cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retail Market Design Lessons from California and Texas

By a large margin, California and Texas were the two states in the continental United States with the largest intermittent renewable energy shares in 2020. California had almost 14,000 MW of grid scale solar capacity and almost 6,000 MW of grid-scale wind capacity. Twenty-two percent of the energy consumed in the state came from these solar and wind resources. Texas had approximately 24,500 MW of wind capacity and 2,500 MW solar capacity and twenty-four percent of the energy consumed in the state came from these wind and solar resources. Because of their large renewable energy shares, these states are reliant on active demand-side participation in the short-term market to maintain supply and demand balance in real-time.
Recurrent Misinformation Regarding Parental Alienation Theory

Misinformation regarding parental alienation theory has been published many times in journals and books since the 1980s. This article discusses a specific example of misinformation, i.e., variation...
Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling of disposition and drug–drug interactions for atorvastatin and its metabolites

Atorvastatin is the most commonly used of all statins to lower cholesterol. Atorvastatin is extensively metabolized in both gut and liver to produce several active metabolites. The purpose of the present study is to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for atorvastatin and its two primary metabolites, 2-hydroxy-atorvastatin acid and atorvastatin lactone, using in vitro and in vivo data. The model was used to predict the pharmacokinetic profiles and drug-drug interaction (DDI) effect for atorvastatin and its metabolites in different DDI scenarios. The predictive performance of the model was assessed by comparing predicted results to observed data after coadministration of atorvastatin with different medications such as itraconazole, clarithromycin, cimetidine, rifampin and phenytoin. This population based PBPK model was able to describe the concentration-time profiles of atorvastatin and its two metabolites reasonably well in the absence or presence of those drugs at different dose regimens. The predicted maximum concentration (Cmax), area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) values and between-phase ratios were in good agreement with clinically observed data. The model has also revealed the importance of different metabolic pathways on the disposition of atorvastatin metabolites. This PBPK model can be utilized to assess the safety and efficacy of atorvastatin in the clinic. This study demonstrated the feasibility of applying PBPK approach to predict the DDI potential of drugs undergoing complex metabolism.
Exploratory text mining of ocean law to measure overlapping agency and jurisdictional authority

In this paper, we describe an innovative application of mining laws to identify and measure overlapping jurisdictions of government agencies. Laws (statutes and regulations) were used to represent ocean and coastal management for four geopolitical jurisdictions of federal and state levels (Washington, Oregon, and California). We developed preliminary metrics of overlap based on the number of statutes, regulations, and agencies associated with any given topic. The utility of these metrics was tested on 46 topics representing a range of activities and resources across ocean-related sectors within the geographic scope of laws investigated. We found the preliminary results of the overlaps metrics to reveal results similar to a recent review of federal ocean management. In addition, a network diagram graphical display of the data revealed multiple dimensions to facilitate interpretation of results.
Accumulation of cadmium by immobilized Zoogloea ramigera 115

Zoogloea ramigera 115 was immobilized into beads of calcium-alginate and placed into batch air-bubbled column reactors. In the absence of any added nutrients the immobilized bacterium adsorbed Cd from solutions containing levels of 2 and 20 μg ml−1 per day, over a period of 21 and 20 days, respectively. Adsorption of Cd from solutions containing 20 μg ml−1 Cd was better than 90% for 16 days. Beads treated with Cd at 2 μg ml−1 never adsorbed less than 95% of the metal. Alginate adsorbed Cd as well, but inclusion of cells changed the effectiveness of adsorption. Of a 250 μg ml−1 Cd solution, alginate adsorbed 70.4% Cd in 60 min whereas alginate plus cells adsorbed 90.5% in the same time span. Temperature had no effect on adsorption by immobilized cells at levels of 2 and 10 μg ml−1 Cd. However at higher concentrations, binding was enhanced as temperature increased.Z. ramigera beads were stable during all treatments and for prolonged periods of time (21 days).
The role of fuel cells in NASA's space power systems

A history of the fuel cell technology is presented and compared with NASA's increasing space power requirements. The role of fuel cells is discussed in perspective with other energy storage systems applicable for space using such criteria as type of mission, weight, reliability, costs, etc. Potential applications of space fuel cells with projected technology advances were examined.
Ethnic and Gender Differences in the Relationships between Television Viewing and Obesity, Physical Activity, and Dietary Fat Intake

Abstract There has been speculation that TV viewing is one of the most easily modifiable causes of obesity. However, studies examining the relationship between television viewing and obesity in children and adolescents have consistently found only weak, if any, association. In a sample of 1,912 ninth graders, we looked for evidence of ethnic and gender differences in the relationships between TV viewing and adiposity, physical activity, and dietary fat intake that may explain the weak overall associations found in other samples. The sample was 47.2 percent female and 52.7 percent male, 34.7 percent Latino/Hispanic, 27.9 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 22.0 percent white, 6.8 percent African American, 1.7 percent Native American/Alaska Native, 2.0 percent Other, and 4.8 percent who reported they belonged to more than one ethnic group. Self-reports of TV viewing, physical activity, and dietary fat intake and measurements of height and weight all had high test-retest reliabilities. Boys reported more TV view...
A Model for the Effects of Aberrations on Refracted Ultrasonic Fields

