cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase: A possible clinical indicator for prostatic carcinoma

Any system of biochemical analysis that can be used to detect chemical differences between normal and malignant cells may add potentially valuable information to complement the histologic data which provide the practical definition of human prostatic carcinoma. A difference (P less than 0.0001) was observed in the levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) activity in prostatic tissue with benign hyperplasia and prostatic carcinoma. Measured as a function of the amount of protein extracted from whole-tissue homogenates, the values for G-6-PD activity in prostatic carcinoma are almost four times those measured for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The degree of elevation of the activity of this enzyme suggests a correlation between enzymatic activity and clinical prognosticators, ie., histologic differentiation and clinical stage.
Consuming eggs for breakfast influences plasma glucose and ghrelin, while reducing energy intake during the next 24 hours in adult men

We hypothesized that consuming eggs for breakfast would significantly lower postprandial satiety and energy intake throughout the day. Using a crossover design, 21 men, 20 to 70 years old, consumed 2 isoenergetic test breakfasts, in a random order separated by 1 week. The macronutrient composition of the test breakfasts were as follows: (EGG, % CHO/fat/protein = 22:55:23) and (BAGEL, % CHO/fat/protein = 72:12:16). Fasting blood samples were drawn at baseline before the test breakfast and at 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after breakfast. After 180 minutes, subjects were given a buffet lunch and asked to eat until satisfied. Subjects filled out Visual Analog Scales (VAS) during each blood draw and recorded food intake the days before and after the test breakfasts. Plasma glucose, insulin, and appetite hormones were analyzed at each time point. Subjects consumed fewer kilocalories after the EGG breakfast compared with the BAGEL breakfast (P< .01). In addition, subjects consumed more kilocalories in the 24-hour period after the BAGEL compared with the EGG breakfast (P < .05). Based on VAS, subjects were hungrier and less satisfied 3 hours after the BAGEL breakfast compared with the EGG breakfast (P < .01). Participants had higher plasma glucose area under the curve (P < .05) as well as an increased ghrelin and insulin area under the curve with BAGEL (P < .05). These findings suggest that consumption of eggs for breakfast results in less variation of plasma glucose and insulin, a suppressed ghrelin response, and reduced energy intake.
Culture without the State? Reinvigorating Ukrainian Culture with Diasporic Efforts

This article explores the efforts of diaspora groups to reinvigorate culture. Cultural policy studies tend to focus on efforts of the state to fund and support the maintenance, enhancement, and preservation of national culture(s). This article contributes to this area of research by noting the effects of diaspora groups in achieving many of the same ends as official cultural policy through unofficial means. Using Ukraine as an interpretive case study, the article explores diasporic efforts to respond to a lack of cultural policy at home by invigorating Ukrainian culture abroad. Through the use of social networking tools, Ukrainian diaspora groups in the United States and Canada have been successful in maintaining their culture without the state. This study suggests that cultural policy research should involve not only official state-centric efforts, but nonofficial diaspora-centric efforts of cultural invigoration.
Cell transformation by exogenous methylated purines.

Abstract Primary Chinese hamster embryo cell cultures generally yield cell lines with a finite lifetime in culture. However, these cells can be converted to continuous lines by exogenous 1-methylguanine and 7-methylguanine, two normal degradation products of tRNA. Continuous lines have also been obtained by treatment with 3-deazaguanine and the carcinogenic hydrocarbon 3,4-benzpyrene, but not with guanine, 3-methylguanine, or the carcinogen l -ethionine. Continuous lines do arise spontaneously at a low frequency, and lines derived after exposure to modified purines have been analyzed and compared to a spontaneously arising continuous line. The spontaneous Chinese hamster cell line has many characteristics of normal finite lines. These control cells exhibit a diploid karyotype, are not tumorigenic in nude mice, and have normal tRNA methyltransferase, methionine adenosyltransferase, and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase activities. However, as compared to finite Chinese hamster cells, these cells are resistant to infection by the tumor virus SV40. The 1-methylguanine and 7-methylguanine transformed lines which have been analyzed in most detail differ greatly with regard to cell morphology. The former appear to be fibroblasts, while the latter are epithelial-like. The 1-methylguanine treated line exhibits a hyperdiploid karyotype with a modal chromosome number of 23. These cells are tumorigenic in nude mice forming well encapsulated, undifferentiated fibrosarcomas. The 7-methylguanine treated line is hypodiploid with a modal chromosome number of 21. This line is not tumorigenic in nude mice. The transformed cell lines derived by treatment with any of the modified purines or the carcinogen 3,4-benzpyrene all demonstrate elevated tRNA methyltransferase activity as well as elevated S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase activity. In addition, methionine adenosyltransferase activity is increased in the 3-deazaguanine and benzpyrene derived lines. Elevated levels of methylated degradation products of tRNA may then aid in maintaining the transformed state.
The emerging face of primary cilia

Primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles that serve as hubs for the transduction of various developmental signaling pathways including Hedgehog, Wnt, FGF, and PDGF. Ciliary dysfunction contributes to a range of disorders, collectively known as the ciliopathies. Recently, interest has grown in these syndromes, particularly among craniofacial biologists, as many known and putative ciliopathies have severe craniofacial defects. Herein we discuss the current understanding of ciliary biology and craniofacial development in an attempt to gain insight into the molecular etiology for craniofacial ciliopathies, and uncover a characteristic ciliopathic craniofacial gestalt.
Prevalence of Antidiabetic and Antilipidemic Medications in Children and Adolescents Treated With Atypical Antipsychotics in a Virginia Medicaid Population

Background: Atypical antipsychotic use among children and adolescents is a cause for concern secondary to metabolic adverse effects. There have been reports of weight gain, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, glucose abnormalities, and decreased insulin sensitivity in children aged 4 to 19 years using atypical antipsychotics. Objective: To determine the prevalence of antidiabetic and antilipidemic medication use among children and adolescents receiving atypical antipsychotics and to evaluate whether the odds of receiving antidiabetic and antilipidemic medication differs among atypical antipsychotic agents. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included Virginia Medicaid beneficiaries (2-17 years) continuously enrolled from August 1, 2010, to July 31, 2011. The participants were categorized into atypical antipsychotic exposed and unexposed. The prevalence of antidiabetic and antilipidemic medication use within the groups was computed. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds of receivin...
FACTORS AFFECTING IODINE CONCENTRATION IN BOVINE MILK

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect upon the secretion of iodine into cows' milk of various compounds demonstrated to alter thyroid function. Nine cows were given radioiodine twice daily to achieve a steady state condition. After a control sampling period the cows were given KClO 4 , NaI, NaCl, and l-thyroxine, d-thyroxine, or 2-4 dinitrophenol. KClO 4 , NaI, NaCl, and l-thyroxine reduced the accumulation of radioiodine in milk and reduced the milk-I 131 /plasma-I 131 ratio; whereas, d-thyroxine and 2-4 dinitrophenol did not. l-thyroxine, although probably acting directly upon the mammary gland, was limited in its ability to reduce I 131 accumulation in milk. It was concluded that transfer of iodide into milk was in part an active process and that thyroxine could affect the transfer of iodide from plasma to milk and from milk to plasma.
Pressure, Fluid and Anatomical Characteristics of Abdominoscrotal Hydroceles in Infants

Purpose: Abdominoscrotal hydrocele is a poorly understood entity and multiple theories attempt to explain its occurrence. To our knowledge the factors contributing to the formation of abdominoscrotal hydrocele are unknown, as are its cellular, biochemical and hydrostatic properties. We prospectively evaluated abdominoscrotal hydrocele at surgery to define its cause and its effects on the testicle.Materials and Methods: Six patients (9 abdominoscrotal hydroceles) were prospectively evaluated at surgery. Hydrocele volume was recorded as well as simultaneous hydrocele and bladder pressure. Fluid at surgery was sent for biochemical and cellular analysis. Testicular and epididymal abnormalities were noted and testicular length was measured. All abdominoscrotal hydroceles were exteriorized and excised. Processus vaginalis patency was documented at repair.Results: Mean patient age was 7.17 months (range 5 to 12). The mean volume recorded was 212.78 ml (range 80 to 320). Mean corrected hydrocele pressure was 15.4...
Current issues facing academic surgery departments: stakeholders' views.

PURPOSE To determine the issues important to stakeholders in today's academic surgery departments, to query key stakeholders about possible solutions, and to investigate the correlation of organizational alignment among department stakeholders with department performance. METHOD Between July 2003 and October 2005, the author designed, piloted and carried out a study in which he interviewed key stakeholders-deans, chief executive officers/chief financial officers (CEOs/CFOs) of hospitals and health system practice plans, surgery department chairs, and surgery department members-from 12 randomly selected academic surgery departments. Important issues and solutions were identified and comparisons among stakeholder groups performed. Alignment was evaluated both among and within groups and organizations. RESULTS Stakeholders (11 deans, 9 CEO/CFOs, 12 department chairs, 10 department faculty members) identified 12 issues and offered potential solutions and responses important to today's academic surgery department. One issue identified was promotion and tenure; nearly all stakeholders stated that its current form needed to be changed. Alignment analysis was incomplete because of inconsistent outcomes reporting. CONCLUSIONS The uniformity of issues facing academic surgery departments and the similarity of the solutions proposed to address these issues (both study findings) suggest a need to change the paradigm and think "outside the box." The study findings suggest that academic surgery departments, under strong leaders, must establish a unified culture, define a compelling vision, articulate a clear mission, and develop fully accepted values to be successful. The study findings could be useful in designing and developing academic surgery departments in today's health care environment.
Lossless and Near-Lossless Compression of Ecg Signals with Block-Sorting Techniques

