cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-efficacy, psychosocial factors, and exercise behavior in traditional versus modified cardiac rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND Self-efficacy and social support are established determinants of exercise adherence and have potential usefulness for tailoring independent exercise regimens for cardiac patients. Highly supervised traditional cardiac rehabilitation programs may be a barrier for independent exercise self-efficacy in low - and moderate-risk patients. PURPOSE The authors evaluated changes in psychosocial measures including self-efficacy and social support in 80 cardiac patients with low to moderate risk randomized to a traditional cardiac rehabilitation protocol (TP) or modified protocol (MP). These measures also were assessed for their potential to predict subsequent exercise behavior. METHODS The TP (n = 38) emphasized a supervised exercise regimen and included continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring for 3 months. The lower cost MP (n = 42) emphasized independent exercise and included group education/support meetings, and gradually weaned patients from continuous ECG monitoring and direct medical supervision. RESULTS Repeated measures analyses of variance indicated that MP patients had higher levels of self-efficacy for independent exercise without continuous ECG monitoring (P < .05). No other protocol differences were found. Multiple regression analyses using the pooled sample (excluding dropouts) indicated that self-efficacy for independent exercise was the only significant predictor of exercise over 6 months (R2=.28 [adjusted R2= .221 P < .01). In contrast to previous reports, social support for exercise was not a significant predictor of exercise behavior. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest cardiac rehabilitation programs for low- and moderate-risk patients should emphasize educational and patient monitoring methods that promote patient self-efficacy for independent exercise. Programs that emphasize highly supervised exercise including longer term use of continuous ECG monitoring may impair self-efficacy for independent exercise. Longer-term studies are needed to fully determine the value of using psychosocial measures for designing individualized exercise programs and predicting long-term exercise behavior in cardiac patients.
TGF-β Effects on Prostate Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion Are Mediated by PGE2 through Activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway

TGF-β plays an important role in the progression of prostate cancer. It exhibits both tumor suppressor and tumor-promoting activities. Correlations between cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 overexpression and enhanced production of prostaglandin (PG)E2 have been implicated in cancer progression; however, there are no studies indicating that TGF-β effects in prostate cancer cells involve PGE2 synthesis. In this study, we investigated TGF-β regulation of COX-1 and COX-2 expression in prostate cancer cells and whether the effects of TGF-β on cell proliferation and migration are mediated by PGE2. COX-1 protein was ubiquitously expressed in prostate cells; however, COX-2 protein levels were detected only in prostate cancer cells. TGF-β treatment increased COX-2 protein levels and PGE2 secretion in PC3 cells. Exogenous PGE2 and PGF2α had no effects on cell proliferation in LNCaP, DU145, and PC3 cells whereas PGE2 and TGF-β induced migration and invasive behavior in PC3 cells. Only EP2 and EP4 receptors were detected at mRNA levels in prostate cells. The EP4-targeting small interfering RNA inhibited PGE2 and TGF-β-induced migration of PC3 cells. TGF-β and PGE2 induce activation of PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway as indicated by increased AKT, p70S6K, and S6 phosphorylation. Rapamycin completely blocked the effects of TGF-β and PGE2 on phosphorylation of p70S6K and S6 but not on AKT phosphorylation. PGE2 and TGF-β induced phosphorylation of AKT, which was blocked by antagonists of PGE2 (EP4) receptors (L161982, AH23848) and PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) in PC3 cells. Pretreatment with L161982 or AH23848 blocked the stimulatory effects of PGE2 and TGF-β on cell migration, whereas LY294002 or rapamycin completely eliminated PGE2, TGF-β, and epidermal growth factor-induced migration in PC3 cells. We conclude that TGF-β increases COX-2 levels and PGE2 secretion in prostate cancer cells which, in turn, mediate TGF-β effects on cell migration and invasion through the activation of PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway.
IMPUTED RENT OF OWNER‐OCCUPIED DWELLINGS UNDER THE INCOME TAX

MOST ECONOMISTS agree that the rental value of a dwelling is part of the income of an owner-occupant. The services of the dwelling give the owner power to satisfy his wants, and that power is susceptible of valuation in terms of money.' In support of the view that the imputed rent of owner-occupied houses is income, the British Royal Commission on the Taxation of Profits and Income advanced two arguments: (1) the owner could rent his house if he wished, and his failure to do so indicates that the value of the occupancy to him must be at least equal to the rent foregone; and (2) an owneroccupant is better off than a tenant with the same money income.2 The commission might have added that the homeowner has the alternative of investing his capital in other assets, and the choice of a house shows that he considers the return from it superior to the yield of other income-producing investments. The imputed rent of owner-occupied houses is taxable income in the United Kingdom and many other countries. In the United States, however, imputed rent has never been included in the base of the federal income tax. The state of Wisconsin taxed the estimated rental value of owner-occupied residential property under its original income tax law of 1911 but discontinued this practice in 1917. Many economists have favored the inclusion of imputed rent in taxable income for purposes of the federal tax. In 1921 Haig concluded that this income should be taxed "if it is practicable to evaluate it."3 Taxation of imputed rent has been recommended by Simons, Vickrey, Pechman, and others.4
Maternal uses of non-object terms in child-directed speech: Color, number and time

