cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the periplasmic receptors for L-arabinose, D-glucose/D-galactose, and D-ribose. Structural and Functional Similarity.

The primary sequence of the receptor for L-arabinose or Ara-binding protein (ABP) composed of 306 residues is very different from the D-glucose/D-galactose-binding protein (GGBP) which consists of 309 residues. Nevertheless, superimpositioning of the well-refined high resolution structures of ABP in complex with D-galactose and the GGBP in complex with D-glucose shows very similar structures; 220 of the residues (or about 70%) have a root mean square deviation of 2.0 A. From the superpositioning, nine pairs of continuous segments (consisting of 8-51 residues), mainly alpha-helices and beta-strands that form the core of the two lobes of the bilobate proteins were found to exhibit strong sequence homology. The equivalenced structures and aligned sequences show that many of the polar, as well as aromatic residues, in the sugar-binding sites located in the cleft between the two lobes are highly conserved. Surprisingly, however, the exact mode of binding of the D-galactose in ABP is totally different from that of the D-glucose in GGBP. Using the structurally aligned sequences of the ABP and GGBP as a template, we have matched the sequence of the ribose-binding protein (RBP) which consists of 271 residues with the ABP/GGBP pair. Although the nine aligned segments of all three proteins show little sequence identity, they have significant homology. Four additional segments of RBP were matched only with GGBP, leading to the alignment of about 90% of the RBP sequence with the GGBP sequence. Many of the conserved residues in the binding sites of ABP and GGBP matched with similar residues in RBP. Additional observations indicate that the GGBP/RBP pair is more closely related than the ABP/RBP or ABP/GGBP pair. All three binding proteins, which may have diverged from a common ancestor, serve as primary receptors for bacterial high affinity active transport systems. Moreover, GGBP and RBP, but not ABP, also act as receptors for chemotaxis. An exposed site located in one domain, which includes Gly74, for interacting with the trg transmembrane signal transducer that is involved in triggering chemotaxis has been located in the structure of GGBP (Vyas, N.K., Vyas, M.N., and Quiocho, F.A. (1988) Science 242, 1290-1295). Whereas the site is absent in the structure of ABP, it is strongly predicted to be present in RBP which shares the same trg transducer with GGBP. The knowledge-based alignment of RBP further revealed two possible additional peripheral chemotactic sites that show high structural and sequence similarity between GGBP and RBP only. At least one of these sites, together with the one proven to exist in the other domain, could be used by the signal transducer with which both binding proteins interact in a way which the substrate-loaded "closed cleft" structure could be discriminated from the unliganded "open cleft" form by the transducer.
Book Distribution and Marketing in the United States: A Review Article

From the time of Mathew Carey to the present, distribution has been the central dilemma of the American book industry. Things are not as bad today as they were at the end of the eighteenth century, when Carey virtually had to create his own machinery to distribute the books he printed and published.' But things are not very good, either. 0. H. Cheney, in the most thorough study of American book-trade economics ever undertaken, called distribution "the tragedy of the book industry."2 Since Cheney wrote-now nearly fifty years ago-patterns of book distribution have changed radically. In 1931, book clubs had been on the scene for just five years, and the paperback revolution lay in the future. Yet the fundamental problems which Cheney identified remain largely unchanged. As the executive director of the American Booksellers Association acknowledged recently, "The major problem facing the book industry continues to be distribution."3 It is in homage to the Cheney report and in recognition of the persistence of these fundamental problems that Benjamin M. Compaine begins his introduction to Book Distribution and Marketing, 1976-1980, with the words "This report was written 45 years ago under a different name" (p. 4). In fact, Compaine's study is not fully comparable to the Cheney report. Cheney's investigation was sponsored and financed by a coalition of professional and trade organizations representing publishers, booksellers, bookbinders, librarians, authors, and educators. Compaine's study has been sponsored and financed by a private firm, Knowledge Industry Publications. Cheney studied the book industry as a whole. Compaine concentrates on distribution and marketing. Because Cheney had the cooperation of individual firms in the various branches of the book industry, he was able to present a portrait of the industry based in part on new statistical data gathered specifically for his
Eukaryotic Replication Origins and Initiation of DNA Replication

