cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein affinities for small molecules: Conceptions and misconceptions

Abstract There is much confusion and error in published treatments of data for multiple binding of ligands (e.g., substrates) by proteins (e.g., enzymes). There is a widespread impression that if the equilibrium binding, r, of ligand, A, by a protein with n sites can be fitted to an equation with two hyperbolic terms, i.e., r= n α k α (A) 1+k α (A) + n β k β (A) 1+k β (A) (n α +n β =n) then kβ and kβ are always the intrinsic binding constants for two sets of sites. Such a conclusion is often incorrect. For example, in many cases, the protein is constituted of identical protomers with initially identical sites for binding ligands, and yet graphical representations of the binding data appear to behave as if the sites are partitioned between two classes. Although the use of a linear combination of hyperbolic terms to represent binding of ligands by macromolecules always yields empirical parameters kα, kβ … kλ, they cannot correspond to site binding constants when there are interactions between sites. In some circumstances their values may even be imaginary, complex numbers. On the other hand, stoichiometric binding constants can be assigned unambiguously without making any assumption regarding the nature of the interactions among binding sites. These principles are illustrated concretely by analyses of binding measurements for several different proteins containing two to six sites.
Surface Phosphophilicity of Aluminum-Containing Adjuvants Probed by Their Efficiency for Catalyzing the PO Bond Cleavage with Chromogenic and Fluorogenic Substrates

Abstract Aluminum-containing adjuvants are widely used in a variety of vaccine products, such as recombinant proteins, virus-like particles, conjugated polysaccharides, and recently DNA vaccines. Aluminum-containing adjuvants are also known to have a high affinity to inorganic phosphate and its mono- or diesters. Since phosphate groups are present in many antigens as well as the natural physiological environment, a better understanding of the interactions between phosphate and phospho-containing species could help in the design of improved vaccines. This report describes a convenient and novel continuous procedure to measure the avidity denoted by the new term “phosphophilicity” of phosphate and phosphate esters to the surface of aluminum-containing adjuvants. The assay measures the rate of hydrolysis of a fluorogenic substrate—6,8-difluoro-4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate (DiFMUP)—with a microplate reader. This method was based on the fundamental bioorganic phenomenon that when a tight binding event occurs, the effective concentration of nucleophile(s) will be significantly increased in the proximity of the P atom for a nucleophilic reaction (i.e., the cleavage of the PO bond) to take place. A very good leaving group (p K a of DiFMU ∼ 4.7) in the phosphate monoester substrate makes the assay highly sensitive. Top reading of the nascent fluorescence makes the assay very convenient with no need to separate the particulate adjuvants from the reaction mixtures. The results from this assay are consistent with catalysis of the chromogenic phosphate mono- or diesters.
High-speed CCD image processing at 75 MSPS and 10-bit range

High frame rate CCD video cameras require high clock frequencies for running photocharge transport registers, especially when the sensor has only a single video port. It was found that some sensors of the interline transfer architecture allow for horizontal charge transport clock rates in excess of 75 MHz while still producing images of acceptable quality. We describe a relatively inexpensive method for analog-to-digital processing of video images at rates of 75 MSPS and 10-bit range. Images are stored in a fast, 512 X 512 X 12 kbit random access memory (RAM). Upon the data transfer into a processor, the public domain `NIH IMAGE' software is used for image analysis.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On-orbit performance testing of the pointing calibration and reference sensor for the Spitzer Space Telescope

We present the on-orbit performance results of the Pointing Calibration and Reference Sensor (PCRS) for the Spitzer Space Telescope. A cryogenic optical (center wavelength 0.55 um) imager, the PCRS serves as the Observatory's fine guidance sensor by providing an alignment reference between the telescope boresight and the external spacecraft attitude determination system. The PCRS makes precision measurements of the positions of known guide stars; these are used to calibrate measurements from Spitzer's star tracker and gyroscopes to obtain the actual pointing of the Spitzer telescope. The PCRS calibrates out thermomechanical drifts between the 300 K spacecraft bus and the 5.5 K telescope. By using only 16 pixels, the PCRS provides high precision centroiding with extremely low (~64 uW) power dissipation, resulting in minimal impact to Spitzer's helium lifetime. We have demonstrated that the PCRS meets its centroiding accuracy requirement of 0.14 arcsec 1-s radial, which represents ~1/100 pixel centroiding. The Spitzer Space Telescope was launched on 25 August, 2003 and completed its In-Orbit Checkout phase two months later; the PCRS has been operating failure-free ever since.
Scanning telescope for the advanced polarized infrared imaging sensor (APIRIS)

An advanced polarized infra-red imaging sensor (APIRIS) has been designed and prototyped to acquire the polarization signature of targets in the far IR (8 - 12 microns) region with a field of view 4 degree(s) X 3 degree(s). The design (optical and optomechanical), fabrication and assembly issues of the scanning telescope for the APIRIS are discussed in this paper. The telescope is designed for diffraction limited performance using germanium lenses and Zerodur fold mirrors to minimize overall size of the telescope. The tolerance budgeting and thermal sensitivity analysis are also presented.
Vasomotor symptom relief versus unwanted effects: role of estrogen dosage