Non-object terms including color, number and time words pose a challenge for word learning due in part to non-obvious word-referent mappings. Finding early word-word knowledge for such terms, Shatz...
Nature and Tunability of Enhanced Hydrogen Binding in Metal-Organic Frameworks with Exposed Transition Metal Sites

Metal−organic framework (MOF) compounds with exposed transition-metal (TM) sites were recently found to exhibit significantly larger experimental heats of adsorption of H2 than classical MOFs, thus attracting greater attention. Here we show that the hydrogen binding in Mn4Cl−MOF is not of the expected Kubas type because there is (a) no significant charge transfer from TM to H2, (b) no evidence of any H2-σ* Mn-d orbital hybridization, (c) no significant H−H bond elongation, and (d) no significant shift in H−H stretching mode frequency. We make predictions for the magnetic superexchange interactions in Mn4Cl−MOF and determined low- and high-spin states of the Mn ion as local minima with very different hydrogen binding energies. We show that, by replacing Cl with F or Br, one can tune the H2 binding energy. We further reveal that the major contribution to the overall binding comes from the classical Coulomb interaction which is not screened due to the open-metal site and explains the relatively high binding ...
Evidence for a methylated protein intermediate in pituitary methanol formation.

Abstract Pituitary glands contain both the methanol-forming enzyme of Axelrod and Daly (1) and S-adenosylmethionine dependent protein carboxyl-methylase. It is proposed that the in vitro formation of methanol is the result of chemical cleavage of enzymatically formed protein methyl esters.
4-Aminosalicylic acid retention enemas in treatment of distal colitis

Forty-five of 47 patients with distal ulcerative colitis completed a two-week double-blind, randomized, controlled trial to determine if 4-aminosalicylic acid (4-ASA) enemas, 1 g bid or 2 g bid, were therapeutically effective compared to placebo. Forty-one patients enrolled because they were refractory to or had side effects during conventional therapy with sulfasalazine or corticosteroids. Proctoscopic examination was done before and after two weeks of treatment. Patients kept daily diaries assessing: (1) blood in stools, (2) mucus in stools, (3) tenesmus, (4) abdominal pain, (5) loss of appetite, (6) fatigue, (7) weight loss, and (8) malaise. Severity of each symptom ranged from 0 (absent) to 3 (severe). A total severity score was calculated from the above for each patient. At the end of the two-week study, 35 patients elected to take 4-ASA in an open-label trial for one year. 4-ASA enemas in the 1-g bid but not the 2-g bid dosage were significantly more effective in improving symptoms than placebo:P<-0.05. Neither dose of 4-ASA enema was better than placebo in improving the sigmoidoscopic appearance at the end of two-weeks. Forty-six percent of patients had complete resolution of all signs and symptoms in the open-label trial and 31% were better but still had sigmoidoscopic evidence of disease, a total response rate of 77%. Side effects were similar in the placebo and 4-ASA groups. We conclude that 4-ASA enemas in a dose of 1 g bid are safe and effective in the treatment of distal ulcerative colitis.
Climatic Character of the Interval between the Jurassic and Cretaceous New Mexico and Arizona: ABSTRACT

In many places in New Mexico and Arizona a kaolinized, white horizon has been noted at the top of the Morrison formation (Jurassic) immediately under the Dakota (Cretaceous), as well as a kaolin-cemented, white sandstone which is the more prevalent form of the distinctive feature. In Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, there occurs a nearly pure white, massive kaolinite in small lenses at the contact between the formations. The kaolinization is of such widespread distribution that it may be useful as a marker horizon in drilling operations, and it provides some additional data on the probability of a moist climate prevailing during the period separating the Jurassic and Cretaceous in this area. End_of_Article - Last_Page 901------------
Shredding Embolectomy Thrombectomy Catheter for Treatment of Acute Lower-Limb Ischemia

We undertook a prospective evaluation to prove a new mechanical thrombectomy device, the shredding embolectomy thrombectomy catheter (S.E.T. catheter), for the treatment of patients with acute lower-limb ischemia. The study evaluated the success, patency, mortality, limb salvage, and complication rates for 51 patients treated from January 1994 through June 1996, with this device, which was an 8-F three-lumen catheter. The onset of symptoms was 8.6 ± 9 days. Thrombus length was 18 ± 9 cm situated in 44 native vessels and in 7 bypasses, 42 limbs were graded as threatened. Hydromechanical thrombectomy with the S.E.T. catheter proved to be a quick and safe adjunct for therapy of acute femoropopliteal thromboembolic occlusions with a high initial success rate and an acceptable mid-term patency rate.
Dynamic mechanical behavior of multilayer graphene via supersonic projectile penetration

Multilayer graphene is an exceptional anisotropic material due to its layered structure composed of two-dimensional carbon lattices. Although the intrinsic mechanical properties of graphene have been investigated at quasi-static conditions, its behavior under extreme dynamic conditions has not yet been studied. We report the high–strain-rate behavior of multilayer graphene over a range of thicknesses from 10 to 100 nanometers by using miniaturized ballistic tests. Tensile stretching of the membrane into a cone shape is followed by initiation of radial cracks that approximately follow crystallographic directions and extend outward well beyond the impact area. The specific penetration energy for multilayer graphene is ~10 times more than literature values for macroscopic steel sheets at 600 meters per second.
Generalized conservation equation for multicompartmental systems

