cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond the U.S. News Index: A Better Measure of Law School Diversity

The U.S. News & World Report publishes a diversity index along with its annual ranking of U.S. law schools. Race and ethnicity are the only factors the magazine uses to measure law school diversity. But is this a meaningful measure of student difference? Are race and ethnicity all that count or are there other differences that contribute to a richer educational experience for students and better outcomes for law schools? In a 2011 Iowa Law Review article, Kevin Johnson argues that law school diversity is not limited to only race and ethnicity. He further argues that law school diversity, defined broadly, is critical to the success of legal education; both for the students and the institutions that serve them.Yet, the epistemological question remains: how do law schools know how diverse their student bodies are? If law student diversity is more than just racial diversity, the current U.S. News index is incomplete and fails to provide a meaningful law school diversity measure. This essay proposes an improved diversity index that captures more of the differences that matter to the success of both law students and law schools. The essay begins by very briefly recapping some of Dean Johnson’s compelling arguments for why law school diversity (in its broader conception) is critical, and why measuring it is so important. It then examines the types of differences shown to produce better outcomes in heterogeneous groups, and explains the methodology behind the proposed cognitive diversity index.
Pulmonary Contusion: Pathogenesis and Effect of Various Resuscitative Measures

Abstract Pulmonary contusion (PC) was induced in anesthetized dogs by firing a .38 caliber blank cartridge against the chest wall. Studies of blood gases, lesion size, lung weight, and microscopical appearance were performed. Various forms of therapy which are commonly used in trauma victims were evaluated. The following conclusions were reached: untreated PC is not progressive; mechanical ventilation and furosemide therapy decrease the severity of the pulmonary lesion; administration of low-molecular-weight dextran and lactated Ringer's solution increases the anatomical and physiological lesion; and central venous pressure is not an accurate index of crystalloid overload. The contused lung is very sensitive to administration of noncolloid fluids.
THE WASTE\VATER TREATMENT CONSTRUCTION GRANTS PROGRAM: THE IMPACT OF "NEW" FEDERALISM

The 1970s federal attempt to address water quality with national standards and national funding ran into Regan administration initiated budget cuts. This left state and local governments with the task of meeeting national water standards with largely local resources. The problem is illustrated in the cases of Muncie, Indiana and Norman, Oklahoma.
Organized crime: A social network approach

This article applies the anthropological approach of social networktheory to the study of organized crime in its local, domestic and transnational contexts. It argues that a social network approach transcends existing criminological paradigms like organizational, patron-client and enterprise theories in that it emphasizes a common supposition held by each paradigm – that human relationships form the basis for organized criminal activity. By understanding the dynamics behind these relationships and the networks they create, one can subsequently gain a clearer picture of organized criminalactivity across time, space and culture.
Infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus after carbon dioxide resurfacing of the face. Successful treatment with minocycline, rifampin, and mupiricin ointment

background. The incidence of cutaneous bacterial infection after carbon dioxide (CO2 laser resurfacing is increasing. Patients with staphylococcal colonization of their anterior nares may be at greater risk for postoperative cutaneous colonization and/or infection, which can potentially cause scarring. objective. We present a case report of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus secondary infection of the skin after CO2 laser resurfacing. We discuss the possible etiologies of this patient's infection, her postoperative management, and preoperative suggestions for possibly preventing infection. methods. A 49-year-old woman was treated with CO2 laser resurfacing for moderate actinic damage and facial rhytides. She developed a cutaneous infection with methicillin-resistant S. aureus, which caused diffuse linear scarring on her cheeks and upper lip. results. The patient was successfully treated with oral minocycline, rifampin, and topical mupiricin ointment to her cutaneous erosions. conclusions. We propose that it would be helpful for patients undergoing CO2 laser resurfacing to have their nares cultured to see if they are staphylococcal carriers. If a patient is found to be a carrier, mupiricin ointment can be used preoperatively treat to the nares, to help decrease the risk of infection of the skin from this potential source.
Affirmation of Uncertainty.

Personal beliefs are frequently employed to assess the worldview or spiritual value of other persons. Belief systems may be used to place believers in a class and to draw conclusions about the other. However, beliefs often mask the identity of the other and prevent whole person relatedness. Inquiring into another's assumptive world may be considered a boundary violation when accomplished in the purpose of evaluation. The consensus of faith traditions should be to refrain from theological examination.
A code generation approach for auto-vectorization in the SPADE compiler

We describe an auto-vectorization approach for the Spade stream processing programming language, comprising two ideas. First, we provide support for vectors as a primitive data type. Second, we provide a C++ library with architecture-specific implementations of a large number of pre-vectorized operations as the means to support language extensions. We evaluate our approach with several stream processing operators, contrasting Spade's auto-vectorization with the native auto-vectorization provided by the GNU gcc and Intel icc compilers.
Investor Financial Literacy in the Workplace

