cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chelates of the rare earth nitrates with 1,10-phenanthroline-N,N′-dioxide

Abstract The donor properties of 1,10-phenanthroline mono-N-oxide (N-phenO) towards the 3d transition metal ions and recently Eu(III) [1–6] have been extensively studied. By contrast, the only complexes of the 1,10-phenanthroline-N,N′-dioxide (phenO 2 ) reported in the literature are those with VCl 4 [7]. In this communication the donor properties of the phenO 2 towards the lanthanide ions have been studied and complexes of the general formula Ln(phenO 2 ) 2 (NO 3 ) 2 NO 3 were isolated and characterized by their elemental analysis, ir spectra and conductivity data.
The characteristics of efficient software formal reviews

Abstract This paper puts forward the characteristics of efficient formal reviews that improve the quality assurance function of software in each phase of its lifecycle process. The paper identifies formal reviews objectives, responsibilities, participants, rules, agendas and feedback protocols.
Mid-Paleozoic age of granitoids in enclaves within early Cretaceous granulites, Fiordland, southwest New Zealand

Abstract Orthogneisses of granite, quartz monzonite, monzonite, and tonalite, collectively termed granitoid, occur locally as isolated enclaves within the Early Cretaceous granulite terrain (Western Fiordland Orthogneiss—WFO) in Fiordland, southwest New Zealand. Discordant U‐Pb zircon isotopic data (7 fractions) from four granitoid samples from enclaves at George Sound, define an upper intercept age of 341 ± 34 Ma that is interpreted as approximating the time of formation of the granitoid suite. The lower intercept age of 93 ± 37 Ma is interpreted as approximating the time of zircon isotopic disturbance by major episodic Pb loss. Isotopic disturbance probably accompanied high‐temperature conditions at the time of incorporation of the granitoid rocks into the WFO protolith, and during subsequent granulite meta‐morphism; both occurred in the interval c. 120–110 Ma. Five whole‐rock samples from enclaves at George Sound yield an apparent Rb‐Sr isochron age of 391 ± 48 Ma, in agreement with the zircon data, an...
Effect of obesity and fertility status on sex steroid levels in men

Endocrine studies were performed on fertile and infertile obese men and compared with fertile and infertile nonobese men in order to determine the independent and codependent effects of obesity and fertility status on the male hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis. The obese infertile group exhibited significant endocrinologic changes as compared with fertile nonobese control group which was not observed in any of the other three groups. Serum testosterone was significantly lower. The testosterone/estradiol ratio was significantly lower despite a lack of significant change in serum estradiol levels. Serum steroid hormone binding globulin (SHBG) was significantly lower which correlated with elevated bioavailability of both testosterone and estradiol in the obese infertile group. Serum luteinizing hormone levels were no different, suggesting that free testosterone levels were unchanged. Obese infertile men exhibit endocrinologic changes that are not observed in men with either obesity or infertility alone. Reduction of serum SHBG, total testosterone, and testosterone/estradiol ratio appear to be a marker of infertility among obese men.
The Black Man: Health Issues and Implications for Clinical Practice

The Black male in today's society continues to be at risk on a variety of important sociocultural and health issues, which impact negatively on his life, and on the lives of his family, friends, and the community. Recent studies have portrayed the Black man as rapidly becoming an endangered species (Parham, 1987; Gibbs, 1984; Leavy, 1983). It is clear from popular and scientific literature that the Black male is experiencing enormous pressure in many areas. These stresses are unique to the Black man, and have implications for Black youth as well as for older Black men who struggle with concerns about survival in a White-dominated society. This article addresses the external and internal factors faced by a majority of Black men and gives recommendations to educators and service providers on how to better provide for the apparent needs of Black males, with suggestions as to how Blacks may take greater initiative for survial.
A Graphical User-Interface for Propulsion System Analysis

NASA LeRC uses a series of computer codes to calculate installed propulsion system performance and weight. The need to evaluate more advanced engine concepts with a greater degree of accuracy has resulted in an increase in complexity of this analysis system. Therefore, a graphical user interface was developed to allow the analyst to more quickly and easily apply these codes. The development of this interface and the rationale for the approach taken are described. The interface consists of a method of pictorially representing and editing the propulsion system configuration, forms for entering numerical data, on-line help and documentation, post processing of data, and a menu system to control execution.
A comparison of hydrodynamic impacts prediction methods with two dimensional drop test data

The effect of hydrodynamic impacts on a ship's bow structure is an important design consideration. In addition, to possible failure to local structure, such impacts can generate slam-induced whipping loads, the magnitude of which when combined with ordinary wave induced loads, could lead to first passage failure of a ship's hull girder. This paper presents the results of a recent study that compares select methods of predicting hydrodynamic impacts with available test data of 2-D wedge shaped section shapes. Results based on peak pressures at different impact velocities are presented. The results are compared with traditional prediction theories of Wagner and Chuang.
Iontophoresis of amoxicillin and cefuroxime: rapid therapeutic concentrations in skin.

