cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction of mitochondrial elongation factor Tu with aminoacyl-tRNAs.

Abstract Elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) binds GTP and aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) forming a ternary complex which is delivered to the A-site of the ribosome. Animal mitochondrial tRNAs are quite unusual and lack many of the residues important for the stabilization of the structures of other tRNAs. The stabilities of the ternary complexes formed by mammalian mitochondrial and E. coli EF-Tu were determined with four bovine mitochondrial aa-tRNAs. The ternary complex with Phe-tRNAPhe has a Kd of about 75 nM. Equilibrium dissociation constants are tightest for the two native Ser-tRNA species (17 nM). Ternary complexes formed with the transcript of tRNASerAGY are 10-fold weaker than those formed with the native tRNA.
Neighborhood Revitalization and the Anchor Institution: Assessing the Impact of the University of Pennsylvania’s West Philadelphia Initiatives on University City

Universities are increasingly faced with central city decline; anchored by their assets—primarily real estate—and, sometimes, institutional missions, many have felt threatened by neighborhood deterioration. In response, several universities have intervened in neighborhood decline over the last two decades, initiating revitalization and physical improvement strategies. Since 1996, the University of Pennsylvania has been a leader in this work, investing in the West Philadelphia Initiatives (WPI) to address safety, vacancy, and disinvestment concerns. This study utilizes Census data to evaluate changes in the character of University City between 1990 and 2010. Analysis suggests that, contrary to popular belief, the neighborhood improved but did not gentrify. The story, however, does not end there. While the neighborhood did not gentrify as a whole, the portion served by the Penn-sponsored public K-8 school experienced drastic change. As the blocks inside the school’s catchment grew wealthier, more homogeneou...
The Coca Boom and Rural Social Change in Bolivia

The Coca Boom and Rural Social Change in Bolivia. Harry Sanabria. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1993.
Light treatment modalities for atopic dermatitis

Developments in phototherapy have resulted in a wide range of treatment options for atopic dermatitis, all of which have been found to be as effective as monotherapy or as an adjunct to other anti-inflammatory agents such as topical steroids. The newer modalities (i.e., UVA1, NB-UVB) have provided a better understanding of the mechanism by which phototherapy exerts its action at the cellular level. Factors to be considered in selecting a specific phototherapeutic modality include the severity of the disease, patient characteristics, risks, side effects, and practical issues such as cost of the procedure and accessibility of the light source.
Synergism in the design of interconnect alloy–coating combinations solid for oxide fuel cells

Abstract Metallic interconnects are attractive for solid oxide fuel cells, but typically require a ceramic coating to minimize chromium volatilization and the associated cathode poisoning. Interaction between the alloy and coating can lead to performance degradation, but also provides opportunities for modifying the composition of the alloy and/or coating for improved long-term performance. This paper contains a discussion of alloy–coating interactions and the use of these interactions in materials selection and design.
Paying for the baby boom generation's social security pensions: United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden

Abstract We compare four nations with respect to plans for dealing with the anticipated pension burden due to the retirement of the baby boom generation. We assess the merits of the pay-as-you-go as opposed to the partially funded approach to financing. Policy alternatives drawn from the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Germany are reviewed for their relevance to the United States. We conclude that the new German indexing formula or a recently proposed Swedish indexing formula, both of which emphasize intergenerational burden sharing, may make sense for the United States.
Temporal- and spatial-intensity-interferometer imaging through a random medium.

We present experimental and theoretical results which show that temporal-intensity interferometry can be used to image coherently illuminated objects through a moving random medium. This system is compared with a spatial-intensity-interferometer imaging system (SIS) described by Beard and Barnoski. We show that the angular resolution of the temporal-intensity-interferometer imaging system (TIS) and the SIS is the average angular size of a scatterer, as seen from the detector.
Quantum Field Theories in the Infinite-Momentum Frame. II. Scattering Matrices of Scalar and Dirac Fields

The scattering matrices of field theories formulated in the light-front quantization of the preceding paper are studied. Reduction formulas for scalar and Dirac particles are derived. The scattering matrices in this new formulation are shown to give the same predictions as in the equal-time formulation to all orders in perturbations. Second-order renormalization is carried out and it gives well-known results. New Feynman rules of the perturbation theory are given and their peculiarities are discussed.
Energy distribution of secondary organic ions

Abstract The energy distribution of secondary organic ions is analyzed in relation to various parameters important for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and fast-atom bombardment (FAB) experiments. The difference in the high-energy tails of peaks from organic ions compared with inorganics suggested that a direct knock-on mechanism plays a more important role with inorganics than with organic molecules. Application of the energy analyser as a selector for sample ions in SIMS/FAB experiments and a supressor for a matrix is demonstrated.
Animal models for bench to bedside translation of regenerative cardiac constructs

