cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical Outcome and Antibiotic Dosing Differences by Weight in Children With Acute Osteomyelitis

OBJECTIVES To evaluate for weight-based differences in clinical outcomes and antibiotic dosing variability for children hospitalized with acute hematogenous osteomyelitis (AHO). METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study of children aged 2 to 17 years and hospitalized with a primary AHO International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision or International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision diagnosis code between 2010 and 2017 using the Cerner Health Facts database. Weight categories (healthy, overweight, obesity) were determined by using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles. Rates of procedures, complications, and length of stay (LOS) were compared between groups. Dosing variability between groups was assessed by comparing the initial milligrams per kilogram per day of prescribed antibiotics. RESULTS We identified 755 children with AHO for inclusion. Children with overweight and obesity were more likely to undergo surgical procedures (19% and 17%, respectively) compared with children with a healthy weight (10%; P = .009). They also had a longer LOS (5.7 and 5.8 days) than children with a healthy weight (4.9 days; P = .03). There were no differences in complication rates between weight categories. Mean weight-adjusted daily dose for the most frequently prescribed antibiotics was different by weight category, with children in higher weight categories more likely to receive lower weight-based doses. CONCLUSIONS Children with overweight and obesity hospitalized for AHO were more likely to undergo procedures, have longer LOS, and receive lower weight-based antibiotic dosing compared with children with a healthy weight. Our findings suggest that weight should be carefully considered when treating children with AHO.
Immunoglobulin G and phosphatidylserine in regenerative and nonregenerative immune-mediated anemias of dogs.

Background Although precursor-targeted immune-mediated anemia (PIMA) is thought to be caused by immune targeting of erythroid precursors (nucleated RBCs, nRBCs), its pathogenesis is unknown. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) or phosphatidylserine (PS) may promote nRBC destruction in PIMA. Hypothesis Dogs with PIMA have increased nRBC IgG and PS, and dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) have increased RBC PS compared to healthy dogs. Animals Blood from 20 healthy dogs and from dogs with IMHA (11) or other (non-IMHA) conditions (9), and marrow aspirates with or without blood from 10 healthy dogs and from dogs with PIMA (17) or other (non-IMHA, non-PIMA) conditions (7). Methods Marrow nRBC stages were separated by density gradient. Flow cytometry was used to assess the percentage of RBCs or nRBCs with increased IgG or PS. Results Red blood cell (RBC) IgG positivity was increased in 9/11 IMHA dogs and 0/9 non-IMHA dogs. Red blood cell PS positivity was increased in 10/11 IMHA dogs and 2/9 non-IMHA dogs. Five of 17 PIMA dogs had increased nRBC IgG positivity in mid- or late-stage fractions, whereas all 7 non-PIMA dogs were negative. Mid- and late-stage erythroid precursor PS was significantly higher in PIMA dogs compared to healthy dogs. Five of 14 PIMA dogs had increased RBC IgG positivity. Conclusions Immunoglobulin G and PS may promote destruction of nRBCs in PIMA dogs; PS may promote destruction of RBCs in IMHA dogs.
Deviant Globalization: The Next Step in the Multilateral Protection of Intellectual Property

Deviant globalization is a 'powerful engine of wealth creation ...[P]articipating in deviant globalization is often an individual’s fastest ticket out of poverty and a way for an entire community to experience economic development.' Although some aspects of deviant globalization undeniably include illegal conduct, such 'illegality is not necessarily criminal or even unsavory in nature. 'Deviant globalization' in the intellectual property arena serves as a powerful force for the creation of revised standards of protection. It serves both a predictive and a normative function. It serves a predictive function because it incorporates the experimental standards we are already witnessing in domestic and international efforts to re-invent intellectual property standards for the 21st Century. It serves a normative function because it creates a new normative standard that incorporates social and economic norms from the informal market into formal normative values against which decisions regarding intellectual property standards can be evaluated and revised. With its emphasis on trade and innovation across socio-economic levels, and its focus on unmet consumer demands, deviant globalization based standards would bring new understandings of the relationship between compensation, access, and distributional innovation in present intellectual property debates. More effective support for distributional innovation under deviant globalization does not require that the needs of intellectual property owners be ignored. However, it does require that their interests be re-balanced with those of sellers and consumers. By focusing on compensation streams, deviant globalization puts the economic viability of piracy into play, not its moral necessity. Regulation is not the enemy of deviant globalization. Irrational regulation is. Some experiments in crafting effective deviant globalization models will undoubtedly fail. Yet even such failures will be useful in recalibrating present international norms so that intellectual property protection can continue to provide the innovative foundation for a vibrant, socially just, global marketplace for the 21st Century.
A modular power electronics instructional laboratory