AbstractContext: Amoxicillin (AMX) and cefuroxime (CFX) are antibiotics used often to treat skin bacterial infections. Typically, high oral doses are required to achieve minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at the site of infection that may affect only a very small area of skin.Objectives: To lower side effects and increase therapeutic effectiveness, the percutaneous absorption and retention of AMX and CFX administered by iontophoresis was investigated in a rabbit model by measuring dermis concentrations via microdialysis.Methods: Iontophoresis was performed using a stainless steel electrode and a non-woven polypropylene pad. The cartridge pad was soaked with a solution of AMX in glycerin or of CFX in glycerin/water (60:40). Constant current density of 0, 100, 200 or 300 µA/cm2 was applied for 60 min.Results: For AMX, therapeutically effective skin concentrations were detected immediately after the application of electrical current for any of the current density tested and remained above it for at least...
Distributed structural actuation with electrostrictors

This paper develops a model for the behavior of an electrostrictively coupled electromechanical system. The framework for the derivation of the governing equations is sufficiently general to model the dynamics of any nonlinear electroceramic actuated system which can be described by a set of constitutive relationships. The constitutive relations for electrostrictors are reviewed and are simplified to contain a single quadratic nonlinearity. By introducing the constitutive relations into Hamilton's equation and then assuming mode shapes, the general system equations are derived. Experimental validation of the equations is accomplished with an electrostrictive wafer surface-bonded to a cantilevered beam. The range of validity of the simplified constitutive relationships is also experimentally investigated.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Variation of laser photon statistics with cavity length

Abstract It is demonstrated by photon counting measurements that the light from a He:Ne laser becomes increasingly coherent if the cavity length is increased while the resonance frequency is kept constant. The difference between theories based on plane wave modes and gaussian shaped modes is resolvable.
Science, Research, and Reality

Abstract ADMITTEDLY, this is much too broad a subject for one address. I have chosen it for three reasons. It has a euphonious sound. It seems an appropriate title for an address before a national scientific meeting. It allows me ample room for discourse, without the danger of straying from the subject. I have disqualified myself as a scientist or researcher by using the personal pronouns I and me. Scientists, I am told, are supposed to be cold, impersonal, objective people who write and speak passively and always in the third person. Of course, when I was introduced as an administrator any notion that I might possibly know anything about science was destroyed in the minds of most of you. I approach the subject from the viewpoint of one whose scientific experience has been more vicarious than actual. (Administrators, I might add, have a good deal of experience with reality!) The …
Endovascular catheter biopsy of a pulmonary artery sarcoma.

A 5 I -year-old WOOlafl presented with a 2nionth history of nonproductive cough. mild dyspnea on exertion. and right-sided pleuntic chest pain. A chest radiograph revealed a right hilar mass. A chest CT scan showed a mass in the main right pulmonary artery extending into the truncus anterior and interlohar arteries. A chest MR image showed a mass with heterogeneous signal intensit)’ that distended the right main pulmonary artery and enhanced with gadolinium (Fig. I ). A ventilation-perlusion scan showed absent perfusion and near normal ventilation of the right lung. hut no other mismatched detects. The imaging studies were felt to he consistent with a primary neoplasm of the pulnionary artery or. less likely. with a chronic thrombus. Abdominal, pelvic. and head CT scans and hone scans were all normal. The surgeon requested a preoperative biopsy he done to continii the diagnosis of sarcoma. to counsel the patient, and to influence the surgical approach. Therefore. a transhronchial biopsy from
Promoting participatory community building in refugee camps with mapping technology

Mapping technology has the potential to be a helpful tool in community building. This paper explores its promise for this purpose in refugee camps. We posit such tools when used for participatory planning can be useful for building more sustainable living environments. This is especially true when a camp is transitioning from a site of crisis response into a stable location of recovery. In this note, we first discuss the current state of refugee camps and then examine the benefits and constraints of mapping technology in participatory planning and community building. This preliminary analysis identifies critical stakeholders and infrastructure constraints, and additionally makes recommendations for appropriate technologies. In particular, we propose the use of Public Participatory GIS and take the novel approach of applying the sociological framing of a Boundary Object. Drawing on data gathered while planning a field study of Za'atari Syrian refugee camp, we assess the feasibility of this framing for future analyses in the camp.
Mapping Dynamic Structure along Calmodulin-Target Binding Interfaces using Vibrational Labels

