cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A study of the role of histidine residue 46 in staphylococcal nuclease by solid phase peptide synthesis.

Synthetic polypeptides corresponding to Residues 6 to 47 and 9 to 47 of staphylococcal nuclease, as well as these same sequences containing glycine in place of the normally occurring histidine residue at position 46 (6–47, Gly46 and 9–47, Gly46), were prepared by the Merrifield solid phase method. The normal histidine-containing sequences and the Gly46 analogues generated similar levels of DNase and RNase activities when mixed with an equimolar amount of native peptide containing Residues 49 or 50 to 149 (P3). The activities for all synthetic peptides, in the crude state, were about 4 to 5% of that given by the noncovalent complex (native nuclease-T) formed by an equimolar mixture of native P2 (Residues 6 to 48) with native P3. The active, semisynthetic nuclease-T species for both analogue and normal peptides were similar not only in activity but in resistance to trypsin digestion and in fluorescence emission characteristics. The semisynthetic nuclease-T species generated by both 6–47 and 6–47, Gly46 were purified, after trypsin digestion in the presence of deoxythymidine 3',5'-diphosphate and Ca++, by phosphocellulose chromatography. Both forms, after such purification, exhibited about 50 to 60% of the DNase activity of native nuclease-T. The results demonstrate that histidine Residue 46 is not essential for either enzyme activity or for certain other properties characteristic of nuclease and nuclease-T.
COS‐1 Cells as Packaging Host for Production of Lentiviruses

We present a protocol for in vitro production of recombinant lentiviruses using COS-1 African green monkey kidney epithelial cells and HEK293T human embryonic kidney epithelial cells as packaging cells. COS-1 and HEK293T express SV40 large T antigen, amplifying transfected circular plasmids harboring SV40 replication origin. Support protocols for evaluation of transfection efficiency by in situ β-galactosidase enzyme activity assay and titer of infection-capable virions are also provided. Advantages of using COS-1 packaging cells over the standard HEK293T cells for contamination-sensitive applications or automated processing are discussed. Curr. Protoc. Cell Biol. 50:26.7.1-26.7.15. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: lentivirus; COS-1; packaging; HEK293T
Voting with your feet: an investigative study of the relationship between place visit behavior and preference

Real world recommendation systems, personalized mobile search, and online city guides could all benefit from data on personal place preferences. However, collecting explicit rating data of locations as users travel from place to place is impractical. This paper investigates the relationship between explicit place ratings and implicit aspects of travel behavior such as visit frequency and travel time. We conducted a four-week study with 16 participants using a novel sensor-based experience sampling tool, called My Experience (Me), which we developed for mobile phones. Over the course of the study Me was used to collect 3,458 in-situ questionnaires on 1,981 place visits. Our results show that, first, sensor-triggered experience sampling is a useful methodology for collecting targeted information in situ. Second, despite the complexities underlying travel routines and visit behavior, there exist positive correlations between place preference and automatically detectable features like visit frequency and travel time. And, third, we found that when combined, visit frequency and travel time result in stronger correlations with place rating than when measured individually. Finally, we found no significant difference in place ratings due to the presence of others.
Colloid formation in Hanford sediments reacted with simulated tank waste.

Solutions of high pH, ionic strength, and aluminum concentration have leaked into the subsurface from underground waste storage tanks at the Hanford Reservation in Washington State. Here, we test the hypothesis that these waste solutions alter and dissolve the native minerals present in the sediments and that colloidal (diameter < 2 μm) feldspathoids form. We reacted Hanford sediments with simulated solutions representative of Hanford waste tanks. The solutions consisted of 1.4 or 2.8 mol/kg NaOH, 0.125 or 0.25 mol/kg NaAlO4, and 3.7 mol/kg NaNO3 and were contacted with the sediments for a period of 25 or 40 days at 50 °C. The colloidal size fraction was separated from the sediments and characterized in terms of mineralogy, morphology, chemical composition, and electrophoretic mobility. Upon reaction with tank waste solutions, native minerals released Si and other elements into the solution phase. This Si precipitated with the Al present in the waste solutions to form secondary minerals, identified as the...
Asymptotic normalization parameter of the triton

On the basis of exact separable potential calculations, we show that there is a significant variation of the asymptotic normalization parameter ${{C}_{t}}^{2}$ of the triton with its binding energy. We present a partial wave dispersion relation technique for determining this parameter from the triton energy, the doublet $n\ensuremath{-}d$ scattering length, the doublet, $s$-wave, $n\ensuremath{-}d$ inelasticities, and the two-nucleon, on-shell scattering amplitudes. We test the method and find it to be accurate and stable with only low-energy information used as input. For a doublet scattering length of 0.65 fm we obtain ${{C}_{t}}^{2}=3.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1$, where the error limits are determined from uncertainties in the inelasticities and the analytic continuation of the two-nucleon amplitudes to negative energies.
An x-ray and electron microscope study of the compound PbAl12O19☆

