cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
58-OR: IMMUNODOMINANT AND SUBDOMINANT WNV PEPTIDE HLA COMPLEXES ARE PRESENTED AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND ARE TAP DEPENDENT

Aim There are many factors that are thought to contribute to T-cell immunodominance hierarchies including timing and levels of antigen presentation to T-cells. One of the most potent tools for studying antigen presentation for a specific determinant are monoclonal antibodies that are specific for not only MHC but a specific ligand, similar to a T cell receptor. In this study we utilize these antibodies to study levels and timing of antigen presentation of immunodominant (SVG9), sub-dominant (SLF9), and super sub-dominant (YTM9) T-cell epitopes during West Nile virus (WNV) infection. Methods High avidity antibodies specific for peptide/HLA-A∗02:01 complexes, SVG9, SLF9, and YTM9 were generated by mouse immunization with peptide/HLA complexes. Specific antibody producing hybridomas were expanded and the antibodies were purified from the cell supernatant. The purified antibodies were then used to stain WNV infected HeLa cells transfected with HLA-A∗02:01. Relative number of complexes was measured using flow cytometry. TAP inhibition studies were performed using TAP inhibitor protein ICP47. Results In this study, we demonstrate that viral peptide ligands are differentially expressed by A∗02:01 on the surface of a cell infected with WNV. Specifically, the super sub-dominant ligand (YTM9) was presented earlier and at 20 times the levels of the immunodominant (SVG9) and subdominant (SLF9) ligands. Transfection of ICP47 in infected cells show that all three epitopes are TAP dependent. Conclusions Using these highly specific reagents we show that there is differential ligand presentation within the restrictive allele A∗02:01. High levels of peptide HLA complexes on the surface of an infected do not correspond with immunodominance hierarchies as the super subdominant epitope YTM9 was presented at higher levels than the most immune dominant epitope SVG9. We then show that this differential presentation was not due the TAP dependence of the ligands.
A Probabilistic Model to Support Radiologists’ Classification Decisions in Mammography Practice:

We developed a probabilistic model to support the classification decisions made by radiologists in mammography practice. Using the feature observations and Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System ...
Research on US Green Certificate Trading Mechanism Experience and Domestic Implementation Prospects

The green certificate represents the non-energy benefits of green power, namely, the social marginal benefits of green energy such as fossil energy substitution and environmental protection. Starting from the study of the US green certificate trading mechanism, this paper sorts out the types of green certificate market and transactions, the regulatory system and policy benefits, and compares the situations in China, aiming to propose three major issues needed to be clarified as well as summarizing the experience and problems of of building a green certificate trading market in the United States.
A novel synthesis of trans-unsaturated fatty acids by the Gram-positive commensal bacterium Enterococcus faecalis FA2-2

A key mechanism of Pseudomonas spp. adaptation to environmental stressors is their ability to convert the cis-unsaturated fatty acids of the membrane lipids to their trans-isomers to rigidify the membrane and thereby resist stresses. Although this Cti-catalyzed enzymatic isomerization has been well investigated in the P. putida paradigm, several bacterial species have been found to produce trans-unsaturated fatty acids. Although cti orthologs have only been reported in Gram-negative bacteria, we report that E. faecalis FA2-2 cultures synthesize trans-unsaturated fatty acids during growth by a mechanism similar of P. putida. Although the role of trans-unsaturated fatty acids (trans-UFAs) in E. faecalis remains obscure, our results indicate that organic solvents, as well as the membrane altering antibiotic, daptomycin, had no effect on trans-UFA formation in E. faecalis FA2-2. Moreover trans-UFA production in E. faecalis FA2-2 membranes was constant in oxidative stress conditions or when metal chelator EDTA was added, raising the question about the role of heme domain in cis-trans isomerization in E. faecalis FA2-2. Although growth temperature and growth phase had significant effects on cis-trans isomerization, the bulk physical properties of the membranes seems unlikely to be altered by the low levels of trans-UFA. Hence, any effects seems likely to be on membrane proteins and membrane enzyme activities. We also report investigations of cti gene distribution in bacteria was and suggest the distribution to be triggered by habitat population associations. Three major Cti clusters were defined, corresponding to Pseudomonas, Pseudoalteromonas and Vibrio Cti proteins.
Lidar based Detection and Classification of Pedestrians and Vehicles Using Machine Learning Methods.

