cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alternative Hedonic Measures

Simple ranking and rating procedures for hedonic testing were developed from which signal detection analysis gave simple probability values indicating preference. Data were pooled over judges to give preference scores for specific groups of consumers. Rating was preferable when forced choice was to be avoided; ranking was preferable when response bias was a consideration. The rating procedure was less prone to instructional bias than the 9-point hedonic scale. Ranking methods were extended to measure 'likelihood to buy', when price was included in the decision, as well as degree of reference.
Inpatient psychiatric treatment of the difficult child: Common practices and their ethical implications

This article reviews and discusses the available research literature pertaining to the prevalence of seclusion and restraint procedures in inpatient psychiatric treatment facilities for children and adolescence. The rationales for use, potential effects, and factors found to influence the application of these more extreme clinical interventions are considered. The author suggests that the supposed therapeutic function of these types of practices has not been substantiated and their implementation can vary widely from one setting to another. Results from several studies suggest that clearly defined criteria for use and more observational studies of prevalence and precipitant factors could considerably refine these procedures and reduce potential abuses. The psychopharmacologic approach to the treatment of difficult children is examined as a sophisticated counteraggression strategy which has yet to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy. These clinical procedures, which are utilized in scores of inpatient settings, generate serious ethical questions for the health professional concerned with the legal rights of those minors labeled as deviant members of families or the society at large.
A case study in ultracold reactive scattering: D + H2

We report theoretical results for reaction and vibrational quenching of the ultracold collision D + H2 (v, j = 0) for a wide range of initial vibrationally excited states v. The v-dependence of the zero-temperature limit of the reaction rate coefficient shows two distinct regimes: a barrier dominated regime for 0 ≤ v ≤ 4, and a barrierless regime for v ≥ 5. We also present detailed distributions over the rovibrational states of the products. We find an approximate conservation of the internal vibrational energy; namely, the branching ratios always favor the highly excited final states, which have vibrational energies similar to that of the entrance channel.
Um forrobodó da raça e da cultura

The musical comedy Forrobodo from Luiz Peixoto and Carlos Bittencourt first performed in 1912 in Rio de Janeiro opened way to broadening the interest of Carioca middle classes in the culture produced in what was then qualified as "Little Africa." The region around Onze Square concentrated most of the spiritual and cultural leadership of Afro-Brazilians and had become a coop of manifestations that would have an enormous influence on the city and the country. This analysis focuses less on the text and more on the performance by itself, aiming at learning how the myths of a mestiza identity started to comprise. All the elements of the production of the play mingle to fill the necessity of Carioca middle class groups for an ambiguous and ambivalent representation of race and class in the culture of the city.
A quantum chemical cluster study of hydrated halide adsorption on the cathodic Al(111) surface

Abstract Ab-initio cluster calculations are used to simulate water, fluorine and iodine adsorption on a negatively charged Al(111) surface. In contrast to our earlier work using neutral Al clusters, we determine the water to be only weakly adsorbed above the negatively charged Al clusters, with the water H atoms being closest to the metal surface. A H-bond network is readily formed when more than one water molecule is adsorbed on the Al cluster surface. Analogous to the recent in-situ surface X-ray scattering experiments on Ag(111) surfaces, we find the separation between the water and the cathodic surface to be approximately 1.5 times greater than that found previously for the neutral Al(111) surface. In addition, there is a strong repulsion preventing the water molecules from being closer than 3.0 A to the negatively charged surface. For the halides, in line with gas-phase adsorption experiments and other calculations, we find that fluorine is much more strongly bound to the Al clusters than iodine, with the Al(111) atop site being the most favored surface site for both halides. By performing calculations on Al clusters with a halide ion and one or more water molecules coadsorbed, we are able to develop an explanation as to why solvated iodine is more readily able to specifically adsorb on a cathodic surface than fluorine. The larger atomic size of iodine enables it to adsorb on the cathodic Al(111) surface at a higher vertical height than fluorine. Water molecules can then bond to iodine without being drawn into the region of repulsive interaction from the negatively charged surface. Thus we find the adsorption energy for I − ·(H 2 O) 3 adsorbed on Al − 19 to be very similar to the I − adsorption energy, suggesting that iodine can be specifically adsorbed on the cathodic Al(111) surface without destabilizing any coadsorbed water molecules, whereas any water molecules hydrogen-bonding to fluorine are pulled towards the Al(111) surface and destabilized when the fluorine atom is also bonded to a surface Al atom. As a consequence, even though we find for the clusters with F − ·(H 2 O) 3 adsorbed on Al 19 − that the AlF bond is still formed, the calculations show the AlF bond to be now severely strained.
Assessment of Urine Solute and Matrix Effects on the Performance of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Measurement of Interleukin-6 in Dog Urine:

