cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maize Storage Proteins: Characterization and Biosynthesis

Developing seeds provide plant molecular biologists with useful model systems for studying the physiological and genetic mechanisms regulating the synthesis of specific plant proteins, i.e. seed storage proteins. These studies have perhaps even greater significance considering the importance of seed proteins in human and livestock nutrition. Maize storage proteins are interesting from both these aspects, since maize is an economically important crop and mutations affecting both the quantitative and qualitative synthesis of maize storage proteins have been identified (Mertz et al., 1964; Nelson et al., 1965). Our research in the last several years has been devoted to the characterization of these storage proteins and the reactions regulating their biosynthesis.
Childhood Trauma Is Associated With Stress Precipitated Epileptic Seizures in Adults (P7.036)

OBJECTIVE: Assess the impact of childhood trauma on stress as a precipitant of epileptic seizures. BACKGROUND: Stress is the most common seizure precipitant. Characteristics of patients who report stress as a seizure precipitant are not well understood. We employed a standardized questionnaire for childhood trauma to assess the relationship between childhood trauma and stress precipitated seizures. DESIGN/METHODS: 252 sequential patients from the outpatient Epilepsy Center of the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute were enrolled. Subjects were categorized into Stress (+) or Stress (-). The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) has 28 questions in 5 domains (physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, sexual abuse). CTQ was sent via mail and returned on paper or via the internet. We compared total score and domain scores between Stress (+) and Stress (-) groups using Wilcoxon rank-sum test. We used multivariate analysis to identify the interaction of childhood trauma with other factors including anxiety and depression. RESULTS: Total 119 CTQs were completed out of 252 sent out. Response rates were 91/196 for Stress (+) and 28/42 for Stress (-). Stress (+) group reported significantly higher scores in emotional abuse compared to stress (-) group (P=0.029). The total score was higher in Stress (+) group compared to Stress (-) group (P=0.08). Sexual abuse score was higher in Stress (+) group (p=0.07). There was no statistical difference in the other subdomains. Depression and anxiety scores were higher in Stress (+) group. CONCLUSIONS: Epilepsy patients who report that stress precipitates seizures are more likely to endorse childhood traumatic experiences in the form of emotional abuse and have higher level of depression and anxiety compared to those who do not perceive stress as a precipitant. Study Supported by: University of Cincinnati Disclosure: Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Fleck has nothing to disclose. Dr. Privitera has received personal compensation for activities with UCB Pharma and GlaxoSmithKline as a consultant and/or speaker. Dr. Walters has nothing to disclose.
A Review of “Mother-talk: Conversations with mothers of lesbian daughters and FTM transgender children”

Remarkable stories of personal and family transformation permeate Sarah Pearlman's account of mothers, daughters, and families as they learn about and come to understand sexual orientation and gend...
A Collective Description of Electron Interactions. I. Magnetic Interactions

A new approach to the treatment of the interactions in a collection of electrons is developed, which we call the collective description. The collective description is based on the organized behavior produced by the interactions in an electron gas of high density; this organized behavior results in oscillations of the system as a whole, the so-called "plasma oscillations." The collective description, in contrast to the usual individual particle description, describes in a natural way the long-range correlations in electron positions brought about by their mutual interaction. In this paper we confine our attention to the magnetic interactions between the electrons; the coulomb interactions will be discussed in a subsequent paper.The transition from the usual single-particle description to the collective description of the electron motion in terms of organized oscillations is obtained by a suitable canonical transformation. The complete hamiltonian for a collection of charges interacting with the transverse electromagnetic field is re-expressed as a sum of three terms. One involves the collective field coordinates and expresses the degree of excitation of organized oscillations. The others represent the kinetic energy of the electrons and the residual particle interaction, which is not describable in terms of the organized oscillations, and corresponds to a screened interparticle force of short range.Both a classical and a quantum-mechanical treatment are given, and the criteria for the validity of the collective description are discussed.
Facilitation of stimulus detection performance of rats with d-amphetamine: a function of dose and level of training

Conditions under which amphetamine may facilitate stimulus detection task choice performance in rats were investigated. Rats (n=15) were trained in a two-choice, light-detection task to three successively more stringent criterion levels of task training (minimal, intermediate, and extended) and then tested after administration of saline, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 mg/kg d-amphetamine (AMP). For each training level, baseline levels of choice accuracy were maintained at approximately 82% by manipulating the animals’ cue duration. No aspect of performance was enhanced by any dose of AMP after minimal criteria training, and there was a dose-dependent decrease in the number of trials completed. After the intermediate level of training, the 0.25 mg/kg dose of AMP reliably increased choice accuracy, there was no reliable change in choice reaction time, and there was a dose-dependent decrease in the number of trials completed. After the extended training, the 0.25 mg/kg dose of AMP reliably increased choice response accuracy, the 0.25 and 0.50 mg/kg doses of AMP reliably decreased choice reaction time, and there was no reliable change in the number of trials completed at any dose of AMP. These results support the contention that psychostimulants can facilitate the choice performance of rats in stimulus detection tasks if an appropriately low dose is used and the animal’s behavior is strongly controlled by the stimulus-reinforcement contingencies of the task.
Differential reflex adjustments in cutaneous and muscle vascular beds during experimental coronary artery occlusion

