cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of pancreatojejunostomy in patients without dilated pancreatic ducts.

objective : To determine the safety and efficacy of longitudinal pancreatojejunostomy in patients with chronic pancreatitis and intractable pain who do not have a markedly dilated pancreatic duct. background : Ductal decompression by side-to-side, longitudinal pancreatojejunostomy has become the operation of choice for patients with chronic pancreatitis and intractable pain when the pancreatic duct is markedly dilated. However, markedly dilated pancreatic ducts are found in less than 40% of patients with disabling pain. patients and methods : Twenty-eight consecutive patients with intractable pain from chronic pancreatitis, most of whom had minimal or no dilation of the pancreatic duct, were treated with side-to-side, longitudinal pancreatojejunostomy between 1970 and 1993. results : There were 18 (64%) males and 10 (36%) females. The mean age was 41 years (range 11 to 72). The etiologies for chronic pancreatitis were alcohol (82%), gallstones (7%), trauma (7%), and familial trait (4%). Intractable pain was present for a mean of 4 years (range 0.5 to 12). Thirteen patients (46%) were dependent on narcotics prior to surgery. Twenty-five patients (89%) had minimal ( 10 mm). All experienced complete pain relief in the immediate postoperative period. Twenty-four patients (86%) have remained free of pain after a mean follow-up of 3.5 years (range 1 to 8). conclusions : In patients with chronic pancreatitis and intractable pain, small pancreatic duct size should not be considered a contraindication to side-to-side, longitudinal pancreatojejunostomy.
MOLECULAR ORBITAL EVIDENCE FOR WEISS'S OXYHAEMOGLOBIN STRUCTURE.

WE have read with interest the recent paper by Weiss1 concerning the electronic structure of oxygenated haemoglobin. From a consideration of: (1) magnetic properties, (2) absorption spectrum and (3) acid dissociation constant of oxygenated haemoglobin, Weiss has proposed that the iron has a +3 charge. Therefore, iron is essentially in the ferric state. His paper has prompted us to give additional evidence in support of his idea.
Does changing the timing of a yearly individual tax refund change the amount spent vs. saved

Abstract The empirical evidence surrounding whether federal income tax refunds predominantly stimulate consumer spending or saving remains contradictory. This study is an attempt to combine income tax research findings with research on mental accounting and with the effects of estimated tax payments timing. The authors developed and administered an experiment, using college students as subjects, to test whether tax refunds administered as one lump-sum will be saved (vs. spent) more than tax refunds of the same amount refunded monthly through revised income tax withholding tables. The study also explores the types of saving and spending that result from refunds under both timing patterns. A within subjects experiment of student spending was used, and ANOVA results confirm that a refund delivered in monthly amounts (for example, by changing the federal income tax withholding tables) stimulated current spending more than if the same yearly total tax reduction was delivered in one lump-sum. The findings also suggest that the lump-sum distribution conversely will stimulate private saving more than a monthly distribution will. The study also explores other specific savings and spending tendencies, including the payment of credit cards vs. investments in securities, and the amount spent on durable goods vs. monthly expenditures across several monthly and yearly distributions. It is important to know if and how the timing of refunds affects savings and spending tendencies because tax cuts are often debated on the political stage as a means to stimulate spending, and the timing of the refund might change how effectively a tax cut meets that goal.
The Conserved Methionines of the 1.3 S Biotinyl Subunit of Transcarboxylase: Effect of Mutations on Conformation and Activity

Abstract Transcarboxylase from Propionibacterium shermanii is a biotin-containing enzyme which catalyzes the reversible transfer of a carboxyl group from methylmalonyl-CoA to pyruvate. Transcarboxylase 26 S complexes consist of a central, hexameric 12 S subunit with 6 outer, 5 S subunits attached by 12 1.3 S biotinyl subunits. Each of the subunits has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli in active form. We have used the cloned genes in mutagenic studies of the structure-function interactions of these subunits. One particular target of our studies has been the evolutionarily conserved tetrapeptide Ala-Met-Bct-Met which surrounds the biotinyl lysine. We have investigated the properties of subunits containing leucine substitutions at each methionine (1.3 S M88L and 1.3 S M90L) by assaying their activity in the two partial reactions in which this subunit participates. Partial reaction assays demonstrate that leucine substitution at either position has a greater effect on the 12 S partial reaction than on the 5 S reaction and Met 88 is more significant catalytically than Met 90. To determine whether structural alterations in the 1.3 S mutants were responsible for the effects on activity, the conformations of these mutants were investigated. In vitro hydrolysis studies with trypsin and V8 protease demonstrated differences in the susceptibility of 1.3 S M88L relative to 1.3 S WT and 1.3 S M90L. Complexes of avidin with 1.3 S WT or mutant subunits, as monitored by fluorescence properties, indicated that the microenvironment of the biocytin of 1.3 S M88L was different from those of 1.3 S WT and 1.3 S M9OL. By contrast, substrate binding (oxalacetate for 5 S and methylmalonyl-CoA for 12 S) was unaffected by any of the 1.3 S mutants. Taken together, these results indicate that the conserved tetrapeptide of the 1.3 S biotinyl subunit, particularly Met 88, is required to provide an essential conformation and proper binding properties for catalysis of the partial reactions and the overall reaction.
CYTOLYSIS OF ADENOVIRUS-INFECTED MURINE FIBROBLASTS BY IFN-GAMMA -PRIMED MACROPHAGES IS TNF- AND CONTACT-DEPENDENT

