cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variable transcriptional activity and ligand binding of mutant beta 1 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine receptors from four families with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone.

Mutations in the gene encoding the human beta 1 T3 receptor (hTR beta 1) have been associated with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone (GRTH). We measured the T3-binding affinity and transcriptional regulatory capacity of the mutant hTR beta 1 from four unrelated kindreds with GRTH. These mutations are contained in different functional regions of the ligand-binding domain. The T3 affinity of the mutant receptors correlated well with the degree of impairment of their trans-activating function in a transient cotransfection system in HeLa cells; two mutant receptors with undetectable ligand affinity showed no transcriptional activity, whereas the two other mutants characterized by a 2- and 5-fold reduction in T3 affinity required 5- and 15-fold higher T3 concentrations for half-maximal activity in the cotransfection assay, respectively. All of the mutant hTR beta 1s were able to inhibit the function of transfected normal hTR beta 1 and endogenous retinoic acid receptor in activating a palindromic posit...
MICROBIAL PRODUCTIVITY IN VARIABLE RESOURCE ENVIRONMENTS

The rate, timing, and quality of resource supply exert strong controls on a wide range of ecological processes. In particular, resource-mediated changes in microbial activity have the potential to alter ecosystem processes, including the production and respiration of organic matter. In this study, we used field experiments and simulation modeling to explore how aquatic heterotrophic bacteria respond to variation in resource quality (low vs. high) and resource schedule (pulse vs. press). Field experiments revealed that one-time pulse additions of resources in the form of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) caused short-lived (≤48 h) peaks in bacterial productivity (BP), which translated into large differences across treatments: cumulative BP was twice as high in the pulse vs. press treatment under low resource quality, and five times as high under high resource quality. To gain a more mechanistic understanding of microbial productivity in variable resource environments, we constructed a mathematical model to ex...
Avoidance of overlearning characterises the spacing effect

The spacing of a fixed amount of study time across multiple sessions usually increases subsequent test performance—a finding known as the spacing effect. In the spacing experiment reported here, subjects completed multiple learning trials, and each included a study phase and a test. Once a subject achieved a perfect test, the remaining learning trials within that session comprised what is known as overlearning. The number of these overlearning trials was reduced when learning trials were spaced across multiple sessions rather than massed in a single session. In addition, the degree to which spacing reduced overlearning predicted the size of the spacing effect, which is consistent with the possibility that spacing increases subsequent recall by reducing the occurrence of overlearning. By this account, overlearning is an inefficient use of study time, and the efficacy of spacing depends at least partly on the degree to which it reduces the occurrence of overlearning.
Cross-linkable molecular hole-transporting semiconductor for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

In this study, we investigate the use of a cross-linkable organosilane semiconductor, 4,4′-bis[(p-trichlorosilylpropylphenyl)phenylamino]biphenyl (TPDSi2), as a hole-transporting material (HTM) for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ssDSSCs) using the standard amphiphilic Z907 dye which is compatible with organic HTM deposition. The properties and performance of the resulting cells are then compared and contrasted with the ones based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), a conventional polymeric HTM, but with rather limited pore-filling capacity. When processed under N2, TPDSi2 exhibits excellent infiltration into the mesoporous TiO2 layer and thus enables the fabrication of relatively thick devices (∼5 μm) for efficient photon harvesting. When exposed to ambient atmosphere (RHamb ∼ 20%), TPDSi2 readily undergoes cross-linking to afford a rigid, thermally stable hole-transporting layer. In addition, the effect of tert-butylpyridine (TBP) and lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide salt (Li-TFSI) additi...
Perceived discrimination and racial/ethnic disparities in youth problem behaviors.

I read with interest the article on the association between perceived discrimination and racial disparities in problem behaviors among youths,(1) and I commend the authors for exploring the effects of discrimination on the mental and physical health of minority preadolescents. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print September 12, 2013: e1. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301525). Language: en
Propagation and extinction of stretched premixed flames

By using the symmetrical counterflow flame configuration and LDV mapping of the velocity profile, we have accurately determined for methane/air and propane/air mixtures their flame speeds as a function of the equivalence ratio and stretch, as well as the stretch rates and the associated flame speeds at the state of extinction. These data are expected to be quantitatively useful for the modeling of more complex flame and combustor phenomena. Results further show that for these mixtures the flame speed mostly increases linearly with increasing stretch, that the flame speed is finite at the state of extinction, and that the extinction limits for nearly adiabatic, stretchless, and planar flames appear to correspond to the flammability limits of the respective mixtures. Implications of the present results on the concept of flammability limits are also discussed.
Comparison of Uncertainty Ellipses Calculated from Two Spectrophotometric Colorimetry Methods by an Automatic-Computer Program

