cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ANTIBODIES WITH THIOL-S-TRANSFERASE ACTIVITY

A major detoxification pathway used by aerobic organisms involves the conjugation of the tripeptide glutathione (GSH) to the electrophilic center of toxic substances. This reaction is catalyzed by a class of enzymes referred to as the glutathione S-transferases (GST) (EC 2.5.1.18). These enzymes activate the cysteine thiol group of GSH for nucleophilic addition to a variety of substrates, including aryl halides, {alpha}{beta}-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones, and epoxides. Despite the availability of X-ray crystal structures, the mechanism whereby glutathione transferases catalyze these addition reactions remains unclear. In order to gain a greater understanding of this important biological transformation, as well as to generate new detoxification catalysts, we have asked whether antibodies can be generated that catalyze similar nucleophilic addition reactions. Our initial efforts focused on the addition reaction of thiol nucleophiles to the nitro-substituted styrene derivative 1. The ratio of k{sub cat}/K{sub m} reported for the reaction of the isozyme 4-4` of rat liver GST with the good substance, 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, is approximately 10{sup 4} M{sup -1} s{sup -1} compared to a calculated pseudo-first-order rate constant for the uncatalyzed reaction of approximately 3 x 10{sup -2} s{sup -1} (60 mM GSH, pH = 80). These comparisons suggest that with further improvements inmore » hapten design, catalytic antibodies may prove a good source of detoxification catalysts. 19 refs., 1 fig.« less
Laser processing of conductive oxides for near-IR plasmonics

Conventional metals with high carrier concentrations have served to date as the materials of choice for plasmonic and metamaterial devices. However, typical metals are not well suited for near IR (NIR) plasmonic applications because their associated plasma frequencies correspond to the visible and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum. On the other hand, materials with lower plasma frequencies such as conducting oxides like ZnO and VO 2 are capable of more efficiently coupling the electromagnetic radiation for optical metamaterial and plasmonic applications in the NIR. Furthermore, unlike metals, the electrical transport properties of conductive oxides can be modulated intrinsically by doping or extrinsically by applying heat, light or an electrical bias, thus allowing tuning of their electro-optical behavior. At the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), we have investigated the use of laser processing techniques for the deposition and processing of various types of conducting oxides, such as Al-doped ZnO and W-doped VO 2 , which can be optimized over a wide range of optical/electrical properties. This paper will describe the laser deposition of these oxide films and their electrical and optical characterization in the NIR.
Soiling losses of utility-scale PV systems in hot-dry desert climates: Results from four 4–16 years old power plants

The purpose of this study is to determine the soiling losses in a hot-dry desert climatic condition. The results obtained highlight the soiling losses in four power plants with two different surroundings (urban and rural) and three different installation types (ground mount - fixed tilt, 1-axis tracking and rooftop - fixed tilt). The data obtained from this study can be used in the energy estimation models and to determine if cleaning is an economically viable option for the power plant owners of these locations. In this study four PV power plants aged between 4 and 16 years have been investigated and the key results obtained in these four sites are: Site 3 (Glendale, Arizona) - rural, 1-axis tracking, 12 years, 6.9% soiling loss; Site 4b (Mesa, Arizona) - urban, horizontal tilt (ground), 16 years, 11.1% soiling loss; Site 4c (Mesa, Arizona) - urban, 1-axis tracking, 4 years, 5.5% soiling loss; Site 6 (Tempe, Arizona) - urban, 5o fixed tilt (rooftop), 8 years, 3.8% soiling loss.
1,N2-Etheno-2′-deoxyguanosine Adopts the syn Conformation about the Glycosyl Bond When Mismatched with Deoxyadenosine

The oligodeoxynucleotide 5'-CGCATXGAATCC-3'·5'-GGATTCAATGCG-3' containing 1,N(2)-etheno-2'-deoxyguanosine (1,N(2)-edG) opposite deoxyadenosine (named the 1,N(2)-edG·dA duplex) models the mismatched adenine product associated with error-prone bypass of 1,N(2)-edG by the Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 DNA polymerase IV (Dpo4) and by Escherichia coli polymerases pol I exo(-) and pol II exo(-). At pH 5.2, the T(m) of this duplex was increased by 3 °C as compared to the duplex in which the 1,N(2)-edG lesion is opposite dC, and it was increased by 2 °C compared to the duplex in which guanine is opposite dA (the dG·dA duplex). A strong NOE between the 1,N(2)-edG imidazole proton and the anomeric proton of the attached deoxyribose, accompanied by strong NOEs to the minor groove A(20) H2 proton and the mismatched A(19) H2 proton from the complementary strand, establish that 1,N(2)-edG rotated about the glycosyl bond from the anti to the syn conformation. The etheno moiety was placed into the major groove. This resulted in NOEs between the etheno protons and T(5) CH(3). A strong NOE between A(20) H2 and A(19) H2 protons established that A(19), opposite to 1,N(2)-edG, adopted the anti conformation and was directed toward the helix. The downfield shifts of the A(19) amino protons suggested protonation of dA. Thus, the protonated 1,N(2)-edG·dA base pair was stabilized by hydrogen bonds between 1,N(2)-edG N1 and A(19) N1H(+) and between 1,N(2)-edG O(9) and A(19)N(6)H. The broad imino proton resonances for the 5'- and 3'-flanking bases suggested that both neighboring base pairs were perturbed. The increased stability of the 1,N(2)-edG·dA base pair, compared to that of the 1,N(2)-edG·dC base pair, correlated with the mismatch adenine product observed during the bypass of 1,N(2)-edG by the Dpo4 polymerase, suggesting that stabilization of this mismatch may be significant with regard to the biological processing of 1,N(2)-edG.
Differential free fatty acid response to heparin in diabetics.