The goal of this paper is to classify objects mapped by LiDAR sensor into different classes such as vehicles, pedestrians and bikers. Utilizing a LiDAR-based object detector and Neural Networks-based classifier, a novel real-time object detection is presented essentially with respect to aid self-driving vehicles in recognizing and classifying other objects encountered in the course of driving and proceed accordingly. We discuss our work using machine learning methods to tackle a common high-level problem found in machine learning applications for self-driving cars: the classification of pointcloud data obtained from a 3D LiDAR sensor.
Assentication: User De-authentication and Lunchtime Attack Mitigation with Seated Posture Biometric

Biometric techniques are often used as an extra security factor in authenticating human users. Numerous biometrics have been proposed and evaluated, each with its own set of benefits and pitfalls. Static biometrics (such as fingerprints) are geared for discrete operation, to identify users, which typically involves some user burden. Meanwhile, behavioral biometrics (such as keystroke dynamics) are well-suited for continuous and more unobtrusive operation. One important application domain for biometrics is de-authentication: a means of quickly detecting absence of a previously-authenticated user and immediately terminating that user’s secure sessions. De-authentication is crucial for mitigating so-called Lunchtime Attacks, whereby an insider adversary takes over an authenticated state of a careless user who leaves her computer.
T2 hyperintensity in the globus pallidus after Agent Orange exposure

Previous reports concluded to the absence of strong evidence establishing an association between Agent Orange exposure and clinical neurological disorders, but did not review brain MRI. We here report a case of bilateral heterogenous hyperintense lesions in the T2 sequence on brain MRI, likely secondary to Agent Orange exposure.
Citizens’ political public relations: Unpacking choices, and emergent and deliberate strategies in building trust and relations among groups in conflict

Abstract In this manuscript, we integrate work on political public relations research, strategic management, and multi-track diplomacy (from international relations scholarship) to advance the concept of citizens’ political public relations (PR), defined as strategies and choices devised by organized, local citizens to enhance inter-group and/or intra-group relations among conflicting groups. We demonstrate citizens’ political PR in action, using a case study to show how one activity planned by a group of organized everyday Ghanaian citizens, a football (soccer) tournament, helped promote better relationships among conflicting communities. We articulate the impact of not only a deliberate strategy devised by the group, but also of an emergent strategy that became evident through the choices made by the citizens in organizing the tournament. Theoretical implications of this new integrative conceptualization of citizens’ political PR for public relations scholarship are discussed.
Children with Autism and Congregations: Leader’s Assessments of Knowledge, Programming, and Potentialities

The purpose of this study was to explore congregational responses to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The limited research around ASD and congregations reveals a lack of engagement with, and integration of, persons with ASD. In the current study, a mixed methods approach focused on congregational leaders’ knowledge, perceptions, and interests regarding ASD and related education and programming. A quantitative element assessed leaders of congregations by means of a survey (N=121), while a qualitative element offered participants an opportunity to comment on the survey (n=51) and participate in an interview (n=12). An analysis of the data suggests that leaders’ knowledge of ASD was higher than anticipated but that formal programming was lacking in smaller churches. Responses in smaller churches were less formal, occurred on a case-by-case basis, and were led by professionals and parents native to those churches. Leaders reported an interest in more education and training regarding .
Posterior Elbow Capsulotomy and Triceps Lengthening for Elbow Extension Contracture in Children with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita.

Posterior elbow capsulotomy plus triceps lengthening facilitates passive elbow flexion in children with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, allowing independent function for activities of daily living, such as feeding and self-care of the face and hair. Description The posterior aspect of the distal end of the humerus and the olecranon are identified by palpation and exposed via a curvilinear incision over the posterior aspect of the elbow. Identifying the osseous landmarks can be challenging in some patients. The ulnar nerve is identified and protected. The triceps tendon is isolated, and z-lengthening is performed. Next, the posterior elbow capsule is incised proximal to the tip of the olecranon to expose the joint surface, and the arthrotomy is continued incrementally along the medial and lateral capsule until elbow flexion increases by ≥40°, or past 90° (maximum, 120°), with contact between the lengthened ends of the triceps tendon for repair. The triceps tendon is then repaired in the elongated position. After the wound is closed, the elbow is placed in flexion and immobilized in a cast. Alternatives Alternative treatments include passive stretching exercises to increase elbow flexion. Rationale Elbow extension contractures result in substantial limitations in the activities of daily living for children with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. Those who fail to attain at least 90° of elbow flexion with passive stretching in the first year of life benefit from posterior elbow release and triceps lengthening. In addition, children with <30° of passive elbow flexion are at risk of developing valgus instability of the elbow from passive flexion exercises because the axis of rotation of the elbow is difficult to detect. Once passive elbow flexion is attained, such children may be candidates for tendon transfers allowing active elbow flexion.
ANABOLIC THERAPY AND OPTIMAL TREATMENT SEQUENCES FOR PATIENTS WITH OSTEOPOROSIS AT HIGH RISK FOR FRACTURE.