Abstract The effect of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) priming on macrophages for cytolysis of adenovirus-infected murine fibroblasts was examined using peritoneal macrophages and the RAW264.7 (RAW) murine macrophage cell line. Adenovirus-infected cells were lysed by IFN-γ-primed RAW macrophages via a TNF- and contact-dependent mechanism under conditions in which little or no soluble TNF was detected in the supernatant of these effectors. TNF involvement in the lytic mechanism of IFN-γ-primed macrophages is shown by (a) cytolysis of TNF-sensitive LM and adenovirus E1A-expressing cells, (b) protection from cytolysis by the adenovirus E3-14.7K protein and the E3-10.4/14.5K complex of proteins, and (c) inhibition of cytolysis when neutralizing anti-TNF serum is added to cocultures of macrophages and susceptible adenovirus-infected targets. Physical separation of effectors and targets prevents cytolysis, indicating that cell contact is required. Nonetheless, IFN-γ-primed RAW macrophages are unable to lyse E8 tumor cells, which are killed by fully activated (triggered) macrophages. These findings indicate that IFN-γ-primed macrophages are cytolytic for TNF-sensitive targets without soluble TNF release, but they lack the full cytolytic capacity of LPS-triggered macrophages.
Signal Processing for In-Line Inspection of Gas Transmission Pipelines

Abstract Gas transmission pipelines in the United States are primarily inspected using the magnetic flux leakage (MFL) nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique. However, accurate analysis of the NDE signals in terms of the underlying defects requires a thorough knowledge of various operational parameters such as B-H characteristics of the pipe wall, the velocity of the scanning tool, etc. In certain situations, information about such operational parameters is either absent or hard to obtain. Appropriate signal processing techniques can be applied to the raw MFL signals to ensure that defect characterization is possible in spite of local variations in the test situation. This paper presents two such signal processing methods–one, to compensate the MFL signal for variations in pipe-material grade, and the other to remove the effects of signal distortion that occur due to the velocity of the scanning device.
The J-Curve at industry level: Evidence from Sweden–US trade

Abstract Previous research that investigated the impact of real depreciation of kronor on Swedish trade balance used trade data either between Sweden and the rest of the world or between Sweden and each of her trading partners. Not much support was provided for a significant effect, especially in the case of Swedish–US trade. In this paper we consider the trade flows between Sweden and the US one more time and try to disaggregate the data by industry. We consider the trade balance of each of the 87 industries that trade between the two countries and investigate the short-run and the long-run effects of real depreciation of kronor on each industry's trade balance. While we find short-run significant effects in the majority of the industries, the short-run effects last into the long-run favorable effects only in 23 of 87 industries.
Integration of cultivar resistance and fungicide application for control of wheat stripe rust

AbstractStripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat. The disease is mainly controlled by growing resistant cultivars and applying fungicides when necessary. To determine potential yield loss and fungicide response, major cultivars grown in the US Pacific Northwest and susceptible checks were tested in complete split-block design experiments. From 2002 to 2012, stripe rust caused yield losses ranging from 18% to more than 90% and from 5% to more than 50% with an average of 44% and 33% on susceptible winter and spring wheat checks, respectively. Without fungicide application, the commercially grown cultivars with various levels of stripe rust resistance could reduce potential yield losses to 2–21%, with an average of 8% for winter wheat, and to 0–27% with an average of 13% for spring wheat. Significant or insignificant effects of fungicide applications on yield increase were determined for each cultivar, and the results were used to guide stri...
How Satisfying is Prison Work? A Comparative Occupational Approach.

Abstract Academic and popular literature typically depict employment as a correctional officer as “dirty work” that is brutalizing and dissatisfying. By contrast, available survey data suggest that most officers perceive prison work as satisfying. The present study attempted to assess these competing positions by investigating levels of job satisfaction among a sample of southern guards and by comparing these results with data drawn from a national employment survey. The analysis revealed that, while most guards express satisfaction with their work, the level of officer job satisfaction is lower than that of any other occupational category. This finding, however, is specified by educational status, with college graduates manifesting little satisfaction and those with the least education having satisfaction scores above the national mean. The paper concludes by arguing for the utility of a comparative occupational approach in the study of correctional officers.
Treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus with 5-fluorouracil and recombinant alfa-2a-interferon.

