cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Return to the Source: Asres Yenesew and the West:

This paper discusses the ideas of Asres Yenesew, who was a leading clerical scholar during Haile Selassie’s reign. Frustrated by the marginalization of Ethiopia despite the preservation of its independence, Asres identifies the introduction of Western education as the main culprit and derives the economic satellization of Ethiopia from the cultural ascendancy of the West. As a remedy, he proposes a return to the source by which alone Ethiopia can again recenter itself and make choices in accordance to its interests. He supports his proposal by expounding the empowering forces of some important components of the traditional system of social organization and cultural beliefs. The paper underlines the revolutionary message of Asres’s discourse, but also shows how the timidity of his political stand singularly diminished its resonance.
Which Birds of a Feather Flock Together? Assessing Attitudes About Descriptive Representation Among Latinos and Asian Americans

This study assesses preferences for descriptive representation among Latinos and Asian Americans. The findings are consistent across data sets, measurement strategies, and panethnic groups: Latinos...
Improving the Long-Term Care Referral Process: Insights From Patients and Caregivers

Large increases in the need for long-term care (LTC) services are expected as baby boomers age. Little has been published about patient and caregiver preferences for information about LTC. However, our qualitative research findings suggest that potential consumers may find it difficult to obtain accurate and timely information about LTC programs and services. In-person, semistructured interviews were conducted with 47 subjects, including patients (n = 25) within 90 days of their referral to a LTC placement (including NH, assisted living, home care, and community) and their caregivers (n = 22). Interview questions addressed the events that seemed to trigger their need for a LTC referral, the resources they used to become more informed about LTC options and the issues they confronted with the LTC referral process. Qualitative analyses identified a number of patient and informal caregiver-reported barriers to making decisions about LTC services, including insufficient information about LTC programs and community resources, unclear funding requirements and inadequate funding, and difficulty knowing how to plan for LTC or make LTC decisions. A potential solution may be an online LTC Guide designed to provide accurate information about the range of LTC services, with an emphasis on home and community-based services. This Guide was developed to address the gap in comprehensive LTC information identified in the findings of this study.
Surviving starvation: essential role of the ghrelin-growth hormone axis

Chronic starvation is a repeated threat to survival of animals of all species. Indeed, about 15% of the current human population is estimated to suffer from severe malnutrition, and one-half of all deaths in children less than 5 years of age (~6 million deaths per year) arise from malnutrition. Over the centuries, starvation has exerted profound evolutionary pressure that has selected for a variety of adaptive mechanisms to support life. Paramount among these mechanisms is the necessity to maintain blood sugar concentrations sufficient for brain function. The adaptive mechanisms are particularly strained when chronic starvation has depleted the body of its other source of energy – namely, fatty acids stored as triglycerides. Recently, our laboratory has begun to study the adaptation to chronic starvation, focusing on the essential roles of two peptide hormones, ghrelin and growth hormone. Ghrelin, a peptide hormone secreted by neuroendocrine cells in the stomach, was identified in 1999 by Kojima and Kangawa by its ability to stimulate release of growth hormone. In rodents and humans, plasma ghrelin rises before meals and declines after eating. Administration of excess ghrelin increases food intake, but knockout mice lacking ghrelin or its receptor have normal weight. Therefore, the true function of ghrelin has been enigmatic. Ghrelin is unique in that it requires a covalently attached 8-carbon fatty acid for activity, a modification conserved in all vertebrates. We identified ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT), the enzyme that attaches octanoate to ghrelin. GOAT knockout mice cannot produce active ghrelin. Like ghrelin knockouts, GOAT knockouts have normal body weight. When these knockout mice are placed on a 60% calorie-restricted diet for 8 days, they are unable to maintain normal blood glucose and die. Restoration of ghrelin or growth hormone prevents death. Thus, ghrelin maintains blood glucose under conditions of severe calorie restriction, a function essential for survival in chronically starved rodents. Recent data on the mechanism by which the ghrelin-growth hormone axis preserves blood glucose will be presented.
Split-shot sinker facilitates seton treatment of anal fistulae.

Objective The cutting seton is an inexpensive and effective method of treating high complex perianal fistulae. Following placement of the seton, advancement through the external sphincter muscles requires progressive tightening of the seton. The requirement for maintaining the appropriate tension and onset of perianal pressure necrosis are problems frequently encountered using this technique. Method Using a 3-0 polypropylene suture, a red-rubber catheter, and a nontoxic tin split-shot sinker, we minimized or eliminated these problems. Results We initially used this technique in one patient with satisfactory results. Conclusion This technique is technically easy, safe, inexpensive, and efficient, and we are using it in all patients with high perianal fistulae who require a seton.
Phone calls and fax machines: The limits to globalization

The grand rhetoric about “global communications” begins to look a little flimsy when compared to the real facts about international telephone calling. It has not exploded in recent years, and it has not become truly global.
A one-step procedure for the determination of protein kinase activities and a protein kinase inhibitor in nuclear extract.

