cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alterations of alveolar macrophage function and level of bronchopulmonary protease inhibitors in O,O,S-trimethyl phosphorothioate-induced lung injury.

Abstract O , O , S -Trimethyl phosphorothioate ( OOS -TMP), an impurity present in widely used organophosphorus insecticides, has been shown to induced pneumotoxicity after oral administration. To date very little is known about the pathogenesis of the injury. Protease-anti-protease imbalance has been proposed as a mechanism of various lung injuries; thus, the effect of OOS -TMP on α 1 -protease inhibitor capacity, pulmonary alveolar macrophage (PAM) esterases, cytotoxic activity and on specific esterase inhibitors in the bronchopulmonary lavage fluid and serum were measured. OOS -TMP (20 mg/kg) administered orally to rats produced a 27% increase in PAM esterase activity 6 h after treatment. The activity then declined to 63% of control value on day 3 and had not recovered to any significant extent on day 7. The cytotoxic activity of PAM was significantly increased at 6 h and 24 h following treatment. Chymotrypsin inhibitory capacity (CIC) of the lavage fluid was decreased by 45% at 6 h but recovered rapidly and reached control levels by 24 h. Trypsin inhibitory capacity (TIC) of serum was affected to a lesser extent such that no change was detected after 6, 12 or 24 h. These data, early elevation of PAM esterase levels with a concomitant increase in cytotoxic activity and decreased TIC and CIC in bronchopulmonary lavage fluid, support the view that pathogenesis of OOS -TMP produced lung injury could be due to increased protease levels.
Biarsenical-tetracysteine motif as a fluorescent tag for detection in capillary electrophoresis

Biarsenical dyes complexed to tetracysteine motifs have proven to be highly useful fluorescent dyes in labeling specific cellular proteins for microscopic imaging. Their many advantages include membrane permeability, relatively small size, stoichiometric labeling, high affinity, and an assortment of excitation/emission wavelengths. The goal of the current study was to determine whether the biarsenical labeling scheme could be extended to fluorescent detection of analytes in capillary electrophoresis. Recombinant protein or synthesized peptides containing the optimized tetracysteine motif “−C−C−P−G−C−C−” were labeled with biarsenical dyes and then analyzed by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC). The biarsenical−tetracysteine complex was stable and remained fluorescent under standard MEKC conditions for peptide and protein separations. The detection limit following electrophoresis in a capillary was less than 3 × 10−20 mol with a simple laser-induced fluorescence system. A mixture of mul...
Transcription Initiation at the Flagellin Promoter by RNA Polymerase Carrying ς28 from Salmonella typhimurium

The sigma subunit of RNA polymerase is a critical factor in positive control of transcription initiation. Primary sigma factors are essential proteins required for vegetative growth, whereas alternative sigma factors mediate transcription in response to various stimuli. Late gene expression during flagellum biosynthesis in Salmonella typhimurium is dependent upon an alternative sigma factor, sigma28, the product of the fliA gene. We have characterized the intermediate complexes formed by sigma28 holoenzyme on the pathway to open complex formation. Interactions with the promoter for the flagellin gene fliC were analyzed using DNase I and KMnO4 footprinting over a range of temperatures. We propose a model in which closed complexes are established in the upstream region of the promoter, including the -35 element, but with little significant contact in the -10 element or downstream regions of the promoter. An isomerization event extends the DNA contacts into the -10 element and the start site, with loss of the most distal upstream contacts accompanied by DNA melting to form open complexes. Melting occurs efficiently even at 16 degrees C. Once open complexes have formed, they are unstable to heparin challenge even in the presence of nucleoside triphosphates, which have been observed to stabilize open complexes at rRNA promoters.
A gravitational kinetic theory for planetesimals

An analytical theory is developed for the velocity evolution of nonaccreting planetesimal populations, based on the Boltzmann and Fokker-Planck equations. Adapting Shkarofsky's calculation of plasma viscosities, the rate of increase in random velocities due to gravitational encounters between planetesimals of equal mass is found to be one-third to one-half Safronov's result. Comparison with Wetherill's numerical experiments suggests that the Fokker-Planck equation underestimates the effectiveness of encounters and that Safronov's value is approximately correct. For populations of nonuniform sizes, the Fokker-Planck equation indicates an efficient redistribution of energy from the largest bodies to the smaller ones. By conserving angular momentum, the rate of radial spreading of orbits is also derived.
Use of isotope effects to determine enzyme mechanisms

Isotope effects are a powerful tool for determining the mechanisms of enzymatic reactions. Methods for measurement of isotope effects are reviewed and the equations that describe observed isotope effects and permit determination of intrinsic isotope effects on the isotope-sensitive step are presented. Aspartate transcarbamoylase is used as an example for how the kinetic mechanism can be determined by observing the size of an isotope effect as a function of the concentration of another substrate. Cytidine, adenosine and AMP deaminases are used to illustrate determining the relative rates of steps in the mechanism. Determination of chemical mechanism is illustrated by data for malic enzyme, OMP decarboxylase, aspartate transcarbamoylase, L-ribulose-5-P 4-epimerase, oxalate decarboxylase, tryptophan 2-monooxygenase and the K58A mutant of aspartate aminotransferase when rescued by ammonia. Determination of transition state structure is illustrated by data for formate dehydrogenase, prephenate dehydrogenase, chorismate mutase, as well as for enzymes that catalyze phosphoryl and acyl transfer. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New London, Connecticut, fights a hurricane

Effcient manager regime pulls city through crisis of major catastrophe and lays plans for permanent rehabilitation.
LH effect on the pattern of steroidogenesis in cultured Graafian follicles of the rat: dependence on macromolecular synthesis.

