cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Met-691 in Heme-Dependent Regulation Supports the Presence of a Cytochrome-C-Like Structure in Human BK Channels

We have recently proposed that the linker region between RCK domains in the cytoplasmic portion of BK channels consists of a Cytochrome-c-like domain, which encompasses a conserved heme regulatory motif (HRM, 612CKACH616 (Tang et al., Nature 2003) and endows BK channels with catalytic properties (Yusifov et al., Biophys J 2710-Pos 2014). Alignment of the BK Cytochrome-c-like domain and the human Cytochrome C (CytC) sequences revealed that they share, in addition to the HRM, key structural and functional elements. Notably, Met-80 in CytC, which is the second axial ligand to the heme iron, aligns with BK Met-691. In fact, mutation M691A dramatically reduced the Heme-dependent peroxidase activity of the purified BK channel Gating Ring. We assessed the involvement M691 in the heme modulation of BK channel conducting properties by inside-out patch clamp in WT and M691A channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The K+ current from WT BK channels was reduced by 61.6±14.6% (140mV) in 100nM heme. On the contrary, under identical conditions, K+ current was reduced by only 13.2±2.23% in BK channels carrying the M691A mutation. Moreover, the conductance half-activation potential (Vhalf) of WT BK shifted from 81.2±3.03 to 126±1.67mV after the addition of 100nM heme. Conversely, in M691A channels, the Vhalf was largely unperturbed by 100nM heme (from 98.2±4.13 to 100±8.76mV). Thus, M691A essentially eliminated the BK channel sensitivity to heme. These results reinforce the view that a Cytochrome-c-like domain, which associates heme via the HRM and a second axial ligand (Met-691) is an integral part of BK channels.
Room temperature tensile ductility in polycrystalline B2 Ni-30Al-20Fe

A room-temperature tensile elongation of about 2.5 percent, where the only slip vector observed was the 100, has been determined for a double-extruded B2 Ni-30Al-20Fe alloy consisting of recrystallized equiaxed grains about 25 microns in diameter; these results suggest that 100-slip does not preclude limited ductility in polycrystalline B2 alloys in tension at low temperatures. A suppression of ordering through resort to rapid solidification, in other words, is not necessary for ductility, since the cast and as-extruded alloy presently examined is ordered.
Vertical-cavity laser based on interband-tunneling staggered-bandgap heterostructure

Abstract - A new concept is presented for realizing midwave-infrared vertical-cavity lasers based on an interband-resonant-tunneling-diode (I-RTD). Model equations are derived in terms of material and structure parameters for predicting the output power in an I-RTD laser device constructed of InAs/AlGaSb layers. Simulation made for midwave-infrared la sers suggest that the radiation output density power in this I-RTD laser can be achieved of the order of 40 W/cm 2 . Keywords : midwave-infrared laser, staggered-bandgap heterostructure, room temperature I Introduction Lasers and LEDs that operat e in the Midwave-Infrared (25 P m) have significant potential applications in the areas of remote sensing including detection and monitoring of atmospheric constituents, chemical monitoring, detection and monitoring of chemical and biolog ical weapons, medical diagnostics, an d infrared countermeasures. The Midwave-Infrared (MWIR) region is more effective at penetrating ob scurants than shorter-waveleng th regions. Traditional diode lasers operating in that region are typically of low po wer and are unable to operate at room temperature [1]. A new concept is presented for realizing a vertical-cavity laser (VCL) based on an interband-resonant-tunneling-diode (I-RTD). The laser consists of an InAs qua ntum well between two AlGaSb barriers and a spacer region adjacent to the collector. The Zener interband tunneling through the spacer region of this staggered-bandgap heterostructure (SBH) creates conditions at large applied bias es for charge flowing and radiation recombination in this unipolar device. We have previously studied the I-RTD as a potential new candidate for a mid-infrared laser [2,3] and it was shown to produce superior optical gain. It is demonstrated in this paper that the I-RTD can also be designed for MWIR laser and the results are promising for room temperatur e operation  i.e., output powe r densities on the order of 40 W/cm
Diffuse flow hydrothermal manganese mineralization along the active Mariana and southern Izu‐Bonin arc system, western Pacific

