cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for nonhistone chromosomal protein kinase activity associated with nucleosomes isolated from HeLa S3 cells

Nonhistone chromosomal proteins and phosphorylation of chromosomal polypeptides have been implicated in the structural and transcriptional properties of the eukaryotic genome [l-6]. However, the relationship between phosphorylated nonhistone chromosomal proteins and the basic structural units of the eukaryotic genome, nucleosomes, remains to date an open-ended question. In an attempt to address the biological significance of nonhistone chromosomal protein phosphorylation, we have examined the representation of phosphorylated nonhistone chromosomal proteins-and protein kinase activity in nucleosome cores isolated from exponentially growing HeLa S3 cells. Evidence is presented which suggests that HeLa cell nucleosome preparations contain protein kinase activity that phosphorylates nonhistone chromosomal proteins but exhibits little ability to phosphorylate core histones. This protein kinase activity decreases with increasing nucleosome oligomer chain lengths; however, nuclease cleavage of oligomers to monosomes results in an increased level of protein kinase activity.
Adenosine triphosphatase from rat liver mitochondria - evidence for a mercurial-sensitive site for the activating anion bicarbonate.

The ATPase activity of purified mitochondrial ATPase (F/sub I/) of rat liver is inhibited less than 15 percent by sulfhydryl reagents when assayed in TrisCl buffer. In Trisbicarbonate buffer the ATPase activity of the enzyme is two- to three-fold higher than in TrisCl. Significantly, the ATPase activity stimulated by bicarbonate can be inhibited by mercurial agents such as p-chloromercuribenzoate. The number of sulfhydryl groups accessible to /sup 14/C-p-chloromercuribenzoate is the same in TrisCl and Trisbicarbonate buffers. These experiments suggest that mercurials most likely inhibit bicarbonate-stimulated ATPase activity by blocking a site associated with bicarbonate binding rather than by blocking distinct sulfhydryl-sensitive hydrolytic sites induced by bicarbonate.
The use of ground rules in investigative interviews with children: A synthesis and call for research

Abstract Guidelines for conducting investigative interviews with children often include instructions that explain the conversational rules of the interview. Despite the widespread and international use of such instructions (also referred to as “ground rules”), the body of research characterizing children's understanding of these rules and documenting the impact of instruction on memory reports is relatively small. We review the use of ground rules in investigative interviews, the developmental differences that likely underlie children's ability to make sense of these rules, and research pertaining to the effects of the ground rules commonly included in interview guidelines on the reports of 3- to 13-year-old children. We then present a study space analysis concerning the five ground rules reviewed: (a) a statement about interviewer naivete regarding the target events, (b) instructions to tell the interviewer when a mistake has been made, (c) cautions that some questions may be repeated, and instructions to say (d) “I don't understand” and (e) “I don't know.” The results demonstrate obvious gaps in this body of literature, with only the “I don't know” ground rule having received significant attention. In addition to exploring how individual rules impact interview performance, we encourage more process-oriented studies that relate developmental differences in ground rules benefits to the cognitive processes that underlie rule understanding and implementation. Optimally, this research should identify the most suitable format and placement of instruction in interviews and broaden to more often include field studies of child witnesses.
Pupillary Size as an Index of Preference

5 Ss were shown groups of semi-erotic, neutral, and aversive photographs and ranked them on a pleasant-unpleasant continuum. When compared to the pupillary ranks, significant agreement between the two ranks was noted. The absolute pupillary size was also positively correlated with absolute subjective scores given to photographs which were viewed on the pleasant-unpleasant continuum.
Abstract A76: Nuclear androgen receptor expression is linked to two SNPs in prostate tumor tissue

A76 Introduction The androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer (PCa), and down-regulated expression in prostatic epithelium is linked to decreased differentiation and increased proliferation of tumors cells. Genetic variation in the AR gene, located on the X-chromosome, has previously been linked with PCa risk. Whether the effect of AR variants on cancer risk is explained through regulation of prostate AR expression is not well understood. This study examines whether six SNPs located in AR, as well as the CAG repeat, are related to expression of cytoplasmic and nuclear AR in prostate tumor tissue. Methods We genotyped 6 SNPs with minor allele frequencies greater than 5% located in a 310 kb region overlapping the AR gene and the CAG repeat in 270 PCa cases diagnosed among participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Physicians Health Study. AR expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in tumor tissue obtained from archival prostatectomy blocks. To determine if expression levels varied by genotype, we conducted an ANOVA analysis with AR expression modeled as the dependent variable. Results We found two SNPs that were significantly associated with AR nuclear expression. Men who carried the rs1337082 variant allele (18.2% of men) had reduced AR nuclear expression (p= 0.03) compared to wild-type in the non-adjusted analysis. In addition, men with the rs6152 variant allele (13.6% of men) also had decreased AR expression (p= 0.04) when adjusted for age at diagnosis. When adjusting for age, the association between rs1337082 and AR expression also became stronger (p= 0.02). The linkage disequilibrium R2 value was 0.63. Approximately 2% of the variation in AR expression can be explained by these two SNPs. The four other SNPs examined were weakly but not significantly associated with AR expression. CAG repeat length was not correlated with expression of AR. Discussion rs1337082 (approximately 40 kb downstream of AR) is an A/G polymorphism while rs6152 (exon 1) is a silent G/A polymorphism. The link between nuclear AR expression and these two non-coding SNPs provides evidence of novel genetic factors that may influence AR expression. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):A76.
The Intracellular Fate of Histoplasma capsulatum in Human Macrophages Is Unaffected by Recombinant Human Interferon-γ

