cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protection against Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity by a Single Dose of Clofibrate: Effects on Selective Protein Arylation and Glutathione Depletion

Previous reports demonstrated that repeated administration of peroxisome proliferators protects against acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity in mice. This protection was associated with a decrease in APAP's selective protein arylation and glutathione depletion. This study was conducted to determine if a single dose of clofibrate (CFB), rather than repeated doses, would similarly prevent APAP toxicity. CD-1 male mice received a single dose of 500 mg CFB/kg and controls were given corn oil 24 hr prior to APAP challenge. After an 18-hr fast, mice were challenged with 800 mg APAP/kg (in 50% propylene glycol) and killed at 4 or 12 hr. Other mice similarly pretreated were killed without APAP challenge. The results showed that pretreatment with a single CFB dose significantly decreased APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. At 12 hr after APAP plasma sorbitol dehydrogenase activity and the severity of hepatocellular necrosis were decreased in CFB pretreated mice. Surprisingly, no differences in hepatic nonprotein sulfhydryl (NPSH) depletion or selective arylation of target proteins in cytosol were observed at 4 hr after APAP challenge. Neither did a single dose of CFB significantly alter hepatic NPSH content prior to APAP challenge. These results indicate that protection against APAP hepatotoxicity by CFB does not require repeated administration, and the absence of significant alterations in APAP's selective protein arylation or glutathione depletion suggests that the protection against APAP hepatotoxicity after a single treatment with CFB may differ mechanistically from the protection observed after repeated CFB dosing.
Spin physics with internal targets and the blast detector

The BLAST detector is presently under construction by an international collaboration of 11 institutions. A description of the detector and its present status are briefly presented. The initial scientific program calls for comprehensive measurements of the spin dependent electromagnetic response of the few body systems. The experiments are carried out with a recirculating, continuous polarized electron beam of up to 1 (GeV), polarized internal gas targets and the large acceptance magnetic detector. As examples, projected results in the accessible Q2-range are presented for the charge form factor of the neutron GEn and the T20 observable from elastic scattering off tensor polarized deuterium.
The emergence of a new international competitor in the commercial aircraft sector: The China syndrome

Abstract This paper examines China's emerging industrial and international trade potential within the commercial aerospace sector. Decades of industrial offset agreements between Western aerospace companies and Chinese subcontractors have endowed China with the technological fundamentals required to build commercial passenger jets. These offset agreements were designed to secure sales of Western-built aircraft to China, and often involved critical streams of knowledge transfer from prime contractors to Chinese suppliers. By now, China has acquired virtually all of the technological know-how to enter the commercial aircraft market on an internationally competitive basis. The implications for Western producers are presumably not bright, as China's unit costs are extraordinarily low. Further, it is clear that China's first regional jet has been designed to lead to a replacement for the Boeing 737. Looking to the future, I contend that China will challenge Airbus and Boeing in the market for medium-to-large passenger jets by the mid-2020s.
Purification and crystallization of rhizopuspepsin: the use of nickel chelation chromatography to select for catalytically active species.

Abstract A new method to obtain pure zymogen-derived peptidases is presented. The key strategy is to install a polyhistidine peptide tag on the N-terminus of the propeptide sequence of a zymogen. After expression, purification, and folding of the protein, autocatalytic posttranslational cleavage and filtration through a nickel affinity column gives pure, functional peptidase. This method takes advantage of the nickel affinity chromatography system that removes both zymogen peptide and nonfunctional folded peptidase without the need to use external enzymes to remove, often incompletely, the resulting fusion peptide. This technique was used to prepare the aspartic peptidase rhizopuspepsin. His-tagged rhizopuspepsinogen was expressed, and the desired protein was isolated as inclusion bodies and refolded. The proenzyme was purified by normal methods and then the relatively pure proenzyme was activated via intramolecular proteolysis at low pH. The propeptide and any inactive rhizopuspepsinogen were removed via affinity chromatography. This procedure yields a highly active rhizopuspepsin in 99% purity, which was demonstrated by PAGE, protein sequencing, and X-ray crystallography (1.5 A) of the isolated peptidase. A new fluorescent assay system is introduced for rhizopuspepsin, utilizing the substrate KPVSY(4-NO3-F)RL. The kinetics constants were Km = 3.4 μM ± 0.31 and kcat = 55 ± 1.0 s−1.
Attention funnel: omnidirectional 3D cursor for mobile augmented reality platforms

The attention funnel is a general purpose AR interface technique that interactively guides the attention of a user to any object, person, or place in space. The technique utilizes dynamic perceptual affordances to draw user attention "down" the funnel to the target location. Attention funnel can be used to cue objects completely out of sight including objects behind the user, or occluded by other objects or walls.An experiment evaluating user performance with the attention funnel and other conventional AR attention directing techniques found that the attention funnel increased the consistency of the user's search by 65%, increased search speed by 22%, and decreased mental workload by 18%. The attention funnel has potential applicability as a general 3D cursor or cue in a wide array of spatially enabled mobile and AR systems, and for applications where systems can support users in visual search, object awareness, and emergency warning in indoor and outdoor spaces.
(Hyper) local news aggregation: designing for social affordances

