cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluvial braidplain passing into an intertidal belt at the margin of the tethys sea in the alpine buntsandstein of the drauzug in carinthia and eastern tyrol (Austria)

The Permo-Scythian series in the Drauzug (Gailtal Alps and Lienz Dolomites) in Carinthia and Eastern Tyrol (Austria) represents a transgressive facies with transition from the denudated Variscan mountain chain via a restricted fluvial flat with braided river belts to an intertidal seam at the margin of a shallow epicontinental sea. The alluvial-fan and fluvial conglomerates and sandstones in the lower part of the sequence are progressively replaced by coastal sabkha and intertidal clastic and carbonate sediments in the upper part that pass into muddy and carbonate shallow marine deposits in the following members. Within the Permo-Scythian series which successively includes Laas Formation, Groden Formation, Alpine Buntsandstein and Werfen Formation, the Alpine Buntsandstein records the passage from fluvial gravel and sand plains to a coastal sabkha with evaporation and a marine intertidal belt. In the littoral seam, reworking of the fluvially transported and deposited detritus by coastal near-shore currents takes place. The same general setting of the transition between Permian and Triassic is present in the Northern Calcareous Alps. In the context of the whole Upper Austroalpine Unit, the depositional framework of the Scythian series in the Eastern Alps reflects the progradation of delta complexes. Successive periods of progradation produced separate delta lobes that form a complex upon stacking and coalescence. Evaporation in fluvial and sabkha flats starts with dolomite cement in alluvial sandstones in the Early Scythian and increases towards the Middle Triassic with development of gypsum beds and magnesite-bearing sandstones and mudstones. The characteristic rauhwacke layers represent collapse breccias that originated from leaching of evaporites by percolating meteoric waters in the intertidal zone. In the Scythian series of the Eastern Alps (especially in the Alpine Buntsandstein), the fluvial system is mainly active in the western and northwestern part and gives way towards the south and southeast to an intertidal and beach plain belt at the margin of the prograding Tethys Sea.
Rat liver nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles: Reassociation of residues with various types of RNA

Abstract The 35–40-S nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles previously reported to be associated with messenger RNA were extracted from rat liver nuclei at pH 8 after several extractions at pH 7 released most of the more soluble ribonucleoproteins. The protein components of the ribonucleoprotein particles were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; they were found in high concentrations in urea extracts of nuclei of normal liver and Morris hepatoma and in lower amounts in nuclear preparations of the Novikoff hepatoma ascites cells and a number of other nontumor tissues. The ribonucleoprotein particle was dissociated into an RNA fraction and ribonucleoprotein residue by treatment with 6 M urea or 1.1 M KCl. When the “residue fraction” was reassociated with various types of nuclear RNA, its affinity generally paralleled the amount of the specific ribonucleoprotein protein in the nuclear extracts. It had little affinity for nucleolar RNA, and had the highest affinity for nuclear 8–18-S RNA. Competition between liver nuclear RNA and nuclear RNA from other sources was determined, and in general, paralleled the presence of proteins of the ribonucleoprotein particle.
Safety of Retinopathy of Prematurity Examination and Imaging in Premature Infants

Objectives To describe adverse events (AEs) and noteworthy clinical or ocular findings associated with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) evaluation procedures. Study design Descriptive analysis of predefined AEs and noteworthy findings reported in a prospective observational cohort study of infants Results A total of 1257 infants, mean birth weight 802 g, had 4263 BIO and 4048 imaging sessions (total 8311 procedures). No serious AEs were related to ROP visits. Sixty-five AEs were reported among 61 infants for an AE rate of 4.9% infants (61/1257) or 0.8% total procedures (65/8311 BIO + imaging). Most AEs were due to apnea, bradycardia, and/or hypoxia (68%), tachycardia (16%), or emesis (8%). At ROP visit, infants with AEs, compared with those without, were more likely to be on mechanical ventilation (26% vs 12%, P = .04) even after adjustment for weight and postmenstrual age. Noteworthy clinical findings were reported during 8% BIO and 15% imaging examinations. Respiratory and nutrition support were not significantly different before and after ROP evaluations. Conclusions Retinal imaging by nonphysicians combined with BIO was safe. Noteworthy clinical findings occurred during both procedures. Ventilator support was a risk factor for AEs. Monitoring rates of AEs and noteworthy findings are important to the safe implementation of ROP imaging protocols. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01264276.
Plasticity in breathing and arterial blood pressure following acute intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia in infant rat pups with a partial loss of 5-HT neurons