Background Combinations of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and recombinant alfa-2a-interferon (IFN) are synergistic in vitro and have demonstrated activity in colorectal carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and urothelial tumors. Methods A Phase II trial of the combination of 5FU, 750 mg/m2 daily x 5 followed by weekly bolus therapy, and IFN, 9 MU subcutaneously three times per week, was initiated in patients with esophageal carcinomas. Patients were required to have biopsy-proven squamous cell or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, locally advanced or metastatic disease beyond the scope of surgical resection, and adequate performance status, renal, hepatic, and bone marrow function. Results Twenty-one patients were enrolled; one patient was inevaluable for response because he had received prior chemotherapy, but was evaluated for toxicity. Eleven patients had metastatic disease, and 10 had locally advanced disease. Thirteen patients had squamous cell carcinoma and 8 adenocarcinoma. Toxicities were acceptable with no serious diarrhea and only two cases of serious stomatitis, although a greater than expected incidence of neurologic toxicity was observed. There were five responders (25%) including two patients with advanced or locally advanced disease rendered pathologically free of disease. One patient, initially considered surgically unresectable, was able to undergo a total thoracic esophagectomy after responding to treatment with 5FU/IFN, at which time only a single microscopic focus of carcinoma in situ was found. She remains alive and free of disease at 18+ months. A second patient who presented with metastatic disease and nearly complete obstruction of the esophagus regained normal swallowing function after treatment with 5FU/IFN; rebiopsy of all lesions revealed the patient to be pathologically free of disease. He survived over 2 years. Conclusions This regimen employing a single cytotoxic agent has activity in esophageal carcinoma. Strategies employing biochemical modulation deserve additional investigation in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma.
SAW/BAW acoustoelectronic technology for filters and communication systems

Solid state acoustoelectronic technology has had a major impact on communications systems for almost 100 years. The quartz crystal resonator first provided a device for accurate and precise frequency control in oscillators, and then was adapted to produce small, stable filters. However, due to the physical nature of the embodiments, the operational frequency was limited to less than 100 MHz. Solid state surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology emerged in the 1970's to fill a vast number of applications in the 30 MHz to 1 GHz range. The manufacturing used integrated circuit techniques and the embodiments allowed RF frequency operation. Many of the IF SAW applications still exist for demanding military and base station applications, but the performance is greatly enhanced from the early filter development. When cellular phones began in high volume, the technology was adapted and refined to meet demanding low loss, small, and cheap RF filters in the 800 MHz bands. As the frequency of mobile phones increased into the 2GHz band, SAW technology was further challenged requiring enhanced processing and manufacturing techniques, and devices are currently produced. As the frequency increased, thin film bulk acoustic wave resonator (TFR) technology, which had been researched for decades, overcame many drawbacks and are now able to produce high quality filters in the 1–5 GHz range. The SAW and TFR devices compete in the 1–3 GHz range and each can win filter slots, depending on specifications. In addition, these filters are now being integrated into RF modules for multi-band cellular applications. The development of the acoustoelectronic technology continues, always with an eye to enhanced performance, lower cost, and smaller size. New materials, embodiments, wave modes and packaging are all being investigated. Beyond use as just filters, the technology has expanded to RFID tags and sensors. The devices offer advantages of passive, radiation hard and small volume operation. This paper will provide a view of the technology, some historical perspective, current performance and future trends.
Volumes of Individual Amino Acid Residues in Gas-Phase Peptide Ions

Collision cross section measurements and molecular modeling calculations have been combined to extract average volumes of amino acid residues in gas-phase peptide ions. The approach uses cross sections for a series of 103 lysine-terminated peptide ions having the general form [XxxnLys+H]+ (where Xxx is any amino acid except Lys, Arg, His, and Cys, and n = 4 to 8). The results show that average volumes of individual Xxx residues in the gas phase are 5 to 15% smaller than when found in protein interiors; the Lys residue is 20% smaller in the gas phase than in protein cores. The relatively small volumes of amino acids in the gas phase compared with protein core volumes are explained by considering that few gaps or crevices along interior regions exist in compact model structures that represent the experimental data. The very small volume of the Lys residue in peptide ions is consistent with the expectation that this amino acid is the charge carrier in most (if not all) of the peptides and is subject to “elec...
Optimization of singular problems

A new optimization method is presented that optimizes singular structures. An example of a singular problem is deleting an inefficient member from a structure. As the member is deleted, the stresses in the member may increase above the allowables. When a member is deleted the nature of the analysis changes because the member stiffness becomes zero. This causes a local optima because stress constraints prevent inefficient members from zeroing. The problem is reformulated using the percent method so that the appropriate stress constraints are deleted as the member is deleted. Several examples show that the global optimal design is reached. Other methods to reach the global optima are appropriate only if the optimal structure is statically determinate. The percent optimization is also useful for optimization of discrete problems.
Thick-Film Electrochemical Immunosensor Based on Stripping Potentiometric Detection of a Metal Ion Label