[1] Abundant ferromanganese oxides were collected along 1200 km of the active Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc system. Chemical compositions and mineralogy show that samples were collected from two deposit types: Fe-Mn crusts of mixed hydrogenetic/hydrothermal origin and hydrothermal Mn oxide deposits; this paper addresses only the second type. Mn oxides cement volcaniclastic and biogenic sandstone and breccia layers (Mn sandstone) and form discrete dense stratabound layers along bedding planes and within beds (stratabound Mn). The Mn oxide was deposited within coarse-grained sediments from diffuse flow systems where precipitation occurred below the seafloor. Deposits were exposed at the seabed by faulting, mass wasting, and erosion. Scanning electron microscopy and microprobe analyses indicate the presence of both amorphous and crystalline 10 A and 7 A manganate minerals, the fundamental chemical difference being high water contents in the amorphous Mn oxides. Alternation of amorphous and crystalline laminae occurs in many samples, which likely resulted from initial rapid precipitation of amorphous Mn oxides from waxing pulses of hydrothermal fluids followed by precipitation of slow forming crystallites during waning stages. The chemical composition is characteristic of a hydrothermal origin including strong fractionation between Fe (mean 0.9 wt %) and Mn (mean 48 wt %) for the stratabound Mn, generally low trace metal contents, and very low rare earth element and platinum group element contents. However, Mo, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Co occur in high concentrations in some samples and may be good indicator elements for proximity to the heat source or to massive sulfide deposits. For the Mn sandstones, Fe (mean 8.4%) and Mn (12.4%) are not significantly fractionated because of high Fe contents in the volcaniclastic material. However, the proportion of hydrothermal Fe (nondetrital Fe) to total Fe is remarkably constant (49–58%) for all the sample groups, regardless of the degree of Mn mineralization. Factor analyses indicate various mixtures of two dominant components: hydrothermal Mn oxide for the stratabound Mn and detrital aluminosilicate for the Mn-cemented sandstone; and two minor components, hydrothermal Fe oxyhydroxide and biocarbonate/biosilica. Our conceptual model shows that Mn mineralization was produced by hydrothermal convection cells within arc volcanoes and sedimentary prisms that occur along the flanks and within calderas. The main source of hydrothermal fluid was seawater that penetrated through fractures, faults, and permeable volcanic edifices. The fluids were heated by magma, enriched in metals by leaching of basement rocks and sediments, and mixed with magmatic fluids and gases. Dikes and sills may have been another source of heat that drove small-scale circulation within sedimentary prisms.
Cytochrome P-450E induction and localization in gill pillar (endothelial) cells of scup and rainbow trout

Abstract Administration of β-naphthoflavone (BNF) intraperitoneally to scup (Stenotomus chrysops) increased the specific content of total cytochrome P-450 (P-450) in gill microsomes nearly ten-fold. This increase in P-450 content was accompanied by an increase in microsomal ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity from undetectable levels to 0.16 nmol/min/mg, and a shift in the Fe2+-CO absorption maximum from 450 to 447 nm. Western blot analysis of microsomes from control and BNF-treated scup gills, with monoclonal antibody (MAb) 1-12-3 directed against scup P-450E (the BNF-inducible EROD catalyst), confirmed that P-450E was induced from undetectable levels in control animals to levels comprising at least 60% of the spectrally measured gill P-450 in BNF-treated animals. Immunohistochemical analysis of scup gills with MAb 1-12-3 as primary antibody showed that the P-450E was induced primarily in the endothelium (pillar cells) of the secondary lamellae. Immunohistochemical analysis of gills from rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) showed that BNF treatment also induced a P-450E counterpart in trout gills and that, as in scup, this P-450 was localized principally in the endothelium of gill lamellae. P-450E catalyzes formation of promutagenic benzo-ring dihydrodiols of benzo[a]pyrene, which suggests possible toxicological consequences for the induction of this isozyme in gill.
A new look at adiabatic passage

A quantum mechanical procedure is developed which enables one to visualize and hence improve the performance of existing and proposed adiabatic transition devices as used in contemporary polarized ion sources. The analysis focuses on the causes of departures from adiabaticity. A modified Breit-Rabi diagram is introduced which clearly indicates regions where adiabaticity may be lost. A new set of amplitudes is defined which is specifically sensitive to departures from adiabaticity. Sample calculations of weak and medium field transitions in 2H serve to illustrate the method.
Perspectives: The genomic mechanism of action of 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3

The purpose of this article has been to describe recent evidence that supports the idea(62) that 1,25-(OH)2D3 acts mechanistically like that of other steroid hormones. This evidence includes the finding that a clear structural interrelationship exists between the VDR and other members of the steroid receptor gene family, the observation that the VDR is required for gene promoter transactivation, and the identification of VDREs that act in cis to mediate 1,25-(OH)2D3 response. The VDR has been found to bind in vitro specifically to these functional DNA sites. Current evidence, however, indicates that the receptor may interact at these sites not as a monomer or homodimer but rather as a heterodimer with a protein whose identity remains unknown. Future studies with regard to the mechanism of vitamin D action must be aimed at gaining additional insight into the nature of VDREs, acquiring further detail about the interaction of the VDR with these elements, identifying factors that facilitate VDR DNA binding, and determining the biochemical mechanism by which the binding of receptor to these elements leads to modulation of common transcriptional machinery. In addition, 1,25-(OH)2D3 acts to suppress a number of genes, for example collagen, calcitonin, and parathyroid hormone. Efforts to elucidate these actions are currently underway, but the mechanism by which attenuation of response occurs remains largely uncharacterized. Finally, it is possible that additional mechanisms of vitamin D action may exist. Each of these areas offers a considerable challenge to future research.
Localization of tyrosine hydroxylase in neuronal targets and efferents of the area postrema in the nucleus tractus solitarii of the rat

