cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proteolysis in mixed organic-aqueous solvent systems: applications for peptide mass mapping using mass spectrometry.

The rate of protein digestion imposes significant limitations on high-throughput protein identification using mass spectrometry. In this report, we demonstrate that proteins are readily digested by trypsin in the presence of organic solvents such as methanol, acetone, 2-propanol, and acetonitrile. The rates of protein digestion in organic solvents, as indicated by the abundances of digest fragment ions in the mass spectrum, are increased relative to aqueous solution. In addition, amino acid coverage for the analyzed proteins increases in the presence of the organic solvents, and proteins that are resistant to proteolysis are readily digested. For example, a 68% amino acid sequence coverage was attained from a tryptic digest of myoglobin in <5 min from an 80% acetonitrile solution, whereas no digest fragments were detected from a 5 min digestion in an aqueous solution. Moreover, the tryptic digestion of a complex protein mixture in an organic−aqueous solvent system showed significantly enhanced digestion f...
Visiones cubanas del cómic a través de sus revistas

Las revistas especializadas en el estudio de los comics han tenido a lo largo del siglo veinte un papel fundamental para preservar su incipiente memoria y reivindicar espacios culturales autoctonos. Cuba, que tuvo una relacion ambigua con el comic, sorprende sin embargo por su papel pionero en este tipo de publicaciones especializadas dentro del contexto latinoamericano. Hace algunos anos llegaron a mi poder los primeros catorce numeros de la revista C-LINEA que habian aparecido publicados entre 1973 y 1975 en Cuba. Se la podria considerar como una de las publicaciones especializadas mas carismaticas del momento, y llevaba como sobrenombre el de Revista Latinoamericana de Estudio de la Historieta. Tuvo como responsable de la edicion a Fidel Morales, y como director artistico a Ponce Lima. En su primer numero de 1973 explicaban su “razon de ser” conscientes de las difi cultades a las que se enfrentaban al defender un medio que se asociaba a los valores ideologicos de lo que defi nian como la cultura imperialista estadounidense. Pero al margen de esa realidad alienadora y consumista que imponia el capitalismo reivindicaban una cultura de la secuencia grafi ca alejada de esos parametros:
Dinitrophenyl-modified autologous melanoma vaccine induces a T cell response to hapten-modified, melanoma peptides.

Abstract Active specific immunotherapy with dinitrophenyl (DNP)-modified autologous melanoma vaccine elicits inflammatory responses in metastatic tumor sites. Postsurgical adjuvant immunotherapy with this vaccine prolongs survival in stage III melanoma patients. We have reported that, after administration of DNP-modified melanoma vaccine, T cell responses to DNP-modified autologous tumor cells are demonstrablein vivoandin vitro.These responses are hapten specific and MHC restricted. To elucidate this phenomenon, we investigated the immune response to DNP-modified peptides eluted from autologous cells. Short peptides were extracted from DNP-modified and unmodified autologous melanoma cells by an acid elution technique and HPLC fractionation. Peptides were also extracted from DNP-modified and unmodified, EB virus-transformed, autologous B lymphoblasts. These various peptide fractions were loaded onto autologous B lymphoblasts and tested for ability to elicit a response by a DNP-specific T cell line as measured by IFN-γ production. Unexpectedly, stimulatory activity of peptides from DNP-modified melanoma cells was confined to a single HPLC fraction. Spectrometric analysis of this fraction confirmed modification of peptides with DNP. A weaker T cell response was observed to a single HPLC fraction of DNP-modified peptides from the patient's B lymphoblasts. No T cell response was elicited by corresponding fractions of peptides eluted from unmodified melanoma cells or B lymphoblasts. These findings demonstrate the human T cell response to DNP-modified autologous melanoma cells is mediated by hapten-modified, MHC-associated peptides. Further investigation of these peptides could lead to a new strategy for peptide-based cancer immunotherapy.
Limitations of Receiver/Data Loggers for Monitoring Radiocollared Animals

We evaluated the effectiveness of receiver/data loggers for monitoring the presence/absence of radiocollared animals in discrete areas. Our primary objective was to determine how variation in transmitter signal strength affected the size of area being monitored. This information will help researchers better manage the uncertainty related to determining an animal's location relative to a discrete boundary. We used an adjustable attenuator to measure signal strength to determine the minimum number of decibels (dB) required to eliminate detection of a radio signal by receiver/data loggers. We quantified how dB varied depending upon orientation of the transmitter on the animal and distance from receiver/data logger (radius of detection). Based upon this signal strength variation, we then calculated a zone of uncertainty (i.e., the area in which detection of a radio signal was uncertain at a particular radius of detection). The zone of uncertainty increased exponentially with a linear increase in radius of detection. We do not recommend using receiver/data loggers to monitor radiocollared animals in discrete areas unless uncertainty is acceptable.
Tyrosine hydroxylase-containing neurons in the spinal cord of the chicken. I. Development and analysis of catecholamine synthesis capabilities.

