cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A perspective on the role of quantitative structure–activity and structure–property relationships in herbicide discovery

BACKGROUND: For the last 15 years the agrochemical industry has focused on using genetic modification to put genes that confer resistance to existing commercial herbicides into crop plants rather than on discovering new herbicides with novel modes of action. The widespread appearance of weeds resistant to those herbicides is now causing the industry to revive their herbicide discovery programs. RESULTS: Elucidation of quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSARs) played a major role in the discovery and development of existing commercial herbicides, but the advent of genetically modified crops has caused published work (at least) in the area to drift from the industrial arena into academic studies. The focus has also turned inward, to refining models for established herbicide targets instead of elucidating new ones. CONCLUSION: This perspective highlights the importance of QSARs and quantitative structure–property relationships (QSPRs) to herbicide discovery in an historical context and provides some guidance as to how they might profitably be applied going forward. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Multiple calvarial defects in lmx1b mutant mice

The vertebrate cranial vault, or calvaria, forms during embryonic development from cranial mesenchyme of multiple embryonic origins. Inductive interactions are thought to specify the number and location of the calvarial bones, including interactions between the neuroepithelium and cranial mesenchyme. An important feature of calvarial development is the local inhibition of osteogenic potential which occurs between specific bones and results in the formation of the cranial sutures. These sutures allow for postnatal growth of the skull to accommodate postnatal increase in brain size. The molecular genetic mechanisms responsible for the patterning of individual calvarial bones and for the specification of the number and location of sutures are poorly understood at the molecular genetic level. Here we report on the function and expression pattern of the LIM-homeodomain gene, lmx1b, during calvarial development. Lmx1b is expressed in the neuroepithelium underlying portions of the developing skull and in cranial mesenchym which contributes to portions of the cranial vault. Lmx1b is essential for proper patterning and morphogenesis of the calvaria since the supraoccipital and interparietal bones of lmx1b mutant mice are either missing or severely reduced. Moreover, lmx1b mutant mice have severely abnormal sutures between the frontal, parietal, and interparietal bones. Our results indicate that lmx1b is required for multiple events in calvarial development and suggest possible genetic interaction with other genes known to regulate skull development and suture formation. Dev. Genet. 22:314–320, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ciclosporin therapy for canine generalized discoid lupus erythematosus refractory to doxycycline and niacinamide

Background Generalized discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is an autoimmune skin disease variant rarely reported in dogs. The antimalarial immunomodulator hydroxychloroquine has been suggested as maintenance therapy for generalized DLE in one dog, but several recurrences were noted in the 1 year follow-up of that patient. Hypothesis/Objective To describe the effective treatment of generalized DLE with ciclosporin in one dog. Animal A 6-year-old, castrated male crossbred dog was presented with pruritic, well-demarcated annular to polycyclic, hyperpigmented plaques with marginal erythema on the dorsal head, neck, trunk and medial extremities; these had been nonresponsive to treatment with doxycycline and niacinamide. Methods Investigation included complete blood count, serum chemistry profile, urinalysis, serum antinuclear antibody test, histopathological examination and direct immunofluorescence testing of skin biopsies. Results The presence of lymphocyte-rich interface dermatitis on histology, together with generalized chronic recurrent hyperpigmented plaques, was consistent with the diagnosis of a generalized variant of DLE. The absence of systemic signs and unremarkable laboratory tests excluded concurrent systemic lupus erythematosus. Treatment was initiated with oral dexamethasone and ciclosporin. After 1 month, dexamethasone was discontinued and oral ketoconazole was added to the therapeutic regimen. Four months later, pruritus and erythema resolved, with most skin lesions becoming impalpable. Over the last 6 months, the patient's DLE was maintained in remission with oral ciclosporin and ketoconazole in combination every 3 days. Conclusions and clinical importance The combination of ciclosporin and ketoconazole appeared effective to induce and maintain lesion remission in this dog with generalized DLE.
Genome-Wide Mutagenesis of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri Reveals Novel Genetic Determinants and Regulation Mechanisms of Biofilm Formation

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) causes citrus canker disease, a major threat to citrus production worldwide. Accumulating evidence suggests that the formation of biofilms on citrus leaves plays an important role in the epiphytic survival of this pathogen prior to the development of canker disease. However, the process of Xac biofilm formation is poorly understood. Here, we report a genome-scale study of Xac biofilm formation in which we identified 92 genes, including 33 novel genes involved in biofilm formation and 7 previously characterized genes, colR, fhaB, fliC, galU, gumD, wxacO, and rbfC, known to be important for Xac biofilm formation. In addition, 52 other genes with defined or putative functions in biofilm formation were identified, even though they had not previously reported been to be associated with biofilm formation. The 92 genes were isolated from 292 biofilm-defective mutants following a screen of a transposon insertion library containing 22,000 Xac strain 306 mutants. Further analyses indicated that 16 of the novel genes are involved in the production of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 7 genes are involved in signaling and regulatory pathways, and 5 genes have unknown roles in biofilm formation. Furthermore, two novel genes, XAC0482, encoding a haloacid dehalogenase-like phosphatase, and XAC0494 (designated as rbfS), encoding a two-component sensor protein, were confirmed to be biofilm-related genes through complementation assays. Our data demonstrate that the formation of mature biofilm requires EPS, LPS, both flagellum-dependent and flagellum-independent cell motility, secreted proteins and extracellular DNA. Additionally, multiple signaling pathways are involved in Xac biofilm formation. This work is the first report on a genome-wide scale of the genetic processes of biofilm formation in plant pathogenic bacteria. The report provides significant new information about the genetic determinants and regulatory mechanism of biofilm formation.
Shared vision and autonomous motivation vs. financial incentives driving success in corporate acquisitions