Abstract An isoelectric focusing procedure has been developed that achieves the complete separation of an inhibitor protein from its target enzymes, the nuclear protein kinases, in a one-step operation. The method thus enables one to estimate the amount of inhibitory activity in nuclear extracts, an activity that can not be measured in the presence of the protein kinases. Using this procedure, we have determined the apparent and the actual protein kinase activities in nuclear extracts of rat liver and of two transplantable rat hepatomas by two independent measurements: (a) the increase in protein kinase activity upon separation of the enzyme(s) from the inhibitor, relative to the activity in the crude extracts which was taken as 100%; (b) the inhibitory activity of the pooled focused inhibitor fractions. The amount of cryptic enzyme activity closely correlated with the amount of inhibitor present in extracts from different tissues. Considerably less cryptic kinase activity was found in the tumor nuclei than in liver which may account, at least in part, for the higher phosphorylating capacity previously observed in hepatoma.
Chemistry of Pentaborane(9). A Review

The chemistry of pentaborane(9) (B5H9) is reviewed on work reported since 1981. All aspects of its synthesis, reactivity, NMR spectroscopy as well as most its important derivatives including metallaboranes and linked B5 cages are presented and discussed. A review with 60 references.
Building high-performance chemically amplified resists with polymer blends

The greatly compressed resist development cycle and the explosion of the number of resists at a specific lithographic wavelength have necessitated a hastened pace in developing high-performance resists. Traditionally, high- performance chemically amplified resists have been developed by copolymerization of monomers with various functionalities to achieve the desired properties. This approach, while immensely successful, however suffers from long lead times to deliver successful products to the markplace. In this paper, we report a more rapid approach to developing high- performance chemically amplified resists by blending different polymers with complementary properties. As a model system, a 248nm negative-tone bilayer resist has been demonstrated based on acid catalyzed cross-linking of blends of silicon-containing polymers with a non-silicon-containing polymer. The silicon-containing polymers and the non- silicon-containing polymer used were poly(p- hydroxybenzylsilesquioxane-co-p-methoxybenzylsilsesquioxane) (PHBS/MBS), poly(p-hydroxyphenylethylsilesquioxane-co-t- butylsilsesquioxane)(PHPES/BS) and poly(p- hydroxystyrene)(PHS), respectively. The resist based on this simple polymer blend approach has achieved lithographic performance comparable to that based on more elaborate copolymers that require time-consuming synthetic optimization. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to probe the properties of the polymer blends and the resist. DSC results suggested that PHBS/MSB and PHS are miscible throughout the entire composition range. Addition of the phenolic polymer into the silicon-containing polymer dramatically improves the lithographic performance of the bilayer resist. This improvement in lithographic performance is attributed to the enhancement of thermal properties (i.e. glass transition temperature), the modulation of dissolution properties, and more cross-linkable sites for the acid catalyzed cross-linking. O 2 RIE etch selectivity of the blends vs. and organic underlayer increases with increasing concentration of the silicon-containing polymer in the blends. The present approach could also be applied to developing other high-performance resists more swiftly at other lithographic wavelengths.
Malaria: Protein-export pathway illuminated.

Two studies provide evidence that the protein complex PTEX is needed for export of malaria-parasite proteins into the cytoplasm of infected cells, and that such export is essential for parasite survival. See Letters p.587 & p.592 The malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, infects and remodels the host's red blood cells, a process that requires the export of hundreds of proteins into the cytosol. This a considerable topological feat, as the parasite initially resides in a compartment known as the parasitophorous vacuole. A protein complex known as PTEX (Plasmodium translocon of exported proteins) was thought to be involved in this process, but evidence of function was circumstantial and indirect. Two reports in this issue of Nature use contrasting techniques to demonstrate that PTEX is essential for the export of malaria parasite proteins into the cytoplasm of infected cells, and that such export is essential for the parasite's life cycle. Brendan Elsworth et al. generated conditional mutants of PTEX components HSP101 and PTEX150, and show that when PTEX function is perturbed the export of proteins including the major virulence factor PfEMP1 is much reduced. Josh Beck et al. use an innovative dihydrofolate reductase based destabilization domain approach to inactivate the HSP101 and show that it is needed for the secretion of all classes of exported malarial proteins.
Solution structure of molybdic acid from Raman spectroscopy and DFT analysis

