of this cascade model is to analyze the pre- and post-synaptic mechanism change induced by long-term potentiation (LTP). This future application is expected to shed new light on the expression locus of LTP.
Immunofluorescent and Immunoperoxidase Characteristics of Igdλ Myeloma Involving the Orbit

Multiple myeloma may be associated with a wide variety of ocular manifestations. 1-5 Direct orbital infiltration by myeloma cells, mimicking a primary orbital tumor, is nonetheless uncommon. 4 Thirty-four patients with myelomatous involvement of the orbit have been described; in 26 of them orbital involvement was the initial manifestation of disease. 4,6-8 Although the clinical ophthalmic findings have been described in these previous reports, serologic findings have been largely ignored and immunologic characterization of the orbital myeloma infiltrates has been completely lacking. We recently examined a patient, not known to have multiple myeloma, who had proptosis is and vertical diplopia suggestive of a primary orbital neoplasm. Direct immunofluorescent and immunoperoxidase examination of viable orbital myeloma cells in vitro and direct immunoperoxidase staining of the Bouin's fixed, paraffin-embedded orbital tissue sections identified the surface membrane and intracellular immunoglobulin of the myeloma cells as IgDλ.
Increased tumor growth in mice exposed to inhaled isobutyl nitrite

Epidemiological studies have correlated the incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in AIDS with a history of abuse of nitrite inhalants. To determine if exposure to nitrite inhalants could alter tumor growth, syngeneic PYB6 tumor cells were injected into groups of mice. Exposure of these mice to inhaled isobutyl nitrite increased both the tumor incidence and the tumor growth rate by almost 4-fold. Following only five daily exposures to the inhalant, the induction of specific T cell mediated cytotoxicity was inhibited by 36%. Similar inhalation exposures inhibited the tumoricidal activity of activated macrophages by 86%. The data suggest that exposure to abuser levels of a nitrite inhalant compromised tumor surveillance mechanisms.
Analysis of Proton-Proton Scattering at 9.7 Mev

The Berkeley data on the 9.7-Mev differential scattering cross section have been subjected to a phase shift analysis. An $S$ phase shift in agreement with earlier work has been found, but with somewhat better precision. This value agrees with that expected from a Yukawa potential.
Association between MUC5B and TERT Polymorphisms and Different Interstitial Lung Disease Phenotypes

TERT and MUC5B polymorphisms have been associated consistently with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in recent genomewide genetic studies. However, it remains unclear how both loci contribute to the susceptibility to different entities of sporadic interstitial lung disease (ILD). We sought to test the associations of the 2 polymorphisms with IPF and non-IPF ILD entities in a white population. Associations between 2 polymorphisms in TERT (rs2736100) and MUC5B (rs35705950) and IPF or non-IPF sporadic ILD were tested using 227 patients with ILD and 689 control subjects. Genotypic data were also correlated with pulmonary functions measured in patients with ILD. As a result, rs2736100 and rs35705950 were associated significantly and independently with ILD as a single phenotype (Odds ratio [OR], 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.60; P = 2 × 10 −2 ; and OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.69–2.92; P = 7 × 10 −9 ; respectively). When considering IPF and "other ILD" (non-IPF) separately, rs35705950 had a stronger association with IPF (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.21–4.63; P = 1.2 × 10 −10 ) than with other ILD (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.22–2.42; P = 1.2 × 10 −3 ). In contrast, rs2736100 was associated with other ILD (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.11–1.85; P = 6.2 × 10 −3 ) but not with IPF (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.78–1.49; P > 0.05). Rs35705950 correlated significantly with increased pulmonary function ( P P P = 4.5 × 10 −9 ). Our study suggests that although both loci confer independent risks for ILD, rs35705950 may, in particular, contribute differentially to IPF and other ILD entities. Our study further highlights the genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of ILD.
Enantioselective Imidation of Sulfides via Enzyme-Catalyzed Intermolecular Nitrogen-Atom Transfer