When an ultrasonic beam refracts through a liquid-solid interface, two physical processes limit the degree of energy concentration that can be realized by focussing techniques. Diffraction prevents energy from being concentrated into a region with transverse dimension of much less than a wavelength. However, even if the wavelength is made arbitrarily small, unlimited energy concentrations cannot be realized because of aberrations caused by the fact that all focussed rays do not pass through a common point.
Carbon monoxide poisoning due to automobile exposure: disparity between carboxyhemoglobin levels and symptoms of victims.

An unresponsive 27-month-old black girl was brought to the Johns Hopkins pediatric emergency room. For the prior 45 to 50 minutes, she had been the middle passenger in the backseat of a car that had been traveling from Washington, DC, to Baltimore. The car was described as "an old heap of junk" by an adult passenger who also reported that the car9s heater was turned on with all of the windows closed except for the ajar driver9s window, throughout the trip. The two other children in the backseat reported that the patient had repeatedly climbed down to the floor and back up to the seat during the trip; about 15 minutes before arrival, she had fallen asleep.
Computer Music Composition/Analysis

Computers are used in music for composition, analysis, sound synthesis, performance, notation, recording, and so on, wherever benefits result from enhanced speed and accuracy. Of these possible uses, computer music composition and computer music analysis have the most serious philosophical implications, because computers can be used to replace what many feel are activities more rightfully the domain of humans: principally the freedom of choice, but including more ephemeral concepts such as imagination, inspiration, and intuition. In this article, we will investigate many aspects of computer music composition and analysis as well as their philosophical implications. Keywords: music and AI; music and Markov chains; music and mathematics; music and information theory; sonification; data-driven music composition; music and genetic algorithms; music and connectionism; music and fuzzy logic
Stephen Sposato and Wm. A. Smith. Radio: A Post Nine-Eleven Strategy for Reaching the World's Poor. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, Inc., 2005

Although we live in a time of instant communication, radio continues to reach more people than emails, cell phones, and text messaging combined. Seven years into the twenty-first century, most rura...
Microbial evolution in extreme environments: microbial migration, genomic highways, and geochemical barriers in hydrothermal ecosystems

Recent advances in microbial ecology are providing unprecedented opportunities to test Baas Becking’s oft-cited “everything is everywhere, environment selects” axiom. A number of recent studies have brought together genomic, ecological, and physico-chemical approaches that are, for the first time, beginning to test and quantify this axiom, providing fundamental shifts in our understanding of microbial ecology. Here we integrate environmental sequencing with biogeochemistry to interrogate patterns in abundance and community composition—as well as dispersal mechanisms and timing—that underlie microbial migration in natural ecosystems. Our analysis focuses on the presence of and similarities across high identity genomic DNA scaffolds and fragments, thousands of which are distributed across over two dozen communities sampled from hydrothermal ecosystems from Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming and Great Boiling Springs, Nevada. Despite their geographical isolation from one another and physico-chemical isolation from surrounding mesophilic environments, a large number (>43,000) of long, high identity DNA scaffolds were conserved across two or more hot springs communities. This widespread distribution of nearly identical DNA fragments suggests active mechanisms driving microbial migration and genomic information sharing. Genes encoded on these scaffolds encompass a broad spectrum of metabolic capabilities from diverse thermophilic taxa, but include revealing biases in the functions and taxonomic distribution of shared genes. Evolutionary rate analysis suggests that genomic migration and sharing is not only recent and ongoing, but that very different mechanisms are driving chemotrophic versus phototrophic community information exchange—mechanisms that include both biological and abiotic vectors and catastrophic events that have acted as evolutionary bottlenecks in particular on sunlight-driven photosynthetic communities. The intersection of biology and environment is privy to an unprecedented level of interrogation as a result of advances in ecosystems biology, in particular through the integration of data from analysis across multiple scales and disciplines. Both the methodologies developed herein, and the findings our results support, help advance our understanding of microbial ecology and dispersal mechanisms in natural environments.
The Trailing Vortex Wake Hazard: Beyond the Takeoff and Landing Corridors

*This paper focuses on issues related to the trailing vortex wake hazard beyond the takeoff and landing corridors. The operational procedures adopted by the FAA in the 1970s for avoiding wake turbulence encounters in the take-off and landing corridors have been very successful in providing commercial aviation with a high degree of safety. However, there is a growing body of evidence that encounters well beyond the immediate airport area could also prove to be hazardous. A review of commercial airline accidents for which a wake vortex encounter was considered to be a contributing factor in the accident are reviewed. Another problem that is addressed is wake encounters at cruise altitude. With the introduction of the regional jet transports into the commercial fleet we have created a very large disparity in the size of aircraft that can cruise at the same altitude. Furthermore there is evidence that wake encounters at cruise altitude do occur and should be investigated more extensively than has been done to date. In the current study the vortex induced loads created by wake vortices at cruise altitude are examined. The two cases that are presented include penetration perpendicular to the trailing vortex wake and penetration along the vortex core axis. The cross track penetration focuses on the structural loading while the along track penetration examines the potential roll excursion from the intended flight path.
Routledge Handbook of Religion and Politics

