cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perioperative Renal Outcome in Cardiac Surgical Patients With Preoperative Renal Dysfunction: Aprotinin Versus Epsilon Aminocaproic Acid

Objective: The administration of aprotinin to patients with pre-existing renal dysfunction who are undergoing cardiac surgery is controversial. Therefore, the authors present their experience with the use of aprotinin for patients with preoperative renal dysfunction who underwent elective cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Design: Retrospective analysis. Setting: University hospital. Participants: Consecutive cardiac surgical patients with preoperative serum creatinine (SCr) ≥1.8 mg/dL undergoing nonemergent cardiac surgery requiring CPB. Interventions: None. Methods: One hundred twenty-three patients either received epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA, n = 82) or aprotinin (n = 41) as decided by the attending anesthesiologist and surgeon. Data were collected from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database and from automated intraoperative anesthesia records. Renal function was assessed from measured serum creatinine (SCr) and calculated creatinine clearances (CrCls). Acute perioperative renal dysfunction was defined as a worsening of perioperative renal function by ≥25% and/or the need for hemodialysis (HD). Analysis: Data were recorded as mean and standard deviation or percentage of population depending on whether the data were continuous or not. Data were compared by using an analysis of variance, chi-square analysis, Student paired and unpaired t tests, Fisher exact test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and Mann-Whitney U test. A p value Results: Overall, 32% and 41% of patients had acute perioperative renal dysfunction measured by CrCl and SCr, respectively. Seven patients required HD (5.7%). Six of these 7 had complicated postoperative courses. Of all the variables measured, only the duration of the aortic crossclamp (AoXCl) and CPB were significantly associated with acute perioperative renal dysfunction. Acute perioperative renal dysfunction was associated with increased intensive care unit and hospital stays, postoperative blood transfusion, dialysis, and major infection. Aprotinin patients were significantly older (75.2 v 70.2 years, p Conclusion: Acute perioperative renal dysfunction was associated with worse patient outcome and longer CPB and AoXCl times. Demographic and surgical variables indicated that the sicker patients undergoing more complex surgeries were more likely to be treated with aprotinin. Although aprotinin patients had a higher renal risk score, the administration of aprotinin did not negatively impact renal outcome.
Electron transfer in the ruthenated heme domain of cytochrome P450BM‐3

Two mutants of the heme domain of Bacillus megaterium cytochrome P450BM-3 (BMP) have been modified by covalent attachment of a photoactive Ru(bpy)3 complex at the surface-exposed cysteine residues, 62 and 387. The laser-flash/quench technique was used to study Ru1+ Fe3+ electron transfer (ET) within the Ru-BMP complexes. There was no reduction of the ferric heme by Ru1+ in Ru-62-BMP. In Ru-387-BMP, ET from Ru1+ to Fe3+ occurred with the rate constant of 4.6 × 105 s−1 and 2.5 × 106 s−1 in the absence and presence of substrate, respectively. The study demonstrates the importance of through-bond pathways for electron flow to the heme iron of P450 and that the Gln387–Cys400 peptide is a potential ET root in P450BM-3.
CD30-targeted antibody therapy.

Purpose of reviewThis article reviews the current knowledge of therapeutic targeting of CD30+ cancers using naked and conjugated monoclonal antibodies.Recent findingsAfter unsuccessful outcome of early trials using naked and conjugated anti-CD30 antibodies, substantial progress was achieved with the
High-dose cyclophosphamide versus monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide for systemic lupus erythematosus: A prospective randomized trial†

Objective Monthly intravenous (IV) cyclophosphamide for 6 months has been the standard induction regimen for lupus nephritis, followed by a maintenance regimen of quarterly infusions for 2 years. We undertook this study to compare the efficacy and safety of the standard regimen versus a high-dose IV cyclophosphamide regimen. Methods We performed a prospective randomized trial comparing monthly IV cyclophosphamide at 750 mg/m2 body surface area for 6 months followed by quarterly IV cyclophosphamide for 2 years (traditional treatment) against high-dose IV cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg daily for 4 days) (high-dose treatment). Entry criteria included renal lupus, neurologic lupus, or other organ system involvement with moderate-to-severe activity. Results Fifty-one patients were randomized; 3 withdrew before treatment and 1 committed suicide after 2 months of high-dose treatment. Twenty-two had renal lupus, 14 had neurologic lupus, and 11 had other organ involvement. The outcome measure was the Responder Index for Lupus Erythematosus (complete response, partial response, no change, or worsening). At 6 months (the end of induction), 11 of 21 patients (52%) in the high-dose treatment group had a complete response compared with 9 of 26 patients (35%) in the traditional treatment group (P = 0.13). At the final visit (30 months), 10 of 21 patients (48%) in the high-dose treatment group had a complete response compared with 13 of 20 patients (65%) who continued with traditional treatment (P = 0.13). Six patients crossed over from traditional treatment to high-dose treatment because of lack of response, and 3 of those patients became complete responders. Conclusion There was not strong evidence that monthly IV cyclophosphamide and high-dose IV cyclophosphamide differed in complete or in any (complete or partial) response to induction or maintenance therapy. However, nonresponders to monthly IV cyclophosphamide can sometimes be rescued with high-dose IV cyclophosphamide.
Indexing of image content in spine x rays