Being able to debate, reflect, form opinions, consider counter evidence and make informed decisions is a foundation of civic life in democratic societies. Government benefits from broad participation in collective decision making in terms of sustainable outcomes (e.g., greater consensus) and quality of life in our cities and communities. These collective decision making capabilities are undermined by a strange combination of diminishing (or extinct) local print media, especially local newspapers, and by its obverse, a plethora of information and communication opportunities that are scattered across numerous disparate and decentralized websites and resources (e.g., webpages, RSS feeds, social network software, email, listservs, podcasts, tweets). To address this problem, a number of news aggregators have emerged that capture local content from dispersed sites. To facilitate civic engagement, these sites also need to support social interaction and information exchange. In this paper we review the state of the art in local news aggregation in the US and their support for social affordances (social trust, networks and interaction) that are essential to civic participation. We present a prototype we have developed for local news aggregation that supports social affordances. We summarize briefly the design strategies and techniques (e.g., algorithms) we used to cluster topics and user generated content derived from existing local sources. The prototype should lead to a replicable model for other US communities.
Control of the intramolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition in a bis-stilbene macrocycle.

The intramolecular [2+2] photocyclization of a bis-stilbene macrocycle was studied. The reaction can be controlled by the insertion and removal of urea protecting groups. Upon UV-irradiation in both the solid state and DMSO solution, the free urea macrocycle undergoes a cis−trans photoisomerization that is followed by a [2+2] cycloaddition to afford a single product in high yield. The presence of the triazinanone urea protecting groups does not alter the cis−trans photoisomerization but greatly decreases the selectivity of the photocycloaddition step.
Studio History Revisited: The Case of the Universal Women

A decade ago, Janet Staiger edited a collection of mostly earlier work on the studio system that called for an overhaul of this critical genre. In her introduction, Staiger observes that “a sociolo...
A hybrid CMOS imager with sensing and energy harvesting capabilities

The design and test of an imager that can perform the tasks of sensing and energy harvesting is presented. The imager is based on hybrid pixels whose photodiodes that can be configured to work as photosensors or tiny solar cells. The hybrid pixels allow the imager to harvest energy in between frames or while it is in sleep mode. As a proof of concept a 32 × 16 array of hybrid pixels has been designed and fabricated in a standard 0.5 μm CMOS process. A charge pump to boost the inherently low voltage of the photodiodes when they work as solar cells was also designed. The charge pump employs flying capacitors to maximize the amount of energy that can be harvested. Measurement results show that up to 3 μW of power can be harvested from the array under indoor illumination conditions. Images acquired with the imager are presented.
Hindu Responses to Darwinism: Assimilation and Rejection in a Colonial and Post-Colonial Context

Hindu responses to Darwinism, like Christian, have run the gamut from outright rejection to fairly robust but limited accommodations of the Darwinian perspective. Despite certain features of Hindu thought such as the enormous time-scales of traditional cosmogonies that may suggest considerable affinity with modern notions of organic evolution, more often than not traditional assumptions have worked against deep engagement with Darwinism, allowing only for superficial assimilation at best. Three fundamental factors have affected Hindu responses to Darwinism: the great diversity within the tradition spanning evolutionist and creationist perspectives, the encounter with Darwinism in the late nineteenth century as part of an alien culture, and the fact that this encounter occurred within a colonial context. This essay explores the complex interactions of these three factors, beginning with the diversity within the ancient and classical cosmological traditions, followed by consideration of colonial developments and the emergence of four representative Hindu approaches to Darwinism: Modern Vedic Evolutionism, Anthropic Vedic Evolutionism, Reactionary Vedic Evolutionism, and Modern Vedic Creationism. The essay concludes by discussing various epistemological issues in the attempts of modern Hindu apologists to legitimize Vedic world views. These issues include the appeal to modern science to confirm traditional ideals and values, while simultaneously subordinating scientific method to spiritual means of knowledge, or rejecting scientific methodology with its inbuilt skepticism entirely.
Human Exposure to Endocrine-Active Chemicals: Hazard Assessment Problems

Industrial-derived endocrine disruptors or endocrine-active chemicals (EACs) have been identified and hypothesized to play a role in human disease. Most of the xeno-EACs which have been characterized bind to the estrogen receptor, aryl hydrocarbon receptor, or androgen receptor. Hazard and risk assessment of xeno-EACs is complicated by several factors which include the following: (i) humans are exposed to relatively high levels of natural EACs compared to xeno-EACs; (ii) very little information on the effects of metabolism, serum, and intracellular binding proteins on target cell uptake of EACs is known; (iii) humans are exposed to EAC mixtures and their interactive effects may be additive, antagonistic, or synergistic and also response- and tissue-specific; and (iv) individual EACs may be agonists/antagonists for more than one endocrine response pathway. Scientific-based hazard and risk assessment of both natural and xeno-EACs clearly requires more information on dietary intakes, target organ exposures, mechanisms of action, and interactive effects of mixtures.
Deliberate Insight in Team Creativity