Jeffrey Haynes (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Religion and Politics. London and New York: Routledge, 2008, 448 pp., $210 (hardback), $49.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-0-415-41455-5 (hardback), 978-0-415-...
Globally mapping baseflow characteristics

Characterizing baseflow, the slowly varying portion of streamflow, is important for water resources management, hydropower generation, tracking contaminant transport, and other applications. Most previous studies of baseflow have analyzed small groups of catchments with similar characteristics. Now, to develop globally applicable models of baseflow characteristics, Beck et al. studied observations from 3394 catchments around the world with a variety of climatic, hydrological, and physiographic characteristics. Their novel approach investigates the relationship between catchment characteristics and baseflow characteristics, showing how baseflow is related to annual potential evaporation, mean snow water equivalent depth, abundance of surface water bodies, and other landscape characteristics. Their global maps of baseflow characteristics—which could be useful for benchmarking and calibrating hydrological models and for a variety of other hydrological applications—are freely available at http://www.hydrology-amsterdam.nl.
Interdisciplinarity: Paths Taken and Not Taken

(2007). Interdisciplinarity: Paths Taken and Not Taken. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning: Vol. 39, No. 6, pp. 46-51.
Recombinant and in vitro expression systems for hydrogenases: new frontiers in basic and applied studies for biological and synthetic H2 production

This review focuses on recent progress in developing heterologous and recombinant expression as well as in vitro maturation systems for the biosynthesis of active [FeFe] and [NiFe]-hydrogenases, which catalyze the reversible reaction, H2↔ 2e− + 2H+. Activities of [FeFe] and [NiFe]-hydrogenases produced from different recombinant and in vitro maturation approaches are compared. Examples of how hydrogenase expression supports basic and applied studies of these enzymes are presented, and barriers to achieving more viable biological and synthetic H2-production systems and catalysts are addressed.
Effective Prophylactic Therapy for Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome in Children Using Amitriptyline or Cyproheptadine

Objective. To evaluate our experience using the antimigraine prophylactic drugs, amitriptyline and cyproheptadine, for the prophylactic management of cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) in children. Methods and Patients. Twenty-seven patients (16 males) ranging in age from 2 to 16 years at diagnosis, fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for CVS and treated prophylactically with either amitriptyline (22) or/and cyproheptadine (6) were identified through retrospective chart review. Individual patient data were corroborated by the attending physician and/or interviews with patients and families. Minimum follow-up time before entry into the study group was 5 months. Patients were stratified according to three treatment outcomes: 1) complete response—no attacks, 2) partial response—50% or greater reduction in frequency of attacks, and 3) no response—less than 50% decrease in frequency of attacks. Results. Of the 22 patients treated with amitriptyline, 16 (73%) had a complete response while 4 (18%) had a partial response. Of the 6 patients treated with cyproheptadine, 4 (66%) had a complete response and 1 (17%) had a partial response. Thus, 91% of the amitriptyline group and 83% of the cyproheptadine group had at least a partial response to therapy. No patients experienced significant side effects to either medication. Conclusion. The antimigraine prophylactic drugs, amitriptyline and cyproheptadine, represent effective prophylactic agents for the management of CVS in the vast majority of patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for this syndrome.
(S)-N-(Phenylsulfanyl-[1,2-13C2]-acetyl)-2,10-camphorsultam

The title compound, C18H23NO3S2, is used as a starting material for the synthesis of thio­oxamates. The NMR spectrum was very complicated to inter­pret as a result of chirality of the sultam unit and the fact that the two C atoms of an acetyl group are labelled isotope 13C atoms. The camphorsultam group imposes chirality on the (S)-phenyl acetyl group when extended at the acidic position by substitution. The mol­ecules in the crystal are arranged in a head-to-tail orientation with a specific packing promoted by the bulky camphorsultam group.
A Biopolymer Composite that Catalyzes the Reduction of Oxygen to Water

A biopolymer composite consisting of polypyrrole, ABTS, and laccase (PAL) was electrodeposited onto the surface of an electrode and was shown to catalyze the reduction of dioxygen to water under acidic conditions. The catalytic activity of this biopolymer composite is highest at pH 4, decreasing with increasing pH. The activity of laccase immobilized within this polymer composite was found to be higher than laccase dissolved in solution when methanol was present or at elevated temperatures.
Calsbeek & Cox reply