Abstract Investigators seeking to select an animal model for use in preclinical research studies prior to FDA submission for allograft heart valves have several types to choose from. Dogs, pigs, cattle, primates and sheep have all served as successful medium and large animal models, and their murine counterparts have also been integral in the advancement of replacement heart valve research. While the national and international regulatory bodies have not specified a universal animal model for use in preclinical research studies, the ovine and porcine models have become the frontrunners within the peer-reviewed literature. Sheep are an excellent model of bioprosthetic valve calcification, with a robust mineralization response that mimics observations of human clinical disease progression, while swine are the model of choice for valves which pose a risk of thrombotic events. In the rapidly advancing field of tissue engineered cardiovascular products, dogs, primates, rodents, sheep and pigs are all valuable models for the study of scaffold remodeling and recellularization. Once an animal model has been chosen, investigators are recommended to consult with the FDA via submission of a Request for Designation in order to identify the type of product and the appropriate Center to which the product should be submitted. Additionally, the investigator should outline a risk analysis plan that categorizes the failure modes of the product, as well as design an in vivo pre-clinical safety and performance study that will capture data applicable to the assessment of the failure modes enumerated in the risk analysis.
Using Field Sketch Mapping to Teach Basic Mapping Concepts in Elementary School Geography

Abstract Field mapping is a useful way to introduce a number of mapping concepts to elementary school students. Concepts such as scale and distance are difficult to comprehend when presented using wall maps. Sketch maps allow the students to make measurements themselves and see how to use those measurements to make a map. This paper describes a field sketch mapping project conducted with a sixth grade class. The project involved selecting appropriate sites around the school to map, organizing the students, and instructing them about measuring distances and drawing their maps. Organization and preparation were important elements. Students enjoyed the mapping exercise. They were able to make reasonably accurate measurements, they got to see how scale relates ground distances to map distances, and they experienced creating a map from a blank sheet of paper and a simple set of measurements.
Cardiac catheterization and febrile episodes.

The incidence of unexplained fever following cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography in 122 infants and children was 36 per cent. The temperature, generally below 39° C., occurred within 12 hours of the procedure and lasted less than 24 hours. Causes of fever other than operative response should be sought when fever occurs later and lasts longer. Fever was related to the number of angiocardiograms. Bacteremia was not identified by blood cultures from a site other than that for catheter insertion. Antibiotic prophylaxis did not prevent fever. Provided that strict aseptic techniques are observed, antibiotic prophylaxis in unnecessary for cardiac catheterization.
Assessing the Political Economy Factors on Trade Integration : Rules of Origin under NAFTA

Rules of origin (RoO) are legitimate policy instruments to prevent trade deflection in a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) short of a customs union....
MacPherson strut kinematics

Abstract The MacPherson strut automotive suspension is modeled as a three-dimensional kinematic mechanism. Developed are a linearized position analysis and a nonlinear position analysis. The results of these analyses are compared for a representative geometry. Also developed for the mechanism are a velocity analysis and an acceleration analysis.
Analysis of the role of ZEB1 in the pathogenesis of posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy.

PURPOSE. To determine how nonsense mutations in the transcription factor ZEB1 lead to the development of posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy type 3 (PPCD3). METHODS. Whole-cell extracts were obtained from cultured human corneal epithelial cells (HCEpCs) as a source of ZEB1 protein. DNAbinding assays were performed using the whole-cell extract and oligonucleotide probes consisting of the two conserved E2-box motifs and surrounding nucleotides upstream of COL4A3. ZEB1 and COL4A3 mRNA expression in primary human corneal endothelial cells (HCEnCs) was assayed in both PPCD3 and control corneas by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry was used to localize ZEB1 and COL4A3 expression in normal human cornea. RESULTS. Electromobility shift assays (EMSAs) and competition EMSAs demonstrated binding of protein(s) in the cultured HCEpCs to the E2-box motifs in the probes. The supershift EMSA confirmed that ZEB1, demonstrated to be present in the whole-cell extracts, binds to both the proximal and distal E2-box motifs in the COL4A3 promoter region. Both COL4A3 and ZEB1 are expressed in normal HCEnCs, although in PPCD3, ZEB1 expression is decreased and COL4A3 expression is increased compared with levels of both genes in healthy control corneas.
Quantitative Analysis Of Transmitted Images