Preliminary analysis of data collected from trained expert facilitators of ad hoc creative teams suggests that complex analytical techniques such as costed function modeling and decision criteria matrix may have far more impact upon a team's creative effectiveness than frequently researched measures such as idea quantity. An intriguing relationship in these data between complex creativity and the amount of time spent in evaluating ideas and planning their implementation seems to suggest that a shift in definitional focus from ideas to the insights which reveal those ideas may facilitate both research into team creativity and planning of more effective team problem solving.
Interaction of the FAFB-containing subunit with the Photosystem 1 core heterodimer

The structure of the predicted amino acid sequence in the FX domain of Photosystem 1 was studied by molecular modeling and a working hypothesis was developed for the functional interaction of PsaC with the core heterodimer. We propose that the intervening sequences between homologous cysteines in the FX cluster form two flexible loops and participate in the binding of PsaC, and that the arginine residues in the two surface-exposed loops may promote the interaction between the P700–FX core and the subunit. The model was tested experimentally; chemical modification of arginine residues in the P700–FX core using phenylglyoxal prevented reconstitution of the core with PsaC and PsaD after insertion of FeS clusters in vitro. Treatment of the P700–FX core with trypsin also prevented reconstitution of terminal electron transfer to FAFB, although neither treatments affected the electron transfer to FX as judged by flash kinetic spectrophotometry. Electron transfer in the P700–FAFB complex was not impaired by either phenylglyoxal or trypsin treatment indicating that the small subunit(s) protect the arginine residues that become chemically modified or cleaved. The data are consistent with the working model and point to additional experiments designed to identify the specific residues involved in the interaction between the P700–FX core and PsaC.
Imaging of endosome fusion in BHK fibroblasts based on a novel fluorimetric avidin-biotin binding assay.

A fluorescence assay of in vivo endosome fusion was developed and applied to define the kinetics of endosome fusion in baby hamster kidney (BHK) fibroblasts. The assay is based on an approximately 10-fold enhancement of the green fluorescence of BODIPY-avidin upon biotin binding. The BODIPY-avidin fluorescence enhancement occurred in 90% sensitivity for detection of endosome fusion. In avidin pulse (10 min) -chase-biotin albumin pulse (10 min) studies, both fused and unfused endosomes were identified; the fractions of avidin-labeled endosomes that fused with biotin-labeled endosomes were 0.48, 0.21, 0.16, and 0.07 for 0-, 5-, 10-, and 20-min chase times. Fitting of fusion data to a mathematical model of in vivo endosome fusion required the existence of an intermediate fusion compartment. Pulse-chase studies performed with biotin-transferrin to label the early/recycling endosomes indicated that after a 10-min chase, avidin-labeled endosomes reached a compartment that was inaccessible to biotin-transferrin. The assay was also applied to determine whether endosome fusion was influenced by temperature, pH (bafilomycin A1), second messengers (cAMP agonists, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, staurosporine), and growth-related factors (platelet-derived growth factor, genistein). The results establish a sensitive fluorescence assay to quantify the fusion of vesicular compartments in living cells.
Total synthesis of ionophores the monensin BC-rings via permanganate promoted stereospecific oxidative cyclization

Abstract Complex tetrahydrofuran 8, containing the elements of the BC-rings of monensin with four chiral centers, and functionalized for further elaboration, is synthesized via permanganate promoted stereospecific oxidative cyclization of an acyclic, achiral 1,5-diene precursor.
On quasiconformal deformations of the universal hyperbolic solenoid

We investigate the Teichmuller metric and the complex structure on the Teichmuller space \( \mathcal{T} \)(H∞) of the universal hyperbolic solenoid H∞. In particular, a version of the Reich-Strebel inequality for H∞ is obtained. As a consequence, we show that the Teichmuller type Beltrami coefficients determine unique geodesics in \( \mathcal{T} \)(H∞), and we compute the infinitesimal form of the Teichmuller metric. In addition, we show that a Beltrami coefficient is Teichmuller extremal if and only if it is infinitesimally extremal. Finally, we show that the Kobayashi metric on \( \mathcal{T} \)(H∞) equals the Teichmuller metric.
Interactions between acidic deposition and forest ecosystem processes

A literature review is given on papers describing possible effects of acidic deposition on single forest ecosystem processes.
The canon and comparative political thought