A disposable electrochemical immunosensor based on potentiometric stripping analysis (PSA) of a metal tracer and using an entirely on-chip assay format is demonstrated. Challenges associated with the adaptation of earlier stripping voltammetric immunoassays to an on-chip operation, and with meeting the demands of decentralized testing, have been addressed. These include the surface immobilization of the antibody, the replacement of mercury drop electrodes, elimination of the separation and oxygen-removal steps, and the use of quiescent 30-μL sample droplets. Human serum albumin (HSA) and anti-HSA antibody were used as a model system, while bismuth ion served as the metal label. The anti-HSA was immobilized onto the surface of a thick-film electrode, followed by a competition between the Bi-labeled analyte−tracer and the analyte (HSA) for the antibody binding sites. Upon removal of the unbound tracer, Bi3+ was released and detected by PSA. The dynamic concentration range for HSA (0.3−30 μg/mL) and the dete...
Two-dimensional monochromatic x-ray imaging of laser-produced plasmas

A slitted crystal spectrograph has been used to produce two-dimensional, spatially resolved, monochromatic images of laser-irradiated targets. The technique is described, and examples are presented for comparison with corresponding pinhole photographs. Resolution along and transverse to the dispersion are determined by the crystal rocking angle and geometry of the spectrograph, respectively. One important application of this technique would be to radiograph hot, compressed targets, since the slitted spectrograph behaves as a filtered rectangular pinhole.
Higher education policy development in contemporary South Africa

The paper outlines a process of higher education policy development during the period 1994 to 1998. It also examines aspects of the policy development process that focussed on eliminating the legacies of apartheid and those that are typical of countries committed to broadly based quality higher education. Special attention is paid to those aspects of higher education policy development that pose challenges, are suggestive for effective policy making and provide insights into the political realities of the transformation process.
Transcriptional memory at the nuclear periphery

A number of inducible yeast genes are targeted to the nuclear periphery upon transcriptional activation. However, when repressed again, the INO1 and GAL1 genes remain at the nuclear periphery for multiple generations. Retention at the nuclear periphery represents a novel type of transcriptional memory; the peripherally localized, recently repressed state of GAL1 is activated more rapidly than the nucleoplasmically localized long-term repressed state of GAL1. This rapid reactivation involves localization at the nuclear periphery, the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, the histone variant H2A.Z and the Gal1 protein itself. Here, I review what we have learned about this type of transcriptional memory in yeast, what remains to be resolved and the challenges associated with understanding such epigenetic phenomena.
Hispanic caregivers of older adults with dementia: Cultural issues in outreach and intervention

Ethnic minorities, particularly the elderly, have been noted to underutilize health care services and programs. Recent studies have illustrated that Alzheimer’s support services for Hispanic family caregivers are needed and can be developed within Hispanic populations when ethnocultural factors are integrated into the outreach and intervention plans. This paper provides background material on the issue of barriers to the utilization of services by Hispanics. Family members suggest methods for conducting culturally relevant outreach. A description of currently available intervention strategies is also provided, including respite care, support groups, and psychoeducational classes.
Heritability of plasma amino acid levels in different nutritional states

Significant heritability has been shown for several plasma amino acid levels, but the results may have been confounded by sampling in a variety of nutritional states. We studied a group of families on a low protein steady-state diet in fasting and non-fasting states. Heritability of individual amino acids varied according to the nutritional state, suggesting the amount of genetic and environmental influences differ among the operative systems that control individual amino acid homeostasis throughout the feed/fast cycle.
Fundamental Coordinate Ties Using Laser Ranging Data

One of the main goals of fundamental astronomy is to allow us to locate ourselves accurately in space and time. Each observational technique cannot supply all of the answers all of the time, and the joining of results from different techniques requires a true understanding of the particular reference frame which underlies each one. In this paper we try to state the present situation in our attempts to tie artificial satellite and lunar laser ranging data through the construction of stations designed to make both kinds of observations. This type of development strengthens both data types and eases their combination with other data types.
A Multiscale Finite Element Method for Elliptic Problems in Composite Materials and Porous Media

In this paper, we study a multiscale finite element method for solving a class of elliptic problems arising from composite materials and flows in porous media, which contain many spatial scales. The method is designed to efficiently capture the large scale behavior of the solution without resolving all the small scale features. This is accomplished by constructing the multiscale finite element base functions that are adaptive to the local property of the differential operator. Our method is applicable to general multiple-scale problems without restrictive assumptions. The construction of the base functions is fully decoupled from element to element; thus, the method is perfectly parallel and is naturally adapted to massively parallel computers. For the same reason, the method has the ability to handle extremely large degrees of freedom due to highly heterogeneous media, which are intractable by conventional finite element (difference) methods. In contrast to some empirical numerical upscaling methods, the multiscale method is systematic and self- consistent, which makes it easier to analyze. We give a brief analysis of the method, with emphasis on the “resonant sampling” effect. Then, we propose an oversampling technique to remove the resonance effect. We demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of our method through extensive numerical experiments, which include problems with random coefficients and problems with continuous scales. Parallel implementation and performance of the method are also addressed.
The importance of surface adsorption on the washout of semivolatile organic compounds by rain