Catecholamines in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) have been implicated in autonomic responses to circulating hormones that act on neurons in the area postrema, the most caudal circumventricular organ in brain. We combined immunoperoxidase labeling of the anterograde tracer, Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHAL) with immunogold-siver labeling of tyrosine hydroxylase to determine whether this enzymatic marker for catecholamines was present in efferents from the area postrema or their targets in the rat NTS. At survival periods of 10–12 days after PHAL injections into the area postrema, light microscopy revealed numerous varicose processes containing peroxidase reaction product for PHAL in the dorsomedial, medial, and commissural NTS. Some of these labeled processes were located near neuronal perikarya and processes containing immunogold-silver intensified reaction product for tyrosine hydroxylase. Electron microscopy of the commissural and dorsomedial NTS established that the majority of the labeling for PHAL was in axon terminals, whereas immunogold labeling for tyrosine hydroxylase was mainly in soma and dendrites. Only 3 out of 579 PHAL-labeled terminals also contained detectable tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity. Fifty-eight percent (335/579) of the PHAL-labeled terminals formed synapses with recognized symmetric junctions, whereas the remainder lacked synaptic specializations within the examined series of serial sections. Of those PHAL terminals forming recognized symmetric junctions, 22% were on tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive dendrites, 74% on unlabeled dendrites and 4% on unlabeled axon terminals. From a total of 1,250 observed contacts on tyrosine hydroxylase labeled dendrites, 88 (7%) contained PHAL, 9 (<1%) contained TH, and 1,180 (93%) lacked detectable immunoreactivity and formed primarily symmetric synapses. We conclude that a few catecholamine, but mainly noncatecholamine efferents from the area postrema provide a monosynaptic, and most likely inhibitory input to target neurons both with and without tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the dorsomedial and commissural NTS. Synapses between the efferent terminals from the area postrema and tyrosine hydroxylase labeled and unlabeled dendrites as well as unlabeled axons in these specific subnuclei of the NTS suggest multiple sites for modulation of gastric and cardiovascular reflexes in response to circulating peptdies. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Gastroschisis wringer clamp: A safe, simplified method for delayed primary closure

When primary abdominal wall closure in a newborn with gastroschisis cannot be accomplished safely, placement of a reinforced Silastic silo facilitates delayed primary closure (DPC). In this report we describe our experience with the gastroschisis wringer clamp (GWC). The GWC is an autoclavable, 140-g, aluminum alloy device reminiscent of an old wringer washing machine. It consists of two apposing serrated rollers that pull the Silastic silo through a slotted base plate. This protects the intestine and converts the circular defect into a vertical slit to ease DPC. The GWC is adjusted daily on the awake newborn in the nursery and the magnitude of each adjustment is gauged by the infant's cardiac and pulmonary status. For the past 10 years we have cared for 116 newborns with gastroschisis. The average birth weight was 2,530 g (range, 1,380 to 3,300 g). Eighty-six infants (74.1%) have undergone primary closure. The remaining 30 infants (25.9%) were treated by placement of a Silastic silo and application of the GWC, forming the basis of this report. The DPC operation was performed an average of 6.7 days (range, 3 to 23 days) following the application of the silo. Extubation was usually possible prior to the DPC, with the mean length of mechanical ventilation being 3.8 days. Three patients developed serious complications including two dehiscences of the silo-fascia interface. There were no deaths in this group of 30 patients. The GWC offers many technical advantages and can be easily reversed when the infant's cardiopulmonary status deteriorates. We advocate its adoption as a method of choice in the newborn with gastroschisis who requires DPC.
Olefin-alkyl group exchange of B-alkyl-9-borabicyclo-[3.3.1]nonanes. Evidence for a dehydroboration-hydroboration process

Abstract B-Alkyl-9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonanes (9-BBN) undergo a rather facile olefin-alkyl group exchange process when refluxed with an olefin in tetrahydrofuran. Kinetic and competition studies support a dehydroboration-hydroboration process.
Black/White Interracial Marriage Trends, 1850–2000:

