cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Histone H4 Acetylation Differentially Modulates Arginine Methylation by an in Cis Mechanism

Histone H4 undergoes extensive post-translational modifications (PTMs) at its N-terminal tail. Many of these PTMs profoundly affect the on and off status of gene transcription. The molecular mechanism by which histone PTMs modulate genetic and epigenetic processes is not fully understood. In particular, how a PTM mark affects the presence and level of other histone modification marks needs to be addressed and is essential for better understanding the molecular basis of histone code hypothesis. To dissect the interplaying relationship between different histone modification marks, we investigated how individual lysine acetylations and their different combinations at the H4 tail affect Arg-3 methylation in cis. Our data reveal that the effect of lysine acetylation on arginine methylation depends on the site of acetylation and the type of methylation. Although certain acetylations present a repressive impact on PRMT1-mediated methylation (type I methylation), lysine acetylation generally is correlated with enhanced methylation by PRMT5 (type II dimethylation). In particular, Lys-5 acetylation decreases the activity of PRMT1 but increases that of PRMT5. Furthermore, circular dichroism study and computer simulation demonstrate that hyperacetylation increases the content of ordered secondary structures at the H4 tail region. These findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of Arg-3 methylation by H4 acetylation and unravel the complex intercommunications that exist between different the PTM marks in cis. The divergent activities of PRMT1 and PRMT5 with respect to different acetyl-H4 substrates suggest that type I and type II protein-arginine methyltransferases use distinct molecular determinants for substrate recognition and catalysis.
Reliable fast recharge of nickel metal hydride cells

A reliable fast charge technique based on a pressure-controlled approach for nickel metal hydride batteries will be discussed here. We found that pressure control is the most direct and effective method in termination for fast charging the batteries without significantly involving gas evolution and recombination reactions that often cause other side effects and degradation of the batteries. The limiting mechanism of the battery charge process at high rates is also discussed. Our analysis suggested that improvement of solid-state diffusion of hydrogen in the metal hydride electrode could enhance rechargeability of the battery under high rates.
A new instrument for residency program evaluation

The purpose of the study was to develop a comprehensive program evaluation instrument. Following pilot work with residents, a 69-item instrument consisting of statements with 5-point strongly agree to strongly disagree response options was distributed to 107 residents; 104 responded. Psychometric analyses revealed no ceiling or floor effects; 9 items were deleted. There were three subscales: workload (19 items;α = .76); educational environment (29 items;α = .72) and lifestyle issues (12 items;α = .62). Mean item scores were significantly higher for educational environment (3.53; SD 0.28) than for workload (2.78; SD 0.39) and lifestyle (2.96; SD 0.42). Items with the lowest scores reflected issues that were largely fixable. The 60-item instrument appears to be psychometrically sound, comprehensive, and exportable.
Influence of Seated Rocking on Blood Pressure in the Elderly: A Pilot Clinical Study

Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who rock for 1-2 hr per day in a rocking chair demonstrate significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and balance and a decrease in pain medication usage; however, the underlying basis for their responses remains unclear. Rocking with plantar flexion uses the calf muscles, enhancing lower limb fluid return to the heart, which should increase blood pressure (BP) and may, then, also increase cerebral perfusion. Accordingly, we tested the efficacy of rocking activity for increasing BP in healthy, older persons. In a pilot laboratory study of 24 healthy, White men and women aged 55-87 years, we observed that 30 min of steady rocking led to an average 12 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP, p < .001) and a 3.6 mmHg average increase in diastolic blood pressure (DBP, p < .001). To determine the effect of using this intervention in a nonclinical setting, we tested a similar group of 7 participants at a senior center. In this setting, we observed an average increase in SBP of 27 mmHg (p < .001) and in DBP of 2.5 mmHg (p < .001) after 30 min of rocking. In a subgroup (n = 8) of hypotensive individuals (SBP < 110 mmHg after sitting quietly for 30 min) extracted from both settings, rocking raised the average SBP from <100 mmHg to approximately 120 mmHg. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that rocking can increase BP and, therefore, may enhance cerebral perfusion. This observation may play a fundamental role in designing nursing interventions focused on improvement of symptoms associated with AD.
Simulation: the new "Triple Threat": commentary on the article by Sá Couto et al. on page 158.

Simulation: The New “Triple Threat”: Commentary on the article by Sa Couto et al. on page 158
Identification of Institutional Genderedness through Organizational Operations: An Analysis of Community College Working Environments.