While explicitly exclusionary approaches toward the intellectual resources of non-Western regions of the world have been long studied and criticized, less attention has been shown toward the ways in which guiding themes and dominant points of reference culled from canonical authors continue to structure and limit thinking across cultural boundaries in less conspicuous ways. Accordingly, this article examines the importance of how the history of political theory, or the political theory canon, influences the emerging treatment of non-Western works in the field of comparative political thought. Focusing on two prominent narrators of the theory canon (Leo Strauss and Sheldon Wolin), I suggest the manner in which an uncritical embrace of their renderings of the history of political thought can pose problems for treatments of non-Western theoretical works. By way of illustration, I analyze the writings of particular commentators on medieval Islamic political thought who draw on Wolin and Strauss, respectively,...
A GPSS model of a queueing problem with complex decision making behavior

This paper covers in detail the simulation model as well as the associated GPSS computer program of a complex queueing problem. Complexity is manifested in terms of the use of the model as well as the model itself. The former pertains to experimental design aspects. The latter, on the other hand, refers to structural considerations (i.e., parallel queueing systems sharing resources) as well as decision making behavior concerning the allocation of these scarce resources (i.e., a batch arrival and service queue with two different forms of balking and reneging).Following a general description of the model and program, a detailed presentation of the segment of code which represents decision making is made. Then several significant program highlights are discussed. Finally the technical considerations of the use of the program in a research investigation are described.The paper is intended for seasoned users of simulation. These may either be research investigators or simulation practitioners who at one time or another have been challenged to bring together the modeling requirements of their problem with the modeling capabilities of GPSS.
Structures of the flavocytochrome p-cresol methylhydroxylase and its enzyme-substrate complex: gated substrate entry and proton relays support the proposed catalytic mechanism.

The degradation of the toxic phenol p-cresol by Pseudomonas bacteria occurs by way of the protocatechuate metabolic pathway. The first enzyme in this pathway, p-cresol methylhydroxylase (PCMH), is a flavocytochrome c. The enzyme first catalyzes the oxidation of p-cresol to p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, utilizing one atom of oxygen derived from water, and yielding one molecule of reduced FAD. The reducing electron equivalents are then passed one at a time from the flavin cofactor to the heme cofactor by intramolecular electron transfer, and subsequently to cytochrome oxidase within the periplasmic membrane via one or more soluble electron carrier proteins. The product, p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, can also be oxidized by PCMH to yield p-hydroxybenzaldehyde. The fully refined X-ray crystal structure of PCMH in the native state has been obtained at 2. 5 A resolution on the basis of the gene sequence. The structure of the enzyme-substrate complex has also been refined, at 2.75 A resolution, and reveals significant conformational changes in the active site upon substrate binding. The active site for substrate oxidation is deeply buried in the interior of the PCMH molecule. A route for substrate access to the site has been identified and is shown to be governed by a swinging-gate mechanism. Two possible proton transfer pathways, that may assist in activating the substrate for nucleophilic attack and in removal of protons generated during the reaction, have been revealed. Hydrogen bonding interactions between the flavoprotein and cytochrome subunits that stabilize the intramolecular complex and may contribute to the electron transfer process have been identified.
Incidence and mortality of interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis: A population-based study

Objective Interstitial lung disease (ILD) has been recognized as an important comorbidity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We undertook the current study to assess incidence, predictors, and mortality of RA-associated ILD. Methods We examined a population-based incidence cohort of patients with RA and a matched cohort of individuals without RA. All subjects were followed up longitudinally. The lifetime risk of ILD was estimated. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare the incidence of ILD between cohorts, to investigate predictors, and to explore the impact of ILD on survival. Results Patients with RA (n = 582) and subjects without RA (n = 603) were followed up for a mean of 16.4 and 19.3 years, respectively. The lifetime risk of developing ILD was 7.7% for RA patients and 0.9% for non-RA subjects. This difference translated into a hazard ratio (HR) of 8.96 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 4.02-19.94). The risk of developing ILD was higher in RA patients who were older at the time of disease onset, in male patients, and in individuals with more severe RA. The risk of death for RA patients with ILD was 3 times higher than in RA patients without ILD (HR 2.86 [95% CI 1.98-4.12]). Median survival after ILD diagnosis was only 2.6 years. ILD contributed approximately 13% to the excess mortality of RA patients when compared with the general population. Conclusion Our results emphasize the increased risk of ILD in patients with RA. The devastating impact of ILD on survival provides evidence that development of better strategies for the treatment of ILD could significantly lower the excess mortality among individuals with RA.
Facilitation of Sexual Receptivity by Ventromedial Hypothalamic Implants of the Antiprogestin RU 486