Calmodulin's highly modular tertiary structure leads to interesting dynamics in its conformational distribution that are difficult to document using conventional methods. A cyanylated cysteine vibrational probe on single site cysteine variants of calmodulin can be used to determine local aspects of calmodulin's dynamic structure around the probe group when bound to different partners. Several new single-cysteine mutants of calmodulin were expressed and purified for the purpose of labeling with cyanylated cysteine and examining differences in its structure around the chosen label sites. Infrared spectra of labeled mutants in the apo, calcium-saturated, and bound states with a variety of calmodulin binding partners will be reported to demonstrate the ability of cyanylated cysteine to map dynamic and modular calmodulin-target binding interfaces.
Detection of enzymic activities on gel filtration columns

Abstract A simple method for the determination of several enzymic activities in crude tissue extracts has been developed. A Sephadex column is equilibrated with a dilute solution of appropriate substrates, one of which is labeled. The column binds some substrate. The solution to be assayed for enzymic capacity is passed through the column. The presence of enzymes capable of reacting with substrates can be detected by concentration changes in the effluent solution. Since some substrate is bound, the enzyme reaction is carried out in the presence of a higher substrate level than is found in the effluent solution. The amount of product is thus large compared to that of the reactants, making for a relatively sensitive analytical procedure.
Training in behavioral genetics: a survey of BGA members.

A survey of the training of regular and associate members of the Behavior Genetics Association was conducted by the Professional Training Committee of the association. Regular BGA members have completed, on the average, about one course in behavioral genetics, four courses in genetics, four courses in statistics, and an equal number of courses in the biological and behavioral sciences. Regular members recommended that future behavioral geneticists complete two courses in behavioral genetics, five courses in genetics, four courses in statistics, and an even split of courses from the biological and behavioral sciences. There was considerable congruence between these recommendations and courses currently being completed by BGA associate members. Over half of the regular members received a postdoctoral fellowship, and over 70% of the associate members expect to receive one.
SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF HIGHLY FUNCTIONALIZED ANALOGUES OF INGENOL

The synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of the first analogues of ingenol, a potent activator of protein kinase C, containing all of the oxygen functionality and unsaturation present in the natural product, is described.
Clefts, grooves, and (small) pockets: the structure of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor in complex with its cellular target E2F unveiled

Tumor suppressors are functional antagonists of oncogenes and their loss of function importantly contributes to human carcinogenesis. The sequence of the first human tumor suppressor, the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product pRb, was published in 1986 (1). In this issue of PNAS, Xiao et al. (2) report the crystal structure of a pRb fragment in complex with a peptide derived from the E2F transcription factor, a key cellular target of pRb. An article by Lee et al. (3) recently published elsewhere reports similar findings. Thus, in less than four National Institutes of Health grant funding cycles since its initial discovery, we have arrived at a detailed structural understanding of how pRb inhibits cell growth, how this activity is regulated in normal cells, and how pRb is put out of action in tumor cells.
Depolarization-induced slow current in cerebellar Purkinje cells does not require metabotropic glutamate receptor 1.

Abstract Activation of cerebellar Purkinje cells by either brief depolarizing steps or bursts of climbing fiber synaptic activation evokes a slow inward current, which we have previously called depolarization-induced slow current or DISC. DISC is triggered by Ca influx via voltage-sensitive Ca channels and is attenuated by inhibitors of vacuolar ATPase or vesicle fusion. This led us to suggest that DISC required vesicular release of glutamate from the somatodendritic region of Purkinje cells. Furthermore, we found that DISC was attenuated by the mGluR1 antagonist 7-(hydroxyimino)cyclopropa[b]chromen-1a-carboxylate ethyl ester (CPCCOEt), indicating that DISC required autocrine activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1). Here, we have revisited the role of mGluR1 and found that it is, in fact, not required for DISC. CPCCOEt, but not three other specific mGluR1 antagonists (JNJ16259685, α-amino-5-carboxy-3-methyl-2-thiopheneacetic acid (3-MATIDA), Bay 36-7620), attenuated DISC, even though all four of these drugs produced near-complete blockade of current evoked by puffs of the exogenous mGluR1/5 agonist DHPG. Cerebellar slices derived from mGluR1 null mice showed substantial DISC that was still attenuated by CPCCOEt. mGluR5 is functionally similar to mGluR1, but is not expressed at high levels in cerebellar Purkinje cells. 2-Methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine hydrochloride (MPEP), an mGluR5 antagonist, did not attenuate DISC, and DISC was still present in Purkinje cells derived from mGluR1/mGluR5 double null mice. Thus, neither mGluR1 nor mGluR5 is required for DISC in cerebellar Purkinje cells.
Thermal Probe Measurements of the Glass Transition Temperature for Ultrathin Polymer Films as a Function of Thickness