Abstract Experimental coronary artery occlusion was produced in dogs and the peripheral reflex vascular adjustments evaluated in preparations in which systemic humoral factors could be excluded. In a perfused heterogeneous vascular bed (hind limb) coronary artery occlusion produced reflex vasodilatation in spite of associated marked reductions in systemic blood pressure. This same stimulus, coronary artery occlusion, caused more pronounced reflex vasodilatation in a predominantly cutaneous bed (perfused paw). In contrast, the reflex response in skeletal muscle to coronary artery occlusion was that of consistent vasoconstriction, and it was not possible to “uncover” reflex vasodilatation in skeletal muscle. These results illustrate that a reflex initiated by coronary artery occlusion does not produce uniform reflex adjustments in all tissues. Rather, directionally opposite reflex adjustments occur in tissues that serve different physiologic functions.
Amplified V-Y flaps for nasal defects

Due to a paucity of subcutaneous tissue in the nose, mobilization of some flaps is impeded and large nasal defects are thus difficult to close with traditional V-Y flaps. The V-Y flap is modified by the addition of an amplified limb onto the advancing edge of the V-Y flap. This limb is located adjacent to the area requiring reconstruction and is hinged down on the end of the V-Y flap to close the distal portion of the defect. The amplified V-Y flap, a modified V-Y advancement flap, is very useful for the closure of relatively large defects on the nasal area. We have used this flap for nasal defects as large as 2.5 cm in diameter following excision of skin tumors on the nose in 11 patients. Most excised tumors were basal cell carcinomas. The results have been quite good, with only minor complications in two patients. Complications were encountered only in the nasal tip region, there was partial necrosis at the tip of the amplified portion of the flap. The modifications of the V-Y flap described has extended the application in closing nasal defects.
Brain proteins: qualitative and quantitative changes, synthesis and degradation during fetal development of the rabbit.

The composition and metabolism of the proteins of the cerebral pallium of the rabbit during the final one-third of the gestational period were measured. During this period, the brain increased in size almost 10-fold and the migration of neuroblasts to form the cerebral cortex became complete. Concurrent with the marked structural changes, the solubility characteristics and electrophoretic distribution of various brain proteins showed little change. However, at the time of birth and in the adult, significant differences in gel electrophoresis patterns were apparent. The rate of synthesis of protein in brain slices from the fetus of 20 days gestation was 3-fold higher per mg of tissue than in the neonate and about 30-fold higher than in the adult. Activities of acidic and neutral proteases per unit weight were virtually the same and nearly constant throughout the late fetal period. However, during this stage, while rapid growth persists, the total protein synthetic activity of the pallium predominated over the total proteolytic activity, whereas sometime after birth the ratios of these activities reversed consequent to a shutdown of the synthetic process.
Solvation by benzene: molecular dynamics simulation of orientational motion, translational diffusion, and site–site radial distributions of the solutes di- and trichloromethane (chloroform)

By a standard, proven molecular dynamics procedure we generated individual equilibrium systems of dichloromethane and trichloromethane (chloroform) in benzene, each at equimolar concentration, as well as those of the neat components. We analysed the orientational dynamics of the C–H bond direction of chloroform in benzene-solvated and neat chloroform by the tumbling motion of its l = 1 and l = 2 Legendre polynomial auto-correlations between 250 and 438 K at iso-density conditions specific to the solution and neat system, respectively. We find that solvent benzene exerts a hindering effect on the orientational motion of chloroform over its neat state under an activation energy of 3.8 kJ mol−1, although the density of the solution is less than that of the neat solute. The hindering effect diminishes with increasing kinetic energy to eventually disappear near the critical region. Probing benzene as solute within an equimolar solution with chloroform does not show a correspondingly increased hindering of the ...
Is the EdTPA the Right Choice for Evaluating Teacher Readiness

The purpose of this article is to describe and analyze the edTPA, a performance assessment created by the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) and administered by Pearson, Inc., to assess the professional readiness of student teachers. We challenge claims made in support of using this assessment, specifically within the context of arts teacher preparation programs, and we address areas of immediate critical concern to make alternative recommendations.
Environmental Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital During a Nonoutbreak Period