Recent clinical trials show that low-dose estrogen reduces the number of moderate to severe vasomotor episodes by 65%. This reduction is about midway between the 35% to 40% reduction observed with placebo and the 75% to 80% reduction observed with standard dosage. Compared with standard dosages whose effects are substantial by 4 weeks, relief with lower dosages is not maximal until 8 to 12 weeks. Women using lower dosages of estrogen experience 50% lower rates of irregular bleeding or breast tenderness compared with individuals taking standard dosages. Despite several lower dosage hormone therapy (HT) formulations being approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and brought to market, their uptake by healthcare providers has been slow. Most women who have continued HT after reports of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) were published take estrogen at the standard dosage; only a minority of these individuals report receiving guidance about switching to a lower dosage. The purpose of this review is to summarize the clinical trial data showing, on one hand, effects of various dosages of estrogen on vasomotor symptoms and, on the other hand, the effects of these same doses on troublesome adverse events, particularly vaginal bleeding or breast tenderness. It is time to reconsider the current estrogen dosage recommendation on the basis of symptom benefit versus symptom nuisance. Furthermore, healthcare providers need to learn how and when to prescribe lower dosages of HT to optimize patient acceptance and continuation.
Spectroscopic characterization of Cr2+ ions in ZnSe/ZnS crystals under visible excitation

Detailed spectroscopic characterization of Cr:ZnSe (Cr:ZnS) crystals under visible excitation into the charge transfer bands of Cr2+ impurities was performed. Middle infrared photoluminescence of Cr:ZnS under this excitation exhibits shorter rise time (~150ns) than that previously observed in Cr:ZnSe (~4-10 μs). As a result the quantum yield of Cr:ZnS mid-IR photoluminescence under 10ns pulsed 416nm excitation into the charge transfer band was estimated at close to 100%, which contrasts with low (~14%) quantum yield measured in Cr:ZnSe under 532nm pulsed excitation, indicating the possibility of efficient excitation of the upper laser level of Cr:ZnS using this mechanism. The rise time can be caused by cascade relaxation from higher lying levels through the 3T1 metastable level, producing luminescence in the near-IR. Measurements of the temperature dependence of the middle- and near infrared photoluminescence signals are reported. These values indicated that more efficient pumping of Cr:ZnSe under 532nm excitation can be achieved at temperatures greater than 300 K. Results of high temperature laser experiments supporting this idea are presented.
Increased hemolysis from saline pre-washing RBCs or centrifugal pumps in neonatal ECMO.

Hemolysis is a significant complication of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), with a reported incidence of 12.2%. The aims of this study were (1) to investigate hemolysis caused by saline-washed versus unwashed RBCs, (2) to determine in vitro the effects of saline washing on erythrocyte hemolytic markers and (3) to investigate hemolysis by centrifugal versus roller pumps. (1) To evaluate the effect of pre-transfusion saline-washing versus non-washing, the peak plasma-free hemoglobin (FHb) and total bilirubin in the first 3 days versus the next 4 days of ECMO were compared (2) Pre- and postsaline-washed RBCs were analyzed for K+, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, FHb and hemolysis at baseline and after 4 h of storage at 4°C. (3) Over 10 000 neonatal ECMO cases were retrospectively reviewed to study the effect of pump type on hemolysis. (1) The washed blood group had significantly more hemolysis within the first 3 days of ECMO. (2) Immediately after saline washing, the K+ and Hb concentrations were significantly decreased compared with unwashed blood, and these differences were maintained after 4 h. The osmotic fragility of washed RBCs after 4 h of storage at 4°C was significantly higher than at baseline. (3) Hemolysis was reported more often in the centrifugal than in the roller pump group. (1) Using unwashed RBCs decreased hemolysis within the first 3 days of ECMO. (2) Saline washing, while decreasing the concentration of K+ in the plasma, significantly increases RBC membrane osmotic fragility. (3) Hemolysis is linked to the use of centrifugal pumps.
Application of a Multi-Terawatt 3ps CO2 Laser for Monoenergetic Proton Beam Generation

15TW picosecond 10μm laser pulses are obtained at the UCLA Neptune laboratory achieving record CO2 laser power. This laser system is applied for laser driven ion acceleration achieving 20 MeV proton beams from a H2 gas jet.
Serum Lipids in Hypercholesterolemic Men and Women Consuming Oat Bran and Amaranth Products