The study of power electronics draws upon a broad range of knowledge and often required a fair amount of experience. This suggests that laboratory instruction should be an integral component of a power electronics curriculum. However, before a single watt is delivered, the student must understand not only the operation of the converter topology but also more advanced concepts such as control theory, gate drive isolation, and layout issues. Our approach is to use a "blue box" module were these details are pre-built for convenience, but not hidden inside a "black box." Improvements to our "blue box" modules are described in this paper and include a dual-MOSFET control box with independently isolated FET devices and a high quality PWM inverter built discretely.
Enhanced dynamic quadrant histogram equalization plateau limit for image contrast enhancement

Consumer electronic devices require brightness preservation while image enhancement. Many of the histogram equalization techniques that have been introduced tend to strike out the mean image brightness while the process of enhancement is carried out. Hence, we suggest a method that enhances the image while keeping its brightness in a better form as compared to the former methods applied. Firstly, based on median value, the input image histogram is divided into sub-histogram and this process reprises until we have derived 8 sub-histograms. Further, the clipping of the histogram is implemented based on the average pixels in each sub-histogram. Then, each sub-histogram is assigned with a new dynamic range and finally customary histogram equalization is done independently on each sub-histogram. Proposed method is tested against conventional methods and results indicate that image mean brightness is preserved better than other methods while enhancing the image. The proposed method keep the brightness save of the original image while during the enhancement of the images. Many images has been taken from the SIPI database and applied the proposed method for the contrast enhancement of the low contrast images and results are improved. The major problem is to keep the brightness of the low contrast image preserve. The proposed technique has dealt with brightness preservation of the images.
Mutation and Selection of Lactobacillus plantarum Strains That Do Not Produce Carbon Dioxide from Malate.

A differential medium was developed to distinguish between malate-decarboxylating (MDC+) and -non-decarboxylating (MDC−) strains of Lactobacillus plantarum. MDC− strains produced a visible acid reaction in the medium, whereas MDC+ strains did not. Use of the medium allowed for rapid screening and isolation of mutagenized cells that had lost the ability to produce CO2 from malate.
Lee Smithey, Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation in Northern Ireland

During the height of the troubles in Northern Ireland, in the early Seventies, one of the most esoteric of the Loyalist Protestant movements was one that espoused a particular brand of evangelical ...
Iron-chelating Hydroxamic Acid (Schizokinen) Active in Initiation of Cell Division in Bacillus megaterium

Bacillus megaterium ATCC 19213 secretes a cell division-initiating "schizokinen" (SK) which accumulates during its culture cycle to a concentration inversely proportional to the iron added to a sucrose-mineral salts medium. Secreted SK was purified from culture filtrates as a red Fe (III) chelate, and a fraction with similar biological properties was obtained from whole cells. Infrared spectra of SK, and analyses of unhydrolyzed and acid-hydrolyzed preparations indicated it to be a secondary hydroxamate; visible absorption maxima of the ferric complex showed pH dependency typical of ferric monohydroxamates. Schizokinen preparations from cultures grown at "normal" and at low Fe concentrations were similar biologically and in certain of their chemical properties, but their R(F) values and infrared spectra suggested nonidentity. Significant lag reduction of B. megaterium was effected by 0.2 mmug of SK per ml; the Fe (III)-SK chelate and "iron-free" SK were equally effective. A 50-mmug amount produced half-maximal growth response of the siderochrome auxotroph, Arthrobacter JG-9. Schizokinen also overcame ferrimycin A inhibition of three Bacillus species. These properties relate the B. megaterium schizokinen to the trihydroxamate siderochromes, although SK appears to be a monohydroxamate.
Dietary vitamin c and β-carotene and risk of death in middle-aged men: The western electric study

In the Western Electric Company Study, carried out in Chicago, Illinois, data on diet and other factors were obtained in 1958 and 1959 for a cohort of 1,556 employed, middle-aged men. Nutrients included vitamin C and beta-carotene. An index that summarized combined intake of both nutrients was constructed. Mean intakes of vitamin C in the lowest and highest tertiles of the index were 66 and 138 mg/day; corresponding values for beta-carotene were 2.3 and 5.3 mg/day. A total of 522 of 1,556 men died during 32,935 person-years of follow-up, 231 from coronary heart disease and 155 from cancer. After adjustment for potentially confounding factors, relative risks (95% confidence intervals) associated with an increment of 19 points in the index (difference between means of the lowest and highest tertiles) were 0.60 (0.39-0.93) for cancer mortality, 0.70 (0.49-0.98) for coronary disease mortality, and 0.69 (0.55-0.87) for all-cause mortality. These results support the hypothesis that consumption of foods rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene reduces risk of death in middle-aged men.
Two‐state‐variable stochastic tree problems

This paper extends the one-state-variable stochastic tree problem to the two-state-variable case. (Considering, for example, a tree whose size and price evolve according to two different Wiener processes, we solve for the optimal cutting time. The optimization of the expected present discounted value of the tree is converted to a standard free-boundary problem. Analytical results are reported. In particular we find that more variance near the optimal free boundary will increase the value of the tree. Finally, a method is developed to find the numerical solution to the free boundary problem. A numerical example is presented.
On g-sample empirical coverage tests: exact and simulated null distributions of test statistics with small and moderate sizes