Abstract Concurrent to reports of zoonotic and nosocomial transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in veterinary settings, recent evidence indicates that the environment in veterinary hospitals may be a potential source of MRSA. The present report is a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of MRSA on specific human and animal contact surfaces at a large veterinary hospital during a nonoutbreak period. A total of 156 samples were collected using Swiffers® or premoistened swabs from the small animal, equine, and food animal sections. MRSA was isolated and identified by pre-enrichment culture and standard microbiology procedures, including growth on Mueller-Hinton agar supplemented with NaCl and oxacillin, and by detection of the mecA gene. Staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profile were also determined. MRSA was detected in 12% (19/157) of the hospital environments sampled. The prevalence of MRSA in the small anim...
Spin dynamics and violation of the fluctuation dissipation theorem in a nonequilibrium ohmic spin-boson model

We present results for the dynamics of an impurity spin coupled to a magnetic field and to two ohmic baths that are out of equilibrium due to the application of a bias voltage. Both the nonequilibrium steady state and the rate constants describing the approach to the steady state are found to depend sensitively on the relative strengths of a magnetic field and a voltage dependent decoherence rate. Computation of physical quantities, including the frequency dependent ratio of the response to the correlation functions and the probabilities of the two spin states, allows the extraction of voltage dependent effective temperatures. The temperatures extracted from different quantities differ from one another in magnitude and in their dependence on parameters, and, in general, are nonmonotonic.
Do mothers' perceptions and concerns about preschoolers' peer competence predict their peer‐management practices?

Although parents' management behaviors have been associated with children's competence with peers, relatively little is known about factors that may determine parents' management practices. In this study, measures of mothers' perceptions and concerns, mother' peer-related management practices, and children's social competence were obtained with 62 preschool children and their mothers. Results indicated that mothers differentiated between prosocial behavior and peer sociability when assessing children's progress relative to peers. Girls received higher progress ratings from their mothers than did boys, and mothers tended to view their children's prosocial skills as less well developed than their sociability toward peers. Mothers who reported lower estimates of their children's sociability tended to have higher levels of concern and were less involved in the management of their children's informal peer relations. Conversely, mothers who managed children's social lives by facilitating informal peer activities and promoting children's social autonomy tended to see their children as more sociable with peers.
Occupational satisfaction and competence of police officers as predicted by the Kuder Interest Inventory

A sample of 77 police officers who had been members of the Evansville, Indiana Police Department for at least two years had been given the Kuder Occupational Interest Inventory prior to being hired. Each was given the Zytowski Personal Data Questionnaire to obtain self-ratings of satisfaction and duty performance. A high percentage (81%) of the officers who had been hired and whose careers had continued in police work had Police Officer as one of their top ten occupations on the Kuder Interest Inventory. The Kuder was less successful at predicting satisfaction and performance. These data supported the concept that stress and burnout were more important predictors of satisfaction and duty performance than were interests.
Safety and feasibility of STAT RAD: Improvement of a novel rapid tomotherapy-based radiation therapy workflow by failure mode and effects analysis

Abstract Purpose The clinical challenge of radiation therapy (RT) for painful bone metastases requires clinicians to consider both treatment efficacy and patient prognosis when selecting a radiation therapy regimen. The traditional RT workflow requires several weeks for common palliative RT schedules of 30 Gy in 10 fractions or 20 Gy in 5 fractions. At our institution, we have created a new RT workflow termed "STAT RAD" that allows clinicians to perform computed tomographic (CT) simulation, planning, and highly conformal single fraction treatment delivery within 2 hours. In this study, we evaluate the safety and feasibility of the STAT RAD workflow. Methods and materials A failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) was performed on the STAT RAD workflow, including development of a process map, identification of potential failure modes, description of the cause and effect, temporal occurrence, and team member involvement in each failure mode, and examination of existing safety controls. A risk probability number (RPN) was calculated for each failure mode. As necessary, workflow adjustments were then made to safeguard failure modes of significant RPN values. After workflow alterations, RPN numbers were again recomputed. Results A total of 72 potential failure modes were identified in the pre-FMEA STAT RAD workflow, of which 22 met the RPN threshold for clinical significance. Workflow adjustments included the addition of a team member checklist, changing simulation from megavoltage CT to kilovoltage CT, alteration of patient-specific quality assurance testing, and allocating increased time for critical workflow steps. After these modifications, only 1 failure mode maintained RPN significance; patient motion after alignment or during treatment. Conclusions Performing the FMEA for the STAT RAD workflow before clinical implementation has significantly strengthened the safety and feasibility of STAT RAD. The FMEA proved a valuable evaluation tool, identifying potential problem areas so that we could create a safer workflow.
Effective potential of a black hole in thermal equilibrium with quantum fields.