ABSTRACT One hundred-eighty hypercholesterolemic subjects following the National Cholesterol Education Program Step One Diet were randomly divided into six groups (30 ± 2/group). Group 1 served as the control and received no fiber supplements. The fiber supplemented groups received 50 g/day of oat bran or amaranth from various sources: Group 2 (oat bran muffins); Group 3 (amaranth muffins); Group 4 (Oat Bran O's); Group 5 (Oat Bran Flakes); and Group 6 (a variety of oat bran products). Fasting serum total cholesterol (FSTC), low density-, very low density-, and high density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, VLDL-C, and HDL-C) and serum triacylglycerols were measured before and after the 28-day intervention. Three-day diet records were completed before and after intervention. Subjects reduced (P < 0.05) the mean intake of total and saturated fat, and cholesterol. FSTC dropped more than twice as much (P < 0.05) as was observed with fat modification alone (Group 1 = -0.31 mmol/L), when oat bran was provided as...
Lateral Electromagnetic Pulses Generated by a Vertical Dipole on a Plane Boundary Between Dielectrics

Approximate, quite simple formulas are derived for the transient field generated by a vertical electric dipole on the boundary between two dielectric half-spaces when the permittivity of one of these is much greater than that of the other. The three components of the field are determined for both delta-function and Gaussian-pulse excitation. The field of the former is compared with the corresponding exact expressions with generally good agreement and some interesting, readily explained differences.
Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ Seen Through Jewish Eyes

Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ has stirred up long simmering tensions between Christian, and Jews. This article, by someone of the Jewish faith who has for many years worked at a Presbyterian seminary, discusses Gibson’s morbid—almost pornographic—fascination with violence, Gibson’s theology of sin and atonement, and the dangers of Gibson’s disparaging and inflammatory portrayal of Jews through the use of despicable stereotypes. Gibson’s violence drenched Christianity is contrasted with a more tolerant Christianity rooted in love and justice.
Psychosocial factors in chronic spinal cord injury pain.

Chronic pain is a problem among patients with spinal cord injuries, but the psychosocial factors associated with spinal cord injury (SCI) pain are not well understood. To understand SCI pain further, 54 patients (19 with quadriplegia and 35 with paraplegia) completed the Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Profile of Mood States, Acceptance of Disability Scale and SCI Interference Scale. Forty-two patients stated they had SCI pain and completed the Multidimensional Pain Inventory and the Pain Experience Scale. Results revealed that anger and negative cognitions were associated with greater pain severity. Patients who reported pain in response to a general prompt experienced more severe pain than patients who reported pain only when directly questioned about the presence of pain, but these different reporting groups did not differ on emotional variables. Those who were less accepting of their disability reported greater pain severity. Additionally, patients who perceived a significant other expressing punishing responses (e.g., expressing anger at the patients or ignoring the patients) to their pain behaviors reported more severe pain. Level of lesion, completeness of injury, surgical fusion and/or instrumentation and veteran status were not associated with pain severity. Finally, pain was associated with emotional distress over and above the distress associated with the SCI itself. Overall, psychosocial factors, not physiological factors, were most closely associated with the experience of pain. Multidimensional aspects of pain are used to explain these findings and suggest that treatment should be directed at the emotional and cognitive sequelae of chronic SCI pain.
The effect of non-direct insolation on the radiative performance of trapezoidal grooves used as solar energy collectors

Abstract Some possible applications of solar energy require heat at temperatures above those associated with flat-plate collection but below those usually associated with an economical focusing collector. Collection temperatures in this range may be economically obtained using moderately concentrating, non-focusing, trough-like collectors. In this paper the radiative performance (the effective solar absorptivity and concentration ratio) of moderately concentrating collectors, composed of east-west aligned parallel, trapezoidal grooves, is examined. Both direct and non-direct insolation performance is discussed. Results are presented indicating performance degradation due to non-direct insolation. Finally, nomographs are presented which allow one to determine the radiative performance of the grooved collectors when exposed to various combinations of direct and non-direct insolation.
Phase behavior of flowing polymer mixtures

Abstract Polymeric mixtures are frequently processed under flowing conditions. Observations of the flow modification of the apparent phase behavior of polymer fluids have been made for thirty years, but a coherent data base and theoretical interpretation are still lacking. An attempt to organize all the observations systematically is made here, along with a critical examination of the current status of the data, theory and technological significance.
Intelligent module for planning/control of master-dependent systems

An intelligent module is proposed in this paper which is capable of performing a joint recursive planning/control operation which propagates through the intelligent module at all planning/control levels simultaneously. Each of the actuators is equipped by an intelligent module, and all of these modules are working independently and concurrently. The model of the world is being constantly updated based upon vision and a multiplicity of other available sensors, and at various resolutions is submitted to each of the intelligent modules as applied to particular properties of the link being controlled by this module. Together these intelligent modules are working as a team of the actuators controllers, and all decisions are constantly negotiated among the members of the team. Each of the resolutional levels within the actuator intelligent modules is using the following set of planning/control tools: learning rule base, learning heuristic search, and situational decision generator which are first applied simultaneously, and then one of them takes over. A neural network is collecting information about the progress and the results of planning/control processes, and is modifying heuristics, as well as enriching the system of rules. The same neural network is used for supplying the provisional analytical model required for the lowest levels of execution control. Provisional analytical models are applied in a simple form which allows for simple real-time controller operation, and the parameters of this provisional model are constantly being updated by the neural network.
Considerations of Intention and Movement: Action Plans and Motor Programs in Speech and Keyboard Entry