Abstract RU 486 is known primarily as an antagonist to progestins and glucocorticoids. However, RU 486 has also been shown to have agonistic progestational properties in biochemical and behavioral studies. In the current study, RU 486 was implanted directly into tim ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) to test for facilitative action on the receptive behavior of female ovariectomized Long-Evans rats primed with 5 μg of estradiol benzoate. Cannulae containing RU 486, progesterone (P), or empty cannulae were implanted 48 hr after estrogen priming. The lordosis quotient and the lordosis score were assessed 4 hr after the cannulae were lowered by a standardized test consisting of 10 mounts by a stimulus male. P and RU 486 significantly facilitated receptivity compared to blank implants in terms of lordosis quotient and lordosis score, with no significant difference between the hormone treatments. While only a single dose of each treatment was given in the current study, RU 486 facilitated lordosis when implanted to the VMH as well as progesterone in contrast to our previous results where the steroids were administered systemically.
Characterization of 8‐Epiprostaglandin F2α as aMarker of Amyloid β‐Peptide‐Induced Oxidative Damage

The amyloid beta-peptide (A beta) is a major component of the neuritic plaques that are a defining histological characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. A beta can be directly toxic and pro-inflammatory to cells in vitro. Numerous reports have shown that oxidative damage and reactive oxygen species play a role in A beta-mediated neurotoxicity. 8-Epiprostaglandin F2alpha (8-isoprostane) is a well characterized product of lipid peroxidation that is formed nonenzymatically in cell membranes following an oxidative insult. We report a time- and concentration-dependent increase in 8-isoprostane levels in rat hippocampal cultures treated with A beta(1-40) or hydrogen peroxide. As evidence that 8-isoprostane production is part of an A beta toxic pathway, alkaline-treated peptide, which shows minimal toxic activity, resulted in greatly attenuated 8-isoprostane production. Although the increase in 8-isoprostane levels preceded cell death, exogenously added 8-isoprostane had no cytotoxic effects. The antioxidants vitamin E and propyl gallate attenuated A beta-induced 8-isoprostane formation yet had no effect on A beta-induced lactate dehydrogenase release. Neither vitamin E nor propyl gallate had any effect on A beta's ability to adopt a beta-pleated sheet structure and deposit on cells as determined by thioflavine S fluorescence. We conclude that 8-isoprostane is an indicator of A beta-induced damage but not necessarily a mediator of A beta-induced neurotoxicity. Also, 8-isoprostane could be a useful marker for assessing oxidative damage in the CNS.
Recurrent networks with recursive processing elements: paradigm for dynamical computing

It was shown earlier that models of cortical neurons can, under certain conditions of coherence in their input, behave as recursive processing elements (PEs) that are characterized by an iterative map on the phase interval and by bifurcation diagrams that demonstrate the complex encoding cortical neurons might be able to perform on their input. Here we present results of numerical experiments carried on a recurrent network of such recursive PEs modeled by the logistic map. Network behavior is studied under a novel scheme for generating complex spatio-temporal input patterns that could range from being coherent to partially coherent to being completely incoherent. A nontraditional nonlinear coupling scheme between neurons is employed to incorporate recent findings in brain science, namely that neurons use more than one kind of neurotransmitter in their chemical signaling. It is shown that such network shave the capacity to 'self-anneal' or collapse into period-m attractors that are uniquely related to the stimulus pattern following a transient 'chaotic' period during which the network searches it state-space for the associated dynamic attractor. The network accepts naturally both dynamical or stationary input patterns. Moreover we find that the use of quantized coupling strengths, introduced to reflect recent molecular biology and neurophysiological reports on synapse dynamics, endows the network with clustering ability wherein, depending ont eh stimulus pattern, PEs in the network with clustering ability wherein, depending on the stimulus pattern, PEs in the network divide into phase- locked groups with the PEs in each group being synchronized in period-m orbits. The value of m is found to be the same for all clusters and the number of clusters gives the dimension of the periodic attractor. The implications of these findings for higher-level processing such as feature- binding and for the development of novel learning algorithms are briefly discussed.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Experiments on shock/vortex interactions

The interaction between a shock wave and a supersonic streamwise vortex is a fundamental fluid-dynamics problem with numerous practical applications. This paper describes an experimental study of this phenomenon. In particular, supersonic streamwise vortices of varying strength and Mach number were generated and measured using five-hole and total-temperature probes. In addition, the interactions between a vortex and either an oblique or a normal shock wave were visualized using schlieren and planar-laser-scattering techniques. The mean-flow measurements show both similarities and differences between the supersonic streamwise vortex and its incompressible counterpart, while the flow-visualization results show that the shock/vortex interaction is always unsteady and that, under certain conditions, the vortex can burst. The conditions necessary for supersonic vortex breakdown are presented.
COMPARISON OF VENOVENOUS VERSUS VENOARTERIAL EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION (ECMO) IN NEWBORN INFANTS. 1477

COMPARISON OF VENOVENOUS VERSUS VENOARTERIAL EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION (ECMO) IN NEWBORN INFANTS. 1477
The African Species of Metaphycus, Mercet.