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF TRANSMITTED IMAGESJames H. Steele, Jr.Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, VirginiaIntroductionQuantitative morphological analysis ofthe structure of biological materials or sys-tems is generally carried out from observa-tions made upon thin histological sections.The stereological problem involved in thistype of analysis is the statistical relation-ship between measurements made on transmittedimages and the morphology of the structure.The section is thus a statistical sample ofthe structure from which transmitted imagesare formed using optical or electron micros-copy, radiography, autoradiography, or othertechniques. These images contain projectionsof the structural features cut by or con-tained within the thin sample, and thus aresignificantly different from reflected lightimages which can usually be assumed to approx-imate true two - dimensional samples of thestructure. The stereological problems asso-ciated with the quantitative analysis ofmorphology from transmitted images will beconsidered in this paper.The majority of stereological equationswhich will be discussed have been derived inthe literature at least once and thus deriva-tions will not be included for all equations.Some discussion of the basic relations andterms will be presented to serve as an intro-duction and provide a guide for applyingstereological procedures in quantitativeimage analysis. It is hoped that this arti-cle will present a clear and useful distinc-tion between transmitted and reflected imageanalysis and interpretation. The assumptionsand limitations associated with the equationspresented will be given to assist in theselection of appropriate image measurementsand in evaluating their results.Several comprehensive books have beenpublished on stereological analyses (Ref. 1,2, and 3). A review article by Weibel(Ref. 4) is recommended for bio- medical sci-entists who may not be familiar with stereo -logical techniques. References to theoriginal publications of the equations willnot be given as most of them can be found inRef. 4. Also, Elias (Ref. 5) has recently
EFFECT OF PRERIGOR PROCESSING ON THE OXIDATIVE RANCIDITY OF GROUND LIGHT AND DARK PORCINE MUSCLES

The extent of oxidative rancidity developed during storage of ground samples of light and dark porcine semitendinosus muscles has been estimated with the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test. The prooxidant effect of NaCl was observed in both pre- and postrigor ground and salted samples but the prerigor samples were much less susceptible to lipid oxidation over a 10-day storage period. Unsalted samples ground in the prerigor state were also less susceptible to autoxidation than similarly ground postrigor muscles. When prerigor ground and salted samples were stored in bags purged with nitrogen, the rate of rancidity development was greater than when such samples were stored in atmospheric oxygen. Prerigor oxygenated light muscle samples were more susceptible to oxidation than the dark muscles and vice versa for postrigor oxygenated samples. No differences due to muscle type were observed in samples stored in nitrogen. The partial inhibition of the prooxidant effect of NaCl observed with prerigor grinding and salting is suggested to be the result of an induced high ultimate pH. The improved stability of unsalted ground prerigor muscle as compared to similarly treated postrigor muscle may also reflect a limited pH decline.
The action of bacteriophage T4 ghosts on Escherichia coli and the immunity to this action developed in cells preinfected with T4.

Abstract Wild-type Escherichia coli and a thermosensitive cell division (snake-forming) mutant were examined for killing and inhibition of protein synthesis by ghosts of bacteriophage T4. Although in both hosts these ghost-mediated effects followed single-hit kinetics, the probability of killing by a single ghost particle was greatly reduced in the much longer divisionless cells. In contrast, the inhibition of protein synthesis was similar in both hosts. Ghosts act also on DNA-less minicells as evidenced by the inhibition of leucine uptake after ghost infection. Preinfection of E. coli with wild-type T4 renders the host cell immune to the effects of superinfecting ghosts. This immunity against ghosts is dependent upon protein synthesis and, under optimal conditions, becomes complete after 2.5–3 min. Evidence is presented suggesting that the immunity reaction does not follow one-hit kinetics in the divisionless mutant. A rapid method has been developed for screening mutants of T4 for the inability to to protect host cells against superinfecting ghosts. Various mutants were tested representing genes rII, 1, 30, 39, 41, 45, 46, 47, 52, 56, 58–61, 59, and 60. A single mutant of gene 39, amE142(39) was found to differ from all the others, including 21 mutants of the same gene, in that it failed to provide immunity.
A Prospective Protocol-Based Trial of Darbepoetin Alfa Therapy to Correct the Early Anemia Following Renal Transplantation

Anemia is a common complication accompanying renal transplantation. The evaluation and therapy for posttransplant anemia (PTA) are not standardized and remain controversial. This was a prospective, protocol-driven attempt at early PTA evaluation and management by transplant nurse coordinators. Between 1 and 2 months posttransplantation, 75 consecutive recipients were evaluated for the presence and causes of anemia. Anemic patients were given standard doses of darbepoetin alfa (DA) for 3 months. Response to therapy and patient outcomes were evaluated over 15 months. Twenty-five (33%) of all patients were anemic, including 32% who were erythropoietin (EPO)-deficient and 68% with relative EPO resistance. No patient with early PTA showed an elevated EPO level or increased reticulocytes. Predisposing factors for early PTA included increased numbers of perioperative transfusions, deceased kidney donor, decrease reticulocyte count, and renal insufficiency. DA therapy corrected anemia in 20% of patients at 1 month and in 60% at 3 months. Patients unresponsive to standard DA doses were observed to display reduced renal function and new onset iron deficiency. Patients with prolonged PTA may represent a high-risk population requiring more intensive medical supervision. Nurses were able to efficiently direct DA therapy with only 1.7% protocol violations.
Necessary and sufficient conditions for linear suboptimality in constrained optimization