Engineering enzymes with novel reaction modes promises to expand the applications of biocatalysis in chemical synthesis and will enhance our understanding of how enzymes acquire new functions. The insertion of nitrogen-containing functional groups into unactivated C–H bonds is not catalyzed by known enzymes but was recently demonstrated using engineered variants of cytochrome P450BM3 (CYP102A1) from Bacillus megaterium. Here, we extend this novel P450-catalyzed reaction to include intermolecular insertion of nitrogen into thioethers to form sulfimides. An examination of the reactivity of different P450BM3 variants toward a range of substrates demonstrates that electronic properties of the substrates are important in this novel enzyme-catalyzed reaction. Moreover, amino acid substitutions have a large effect on the rate and stereoselectivity of sulfimidation, demonstrating that the protein plays a key role in determining reactivity and selectivity. These results provide a stepping stone for engineering mor...
Surface chemistry and structure of silicon oxycarbide gels and glasses

In this study, the surface chemistry and structure of methyl-substituted silica gels and porous oxycarbide glasses were investigated. FTIR was used to measure the relative concentration of Si−CH3 and Si−OH as a function of the degree of methyl-substitution and the pyrolysis temperature. The gels and glasses were further heated, dehydrated or hydrated, in situ, within the FTIR spectrometer. In the temperature range of 800–850°C, high surface area oxycarbide glasses were created with no detectable surface hydroxyl groups. Oxycarbide glasses synthesized in argon at 700°C displayed a weak band for surface hydroxyl groups and reversible physisorption of water, while those synthesized at 850/900°C showed a complete absence of surface hydroxyl groups and the formation of vicinal silanols upon chemisorption of water. Isolated silanols were observed upon heat treatment in vacuum. Formation of aromatic carbon species was found to correlate with the decomposition of the methyl groups. The oxycarbide surface is quite stable to densification (presumably due to elemental carbon on the pore surfaces). In the absence of oxygen, porous silicon oxycarbide glass powders maintain surface areas >200 m2/g at 1200°C. However, oxidizing species in the atmosphere deplete the aromatic carbon species, and the glasses lose surface area.
The effect of hydrogen on the surface segregation of phosphorus in epitaxially grown relaxed Si0.7Ge0.3 films by rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition

The surface segregation of phosphorus in relaxed Si0.7Ge0.3 epitaxial films grown on Si (100) substrates by rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition was investigated in this letter. The effect of the growth temperature on phosphorus segregation was studied experimentally and examined using a two-state model. As the growth temperature is reduced, phosphorus segregation is greatly suppressed, and we report an extremely sharp phosphorus turn-off slope of 6 nm/dec at 500 °C. The sharper slopes at low temperatures are explained by a modified two-state model which includes the effect of increased surface coverage of hydrogen at low temperatures.
Intrinsic contribution of the 2′-hydroxyl to RNA conformational heterogeneity

Canonical duplex RNA assumes only the A-form conformation at the secondary structure level while, in contrast, a wide range of noncanonical, tertiary conformations of RNA occur. Here, we show how the 2′-hydroxyl controls RNA conformational properties. Quantum mechanical calculations reveal that the orientation of the 2′-hydroxyl significantly alters the intrinsic flexibility of the phosphodiester backbone, favoring the A-form in duplex RNA when it is in the base orientation and facilitating sampling of a wide range of noncanonical, tertiary structures when it is in the O3′ orientation. Influencing the orientation of the 2′-hydroxyl are interactions with the environment, as evidenced by crystallographic survey data, indicating the 2′-hydroxyl to sample more of the O3′ orientation in noncanonical RNA structures. These results indicate that the 2′-hydroxyl acts as a “switch”, both limiting the conformation of RNA to the A-form at the secondary structure level and allowing RNA to sample a wide range of noncan...
VIDEOPLACE—an artificial reality