In this work, we investigate the lossless and near-lossless compression of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals with different block-sorting transformations. We show that transformations with smaller context depths are a better choice for ECG signal compression when speed and memory utilization are considered. Further, we show that compression results of our proposed technique is better than other well known techniques, such as bzip2, gzip, and the shorten waveform coder.
Evolutionary Origin and Genomic Organization of Micro-RNA Genes in Immunoglobulin Lambda Variable Region Gene Family

The genomic organizations and functions of many miRNA genes have been described in recent years, but the origin and evolution of miRNAs in the exons of protein-coding genes are not well understood. The overlap of miR-650 genes with the protein-coding region of immunoglobulin lambda variable (IGVL) region genes has given a unique opportunity to witness a birth of miRNA gene. Both sequence comparisons and structure predictions indicate that the miR-650 genes are present in multiple copies and overlap in the same transcription orientation with the leader exon of primate IGVL genes of a specific phylogenetic clan (clan II). By reconstructing the phylogeny of the clan II IGVL genes, the stages in which the mutations accumulated in the leader exon and gave rise to a stable hairpin structure of miR-650 could be documented. The copy number variation of miR-650 genes among different species is the result of the duplication or deletion of the IGVL genes. To my knowledge, this is the first report of a genomic association between miRNA and the protein-coding genes of a multigene family. Analysis of the upstream region of the leader exon suggests that the IGVL and the mir-650 genes use the same promoter region for their transcription. However, in contrast to the general expectation about the expression of miRNAs that overlap with other genes in the same transcriptional orientation, this analysis provides evidence that the miR-650 gene is apparently transcribed independently of the IGVL gene with which it overlaps because they are expressed in different cell types.
Health Care Providers' Missed Opportunities for Preventing Femicide☆

Abstract Background. Homicide of women (femicide) by intimate partners is the most serious form of violence against women. The purpose of this analysis of a larger multisite study was to describe health care use in the year prior to murder of women by their intimate partner in order to identify opportunities for intervention to prevent femicide. Methods. A sample of femicide cases was identified from police or medical examiner records. Participants (n = 311) were proxy informants (most often female family members) of victims of intimate partner femicide from 11 U.S. cities. Information about prior domestic abuse and use of health care and other helping agencies for victims and perpetrators was obtained during structured telephone interviews. Results. Most victims had been abused by their partners (66%) and had used health care agencies for either injury or physical or mental health problems (41%). Among women who had been pregnant during the relationship, 23% were beaten by partners during pregnancy. Among perpetrators with fair or poor physical health, 53% had contact with physicians and 15% with fair or poor mental health had seen a doctor about their mental health problem. Among perpetrators with substance problems, 5.4% had used alcohol treatment programs and 5.7% had used drug treatment programs. Conclusions. Frequent contacts with helping agencies by victims and perpetrators represent opportunities for the prevention of femicide by health care providers.
FLITECAM: a near-infrared camera for test and science applications on SOFIA

As a facility class instrument on SOFIA, FLITECAM will be developed at the UCLA Infrared Imaging Detector Laboratory. Its primary purpose is to test the SOFIA telescope imaging quality from 1.0 to 5.5 microns, using a 1024 X 1024 InSb ALADDIN II array. Once the telescope test flights are finished, FLITECAM will be available to the science community. FLITECAM's field of view of 8' in diameter, with a plate scale of 0.47' per pixel, is one of the largest available for any facility camera. Grisms are available to produce moderate resolution of R approximately equals 1000 - 2000, depending on the slit width, with direct ruled ZnSe grisms. The detector readout electronics will be provided by Mauna Kea IR Inc. and is able to operate the detector array at all its planned operation modes, including occulations, telescope-nodding, high-speed shift-and-add, and optionally chopping at the longer wavelengths. Here we present our design approach to achieve those specifications. We also discuss the most important tests FLITECAM will carry out and give examples of science projects on SOFIA. For the latter, we present a preliminary list of filters which is expandable and open for discussions within the science community.
Enhanced eumelanin emission by stepwise three-photon excitation

Eumelanin fluorescence from Sepia officinalis and black human hair was activated with near-infrared radiation and multiphoton excitation. A third order multiphoton absorption by a step-wise process appears to be the underlying mechanism. The activation was caused by a photochemical process since it could not be reproduced by simple heating. Both fluorescence and brightfield imaging indicate the near-infrared irradiation caused photodamage to the eumelanin and the activated emission originated from the photodamaged region. At least two different components with about thousand-fold enhanced fluorescence were activated and could be distinguished by their excitation properties. One component was excited with wavelengths in the visible region and exhibited linear absorption dependence. The second component could be excited with near-infrared wavelengths and had a third order dependence on the laser power. The third order dependence is explained by a step-wise excited state absorption (ESA) process since it could be observed equally with the CW and femtosecond lasers. The new method for photoactivating the eumelanin fluorescence was used to map the melanin content in human hair.
Radiation-Induced Pneumonitis in the “Nonirradiated” Lung