Though the number of women employed in the workforce has increased, there continues to be an inequity in employment of women in the highest ranks of community colleges. Guided by gendered organizational theory, the study looked at both overt and covert knowledge of genderedness at community colleges. As one might infer, institutional genderedness may reveal itself inconspicuously through detailed analysis of the culture of an institution. The purpose of the study was to determine if community colleges are gendered institutions based on the perceptions of women in non-faculty professional staff positions at these institutions. A mixed methods design was used to analyze the data collected from 934 participants. Community colleges appear to be gender-neutral environments with equal opportunities for both sexes. However, the perceptions of the women in the study indicated a marked disagreement about the practice of gender neutrality in the workplace, indicating that genderedness exists in these institutions.
A vector for directional cloning and expression of polymerase chain reaction products in Escherichia coli

This paper describes the construction of a modified vector for the cloning and expression of protein-encoding genes in Escherichia coli. The vector, pfXblue, is derived from the system originally developed by Nagai and Thogerson [Nature 309 (1984) 810-812], but contains a modified multiple cloning site (MCS) from M13mp18 to allow directional insertion of foreign coding sequences. The MCS is located within the M13mp18 lacZ' gene and thus allows blue/white screening of colonies for inserts. The inserted gene is expressed as a fusion protein, which, when cleaved by the coagulation factor Xa protease, yields the mature product. This vector was successfully used for the production of a mitochondrial [2Fe-2S]ferredoxin using polymerase chain reaction products generated from a chick kidney cDNA library.
Multiple Sliding Modes with Override Logic: Limit Management in Aircraft Engine Controls

G AS turbine engines are subjected to several operational constraints, both at steady state and in the transient regime. These constraints correspond to mechanical limits such as speed and acceleration; limits in thermodynamic variables such as pressures and temperatures; and limits preventing engine components from undergoing dynamic instabilities, mainly surge, stall and flame blowout. Engine control systems incorporate measures to protect the engine from crossing these limits at all times. Achieving limit protection while ensuring fast transient response represents a design challenge, which was summarized by Spang and Brown in their 1999 paper [1]: “. . .much of the complexity of the control comes from the need to operate the engine as close as possible to its limits.” This paper presents a novel and very effective way to achieve such maximal exploitation of the available limits to enable fast responses in thrust or other relevant variables. The proposed technique is based on thewidely usedmultiregulator architecture with max–min limit protection logic [1,2], which uses linear compensators in its original form. As shown in Fig. 1, this architecture uses a single control input (fuel flow) to drive the desired output (typically fan speed or engine pressure ratio) to a setpoint through a control loop with integral action and a linear compensator. Additional compensators are set up to control limited variables to their permissible values, still using fuel flow as the control input. A max–min selection logic stage decides whether the main output regulation task or any of the limit protection tasks should be made active at anygiven time. Integral action is used to achieve type 1 loops for offset-free regulation. The regulators, thus, provide control input rates. Define two index sets as L f1; 2; . . . lg and H fl 1; l 2; . . . hg, where L contains the indices of the regulators associated with the min selector, while the elements of H are the indices of the regulators associatedwith themax selector. No index is defined for the output of the min selector. As shown in Fig. 1, the control rate applied to the integrator is selected according to the formula
Correction of digitized mammograms to enhance soft display and tissue composition measurement

The wide dynamic range present in digitized mammographic data, partially resulting from the non-uniform thickness of tissue during breast compression, makes it difficult to find window and level values that are appropriate to display the entire image. Further, this factor combined with the non- linearity of the relationship between density and log exposure, confound attempts to automatically derive tissue composition information directly from uncorrected data. This project attempts to address these issues by making appropriate local image corrections based on the characteristic curves of film and digitizer, as well as on the variations in tissue thickness during breast compression. Subjective comparisons of the display techniques developed in this project, to mammography displays based on local histogram equalization methods to reduce image dynamic range, clearly demonstrate superior performance of the methods presented in this paper. In addition to this subjective observation about image display, we also investigated the possibility of using corrected data to improve the performance of tissue composition measurements. A neural network classifier was developed to use features derived from the volume-corrected histogram of the corrected mammographic data to estimate tissue composition. Results indicate that tissue composition measurements are more highly correlated to radiologists' estimates, when they are derived from corrected images.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Emergency Department Evaluation and Treatment of Wrist Injuries

Correct diagnosis of wrist injuries is critical in preventing prolonged pain and dysfunction. Radiographs cannot diagnose a large percentage of injuries. Wrist sprain is considered one of the most common yet most treacherous emergency department (ED) diagnoses because radiographs do not always rule out all acute injuries. Knowledge of the anatomy, normal physical examination findings, and physical examination abnormalities associated with different pathological conditions, is paramount in making the correct diagnosis. This article focuses on the anatomy, diagnosis, and ED management of acute wrist injuries, including fractures and dislocations.
18F and 18FDG PET imaging of osteosarcoma to non-invasively monitor in situ changes in cellular proliferation and bone differentiation upon MYC inactivation

Osteosarcoma is one of the most common pediatric cancers. Accurate imaging of osteosarcoma is important for proper clinical staging of the disease and monitoring of the tumorA¢Â€Â™s response to therapy. The MYC oncogene has been commonly implicated in the pathogenesis of human osteosarcoma. Previously, we have described a conditional transgenic mouse model of MYC-induced osteosarcoma. These tumors are highly invasive and are frequently associated with pulmonary metastases. In our model, upon MYC inactivation osteosarcomas lose their neoplastic properties, undergo proliferative arrest, and differentiate into mature bone. We reasoned that we could use our model system to develop non-invasive imaging modalities to interrogate the consequences of MYC inactivation on tumor cell biology in situ. We performed Positron Emission Tomography (PET) combining the use of both 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) and 18F-flouride (18F) to detect metabolic activity and bone mineralization/remodeling. We found that upon MYC ina...
Survival following breast cancer surgery in the elderly.

