cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental alteration of intrauterine growth pattern in rhesus monkeys

The purpose of these studies is to indicate the biochemical alterations in intrauterine growth produced by interference with placental circulation or the chemical ablation of the fetal pancreas. In a group of pregnant rhesus monkeys the injection of Streptozotocin (approximately 75 mg/Kg) directly into the fetus produced cytotoxic effects on the pancreatic B-cells. Five of nine surviving animals had significantly large adrenals and livers. Body weight was normal. Two animals were significantly small for gestational age and had normal adrenals and livers. The remaining endocrine organs were of normal size in all animals. The protein:DNA ratio in muscle was increased in four animals. The fetal insulin levels at term were normal as were the blood glucose values. Regions of pancreatic regeneration and B cell activity could be identified on histological section. In a second group of pregnant monkeys the interplacental fetal vessels were ligated at 100 days gestation producing a reduction in placental mass and a placental insufficiency. Nine of 16 surviving fetuses had significantly low birth weight (2 S.D. below the mean) for geatational age. The brain was least affected while the liver was most affected and the small animals had a high brain:liver ratio. Total DNA, RNA, and protein were significantly low in muscle and liver. The protein:DNA ratio and the number of nuclei (cell number) were significantly low in muscle. The percentage fat was reduced in the carcass as well as the total fat, protein and collagen.
On the dynamics of the collapse of a diffusion-flame hole

The collapse dynamics of a diffusion-flame hole in the presence of a counterflow are studied. We construct unsteady solutions of the one-dimensional edge-flame model of Buckmaster (1996), in which heat and mass transverse losses are algebraic. The flame structure is determined in the classical limit of large activation energy. Solutions for both planar and axisymmetric strain geometry are considered for the particular case of unity Lewis number. It is shown that the final stage of the edge-flame collapse is determined by a dominant balance between the time rate of change of the mass fractions (and temperature) and diffusion, giving a self-similar structure in which the size of the edge-flame hole approaches zero, to leading (zeroth) order, as a 1/2-power of time. This solution suggests an expansion of the full model equations in 1/2-powers of time that allows detailed analysis of the effects of side losses and flow distribution in the edge-flame collapse process. It is found that side loss effects are apparent at the first order, whereas convection by the counterflow is first felt during collapse at the second order in the fractional-time expansion. Numerical integrations of the governing equations are found to verify the analytic results.
Seasonal Activity Patterns of Rodents in a Sagebrush Community

Twelve species of nocturnal rodents were studied on a 2.7-hectare plot of sagebrush desert in west-central Nevada. Six species, Dipodomys merriami, D. ordii, D. panamintinus, D. microps, Onychomys torridus, and Peromyscus maniculatus, were active throughout the year. Four species, Perognathus longimembris, P. formosus, Microdipodops megacephalus, and Reithrodontomys megalotis, hibernated and were active only in spring, summer, and autumn. Onychomys leucogaster and Neotoma lepida were trapped intermittently throughout the year but were not permanent residents of the area. Differences in time of daily activity were found between potential competitors demonstrating a degree of temporal isolation. Time after sunset and amount of moonlight were the two most important factors correlated to rodent activity. Ambient temperature, wind, cloud cover, precipitation, and water vapor pressure had little effect on activity except when extreme conditions prevailed. (auth)
Phase-based 3D optical flow sensors for motion detection

We demonstrate a computationally efficient technique for sensing optical flow using angle sensitive pixels. Angle-sensitive pixels function as spatial Gabor filters as a result of their periodic response to angle. Measuring temporal derivatives in the phase response of quadrature filters recovers information about object motion. These sensors work without a lens for global motion, or, with a lens to create a 3D map of object motion under ambient light.
An Interview with James M. Royer About Reading and Comprehension

James M. Royer is a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts. His research has focused on the development, vali dation, and application of the Sentence Verification Technique (SVT) which measures reading and listening comprehension. Dr. Royer also investigates math learning difficulties and has developed a Computer based Academic Assessment System (CAAS) which is available at www.educationalhelp.com. Professor Royer's work is internationally rec ognized and applied. He has worked on projects in Grenada, Guatemala, Belize, Haiti, Burkina Faso, India and Nigeria. There, he assists educa tors with the development of educational tests. In this interview, he dis cusses his research and the domain of reading comprehension and its measurement.
Re-routing of a secretory protein by fusion with human growth hormone sequences

Cells with electron-dense secretory vesicles use them to store only specialized secretory products such as peptide hormones; other types of secreted proteins are externalized by an alternative, constitutive route. One possible mechanism for such segregation is that proteins destined for dense secretory vesicles contain unique 'sorting domains' that allow for selective targeting. Here, we set out to determine whether a constitutively secreted protein could be diverted to the dense secretory vesicles by attachment to a peptide hormone sequence. We made use of the ability of the mouse pituitary tumour cell, AtT-20, to correctly sort exogenous secretory proteins introduced into them by DNA transfection. We constructed a plasmid encoding a hybrid protein in which a constitutively secreted viral protein was fused to the carboxy terminus of human growth hormone (hGH). Cells expressing the hybrid protein were found to target it to dense secretory vesicles with an efficiency close to that observed for the parental hGH. These results support the hypothesis that sorting domains on peptide hormones direct their packaging into dense secretory vesicles. The results also suggest that proteins secreted by the constitutive pathway either do not contain any sorting domain, or their sorting signals can be overridden by those which direct peptide hormones.
The role of automated record linkage in the postmarketing surveillance of drug safety: A critique