Human alveolar, peritoneal, and cultured macrophages were exposed in vitro to human recombinant interferon-gamma (rHuIFN-gamma) and were tested for their ability to inhibit intracellular replication of yeast-phase Histoplasma capsulatum. Exposure at various concentrations, and for different time periods, failed to activate the macrophages to inhibit multiplication of intracellular yeast. Macrophages were, however, activated by rHuIFN-gamma as shown by their ability to inhibit intracellular replication of Trypanosoma cruzi and by their enhanced production of superoxide when stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate. These data indicate that rHuIFN-gamma by itself does not activate human macrophages to inhibit intracellular proliferation of yeast-phase H. capsulatum.
Stuck in Division or Passing through: What Happens When Cells Cannot Satisfy the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint

Cells that cannot satisfy the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) are delayed in mitosis (D-mitosis), a fact that has useful clinical ramifications. However, this delay is seldom permanent, and in the presence of an active SAC most cells ultimately escape mitosis and enter the next G1 as tetraploid cells. This review defines and discusses the various factors that determine how long a cell remains in mitosis when it cannot satisfy the SAC and also discusses the cell's subsequent fate.
Upper Limit to the Flux Density from Sco X-1 at 408 MHz

RADIO emission was first reported from the vicinity of the X-ray source Sco X-1 at 6.5 GHz by Andrew and Purton1. Subsequently Ables2 found the source to be highly variable, at 5.0 GHz. At both frequencies it is an extremely weak radio source, ∼ 0.02 f.u. and because the two observing frequencies are so close little can be inferred about its radio frequency spectrum. Consequently an attempt was made in August 1969 to detect the source at 408 MHz using the multiple beams of the one mile cross of the Molonglo Radio Observatory3.
Congenital Heart Disease in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: Phenotype and Genotype Analysis

Congenital heart disease (CHD) has been reported to occur in 14-70% of individuals with Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS, OMIM 122470) and accounts for significant morbidity and mortality when present. Charts from a cohort of 479 patients with CdLS were reviewed for cardiac evaluations, gene testing and information to determine phenotypic severity. Two hundred fifty-nine individuals had either documented structural defects or minor cardiac findings. The presence of CHD was then quantified as a function of mutation status and severity of CdLS: mild, moderate, or severe. Different types of CHD were also evaluated by mutation status to assess for any genotype-phenotype correlation. NIPBL, SMC1A, and SMC3 mutation-positive patients were equally likely to have CHD, although the number of SMC1A and SMC3 mutation-positive patients were small in comparison. Structural CHDs were more likely to be present in individuals with moderate and severe CdLS than in the mild phenotype. This study evaluates the trends of CHD seen in the CdLS population and correlates these findings with genotype.
Optimal load distribution in nondedicated heterogeneous cluster and grid computing environments

We consider optimal load distribution in a nondedicated cluster or grid computing system with heterogeneous servers processing both generic and dedicated applications. The goal of load balancing is to find an optimal load distribution strategy for generic tasks on heterogeneous servers preloaded by different amount of dedicated tasks such that the overall average response time of generic applications is minimized. The optimization problem is solved for three different queueing disciplines, namely, dedicated applications without priorities, prioritized dedicated applications without preemption, and prioritized dedicated applications with preemption. For each case, we derive equations that permit us to find optimal load distribution of generic tasks such that their average response time is minimized.
Aminobenzoates as building blocks for natural product assembly lines

Covering: up to the end of September 2011 The ortho-, meta-, and para- regioisomers of aminobenzoate are building blocks for a wide range of microbial natural products. Both the ortho-isomer (anthranilate) and PABA derive from the central shikimate pathway metabolite chorismate while the meta-isomer is not available by that route and starts from UDP-3-aminoglucose. PABA is largely funnelled into folate biosynthesis while anthranilate is the scaffold for biosynthetic elaboration into many natural heterocycles, most notably with its role in indole formation for tryptophan biosynthesis. Anthranilate is also converted to benzodiazepinones, fumiquinazolines, quinoxalines, phenoxazines, benzoxazolinates, quinolones, and phenazines, often with redox enzyme participation. The 5-hydroxy form of 3-aminobenzaote is the starter unit for ansa-bridged rifamycins, ansamitocins, and geldanamycins, whereas regioisomers 2-hydroxy, 4-hydroxy and 2,4-dihydroxy-3-aminobenzoate are key components of antimycin, grixazone, and platencin and platensimycin biosynthesis, respectively. The enzymatic mechanisms for generation of the aminobenzoate regioisomers and their subsequent utilization for diverse heterocycle and macrocycle construction are examined.
Analysis of nuclear quantum effects on hydrogen bonding.