Graafian follicles explanted from roestrous rats before the preovulatory gonadotropinsurge secreted predominantly 17β-estradiol, and only small amounts of progestins and androgens, during 12 h of culture in hormone-free medium. Addition of ovine luteinizing hormone (NIH-LHS18;0.1-1.0 µg⁄ml) to the medium stimulated within 1-2 h the rate of accumulation of these steroids. However, accumulation of androstenedione and estradiol ceased after 4-6 h in the LH-treated cultures, whereas progesterone continued to accumulate and became the major secretory product at 6-12 h. Incubation of the follicles ith LH for only 5 min resulted in significant stimulation of the accumulation of progesterone, androstenedione and estradiol during a subsequent 6-h culture period in hormone-free medium containingantibodies to LH; 30 min exposure to the hormone sufficed to elicit a maximal steroidogenic response and to induce ovum maturation in 95‰ of the follicles. Addition of actinomycin D (act D; 8 µg⁄ml) within the first hour aft...
Pancreatic cancer-associated diabetes mellitus: prevalence and temporal association with diagnosis of cancer.

Background & Aims: The temporal association between diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer is poorly understood. We compared temporal patterns in diabetes prevalence in pancreatic cancer and controls. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of pancreatic cancer cases residing within 120 miles or less of Rochester, Minnesota, seen at the Mayo Clinic between January 15, 1981, and July 9, 2004, and approximately 2 matched controls/case residing locally. We abstracted all outpatient fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels for up to 60 months before index (ie, date of cancer diagnosis for cases) and grouped them into 12-month intervals; 736 cases and 1875 controls had 1 or more outpatient FBG levels in the medical record. Diabetes was defined as any FBG level of 126 mg/dL or greater or treatment for diabetes, and was defined as new onset when criteria for diabetes were first met 24 or fewer months before index, with at least 1 prior FBG level less than 126 mg/dL. Results: A higher proportion of pancreatic cancer cases compared with controls met the criteria for diabetes at any time in the 60 months before index (40.2% vs 19.2%, P P = .76) and −48 to −36 ( P = .06) month time periods; however, a greater proportion of cases than controls met criteria for diabetes in the −36 to −24 ( P = .04), −24 to −12 ( P P P Conclusions: Diabetes has a high (40%) prevalence in pancreatic cancer and frequently is new onset. Identification of a specific biomarker for pancreatic cancer–induced diabetes may allow screening for pancreatic cancer in new-onset diabetes.
Binding of antibody and resistance to lysis of trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Summary Epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi are readily lysed by complement via the alternative pathway. Neither fibroblast-derived trypomastigotes nor blood-form trypomastigotes are lysed by complement alone and few (less than 30% of the Brazil strain) are lysed in the presence of parasite-specific antibody and complement. The mechanism by which trypomastigotes resist antibody-dependent, complement-mediated lysis is not clearly understood. In the present study, we have utilized flow cytometric analysis to examine the binding of parasite-specific antibody to epimastigotes, fibroblast-derived trypomastigotes and blood-form trypomastigotes of a Brazil strain of T. cruzi. We also determined the extent of lysis of these parasites in the presence of complement utilizing propidium iodide to determine cell death. It was found that all epimastigotes bind approximately the same amount of antibody but that there are subpopulations of trypomastigotes which bind antibody to varying degrees. When these subpopulations were sorted, and treated with complement, lysis was only minimally increased in the population of parasites which bound significantly greater amounts of antibody.
CUDA-MPI-FDTD implementation of Maxwell's equations in general dispersive media

In this research, we present the first MPI-CUDA implementation of Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) discretization of Maxwell's equations in dispersive media that uses the MPI API to assign each CPU node its share of the computational domain and GPUs to their corresponding CPU threads. By taking advantage of the CUDA programming model, we present a unique implementation of the FDTD scheme that exploits the memory hierarchy of GPUs, including the global, texture, and shared memory. This enables us to tackle problems that are otherwise computationally prohibitive. Practical results will be presented along with a measure of speedup factors achieved when using multiple GPU processors.
Influence of nitrogen compounds on deep hydrodesulfurization of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene over Al2O3- and MCM-41-supported Co-Mo sulfide catalysts