This article is devoted to the study of some extremality and optimality notions that are different from conventional concepts of optimal solutions to optimization-related problems. These notions reflect certain amounts of linear subextremality for set systems and linear suboptimality for feasible solutions to multiobjective and scalar optimization problems. In contrast to standard notions of optimality, it is possible to derive necessary and sufficient conditions for linear subextremality and suboptimality in general nonconvex settings, which is done in this article via robust generalized differential constructions of variational analysis in finite-dimensional and infinite-dimensional spaces.
Feared consequences, fixity of belief, and treatment outcome in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

In this study we examined the degree to which the presence of feared consequences and poor insight into obsessive-compulsive symptoms influenced the efficacy of behavior therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). We also examined whether beliefs associated with patients' obsessions changed following treatment. Twenty OCD patients, with and without articulated feared consequences, received treatment by exposure and response (ritual) prevention (EX/RP). Patients' degree of insight into the senselesseness of their obsessional beliefs was measured. Those who articulated fears of disastrous consequences tended to benefit more from EX/RP than those who did not express such fears. However, patients who were extremely certain that their feared consequences would occur evidenced poorer outcome than patients with mild or moderate certainty, despite the reduction of such certainty at posttest.
The neural basis of atrial fibrillation

Abstract This review addresses recent basic and clinical studies which suggest that targeting autonomic nerves and ganglia on the heart can result in suppression of atrial fibrillation (AF) with less damage to myocardium than the presently employed procedure which involves extensive pulmonary vein (PV) isolation from the rest of the left atrium. Clinical studies Clinical electrophysiologists in 1998 discovered that the majority of patients with paroxysmal form of AF, resistant to drugs and cardioversion, had focal, ectopic firing arising from the myocardial sleeves covering the PVs. They developed a strategy which called for inducing radiofrequency lesions which would supposedly isolate the PVs from the atria thereby curing this form of AF. To date this strategy has had limited success (70-85%). A new approach relies on targeting the ganglionated plexi (GP) at the entrances of the PVs. Several clinical reports provide evidence that this new approach can increase the success rate for radiofrequency ablation of paroxysmal AF (91-99%). Basic studies Experimental investigations in animal studies, both in vivo and in vitro, have accumulated evidence for a mechanistic basis for the ablation of GP to terminate paroxysmal AF. Specifically, release of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, from these GP causes shortening of atrial and PV sleeve refractoriness. In addition, the concomitant release of adrenergic neurotransmitters mobilizes excess calcium intracellularly leading to early afterdepolarizations and triggered firing particularly in PV cells. We conclude that hyperactivity of these local cardiac GP play a critical role in initiating the paroxysmal form of AF resistant to drugs and cardioversion. Targeting the GP for ablation can substantially increase the success rate for terminating AF in these patients.
FT-IR Spectroscopy: The Detection Of Pressure-Induced Changes In The Secondary Structure Of Proteins

The study of pressure-induced protein:protein interactions, and in particular the pressure-induced denaturation and dissociation of oligomeric proteins, has gained considerable interest in recent years. It is now well recognized that the protein transformation known under the general name of denaturation is a physical process which affects the three dimensional protein structure,leading to chain unfolding and/or refolding. Denaturation can be induced by changes in temperature or pressure, and by the addition of denaturing agents. The rationale for using pressure to study protein denaturation is that pressure variations at constant temperature only affect the volume of the protein, unlike the more commonly used temperature denaturation, which affects both the volume and the kinetic properties of the protein.
The effect of aspect ratio on the fatigue life of short boron fiber reinforced composites

The flexural fatigue characteristics of boron fiber reinforced epoxy were shown to be strongly dependent on the aspect ratio of the reinforcing fibers. These composites were evaluated in a stiffness limited, constant maximum stress mode. The failure mechanism was found to be a combination of interfacial failure and brittle rupture of the matrix at 45 deg to the axis of the fibers. These fatigue cracks result in debonding of the outer fibers, thereby reducing the effective moment of inertia of the specimen.
Area-, power-, and pin-efficient bus structures using multi-bit-differential signaling

This paper describes a new low-power, area-, and pin-efficient alternative to differential encoding for high-performance chip-to-chip and backplane signaling. The technique, called multi-bit-differential-signaling (MBDS), consists of a new design for the driver and link termination network coupled with a novel coding system based on "N choose M (nCm)" codes. In an nCm-coded MBDS channel, there are n physical interconnections over which all code symbols carry exactly m 1-bits. This property gives MBDS links signal-to-noise and transmission characteristics comparable to pair-wise differential links such as low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS). Moreover, MBDS is compatible with commercial LVDS receivers in point-to-point and multi-point bus topologies. However, because MBDS channels have a higher information density, they use up to 45% less power and up to 45% fewer I/O pads than equivalent differentially encoded buses.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Marriage, development, and the status of women in Kerala, India