Exact and simulated skewness, kurtosis and quantile values of g-sample empirical coverage test statistics are obtained under the null hypothesis. These methods are a direct extension of the Greenwood goodness-of-fit test. While many statistics in this class are known to possess asymptotic normality, one member of this class is shown to be close to normality for small and moderate sample sizes. In addition, a simple algorithm for implementing this procedure is described.
Formalism for Applying Domain Constraints in Domain-Oriented Schema Matching

Exchanging data between different software systems is a critical requirement in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, where task specific data models and public data exchange standards have been applied for data representation and exchange. Matching two data models effectively and efficiently is a challenging task, especially when performed manually, due to the large size and the complexity of today's data schemas. Some existing computer-aided approaches have attempted to automate matching of different schemas. These approaches work and reduce human effort under specific conditions; however, they do not always result in an accurate matching of two schemas. Achieving schema matching result comparable in accuracy to manual matching requires leveraging domain specific knowledge. Yet utilization of domain knowledge for schema matching rarely has been incorporated in prior studies. In this paper, we present a semiautomated approach that leverages domain knowledge to improve the schema matching process. Compared to a generic schema matching approach, the approach discussed in this paper is able to generate more accurate results due to the incorporation of domain specific constraints, which are represented and reasoned with to create a match between data models. A prototype was developed to validate this approach through a number of real world test cases, including the matching of two publicly-available data exchange standards.
Chlorate: a reversible inhibitor of proteoglycan sulfation

Bovine aorta endothelial cells were cultured in medium containing [3H]glucosamine, [35S]sulfate, and various concentrations of chlorate. Cell growth was not affected by 10 mM chlorate, while 30 mM chlorate had a slight inhibitory effect. Chlorate concentrations greater than 10 mM resulted in significant undersulfation of chondroitin. With 30 mM chlorate, sulfation of chondroitin was reduced to 10% and heparan to 35% of controls, but [3H]glucosamine incorporation on a per cell basis did not appear to be inhibited. Removal of chlorate from the culture medium of cells resulted in the rapid resumption of sulfation.
Calcium in phase control of theBulla circadian pacemaker

Abstract The circadian pacemaker in the retina of the eye of the marine snailBulla gouldiana was examined using the whole eye in vitro preparation. Phase-response curves were generated to 6-h pulses of a low calcium EGTA solution and to a hyperpolarizing low potassium-low sodium solution. Both treatments yielded similar phase response curves with phase delays in the late subjective night/early subjective day and phase advances in the late subjective day. The similarity of the phase response curves to hyperpolarizing and low calcium solutions and the absence of additivity when both treatments are combined raises the possibility that both treatments affect the underlying pacemaker through a common mechanism. The persistence of phase shifts to low calcium pulses delivered in the presence of depolarizing light suggests that hyperpolarization is not required for low calcium phase shifting. However, it is possible that both treatments act by reducing a transmembrane calcium flux which is postulated to result from the periodic depolarization of the pacemaker cell membrane during the subjective day. Since a transmembrane calcium flux is known to be essential for both light and depolarization-induced phase shifting, we discuss the hypothesis that calcium fluxes play a pivotal role in the entrainment pathway of the circadian pacemaker.
PLATELET FUNCTION IN PREMATURE INFANTS WITH INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMORRHAGE

Top of pageAbstract Platelet dysfunction in the pathogenesis of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is controversial. Platelet function testing using platelet rich plasma (PRP) was performed on 56 premature infants (26-32 weeks gestational age, mean birth weight 1156 gm) using aggregometry and a viscoelastic method. The Sonoclot® measures viscoelastic changes in plasma after recalcification; PRP has a characteristic Sonoclot® curve consisting of a lag time, primary wave, shoulder, secondary wave and downward tertiary wave. The secondary and tertiary waves reflect platelet incorporation into the clot and clot retraction. Normal adult PRP Sonoclot® values for the lag time, slopes and shoulder to peak (S-P) interval have been reported. Of the infants studied, 22 (39%) had some degree of IVH by ultrasonography. Platelet function as maximal aggregation of PRP (5μM ADP) in these infants did not differ significantly from that of 34 infants without IVH (±SEM): IVH=52.8%±4.7 vs no IVH=52.0%±3.8 on day one and IVH=42.7%±4.7 vs no IVH=48.5%±3.4 on day three. Sonoclot® values on day one were (±SEM): The groups did not significantly differ in any Sonoclot parameter and all of the mean values in both groups were similar to reported normal adult values.
Past obliquity oscillations of Mars: The role of the Tharsis Uplift