The dramatic shift from traditional pension plans to participant-directed 401(k) plans has increased the decision-making responsibility of individual investors for their own retirement planning. With this shift comes increasing evidence that investors are making poor decisions in choosing how much to save for retirement and in selecting among their investment options. Studies question the value of efforts to improve these decisions through regulatory reforms or investor education. This article posits that deficiencies in workplace retirement savings cannot be adequately addressed until the reasons for poor investment decisions are better understood. We report the results of an exploratory study that asked subjects to complete a simulated retirement investment task and collected information about their financial knowledge and preferences. The study enabled us to measure financial literacy and evaluate its relationship to retirement investment decision-making. In line with existing research, we found a strong relationship between financial literacy and successful retirement investing. Our results suggest, however, that the relevant understanding in this context is not about math so much as it is a basic knowledge of the relative costs and benefits of the major investment categories. Finally, we present results suggesting that financial literacy is separate from investment preferences—specifically, that tolerance for risk is a separate and highly predictive variable in estimating retirement planning success. Our research suggests that individual employees are likely to lack the skills necessary to support the current regulatory model of participant-directed retirement investing. The structure and regulation of retirement plans ought to take this fact seriously. We explore the potential for investor education and professional advice, respectively, to overcome the limitations of individualized choice.
Output and cost savings of community gardens in San Jose, California (132.7)

The food to feed five billion urban people by 2025 will increasingly be grown within cities themselves, emphasizing the need to allocate more land to community gardens as a source of local fresh produce. This study describes an easy and reliable method community gardeners can use to quantify crop yields and track cost savings associated with their gardens. A convenience sample of 83 community gardeners in San Jose, California, completed a background survey in Spring-Summer of 2012. On average, the gardener’s age was 57, income was $4,900.00 per month, and 25% had completed college. A representative subset of 10 gardeners weighed produce output of their plots using portable electronic scales at three separate garden sites. Yields and cost savings were tabulated overall for each plot and crop type. The quantity of vegetables grown in excess of what was needed for each household to meet the US Dietary Guidelines was calculated for the four month growing season. Results indicate that community garden practice...
Initiation of RPS2-Specified Disease Resistance in Arabidopsis Is Coupled to the AvrRpt2-Directed Elimination of RIN4

Plants have evolved a sophisticated innate immune system to recognize invading pathogens and to induce a set of host defense mechanisms resulting in disease resistance. Pathogen recognition is often mediated by plant disease resistance (R) proteins that respond specifically to one or a few pathogen-derived molecules. This specificity has led to suggestions of a receptor-ligand mode of R protein function. Delivery of the bacterial effector protein AvrRpt2 by Pseudomonas syringae specifically induces disease resistance in Arabidopsis plants expressing the RPS2 R protein. We demonstrate that RPS2 physically interacts with Arabidopsis RIN4 and that AvrRpt2 causes the elimination of RIN4 during activation of the RPS2 pathway. AvrRpt2-mediated RIN4 elimination also occurs in the rps2, ndr1, and Atrar1 mutant backgrounds, demonstrating that this activity can be achieved independent of an RPS2-mediated signaling pathway. Therefore, we suggest that RPS2 initiates signaling based upon perception of RIN4 disappearance rather than direct recognition of AvrRpt2.
Ultrastructure of the pineal gland of the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

The ultrastructure of the pineal gland of the wild-captured eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) was examined. A homogenous population of pinealocytes was the characteristic cellular element of the chipmunk pineal gland. Often, pinealocytes showed a folliclelike arrangement. Mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, granular endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, centrioles, dense-core vesicles, clear vesicles, glycogen particles, and microtubules were consistent components of the pinealocyte cytoplasm. The extraordinary ultrastructural feature of the chipmunk pinealocyte was the presence of extremely large numbers of "synaptic" ribbons. The number of "synaptic" ribbons in this species exceeded by a factor of five to 30 times that found in any species previously reported. In addition to pinealocytes, the pineal parenchyma contained glial cells (oligodendrocytes and fibrous astrocytes). Capillaries of the pineal gland of the chipmunk consisted of a fenestrated endothelium. Adrenergic nerve terminals were relatively sparse.
Seventeenth Annual Southwest Labor Studies Conference: Labor in the Era of World War II

monolithic, central command for all the unions. The reality is quite different, with independent, autonomous international unions and a relatively weak national center. And within and among American unions, a wide range of political and economic views exist. Also, old leaders, their vision shaped by World War II, the Cold War, and the economic "good times" of the 1950s and 1960s, are being replaced by newer leaders, shaped by the civil rights and anti-war movements, Watergate, and the Reagan era. This surprised CGT leaders. Members of the American group also met with French workers employed in similar sectors. For example, American and French health-care workers met. I met with CGT members at the Case-Poclain plant, a firm that manufactures excavating equipment and is owned by the Tenneco Corporation. They have been hurt by the recession: 241 of the eight hundred workers had recently been laid off. It was unclear whether anyone would be called back to work. We discussed seniority clauses and how hard it was for laid-off workers to find well-paid jobs. The discussions were warm and comradely. Following the meeting, the CGT union at Case-Poclain issued a statement of solidarity with American workers, calling on workers to unite across borders to defend themselves against multinationals. A meeting with CGT Secretary-General Henri Krasucki focused on ways to develop lines of communication between French and American workers. One suggestion was to develop union-to-union contacts. Another was for labor-studies programs to promote communication with the CGT within the context of "soli darity across borders" and the global economy. A related approach might be to identify American and French firms owned by the same multinational corporations and to foster communication between both unions to promote a united front against global whip-sawing. Finally, it was suggested that the CGT communicate with the newly appointed AFL-CIO representative to Europe. The Cold War is ending and the global economy growing. There is a pressing need for unions to build new lines of communication across borders. The meeting with the CGT was a small, first step in that direction.
The APC's of tumor vaccine therapy