Methode informatisee d'etude des effets secondaires indesirables de certains medicaments, a la suite d'une chimiotherapie. Quelques exemples sont cites dans cet article de synthese: l'allopurinol peut provoquer des cataractes, l'utilisation de medicaments psychotropes peut induire des fractures de la hanche, l'utilisation de contraceptifs oraux peut induire une maladie de la vesicule biliaire egalement induite par l'utilisation de thiazide. Augmentation de l'utilisation d'antidepresseur chez des patients prenant des β-bloquants, effets sur les naissances de l'exposition au spermicide. Risque de cancer de certaines chimiotherapies. Saignement gastrointestinal par prise d'antiinflammatoires non steroides. Critique de cette methode
Effects of disease in wild plant populations and the evolution of pathogen aggressiveness

SUMMARY Fungal pathogens can alter host fitness by affecting a plant's ability to survive, reproduce, compete, grow or defend itself against herbivores and other parasites. However, infections need not have uniformly negative effects, and the outcome of a fungus-plant interaction can range from strongly parasitic, through commensalistic, to mutualistic. The outcome of the interaction is determined by characteristics of the fungus and plant, as well as ecological conditions. Damping off and root rot diseases severely reduce plant survivorship. These pathogens appear to be highly aggressive, a trait that may be evolutionarily constrained because of the necrotrophic infection habit. Incidence is locally high with patch size being variable. Canker and wilt pathogens reduce plant survivorship and growth, and tend to be highly aggressive. Two diseases within this group, chestnut blight and Dutch elm disease, have caused sustained highly destructive pandemics on their hosts. Neither pathogen appears to be evolving towards genetically based reduced aggressiveness despite the fact that disease incidence is near 100 % over a wide area. Less aggressive strains may not be selectively favoured because plants can be multiply infected, which would allow more aggressive strains to invade trees previously infected by less aggressive strains. Obligate foliar diseases can affect plant fitness by reducing survivorship, reproduction, growth or competitive ability of the host. However, overall effects are often slight and the relationship between plant and pathogen range from strongly parasitic to nearly commensalistic. Disease incidence is highly variable across space and time, and much of the variability appears to be influenced by climatic and environmental variables. Non-systemic foliar diseases reduce plant reproduction, but some interactions may be nearly commensalistic because of low seed set in healthy individuals. Thus, disease effects are minimized in environments where reproduction by seed is not important. Systemically infecting pathogens can alter plant survivorship, reproduction, growth, competitive ability and susceptibility to herbivores. The effects can be positive as well as negative, and the net outcome of the interaction can range from strongly parasitic to unconditionally mutualistic. Trends within this group support Clay's New Function Hypothesis that pathogens can reduce their aggressiveness by acquiring new functions which increase plant fitness, and not by the amelioration of the original disease symptoms.
Rent-seeking aspects of political advertising

Political contests have all the usual characteristics of rent-seeking games characterized in the recent volume edited by Buchanan, Tollison and Tullock (1980). That is to say, resources are committed to a distributive contest where the social pie is not necessarily enlarged but rather divided up (a policy enacted) via a 'winner take all' apportioning. Since political advertising is one method of influencing electoral outcomes, we might expect competitive political advertising to exhibit rent-seeking losses of the usual sort. The extent of the rent-seeking losses associated with political advertising depends upon the extent to which advertising affects voter perceptions of the relative merits of electoral alternatives. Political proponents may well completely dissipate any electoral rents at stake through their advertising efforts, yet still increase social welfare if political advertisments provide sufficiently valuable information to the electorate. On the other hand, if advertising has no effect on voter perceptions or provides information of dubious value then rent dissipating advertising may generate substantial rent-seeking losses.
On the lipolytic action of parathyroid hormone in man

An investigation was carried out to determine whether bovine PTH stimulates lipolysis in human fat tissue, whether this action is mediated by cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate and whether the N-terminal 1–34 peptide of bovine PTH is responsible for the lipolytic effect. Studies were also performed to determine if parathyroid extract (PTE) produces lipolysis in normal subjects and in patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism in whom there is a defect in the adenylate system in response to PTH in the renal cortex and presumably in the skeletal system as well. It was found that highly purified bovine PTH in the concentration range between 10−9, M and 10−5, M stimulated lipolysis in vitro by human fat in a dose-dependent manner. Significant increases in glycerol production were observed at concentrations of PTH as low as 10−9, M and maximal increases were seen at 10−6, M. The hormone significantly increased the concentration of cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate in fat tissue. The synthetic N-terminal 1–34 peptide of bovine PTH was as effective as the native hormone in stimulating glycerol production at a concentration of 10−9, M – 10−6, M. PTE, 100 mU per kg per min for 30 min given intravenously, produced transient increases in the concentration of plasma free fatty acid in each of eight normal subjects, three patients with hypoparathyroidism and eight patients with pseudohypoparathy-roidism. Purified bovine PTH also increased plasma free fatty acid in each of two normal subjects. It is concluded that PTH stimulates lipolysis in human subcutaneous fat, that this action of the hormone is mediated through cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate and that the N-terminal 1–34 peptide portion of the hormone is responsible for this lipolytic action. Further, PTE stimulates lipolysis in vivo in man. There appears to be no defect in the adenylate cyclase system in the fat cell in response to PTH in patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism.
What is an application and when is theory a waste of time