This article explores the linkages between women's status and marriage in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Widely known as a progressive region, with high levels of social development despite poor economic growth, Kerala also fares exceptionally well in terms of standard indicators of female position. However, closer scrutiny of prevailing cultural mores, particularly in relation to marriage practices and family structure, reveals a less promising picture of entrenched inequality in relationships between women and men. Discriminatory inheritance rights, the widespread practice of dowry, and increasing violence against women all undermine women's status in Kerala.
Fabrication and measured performance of a first-generation microthermoelectric cooler

The measured performance of a column-type microthermoelectric cooler, fabricated using vapor-deposited thermoelectric films and patterned using photolithography processes, is reported. The columns, made of p-type Sb/sub 2/Te/sub 3/ and n-type Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3/ with an average thickness of 4.5 /spl mu/m, are connected using Cr/Au/Ti/Pt layers at the hot junctions, and Cr/Au layers at the cold junctions. The measured Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity of the thermoelectric films, which were deposited with a substrate temperature of 130/spl deg/C, are -74 /spl mu/V/K and 3.6/spl times/10/sup -5/ /spl Omega/-m (n-type, power factor of 0.15 mW/K/sup 2/-m), and 97 /spl mu/V/K and 3.1/spl times/10/sup -5/ /spl Omega/-m (p-type, power factor of 0.30 mW/K/sup 2/-m). The cooling performance of devices with 60 thermoelectric pairs and a column width of 40 /spl mu/m is evaluated under a minimal cooling load (thermobuoyant surface convection and surface radiation). The average cooling achieved is about 1 K. Fabrication challenges include the reduction of the column width, implementation of higher substrate temperatures for optimum thermoelectric properties, and improvements of the top connector patterning and deposition.
OSS-1 - A pathfinder mission for space science on Shuttle

On the third Shuttle flight (STS-3), the Orbiter carried a payload of nine scientific instruments. The payload was designated OSS-1 because the program was originaly managed by the Office of Space Science. The OSS-1 objectives are discussed, taking into account the Plasma Diagnostics Package, a study concerned with vehicle charging and potential, the Thermal Canister Experiment, the Solar Flare X-ray Polarimeter, the Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor, the study of the influence of weightlessness on lignification in developing plant seedlings, the Microabrasion Foil Experiment, the Contamination Monitor Package, and a study of the characteristics of the Shuttle/Spacelab induced atmosphere. The OSS-1 payload was launched on STS-3 on March 22, 1982.
Different drugs arrest cells at a number of distinct stages in G2.

SEVERAL physical and chemical agents can induce susceptible mammalian cell populations to accumulate in the G2 phase of the cell cycle1–8. The question arises whether cells treated with different agents all accumulate at a single ‘restriction’ stage within G2 or, alternatively, stop at a variety of stages.
Critical study of B decays to light pseudoscalars

Motivated by the large branching ratios observed for the process B{r_arrow}{eta}{sup {prime}}K, we examine critically all the ingredients that go into estimates of B decays into two light pseudoscalars. Within the factorization approximation, we examine several assumptions on the input parameters that could have a strong bearing on the predictions. Among these are (i) the QCD scale {mu}, (ii) value of the form factors, (iii) value of the light quark masses, and in particular m{sub s}, (iv) the value {xi}=1/N{sub c}, and (v) charm content of {eta}{sup {prime}}. It is possible to account for all the data without invoking new physics, though future experiments will provide tighter constraints on the parameter space. We find that CP violating asymmetries are in the observable range for some modes. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Explaining Success and Failure in the 1998 Midterm Elections: Comparing the Influence of Swing Voters and Core Party Supporters

In the aftermath of a disappointing showing in the 1998 midterm elections, Republican party leaders and strategists have been debating what went wrong on November 3, and what the party needs to do differently in the future. Two competing explanations for the election results appear to be emerging from this debate (Berke 1998). According to one explanation, favored by party moderates, Republicans lost ground in 1998 because moderate and independent swing voters were alienated by the party's conservative image and by the partisan tone of the presidential impeachment inquiry. The lesson to be learned from the 1998 elections, according to the proponents of this theory, is that the GOP needs to move toward the center and seek compromises with moderate Democrats. In sharp contrast, some conservatives attribute Republican losses in the midterm elections to their party's failure to energize its partisan and ideological base. In order to be successful, these conservatives argue, the GOP needs to mobilize a larger proportion of its base by taking clear positions on issues and aggressively pursuing a conservative agenda. One way to test the validity of these competing theories is to examine data from the 1998 voter exit polls. These polls were conducted in every state holding a Senate or gubernatorial election except Alaska and Hawaii (CNN 1998).
Congenital heart disease in a cohort of 19,502 births with long-term follow-up