A projection operator technique is used to derive an equation for local tissue tracer content Q(t), assuming linear multicompartmental kinetics for tracer utilization. The resulting equation has the form (d/d t) Q(t)=F C a (t) −ΛQ(t) −∫ 0 t dτ [ξ(τ)C a (t−τ)−ψ(τ)Q(t−τ)], where F and C a (t) denote local blood flow and concentration of tracer, respectively. Tissue complexity is contained within the new parameters Λ, ξ(t), and ψ(t), where the time dependent coefficients are expressed as sums of exponentials. Two simple applications are considered: tissue heterogeneity and internal trapping of tracer. The relationship to effective single compartmental analysis, as is used for local cerebral blow flow determination, is evaluated.
Acne in ethnic skin: special considerations for therapy

Acne vulgaris occurs in people of all ethnicities and races. Although the pathophysiology and treatment options are similar in all skin phototypes, darker-skinned patients have higher incidence rates of two sequelae of acne: postinflammatory hyperpigmentation and keloidal scarring. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation may also be triggered by skin irritation. In choosing therapies for patients of color, therefore, clinicians must find a balance between aggressive early intervention to target inflammatory acne lesions, and gentle treatments to increase tolerability and avoid skin irritation. For most patients, a combination of topical retinoids, and topical or oral antibiotics with hydroquinone (as needed) to control hyperpigmentation will be successful. For patients with sensitive skin, topical agents in lower concentrations and cream vehicles are preferred. If tolerated, the retinoid strength can be titrated upward after four to six weeks. Ethnic patients also need to be counseled on use of noncomedogenic and nonirritating skin and hair-care products. Individualized care and close monitoring is required.
Efficient dynamic algorithms for some geometric intersection problems

Abstract Efficient dynamic algorithms are presented for four geometric intersection problems. These include: (1) reporting the subset of a set S of nonintersecting segments in the plane that are intersected by a query segment of fixed slope; (2) reporting the segments of S that are intersected by a query segment whose supporting line passes through a fixed point; (3) the orthogonal segment intersection search problem; and (4) the point enclosure problem for isothetic hyper-rectangles in d-dimensional space, d ⩾ 2. These algorithms are the first linear-space solutions to Problems 1–3 and for Problem 4 in the plane. For Problem 3, the update time improves upon the previous best algorithm by a logarithmic factor without affecting the query time. For Problem 4, the update time either matches or improves upon the previous best algorithms, but the query time is larger by a logarithmic factor. No dynamic algorithms were known previously for Problems 1 and 2.
Particle systems on flows

We start with a stochastic flow of diffeomorphisms of the space. Particles enter the space at random times and places. Each particle is carried by the flow for some random amount of time. We examine the point process formed by the particles at a fixed time, on the evolution of that point process as time varies, and on the equilibrium law of the point process.
Dosage compensation in flies and worms: the ups and downs of X-chromosome regulation

Dosage compensation ensures that individuals with a single X chromosome have the same amount of most X-linked gene products as those with two. In Drosophila, this equalization is achieved by a two-fold enhancement of the level of transcription of the X in males (XY) relative to each X chromosome in females (XX). In Caenorhabditis, equalization of X-linked gene products between hermaphrodites (XX) and males (XO) is achieved by decreasing the activity of genes in the former. These two different solutions to the common problem of unequal dosage of X-linked genes in different sexes provide invaluable paradigms for the study of gene regulation at the level of chromatin remodeling.
Alterations of the apparent area expansivity modulus of red blood cell membrane by electric fields

Red blood cell membrane exhibits a large resistance to changes in surface area. This resistance is characterized by the area expansivity modulus K, which relates the isotropic membrane force resultant, T, to the fractional change in membrane surface area delta A/Ao. The experimental technique commonly used to determine K is micropipette aspiration. Using this method, E. A. Evans and R. Waugh (1977, Biophys. J. 20:307–313) obtained a value of 450 dyn/cm for the modulus. In the present report, it is shown that the value of K, as determined using this method, is affected by electric potential differences applied across the tip of the pipette. Using Ag-AgCl electrodes and current clamping electronics, we obtained values for K ranging from 150 dyn/cm with -1.0 V applied, to 1,500 dyn/cm with 1.0 V applied. At 0.0 V the modulus obtained was approximately 500 dyn/cm. A reversible, voltage- and pressure-dependent change in the cell volume probably accounts for the effect of the voltage on the calculated value of the modulus. The use of lanthanum chloride or increasing the extra- and intracellular solute concentrations reduced the voltage dependence of the measurements. It was also found that when dissimilar metals were used to "ground" the pipette to the chamber to prevent lysis of cells by static charge, values for K ranged from 121 to 608 dyn/cm. Based on measurements made at zero applied volts, in the presence of 0.4 mM lanthanum and at high solute concentration, we conclude that the true value of the modulus is approximately 500 dyn/cm.
( d , He 3 ) Reactions on the Even Zirconium Isotopes