Measurement of cytokine concentrations within body fluids is a means of recognizing subclinical and/or unresolved, infectious and inflammatory states in patients. In the urinary tract, such information may be useful for identifying patients with pyelonephritis, asymptomatic bacteriuria, recurrent infections, and cystitis. One such cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), is recognized as a primary cytokine that is produced following exposure of the urothelium to bacterial virulence factors. Complicating reliable testing for this and other cytokines is the nature of urine itself. Urine varies widely in its composition as indicated by the range of pH and urine specific gravity (USG) observed in healthy patients. An additional variable is the protein and carbohydrate matrix capable of hindering immunologic testing modalities, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of urine pH, USG, and matrix while optimizing a canine-specific chemiluminescent ELISA for the measurement of IL-6 in the urine of dogs. Urine spiked with IL-6 obtained maximal IL-6 quantitative recoveries of only 55 ± 10% (mean ± 1 standard deviation) when an ELISA optimized for cell culture supernatants was used. The urine matrix and variations in USG were determined to by contributing to this poor IL-6 recovery. Using specific matrix inhibitors and optimal dilutions improved the IL-6 quantitative recovery to 91 ± 5%. Urine pH (5.5–9.5) had no effect. The current work underscores the importance of critically optimizing testing modalities for biomarkers, particularly if they are immunologic in origin.
Molecular simulation of ammonia absorption in the ionic liquid 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([emim][Tf2N])

Isotherms for ammonia absorption in the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([emim][Tf2N]) are computed at temperatures ranging from 298 K to 348 K using osmotic ensemble Monte Carlo simulations. The results agree well with previous experimental measurements. Activity coefficients vary from 0.5 to 0.8, indicating negative deviations from Raoult's Law. The computed enthalpy of mixing ranges from −2 to −11 kJ/mol. Computed partial molar volumes are on the order of 25–30 cm3/mol. Energy and radial distribution analyses indicate that ammonia interacts more strongly with the cation than the anion, in contrast to observations made of other gases in ionic liquids such as CO2. The reason for this behavior is that ammonia forms a strong hydrogen bond with the ring hydrogen atoms of the cation. The simulations predict that strategies aimed at changing the solubility of ammonia should focus on altering the hydrogen bond donating ability of the cation, and that altering the anion will have more modest effects. It is shown that this hypothesis is consistent with available experimental data. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
The role of ions in the formation and evolution of particles in aircraft plumes

We consider the effects on aircraft plume microphysics of ions generated by chemiionization processes within the engine combustors. Ions provide centers around which molecular clusters rapidly coalesce, thus promoting the formation of electrically charged sulfuric acid/water aerosols. The resulting charged micro-particles exhibit enhanced growth due to condensation and coagulation aided by electrostatic effects. Simulations with a plume microphysics code show that volatile particles observed behind aircraft may be explained by such processes, as long as initial ion concentrations in the exhaust exceed ∼108/cm³. This analysis also suggests that the primary emissions of sulfuric acid (plus sulfur trioxide) should amount to at least 20–30% of the fuel sulfur to explain the observed number of volatile particles >9 nm in diameter. Ionized plume simulations reveal a distinct bimodal aerosol distribution, in which an “ion” mode constitutes the larger “activated” volatile sulfuric acid particles, while a smaller “neutral” mode comprises the residual slowly-growing neutral molecular clusters formed in the highly supersaturated region of the plume.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in the Pediatric Population

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder characterized by hyperandrogenism and disordered gonadotropin secretion, often associated with insulin resistance. The syndrome, which modulates both hormonal and metabolic processes, is the most common endocrinopathy in reproductive-age women and increases a woman's risk of infertility, endometrial pathology, and cardiometabolic disease. As it is currently defined, PCOS most likely encompasses several distinct diseases with similar clinical phenotypes but different underlying pathophysiological processes. However, hyperandrogenism remains the syndrome's clinical hallmark. The clinical manifestations of PCOS often emerge during childhood or in the peripubertal years, suggesting that the syndrome is influenced by fetal programming and/or early postnatal events. However, given that the full clinical spectrum of PCOS does not typically appear until puberty, a "two-hit" hypothesis has been proposed: (1) a girl develops hyperandrogenism via one or more of many different potential mechanisms; (2) the preexisting hyperandrogenism subsequently disturbs the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian axis, resulting in ovulatory dysfunction and sustained hyperandrogenism. No consensus guidelines exist regarding the diagnosis and management of PCOS in the pediatric population; however, because the syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion, the clinical evaluation of girls suspected of having PCOS is aimed at excluding other causes of androgen excess and menstrual dysfunction. For the syndrome's management, emphasis is placed on lifestyle and symptom-directed treatment.
Photo-dimerization kinetics in solid C60 films

Abstract The kinetics of the photo-dimerization of solid C 60 under 488 nm laser irradiation is studied by Raman scattering and is identified with a first-order reaction between one monomer in the first excited triplet state and the second monomer in the ground state (e.g. 3 M*+M→D). The photo-dimerization process is limited by the photoexcitation step, and the rate constant is found proportional to the incident light flux, indicating that a single photon is involved.
Laser-solid interaction and dynamics of laser-ablated materials