It is both a pleasure and an honor to be called upon to address the plenary session. It is hard to believe that the first issue of Management Science came out in October 1954 with the first article by Harold Francis Smiddy-Vice President of General Electric and head of the Management Consulting Services. I learned much from him and I would also like to acknowledge West Churchman, Tjalling Koopmans, George Dantzig, Bill Cooper, Merrill Flood, Tom Cowan, Bob Thrall, Murray Geisler, Charles Hitch, Harlan Mills and Herbert Simon for their influence on my thoughts concerning management science. It is over 32 years since the appearance of Management Science. Prior to coming to this meeting I skimmed all of the issues starting in 1954. This occasion and the Management Science retrospective has caused me to realize that, although some of us keep going with the hope that our best work still lies ahead, the promotion that is guaranteed to all academics is to the rank of extinguished scholar. Before one can theorize usefully, it pays to know a few facts. The knowledge of how to manage an institution does not imply an ability to abstract, generalize, theorize or for that matter even know the facts. The time was ripe for the development of a management science in the 1950s. Growth took place in several locations, as was evinced at both General Electric and in RAND's relationship with the Air Force. In each instance the activity called for a group of scientifically-oriented sheep to study corporate and military wolves with the encouragement of the latter-and amazingly it worked!-possibly because the sponsors paid the bills but did not listen too closely to what their advisors said. The brief written preview of my talk is, to a great extent, an accurate summary of my central theme. Much of what I have to note is an embellishment of the observation that:
Fast-beam studies of free-radical photodissociation: the CH2NO2 radical

We report a study of the photodissociation of the nitromethyl radical utilizing a fast beam photofragment translational spectrometer. A fast radical beam is prepared via the synthesis, acceleration and subsequent photodetachment of mass-selected, internally cold nitromethyl anions. Following ultraviolet photodissociation, the recoiling photofragments are detected in coincidence by a microchannel plate detector with a time- and position-sensitive wedge-and- strip anode. The data reveal that the electronically excited nitromethyl radicals dissociate into two mass channels: (I) CH2NO2$DAG yields CH2NO + O, and (II) CH2NO2$DAG yields CH2O + NO. The branching ratio of the two channels is nearly constant at 1:1 over the excitation wavelength range of 240 - 270 nm. The kinetic energy release (KER) of channel (I) peaks at 5 - 8 kcal/mol, suggesting that the N-O bond rupture does not occur directly, as it would on a purely repulsive potential surface. The observed KER for channel (II) peaks at 52 kcal/mol, with an average of over 100 kcal/mol going into internal degrees of freedom in the fragments. This channel requires a significant rearrangement of the nuclei and has a large exit barrier. The photofragment angular distributions for both channels show little anisotropy. The absence of the channel corresponding to C-N bond rupture provides evidence that the accessed excited state(s) of nitromethyl have C-N double bond character. These observations provide qualitative information about the mechanisms for O atom loss and for rearrangement and subsequent NO elimination.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Reading, writing, and modulating genetic information with boranophosphate mimics of nucleotides, DNA, and RNA.

The P-boranophosphates are efficient and near perfect mimics of natural nucleic acids in permitting reading and writing of genetic information with high yield and accuracy. Substitution of a borane (-BH3) group for oxygen in the phosphate ester bond creates an isoelectronic and isosteric mimic of natural nucleotide phosphate esters found in mononucleotides, i.e., AMP and ATP, and in RNA and DNA polynucleotides. Compared to natural nucleic acids, the boranophosphate RNA and DNA analogs demonstrate increased lipophilicity and resistance to endo- and exonucleases, yet they retain negative charge and similar spatial geometry. Borane groups can readily be introduced into the NTP and dNTP nucleic acid monomer precursors to produce alpha-P-borano nucleoside triphosphate analogs (e.g., NTPalphaB and dNTPalphaB). The NTPalphaB and dNTPalphaB are, in fact, good to excellent substrates for RNA and DNA polymerases, respectively, and allow ready enzymatic synthesis of RNA and DNA with P-boranophosphate linkages. Further, boranophosphate polymer products are good templates for replication, transcription, and gene expression; boronated RNA products are also suitable for reverse transcription to cDNA. Fully substituted boranophosphate DNA can activate the RNase H cleavage of RNA in RNA:DNA hybrids. Moreover, certain dideoxy-NTPalphaB analogs appear to be better substrates for viral reverse transcriptases than the regular ddNTPs, and may offer promising prodrug alternatives in antiviral therapy. These properties make boranophosphates promising candidates for diagnostics; aptamer selection; gene therapy; and antiviral, antisense, and RNAi therapeutics. The boranophosphates constitute a versatile family of phosphate mimics for processing genetic information and modulating gene function.
SU-FF-J-41: Edge Enhancement Algorithm for Gold Seeds in Prostate Electronic Portal Images