This article traces the trend in black/white interracial marriage between 1850-2000, using microlevel Census samples. The results show that the frequency of interracial marriage has been highly res...
SEAFOOD ALLERGY: PREVALENCE AND TREATMENT

Seafood is a common cause of food allergy. Allergic reactions are reported by consumers following ingestion of seafood meat and by processing workers after occupational exposure to seafood by inhalation of vapors generated during cooking. Although seafood allergy is commonly observed in clinical practice, its precise prevalence is not established. Based on our estimates, approximately 100,000 to 250,000 Americans are at risk of developing allergic reactions to seafood products. In this study, skin testing, in vitro assays and double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge were employed to investigate seafood allergy in shrimp-allergic individuals. As in most food allergy studies only 1/3 of the alleged shrimp-sensitive subjects had a positive shrimp challenge test. The combination of a positive shrimp skin test and shrimp RAST (>11% bound) had the best predictive value (87%) for a positive challenge response. Although occupational seafood allergy is not well-studied, based on a Canadian investigation, it can be estimated that 57,000 American seafood workers are at risk of developing work-related allergic reactions. Since seafood is a major food allergen in consumers and industrial workers, further studies are necessary. Despite developments of new antiallergic therapies, avoidance continues to be the best “treatment”for allergic ingestive, inhalative and occupational disease.
Some procedures for measuring computer service performance

The main thesis of this paper is that it is important to establish quantitative criteria for measuring performance of a remote, or for that matter, a local computer service. The primary purpose of the measure should be to create in the minds of the users, a yardstick for determining reasonable expectations of the service; and in the minds of the people providing the service, a firm indication of what is expected of them.
Probing the Changes in Antibody Flexibility During Affinity-Maturation Using Single Molecule Spectroscopy

Affinity maturation of an immune response is characterized by the expression of antibody proteins with increasing specificity and selectivity over the course of an organism's response to a pathogen. Immature germ line antibodies contain sites that can bind to a host of related small molecules or small regions of larger molecules with low affinity. Over time, new antibodies with increasing affinity and selectivity are expressed. My experiments will test the hypothesis that affinity maturation is a direct result of the loss of flexibility characteristic of the immature germ line antibody binding site. Binding sites from more mature antibodies are pre-conformed to the small molecule epitopes on the pathogen and therefore not flexible, thus reducing the entropic cost of binding, leading to higher affinity.Both intact and Fab fragments of antibodies at various stages of the immune response will be analyzed using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) at the single molecule level. This new technique is made possible through the construction of a single molecule fluorescence microscope. Lifetimes and lifetime distributions of donor and acceptor fluorescent labeling dyes tagged to the antibody will be measured for antibodies raised against two classes of small molecule haptens: diketone haptens and PLP-lysine derived haptens. Monoclonal antibodies producing cells have been derived from various points in the affinity maturation process. Lifetime images will be collected with and without hapten.
Hierarchically porous materials via assembly of nitrogen-rich polymer nanoparticles for efficient and selective CO2 capture

Hierarchically porous materials were developed using a two-step procedure by (1) the stacking of high-nitrogen-content polymer nanoparticles to produce inter-particle mesoporous space and (2) chemical activation to create intra-particle micropores. The materials exhibited efficient CO2 uptake and enhanced CO2/N2 selectivity, which is 40% higher than that of the control material without a hierarchical structure.
Determination of Available Amino Acids and Energy in Alfalfa Meal, Feather Meal, and Poultry By-Product Meal by Various Methods

Several experiments were conducted to evaluate various methodologies for determining availability of amino acids (AA) and energy in alfalfa meal (AM), feather meal (FM), and poultry by-product meal (PBPM). Digestibility of AA was determined with 48-h precision-fed cockerel assays using conventional (CONV) and cecectomized (CEC) cockerels. Amino acid bioavailability was assessed with chick growth assays. True digestibility values of most AA were significantly lower for CEC than for CONV cockerels. In the chick growth assays, partitioning weight gains to reflect only growth attributable to supplemental crystalline AA or test feedstuff AA consumption often yielded higher bioavailability values than when total weight gains were used for FM and PBPM but lower ones for AM. The magnitude of differences between AA digestibility (cockerels) and AA bioavailability (chicks) values varied among feedstuffs; the largest differences were observed for FM. The TMEn values of AM and PBPM were lower for CEC birds than for CONV birds, whereas TMEn of FM was similar for both types of birds.
Practices and Attitudes of Postsecondary LD Service Providers in North America

A nationwide survey of 510 postsecondary LD service providers was conducted to determine (a) the types of interventions utilized by service providers, and (b) their attitudes toward the needs of adults with learning disabilities. The results of this study revealed that an educationally diverse group of professionals have been given the responsibility of developing programs and providing direct instruction to individuals with LD. The proliferation of services found in this survey is analogous to a "menu" of options, with little or no philosophical base. Findings suggest that service providers should be encouraged to utilize interventions that lead to self-determination and independence for adults with LD.
Light-dark rhythms in aggressive behavior of the male golden hamster ☆