An annealing model is extended to treat the vaporization process, and a hydrodynamic model describes the ablated material. We find that dynamic source and ionization effects accelerate the expansion front of the ablated plume with thermal vaporization temperature. The vaporization process and plume propagation in high background gas pressure are studied.
Spatially explicit historical land use land cover and soil organic carbon transformations in Southern Illinois

Abstract Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a biophysical parameter, which is also directly linked to above ground land use and land cover (LULC). Currently changes in LULC and variations in SOC often are studied and modeled separately. However, both are conjoined and should be seen as part of a cascading ecosystem framework. This is not only true for SOC but also for other biophysical parameters which are governed by human activities. At a watershed scale, this relationship is exceptionally important and the focus should be towards studying the impact of LULC change on the levels of SOC in spatially explicit terms. To advance knowledge on this front, we studied transformations of LULC, erosion and SOC from the start of settled agriculture in a moderate size basin of ∼9340 ha in Union and Pulaski Counties of Southern Illinois. The primary objective of this research was to study the evolution of SOC at the regional scale, as a result of historical land use change and erosion from 1851 to 2005. To model SOC, we used CENTURY 4.0 whereas LULC changes in the area were derived by visually classifying aerial photographs. Long-term erosion associated with different LULC was computed through Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). To simplify the task of carrying out numerous simulations (>5000), the study area was divided into cells of 100 m × 100 m. Since CENTURY is only vertically spatially explicit, each of these cells was designated as individual locations homogeneous with respect to different input and output parameters like SOC, erosion and LULC. Validation in the study was performed by aggregating and comparing CENTURY derived output with SOC estimates given in the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey Geographic Database for the year 2000. Our results show a correlation of 0.63 between the simulated and observed SOC estimates. In the study area, approximately 64% of SOC has been lost since the establishment of European–American settlements. Losses are considerable for the soil types which had higher initial levels of SOC. However, from the beginning of 1980, the simulations indicate rising carbon sequestration due to conservational management practices. This assessment is common across all LULC classes considered here. Though comparatively, rates of recovery of lost SOC are higher for areas which converted from agriculture to forest.
Hamlet without the prince: the ethnographic turn in information systems research

Computer based accounting information systems (AIS) have been a major force behind the current wave of corporate downsizing and reengineering (Deloitte & Touche LLP, 1996). While greater economy and competitiveness is typically associated with these changes, conventional AIS literature usually eschews a counter‐hypothesis: that this new technology may also degrade both the quality and quantity of work, and therefore people’s working lives. The advent of Accounting, Management, and Information Technologies in 1991, with an espoused aim of “critically analyzing the relationships among our information systems designs, the qualities of our social and economic life, and our practices of management and control” (Boland and O’Leary, 1991, p. 2) presents a major opportunity to redress this deficiency. This paper reviews the journal’s inaugural issue and ancillary literature to assess its likely contribution. This literature is found to lack a sufficient appreciation of the social and historical context of AIS developments and thus compromises the new journal’s ability to achieve its espoused aims. The paper calls for a better understanding of the upheavals currently under way in the accounting workplace and ways in which AIS technology (and ethnographers) may compound these instabilities. A different kind of ethnographic research is called for: one capable of recognizing the dysfunctionalities of AIS‐induced downsizing and restructuring, and more politically and socially self‐aware of AIS agency in social and technological change.
The Year in Cardiovascular Surgery

The 2009 literature in cardiovascular surgery was characterized by several pivotal reports that will affect patient care and future trial design for years to come. The purpose of our annual review is to highlight key contributions in the field that focus on strategies and outcomes in cardiovascular
Fatty acid selectivity: The selectivity of lipases ofGeotrichum candidum

The relative reactivities of several long-chain fatty acids in esterifications with 1-butanol catalyzed by lipases ofGeotrichum candidum were evaluated. As has been noted previously, these lipases are not uniformly highly selective forcis-9 unsaturated fatty acids. However, the lipase preparations examined do uniformly discriminate against fatty acids having a chainlength greater than C-18 such as erucic acid. The reactivities of γ-linolenic and ricinoleic acid were also low compared to that of oleic. An examination of the effect of the alcohol upon the relative reactivities of acids showed that one could enhance fatty acid selectivity by proper choices of alcohol. For example, oleic acid esterifies 2.5 times faster than palmitic acid with 1-butanol catalyzed by Amano GC-4 lipase, but esterifies over 50 times faster with 2-methyl-1-propanol or cyclopentanol.
From violence to sex work: Agency, escaping violence, and HIV risk among establishment-based female sex workers in Tijuana, Mexico