A retrospective analysis was performed on a series of 780 patients with breast cancer who underwent surgery, with emphasis on survival in the 138 patients over 70 years of age (elderly group). Absolute survival rates were determined using life table methods. Relative survival figures were derived from absolute figures by adjusting for expected longevity in each age group. Patients over 70 years of age had overall 5 and 10 year absolute survival rates of 54% and 41%, respectively, which did not differ significantly from survival rates of younger patients. Relative five-year survival rates for the elderly were actually higher than those of younger patients, being 90% for those with local disease and 65% for those with regional disease. Survival in the elderly was comparable to that of younger patients, irrespective of race, type of surgery, histology or tumor size. These findings support the conclusion that there is little justification for avoiding conventional operative treatment in elderly patients with breast cancer solely on the basis of advanced age.
Effects of intravenous and subcutaneous heartworm homogenate from doxycycline-treated and untreated donor dogs on bronchial reactivity and lung in cats.

Abstract A controlled, blind research study was conducted to define the innate response of lungs in specific pathogen free (SPF) cats to intravenous ( n = 10) or subcutaneous ( n = 4) administration of homogenate of adult Dirofilaria immitis from donor dogs compared with lung response in control cats ( n = 6). There was no difference in cats that received heartworm homogenate IV for 18 days from donor dogs treated with doxycycline for 1 month compared with cats given heartworm homogenate from untreated donor dogs. Cats did not develop clinical signs, and no radiographic changes were noted. Cats given SC heartworm homogenate at lower concentration than IV groups did not develop histologic changes. Cats that received IV heartworm homogenate for 18 days developed mild interstitial and peribronchial myofibrocyte proliferation and smooth muscle proliferation of the pulmonary arteries. Bronchial ring contractility in vitro was blunted in the IV homogenate cats to the agonists acetylcholine and 5-hydroxytryptamine. Cats in the SC group had increased sensitivity to histamine at high concentrations but normal contractility and relaxation responses to other agonists. No increase in mast cells was noted in lung tissues of cats given homogenate. In the absence of bronchial wall remodeling, cats given IV homogenate had blunted responses to bronchial constriction, but normal relaxation to nitroprusside and substance P and increased sensitivity to histamine. In the absence adult heartworms, the homogenate of adult heartworms in the circulation of SPF cats induced a direct effect on lung parenchyma and altered bronchial ring reactivity.
Condition-Dependent Ornaments, Life Histories, and the Evolving Architecture of Resource-Use

Over the past 20 years, researchers have emphasized condition-dependency as a core feature of many sexually selected ornaments. This empirical focus has been motivated by the assumption that condition-dependent ornaments should function as honest indicators of other fitness-related traits. However, evidence remains mixed regarding whether condition-dependent ornaments are consistently correlated with the expression of other key traits such as immunocompetence. I argue that the diversity of the observed relationships between condition-dependent ornaments and other fitness-related traits can be understood, and even predicted, based on attention to the structure of organisms' life histories. More specifically, these relationships are influenced by the relative variation between individuals within a population in their acquisition of resources versus the allocation of those resources to various physiological functions. However, characterizing these two core attributes of life histories requires that researchers quantify condition, a persistently challenging concept to measure empirically. In this review, I first highlight key concepts related to condition-dependency and life history theory. I then outline why measuring the acquisition and allocation of relevant resources is critical for advancing our understanding of sexually selected ornaments. As attempts to tackle these issues have been hampered in the past by empirical challenges, I offer a number of suggestions that aim to identify more tractable approaches to measuring condition, as well as its acquisition and allocation. I conclude by pointing to the broader value of pursuing these concepts empirically as well as to exciting new directions opened by this perspective.
Developing Future Nursing Home Medical Directors: A Curriculum for Geriatric Medicine Fellows