The new compound PbAl12O19 has been prepared both by solid state reaction between lead oxide and freshly precipitated aluminum hydroxide and by reaction between lead oxide and ammonium alum. It has also been prepared in single-crystal form from a lead oxide-fluoride flux. It is hexagonal with ao = 5.554A and co = 21.94 A. It has a magnetoplumbite-like structure forming in plates from which the basal spacing can be directly measured in an x-ray diffractometer. The space group is P63/mmc. The large basal spacings have been observed directly by transmission electron microscopy. The composition was determined by x-ray spectroscopy. Using transmission electron microscopy, numerous dislocations were found on basal-plane sections of the flux-grown sample. These dislocations, having Burger's vectors in the 〈1120〉 directions, show evidence of dissociation into partials.
Inhibition of c-src Transcription by Mithramycin: Structure−Activity Relationships of Biosynthetically Produced Mithramycin Analogues Using the c-src Promoter as Target†

The aureolic acid antitumor antibiotic mithramycin (MTM) inhibits both cancer growth and bone resorption by cross-linking GC-rich DNA, thus blocking binding of Sp-family transcription factors to gene regulatory elements. Transcription of c-src, a gene implicated in many human cancers and required for osteoclast-dependent bone resorption, is regulated by the binding of Sp factors to specific elements in its promoter. Therefore, this gene represents an important anticancer target and a potential lead target through which MTM displays its so far uncharacterized action against osteoclastic bone resorption. Here we demonstrate, using DNA binding studies, promoter reporter assays, and RT-PCR, that MTM inhibits Sp binding to the c-src promoter region, thereby decreasing its expression in human cancer cells. Furthermore, selected mithramycin analogues, namely, premithramycin B, mithramycin SK, 7-demethylmithramycin, 4E-ketomithramycin, and 4C-ketodemycarosylmithramycin, generated through combinatorial biosynthesi...
Fuzzy inference in a formal theory of semantic equivalence

Abstract This work shows how ten different fuzzy implication operators, together with appropriately corresponding versions of four different rules of inference, can be represented within a formal axiomatization of the theory of approximate reasoning. The same formalization methods can also be applied to Zadeh's notion of semantic entailment, as well as to all of the familiar linguistic hedges.
Reliable and User Friendly U.S Banknote Recognition Application for Visually Impaired Users on Android Smartphones

This paper introduces a reliable and user-friendly Android application that helps visually impaired users recognize U.S banknotes. The application relies only on an Android Smartphone and does not require any wireless data connection or back-end infrastructure. The application is proven to be robust and reliable under various environmental conditions which differ in lighting and background conditions. The overall banknote detection accuracy is over 94% in any lighting conditions (even in a dark room) or backgrounds with near real-time banknote detection time of 7 seconds. The main contribution of this paper is the use of a robust and reliable computer vision algorithm on the Android platform combined with a friendly "vision free" user interface.
A calcium-inhibited Drosophila adenylyl cyclase

Mammals possess a family of transmembrane, G-protein-responsive adenylyl cyclase isoforms (tmACs) encoded by distinct genes differing in their patterns of expression and modes of biochemical regulation. Our previous work confirmed that Drosophila melanogaster also possesses a family of tmAC isoforms defining the fly as a suitable genetic model for discerning mammalian tmAC function. We now describe a Drosophila tmAC, DAC39E, which employs a novel means for regulating its expression; differential exon utilization results in a developmental switch in DAC39E protein. DAC39E protein sequence is most closely related to mammalian type III AC, and it is predominantly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and olfactory organs, suggesting a role in processing sensory signaling inputs. DAC39E catalytic activity is inhibited by micromolar concentrations of calcium; therefore, DAC39E is oppositely regulated by calcium compared to the only other tmAC shown to be expressed in the Drosophila CNS, Rutabaga AC. The presence of both positively and negatively regulated tmACs suggests a complex mode of cross-talk between cAMP and calcium signal transduction pathways in the fly CNS.
Sources of Bias in Performance Evaluation: Two Experiments.

Abstract Attribution and stereotyping theories predicted that poor-performing black workers would receive lower evaluations than corresponding Whites, while good performance would have the reverse effect. “Dress and lifestyle” was also predicted to influence performance evaluation. Male business students, evaluating bogus employees differing in race, dress, and behaviorally described performance, provided weak support for the second hypothesis. A second experiment investigated the possibility that perceived social class, rather than race, was the relevant variable in the operation of a stereotype confirmation—contrast process. Individual differences in stereotyping were also measured. No support for the specific hypothesized process was found, but results supported the potential relevance of attribution theory to a configural performance-evaluation model. Results were also discussed in terms of worker-perceived discrimination.
Soluble models of rate processes in periodic systems with many degrees of freedom