Replying to J. B. Losos & R. M. Pringle , 10.1038/nature10140 (2011) We agree with several of the points raised by Losos and Pringle1, but we show here that our data2 still implicate competition as an agent of natural selection, while providing only limited support for a role of predation. Although patterns of density-dependent survival and selection on Kidd Cay are highly congruent with those on experimental islands, this site could be considered fundamentally different. We therefore base our rebuttal on analyses that use mean values per island (as in our original paper2) but which now exclude Kidd Cay (n = 6 experimental islands).
Interpolation by non-negative polynomials

It is an elementary fact that given any continuous real function f on 10, 1 1 and any n + 1 points on its graph, there exists a unique polynomial p, of degree <n that passes through those points. It is natural to ask whether, if f is non-negative, one may choose the n t 1 points on the graph of f so that the interpolating polynomial p, is also non-negative. We prove here that this is indeed the case. (This problem was posed to us by Charles Chui.) Our proof is entirely elementary. The reader is urged to draw his own pictures to bring out the simple geometric nature of the proof. For applications to approximation by splines, it would be useful, in the problem we do solve here, to make sure that the two endpoints of the interval are among the points of interpolation. But our method of proof is actually destructive of this goal-see for example the proof of Case D near the end of the paper. (See also the final remark of our paper.)
Internal conversion spectrometer using a semiconductor detector

Abstract A spectrometer is described for investigating spectra of electrons from internal conversion following positron decay. It is designed to study a broad range of electron momenta in a small amount of time for ease in investigating short lived activities. The instrument's operating characteristics are described and measurements made on the decay of In 106 are presented.
Membrane-Active Peptides: Stable Pore-Forming or Cell-Penetrating Peptides Selected With Orthogonal High-Throughput Screening

There are numerous distinct mechanisms by which a peptide can interact with a lipid bilayer membrane and affect its structure or function. Interfacially-active peptides (i.e. antimicrobial or cell penetrating) partition into the interface and drive rearrangements in the lipids, such that the segregation between the hydrocarbon core and the interfacial zone is broken down. Stable pore-forming peptides assemble into long-lived transmembrane pores using the constraints imposed by the bilayer to direct self-assembly. (Only a few examples of true stable pore forming peptides are known.) We have developed two high throughput screens using lipid bilayer vesicles that simultaneously allow for detection of different membrane activities (i.e. orthogonal screening) and have successfully used them to screen combinatorial peptide libraries for very specific membrane activities. In our translocation screen, we simultaneously measure leakage from lipid vesicles, and the ability of a peptide to be cleaved by a vesicle-entrapped protease. Using this screen we identified 12 very potent membrane-penetrating peptides from a library of 13,000 members. These peptides, which share a common sequence motif, spontaneously and rapidly translocate across bilayers without inducing leakage of entrapped contents. These peptides also rapidly translocate across the plasma membranes of living cells without cell permeabilization or toxicity. In our stable pore screen we measure immediate leakage of vesicle contents upon addition of peptides, and then also for the continued existence of pores in the same vesicles after overnight incubation. The vast majority of so called “pore forming peptides” do not form stable pores in membranes; leakage is a transient phenomenon. However, using this screen we have identified stable pore formers among known peptides, including melittin. This orthogonal screen has also been used to identify true stable pore forming peptides in several peptide libraries.
Genetically-Improved Tilapia Strains in Africa: Potential Benefits and Negative Impacts

Two genetically improved tilapia strains (GIFT and Akosombo) have been created with Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia), which is native to Africa. In particular, GIFT has been shown to be significantly superior to local African tilapia strains in terms of growth rate. While development economists see the potential for food security and poverty reduction in Africa from culture of these new strains of tilapia, conservationists are wary of potential ecological and genetic impacts on receiving ecosystems and native stocks of tilapia. This study reviews the history of the GIFT technology, and identifies potential environmental and genetic risks of improved and farmed strains and tilapia in general. We also estimate the potential economic gains from the introduction of genetically improved strains in Africa, using Ghana as a case country. Employing a combination of the Economic-Surplus model and Monte Carlo simulation, we found the mean net present value (NPV) of the introduction of the GIFT strain in Ghana to be approximately 1% of the country’s gross domestic product. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the difference in growth or yield between the GIFT and locally-available strains has the largest effect on mean NPV. We conclude that improvements in management practices and infrastructure could increase the yield and profitability of the local strains even if genetically-improved strains are not introduced. These improvements also will ensure the realization of the full potential of introduced strains.
Aggregation of Sea Urchin Phagocytes Is Augmented In Vitro by Lipopolysaccharide