The parameters and equations for calculating uncertainty of chromaticity coordinates in spectrophotometric tristimulus colorimetry have already been derived for the 10°-field standard-observer system. From the variability data for eleven optical filters obtained from two methods of spectrophotometric tristimulus colorimetry, the standard-observer-system method and the actual-observer method, two sets of chromaticity uncertainty ellipses are derived and intercompared. The similarity between corresponding ellipses of these two sets leads to the following conclusion: the system-derived uncertainty ellipses, based on the variances and covariances of the spectral tristimulus values of the large-field standard-observer system, can be used to estimate observer-derived chromaticity-uncertainty ellipses.The equations are the basis of the automatic-computer program and are used to compute uncertainty ellipses; they are given to aid anyone who wishes to arrange such a program in his laboratory. The fixed combinations of the spectral tristimulus values of their variances and covariances can be readily prepared by researchers who may wish to use desk calculators to compute uncertainty ellipses for actual-observer data or for standard-observer-system data, respectively.
Bulk solute extrusion as a mechanism conferring solute uptake specificity by pinocytosis in Amoeba proteus

A variety of positively charged solutes induce pinocytosis in Amoeba proteus, ranging from metabolically useful material to solutes that may prove harmful, such as Alcian blue. Alcian blue is taken up by pinocytosis and then a fraction of the accumulated dye is expelled in bulk form through "extrusion channels." This response is not elicited by other solutes taken up by pinocytosis in the amoeba, implying that if any selectivity is associated with this process, it is by specific solute extrusion mechanisms in the cytoplasm.
Energy for sustainable development: Review of national and international energy policies

This article presents an assessment of the effectiveness of national and international energy policies directed toward the objectives of sustainable development contained in Agenda 21. Following a brief overview of energy and transport sector trends over the past ten years, the article discusses whether and to what extent energy policies for sustainable development have impacted on poverty reduction, energy security, equitable access to energy, and transition to a more efficient and environmentally sound energy system. The impact of policies is assessed considering that such a transition involves appropriate combinations of energy efficient technologies and usage patterns, wider use of renewable energy, and gradual induction of advanced energy technologies. The article then examines the extent to which such policies have been based on integrated assessments of the needs and priorities in economic growth, social development and environmental protection and identifies some of the main constraints and barriers hampering the implementation of energy for sustainable development. The article also examines whether decision-making processes ensure multi-stakeholder participation in policy development and support a fair sharing of commitments, responsibilities and benefits among the participating stakeholders in policy implementation. Selected case studies of policies that have made a tangible difference in promoting energy for sustainable development are outlined. Finally the article discusses the challenges facing energy for sustainable development and discusses various options to accelerate the implementation of its goals.
Nonlinear resonant optical rectification in a coupled quantum well

Abstract We have measured the rectification of far-infrared radiation resonant with the lowest intersubband transition of an AlGa/AsGaAs asymmetric coupled double-quantum well in which the subband spacing is 11 meV. From these measurements we can extract an intersubband lifetime of 1.2 ± 0.4 ns at low excitation intensity and T = 10K, which appears promising for devices which can operate at low excitation and temperature, such as FIR detectors or mixers. From simultaneous measurements of the optical rectification and of the intersubband absorption coefficient we can determine the intensity-dependent intersubband lifetime, which shows a strong decrease for increasing intensities.
Giant raindrops seen in warm clouds

A paper in this month's issue of Geophysical Research Letters helps to dispel the conventional idea that raindrops 4–8 mm in diameter can only result from the melting of cloud ice. Giant raindrops up to 8 mm in diameter have now been observed in tropical rainstorms, according to Kenneth V. Beard of the Illinois State Water Survey (Champaign, Ill.), David B. Johnson of the Division of Atmospheric Resources Research in the Bureau of Reclamation (Denver, Colo.), and D. Baumgardner of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (Boulder, Colo.). The clouds studied in the Hawaiian Warm Rain Project were limited by a marine inversion to altitudes where the temperature is above the freezing point.
Continuous topological phase transitions between clean quantum hall states

Continuous transitions between states and the same symmetry but different topological orders are studied. Clean quantum Hall (QH) liquids with neutral nonbosonic quasiparticles are shown to have such transitions under the right conditions. For clean bilayer $(\mathrm{mmn})$ states, a continuous transition to other QH states (including non-Abelian states) can be driven by increasing interlayer repulsion/tunneling. The effective theories describing the critical points at some transitions are obtained.
Reaction kinetics between steam and oil-shale residual carbon

Abstract The reaction kinetics between steam and the residual organic carbon in retorted Colorado oil shale (Mahogany Zone) have been investigated using both isothermal and nonisothermal methods. The reaction was found to depend on the 0.5-power of the steam partial pressure. The H2OC reaction was found to be approximately three times as fast as the CO2C reaction at atmospheric pressure and temperatures near 700 °C. The reactivity of the residual carbon depended on both the heating rate used to generate the carbon and the subsequent thermal treatment. Removal of mineral matter (primarily carbonates) by acid leaching decreased the reactivity of the char by more than an order of magnitude. Surface area and mercury porosimetry results are also discussed.
Photosensitized Oxidation Of Lens Crystallins: Role Of Conformational Changes In Cataract