We show that the parameters of classical many-body rate theory can be evaluated exactly for activated processes in large, chainlike systems. The methods are applied to four simple systems which simulate, in some degree, activated atomic motions in crystals. Each is a linear chain of atoms interacting with near-neighbor forces. One represents evaporation of an adatom from a surface, one an interstitialcy migration, one a vacancy migration, and one the motion of the interface between two phases. Exact analytical calculation of the parameters of many-body rate theory, namely the activation energy and the effective, or attack, frequency are given for each model. The results illustrate the role of cooperative effects in atomic jumps. The commonly made assumption that the attack frequency for such jumps is the characteristic lattice-vibration frequency is shown to be valid in some conditions, but to be a very poor approximation in others. For the evaporating adatom the relative mass of the adatom is allowed to be arbitrary. It is found that the transition rate is proportional to the square root of the relative mass for very light atoms, but otherwise the relative mass enters in a more complicated way, and, in particular, the transition rate remainsmore » finite for an adatom of infinite mass.« less
1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-galacto-hexodialdo-1,5-pyranose and its 6-aldehydrol

Abstract Oxidation of 1,2:3,4-di- O -isopropylidene-α- D -galactopyranose ( 1 ) with methyl sulfoxide- N,N ′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-pyridinium phosphate (Pfitzner-Moffatt reagent) furnishes a preparative route to the title aldehyde 2 . In aqueous solution, 2 exists entirely in the form of its 6-aldehydrol ( 8 ). In common with a number of other aldehydo sugar derivatives, compound 2 exhibits zero spin-coupling between the aldehyde proton and the proton vicinal to it. The aldehyde 2 was characterized as the crystalline 6-oxime ( 3 ) and 6-( p -nitrophenyl)hydrazone ( 7 ). Compounds 2, 3, and 7 are important as potential intermediates in chain-extension reactions leading to 6-amino-6,8-dideoxy-octoses related to lincomycin.
Broad-Specificity mRNA–rRNA Complementarity in Efficient Protein Translation

Studies of synthetic, well-defined biomolecular systems can elucidate inherent capabilities that may be difficult to uncover in a native biological context. Here, we used a minimal, reconstituted translation system from Escherichia coli to identify efficient ribosome binding sites (RBSs) in an unbiased, high-throughput manner. We applied ribosome display, a powerful in vitro selection method, to enrich only those mRNA sequences which could direct rapid protein translation. In addition to canonical Shine-Dalgarno (SD) motifs, we unexpectedly recovered highly efficient cytosine-rich (C-rich) sequences that exhibit unmistakable complementarity to the 16S rRNA of the small subunit of the ribosome, indicating that broad-specificity base-pairing may be an inherent, general mechanism for efficient translation. Furthermore, given the conservation of ribosomal structure and function across species, the broader relevance of C-rich RBS sequences identified through our in vitro evolution approach is supported by multiple, diverse examples in nature, including C-rich RBSs in several bacteriophage and plants, a poly-C consensus before the start codon in a lower eukaryote, and Kozak-like sequences in vertebrates.
Advancing Our Legacy: A Black Feminist Perspective on the Significance of Mentoring for African-American Women in Educational Leadership.

There is a sparse literature base which currently informs our knowledge about the connection between mentoring African-American female doctoral students in educational leadership programs at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) interested in faculty careers and their matriculation into the academy. This has left a void in our understanding of the significance of mentoring for the preparation and advancement of African-American female doctoral students in educational leadership interested in faculty careers. Therefore, this study centers on the specific mentoring experiences of five former African-American female doctoral students in educational leadership interested in academe, and their influence on their advancement into faculty posts at separate PWIs. Using narrative research methods, reflective experiences are provided by these women that are acclaimed as most salient to their successful transition into the academy. Findings are situated in Black feminism and link specific mentoring components to t...
A revision of the Greater Antillean species of Bactris (Bactridinae: Arecaceae)

Three species ofBactris are recognized in the Greater Antilles:B. cubensis (from Cuba),B. plumeriana (from Hispaniola), andB. jamaicana (from Jamaica). A cladistic analysis of the non-ocreate clade—i.e.,Bactris cubensis, B. plumeriana, B. jamaicana, B. macana, andB. gasipaes—confirmed that the Greater Antillean species ofBactris form a monophyletic group, i.e., the Antillean clade. Synapomorphies supporting the Antillean clade are mesocarp and endocarp fibers numerous, parallel, predominantly narrow, few broad, extending the entire length of the endocarp; and leaf segments 45–80 per side of rachis. The presence of fiber-sclereids in the leaf lamina, and petals of the staminate flowers ovate to ovatetrullate, with sparsely branched fibers, may represent additional synapomorphies.Bactris plumeriana andB. jamaicana are hypothesized to be sister species, a grouping weakly supported by their short anthers. Each species has at least one autapomorphy; therefore, all are considered to be a cladospecies. Noteworthy interpopulational variation occurs withinBactris plumeriana andB. cubensis.
Applications of 'human factors' in wireless telecommunications service delivery

