cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Testing for Mutations in Improving the Fine-Needle Aspiration Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodules

Context: Thyroid nodules are common in adults, but only a small fraction of them are malignant. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) with cytological evaluation is the most reliable tool for cancer diagnosis in thyroid nodules. However, 10–40% of nodules are diagnosed as indeterminate by cytology, making it difficult to optimally manage these patients. Objective: The aim of this study was to establish the feasibility and role of testing for tumor-specific mutations in improving the FNA diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Design: The prospective study included 470 FNA samples of thyroid nodules from 328 patients. At the time of aspiration, a small portion of the material was collected and tested for BRAF, RAS, RET/PTC, and PAX8/PPARγ mutations. The mutational status was correlated with cytology and either surgical pathology diagnosis or follow-up (mean, 34 months). Results: A sufficient amount of nucleic acids were isolated in 98% of samples. Thirty-two mutations were found, including 18 BRAF, eight RAS, five RET/PTC, a...
Viscosity along continuous paths between liquid and gas

Abstract Three sources combine to determine viscosity in the continuous range from dense liquid to expanded gas: (1) the capacity of a species of molecule to absorb the momentum imposed to produce newtonian flow; (2) the ratio of unoccupied to intrinsic volume; (3) opposition to this vector momentum by the random thermal momentum of molecules at the temperature of the fluid. The first two of these contributions to viscosity are significant at all volumes less than approximately half of the critical molal volume, Vc, and conform to the linear equation for fluidity, φ = B(V − V 0 )/V 0 . Its reciprocal gives their contribution to viscosity, ηa = V0/B (V − V0). This is independent of temperature. The contribution of thermal momentum to viscosity we express by η b = [1 − (0.5V c /V) 2 3 ] η 0 . where η0 is the limiting dilute-gas viscosity at the stated temperature when V ⪢ Vc.
Ciprofloxacin as a therapeutic modality in pediatric burn wound infections: Efficacious or contraindicated?

Background Food and Drug Administration regulations state that ciprofloxacin hydrochloride may cause arthropathies. For this reason, such therapy is contraindicated in the pediatric population. However, several studies in children with cystic fibrosis have found the drug to be efficacious. Our hypothesis was that ciprofloxacin treatment is justified in the case of multiresistant organisms in burn populations. Design During a 4-year period (January 1, 1993, to December 31, 1997) we treated 56 of our pediatric burn patients with ciprofloxacin when cultures proved resistant to other antibiotics. The burn area was 65% of the total body surface area. The average patient age was 8.4 years. Of the 56 patients who received ciprofloxacin, 50 received the recommended dose. Biopsy specimens were assessed for quantitative bacteriology and antibiotic sensitivity. Radiologic review was conducted to examine for arthropathy. Results All patients showed unequivocal reduction in quantitative bacterial counts, and susceptibility to ciprofloxacin remained stable without the development of resistance. Of the 56 patients treated, 42 had a major reduction in their quantitative wound biopsies from 106to less than 100 colonies per gram of tissue, while the remaining 14 were observed to have a 2- to 3-log decrease. No arthropathy was detected in any of the 56 patients receiving ciprofloxacin. Review of the patients' charts showed no documented adverse events associated with the use of ciprofloxacin. All patients survived their thermal injury and the complications associated with it without any untoward problems or complications of arthropathy. Conclusion On the basis of these data, ciprofloxacin therapy in the treatment of immunosuppressed pediatric burn patients is efficacious and does not cause arthropathy.
Fine-needle aspiration cytology of articular and periarticular lesions.

BACKGROUND The cytologic diagnosis of joint and articular surface-based lesions traditionally has been accomplished by examination of fluids or effusions. Although exfoliative cytology remains an accurate diagnostic test, not all joint-based lesions will produce effusions that are amenable to this type of examination. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) represents an excellent alternative to traditional cytologic or histologic methods of diagnosis in joint pathology. METHODS The authors reviewed FNA materials for the period 1992–2001 from lesions of joint spaces and periarticular soft tissues. All diagnoses based on cytologic materials that were included in this study were confirmed with histologic follow-up. Cytologic and histologic materials were prepared using standard methods. RESULTS The authors found six relatively common lesions that were amenable to diagnosis by FNA. These included rheumatoid nodule, gouty tophi, ganglion cysts, pigmented villonodular synovitis, synovial chondromatosis, and synovial sarcoma. There are potential pitfalls in discriminating gout from pseudogout and synovial chondromatosis from chondrosarcoma. CONCLUSIONS In most instances, mass-producing lesions of the joint space or the periarticular soft tissues can be diagnosed successfully by FNA. The common lesions are easily recognizable and are cytologically distinctive. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2002. © 2002 American Cancer Society.
Stark broadened profiles with self-consistent radiation transfer and atomic kinetics in plasmas produced by high intensity lasers