Successful corporate acquisitions require its managers to achieve substantial performance improvements in order to sufficiently cover acquisition premiums, the expected return of debt and equity investors, and the additional resources needed to capture synergies and accelerate growth. Acquirers understand that achieving the performance improvements necessary to cover these costs and create value for investors will most likely require a significant effort from mergers and acquisitions (M&A) management teams. This understanding drives the common and longstanding practice of offering hefty performance incentive packages to key managers, assuming that financial incentives will induce in-role and extra-role behaviors that drive organizational change and growth. The present study debunks the assumptions of this common M&A practice, providing quantitative evidence that shared vision and autonomous motivation are far more effective drivers of managerial performance than financial incentives.
A CUDA-MPI Hybrid Bitonic Sorting Algorithm for GPU Clusters

We present a hybrid CUDA-MPI sorting algorithm that makes use of GPU clusters to sort large data sets. Our algorithm has two phases. In the first phase each node sorts a portion of the data on its GPU using a parallel bitonic sort. In the second phase the sorted subsequences are merged together in parallel using a reduction sorting network implemented in MPI across the cluster nodes. Performance results comparing our sorting algorithm to sequential quick sort yield speed-up values of up to 9.8 for sorting 4GB of data on a 32 node GPU cluster. We anticipate even better speed-up values using our algorithm on larger data sets and larger sized clusters.
Addressing Couples’ Sexuality Concerns During the Childbearing Period: Use of the PLISSIT Model

During pregnancy, a couple may benefit from discussing sexuality concerns with a nurse. Couples indicate they do not receive this support, and frequently nurses state they do not have the knowledge, time, or skills to provide patient education regarding sexuality. The PLISSIT model provides a framework for developing and implementing interventions to assist clients in maintaining their sexual relationship throughout the childbearing experience.
Effect of a Stabilized Microbubble Echo Contrast Agent on Hemolysis of Human Erythrocytes Exposed to High Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound

Microbubble contrast agents have been shown to enhance ultrasonic cell lysis in vitro when exposed to continuous-wave ultrasound having spatial peak temporal average (SPTA) intensities of a few W/cm2. The response is strongly dependent upon the hematocrit (HCT) of the cell sample; detectable cell lysis essentially disappears as the HCT approaches 5%-10%. This study was conducted to determine whether high intensity pulsedsound is an effective lytic agent in the presence of preexisting potential cavitation nuclei (Albunex® contrast agent). Human erythrocytes weresuspended in autologous plasma to HCTs ranging from 1%–40%. Suspensions were exposed or sham exposed for 60 seconds to focused, pulsed ultrasound. The pulse duration was 1 msec, and the pulse repetition frequency was 20 Hz. The pressure amplitudes, spatial peak pulse average (SPPA) intensity, and SPTA intensity were 4.7 MPa peak positive pressure, -2.7 MPa peak negative pressure, 420 W/cm2, and 8.5 /cm2, respectively. Samples were exposed to ultrasound in a dialysis membrane exposure vessel rotating at 200 rpm. When included in the erythrocyte samples, the Albunex concentration was 35 μL/mL suspension. Significant ultrasound-induced hemolysis in the absence of Albunex was observed only at the lowest HCT value tested (1%). In the presence of Albunex significant cell lysis was observed at all tested HCT values. The relative fraction of cells lysed by the combination of ultrasound exposure and Albunex diminished with increasing HCT, but the number of cells lysed per sample was nearly constant over the range of 5%–40% HCT. The ultrasound exposure parameters used in this study differ substantially from those associated with diagnostic imaging equipment; it is not valid to infer from the present results that the use of Albunex in diagnostic applications will induce or enhance hemolysis in vivo.
Abstract 2: Naked CanScript, an 18-base pair sequence, has tumor cell-specific promoter activity in vivo: Implications for targeted gene therapy