Deleterious effects of elevated free fatty acids have been demonstrated in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Recent studies have shown drastic and prolonged elevations of free fatty acids following heparin injection in postoperative diabetic patients. This study demonstrated no significant difference in response of two groups of preoperative diabetics maintained on either insulin or oral hypoglycaemic agents, but it has revealed that individual diabetics who respond to heparin with a massive elevation of free fatty acids can be easily identified with a simple preoperative injection of 5000 units of intravenous heparin.
Transcriptional induction of metallothionein-I and -II genes in the livers of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase knockout mice.

Abstract The levels of metallothionein-I and -II (MT-I and MT-II) mRNAs were elevated (10- to 12-fold), specifically in the livers of mice with homozygous deletion of the gene for Cu,Zn-SOD (Sod1−/−), the enzyme that catalyzes the removal of O−2. The induction of MT mRNA occurred primarily at the level of transcription. In vivo genomic footprinting of the MT-I promoter region revealed distinctive footprinting at MRE-d, MRE-c, and MLTF/ARE sites in the livers of knockout mice. MTF-1, the key factor responsible for the heavy-metal and oxidative stress-induced expression of the MT-I gene, was activated 3-fold in the nuclear extract from the livers of Cu,Zn-SOD null mice. Because metallothioneins are potent scavengers of reactive oxygen species and protect cells from oxidative stress, the apparent normal characteristics of the mice with the disrupted Cu,Zn-SOD gene are probably due to overexpression of MT-I and MT-II in the livers of these animals.
Intercontinental Migratory Connectivity and Population Structuring of Dunlins from Western Alaska

Abstract. The Dunlin (Calidris alpina) is a polytypic shorebird with complex patterns of distribution and migration throughout its holarctic range. We analyzed mark-re sighting data obtained between 1977 and 2010 from birds captured at two major staging areas in western Alaska to test the hypothesis that the migration patterns of Alaskan populations are a mixture of parallel and chain, similar to those of Dunlin populations in the western Palearctic. Birds marked on the Yukon—Kuskokwim Delta were found wintering in both Asia and North America, which documented the unexpected mixing of C. a. arcticola from northern Alaska and C. a. pacifica from western Alaska and contradicted our initial prediction of parallel migration pathways for these two subspecies. In its North American winter range C. a. pacifica segregated according to location of marking, confirming our prediction of a chain migration pattern within this population. Individuals of C. a. pacifica marked on the delta were resighted significantly fa...
Health Literacy and Cancer Communication

Health literacy is increasingly recognized as a critical factor affecting communication across the continuum of cancer care. We reviewed research on health literacy and examined its impact on cancer outcomes and communication. According to the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), considered the most accurate portrait of literacy in our society, about one in five American adults may lack the necessary literacy skills to function adequately in our society. As patients, such individuals are at a disadvantage in their capacity to obtain, process, and understand cancer information and services needed to make appropriate health care decisions. Patients with poor health literacy have a complex array of difficulties with written and oral communication that may limit their understanding of cancer screening and of symptoms of cancer, adversely affecting their stage at diagnosis. In addition, these barriers impair communication and discussion about risks and benefits of treatment options, and patient understanding of informed consent for routine procedures and clinical trials. More research is needed to identify successful methods for educating and communicating with patients who have limited health literacy. Based on our own experience, we offer practical communication aids that can help bridge the cancer communication gap.
Moral goodness and the human good