This paper presents work toward indexing the image content in a collection of 17,000 cervical spine and lumbar spine images, for purposes of public dissemination by such system as the Web-based Medical Information System. These images were collected as part of a national health survey and to date no radiological or quantitative content has been derived from the images, except for our work, described in this paper. Practical considerations, primarily of labor cost, make the job of deriving radiological interpretations or quantitative anatomical measures by manual methods very difficult. For this reason, the acquisition of content information by automated means, or even by semi-automated means, which require human interaction, but significantly reduce the required labor, are very important. This field is not in an advanced state of development, and the results we present are necessarily work in progress.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Glucagon and N6,O2'-dibutyryl adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate inhibition of lipogenesis and phosphofructokinase activity of hepatocytes from meal-fed rats.

Glucagon and N6,O2′-dibutyryl adenosine 3′∶5′-monophosphate (dibutyryl cyclic AMP) inhibit net glucose utilization, lactate plus pyruvate accumulation and fatty acid synthesis by isolated hepatocytes prepared from meal-fed rats. A crossover in the metabolite profile of the glycolytic intermediates occurs between fructose-6-phosphate and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, suggesting either inhibition of phosphofructokinase or activation of fructose diphosphatase, or both. Direct assay of the enzymes in cell-free extracts of the hepatocytes indicates that dibutyryl cyclic AMP inhibits phosphofructokinase but has no effect upon fructose diphosphatase. The assay for phosphofructokinase was modified by the use of ITP in place of ATP for the phosphate donor as the ATP-linked assay is complicated by an apparent time-dependent activation of the enzyme. These findings strongly suggest that cyclic AMP inhibition of phosphofructokinase explains in part cyclic AMP inhibition of aerobic glycolysis and lipogenesis by rat liver hepatocytes.
Erratum to: The Kinetics of CO Oxidation by Adsorbed Oxygen on Well-Defined Gold Particles on TiO2(110)

On page 149, the text of this paper reads: ‘‘Using simple Redhead analysis [28] and assuming first order desorption kinetics and a pre-exponential factor for desorption of 5.5 9 10 s from a closely related O/Au system [22], we estimate desorption activation energies ranging from 124.7 kJ/mol (for the *1-atom thick islands) to 90.4 kJ/mol (for the 6-atom thick islands). Since the activation energy for desorption generally follows the same trend as the adsorption energy (and they are equal for nonactivated adsorption), we conclude that the *34.3 kJ/mol higher activation energy on the thinnest particles corresponds to a larger adsorption energy (i.e., considerably more stable Oa) on the thinnest particles of Au.’’ There was a calculation error here, and these three energies must be changed so that this text instead reads: ‘‘Using simple Redhead analysis [28] and assuming first order desorption kinetics and a pre-exponential factor for desorption of 5.5 9 10 s from a closely related O/Au system [22], we estimate desorption activation energies ranging from 190 kJ/mol (for the *1-atom thick islands) to 139 kJ/mol (for the 6-atom thick islands). Since the activation energy for desorption generally follows the same trend as the adsorption energy (and they are equal for nonactivated adsorption), we conclude that the *51 kJ/mol higher activation energy on the thinnest particles corresponds to a larger adsorption energy (i.e., considerably more stable Oa) on the thinnest particles of Au.’’ Correspondingly, the value of ‘‘34.3 kJ/mol’’ appearing in three other places (on Figure 9, in the right-hand column of page 149 and the left-hand column of page 150) all must be corrected also to be ‘‘51 kJ/mol’’. Similarly, the value ‘‘[17.2 kJ/mol’’ appearing in two places (on Figure 10 and in the left-hand column of page 150) must be corrected in both places to be ‘‘[25 kJ/mol’’. The authors thank Dr. Beatriz Roldan Cuenya for pointing out this error.
Review of the genus Corticeus (Coleoptera : tenebrionidae) of America North of Mexico

The 13 species of Corticeus inhabiting the United States and Canada are discussed, and keys for their identification are presented. Most of the species are associated with bark beetles (Scolytidae) on coniferous trees, and a summary of these associations is compiled for each species. Seven species are illustrated, and distribution maps for all the species are presented.
On Estimation Of Image Signal-To-Noise Ratio And Centroid Of Coherent Laser Radar Target Images

The image signal-to-noise ratio and statistical variance of image centroid estimates are derived for coherent heterodyne and homodyne laser radar images of extended diffuse targets. Both intensity and binary target images are studied. Binary image is shown generally to offer a more reliable estimate of the target centroid.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Herpesvirus-based infectious titering of recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors

Studies in animals and human clinical trials demonstrate the safety and persistence of recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) serotype 2 vectors in a variety of tissues. rAAV vectors of other serotypes are also being developed for efficient gene transfer. To date, the literature describing these vectors has relied on physical or transducing titers to determine dose, but few, if any, infectious titers have been presented. This is due in large part to the lack of reagents and methods that would facilitate the infectious titering of vectors other than serotype 2. Here, we describe reagents and methods for infectious titering of AAV2 ITR-containing vectors pseudotyped with other AAV capsid serotypes and demonstrate their utility by titering pseudotyped rAAV1 or rAAV5 vectors. Cell lines are screened for optimal transduction using a vector of a particular serotype that expresses a marker transgene. Once a cell line and vector serotype are matched, a recombinant herpes simplex virus vector expressing AAV2 rep and cap genes provides helper functions that amplify the rAAV vector genome. The vector genomes are then detected and a titer is calculated. These methods generate reliable infectious titers for AAV vectors of different serotypes, thus enhancing product characterization and reducing risk in future clinical applications.
Construction engineering III: object-oriented technology for enhancing activity-based modeling functionality

Computer simulation is a powerful tool for analyzing and optimizing real-world systems with a wide range of successful applications. However, construction engineers have difficulty in mastering such techniques, particularly in modeling a construction process because existing simulation modeling methods require the user to manipulate many modeling elements in order to construct a simulation model for the process. The activity-based construction (ABC) modeling method provides an easy-to-use approach with one single element, e.g., activity, for modeling a construction process. This paper discusses the integration of the object-oriented technology with ABC. The object-oriented technology allows each activity contain six classes of attributes describing the characteristics of the activity including duration, logical sequence, resource requirement, etc. These attributes are relevant to individual activities, and can be easily understood by an engineer who is familiar with the process. After incorporating these attributes, powerful modeling and simulation functions are realized. The integration greatly enhances the capability of ABC so that the enhanced ABC system has achieved both flexibility and ease-of-use essential for a construction simulation system.
Unitary concept for prevention and treatment of respiratory-distress syndrome.

Abstract In the respiratory-distress syndrome (R.D.S.), preoccupation with anoxia may have diverted attention from the problem of substrate deficiency. Calculations suggest that the amount of aminoacid available from skeletal muscle in premature babies could be as little as 80 mg., and infants with R.D.S. are usually given hardly any protein for several days. Support for the role of substrate deficiency in R.D.S. may come from experience with glucocorticoids in R.D.S. Glucocorticoids seem effective prenatally when the fetus has access to maternal sources of substrate, but not after birth. It is suggested that in the presence of a sufficient supply of substrate, glucocorticoids enhance the formation of protein-containing lung surfactant. An adequate supply of carbohydrate and aminoacids should, therefore, significantly modify the course of R.D.S. Preliminary experience of total parenteral nutrition in infants with R.D.S. or at risk of R.D.S. is encouraging.
Meniscectomy: arthrotomy versus arthroscopy

The arthroscope has changed the orthopaedist's ap proach to evaluation of knee injuries. Diagnostic ar throscopy is now well-accepted and has led to oper ative arthroscopy. The advantages and contraindica tions of operative arthroscopy are reviewed in this report. The physiologic role of the meniscus is dis cussed, stressing the importance of leaving normal tissue. Necessary equipment and cost of each of three advancing stages of arthroscopic surgery capability are discussed. A study group of 68 simple meniscec tomy patients is presented: 34 treated by traditional arthrotomy and meniscectomy, and 34 by arthro scopic meniscectomy. Parameters assessed included: nights in hospital, postoperative swelling, achieve ment of 120° flexion, days on crutches, return to full activity, work, and sports. Operating room and total hospital costs are reviewed. Arthroscopic meniscec tomy produced earlier complete rehabilitation and at less cost in this series.
Hydrophobic core packing and protein design

Over the past few years, we have witnessed exciting advances in protein design. Several groups have reported success in the design of hydrophobic cores, and the principles developed in these studies have been recently applied to the full sequence design of a small protein motif and the design of a catalytically active metal center. These successes suggest that designing large, functional proteins in computero is more feasible than ever before.
Recurrence of prolactin-producing endometrial stromal sarcoma with sex-cord stromal component treated with progestin and aromatase inhibitor