An investigation of the proton ground-state configurations in the even zirconium isotopes ($A=90, 92, 94, 96$) was undertaken using the ($d$,$^{3}\mathrm{He}$) reaction at a deuteron energy of 34.4 MeV. The experimental angular distributions were compared with distorted-wave calculations in the finite-range approximation which include nonlocality in the distorted waves. The residual yttrium isotopes ($A=89, 91, 93, 95$) have ${\mathrm{\textonehalf{}}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ ground states, and the observed spectra can be interpreted in terms of a simple shell-model picture which considers hole and particle configurations in the $1{g}_{\frac{9}{2}}$, $2{p}_{\frac{1}{2}}$, $2{p}_{\frac{3}{2}}$, and $1{f}_{\frac{5}{2}}$ proton shells and allowed couplings in the $2{d}_{\frac{5}{2}}$ neutron shell. It was found that the filling of the $2{d}_{\frac{5}{2}}$ neutron shell apparently has a measurable effect on the relative amounts of the ${(2{p}_{\frac{1}{2}})}^{2}$ and ${(1{g}_{\frac{9}{2}})}^{2}$ proton admixtures in the zirconium ground states. The strength of the ${(2{p}_{\frac{1}{2}})}^{2}$ term in the ground-state wave functions was determined to be: 64% for $^{90}\mathrm{Zr}$, 55% for $^{92}\mathrm{Zr}$, 66% for $^{94}\mathrm{Zr}$, and 86% for $^{96}\mathrm{Zr}$.
Identification of cocarcinogens and promoters in industrial discharges into and in the illinois river

Organic compounds were isolated from grab or composite samples of industrial and municipal discharges and of the Illinois River by liquid‐liquid extraction or adsorption on activated carbon or XAD‐2 resin columns. Of the 213 different compounds identified and semiquantitated by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry in 16 samples, 74 were long‐chain hydrocarbons or their derivatives. Although their toxicological significance in the environment at the levels found is unknown, the widespread presence of these cocarcinogens and promoters (often found in conjunction with known initiators) may make them significant environmental toxicants. Some evidence for this is the fact that serial dilutions of the extracts were highly toxic to Salmonella typhimurium in the Ames assay, while weak mutagenicity was occasionally detected.
Promising Directions in School-Based Systems Level Consultation: A Commentary on “Has Consultation Achieved Its Primary Prevention Potential?,” an article by Joseph E. Zins

From his review of research on consultation, Zins (1995) concluded (a) that a paradigm shift to a more prevention-oriented approach was necessary; (b) that systems-level consultation held significant potential; and (c) that systems-level consultation had the most data to support its use in preventive efforts. This commentary reviews promising directions in using school-based systems level consultation to promote primary prevention.
Anticipated psychological impact of receiving medical feedback about HIV treatment outcomes.

Two hundred and seven persons taking antiretroviral HIV medications rated anticipated affective responses to two vignettes depicting different medical feedback situations. Participants were randomly assigned to a medical feedback vignette which varied between participants by (a) the direction of HIV viral load change (increase, decrease, no change) and (b) whether or not a medication change was recommended by the physician. The first experimental vignette was always followed by a second vignette depicting a viral load decrease (indicating treatment success in suppressing the virus). A mixed 3 (viral load change) × 2 (medication change) × 2 (within-subjects factor) factorial design was used. Significant differences in anticipated affective responses to treatment outcome situations were found, suggesting feedback about success or failure of treatment regimens impacts psychosocial adjustment of persons living with HIV.
Knowledge and beliefs regarding the consequences of cigarette smoking and their relationships to smoking status in a biracial sample.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate carefully smoking-related knowledge and beliefs and their relationships to smoking status in a large, heterogeneous sample of smokers and nonsmokers in two settings: (a) a large, biracial southern city and (b) a small midwestern community. Participants were 611 (198 male, 413 female) adult respondents to a random-dialing telephone survey in Fargo, North Dakota (n = 200), and Memphis, Tennessee (n = 411). Each participant was given the Smoking Attitudes Survey, which assesses generalized health beliefs as well as health-related problems associated with smoking. Participants' knowledge of smoking-associated diseases (e.g., lung cancer) and of diseases not associated with smoking (e.g., kidney stones) was assessed. Stepwise regression analysis of composite knowledge scores revealed four independent predictors of the health consequences of smoking: education, race, smoking status, and income. Smokers, compared to nonsmokers, reported less knowledge related to the health consequences of smoking, were more likely to be male, were less concerned with the health consequences of smoking, and were more concerned about the health consequences of cholesterol. The best predictor of smokers who had never attempted cessation was their greater concern over weight control when compared to smokers with a history of smoking cessation attempts. The results are discussed in terms of smoking prevention and intervention efforts.
Establishment and characterization of a cell line from embryos of the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella

Abstract A cell line, UMN-PIE-1181, initiated in November, 1981, from embryos of a malathion-resistant strain of Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella , was in the 83rd passage on January 28, 1985. The line consists of single, small, fibroblastlike cells that are polyploid with chromosome numbers ranging from 56 to 180. Growth rate is dependent on seeding density, there being no growth at or below seeding densities of 2 × 10 5 5 , ml ; optimum growth requires a fetal bovine serum concentration of at least 5%. Twenty-nine isozymes were examined. Five enzymes from the cell lines resolved well and subsequently were compared to enzymes extracted from 4-day-old embryos and other life stages of the insects. Phosphomannose isomerase, malic enzyme, malate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucose isomerase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in extracts from the cultured cells and from the insects had identical patterns. Two bands for glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase, present in the cell line, were not observed in the tissue extracts. Furthermore, lactate dehydrogenase from the cultured cells appeared as four bands but was not detectable in any of the samples run from the various life stages of the insects.
Systemic absorption of clindamycin hydrochloride after topical application

Clindamycin has become a highly popular drug for the topical therapy of acne; however, the extent to which it is systemically absorbed from the skin has not been established. We measured the serum level and urinary excretion of clindamycin on the third day and the twenty-seventh day of therapy in thirteen patients who were applying 1% clindamycin hydrochloride topically for acne. There was no detectable antibiotic in the serum of any subject (
Femtosecond laser collagen cross-linking without traditional photosensitizers

Collagen cross-linking in cornea has the capability of enhancing its mechanical properties and thereby providing an alternative treatment for eye diseases such as keratoconus. Currently, riboflavin assisted UVA light irradiation is a method of choice for cross-link induction in eyes. However, ultrafast pulsed laser interactions may be a powerful alternative enabling in-depth treatment while simultaneously diminishing harmful side effects such as, keratocyte apoptosis. In this study, femtosecond laser is utilized for treatment of bovine cornea slices. It is hypothesized that nonlinear absorption of femtosecond laser pulses plays a major role in the maturation of immature cross-links and the promotion of their growth. Targeted irradiation with tightly focused laser pulses allows for the absence of a photosensitizing agent. Inflation test was conducted on half treated porcine cornea to identify the changes of mechanical properties due to laser treatment. Raman spectroscopy was utilized to study subtle changes in the chemical composition of treated cornea. The effects of treatment are analyzed by observing shifts in Amide I and Amide III bands, which suggest deformation of the collagen structure in cornea due to presence of newly formed cross-links.
On the dectectability of icy grains in the comae of comets

While there is no direct evidence for the presence of icy grains in cometary comae, they are assumed in order to explain observed phenomena. The evaporation of icy grains over the distance scale of the visible cometary coma sets specific limits on their temperature. Unless the grains are pure water ice, maximum icy grain halo size will be limited to a few hundred km at heliocentric distances not greater than about 2.5 AU. While it is unlikely that the 1.5- or 2.0-micron ice band could be detected in the scattering by icy grains, detection of the 3.0-micron ice band may be possible in comets displaying a coma at large heliocentric distances.
Method for the enzymatic synthesis of 2-phospho-D-glycerate from adenosine 5'-triphosphate and D-glycerate via D-glycerate-2-kinase

Abstract An enzymatic synthesis of the glycolytic intermediate, 2-phospho- d -glycerate, is reported. This synthesis was undertaken as a means to make 2-phosho- d -glycerate quickly and inexpensively, because this compound is no longer available commercially. The synthesis uses the recombinant enzyme, d -glycerate-2-kinase, and the starting compounds adenosine 5′-triphosphate and d -glycerate from racemic d – l -glycerate. This enzymatic reaction is both stereospecific and regiospecific, producing 2-phospho- d -glycerate exclusively. The product is purified by anion-exchange chromatography using gradient elution with a volatile buffer. This straightforward method produces the potassium salt of 2-phosho- d -glycerate in high yield. The expression and purification of d -glycerate-2-kinase also are discussed.
Synergistic antimicrobial activity by combining an allylamine with benzoyl peroxide with expanded coverage against yeast and bacterial species.

Summary Background Dermatophyte infections can be polymicrobial. Topical antifungal therapies offer limited coverage of yeasts and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, the increased usage of these topical antimicrobial agents has resulted in the development of resistant cases. Benzoyl peroxide (BP), used in concert with antimicrobial agents containing an accessible tertiary amine, has previously been shown to increase radical activity and biological effect. Objectives To determine the applicability of using the tertiary amine terbinafine in concert with BP in dermatophyte and mixed skin infections by means of in vitro testing. Methods In this preliminary in vitro study, the effect of BP, alone and in combination with terbinafine, was tested against Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus isolates following a checkerboard modification of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards M27-A2 and M7-A6. The individual minimum inhibitory concentrations of terbinafine, BP, and the combination, were determined against each isolate. Results The combination of BP with terbinafine led to additive activities against the majority of Candida albicans isolates tested and additionally expanded the bacterial coverage of terbinafine. Conclusions The combination of antifungal agents bearing a tertiary amine with BP may have benefit in polymicrobial infections, given its wider antimicrobial coverage. Further appreciation of this mechanism of catalysis of BP radical formation by certain antimicrobials and other tertiary amine-containing compounds may lead to the discovery of improved treatments for several dermatological conditions.
RepetitiveAluElements form a Cruciform Structure that Regulates the Function of the Human CD8α T Cell-specific En hancer