In"The Nature of Moral Philosophy," G. E. Moore says that moral philosophy is concerned with two basic ideas. One is the idea of moral obligation or duty and the other is the idea of "the human good" or "the good for man." The first applies to rules of right conduct, e.g. telling the truth, and to ideals, e.g. feeling kindly towards others, and the second to evaluations of what constitutes the good for man, e.g. the active exercise of mental excellence, Moore reminds us, according to Aristotle. But after thus distinguishing between these two ideas, Moore goes on to say that the second "is not, strictly speaking, a moral idea at all." 1 A similar distinction is made by W. K. Frankena in his Ethics, where he says that the expressions "the morally good life" and "the non-morally good life" mean essentially different things. For it is, Frankena believes, "another kind of normative question, one which is not as such ethical or moral, but which is relevant to ethics and morality . . . [to ask] . . . what is desirable, good, or worthwhile in life? What is the good life as distinct from the morally good life? What values should we pursue?" 2 Still following Moore on this, Frankena adds that "it is to the good life . . . that morality, like everything else, is or should be a minister." 3 Moore himself takes the view that it is not the active exercise of mental competence alone that constitutes "the human good," but that the conscious enjoyment of such things as friendship and beauty also are part of the good life for man. And since his ethics is teleologically oriented, he claims that once we know what things are intrinsically good for man we then know what our moral obligations are, for the test of right and wrong actions are their results. 4 Frankena also thinks that the good life consists of several kinds of enjoyable experiences, but differs from Moore in two initial respects. One is that he finds many more things to have intrinsic goodness than Moore does, and the other is that he does not use results as the test of right and wrong actions, but finds his criteria elsewhere in a number of things such as telling the truth or even pursuing the good life done for their own sake. Things become morally good for Frankena if they are pursued as a matter of moral principle or from a sense of duty, and this gives his ethics a deontological or Kantian ring to it. Kant, in fact, as Moore thinks Aristotle does, appears to support the dis-
Controllable conversion of plasmonic Cu2−xS nanoparticles to Au2S by cation exchange and electron beam induced transformation of Cu2−xS–Au2S core/shell nanostructures

Self-doped Cu2−xS nanocrystals (NCs) were converted into monodisperse Cu2−xS–Au2S NCs of tunable composition, including pure Au2S, by cation exchange. The near-infrared (NIR) localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) was dampened and red-shifted with increasing Au content. Cation exchange was accompanied by elimination of cation vacancies and a change in crystal structure. Partially exchanged Cu2−xS–Au2S core/shell structures evolved to dumbbell-like structures under electron irradiation in the transmission electron microscope (TEM).
College science teachers' views of classroom inquiry

The purposes of this study were to (a) gain an understanding of the views of inquiry held by faculty members involved in undergraduate science teaching and (b) describe the challenges, constraints, and opportunities that they perceived in designing and teaching inquiry-based laboratories. Participants included 19 college professors, representing both life and physical science disciplines, from (a) 2-year community college, (b) small, private nonprofit liberal arts college, (c) public master's granting university, and (d) public doctoral/research extensive university. We collected data through semistructured interviews and applied an iterative data analysis process. College science faculty members held a “full and open inquiry” view, seeing classroom inquiry as time consuming, unstructured, and student directed. They believed that inquiry was more appropriate for upper level science majors than for introductory or nonscience majors. Although faculty members valued inquiry, they perceived limitations of time, class size, student motivation, and student ability. These limitations, coupled with their view of inquiry, constrained them from implementing inquiry-based laboratories. Our proposed inquiry continuum represents a broader view of inquiry that recognizes the interaction between two dimensions of inquiry: (a) the degree of inquiry and (b) the level of student directedness, and provides for a range of inquiry-based classroom activities. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed90:784–802, 2006
Probabilistic Biological Network Alignment

Interactions between molecules are probabilistic events. An interaction may or may not happen with some probability, depending on a variety of factors such as the size, abundance, or proximity of the interacting molecules. In this paper, we consider the problem of aligning two biological networks. Unlike existing methods, we allow one of the two networks to contain probabilistic interactions. Allowing interaction probabilities makes the alignment more biologically relevant at the expense of explosive growth in the number of alternative topologies that may arise from different subsets of interactions that take place. We develop a novel method that efficiently and precisely characterizes this massive search space. We represent the topological similarity between pairs of aligned molecules (i.e., proteins) with the help of random variables and compute their expected values. We validate our method showing that, without sacrificing the running time performance, it can produce novel alignments. Our results also demonstrate that our method identifies biologically meaningful mappings under a comprehensive set of criteria used in the literature as well as the statistical coherence measure that we developed to analyze the statistical significance of the similarity of the functions of the aligned protein pairs.
Subfornical organ disconnection and Fos-like immunoreactivity in hypothalamic nuclei after intragastric hypertonic saline

The subfornical organ (SFO) may act as a sodium- or osmoreceptor that drives hypothalamic and other nuclei to secrete vasopressin and to elicit drinking. However, in response to mild doses of hypertonic saline, Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-ir) is absent in the SFO whereas it is well expressed in the hypothalamic supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei. This suggests that the hypothalamus may be activated in advance of the SFO. In this study, the fibers connecting the SFO and hypothalamus were disconnected by a wire knife cut so that Fos-ir could be examined in both the SFO and hypothalamus after an intragastric (ig) load of 0.5% of body weight of 0.6 M NaCl. Compared with Fos-ir in isotonic-loaded rats, Fos-ir after the hypertonic load was not significantly elevated in the SFO or median preoptic nucleus in sham-cut or knife-cut rats and was only slightly elevated in the OVLT in sham-cut rats. However, the hypertonic load in sham-cut rats greatly elevated Fos-ir in the SON and in the entire PVN, but this expression was reduced significantly by 30-50% in knife-cut rats. Thus, the connectivity between SFO and the hypothalamus is critical for the full expression of Fos-ir in the hypothalamus during moderate ig hypertonic saline loading even when the SFO itself does not yet express Fos-ir.
Buffer Standards for the Biological pH of the Amino Acid N-[2 hydroxyethyl]piperazine-N’-[3-propanesulfonic acid], HEPPS, From (278.15 to 328.15) K

For the HEPPS buffer under investigation, there are seven buffer solutions without NaCl and eight buffer solutions that contain Cl– and have an ionic strength (I = 0.16 mol·kg–1) that is similar to...
Spatial response properties of homing pigeon hippocampal neurons: correlations with goal locations, movement between goals, and environmental context in a radial-arm arena.