Comment on Biragyn et al, page [1961][1] Fusion proteins containing chemokine receptor ligands have been used to selectively deliver tumor antigens to the MHC class II processing pathway in dendritic cells, promoting tumor-specific CD4 T-cell responses and tumor-specific immunity. This novel
Characterization of posture and comfort in laptop users in non-desk settings

Laptop computers may be used in a variety of postures not coupled to the office workstation. Using passive motion analysis, this study examined mean joint angles during a short typing/editing task in college students (n=20), in up to seven positions. Comfort was assessed after task execution through a body map. For three required postures, joint angles in a prone posture were different than those while seated at a couch with feet either on floor or on ottoman. Specifically, the prone posture was characterized by comparatively non-neutral shoulders, elbows and wrists, and pronounced neck extension. Significantly greater intensity and more regions of discomfort were marked for the prone posture than for the seated postures. It is recommended that the prone posture only be assumed briefly during laptop use. Exposure to laptops outside of the office setting should be assessed in future epidemiologic studies of musculoskeletal complaints and computer use.
Film Cooling Effectiveness Due to Discrete Holes Within a Transverse Surface Slot

The goal of many turbine airfoil film cooling schemes is the achievement of a tangentially injected 2D layer of protective film over the surface. In common nomenclature, this is referred to as 2D slot film cooling, which can achieve adiabatic effectiveness levels approaching unity at the injection location. Since continuous and uninterrupted slots are not structurally feasible in the high pressure turbine components, other approximate film cooling geometries have been sought. The present study examines two film cooling geometries which are formed by the combination of internal discrete film holes feeding continuous 2D surface slots. Experiments have been performed within a flat plate wind tunnel test section, which includes an accelerating freestream condition to model the surface of a turbine airfoil. As suggested by the experiments of Wang et al. [1], a normal 2D surface slot is located transverse to the mainstream flow direction. The slot is fed by a row of discrete coolant supply holes oriented in the spanwise direction with inclination angle of 30-degrees, pitch-to-diameter ratio of 3.57, and length-to-diameter ratio of 5.7. The slot depth-to-hole diameter ratio is S/D of 3. Two such slots were tested, one with axial width-to-hole diameter ratio of 1.13, and the other with ratio of 1.5. Tests were conducted for supply hole blowing ratios of 0.75 to 4, density ratios of 1.8, and a freestream approach turbulence intensity of 4.5%. The holes-within-slot film effectiveness data are compared with both axial and radial film data, ie. S/D equal to zero, obtained in the same test section. The holes-in-slot geometries demonstrate two important characteristics, (1) a relative insensitivity of the adiabatic film effectiveness to blowing rate, and (2) no observed film blow-off at high blowing rates. In addition, a novel film cooling arrangement is demonstrated in which the surface slot is very shallow, forming a narrow trench with S/D of only 0.43. It is shown that this novel surface geometry yields the best film effectiveness of all cases tested.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Latest pulse of Earth: Evidence for a mid-Cretaceous superplume

A calculation of Earth's ocean crustal budget for the past 150 m.y. reveals a 50% to 75% increase in ocean crust formation rate between 120 and 80 Ma. This "pulse" in ocean crust production is seen both in spreading-rate increases from ocean ridges and in the age distribution of oceanic plateaus. It is primarily a Pacific Ocean phenomenon with an abrupt onset, and peak production rates occurred between 120 and 100 Ma. The pulse decreased in intensity from 100 to 80 Ma, and at 80 Ma rates dropped significantly. There was a continued decrease from 80 to 30 Ma with a secondary peak near the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary at 65 Ma. For the past 30 m.y., ocean crust has formed at a nearly steady rate. Because the pulse is seen primarily in Pacific oceanic plateau and ridge production, and coincides with the long Cretaceous interval of normal magnetic polarity, I interpret it as a "superplume" that originated at about 125 Ma near the core/mantle boundary, rose by convection through the entire mantle, and erupted beneath the mid-Cretaceous Pacific basin. The present-day South Pacific "superswell" under Tahiti is probably the nearly exhausted remnant of the original upwelling. How this superplume stopped magnetic field reversals for 41 m.y. is a matter of speculation, but it probably involved significant alteration of the temperature structure at the core/mantle boundary and the convective behavior of the outer core.
Hot electron effects in single-injection silicon SCL diodes☆

Abstract A theory is presented on hot electron effects on the noise in single-injection SCL diodes. It is shown that the noise temperature T n of such diodes can be written as T n = T 0 (1 + BV a 2 ), where T 0 is the lattice temperature, V a the anode voltage and B a constant depending on the diode geometry and material constants. Experimental data presented for Si SCL diodes made on high-resistivity p -type material show excellent agreement with the theoretical expressions for T n . Making certain assumptions, the measured values of B give a value of 1400 V/cm for the critical field strength E c of high-resistivity p -type silicon.
R&D spinoffs: Serendipity vs. a managed process