1. The development of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-IR) neurons was examined in the spinal cord of the chick embryo and hatchling. 2. Two groups of TH-IR cells are described, both of which appear to reach their full complement in number relatively late in embryonic development. One group is comprised of numerous cells located ventral to the central canal which make direct contact with the lumen of the canal. The other group consists of large multipolar neurons that reside in the dorsal horn, more commonly along the outer margin of the gray matter within lamina I and II, and less frequently deeper in the dorsal horn within medial portions of laminae V, VI or VII. 3. TH-IR cells ventral to the central canal in the chick are comparable in location to dopamine (DA)-containing spinal cord cells in lower vertebrate species. In contrast, the dorsally-suited TH-IR cells in the chick are known only to occur in similar positions in higher vertebrates. Therefore, the chick is novel in that the presence ofboth groups of TH-IR cells appearing together in significant numbers within the spinal cord has not been shown in any other species studied to date. 4. The TH-containing cells in the chick cord do not appear to contain the catecholamine biosynthesis enzymes, DBH or PNMT. Moreover, using anti-DA immunocytochemistry, neither group of TH-IR cells demonstrated detectable levels of DA in control animals nor in animals pretreated with inhibitors of MAO (MAO-I). 5. However, a difference was noted though between the two TH-IR cell groups in terms of their responses to exogenously supplied L-DOPA, the immediate precursor to DA. With the administration of L-DOPA and a MAO-I to chick hatchlings, cells in the region ventral to the central canal stained intensely for DA. In contrast, the same treatment failed to produce DA-immunoreactive cells in the dorsal horn. 6. One reasonable hypothesis for these results is that the TH-IR cells ventral to the central canal contain an active form of AADC, the enzyme that converts L-DOPA to DA. With this interpretation, if these cells can produce DA from L-DOPA, yet do not appear to synthesize DA endogenously, it would appear that the TH enzyme contained in these cells occurs in aninactive form. Whether the TH enzyme in the dorsally located immunoreactive cells is also inactive is uncertain since it remains unclear whether they contain AADC.
The distribution of melanocytes in the leptomeninges of the human brain.

The purpose of this study was to determine the qualitative and quantitative distribution of melanocytes in human leptomeninges by histochemical and ultrastructural techniques and to search for melanocytes in the mesothelial linings of the pleural and peritoneal cavities. Knowledge of the extracutaneous distribution of pigment cells will facilitate the interpretation of systemic symptoms in depigmentation disorders, such as vitiligo and the Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome. In 15 brains examined, leptomeningeal pigment cells were found principally over the ventrolateral surfaces of the medulla oblongata. Only isolated pigment-containing cells were found in the meninges covering other parts of the brain. The mean number of pigment cells in the medullary meninges of 5 brains was 325/mm 2 ± 96. The presence of melanosomes as single, membrane- bound granules in all stages of melanization confirms that the melanin-containing dendritic cells of the leptomeninges are melanocytes and not macrophages. No pigmented cells were observed in the pleural or peritoneal samples examined.
Reduced Glucocorticoid Receptor Expression Predicts Bladder Tumor Recurrence and Progression

Objectives: To assess the levels of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in bladder tumors because the status and its prognostic value remain largely unknown. Methods: We immunohistochemically stained for GR in bladder tumor and matched non-neoplastic bladder tissue specimens. Results: Overall, GR was positive in 129 (87%) of 149 urothelial tumors, which was significantly ( P = .026) lower than in non-neoplastic urothelium (90 [96%] of 94). Forty-two (79%) of 53 low-grade tumors vs 45 (47%) of 96 high-grade carcinomas ( P < .001) and 61 (73%) of 84 non–muscle-invasive (NMI) tumors vs 26 (40%) of 65 muscle-invasive (MI) carcinomas ( P < .001) were moderately to strongly immunoreactive for GR. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests revealed that loss or weak positivity of GR significantly or marginally correlated with recurrence of NMI tumors ( P = .025), progression of MI tumors ( P = .082), and cancer-specific survival of MI tumors ( P = .067). Multivariate analysis identified low GR expression as a strong predictor for recurrence of NMI tumors ( P = .034). Conclusions: GR expression was downregulated in bladder tumors compared with nonneoplastic bladder tumors and in high-grade/MI tumors compared with low-grade/NMI tumors. Decreased expression of GR, as an independent prognosticator, predicted recurrence of NMI tumors. These results support experimental evidence suggesting an inhibitory role of GR signals in bladder cancer outgrowth.
CONCENTRATION OF ACID PHOSPHATASE, RIBONUCLEASE, DESOXYRIBONUCLEASE, ß-GLUCURONIDASE, AND CATHEPSIN IN "DROPLETS" ISOLATED FROM THE KIDNEY CELLS OF NORMAL RATS