Abstract Protonation of MoO 4 2 - produces the well-characterized polymolybdates, but at concentrations below 10 −3 M the dominant species is monomeric molybdic acid, H 2 MoO 4 . It is likely to be the species adsorbed on manganese oxide, a process thought to control MoO 4 2 - levels in the ocean, because of the strong proton dependence of MoO 4 2 - adsorption. The molecular structure of H 2 MoO 4 is elusive, since it occurs only in dilute solutions. Using 244 nm laser excitation, near resonance with O → Mo charge-transfer electronic transitions of H 2 MoO 4 , we have detected a 919 cm −1 Raman band assignable to ν s Mo O. Using DFT, we have computed geometries and vibrational modes for the various structures consistent with the H 2 MoO 4 formula. We tested the computations on a series of Mo(VI) oxo complexes with known vibrational frequencies, at several levels of theory. Best agreement with experimental values, at reasonable computational cost, was obtained with the B3LYP functional, employing a LANL2DZ ECP basis set for Mo and the 6-311+G(2df,p) basis set for O and H. Among the possible H 2 MoO 4 structures only those based on the MoO 3 unit, with one, two or three coordinated water molecules, gave a scaled frequency for ν s Mo O that was within two standard deviations of 919 cm −1 . Best agreement was obtained for MoO 3 (H 2 O) 3 . The MoO 2 and MoO structures gave frequencies that were too high. The Mo(OH) 6 structure could be excluded, because its vibrational frequencies shift down strongly upon H/D exchange, whereas the 919 cm −1 H 2 MoO 4 band shifts up 1 cm −1 in D 2 O.
Face-fly pest intensity, fly-avoidance behavior (bunching) and grazing time in Holstein heifers

Abstract The relationship between face-fly (Diptera: Muscidae) feeding, fly-avoidance behavior (bunching), and grazing time (monitored by vibracorder units) was examined in herds of Holstein heifers either exposed to ambient pest intensity or treated to suppress fly-feeding. The data show that the number and duration of bunching episodes was significantly greater in herds exposed to ambient face-fly activity; also, positive correlations were observed between pest intensity and the number and duration of bunching episodes. Heifers with faces protected by bunching were exposed to significantly fewer flies than heifers prior to bunching or on the periphery of the aggregation. Total grazing time did not differ between herds, and there was little difference in diel grazing patterns, which suggests that bunching represents modified non-grazing behavior rather than displaced grazing time.
Consecutive-night reliability of portable nocturnal penile tumescence monitor

Consecutive-night reliability of nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) was determined in 77 patients, including 47 normal controls (NC), 16 patients with end stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis (ESRD), and 14 patients with chronic illnesses but normal renal functioning (CI). A portable NPT monitor was used in a clinical research ward setting. Since there is not yet widespread agreement as to the clinically most relevant NPT response criteria, three were examined: the proportion of sleep time during which an erection of a given penile circumference change was maintained, the maximum penile circumference change obtained, and the number of erections per night of a given penile circumference change. For all three response criteria in each of the three populations the consecutive-night correlation of results was statistically significant, suggesting that portable NPT has consecutive-night reliability.
Surfactant Adsorption and Interfacial Tension Investigations on Cyclopentane Hydrate

Gas hydrates represent an unconventional methane resource and a production/safety risk to traditional oil and gas flowlines. In both systems, hydrate may share interfaces with both aqueous and hydrocarbon fluids. To accurately model macroscopic properties, such as relative permeability in unconventional systems or dispersion viscosity in traditional systems, knowledge of hydrate interfacial properties is required. This work presents hydrate cohesive force results measured on a micromechanical force apparatus, and complementary water–hydrocarbon interfacial tension data. By combining a revised cohesive force model with experimental data, two interfacial properties of cyclopentane hydrate were estimated: hydrate–water and hydrate–cyclopentane interfacial tension values at 0.32 ± 0.05 mN/m and 47 ± 5 mN/m, respectively. These fundamental physiochemical properties have not been estimated or measured for cyclopentane hydrate to date. The addition of surfactants in the cyclopentane phase significantly reduced t...
Modelling blue shift in moonlit scenes using rod cone interaction

Moonlit night scenes have a tinge of blue. Earlier work to model this perceptual effect has been statistical in nature; often based on unreliable measurements of blueness in paintings of moonlit night scenes. Needless to say there is a need of a more reliable and accurate model. We present a model based on the physiological functioning of the retina and how the rod and cone cells in the retina interact in moonlight conditions to generate the perception of blue. All model components are derived from published quantitative measurements from physiology, psychophysics, color science, and photography. CR Categories: I.3.3 [Computer Graphics]: Picture/image generation – Display algorithms; I.4.3 [Image Processing and Computer Vision]: Enhancement – Filtering.
Microsurgical anatomy of the cochlear nuclei.