Purpose: Implanted gold seed markers are currently used to localize the relative prostate position during radiation therapy. This is typically accomplished by manually matching each seed on an electronic portal image with the corresponding seed location on a reference DRR. This study evaluates an edge enhancement algorithm applied to an EPIDimage for accurately identifying gold seed marker position. Method and Materials: The algorithm is based on the gold seed size which determines the lower and upper bounds of a bandpass filter, and uses “Intensity Autoscale” and “Contrast Saturation” functions to produce a better visual contrast of the three gold seeds. A Siemens Oncor linear accelerator was used to image four prostate patients using standard AP and LLAT image projections. We tested the bandpass filters with two different bands to process the images. The first band is to set the larger structure down to 20 pixels and the smaller structure up to 3 pixels to pass. The second band is to set the larger structure down to 6 pixels and lower structure up to 3 pixels. After applying the bandpass filter, the “Intensity Autoscale” and “Contrast Saturation” functions are applied. The processed images were compared to the original EPIDimages that were filtered using histogram equalization and then edge enhancement. Results: This algorithm was successful for all images tested. The gold seed markers are clearly visualized on the processed images relative to the standard filtering functions provided with the EPIDsoftware.Conclusion: This new image enhancement method is fast and will easily integrate with an existing three‐point registration technique for localizing the prostate relative to a reference DRR. The method also has the potential to be used for computer automated detection of gold seeds in prostate electronic portal images.
Prevalence and correlates of repeat mammography among women aged 55-79 in the Year 2000 National Health Interview Survey.

Abstract Background. Utilization of mammography has increased steadily since the early 1990s. It is now important to expand the attention given to obtaining repeat examination. This study examines the prevalence and cross-sectional correlates of repeat mammography, among women aged 55–79, using a 12-month (N = 3,502) and a 24-month interval (N = 3,491). Methods. Data were from the Year 2000 Cancer Control Module of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS-CCM). The NHIS-CCM asked about the most recent mammogram and the total number of mammograms over the prior 6 years. An algorithm estimated repeat mammography for the two intervals. Results. Prevalence estimates were 49% for the 12-month interval, and 64.1% for the 24-month interval. Correlates of lower likelihood of repeat mammography for both indicators were: no regular source of care, having public or no health insurance, less than a college education, household income less than $45K, not being married, current or never smoking, age 65–79, and lower absolute risk of breast cancer (Gail Model score). Conclusions. A substantial percentage of women do not receive repeat mammography. The correlates of repeat mammography were similar to those often found for ever-had and recent mammography. There is probably some imprecision in the prevalence estimates due to the nature of NHIS-CCM questions. Issues pertinent to the definition of repeat examination are addressed.
Macrophage migration inhibition and lymphocyte stimulation with mammary tumor virus associated antigens in Balb/c mice.

SummaryLymphocytes of MTV-negative Balb/c mice are sensitive to one or more antigens of MTV as determined by blastogenic transformation and migration inhibition assays. The lymphocytes from MTV-positive Balb/cfC3H mice are nonre-sponsive in these assays but become responsive after the mice have been implanted with MTV-positive tumors. The latter findings imply that there may be either a state of tolerance to MTV antigens which is broken by the tumor transplant or that the responses are directed towards antigens to which the host is not tolerant. The cause of the sensitivity of lymphocytes from MTV-negative Balb/c mice to MTV antigens has not been determined but two possible explanations are discussed: horizontal transmission and derepression of genetic information for viral antigen.Supported by contract NO1 CP 43358 from the Virus Cancer Program of the National Cancer Institute, U. S. Public Health Service.We gratefully acknowledge the valuable and efficient technical assistance of Mr. Mantley Dorsey and ...
Regulation of retinal ganglion cell axon arbor size by target availability: mechanisms of compression and expansion of the retinotectal projection.