Photooxidation of lens crystallins has been found to induce significant changes in their tertiary structures, and is likely to play an important role in the crosslinking and aggregation of these proteins observed in aged and cataractous human lenses. Irradiation of calf lens α-, β- and γ- crystallins in the presence of visible light and the photosensitizers methylene blue or riboflavin and by irradiation with 300 nm radiation has been investigated. Of the three classes of crystallins, only the monomeric γ-crystallins have been found to undergo partial insolubilization in photosensitized reactions. The insoluble material is highly crosslinked by nondisulfide linkages. Moreover, change in the molecular charge of the protein is observed. Analysis of the soluble fraction of the irradiated γ-crystallin, by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy, reveals changes in the tertiary structure of the protein, probably involving a partial unfolding of the molecule. Active species of molecular oxygen play a role in these structural modifications. The change in conformation is different for each photosensitizer used, suggesting that the sensitizer-protein complexation may be important.
Detection of enzyme histochemical markers of hepatic preneoplasia and neoplasia in medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Abstract Freeze-drying and glycolmethacrylate embedment (FDGE), without prior fixation and chemical dehydration, has proven useful in the study of the progression of lesions associated with diethylnitrosamine-induced liver neoplasia in medaka ( Oryzias latipes ). Localization of specific enzymes including acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), uridine diphosphate glucose dehydrogenase (UDPGDH), quinone oxidoreductase or DT diaphorase (DTD), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) was achieved histochemically and correlated, in serial sections, with the conventional histologic stain, hematoxylin and eosin. Phenotypes of enzyme-altered foci and subsequent lesions in the promotion and progression of hepatocarcinogenesis were determined. GGT and G6PDH marked toxic and inflammatory phases respectively, while GGT, DTD, ALKP, ACP, G6PDH and UDPGDH proved useful in differentiating phenotypically altered hepatocytes during the later stages of neoplastic development. FDGE permitted the evaluation of multiple tissue markers in serial sections. limited the development of diffusion artifacts, produced higher resolution than cryostat sections and proved nearly as good as conventional light microscopy for routine survey. Integration of morphologic and biochemical data within microscopic lesions in a single small liver has been achieved.
Investigation on the shape evolution of 1D mesoporous hematite nanoparticles prepared via anion-assisted hydrothermal approach

Abstract The fabrication of one-dimensional (1D) porous hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) nanorods, nanotires and nanotubes employing an anion-assisted hydrothermal route is reported. The shape evolution of the resulting nanostructures is investigated taking into account the role of the phosphate and sulfate anions along with other experimental conditions. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and High Resolution Transmission Electron microscope (HRTEM) images confirm the 1D morphology and porous nature of the prepared samples. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman spectral analysis are carried out. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) measurements show the surface area and distribution of porosity in the as-prepared nanoparticles. The thermal stability of the samples is analyzed by employing Thermogravimetric (TG) and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA). The effect of anisotropic shape over the magnetic property of the samples prepared under different synthetic conditions is studied using Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM).
CRITICAL CLIMATE: RELATIONS AMONG SEXUAL HARASSMENT, CLIMATE, AND OUTCOMES FOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS AND BOYS

This study examined the relationships among peer-to-peer sexual harassment, school climate, adult-to-student harassment, and outcomes (psychological and physical well-being; school withdrawal and safety) for high school girls (n= 310) and boys (n= 259) recruited from seven public high schools in a Midwestern state. More frequent, severe peer harassment was associated with being female; holding climate perceptions that one's school is tolerant of the harassment of girls; and experiencing more frequent, severe harassment by school personnel. The correlates associated with outcomes varied by outcome, with climate exerting a consistent influence on boys' outcomes. Girls' outcomes were associated with climate, harassment, or both. Findings suggest that more frequent, severe experiences of sexual harassment in the schools are associated with direct, negative effects on girls and indirect, negative effects on boys and girls through a school climate that tolerates the harassment of girls.
Vasopressin release from the isolated neurohypophysis induced by a calcium ionophore, X-537A.