Objective The dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei are exposed when treating lesions involving the fourth ventricle and the cerebellopontine angle. Precisely locating the nuclei is important in the placement of the auditory brainstem implantation and in intraoperative monitoring of auditory evoked potentials. This study examined the microsurgical anatomy of the cochlear nuclei. Methods The relationships and the surgical approaches to the nuclei were examined in 20 formalin-fixed specimens with the aid of an operating microscope. Results The dorsal cochlear nucleus is located in the floor of the lateral recess of the fourth ventricle on the posterior surface of the inferior cerebellar peduncle where it produces a prominence, the auditory tubercle. The ventral cochlear nucleus is positioned on the lateral surface of the inferior cerebellar peduncle where it often straddles the anterior edge of the foramen of Luschka at the junction of the lateral recess and cerebellopontine angle and produces less of a prominence on the surface of the brainstem than on the dorsal nucleus. Conclusion Both the dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei can be exposed after opening the foramen of Luschka and the lateral recess of the fourth ventricle by the retrosigmoid or translabyrinthine approach. The dorsal cochlear nucleus is positioned so that it would be damaged by a tumor within or approaches to the floor of the lateral recess. The ventral cochlear nucleus is positioned so that it would be vulnerable to damage by tumors within or operative approaches to the cerebellopontine angle. The dorsal cochlear nucleus and the adjacent intraventricular part of the ventral cochlear nucleus have anatomic characteristics that make them the preferable site of placement for the auditory brain stem implant.
Formalism and contemporary economics: A reply to Hausman, Heilbroner, and Mayer

Abstract Economic formalism crowds out the analysis of change and adjustments to change under capitalism. The style of analytical narrative that was practiced by the first generation of neoclassical economists, in contrast, is more productive of genuine economic understanding. Despite Daniel Haus‐man's challenging argument to the contrary, I maintain that Joseph Stiglitz's work is formalist at its core. While I agree with Robert Heilbroner's critique of contemporary economics, there is a limited sense in which nonformalist economics can rely on universalistic assumptions. And Thomas Mayer has provided useful guidelines for focusing nonformalist analysis on real‐world economic problems.
A study of the relationship between the visual system and the effects of d-amphetamine

Abstract The observed stimulant effect of d-amphetamine as measured by cage activity in the nocturnal animal is at least partially due to the drugs reducing the activity suppressing effect of illumination. The drug had its greatest effect in combination with a lesion of the superior colliculus.
Vanadium Oxide Based Nanostructured Materials: Novel Oxidative Dehydrogenation Catalysts

Novel vanadium oxide based catalyst derived from the open-framework solid, [Co3V18O42(H2O)12(XO4)]·24 H2O (X = V, S) (1) catalyses oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propylene. Catalyst activity was evaluated in the temperature range 250–400 °C with varying gas hourly space velocity (GHSV). At 350 °C and GHSV of 9786 h−1 and at 1.3% propane conversion the selectivity to propylene was 36.8%. The major products obtained were propylene and CO x (CO2 and CO). The ratio of the propylene to CO x depended directly on the catalytic sites present. Thus, as the amount of the catalyst was decreased, the conversion decreased with an increase in the propylene selectivity and a decrease in the selectivity to carbon oxides—CO x . The catalyst has been characterized by temperature programmed reduction and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS).
Early investigational drugs for hearing loss

Introduction: Sensorineural hearing loss (HL) is becoming a global phenomenon at an alarming rate. Nearly 600 million people have been estimated to have significant HL in at least one ear. There are several different causes of sensorineural HL included in this review of new investigational drugs for HL. They are noise-induced, drug-induced, sudden sensorineural HL, presbycusis and HL due to cytomegalovirus infections.Areas covered: This review presents trends in research for new investigational drugs encompassing a variety of causes of HL. The studies presented here are the latest developments either in the research laboratories or in preclinical, Phase 0, Phase I or Phase II clinical trials for drugs targeting HL.Expert opinion: While it is important that prophylactic measures are developed, it is extremely crucial that rescue strategies for unexpected or unavoidable cochlear insult be established. To achieve this goal for the development of drugs for HL, innovative strategies and extensive testing are r...
Analysing the metabolic capabilities of Desulfovibrio species through genetic manipulation.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are an environmentallysignificant group belonging to the anaerobic delta-Proteobacteria thatrespire sulfate for growth. From an industrial stand point, SRB pose athreat through corrosion of ferrous metals and production of toxicsulfides. The more positive aspects of the metabolism of the SRB includea robust but poorly understood hydrogen metabolism that is of interest toalternative energy studies. SRB also immobilize a number of heavy metalsthrough sulfide precipitation or through changing the redox state of themetal and thus its solubility. When metals are made less soluble, as isthe case with chromium (Cr(VI) to Cr(III)) or uranium (U(VI) to U(IV)),toxicity is reduced by limiting biological availability. Despite theeconomic and environmental impacts associated with SRB activities, ourcurrent knowledge of their metabolism is inadequate. Among the SRB,members of the Desulfovibrio genus have received most attention becausethese strains are most readily grown in pure culture. Therefore,Desulfovibrio strains have been the focus of biochemical and biophysicalanalyses, however, genetic studies have been more difficult. Over thelast 15 years, progress has been made in developing techniques for DNAtransformation, gene mutagenesis and over expression, and proteintagging. Since the last genetics of SRB review by van Dongen, 10 yearshave passed (van Dongen, 1995) and the complete genome sequences of amore » fewstrains are now available (Heidelberg, et al., 2004). This reviewhighlights the current advances in the genetic manipulation ofDesulfovibrio species and the potential use of these tools inunderstanding the metabolism of sulfate reducers for biotechnologicalpurposes.« less
Molecular Dynamics Analysis of Structural Factors Influencing Back Door Pi Release in Myosin