Spectral line shapes and line strengths have long been used to diagnose plasma temperatures and densities. In dense plasmas, the additional broadening due to Stark effects give additional information about the plasma density. We present calculations that are self-consistent in that the radiation fields of the line transitions and the atomic kinetics are iterated to convergence. Examples are given for simple plasmas with temperature gradients, density gradients, and velocity fields. Then a more complex example of a laser produced plasma is presented.
Furuncle of upper lip

Abstract 1. 1. Anatomical causes for the severity of furuncles of the upper lip are outlined. 2. 2. The part that maltreatment or overtreatment plays in the pathogenesis is described. 3. 3. A therapeutic outline for the four stages of the disease is arranged. 4. 4. An ultra-conservative treatment is advocated.
Detection of a Conserved α-Helix in the Kinase-docking Region of the Aspartate Receptor by Cysteine and Disulfide Scanning

Abstract The transmembrane aspartate receptor ofEscherichia coli and Salmonella typhimuriumpropagates extracellular signals to the cytoplasm, where its cytoplasmic domain regulates the histidine kinase, CheA. Different signaling states of the cytoplasmic domain modulate the kinase autophosphorylation rate over at least a 100-fold range. Biochemical and genetic studies have implicated a specific region of the cytoplasmic domain, termed the signaling subdomain, as the region that transmits regulation from the receptor to the kinase. Here cysteine and disulfide scanning are applied to the N-terminal half of the signaling subdomain to probe its secondary structure, solvent exposure, and protein-protein interactions. The chemical reactivities of the scanned cysteines exhibit the characteristic periodicity of an α-helix with distinct solvent-exposed and buried faces. This helix, termed α7, ranges approximately from residue 355 through 386. Activity measurements probing the effects of cysteine substitutions in vivo and in vitro reveal that both faces of helix α7 are critical for kinase activation, while the buried face is especially critical for kinase down-regulation. Disulfide scanning of the region suggests that helix α7 is not in direct contact with its symmetric partner (α7′) from the other subunit; presently, the structural element that packs against the buried face of the helix remains unidentified. Finally, a novel approach termed “protein interactions by cysteine modification” indicates that the exposed C-terminal face of helix α7 provides an essential docking site for the kinase CheA or for the coupling protein CheW.
Mechanism-Based Inhibition of Sir2 Deacetylases by Thioacetyl-Lysine Peptide †

Sir2 protein deacetylases (or sirtuins) catalyze NAD+-dependent conversion of e-amino-acetylated lysine residues to deacetylated lysine, nicotinamide, and 2‘-O-acetyl-ADP-ribose. Small-molecule mod...
Biofeedback and meditation: effects on muscle tension and locus of control

A total of 48 subjects participated in a relaxation experiment to determine whether frontalis muscle EMG biofeedback, Transcendental Meditation, and meditation (Benson technique) produced decreased muscle tension and concomitant changes in locus of control. All three treatments resulted in significant decreases in frontalis muscle tension when compared to a control. Concomitant changes towards an internal locus of control occurred only in the subjects given biofeedback.
A framework for enterprise resilience using service oriented architecture approach

This paper proposes a framework to create enterprise resilience using service oriented architecture approach (SOA). The proposed framework is based on two enablers of enterprise resilience: i) the capability of an enterprise to connect systems, people, processes, and information in a way that allows enterprise to become more connected and responsive to the dynamics of its environment, stakeholders, and competitors; ii) the alignment of information technology and business goals. The former requires inter and intra- enterprise level interoperability and integration, and the latter requires simplification of the underlying technology infrastructure and creation of a consolidated view of, and access to, all available resources in the enterprise that can be attained by well-defined enterprise architecture. Based on these two key enablers, we outline a theoretical model which explains how SOA can help in creating enterprise resilience. This model defines enterprise resilience as a function of enterprise flexibility, adaptability, agility, and efficiency.
Scanned probe investigations of chemically derived nanostructures

We discuss the use of a conducting-tip atomic force microscope (AFM) for the imaging and electrical measurement of chemically derived nanostructures. First, scanning probe microscopy of CdSe and Au nanocrystals bound to a substrate with a self assembled monolayer will be discussed. It is found that imaging in liquids is necessary to avoid removing the nanocrystals. We then address some issues in performing electrical measurements in liquids. In particular, we examine the conducting properties of the AFM tip when imaging a flat surface, highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, in a non-polar liquid, hexadecane. We find that the solvation layers between the tip and the substrate strongly influence the electrical properties.
Professional Development: A Skills Approach to a Writing Workshop

In this era of globalization, students need to know how to write well. Faculty development needs to focus on assisting primary teachers as they prepare students for a twenty-first-century world. Strategic curriculum reform and professional development can be achieved by partnerships between district administrators and professional consultants. Two university professors introduced writing workshop in the classrooms of skills-oriented first grade educators. The teachers’ new methodology encouraged students to produce writing that originated from their classroom and life experiences. After the professional development, the teachers devised a month-by-month skill and genre chart to guide their instruction in the following year.
Humoral immune responses to cathepsin D and glucose-regulated protein 78 in ovarian cancer patients