Abstract The present work focuses on the effect of nitrogen compounds on the activity of MCM-41- and γ-Al2O3-supported Co-Mo catalysts for the deep hydrodesulfurization of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) in a fixed-bed flow reactor. Sulfur removal to the depths required by new specifications will require knowledge of the influence of non-sulfur diesel fuel components on deep hydrodesulfurization. The main objective of this paper is to examine the activity of hydrodesulfurization catalysts during and, most importantly, after exposure to basic and non-basic nitrogen. Quinoline (basic nitrogen) inhibits catalytic activity of both γ-Al2O3- and MCM-41-supported catalysts. It strongly inhibits hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis activity as evidenced by decreased selectivity for cyclohexylbenzene and biphenyl derivatives, respectively. To a certain extent, the long-term effects of quinoline are reversible. Carbazole (non-basic nitrogen) has little effect on the γ-Al2O3-supported Co-Mo catalyst but significantly inhibits the activity of the MCM-41-supported Co-Mo catalyst. The inhibition of the MCM-41-supported catalyst is reversible following removal of carbazole from the feedstock. Molecular modeling was also conducted to derive the bond order and electron charges of the nitrogen and sulfur compounds, which are helpful to understanding the experimental results.
Modification of cyclocytidine-induced changes in [3H]thymidine incorporation and weight of parotid gland by partial sialoadenectomy.

Abstract.Cyclocytidine (CC), a potent antitumor agent, caused a 2.3- to 5.0-fold increase in [3H]thymidine uptake of rat parotid gland after 3 days of daily administration of 500 mg/kg body wt. Gland weight also showed a 47–67% increase from that of controls. Ablation of the submandibular-sublingual glands prior to initiation of the CC regimen prevented the usual CC-induced increase in [3H]thymidine uptake, but did not inhibit the increase in gland size. It is postulated that CC-induced parotid hyperplasia requires an initial release of growth factors from the submandibular gland; however, enlargement of the parotid gland by CC is independent of such factors. [P.S.E.B.M. 1991, Vol 198]
Influence of sorghum grain processing on performance and nutrient digestibilities in dairy cows fed varying concentrations of fat.

Abstract Forty Holstein cows averaging 85±50 d in milk were assigned to five dietary treatments for 56 d to determine the effects of ruminal starch degradability and supplemental fat on milk yield and composition and nutrient digestibilities. Treatments were 1) dry-rolled sorghum, no added fat; 2) dry-rolled sorghum plus 2.5% prilled fatty acids; 3) steam-flaked sorghum, no added fat; 4) steam-flaked sorghum plus 2.5% prilled fatty acids; and 5) steam-flaked sorghum plus 5% prilled fatty acids. Fat supplementation at 2.5 and 5% increased the content of fatty acids in diets from 3.0 to 5.4 and 7.7%, respectively. Milk yield was increased 2.0 kg/d when steam-flaked sorghum plus 0 or 2.5% added fat was fed and was 2.4 kg/d higher when prilled fatty acids were fed at 2.5 versus 0%. Cows fed supplemental fat at 5% did not increase milk yield over that of cows fed no added fat. For cows fed 2.5% fat, steam-flaking decreased dry matter intake 12% and increased efficiency of conversion of feed to milk 11%. Milk composition was unaffected by treatments, except that lactose was depressed by fat supplementation. Milk protein yield and efficiency of conversion of dietary protein to milk protein were increased when steam-flaked sorghum was fed. Starch digestibilities were increased from 92.6 to 98.2% when sorghum was steam-flaked compared with dry-rolled and fat supplementation tended to decrease digestibility of neutral detergent fiber. Steam-flaking tended to improve, and the addition of 2.5% fat did improve, the lactational performance of the cows. These effects appeared additive, but 5% fat appeared to be excessive.
Interactions of coiled coils in transcription factors: where is the specificity?

Abstract Amphipathic α-helices create the dimerization interface in the bZIP and bHLH classes of DNA-binding proteins. These amphipathic helices have been shown to enter into a wide variety of specific dimerization interactions, and this large array of possible combinatorial interactions may provide for fine control of biological function. In bHLH-ZIP proteins, the addition of a leucine-zipper region immediately carboxyl-terminal to the helix-loop-helix region provides for an additional level of both dimerization specificity and control, again through the interaction of amphipathic α-helices. Interhelical electrostatic interactions have been implicated in regulating dimerization specificity.
School Leadership Preparation and Practice Survey Instruments and Their Uses.