1. Three fractions of "droplets" having diameters of 1 to 5 µ (fraction I), 0.5 to 1.5 µ (fraction II), and 0.1 to 1.0 µ (fraction III) were isolated from the kidney cells of normal rats. 2. All three "droplet" fractions showed 10 to 15 times higher activities of acid phosphatase, β-glucuronidase, ribonuclease, desoxyribonuclease, and cathepsin than the total homogenate and the mitochondrial fraction. 3. After a rough fractionation of the total homogenate, approximately 50 per cent of the 5 enzymes was found in the fractions which contained the "droplets" and approximately 30 per cent in the supernatant fluid. 4. The similarities between the enzymatic properties of the "droplets" from kidney cells and of the fractions isolated from liver cells by other investigators have been discussed.
THE OBESITY CRISIS: CHALLENGE TO THE FOOD INDUSTRY

Rising rates of overweight and obesity pose a major challenge to the food industry. The industry has the opportunity to take positive steps to become part of the solution, rather than part of the problem, which is the increasing perception. By 1999-2000 almost two-thirds of American adults were overweight or obese. The percentage of overweight children and adolescents rose by about three fold between 1980 and 2000. Overweight and obesity are now considered a serious health care crisis, with increased risk of many serious diseases. The added health care costs have been estimated at $732 annually for every American. The gain in weight is the result of eating more combined with less physical activity. Three areas are getting particular attention. The increase in portion sizes. The potential legal liability of food companies. And the foods and beverages available at schools, as well as the disappearance of physical education as part of the curriculum. If progress is to be made, people will need to develop healthier eating and exercise habits. The food industry can contribute to both. Some companies, such as Kraft Foods and Subway are emerging with proactive strategies. Community programs which encourage physical activity, such as Colorado on the Move, and now America on the Move, are drawing increasing attention. With a shift in attitudes toward "less can be more" and quality over quantity, food spending might actually increase, which suggests there may be a "silver lining" of opportunity for savvy food companies.
Phylogenetic utility of dynamin and triose phosphate isomerase

Dynamin and triose phosphate isomerase (Tpi), two markers suggested as potentially useful for insect phylogenetics, have been sequenced for 12 scale insect taxa (Hemiptera: Coccoidea). Protocols are given for their amplification using conventional polymerase chain reaction, and their phylogenetic utility has been evaluated using several qualitative criteria and a modified version of the partition addition bootstrap alteration approach. Dynamin and Tpi fragments are easy to amplify and are evolving at a rate comparable with widely used nuclear ribosomal markers. The dynamin fragment has a single short intron. The Tpi fragment has three introns. One possible drawback to the use of the dynamin fragment as a phylogenetic marker is that its short length limits accurate modelling of complex substitution processes.
The Permeability of the Primary Decidual Zone in the Rat Uterus: An Ultrastructural Tracer and Freeze-Fracture Study'

The rat primary decidual zone (PDZ) is a transitory avascular region of transformed fibroblasts surrounding the implanting embryo. Studies using fluorescein-labeled tracers have shown that the PDZ is selectively permeable to macromolecules, permeability decreasing with increasing molecular weight. In the present study we investigated the morphologic basis of the permeability barrier. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or HRP-labeled immunoglobulin G (IgG-HRP) was administered i.v. to rats on Day 7 of pregnancy, and the animals were killed 30 min to 2 h later. The reaction product of HRP was the same density in uterine blood vessels as in the intercellular spaces of the endometrium and PDZ at 30 min and 1 h after administration. Two hours after administration, the reaction product of IgG-HRP was dense in uterine blood vessels, much less dense in the interstitial spaces of the endometrium, and was not detected in the PDZ. There was an abrupt change in the density of the IgG-HRP reaction product at the intercellular clefts between endothelial cells, where cellular junctions were observed in control tissue. This suggests that the passage of large macromolecules from blood to the implantation chamber is limited initially by cellular junctions between capillary endothelial cells. The exclusion of IgG-HRP from the PDZ indicates that an additional barrier(s) to macromolecules in this region. Lanthanum nitrate tracer was uniformly present throughout the intercellular spaces of the PDZ except at tight junctions between decidual cells. Freeze-fracture replicas of the PDZ showed tight junctions that varied from single strands to interconnected networks of strands oriented mainly parallel to the long axis of the PDZ. Some strands were discontinuous. The tight junctions between decidual cells appear to be functionally discontinuous because HRP readily penetrated the PDZ, but such junctions may retard larger macromolecules such as IgG-HRP. The biological significance of the permeability barrier of the PDZ is discussed.
Parametrically excited, progressive cross-waves

Application de la formulation variationnelle precedente au cas de variations lentes spatiales aussi bien que temporelles des ondes croisees. Les equations d'evolution resultantes pour l'enveloppe des ondes croisees sont equivalentes a celles trouvees par Jones (1984) et peuvent etre combinees pour obtenir une equation de Schrodinger cubique dans un domaine semi-infini
Regeneration of Articular Cartilage Surface: Morphogens, Cells, and Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds

The articular cartilage is a well-organized tissue for smooth and friction-free joint movement for locomotion in animals and humans. Adult articular cartilage has a very low self-regeneration capacity due to its avascular nature. The regeneration of articular cartilage surface is critical to prevent the progression to osteoarthritis (OA). Although various joint resurfacing procedures in experimental articular cartilage defects have been developed, no standardized clinical protocol has yet been established. The three critical ingredients for tissue regeneration are morphogens and growth factors, cells, and scaffolds. The concepts based on the regeneration triad have been extensively investigated in animal models. However, these studies in animal models have demonstrated variable results and outcomes. An optimal animal model must precisely mimic and model the sequence of events in articular cartilage regeneration in human. In this article, the progress and remaining challenges in articular cartilage regener...
Capturing Community Context of Human Response to Forest Disturbance by Insects: A Multi-Method Assessment

The socioeconomic and environmental features of local places (community context) influence the relationship between humans and their physical environment. In times of environmental disturbance, this community context is expected to influence human perceptual and behavioral responses. Residents from nine Colorado communities experiencing a large outbreak of mountain pine beetles (Dendroctonus ponderosae) were surveyed in 2007. Multiple analytic methods including ordinary least squares regression and multilevel modeling techniques were used to evaluate a community-context conceptual model of factors influencing individual actions in response to forest disturbance by beetles. Results indicated that community biophysical and socioeconomic characteristics had important impacts on participation in beetle-related actions and influenced the relationships of individual-level variables in the conceptual model with beetle-related activities. Our findings have implications for natural resource management and policy related to forest disturbances, and for developing a methodology appropriate to measure the general community context of human-environment interactions.
Perceptions of Injustice in a Black Community: Dimensions and Variation

Few studies have examined beliefs and attitudes about injustice and discrimination within minority communities. Most research has emphasized the institutional consequences of discrimination, or the racial beliefs of the majority groups. In this study we examine attitudes about injustice and reactions to discriminatory acts within a Black community in the U.S. South. Beliefs and attitudes were found to cluster in three dimensions, including responses to personal discrimination, perceptions of political structures, and perceptions of major social institutions. Economic, social, and psychological variables accounted for 10-30% of the variance in these dimensions in regression analyses. Implications of these results for theory and policy are discussed.
Geometry of Wind River Thrust, Wyoming: ABSTRACT

A thick wedge of Precambrian crystalline rocks of the Wind River Mountains was thrust far across sediments of the Green River basin during the Laramide orogeny. Dip of the thrust zone decreases with depth to form a broadly curved, convex-downward surface. Seismic data also show strong local curvatures that produce a scalloped pattern in the leading edge of the thrust wedge and divide the wedge into lobate segments that are about 8 mi (13 km) wide along strike. The explanation for this scalloped pattern of folding may be lengthening of the unconfined wedge margin by extension during thrusting. Curvature of the thrust surface confirms that deformation of Precambrian rocks occurred by a foldlike mechanism. Local curvatures can also explain low apparent-dip angles of some oth r thrust faults in the Wyoming foreland. End_of_Article - Last_Page 932------------
Morphological and physiological characteristics of tomato roots associated with potassium-acquisition efficiency

Abstract Acquisition of potassium (K) by roots plays the most important role in K efficiency of plants. However, limited information is available on morphological and physiological characteristics of roots in response to low-K stress. In this report, two tomato strains representing two distinct phenotypes of K-acquisition efficiency were studied using a sand–zeolite culture system. One was apparently morphological, manifested by rapidly proliferating root length and concomitantly greater root absorbing surface areas to capture K. The other was physiological, demonstrated by high net K-influx coupled with low pH around root surfaces. The high K-influx, in association with high root cation-exchange capacity for K, brought about significant amounts of K accumulation in apoplast and on root surfaces, and K depletion in a zone between 1 and 3 mm from root surfaces. The accumulated K, in turn, could serve as a K pool favorable to K uptake. Results from this study indicate that soil K deficiency has been a selective force that leads plants to evolve characteristics for the efficiency of K-acquisition.
PARTY IDENTIFICATION AND PARTY CLOSENESS IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

The present analysis uses data from 1974 and 1981 U. S. cross sections, which incorporate a panel, to compare the standard NES measure of party identification (ID) with a measure of partisanship derived from a party closeness question widely employed in cross-national research. Important features of the two scales are examined by transforming the closeness measure into a scale of very close, fairly close, not very close, and no preference corresponding to the seven-point ID scale. The scales are highly correlated and are similar in their reliability. More than 75% of the “independents” in the ID scale choose a party in the closeness version, and over half of these select the “fairly close” category. Respondents do not volunteer that they are independents when that alternative is not stated in the question.
The Influence of Parenting on Early Childhood Health and Health Care Utilization

Objective This study examined whether parenting, specifically parental support, structure, and behavioral control, predicted early childhood health care use and moderated the negative effects of socioeconomic disadvantage. Methods A sample of 250 parent–child dyads from a longitudinal intergenerational research program participated. Results Greater parental support was associated with increased rates of nonemergency care and a higher ratio of outpatient to emergency room (ER) services, a pattern reflecting better health and service use. Support also moderated the negative effects of disadvantaged family background. Greater behavioral control by parents predicted lower rates of both nonemergency care and ER visits. Structured parenting and behavioral control were associated with lower rates of respiratory illness. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of considering parenting practices when examining variations in early childhood health and health care, and the relevance of parental behavior in designing interventions for high-risk populations.
The Theatre before Its Double: Artaud Directs in the Alfred Jarry Theatre

