cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mission possible: Targeting trailers to movie audiences

The effectiveness of using genre preference segmentation and behaviour segmentation to target movie trailers is explored. Participants from two samples watched trailers and were surveyed. They reported their movie genre preferences and the expected entertainment value of the advertised movies. The data indicate that moviegoers with similar genre preferences have similar reactions to trailers, making effective preference and behaviour segmenting possible for use as a method to target movie trailers.
Virtual studio: virtual reality in art

Virtual Reality or VR is a computer-designed environment that allows the user to interact within the digital environment as he or she would in a real world situation. VR has been successfully used in game development, medical technology and flight simulation. Virtual Studio is a partial immersive, interactive virtual learning environment that is based on the metaphor of the artist studio. Its primarily use will be to teach elementary students about the techniques, styles and history of artist and art. Each part of Virtual Studio is named after major artists, who used or pioneered a particular style or technique. There are three core sections of Virtual Studio: 1) Architectural Design, 2) Sculptural Design, 3) Digital Painting and Color Theory.
Computational Exploration of Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Mobile Ions Around RNA Duplex

Atomically detailed distributions of ions around an A-form RNA are computed. Different mixtures of monovalent and divalent ions are considered explicitly. Studies of tightly bound and of diffusive (but bound) ions around 25 base pairs RNA are conducted in a explicit solvent. Replica exchange simulations provide detailed equilibrium distributions with moderate computing resources (20 nanoseconds of simulation using 64 replicas). Magnesium ion distributions show significant near-RNA binding while sodium ion distributions are more diffusive. Predicted binding sites of at the RNA surface are in accord with structures from crystallography. Electric field relaxation is investigated. The relaxation due to solution rearrangements relaxes in tens of picoseconds, while the contribution of RNA tumbling continues to a few nanoseconds. Negative mobile ions can be found near the RNA but must be assisted by proximate and mobile cations. At distances larger than 16A from the RNA center, a continuum model of RNA charge density and solution becomes accurate. At shorter distances, the structure of RNA (and ions) has significant impact on the pair correlation functions.
Interspecies extrapolations in risk analysis

Quantitative risk assessment for carcinogenic chemicals is usually based on data obtained in animal studies conducted at very high levels of exposure. A key issue in using such data is the extrapolation of results from animals to man. Recently, physiological pharmacokinetic models can also be used to aid in extrapolating extrapolations. The models can also be used to aid in extrapolating between routes of administration. Model results for inhalation and ingestion of tetrachloroethylene will be presented and compared to experimental data for rats and humans.
New Techniques: A Fast Method for Processing Biopsy Material for Electron Microscopy

A rapid method for fixation and embedding of biopsy material for electron microscopic examination has been developed. The procedure was simplified by fix ing the biopsies with fixative in ready-to-use ampules and hastened by chemical dehydration in 2.2-dimethoxypropane. The procedure takes 4 h and yields excellent results.
Lactate and pyruvate accumulation during hypocapnia

Abstract Dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital and passively hyperventilated to Pa CO 2 of 15 torr developed an increase in blood lactate plus pyruvate of approximately 2 mM/L m 2 hr. When the same procedure was carried out with animals breathing 5% CO 2 there was no increase in lactate or pyruvate. When the hyperventilation was continued for 3 hr with a continuous infusion of 5% glucose, lactate and pyruvate increased to higher values, but the levels were far from sufficient to restore plasma pH to normal. Four hours of hyperventilation on air with continuous glucose infusion produced the highest lactate and pyruvate values observed, except in animals that inadvertently went into shock, but again the levels were, by no means, sufficient to restore pH to normal, nor to produce frank acidosis. In both of the latter experiments lactate and pyruvate did not continue to increase, but levelled off and began to decrease before the end of the hyperventilation. It seems likely, therefore, that the results reported by Eichenholz et al. may have been the result of hypotension in the severely hyperventilated animals. Fractional pulmonary blood shunting decreased during hyperventilation whether active or passive and whether accompanied by hypocapnia or normocapnia.
Fully developed flow of granular materials down a heated inclined plane

The mechanics of flowing granular materials such as coal, sand, metal ores, etc., and their flow characteristics have received considerable attention in recent years as it has relevance to several important technological problems. In a number of instances, these materials are also heated prior to processing, or cooled after processing. The governing equations for the flow of granular materials, taking into account the heat transfer mechanism by conduction, are derived using a continuum model (cf. Goodman and Cowin [1], [2], Rajagopal and Massoudi [3]). For a fully developed flow of these materials down an inclined plane, the equations reduce to a system of coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations. The resulting boundary value problem is solved numerically and the results are presented for cases where the viscosity and thermal conductivity are assumed to be functions of the volume fraction. It is shown that the equations admit multiple solutions for certain values of the parameters.
‘Playing the Fool’: US Welfare Policy from a Critical Race Perspective