TEN years ago observations on isolated neurohypophyses prompted the suggestion that action potentials in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial tract release neurohypophysial hormones by promoting calcium influx and that the appearance of free calcium ions somewhere in the neurosecretory terminals provides the immediate stimulus for hormone extrusion1–3. Some time later it was argued that the role of calcium ions in stimulus-secretion coupling in this system and in many other secretory cells was to set in motion a common secretory mechanism, exocytosis4. Very recently the evidence supporting this view has been strengthened by light microscopic observations showing extrusion of secretory granules from mast cells on intracellular injection of calcium ions5. Meanwhile, electron microscopic6–11 and chemical12–16 evidence has borne out the conjecture that neurohypophysial hormones are secreted by exocytosis, and the case for calcium-influx as the initiating event has been strengthened by a number of observations set out in recent reviews15,16. These reviews make the further point that the neurohypophysis may be a useful model system for studying stimulus-secretion coupling in nerve cells generally: the involvement of calcium in release of neural transmitters is well-known and may have a similar explanation17,18.
Cross-layer design for efficient resource utilization in wimedia UWB-based WPANs

Ultra-WideBand (UWB) communications has emerged as a promising technology for high data rate Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs). In this article, we address two key issues that impact the performance of a multihop UWB-based WPAN: throughput and transmission range. Arbitrary selection of routes in such a network may result in reserving an unnecessarily long channel time, and hence low network throughput and high blocking rate for prospective reservations. To remedy this situation, we propose a novel cross-layer resource allocation design. At the core of this design is a routing technique (called RTERU) that uses the allocated channel time as a routing metric. RTERU exploits the dependence of this metric on the multiple-rate capability of an UWB system. We show that selecting the route that consumes the minimum channel time while satisfying a target packet delivery probability over the selected route is an NP-hard problem. Accordingly, RTERU resorts to approximate path selection algorithms (implemented proactively and reactively) to find near-optimal solutions at reasonable computational/communication overhead. We further enhance the performance of RTERU by integrating into its design a packet overhearing capability. Simulations are used to demonstrate the performance of our proposed solutions.
Analysis of the genes encoding the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II in Arabidopsis and soybean.

We have cloned and sequenced the gene encoding the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1) from Arabidopsis thaliana and partially sequenced genes from soybean (Glycine max). We have also determined the nucleotide sequence for a number of cDNA clones which encode the carboxyl terminal domains (CTDs) of RNA polymerase II from both soybean and Arabidopsis. The Arabidopsis RPB1 gene encodes a polypeptide of approximately 205 kDa, consists of 12 exons, and encompasses more than 8 kb. Predicted amino acid sequence shows eight regions of similarity with the largest subunit of other prokaryotic and eukaryotic RNA polymerases, as well as a highly conserved CTD unique to RNA polymerase II. The CTDs in plants, like those in most other eukaryotes, consist of tandem heptapeptide repeats with the consensus amino acid sequence PTSPSYS. The portion of RPB1 which encodes the CTD in plants differs from that of RPB1 of animals and lower eukaryotes. All the plant genes examined contain 2–3 introns within the CTD encoding regions, and at least two plant genes contain an alternatively spliced intron in the 3′ untranslated region. Several clustered amino acid substitutions in the CTD are conserved in the two plant species examined, but are not found in other eukaryotes. RPB1 is encoded by a multigene family in soybean, but a single gene encodes this subunit in Arabidopsis and most other eukaryotes.
Do Phonological and Executive Processes in English Learners at Risk for Reading Disabilities in Grade 1 Predict Performance in Grade 2

This study determined the degree to which the phonological and executive components of memory reflect language-specific capacities in reading achievement. We tested whether the memory processes in a sample of English-language learners that played a major role in predicting second-language acquisition and risk for reading disability (RD) in Grade 1 (Swanson, Saez, Gerber, & Leafstedt, 2004) also predicted reading performance in Grade 2. The present results showed that Spanish short-term memory (STM) performance in Grade 1 predicted basic Spanish-reading skills and Spanish comprehension in Grade 2, whereas Grade 1 English STM performance predicted English vocabulary and English comprehension in Grade 2. More importantly, children at risk for RD in Grade 1 differed from the counterparts in Grade 2 on both English and Spanish measures of reading, whereas their memory deficits were isolated to Spanish STM and working memory (WM). The relationship between language-specific processes in memory and reading are discussed.
Implementation of an intraoperative glycemic control protocol for cardiac surgery in a high-acuity academic medical center: an observational study.

Abstract Study Objective To examine the effect on morbidity and mortality of an established intraoperative insulin protocol in cardiac surgical patients. Design Retrospective observational study. Setting Single-center, 782 bed, metropolitan academic hospital. Patients 1,616 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Interventions An intraoperative, intravenous (IV) insulin protocol designed to maintain blood glucose values less than 150 mg/dL was implemented. Measurements Blood glucose was evaluated on entry to the operating room, every 30 minutes during CPB, and at least once after discontinuation of CPB. Blood glucose values were followed postoperatively, as dictated by institutional policy. Main Results Intraoperative predictors of 30-day mortality using multivariate logistic regression included hyperglycemia on initiation of CPB (OR 1.0, P = 0.05). The strongest predictor of 30-day mortality was the development of postoperative renal failure requiring hemodialysis (OR 3.26, P = 0.001). Conclusions Implementation of an intraoperative IV insulin protocol, while associated with improved glycemic control, was not associated with improved outcomes. While improved glycemic control on initiating CPB was associated with decreased 30-day mortality, the effect was small. Implementation of our insulin protocol was highly associated with decreased renal failure postoperatively. Further prospective studies are warranted to better establish causality.
Induced fluorescence of phenylpyridines by hydrogen bonding complexation