ABSTRACT Objective: Provide an update regarding anabolic medications for osteoporosis, which are often considered to be the last resort for patients with osteoporosis, after multiple fractures have already occurred and other medications have already been administered. Methods: Literature review and discussion. Results: Recent pivotal trial data for anabolic agents and randomized trials comparing anabolic and antiresorptive medications suggest that three anabolic agents (teriparatide, abaloparatide, and romosozumab) reduce nonvertebral and vertebral fractures faster and to a greater extent than potent antiresorptive treatments. Furthermore, bone density accrual is maximized when patients are given anabolic agents first, followed by potent antiresorptive therapy. Since total hip bone density during or after osteoporosis treatment has emerged as an excellent surrogate for future fracture risk, attaining a greater hip bone mineral density is a treatment goal for high-risk osteoporosis patients. Conclusion: This review defines the highest-risk patients and summarizes the rationale for the evolving role of anabolic therapy in the management of postmenopausal women at high risk for fracture. Abbreviations: ACTIVE = Abaloparatide Comparator Trial in Vertebral Endpoints; ARCH = Active Controlled Fracture Study in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis at High Risk; BMD = bone mineral density; FRAME = Fracture Study in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis; FRAX = Fracture Risk Assessment Tool; PTH = parathyroid hormone; TBS = trabecular bone score
Identifying Heterogeneous Effect Using Latent Supervised Clustering With Adaptive Fusion

Precision medicine is an important area of research with the goal of identifying the optimal treatment for each individual patient. In the literature, various methods are proposed to divide the pop...
Acute effects of short-term exposure to air pollution while being physically active, the potential for modification: A review of the literature

The science behind the combined effect of (and possible interaction between) physical activity and air pollution exposure on health endpoints is not well established, despite the fact that independent effects of physical activity and air pollution on health are well known. The objective of this review is to systematically assess the available literature pertaining to exposure to air pollution while being physically active, in order to assess statistical interaction. Articles published during 2000-2020 were identified by searching PubMed, Science Direct, and ProQuest Agricultural & Environmental Science Database for terms encompassing air pollution and exercise/physical activity. Articles were included if they examined the following four scenarios: at rest in clean air, physical activity in clean air, at rest in polluted air, and physical activity in polluted air. Risk of bias assessment was performed on all included articles. We identified 25 articles for inclusion and determined risk of bias was low to moderate. Nine articles identified evidence of statistical interaction between air pollution exposure and physical activity, while 16 identified no such interaction. However, pollutant levels, exercise intensity, and the population studied appeared to influence statistical interaction. Even in low levels of air pollution, low-intensity activities (i.e., walking), may intensify the negative impacts of air pollution, particularly among those with pre-existing conditions. However, among healthy adults, the review suggests that exercise is generally beneficial even in high air pollution environments. Particularly, the review indicates that moderate to high-intensity exercise may neutralize any short-term negative effects of air pollution.
Elevated Risk of Cognitive Impairment Among Older Sexual Minorities: Do Health Conditions, Health Behaviors, and Social Connections Matter?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Little research has examined cognitive health disparities between sexual minority and heterosexual populations. Further, most extant studies rely on subjective measures of cognitive functioning and non-probability samples. This study uses a performance-based cognitive screening tool and a nationally representative sample of older Americans to examine the disparity in cognitive impairment by sexual orientation and the potential mechanisms producing this disparity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using data from the 2015-2016 National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (N = 3,567), we analyzed respondents' scores on the survey-adapted Montreal Cognitive Assessment. We estimated ordinal logit regressions to examine the relationship between sexual orientation and cognitive impairment and used the Karlson-Holm-Breen method to assess how mental and physical conditions, health behaviors, and social connections mediate this relationship. RESULTS The prevalence of cognitive impairment is significantly higher among sexual minority older adults than among heterosexual older adults when sociodemographic factors are adjusted for. Depressive symptoms explain some of this prevalence gap. Although anxiety symptoms, physical comorbidity, health behaviors, and social connections may contribute to cognitive impairment, they do not explain the cognitive disparity by sexual orientation. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS The findings indicate that depressive symptoms are an important link between minority sexual orientation and cognitive impairment and highlight the importance of studying other potential mechanisms that we could not explore in this study. Future research should further investigate how minority stress processes may unfold to accelerate cognitive decline among sexual minorities over the life course.
Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Children with Neurodevelopmental Delays: Relations to Diagnoses, Behavioral Health, and Clinical Severity

Limited research has examined adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among children at risk for neurodevelopmental delays. The purpose of this study was to (1) identify the prevalence of ACEs among children at risk for neurodevelopmental delays; (2) explore differences in rates of ACEs across neurodevelopmental diagnoses; and (3) examine relations between ACEs and indicators of behavioral health functioning (e.g., enuresis, feeding problems, sleeping problems, and functional impairment). Participants were 193 children ages 2 to 11 who received a developmental and behavioral pediatrics evaluation at a subspecialty clinic. Caregivers completed a survey about their child's ACEs, and researchers conducted an electronic health record review. Overall, 47% experienced at least one ACE. ACEs were not related to neurodevelopmental diagnosis or to externalizing symptoms. ACEs were related to difficulty sleeping, lower hyperactivity, and greater functional impairment at home. The relations between early adversity and poor behavioral health functioning may develop over time, creating an excellent window of opportunity for prevention work.
Illinois Pharmacists and Over the Counter Cannabidiol Products: A Survey on Knowledge and Educational Needs.