Long term care facilities are important sites of care for elderly adults. Despite a growing need and interest in medical direction in nursing homes, there have been limited educational opportunities in this area for geriatric medicine fellows. This article describes a novel medical director's curriculum for first-year geriatric medicine fellows to prepare them for the role of nursing home medical director. This novel curriculum has been integrated into the Department of Geriatric Medicine's Fellowship training program at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii. The curriculum consists of seven seminars that have been integrated into the didactic sessions during the first year of fellowship. Core content areas include: (1) roles and responsibilities of the medical director, (2) infection control, (3) physician documentation, (4) federal regulations and state surveys, (5) quality improvement, (6) culture change in nursing homes, and (7) transitions in care. All topics were discussed using the framework described by the American Medical Directors Association's position statement on the roles and responsibilities of the nursing home medical director. To our knowledge, this is the first curriculum in the medical literature that is designed to prepare geriatric medicine fellows for roles as medical directors in nursing homes.
A test for masked message: The template activity of messenger ribonucleoprotein particles isolated from sea urchin eggs☆

Abstract The hypothesis that the “masked message” of unfertilized eggs consists of nontranslatable mRNP particles was directly tested by in vitro translation of mRNPs in a system derived from wheat germ. Three classes of mRNPs were tested: particles prepared from sea urchin eggs in buffers containing 0.35 M K + , particles prepared from sea urchin eggs in 0.35 M Na + , and particles released with EDTA in 0.35 M K + from polysomes of sea urchin embryos cultured in the presence of actinomycin D. The mRNA content of particles was monitored by determination of poly(A) content. The wheat germ system used is quantitatively stimulated by addition of mRNA derived from eggs or from any of the classes of mRNPs used. Particles prepared from eggs with Na + or released from polysomes contain less protein than particles isolated from eggs in K + , and as expected these particles are fully translatable in vitro . Particles prepared from eggs in buffers containing 0.35 M K + produce little or no stimulation in the in vitro system. That this lack of translation represents in vivo masking is indicated by several considerations: (1) The nontranslatable particles were prepared in 0.35 M K + and 5 m M Mg 2+ , ion concentrations similar to those found in echinoderm eggs; (2) density and sedimentation rate characteristics of the particles are little changed by isolation; (3) RNA extracted from isolated particles is fully translatable; and (4) particles prepared from polysomes or under conditions which destabilize RNPs are translatable. These data support the masking hypothesis for the protein synthesis repression system of eggs.
The history of ecology: achievements and opportunities, part one.

Among ecologists, historians of science, and environmentalists there is growing interest in the history of ecology. The editor of the Journal of the History ol Biology therefore requested that I write a new bibliographic essay to supplement the one published in 1977. My earlier essay, which covered relevant writings from ancient to recent times, concentrated on general ecology and population ecology. The present article, limited to the 19th and 20th centuries, covers the general history of ecology, terrestrial plant ecology, marine ecology, limnology, population ecology, and animal ecology. In Part Two I shall survey the history of applied ecology in North America.
The Validation and Extension of Fiedler's Theory of Leadership Effectiveness

The author tests in a large electronics firm and in a fairly large hospital, the contingency model of leadership effectiveness in interacting and coacting groups.
Hierarchy and Community at Home and Abroad Evidence of a Common Structure of Domestic and Foreign Policy Beliefs in American Elites

Although there is increasing evidence of a relationship between domestic and foreign policy attitudes among American elites, we have less of an idea about why these sets of attitudes cohere. The answer lies in a better understanding of what we mean when we talk about “left” and “right” or “liberal” and “conservative.” Drawing on the literature on rights theory, partisan cleavages, and ideological continua, I posit the existence of two core values, hierarchy and community, that should manifest themselves both at home and abroad. I perform a principal components analysis on data capturing both the domestic and foreign policy attitudes of American elites. The results indicate an almost identical structure of attitudes in both domains, indicating that it is generally inappropriate to distinguish between the two. Using factor scores in a series of logistic regressions, I demonstrate that support for community is most important for predicting support for humanitarian military operations, while hierarchy and com...
Permeability of Cortical Bone to Large Molecular Weight Proteins Under Diffusive and Load-Induced Convective Transport Mechanisms

The composition of bone is 75% mineral and organic components and 25% fluid; yet until the past 30 years, the fluid component of bone had been ignored [1]. The idea of load induced fluid flow via pressure gradients was hypothesized for the first time by Piekarski et al in his application of Biot’s poroelasticity theory [2]. Poroelasticity theory mathematically describes the sponge-like behavior of bone: when bone is squeezed(loaded) fluid will be induced to flow. However although the concept of load induced fluid flow is well accepted in the orhopedic field, our study is the first to provide quantitative evidence of the effect of load induced fluid on macromolecular transport. Hence the goals of this study include observing permeability of large molecular weight tracers in cortical bone, ii.) comparing molecular size dependence on tracer permeability in cortical bone, and iii.) comparing effects of convective and diffusive transport mechanisms on permeability.© 2004 ASME
The mechanics of environmental adjustment

In constructing models of behavioral change (conditioned response, decision response, learning, etc.), one must make certain assumptions about the nature of the stimulus, of the environment from which it is selected, and of the determinants of response. Here a consistent taxonomy of these factors is offered together with a typology of mathematical models, where a type of model is associated with each combination of types of behavioral determinants.
Customers or research participants? Guidance for research practices in commercialization of personal genomics.