The paper deals with possible ancient variations of the obliquity of Mars. Consideration of data on internal differentiation, Tharsis uplift and crustal phenomena, mantle convection, and eigenfrequencies and mean motion suggest that (1) differentiation with core formation decreased the primeval spin precession constant (alpha) by 4-5%, driving it through resonance with the j = 2 orbital term; (2) a combination of geophysical processes caused alpha to drift back and forth through resonance with the j = 2 orbital term during part of Mars' history; (3) this situation was turned off by the Tharsis uplift, which drove alpha away from j = 2 resonance and possibly through the j = 26 resonance. The consequences of such events for the planet's obliquity are analyzed. Various types of motions are calculated, demonstrating the sensitivity of the obliquity to passage through resonance with such minor orbital terms.
Calcification Inhibitors and Wnt Signaling Proteins Are Implicated in Bovine Artery Smooth Muscle Cell Calcification in the Presence of Phosphate and Vitamin D Sterols

Administration of active vitamin D sterols to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with chronic kidney disease receiving dialysis has been associated with elevated serum calcium and phosphorus levels, which may lead to increased risk of vascular calcification. However, calcimimetics, by binding to the parathyroid gland calcium-sensing receptors, reduce serum parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphorus, and the calcium-phosphorus product. Using cultured bovine aorta vascular smooth muscle cells (BASMCs), an in vitro model of vascular calcification, we compared calcification levels and gene expression profiles after exposure to the phosphate source ss-glycerolphosphate (BGP), the active vitamin D sterols calcitriol and paricalcitol, the calcimimetic R-568, or BGP with the active vitamin D sterols or R-568. Cells exposed to BGP (10 mM) alone or with calcitriol or paricalcitol showed dose-dependent BASMC calcification. No change in calcification was observed in cultures exposed to BGP with R-568, consistent with the observed lack of calcium-sensing receptor expression. Microarray analysis using total cellular RNA from cultures exposed to vehicle or BGP in the absence and presence of 10(-8) M calcitriol or paricalcitol for 7 days showed that cells exposed to BGP with calcitriol or BGP with paricalcitol had virtually identical gene expression profiles, which differed from those of cells treated with BGP or vehicle alone. Several osteoblast- and chondrocyte-associated genes were modulated by BGP and vitamin D exposure. In this study, exposure of BASMCs to phosphate and active vitamin D sterols induced calcification and changes in expression of genes associated with mineralized tissue.
Organization in Memory for Familiar Songs

The organizing principles in memory for familiar songs were investigated in two experiments. The hypothesis was that we do not store and remember each song in isolation. Rather, there exists a rich system of relationships among tunes that can be revealed through similarity rating studies and memory tasks. One initial assumption was the. division of relations among tunes into musical (tempo, rhythm, etc,) and nonmusical similarity. In the first experiment, subjects were asked: to sort 60 familiar tunes into groups according to both musical and nonmusical criteria. Clustering analyses showed clear patterns of nonmusical similarity but few instances of musical similarity. The second experiment explored the psychological validity of the nonmusical relationships revealed in Experiment 1. A speeded verification task showed that songs similar to each other are confused more often than are distantly related songs. A free-recall task showed greater clustering for closely related songs than for distantly related ones. The relationship between these studies and studies of semantic memory is discussed. Also, the contribution of musical training and individual knowledge to the organization of the memory system is considered. Humans from infancy to old age are able producers of music. Even before reaching an age of 2 years old, children can produce spontaneous songs using distinct pitches and occasional rhythmic patterns (McKernon, 1979). Most adults whistle or sing an enormous repertory of songs and fragments of larger pieces. In addition, people of all ages are competent and enthusiastic music listeners. Simply the ubiquity of music perception would make it a topic of interest to cognitive psychologists. In addition, the fact that music lacks facile verbal referents presents a challenge to theorists accustomed to dealing with perception and memory for verbal, pictorial, and prepositional material. Are there regularities in music processing comparable to those found in these other subfields of cognitive psychology?
Experimental investigations of plasma armatures in railgun launchers

Summary form only given. The behavior of the plasma armature, especially during the formation of secondaries, is an important issue in electromagnetic launchers. The structure of the plasma armature is being investigated using a compact B-dot array (separation distance=bore diameter), along with other diagnostics. Ablated material entering the plasma armature can lead to mass accretion, armature lengthening, formation of multiple secondaries through bifurcation or restrike, and other processes that degrade launcher performance. A code has been developed that deconvolves the signals from the B-dot array to yield the spatial and time dependence of the plasma armature. The technique is being used to study the effect insulator ablation has on the structure of the plasma armature. A novel metallic insulator has been designed to reduce the amount of ablation from the insulator surface. Metals have a much higher ablation threshold than the commonly used insulator materials such as G9 and G10. The metallic insulator being investigated is composed of layers of metal separated by thin layers of insulator material. Preliminary tests of composite insulators using copper and stainless steel have shown a decrease in the formation of secondaries and an increase in armature velocity for free are studies. The behavior of plasma armatures during launch of solid projectiles is also being investigated.
Return of esophageal function after treatment for achalasia as determined by impedance-manometry.