The glass transition temperature of polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) films on polar and nonpolar substrates was measured as a function of thickness using a thermal probe in contact with a polymer film. Using a technique called local thermal analysis, heat loss into the film was monitored as the temperature of the probe was ramped from ambient temperature to temperatures as high as 200 °C. The glass transition temperature was determined from a change in slope in the heat loss versus temperature plot. The Tg of polystyrene on silicon oxide decreased by as much as 25 °C below the bulk value for films 13 nm thick. The same trend in the glass transition temperature was observed for polystyrene films on silicon oxide treated with hexamethyldisilizane (HMDS). The Tg of poly(methyl methacrylate) on silicon oxide increased by up to 7 °C above the bulk value for films 18 nm thick. For poly(methyl methacrylate) on silicon oxide treated with HMDS, the Tg decreased by 10 °C below the bulk value for films 21 n...
Identification of the lipopolysaccharide O-chain ofEscherichia hermannii (ATCC 33651) as ad-rhamnan

Abstract The structure of the antigenic O-polysaccharide portion of the lipopolysaccharide produced by Escherichia hermannii (ATCC 33651) has been determined by composition and methylation analysis, together with 1 H- and 13 C-n.m.r. spectroscopy, to be a (1 → 3)-β- d -rhamnopyran with ∼25% of the residues 2-acetylated.
Hospital performance trends on national quality measures and the association with joint commission accreditation

BACKGROUND: Evaluations of the impact of hospital accreditation have been previously hampered by the lack of nationally standardized data. One way to assess this impact is to compare accreditation status with other evidence-based measures of quality, such as the process measures now publicly reported by The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between Joint Commission accreditation status and both absolute measures of, and trends in, hospital performance on publicly reported quality measures for common diseases. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Performance data for 2004 and 2008 from U.S. acute care and critical access hospitals were obtained using publicly available CMS Hospital Compare data augmented with Joint Commission performance data. MEASUREMENTS: Changes in hospital performance between 2004 and 2008, and percent of hospitals with 2008 performance exceeding 90% for 16 measures of quality-of-care and 4 summary scores. RESULTS: Hospitals accredited by The Joint Commission tended to have better baseline performance in 2004 than non-accredited hospitals. Accredited hospitals had larger gains over time, and were significantly more likely to have high performance in 2008 on 13 out of 16 standardized clinical performance measures and all summary scores. CONCLUSIONS: While Joint Commission-accredited hospitals already outperformed non-accredited hospitals on publicly reported quality measures in the early days of public reporting, these differences became significantly more pronounced over 5 years of observation. Future research should examine whether accreditation actually promotes improved performance or is a marker for other hospital characteristics associated with such performance. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2011;6:458–465. © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine
Artificial neural network approach for flow regime classification in gas–liquid–fiber flows based on frequency domain analysis of pressure signals

Abstract The feasibility of a transportable artificial neural network (ANN)-based technique for the classification of flow regimes in three phase gas/liquid/pulp fiber systems by using pressure signals as input was examined. Experimental data obtained in a vertical, circular column 1.8 m in height and 5.08 cm in diameter, with air/water/Kraft softwood paper pulp, were used. The pulp consistency (weight percent of dry pulp in the pulp–water mixture) was varied in the 0.0–1.5% range. Local pressure fluctuations were recorded at three different stations along the column using three independent but principally similar transducers. An ANN was designed, trained and tested for the classification of the flow regimes using as input some density characteristics of the power spectrum for one of the normalized pressure signals (from Sensor 1), and was shown to predict the flow regimes with good accuracy. A voting scheme was also examined in which the three sensors fed separately trained ANNs, and a correct flow regime would require a vote from at least two of the three ANNs. This scheme improved the agreement between the model predictions and the data. The ANN trained and tested for Sensor 1 predicted the flow regimes reasonably well when applied directly to the normalized pressure power spectrum density characteristics of the other two sensors, indicating a good deal of transportability. For further improvement of transportability, an ANN-based method was also developed, whereby the power spectrum density characteristics of other sensors were adjusted before they were used as input to the ANN that was based on Sensor 1 alone. The method was shown to improve the accuracy of the flow regime predictions. This method requires in practice, that the “replacement” sensor to which regime identification is transported will be, for some while, in simultaneous use with the sensor to be replaced; then the training of the “input-adjusting” ANN would be possible in industry practice. Such a situation is realistic for sensitive processes, where redundant sensors are implemented for fault tolerance.
High Frequency Recombination During the Sexual Cycle of Dictyostelium discoideum

Analysis of Dictyostelium development and cell biology has suffered from the lack of an ordinary genetic system whereby genes can be arranged in new combinations. Genetic exchange between two long ignored strains, A2Cycr and WS205 is here reexamined. Alleles which differ in size or restriction sites between these two strains were found for seven genes. Six of these are in two clusters on chromosome 2. Frequencies of recombinant progeny indicate that the genetic map of the two mating strains is colinear with the physical map recently worked out for the standard nonsexual strain, NC4. The rate of recombination is high, about 0.1% per kilobase in three different regions of chromosome 2. This value is comparable to rates found in yeast, and will permit fine dissection of the genome.
Effect of eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum) on transplanted plasticulture tomato grade and yield