Abstract Fluorescence of the isomeric 2-, 3-, and 4-phenylpyridines was induced by forming hydrogen-bonded complexes with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in a hydrocarbon solvent. The results indicate a high sensitivity of these molecules for TFA with 1:1 H-bonded formation constants of 0.85×10 3 , 1.59×10 3 , and 1.85×10 3 M −1 , respectively, which increase with the basicity of the azine. In each case induced fluorescence occurs as the result of an excited state H-bond transfer. With 2-phenylpyridine in cyclohexane, complexation converts a nonfluorescent molecule to an H-bonded species with a fluorescence quantum yield of 0.24. The application of these molecules as fluorescence probes for acid molecules in a non-polar solvent is suggested.
The relationship between employment and neuropsychological impairment in HIV infection.

The relationship between neurocognitive impairment and employment in a cohort of 130 predominantly symptomatic individuals with HIV–1 infection was examined. Participants were classified as employed (full or part-time for pay) or unemployed (N = 64) and administered a neuropsychological test battery. When covarying for CD4 count, age, and physical limitations, the results revealed that unemployed men performed below that of employed participants on tasks of memory, set shifting–cognitive flexibility, and psychomotor speed. The results are discussed within the context of similar findings in other illnesses. (JINS, 1999, 5, 534–539.)
Stringent response in Escherichia coli induces expression of heat shock proteins

The rpoD gene (encoding the 70,000 Mr sigma subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase) is the most distal gene in an operon that contains three genes. The promoter-proximal gene is rpsU (encoding ribosomal protein S21) and the middle gene is dnaG (encoding DNA primase). During the stringent response, caused by a deficiency in an aminoacyl-tRNA, expression of rpsU is decreased, while expression of rpoD is not. This disco-ordinate regulation is due to increased transcription from a minor promoter upstream from rpoD, in the dnaG gene. Transcription from this promoter is also increased during the heat shock response. Expression of other heat shock proteins was found to increase during the stringent response. Thus, the stringent response in E. coli induces expression of heat shock proteins. The requirements for this stringent induction of the heat shock proteins differ from those for temperature induction during the heat shock response.
Differentiation of substrate‐binding sites in pyruvate kinase by selective photoaffinity labeling

The four substrate-binding sites in porcine liver pyruvate kinase have been labeled with the photoaffinity reagent 8-azido-2'-O-dansyl-[alpha-32P]ATP (AD-ATP) under different experimental conditions. In the dark, the native pyruvate kinase was reversibly and competitively inhibited by AD-ATP, with KI = 2.8 microM and KADP = 0.18 mM. Under UV-irradiation, the enzyme was covalently labeled in the presence of Mg2+ by AD-ATP and inactivated irreversibly. Measurement of this photoinactivation process in the presence of various concentrations of ADP gave KI = 4.0 microM and KADP = 0.2 mM. A linear plot of the relative specific activity of the partially photolabeled enzyme after gel-filtration vs. the number of label per pyruvate kinase molecule introduced in the presence of Mg2+ shows that each covalent label completely inactivates a tetrameric pyruvate kinase molecule. In the strict absence of Mg2+, up to three substrate-binding sites in each pyruvate kinase molecule can be labeled by AD-ATP without decreasing enzyme activity. Subsequent addition of Mg2+ enables AD-ATP to label the remaining site and inactivate the enzyme. These observations show that there are one catalytic and three non-catalytic substrate-binding sites in each pyruvate kinase molecule. A probable structural reason for possible functional differentiation of intrinsically identical substrate-binding sites in all tetrameric enzymes is suggested.
Acetoxylation of toluene catalyzed by supported Pd-Sn catalysts

Abstract The toluene acetoxylation run in the presence of Pd(OAc)2, Sn(OH)2 and KOAc was found to proceed through three characteristic stages of the oxygen absorption. In the first stage, the system produces a Pd(II) [Sn(II)]2(OAc)6 complex which remains homogeneous until the end of that phase. In the second region of the oxygen uptake curve there is an absorption of one equivalent of oxygen after which a heterogeneous palladium-tin species precipitates on the surface of the silica carrier present in the system. In the third region the oxygen adsorption is related only to the oxidation of the toluene to benzyl acetate and benzylidene diacetate which are formed in a 6.7/1 ratio. The turnover frequencies determined on the basis of the reaction rates were 3–4 times higher than observed with the reference system which used Sn(OAc)2 as the tin precursor. An additional triple increase in the rate was observed for the same optimized system when the oxidation was begun in the presence of ICN 60 silica. The activity of these in-situ supported Pd/Sn species depends strongly on the porosity of the silica carriers. The optimal average pore diameter was found to be near 20–30 A. The samples with variable Sn/Pd ratios and with variable loading exhibit strongly suppressed hydrogen chemisorption and single turnover (STO) surface reactivity which is thought to result from an SMSI state of the metallic palladium caused by the co-adsorbed tin.
Cause of seal die-off in 1988 is still under debate.