The role of serotonin (5-HT) neurons in cardiovascular responses to acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) has not been studied in the neonatal period. We hypothesized that a partial loss of 5-HT neurons would reduce arterial blood pressure (BP) at rest, increase the fall in BP during hypoxia, and reduce the long-term facilitation of breathing (vLTF) and BP following AIH. We exposed 2-wk-old, 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine-treated and controls to AIH (10% O2; n = 13 control, 14 treated), acute intermittent hypercapnia (5% CO2; n = 12 and 11), or acute intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia (AIHH; 10% O2, 5% CO2; n = 15 and 17). We gave five 5-min challenges of AIH and acute intermittent hypercapnia, and twenty ∼20-s challenges of AIHH to mimic sleep apnea. Systolic BP (sBP), diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, heart rate (HR), ventilation (Ve), and metabolic rate (Vo2) were continuously monitored. 5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine induced an ∼35% loss of 5-HT neurons from the medullary raphe. Compared with controls, pups deficient in 5-HT neurons had reduced resting sBP (∼6 mmHg), mean arterial pressure (∼5 mmHg), and HR (56 beats/min), and experienced a reduced drop in BP during hypoxia. AIHH induced vLTF in both groups, reflected in increased Ve and Ve/Vo2, and decreased arterial Pco2. The sBP of pups deficient in 5-HT neurons, but not controls, was increased 1 h following AIHH. Our data suggest that a relatively small loss of 5-HT neurons compromises resting BP and HR, but has no influence on ventilatory plasticity induced by AIHH. AIHH may be useful for reversing cardiorespiratory defects related to partial 5-HT system dysfunction.
Regulation of interaction of the iron-responsive element binding protein with iron-responsive RNA elements.

Abstract The 5' untranslated region of the ferritin heavy-chain mRNA contains a stem-loop structure called an iron-responsive element (IRE), that is solely responsible for the iron-mediated control of ferritin translation. A 90-kilodalton protein, called the IRE binding protein (IRE-BP), binds to the IRE and acts as a translational repressor. IREs also explain the iron-dependent control of the degradation of the mRNA encoding the transferrin receptor. Scatchard analysis reveals that the IRE-BP exists in two states, each of which is able to specifically interact with the IRE. The higher-affinity state has a Kd of 10 to 30 pM, and the lower affinity state has a Kd of 2 to 5 nM. The reversible oxidation or reduction of a sulfhydryl is critical to this switching, and the reduced form is of the higher affinity while the oxidized form is of lower affinity. The in vivo rate of ferritin synthesis is correlated with the abundance of the high-affinity form of the IRE-BP. In lysates of cells treated with iron chelators, which decrease ferritin biosynthesis, a four- to fivefold increase in the binding activity is seen and this increase is entirely caused by an increase in high-affinity binding sites. In desferrioxamine-treated cells, the high-affinity form makes up about 50% of the total IRE-BP, whereas in hemin-treated cells, the high-affinity form makes up less than 1%. The total amount of IRE-BP in the cytosol of cells is the same regardless of the prior iron treatment of the cell. Furthermore, a mutated IRE is not able to interact with the IRE-BP in a high-affinity form but only at a single lower affinity Kd of 0.7 nM. Its interaction with the IRE-BP is insensitive to the sulfhydryl status of the protein.
"Invented Invaders": An Engaging Activity to Teach Characteristics Control of Invasive Species.

Invasive species, defined as exotic species that reach pest status, are major threats to global biodiversity. Although invasive species can belong to any taxonomic group, general characteristics such as rapid growth and reproduction are shared by many invasive species. “Invented Invaders” is a collaborative activity in which students invent and draw the “perfect” invasive species, made up of a combination of characteristics of actual invasive species in their geographic region. Students then list sustainable ways to control or manage the invented invader. This activity engages students and educates them about a continuing global problem while encouraging creativity and advocacy for the environment.
MODULAR FORMS AND DIOPHANTINE QUESTIONS

This article discusses many of the topics that I touched on during my Public Lecture at the National University of Singapore and my Lecture to Schools at Victoria Junior College. During the former lecture, I spoke in broad terms about the history of Fermat’s Last Theorem and about the connection between Fermat’s Last Theorem, and the conjecture—now a theorem!—to the effect that elliptic curves are related to modular forms. In my Lecture to Schools, I discussed questions that have been sent to me by students and amateur mathematicians.
Amplitude changes in response to target displacements during human eye-head movements.

Abstract Sensorimotor adaptation, the ability to adjust motor output in response to persistent changes in sensory input, is a key function of the central nervous system. Although a great deal is known about vestibulo-ocular reflex and saccadic adaptation, relatively little is known about the behavior and neural mechanisms underlying gaze adaptation when the head is free to move. In an attempt to understand the mechanisms of gaze adaptation, and constrain hypotheses concerning the locus at which changes in gaze control may be implemented, we altered the size of large, head-unrestrained gaze shifts made to visual targets by surreptitiously moving the visual target forward (30° → 60°) or backwards (60° → 30°) during gaze shifts. In our 10 human subjects, after a few hundred back-step trials, gaze amplitudes were reduced by between 6° and 27°. Similarly, after a few hundred forward adaptation trials, our subjects increased gaze amplitude by between 0° and 26°. Changes in the amplitude of primary gaze shifts occurred regardless of the particular combinations of eye and head movements that made up the amplitude-altered gaze shifts. When gaze shifts were initiated with the eyes in systematically different positions relative to the head, the resulting changes in gaze, eye and head movement amplitudes were consistent with the hypothesis that gaze adaptation occurs at the level of a gaze shift command and not by altering separately the signals that produce eye and head movements.
Alternative amendment for soluble phosphorus removal from poultry litter