Development of protocols and media for culturing immune cells from marine invertebrates has not kept pace with advancements in mammalian immune cell culture, the latter having been driven by the need to understand the causes of and develop therapies for human and animal diseases. However, expansion of the aquaculture industry and the diseases that threaten these systems creates the need to develop cell and tissue culture methods for marine invertebrates. Such methods will enable us to better understand the causes of disease outbreaks and to develop means to avoid and remedy epidemics. We report a method for the short-term culture of phagocytes from the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, by modifying an approach previously used to culture cells from another sea urchin species. The viability of cultured phagocytes from the purple sea urchin decreases from 91.6% to 57% over six days and phagocyte morphology changes from single cells to aggregates leading to the formation of syncytia-like structures. This process is accelerated in the presence of lipopolysaccharide suggesting that phagocytes are capable of detecting this molecular pattern in culture conditions. Sea urchin immune response proteins, called Sp185/333, are expressed on the surface of a subset of phagocytes and have been associated with syncytia-like structures. We evaluated their expression in cultured phagocytes to determine their possible role in cell aggregation and in the formation of syncytia-like structures. Between 0 and 3 hr, syncytia-like structures were observed in cultures when only ∼10% of the cells were positive for Sp185/333 proteins. At 24 hr, ∼90% of the nuclei were Sp185/333-positive when all of the phagocytes had aggregated into syncytia-like structures. Consequently, we conclude that the Sp185/333 proteins do not have a major role in initiating the aggregation of cultured phagocytes, however the Sp185/333 proteins are associated with the clustered nuclei within the syncytia-like structures.
CORR Insights®: Does sequence of graft tensioning affect outcomes in combined anterior and posterior cruciate ligament reconstructions?

This CORR Insights® is a commentary on the article “Does Sequence of Graft Tensioning Affect Outcomes in Combined Anterior and Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructions?” by Lee and colleagues available at: DOI: 10.1007/s11999-014-3939-5. The author (BL) certifies that he or a member of his immediate family, has received or may receive payments or benefits, during the study period, an amount of less than USD 10,000. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research ® editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, and do not reflect the opinion or policy of CORR ® or the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons®. This CORR Insights® comment refers to the article available at DOI: 10.1007/s11999-014-3939-5.
Theoretical N2 vibrational distribution in an aurora

The N~ vibrational distribution in an aurora is investigated. During the auroral bombardment the vibrational distribution is non-Boltzmann. The deviation from the Boltzmann distribution increases with increasing altitude. Above 200 km the loss rate of O + due to the reaction O + + N~ ~ NO + + N is increased by a factor of 1-5 when allowance is made for the non-Boltzmann character of the N2 distribution. This increased loss rate persists for 1000-2000 sec after auroral bombardment commences. During auroral bombardment electrons in the energy range 3 to 6 eV have sufficient energy to excite the vibrational levels of N~. The production into a given level depends on the magnitude of the nonthermal electron flux and the vibrational cross sections. Vibra- tional exchange in N~-N 2 collisions tends to redistribute the vibrational quanta until a Boltzmann distribution is attained. However, for the large nonthermal electron fluxes that may occur during auroral bombardment, the production in a given vibrational level may be large. Consequently, non-Boltzmann N~ vibrational distributions may persist in an auroral atmosphere for some time. It is the purpose of this paper to calculate the N2 vibrational distribution for an auroral model and to follow the relaxation to a Boltzmann distribution. 2, THEORETICAL FORMULATION Walker (1968) and Walker et al. (1969) have shown that, in the E- and F-regions of the ionosphere, electron quenching of nitrogen vibration is considerably more rapid than either quenching in collisions with N 2, Oa, O, He, and H or exchange of vibrational quanta in collisions with Oz, NO and H 2. An expression for the lifetime, %, of nitrogen molecules in the first vibrational level against quenching by ionospheric electrons is given by
Cardiovascular disease in women and noncontraceptive use of hormones: a feminist analysis.

Biomedical researchers have added cardiovascular disease (CVD) to the list of symptoms resulting from lowered estrogen levels and menopause. Thus health providers promote hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to prevent CVD. Yet most women tend to be healthy during the postmenopausal years which constitute at least 33% of their lives. The medical community has taken a natural event menopause and labeled it as a disease which causes other diseases. Science is basically patriarchal. Physicians use it to justify their privilege to define illness and treatment. They reduce organic processes into a narrow cause-effect relationship and ignore socioeconomic and political factors. An often ignored problem with the scientific communitys view of CVD is that almost all cardiovascular intervention studies included only men as subjects except the prospective Framingham Study. Traditional risk factors of CVD in women are hypertension cholesterol levels cigarette smoking diabetes excess weight oral contraceptives and genetics. Various studies show a reduction in the age adjusted risk of CVD morbidity any mortality in women on estrogen replacement theory (ERT). Specifically estrogen affects serum lipids in a positive direction. Yet the women in the studies are healthy lean and exercise regularly. Some studies reveal an increased risk of breast cancer and endometrial cancer in women on ERT. HRT consists of a combination of estrogen and progestin but data do not confirm that it is as protective against CVD as ERT. HRT is postmenopausal women is an untested hormonal experiment. In 1986 the US National Institutes of Health wrote a policy to include women as subjects in research studies. It did not happen so in 1991 it established the Office of Womens Health Research. The US Congress has also taken up the issue. Nurse researchers should critique methods used by patriarchal science to study menopause. Nurses can inform postmenopausal women about their choices concerning HRt to prevent CVD.
Phosphorylation States of Actin Filament Adenine Nucleotides in Detergent-Extracted Neuronal Cytoskeletal Fractions