Customers or research participants?: Guidance for research practices in commercialization of personal genomics
Variable Selection With Prior Information for Generalized Linear Models via the Prior LASSO Method

LASSO is a popular statistical tool often used in conjunction with generalized linear models that can simultaneously select variables and estimate parameters. When there are many variables of interest, as in current biological and biomedical studies, the power of LASSO can be limited. Fortunately, so much biological and biomedical data have been collected and they may contain useful information about the importance of certain variables. This article proposes an extension of LASSO, namely, prior LASSO (pLASSO), to incorporate that prior information into penalized generalized linear models. The goal is achieved by adding in the LASSO criterion function an additional measure of the discrepancy between the prior information and the model. For linear regression, the whole solution path of the pLASSO estimator can be found with a procedure similar to the least angle regression (LARS). Asymptotic theories and simulation results show that pLASSO provides significant improvement over LASSO when the prior informati...
Adaptation of residents to consultation-liaison psychiatry: I. Working with the physically Ill

Abstract When working with hospitalized physically ill patients, psychiatry residents may impose a pseudoanalytic, rigidly biological, or overly sympathetic approach. These approaches often fail to address the special requirements and altered psychological state of the physically ill. To have a therapeutic impact on such patients, the psychiatrist needs to assume an engaging, more spontaneous “therapeutic stance” and deviate from anonymity, abstinence, and neutrality. In learning how these deviations are dictated by the therapeutic intent and by the patient's character style and psychodynamics, the resident acquires a mode of influence useful in other areas of psychiatry.
Metal−Organic Framework Isomers with Diamondoid Networks Constructed of a Semirigid Tetrahedral Linker

Solvothermal assembly of a semirigid tetrahedral carboxylate ligand tetrakis[4-(carboxyphenyl)oxamethyl]methane acid (H4X) with Cd(II) ion in different solvent systems yields three novel metal−organic framework isomers (1−3) based on different secondary building units (SBUs). Although all three frameworks have the same dia (diamondoid) topology, complexes 1 and 3 are noncentrosymmetric and complex 2 is centrosymmetric. One of the networks (1) shows cross-linked 3-fold interpenetration of the single dia net and exhibits permanent porosities, as confirmed by Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) and selective CO2 adsorption.
Relationship between parasitism of larch casebearer (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) and dead hosts in the Blue Mountains, 1973-1983

Between 1973 and 1983 two newly introduced parasites, Agathis pumila (Ratz.) and Chrysocharis laricinellae (Ratz.), caused an increasing impact on populations of the larch casebearer, Coleophora laricella (Hbn.), as measured by percentage parasitism based on adult emergence and the associated mortality of hosts that did not produce parasites. Total impact of the parasites cannot be measured by adult emergence alone but must include parasite-killed hosts from which no parasites emerged. Nevertheless, trends in parasite effectiveness are represented by percentages based solely on adult emergence. Only 53.1% of the adult A. pumila successfully emerged in 1983 samples. Furthermore, the number of emerged plus non-emerged A. pumila was only 53.3% of the number expected based on previous samples of that same generation. This mortality of A. pumila took place even in the absence of significant populations of C. laricinellae , indicating that although C. laricinellae may cause some reduction in parasitism by A. pumila , other factors are also responsible.
Estimation of Fur Seal Pup Populations by Randomized Sampling

Abstract It is well known that usual tag-sample estimates are valid if it can be assumed that the sampling process is random with respect to the presence or absence of the tag. This may occur because of natural processes or it may be the result of deliberate design of the experiment either in the tagging phase or in sampling, or in both. Procedures of this type, which have been applied to estimate the population of young Pribilof fur seals, are discussed. Particular consideration is given to variance estimates, comparisons of sample size, and methods of determining the randomness of allocation of the tags.
Mutagenesis Studies of Protein Farnesyltransferase Implicate Aspartate β352 as a Magnesium Ligand

Abstract Protein farnesyltransferase (FTase) catalyzes the addition of a farnesyl chain onto the sulfur of a C-terminal cysteine of a protein substrate. Magnesium ions enhance farnesylation catalyzed by FTase by several hundred-fold, with a KMg value of 4 mm. The magnesium ion is proposed to coordinate the diphosphate leaving group of farnesyldiphosphate (FPP) to stabilize the developing charge in the farnesylation transition state. Here we further investigate the magnesium binding site using mutagenesis and biochemical studies. Free FPP binds Mg2+ with a Kd of 120 μm. The 10-fold weaker affinity for Mg2+ observed for the FTase·FPP·peptide ternary complex is probably caused by the positive charges in the diphosphate binding pocket of FTase. Furthermore, mutation of aspartate β352 to alanine (Dβ352A) or lysine (Dβ352K) in FTase drastically alters the Mg2+ dependence of FTase catalysis without dramatically affecting the rate constant of farnesylation minus magnesium or the binding affinity of either substrate. In Dβ352A FTase, the KMg increases 28-fold to 110 ± 30 mm, and the farnesylation rate constant at saturating Mg2+ decreases 27-fold to 0.30 ± 0.05 s-1. Substitution of a lysine for Asp-β352 removes the magnesium activation of farnesylation catalyzed by FTase but does not significantly enhance the rate constant for farnesylation in the absence of Mg2+. In wild type FTase, Mg2+ can be replaced by Mn2+ with a 2-fold lower KMn (2 mm). These results suggest both that Mg2+ coordinates the side chain carboxylate of Asp-β352 and that the role of magnesium in the reaction includes positioning the FPP prior to catalysis.
DDT-dehydrochlorinase in the Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Muls.