In this article, we draw on critical race theory and critical race feminism to deconstruct contemporary US welfare policy. The political framing of work requirements, single motherhood, and ‘citize...
Radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory atrioventricular connections in 250 patients. Abbreviated therapeutic approach to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

BACKGROUNDThe purpose of this study was to report the results and complications of radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory atrioventricular (AV) connections by using an abbreviated approach aimed at minimizing the duration of the procedure.METHODS AND RESULTSTwo hundred fifty consecutive patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia involving a concealed accessory AV connection underwent catheter ablation with the use of radiofrequency current. In 179 of the 250 patients, catheter ablation was performed at the time of an initial electrophysiology test. Two hundred thirty-five patients had one accessory AV connection and 15 patients had two or more. One hundred eighty-three accessory AV connections were manifest and 84 were concealed. One hundred sixty-one were were located in the free wall of the left ventricle, 47 were in the right free wall, 44 were posteroseptal, 10 were anteroseptal, and five were intermediate test, and the ablation procedure was rec...
Histamine phase shifts the circadian clock in a manner similar to light

The mammalian circadian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) receives a dense input from histamine-containing neurons in the posterior basal hypothalamus. We applied histamine to SCN tissue in vitro and measured the subsequent rhythm in firing rate. Histamine caused a phase delay in the early subjective night and a phase advance in the late subjective night. The similarity of histamine- and photic-induced phase shifts indicates that histamine may play a role in the modulation of circadian clock photic input.
Collaborative environmental institutions: All talk and no action?

Many analysts view collaborative institutions that attempt to forge consensus and build cooperation among conflicting stakeholders as a potential remedy to the pathologies of conventional environmental policy. However, few analyses have demonstrated that collaborative institutions actually increase levels of cooperation, and critics accuse collaborative institutions of all talk and no action. This paper reports the use a quasi-experimental design to compare the levels of consensus and cooperation in coastal watersheds with and without U.S. EPA's National Estuary Programs, one of the most prominent national examples of collaborative institutions in the environmental policy domain. Panel survey data from more than 800 respondents shows that while the level of consensus is higher in NEP estuaries, there is no difference between NEP and non-NEP estuaries in the level of cooperation. © 2004 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Structure of the Bacillus subtilis phage SPO1-encoded type II DNA-binding protein TF1 in solution.

Abstract The solution structure of a type II DNA-binding protein, the bacteriophage SPO1-encoded transcription factor 1 (TF1), was determined using NMR spectroscopy. Selective 2 H-labeling, 13 C-labeling and isotopic heterodimers were used to distinguish contacts between and within monomers of the dimeric protein. A total of 1914 distance and dihedral angle constraints derived from NMR experiments were used in structure calculations using restrained molecular dynamics and simulated annealing protocols. The ensemble of 30 calculated structures has a root-mean-square deviation (r.m.s.d.) of 0.9 A, about the average structure for the backbone atoms, and 1.2 A for all heavy-atoms of the dimeric core (helices 1 and 2) and the β-sheets. A severe helix distortion at residues 92 – 93 in the middle of helix 3 is associated with r.m.s.d. of ∼1.5 A for the helix 3 backbone. Deviations of ∼5 A or larger are noted for the very flexible β-ribbon arms that constitute part of a proposed DNA-binding region. A structural model of TF1 has been calculated based on the previously reported crystal structure of the homologous HU protein and this model was used as the starting structure for calculations. A comparison between the calculated average solution structure of TF1 and a solution structure of HU indicates a similarity in the dimeric core (excluding the nine amino acid residue tail) with pairwise deviations of 2 to 3 A. The largest deviations between the average structure and the HU solution structure were found in the β-ribbon arms, as expected. A 4 A deviation is found at residue 15 of TF1 which is in a loop connecting two helical segments; it has been reported that substitution of Glu15 by Gly increases the thermostability of TF1. The homology between TF1 and other proteins of this family leads us to anticipate similar tertiary structures.
Annular bulge contours from an axial photogrammetric method