Eukaryotic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication begins at specific genomic sites called replication origins that serve as assembly sites for prereplication complexes (preRCs). PreRCs include proteins that recognise origin sequences, helicases that separate the two strands of DNA and accessory proteins that facilitate helicase binding and interaction with cell cycle regulatory pathways. Assembly of preRCs is required for initiation of DNA replication which occurs after those complexes recruit additional proteins including DNA polymerases. The sequence requirements for replication origins vary but they all include several distinct DNA elements that act synergistically to facilitate preRC assembly. The number of potential replication origins is higher than the number of actual replication initiation sites. Epigenetic processes and metabolic conditions dynamically select the location of replication initiation events of each cell cycle to insure complete and accurate replication of the entire genome in coordination with gene expression and chromatin condensation. Key Concepts: Replication initiates at distinct chromosomal locations that recruit prereplication (preRC) complexes. PreRCs are recruited sequentially, each step subject to strict regulation to prevent rereplication. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) levels change during the cell cycle. Low CDK activity is required for preRC assembly as cells exit mitosis. High CDK activity is required for activation of existing preRCs and initiation of DNA synthesis, while simultaneously suppressing assembly of new preRCs. Replication origin sequences vary among metazoans, but the functions of proteins that bind replication origins are conserved. Eukaryotic origins exhibit a modular structure. Modularity is detectable in single-cell eukaryotes such as yeast and is more pronounced in metazoans, in which replication origins often cluster. Not all potential replication origins are activated in each cell cycle. Utilisation of replication origins is regulated dynamically to facilitate coordination with other metabolic processes occurring on chromatin. Either hyperactivation or suppression of replication origins can damage DNA and cause chromosomal rearrangements, suggesting that spacing replication initiation events at defined intervals facilitates genomic stability. Keywords: ARS; DNA synthesis; origin recognition proteins; ORC; cell division cycle proteins; Mcm proteins; DNA unwinding; prereplication complex; preinitiation complex; replicator
Structure of the CO sensing transcription activator CooA

CooA is a homodimeric transcription factor that belongs to the catabolite activator protein (CAP) family. Binding of CO to the heme groups of CooA leads to the transcription of genes involved in CO oxidation in Rhodospirillum rubrum. The 2.6 A structure of reduced (Fe2+) CooA reveals that His 77 in both subunits provides one heme ligand while the N-terminal nitrogen of Pro 2 from the opposite subunit provides the other ligand. A structural comparison of CooA in the absence of effector and DNA (off state) with that of CAP in the effector and DNA bound state (on state) leads to a plausible model for the mechanism of allosteric control in this class of proteins as well as the CO dependent activation of CooA.
Metabolism of Cyclic Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate-8-14C by Isolated, Perfused Rat Liver

Abstract Animal cells have been considered relatively impermeable to exogenous 3',5'-AMP. The transport of 3',5'-AMP-8-14C from plasma to bile and its metabolism were studied in 28 isolated rat livers perfused for 4 hours. The concentration of radioactivity in plasma, bile, and CO2 was determined at 30-min intervals after 3',5'-AMP-8-14C (3 to 30 µCi) was injected into the portal vein or added to the perfusate. Approximately 13% of the radioactivity was recovered in bile and 3% appeared as 14CO2. Maximal 14CO2 production occurred during the initial 30 min after addition of the tracer dose. 3',5'-AMP and metabolites were isolated from plasma and bile by ascending paper and ion exchange chromatography. Eluates of the paper and ion exchange chromatograms were measured by scintillation counting. The predominant nucleotide during the initial 30-min bile collection was 3',5'-AMP and represented 2.9% of the administered radioactivity. In later bile collections, the radioactivity of this spot markedly decreased, while additional distinct radioactive metabolites developed. These data support the hypothesis that some 3',5'-AMP is capable of penetrating the hepatic cell membrane and indicate that exogenous 3',5'-AMP is rapidly metabolized by the liver.
International Time Scale

An ITS is a calendar of magnetic reversals and palaeontological events. The elements of an ITS consist of: (1) a Global Polarity Time Scale (GPTS) based on distances between magnetic anomalies on the sea floor; (2) analytically precise radioisotopic ages used to calibrate the GPTS; (3) precise magnetobiostratigraphic correlations from which a biochronology is derived (including the correct correlation between magnetozones and sea floor anomalies). Keywords: geochronology; stratigraphy; biostratigraphy; radiometric dating; astrochronology; international stratigraphic commission
Characterization of Micellar Structure Dynamics for a Drag-reducing Surfactant Solution under Shear : Normal Stress Studies and Flow Geometry Effects

Some surfactant solutions have been observed to exhibit a strong drag reduction behavior in turbulent flow. This effect is generally believed to result from the formation of large cylindrical micelles or micellar structures. To characterize and understand better these fluids, we have studied the transient rheological properties of an efficient drag-reducing aqueous solution: tris (2-hydroxyethyl) tallowalkyl ammonium acetate (TTAA) with added sodium salicylate (NaSal) as counter ion. For a 5/5 mM equimolar TTAA/NaSal solution, there is no measurable first normal stress difference (N1) immediately after the inception of shear, but N1 begins to increase after a well-defined induction time — presumably as shear-induced structures (SIS) are formed — and it finally reaches a fluctuating plateau region where its average value is two orders of magnitude larger than that of the shear stress. The SIS buildup times obtained by first normal stress measurements were approximately inversely proportional to the shear rate, which is consistent with a kinetic process during which individual micelles are incorporated through shear into large micellar structures. The SIS buildup after a strong preshear and the relaxation processes after flow cessation were also studied and quantified with first normal stress difference measurements. The SIS buildup times and final state were also found to be highly dependent on flow geometry. With an increase in gap between parallel plates, for example, the SIS buildup times decreased, whereas the plateau viscosity increased.
Langmuir probe and optical emission studies in a radio frequency (rf) magnetron plasma used for the deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon

The characteristics of a low pressure radio frequency (rf) magnetron argon plasma with varying hydrogen flow rate have been investigated using a Langmuir probe and optical emission spectroscopy. Plasma measurements have been taken for conditions involving a silicon target to complement a previous study on the growth process and the effect of varying hydrogen flow rate on the deposition rate and hydrogen content of amorphous silicon films. This previous study indicated a sudden increase in the deposition rate when hydrogen is introduced into the argon discharge, and was attributed to an assumed increase in ion density (not measured). However, our current Langmuir probe studies show that the ion density decreases with the addition of hydrogen. It is now proposed that the increased deposition rate is due to the presence of hydrogen, which facilitates the uptake of silicon. Langmuir results on the effect of rf power show that the ion density does increase with increasing power which is consistent with the prior work.
Calculation of gluon cut vertices occurring in sterman-weinberg jet cross sections

A complete calculation to order g2 in the QCD coupling of gluon cut vertices occurring in the factorization of single-jet cross sections in e+e− collisions is given. This completes the calculations initiated by Duncan, Gupta and Mueller.
Design of ionophore-free H+-selective solvent polymeric membranes for further biomedical applications

Abstract Ionophore-free H + -selective solvent polymeric membrane electrodes based on aminated poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-NH 2 ) are studied. Among the large number of amino-PVC derivatives, the electrodes fabricated from piperazine-modified PVC show the best analytical performances. The new pH electrodes exhibit a Nernstian response between pH 4 and pH 12, and their selectivity coefficients toward biologically interesting cations match the corresponding values of H + electrodes based on TDDA or ETH 5294. The new membrane material offers additional prospects for ion-selective electrode fabrication with technologies used in microelectronic device development.
Restriction of bacteriophage φX174 by F factor

Abstract Bacteriophage φX174 is restricted in F+ cells of Escherichia coli C. Restriction is causally linked to the acquisition of the episome and is lost on its removal. Phage produced in the restrictive host is not modified. Restriction occurs at some stage beyond adsorption and eclipse but does not appear to be due to a defect in phage release.
Providing Mental Health Services to Southeast Asian Adolescent Girls: Integration of a Primary Prevention Paradigm and Group Counseling

Abstract Few writers have discussed the specific mental health needs of Southeast Asian adolescent girls. We present an intervention for Southeast Asian adolescent girls using a primary prevention paradigm within a culturally relevant framework consisting of (a) alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention; (b) tutoring; (c) cultural heritage classes; and (d) group counseling. Group counseling served as a catalyst to discuss issues raised from the other components of the intervention and provided an opportunity for participants to discuss personal, social, and academic concerns. The four goals were to facilitate (a) growth regarding self-acceptance, (b) learning strategies to cope with issues related to cultural identity, (c) a sense of trust among fellow group members, and (d) the application of what is learned in the group to everyday situations. Three implications are discussed: providing training on cultural and gender issues for facilitators, understanding cultural identity interaction theory, and usi...
Lower Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism In Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease As Compared To Healthy Neonates

Frequency domain near infrared spectroscopy (FD-NIRS) and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) can provide noninvasive means to study cerebral hemodynamics in neonates with congenital heart disease (CHD). Using these advanced optical technologies, our preliminary data shows that neonates with CHD have lower cerebral oxygen metabolism than healthy neonates.
Ecological rationale for H2 metabolism during aquatic blooms of the cyanobacterium Anabaena.

Nitrogenase-produced H2 serves to remove excess intracellular O2 during vigorous growth periods (blooms) of the nuisance cyanobacterium Anabaena. In two naturally-occurring species, A. oscillarioides and A. spiroides, nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) showed a high degree of resistance to O2 inactivation. Under the influence of supersaturated O2 concentrations, commonly encountered in lake blooms, elevated cellular ATP levels and enhanced uptake hydrogenase and nitrogenase activities were observed in actively growing filaments. Oxygen enhancement of nitrogenase activity appears mediated through localized uptake hydrogenase reactions. Hydrogen assimilated by hydrogenase is combined with O2 in a "Knallgas" reaction, leading to the formation of H2O and ATP via a respiratory chain. This combination of activities appears poised at O2 removal and allows Anabaena to dominate O2 supersaturated surface waters while maintaining optimal nitrogenase activity. Hence, instead of being a wasteful dissipation of reducing power, H2 evolution via nitrogenase ultimately affords protection from O2 while constituting a source of ATP through subsequent H2 metabolism.
Class Size: Major Implications for School Leaders.