It is ironic that the works of Antonin Artaud, who called for the rejuvenation of theatre as such, come to us today not on their own, but through an unusually dense filter: a peculiarly persistent critical/theoretical apparatus doubles his own writings and practice. Artaud's work has occupied a cultish space in both French and English criticism for several decades. Each major trend in Artaud scholarship has reinforced the image of Artaud as a brilliant/mad theoretician and inspirational writer but a failed theatre practitioner—worse, one doomed to failure. The French school of criticism has plumbed the depths of the paradoxes of Artaud's oeuvre, examining the impossibility of reconciling the inadequacy of expression with the need to express. Derrida has argued that Artaud's projects, by their nature, by his nature, cannot succeed: They betray him the moment they begin to be articulated; they cannot stand upright the minute they leave his body. Much French criticism takes Artaud's madness and uses it as a touchstone for discussion of his legacy. The French Artaud begins at the asylum in Rodez.
The microstructure and boundary phases of in-situ reinforced silicon nitride

The microstructure of an in-situ reinforced silicon nitride, gas pressure sintered with La2O3 ,Y 2O3, and SrO additives and then heat treated, is examined with X-ray diffraction, SEM, and high-resolution TEM. Two crystalline rare-earth apatite phases, La5Si3O12N and Y5Si3O12N, are identified at the grain pockets and at the two-grain boundaries. The thickness of the crystalline phases at the two-grain boundaries is approximately 1.7 nm, in compliance with the suggested equilibrium intergranular spacing. A glassy phase is also present at the grain pockets and at the two-grain boundaries due to incomplete crystallization of the boundary phases. The thickness of the amorphous phase at the two-grain boundaries varies from 0.7 to 3.0 nm, suggesting that compositional inhomogeneities exist in these areas. Based on the microstructural observations, the structures of the crystalline boundary phases, the equilibrium intergranular film thickness, and the mechanisms causing incomplete recrystallization of the glassy phase in the in-situ reinforced silicon nitride are discussed. © 1998 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
Axial crushing of tubes as an energy dissipating mechanism for the reduction of acceleration induced injuries from mine blasts underneath infantry vehicles

A novel simple numerical formulation has been developed and implemented as a program to improve the capability of analytical approaches while reducing the dependence on computationally intensive numerical simulations. The formulation is based on an energy balance approach and utilizes explicit time integration of governing analytical energy equations to study the plastic work of the tube and impactor velocity in real time. An impulse–momentum equation yields the time history of the dynamic axial crushing force. The results of the numerical formulation are in excellent agreement with data from various external sources. The geometric and material properties of the tube can be varied to accurately study their effect on the dynamic crushing response, thus eliminating the need for frequent destructive testing. Further, the numerical formulation when properly modified, can predict occupant responses such as lumbar accelerations and compressive forces when used in crashworthiness applications.
Surface Cyclolysis in the North Pacific Ocean. Part I: A Synoptic Climatology

Abstract A continuous 11-yr sample of extratropical cyclones in the North Pacific Ocean is used to construct a synoptic climatology of surface cyclolysis in the region. The analysis concentrates on the small population of all decaying cyclones that experience at least one 12-h period in which the sea level pressure increases by 9 hPa or more. Such periods are defined as threshold filling periods (TFPs). A subset of TFPs, referred to as rapid cyclolysis periods (RCPs), characterized by sea level pressure increases of at least 12 hPa in 12 h, is also considered. The geographical distribution, spectrum of decay rates, and the interannual variability in the number of TFP and RCP cyclones are presented. The Gulf of Alaska and Pacific Northwest are found to be primary regions for moderate to rapid cyclolysis with a secondary frequency maximum in the Bering Sea. Moderate to rapid cyclolysis is found to be predominantly a cold season phenomena most likely to occur in a cyclone with an initially low sea level pres...
Effects of processing conditions on nanoclay dispersion in starch-clay nanocomposites

ABSTRACT Wheat starch samples containing Cloisite Na+ and 30B nanoclays were extruded from a twin-screw extruder. Moisture content, temperature, and screw speed were varied to determine their effect on nanoclay dispersion. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to examine nanoclay intercalation and exfoliation. Moisture content had the largest effect on Cloisite Na+ dispersion, with the highest moisture sample containing exfoliated nanoclays. Meanwhile, temperature and screw speed had little effect on Cloisite Na+ dispersion. For Cloisite 30B samples, only an increase in temperature produced slight intercalation of nanoclays. This was due to the incompatibility of starch with the more hydrophobic Cloisite 30B. Also, Cloisite Na+ and 30B intercalation did not depend on specific mechanical energy. In addition, water absorbance tests indicated the Cloisite Na+ sample containing the most well-dispersed nanoclays had the lowest water uptake.
Determinants of prostate volume changes following iodine-125 interstitial prostate implant