This paper describes some of the spinoff benefits that can result from R&D projects, and categorizes them in terms of the dimensions of market and technical newness. These dimensions are discussed with reference to two types of spinoffs: 1) alternative market applications, when the results of an R&D project are subsequently applied to a market or use that differs from the originally intended application, and 2) second-generation technologies, when the technology that was the subject of an R&D project is significantly altered or enhanced in unanticipated ways through subsequent R&D. Examples from the Department of Energy's Energy-Related Inventions Program are integrated into the results of literature review to illustrate key concepts, including core technologies, degrees of market and technology newness, technology robustness, and the nature of connections linking spinoffs to prior R&D investments. The paper concludes by discussing spinoffs as a managerial strategy.
Irradiation in preventing gynecomastia induced by estrogens.

Abstract Symptomatic breast changes usually accompany endocrine therapy for prostatic cancer. Thirteen patients with cancer of the prostate were given external irradiation to their breasts prior to initiation of estrogen therapy in the hope that undesirable changes in the breast would not occur. Our results were satisfactory.
Sensitivity of Optimal Capacity to Customer Impatience in an Unobservable M/M/S Queue (Why You Shouldn't Shout at the DMV)

This paper employs sample path arguments to derive the following convexity properties and comparative statics for an M/M/S queue with impatient customers. If the rate at which customers balk and renege is an increasing, concave function of the number of customers in the system (head count), then the head-count process and the expected rate of lost sales are decreasing and convex in the capacity (service rate or number of servers). This result applies when customers cannot observe the head count, so that the balking probability is zero and the reneging rate increases linearly with the head count. Then the optimal capacity increases with the customer arrival rate but is not monotonic in the reneging rate per customer. When capacity is expensive or the reneging rate is high, the optimal capacity decreases with any further increase in the reneging rate. Therefore, managers must understand customers' impatience to avoid building too much capacity, but customers have an incentive to conceal their impatience, to avoid a degradation in service quality. If the system manager can prevent customers from reneging during service (by requiring advance payment or training employees to establish rapport with customers), the system's convexity properties are qualitatively different, but its comparative statics remain the same. Most important, the prevention of reneging during service can substantially reduce the total expected cost of lost sales and capacity. It increases the optimal capacity (service rate or number of servers) when capacity is expensive and reduces the optimal capacity when capacity is cheap.
Regulation of group VIA phospholipase A2 expression by sterol availability.

Several lines of evidence suggest that glycerophospholipid mass is maintained through the coordinate regulation of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase-α (CTa) and the group VIA calcium-independent phospholipase A 2 (iPLA 2 ). CTa expression is modulated by sterol and this is mediated in part through sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBP). In this report, we investigate the possibility that iPLA 2 expression is controlled in a similar manner. When Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were cultured under sterol-depleted conditions, iPLA 2 catalytic activity, mRNA, and protein were induced by between two- and threefold. These inductions were suppressed when the cells were supplemented with exogenous sterols. Luciferase reporter assays indicated that sterol depletion induced transcription of iPLA 2 , an analysis of the 5' flanking region suggested that the iPLA 2 gene contained a putative sterol regulatory element (SRE), and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) analysis indicated that this element can bind SREBP-2. Notably, a mutant CHO cell line (SRD4) that constitutively generates mature SREBP proteins exhibited increased iPLA 2 activity and expression compared to wild-type cells. These data suggest that iPLA 2 expression is regulated in a manner consistent with other important genes in sterol and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Such coordinate regulation may be essential for maintaining the lipid composition of cell membranes.
Sarcoballs: direct access to sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-channels in skinned frog muscle fibers.

In skeletal muscle, twitch contraction is caused by the rapid release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) (Endo, M. 1977. Physiol. Rev. 57:71–108) via Ca2+ conducting channels in the SR membrane (Smith, J. S., R. Coronado, and G. Meissner, 1985. Nature (Lond.). 316:446–449; Suarez-Isla, B. A., G. Orozco, P. F. Heller, and J. P. Froehlich. 1986. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 83:7741–7745). To facilitate study of these and other intracellular channels, we have developed a method which allows direct patch-clamp recording of currents through SR channels in native membrane. The Ca2+-release channel studied using this method exhibits two predominant conductance levels (80–100 pS and 120–160 pS), conducts Ca2+ preferentially over K+ (PCa/Pk = 6.5), is highly voltage sensitive, blocked on one side by ruthenium red (1 microM), and displays enhanced activity in the presence of caffeine (5 mM). Studied in skinned fibers, this channel appears fundamentally similar to homologous channels from isolated rabbit SR incorporated into bilayers, with some distinct differences.
Hepatic artery catheterization via the superior pancreaticoduodenal artery

The superior pancreaticoduodenal artery is a continuation of the gastrod-uodenal artery. Besides being a good-sized artery, it is easily accessible. It is a reasonable vascular access for hepatic artery cannulation.
Computational analysis of the effects of gain material inclusion in engineered metal nanostructures