Objective To describe six cases of radiation-induced organizing pneumonitis occurring outside the direct radiation field and to review clinical, radiologic, and histologic aspects of this entity. Material and Methods We present detailed case reports of six, women, with a mean age of 62.8 years (range, 50 to 75), who had received radiation therapy (mean dose, 6,560 cGy) for breast cancer. Results From 6 to 17 months (mean, 8.8) after the completion of radiotherapy, recurrent and migrating lung infiltrates were detected outside the radiation field in the six study patients. Three patients had pronounced respiratory symptoms, whereas the rest were minimally symptomatic or asymptomatic. Thoracic computed tomography showed dense alveolar infiltrates. Bronchoalveolar lavage in two patients revealed lymphocytosis (25% and 19%), and lung biopsy in five patients demonstrated a histologic pattern consistent with bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia. Even though the symptomatic patients showed prompt resolution of their symptoms and roentgenographic abnormalities after systemic corticosteroid therapy, the lung infiltrates recurred after corticosteroid therapy was discontinued. Conclusion These six cases, including their prompt response to corticosteroid therapy, provide additional evidence that irradiation damages lung tissue outside of the direct treatment field and suggest that an immunologically mediated lymphocytic alveolitis may be responsible for the recurrent migratory organizing pneumonitis.
Managing Operations in the Former Soviet Union: Current Situation and Future Development

Dealing with ex‐Soviet republics, American companies desperately need reliable information about the current status of production and operations management in the former Soviet Union. Describes some aspects of managing operations in Russia and other ex‐Soviet republics. The emphasis is made on forecasting, product design, facilities layout and automation, work measurement, inventory management, and quality control. Based on this analysis, presents some recommendations for improving operations management in the former Soviet Union.
Barcodes for DNA sequencing with guaranteed error correction capability

Advances in DNA sequencing have resulted in instruments of remarkable performance, including extraordinary base read rates, and enormous sequencing depths. Sample throughput, nevertheless, remains slow, a situation that could be alleviated through sample multiplexing, with the incorporation of DNA barcodes serving to identify the different samples. Given the existence of finite sequencing error rates, reported is the design from BCH codes of DNA barcodes that provide guaranteed correction of errors within these barcodes.
Statistical reduction for strongly driven simple quantum systems

We derive reduced equations of motion for simple quantum systems which are strongly driven by an external field and are modulated stochastically by a coupling to a bath. In the derivation we make use of the cumulant-expansion method of Kubo using two different time-ordering prescriptions. We demonstrate how the choice of the ordering prescription is related to the statistical properties of the bath, once the cumulant expansion is truncated. Our equations of motion are valid for arbitrary time scale for the motions of the bath relative to those of the system, and they change smoothly from the static to the Markov (motional narrowing) limit. As examples, we consider the problems of a randomly modulated and driven harmonic oscillator and a modulated and damped two-level system. In the Markovian limit both ordering prescriptions yield Bloch-type equations of motion; in general, however, the driving and modulation interfere and the different statistical properties of the bath, as determined by the two truncated ordering prescriptions, lead to different results.
Variation in drug and alcohol use among agricultural laborers: Watermelon Men in the rural south.

Agricultural workers in general face the impact of daily structural and symbolic violence, which can lead to excessive use of drugs and alcohol. "Watermelon Men" who dedicate themselves to watermelon harvesting have high use levels owing to the way that accommodations and work are organized over a labor-intensive short season. This article combines data from a risk assessment of 681 individuals in a winter home-base community and multi-site ethnography that generated interviews with 140 individuals to discuss factors that lead to excessive drug and alcohol use during peak season in high-wage crops such as watermelon.
Exact and heuristic methods for a class of selective newsvendor problems with normally distributed demands

Abstract In this paper we study a class of selective newsvendor problems, where a decision maker has a set of raw materials each of which can be customized shortly before satisfying demand. The goal is then to select which subset of customizations maximizes expected profit. We show that certain multi-period and multi-product selective newsvendor problems fall within our problem class. Under the assumption that the demands are independent and normally, but not necessarily identically, distributed we show that some problem instances from our class can be solved efficiently using an attractive sorting property that was also established in the literature for some related problems. For our general model we use the KKT conditions to develop an exact algorithm that is efficient in the number of raw materials. In addition, we develop a class of heuristic algorithms. In a numerical study, we compare the performance of the algorithms, and the heuristics are shown to have excellent performance and running times as compared to available commercial solvers.
The Sequential Expansion of a Decision Model in a Spatial Context

A brief introduction to behavioral models in geography and the other social sciences is given, and the use of the spatial concept explained. Simple examples of decision models are described. The authors then discuss ways of increasing the complexity of these basic models. The case of the expansion of a fire within a theater is considered in detail, as representative of many similar situations. This model is then further expanded, and the additional complexities considered in the specific context of invasion and succession processes of community change within a city. In conclusion, a tentative list is given of the components appropriate as incremental stages in terms of a sequential decision model.
Data driven linear algebraic methods for analysis of molecular pathways: Application to disease progression in shock/trauma