Twenty-three species of Metaphycus from Africa are recognized in this paper, and of these, seventeen are described as new. The holotypes and allotypes of all new species are to be deposited in the British Museum and paratypes in the United States National Museum.
Novel semisynthetic derivative of antibiotic Eremomycin active against drug-resistant gram-positive pathogens including Bacillus anthracis.

Five adamantyl-containing carboxamides of eremomycin or vancomycin were synthesized and their antibacterial activities against some Gram-positive clinical isolates were investigated in vitro and in vivo. The adamantyl-2 amide of glycopeptide antibiotic eremomycin (1a in Chart 1, AN0900) was the most active compound and showed high activity against several Gram-positive pathogens: vancomycin-susceptible staphylococci and enterococci, glycopeptide-intermediate-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and glycopeptide-resistant enterococci. Compound 1a was equally active in vitro against both Ciprofloxacin-susceptible and -resistant Bacillus anthracis strains (MICs 0.25−0.5 μg/mL). It was distinguished by having a 2.8 h half-life (t1/2) in mice and a volume of distribution of 2.18 L/kg. Compound 1a was active against Staphylococcus aureus in mice (iv) and provided complete protection against a lethal intravenous challenge with vegetative B. anthracis bacilli and also in a murine pulmonary anthrax model in which mic...
Self-Criticism, Dependency, Self-Esteem, and Grade Point Average Satisfaction Among Clusters of Perfectionists and Nonperfectionists.

Cluster analyses using the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R; R. B. Slaney, M. Mobley, J. Trippi, J. Ashby, & D. G. Johnson, 1996) yielded 3 clusters that represented adaptive perfectionists, maladaptive perfectionists, and nonperfectionists. Maladaptive perfectionist scores were strongly correlated with self-critical depression, but not dependent depression. Adaptive perfectionist scores were correlated with higher self-esteem and greater satisfaction with grade point average (GPA). It was hypothesized that satisfaction with GPA would moderate the relationship between cluster membership and GPA, and that participant gender would moderate the relationship between cluster membership and self-esteem. Neither hypothesis was supported. A comparison of the cluster groups from this sample with those in 2 previous samples (K. G. Rice & R. B. Slaney, 2002) indicated similar scores between clusters. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Algebra and the adolescent brain

New fMRI evidence suggests that adolescents could be at an advantage for learning algebra compared with adults. Qin and colleagues present findings indicating that after several days of practice adolescents rely on prefrontal regions to support the retrieval of algebraic rules to solve equations, as do adults. Unlike adults, however, after practice adolescents decrease their reliance on parietal regions, which assist in the transformation of the equations, suggesting an enhanced ability for learning algebra. These findings are discussed with regard to adolescent brain maturation.
Single Dose Treatment of Cystitis in Children

The efficacy of single dose treatment with trimethoprim compared to a 5-day course with the same drug was investigated in 100 children, 3-12 years, with isolated episodes of symptomatic non-febrile urinary tract infection. Cure, defined as sterile urine during the first week after treatment, was achieved in 74% (37/50) in the single dose group compared to 86% (43/50) in the 5-day treatment group. The difference was not statistically significant (chi 2 = 2.25, p = 0.134 two-tailed). The cure rates in relation to P-fimbriation of the infecting E. coli strains were similar in the two groups. During the 6 month follow-up, six children in each treatment group had one or more reinfections. Extended studies are needed to conclude if single dose and conventional treatment courses are equally effective.
The Maintenance of Human Normal Cells and Tumor Cells in Continuous Culture: I. Preliminary Report: Cultivation of Mesoblastic Tumors and Normal Tissue and Notes on Methods of Cultivation

In this communication we shall endeavor to present a description of some of the methods that we have used in establishing strains of human normal and tumor cells, and an account of some of our results. We believe that the value of this report lies not in the presentation of new and unique methods for maintaining tissue cultures under continuous cultivation, but in presenting evidence that very different methods and media can be used to obtain approximately the same end-results. This holds true, however, only when the highly important factor of experience in the management of tissue cultures is used to best advantage. The opinion of many workers that human tissue cultures are difficult to maintain is not justified. Just as much time and energy are involved in the maintenance of a rapidly growing rat sarcoma as in the maintenance of a similar human tumor. In this laboratory, by the large lying-drop slide method, we have maintained the Walker rat sarcoma 338 for a period of over four years and a half, and a human chondromyxosarcoma (Table IV) for approximately the same length of time. Strains of cells from these tumors are still under cultivation. The advantage of knowing that many different types of human tumor cells can be maintained under continuous cultivation for long periods of time may not on first mention become apparent to many. When, however, one considers their use and their importance in collecting radiosensitivity data for specific cell types, and in the study of their cytological, cultural, and metabolic activities, the value of such knowledge is readily appreciated. The concept that pure cultures of human tumor cells can be used as sources of living antigen for immunological and therapeutic purposes must not be overlooked. We are inclined to consider this aim as of greater significance than any of the others.
Compensation-based nonactive power definition