The ability of pre- and postsynaptic populations to achieve the proper convergence ratios during development is especially critical in topographically mapped systems such as the retinotectal system. The ratio of retinal ganglion cells to their target cells in the optic tectum can be altered experimentally either by early partial tectal ablation, which results in an orderly compression of near-normal numbers of retinal projections into a smaller tectal area, or by early monocular enucleation, which results in the expansion of a reduced number of axons in a near-normal tectal volume. Our previous studies showed that changes in cell death and synaptic density consequent to these manipulations can account for only a minor component of this compensation for the population mismatch. In this study, we examine other mechanisms of population matching in the hamster retinotectal system. We used an in vitro horseradish peroxidase labeling method to trace individual retinal ganglion cell axons in superior colliculi partially ablated on the day of birth, as well as in colliculi contralateral to a monocular enucleation. We found that individual axon arbors within the partially lesioned tectum occupy a smaller area, with fewer branches and fewer terminal boutons, but preserve a normal bouton denstiy. In contrst, ipsilaterally projecting axon arbors in monoculary enucleated animals occupy a greater area than in the normal condition, with a much larger arbor length and greater number of boutons and branches compared with normal ipsilaterally projecting cells. Alteration of axonal arborization of retinalganglion cells is the main factor responsible for matching the retinal and tectal cell populations within the tectum. This process conserves normal electrophysiological function over a wide range of convergence ratios and may occur through strict selectivity of tectal cells for their normal number of inputs. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Enhanced Dendritic Cell Antigen Presentation in RNA-Based Immunotherapy

Background. Dendritic cells pulsed with mRNA provide a unique approach to tumor immunotherapy. We hypothesized that increased mRNA transfection efficiency and dendritic cell maturation would improve antigen processing and presentation as well as T-cell costimulation, resulting in enhanced induction of antimelanoma immune responses. Methods. Immature monocyte-derived dendritic cells were transfected with mRNA by passive pulsing, lipofection, or electroporation. Dendritic cells were either left untreated or matured using the doublestranded RNA poly(I:C). T-Cell cultures were gener
Using imaging for cardiovascular risk prediction: an overview

Abstract Atherosclerosis is a systemic, silent, and deadly disease; however, primary risk reduction is very effective. Cost-effective risk modification relies on accurate and individualized risk stratification; however, traditional risk factor–based assessments fail to account for individual progression along the pathophysiologic continuum. Ultrasound and other imaging techniques that measure both anatomy and function provide well-validated surrogate markers for atherosclerosis that have incremental predictive power to that provided by risk factors, and may be useful in designing primary prevention strategies.
Computer measurement of the Yang-Mills vacuum wavefunctional in three dimensions

Abstract A method is presented for Monte Carlo measurement of the Yang-Mills vacuum wavefunctional Ψ [ A ] for any finite set of field configurations [A( x )] at t =0. The method is applied to SU(2) lattice gauge theory in D =3 dimensions. The numerical results are accurately fit by the lattice version of Ψ [ A ]= N exp(− μ ∫d 2 x Tr( F ij 2 )) for small amplitude, long-wavelength field configurations.
Thymosin and other thymic hormones and their synthetic analogues

The central role of the thymus gland in the development, growth, and function of lymphoid tissue and in the maintenance of immune balance has now been fully recognized [30]. Investigations on in vivo and in vitro effects of thymic extracts [43] and the effect of thymus grafts in cell-impermeable millipore diffusion chambers [5, 40, 41, 46, 51, 56] have helped to establish the endocrine function of the thymus. As shown in Fig. 1, ongoing studies by us and by others have suggested that the lack of adequate production and utilization of thymic factors causes an immune imbalance and may contribute to the etiology of many diseases.
Fine structure constant derived from the electron g-2 with the QED theory up to the tenth-order

This paper reports an improved value of the fine structure constant α derived from the measurement of the electron magnetic moment and the theoretical calculation in QED up to the tenth order. The preliminary result of the new evaluation is α−1 (new) = 137.035 999 173 3 (344) [0.251 ppb].
Maternal dietary exposure to fiber during pregnancy and mammary tumorigenesis among rat offspring

Maternal diet during pregnancy has been proposed to modify female offspring's later susceptibility to develop breast cancer; however, most of the dietary factors identified thus far have led to increased risk. To identify dietary factors that might reduce offspring's breast cancer risk, pregnant rat dams were fed diets containing 6% fiber originating either from cellulose (control), or oat, whole wheat or defatted flax flour. At birth, dams were switched to the AIN93 semi-purified diet. Mammary tumor incidence and multiplicity, induced by administering the offspring 5 mg 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) at the age of 50 days, was reduced in the whole wheat flour-exposed offspring and increased in the defatted flax-exposed offspring. To identify the mechanisms mediating the effects of in utero dietary exposures, changes in mammary gland morphology and gene expression were assessed before puberty onset (3 weeks of age) and at the time rats are most susceptible to malignant transformation (8 weeks of age). The number of terminal end buds (TEBs), i.e., the targets of malignant transformation, was reduced in the mammary glands of whole wheat- and oat flour-exposed offspring, as compared to the controls. Further, the number of apoptotic epithelial cells (based on ISOL assay) was elevated in the whole wheat flour offspring, but no changes in cell proliferation (PCNA), estrogen receptor α (ER-α) or cyclin D1 mRNA or protein levels were seen. The mRNA and/or protein levels of BRCA1 and p53 were significantly increased in the mammary glands of whole wheat flour offspring. Further, the levels of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of DNA damage, were significantly reduced in these rats, suggesting that maternal dietary exposure to whole wheat during pregnancy may reduce offspring's breast cancer risk by improving DNA damage repair mechanisms. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dipole-induced, thermally stable lamellar structure by polar aromatic silane