Abstract The washout of semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) by rain is an important removal mechanism from the atmosphere and an important loading mechanism to terrestrial and aquatic systems. In this paper, the rain washout equation is modified to include gas-phase SOC adsorption to the surface of raindrops. The relative influence of gas adsorption is a function of the air–water interface adsorption constant, K ia , Henry's law CONSTANT, H , the fraction of the SOCs associated with particles, φ , and the diameter of the raindrop, d R . Theoretical gas-phase washout ratios were calculated assuming a rainfall intensity of 10 mm/h and spherical raindrops for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins (PCDDs). Results for PAHs indicate that gas-phase washout including surface adsorption exceed those calculated considering only Henry's law dissolution for low volatility PAHs. This shift in gas-phase partitioning being dominated by dissolution to the bulk water of the rain drop to being dominated by adsorption to the raindrop surface occurs at sub-cooled liquid saturated vapor pressures around 10 −5 Pa, corresponding to PAHs with greater than or equal to five aromatic rings. Similar calculations for PCBs indicate similar gas-phase washout ratios (10 to ∼10 4 ), and a similar shift from dissolution to adsorption in the range of sub-cooled liquid saturated vapor pressures of 10 −2.7 to 10 −1.4 Pa. Calculations for polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins (PCDDs) indicate that adsorption dominates all gas-phase washout of PCDDs. Kinetic calculations indicate that even the least volatile SOCs reach equilibrium with the rain within hundreds of meters of the bottom of a cloud, depending on rainfall rate. Given the theoretical domination of gas-phase adsorption to the surface of raindrops, traditional rain samplers may underestimate actual washout ratios and ultimately loadings to terrestrial and aquatic surfaces because of the loss of water surface area upon collection.
Thermal instability of Si3N4/ZrO2 composites

Heat treatments of hot-pressed Si3N4MgOY2O3ZrO2 composites in an oxidizing atmosphere result in serious material instability at ∼ 800 < T < ∼ 1200 K where an oxygen controlled auto-catalytic oxidation mechanism possibly associated with minor amounts of zirconium oxynitride secondary phases is suggested to cause the catastrophic oxidation and loss of structural integrity of the material. The irreversible increase in the dimensions of the samples subjected to thermal expansion tests possibly derives from cracks generated by the permanent volume increase associated with oxidation of zirconium oxynitride phases.
The voltage dependence of depolarization-induced calcium release in isolated skeletal muscle triads.

We demonstrate for the first time in this study that triadic vesicles derived from skeletal muscle display a voltage dependence of depolarization-induced calcium release similar to that found in intact muscle. We confirm previous studies by Dunn (1989) which demonstrated that changes in extravesicular potassium induced membrane potential changes in isolated transverse tubules with the voltage sensitive dye DiSC(3)-5. Depolarization-induced calcium release was studied in isolated triadic vesicles through similar changes in extravesicular [K] while clamping extravesicular Ca++ to submicromolar concentrations. The amplitude of fast phase of calcium release, identified as depolarizationinduced calcium release, varied with the percentage of transverse tubules in the preparation (determined through 3 H-PN200-110 specific activity) and different levels of depolarization. Threshold activation of calcium release was obtained with a 40.5 mV potential change; maximal calcium release was obtained with a 75 to 81 mV potential change. Boltzmann fits to the normalized depolarization induced calcium release plotted against the membrane potential change yielded a voltage dependence (k = 4.5 mV per e-fold change) very similar to that found in intact muscle (k = 3–4 mV per e-fold change; Baylor, Chandler & Marshall 1978, 1983; Miledi et al., 1981). Substitution of methanesulfonate for propionate as the impermeant ion or addition of valinomycin in the depolarizing solutions had little effect on the voltage dependence of calcium release.
Lack of involvement of protein kinase C in ethanol-induced inhibition of metabotropic-glutamate receptor function in primary cultures of astrocytes

Abstract The stimulation of [ 3 H] inositol phosphate (InP) formation by the selective metabotropic-glutamate receptor agonist, 1S, 3R — ACPD, was significantly reduced in rat cortical astrocytes chronically exposed to 100 mM ethanol for 4 days. Under the same conditions, chronic ethanol either increased or did not affect the InP responses to norepinephrine and carbachol, respectively. The InP responses to all three agonists were sensitive to phorbol 12-myristate 13 — acetate. Although the protein kinase C inhibitors, calphostin C and staurosporine, significantly relieved the ethanol induced inhibition of the InP response to 1S, 3R — ACPD, these responses were still significantly less than corresponding values obtained from control cells treated with these inhibitors. The data suggests that mechanisms in addition to protein kinase C are responsible for the ethanol induced inhibition of metabotropic-glutamate function.
Intermonomer hydrogen bonds enhance GxxxG-driven dimerization of the BNIP3 transmembrane domain: roles for sequence context in helix-helix association in membranes