Abstract The DDT-dehydrochlorinase level throughout various stages of the beetle was determined and found to increase in proportion to the body weight except in the pupal stage. Here a 35 per cent reduction in enzyme activity was observed; however, following adult feeding the enzyme returned to its previous level. Log dosage-probit lines for topical applications of TDE were determined with adult beetles at various ages. The LD 50 s, expressed in μ g TDE per mg dry wt., showed a close correlation with the enzyme level, expressed in μ g TDE dehydrochlorinated per mg dry wt., except for the 3 days following eclosion. The adult tissues were dissected and assayed for enzyme activity. The reproductive organs possess 2·5 times the activity observed in the second most active tissue, the alimentary canal. The other tissues in order of decreasing enzyme activity were: exoskeleton, flight muscles, central nervous system, and fat bodies.
5:3 Polyfluorinated acid aerobic biotransformation in activated sludge via novel “one-carbon removal pathways”

The polyfluorinated carboxylic acids 5:3 acid (C(5)F(11)CH(2)CH(2)CO(2)H) and 7:3 acid (C(7)F(15)CH(2)CH(2)CO(2)H) are major products from 6:2 FTOH (C(6)F(13)CH(2)CH(2)OH) and 8:2 FTOH (C(8)F(17)CH(2)CH(2)OH) aerobic biotransformation, respectively. The 5:3 and 7:3 acids were dosed into domestic WWTP activated sludge for 90 d to determine their biodegradability. The 7:3 acid aerobic biodegradability was low, only 1.7 mol% conversion to perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), whereas no transformation was observed previously in soil. In stark contrast, 5:3 acid aerobic biodegradability was enhanced 10 times in activated sludge compared to soil. The 5:3 acid was not activated by acyl CoEnzyme A (CoA) synthetase, a key step required for further α- or s-oxidation. Instead, 5:3 acid was directly converted to 4:3 acid (C(4)F(9)CH(2)CH(2)CO(2)H, 14.2 mol%) and 3:3 acid (C(3)F(7)CH(2)CH(2)CO(2)H, 0.9 mol%) via "one-carbon removal pathways". The 5:3 acid biotransformation also yielded perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA, 5.9 mol%) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, 0.8 mol%). This is the first report to identify key biotransformation intermediates which demonstrate novel one-carbon removal pathways with sequential removal of CF(2) groups. Identified biotransformation intermediates (10.2 mol% in sum) were 5:3 Uacid, α-OH 5:3 acid, 5:2 acid, and 5:2 Uacid. The 5:2 Uacid and 5:2 acid are novel intermediates identified for the first time which confirm the proposed pathways. In the biodegradation pathways, the genesis of the one carbon removal is CO(2) elimination from α-OH 5:3 acid. These results suggest that there are enzymatic mechanisms available in the environment that can lead to 6:2 FTOH and 5:3 acid mineralization. The dehydrogenation from 5:3 acid to 5:3 Uacid was the rate-limiting enzymatic step for 5:3 acid conversion to 4:3 acid.
Kinetics and Mechanism of the Acetylperoxy + HO2 Reaction

The reaction of HO2 with CH3C(O)O2 is examined using flash photolysis and FTIR smog chamber techniques. Time-resolved UV spectroscopy is used to follow the transient peroxy species. It yields reaso...
‘This the ConscienceRebel’: class solidarity, congregational capital, and discourse as activism in the writing of black female college students

ConscienceRebels are women of African descent who align themselves with the struggles of working class/working poor black communities and intentionally counter and re-script exclusive, dominant discourses. Any self-identified black female college student who focuses on the black poor or working class in their writing forms the basis of this study which attempts to provide a heuristic for educating black female undergraduate writers. The overarching goal is to highlight purpose and form in the writing of ConscienceRebels in order to wed three discursive and political movements for their writing instruction and education: class solidarity, cultural capital, and discourse as activism.
Polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferase genes increase risk of prostate cancer biochemical recurrence differentially by ethnicity and disease severity.