The amniote hippocampal formation plays an evolutionarily-conserved role in the neural representation of environmental space. However, species differences in spatial ecology nurture the expectation of species differences in how hippocampal neurons represent space. To determine the spatial response properties of homing pigeon (Columba livia) HFneurons, we recorded from isolated units in birds freely navigating a radial arena in search of food present at four goal locations. Fifty of 76 neurons displayed firing rate variations that could be placed into three response categories. Location cells (n=25) displayed higher firing rates at restricted locations in the arena space, often in proximity to goal locations. Path cells (n=13) displayed higher firing rates as a pigeon moved between a subset of goal locations. Arena-off cells (n=12) were more active when a pigeon was in a baseline holding space compared to inside the arena. Overall, reliability and coherence scores of the recorded neurons were lower compared to rat place cells. The differences in the spatial response profiles of pigeon hippocampal formation neurons, when compared to rats, provide a departure point for better understanding the relationship between spatial behavior and how hippocampal formation neurons participate in the representation of space.
123: Cytokine inflammatory score predicts pregnancy outcome in women with midtrimester short cervix

• Many, but not all, patients with mid-trimester short cervix (≤25mm) have elevated levels of cytokines. However, most studies have only examined one or two cytokines at a time. • We propose a novel amniotic fluid (AF) cytokine score based on a comprehensive cytokine analysis of patients with midtrimester short cervix. OBJECTIVE: We propose a novel amniotic fluid (AF) cytokine score based on a comprehensive cytokine analysis of patients with mid-trimester short cervix. STUDY DESIGN: AF was collected from singleton gestations (n=44) with a cervical length of ≤25mm at 16-24 weeks gestation and assayed for 25 cytokines simultaneously using the Bio-PlexTM system. Univariate and regression analyses identified which mediators were detected in substantial quantities and predictive of delivery. The distribution of the inflammatory score, clinical characteristics, and delivery outcome are reported. RESULTS: Univariate analysis identified 13 cytokines that were undetected in at least 25% of patients. Patients were assigned 1 point for each of these cytokines if their level was >2 times the level of detection. Levels of IL-6, IL-8, G-CSF, Interferon-γ, MCP-1, MIP-1β, or RANTES in the upper quartile were predictive of delivery. Patients were assigned 1 point for each of these cytokines in the upper quartile. 5 cytokines were detected in almost all patients, but were not predictive of delivery. These were not included in the inflammatory score. The inflammatory score ranged from 0-20 and was bimodally distributed (Figure1). Patients with a score <10 (n=18) had a shorter cervical length and delivered significantly earlier (Table 2, P<0.001 for each, Wilcoxon). A score ≥10 had a 77% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100%PPV, 81%NPV for delivery <32 weeks. CONCLUSION: A cytokine inflammatory score is related to delivery outcome & clinical characteristics. If shown to be predictive in future studies, this score may aid in choosing therapies based on the presence or absence of inflammation.
Quark confinement in two dimensions and the parton model

Abstract Calculations of the meson deep inelastic structure functions in 't Hooft's model of quark confinement in two dimensions are compared with the predictions of the quark parton model. The probabilistic structure of the parton model does not emerge because of the existence of interference terms. As a typical result, with equal mass quarks, the confinement model predicts F π 0(x) F π +(x) 5 14 near x = 1 , in contrast with parton model prediction of unity. We propose an extension of the confinement model to the baryon structure function, and find that F n (x) F p (x) can be near zero for x ≈ 1. The two models also disagree in other large Q 2 current processes.
CRITICAL REVIEW OF EXPERT SYSTEM VALIDATION IN TRANSPORTATION

Expert system validation—that is, testing systems to ascertain whether they achieve acceptable performance levels—has with few exceptions been ad hoc, informal, and of dubious value. Very few efforts have been made in this regard in the transportation area. A discussion of the major issues involved in validating expert systems is provided, as is a review of the work that has been done in this area. The review includes a definition of validation within the context of the overall evaluation process, descriptions and critiques of several approaches to validation, and descriptions of guidelines that have been developed for this purpose.
Tissue culture propagation of running buffalo clover ( Trifolium stoloniferum Muhl. ex A. Eaton)