This paper describes how the application of human factors in wireless telecommunications service deals with human involvement and their ways to communicate across a distance and how to successfully deliver this task. The results of the paper show that wireless technology is being developed fast and mobile phone use is particularly on the rise. With this knowledge, the findings of this research show that human factors are essential in incorporating a successful service delivery system for wireless telecommunications.
Characterization of Na+ and Ca2+ Channels in Zebrafish Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons

Background Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) somata from rodents have provided an excellent model system to study ion channel properties and modulation using electrophysiological investigation. As in other vertebrates, zebrafish (Danio rerio) DRG are organized segmentally and possess peripheral axons that bifurcate into each body segment. However, the electrical properties of zebrafish DRG sensory neurons, as compared with their mammalian counterparts, are relatively unexplored because a preparation suitable for electrophysiological studies has not been available. Methodology/principal findings We show enzymatically dissociated DRG neurons from juvenile zebrafish expressing Isl2b-promoter driven EGFP were easily identified with fluorescence microscopy and amenable to conventional whole-cell patch-clamp studies. Two kinetically distinct TTX-sensitive Na(+) currents (rapidly- and slowly-inactivating) were discovered. Rapidly-inactivating I(Na) were preferentially expressed in relatively large neurons, while slowly-inactivating I(Na) was more prevalent in smaller DRG neurons. RT-PCR analysis suggests zscn1aa/ab, zscn8aa/ab, zscn4ab and zscn5Laa are possible candidates for these I(Na) components. Voltage-gated Ca(2+) currents (I(Ca)) were primarily (87%) comprised of a high-voltage activated component arising from ω-conotoxin GVIA-sensitive Ca(V)2.2 (N-type) Ca(2+) channels. A few DRG neurons (8%) displayed a miniscule low-voltage-activated component. I(Ca) in zebrafish DRG neurons were modulated by neurotransmitters via either voltage-dependent or -independent G-protein signaling pathway with large cell-to-cell response variability. Conclusions/significance Our present results indicate that, as in higher vertebrates, zebrafish DRG neurons are heterogeneous being composed of functionally distinct subpopulations that may correlate with different sensory modalities. These findings provide the first comparison of zebrafish and rodent DRG neuron electrical properties and thus provide a basis for future studies.
Age- and gender-related differences in 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring of normal subjects

Twenty-four-hour esophageal pH monitoring is currently the most sensitive test for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux. Little is known, however, about the effect of aging and gender on esophageal acid exposure in asymptomatic individuals. Thirty asymptomatic volunteers underwent 24-hr esophageal pH monitoring. Fifteen were <65 years (eight female, seven male) and 15 were ≥65 years (seven female, eight male). In this asymptomatic group no significant difference was seen by age, while males were found to have significantly more esophageal acid exposure than females. The need for sex-specific normal 24-hr pH monitoring values is suggested. Thirty percent of these asymptomatic subjects were abnormal by conventional 24-hr pH criteria. The clinical importance of these “silent refluxers” is unknown.
A case study of radiative forcing upon a tropical cloud cluster system

Abstract Tropospheric radiative convergence profiles from Cox and Griffith are used to assess the radiative forcing upon a tropical cloud cluster located in the vicinity of the GATE A/B-scale array during 4–6 September 1974. A background discussion summarizes some of the previous investigations that served as motivation for the present study. The atmospheric response to differential radiative cooling between the cluster and its surrounding environment is examined by means of “slab” and cross section analyses over the Cox-Griffith array. A radiatively derived vertical motion model is constructed to investigate the role of radiation with respect to larger-scale dynamics during a daytime (0600–1200 LST 5 September) and nighttime (1800–2400 LST 5 September) period of the cluster life cycle. Radiative forcing is found to be strongest during the initial stages of cluster development. Throughout the cluster life cycle, the radiative forcing is consistently strongest in the middle troposphere (400–700 mb). As the...
Hormonal induction of ceruloplasmin in chicken serum.

Abstract 1. 1. Investigations were conducted on the seum copper and ceruloplasmin levels in sheep, pigs and chickens. Ceruplasmin activity in pig sera was 100 I.U., in sheep sera 18 I.U. and in chick sera less than 1 I.U. 2. 2. Ceruplasmin activity in chick sera was elevated approximately sixfold when chicks were infected with S. gallinarum or subjected to other stressors. 3. 3. The elevation of ceruloplasmin activity under these conditions was dependent upon the presence of dietary copper. 4. 4. Administration of ACTH or hydrocortisone also resulted in a marked increased in ceruloplasmin activity. 5. 5. These data suggests that ceruloplasmin is induced by stressors, mediated through the cortical steroids.
Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen 4 Antibody-Induced Colitis and Its Management with Infliximab