15563 Purpose: Prostate brachytherapy (PB) has been linked with increase in prostate volume (PV). This study evaluates post- operative PV changes and the variables that might affect prostate swelli...
Population Size, Microgeographic Distribution and Habitat Separation in Some Tenebrionid Beetles (Coleoptera)

Mark-recapture analyses of 6 species of geophilous tenebrionid beetles in montane Arizona during July and August indicate that local populations vary from several hundred to less than 25 individuals, depending on the species. Adults of some species are long lived, surviving at least one winter, while those of other species are ephemeral, dying after a few weeks. Significant differences in vagility among the 6 species are broadly correlated with patterns of distribution, the most sessile species being the most underdispersed. Species with the most contagious distributions are those with the smallest populations. All 6 species were strictly nocturnal and all were using the same food resources as adults. However, differential occurrence of the various species on different substrates suggests partial spatial and ecological separation of most. Separation is greatest between species with very large and very small population sizes. Species with small populations are more restricted to one or a few types of habitats than are the more abundant species. Available evidence suggests that physical and topographic characteristics of the substrate are of general importance in the ecology of tenebrionid beetles.
Rural and urban supported employment programs in the Veterans Health Administration: Comparison of barriers and facilitators to vocational achievement for veterans experiencing mental illnesses.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to compare urban and rural supported employment programs on barriers and facilitators with employment for veterans experiencing mental illnesses. METHOD: A national sample of 114 supported employment staff, supervisors, and upper level managers employed by the Veteran's Health Administration were recruited. Participants completed an online survey of work barriers and facilitators, including open-ended questions regarding additional factors that impact the work success of veterans. Survey responses were compared between participants from rural (n = 28) and urban (n = 86) programs using independent groups t tests. Open-ended questions were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Supported employment personnel from rural programs perceived significantly more barriers to work success compared with urban personnel, particularly in the areas of access to services and a range of job-related factors, including job match and interpersonal relationships at the work site. In contrast, participants from urban programs reported greater facilitators in the domain of mental health services. Qualitative findings add depth to the quantitative findings and highlight challenges in rural supported employment programs impacting job development and job fit. Both urban and rural programs experienced unique barriers related to geography and transportation. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Findings from this nationwide mixed-methods survey provide a comprehensive picture of the obstacles to employment success for veterans living with mental illnesses and receiving supported employment services in rural areas. Suggestions for changes in policy related to services and resource allocation are presented to address these unique barriers, particularly in rural areas. (PsycINFO Database Record(c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Abstract 1282: Sequence-specific repair of etheno-adenine at mutation hotspots in p53.

Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is a colorless gas used in the plastic industry for manufacturing polyvinyl chloride. VCM is mutagenic and carcinogenic, being associated with the development of liver angiosarcoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and cholangiocarcinoma in humans. The metabolites of VCM chloroethylene oxide and chloroacetaldehyde react with all four bases in DNA by alkylation to form exocyclic etheno adducts. An adenine adduct, 1, N6-etheno adenine (eA), is specifically recognized and excised by N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase (MPG) leaving an abasic (AP) site that is subsequently recognized and cleaved by apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE1), forming a nick in the DNA during Base Excision Repair (BER). Unrepaired eA results in A to T transversions, and these mutations are specifically found at hotspot codons in the p53 gene in liver angiosarcoma patients: codons 179, 249, and 255. We hypothesized that eA at these codons is excised less efficiently than at non-mutation hotspot codons due to differences in sequence context. We modified an existing real time PCR-based method to monitor BER in vivo, which utilizes a phagemid construct (M13mp18) containing a single eA placed in the p53 sequence. The phagemid is transfected into mammalian cells and retrieved at various time points post-transfection. The retrieved phagemid is treated with MPG and APE1 to convert any unrepaired eA to nicked DNA. The products are then analyzed by real time PCR utilizing primers that flank the damage site. Nicked DNA will be less amplifiable than intact DNA, which will indicate the amount of repair that occurred in the cell. We transfected HepG2 cells with phagemid constructs containing a single eA at the mutation hotspot codons 179, 249, and 255, as well as the non-mutagenic codon 246. We observed that 50% of eA placed at a non-mutagenic codon in the p53 gene (codon 246) is repaired in less than 5 hours post-transfection, while 50% of eA placed at the hotspot codons (codons 179, 249, or 255) is repaired in more than 16 hours. The in vivo results were confirmed in vitro utilizing purified MPG and oligonucleotide substrates containing eA in the sequence context of the non-hotspot and hotspot codons. We observed a 2.5 fold decrease in product formation by MPG when eA is placed at codon 249 compared to codon 246. We observed a 1.5 fold decrease in product formation by MPG when eA is placed at codon 179 or 255 compared to codon 246. These results indicate that sequence context affects the excision activity of MPG which suggests a potential mechanism for the presence of mutation hotspots in p53 (supported by RO1 CA92306 grant from NCI/NIH). Citation Format: Jordan Woodrick, Suhani Gupta, Sanchita Sarangi, Sanjay Adhikari, Rabindra Roy. Sequence-specific repair of etheno-adenine at mutation hotspots in p53. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1282. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1282
Clinical epidemiological study on acute poisoning in children in Nanjing city