Objective To assess Illinois pharmacists' (1) baseline knowledge of CBD and self-rated competency of OTC-CBD product pharmacotherapy, (2) concerns about OTC-CBD product safety and level of preparedness with answering questions about the product, and (3) current and future interest in learning more about these types of products to target an area of need for continuing education in the pharmacy field. Design This observational cross-sectional study used a quantitative survey to obtain information about Illinois pharmacists' knowledge, concerns and educational needs about OTC-CBD products. Survey questions were based on prior research and pilot tested for clarity and completeness. Descriptive statistics were utilized to assess all data. Setting and participants The study researchers collaborated with two state-based pharmacy organizations to distribute the survey online with up to two reminders. Results A total of 181 participants completed the survey. Majority of the respondents were 31-60 years of age, had worked in pharmacy for less than 5 years, in a geographic location with a population of 50,000 or more. About 41% worked in hospital-based practice setting and 39.2% work in a community-based setting. Most pharmacists (64.1%) reported ever being asked about the safety or efficacy of cannabidiol containing products, and only 20.7% responded that they felt moderately/highly prepared to provide medication counseling to patients who use OTC-CBD products. Majority of respondents reported being concerned about safety, quality, and regulations related to OTC-CBD products. Almost all respondents indicated that information about state (90.5%) and federal (89.4%) laws related to CBD, and safety (99.5%) were preferred topics for future education. Conclusions Consumers are seeking information about CBD containing products; however, many pharmacists do not feel prepared when it comes to being the drug expert for these products. Educational opportunities are necessary for pharmacists to become more comfortable and knowledgeable regarding safe and effective use of CBD-OTC containing products.
Analysis of Online Peripartum Depression Communities: Application of Multilabel Text Classification Techniques to Inform Digitally-Mediated Prevention and Management

Peripartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health problem, yet many women who experience PPD do not receive adequate treatment. In many cases, this is due to social stigmas surrounding PPD that prevent women from disclosing their symptoms to their providers. Examples of these are fear of being labeled a "bad mother," or having misinformed expectations regarding motherhood. Online forums dedicated to PPD can provide a practical setting where women can better manage their mental health in the peripartum period. Data from such forums can be systematically analyzed to understand the technology and information needs of women experiencing PPD. However, deeper insights are needed on how best to translate information derived from online forum data into digital health features. In this study, we aim to adapt a digital health development framework, Digilego, toward translation of our results from social media analysis to inform digital features of a mobile intervention that promotes PPD prevention and self-management. The first step in our adaption was to conduct a user need analysis through semi-automated analysis of peer interactions in two highly popular PPD online forums: What to Expect and BabyCenter. This included the development of a machine learning pipeline that allowed us to automatically classify user post content according to major communication themes that manifested in the forums. This was followed by mapping the results of our user needs analysis to existing behavior change and engagement optimization models. Our analysis has revealed major themes being discussed by users of these online forums- family and friends, medications, symptom disclosure, breastfeeding, and social support in the peripartum period. Our results indicate that Random Forest was the best performing model in automatic text classification of user posts, when compared to Support Vector Machine, and Logistic Regression models. Computerized text analysis revealed that posts had an average length of 94 words, and had a balance between positive and negative emotions. Our Digilego-powered theory mapping also indicated that digital platforms dedicated to PPD prevention and management should contain features ranging from educational content on practical aspects of the peripartum period to inclusion of collaborative care processes that support shared decision making, as well as forum moderation strategies to address issues with cyberbullying.
Reproductive injury in English Sole (Pleuronectes vetulus) from the Hylebos Waterway, Commencement Bay, Washington