This article addresses the leadership preparation line of inquiry developed in the past decade by the University Council for Educational Administration/Learning and Teaching in Educational Leadership Special Interest Group Taskforce on Evaluating Leadership Preparation Programs, and it particularly addresses the series of survey instruments developed to pursue this line of inquiry. The article describes these collective instruments, titled “School Leadership Preparation and Practice Survey,” and identifies key constructs measured in each instrument as well as uses for each instrument. The article concludes with an explanation of the potential benefits of utilizing a common set of measures to promote research on leadership preparation.
Design of Wrist Gimbal: A forearm and wrist exoskeleton for stroke rehabilitation

In this paper, we present design, implementation and specifications of the Wrist Gimbal, a three degree-of-freedom (DOF) exoskeleton developed for forearm and wrist rehabilitation. Wrist Gimbal has three active DOF, corresponding to pronation/supination, flexion/extension and adduction/abduction joints. We mainly focused on a robust, safe and practical device design to facilitate clinical implementation, testing and acceptance. Robustness and mechanical rigidity was achieved by implementing two bearing supports for each of the pronation/supination and adduction/abduction axes. Rubber hard stops for each axis, an emergency stop button and software measures ensured safe operation. An arm rest with padding and straps, a handle with adjustable distal distance and height and a large inner volume contribute to ease of use, of patient attachment and to comfort. We present the specifications of Wrist Gimbal in comparison with similar devices in the literature and example data collected from a healthy subject.
Concrete plasticity: Macro- and microapproaches

Abstract The development and the present state of some key aspects of the theory of concrete plasticity are summarized. Emphasis is placed on the representation and interpretation of the inelastic deformation of concrete materials in the postelastic range. The first part of the paper discusses the development of plasticity-based models in the prepeak stress range. A general formulation of softening behavior from the plasticity theory combined with the fracturing (damage) theory is then described. The difficulties of characterizing concrete deformations in the postpeak stress range led to an extensive study of the relationship between macrospace features and microscopic events in recent years. This is briefly outlined, and some key aspects of the development on strain softening and strain localization are reviewed. Against the background of this information, attempts are then made to develop an elastic-plastic-damage applicative model. Special emphasis is placed here on the practicality of the unified model combining the classical theory of plasticity with the modern theory of continuum damage mechanics. Some thoughts on possible numerical algorithms and program development for this type of model are also discussed. The role of cement-paste-sand interfaces in providing a deeper understanding of the behavior of concrete materials at the microscale are explored. Directions for further research are indicated.
Multispectral photoacoustic microscopy using a photonic crystal fiber supercontinuum source

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) provides excellent image contrast based on optical absorption. Microchip lasers are attractive optical sources for PAM, as they are compact and provide nanosecond pulse durations at several kHz repetition rates. However, spectroscopic imaging is not possible with microchip lasers due to their fixed wavelength output. We are investigating multispectral PAM with a supercontinuum source based on a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) pumped with a microchip laser. The Q-switched Nd:YAG microchip laser produces 0.6 ns duration pulses at 1064 nm with 8 uJ of energy at a 6.6 kHz repetition rate. These pulses are sent through 7 meters of PCF with a 5 um diameter core and a zero dispersion wavelength of 1040 nm. The supercontinuum is sent through a tunable band-pass filter before being focused into the object. Photoacoustic detection is performed with a 25 MHz spherically focused f/2 transducer. En-face imaging experiments were performed on ink phantoms. Images are acquired at seven different wavelengths from 575 to 875 nm. A simple discriminant analysis of the multispectral photoacoustic data produces images that clearly distinguish the different absorbing regions of the sample. These preliminary results suggest the potential of the supercontinuum PCF source for multispectral PAM.
The Expression of Temporality in Basilang Speech.

This paper examines the expression of temporality in the basilang speech (the earliest stage of second language development) of five subjects. Temporality is studied from three perspectives: morphology, semantics, and pragmatics. The first analysis determined the subjects' degree of target-like use of English morphology and demonstrated that these basilang speakers generally lack verb phrase morphology and do not have a tense system. The second analysis examined the subjects' utterances in terms of sentence-level semantics, classifying utterances according to (universal) categories such as completive versus non-completive action, habitual versus continuous action, and action versus states. The analysis showed that none of the subjects studied made tense or aspectual distinctions and that temporal marking was not accomplished by the form of the verb. The third analysis examined how temporal reference was made by the adverbials (now, tomorrow, always, prepositional phrases), serialization (the fixing of a temporal reference point and allowing the sequence of utterances to reflect the actual temporal order of reported events), calendric reference (dates, days of the week, months, and numbers), and implicit reference (temporal reference inferred from a particular context or situation). This taxonomy captured the expression of time at the basilang level of interlanguage development much better than the previous two analyses.
Isolation of an iridovirus from farm-raised gouramis (Trichogaster trichopterus) with fatal disease