Objective:To investigate the current status of acute poisoning in children in Nanjing city and analysis on its variation characterization and possible reason distribution.Methods:Local pediatric patients hospitalized for acute poisoning at Nanjing Children's Hospital over a 3 year period(2004～2006)were evaluated retrospectively.Special attention was given to poisoning in relation to type,distribution in age and season,and general information as well.Results:The acute poisoning in children presented at special age.The frequency of children before school age was 93%,especially at the age of 2 years(32.5%).Drugs were the most common agent of poisoning(66.5%)and mostly were adult drugs such as drugs to depress blood-pressure(19.1%).The frequency of acute poisoning was higher in summer and autumn than that in spring and winter.The agents of poisoning between four seasons were different.Drug,pesticide,househood chemicals and food was the most agent in four seasons,respectively.Conclusion:The poisoning induced by drug misusage in children is the most frequent type of poisoning in Nanjing.Therefore,the standardized management and usage for drug should be strengthened in order to reduce the local occurrence of acute poisoning in children.
Evaluation for Resistance to Powdery Mildew in Cornus Species and Hybrids Using a Leaf Disk Assay

Using a leaf disk assay, eight cultivars or/and breeding lines in Cornus florida L., C. kousa (Buerger ex Miq.) Hance, five cultivars in C. kousa ◊ C. florida, one cultivar in C. kousa ◊ C. nuttallii Aud. and one cultivar in ( C. kousa ◊ C. nuttallii) ◊ C. kousa were evaluated for resistance to powdery mildew [Erysiphe pulchra (Cooke and Peck) U. Braun & S. Takamatsu (syn. Microsphaera pulchra Cooke and Peck)]. Flowering dogwoods (C. florida) cultivars were more susceptible than the other species and hybrids with the exception of the C. florida ◊ C. kousa hybrid ‘Ruth Ellen’. Resistance in kousa dogwoods and hybrids was manifested as restriction of hyphal growth and inhibition of sporulation. Although mildew colonies and sporulation were detected on leaves of all flowering dogwood cultivars, ‘Karen’s Appalachian Blush’ and ‘Worlds Fair’ were more resistant than other cultivars. These dogwoods had significantly lower values of percent geminated conidia with branched hyphae, infection ef ficiency, sporulation and delayed latent period. The leaf disk assay provides a laboratory procedure to screen new cultivars and lines of dogwoods for resistance to powdery mildew .
A Web and Short Message Service-Based Audience Response System is Engaging and Preferred by Pathology Conference Participants

Background: Conferences are a vital component of pathology training. Actively engaging an audience is expected to increase the attention and improve the retention of information by the participants. Geographically separated participants are an additional challenge. Audience response systems (ARS) employed at professional meetings help to engage an audience, but can be expensive and difficult to maintain across multiple …
Comparative assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of cervical cancer and its screening among clinical students in southern Nigeria

Background: Cancer of the cervix is one of the most common and preventable forms of cancer among women; yet it kills many women in developing countries of Africa and Asia. This study was carried out to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding cervical cancer and its screening among female clinical nursing students in Southern Nigeria. Methodology: Comparative cross-sectional study was undertaken over a period of 7months (April to November 2013). There were 100 female clinical nursing students in Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) and all were selected for the study. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 100 female clinical nursing students in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) as controls. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data and analysis was by SPSS version 17.0. Result: The mean age of respondents in DELSUTH was 24.2±2.6 years, compared to 23.2±2.9 years for UBTH. 66% of respondents in DELSUTH compared to 59% in UBTH had at least good knowledge of cervical cancer and its screening. 86% in DELSUTH compared to 79% in UBTH had positive attitude, while 9% of respondents in DELSUTH compared to 7% in UBTH had done cervical cancer screening. Conclusion: The level of knowledge on cervical cancer and its screening was high, the attitude was good, but the uptake of the screening service was very poor. There is need to adopt urgent and drastic intervention strategies to save our women from unnecessary death. Keywords: Comparative Assessment; Cervical cancer; Southern Nigeria
Our Emotions as Seen through a Webcam