We determined the sequence dependence of human BNIP3 transmembrane domain dimerization using the biological assay TOXCAT. Mutants in which intermonomer hydrogen bonds between Ser172 and His173 are abolished show moderate interaction, indicating that side-chain hydrogen bonds contribute to dimer stability but are not essential to dimerization. Mutants in which a GxxxG motif composed of Gly180 and Gly184 has been abolished show little or no interaction, demonstrating the critical nature of the GxxxG motif to BNIP3 dimerization. These findings show that side-chain hydrogen bonds can enhance the intrinsic dimerization of a GxxxG motif and that sequence context can control how hydrogen bonds influence helix-helix interactions in membranes. The dimer interface mapped by TOXCAT mutagenesis agrees closely with the interfaces observed in the NMR structure and inferred from mutational analysis of dimerization on SDS-PAGE, showing that the native dimer structure is retained in detergents. We show that TOXCAT and SDS-PAGE give complementary and consistent information about BNIP3 transmembrane domain dimerization: TOXCAT is insensitive to mutations that have modest effects on self-association in detergents but readily discriminates among mutations that completely disrupt detergent-resistant dimerization. The close agreement between conclusions reached from TOXCAT and SDS-PAGE data for BNIP3 suggests that accurate estimates of the relative effects of mutations on native-state protein-protein interactions can be obtained even when the detergent environment is strongly disruptive.
High-throughput mass spectrometer using atmospheric pressure ionization and a cylindrical ion trap array.

The analytical performance of an atmospheric pressure sampling, multiple-channel, high-throughput mass spectrometer was investigated using samples of a variety of types. The instrument, based on an...
Estimating potential evapotranspiration: the effect of random and systematic errors

Abstract Random and systematic errors, inherent in meteorological measurements, affect the values of variables used to estimate potential evapotranspiration (ETp). A simulation approach was used to study the effect of the magnitude of those errors on daily ETp estimates over the course of a growing season. Previous attempts to quantify the effect of errors in those variables have been conducted using only 24 h of data. In this study, daily ETp was calculated with the Penman method using data collected at four locations in Nebraska during the 1985 growing season. These ETp values were compared to estimates made after introducing random and systematic errors to the input data. Errors in ETp estimates were progressively larger for errors introduced into the wind run, temperature, humidity, and radiation data leading to the conclusion that accuracy and calibration of humidity and radiation sensors is more critical than wind run and temperature in the Central High Plains of the U.S.
Earnings Prospects of Black and White Working-Class Women

Earnings of white, Puerto Rican, and black female graduates of a New York City vocational school are analyzed for a period of five years after graduation. Puerto Rican and black graduates who complete the same curriculum as whites earn considerably less upon entry into the labor market and thereafter for the next five years. Factors affecting these differences are analyzed. The findings cast doubt on the theory that equalizing training and education of whites and blacks will automatically result in equal job opportunities.
Dystrobrevin Controls Neurotransmitter Release and Muscle Ca2+ Transients by Localizing BK Channels in C. Elegans

Dystrobrevin is a major component of a dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC). It is widely expressed in mammalian tissues including the nervous system, where it is localized to the presynaptic nerve terminal with unknown function. In a genetic screen for suppressors of a lethargic phenotype caused by a gain-of-function (gf) isoform of SLO-1 in C. elegans, we isolated multiple loss-of-function (lf) mutants of the dystrobrevin gene dyb-1. dyb-1(lf) phenocopied slo-1(lf), causing increased neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction, increased frequency of Ca2+ transients in body-wall muscle, and abnormal locomotion behavior. Neuron- and muscle-specific rescue experiments suggest that DYB-1 is required for SLO-1 function in both neurons and muscle cells. DYB-1 colocalized with SLO-1 at presynaptic sites in neurons and dense body regions in muscle cells, and dyb-1(lf) caused SLO-1 mislocalization in both types of cells without altering SLO-1 protein level. The neuronal phenotypes of dyb-1(lf) were partially rescued by mouse α-dystrobrevin-1 (αDB1). These observations revealed novel functions of the BK channel in regulating muscle Ca2+ transients, and of dystrobrevin in controlling neurotransmitter release and muscle Ca2+ transients by localizing the BK channel.
The American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics: programs to support education in clinical pharmacology.

Individual members of the ASCPT have been active during the last few documenting the importance of adding required instruction in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics to the clinical years of the medical school curriculum.
The Mondragón model as post-fordist discourse : Considerations on the production of post-fordism

This article is intended as a contribution to the ethnography of contemporary capitalism. I analyze the case of the Mondragon cooperative model and consider what its international fame tells us about the regime of post-Fordism. I explore the constitution of the Mondragon model through the singular discourse of labor–management cooperation. I show how the model is produced by the discursive practices of omission and decontextualization. Mondragon can only be constructed as an alternative to and critique of capitalism if (1) workers’ experiences are erased; (2) politics are marginalized; and (3) the cooperatives are de-territorialized from the global economic context. By providing the missing contexts, I offer a competing narrative, portraying cooperation as a class-interested discourse that undermines workers’ power. My account of how the Mondragon model was produced is a revealing case of the production of global capitalist discourses in a period of economic and ideological shifts to post-Fordism.
The effects of eye position and expectation on sound localization