Treatment for Achalasia is aimed at the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), although little is known about the effect, if any, of these treatments on esophageal body function (peristalsis and clearance). We sought to measure the effect of various treatments using combined manometry (peristalsis) with Multichannel Intraluminal Impedance (MII) (esophageal clearance). We enrolled 56 patients with Achalasia referred to the University of Washington Swallowing Center between January 2003 and January 2006. Each was grouped according to prior treatment: 38 were untreated (untreated achalasia), 10 had undergone botox injection or balloon dilation (endoscopic treatment), and 16 a laparoscopic Heller myotomy. The preoperative studies for 8 of the myotomy patients were included in the untreated achalasia group. Each patient completed a dysphagia severity questionnaire (scale 0–10). Peristalsis was analyzed by manometry and esophageal clearance of liquid and viscous material by MII. Mean dysphagia severity scores were significantly better in patients after Heller Myotomy than in either of the other groups (2.0 vs. 5.3 in the endoscopic group and 6.5 in untreated achalasia, p < 0.05). Peristaltic contractions were observed in 63% of patients in the Heller myotomy group, compared with 40% in the endoscopic group and 8% in untreated achalasia (p < 0.05 for both treatment groups vs. untreated achalasia). Liquid clearance rates were significantly better in both treatment groups: 28% in Heller myotomy and 16% in endoscopic treatment compared to only 5% in untreated achalasia (p < 0.05). Similarly, viscous clearance rates were 19% in Heller myotomy and 11% in endoscopic treatment, vs. 2% in untreated achalasia (p < 0.05). In the subset of patients who underwent manometry/MII both pre- and postoperatively, peristalsis was observed more frequently postoperatively than in preop studies (63% of patients exhibiting peristalsis vs. 12%), as was complete clearance of liquid (35% of swallows vs. 14%) and viscous boluses (22% of swallows vs. 14%). These differences were not significant, however. In the patients who had a myotomy the return of peristalsis correlates with effective esophageal clearance (liquid bolus: r = 0.46, p = 0.09 and viscous bolus: r = 0.63, p < 0.05). There is no correlation between peristalsis and bolus clearance in the endoscopic treatment group. With treatment Achalasia patients exhibit some restoration in peristalsis as well as improved bolus clearance. After Heller Myotomy, the return of peristalsis correlates with esophageal clearance, which may partly explain its superior relief of dysphagia.
Cross-sectional and longitudinal relations between affective instability and depression

Abstract Background There is a growing recognition that emotional traits are important for understanding many mental health disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). The present research examined (a) the relation between MDD and the emotional trait of affective instability, and (b) whether individual facets of affective instability, affect intensity and affect variability, exhibited unique relations with anhedonic depression. Methods In Study 1, affective instability and MDD were both assessed via clinical interviews in an adult community sample (n = 288). In Studies 2 and 3, the relations between anhedonic depression and affect variability and affect intensity were assessed cross-sectionally using self-report measures in a college student sample (n = 142; Study 2) and a female community sample (n = 101; Study 3). Study 3 also prospectively examined whether affect variability and/or intensity predicted changes in anhedonic depression over two months. Results In Study 1, affective instability and MDD were significantly associated, even after excluding individuals experiencing a current major depressive episode. In Studies 2 and 3, affect variability but not affect intensity was significantly, positively associated with anhedonic depression. In Study 3, affect variability but not affect intensity prospectively predicted increases in anhedonic depression. Limitations Future studies should assess the entire Bipolar Disorder spectrum and utilize event sampling, permitting the examination of other facets of affective instability (e.g., temporal dependency) and address other limitations of retrospective measures (e.g., recall bias). Conclusions These findings suggest that affective instability and particularly affect variability are associated with MDD and anhedonic depression. The tendency to experience frequent fluctuations in mood may constitute an important risk factor for depression.
GANGLIONS OF THE FOOT AND ANKLE : A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 63 PROCEDURES

A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate treatment of foot and ankle ganglion cysts seen at the Foot and Ankle Institute at the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine (now Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine). From 1990 to 1997, 63 patients (63 ganglion cysts) were treated by conservative or surgical means. Statistical analysis of data collected showed a significant relationship between type of treatment received and recurrence of the cyst. Surgical intervention resulted in significantly less recurrence (11%) than conservative treatment (63%). Regardless of whether treatment was conservative or surgical, there was no significant relationship between location of the cyst and recurrence. The type of conservative treatment was not significantly related to recurrence of the cyst. The surgical recurrence rate reported here is comparable to that reported in other studies of foot and ankle ganglion cysts. The number of foot and ankle ganglion cysts evaluated in this study is the largest in the literature.
Characterization of the kaurene oxidase CYP701A3, a multifunctional cytochrome P450 from gibberellin biosynthesis