The human-machine interface is generalized beyond traditional control devices to permit physical participation with graphic images. The VIDEOPLACE System combines a participant's live video image with a computer graphic world. It also coordinates the behavior of graphic objects and creatures so that they appear to react to the movements of the participant's image in real-time. A prototype system has been implemented and a number of experiments with aesthetic and practical implications have been conducted.
Contribution of E-amino groups to ninhydrin color production in proteins

The ninhydrin color given by model compounds and by characterized proteins shows a consistent contribution from the epsilon-amino group of lysine of about 67 percent of that of an alpha-amino group, except in free lysine or in N-terminal lysine, where the epsilon-amino group makes a small contribution (7 to 10 percent) to the total color. This information can be applied to structure determination of N(epsilon) peptides of lysine.
Renal Insufficiency, Vitamin B12 Status, and Population Attributable Risk for Mild Hyperhomocysteinemia Among Coronary Artery Disease Patients in the Era of Folic Acid–Fortified Cereal Grain Flour

Abstract —Fortification of enriched cereal grain flour products with folic acid has drastically reduced the prevalence of deficient plasma folate status, a major determinant of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels. We hypothesized that even more liberally defined “suboptimal” plasma folate status might no longer contribute importantly to the population attributable risk (PAR) for mild hyperhomocysteinemia, a putative atherothrombotic risk factor. We determined fasting plasma tHcy, folate, vitamin B 12 , and pyridoxal 5′-phosphate levels, along with serum creatinine and albumin levels, in 267 consecutive patients (aged 61±9 [mean±SD] years, 76.4% men and 26.6% women) with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) who were nonusers of vitamin supplements or had abstained from supplement use for at least 6 weeks before examination. Subjects were evaluated a minimum of 3 months after the implementation of flour fortification was largely completed. Relative risk estimates for the calculation of PAR were derived from a multivariable-adjusted logistic regression model with ≥12 μmol/L tHcy as the dependent variable and with age, sex, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (continuous), albumin (continuous), 12 , and ≥1.3 mg/dL creatinine as the independent variables. The prevalence of ≥12 μmol/L plasma tHcy was 11.2% (30 of 267 patients). PAR estimates (percentage) for ≥12 μmol/L tHcy were as follows: 12 (24.5%), and ≥1.3 mg/dL creatinine (37.5%). In the era of folic acid–fortified cereal grain flour, renal insufficiency and suboptimal vitamin B 12 status (but not folate status) contribute importantly to the PAR for mild hyperhomocysteinemia among patients with stable CAD.
History slicing: assisting code-evolution tasks

Many software-engineering tasks require developers to understand the history and evolution of source code. However, today's software-development techniques and tools are not well suited for the easy and efficient procurement of such information. In this paper, we present an approach called history slicing that can automatically identify a minimal number of code modifications, across any number of revisions, for any arbitrary segment of source code at fine granularity. We also present our implementation of history slicing, Chronos, that includes a novel visualization of the entire evolution for the code of interest. We provide two experiments: one experiment automatically computes 16,000 history slices to determine the benefit brought by various levels of automation, and another experiment that assesses the practical implications of history slicing for actual developers using the technique for actual software-maintenance tasks that involve code evolution. The experiments show that history slicing offered drastic improvements over the conventional techniques in three ways: (1) the amount of information needed to be examined and traced by developers was reduced by up to three orders of magnitude; (2) the correctness of developers attempting to solve software-maintenance tasks was more than doubled; and (3) the time to completion of these software-maintenance tasks was almost halved.
Exertional heat illness and hyponatremia in hikers