The Child Health and Development Studies are longitudinal studies of pregnancy and the normal and abnormal development of the offspring. Women who were membres of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan entered the study in early pregnancy, and their children were examined frequently until the youngest child in the study was 5 years old. This is a more intensive follow-up than hitherto reported. Of the 19,044 live-born children, 163 had definite and another 31 had possible congenital heart disease; the crude incidence rates per 1,000 live births were 8.8 for definite congenital heart disease and 10.4 for definite plus possible congenital heart disease. The incidence rate of congenital heart disease was 7.9 percent among all stillborn fetuses subjected to autopsy and 10.2 percent among those in this group with autopsies evaluated as being detailed enough to detect heart disease. Among the live-born children with congenital heart disease, 21 died in the neonatal period and 22 died in later infancy and childhood; about half the deaths were judged to have been due to heart disease. About 30 percent of the children with congenital heart disease had associated severe anomalies of other systems. In the whole cohort, 50 children had diagnosed chromosomal abnormalities (2.63/1,000 live births) and about 30 percent of them had congenital heart disease. Among the group of 163 children with definite congenital heart disease, the diagnosis was made in 46 percent by age 1 week, in 88.3 percent by age 1 year and 98.8 percent by age 4 years.
The great dry fog of 1783

A persistent dry haze hung over Europe during the second half of 1783. Spawned by the Laki basalt fissure eruption in southern Iceland, this fog evoked much contemporary written commentary, from which the course of events is here reconstructed in a quantitative way. It was the densest European dry fog since the late Middle Ages, and it lay primarily in the troposphere. Spreading broadly toward the south and east, it nevertheless remained mostly confined to the North Atlantic, western Eurasia, and the Arctic. Previously it was believed by many to have risen to the middle stratosphere and to have blanketed much of North America. Composed of sulfuric-acid aerosols, its total mass reached about 200 megatons, as determined from its observed optical thickness. Several authors have pointed out that it may have been responsible for the cold winter of 1783–84, which caused much economic and social distress in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere. As the earliest dry fog to be studied scientifically, it remains the paradigm even today and poses an interesting challenge to climate modelers.
A Model of Growth and Form Based on Adhesion Molecules

Abstract A model is given for the generation of pattern and form in living systems, based on the assumption of two types of a single adhesion molecule that form homotypic cell-cell contacts. The time dependence of the model is different from that of the Turing models, instead viewing the change in time as being driven by the change in time of the total area A , along with the sequential gene activation which is called into play at discrete times as the organism grows and changes shape. Two equations are derived on the assumption of an energy minimum equilibrium being achieved at all times on a scale that is short compared with the rate of change over time of the total area. The two equations derived from the simple assumptions of the model are the (nonlinear) Helmholtz equation and the Laplace equation. It is argued that a suitable “morphogen” should attempt to satisfy certain rather specific conditions.
Studies on ventilation of Caiman crocodilus (Crocodilia: Reptilia).

The ventilatory mechanics of freely moving Cui~~un crouxlilus were studied by cinefluorcscopy and electromyography. The buccal oscillations serve only to flush the internal nares in olfactton. Ventila- tions are coincident with abdominal oscillations. The larynx ordinarily lies adpressed to the internal nares so that the posterior buccal chamber is excluded from the path of air flow during ventilation and does not contribute to respiratory dead space. The pulmonary pressures may be variably polyphasic and the tracheal flows diphasic. Exhalation involves an anterior shift of the liver by action of the transverse abdominal muscles, while inhalation pro- ceeds due to contraction of the diaphragmatic muscle pulling the liver caudad. The various costal muscles facilitate air flow by shifting the position of the ribs. They also play a role in fixation of the flexible rib cage so that it resists the aspirating and compressing actions of the hepatic piston. The pattern of muscular activity shifts as the trunk is immersed; expiration becomes passive and inspiration requires increased muscular effort, The ribs, instead of changing position with each breath are comparatively fixed by the costal muscles, while changes in the volume of the pleural cavity are caused almost exclusively by movements of the hepatic piston.
A Place Where I Can Let My Hair Down: from social club to cultural center in an urban Indian community

The "Riverton" Indian Center was established in the 1950s as large numbers of Native Americans migrated to the city from reservations around the Great Lakes and beyond, and underwent significant changes throughout the second half of the twentieth century. These changes, and the conflicts that resulted from them, were shaped by far larger political–economic and cultural forces: on the one hand, River ton's economy, along with the economies of many midsized cities in the Great Lakes region—was undergoing rapid deindustrialization with devastating consequences to local residents, including American Indians; on the other hand, social and cultural changes in the U.S., starting in the 1960s, made Native Americans—or at least a romanticized image of Native Americans—increasingly popular with non-Natives. These forces converged to create the three distinct phases in the Riverton Indian Center's history, each associated with a particular age cohort—a trajectory that might well be typical of deindustrializing cities in the Great Lakes region. [American Indians; community and identity; deindistrialivng cities; Upper Great Lakes region]
Cesarean childbirth in New York state: trends and directions.