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC The MSLN gene encodes mesothelin and is highly active in several human malignancies including ovarian, pancreatic, bronchial, gastroesophageal, cervical, endometrial, and biliary carcinomas. The high cancer cell-specific activity of MSLN is attributable to an 18-bp upstream enhancer, CanScript, which selectively elevates transcription upon binding of TEF-1, a transcription enhancer factor, to a MCAT motif. It has previously been shown that three concatemerized copies of CanScript produce a 30-fold enhancement over a SV40 minimal promoter in MSLN-expressing cancer cells (Cancer Res. 2007 Oct 1;67(19):9055-65). To determine whether incorporation of CanScript into gene constructs may have application in enhancing activity of promoters used in cancer-targeting gene therapy strategies, we generated several luciferase reporter gene constructs having different cell type-specific promoters (MSLN, HE-4, PSA) and different copy numbers of CanScript (1X, 2X, 3X, 6X). We transfected multiple cell lines, including MSLN+ (ovarian and pancreatic) and MSLN− (liver, lung, and prostate) tumor cells, with these DNA constructs, and measured luciferase activity 48 hrs later. To replicate an in vivo therapeutic setting, we used nanoparticles to deliver the constructs to the peritoneal space of healthy and ovarian-tumor bearing mice, and measured gene expression in tumors and multiple organs by optical imaging. Surprisingly, we determined that an 18-bp CanScript sequence activates gene expression in a cell-specific manner in the absence of any other promoter sequence, and that amplification of CanScript in combination with either the MSLN or HE4 promoter sequences, i.e., two gene promoters that are highly active in ovarian cancer cells, significantly enhances their activity proportional to the number of copies of CanScript, in MSLN+ cells, including MSLN+ HE4− pancreatic cells, but has little effect in MSLN− cells. These results support the use of CanScript when increased, specific gene expression is desired to improve therapeutic efficacy in tumor cells in which MSLN is highly active. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2.
F-18 FDG PET/CT imaging of submandibular gland oncocytoma.

Abstract:F-18 FDG PET/CT is used to evaluate head and neck malignancies, including salivary gland tumors. We describe the FDG PET/CT features of a submandibular gland oncocytoma. An 85-year-old patient with small cell cancer of the lung and a history of squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip was e
Poisoning on an industrial scale

Are industrial chemicals a major cause of cancer? Trying to prove the case is a bitter but fascinating story, finds Dan Fagin
Function of domains of human O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase.

O6-Alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) is an important DNA repair protein that protects from alkylating agents by converting O6-alkylguanine to guanine forming S-methylcysteine in the AGT protein. The crystal structure of human AGT shows clearly the presence of two domains. The N-terminal domain contains a bound zinc atom, and zinc binding confers a mechanistic enhancement to repair activity, but this domain has no known function. The C-terminal domain contains all residues so far implicated in alkyl transfer including the cysteine acceptor site (Cys145), the O6-alkylguanine binding pocket, and a DNA binding domain. We have expressed and purified the two domains of human AGT separately. The C-terminal domain was totally inactive in vitro, but good activity forming S-alkylcysteine at Cys145 was obtained after recombination with the N-terminal domain via a freeze−thawing procedure. This suggests that the N-terminal domain plays a critical structural role in maintaining an active configuration of the C-t...
TFT LCD development and projection display consortium in Taiwan

The emerging market of combining computer and consumer electronics technologies has resulted in the progress of projection display design. TFT LCD, which has been primarily driven by notebook PC applications, has become a critical component in achieving low cost high performance projection display. Requirements of TFT LCD needed to design LC projector are discussed. Taking advantage of the strength of information industry in Taiwan, a national TFT LCD program aiming to establish LCD industry in Taiwan is supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). Four companies, including one CRT maker, one computer maker, and two material manufacturers, join the program as early technology licensees. Both (alpha) -Si and poly-Si technologies are used to develop TFT LCD panels. Under a separate MOEA R&D program, ITRI engineers are developing LC projection displays for NTSC, VGA, and HDTV applications. This program is participated by five consumer electronics makers in Taiwan. First product supporting NTSC and VGA applications has been developed and under sampling by these companies. High definition projector development is now under way.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On the Ultraviolet-bright Phase of Metal-rich Horizontal-Branch Stars

We consider the origin of the UV-bright phase of metal-rich helium-burning stars, the slow blue phase (SBP) that was predicted by various earlier works. Based on improved physics including OPAL opacities, which is the same physics that was used in the construction of the new Yale Isochrones, we confirm the existence of the SBP. In addition to our grid of evolutionary tracks, we provide an analytical understanding of the main characteristics of the SBP phenomenon. The SBP is slow because it is a slow-evolving, helium-shell-burning phase that is analogous to the early asymptotic giant branch phase. The SBP of a more metal-rich star is slower than a metal-poor counterpart if they have the same Teff because a more metal-rich helium-burning star has a smaller mass than a metal-poor one and because lifetime increases as mass decreases. Metal-rich helium-burning stars easily become hot because the luminosity from the hydrogen-burning shell is extremely sensitive to the mean molecular weight μ, whereas the luminosity from the helium-burning core is not. Under the assumption of a positive ΔY/ΔZ, helium abundance plays the most important role in governing μ, and thus Dorman et al. found that the SBP occurs only when Y 0.4 when ΔY/ΔZ 0. We suggest that the SBP phenomenon is a major cause of the UV upturn phenomenon in giant elliptical galaxies, as will be shown in subsequent papers. The new HB tracks can be retrieved from S. Y.'s web site http://shemesh.gsfc.nasa.gov/astronomy.html.
STUDY OF PHOTOLUMINESCENCE IN GLASS