Objective Genetic polymorphisms that modify the detoxifying activity of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) can affect the level of carcinogenic metabolites created by endogenous steroid hormones and exogenous chemical substances. Although the GSTM1 null genotype has been shown to increase prostate cancer mortality in Caucasians, potential associations between GST polymorphisms and prostate cancer biochemical recurrence (BCR) have not been well studied, particularly in African-Americans.
Guest editor's editorial: Advances in managing hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (A special issue).

Editorial Chronic infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects approximately 170 million people worldwide and 4-5 million people in the Unites States. Studies have projected a substantial burden from HCV disease and related complications, including liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), over the next 10 to 20 years. Since the identification of HCV in 1989, significant advances have been made in our understanding of HCV virology, diagnosis, natural history, and treatment of chronic HCV infection. The goal of this special issue of International Journal of Medical Sciences is to report and update our current knowledge in the selected areas. The issue is started with a thorough review of the advances in HCV molecular virology by Drs. Brass, Moradpour, and Blum. Understanding HCV life cycle and the novel in vitro HCV replicating system will facilitate discovery of new anti-HCV drugs. Drs. Chevaliez and Pawlotsky describe the currently available serologic and molecular assays and their application in diagnosing HCV infection and monitoring HCV treatment. Understanding natural history of chronic HCV infection is essential for evidence-based management of HCV-infected patients. Drs. Sy and Jamal present a systematical overview on the epidemiology of chronic HCV infection, and Drs. Chen and Morgan provide a detailed update of our current understanding of natural history of HCV-related disease. Hepatic steatosis is a common presentation in HCV-infected individuals. Drs. Yoon and Hu review the incidence, pathogenesis, and clinical impact of steatosis on natural history of chronic HCV infection. Co-infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) with HCV represents another challenge that is especially common in areas where HBV is prevalent. Drs. Liu and Hou give us an update on this important topic. Perhaps, the most noteworthy advances with chronic HCV infection over the past decade have been the improved response rate to anti-HCV therapy. Drs. Huang and Hu review our practical approach to managing chronic hepatitis C from diagnosing and staging HCV disease to assessing candidacy, selecting, administering, and monitoring standard HCV treatments. It is well known that the sustained virological response (SVR) rate depends on a variety of virological and host factors, and the HCV treatment should be individualized. Management of chronic hepatitis C in special population is reviewed by Drs. Aulakh and Hoefs. HCV-related end-stage liver disease represents the leading cause of liver transplantation in the Unites States. Recurrent hepatitis C has been associated with graft failure. Drs. Herrine and Navarro update pre-liver transplant treatment of patient with decompensated liver disease. Drs. Schiano and Martin review post-liver transplant treatment of recurrent hepatitis C. I would like to thank all the contributors of this special issue for their time, experience, and insights to these important topics. Also, I wish that this special issue will be a valuable resource for your clinical practice.
A calorimetric study of precipitation in aluminum alloy 2219

Precipitate microstructures in aluminum alloy 2219 were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC signatures of individual precipitate phases were established by comparing the DSC and TEM results from samples that had been aged such that only one precipitate phase was present. These signatures were then used to analyze the commercial tempers. It was found that DSC could readily distinguish between the T3, T4, T6, T8 and O tempers but could not distinguish amongst T81, T851 and T87. Small amounts of plastic deformation between solution treatment and aging had a significant effect on the thermograms. Aging experiments at 130 and 190 °C showed that the aging sequence and DSC response of this alloy were similar to those of pure Al-Cu when the increased copper content is taken into account. Further aging experiments at temperatures between room temperature and 130 °C showed pronounced changes of the GP zone dissolution peak as a function of aging conditions. These changes were found to be related to the effect of GP zone size on the metastable phase boundary and on the GP zone dissolution kinetics.
Maintenance scheduling in manufacturing systems based on predicted machine degradation

In this paper, we propose a new method for scheduling of maintenance operations in a manufacturing system using the continuous assessment and prediction of the level of performance degradation of manufacturing equipment, as well as the complex interaction between the production process and maintenance operations. Effects of any maintenance schedule are evaluated through a discrete-event simulation that utilizes predicted probabilities of machine failures in the manufacturing system, where predicted probabilities of failure are assumed to be available either from historical equipment reliability information or based on the newly available predictive algorithms. A Genetic Algorithm based optimization procedure is used to search for the most cost-effective maintenance schedule, considering both production gains and maintenance expenses. The algorithm is implemented in a simulated environment and benchmarked against several traditional maintenance strategies, such as corrective maintenance, scheduled maintenance and condition-based maintenance. In all cases that were studied, application of the newly proposed maintenance scheduling tool resulted in a noticeable increase in the cost-benefits, which indicates that the use of predictive information about equipment performance through the newly proposed maintenance scheduling method could result in significant gains obtained by optimal maintenance scheduling.
Comparison of theory and experiment for nonlinear flutter of loaded plates

Flutter analysis of plates with inplane boundary support flexibility exposed to transverse pressure loading or buckled by uniform thermal expansion
10: Factor Analysis in Educational Research:

Most educational researchers will admit to some kind of knowledge of factor analysis. The terminology is widely used, and the technique appears to be almost too easy to apply. It has been said that power corrupts; the technique of factor analysis is very powerful and robust for many sets of data, and, accordingly, the responsibility of the factor analyst to his colleagues is large. There are, however, reasonable guidelines for using factoranalytic techniques which permit the clarification of much data obtained in educational research and which at the same time restrain the practitioner from wasteful exercises at the computer.
Integrity in authorship and publication.