: During 1987 the New York State Department of Health prepared a report that showed trends in cesarean childbirth from 1970 through 1986 and analyzed related factors for the period 1984–1986. As a result, a joint task force was formed consisting of members of the state health department, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Hospital Association of New York State. The task force met regularly through 1988 to discuss obstetric care in New York state. These discussions led to a joint education and research project intended to improve the understanding of the patterns of obstetric care in the state, to assess a method of quality-of-care review of obstetric programs to improve maternal and fetal outcomes, and to establish an educational framework within this review process. The project will continue through June 1990, when recommendations will be made leading to a more formal, continuing review process for ongoing improvements in quality of obstetric care and institutional management.
Twice daily i.v. bolus tacrolimus infusion for GVHD prophylaxis in children undergoing stem cell transplantation

Twice daily i.v. bolus tacrolimus infusion for GVHD prophylaxis in children undergoing stem cell transplantation
Small-Molecule Inhibitors of toxT Expression in Vibrio cholerae

ABSTRACT Vibrio cholerae, a Gram-negative bacterium, infects humans and causes cholera, a severe disease characterized by vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms are primarily caused by cholera toxin (CT), whose production by V. cholerae is tightly regulated by the virulence cascade. In this study, we designed and carried out a high-throughput chemical genetic screen to identify inhibitors of the virulence cascade. We identified three compounds, which we named toxtazin A and toxtazin B and Bʹ, representing two novel classes of toxT transcription inhibitors. All three compounds reduce production of both CT and the toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP), an important colonization factor. We present evidence that toxtazin A works at the level of the toxT promoter and that toxtazins B and Bʹ work at the level of the tcpP promoter. Treatment with toxtazin B results in a 100-fold reduction in colonization in an infant mouse model of infection, though toxtazin A did not reduce colonization at the concentrations tested. These results add to the growing body of literature indicating that small-molecule inhibitors of virulence genes could be developed to treat infections, as alternatives to antibiotics become increasingly needed. IMPORTANCE V. cholerae caused more than 580,000 infections worldwide in 2011 alone (WHO, Wkly. Epidemiol. Rec. 87:289-304, 2012). Cholera is treated with an oral rehydration therapy consisting of water, glucose, and electrolytes. However, as V. cholerae is transmitted via contaminated water, treatment can be difficult for communities whose water source is contaminated. In this study, we address the need for new therapeutic approaches by targeting the production of the main virulence factor, cholera toxin (CT). The high-throughput screen presented here led to the identification of two novel classes of inhibitors of the virulence cascade in V. cholerae, toxtazin A and toxtazins B and Bʹ. We demonstrate that (i) small-molecule inhibitors of virulence gene production can be identified in a high-throughput screen, (ii) targeting virulence gene production is an effective therapeutic strategy, and (iii) small-molecule inhibitors can uncover unknown layers of gene regulation, even in well-studied regulatory cascades.
Alternative wavelengths for optically pumped alkali lasers

As pump intensity in Diode Pumped Alkali Lasers (DPAL) is scaled to more than 100 times threshold, several nonlinear optical processes are encountered including two photon absorption and stimulated Raman scattering. A pulsed, optically pumped potassium laser with pump intensities exceeding 1 MW/cm2 has been demonstrated with output intensities exceeding 100 kW/cm2, requiring helium buffer gas pressures above 3 atm. At low pressure Stimulated Electronic Raman Scattering (SERS) has been observed in the same system. Indeed, second and third order SERS has been observed from the DPAL upper laser level. Two-photon absorption at wavelengths near then DPAL pump transition has also been observed and used to demonstrate lasing in the blue and mid infrared. Lasing in the blue has also been achieved by direct excitation of the second excited 2P3/2 level in Cs.
Cue selection in paired-associate and concept- learning paradigms.

Instrumental reward experiment using concept learning paradigm with word-color compounds as stimuli
Magnetic monopoles with Zn charges

Abstract Under some circumstances magnetic monopoles can be formed with charges which are additive modulo n. We speak of these as monopoles with Zn charges. The conditions under which such monopoles arise are examined, and illustrated with some specific examples. These monopoles can be produced at intermediate stages of symmetry breakdown and converted at subsequent stages to ones with ordinary additive charges, specified by the group Z ≡ Z∞. Simultaneously, new light monopoles with n times the Dirac charge can be produced. It is argued that such monopoles may be exempt from the most stringent cosmological bounds, and hence may be easiest to observe.
Ion bombardment-induced subsurface composition modifications in alloys at elevated temperatures

Abstract Modifications of subsurface alloy composition during high-temperature sputtering were studied using a comprehensive kinetic model that Includes Gibbsian adsorption, preferential sputtering, displacement mixing, radiation-enhanced diffusion, and radiation-induced segregation. Numerical solutions were obtained for a Cu-40 at.% Ni alloy under 5-keV Ar+ ion bombardment as functions of time and temperature. The model predictions are in good qualitative agreement with recent experimental measurements.
Stable and metastable states of human amylin in solution.