Objective. To determine the characteristic contour of annular bulge in the lumbar spine under compression using a non-contacting technique. Design. Transverse bulge of the annulus in lumbar motion segments was measured from photographs taken through an acrylic load plate. Background. Annular bulge is considered a potential factor in nerve root impingement. However, consensus is lacking regarding which annular region bulges most. Previous studies have relied on markers in discrete locations or on contacting techniques, both of which limit the accuracy of bulge measurements. Reporting of continuous contours around the periphery of the disc has been limited to individual cases; characteristic behavior derived from a statistical treatment of the data is unknown. Methods. Sixteen lumbar discal motion segments were loaded to 2500 N in compression. Axial photographs were taken in the pre-loaded and loaded states and digitized with an effective accuracy of 0.05 mm at 5 ° intervals. The bulge was averaged over the sample of specimens at each interval to provide a mean-value plot in the transverse plane. Regional variations were evaluated statistically. Results. It was found that the bulge was greatest posterolaterally (0.93 mm, SD 0.52 mm), and smallest anteriorly (0.37mm, SD 0.26 mm; corrected p < 0.05), with an average of all data points of 0.67 mm, SD 0.42 mm. The restraining influence of the posterior longitudinal ligament, while not statistically significant, was evident in magnified view of the bulge contour. These regional differences were greater in the lower than in the upper lumbar segments. Conclusions. Herniation posterolaterally may be associated with relatively large annular bulge in that region, although normal bulge is only of the order of 1/100th the diameter of the disc.
Characteristics of photosynthesis in peach leaves.

Seasonal photosynthetic patterns of Loring peach (Prunus persica (L). Batsch) leaves were monitored throughout the 1974 growing season. Using leaves on detached branches, CO2 exchange was measured under controlled light and temperature conditions. Net photosynthesis rate varied from 9 to 12.4 mg CO2 dm-2 leaf area h-1 and was correlated with fruit development, with the highest values occurring during the final stage of fruit maturation. The proximity of fruits to leaves also regulated photosynthesis, with the highest rates occurring in leaves closest to fruit. Soluble-sugar content in fruits and fruit yield were highest in tree areas with greatest exposure to direct sunlight although leaf area was evenly distributed throughout the tree. Light and temperature optimum for photosynthesis in peach leaves was 9.5×10-3 erg cm-2 s-1 and 30°, respectively.
STUDIES ON ARTIFICIAL ANTIGENS I. ANTIGENICITY OF DNP-POLYLYSINE AND DNP COPOLYMER OF LYSINE AND GLUTAMIC ACID IN GUINEA PIGS

Dinitrophenyl conjugates of poly-L-lysine, varying in percentage conjugation and molecular weight have been found to induce skin reactivity and precipitating antibodies in guinea pigs. At best, 40 per cent of immunized animals developed delayed and immediate responses to DNP-polylysine, which is believed to reflect constitutional differences among the animals assayed. Only those animals capable of responding to DNP-polylysine, responded to an immunologically distinct poly-α-amino acid consisting of glutamyl and lysyl residues ("copolymer glu-lys"). The percentage of animals responding to the DNP-polylysine antigen decreased as the degree of DNP conjugation increased.
Resonance quasi-projection operators - Calculation of autoionization states of He/-/

Development of a method to remedy the defects of the projection-operator technique for calculating electron resonances in scattering from many-electron targets. It is recommended that the projection operator Q be replaced by a quasi-projection operator which yields a discrete spectrum which can be made to be in essentially a unique correspondence with resonance energies. By relaxing the idempotency requirement, it is found possible to define two forms of this quasi-projection operator. The simpler of the two forms is tested on e-H and e-H(+) systems; the two lowest resonant energies differ by less than 0.01 eV from rigorous QHQ results. For many-electron targets it is further argued that replacement of the exact target eigenfunction by reasonable approximations in constructing the quasi-projection operator will affect neither the discreteness of the above-mentioned discrete spectrum nor the proximity of its eigenvalues to the resonant energies.
Structural changes in the ribosomes and ribosomal proteins of Rhodopseudomonas palustris

Following a shift from anaerobic to aerobic growth conditions, R. palustris enters a transition period during which the ribosomes and ribosomal subunits assembled during anaerobic growth are degraded, and following adaption to the aerobic environment, ribosomes are reassembled. Characterization of the aerobic ribosomal subunits resulted in structural ribosomal differences in comparison to the anaerobic ribosomal proteins. Our results indicate that R. palustris utilizes two distinct populations of ribosomes, the type synthesized being dependent upon the existing growth conditions.
Distortion of the cosmic background radiation by superconducting strings

Superconducting cosmic strings can be significant energy sources, keeping the universe ionized past the commonly assumed epoch of recombination. As a result, the spectrum of the cosmic background radiation is distorted in the presence of heated primordial gas via the Suniaev-Zel'dovich effect. Thiis distortion can be relatively large: the Compton y parameter attains a maximum in the range 0.001-0.005, with these values depending on the mass scale of the string. A significant contribution to y comes from loops decaying at high redshift when the universe is optically thick to Thomson scattering. Moreover, the isotropic spectral distortion is large compared to fluctuations at all angular scales.
Analytic solutions to sets of first‐order rate equations with up to six rate constants using a symbolic computer language SMP and application to biochemical kinetics