In recent years, seemingly frequent examples of problems related to the integrity of authorship and publication have plagued the medical literature. These issues have been primarily related to the appropriateness of authorship (including ghostwriting and so-called “guest authorship” of manuscripts), duplicate publication of articles, plagiarism, scientific miscon duct in the form of falsification of data, and failure to disclose conflicts of interest. Although authorship and publication issues arise relatively rarely at the CJHP , the Journal has, on occasion, been faced with some of these concerns. Two issues that have received attention recently in the scientific literature and even in the lay press are the ghostwriting and guest authorship of scientific articles. Ghostwriting has been defined as “the failure to designate an individual (as an author) who has made a substantial contribution to the research or writing of a manuscript.” 1 Particular attention was drawn to this practice in a review of industry documents obtained during litigation related to rofecoxib, 1 in which it was discovered that numerous review articles had been prepared by people who were not recognized as authors or otherwise acknowledged. Instead, the authorship of these papers was attributed to investigators with academic affiliations. This review also revealed that many clinical trial manuscripts were written primarily by industry employees, with first authorship on each paper being attributed to an investigator with an aca demic affiliation. 1
Development of a unique deposition process for thin film calibration sensors

Abstract A new approach for coating thin metal films on pure aluminum for use in sensors has been developed. The process consists of three steps: (1) spontaneous electrolytic copper cementation onto aluminum directly from an organic solvent, (2) electroplating cadmium on the copper-modified aluminum substrate, and (3) cold rolling to enhance the properties and size of the final deposit. The unique part of the technology is the use of the galvanic coating process to plate copper from an organic solvent. The adherence approaches levels which are not attainable using conventional cementation procedures from aqueous solutions. The results of some preliminary tests on the effect of parameters such as the chemical composition of the phases, loading parameters, temperature and oxygen content on the rate of reaction and the quality of the copper deposit are presented. The copper nuclei deposited on the aluminum serve as initiation sites for the deposition of a uniform and adherent cadmium deposit which serves as the thin film sensor. The special Cd 108 isotope layer necessary for the particular application is approximately 600 nm thick after rolling.
Evaluation of solid phase radiolabels of dog food for gastric emptying.

99mTc-Pertechnetate, 99mTc-mebrofenin, 99mTc-disofenin, 99mTc-sulfur colloid, and 99mTc-Dowex resin beads were evaluated for in vitro stability as a label for both dry extruded, and canned dog food for gastric emptying scintigraphy. A sample of each radiolabeled diet was added to water, gastric juice, intestinal juice, or gastric juice followed by intestinal juice for in vitro digestion. After a 3-hour digestion period, tubes were centrifuged and percentage solid phase retention (%SPR) was calculated. The experiment was repeated three times over a 14-day period to minimize day-to-day variation. For dry dog food, 99mTc-mebrofenin and 99mTc-disofenin had similar %SPR in water (96 and 93%, respectively) and gastric juice (>95% each) and were significantly higher than other labels. For canned dog food, mebrofenin had a 91% SPR for the water or gastric juice digestions, and 99mTc-Dowex had a %SPR of >99%. 99m Tc-mebrofenin and 99mTc-Dowex were also tested in vivo, where 99mTc-Dowex had poor stability, and 99mTc-Mebrofenin had excellent stability.99mTc-Mebrofenin is a suitable label for dog food for gastric emptying scintigraphy.
Acetylcholine measurement by high-performance liquid chromatography using an enzyme-loaded postcolumn reactor

Choline oxidase and cholinesterase were found to retain their activity for 1–2 weeks at room temperature while adsorbed to a commercially available anion-exchange cartridge. These enzymes convert acetylcholine to H2O2. Acetylcholine can be measured in tissue extracts by separation at pH 7 on a polymeric reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography column, conversion of acetylcholine to H2O2 on a postcolumn enzyme-loaded anion-exchange cartridge, and electrochemical detection of the H2O2 formed.
A failure model for sealed nickel-cadmium batteries

A model has been developed to describe failure in electrochemical batteries. The model is based on the concept of the existence and subsequent growth of flaws which ultimately lead to battery failure. This model provides, in a natural way, for the statistical variability of lifetime data. The model as applied to the Crane data indicates that when the effects of temperature and depth of discharge are taken into account, the observed variability in lifetime data is due almost entirely to statistical variability inherent in the battery itself.