The impact of nuclear quantum effects on hydrogen bonding is investigated for a series of hydrogen fluoride (HF) n clusters and a partially solvated fluoride anion, F-(H 2 O). The nuclear quantum effects are included using the path integral formalism in conjunction with the Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics (PICPMD) method and using the second-order vibrational perturbation theory (VPT2) approach. For the HF clusters, a directional change in the impact of nuclear quantum effects on the hydrogen-bonding strength is observed as the clusters evolve toward the condensed phase. Specifically, the inclusion of nuclear quantum effects increases the F-F distances for the (HF) n=2-4 clusters and decreases the F-F distances for the (HF) n>4 clusters. This directional change occurs because the enhanced electrostatic interactions between the HF monomers become more dominant than the zero point energy effects of librational modes as the size of the HF clusters increases. For the F-(H 2 O) system, the inclusion of nuclear quantum effects decreases the F-O distance and strengthens the hydrogen bonding interaction between the fluoride anion and the water molecule because of enhanced electrostatic interactions. The vibrationally averaged 19 F shielding constant for F - (H 2 O) is significantly lower than the value for the equilibrium geometry, indicating that the electronic density on the fluorine decreases as a result of the quantum delocalization of the shared hydrogen. Deuteration of this system leads to an increase in the vibrationally averaged F-O distance and nuclear magnetic shielding constant because of the smaller degree of quantum delocalization for deuterium.
Composition of suberin-associated waxes from the subterranean storage organs of seven plants : Parsnip, carrot, rutabaga, turnip, red beet, sweet potato and potato.

The waxes associated with the suberin in the periderm of the underground storage organs of parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), rutabaga (Brassica napobrassica Mill.), turnip (Brassica rapa L.), red beet (Beta vulgaris L.), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) were isolated, fractionated into hydrocarbon, wax ester, free fatty alcohol and free fatty acid fractions, and analyzed by combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The amount of wax extracted from the periderm of the storage organs ranged from 2 to 32 μg/cm2. The hydrocarbons from the suberin layer have a broader chain-length distribution, a predominance of shorter carbon chains, and a higher proportion of even-numbered carbon chains than the leaf alkanes from the same plants. The major components of the free and esterified fatty alcohols and fatty acids have an even number of carbon atoms, and are similar in chain-length distribution to their counterparts found covalently attached to the suberin polymers; however, these suberin components are shorter in chain length than their cuticular analogues from the leaves. Also extracted from the storage organs were polar components which included fatty alcohols and fatty acids in a conjugated form, and ω-hydroxy acids and dicarboxylic acids. Evidence is presented that removal of the wax from the periderm of whole storage organs results in a decrease in diffusion resistance to moisture.
Carbon monoxide exposure and information processing during perceptual-motor performance.

This study examined the influence of exposure to ambient carbon monoxide resulting in final carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels of approximately 5.0% on the ability to process information during motor performance. Subjects (n=16) performed a primary reciprocal tapping task and a secondary digit manipulation task singly and/or concurrently during 2.5 h exposure to room air (0 ppm CO) or 100 ppm CO. Five levels of tapping difficulty and two levels of digit manipulation were employed. Tapping performance was unaffected when COHb levels were as high as 5%. However, at this level of COHb it was noted that CO exposure interacted with task difficulty of both tasks to influence reaction time on the digit manipulation task. It was concluded that motor performance was not influenced by exposure to CO leading to COHb concentrations of 5%. Task difficulty was a significant factor mediating behavioral effects of CO exposure.
Mutational Analysis of the Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) Binding Domain of the dsRNA-activated Protein Kinase, PKR