Abstract High performance liquid chromatography of nucleotides from Triton X-100 cytoskeletal extracts has permitted analysis of the ATP and ADP content of actin filaments isolated intact from PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. We observed that the adenine nucleotide content matched the actin content of these cytoskeletal extracts, a finding consistent with the unit stoichiometry of nucleotide binding. Efficient assembly-linked ATP hydrolysis occurs in vivo , and based on a boundary hydrolysis model for nucleotide-promoted assembly, the observed ADP/ATP ratio indicates that the average microfilament in nonmuscle cells has 24 ATP-actin molecules at its growing end. Studies with NB41A3 neuroblastoma cells indicate that the ATP content of assembled actin filaments is about 3-4 times lower.
The antecedents and consequences of interpersonal forgiveness: A meta‐analytic review

This article examines the antecedents and outcomes of forgiveness. The interpersonal forgiveness literature is qualitatively reviewed. Antecedents to forgiveness are classified by their proximity to forgiveness based on M. E. McCullough and colleagues, (1998) framework. From most distal to most proximal these antecedents are personality, relationship factors, offense-specific factors, and social-cognitive factors including empathy. The association of these antecedents and several consequences of forgiveness are quantitatively examined in meta-analyses. All investigated variables were significantly related to forgiveness. Empathy was a stronger correlate of forgiveness than any other non-social-cognitive antecedent except for trait agreeableness. Methodological factors and the average age of subjects moderated the relationship between forgiveness and some of its correlates. Implications and future directions are considered.
Spatial distribution and phenotypic variation in root cortical aerenchyma of maize (Zea mays L.)

Previous research has suggested that root cortical aerenchyma (RCA) can enhance soil exploration and crop performance by decreasing root respiration. This trait is a potential breeding target for adaptation to abiotic stresses such as drought and low nutrient availability. However, little is known of phenotypic variation in aerenchyma or its distribution among root classes. The spatial distribution of RCA was evaluated in freehand sections from 13 sites in the root systems of 11 recombinant inbred and commercial lines of maize (Zea mays). RCA variation was evaluated in 583 recombinant inbred lines of maize at one sampling position. RCA varied significantly among root classes and axial positions. Genotypic differences were observed for the amount of RCA at corresponding sampling locations and for the mean amount of RCA across all sampling locations, but genotypes did not differ in the proportional distribution of RCA within the whole root system. The amount of RCA in a cross-section was independent of several other anatomical traits. There is substantial genetic variation for RCA, and this variation is independent of other anatomical traits. RCA can be phenotyped in greenhouse-grown plants by sampling the middle parts of second- or third-whorl crown roots.
X-LINKED RECESSIVE MYOTUBULAR MYOPATHY

We studied a family with four neonatal deaths due to X-linked myotubular myopathy. The cardinal features of the two index patients included low Apgar scores, weak respiratory efforts requiring intubation and positive pressure ventilation, flaccidity, lethargy, hypotonia, reduced muscle mass, no spontaneous movements, poor grasp, suck, and Moro reflexes, absent deep tendon reflexes, cephalohematomata, narrow chest with thin ribs, undescended testes, and various minor congenital anomalies. Light microscopy studies revealed variation in cell size and fiber hypotrophy. Fiber typing showed that the small fibers were both Type I and II cells; 90% of larger fibers were Type II A and B. Muscle nuclei appeared prominent and were located centrally in both large and small muscle cells. Small fibers showed prominent hollow centers with thin marginal rims of myofibrils. Larger fibers also had altered myofibril-free centers. Electron microscopy examinations also noted fiber size variation and central nuclei. The myofibril-free areas contained glycogen and vacuoles. Complex stacks of cylinders comprised of membranes with granular material resembling junctional complexes abutted the central pale regions. Both rough endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes aligned along the myofilaments were observed.
Synthesis and structure of chloro(methoxalyl)bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium

Abstract Palladium(O) and platinum(O) phosphine complexes react with alkoxalyl chlorides (e.g., ClCOCO2CH3) to yield alkoxalyl complexes. The X-ray structure of one, transPd(Cl)(COCO2CH3)[P(C6H3)3]2, has been determined. Both the Pt and Pd complexes lose CO to give the corresponding alkoxycarbonyl complexes, M(Cl)(CO2CH3)[P(C6H5)3]2.
Actinic defect counting statistics over 1 cm2 area of EUVL mask blank

As a continuation of comparison experiments between EUV inspection and visible inspection of defects on EUVL mask blanks, we report on the result of an experiment where the EUV defect inspection tool is used to perform at-wavelength defect counting over 1 cm{sup 2} of EUVL mask blank. Initial EUV inspection found five defects over the scanned area and the subsequent optical scattering inspection was able to detect all of the five defects. Therefore, if there are any defects that are only detectable by EUV inspection, the density is lower than the order of unity per cm2. An upgrade path to substantially increase the overall throughput of the EUV inspection system is also identified in the manuscript.
Periodontal probing: What does it mean?