Anti-CTLA-4 antibodies are human monoclonal antibodies previously studied in the treatment of metastatic melanoma (MM). CTLA-4 is an inhibitory receptor on cytotoxic T cells, blockade of which will activate T cells allowing them to attack malignant cells. Normal host cells may also be affected, and immune-mediated enterocolitis can occur. This is a prospective observational study on the use of corticosteroids and infliximab in the treatment of patients with immune-mediated colitis secondary to anti-CTLA-4 antibody treatment of MM. Five patients presented with colitis after medication administration. Patients were treated with high-dose corticosteroids for 1 week, but diarrhea did not completely abate in any of them. They were then treated successfully with infliximab. One patient had recurrence of symptoms and responded to repeat treatment with infliximab. Patients who develop immune-mediated colitis after administration of anti-CTLA-4 antibodies have previously been reported to respond to corticosteroids, but in our study, all required treatment with infliximab.
A Review of Social Isolation: An Important but Underassessed Condition in Older Adults

Social isolation is a major and prevalent health problem among community-dwelling older adults, leading to numerous detrimental health conditions. With a high prevalence, and an increasing number of older persons, social isolation will impact the health, well-being, and quality of life of numerous older adults now and in the foreseeable future. For this review, a series of literature searches of the CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Medline databases were conducted, using the key words “social isolation,” “social networks,” “older adults,” “elderly,” “belonging,” “perceived isolation,” “social engagement,” “social contacts,” and “social integration,” for the period of 1995–2010. The results show that there is an overabundance of evidence demonstrating numerous negative health outcomes and potential risk factors related to social isolation. However, there is scarce evidence that public health professionals are assessing social isolation in older persons, despite their unique access to very socially isolated, homebound older adults. Additionally, few viable interventions were found; therefore, it is advisable to focus on the prevention of social isolation in older adults. Public health professionals can take steps toward increasing the early assessment of social isolation and referring at-risk individuals to available community resources in order to prevent social isolation or further isolation, which would serve to reduce the numerous negative health outcomes associated with this condition.
Console-Integrated Stereoscopic OsiriX 3D Volume-Rendered Images for da Vinci Colorectal Robotic Surgery

The increased distance between surgeon and surgical field is a significant problem in laparoscopic surgery. Robotic surgery, although providing advantages for the operator, increases this gap by completely removing force feedback. Enhancement with visual tools can therefore be beneficial. The goal of this preliminary work was to create a custom plugin for OsiriX to display volume-rendered images in the da Vinci surgeon's console. The TilePro multi-input display made the generated stereoscopic pairs appear to have depth. Tumor position, vascular supply, spatial location, and relationship between organs appear directly within the surgeon's field of view. This study presents a case of totally robotic right colectomy for cancer using this new technology. Sight diversion was no longer necessary. Depth perception was subjectively perceived as profitable. Total immersion in the operative field helped compensate for the lack of tactile feedback specific to robotic intervention. This innovative tool is a step forward toward augmented-reality robot-assisted surgery.
From case-based reasoning to traces-based reasoning

Abstract CBR is an original paradigm to adapt solutions of past problems in order to solve new similar problems. A case is a problem with its solution and cases are stored in a case library. The reasoning process obeys to a cycle allowing to “learn” from new solved cases. This approach is also viewed as a lazy learning method when applied for classification. This AI technology is applied for various tasks as designing, planning, diagnosing, information retrieving, etc. The talk will be the occasion to go a step further in reusing past experience, by considering traces of computer use as experience knowledge containers for contextual and situation based problem solving.
Beyond (but back to?) the elasticity of substitution in international trade

Abstract The use of equations relating relative exports logarithmically to relative prices in international trade has always been subject to a large number of conceptual criticisms. The most severe criticisms of such ‘elasticity-of-substitution’ models focus on the variety of constraints which must be simultaneously placed on the parameters of conventional demand and supply equations to justify the assumed functional relation. The purpose of this paper is to put these conceptual criticisms to an empirical test, using a body of data which allows the constraints to be loosened, then confirmed or rejected, rather than being imposed ex ante . The results are favorable to the continued use of the elasticity of substitution.
Gamma Globulin and Non-A Type Hepatitis

Excerpt To the editor: In the March issue the VA Cooperative Study Group elegantly showed that hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) is superior to immune serum globulin (ISG) in preventing hepatitis ...
Digestive action of gastric juice following various types of gastric resection for duodenal ulcer.

Summary and ConclusionsMeasurements of acid and pepsin values and determination of degree of digestion attending perfusions of the cat esophagus with gastric juice, obtained from patients after gastric resection for duodenal ulcer, have been made. These results indicate that esophageal perfusion employing the gastric juice of patients previously operated upon is a sensitive method for evaluating the likely protective effect of such operations against recurrent ulcer. Following procedures known to be associated with recurrent ulcers, gastric juice from some patients can be shown to have proteolytic digestive power not unlike that seen with untreated duodenal ulcer. After operations known from clinical experience to protect fully against recurrent ulceration, the gastric juice of patients uniformly shows acid peptic digestion in the range of normals. This technic of assessment indicates that the protection afforded by some gastric resections is inadequate and that recurrence is likely to follow. The operati...
Simulating the response of coupled channel and interferometric modulator designs