Gouramis (Trichogaster trichopterus) are a popular freshwater tropical fish raised extensively in Florida for the ornamental fish trade. Between June 1991 and February 1992, 2 separate groups of farm-raised gouramis experienced death rates of approximately 0.5-10%/day for approximately 2 weeks. About 30 diseased fish from each group were presented to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Kissimmee, Florida. About 20 fish from each shipment survived transport and were placed in aerated aquaria and observed for 7 days; dead fish were discarded. Most infected individuals appeared clinically healthy and maintained good appetites. However, adults developed patches of hyperpigmentation and lethargy 24-96 hours prior to death, and about 30% of affected juveniles and adults exhibited abdominal distention. Approximately 70% of the fish died during the observation period, and the remaining moribund fish were killed. Necropsy of 5 individuals from each group revealed splenomegaly (2-fold greater diameter than normal) with reddening of the adjacent intestine. Clear amber fluid (0.5-2 ml) was present in the coelomic cavities of the fish with distended abdomens. Attempts to culture bacterial pathogens from spleens and kidneys on tryptose blood agar plates were unsuccessful. Ultrastructural examination was performed on pellets harvested from tissue homogenates and on ultrathin tissue sections. Samples included spleen, anterior kidney, liver, and intestine; 1 heart sample was processed for epoxy sections only. To obtain pellets, unfixed tissues were homogenized in deionized water (10% w/v) and then centrifuged at 4,000 x g for 10 minutes. The supernatant was centrifuged at 14,000 x g for 60 minutes. The resulting pellet was suspended in 25 µ1 deionized water, mixed with an equal volume of 1.5% phosphotungstic acid (pH 6.8), and applied to grids covered with carbon-coated polyvinyl formal film a using a micropi
The thermal performance of a chip scale package array with simple block and plate heat sinks

This paper describes the results of a computational investigation of the thermal performance of chip scale package arrays with various low profile heat sinks. The arrays considered were fully populated with both modules and heat sinks. The heat sinks used in any single array were identical. The parameters evaluated included module spacing, cooling air inlet velocity, per module power dissipation, and heat sink design. The heat sinks fell into two categories: the plate and the block. A plate was defined as a single continuous piece of material covering all of the modules in the array. The block heat sinks were individual pieces of material that were affixed to each module and were not physically connected to the other heat sinks in the array. The results of this study are presented as thermal resistances for each module in the array. Also considered, for some specific cases, are the heat transfer coefficients for each heat sink as a function of its position within the array. Interesting results included the changing of the shape of the resistance curve with changes in heat sink design. Also noted was the relationship between the thermal resistance of a module and the heat transfer coefficient for the top surface of that heat sink. Related to this were the changes in thermal resistance due to changes in the material properties used in the modules and how this affected the heat flow within the array.
Leptin deficiency reduces but does not eliminate the development of hepatic fibrosis in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni

: Aims/Background: Leptin, a product of the obese (ob) gene, was demonstrated previously in activated hepatic collagen-producing stellate cells, but not in quiescent retinol-storing stellate cells. The role of leptin in fibrogenesis is unknown. This study investigated the possible influence of leptin in the pathogenesis of fibrosis by determination of the amount of fibrosis produced by Schistosoma mansoni infection in leptin deficient male ob/ob mice as compared to control mice. Methods: The mice were infected percutaneously with cercaria of Schistosoma mansoni and the amount of liver fibrosis determined 12 weeks after infection. The amount of hepatic collagen deposited was quantified by morphometric analysis of liver sections stained with sirius red and by hydroxyproline content. Results: The amount of histologically detectable fibrosis was greater in the infected controls than in the infected ob/ob mice. In the infected control mice, but not in the ob/ob mice, the fibrosis surrounding the granuloma was broad and extended beyond the portal tracts into the lobule with the formation of fibrous septa. Conclusions: This study shows that leptin is a potentiating, but not an essential factor, for the development of hepatic fibrosis, because leptin deficiency reduces but does not prevent the development of hepatic fibrosis.
Caribbean Pleasure Industry: Tourism, Sexuality, and AIDS in the Dominican Republic – By Mark Padilla

Tourism is nowadays the principal industry in most of the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic; one of its facets, sex tourism, has recently received significant scholarly attention. However...
Genome-scale metabolic analysis of Clostridium thermocellum for bioethanol production

Background: Microorganisms possess diverse metabolic capabilities that can potentially be leveraged for efficient production of biofuels. Clostridium thermocellum (ATCC 27405) is a thermophilic anaerobe that is both cellulolytic and ethanologenic, meaning that it can directly use the plant sugar, cellulose, and biochemically convert it to ethanol. A major challenge in using microorganisms for chemical production is the need to modify the organism to increase production efficiency. The process of properly engineering an organism is typically arduous. Results: Here we present a genome-scale model of C. thermocellum metabolism, iSR432, for the purpose of establishing a computational tool to study the metabolic network of C. thermocellum and facilitate efforts to engineer C. thermocellum for biofuel production. The model consists of 577 reactions involving 525 intracellular metabolites, 432 genes, and a proteomic-based representation of a cellulosome. The process of constructing this metabolic model led to suggested annotation refinements for 27 genes and identification of areas of metabolism requiring further study. The accuracy of the iSR432 model was tested using experimental growth and by-product secretion data for growth on cellobiose and fructose. Analysis using this model captures the relationship between the reduction-oxidation state of the cell and ethanol secretion and allowed for prediction of gene deletions and environmental conditions that would increase ethanol production. Conclusions: By incorporating genomic sequence data, network topology, and experimental measurements of enzyme activities and metabolite fluxes, we have generated a model that is reasonably accurate at predicting the cellular phenotype of C. thermocellum and establish a strong foundation for rational strain design. In addition, we are able to draw some important conclusions regarding the underlying metabolic mechanisms for observed behaviors of C. thermocellum and highlight remaining gaps in the existing genome annotations.
Coherence of the Irrelevant-Sound Effect: Individual Profiles of Short-term Memory and Susceptibility to Task-Irrelevant Materials