Many cancer patients develop tumor-reactive immune responses against antigens that are either expressed on the surface of tumor cells or released from them into the peripheral circulation. In this study, tumor-reactive immunoglobulins, present in the sera of ovarian cancer patients, were used to identify commonly recognized tumor-associated antigens on ovarian tumor cells. Western immunoblot analysis of cellular proteins, obtained from UL-1 ovarian tumor cell line, demonstrated several commonly recognized immunoreactive proteins. Two of these proteins (Mr 32,000 and 71,000) were selected for further investigation. Cellular proteins isolated from normal human ovarian epithelia, in a similar fashion, failed to exhibit corresponding immunoreactivity to these proteins. As an additional control, sera from normal (nontumor-bearing) individuals failed to identify these proteins on Western immunoblots. Furthermore, the absorption of the ovarian cancer patients' sera with normal ovarian epithelial tissue did not remove the reactivity of these two proteins. The Mr 32,000 and 71,000 proteins were subsequently purified by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, separated by SDS-PAGE, transferred to the polyvinylidene difluoride membrane, and digested with trypsin. These resulting tryptic fragments were separated by microbore reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and selected fragments were sequenced by mass spectrometry. This sequence analysis identified the Mr 32,000 protein as cathepsin D and the Mr 71,000 as glucose-regulated protein 78 (member of the heat shock protein family). The identities of cathepsin D and glucose-regulated protein 78 were confirmed by Western blot analysis. Additionally, the presence of cathepsin D was demonstrated in association with immune complexes in vivo. Currently, the common antigenic epitopes of these proteins are being defined.
The Economics of Voluntary Versus Mandatory Labels

Labels address a market failure—asymmetric information—through costly expenditures borne by consumers, firms, and taxpayers. In this review, we explore when mandatory and voluntary labeling policies may be socially optimal. Although the analysis ostensibly revolves around simple comparisons of labeling costs and the subsequent benefits from improved information symmetry, more symmetric information may alter social welfare in other ways, e.g., by altering the production of externalities, the exercise of market power, or expenditures on rent-seeking activities. We review work that contributes to a more complete analysis of the relative merits of mandatory and voluntary labeling; that assesses the distribution of welfare effects across affected groups; and that discusses political economy issues, particularly in the context of voluntary labels in international trade. We summarize key patterns of results concerning the relative desirability of mandatory and voluntary labels and discuss likely future direction...
Capitalism, Development, and Democracy

Capitalism is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for democracy. This relation is historically contingent. It is true that democracy tends to prevail in the most developed capitalist countries. But this is not because capitalist development breeds democracy. The reason is that once democracy is present in wealthy societies, everyone has too much at stake to risk a struggle for dictatorship. Key-words: capitalism; democracy; historical conditions; economic development. JEL Classification: O1; P1; P16.
Dynamical effects of the statistical structure of annual rainfall on dryland vegetation

In this study, we extend a model of daily dryland dynamics by parameterizing a modified version of a minimalistic annual model to examine how the statistical structure of annual rainfall and grazing intensity interact to influence dryland vegetation. With a Monte Carlo approach, an ensemble outcome provides a statistical description of likely dryland vegetation dynamics responding to variations in rainfall structure and grazing intensity. Results suggest that increased rainfall variability decreases the average and increases the variability of grass cover leading to more frequent degradation of the grass resource. Vegetation of drier regions is found to be more sensitive to interannual variability in rainfall. Concentrating this variability into an organized periodic mode further decreases the mean and increases the variability of grass cover. Hence, a shift toward lower, more variable, or more inter-annually correlated annual rainfall will likely lead to a general decrease in the grass resource and increased dryland vulnerability to degradation. Higher grazing intensity or lower annual rainfall both lead to more frequent and longer duration degradation of the grass condition. We note an interesting interaction in the response of grass biomass to grazing intensity and rainfall variability, where increased rainfall variability leads to longer duration degradation for low grazing, but shorter periods of degradation for high grazing. Once grass reaches a degraded condition, we find that woody vegetation strongly suppresses recovery even if successive rainfall is high. Overall, these findings suggest that the projected increase in interannual rainfall variability will likely decrease grass cover and potentially lead to more frequent, longer lasting degradation of dryland vegetation, particularly if enhanced rainfall variability is concentrated in long period (e.g. decadal) modes.
Novel clustering and analysis techniques for mining spatio-temporal data