The interferon-induced, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-dependent protein kinase, PKR, is an inhibitor of translation and has antiviral, antiproliferative, and antitumor properties. Previously, the dsRNA binding domain had been located within the N-terminal region of PKR and subsequently shown to include two nearly identical domains comprising residues 55-75 and 145-166. We have undertaken both random and site-directed, alanine-scanning mutagenesis in order to investigate the contribution of individual amino acids within these domains to dsRNA binding. Here we identify 2 residues that were absolutely required for dsRNA binding, glycine 57 and lysine 60. Mutation of 2 other residues within the domain (lysine 64 and leucine 75) resulted in less than 10% binding (compared to wild type). We have also identified a number of other residues that influence dsRNA binding to varying degrees. Mutants that were unable to bind dsRNA were not active in vitro and possessed no antiproliferative activity in vivo. However, dsRNA binding mutants were partially transdominant over wild type PKR in mammalian cells, suggesting that binding of dsRNA activator is not the mechanism responsible for the phenotype of PKR mutants.
Long-lived genotypes for studies of life extension in Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract Numerous single-gene mutations obtained by insertion of P elements in white ( w ) genetic backgrounds have been reported to extend the life span of Drosophila melanogaster , but life extension is sometimes observed only in relatively short-lived backgrounds. The objective of this study was to develop long- and short-lived, high and low fertility backgrounds in which to test the reproducibility and possible additivity of effects of prospective life-extending treatments. Flies previously reported to be long- or short-lived, following artificial selection for early or delayed reproduction and inbreeding, were rendered essentially isogenic, and a w visible marker was introduced. Isogeny adversely affected both life span and fertility, but w had little or no effect on either trait. Unexpectedly, none of these lines or a stock under uninterrupted selection for delayed reproduction lived any longer than an unselected, highly fertile y w strain used in earlier studies of longevity. Strains derived from one artificial selection experiment were found to contain functional P elements, as did the two longest-lived genotypes in this study, which were inbred without artificial selection. The y w background appears to be at least equally as long-lived as any other currently available for tests of life extension by P{ w + } mutations.
RELOCATION OF THE BRITISH MOTOR INDUSTRY

(1962). RELOCATION OF THE BRITISH MOTOR INDUSTRY. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 4-8.
Adsorption of Neodymium(III) from Aqueous Solutions Using a Phosphorus Functionalized Adsorbent

Separation of neodymium(III) from aqueous solutions is investigated using an phosphorus based sol−gel adsorbent. This adsorbent has been formed by the sol−gel synthesis method. The speciation diagram of Nd(III) in an aqueous phase with varying pH is studied by analyses of the equilibria equations. Batch adsorption equilibrium studies show an increase in neodymium uptake capacity with increase in pH in the range from pH 0.5 to pH 6.5, and the maximum uptake capacity at pH 6 is observed to be 1.13 mmol/g (160 mg/g). The equilibrium adsorption isotherm gives a satisfactory fit of the adsorption data. A kinetics study conducted with different concentrations and particle sizes of neodymium(III) in a batch reactor shows a high rate of adsorption. The adsorbent shows a capability of selectivity toward Nd(III) and other rare earths. Adsorption tests in a fixed bed column show a sharp breakthrough curve. Stripping of the neodymium-loaded column bed is achieved using 1 M HNO3. The material also has sustainable stab...
Fabrication of Core–Shell Nanoparticles via Controlled Aggregation of Semiflexible Conjugated Polymer and Hyaluronic Acid

Core-shell conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) were fabricated by complexing a semi-flexible, primary amine-containing conjugated polymer (CP) with hyaluronic acid (HA). Flexibility introduced in the rigid rod conjugated backbone allows backbone reorganization to increase π-π interaction under ionic complexation, resulting in core-shell nanoparticles with a hydrophobic CP core wrapped with a HA shell. The core-shell nanoparticles exhibited no cellular toxicity and high cancer cell specificity with minimal binding to normal cells.
Simultaneous generation of 3-D displacement contours of a fracturing specimen using Moiré

Abstract Quantitative information concerning the three-dimensional deformation field of running ductile cracks is useful in understanding the mechanism of fracture. This study proposes an optical technique whereby a single recording can be used to generate simultaneously three moire patterns representing contour fringes of u , v and w , respectively.
Environmental Hypotheses of Hominin Evolution

The study of human evolution has long sought to explain major adaptations and trends that led to the origin of Homo sapiens. Environmental scenarios have played a pivotal role in this endeavor. They represent statements or, more commonly, assumptions concerning the adaptive context in which key hominin traits emerged. In many cases, however, these scenarios are based on very little if any data about the past settings in which early hominins lived. Several environmental hypotheses of human evolution are presented in this paper. Explicit test expectations are laid out, and a preliminary assessment of the hypotheses is made by examining the environmental records of Olduvai, Turkana, Olorgesailie, Zhoukoudian, Combe Grenal, and other hominin localities. Habitat-specific hypotheses have prevailed in almost all previous accounts of human adaptive history. The rise of African dry savanna is often cited as the critical event behind the development of terrestrial bipedality, stone toolmaking, and encephalized brains, among other traits. This savanna hypothesis has been countered recently by the woodland/forest hypothesis, which claims that Pliocene hominins had evolved in and were primarily attracted to closed habitats. The ideas that human evolution was fostered by cold habitats in higher latitudes or by seasonal variations in tropical and temperate zones also have their proponents. An alternative view, the variability selection hypothesis, states that large disparities in environmental conditions were responsible for important episodes of adaptive evolution. The resulting adaptations enhanced behavioral versatility and ultimately ecological diversity in the human lineage. Global environmental records for the late Cenozoic and specific records at hominin sites show the following: 1) early human habitats were subject to large-scale remodeling over time; 2) the evidence for environmental instability does not support habitat-specific explanations of key adaptive changes; 3) the range of environmental change over time was more extensive and the tempo far more prolonged than allowed by the seasonality hypothesis; and 4) the variability selection hypothesis is strongly supported by the persistence of hominins through long sequences of environmental remodeling and the origin of important adaptations in periods of wide habitat diversity. Early bipedality, stone transport, diversification of artifact contexts, encephalization, and enhanced cognitive and social functioning all may reflect adaptations to environmental novelty and highly varying selective contexts.
Fourier-domain holography in photorefractive quantum-well films