Rapid propagation of running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum) was achieved on Murashige & Skoog (MS) medium. Excellent shoot proliferation and shoot growth were obtained on medium containing 0.5 or 1 mg l-1 BA. In vitro proliferated shoots were rooted on MS or half-strength MS medium containing 0 to 0.4 mg l-1 IAA. Both the number of roots initiated and the length of the longest root were significantly higher on MS medium than on half-strength MS medium. Rooted plantlets were successfully transferred to soil.
Effects of Soil Moisture, Texture, and Rate of Soil Drying on Egg and Larval Survival of the Southern Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the effects of four soil textures and four soil drying periods on southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber, egg and larval survival and maturation. Soil drying intervals had the most detrimental effect on survival. After 4 d of soil drying (no water added to pots), only 20% of larvae survived to pupation. Low clay or organic matter and low levels of soil moisture were not conducive to survival of southern corn rootworm. The interaction of soil texture and soil drying indicates that at 4 d of soil drying, larval survival decreased (70%) in all soils, except dark-textured soils (35% decrease) compared with 2 d of soil drying. Low levels of soil moisture slowed developmental time of larvae. Eggs and first instars were the stages most negatively affected by moisture stress and different soil textures. However, in quartz-sand, the more mobile stages had low survival, probably because of cuticle abrasion from soil particles. The results of these experiments demonstrate the importance of considering the effects of rapidly drying soil on survival of southern corn rootworm and not simply the percentage of soil moisture at any one time.
Evaluation of a program to prevent head and spinal cord injuries: A comparison between middle school and high school

This study was designed to test whether the Oregon THINK FIRST-Head and Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Program, developed for the high school audience and previously shown to have a beneficial effect, would have the same effect on students in middle school. During the spring of 1989, four schools (two high schools and two middle schools) participated. Two weeks before and after the presentation of the THINK FIRST program, 830 student questionnaires were distributed in classrooms. Questionnaire items were designed to measure knowledge, attitude, behavior, and demographic features. There was a significant difference between high school and middle school students on pretest knowledge (P = 0.0001). The average knowledge increase among all students was 0.81 correct responses (95% confidence interval: +/- 0.22) among 15 questions. The increment in knowledge did not differ significantly (P = 0.37) between high school and middle school students. One-way analysis of variance revealed no significant differences in pretest knowledge or knowledge increase associated with membership in Students Against Drunk Driving or acquaintance with someone having sustained a head or spinal cord injury. After the program, students were more likely to believe that there were actions they could take to keep from getting injured (P less than 0.0001). However, there was no change in self-reported seat belt use and most students reported that they "never" wore a bike helmet. The findings suggest that the THINK FIRST program is appropriate and beneficial for viewing by middle school-aged students.
Spectroscopic and kinetic studies of the active site of anti-trinitrophenyl antibodies.

Abstract The titer of high affinity anti-trinitrophenyl antibodies can be determined by two different spectroscopic methods. A fluorescence approach, based on the approx 10-fold increase in fluorescence of the probe, 1,1-dihydro, 2,4,6-trinitrocyclohexadienate, on binding to homologous antibody has been used to titrate both specifically purified antibodies and an IgG subfraction. We have simplified a previously published method, based on the observation that these antibodies cause the breakdown of complexes formed between trinitrophenyl amino acids and sulfite. A study of the kinetic aspects of this latter reaction indicates the rate-determining step in the reaction is the dissociation of the hapten-sulfite complex. This suggests the antibody can bind to free hapten, but not to the hapten-sulfite complex.
Biosynthesis of Drug Metabolites and Quantitation Using NMR Spectroscopy for Use in Pharmacologic and Drug Metabolism Studies

The contribution of drug metabolites to the pharmacologic and toxicologic activity of a drug can be important; however, for a variety of reasons metabolites can frequently be difficult to synthesize. To meet the need of having samples of drug metabolites for further study, we have developed biosynthetic methods coupled with quantitative NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) to generate solutions of metabolites of known structure and concentration. These quantitative samples can be used in a variety of ways when a synthetic sample is unavailable, including pharmacologic assays, standards for in vitro work to help establish clearance pathways, and/or as analytical standards for bioanalytical work to ascertain exposure, among others. We illustrate five examples of metabolite biosynthesis and qNMR. The types of metabolites include one glucuronide and four oxidative products. Concentrations of the isolated metabolite stock solutions ranged from 0.048 to 8.3 mM, with volumes from approximately 0.04 to 0.150 ml in hexadeutarated dimethylsulfoxide. These specific quantified isolates were used as standards in the drug discovery setting as substrates in pharmacology assays, for bioanalytical assays to establish exposure, and in variety of routine absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion assays, such as protein binding and determining blood-to-plasma ratios. The methods used to generate these materials are described in detail with the objective that these methods can be generally used for metabolite biosynthesis and isolation.
Survival data for dewatered rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Rich.) eggs and alevins

Summary Survival of four intergravel development phases of rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Rich., in a dewatered environment varied with stage of development, duration of exposure, and relative humidity. Egg phases were considerably more tolerant than alevin phases. Cleavage eggs tolerated dewatering for 12 consecutive days (97% survival), the maximum period tested. Embryos tolerated dewatering until they began hatching on the eight day, when mortalities sharply increased. In contrast, eleutheroembryos had only 43% survival when dewatered 6h and pre-emergent alevins had only 36% survival when dewatered 2h. A few dewatered embryos died when relative humidity was 100%, but mortality increased significantly at 90 and 80% relative humidity. Survival of alevin phases, but not egg phases, in residual, non-flowing water was limited by formation of oxygen deficits.
Management of the symptomatic patient.