Compensation for loss by introducing gain media in optical metamaterials was suggested by Ramakrishna and Pendry (Phys. Rev. B, 67, 201101, 2003). In this work, applying finite-difference-time-domain simulations, we analyzed an Au nanorod (AuNR) structure, as well as fishnet nanostructures with varying positioning of the gain medium. Transmittance, reflection and absorption spectra for an AuNR nanostructure incorporating InP quantum dots (QDs) and of a fishnet nanostructure incorporating InAs QDs have shown that despite limitations, results are encouraging in increasing the transmittance upon gain medium incorporation in the passive regime.
Isotope Effect on the Superconducting Transition in Lead

Observations of the difference in critical fields of superconducting Pb specimens of different isotopic mass are described. Measurements are made using the Meissner effect and a ballistic induction method in the range from 7.2 to about 1.4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The results near ${T}_{c}$ verify the theoretical prediction that ${T}_{c}=\mathrm{const}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{M}^{p}$, where $M$ is the average isotopic mass, and yield a value of $p=\ensuremath{-}0.501\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.013$. The measurements at lower temperatures are inconclusive in their implications for the isotope effect, since all specimens measured exhibit large deviations from the predictions of the similarity principle. The deviations are apparently not related to the isotopic mass of the specimens. The agency responsible for the observed deviations has not been isolated, but it is believed that the anomalous ${H}_{c}$ values are characteristic of thermodynamically irreversible transitions. Thus the present results are not believed to constitute genuine evidence of a deviation from the similarity principle.
Analysis of Rous sarcoma virus capsid protein variants assembled on lipid monolayers.

During assembly and morphogenesis of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), proteolytic processing of the structural precursor (Pr76Gag) protein generates three capsid (CA) protein variants, CA476, CA479, and CA488. The proteins share identical N-terminal domains (NTDs), but are truncated at residues corresponding to gag codons 476, 479, and 488 in their CA C-terminal domains (CTDs). To characterize oligomeric forms of the RSV CA variants, we examined 2D crystals of the capsid proteins, assembled on lipid monolayers. Using electron microscopy and image analysis approaches, the CA proteins were observed to organize in hexagonal (p6) arrangements, where rings of membrane-proximal NTD hexamers were spaced at 95 A intervals. Differences between the oligomeric structures of the CA variants were most evident in membrane-distal regions, where apparent CTDs interconnect hexamer rings. In this region, CA488 connections were observed readily, while CA476 and CA479 contacts were resolved poorly, suggesting that in vivo processing of CA488 to the shorter forms may permit virions to adopt a dissembly-competent conformation. In addition to crystalline arrays, the CA479 and CA488 proteins formed small spherical particles with diameters of 165-175 A. The spheres appear to be arranged from hexamer or hexamer plus pentamer ring subunits that are related to the 2D crystal forms. Our results implicate RSV CA hexamer rings as basic elements in the assembly of RSV virus cores.
Effects of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine on the deoxynucleotide triphosphate pools of cultured human cells

The effects of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) on the deoxynucleotide pools of three human cell lines, HL-60, H-9, and K-562, were determined. The corresponding ED50s for inhibition of cell growth were 670, 100, and 100 microM AZT. In all three lines, exposure to 200 microM AZT caused dTTP and dGTP initially to fall and then to return towards control levels. In contrast to a previous report [Furman et al., (1986) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 83, 8333-8337], dCTP levels increased. Pools of dATP were relatively unchanged. Qualitatively similar changes occurred in 10 microM AZT, but recovery was faster than at 200 microM AZT. After 24 hrs incubation with 200 microM AZT, AZT-5'-MP reached 2.8, 4.7, and 15.7 mM in the HL-60, H-9, and K-562 cells, respectively. When HL-60 and K-562 cells incubated in AZT were resuspended in fresh medium, AZT-5'-MP pools declined with respective t1/2 values equal to 34 and 68 min. The concentration of thymidine, and to a lesser extent deoxyuridine, increased in the media of treated cells. AZT-5'-MP was found in the media of cells treated with AZT.
Mutational analysis of the core and modulator sequences of the BMV RNA3 subgenomlc promoter

The subgenomic promoter of a (+)-stranded RNA virus, brome mosaic virus (BMV) controlling synthesis of subgenomic RNA4 has been defined in vitro. Truncated and mutant (-)-strand RNA templates were produced by in vitro transcription of cloned RNA3 cDNA. Subgenomic (+)-sense RNA was synthesized in vitro from these templates by a replicase (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) preparation extracted from infected barley leaves. The activities of templates with truncations and deletions surrounding the RNA4 initiation site revealed a promoter of approximately 62 bases grouped into four functional domains. The core sequence consists of about twenty bases immediately upstream of, and including, the initiation nucleotide. In addition to the core sequence, a domain overlapping the 5' untranslated end of RNA4 apparently determines correct initiation. Two domains immediately upstream of the promoter core consist of the internal poly(A) tract of RNA3, which probably serves as an non base-paired spacer facilitating access of the replicase to the promoter, and a sequence, UUAUUAUU, that is required for high levels of promoter activity. Homologies to sequences surrounding the initiation sites of subgenomic RNAs from several plant RNA viruses, and from alphaviruses, have been detected.
THE DESMID GENERA SPHAEROZOSMA, ONYCHONEMA AND TEILINGIA: AN HISTORICAL APPRAISAL1