We examined individual and developmental differences in the disruptive effects of irrelevant sounds on serial recall of printed lists. In Experiment 1, we examined adults (N = 205) receiving eight-item lists to be recalled. Although their susceptibility to disruption of recall by irrelevant sounds was only slightly related to memory span, regression analyses documented highly reliable individual differences in this susceptibility across speech and tone distractors, even with variance from span level removed. In Experiment 2, we examined adults (n = 64) and 8-year-old children (n = 63) receiving lists of a length equal to a predetermined span and one item shorter (span - 1). We again found significant relationships between measures of span and susceptibility to irrelevant sounds, although in only two of the measures. We conclude that some of the cognitive processes helpful in performing a span task may not be beneficial in the presence of irrelevant sounds.
Coronary angioplasty and intracoronary thrombolysis are of limited efficacy in resolving early intracoronary stent thrombosis

Objectives. This study sought to evaluate treatment of early intracoronary stent thrombosis. Background. Although refinements in intracoronary stent implantation technique and pharmacologic treatment have reduced the frequency of early stent thrombosis, stent thrombosis remains a feared complication of this procedure. Optimal treatment for stent thrombosis is still undefined. Methods. Twenty-nine patients (44 stents) with early (≤30 days) coronary stent thrombosis over a 5-year period at our institution were identified. Treatment and outcome of stent thrombosis were analyzed. Results. Mean (±SD) time from implantation to stent thrombosis was 6.1 ± 5 days. Twenty-three patients were treated with catheter-based therapies (angioplasty alone in 14, angioplasty and intracoronary urokinase in 7, intracoronary urokinase alone in 2). Flow was restored without residual thrombus in 11 (48%) of the catheter-treated patients (6 of 14 with angioplasty alone, 4 of 7 with angioplasty and urokinase, 1 with urokinase alone). Of the 23 patients, 2 died despite restoration of anterograde flow, and 9 were referred for emergent or urgent bypass surgery because of residual thrombus and refractory angina despite restoration of blood flow. Of the remaining six patients, five were treated medically and one with coronary bypass surgery; three died. Acute myocardial infarction evolved in 26 patients (90%), including 20 (87%) of the 23 catheter-treated patients. Conclusions. Stent thrombosis is associated with severe adverse outcomes. Although catheter-based therapies are effective in restoring patency in a majority of patients, patients are referred frequently for coronary bypass surgery because of residual thrombus and refractory angina. These findings suggest that alternative or adjunctive therapies for stent thrombosis are needed.
WHO IS USING EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION? Awareness and Use of Emergency Contraception Among California Women and Teens

Results. Nearly 76% of respondents had heard of EC, but awareness was lower among teens, women of color, poor women, women with publicly funded health insurance, those without a usual source of care, immigrants, non–English-language speakers, and rural residents. Among women aware of EC, about 4% reported having used the method in the previous year; young age, low income, attending a community/government clinic for care or not having a source of care, and living in an urban area significantly increased the odds for using EC. Conclusions. Among California women in 2003, awareness and use of EC remained low. However, similar rates of use were reported among racial, ethnic, and linguistic subgroups. Those most likely to report use of the method included population groups at high risk for unintended pregnancy.
Mediation in Kinship Care: Another Step in the Provision of Culturally Relevant Child Welfare Services

With rising numbers of children entering the child welfare system and declining numbers of available foster homes, the foster care system has increasingly turned to placements with relatives to meet the needs of children removed from parental custody. Nowhere is this situation more evident than in the African American community. But the child welfare system did not invent the concept of kinship care. The foundation of current mediation practice can be traced to several ancient cultures, including African culture, where the kinship network often provided mediation services in the resolution of disputes. As an ethnocentrically designed child welfare system grapples with how to best incorporate kinship care into its array of services, conflicts between kinship caregivers and the foster care system have arisen. It is suggested that the application of mediation to conflicts in agency-kinship family relationships can serve as yet another step in social workers' efforts to provide culturally relevant child welfare services.
Stepwise thermal degradation of a polybenzimidazole foam