Expectation values of one-loop renormalized thermal equilibrium stress-energy tensors of free conformal scalars, spin-1/2 fermions, and U(1) gauge fields on a Schwarzschild black hole background are used as sources in the semiclassical Einstein equation. The back reaction and new equilibrium metric have been found at [ital O]([h bar]) for each spin field in previous work. In this paper, the nature of the modified black hole spacetime is explored through calculations of the effective potential for null and timelike orbits. Significant novel features affecting the motions of both massive and massless test particles show up at lowest order in [epsilon]=([ital M][sub Pl]/[ital M])[sup 2][lt]1, where [ital M] is the black hole mass, and [ital M][sub Pl] is the Planck mass. Specifically, we find an increase in the black hole capture cross sections, and the existence of a region near the black hole with a repulsive contribution, generated by the U(1) back reaction, to the gravitational force. There is no such effect for other spins. Extrapolating our results suggests a tendency towards the formation of stable circular orbits, but the result cannot be established in [ital O]([h bar]): the change in the metric becomes large and it changes its signature. We alsomore » consider the back reaction arising from multiple fields, which ultimately should be useful for treating a black hole in equilibrium with field ensembles belonging to gauge theories. In certain circumstances, however, reliable results will require calculations beyond [ital O]([h bar]).« less
Anaplastic neuronal tumors of brain

A multicentric neuronal tumor of brain with unique morphologic features is described. It is compared with four other markedly anaplastic brain tumors containing neoplastic neurons. Demonstration of axon processes, which must be carefully distinguished from other similarly stained structures, is essential for the recognition of such tumors. Recent experience suggests that anaplastic neuronal tumors are more frequent than is generally realized. It is suggested that axon stains should be more widely employed in the investigation of atypical or highly pleomorphic gliomas.
New species of Blissinae from Madagascar (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae)*

SYNOPSIS Two new species of Micaredemus and two new species of Ischnodemus from Madagascar are described. Micaredemus decolor Slater is synonymised with Micaredemus antennatus Slater and the variability of this species is discussed. A note on theaffinities of the Madagascar blissine fauna is included.
Clots of beta-fibrin. Viscoelastic properties, temperature dependence of elasticity, and interaction with fibrinogen-binding tetrapeptides.

Clots of human beta-fibrin, in which only (or predominantly) the B fibrinopeptide is released, were formed at 14 degrees C by copperhead venom procoagulant enzyme (CVE or venzyme), at pH 8.5, ionic strength 0.45. The shear modulus of elasticity increased slowly and after several days attained a constant value, which was lower than those of alpha-fibrin or alpha beta-fibrin under the same conditions. Before studying the temperature dependence of elasticity, the CVE was then inhibited by introducing phenyl methyl sulfonyl chloride (PMSF) by diffusion. With increasing temperature, the modulus decreased progressively from 5 degrees C to nearly zero at 35 degrees and was essentially reversible with temperature change; recovery of elasticity after change from 34.5 degrees to 14 degrees required approximately 2 d but was considerably faster than the initial buildup of elasticity by CVE at 14 degrees. Creep and creep recovery measurements on unligated clots showed creep rates and irrecoverable deformation that were similar in magnitude to those of alpha-fibrin clots formed with batroxobin and much larger than those of alpha beta-fibrin clots formed with thrombin, under the same conditions. During creep and creep recovery, the differential modulus or compliance remained constant, showing that there was no permanent structural damage, and if network strands are severed in slow flow, they must rejoin in new configurations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
FLAVONOID PIGMENTS IN MIMULUS CARDINALIS AND ITS RELATED SPECIES. I. ANTHOCYANINS

A B S T R A C T Chromatographic and spectrophotometric techniques were used to identify the anthocyanin pigments present in Mimulus cardinalis and its related species of section Erythranthe of the genus Mimulus (Scrophulariaceae). On the basis of rigorous tests, the flowers of M. cardinalis were found to contain pelargonidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-rhamnoglucoside, the caffeoyl ester of pelargonidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rhamnoglucoside, and the caffeoyl ester of cyanidin-3-glucoside. Qualitatively all members of the group contain these six anthocyanins except M. lewisii. All of its populations lack the pelargonidin glycosides and some lack, in addition, the cyanidin-3-rhamnoglucoside. The striking differences in flower color and intensity appear to be due to quantitative differences not here analyzed. INTEREST IN the flower colors of Mimulus cardinalis Douglas dates back to the work of Broiek (1932) at Charles University in Prague. He was primarily concerned with determining the patterns of inheritance of the striking array of colors exhibited by this species. In the course of our cytogenetic and evolutionary studies in M. cardinalis and its related species (Vickery, Mukherjee, and Wiens, 1958, 1963), we too have pursued the investigation of the genetic control mechanisms, but in addition we have turned our attention to the chemistry of the pigments involved. Our earlier work (Vickery and Olson, 1956) revealed the presence of two anthoxanthins and six anthocyanins in M. cardinalis and its related species. The present investigation was carried out with the purpose of identifying chemically those six anthocyanins in order to provide a sound foundation for further genetic studies of flowercolor inheritance and for additional studies of the biochemical divergence of the species in this group. The plants under study, M. cardinalis and its related species, comprise section Erythranthe of the genus Mimulus, family Scrophulariaceae. The sec
The Near-Infrared Extinction Law and Limits on the Pre-Main-Sequence Population of the ρ Ophiuchi Dark Cloud