SUMMARY The taxonomic history of the desmid genera Onychonema Wallich, Sphaerozosma Corda and Teilingia Bourrelly is reviewed. In addition, Teiling's studies on asymmetry applied to Onychonema and Sphaerozosma are considered. Observations based on SEM examination of one species each of Onychonema and of Sphaerozosma are presented to show morphological differences. Finally, an appraisal of the taxonomic proposals by Telling and Bourrelly is given.
Comment: Laterality and Evaluative Bivalence: A Neuroevolutionary Perspective

Rutherford and Lindell (2011) review an extensive literature on lateralization of emotion. As they note, an important issue surrounding this question is the nature of emotion, which bears on what, precisely, is lateralized. The present comments are intended to broaden the context of the review, by considering lateralization from the standpoint of a bivariate model of evaluative processes and a neuroevolutionary perspective.
Opioid antagonist modulation of murine neuroblastoma: a profile of cell proliferation and opioid peptides and receptors

The endogenous opioids and their receptors are known to play a major role in neoplasia. In the present study, naltrexone (NTX), a potent opioid antagonist, was utilized to explore the interactions of opioids and opioid receptors in mice with transplanted neuroblastoma (S20Y). Tumors from mice subjected to either intermittent (4–6h/day; 0.1 mg/kg NTX) or complete (24 h/day; 10 mg/kg NTX) opioid receptor blockade exhibited an up-regulation of DADLE and Met-enkephalin binding sites, as well as tissue levels of β-endorphin and Met-enkephalin. Binding affinity to [d-Ala2, d-Leu5]enkephalin (DADLE) or ethylketocyclazocine (EKC), the levels of plasma β-endorphin, and the anatomical location and quantity of Met- and Leu-enkephalin and cytoskeletal components (i.e. tubulin, actin, brain spectrin(240/235)) were similar in NTX and control tumor-bearing animals. Tissue viability of the 0.1 NTX group was increased compared to controls. Both mitotic and labeling indexes were increased during the period of opioid receptor blockade, but decreased in the period subsequent to receptor blockade. NTX treatment produced a 2-fold increase in sensitivity to opioids. Met-enkephalin (10 mg/kg) produced a depression in both mitotic and labeling indexes in tumor-bearing mice that could be reversed by naloxone (10 mg/kg) administration. Thus, the endogenous opioids are trophic agents that inhibit growth by suppressing cell proliferation. The duration of receptor blockade by opioid antagonists modulates these actions, affecting both tumor incidence and survival time. Complete opioid receptor block prevents the interaction of increased levels of putative growth-related peptides with a greater number of opioid receptors, thereby increasing cell proliferation and accelerating tumor growth. With intermittent blockade, an enhanced opioid-receptor interaction occurs during the interval when the opioid antagonist is no longer present, producing an exaggerated inhibitory action on cell proliferation and the repression of tumorigenic events.
Neutrino “SPIN ROTATION” in a Twisting Magnetic Field

We calculate in a simple model the reduction in probability for (say) an electron neutrino to rotate to another state in a transverse magnetic field when that field twists in the transverse plane. This may be of relevance to a “second generation” analysis of solar neutrinos. Connection with the Berry phase for this problem is also discussed.
Characterization of Enantiomeric Bile Acid-induced Apoptosis in Colon Cancer Cell Lines

Bile acids are steroid detergents that are toxic to mammalian cells at high concentrations; increased exposure to these steroids is pertinent in the pathogenesis of cholestatic disease and colon cancer. Understanding the mechanisms of bile acid toxicity and apoptosis, which could include nonspecific detergent effects and/or specific receptor activation, has potential therapeutic significance. In this report we investigate the ability of synthetic enantiomers of lithocholic acid (ent-LCA), chenodeoxycholic acid (ent-CDCA), and deoxycholic acid (ent-DCA) to induce toxicity and apoptosis in HT-29 and HCT-116 cells. Natural bile acids were found to induce more apoptotic nuclear morphology, cause increased cellular detachment, and lead to greater capase-3 and -9 cleavage compared with enantiomeric bile acids in both cell lines. In contrast, natural and enantiomeric bile acids showed similar effects on cellular proliferation. These data show that bile acid-induced apoptosis in HT-29 and HCT-116 cells is enantiospecific, hence correlated with the absolute configuration of the bile steroid rather than its detergent properties. The mechanism of LCA- and ent-LCA-induced apoptosis was also investigated in HT-29 and HCT-116 cells. These bile acids differentially activate initiator caspases-2 and -8 and induce cleavage of full-length Bid. LCA and ent-LCA mediated apoptosis was inhibited by both pan-caspase and selective caspase-8 inhibitors, whereas a selective caspase-2 inhibitor provided no protection. LCA also induced increased CD95 localization to the plasma membrane and generated increased reactive oxygen species compared with ent-LCA. This suggests that LCA/ent-LCA induce apoptosis enantioselectively through CD95 activation, likely because of increased reactive oxygen species generation, with resulting procaspase-8 cleavage.
The Effect of Paramedic Experience on Survival from Cardiac Arrest