The influence of composition and temperature on the fluorescence of glasses containing uranium and glasses containing cuprous oxide and stannous oxide was investigated. Secondary cations reduce the fluorescence of uranium in the glasses studied, depending to a certain extent on the electrostatic conditions they produce in the glass structure. The intensity of fluorescence as well as the structure of the spectrum diminishes in the order of phosphate, silicate, and borate glasses of equivalent compositions, which shows that fluorescence is favored by increase of oxygen in the glass structure without increasing the interfering secondary cations. Raising the temperature greatly diminishes the intensity of the fluorescence as well as the structure of the spectrum of glasses containing uranium. The fluorescence of the glasses containing cuprous oxide and stannous oxide as activators seems to be favored by increase in lime and increase in silica. These glasses possess appreciable phosphorescence, which appears to be enhanced by increase in silica and decrease in lime. A peculiar property of this type of luminescent glass is a maximum which it exhibits in its fluorescence-temperature relation-ship. There are indications that electrons are set free from the excited centers (copper atoms or small groups of copper atoms), which wander about in the glass structure.
Parents' and students' perceptions of college alcohol risk: the role of parental risk perception in intentions to communicate about alcohol.

Abstract Introduction The current study aims to examine discrepancies in parents' and college students' perceptions of alcohol risk and the role of perceived risk in predicting parents' intentions to discuss alcohol with their child. Methods In total, 246 college student–parent dyads (56.1% female students, 77.2% mothers) were recruited from a mid-size university. Participants completed measures of absolute likelihood, comparative likelihood, and severity of alcohol consequences. Results In comparison to students, parents perceived the risks of alcohol poisoning (p Conclusions Providing parents of college students with information about college drinking norms and the likelihood of alcohol consequences may help prompt alcohol-related communication.
Binding of pyruvate oxidase α-peptide to phospholipid vesicles

Abstract The α-peptide of pyruvate oxidase is a 23 residue peptide which is cleaved from the carboxy terminus of the enzyme during proteolytic activation by chymotrypsin (M. Recny et al. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260 , 14287–14291). Cleavage of α-peptide results in the loss of the high affinity lipid-binding site in the enzyme. The β-peptide of pyruvate oxidase is a 101 residue peptide which also is cleaved from the carboxy terminus of pyruvate oxidase. Cleavage of the β-peptide from pyruvate oxidase results in the inactivation of the enzyme. The β-peptide includes the α-peptide amino acid sequences at its carboxyl terminus. We now report on the binding of the α- and β-peptides to phospholipid vesicles. Both peptides bind with equal and high affinity to phosphatidylcholine vesicles. We conclude from these results that the α-peptide furnishes the membrane-binding site which plays the physiologically important role in the activation of this peripheral membrane enzyme.
Evidence for a rhythm perception deficit in children who stutter.

Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the timing and rhythmic flow of speech production. When speech is synchronized with an external rhythmic pacing signal (e.g., a metronome), even severe stuttering can be markedly alleviated, suggesting that people who stutter may have difficulty generating an internal rhythm to pace their speech. To investigate this possibility, children who stutter and typically-developing children (n = 17 per group, aged 6–11 years) were compared in terms of their auditory rhythm discrimination abilities of simple and complex rhythms. Children who stutter showed worse rhythm discrimination than typically-developing children. These findings provide the first evidence of impaired rhythm perception in children who stutter, supporting the conclusion that developmental stuttering may be associated with a deficit in rhythm processing.
Catalytic reductive carboncarbon bond-forming reactions of alkynes

Enantioselective nickel/phosphine-catalyzed reductive coupling of alkynes and aldehydes provides rapid access to synthetically useful allylic alcohols with high enantiomeric excess. A related reaction involving epoxides is enantiospecific, transforming alkynes and chiral terminal epoxides into enantiomerically pure homoallylic alcohols containing a trisubstituted olefin of defined geometry. A gram-scale example of each of these processes is described.
Effects of male age and cervical proprioceptors on sexual aerial pursuit by male flesh flies, Neobellieria bullata (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Information from multiple sensory systems is likely combined to provide guidance for male muscoid flies engaged in aerial pursuit of females. To specify the female’s position to the thoracic flight motor, head-centered visual information should be integrated with propriosensory information about head position relative to the thorax because the flies’ heads are flexible around the neck. Head position is encoded by a proprioceptive organ in the ventral neck membrane. We determined in the flesh fly Neobellieria bullata (Sarcophagidae) that accurate propriosensory information is necessary for aerial capture of females by shaving mechanosensory hairs from the organ in male flies and competing them against their sham operated brothers in pursuits of virgin females. We also determined that normal male flies are not successful at capturing females until the second day post-eclosion.
Consistency among methods of assessing concerns about the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