The cognitive organization and control of rapid movement sequences was investigated in speech and keyboard entry. Five reaction time experiments were carried out with various manipulations of stimulus meaning. A linear increase in reaction time with an increase in the number of items to be produced was evident for spoken lists of random digits, single words in random order, and repeated syllables but not for single words arranged into meaningful context. A speech interference condition produced a linear increase in reaction time in a key pressing task when it was necessary for the action to be planned ahead of time. These results indicate that meaningfulness of stimuli facilitates movement organization, an effect which can have significant impact on input technology.
Policy at the grassroots: Community-based participation in health care policy

American Health Decisions is a developing social movement that aims to work at the grassroots level to educate people about issues and problems in health care and to promote public involvement in decision making about health policy. The movement offers nurses opportunities to expand their traditional commitment to involving people in decisions about their health. By promoting the development of the movement, nurses can contribute to the creation of a structured process of direct public participation in policy decisions related to health care. Nurses may have a special role to play in the movement by promoting the participation of low-income people.
Global cardiac-specific transgene expression using cardiopulmonary bypass with cardiac isolation

Abstract Background . The available techniques for intravascular gene delivery to the heart are inefficient and not organ-specific. Yet, effective treatment of heart failure will likely require transgene expression by the majority of cardiac myocytes. To address this problem, we developed a novel cannulation technique that achieves efficient isolation of the heart in situ using separate cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits for the heart and body in dogs. Methods . The arterial inflow and venous effluent from the two circuits were physically isolated. The efficiency of separation was 98% to 99% in three preliminary experiments using Evans Blue dye-labeled albumin. In 6 dogs, the cardiac circuit was perfused with oxygenated crystalloid cardioplegia at 37°C containing ≅ 4 × 10 11 particles of an adenovirus encoding LacZ (AdCMVLacZ) with a perfusion pressure of 170 to 200 mm Hg for 15 minutes allowing virus to recirculate through the heart ≅ 15 times. Cross-clamp time was 26 ± 2 minutes and CPB time was 90 ± 3 minutes. Results . Five animals survived and were euthanized at 7 days. β-Galactosidase activities measured using a chemiluminescent assay were three orders of magnitude higher in all areas of the heart than in the liver. Histological analyses revealed heterogeneous X-Gal staining of myocytes in all areas of the myocardium. Conclusions . Despite using a constitutive promoter, this technique yields relatively cardiac-specific transgene expression and is potentially translatable to clinical applications. Future studies will allow for further optimization of the conditions necessary for vector-mediated gene delivery to the heart.
Meta-vinculin—a vinculin-related protein with solubility properties of a membrane protein

The localization of vinculin, an actin-binding protein1,2 of molecular weight 130,000 (130K) at a variety of cytoskeletal-associated membrane specializations including the zonula adherens of intestinal epithelial cells3, fascia adherens of intercalated discs3, focal adhesion plaques in fibroblasts4,5, and costameres (sarcolemmal domains in periodic register with the I-bands of subjacent myofibrils) in cardiac and skeletal muscle6, suggests that vinculin could link actin to cell membranes. This hypothesis is supported by immuno-ultrastructural studies which show that vinculin is closely apposed to the plasma membrane at sites where actin-containing microfilaments terminate3,7. But since vinculin has the solubility properties of a peripheral membrane protein4, there would also need to be an integral membrane component to which it bound to link actin filaments to the plasma membrane. Our efforts to identify the presumed membrane binding site for vinculin resulted instead in the detection of a 150K protein which we term meta-vinculin (Greek meta among, with; in the sense of closely related to), that is immunologically related to 130K vinculin. Unlike vinculin, meta-vinculin has the solubility properties of an integral membrane protein. Given its location within the cell, it is possible that meta-vinculin is an integral membrane anchor protein for actin filaments.
The Social Security Earnings Test and Work Incentives.