An algorithm is developed that enables the response of a large class of electrooptic modulator designs to be calculated quickly and accurately. Using this algorithm, a computer program can be developed that allows the following responses to be accurately calculated and displayed in real-time: intensity versus voltage, optical phase versus voltage, the output spectrum for any one or two-tone input, the dynamic response of the nonlinear distortion products, and the frequency response of the fundamental and nonlinear signals. By properly time sampling the modulator output in response to a one or two-tone input, an accurate modulator simulation can be accomplished with a minimal number of calculations. Such a program is useful in the development of novel modulator designs and in evaluating the tolerance of various aspects of modulator performance to variations in fabrication and passive bias control. Furthermore, the ability to determine the frequency response of the nonlinear distortion is significant in itself. In this paper, a detailed description of the algorithm is presented which includes an optimized sampling technique for both the one and two-tone tests. Several new results obtained with this method are also presented. >
Identification of a 170-kDa protein over-expressed in lung cancers.

Lung cancer is the leading cause for cancer death in both male and female populations. Although many molecular markers for lung cancer have been developed and useful for early detection of lung cancer, their function remains unknown. In this paper, we report our findings that a 170-kDa protein (p170) is over-expressed in all types of human lung cancers compared with normal tissues and it is identified as a subunit of translation initiation factor eIF3 by cDNA cloning. Translation initiation factors are a family of proteins that promote the initiation step of protein synthesis and are regulators of cell growth at the translational level. Further studies showed that p170 mRNA is ubiquitously expressed with higher levels in adult proliferating tissues (e.g. bone marrow) and tissues during development (e.g. fetal tissues). This study suggests that p170 and eIF3 may be important factors for cell growth, development, and tumorigenesis. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.com
Parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, renal dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease: dependent or independent risk factors?

Background Vitamin D (Vit D) deficiency has been associated with prevalent and incident cardiovascular (CV) disease, suggesting a role for bioregulators of bone and mineral metabolism in CV health. Vitamin D deficiency leads to secondary hyperparathyroidism, and both primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism are associated with CV pathology. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is an important regulator of calcium homeostasis, and its impact on CV disease risk is of interest. We tested whether elevated PTH is associated with CV disease and whether risk associations depend on Vit D status and renal function. Methods Patients in the Intermountain Healthcare system with concurrent PTH and Vit D as 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25[OH]D) levels were studied (N = 9,369, age 63 ± 16 years, 36% male). Parathyroid hormone levels were defined as low ( 75 pg/mL). Prevalence and incidence of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease/myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease were determined by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes documented in electronic medical records at baseline and, for incident events, during an average of 2.0 ± 1.5 years (maximum 7.5 years) of follow-up. Results Parathyroid hormone elevation at baseline was noted in 26.1% of the study population. Highly significant differential CV prevalence/incidence rates for most CV risk factors, disease diagnoses, and mortality were noted for PTH >75 pg/mL (by 1.25- to 3-fold). Parathyroid hormone correlated only weakly ( r = −0.15) with 25(OH)D and moderately with glomerular filtration rate ( r = −0.36). 25(OH)D, standard risk factors, and renal dysfunction variably attenuated PTH risk associations, but risk persisted after full multivariable adjustment. Conclusions Elevated PTH is associated with a greater prevalence and incidence of CV risk factors and predicts a greater likelihood of prevalent and incident disease, including mortality. Risk persists when adjusted for 25(OH)D, renal function, and standard risk factors. Parathyroid hormone represents an important new CV risk factor that adds complementary and independent predictive value for CV disease and mortality.
Optical techniques for real-time binary multiplication

An optical system which performs the multiplication of binary numbers is described and proof-of-principle experiments are performed. The simultaneous generation of all partial products, optical regrouping of bit products, and optical carry look-ahead addition are novel features of the proposed scheme which takes advantage of the parallel operations capability of optical computers. The proposed processor uses liquid crystal light valves (LCLVs). By space-sharing the LCLVs one such system could function as an array of multipliers. Together with the optical carry look-ahead adders described, this would constitute an optical matrix–vector multiplier.
CRITICAL COMPARISON OF CLASSICAL FIELD THEORY AND MICROSCOPIC WAVE FUNCTIONS FOR SKYRMIONS IN QUANTUM HALL FERROMAGNETS

We report on a study of the classical field theory description of charged skyrmions in quantum Hall ferromagnets. The appropriate field theory is a nonlinear $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ model generalized to include Coulomb and Zeeman interaction terms. We have tested the range of validity of the classical field theory by comparing with microscopic descriptions of the single-skyrmion state based on the Hartree-Fock approximation, exact diagonalization calculations, and many-body trial wave functions. We find that the field theory description is accurate for skyrmions with moderate spin quantum numbers $(\ensuremath{\gtrsim}10)$ although, as expected, it fails qualitatively for small spin quantum numbers.
President's LectureGoing Forth and Multiplying: Animal Acclimatization and Invasion