Abstract Introduction . Endometrial stromal tumors with sex-cord-like elements are relatively rare. We report a case of this neoplasm with prolactin as a tumor marker for recurrent disease. We also report response of recurrent disease to progesterone and aromatase inhibitor. Case report . A 48-year-old woman was diagnosed with Stage I endometrial stroma sarcoma with sex-cord component at the time of hysterectomy for presumed fibroid uterus. One and a half years later, she presented with recurrent disease in the abdomen associated with breast tenderness, galactorrhea, and an elevated prolactin level. She received three cycles of BEP (Bleomycin, Etoposide, Cisplatin) with partial response and followed by an optimal debulking procedure. Two out of a six additional planned cycles of BEP were administered with complete tumor response and normalized prolactin level. Second recurrence, 9 months later, again presented with galactorrhea and rising prolactin. Disease was progressive through three cycles of Docetaxel and Gemcitabine therapy, but had an objective response to treatment with anastrozole and megestrol acetate. Prolactin level normalized. Two years later there is stable disease and the patient remains symptom-free. Discussion . Endometrial stromal sarcoma with sex-cord stromal component may be hormonally functional. Similarly to pure endometrial stromal sarcomas, they may respond to hormonal treatment, and further study is warranted.
Altering function in cortical networks by short-latency, paired stimulation

Plasticity is a crucial component of normal brain function and a critical mechanism for recovery from injury. Numerous experimental studies have attempted to elucidate its underlying mechanisms under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Short latency, associative pairing of presynaptic “trigger” spiking with stimulus-induced postsynaptic depolarization of a target neuron has been shown to lead to changes in the effectiveness of a stimulus applied to the presynaptic neuron. We have used similar methods to demonstrate changes in the statistically inferred functional connections among small groups of recorded neurons in rat sensorimotor cortex. These induced changes transcended simple changes in stimulus-evoked activity. Rather, they reflected a robust reorganization of network connectivity revealed by changes in the patterns of spikes in the cells' spontaneous discharge. We hypothesized that by strengthening the functional connections from trigger to target neurons, we might demonstrate a related behavioral change. To test this hypothesis, we trained rats to respond to a near-threshold, intracortical stimulus cue. Following 1–2 days of paired, short latency stimulation, the sensitivity of these rats to the cue was increased. The latency dependence and the timecourse of this effect were very similar to the corresponding parameters of the inferred connectivity changes in the first experiment. Such targeted connectivity changes may provide a tool for rerouting the flow of information through a cortical network, with profound implications for both rehabilitation and brain-machine interface applications.
Protecting air transportation: a survey of operations research applications to aviation security

Catastrophic events often illustrate a nation’s preparedness in anticipating and preventing the extreme consequences of an intentional malicious attack. When terrorists hijacked four commercial aircraft for use as guided missiles against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, the world’s population became aware of the human potential to inflict destruction and harm, and the vulnerability of transportation systems against preventing the occurrence of similar disasters. Through research, simulation, and system analysis, procedures may be formulated that limit or eradicate the possibility of future occurrences. Operations research encompasses the optimal allocation of resources subject to constraints, as well as providing techniques that evaluate the performance of security policies. This article provides a survey of operations research activities directed toward analyzing and enhancing the aviation security system, with the intent to be informative and motivate the continual improvement of our nation’s transportation security.
Effect of Cavitator on Supercavitating Vehicle Dynamics

In this paper, a linear mathematical model of a supercavitating vehicle is developed to investigate some of the physical factors affecting stability and control. This model provides a link between the simulation dynamics and the assumed physical vehicle characteristics. In this paper, the static and dynamic stability of the pitch plane dynamics of the vehicle is considered and the effect of cavitator shapes, namely a disk cavitator, a 45 cone, and a 15 cone on the vehicle stability, is determined. All three cavitator shapes resulted in unstable vehicles when operating in nonplaning conditions, with the disk cavitator the least destabilizing. Neglecting the small tangential forces on the disk cavitator is confirmed to be reasonable, but in general, the vehicle static stability characteristics depend on the cavitator tangential forces. The vehicle mathematical model uses static experimental data of hydrodynamic coefficients for the disk cavitator.
Optimising the synthesis and red–green–blue emission of a simple organic dye

Synthetic dyes have been widely used in supramolecular chemistry not only to probe fundamental chemical interactions but also as components of functional materials. Most current efforts in this regard are directed at designing new host systems for the dyes. Herein we report on the study of a versatile new organic fluorophore. We describe a synthesis which affords improved yields in a convenient one pot procedure. Moreover, a simple method for predicting and controlling the dye’s responses to external stimuli affords a potentially practical method for achieving red–green–blue and concomitant white light generation.
U.S. operational space program for climate observations