The periodontal probe has been and continues to be used as an important diagnostic instrument by the dental profession. The measurements recorded with the probe have generally been considered to represent a reasonably accurate estimate of sulcus or pocket depth. Recent reports on the histopathology of the periodontal lesion and the histological features of a healing lesion, together with histological studies on the relationship of the probe to periodontal tissues, have shed some new light on periodontal probing. It is now apparent that probing depth measured from the gingival margin seldom corresponds to sulcus or pocket depth. The discrepancy is least in the absence of inflammatory changes and increases with increasing degrees of inflammation. In the presence of periodontitis the probe tip passes through the inflamed tissues to stop at the level of the most coronal intact dento-gingival fibers, approximately 0.3-0.5 mm apical to the apical termination of the junctional epithelium. Decreased probing depth measurements following periodontal therapy may be due in part to decreased penetrability of the gingival tissues by the probe. Following treatment aimed at obtaining new attachment in periodontal defects, wider variations may occur between the location of the probe tip and the most coronal dento-gingival fibers than in the case of untreated sites. This is due in part to the formation of a so-called "long" junctional epithelium. In the absence of inflammation this epithelium may not be penetrable during ordinary probing, but could account for a rapid increase in probing depth measurements when inflammatory changes allow the probe to traverse the epithelium and/or the adjacent infiltrated connective tissue. In view of the difficulty inherent in relating periodontal probing measurements to actual sulcus or pocket depth, the interpretation of periodontal probing in the practice of periodontics may need reappraisal.
Answer to the Letter to the Editor of Masashi Neo concerning ''Surgical treatment for atlantooccipital osteoarthritis: a case report of two patients'' by H. Yoshihara et al. (2010) Eur Spine J (Epub ahead of print)

We would like to thank Dr. Neo for commenting on our article: “Surgical treatment for atlantooccipital osteoarthritis: a case report of two patients” [1]. Dr. Neo mentions that we failed to demonstrate that some of the pain in both patients came from the atlantooccipital (O-C1) joint. Fluoroscopy-guided intra-articular injections of the O-C1 and atlantoaxial (C1-2) joints separately may determine which joint is the main pain generator. This injection, however, is not commonly performed and requires significant technical skill. As he mentions, O-C1 fusion alone may have alleviated the patient’s pain, especially in Case 1. We, however, could not overlook osteoarthritis of the O-C1 joint, considering the possibility of residual pain and future risk of the adjacent segment degeneration of this already arthritic joint. Few studies have been done examining the O-C1 joint. Dreyfuss et al. [2] reported that perceived pain/sensation was greater with the O-C1 joint injections, and the referral pain patterns were broader with the O-C1 joint injections. These results suggest that the O-C1 joints are capable of both more intense and diffuse pain than the C1-2 joints [2]. The O-C1 joint permits passive flexion and extension of about 10° and 25°, respectively, while the C1-2 joint permits flexion and extension of about 5° and 10°, respectively, with lateral rotation of about 70° on either side [3]. Pain provocation by neck motion can be a clinical diagnosis. If pain is triggered mainly by neck rotation we may choose only to do a C1-2 fusion. If pain is triggered by flexion and extension of the neck, we may need to include the O-C1 joint in the fusion. In Case 1 the patient had pain with extension of the neck. Dr. Neo showed an image of a very narrow O-C1 joint of a patient who underwent C1-2 fusion and whose pain disappeared after the surgery. We believe this shows an O-C1 fusion, especially at the anterior cortex. Ideally, if both patients had osteoarthritis at only the O-C1 joint, pain would be alleviated by an O-C1 fusion alone. We believe the O-C1 joint is often overlooked in evaluation of neck pain. The main purpose of our article is to call attention to O-C1 osteoarthritis. We hope that future studies would demonstrate the improvement of pain after O-C1 fusion in patients with only O-C1 osteoarthritis or demonstrate that a C1-2 fusion alone relieves pain in patients with both O-C1 and C1-2 osteoarthritis. Moreover, larger studies are required in the future to determine the relative contributions of O-C1 and C1-C2 joints to axial neck pain in patients with cervical osteoarthritis.
The role of magnesium in the crystal growth of calcite and aragonite from sea water

Abstract The seeded precipitation (crystal growth) of aragonite and calcite from sea water, magnesium-depleted sea water, and magnesium-free sea water has been studied by means of the steady-state disequilibrium initial rate method. Dissolved magnesium at sea water levels appears to have no effect on the rate of crystal growth of aragonite, but a strong retarding effect on that of calcite. By contrast, at levels less than about 5 per cent of the sea water level, Mg has little or no effect on calcite growth. Extended crystal growth on pure calcite seeds in sea water of normal Mg content resulted in the crystallization of magnesium calcite overgrowths, containing 7–10 mole % MgCO 3 in solid solution. This suggests that the rate inhibition by Mg is due to its incorporation within the calcite crystal structure during growth, which causes the resulting magnesian calcite to be considerably more soluble than pure calcite. The standard free energy of formation of 8.5 mole% Mg calcite calculated on this assumption is in good agreement with independent estimates of magnesian calcite stability. From the work of Katz ( Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 37 , 1563–1586, 1973), Plummer and Mackenzie ( Amer. J. Sci . 273 , 515–522, 1974), and the present paper, it can be predicted that the most stable calcite in Ca-Mg exchange equilibrium with sea water contains between 2 and 7 mole%MgCO 3 in solid solution. Likewise, calcites containing more than 8.5 mole% MgCO 3 are less stable, and those containing less than 8.5 mole% MgCO 3 are more stable than aragonite plus Ca and Mg in sea water.
The mode shape reversal with viscous damping