Abstract A nocturnal rhythm in aggressive behavior in the male golden hamster is described. The peak frequency of aggression occurs shortly after the time of dark onset (Experiments 1 and 3). Results suggest that the rhythm is likely to be independent from similar rhythms in non-hostile social behavior and locomotor activity. The aggression rhythm is not dependent on the illumination conditions during the 10 min testing period, but is instead a function of the time of testing relative to the LD 12:12 cycle (Experiment 2). The rhythm persists for over a week in continuous illumination and requires between 2 and 4 weeks to reentrain to a 12 hr phase shift (Experiment 4). These results support the hypothesis that the aggression rhythm is endogenous to the animal. The functional significance of the aggression rhythm and its implications for future research in aggression are also discussed.
Nuclear RNA Export Pathways

One of the most profound differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes is that only the latter segregate RNA synthesis and protein synthesis into distinct cellular compartments, i.e., into the nucleus and cytoplasm, respectively. This segregation offers opportunities for the regulation of both gene expression and RNA posttranscriptional processing that are not available to prokaryotes. However, it also means that eukaryotic cells must continuously transport large numbers of macromolecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm in order that these can fulfill their appointed role in the life of the cell. In this review, I will describe the mechanisms used by the cell to move different classes of cellular RNA from their nuclear site of synthesis to the cytoplasm, where the majority then participate in the process of protein synthesis. While my primary focus will be on the insights that have been gleaned from the study of nuclear RNA export in vertebrate cells, I will also refer to studies with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae which, because of its genetic malleability, has proven to be a valuable system for the identification of critical components of the nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery. More comprehensive overviews of nucleocytoplasmic transport, particularly of protein import, are provided by several excellent recent reviews in this area (21, 42, 50, 70).
Putting it into perspective: multimarker panels for cardiovascular disease risk assessment

Cardiovascular biomarkers started as tools to aid with specific medical diagnoses, but are now being used broadly for screening, prognosis and monitoring of multiple diseases. Novel markers that reflect important pathophysiologic pathways are emerging regularly, although each new set of markers introduced raises many questions on how best to utilize them to improve patient outcomes. One promising approach for getting the most out of cardiovascular biomarkers is to combine multiple markers together into a multimarker panel. When each marker represents a distinct pathophysiologic pathway, the combined panel has advantages over individual biomarkers and may be useful when used in specific clinical scenarios for assessing risk, improving diagnosis or directing individualized therapy. This perspective article highlights several of the most promising biomarkers and strategies for achieving improved cardiovascular risk assessment for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease via multimarker panels.
Voluntary Intake and Digestibility of Legume and Grass Diets Fed to Lactating Cows and Growing Wethers

Abstract Two complete mixed diets (77% forage, 23% concentrate) were fed to 20 Holstein cows during the second third of lactation and to 7 wether sheep to compare voluntary intake and digestibility of the two diets and to compare the utilization of the diets in the two animal species. Diet neutral detergent fiber percent, and as-fed bulk density (kg/liter) for the alfalfa hay diet (alfalfa diet) were 42.3 and .20. Respective values for the orchardgrass diet (grass diet) were 47.5 and .12. Dry matter intake of cows fed the alfalfa diet (164 g/kg body weight· 75 ) was greater whereas volume intake (837 ml/kg body weight· 75 ) was less than the respective values (136 g/kg body weight· 75 and 1097 ml/kg body weight· 75 ) for the grass diet. Daily intakes of digestible energy and neutral detergent fiber and production of 4.0% fat-corrected milk for the alfalfa and grass diets were not different. Comparable intakes of dry matter and volume by sheep for the alfalfa diet were 63 and 323 and for the grass diet were 64 and 519. Diet digestibility was lower in cows than in sheep. Estimates of diet digestible energy from National Research Council tables overestimated actual digestible energy of the high forage diets fed ad libitum to lactating cows.
An evaluation of the Tight Optical Integration (TOI) algorithm sensitivity to inertial and camera errors