In making environmental remediation and restoration decisions, risk assessors and managers need to take into account the environmental concerns of people living around an industrial facility, as well as those residing in the general region. Yet such information is usually anecdotal rather than quantitative, and rarely compares perceptions among different alternatives methods. The concerns of individuals living in Santa Fe, NM, near the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) were characterized. On an open-ended question, the public's greatest concerns were for contamination (35%), ecological health (16%), and human health (14%). When asked to rate their level of concern from a list of possible concerns, people rated accidents/spills and storage of additional nuclear material the highest, and changes in property values the lowest. Unexpectedly, ethnicity, education, and income did not explain variations in ratings for most concerns about LANL. There was generally agreement between the ...
Should normality be a normal assumption

Abstract The consistency of agricultural economic data with a normal data-generating process is examined using a collection of residuals from separate data sets. The conclusion reached is that a large proportion of agricultural economic data is inconsistent with the assumption of normality.
Distribution of plankton, particles, and hydrographic features across Georges Bank described using the Video Plankton Recorder

Abstract It is well known that plankton abundance is highly variable over a broad range of scales. Conventional sampling with nets, pumps, and bottles is discrete and covers only a small portion of the total variance spectrum. Development of the Video Plankton Recorder (VPR) has enabled us to quantify the abundance of seston and plankton, including delicate taxa, over a range of scales from centimeters to hundreds of kilometers. During the 1994–1995 GLOBEC Georges Bank field years, three VPR surveys were conducted across the bank from the Slope Water in the south to the Gulf of Maine in the north, a distance of ∼200 km. The surveys, conducted in June 1994, January 1995, and March 1995, intersected at least four distinct water types (Slope Water, stratified bank water, well-mixed bank water, Gulf of Maine water) and crossed several frontal boundaries (shelf break front, tidal front, Gulf of Maine front). The Video Plankton Recorder was equipped with temperature, conductivity, fluorescence, and transmissivity probes in addition to two video cameras, permitting comparison of the plankton and particle distributions with the physical fields. Only data collected using the low-magnification camera are considered here. A combination of analytical methods including temperature–salinity–plankton plots and statistical analyses (spatial variance spectra, principle component analysis, and correlation analysis) revealed that the distribution of taxa and particles were associated with particular water mass types but that smaller-scale variability in plankton abundance did not appear to be tightly coupled to or correlated with hydrography. The distributions and seasonal progression in abundance of Calanus finmarchicus , the most abundant plankton taxon, revealed a deep dwelling population in the Slope Water and shallower populations on the bank and in the Gulf of Maine in January with abundance becoming increasingly greater on the bank in March and June. The data indicate that physical advection of water mass types and intrinsic plankton was important to the establishment of Calanus populations on Georges Bank.
Thin-Film High Voltage Capacitors on Ultra-Thin Glass for Electric Drive Vehicle Inverter Applications

The propulsion system in most Electric Drive Vehicles (EDVs) requires an internal combustion engine in combination with an alternating current (AC) electric motor. An electronic device called a power inverter converts battery DC voltage into AC power for the motor. The inverter must be decoupled from the DC source, so a large DC-link capacitor is placed between the battery and the inverter. The DC-link capacitors in these inverters negatively affect the inverters size, weight and assembly cost.
When Biographical Narratives Disagree: the Death of Krsna Caitanya

The conflicting death narratives of Krsna Caitanya (1486-1533), who was the inspiration for the Vaisnava movement of Bengal, provide insights into the way members of a believing community reveal historical information about themselves and the way that they think, rather than about their ostensible subject. According to the mainstrean theologians of this group, it is improper to speak of Caitanya's death because he is Krsna, svayam bhagavān, and as such he only descends to earth and ascends back to heaven. Four of the hagiographers underscore this by refusing to speak of the event, making clear that it carries no soteriological significance. Fourteen other authors, however, provide four alternatives: Caitanya disappears into the temple of Jagannātha, into the temple of Gopīnātha, or into the waters of the sea, or he dies from a foot infection. In spite of the obvious differences, the surface narratives follow a distinct pattern of action: devotional action, transition or separation in the locale of an axis mundi, and reintegration to heaven. The pattern, in turn, parallels basic Gaudiya Vaisnava conceptions of ontology, the steps of devotional sādhana, and the progression of devotional consciousness, which suggests that the tripartite structure is more than a coincidence, that it is endemic to their conceptual worlds. Because all of these explicit narratives curtail Caitanya's divinity by depicting his death, they are theologically heterodox, yet the underlying pattern demonstrates that their vision is conditioned by conceptualizations consistent with orthodox thought.
Adherence to yoga and exercise interventions in a 6-month clinical trial.