Patients with type II diabetes exhibit fibrillar deposits of human amylin protein in the pancreas. It has been proposed that amylin oligomers arising along the aggregation or fibril-formation pathways are important in the genesis of the disease. In a step toward understanding these aggregation pathways, in this work we report the conformational preferences of human amylin monomer in solution using molecular simulations and infrared experiments. In particular, we identify a stable conformer that could play a key role in aggregation. We find that amylin adopts three stable conformations: one with an α-helical segment comprising residues 9–17 and a short antiparallel β-sheet comprising residues 24–28 and 31–35; one with an extended antiparallel β-hairpin with the turn region comprising residues 20–23; and one with no particular structure. Using detailed calculations, we determine the relative stability of these various conformations, finding that the β-hairpin conformation is the most stable, followed by the α-helical conformation, and then the unstructured coil. To test our predicted structure, we calculate its infrared spectrum in the amide I stretch regime, which is sensitive to secondary structure through vibrational couplings and linewidths, and compare it to experiment. We find that theoretically predicted spectra are in good agreement with the experimental line shapes presented herein. The implications of the monomer secondary structures on its aggregation pathway and on its interaction with cell membranes are discussed.
Nucleosome core displacement in vitro via a metastable transcription factor-nucleosome complex

In order to function, transcription factors must compete for DNA binding with structural components of chromatin, including nucleosomes. Mechanisms that could be used in this competition have been characterized with the use of the DNA binding domain of the yeast GAL4 protein. The binding of GAL4 to a nucleosome core resulted in a ternary complex containing GAL4, the core histone proteins, and DNA. This ternary complex was unstable; upon the addition of nonspecific competitor DNA, it dissociated into either the original nucleosome core particle or GAL4 bound to naked DNA. Nucleosome core destabilization by GAL4 did not require a transcriptional activation domain. These data demonstrate the displacement of nucleosome cores as a direct result of binding by a regulatory factor. Similar mechanisms might affect the establishment of factor occupancy of promoters and enhancers in vivo.
A Cross-Ethnic Validity Study of the Shortform Assessment for Children (SAC):

Objective: This study examined the cross-ethnic measurement equivalence of the Shortform Assessment for Children (SAC) using a sample of 562 African American and 692 White children. Method: A prosp...
S-Methylthiocitrulline, a Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor, Protects against Malonate and MPTP Neurotoxicity

Abstract Nitric oxide may be a key mediator of excitotoxic neuronal injury in the central nervous system. In the present experiments we found that S -methylthiocitrulline, a relatively selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, produced significant neuroprotection against striatal lesions produced by malonate, and the protection was reversed by l -arginine but not by d -arginine. S -Methylthiocitrulline attenuated malonate-induced increases in 2,3- and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid/salicylate and 3-nitrotyrosine/tyrosine, which may be a consequence of peroxynitrite generation. S -Methylthiocitrulline significantly protected against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced depletions of dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and homovanillic acid. These findings provide further evidence that relatively selective inhibitors of neuronal NOS are neuroprotective in vivo and that they might therefore be useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Canine CYP2B11 metabolizes and is inhibited by anesthetic agents often co‐administered in dogs

Medetomidine is a well-established sedative and analgesic for dogs and cats. As a premedicant for anesthesia regimens that also include other agents, medetomidine can also provide a dose-sparing effect. While there are likely several reasons for the dose-sparing effect of medetomidine, the role of metabolic drug-drug interactions at the single enzyme level has not yet been examined. Using a panel of individually expressed canine cytochromes P450 cloned from beagle liver, this report demonstrates that medetomidine is an extremely potent CYP2B11 inhibitor (IC(50) < 10 nm) and that ketamine and midazolam are CYP2B11 substrates with high intrinsic clearances. These in vitro findings suggest that under some circumstances, medetomidine (i.e. 'perpetrator') may inhibit the metabolic clearance of some high metabolic clearance drugs (i.e. 'victims') with which it is commonly co-administered via the CYP2B11 pathway. However, as the dose-sparing effect of medetomidine premedication commonly results in anesthetic dose reduction, any increased plasma concentrations of victim drugs caused by medetomidine would still be lower than if no dose reduction had been made. Further studies are needed to characterize whether medetomidine possesses the potential to cause pharmacokinetic interactions. In conclusion, the ability of recombinant P450s to define canine-specific drug clearance pathways and P450 inhibitors should prove useful in identifying drug combinations that may require dose adjustments in dogs.
Review of Shakespeare's Othello (directed by Thomas Ostermeier), Schaubühne am Lehnitzer Platz, Berlin, 8 February 2011

In German director Thomas Ostermeier's recent staging of Othello at Berlin's Schaubuhne am Lehnitzer Platz, the demands of war swept Othello and his men to a sunny beach locale saturated with rauco...