The back door has been proposed to be an exit pathway from the myosin active site for phosphate (Pi) generated by adenosine 5′-triphosphate hydrolysis. We used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interaction of Pi with the back door and the plausibility of Pi release via this route. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed on the Dictyostelium motor domain with bound Mg·adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP) and Pi, modeled upon the Mg·ADP·BeFx and Mg·ADP·Vi structures. Simulations revealed that the relaxation of ADP and free Pi from their initial positions reduced the diameter of the back door via motions of switch 1 and switch 2 located in the upper and lower 50-kDa subdomains, respectively. In neither simulation could Pi freely diffuse out the back door. Water molecules, however, could flux through the back door in the Mg·ADP·BeFx-based simulation but not in the Mg·ADP·Vi-based simulation. In neither structure was water observed fluxing through the main (front door) entrance. These observations suggest that the ability of Pi to leave via the back door is linked tightly to conformational changes between the upper and lower 50-kDa subdomains. The simulations offer structural explanations for 18O-exchange with Pi at the active site, and Pi release being the rate-limiting step in the myosin adenosine 5′-triphosphatase.
Observations of New, Large and Stable Abyssal Currents at Midlatitudes along 165°E

Abstract Unexpectedly large and stable abyssal mean flow have recently been observed along 165°E, between 31° and 41°N. These results are based on two deployments of a moored array for approximately a year each. Time-averaged currents at 4000 m are about 5 ± 0.5 cm s−1 to the southwest near 41°N and 6 ± 0.9 cm s−1 to the northwest near 33°N, on opposite of the Kuroshio Extension. These mean flows were reproduced between array deployments to within a fraction of a cm s−1 and few degrees (True). At 41°N the abyssal mean kinetic energy is several times larger than eddy kinetic energy so that the flow visually does not reverse. At 33°N, near the southern edge of the Kuroshio Extension, the abyssal mean and eddy fields are of roughly the same amplitude. These result along 165°E are in contrast to similar observations along 152°E, where the abyssal zonal mean flows are notably less stable than at 165°E. However, estimates of the latitudinal and two-years averaged zonal flow components are approximately the same...
Women, Meaning Making and Lifestyle Change after a Cardiac Event.

Many US women have had or will experience a cardiac event and little is known about their learning experiences associated with subsequent lifestyle change. In this qualitative study, the researcher examined the experiential learning of 22 women who made lifestyle changes after a cardiac event. Meaning making experiences were examined for influence in changing behaviour, self-perception and outlook. The researcher identified findings which indicate that prior experiences, the cardiac event itself, post-event experiences and reflection helped facilitate lifestyle change, changes in self-perception and the incorporation of advocacy. Implications of the study include attendance to pre- and post-experiences and that the cardiac event itself provides a foundation for making changes and developing new ways of living with heart disease.
Differentiating anomalous left main coronary artery originating from the pulmonary artery in infants from myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy by electrocardiogram.

Abstract Anomalous left main coronary artery (ALMCA) originating from the pulmonary artery is an important cause of morbidity from heart failure and mortality in infants. Discriminating ALMCA from myocarditis or other forms of dilated cardiomyopathy (DC) in infants is critical for proper early management of this treatable disease. This study was performed to characterize electrocardiographic (ECG).patterns in infants with ALMCA, and to identify features that would allow differentiation of these infants from those with myocarditis/DC. Presenting electrocardiograms from 28 patients with ALMCA t test, Fisher's exact test, and discriminant analysis using stepwise logistic regression techniques. ECG findings characteristic of infants with ALMCA were confirmed, including deep (≽3 mm) and wide (≽30 ms) Q waves and a QR pattern in at least 1 of the following leads: I, aVL, V 5 to V 7 . Also, the complete absence of Q waves from leads II, III, and aVF in all infants with ALMCA was noted. These and other ECG patterns were more common in infants with ALMCA than in those with myocarditis/DC (p
Risk Communication after Disaster: Return Entry Following the 2008 Cedar River Flood

AbstractCommunicating risk to evacuated populations is challenging for emergency officials during the return-entry phase. Although decades of research focused on understanding relationships between risk communication and evacuation behavior, very little has been done to understand risk communication and return-entry behavior. This research examines risk communication during the return-entry phase following the 2008 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, flood. The results of this study indicate the following: (1) household reliance on information sources during the evacuation and return-entry phases is highly correlated; (2) as reliance on local authorities, local news media, and the Internet increases, the likelihood of returning after the official return date also increases; (3) evacuation destination characteristics are related to the likelihood of receiving the return-entry message; and (4) household demographic characteristics are related to the reliance on information sources during the return phase. This study aims t...
Structural Features of Nucleosomes Reorganized by Yeast FACT and Its HMG Box Component, Nhp6