Abstract Satellites provide two important characteristics to earth climate studies not available from other, conventional sources: (1) full global coverage, and (2) consistency within the data set. This latter arises from the fact that the satellite data are usually derived from one instrument (or at least from a small number) whereas other sources involve large numbers of separate instruments and hence exhibit a substantial standard deviation. Satellite data, of course, are more subject to bias and must therefore be carefully validated, usually via ground truth. The ISCCP and ISLSCP are examples of the increasing reliance on satellite data for climate studies. In addition to the multispectral images, quantitative products of importance are: (1) atmospheric temperature structure, (2) snow cover, (3) precipitation, (4) vegetation index, (5) maximum/minimum temperature, (6) insolation, and (7) earth radiation balance. The U.S. civil space program is presently committed to its current geostationary (GOES) and polar (NOAA) programs through this decade and to continue both programs into the next decade with spacecraft carrying improved and augmented instrumentation. GOES VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) data, presently in research status and available only for special observation periods, will become available operationally in 1987 from the current spacecraft series. GOES-Next will provide additional spectral channels, simultaneous imaging, atmospheric soundings, and possibly increased resolution starting in 1990. The NOAA follow-on spacecraft, in the same time frame, is expected to provide additional spectral channels, improved passive microwave radiometry, and possibly increased spatial resolution. The Landsat program is expected to be continued by a commercial operator following the useful life of Landsat-5. All three follow-on programs are presently at various stages of definition and procurement. Final definition may not be completed until late in 1984. However, their status as of the time of this presentation will be reviewed in detail.
The central role of biological data mining in connecting diverse disciplines.

Scientific research has always suffered from the compartmentalization of different disciplines. This historic phenomenon is beginning to erode in specific broader disciplines such as medicine where new interdisciplinary areas such as bioinformatics have worked to bring together biologists with computer scientists and mathematicians. This is an encouraging trend but has yet to percolate to more disparate disciplines where there is tremendous potential for scientific advances. We had the pleasure and honor of participating in a 2013 Indonesian-American Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposium organized and sponsored jointly by the United States National Academy of Sciences and the Indonesian Academy of Sciences. This invitation-only scientific conference took place in Bali, Indonesia and was attended by young or early career scientists (Kavli Fellows) doing cutting-edge research in extremely diverse disciplines. The goals of the conference were two-fold. The first goal of was to expose researchers to very broad research topics to promote new research ideas within their own field or to expand their research into new fields. The second goal was to stimulate collaboration between U.S. and Indonesian researchers to foster a global exchange of ideas.
Catalytic ring-closing olefin metathesis of sulfur-containing species: Heteroatom and other effects

Abstract This paper describes studies of the ring-closing metathesis of dialkyl sulfides and disulfides catalyzed by molybdenum and ruthenium alkylidenes. In general, the highest yields of ring-closed products were obtained using the molybdenum catalysts. Product yields were also strongly influenced by the substitution pattern about the double bonds: the yield of ring-closed products was found to decrease as the degree of substitution increased. These effects and other heteroatom effects are discussed.
System and software architecture reconciliation

Large, complex systems today are increasingly software-intensive. As a result, it is commonly essential that system development methods strongly facilitate good software development, even where to do so departs from traditional systems engineering practice. Unfortunately, the traditional state of the practice in systems engineering and system architecture descriptions are often not well suited to support complex software developments. For example, traditional systems engineering practice is to take a function-first approach to definition, while software architectures are typically driven from the external interfaces inward, and are more often data-based than function-based. Moreover, the most successful very large system architectures typically take a strongly layered approach, with deliberate selection of convergence layers, a concept not typically found in traditional systems engineering practice. Each of these issues can be addressed through understanding of the elements of a good software architecture, appropriate ordering of systems engineering activities, and modeling methods extended to encompass layered system descriptions. While the example here is specific to software-intensive systems, the methods applied can be extended to other types of domain integration. © 2006 Syst Eng 9: 146–159, 2006
The association of 5-HTTLPR genotype and depressive symptoms is moderated by physical activity

Abstract The s allele serotonin transporter polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) is associated with a number of physiological mechanisms that may increase the risk of elevated depressive symptoms. However, reports of a relationship between serotonin transporter polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype and depressive symptoms have thus far been inconclusive. This heterogeneity of results suggests that other factors may be moderating the relationship between 5-HTTLPR and depressive symptoms. Higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Mechanisms responsible for this association include alterations of the serotonergic system and the hypothalamic–pituitary axis. The aim of the current study was to measure the moderating effect of physical activity on the relationship between 5-HTTLPR genotype and depressive symptoms. Participants, ages 18–23, provided a saliva sample for DNA analysis and completed questionnaires to assess depressive symptoms and physical activity. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the moderating effect of physical activity on the relationship between 5-HTTLPR genotype and depressive symptoms. Analysis revealed a significant interaction between 5-HTTLPR and physical activity ( p = .010). At low levels of physical activity, individuals with at least one s allele had significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to ll individuals ( p = .011). This finding provides preliminary support for a moderating effect of physical activity on the relationship between 5-HTTLPR and depressive symptoms.
Variability and its effect on the 24h chlorophyll budget of a small marine basin