Fourier-domain holography (FDH) is investigated as a candidate for holographic optical coherence imaging to produce real-time images of structure inside living tissue and turbid media. The effects of spatial filtering, the background intensity distributions, and the role of background noise in determining dynamic range are evaluated for both FDH and image-domain holography (IDH). The grating washout effect in FDH (edge enhancement) is removed by use of a vibrating diffuser that consequently improves the image quality. By comparing holographic images and background images of FDH and IDH we show that FDH provides a higher dynamic range and a higher image quality than IDH for this specific application of imaging diffuse volumetric objects.
Neonatal exposure of female ferrets to testosterone alters sociosexual preferences in adulthood

Sociosexual preferences in adult female ferrets, as measured in a choice arena, were altered by neonatal exposure to exogenous testosterone. Adult female ferrets showed a preference for males which did not depend on the presence of gonadal steroids, because gonadectomized and gonadectomized estrogen-treated females showed identical preferences for males. Adult castrated males showed no preference for females unless these males were treated with testosterone. A similar no-preference pattern was found in adult females that had received testosterone neonatally. Females exposed neonatally to dihydrotestosterone or estradiol exhibited the normal females' male-oriented preference. These results indicate that testosterone secreted by the testes in the developing male may interrupt the phenotypic female development pattern and hence prevent the emergence of a homosexual preference in adulthood in the male ferret.
Charge injection and STM-induced vacancy migration on GaAs(110).

Migration of anion and cation vacancies on GaAs(110) has been examined with scanning tunneling microscopy. Striking asymmetries are found in the direction and bias-polarity dependence of the migration probability that signal the importance of both bonding topology at the surface and bulk doping. These asymmetries indicate vacancy motion is driven by recombination of carriers injected via the STM tip with carriers from the bulk. The impact-parameter dependence of the reaction cross section shows this injection occurs through resonant tunneling into dangling-bond defect states.
Characteristics of Menstrual Cycle Manipulation With Combined Hormonal Contraception in a University Student Population

OBJECTIVE(S): Blastocyst hatching is the final stage of human embryonic development before implantation, although the mechanisms underlying this process remain unknown. We previously demonstrated that human blastocysts developed in vitro show repeated expansion and collapse of blastulation, and that the blastula collapse might be associated with disturbance of the trophectoderm (TE). In addition, analysis of the hatching process by time-lapse cinematography (TLC) showed the collapse of blastulation in some fully expanded human blastocysts resulting in formation of a hatching site in the ZP. This study further investigated the relationship between the collapse of blastulation and the outcome of hatching in human blastocysts using TLC. MATERIALS AND METHOD(S): Surplus frozen/thawed early-stage embryos (n1⁄4131) were used in this study. Embryos were maintained at optimal culturing conditions for up to 5 days and images were recorded digitally every 1 to 5 minutes with an exposure time of 1/20 second. Out of those embryos, 44 that had developed into fully expanded blastocysts with formation of a hatching site in the ZP were further analyzed. RESULT(S): Of the 44 fully expanded blastocysts, 36 (81.8%) completely escaped from the ZP [hatching (+)] and the remaining blastocysts degenerated without hatching [hatching (-)]. The difference in collapse frequencies between hatching (+) and (-) was significant (P<0.05). In the hatching (+) blastocysts from the formation of the hatching site to the completion of escape, 9 (27.3%) showed no blastula collapse, while 17 (51.5%) showed partial collapse, and 7 (21.2%) showed general collapse. The time difference was significant between the no-collapse and general-collapse groups (P<0.05). In contrast, out of 44 fully expanded blastocysts with hatching site, 27 (61.3%) formed the hatching site by retracting the ZP followed by the blastula collapse (inward pattern), while the remaining blastocysts formed the hatching site outwardly by constant expansion of the blastula (outward pattern). CONCLUSION(S): This study demonstrated that blastula collapse had a detrimental effect on the viability of fully expanded blastocysts during the hatching process. That the blastula collapse was caused by a disturbance of the TE strongly suggests that this phenomenon is a negative impact of extended culture in vitro. In addition, the time required for completion of the blastocyst escape was shortest in those showing no collapse. Further investigations using TLC are necessary to elucidate the physiological impact of blastula collapse during hatching with respect to different culturing conditions in vitro and in vivo.
Aftermath of the Unexpected, Unexplained, and Abrupt Termination of Healing Touch and Extrapolation of Related Costs