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the sensitivity of the GPS-camera tight optical integration (TOI) algorithm to errors stemming from two sources; (a) inertial measurement errors and, (b) camera measurement errors. The TOI algorithm has been described by the authors in a recent paper, "An algorithm for GPS tight optical integration (TOI)". In the TOI algorithm, the inertial measurements are primarily used to derive attitude information to transform the camera measurements from the body frame to the navigation frame of reference. Clearly, errors on these inertial measurements contribute directly to the angular information from the camera used for a final position solution. Also, an initial position estimate is required to transform the measurements from the navigation frame of reference to an earth reference frame. As a result, an error in the initial position estimate will introduce some error in the position solution, which is included as an equivalent inertial error in the overall error analysis. The function of the camera is to make angular measurements from a pre-defined "marker". The errors in these measurements are sensitive to the range of the marker from the camera, i.e. marker range. Although the marker range is not a measurement used in the algorithm, it is necessary to investigate the sensitivity of the algorithm to variations in the marker range. It is shown that the sensitivity of the error in the final position estimate increases as this marker range increases. Moreover, the camera needs to identify the marker and hence, an error in the pixel selection in the image or a marker position error will affect the accuracy of the final position estimates. The sensitivity of the algorithm to these errors contributed by the camera is also analyzed. The TOI algorithm performance is shown to be similar to GPS performance levels, in the presence of the error sources discussed above. This makes it a viable solution for navigation capabilities in environments where sufficient satellites for a GPS only solution are not available, e.g. an urban canyon.
Ethnic Identity and Self-Esteem of Latino Adolescents Distinctions Among The Latino Populations

This article reviews 21 empirical studies in which the relationship between self-esteem and ethnic identity among Latino adolescents was examined. This analysis indicates that for some conceptualizations of ethnic identity there has been a positive relationship between ethnic identity and self-esteem, whereas with other conceptualizations the relationships between ethnic identity and self-esteemhave been inconsistent. The methodological limitations of the existing work are also examined. Despite the differences in conceptualization and the methodological limitations, the existing research suggests a positive relationship between degree of ethnic identification and self-esteemfor Latinos who live in areas where their Latino group composes the majority of the Latino population.
Understanding the Internal and External Validity of Health Literacy Interventions: A Systematic Literature Review Using the RE-AIM Framework

We conducted a systematic literature review, using the RE-AIM framework, with the goal of determining what information is available to inform research to practice translation of health promotion interventions developed to address health literacy. Thirty-one articles reflecting 25 trials published between 2000 and 2010 met inclusion criteria. Two researchers coded each article, using a validated RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness/efficacy, adoption, implementation, maintenance) data extraction tool, and group meetings were used to gain consensus on discrepancies. Across all studies (14 randomized controlled trials, 11 quasi-experimental; 24 clinic-based, 1 community-based), the mean level of reporting RE-AIM indicators varied by dimension (reach = 69%; efficacy/ effectiveness = 58%; adoption = 36%; implementation = 35%; maintenance = 11%). Among participants enrolled in the 25 interventions, approximately 38% were identified as low health literate. Only eight of the studies examined health literacy status as a moderator of intervention effectiveness. This review suggests that the current research on health promotion for participants with low health literacy provides insufficient information to conclude whether interventions for health literacy can attract the target population, achieve an effect that is sustainable, or be generalized outside of clinical settings. Recommendations for enhancing the design and reporting of these trials are provided.
Isotopic composition of carbon dioxide from a boreal forest fire: Inferring carbon loss from measurements and modeling

Fire is an important pathway for carbon (C) loss from boreal forest ecosystems and has a strong effect on ecosystem C balance. Fires can range widely in severity, defined as the amount of vegetation and forest floor consumed by fire, depending on local fuel and climatic conditions. Here we explore a novel method for estimating fire severity and loss of C from fire using the atmosphere to integrate ecosystem heterogeneity at the watershed scale. We measured the δ13C and Δ14C isotopic values of CO2 emitted from an experimental forest fire at the Caribou-Poker Creek Research Watershed (CPCRW), near Fairbanks, Alaska. We used inverse modeling combined with dual isotope measurements of C contained in aboveground black spruce biomass and soil organic horizons to estimate the amount of C released by this fire. The experimental burn was a medium to severe intensity fire that released, on average, about 2.5 kg Cm−2, more than half of the C contained in vegetation and soil organic horizon pools. For vegetation, the model predicted that approximately 70–75% of pools such as needles, fine branches, and bark were consumed by fire, whereas only 20–30% of pools such as coarse branches and cones were consumed. The fire was predicted to have almost completely consumed surface soil organic horizons and burned about half of the deepest humic horizon. The ability to estimate the amount of biomass combusted and C emission from fires at the watershed scale provides an extensive approach that can complement more limited intensive ground-based measurements.
Surprises and revelations in a career in epilepsy research

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COBRA analysis of laboratory degraded synthetic turbine engine lubricants