Due to the advances in remote sensing and sensor networks, different types of dynamic and spatio-temporal datasets become increasingly available. Extracting spatial and temporal patterns from such datasets is very important as it has many applications, such as understanding climate change, geo-targeting, and environment protection. Traditional clustering techniques are inefficient in clustering spatio-temporal data because they do not incorporate the idiosyncrasies of the spatial domain and temporal domain, and do not consider interactions between the two domains. In the presented dissertation research, novel spatio-temporal clustering algorithms and frameworks will be investigated, and post-processing analysis techniques will be developed which visualize and characterize the obtained clusters. The second goal of the dissertation research is to apply the framework to challenging problems of our society while evaluating the proposed algorithms and frameworks and making contributions to their solution. Namely, traffic fatality and air pollution datasets will be used for this purpose. We also present preliminary work in which two spatio-temporal clustering algorithms called ST-SSN and ST-SEP-SSN were evaluated in a case study involving ozone pollution events in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) area, providing a motivation for the planned dissertation research.
Expanding the First-Year Experience: A Report from Hamline University:

As part of an overall effort to bring together academic and campus learning, Hamline is working on expanding its First-Year Seminar to include the broad range of student learning experiences—from residential life and work-study to academic development and career advising. The two cochairs of the First-Year Experience Task Force explain how this project is unfolding and illuminate both the challenges and the successes.
Vertical eigenstate method for simulation of induction and MWD resistivity sensors

A method for computing responses of induction or MWD (measurement-while-drilling) resistivity sensors in layered formations with invasion zones is presented. The geometry is assumed to have an axial symmetry resulting in a two-dimensional problem. The solution of the wave equation is expressed by a summation of eigenstates in the vertical direction in each cylindrical region. The eigenmodes in each region are found numerically, and the variation of fields in the horizontal direction is expressed in terms of analytical functions. Computed results are used to simulate logging tool responses in invaded formations. It is found that the apparent resistivity reading is a complicated function of the resistivities of the invaded zone, that of the uninvaded zone, bed thickness, and invasion diameter. Since no simple rule can be used to describe the characteristics of the investigation depth of the tool, the use of a computer simulation software, such as the one developed in this work, would be very useful to a log analyst in log interpretation. >
Three-dimensional FDTD analysis of quasi-optical arrays using Floquet boundary conditions and Berenger's PML

Infinite periodic grid structures excited by normally incident beams are analyzed using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD), with Berenger's PML (perfectly matched layer) absorbing boundary condition used to terminate the computation domain along the beam axis. Floquet boundary conditions are used to handle arbitrarily shaped unit cells. Restriction to normal incidence permits using a Gaussian pulsed excitation to generate the wideband frequency response. The technique is used to model a previously reported multilayer quasioptical rotator array, with excellent agreement to the measurements obtained in the 26.5-40 GHz hand in a lens-focused test setup.
Hydroxylysine from alfalfa roots

Abstract Hydroxylysine has been found in extracts of the free amino acids from alfalfa root tissue. Its identification was based on chromatography on ion exchange columns with the isolated peak being in the same position as the synthetic amino acid. This peak increased in size upon co-chromatography with hydroxylysine. The 570/440 mμ absorbance ratio of the coloured products formed with ninhydrin was the same as the synthetic hydroxylysine but greatly different from many other amino acids.
Effect of Incubation Dry-Bulb and Wet-Bulb Temperatures on Time of Hatch and Chick Weight at Hatch

Abstract In two experiments, broiler hatching eggs were incubated under conditions that permitted comparison of dry-bulb (DB) and wet-bulb (WB) temperatures. The experiment covered both the setter (1 to 17 days) and hatcher (18 to 21.5 days) phases. In Experiment 1, DB temperatures of 37.2 and 37.5 C and WB temperatures of 28.3 and 30.0 C from 1 to 21.5 days were compared in a 2 by 2 factorial design that extended through both the setter and hatcher phases. Overall, chicks hatched earlier under the higher of the DB conditions and the lower of the WB conditions. There was a significant DB by WB interaction, attributed to the early hatching effect of a lower WB temperature being more pronounced at the higher DB temperature. Increased chick weight was recorded at the higher WB temperature. In Experiment 2, the DB temperature in the setter phase (D1) and the hatcher phase (D2) as well as the WB temperature in the setter phase (W1) and hatcher phase (W2) at the same levels as in Experiment 1 were compared in a 2 by 2 by 2 by 2 factorial design. Time of hatch was decreased by the high Dl temperature, but no other main effect was observed. Regression analysis showed interactions of Dl by D2, Dl by W1, Dl by W2, and W1 by D2 for the intercept as well as for the linear and quadratic components of the response. The W1 by W2 interaction was significant for the intercept and for the linear component. The D2 by W2 interaction was significant for the intercept only. These interactions were interpreted to be caused by the relative effects of DB temperature on rate of metabolic water production and the water-vapor pressure within the egg as well as by the effect of WB temperature on the moisture and concentration gradient between the egg and incubator. Chick weight at time of hatch was affected by the time of removal from the incubator. Chick weight was also directly related to time of hatch and to the holding time within the incubator.
Metabolism of Banvel-D Herbicide in a Dairy Cow