Background To determine factors that predict adherence to a mind-body intervention in a randomized trial.
Observations and implications on the migration of calmodulin in a two‐dimensional gel system

These studies investigated the effect of calcium on the migration of calmodulin in a two-dimensional (2-D) gel system. As reported for one-dimensional gels, calmodulin migrates on 2-D gels primarily as a 21 kDa protein in the presence of 0.1 mM EDTA, and as a 15 kDa protein in the presence of 0.1 mM CaCl2. However, under basal conditions (i.e., neither EDTA nor calcium added to the buffer system), calmodulin migrates on a 2-D gel as a doublet of 20.3 and 18.7 kDa. These results suggest that sufficient residual calcium may be present in one (or more) of the standard laboratory reagents used in running 2-D gels to produce this unique migration pattern for calmodulin. These results may also have implications for the migration of other proteins on 2-D gels.
Dynamic response of rigid tanks with inhomogeneous liquids

A study of the response to horizontal ground shaking of a rigid cylindrical tank containing an inviscid liquid with a continuous vertical variation in density is presented. In addition to the free vibrational sloshing characteristics of the liquid, the responses examined include the vertical displacements at the free surface, and the impulsive and convective components of the hydrodynamic wall pressures and associated tank forces. The equations of motion for the system are formulated for an arbitrary variation in liquid density but the solutions presented are for a density that increases exponentially from top to bottom. Comprehensive numerical data are included which elucidate the underlying response mechanisms and the effects and relative importance of the various parameters involved. The solution for the continuous density variation considered herein is also compared with a previously reported solution in which the liquid was modelled as a multi-layered, discrete system.
Probabilistic 0–1-h Convective Initiation Nowcasts that Combine Geostationary Satellite Observations and Numerical Weather Prediction Model Data

AbstractThe Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R convective initiation (CI) algorithm predicts CI in real time over the next 0–60 min. While GOES-R CI has been very successful in tracking nascent clouds and obtaining cloud-top growth and height characteristics relevant to CI in an object-tracking framework, its performance has been hindered by elevated false-alarm rates, and it has not optimally combined satellite observations with other valuable data sources. Presented here are two statistical learning approaches that incorporate numerical weather prediction (NWP) input within the established GOES-R CI framework to produce probabilistic forecasts: logistic regression (LR) and an artificial-intelligence approach known as random forest (RF). Both of these techniques are used to build models that are based on an extensive database of CI events and nonevents and are evaluated via cross validation and on independent case studies. With the proper choice of probability thresholds, both the...
Analysis of the Conformation and Function of the Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite Proteins MTRAP and PTRAMP

Thrombospondin repeat (TSR)-like domains are structures involved with cell adhesion. Plasmodium falciparum proteins containing TSR domains play crucial roles in parasite development. In particular, the preerythrocytic P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein is involved in hepatocyte invasion. The importance of these domains in two other malaria proteins, the merozoite-specific thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (MTRAP) and the thrombospondin-related apical membrane protein (PTRAMP), were assessed using near-full-length recombinant proteins composed of the extracellular domains produced in Escherichia coli. MTRAP is thought to be released from invasive organelles identified as micronemes during merozoite invasion to mediate motility and host cell invasion through an interaction with aldolase, an actin binding protein involved in the moving junction. PTRAMP function remains unknown. In this study, the conformation of recombinant MTRAP (rMTRAP) appeared to be a highly extended protein (2 nm by 33 nm, width by length, respectively), whereas rPTRAMP had a less extended structure. Using an erythrocyte binding assay, rMTRAP but not rPTRAMP bound human erythrocytes; rMTRAP binding was mediated through the TSR domain. MTRAP- and in general PTRAMP-specific antibodies failed to inhibit P. falciparum development in vitro. Altogether, MTRAP is a highly extended bifunctional protein that binds to an erythrocyte receptor and the merozoite motor.
The role of epidermal growth factor-like module containing mucin-like hormone receptor 2 in human cancers

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are among the most diverse and ubiquitous proteins in all of biology. The epidermal growth factor-seven span transmembrane (EGF-TM7) subfamily of adhesion GPCRs is a small subset whose members are mainly expressed on the surface of leukocytes. The EGF domains on the N-terminus add significant size to these receptors and they are considered to be among the largest members of the TM7 family. Although not all of their ligands or downstream targets have been identified, there is evidence implicating the EGF-TM7 family diverse processes such as cell adhesion, migration, inflammation, and autoimmune disease. Recent studies have identified expression of EGF-TM7 family members on human neoplasms including those of the thyroid, stomach, colon, and brain. Their presence on these tissues is not surprising given the ubiquity of GPCRs, but because their functional significance and pathways are not completely understood, they are of tremendous clinical and scientific interest. Current evidence suggests that expression of certain EGF-TM7 receptors is correlated with tumor grade, confers a more invasive phenotype, and increases the likelihood of metastatic disease. In this review, we will discuss the structure, function, and regulation of these receptors. We also describe the expression of these receptors in human cancers and explore their potential mechanistic significance.
Multifactorial basis of the syndrome of diabetic embryopathy.