Ss who are exposed to a sound coming from straight ahead, but who turn their eyes 20 deg to the side toward a visible speaker during the exposure period and expect to hear the sound coming from the visible source, show a shift in localization of the sound up to a maximum of about 9 deg. Ss who only turn their eyes 20 deg to the side during the exposure period show a smaller but significant shift in sound localization, while Ss who do not turn their eyes, but are led to expect that the sound will appear to come from a visible loudspeaker 20 deg to the side, show no significant shift. Comparison of test results before and after the exposure period, with eyes directed straight ahead and no visible speaker present, shows the presence of a localization aftereffect for those experimental groups that showed a significant localization shift during the exposure period. Sounds are localized a few degrees to the side of their physical location in the same direction as the shift in localization during the exposure period. Further experiments show that part, but not all, of the shift in localization during the exposure period can be understood in terms of a shift in perceived head direction. The localization aftereffects are shown not to be due to change in physical or perceived eye or head position.
Insurers are not Banks: Assessing Liquidity, Efficiency and Solvency Risk Under Alternative Approaches to Capital Adequacy

Differences in the portfolios of depositories and insurance and reinsurance firms are important for the design of efficient capital regulations. Using a simple contingent claims model which focuses on credit risk and in which intermediaries issue liabilities under conditions of moral hazard, we illustrate three effects of risk-based capital regulations on institutional solvency risk, liquidity and economic efficiency. First, assuming identical asset risks to depositories, insurers that issue significant amounts of contingent liabilities may exhibit a zero risk of insolvency while holding significantly less equity capital than depositories. Second, higher capital requirements must be placed on depositories to attain the same degree of solvency risk, owing to the riskless payoffs promised for bank deposits and similar liabilities. Third, while bank-based capital regulations cannot resolve losses associated with systemic financial risk, capital regulations that incorporate incentive-compatible tax penalties to mitigate moral hazard effects can do so by increasing both liquidity and spanning. We conclude that distortions occur when measuring the solvency risk of insurers and other non-bank intermediaries with bank-based capital regulations and that uniform harmonization of capital regulations across depositories and insurers can significantly reduce aggregate liquidity and efficiency.
Adeno-associated virus gene transfer into renal cells: potential for in vivo gene delivery

The human parvovirus adeno-associated virus (AAV), type 2, has a number of features that make it an attractive choice as a vector for gene delivery to the kidney. AAV vectors permit long-term gene expression in vivo by integration into the host genome, have potential for site-specific integration on chromosome 19, do not express viral genes or generate a cellular immune response, and demonstrate enhancement of gene expression by chemotherapeutic agents that are approved for use in vivo. These properties confer advantages to AAV over other viral and nonviral methods for gene transfer. Preliminary experiments in our laboratory suggest that AAV is able to transfer genes to both renal cells in culture and the kidney in vivo. Thus, AAV has the potential to be an important gene transfer vector for the kidney in vivo.
SU-E-I-22: Performance Evaluation of a Commercial CMOS Detector for Dynamic High-Resolution Imaging

Purpose: Present state‐of‐the art flat‐panel detectors have limitations in terms of noise and resolution for dynamic imaging. With recent developments, CMOS‐based detectors show promise to fulfill the ever increasing need for better image quality. Here, we evaluated a CMOS‐based detector by measuring its sensitivity, MTF, DQE and INEE. Methods: The detector (Hamamatsu Model # C10901D‐40) featured 12‐bit image acquisition, CsI phosphor, 100 μm detector pixel pitch and an active area of 9.7cm × 6.7cm and had a maximum frame rate of 30 fps. The sensitivity and instrumentation noise equivalent exposure (INEE) were calculated using flat‐field images taken at various exposures (4.2 μR to 334 μR). The detector resolution was evaluated by measuring the modulation transfer function (MTF) using a tilted edge. The noise power spectra (NPS) and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were measured using the RQA5 spectrum for three different exposures (4.2 μR, 16.5 μR and 174 μR). Results: The signal vs. exposure curve showed excellent linearity of the detector and the sensitivity of the detector was found to be 5.8 DN/μR. The slope and the intercept of the variance vs. exposure curve were used to calculate the INEE of the detector, which was found to be 7.46 μR The measured MTF values were 0.61, 0.21 and 0.07 at 10%, 50% and 90% of the Nyquist frequency of 5 cycles/mm. The corresponding values of the DQE at these indicated frequencies were 0.47(0.56), 0.19(0.32) and 0.03(0.09) at 4.2 μR (16.5 μR). Conclusion: The imaging performance of Hamamatsu detector was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, linear system metrics and INEE. The INEE of this detector appears higher than desirable for fluoroscopy, but the detector shows good DQE at high exposure when the effect of the high instrumentation noise is not significant.(Support: NIH grants R01EB002873 and R01EB008425) NIH grants R01EB002873 and R01EB008425
Stabilization of the yeast desaturase system by low levels of oxygen