The labor supply and benefit claiming incentives provided by the early retirement rules of the Social Security Old Age benefits program are of growing importance as the Normal Retirement Age (NRA) increases to 67, the labor force participation of Older Americans rises, and a variety of reforms to the Social Security system are considered. Any reform needs to take into account the effects and rationale of the Social Security Earnings Test and the Actuarial Adjustment Factor, which are likely to be widely misunderstood due to the relatively little attention paid by policymakers and researchers to the fact that Americans are willing to work while receiving benefits. We describe these incentives and emphasize that individuals who claim benefits before the NRA but continue to work, or return to the labor force, can reduce the early retirement penalty by suspending the collection of monthly benefits if they earn above the Earnings Test limit. We then argue that the Earnings Test can be distortionary and is costly to administer, and that these characteristics are inflated by the lack of information given to Older Americans regarding the consequences of working while receiving retirement benefits. We present results from statistical models of labor force exit behavior using data from the Health and Retirement Study showing the relevance of these incentives, and investigate the importance of informational asymmetries among beneficiaries regarding benefit withholding using a dynamic life-cycle model of labor supply and benefit claiming. We then use the latter framework to compare the behavioral and welfare implications of a removal of the Earnings Test to the policy of providing more information regarding the Earnings Test and the adjustment of the rate of benefit pay to Older Americans. © 2007 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Nanocrystalline ZnO Photoconductivity Measurements

Abstract Pure ZnO have been prepared on amorphous SiO2 substrates from a precursor solution of dihydrated zinc acetate and absolute alcohol. The sol was deposited on the substrates by the spin-coating technique. After de deposit of each layer, a drying treatment was performed at 200 °C for10 min, to solidify the deposited material. Finally, all the specimens were thermally treated at 450 °C for 3 h to crystallize them. The characterization by X rays diffraction was performed using the glancing angle configuration and films morphology was observed with an Atomic Force Microscope and by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. Photoconductivity was studied in function of the wavelength at 50 °C using the four-points method and illuminating by arrays of LEDs with different wavelengths.
Staircase concept of instrument placement in microsurgery.

A new technique of mechanical support for microinstruments of action (e.g., scissors and air turbine drills) is presented. The technique consists of attaching instruments to ball and cable retractor arms (Flexbars) and securing them to a framework around the operative site. By assigning functional levels for instrument and hand placement, surgical procedures are simplified and shortened. A brief comparison of self-retaining retractors and an evaluation of them in terms of this technique is also included.
Pharmacological protection against Salmonella endotoxin and certain other poisons.

Summary(1). An extensive list of pharmacolopical agents is presented. whose protective effects against the Salmonella endotoxin is reported as negative. The endotoxin of S.typhimurium was chosen for such tests because it is considered to be typical of the endotoxins generally found in Gram-negative bacteria. (2) Thiouracil and p-aminobenzoic acid have a limited protective effect against the lethal actionof the endotoxin. Thiouracil protects against endotoxin-induced tumor hemorrhage. It is concluded that these effects, as well as the similar effects of the sulfonarnides, is via a common mechanism, aiz., interference with thyroid activity.(3) Thiouracil has some protective effect against 1.2-dichloroethane, but is ineffective against colchicine. p-L4minobenzoic acid is likewise ineffective against colchicine. (4) Mice maintained at high environmental temperatures are more vulnerable to the endotoxin than those kept at lower temperatures. (5) The application of Selye's concept of “the general adaptation syn...
REACTION TIME IN RELATION TO AMPLITUDE OF THE ACHILLES TENDON REFLEX

The Achilles tendon reflex was elicited by mechanical percussion of the tendon at the rate of 1 blow/sec. in 32 healthy males, aged 28 to 56 yr. Amplitude of the reflex was recorded electromyograph...
Optimized design of multilayer barrier films incorporating a reactive layer. II. Solute dynamics in two‐layer films

Extending the model of transient permeation through the reactive barrier film presented in part I of this series to two-layer reactive–passive barrier structures, we devote part II to the analysis of the evolution of interfacial solute concentrations between the layers. The concepts developed earlier are applied to the transient ingress analysis of two-layer films where one of the layers contains a noncatalytic solute scavenger. In particular, we show that for reactive–passive films, the averaging approximation of the transient interfacial solute concentration provides good agreement with numerical results for the transient effective flux. The applicability range of this averaging and the error introduced by it are quantified. For the passive–reactive films, the same averaging fails to predict the effective flux dynamics. A new method of ingress analysis is presented for such structures to correct the situation. The method is based on the effective flux dynamics in the homogeneous reactive membrane and the dynamic reactive to the passive–reactive flux scaling between the initial and final solute concentration profiles corresponding to the scavenger activation and scavenger exhaustion times. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 1952–1965, 2006
A longitudinal study of emoticon use in text messaging from smartphones

Our goal in the present study was to understand how emoticons are used in text messaging and, in particular, how genders differed in the frequency and variety of emoticons used via this medium. Previous research has found small and sundry differences in emotive expression online suggesting that technology has closed the gender gap. However, the data collected in these studies were public. In this study, we collected real portions of private communications data from individuals' smartphones over a 6-month period. SMS messages, in general, were not used very much overall, with only 4% of all messages containing at least one emoticon. Still, differences between genders manifested in the amount and variety of emoticons used. Females sent more messages with emoticons; however, surprisingly, males used a more diverse range of emoticons.
Mutually Responsive Orientation Between Mothers and Their Young Children: A Context for the Early Development of Conscience