The effect of exposure to xenobiotic compounds on ovarian development was investigated in prespawning female English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus) from the Hylebos Waterway, an industrial site in Commencement Bay, WA, contaminated with aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)and other chlorinated compounds, including hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). Reference sole were collected from Colvos Passage, a nearby site with minimal sediment contaminant concentrations. English sole from theHylebos Waterway had significantly higher concentrations of fluorescent aromatic compounds (FACs) in bile, polycyclic aromatic compound-DNA adducts in liver, and dioxin-like and other selected PCB congeners in liver than sole from Colvos Passage. The Hylebos Waterway animals also showed significant alterations in their pattern of reproductive development when compared to Colvos Passage sole. Hylebos Waterway sole entered vitellogenesis at a nearlier age than Colvos Passage sole, with about 50%of fish below 5 years of age maturing in the Hylebos Waterway as compared to 20% of Colvos Passage sole in this age range, with corresponding increases in plasma estradiol concentrations and GSI in Hylebosfish. However, while the proportion of maturing Colvos Passage females increased with age to over70% for fish 5 years of age or greater, the proportion of maturing females in the Hylebos Waterway remained at about 50%. Moreover, plasma estradiol concentrations and gonadosomatic indices in these sole were depressed. Inhibited reproductive development and increased oocyte atresia in adult fish were correlated with elevated concentrations of FACs in bile. Enhanced growth, as well as exposure to both aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons, were associated with precocious maturation in sub adult Hylebos Waterway sole.
Design, synthesis and evaluation of mechanism-based inhibitors of copper amine oxidases

Structure-extended propargylic, allylic, 2-chloroallylic, and β-chloro primary amines exhibit time-dependent but only partially selective inhibition of plasma amine oxidase, diamine oxidase, and lysyl oxidase.
Ultraviolet difference spectra and the internal structure of proteins.

(Received for publication, April 25, 1960) The absorption spectra of protein solutions in the region 250 to 310 rnp contain contributions from phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan residues. The band due to tyrosine is of particu- lar interest since it is found to be displaced by 1 to 6 rnp toward longer wave lengths in solutions of native proteins relative to free tyrosine or its peptides. This has been clearly demon- strated in denaturation, acidification, or hydrolysis .of proteins’ when the tyrosine band is usually shifted back to the blue.2 The extent of the shift is most conveniently and accurately measured in the form of a difference spectrum (2-4). The reasons for the shift have been the subject of considerable interest in recent years, since they may have an important bearing on the internal configurations of proteins. Spectral studies on insulin (4-6) and ribonuclease (7-9) have led to the suggestion that tyrosyl -OH groups are involved as donors in hydrogen bonds to other protein side chains. However, difference spectra very similar to those from proteins have been obtained with 0-methyltyrosine and other simple model compounds (10) where there is no possi- bility of hydrogen bonding in the above sense. In view of these and other data, it has been suggested (11) that protein difference spectra may arise indirectly from general configurational changes which lead to changes in polarity and polarizability in the vicinity of the tyrosyl groups. It, therefore, seems appropriate at this time to summarize the various effects which have been shown to give rise to ultraviolet spectral changes (on chromophores, in general) and attempt to determine which of these effects may be important in proteins. 1. The absorption band in the 250 to 310 rnp region can be displaced and altered in intensity for several reasons which may be grouped together as non-ionic solvent effects: a. Nonpolar solvents may produce displacements relative to the spectrum of the solute in the vapor phase (12-15). Polar solvents produce additional effects due presumably to their orientation around the solute chromophore. This orientation may stabilize dipolar excited states (12-15) and produce a red shift which increases with the dipole moment of the solvent. For the same reason, the band displacement to the red may increase with the polarizability or refractive index of the solvent (13, 16-
Assessing Ability to Forecast Geomorphic System Responses to Climate and Land‐Use Changes

As the global community faces the effects of ongoing and future climate and land-use changes (C&LUC), geoscientists are called to action to assess the risks associated with such changes, assist with forecasts of future Earth states, quantify hazards to life, and suggest reasonable adaptation strategies. Earth surface scientists have developed conceptual and mathematical models for how geomorphic systems, including those associated with natural hazards that put trillions of dollars in infrastructure and tens of millions of lives at risk, will respond to and give feedback on C&LUC.
Gene regulation at the right operator (OR) of bacteriophage λ: II. OR1, OR2, and OR3: Their roles in mediating the effects of repressor and cro☆