KO (kaurene oxidase) is a multifunctional cytochrome P450 catalysing three sequential oxidations in gibberellin phytohormone biosynthesis. These serve to transform the C4α methyl of the ent-kaurene olefin intermediate into the carboxylic acid moiety of ent-kauren-19-oic acid. To investigate the unknown catalytic mechanism and properties of KO, we have engineered the corresponding CYP701A3 from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtKO) for functional recombinant expression in Escherichia coli, involving use of a fully codon-optimized construct, along with additional N-terminal deletion and modification. This recombinant AtKO (rAtKO) was used to carry out 18O2 labelling studies with ent-kaurene, and the intermediates ent-kaurenol and ent-kaurenal, to investigate the multifunctional reaction sequence; revealing catalysis of three hydroxylation reactions, which further requires dehydration at some stage. Accordingly, following initial hydroxylation, ent-kaurenol must then be further hydroxylated to a gem-diol intermediate, and our data indicate that the subsequent reactions proceed via dehydration of the gem-diol to ent-kaurenal, followed by an additional hydroxylation to directly form ent-kaurenoic acid. Kinetic analysis indicates that these intermediates are all retained in the active site during the course of the reaction series, with the first hydroxylation being rate-limiting. In addition, investigation of alternative substrates demonstrated that ent-beyerene, which differs in ring structure distal to the C4α methyl, is only hydroxylated by rAtKO, indicating the importance of the exact tetracyclic ring structure of kaurane for multifunctional KO activity. Thus the results of the present study clarify the reaction sequence and enzymatic mechanism of KO, as well as substrate features critical for the catalysed multiple reaction sequence.
One- and two-component analysis of cyan fluorescent protein: FLIM-FRET microscopy

Remarkable advances have been made in studying the dynamic events of protein molecules in living cells and tissues using advanced light microscopy imaging techniques and green fluorescent proteins (GFPs). Identification of the interacting protein partners is critical in understanding its function and place in the biochemical pathway, thereby establishing its role in important disease processes. FLIM-FRET microscopy technique, allow the study of proteins in multiple ways including what proteins are expressed, where they are expressed- and where they move over time. It has been observed that the eCFP-eYFP FRET pair may not be that suitable to localize the association of protein molecules since the eCFP has two-components lifetime. The new Cerulean green fluorescent protein appears to have only one-component lifetime. We describe the extensive investigation of eCFP and Cerulean to study the dimerization of the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha in GHFT1-5 living cell nucleus using the time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) FLIM-FRET microscopy.
Recoiled ions from polyatomic cluster impacts on organic and inorganic targets

Abstract We report the observation of a polyatomic cluster constituent, fluorine in this case, recoiling from the projectile upon impact with a surface. The clusters (NaF) n Na + ( n =1, 2, and 4), PF 6 − , BF 4 − , and SiF 5 − , with incident kinetic energies of 12–28 keV, were impacted on Au, SiO 2 , and α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid targets. The Au surface gave the highest F − yield when compared to the “light” SiO 2 surface, for the same incident cluster. This supports previous MD predications of polyatomic cluster constituents “splashing” upon impact with a surface.
Ancient Ethics and Modern Happiness: A Study of Three Treatises in Enlightenment Britain

This essay approaches Enlightenment theories of happiness through three forgotten but once highly popular treatises: John Norris’s An Idea of Happiness (1683), thomas Nettleton’s A Treatise on Virtue and Happiness (1742), and James Harris’s “concerning Happiness: A Dialogue” (1744). I propose that the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries saw the rise of a new, more subjective model of happiness that threatened its time-honored ties with virtue, raising the disquieting possibility that happiness could be pursued by amoral, or even immoral, means. the article also argues that thinkers like Norris, Nettleton, and Harris responded to this challenge by drawing on eudaemonistic ethics to make a kind of last-ditch argument in defense of virtue. In fleshing out their particular ideas, the essay emphasizes the range and eclecticism of Enlightenment thinking about happiness: Norris’s text is Neoplatonist and Latitudinarian, Nettleton’s is Epicurean and empiricist, and Harris’s is stoic and deistic, each employing its own distinct methodology, its own views on pleasure, determinism, and sociability, and its own way of understanding the nature of happiness and its precise relation to virtue. common to all, however, is a shared conception of the “formal requirements of happiness,” namely, that it be durable, and, as much as possible, within one’s own control. According to Norris, Nettleton, and Harris — and countless other writers of the period — only virtue could completely fulfill these requirements.
A kinetic study of the reaction between polyriboinosinic acid and polyribocytidylic acid.