Peter Ross and his colleagues review in their letter (15 Sept., p. [1878][1]) their findings on immune disruption by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in harbor seals, a rare example of controlled experimental research much needed in marine mammal toxicology. There is no question that PCBs can pose
Regionally Averaged Endwall Heat Transfer Correlations for a Linear Vane Cascade

This paper presents an analysis of endwall heat transfer correlations for a linear vane cascade. The data base used for the present correlations was developed originally by Detroit Diesel Allison (now Allison Gas Turbine Division, General Motors) under a contract sponsored jointly by the Air Force Aero Propulsion Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and NASA-Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio. Correlations are made for overall averaged, regionally averaged, and locally averaged values of Stanton number. Emphasis, however, has been placed on regional averages; regions of particular interest are the cascade leading edge (pressure side) and the cascade trailing edge wake. Independent parameters used in the correlations are exit Reynolds number, exit Mach number, inlet turbulence intensity, and average wall-to-gas temperature ratio. Typical inferences to be drawn from the correlations include a minimal dependency on Mach number and a greater than expected dependency on wall-to-gas temperature ratio.Copyright © 1985 by ASME
Epimysial Connective Tissue Scores as Related to Beef Tenderness

SUMMARY: Steaks from 24 bulls 20 months old, 89 bulls 14 months old and 109 steers 20 months old were used to relate thickness of epimysial tissue to the amount of intra-muscular connective tissue, and to correlate these factors with Warner-Bratzler shear values in muscles cooked to 140 or 160°F. The thickest portion of the LD epimysium was greater in lighter weight bulls than it was in heavier steers. Epimysial extension and thickness varied according to muscle location but at the same location it was not significantly different in steaks from tough versus tender steers. Differences in hydroxyproline content and connective tissue of steers and young bulls were small but older bulls had slightly greater amounts of both. The LD epimysium was tougher in older bulls than in younger bulls. Shear values of epimysial tissue varied considerably within animals of the same age, especially when roasted to 140°F. Most connective tissue differences due to line of cattle were small. Correlations within groups of cattle between thickness of epimysial tissues of different muscles or between epimysial thickness and intramuscular connective tissues were low. With few exceptions neither hydroxyproline, epimysial thickness nor connective tissue scores were significantly related to shear force of muscle or shear force of epimysial tissue itself. Correlations between shear force of the LD and BF muscles were not significant (P < 0.05) in animals of the same age. There was a tenderness interaction between age of animal and type of muscle which suggested that collagen gelatinization occurred at a faster rate in the LD than in the BF as age increased.
Disparities in Pain: Ethical Issues

Note from editor: The following is the report and newest recommendations from the AAPM Council on Ethics, which are now included in the “AAPM Ethics Charter.” All comments are welcome. The American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) endorses the World Health Organization declaration that pain relief is a human right. The Academy advocates strongly for access to high-quality pain care for all persons, seeking to overcome any and all inequities that exist. The AAPM embraces the American Medical Association's statement on disparities, affirming that “disparities in medical care based on immutable characteristics such as race must be avoided. Whether such disparities in health care are caused by treatment decisions, differences in income and education, sociocultural factors, or failures by the medical profession, they are unjustifiable and must be eliminated. Physicians should examine their own practices to ensure that racial prejudice does not affect clinical judgment in medical care”[1]. While federal agencies have paid increasing attention to health care disparities in recent years [2], the impact of pain on individual patient's lives, their families, and society are notably absent in most federal research agency's strategic plans and position statements. The reality today is that there has been little impetus or effort among agencies of influence to promote, no less uphold, an acceptable standard of pain care among all groups of patients. There continue to be major disparities based on patient sociodemographic factors (e.g., race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status [SES], age, gender) for all types of pain (i.e., nociceptive and neuropathic pain) and across all settings (i.e., inpatient and outpatient settings) [3]. Overall, minorities report significantly more psychological and physical morbidity (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder and disability) than non-Hispanic whites across the age continuum [4,5]. Respondents of an American Pain Society (APS) and AAPM survey …
Circadian activity rhythms in SHR and WKY rats: Strain differences and effects of clonidine

The spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) inbred rat strains have been subjected to extensive behavioral and neurochemical characterization. The present study examined free-running circadian activity rhythms in these two strains. Because previous studies indicated that free-running rhythms are altered during chronic clonidine administration, and that SHRs and WKYs may respond differentially to clonidine, the effects of this agent on rhythmicity were compared in the two strains. SHRs were hyperactive and showed shorter free-running periods than did WKYs. Clonidine administration altered free-running rhythms similarly in the two strains, but reduced activity levels only in the relatively hyperactive SHRs. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that central noradrenergic systems influence circadian locomotor activity rhythms.
Clinical use of digital mammography: The present and the prospects