Alum (aluminum sulfate) is the currently preferred chemical amendment for phosphorus (P) treatment in poultry litter (PL). Aluminum-based drinking-water treatment residuals (Al-WTRs) are the waste by-product of the drinking-water treatment process and have been effectively used to remove P from aqueous solutions, but their effectiveness in PL water extracts has not been studied in detail. Elevated cost associated with alum could be minimized by using the equally effective WTRs to remove soluble P from PL, and they can be obtained at a minimal cost from drinking-water treatment plants. We set up batch and incubation experiments to determine: (1) the effect of WTR amendment rates on PL water-extractable P (WEP) concentrations and (2) the effects of incubation time, pH, and temperature on WEP concentrations of WTR-amended PL. Removal of PL-soluble P by the WTR was biphasic, showing an initial fast reaction (60% removal within 10 min) followed by a slower reaction that was completed within 12 days (90% removal). Phosphorus removal by the WTR was unaffected by pH changes in the range of 3–8. Incubation experiments showed that all WTR rates (2.5–15 wt.%) significantly (p < 0.001) lowered WEP concentrations in PL to ~40% of the unamended PL (no WTR) at 23°C. Minimal reduction (20% of the unamended PL) in WEP concentrations for all WTR rates were observed up to 18 days, possibly due to P diffusion limitations. Increasing the temperature to 35°C resulted in overcoming such diffusion limitations by increasing P removal rate of reaction. Assuming year-round availability of adequate quantities in nearby drinking-water treatment plants, WTR may be a cost-effective treatment to reduce P availability in poultry litter. Field experiments are greatly needed in order to demonstrate the excellent performance of WTR in this laboratory-based study to remove soluble P concentrations in animal waste.
Magnesium Oil Mud Provides Gauge Hole in Bischofite / Carnallite Formations

Laboratory tests conducted to investigate the possibility of using oil muds through the Zechstein formation of the Viking field showed that diesel-oil muds formulated with sodium- and/or calcium-type emulsifiers could break down if the wrong treatment was used to counteract contamination from the solubility of magnesium minerals. However, oil-mud samples prepared with magnesium compounds offered good mud stability and did not dissolve the contaminant. Therefore, this formulation was selected for a field test on a Viking well; this paper reviews the results. Drilling data from previous wells in the area are compared with values measured on the test well. Results indicate that the magnesium oil muds can provide a gauge hole in the bischofite/carnallite zones that occur within the Zechstein formation.
Lexicon: How to Read Between the Lines: A Dictionary for Modern Administrators

(1990). Lexicon: How to Read Between the Lines: A Dictionary for Modern Administrators. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning: Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 46-47.
Micro-finance of housing: a key to housing the low or moderate-income majority?

This paper considers why most households in Latin America and the Caribbean remain unserved by traditional housing finance systems and how micro-finance potentially offers a key to help the low/moderate-income majority meet their shelter needs. The characteristics of micro-finance include small loan size for incremental upgrading of an existing dwelling or a new core unit, short repayment period, small or no subsidy, creative underwriting adapted to the conditions and prospects faced by low/moderate-income, technical assistance in documentation and building, and - sometimes - alternate forms of title as collateral. The article presents the work of the Bolivian NGO PROA as a successful case of micro-finance and draws lessons about the possible expansion of micro-finance in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Bosonization in the presence of confinement: calculation of the nucleon-nucleon interaction

We describe an extended version of the Nambu\char21{}Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model that includes a description of confinement. It is necessary to incorporate some description of confinement in order to discuss the properties of the sigma, rho, and omega mesons in the NJL model. These mesons, in addition to the pion, are the minimum needed to describe the salient features of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. In previous work we considered the relation between the bosonized NJL model and the one-boson-exchange (OBE) model of the nucleon-nucleon force. Most of our attention was given to pion and sigma exchange. We provide a review of that work and extend our discussion to a consideration of rho and omega exchange. We also present a more detailed discussion of the bosonization procedure. Our results depend upon the strength of the confining interaction. Once that is fixed, we obtain good values for the omega-nucleon coupling constant, ${\mathit{G}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}\mathit{NN}}$, and for the tensor coupling constant ${\mathit{f}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\rho}}}$, in the rho-nucleon interaction. (One limitation of the present version of the model is that the ratio ${\mathit{f}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\rho}}}$/${\mathit{g}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\rho}}}$=3.70, instead of the empirical value of ${\mathit{f}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\rho}}}$/${\mathit{g}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\rho}}}$\ensuremath{\simeq}6.1.) If we consider nucleon-nucleon scattering for relatively small momentum transfer, we obtain good results for the processes of sigma, pion, rho, and omega exchange. Remarkably, the description of pion exchange is very accurate up to ${\mathit{q}}^{2}$\ensuremath{\sim}-2 ${\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$. That is, the microscopic model reproduces the pion-exchange amplitude of the boson-exchange model over a broad range of momentum transfer when we specify a single parameter than governs the momentum-transfer dependence of the pseudoscalar-isovector form factor of the nucleon. In the other channels (\ensuremath{\sigma},\ensuremath{\rho},\ensuremath{\omega}), the nucleon form factors may be treated in the same manner. However, if we calculate the form factors in our model, we find that they are too ``soft'' to fit the OBE amplitudes away from ${\mathit{q}}^{2}$\ensuremath{\simeq}0. Further work is needed to obtain good fits for the various amplitudes for large momentum transfer, although the OBE amplitudes are well reproduced in the case of scattering at small momentum transfer (\ensuremath{\Vert}${\mathit{q}}^{2}$\ensuremath{\Vert}\ensuremath{\le}0.1 ${\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$). \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
THE UTILIZATION OF LEAKY AD-3 MUTANTS OF NEUROSPORA CRASSA IN HETEROKARYON TESTS FOR ALLELIC COMPLEMENTATION