We describe new techniques to measure the near-infrared extinction law and to place limits on the pre–main-sequence stellar population of a dark cloud. We analyze JHK imaging data for the central 1 deg2 of the ρ Ophiuchi cloud core and show that nearly all stars projected onto regions of low CS intensity, ICS ≤ 10 K km s-1, are background stars. Most sources at larger CS intensities lie within cloud material. We use the background stars to derive the slope of the near-IR extinction law, EJ - H/EH - K = 1.57 ± 0.03. This result is consistent with previous extinction laws but has a factor of 2–3 smaller uncertainty. The new ρ Oph extinction law yields strong constraints on the number of previously undiscovered pre–main-sequence stars in the cloud, 46 ± 11, and the number of previously undiscovered young stars with near-IR excesses, 15 ± 4. Neither limit exceeds the number of known pre–main-sequence stars in the cloud, ~100. Thus, current samples of pre–main-sequence stars are reasonably complete for K ≤ 14.
Characterization of hepatic L-threonine dehydrogenase of chicken.

Abstract The l -threonine dehydrogenase (TDH) was purified approximately 1300-fold to a specific activity of ∼18 000 unit mg −1 from chicken ( Gallus domesticus ) liver mitochondria. Purification was obtained by sequential chromatography on DEAE Cellulose, Phenyl Sepharose High Performance hydrophobic interaction, Affi-Gel Blue affinity and Matrex Gel Red A columns. The molecular weight of the subunit was estimated to be 36 kDa by sodium dodecyl-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. An apparent molecular mass of native protein between 62 and 74 kDa was obtained by gel filtration chromatography, suggesting a dimeric structure of TDH. The isoelectric point of TDH was determined by isoelectric focusing to be 5.3. Partial amino-terminal sequence analyses, carried out on two purified preparations of TDH, revealed a high degree of homology to the reported sequence of porcine TDH. The Michaelis constants for l -threonine and NAD for partially purified chicken hepatic TDH are 5.38 and 0.19 mM, respectively.
Uptake of 65Zn by eelgrass, Zostera marina, L.☆

Abstract 65Zn was taken up from seawater solution by eelgrass, Zostera marina L., roots and translocated to leaf blades. Similarly, 65Zn was taken up from seawater by eelgrass blades and translocated to root and rhizome tissues.
Use of cell fusion techniques to probe the mechanism of catecholamine-induced desensitization of adenylate cyclase in frog erythrocytes.

Abstract The catecholamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase system appears to be comprised of at least three components; the beta-adrenergic receptor (R component), the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase (C component) and a nucleotide regulatory protein (N component), responsible for mediating the effects of guanine nucleotides on the system. Cell fusion techniques were used to investigate the role of these three components in the process of homologous desensitization in the frog erythrocyte. Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) was used to inhibit β-receptor function in one population of frog erythrocytes, whilst phenyl glyoxal was employed to inactivate the N and C components in a second population of frog erythrocytes. Using Sendai virus to fuse the two types of modified cell, heterologous β-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase systems were constructed which contained components from each cell type. When beta receptors from cells previously desensitized to catecholamines were coupled to N-C components derived from fresh erythrocytes, the resulting hybrid exhibited a densitized response to isoproterenol. By contrast, when β-adrenergic receptors from fresh cells were coupled to N-C components derived from desensitized erythrocytes, no decreased responsiveness to isoproterenol was apparent in the hybrid. That this resensitization was the result of the addition of fresh β-adrenergic receptors was demonstrated in a control experiment. Frog erythrocytes were desensitized simultaneously to catecholamines and prostaglandin E 1 and modified with DCCD which inactivates the β-adrenergic receptor but not the prostaglandin receptor. When fresh β-adrenergic receptors were supplied by cell fusion to these doubly desensitized erythrocytes, only the β-adrenergic response was restored to control levels. The response to prostaglandin remained desensitized in the hybrids, indicating that the observed resensitization of catecholamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was specific and was due to the addition of fresh β-adrenergic receptors. These data suggest that in the frog erythrocyte, homologous desensitization is primarily the result of receptor-related alterations.
Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) Flight Software stress testing: Case study and lessons learned