The stepwise thermal degradation of a polybenzimidazole (PBI) foam, prepared from 3,3′-diaminobenzidine and isophthaldiamide, has been studied under conditions of pyrolysis and nonflaming oxidative degradation in a thermal analyzer using gas and liquid chromatographic separation and mass spectrometric and infrared detection techniques. The recoveries of sample weight, as degradation products, were quantitative over the entire temperature ranges studied (100–300, 300–570, 570–700, and 700–1000°C for pyrolysis; and 100–570 and 570–900°C for nonflaming oxidation). In pyrolysis, 17 volatile compounds were identified with NH3 and CH4 accounting for 94 and 57 mole % of the total mass loss between 300–570 and 570–700°C, respectively. Above 700°C, HCN and H2 were formed from degradation of arylnitrile-containing oligomers. The thermal and oxidative degradation of three substituted benzimidazole monomers was also studied, and the relative ratios of N2, NH3, and HCN that were produced from each, when compared with PBI, support a mechanism for degradation that favors cleavages that least alter the conjugation of the polymer backbone. In the presence of air, PBI formed stable oxygen-containing residues that decomposed at high temperatures to N2, CO2, and H2O almost exclusively. Large quantities of H2 and N2 from model compounds support results from PBI that suggest that degradation begins with total erosion of the imide ring at 570°C and the formation of more condensed heterocyclic species. These quantitative techniques are generally applicable to the study of all polymeric materials.
Dissecting Symbiosis: Developments in Nod Factor Signal Transduction

The interaction between legumes and rhizobial bacteria results in the formation of a unique organ, the nodule, on roots of the host plant. The nodule has evolved to harbour the bacterial symbiont and provide conditions appropriate for the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. Nod factor, generated by rhizobia, is sufficient to activate many of the responses involved in the initiation of nodule development in the plant. Dissecting the Nod factor signal transduction pathway has been greatly aided by the adoption of genetically tractable model legumes. Recent studies have identified a number of genes involved in this pathway and candidate proteins for the Nod factor receptor. Furthermore, a plethora of cellular responses have been linked with Nod factor perception. This Botanical Briefing covers recent advances in the dissection of Nod factor signal transduction in the plant.
A Spreadsheet Program (ScallopEx) to Calculate Paleovelocities From Cave Wall Scallops

The determination of paleovelocities through analysis of scallops on cave walls is an important part of paleohydrologic analysis. The linked equations that must be solved to do this are cumbersome, though. This paper presents a spreadsheet program that simplifies the process. The user enters scallop lengths, paleotemperatures, and passage dimensions; and the program returns velocities.
Delayed pubertal development by hypothalamic suppression causes an increase in periosteal modeling but a reduction in bone strength in growing female rats

Abstract The timing of the pubertal growth is a critical event in skeletal development. A delay in the onset of puberty has been correlated with increased stress fracture incidence in young women and as a result, suboptimal skeletal development may affect long-term bone strength. Gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-a) injections were used to delay the onset of puberty in growing female rats. 23-day-old female rats were injected with a GnRH-antagonist at 2 dosage levels ( n = 15/group). The Low Dose group (1.25 mg/kg/dose) received daily injections for 27 days (sacrifice 49 days). The High Dose group received (5.0 mg/kg/dose) only 5 days per week over a 26 day period (sacrifice 48 days). Calcein injections measured bone formation activity on the periosteal and endocortical surfaces. Standard histomorphometric and biomechanical analyses were performed on the femora and ash content was measured on the tibiae of all animals. Serum estradiol and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 levels were assayed. Significant delays in pubertal development occurred in the two GnRH-a groups as evidenced by delayed vaginal openings, decreased uterine and ovarian weights and suppressed estradiol levels compared to control. Femoral lengths were significantly shorter in the experimental groups and serum IGF-1 levels were higher than control. Bone strength and stiffness were significantly lower in the GnRH-a groups. Cortical bone area was decreased and total area was not different between groups. There was a significant decrease in % Ct.Ar/T.Ar. The decreased bone strength may have resulted from a decrease in the amount and distribution of bone, however, stress and Young's modulus were also decreased. There was a different response between endocortical formation indices and periosteal formation indices to the GnRH-a protocol. Endocortical bone formation rates decreased and there was an increase in periosteal labeled surface. A dose response between bone strength and GnRH-a dosage was found. The data suggest that hypothalamic suppression during pubertal development resulted in decreased bone strength which may result in fracture development.
Free versus anchored numerical estimation: A unified approach

Children's number-line estimation has produced a lively debate about representational change, supported by apparently incompatible data regarding descriptive adequacy of logarithmic (Opfer, Siegler, & Young, 2011) and cyclic power models (Slusser, Santiago, & Barth, 2013). To test whether methodological differences might explain discrepant findings, we created a fully crossed 2×2 design and assigned 96 children to one of four cells. In the design, we crossed anchoring (free, anchored) and sampling (over-, even-), which were candidate factors to explain discrepant findings. In three conditions (free/over-sampling, free/even-sampling, and anchored/over-sampling), the majority of children provided estimates better fit by the logarithmic than cyclic power function. In the last condition (anchored/even-sampling), the reverse was found. Results suggest that logarithmically-compressed numerical estimates do not depend on sampling, that the fit of cyclic power functions to children's estimates is likely an effect of anchors, and that a mixed log/linear model provides a useful model for both free and anchored numerical estimation.
The System's View of Third Party Candidates