The stability of particulate palmitoyl-CoA desaturase preparations from anaerobically grown yeast cells was increased by exposure to low levels of oxygen. The stabilizing effect of oxygen may be based upon the increased amounts of palmitoleic acid and ergosterol that become available to the cells. These results suggest the evolutinary appearance of this system at a time when atmospheric oxygen was at a low level.
The Ultraviolet Absorption Spectrum of Ammonia

The discrete absorption spectrum of ammonia has been photographed from 2300 to 850A. The experimental results of other workers in the long wave portion of the spectrum are confirmed, and much new experimental data at shorter wavelengths found. The bands down to 1665A are all diffuse because of predissociation. Below 1665 all the bands are very sharp and show rotational fine structure which is partly resolved. True continuous absorption (in distinction to that produced by pressure broadening) does not begin until about 1200A. At 1150A and below the continuous absorption is so strong that no more bands could be measured accurately. Sharp bands exist, however, at least as far down as 1085A, so the first ionization potential should be at least 11.3 volts. The bands are classified in four ${v}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ progressions which fall in four different electronic states, all of the same type. All bands come from $v=0$ of the normal state. Only one fundamental frequency appears in the excited states.
Ion beam deposition—Microelectronic application

DESCRIFrION Chromium resistors ranging in value from several hundred to several thousand ohms have been deposited and analysed for composition, structure and electrical properties. The character of the deposits is somewhat different than films deposited by conventional techniques. Fig. 1 shows a surface microgram (2500 ×) of an ion beam chromium deposit on an ambient temperature, dielectric substrate. Note the extreme surface roughness. Fig. 2 shows a diffraction photo of the same area. Note the diffuse rings of the diffraction pattern, indicating extremely small grain size.
A Multicomponent Blend as a Diesel Fuel Surrogate for Compression Ignition Engine Applications

A mixture of n-dodecane and m-xylene is investigated as a diesel fuel surrogate for compression ignition engine applications. Compared to neat n-dodecane, this binary mixture is more representative of diesel fuel because it contains an alkyl-benzene which represents an important chemical class present in diesel fuels. A detailed multi-component mechanism for n-dodecane and m-xylene was developed by combining a previously developed n-dodecane mechanism with a recently developed mechanism for xylenes. The xylene mechanism is shown to reproduce experimental ignition data from a rapid compression machine and shock tube, speciation data from the jet stirred reactor and flame speed data. This combined mechanism was validated by comparing predictions from the model with experimental data for ignition in shock tubes and for reactivity in a flow reactor. The combined mechanism, consisting of 2885 species and 11754 reactions, was reduced to a skeletal mechanism consisting 163 species and 887 reactions for 3D diesel engine simulations. The mechanism reduction was performed using directed relation graph (DRG) with expert knowledge (DRG-X) and DRG-aided sensitivity analysis (DRGASA) at a fixed fuel composition of 77% of n-dodecane and 23% m-xylene by volume. The sample space for the reduction covered pressure of 1 – 80 bar, equivalence ratiomore » of 0.5 – 2.0, and initial temperature of 700 – 1600 K for ignition. The skeletal mechanism was compared with the detailed mechanism for ignition and flow reactor predictions. Finally, the skeletal mechanism was validated against a spray flame dataset under diesel engine conditions documented on the Engine Combustion Network (ECN) website. These multi-dimensional simulations were performed using a Representative Interactive Flame (RIF) turbulent combustion model. Encouraging results were obtained compared to the experiments with regards to the predictions of ignition delay and lift-off length at different ambient temperatures.« less
The Future of Nephrology

The Cellular and Molecular Age of Nephrology has dawned and the future is remarkably exciting. The successful attack on the major causes of renal disease, including genetic diseases, glomerulonephritis, diabetes, vasculitis, acute renal failure, and hypertension, will necessitate improved knowledge about pathogenesis. This new knowledge will allow early detection and target-specific therapies, the array of which is only limited by our imagination. The challenge to be an active player in this exciting future as a physician-scientist in the field of nephrology is indeed a rare opportunity.
Prevalence, incidence, and persistence of major depressive symptoms in the Cardiovascular Health Study

Purpose: To explore the association of major depressive symptoms with advancing age, sex, and self-rated health among older adults. Design and methods: We analyzed 10 years of annual assessments in a longitudinal cohort of 5888 Medicare recipients in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Self-rated health was assessed with a single question, and subjects categorized as healthy or sick. Major depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short Depression Scale, with subjects categorized as nondepressed (score < 10) or depressed (≥10). Age-, sex-, and health-specific prevalence of depression and the probabilities of transition between depressed and nondepressed states were estimated. Results: The prevalence of a major depressive state was higher in women, and increased with advancing age. The probability of becoming depressed increased with advancing age among the healthy but not the sick. Women showed a greater probability than men of becoming depressed, regardless of health statu...