Digital mammography is likely to replace the current routine breast imaging technology in the future because it offers advantages that should lead to both improved image quality and interpretation. Hopefully, this will result in earlier detection in breast screening programs and decreased mortality from the most frequently diagnosed of all cancers after skin cancer, which is far less deadly. At present, digital mammography has a limited clinical role; in the United States, it has been used for several years to localize lesions for tissue sampling using small field of view digital detectors. Once whole breast digital detectors are available, it seems clear that applying computer techniques to enhance and analyze the collected digital data will become routine. Results reported over the last decade indicate that computer-aided diagnosis can improve radiologists’ observational performance, and it is likely that computer techniques to routinely enhance the decision-making ability of the average to below-average radiologist to the level of an expert will be developed. There are obstacles to these advances, but the combination of realizable technological solutions and the importance of the breast cancer problem clinically should provide sufficient wherewithal and impetus to make digital mammography a clinical reality.
Nutritional and Health Benefits of Soy Proteins

Soy protein is a major component of the diet of food-producing animals and is increasingly important in the human diet. However, soy protein is not an ideal protein because it is deficient in the essential amino acid methionine. Methionine supplementation benefits soy infant formulas, but apparently not food intended for adults with an adequate nitrogen intake. Soy protein content of another essential amino acid, lysine, although higher than that of wheat proteins, is still lower than that of the milk protein casein. Adverse nutritional and other effects following consumption of raw soybean meal have been attributed to the presence of endogenous inhibitors of digestive enzymes and lectins and to poor digestibility. To improve the nutritional quality of soy foods, inhibitors and lectins are generally inactivated by heat treatment or eliminated by fractionation during food processing. Although lectins are heat-labile, the inhibitors are more heat-stable than the lectins. Most commercially heated meals retain up to 20% of the Bowman-Birk (BBI) inhibitor of chymotrypsin and trypsin and the Kunitz inhibitor of trypsin (KTI). To enhance the value of soybeans in human nutrition and health, a better understanding is needed of the factors that impact the nutrition and health-promoting aspects of soy proteins. This paper discusses the composition in relation to properties of soy proteins. Also described are possible beneficial and adverse effects of soy-containing diets. The former include soy-induced lowering of cholesterol, anticarcinogenic effects of BBI, and protective effects against obesity, diabetes, irritants of the digestive tract, bone, and kidney diseases, whereas the latter include poor digestibility and allergy to soy proteins. Approaches to reduce the concentration of soybean inhibitors by rearrangement of protein disulfide bonds, immunoassays of inhibitors in processed soy foods and soybean germplasm, the roles of phytoestrogenic isoflavones and lectins, and research needs in all of these areas are also discussed. This integrated overview of the widely scattered literature emphasizes general concepts based on our own studies as well as recent studies by others. It is intended to stimulate interest in further research to optimize beneficial effects of soy proteins. The payoff will be healthier humans and improved animal feeds.
Reconfigurable shared and dedicated-bus multiprocessor for parallel computing

Abstract A reconfigurable multiprocessor architecture embedding a shared-bus connected system and an SIMD dedicated-bus system is proposed in this paper. The shared-bus system uses a reduced number of buses. The reconfiguration is achieved through programmable internal switches and crosspoint switches. The aim in developing this reconfigurable architecture is to provide flexibility in choosing various architectures based on the structure of parallel algorithms and parallel computation. We analyze the bandwidth of the shared-bus system and compare the results with a general multiple-bus architecture.
Expressions of disagreement by Venezuelans in conversation: reconsidering the influence of culture

Abstract The present exploratory study sought to complement the findings of previous research on the expression of disagreement among Venezuelan females by considering disagreement in the context of casual conversation. Although confrontational disagreements predominated among the 10 Venezuelan participants, there was a considerably large number of expressions of non-confrontational disagreement. These findings suggest that generalizations about politeness orientation and conversational style that attribute differences primarily, or exclusively, to cultural distinctions must be reconsidered. Other factors, such as professional training or personality, may also shape one’s conversational style. Future research based on elicited and natural data, as well as studies conducted in different contexts, are essential to providing a more complete picture of the ways in which disagreement is expressed.
GAMETOCYTEMIA AND FEVER IN HUMAN MALARIA INFECTIONS