Motivation: Although trauma is the leading cause of death for those below 45years of age, there is a dearth of information about the temporal behavior of the underlying biological mechanisms in those who survive the initial trauma only to later suffer from syndromes such as multiple organ failure. Levels of serum cytokines potentially affect the clinical outcomes of trauma; understanding how cytokine levels modulate intra-cellular signaling pathways can yield insights into molecular mechanisms of disease progression and help to identify targeted therapies. However, developing such analyses is challenging since it necessitates the integration and interpretation of large amounts of heterogeneous, quantitative and qualitative data. Here we present the Pathway Semantics Algorithm (PSA), an algebraic process of node and edge analyses of evoked biological pathways over time for in silico discovery of biomedical hypotheses, using data from a prospective controlled clinical study of the role of cytokines in multiple organ failure (MOF) at a major US trauma center. A matrix algebra approach was used in both the PSA node and PSA edge analyses with different matrix configurations and computations based on the biomedical questions to be examined. In the edge analysis, a percentage measure of crosstalk called XTALK was also developed to assess cross-pathway interference. Results: In the node/molecular analysis of the first 24h from trauma, PSA uncovered seven molecules evoked computationally that differentiated outcomes of MOF or non-MOF (NMOF), of which three molecules had not been previously associated with any shock/trauma syndrome. In the edge/molecular interaction analysis, PSA examined four categories of functional molecular interaction relationships - activation, expression, inhibition, and transcription - and found that the interaction patterns and crosstalk changed over time and outcome. The PSA edge analysis suggests that a diagnosis, prognosis or therapy based on molecular interaction mechanisms may be most effective within a certain time period and for a specific functional relationship.
Selectivities of Diels−Alder Reactions Catalyzed by Highly Acidic Boronated Aluminas

A series of boronated aluminas was prepared by the reaction of BX3 (X = F, Cl, Br) with alumina or by a two-step synthesis involving the reaction of BH3·Me2S with alumina and then with I2. The modi...
Walking and Talking in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract Objectives To investigate whether there is a reduction in walking with the simultaneous performance of a cognitive task (ie, dual-task cost [DTC]) in persons undergoing hemodialysis (HD), and whether it is greater in persons undergoing HD compared with age-matched controls. Design Cohort. Setting University research laboratory. Participants Persons undergoing HD (n=14; 5 women, 9 men; mean age ± SD, 50.0±11.8y) and age-matched controls (n=14; 4 women, 10 men; mean age ± SD, 48.5±10.1y) participated in the investigation. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcomes Measures Participants walked at a self-selected pace on an electronic pathway, which recorded spatiotemporal parameters of gait, in 4 separate trials and completed a cognitive task in the last 2 trials. The DTC was quantified as the change in spatiotemporal parameters of gait from baseline to the cognitive trials. Results The HD group had a greater decrease in walking function during the cognitive task, with DTC ranging from 6% to 14%. On average, walking velocity decreased to less than 1m/s in HD patients during the cognitive condition. Baseline walking velocity was found to be moderately correlated with the magnitude of DTC of cadence and step time (ρ=−.44 and .46; P values Conclusions Persons undergoing HD have greater interference between walking and talking compared with controls. Difficulty walking while thinking has implications for everyday life and may be related to the risk of falls. Further work is necessary to determine other contributing factors to elevated DTC in HD patients, and whether DTC can be reduced with targeted interventions.
Identification of allele-specific alternative mRNA processing via transcriptome sequencing

Establishing the functional roles of genetic variants remains a significant challenge in the post-genomic era. Here, we present a method, allele-specific alternative mRNA processing (ASARP), to identify genetically influenced mRNA processing events using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) data. The method examines RNA-Seq data at both single-nucleotide and whole-gene/isoform levels to identify allele-specific expression (ASE) and existence of allele-specific regulation of mRNA processing. We applied the methods to data obtained from the human glioblastoma cell line U87MG and primary breast cancer tissues and found that 26-45% of all genes with sufficient read coverage demonstrated ASE, with significant overlap between the two cell types. Our methods predicted potential mechanisms underlying ASE due to regulations affecting either whole-gene-level expression or alternative mRNA processing, including alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation and alternative transcriptional initiation. Allele-specific alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation may explain ASE in hundreds of genes in each cell type. Reporter studies following these predictions identified the causal single nucleotide variants (SNVs) for several allele-specific alternative splicing events. Finally, many genes identified in our study were also reported as disease/phenotype-associated genes in genome-wide association studies. Future applications of our approach may provide ample insights for a better understanding of the genetic basis of gene regulation underlying phenotypic diversity and disease mechanisms.
Biotin transport in a human intestinal epithelial cell line (Caco-2)