Controlled self-assembly of polar aromatic silane leads to the formation of well-ordered lamellar structures. Graphite-like features are clearly visible with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). I...
Control of ecdysis by heat in Manduca sexta

Under constant-light conditions, adult Manduca sexta emerge approximately 5 hr after the middle of a 3 hr 3°C heat pulse. The insects can be entrained to a heat cycle in 3 days. Entrainment will decrease at approximately the same rate. Photic signals can modify the precision of the response but, when the insects are presented with conflicting photic and thermal signals, they respond to the thermal signal. During the 3 days of entrainment, the insects appear to hasten the time of eclosion as much as 6 hr to meet the thermal cycle, but the degeneration of the intersegmental muscles is not similarly hastened. The technique described can be applied to various physiological and behavioural studies.
Complex Transformation of the kasner metric

It is known that distinct solutions of the vacuum Einstein equations may be related by complex coordinate transformations. In particular, there is the class of simple transformations where two or more coordinates are merely made imaginary as, e.g.,t → io and o →it. There also exist substantially more complicated forms of this type of transformation. In particular, it is possible to show that two distinct members of the family of Kasner metrics are so related. These are the Bianchi I and the Weyl W-2 metrics. It is convenient to refer to solutions so related ascomplex analogues.
Examination of the bactericidal and opsonic activity of normal human serum for a mucoid and nonmucoid strain ofPseudomonas aeruginosa

The bactericidal and opsonic activity of fresh human serum (FHS) for a mucoid strain ofPseudomonas aeruginosa, 144M, and its spontaneous nonmucoid revertant, 144NM, was examined. Strain 144M was sensitive to the bactericidal activity of FHS, but strain 144NM was not. This bactericidal activity was due to the combined interaction of IgG and IgM with complement, activated through both pathways. Neither 144M nor 144NM was ingested by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) without FHS. Whereas maximal phagocytosis of 144M required only 5% FHS, comparable ingestion of 144NM required 25% FHS. Maximal phagocytosis of either 144M or 144NM required IgG, IgM, and complement. However, 144M required a heat-sensitive opsonic IgG, whereas 144NM required a heat-resistant IgG. Using selective absorption techniques, the targets for bactericidal and opsonic immunoglobulins on 144M and 144NM appeared to be different, suggesting that the variant 144NM had one or more altered, absent, or inaccessible cell surface components that account for differences in response to FHS and PMNL.
The Architecture of Race in American Immigration Law: A Reexamination of the Immigration Act of 1924

Congress had mandated the board to allocate the quotas under the Immigration Act of 1924. The analysis of the Immigration Act of 1924 suggests that immigration law and policy were deeply implicated in a broader racial and ethnic remapping of the nation during the 1920s, a remapping that took place in mutually constituting realms of demography, economics, and law. The chapter argues that the Immigration Act of 1924 comprised a constellation of reconstructed racial categories, in which race and nationality—concepts that had been loosely conflated since the nineteenth century—disaggregated and realigned in new and uneven ways. Thus the invention of national origins and unassimilable races was as much a project of state building as it was one of ideology. Sollors's view of ethnicity as a "pseudo-historical" concept triggered by "the specificity of power relations at a given historical moment" fits well the notion of immigration quotas based on national origin.
RANKL Inhibition Through Osteoprotegerin Blocks Bone Loss in Experimental Periodontitis

Background: Prevention of alveolar bone destruction is a clinical challenge in periodontal disease treatment. The receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) inhibitor osteoprotegerin (OPG) inhibits osteoclastogenesis and suppresses bone resorption.Methods: To study the effects of RANKL inhibition on alveolar bone loss, an experimental ligature-induced model of periodontitis was used. A total of 32 rats were administered human OPG-Fc fusion protein (10 mg/kg) or vehicle by subcutaneous delivery twice weekly for 6 weeks. Negative or positive controls received no treatment or disease through vehicle delivery, respectively. Biopsies were harvested after 3 and 6 weeks, and mandibulae were evaluated by microcomputed tomography (μCT) and histology. Serum levels of human OPG-Fc and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b (TRAP-5b) were measured throughout the study by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analyses included analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey tests.Results: Huma...
Roles of charged residues in the conserved motif, G-X-X-X-D/E-R/K-X-G-[X]-R/K-R/K, of the lactose permease of Escherichia coli