Abstract Field experiments were conducted to determine density-dependent effects of eastern black nightshade season-long interference on tomato-yield loss when growing in-row with staked plasticulture tomato. Eastern black nightshade was transplanted at densities of zero, one, two, three, four, or five plants per crop plant hole in the plastic. Eastern black nightshade densities of one to five reduced the number and weight of larger fruit grades (threes, extra larges, jumbos, marketables, totals) similarly but did not reduce yields of smaller fruit grades (culls, mediums, and larges) from the weed-free. Eastern black nightshade reduced percent yield loss of jumbo grade, the premium grade, which could be predicted by a rectangular hyperbola model. The value ($ ha−1) of jumbo fruit and the value of the sum of large, extra large, and jumbo grade was reduced at densities of eastern black nightshade as low as one plant per hole. Nomenclature: Eastern black nightshade, Solanum ptycanthum (Dun.) SOLPT; tomato, L...
Quinone reductase enzyme activity in pancreatic islets.

A water-soluble quinone, coenzyme Q0 (CoQ0), was shown to stimulate insulin release, and dicumarol, an inhibitor of quinone reductase, inhibited glucose-induced insulin release in pancreatic islets. Since this suggested that quinone reductase might play some role in physiological insulin release, this enzyme was characterized in islets. More than 90% of the total activity was located in the cytosol, but the specific enzyme activity was highest in the microsomal fraction. The relative rates of activity with various substrates (CoQ0 ⋍ durohydroquinone ⋍ hydroquinone ⋍ dichloroindophenol > menadione > duroquinone > CoQ6 = CoQ10 > ferricyanide) were similar to those described previously for quinone reductase from liver. Dicumarol, chlorpromazine, and T3 were much more potent inhibitors of the enzyme when NADPH was the coenzyme than when NADH was the coenzyme. Dicumarol was the most potent inhibitor. The enzyme was not inhibited by rotenone. Islets ranked second to liver in quinone reductase activity, but the ...
Estimation of exposure to toxic releases using spatial interaction modeling

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data are frequently used to estimate a community's exposure to pollution. However, this estimation process often uses underdeveloped geographic theory. Spatial interaction modeling provides a more realistic approach to this estimation process. This paper uses four sets of data: lung cancer age-adjusted mortality rates from the years 1990 through 2006 inclusive from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, TRI releases of carcinogens from 1987 to 1996, covariates associated with lung cancer, and the EPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) model. The impact of the volume of carcinogenic TRI releases on each county's lung cancer mortality rates was calculated using six spatial interaction functions (containment, buffer, power decay, exponential decay, quadratic decay, and RSEI estimates) and evaluated with four multivariate regression methods (linear, generalized linear, spatial lag, and spatial error). Akaike Information Criterion values and P values of spatial interaction terms were computed. The impacts calculated from the interaction models were also mapped. Buffer and quadratic interaction functions had the lowest AIC values (22298 and 22525 respectively), although the gains from including the spatial interaction terms were diminished with spatial error and spatial lag regression. The use of different methods for estimating the spatial risk posed by pollution from TRI sites can give different results about the impact of those sites on health outcomes. The most reliable estimates did not always come from the most complex methods.
Insights into Communication Intervention and AAC in South India: A Mixed-Methods Study.

This study investigated current trends in communication intervention and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in southern India through a mixed-methods design. Study participants (N = 18) were special educators, speech-language pathologists, and behavior therapists. Responses from the questionnaire were quantitatively analyzed. Open-ended interview questions were recorded and qualitatively analyzed for emergent themes. The results are presented as descriptive statistics and insights. Some prevalent perspectives conveyed by the participants include that (a) communication intervention should be a structured, child-centric process, using a collaborative team model; (b) parents play an integral role in decision making and intervention; (c) because of the diversity that exists in India, cultural and linguistic issues are imperative in decision making and intervention; (d) use of better materials and technology can improve intervention; (e) better training programs are needed; and (f) more conferenc...
Protothecosis Complicating Prolonged Endotracheal Intubation: Case Report and Literature Review