A symbolic computer language SMP* is employed to analytically solve sets of first-order linear differential equations which occur in kinetic rate-reaction studies. The solutions studied are fully analytic functions of time and the rate constants. Two typical systems are studied: the first contains four species and four rate constants, corresponding to four parallel and consecutive first-order reactions; and the second contains four species and six rate constants, including two additional reverse reactions. These analytic functions allow insight into the mechanism, analytic expressions for the rate constants, and more rapid and precise solutions for the species concentrations than a completely numerical solution of the differential rate equations themselves. The results of the first system are applied to a recent experimental study of enzyme kinetics in which constituent amino acid residues of an enzyme are photooxidized and the corresponding catalytic activity measured with time. A second application of the SMP gives rise to a rapid semianalytic method for obtaining the values of the four and six exponentially nonlinear rate constants from the experimental data.
Transport, charge exchange and loss of energetic heavy ions in the earth's radiation belts: Applicability and limitations of theory☆

Computer simulations of processes which control the relative abundances of ions in the trapping regions of geospace are compared with observations from discriminating ion detectors. Energy losses due to Coulomb collisions between ions and exospheric neutrals are considered, along with charge exchange losses and internal charge exchanges. The time evolution of energetic ion fluxes of equatorially mirroring ions under radial diffusion is modelled to include geomagnetic and geoelectric fluctutations. Limits to the validity of diffusion transport theory are discussed, and the simulation is noted to contain provisions for six ionic charge states and the source effect on the radiation belt oxygen ion distributions. Comparisons are made with ion flux data gathered on Explorer 45 and ISEE-1 spacecraft and results indicate that internal charge exchanges cause the radiation belt ion charge state to be independent of source charge rate characteristics, and relative charge state distribution is independent of the radially diffusive transport rate below the charge state redistribution zone.
Estimates for coefficients of L -functions. III

In this sequence of papers we investigate Dirichlet series $${\rm A}(s,X) = \sum\limits_1^\infty {{a_n}} X(n){n^{ - 3}}$$ (1) having Euler products and compatible functional equations with the aim of estimating the coefficients a n . It was shown in [2], [3] by different techniques that if the analytic continuation and the functional equations hold for sufficiently many characters then a suitable upper bound for a n is true which is considerably better than that resulting from the absolute convergence of the series. In this installment we combine both techniques to give new results and improve on those of [3] when A(s, X) has an Euler product of degree 3.
Molecules infer origins of ectoparasite infrapopulations on tuna.

Abstract Infrapopulation genetic variation of the oioxenous, hermaphroditic flatworm Nasicola klawei (Monogenea: Capsalidae) infecting the nasal cavities of nine yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares , from the Gulf of Mexico was analyzed using the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), ITS1 sequencing, and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Of a total of 32 worms, six had unique ITS1-SSCP types and the rest was grouped by three types. Two worms of the same infrapopulation shared an ITS1-SSCP type in nine instances but no infrapopulation was monophyletic by ITS1-SSCP analysis. ITS1 sequences (420 bp) varied by 1–11 (0.2–2.6%) nucleotides. Twenty-three AFLP profiles of 80–110 bands failed to support genomic monophyly of any N . klawei infrapopulation. 28S rDNA (990 bp) sequences from four worms representing four infrapopulations were identical and matched conspecific GenBank sequences. Concordant ITS1-SSCP and AFLP analyses indicated that these N . klawei infrapopulations principally resulted from tuna being repeatedly colonized by planktonic, infective larvae (oncomiracidia) rather than by a single host colonization followed by parasite maturation, self-fertilization, and production of auto-infecting progeny.
Interrelationships among Dietary Energy, Protein, and Amino Acids for Chickens

Abstract THE economical availability of fats for animal feeding made it possible to increase the energy content of poultry rations. Scott et al. (1947) had reported that rations high in energy content promoted more rapid growth and better feed efficiency in chickens than those of lower energy. Henderson and Irwin (1940) reported that up to 10 percent of soybean oil could be fed to chicks without affecting the rate of growth to eight weeks of age. Greater amounts resulted in deleterious effects. More recent workers (Siedler and Schweigert, 1953; Sunde, 1954; Runnels, 1954; and Donaldson et al., 1954) reported improvements in feed efficiency but not in growth rate. On the other hand, substantial chick growth improvements were noted by other workers (Robertson et al., 1948; Kummerow, 1949; Carver and Johnson, 1953; Pepper et al., 1953; Yacowitz, 1953; Yacowitz and Chamberlin, 1954; and Donaldson et al., 1956) with additions of fat to …
Pulsed Laser Ablation of Sn and SnO2 Targets: Neutral Composition, Energetics, and Wavelength Dependence