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Spt16/Cdc68, Pob3, and Nhp6 proteins (SPN or yFACT) bind to and alter nucleosomes in vitro, providing a potential explanation for their importance in both transcription and replication in vivo. We show that nucleosomes bound by either Nhp6 alone or the yFACT complex remain largely intact and immobile but are significantly reorganized, as indicated by changes in the pattern of sensitivity to DNase I and enhanced digestion by some restriction endonucleases. In contrast, yFACT enhanced access to exonuclease III only at very high levels of enzyme, suggesting that the DNA near the entry and exit sites of nucleosomes is largely unperturbed and that the position of the histone octamers relative to the DNA is not altered during reorganization. DNase I sensitivity was enhanced at sites clustered near the center of the nucleosomal DNA, away from the entry and exit points, and the pattern of nuclease sensitivity was only mildly affected by the configuration of linker extensions, further indicating that linkers play only a minor role in the reorganization of nucleosomes by yFACT. The DNA in contact with H2A-H2B dimers is therefore the region whose nuclease sensitivity was the least affected by yFACT reorganization. The most dramatic changes in nucleosome structure occurred when Spt16-Pob3 and the HMG box protein Nhp6 were both present, but Nhp6 alone altered DNase I sensitivity at some specific sites, supporting an independent role for this class of proteins in the general management of chromatin properties. yFACT activity does not require ATP hydrolysis and does not alter the position of nucleosomes, indicating that it acts through a mechanism distinct from chromatin remodeling. The results presented here suggest instead that yFACT promotes polymerase progression by reorganizing nucleosome cores into a less inhibitory conformation in which the properties of DNA sequences near the center of the nucleosomes are altered.
Open-Label Exploration of an Intravenous Nalbuphine and Naloxone Mixture as an Analgesic Agent Following Gynecologic Surgery

Objective. The purpose of this series was to explore a 12.5:1 fixed-dose ratio of an intravenous nalbuphine and naloxone mixture (NNM) for use in patients following gynecologic surgery. Design and Patients. Open-label, nonrandomized case series. The first series was a dose-ranging investigation for 12 patients following elective total abdominal hysterectomy or myomectomy. In this series, fentanyl was used for intraoperative analgesia, and patients were assigned to a lower NNM (2.5 mg/0.2 mg) or to a higher NNM (5 mg/0.4 mg) dose group. The second series evaluated the fixed dose of 5 mg nalbuphine/0.4 mg naloxone for four patients undergoing ambulatory gynecologic procedures. In the second series, no opioid agents were administered intraoperatively to eliminate the possibility of mu-opioid reversal by naloxone postoperatively. Outcome Measures. Pain control was assessed using a Verbal Pain Scale (0–10). Vital signs, side effects, and adverse events were recorded to determine drug safety. Results. In the first series, there were no adverse events; however, each patient required rescue medication (either morphine or fentanyl). In the second series, two of the four patients reported a reduction in pain following drug administration and did not require any further analgesic agents in the 3-hour postoperative period. One patient had an asymptomatic lowering of heart rate after receiving the drug. Conclusion. Additional research of the unique combination therapy of nalbuphine and naloxone is warranted to further determine its potential clinical efficacy and safety.
Regulation of the hTERT telomerase catalytic subunit by the c-Abl tyrosine kinase.

Abstract Background: Telomeres consist of repetitive (TTAGGG) DNA sequences that are maintained by the multisubunit telomerase ribonucleoprotein. Telomerase consists of an RNA, which serves as template for the sequence tracts, and a catalytic subunit that functions in reverse transcription of the RNA template. Cloning and characterization of the human catalytic subunit of telomerase (hTERT) has supported a role in cell transformation. How telomerase activity is regulated, however, is largely unknown. Results: We show here that hTERT associates directly with the c-Abl protein tyrosine kinase. We also found that c-Abl phosphorylates hTERT and inhibits hTERT activity. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that exposure of cells to ionizing radiation induces tyrosine phosphorylation of hTERT by a c-Abl-dependent mechanism. The functional significance of the c-Abl–hTERT interaction is supported by the demonstration that cells deficient in c-Abl show telomere lengthening. Conclusions: The ubiquitously expressed c-Abl tyrosine kinase is activated by DNA double-strand breaks. Our finding of telomere lengthening in c-Abl-deficient cells and the functional interactions between c-Abl and hTERT support a role for c-Abl in the regulation of telomerase function.
System identification using Laguerre functions: simple examples

A system identification technique based on Laguerre series expansions of filtered input/output data is briefly summarized. Some simple examples are presented that demonstrate the power of the technique. The examples verify that the procedure works well for lightly damped (i.e. flexible) systems, for MIMO systems as well as SISO systems, and that non positive real systems pose no problems.
Stretching the umbrella: NATO’s eastern expansion