The apical (AP)-to-basolateral (BL) transport of [3H]biotin across Caco-2 cell monolayers grown on a Transwell polycarbonate membrane was shown to be dependent on days in culture, reaching a maximum at 10 days. The AP-to-BL transport of [3H]biotin was always much greater than the BL-to-AP transport. AP-to-BL transport of [3H]biotin was concentration-(Km = 1.49 microM and Vmax = 1.86 pmol.mg protein-1.minute-1), temperature-, Na(+)- and energy-dependent, and proceeded against a concentration gradient in the BL side. [3H]Biotin transport was inhibited by unlabeled biotin and several structural analogues (e.g., desthiobiotin and biotin methyl ester) but not by taurocholic acid. No metabolism of [3H]biotin was detected in the AP-to-BL transport across Caco-2 cell monolayers. This study demonstrates that [3H]biotin transport in Caco-2 cells occurs by a carrier-mediated process.
Insulin Drives Transcriptional Activity of the CYP17 Gene in Primary Cultures of Swine Theca Cells

Insulin stimulates androgen biosynthesis and the accumulation of CYP17 mRNA and heterogeneous nuclear (hn) RNA in primary cultures of immature swine theca cells. To further assess insulinomimetic transcriptional control, we subcloned 1.007 kilobases (kb) of the 5'-upstream region of the CYP17 gene (-976 to +31 base pairs [bp] to the transcriptional start site) into a firefly-luciferase reporter construct. Insulin drove transcriptional activity of this probe in a time- and dose-dependent fashion, with maximal stimulation of 2.7- to 3.2-fold after insulin exposure (100 ng/ml) for 6 h. Progressive deletional constructs -839, -473, -174, and -75/+31 bp delineated expected reduction in responsiveness, except paradoxical gain of basal CYP17 promoter activity by the -473/+31-bp sequence. The latter suggests a possible intervening inhibitory sequence. Elimination of all sequences 5'-upstream to -174 bp markedly reduced basal transcriptional activity and abolished insulin action. Point mutation of a presumptive Sp1-like element located within -193/-180 bp inhibited basal and insulin-stimulated luciferase activity of the full-length promoter fragment by 40% and 67%, respectively. Disruption of a contiguous presumptive AP-2 site produced a comparable outcome. Combined mutation of the Sp1 and AP-2-like elements eliminated basal and insulin-potentiated CYP17 promoter activity. By Western analysis, insulin augmented cognate receptor phosphoprotein concentrations by 31-fold within 10 min. Chemical inhibitors of MEK-activated ERK1/2 attenuated insulin-enhanced CYP17 transcriptional activity by 76-80%. In summary, insulin drives transcriptional activity of a 5'-upstream regulatory sequence (-976 to +31 bp) of the swine CYP17 gene in primary cultures of theca cells, under a minimal requirement for combined activity of proximal (-193/180 bp) Sp1 and AP-2-like elements.
Incorporating resilience into sustainability indicators: An example for the urban water sector

Abstract The development and use of indicators is common practice in efforts to promote urban sustainability. Indicators used to measure urban sustainability tend to focus narrowly on describing the current state of the urban system. Although a time series analysis using these indicators may lend insights into trends towards or away from certain ‘sustainability’ goals, existing indicators of urban sustainability do not provide information on the ability or the likelihood that the current system state can be maintained or improved over time. Indicators that incorporate a measure of system resilience would provide useful information on system sustainability. Through development of a new indicator, Water Provision Resilience (WPR), we provide an example of how measures of resilience could be incorporated into sustainability indicators. The new indicator adds six color codings to the existing indicator ‘percent of the population with access to safe water.’ Each color coding represents a measure of the ability of the water system to maintain or improve the current percent of the population with access to safe water in key areas of the water provision sector: supply, infrastructure, service provision, finances, water quality and governance. The metric is then applied to three cities. The goal in developing this metric is to provide a starting point for re-thinking the metrics used to measure progress and sustainability in order to incorporate the ability to absorb and adapt to stresses into sustainability analysis.
Enhancement of hepatic tyrosine aminotransferase induction in the rat by 5-fluorouracil.

Abstract 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment with large doses in adrenal-intact rats inhibited glucocorticoid induction of tryptophan oxygenase (TPO, EC 1.13.1.12) while simultaneously enhancing induction of hepatic tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT, EC 2.6.1.5). 5-FU treatment alone stimulated hepatic TAT several-fold in intact rats, and less so in adrenalectomized rats, while enhanced induction of TAT by 5-FU with glucocorticoids occurred equally well in adrenalectomized rats. Enhanced induction of TAT in 5-FU treated rats was not obtained if the primary inducer of TAT was insulin. The normal apparent half-life in vivo of glucocorticoid-induced TAT was 1.9 hr; this was increased to 3.9 hr by 5-FU cotreatment. These data support the likelihood that 5-FU supports TAT induction by altering the turnover in vivo of glucocorticoid-induced TAT.
Under the microscope: Gender and mentor–protégé relationships

Forty (40) depth interviews were conducted among Florida-based public relations practitioners to examine mentor–protege relationship dynamics according to gender. Two factors, compatibility and structural features, are offered to explain successful mentoring in public relations and to suggest a strategy for maximizing its benefits. Moreover, mentoring facilitates career enhancement in five important ways (supplement to college training, validation and empowerment, deportment, networking, reciprocity) – and gender composition of vertical dyads seems to matter a great deal.
Rat Ultrasonic Vocalization Shows Features of a Modular Behavior