Abstract The reaction between polyriboinosinic and polyribocytidylic acids has been studied using a stopped-flow technique. Second-order kinetics were obeyed for over 80 % of the reaction. At pH 7.3 the second-order rate constant increased rapidly with increasing levels of NaCl up to about 0.1 M and less rapidly thereafter. The second-order rate constant decreased as the helix → coil transitions induced by high temperatures or alkaline pH were approached, becoming zero at the midpoint of these transitions. The rate constant was also reduced in the presence of high levels of urea or in media of high viscosity. Analysis of the data indicates that the effect of ionic strength, but not of urea, is predominantly upon the initial nucleation step.
Pet therapy program for antepartum high-risk pregnancies: a pilot study

This pilot study evaluated the potential benefits of pet therapy on symptoms of anxiety and depression in antepartum hospitalized women with high-risk pregnancies. Eighty-two women in a hospital-based setting completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory before and after the pet therapy visit. For both questionnaires, paired t-test was used and adjusted P-values were obtained using the Hochberg step-up Bonferroni method. The mean scores for depressive symptoms significantly improved from the pre-pet therapy (10.1±6.3) compared with the post-pet therapy (6.3±5.9) (P<0.0001). Likewise mean scores of the state anxiety significantly improved from the pre-pet therapy test (44.8±11.7) compared with the post-pet therapy (34.5±10.5) (P<0.001). Pet therapy significantly reduced anxiety and depression in antepartum hospitalized women with high-risk pregnancies.
Transplantation of mammalian livers following freezing: vascular damage and functional recovery.

We transplanted rat livers cryopreserved at high subzero temperatures with a protocol that mimics freezing in freeze-tolerant animals. The results of nine transplants show that: (a) every single transplanted liver produced bile, which suggests that the cryopreserved livers retained some physiological function; (b) eight of the animals survived between 2 and 4 h with loss of microvascular integrity which suggests that transplantation failure is related to the circulation and tests of bile production are not indicative of transplantation success; and (c) one animal survived for 5 days with an intact circulation which might be due to an unidentified technical variation or could indicate that when the circulation recovers animals with transplanted livers survive.
The impact of ethical climate types on facets of job satisfaction: An empirical investigation

This study examines the impact of ethical climate types (professionalism, caring, rules, instrumental, efficiency, and independence) on various facets of job satisfaction (pay, promotions, co-workers, supervisors, and work itself) in a large non-profit organization. Professionalism was the most reported and efficiency was the least reported ethical climate type in the organization. Among various facets of job satisfaction, respondents were most satisfied with their work and least satisfied with their pay. None of the climate types significantly influenced satisfaction with pay. A professional climate significantly influenced satisfaction with promotions, supervisors, and work. It also significantly influenced overall job satisfaction. Those respondents who believed that their organization had caring climate were more satisfied with their supervisors. An instrumental climate had a significant negative influence on overall job satisfaction and satisfaction with promotions, co-workers, and supervisors. Rules, efficiency, and independence climate types did not significantly affect any facets of job satisfaction.
Expression of CPI-17 and myosin phosphatase correlates with Ca2+ sensitivity of protein kinase C-induced contraction in rabbit smooth muscle

1. Various smooth muscles have unique contractile characteristics, such as the degree of Ca(2+) sensitivity induced by physiological and pharmacological agents. Here we evaluated six different rabbit smooth muscle tissues for protein kinase C (PKC)-induced Ca(2+) sensitization. We also examined the expression levels of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP), the MLCP inhibitor phosphoprotein CPI-17, and the thin filament regulator h-calponin. 2. Immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses indicated that CPI-17 was found primarily in smooth muscle, although expression varied among different tissues. Vascular muscles contained more CPI-17 than visceral muscles, with further distinction existing between tonic and phasic subtypes. For example, the tonic femoral artery possessed approximately 8 times the cellular CPI-17 concentration of the phasic vas deferens. 3. In contrast to CPI-17 expression patterns, phasic muscles contained more MLCP myosin-targeting subunit than tonic tissues. Calponin expression was not statistically different. 4. Addition of phorbol ester to alpha-toxin-permeabilized smooth muscle caused an increase in contraction and phosphorylation of both CPI-17 and myosin light chain (MLC) at submaximal [Ca(2+)]i. These responses were several-fold greater in femoral artery as compared to vas deferens. 5. We conclude that the expression ratio of CPI-17 to MLCP correlates with the Ca(2+) sensitivities of contraction induced by a PKC activator. PKC stimulation of arterial smooth muscle with a high CPI-17 and low MLCP expression generated greater force and MLC phosphorylation than stimulation of visceral muscle with a relatively low CPI-17 and high MLCP content. This implicates CPI-17 inhibition of MLCP as an important component in modulating vascular muscle tone.
Inferences on correlation coefficients of bivariate log-normal distributions

This article considers inference on correlation coefficients of bivariate log-normal distributions. We developed generalized confidence intervals and hypothesis tests for the correlation coefficients, and extended the results to compare two independent correlations. Simulation studies show that the suggested methods work well. Two practical examples are used to illustrate the application of the proposed methods.
Pedlosky receives 2011 Maurice Ewing Medal: Response

Joseph Pedlosky was awarded the 2011 Maurice Ewing Medal at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 7 December 2011 in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is for “significant original contributions to the scientific understanding of the processes in the ocean; for the advancement of oceanographic engineering, technology, and instrumentation; and for outstanding service to the marine sciences.”
Role of RNA structure in arginine recognition of TAR RNA.