Heterokaryon tests were made on pairwise combinations of leaky ad-3 mutants of Neurospora crassa to test for allelic complementation at the ad-3A and ad-3B loci. Since leaky mutants produce a protein, such heterokaryon tests should provide a critical test for the occurrence of allelic complementation at these two loci. A comparison was also made with similar tests on nonleaky ad-3A or ad-3B mutants. No evidence for allelic complementation was found in any pairwise combination of 28 leaky and 38 nonleaky ad-3A mutants, providing additional evidence that ad-3A is a one-complon locus. Among the ad-3B mutants the percentage of complementing mutants was 100% (50/50) among leaky mutant combinations and 2.4% (7/290) among nonleaky mutant combinations. At least 71% (25/35) of the leaky mutants had different complementation patterns. The matrix of heterokaryon tests on the leaky mutant combinations specifies a complementation map with 14 complons, whereas the matrix of the heterokaryon tests on the nonleaky mutant combinations specifies a complementation map with only two complons. The interaction matrix of all of the heterokaryon tests on leaky and nonleaky ad-3B mutants specifies a linear complementation map of the ad-3B cistron consisting of 20 complons. The complementation patterns of the nonleaky ad-3B mutants differedmore » from those of the leaky mutants in the average number of complons covered (13.1 versus 2.2). This is believed to reflect a difference in the primary structure of the polypeptides specified by each class of mutant. In the present paper a comparison is made between heterokaryon tests for allelic complementation among the leaky mutants and nonleaky mutants at the ad-3A and ad-3B loci. The results of these tests indicate that allelic complementation does not occur at the ad-3A i,ocus even among leaky mutants. Tests on the ad-3B mutants not only indicate that all of the leaky ad23B mutants show allelic complementation but that it occurs among some of the nonleaky mutants as well. However, comparison of the complementation map of the ad-3B cfstron specified by the leaky mutants with that specified by the nonleaky mutants provides a striking contrast in the results obtained with these two different approaches.« less
Inhibition of rat liver microsomal estrogen 2-hydroxylase by 2-methoxyestrogens.

The inhibition of estrogen 2-hydroxylase by 2-methoxyestrogens was demonstrated in screening assays and has been further investigated under initial velocity conditions. The ability of 2-methoxyestradiol and 2-methoxyestrone to block the conversion of estradiol to 2-hydroxyestradiol by male rat liver microsomal preparations was determined by measuring the release of 3H2O from [2-3H]estradiol. The apparent Kis were found to be 34.86 microM for 2-methoxyestradiol and 18.65 microM for the methoxyestrone, with the apparent Km for the substrate estradiol in these essays of 3.21 microM. Mixed inhibition studies with the methoxyestrogens and 2,4-dibromoestradiol, an effective estrogen 2-hydroxylase inhibitor, in male rat liver microsomes resulted in Dixon plots consisting of a series of parallel lines. Thus, methoxyestrogens and 2,4-dibromoestradiol are mutually exclusive inhibitors, i.e., the binding of one compound to the enzyme interferes with the binding of the other. These results indicate that the compounds are interacting at the same enzymatic site. Finally, a method utilized to measure estrogen 2-hydroxylase activity in vitro is a radioenzymatic assay involving addition of catechol o-methyltransferase (COMT) and radiolabeled S-adenosylmethionine, and the amount of catechol estrogens formed is determined by the amount of radiolabeled methoxyestrogens isolated. The results described here demonstrate inhibition of estrogen 2-hydroxylase by methoxyestrogens; however, under enzymatic conditions of low product formation, the estrogen 2-hydroxylase inhibitory effect of catechol estrogen products from the radioenzymatic assay would be insignificant. Thus, these interactions of methoxyestrogens suggest that the steroid hormonal environment be considered in the examination of estrogen 2-hydroxylase and the catechol estrogen products. off
Conditions for periodic solutions of volterra differential systems

As a contribution to the discussion of oscillatory models for interacting species it is shown that two-species Volterra models can never have limit cycles, and a complete enumeration is given of conditions which the parameters of these models must satisfy in order that a part of the phase space be filled with a family of closed curves; sketches of phase portraits are also given. These results complement and correct older results by Bautin and by Coppel on quadratic differential systems. The paper opens with a brief discussion of some more practical aspects of the ecological application of oscillatory models.
Nature as A Scaffold: The Rational Redesign of a Protein Pore