Small units of production, or modules, can be effective building blocks of more complex motor behaviors. Recording underlying movements of vocal production in awake and spontaneously behaving male Sprague Dawley rats interacting with a female, I tested whether the underlying movements of ultrasonic calls can be described by modules. Movements were quantified by laryngeal muscle EMG activity and subglottal pressure changes. A module was defined by uniformity in both larynx movement and pressure pattern that resulted in a specific spectrographic feature. Modules are produced either singly (single module call type) or in combination with a different module (composite call type). Distinct modules were shown to be linearly (re)combined. Additionally, I found that modules produced during the same expiratory phase can be linked with or without a pause in laryngeal activity, the latter creating the spectrographic appearance of two separate calls. Results suggest that combining discrete modules facilitates generation of higher-order patterns, thereby increasing overall complexity of the vocal repertoire. With additional study, modularity and flexible laryngeal–respiratory coordination may prove to be a basal feature of mammalian vocal motor control.
Oral histories in meteoritics and planetary science: XI. Masatake Honda

— Masatake Honda majored in inorganic chemistry at the University of Tokyo and then pursued graduate studies in geochemistry. In 1943, he completed his first research project, which yielded new data on the behavior of strontium in carbonates. He then spent the next two years as a technical officer in the Japanese Imperial Navy. While on duty, he gained expertise in the important new field of ion exchange methods, which he ultimately chose as the topic for his Ph.D. thesis and then expanded into a book. In 1955, Honda traveled to Switzerland and spent a year in research laboratories at Bern and Zurich. He then joined Professor James R. Arnold at Princeton University and soon began focusing his research on cosmic-ray produced nuclides in meteorites. Two years later, he accompanied Dr. Arnold to the University of california at La Jolla where they joined the research group of Professor Harold C. Urey. Honda developed techniques for measuring terrestrial ages of meteorites and showed that most of them have survived weathering for vastly longer periods than had been anticipated. After spending nearly eight years abroad, he returned to Japan in 1962 as a full professor at the University of Tokyo. During the Apollo missions, he performed research on cosmogenic nuclides in lunar rocks, surface soils, and deep drill cores. In the same period, he studied terrestrial histories of numerous Antarctic meteorites. In 1992, he retired from his professorship but he continues to carry on his research and to publish papers. In 1987, the Meteoritical Society presented its Leonard Medal to Masatake Honda for his pioneering work in establishing the abundances and production rates of stable, long-lived, and short-lived nuclides by cosmic irradiation of meteorites and lunar samples.
An Integrated Model of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Trafficking and Signal Transduction

Endocytic trafficking of many types of receptors can have profound effects on subsequent signaling events. Quantitative models of these processes, however, have usually considered trafficking and signaling independently. Here, we present an integrated model of both the trafficking and signaling pathway of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) using a probability weighted-dynamic Monte Carlo simulation. Our model consists of hundreds of distinct endocytic compartments and ∼13,000 reactions/events that occur over a broad spatio-temporal range. By using a realistic multicompartment model, we can investigate the distribution of the receptors among cellular compartments as well as their potential signal transduction characteristics. Our new model also allows the incorporation of physiochemical aspects of ligand-receptor interactions, such as pH-dependent binding in different endosomal compartments. To determine the utility of this approach, we simulated the differential activation of the EGFR by two of its ligands, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α). Our simulations predict that when EGFR is activated with TGF-α, receptor activation is biased toward the cell surface whereas EGF produces a signaling bias toward the endosomal compartment. Experiments confirm these predictions from our model and simulations. Our model accurately predicts the kinetics and extent of receptor downregulation induced by either EGF or TGF-α. Our results suggest that receptor trafficking controls the compartmental bias of signal transduction, rather than simply modulating signal magnitude. Our model provides a new approach to evaluating the complex effect of receptor trafficking on signal transduction. Importantly, the stochastic and compartmental nature of the simulation allows these models to be directly tested by high-throughput approaches, such as quantitative image analysis.
Analyzing growth and mortality in a subtropical urban forest ecosystem