We report time-of-flight mass spectrometric studies of neutral gas-phase species generated in 532 and 355 nm laser ablation of Sn and SnO2 targets at intensities of ≈108 W cm-2, below the plasma threshold. A wavelength-dependent yield of Sn:SnxOy species is observed for the oxide target, with SnxOx (x = 1−3) the primary products at 532 nm and atomic Sn dominant at 355 nm. Sn and Sn2 are the primary products of Sn metal ablation, and the relative Sn:Sn2 yield increases at the shorter wavelength. The speed distributions of neutrals ejected from the oxide target are well represented by unshifted time-transformed Maxwell−Boltzmann (MB) distributions, while those ejected from the metal target exhibit bimodal MB distributions. Typical most-probable speeds are (1−2) × 105 cm s-1, with peak kinetic energies (KEs) of 1−2 eV. The implications of our results for pulsed laser deposition of SnOx films will be emphasized.
Structural control of igneous complexes and kimberlites: a new statistical method

Abstract The spatial distribution of magmatic activity may provide important information about magma formation, magma transport through the lithosphere, and the mechanical properties of the lithosphere. Zones of weakness in the crust, tentatively associated with deep crustal fractures, have been hypothesized to control the locations of magmatic centers. A connection between some lineaments and large-scale crustal structures suggests that magma emplacement could be controlled by sets of fractures with linear outcrop patterns. In this case, the locations of magmatic centers would not be distributed randomly but would have an anisotropic component. Thus, identification and characterization of such anisotropic control is a valuable exercise. Previous attempts to derive information about anisotropies from the locations of magmatic centers have been flawed or have provided only an estimate of the directions of anisotropy. In this paper we extend concepts presented previously (Lutz, 1986) to derive estimates of the locations, as well as the trends, of the features that could control magmatism. Monte Carlo simulations of random point patterns are used to provide a null model relative to which the characteristics of actual patterns can be evaluated on a statistical basis. Tests on simulated anisotropic patterns show that the method can successfully reveal underlying anisotropies even if a substantial proportion of the magmatic centers are located randomly. Applications to central magmatic complexes in Nigeria and to kimberlites in South Africa reveal control by anisotropies in both areas. However, the trends and locations are not apparently related to prominent geologic features previously suggested to have played a role. Thus, the anisotropies are imposed either by structures at depth or by structures that appear at the surface as minor fractures and joints. Shallow igneous complexes are often associated with potentially valuable economic deposits. Therefore, this method provides a means to predict the locations of resources. However, the method can be applied to the analysis of anisotropy in any features that can be approximated by points lying within a plane. Thus, earthquake epicenters might be analyzed to determine locations to be avoided to reduce seismic risk.
Phosphorylation of a Vesicular Monoamine Transporter by Casein Kinase II

The vesicular monoamine transporters (VMATs) package monoamine neurotransmitters into secretory vesicles for regulated exocytotic release. One isoform occurs in the adrenal gland (VMAT1) and another in the brain (VMAT2). To assess their potential for regulation, we have investigated the phosphorylation of the VMATs. Using heterologous expression in Chinese hamster ovary, PC12, and COS cells, we find that rat VMAT2, but not VMAT1, is constitutively phosphorylated. Phosphoamino acid analysis indicates that this phosphorylation occurs on serine residues, and the analysis of VMAT1-VMAT2 chimeras and site-directed mutagenesis localize the phosphorylation sites to serines 512 and 514 at the carboxyl terminus of VMAT2. Since these residues occur in an acidic region, we tested the ability of the acidotropic kinases casein kinase I (CKI) and casein kinase II (CKII) to phosphorylate bacterial fusion proteins containing the carboxyl terminus of VMAT2. Purified CKI and CKII phosphorylate the wild-type carboxyl terminus of VMAT2, but not a double mutant with both serines 512 and 514 replaced by alanine. The protein kinase inhibitor CKI-7 and unlabeled GTP both block in vitro phosphorylation by cell homogenates, indicating a role for CKII and possibly CKI in vivo. Both kinases phosphorylate the VMAT2 fusion protein to a much greater extent than a similar fusion protein containing the carboxyl terminus of VMAT1, consistent with differential phosphorylation of the two transporters observed in intact cells. These results provide the first demonstration of phosphorylation of a vesicular neurotransmitter transporter and a potential mechanism for differential regulation of the two VMATs.
Dopamine-containing substantia nigra units are unresponsive to changes in plasma glucose levels induced by dietary factors, glucose infusions or insulin administration in freely moving cats.