In an intensive study (lasting 25 h) of the production, export and grazing of phytoplankton in a small marine basin, it was found that 58% of the production (11% of the total standing stock) was lost by exchange with the sea and 34% was consumed by grazing of zooplankton. The measured production of phytoplankton could be balanced, to within a few percent, against grazing, export, and a small, measured, net change in the total standing stock of the basin. Large variations were observed in concentrations of chlorophyll and zooplankton at the mouth of the basin over the 25 h period. These variations were associated with changes in the height of the tide, but were about 21/2 h out of phase with it. Strong negative correlations were observed between chlorophyll and transport, such that only 35% of the chlorophyll exported was exchanged via the mean flow, while 65% was exchanged via the fluctuations. The correlation was even more striking with zooplankton, for which virtually all the export was associated with the fluctuations in the transport. Time series observations in the centre of the basin revealed considerable short-term variability in both chlorophyll and zooplankton, but the variations were smaller than those observed at the mouth of the basin, and the phase lag with the tide was longer. The variability studies enable suggestions to be made about more economical design of sampling programs, but illustrate the difficulty of providing verification data for any continuous model of primary production in such a basin.
The acclimation of anemone fishes to sea anemones: Protection by changes in the fish's mucous coat

Abstract The anemone fish Amphiprion clarkii (Bennett) lives unharmed among the tentacles of sea anemones following acclimation. What occurs during this process is unknown; however, two hypotheses have been formulated recently. One suggests that the fish coats itself with anemone mucus to mask its chemical stimulus for cnida discharge. The second suggests that the fish is protected by some alteration in its own mucous coating. In order to test these alternative hypotheses, a surrogate anemone was constructed and an Amphiprion allowed to associate with it prior to being placed with a real anemone. If the subsequent acclimation times to a real anemone are reduced significantly after exposure to the surrogate anemone, one would conclude that the fish does not need to coat itself with anemone mucus to become protected. After association with a surrogate anemone, it was found that the acclimation times of isolated A. clarkii to the sea anemone Macrodactyla doreensis (Quoy & Gaimard) decreased seven-fold. These results support the hypothesis that the fish is responsible for manufacturing its own protection from sea anemones, presumably by independently altering its own mucous coat during acclimation.
Novel Domain Interaction Regulates Secretion of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) Protein

PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) has emerged as a novel therapeutic target for hypercholesterolemia due to its LDL receptor (LDLR)-reducing activity. Although its structure has been solved, the lack of a detailed understanding of the structure-function relation hinders efforts to develop small molecule inhibitors. In this study, we used mutagenesis and transfection approaches to investigate the roles of the prodomain (PD) and the C-terminal domain (CD) and its modules (CM1–3) in the secretion and function of PCSK9. Deletion of PD residues 31–40, 41–50, or 51–60 did not affect the self-cleavage, secretion, or LDLR-degrading activity of PCSK9, whereas deletion of residues 61–70 abolished all of these functions. Deletion of the entire CD protein did not impair PCSK9 self-cleavage or secretion but completely abolished LDLR-degrading activity. Deletion of any one or two of the CD modules did not affect self-cleavage but influenced secretion and LDLR-reducing activity. Furthermore, in cotransfection experiments, a secretion-defective PD deletion mutant (ΔPD) was efficiently secreted in the presence of CD deletion mutants. This was due to the transfer of PD from the cotransfected CD mutants to the ΔPD mutant. Finally, we found that a discrete CD protein fragment competed with full-length PCSK9 for binding to LDLR in vitro and attenuated PCSK9-mediated hypercholesterolemia in mice. These results show a previously unrecognized domain interaction as a critical determinant in PCSK9 secretion and function. This knowledge should fuel efforts to develop novel approaches to PCSK9 inhibition.
External morphology of Xyleborus ferrugineus (Fabr.) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). I. Head and prothorax of adult males and females.

The overall body dimensions and external morphology of the head, head appendages, prothorax, and prothoracic legs of the adult haploid male and diploid female Xyleborus ferrugineus (Fabricius) were examined by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy, and analyzed for variation. The female is significantly larger (1.26 X) than the male. The length/width ratio of both the pronotum and elytron, and the pronotum-length/elytron-length ratio are significantly different in the male and female. These findings indicate a distinct sexual dimorphism in general body form. There is significantly greater variability in pronotal length and width in the male than the female. There are sexual differences in setal patterns and setal size variabilities on the dorsal pronotum and the terminus of the antennae.
Rapid-Quenching Investigation of the Nb-Pd-Ge System

The structure of rapidly quenched Nb 100-x-y Pd x Ge y alloys has been investigated using x-ray diffraction. Niobium concentrations were varied between 100 and 45 at.% the remainder at each Nb concentration was composed of Pd and up to y = 15 at.% Ge. Germanium was found to suppress the nucleation rate of the fcc α-NbPd phase relative to that of the bcc α-Nb phase, thereby extending the single-phase bcc solubility range by ≈ 2 at.% Nb. High Ge content ( y > 6) also induced quenching of the amorphous phase. These results can be understood from the standpoint of classical nucleation theory and from a consideration of the polymorphic phase diagram of Nb-Pd. The two approaches are consistent with Ge addition depressing the T o line of the fcc phase more rapidly than it depresses the T o line of the bcc phase.
Effective number of protons for quasifree ( pi -, pi 0) at 500 and 400 MeV.