Violence experienced by female sex workers has been found to affect the HIV risk and quality of life of these women. Research on this topic has dealt with female sex workers and current experiences of violence with partners, clients, and in the workplace. In this study, we used feminist constructivist grounded theory to explore perceptions of violence among establishment-based female sex workers in Tijuana, Mexico. A key concept that emerged from 20 semi-structured in-depth interviews was "escaping violence with a romantic partner by becoming independent through sex work." The women also emphasized the negative impact of violence in the workplace but felt that achieving separation from a violent partner gave them strength to protect their lives and health. Interventions to help these women protect themselves from HIV infection and improve their quality of life should aim to build upon their strengths and the agency they have already achieved.
The Feline Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Cat: A Model for Lentivirus-induced Placental Immunopathology and Reproductive Failure (Mini-Review)

Problem Pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is largely a result of transplacental transmission, and pregnancy perturbation is more frequent in HIV-infected women. Dysregulation of placental immunology may occur during HIV infection, possibly facilitating HIV vertical transfer and miscarriage. The (FIV)-infected cat is a useful small-animal model for HIV pathogenesis because the viruses share common biological and clinical features. Transplacental transmission is readily achieved experimentally, resulting in a high proportion of infected offspring and frequent reproductive failure. Method of study We are using this model to examine lentivirus-induced placental immunopathology to determine the role aberrant immunology plays in intrauterine transmission and pregnancy perturbation. Results Kittens were cesarean delivered from FIV-B-2542-infected and control queens at week 8 gestation (1 week short of term), and placental and fetal specimens were collected. On average, control queens delivered 3.8 kittens/litter, and 1 of 31 kittens (3.2%) was non-viable. FIV-infected queens produced 2.7 kittens/litter with 15 of 25 fetuses (60%) non-viable. The virus was detected in 14 of 15 placentas (93%) and 21 of 22 fetuses (95%) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using a one-step, real time reverse transcriptase (RT)–PCR, we measured expression of representative placental T helper 1 (Th1) cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1β and interferon (IFN)-γ, a Th2 cytokine, IL-10, and chemokine receptor CXCR4. A comparison of placental cytokine expression between infected and control queens did not reveal differences between the two groups. However, elevated expression of Th1 cytokines and increased Th1/Th2 ratios (IL-1β/IL-10) occurred in placentas from resorptions, indicating that increased placental Th1 cytokine expression was associated with pregnancy failure in the FIV-infected cat. Conclusion The potential to establish efficient FIV in utero transmission, coupled with the parallels in immunopathology between FIV-infected cats and HIV-infected humans, suggests the usefulness of the FIV-infected cat as a cost-effective, small-animal model to study lentivirus-induced immunopathology, transplacental infection, and reproductive failure.
Cerebral endothelial microvilli following global brain ischemia in dogs

Cerebral blood vessels (BVs) of dogs subjected to global brain ischemia by complete cardiac arrest of 15 min followed by 8 h of reperfusion, were studied in neocortex and hippocampus by means of transmission electron microscopy. Widespread endothelial microvilli were present in the postischemic animals. The number of endothelial microvilli in the postischemic animals (mean/BV in the neocortex = 3.26 and in the hippocampus = 2.54) was significantly larger than that in the non-ischemic controls (mean/BV in the neocortex = 1.39 and in the hippocampus = 0.84), P for both regions being less than 0.05. Arterioles, venules and capillaries, all were equally affected. Endothelial pinocytotic vesicles were also observed frequently in the postischemic dogs. Marked pericapillary swelling of astrocytic foot processes was present in the surrounding neuropil. It is concluded that the prominent cerebral endothelial microvilli recognized after 8 h of reperfusion following cardiac arrest in this experimental model of global brain ischemia, may play a significant role in the development of delayed postischemic hypoperfusion.
Cosmogenic glacial dating, 20 years and counting

Using cosmogenic isotopic analyses of less than two dozen samples, Mackintosh et al. (2007 [this volume, p. 551–554]) lift the veil of suspicion that has hung over the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. No longer should it be considered a major player in postglacial sea-level rise. Until just 20 years ago
Mighty Minipig in Fight Against Cardiovascular Disease

A cloned transgenic minipig model of hypercholesterolemia and accelerated atherosclerosis could accelerate discovery of new therapies for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (Al-Mashhadi et al., this issue).
Fifth-order aberration theory of gradient-index optics—examples

Four examples are presented as verification of the validity and the usefulness of the equations derived earlier [ J. Opt. Soc. Am.73, 1149– 1161 ( 1983)]. In each example, the aberration coefficients derived by algebraic methods are compared with those obtained from ray-trace data to a seventh-order aberration polynomial including ninth-order spherical aberration and distortion. In all cases good agreement is obtained between the two methods.
Brief exposure to neurotrophins produces a calcium-dependent increase in choline acetyltransferase activity in cultured rat septal neurons.