AbstrastObjective. We hypothesized that paramedics with more experience would be more successful at treating patients in ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest than those with less experience. We conducted a study examining the relationship between the years of experience of paramedics and survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods. This retrospective cohort study examined all witnessed, out-of-hospital VF cardiac arrests (n = 699) that occurred between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2006. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds of survival and the 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) relating to the number of years of experience that each of the treating paramedics had. Results. We found that every additional year of experience of the medic in charge of implementing procedures such as intravenous line insertions, intubations, and provision of medications was associated with a 2% increase in the likelihood of survival of the patient (95% CI: 1.00–1.04). The number of years of ...
Fraunhofer Holography In Cylindrical Tunnels: Neutralizing Window Curvature Effects

For in-line Fraunhofer holography in cylindrical tunnels, two methods are proposed to neutralize the window curvature effects. One is to modify the usually flat outer surfaces of the window into curved surfaces parallel to the original cylindrical direction; the desired outer curvature is determined in this paper. The second method proposes two separate parallel cylindrical lenses (one on each side) for zero net power. The desired lens parameters are determined in terms of the known physical quantities.
Role of bFGF and HGF in colon adenocarcinoma growth in liver

Abstract Introduction: Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) are important positive regulators of tumor growth and angiogenesis. This study was designed to assess the effect of bFGF and HGF infusion on tumor growth and metastases in a syngeneic, rat colon adenocarcinoma tumor model. Methods: Liver tumors were established in each of 21 BD9 rats via surgical, subcapsular implantation of a 1.0 mm 3 piece of a subcutaneously grown DHD/K12/TRb tumor. Test groups were infused systemically with 5 μg/day/rat bFGF or 0.5 μg/day/rat HGF via osmotic pump; and controls received saline. At 28 days all animals were killed and examined. Tumor volume was calculated as π[ a 2 × b ]/6, where a is shorter length and b the longer length. Liver and lung specimens were fixed in zinc formalin and embedded in paraffin for H&E staining and immunohistochemical study. Results: On histologic examination, tumor cells were seen to grow along blood vessel branches after infusion bFGF and HGF. Both VEGF and Flk-1 expression was strong cytoplasmic staining in cancer cells from hepatic, peritoneal and lung metastases. Conclusion: While both bFGF and HGF appear to induce an increase in tumor growth in this model, the effect of bFGF was marked. Similarly, HGF appeared to stimulate the development of distant metastases, though not reaching significance, while bFGF produced local and distant metastases with statistically significant increase in lung metastases. This rat colon adenocarcinoma cell line expressed VEGF and its receptor Flk-1. Further studies are required to evaluate the mechanism of tumor growth and metastasis stimulation. TABLE—ABSTRACT P8 . Control (n = 7) bFGF (n = 7) HGF (n = 6 ∗ ) P value Tumor volume (mm 3 ) 48.8 ± 17.6 85.1 ± 25.0 † 59.3 ± 26.9 † Intrahepatic mets 0 3/7 ‡ 0 ‡ =.19 Peritoneal mets 0 3/7 ‡ 1/6 ‡ =.19 Lung mets∗∗ 0 5/7 ‡ 1/6 ‡ =.02 ∗ One rat in this group died at postoperative two weeks. †,‡ bFGF group vs control group by Kruskal Wallis test.
Unbiased screen reveals ubiquilin-1 and -2 highly associated with huntingtin inclusions

Recently mutations in ubiquilin-2 were identified in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and ALS/dementia providing direct evidence for the importance of this protein in neurodegenerative diseases. Histological studies have suggested that ubiquilin-1/-2 are associated with various pathological inclusions including Lewy bodies in Parkinson's disease, neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer's disease, polyQ inclusions in expansion repeat diseases and various proteinopathies associated with ALS and frontotemporal dementia. Using specific ubiquilin-2 antibodies and a series of transgenic mouse models of proteinopathies associated with neurodegenerative disease, we show that ubiquilin-2 preferentially associates with huntingtin polyQ expansion aggregates compared to α-synuclein, tau and several other types of protein inclusions. These results were confirmed by similar findings for ubiquilin-1 and -2 in human brain tissue sections, where accumulation was observed in huntingtin inclusions, but only infrequently in other types of protein inclusions. In cultured cells, ubiquilin-2 associates with huntingtin/polyQ aggregates, but this is not compromised by disease-causing mutations. Although ubiquilin proteins can function as chaperones to shuttle proteins for degradation, there is persistent co-localization between ubiquilin-2 and polyQ aggregated proteins during disease progression in the N586-82Q-C63 Huntington's disease mouse model. Thus, the co-localization of ubiquilin-2 with the huntingtin aggregates does not appear to facilitate aggregate removal.
Exact Results for the SU(∞) Principal Chiral Model