Abstract Dopamine-containing neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra showed no significant change in activity during 48 hours of food deprivation in cats that were maintained on either a high carbohydrate diet or a low carbohydrate-high protein diet. Plasma glucose levels declined significantly during this time period in the high carbohydrate diet group, and increased slightly in the low carbohydrate-high protein diet group. In addition, there was no significant change in the activity of dopaminergic neurons in food deprived cats during feeding behavior, during which glucose levels were restored to normal. Intravenous infusion of glucose in freely moving cats, which elevated plasma glucose levels from 82 to 719 mg/100 ml and midbrain glucose from 4.3 to 12.2 μmoles/g, was also without effect on the activity of dopaminergic neurons. Insulin administration to cats maintained on a diet of standard cat chow and fasted for 18 hours decreased plasma and brain glucose to 32.8 mg/100 ml and 2.1 μmoles/g, respectively, but, again, there was no significant change in nigral unit activity. These data demonstrate that central dopaminergic neurons are unresponsive to fluctuations in brain and plasma glucose, and argue against a role for central dopamine systems in the regulation of feeding behavior and energy metabolism.
On coabsolute paracompact spaces

We are interested in determining whether two spaces are coabsolute by comparing their Boolean algebras of regular closed sets. It is known that when the spaces are compact Hausdorff they are coabsolute precisely when the Boolean algebras of regular closed sets are isomorphic; but in general this condition is not strong enough to insure that the spaces be coabsolute. In this paper we show that for paracompact Hausdorff spaces, the spaces are coabsolute when the Boolean algebra isomorphism and its inverse ‘preserve’ local finiteness, and for locally compact paracompact Hausdorff spaces, the spaces are coabsolute when the collections of compact regular closed subsets are ‘isomorphic’.
Cell cycle stage-specific roles of Rad18 in tolerance and repair of oxidative DNA damage

The E3 ubiquitin ligase Rad18 mediates tolerance of replication fork-stalling bulky DNA lesions, but whether Rad18 mediates tolerance of bulky DNA lesions acquired outside S-phase is unclear. Using synchronized cultures of primary human cells, we defined cell cycle stage-specific contributions of Rad18 to genome maintenance in response to ultraviolet C (UVC) and H2O2-induced DNA damage. UVC and H2O2 treatments both induced Rad18-mediated proliferating cell nuclear antigen mono-ubiquitination during G0, G1 and S-phase. Rad18 was important for repressing H2O2-induced (but not ultraviolet-induced) double strand break (DSB) accumulation and ATM S1981 phosphorylation only during G1, indicating a specific role for Rad18 in processing of oxidative DNA lesions outside S-phase. However, H2O2-induced DSB formation in Rad18-depleted G1 cells was not associated with increased genotoxin sensitivity, indicating that back-up DSB repair mechanisms compensate for Rad18 deficiency. Indeed, in DNA LigIV-deficient cells Rad18-depletion conferred H2O2-sensitivity, demonstrating functional redundancy between Rad18 and non-homologous end joining for tolerance of oxidative DNA damage acquired during G1. In contrast with G1-synchronized cultures, S-phase cells were H2O2-sensitive following Rad18-depletion. We conclude that although Rad18 pathway activation by oxidative lesions is not restricted to S-phase, Rad18-mediated trans-lesion synthesis by Polη is dispensable for damage-tolerance in G1 (because of back-up non-homologous end joining-mediated DSB repair), yet Rad18 is necessary for damage tolerance during S-phase.
Measurement of Dietary Intake in the UNC Alumni Heart Study

Abstract Background. Research needs to identify diet and disease associations to provide direction about effecting change in individuals with dietary behaviors that increase risk of chronic disease. Inclusion of dietary assessment in the University of North Carolina Alumni Heart Study (UNCAHS) provides the opportunity to prospectively investigate dietary intake and chronic disease associations with measures of personality and behavioral risk factors. Methods. Development of the UNCAHS food frequency questionnaire and nutrient intake of 4,443 middle-aged men and women is provided stratified by total fat and vitamin A intake within demographic and health behavior categories. Results. Alumni consume diets close to that recommended by current dietary guidelines. Both men and women have low calcium intake. Thirty-nine percent of the alumni consume diets with 30% of kilocalories from fat or less and 88% meet the RDA for vitamin A. Never smokers had lower fat diets and greater intakes of vitamin A than former or current smokers. Over 54% of alumni currently took vitamin/mineral supplements. Conclusions. UNCAHS participants will be tracked as they approach older ages with apparently less risk for diet-related chronic diseases than many Americans. The psychosocial correlates of these eating behaviors will be evaluated as disease endpoints occur.
Comparisons of health care-associated infections identification using two mechanisms for public reporting.

Background Many states have or are in process of legislating hospitals to report health care–associated infections (HAI). The purpose of this article is to compare two methods currently in use by different states: 1) selected infections due to medical care Patient Safety Indicator (PSI-7); and 2) Centers for Disease and Prevention Control (CDC) protocols for central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLA-BSI). Methods Data came from a multihospital study. Site coordinators provided lists of elderly Medicare patients admitted in an enrolled intensive care unit in 2002 cross referenced with patient specific data on CLA-BSI following CDC protocols. PSI-7 was identified using Medicare data and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality PSI software version 2.1. Results The full sample comprised records from 14,637 patients from 41 intensive care units in 24 hospitals. Patients were excluded if they did not meet the PSI-7 denominator criteria. In a sample of 9,948 patients, both methods identified infections in 89 (0.89%) patients. The methods had little concordance with only 8 patients identified using both methods. Conclusions Inconsistencies that we identified in this study are concerning given the fact that reports of HAI generated by different methods vary widely. Mandatory reporting mechanisms should be standardized and their accuracy confirmed.
Relationship between fetal station and successful vaginal delivery in nulliparous women.