This qualitative study reports 12 patients' experiences following the unplanned and unexpected termination of their healing touch treatments. Physically disabled, chronically ill patients requiring nursing home levels of care, who were being assisted in staying at home with agency support, had been treated one to two times weekly to monthly over a period of 3 to 4 months by a healing touch practitioner, under a pilot study. Patients had been interviewed twice during their treatments and had described positive experiences with healing touch. Midway through the study, there was an abrupt stopping of treatments without warning or explanation to either patients or researchers. Naturalistic inquiry methodology was used to explore patients' subsequent reactions and experiences. Six patients had negative experiences, including increased pain and impaired functional ability, sleep, and emotional status. Six patients continued to have positive experiences after treatments were terminated. Estimates of potential co...
Dynamic measurement of interfilament friction on staple yarns

A new method is presented which permits the quantitative characterization of interfilament friction of staple yarns using loss tangent tanδ data measured directly from samples nondestructively with the Rheovibron DDV-II viscoelastometer. The procedure is derived from a phenomenological model of the structure's mechanical behavior in which its energy dissipation capacity consists of both filament internal viscous friction and a filament-to-filament coulomb friction mechanism. By treating the coulomb dissipation in terms of an additional effective viscous component, the loss tangent of the model representing the structure can be analytically expressed in terms of the internal filament viscous properties, a fiber-to-fiber coulomb parameter, and an undetermined assembly dispersion factor which is representative of strength. By measuring effective loss tangent data for the staple yarn and a constituent filament at two separate frequencies and considering the magnitude of the coulomb mechanism to be independent of the test frequency in the range employed, both the coulomb friction dissipation and the assembly dispersion factor can be quantified. Using this procedure, loss tangent data from tests on a series of staple yarns (nylon, polyester, and acrylic fiber) are used to calculate both assembly dispersion and interfilament coulomb friction factors.
Mach number effects on conical surface features of swept shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions

A joint experimental and computational study is made of the shock-wave turbulent boundary-layer interaction generated by sharp fins, with emphasis on Mach-number effects. The Mach number range is from 2 to 4 and the unit Reynolds number is from 50 to 80 million per meter. Fin angles are varied from 4 to 22 deg. Surface-flow patterns are obtained using a color surface-flow-visualization technique. The results show that the upstream-influence response in the conical far-field region is a function of the freestream Mach number and the shock strength. A new interpretation of the behavior of the upstream influence with changes of the inviscid shock angle is given. Agreement between the experimental and the computed upstream-influence lines becomes poorer for stronger interactions, with the computations underpredicting the upstream-influence line.
Respiratory infections due to Klebsiella pneumoniae.

SUMMARY We have reviewed the current literature and the case histories of 10 patients with varying degrees of respiratory illness from whom K. pneumoniae was isolated. The following points have been derived: 1.Predisposing diseases are important in the etiology of Friedlander's pneumonia. Six of our patients had diabetes. 2.Isolation of Friedlander's bacillus from a patient with pulmonary disease does not prove causal relationship. 3.Early bacteriological diagnosis is important. 4.Combined therapy with penicillin and streptomycin was ineffective in this series. 5.The best antibiotic regimen is probably streptomycin plus a broad spectrum antibiotic. 6.Chronic Friedlander's pneumonia may resemble tuberculosis or carcinoma. 7.The use of nor-epinephrine and/or cortisone may be lifesaving as supplemental therapy for acute overwhelming pneumonias.
Alterations in rat striatal glutamate synapses following a lesion of the cortico- and/or nigrostriatal pathway.

Ultrastructural changes within the ipsilateral dorsolateral striatum were investigated 1 month following a unilateral ablation of the rat frontal cortex (CTX), removing corticostriatal input, or injection of the neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), into the substantia nigra pars compacta, removing nigrostriatal input. In addition, a combined ipsilateral cortical and 6-OHDA lesion (CTX/6-OHDA) was carried out. We find that following a CTX, 6-OHDA, or CTX/6-OHDA lesion, there was a significant decrease in the density of striatal nerve terminal glutamate immunoreactivity compared to the control group. There was also a significant increase in all three lesion groups in the mean percentage of asymmetrical synapses associated with a perforated postsynaptic density. There was a large increase within the CTX/6-OHDA-lesioned group and a smaller but still significant increase in the CTX-lesioned group in the percentage of terminals or boutons with multiple synaptic contacts (i.e., multiple synaptic boutons, MSBs), compared to either the 6-OHDA or the control group. There was no change in any of these measurements within the contralateral striatum. There was a significant decrease in the number of apomorphine-induced contralateral rotations in the CTX/6-OHDA versus the 6-OHDA-lesioned group. Animals receiving just the single CTX or 6-OHDA lesion recovered in motor function compared to the control group as measured by the Rotorod test, while the CTX/6-ODA-lesioned group recovered to less than 50% of the control level. The data suggest that following a CTX and/or 6-OHDA lesion, there is an increase in striatal glutamatergic function. The large increase in the percentage of MSBs in the combined lesion group suggests that dopamine or other factors released by the dopamine terminals assist in regulating synapse formation.
Locally Efficient Semiparametric Estimators for Proportional Hazards Models with Measurement Error