The lactose permease is a polytopic membrane protein that has a duplicated conserved motif, GXXX(D/E)(R/K)XG[X](R/K)(R/K), located in cytoplasmic loops 2/3 and 8/9. In the current study, the roles of the basic residues and the acidic residue were investigated in greater detail. Neutral substitutions of two positive charges in loop 2/3 were tolerated, while a triple mutant resulted in a complete loss of expression. Neutral substitutions of a basic residue in loop 8/9 (i.e., K289I) also diminished protein stability. By comparison, neutral substitutions affecting the negative charge in loop 2/3 had normal levels of expression, but were defective in transport. A double mutant (D68T/N284D), in which the aspartate of loop 2/3 was moved to loop 8/9, did not have appreciable activity, indicating that the negative charge in the conserved motif could not be placed in loop 8/9 to recover lactose transport activity. An analysis of site-directed mutants in loop 7/8 and loop 8/9 indicated that an alteration in the charge distribution across transmembrane segment 8 was not sufficient to alleviate a defect caused by the loss of a negative charge in loop 2/3. To further explore this phenomenon, the double mutant, D68T/N284D, was used as a parental strain to isolate suppressor mutations which restored function. One mutant was obtained in which an acidic residue in loop 11/12 was changed to a basic residue (i.e., Glu-374 → Lys). Overall, the results of this study suggest that the basic residues in the conserved motif play a role in protein insertion and/or stability, and that the negative charge plays a role in conformational changes.
Outcome of Child Psychotherapy as a Function of Frequency of Session

Two main questions are addressed: What is the impact of frequency of psychotherapeutic session on the rate of improvement in reading of children referred for a learning disturbance, and do children seen more frequently as opposed to once a week, show a differential development on a number of indices of personality functioning? It was found that children seen more frequently as opposed to once a week, showed a greater rate of improvement in reading in the year after the end of treatment and were in particular characterized by being more flexible in their adaptation and having a greater capacity for relationships at both the end and a year after the end of treatment.
Hemodynamic effects of calcium channel and β-receptor antagonists: Evaluation by Doppler echocardiography

To evaluate the ability of Doppler echocardiography to identify hemodynamic changes due to cardiac medications, 10 volunteers underwent Doppler examination at rest and immediately following vigorous treadmill exercise. Upon completion of the control test, each subject received moderate oral doses of propranolol, verapamil, pindolol, or nifedipine, and the same exercise protocol was repeated. During four control tests, values for peak acceleration and flow velocity integral were similar for each subject at rest and exercise. Following propranolol and pindolol, resting acceleration fell by 4.5 and 2 m/sec2, respectivelyp < 0.05. Resting acceleration was unchanged by verapamil and increased following nifedipine by 1.7 m/sec2 (p < 0.05). At maximum exertion, propranolol and pindolol each depressed acceleration 22 m/sec2 (p < 0.0001), but neither verapamil nor nifedipine altered either Doppler parameter. Flow velocity integral was increased by nifedipine at rest and by each of the β-blockers during exercise (p < 0.05). We conclude that (1) rest and exercise Doppler measurements are stable and reproducible, given stable cardiovascular status; (2) pindolol produced less hemodynamic depression as measured by Doppler echocardiography at rest relative to propranolol, but showed similar potency at maximal exertion; (3) nifedipine enhanced global cardiac performance at rest, but neither calcium antagonist affected Doppler measurements during exercise; and (4) Doppler echocardiography is a useful, noninvasive technique for evaluating hemodynamic effects of medication at rest and during vigorous exercise.
Analysis of the stoichiometric metal activation of methionine aminopeptidase

Methionine aminopeptidase (MetAP) is a ubiquitous enzyme required for cell survival and an attractive target for antibacterial and anticancer drug development. The number of a divalent metal required for catalysis is under intense debate. E. coli MetAP was shown to be fully active with one equivalent of metal by graphical analysis, but it was inferred to require at least two metals by a Hill equation model. Herein, we report a mathematical model and detailed analysis of the stoichiometric activation of MetAP by metal cofactors. Because of diverging results with significant implications in drug discovery, the experimental titration curve for Co2+ activating MetAP was analyzed by fitting with a multiple independent binding sites (MIBS) model, and the quality of the fitting was compared to that of the Hill equation. The fitting by the MIBS model was clearly superior and indicated that complete activity is observed at a one metal to one protein ratio. The shape of the titration curve was also examined for activation of metalloenzymes in general by one or two metals. Considering different scenarios of MetAP activation by one or two metal ions, it is concluded that E. coli MetAP is fully active as a monometalated enzyme. Our approach can be of value in proper determination of the number of cations needed for catalysis by metalloenzymes.
Phase relations of ternary compounds in the BaFeS system

Abstract The phase relations of the ternary phases at 900 and 700°C were determined by heating mixtures in the regions BaSFeSFeS2 and FeFeSBaS and identifying the products by powder X-ray diffraction. The stable ternary phases at 900°C are BaFe2S3, Ba2FeS3, Ba6Fe8S15, a solid solution BaFeS2Ba7Fe6S14, Ba2FeS4, the infinitely adaptive series Ba 3 Fe 1+x S 5 , 1 3 ≤ x ≤ 2 5 , and Ba9Fe16S32 which belongs to the infinitely adaptive series Ba1+xFe2S4. At 700°C the stable ternary phases are: BaFe2S3, Ba2FeS3, BaFeS2Ba7Fe6S14 (solid solution), Ba6Fe8S15, Ba2FeS4, Ba5Fe4S11, and two infinitely adaptive series: Ba3Fe1+xS5 and Ba1+xFe2S4. A stable ternary phase at 700 and 900°C with probable composition Ba2Fe4S5 was found in the FeFeSBaS section.
Competence and psychopathology: Cascade effects in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development