Exact correlation functions of N × N matrix-valued quantized fields are not generally known, even as N approaches infinity (the planar limit). This is in stark contrast to isovector field theories, which have straightforward 1/N-expansions. I review the method by which exact correlation functions of the large-N limit (1 + 1)-dimensional sigma model with SU(N) × SU(N) symmetry. This field theory is asymptotically free, with a dynamically generated mass gap. The technique is a combination of the 1/N-expansion of the S matrix and Smirnov's form-factor axioms. I briefly discuss how to extract the short-distance behavior of the exact correlation function, which can be compared with perturbation theory.
Clonidine hydrochloride: Review of pharmacologic and clinical aspects

C LONIDINE hydrochloride (Catapres) is an antihypertensive drug with a mechanism of action that appears to differ from other commonly used antihypertensive agents. It has been available for use by prescription in the United States since 1974. Administration of remarkably low doses results in highly effective control of blood pressure in both supine and standing positions in moderate or severe hypertension. The purpose of this discussion is to review the pharmacologic and clinical aspects of this antihypertensive agent.
Direct determination of creatine kinase equilibrium constants with creatine or cyclocreatine as substrate

The equilibrium constants of two reactions catalyzed by rabbit muscle creatine kinase with creatine or cyclocreatine as substrate were determined by 31P-NMR. The value of the equilibrium constant with creatine as substrate was 172.10(7) M(-1) in agreement with previous work (Veech, R.L., Lawson, J.W.R., Cornell, W. and Krebs, H.A. (1979) J. Biol. Chem 254, 6538-6547). The value with cyclocreatine was 5.62.10(7) M(-1) and the ratio of the two constants is 30.6. It was possible to determine the ratio of the two equilibrium constants in a reaction mixture containing both substrates since it was found that the 31P resonances of P-creatine and P-cyclocreatine were well resolved. The ratio of K1/K2 determined in such experiments was 34.6, of the same order as previously reported by Annesley and Walker (Annesley, T.M. and Walker, J.B. (1977) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 74, 185-190).
Computer-Controlled Absorption, Fluorescence, and Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectrometry for Liquid Chromatographic Detection

A computer-controlled liquid chromatograph is described using two pumps for gradient elution. An absorption, fluorescence, and fluorescence-excitation detection system is centered around a silicon intensified target Vidicon detector. This allows fluorescence and absorption spectra to be recorded and stored every 3 s without stopping flow. A coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectrometer is also used in series in the detection scheme. This overall system allows great flexibility and the acquisition of a large amount of data from a single separation.
Smoking Cessation and Exercise Promotion Counseling in Psychologists Who Practice Psychotherapy

Abstract Purpose. Little is known about health promotion within the context of psychotherapy. The present study assessed a sample of psychologists' attitudes and behavior with their psychotherapy clients regarding smoking cessation and exercise promotion counseling. Design. This is a cross-sectional survey study. Setting. Surveys were mailed. Subjects. Licensed psychologists (1000) in Massachusetts were randomly selected to receive surveys. Psychologists practicing psychotherapy at least 5 h/wk were invited to participate. Out of 496 responses, 328 completed surveys were analyzed. Measures. Two parallel surveys were developed for smoking (N = 154) and exercise (N = 174) assessing health promotion behaviors and attitudes. Results. Approximately 43% of respondents inquire about smoking and 53% inquire about exercise with new clients. Over 45% advise smoking clients to quit and 50% advise sedentary clients to exercise. Over 80% of respondents felt smoking and exercise should be addressed in psychotherapy; ho...
Synthesis and crystallographic characterization of [Cd(OH2)2 (μ-Br)4 (Cd(2-hydroxyethyl sulfide) (μ-Br))2]n

The reaction of equal millimolar quantities of CdBr2 and 2-hydroxyethyl sulfide in 3∶1 CH3CN∶CH3OH produced [Cd(OH2)2(μBr)4 (Cd(2-hydroxy ethyl sulfide) (μ-Br))2]n. The compound crystallizes as a bromide-bridged polymer with hydrogen bonding interactions between the polymeric chains. Each of the two unique metal centers has a distorted octahedral geometry. The thioether ligand is bidentate to one cadmium position with one alcoholic terminus uncoordinated. The uncoordinated portion of the molecule is disordered with each conformation participating in slightly different hydrogen bonding environments. The other unique cadmium center is coordinated to four bridging bromides and twotrans water molecules.
Environmental justice: spatial distribution of hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities in Los Angeles

Concern over possible inequities in the siting of noxious facilities leads us to study spatial patterns of distribution of hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDs). Inasmuch as such patterns are inextricably linked to particular land-use institutions, our focus is jurisdiction-specific, in this case, concentrated on the city of Los Angeles. Problems with statistical confounding require some effort at ordinary least-squares model specification and diagnostics. The paper addresses the simultaneity of effects due to demographics and zoning, and we employ a two-stage least-squares procedure to address the possibility that both the siting and industrial zoning are endogenously determined. The results suggest a significant correlation between prevalence of TSDs and the proportion of Latino residents. The political implications of such results are unquestionable, and analyses such as this can be used in conjunction with a greater body of evidence supporting the call for reform. We show ...