A great deal of national attention, time, and money has been given to class size reduction in the United States recently. Even though the effects of class size have been studied since the early part of this cen tury, it is only recently that the issue has arrived at the right place and time in terms of school improvement and national politics. What are the implications for the principal?
Quantitative contrast-enhanced first-pass cardiac perfusion MRI at 3 tesla with accurate arterial input function and myocardial wall enhancement

Purpose: To develop, and validate in vivo, a robust quantitative first-pass perfusion cardiovascular MR (CMR) method with accurate arterial input function (AIF) and myocardial wall enhancement. Materials and Methods: A saturation-recovery (SR) pulse sequence was modified to sequentially acquire multiple slices after a single nonselective saturation pulse at 3 Tesla. In each heartbeat, an AIF image is acquired in the aortic root with a short time delay (TD) (50 ms), followed by the acquisition of myocardial images with longer TD values (∼150–400 ms). Longitudinal relaxation rates (R1 = 1/T1) were calculated using an ideal saturation recovery equation based on the Bloch equation, and corresponding gadolinium contrast concentrations were calculated assuming fast water exchange condition. The proposed method was validated against a reference multi-point SR method by comparing their respective R1 measurements in the blood and left ventricular myocardium, before and at multiple time-points following contrast injections, in 7 volunteers. Results: R1 measurements with the proposed method and reference multi-point method were strongly correlated (r > 0.88, P < 10−5) and in good agreement (mean difference ±1.96 standard deviation 0.131 ± 0.317 / 0.018 ± 0.140 s−1 for blood/myocardium, respectively). Conclusion: The proposed quantitative first-pass perfusion CMR method measured accurate R1 values for quantification of AIF and myocardial wall contrast agent concentrations in 3 cardiac short-axis slices, in a total acquisition time of 523 ms per heartbeat. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Russellian and Wittgensteinian Atomism

One difference between Russell’s logical atomism in The Philosophy of Logical Atomism and Wittgenstein’s in the Tractatus is that Russell’s doctrine is explicitly epistemological, whereas Wittgenstein’s is not; another difference is that Wittgenstein gives an a priori argument for the doctrine of logical atomism whereas Russell gives no such argument. I argue that these two differences are instructively connected: Russell’s focus on epistemology prevents him from being able to give a motivated argument for the truth of logical atomism. Furthermore, I argue that this is not just a contingent failure of Russell’s system: no primarily epistemological atomism can avail itself of Wittgenstein’s style of a priori argument for the truth of atomism. An important suggestion of the argument, illuminating with respect to the subsequent history of analytic philosophy, is that Russell’s logical atomism already contains the seeds of verificationism in a nascent form, whereas Wittgenstein’s atomism has no tendency toward verification.
Boundaries in gravitational and magnetic activation of cells for sorting.

Standard deviations in the distribution of radii of cells and particles are considered to arrive at realistic limits in the use of gravitational and magnetic activation of cells for sorting. Using a specific fractionation design, it is shown that the radius of particles (or cells) may be fractionated down to a precision of ±0.76%. Although higher precisions could be obtained with other designs, the number of particles available per fraction is inversely proportional to the precision desired. Thus, one would prefer to keep the precision as moderate as permissible by the experiments.
The relationships of quantified human smoking behavior and demographic variables

Abstract This study, based on a sample (N = 517) of adult medical patients at a Southeastern Medical Center who were current users of cigarettes, reports the quantified aspects of smoking behavior and their relationship to sex, race, age, education, income and socioeconomic status of these patients. Patients from lower socioeconomic groupings had a greater number of puffs, shorter intervals between puffs, larger puff duration, shorter cigarette butts, and more daily tar and nicotine intake than the subjects from upper socioeconomic groupings. Males and older patients had longer puff duration, greater puff volume and more daily tar and nicotine intake than their counterparts. Implications of this and related studies upon the development of a social policy toward smoking and health are discussed.
A simplified decision-feedback tree-search receiver for the partial erasure channel

Non-linear distortion in the form of partial erasure is a primary impediment at high magnetic recording densities. This paper simplifies a decision-feedback tree-search receiver for combating partial erasure. Utilizing an internal flag and a pre-computed threshold lookup table, the proposed receiver requires no multiplications for its metric computation.
Microdetermination of neutral and amino sugars found in glycoproteins

Abstract A liquid chromatographic method to analyze monosaccharides normally found in glycoprotein and glycopeptide hydrolysates is described. Monosaccharides are chromatographed as free sugars and as tritium-labeled alditols on an anion-exchange column in 0.5 m borate buffer, pH 8.6. Since the order of elution for aldoses and alditols is different, complete resolution of glucosamine, galactosamine, rhamnose, mannose, fucose, arabinose, galactose, xylose, and glucose can be obtained. Chromatography is complete in less than 1 h and the column does not require regeneration. The method was applied to the analysis of human immunoglobulin, human transferrin, and a glycopeptide from Acer pseudoplatanus cell cultures. The presence of amino acids in the hydrolysates does not interfere with analysis.
Quantifying the benefits of semantics

An active area of current research is the use of semantics in concurrency control. Simulations using a new concurrency control protocol, called complex two-phase locking, can quantify the benefits of using semantics within long-duration transaction systems. It is then possible to determine if the benefits gained are worth the human effort required to obtain the semantics.
Gravitational excitation of an extensible dumbbell satellite.