Existing longitudinal research on the interplay between externalizing problems, internalizing problems, and academic and social competence has documented "cascading" effects from early aggressive/disruptive behavior through impairments in competence, leading to symptoms of depression and anxiety. The primary aim of the current study was to replicate such work using the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development while also extending the developmental window of investigation of cascades back into early childhood. Participating families (N = 1,160) completed questionnaire measures of externalizing, internalizing, and social competence (maternal report), as well as individual assessment of academic achievement, spanning five time points from age 54 months through age 15 years. A series of nested structural equation models tested predicted links across various domains of competence and psychopathology. Results were consistent with prior research, demonstrating cross-domain effects from early externalizing problems through effects on both academic and social competence into later internalizing problems. Effects held across gender and were largely unaffected by inclusion of socioeconomic status, early caregiving, and early cognitive ability as covariates in the model.
Citation Characteristics and Intellectual Acceptance of Scholarly Monographs

The present study investigates citations to 750 randomly selected scholarly monographs in disciplines of religion, history, psychology, economics, mathematics, and physics. The objective of the study is to understand distributions of citations to scholarly monographs in various disciplines, to explore disciplinary difference in the citing of books, and to compare citations to monographs with previous results on citations to journal articles. The data revealed interesting citation patterns and aging effects that are in several aspects different from citation data based on the journal literature. While the distribution trend of monographic uncitedness is similar to that of journals across the disciplines, the noncitation ratios are much lower than what has been reported about journal citations. Half-life measures of scientific monographs are greater than those in the humanities and social sciences; this contradicts previous findings. Citation frequency and Price's Index vary from discipline to discipline, and the most significant linear contract occurred between disciplines of religion, history, and economics as one group and psychology, mathematics, and physics as another. When using periods of intellectual acceptance as the unit of analysis, significant disciplinary differences emerged both in terms of citation frequency and the number of books cited. Significant differences also appeared between earlier periods of intellectual acceptance that are within the first 10 years following the original publication year and longer ages of survival that are beyond 10 years.
Neo-Humanistic Economics: A Comment*

(1986). Neo-Humanistic Economics: A Comment* Review of Social Economy: Vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 183-187.
Water Diffusion In And Out Of The β-Barrel Of GFP and The Fast Maturing Fluorescent Protein, TurboGFP

Abstract The chromophore of fluorescent proteins is formed by an internal cyclization of the tripeptide 65SYG67 fragment and a subsequent oxidation. The oxidation is slow – the kinetics of this step is presumably improved in fast maturing GFPs. Water molecules can aid in the chromophore formation. We have used 50 ns molecular dynamics simulations of the mature and immature forms of avGFP and TurboGFP to examine the diffusion of water molecules in-and-out of the protein β-barrel. Most crystal structures of GFPs have well-structured waters within hydrogen-bonding distance of Glu222 and Arg96. It has been proposed that they have an important role in chromophore formation. Stable waters are found in similar positions in all simulations conducted. The simulations confirm the existence of a pore that leads to the chromophore in the rapidly maturing TurboGFP; decreased water diffusion upon chromophore formation; and increased water diffusion due to the pore formation.
Shear-Wave Splitting and Mantle Flow beneath the Colorado Plateau and Its Boundary with the Great Basin

Shear-wave splitting measurements from SKS and SKKS phases show fast polarization azimuths that are subparallel to North American absolute plate motion within the central Rio Grande Rift (RGR) and Colorado Plateau (CP) through to the western rim of the CP, with anisotropy beneath the CP and central RGR showing a remarkably consistent pattern with a mean fast azimuth of 40°±6° E of N. Approaching the rim from the southeast, fast anisotropic directions become north-northeast–south-southwest (NNE-SSW), rotate counter clockwise to north–south in the CP-GB transition, and then to NNW-SSE in the western Great Basin (GB). This change is coincident with uppermost mantle S -wave velocity perturbations that vary from +4% beneath the western CP and the eastern edge of the Marysvale volcanic field to about -8% beneath the GB. Corresponding delay times average 1.5 sec beneath the central CP, decrease to approximately 0.8 sec near the CP-GB transition, and increase to about 1.2 sec beneath the GB. For the central CP, we suggest anisotropy predominantly controlled by North American plate motion above the asthenosphere. The observed pattern of westward-rotating anisotropy from the western CP through the CP-GB transition may be influenced to asthenospheric flow around a CP lithospheric keel and/or by vertical flow arising from edge-driven small-scale convection. The anisotropic transition from the CP to the GB thus marks a first-order change from absolute plate motion dominated lithosphere-asthenosphere shear to a new regime controlled by regional flow processes. The NNW-SSE anisotropic fast directions of split SKS waves in the eastern GB area are part of a broad circular pattern of seismic anisotropic fast direction in the central GB that has recently been hypothesized to be due to toroidal flow around the sinking Juan de Fuca–Gorda slab.