Abstract Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is both preventable and, treatable. There has been a significant reduction in premature morbidity and mortality from heart disease and stroke, the number 1 and 3 killers in the United States, respectively, largely because of efforts to increase both clinician and public awareness of these diseases. Early and aggressive management of COPD has not yet reached the same level. Primary care professionals are in the forefront in the early detection, prevention, and treatment of this serious national health problem.
From “Epilogue” to Epilegomena: Jane Ellen Harrison, World War I, and asceticism

George Bernard Shaw once fancied a dramatic rebuke against the garish religiosity of Lourdes: “I should like to bring a huge procession of atheists and unite myself to Jane Harrison by civil regist...
Catheter ablation of right ventricular outflow tract tachycardia: value of defining coronary anatomy.

Catheter Ablation of Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Tachycardia. Introduction: Thermal damage to coronary arteries during catheter ablation has been previously reported. Coronary artery damage during LV outflow tract ventricular tachycardia is well recognized. However, the relationship of the coronary arteries to the RV outflow tract during catheter ablation has not been delineated. The purpose of this study was to define the relationship between the RV outflow tract and the coronary arteries utilizing arteriography, echocardiography, CT angiography, and gross anatomic pathology. Methods: The relationship of the coronaries to the RV outflow tract was analyzed in three patients groups: Group 1: patients (n = 10) undergoing RV outflow tract ventricular tachycardia; Group 2: patients (n = 50) undergoing CT coronary angiography; Group 3: patients (n = 4) undergoing echocardiography during open heart surgery and intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (n = 5). Results: Group 1: The left main coronary artery was found to be 3.8 ± 1.2 mm from the right ventricular outflow tract in patients undergoing ablation. Group 2: The minimum distance between the left main, left anterior descending, and right coronary artery to the RV outflow tract endocardial wall were 4.1 ± 1.9 mm, 2.0 ± 0.6 mm, and 4.3 ± 1.9 mm (average ± SD) respectively. Group 3: During open heart surgery using echocardiography, the minimum distance between the left main and the right coronary artery to the RV outflow tract were 3.4 ± 0.35 mm and 2.0 ± 0.1 mm, respectively. The distance between the let main coronary artery and the RVOT by ICE was 3.8 ± 0.45 mm. Conclusions: The major coronary arteries lie in close proximity of the RVOT, and their anatomic course should be taken into consideration during ablation of ventricular tachycardias arising from the RV outflow tract.
The role of adrenoceptor-mediated signals in the modulation of lymphocyte function

Abstract Adrenoceptors are heterotrimeric glycoproteins that bind specific endogenous ligands, such as the sympathetic neurotransmitter norepinephrine and the neurohormone epinephrine. Ligand binding to an adrenoceptor expressed on the cell surface initiates a cascade of biochemical and molecular responses inside the cell that lead to a change in cellular activity. Initially, the stimulation of an adrenoceptor directly activates G proteins that stimulate enzymes to induce the production of second messengers. The cascade continues as the second messengers activate serine/threonine protein kinases, resulting in either an inhibition or enhancement of cellular activity. The resulting changes in cellular activity are mediated by changes in gene expression that are induced by the phosphorylation of specific transcription factors. Adrenoceptor subtypes are expressed by both T and B lymphocytes. The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the results from the many studies that have examined the role of adrenoceptor-mediated intracellular signals in the modulation of lymphocyte function. Another aim of this review is to discuss how these studies have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms by which the sympathetic nervous system transmits information to both T and B lymphocytes to maintain immune homeostasis.
Is megestrol acetate a suitable option for treatment of hot flashes in women with breast cancer

Chemotherapy for breast cancer is associated with the development of hot flashes, which can cause the patient considerable discomfort. Estrogen replacement therapy alleviates the number and severity of hot flashes but is contraindicated in such cases. Alternative methods to treat hot flashes are, therefore, urgently needed. Goodwin et al. have performed a 6-month, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of megestrol acetate in 286 women with breast cancer. After 3 months, 65% of the patients receiving 20 mg megestrol acetate daily had achieved an appreciable reduction in the number of hot flashes (> or = 75% from baseline), compared with 48% in the 40 mg megestrol acetate group and 14% in the placebo group. The positive effects of megestrol acetate on hot flash frequency were maintained at 6 months. In this Practice Point commentary, I discuss the key findings of Goodwin et al. and place them into clinical context, highlighting the need for additional studies of hormonal therapies in women with breast cancer.
Medical technologists using molecular epidemiology as part of the infection control team