The nonlinear differential equations that describe the extensional motion of a freely spinning and gravitationally stabilized spring-mass system in the plane of an orbit are presented. The equations are solved on a digital computer and the results compared with the solutions of the linearized equations. The linearization leads to the Mathieu equation for the spinning system and to a set of two-degree-of-freedom coupled equations for the gravitationally stabilized case. The solutions for the undamped systems indicate stable periodic and almost periodic oscillations characterized by beats.
Mecamylamine blocks enhancement of reference memory but not working memory produced by post-training injection of nicotine in rats tested on the radial arm maze.

Abstract The focus of this study was to analyze whether the psychostimulant nicotine would enhance reference and working memory consolidation in rats tested on the 8-arm radial arm maze. Mecamylamine, a nicotine antagonist, was used to attempt to block the enhancement of memory consolidation. All rats were given one training trial/day for 12 consecutive days, and 4 arms were baited. Rats were separated into five groups: the saline–nicotine group received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of saline immediately after each trial followed 15 min later by an subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of nicotine (0.6 mg/kg free base); the nicotine-delay group received an s.c. injection of nicotine 2 h after each training trial, two groups received an i. p. injection of one of two different doses of mecamylamine (2.5 and 6.0 mg/kg) immediately after each trial, which was followed 15 min later by an s.c. nicotine injection, and a control group received an i.p. injection of saline immediately and 15 min after each training trial. Results showed that the saline–nicotine group made fewer reference and working memory errors than the saline- or nicotine-delay groups, but only the effect of nicotine on reference memory was blocked by the higher dose of mecamylamine. It appears from these results that nicotine's effects on reference and working memory may be mediated through different mechanisms.
Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days: Helping Teach the National Geography Standards

Abstract Consistent with developments in American education pedagogy, geography educators have made great strides exploring a wide range of high- and low-tech methods for teaching and learning geographic concepts. This article draws on a qualitative analysis of essays in which college students discuss tenets of the National Geography Standards in the context of Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. Most of the students in this study reported that not only did their knowledge of the world increase after completing the course assignment but that their interest in the discipline increased as well.
Devices to Illustrate Lissajous Figures

Longtime readers of The Physics Teacher will have noted my interest in oscillations and waves.1 In particular, Lissajous figures, which are the resultant of two simple harmonic motions at right angles to each other, have fascinated me since I first saw a device drawing them at Amherst College in 1957. In this paper I want to show some of the apparatus that has been developed to display Lissajous figures. There is more than antiquarian interest here; some of these can be reproduced fairly easily today.
Sequential equivalence checking of hard instances with targeted inductive invariants and efficient filtering strategies

We propose two approaches to significantly boost the power of sequential equivalence checking: (1) In contrast with invariants involving only two or three signals, we introduce a novel multisignal invariant generation technique that is scalable to large circuits; (2) We utilize static and dynamic filters to reduce the number of potential inductive invariants that need to be proved to further reduce the computational cost. Experimental results show that the proposed method can handle hard SEC instances with little or no internal equivalences that conventional methods fail; in addition, one to three orders of magnitude speedup have been achieved for many instances.
Primary vertex finding in proton-antiproton events with a neural network simulation

Abstract In a test of neural networks in high energy physics pattern recognition problems, drift chamber data from experiment E735 at the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider was used in a neural network simulation to find the primary event vertex. A three layer, feed-forward neural network was trained with the back-propagation technique to give the beam line vertices of tracks traversing subsections of the chamber. Summing the outputs of all subsection networks then gives the primary vertex along the beam line. Results are compared to conventional methods.
Investigators, industry, and the heuristic device: Ethics, patent law, and clinical innovation

(2001). Investigators, industry, and the heuristic device: Ethics, patent law, and clinical innovation. Accountability in Research: Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 219-233.
Effect of chronic morphine treatment on brain chromatin template activities in mice.