Abstract The right operator of bacteriophage λ, O R , contains three sites, each of which is recognized by two regulatory proteins. These proteins are the λ repressor, the product of the c I gene, and the cro gene product. The interactions of these proteins with O R results in a variety of regulatory effects on transcription from the adjacent promoters P R and P RM . One purpose of this and the accompanying papers is to determine the roles played by each operator site in mediating these effects. The experiments described herein analyse the regulation of P R and P RM in vivo as a function of λ repressor or cro protein concentration. To accomplish this we utilized two types of hybrid operons constructed by recombination in vitro . One type, carried on a phage vector, bears the lacZ gene fused either to the λ P R or the λ P RM . In cells lysogenic for one of these phages, the level of β-galactosidase is a measure of the activity of P R or P RM . In the other type of hybrid operon, carried on a plasmid, a λ c I or cro gene is fused to the lac promoter and synthesis of the λ regulatory protein is controlled by the lac repressor. Cells bearing one of these plasmids synthesize increased amounts of λ repressor or cro in response to increased amounts of IPTG. In a typical experiment, therefore, we measured the synthesis of β-galactosidase, as a function of IPTG concentration, in a cell bearing one of the phage vectors (as prophage) plus one of the plasmids. The roles of the O R sites in regulating P R and P RM were revealed by studying the behavior of mutants, some newly isolated, bearing sequence changes in O R . All but one of these mutations is located in O R 1, O R 2, or O R 3, and each decreases the affinity of the corresponding site for the regulatory proteins. The other, prmup-1 , is located between O R 2 and O R 3. Whereas wild-type P RM functions efficiently only in the presence of repressor, prmup-1 allows initiation to occur at P RM at high frequency in the absence of repressor. Our main results may be summarized as follows. (1) Occupation of O R 1 or O R 2 (or both) by either protein represses P R . (2) Occupation of O R 3 by either protein represses P RM . (3) Repressor bound only to O R 2 stimulates P RM . In a lysogen, P R is repressed and P RM is stimulated because repressor is bound predominantly to O R 1 and O R 2 but rarely to O R 3. In contrast, as the concentration of cro protein accumulates in vivo , first P RM is turned off as O R 3 is occupied and then P R is turned off as O R 1 and O R 2 are occupied. We show that these facts explain the contrasting physiological effect of these two regulatory proteins. We present a molecular model to explain the mechanism of each of these regulatory effects which takes into account the rules describing co-operative binding of repressor to sites in O R (Johnson et al. , 1979).
Properties and Developmental Regulation of Polysialyltransferase Activity in the Chicken Embryo Brain

Abstract The properties and developmental regulation of vertebrate polysialyltransferase (PST), an enzyme activity responsible for extension of α2,8-linked sialic acid homopolymers (PSA) associated with the fifth Ig domain of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), have been studied. The assay for PST used exogenous NCAM as a substrate, with a PSA-specific endoneuraminidase as a control for specificity. Optimal conditions for PST activity at 37°C were found to be pH 6.0 in the presence of divalent cations (Mn, 20 mM). The enzyme K was found to increase with increasing polymer length, ranging from 0.7 to 0.07 μM. The developmental regulation both of PST activity and of the addition of PSA to NCAM were studied in chick whole brain, tectum, and cerebellum and found to be precisely coordinated. In each tissue PSA and PST were highest during early stages of morphogenesis, followed by a decrease as development reached completion. The insertion of the VASE exon in the fourth Ig domain of NCAM was also found to parallel closely the developmental down-regulation of PSA, and on this basis could be considered a potential determinant in the specific polysialylation of NCAM. However, in direct tests of this hypothesis in transfected cells the presence of VASE did not markedly alter the level of NCAM polysialylation or alter the affinity of PST for the NCAM substrate.
Chapter 8 The Role of Long-Time Correlation in Dissipative Adsorbate Dynamics on Metal Surfaces

Publisher Summary The motion of adsorbates on metal surfaces remains an area of active research as a result of its technological implications for a diverse set of processes such as catalysis, epitaxial growth, and self-assembly. The classical simulations of adsorbate dynamics on surfaces can be described by reduced-dimensional models and such models can provide insight into their qualitative—and sometimes quantitative—behavior. The chapter presents a biased glimpse of the current methods available to model surface diffusion and the problems that have been addressed with them. There are multiple and varied dynamical processes simultaneously occurring at metal surfaces. This poses great challenges for future simulations to consistently incorporate all of these simultaneous events in a unified approach. Moreover, while the separation of time and space scales on which some of these varied processes evolve sometimes allows for the use of adiabatic approximations, it also makes it a potentially daunting task to include them all within a single simulation.
Attempted syntheses of tricyclo[3.3.0.03,7]octan-2-one

Abstract Potential routes for the synthesis of tricyclo[3.3.0.03,7]octan-2-one have been investigated. Treatment of keto tosylate VIII with potassium t-butoxide gave high-molecular weight materials and a mixture of acids IXa and IXb. Treatment of bromoketone XIV with sodium methoxide in DMSO led to XV; under identical conditions XIII produced the methoxy ketal XVI. In refluxing pyridine, XIII and XIV both underwent elimination to give XI and XVII.
Statistical Power Analysis

Statistical power refers to the probability of rejecting a false null hypothesis (i.e., finding what the researcher wants to find). Power analysis allows researchers to determine adequate sample size for designing studies with an optimal probability for rejecting false null hypotheses. When conducted correctly, power analysis helps researchers make informed decisions about sample size selection. Statistical power analysis most commonly involves specifying statistic test criteria (type I error rate), desired level of power, and the effect size expected in the population. This article outlines the basic concepts relevant to statistical power, factors that influence power, how to establish the different parameters for power analysis, and determination and interpretation of the effect size estimates for power. I also address innovative work such as the continued development of software resources for power analysis and protocols for designing for precision of confidence intervals (aka, accuracy in parameter estimation). Finally, I outline understudied areas such as power analysis for designs with multiple predictors, reporting and interpreting power analyses in published work, designing for meaningfully sized effects, and power to detect multiple effects in the same study. Keywords: power; effect size; sample size; accuracy in parameter estimation
ADESSA: A Real-Time Decision Support Service for Delivery of Semantically Coded Adverse Drug Event Data