Abstract The conventional characteristic-value, characteristic-vector solution to the discrete, linear elastic vibration problem evolves from Newton's second law, while the recently discovered modal equations method is based upon the principle of conservation of energy. The conventional method begins with the dynamical equations for the system and always requires a solution to the characteristic polynomial, which is easily accomplished computationally in the forward sense. However, this same characteristic polynomial precludes any successful development and decomposition in its backward sense, so that the conventional solution always fails for the vibration problem reversal; this is one of the great enigmas of classical mechanics. Due to the energy based origin of the modal equations method for solving vibrations problems, both the dynamical equations and characteristic polynomial are eliminated and this procedure then encounters no restrictions to its backward solution. The published modal equations forward solution to the vibration problem already includes viscous damping, but its corresponding backward solution is presently restricted to the undamped case. The material presented here improves the mode shape reversal process so as to add viscous damping to the problem and it thereby results in a significantly greater computational accuracy. Beginning with any arbitrary set of mode shapes describing the deflections of a discrete, viscously damped, linear elastic system in free vibration, the required mass, viscous damping and stiffness coefficient values are developed by means of a converging iteration scheme in a digital computer program. Thus, the consumate theoretical solution to the vibration problem reversal is accomplished. A sample problem is investigated.
Bridging the Legacy of Activism Across Generations: Life Stories of African American Educators in Post-Civil Rights Birmingham

This qualitative study takes account of the salience of activism in informing the worldviews and professional practices of a multigenerational sample of 42 African American educators in Birmingham, Alabama. Framed by life course, Black feminist thought, and hip-hop educational research perspectives, the study highlights how the participants grapple with: generational misunderstandings; re-visioning traditional notions of activism; and forging intergenerational alliances. Birmingham, forever bound by its haunted yet sacred civil rights history, is presented as a prototypical space for examining this inquiry and sparking a resurgent activism among African American educators. The author concludes with implications for the capacity of contemporary African American educators in the U.S. South to forge intergenerational alliances to advance the aims of African American education.
Modulation of phagosomal pH by Candida albicans promotes hyphal morphogenesis and requires Stp2p, a regulator of amino acid transport

Candida albicans, the most important fungal pathogen of humans, has a unique interaction with macrophages in which phagocytosis induces a switch from the yeast to hyphal form, allowing it to escape by rupturing the immune cell. While a variety of factors induce this switch in vitro, including neutral pH, it is not clear what triggers morphogenesis within the macrophage where the acidic environment should inhibit this transition. In vitro, C. albicans grown in similar conditions in which amino acids are the primary carbon source generate large quantities of ammonia to raise the extracellular pH and induce the hyphal switch. We show here that C. albicans cells neutralize the macrophage phagosome and that neutral pH is a key inducer of germination in phagocytosed cells by using a mutant lacking STP2, a transcription factor that regulates the expression of multiple amino acid permeases, that is completely deficient in alkalinization in vitro. Phagocytosed stp2Δ mutant cells showed significant reduction in hypha formation and escaped from macrophages less readily compared to wild type cells; as a result stp2Δ mutant cells were killed at a higher rate and caused less damage to RAW264.7 macrophages. Stp2p-regulated import leads to alkalinization of the phagosome, since the majority of the wild type cells fail to co-localize with acidophilic dyes, whereas the stp2Δ mutant cells were located in acidic phagosomes. Furthermore, stp2Δ mutant cells were able to form hyphae and escape from neutral phagosomes, indicating that the survival defect in these cells was pH dependent. Finally, these defects are reflected in an attenuation of virulence in a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis. Altogether our results suggest that C. albicans utilizes amino acids to promote neutralization of the phagosomal pH, hyphal morphogenesis, and escape from macrophages.
Prolactin Secretion in vitro : Comparative Aspects

WE have recently reported that explant cultures of rat anterior pituitary liberate considerable quantities of prolactin into synthetic culture media1. Anterior pituitaries from lactating rats produced more prolactin than glands from mature non-lactating females, and prolactin production by anterior pituitaries of mature females was greater than that of immature female rats. Œstrogen increased prolactin production in vitro, presumably by a direct action on the anterior pituitary cells2. Since prolactin secretion in vitro was obtained so readily with rat anterior pituitary, it was decided to examine the glands from a number of other species to determine if they would also produce detectable quantities of prolactin in vitro.