Some parent–child dyads establish a mutually responsive orientation (MRO), a relationship that is close, mutually binding, cooperative, and affectively positive. Such relationships have two main characteristics—mutual responsiveness and shared positive affect—and they foster the development of conscience in young children. Children growing up with parents who are responsive to their needs and whose interactions are infused with happy emotions adopt a willing, responsive stance toward parental influence and become eager to embrace parental values and standards for behavior. The concurrent and longitudinal beneficial effects of MRO for early development of conscience have been replicated across studies, for a broad range of developmental periods from infancy through early school age, and using a wide variety of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive measures of conscience in the laboratory, at home, and in school. These findings highlight the importance of the early parent–child relationship for subsequent mo...
Further studies on the ribosomal RNA cistrons of Sciara coprophila (Diptera).

Additional experiments with homologous as well as heterologous hybridization confirmed our previous finding in Sciara coprophila that XX females have nearly twice the number of ribosomal RNA cistrons as X0 males. A comparison between two different X' chromosomes revealed that only the one carrying the irradiation-induced Wavy mutation has a deletion of 70% of its ribosomal RNA cistrons as compared to the standard X. The deletion is relatively stable, and the remaining ribosomal RNA cistrons do not appear to undergo disproportionate replication or magnification as in Drosophila. Homologous hybridization experiments revealed an unusually low reiteration of ribosomal RNA cistrons in this fly, 45 gene copies per X chromosome. The question is raised as to whether such a low number of cistrons may be related to the unusual nucleolar condition encountered in the Sciaridae.
Femoroacetabular Impingement: Saving the Joint

Many factors have been linked to the development of osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip, but often, cases are still considered "idiopathic." Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been suggested as a possible etiologic factor for the otherwise "idiopathic" cases. It is theorized that the subtle morphologic abnormalities seen at the head-neck junction and acetabulum in FAI may lead to labral tears, chondral damage, and subsequent progression of OA. Prevalence of FAI has been suggested to be as high as 14% in the general population. It often presents in young active patients that subject their hip joint to repetitive micro trauma associated with impingement of the osseous deformity within normal ranges of motion. Current surgical treatment options for FAI include arthroscopy, open surgical dislocation, or mini-open direct anterior osteoplasty. All methods are directed at correcting the osseous abnormalities and associated pathologies in hopes of delaying the progression of OA and the need for hip replacement. Limited short term follow-up data has shown significant improvement in pain and function following each of the three procedures. However, long term follow-up and comparative studies are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of each of the surgical approaches in delaying the progression of osteoarthritis.
Violence Against Female Partners: Direct and Interactive Effects of Family History, Communal Orientation, and Peer-Related Variables

Data from 172 male university students provide evidence for the role of communal orientation (dispositional beliefs that relationship partners should be mutually responsive to each other's needs) in predicting violence against female partners. Associating with peers who verbally endorse and behaviorally model dating violence predicted participants' violent behavior. In addition, communal orientation, a personality trait not previously investigated in this context, was both directly and interactively related to dating violence. Men low in communal orientation were more likely to physically abuse their dating partners and to associate with peers who endorsed violence against female partners and who were themselves abusive. Moreover, less communal men appeared to be more subject than their highly communal counterparts to the influence of peers.
Impact of resistance loading on myostatin expression and cell cycle regulation in young and older men and women.

Myostatin inhibits myoblast proliferation and differentiation in developing muscle. Mounting evidence suggests that myostatin also plays a limiting role in growth/repair/regeneration of differentia...
Potassium channels and human corporeal smooth muscle cell tone: diabetes and relaxation of human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle by adenosine triphosphate sensitive potassium channel openers.

Purpose: Sustained contraction of human corporeal smooth muscle depends on continuous transmembrane calcium flux through voltage gated calcium channels. K channels modulate corporeal smooth muscle membrane potential and, thus, ultimately affect transmembrane calcium flux. Therefore, we characterized relaxation responses elicited by the K channel modulators pinacidil and levcromakalim on isolated human corporeal tissue strips. We also evaluated the possibility that there may be alterations in adenosine triphosphate sensitive K channel pharmacology/function related to the presence of diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: A total of 215 isolated human corporeal tissue strips obtained from 57 male patients with organic erectile dysfunction were investigated. Cumulative concentrationresponse curves were constructed at half log increments for steady state relaxation responses elicited by pinacidil and levcromakalim on equivalently phenylephrine pre-contracted (to approximately 75% of maximum) isolated corporeal tissue strips. Potassium currents were measured using the cell attached whole cell patch clamp technique on freshly isolated corporeal smooth muscle cells. Results: A concentration dependent, glibenclamide sensitive relaxation response of phenylephrine pre-contracted corporeal tissue strips was observed for pinacidil and levcromakalim. Consistent with such observations, electrophysiological recordings on freshly isolated myocytes revealed that pinacidil (10 M.) and levcromakalim (10 M.) induced whole cell potassium currents that were blocked by glibenclamide (10 M.). In addition, statistical analysis revealed that phenylephrine pre-contracted corporeal tissue strips from patients without diabetes were more sensitive to relaxation by both compounds than corporeal tissue strips excised from those with diabetes. Furthermore, relaxation responses elicited by pinacidil and levcromakalim were not affected by charybdotoxin or 4-aminopyridine but were completely reversed by KCl or tetraethylammonium chloride. Conclusions: These data indicate that the adenosine triphosphate sensitive K channel subtype is likely to have an important role in the relaxation of isolated corporeal tissue strips and, moreover, they are the molecular target for the K channel modulators/openers levcromakalim and pinacidil. Such observations are consistent with the supposition that alterations in the structure/function/activity of these potassium channels may underlie at least some aspects of observed diabetes related differences in tissue sensitivity to K channel modulators.
Pharmacogenomics of the heptahelical receptor regulators G-protein-coupled receptor kinases and arrestins: the known and the unknown