Our major goal is to engineer a transmembrane protein pore that acts as a single-molecule nanopore probe for sensing double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), folded proteins and their complexes with interacting agents. The protein of choice is Ferric hydroxamate uptake protein component A (FhuA), a multifunctional outer membrane protein found in E. coli., which facilitates the uptake of Fe3+, along with phage binding and the translocation of small peptides. Using standard protein engineering, we modified the FhuA protein by removing the N-terminal 160 residue-long cork and by deleting several large extracellular loops to form an open protein pore with an elliptical cross section of ∼ 49 x 36 A. This engineered protein nanopore exhibits a stable open-channel activity for long periods of time, with a unitary conductance of ∼5 nS. We show evidence that this engineered FhuA-based nanopore acts as a stochastic sensing element for detecting small folded proteins at single-molecule resolution.Acknowledgements. This research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (DMR-0706517 and HRD-0703452) and the National Institutes of Health (R01 GM088403) as well as by Syracuse Biomaterials Institute (SBI).
The effect of the excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist dizocilipine maleate (MK-801) on hemispheric cerebral blood flow and metabolism in dogs: modification by prior complete cerebral ischemia.

The effect of theN-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist dizocilipine maleate (MK-801) on cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2), intracranial pressure and systemic variables was examined in 6 normal dogs (Group I). In 6 additional dogs (Group II), the effects of a prior 11 min episode of complete cerebral ischemia on the response to dizocilipine was studied. CBF was measured with a sagittal sinus outflow technique and CMRO2 was calculated as the product to CBF and the arterial to sagittal sinus O2 content difference. Dizocilipine was administered as a 150 μg/kg i.v. bolus followed by a 75 μg·kg−1·h−1 infusion for 90 min. Plasma dizocilipine levels were >25 ng/ml for the duration of the infusion. The CSF levels were approximately half the plasma levels. Five minutes after initiation of dizocilipine treatment, Group I dogs experienced a 63% increase in heart rate (P < 0.01) and an 8% decrease in the mean arterial blood pressure (P < 0.05). Over the same time interval, CBF increased by 85% (P < 0.01) and intracranial pressure nearly doubled (P < 0.05). In addition, dizocilipine treatment in all Group I animals resulted in EEG quasiperiodic bursts of δ-waves and polyspikes on a background of β-activity. With the exception of the intracranial pressure, the above changes in systemic and cerebral variables persisted for the duration of the drug infusion. Intracranial pressure was no longer significantly elevated after 80 min of drug infusion. Hemispheric CMRO2 was unchanged by dizocilipine in Group I dogs. There was a decrease in the cortical glucose level the end of the study, but no significant change in phosphocreatine, ATP, lactate, or energy charge when compared with 6 laboratory normals. An identical dose of dizocilipine administered after an 11 min episode of complete cerebral ischemia resulted in no significant changes in either cerebral or systemic variables. The absence of systemic effects in Group II dogs suggests that dizocilipine administration in normal dogs results in a centrally mediated activation of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. The uncoupling of CBF and CMRO2 observed following dizocilipine treatment is similar to that reported for two other known NMDA antagonists, ketamine and phencyclidine. If administration of dizocilipine results in improved histopathological and neurological outcome following an episode of complete cerebral ischemia, this improvement is unrelated to changes in postischemic CBF or hemispheric CMRO2.
Fiber optic MCM for spaceborne applications

This paper presents a fiber optic packaging technique using qualifiable materials and processes that has been developed for space applications. The technique is consistent with a Multi Chip Module implementation. This packaging technique allows multiple fiber optic interfaces to be combined with high density electronics within a single easily integrable package and can be used wherever fiber optics are incorporated into spaceborne systems, including the Fiber Optic Data Bus, the Space Station FDDI interface, any upgrades of the Space Station Local Bus from 1553 to 1773, and various Dual Rate 1773 applications.
Annotating Enzymes of Uncertain Function: The Deacylation of d-Amino Acids by Members of the Amidohydrolase Superfamily