Abstract Chromatins have been isolated from both placebo- and chronic morphine-treated mice. The specific activity of chromatin-directed UTP incorporation was measured. Evidence is presented to show that the chromatin template activity isolated from tolerant animals is increased. The increase may be due to the alteration of non-histone protein in chromatin. This is a narcotic-specific phenomenon, since the morphine-induced increase can be blocked by naloxone.
Health and social service needs of older adults: Implementing a community-based needs assessment

Abstract How effective is the delivery of health and social services to the older adult? A community-wide needs assessment was conducted in northeast Florida to determine gaps and duplication in health and social services delivery networks for older adults, and to identify major areas of need. This article describes the process of working with a community-based organization to develop and conduct an assessment using a mixed methods approach. The resulting study shows that community needs assessments based on both survey data and feedback solicited from individual interviews and a modified focus group approach provides a comprehensive perspective which is needed to effectively evaluate community needs. The study results presented a picture of a community with health and social services resources that were not consistently networked and a senior community whose primary need was information on how to locate and access needed services. The results were included in a successful application for a community planning grant and provided ongoing direction for implementation of interventions to address identified needs.
Molecular cloning of the rat TA1/LAT-1/CD98 light chain gene promoter.

Abstract The rat LAT-1 ( l -amino acid transporter-1) gene is a CD98 light chain highly expressed in cancer and development. As an initial study of the molecular basis underlying regulation of its expression, we cloned 2 kb of the LAT-1 5′ flanking region. Inverse RACE and primer extension methods were used to define the transcription initiation site at 80 bp upstream from the translational start site. Functional studies carried out in normal hepatic cells using constructs containing progressive 5′ deletion from region −1958 to −185 showed 3–5-fold β-galactosidase activities over control. The presence of an activator site(s) between −52 and −185 was indicated by low activities conferred by the construct spanning this region.
Potent induction of TNF-α during interaction of immune effectors with oral tumors as a potential mechanism for the loss of NK cell viability and function

The inhibitory role of TNF-α on survival of naive and IL-2 treated NK cells has been demonstrated in the past. However, its effect on the function of these cells against tumor cells, in particular against oral tumors has not been established. We investigated the significance of secreted TNF-α in death and functional loss of splenocytes and NK cells in ex-vivo cultures with oral tumors. Oral tumors trigger potent secretion of TNF-α by human and murine immune effectors. Absence of TNF-α increases the cytotoxic activity and secretion of IFN-γ by IL-2 treated splenocytes and NK cells in co-cultures with MOK L2D1+/p53−/− oral tumor cells. IL-2 treated splenocytes and NK cells from TNF-α −/− mice survive and proliferate more when compared to cells from TNF-α +/+ mice. Cell death induced by F. nucleatum, an oral bacteria, in TNF-α −/− splenocytes are considerably lower than that induced in TNF-α +/+ splenocytes where potent release of TNF-α is reproducibly observed. Addition of exogenous rTNF-α to IL-2 treated splenocytes and NK cells decreased survival and function of splenocytes and NK cells obtained from TNF-α −/− mice against oral tumors. These findings suggest that potent induction of TNF-α during interaction of immune effectors with oral tumors and/or oral bacteria is an important factor in decreasing the function and survival of cytotoxic immune effectors. Strategies to neutralize TNF-α may be beneficial in the treatment of oral cancers.
SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT OF SIERRA LEONE, WEST AFRICAN CHILDREN FROM FOUR SUB-CULTURES

The effects of gender and degree of modernization upon WRAT Spelling, Arithmetic, and Reading scores of 72 class-six Sierra Leone, West African children, representing four sub-cultures with varying...
Tracking the Multitasking Mind

Task switching paradigms examining executive control in multitask environments typically measure reaction time and accuracy from key press responses. The discrete nature of such responses may limit the ability to capture the dynamics of cognitive control processes that unfold over time in complex environments. The current study used computer mouse tracking methodology to measure the processes that occur during task switching. In two experiments mouse trajectory data were collected as participants used onscreen category labels to respond to two simple tasks. The application of mouse tracking methodology to cued task switching provided both a replication of previous findings using key press responses and a more sensitive measure of the cognitive processes and activated representations underlying those effects. Computer mouse tracking offers a novel methodology for uncovering the mental representations and processes unfolding during multitasking.
Did copayment changes reduce health service utilization among CHIP enrollees? Evidence from Alabama.

Objective To explore whether health care utilization changed among enrollees in Alabama's CHIP program, ALL Kids, following copayment increases at the beginning of fiscal year 2004. Data Sources Data on all ALL Kids enrollees over 1999–2009 are obtained from claims files and the state's administrative database. Study Design We use pooled month-level data for all enrollees and conduct covariate-adjusted segmented regression models. Health services considered are inpatient care, emergency department (ED) visits, brand-name prescription drugs, generic prescription drugs, physician office visits and outpatient-services, ambulance services, allergy treatments, and non-preventive dental services. Physician well-visits, preventive dental services, and service use by Native-Americans—which saw no copayment increases—serve as counterfactuals. Principal Findings There are significant declines in utilization for inpatient care, physician visits, brand-name medications, and ED visits following the copayment increases. By and large, utilization did not decline, or declined only temporarily, for those services and for those enrollees that who not subject to increased copayments. Conclusions Copayment increases reduced utilization of many health services among ALL Kids enrollees. Concerns remain regarding the long-term health consequences to low-income children of copayment-induced reductions in health care utilization.
A "novel" intervention: a pilot study of children's literature and healthy lifestyles