Prototheca species are ubiquitous, aerobic, unicellular algae closely related to the green algae Chlorella. Their involvement in human disease--in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients--has been reported with increasing frequency. The wide array of presentations has included cutaneous, subcutaneous, mucosal, bursal, catheter-related, and (in rare instances) systemic disease. We report a case of protothecosis complicating prolonged endotracheal intubation presenting as a nasopharyngeal ulceration with a soft-tissue mass, and we review the presentation, treatment, and outcome of the 59 previously reported cases of protothecosis. Optimal therapy for protothecosis includes excision (where possible) followed by systemic administration of amphotericin B; the sole exception is in the case of olecranon bursitis, where excision alone appears curative. The role of the newer imidazoles is yet to be determined.
Kinetic Analysis of Multiple Proton Shuttles in the Active Site of Human Carbonic Anhydrase

We have prepared a site-specific mutant of human carbonic anhydrase (HCA) II with histidine residues at positions 7 and 64 in the active site cavity. Using a different isozyme, we have placed histidine residues in HCA III at positions 64 and 67 and in another mutant at positions 64 and 7. Each of these histidine residues can act as a proton transfer group in catalysis when it is the only nonliganding histidine in the active site cavity, except His(7) in HCA III. Using an (18)O exchange method to measure rate constants for intramolecular proton transfer, we have found that inserting two histidine residues into the active site cavity of either isozyme II or III of carbonic anhydrase results in rates of proton transfer to the zinc-bound hydroxide that are antagonistic or suppressive with respect to the corresponding single mutants. The crystal structure of Y7H HCA II, which contains both His(7) and His(64) within the active site cavity, shows the conformation of the side chain of His(64) moved from its position in the wild type and hydrogen-bonded through an intervening water molecule with the side chain of His(7). This suggests a cause of decreased proton transfer in catalysis.
Toward Efficient and Comprehensive Measurement of the Alcohol Problems Continuum in College Students: The Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire

Background: Although a number of measures of alcohol problems in college students have been studied, the psychometric development and validation of these scales have been limited, for the most part, to methods based on classical test theory. In this study, we conducted analyses based on item response theory to select a set of items for measuring the alcohol problem severity continuum in college students that balances comprehensiveness and efficiency and is free from significant gender bias. Method: We conducted Rasch model analyses of responses to the 48-item Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire by 164 male and 176 female college students who drank on at least a weekly basis. An iterative process using item fit statistics, item severities, item discrimination parameters, model residuals, and analysis of differential item functioning by gender was used to pare the items down to those that best fit a Rasch model and that were most efficient in discriminating among levels of alcohol problems in the sample. Results: The process of iterative Rasch model analyses resulted in a final 24-item scale with the data fitting the unidimensional Rasch model very well. The scale showed excellent distributional properties, had items adequately matched to the severity of alcohol problems in the sample, covered a full range of problem severity, and appeared highly efficient in retaining all of the meaningful variance captured by the original set of 48 items. Conclusions: The use of Rasch model analyses to inform item selection produced a final scale that, in both its comprehensiveness and its efficiency, should be a useful tool for researchers studying alcohol problems in college students. To aid interpretation of raw scores, examples of the types of alcohol problems that are likely to be experienced across a range of selected scores are provided.
Theory of kilometer-size density waves in the nightside Venus ionosphere

Quasi-sinusoidal density waves were frequently observed during the end of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) mission when the orbiter was at low periapsis. These waves occur at altitudes approx. 145 - 155 km and have wavelengths approx. 1 km. It is suggested that a radial, ambipolar electric field E(sub 0), directed downward, is established in the Venus ionosphere during electron pressure enhancements above approx. 160 km. This field generates an electron E x B drift V(sub E); the ions move radially and do not E x B drift because they are unmagnetized (i.e, nu(sub in) much greater than Omega(sub i)). This drift is shown to drive a collisional drift wave instability for sufficiently large values of V(sub E), nominally, V(sub E) greater than nu(sub i) where nu(sub i) is the ion thermal velocity. For parameters typical of the nightside Venus ionosphere, this instability generates plasma fluctuations with wavelengths approx. 1 km, consistent with observations.
Illness perceptions and related outcomes among women with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Purpose Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, multiple tender points, and fatigue, and affects 3–6 million Americans, 75% of whom are female. The purpose of the present study was to examine the illness perceptions of women with FMS using Leventhal’s common sense self-regulation model. Design Ninety-one women with FMS took part in this study. Pearson correlations and stepwise multiple regressions were used to assess relationships among variables and explanation of variance in the outcomes of health behaviors, FMS impact, and subjective physical and mental health. Results Participants viewed their FMS as chronic with a somewhat fluctuating course, having serious consequences in their lives, and difficult to understand in a coherent fashion. The women tended to find their FMS emotionally distressing and unamenable to personal control or efficacious treatment. Emotional representations explained 41% of the variance in mental health scores and 17% in reported health behaviors. Conclusions Overall, this sample of women with FMS had fairly negative perceptions of their illness. As suggested by Leventhal’s model, cognitive and emotional representations predicted different outcomes. Interventions that address psychological as well as the physical components of the illness experience may offer benefits for women with FMS.
XPS determination of uranium oxidation states