Humanity’s desire to enable machines to “understand” us drives research that seeks to uncover the mysteries of human beings and of their reactions. That is because a computer’s ability to correctly classify our emotions will lead to an enhanced experience for a user. Making use of the eye of the computer, a webcam, we can acquire human reaction data through the acquisition of facial images in response to stimuli. The data of interest in this research are changes in pupil size and gaze patterns in conjunction with classification of facial expression. Although fusion of these measurements has been considered in the past by Xiang and Kankanhalli [14] as well as Valverde et al. [15], their approach was quite different from ours. Both groups used a multimodal set-up: an eye tracker alongside a webcam and the stimulus was visual. A novel approach is to avoid costly eye trackers and rely on images acquired only from a standard webcam to measure changes in pupil size, gaze patterns and facial expression in response to auditory stimuli. The auditory mode is often preferred since luminance does not need to be accounted for, unlike visual stimulation from a monitor. The fusion of the information from these features is then used to distinguish between negative, neutral and positive emotional states. In this paper we discuss an experiment (n = 15) where the stimuli from the auditory version of the international affective picture system (IAPS) are used to elicit these three main emotions in participants. Webcam data is recorded during the experiments and advanced signal processing and feature extraction techniques are used on the resulting image files to achieve a model capable of predicting neutral, positive, and negative emotional states.
On the Behavior of Cross Sections Near Thresholds

The energy dependence of the cross section for the formation of a product, near the threshold energy for that formation, is considered. It is shown that the cross section is, apart from a constant, in the neighborhood of the threshold the same function of energy, no matter what the reaction mechanism is, as long as the long-range interaction of the product particles is the same. The same must hold, because of the principle of detailed balance, for the back reaction, i.e., the reaction between particles with very low relative velocities. In this case, the cross section, as function of the energy, depends only on the long-range interaction of the reacting particles. The energy dependence of the cross section is determined for three types of interactions, viz. no interaction, Coulomb repulsion and Coulomb attraction. The rule for a $\frac{1}{{r}^{2}}$ interaction can be obtained from the first case. Reasons are adduced to show that two interactions, the difference of which goes to zero at least as fast as ${r}^{\ensuremath{-}2\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\epsilon}}$ with $\ensuremath{\epsilon}g0$, give the same energy dependence of the cross section. Hence, long-range interaction in the above connection should mean an interaction which, at large distances of the particles, does not go to zero faster than ${r}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. The effect of small perturbations in the long-range interaction is discussed in general.
Patients’ Satisfaction and Their Perception of the Pharmacist

Objective: To explore the relationships between patients' satisfaction and (1) the level of pharmaceutical care services received, (2) patients' perceptions of the personal attention paid to them by the pharmacist, and (3) patients' perceptions of the pharmacist's ability to help them manage their asthma and prevent asthma-related problems. Design: Exploratory study using mail or telephone survey methods. Patients or Other Participants: Asthma patients (n = 250) enrolled in one of two Florida managed care organizations. Main Outcome Measures: Predictor variables were level of pharmaceutical care and patients' perceptions of personal attention and their pharmacist's ability to help them control their asthma. Outcome variable was patients' overall satisfaction with the care they received from their pharmacist. Results: The direct causal effects of level of care (standardized regression coefficient, (3 = 0.07) and patients' perception of pharmacists' ability to help (p = 0.01) on satisfaction were nonsignificant. Only personal attention had a significant direct path coefficient to patient satisfaction ((3 = 0.63). Although the level of care was associated with patient satisfaction (r= 0.32), its direct effect was not significant because of its joint association (r = 0.27) with personal attention. Patients' satisfaction was associated with the level of pharmaceutical care and their perception of the pharmacist's ability to help them with their asthma. However, personal attention from the pharmacist was most influential. Conclusion: Patients may be less able to judge the technical quality of the care they receive, but they do judge their social interaction with the pharmacist. Pharmacy professionals must increase patients' awareness of the value of pharmaceutical care services and make it important to their judgment of satisfaction.
Distal Femoral Fractures

Distal femoral fractures are common injuries that are almost always treated with operative stabilization. For extra-articular injuries, retrograde nailing and distal femoral plating are commonly chosen. For intra-articular injuries, anatomic articular reconstruction is mandatory before restoring the length, rotation, and alignment of the more proximal component of the injury. Coronal plane alignment is critical to a successful outcome, and templating to the contralateral side is a useful technique to prevent postoperative complications.
Toxicity of Aqueous Alkaline Solutions to New Zealand Mudsnails, Asian Clams, and Quagga Mussels

Abstract We modeled the toxicity response of three important aquatic nuisance species to alkaline solutions of pH 12 to explore the potential use of chemical treatments for decontaminating infested water distribution systems, tanks, and other facilities in confined freshwater environments. Groups of quagga mussels Dreissena bugensis, New Zealand mudsnails Potamopyrgus antipodarum, and Asian clams Corbicula fluminea were tested in temperatures from 19 to 22°C in aqueous solutions adjusted to pH 12 with NaOH. The predicted 99% lethal exposure time (LT99) for adult-sized quagga mussels and New Zealand mudsnails respectively was 31.3 and 35.1 h. Longer exposures were needed to kill adult-sized Asian clams (LT99 = 208.9 h). Because of the worldwide use of NaOH as an alkaline reagent in a variety of industrial and pesticide applications, and its ease of neutralization with CO2, elevating the pH of freshwater solutions with NaOH may be a practicable management tool to remove nuisance species in biofouled canals,...