We previously identified a T cell-specific enhancer in the last intron of the human CD8 alpha gene that is adjacent to a sequence element that significantly represses enhancer function. This negative regulatory region consists of a half-Alu sequence that has potential to base-pair with a downstream Alu element, which is part of the fully active enhancer, to form a cruciform structure. The activity of this half-Alu silencer sequence is position and orientation-dependent, suggesting that DNA structure plays an important role in its function. Using site-directed mutational analysis and P1 nuclease mapping, we directly demonstrate that formation of a cruciform structure is required for repression of enhancer function in transient transfection assays. Finally, a P1 nuclease-sensitive site is present in the endogenous CD8 alpha gene in T cell lines providing indirect evidence that the stem-loop may form in vivo. Taken together, these results suggest that Alu elements may contribute to the regulation of the CD8 alpha gene enhancer through the formation of secondary structure that disrupts enhancer function.
Increased spontaneous reversion of certain frameshift mutations in DNA polymerase I deficient strains of Escherichia coli.

A tenfold increase in the spontaneous reversion frequency of two of six lacZ frameshift mutations tested was observed in strains containing the following DNA polymerase I mutations-polA1, polA5, polA6, polAex1, res-3 and resA1. Reconstruction experiments indicated that this increase was not the result of a selective effect. Only a fourfold increase in frameshift mutations was found in strains containing a polA107 mutation. Both the polAex1 and polA107 mutations result in defective 5′ to 3′ exonuclease activity and do not affect polymerizing activity, but have different effects on frameshift mutations. A polA mutation on the chromosome induced frameshift mutations in a gene on an F episome. None of three auxotrophic mutations studied showed high frequency reversion in the presence of the polA1 or polA6 mutations.
Mechanical properties of Cu6Sn5 intermetallic by micropillar compression testing

The micromechanical behavior of single-crystal Cu6Sn5 was studied by microcompression testing of pillars. The pillars were fabricated by focused ion beam milling and tested using a nanoindenter with a flat tip. The stress–strain behavior and fractographic analysis show that Cu6Sn5 deforms elastically and undergoes cleavage, resulting in fracture. The strain bursts on stress–strain curves correspond to cleavage on various planes. The fracture stress calculated using the area at the top of pillars was independent of taper angle.
New designs of macroporous polymers and supports : From separation to biocatalysis

Reactive polymers play many roles, from supports for solid-phase synthesis or catalysis to media for separations. Although macroporous polymer beads that provide high reactive capacities and excellent solvent tolerance are well established, approaches to monosized beads with optimized pore structures or multiple chemistries segregated within pores of different sizes have expanded their realm of application. Polymer monoliths containing intricate pore networks can be obtained in any desired shape by a simple molding process and provide unique advantages such as fast kinetics, high reactivity, and high throughput. Applications ranging from immobilized enzyme reactors to fast media for the separation of synthetic or biopolymers are presented.
Conversion of α-amino acids and peptides to nitriles and aldehydes by bromoperoxidase

Pure bromoperoxidase from the marine alga, Penicillus capitatus, converts alpha-amino acids and peptides to the corresponding decarboxylated nitriles and aldehydes in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and bromide ion. Thus, both valine and valylvaline are converted to isobutyronitrile and isobutyraldehyde while alanine is converted to acetonitrile and acetaldehyde. The reaction is nonstereospecific and can be catalyzed by bromoperoxidases obtained from different sources. Bromoperoxidase catalyzes the conversion of methoxytyrosine to p-methoxyphenylacetonitrile. This reaction is consistent with the involvement of bromoperoxidase in the formation of aeroplysinin-1, a brominated aromatic nitrile antibiotic produced by a marine sponge.
WEEDS AS A FACTOR DEPRESSING FOREST GROWTH