This contribution is both a review of different aspects of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy that can help one determine U oxidation states and a personal perspective on how to effectively model the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of complicated mixed-valence U phases. After a discussion of the valence band, the focus lingers on the U4f region, where the use of binding energies, satellite structures, and peak shapes is discussed in some detail. Binding energies were shown to be very dependent on composition/structure and consequently unreliable guides to oxidation state, particularly where assignment of composition is difficult. Likewise, the spin orbit split 4f7/2 and 4f5/2 peak shapes do not carry significant information on oxidation states. In contrast, both satellite-primary peak binding energy separations, as well as intensities to a lesser extent, are relatively insensitive to composition/structure within the oxide–hydroxide–hydrate system and can be used to both identify and help quantify U oxidation states in mixed valence phases. An example of the usefulness of the satellite structure in constraining the interpretation of a complex multivalence U compound is given. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cyclic etidronate: has the rose lost its bloom?

Few events in the annals of osteoporosis research have elicited such widespread interest as did the independent reports, 2 years ago, that cyclic administration of etidronate (Didronel), a geminal bisphosphonate, increases vertebral bone mass and reduces the incidence of vertebral fracture in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis [1,2]. This news was enthusiastically received by the medical community and hailed by the mass media as a major therapeutic breakthrough. Its impact on patients was immediate and dramatic, In my own clinic, patients arrived bearing news clippings and requesting prescriptions. Informed that there was no established rationale for adding a bisphosphonate to estrogen, some patients asked to terminate hormone replacement in order to receive the new drug. During the subsequent 2 years, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of etidronate for osteoporosis was requested, and the pharmaceutical industry rushed to develop second- and third-gen-’ eration bisphosphonates for this purpose. In the current issue, Harris and colleagues [3] present a follow-up report on the skeletal effects of cyclic etidronate. The results, although encouraging, warrant considerably more interpretive restraint than greeted the initial report. Gains in bone mass achieved by 2 years persisted and increased slightly during Year 3 of treatment. However, the dramatic improvement in overall vertebral fracture incidence that one anticipated from the 2-year results did not achieve statistical significance following Year 3. This finding reflects a stable fracture rate in the control subjects and an increased fracture rate in the etidronate-treated subjects during the third year. However, when post-hoc analysis of women at particularly high risk for fracture was carried out, significant reductions in total and new vertebral fractures were observed. This subgroup consisted of women who, at baseline, had three or more vertebral fractures and a spinal bone mineral density that was below the 50th percentile for the group as a whole. It is important to note that this percentile refers not to healthy postmenopausal
Drift compensation for automatic nanomanipulation with scanning probe microscopes

Manipulation of nanoparticles with atomic force microscopes (AFMs) has been under development for a decade and is now well established as a technique for prototyping nanodevices and for other applications. Until now, the manipulation process for particles with sizes of a few nanometers has been very labor intensive. This severely limits the complexity of the structures that can be built. Particle sizes on the order of 10 nm are comparable to the spatial uncertainties associated with AFM operation, and a user in the loop has been needed to compensate for these uncertainties. This paper addresses thermal drift, which is the major cause of errors for AFMs operating in ambient conditions. It is shown that drift can be estimated efficiently by using Kalman filtering techniques. This approach has firm theoretical foundations and is validated by the experimental results presented in this paper. Manipulation of groups of 15-nm particles is demonstrated under program control, without human intervention over a long period of time, in ambient air and at room temperature. Coupled with existing methods for high-level motion planning, the manipulation capabilities introduced here will permit assembling, from the bottom up, nanostructures that are more complex than those being built today with AFMs. Note to Practitioners-Nanomanipulation with scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) has potential applications in nanodevice and system prototyping, or in small-batch production if multitip arrays are used instead of single tips. However, SPM nanomanipulation is still being used primarily in research labs. A major obstacle to its wider use is the labor and time involved in the process. These are largely due to spatial uncertainty in the position of the tip (which is analogous to a robot's end effector) relative to the sample being manipulated. Today, a skilled user is needed to determine where the tip is and to correct manipulation errors due to inaccurate positional estimates. The major cause of this spatial uncertainty is thermal drift between the tip and the sample. At the time scales relevant to manipulation, the drift can reach values comparable to the size of the objects, especially if these are below /spl sim/10 nm. The techniques discussed in this paper compensate for the drift and enable automated manipulation, with associated savings in time and labor, and increased complexity of the resulting structures.
Dexamethasone for prophylaxis against acute mountain sickness during rapid ascent to 5334 m