OBJECTIVE: To determine if reading an age-appropriate novel has the potential to improve BMI percentile and exercise- and nutrition-related knowledge and behaviors in girls aged 9 to 13 years who were enrolled in a childhood obesity-treatment program. METHODS: This preliminary, randomized, controlled trial followed 81 obese girls aged 9 to 13 years who were enrolled in the Duke University Healthy Lifestyles Program, a comprehensive clinical and behavioral lifestyle-modification program for overweight and obese children. Thirty-one girls were randomly assigned to read the intervention novel, which describes an overweight girl who discovers improved health and self-efficacy, and 33 participants were given a control novel to read. Participants were evaluated at the study intake and again at their scheduled follow-up appointments 1 to 2 months later. Intake and follow-up BMI percentiles were evaluated for 17 girls in the program who did not receive either book. RESULTS: Follow-up data were available for 11 of 31 girls in the intervention-book group, 14 of 33 girls in the control-book group, and 14 of 17 girls who did not receive a book. There was a significantly greater reduction in BMI percentile among those in the intervention-book group (−0.71) versus those in the control-book group (−0.33; P = .03). Girls who read either book had a significantly greater reduction in BMI percentile (−0.49) than girls who were followed in the program but who were not assigned a book (0.05; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Age-appropriate fiction, particularly if it addresses health-oriented behaviors, shows potential for augmenting weight loss in girls who participate in a weight-management program. Future research is needed to determine if the novel is effective for healthy lifestyle promotion among all overweight and obese adolescents.
Isolation and properties of sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) pituitary prolactin.

Abstract Sea turtle prolactin (PRL) was isolated in a highly purified state from sea turtle pituitary side fractions obtained from other studies and some of its biological, chemical, and immunological properties were determined. Sea turtle PRL is a protein of 22–24 kDa [sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis]. Its sole amino terminal amino acid residue is leucine. The amino acid composition of sea turtle PRL is similar to ovine PRL and is characterized by a high content of aspartic acid (20 residues), glutamic acid (34 residues), serine (19 residues), and leucine (24 residues). It possesses three disulfide bonds and 2 tryptophan residues which is also characteristic of many species of PRL. As with PRLs of other species, it displayed multiple stained bands in disc gel electrophoresis, at pH 8.3. Biologically, sea turtle PRL was active in pigeon crop-sac assay but the doseresponse characteristics were nonparallel when compared to ovine PRL. An antiserum against sea turtle PRL was raised in rabbit and a homologous radioimmunoassay was developed with a sensitivity of 2.8 ng for sea turtle PRL. Sea turtle gonadotropins did not cross-react, but sea turtle growth hormone showed a 5% cross-reactivity. Pituitary extracts from other species of turtles displayed parallel inhibition curves to the sea turtle PRL. Extracts and prolactin preparations from several birds, snakes, alligator, and marsupials cross-reacted, but in a nonparallel fashion. Bullfrog pituitary extract and Tilapia PRL showed no cross-reaction at high doses. Several purified mammalian PRLs (pig, sheep, human, horse, dog) showed minimal or no ability to cross-react in the RIA.
Detection and control of aspartimide formation in the synthesis of cyclic peptides

Extensive two-dimensional NMR analysis was employed to characterize the structural identity of the macrocyclic peptide lactam and the imide analog, a major side reaction product when allyl ester was used to protect the side chain of aspartic acid. A straightforward protocol modification was developed to minimize aspartimide formation during the synthesis of cyclic peptides.
Oxidative degradation of poly(ethyl acrylate)

The oxidative degradation of poly(ethyl acrylate) was investigated by infrared spectrophotometric techniques, and the volatile degradation products were determined by vapor-phase chromatographic analysis. During the course of degradation, no change in the spectrum of the polymer, indicating the formation of other moieties, was detected. There was only a generally uniform decrease of all the existing absorption bands with the exception of the 5.75–5.85 μ ester-ketone carbonyl region. This decrease of absorption proceeded appreciably slower than the rate previously reported for the degradation of poly(ethylacrylate). The reported formation of carboxylic acid groups detected in the spectrum of degraded polymer was not substantiated in this study. In contrast to degraded poly(ethyl acrylate), the low molecular weight, volatile polymer formed on oxidation was highly oxidized. In addition, the highly volatile degradation products were identified as carbon dioxide, water, ethyl acetate, and ethyl alcohol. No monomer, ethyl acrylate, could be detected among the volatile products. A methanistic pathway was postulated based on these results. Initially, there is attack of molecular oxygen at the tertiary carbon atoms of the polymer chain to form hydroperoxide groups. Subsequent decomposition of the hydroperoxides results in random chain scission eventually giving low molecular weight polymeric units. Further oxidation of the low polymer units leads to the observed product formation.
Fuzzy-guided genetic algorithm applied to the web service selection problem