Abstract A study of the metabolism of the herbicide, Banvel-D-(2-methoxy-3,6-dichlorobenzoic acid), in a dairy cow is reported. At 5ppm in the feed no residues were detected in milk or feces. Excretion of the intact compound in the urine accounted for 73% of the total ingested. Analyses were made by electron affinity gas chromatography of the methylated herbicide acid.
Psychological Distress and Substance Use Among Community-Recruited Women Currently Victimized by Intimate Partners: A Latent Class Analysis and Examination of Between-Class Differences

Latent class analysis was used to examine patterns of victimization among a community sample of 212 women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Results identified three classes of women characterized by victimization history (recent IPV, childhood victimization); classes were further differentiated by IPV-related posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, other indicators of psychological distress, and substance use. Differentiating levels of victimization and their associated patterns of psychosocial functioning can be used to develop intervention strategies targeting the needs of different subgroups of women so that mental health and substance use problems can be reduced or prevented altogether. Implications for treatment and future research are presented here.
Phenylthiomethyl Phenyl Sulfone

[15296-86-3] C13H12O2S2 (MW 264.36) InChI = 1S/C13H12O2S2/c14-17(15,13-9-5-2-6-10-13)11-16-12-7-3-1-4-8-12/h1-10H,11H2 InChIKey = NRSIZSICNCVLJE-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagent used as a one-carbon 1,1-dipole synthon with additional thiol-derived functional versatility) Physical Data: mp1 62–64 °C; ir (CDCl3)2 1140, 1320 cm−1, (KBr)1 1148(s), 1306(s), 1582(w), 2944(w), 3000(w), 3058(w) cm−1; 1H nmr1 (200MHz, CDCl3) δ 4.35 (s, 2H), 7.16–7.28 (m, 3H), 7.30–7.41 (m, 2H), 7.46–7.55 (m, 2H), 7.59–7.67 (m, 1H), 7.89–7.95 (m, 2H), and ms1 m/z (EI) 264 (M•C, 32.5%), 186 (14), and 123 (100); pKa (DMSO, 25 °C) 20.3.3 Solubility: common organic solvents. Preparative Methods: (a) oxidation of (PhS)2CH2 to PhSCH2SOPh with H2O2 in acetic acid, followed by KMnO4 oxidation;1 (b) oxidation of (PhS)2CH2 to PhSOCH2SO2Ph with H2O2 in acetic acid, followed by Zn/acetic acid reduction;4 (c) reaction of NaSPh or KSPh with BrCH2SO2Ph5 in DMF;6 (d) reaction of PhSCH2MgCl7 with PhSO2Cl.8 Purification: recrystallization from ether-petroleum ether.1
Analysis and Use of a Task for Identifying Conceptions of Teaching Science

Abstract An interview task to identify teachers' conceptions of teaching science was developed. Analysis of the task allows the identification of different components of the conception including the nature of science, learning, learner characteristics, rationale for instruction, preferred instructional techniques and their relationship to form a conception of teaching science. Use with pre‐service science teachers demonstrated that conceptions can be analyzed for internal consistency and stability over time in addition to differences within the components themselves.
Dynamic gene expression by putative hair-cell progenitors during regeneration in the zebrafish lateral line

Hearing loss is most commonly caused by the destruction of mechanosensory hair cells in the ear. This condition is usually permanent: Despite the presence of putative hair-cell progenitors in the cochlea, hair cells are not naturally replenished in adult mammals. Unlike those of the mammalian ear, the progenitor cells of nonmammalian vertebrates can regenerate hair cells throughout life. The basis of this difference remains largely unexplored but may lie in molecular dissimilarities that affect how progenitors respond to hair-cell death. To approach this issue, we analyzed gene expression in hair-cell progenitors of the lateral-line system. We developed a transgenic line of zebrafish that expresses a red fluorescent protein in the presumptive hair-cell progenitors known as mantle cells. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting from the skins of transgenic larvae, followed by microarray-based expression analysis, revealed a constellation of transcripts that are specifically enriched in these cells. Gene expression analysis after hair-cell ablation uncovered a cohort of genes that are differentially regulated early in regeneration, suggesting possible roles in the response of progenitors to hair-cell death. These results provide a resource for studying hair-cell regeneration and the biology of sensory progenitor cells.
Carotenoid metabolism is induced in rice bran during very high temperature stress.

BACKGROUND Postharvest yellowing (PhY) causes yellowing in rice endosperm during conditions of high temperature and moisture. Rice bran was investigated as a model tissue for studying PhY and for determining the possibility of carotenoids as the source of the yellow color. RESULTS A survey of different colored rice and wild (non-sativa) rice lines resulted in the identification of several purple bran lines having very low or no bran carotenoids. Transcription levels of phytoene synthase, the first committed step in carotenoid biosynthesis, were higher in carotenoid-containing bran, indicating that carotogenesis is an ongoing process in mature bran. Bran and endosperm subjected to PhY conditions had a similar temperature optimum and color responses, so bran was utilized to investigate carotenoid levels and transcription levels of genes for carotogenesis during PhY. During PhY, total carotenoid levels in bran increased while levels of the predominant xanthophyll carotenoid, lutein, decreased. This difference could be explained by carotenoids being metabolized into apocarotenoids, which have high antioxidant activities and can be highly colored. This mechanism is further supported by the long-term transcription during PhY of CCD1, which encodes an enzyme in apocarotenoid production. CONCLUSION We propose that PhY is an active, metabolic response to a very high temperature stress and that the increase in total carotenoids in bran during PhY is a result of the production of colored apocarotenoids. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Structure of a Coenzyme A Pyrophosphatase from Deinococcus radiodurans: a Member of the Nudix Family