In early studies by Friedman and Sachtleben, a high fetal station on presentation was associated with a dysfunctional labor pattern.1–4 Subsequent studies examined the relationship between fetal station and cesarean delivery and demonstrated that an unengaged vertex at the time of active labor is associated with a significantly increased chance of cesarean delivery.4–7 Yet, the relevance of these findings to the present day is uncertain as obstetric practice has been characterized by a decreased frequency of operative vaginal delivery and an increased frequency of cesarean delivery.8 The demographic characteristics of reproductive-aged women in the United States have also changed such that the pregnant women are more likely to be older and have a greater body mass index (BMI).9,10 Both of these factors have been linked to higher rates of cesarean delivery.11–13 Thus, in the context of the present obstetric population and the approach to medical care, the relationship between station at admission for labor and vaginal delivery remains uncertain. This secondary analysis of detailed labor data from the modern era was performed to estimate the association between fetal station at admission and subsequent vaginal delivery.
Comparison of interwave latencies of brain stem auditory evoked responses in narcoleptics, primary insomniacs and normal controls

Abstract A study of brain stem auditory evoked responses (BAER) was carried out in 10 narcoleptics, 10 primary insomniacs and 10 normal controls to determine if a neurophysiologic abnormality could be detected in these primary sleep disorders. The mean interpeak conduction times of Wave I–III, III–V and I–V were compared between the following groups: normal controls awake and in monitored sleep; narcoleptics awake and in monitored sleep, normal controls awake and narcoleptics awake; normal controls awake and insomniacs awake; narcoleptics awake and insomniacs awake; narcoleptics with cataplexy (n = 6) awake and narcoleptics without cataplexy (n = 4) awake. No significant differences were found which suggests that these sleep disorders represent dysfunctions which do not involve brain stem structures subserving the BAER.
Probability Inequalities for Multivariate Distributions with Dependence Structures

Abstract Let X 1, …, Xn be a sequence of random variables with a given positive or negative dependence structure. In this article we exploit the assumed dependence structure to construct a sequence of bounds for the P(Xi e Ci ; i = 1, …, n), where Ci are infinite intervals of the same type. These bounds are superior to the well-known product bounds that are based solely on the marginal probabilities. Moreover, the new bounds can serve as respectable approximations for the P(Xi e Ci ; i = 1, …, n).
Comparison of low- and high-pressure affinity chromatography for the purification of serine and sulfhydryl esterases.

A series of affinity chromatography packins for the purification of serine and sulfhydryl esterases (acetylcholinesterase, alkaline phosphatase, urokinase and papain) have been synthesized using commercially available agarose, glass and acrylate parent matrices. Two ligands were coupled to the matrices by utilizing carbodiimide or reaction with active groups already present on the matrix: the quaternary ammonium compound trimethyl(p-aminophenyl)ammonium chloride and the serine esterase inhibitor analog p-aminobenzamidine. It was found that enzyme purification on the agarose- or acrylate-based packings was most successful, resulting in as much as fifty-fold purification over starting material. The pressure stability of the acrylate packing allowed purification by high-pressure affinity chromatography and decreased purification times as much as six-fold in comparison to agarose columns.
Cold and transition season cloud condensation nuclei measurements in western Colorado

Abstract. Recent studies have shown that orographic precipitation and the water resources that depend on it in the Colorado Rocky Mountains are sensitive to the variability of the region's aerosols, whether emitted locally or from distant sources. However, observations of cloud droplet nucleating aerosols in western Colorado, climatologically upwind of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, have been limited to a few studies at a single, northern site. To address this knowledge gap, atmospheric aerosols were sampled at a ground site in southwestern Colorado and in low-level north to south transects of the Colorado Western Slope as part of the Inhibition of Snowfall by Pollution Aerosols (ISPA-III) field campaign. Total particle and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentrations were measured for a 24-day period in Mesa Verde National Park, in September and October 2009. Regression analysis showed a positive relationship between mid-troposphere atmospheric pressure to the west of the site and the total particle count at the ground site, but no similar statistically significant relationship was found for the observed CCN. These data were supplemented with particle and CCN number concentration, as well as particle size distribution measurements collected aboard the King Air platform during December 2009. A CCN closure attempt was performed and suggested that the sampled aerosol may have had a low hygroscopicity that changed little with the large-scale wind direction. Together, the sampled aerosols from these field programs were characteristic of a rural continental environment with CCN number concentrations that varied slowly in time, and little in space along the Western Slope.
Continuous-readout extreme-ultraviolet airglow spectrometer.