This paper presents a new definition of nonactive current from which the definitions of instantaneous active and nonactive power are also derived. The definitions are consistent with the traditional power definitions and valid for single-phase and polyphase systems, as well as periodic and nonperiodic waveforms. The definitions are applied to a shunt compensation system. The paper elaborates on the compensation of three different cases of nonperiodic current: single-phase disturbance, three-phase subharmonics, and three-phase stochastic current. Simulation results give credibility to the applicability of the definition for a diversity of load currents. According to different compensation cases and the goals to be achieved, different averaging time intervals for the compensator are chosen which will determine the compensator's energy storage requirement and the extent of residual distortion in the source current.
Localization of platelet antigens in human kidney disease.

Localization of platelet antigens in human kidney disease. The localization of a platelet antigen or antigens in kidneys from 106 patients with renal disease was evaluated with immunofluorescent microscopy by using a rabbit antibody to human platelets. The antiplatelet IgG fixed to the surface membrane of platelets but did not react with erythrocytes, leukocytes, plasma, normal kidney, or a variety of normal tissue targets. Significant glomerular and vascular deposition of platelet antigen (or antigens) was observed along the endothelium or as vascular plugs in kidney tissue from patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (types I and II), diabetic nephropathy, hypertensive renal disease, scleroderma, and other diseases. Dual-label immunofluorescent studies revealed that platelet antigen (or antigens) and fibrinogen/fibrin-related antigen (FRA) were usually, though not always, present in similar loci. Platelet antigens were not observed at sites of intense FRA deposition: in the mesangium in anaphylactoid purpura and in glomerular crescents in Goodpasture's syndrome. Platelet antigen was detected in the peritubular capillaries of most patients with diabetic nephropathy. Localisation des antigenes plaquettaire au cours des maladies renales chez l'homme. La localisation de l'antigene plaquettaire dans les reins de 106 malades atteints de nephropathies a ete evaluee par microscopie en immunofluorescence au moyen d'un anticorps de lapin anti plaquettes humaines. L'IgG antiplaquettes se fixe a la membrane plaquettaire mais ne reagit pas avec les erythrocytes, les leucocytes, le plasma, le rein normal ou divers tissus cibles normaux. Des depots glomerulaires et vasculaires d'antigenes plaquettaires ont ete observes le long de l'endothelium ou sous la forme d'obstructions vasculaires dans le tissu renal preleve chez des malades atteints de syndrome hemolytique et uremique, de glomerulonephrite membrano-pro-liferative (types I et II), de nephropathie diabetique, de maladie renale hypertensive, de sclerodermie et d'autres affections. Les etudes en immuno-fluorescence double revelent que l'antigene plaquettaire et l'antigene lie au systeme fibrinogene/fibrine (FRA) sont habituellement mais non toujours observes dans des sites de depots intenses de FRA: dans le mesangium au cours de purpura anaphylactoide et dans les croissants glomerulaires du syndrome de Goodpasture. L'antigene plaquettaire a ete detecte dans les capillaires peritubulaires de la plupart des malades atteints de nephropathie diabetique.
Isolation, characterization and partial sequencing of cystine and thiol peptides of pig heart lipoamide dehydrogenase.

Abstract Pig heart lipoamide dehydrogenase (EC 1.6.4.3) contains ten half-cystines (as cysteic acid) per mole of enzyme bound FAD. Two of these are linked in an intrachain cystine which acts in concert with the flavin during catalysis. A peptic peptide containing this active center disulfide has been isolated and shown to have the sequence: Glu-Thr-Leu-Gly-Gly-Thr-Cys-Leu-Asn-Val-Gly-Cys-Ile-Pro-Ser (Lys, Ala, Leu). The enzyme also contains seven titratable thiols when either 5,5′-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) or iodoacetate is used as titrant. Tryptic peptides containing alkylated thiols have been isolated and characterized by amino acid composition and by their positions in two-dimensional chromatography-electrophoresis. On the basis of map position and composition, the peptides containing thiols can be distinguished from one another. The results are compared with recent data of Brown and Perham (Brown, J. P. and Perham, R. N. (1974) Biochem. J. 138, 505–512) on the compositions and partial sequences of tryptic chymotryptic peptides containing half-cystines. The combined data associate nine of the ten half-cystines with unique compositions.
Revitalizing Condom-Centered HIV Prevention Strategies

HIV infection rates remain steady in the USA despite the numerous prevention programs and tools available. Condoms play a central role in HIV prevention because they are highly effective, readily available, and affordable. Unfortunately, condom promotion efforts often incite fear as a motive force, while also taking the common “one-size-fits-all” approach. Reframing condom promotion through a sexual health framework, focusing on pleasure and highlighting condom fit issues, improves intervention efficacy. Condom distribution policies may further perpetuate condom users’ difficulty, by withholding particular condom styles, brands, and information highlighting the nuances in shape, size, and material. Condom education and distribution practices focused on pleasure, proper fit, and condom access issues might increase condom utilization among high-risk populations.
Catalysis by the RNA subunit of RNase P — a minireview ☆