We compared clinical presentation and course of exercise-associated hyponatremia with heat exhaustion among summertime hikers in Grand Canyon National Park. Cases were selected from among hikers who requested medical help from the National Park Service Emergency Medical Service (EMS) or who presented to the medical clinic on the rim of the canyon with complaints related to exercise in the heat. Of 44 patients who had serum samples analyzed, 7 had hyponatremia with clinically significant symptoms and serum sodium levels <130 mmol/L: 3 had grand mal seizures, 2 had other major central nervous system disorders, and 2 had minor neurological symptoms. Seizures and change of mental status distinguished hyponatremia, (P = 0.0002). Indirect evidence suggests that hyponatremic patients were hyperhydrated. Other common symptoms included nausea, vomiting, headache, and dizziness, but these symptoms did not predict the level of serum sodium. When exercise in the heat is prolonged, hyponatremia is suggested either by altered mental status or by seizures without hyperpyrexia or hypoglycemia. No mortality or long-term morbidity occurred in any of these cases of hyponatremia.
Effect of soil compaction on root development

Abstract Changes in soil compactness have no direct effect on root development, but indirectly affect rooting through changes in structural arrangement and cracking pattern, soil strength, total porosity, number of large pores, volumetric water content, soil hydraulic conductivity, air filled porosity, and gaseous diffusion rate. Each of these indirect effects of soil compactness changes can directly affect root development. Increasesor reductions in soil compactness usually do not occur uniformly with depth or with locations within the field. Wheel traffic will create zones of high strength in strips along the field. These compacted strips may create a root shadow effect in the subsoil, in addition to denying the plant water and nutrients located in the compacted strip. Even if root development is altered by changes in soil compactness, above-ground growth may be normal, if the plant is able to obtain sufficient water and nutrients.
Studies on the regulation of granulopoiesis. V. Effect of marrow cells on colony stimulating activity in serum

Serum obtained from irradiated mice lost its colony stimulating activity when incubated with normal marrow cells. The loss of activity appeared to be due to absorption or inactivation of the active factor in the serum rather than to production of an inhibitor by the cells.
Comparison of regional stream and lake chemistry: Differences, similarities, and potential drivers

We compared lakes and streams in northern Wisconsin to ask how regional patterns of water chemistry differed, and how ecosystem size relates to water chemistry. By applying traditional statistical approaches in novel ways, we identified factors influencing regional chemistry of lakes and streams. Chemistry differed significantly among the two ecosystem types (p 5 0.01), and two distinct variable groups were apparent. Almost two thirds of the variation in 16 constituents was associated with concentration gradients related to groundwater inputs (group 1, represented by Ca) and adjacent wetlands (group 2, represented by dissolved organic carbon [DOC]). Largest differences were observed in groundwater-associated variables. Median Ca concentrations in lakes were an order of magnitude lower than in streams (lake 5 1.43 mg L21, stream 5 12.45 mg L21), and indicate that regional lake chemistry is strongly influenced by precipitation or short groundwater flow paths, whereas streams are more affected by groundwater with substantial mineral water contact. In contrast, variables reflecting wetland influence (e.g., DOC) did not differ between streams and lakes. Despite these differences, as lake and stream size increased, their biogeochemical attributes converged, likely reflecting increased diversity of flow paths to larger systems, greater biogeochemical processing, and changes in landscape composition. Our results have identified critical differences (groundwater inputs) and similarities (organic carbon dynamics) between lakes and streams and emphasize the importance of ecosystem size in interpreting these observations at the regional scale. Studies such as this will provide essential pieces of information for regional and global biogeochemical studies of freshwater ecosystems.
Number and propagation of line outages in cascading events in electric power transmission systems

Large blackouts typically involve the cascading outage of transmission lines. We estimate from observed utility data how transmission line outages propagate, and obtain parameters of a branching process model of the propagation. We show that the branching process model is consistent with the utility data by using it to estimate the distribution of the total number of lines outages and showing that this closely matches the distribution of the total number of line outages observed in the utility data. The branching process model and the measured propagation can then be applied to predict the distribution of total number of outages for a given number of initial failures. We study how the total number of lines outages depends on the amounts of propagation as the cascade progresses. The analysis gives a new way to quantify the effect of cascading failure from standard utility data about automatic line outages.
Vitamin B12 requirement of a marine blue-green alga.