This paper presents a case study of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission Command and Data Handling (C&DH) Flight Software stress testing program. Background information on the motivation for stress testing embedded software, and the general principles and goals of a stress test are provided as an introduction. Details of the stress test program that was implemented for the RBSP C&DH Flight Software are presented and discussed. This discussion includes the design and development of a test framework that was implemented to incrementally build the test scenarios, increase the productivity of the RBSP stress test team, and facilitate reuse for regression testing. Results of the RBSP stress test program are summarized, and lessons learned that may be useful for future embedded software test programs are documented.
Functionally Important ATP Binding and Hydrolysis Sites in Escherichia coli MsbA

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters make up one of the largest classes of proteins found in nature, and their ability to move a variety of substrates across the membrane using energy from the binding or hydrolysis of ATP is essential to an array of human pathologies and to bacterial viability. MsbA is an essential ABC transporter that specifically transports lipid A across the inner membranes of Gram-negative organisms such as Escherichia coli. The exact mechanisms of function during the binding and hydrolysis of ATP at the molecular level remain unclear. The studies presented and summarized in this work directly address the role and local dynamics of specific residues within the conserved ABC motifs in E. coli MsbA using in vivo growth and biochemical activity assays coupled with site-directed spin labeling electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy motional and accessibility analysis. This first comprehensive analysis of the specific residues in these motifs within MsbA indicates that closur...
Multilevel vibrational dephasing and vibrational anharmonicity from infrared photon echo beats

Abstract Vibrational photon echo experiments were performed on the asymmetric CO stretching mode of tungsten hexacarbonyl in glassy dibutylphthalate as a function of temperature using sub-picosecond infrared pulses (1976 cm −1 ) from a free electron laser. The echo decays display pronounced beats and are bi-exponential. The beats and bi-exponential decays arise because the bandwith of the pulses exceed the vibrational anharmonicity, leading to the excitation and dephasing of a multilevel coherence. From the beat frequency, the anharmonicity is determined to be 14.7 cm −1 . From the bi-exponential decay components, the temperature-dependent vibrational dephasing of both the v = 0 → 1 and v = 1 → 2 transitions are determined.
Metabolic requirements of low-birth-weight infants†

A study was carried out in order to determine the respiratory quotient (RQ) and caloric expenditures of low-birth-weight infants. A basal metabolic rate of 45 to 60 Cal. per kilogram of body weight per 24 hours was observed in the sleeping, postprandial, nondistressed infant, depending on age and birth weight. Low RQ's were observed throughout the first week of life, indicating a heavy reliance on fat stores during this period. This fall in RQ could be prevented by administration of 60 to 80 Cal./Kg./24 hours, suggesting that the neonatal fall in RQ represents relative starvation with increased breakdown of fat and protein stores.
Gaze and the picturesque landscape of Amber, India

Amber and five other hill forts of Rajasthan were inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in the cultural heritage category in June 2013. Their inscription was based on their outstandi...
Women in International Relations

Women now receive political science degrees in record numbers, but female representation among political science faculty still lags behind that of many other disciplines. Only 26% of the 13,000 political science professors in the United States today are women (Sedowski and Brintall 2007). According to our recent survey of international relations faculty in the United States—the 2006 Teaching, Research, and International Politics (TRIP) Survey—women comprise an even smaller proportion of IR scholars: 77% of the IR faculty respondents are men, while only 23% are women. Even more than their counterparts in the wider field of political science, women in IR tend to be more junior and less likely to hold tenure than their male colleagues. Women comprise a minority at every level of the profession, but they are most scarce at the full professor level: Only 17% of political science professors and 14% of IR professors are women (Maliniak et al. 2007c; Sedowski and Brintall 2007).
Accuracy and Accountability in Reporting Local Government Budget Activities: Evidence From the Newsroom and From Newsmakers

The author surveyed newspaper managing editors and municipal finance directors about the effect of newspaper coverage on the accountability of local government budget activities and policies. Using the survey findings, he argues that newspapers are selective about what constitutes news, and that while newspapers receive adequate information from public officials, many reporters and editors lack the training to understand and interpret complex budget activities and policies. A content analysis of newspapers supports the survey findings and presents additional evidence. The result is a weakening of any assessment by the press. Overall, the results challenge the commonly accepted argument that press publicity provides an effective external control over the competence, responsiveness, and accountability of public officials. The article suggests that budget officials can take steps to improve accuracy in reporting and accountability by taking a more active approach with the press.
Synthesis of dl-Meroquinene

Abstract Meroquinene (1), a key degradation product of quinine and an important intermediate in the preparation of the cinchona and other alkaloids,1 has only recently been synthesized 2 even though attempts were made at its preparation for over thirty years. These early attempts were frustrated primarily by the difficulty encountered in the introduction of a potential vinyl group onto a piperidine ring. Alkylation of 3-car-bethoxy-N-benzoyl-4-piperidone (2) with either phenoxyethyl chloride3 or dimethylaminoethyl chloride (3)4 resulted in exclusive formation of the O-alkylated product, even though alkylation of the presumably analogous 2-carbethoxycyclohexanone with 3 gave nearly equal amounts of C- and O- alkylated materials.4 The use of other piperidone derivatives in this reaction was precluded by the report that attempts to alkylate 3-car-bethoxy-N-alkyl-4-piperidones gave only the quaternary nitrogen product.5
On an inverse optimal control problem