The human immunodeficiency virus Tat protein binds specifically to an RNA stem-loop structure (TAR) that contains two helical stem regions separated by a three-nucleotide bulge. A single arginine within the basic region of Tat mediates specific binding to TAR, and arginine as the free amino acid also binds specifically to TAR. We have previously proposed a model in which interaction of the arginine guanidinium group with guanosine-26 (G26) and with a pair of phosphates is stabilized by formation of a base triple between U23 in the bulge and A27.U38 in the upper helix. Here we show by NMR spectroscopy that formation of the base triple is critical for arginine binding to TAR. Mutants of TAR that cannot form the base triple or that remove the guanine contact do not bind arginine specifically. These mutants also showed reduced transactivation by Tat. A triple mutant designed to form an isomorphous base triple between C23 and G27.C38 binds arginine and adopts the same conformation as wild-type TAR. These results demonstrate the importance of RNA structure for arginine binding and further demonstrate the direct correspondence between arginine and Tat binding.
The Impact of Offshoring on the Venture Capital Industry

This article is focused on how venture-backed companies are using offshoring during early-stage growth phases and the impact this has on venture capital financing and start-up operations. The work represented in this study is unique in that virtually all existing research and cases describe practices for mature companies and a significant knowledge gap exists for how start-ups take advantage of offshore resources.
Comment on “Formation of Venusian canali: Considerations of lava types and their thermal behaviors” by T. K. P. Gregg and R. Greeley

Gregg and Greeley (1993) evaluated the mechanisms by which various magma types might have formed the long sinuous channels apparent on the surface of Venus. Among the magma types they evaluated were carbonatites, which are carbonate-rich ionic liquids. Gregg and Greeley (1993) applied thermophysical data for terrestrial carbonatite magmas to evaluate channel formation by carbonatites on Venus. Their analysis is flawed because they used incorrect values for the solidification temperatures of carbonatite magmas.
Method for 14C‐labeling maize field plots and assessment of label uniformity within plots

Abstract There is increasing interest in use of isotopic tracers to study nutrient liberation and transformation in plant tissues and soils. We developed a technique for pulse‐labeling plants in the field with 14C. Spatial distribution of radioactivity was measured in plots of maize (Zea mays L.) plants exposed to 14CO2. Two clear polyvinyl chambers measuring 1 m wide × 2 m long × 1 m high were used to 14C‐ label maize plants in conventional tillage and no‐tillage treatments. A closed loop in‐line with a pump allowed injection of 14CO2 and unlabeled CO2, and subsampling through an infrared gas analyzer. Cooling and mixing of the air within the chambers was achieved through the use of a free‐standing automobile radiator with fan placed in the center of each plot. The specific activities of leaf tips differed by an order of magnitude among maize plants within the plot. Tillage and time after labeling within the first 48 h had no significant effect on specific activity of maize plants. Plant activity signifi...
Determination of isotopic thorium in biological samples by combined alpha-spectrometry and neutron activation analysis

The determination of isotopic thorium by alpha-spectrometric methods is a routine practice for bioassay and environmental measurement programs. Alpha-spectrometry has excellent detection limits (by mass) for all isotopes of thorium except232Th due to its extremely long half-life. This paper reports a pre-concentration neutron activation analysis (PCNAA) method for232Th that may be performed following alpha-spectrometry if a suitable source preparation material is utilized. Human tissues and other samples were spiked with229Th and the thorium was isolated from the sample using ion exchange chromatography. The thorium was then electrodeposited from a sulfate-based medium onto a vanadium planchet, counted by alpha-spectrometry, and then analyzed for232Th by neutron activation analysis. The radiochemical yield was determined from the alpha-spectrometric method. Detection limits for232Th by this PCNAA method are approximately 50 times lower than achieved by alphaspectrometry.
Analysis of chicken Wnt-13 expression demonstrates coincidence with cell division in the developing eye and is consistent with a role in induction

We used a degenerate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) strategy to search for Wnt RNA in developing ocular tissues. We isolated a Macaca monkey Wnt-13 PCR fragment, orthologous to the human and murine Wnt-13 and Xenopus Wnt-2b, and a chick Wnt13 cDNA. Wnt-13 is a member of the Wnt-1 class of transforming Wnt molecules. In situ RNA hybridization revealed a dynamic Wnt-13 expression pattern in numerous developing tissues. Within the eye, Wnt-13 is expressed in the proliferative epithelium of the lens and both pigmented and non-pigmented layers of the ciliary margin. In vitro BrdU incorporation studies coupled with in situ hybridization showed that cWnt-13 expression domains in the lens were coincident with cell division. In addition to the eye, cWnt-13 was expressed in head ectoderm, prospective forelimb mesenchyme, lung bud, pharyngeal arches, the brain, as well as the otic vesicle. Our data are consistent with previous observations linking transforming Wnts with cell division and implicate a cascade of events involving cWnt-13 first in dorsoventral patterning and later in cell proliferation regulation associated with lens development. Dev Dyn 1999;215:215–224. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.