Twenty-three volunteers participated in a double-blind, randomized trial comparing the steroid dexamethasone 4mg to placebo every 12 h as prophylaxis against acute mountain sickness (AMS) during a rapid ascent to a shelter on Mt Chaclataya, Bolivia. From sea level, subjects were transported by air and land vehicles to 5334 m within a 72-h period. They were evaluated by cerebral scores derived from the Environmental Symptom Questionnaire and confirmed by AMS-C and AMS-R scores. After 6–8 h at high altitude (day 3), the number of ill persons in the dexamethasone group was less than those ill in the placebo group (χ 2 =7.43, p =0.01) by chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. After 20 h at high altitude (day 4), the contrast between groups diminished (χ 2 =2.10, p =0.214). ANOVA and t -test showed that mean cumulative AMS scores of the dexamethasone group were significantly lower ( p =0.01, p =0.02) than those of the placebo group for both days at high altitude, despite an approximate 82% increase in the mean cumulative score of the dexamethasone group from day 3 to day 4. We conclude that dexamethasone 4 mg every 12 h, though initially effective, was not sufficient to sustain prophylaxis from AMS symptoms at 5334 m.
Test of Family of Origin Structural Models of Male Verbal and Physical Aggression

Using a convenience sample of 152 married or cohabiting couples, this study tested different theoretical models of male aggression toward a female intimate that addressed the relation between physical and verbal aggression variables and family of origin violence, psychological symptoms, and marital satisfaction. Results of covariance structural analysis procedures provided general support for the proposed models. Results indicated that physical violence witnessed in one's family of origin was predictive of greater psychological distress in adulthood for men and women. Husbands' reports of psychological symptomatology were an important path to their own display of physical and verbal aggression; this relation was not true for women's symptomatology reports and their partners' aggression displays. Marital satisfaction was found to have a significant negative relation with both wives' reports of their husbands' verbal aggression toward them and husbands' reports of verbal aggression toward their wives. The f...
A data model for engineering design objects

Design objects in CAD applications have versions and participate in the construction of other more complex design objects. The author describes data model aspects of an experimental database system for CAD applications called Pegasus. The model is based on previously published work on extensible and object-oriented database systems. The novel idea of Pegasus is the reconciliation of two subtyping (inheritance) mechanisms: the first, called refinement, is based on the usual semantics of schema copying; the second, called extension, is based on the inheritance semantics between prototypes and their extensions. The author uses these modeling elements to show how generic and version objects as well as component occurrences of (generic or version) components can be modeled. >
Mathematical homogenization theory for electroactive continuum

Two-scale continuum equations are derived for heterogeneous continua with full nonlinear electromechanical coupling using nonlinear mathematical homogenization theory. The resulting coarse-scale electromechanical continuum equations are free of coarse-scale constitutive equations. The unit cell (or representative volume element) is subjected to the overall mechanical and electric field extracted from the solution of the coarsescale problem and is solved for arbitrary constitutive equations of fine-scale constituents. The proposed method can be applied to analyze the behavior of electroactive materials with heterogeneous fine-scale structure and can pave the way forward for designing advanced electroactive materials and devices. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Androgens Promote Prostate Cancer Cell Growth through Induction of Autophagy

Androgens regulate both the physiological development of the prostate and the pathology of prostatic diseases. However, the mechanisms by which androgens exert their regulatory activities on these processes are poorly understood. In this study, we have determined that androgens regulate overall cell metabolism and cell growth, in part, by increasing autophagy in prostate cancer cells. Importantly, inhibition of autophagy using either pharmacological or molecular inhibitors significantly abrogated androgen-induced prostate cancer cell growth. Mechanistically, androgen-mediated autophagy appears to promote cell growth by augmenting intracellular lipid accumulation, an effect previously demonstrated to be necessary for prostate cancer cell growth. Further, autophagy and subsequent cell growth is potentiated, in part, by androgen-mediated increases in reactive oxygen species. These findings demonstrate a role for increased fat metabolism and autophagy in prostatic neoplasias and highlight the potential of tar...
DNA Sequence Similarity between California Isolates of Cryptosporidium parvum

We evaluated whether nucleic acid amplification with primers specific for Cryptosporidium parvum followed by automated DNA sequence analysis of the PCR amplicons could differentiate between California isolates of C. parvum obtained from livestock, humans, and feral pigs. Almost complete sequence identity existed among the livestock isolates and between the livestock and human isolates. DNA sequences from feral pig isolates differed from those from livestock and humans by 1.0 to 1.2%. The reference sequence obtained by Laxer et al. (M. A. Laxer, B. K. Timblin, and R. J. Patel, Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 45:688–694, 1991.) differed from California isolates of C. parvum by 1.8 to 3.2%. These data suggest that DNA sequence analysis of the amplicon of Laxer et al. does not allow for differentiation between various strains of C. parvum or that our collection of isolates obtained from various hosts from across California was limited to one strain of C. parvum.