Abstract: We demonstrate that brief (30-min) exposure of cultured embryonic rat septal neurons to neurotrophins (NTs) increases choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity by 20-50% for all tested NTs (nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin-3, and neurotrophin-4, each at 100 ng/ml). The increase in ChAT activity was first detected 12 h after NT exposure, persisted at least 48 h, and was not mediated by increased neuronal survival or action-potential activity. Under some conditions, the response to brief NT exposure was as great as that produced by continuous exposure. NT stimulation of ChAT activity was inhibited by inhibitors of p75- and Trk kinase-mediated signaling, by removal of extracellular Ca2+ during the period of NT exposure, and by buffering intracellular Ca2+ with BAPTA. Application of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor transiently increased [Ca2+] within a subpopulation of neurons. NT stimulation of ChAT activity was not affected significantly by cyclic AMP agonists or antagonists. These findings suggest that brief exposure to NTs can have a long-lasting effect on cholinergic transmission, and that this effect requires Ca2+, but not cyclic AMP.
Polarons in the layered electron gas.

In a layered electron gas, optical phonons which vibrate with their polarization parallel to the c axis are relatively unscreened when the conduction electrons can move only within the planes. We calculate the electron-phonon interaction between the conduction electrons and these parallel phonons. We show that the interaction is very weak.
Miocene Glaciomarine Sediments from Beneath the Southern Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica

Glaciomarine sediments with middle Miocene microfaunal assemblages are exposed at the sea floor below the southern Ross Ice Shelf. Plio-Pleistocene sediments are not present. Post-Miocene glacial sediments may have been deposited but removed by relatively recent ice shelf grounding. A meager Recent microfauna is present in some core tops.
A circuit-compatible model of ballistic carbon nanotube field-effect transistors

Carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNFETs) are being extensively studied as possible successors to CMOS. Novel device structures have been fabricated and device simulators have been developed to estimate their performance in a sub-10-nm transistor era. This paper presents a novel method of circuit-compatible modeling of single-walled semiconducting CNFETs in their ultimate performance limit. For the first time, both the I-V and the C-V characteristics of the device have been efficiently modeled for circuit simulations. The model so developed has been used to simulate arithmetic and logic blocks using HSPICE.
A meta-analysis of the efficacy of teaching mathematics with concrete manipulatives

The use of manipulatives to teach mathematics is often prescribed as an efficacious teaching strategy. To examine the empirical evidence regarding the use of manipulatives during mathematics instruction, we conducted a systematic search of the literature. This search identified 55 studies that compared instruction with manipulatives to a control condition where math instruction was provided with only abstract math symbols. The sample of studies included students from kindergarten to college level (N = 7,237). Statistically significant results were identified with small to moderate effect sizes, as measured by Cohen's d, in favor of the use of manipulatives when compared with instruction that only used abstract math symbols. However, the relationship between teaching mathematics with concrete manipulatives and student learning was moderated by both instructional and methodological characteristics of the studies. Additionally, separate analyses conducted for specific learning outcomes of retention (k = 53, N = 7,140), problem solving (k = 9, N = 477), transfer (k = 13, N = 3,453), and justification (k = 2, N = 109) revealed moderate to large effects on retention and small effects on problem solving, transfer, and justification in favor of using manipulatives over abstract math symbols.
Workshop — Service-learning in engineering, technology and computing

Service learning is a rapidly growing pedagogy in higher education and has come under increased visibility within engineering and computer science. Service-learning has been cited as a potential tool for increasing student engagement as well as diversity among our engineering, technology and computing student bodies. It has opportunities to excite the next generation of engineers, addressing issues including retention and diversity as well as learning in our classrooms. This workshop will introduce interested faculty, students and professionals to service-learning models and will provide resources for them to implement such programs at their respective institutions.
Mental health of detained asylum seekers

Asylum seekers arriving in the USA are likely to be held in detention for months or years pending adjudication of their asylum claims. We interviewed 70 asylum seekers detained in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. We used self-report questionnaires to assess symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. At baseline, 54 (77%) participants had clinically significant symptoms of anxiety, 60 (86%) of depression, and 35 (50%) of post-traumatic stress disorder; all symptoms were significantly correlated with length of detention (p=0.004, 0.017, and 0.019, respectively). At follow-up, participants who had been released had marked reductions in all psychological symptoms, but those still detained were more distressed than at baseline. Our findings suggest detention of asylum seekers exacerbates psychological symptoms.
Whole Language in Perspective.

Perspectives on instruction. In P. L. Carrell, J. Devine, & D. E. Eskey (Eds.), Interactive approaches to second language reading (pp. 223-238). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Giroux, H. (1978). Writing and critical thinking in the social studies. Curriculum Inquiry, 8(4), 291-310. Graman, T. (1988). Education for humanization: Applying Paulo Freire's pedagogy to learning a second language. Harvard Educational Review, 58(4), 433448.
Two new tetrahydropterin intermediates in the adrenal medullary de novo biosynthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin

Isolation of two kinetically competent tetrahydropterin intermediates on the de novo biosynthetic pathway to tetrahydrobiopterin is reported. The compounds were detected in HPLC chromatograms by electrochemical oxidation at 270 mv. The hydrodynamic voltamograms of the compounds are indistinguishable from those of tetrahydropterins . Both require Mg+ + for biosynthesis from dihydroneopterin triphosphate. One compound is produced in the absence of NADPH; the other requires NADPH for synthesis. Enzymatic conversion of the former into the latter intermediate requires NADPH. Conversion of either intermediate into tetrahydrobiopterin also requires NADPH. Mg+ +, which is required for the biosynthesis of the intermediates, is not needed for their conversion to tetrahydrobiopterin. Neither compound coelutes with 6-lactoyl tetrahydropterin, the tetrahydropterin analog of sepiapterin.
Pregnancy initiation in postpartum estrus in three species of muroid rodents.