A straightforward method is given for determining a performance index which is minimized by a class of nonlinear autonomous systems. The results of this method are then compared with some earlier results of Thau.
Optical communication systems for satellite applications

ABSTRACT In conventional satellites, the RF and microwave signal transmissions between electronic modules are accomplished usingwaveguide or coaxial lines. Advances in fiber-optic technology have made it possible to modulate low-noise RF and microwavesignals on fiber-optic distribution lines, resulting in weight and space savings. These optical communication systems enableintrasatellite communications among the electronic modules like transmitters, receivers, and clocks. This paper summarizesfindings from several studies on the use of fiber-optic lines for RF/microwave signal transmission on-board satellites. It will alsoupdate some experimental results of prototype systems developed previously for intrasatellite signal distribution.Keywords: Fiber, communications, RF, modulation, spacecraft 1. INTRODUCTION Future spacecraft communication systems will require UHF, RE, and microwave transmission lines that are lightweight and lesssusceptible to electromagnetic interference. These systems can be used for communications among transmitter, receiver, clock,and instrument modules onboard spacecraft. The modulation of light carriers with RF signals transmitted over optical fibers is atechnology whose potential for RF signal distribution deserves serious consideration. Previous studies have indicated that thetransmission of RF signals over fiber-optic lines potentially can meet the required specifications for intra-satellite communica-tions.17 In this study, we focused specifically on the design of a bidirectional intrasatellite communication link for the transmis-sion of UHF signals. We studied the performance of this link by characterizing 5-MHz sinusoid signals. These signals wereselected based on the phase stability and spectral purity needed in radio applications. However, the bidirectional link's operationis not limited to these frequencies; higher frequency signals (5 MHz to 10 GHz) can be modulated on modified versions of thesystem.The basic operation of an intrasatellite link is shown in Figure 1 and discussed in Reference 8. RF signals are distributed acrossfiber-optical lines via a modulator/demodulator system. As shown in Figure 1, the RF-modulated optical signals (X1) are de-
The effects of language learning and vocal training on sensorimotor control of lexical tone

To perceive and produce Mandarin, adult second language (L2) learners need to learn to discriminate lexical pitch variations and develop the new sensorimotor skills needed to produce the lexical tones. In this paper, we investigated whether auditory discrimination and sensorimotor integration differ with Mandarin (tonal) language experience in the context of tonal language syllables and simple sustained vowels. We tested four distinct groups: native Mandarin speakers, Mandarin L2 adults, trained vocalists, and naive adults (those with no tonal language exposure). Auditory discrimination was measured using two perceptual tasks, musical tone discrimination and Mandarin tone discrimination, the results of which were compared across the four groups. Group differences in sensorimotor integration related to lexical tone production were examined with a pitch-shift paradigm that assessed rapid motor responses to unexpected pitch perturbations. Mandarin speakers performed significantly better on Mandarin tone discrimination compared to the other three groups. Mandarin speakers also showed more attenuation of pitch-shift response amplitude (better vocal pitch control) during production of both the sustained vowel and Mandarin tones, especially compared to naive speakers. These findings suggest that Mandarin speakers have more robust pitch control over self-produced vocalizations and are thus less affected by auditory feedback perturbations. This effect was particularly evident in response to the Mandarin high level lexical tone, for which the pitch-shift compensation patterns (with apparent attenuation in Mandarin speakers only) differed qualitatively from those of sustained vowels (with clear compensation in all groups), the rising tone (with apparent attenuation in all groups but naive speakers), and the falling tone (with apparent attenuation in all groups). Trained vocalists also appear to rely more than naive speakers on internal models when regulating voice F0 in the nonlinguistic domain (sustained vowel), but not in the linguistic domain (Mandarin tone). Native Mandarin speakers demonstrate robust internal models for lexical tone in both perception and production; this underscores the importance of developmental language experience but also provides evidence for the declination of the high level lexical tone which requires a mastery of tonal languages.
Seasonal Changes in the Contents of Inorganic Ions in the Blood of Rana Esculenta

1. The blood of the frog (Rana esculenta) was examined over a period of twenty-one months with respect to the concentrations of chloride, sodium, and potassium ions and total protein. 2. The changes in the concentrations of these components were coordinated with two kinds of established data: on the one hand the annual three-monthly period of reproduction in the aquatic habitat, on the other the annual cycle of activities of the endocrine system. 3. The chloride ion concentration showed a significant fall, particularly at the time of transition from the ecological winter to the reproductive period. The sodium ion concentration showed a significant fall, above all, at the transition from the reproductive period to the ecological summer. No such changes were found in the case of potassium and total protein. 4. A connexion is suggested with other rhythmic phenomena.
Improvement of the Chemical Mass Balance model for apportioning-sources of non-methane hydrocarbons using composite aged source profiles