The catalytic activities of three members of the amidohydrolase superfamily were discovered using amino acid substrate libraries. Bb3285 from Bordetella bronchiseptica, Gox1177 from Gluconobacter oxidans, and Sco4986 from Streptomyces coelicolor are currently annotated as d-aminoacylases or N-acetyl-d-glutamate deacetylases. These three enzymes are 22-34% identical to one another in amino acid sequence. Substrate libraries containing nearly all combinations of N-formyl-d-Xaa, N-acetyl-d-Xaa, N-succinyl-d-Xaa, and l-Xaa-d-Xaa were used to establish the substrate profiles for these enzymes. It was demonstrated that Bb3285 is restricted to the hydrolysis of N-acyl-substituted derivatives of d-glutamate. The best substrates for this enzyme are N-formyl-d-glutamate (k(cat)/K(m) = 5.8 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)), N-acetyl-d-glutamate (k(cat)/K(m) = 5.2 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)), and l-methionine-d-glutamate (k(cat)/K(m) = 3.4 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1)). Gox1177 and Sco4986 preferentially hydrolyze N-acyl-substituted derivatives of hydrophobic d-amino acids. The best substrates for Gox1177 are N-acetyl-d-leucine (k(cat)/K(m) = 3.2 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1)), N-acetyl-d-tryptophan (k(cat)/K(m) = 4.1 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1)), and l-tyrosine-d-leucine (k(cat)/K(m) = 1.5 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1)). A fourth protein, Bb2785 from B. bronchiseptica, did not have d-aminoacylase activity. The best substrates for Sco4986 are N-acetyl-d-phenylalanine and N-acetyl-d-tryptophan. The three-dimensional structures of Bb3285 in the presence of the product acetate or a potent mimic of the tetrahedral intermediate were determined by X-ray diffraction methods. The side chain of the d-glutamate moiety of the inhibitor is ion-paired to Arg-295, while the alpha-carboxylate is ion-paired with Lys-250 and Arg-376. These results have revealed the chemical and structural determinants for substrate specificity in this protein. Bioinformatic analyses of an additional approximately 250 sequences identified as members of this group suggest that there are no simple motifs that allow prediction of substrate specificity for most of these unknowns, highlighting the challenges for computational annotation of some groups of homologous proteins.
Charged Magnetoexcitons in Two Dimensions: Isolated X— and Many‐Electron Effects

The states of charged magnetoexcitons in two-dimensional systems are considered. Exact optical selection rules for intra- and inter-band processes are discussed. The effect of excess electrons on internal transitions of negatively charged excitons X in quantum wells is studied experimentally and theoretically. An experimentally observed blue-shift with excess electron density is explained in terms of collective excitations, magnetoplasmons bound to a valence band hole.
Correlated morphological and physiological studies on isolated single muscle fibers. I. Fine structure of the crayfish muscle fiber.

Single fibers isolated from walking leg muscles of crayfish have 8- to 10-µ sarcomeres which are divided into A, I, and Z bands. The H zone is poorly defined and no M band is distinguishable. Changes in the width of the I band, accompanied by change in the overlap between thick and thin myofilaments, occur when the length of the sarcomere is changed by stretching or by shortening the fiber. The thick myofilaments (ca. 200 A in diameter) are confined to the A band. The thin myofilaments (ca. 50 A in diameter) are difficult to resolve except in swollen fibers, when they clearly lie between the thick filaments and run to the Z disc. The sarcolemma invaginates at 50 to 200 sites in each sarcomere. The sarcolemmal invaginations (SI) form tubes about 0.2 µ in diameter which run radially into the fiber and have longitudinal side branches. Tubules about 150 A in diameter arise from the SI and from the sarcolemma. The invaginations and tubules are all derived from and are continuous with the plasma membrane, forming the transverse tubular system (TTS), which is analogous with the T system of vertebrate muscle. In the A band region each myofibril is enveloped by a fenestrated membranous covering of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Sacculations of the SR extend over the A-I junctions of the myofibrils, where they make specialized contacts (diads) with the TTS. At the diads the opposing membranes of the TTS and SR are spaced 150 A apart, with a 35-A plate centrally located in the gap. It appears likely that the anion-permselective membrane of the TTS which was described previously is located at the diads, and that this property of the diadic structures therefore may function in excitation-contraction coupling.
Coordinated Regulation of Accessory Genetic Elements Produces Cyclic Di-Nucleotides for V. cholerae Virulence

Summary The function of the Vibrio 7 th pandemic island-1 (VSP-1) in cholera pathogenesis has remained obscure. Utilizing chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA sequencing to map the regulon of the master virulence regulator ToxT, we identify a TCP island-encoded small RNA that reduces the expression of a previously unrecognized VSP-1-encoded transcription factor termed VspR. VspR modulates the expression of several VSP-1 genes including one that encodes a novel class of d i- n ucleotide c yclase (DncV), which preferentially synthesizes a previously undescribed hybrid cyclic AMP-GMP molecule. We show that DncV is required for efficient intestinal colonization and downregulates V. cholerae chemotaxis, a phenotype previously associated with hyperinfectivity. This pathway couples the actions of previously disparate genomic islands, defines VSP-1 as a pathogenicity island in V. cholerae , and implicates its occurrence in 7 th pandemic strains as a benefit for host adaptation through the production of a regulatory cyclic di-nucleotide.
Predicting Chinese consumers' purchase intentions for imported soy‐based dietary supplements

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to model Chinese consumers' purchase intentions for imported soy‐based dietary supplements (DS) based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the health belief model (HBM). The central hypotheses for this study are that purchase intentions of Chinese DS consumers are a result of attitudes toward using DS, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Health value and perceived susceptibility to illness, as well as product knowledge and marketer distrust, are integrated into the model.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 251 consumers in Shanghai, China. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.Findings – The TPB model is effective in predicting Chinese consumers' imported soy‐based DS purchase intentions. Attitudes toward using soy‐based DS, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control have significant influences on purchase intention. Perceived behavioral control also plays an important role in the formation of atti...
On interpreting stereotype threat as accounting for African American-White differences on cognitive tests.