Heptahelical G-protein-coupled receptors are the most diverse and therapeutically important family of receptors, playing major roles in the physiology of various organs and tissues. They couple their ligand binding to G-protein activation, which then transmits intracellular signals. G-protein signaling is terminated by phosphorylation of the receptor by the family of G-protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs), followed by arrestin (Arr) binding, which uncouples the phosphorylated receptor from the G-protein and subsequently targets the receptor for internalization. Moreover, Arrs can transmit signals in their own right during receptor internalization. Genetic polymorphisms in receptors, as well as in GRK and Arr family members per se, which affect regulation of receptor signaling and function, have just started being identified and characterized. The present review will discuss what is known so far in this evolving field of GRK/Arr pharmacogenomics, as well as highlight important areas likely to produce invaluable information in the future.
Anomaly-based bug prediction, isolation, and validation: an automated approach for software debugging

Software defects, commonly known as bugs, present a serious challenge for system reliability and dependability. Once a program failure is observed, the debugging activities to locate the defects are typically nontrivial and time consuming. In this paper, we propose a novel automated approach to pin-point the root-causes of software failures.Our proposed approach consists of three steps. The first step is bug prediction, which leverages the existing work on anomaly-based bug detection as exceptional behavior during program execution has been shown to frequently point to the root cause of a software failure. The second step is bug isolation, which eliminates false-positive bug predictions by checking whether the dynamic forward slices of bug predictions lead to the observed program failure. The last step is bug validation, in which the isolated anomalies are validated by dynamically nullifying their effects and observing if the program still fails. The whole bug prediction, isolation and validation process is fully automated and can be implemented with efficient architectural support. Our experiments with 6 programs and 7 bugs, including a real bug in the gcc 2.95.2 compiler, show that our approach is highly effective at isolating only the relevant anomalies. Compared to state-of-art debugging techniques, our proposed approach pinpoints the defect locations more accurately and presents the user with a much smaller code set to analyze.
Characterization of the StcE protease activity of Escherichia coli O157:H7.

The StcE zinc metalloprotease is secreted by enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 and contributes to intimate adherence of this bacterium to host cells, a process essential for mammalian colonization. StcE has also been shown to localize the inflammatory regulator C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) to cell membranes. We tried to more fully characterize StcE activity to better understand its role in EHEC pathogenesis. StcE was active at pH 6.1 to 9.0, in the presence of NaCl concentrations ranging from 0 to 600 mM, and at 4°C to 55°C. Interestingly, antisera against StcE or C1-INH did not eliminate StcE cleavage of C1-INH. Treatment of StcE with the proteases trypsin, chymotrypsin, human neutrophil elastase, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase did not eliminate StcE activity against C1-INH. After StcE was kept at 23°C for 65 days, it exhibited full proteolytic activity, and it retained 30% of its original activity after incubation for 8 days at 37°C. Together, these results show the StcE protease is a stable enzyme that is probably active in the environment of the colon. Additionally, kcat/Km data showed that StcE proteolytic activity was 2.5-fold more efficient with the secreted mucin MUC7 than with the complement regulator C1-INH. This evidence supports a model which includes two roles for StcE during infection, in which StcE acts first as a mucinase and then as an anti-inflammatory agent by localizing C1-INH to cell membranes.
The U24 Protein from Human Herpesvirus 6 and 7 Affects Endocytic Recycling

Modulation of T-cell receptor expression and signaling is essential to the survival of many viruses. The U24 protein expressed by human herpesvirus 6A, a ubiquitous human pathogen, has been previously shown to downregulate the T-cell receptor. Here, we show that U24 also mediates cell surface downregulation of a canonical early endosomal recycling receptor, the transferrin receptor, indicating that this viral protein acts by blocking early endosomal recycling. We present evidence that U24 is a C-tail-anchored protein that is dependent for its function on TRC40/Asna-1, a component of a posttranslational membrane insertion pathway. Finally, we find that U24 proteins from other roseoloviruses have a similar genetic organization and a conserved function that is dependent on a proline-rich motif. Inhibition of a basic cellular process by U24 has interesting implications not only for the pathogenicity of roseoloviruses but also for our understanding of the biology of endosomal transport.
The XBabelPhish MAGE-ML and XML Translator