This article discusses how obtaining membership in NATO has played a role in advancing Western values in former Warsaw Pact countries over the last 20 years. The author elaborates on why it was desirable for these post-Communist governments to attain NATO membership, and how the membership of these former Cold War enemies has since fundamentally expanded the strategy of the organisation. Analysis points to the conclusion that the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 on the US compelled NATO to evolve again in its strategy and priorities, and once again triggered NATO expansion.
Beyond surface selection: The impact of different methodologies on tribological measurements

Emerging links between food friction and sensory texture have prompted an increase in food tribology studies. Soft tribological surfaces (e.g. elastomers) are used in these studies to mimic conditions in the oral cavity. However, measurement protocols and tribological surfaces vary among food tribological studies. Because the majority of these studies use empirical measurements, it is difficult to quantitatively compare their results. Although the effects of surface hydrophobicity, roughness, and modulus on friction coefficient measurements have been examined, there has been little study of variability due to differences in measurement parameters. Therefore, this study examined the effect of different measurement parameters on friction coefficient magnitude and variation. Tribological data were affected by multiple measurement parameters. A measurement protocol that yielded repeatable measurements with low variation was proposed based on these results. It is suggested that a standard protocol for food tribological measurements be adopted to enable proper data comparison among studies.
Testing comparative phylogeographic models of marine vicariance and dispersal using a hierarchical Bayesian approach

Marine allopatric speciation is an enigma because pelagic larval dispersal can potentially connect disjunct populations thereby preventing reproductive and morphological divergence. Here we present a new hierarchical approximate Bayesian computation model (HABC) that tests two hypotheses of marine allopatric speciation: 1.) "soft vicariance", where a speciation involves fragmentation of a large widespread ancestral species range that was previously connected by long distance gene flow; and 2.) peripatric colonization, where speciations in peripheral archipelagos emerge from sweepstakes colonizations from central source regions. The HABC approach analyzes all the phylogeographic datasets at once in order to make across taxon-pair inferences about biogeographic processes while explicitly allowing for uncertainty in the demographic differences within each taxon-pair. Our method uses comparative phylogeographic data that consists of single locus mtDNA sequences from multiple co-distributed taxa containing pairs of central and peripheral populations. We use the method on two comparative phylogeographic data sets consisting of cowrie gastropod endemics co-distributed in the Hawaiian (11 taxon-pairs) and Marquesan archipelagos (7 taxon-pairs). Given the Marquesan data, we find strong evidence of simultaneous colonization across all seven cowrie gastropod endemics co-distributed in the Marquesas. In contrast, the lower sample sizes in the Hawaiian data lead to greater uncertainty associated with the Hawaiian estimates. Although, the hyper-parameter estimates point to soft vicariance in a subset of the 11 Hawaiian taxon-pairs, the hyper-prior and hyper-posterior are too similar to make a definitive conclusion. Both results are not inconsistent with what is known about the geologic history of the archipelagos. Simulations verify that our method can successfully distinguish these two histories across a wide range of conditions given sufficient sampling. Although soft vicariance and colonization are likely to produce similar genetic patterns when a single taxon-pair is used, our hierarchical Bayesian model can potentially detect if either history is a dominant process across co-distributed taxon-pairs. As comparative phylogeographic datasets grow to include > 100 co-distributed taxon-pairs, the HABC approach will be well suited to dissect temporal patterns in community assembly and evolution, thereby providing a bridge linking comparative phylogeography with community ecology.
The potential distribution of the Vulnerable African lion Panthera leo in the face of changing global climate

The objective of this study is to estimate possible impacts of global climate change on the geographical distribution of the African lion Panthera leo in the coming decades. Current lion population occurrence data across Africa and distributions of lions in historical times (6,000–100 years before present) were obtained from the literature and integrated with data on present-day climates to generate ecological niche models. Models based on distributions of African lions were tested for predictive ability based on various subsetting approaches and were projected across Asia, Africa and Europe, to retrodict the distribution of the species for the past 6,000 years. These models were highly accurate, giving confidence in future projections. Future potential distributions were predicted by projecting ecological niche models onto three climate scenarios of future greenhouse gas emissions based on eight climate models for the years 2040–2070. The prediction was of relative range stability into the future: few new areas were identified as becoming suitable for the species but large areas of southern Africa and West Africa are expected to become less suitable. Predictions of effects of climate change on potential distributions of lions may assist conservation efforts by clarifying options for mitigation and response.
Alaska Peninsula Stable Isotope and Radioisotope Chemistry: A Study in Temporal and Adaptive Diversity