The Complete Oil Breakdown Rate Analyser (COBRA) is an instrument that detects ill-defined electrochemical changes in synthetic ester-based lubricants as those fluids are oxidatively degraded. In several Air Force field applications, the COBRA has proven useful in determining lubricant condition or in identifying abnormally operating engines in which excessive lubricant degradation occurred. In laboratory analyses of field samples from programmes involving several engine types, correlation of COBRA with total acid number or viscosity was poor, but consumption of one or more oxidants appeared to be consistently associated with high COBRA values. To determine if such correlation exists, this study was conducted to evaluate laboratory degraded synthetic lubricants. Results of the laboratory study indicate that COBRA increases rapidly after depletion of typical antioxidants, increases with higher total acid numbers and trends with viscosity data. The poor correlation observed between COBRA and total acid number and viscosity for field samples is attributed to differences in for example engine breather designs, and oxidative environments, which can significantly alter the properties of the residual engine lubricant analysed by COBRA. Due to the presumed test apparatus and engine design dependence of COBRA data, COBRA correlation must be established for each application.
Helminths from 10 Species of Brachycephalid Frogs (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from Costa Rica

Abstract Ten species of brachycephalid frogs from Costa Rica, Craugastor crassidigitus, Craugastor fitzingeri, Craugastor gollmeri, Craugastor melanostictus, Craugastor ranoides, Craugastor taurus, Craugastor underwoodi, Eleutherodactylus caryophyllaceus, Eleutherodactylus cruentus, Eleutherodactylus ridens, were examined for helminths. Found were 2 species of Digenea, Gorgoderina megacetabularis, Mesocoelium monas; 1 species of Cestoda, Cylindrotaenia americana; 13 species of Nematoda: adults of Aplectana incerta, Aplectana itzocanensis, Cosmocerca parva, Cosmocerca podicipinus, Cosmocercoides variabilis, Falcaustra costaricae, Hedruris heyeri, Ochoterenella digiticauda, Oswaldocruzia costaricensis, Oxyascaris mcdiarmidi, Rhabdias savagei, larva of Physaloptera sp. and Porrocaecum sp., and 2 species of Acanthocephala, Anuracanthorhynchus lutzi and the second species represented by centrorhynchid cystacanths. Mean number of helminth species per infected frog species was 5.0 ± 0.9 SE (range 2–10). The supr...
Sleep duration and overweight among Australian children and adolescents

Aim: To examine the association between sleep and overweight and waist circumference (WC) in children and adolescents. Methods: Data were from a nationally representative sample of 6324 7 � 15-y-old males and females from the Australian Health and Fitness Survey. Associations between sleep duration and body mass index (BMI) and WC were examined by analysis of covariance, linear regression, and logistic regression. Results: In the total sample, there was a significant main effect across sleep-duration categories (5 / 8h , 8� 9h , 9� 10 h, and ] /10 h) for BMI. Linear regression showed significant age, sex, age-sleep, and age-sex-sleep interactions in the total sample. There was an inverse graded relationship between sleep and BMI and WC in boys. In boys, there was a 1.6 � 1.8 times greater odds of overweight for those who reported 8 � 9h or 9 � 10 h of sleep compared to those reporting ] /10 h of sleep. For boys reporting 5 /8 h of sleep, there was about 3.1 times greater odds of overweight compared to those reporting ] /10 h of sleep. In contrast, no significant associations between sleep and overweight were found in girls.
Landscape and regional impacts of hurricanes in puerto rico

Puerto Rico is subject to frequent and severe impacts from hurricanes, whose long-term ecological role must be assessed on a scale of centuries. In this study we applied a method for reconstructing hurricane disturbance regimes developed in an earlier study of hurricanes in New England. Patterns of actual wind damage from historical records were analyzed for 85 hurricanes since European settlement in 1508. A simple meteorological model (HURRECON) was used to reconstruct the impacts of 43 hurricanes since 1851. Long-term effects of topography on a landscape scale in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) were simulated with a simple topographic exposure model (EXPOS). Average return intervals across Puerto Rico for F0 damage (loss of leaves and branches) and F1 damage (scattered blowdowns, small gaps) on the Fujita scale were 4 and 6 years, respectively. At higher damage levels, a gradient was created by the direction of the storm tracks and the weakening of hurricanes over the interior mountains. Average ...
A low-voltage low-power CMOS opamp with rail-to-rail input/output

In this paper, a low-voltage low-power two stage rail-to-rail CMOS opamp is presented. The input stage is composed of the complementary differential pairs and a pair of modified current-mode maximum selecting circuits (Maximum Current Selecting Circuit II) in order to achieve rail-to-rail operation and constant-g/sub m/. Using the modified constant-g/sub m/ methodology, this input stage co-operated with a family of two class-AB output stages can drive a wide-range of capacitive loads with a large bandwidth-to-supply-power ratio. These opamps reach a high DC gain (/spl ges/84 dB), and have a bandwidth-to-supply-power ratio of 13 MHz/mW and 9.5 MHz/mW with capacitive loads 20 pF and 100 pF respectively.
Characterization and functional significance of myotrophin: a gene with multiple transcripts.