Abstract The Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) receptor model is commonly used to evaluate the relationship between emissions of air pollutants and their concentration in the ambient air. However, it is not clear that it can accurately achieve this goal when evaluating sources of reactive air pollutants such as non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC). This work examines the ability of CMB Version 8.2 to accurately resolve sources of NMHC simulated for Houston, Texas, and assesses whether model performance can be improved by providing the model with composite aged profiles. The NMHC are simulated using an unsteady multi-stage photochemical transport model which uses reported emission rates from mobile and industrial sources and meteorological measurements as inputs. Composite aged profiles are also developed using the photochemical transport model, and account for the distribution and strength of sources within the common trajectories to the receptor. The ability of the model is examined through 128 cases and 4 case studies, which challenge CMB to resolve the sources of simulated NMHC when reasonable levels of uncertainty are introduced into the fitting species, source profiles, and/or sources provided to the model, or when composite aged source profiles are also made available to the model. CMB performs best when all contributing sources are known and perfect information is available to describe these sources. When reasonable uncertainties are introduced into any of its inputs, performance is poorer. Many cases do not result in a solution. In many of the cases that result in a solution, CMB fails to identify or attribute the mass of a relevant source to within ±30% of the true contribution, or identifies irrelevant sources and attributes to them more than 5% of the total mass. When composite aged profiles are made available to the model, inaccuracy is eliminated but many cases still do not result in a solution.
Ischemic preconditioning: a plea for rationally targeted clinical trials.

Time for primary review 20 days. The concept of myocardial ischemic ‘preconditioning’ (PC) has been with us since 1986 [1]. A tremendous body of research over the last 15 years has documented this phenomenon in virtually every species tested, with both an early and late phase of PC-induced cardioprotection, manifest ∼5–30 min and 12–24 h after the PC trigger, having been identified. A host of additional studies have yielded insight into the cellular mediators and complex second messenger pathways that purportedly contribute to the protection achieved with brief antecedent PC ischemia, with the currently favored paradigm involving initial stimulation of one or more G protein-coupled receptors; subsequent activation of multiple ‘in parallel’ or ‘in series’ kinases (i.e. including, among others, the e-isoform of protein kinase C and one or more isoforms of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase); followed by phosphorylation and activation of a membrane-bound end-effector, possibly the sarcolemmal and/or mitochondrial KATP channel. These mechanistic studies have, as an ancillary benefit, provided a rational framework for the identification of pharmacologic agents that, when given in lieu of brief ischemia, may effectively mimic the benefits of conventional ischemic PC. Perhaps most importantly, a substantial amount of evidence favors the concept that ischemic preconditioning (both early and delayed) can occur in human hearts. However, the translation of ischemic preconditioning from the experimental laboratory to clinical utility has been disappointing and slow. Our goals in this manuscript are to: (i) review the clinical models and scenarios in which conventional ischemic PC and/or pharmacologic PC-mimetic agents have shown promise in eliciting cardioprotection; (ii) summarize, for each of these multiple scenarios, the potential benefits that might be achieved in the implementation of PC as a therapeutic strategy; (iii) outline, for each of the relevant clinical settings, a proposed design for the multicenter trials … * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-213-977-4050; fax: +1-213-977-4107 rkloner{at}goodsam.org
When is GERTS an attractive choice for simulating systems

This article attempts to give the analyst some guidelines for making the choice between GERTS (Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique Simula tion program) and general-purpose simulation tech niques. GERTS allows the analyst to simulate without performing any programming. GERTS also represents a system in a network model which aids communications with nonsimulators. Examples are given of the types of problems in which GERTS is preferred to general- purpose simulation techniques. The approximation of complicated systems using GERTS is also considered.
Immune Surveillance from Chromosomal Chaos

In 1970, the cancer immune surveillance hypothesis proposed that “when aberrant cells with proliferative potential arise in the body, they will carry new antigenic determinants on their surface. When a significant amount of new antigen has developed, a thymus-dependent immunological response will be initiated and eventually eliminates the aberrant cells” ( 1 ). This idea stirred much debate, and it remains unclear whether T cells spontaneously reject tumors or select variants of low immunogenicity. Still, the hypothesis is being revisited and revised with new insights into the dynamics of cancer cell immunogenicity in the context of tolerance and other elements of the antitumor immune response ( 2 ). Adding to this, Senovilla et al. ( 3 ) report, on page 1678 of this issue, that there is a connection between abnormal chromosome number and the immune surveillance of such aberrant cancer cells.