The benefits of Quality of Service (QoS) aware service selection is undisputed. The selection process based on QoS allows the user to specify their requirements not only based on functional attributes but also on non-functional attributes. The automation of this selection process can be done via optimization. Several different exact but also approximate algorithms have been proposed in the past. Genetic algorithm is one such method that can find approximate solutions during the service selection task. In this paper, we propose an improved version of the standard genetic algorithm approach by making use of fuzzy logic during the stochastic genetic search process. The fuzzy component dynamically adjusts the crossover and mutation rates of the evolution for every ten consecutive generations. Results show that the fuzzy-guided Genetic algorithm approach improves the solution quality.
Factor structure and factorial replication of a new measure of the type A behavior pattern.

Sr~mmary.-The present study presents the first known use of the A-B Rating Scale, a measure of Type A behavior, with 276 female college students. The purpose of this research was to explore the factor structure of the A-B scale and especially to attempt a replication of the factor structure across samples. Analysis gave a three-factor solution (Drivenness, Hypomania, and Leadership). Congruence coefficients indicated that the scale possesses significant factor matching across some of the factors. Research aimed at assessing the criterion validity of the three factors is called for. Researchers across several disciplines have investigated the relationship between the Type A coronary-prone behavior Fattern and heart disease. The Type A behavior pattern has been measured by several techniques, with the Structured Interview (7) and the Jenkins Activity Survey (5) serving as the two most popular measures in nonacademic settings. The measure of choice with college students is the student version of the Jenkins survey (6). Both versions of the survey have been faulted on content validity because the items do not adequately reflect the three prime characteristics of Type A individuals: achievement-striving, time urgency, and hostility. (This should not be too surprising giv~n the original emphasis on maximizing predictive validity.) Further, both are composed of heterogeneous items that reflect separate dimensions. When combined into a composite score, the separate dimensions "cancel out," resulting in low correlations with psychological test criteria (4). Wolf, Hunter, and Webber (8) developed a scale (A-B Rating Scale) to assess the Type A behzvior pattern in children; however, there is nothing inherent in the item content or format that would prevent its use with college students. It was the purpose of this study to investigate the factor smcture and attempt a factorial replication of the A-B scale. Wolf, et al. (8) found a seven-factor solution using the Kaiser criterion in factor extraction; however, they only rotated the first four (with no indication of the criterion they used for determining the proper number of factors to rotate). The present study is an attempt to establish the proper number of factors using the scree test (9) 'This research was facilitated by a grant from the Creighton University Graduate Faculty Development Fund. Request reprints from G. Leak, Ph.D., Psychology Department. Creiahton Universitv. California at 24th Street. Omaha. NE 68178. The factor matrix is in-~ocumenr NAPE-04454. Remit $11.05 for photocopy or $4.00 for fiche to Microfiche Publications, POB 3513, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10017.
Electrochemical reduction of atrazine: NMR evidence for reduction of the triazine ring

Abstract Over the last decade, researchers have investigated the electrochemical reduction pathways of a popular triazine herbicide known as atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-triazine) using controlled potential electrolysis and a mercury pool electrode. There is general agreement that a two-electron dechlorination process is a likely reduction pathway. However, Faraday’s law calculations indicated an overall four-electron reduction process. Additional pathways including the elimination of the ethyl group, elimination of the ethylamino group, and reduction of the triazine ring have been proposed. We believe to have NMR evidence for the reduction of the triazine ring using controlled potential electrolysis and a mercury pool electrode. We would like to add our results to the ongoing studies of this important triazine herbicide.
AIDS prevention programs: The need for evaluation in the context of community partnership

This chapter presents strategies for developing, implementing, and evaluating effective AIDS prevention programs within the confines of a partnership between an evaluator and a target community.
Number Mysticism in Scientific Thinking

For millennia, human beings have been tantalized by the idea that integers and patterns of numbers carry deep hidden meanings. They have searched assiduously for these cryptic insights. Numerological analysis has been embraced ardently in mythology, religion, and the sciences. I want to focus particularly on the fascination with integers during the evolution of concepts of molecular structure and behavior of protein macromolecules, an area in which I have lived for half a century. To place these in a broader perspective, however, I shall start with a sampling of number mysticism in other fields of knowledge. the number corresponding to the name of the former is 1276, and to that of the latter 1225; "obviously," the larger number must be the dominating one. In the middle ages, Jewish Kabalists and Christian theologians developed