Summary. The consumption of water by weeds was determined on the basis of the loss in yield of timber suffered by 28–32–year-old plantations of red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.). Soil and biomass analyses included several pairs of closely located stands established simultaneously on either cultivated or weed-supporting soils. The water supply of 1050 metric tons/ac, available during the growing season, was estimated as the algebraic sum of precipitation, winter storage, condensed vapour, evaporation of intercepted rainfall and gravitational discharge. The biomass of plantations on soils of satisfactory nutrient content and aeration consumed about 500 kg water for production of 1 kg dry matter. The diversion of available water by weed cover on soils of high potential site indices approached 100 kg per kg oven-dry tissues. Blueberries, sweet fern and other heath plants, with initial weight of about 10 metric tons/ac, caused more than 50% loss in the expected volume of merchantable timber. The established relations facilitate an estimate of the productive potential of weed-supporting soils and the choice of an appropriate tree spacing of forest plantations. Les mauvaises herbes, facteur inhibant de la croissance des essences forestieres Resume. La consommation d'eau par les mauvaises herbes a eteevaluee en rapport avec la perte de rendement en bois eprouvee par des plantations de pins rouges (Pinus resinosa Ait.) âges de 28 a 32 ans. Des analyses du sol et de l'ensemble de la vegetation ont ete effectuees simultanement par paires dans des stations voisines sur des aires maintenues propres par des facons culturales ou infestees de mauvaises herbes. L'apport d'eau, de 2625 tonnes a l'hectare durant la pdriode de croissance, fut considere comme la somme alg6– brique des precipitations, du stockage hivernal, de la condensation de la vapeur, de l'eva-poration de la pluie interceptee et de l'e'coulement par gravite. L'ensemble de la masse vegetale des plantations, sur des sols d'un niveau de fertilite satisfaisant et convenablement aeres, consomme environ 500 kg d'eau pour la production de 1 kg de matiere seche. Le detournement d'eau disponible par la couverture des mauvaises herbes sur des sols a haut potentiel de fertilite approcha de 100 kg par kg de tissu desse chea l'etuve. Les myrtilles, les Myrica ('sweet fern’) et autres plantes de landes, avec un poids initial d'environ 25 tonnes a l'hectare provoquerent une perte de plus de 50% du volume attendu de bois commercialisable. Les relations etablies facilitent l'estimation du potentiel de production des sols infested de mauvaises herbes et le choix d'un espacement approprie entre les arbres dans les plantations forestieres.
A Methodology for Choosing between Alternative Communications Systems

To satisfy some user requirements, a choice must be made between alternative military communications systems. Methodologies for accomplishing a comparative evaluation are scarce. This paper presents an example of a tradeoff methodology.
Distinguished Lecture: Coming into Focus

This essay was presented as the Distinguished Lecture at the 91st Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association, December 5, 1992, in San Francisco, California.
A study of quantum phase transitions and quantum monodromy in the bending motion of non-rigid molecules

Abstract The concepts of quantum phase transition (QPT) and excited state quantum phase transition (ESQPT) are applied to the study of bending motion in non-rigid molecules. Two key signatures of QPT and ESQPT, the Birge-Sponer (or anharmonicity) plot and the monodromy plot are discussed. A detailed analysis of bending motion in a series of molecules (HCNO, DCNO, BrCNO, ClCNO, CH 3 NCS, GeH 3 NCO, CH 3 NCO, OCCCS, NCCNO, NCNCS) spanning the rigidly-linear to rigidly-bent transition is presented, and potential functions in terms of angle variables are constructed. The effect of QPT and ESQPT on the rotational constant B and on rotation–vibration interactions through the splitting of the J = 1, K a = ±1 components is evaluated and, finally, some anomalous features of mass scaling in non-rigid molecules are identified.
On-line PHEV battery hysteresis effect dynamics modeling

High penetration of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) are expected in the near future. Battery state information is essential in protecting the PHEV battery from harmful charging/discharging, and in optimal battery management. With accurate battery relaxation effect model, the battery ν oc (open circuit voltage) can be obtained from direct measurements on the battery's terminal voltage and load current. The battery SoC thereby can be accurately estimated through the battery hysteresis effect model. This paper proposed a novel battery hysteresis effect dynamic model that providing a compact and accurate description to describe a family of the battery ν oc -SoC trajectory over a large operating range and charging/discharging control strategies. The battery hysteresis loops are modeled as the responses of timeinvariant first order systems with various initial conditions. Experiment validation demonstrated that the proposed model can provide accurate descriptions to both the hysteresis major loop and the hysteresis minor loop of the battery.
Comparison of High Performance Liquid Chromatographic and GAS Chromatographic Analyses of Cocaine in Coca Leaves

Abstract A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method and a capillary gas chromatographic (GC) method are compared for the quantitative analysis of cocaine in Erythroxylum coca leaves. Cocaine was extracted by refluxing air-dried coca leaves (0.05–4.0 g) with 95% ethanol (30–100 mL) for 15 min. Aliquots of the crude ethanolic leaf extracts were removed for analysis while the remaining portions of the extracts were taken through a cleanup procedure. The mean cocaine contents determined by HPLC and GC methods in six replicated crude leaf (1.0 g) extracts were 0.56% and 0.54%, respectively. However, the cocaine contents in the cleanup extracts were 0.43% (HPLC) and 0.42% (GC). GC analysis gave better resolution of cocaine and related alkaloids, but HPLC analysis of cocaine was simpler and faster.
A Time-Dependent Three-Dimensional Magnetohydrodynamic Model of the Coronal Mass Ejection

We present a theoretical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model describing the time-dependent expulsion of a three-dimensional coronal mass ejection (CME) out of the solar corona. The model relates the white-light appearance of the CME to its internal magnetic field, which takes the form of a closed bubble, filled with a partly anchored, twisted magnetic flux rope, and embedded in an otherwise open background field. The model is constructed by solving in closed form the time-dependent ideal MHD equations for a γ = 4/3 polytrope making use of a similarity assumption and the application of a mathematical stretching transformation in order to treat a complex field geometry with three-dimensional variations. The density distribution frozen into the expanding CME magnetic field is obtained. The scattered white light integrated along the line of sight shows the conspicuous three features often associated with CMEs as observed with white-light coronagraphs: a surrounding high-density region, an internal low-density cavity, and a high-density core. We also show how the orientation of this three-dimensional structure relative to the line of sight can give rise to a variety of different geometric appearances in white light. These images generated from a CME model in a realistic geometry offer an opportunity to directly compare theoretical predictions on CME shapes with observations of CMEs in white light. The mathematical methods used in the model construction have general application and are described in the Appendices.
BEAM-FOIL EXCITATION OF MULTIPLY IONIZED NITROGEN.