Objective: The aim of the current paper is to explore the multifactorial basis of diabetes-induced embryopathy. Method: A review of the literature regarding congenital malformations was undertaken to elucidate new advances in our understanding of diabetic embryopathy. Data from both clinical and experimental studies were collected and analyzed. Results: Numerous investigators have demonstrated that hyperglycemia and other metabolic fuels produce teratogenic effects during organogenesis. However, the exact mechanism(s) involved have not been completely elucidated. We and others have shown that aberrant metabolic fuels including hyperglycemia and hyperketonemia are teratogenic and that these effects occur via the yolk sac which appears to be the target site of injury. Other proposed etiologic factors include nutrient deficient states in membrane lipids such as arachidonic acid and myo-inositol as well as the generation of excess free oxygen radicals. This review highlights the multiple theories that have been proposed and summarizes the experimental and clinical data which support a multifactorial basis. Conclusions: Evidence suggests that although the teratogenic process in the diabetic pregnancy is multifactorial, it may operate via a common pathway. Prevention of malformations in offspring of diabetic rats is achieved by glycemic control during organogenesis. Similar results may be obtained in a hyperglycemic state, provided there is restoration of essential fatty acid/phospholipid deficiency state and normalization of excess free radicals which may be achieved through dietary supplementation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, myo-inositol, or antioxidants. The latter approach offers great promise as an adjunct to periconceptional glycemic control and as a dietary prophylaxis against the syndrome of diabetic embryopathy.
Assessing diagnostic criteria for active infective endocarditis

Abstract A study was performed to describe agreement among experts on their classification of patients, in the absence of information concerning risk factors, as to the presence of infective endocarditis (IE). The study also assessed the clinical characteristics that enabled the experts to determine that a patient had IE. All patients with a discharge diagnosis of IE were identified prospectively from 54 hospitals in the Delaware Valley over a 3-year period. Patients were part of a case-control study of risk factors for IE. Three infectious disease experts independently reviewed abstracted hospital records and classified each of 151 eligible patients as a definite, probable or possible case, or a probable now case, both based on clinical judgment and using a modified standard definition. Experts were more likely to classify a patient as a definite case of IE on the basis of clinical judgment than by using the modified standard definition. Agreement between reviewers was 92 to 95% when they were distinguishing only probable non-cases from others. Agreement between reviewers on specific categories was lower (40 to 58%). The number of positive blood cultures was a strong predictor of a patient's being classified as a case, as was the type of infecting organism. It is concluded that experts are willing to make a definitive diagnosis of IE on the basis of blood culture information alone. Further supporting evidence, such as the presence of vegetation on an echocardiogram, is needed when blood culture results are ambiguous.
Employee Perceptions Of The Environmental Risk: Maquila Industries On The Mexico-U.S. Border

The Mexican maquila (assembly-for-export) industry has been involved in four main environmental risk areas of concern that affect residents of the border; these risks are: waterpollution, waste-management, air-pollution and water-availability. Our study shows a descriptive evaluation for the employees and/or supervisors perceptions of the environmental risk represented by their maquila industries located in the Mexican-U.S. border city of Nuevo-Laredo; where, its expected labor-force for year 2008 (an estimate of 24,480 employees) has been experiencing some reductions mainly due to the high cost of energy supplies and because some maquilas have emigrated to China. Furthermore, an estimate of 61.0% of these maquila’s employees perceive an appropriate level of application of environmental laws. Although the majority of the maquila industry (80.5%) at this border city possesses production-quality certifications, merely an estimate of 17.1% of such industrial-units (maquilas) have an international environmental-quality certification (ISO14000). The majority of the interviewed labor personnel agreed that an ISO14000 system in combination with any environmental risk reduction plan is the most effective strategy to prevent and minimize pollution.
The automated analysis of catecholamines: An improved procedure for the simultaneous differential analysis of epinephrine and norepinephrine in tissues, blood and gland perfusates☆

Abstract The automated method of Andersson et al. (2) for the determination of epinephrine and norepinephrine in urine has been modified to allow the simultaneous quantitation of the two amines in a sample during a single run through the AutoAnalyzer. The differentiation of epinephrine and norepinephrine was based on the use of two stabilizing agents and oxidation of the catecholamines at two quite different pHs. As a result epinephrine could be measured directly from the recorded fluorescence peak. Norepinephrine fluorescence was accompanied by a minimal contamination by epinephrine fluorescence, amounting to less than 4% of the total fluorescence. The method has been applied to the determination of the amines in tissues, adrenal vein blood, and perfused adrenal effluents.
The impact of Health Communication research on cancer survivorship.

Cancer survivors, especially breast and prostate cancer survivors, are living productively many years post completion of treatment. Yet survivorship is known to be coupled with prevalent physical a...
A novel nuclear export signal in Smad1 is essential for its signaling activity.