The underlying mechanism for the development of cardiac hypertrophy that advances to heart failure is not known. Many factors have been implied to play a role in this process. Among others, we have isolated and identified myotrophin, a factor that stimulates myocytes growth, from spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) heart and patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. The gene encoding myotrophin has been cloned and expressed in E. coli. Recently, myotrophin gene has been mapped and shown to be a novel gene localized in human chromosome 7q-33. To define the characteristics of each transcript and its pathophysiological significance, we examined transcripts of myotrophin in SHR heart during progression of hypertrophy. Northern blot analysis of myotrophin mRNA showed multiple transcripts. We isolated and characterized various myotrophin cDNA clones corresponding to the multiple transcripts by 5V ‘‘stretch plus’’ rat heart cDNA library screening. Sequence analysis of these cDNA clones indicates that each clone has a unique 5V UTR and multiple 3V UTR with varying lengths, repeated ATTTA motifs and many polyadenylation signals. In vitro transcripts generated from all these myotrophin-specific cDNA clones translate in vitro to a 12-kD protein. Among pathophysiological significance, we determined mRNA expression in 9 days old, 3 weeks old and 31 weeks old and observed a linear increased during the progression of hypertrophy. In WKY, this mRNA level remained the same throughout the growth and development of hypertrophy. Our data strongly suggest that myotrophin appears to be a candidate gene for cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Fuzzy Approaches for the Analysis CpG Island Methylation Patterns

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Methods Biological Significance Conclusions References ]]>
Obama, the World, and Africa: Thoughts on African American Politics and the 2012 Presidential Election

The article discusses President Barack Obama's troubling foreign policy as it relates to Africa and the Arab Spring; the apparent disinterest amongst African Americans in U.S. military intervention in Libya and unrest in Mali; and the need for building new, internationally focused Black movements in the United States as we look to and beyond the 2012 presidential election.
Bone marrow-derived macrophage expression of endogenous and transfected class II MHC genes during differentiation in vitro

C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice fail to express I-E molecules on the surface of their cells and thus are unable to respond to I-E-restricted antigens such as GL phi and cytochrome c. Previous experiments in our laboratory have involved developing a system for studying differentiation of bone marrow cells into mature macrophage to gain a better understanding of class II MHC gene expression and function. In this study, we have used this system to transfect the E alpha d gene (cosmid 17.2) into C57BL/6 bone marrow cells and subsequently observed I-E expression on bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) after differentiation in vitro. By using a modified calcium phosphate protocol, we found that the optimal period for transfection of the bone marrow cells was after 2 days of culture in vitro. By using the anti-I-E monoclonal antibody (Ia.7) derived from hybridoma 14-4-4, we detected the I-E molecule on the surface of transfected macrophages by a radiobinding assay and immunoprecipitation. BMDM expressed the I-E product maximally at 5 days of differentiation, and expression then declined. Furthermore, we have found that the expression of the I-E molecule on transfected macrophage was dependent upon exposure to interferon-gamma. Expression of I-E molecules was also detected by the generation of an allogeneic response. Transfected BMDM were compared with (CB6)F1 BMDM for their ability to stimulate C57BL/6 T cells and they were found to be equally effective. By using these initial findings, we hope to further optimize the conditions for insertion and expression of class II MHC genes in bone marrow cells.
The Intraday Behaviour of Quoted and Effective Bid-Ask Spreads of FT-SE 100 Index Options

This study compares the intraday patterns observed in the quoted and effective bid-ask spreads on the FT-SE 100 index options traded on LIFFE with a broad range of theoretical models. Several discrepancies are found. It is argued that these arise principally because the standard classification of investors into informed and liquidity traders breaks down in the case of index options, in part, because options are inappropriate instruments for liquidity traders, and also because the concept of an informed trader has a rather different nature in the case of an index as contrasted with an individual stock. Furthermore, marketmakers in these options have access to a liquid instrument to hedge the risk of asymmetric information. The key empirical finding is that there is a significant contraction of both the quoted and effective bid-ask spreads after the first 25 minutes of the trading day. Subsequently, there is little systematic intraday change in either kind of spread. This contraction is only partially consistent with theory. This study finds a widening only at the beginning of the day, and no evidence of informed trading is found during the opening interval. Is there an optimum time during the course of the day for investors to buy and sell options? The conclusion reached is that there is no such optimum time, but that investors should avoid the opening period of the day, since both the quoted and effective spreads are significantly larger than those at other times, with no compensating reward in the form of more informative prices.