We examine the charts of 408 malaria-naive neurosyphilis patients given malaria therapy at the South Carolina USPHS facility, with daily records encompassing at least 93% of the duration of infection, and focus on the 152 patients infected with the St. Elizabeth strain of Plasmodium vivax, 82 with the McLendon strain of Plasmodium falciparum, 36 with the USPHS strain of Plasmodium malariae, and 15 with the Donaldson strain of Plasmodium ovale in whom gametocytes appeared before drug, or other, intervention. In P. vivax infections, fever and parasitemia were higher after gametocytes were first detected than before; in P. malariae infections, parasitemia was higher. In P. ovale infections, fever and parasitemia were similar before and after. In P. falciparum infections, fever, parasitemia, and fever frequency were lower after gametocytes were first detected than before. Parasitemia and temperature correlated in P. vivax infections, before and after gametocytes were first detected; parasitemia and temperature at first fever were not correlated in infections with any species. Gametocyte density correlated with parasitemia in P. malariae and sporozoite-induced P. falciparum and P. vivax infections. Fevers and detected gametocytemia coincided more often than expected by chance with P. vivax and P. ovale; fever temperature and gametocyte density were not correlated in infections with any species.
Objectivity in Grading: The Promise of Bar Codes

This article proposes the use of a new technology to assure student anonymity and reduce bias hazards: identifying students by using bar codes. The limited finding suggests that the use of bar codes for assuring student anonymity could potentially cause students to perceive that grades are assigned more fairly and reassure teachers that they are avoiding identity bias to the greatest extent possible. The authors recommend further implementation of bar code usage to investigate whether students and faculty could achieve positive perceptions as well as whether there are any drawbacks to such use.
External GTP-bound Transglutaminase 2 Is a Molecular Switch for Chondrocyte Hypertrophic Differentiation and Calcification

Chondrocyte maturation to hypertrophy, associated with up-regulated transglutaminase 2 (TG2) expression, mediates not only physiologic growth plate mineralization but also pathologic matrix calcification and dys-regulated matrix repair in osteoarthritic articular cartilage. TG2-/- mouse chondrocytes demonstrate markedly inhibited progression to hypertrophic differentiation in response to both retinoic acid and the chemokine CXCL1. Here, our objectives were to test if up-regulated TG2 alone is sufficient to promote chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation and to identify TG2 molecular determinants and potential downstream signals involved. TG2 activities, regulated by nucleotides and calcium, include cross-linking of cartilage matrix proteins, binding of fibronectin, and hydrolysis of GTP and ATP. Following transfection of TG2 site-directed mutants into chondrocytic cells, we observed that wild type TG2, and TG catalytic site and fibronectin-binding mutants promoted type X collagen expression and matrix calcification consistent with chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation. In contrast, transfected mutants of TG2 GTP binding (K173L) and externalization (Y274A) sites did not stimulate chondrocyte hypertrophy. Recombinant TG2 treatment of bovine cartilage explants demonstrated that extracellular TG2 induced hypertrophy more robustly in the GTP-bound state, confirming an essential role of TG2 GTP binding. Finally, TG2 treatment induced type X collagen in a beta1 integrin-mediated manner, associated with rapid phosphorylation of both Rac1 and p38 kinases that were inhibited by mutation of the TG2 GTP binding site. In conclusion, externalized GTP-bound TG2 serves as a molecular switch for differentiation of chondrocytes to a hypertrophic, calcifying phenotype in a manner that does not require either TG2 transamidation activity or fibronectin binding.
Steer Performance, Intake, and Digesta Kinetics of Switchgrass at Three Forage Masses

Management strategies to accommodate switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in production systems have been reported but impact of variation in forage mass (FM) on animal responses and pasture stands are lacking. This 4-yr study assessed canopy and stand characteristic and steer (Bos taurus) responses when 'Kanlow' switchgrass was continuously and variably stocked to produce Short (S) (10―16 cm), Medium (M) (20―26 cm), and Tall (T) (35―41 cm) canopy heights. From April to mid-July (Period 1) FM for S, M, and T average 818, 2164, and 3294 kg ha ―1 , respectively. Canopies had similar in vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD) (626 g kg ―1 ), but increased in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from S (645 g kg ―1 ) to T (665 g kg ―1 ). Diets decreased in IVOMD from S (744 g kg ―1 ) to T (706 g kg ―1 ). Digesta kinetics data were not altered and average daily gain was similar among FM (1.11 kg d ―1 ). From mid-July to late September (Period 2), FM averaged 465, 1282, and 2388 kg ha ―1 , respectively, for S, M, and T. Whole canopy IVOMD increased from S (484 g kg ―1 ) to T (538 g kg ―1 ), whereas NDF was not altered (696 g kg ―1 ). Steers selected a diet similar in IVOMD (685 g kg ―1 ) and NDF (667 g kg ―1 ) among FM. Estimates of dry matter intake (kg 100 ―1 kg body weight) increased from S (1.75) to T (2.54). Tiller density decreased from T to S. Continuously stocked switchgrass at 20 to 40 cm remained vegetative with 1279 tillers m ―2 after 3 yr of grazing.