a b s t r a c t Information on urban tree growth, mortality and in-growth is currently being used to estimate urban forest structure changes and ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration. This study reports on tree diameter growth and mortality in 65 plots distributed among four land use categories, which were estab- lished in 2005/2006 in Gainesville, Florida, USA and were re-measured in 2009. Models for mortality and in-growth models were developed by grouping species into hardwoods and softwoods. Annual change in tree diameter at breast height growth was analyzed using three tree species groups based on potential height and longevity. Additionally, the four most common tree species in the study area were modeled to explore factors affecting tree growth. The average annual mortality rate in the city was 9.97%. Trees located in Institutional land use/land cover (LULC) had the highest annual mortality rate (19.2%/yr), and commercial had the lowest (3.1%/yr). Overall, growth rates for the study area (0.70 cm/yr) and residen- tial LULC (0.80 cm/yr) were comparable to other studies. Growth rates for trees in forested areas were higher (0.56 cm/yr) than those previously reported. Individual species-level growth rates such as those for Juniperus virginiana (1.24 cm/yr) and Quercus virginiana (1.08 cm/yr) were different than other species values reported in other studies. Maintenance activities, site conditions, soil properties, tree characteris- tics, and LULC significantly influenced urban tree growth, mortality, and in-growth. Results can be used to better understand urban forest ecosystem structure and services in medium sized, subtropical cities and to make better decisions regarding planting and maintenance strategies.
TGFβ1 Prevents the down‐regulation of type I procollagen, fibronectin, and TGFβ1 gene expression associated with 3T3‐L1 pre‐adipocyte differentiation

Pre-adipocyte 3T3-L1 cells, after an appropriate induction stimulus, proceed through a defined change in morphology as differentiation progresses. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) is able to block the morphological and biochemical changes which occur with differentiation of these cells if given within 36–40 h of induction [Ignotz and Massague (1985): Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82:8530–8534]. To begin to elucidate the role of the extracellular matrix in adipogenesis, as well as the mechanism whereby TGFβ1 inhibits differentiation, we examined the expression of two extracellular matrix genes, type I (α1) procollagen and fibronectin, as well as endogenous TGFβ1. Confluent cells were induced to differentiate by treatment with insulin, dexamethasone, and isobutylmethylxanthine in the presence or absence of TGFβ1. Following 6 days of treatment, the cells in the differentiated group acquired the rounded shape of mature adipocytes; the cytosol of these cells also contained numerous lipid-filled vesicles, as demonstrated by oil red O staining. Cells treated with the differentiation compounds in the presence of TGFβ1 maintained the fibroblast-like appearance of control cells and did not stain with oil red O. At the level of gene expression, both procollagen and fibronectin mRNAs were down-regulated during differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. When cells from the control or differentiation groups were treated with TGFβ1, there was a 2–5-fold induction of procollagen and fibronectin mRNAs throughout the 6-day time course. No change in type I procollagen transcription was observed by nuclear run-on analysis, suggesting that the increase in procollagen mRNA with TGFβ1 treatment was due to a post-transcriptional process(es). However, both transcriptional and post-transcriptional components were observed in the regulation of fibronectin gene expression by TGFβ1. In addition, TGFβ1 was found to positively regulate its own expression, as treatment of the cells with TGFβ1 enhanced endogenous TGFβ1 expression and prevented the small decrease in TGFβ1 mRNA levels which occurred early during the differentiation program. Thus, our data demonstrate that down-regulation of type I procollagen, fibronectin, and TGFβ1 gene expression was prevented during TGFβ inhibition of 3T3-L1 differentiation. Taken together, these data suggest that TGFβ may inhibit differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells by maintaining the fibroblast-like extracellular matrix, thus preventing the changes in cell shape that accompany differentiation.
Creating protein models from electron-density maps using particle-filtering methods

Motivation: One bottleneck in high-throughput protein crystallography is interpreting an electron-density map, that is, fitting a molecular model to the 3D picture crystallography produces. Previously, we developed Acmi (Automatic Crystallographic Map Interpreter), an algorithm that uses a probabilistic model to infer an accurate protein backbone layout. Here, we use a sampling method known as particle filtering to produce a set of all-atom protein models. We use the output of Acmi to guide the particle filter's sampling, producing an accurate, physically feasible set of structures. Results: We test our algorithm on 10 poor-quality experimental density maps. We show that particle filtering produces accurate all-atom models, resulting in fewer chains, lower sidechain RMS error and reduced R factor, compared to simply placing the best-matching sidechains on Acmi's trace. We show that our approach produces a more accurate model than three leading methods—Textal, Resolve and ARP/WARP—in terms of main chain completeness, sidechain identification and crystallographic R factor. Availability: Source code and experimental density maps available at http://ftp.cs.wisc.edu/machine-learning/shavlik-group/programs/acmi/ Contact: dimaio@cs.wisc.edu
Flavor of Egg Yolk: Fractionation and Profile Analysis

Abstract UNEXPLAINED flavor changes have been reported repeatedly from research on shell eggs. For example, eggs which had received different shell treatments and storage times in a recent extensive study at Washington State University (Hard et al., 1963) exhibited changes in flavor for which no adequate explanation could be given. Untreated and thermostabilized eggs showed changes different from those of eggs treated with carbon dioxide, oil or silicone-grease coating in response to storage temperature. Undesirable flavor developed very soon in oil-treated eggs stored at 32°F., but eggs treated the same way and stored at 72°F. retained good flavor for a surprisingly long time. The changes relating to interaction of storage time with temperature cannot be explained without fractionation of egg, supported by sensory evaluation. Recent developments in fractionation procedures offer the possibility of isolating the factors determining flavor; also, refinement of sensory methods of measuring flavor characteristics makes it increasingly possible …