A species of Synechocystis isolated from a marine mud has an absolute requirement for vitamin B12. Analogues of B12, including cobinamide and α-(adenyl) cobamide cyanide, satisfactorily substitute for vitamin B12. Methionine alone or in combination with other compounds supports only a low level of growth.
In vitro assay to demonstrate high-level erythromycin resistance of a clinical isolate of Treponema pallidum.

We have previously demonstrated that cells of Treponema pallidum freshly extracted from infected rabbit testes can be intrinsically radiolabeled with [35 S]methionine to very high specific activities. In this study we used the inhibition of [35 S]methionine incorporation into trichloroacetic acid-precipitable protein in vitro as an assay to test the susceptibilities of three different pathogenic treponemal strains to various antibiotics. In general, the results correlated very well with the known efficacies of these antibiotics in treating human patients with syphilis. One of the strains tested, however, a clinical isolate of T. pallidum designated street strain 14, was found to exhibit high-level resistance to erythromycin and a closely related macrolide, roxithromycin (RU 965). Street strain 14 was originally isolated from a human patient with active secondary syphilis who failed to respond to erythromycin therapy. Thus, our results indicate that an erythromycin-resistant strain of T. pallidum can be responsible for erythromycin treatment failure. In addition, street strain 14 treponemes were found to be generally less susceptible by this assay to a variety of antibiotics than were treponemes of the T. pallidum Nichols strain. These findings suggest that the outer envelope of street strain 14 treponemes may be generally less permeable to antibiotics than is that of Nichols strain treponemes. Images
Evaluation of A Statistical Thermodynamic Method for Calculating the Composition Dependence of Chemical Potentials in Nonstoichiometric Zirconium Carbide

Mathematical expressions for carbon and zirconium activities in zirconium carbide are derived from a statistical thermodynamic model, on the assumption that nonstoichiometry is due to vacancies in the carbon sublattice while the zirconium sublattice remains filled. The energy term in the partition function is obtained by using a first- and second-neighbor quasi-chemical model. Values for the parameters used in the model are determined from available data as a function of composition. For C/Zr atom ratios between 0.59 and 0.85 the energy parameters are approximately composition-independent, whereas in the composition range 0.85 to 0.99 they are strongly composition-dependent. The vibrational partition functions of C and Zr in zirconium carbide are estimated and are shown to influence the value obtained for the model parameters.
Limited-Purpose Banks: Their Specialties, Performance, and Prospects

This study examines credit card banks, subprime lenders, and Internet primary banks. Although numerically these institutions make up a small share of the financial services industry, their unique products and technologies have attracted considerable attention. Insured institutions such as MBNA, Providian, and ETrade Bank are examples of limited-purpose banks specializing, respectively, in credit card services, subprime lending,and Internet banking.
Tyrosine Hydroxylase Expression in Primary Cultures of Olfactory Bulb: Role of L-Type Calcium Channels

Sensory activity mediates regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the first enzyme in the dopamine biosynthetic pathway, in the rodent olfactory bulb. The current studies established for the first time primary cultures of neonatal mouse olfactory bulb expressing TH and tested whether L-type calcium channels mediate the activity-dependent regulation of the dopamine phenotype. After 1 d in vitro (DIV), a small population of TH-immunostained neurons that lacked extensive processes could be demonstrated. After an additional 2 DIV in serum-free medium, the number of TH neurons had doubled, and they exhibited long interdigitating processes. Membrane depolarization for 48 hr with 50 mM KCl produced a further 2.4-fold increase in the number of TH-immunoreactive neurons compared with control cultures. Increased TH neuron number required at least 36 hr of exposure to KCl. Forskolin, which increases intracellular cAMP levels, induced a 1.5- to 1.6-fold increase in the number of TH-immunostained neurons. Combined treatment with KCl and forskolin was not additive. Nifedipine, an L-type calcium channel blocker, completely prevented the depolarization-mediated increase in TH expression but did not block the response to forskolin. Treatment with Bay K8644, an L-type calcium channel agonist, also significantly increased the number of TH-expressing neurons. Depolarization also induced alterations in neuritic outgrowth, resulting in a stellate versus an elongate morphology that, in contrast, was not prevented by nifedipine. These results are the first demonstration that in vitro, as in vivo, depolarization increases TH expression in olfactory bulb and that L-type calcium channels mediate this activity-dependent regulation of the dopamine phenotype.
The stem-loop binding protein (SLBP1) is present in coiled bodies of the Xenopus germinal vesicle.