Abstract Pregnancy initiation in postpartum estrus was studied in 14 male-female pairs of white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus ; 12 pairs of prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster ; and 14 pairs of montane voles, M. montanus . When mated for one ejaculatory series, the percentages of females pregnant were 25, 43, and 71% for M. ochrogaster , M. montanus , and P. leucopus , respectively. Whereas mating to satiety produced a significant increase in the probability of pregnancy relative to mating for one ejaculatory series in M. montanus , there was no significant difference in P. leucopus . M. ochrogaster did not differ significantly when mated for one ejaculation versus two. P. leucopus resemble P. maniculatus in having a lower stimulus requirement for pregnancy initiation in postpartum than in cycling estrus. M. ochrogaster resemble laboratory rats in having a higher stimulus requirement for pregnancy initiation in postpartum estrus. M. montanus show no significant difference.
Pressure Control of Ultrafiltration Rate with High‐Flux Dialysis Membranes

Control of ultrafiltration with high-flux dialysis membranes is normally achieved using complex, expensive, volumetric control methods. By using high-flux dialyzers with distensible membranes (parallel-plate dialyzers) in the cocurrent rather than in the countercurrent mode, ultrafiltration can be controlled simply and inexpensively by controlling the outlet pressure differential. Since this is the traditional method of ultrafiltration control, only minor, inexpensive equipment modifications are needed. As expected from transport theory, small molecule clearances are lower with cocurrent than with countercurrent flow. They are, however, adequate and superior to those achieved with post-dilutional hemofiltration (urea clearance greater than 110 ml/min with cocurrent single-pass, high-flux dialysis). Ultrafiltration control with this method is so simple and predictable that clearances at zero net ultrafiltration rates can easily be measured rather than extrapolated. Since dialysate pressure is always positive, no deaeration systems would be needed in dialysis equipment designed for use with cocurrent single-pass, high-flux dialysis.
Shock waves in the interstellar medium

Calculations of the optical and UV emission-line intensities and column densities of ions observable in the optical and UV are presented for plane-parallel steady-state shock waves in the interstellar medium. The range of shock velocities considered is from 50 to 200 km/s, and preshock densities are between 1 and 300 per cu cm. The ionization state of the preshock gas is found to be an important parameter, and several sets of elemental abundances corresponding to various amounts of depletion onto grains are used. The results are compared with observations of the Cygnus Loop, the Vela supernova remnant, and Herbig-Haro objects.
The I.T.P.A.: Ballast or bonanza for the school psychologist

Abstract The author discusses rationale, reliability, factorial validity, and educational usefulness of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities. The I.T.P.A. is a serious attempt to identify specific sensory processing abilities. It is assumed that deficits can be remediated and that instruction can be matched to student's strengths and weaknesses. The I.T.P.A. is not a test of psycholinguistics since it does not yield information about the units of natural language. The subtests have good internal consistency and the composite score is reliable over time periods most applicable for instructional planning. Reliability of individual subtests are too low to guide remediation. Factor analytic studies indicate the I.T.P.A. is primarily a measure of verbal intelligence. Remediation directed toward strengths and weaknesses in sensory or perceptual processing has not been effective.
Working on the margin rhetorical studies and the new self‐consciousness