AbstractThe nineteenth century saw numerous transfers and attempted transfers of animal populations, mostly as the result of the spread of European agriculture. The exchange of animal populations f...
Effect of Altering the Dietary Cation and Anion Content with Magnesium and Phosphorus on Chick Performance

Abstract Experiments were conducted to study the effects of the cation and anion content of a corn-soybean meal diet on chick performance to 3 weeks of age. The milliequivalents of cation and anion were increased by the addition of magnesium and phosphorus. Body weight increased, feed efficiency improved, and the incidence of crooked legs was greater when chicks were fed diets with narrow cation:anion ratios and lower levels of excess cation (milliequivalents cation minus milliequivalents anion) compared to chicks fed diets with wide cation:anion ratios and higher levels of excess cation. Body weight and the incidence of crooked legs were negatively correlated (P
Rapid method for measuring plasma low-density lipoprotein turnover using high-performance gel exclusion chromatography.

Abstract High-performance gel exclusion chromatography using flow-through radioactivity monitoring was employed for rapid measurement of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) turnover. Iodinated LDL was injected into five fasting rabbits. Serial blood samples were obtained and small aliquots (0.1–0.2 ml) were injected into the chromatographic system using 0.2 M Tris—acetate buffer (pH 7.0). Radioactivity in lipoproteins was measured by an on-line gamma counter (Flo-One) attached to the high-performance liquid chromatograph and in a regular gamma counter after collecting the fractions. Sequential ultracentrifugation was also used to separate lipoproteins, and the radioactivity in each fraction was measured. The Flo-One method was faster; however, the efficiency of Flo-One varied with the amount of radioactivity and therefore it was necessary to inject the same amount of radioactivity to get comparable values.
Formation of LATS by human thyrotropin-antibody complexes.

ABSTRACT The possibility that the biologic response of the thyroid to thyrotropin stimulation could be modified by an antibody was examined in a series of in vitro experiments. Human thyrotropin (HTSH) was incubated with varying concentrations of rabbit anti-HTSH serum (RAHTSH) for 1 hr at 37 C and 16 hr at 4 C followed by centrifugation and bioassay of the supernates by the McKenzie method. In the presence of 1:8 dilution of antiserum, the bioassay response of HTSH was effectively abolished; however, at 1:16 dilution, a long-acting response was observed (2 hr: 137±6; 8 hr: 202±19). Further dilution of the rabbit antiserum did not alter the usual maximal 2 hr bioassay response of HTSH. The modifying effect upon the HTSH response by the 1:16 dilution of RAHTSH could be abolished by prior incubation of the antiserum with goat antiserum to rabbit gamma globulin or by acid dissociation of the HTSH-RAHTSH complex followed by incubation with goat antiserum to rabbit gamma globulin. The necessity of a critical d...
Status, Ideology, and Adaptation to Stigmatized Illness: A Study of Leprosy

The social and psychological components of stigma have been the subject of a series of recent essays by Erving Goffman, beginning with his interest in "impression management." By "impression management" he means the efforts made by people to create desired images about themselves in the face of the inescapable fact that whether a person wishes or not, his actions yield expressions about himself. Impression management is a way to "control the conduct of others, especially their responsive treatment" by controlling what they see and hear. In a later work Goffman focuses on persons characterized by stigma, or "undesired differentness," of which he identifies three general types: ( 1 ) physical disfigurement; (2) aberrations of character and/or personality; and (3) social categorizations such as race, nation, and religion. Since stigma may be visible or invisible, known about or not, impression management yields two sub-types: (1) the management of social in formation about self, and (2) the management of ten...
Spatial isolation of a black underclass: An American case study

Abstract One theory explaining worsening social conditions among the US ghetto poor is that an exodus of upwardly mobile families deprived poor neighbourhoods of middle‐class institutions and role models. An analysis of data for one metropolitan area documents that class segregation among blacks is not new and did not increase sharply during the 1970s when ghetto conditions worsened. The neighbourhoods of poor black children did not experience uniformly dramatic declines in the availability of persons with middle‐class attributes. A policy analysis based on the effects of middle‐class flight is not justified by the evidence. Ghetto conditions were more influenced by general social and economic trends.
Are biomarkers a useful aid in smoking cessation? A review and analysis of the literature.