The stem-loop binding protein (SLBP1) binds the 39 stem-loop of histone pre-mRNA and is required for efficient processing of histone transcripts in the nucleus. We examined the localization of SLBP1 in the germinal vesicle of Xenopus laevis oocytes. In spread preparations of germinal vesicle contents, an anti-SLBP1 antibody stained coiled bodies and specific chromosomal loci, including terminal granules, axial granules, and some loops. After injection of myc-tagged SLBP1 transcripts into the oocyte cytoplasm, newly translated myc-SLBP1 protein was detectable in coiled bodies within 4 h and in terminal and axial granules by 8 h. To identify the region(s) of SLBP1 necessary for subnuclear localization, we subcloned various parts of the SLBP1 cDNA and injected transcripts of these into the cytoplasm of oocytes. We determined that 113 amino acids at the carboxy terminus of SLBP1 are sufficient for coiled body localization and that disruption of a previously defined RNA-binding domain did not alter this localization. Coiled bodies also contain the U7 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle (snRNP), which participates in cleavage of the 39 end of histone pre-mRNA. The colocalization of SLBP1 and the U7 snRNP in the coiled body suggests coordinated control of their functions, perhaps through a larger histone-processing particle. Some coiled bodies are attached to the lampbrush chromosomes at the histone gene loci, consistent with the view that coiled bodies in the oocyte recruit histone-processing factors to the sites of histone pre-mRNA transcription. The non-histone chromosomal sites at which SLBP1 is found include the genes coding for 5 S rRNA, U1 snRNA, and U2 snRNA, suggesting a wider role for SLBP1 in the biosynthesis of small non-spliced RNAs.
A class of nonribosomal nucleolar components is located in chromosome periphery and in nucleolus-derived foci during anaphase and telophase

The subcellular location of several nonribosomal nucleolar proteins was examined at various stages of mitosis in synchronized mammalian cell lines including HeLa, 3T3, COS-7 and HIV-1 Rev-expressing CMT3 cells. Nucleolar proteins B23, fibrillarin, nucleolin and p52 as well as U3 snoRNA were located partially in the peripheral regions of chromosomes from prometaphase to early telophase. However, these proteins were also found in large cytoplasmic particles, 1–2 μm in diameter, termed nucleolus-derived foci (NDF). The NDF reached maximum numbers (as many as 100 per cell) during mid- to late anaphase, after which their number declined to a few or none during late telophase. The decline in the number of NDF approximately coincided with the appearance of prenucleolar bodies and reforming nucleoli. The HIV-1 Rev protein and a mutant Rev protein defective in its nuclear export signal were also found in the NDF. The mutant Rev protein precisely followed the pattern of localization of the above nucleolar proteins, whereas the wild-type Rev did not enter nuclei until G1 phase. The nucleolar shuttling phosphoprotein Nopp 140 did not follow the above pattern of localization during mitosis: it dispersed in the cytoplasm from prometaphase through early telophase and was not found in the NDF. Although the NDF and mitotic coiled bodies disappeared from the cytoplasm at approximately the same time during mitosis, protein B23 was not found in mitotic coiled bodies, nor was p80 coilin present in the NDF. These results suggest that a class of proteins involved in preribosomal RNA processing associate with chromosome periphery and with NDF as part of a system to conserve and deliver preexisting components to reforming nucleoli during mitosis.