For the quasifree ([pi][sup [minus]],[pi][sup 0]) reaction on a wide range of targets at 500 and 400 MeV, the measured effective numbers of protons are found to be in good agreement with those from a simple semiclassical attenuation model based on the nuclear density and the total cross section for free [pi][ital N] scattering. The [ital A] dependence for our experimental results was fitted by a power law ([proportional to][ital A][sup [alpha]]), and the exponents [alpha] were found to be 0.38[plus minus]0.03 and 0.40[plus minus]0.06 for 500 and 400 MeV ([pi][sup [minus]],[pi][sup 0]), respectively.
Effect of detergent solubilization on the affinity of some quinazoline derivatives for the α1-adrenoceptor

Abstract [3H]Prazosin bound to a single class of high-affinity sites in both bovine aortic and rat hepatic membranes. The absolute affinity values of displacing ligands (prazosin > doxazosin > trimazosin > yohimbine) were the same for both tissues. After solubilization of the α1-adrenoceptors with digitonin and 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylamonio]-1-propane sulfonate, an identical rank order potency was observed. However, solubilization significantly reduced ligand affinity. In both tissues the affinity of prazosin was reduced 10- to 13-fold, whereas the affinities of doxazosin, trimazosin and yohimbine were reduced two- to six-fold. There appeared to be no relationship between the lipophilicities of the ligands and the degree to which affinity is affected by solubilization. The results suggest that the reductions in affinity are the consequence of a conformational change in the α1-adrenoceptor and appear to support the hypothesis that the α1-adrenoceptor is so constructed that the spatial configuration of the binding site can change in response to an alteration in its microenvironment.
Myospherulosis Complicating Wound Healing

Myospherulosis is a complication of wound healing which results from an action between lipids and extravasated erythrocytes. A case of myospherulosis of the mandible is reviewed with its history, histopathology and occurrence.
Field evidence for bi-directional sex change in the polygynous gobiid fish Trimma okinawae

The social condition of bi-directional sex change in the gobiid fish Trimma okinawae was investigated at Akamizu Beach, Kagoshima, Japan. Social groups of T. okinawae usually consisted of a large male and one or more smaller females. The number of females in the group was positively correlated with male body size and groups were usually separated from each other by 1–3 m. In total, 22 instances of female-to-male sex change and three instances of maleto-female sex change were observed during the 16 months that social groups were monitored. Two individuals changed sex twice: female to male and back to female. Female-to-male sex change occurred when the male disappeared from a group. Either the largest remaining female changed sex to male or a large female from another group immigrated and changed sex to male. Larger individuals appear to benefit from becoming male because they can monopolize the breeding opportunities with several females, as reported in other protogynous fishes. Sex change from male-to-female only occurred when a solitary male joined another group as a subordinate. Mortality rates are high in these small fish, therefore joining another group and reproducing as a female is likely to increase the reproductive value of a solitary male. # 2007 The Authors Journal compilation # 2007 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles
Dynamic Fracturing Phenomena in Model Materials Resulting from Shaped Charge Jet Penetration

During the jet penetration process, the compressive wave pulse will decrease in magnitude and the manner of failure in the target material will change as the distance from the jet axis increases. Distinct zones of failure are formed concentrically around the jet penetration axis: plastic zone, zone of small radial fractures, and zone of large fractures. An understanding of the origin of the fracture zones and their time of formation in relation to detonation is necessary before shaped charges can be more efficiently used for well completion. The results of this study indicate that fracture orientation and propagation are not only a function of the charge geometry, but also a function of some physical characteristics of the target material. (19 refs.)
Scalability in the Clouds!: A Myth or Reality?

With increasing demand of big-data processing and faster in-memory databases, cloud providers are gearing towards large virtualized instances rather than horizontal scalability.However, our experiments reveal that such instances in popular cloud services (e.g., 32 vCPUs with 208 GB supported by Google Compute Engine) do not achieve the desired scalability with increasing core count even with a simple, embarrassingly parallel job (e.g., kernel compile). On a serious note, the internal synchronization scheme (e.g., paravirtualized ticket spinlock) of the virtualized instance on a machine with higher core count (e.g., 80-core) dramatically degrades its overall performance. Our finding is different from a previously well-known scalability problem (lock contention problem), and occurs because of the sophisticated optimization techniques implemented in the hypervisor, what we call---sleepy spinlock anomaly. To solve this problem, we design and implement oticket, a variant of paravirtualized ticket spinlock that effectively scales the virtualized instances in both undersubscribed and oversubscribed environments.
Is [3H]-Tiotidine a Specific Ligand for the H2-Receptor?