Two medical technologists were appointed as permanent members of a new epidemiology section in the diagnostic microbiology laboratory of a large Veterans Administration Medical Center in the fall of 1989. These positions accounted for 9% of the total microbiology staff and were created on a temporary basis 2 years earlier from a need to have dedicated technical expertise for use in the culture, isolation, and typing of nosocomial organisms. The technologists have evaluated outbreaks due to Clostridium difficile, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, and Serratia marcescens, and have begun work on a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-typing scheme. Their major responsibility has been the development and application of molecular biology techniques for the typing of nosocomial isolates, including restriction enzyme analysis of genomic DNA, plasmid profiling with and without restriction enzyme analysis, ribosomal RNA probing of restricted genomic DNA, and selected DNA sequencing of target organisms. Medical supervision rests jointly between the directors of the infection control program and the microbiology laboratory. During their tenure, infections due to C. difficile have dropped from 95 cases per year to 57 cases annually, treatment of MRSA colonization with systemic agents has been curtailed, and a case control investigation involving S. marcescens was avoided. The inclusion of medical technologists in the infection control practice of large medical care facilities, particularly with the availability of molecular epidemiologic techniques and the emergence of increasing numbers of multiply-drug-resistant pathogens, will become an essential component of these programs.
Analyzing Social Media Content for Security Informatics

Inferring public opinion regarding an issue or event by analyzing social media content is of great interest to security analysts but is also technically challenging to accomplish. This paper presents a new method for estimating sentiment and/or emotion expressed in social media which addresses the challenges associated with Web-based analysis. We formulate the problem as one of text classification, model the data as a bipartite graph of documents and words, and construct the sentiment/emotion classifier through a combination of semi-supervised learning and graph transduction. Interestingly, the proposed approach requires no labeled training documents and is able to provides accurate text classification using only a small lexicon of words of known sentiment/ emotion. The classification algorithm is shown to outperform state of the art methods on a benchmark task involving sentiment analysis of online consumer product reviews. We illustrate the utility of the approach for security informatics through two case studies, one examining the possibility that online sentiment about suicide bombing predicts bombing event frequency, and one investigating public sentiment about vaccination and its implications for population health and security.
Product Counterfeits in the Online Environment: An Empirical Assessment of Victimization and Reporting Characteristics

The growing pace of e-commerce has facilitated the sale and distribution of counterfeit products. One reason may be that consumers cannot fully validate goods for sale online, thus creating tremend...
Making Sense of Abuse: Case Studies in Sibling Incest

This case study focused on the process of making sense of abuse in two Latino families experiencing sibling incest. Participants included five male children ranging in age from 8 to 15 that were members of two families dealing with the issue of sibling incest. The purpose of this study was to build understanding of how families experience sibling incest and its role in their families. Clinical data from therapy sessions was analyzed to reveal that families made sense of the incest in different ways including abuse as normal and abuse as a mistake. Central concepts that explained how the families responded to the sibling incest included (1) level of family cohesion, (2) role of secrecy, and (3) view of outside systems. The findings suggest that treatment needs to include an in-depth assessment regarding these issues.
Rationality, Normativity, and Transparency

Although in everyday life and thought we take for granted that there are norms of rationality, their existence presents severe philosophical problems. Kolodny (2005) is thus moved to deny that rationality is normative. But this denial is not itself unproblematic, and I argue that Kolodny’s defence of it—particularly his Transparency Account, which aims to explain why rationality appears to be normative even though it is not—is unsuccessful.
Unit Skin Friction from the Standard Penetration Test Supplemented with the Measurement of Torque

The standard penetration test (SPT) supplemented with the measurement of torque (SPT-T) may be used to obtain a direct measurement of unit skin friction (fs) between the sampler and the surrounding...
Rich interfaces for reading news on the web

Using content-specific models to guide information retrieval and extraction can provide richer interfaces to end-users for both understanding the context of news events and navigating related news articles. In this paper we discuss a system, Brussell, that uses semantic models to organize retrieval and extraction results, generating both storylines explaining how news event situations unfold and also biographical sketches of the situation participants. We generalize these models to introduce a new category of knowledge representation, an explanatory structure, that can scale up to include information from hundreds of documents, yet still provide model-based UI support to end-users. An informal survey of business news suggests the broad prevalence of news event situations indicating Brussell's potential utility, while an evaluation quantifies its performance in finding kidnapping situations.
Optimal Auctions with Ambiguity

A crucial assumption in the optimal auction literature is that each bidder’s valuation is known to be drawn from a unique distribution. In this paper, we study the optimal auction problem allowing for ambiguity about the distribution of valuations. Agents may be ambiguity averse (modeled using the maxmin expected utility model of Gilboa and Schmeidler 1989). When the bidders face more ambiguity than the seller we show that (i) given any auction, the seller can always (weakly) increase revenue by switching to an auction providing full insurance to all types of bidders, (ii) if the seller is ambiguity neutral and any prior that is close enough to the seller’s prior is included in the bidders’ set of priors then the optimal auction is a full insurance auction, and (iii) in general neither the first nor the second price auction is optimal (even with suitably chosen reserve prices). When the seller is ambiguity averse and the bidders are ambiguity neutral an auction that fully insures the seller is in the set of optimal mechanisms.
Secondary Victimization of Abused Mothers by Family Court Mediators