To investigate the subcellular distributions of Smad proteins, the intracellular mediators of transforming growth factor-β family cytokines, we examined their sequences for nuclear export signals (NES). We found a leucine-rich NES-like motif (termed NES2) in the central linker region of the receptor-regulated Smads that is absent from the other two classes of Smads (Co-Smads and I-Smads). In microinjection assays, NES2 peptide caused nuclear export of a fused glutathione S-transferase protein. Mutations in NES2 converted Smad1 from an even distribution throughout the cells into an exclusive nuclear localization in both transiently and stably expressing cell lines, and this nuclear enrichment was more pronounced than that induced by mutations in NES1. Furthermore, overexpression of CRM1, the cellular export receptor, transforms Smad1 into a mostly cytoplasmic profile by enhancing its nuclear export. The Smad1 NES2 mutant but not the Smad1 NES1 mutant is mostly resistant to this cytoplasmic targeting, indicating that NES2, not NES1, is the major target for CRM1 in Smad1. We further confirmed the functionality of NES2 by a heterokaryon assay. The Smad1 NES1 mutant displays good ligand responsiveness and moderately lowered transcriptional activity compared with wild type Smad1. In contrast, the Smad1 NES2 mutant shows a severe disruption in reporter gene activation, minimal response to bone morphogenetic protein stimulation, and significantly lowered bone morphogenetic protein-induced phosphorylation, which may be the reason for its deficient transcription activity. Thus, we have defined a major NES in Smad1 that is essential for its ligand-induced coupling with cell surface receptors and hence, transcriptional activity. Our study, along with recent studies of the nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of Smad2 and Smad3 proteins, demonstrate that continued nucleocytoplasmic shuttling is a common requisite for the active signaling of R-Smads. Although conserved in other R-Smads such as Smad3, NES2 is not functional in these R-Smads because CRM1 overexpression fails to target them to cytoplasm. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.
Propagation of intense, ultrashort laser pulses through preionized plasma slabs

Relativistic self-focusing and channel formation induced by intense, ultrashort laser pulses in preionized targets is modeled for accessible experimental parameters. The stability of channel formation is limited by the nonparaxiality of the laser beam in regions of tight self-focusing. This issue is examined with recently developed nonparaxial theory. Channel formation is also characterized in terms of the transmitted pulse spectrum, the transmitted laser intensity profile, and the radial electron density distribution. Calculations indicate a signature spectral shift in transmission biased toward longer wavelengths, which is attributed to the rapid expulsion of electrons away from the propagation axis.
Phylogeny of Podocarpaceae: comparison of evidence from morphology and 18S rDNA.

Maximum parsimony analyses of the genera of Podocarpaceae were conducted using sequence data from 18S ribosomal DNA. Trees from sequence, morphological, and combined data differ in taxon arrangement, but are similar in that Podocarpus sensu lato and Dacrydium s.l. are unnatural, while Podocarpaceae (including Phyllocladus) are monophyletic. The clade Microcachrys 1 Microstrobos is recognized in all analyses, but its placement differs, i.e., nested among other scaleleaved taxa in the morphological analysis, but associated with Nageia and other tropical genera in the sequence analyses. Trees from combined data reflect this ambiguity. Podocarpus sensu stricto is paraphyletic according to most trees. Inferences of plesiomorphic character states within the family are largely consistent between analyses and support the view that prototypical podocarps had bifacial leaves, cones with several fertile cone scales, and large epimatia (cone scales) that covered the inverted ovules.
Treatment of Anaerobic Bacterial Infections with Clindamycin-2-Phosphate

Thirty-five patients with a variety of serious infections caused by anaerobic bacteria responded to clindamycin. Cure was achieved in 27 of the 32 patients with pleuropulmonary and intra-abdominal infections. Mean serum concentrations of clindamycin for the 8 h after intramuscular administration of clindamycin in these patients were at least 2.5 times the minimal inhibitory concentration of clindamycin for more than 90% of anaerobes. This experience suggests that clindamycin is an excellent and relatively safe antibiotic for treatment of infection caused by anaerobes when combined with surgery (when indicated) or other antibiotics active against aerobic gram-negative bacilli, if present.
Granule enzymes of polymorphonuclear neutrophils: A phylogenetic comparison

The functional significance of granule enzymes in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) is not fully understood because of the multiplicity of the enzymes and the rare occurrence of deficiencies in man. In order to select appropriate laboratory animals for functional studies, a phylogenetic comparison of enzyme levels in animal and human PMN was undertaken. Neutrophils were obtained from a variety of laboratory animals and man; the activities of alkaline phosphatase, lysozyme, myeloperoxidase, and beta-glucuronidase were determined by histochemical and analytical techniques. Marked interspecies differences in enzyme activity were found; many species were deficient in alkaline phosphatase or lysozyme. Differences in pH optima and metal requirements of alkaline phosphatase were not of sufficient magnitude to explain the variations of this enzyme.