The H2-antagonist tiotidine inhibited the H2-receptor-mediated, histamine-induced increase in cyclic AMP in dispersed mucosal cells from guinea pig stomach (Ki, 4 X 10(-8) M). The radiolabeled [3H]-tiotidine bound specifically and reversibly to the same cells with a half-maximal binding occurring at 5 X 10(-7) M tiotidine. The dissociation of bound [3H]-tiotidine from gastric cells and the Scatchard analysis of the binding binding data suggest the existence of additional binding sites for tiotidine. Eight other antagonists which inhibited the H2-receptor-mediated increase in cyclic AMP also inhibited [3H]-tiotidine binding. However, the potencies of these agents for binding did not agree with their effects on cyclic AMP. The selective H2-agonists impromidine and dimaprit which increased cyclic AMP caused only partial inhibition of [3H]-tiotidine binding. These results demonstrate that [3H]-tiotidine has limited binding to the H2-receptors and as such [3H]-tiotidine is not a suitable ligand for labelling the H2-receptor on gastric mucosal cells.
Contextual Stress and Health Risk Behaviors Among African American Adolescents

This study examined the longitudinal association between contextual stress and health risk behaviors and the role of protective factors in a community epidemiologically-defined sample of urban African American adolescents (N = 500; 46.4% female). Structural equation modeling was used to create a latent variable measuring contextual stress (community violence, neighborhood disorder, and experiences with racial discrimination). Contextual stress in 8th grade was associated with aggressive behavior and substance use 2 years later for boys. For girls, contextual stress predicted later substance use, but not aggressive behavior. High academic competence and self-worth reduced the impact of contextual stress on substance use for boys. Implications for intervention and directions for future research on health risk behaviors among African American adolescents are discussed.
A method for normalizing students' scores when employing multiple graders

Teachers of large classes often employ multiple graders to score student work. Even when appropriate measures are taken to insure that scoring by different graders is consistent, inconsistencies nevertheless occur. To adjust for them, instructors sometimes normalize grades mathematically, typically by scaling each grader group's score to an average of points earned. Scaling to an average has undesirable traits, including the difficulty of convincing students that it is fair. We developed an easy-to-explain method that adjusts scores so that the average number of points lost by students in each grader's group is the same. We discuss how to compute the adjustment and its advantages and limitations.
Structure and Catalytic Mechanism of a SET Domain Protein Methyltransferase

Protein lysine methylation by SET domain enzymes regulates chromatin structure, gene silencing, transcriptional activation, plant metabolism, and other processes. The 2.6 A resolution structure of Rubisco large subunit methyltransferase in a pseudo-bisubstrate complex with S-adenosylhomocysteine and a HEPES ion reveals an all-beta architecture for the SET domain embedded within a larger alpha-helical enzyme fold. Conserved regions of the SET domain bind S-adenosylmethionine and substrate lysine at two sites connected by a pore. We propose that methyl transfer is catalyzed by a conserved Tyr at a narrow pore connecting the sites. The cofactor enters by a "back door" on the opposite side of the enzyme from substrate, promoting highly specific protein recognition and allowing addition of multiple methyl groups.
Irreversible inactivation of pig brain γ-aminobutyric acid-α-ketoglutarate transaminase by 4-amino-5-halopentanoic acids

Abstract γ-Aminobutyric acid-α-ketoglutarate transaminase from pig brain is irreversibly inactivated by 4-amino-5-halopentanoic acids. Protection from inactivation by the natural substrates, the pH dependence of inactivation and the incorporation of 1.7 moles of radioactive inhibitor per mole of enzyme from (S)-[U- 14 C]-4-amino-5-chloropentanoic acid suggest a covalent adduct at the active site of the enzyme. A mechanism-based inactivation is proposed.
Age Differences in the Formation of Equivalence Classes

In order to investigate the relationship between stimulus equivalence class formation and age differences, two groups of elderly (ages 62-81) and young (ages 19-22) adult men and women mastered a series of simple and conditional discriminations. Subsequently, they were administered a test for the emergence of equivalence relations. There was a significant age difference in the emergence of equivalence relations, with the elderly subjects less likely to demonstrate equivalence relations. Measures of response latencies evidenced a general slowing of behavior for the elderly group across tasks. There were no gender or Age by Gender interactions. Possible explanations for the age differences are discussed.
Immigration and Refugee Policy as a Debate Over Identity: A Choice Between the Inclusivist Normative Order and the Exclusivist Knee-Jerk Reaction?

Debra L. DeLaet, US Immigration Policy in an Age of Rights (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2000), pp. 153, $59.95 Hardcover, $22.95 Softcover; Andrew Geddes, Immigration and European Integration: Towards Fortress Europe? (New York: Manchester University Press, 2000), pp. 196, $69.95 Hardcover, $24.95 Softcover; Ruth Rubio-Marin, Immigration as a Democratic Challenge: Citizenship and Inclusion in Germany and the United States (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000), pp. 270, $59.95 Hardcover, $21.95 Softcover; Niklaus Steiner, Arguing About Asylum: The Complexity of Refugee Debates in Europe (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000), pp. 186, Hardcover $45.00; Jim Whitman, ed., Migrants, Citizens, and the State in Southern Africa (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000), pp. 286; Hardcover $79.95.