We propose a new class of semiparametric estimators for proportional hazards models in the presence of measurement error in the covariates, where the baseline hazard function, the hazard function for the censoring time, and the distribution of the true covariates are considered as unknown infinite dimensional parameters. We estimate the model components by solving estimating equations based on the semiparametric efficient scores under a sequence of restricted models where the logarithm of the hazard functions are approximated by reduced rank regression splines. The proposed estimators are locally efficient in the sense that the estimators are semiparametrically efficient if the distribution of the error-prone covariates is specified correctly, and are still consistent and asymptotically normal if the distribution is misspecified. Our simulation studies show that the proposed estimators have smaller biases and variances than competing methods. We further illustrate the new method with a real application in an HIV clinical trial.
A Quantitative Open Mapping Theorem for Quasi-Pseudonormed Groups

We present a quantitative version of the classical Open Mapping Theorem in the context of groups equipped with topologies induced by quasi-pseudonorms, which are not necessarily group topologies.
Investigation of the effect of the normal load on the incidence of friction blisters in a skin-simulant model

A laminar skin simulant was constructed to study the incidence of friction blisters. The skin simulant consists of a thin polyurethane top layer and textured gum foam rubber bottom layer adhered to an acrylic-backing plate to emulate the layered structure of the human skin. Friction blisters were produced on the skin simulant by using a dual-axis tribometer. The effect of the applied normal load on the number of cycles required to produce a blister was investigated. The skin simulant was also analyzed as an adhesive-bonded laminar composite to determine the relationship between the applied normal load and the number of cycles for blistering. The normal load and the number of cycles were found to be inversely related and vary by a power law function, as observed in previous work on human subjects in Naylor’s pioneering study. The results obtained from the experimental data and the fracture mechanics modeling of the skin simulant indicate the potential of elastomeric skin simulant in providing useful insigh...
The effects of government ownership on bank lending

Abstract This paper uses information on individual loan contracts to study the effects of government ownership on bank lending behavior. State-owned banks charge lower interest rates than do privately owned banks to similar or identical firms, even if firms are able to borrow more from privately owned banks. State-owned banks mostly favor large firms and firms located in depressed areas. The lending behavior of state-owned banks is affected by the electoral results of the party affiliated with the bank: the stronger the political party in the area where the firm is borrowing, the lower the interest rates charged.
Miss rate of right-sided colon examination during colonoscopy defined by retroflexion: an observational study

Background Colonoscopy is less effective in the proximal compared with the distal colon. Objective To describe the success rate, yield, and safety of retroflexion of the right side of the colon after a careful forward-viewing examination. Design Prospective observational study. Setting Tertiary-care hospital outpatient endoscopy center and associated ambulatory surgery center. Patients A total of 1000 consecutive adults undergoing elective screening or surveillance colonoscopy, without previous bowel resection, inflammatory bowel disease, or polyposis syndromes. Intervention After cecal intubation, a careful examination of the cecum to the hepatic flexure was performed in the forward view with removal of all identified polyps. The colonoscope was then reinserted to the cecum and retroflexed, and examination was performed to the hepatic flexure in retroflexion. Main Outcome Measurements Success rate, per-polyp and per-patient miss rates, and adverse events rate of retroflexion. Results Retroflexion was successful in 94.4% of patients. Looping in the insertion tube was the apparent cause of 89% of failed attempts. The forward view identified 634 proximal colon polyps and 497 adenomas, and retroflexion identified an additional 68 polyps and 54 adenomas, representing a per-adenoma miss rate of 9.8% and an intention-to-treat, per-patient adenoma miss rate of 4.4%. Older age, male sex, and polyps seen on the forward view predicted polyps seen on retroflexion. There were no adverse events. Limitations Single-center, uncontrolled study with only 2 endoscopists. Conclusions Right-sided colon retroflexion is generally achievable and safe in our hands. The yield is comparable to that expected from a second examination in the forward view.
Optimal resolution of superimposed action potentials

This paper presents a practical algorithm for resolving superimposed action potentials encountered during the decomposition of electromyographic signals. The problem is posed as an optimization problem: to align a set of templates with a given waveform to minimize the euclidean distance between them. The algorithm uses a recursive approach to search all possible discrete-time alignments, starting with the most likely ones and stopping once it can be verified that the optimal alignment has been found. Each candidate solution is aligned to finer-than-sampling-interval resolution using interpolation and continuous-time optimization. Both the cases in which the identities of the involved templates are known and not known are considered. Simulations are presented to show that the proposed algorithm is very accurate even for complex superpositions involving three or more similarly shaped templates, destructive interference, and added noise.
Sphingosine-1 phosphate receptor (S1p1), a critical receptor controlling human lymphocyte trafficking, is expressed in hen and human ovaries and ovarian tumors

Background Sphingosine-1 receptor 1 (S1P1) plays a major role in regulating lymphocyte egress from peripheral lymph tissue. Lymphocyte trafficking is potentially a critical response to tumors and to tumor vaccines. Also, the receptor has been shown to influence metastasis. However, there is little information on its expression in the aged ovary or ovarian tumors. As a basis for further studies in the laying hen model of spontaneous ovarian cancer, the objective of this study was to determine if S1P1 is expressed in hens, and if the morphological distribution of S1P1 is similar in hen and human ovary and ovarian tumors.
Developmental Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: Is There a Connection with Birth and Childhood Weights?