C. M. Steele and J. Aronson (1995) showed that making race salient when taking a difficult test affected the performance of high-ability African American students, a phenomenon they termed stereotype threat. The authors document that this research is widely misinterpreted in both popular and scholarly publications as showing that eliminating stereotype threat eliminates the African American-White difference in test performance. In fact, scores were statistically adjusted for differences in students' prior SAT performance, and thus, Steele and Aronson's findings actually showed that absent stereotype threat, the two groups differ to the degree that would be expected based on differences in prior SAT scores. The authors caution against interpreting the Steele and Aronson experiment as evidence that stereotype threat is the primary cause of African American-White differences in test performance. Language: en
Laparoscopic-assisted application of interstitial brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical carcinoma: Results of a pilot study

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of diagnostic laparoscopy at the time of interstitial brachytherapy in patients with FIGO Stages IIB-IVA cervical carcinoma, who were not candidates for conventional brachytherapy after completion of whole pelvic radiation. Materials and Methods: Six patients with FIGO Stages IIB-IVA cervical carcinoma completed whole pelvic radiation (WPR) and were assessed for the placement of conventional intracavitary brachytherapy. Three patients (Stage IIB) received 50.40 Gy WPR and three (Stage IIIA-VA) received 61.20 Gy WPR. Because distorted vaginal anatomy precluded the placement of standard intracavitary brachytherapy equipment, interstitial therapy was selected. To minimize the risk of source misplacement, needles were placed with laparoscopic guidance. 192 Iridium was utilized as a source of radiation. Results: A total of 98 needles were placed under direct laparoscopic guidance. The median interstitial brachytherapy tumor dose was 20.00 Gy (range 19.00-41.20 Gy). Eleven perforations in the pelvic peritoneum and/or bladder were identified intraoperatively in 5 of the 6 patients, leading to immediate repositioning of needles. No acute or short-term morbidity related to the procedure was appreciated. Conclusion: Interstitial brachytherapy offers an alternative for intracavitary radiation therapy for selected patients, in whom adequate placement of intracavitary afterloading equipment is precluded by abnormal pelvic geometry. Historically, the placement of interstitial sources has been a procedure that was performed without visualization of the pelvic cavity. A major concern is direct injury to pelvic viscera and intestine. The use of diagnostic laparoscopy at the time of placement of interstitial brachytherapy may avert potential complications from misapplication of interstitial sources. Longer follow-up is required to substantiate these results.
Macrobenthos of the nearshore Aleutian Archipelago, with emphasis on invertebrates associated with Clathromorphum nereostratum (Rhodophyta, Corallinaceae)

In the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, crustose coralline algae can be widespread in the low intertidal and shallow subtidal regions, and cover most available hard substrates. The longevity and slow growth-rate of coralline algae make them vulnerable to major disturbances, including anthropogenic disturbances and ocean acidification. Subtidal habitats dominated by crustose coralline algae are often associated with sea urchin-barren grounds and regarded as supporting limited invertebrate communities, especially compared with the adjacent kelp forests. Clathromorphum nereostratum is one of the most abundant crustose coralline algae found in the Aleutian Islands. Although the surface of this crustose alga exhibits little structural complexity, it can develop into crusts half-a-meter thick (2-10 cm in this study) that provide microhabitats for a variety of cryptic invertebrates. Despite the omnipresence of this alga throughout the nearshore Aleutians, very little is known about its associated faunal community. In the summers of 2006 and 2007, a benthic survey was conducted at 50 sites throughout the shallow (<20 m), nearshore Aleutian Islands as part of the Alaska Monitoring and Assessment Program. The habitat encountered at each site was categorized as soft sediment, macroalgae-dominated, or crustose coralline-dominated. At each site, scuba divers sampled three 0.06-m2 quadrats. Invertebrate communities associated with thick crustose coralline algae were compared with soft-sediment and macroalgae-dominated communities based on faunal abundance and diversity. Despite the depauperate appearance of crustose habitats, this study revealed that crustose environments support faunal communities as diverse and abundant as those found in rich macroalgal habitats.
Performance analysis of DS/CDMA with noncoherent M-ary orthogonal modulation in multipath fading channels

The performance of a DS/CDMA system using M-ary orthogonal modulation with noncoherent demodulation is evaluated. The system operates in a multipath fading channel. A RAKE receiver structure with equal gain combining is used for demodulation. An approximation to the bit error probability is given which depends only on the first- and second-order moments of the multipath energies. The analysis results are compared with the results from computer simulations. It is seen that the approximation is accurate for multipath energies with realistic coefficient of variation. The system performance is also evaluated in terms of the capacity, which is defined as the number of users that can be supported at a given bit error probability. The approximation is used to evaluate the capacity reductions due to power variations caused by multipath fading. >
Training seniors in the operation of an automated external defibrillator: a randomized trial comparing two training methods.