Electronic excitation of nitrogen beam passed through thin carbon target foil noting spectral lines, unidentified lines and decay times
The Reformation in Global Perspective

Concepts and methods introduced by the “new world history” present important opportunities to contextualize the European Reformation in transregional frames of reference. A global approach allows historians to situate the Reformation more fully within the orbit of people, ideas, and cultural goods that interacted with one another across the early modern world. A number of historians who study missionary encounters, especially those of Jesuits, have already initiated global methodologies in analyzing the Reformation overseas. Other scholars have pointed to ways in which an engagement with the wider world influenced European societies. These works indicate the rich possibilities for looking at the Reformation with new eyes. In assessing this scholarship, this article discusses the prospects and challenges for adopting global perspectives in the study of the Reformation.
An Empirical Examination of Corporate Tax Noncompliance

This paper offers some exploratory analysis of an extraordinarily rich data set of audit and appeals records, matched with tax returns and financial statements, of several thousand corporations. We find that corporate tax noncompliance, at least as measured by deficiencies proposed upon examination, amounts to approximately 13 percent of "true" tax liability. Second, noncompliance is a progressive phenomenon, meaning that noncompliance as a fraction of a scale measure increases with the size of the company. Other things equal, noncompliance is related to two measures of the presence of intangibles and with being a private company. We find some evidence that incentivized executive compensation schemes are associated with more tax noncompliance, but only with respect to bonuses and not for stock options and other equity-related incentive pay. We uncover no relation between a commonly-studied measure of the quality of corporate governance and the extent of proposed (scaled) tax deficiency. Finally, we find that there is no consistent simple or partial negative association between our measure of tax noncompliance and measures of the effective tax rate calculated from financial statements. These conclusions are preliminary because our central measure of tax noncompliance is the result of an imperfect and perhaps systematically detailed audit of a tax return declaration that may itself be the opening bid in what is expected, often correctly, to be an intense negotiation and formal appeals process. Second, the causal links among tax aggressiveness, executive compensation, and corporate governance are potentially complex, and the analysis presented here at best establishes statistical associations, but certainly does not establish causal relations.
COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE THEORY AND CLASSROOM PRACTICE: TEXTS AND CONTEXTS IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING (2nd ed.). Sandra J. Savignon. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1997. Pp. v + 287. $40.70 paper.

Savignon writes in her book, Communicative Competence Theory and Classroom Practice: Texts and Contexts in Second Language Learning (2nd ed.), that the communicative approach to language teaching has become so popular that many materials developers have jumped on the bandwagon, claiming a communicative focus to their materials. She writes, “What ‘nutritious’ and ‘natural’ are today to breakfast foods, ‘communicative’ and ‘functional’ are to language texts. How much change has actually taken place is debatable. Just as cereals containing ‘all natural’ honey are no less sweet, so ‘asking questions’ may be no more than a new label for an old unit on the formation of the interrogative” (p. 138).
A hardware-in-the-loop SCADA testbed

USF Smart Grid Power System Lab (SPS) has developed an hardware-in-loop (HIL) SCADA testbed. This paper describes several communication/control architectures of the testbed with different hardware/software combinations. This testbed will be used to test energy management schemes, power grid cyber attack and mitigation strategies. Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) synchronized with the common GPS reference signal are used to capture data from a real smart grid system as well as a simulated power network in Opal-RT's real-time simulator. Captured data will be sent to OSIsoft's PI-Server database via different protocols.
Cyt1Aa Protein of Bacillus thuringiensis Is Toxic to the Cottonwood Leaf Beetle, Chrysomela scripta, and Suppresses High Levels of Resistance to Cry3Aa

The insecticidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis is due primarily to Cry and Cyt proteins. Cry proteins are typically toxic to lepidopterous, coleopterous, or dipterous insects, whereas the known toxicity of Cyt proteins is limited to dipterans. We report here that a Cyt protein, Cyt1Aa, is also highly toxic to the cottonwood leaf beetle, Chrysomela scripta, with a median lethal concentration of 2.5 ng/mm2 of leaf surface for second-instar larvae. Additionally, we show that Cyt1Aa suppresses resistance to Cry3Aa greater than 5,000-fold in C. scripta, a level only partially overcome by Cry1Ba due to cross-resistance. Studies of the histopathology of C. scripta larvae treated with Cyt1Aa revealed disruption and sloughing of midgut epithelial cells, indicating that its mechanism of action against C. scripta is similar to that observed in mosquito and blackfly larvae. These novel properties suggest that Cyt proteins may have an even broader spectrum of activity against insects and, owing to their different mechanism of action in comparison to Cry proteins, might be useful in managing resistance to Cry3 and possibly other Cry toxins used in microbial insecticides and transgenic plants.