Abstract Healthcare providers' ability to motivate people to try to quit smoking or to remain abstinent is limited. Even with our best treatments, most smokers relapse within 1 year. Therefore it is important that we constantly strive to develop and test new, effective smoking interventions. Providing feedback on one's biomarkers (eg, biological indices of smoking-related harm, harm exposure, or genetic susceptibility to disease) have been suggested as potentially useful for increasing smokers' motivation or ability to quit smoking. In fact, variations of this strategy are commonly incorporated into behavioral smoking-cessation interventions, but little empirical evidence has specifically addressed whether this approach is effective. In this article, the author reviews the theoretical rationale and empirical evidence regarding this practice. Although the preliminary evidence is promising, more research is needed to determine the efficacy of using biomarkers and the limits of the strategy's effectiveness. ...
A description of genealogical rank changes in a troop of Japanese monkeys ( Macaca fuscata )

Rank changes among females of a troop of 154 Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) are described. A medium ranking female, with support from the alpha male, successfully challenged the alpha female. Following this dominance shift, almost all members of the two genealogical groups underwent rank changes. The observations provide some evidence that the role of alpha female may be competed for, just as the alpha male position is, in macaque social groups.
Are You My Witnesses?: The Use of Sources in Modern Jewish Thought

Differences between contemporary Jews are often described as ‘‘choices in modern Jewish thought.’’ 1 Behind this term is the assumption that philosophical and theological commitments are at the heart of distinctions that separate Jews from one another. Recently, this idea has been challenged or undermined by the assertion that ‘‘the religious experience of modern Jews should concentrate far more on practice than on belief.’’ 2 Here, the emphasis is on the distinctions engendered by what Jews do, rather than by the ideas they claim to espouse. In this essay I want to suggest that alongside consideration of what a Jew believes and what a Jew does, there is a third category that distinguishes Jewish religious thinkers from one another—how and what a Jew quotes. Quotation has become the subject of significant attention in the fields of literary theory and cultural studies. 3 Scant regard, however, has been paid to the phenomenon of quotation in Jewish culture. 4 There is much work to be done in sketching a history, a phenomenology, a taxonomy and a poetics of Jewish quotation. In this article, we will concentrate on the role played by one saying—‘‘You are my witnesses’’ (Isaiah 43:12)—in the work of a number of key modern Jewish thinkers. My aim is to discuss some ways in which Jewish thinkers attempt to employ tradition to articulate, transmit and enhance a modern Jewish theology. The article will consider a number of recurrent themes in modern Jewish thought, such as the paradoxical relationship between divine power and human initiative and the role of the Jewish people after Auschwitz, and how this quotation is used by various thinkers to develop these and other themes. In so doing we may reflect on what this says about quotation and the horizon of interpretations a reading allows. The role that quotation plays in Jewish culture in general and in the formulation of modern Jewish theology in particular is significant and under-appreciated, and a consideration of this dimension yields
Pressure effects in polymer melt rheology

Wide ranges of pressure and temperature are encountered in polymer processing operations, as, for example, in injection molding. While the temperature dependence of viscosity has been widely studied, the pressure dependence has not. The present work focuses on the measurement of the melt viscosity of polystyrene at high pressures (up to 124 MPa or 18,000 psi) and high shear rates (1–100 s−1) at 180°C. The apparatus was a capillary rheometer with the downstream chamber being held at a high back pressure by means of a needle valve. The data so obtained were combined with zero shear viscosity data from the literature; and then correlated with a shear-dependent rheological model of the authors, using a shift factor suggested by Utracki (based on the Simha–Somcynsky equation of state). The final correlation calls for making both the elastic modulus and the time constant dependent on pressure, with the modulus being the dominant factor at high shear rates.
Infarct size measured by single photon emission computed tomographic imaging with 99mTc-sestamibi: A measure of the efficacy of therapy in acute myocardial infarction

Background—Use of mortality as an end point in randomized trials of reperfusion therapy requires increasingly large sample sizes to test advances compared with existing therapy, which is already highly effective. There has been a growing interest in infarct size measurements by 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT (single photon emission computed tomographic) imaging as a surrogate end point. Methods and Results—We reviewed the reports published in English regarding infarct size measurements by 99mTc-sestamibi. Four separate lines of published evidence support the validity of SPECT imaging with 99mTc-sestamibi for determination of infarct size. This end point has been used in a total of 7 randomized trials—1 single center and 6 multicenter. The end point compares favorably with left ventricular function and infarct size measurements with the use of other radiopharmaceuticals. The most important limitation of this approach is the absence thus far of a randomized trial that has shown a corresponding decrease in mortality ...
Mobilization of hobo elements residing within the decapentaplegic gene complex: Suggestion of a new hybrid dysgenesis system in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract We present results demonstrating that the hobo family of transposable elements can promote high rates of chromosomal instability. Using strains with a hobo element inserted within the decapentaplegic gene complex (DPP-C), we have recovered numerous DPP-C mutations involving chromosomal rearrangements and deletions with one endpoint in the vicinity of the preexisting hobo element. This hypermutability occurred in the germ lines of hybrid progeny from crosses involving strains containing hobo elements to strains lacking them. In some crosses, the offspring had rudimentary gonads, reminiscent of GD sterility. The germline hypermutability and infertility are similar to those produced by P-element-mediated hybrid dysgenesis. Given the many genetic and molecular similarities of the P and hobo systems, we propose that a system analogous to P-M hybrid dysgenesis has been activated in the hobo + × hobo − crosses.