Evaluating medications for potential adverse events is a time-consuming process, typically involving manual lookup of information by physicians. This process can be expedited by CDS systems that support dynamic retrieval and filtering of adverse drug events (ADE’s), but such systems require a source of semantically-coded ADE data. We created a two-component system that addresses this need. First we created a natural language processing application which extracts adverse events from Structured Product Labels and generates a standardized ADE knowledge base. We then built a decision support service that consumes a Continuity of Care Document and returns a list of patient-specific ADE’s. Our database currently contains 534,125 ADE’s from 5602 product labels. An NLP evaluation of 9529 ADE’s showed recall of 93% and precision of 95%. On a trial set of 30 CCD’s, the system provided adverse event data for 88% of drugs and returned these results in an average of 620ms.
Review Essay: The Construction of Networks as Technologies of the Social Self

Tanja PAULITZ untersucht aus einer konstruktivistischen Mikroperspektive Technikentwicklungsprozesse im Feld der Vernetzungstechnologien. Das Kernthema der innovativen Studie ist die Bestimmung des Verhaltnisses von (technischer) Vernetzung und Subjektivitat. Vernetzung und Subjektivierung stehen dabei nicht in einem Verhaltnis instrumenteller Nutzung, sondern in einer produktiven Wechselbeziehung. PAULITZ' Arbeit nimmt eine Herstellungsperspektive ein, die ihr Hauptaugenmerk einerseits auf die Frage nach der sozialen Konstruktion von Subjektivitat im Internet und andererseits aber auch auf die Subjektivitatskonzepte richtet, die der Konstruktion des Netzes – und den darin inharenten produktiven Machtwirkungen – zugrunde liegen. Die Pointe des Buches liegt in dem Versuch, Vernetzungstechnologien im Sinne FOUCAULTs als Technologien des Selbst zu begreifen. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0702252
Winning and Losing Candidate Advantage in Local Elections

Elections are intended to provide voters a means of exercising control over public policy, but the implications of some empirical studies are that variables having little policy rele vance are often important in understanding electoral outcomes. This study examines the relative impact of incumbency, candidate social status, method of recruitment, and electoral context to see whether they outweigh policy-relevant traits of candidates in deter mining success in a set of local school board elections. Opposition proves to be largely a function of incumbency, but in contested races policy-oriented variables appear to play a key role in determining outcomes.
Distribution and influence of convection in the tropical tropopause region

[1] A global analysis of convective cloud in the tropical tropopause region (12–17 km) is presented. The analysis is based on high-resolution global imagery of cloud brightness temperatures from satellites and from contemporaneous reanalysis temperatures. The coverage by deep convection decreases nearly exponentially with increasing altitude in the tropopause region. Convection is found at temperatures colder than the tropical cold point tropopause over 0.5% (±0.25%) of the tropics. Convection rarely penetrates more than 1.5 km above the tropopause. Large-scale relationships between cold tropopause temperatures and deep convection indicate that where the tropopause is coldest convection penetrates most frequently. Small-scale relationships show that the coldest diurnal tropopause temperatures occur after the diurnal peak in deep convection at tropopause levels over land. The coverage by deep convection is used to estimate the mass exchange or turnover time due to convection in the tropopause region. This turnover time is of the order of weeks at 12 km but increases to longer than a year at 18 km, with significant uncertainties in the tropopause region. INDEX TERMS: 3314 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Convective processes; 3362 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Stratosphere/ troposphere interactions; 0341 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphereconstituent transport and chemistry (3334); KEYWORDS: tropical convection, stratospheretroposphere exchange
Sexual and marital relationships after radiotherapy for seminoma

Questionnaires on sexual function, marital status, and fertility were returned by 84 men who received radiotherapy for seminoma (Stage I, II, or III). The mean length of follow-up was ten years. Although 93 per cent were married, 19 per cent had low rates of sexual activity, 12 per cent reported low sexual desire, 15 per cent had erectile dysfunction, 10 per cent had difficulty reaching orgasm, and 14 per cent had premature ejaculation. The most common problems were reduced intensity of orgasm (33%) and reduced semen volume (49%). Twenty-one men remained childless, and 30 per cent of men worried at least occasionally about infertility. Thirteen children were conceived after cancer therapy. The data suggest that sexual dysfunction and infertility are important concerns for a subgroup of men treated for seminoma.
A high temperature lattice parameter and dilatometer study of the defect structure of nonstoichiometric cerium dioxide