Years ago Loren Eiseley observed that life is most interesting on the margins. You never know what you'll find along the shore of the ocean or along the edge of a highway, or, to extend the notion into metaphor, on the peripheries of our minds or in transitional periods of history. Those of us in English departments who were working on modem rhetoric when it was new and not on literary history and criticism recognize the truth of the observation. The center of things tends to be, if not known, at least more familiar, constrained, and stable. But on the margin experience is more ambiguous and unpredictable, perhaps because it is there that different systems come together. Or perhaps because the people who work there are deliberately looking for change. Whatever the case, on the margin there are more possibilities, and change is easier. It is only on the margins, Eiseley says, that there is the possibility of dragons, Eiseley's metaphor for the new and unpredictable in the process of biological evolution. "To have dragons," he says, "one must have change; that is the first principle of dragon lore. Otherwise everything becomes stale, commonplace, and observed" (28). Recently at the Conference on College Composition and Communication, Janet Emig, Janice Lauer, and I presented papers on a panel entitled "Reconsidering the Discipline: Three Perspectives on the History and Present Situation of Rhetoric and Composition." The title captures well the thrust of Janet Atwill's proposal for the panel; she had asked us to provide eyewitness accounts of the development of the New Rhetoric, at least the New Rhetoric as it was emerging in departments of English, and also do something a good deal more risky, i.e., to characterize the present state of the discipline.l As I worked on my paper, a precursor of this one, I found myself coming back again and again to how much of my own career has been on the margin of English studies. It's still true to some extent today, but at that time to work in the field of rhetoric was to really be on the margin. I doubt if any of us wanted to be marginalized in the profession; but those of us who didn't already know the score soon learned from their better adapted colleagues that rhetoric was a doubtful discipline that belonged, if anywhere, in speech departments, and that composition was not a proper academic discipline at all but merely a service that English departments performed, often with reluctance, for the rest of the academic community. Unless we also had a more respectable intellectual interest on which we could base our reputations, we were on the margin of the margin. To many of our colleagues we were beyond the fringe. I remember that I began looking into rhetoric in the late fifties and early sixties as the result of reading and being puzzled by C.S. Lewis's well-known comment that what separates the modern scholar most from the study of the Renaissance is his ignorance of classical rhetoric. At the same time, caught up in
Further Questions: A Way Out of the Present Philosophical Situation (via Foucault)

Let us begin by assembling some signs of the present philosophical situation. On the one hand, the most important living French philosopher, Alain Badiou, calls for a “return to Plato,” despite the movement of anti-Platonism that dominated French and German thought in the 20 th century. On the other hand, the present moment sees a resurgence of naturalism in philosophy in general (including and especially Anglophone analytic philosophy), despite the criticisms of naturalism that have appeared throughout the 20 th century. Phenomenology seems to be at the center of both of these movements. On the one hand, it is the idea of a mathematized ontology that requires the return to Plato, a mathematized ontology constructed without a reflection on its transcendental grounds. On the other, the resurgence of naturalism is so strong that a book could be imagined and published with the bastard name of Naturalizing Phenomenology , as if the transcendental moment of phenomenology did not transform the very meaning of nature. These signs seem to indicate that we have entered into a phase of regression or even decline in philosophical thinking. If this interpretation of the signs is correct, if we have indeed entered into a phase of regression -- a twofold regression toward Platonism and toward naturalism -- we must ask the following question: is it possible for us to define something like a project or even a research agenda that would allow us to define a way of thinking that might lead us out of the present situation, a situation, it must be said, that seems dire for philosophy in general? If we can determine such a research agenda, perhaps we can also begin to understand what the tradition of “continental philosophy” has stood for.
Analogs of tetrahydroisoquinoline natural products that inhibit cell migration and target galectin-3 outside of its carbohydrate-binding site.

Cell migration is central to a number of normal and disease processes. Small organic molecules that inhibit cell migration have potential as both research probes and therapeutic agents. We have identified two tetrahydroisoquinoline natural product analogs with antimigratory activities on Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells: a semisynthetic derivative of quinocarmycin (also known as quinocarcin), DX-52-1, and a more complex synthetic molecule, HUK-921, related to the naphthyridinomycin family. It has been assumed that the cellular effects of reactive tetrahydroisoquinolines result from the alkylation of DNA. We have reported previously that the primary target of DX-52-1 relevant to cell migration appears to be the membrane-cytoskeleton linker protein radixin. Here we extend the analysis of the protein targets of DX-52-1, reporting that the multifunctional carbohydrate-binding protein galectin-3 is a secondary target of DX-52-1 that may also be relevant to the antimigratory effects of both DX-52-1 and HUK-921. All known inhibitors of galectin-3 target its β-galactoside-binding site in the carbohydrate recognition domain. However, we found that DX-52-1 and HUK-921 bind galectin-3 outside of its β-galactoside-binding site. Intriguingly HUK-921, although a less potent inhibitor of cell migration than DX-52-1, had far greater selectivity for galectin-3 over radixin, exhibiting little binding to radixin, both in vitro and in cells. Overexpression of galectin-3 in cells led to a dramatic increase in cell adhesion on different extracellular matrix substrata as well as changes in cell-cell adhesion and cell motility. Galectin-3-overexpressing cells had greatly reduced sensitivity to DX-52-1 and HUK-921, and these compounds caused a change in localization of the overexpressed galectin-3 and reversion of the cells to a more normal morphology. The converse manipulation, RNA interference-based silencing of galectin-3 expression, resulted in reduced cell-matrix adhesion and cell migration. In aggregate, the data suggest that DX-52-1 and HUK-921 inhibit a carbohydrate binding-independent function of galectin-3 that is involved in cell migration.
Cholesteryl esters are elevated in the lipid fraction of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid collected from pediatric cystic fibrosis patients.