Purified bone collagen from a small suite of human remains recovered at three sites on the Alaska Peninsula (Port Moller, Brooks River, and Mink Island) were analyzed for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope chemistry and were accelerator radiocarbon dated. Because samples sizes were small and faunal isotope chemistry lacking, results should be considered preliminary. However, these data indicate that each locality was represented by a somewhat different suite of subsistence strategies and covered a distinct temporal span. Port Moller burials (n = 7) from the Hot Springs site date to a calibrated 2σ range of 3547-1388 BP. Although marine foods clearly made the greatest contribution to these diets, individuals were not as heavily reliant on high-trophic-level marine taxa as eastern Aleutian groups to the west, given their intake of salmon and evidence of caribou hunting. Brooks River burials (n = 9) expressed an inland foraging focus with significant reliance on caribou and spawning salmon and covered a calibrated 2σ range of 1484-381 BP. In contrast, individuals from Mink Island (n = 7), dating to cal. 666-292 BP, were heavily reliant on high-trophic-level marine prey similar to but not as enriched isotopically as the Aleut, perhaps a consequence of limited access to caribou and greater reliance on invertebrates. This pattern suggests that prehistoric economic strategies on the Alaska Peninsula were diverse, characterized by fine-tuned adaptations to local ecological settings, perhaps mediated by ethnic factors and territorial and social pressures.
Ebola at Mbarara, Uganda: Aesthetic Expressions of the Lived Worlds of People Waiting to Know

The Ebola epidemic of 2000 was a disastrous experience for the people of Uganda. Prior outbreaks in neighboring African sub-Saharan countries heightened the realization of death from this devastating disease. Waiting to know is a phenomenon described as an excruciating inactivity uniquely experienced by individuals who were exposed to persons with Ebola but who had not yet exhibited signs and symptoms of the disease. In the recent Ebola epidemic in Uganda, contact persons described their experience of waiting to know as “helplessness in anticipation and fear of dying or premature death; agonizing and languishing over losing relatives, friends, and loved ones; trusting no one; and helplessness and hopelessness with the persisting time.” In this column, these experiences will be discussed, and visual artworks will further illustrate the lived experience of waiting to know. Human and artistic expressions facilitate understanding of lived experience, and understanding is known to inspire meaningful, compassio...
Putting Sociological Knowledge to Good Use

Sociologists, I propose, have a great deal to contribute to research and theory on human rights, especially owing to the many ways we approach the study of the many aspects of society. In this article I suggest some ways in which sociology can contribute to this mission.
Interaction of lysozyme with f2 bacteriophage.

Abstract Lysozyme precipitates f2 bacteriophage at a concentration of about one molecule of lysozyme per molecule of capsid subunit. This activity of lysozyme depends on its conformation but not upon the catalytic activity of the enzyme. The precipitation is thought to be a disruption of the solvation of the phage particle by adsorption of the enzyme to the negatively charged outer surface which has been postulated for this virus previously. A patch of six to nine positive charges on the lysozyme molecule is probably involved. Hemoglobin, RNase, α lactalbumin bovine serum albumin, and trypsin do not precipitate the phage but histone, protamine and spermine do. Consistent with the proposed mechanism, lysozyme is 105 times more effective than spermine on a molar basis.
Alterations of Drug Metabolism in Critically Ill Animals

Critically ill animals are by nature a diverse group with multiple presenting complaints and differing levels of organ function. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of administered compounds are affected both by the disease processes and by the interventions of the treating veterinarian. Polypharmacy is not an exception but a rule within this caseload. Basic principles of pharmacology allow for safe and effective administration of pharmaceuticals, especially in the critically ill. Future research evaluating the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs important in the management of critically ill animals is imperative, and will allow evidence-based dose modification.
Need and Potential of Antimicrobial Stewardship in Community Hospitals

Preventing, reducing, and controlling the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms is a major public health challenge requiring the participation of the entire medical community and public health agencies. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have the potential to integrate the many and sometimes disparate individuals and organizations that rely on antimicrobial agents in an effort to better control antimicrobial prescribing, possibly minimizing the emergence of resistant organisms. Developing and implementing ASPs can be a major challenge for community-based hospitals. In addition to specific and localized patterns of resistance-a consideration for every hospital-community hospitals must develop strategies that appropriately conform to their size, staffing, personnel, and infrastructure. This article reviews the ASP strategies and resources currently available to community hospitals for improving if, when, and how antimicrobial agents are prescribed and delivered.
EFFECTS OF CORTISONE ADMINISTRATION ON RAT LIVER MITOCHONDRIA: Support for the Concept of Mitochondrial Fusion

The present studies investigate the basis for the marked increase in mitochondrial size and approximately reciprocal decrease in mitochondrial number which have been observed in the livers of rats treated with cortisone acetate. Comparisons of the content and specific activity of mitochondrial DNA in the livers of control and cortisone-treated animals prelabeled with radioactive thymidine support the possibility that these changes in mitochondrial size and number are the result of a process of mitochondrial fusion. A consideration of various conditions now known to result in the formation of large mitochondria in other systems suggests that interference with mitochondrial respiration may provide a stimulus for such a process. The biochemical approach described in the present study may prove useful in investigating the origin of large mitochondria in other systems as well.