MAGE-ML has been promoted as a standard format for describing microarray experiments and the data they produce. Two characteristics of the MAGE-ML format compromise its use as a universal standard: First, MAGE-ML files are exceptionally large – too large to be easily read by most people, and often too large to be read by most software programs. Second, the MAGE-ML standard permits many ways of representing the same information. As a result, different producers of MAGE-ML create different documents describing the same experiment and its data. Recognizing all the variants is an unwieldy software engineering task, resulting in software packages that can read and process MAGE-ML from some, but not all producers. This Tower of MAGE-ML Babel bars the unencumbered exchange of microarray experiment descriptions couched in MAGE-ML. We have developed XBabelPhish – an XQuery-based technology for translating one MAGE-ML variant into another. XBabelPhish's use is not restricted to translating MAGE-ML documents. It can transform XML files independent of their DTD, XML schema, or semantic content. Moreover, it is designed to work on very large (> 200 Mb.) files, which are common in the world of MAGE-ML. XBabelPhish provides a way to inter-translate MAGE-ML variants for improved interchange of microarray experiment information. More generally, it can be used to transform most XML files, including very large ones that exceed the capacity of most XML tools.
Academic Perspectives on Agribusiness: An International Survey

Through an international survey of agricultural economists, we shed new light on perceptions about agribusiness education, research, grantsmanship, and outreach. Results indicate that depa rtments expect agribusiness faculty to teach more courses, yet maintain research expectations for agribusiness faculty similar to those of their non-agribusiness peers. As a result, agribusiness faculty have lowered their engagement in agribusiness extension programs. Moreover, evidence suggests an increasing trend in the amount of grant dollars obtained and the number of refereed publications reported at the time of tenure evaluation, while the number of nonrefereed publications has declined. Finally, results indicate that specialized journals, such as the IFAMR, have improved their importance as outlets for agribusiness research.
Subglottic stenosis: A ten‐year review of treatment outcomes

Objectives/Hypothesis To evaluate the endoscopic surgical management of adult subglottic stenosis and describe treatment outcomes. Study Design Retrospective review. Methods Ten-year review of adult patients with subglottic stenosis. Results Ninety-two adults (23 male, 69 female) with subglottic stenosis underwent 247 endoscopic dilations between 2001 and 2010. The mean age was 48 years at time of first surgery. Etiology was GPA (granulomatosis with polyangiitis, formerly Wegener's granulomatosis) (45%), intubation (25%), or idiopathic (33%). Forty-one patients (45%) underwent a single procedure; 51 patients (55%) required multiple surgeries. The average interval for patients requiring a subsequent procedure was 13.7 months. Variations in surgical technique did not show differences in time to next procedure, and the use of mitomycin-C did not result in longer intervals between procedures. No significant complications were encountered after dilation. Conclusions Subglottic stenosis remains a treatment challenge. Although patients are often symptomatically improved after endoscopic dilation, recurrence rates remain high. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 124:736–741, 2014
Measurement of three-dimensional velocity field in the translational region of a co-rotating twin-screw extruder

The velocity field in the screw channels of a co-rotating twin-screw extruder was measured using laser Doppler anemometry. Velocity distributions were measured for two screw elements having pitches of 14 and 28 mm, respectively. The magnitude of radial velocity component for both elements was no more than 10% of the magnitude of total velocity. The radial and the axial velocity components were similar for both screw elements. Wider range of tangential velocity values and steeper gradients near the flights were observed for smaller pitch screw element.
The Westminster Model, Governance, and Judicial Reform

THE WESTMINSTER MODEL, GOVERNANCE, AND JUDICIAL REFORM By Mark Bevir Published in: Parliamentary Affairs 61 (2008), 559-577. I. CONTACT INFORMATION Department of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-1950 Email: mbevir@berkeley.edu II. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Mark Bevir is a Professor in the Department of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of The Logic of the History of Ideas (1999) and New Labour: A Critique (2005), and co-author, with R. A. W. Rhodes, of Interpreting British Governance (2003) and Governance Stories (2006).
Labial minor salivary gland biopsy

Biopsy of the labial minor salivary glands (“lip biopsy”) is often used as part of the diagnostic workup for suspected Sjogren's syndrome, and is comparable in diagnostic accuracy to open parotid biopsy. While there are non-invasive tests that should be performed for Sjogren's workup, in challenging cases tissue diagnosis provides valuable information. When properly performed, this office procedure can be done with minimal discomfort for the patient. The indications, risks, and interpretation of lip biopsy are discussed along with a detailed description of a technique designed to ensure sufficient tissue for diagnosis.