Background Host-derived lipids including cholesteryl esters (CEs) such as cholesteryl linoleate have emerged as important antibacterial effectors of innate immunity in the airways and cholesteryl linoleate has been found elevated in the context of inflammation. Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients suffer from chronic infection and severe inflammation in the airways. Here, we identified and quantified CEs in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from CF patients and non-CF disease controls, and tested whether CE concentrations are linked to the disease.
An example of quantum tunneling in molecular physics

A few years ago, Banks, Bender and Wu studied the tunneling phenomena involving many degrees of freedoml). They reduced the original question to a variational problem for finding an optimal change of configuration, referred to as the most probable escape path (MPEP) in phase space, which links the initial and the final states. Recently, Coleman gave an interesting interpretation to these MPEP as Euclidean solutions to a trivially related problem2). These methods have since been applied to non-abelian gauge theories for understanding the vacuum tunneling phenomena, and their relation to the Euclidean instanton solutions3). In the following, I wish to provide a simple tunneling process in molecular physics which may be relevant in some chemical or biomolecular systems.
Porphyromonas gingivalis promotes Th17 inducing pathways in chronic periodontitis

In periodontitis, a common chronic inflammatory condition, gram-negative-rich bacterial biofilms trigger, in susceptible individuals, perpetuating inflammation that results in extensive tissue damage of tooth supporting structures. To delineate immune cell-dependent mechanisms whereby bacterial challenge drives persistent destructive inflammation in periodontitis and other inflammatory diseases, we studied involved tissues ex vivo and investigated host cell responses to the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, in vitro. Diseased lesions were populated by abundant Th17 cells, linked to infection, chronic inflammation/autoimmunity and tissue pathology. In vitro, P. gingivalis, particularly the more virulent strain W83, stimulated myeloid antigen presenting cells (APC) to drive Th17 polarization. Supernatants from myeloid APC exposed to P. gingivalis were capable of enhancing Th17 but not Th1 polarization. P. gingivalis favored the generation of Th17 responses by stimulating the production of Th17 related cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-23, but not Th1 related IL-12. By inducing NFκB activation, P. gingivalis promoted IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12p40 production, but not IRF3 phosphorylation, connected to generation of the IL-12p35 chain, ultimately restricting formation of the intact IL-12 molecule. Promotion of Th17 lineage responses was also aided by P. gingivalis proteases, which appeared to differentially degrade pivotal cytokines. In this regard, IL-12 was largely degraded by P. gingivalis, whereas IL-1β was more resistant to proteolysis. Our data unveil multiple pathways by which P. gingivalis may orchestrate chronic inflammation, providing insights into interventional strategies.
Differential expression and function of Tbx5 and Tbx20 in cardiac development

The T-box transcription factors play critical roles in embryonic development including cell type specification, tissue patterning, and morphogenesis. Several T-box genes are expressed in the heart and are regulators of cardiac development. At the earliest stages of heart development, two of these genes, Tbx5 and Tbx20, are co-expressed in the heart-forming region but then become differentially expressed as heart morphogenesis progresses. Although Tbx5 and Tbx20 belong to the same gene family and share a highly conserved DNA-binding domain, their transcriptional activities are distinct. The C-terminal region of the Tbx5 protein is a transcriptional activator, while the C terminus of Tbx20 can repress transcription. Tbx5, but not Tbx20, activates a cardiac-specific promoter (atrial natriuretic factor (ANF)) alone and synergistically with other transcription factors. In contrast, Tbx20 represses ANF promoter activity and also inhibits the activation mediated by Tbx5. Of the two T-box binding consensus sequences in the promoter of ANF, only T-box binding element 1 (TBE1) is required for the synergistic activation of ANF by Tbx5 and GATA4, but TBE2 is required for repression by Tbx20. To elucidate upstream signaling pathways that regulate Tbx5 and Tbx20 expression, recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 was added to cardiogenic explants from chick embryos. Using real time reverse transcription-PCR, it was demonstrated that Tbx20, but not Tbx5, is induced by bone morphogenetic protein-2. Collectively these data demonstrate clear differences in both the expression and function of two related transcription factors and suggest that the modulation of cardiac gene expression can occur as a result of combinatorial regulatory interactions of T-box proteins.
Recent data quality and earth science results from the landsat thematic mapper

The results of the NASA Landsat Image Data Quality Analysis (LIDQA) program are reviewed. Landsat-4 and Landsat-5 TM data quality with regard to image geometry and radiometry are discussed. The results indicate that the TM provides excellent imagery that can be used in the form of satellite image maps meeting cartographic standards at scales of 1:100,000 or smaller. These data can be used to locate features or guide the revision or updating of maps for scales up to 1:24,000. The TM sensor is also providing data of good radiometric quality and stability, with radiometric uncertainties of 1 percent or smaller. The temperature dependence in the absolute radiometry is on the order of 1 to 5 percent of full scale. In terms of bidirectional reflectance estimated at the satellite, the error is estimated at under 6 percent and commonly 3 percent. Preliminary results also corroborate the utility of the TM data for geological or geographical studies.