Abstract The defect structure of CeO 2− x has been investigated over the composition range from CeO 2 to CeO 1.8 and 900°C using the combined techniques of high temperature dilatometric length change and X-ray lattice parameter measurements. The oxygen partial pressure associated with the nonstoichiometric composition was controlled by passing different ratios of H 2 /He mixtures through a constant temperature water bubbler and was monitored constantly with a YSZ oxygen sensor. The difference between the percent expansion for the dilatometric and X-ray lattice parameter measurements was zero, which indicated that the predominant defects of the CeO 2- x are oxygen vacancies.
What Happens to Incumbents in Scandals

One key role of elections is to allow voters to remove politicians who perform poorly in office. We analyze the extent to which incumbents who are involved in relatively serious political scandals lose elections. More importantly, we assess the relative importance of primary and general elections in removing such incumbents. How often do incumbents involved in relatively serious scandals lose in the primary election? How often do they lose in the general election? How often is it the case that the primary election was probably necessary in order to remove the incumbent — i.e., would the incumbents in "safe districts" have been re-elected in the general election if they did not lose in the primary? We find that that incumbents in scandals are more likely to face a serious primary challenger compared to other incumbents. This relationship is even stronger when the incumbent represents a "safe district" — i.e., a district where she would probably have won the general election. Our estimates suggest that primary elections have an important role in removing incumbents in otherwise "safe districts."
Ciceronian Wit and Renaissance Rhetoric

Abstract: The contribution of Cicero9s discussion of facetiae in the De oratore to Renaissance rhetoric and literature has been consistently undervalued. This article presents evidence that Cicero9s theory and practice of wit were important in Italy, Germany, France and England in at least three areas: manuals of rhetoric and poetics; a variety of other theoretical works; and compilations of jokes and “wise sayings”
MUSTER: Improving protein sequence profile-profile alignments by using multiple sources of structure information.

We develop a new threading algorithm MUSTER by extending the previous sequence profile-profile alignment method, PPA. It combines various sequence and structure information into single-body terms which can be conveniently used in dynamic programming search: (1) sequence profiles; (2) secondary structures; (3) structure fragment profiles; (4) solvent accessibility; (5) dihedral torsion angles; (6) hydrophobic scoring matrix. The balance of the weighting parameters is optimized by a grading search based on the average TM-score of 111 training proteins which shows a better performance than using the conventional optimization methods based on the PROSUP database. The algorithm is tested on 500 nonhomologous proteins independent of the training sets. After removing the homologous templates with a sequence identity to the target >30%, in 224 cases, the first template alignment has the correct topology with a TM-score >0.5. Even with a more stringent cutoff by removing the templates with a sequence identity >20% or detectable by PSI-BLAST with an E-value 0.5. Dependent on the homology cutoffs, the average TM-score of the first threading alignments by MUSTER is 5.1-6.3% higher than that by PPA. This improvement is statistically significant by the Wilcoxon signed rank test with a P-value < 1.0 x 10(-13), which demonstrates the effect of additional structural information on the protein fold recognition. The MUSTER server is freely available to the academic community at http://zhang.bioinformatics.ku.edu/MUSTER.
Naked singularities, event horizons, and charged particles

The motion of charged test particles in a Reissner-Nordstr\"om field is investigated. It is shown that naked singularities can be destroyed by shooting in suitably charged test particles to produce an event horizon around the source where none previously existed. It is also shown that existing event horizons cannot be destroyed by bombardment with charged test particles. In this manner existing naked singularities can be destroyed but not created while event horizons can be created but not destroyed. Furthermore, a simple explanation is given for radial test-particle oscillations---a phenomenon with no Newtonian analog.
Teaching Note---Revenue Management at Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.

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Deciding what to collect

Whether working in institutional archives or manuscript collecting repositories, archivists must consciously decide what to collect and preserve. Collecting policies for acquisition of manuscripts and archives are based on the institution’s mission and goals. The process involves donor relations, legal and fiscal concerns, and accurate recordkeeping. Archives cannot save everything. Once considered an almost routine process, defining an institutional collecting policy for manuscripts and archives has recently been challenged by postmodernists who contend that the decision of what to collect is not neutral or objective, but a mediated construct based on cultural values.
On monodromy groups of fixed genus

Abstract Let G be the monodromy group of a cover of the Riemann sphere by a compact connected surface of genus g. Assume that G is a primitive group with elementary abelian normal subgroup N. It is shown that for any finite genus g > 0, there exist only finitely many such groups by establishing a bound, linear in g, on the order pe of N. For genus g = 0, there are only finitely many such groups besides the well-known groups given by Zariski and Ritt.