Gene Dr1184 from Deinococcus radiodurans codes for a Nudix enzyme (DR-CoAse) that hydrolyzes the pyrophosphate moiety of coenzyme A (CoA). Nudix enzymes with the same specificity have been found in yeast, humans, and mice. The three-dimensional structure of DR-CoAse, the first of a Nudix hydrolase with this specificity, reveals that this enzyme contains, in addition to the fold observed in other Nudix enzymes, insertions that are characteristic of a CoA-hydrolyzing Nudix subfamily. The structure of the complex of the enzyme with Mg(2+), its activating cation, reveals the position of the catalytic site. A helix, part of the N-terminal insertion, partially occludes the binding site and has to change its position to permit substrate binding. Comparison of the structure of DR-CoAse to those of other Nudix enzymes, together with the location in the structure of the sequence characteristic of CoAses, suggests a mode of binding of the substrate to the enzyme that is compatible with all available data.
Effects of Perturbation-Based Slip Training using a Virtual Reality Environment on Slip-induced Falls

The purpose of the current study was to design and evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality training in improving recovery reactions and reducing fall frequency in older adults. Twenty-four older adults were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups (virtual reality training and control). Both groups underwent three sessions including baseline slip, training and transfer of training on slippery surface. Both groups experienced two slips, one during baseline and the other during the transfer of training trial. The training group underwent 12 simulated slips using a visual perturbation induced by tilting a virtual reality scene while walking on the treadmill and the control group performed normal walking during the training session. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected during all the sessions. Results demonstrated a reduced incidence of falls in the training group during the transfer of training trial as compared to the control group. The training group was able to transfer reactive control strategies learned during training to the second slip trial. The reactive adjustments included reduced slip distance. Additionally, gait parameters reflective of gait instability (stride length, step width, variability in stride velocity) reduced after walking in the VR environment for 15-20 min. The results indicated a beneficial effect of the virtual reality training in reducing slip severity and recovery kinematics in healthy older adults.
A Gradient HPLC Test Procedure for the Determination of Impurities and the Synthetic Precursors in 2-(4-(1-Hydroxy-4-(4-(Hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-1- Piperidinyl)-butyl)-Phenyl)-2-Methylpropionic Acid

A gradient high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) test procedure is developed and evaluated for its ability to establish the levels of impurities and remaining synthetic precursors in 2-[4-(1-hydroxy-4-[4-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-1-piperidinyl]-butyl)-phenyl]-2-methylpropionic acid. A gradient program with a mobile phase of 0.02 M sodium phosphate buffer and 0.004 M sodium perchlorate in acetonitrile-water (approximately pH 2.5) is used with a Spherisorb C6 column. The acetonitrile composition is increased linearly from 40% to 65% over a 45-min period and held at 65% for 20 min. UV detection at 210 nm is used to quantitate all components. The procedure is validated for accuracy using spiked levels (0.1% to 1.5%, w/w) with two suspected impurities, the synthetic precursors. A multiday repeatability study using two different Spherisorb C6 columns and HPLC systems shows consistent impurity quantitation results with one production lot of the bulk compound.
Avian Bornaviruses in North American Gulls

Avian bornaviruses, recently de- scribed members of the family Bornaviridae, have been isolated from captive parrots and passerines as well as wild waterfowl in which they may cause lethal neurologic disease. We report detection of avian bornavirus RNA in the brains of apparently healthy gulls. We tested 439 gull brain samples from 18 states, primarily in the northeastern US, using a reverse- transcriptase PCR assay with primers designed to detect a conserved region of the bornavirus M gene. Nine birds yielded a PCR product of appropriate size. Sequencing of PCR products indicated that the virus was closely related to aquatic bird bornavirus 1 (ABBV-1). Viral RNA was detected in Herring Gulls (Larus argenta- tus), Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis), and Laughing Gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla). Eight of the nine positive birds came from the New York/New Jersey area. One positive Herring Gull came from New Hampshire. Histopathologic examination of one well-pre- served brain from a Herring Gull from Union County New Jersey, showed a lymphocytic encephalitis similar to that observed in borna- virus-infected parrots and geese. Bornavirus N protein was confirmed in two Herring Gull brains by immunohistochemistry. Thus ABBV- 1 can infect gulls and cause encephalitic brain lesions similar to those observed in other birds.
Optical Radiation from Electron, Photon and Heavy Particle Bombardment of Lithium Fluoride and Lithium-Dosed Surfaces