Childhood obesity has increased dramatically over the last several decades in developed countries, and more recently in developing countries. Most research on causes of obesity has focused on various aspects of diet and lack of physical activity as the primary risk factors. Clearly, a balance between energy intake and energy expenditure is critical to maintain a healthy body weight, but other factors have also been linked to the obesity epidemic. One area of concern is increasing exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), especially during the prenatal period. Animal studies have suggested that fetal exposure to certain EDCs may cause systemic alterations in aspects of ‘fetal programming’ related to adipocyte differentiation and function, appetite regulation, and other body systems involved in weight homeostasis. One plausible pathway between prenatal exposures to EDCs and obesity might be through effects on fetal growth, since both growth retardation and high birth weight have been associated with later obesity. Some studies have found associations between several classes of EDCs, including PCBs, organochlorine pesticides such as DDT and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), phenols, and PFCs and fetal growth retardation. Although animal data have suggested that EDCs can affect offspring obesity, thus far, data from human epidemiological studies that have directly examined prenatal EDC exposure in relation to childhood growth are not sufficient to draw conclusions. Several methodologic challenges exist in conducting these studies, including timing of measurement of EDCs in gestation, accounting for potential confounders occurring during pregnancy and childhood, and accurately measuring adiposity.
Arthrodesis of the Spine with Bone Allografts

Arthrodesis of the spine is performed to stabilize the spinal column. The spinal column becomes unstable when it can no longer maintain normal anatomic alignment of adjacent vertebrae with their neural arches, intervertebral discs, facet joints and ligaments. Spinal instability results most frequently from severe degenerative disease involving intervertebral discs and posterior elements and it can also be caused by trauma, infections and tumors [13, 30].
A rapid method of producing a hemolytic serum

Fornet and Muller1 were first to suggest the intensive method of immunizing animals by giving large doses of serum for producing precipitins intra-peritoneally on successive days. Such a method apparently gave rise to a potent precipitating serum and they claim equally successful results in producing hemolysins. These results as regards hemolysins were not confirmed in a later communication by Bonhoff and Tsuzuki.1We have found that one can obtain uniformly a sufficiently potent hemolytic serum for fixation tests by immunizing rabbits with washed sheep blood in a dose of one to two cubic centimeters administered intravenously on three successive days. The hemolytic titer of such a serum four days after the third injection is usually 1 to 2,000. In other words, it is possible to produce a thoroughly reliable hemolytic serum in one week by this method.Further details of this intensive method of immunizing to produce hemolytic sera and also its use in producing precipitins, bacteriolysins, agglutinins, and a...
Neuroendocrine Differentiation in Müllerian Neoplasms: An Immunohistochemical Study of a “Pure” Endometrial Small-Cell Carcinoma and a Mixed Müllerian Tumor Containing Small-Cell Carcinoma

Two neoplasms of the endometrium exhibiting histologic features of small cell carcinoma (SCC) were studied immunohistochemically for the presence of antigens indicative of neuroendocrine differentiation. The first case, a pure SCC, was positive for neuron-specific enolase (NSE), Leu-7, and chromogranin. The second case, a mixed mullerian tumor, had an extensive SCC component; the latter element was reactive for NSE and Leu-7. The first patient has had an unexpectedly long survival, while the second patient died with multiple distant metastases, containing only SCC.
Organizing for Innovation Ambidexterity in Emerging Markets: Taking Advantage of Supplier Involvement and Foreignness

Firms struggle to be ambidextrous in the sense of being able to successfully manage both new and incremental innovation activities simultaneously. Applying the knowledge-based view, we examine the important moderating influences of supplier involvement and foreignness on the relationship between innovation ambidexterity and performance. We test our hypotheses at the business-unit level of analysis in the emerging market of Brazil. We examine two types of innovation ambidexterity: the balanced dimension and the combined dimension. We found that firms possessing greater supplier involvement reap higher performance benefits from the combined dimension of innovation ambidexterity. Last, foreign subsidiaries also achieved higher levels of performance than domestic firms from the combined dimension of innovation ambidexterity.
Clinical practice. Restless legs syndrome.

A 45-year-old woman reports having had nightly insomnia for years. On further questioning, she reports having uncomfortable sensations in her legs when she lies down at night. She describes a feeling of needing to move her legs, which is relieved only by getting up and walking around. How should this patient be evaluated and treated?