Abstract Study Objective: This study evaluated the differences in efficacy of 2 methods for training seniors in the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). We tested the hypothesis that each training method (face-to-face instruction compared with video-based instruction) would result in similar AED performance on a manikin. Methods: Two hundred ten seniors from various senior centers were randomized to receive face-to-face or video-based instruction on AED skills. Seniors were assessed individually and tested on the speed and quality of AED performance. We retested 177 of these initial trainees 3 months after initial training. Similar performance measures were assessed. Results: Although there were statistically significant differences between the 2 training methods in terms of average time to shock at both evaluations, the results in general demonstrate that there were no clinically meaningful distinctions (time differences of Conclusion: We believe that seniors can be trained equally well in AED performance with video-based self-instruction or face-to-face instruction. How to maintain acceptable AED performance skills over time remains a challenge. [Meischke HW, Rea T, Eisenberg MS, Schaeffer SM, Kudenchuk P. Training seniors in the operation of an automated external defibrillator: A randomized trial comparing two training methods. Ann Emerg Med. September 2001;38:216-222.]
Modeling cotton growth and phenology in response to temperature

Abstract Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is grown in a wide range of temperatures throughout the world. These crops experience temperature fluctuations ranging from 5°C to 45°C during the season, which diversely influence growth and development. Minimum, maximum and optimum temperatures also vary with the stage of plant development and physiological processes involved. However, most cotton simulation models have been developed with data collected from a narrow temperature range, and hence have limited predictive capabilities under temperature extremes. Several studies on cotton growth under high CO2 conditions have examined the plants' response to a wide range of temperatures, including both high and low temperature extremes. A data set derived from these studies was used to construct a model of cotton growth and development. The rates of approach to fruit initiation, flowering and boll opening were modeled as a function of temperature. The daily increment for new node formation was a function of temperature and physiological stress of the plant. The rates of prefruiting and fruiting leaf expansion were modeled as functions of temperature and existing area of the corresponding leaf structures. The model has been validated and incorporated into cotton simulation models that are being used for cotton crop management.
Interest in Genetic Testing for Colon Cancer Susceptibility: Cognitive and Emotional Correlates

Background. Recent advances in human genetics have led to the identification of markers for cancer susceptibility. Nevertheless, little is known about the public"s interest in clinical genetic testing for cancer-related markers. Methods. A random-digit-dial telephone survey of 401 adult residents of Utah was conducted during the summer of 1990. Respondents were randomized to one of three question frames and asked about their interest in a potential genetic test for colon cancer susceptibility. They were also asked to rate their risk for colon cancer, how often they worried about contracting any type of cancer, and how often they felt worried and nervous during the past year (trait anxiety). Results. Eighty-three percent of respondents expressed interest in genetic testing. Level of interest was most strongly correlated with perceived risk for colon cancer (r = 0.21, P < 0.001). Responses were not affected by the use of different question frames. Conclusions. These results show a high level of public interest in genetic testing for colon cancer susceptibility. The data also suggest that anxiety does not undermine interest, but future research must determine whether this relationship is limited to hypothetical judgments such as those studied here.
Implications of diet on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Purpose of review This review examines the effects of diet on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This includes the effects of calories, both in excess and restricted, as well as macronutrients. Recent findings Recent findings suggest that short-term hypercaloric feeding leads to increased intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG), whereas short-term hypocaloric feeding leads to decreased IHTG, despite little change in total body weight, suggesting that ongoing excess caloric delivery directly contributes to the development of NAFLD. Weight loss with either low-fat or low-carbohydrate diets can improve IHTG; however, specific macronutrients, such as fructose, trans-fatty acids, and saturated fat, may contribute to increased IHTG independent of total calorie intake. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids may play a protective role in NAFLD. The mechanisms behind these effects are not fully understood. Summary Diet plays a role in the pathophysiology of NAFLD. It is reasonable to advise patients with NAFLD to reduce calorie intake with either low-fat or low-carbohydrate diets as well as limit intakes of fructose, trans-fatty acids, and saturated fat.
Analysis of Self-Regulated Learning Processing Using Statistical Models for Count Data.

Researchers often use measures of the frequency of self-regulated learning (SRL; Zimmerman, American Educational Research Journal, 45(1), 166–183, 2000) processing as a predictor of learning gains. These frequency data, which are really counts of SRL processing events, are often non-normally distributed, and the accurate analysis of these data requires the use of specialized statistical models. In this study, we demonstrate how to implement and interpret count statistical models in path and latent profile analyses to investigate the role of SRL as a mediator of the relation between pretest and posttest conceptual understanding. Our findings from a sample of 170 college students using a computer to learn about the circulatory system show that SRL does mediate the aforementioned relation, and that count models are a more accurate representation of SRL processing data than standard analysis models based on ordinary least squares estimation. The results of our path analyses revealed which specific SRL processes were related to learning, above and beyond the effect of prior knowledge. Our latent profile analysis revealed two groups of participants, indicative of Brophy’s (2004) model of schematic and aschematic learners. We conclude with implications and future directions for basic and applied SRL research.