Comparative studies of electron, photon and ion bombardment of the same sample surface probe the various channels through which incident particle energy is dissipated, often leading to desorption. Electron or photon irradiation of alkali halides results in the swift ejection of halide atoms, leaving behind an enriched alkali metal surface from which the alkali atoms thermally desorb. Ion bombardment involves momentum transfer as well as electronic mechanisms, which results in a different surface stoichiometry at the time of desorption. This study explores how the degree of surface metallization influences the choice of the final excitation state of the desorbing particle. An important way to study the desorption products is to monitor the characteristic spectral radiation from the de-excitation of ejected species [1]. In this paper we report recent results of this type. Measurements were made to compare the desorption of excited state neutral lithium from lithium fluoride by electron, photon and ion bombardment and from lithium-dosed tungsten and lithium-dosed glass by electron and photon bombardment.
Freight Consolidation Strategies for Channel Management: A Response to Environmental Change

High interest rates and inflation, combined with deregulation of the transportation industry, have significantly affected the environment within which channel decisions are conceived and implemented. In this article, freight consolidation is presented as a strategic response to these environmental disturbances.
The effects of intravenously administered water-soluble vitamins during labor in normovitaminemic and hypovitaminemic gravidas on maternal and neonatal blood vitamin levels at delivery.

Abstract Data are presented for transfer of thiamin, pyridoxine, vitamin B 12 , folate, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacinamide, biotin, and pantothenate from the gravida to the fetus at various times following the intravenous administration of a load dose of these vitamins to the gravida during labor. Evidence points to an avidity for vitamins by the neonatal circulation even in the face of the maternal hypovitaminemia.
Competitiveness in Central America: The Road to Sustained Growth and Poverty Reduction

In this report, senior fellow Liliana Rojas-Suarez and Jose Luis Guasch, senior regional advisor on regulation and competition at the World Bank, investigate what donors can do to help Central America secure sustained growth, alleviate poverty, and reduce inequality, and what the role is for the private sector. They focus their recommendations on five areas in which policy changes can make Central American economies more competitive.
Chapter 40 The Kingston Peak Formation in the eastern Death Valley region

Abstract The late Neoproterozoic Kingston Peak Formation (Fm.) is a several-kilometre-thick sedimentary succession primarily influenced by syndepositional tectonism and located in the region around Death Valley, California (Fig. 40.1). Its distribution is divisible into an eastern facies assemblage, the subject of this paper, and a western facies assemblage covered in a separate chapter. The diamictite-bearing Kingston Peak Fm. is bounded by the underlying shallow platform carbonates of the Beck Spring Fm. and overlain by the Noonday Dolomite. There is an absence of direct palaeolatitude or radiometric age constraints and any correlation is based on broad similarities with other coarse-grained strata (diamictite) located in a northward trending belt along the Cordilleran miogeocline. The overlying Noonday Dolomite has been interpreted to be a late Cryogenian ‘cap carbonate’ and shares a set of unique facies associations and isotopic and lithological characteristics with other late Neoproterozoic post-glacial carbonate intervals in Namibia, Canada, Australia and Brazil. Research to date has focused on understanding local basin evolution, glacial sedimentology, correlation between the eastern and western facies assemblages and initiation and development of the North American Cordillera. The intimate association of tectonic and glacial facies with rapid local thickness and facies changes corresponding with syn-sedimentary faulting is the most distinctive stratigraphic characteristic of the Kingston Peak Fm. The complex local stratigraphy complicates correlation both within the Death Valley region as well as globally, and pending absolute age dates, does not fit easily with conventional Cryogenian Period glacial models identifying two or more discrete ice ages.
Alternative spiroketalization methods toward purpuromycin: A hemiketal conjugate addition strategy and use of an electron-rich isocoumarin precursor

Two methods are presented that were designed to circumvent the persistent problem of benzofuran formation and instead yield a spiroketal of the rubromycin family type. First, using an alternative disconnection, a hemiketal conjugate addition to a naphthaquinone electrophile was investigated. Synthesis of the requisite electrophile provided insight into the selective oxidation and functionalization of the naphthalene portion. Second, the electronic features of the isocoumarin ring system were adjusted, and the corresponding reactivity further supports the hypothesis that electron-rich isocoumarins are capable of spiroketalization. Robust, flexible syntheses from simple precursors were developed that allowed multiple reduced isocoumarins to be generated. Combined, the data presented herein give insight into the sensitivities of this family and illuminate other potential methods of spiroketalization. In addition, the convergent assembly of substrates containing different naphthaquinone and isocoumarin subunits highlights the utility of our 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition approach to generate analogs of these structures for SAR, as well as chemical reactivity studies.
Attitude, Social Influence, Personal Norm, and Intention Interactions as Related to Brand Purchase Behavior:

A field study was conducted providing empirical evidence that variables contained in the Dulany theory popularly adapted by Fishbein are situation bound in their effects on consumer brand purchase ...
GENOTYPE-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION FOR CLIMATE AND COMPETITION IN A NATURAL POPULATION OF FLOUR BEETLES, TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM

The norm of reaction, the set of average phenotypes produced by a genotype in different environments, can be affected by spatial variation in natural selection especially when there exists genotype-environment interaction. In subdivided populations, the greater the genotype-environment interaction variance and the lower the migration rate, the more independent are the possible evolutionary trajectories for local adaptation. I examined genotype-environment interaction in the rate of population increase for lineages randomly derived from a wild population of Tribolium castaneum across a series of ecologically important environments. The lineages were derived from an outbred, wild-caught population by 14 generations of random genetic drift, during which the effective size of each lineage was approximately 22 breeding adults. The environments studied were the classic temperate-wet and cold-dry climates of Park (1954) in factorial combination with two genetic strains of a congeneric competitor, T. confusum. Much among-lineage genetic variation for rate of population increase was found for each of these ecologically important environments of climate and competition. Genotype-environment interaction accounted for 40.5% of the total among-lineage variance in rate of population increase signifying that the performance of a lineage in one environment is not necessarily a good predictor of its performance in another. Changing the genetic identity of the competitor changed the rate of increase of some lineages as much or more than changing the climatic conditions of temperature and humidity. This is the first empirical study to characterize the genotype-environment interaction variance associated with genetic variation in a competing congeneric species. This competitor-specific genetic variation in competitive ability may play an important role in coevolution in subdivided populations.
Pathway and energetics of xenon migration in uranium dioxide

Using a combination of density functional theory (DFT), classical potentials, molecular dynamics, and nudged elastic band (NEB) calculations, we explore the diffusion of xenon in uranium dioxide (UO${}_{2}$). We compare migration barriers of empirical potentials with DFT by performing NEB calculations and subsequently we use the DFT-validated empirical potentials to calculate vacancy clusters, with and without xenon, to determine the migration path and barrier of xenon in bulk UO${}_{2}$. We find the following: (i) Two empirical potentials out of four tested agree qualitatively with DFT derived energetics for Schottky defect migration; (ii) through the use of molecular dynamics with empirical potentials, we have found a path for the diffusion of xenon-tetravacancy clusters (Xe$+2{V}_{\mathrm{U}}+2$${V}_{\mathrm{O}}$); (iii) this path has an energy barrier significantly lower than previously reported paths by nearly 1 eV; (iv) we examine the physical contributions to the migration pathway and find the barrier is largely electrostatic and that xenon contributes very little to the barrier height; (v) once a uranium vacancy attaches to a xenon-Schottky defect, the resulting xenon-tetravacancy cluster is strongly bound; and (vi) as xenon in a tetravacancy, a xenon-double Schottky defect can diffuse in a concerted manor with a comparable barrier to xenon in a tetravacancy, but two of the oxygen vacancies are only weakly bound to the defect.
Transhepatic cholangiography in the differential diagnosis of jaundice.

Transhepatic cholangiography is indicated in diagnosing the cause of jaundice when routine radiographic methods of visualizing the biliary tract cannot be undertaken or when they do not show the etiology of biliary obstruction. Transhepatic cholangiography can help to distinguish intrahepatic from extrahepatic obstruction and can show whether common duct stones, stricture or neoplasm is the cause of obstruction. Complications from this procedure are usually avoided when surgery follows immediately.
Complications in the treatment of the respiratory distress syndrome. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, oxygen toxicity, and the Wilson-Mikity syndrome.

An increasing salvage rate of infants with the respiratory distress syndrome has been accompanied by numerous complications of oxygen respirator therapy. The radiologic appearance of these changes is presented.
Body size and V.O2peak: a new perspective?

The purpose of this paper was to show how dimensional analysis and biological similarity theory can be used to define and derive extensive (size-dependent) and intensive (size-independent) variables. The method was then used to analyze the peak rate of oxygen consumption (V·O2peak) data of children, adolescents, and adults to determine if size-independent increases in V·O2peak occur during growth and development. The results indicated growth and development is accompanied by a substantial increase in size-independent V·O2peak, which was associated with improvements in size-independent peak heart rate (HRpeak). When differences in fat free mass (FFM) were considered, size-independent HRpeak was similar in boys and girls within each age-group, but was greater in men than in women. In contrast, when differences in FFM were accounted for, size-independent peak oxygen pulse (O2Ppeak) was independent of age, although males tended to have greater values than females at all ages. Because O2Ppeak is proportional to the product of stroke volume (SV) and arterial mixed-venous oxygen difference (a-vO2peak), when differences in FFM were considered, the size-independent nature of O2Ppeak indicated the combined effects changes in SVpeak and (a-vO2peak) played a secondary role in improving aerobic capacity. In conclusion, during normal growth and development improvement in HRpeak, not stroke volume and arterial mixed-venous oxygen difference, appears to increase aerobic capacity.