RNase P, an enzyme that contains both RNA and protein components, cleaves tRNA precursors to generate mature 5' termini. The catalytic activity of RNase P resides in the RNA component, with the protein cofactor affecting the rate of the cleavage reaction. The reaction is also influenced by the nature of the tRNA substrate.
Volar/dorsal compressive mechanical behavior of the transverse carpal ligament

Mechanical insult to the median nerve caused by contact with the digital flexor tendons and/or carpal tunnel boundaries may contribute to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. Since the transverse carpal ligament (TCL) comprises the volar boundary of the carpal tunnel, its mechanics in part govern the potential insult to the median nerve. Using unconfined compression testing in combination with a finite element-based optimization process, nominal stiffness measurements and first-order Ogden hyperelastic material coefficients (μ and α ) were determined to describe the volar/dorsal compressive behavior of the TCL. Five different locations on the TCL were tested, three of which were deep to the origins of the thenar and hypothenar muscles. The average (± standard deviation) low-strain and high-strain TCL stiffness values in compression sites outside the muscle attachment region were 3.6 N/mm (±2.7) and 28.0 N/mm (±20.2), respectively. The average stiffness values at compression sites with muscle attachments were notably lower, with low-strain and high-strain stiffness values of 1.2 N/mm (±0.5) and 9.7 N/mm (±4.8), respectively. The average Ogden coefficients for the muscle attachment region were 51.6 kPa (±16.5) for μ and 16.5 (±2.0) for α, while coefficients for the non-muscle attachment region were 117.8 kPa (±86.8) for μ and 17.2 (±1.6) for α. These TCL compressive mechanical properties can help inprove computational models, which can be used to provide insight into the mechanisms of median nerve injury leading to the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms.
Enzyme variability in the Drosophila willistoni group. VI. Levels of polymorphism and the physiological function of enzymes.

We have studied allelic variation at 28 loci coding for soluble enzymes in three sibling species of Drosophila. The average proportion of polymorphic loci per population is 58% in D. willistoni, 71% in D. equinoxialis, and 60% in D. tropicalis. An individual of any one of these three species is heterozygous at 18–22% of its genes. The correlation between the amount of polymorphism at a given locus and the equilibrium constant of the reaction catalyzed by the corresponding enzyme is not significantly different from zero. We have separated enzymes into those involved in glucose metabolism (group I) and all other enzymes (group II). The genes coding for group II enzymes are about twice as polymorphic as those coding for group I enzymes.
Genome-wide tagging for everyone

The recently completed International HapMap Project has provided detailed information about patterns of genetic variation in four different population samples. Two new studies show that the patterns of variation documented in the HapMap can be applied to other human populations, suggesting it is time to establish a standardized platform for all whole-genome association studies.
Bacterial Swarming: A Re-examination of Cell-Movement Patterns

Many bacteria simultaneously grow and spread rapidly over a surface that supplies them with nutrient. Called 'swarming', this pattern of movement directs new cells to the edge of the colony. Swarming reduces competition between cells for nutrients, speeding growth. Behind the swarm edge, where the cell density is higher, growth is limited by transport of nutrient from the subsurface to the overlying cells. Despite years of study, the choreography of swarm cell movement, the bacterial equivalent of dancing toward an exit in a very dense crowd of moving bodies, remains a mystery. Swarming can be propelled by rotating flagella, and either by pulling with type IV pili or by pushing with the secretion of slime. By identifying patterns of movement that are common to swarms making use of different engines, a model of swarm choreography can be proposed.
Mortality from early neonatal group B streptococcal sepsis: Influence of obstetric factors

Our objective was to determine if the neonatal mortality from early group B streptococcal (GBS) septicemia was associated with obstetric factors other than birthweight. Medical records from our institution for all neonates with positive blood cultures for GBS in the first 7 days of life between January 1981 and December 1992 were reviewed (n = 61). All the neonates had received broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics within 3 h of birth, and all had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures obtained. In a multivariate model we found a significant association between neonatal mortality and birthweight (P = .01). The other significant associations were with positive CSF cultures (P = .01) and intrapartum invasive fetal scalp electrode monitoring (P = .03). After controlling for these and other variables in the model, the odds of death for the infants with scalp electrode monitoring was 8 times greater (95% CI = 1.1,56), compared to those who had the GBS septicemia but no intrapartum fetal scalp electrode monitoring. In conclusion, the association we found between neonatal fatality from early GBS septicemia and invasive fetal scalp electrode monitoring is plausible and needs further study.