This article provides a description of the differences in the legal treatment among the major parties, minor parties and independent candidates, outlines the constitutional constraints on appropriate goals for the presidential system, and considers whether the regulation of third parties and independent candidates is conducive to a strong democratic system.
Clinical Course of Six Children With GNAO1 Mutations Causing a Severe and Distinctive Movement Disorder

Abstract Objectives Mutations in GNAO1 have been described in 11 patients to date. Although most of these individuals had epileptic encephalopathy, four patients had a severe movement disorder as the prominent feature. We describe the largest series of patients with de novo GNAO1 mutations who have severe chorea, developmental delay, and hypotonia in the absence of epilepsy. Methods Six patients with recurrent missense mutations in GNAO1 as detected by whole exome sequencing were identified at three institutions. We describe the presentation, clinical course, and response to treatment of these patients. Results All six patients exhibited global developmental delay and hypotonia from infancy. Chorea developed by age four years in all but one patient, who developed chorea at 14 years. Treatments with neuroleptics and tetrabenazine were most effective in the baseline management of chorea. The chorea became gradually progressive and marked by episodes of severe, refractory ballismus requiring intensive care unit admissions in four of six patients. Exacerbations indirectly led to the death of two patients. Conclusions Patients with GNAO1 mutations can present with a severe, progressive movement disorder in the absence of epilepsy. Exacerbations may be refractory to treatment and can result in life-threatening secondary complications. Early and aggressive treatment of these exacerbations with direct admission to intensive care units for treatment with anesthetic drips may prevent some secondary complications. However the chorea and ballismus can be refractory to maximum medical therapy.
Abstract 2527: Amonafide and its metabolite N-acetyl amonafide are Top2 poisons with differing biochemical properties

Naphthalimides derivatives have been extensively studied as anti-cancer agents. Amonafide (5-amino-2-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione) showed clinical activity especially in some groups of AML patients. Amonafide has been shown to target topoisomerase II (Top2), and to stabilize Top2 covalent complexes. Therefore, the agent is a Top2 poison, however, the compound shows some unusual properties. Unlike most Top2 poisons, the action of amonafide against Top2 is largely ATP independent; In addition, amonafide leads to cleavage of DNA at a very restricted set of sites compared to other Top2 poisons such as mitoxantrone or etoposide. These findings have led to suggestions that amonafide may target Top2 in an unconventional way. Another obstacle to the clinical use of amonafide is variable drug metabolism. Felder and colleagues showed that amonafide is metabolized by N-acetyl transferase 2 (NAT2) to form N-acetyl amonafide (NAA). Toxicity of amonafide regimens is associated with higher levels of NAT2 activity 2 . The mechanism of NAA toxicity has not been reported. We have used the ICE assay developed by Muller and colleagues to assess Top2 covalent complex levels in cells treated with either amonafide or NAA. We found that amonafide induces Top2 mediated DNA cleavage, and that covalent complexes formed by both Top2 alpha and Top2 beta were seen. Interestingly, NAA induced higher levels of Top2 covalent complexes than the parent compound. In addition, the level of Top2 covalent complexes increased with increasing NAA dose, whereas a plateau in the level of Top2 covalent complexes was seen with amonafide at relatively low doses. We are currently comparing the action of amonafide and NAA against purified human topoisomerases. We suggest that NAA is a Top2 poison, and a plausible hypothesis is that NAA may act more like a conventional Top2 poison, while amonafide may show a better therapeutic index because it has more limited potential for forming Top2 covalent complexes. These results may be useful in the further development of amonafide derivatives with a favorable therapeutic profile. (1) Felder, T. B.; McLean, M. A.; Vestal, M. L.; Lu, K.; Farquhar, D.; Legha, S. S.; Shah, R.; Newman, R. A. Drug Metab Dispos 1987, 15, 773. (2) Ratain, M. J.; Rosner, G.; Allen, S. L.; Costanza, M.; Van Echo, D. A.; Henderson, I. C.; Schilsky, R. L. J Clin Oncol 1995, 13, 741. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2527. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2527
Nation-States and State-Nations

Nationalism takes a variety of forms and carries with it a variety of political consequences. A major variable distinguishing one pattern of nationalism from another has been the interplay between "nation" and "state." At bottom, this is a relationship between national identity and political autonomy, between national integration and political sovereignty. In many of the developed countries of the post-World War II world the sense of national identity evolved prior to the crystallization of the structures of political authority. By contrast, in most of the currently underdeveloped, newly independent countries this sequence is reversed: authority and sovereignty have run ahead of self-conscious national identity and cultural integration. To this extent it can be said that Europe produced nation-states, whereas Asia and Africa have produced state-nations. These two broad patterns of relationships have never been as clear-cut as has been traditionally supposed. Their implications are particularly pertinent for understanding the role of nationalism in political stabilization and economic modernization, as well as its possible role in reshaping the patterns of political control and consolidation. What is called for is an appreciation of the mobilization character of nationalism-specifically, nationalism as the embodiment of at least two types of mobilization that may outstrip one another.