A satellite-borne extreme-ultraviolet airglow spectrometer is described covering the 275–1420-A range with 8-A resolution. The spectrometer is of near normal incidence Rowland circle design and employs a holographically ruled concave grating. The detector is a microchannel plate with resistive anode providing a continuous readout of any 650-A ground-commandable subset of the total bandpass. This simultaneous wide spectral coverage results in a factor of 80 increase in sensitivity over a fixed exit slit design of equivalent resolution.
Turbulent Flow Properties Around a Staggered Wind Farm

The fundamental properties of turbulent flow around a perfectly staggered wind farm are investigated in a wind tunnel. The wind farm consisted of a series of 10 rows by 2–3 columns of miniature wind turbines spaced 5 and 4 rotor diameters in the streamwise and spanwise directions respectively. It was placed in a boundary-layer flow developed over a smooth surface under thermally neutral conditions. Cross-wire anemometry was used to obtain high resolution measurements of streamwise and vertical velocity components at various locations within and above the wind farm. The results show that the staggered configuration is more efficient in terms of momentum transfer from the background flow to the turbines compared to the case of an aligned wind turbine array under similar turbine separations in the streamwise and spanwise directions. This leads to improved power output of the overall wind farm. A simplified analysis suggests that the difference in power output between the two configurations is on the order of 10%. The maximum levels of turbulence intensity in the staggered wind farm were found to be very similar to that observed in the wake of a single wind turbine, differing substantially with that observed in an aligned configuration with similar spacing. The dramatic changes in momentum and turbulence characteristics in the two configurations show the importance of turbine layout in engineering design. Lateral homogenization of the turbulence statistics above the wind farm allows for the development of simple parametrizations for the adjustment of flow properties, similar to the case of a surface roughness transition. The development of an internal boundary layer was observed at the upper edge of the wind farm within which the flow statistics are affected by the superposition of the ambient flow and the flow disturbance induced by the wind turbines. The adjustment of the flow in this layer is much slower in the staggered situation (with respect to its aligned counterpart), implying a change in the momentum/power available at turbine locations. Additionally, power spectra of the streamwise and vertical velocity components indicate that the signature of each turbine-tip vortex structure persists to locations deep within the wind farm.
On the question of leadership: the postwar Department of Education and Research at the AIA

In 1946 the American Institute of Architects established a Department of Education and Research (E&R), under architect Walter A. Taylor. The name given the new department signaled the importance of research for architecture, and the AIA’s intended leadership role in promoting research-based architectural practice. E&R developed research policies under an advisory board and in 1959 convened a conference on research for architecture, funded by the National Science Foundation. Butthe AIA never assumed full leadership in research for architecture: The scope of the project was beyond the means of either academia or the profession, and postwar research policies remained decentralized. Although E&R played a role in directing applied research, academic institutions provedmore able to assume leadership of basic research. This history illustrates the complexity of leadership in a field that bridges academia and professional practice, as well as the importance of multiple leadership roles.
After a market panic: cash is king

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of financial flexibility as represented by excess cash holdings and debt capacity upon firm returns after periods of high market uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach – Days of high uncertainty are identified from 1987-2011 using the VXO Index (implied volatility of the SP positive profits are obtaina...
Corpus callosotomy effects on cerebral blood flow and evoked potentials (transcallosal diaschisis)

The role of the corpus callosum in diaschisis was examined through the acute effects of stereotactic corpus callosum section on cerebral blood flow and somatosensory or auditory evoked potentials bilaterally during unilateral brain retraction ischemia, using a previously reported swine model. Cerebral blood flow and evoked potential amplitude contralateral to retraction increased during retraction with the corpus callosum intact, compared with post-callosal section values. With retraction following callosal section, there was no increase in cerebral blood flow or evoked potential amplitude contralateral to retraction. Diaschisis during the early stages of a focal, unilateral injury takes the form of a contralateral disinhibition (as measured by cerebral blood flow and evoked potentials), an effect which is lost following callosal section.
Crystal Structure of Colicin E3: Implications for Cell Entry and Ribosome Inactivation

Colicins kill E. coli by a process that involves binding to a surface receptor, entering the cell, and, finally, intoxicating it. The lethal action of colicin E3 is a specific cleavage in the ribosomal decoding A site. The crystal structure of colicin E3, reported here in a binary complex with its immunity protein (IP), reveals a Y-shaped molecule with the receptor binding domain forming a 100 A long stalk and the two globular heads of the translocation domain (T) and the catalytic domain (C) comprising the two arms. Active site residues are D510, H513, E517, and R545. IP is buried between T and C. Rather than blocking the active site, IP prevents access of the active site to the ribosome.