Family court often assists divorcing parties in establishing custody arrangements. Mediation is commonly used for custody negotiation; however, its applicability for cases involving intimate partner abuse (IPA) is debated. This study was designed to gain an in-depth understanding of abused mothers' court mediation experiences and how those experiences impact future court help-seeking when the fathers of their children have been abusive to them. Most women experienced secondary victimization during mediation, which had a negative impact on their willingness to use the court in the future. Policy recommendations include screening for IPA, providing separate mediation sessions, and improving court mediators' training.
Stiffness and Strength Evaluations of a Shear Connection System for FRP Bridge Decks to Steel Girders

This paper reports on research investigating a nongrouted sleeve-type connection used to attach fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) decks to steel girders. The connection system was investigated for stiffness, strength, fatigue resistance, and degree of composite action. Static and fatigue tests were conducted first at the component level on push-out specimens to obtain P-Δ (load-displacement) and S-N (stress range–fatigue life) relationships, from which design formulas were developed. Then tests were conducted at the system level on a 1∶3 scaled-bridge model by using this sleeve-type connection, and the results showed this shear connection can satisfy requirements from AASHTO specifications for fatigue, strength, and function. Further, three-point bending tests were conducted on a T-section model cut from the scaled bridge, and approximately 25% composite action was achieved for two different connection spacings. The structural efficiency of this shear connection is shown, and this connection design is applie...
Effective algorithm-based triage and self-care protocols: Quality medicine at lower costs

The triage phase of an algorithm-based medical care system was analyzed in three military patient environments. Combat medics triaged 4,799 patients using a physician-prepared triage manual which specified levels of initial health care based on the patient's presenting complaints and a brief history. Evaluation indicated that 36% of those reporting for sick call were eligible for treatment by medically appropriate self-care protocols. Of the remaining 64%, all but 4% could receive initial evaluation by non-physician health care extenders. The study demonstrates that personnel receiving basic medical training and orientation to an algorithm-directed triage system can direct military patients to appropriate levels of health care.
AN IN-GEL ASSAY FOR PROTEIN TYROSINE PHOSPHATASE ACTIVITY : DETECTION OF WIDESPREAD DISTRIBUTION IN CELLS AND TISSUES

states. During the past few years, however, it has bepolymer) is incorporated into gels prior to polymeriza- come apparent that PTPases may participate more action. Following electrophoresis, the sodium dodecyl tively in signaling pathways. In many cases the activity sulfate is removed; the proteins are fully denatured by of tyrosine kinases is itself regulated by tyrosine phossoaking gels in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride and then phorylation, and so the removal of phosphates from renatured by incubation in buffers containing 0.04% tyrosine kinases by PTPases may lead to either their Tween 40 and high concentrations of reducing agents. activation or inhibition. During the past few years a Protein tyrosine phosphatase activity is detected in large number of PTPases have been isolated, cloned, autoradiographs of dried gels as regions from which and sequenced (3‐5). Two distinct groups of PTPases the 32 P has been selectively removed. Electrophoresis have been identified. One group is transmembrane proof known cytoplasmic protein tyrosine phosphatases teins, with extracellular domains that resemble recepindicates activity at the predicted molecular weights. tors, although ligands for these have generally not been As little as 10 pg of some cytoplasmic phosphatases is identified. The other group of PTPases is cytoplasmic. detectable. However, transmembrane tyrosine phos- Many of these reveal domains, such as src homology 2 phatases, such as CD45, are detected only at very high (SH2) domains, suggestive of complex interactions or protein loadings in this assay. Electrophoresis of modes of regulation (3‐5). In addition, within this latwhole cell lysates indicates multiple bands of tyrosine ter category there is a subgroup of phosphatases that
Sub-continuum thermal transport modeling using diffusion in the Lattice Boltzmann Transport Equation

Abstract The Boltzmann Transport Equation is employed to model one-dimensional heat conduction problems at sub-continuum scales. A semi-gray Lattice Boltzmann (LB) model is presented and validated against a diffusive model of steady state thin film heat conduction with temperature boundary conditions. The size-dependent effective thermal conductivity curves of a gray LB model and a semi-gray LB model for Silicon are generated. In addition, a new semi-gray LB model with diffusion term is applied to determine the effective thermal conductivity. The transient features and dimension concerns of the new semi-gray LB model are also investigated. Results demonstrate that the semi-gray LB model with a diffusion term successfully recovers the size-dependent data of effective thermal conductivity and matches well with the diffusive solution valid at large scales. This approach can be applied to improve the accuracy of thermal modeling on micro-scale electronic systems.